How to learn the Great Compassion Mantra in Sanskrit – Part 1: Invocation of the the Triple Jewel and Gwan Yin Bodhisattva The Great Compassion Mantra/Nilakantha Dharani starts like this: Namo Ratna Trayaya Namah Aryavalolkiteshvaraya Bodhisattvaya Mahasattvaya Mahakarunikaya Explanation...

How to learn the Great Compassion Mantra in Sanskrit – Part 1: Invocation of the the Triple Jewel and Gwan Yin Bodhisattva

The Great Compassion Mantra/Nilakantha Dharani starts like this:

Namo Ratna Trayaya

Namah Aryavalolkiteshvaraya

Bodhisattvaya

Mahasattvaya

Mahakarunikaya

Explanation

Namo Ratna Trayaya

Namo means Homage Ratna means Jewel Trayaya – Tray is like Tri – means 3 or threefold

So the first line of the Great Compassion Mantra means Homage to the Triple Jewel:

The Buddha – The Fully Awakened One The Dharma  – The teachings of the Buddhas, the Truth The Sangha – Those who practice the Buddha’s teachings – the monks and nuns

Namah Aryavalolkiteshvaraya Bodhisattva

Namah – We offer our respectful obeisance unto Arya – Noble Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattvaya – The Contemplator of the World’s Sounds Enlightened being, i.e., Gwan Shi Yin Bodhisattva.  Gwan means Contemplate.  Shi means World.  Yin means Sound.  You usually see him depicted in female form in white in Chinese Temples and homes looking like the Virgin Mary – as female manifestation symbolizes compassion.  Western media calls him/her the Goddess of Mercy but he is not a Goddess – he is an Enlightened being – Great Enlightened being – like a Buddha. Enlightened Being

Mahasattvaya Maha means great.  Great Enlightened Being
Mahakarunikaya Karuna means compassion.  So Great Compassionate One.

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