Dhāraṇī

A dhāraṇī is a Sanskrit term for a type of ritual speech similar to a mantra.

The word dhāraṇī derives from a Sanskrit root √dhṛ meaning "to hold or maintain".

Ryuichi Abe and Jan Nattier suggest that a dhāraṇī is generally understood as a mnemonic which encapsulates the meaning of a section or chapter of a sutra. Dhāraṇīs are also considered to protect the one who chants them from malign influences and calamities.