The Mahālakṣmīni Sūtra
In the Indian Language [Sanskrit]: Mahālakṣmīni Sūtra (mahālakṣmīni-sūtra)
[or Mahāśrī Sūtra (mahāśrī-sūtra) [i]]
In the Tibetan Language: Pëlch’enmo’i Do (dpal-chen-mo’i mdo)
In the English Language: The Sūtra on Mahālakṣmīni (The Mahālakṣmīni Sūtra)
HOMAGE TO ALL BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS.
Thus have I heard: At one time, the Bhagavān was abiding in Sukhāvatī [the Land of Bliss, the Pure Land of Amitābha Buddha]. Then, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, the Noble Lord Avalokiteśvara, went to where the Bhagavān was, and having gone there, bowed his head at the feet of the Bhagavān, circumambulated the Bhagavān three times, and sat down to one side.
Then the Bhagavān gazed at Mahālakṣmīni, and spoke the following words to the Noble Lord Avalokiteśvara: “If any monk, nun, layman, laywoman, or anyone else comes to know, keep, read, write out, or have others write out the Twelve Names of Mahālakṣmīni, then their poverty will be eliminated, and they will become rich.”
Then all the gathered assemblies prayed deeply, saying, “May it be so!”.
Then the Bhagavān pronounced the Twelve Names of Mahālakṣmīni:
[In Tibetan]
PËLDENMA (dpal ldan ma)
PËLTRIYMA (dpal bkris ma)
PAYMAY T’RENGWA CHEN (padma’i phreng ba can)
NORGYI DAKMO (nor gyi bdag mo)
KARMO (dkar mo)
DRAKPA CH’ENMO (grags pa chen mo)
PAYMAY CHEN (padma’i spyan)
JEYPAMO (byed pa mo)
ÖCH’ENMO (‘od chen mo)
ZAYJINMA (zas sbyin ma)
RINPOCH’É RAPJINMO (rin po che rab sbyin mo)
PËLCH’ENMO (dpal chen mo)
[In English]
The Lady Imbued with Glory The Lady Enveloped in Splendor The Holder of the Lotus Rosary The Sovereign Lady of Wealth The White Lady The Lady of Great Renown The Lotus Eyed One The Efficacious Lady The Lady of Great Light The Lady Who Provides Food The Lady Who Grants Treasures The Lady of Great Resplendence
[The Mantra:]
SYĀDYATHEDANA/ JINI GRINI/ SARVA ARTHA SADHANI/ ṢAṢINA ALAGA ŚIMANA/ NĀŚAYA SIDDHANATU MANTRA PADAI SVĀHĀ/ OṂ VIGUṆI VARAṀESU BHAGE SVĀHĀ
[Tibetan pronunciation:
SYĀDYATHEDANA/ DZINI GRINI/ SARBA ARTHA SADHANI/ SHASHINA ALAGA SHIMANA/ NĀSHAYA SIDDHANATU MANTRA PADAI SWĀHĀ/ OṂ BIGUNI BARAMASU BHAGE SWĀHĀ]
“If anyone recites this during the three times[ii], they will be victorious over all unpleasant circumstances, be endowed with excellent fortune, and never run out of wealth. Furthermore, everyone will perceive them as being like their own children, will be delighted by them, and will act exactly in accordance with their bidding. If anyone always reads this aloud consistently, they will never come to harm, even if Brahmā commits violent actions [against them]; and moreover, they shall come to serve under many Buddhas!”
The Bhagavān gave that teaching, and the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, the Noble Lord Avalokiteśvara rejoiced, and deeply praised what had been spoken by the Bhagavān.
THE MAHĀLAKṢMĪNI SŪTRA IS COMPLETE.
Translated from the Tibetan by Erick Tsiknopoulos, 2009-2010. Revised in August 2016.
Special thanks to Ned Branchi for his invaluable help with the Sanskrit and mantras.
[i] This is an updated and revised version (2016) of my previous translation of the same text, entitled ‘The Mahāśrī Sūtra‘ (2009) and later, ‘Mahā-Lakṣmī Sūtra‘ (2010).
[ii] Some versions of this sūtra list the Sanskrit title as the ‘Mahāśrī Sūtra’, but according to the Dergé Kangyur (sde-dge bka’-‘gyur), the title in Sanskrit is the ‘Mahālakṣmīni Sūtra’. The goddess in this text, Mahāśrī/Mahālakṣmīni (Tib. dpal-chen-mo), “She of Great Glory”, is essentially a Buddhist version of the Hindu goddess Lakṣmī. Therefore I have opted here for ‘Mahālakṣmīni Sūtra’ rather than ‘Mahāśrī Sūtra‘.
[iii] The three times (dus gsum) are morning, afternoon, and night, implying that it should be recited during those three times of day. Alternatively, it could also possibly imply ‘three repetitions’ of the Twelve Names and Mantra and/or entire Sūtra, presumably on a daily basis.
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