Translation by the Tang Dynasty Tripitaka Master Yijing, by Imperial Command.

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Bhagavān was in Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍada, together with a great assembly of 1,250 bhikṣus and 12,000 bodhisattva mahāsattvas.

At that time, in the assembly at the Hall of Good Dharma in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, there was a god named Good Abiding. Surrounded by great gods and goddesses, he enjoyed supreme honor, delighting in games and various heavenly music, sharing in amusement and experiencing all manner of joys.

Then, during the night, the god Good Abiding heard a voice saying: "Good Abiding! Seven days from now, your life will certainly end. After passing from here, you will be reborn in the human world, where you will undergo seven successive lives as an animal. Afterwards, you will suffer in the hells. Emerging from hell, it will be rare for you to obtain a human body again. You will be born into a poor and lowly family, and while still in your mother's womb, you will be without both eyes."

Hearing this voice, Good Abiding's hair stood on end. He was seized by great terror, filled with sorrow and distress, panicked and at a loss. He swiftly went to the lord Indra, ruler of the gods, weeping and crying out in grief. After bowing his head to the feet of Lord Indra, he said: "I beg you, Heavenly Lord, to hear what I have to say. While I was surrounded by goddesses, enjoying happiness, I heard a voice saying: 'Good Abiding! Seven days from now your life will end. After your life ends, you will be reborn in the human world, where you will undergo seven successive lives as an animal. Afterwards, you will suffer in the hells. Emerging from hell, it will be rare for you to obtain a human body again. You will be born into a poor and lowly family, and while still in your mother's womb, you will be without both eyes.' Hearing these words, I am terrified and at a loss. How can I be spared from this suffering?"

At that time, upon hearing the words of the Good Abode Deva Prince, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, was greatly astonished and deeply concerned. He pondered intently: "What sevenfold rebirth in the evil destinies is this Good Abode to receive?" After a moment of silent contemplation, he focused his vision and observed clearly: he saw that Good Abode was destined to receive seven rebirths in evil destinies, namely, as a swine, a dog, a jackal, a monkey, a python, a crow, and a vulture—all feeding on foul and impure things.

Then, having witnessed that the Good Abode Deva Prince was about to fall into seven rebirths in evil destinies, Śakra was overwhelmed with compassionate concern. Sorrow, distress, and anguish pierced his heart and mind. He reflected earnestly: "What plan is there? What refuge exists? Who can shelter and protect him, that he may be spared this suffering?" He further thought: "Only the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the great compassionate father—can He cause this Good Abode to escape this suffering?"

Then, having formed this thought, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, adorned himself with various flowers and celestial garments of exquisite beauty. Holding fragrant incense and blossoms, he went to the Jetavana Grove, approached the World-Honored One, and with reverence made offerings, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him seven times, and then knelt with palms joined. He addressed the Buddha, saying: “The devaputra Suṣṭhita has heard a voice declare: ‘After seven days, your life will end, and you will undergo seven rebirths in the wretched destinies of animals.’ Hearing this, he is filled with profound sorrow, and pain pierces his heart. World-Honored One, in your great compassion, please take pity and bring benefit. How can he be freed from this suffering?”

Then, upon hearing these words, the World-Honored One smiled, and from the crown of his head emitted rays of light of many kinds, illuminating the three-thousandfold world system, before returning to the Buddha.

When the Buddha, the World-Honored One, speaks of past events, the light enters through his back. When he speaks of future events, the light enters through his chest. When he speaks of the hells, the light enters from beneath his feet. When he speaks of the animal realm, the light enters from his heels. When he speaks of the hungry ghost realm, the light enters from his toes. When he speaks of human affairs, the light enters from his knees. When he speaks of wheel-turning kings of lesser power, the light enters from his left palm. When he speaks of great wheel-turning kings, the light enters from his right palm. When he speaks of heavenly affairs, the light enters from his navel. When he speaks of the disciples' path, the light enters from his mouth. When he speaks of the solitary awakened ones, the light enters from between his eyebrows. When he speaks of the supreme, perfect enlightenment, the light enters from the crown of his head.

At that time, the light returned to the Buddha, circled him three times, and entered through the Buddha's mouth.

Then, the World-Honored One addressed Śakra, Lord of the Devas, saying: "Heavenly Lord! There is a dhāraṇī called 'The Victorious Buddha-Crown of the Tathāgata.' It can purify all the suffering and distress of birth and death in the evil destinies. It can also purify all the sufferings of the hells, the realm of Yama, and the animal realm. It destroys all karmic retribution leading to the hells and turns one toward the wholesome path.

"Heavenly Lord! This Buddha-Crown Victorious Dhāraṇī is inconceivable and possesses great spiritual power. If a person hears it even once, all evil karma created in previous lives will be entirely eradicated. They will obtain a pure and supremely wonderful body, and in whatever place they are born, they will remember and retain it without forgetting. From one Buddha-land to another, from one heaven to another—even throughout the Thirty-Three Heavens—wherever they are born, they will remember and retain it without forgetting.

"Furthermore, Heavenly Lord! If a person on the verge of death briefly recollects this dhāraṇī, their lifespan will be restored. Their body, speech, and mind will be purified, they will be free from pain, and according to their merit, they will attain peace and security. All Tathāgatas will look upon them with regard, all heavenly deities will constantly attend and guard them, they will be respected by people, their evil obstacles will be removed, and all Bodhisattvas will together shelter and protect them.

"If any man or woman briefly recites and upholds this dhāraṇī, know that for this person, all sufferings of the three evil destinies will be shattered, destroyed, and eliminated without a trace. They will freely enter, without obstruction, the pure lands of all Buddhas, the palaces of all heavens, and the profound practices and vows of all Bodhisattvas."

At that time, Śakra listened with single-minded delight.

The Buddha addressed the Heavenly Emperor: "I now proclaim this dhāraṇī and entrust it to you. You should bestow it upon the Good Abiding Heavenly Prince, enabling him to receive, uphold, recite, contemplate, cherish, and make offerings to it, keeping it in mind without forgetting. Furthermore, cause all sentient beings within Jambudvīpa to widely proclaim and circulate it. This dhāraṇī brings immeasurable benefit! I also declare this great dhāraṇī seal for all the heavenly princes and entrust it to you. Heavenly Emperor! You should single-mindedly remember and uphold it, diligently guard it, and do not allow it to be forgotten or lost."

Furthermore, Lord of Gods, if someone hears this mantra even for a brief moment, the heavy, accumulated evil karma from a thousand kalpas—the offenses that should lead to all kinds of rebirths in the cycle of life and death, in the hells, as hungry ghosts, as animals, in the realm of Yama, as asuras, yakshas, spirits, pishachas, kataputanas, apasmara, as mosquitoes and gnats, as turtles, dogs, serpents, and snakes, as all kinds of birds and fierce beasts, as any sentient being down to the body of an ant—will not be experienced again. Instead, they will be reborn in the assembly of all Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and the one-life-away bodhisattvas, or be born into a great brahmin family, or into the kshatriya caste, or into a noble and most excellent household.

Lord of Gods, such a person, born into these superior states as described, attains a pure and sublime body in whatever life they take, all because of hearing this mantra. Lord of Gods, such a reward, extending even to the supreme state of enlightenment, comes entirely from praising the exceptional merit of this mantra.

Heavenly Emperor! If there are men or women who copy this Dharani and place it upon a high banner pole, or upon a high mountain, or in a tower, or even place it within a stupa. Heavenly Emperor! If there are monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, or people of noble families who, upon seeing such a banner pole or the like from afar, or drawing near so that its shadow falls upon their body, or if the light dust from this Dharani banner is blown by the wind and falls upon their body—Heavenly Emperor! For all these beings, whatever sinful karma that should cause them to fall into the evil destinies—the hells, the hungry ghost realm, the animal realm, the realm of Yama, or the body of an Asura—they will not experience any of these sufferings of manifold evils, nor will they be defiled by the stain of sin. Heavenly Emperor! All such beings will receive the prediction from all Buddhas, and they will attain irreversible progress toward Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment.

Heavenly Emperor! How much more so for those who, with various flower garlands, incense paste, powdered incense, banners, canopies, clothing, jewels, and all kinds of musical offerings, with manifold adornments, erect a stupa at a crossroads, enshrine the Dharani within it, and with palms joined in reverence, circumambulate it, bow down, and pay homage. Heavenly Emperor! Those who can make offerings in this way are called Great Beings. They are true children of the Buddha, pillars upholding the Dharma, and they themselves are like a stupa containing the whole-body relics of the Tathagata.

At that time, King Yama came to the Buddha during the first watch of the night. With various fine robes, flowers, incense, fragrant pastes, powdered scents, sandalwood, and aloes, he reverently made offerings. He circumambulated the Buddha seven times, bowed at his feet, and spoke these words:

“I have heard the Tathāgata expound the great-power dhāraṇī method, praising the inconceivable merit of upholding it. The World-Honored One, in great compassion, pities and benefits beings suffering for their misdeeds. World-Honored One, I constantly follow and guard them, preventing those who uphold it from falling into hell. Because they follow the Tathāgata’s words, I watch over and protect them.”