Seven Stars Wish-Fulfilling Wheel Secret Essential Sutra

Translated by Amoghavajra

This is what I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was in the Great Snow Mountains, at the Kalandaka Grove near Rajagriha, together with a great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty bhikkhus. Their names were: Mahamaudgalyayana, Shariputra, Mahakatyayana, Ananda, Mahakashyapa, Purna Maitrayaniputra. Moreover, there were eighteen thousand bodhisattvas, all possessing the unregressing dhāraṇī and eloquence. Amidst such an assembly as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, he turned the great wheel of Dharma.

At that time, a messenger from the palace of the city of Kashi came to where the Buddha was. He paid homage at the Buddha's feet and said to the Buddha: "King Prasenajit has sent me to consult. The great country of Kaushila has brought countless myriads of troops to surround Kashi. The rulers and ministers are in panic, the people are terrified. We beseech the World-Honored One, through your great power of wisdom, to rescue and protect us."

Then the World-Honored One immediately addressed the Bodhisattva King of Spiritual Powers: "Go to the palace of the city of Kashi. Quickly establish the secret gateway of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Wheel Mandala and the Seven Stars Fire Altar. The so-called Mandala: construct it in a pure chamber. The Seven Stars Fire Altar: make it in an open area. Perform it correctly for one day and one night, and the enemy host will naturally disperse.

"The ritual procedure: first, one must establish a boundary, then perform the Mandala method: 'Homage to the Great Dharma Lord, King of the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel! I now respectfully construct this Mandala. May those with divine hearing, divine sight, and spiritual powers bear witness to this method.' Then recite the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel mantra seven times. Sprinkle water consecrated by the seven recitations upon the ground, and take the rear of the boundary as the established boundary.

"The so-called Mandala: moreover, in the most purified chamber, with ground level like a mirror, in the center construct a five-colored wheel image like a chariot wheel, either with ten spokes or twelve spokes. Between the spokes, draw the pattern of a vajra; on the spokes themselves, likewise. In the center, place the Bodhisattva King of the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel. In each space between spokes, place images of the Seven Stars and Hariti Mother. Before each image, place lamps, ghee, incense, and various offerings. Write the name of the person concerned on their respective star.

"The acharya sits outside the wheel, and each time he initiates the ritual for accomplishment. Empower and recite one session of one hundred and eight repetitions. If visualization is not established, do not count the repetitions.

"The so-called Fire Altar: construct a fire hearth in an open area, either one cubit or two cubits. Then empower one person, either an upasaka or upasika, wearing new, clean clothes, to prepare food cakes for the respective star, along with ghee, honey, incense, medicines, etc. Then, facing the Seven Stars, make one prostration, make one offering into the fire, with single-minded focus on the respective star. If there is movement, unusual signs, or light, then accomplishment is attained. If it is a pure acharya, whether king, minister, or even common people, if they themselves make the fire altar and make requests, according to their wishes they will attain accomplishment."

At that time, the Bodhisattva Divine Power King, following the Buddha's instruction, went to the great city of Kāśī and performed each method one by one. With thunder and lightning, the bandits scattered and fled. The rulers and ministers rejoiced, and the people were at peace and happy.

Then the Bodhisattva Divine Power King returned to the Buddha, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said: "How marvelous, World-Honored One! This inconceivable secret Dharma method. Where is the Bodhisattva Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Wheel King now? By the power of the Tathāgata, we wish to go to that world and pay homage to the Bodhisattva Wish-Fulfilling Wheel King."

The Buddha said to the Bodhisattva Divine Power King: "Excellent, excellent! To the true south, there is a world called Seven-Jewel Turning Wheel King. Upon the seven-jewel wheel, the Dharma-protecting Seven Stars and the assemblies of gods surround it, turning the Dharma wheel to liberate sentient beings."

Then the Bodhisattva Divine Power King said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, for what reason is it that we not only contemplate the Bodhisattva Wish-Fulfilling Wheel King, but also pay homage to the original stars and others?"

The Buddha said: "In the past, when the Dharma method was received from the Buddha Dīpaṃkara, the spirits of the Seven Stars descended from the heavens, and the great god Hāli emerged from the earth, saying: 'We vow to protect this great Dharma. If there are people who uphold and practice this method, we will arrive first to accomplish the Dharma matters.' For this reason, it includes the practice of making offerings."

Then the Bodhisattva Divine Power King, empowered by the Buddha's great spiritual force, went to that world, paid homage to the Bodhisattva Wish-Fulfilling Wheel King, and spoke these words:

Then the Bodhisattva of the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel spoke this verse:

I take refuge in the Arhats.(1) I take refuge in the Noble Ones.(2) I take refuge in the World-Honored One, the Blessed One.(3) I take refuge in the Bodhisattvas.(4) I take refuge in the Great Compassionate One.(5) Thus it is:(7) Oṃ, to the Victorious One,(9) the True Wish-Fulfilling Jewel,(10) the Great Ground of Enlightenment,(11) the Protector, the Victorious One, Āḥ Hūṃ Svāhā.(12) Oṃ,(13) Ground of Enlightenment, True Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, Great Victorious One, Hūṃ.(14) Oṃ, to the Buddha, the Ground of Enlightenment, Hūṃ.(15)

Seven Stars Wish-Fulfilling Wheel Secret Essential Sutra

On the tenth day of the second month in the spring of the fifth year of the Tianming era, in the year of Yisi, this was transcribed at the Great Bao'en Temple north of Luoyang, based on the manuscript held at the Shangpin Lian Temple. This Seven-Star Wish-Fulfilling Wheel Sutra was verified against the commentaries of Chongyu, Shenmi, and the later annotations of the Thin Grass Manuscript.

Jin, a student at Chizan-in Temple in Edo, respectfully notes.

In the Mid-Autumn Moon of the second year of the Kyōwa era, I obtained this text and had it transcribed. It was examined and reviewed by the monks of the Jishin-in Temple on the ridge. I further examined and corrected it before having it carved for printing.

Fengshan Monastery's Abbot, Master Kuaidao Zhi