Visible Mantra Blog

Manuscript of Early Vajrasattva Mantra

This is a page from the Sarvatath%u0101gata-tattvasa%u1E45graha (STTS), a 7th century Buddhist text concerning Tantric rituals. The STTS is classed as a Yoga Tantra by Tibetan Buddhists. Here we have the verso of the 15th palm leaf in the mantra containing what became the Hundred Syllable Vajrasattva Mantra. This is the oldest occurrence of the Vajrasattva Mantra (as far as the Chinese Canon is concerned).

This image is modified from the facsimile edition of a 10th century Nepalese palm-leaf manuscript using the Siddha%u1E43 script, published by Candra and Snellgrove. You will note that the Siddha%u1E43 script is significantly different from contemporary Siddha%u1E43 calligraphy (and much more difficult to read!)

If you want to have a go at reading it - note that you read from left to right right across the leaf (i.e. ignore the columns). The transliteration shows subtle differences from the well known 100 syllable mantra.

o%u1E41 vajra sattvasamayamanup%u0101laya vajrasattvatvenopati%u1E63%u1E6Dha d%u1E5B%u1E0Dho me bhava suto%u1E63yo me bhav%u0101nurakto me bhava supo%u1E63yo me bhava sarvasiddhi�ca me prayaccha sarvakarmasu ca me citta%u015Breya%u1E25 kuru h%u016B%u1E41 ha ha ha ha ho%u1E25 bhagavan sarvatath%u0101gatavajra m%u0101 me mu%u1E41ca vajr%u012Bbhava mah%u0101samayasatva %u0101%u1E25||

To see where the mantra is look at the version with the mantra highlihghted
See the text inverted as well - this sometimes improves readability

Labels: Manuscript, Siddham, Vajrasattva

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