Friday, April 30, 2010

The Exalted Heart of Ganesha

Since Gordon had a piece on Ganesha, that I commented on, and since I am finishing up a Ganapati Spirit Bottle for a client. I thought it would be auspicious if I posted something on Ganesha or Ganapati. Unfortunately the Tantric sadhanas that I use from the Sakya and Kagyu are only for those with the wang. There is however a Sutra that gives a wonderful, if short mantra.

Below is the Sutra translated by Eric Tsiknopoulos. I pulled it from the Digital Tibetan Buddhist Altar Blog

In the Indian Language [Sanskrit]: Arya Ganapati Hridaya
In the Tibetan Language: Phakpa Tsokdakpo’i Zung
In the English Language: Ganapati’s Exalted Heart-Dharani


HOMAGE TO ALL THE BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS!

Thus have I heard: at one time, the Transcendent and Accomplished Conqueror was in Rajagriha, on Vulture’s Peak Mountain, together with an enormous Sangha of fully-ordained monks, who were all abiding together as one skillful expedient device.

Then, the Transcendent Conqueror said to the Venerable Ananda:
“Retain this, the Heart of Ganapati! Those people who read this will accomplish all of their endeavors. All of the aspirations they hold in their minds will be accomplished, as well. They will accomplish all of the secret mantras, too. All of their wealth and resources will become auspiciously abundant. Without asking or searching, whatever food and riches that they themselves want will be found. For this, you must recite this mantra!”

TADYATHA: NAMO TUDDHE GANAPATI KATA KATA KITI KITI KUTA KUTA MATRA MATRA DARA DARA DHAHA DHAHA GHRINA GHRINA DABA DABA JAMBHA JAMBHA SAMAYA MANUSMARANA TUDDE TUDTRA BACHANAYE SVAHA/ ABUTE BHIDUKSHABANCHA TANABASAMA GARACHHA THAMA HABHAYA MAHABAYA MAHETETA KSHINIYA PRAKOM PAYASI/ TADYATHA: OM KURU KURU MURU MURU CHURU CHURU NAMA NAMA SVAHA

“Ananda! If any son or daughter of noble spiritual lineage, fully-ordained monk, fully-ordained nun, novice monk, or novice nun, or anyone else should intone this Heart-Essence of the Powerful Lord of Gatherings [Ganapati] every day, that person will become endowed with bliss and happiness in this life. They will become endowed with riches and resources. The sufferings of poverty and destitution will not occur. They will be pleasing and delightful to all people. They will accomplish all of their endeavors, no matter what they are, and their aspirations, as well. Both in this life, and in their next life, too, they will not lack wealth and resources.”

“Waking up early every morning in one’s home, if this dharani is chanted three or seven times, one will retain what one has heard. All yakshas, rakshasas, goblins, and dakinis will not snatch away one’s radiance and luster, and they will guard and protect the person who chants this dharani.”

The Transcendent Conqueror spoke those sacred words thus, and the entire retinue: the whole world, with its gods, humans, demi-gods, and gandharvas, rejoiced; they vividly praised what had been spoken by the Bhagavan, the Transcendent and Accomplished Conqueror.

THE NOBLE DHARANI OF GANAPATI, THE LORD OF GATHERINGS, IS COMPLETE.


Translated by Eric Tsiknopoulos (Sherab Zangpo).

8 comments:

Devi Spring said...

Wow. A spirit bottle for Ganapati. I don't know why that has just blown my mind.

Ganesha has been a major guide for me for the past decade, and I credit the bulk of my spiritual development over that time to his blessed goad.

I've read a good deal on the more shamanic spirit-work service that some of the Hindu deities receive in the more tribal and rural areas of India, and have had real solid successes with using shamanic journeying to communicate, and to receive teachings and healings from them on their own plane. I've also found bits and pieces of info about some of the Hindu deities being served in a more traditional ATR-style in Trinidad, but nothing solid enough for me to really have felt comfortable going in that direction. I have blended some conjure methods with elements of puja and mantric work with good success, though, but that's about as close as it came.

But a Ganesha spirit bottle. Now THAT is calling to me.

Will you ever share more info about that? I realize you are probably coming from the more Tibetan perspective on him. It would just REALLY interest me.

Theo Huffman said...

Oddly, I don't really occupy myself with the Indian pantheon much, but years ago when I was reading Healing Meditations by Tulku Thondup, there was a practice in there on which most of the other exercises are based,called "the source of power." One can just imagine a glowing ball of light overhead, but it is recommended to place a symbol of holiness in it: a guru, an abstract symbol, or a deity. For some reason, I felt most comfortable putting Ganesha there. For many months I meditated on light streaming forth into my being from Ganesha. I turned it in a bhakti yoga exercise for some time, and dedicated myself to seeing Ganesha everywhere. It was a good period of my life.

I've moved on, but Ganesha is still on my altar, and he occupies a special place in my heart. Hungary being a land of serious bureaucratic red tape, I often visualize him smashing through government offices and helping me achieve my goals.

At this point, I don't even think of him as an Indian deity. As far as that goes, I have a feeling he is much older than anything else in the Indian pantheon.

Om Ganesha!

Jason Miller, said...

Devi,

I will see if I can get permission from the client to post a photo when it is completed. Right now I am accumulating mantras for it.

There is a lot of cross over between the way that Himalayans (Indian, Nepalese, Tibetans) work with the Gods and the ATR's. There are several really important differences as well. Tibetan Dharmapalas for instance are enraged by tobacco.

John Reynolds and I have an evolving Grimoire of Tibetan/Hoodoo hybrid work, so you are not along in blending Pujas with Rootwork.

Gordon said...

"...those with the wang."

That's the official scientific term, right? :)

Kudos for combining your always-fascinating magical advice with some light dick-jokery.

Love your work.

But seriously, this was an unbelievably helpful post for me right now.

Jason Miller, said...

Wang is Tibetan for Empowerment.

Generally speaking, you should have a Wang, Lung, and Tre - The Empowerment, Transmission, and Instruction for any Tantric practice. Bare minimum however would be either a Wang or a Lung.

Unknown said...

It is most beneficial by far if Tibetan buddhist meditational deities are used within a buddhist context, i.e. within the context of non-violence and compassion. Of course it has always been used outside a buddhist context. There is nothing that can be done against ist. Such practice, however, is considered as very harmful by all tantric buddhist masters without exception.

I don't know much about the motivation behind a spirit bottle. In any case it is difficult to gauge someone else's motivation. A spirit bottle/conjuration may be contradictory to the buddhist principles of non-violence and compassion. I guess that a practicing hindu would also not embrace the idea of using Ganesha for a spirit bottle - for the same reason

The healing practice that Tulku Thondup describes is meant for healing, it is not so much intended to achieve goals in this life only but is rather done to achieve beneficial results in future lives - although it will have a beneficial effect on this life also - provided it is done with the right motivation. If it is done with a selfish motivation (a mind motivated by aversion, attachment and ignorance) you will encounter problems later in life as a result.

Jason Miller, said...

Gabrielle,

We again find ourselves at odds in our experience. You still haven't answered as to who your Lamas are from the last go round. Apparently all of them because you know that they would all be against this "without exception".

At any rate, I have my Lamas, you have yours, and I don't feel like devoting the time to arguing with you.

Anonymous said...

Hi, this is the translator, Erick Sherab Zangpo. This translation has been revised and updated. Could you please update the translation on this page? The new one is found here:

Ganapati's Exalted Heart-Dharani:

http://emptyelephant.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/ganapatis-noble-heart-dharani/

If anyone is interested in making a donation to my studies and translations, contact me at emptyelephant@yahoo.com.