Three Kinds of Siddhi: The Secret Dhāraṇī Method for Shattering Hell, Transforming Karmic Obstacles, and Transcending

Translation by Śubhakarasiṃha of Central India, Commissioned by Imperial Decree

The practices of yoga number around a thousand. Here, I will briefly describe a small portion. When the mouth opens and the tongue rises, it shakes the palace of the Dharma Realm. The Tathagata emerges from samadhi in the Lotus Treasury World, thereby destroying hell realms, transforming karmic obstacles, and liberating beings from the three realms. Understand this: by arranging the syllables according to the Dharma, if the ruler of men wears them upon his head or crown, all nations will be peaceful and prosperous. If military governors and inspectors inscribe the mantra upon their banners and flags, the four directions will be tranquil and calm.

When a city's chief commander maintains order, if the mantra is inscribed upon war drums and horns to sound a stern alarm, the drum's sound will be heard far and wide. Malignant energies will be cleared, and auspicious influences will spread for a thousand miles. Crops will flourish abundantly, and people will be free from disasters and epidemics. The local earth deities will bring gentle winds and timely rains. Through recitation and empowerment, if the mantra is inscribed upon battle drums, enemy armies will surrender of their own accord without a single person being harmed. This is called the Vajra Drum.

The Buddha said: "The syllable 'A' is the lord of the Vajra family and corresponds to the liver. The syllable 'A' is none other than Vairocana Buddha's Dharma body of principle—the inherently pure ultimate reality, the unattainable emptiness, the vajra ground element, and the seed syllable of the Vajra family mandala. In terms of name-and-form, earth is form; within the five aggregates, it is the consciousness aggregate that upholds the earth element, and its seed is impure. Generally, the five solid organs belong to form. Since the consciousness aggregate of the five aggregates gives rise to them, in terms of name-and-form, earth is form. Now, the liver governs the ethereal soul. The ethereal soul, spirit, and vital energy correspond to the east and wood; wood is the emptiness of form. Wood governs spring, its color is blue; the blue color arises from wood, wood arises from water; the liver arises from blue energy and from the kidneys. Its shape resembles an upright lotus leaf, with a bright pearl in the middle; the flesh of the liver is located in the left side of the chest. The liver manifests as the eyes and governs the sinews; the sinews culminate in the nails. Now, because the five syllables govern the five solid organs and six hollow organs, this is explained through the interweaving of internal and external aspects. Furthermore, sour flavors mostly enter the liver, strengthening the liver but damaging the spleen. If the spleen lacks the ethereal soul, it often leads to clouded consciousness and harms the lungs, causing illness in the liver—just as metal overcomes wood. When the lungs are strong and the liver weak, one should stabilize the mind in the lungs and use blue energy to draw in white energy; then liver illness will be cured, and blue energy will become established."

The syllable "Vam" is the seed syllable of the Lotus Family, with Vam being the eleventh transformation of the syllable "Va," and the final "m" being the third transformation. This transformation explains the meaning of the syllable "A," representing the great turning wheel of the wisdom-ocean of Mahavairocana Tathagata. The dharma of unimpeded spiritual powers is called the wisdom-dharmakaya, also known as the sambhogakaya, which constitutes the mandala of the Lotus Family.

The lungs govern the corporeal soul, which is the physical form. Its shape resembles a flower and governs the nose, corresponding to the western direction and the element metal. Metal governs autumn, and its color is white. The white color arises from wind, which in turn arises from the yang energy of earth. Among the five aggregates, the aggregate of perception holds wind; perception arises from consciousness, consciousness arises from past karma, past karma arises from ignorance, ignorance arises from deluded thoughts, and deluded thoughts again arise from deluded thoughts—this is the cycle of the twelve links of dependent origination.

The lungs arise from white energy and are nourished by the spleen. Pungent flavors predominantly enter the lungs, strengthening them but harming the liver. If the lungs lack the corporeal soul, it leads to fear and madness. When the heart harms the lungs, illness arises, akin to fire overcoming metal. If the heart is strong and the lungs are weak, one should stabilize the mind within the heart, using white energy to absorb red energy. Lung ailments will then be cured. The white energy corresponds to the syllable "Vam."

The character "Lan" (blue), belonging to the Treasure Section, governs the heart. The character "Lan" is the seed of the fire element, representing the mind-ground of Mahāvairocana Buddha. It is the dwelling place of all Buddhas throughout the three periods of time, burning away the dust, defilements, and deluded attachments of all sentient beings accumulated since beginningless time, and giving rise to the sprout of the Bodhi-mind. It transforms and explains the meaning of the character "A" (阿), representing the Nirmanakāya Buddha. In reality, it is the wisdom Dharmakāya fire-born maṇḍala.

The heart governs the spirit, whose form resembles a bird, corresponding to the southern direction and the element of fire. Fire governs summer, and its color is red. The color red arises from fire, and fire arises from wood. Among the five aggregates, the aggregate of sensation (vedanā) is held by the heart, which is associated with fire. Sensation arises from the aggregate of perception (saṃjñā), and the heart also arises from red qi and the liver.

The heart manifests as the tongue, governs the blood, and when blood is exhausted, it becomes milk. It also governs the ears, and influences the nose, throat, bridge of the nose, forehead, and chin. Bitter flavors mostly enter the heart, strengthening the heart but damaging the lungs. If the heart lacks spirit, one often forgets things before and after. When the kidneys harm the heart, illness arises, just as water overcomes fire. If the kidneys are strong and the heart is weak, one should calm the heart by focusing on the kidneys, using red qi to absorb black qi, and then heart disease will be cured. Red qi corresponds to the character "Lan."

The syllable "Hāṃ" belongs to the Karma section and governs the kidneys. The syllable "Hūṃ" is a transformation of the syllable "Ha" and represents the eternal life and wind element seed syllable of Mahāvairocana Tathāgata. It embodies the three gates of liberation and the principle of the three times being ungraspable, manifesting as the great power mandala of the Dharmakāya. Wind corresponds to the mental formation aggregate, which is sustained by consciousness.

The five viscera are the liver, lungs, heart, spleen, and kidneys. The stomach is one of the six bowels. The stomach resides in the abdomen, and grains are processed by the spleen. The stomach is the sea of the five viscera and six bowels, as all food and drink enter it, and the five viscera and six bowels all receive nourishment from the stomach. The five flavors each flow to their corresponding organs; the sweet and bland flavors enter the stomach, and thus the kidneys receive nourishment from the stomach. The kidneys are located below the navel and waist: the left is called the kidney, and the right is called the gate of life. The kidneys spread their influence to the heart, abdomen(stomach and kidneys), and govern the storage and excretion of water essence. The kidneys govern will and correspond to the north and the water element. Water governs winter, and its color is black. Among the five aggregates, the mental formation aggregate is sustained by consciousness, which arises from feeling, and feeling arises from perception. The kidneys arise from black qi and the lungs, and they govern the ears. The kidneys manifest as bones, govern marrow, and the marrow culminates in the ear cartilage, while bones culminate in teeth. Salty flavors mostly enter the kidneys, strengthening them but harming the heart. If the kidneys lack will, there is often sorrow and weeping. The spleen harms the kidneys, causing illness, much like earth overcomes water. If the spleen is strong and the kidneys are weak, one should stabilize the mind on the spleen and use black qi to absorb yellow qi; then kidney illness will improve. Black qi corresponds to the syllable "Hāṃ."

The character "欠" belongs to the Vacuity section and governs the spleen. The character "欠" represents the supreme void wisdom, the tranquil and true principle of the Tathāgata's unseen crown protrusion and the great empty wisdom attained by the five Buddhas. It is the supreme maṇḍala of the bodhi path attained by all Buddhas of the ten directions and three times. The spleen governs intention, representing the center and earth. Earth governs late summer, and its color is yellow. Yellow arises from earth, and earth arises from fire. As previously explained, within the five aggregates, the aggregate of consciousness holds the earth. Alternatively, it is considered the wood organ, with wood's blue-green representing emptiness. The spleen arises from yellow qi and the heart, governs the mouth, and is associated with will. Sweet flavors predominantly enter the spleen, strengthening the spleen but harming the kidneys. If the spleen lacks intention, there is often confusion and delusion. When the liver harms the spleen, causing illness, it is like wood overcoming earth. If the liver is strong and the spleen weak, one should stabilize the mind on the liver, using yellow qi to draw in blue-green qi; then the spleen's illness will be cured. Yellow qi corresponds to the character "欠". The five organs are like lotus flowers facing downward.

Within, the five organs; without, the five elements—these emerge to form the physical body, and this is called "form." Form refers to the four great elements and the five sense faculties, while "name" refers to the four mental aggregates such as perception and volition. These together constitute the human body, just as the sun, moon, five planets, twelve zodiac houses, and twenty-eight constellations form the cosmos.

Mountains, seas, and the great earth arise from the syllable "A." Rivers and streams flow forth from the syllable "Vam." Gold, jade, treasures, the sun, moon, stars, fiery pearls, and radiant light are all formed from the syllable "Ram." The five grains, fruits, and the blossoming of myriad flowers come into being through the syllable "Ham." Fragrances of the realms, beauty among humans and gods, nurturing, complexion, flavors, dignified appearance, merit, fortune, and wealth are all adorned by the syllable "Kham."

The syllable "A" is Akshobhya Tathagata of the East. The syllable "Vam" is Amitabha Tathagata of the West. The syllable "Ram" is Ratnasambhava Tathagata of the South. The syllable "Ham" is Amoghasiddhi Tathagata of the North. The syllable "Kham" is Vairocana, the Great Sun Tathagata of the zenith.