[Introduction Part 1] What is the "Cundi Mantra" about?

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I. Content of the "Cundi Mantra"
According to "Getting to Know Mantras" by Tony K. Lin (林光明) and the Buddhist Daily Morning and Evening Liturgy, the Sanskrit and Chinese phonetic pronunciation, and translated meanings of the Cundi Mantra are organized as follows:
 

Chinese Phonetic	Sanskrit	Meaning / Translation
ná mó	namaḥ	homage; Taking Refuge
sà duō nán	saptānāṃ	saptānāṃ comes from saptā, meaning the number "seven"
sān miǎo sān pú tuó	samyaksaṃbuddha	Perfect Enlightenment or the Perfectly and Completely Enlightened One.
jù zhī nán	koṭīnāṃ	koṭīnām comes from koṭī, meaning ten million; in Chinese Buddhism, it is  traditionally translated as "億 (a hundred million)" to express a very large number
dá zhí tā	tadyathā	thus the mantra is spoken as follows
ǎn	oṃ	the starting sound of the mantra; represents taking refuge and the beginning of the mantra
zhé lì	cale	to activate
zhǔ lì	cule	to arise
zhǔn tí	cundī	purity
suō pó hē	svāhā	means auspiciousness, perfection, as well as achievement

Structure of the Mantra:

• Homage Text (First 4 rows)
• Thus the mantra says (Tadyathā)
• Mantra Core/Center (oṃ cale cule cundī)
• Ending (Svāhā)

Although mantras are considered one of the five types of "untranslatable" contents proposed by Master Xuanzang (玄奘法師), understanding the meaning of a mantra can help one resonate more deeply with the Buddha or Bodhisattva being revered during recitation, in addition to more profoundly experiencing their vows.
Summary of Meaning:

The complete meaning of the "Cundi Mantra" is as follows: "Homage to seventy million Perfectly Enlightened Ones. Thus the mantra says: Om! Activate! Arise! Purity! Auspicious Achievement."

Additionally, "Oṃ Cale Cule Cundī Svāhā" is the Mantra Heart, which is the most important core of this mantra and is also regarded as its short version.
 
Click here to listen to Master Sheng Yen chanting the Cundī Mantra


Related articles:

Let Us Together Uphold the Cundī Dhāraṇī

The Cundī Dhāraṇī: Purifying the Mind and Fulfilling Aspirations

[Introduction Part 1] What is the "Cundi Mantra" about?

[Introduction Part 2]: Cundi Mantra Q&As

[Sharing Session] Venerable Guo Jun: A Lifetime Never Parted from the Cundi Mantra



Resource: Issue 465 of Humanity Magazine, Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Photo: Venerable Chang Duo (常鐸法師)
Translation: 小熊 
Editing: Keith Brown, Patricia Yang