Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Goddess Marici - The Ray of Light Bodhisattva 摩利支天菩薩



Marici — “Ray of Light” Bodhisattva Goddess — protective Bodhisattva for “turbulent times”; the aspect of glorious Mother Tara.

Marici’s most popular praise, written by the great Vidyadhara Jigdral Lingpa, states her most important role is  “to bring protection from fear in these turbulent times.”

The turbulent times referred to were centuries ago, and sadly, we still need the powerful protection of Marici, the emanation of Tara. Her Dharani, most effective in these difficult times, was proclaimed by Shakyamuni Buddha in the Dharani of Marica, spoken by the Buddha.

Marici, the ray of light, the glorious Bodhisattva Goddess of compassion who rides a boar, is an aspect of Tara in most Tibetan traditions. She is revealed as the 21st Tara in some Nyingma traditions. In the Surya Gupta tradition, she is the attendant of the 9th Tara along with Ekajati (in this context they are considered aspects of Tara.)
The greatest enemy of the Maras
Marici Goddess of the Dawn is the “enemy of the Maras” and an important Mahayana and Vajrayana Enlightened Deity. 

She is called the “great enemy of the Maras” — due to her well-known protective role. In this beautiful Tibetan praise, her protective aspects are acclaimed — by the Vidyadhara Jigdral Lingpa:

Om, lhamo özer chenma la chaktsal lo
Om, Homage to the goddess Marici.

Chaktsal du kyi du dra chenmo
Homage to her, the great enemy of the maras.

Zhen gyi mitub nampar jomma
Utterly invincible, vanquisher of all,

Nyima dawe dun ne dro zhing
She who travels before the sun and moon,

Chusin gyaltsen nampar troma
And drives away Makaradhvaja, God of Desire,

Khyo la solwa tabpa tsam gyi
Simply by praying to you,

Dra yi pung ni nampar chom shik
May the hosts of opposing forces be destroyed!

Se dang ye dang tre mong jerwe
Slay them, divide them, drive them away, confuse them and disperse them,

Chok le namgyal ngodrub tsol chik
And grant us the siddhi of total victory over all adversity!
Ray of Light — shining light of protection
Marici “Ray of Light” in Chinese: 摩利支天菩薩; Japanese: Marishiten, Marici is a Buddhist Devi or Enlightened goddess, as well as a Bodhisattva associated with light and the Sun. She is typically depicted with multiple arms and riding a charging boar or sow, or on a fiery chariot pulled by seven horses or seven boars. 

She has either one head, or between three to six with one shaped like a boar. In parts of East Asia, in her fiercest forms, she may wear a necklace of skulls. In some representations, she sits upon a lotus flower.

Maric is popular in Japan, China, Korea, Tibet, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. In Japan she is also known as Bari Kannon (摩利観音). In China she is also known as Moli Tian or Boli Tian. In Korea she is also known as Bulmujongwon-bosal.

In the Dharani sutra of Marici, her benefits are recited by the Buddha [for the full text, including Sanskrit of this Dharani, see section below]:

“Oṃ, goddess Marici, please protect me on the road!

Please protect me from taking wrong paths!

Please protect me from dangerous beings!

Please protect me from the danger of tyrants!

Please protect me from the danger of elephants!
Please protect me from the danger of thieves!

Please protect me from the danger of nagas!

Please protect me from the danger of lions!

Please protect me from the danger of tigers!

Please protect me from the danger of fire!

Please protect me from the danger of water!

Please protect me from the danger of snakes!

Please protect me from the danger of poison!

Please protect me from the danger of opponents and adversaries!”
A more wrathful manifestation of Marici. Marici is the “Enemy of the Maras” and protects from many dangers.

This is followed by her special Dharani of protection, spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha:

Tadyathā | oṃ vattālī vadālī varālī varāha-mukhī | sarva-duṣṭa-pra-duṣṭānāṃ cakṣur-mukhaṃ bandha bandha | bandha mukhaṃ jambhaya stambhaya mohaya svāhā | oṃ mārīcyai svāhā | oṃ varālī vadālī vattālī varāha-mukhī sarva-duṣṭa-pra-duṣṭānāṃ cakṣur-mukhaṃ bandha bandha svāhā 

For The Marici Bodhisattva Sutra Spoken by Buddha Shakyamuni, please visit us as follow: https://bit.ly/3Bkqju8

For the Goddess of Marici prayer mantra, please visit our YouTube video as follow:

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