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| Himalayan Art Resources Item No. 586 |
The Transcendent Wisdom Scripture for Humane Kings Who Wish to Protect Their States, also known simply as the Sūtra of Humane Kings, outlines the benefit of upholding it and, by extension, the Buddhadharma through practicing the Prajñāpāramitā ("Perfection of Wisdom"). This text was introduced to China first by Kumārajīva and then a later recension was popularized for ritual use by Amoghavajra. Through this text, Amoghavajra benefited the people of Táng dynasty and the imperial court.
The practice of Prajñāpāramitā is not easy. It is seeing the nature of reality for what it truly is and bodies of texts and commentaries have been written and compiled just to expound this teaching further. Such texts include the Heart Sūtra (Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya) and the Diamond Sūtra (Vajracchedikāprajñāpāramitāsūtra). Studying these texts, contemplating the underlying concepts, and applying the teachings bring great benefit.
With that said, householders, who may not necessarily have either the capacity or the time to do the aforementioned, may still uphold the Prajñāpāramitā through other means. Specific to the Sūtra of Humane Kings, for example, one can recite the dhāraṇī from its seventh chapter. This dhāraṇī was pronounced by Vajrapāṇi and the other bodhisattva-mahāsatvas of the five directions, who states that it affords protection, eliminates obstructions, and causes countries to be without difficulties.
The dhāraṇī, with very minor edits on my end (I separated certain words with dashes for ease of recitation), goes:
namo ratna-trayāya
namo ārya-vairocanāya tathāgatāya arhate samyak-saṃbuddhāya
namo ārya-samanta-bhadrāya bodhi-sattvāya mahā-sattvāya mahā-karuṇikāya, tadyathā:
jñāna-pradīpe akṣaya-kośe pratibhānavati sarva-buddhāvalokite
yoga-pariniṣpanne gambhīra-dura-vagāhe tryadhva-pariniṣpanne
bodhi-citta-saṃjānāni sarvābhiṣekābhiṣikte dharma-sāgara-sambhūti
amogha-śravaṇe mahā-samanta-bhadra-bhūmi-niryāte vyākaraṇa-pariprāptāni
sarva-siddha-namas-kṛte sarva-bodhi-sattva-saṃjānāni bhagavati-buddha-māte
araṇe akaraṇe araṇākaraṇe mahā-prajñā-pāramite svāhā
The Sūtra of Humane Kings states that those who recite and uphold this dhāraṇī will be supported and protected by all the buddhas of the ten directions. Evil beings will venerate that person like a buddha. Eventually, in not a long time, that person will also attain supreme enlightenment.
This method is therefore the supreme method of benefitting everyone, not just ourselves. A nation will be prosperous, peaceful, and stable because of this dhāraṇī as it is like upholding the various Prajñāpāramitā texts themselves. It is a reminder that our practice benefits everyone.
By keeping the Buddhadharma close to one's heart and exhorting leaders to turn away from their evil acts, one can benefit the nation. The Sūtra of Humane Kings expounds that, wherever the Correct Teaching is established, bodhisattva-mahāsatvas of the five directions will assembly and go there to protect the nation. These bodhisattva-mahāsatvas have promised to ensure that these places are devoid of calamities and difficulties and to eliminate conflict and epidemics.
If there is limited opportunity to practice and one can only recite a single mantra or portion of the sūtras, there is nothing else but this dhāraṇī to recite. Why? If the nation benefits, everyone, including oneself, benefits. This is the ultimate expression of bodhicitta, and no practice is more effective than bodhicitta. When one places others before oneself, the merit and benefit of one's practice multiplies a billionfold. Therefore, uphold and recite this dhāraṇī whenever one can. Whether that be one, two, three, five, seven, twenty-one, or ten million times, whatever amount one can recite for the benefit of the entire nation, this dhāraṇī is beneficial.
May the Buddhadharma again take root, spread, flourish, and remain forever in the Pearl of the Orient and in the whole world!