What is 大悲心陀羅尼 (Daihi-shin-Dharani)?: The Mantra that Exorcises the "Demons" of Distracting Thoughts

大悲心陀羅尼 (Daihi-shin-Dharani): A Mantra Where the Act of Recitation Itself Brings Merit

What is 大悲心陀羅尼 (Daihi-shin-Dharani)? A Dharani Describing the Compassionate Heart of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara

Key Point: 大悲心陀羅尼(Daihi-shin-Dharani/Nilakantha Dharani) is 陀羅尼 (dharani) that expresses the vast compassionate heart of 観音菩薩 (Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara). A “dharani” is a mantra chanted in Buddhism. “大悲心 (Daihi-shin)” is short for “大慈悲心 (great compassionate heart),” where “慈” (ji/metta/loving-kindness) means to bring joy and happiness to others, and “悲” (hi/karuna/compassion) means to remove the suffering of others. By chanting the Daihi-shin-Dharani, one can receive “加持” (kaji/blessings/empowerment) through the great compassionate heart of Avalokiteshvara.

The Daihi-shin-Dharani is a Buddhist dharani that expresses the vast, compassionate heart of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. A “dharani” is a mantra chanted in Buddhism. The formal name of Daihi-shin-Dharani is “千手千眼観世音菩薩広大円満無礙大悲心陀羅尼経” (Sutra of the Dharani of the Vast, Perfect, Unimpeded Great Compassionate Heart of the Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteshvara). In Sanskrit, it is called the Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī. Since the Daihi-shin-Dharani represents the “Great Compassionate Heart” of Avalokiteshvara, it was originally transcribed phonetically into Chinese characters from Sanskrit (the ancient language of India) and cannot be translated directly. This is because these sounds contain “prayers and vibrations that transcend meaning,” and it is believed that “the sound itself, regardless of literal meaning, is a source of merit.” “大悲心 (Daihi-shin)” is an abbreviation for “大慈悲心(Daijihi-shin/Great Compassionate Heart),” where “慈” (ji/compassion/loving-kindness) means to bring joy and happiness to others, and “悲” (hi/compassion/empathy) means to remove the suffering of others. By chanting the Daihi-shin Dharani, one can receive “加持” (kaji/empowerment) through the great compassion of Avalokiteshvara. Nevertheless, for those who wish to understand the underlying meaning, I have provided an interpretive translation that stays as faithful to the original Sanskrit meanings as possible.

Incidentally, the difference between “陀羅尼 (dharani)”and “真言 (mantra)” is that a dharani is a longer incantation used to preserve and protect the teachings and their merits, while mantra is a shorter incantation used to invoke the power of a Buddha.

Daihi-shin-Dharani(真読/Shindoku) and The Gasan-do Trail

Key Point: When 峨山韶碩 (Gasan Joseki) served as the head priest of both 総持寺 (Soji-ji) Temple (Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture) and 永光寺 (Yoko-ji )Temple (Hakui City, Ishikawa Prefecture), he frequently traveled back and forth along the long, challenging route known as the “峨山道 (Gasan-do).” It is said that the “真読 (Shindoku)” style of the Daihi-shin-Dharani was established when Gasan, aiming to arrive on time for his duties, chanted the dharani in a deliberate, measured manner during these long journeys.

The “Daihi-shin-Dharani (Shindoku/真読)” chanted at 総持寺 (Soji-ji), one of the two head temples of 曹洞宗 (Soto Zen school), is known for its unique, leisurely tempo. I have recently recorded this “Daihi-shin-Dharani (Shindoku)” for YouTube. But why do we chant it so slowly, as if savoring every single syllable?

峨山韶碩 (Gasan Joseki), a prominent Soto Zen monk who lived from the late Kamakura to the Nanboku-cho period, served simultaneously as the head priest of both Soji-ji Temple (in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture) and Yoko-ji Temple (in Hakui City, Ishikawa Prefecture). According to tradition, every morning after completing the morning service at Yoko-ji, Gasan would traverse the “峨山道 (Gasan-do)”—a rugged, 50-kilometer mountain trail—to reach Soji-ji. It is said that the “Shindoku” style of the Daihi-shin-Dharani was established as Gasan chanted the dharani in a slow, measured pace to ensure he arrived on time. Notably, the name “総持 (Soji)” in 総持寺 (Soji-ji) itself carries the meaning of “陀羅尼 (dharani)” (to uphold and maintain all teachings)(Reference: Gasan-do Trail Run by the Gasan-do Trail Run Executive Committee).

This article is a personal record of my own faith and spiritual practice. It is not affiliated with Soji-ji, the head temple of the Soto Zen school, nor with any other religious organization. For official information regarding the contents of this article, please refer to the official materials provided by the respective temples or religious denominations.

• Soto Zen Official Website: https://www.sotozen-net.or.jp/
• Daihonzan Soji-ji Official Website: https://sojiji.jp/

The Core

• By chanting Daihi-shin-Dharani, you can receive the blessing of Avalokiteshvara’s great compassion.
• I remove the evil spirits of wandering thoughts using dharanis, such as Daihi-shin-Dharani, and mantras, such as the Heart Sutra.
• Daihi-shin-Dharani is a dharani which explains the compassionate heart of Avalokiteshvara.

My Experience: chanting the Daihi-shin-Dharani helps me let go of all my troubles and worries

Key Point: When my mind is clouded by distracting thoughts, I chant dharani like the Daihi-shin-Dharani or mantras like the Heart Sutra to clear them away.

I often recall unpleasant memories from the past. I think this is my mind warning me not to make the same mistakes again, and also attempting to define myself based on past memories. Ideally, I would just remember them for a moment and think, “Okay, I’ll be careful,” and move on positively; however, I get dragged into these past memories, and the unpleasant feelings persist.

So, when I chant the dharani, my feelings have changed by the time I finish. The length of the dharani is just right. The disadvantage is that one must memorize the long dharani, but the effort to recall the dharani is likely what is effective in driving away distracting thoughts. Although dharani are long, they have been shortened into a form known as mantra. The latter part of the Heart Sutra, “羯諦 羯諦 波羅羯諦 波羅僧羯諦 菩提薩婆訶,” is one such mantra.

During my time of training, I performed a practice called 巡堂 (jundo), where as the officiant (導師/doshi), I would walk throughout the entire temple grounds chanting the Heart Sutra while offering incense. I was taught that the reason for chanting the Heart Sutra was “to prevent 魔 (demons) from entering.” While this, of course, refers to supernatural entities, I believe that distracting thoughts, such as memories of my own past, are also “demons,” and that I am clearing them away through the Daihi-shin-Dharani and the Heart Sutra. Could these not be considered powerful spells with great merit?