Sūxīdì jiéluó jīng 蘇悉地羯羅經
Susiddhikara-sūtra — Sūtra of the Auspicious-Accomplishment-Maker by 善無畏 (Śubhakarasiṃha, 譯)
About the work
A three-fascicle foundational Esoteric kriyā-tantra translated by Śubhakarasiṃha (善無畏). The Susiddhikara-sūtra — Sūxīdì 蘇悉地 transliterates Sanskrit Su-siddhi “auspicious accomplishment”; jiéluó 羯羅 = kara “maker” — is one of the three foundational Esoteric scriptures transmitted from Śubhakarasiṃha to the East Asian Esoteric tradition, alongside the Mahāvairocana-sūtra (KR6j0001) and the Subāhuparipṛcchā-sūtra (KR6j0065). Together these three constitute the kriyā-tantra core of the Tang Esoteric corpus.
Abstract
The Susiddhikara is one of the foundational kriyā-tantra scriptures of Indian Esoteric Buddhism, focusing on the practical-ritual aspects of kriyā-class practice (the lower of the four Indian-tantric classes: kriyā / caryā / yoga / yoga-uttara). The three fascicles cover: (i) the principles of Esoteric practice and the four-types-of-karma framework (śāntika, pauṣṭika, vaśikaraṇa, abhicāra); (ii) the abhiṣeka and sādhana sequences for the central kriyā deities (the Buddha-, Vajra-, Lotus- family principals); (iii) the auxiliary practices — homa (fire offerings), japa, divination, and the various karman applications.
The text is foundational for the East Asian Esoteric kriyā tradition — particularly the Susiddhi-abhiṣeka (蘇悉地灌頂 Sūxīdì guàndǐng) ceremony that became central to the Tang and Japanese Tendai-Esoteric traditions. Ennin (圓仁) particularly valued the text, producing a substantial commentary on it (KR6j0062, an extensive Sūxīdì jiéluó jīng lüèshū in 7 fascicles).
The translation dates from Śubhakarasiṃha’s mature Chángān period (724–735).
Translations and research
- Giebel, Rolf W. Two Esoteric Sutras: The Adamantine Pinnacle Sutra; The Susiddhikara Sutra. BDK English Tripiṭaka. Berkeley: Numata Center, 2001. — The standard English translation of the Susiddhikara.
- Hodge, Stephen. The Mahā-Vairocana-Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003. — Background on the related Tang Esoteric corpus.