Avalokiteshvara, or Guanyin, is often referred to as the “most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity.” Why? Because of the Bodhisattva’s unconditional, all-embracing compassion and love. Avalokiteshvara’s merciful activity will never cease until all beings are rescued from Samsara’s suffering.

• March 29 2024  Guan Yin’s Birthday! (19th day of the 2nd lunar month)
• Guan Yin’s Enlightenment Day is July 25, 2024 (on lunar calendar 19th day of the 6th Lunar Month, Lunar June).
• November 19 2024 will be Guan Yin’s Renunciation Day (19th day of the 9th lunar month)

One practice that is universal on these three special days — with merit multiplied 100 million times — is recitation of Avalokiteshvara’s Universal Gate Sutra. Recite along, here in English, the Universal Gate Sutra, a short recitation with “skies of merit”:

Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’s popularity and forms eclipse any dualistic attempts to define Her/Him. Venerable Master Hsuan Hua explains why it is so difficult to define the embodiment of compassion:

“In Buddhism, he appears as a Bodhisattva; in other religions he often appears clad in white robes. In Christianity, he is the Holy Mother; he appears as the Holy Mother to teach and transform a certain category of beings … He fills empty space and pervades the Dharma Realm; he is in every place and yet not in any place. He appears according to what kind of body is needed to save each particular category of beings… Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is not necessarily male or female… These are the endless miraculous functions and inconceivable states of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.”[5]

Her most famous Dharani is the Great Compassion Heart Mantra which celebrates her 1000-armed, 11-faced form known as Great Compassion Guanyin or Avalokiteśvara-ekadaśamukha. Celebrate her special Enlightenment day by chanting along with her Great Compassion Heart Mantra for “skies of merit”:

• Feature continues below.
• For many other features on Avalokiteshvara Guan Yin see our special section>>

Bodhisattva of Hope and Compassion

Avalokiteshvara / Guanyin’s unrivaled compassionate activity in our suffering world makes her a beacon of hope in troubled times.  To demonstrate her all-inclusive compassionate nature, she appears on stage as female or male (hence the Her/His above), and countless forms: Holy Savior, compassionate Bodhisattva, active Protector, a 1000-armed miracle — and even ferocious or wrathful.

The most powerful and potent practice is Her Namo praise: Namo Guanshiyin Pusa, which means Homage to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva:

Perhaps the most famous manifestation is 1000-armed Guanyin — the many arms symbolic of her loving, compassionate, saving activity:

No representation of Enlightenment is more loving or compassionate. No Bodhisattva is more active. The great Mahayana Vehicle — that rescue vehicle that hopes to rescue all suffering beings (not just a few) — is exemplified in Avalokiteshvara Guanyin. The two most important concepts in Mahayana Buddhism are Compassion and Wisdom — and Guanyin embraces both.

IMPORTANT RECITATION ON AVALOKITESHVARA’s SPECIAL DAYS: Heart Sutra Recitation (below in Sanskrit and English):

OR IN ENGLISH:

Reciting the Mantra of Avalokiteshvara is a powerful and protective practice. The mantra is Om Mani Padme Hum. The six syllables send out compassion to beings in the six realms, and also protect the reciter from danger and obstacles:

All-embracing love

Robert Thurman explains why Avalokiteshvara is so popular around the world: “…in a sense, Avalokiteshvara is even more than a buddha. After attaining buddhahood, he voluntarily returned to the way of a bodhisattva in order to lead all beings to buddhahood.” [1]

Symbolically, Guanyin Avalokiteshvara appears as both male and female: male representing compassion and female representing wisdom. Her power is so all-embracing and loving, that she manifests in endless ways to help us.

Guanyin Avalokeshvara does not ask for devotion, nor require it, but her all-embracing Metta and Karuna (Love and Compassion) make her among the most loved face of Enlightenment. Whoever simply looks at her loving, gentle face — even a non-Buddhist — feels instant love, warmth, and peace. Simply that. Gaze upon the loving face of any of her peaceful representations. It’s a proven method for relaxation and stress-reduction. [See this feature Avalokiteshvara Compassion Practices Enhance Treatment of Anxiety and Depression: Science>>]

Even her epitaphs are soothing and inspiring:

• Goddess of Mercy (A title given Her by Christian Jesuit missionaries in China, who responded to her loving savior nature.)
• She Who Hears the Cries of the World (More or less a translation of Her name.)
• The Lord Who Looks in Every Direction
• Bodhisattva of Compassion

So perfect is Guanyin that she also arises in the Daoist pantheon and a key figure of worship. How, then, can we define the undefinable? Venerable Hsuan Hua, in a Dharma talk, explains:

” Guanshiyin Bodhisattva already became a Buddha a long time ago, by the name of Right Dharma Brightness. He simply appears as a Bodhisattva in order to teach and transform living beings… Guanshiyin Bodhisattva uses kindness, compassion, joy, and giving to save all living beings. He saves beings from the seven difficulties, responds to two kinds of seeking, has fourteen kinds of fearlessness, speaks Dharma in nineteen ways, and has thirty-two response bodies.”

Guanyin Appears in Countless Forms

In the Lotus Sutra, Avalokiteshvara is described as the Bodhisattva who can take any form, including all Gods, Buddhas, and Heavenly Beings, or even humans or animals. Of the thirty-three manifestations of Guanyin listed in the Lotus Sutra, seven are female. From the sutra:

“The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent: “Good man, if there are living beings in the land who need someone in the body of a Buddha in order to be saved, Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds immediately manifests himself in a Buddha body and preaches the Law for them. If they need someone in a pratyekabuddha’s body in order to be saved, immediately he manifests a pratyekabuddha’s body and preaches the Law to them. If the need a voice-hearer to be saved, immediately he becomes a voice-hearer and preaches the Law for them. If they need King Brahma to be saved, immediately he becomes King Brahma and preaches the Law for them. If they need the lord Shakra to be saved, immediately he becomes the lord Shakra and preaches the Law for them. If they need the heavenly being Freedom to be saved, immediately he becomes the heavenly being Freedom and preaches the Law for them. If they need a great general of heaven to be saved, immediately he becomes a great general of heaven and preaches the Law for them. If they need Vaishravana to be saved, immediately he becomes Vaishravana and preaches the Law for them. If they need a petty king to be saved, immediately he becomes a petty king and preaches the law for them.

Where is Guanyin?

Venerable Master Hsuan Hua explains Guanyin is in every heart, in every home. More specifically, the Venerable teacher describes where we can find the loving Bodhisattva:

“Well, then, where does he come from? He fills empty space and pervades the Dharma Realm; he is in every place and yet not in any place. He appears according to what kind of body is needed to save each particular category of beings. He manifests in whatever physical form is appropriate to speak Dharma for beings; thus his identity is flexible. Guanshiyin Bodhisattva appears in the form of a Buddha to save those who are ready to become Buddhas. He appears as a Bodhisattva to save those who should become Bodhisattvas. He appears as a heavenly king to speak Dharma for beings in the heavens.”[5]

The Saviour Buddha

In the Lotus Sutra, the merits of Avalokiteshvara are described in great detail, every possible danger listed, and how the Bodhisattva can save us. It is summarized in verse:

Perceiver of the World’s Sounds, pure sage—
to those in suffering, in danger of death,
He can offer aid and support.
Endowed with all benefits,
He views living beings with compassionate eyes.
The sea of his accumulated blessings is immeasurable;
therefore you should bow your head to him!

How to Ask for Guanyin’s Help

Thich Nhat Hanh explains how to awaken the energy of Avaolokiteshvara:

“Calling the name of Avalokiteshvara is one of the ways to awaken the energy of compassion in your heart.”

In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha describes how to invoke the aid of the Compassionate Bodhisattva:

‘Hail to the Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds!’ And because they call his name, they are at once able to gain deliverance.

It’s literally that simple.

Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa Chanting

Practices for Guanyin

A Devotee of Guanyin will always say prayers — and ideally make offerings  (at least water) — morning and evening. On the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, the Sacred Days of Guanyin, it is auspicious to do additional mantras, prayers, and purifications.

Ideally set up a small altar at home with a photo, picture or nice statue. It is traditional to “invite” the Goddess into the statue.

Traditionally, you’d set up the statue, bow three times and ideally:

• Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa (at least 3 times with bows)
• Take Refuge: “I take Refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha until I reach Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings” — no practice is complete without taking Refuge first, and ending with Dedicating the Merit (see below.
• Light incense and place in front of statue.
• Present other offerings such as water bowls (at least 3 or 7), fruit, flowers and tea. (For symbolism, you could always use Tie Guan Yin tea, a famous type of tea, but Red Rose or any tea is fine.)
• Invite the presence of Guan Yin: ““I sincerely invite the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva to perform miracles, and enter the sacred <statue or image> offered by me, <your full name>” [6]
• Peform at least 7 Great Compassion Mantra. You will find a chant-along video with Ani Choying below.
• Perform the Heart Sutra 7 times (it’s quite short.) You’ll find an AMAZING chant-along version with video with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and his sangha here>>
• Om Mani Padme Hum mantra as much as you can — at least 108 times. A version with Yoko Dharma in video is below.
• Prayers
• Dedicate the Merit for the benefit of all Sentient Beings: “I dedicate the merit of this practice for the cause for Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.”

Recite the Heart Sutra, the most famous teaching of the Great Bodhisattva, every day, and especially on Guanyin Days (below in Sanskrit — English a little further down in the feature.)

Thinking of Guanyin is Enough to Save Beings

In the Lotus Sutra, chapter 25, Buddha explains:

World-Honored One replete with wonderful features,
I now ask you once again
for what reason that Buddha’s son
is named Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds?
The honored One endowed with wonderful features
replied to Inexhaustible Intent in verse:
Listen to the actions of the Perceiver of Sounds,
how aptly he responds in various quarters.
His vast oath is deep as the ocean;
kalpas pass but it remains unfathomable.
He has attended many thousands and millions of Buddhas,
setting forth his great pure vow.
I will describe him in outline for you-
listen to his name, observe his body,
bear him in mind, not passing the time vainly,
for he can wipe out the pains of existence.
Suppose someone should conceive a wish to harm you,
should push you into a great pit of fire.
Think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and the pit of fire will change into a pond!
If you should be cast adrift on the vast ocean,
menaced by dragons, fish and various demons,
think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and the billows and waves cannot drown you!
Suppose you are on the peak of Mount Sumeru
and someone pushes you off.
Think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and you will hang in midair like the sun!
Suppose you are pursued by evil men
who wish to throw you down from a diamond mountain.
Think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and they cannot harm a hair of you!
Suppose you are surrounded by evil-hearted bandits,
each brandishing a knife to wound you.
Think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and at once all will be swayed by compassion!
Suppose you encounter trouble with the king’s law,
face punishment, about to forfeit your life.
Think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and the executioner’s sword will be broken to bits!
Suppose you are imprisoned in cangue and lock,
hands and feet bound by fetters and chains.
Think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and they will fall off, leaving you free!
Suppose with curses and various poisonous herbs
someone should try to injure you.
Think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and the injury will rebound upon the originator.
Suppose you encounter evil rakshasas,
poison dragons and various demons.
Think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and then none of them will dare to harm you.
If evil beasts should encircle you,
their sharp fangs and claws inspiring terror,
think on the power of that Perceiver of sounds
and they will scamper away in boundless retreat.
If lizards, snakes, vipers, scorpions
threaten you with poison breath that sears like flame,
think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and, hearing your voice, they will flee of themselves.
If clouds should bring thunder, and lightning strike,
if hail pelts or drenching rain comes down,
think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and at that moment they will vanish away.
If living beings encounter weariness or peril,
immeasurable suffering pressing them down,
the power of the Perceiver of Sounds’ wonderful wisdom
can save them from the sufferings of the world.
He is endowed with transcendental powers
and widely practices the expedient means of wisdom.
Throughout the lands in the ten directions
there is no region where he does not manifest himself.
In many different kinds of evil circumstances,
in the realms of hell, hungry spirits or beasts,
the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death–
all these he bit by bit wipes out.
He of the true gaze, the pure gaze,
the gaze of great and encompassing wisdom,
the gaze of pity, the gaze of compassion–
constantly we implore him, constantly look up in reverence.
His pure light, free of blemish,
is a sun of wisdom dispelling all darknesses.
He can quell the wind and fire of misfortune
and everywhere bring light to the world.
The precepts from his compassionate body shake us
like thunder,
the wonder of his pitying mind is like a great cloud.
He sends down the sweet dew, the Dharma rain,
to quench the flames of earthly desires.
When law suits bring you before the officials,
when terrified in the midst of an army,
think on the power of that Perceiver of Sounds
and hatred in all its forms will be dispelled.
Wonderful sound, Perceiver of the World’s Sounds,
Brahma’s sound, the sea tide sound–
they surpass those sounds of the world;
therefore you should constantly think on them
from thought to thought never entertaining doubt!
Perceiver of the World’s Sounds, pure sage–
to those in suffering, in danger of death,
he can offer aid and support.
Endowed with all benefits,
he views living beings with compassionate eyes.
The sea of his accumulated blessings is immeasurable;
therefore you should bow your head to him!

The Heart Sutra: Most Popular Sutra

Guanyin Avalokteshvara is mentioned in more Mahayana sutras than any other Enlightened Being.

The Heart Sutra is the “single most commonly recited, copied and studied scripture in East Asian Buddhism”[1] —   Guanyin teaches the “Perfection of Wisdom”:

Form is Emptiness. Emptiness is Form

Emptiness, not to be confused with nothingness, is anchored in Buddha’s doctrine of Dependent Origination. The Heart Sutra is a profound teaching that frees us from fear and helps us understand the inter-connectedness of all beings.

Heart Sutra in English

Guanyin Avalokiteshvara is especially praised in The Lotus Sūtra (Sanskrit Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra), notably in the 25th Chapter. [See our feature Avalokiteshvara: delivering us from every danger, Chapter 25 of Lotus Sutra.]

Praise Loving Guanyin

Another way to ask for Guanshiyin’s help is simply to praise Her/His name. The various ways to praise His/Her name are:

Sanskrit

• Namo Avalokiteshvara

Various forms of Chinese (slight variants)

• Namo Gwan Yin Pu Sa
• Namo Kuanyin Pu Sa
• Namo Guan Yim
• Namo Kuan Yim
• Namo Kuan Yin

Kanon in Todaiji Mon

Other variants (Namo in all cases here is Sanskrit for simplicity)

• Namo Chenrezig  (Chenrezik Tibetan སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས)
• Namo Gwan-eum (Korean: 관세음)
• Namo Kanzeon (観世音)  or Namo Kannon (観音)  (Japanese)
• Namo Kuan Im (Thai กวนอิม)
• Namo Quán Thế Âm (Vietnamese)
• Namo to the Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds! (English)

Mantras of Avalokiteshvara

• Om Mani Padme Hum   (Universal in Sanskrit)

[For a video chant of Om Mani Padme Hum see>>] Or watch here:

Yoko Dharma chants Om Mani Padme Hum

• On aruri kya sowa ka  (Shingon)  in Japanese おん あるりきゃ そわか

Great Compassion Mantra (Dharani) in Sanskrit

Namo Ratna Trayaya

Nama Arya Jyana

Sagara Vairochana

Byuhara Jaya Tathagataya

Arahate Samyaksam Buddhaya

Namah Sarwa Tathagate Bhyayh Arahatda Bhayh

Samyaksam Buddhe Bhayh

Namah Arya Awalokite

Shoraya Bohisatwaya

Mahasatwaya

Maha Karunikaya

Tatyata Om Dhara Dhara

Dhiri Dhiri

Dhuru Dhuru

Iti Wit Je Chalee Chalee

Purachale Purachale

Kusume Kusama Wa Re

Ili Mili Chiti

Jwala Mapanaya Soha

[For video chant version of the Great Compassion Mantra, see>>]

Any Choying sings the Great Compassion Mantra

Guanyin’s Special Day

Each year, Guanyin’s compassionate activities are celebrated on the 19th day of the 6th Lunar month — traditionally the anniversary of the day Guan Shi Yin attained Buddhahood (Enlightenment.) [4]

Her sacred place is Mount Puo Tu [普陀山].

Other Sutras with Avalokiteshvara

Although the Lotus Sutra is the first and best-known sutra honoring the compassionate Buddha, there are many others, including, of course, the Heart Sutras where he teaches his realizations on Shunyata (Emptiness). Some texts which mention Avalokiteśvara include:

• Avataṃsaka Sūtra
• Cundī Dhāraṇī Sūtra
• Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara Heart Dharani Sutra
• Heart Sutra (Heart Sūtra)
• Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra
• Lotus Sutra
• Kāraṇḍavyūhasūtra
• Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka sūtram
• Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī Sutra
• Śūraṅgama Sūtra

Other names of Guanyin Avalokteshvara

Avalokteshvara Guanyin is called by many names in different countries:

• Cantonese: Gwun Yam or Gun Yam also written as Kwun Yam in Hong Kong or Kun Iam in Macau.
• Tibetan: Chenrézik (སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས).
• Japanese, Guanyin is pronounced Kannon (観音), occasionally Kan’on, or more formally Kanzeon (観世音, the same characters as Guanshiyin)
• Korean, Guanyin is called Gwan-eum (Korean: 관음) or Gwanse-eum (Korean: 관세음)
• Hokkien: Kuan Im (POJ: Koan-im) or Kuan Se Im (POJ: Koan-sè-im)
• Khmer: Preah Mae Kun Si Im. (ព្រះម៉ែ គង់សុីអុិម). She is also called Preah Neang Kun Si Im (ព្រះនាង[princess] គង់សុីអុិម). The word “Preah” is God/Goddess and “Mae” is Mother
• Thai: Kuan Im (กวนอิม), Phra Mae Kuan Im (พระแม่กวนอิม; Phra Mae means “goddess”) or Chao Mae Kuan Im (Thai: เจ้าแม่กวนอิม; Chao Mae usually means “madam”, but in this terms, means “goddess”).
• Burmese:  Kwan Yin Medaw, literally meaning Mother Kwan Yin (Goddess Guanyin) (ကွမ်ယင်မယ်တော်).
• Vietnamese: Quan Âm or Quan Thế Âm.
• Indonesian: is Kwan Im or Dewi Kwan Im. She is also called Mak Kwan Im “Mother Guanyin”.
• Malaysian Mandarin: GuanYin Pusa (GuanYin Bodhisattva), Guan Shi Yin Pusa (GuanYin Bodhisattva).
• Sinhala: Natha Deviyo (නාථ දෙවියෝ).
• Hmong, the name is Kab Yeeb.
• Nepali, the name is Seto Machindranath

NOTES

[1] McRae, John (2004), “Heart Sutra”, in Buswell, Jr., Robert E. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Buddhism, MacMillan

[2] Avalokteshvara feature on Britannica. https://global.britannica.com/topic/bodhisattva

[3] “Avalokiteshvara in Tibet”, Tricycle

[4] “Bodhisattva Guan Shi Yin’s Attainment of Buddhahood 觀世音菩薩成佛 – Purple Cloud”.

[5] Guanyin, Guanyin, Guanshiyin: Venerable Master Hsuan Hua http://www.cttbusa.org/dharmatalks/guanyin.htm

[6] Oriental Radio show>>

Who are the Eight Great Bodhisattvas and why are they so important to Mahayana Buddhist practice? Why are they also called the Eight Great Siblings or Eight Great Heros? In what way to they represent the Eight Great Qualities of Buddha? How do the Eight Bodhisattvas relate to the Eightfold Path taught by Buddha? We answer these questions and more, and present the mantras of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas in this introduction to the Eight Great Ones.

The 8 Great Bodhisattvas — also known as the Eight Great Siblings or the Eight Great Heroes — represent the eight great ideals of the Mahayana Path. They also represent the Eightfold Path as taught by Buddha in his very first teaching, through the compassionate lens of Mahayana Buddhism, the Bodhisattva Path.

They are integral to the Great Vehicle Path of Buddhism, a philosophy that embraces compassion and wisdom for all beings. The Eight Great Bodhisattvas represent the Eight Great qualities of Shakyamuni Buddha — and are most often shown surrounding Buddha in older paintings.

More than Eight Symbols and Qualities

The Eight Great Ones appear in many Sutras, asking questions of the Buddha, probing with deeper and more profound questions. For this reason, they are called the Eight Great Siblings. They are the Buddha’s children of knowledge and Enlightenment, who remain in Samsara to help all beings in eight different ways.

They are more than just symbols, yet they embody the eight great qualities of the Buddha. They are the saviors and heroes of Mahayana Buddhism. Iconic of the Bodhisattvas is the great Lord of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) — yet he is one of eight great heroes and champions of Compassion and Wisdom, the Mahayana Path.

The most famous of these are the Three Great Bodhisattvas, who each represent one of the most important aspects of Buddha qualities: Wisdom, represented by Manjushri, Compassion, represented by Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) and Power represented by Vajrapani. Yet the remaining five are key aspects of Enlightenment. Together, the eight, represent qualities we desperately need in our tumultuous world.

The Compassion and Wisdom of the Bodhisattvas are reassuring in times of crisis. Today, with war, sickness, and economic devastation — and the inevitable hunger and suffering that follow such disasters — we take refuge in our compassionate Bodhisattva saviors. The Bodhisattvas are the “saviors” — the champions or heroes.

Each Bodhisattva tends to be narrowly “focused”: Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig, Kuanyin) for Compassion, Manjushri for Wisdom, Vajrapani for Power, (fierce activity), and so on. They are known as the Eight Great Siblings of the Buddha because they are the “offspring” of Buddha’s Wisdom and Compassion and Activity. Thought of another way, they are emanations of Buddha’s Eight Great Qualities.

Although it can be beneficial to focus on “the specialist” manifestations of Buddha’s qualities — at times when we specifically need that quality in our lives (such as protection, healing, wisdom) — it is important to understand that all Bodhisattvas and Buddha’s embody fully all the Enlightened Qualities.

Vajrapani, though known as the fierce wrathful activity of Buddha, is equally compassionate and wise. It’s a matter of focus. It is also, sometimes, a matter of teaching lineage or cultural emphasis. Some traditions emphasize Avalokiteshvara, while others focus on Manjushri.

Sutras of the Various Bodhisattvas

Where do we find these Bodhisattvas in the Sutras?

Eight Great Bodhisattvas:
– Akashagarbha: Womb of Space Sutra
– Avalokiteshvara: Heart Sutra, Lotus of the Good Law Sutra
– Kshitigarbha: Earth Store Sutra
– Maitreya: mentioned in the Pali Sutras as the next buddha, Mahayana Sutras
– Manjushri: Vimalakirti-nirdesha Sutra, Flower Garland Sutra, Prajnaparamita Sutras
– Samantabhadra: Lotus of the Good Law Sutra, Flower Garland Sutra
– Vajrapani: Many early Pali Sutras, Maha Vairochana Sutra

All of them, together with at total of twenty-five, appear in the Sūtra on Ten Methods of Rebirth in Amitābha Buddha’s Land (十往生阿彌陀佛國經).

8 Bodhisattvas Embody 8 Qualities of Buddha

The full list of the eight from Maitreya’s Uttaratantra Shastra. These first three qualities and Bodhisattvas are known as the Buddha’s Qualities that Benefit Others. The remaining five embody Buddha’s merits and activities:

• Manjushri — embodies Buddha’s wisdom or Prajñā in Sanskrit.
• Avalokiteshvara — embodies Buddha’s compassion or karuna in Sanskrit
• Vajrapani — embodies Buddha’s power or satki in Sanskrit
• Maitreya — embodies Buddha’s activity or “karma.” This is because Buddha predicted Maitreya would be the  next or “Future Buddha”.
• Kshitigarbha — embodies Buddha’s merits and the “richness” derived from merits
• Samantabhadra — embodies the conduct of Buddha and the practice of prayers and offerings.
• Sarvanivarana-Vishkambhin — embodies Buddha’s practices and qualities, and in this way purifies obstructions
• Akashagarbha — embodies Buddha’s blessings and thereby purifies negativities.

Relating to the Eighfold Path

Although the practice of the 8 Great Bodhisattvas encompasses the Noble Eightfold Path within the scope of each of their practices, they represent a particular emphasis. For example, Manjushri embodies “right understanding” or Samma Ditthi.

• Manjushri — exemplifies Right Understanding (samma ditthi), as he embodies Buddha’s wisdom (prajna).
• Avalokiteshvara — exemplifies right speech, as he teaches compassion and embodies the virtues of the Padma (Lotus) family of Compassion and Buddha Speech through speaking the Dharma for our benefit.
• Vajrapani — exemplifies “Right Action” as he demonstrated in the Sutta when he appeared over Buddha’s head to protect him from the spiteful Brahman.
• Maitreya — exemplifies “Right Effort” as demonstrated by his heroic mission to be the next manifested Buddha in our worlds.
• Kshitigarbha — exemplifies “Right Livelihood” through his association with auspicious earth element.
• Samantabhadra — embodies “Right Thought” through his glorious Bodhisattva Aspiration Vow
• Sarvanivarana-Vishkambhin — exemplifies “Right Mindfulness”
• Akashagarbha — Exemplifies “Right Concentration”

Eight Bodhisattvas embody Eight Qualities of Buddha

The Eight Great Sons of the Buddha — not to be thought of as physical offspring, but as spiritual children — are born from the Eight Great Qualities of Shakyamuni Buddha: wisdom, compassion, power, activity, merit, qualities, blessings and aspirations. [See Khenpo Choga’s definition below.]

We might think of Manjushri as the embodiment of wisdom, and Avalokiteshvara as the very face of compassion, but all of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas embody both Karuna (Compassion) and Prajna (Wisdom.)

When you hear the name Vaprapani, you might think of a ferocious Bodhisattva hurling a vajra to protect Shakyamuni Buddha [story below] — but he, equally, embodies both “wings” of Enlightenment. The name Kshitigarbha (Earth Store Bodhisattva) conjures an image of a kind monk rescuing those suffering in the hells (either literal or psychological) — yet it is through both wisdom and compassion he can accomplish his savior mission. He is also strongly associated with the earth.

Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin), Vajrapani and Maitreya (the Future Buddha) are the “Superstars” of the “Eight Great Bodhisattvas” — often translated as the “Eight Great Siblings” (Skt. aṣṭa utaputra; Tib. ཉེ་བའི་སྲས་བརྒྱད་, nyewé sé gyé, Wyl. nye ba’i sras brgyad). Less well known are Kshitigarbha, Ākāśagarbha, Samantabhadra, and Sarvanivarana-Vishkambhin. This is not a matter or rank — all of the Eight Great Ones are equally meritorious — it’s more a matter of lineage and tradition.

Three great ones — Speech, Mind, Body

In Vajrayana tradition, the “mind” of the Buddha manifests as Manjushri, Lord of Wisdom, while the “speech” of the Buddha — his compassion in delivering the sacred Dharma — is Avalokiteshvara. Vajrapani represents the “Body” of the Buddha — the activities of the Buddha in multiple worlds (not just our world!) Just as Om Ah Hum mantra syllables stand for Body Speech and Mind, the Bodhisattvas Vajrapani, Avalokiteshvara, and Manjushri similar represent these important concepts.

Specialist Bodhisattvas — is a matter of focus

When we describe Avalokiteshvara (Kuan Yin, Guanyin, Chenrezig) as the Bodhisattva of Compassion, this does not mean that he is the “most compassionate” of the Bodhisattvas. Karuna or Compassion is his “teaching focus.”

Today, with so many people asking about healing, a lot of people are re-focusing on visualizations, mantras, and meditations for Medicine Buddha, Tara, and other “healing” or “protective” emanations. There are benefits in terms of the visual symbols and mantras, but it is important to know that all Buddhas or Bodhisattvas embody the same energies. If you practice Avalokiteshvara, famous for Compassion (Karuna) you also practice with the universal healing energies.

The Great Eight

To break down the “specialties” of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas — remembering that all embody the same universal qualities — you could summarize their characters this way:

• Manjushri — embodies Buddha’s wisdom (prajna)
• Avalokiteshvara — embodies Buddha’s compassion (Karuna)
• Vajrapani — embodies Buddha’s power
• Maitreya — embodies Buddha’s activity (He is also the “Future Buddha”)
• Kshitigarbha — embodies Buddha’s merits and the “richness” derived from merits
• Samantabhadra — embodies the aspirations of Buddha and the practice of prayers and offerings.
• Sarvanivarana-Vishkambhin — embodies Buddha’s qualities and thereby purifies obstructions. His name means “He who blocks (viṣkambhin) all of the hindrances (sarva nivāraṇa).
• Akashagarbha — embodies Buddha’s blessings and thereby purifies negativities.

Yet, Kshitigarbha fully embodies all of the others. To practice one Bodhisattva is to practice them all. All Bodhisattvas fully realize and exemplify: Wisdom, Compassion, Power, Activity, Merits, Aspirations, Qualities, and Blessings.

Video: Chanting the Three Great Bodhisattvas:

Khenpo Chöga: the 8 Immeasurable Qualities

According to Khenpo Chöga:

“Among the immeasurable qualities of the Buddha, eight of his foremost qualities manifest as the eight bodhisattvas:
1) the personification of the Buddha’s wisdom (Tib. ཡེ་ཤེས་ཀྱི་རང་གཟུགས་, Wyl. ye shes kyi rang gzugs) is Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī;
2) the personification of the Buddha’s compassion (Tib. སྙིང་རྗེའི་རང་གཟུགས་, Wyl. snying rje’i rang gzugs) appears as Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara;
3) the personification of the Buddha’s power or capacity (Tib. ནུས་པའི་རང་གཟུགས་, Wyl. nus pa’i rang gzugs) is Bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi;
4) the personification of the Buddha’s activity (Tib. ཕྲིན་ལས་, Wyl. phrin las) is Bodhisattva Maitreya;
5) the personification of the Buddha’s merit (Tib. བསོད་ནམས་རང་གཟུགས་, Wyl. bsod nams rang gzugs) arises as Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha;
6) the personification of the Buddha’s qualities (Tib. ཡོན་ཏན་གྱི་རང་གཟུགས་, Wyl. yon tan gyi rang gzugs) appears as Bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhī;
7) the personification of the Buddha’s blessings (Tib. བྱིན་རླབས་ཀྱི་རང་གཟུགས་, Wyl. byin rlabs kyi rang gzugs) arises as Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha; and
8) the personification of the Buddha’s aspirations (Tib. སྨོན་ལམ་གྱི་རང་གཟུགས་, Wyl. smon lam gyi rang gzugs) is manifest as Bodhisattva Samantabhadra.”

Mantras — no permission needed

Practicing the Eight Bodhisattvas

Mantras of the Eight Bodhisattvas

The mantras of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas can be practiced by anyone. No permission or special transmission is required for the Great Ones (although it is always beneficial to receive transmission and instruction.) A very quick practice is to chant the mantras of whichever Bodhisattva you feel closest to — or the one who focuses on what you need most right now: wisdom, compassion, activity, and so on:

Wisdom mantra: Manjushri (Manjughosha)

Om Ah Ra Pa Cha Na Dhi

Video Chanting:

Compassion mantra: Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig, Guanyin)

Om Mani Padme Hum

Tibetan Pronunciation: Om Mani Peme Hung

Video:

Power mantra (fierce activity or protection): Vajrapani

Om Vajrapani Hum

Tibetan pronunciation: Om Benza Pani Hung

Video:

Kshitigarbha: Ripening your merits

Or for help with anything related to “earth” such as “earthquake protection or with helping those who have passed away)

Oṃ Kṣitigarbha bodhisattva yaḥ

(pronounce “ku” on the k as in: Ku-shi-tee-gar-bah)

Or

Om Kshitigarbha T-haleng Hum

Video Chanting:

Akashagarbha: To obtain Buddha’s blessings

Oṃ vajra ratna oṃ trāḥ svāhā

Maitreya: Loving Kindness and activity of the Buddha

Oṃ maitri mahāmaitri maitriye svāhā

Sarvanivāraṇaviṣkambhin:  Personification of the Buddha’s qualities who removes obstacles

The mantra of this great bodhisattva to remove all obstacles and disturbances mentioned in the Vairocana-sūtra, is as follows:

namaḥ samantabuddhānāṃ aḥ sattva hitābhyudgata traṃ traṃ raṃ raṃ svāhā

[For more on each Bodhisattva see the end of this feature.]

Dhyani Bodhisattvas

Three of the Great Bodhisattvas are also “Dhyani Bodhisattvas) — meaning they are the spiritual sons specifically of one of the Dhyani Buddhas. [For a feature on the Five Buddhas, see>>]

The spiritual son of Amitabha Padma (Lotus) Buddha in the West is Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig in Tibetan, Kuanyin or Kanon in other traditions). Samantabhadra is the Dhyani Bodhisattva (son) of Vairochana. The spiritual son of Akshobya is Vajrapani, exemplified in the Vajra. This is beautifully highlighted in the story of Vajrapani and his thunderbolt, hovering over the head of the prideful Brahmin: [For a full feature on Vajprani, see>> ]

“And at that moment Vajrapani holding up a huge vajra, flaming, ablaze and glowing, up in the sky just above Ambattha was thinking, “If this young man does not answer a proper question put to him by the Blessed Lord by the third time of asking, I’ll split his head into seven pieces!” The Lord saw Vajrapani, and so did Ambattha. And at the sight, Ambattha was terrified and unnerved, his hairs stood on end, and he sought protection, shelter, and safety from the Lord. Crouching down close to the Lord.”

Clearly, Vajrapani exemplifies ferocious, wrathful activity. He is famously known as the “protector of Shakyamuni Buddha.”

Practicing the Bodhisattvas

Although in times of crisis, we may turn to the “specialists” — for instance, protection from Vajrapani — generally we meditate and honor the Bodhisattvas from our teaching lineage. If you have no teacher, of course, you can do no wrong — all of the Bodhisattvas are Enlightened examples for our practice and require no permission or transmissions.

You might choose to focus on Manjushri if you seek Wisdom, or Vajrapani if you need “energy and power” for protection, but practicing One of these is the same as practicing All. A key understanding of Shunyata is the concept of Oneness. [For a feature on Shunyata or Oneness/Emptiness, see>>]

We may visualize various emanations of Buddha Enlightenment, and — provided they are fully Enlightened manifestations — take refuge in them. Taking refuge and focusing on Vajrapani is already a complete practice, but, with an emphasis on “activity.” However, someone who practices Manjushri daily, taps into the very same “active principle. It is a matter of your own emphasis.

Aspects within aspects

In Vajrayana, when you choose a Yidam as “heart deity” for practice, you understand that all Yidams are One and all Yidams are fully Enlightened. You choose a heart deity as a skillful means. You choose the aspect you most need to “work on.” For instance, if I have anger issues, I might choose to work with Vajrapani — to learn how to use my fierceness in a meritorious way. If I lack compassion, I might choose to work with Avalokiteshvara.

Just to make things a little more interesting — again a practice of skillful means — each of the Bodhisattvas has many, many emanations. Vajrapani isn’t the only wrathful one. Avalokiteshvara manifests in many fierce forms, including great Black Mahakala. Manjushri manifests as, arguably, the most wrathful of all Yidams, Yamantaka (the foe of Death itself!) [For a feature on Yamantaka, see>>] He also manifests as the healer in Black Manjushri. [For a feature on Black Manjushri, see>>] This is because wisdom can be found in anger and fierceness, as much as in gentle contemplation.

It’s again a matter of focus. Yamantaka is none other than Manjushri. Black Mahakala is none other than Avalokiteshvara.

Manjushri — personifying wisdom (Prajna)

One of the “superstars” of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, Manjushri personifies one of the two wings of Enlightenment: wisdom. [The two wings are Prajna and Karuna: wisdom and compassion.] His name literally translates as “Gentle Glory.”Sometimes he is called Manjughosha, which means “Gentle Voice.”

Sutra references

He is found in numerous Sutras, notably: Vimalakirti-nirdesha Sutra, Flower Garland Sutra, Prajnaparamita Sutras.

There are many types of wisdom (also known as the “cognitions”) — specifically five, as indicated by the Five Great Buddha Families — although Manjushri is the spiritual son of Akshobya — with the family focus of “ with a focus on the wisdom of “mirror-like pristine awareness” or Ādarśa-jñāna in Sanskrit. This “family” focuses on the “Skanda” of Consciousness and the “Poison” of Anger. [For more on this, see>> ]

Manjushri’s special position

Manjushri is also considered the male aspect of Prajnaparamita — the glorious Goddess emanation of Wisdom (in the same way that Tara is sometimes considered an emanation of Avalokiteshvara). He holds in his left hand, on a lotus, the sacred Prajnaparamita Sutra, distilling the ultimate wisdom of Shunyata. In his right hand is the famous “sword of Wisdom.”

Manjushri appears in numerous sutras, at the feet of Buddha as a disciple, Yet, at the same time, he appears as a fully Enlightened Buddha himself. He is considered an aspect of both Akshobya and Prajnaparamita. He has numerous emanations, too many to list, but including the Vajra Terrifier Vajrabhairava (Yamantaka), Black Manjushri, and dozens more. Each skillful emanation represents a different aspect or practice of wisdom. [For more on Manjushri, see >>]

His main mantra

Manjushri’s great mantra is nicknamed Arapachana Mantra. as it contains the Sanskrit syllables A Ra Pa Cha Na. By adding the Om and the seed syllable of Manjushri — Dhi — you have the full mantra. Anyone may chant.

Om Ah Ra Pa Cha Na Dhi

Avalokiteshvara

The Compassionate One, “He who hears the cries of the world” is known by many names, and is universally popular. In Tibet, he is Chenrezig. In some traditions, She is Guan Yin (Kuanyin) or Kanon. Avalokiteshvara’s mantra is arguably the most famous mantra in the world: Om Mani Padme Hum.

Sutra references

Avalokiteshvara is found in many sutras, including Heart Sutra, Lotus of the Good Law Sutra
Avalokiteshvara, like Manjushri, has countless emanations, representing various aspects of compassion. In legend, again symbolic, Tara rose from the tears of Chenrezig when He despaired of saving all the suffering sentient beings. Like an action-hero, she swept into action and became the “activity of compassion.”

Mantra

Om Mani Padme Hum

Tibetan Pronunciation: Om Mani Peme Hung

Many forms and faces

Compassion can have many “flavors”, reflected in the many aspects of Chenrezig: the ferocious protective compassion of an angry mother or father, the gentle hand-holding friend, or even the heroic action hero saving lives. He emanates in ferocious forms, such as Mahakala, and esoteric forms, such as 1000-armed Avalokiteshvara. He, is the spiritual “son” of Amitabha Buddha, Lord of the West, whose Pureland is open to any who call out His name. [For a full feature on “The Many Faces of Avalokiteshvara” see>>]

Vajrapani

The “Powerful One” makes his appearance even in the early Pali Suttas, notably as the protector of Shakyamuni Buddha. He is one of the eight great “heart sons” of the Buddha. (Tibetan: chag na dor je. English: the Vajra Holder.) [For a full story on Vajrapani, see>>]

In Tibetan practice he is normally wrathful, known as Guhyapati – ‘the Lord of Secrets.’ (Sangdag Chagna Dorje g.sang bdag phyag na rdo rje.) It is Vajrapani who protects and guards the sacred texts.

Mantra

Om Vajrapani Hum

Tibetan pronunciation: Om Benza Pani Hung

Tantric forms

According to Himilayan Art: “The two wrathful forms of Vajrapani known as the Sutra Tradition (do lug) and the Nilambhara (dro zang lug), each with one face and two hands, do not have skull crowns or wrathful ornaments such as the fifty freshly severed heads. They do however wear the eight races of nagas depicted as snakes – bracelets, anklets, etc. Mahachakra Vajrapani is sometimes depicted with a skull crown and at other times shown with a jeweled crown. Almost all of the other wrathful forms of Vajrapani have the same fearsome regalia as typical of wrathful Tantric deities such as Vajrabhairava, Vajrakila, Mahakala and the like. The various forms of Vajrapani as a meditational deity are derived from the textual sources of the early Tantras.” [1]

Maitreya — the Future Buddha

Maitreya is the bodhisattva of loving kindness — his name translates as “love” in English, cham pa in Tibetan. He currently resides in Tushita Heaven, ready to be born into the earthly realms as the next Buddha.

Tibetan: རྒྱལ་བ་བྱམས་པ། Chinese: 弥勒佛

Mantra

Oṃ maitri mahāmaitri maitriye svāhā

Kshitigarbha

The “Earth Store Bodhisattva” (Jizo, Gizo) appears in the sutra of the same name. Kshitigarbha is held in high reverence especially all over Asia, known for the famous story of his heroic rescues of suffering beings in the hell realms.
His main sutra, Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva Purvapravidhana Sutra. In Tantra he appears in the Kalachakra mandala of 634 deities, along with the Guhyasamaja mandala (in the east, standing beside Maitreya.) He is also part of the Vajrasattva mandala, Vajradhatu mandala and many more.

“…Kshitigarbha is yellow with a yellow upper garment, peaceful eyes, red at the sides, [and] a headdress garland of blue flowers. The right hand holds a fruit and the left a jewel above a lotus [flower].” (Jonang Taranata, yi dam rgya mtsho’i sgrub thabs rin chen ‘byung gnas, folio 506-507).

He also appears white in colour: “…Arya Kshitigarbha, white in colour, with one face, peaceful in appearance. With two hands the right holds to the heart a precious seed. The left [hand holds] a bell turned up [at the waist], resplendent and seated in a relaxed posture.” (Loter Wangpo, sgrub thabs kun tus, volume 11, folio 71). [3]

Practice and mantra

His practice is considered to be effective against “natural disasters” as he is associated with the earth. His mantras are:

Oṃ Kṣitigarbha bodhisattva yaḥ

(prounce the “ku” on the k as in: Ku-shi-tee-gar-bah)

Or

Om Kshitigarbha T-haleng Hum

Samantabhadra

Samantabhadra’s name literally translates as “Universal Worthy”), is famous for his ten great vows.

Sutra references

Samantabhadra appears in several sutras, including: Lotus of the Good Law Sutra, Flower Garland Sutra.

In the Āvataṃsaka-sūtra, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva made ten great vows in his path to full Buddhahood:

• To pay homage and respect to all Buddhas.
• To praise the Thus Come One-Tathagata.
• To make abundant offerings. (e.g. give generously)
• To repent misdeeds and evil karmas.
• To rejoice in others’ merits and virtues.
• To request the Buddhas to continue teaching.
• To request the Buddhas to remain in the world.
• To follow the teachings of the Buddhas at all times.
• To accommodate and benefit all living beings.
• To transfer all merits and virtues to benefit all beings.

Vows of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra video:

Akashagarbha

Most prominently mentioned in the Womb of Space Sutra, the Akashagarbha Sutra, Akashagarbha typically appears as Blue, with his attendant holding a sword. [See inset.] From Himilayan Art:
“His name means ‘nucleus of space’ and he is associated with wisdom and knowledge similar to Manjushri. Akashagarbha and Manjushri also share the same sword attribute. He is always depicted in peaceful (bodhisattva, deva) for and either blue or green in colour.” [2]

Nivarana-vishkambhin

Tibetan: སྒྲིབ་པ་རྣམ་པར་སེལ་བ། Chinese: 除诸障菩萨

Vajra and Bell and the Eight Great Ones

We carry the eight great Bodhisattvas with us everywhere if we practice Vajrayana. The best-known symbol of Vajrayana Buddhism is the Bell and Dorje (Ghanta and Vajra). Vajrayana practitioners are never to be separated from their bell and Dorje — although many teachers explain this means your “internal” bell and Dorje. Regardless of physical or internal spiritual, the bell and vajra contain the entire mandala of Buddha Aspects. [For more on the Bell and Dorje, see>>]

The Eight petals on the lotus (found on both Dorje and bell) represent the eight great Bodhisattvas:

• Kshitigarbha (East petal — east, the front petal of the lotus)
• Maitreya (southeast)
• Akashagarba (south)
• Samantabhadra (southwest)
• Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) (west)
• Manjushri (northwest)
• Vajrapani (north)
• Sarva-nivarana-vishkambhim (northeast)

In addition, most bells have the wondrous arc and loops of jewels and pearls, which are also the symbols of the Eight Great Ones, and specifically stand for:

• Wheel (east or front)
• Uptala lotus (south east)
• Wish Fulfilling Jewel or Ratna (south)
• Wheel (south west)
• Lotus (west)
• Vajra (north west)
• Wisdom sword (north)
• Lotus (northeast)

NOTES
[1] Hımılayan Art: Vajrapani page
[2] Himalayan Art: Akashagarbha
[3] Himalayan Art: Kshitigarbha

For devotees of Mother Tara, this interview with His Holiness Sakya Trichen, is a must-read.

Q:  Your Holiness, what does lineage mean?

Lineage means the teaching that has been brought down from Buddha to his disciples, then to the translators and then from one Guru to the next – the unbroken line of transmission that has been passed from Buddha himself, up to the present Guru.

Q:  Who is Tara ?

Tara is actually the perfection of wisdom, and she is the mother of all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Shravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas. This wisdom is actually beyond any forms or signs or descriptions. But out of great compassion, in order to help sentient beings she appears in physical form that is the Tara . The word Tara means “Saviour” or “One Who Saves”.

Q:  Tara is called the female Buddha. Can your Holiness elaborate on why she is different from the historical Buddha Shakyamuni that most people are familiar with?

There are male and female Buddhas just as there are male and female people. There are many female Buddhas, not just Tara and Vajrayogini; there are so many female deities! For some people it is much easier to practise female deities. It depends on one’s own karmic connections. For some, female deities are more suited, and for others, male deities are more suited. Although is it said, in terms of their wisdom, compassion and power, that all deities are the same, but due to their motherly figure it is easier to invoke the blessing of female deities.

Q:  Why is Tara in particularly regarded for her compassion?

Basically all the deities are the nature of compassion and emptiness; but Tara is special in two ways: firstly, she is in motherly figure, and secondly, she is an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, the manifestation of all the Buddhas’ compassion. Therefore, there is a particular connection between compassion and Tara .

Q:  Was Tara a real woman, if so, when did she live?

In actuality, of course, she is not a person because the true nature of Tara is the perfection of wisdom, mother of all the Buddhas and noble ones, and that wisdom is beyond form or any signs or descriptions. But out of compassion at the relative level she appears in the form of Tara . But then there are also historical Taras . Like it is said that many, many aeons ago there was a princess whose name was Gyana Chandra. She created the enlightenment mind in front of Buddha Amoghasiddhi. In order to save sentient beings she took the vow to remain in the female  form all through the path, and even after enlightenment. So that indicates that there is a historical figure as well.

Q:  We have heard many stories about Tara ‘s help? Is there a special story or experience that your Holiness would like to share with us?

I do not have any personal experience as such, but Tara is very, very important and there are very many beautiful stories. One is related to the continuation of the Khön lineage. It is a story about Zangpopa who was the 11th Sakya throne holder counting from Khön Khoncho Gyalpo who first established the Sakya Monastery. Zangpopa’s grandfather had five sons, but the one who was Zangpopa’s father, Lopon Yeshe Jungne, was the son of a maid who was not of one of the official queens. One of the official sons, Chogyal Phagpa, was the throne holder and guru of the Chinese Emperor in his time. Another son, Drogon Chagma, had a son called Dharmapalarakshita who was the 9th throne holder. When he died in 1287, there was not an official Khön lineage heir after him. So Jamyang Chenpo from Sharpa took the thrown.

At this point, there was no officially recognised Khön lineage heir. Even though Zangpopa was alive, the people had doubts about Zangpopa’s father as his mother had not been an official queen. Zangpopa had been invited to China but as his father had not been the official heir, the Emperor did not recognise him. Instead he was sent to some far outlying area of China .

When Dharmapalarakshita (the 9th throne holder) passed away, the Emperor was distressed over his loss. Placing the bones of Dharmapala on his head, he cried. Because there was no issue in his Guru’s hereditary lineage and how sad it was. There had been only one daughter of the lineage, a princess, and when she passed away there were rainbows and her body had many relics. This altered the mind of the Emperor who now said that any connection to his Guru’s hereditary lineage, was holy.

At that time, Zangpopa was living in a distant part of China near the Avalokiteshvara shrine. He was having a very difficult time, and so he prayed to Tara . Tara appeared and placed her hand over the crown of his head and said, “Those who wish to have a child, can have a child Those who wish to have wealth, can have wealth All your wishes will be granted and your obstacles will be cleared.”

After he received that blessing, some Tibetan lamas helped the Emperor find Zangpopa. Being a nephew of Chogyal Phagpa, he was then recognized by the Emperor and was brought back to the palace. There he was officially enthroned as the Sakya Khön lineage prince. The Emperor then said, “It is very important to continue the historical lineage.” At this point he gave his own sister to Zangpopa as his queen. This emperor reigned in the Yön dynasty of the Mongol empire of China . The princess is called Mudakhen. She traveled all the way to Sakya , married Zangpopa , and they had one son.

Q: What is the historical significance of Tara Temple in Tibet to Sakya Drolma Podrang? Does  it still exist? Who built it originally? Who used it? Was there any special reason it was a Tara Temple?

It no longer exists. It was build by Bari Lotsawa. Actually it is said that Tara accompanied Bari Lotsawa all the time in real human form. Then one day, she absorbed into a statue (or stone) in this particular place. He then built this temple to enshrine her. The temple and all the outer images were completely demolished during the Cultural Revolution. But innermost stone, where the real human form of Tara was absorbed, that particular image, was saved by someone. So now we have built another 21 Tara images, and that stone is placed inside the main Tara image. Now there is not a separate Tara temple but it is in the main temple of the Sakya. Actually we donated these 21 images, made in Nepal and sent to Tibet . There are four monks remaining in this temple doing Tara pujas, everyday. So it is a Tara temple because of the connection between Tara and Bari Lotsawa . Actually Sakya has four wondrous shrines, one of them is Tara one of them is Manjushri, one of them is Goddess Vijaya and one of them is Mahakala.

Q: What is the  connection between Tara with Drolma Podrang? Was there a Sakya Nunnery?

Actually our palace is not called Drolma Phodrang, it is called Pünphal Phodrang. But as the palace is right next to this very famous Tara shrine, most people call it Drolma Phodrang. In fact, now nobody now calls it Pünphal Phodrang. Everyone calls it Drolma Phodrang. No, there was no nunnery. The nunnery was located on the other side.

Q:  Could His Holiness say something about famous Sakya Female Practitioners? Upon which meditational deities did they concentrate?

Sakya has many, many very famous female practitioners. So many of them, even recently, for example Jetsuma Chime Tenpei Nyima, Jetsun Tamdring Wangmo, Jetsun Pema Thrinley. It seems that for most of them their main deity for practice was Vajrayogini.

There is one temple in Sakya where there is a very famous Vajrayogini statue. When I was there no one doing any pujas. But it is said that in ancient times, all the princesses, all those Jetsumas who were nuns, came together to this temple on every tenth and every twenty fifth day (of the lunar month) and did the puja. And it is said that this Vajrayogini statue was just like any other female in that every month there was menstrual flow from the statue, with nectar coming down from the statue.

Q:  Is Tara meditation only for women?

No of course not, everybody can receive Tara .

Q:  Can your Holiness tell us about the types of  meditation that might be given at the “initiation” or “ blessing ceremony” ?

Initiations differ in the sense that there are major empowerments, there are blessings, and there are simple initiations. Taking as an example in a simple initiation, there are three kinds of meditations. First, physically visualising oneself in the form of the deity; then, verbally repeating the mantra, and finally, mentally meditating on the primordial wisdom, which is away from all descriptions, away from all activities, beyond speech, beyond thought. So this is the meditation.

Q:  What happens at a Tara Initiation or Blessing Ceremony?

Initiations are all the same in the sense that, during the initiation, ones own body voice and mind are blessed. From that moment onwards, one is authorised to do the visualisation, recite the mantra, and do the meditation on primordial wisdom of  Tara .

Q:  How can we determine which Tantric practice would be most effective for ourselves?

I think it mainly depends on the individual. Some people are suited to the Kriya tantra, some are suited to the Carya tantra, some are suited to the Yoga tantra, and so on. Similarly for some people the Tara tantra is more suitable than the other tantras.

Q:  Is there any special advice for today’s  present female practitioners who have to balance family, work and spiritual life? Are there better conditions than in previous times?

In Tibet , disciples had to engage in hardships and  travel long distance whereas disciples these days have more ready access to teachings through modern transport and communication. Some teachers say this is the times of deterioration but the diligent can gain results more rapidly.

Generally, convenience does not necessarily improve the practice. First of all, we are in a different time; this is a degenerated time! Nowadays, people do not possess so much faith or devotion, and have much more doubt than ancient times. Therefore it is much harder in these times. Even though it is easier to practice and to have access to the teachings, I feel the result takes much longer.

Q:  Impermanence is always emphasized in the teachings, which in turn has created  insecurity, in view of our relationships and careers.  In Vajrayana, though, we are reminded to put our total trust in the Root Guru, until we gain enlightenment. Is this a contradiction of the impermanence teachings, which we are supposed to view things with detachment rather than attachment? Could your Holiness give some advice on how to balance impermanence with faith in the Guru?

I do not understand this (referring to the insecurity). Because everything is impermanent you need faith, I think. Because everything is impermanent, because life is impermanent, and we are going to die one day. We are going to lose all our possessions, and wealth and everything. At the time when we leave, our mental consciousness is alone travelling to an unknown destination, the only thing that one could seek for help is the Dharma. Dharma can only be learned from the Guru; so therefore you need faith and the trust in the Guru. Isn’t that so? I don’t see any conflict. A nice life is not what we are seeking for – this life is not nice, even the nicest life is not nice. Actually it is a suffering, just another kind of suffering. So we need to renounce this, we need to awake from this illusion. And the way to awake is with the support and help from the Guru and the Dharma.

Q:  Similarly, when pondering the sufferings of hell and so forth, we sometimes feel panic rather than calm.  If we cannot overcome our panic of while meditating on these fundamental teachings (in the Nang Sum), are we then really ready for further instructions, such as the Lam Dre teachings?

This again I don’t understand. You see, life is panic; everything is impermanent, and everything is suffering. If you try to avoid that, then you cannot overcome it. You cannot avoid it; that is a reality. We don’t want it, we want to live a really happy life. But the reality of it, though, is not happiness. The reality is suffering and that we can’t avoid. We have to face it, and only by facing it can we overcome it. Otherwise if you try to avoid it, you will still have to face it some time. And at that time, when you are forced to face it, then you are in a terrible and desperate situation. The way to overcome this is to deal with it, by knowing it and knowing how to overcome it through the Lam Dre teachings.

Q:  Must one take the opportunity to practice dharma upon oneself?

Of course. Basically with Buddhism everything you have to do it yourself. As the Buddha said, “Only you can save yourself. Nobody else can save you.” So the main help has to come from one’s own side. If one is ready, then deities are always ready. But if one is not ready, then deities cannot help.

Q:   We hear about practitioners gaining realisation through Guru devotion. They have been put through many physical and mental and spiritual trials. Luding Khenchen Rinpoche said that if a Guru really put modern disciples through traditional Guru devotion practices, all the disciples would run away. How would modern and traditional Guru Devotion practices compare?

I think generally it is the same as before. But what Senior Luding Khen said is true. Modern people could not bear such hardships, so therefore we cannot do that kind of thing. We have to do things that are suitable with the present circumstances and it also depends on the individuals. Similarly speaking, in ancient times some people did not have much hardship, whereas some people have to go through a great deal.

Q:  Can more be mentioned about female practitioners in the Sakya lineage?

There are, as you know, many, many female practitioners. JetsumaTenpei Nyima had so many disciples. Almost all the Sakya and Ngorpa masters received teachings from her. Also some Dagmo’s were also very famous. Indeed, one of the pioneers of the Sakya Teachers, Drogmi Lotsawa, who was the first Tibetan Lama to receive the Lam Dre teachings, had four female disciples. One of them I remember very clearly is Tömo Dorje Tso. She was not a nun but a very ordinary person. She came, in fact, from a very rich family and then she was married into another very rich family, and that family was very powerful. She gave birth to five sons. So then, they had wealth, manpower and everything. They were a very, very powerful family but somehow the people of the village didn’t like them. So, one day the whole village came and killed the father, killed all the five sons and took away all the wealth. Tömo Dorje Tso was left alone there. At that point, she was almost insane with grief, crying day and night and suffering so much. Then Drogmi Lotsawa heard about it. He saw that there was a connection between her and himself, and so he called for her. She was also one of the disciples who did not have to go through so much hardship. After she was called by him, Drogmi Lotsawa did not give her many teachings. He just gave her the Hevajra Cause empowerment and after that a “Beyond Thought” meditation, not the Vajrayogini but another one with Hevajra. Just by practicing that, within a very short period of time, she got the realisation. She became a very great Yogini and it is said that, in the later part of her life, she could travel between the different Buddha fields and then also return to her Tibetan residence.

Q: Tara is said to be staying in Potala, an island in the south. Her Buddha family is Amitabha, why isn’t her Buddha-field in Sukhavati? Does anyone do prayers to be reborn in Potala ?

Potala is of course actually a physical place, but sometimes you can see it and sometimes you don’t see it at all. Every Buddha has his own Buddha-field. People do pray to be in Potala but it is not as popular as Sukhavati. It is very difficult for ordinary people with their obscurations to be born in Buddha-fields. But Buddha Amitabha especially created Sukhavati so that even those with negative karma, even those who have obscurations can be born there. So, we ordinary people should pray to be born there because it is actually possible. To be reborn in other Buddha-fields is not so easy.

Q:  Does Tara protect and heal only those who call on her?

Actually it is just like the sun; the sun is all the time shining, but sometime we see it and sometime we don’t see it. Just like that, Tara is all the time showering her blessings to every sentient being, but some people, due to their lack of faith, belief and confidence, cannot receive that blessing. You see, in order to save someone you need the hook and the ring – Tara is all the time throwing out her hook of compassion to catch beings, but to be saved you need the ring of the faith. If you have the ring of the faith then the hook of compassion will be caught in that and then one will be saved.

Q:  Is Tara only for Buddhists?

Of course not. Tara sees all sentient beings as her only child. Every mother loves her child, particularly those mothers with only one child. In their minds, they are constantly thinking about that child, the welfare and well-being of that child. Tara has such great compassion and such great love that all sentient beings are her only child, without any discrimination or exception.

• This Interview was requested by Pee Lee, April and Gabriela and conducted by Inge Kunga Soedron at Drolma Podrang, Rajpur , India .
  source:  http://sg.geocities.com/sakyadrotonling/index.html

Editors Reminiscence

I remember the first time I attended a teaching from His Holiness Sakya Trichen (at that time, His Holiness Sakya Trizen) in 2002. The venue in Toronto was so crowded, every parking lot was full for miles around. I walked those many miles, then lined up for several hours to attend this precious event. I was shoe-horned in — I almost didn’t get in on time, even though I had a ticket.

Was it worth it?

It remains vivid and treasured in my mind, despite the lineup, the parking ticket, and the difficulty hearing in such a crowd. I’ve attended many empowerments, but that night was special.

Why? His Holiness, when he teaches, is an Enlightened presence.

You can feel it, even if you’re at the back of a crowded room trying desperately to hear. I’m reminded of this when I read back this Q&A with his Holiness on Mother Tara by Inge Kunga Soedron at Drolma Podrang, Rajpur , India (from HHSakyaTrizen.net)  What an amazing interview! It captures some of the magic I feel every time I attend one of His Holiness’s teaching events.

The Stupa is one of three “symbols” we revere and prostrate to in daily practice. The Three Sacred Objects are symbols of the Body, Speech and Mind of Buddha:

• Enlightened Body: Om syllable and Buddha’s Statue (crown chakra). Practice symbol is the vajra or dorje.
• Enlightened Speech: Ah syllable and Dharma Texts or Sutras (throat chakra). Mantra is the practice symbol.
• Enlightened Mind: Hum syllable and Stupa (heart chakra). Practice symbol is the bell (which is shaped like the Stupa dome.)

This is why we purify sacred Dharma objects with the simply mantra

Om Ah Hum

These three syllables represent the Holy Body, Speech, and Mind.

On our altar (or in our visualizations), our Buddha Statue (any Enlightened Yidam that we practice), Sutra or Dharma text, and Stupa (usually a picture or small statue) represent the Holy Body, Speech, and Mind, respectively.

Stupas and the Eighteen Benefits

To honur the Enlightened Mind or Wisdom of the Buddha, we prostrate to — or ideally circumambulate — our Stupas.

Several Sutras cite Stupa building (Chorten in Tibetan) “while thinking of the Victorious One” as a “cause for Enlightenment.” The Analyzing Activity Sutra actually says, “Whoever builds the Stupa of the Tathagata will gain the eighteen benefits” (Je Nampa Djepe Do) — in future lifetimes. [See the list below from Sutra.] [Symbolism of Chortens or Stupas below with diagrams.]

Special Photo Feature

Traditionally, any place where a Stupa is built becomes a powerful place of healing and merit. Stupas also symbolize “Buddha’s Holy Mind.”

Most Buddhist teachers advocate at least circumambulating Stupas as spiritually beneficial to practice. The Noble Stainless Beams of Light Sutra states clearly:

“Whoever circumambulates or make offerings to a Stupa will be blessed by Tathagatas, move to the supreme enlightened state through a non-returning path, and purify all of their karmic obscurations.”

Nor is that all. The Stupa blesses the four elements it contacts, especially earth and air. The Noble Stainless Beams of Light Sutra says:

“Even if the shadow of a Stupa touches birds, animals, deer, or whomever, they will not be reborn in the lower realms.”

Building, funding or volunteering to build a Stupa, while thinking of the Buddha, “they will all reach Enlightenment.” [Lotus Sutra]

Even touching a Stupa has benefits

The Manjushrimitra Root Tantra says that merely “touching” a stupa has immeasurable benefits:

“Whoever contacts such a Stupa will develop great wisdom and long life, and even if they die, they will be reborn in the higher realms in a royal clan, and they will never go to the lower realms.”

In the Guhyasmaja Tantra: 

“A stupa is a palace where all the buddhas are abiding. Those beings who don’t have the karma actually to see buddha need the holy objects of body, speech and mind – statues, scriptures, stupas – as a field for accumulating merit.”

Symbolism of stupas

Although Stupas vary by region and culture somewhat, the typical symbolism is described as:

“The shape of the stupa represents the Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditation posture on a lion throne. His crown is the top of the spire; his head is the square at the spire’s base; his body is the vase shape; his legs are the four steps of the lower terrace; and the base is his throne.”

Profound symbolism of Chorten

The Tibetan Chorten, especially, is profound in symbolism (see diagram),

with the

• Throne of the Buddha (on the base)
• Vase filled with treasure (on top of throne)
• Harmika
• Spire of Umbrellas: 13 steps to Enlightenment (rings that are “umbrellas”)
• Heart and mind represented by the top moon, sun symbols.

This also represents the five elements:

• Square base is “earth element”
• Dome represents vase and “water element”
• Conical spire represents “fire”
• Upper lotus parasol and crescent moon represents “air”
• Sun (point) represents “wisdom.”

Stupas by any name: Chorten, Sharito, Thupa

Stupas are near-universal in Buddhism, although the names and shapes vary somewhat:

• English — Stupa
• Sanskrit — स्तूप
• Pali —   Thupa
• Tibetan — མཆོད་རྟེན་  — Chorten
• Japanese — Sharito
• Vietnamese — Phu do
• Sinhala — Dagoba

There are also different “purposes” for stupas. The most common are “Votive Stupas” built all around the world for the benefit of students — with circumambulation as a key practice. Historically, there are also:

• Relic stupa — remains of a Buddha, his disciples or great Yogis
• Object stupa — items that belonged to the Buddha or students
• Commemorative stupa — many of these built by the King Ashoka, honouring events in the life of the Buddha
• Symbolic stypas — symbolizing mandalas and aspects of Buddhist theology
• Votive Stupas — built and blessed by traditional practices — specific formulas and “filling” formulas. for example filling with Mantras, Tsa Tsa’s, statues, and so on.

In history, and modern times

In ancient times, Emperor Ashoka was famous for building stupas and monuments. The great Emperor, built stupas to help purify the negative karmas of “emperor building.” 

Today, many Buddhist centres build stupas to benefit sentient beings. A current project of Gaden for the West in Canada [Inset below] is funding a stupa, under the inspiration of H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, who wrote:

“According to Buddhist tradition, we build stupas to honour the Buddhas, as well as those who have passed away–those we have loved so much.

“After Bhagavan Buddha entered paranirvana, his disciples Maha Ananda, Shariputra, Subhuti, and so on decided to construct a structure for Bhagavan’s holy relics, as an object of prayer, to create merit, and as a reminder of his precious teachings and great kindness. Stupas are also known as Caitanya, dagoba, and chorten (in Tibetan). The great Buddhist King Ashoka built one million stupas in India in honour of Lord Buddha’s teachings and for the purpose of purifying unwholesome karma and accumulating merit for future generations. Our Stupa will benefit our sangha and community in many ways, including creating the cause for good health, harmony, peace, prosperity, and especially increased Dharma realizations. Building stupas is a tradition in both Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism (in such places as India, Burma, Ceylon, Thailand, Tibet, Mongolia, China, Indonesia, and Japan). There are eight different designs of stupas to commemorate the life of the Buddha.”

Build them, circumambulate them, honour them

Stupas are built to house relics, often a tiny fragment of a Holy relic. They are also typically filled with Holy items, such as numerous rolled mantras, tsa-tsa’s, statues, blessed herbs and objects. 

In particular, the “throne” — which is the base — is filled with precious mantras and objects, including offerings of jewels, sacred texts and symbols of the Dharma. Only new or perfect objects are included, and everything is blessed.

The eighteen benefits of building Stupas

According to the Je Nampa Djepe Do Sutra, those involved in building a stupa (volunteers, patrons who donate funds, organizers) will enjoy some of the eighteen benefits of building sutras in future lives (and indeed some merit in our current life — as always, depends on your ripening karma):

1) One will be reborn In a royal family.

2) One will get a beautiful body.

3) One’s speech will be entrancing.

4) One’s mere sight will be a great joy for the others.

5) One will have a charming and attractive personality.

6) One will be erudite In the five sciences.

7) One will become a support (an example for all).

8) One will be praised from all directions.

9) One will be Inclined to sounds and words of Dharma.

10) One will live only with happiness.

11) One will be venerated both by men and.gods.

12) One will obtain great riches.

13) One will be granted a long life.

14) All one’s wishes will be fulfilled.

15) One’s beneficial activity and wisdom will only grow.

16) One’s body will become as indestructible as the Dorje.

17) One will be reborn In the higher realms or existence.

18) One will reach quickly perfect Awakening.

Why is Tara so beloved among Mahayana Buddhists? Why is she simultaneously called Mother, Saviour, Friend, and Buddha? Why do many of us turn to Green Tara first, when we need help? What are the 21 forms of Tara? What are some of the stories of Tara rescuing suffering beings, as the heroine Goddess? We answer these questions and recount the histories of her heroic rescues in this presentation dedicated to the Mother of All Buddhas. We also present the mantra and a very concise Sadhana by Great Marpa, the Translator, for daily meditation.

Most Buddhists know Mother Tara — simultaneously a friend, savior, caring Bodhisattva, and enlightened being.

Tara’s Many Forms

She manifests in endless forms. She can be action-hero Green Tara who saves us from worldly harm. Or, blessed White Tara who heals and brings longevity. Or charismatic Red Tara who attracts what is helpful into our lives. Or even fierce Black Tara, who destroys all evil. Though we honor her as the Great Mother Buddha, she is, without contradiction, an intimate and treasured friend.

Tara, like any loving Mother, is ready to jump to our aid, even in mundane areas of life. She is the “practical Buddha” — the “Karma Mother” — the Buddha most active in our lives. Her Sanskrit name translates as “a star by which to navigate” — and like a star, she is always with us whenever we look for her. How can we lose our way when her radiance never fades?

“Mummy Tara”

Despite enormous respect and sacred devotion for Tara, She is often just known as “Mummy Tara” to devotees.

Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron explained:

“If you put your full trust in Tara, you will receive the guidance you need and all your problems will be solved…”

Tara Rescues H.E. Garchen Rinpoche 8 Times

His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche has a special devotion to Tara. He recounts how Tara rescued him many times in his adventurous Dharma life. He credits her directly with rescuing him from eight major and several minor threats in his great life.

It was Tara who helped the great teacher survive war in 1958, starvation in 1960, near-drowning in 1963, several incidents with food poisoning, and a car accident in 2006. He tells these stories in his biography, and at teachings. He wrote:

“What is the purpose of sharing this?

I have special devotion for Tara, though all deities are the same in essence. I always hold on to my prayer wheel tightly, and I pray to Tara. I also tell others to pray to Tara. This is why I have a lot of faith in Tara.”

Song of Longing for Tara

This sentiment is expressed in the 18th-century Tibetan prayer the “Song of Longing for Tara” by Lama Lobsang Tenpey Gyaltsen:

“You are my guru, my yidam, my protector, my refuge, my food, my clothes, my possessions, and my friend. Since your divine quality is everything to me, let me spontaneously achieve all that I wish.”

• Here are all the Tara Days we celebrate in 2024 on our Dharma Calendar>>

Mother Tara is not just the rescuer. She provides us with what we need to help ourselves and others — spontaneously achieving all that we wish.

Green, White, Red, Yellow and Blue-Black Taras

Tara appears in many forms, symbolic of her countless activities on our behalf. Her most common appearances are as a beautiful Mother Goddess, sitting on a splendid lotus and moon throne, beautiful in appearance, with one foot thrust forward ready to leap to our aid.

Her main two forms are Green and White, but she also appears in every color, symbolizing her heroic activities. Green represents the Karma family mother, her main form, with green symbolizing all activities.

• All about the 21 Taras, their praises and mantras, full feature>>

She has many white aspects, representing her pacifying and purifying activities.

She has red forms symbolizing power and magnetizing activities, and yellow forms symbolizing enriching activities.

White Tara and her powerful mantra beautifully chanted in Sanskrit:

Finally, she also emanates in black and blue forms, symbolizing her energetic wrathful forms, able to overcome any evil, obstacle, negative karma, black magic, demons or any foe who is an obstacle to our enlightenment.

Her role, as the “activity aspect of all the Buddhas,” is as vast as the universe. This is why her many activity roles include rescuer, protector, and countless other activity roles associated with Karma.

This is symbolized by air and wind, the element of her Northern Buddha family. Air represents both the life-giving air in our bodies and also Dharma speech. Gelek Rinpoche taught:

“The strongest element on which we base life is air, not ground, not earth. That is because air is the basis of the nature of sound. Really, it is. That is why air is the strongest out of four elements, which are earth, water, fire, and air. Air is the very base.”

As the Wisdom Mother of the Wind or Air element she is associated with Chi, Prana and “internal wind or lung” which is the very essence of life.

In whatever form you see her, visualize her, or think of her, she is your beloved and heroic mother.

Just Call Her Name

How do we call on Her aid? Simply call Her name. How do we see Her face? Simply look up to any star (or close your eyes, or imagine her face), and She is there. How do we find comfort in Her compassion? Simply know She is with you; like any mother, She never leaves you.

How near Is Tara? Since all beings have Buddha Nature, at the ultimate level, she is already One with Us. There is an old Tibetan story about a man who complains to Tara that she “left him.” Her reply was:

“How could I ever leave who I am?

Tara Saves the Caravan: Bokar Rinpoche

Bokar Rinpoche gives an example of how close Tara is to our world.

In 1958, Rinpoche was with a caravan taking food to those in need. Everyone knew the mission was important, but they were worried about bandits, who were reported on the road. So, they prayed constantly to Tara and chanted the twenty-one Taras’ praise as they journeyed the dangerous trail with a long train of wagons. Bokar Rinpoche wrote:

“The road to Lhasa was extremely dangerous… Who could protect us better than Tara?… It was impossible for us to evade them.

“When some nomads warned us of bandits immediately ahead, we went off the path, to set up our encampment, but there were too many of us to avoid being seen.

From where we were, we could see the bandits coming, menacing and demanding ransom from other travellers on the road.

It should have been inevitable for them to see us… However, they did not see us! Certainly, we were scared, but we never ceased to pray to Tara and recite her praise… I am convinced that our safe journey was due to Tara’s blessing and kind protection.”

It’s important to remember that the Mother of all Buddhas works through all of us. She is not only the Mother of All Buddhas, but the Mother of all Beings. Why? All Beings have Buddha Nature, our innate compassion and wisdom.

Praying to Arya Tara for help doesn’t mean she’ll show up as a Green goddess, hovering in the air in front of you. Her help might come in the form of hard-working first responders. Or a kind neighbor. Or, just a stranger on the street who sees you need help; and compassion arises from their heart — the place where Tara resides.

She is, remember, the karma activity Buddha, and works through karma in our world. If we are in trouble, the first responders — or another helpful person or circumstance — will help us if it is “our karma.” Or, we’ll discover how to help ourselves, inspired by her wisdom and the calm she gives us in the face of danger.

• Don’t miss our complete section of Tara features, over 20 features and videos>>

Tara and Dharma Activity: Karma Yoga

Tara, the ideal Mother, is the Buddha most active in our world, embodying Dharma activity and Karma Yoga. Tara, the Mother, would do anything to help her children. To be near to us, she remains in our mundane world, and all the worlds and Purelands.

In the past, she nurtured and protected most of the great Mahasiddhas of India, and many of the great sages in Tibet. Alone in the wilderness, the great sages relied on her nurturing wisdom, compassion, and protective activity during long retreats. Her activity is no different for us. She is accessible and close to all practitioners. She is not a far-away Enlightened One who has passed into Nirvana.

Even the great Conqueror Shakyamuni Buddha relied on Mother Tara’s “eight great laughters” to pacify fears, doubts, and demons. It is said, in many Tantras, that “all Buddhas relied on Tara.”

Bokar Rinpoche explained how in his book Tara, The Feminine Divine:

“The night preceding his awakening, while sitting under the Bodhi tree, Shakyamuni was attacked by a horde of demons attempting to divert him from his goal. At that moment, Tara appeared, and with eight great laughters made the demons fall to the ground and stopped them from doing harm. The Buddha then placed his mind in a state of perfect meditation and, at dawn, attained awakening. After that, he uttered the Tara Tantra.”

Buddha Explains Why Tara is Mother of All Buddhas

Tara’s most common title is Mother of all the Buddhas. This enigmatic term confuses even her devoted followers.

In “Sarva-tat-hagata-matr-tara-visvakarma-bhava-tantra-nama”, Buddha explains to Manjushri why Tara is called the Mother of all the Buddhas.

Manjushri asked the Lord: “Lord, all the Buddhas of the three times are deep. How therefore did She produce them? How is She their Mother?”

And the Lord said, “That is true, Manjushri, but all the Buddhas of the three times are also unproduced and unceasing, not defiled and not immaculate, with decrease or increase, and by nature in Nirvana; that is the nature of all dharmas.”

When Manjusrhi asked Shakyamuni to clarify, the Lord said, “Manjushri, the Ultimate, is called the Universal Law, the dharmadhatu; it is a synonym with the True Goal. It is Great Compassion. Conventional nature is a synonym of samsara. The Mother who produces the buddhas of the three times is beyond this; therefore She is beyond samsara and affliction.

Thus, Manjushri, She is to be regarded as Mother.

And the Lord said: “Therefore, Manjushri, with understanding of the such-ness of dharmas should one meditate on Her. One should recite her dharani, practice earnestly, understand Her qualities and make offerings to Her.

One should receive instructions and have no doubts. One should act earnestly in the deeds, remember Her praises, and practice the rites severally.” In these words He taught Bodhisattva Manjushri, the Youthful.

Origin Stories of Tara

Even though Buddha explained how Tara is the Mother of Buddhas, this becomes confusing when we are told multiple completely different origin stories when we attend her empowerment ceremonies.

Arya Tara’s origin stories are not about her birth, since she is the unborn. They are about her many manifestations arising into a particular need or lineage. Since her vow is to help all sentient beings in all worlds, she arises in many forms and times, and has many origin stories.

Tara always existed in the Dharmadatu, the Realm of Ultimate Reality. But she arises in various aspects in various lineages to help with special needs.

The most famous origin stories are how she arose from Avalokiteshvara. In the story, Avalokiteshvara, who swore the vow of compassion to save every being suffering in Samsara despaired after saving millions from samsara, only to find the six realms filled up with more suffering beings. The task of saving beings was endless.

Martin Wilson explained one of the origin stories of Tara in his 1986 work In Praise of Tara: Songs of the Saviouress.

“What was Her origin? Avalokiteshvara, the Lord and Refuge of the Three Realms saw that however many migrating beings He removed from samsāra, they grew no fewer, and He wept so many tears they formed a great lake.

Seeing his despair, Tārā sprang from this lake of tears. An utpala arose, a blue lotus, that grew in the water of his tears. Green Tara appeared on this Lotus, ready to help him. She is tireless and swift in the aid of sentient beings. She said to Avalokiteshvara: “I shall quickly save them from samsāra, so please do not cry!”.

In another origin story, White Tara arose from the tears of one eye of Avalokiteshvara, the Compassionate One, and Green Tara from the other.

Tara’s Dharani Sutra recited in video by Buddha Weekly:

These stories aren’t about the “birth of Tara” as Tara was always the mother in the Dharmadatu. She emanated in Sambhogakaya Enjoyment Bodies to help the great Bodhisattva, moved by his Compassion.

This is why there can be different Tara origin stories in different lineages. There are countless forms and emanations of Tara as both Sambhogakayas, such as Green, White or Red Tara, but also Nirmanakaya, earthly manifestations. For example, in India, Tara’s popular emanations include wisdom Dakini Mandarva and Niguma. In Tibet, she was born as Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal.

21 Forms of Tara and Their Praise chanted beautifully in sacred Sanskrit:

21 Taras… and More…

Why so many forms? Because there are countless beings suffering in Samsara. Just as she arose in one form to help the compassionate Lord Avalokiteshvara, she arose in other forms as well.

The most famous of these are the 21 forms of Tara. There are also the 108 and 1008 Taras.

Each of these Taras appears slightly different, with different colors, poses, expressions, mantras and praises. Each of the 21 Taras has a specialized activity.

Are they all separate beings? No, they are all Tara, ultimately the same Tara who manifested to Buddha under the Bodhi Tree and to Avalokiteshvara when he shed the lake of tears. And, the same Tara who rescued Garchen Rinpoche eight times. And, the same Tara who rescued Bokar Rinpoche and the caravan from Bandits.

Tara’s Pureland: Yurlod Kurpa Turquoise Pureland

Tara appears not only in our world, but in every world, all six realms, and in every Pureland. She even has her own Pureland, for her most devoted followers. This Turquoise Pureland Yurlod Kurpa is a little different from the visualization of most Purelands.

This stunning Pureland has wild green forests, mountains, turquoise lakes, wildlife, and waterfalls rather than palaces and jeweled cities. The great teacher Delog Dawa Drolma described Tara’s pureland.

Delog Dawa Drolma was another nirmanakaya emanation of Tara. She was a teacher revered for her extraordinary powers as a lama, most famous for being a delog. A delog is one who has crossed the threshold of death and returned to tell about it. Her well-known son, Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, told the story of his mother’s journey to visit Tara’s pureland, while her body lay devoid of life for 5 days:

“She lay cold, breathless, and devoid of any vital signs, while her consciousness moved freely into other realms, often escorted by the wisdom goddess White Tara. She undertook her journey as a delog according to instructions she had received from Tara in visions.”

Later, Delog Dawa Drolma, in a teaching in 1925, explained just where the Pureland is. Tara’s pureland is not other than Tara’s mind. Since we all have Tara’s Buddha Nature, this pureland is therefore found in our own heart and mind. She taught:

“Those sentient beings who actually wish to see the pure realm of Tara in their minds will rejoice in the cooling rays of pure vision in the soothing shelter of the blooming lotus of faith.”

Connecting with Tara

How do we connect to Tara? What is her practice? Like any mother, she is easily accessible. Simply call her name, or chant her short 10-syllable mantra. Or, you can accumulate merit and virtue by chanting the Praise to 21 Taras as a Dharani each day, or at least on Tara Puja Days. This ten-minute practice is very profound. To chant along, visit one of the linked 21 Taras videos at the information icons.

Tara practice is among the most beautiful and inspiring practices in Mahayana Buddhism, because she is the Buddhist enlightened Mother who truly acts for our benefit in this world.

Tara emanates in these countless forms because we have countless fears and obstacles. None of our fears are unimportant: epidemics, war, poverty, the list is endless. Fortunately, Tara is heroic and tireless! For each Tara, there is a praise, which devotees chant daily as the 21 Taras Praise or Dharani, and there are also supplicating mantras for each Tara, which requests Tara’s specific help in 21 ways. We have a video describing all 21 of the mantras, reciting them 3 times each, and explaining the benefits of each.

The simplest way to practice Tara, and bring her motherly protection into your life, is through chanting of her famous ten-syllable mantra. This mantra is

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Beautiful chanting of Tara’s mantra for 1 hour:

This is, itself, a complete practice, if you understand the meaning of the mantra and recite with faith. According to commentary from the First Dalai Lama, the mantra can be understood this way:

• Om is Taking Refuge and praising the Body Speech and Mind of Tara.
• Tare liberates and saves us from suffering in Samsara — the suffering of the entire universe and all six dimensions.
• Tuttare liberates us from the 8 inner dangers, 8 external types of dangers and 8 supernatural dangers.
• Ture, liberates us from disease.
• Svaha, is the root of the path, and means “be it so” or “well said.”

Sadhana of Tara from Great Marpa the Translator

In the concluding session of this short presentation, we recite a Sadhana from the Great Marpa the Translator.

Great Marpa taught a cycle of Three Special Deities. These three are, of course, Arya Tara, the Mother who liberates us from fears in Samsara, together with Ushnisha Vijaya, in Tibetan Namgyalma, who liberates us from the Lord of Death, and finally, the Supreme Lord Buddha Vajrasattva, who liberates us from all negative karma. The puja begins with prostrations to the Three Supreme Deities, then the practice of Arya Tara.

If you have empowerment, you can visualize yourself as Tara in the normal way. If you do not have empowerment, you only visualize Tara in front of you. In this short version, we strictly recite the accumulating merit section with seven limbs of practice and the Praising of the 21 Taras and mantra with final requests for blessings. In a future video, we will present the full sadhana.

Ideally, after the seven limbs of practice we recite the 21 Taras Praise Dharani in Sanskrit or English linked above. If you are doing an abbreviated form, recite only the mantra.

Here begins the Sadhana, in concise form the frontal generation for accumulating merit with offerings and praises by the great translator Marpa:

Ushnisha Vijaya Namgyalma, Arising from the Ushnisha of the Buddha, destroyer of the Lord of Death.

Venerable Arya Tara, who liberates from the fears of Samsara.

Great Lord of All Families, Vajrasattva.

To the three Supreme Deities and the full assembly, I bow, pay homage, and make offerings.

In Tara, the Buddha, Dharma, and Supreme Assembly, I take refuge until Enlightenment. By the merit of my generosity and other deeds, may I attain Buddhahood for the sake of beings.

In front of me instantly arises a blazing green TAM syllable. By the light of the syllable, Venerable Tara appears in the sky, surrounded by an assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Namo Guru Arya Taraye. Namo Buddhaya. Namo Dharmaya. Namo Sanghaya.

I prostrate with complete purity to Venerable Arya Tara and all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who dwell in the ten directions and three times.

I offer real and imagined flowers, incense, butter lamps, scent, food, music, and so forth. Assembly of Arya Tara, please accept it.

I confess all my faults from beginningless time until now, committed with a mind under the sway of the afflictions, such as the ten nonvirtues.

I rejoice in whatever merit has been accumulated in the three times by Hearers, Solitary Realizers, Bodhisattvas, ordinary beings, and others.

Please turn the wheel of the Dharma according to the intentions and mental dispositions of sentient beings.

Until Samsara is emptied, please do not pass into Nirvana but look with compassion upon sentient beings that are drowning in the ocean of suffering.

May whatever merit I have accumulated become the cause of Enlightenment for the benefit of sentient beings.

May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. May they be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. May they not be separated from the sublime happiness that is free from suffering. May they rest in the great equanimity that is free of the duality of attachment and aversion.

Thus one gathers the accumulations through prostrating, offering, confessing, and generating the two types of bodhichitta of the preliminaries.

Now, while holding the visualization of Tara, I recite the mantra. As I recite, I see green light going out from the Tam at Tara’s heart, blessing all beings in the entire universe, then returning and blessing my own body, speech and mind.

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha.

By the power of praising and supplicating you, wherever I and others reside may illness, obstructive spirits, poverty, and fighting be pacified, and may the Dharma and auspiciousness flourish.

Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the Sangha, please heed me. From the great, beginningless Samsara, I and all beings have performed the virtue of cultivating generosity and ethical discipline and have rejoiced in the expression of these deeds. By the virtue practiced thus, with the mind of holy generosity, may ornaments and belongings become the host of practitioners, and for the sake of our parents, teachers, masters, and all sentient beings, may we achieve Buddhahood. By the merit arisen from this virtue, may we acquire all the perfections such as life, merit, enjoyment, a retinue, and virtuous practice, and may all obstacles be pacified without exception.

May I attain Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

NOTES

• * Bokar Rinpoche’s book Tara the Feminine Divine is available from Amazon >>  (affiliate link)

First of all, let’s be clear — for those who are spooked by spooks: Hungry Ghosts (Pretas) are not evil ghosts or demons or monsters. They are suffering sentient beings, — our ancestors, grandmothers, grandfathers and friends — with karmic burdens from previous lives. It is our duty, as compassionate Buddhists to pray and care for these beings, as we would for any suffering being.

Traditionally the 7th Lunar month is “Ghost month” and the full moon or 15th day of the 7th month is annual Ghost Festival Day. This traditional arises from Sutra. Just like with other types of beings, there are thirty-six different types of hungry ghosts, according to the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra.

NOTE: Ghost Month (7th lunar) 2024 is August 4th – September 2nd in 2024 with actual Ghost Festival Day on August 18.

The origin of the festival is also from Sutra, from the Ullambana Sutra, or story of Maudgalyayana (shortened to Mulian in China) who asks Buddha how to rescue his mother from suffering as a Hungry Ghost. (Story below.) Buddha instructs Maudgalyayana (and us) how to care for our suffering ancestors in that Sutra:

“On that day, all the holy assembly, whether in the mountains practicing dhyana samadhi, or obtaining the four fruits of the Way, or walking beneath trees, or using the independence of the six penetrations to teach and transform Sound Hearers and Those Enlightened to Conditions, or provisionally manifesting as Bhikshus when in fact they are Great Bodhisattvas on the Tenth Ground–all complete with pure precepts and ocean-like virtue of the holy Way–should gather in a great assembly and all of like mind receive the Pravarana food.

“If one thus makes offerings to these Pravarana Sanghans, one’s present father and mother, parents of seven generations past, as well as the six kinds of close relatives will escape from the three paths of suffering, and at that time attain release. Their clothing and food will spontaneously appear. If the parents are still alive, they will have wealth and blessings for a hundred years. Parents of seven generations past will be born in the heavens. Transformationally born, they will independently enter the celestial flower light, and experience limitless bliss.”

(For those who are spooked by Hungry Ghost month, see our list of ten things NOT to do in Ghost Month, below.)

Quick Facts

• The Ullambana Sutra is a key Buddhist text associated with the festival.
• It is celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month.
• The Hungry Ghost Festival is also known as Zhongyuan Festival in China and Obon in Japan.
• The festival involves rituals to honor and appease the spirits of the deceased.
• Offerings of food, incense, and paper money are made to the hungry ghosts.
• The festival is believed to help alleviate the suffering of spirits in the afterlife.
• In some cultures, lanterns are lit to guide the spirits back to the underworld.
• The festival is a time for family reunions and honoring ancestors.
• Performances such as Chinese opera and puppet shows are common during the festival. (Although the front rows are always left vacant for the visiting Hungry Ghosts.)
• The concept of hungry ghosts represents beings who are driven by intense emotional needs.
• The festival is also seen as a time to reflect on one’s own actions and karma.
• In Japan, Obon involves cleaning graves and making offerings to ancestors.
• The festival has variations in different countries, including Vietnam and Malaysia.

How we Feed the Hungry Ghosts and Alleviate their Suffering?

Buddha taught Mulian in the Ullambana Sutra, also known as Yulanpen Sutra, that making offerings is the main way to alleviate the suffering of loved ones suffering unfavorable rebirths, there are many other powerful methods taught in other Sutras.

One of the ways to purify the karma of suffering beings is perform recitations of Om Mani Padme Hum, the six syllable mantra, while visualizing purifying light going out to all six realms.

This mantra purifies the suffering of all six realms — with each syllable purifying one realm — and it is for this reason the Om Mani Padme Hum is in nearly every Prayer Wheel, from giant temple wheels to small hand prayer wheels. Spinning the prayer wheel helps release millions of suffering beings. By tradition, even if you place other mantras inside your prayer wheel, you must always have some Om Mani Padme Hum mantras for this reason.

The important aspect of this practice is to dedicate the benefit of the recitation to the benefit of all sentient beings (which includes Pretas or Hungry Ghosts.)

Specifically, the syllable “me” from “Pad-me” (Padme) purifies greed and possessiveness and blesses the Pretas or Hungry Ghosts, helping them to be born in the perfect Pureland of Potala. Om purifies the Deva realm, Ma purifies the Asura realm, Ni purifies the Human realm, Pad purifies the Animal realm, Me purifies the Preta Hungry Ghost realm, and Hum purifies the Naraka or “Hell” realm.

The breakdown by syllable is:

Food Offerings and Water

Another method — the one recommended by Buddha in the Ullambana Sutra  (see full sutra translated below)— is to actually make food and other offerings to hungry ghosts (Pretas) during Ghost month and especially Ghost Festival Day.

Venerable Master Hsuan Hua taught:

Ullambana is the day for helping those beings who are suffering so that they can obtain liberation.

The Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana, one of the great disciples of the Buddha, was foremost in spiritual powers. When he obtained the six spiritual penetrations, he searched for his departed mother. He discovered that she had fallen into the hells. Although the Venerable Maudgalyayana had great spiritual powers, he could not save his mother. Thereupon he knelt before his teacher, the Buddha, and beseeched the World Honored One to help.

The Buddha explained that his mother was suffering in the hells because of her deep offenses and so the Venerable Maudgalyayana must rely on the united strength of the Sangha of the ten directions in order to save his mother.

The Buddha said, “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you should make an offering of the finest vegetarian foods and drinks and offer it to the Buddha and the Sangha. By making this offering, the Way-virtue of the high Sanghas of the ten directions will then be able to save your mother.” [2]

Blessing the Offerings

The main teaching is to make offerings to the Sangha and the Buddha. They must be vegetarian.

Another way to help Hungry Ghosts, from other Sutras is offering purified food and other offerings directly to the Hungy Ghosts in the month they are close to our world — the seventh lunar month. (August 4th – September 2nd in 2024 with actual Ghost Festival Day on the 15th or full moon on August 18)

It is important to bless the offering with the Hungry Ghost mantra that makes the offering available to the suffering Pretas, as recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche[1]:

OM JÑANA AVALOKITE SAMANTA SPHARANA RASMI BHAVA SAMAYA MAHAAMANI DURU DURU HRIDAYA JALANI SVAHA

In the story of Mulian from the Ullambana Sutra, his mother had been born as a hungry ghost because of her clinging and attachments in her life. As a hungry ghost, whenever Mulian gave her rice offerings, it would burn her like flames.

To overcome this, we chant the Hungry Ghost mantra above. Snap your fingers of your left hand as you say the above mantra seven times to make the offering palatable to the hungry ghosts, so that it will not burn.

Then, sprinkle some of the offerings with the offering mantra:

OM JVALA MIDAM SARVA PRETA BHYAH SVAHA

Which means

Om JVALA (shining) MIDAM (gently) SARVA (all) PRETA (Hungry Ghosts) BHYAH (without fear) SVAHA (make offering) 

Burning Offerings

Alternately, in many traditions, the offerings are burned, making them available for the hungry ghosts, in which case your intention as you burn the offering will bless your offering. This is the basis of burning paper offerings.

Another alternative method of blessing recommended by Lama Zopa, is to bless a small cup of water with the above mantras, then pour the blessed water into a lake, pond, stream or body of water — which makes the stream, lake or spring available to the hungry ghosts. (Normally, by tradition, due to their karma, they cannot drink water in our world without it burning them.)

Finally, we can dedicate the merit of our daily Dharma practice, and especially any recitations of Om Mani Padme Hum, to the benefit of Pretas or Hungry Ghosts.

Psychological Pretas

If you tend toward the rational, non-supernatural or psychological metaphor view, you can view Hungry Ghosts as not other than our own unfulfilled selves, our desires. By honoring Hungry ghosts on Hungry Ghost Day and month, we are paying attention to that suffering hungry ghost (desire) inside all of us. In the same way we view the animal and hell beings as aspects of our own “desires” hungry ghosts represent strong attachments and desires. If you believe in the psychological view, if we already have strong attachments that make us suffer in this life, we’re already embodiments of hungry ghosts. If you take the “supernatural” view, hungry ghosts are those beings who are reborn into the Preta realm due to these same strong attachments.

Either way, major suffering. The Hungry Ghost festival is our opportunity to help those suffering (in their current life and in the Preta world) with offerings and practices that alleviate their insatiable hunger for more, more more.

SEVENTEEN Things NOT to Do During Ghost Month

By tradition, and especially to honour the ancient hungry ghost tradition (even if you aren’t spooked by ghosts) these are the ten things to avoid during Ghost month:

1. NEVER disturb the offerings. Traditionally offerings are placed out in Buddhist and Daoist areas on the street. Avoid disturbing them. If you accidentally knock them or step over them, always apologize.
2. NEVER whistle at night unless you want to attract a hungry ghost.
3. NEVER sit in the front row of a theatrical or movie performance during Ghost Month. The front row is for the Hungry Ghosts.
4. AVOID swimming at sea, lake, pond or river during Ghost month. Ghosts like yin areas, water, fog, darkness.
5. DO NOT pick up any object, especially money, from the ground or street. You may bring home a ghost.
6. DO NOT Stay out too late, or if you can’t avoid night, stay with other people.
7. REFRAIN from wearing red clothing during Ghost month.
8. NEVER mention ghosts or death, especially at night.
9. AVOID making negative comments, gossip or other negative speech.
10. DO NOT tap someone on the shoulder. If you feel someone tap on your shoulder, ignore it.
11. REFRAIN from moving into a new house or other large life milestone events during Ghost Month
12. NEVER Open an umbrella indoors.
13. DO NOT take photos at night.
14. DO NOT hang up wet laundry at night during Ghost Month.
15. NEVER take the last bus or train during Ghost Month.
16. NEVER point your slippers at your bed. Always point them away. (Pointing them at your bed is an invitation for a “ghost” to join you.)
17. DO NOT SING or WHISTLE when out alone at night — ghosts are attracted by the sound.

Ullambana Sutra 

Yulanpen Sutra

The Ullambana Sutra is not only the origin of the Ghost Festival and offerings, but it is the ultimate short Sutra on the importance of Filiality. 

Thus I have heard, at one time, the Buddha dwelt at Shravasti in the Garden of the Benefactor of Orphans and the Solitary. Mahamaudgalyayana had just obtained the six penetrations and wished to cross over his father and mother to repay their kindness for raising him. Thus, using his Way Eye, he regarded the world and saw that his deceased mother had been born among the hungry ghosts. Having neither food nor drink, she was but skin and bones.

Mahamaudgalyayana felt deep pity and sadness, filled a bowl with food, and went to provide for his mother. She got the bowl, screened it with her left hand, and with her right hand made a fist of food. But before it entered her mouth, it turned into burning coals which could not be eaten. Mahamaudgalyayana called out and wept sorrowfully, and hastened to return to the Buddha to set forth all of this.

The Buddha said, “Your mother’s offenses are deep and firmly rooted. You alone do not have enough power. Although your filial sounds move heaven and earth, the heaven spirits, the earth spirits, twisted demons, and those outside the way, Brahmans, and the Four Heavenly King Gods are also without sufficient strength. The awesome spiritual power of the assembled Sangha of the ten directions is necessary for liberation to be attained. I shall now speak a Dharma of rescue which causes all those in difficulty to leave worry and suffering, and to eradicate obstacles from offenses.

“The Buddha told Maudgalyayana, “The fifteenth day of the seventh month is the Pravarana Day for the assembled Sangha of the ten directions. For the sake of fathers and mothers of seven generations past, as well as for fathers and mothers of the present who are in distress, you should prepare an offering of clean basins full of hundreds of flavors and the five fruits, and other offerings of incense, oil, lamps, candles, beds, and bedding, all the best of the world, to the greatly virtuous assembled Sangha of the ten directions.

“On that day, all the holy assembly, whether in the mountains practicing dhyana samadhi, or obtaining the four fruits of the Way, or walking beneath trees, or using the independence of the six penetrations to teach and transform Sound Hearers and Those Enlightened to Conditions, or provisionally manifesting as Bhikshus when in fact they are Great Bodhisattvas on the Tenth Ground–all complete with pure precepts and ocean-like virtue of the holy Way–should gather in a great assembly and all of like mind receive the Pravarana food.

“If one thus makes offerings to these Pravarana Sanghans, one’s present father and mother, parents of seven generations past, as well as the six kinds of close relatives will escape from the three paths of suffering, and at that time attain release. Their clothing and food will spontaneously appear. If the parents are still alive, they will have wealth and blessings for a hundred years. Parents of seven generations past will be born in the heavens. Transformationally born, they will independently enter the celestial flower light, and experience limitless bliss.”

At that time the Buddha commanded the assembled Sangha of the ten directions to recite mantras and vows for the sake of the donor’s family, for parents of seven generations. After practicing dhyana concentration, the Sangha accepted the food. When they first received the basin, they placed it before the Buddha in the stupa. When the assembled Sangha had finished the mantras and vows they received the food.

At that time the Bhikshu Maudgalyayana and the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas were all extremely delighted and the sorrowful sound of Maudgalyayana’s crying ceased. At that time Maudgalyayana’s mother obtained liberation from one kalpa of suffering as a hungry ghost. Maudgalyayana addressed the Buddha and said, “This disciple’s parents have received the power of the merit and virtue of the Triple Jewel, because of the awesome spiritual power of the assembled Sangha. If in the future the Buddha’s disciples practice filiality by offerings up the Ullambana basins, will they be able to cross over their present fathers and mothers as well us those of seven generations past?”

The Buddha replied “Good indeed! I am happy you asked that question. I just wanted to speak about that and now you have also asked about it. Good man, if Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, kings, crown princes, great ministers, great officials, cabinet members, the hundred ministers, and the tens of thousands of citizens wish to practice compassionate filial conduct, for the sake of the parents who bore them, as well as for the sake of fathers and mothers of seven lives past, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the day of the Buddha’s Delight, the day of the Sangha’s Pravarana, they all should place hundreds of flavors of foods in the Ullambana basins, and offer them to the Pravarana Sangha of the ten directions. They should vow to cause the length of their present fathers’ and mothers’ lives to reach a hundred years without illnesses, without sufferings, afflictions, or worries, and also vow to cause seven generations of fathers and mothers to leave the sufferings of the hungry ghosts, to be born among humans and gods, and to have blessings and bliss without limit.”

The Buddha told all the good men and good women, “Those disciples of the Buddha who cultivate filial conduct should in thought after thought, constantly recall their present fathers and mothers when making offerings, as well as the fathers and mothers of seven lives past, and for their sakes perform the offering of the Ullambana basin to the Buddha and the Sangha and thus repay the loving kindness of the parents who raised and nourished them.”

At that time the Bhikshu Maudgalyayana and the four-fold assembly of disciples, hearing what the Buddha said, practiced it with delight.

End Ullambana Sutra.

NOTES

[1] Lama Zopa’s advice to a student in the Lama Yeshe Archive: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/making-offerings-pretas

[2] City of 10,000 Buddhas: https://www.cttbusa.org/ullambana/ullambana_celebration.asp.html

Most Buddhists know Tara, simultaneously a friend, savior, caring Bodhisattva and enlightened being.

She manifests in endless forms: she can be action-hero Green Tara who saves us from worldly harm; or blessed White Tara who heals and brings longevity, to fierce protector Palden Lhamo, and she is also the great Wisdom Mother Prajnaparamita. Even though we honor her as the Great Mother Buddha, she is, without contradiction, an intimate and treasured friend.

• For a wonderful “Song of Longing for Tara” which gathers all that is precious about Tara in one prayer, see below, Song of Longing For Tara.

The Vastness of Tara: Beyond Definition, Friend to Everyone

Do we really comprehend the vastness that is Tara? She is one of the most popular devotional and meditational deities, honored all around the world, practiced by all schools of Vajrayana Buddhism, many Mahayana Buddhists, Hindus, and others.

She is so popular, she is called “Mama Tara”—and She never takes Herself seriously. She’s a daily good friend, ready helper, saving hero, precious guide. She always has “time” for everyone—after all, time is relative. She is just as quick to help the prisoner in jail as the faithful practitioner, without discrimination. If Her name is called, She answers.

One important practice of Tara is the 21 Praises to Tara, here chanted in Sanskrit:

At the ultimate level, She was the “Non Manifested”, Prajna Paramita in Buddhism, but also the non-manifested Wisdom Mother in Hinduism. At the “intimate” relative level, She can emanate as a shepherd girl, ready to rescue a stranded traveler. Or She can incarnate as a Princess ready to help a nation—two simultaneously, in the case of Her more recent history in Tibet and China.

Yet, Tara goes beyond any constraints of conception, and even imagination: Parajnaparamita, wisdom Dakini Varjayogini, Female Buddha, Consort of great Amoghasiddhi Dhyani Buddha, Hindu great mother, angel to those in distress — all of these and thousands more. There are 21 famous Tara manifestations, one of which is the beloved White Tara. In Vajrayana’s higher tantras she is Chittimani Tara and also, Vajrayogini (Vajra Varahi).

It can be confusing, Her endless labels, but at the same time it defines Her perfectly. She is known by endless names, but consistently as Tara, Arya Tara, and, in Tibetan, Jetsun Drolma. She is simultaneously the spiritual child of Avalokiteshvara, born of tears of compassion, and the Mother of the very same Buddha. Mother and child of the same Enlightened Being. Simply meditating on the vastness of these concepts is, in itself, challenging and rewarding.

Her Practice Is as Simple or Complex as Tara

As with Her vast array of names, appearances and roles, Her practice can be simple or profound. She responds well to just the calling of Her name. Or a simple thought. Her ten-syllable mantra, chanted millions of times each day around the world, is associated with everything from rescues to achieving Enlightenment:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Simplified Sadhanas for the devout include Green Tara and White Tara practices that can be practiced with or without empowerment. As a practitioner progresses, Tara meditations can become more intense, with Highest Yoga Tantra practices such as Chittamani Tara. Even the famous 21 Taras, can be practiced simply—as a daily verse—or at the ultimate level, with 21 separate sadhanas and mantras (see below). She can be practiced in the form of the great Black Dakini, Throma Nagmo, the wrathful form of Prajnaparamita—a Highest Yoga Practice (mana annut tantra). She can be practiced even without a name, just by simply imagining Her. There is, literally, a Tara, and a Tara practice, for everyone.

For those who take a special interest in Tara, highly realized teachers can initiate practitioners into more advanced meditations.

Tara in Many Forms: Guanyin, Madonna and Others

Many gurus teach that Tara manifests to everyone, not just Buddhists. To Chinese Buddhists She is Guan Yin. Many non-Buddhist spiritual seekers—who have created their own path—have adopted Tara by name. One great Dzogchen Teacher, Chogyal Namnkai Norbu, said in his lecture on the 21 Taras that when he saw a great Madonna statue in Rome he knew it was Tara.

This is typical of the openness of Buddhists and Hindus, who have complete tolerance and acceptance for other traditions. It is also in character with Tara’s all-embracing maternal compassion. The reverse is not always true—it can unintentionally offend someone to state their beloved deity is the same as your deity—but, from a Buddhist point of view, there is generally no spiritual conflict in thinking of Tara as emanations in other traditions.

Tara of All Colours: Wrathful, Peaceful and Everything In-Between

Tara can manifest in myriad—literally endless—forms, suited to the need of the practitioner. Iconographically, She can appear in any color. Famously, She is Green Tara, the savioress—and chief manifestation of Tara. She is equally known as White Tara, the Goddess of Long Life and Healing.

She can be Ugra Tara, the Black Tara who is the secret Mantra emanation—the very source of All, since sound (or frequencies) are often considered the source of manifestation in some Budhdist and Hindu beliefs.

Red Tara enjoys much love for her passionate role as the magnetizing Tara, who attracts and who helps beings with the power of positive attraction. Yellow Tara helps those struggling with poverty, or just to help provide the resources to help other sentient beings. In higher tantric practices Tara can manifest in the body mandala as simultaneous multi-coloured Taras at each of the body’s chakras.

21 Taras: Two Systems, Same Effective Results

The 21 Taras are among the most famous forms of the great Female Buddha. The praises to 21 Taras is still practiced every morning by the devout. Buddhist farmers routinely recite the praises as they work their fields. When in trouble—in need of rescuing, in prison, facing law suit, any distress—practitioners often recite either the main ten-syllable mantra, or the praise to the 21 Taras in Sanskrit, Tibetan or English (see Praise, below).

There are literally thousands of stories of personal rescues from distress—by reliable sources—at the intervention of Tara, often precipitated by the simple calling of Her name, Her mantra or Her 21 Praises.

Confusingly, yet consistently, there are two systems of 21 Taras, known by most as the Atisha system and the more intense Surya Gupta 21 Tara system. Yet, they are all “relative” manifestations or aspects of Tara, regardless. There is no contradiction. The very vastness of Her emanations defines Her. The Surya Gupta 21 Tara tradition is very rich and itense. (One of the best books on Surya Gupta tradition 21 Taras is “Tara in the Palm of Your Hand” by Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, from Wind Horse Books, available on Amazon.com>>)

In the Atisha system, the 21 Taras are visualized as the same Tara, in different colors, with slightly different facial expressions, gestures, attributes and specialities.

In the wondrous Surya Gupta system, the 21 Taras become intense meditational visualizations, with each having different faces, some fierce, some semi fierce, some peaceful, together with a wide array of arms, implements, colors, backdrops, thrones and attributes. Each of the 21 Taras in the Surya Gupta system has its own sadhana—a ritual visualization requiring empowerment—whereas the Atisha system Taras can be visualized anywhere, quickly, and honored with a lovely, but quick verse.

(For more on the 21 Taras, see the praises at the bottom of this feature.)

Tara Does What?

Although all Buddhas and enlightened beings have the same realizations, the first question from people newly introduced to Tara, or any deity, is often “What does She do?”

What does Tara Do? “Does” is a relative term. Relatively, She is wisdom in action. She is compassion in action. Tara is the penultimate combination of both wisdom and compassion. Ultimately, She is Wisdom realizing emptiness. Relatively, She is the ultimate action hero—means and method. Her names include “Swift Heroine,” which describes Her perfectly.

In Tara, Wisdom and Compassion are perfectly combined.

She is swift like the wind. Her green color is representative of the swift, active wind element, fearlessness, and imperturbable wisdom—very much a reflection of Her male consort, Amoghasiddhi. Also, without contradiction, often Tara is seen as the consort of other male Buddhas. She can also be thought of as the female aspect of Avalokitesvara (Chenrezig). She is also seen as their Mother. And, in the case of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig), His spiritual daughter. Consort, mother, daughter, all at once, is a profound and thought-provoking concept. Although this all seems contradictory, that is from a narrow, relative point of view. Ultimately, there is no contradiction. Even, at a relative level, there is no contradiction. (It is important to understand Daughter and Mother do not imply physical family relationships, in the same way that sexual union of two consorts is not physical—it represents the union of Wisdom and Compassion.)

Why is She So Adored

Who doesn’t love a mother? Whether by the name of Mom, Tara, Madonna, or Mother Earth, the mother is a universally approachable concept. Like a mother, Tara doesn’t question Her children. If we need Her help, regardless of our own blemishes, we will get Her help.

Nothing can stand before a mother’s compassion. Literally, mothers have lifted cars off of trapped children. A mother would die for her family. Tara’s love goes even beyond this level. She loves all, with equanimity.

In the famous story of Jigme, an ancient Tibetan tale, She continuously rescues wretched Jigme, time after time—even after he commits crimes and goes to jail. Endlessly, again and again, She comes to his aid. It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t learn his lessons. This is motherly love, for all, without discrimination.

Tara rescues all, from the destitute to the Gods. An ancient tale, thousands of years old, tells how Tara, a Hindu goddess, rescues Lord Shiva, the God.

Practicing Tara

No special initiations or practices are needed to bring Tara into your life. Simply speak Her name. Talk to Her. She’ll listen.

In more dedicated practices, Her devotees would offer Her clean water bowls each morning. Tara doesn’t need our offerings, but our giving brings us merit—beneficial karma. Precious to Her is simple water, or any offering that does not arise from greed, killing, or any negative action. Water is “free”, so that anyone from penniless to prince can make a simple offering and enjoy Her blessings equally.

Tara’s Mantra

Harmonically tuning with universal energies of compassion and wisdom, Tara’s mantra is most effective for healing, protection, or just simply building positive karma.

The Tara mantra can be spoken anytime, while walking, driving, or when in need. Or, in more formal practice, while reciting the mantra the practitioner will visualize Her beautiful form, and say Her ten syllable mantra as often as possible:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

This is pronounced Ohm tah-ray tew-tar-ray tew-rey svah ha. In Tibetan mantric recitation, svaha may be pronounced soha.

Song of Longing for Tara

One of the simplest and most elegant — and profound — daily practices is to simply recite or chant, from the heart, this famous and most profound prayer to Tara “Song of Longing for Tara” (Dung-bo-lu-me-ma) by Lozang Tanpa Gyaltsan. This remarkable enlightened Rinpoche wrote this at the age of 18, in 1852 — and it has become one of the most treasured and chanted prayers to Tara:

From my heart I bow to Divine Mother Tara, essence of love and compassion, the most precious objects of refuge gathered into one. From now until I reach enlightenment, hook me with your great love and kindness to liberate me.

By the witness of the Three Jewels, not just from my mouth but from the depths of my innermost heart and bones, I pray to you morning and evening. Show your blissful face to me, Loving One. Grant me the nectar of your speech.

Great gurus and small gurus cheat us with their made-up teachings, selling Dharma, teaching without comprehension, not observing who is qualified and who is not, being concerned about their own happiness and the eight worldly concerns. Since I can no longer trust friends of this degenerate age, you are my principal guru. Inspire me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think
of me.

I take refuge in you Tara; like you, no Buddha could ever deceive me. But understanding the odd character of these times, most Buddhas have gone into the bliss of nirvana. Even though they have great compassion, we have no connection. Since for me there are no other deities, you are my principal deity. Bestow realizations upon me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.

Most Dharma protectors do not show their powers. Tired of those who invoke them, they do not act. Other protectors, lacking insight but proud of their power, may be friendly for a while but will later do me harm. Since I cannot rely on other protectors, you are my principal protector. With divine action, Wisdom Mother, essence of love, arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.

To ordinary view the names of objects are the same as their meaning. Like this, they produce afflictions and bind us to samsara. When it is time to die, unless I understand the true nature, could a wish-fulfilling gem enable me to carry even a sesame seed with me? Since I do not trust in illusions, you are my real richness. Please grant my desires, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.

I cannot rely on the non-virtuous friends for even a day. They pretend to be close to me and all the while have in mind the opposite. They are friends when they wish it and enemies when they don’t. Since I cannot trust in this kind of friend, you are my best friend. Be close to me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.
You are my guru, my yidam, my protector, my refuge, my food, my clothes, my possessions, and my friend. Since your divine quality is everything to me, let me spontaneously achieve all that I wish.

Although I am overwhelmed by my habitual, uncontrolled mind, please cut these self-centered thoughts so I will be able to give my body and my life millions of times without difficulty to each sentient being. Inspire me to be able to develop this kind of compassion to benefit all.

Empower me to cut the root of samsara, self-grasping, and to understand the pure doctrine, the most difficult middle way, free from the errors of extremes.

Inspire me to practice as a bodhisattva, turning away from what is worldly, dedicating all my virtues to teaching living beings, never for even one instant thinking of just my own happiness. Let me wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all.

Empower me to actualize as much as possible the most subtle vows and to keep them without a careless mind, thus becoming the most perfect bodhisattva.

Outwardly, let me be simple in my practice, while inwardly, actualize the depth of the diamond vehicle with the strong wish to practice the two stages. Inspire me to attain enlightenment quickly for the benefit of all.

Divine Wisdom Mother Tara, you know everything about my life — my ups and downs, my good and bad. Think lovingly of me, my only mother.

I give myself and all who trust in me to you, Divine Wisdom Mother Tara. Being completely open to you, let us be born in the highest pure land. Set me there quickly with no births in between.

May the hook of your compassion and your skillful means transform my mind into Dharma and transform the minds of all beings, whoever they are. They have all been my mother, the mother of one unable to follow the Conqueror’s teachings.

By reciting this prayer three times a day and by remembering the Divine Wisdom Mother Tara, may I and all beings who are connected to me reach whatever pure land we wish.

May the Three Jewels and especially the Divine Wisdom Mother, whose essence is compassion, hold me dear until I reach enlightenment. May I quickly conquer the four negative forces.”

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha!

Tara Visualization

The next step in visualization of Tara would be formal Vajrayana meditation—which actively uses our minds on a near epic scale, and has been proven to enhance intelligence and concentration. Research has proven the cognitive benefits of Vajrayana visualization. (Please see our feature: Science: Research Proves Vajrayana Meditation Techniques Improve Cognitive Performance.)

To benefit from visualization, while chanting the mantras, build more and more complex visualizations, beginning with Tara’s elegant beauty and important attributes, and progressively increasing the image in detail. The easiest approach is to study an image of Tara, preferably an ironically correct one—since very aspect of the visualization means something.

Your teacher, may give you a proper meditation, but if you have not yet formalized your practice you can think in these terms: Tara is a beautiful young deity, youthful, perhaps sixteen visually—certainly youthful and timeless—of emerald color. Her right hand is in the gesture of supreme generosity, hand open to give blessings, with thumb and index touching and the other three fingers outstretched. The touching fingers represent the union of Wisdom and Compassion. The three remaining fingers represent the three jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In this hand She lightly holds the stem of an uptala flower, a blue Lotus.

Her left hand is at her heart, in the gesture of bestowing refuge in the three jewels. This mudra (hand gesture) also incorporates the gesture of protection, of fearlessness. This time Her thumb and ring finger are connecting in the Wisdom-Compassion loop. She is saying, “come, I’ll protect you.” In this hand, too, is the stem of an uptala flower. There are three blooms, one open, one half open, one just about to open, representing the Buddhas of the past, present and future.

She is adorned in the most precious ornaments, and seated in an aura of spectacular light. On Her head is a five-sided crown, depicting the five Dhani Buddhas. Above that, are ornaments, rainbow lights, wish-fulfilling gems. And surmounting all, is Her own Guru, Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, glowing red.

Her legs are Her most significant attributes. One is drawn in, showing her mastery and enlightenment. Her other is outstretched, in a gesture that appears to indicate She’s ready to leap up to our aid. She sits on a moon cushion, which arises on top of a Lotus.

In more advanced visualizations, at Her heart is her precious seed syllable, TAM (see below), radiating green light, sending out blessing energy to all beings in the universe.

As you build the visualization or try to mentally maintain it, it is helpful to chant, recite or even sing the Tara mantra:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Basic Practice Without Empowerment

Tara can be practiced by anyone, any time. She is all-inclusive. Although empowerments and initiations help advance our progress with Tara, none is required.

A good basic daily practice, if you are not yet being instructed by a qualified teacher, would normally include:

• Taking refuge in the Three Jewels: Buddha (Enlightened one), Dharma (Enlightened teachings) and Sangha (the community supporting the Enlightened)
• An offering: water bowls, or just a mentally visualized offering, or more elaborate if preferred (provided physical offerings do not derive from theft, greed, or any negativitiy)
• Four immeasurables: wishes for all beings to be happy, not to suffer and dwell in equanimity
• Seven-limb practice: a seven limb prayer that re-affirms a good practice of praise, offering, declaration of non-virtues, request for Tara to remain as your teacher, request that Tara teach the Dharma, and a dedication of the merit to the cause for enlightenment.

These basic practices, together, take five minutes, to which you might add the above visualization and mantra practices.

Here are some basic words/thoughts that frame the above practice:

Refuge

Until I reach enlightenment, I take refuge in the Three Jewels: the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Sangha. By the merit of practicing generosity and other perfections, may I attain Enlightement in order to benefit all beings.

Offerings

Mentally visualize seven or eight bowls of water. Or, actually fill up seven or eight bowls of water and offer them mentally. You can supplement the blessing by reciting Tara’s mantra, or, alternately, “Om Ah Hum”. For a more elaborate offering, you could add the meditation in our feature, “Water Bowl Offerings as an Antidote to Attachment”, where the bowls are visualized as the eight traditional sense offerings: water for drinking, water for washing, flowers for the eye senses, incense for the smell sense, butter lamps for illumination, perfume, food for the taste sense, and music for the sound sense. More here>>

Four Immeasurables 

May all beings have happiness and its causes,

May they never have suffering or its causes.

May they constantly dwell in joy transcending sorrow;

May they dwell in equal love for both near and far.

Seven Limbs

To You Venerable Arya Tara, with my body, speech and mind, I respectfully prostrate.

I offer flowers, incense, butter lamps, perfume, food, music and a vast collection of offerings, both actually set out and emanated through wisdom and imagination.

I declare all my non-virtuous acts since beginningless time.

I rejoice in the virtuous merit accumulated by Holy and ordinary beings.

I request You turn the wheel of Dharma.

I beseech You to remain until samsara ends. Please, with your boundless compassion, look upon all beings drowning in the ocean of suffering.

May whatever merit I have accumulated be transformed into the cause for Enlightenment so that I may help all sentient beings.

21 Praises

Around the world, many people begin and end their day with Tara’s twenty-one praises. This practice has been credited with many benefits, including protection from harm, prosperity, and swift progress on the path of enlightenment.

It can be beneficial to chant this in the world’s oldest known language—Sanskrit. The nuances of this practice, the originating sounds, is similar to mantra practice. In Sanskrit:

Om namah spukasam namah Taraye mi Tara

1 Namas Tare Ture vire

kshanair dyuti nibhekshane

trailokya nat ha vaktrabja

vikasat kesharobhave

 

2 Namah shata sharac chandra

sampurna patalanane

Tara sahasra nikara

prahasat kira noj jvale

 

3 Namah kanaka nilabja

pani padma vibhu shite

dana virya tapah shanti

titik sha dhyana gochare

 

4 Namas tat hagatosh nisha

vijayananta charini

ashesha paramita prapta

jina putra nishevite

 

5 Namas Tuttara Hum kara

puritasha dig antare

sapta loka kramakranti

asheshak arshanak shame

 

6 Namah shakranala Brahma

marud vishvesh varachite

bhuta vetala gand harva

gana yaksha puras krte

 

7 Namas trad iti phat kara

para yantra pramardani

praty alid ha pada nyase

shik hi jvalakulek shane

 

8 Namas Ture maha ghore

mara vira vinashani

bhrku ti krta vaktrabja

sarva shatrum nishudani

 

9 Namas tri ratna mudranka

hrdyanguli vibhushite

bhu shitashesha dik chakra

nikara sva Karakule

 

10 Namah pramudita topa

muku ta kshipta malini

hasat prahasat Tuttare

mara loka vashamkari

 

11 Namah samanta bhu pala

patalakarshana kshame

chalat bhrku ti hum kara

sarvapada vimoch ani

 

12 Namah shikhanda kandendu

muku tabha ranojjvale

Amitabha jata bhara

bhasvare kirana dhruve

 

13 Namah kalpanta hutabhug

jvala malan Tara sthite

alidha muditabandha

ripu chakra vinashani

 

14 Namah kara talaghata

charana hata bhu tale

bhrkuti krta Hum kara

sapta patala bhedini

 

15 Namah shive shubhe shante

shanta nirvana gochare

svaha pranava samyukte

maha papaka na shani

 

16 Namah pramudi tabandha

ripu gatra vabhedini

dashakshara pada nyashe

vidya Hum kara dipite

 

17 Namas Ture pada ghata

Hum karakara bijite

meru mandara kailasa

bhuvana traya chalini

 

18 Namah sura sarakara

harinika karast hite

Tara dvir ukta Phat kara

ashesha visha nashani

 

19 Namah sura ganadh yaksha

sura kimnara sevite

abandha mudita bhoga

kali duhs vapna nashani

 

20 Namah chandrarka sampurna

nayana dyuti bhas vare

hara dvir ukta Tuttare

vishama jvara nashani

 

21 Namas tri tattva vinyasa

shiva shakti saman vite

graha vetala yakshaugha

nashani pravare Ture

 

21 Praises to Tara in English

The praises do lose some of the “mystery” and intensity and sheer sound-power in English, but the intention and praise is maintained. Many people chant the praise in English:

1 Homage to you, Tara, the swift heroine,

Whose eyes are like an instant flash of lightning,

Whose water-born face arises from the blooming lotus

Of Avalokiteshvara, protector of the three worlds.

 

2 Homage to you, Tara, whose face is like

One hundred full autumn moons gathered together,

Blazing with the expanding light

Of a thousand stars assembled.

 

3 Homage to you, Tara, born from a golden-blue lotus,

Whose hands are beautifully adorned with lotus flowers,

You who are the embodiment of giving, joyous effort, asceticism,

Pacification, patience, concentration, and all objects of practice.

 

4 Homage to you, Tara, the crown pinnacle of those thus gone,

Whose deeds overcome infinite evils,

Who have attained transcendent perfections without exception,

And upon whom the sons of the Victorious Ones rely.

 

5 Homage to you, Tara, who with the letters TUTTARA and HUM

Fill the (realms of) desire, direction, and space,

Whose feet trample on the seven worlds,

And who are able to draw all beings to you.

 

6 Homage to you, Tara, venerated by Indra,

Agni, Brahma, Vayu, and Ishvara,

And praised by the assembly of spirits,

raised corpses,
Gandharvas, and all yakshas.

 

7 Homage to you, Tara, whose TRAT and PHAT

Destroy entirely the magical wheels of others.

With your right leg bent and left outstretched and pressing,

You burn intensely within a whirl of fire.

 

8 Homage to you, Tara, the great fearful one,

Whose letter TURE destroys the mighty demons completely,

Who with a wrathful expression on your water-born face

Slay all enemies without an exception.

 

9 Homage to you, Tara, whose fingers adorn your heart

With the gesture of the sublime precious three;

Adorned with a wheel striking all directions without exception

With the totality of your own rays of light.

 

10 Homage to you, Tara, whose radiant crown ornament,

Joyful and magnificent, extends a garland of light,

And who, by your laughter of TUTTARA,

Conquer the demons and all of the worlds.

 

11 Homage to you, Tara, who are able to invoke

The entire assembly of local protectors,

Whose wrathful expression fiercely shakes,

Rescuing the impoverished through the letter HUM.

 

12 Homage to you, Tara, whose crown is adorned

With the crescent moon, wearing ornaments exceedingly bright;

From your hair knot the buddha Amitabha

Radiates eternally with great beams of light.

 

13 Homage to you, Tara, who dwell within a blazing garland

That resembles the fire at the end of this world age;

Surrounded by joy, you sit with your right leg extended

And left withdrawn, completely destroying all the masses of enemies.

 

14 Homage to you, Tara, with hand on the ground by your side,

Pressing your heel and stamping your foot on the earth;

With a wrathful glance from your eyes you subdue

All seven levels through the syllable HUM.

 

15 Homage to you, Tara, O happy, virtuous, and peaceful one,

The very object of practice, passed beyond sorrow.

You are perfectly endowed with SOHA and OM,

Overcoming completely all the great evils.

 

16 Homage to you, Tara, surrounded by the joyous ones,

You completely subdue the bodies of all enemies;

Your speech is adorned with the ten syllables,

And you rescue all through the knowledge-letter HUM.

 

17 Homage to you, Tara, stamping your feet and proclaiming TURE.

Your seed-syllable itself in the aspect of HUM

Causes Meru, Mandhara, and the Vindhya mountains

And all the three worlds to tremble and shake.

 

18 Homage to you, Tara, who hold in your hand

The hare-marked moon like the celestial ocean.

By uttering TARA twice and the letter PHAT

You dispel all poisons without an exception.

 

19 Homage to you, Tara, upon whom the kings of the assembled gods,

The gods themselves, and all kinnaras rely;

Whose magnificent armor gives joy to all,

You who dispel all disputes and bad dreams.

 

20 Homage to you, Tara, whose two eyes – the sun and the moon –

Radiate an excellent, illuminating light;

By uttering HARA twice and TUTTARA,

You dispel all violent epidemic disease.

 

21 Homage to you, Tara, adorned by the three suchnesses,

Perfectly endowed with the power of serenity,

You who destroy the host of evil spirits, raised corpses, and yakshas,

O TURE, most excellent and sublime!

 

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What are the powerful and magnetizing benefits of the Padma Family, and especially the nine red Deities of the Cloud of Blessings? Who are the Nine Enlightened Deities of Amitabha’s Lotus Family of Buddhas? Why is their practice so important and popular in Mahayana Buddhism? Why do many teachers say that magnetizing activity practice is the most beneficial in this degenerate age, and especially for people new to the Buddha Dharma?

We answer these questions, and present the practice in English, Tibetan, Chinese, Spanish, French (and other languages below) of the Great Cloud of Blessings (Wangdu), a mind terma of Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche. According to Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche the benefits are:

“Anyone who prays in this way will, without any doubt, accomplish all magnetizing activities exactly according to their wishes.”

Padma Family: Magnetizing and Charisma

The Buddhas of the Padma family are the most popular in Mahayana Buddhism, especially Amitabha and Avalokiteshvara. Many Mahayana Buddhists aspire to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of the Padma Family, known as Sukhavati. But, since all Buddha’s are ultimately of one nature, and we all have Buddha Nature, why then, are the Padma family Buddhas so appealing and widely practiced? In part it is because the Padma family represent Dharma and Dharma teachings or speech. The other reason is pure charisma. The entire Enlightened family are charming and enticing.

Why Practice Magnetizing and Charisma Power?

Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche explains the other reasons:

“For people who are new to dharma practice, the practice of magnetizing would definitely be of benefit. In this degenerate age, people have difficulty truly absorbing the Dharma because they lack inner strength; their path in learning the Dharma is filled with obstacles. If you are one of these people, by practicing magnetizing you will develop inner strength, and be able to bring the Dharma into your mind more easily. Then, no matter what kind of obstacle you encounter, you will be capable of handling it.”

Many Buddhists are attracted to the charismatic emanations of Enlightenment of the Padma family: Serene Amitabha, Compassionate Avalokiteshvara, Powerful Hero Hayagriva, Blissful Vajravarahi and Chakrasamvara, Enchanting Kurukulla, Powerful Vajradharma, and the glorious Lotus King aspect of Padmasambhava. Together, these are the Great Cloud of Blessings of the Padma family, celebrated in the famous practice of the Wangdu.

Countless Emanations of Amitabha

These are all aspects of Amitabha, who emanates in countless forms to help us. In the commentary on the Wangdu by Khenpo Sodargye (available as a PDF here>>):

“These numbers are figurative. In reality, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are innumerable. In the limitless Dharmadatu abide innumerable Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The Amitabha Sutra states that there are countless Buddhas in each direction. “Nine” is only a symbolic number for the countless magnetizing deities.”

It seems natural and instinctive —our attraction to the magnetic personas of these great beings. In a word, they have charisma. Symbolizing that magnetizing power, they are red in colour representing the firey element of the western pure land. In Sanskrit, magnetizing activity is called saṃgraha, the power to draw in, magnetize, charm, comfort and protect. Just as fire and light, in ancient times, protected us from the wild and dangerous elements, fire is the symbol of power, compassion, warmth, life, the setting sun in the west, and the enchanting and powerful Lotus Family of the West.

Most Important of Practices

Kyabje Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche explained why magnetizing and using the Wang Du prayer is the most important to successful practice:

“If you don’t have wealth, Wang Dü can bring you wealth; if you want position, Wang Dü can help you get position. Relying on this prayer, you can gain everything that your heart desires. If however, due to having no control over your mind, you are unable to give rise to bodhicitta, emptiness and other non-worldly accomplishments, reciting Wang Dü with diligence will allow you to gain these qualities with ease.”

All of these can be thought of, as emanations of the compassion of the red Padma family of Amitabha, and representative of Discriminating Wisdom. His family are the emanations of Dharma or Buddha’s Speech, and, it is through speech and teachings that Buddha “attracted” the Sangha to the Enlightening Path. Compassion is another aspect of the tantalizing power of the enchanting Padma Buddhas. One practice that concisely brings all the red, magnetizing Yidams together is the popular daily practice of the Wangdu.

Wangdu is a Precious Terma

The Wangdu prayer, which we present in six languages below, is a mind terma which arose in the wisdom mind of Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche. Wangdu is popular as a daily practice or prayer, as it engages the magnetizing activity the nine main Yidams of the Padma Family. It ends with the great devotion and request for Siddhis, or blessings:

In devotion we pray to you: inspire us with your blessings; Grant us attainments, ordinary and supreme, and so the siddhi of magnetizing, without obstruction, whatever we desire!

Who are these nine aspects of Lotus Compassion and Dharma Speech? As we chant this prayer we try to visualize the nine deities as a “cloud of blessings” or a merit field in front of us. Of course you can use a picture to aid your visualization. Eight of the deities are red in color, symbolizing magnetizing and power, while the central deity is white, as this is none other than Padmaraja, a human-form nirmanakaya of Guru Rinpoche.

The Nine Enlightened Deities of Magnetizing

We try to remember that all of these nine deities are aspects of Amitabha. The three bodies, or modes of being, of the Buddha are represented here: the dharmakaya, or body of essence, and the supreme state of absolute knowledge which is Amitabha. The sambhoga kaya forms, or bodies of enjoyment, such as Avalokiteshvara, are the forms that emanate in the Purelands, or our mindspace. Finally, there are the nirmana kaya forms, or bodies of transformation, which manifest in our own world to help us, such as Guru Rinpoche.

Three Kayas (Bodies)

Buddha Amitabha represents the dharmakaya, Avalokitesvara the sambhogakaya, and Guru Padmasambhava, here as the Lotus King Padmaraja, is the nirmanakaya. This is called the Trikaya in Buddhism — the three bodies of the Buddha. Venerable Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche explains it this way:

“The first emanation is called Guru Padma Gyalpo or Padmaraja. Gyalpo means king. Guru Padma Gyalpo is the form in which Guru Padmasambhava originally appeared in our world. He is directly related to Buddha Amitabha, the Buddha of the western direction, as well as to Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of compassion.

Buddha Amitabha represents the dharmakaya. Avalokiteshvara is the sambhogakaya. And Guru Padmasambhava is the nirmanakaya.”

Male and Female, Symbolizing Compassion and Wisdom

Also represented are both the male and female forms, which symbolizes compassion and wisdom. The male Buddha forms, including the wrathful forms, such as glorious Hayagriva, represent both method and compassion. The female Buddha forms, such as Vajra varahi and Kurukulla represent magnetizing wisdom. All of these would be considered Samboghakaya emanations of Amitabha.

Seed Syllable HRIH represents all of the Nine Deities

The seed syllable of the Padma family is a red Hrih, common to all of the deities and most of their mantras and represents Dharma Speech and compassion. Since they are deities of the Dharma family, their mantras are an important practice for each, representing Dharma speech and wisdom, or discriminating wisdom. For example, Amitabha’s mantra is Om Amitabha Hrih.

For most of the deities of this cloud of blessings, we do have video mantra chanting presentations on our Youtube Channel youtube.com slash Buddha Weekly or at BuddhaWeekly.com. See links as we go through the deities.

The Nine Deities: 3 Kayas

The Three Bodies are Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya.

Dharmakayas: Essence Buddhas

The Dharmakaya are “formless” or “essence” Buddhas, primordial, inconcievable,  as vast as every form of time, reality, space, and dimension. In the Padma Family, there are two:

• Amitabha is the main Buddha, who appears like Samantabhadra (the Primordial Buddha) except he is red.
• Vajradharma is the second Dharmakaya, a form of Amitabha who appears like Vajradhara (only red instead of blue). This is his “vajra body” form.

Sambhogakayas: Enjoyment Bodies in the Purelands

The Sambhogakayas are the male and female “Enjoyment” Buddhas, the Buddha forms who appear in the Purelands — which includes our own mindspace, which is also part of every Pureland. They are the “heavenly” forms, who manifest to help us, often taking different appearances according to need. For example Avalokiteshvara manifests wrathfully as Hayagriva for more “power-oriented” activities. The Sambhogakas are:

• Red Avalokiteshvara
• Heruka Hayagriva
• Guhyajnana or Vajrayogini Dakini
• Vajravarahi Dakini
• Kurukulle, who is Red Tara
• MahaDeva who is a emantion of Chakrasamvara as the “supreme bliss king of the world.”

Nirmanakaya: Manifested or Body of Transformation Buddhas

The Nirmanakaya of Amitabha and the Padma family is none other than great Padmaraja, the Lotus King manifestation of Guru Rinpoche or Padmasambhava.

Amitabha Buddha, the Red Dharmakaya

At the top of the Cloud of blessings, of course, is none other than Amitabha Buddha, the red Dharmakaya Buddha of the Padma Lotus family. All other members of his family emanate from his compassion. He appears as a peaceful Buddha, seated in contemplation.

His heart mantra is:

Om Amitabha Hrih

or

Om Ami Deva Hrih

• For dozens of features on Amitabha, see>>
• Amitabha’s mantra chanted as a video for One Hour>>

Vajradharma, the Sambhogakaya Buddha of Dharma Speech

Below Amitabha is his Sambhogahkaya Buddha form, great Vajradharma, a special red wisdom form representing Dharma Speech, crowned and holding vajra and bell symbolic of the union of method and wisdom.

His heart mantra is:

Om Vajradharma Hrih

Padmaraja, Lotus King Padmasambhava, Nirmanakaya Buddha

Below him, in the center of the entire mandala, is the Nirmanakaya aspect, who is none other than the great Padmaraja, which means literally Lotus King an emanation of Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche. He is also known as Guru Padma Gyalpo the Lotus King. He is the only deity in the merit field who is not red, as he is in his human form. His skin appears white in most depictions, but is actually a pinkish white-red. His heart mantra  is:

Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum

• Video Sanskrit chanting 1 hour of Vajra Guru Mantra>>

Two Sambhagakayas: Avalokiteshvara and Hayagriva

As we face or visualize the Lotus Family Great Cloud of Merit, we see to the Left and Right of Amitabha are his peaceful and wrathful Sambhogakaya emanations.

Red Avalokiteshvara, Samboghakaya Buddha of Compassion

To our left is Avalokiteshvara, red in colour, although he can appear in any form, as explained in the Universal Gate Sutra. His Red form signifies his Sombogakaya Buddha aspect. He is the Bodhisattva of Compasssion, and goes my many names, including Guan Yin and Chenrezig. He is the most popular of the Padma family, due to his great vows in Sutra to save any from harm who call his name, and his promise to rescue every sentient being from suffering. His heart mantra is:

Om Mani Padme Hum Hrih

Hero Hayagriva, “Overpowering” Heruka of the Padma Family

To our right as we face the Great Cloud of Merit, is glorious hero Hayagriva, the fierce Sombogakaya Heruka of the Padma family, who is both a wrathful emanation of Amitabha and Avalokiteshvara. He is so powerful that his Sutra explains:

“Whoever, including even the insects, has heard the name and mantra of Hayagriva only one time will never again fall into the lower paths.”

In the Wangdu, he is described as: “The overpowering Heruka—Formidable subjugator of all that appears and exists…” 

For practice, he sometimes appears with his wisdom consort, who is a blue form of Vajravarahi, or he can appear and be visualized solitary.

If there is an activity that requires heroic power, Hayagriva is the Heruka who leaps forward. To signify his energy and power, his face is ferocious, and a green horse head crowns the top of his head signifying his windy activity. He is the Heruka of this world. The mandala of Hayagriva is still in our world, close to us. His great mantra is:

Om Hri Padman Tatro Vajra Krodha Hayagriva Hulu Hulu Hum Pet!

Guhyajnana or Vajrayogini Dakini

On the next level down, to the left of great Padmaraja, is Guhyajnana Dakini, a form of Vajrayogini, the Secret Wisdom Dakini of the Padma Family. Like all Padma Dakinis, she is also a Sambhogakaya of Amitabha, in Dakini Wisdom Prajna form. She dances on Shunyata, naked to demonstrate pure wisdom without obscurations.

Her heart mantra is:

Om Hrih bhrum dhuma ghaye nama svaha

Kurukulla, Red Tara “Closest to Our World”

In the bottom left of the cloud of Blessings is Kurukulla, the famous enchanting Enlightened form of Tara, with her bow and arrow of flowers. Like all Taras, although she is a Sambhogkaya (heavenly form) she is very close to our world. This is why all Taras are called “Swift heroines” ready to respond to our calls for help.

She is lower in the cloud to signify her closeness to our world. In this case, the activity of Red Kurukulla Tara is Magnetizing Power, as symbolized by her lotus bow drawn back with a powerful magnetizing arrow. She is also naked and dancing to signify pure wisdom without obscurations.

Her mantra three times is:

Om Kurukulle Hum Hrih Svaha

• For a one hour video mantra of Kurukulla, see>>
• For a full Buddha Weekly feature on Kurukulla Red Tara, see>>

Vajravarahi: Wisdom in Action

On the opposite side, under Hayagriva, is the Padma Dakini’s other form as Vajravarahi. Khenpo Sodargye explained, in a teaching on the Wangdu, why Vajravarahi and the other Dakinis appear naked. Since Dakinis represent wisdom in action, they are dancing. Khenpo explains:

“They are naked because they realized the bare naked nature of the mind, where all conceptual thoughts and attachments have ceased to exist.”

Mahadeva, Emanation of Chakrasamvara

The bottom right of the Cloud of Blessings is Mahadeva, who is none other than an aspect emanation of Chakrasamvara, although here he is in red aspect as a member of the Padma family. His name in this form is Ṭakkirāja or King of Desire.

Purifying Mantra

Before we start the prayer, we begin with the Padma family purifying mantra as many times as we can.

Om Ah Hum Hrih Svaha

• Om is the seed syllable that purifies our body.
• Ah is the seed syllable that purifies our speech.
• Hum is the seed syllable that purifies our mind.
• Hrih is the seed syllable of the Padma or Lotus family.

We can place a picture of the Padma Cloud of Blessings on our altar and make offerings, then recite the prayer daily to bring magnetizing blessings into our lives. Or, just visualize the Cloud of Merit and the nine deities. It is best to take Refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha first.

After we set up an altar, or visualize the great magnetizing Wangdu, we recite the prayer, remaining mindful of the entire merit field to help bring the glorious power of the Padma family into your life. As suggested in the practice, visualize

“Rays of red light bursting out to fill all of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa”

Wandu English Recitation

(Other Languages below)

Oṃ āḥ hūṃ hrīḥ. In the palace of power, the blazing of great bliss, are the embodiments of the wisdom of discernment, union of bliss and emptiness.

Each on a lotus, its nature bliss free from all attachment, and the splendour of a great, illuminating vajra sun—

Dharmakaya Amitābha and Vajradharma;

Avalokiteshvara the Lord of the World, the very manifestation of compassion;

Padmaraja, all of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa beneath your control;

Hayagriva Heruka, subjugator of all that appears and exists;

‘Secret Wisdom’ Guhyajnana and Vajravarahi;

Chakrasamvara, King of Desire, ecstasy supreme, source of the wisdom of great bliss;

Kurukullā, who captivates the mind of every living being without exception;

Masters and mistresses of supreme and ordinary mudrās, dancing in bliss and emptiness;

Hosts of vajra ḍakas and ḍakinis attract and magnetize.

Remaining always within the state of great equality of appearance and emptiness;

With the dance of your vajra body, you cause the three planes of existence to tremble;

With the sound of your laughter, your unceasing enlightened speech, you draw in the three worlds;

Rays of red light burst out to fill all of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa;

And cause the vital essence of conditioned existence and ultimate peace to vibrate and be gathered in.

With your enlightened mind of great vajra passion;

You grant the supreme of all things desired—the two kinds of siddhis;

And with your great vajra hooks and lassos;

You bind the world of appearance and existence in great bliss;

Dancers in the play of the limitless net of illusion;

Who fill space to overflowing, like a vast outpouring of sesame seeds;

Vast array of the Three Roots, hosts of magnetizing deities;

In devotion we pray to you: inspire us with your blessings;

Grant us attainments, ordinary and supreme, and so the siddhi;

Of magnetizing, without obstruction, whatever we desire!

We dedicate the merit of this prayer to the benefit of all sentient beings.

Tibetan Wangdu

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྂ་ཧྲཱིཿ

བདེ་ཆེན་འབར་བ་དབང་གི་ཕོ་བྲང་དུ། །

བདེ་སྟོང་སོ་སོར་རྟོག་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་སྐུ། །

མ་ཆགས་བདེ་ལྡན་པདྨའི་རང་བཞིན་ལས། །

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉི་མ་སྣང་བ་ཆེན་པོའི་དཔལ། །

ཆོས་སྐུ་སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆོས། །

འཇིག་རྟེན་དབང་ཕྱུག་ཐུགས་རྗེས་རྗེས་ཆགས་གཟུགས། །

པདྨ་རྒྱལ་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་མངའ་དབང་བསྒྱུར། །

སྣང་སྲིད་ཟིལ་གནོན་དབང་ཆེན་ཧེ་རུ་ཀ །

གསང་བ་ཡེ་ཤེས་བཛྲ་ཝཱ་ར་ཧི། །

བདེ་མཆོག་འདོད་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་བདེ་ཆེན་གཏེར། །

མ་ལུས་སྐྱེ་རྒུའི་ཡིད་འཕྲོག་རིག་བྱེད་མ། །

མཆོག་ཐུན་ཕྱག་རྒྱའི་དབང་ཕྱུག་བདེ་སྟོང་གར། །

དབང་མཛད་རྡོ་རྗེ་དཔའ་བོ་ཌཱཀྐིའི་ཚོགས། །

སྣང་སྟོང་མཉམ་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ངང་ཉིད་དུ། །

རྡོ་རྗེ་སྐུ་ཡི་གར་གྱིས་སྲིད་གསུམ་གཡོ། །

འགག་མེད་གསུང་གི་བཞད་སྒྲས་ཁམས་གསུམ་འགུགས། །

འོད་ཟེར་དམར་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་ཡོངས་ལ་ཁྱབ། །

སྲིད་ཞིའི་དྭངས་བཅུད་གཡོ་ཞིང་སྡུད་པར་བྱེད། །

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆགས་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཐུགས་ཀྱིས་ནི། །

རྣམ་གཉིས་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་མཆོག་སྩོལ་ཞིང༌། །

རྡོ་རྗེ་ལྕགས་ཀྱུ་ཞགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ཡིས། །

སྣང་སྲིད་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོར་སྡོམ་བྱེད་པ། །

མཐའ་ཡས་སྒྱུ་འཕྲུལ་དྲྭ་བའི་རོལ་གར་ཅན། །

ཏིལ་གྱི་གོང་བུ་ཕྱེ་བ་བཞིན་བཞུགས་པའི། །

རབ་འབྱམས་རྩ་གསུམ་དབང་གི་ལྷ་ཚོགས་ལ། །

གུས་པས་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས་སོ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། །

མཆོག་ཐུན་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་དཔལ་མཐའ་དག །

ཐོགས་མེད་དབང་དུ་བྱེད་པའི་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ། །

ཅེས་པའང་རབ་ཚེས་ས་ཡོས་ཟླ་ ༧ ཚེས་ ༡ ལ་དྷཱིཿམིང་པས་སྤེལ་བ། གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་ན་གང་ཟག་སུ་ཡང་རུང་སྟེ་དབང་གི་ལས་ཀུན་ཇི་ལྟར་བསམ་པ་བཞིན་འགྲུབ་པར་གདོན་མི་ཟའོ། །དར་དམར་ལ་བྲིས་ཏེ་ཕྱར་བའམ། མེ་རླུང་ལ་འཁོར་ལོ་བྱས་ཀྱང་འགྲུབ་བོ། །མངྒ་ལཾ། །

懷 攝顯有祈請文 名 曰加持大雲

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྂ་ཧྲཱིཿ

嗡啊吽啥，

བདེ་ཆེན་འབར་བ་དབང་གི་ཕོ་བྲང་དུ། །

大樂熾然懷攝宮殿中，

བདེ་སྟོང་སོ་སོར་རྟོག་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་སྐུ། །

樂空妙觀察之智慧身，

མ་ཆགས་བདེ་ལྡན་པདྨའི་རང་བཞིན་ལས། །

無貪具樂蓮花自性出，

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉི་མ་སྣང་བ་ཆེན་པོའི་དཔལ། །

金剛太陽具德大光顯，

ཆོས་སྐུ་སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆོས། །

法身無量光佛金剛法，

འཇིག་རྟེན་དབང་ཕྱུག་ཐུགས་རྗེས་རྗེས་ཆགས་གཟུགས། །

世間自在悲心貪愛形，

པདྨ་རྒྱལ་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་མངའ་དབང་བསྒྱུར། །

輪涅駕馭尊主蓮花王，

སྣང་སྲིད་ཟིལ་གནོན་དབང་ཆེན་ཧེ་རུ་ཀ །

鎮伏顯有大權黑魯嘎，

གསང་བ་ཡེ་ཤེས་བཛྲ་ཝཱ་ར་ཧི། །

秘密智慧金剛亥首母，

བདེ་མཆོག་འདོད་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་བདེ་ཆེན་གཏེར། །

勝樂金剛欲王大樂藏，

མ་ལུས་སྐྱེ་རྒུའི་ཡིད་འཕྲོག་རིག་བྱེད་མ། །

無餘眾生所悅作明母，

མཆོག་ཐུན་ཕྱག་རྒྱའི་དབང་ཕྱུག་བདེ་སྟོང་གར། །

勝共手印自在樂空舞，

དབང་མཛད་རྡོ་རྗེ་དཔའ་བོ་ཌཱཀྐིའི་ཚོགས། །

能懷金剛勇士空行眾，

སྣང་སྟོང་མཉམ་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ངང་ཉིད་དུ། །

於顯空大平等之境中，

རྡོ་རྗེ་སྐུ་ཡི་གར་གྱིས་སྲིད་གསུམ་གཡོ། །

金剛身之舞蹈鎮三有，

འགག་མེད་གསུང་གི་བཞད་སྒྲས་ཁམས་གསུམ་འགུགས། །

無滅語之笑聲召三界，

འོད་ཟེར་དམར་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་ཡོངས་ལ་ཁྱབ། །

紅色光遍滿輪迴涅槃，

སྲིད་ཞིའི་དྭངས་བཅུད་གཡོ་ཞིང་སྡུད་པར་བྱེད། །

有寂精粹震動攝集之，

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆགས་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཐུགས་ཀྱིས་ནི། །

其以金剛大貪欲之意，

རྣམ་གཉིས་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་མཆོག་སྩོལ་ཞིང༌། །

勝賜二種所欲之悉地，

རྡོ་རྗེ་ལྕགས་ཀྱུ་ཞགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ཡིས། །

以金剛鐵鉤與大羂索，

སྣང་སྲིད་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོར་སྡོམ་བྱེད་པ། །

顯有於大樂中作繫縛，

མཐའ་ཡས་སྒྱུ་འཕྲུལ་དྲྭ་བའི་རོལ་གར་ཅན། །

無邊幻化網之變化具，

ཏིལ་གྱི་གོང་བུ་ཕྱེ་བ་བཞིན་བཞུགས་པའི། །

如芝麻莢開啟般安住，

རབ་འབྱམས་རྩ་གསུམ་དབང་གི་ལྷ་ཚོགས་ལ། །

浩瀚三根懷攝之天眾，

གུས་པས་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས་སོ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། །

恭敬祈請祈賜予加持，

མཆོག་ཐུན་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་དཔལ་མཐའ་དག །

勝共悉地所欲諸祥德，

ཐོགས་མེད་དབང་དུ་བྱེད་པའི་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ། །

能作無礙懷攝悉地賜。

ཅེས་པའང་རབ་ཚེས་ས་ཡོས་ཟླ་ ༧ ཚེས་ ༡ ལ་དྷཱིཿམིང་པས་སྤེལ་བ། གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་ན་གང་ཟག་སུ་ཡང་རུང་སྟེ་དབང་གི་ལས་ཀུན་ཇི་ལྟར་བསམ་པ་བཞིན་འགྲུབ་པར་གདོན་མི་ཟའོ། །དར་དམར་ལ་བྲིས་ཏེ་ཕྱར་བའམ། མེ་རླུང་ལ་འཁོར་ལོ་བྱས་ཀྱང་འགྲུབ་བོ། །མངྒ་ལཾ། །

此為具帝字之名者寫於土兔年七月初一。孰若依此祈禱，無疑如所願成辦一切懷攝事業。若於紅布旗上以風吹揚，或作風火輪轉動亦可成就。芒嘎朗。

Wang Dü: „Die große Wolke des Segens“

Das Gebet, das alles, was erscheint und existiert, in seinen Bann zieht

von Mipham Rinpoche

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྂ་ཧྲཱིཿ

om ah hung hrih

Oṃ āḥ hūṃ hrīḥ!

བདེ་ཆེན་འབར་བ་དབང་གི་ཕོ་བྲང་དུ། །

dechen barwa wang gi podrang du

Im machtvollen Palast, dem Auflodern großer Glückseligkeit,

བདེ་སྟོང་སོ་སོར་རྟོག་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་སྐུ། །

detong sosor tokpe yeshe ku

befinden sich die Verkörperungen der unterscheidenden Weisheit, die Einheit von Leerheit und Glückseligkeit,

མ་ཆགས་བདེ་ལྡན་པདྨའི་རང་བཞིན་ལས། །

machak deden peme rangzhin le

jede auf einem Lotus, ihre Natur Glückseligkeit, frei von jeglicher Anhaftung,

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉི་མ་སྣང་བ་ཆེན་པོའི་དཔལ། །

dorje nyima nangwa chenpö pal

mit der Pracht einer großen, leuchtenden Vajra-Sonne:

ཆོས་སྐུ་སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆོས། །

chöku nangwa taye dorje chö

Dharmakāya Amitābha und Vajradharma,

འཇིག་རྟེན་དབང་ཕྱུག་ཐུགས་རྗེས་རྗེས་ཆགས་གཟུགས། །

jikten wangchuk tukje jechak zuk

Avalokiteśvara, Herr der Welt, die Verkörperung des Mitgefühls selbst,

པདྨ་རྒྱལ་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་མངའ་དབང་བསྒྱུར། །

pema gyalpö khorde ngawang gyur

Padma Gyalpo, der du das gesamte Saṃsāra und Nirvāṇa beherrschst,

སྣང་སྲིད་ཟིལ་གནོན་དབང་ཆེན་ཧེ་རུ་ཀ །

nangsi zilnön wangchen heruka

mächtiger Heruka, der alle Erscheinung und Existenz unterwirft,

གསང་བ་ཡེ་ཤེས་བཛྲ་ཝཱ་ར་ཧི། །

sangwa yeshe benza varahi

„Geheime Weisheit“ (Guhyajñāna) und Vajravārāhī,

བདེ་མཆོག་འདོད་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་བདེ་ཆེན་གཏེར། །

demchok döpe gyalpo dechen ter

Döpe Gyalpo, König des Verlangens, überragende Ekstase, Quelle der Weisheit großer Glückseligkeit,

མ་ལུས་སྐྱེ་རྒུའི་ཡིད་འཕྲོག་རིག་བྱེད་མ། །

malü kyegü yitrok rikjema

Kurukullā, die den Geist jedes lebenden Wesens fesselt, ausnahmslos,

མཆོག་ཐུན་ཕྱག་རྒྱའི་དབང་ཕྱུག་བདེ་སྟོང་གར། །

choktün chakgye wangchuk detong gar

Meister und Meisterinnen höchster und gewöhnlicher Mudrās, tanzend in Glückseligkeit und Leerheit,

དབང་མཛད་རྡོ་རྗེ་དཔའ་བོ་ཌཱཀྐིའི་ཚོགས། །

wangdze dorje pawo daki tsok

Scharen von Vajra-Dākas und -Ḍākinīs, die fesseln und bannen.

སྣང་སྟོང་མཉམ་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ངང་ཉིད་དུ། །

nangtong nyampa chenpö ngang nyi du

Ununterbrochen im Zustand der großen Gleichheit von Erscheinung und Leerheit verweilend,

རྡོ་རྗེ་སྐུ་ཡི་གར་གྱིས་སྲིད་གསུམ་གཡོ། །

dorje ku yi gar gyi si sum yo

lasst ihr die drei Ebenen der Existenz durch den Tanz eurer Vajra-Körper erbeben;

འགག་མེད་གསུང་གི་བཞད་སྒྲས་ཁམས་གསུམ་འགུགས། །

gakme sung gi zhe dre kham sum guk

durch den Klang eures Lachens, eurer unaufhörlichen erleuchteten Sprache, ruft ihr die drei Welten herbei.

འོད་ཟེར་དམར་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་ཡོངས་ལ་ཁྱབ། །

özer marpö khorde yong la khyab

Strahlen roten Lichts brechen hervor, die Saṃsāra und Nirvāṇa durchfluten

སྲིད་ཞིའི་དྭངས་བཅུད་གཡོ་ཞིང་སྡུད་པར་བྱེད། །

sizhi dangchü yo zhing düparje

und die Lebensessenz der bedingten Existenz und des letztendlichen Friedens vibrieren lassen und einsammeln.

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆགས་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཐུགས་ཀྱིས་ནི། །

dorje chakpa chenpö tuk kyi ni

Mit eurem erleuchteten Geist der großen Vajra-Leidenschaft

རྣམ་གཉིས་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་མཆོག་སྩོལ་ཞིང༌། །

nam nyi ngödrub dö gü chok tsol zhing

gewährt ihr das höchste aller begehrenswerten Dinge – die zwei Arten von Siddhis,

རྡོ་རྗེ་ལྕགས་ཀྱུ་ཞགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ཡིས། །

dorje chakkyu zhakpa chenpo yi

und mit euren großen Vajra-Haken und -Schlingen

སྣང་སྲིད་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོར་སྡོམ་བྱེད་པ། །

nangsi dewa chenpor domjepa

fesselt ihr die Welt der Erscheinung und Existenz in großer Glückseligkeit.

མཐའ་ཡས་སྒྱུ་འཕྲུལ་དྲྭ་བའི་རོལ་གར་ཅན། །

taye gyutrul drawe rolgarchen

Tanzende im Spiel des endlosen Netzes der Illusion,

ཏིལ་གྱི་གོང་བུ་ཕྱེ་བ་བཞིན་བཞུགས་པའི། །

til gyi gongbu chewa zhin zhukpe

die den Raum zum Überfluss erfüllen, wie ein Hervorbersten zahlloser Sesamsamen,

རབ་འབྱམས་རྩ་གསུམ་དབང་གི་ལྷ་ཚོགས་ལ། །

rabjam tsa sum wang gi lhatsok la

unermessliche Ansammlung der drei Wurzeln, Scharen von anziehenden Gottheiten,

གུས་པས་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས་སོ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། །

güpe solwa deb so jingyi lob

in Hingabe beten wir zu euch: Inspiriert uns mit eurem Segen,

མཆོག་ཐུན་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་དཔལ་མཐའ་དག །

choktün ngödrub dö gü pal tadak

gewährt uns gewöhnliche und überragende Errungenschaften und damit das Siddhi,

ཐོགས་མེད་དབང་དུ་བྱེད་པའི་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ། །

tokme wang du jepe ngödrub tsol

alles in unseren Bann zu ziehen, ohne Hindernisse, was immer wir ersehnen!

ཅེས་པའང་རབ་ཚེས་ས་ཡོས་ཟླ་ ༧ ཚེས་ ༡ ལ་དྷཱིཿམིང་པས་སྤེལ་བ། གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་ན་གང་ཟག་སུ་ཡང་རུང་སྟེ་དབང་གི་ལས་ཀུན་ཇི་ལྟར་བསམ་པ་བཞིན་འགྲུབ་པར་གདོན་མི་ཟའོ། །དར་དམར་ལ་བྲིས་ཏེ་ཕྱར་བའམ། མེ་རླུང་ལ་འཁོར་ལོ་བྱས་ཀྱང་འགྲུབ་བོ། །མངྒ་ལཾ། །

Dies wurde am ersten Tag des siebten Monats des Erd-Hasen-Jahres (1879) von einem namens Dhīḥ verfasst. Wer auch immer auf diese Weise betet, wird zweifellos ganz seinen Wünschen entsprechend alle anziehenden Aktivitäten verwirklichen. Dieses Gebet kann auf rote Fahnen geschrieben und in den Wind gehängt werden oder in hitze- oder windbetriebenen Gebetsmühlen verwendet werden. Mangalaṃ!

Wang Dü: «La gran nube de bendiciones»

La oración que magnetiza todas las apariencias y todo lo que existe

de Mipham Rimpoché

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྂ་ཧྲཱིཿ

om ah hung hrih

¡Om ah hung hrih!

བདེ་ཆེན་འབར་བ་དབང་གི་ཕོ་བྲང་དུ། །

dechen barwa wang gi podrang du

En el palacio del poder, el resplandor de la gran dicha,

བདེ་སྟོང་སོ་སོར་རྟོག་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་སྐུ། །

detong sosor tokpe yeshe ku

están las encarnaciones de la sabiduría del discernimiento, unión de dicha y vacuidad:

མ་ཆགས་བདེ་ལྡན་པདྨའི་རང་བཞིན་ལས། །

machak deden peme rangzhin le

cada uno sobre un loto, cuya naturaleza es dicha libre de todo apego,

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉི་མ་སྣང་བ་ཆེན་པོའི་དཔལ། །

dorje ñima nangwa chenpö pal

y sobre el esplendor de un sol vajra, grandioso y radiante;

ཆོས་སྐུ་སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆོས། །

chöku nangwa taye dorje chö

Amitabha del Dharmakaya y Vajradharma,

འཇིག་རྟེན་དབང་ཕྱུག་ཐུགས་རྗེས་རྗེས་ཆགས་གཟུགས། །

jikten wangchuk tukje jechak zuk

Avalokiteshvara, Señor del Mundo, la manifestación misma de la compasión,

པདྨ་རྒྱལ་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་མངའ་དབང་བསྒྱུར། །

pema gyalpö khorde ngawang gyur

Pema Gyalpo, con todo el samsara y el nirvana bajo tu control,

སྣང་སྲིད་ཟིལ་གནོན་དབང་ཆེན་ཧེ་རུ་ཀ །

nangsi zilnön wangchen heruka

poderoso heruka, el que somete todo cuanto aparece y existe,

གསང་བ་ཡེ་ཤེས་བཛྲ་ཝཱ་ར་ཧི། །

sangwa yeshe benza varahi

«Sabiduría Secreta» y Vajravarahi,

བདེ་མཆོག་འདོད་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་བདེ་ཆེན་གཏེར། །

demchok döpe gyalpo dechen ter

Döpe Gyalpo, Rey del Deseo, éxtasis supremo, fuente de la sabiduría de la gran dicha,

མ་ལུས་སྐྱེ་རྒུའི་ཡིད་འཕྲོག་རིག་བྱེད་མ། །

malü kyegü yitrok rikjema

Kurukulla, que cautiva la mente de cada ser vivo sin excepción,

མཆོག་ཐུན་ཕྱག་རྒྱའི་དབང་ཕྱུག་བདེ་སྟོང་གར། །

choktün chakgye wangchuk detong gar

señores y señoras de los mudras supremos y comunes, danzando en la dicha y vacuidad,

དབང་མཛད་རྡོ་རྗེ་དཔའ་བོ་ཌཱཀྐིའི་ཚོགས། །

wangdze dorje pawo daki tsok

multitudes de dakas y dakinis vajra que atraen y magnetizan.

སྣང་སྟོང་མཉམ་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ངང་ཉིད་དུ། །

nangtong ñampa chenpö ngang ñi du

Permaneciendo siempre en el estado de gran igualdad de las apariencias y la vacuidad,

རྡོ་རྗེ་སྐུ་ཡི་གར་གྱིས་སྲིད་གསུམ་གཡོ། །

dorje ku yi gar gyi si sum yo

con la danza de vuestros cuerpos vajra, hacéis que tiemblen los tres planos de la existencia;

འགག་མེད་གསུང་གི་བཞད་སྒྲས་ཁམས་གསུམ་འགུགས། །

gakme sung gi zhe dre kham sum guk

con el sonido de vuestra risa, el habla iluminada e incesante, convocáis los tres mundos.

འོད་ཟེར་དམར་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་ཡོངས་ལ་ཁྱབ། །

özer marpö khorde yong la khyab

Rayos de luz roja estallan para inundar todo el samsara y el nirvana,

སྲིད་ཞིའི་དྭངས་བཅུད་གཡོ་ཞིང་སྡུད་པར་བྱེད། །

sizhi dangchü yo zhing düparche

haciendo vibrar y recogiendo la esencia vital de la existencia condicionada y la paz última.

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆགས་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཐུགས་ཀྱིས་ནི། །

dorje chakpa chenpö tuk kyi ni

Con vuestra mente iluminada de gran pasión adamantina,

རྣམ་གཉིས་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་མཆོག་སྩོལ་ཞིང༌། །

nam ñi ngödrub dö gü chok tsol zhing

concedéis lo más supremo que se pueda desear: las dos clases de siddhis;

རྡོ་རྗེ་ལྕགས་ཀྱུ་ཞགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ཡིས། །

dorje chakkyu zhakpa chenpo yi

y con vuestros grandiosos ganchos y lazos vajra,

སྣང་སྲིད་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོར་སྡོམ་བྱེད་པ། །

nangsi dewa chenpor domchepa

atáis el mundo de la apariencia y la existencia en la gran dicha.

མཐའ་ཡས་སྒྱུ་འཕྲུལ་དྲྭ་བའི་རོལ་གར་ཅན། །

taye gyutrul drawe rolgarchen

Danzantes en el juego de la infinita red ilusoria,

ཏིལ་གྱི་གོང་བུ་ཕྱེ་བ་བཞིན་བཞུགས་པའི། །

til gyi gongbu chewa zhin zhukpe

que colmáis el espacio hasta rebosar, como una gran lluvia de semillas de sésamo,

རབ་འབྱམས་རྩ་གསུམ་དབང་གི་ལྷ་ཚོགས་ལ། །

rabjam tsa sum wang gi lhatsok la

gran despliegue de las Tres Raíces, multitudes de deidades que magnetizan,

གུས་པས་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས་སོ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། །

güpe solwa deb so chingyi lob

os rezamos con devoción: ¡inspiradnos con vuestras bendiciones,

མཆོག་ཐུན་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་དཔལ་མཐའ་དག །

choktün ngödrub dö gü pal tadak

concedednos los logros, comunes y supremos, así como el siddhi

ཐོགས་མེད་དབང་དུ་བྱེད་པའི་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ། །

tokme wang du chepe ngödrub tsol

de magnetizar, sin impedimento, todo lo que deseemos!

ཅེས་པའང་རབ་ཚེས་ས་ཡོས་ཟླ་ ༧ ཚེས་ ༡ ལ་དྷཱིཿམིང་པས་སྤེལ་བ། གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་ན་གང་ཟག་སུ་ཡང་རུང་སྟེ་དབང་གི་ལས་ཀུན་ཇི་ལྟར་བསམ་པ་བཞིན་འགྲུབ་པར་གདོན་མི་ཟའོ། །དར་དམར་ལ་བྲིས་ཏེ་ཕྱར་བའམ། མེ་རླུང་ལ་འཁོར་ལོ་བྱས་ཀྱང་འགྲུབ་བོ། །མངྒ་ལཾ། །

Esto fue escrito el primer día del séptimo mes del año de la Liebre de Tierra (1879) por uno llamado Dhih. Todo quien rece de esta forma, sin duda logrará todas las actividades de magnetizar exactamente tal como desee. Esta oración puede escribirse sobre banderas rojas que ondeen al viento, o en molinos de oración movidos por el calor o el viento. ¡Mangalam!

Wang du : « La Vaste nuée de bénédictions »

La Prière qui magnétise tout ce qui apparaît et tout ce qui existe

par Mip’am Rinpoché

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྂ་ཧྲཱིཿ

om ah houng hrih

Oṃ āḥ hūṃ hrīḥ !

བདེ་ཆེན་འབར་བ་དབང་གི་ཕོ་བྲང་དུ། །

déchen barwa wang gi p’odrang dou

Dans le palais du pouvoir, le flamboiement de la grande félicité,

བདེ་སྟོང་སོ་སོར་རྟོག་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་སྐུ། །

détong sosor tokpé yéshé kou

Voici les personnifications de la sagesse du discernement, l’union de la félicité et de la vacuité :

མ་ཆགས་བདེ་ལྡན་པདྨའི་རང་བཞིན་ལས། །

machak déden pémé rangzhin lé

Chacun sur un lotus, dont la nature est félicité libre de tout attachement,

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉི་མ་སྣང་བ་ཆེན་པོའི་དཔལ། །

dorjé nyima nangwa chenpö pal

Et splendeur d’un grand et éclatant soleil de vajra –

ཆོས་སྐུ་སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆོས། །

chökou nangwa t’ayé dorjé chö

Dharmakāya Amitābha et Vajradharma,

འཇིག་རྟེན་དབང་ཕྱུག་ཐུགས་རྗེས་རྗེས་ཆགས་གཟུགས། །

jikten wangchouk t’oukjé jéchak zouk

Avalokiteśvara, Seigneur du monde, manifestation même de la compassion,

པདྨ་རྒྱལ་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་མངའ་དབང་བསྒྱུར། །

péma gyalpö k’ordé ngawang gyour

Padma Gyalpo qui contrôle tout le saṃsāra et le nirvāṇa,

སྣང་སྲིད་ཟིལ་གནོན་དབང་ཆེན་ཧེ་རུ་ཀ །

nangsi zilnön wangchen héruka

Puissant heruka, qui subjugue toute apparence et toute existence,

གསང་བ་ཡེ་ཤེས་བཛྲ་ཝཱ་ར་ཧི། །

sangwa yéshé benza varahi

« Sagesse secrète » (Guhyajñāna) et Vajravārāhī,

བདེ་མཆོག་འདོད་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་བདེ་ཆེན་གཏེར། །

demchok döpé gyalpo déchen ter

Döpé Gyalpo, roi du désir, extase suprême, source de la sagesse de la grande félicité,

མ་ལུས་སྐྱེ་རྒུའི་ཡིད་འཕྲོག་རིག་བྱེད་མ། །

malu kyégu yit’rok rikjéma

Kurukullā, qui captive l’esprit de tous les êtres sans exception,

མཆོག་ཐུན་ཕྱག་རྒྱའི་དབང་ཕྱུག་བདེ་སྟོང་གར། །

chokt’ün chakgyé wangchouk détong gar

Maîtres et maîtresses des mudrā suprême et ordinaires qui dansez dans la félicité et la vacuité,

དབང་མཛད་རྡོ་རྗེ་དཔའ་བོ་ཌཱཀྐིའི་ཚོགས། །

wangdzé dorjé pawo daki tsok

Assemblée des ḍāka et ḍākinī, attirez et magnétisez !

སྣང་སྟོང་མཉམ་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ངང་ཉིད་དུ། །

nangtong nyampa chenpö ngang nyi dou

Demeurant toujours au sein de l’état de grande égalité des apparences et de la vacuité,

རྡོ་རྗེ་སྐུ་ཡི་གར་གྱིས་སྲིད་གསུམ་གཡོ། །

dorjé kou yi gar gyi si soum yo

Par la danse de votre corps de vajra, vous ébranlez les trois niveaux d’existence ;

འགག་མེད་གསུང་གི་བཞད་སྒྲས་ཁམས་གསུམ་འགུགས། །

gakmé soung gi zhé dré k’am soum gouk

Par le son de votre rire, votre parole éveillée incessante, vous captivez les trois mondes ;

འོད་ཟེར་དམར་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་ཡོངས་ལ་ཁྱབ། །

özer marpö k’ordé yong la k’yab

Des rayons de lumière rouge jaillissent, inondent l’ensemble du saṃsāra et du nirvāṇa,

སྲིད་ཞིའི་དྭངས་བཅུད་གཡོ་ཞིང་སྡུད་པར་བྱེད། །

sizhi dangchu yo zhing duparjé

Font vibrer l’essence vitale de l’existence conditionnée et de la paix ultime, et la collectent.

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆགས་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཐུགས་ཀྱིས་ནི། །

dorjé chakpa chenpö t’ouk kyi ni

Par votre esprit éveillé de grande passion adamantine,

རྣམ་གཉིས་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་མཆོག་སྩོལ་ཞིང༌། །

nam nyi ngödroub dö gu chok tsol zhing

Vous dispensez les désirs suprêmes – les deux sortes de siddhi ;

རྡོ་རྗེ་ལྕགས་ཀྱུ་ཞགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ཡིས། །

dorjé chakkyou zhakpa chenpo yi

Et par vos grands crochets de vajra et vos grands lassos,

སྣང་སྲིད་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོར་སྡོམ་བྱེད་པ། །

nangsi déwa chenpor domjépa

Vous liez le monde des apparences et de l’existence au sein de la grande félicité.

མཐའ་ཡས་སྒྱུ་འཕྲུལ་དྲྭ་བའི་རོལ་གར་ཅན། །

t’ayé gyout’rul drawé rolgarchen

Danseurs qui jouez dans le filet infini de l’illusion,

ཏིལ་གྱི་གོང་བུ་ཕྱེ་བ་བཞིན་བཞུགས་པའི། །

til gyi gongbou chéwa zhin zhoukpé

Qui emplissez totalement l’espace, à la manière d’un grand débordement de graines de sésame,

རབ་འབྱམས་རྩ་གསུམ་དབང་གི་ལྷ་ཚོགས་ལ། །

rabjam tsa soum wang gi l’atsok la

Vaste assemblée des Trois Racines, foule des déités qui magnétisent,

གུས་པས་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས་སོ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། །

gupé solwa deb so jingyi lob

Nous vous prions avec dévotion : inspirez-nous de vos bénédictions,

མཆོག་ཐུན་དངོས་གྲུབ་འདོད་དགུའི་དཔལ་མཐའ་དག །

chokt’ün ngödroub dö gu pal t’adak

Accordez-nous les siddhi suprême et ordinaires ainsi que celui

ཐོགས་མེད་དབང་དུ་བྱེད་པའི་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ། །

t’okmé wang dou jépé ngödroub tsol

De magnétiser, sans obstacle, tout ce que nous désirons !

ཅེས་པའང་རབ་ཚེས་ས་ཡོས་ཟླ་ ༧ ཚེས་ ༡ ལ་དྷཱིཿམིང་པས་སྤེལ་བ། གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་ན་གང་ཟག་སུ་ཡང་རུང་སྟེ་དབང་གི་ལས་ཀུན་ཇི་ལྟར་བསམ་པ་བཞིན་འགྲུབ་པར་གདོན་མི་ཟའོ། །དར་དམར་ལ་བྲིས་ཏེ་ཕྱར་བའམ། མེ་རླུང་ལ་འཁོར་ལོ་བྱས་ཀྱང་འགྲུབ་བོ། །མངྒ་ལཾ། །

Le dénommé Dhīḥ composa ceci le premier jour du septième mois de l’année du Lièvre de terre (1879). Quiconque prie ainsi accomplira sans nul doute toutes les activités de magnétisation souhaitées. Cette prière peut être imprimée sur des bannières de prières rouges exposées au vent ; on peut aussi l’utiliser dans des moulins à prières mus par la chaleur ou le vent. Maṅgalaṃ !

“I will teach only two things,” Buddha said. The Buddha’s primary message was always the same: end suffering by cutting the poisons. To do that, we have to first understand the nature of the poison, and then find an effective method for cutting it. In early Pali Sutta, Buddha says[1]:

“I teach only two things. Suffering and end of suffering.”— Buddha

In this series, we will look at each of the 10 poisons from different perspectives offered by diverse traditions within Buddhism. The goal is not to achieve agreement on a single definition or solution, but rather to offer many methods for cutting each poison, so that everyone can find the method — or methods — that work best for them. All are correct paths.

NOTE: There are different “lists” of Kleshas or Poisons in Buddhism. In the Mahaparanirvana Sutra there are 50! Typically we talk about the big three: Moha (delusion, confusion), Raga (greed, sensual attachment), and Dvesha (aversion, hate). The Abhidhamma Pitaka’s Dhammasangani lists the ten we are citing in this feature. In Mahayana Buddhism these are usually called “poisons” while in Pali Sutta, they’re often translated as “unwholesome roots” — at least on the key three of Moha, Raga and Dvesha. Terms and numbers aside, the poisons or unwholesome roots are the target of Buddhist practice.

The goal of Buddhism and Buddha’s teachings can be thought of as methods of “cutting” the poisons — to cut the 10 poisons of greed, hate, delusion, conceit, wrong views, doubt, laziness, restlessness, shamelessness, and recklessness.

• If you missed our feature on cutting the poisons, please check it out: “Buddha Didn’t Teach That?” All paths of Buddhism — Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana — have the same core method: cutting the poisons!” >>

Cutting poison of greed — in all traditions

Our mission, in the remaining ten parts of this series, is to look at the teachings on each of the poisons, one by one, from the point of view of all the traditions in Buddhism. How did the practices of the elder path differ from Mahayana methods taught by Buddha? How did these methods evolve in Vajrayana, Zen Chan, and other traditions?

Buddha identified the 10 poisons in many famous discourses. In this feature, part 2 of the series, we focus on the first of the poisons — greed. As introduced in part one (found at the link below) all of the many methods Buddha taught in his long lifetime — diverse and skillful methods focused on different aptitudes of people — are designed to cut one or more poison.

•  “Buddha Didn’t Teach That?” All paths of Buddhism — Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana — have the same core method: cutting the poisons!

So let’s get started with greed… starting with a little sage advice from the Dalai Lama:

“True happiness comes from having a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved by cultivating altruism, love and compassion, and by eliminating anger, selfishness and greed.”

Greed — today’s biggest poison?

Gautama Buddha, after his enlightenment, could see all times, past, present, future — you can call it gifted insight if you don’t like the concept of seeing the future. If he saw our time, he almost certainly focused on the poison of greed. Although greed was always a dangerous poison, leading to endless human suffering, today’s world is arguably more consumed with greed than any previous generation.

The main “cure” for greed in all Buddhist traditions

The main “cure” for greed is generosity, contentment, and detachment. We will look at each of these separately in this article, but all three are essential practices for cutting greed.

Loving Kindness, known as Metta, is the underlying motivation of Buddhist generosity, together with Karuna, or compassion. This is true in all paths and traditions of Buddhism. In Buddhas words (from the Metta Sutta or the Sutta-Nipata):

“Like a caring mother holding and guarding the life of her only child, so with a boundless heart of loving-kindness, hold yourself and all beings as your beloved children.”

Generosity: the best medicine against greed

One of the most effective ways to cut the poison of greed is to develop the habit and quality of generosity. This is not just a feel-good practice or an act of charity; it is a skillful means for working with our own minds.

The Pali scriptures list many benefits of generosity, including:

• Increased confidence

• Improved sleep

• A calm mind

• Fewer bad dreams

• Greater beauty and attractiveness

Generosity is also praised as one activity that can lead to enlightenment, as it did for the Buddha himself.

The story of Visakha

In the Pali scriptures, there is a story of a woman named Visakha who was born into a wealthy family and married to a wealthy man. She was noted for her great generosity, and she used her wealth to support the Buddha and his monastic community. After her husband died, she became a nun and devoted her life to giving. The scriptures say that she attained enlightenment through her practice of generosity.

Loving Kindness or Metta

The driving force behind generosity, aside from crushing the poison of Greed, is our loving kindness (or Metta) towards all beings. This was exemplified in the famous story of Gautama Buddha taming the wild elephant with loving-kindness:

Nalagiri was an elephant with a bad character. Devadatta, cousin of the Buddha who was jealous of Buddha and wanted to kill him, made Nalagiri purposefully very angry and set him loose in the street in which Buddha was walking with many other monks. As Nalagiri, running wildly and trumpeting, came closer to the Buddha, the Buddha stood immovably, emanating only his loving kindness and friendliness (metta) to Nalagiri. Sensing this,  Nalagiri immediately calmed down, and subsequently bowed low before the Buddha as a way of showing respect.

Contentment: the key to cutting greed at its root

One of the most important things we can do to cut the poison of greed is to develop contentment with what we have. This does not mean that we should never strive to improve our situation; it means that we should not allow ourselves to be controlled by a restless mind that is never satisfied.

There are many stories in the Pali scriptures of people who attained enlightenment through the practice of contentment.

The story of Mahapajapati

One of the most famous is the story of Mahapajapati, the Buddha’s aunt and adoptive mother. After she became a nun, she traveled with a group of nuns to visit the Buddha. On the way, they ran out of food and had to beg for their meal. When they arrived at the monastery, they were so hungry that they ate their food without taking time to sit down. The Buddha saw them and asked why they were in such a hurry. They explained that they were afraid they would not have enough food if they took time to sit down and eat slowly. The Buddha then taught them the importance of contentment, and they attained enlightenment.

Detachment: the secret to freedom from greed

The practice of detachment is another key to cutting the poison of greed. This does not mean that we should not care about anything; it means that we should not be attached to things. We can still enjoy the things we have, but we should not be slaves to our possessions.

There are many stories in the scriptures of people who attained enlightenment through the practice of detachment.

Ananda’s story of the robe

One striking story of detachment features none other than Ananda, the Buddha’s cousin, and personal attendant. He was very attached to his robes and always wanted to wear the best ones. One day, he went to see the Buddha and saw that the Buddha was wearing a robe that was much finer than any of the robes Ananda owned. He asked the Buddha where he had gotten the robe, and the Buddha told him that it had been given to him by a generous donor. Ananda then realized that his attachment to his own robes was preventing him from being as generous as he could be. He detached himself from his possessions and attained enlightenment.

The practice of detachment is also praised in the Pali scriptures as a way to overcome greed.

The story of Cunda

In one story, a man named Cunda was about to make a offering to the Buddha, but he was worried that he would become attached to the Buddha if he gave him something precious. The Buddha told him not to worry; even if he gave him the most valuable thing he had, he would not become attached to it. Cunda then gave the Buddha a priceless jewel, and he attained enlightenment.

The practice of giving, contentment, and detachment are all effective methods for cutting the poison of greed. However, they are not the only methods; there are many other ways to work with this problem. We should experiment with different approaches and see what works best for us. Remember, the goal is to develop a mind that is free from greed and attachment; any method that helps us to do that is a good method.

What is greed? And how does it cause suffering?

Greed is an emotional response characterized by feelings of wanting more —  more money, more possessions, more power, more fame. It is often accompanied by a sense of dissatisfaction with what we have, and feelings of envy towards those who have more.

In Buddhism, the cause of suffering is often said to be the attachment — attachment to things that are impermanent, uncertain, and subject to change. Greed is a form of attachment; when we are attached to things, we suffer when they are taken away from us or when they don’t meet our expectations. We want more of what we are attached to.

It’s not just about material possessions

Greed isn’t just about material possessions; it can also manifest as a craving for power, fame, or even knowledge. We can be greedy for attention and approval, and we can be greedy for love and attention.

The Poison of Greed in the Early Teachings

In the early teachings, Buddha often spoke about the dangers of attachment and craving (tanha), which are closely related to greed.

For example, in the Pali canon — the earliest Buddhist scriptures — the best-known teaching is the “Four Noble Truths.” The first truth is that “suffering exists;” the second truth is that “suffering has a cause.” That cause is identified as “craving” or “attachment.”

The third truth is that “there is an end to suffering.” And the fourth truth is the “Eightfold Path” — the path that leads to the end of suffering. The Eightfold Path can be thought of as a recipe for overcoming all attachments, including greed, through virtuous conduct.

• For a feature on the Eightfold Path, see>>

Dhammapada’s teachings on greed

One of the key teachings in the Pali canon is the “Dhammapada,” a collection of sayings attributed to the Buddha. In this text, the Buddha speaks about the dangers of attachment and craving, and how they lead to suffering.

For example, in one teaching, he says:

“From craving comes grief, from craving comes fear. When these arise, they destroy both mind and body.”

In another teaching, he says:

“Those who are slaves to craving go from house to house like a thief, seeking but not finding satisfaction.”

The Poison of Greed in the Mahayana Teachings

In the Mahayana tradition, the Bodhisattva Path, there are many texts that speak about the dangers of greed and attachment.

For example, in the “Diamond Sutra” — a well-known Mahayana text — the Buddha says:

“Greed is a disease, a cancer that eats away at our very being. It is the cause of all suffering.”

In another teaching, he says:

“All things are impermanent, and to be attached to them is to suffer.”

The Bodhisattva Path is the ultimate path of generosity. By foregoing enlightenment, the Bodhisattvas vow to stay in Samsara until all other beings are rescued. This is the ultimate cure for greed is generosity and self-sacrifice as a Bodhisattva.

The Poison of Greed in Pureland Buddhism

In Pureland Buddhism, one of the key teachings is the importance of reciting the Buddha’s name — the practice of “nembutsu.” Chanting the name praise of Amitbha Buddha has “ten great protections,” including release from all negative karmas, including greed and attachment.

A teaching video ending in the chanting of Namo Amituofo:

When we recite the Buddha’s name, we are reminded of his boundless compassion and wisdom. We are also reminded that we are not alone; we are connected to all beings, and we can rely on the Buddha for help and guidance.

This practice helps us to develop a sense of faith.

The Poison of Greed in the Vajrayana Teachings

In Vajrayana Buddhism, there are also many teachings on the dangers of greed and attachment.

For example, in the “Prajnaparamita Sutras” — one of the most famous Mahayana texts, which is an important Vajrayana Sutra —  the Buddha says:

“Greed is the root of all suffering.”

In another teaching, he says:

“All things are impermanent, and to be attached to them is to suffer.”

One of the “prescribed” cures for greed is meditating on “loving kindness and compassion.”:

The Poison of Greed in Zen Chan Buddhism

In Zen Chan Buddhism, there is also a strong emphasis on the dangers of greed and attachment. As with other paths, Buddha taught mindfulness as a key method, right concentration. Mindfulness keeps us in the present moment. When you stop worrying about the “future” you have nothing to be attached to, nothing to be greedy about. At the same time, if we are concerned about the damage caused to Mother Earth, by man’s greed, mindfulness is also an “activity” when practiced correctly. The great Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh wrote in Peace Is Every Step:

“Mindfulness must be engaged. Once there is seeing, there must be acting. We must be aware of the real problems of the world. Then, with mindfulness, we will know what to do and what not to do to be of help.”

Solutions: How can we cut the poison of greed?

The good news is that there are many methods that Buddha taught to help us overcome greed and attachment and to find true satisfaction.

Here are some of the methods that he taught:

1. The Theravada method: In the Theravada tradition, the emphasis is on controlling our thoughts and emotions, and on practicing moderation in all things.

2. The Mahayana method: In the Mahayana tradition, the emphasis is on cultivating compassion and wisdom, and on helping others.

3. The Vajrayana method: In the Vajrayana tradition, the emphasis is on using visualization and mantra to transform our minds. For example, Ratnasambhava’s mantra while visualizing generosity.

4. The Pureland method: In the Pureland tradition, the emphasis is on chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha and on making sincere vows to be reborn in his Pure Land. By focusing sincerely on the merits and purity of Amitabha Buddha, we overcome our cravings.

5. The Zen Chan method: In the Zen Chan tradition, the emphasis is on meditation and on cultivating a mind of compassion and wisdom.

By following any of these methods — or a combination of them — we can gradually cut the poison of greed from our lives, and find true satisfaction and liberation.

Theravadan methods for cutting greed

The initial teachings on the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path logically and precisely map out how to escape from suffering. Depending on our level of practice, this logic may be all we need.

Greed is one of the three unwholesome roots (akusala mula), which are

1. Greed (lobha)
2. Hatred (dosa)
3. Delusion (moha)

According to the Theravada tradition, it is possible to develop dispassion (viriya) for sensual objects and become free from greed. This doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a gradual process that requires patient endurance (khanti).

The following are some key Theravada teachings on greed:

1. The Buddha’s first teaching — the Four Noble Truths — explains that suffering arises from craving, and that we can end suffering by ending craving.

2. The Buddha’s second teaching — the Eightfold Path — shows us how to end craving and achieve liberation.

3. In the “Discourse on the Roots of Greed” (Mula Sutta), the Buddha says that there are three roots of greed: attachment to sensual pleasures, attachment to existence, and ignorance.

4. In the “Discourse on the Fetter of Greed” (Samyojana Sutta), the Buddha says that there are four fetters that bind us to samsara: attachment to sensual pleasures, attachment to existence, doubt, and wrong views.

5. In the “Discourse on the Fire Sermon” (Adittapariyaya Sutta), the Buddha says that all things are impermanent, and that to be attached to them is to suffer. He also says that we can find true happiness by letting go of our attachments.

By following the Theravada path, we can gradually cut the poison of greed from our lives, and find true liberation.

Mahayana teachings on cutting greed

In the Mahayana tradition, the emphasis is on cultivating compassion and wisdom, and on helping others. The first of the six paramitas is Generosity.  In different ways, all of the Paramitas help us to cut greed, but especially generosity.

The following are some key Mahayana teachings on greed:

1. In the “Sutra of the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life” (Bodhisattvacarya-avatara Sutra), the Buddha says that a bodhisattva is someone who is motivated by compassion, and who strives to help others.

2. In the “Sutra of Golden Light” (Suvarnaprabhasa Sutra), the Buddha says that we can overcome our cravings by cultivating wisdom.

3. In the “Heart Sutra”, the Buddha says that all things are empty, and that we can find true liberation by letting go of our attachments.

Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva: Bodhicharyavatara

Bodisattva’s Way of Life: helping others cuts greed. The Bodhisattva heroically gives up their own peace for the sake of others.

The Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra or Bodhicaryāvatāra (Sanskrit: बोधिसत्त्वाचर्यावतार; Tibetan: བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་སྤྱོད་པ་ལ་འཇུག་པ་ byang chub sems dpa’i spyod pa la ‘jug pa;Chinese: 入菩薩行論; Japanese: 入菩薩行論) was written in 700AD by Śāntideva. This is ultimately the entire path of the Bodhisattva, which certainly can be said to be the path of ultimate generosity, a cure for greed. In this amazing text, Santideva covers:

1. The benefits of bodhicitta (the wish to reach full enlightenment for others)
2. Purifying bad deeds
3. Adopting the spirit of enlightenment
4. Using conscientiousness
5. Guarding awareness
6. The practice of patience
7. The practice of joyous effort
8. The practice of meditative concentration
9. The perfection of wisdom
10. Dedication

In short, through cultivating bodhicitta — the wish to reach full enlightenment for the sake of others — we can cut the poison of greed from our lives, and find true liberation.

By following the Mahayana Bodhisattva path, we can gradually cut the poison of greed from our lives, and find true liberation.

Tonglen practice is a Vajrayana meditation on “giving and taking” — giving our happiness and taking in the suffering of others. This vast Mahayana generosity is a “cure” for the poison of greed. Here is a guided meditation from Venerable Zasep Rinpoche:

Vajrayana methods for cutting greed

Vajrayana is not separate from Mahayana. Vajrayana teachings build on the foundations of both Theravadan and Mahayana, including Pureland and Chan/Zen. The key teaching methods are progressive and highly visualized.

In the Vajrayana tradition, the emphasis is on using visualization and mantra to transform our minds — but anchored in the same principles taught in Mahayana.

For example, visualizing red Amitabha while chanting his mantra and visualizing generosity. (The poison of greed is the “province” of Amitabha Buddha. See below.)

The following are some key Vajrayana teachings on greed:

1. In the “Tantra of Great Compassion” (Mahakaruna-tantra), the Buddha says that we can find true liberation by cultivating compassion.

2. In the “Tantra of the Secret Essence” (Guhyasamaja-tantra), the Buddha says that we can find true liberation by cultivating wisdom.

3. In the “Tantra of the Diamond Way” (Vajrabhairava-tantra), the Buddha says that we can find true liberation by cultivating compassion and wisdom.

Ngondro, and particularly prostrations, is one of the remedies for pride and greed:

Chod Practice: cut, cut, cut

Vajrayana also has, within it, a very structured approach to every cutting method. One famous practice, for example, is Chod practice, which requires advanced training, empowerment and visualizations under the guidance of a teacher. In this method, the practitioner visualizes the ultimate generosity method: cutting up one’s own body, transforming into blessed offerings to give to all sentient beings. (Obviously not literally cutting up one’s body — this is a visualization practice!) Vajrayana extensively focuses on visualization to help overcome attachments and to help us glimpse “true nature of reality.”

In Vajrayana, there are also many yidam deity practices that focus on cutting different types of attachments. The main yidam deities associated with cutting greed are Manjushri, focused on Wisdom, Chenrezig or Avalokiteshvara, focused on Compassion and Green Tara focused on Activities — including the activities of generosity.

In Vajrayana Buddhism, there are many other teachings and practices that focus on cutting the poison of greed.

Venerable Zasep Rinpoche demonstrates Chod, the cutting of ego, which is also considered the ultimate act of generosity, useful for cutting greed:

Prostrations and Ngondro in Vajrayana

For example, one practice is “ngondro,” which consists of four preliminary practices that help us to purify our minds and prepare for more advanced tantric practices. One of those preliminary practices is called “prostrations;” in this practice, we prostrate ourselves before a Buddha statue or image, and recite certain prayers or mantras. This helps us to develop humility and generate a sense of respect for all beings.

Another practice that can help us to cut the poison of greed is visualization. In some visualization practices, we imagine giving away all of our possessions to others; in other visualizations, we imagine taking on the suffering of all beings. These practices help us to develop a sense of generosity and compassion, and to let go of our attachment to things.

The practice of Tonglen in Vajrayana

In Vajrayana, a very popular practice is the generosity visualizations of Tonglen.

This practice is said to be the quickest way to develop bodhichitta, or the mind of enlightenment. The practice involves visualizing taking on the suffering of all beings, and then giving away our own happiness and good fortune to them. This helps us to develop compassion and generate a deep feeling of love for all beings.

Tonglen is a very powerful practice, but it is also one of the most difficult. It requires a great deal of courage and faith to imagine taking on the suffering of others, and then actually doing it. But if we can overcome our fears and doubts, Tonglen can be an extremely effective method for cutting the poison of greed from our lives. By following the Vajrayana path, we can gradually cut the poison of greed from our lives, and find true liberation.

The Four Buddha Families

The role of the poisons, especially the notable “five poisons” — the most dangerous of the overall ten poisons — take on personas in Vajrayana. This especially takes the form of the five Buddha families, one focused on each of these five poisons. The five Buddhas are:

• Vairochana, who represents the poison of Ignorance;
• Amitabha, who represents the poison of Hatred or Aversion;
• Ratnasambhava, who represents the Poison of Pride;
• Amoghasiddhi, who represents the Poison of Jealousy; and
• Aksobhya, who overcomes the Poison of Hate, also overcome greed.

Each of these five poisons can be transformed into its corresponding positive quality through the practice of tantra. For example, Ignorance can be transformed into Wisdom, Hatred can be transformed into Compassion, and so on. When we practice tantra, we are working with the energy of the poisons, and transforming them into their positive counterparts.

This is a very powerful process, because it allows us to work with our poison energies directly, and to transform them into something positive. It is said that the tantric path is the quickest way to Enlightenment, because we are working with our negative energies directly, rather than trying to suppress them or ignore them.

All five of the Buddhas can help us overcome the poison of greed. For example, Ratnasambhava of the Jewel family with the practice of generosity, and Amitabha of the Lotus family with the practice of discriminating awareness. Each Buddha represents a different wisdom:

Amitabha Buddha: the wisdom of discernment overcomes greed with discriminating awareness

• Ratnasambhava Buddha: wisdom of equality overcomes greed with generosity.
• Amoghasiddhi Buddha: all accomplishing wisdom overcomes jealousy which can also lead to greed with the cure of generous activity.
• Vairochana Buddha: Dharmadatu wisdom overcomes greed by showing us the true nature of our delusions.
• Akshobhya Buddha: his mirror-like wisdom helps us see-through the illusion of “useless riches.”

The mantras of Amitabha Buddha is helpful as a practice, while visualizing the Buddha. In this video, the mantra is chanted beautifully by the amazing Yoko Dharma:

Amitabha — discriminating awareness to overcome greed

For example, the practice of Amitabha is very popular in Mahayana Buddhism, and it is especially effective for cutting the poison of greed. Amitabha is the Buddha of Infinite Light, and he represents the Poison of Hatred. When we visualize Amitabha, we are visualizing a being who is infinitely compassionate and loving. By doing this , we are training our mind to develop these qualities as well.

Ratnasambhava — generosity for overcoming greed

Ratnasambhava can help us overcome greed with generosity. Ratnasambhava is the Buddha of Jewels, and he represents the Poison of Pride. When we visualize Ratnasambhava, we are reminded that all beings are equal, and that we should share our wealth and resources with others. This helps us to overcome greed, because we realize that we don’t need to hoard things for ourselves.

Amoghasiddhi — generous activity to overcome jealousy

Jealousy is a close relative of greed, and Amoghasiddhi can help us overcome both with generous activity. Amoghasiddhi is the Buddha of Infinite Activity, and he represents the Poison of Jealousy. When we visualize Amoghasiddhi, we are reminded that we can accomplish anything we set our mind to. This helps us to overcome jealousy, because we realize that we don’t need to compare ourselves to others.

Vairochana — the true nature of delusions for overcoming greed

The Poison of Greed is often caused by our delusions about the things we want. Vairochana can help us overcome these delusions by showing us the true nature of things. Vairochana is the Buddha of Clear Light, and he represents the Poison of Ignorance. When we visualize Vairochana, we are reminded that our desires are often based on false assumptions. This helps us to overcome greed, because we realize that we don’t need to chase after things that don’t exist.

Akshobhya — seeing through illusions for overcoming greed

Akshobhya can help us overcome greed by showing us the illusory nature of “useless riches.” Akshobhya is the Buddha of Immovable Wisdom, and he represents the Poison of Greed. When we visualize Akshobhya, we are reminded that the things we desire often have no lasting value. This helps us to overcome greed, because we realize that we don’t need to cling to things that will eventually disappear.

Tantric path — working with our poison energies directly

The tantric path is the most direct path for working with our Poison energies. In tantra, we work directly with the Poison of Greed by using it as a fuel for our practice. We do this by visualizing the Poison of Greed as a white light, and then using that light to power our practice. This helps us to overcome greed, because we are using our greed to fuel our practice, instead of letting it control us.

Pureland methods for cutting greed

In the Pureland tradition, the emphasis is on reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name, and on making aspirational prayers to be reborn in his Pure Land.

The following are some key Pureland teachings on greed:

1. In the “Sutra of Amitabha” (Amitabha Sutra), the Buddha says that we can be reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land if we recite his name with sincere faith.

2. In the “Contemplation Sutra” (Visualization Sutra), the Buddha says that we can make aspirational prayers to be reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land.

3. In the “Greater Contemplation Sutra” (Larger Sukhavati-vyuha Sutra), the Buddha says that those who are reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land will be free from suffering and will cultivate wisdom and compassion.

By following the Pureland path, we can gradually cut the poison of greed from our lives and find true liberation.

How can simply chanting Namo Amituofo help us overcome or cut greed? Like any mindfulness practice, it helps reduce our clinging and grasping tendency. By visualizing the Buddha’s Pureland and the glorious Buddha Amitabha we can help settle our own mind.

Redirecting our attention in this way can help us develop single-minded concentration. When we have some stability of mind, we can then begin to reflect on the causes of our greed, such as wanting more sense pleasures or wanting to avoid pain. We may also start to see how our grasping and clinging leads to suffering. Recognizing these causes and conditions can help us develop renunciation and letting go.

Zen Chan methods for cutting Greed

In Zen Chan, the emphasis is on using meditation to achieve a state of mind where we are no longer attached to anything. This is known as “None-attachment” or “No-mind”.

The following are some key Zen Chan teachings on greed:

1. In the “Diamond Sutra”, the Buddha says that we can find true liberation by letting go of our attachments.

2. In the “Heart Sutra”, the Buddha says that all things are empty, and that we can find true liberation by letting go of our attachments.

3. In the ” Platform Sutra”, the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng says that we can find true liberation by cultivating wisdom.

By following the Zen Chan path, we can gradually cut the poison of greed from our lives, and find true liberation.

Zen Chan methods for cutting greed help cut grasping by “just sitting.” Just sitting mindfully is an advanced practice — it sounds simple, but takes years of discipline and practice to perfect. When we can just sit without thinking, without attachment, then we have achieved a state of “no-mind.” This is the ultimate goal of Zen Chan practice — to find true liberation by letting go of all attachments.

These are some of the key teachings on greed from the Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, Pureland and Zen Chan traditions. By following any of these paths, we can gradually cut the poison of greed from our lives and find true liberation.

A meditation: asking ourselves key questions about greed

It can be helpful to take a few minutes, meditatively, and ask ourselves some key questions in our own meditative sessions:

-What are some of the dangers of greed?

-How can greed lead to suffering?

-What are some of the things we can do to overcome greed?

-What are some of the benefits of overcoming greed?

-What is the difference between wanting something and being attached to it?

-How can we develop contentment with what we have?

-How can we practice detachment from our possessions?

-What is the difference between giving and being generous?

-Are there any other methods for cutting the poison of greed that you know of? Feel free to share your own experiences or stories.

NOTES

[1] Greed, Hatred, Delusion: The Three Poisons in Theravada Buddhism https://drarisworld.wordpress.com/2020/09/28/greed-hatred-delusion-the-three-poisons-in-theravada-buddhism/

[2] Photo credit: By User:BPG – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1889325

How do we correctly chant mantras for maximum benefit? Are the rules for guiding mantrayana practice? What are the prerequisites of mantra practice? In this presentation, we cover the prerequisites, the indispensibles, and offer 9 tips and practices for maximizing the benefit of your mantra practice.

Guru Rinpoche, the great Lotus Born Padmasambhava, advised his great disciple Lady Yeshe Tsogyal  on how to practice mantrayana:

“You must possess the key point of faith free from fluctuation, like a river.

You must possess the key point of compassion free from enmity, like the sun.

You must possess the key point of generosity free from prejudice, like a spring of drinking water.

You must possess the key point of samaya free from flaws, like a crystal ball.”

This is the foundation for practicing mantra yana. All four of these are far more important than mechanics like “proper pronunciation.”

Faith and Compassion are Indispensable

What did Guru Rinpoche mean when he talked about the key points of faith and compassion? For mantra, or any other Buddhist practice to have a profound impact in our lives, we have to start from the right place — before we even worry about how to pronounce the mantra.

For example, every location on a map needs two coordinates. For mantra, the two coordinates are faith and compassion. In Buddhism, faith arises from Wisdom, not blind adherence to doctrine. For this reason, in Mantrayana, the two wings of the bird of Enlightenment are Wisdom and Compassion.

Put another way, to practice Mantrayana, in a worthwhile way, we have to be motivated by Bodhichitta, the intention to benefit all sentient beings. Without that motivation, it is not a Mahayana Buddhist practice. Once we have the motivation, we have to have the Wisdom of Faith.

We have faith in the correctness of the teachings, the Dharma, the Budhda, and our lineages of teachers. With that faith, motivated by our compassion and Bodhichitta, we have all the qualifications we need to practice mantrayana.

His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, in guidelines for mantra practice wrote said, “the main requirement for mantra chanting of any Enlightened Deity according to the teachings, is Bodhichitta intention.”

Compassion and Wisdom as Foundations

In Guru Rinpoche’s four foundations for practicing mantra effectively, he also highlighted generosity, and remaining true to the Bodhisattva vow to help all sentient beings, or keeping our Samaya.

The Lady Who Had Faith

In a lovely story on Dharma Drum Mountain’s website, they describe the famous story of the lady who had faith, a beautiful teaching story on the power of faith:

“In ancient times, there lived an old lady who diligently recited the “Brilliant Mantra of Six Words Om mani padme hum” for many years.

One day, a realized Buddhist master happened to pass by; from a distance, he saw the house enveloped in a luminous glow, and thought that there must be a practitioner with great achievements inside. Upon entering, he saw an illiterate elderly lady reciting the mantra who was even mispronouncing the last word. With good intention, the master corrected her mistake—only to find that, as he left the house and looked back, the glow from within the house had vanished.

The old lady was filled with remorse after the master corrected her pronunciation, thinking that her mistake in pronunciation had negated all those years of practice. This, in turn, caused her to lose focus in her recitation and any spiritual response from it.

“When the master realized what had happened, he went back and told the old lady that he misremembered, and she should continue her recitations as before; that is, her pronunciation was not wrong. Before the master left, he looked back to see that the house was glowing once again.”

This shows that the core of mantra recitation lies in the sincerity of our heart and the focus of our mind and our faith.

Generosity as a Foundation

Why generosity? Mantrayana is a practice within the great vehicle of Mahayana — where we generously accept our role as a Bodhisattva, with the promise to help others. This makes Bodhichitta and generosity the most important mantra qualification. This is manifested in our practice as our Samaya.

Samaya as Foundation

Why did Guru Rinpoche single out Samaya as one of the four methods? Samaya means promise or vows — in the case of Buddhists, this is primarily our Boshisattva Vows. In the case of some Vajrayana practices, that might also include our Tantric Vows.

Guru Rinpoche is emphasizing that our Bodhisattva Vows are a requirement of any practice in Mantrayana and Vajrayana. For example, chanting a mantra with the intention to destroy or harm another sentient being is simply not even possible with Buddhist Mantras. Bodhisattvas help all sentient beings and Mahayana Buddhists take the Bodhisattva vow to empower our Bodhichitta goal.

For mantra to be effective we must keep the Bodhisattva Vows. This is sometimes called the Ten Vows of Samantabadhra, which are found in the Samantabhadra-caryā-praṇidhānam:

I vow to pay homage to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

I vow to praise the virtues of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

I vow to serve and make offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

I vow to confess past misdeeds and uphold the precepts.

I vow to rejoice in the merit and virtues of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and all sentient beings.

I vow to ask the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to teach the Dharma.

I vow to ask the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to refrain from entering nirvana.

I vow to always follow the Buddhas’ teachings.I vow to benefit all sentient beings.

I vow to dedicate the merit from all practices to the liberation of all beings.

Tips to Empower Your Mantras

With these four foundations of Guru Rinpoche in mind, what can we expect in terms of benefits. We covered, these in depth in another presentation (embedded below), the 9 Benefits of Mantra as taught by Guru Rinpoche:

We also covered extensively the method of using your mantra support, which is your mala:

In the rest of this presentation, we’ll focus simply on how to optimize mantra practice.

An important starting tip is: don’t let anyone tell you, that you are doing it all wrong, and your practice is worth nothing, that you’ve wasted years pronouncing it wrong — like the lovely woman who practiced in her home that glowed with the light of her faith. Even if you mispronounce, chant to fast, too loud or too frantically, it all has value; as long as you have the intention to benefit all sentient beings and aspire to the cause for Enlightenment. Even if you didn’t understand the practice instructions, you’re mantra work still has great value, planting, as Lama Zopa explained “seeds of virtue.”

If you chant mantras in your own native language, instead of the original Sanskrit, you are still practicing wonderfully.

If you chant mantra too quickly, because you only have a five minute break, you’re amazing. At least you practiced.

If you have practiced your mantra with faith for years, not realizing it is pronounced a different way, trust that you still benefitted.

In this presentation, we’re simply focused on advanced techniques to perfect your practice.

Having qualified that any practice is better than no practice, it is still valuable to practice as correctly as possible. Even though mispronouncing mantras with faith may still be quite effective, it is valuable to mindfully attempt to pronounce correctly. Even though we’re in a hurry, it’s still best to slow it down and concentrate.

This is because Mantras are effective due to all of Body, Speech and Mind. Mantras bless all three. Mantras are effective because they use the power of our minds to set intentions and to activate outcomes. Mantras have vibrational power through the qualities of sacred sound. Mantras are defined as “mind protection.” It’s not about “magic spells” it’s about the power of our minds to influence our lives, and the lives of others in a compassionate and wise way.

A Playlist of beautifully chanted Sanskrit Mantras on our Buddha Weekly Channel:

Is listening as helpful as recitation?

Although listening to mantras is not as helpful as actually participating silently our outloud, it is still valuable. You are hearing Sacred Dharma, which is always beneficial. Listening to someone chanting — especially with a beautiful voice, or tone — can be very empowering.

Ultimately, though, the goal is to particpate beyond simply listening. You can recite silently, outloud, at a whisper, or musically, as you prefer, but the idea is to bring your focus to the sacred Dharma, the benefits of Dharma and the power of Dharma, here, as expressed in mantras transmitted by the Buddha.

A “how-to” from Great Longchenpa on Supplication (or Requesting Activities) Mantras:

How to recite Mantras

In fact there is no one way to recite or practice mantras. As explained by Dr. Alexander Berzin:

“As I’ve explained, there are many different ways of reciting mantras, loud, soft, just in our mind, visualizing the letters of the mantra rather than saying the mantra in our mind or out loud. In kriya tantra, there’s imagining that the letters of the mantra themselves are inside our hearts are giving off the sounds of the mantra as opposed to imagining that we are making the sound. Then, there are meditations on the voidness of that sound of the mantra. There are many, many different types of mantra practices. But whether or not we are accompanying our recitation with a visualization, it is important to generate a special state of mind while reciting – either compassion, the understanding of voidness, and so on. ” [2]

As long as you have Bodhichitta intention, all practice has value. Ideally, bring mindfulness to your practice. Especially in the beginning, remember some basic tips — which begin with “slowing things down.”

A good guideline is to remember Buddha taught “the middle way” without extremes. In other words, in the context of mantras: not too slow, not too fast; mindful, but not obsessive over details;  quality, not quantity; anywhere is better than nowhere; a promise is a promise, but we all make mistakes.

1. Quality is Better than Quantity

Even people engaging in counting retreats, where the goal is hundreds of thousands of repetitions in a retreat format should remember that quality is better than numbers. Completing 100,000 repetitions, without mindfulness isn’t as valuable as 5,000 carefully and mindfully chanted mantras.

2. Speed is Relative

Mantras cannot be chanted too fast, or too slow as long as you are including every syllable and mindfully focused on them. As you practice, your speed may natuarally increase. If you have a teacher, always follow their advice on speed. Somet teachers say “not too slow, not too fast” but this is another way of saying “make sure you enunciate each syllable properly.

Dr. Alexander Berzin gave the best description of how to chant:

“The speed with which we recite the mantras depends on us. The point is not to leave out any syllables. If you ever hear His Holiness the Dalai Lama recite mantras, it’s faster than practically anybody I’ve ever heard in my life – the same thing for reciting a text or reciting anything – yet every syllable is distinct and clear.” [2]

In other words focus mindfully on each syllable at whatever speed is comfortable and natural.

3. Anywhere is Better than Nowhere; Some, is Better than None

Sometimes we obsess so much of perfect practice, we end up skipping today because of non perfect circusmstances. Oh, I missed the morning session, so I’ll skip for today. Or, it’s too noisy here, I’ll do it later when I’m alone. I’m too stressed out right now, I’ll do it tomorrow.  I’ve got a headache, I’ll wait. I don’t have time to do my thousand repetitions, I’ll skip today and make up tomorrow. Or, we get panicky when we realize we broke our samaya by not practicing yesterday.

Instead, just practice late, practice with a headache, do fifty instead of 1000 repetitions. If you “broke samaya by missing a day” you just it make up today. If you’re promised to do 21 mantras a day, and missed, next day, you do 42. If you wait for perfect circumstances, you’ll be a practitioner in name only. The goal of practice is to actually practice, not to be rigid or dogmatic.

4. Volume and tone

General advice from most teachers is that if you are in public or around other people, mantras should be softly chanted so that you can hear, but others cannot. The goal is not to disturb others. For example, at a counting retreat, generally low volume is desirable.

On the other hand, for celebratory mantras that express our devotion, often known as name praise mantras, a joyful tone is appropriate. For example, when starting a group practice celebrating Amitabha or Avaloktiteshvara, we may musically and joyfully chant our mantras.

For serious practice, and supplication mantras, which are mantras that request activities of Enlightened deities, these are normally outloud, but not at a disturbing volume. If you are alone, as loud as you like, but in public, or group practice with respect for others around you. Normally, these are softly spoken rather than whispered.

For highest yoga practices, where we are self generating or undertaking specific practices, it is best to strictly follow the teachers guidance.

5. Blissfully Musical versus Syllabic

Mantras chanted to a melody or musically tend to be name or praise devotional mantras, or mantras that when repeated for thousands of repetitions become sleep-inducing. Ultimately, to chant musically, or tonelessly is your own preference, unless your specific lineage advises otherwise.

One of the practice areas in Vajrayana is meditating on bliss and emptiness. Bliss and joy are important to Vajrayana meditation. Here, we’re not referring to joy that gives rise to attachment, one of the great poisons in Buddhism. This is bliss that arises naturally from wisdom and compassion. Wisdom is the understanding of Shunyata and Emptiness. When we chant mantras, we are often meditating on emptiness or self generation  followed by disssolution. We do this with blissful awareness.

Musicality of mantras can help with blissful awareness. In this case it’s not devotional joy (although it can be) but rather a mindful practice.

For example, if we are chanting healing mantras, it can help to do so melodically. For this reason, Medicine Buddha mantras, and mantras such as Om Mani Padme Hum are often musically chanted. The sense of joy and celebration reinforces the meditation.

Other times, we actually change tones deliberately. Such as, for example, Manjushri’s arapachana mantras, where when we finish our meditation and recitation we allow our voice to dwindle as we intone, over and over again, the seed syllable Dhi. These are techniques that reinforce our mindful practice of mantra.

Some people advocate specific harmonics for some yogic mantras, but these are specific practices and yogas, not general recommendations.

Musicality of mantras is a celebratory practice, and highly meritorious, benefiting all sentient beings.

With music, pronunciation is still correct, but the music adds  a rhythm and joy that makes longer-term practice easier and more blissfully energetic.

6. Making Mantra a Complete Practice

Often, whe we are busy, we ask our teachers, “what if I don’t have time for my practice commitments and sadhanas?” Many teachers simply reply, “You have time for a mantra, don’t you?”

This means we can make mantras the focus of our practice. To make it a complete practice, it is vital to always begin by taking refuge in the Three Jewels. This can be as simple as saying “I take refuge in the Three Jewels, the Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha, until I reach Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.” This includes both Refuge and the all-important Bodhichitta intention.

Chanting the mantras is our complete practice, especially if you combine it with visualization of the deity, and recite clearly and with mindfulness.  The mantra itself is both a praise and and offering, as well as a supplication.

Especially important in this case, is to always dedicate the merit of your mantra recitation to the benefit of all sentient beings. This makes it a complete practice. You can dedicate by simply saying, respectfully and sincerely, “I dedicate the merit of this mantra recitation to the cause for Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

7. Chant 7, 21, 27, 108 or more Times

Repetition a certain number of times symbolizes not only sincerity, but also creates intentionality. Additional repetitions, above the “minimum” helps in case we miss syllables. The traditional number is 108, with the final making up for any mistakes in recitation, but for longer mantras, or when you are in a rush, you can chant 7, 21, or 27 times. We’ve covered this symbolism in other features.

It is helpful to use a mala for counting and as your mantra support. See our in-depth feature on Guru Rinpoche’s guide to using a mala, linked at the information icon.

8. Remain Mindful

Although you can chant mantras when walking, doing chores, driving and at other times, as a reinforcing practice, these tasks make it less meditative. Even if you’ve been chanting during rush hour on the way to work — making sure you do not take your concentration off the road — it’s ideal to set aside a few minutes for dedicated mantra practice when you can be fully mindful.

This means, starting with your breathing. Relaxing and settling into a comfortable posture. Then, reciting mindfully, enunciating each vowel carefully. As you do, if you have the concentration, you can engage in visualizations. The simplest is to visualize yourself suffused with light, blessing your body as you recite.

More intense visualizations include imagining the deity in front of you, with light going out from the deity’s heart to all sentient beings in the universe, blessing them, then returning into your own heart, blessing your own body, speech and mind.

9. Make up for Mistakes

There are three ways you can remedy your mistakes in pronunciation. One, is to recite 10 percent more than you count. The more elaborate method, especially on counting retreats, is to recite every letter of the Sanskrit alphabet. This makes up for any missing sounds. The third is to chant one of the mantras or Dharanis to repair recitation flaws.

A shorter form of “making up for mistakes” is to chant the purifying mantra at the beginning and end of your session. This can be either OM AH HUM which purifies body, speech and mind, or OM SVABHAVA SHUDDO DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM which is also called the Emptiness or Shunyata mantra. These purify the mantra sounds to essence.

In practice, if we recite several repetitions daily, we’re already symbolically making up for our mistakes by repeating.

Famous mantra for “destroying evil and curses” — this is NOT about destroying a sentient being, but rather than anger and hate within people that inspires evil:

What about all these mantras that “Destroy evil”?

Many mantras, and especially activity mantras, such as those of the 21 Taras or of various protectors, use the word “destroy” in their title. For example, “Destroys evil” or “Destroys enemies.” In the context of Buddhist mantras, it is important to understand that Bodhichitta is not “optional.” Destroying enemies” does not mean your personal enemy will drop dead the next day. Buddhist mantras destroy the enemies of anger, hate, jealousy, rage, anxiety, fear, desire, depression. By destroying the anger, we remove the incentive for people to engage in negative acts such as killing. We destroy the root causes, in Buddhism called the Ten Klesha or Ten Poisons. When all the poisons are removed, we attain, ultimately Enlightenment.

NOTES

[1] https://www.dharmadrum.org/portal_d8_cnt_page.php?folder_id=38&cnt_id=128&up_page=1

[2] https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/vajrayana/tantra-theory/recitation-of-mantras#:~:text=Most%20of%20the%20time%20when,doesn’t%20disturb%20everyone%20around.

“Of what is the body made?” asked George Leonard in The Silent Pulse. “It is made of emptiness and rhythm.” He went on to describe how science views matter: “We can see the fully crystalline structures of muscle fiber, waving like wheat in the wind, pulsing many trillions of times a second. As we move closer to the nucleus, it begins to dissolve. It too is nothing more than an oscillating field that upon our approach dissolves into pure rhythm.”

Part 1 of our Mantra Series: Healing Mantras, Setting the Mind Free>>

Part 2 of Buddha Weekly’s Special Series on Mantra: Mantras in Buddhist Practice

All matter in the universe, in some theories, are nothing but vibrations. Sounds are vibrations. Mantras are vibrations. Mantras are “made of emptiness and rhythm.” So, it seems is matter.

In the beginning

Religious traditions around the world acknowledge the power of sound, whether it be prayer, mantra, the word of Saraswati or the Biblical God, “In the beginning was the Word.” Just as vibrations are theorized by some scientists to be the underlying “structure” of the matter, it seems religions all around the world understood this aeons ago.

Mantra is universal

Mantra practice is often no more than an act of dedication. But at a practical level, mantra goes beyond devotion, and can be used in spiritual growth, healing, even worldly affairs.

Mantra is not solely a Buddhist or Hindu practice. Most religions have similar practices. Sufi master Vilayat Inayat Khan said, “The practice of mantra actually neads the body with sound. The delicate cells of the elaborate bundles of nerves are subjected to a constant hammering, a seizure of flesh by the vibrations of divine sound.”

One of the most popular Buddhist mantras brings the healing energy of Medicine Buddha, here sung beautifully by Yoko Dharma. This mantra is open to anyone who wishes to bring His energy: Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Sumundgate Soha:

What can mantra do?

According to Thomas Ashely-Farrand in his book Healing Mantras: Using Sound affirmations for Personal Power Creativity and Healing, “Mantra can help you feel more peaceful or more energized. It can help you cope with illness and it can sometimes help effect physical healing. It an help you bring your wishes to fruition and create reality from your dreams. Mantra is a dynamic, individual, nonviolent way to approach conditions you wish to change.”

How does mantra work?

Mantra is effective. Mantra practice “works.” The question is “how does mantra work?” There are many ways mantra works, according to various experts:
• the effect of sound vibrations on matter, made predictable by centuries of spiritual experimentation
• the inherent spiritual meaning of the mantra that conditions the mind
• mantras connect us to the compassion of a Buddha or enlightened being
• mantras connect us to our Buddha within
• mantas induce mindfulness
• mantras have inherent power (the supernatural meaning) — not entirely to be discounted easily, based on plenty of anecdotal evidence
• centuries or thousands of years of practice and millions of practicers have created “collective consciousness” equity (a far fetched theory that never-the-less has been demonstrated in Rupert Sheldrake’s theories and several credible studies on remote learning)
• mantras induce an altered state of mind, helpful for healing and stress reduction.
• and a long list of more esoteric reasons.

In short, after thousands of years of practice, and a heavy weight of anecdotal evidence, mantras work at one level or the other. And, for those of use who are practicing mantra out of simple devotion, none of this matters. Tradition, heritage and a “feeling of rightness” and dedication to the sacred just makes it part of practice.

Below: Play the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra chanted beautifully by Yoko Dharma. This mantra is open for anyone who wishes to bring compassion into their lives:

Om Mani Padme Hum

Arguably, Om Mani Padme Hum (Om Mani Peme Hung in Tibetan), the mantra of Avalokiteshvara (Guan Yin in Chinese Buddhism), is the best known Buddhist mantra. Around the world, millions chant this precious mantra, seeking to connect with the Bodhisattva of compassion. Does the mantra mean anything? There is an English translation, but the meaning is not immediately relevant. Mani means “jewel” and padme translates as “lotus,” so it can be translated as “Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus.” But the true power of this jewel of mantras lies in its hidden meanings, upon which many sages have expounded. And the hidden cadence of “emptiness and rhythm.”

Chanting Om Mani Padme Hum can bring us closer to compassion and helps us find the Bodhisattva.

A video short teaching on Mantra “How to and Why to” from H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche (8 minutes):

Mantra practice principles

These practice principles are my own and teachers may ask you to practice differently. This is just what has worked for me:
1. Purpose of mantra recitation
Whether the mantra chanting is for devotion, spiritual progress, mindfulness meditation or to help with worldly issues (such as healing), it is a good practice to have a goal in mind at the beginning of a practice session.
2. Repetition of mantra
Many paths or teachers will specify the number of repetitions. This isn’t a formula necessarily, so much as a discipline. Generally, 108 is the minimum number of repetitions per practice session, although most practices call for much more than this. 108 repetitions corresponds to the 108 delusions that afflict life. There are six varieties of delusions: delusions of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Each of these is multiplied by three — past, present, future — then by the two conditions of the heart, pure and impure, and the three sentiments (like, dislike, indifference.) When multiplied, this results in 108, long held by many religious traditions (Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic and others) to be significant.
3. Daily practice
Daily practice is the best approach to mantra, but often mantra can be accomplished faster in a full retreat. There will normally be a “formula” or number or repetitions, recommended by a teacher, your inner guide, or a tradition, but ultimately, more is better with mantra.
4. Place of practice
Mantra is about sound vibrations, which transcend place, but it is often helpful to practice in quiet, meditative environments, such as before your shrine, in a temple, or out doors in nature. Ultimately, though, mantra can calm the mind in any scenario. Often, people in distress chant mantras to great effect in the midst of storms, wars or disasters. A quiet space is not a requirement, only a help.
5. Chant with sincerity
Mumbling through a mantra is not a practice. It’s mumbling. Remain mindful of the mantra, and practice meditation techniques (such as detached watching, mindfulness, etc). But put your full mindful commitment to the practice. It’s not a ritual, it’s a practice that can change your life.

Amitabha’s mantra is open for all (here chanted by Yoko Dharma.) Amitabha is the Buddha of Infinite Light:

To Mala or not to Mala

Mala’s are an aid to counting at a very basic level. Also known as rosary, worry beads, or prayer beads, malas are not simply a “counter.” Most traditions consider malas to be a Dharma object, therefore due the respect of an ancient spiritual tool that has been used for centuries. Malas can be made of anything, and value is irrelevant. You can make them yourself or buy them. But once you begin using a mala, if you do, treat them with great respect. Use of a mala can strongly reinforce mantra practice, but is not necessary. Part 4 in this series is all about malls.

Seed Mantras

You can begin working with the “seed syllable” purification mantra Om Ah Hum (Om A Hum.) Often Om Ah Hum precedes or concludes other mantras in a practice session, with 108 or more recitations of Om Ah Hum followed by the other mantras. There are different ways to think of Om Ah Hum, such as the traditional Body, Speech and Mind. Or as the primal vibrations—Om as primal source vibration, Ah as primal speech vibration (and also the female aspect) and Hum as the mind vibration.

Lama Thubten Yeshe teaches the purification mantra this way: Purification of Body —”Concentrate on the white OM in your brain. Recognize that this white OM is the pure energy of the divine body of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.”Purification of Speech — “Concentrate on the red AH at your throat chakra, like the sun at sunset. Recognize that this red AH is the pure speech of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.”Purification of Mind — ” Your heart is pure, cool and calm, opened by the radiant light of the moon and the HUM. Infinite blue light radiates from the HUM. All narrow thoughts disappear; all indecisive minds disappear; all obsessed minds disappear.”

 

It seems almost silly to accept the notion that “sound” can change a person’s life situation. Yet research, and centuries of anecdotal evidence point to definite benefits from mantras.

[Full story on the Mantra crop here>>]

Health changes, are understandable— at least at the level of reduction of stress through mantra meditation. Obviously, with faith, there is a reasonable level of “faith healing.” And yes, plants can be shown to grow more vigorously with certain sound vibrations. Yet, in Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhism, it is said that mantra is effective, even if the person chanting it does not have faith. How can a reasonable person actually believe that Mantra can trigger healing, or protect us, or bring us good fortune with or without faith?

Buddha taught that He (the Buddha) is the doctor, the Dharma is the medicine, and the Sangha is the nurse. On this level, Dharma, the spoken words of Buddha, is medicine. Mantras are Dharma distilled to a handful of words (at least, that’s one way to look at them.) Just as, with our eyes, we might gaze upon a beautiful statue of a contemplative Buddha, and feel suddenly empowered, the speech of the Buddha (mantra) has the same effect, using sound and vibration.

On more practical level — and perhaps easier to accept for the non-Buddhist — the whole concept of remaining focused on these words (and what they symbolize), brings us closer to “right conduct” in our lives, probably improving our “karmic” situation (helping us neutralize negative karma.) Removing the negatives from our lives, tend to bring the positives into our situation.

Healing Power of Sound

“It’s also been found that self created sounds such as chanting will cause the left and right hemispheres of the brain to synchronize. Such chanting will also help oxygenate the brain, reduce our heart rate, blood pressure and assist in creating calm brainwave activity. In addition, listening to certain chants has great beneficial effects.” — Johnathon Goldman Tantra Of Sound(Hampton Road)[1]

Healing Mantra of Medicine Buddha chanted in Sanskrit:

Goldman explains: “On one level, one can see that mantric chanting, as observed years ago by Dr. Herbert Benson, helps induce the “relaxation” response, causing reduction of heart beat, brain waves and respiration. On another level, as Dr. David Shananoff-Khalsa believes, mantric recitation enables the tongue to stimulate the acupuncture meridians inside the mouth (particularly on the roof), thus enhancing help. Dr. Ranjie Singe found that the chanting of specific mantras caused the release of the hormone melatonin and is investigating the importance of this in the healing process. He has found that there are many benefits including shrinkage of tumors and enhanced sleep because of this. He writes about this in his book Powerful Self Healing Techniques.”

He explained: “Everything is in a state of vibration and when we are in a natural, resonant vibration, we are in a state of health. But if some part of the body begins to vibrate at a counter frequency, the energy becomes stuck and disease sets in. Therefore, by mantric chanting, one can cause stuck energy to become released, and we can return to our natural state of resonance, effecting a cure.

“I have, incidentally, observed this phenomenon many times during workshops. We will be reciting a mantra to invoke a specific entity—perhaps Tara, Tibetan Goddess of Compassion for example, in order to better embody the energy of compassion. However, during and after the process, I’ve seen people with chronic health problems emerge from the chanting quite healthy. It’s amazing.”

Sound Symbols

Tara’s Activity Mantra brings all the activities of all the Buddhas: protective, pacifying, powerful, and wrathful into our lives:

Mantras are often considered to be “sound” icons or symbols. In the same way we visualize a Buddha with our imaginations, or visual symbols, likewise we intone mantras  as audible triggers or symbols. Both visualization and mantras, from one point of view, help us connect to the Buddha within.

Mantras are much more than just symbols. The Sanskrit root of “mantra” is “manas” which means mind combined with “trai” which means to “set free from.” The literal definition of mantra is “set free the mind.” Some interpret “trai” as protect, which made mantras somewhat synonymous with mind protection (whether yours or divine).

Longer Dharanis from Sutra are also a form of more elaborate mantra. The best of example of a Dharani, chanted by many daily, is Amitabha’s Pure Land Dharani (sometimes called the Long Life Dharani, which connects us with the mind of Compassion, and is well known for bringing joy, bliss, and peace. It is also an aspiration to purify all negative karma and help us be reborn to Amitabha’s Pureland. By purifying obstacles and negative karma, it is also known as the Dharni of Long Life

Anywhere, Anytime Mantras Help Us

Buddhists often find themselves chanting mantras all day long, when driving, working, playing. In effect, this extends mindfulness of Buddhist practice throughout our day, rather than just occasionally when we find time to formally meditate.

Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche explained why it’s important to think in these terms (during an interview with Buddha Weekly): “One very famous Lama, named Sakya Pandita, wrote “Even if you are going to die tomorrow, you should start the Dharma today.” Why? Because your mind continues. Your mind doesn’t die. The body dies, the mind continues. So whatever you study in this lifetime remains with you in your mind as an imprint. Don’t think, “I’m an old man now, waiting to die, there’s no point.”

Rinpoche pointed out that mantra practice is perfect for busy, modern people, and used his own busy schedule — he teaches non stop in countries around the world: “I do my mantras when I’m on a plane. I do my mantras when I’m on the subway. I travel a lot. I sit on the plane, have a cup of tea, then do my mantras. I do my practice first, then maybe try to get some sleep.” [2]

Mantra and the “Mechanics” of Sound

In a fascinating feature on the syllable Aum (Om), Gabriel Axel in U.S.News, explained how sound can affect the brain: “A, U and M are sonorants or rings, so this particular mantra qualifies an object that inherently has no interactions (hits or slides). In terms of physics, this means our object is formless. Try resonating the mantra aloud, allowing air to flow through the nasal passage, smoothly transitioning between the three sounds.

Vajra Guru Mantra chanted in Sanskrit. Sanskrit the “mother language” has nuances of vibration and pronunciation that empower mantras. The syllables of Sanskrit, also carry multiple meanings. For example, the mantra of Guru Rinpoche can be translated twelve different ways (all powerful blessings), as described in his own teaching on the mantra (see this feature>>) It is also a very beautiful mantra that resonates with the meditative mind:

If you do not wish to disturb anyone that may be around you, you can whisper the sounds subvocally. The A (pronounced ä, as in “car”) can feel like a wide opening and has a broader vibratory effect on the physical body, approximating the gross consciousness of the waking state. The U (pronounced o͞o, as in “soup”), has a funneling effect, narrowing the consciousness into subtler sensations such as thoughts and impressions, approximating the dream state. The more nasal M sound is like the drone of a bee; it makes the cranium vibrate in a kind of undifferentiated and ubiquitous earthquake over the convolutions or valleys in the cerebral cortex, approximating the deep dreamless sleep state of consciousness. Traditionally, Aum represents and has the capacity to progressively open up the practitioner to the ever-present formless and timeless reality, the background radiation of the cosmos that echoes the Big Bang.” [3]

Mantra also means “instrument of thought”

The best dictionary definition for mantra is “instrument of thought”, a concept that nicely connects with one of the main purposes of the sounds. In both Buddhism and Hinduism, one of the many purposes of mantra is to aid in concentration, mindfulness and meditation. The repetition of a mantra — especially if intoned with rhythm in Sanskrit — is somewhat hypnotic, almost trance-inducing for some people. On one hand, mantra focuses and helps us stay mindful and in the present. On the other, it shifts us into an “altered consciousness” where concepts, visualization and meditation becomes very effective for some people.

Another way of considering this definition is as an “enabler.” Thought enables action. Mantras enable (at one level) thought. At another level mantras could be said to “alter” thought, especially where the practitioner has a “negative” habit. For example, if we lack compassion, we might chant the mantra of the Lord of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara: Om Mani Padme Hum.

Typically, for a serious student, the mantra that automatically comes to mind and lips is that of the Buddha-form you find most appealing — or most needed in your life. For people needed active protection, this might be Green Tara’s rapid-acting mantra: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. For a student struggling with exams, they might be drawn to Manjushri’s wisdom mantra: Om Ah Ra Pa Ca Nah Dih (Ca is pronounced Tza).  For healing, Medicine Buddha comes to mind and lips: Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Sumudgate Svaha.

Nembutsu—or mindfulness of Buddha

One of the main purposes of mantra is mindfulness. Nembutsu literally means “to think of Buddha” which is based on the ancient teaching “Be mindful of the Buddha and the Buddha is mindful of you.” This is a practice of Pure Land Buddhism, but it does apply effectively to much of mantra practice, getting to the heart of mantra’s power — mindfulness.

The Nembutsu of Guanyin Bodhisattva:

Law of Karma: Why Mantras Can Help us Heal

Buddhists and Hindus, who both use mantras effectively, believe that a key purpose of mantra is to “set free from” karma. Since in Buddhist belief, our current conditions (and health) are caused, in part, by negative karma from earlier actions (either in this life, or in a previous life), Mantra practice becomes an important aid in healing, and stress reduction. Mantra is said to help work off negative karma through mindful practice and sacred sounds that connect with the “divine.”

“Chanting mantras works directly on all types of karma, helping to overcome what may have been created inadvertently or ignorantly in this life or some past life,” wrote Thomas Ashely-Farrand in Healing Mantras: Using Sound Affirmations for Personal Power, Creativity and Healing. “As part of this process, we can heal various physical, emotional and spiritual conditions…”

Sacred formula, Sacred Speech

A search on the word “mantra” on the internet reveals all sorts of definitions. The most exotic of these is “sacred formulas” and indeed they can be thought of as sacred speech. Sanskrit, the Mother of all tongues and a root to many languages, contains within its syllables sacred seeds, according to ancient traditions that stretch back thousands of years. Other definitions include “prayer or song of praise”, and though technically true, most practitioners believe mantra transcends simple praise.

Mantras don’t always translate into literal meanings. Syllables such as the most sacred OM, AH or HUM do not specifically mean anything and are considered sacred sounds with immense significance.

Mantras as magic? Not so Much

Less uplifting definitions on an internet search include: mystical verses, magical formula, charm, spell, incantation. These definitions do not fit the noble mantra, although there is some essential underlying truth, since mantra is often attributed with internal change, external change, wonders, marvels, even miracles. Yet, many believers describe mantra as a vehicle of transformation—not as a “spell” or formula of words. The mantra, according to many,  connects us with the divine or with the Buddha within (outward or inward) and works on the transformation of our minds.

It would be more useful to define mantra as a vehicle for illumination, clarity and removing defilements, which can have “magical effects” than to state the mantra is actually magic. Still, there are thousands upon thousands of stories of miraculous rescues for Tibetans who invoked Tara with here most popular ten syllable mantra:

OM Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Video teaching: What is Buddhist Mantra and How Can it Help Me? — a short teaching from H.E. Zasep Rinpoche:

Mantras in healing

Mantras are extremely effective for practitioners in healing. Millions of people rely on mantra to support their healthy practice. Whether because of transformation of the “mind”—the almost limitless power of the internal—or the intervention of a divine external, there is no end to the healing miracles attributed to mantra. Medicine Buddha and White Tara Mantras, in particular, if intoned with sincerity and faith—although some teachers teach that mantra is effective even in absence of belief—have been attributed with many thousands of cures, remissions of cancer, extending of lives.

For example, to increase longevity, merit, remove defilements and help heal, the White Tara mantra is used effectively by millions of practitioners:

OM Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayur Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Ye Svaha

Mantra of White Tara:

As a focus for the mind, to create the conditions for mindfulness or healing or simple meditation, the mantra should be repeated over and over, usually in a low, steady tone with the beginning of the mantra commencing right after the ending of the previous recitation. Mantra is nearly always combined with meditation and visualization to increase it’s impact on mind and health. In some lineages, empowerment and a teacher’s guidance is a must, although some mantras—such as White Tara and Medicine Buddha—do not require empowerment. Increased repetitions is credited with increased effect by many teachers. Usually, a minimum of twenty-one recitations is considered useful, but normally a minimum of 108 mantras will be voiced in a meditation session, corresponding to:

• 108 beads in a mala, which are turned with each recitation bead-by-bead
• 108 delusions (which is the basis for the 108 beads, among other 108s).

These are bare minimums. Many practitioners will meditate on thousands of mantras each day.

Please also see these features on Mantras:

• Part 2 of our series on mantra: “Good Vibrations”>>

NOTES

[1] The Science Behind Mantra

[2] Part 3: Zasep Tulku Rinpoche discusses how to find a teacher; why its important to meditate on death; how to start with Deity Yoga; how wrathful Deities can be misunderstood; and the role of internet in Dharma teachings.

[3] “Your Brain on Om” U.S. News Gabrial Axel.

Buddha Weekly’s hard-working volunteers create educational Buddha Dharma content in multiple formats and multiple languages — to help us “Spread the Dharma.” We remain committed to new content every week in online features, Dharma download PDF resources, videos, podcasts, and emailed “ezines”, thanks to your help.

• You’ll find our growing library here>> 

Dharma Library of PDFs for Download

In our new PDF Dharma Library resource of freely available downloads with new downloads every week, we have started a collection of Sutras, Mantras, Dharanis and Teaching Texts, often with light commentary or practice suggestions and beautiful images in color. To date we have collected and published:

• Cundi Bodhisattva Dharani Sutra
• Avalokiteshvara Universal Gate Sutra
• Vajrasattva 100 Syllable Mantra in Sanskrit with practice suggestions
• Amitabha Dharani
• Avalokiteshvara Great Compassion Dharani of Avalokiteshvara Ekadasamukha, 1000-Armed Chenrezig
• Medicine Buddha Dharani
• Tara’s Great Dharani and Tara’s Sutra of Tara Who Protects from Eight Fears
• Vajravarahi’s 8 Lines of Praise in Sanskrit
• Amoghasiddhi Buddha Puja

Many more to follow. In the first 5 days since it was created, we have seen over 900 downloads.

May all beings benefit.

The Lotus Sutra, chapter 7, which contains the Parable of the Magic City is a story of Akshobhya Buddha, and his “Mirror-Like” Wisdom. His name in the Sutra was “The Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory.”

The Great Penetrating Wisdom is the “Mirror-Like Wisdom” of the Vajra Buddha Akshobya Buddha.

In The Parable of the Magic City in the Lotus Sutra chapter 7, Shakyamuni Buddha tells the story of Akshobhya Buddha.

In this exalted chapter, the Buddha is teaching the true nature of things and the error of dualistic thinking. He also explains “Expedient means” used by the Buddha to teach Dharma.

This is, in fact, a wonderful parable illustrating the Mirror-Like wisdom of Akshobhya Buddha. In the Parable, Akshobhya Buddha is the “leader” of the people trying to reach the city. He uses expedient means, creating an illusion of a “safe city” to keep the travellers motivated and safe as they battle the obstacles of Samsara.

Editors Note: The initial commentary is from the great teacher Venerable Master Hua. The full sutra in both English (translated by the translation committee of City of 10,000 Buddhas under the direction of Master Hua) and Chinese.

This is an ongoing series, publishing the beautiful English translations of the Lotus Sutra as guided by Venerable Master Hsuang Hua.

Previous Chapter translations

• Chapter 1 of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
• Chapter 2 of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
• Chapter 3 “The Burning House” parable of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
• Chapter 4 “Parable of the Vagabond Son” of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
• Chapter 5 “Parable of the Medicinal Plants” of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
• “Prophecy” Chapter 6 of the Lotus Sutra

Commentary of Master Hua

This is the seventh of the twenty-eight chapters of The Dharma Flower Sutra. What is meant by “Transformed”? It means to create something out of nothing, and to turn something back into nothing. Most people do not understand this doctrine. It is inconceivable and cannot be understood with the mind or expressed in words. “City” is a large town. People build cities to protect themselves from invaders, scoundrels, and unreasonable people.

Where does the transformation come from? It comes from the Buddha’s spiritual penetrations. That is how, out of nothing, something can appear. Originally, the City did not exist, but now it appears. Once it appears, it is given the name “ Transformed City”.

The first thing we should understand about the Transformed City is that there is no such thing! It is an unreal city, created through transformation. It is an unreal city, an expedient city, an expedient Dharma, as it were. It is all entirely unreal: the city, the people, and the Dharma are all unreal.

“What is the use of it all, if it is all unreal?” you ask.

If you do not understand what is unreal, you will be unable to find the true. The Transformed City is a place where the Treasure Trove is kept. The Transformed City is the Provisional while the Treasure Trove is the Real. Basically, the Transformed City does not exist at all. If it were real, it would not be called a “Transformed City”; it would just be called a city. The analogy contains those of the Two Vehicles: the Hearer Vehicle and the Conditioned Enlightened Vehicle. Are there really Two Vehicles? No. There are not Two Vehicles. Then why do you talk about Two Vehicles? Because they do not exist! If they did exist, we would not have to speak about them!

The Two Vehicles are an expedient Dharma. So the Transformed City is an analogy for the Nirvana of the Two Vehicles. Nirvana means “not produced and not destroyed”. Without production, there is no extinction; without extinction, there is no production. The Nirvana of the Two Vehicles is that taught by the Provisional Wisdom; it is an expedient. The Buddha used his expedient and provisional wisdom to set forth the Dharma of the Two Vehicles. Why did he do this? When you go to school, why do you start out in elementary school? Why don’t you just start out going to the University? You could have your Ph.D. by the time you are ten. Wouldn’t that be great? Skip elementary school and high school. Unfortunately, you cannot do this. You have to start with elementary school. The Bodhisattva Vehicle is like high school. The Buddha Vehicle is like the university.

So, when l was in Hong Kong, I did not teach elementary school. I taught only at the university level. In grade school you have to keep the kids interested by telling them stories, and so forth, for them to make any progress. You can teach some doctrine in High School, but it is not until they reach college that they can really learn something.

The Buddhadharma works in the same way. Originally, there were not Two Vehicles. The Buddha set them up; just like, originally, we did not need elementary school, except that kids are too young to understand what they need to know and so an elementary school is set up to take care of them. When people are older, they attend high school and enter college at the age of eighteen or twenty. Once they enter higher education, the university has various degrees available: the Bachelor’s, the Master’s and the Ph.D. There are a lot of distinctions there. And so, those of the Two Vehicles are like the elementary school. If you want to become a Buddha, you must start out in “elementary school”, then go to “high school”, and then to the “university”. “High school” is like the Bodhisattva Path, and the “university” is like Buddhahood. You will understand this analogy, because you have all been to school.

“Oh?” you think, “the Two Vehicles are just elementary school”. Do not get too attached to the idea. It is only an analogy, you know. In Buddhism, the most important thing is to become a Buddha. But most people, if you told them right off that they should cultivate and become a Buddha, would be scared stiff. “What is that? Why should I become a Buddha? Arghh!!” Since they do not understand, you set up an “elementary school”. Obviously, you cannot give a small child a Ph.D., because he would not even have the sense to know what it was, and he would not value it at all. So, the Transformed City represents the Nirvana of the Two Vehicles, a provisionally spoken expedient term. Basically, there is no such thing, but because of the power of the provisionally spoken expedient, something appears out of nothing.

Someone hears this and starts to retreat, thinking, “Oh, so the Buddha lies. There is nothing there, and he says there is something there!”

There was nothing there, and then something was transformed. This is not a lie. This is called Two Vehicles rather than the Great Vehicle or the Vehicle of the Buddhas. It is a provisional expedient. He uses the substance of the teaching to teach and transform living beings. Living beings are taught to guard against delusive thoughts. They are taught to cut off the delusions of desire and views. This is called the Nirvana which leans toward emptiness. It leans one way; it is not the Middle way.

There are four ways of explaining the Sutras: 1) according to causes and conditions, 2) according to the essentials of the teaching.

Here I shall use the first two to explain to concept of the Transformed City.

Causes and Conditions

1) According to causes and conditions: The doctrine of one-sided emptiness causes living beings to “rest, to be led, and to enter.” To “rest” refers to the teaching of the Three Storehouses; it is the Small Vehicle concept of Nirvana as consisting of understanding and the cessation of affliction.

“To be led” refers to the two types of milk products which represent the Vaipulya (curdled milk) and Prajna (butter) Teachings. During these two teachings, one is being led.

“Enter” means to “enter the Buddha’s knowledge and vision.” We speak of opening, demonstrating, awakening to, and entering the Buddha’s wisdom. To “rest” refers to the opening of the Buddha’s wisdom. “To be led” refers to the demonstrating and awakening to the Buddha’s wisdom.

“Enter” means to enter the Buddha’s wisdom, to open the provisional and reveal the real, to speak of the Buddha Vehicle and no other vehicles.

Still, with “rest, to be led, and to enter” one has not yet arrived at the Ultimate Treasure Trove. That is why this extinction is called a “ Transformed City”. It is a provisionally set up expedient device. The Treasure Trove is the Real Teaching. The Nirvana of the Two Vehicles is merely a Transformed City. It is a provisional expedient device set up by the Buddha.

This is an explanation according to causes and conditions. Now, to explain it,

Nirvana – Peace and Rest?

2) According to the essentials of the teaching: Those of the Three Storehouse Teaching, thought of Nirvana as peace and rest. They thought, “Going to Nirvana is the greatest! Ahhh!!! There is no trouble there at all. No affliction. No gossip.” So those of the Three Storehouse Teaching really liked the idea of Nirvana. They wished to cross over into extinction. They viewed the Three Realms and wanted to be Solitarily Enlightened Ones. This is like a certain type of person who feels that everyone else is wrong, and he alone is right. He wants to go off and live somewhere all by himself thinking that would be the most wonderful. He feels it is just too much trouble to be around people.

Bodhisattvas of the Separate Teaching are not like that. They think, “You are not very good? I will draw closer to you. I will not leave you. I specialize in crossing over those who do not believe in Buddhism. If you do not believe in Buddhism, I will influence you somehow to bring forth the Bodhi mind.” This is the state of a Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattvas and those of the Two Vehicles are direct opposites. Bodhisattvas are like fathers who are out looking for their children, traveling across a very dangerous road. Suddenly they come to a very dangerous city. One foot is inside the dangerous city, and the other is outside. They are well aware that it is a very dangerous city. V-e-r-y dangerous! But when they think of their children they forget the danger. They go right into the dangerous city after them. This is the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas making vows to come into the world to save living beings. The Bodhisattva, keeping a few of his old habits—not cutting them all off yet–goes into birth and death and does not certify to the doctrine of true emptiness.

The Separate Teaching is the Prajna Period. The Storehouse Teaching is the Agama Period. The Pervasive Teaching is the Vaipulya Period. The Perfect Teaching is the Lotus Flower-Nirvana Period. The Separate Teaching calls the City “The so-called City, which is Like an Illusion”. It is an unreal city used to guard against dangers. The city is used as an expedient to cut off the delusions of views and thought. Although the delusions of views and thought have been cut off, they do not claim this is the highest state. Therefore, they call it the “so-called City”.

They do not claim it is the ultimate state. Those of the Two Vehicles go ahead and claim that their Nirvana is the highest state when actually it is not at all ultimate. Bodhisattvas purify the Buddhalands, roam and play among human beings, teaching and transforming living beings. They realize it is not the ultimate Dharma. Those of the Perfect Teaching, the Lotus Flower-Nirvana Period, know that originally there are no thieves. Since there are no thieves, they do not want a city, so they call the city they have a “ Transformed City”, an unreal city. This chapter takes its title from the doctrine of the Perfect Teaching. Thus, it is called “The Analogy of the Transformed City”.

Those of the Three Storehouse and the Pervasive Teachings think that their Nirvana is ultimate. They do not think of it as a Transformed City. Those are the Two Vehicles for you. Those of the Separate Teaching would not say it is ultimate and they would not admit that it is just a transformation. That is the state of the Bodhisattva. Those of the Perfect Teaching, the state of the Buddha, say it is not ultimate; it is a transformed city.

One may also analyze it from the point of view of the Four Siddhantas, or Four Methods by which the Buddha bestowed the teaching, the first being: 1) Mundane, or ordinary methods of giving: originally, the Transformed City was not there. But, suddenly it appeared, and the people who saw it were happy. 2) Individual treatment: when certain individuals gained understanding and rest through the analogy. 3) Diagnosing and treating moral diseases: the City guards against thieves and invaders. 4) Primary truth: in the end, when they gain real extinction.

The Four Siddhantas explained according to the Buddha’s response body: 1) The Buddha used the provisional expedient Dharma to set up the City. This is the transforming of the mundane, or ordinary. 2) Living beings brought forth goodness in small measure and this is transforming through individual treatment. 3) Getting rid of the delusions of views and thought is transformation through diagnoses and treatment of moral diseases. 4) In the end, they attain the Great Vehicle and the Great Fruit. This is transformation according to the primary truth.

The Buddha scolded those of the Small Vehicle who held to their one-sided emptiness. He told those of the Small Vehicle that they were withered sprouts and sterile seeds, utterly useless. What is to be done? Then he praised the Great Vehicle. He said it was the most wonderful Buddhadharma. It is the unsurpassed, profound, subtle, wonderful Dharma. He praised the Perfect Teaching as the most wonderful, and he spoke The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The doctrine set forth in this Sutra is all perfectly fused without obstruction. It is all inconceivable.

Someone might wonder why, if this Sutra is the Real Teaching, this chapter is not called “Former Causes and Conditions”, instead of “ Transformation City,” which is Provisional?

That is a good question. The first part of this chapter does discuss former causes and conditions from many eons back. Later in the chapter, the analogy of the Transformed City is raised. Bringing up the Transformed City is actually a revelation of the Real Teaching. Those of the Two Vehicles insisted on staying in samadhi all day and refused to move. They stayed in their Nirvana, thinking it very peaceful. They thought they had done what they had to do, finished their great work, and that they would undergo no further becoming. They got stuck in Nirvana and did not make progress in their cultivation. They were attached to Nirvana. Their provisional Dharma was revealed, and they were told it was not right to stay there. They should go forward. That was the purpose of the Transformed City.

At all times, in all places, once you have heard the Buddhadharma, you should not form an attachment to it. Get rid of your attachments.

诸比丘，彼佛灭度已来，甚大久远，

譬如三千大千世界所有地种，假使有人、磨以为墨、过于东方千国
土、乃下一点，大如微尘，又过千国土、复下一点，如是展转尽地
种墨，于汝等意云何，是诸国土，若算师，若算师弟子，能得边际
、知其数否?

尔时世尊欲重宣此义，而说偈言:

佛于此座、当得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

适坐此座，时诸梵天王、雨众天华、面百由旬，

香风时来，吹去萎华，更雨新者，

如是不绝、满十小劫供养于佛，乃至灭度、常雨此华。

其佛未出家时，有十六子，其第一者、名曰智积。

诸子各有种种珍异玩好之具，

到已、头面礼足，绕佛毕已，一心合掌、瞻仰世尊，以偈颂曰:

尔时东方五百万亿诸国土中、梵天宫殿，光明照曜，倍于常明。

即时诸梵天王头面礼佛，绕百千匝，即以天华而散佛上。

其所散华、如须弥山，并以供养佛菩提树，其菩提树、高十由旬，

时诸梵天王、即于佛前，一心同声、以偈颂曰:

尔时诸梵天王、偈赞佛已，各作是言:

时诸梵天王、一心同声、而说偈言:

尔时大通智胜如来，默然许之。

时彼众中、有一大梵天王，名曰大悲，为诸梵众而说偈言:

时诸梵天王头面礼佛，绕百千匝，即以天华而散佛上。

所散之华、如须弥山，并以供养佛菩提树。

华供养已，各以宫殿奉上彼佛，而作是言:

尔时诸梵天王、即于佛前，一心同声、以偈颂曰:

时诸梵天王、一心同声、而说偈言:

尔时大通智胜如来默然许之。

时彼众中、有一大梵天王，名曰妙法，为诸梵众、而说偈言:

时诸梵天王、头面礼佛，绕百千匝，即以天华而散佛上。

尔时诸梵天王，即于佛前、一心同声、以偈颂曰:

时诸梵天王，一心同声、以偈颂曰:

尔时大通智胜如来默然许之。西南方、乃至下方，亦复如是。

从是已后，诸声闻众、无量无边不可称数。

佛说是经，于八千劫、未曾休废，

说此经已，即入静室，住于禅定、八万四千劫。

是时十六菩萨沙弥、知佛入室、寂然禅定，各升法座，

于诸佛所，常修梵行，受持佛智，开示众生、令入其中。

汝等皆当数数亲近而供养之。所以者何。

南方二佛，一名虚空住，二名常灭。

西南方二佛，一名帝相，二名梵相。

西方二佛，一名阿弥陀，二名度一切世间苦恼。

北方二佛，一名云自在，二名云自在王。

所以者何。如来智慧，难信难解。

若有多众，欲过此道、至珍宝处。

有一导师，聪慧明达，善知险道通塞之相，将导众人，欲过此难。

导师多诸方便、而作是念，此等可愍，云何舍大珍宝而欲退还。

是时疲极之众、心大欢喜，叹未曾有:

于是众人前入化城，生已度想，生安隐想。

尔时导师，知此人众既得止息，无复疲倦。即灭化城，语众人言:

知诸生死烦恼恶道、险难长远，应去应度。

若众生但闻一佛乘者，则不欲见佛，不欲亲近，便作是念:

佛知是心、怯弱下劣，以方便力，而于中道为止息故，说二涅盘。

若众生住于二地，如来尔时即便为说:

尔时世尊欲重宣此义，而说偈言:

Anyone may honor the Supreme Sarva Dakini as a praise, here presented in Sanskrit. Her longer mantra requires empowerment, however her short namo mantra is fine for everyone as a generation of merit mantra.

Here we provide PDF downloads of Pujas, Practices, Sadhanas, and Sutras for recitation:

• DOWNLOAD Vajravarahi’s 8 Lines of Praise in Sanskrit

• Other Available Downloads

Why do we meditate on impermanence? Why does Buddha speak so often in Sutras, on the “poison” of anger? Why do we see so many “angry” or even demonic Enlightened Buddhas in Mahayana and Vajrayana? In this feature, we discuss nine remedies for the poison of anger — from all traditions of Buddhism — and include three entire sutras (in English) on related topics, including:

• Discourse on the Five Ways of Putting an End to Anger
• Akkosa Sutra: Insult
• Vitakkasanthaana Sutta: The Discursively Thinking Mind

One of the most important missions of a practicing Buddhist is to transform the “poison” of anger. Anger is perhaps the most dangerous of the Buddhist “kleshas”, or poisons. For this reason, there are more practices in all schools and traditions of Buddhism for resolving, pacifying and transforming anger than any other of the principal kleshas or poisons: which include anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy, desire, and others.

Pithy advice from Buddha

Gautama Buddha and sutras and much to say on anger, from the simple to the complex, starting with pithy advice from Buddha in the Dhammapada (v 233):

“Conquer anger by non-anger. Conquer evil by good. Conquer miserliness by liberality. Conquer a liar by truthfulness.”

Anger is one of the great obstacles in Buddhist practice — and in daily life. The very heat of anger obscures our minds — and not just our own minds, but those we touch: online at Facebook or Twitter, those we interact with at work, and our relationships at home. Anger is contagious and dangerous.

Anger an “Out of control forest fire”!

In Buddhist teachings, anger is most often metaphorically compared to either an “out of control forest fire” or a “rampaging elephant.” Why these two? Simply because anger reacts and destroys quickly; we often don’t have time to control it — it tends to explode destructively outwards: angry words that hurt, angry fists that bruise, angry weapons that kill, angry actions that destroy relationships, angry reactions that destroy business deals.

It is worth remembering the story of Buddha calming the “rampaging elephant” with a simple gesture and a peaceful demeanor. With practice, the quiet, patient mind can overcome the destructive flash of anger.

Nine ways to end anger

Although Sutras discuss solutions to anger in great detail (see three full sutras below), the recommendations of the Buddha can be thought of as these five, led by mindfulness, which is chief among all anger-management solutions:

• Meditate mindfully in the present moment: Observing anger but not participating in it (Even psychotherapists use mindfulness to help patients manage anger.)
• Practice Metta and Karuna (Loving Kindness and Compassion): be attentive to the kindness of others, and overlook their unkindness. Practice metta kindness and compassion for all beings, putting your enemies first in your meditations
• Practice wisdom and discernment: (which includes patience, a form of wisdom). Analyze anger meditatively, understand its cause and effect; approach problems with patience — with time, anger fades
• Substitution method: Substitute something positive for the negative. In other words, if a person’s action angers you, analyze the person to find the positives you can focus on. (For example, a police chief angers a community because of a “no leeway” rule on traffic tickets; but if you analyze the police chief you see that your community has the lowest crime rate in the area.) In Tantric practice, substitution becomes “conversion” where afflictive emotions are converted into positive action and practice. (Classically, Yamantaka wrathful deity meditation for anger.)
• Meditate on impermanence: Nothing makes anger seem more unimportant than understanding death can take any of us, at any moment. It also helps us understand that anger itself is rising and falling, and impermanent.
• Truly comprehend Shunyata, Emptiness and Oneness: When we understand that ego is the only thing that separates us from “other” — that we are all One in this Universe — the very thing that gives rise to anger is gone. Ego, is the author of anger.
• Understand anger is your teacher: We’re here, in samsara, trapped by our poisons. When we take our poisons as our teacher — if we can learn from our anger, and the anger of others — we transform the anger into the path.
• Meditate on Karma: anger has repercussions. Remain mindful of karma in all of your activities. Anger inevitably leads to a downward and accelerating cycle of destructive karma.
• Practice transformation and Tantra visualizations: Tantric meditation — visualizing the emptiness of a phenomenon and practicing Yogic methods — are one of the fastest ways to transform anger, hate, greed, delusions or any other poison into the path. By personifying “anger” for instance, then transforming it into an “Enlightened form” we train our mind to transform the poison permanently.

Mahayana: Wisdom Solutions and Compassion Solutions

Or, you can think of this in Mahayana terms — wisdom solutions and compassion solutions. Wisdom solutions would include:

• mindfulness practice (even “live” on that angry phone call or meeting)
• analysis of anger meditation
• practicing patience

Compassion solutions would include:

• metta and loving kindness meditation
• substitution method: think of the positive aspects of a person or situation, to help put the negative in perspective.

It is worth reading through the three sutras in this feature. Those are the precious words of Dharma; no greater advice can be offered.There are also solutions to anger contained in Tantra (for example, Yamantaka practice is very powerful for “angry people”; or Chod practice, where we “feed our Demons.) All Buddhist traditions have extensive teachings on anger.

Karmic Consequences are Real

Still simmering from the latest fight at work or argument at home? Finding a quiet mind that evening, during your mindfulness session, may become elusive. Worse, if the anger gains momentum, there can be very negative karmic consequences. Regret only goes so far if your rage has already hurt someone. Then, there is the very real karmic consequence of “retribution.”

The Dalai Lama said, “Violence is old-fashioned. Anger doesn’t get you anywhere. If you can calm your mind and be patient, you will be a wonderful example to those around you.” [2]

A careless angry comment on Facebook can lead to hurt feelings — even dire consequences in the case of a clinically depressed person. Words expressing anger have ferocious power to damage, hurt, even kill. Anger leads to fights, accidents, homicides and war. And, in our daily practice, it makes a settled, peaceful mind nearly impossible. Or, it can just make you feel really lousy for weeks.

Sutric Solutions: Discourses on Anger

Many discourses and Sutras (Sutta in Pali) touch on anger, notably, the Madhyama Agama No.25 (full text with translation by Thich Nhat Hanh below) and the Akossa Sutra (full text also below.) Also, the Vitakkasanthaana Sutta (below.) To summarize, though, we can distill the Buddha’s methods down to five key recommendations that really work, even today, in our modern, chaotic, angry world.

Great masters such as Shantideva also taught anger management: “Anger is the greatest evil; patient forbearance is the greatest austerity.” The great teacher, and author of Bodhicharyavatara, basically informs us that forbearance and patience are a greater and more challenging austerity than fasting, prayers, practice, pilgrimages.

In other words, it isn’t easy to manage anger.

What Causes Anger from a Buddhist Point of View?

Buddhism is always about cause and effect. Karma is basically defined that way. How did Buddha describe the cause of anger? Lama Surya Das explains:

“The main klesha that fuels this whole dualism of attachment and aversion which drives us is ignorance, or delusion and confusion. From ignorance comes greed – avarice, desire, lust, attachment and all the rest. Also from ignorance comes anger, aggression, cruelty and violence.”

He goes on to explain: “These two poisons are the basic conflicting forces within us—attachment and aversion. They come from ignorance, and they’re really not that different: “Get away” and “I want” are very similar, just like pushing away and pulling towards; and both cause anger to arise. Anger is often singled out as the most destructive of the kleshas, because of how easily it degenerates into aggression and violence.”[2]

Psychology of Anger from a Buddhist Point of View

Buddhist teachings often align with psychotherapy and Psychiatry. Anger teachings certainly directly line up. Lama Surya Das explains: “anger is easily misunderstood. It is often misunderstood in our Buddhist practice, causing us to suppress it and make ourselves more ill, uneasy and off balance. I think it’s worth thinking about this.

Psychotherapy can be helpful as well. Learning to understand the causal chain of anger’s arising as well as the undesirable, destructive outflows of anger and its malicious cousin hatred can help strengthen our will to intelligently control it. Moreover, recognizing the positive sides of anger – such as its pointed ability to perceive what is wrong in situations, including injustice and unfairness – helps moderate our blind reactivity to it and generate constructive responses.” [2]

Buddhist psychology does differ in depth, however. As Ani Thubten Chodren explains:

“Science says that all emotions are natural and okay, and that emotions become destructive only when they are expressed in an inappropriate way or time or to an inappropriate person or degree….Therapy is aimed more at changing the external expression of the emotions than the internal experience of them. Buddhism, on the other hand, believes that destructive emotions themselves are obstacles and need to be eliminated to have happiness.”[2]

Mindfulness Always Works

Ultimately, mindfulness is the most-often recommended method. The often cited: “the past is gone, the future is not here yet” thought, combined with relaxing the mind into an observant state where we observe only the present moment. If angry thoughts arise in our meditation, we observe rather than react. Although it’s “easier said than done” it really does work. For this reason, daily mindfulness practice is a good strategy. This way, when needed to help us resolve anger, we can draw on well-practiced technique. There are even business books that teach how to be mindful during an “angry” meeting, how to retain control and manage emotions dynamically. Buddha, of course, taught these methods more than 2500 years ago.

Equally, Metta meditation, a Mahayana Buddhist practice, is very powerful as a remedy. If we practice compassion and kindness to all beings, on a daily basis, when faced with “evil” behavior, we are more likely to feel compassion instead of hate or anger. Metta affirmations do not say “May some beings be happy and free from suffering.” It says, “May ALL beings be happy.” This, includes our enemies.

Substitution, Analyze and Ignore Methods

One method to overcome the Discursive mind, explained in the Vitakkasanthaana Sutta (full text below), was explained by the Blessed One:

“The Bhikkhu attending to a certain sign if evil Demeritorious thoughts arise conductive to interest, anger and delusion, he should change that sign and attend to some other sign conductive to merit, then those signs conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade, and the mind settles and comes to a single point.”

The rest of the Sutra then explains what to do if the substitution doesn’t work, which break down into:

• analyze the anger: “When the dangers of those thoughts are examined those evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade.
• ignore the anger: ” When those evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion are not attended, they fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to a single point.”

Discourse on the Five Ways of Putting an End to Anger

Translation by Thich Nhat Hanh from the Madhyama Agama No. 25 [1]

I heard these words of the Buddha one time when he was staying in the Anathapindika Monastery in the Jeta Grove near the town of Shravasti.

One day the Venerable Shariputra said to the monks, “Friends, today I want to share with you five ways of putting an end to anger. Please listen carefully and put into practice what I teach.”

The bhikshus agreed and listened carefully.

The Venerable Shariputra then said, “What are these five ways of putting an end to anger?

“This is the first way. My friends, if there is someone whose bodily actions are not kind but whose words are kind, if you feel anger toward that person but you are wise, you will know how to meditate in order to put an end to your anger.

“My friends, say there is a bhikshu practicing asceticism who wears a patchwork robe. One day he is going past a garbage pile filled with excrement, urine, mucus, and many other filthy things, and he sees in the pile one piece of cloth still intact. Using his left hand, he picks up the piece of cloth, and he takes the other end and stretches it out with his right hand. He observes that this piece of cloth is not torn and has not been stained by excrement, urine, sputum, or other kinds of filth. So he folds it and puts it away to take home, wash, and sew into his patchwork robe. My friends, if we are wise, when someone’s bodily actions are not kind but his words are kind, we should not pay attention to his unkind bodily actions, but only be attentive to his kind words. This will help us put an end to our anger.

“My friends, this is the second method. If you become angry with someone whose words are not kind but whose bodily actions are kind, if you are wise, you will know how to meditate in order to put an end to your anger.

“My friends, say that not far from the village there is a deep lake, and the surface of that lake is covered with algae and grass. There is someone who comes near that lake who is very thirsty, suffering greatly from the heat. He takes off his clothes, jumps into the water, and using his hands to clear away the algae and grass, enjoys bathing and drinking the cool water of the lake. It is the same, my friends, with someone whose words are not kind but whose bodily actions are kind. Do not pay attention to that person’s words. Only be attentive to his bodily actions in order to be able to put an end to your anger. Someone who is wise should practice in this way.

“Here is the third method, my friends. If there is someone whose bodily actions and words are not kind, but who still has a little kindness in his heart, if you feel anger toward that person and are wise, you will know how to meditate to put an end to your anger.

“My friends, say there is someone going to a crossroads. She is weak, thirsty, poor, hot, deprived, and filled with sorrow. When she arrives at the crossroads, she sees a buffalo’s footprint with a little stagnant rainwater in it. She thinks to herself, ‘There is very little water in this buffalo’s footprint. If I use my hand or a leaf to scoop it up, I will stir it up and it will become muddy and undrinkable. Therefore, I will have to kneel down with my arms and knees on the earth, put my lips right to the water, and drink it directly.’ Straightaway, she does just that.

My friends, when you see someone whose bodily actions and words are not kind, but where there is still a little kindness in her heart, do not pay attention to her actions and words, but to the little kindness that is in her heart so that you may put an end to your anger. Someone who is wise should practice in that way.

“This is the fourth method, my friends. If there is someone whose words and bodily actions are not kind, and in whose heart there is nothing that can be called kindness, if you are angry with that person and you are wise, you will know how to meditate in order to put an end to your anger.

“My friends, suppose there is someone on a long journey who falls sick. He is alone, completely exhausted, and not near any village. He falls into despair, knowing that he will die before completing his journey. If at that point, someone comes along and sees this man’s situation, she immediately takes the man’s hand and leads him to the next village, where she takes care of him, treats his illness, and makes sure he has everything he needs by way of clothes, medicine, and food. Because of this compassion and loving kindness, the man’s life is saved.

Just so, my friends, when you see someone whose words and bodily actions are not kind, and in whose heart there is nothing that can be called kindness, give rise to this thought: ‘Someone whose words and bodily actions are not kind and in whose heart is nothing that can be called kindness, is someone who is undergoing great suffering. Unless he meets a good spiritual friend, there will be no chance for him to transform and go to realms of happiness.’ Thinking like this, you will be able to open your heart with love and compassion toward that person. You will be able to put an end to your anger and help that person. Someone who is wise should practice like this.

“My friends, this is the fifth method. If there is someone whose bodily actions are kind, whose words are kind, and whose mind is also kind, if you are angry with that person and you are wise, you will know how to meditate in order to put an end to your anger.

“My friends, suppose that not far from the village there is a very beautiful lake. The water in the lake is clear and sweet, the bed of the lake is even, the banks of the lake are lush with green grass, and all around the lake, beautiful fresh trees give shade. Someone who is thirsty, suffering from heat, whose body is covered in sweat, comes to the lake, takes off his clothes, leaves them on the shore, jumps down into the water, and finds great comfort and enjoyment in drinking and bathing in the pure water. His heat, thirst, and suffering disappear immediately.

In the same way, my friends, when you see someone whose bodily actions are kind, whose words are kind, and whose mind is also kind, give your attention to all his kindness of body, speech, and mind, and do not allow anger or jealousy to overwhelm you. If you do not know how to live happily with someone who is as fresh as that, you cannot be called someone who has wisdom.

“My dear friends, I have shared with you the five ways of putting an end to anger.”

When the bhikshus heard the Venerable Shariputra’s words, they were happy to receive them and put them into practice.

Madhyama Agama 25
(Corresponds with Aghata Vinaya Sutta
[Discourse on Water as an Example], Anguttara Nikaya 5.162)

Akkosa Sutra

Insult

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Then the Brahmin Akkosaka (“Insulter”) Bharadvaja heard that a Brahmin of the Bharadvaja clan had gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the presence of the Blessed One. Angered and displeased, he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, insulted and cursed him with rude, harsh words.

When this was said, the Blessed One said to him: “What do you think, Brahmin: Do friends and colleagues, relatives and kinsmen come to you as guests?”

“Yes, Master Gautama, sometimes friends and colleagues, relatives and kinsmen come to me as guests.”

“And what do you think: Do you serve them with staple and non-staple foods and delicacies?”

“Yes, sometimes I serve them with staple and non-staple foods and delicacies.”

“And if they don’t accept them, to whom do those foods belong?”

“If they don’t accept them, Master Gautama, those foods are all mine.”

“In the same way, Brahmin, that with which you have insulted me, who is not insulting; that with which you have taunted me, who is not taunting; that with which you have berated me, who is not berating: that I don’t accept from you. It’s all yours, Brahmin. It’s all yours.

“Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am neither eating together nor sharing your company, Brahmin. It’s all yours. It’s all yours.”

“The king together with his court know this of Master Gautama — ‘Gautama the contemplative is an arhat’ — and yet still Master Gautama gets angry.” [1]

[The Buddha:]

“Whence is there anger for one free from anger, tamed, living in tune — one released through right knowing, calmed  and Such.

“You make things worse when you flare up at someone who’s angry. Whoever doesn’t flare up at someone who’s angry wins a battle hard to win.

“You live for the good of both  — your own, the other’s — when, knowing the other’s provoked, you mindfully grow calm.

“When you work the cure of both — your own, the other’s — those who think you a fool know nothing of Dhamma.”

When this was said, the Brahmin Akkosaka Bharadvaja said to the Blessed One, “Magnificent, Master Gautama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what had been overturned, were to reveal what was hidden, were to show the way to one who was lost, or were to hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way Master Gautama has — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the community of monks. Let me obtain the going forth in Master Gautama’s presence, let me obtain admission.”

Then the Brahmin Akkosaka Bharadvaja received the going forth and the admission in the Blessed One’s presence. And not long after his admission — dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute — he in no long time reached and remained in the supreme goal of the holy life, for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing and realizing it for himself in the here and now. He knew: “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.” And so Ven. Bharadvaja became another one of the Arhats.

Vitakkasanthaana Sutta

The Discursively Thinking Mind

I heard thus.

At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery offered by Anathapindika in Jeta’s grove in Savatthi. The Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus from there.” Bhikkhus, by the Bhikkhu developing the mind five things should be attended to from time to time. What five: The Bhikkhu attending to a certain sign if evil Demeritorious thoughts arise conductive to interest, anger and delusion, he should change that sign and attend to some other sign conductive to merit, then those signs conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade, and the mind settles and comes to a single point. Like a clever carpenter or his apprentice would get rid of a coarse peg with the help of a fine peg. In the same manner the Bhikkhu attending to a certain sign, if evil Demeritorious thoughts arise conductive to interest, anger and delusion, he should change that sign and attend to some other sign conductive to merit, then those signs conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade, the mind settles and comes to a single point.

Even when the Bhikkhu has changed the sign and attended some other sign, if evil de-meritorious thoughts arise conductive to interest, anger and delusion, the Bhikkhu should examine the dangers of those thoughts. These thoughts of mine are evil, faulty and bring unpleasant results. When the dangers of those thoughts are examined those evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to a single point. Like a woman, a man, a child or youth fond of adornment would loathe and would be disgusted when the carcass of a snake, dog or a human corpse was wrapped round the neck. In the same manner when the Bhikkhu has changed the sign and attended some other sign, if evil de-meritorious thoughts arise conductive to interest, anger and delusion, the Bhikkhu should examine the dangers of those thoughts. These thoughts of mine are evil, loathsome, faulty and bring unpleasant results. When the dangers of those thoughts are examined, those evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to a single point.

Even when the Bhikkhu has examined the dangers of those evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion, if those evil de-meritorious thoughts conducive to interest, anger and delusion arise, he should not attend to them. When those evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion are not attended, they fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to a single point. Like a man who would not like to see forms, that come to the purview would either close his eyes or look away. In the same manner when the Bhikkhu has examined the dangers of those evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion, if evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion arise, he should not attend to them. When those evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion are not attended, they fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to a single point.

Even when the Bhikkhu did not attend to those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion, if these evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion arise, he should attend to appeasing the whole intentional thought process. When attending to appeasing the whole intentional thought process, those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to a single point. Like it would occur to a man walking fast: why should I walk fast, what if I stand. Then he would stand. Standing it would occur to him: Why should I stand, what if I sit. Then he would sit. Sitting it would occur to him: Why should I sit, what if I lie. Thus abandoning the more coarse posture, would maintain the finer posture. In the same manner when attending to appeasing the whole intentional thought process, those evil de-meritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to a single point. .

Even when attending to appeasing the whole intentional thought process, those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion arise, the Bhikkhu should press the upper jaw on the lower jaw and pushing the tongue on the palate should subdue and burn out those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion. Then those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to a single point. Like a strong man taking a weaker one by the head or body would press him and trouble him. In the same manner the Bhikkhu should press the upper jaw on the lower jaw and pushing the tongue on the palate should subdue and burn out those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion. Then those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to one point.

Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu attending to a certain sign, if evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion arise, he attends to another sign conductive to merit, those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to one point .

When attending to the danger of those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion, those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to one point. When not attending to those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion, those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to one point: When attending to appeasing the whole intentional thought process, these evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to one point, The Bhikkhu pressing the lower jaw with the upper jaw and pushing the tongue on the palate would subdue and burn out those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion. Then those evil Demeritorious thoughts conductive to interest, anger and delusion fade. With their fading the mind settles and comes to one point. Bhikkhus, this is called the Bhikkhu is master over thought processes. Whatever thought he wants to think, that he thinks, whatever thought he does not want to think, that he does not think He puts an end to craving , dispels the bonds and rightfully overcoming measuring makes an end of unpleasantness. .

The Blessed One said thus, and those Bhikkhus delighted in the words of the Blessed One.

NOTES

[1] The Five Ways of Putting an End to Anger, Thich Nhat Hanh. From the book Chanting from the Heart (Parallax Press, Rev.Ed., 2006)

[2] From PBS.org site, “Dealing with Anger” by Lama Surya Das

Reciting the Sutra of the Noble Vasudhara Dharini is a treasured practice in Mahayana  Buddhism.

The goal of stable livelihood for the lay Buddhist is a noble one, enabling Buddhists to support the dedicated monastic community, and providing stability in life that gives the practitioner the ability to help others. In The Sutra of the Noble Vasudhara Dharani, Buddha teaches the perfection of the Vasudhara Dharani and her mantras as a method to a stable and prosperous livelihood for the Buddhist householder.

Golden Vasudhara Tara is not about greedily asking for more, and more, but rather about attaining more so that we can give and give. The poison of greed is overcome by generosity — which is only possible if we have a stable livelihood.

• For a feature about “Stream of Gems” Vasudhara, see our feature>>
• For a video about Vasudahara (with four of her mantras) and her practice, see>>
• For a Video of beautiful chanting of Vasudhara as Yellow Tara, see>>

Recite this Sutra often in your own language and the Dharani — preferrably in Sanskrit — and if you have particular needs, Shakyamuni Buddha probably answered most of your practice questions in this Sutra

Here Begins the Noble Vasudhara Dharani Sutra.

This translation is from Lotsawa House.

The Noble Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī

from the Words of the Buddha

རྒྱ་གར་སྐད་དུ། ཨཱཪྻ་བ་སུ་དྷཱ་རཱ་ནཱ་མ་དྷཱ་ར་ཎཱི།

gyagar ké du arya vasudhara nama dhara ni

In the language of India:

Ārya Vasudhārā-nāma-dhāraṇī

བོད་སྐད་དུ། འཕགས་པ་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་ཅེས་བྱ་བའི་གཟུངས།

སངས་རྒྱས་དང༌བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

sangye dang changchub sempa tamché la chaktsal lo

Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas!

འདི་སྐད་བདག་གིས་ཐོས་པ་དུས་གཅིག་ན། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀཽ་ཤཱམྦཱི་ན་ཚེར་མ་ཅན་ཞེས་བྱ་བའི་ནགས་ཆེན་པོ་ན། དགེ་སློང་ལྔ་བརྒྱ་ཙམ་གྱི་དགེ་སློང་གི་དགེ་འདུན་ཆེན་པོ་དང༌། བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ་སེམས་དཔའ་ཆེན་པོ་སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཡོན་ཏན་ཐམས་ཅད་དང་ལྡན་པ་རབ་ཏུ་མང་པོ་དང་ཐབས་ཅིག་ཏུ་བཞུགས་ཏེ།

diké dak gi töpa dü chik na chomdendé kaushambi na tserma chen zhejawé nak chenpo na gelong ngabgya tsam gyi gelong gi gendün chenpo dang changchub sempa sempa chenpo sangye kyi yönten tamché dang denpa rabtu mangpo dang tab chik tu zhuk té

Thus I have heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling near Kauśāmbī in the great forest called Kaṇṭaka, together with a great assembly of about five hundred monks and a vast assembly of bodhisattva mahāsattvas who had all the qualities of the buddhas.

དེའི་ཚེ་ཀཽ་ཤཱམྦཱིའི་གྲོང་ཁྱེར་ཆེན་པོ་ན། ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ། དབང་པོ་ཉེ་བར་ཞི་བ། ཡིད་ཉེ་བར་ཞི་བ། བུ་ཕོ་དང། བུ་མོ་མང་བ། བཟའ་མི་མང་པོ་དང་ལྡན་པ། དད་ཅིང་ཆེར་དད་པ་ཞིག་གནས་པ་དེ།

dé tsé kaushambi drongkhyer chenpo na khyimdak dawa zangpo zhejawa wangpo nyewar zhiwa yi nyewar zhiwa bu po dang bumo mangwa zami mangpo dang denpa dé ching cher depa zhik nepa dé

At that time there lived in the great city of Kauśāmbī a householder by the name of Sucandra whose senses were composed and whose mind was at ease. He had many faithful and devoted sons and daughters as well as dependents.

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ག་ལ་བ་དེར་སོང་སྟེ་ཕྱིན་ནས། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱི་ཞབས་ལ་མགོ་བོས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཏེ། ལན་འབུམ་ཕྲག་དུ་མར་བསྐོར་བ་བྱས་ནས་ཕྱོགས་གཅིག་ཏུ་འདུག་གོ །

chomdendé gala ba der song té chin né chomdendé kyi zhab lago bö chaktsal té len bumtrak dumar korwa jé né chok chik tu duk go

Sucandra approached the Blessed One, paid his respect by touching his head to the feet of the Blessed One, and circumambulated the Blessed One many hundred thousands of times.

ཕྱོགས་གཅིག་ཏུ་འདུག་ནས་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ལ་འདི་སྐད་ཅེས་གསོལ་ཏོ། །

chok chik tu duk né khyimdak dawa zangpö chomdendé la diké ché sol to

Finally, he sat down to one side. While seated there, Sucandra the householder said the following to the Blessed One:

གལ་ཏེ་ཞུས་ནས་ཞུ་བ་ལུང་བསྟན་པའི་སླད་དུ། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་བདག་ལ་སྐབས་ཕྱེ་ན། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ་ཡང་དག་པར་རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས་ལ་བདག་ཕྱོགས་འགའ་ཞིག་ཞུ་ལགས་སོ། །

galté zhü né zhuwa lungtenpé ledu chomdendé kyi dak la kab ché na chomdendé dezhin shekpa drachompa yangdakpar dzokpé sangye la dak chok gazhik zhu lak so

“I would like to ask the Blessed One, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the complete and perfect Buddha a question, in case the Blessed One could afford the time to answer it.”

དེ་སྐད་ཅེས་གསོལ་བ་དང༌། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོ་ལ་འདི་སྐད་ཅེས་བཀའ་སྩལ་ཏོ། །

deké ché solwa dang chomdendé kyi khyimdak dawa zangpo la diké ché katsal to

The Blessed One then replied to Sucandra the householder as follows:

ཁྱིམ་བདག ཁྱོད་ཅི་དང་ཅི་འདོད་པ་དྲིས་ཤིག་དང༌། ཁྱོད་ཀྱིས་ཇི་ལྟར་དྲིས་པའི་དྲི་བ་ལུང་བསྟན་པས་ངས་ཁྱོད་ཀྱི་སེམས་རངས་པར་བྱའོ། །

khyimdak khyö chi dang chi döpa dri shik dang khyö kyi jitar dripé driwa lungtenpé ngé khyö kyi sem rangpar ja o

“Householder, please ask whatever you wish. I shall answer your question and so put your concerns to rest.”

དེ་སྐད་ཅེས་བཀའ་སྩལ་པ་དང༌། ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ལ་ལེགས་སོ་ཞེས་གསོལ་ཏེ། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱི་ལྟར་ཉན་ནས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ལ་འདི་སྐད་ཅེས་གསོལ་ཏོ། །

deké ché katsal pa dang khyimdak dawa zangpö chomdendé la lek so zhé sol té chomdendé kyi tar nyen né chomdendé la diké ché sol to

To these words of the Blessed One Sucandra the householder responded, “Very well, Blessed One,” and asked the Blessed One the following:

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས། རིགས་ཀྱི་བུའམ། རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ་མོ་དབུལ་པོར་གྱུར་པ་ལས་ཇི་ལྟར་དབུལ་བ་མ་མཆིས་པར་འགྱུར་ཞིང༌། བྲོ་ནད་ཀྱིས་ཐེབས་ན་ཡང་བྲོ་ནད་མ་མཆིས་པར་འགྱུར་པ་ལགས།

chomdendé rik kyi bu am rik kyi bumo ulpor gyurpa lé jitar ulwa machipar gyur zhing dro né kyi teb na yang dro né machipar gyurpa lak

“Blessed One, how can a son or daughter of noble family who suffers from poverty free themselves from their poverty? Likewise, if they suffer from disease, how can they free themselves from their disease?”

དེ་ནས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་མཁྱེན་བཞིན་དུ་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོ་ལ་འདི་སྐད་ཅེས་བཀའ་སྩལ་ཏོ། །

dené chomdendé kyi khyen zhindu khyimdak dawa zangpo la diké ché katsal to

The Blessed One then understood, and he said to Sucandra the householder:

ཁྱིམ་བདག ཁྱོད་ཅིའི་ཕྱིར་དབུལ་པོའི་དོན་དུ་འདྲི། དེ་སྐད་ཅེས་བཀའ་སྩལ་པ་དང༌།

khyimdak khyö chi chir ulpö döndu dri deké ché katsal pa dang

“Householder, why do you ask me about poverty?”

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ལ་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོས་འདི་སྐད་ཅེས་གསོལ་ཏོ། །

chomdendé la khyimdak dawa zangpö diké ché sol to

Sucandra the householder replied to the Blessed One:

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས། བདག་ནི་དབུལ་བ་མང་བ་དང༌། གསོ་བ་མང་བ་དང༌། བུ་ཕོ་དང་བུ་མོ་མང་བ། བཟའ་མི་མང་པོ་དང་ལྡན་པ་ལགས་ཏེ། དེའི་སླད་དུ། གང་གིས་སེམས་ཅན་དབུལ་པོ་རྣམས་ཀྱི་དབུལ་བ་མ་མཆིས་པར་འགྱུར་བ་དང༌། བྲོ་ནད་ཀྱིས་ཐེབས་པ་རྣམས་བྲོ་ནད་མ་མཆིས་པར་འགྱུར་བ་དང༌། ནོར་དང༌། འབྲུ་དང༌། མཛོད་དང༌། བང་མཛོད་མང་པོ་དང་ལྡན་པར་འགྱུར་བ་དང༌། སྡུག་པ་དང༌། ཡིད་དུ་མཆིས་པ་དང༌། མཐོང་ན་ཡིད་དུ་འཐད་པ་དང༌། དབང་ཕྱུག་ཏུ་འགྱུར་བ་དང༌། སྦྱིན་བདག་མཛོད་པས་མི་འཚལ་ཞིང༌། དབྱིག་དང༌། གསེར་དང༌། ནོར་དང༌། འབྲུའི་མཛོད་དང༌། བང་མཛོད་རྣམས་དང༌། ནོར་བུ་དང༌། མུ་ཏིག་དང༌། རྡོ་རྗེ་དང༌། བཻ་ཌཱུཪྻ་དང༌། དུང་དང༌། མན་ཤེལ་དང༌། བྱི་རུ་དང༌། ས་ལེ་སྦྲམ་དང༌། དབུལ་བས་མ་འཚལ་ཅིང་འབྱོར་བར་འགྱུར་བ་དང༌། ཁྱིམ་གྱི་བུ་སྨད་དང༌། བཟའ་མི་རྣམས་བརྟན་པར་འགྱུར་བའི་ཆོས་ཀྱི་རྣམ་གྲངས་དེ་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་ལེགས་པར་བཤད་དུ་གསོལ།

chomdendé dak ni ulwa mangwa dang sowa mangwa dang bu po dang bumo mangwa zami mangpo dang denpa lak té dé ledu gang gi semchen ulpo nam kyi ulwa machipar gyurwa dang dro né kyi tebpa nam dro né machipar gyurwa dang nor dang dru dang dzö dang bangdzö mangpo dang denpar gyurwa dang dukpa dang yi duchi pa dang tong na yi du tepa dang wangchuk tu gyurwa dang jindak dzöpé mi tsal zhing yik dang ser dang nor dang drü dzö dang bangdzö nam dang norbu dang mutik dang dorjé dang baidurya dang dung dang men shel dang jiru dang salé dram dang ulwé ma tsal ching jorwar gyurwa dang khyim gyi bu mé dang zami nam tenpar gyurwé chö kyi namdrang dé chomdendé kyi lekpar shé du sol

“Blessed One, although I am very poor, I have to take care of many sons, daughters and dependents. Therefore, I would like to request the Blessed One for a Dharma teaching that makes the poor wealthy and restores the ill to good health, that grants us wealth and grain and treasures and vaults of treasure, that makes us pleasant, charming, beautiful and lordly, that attracts patrons without needing to ask, and that grants jewels, gold, riches, stores of grain, and vaults of treasure, as well as gems, pearls, diamonds, lapis lazuli, conch shells, crystals, coral, gold and silver without needing to search or beg, and that renders one’s partner and dependents stable and secure.”

དེ་སྐད་ཅེས་གསོལ་བ་དང༌། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོ་ལ་འདི་སྐད་ཅེས་བཀའ་སྩལ་ཏོ། །

deké ché solwa dang chomdendé kyi khyimdak dawa zangpo la diké ché katsal to

This being said, the Blessed One replied then to the householder Sucandra:

ཁྱིམ་བདག འདས་པའི་དུས་བསྐལ་བ་གྲངས་མེད་པ་འདས་པར་གྱུར་པ་དེའི་ཚེ་དེའི་དུས་ན། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ་ཡང་དག་པར་རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས་རིག་པ་དང་ཞབས་སུ་ལྡན་པ། བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པ། འཇིག་རྟེན་མཁྱེན་པ། སྐྱེས་བུ་འདུལ་བའི་ཁ་ལོ་སྒྱུར་བ། བླ་ན་མེད་པ། ལྷ་དང་མི་རྣམས་ཀྱི་སྟོན་པ། སངས་རྒྱས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་རྡོ་རྗེ་འཆང་རྒྱ་མཚོའི་དབྱངས་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་འཇིག་རྟེན་དུ་བྱུང་སྟེ།

khyimdak depé dü kalwa drangmepa depar gyurpa dé tsé dé dü na chomdendé dezhin shekpa drachompa yangdakpar dzokpé sangye rigpa dang zhab su denpa dewar shekpa jikten khyenpa kyebu dulwé khalo gyurwa lanamepa lha dang mi nam kyi tönpa sangye chomdendé dorjé chang gyatsö yang zhejawa jikten du jung té

“Householder, once upon a time, incalculable eons ago, the Blessed One, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the complete and perfect Buddha, dwelled in the world with perfect knowledge and with virtuous conduct. This sugata, the knower of worlds, the leader for those to be tamed, the unsurpassed teacher of gods and men, the Blessed Buddha, was named Vajradhara-sāgaranirghoṣa.

རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ། ངས་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་དེ་ལས་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་ཅེས་བྱ་བའི་གཟུངས་འདི་ཐོས་ཏེ། བཟུང་ཞིང་བཅངས་བཀླགས། ཀུན་ཆུབ་པར་བྱས། རྗེས་སུ་ཡི་རང་བར་བྱས་ཤིང༌། གཞན་དག་ལ་ཡང་རྒྱ་ཆེར་ཡང་དག་པར་རབ་ཏུ་བསྟན་ཏེ།

rik kyi bu ngé dezhin shekpa dé lé nor gyi gyün chejawé zung di tö té zung zhing chang lak kün chubpar jé jesu yirangwar jé shing zhendak la yang gyacher yangdakpar rabtu ten té

O noble son, it is from this tathāgata that I heard and retained the Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī. I kept it, recited it, comprehended it, rejoiced in it, and taught it extensively to others.

རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ། ད་ཡང་ངས་དེ་བཤད་པར་བྱའོ། །

rik kyi bu da yang ngé dé shepar ja o

O noble son, I shall now share it with you.

རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ། གཟུངས་འདིའི་མཐུས་མི་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །མི་མ་ཡིན་པ་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །གནོད་སྦྱིན་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །སྲིན་པོ་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །ཡི་དྭགས་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །ཤ་ཟ་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །འབྱུང་པོ་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །གྲུལ་བུམ་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །བརྗེད་བྱེད་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །གནོན་པོ་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །ལུས་སྲུལ་པོ་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །ལྷ་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །ལྷ་མ་ཡིན་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་མཐོ་འཚམ་པར་མི་བྱེད་དོ། །ཟས་སུ་མི་གཙང་བ་ཟ་བ་རྣམས་དང༌། ཟས་སུ་གཅིན་འཐུང་བ་རྣམས་དང་། ཟས་སུ་ཁྲག་འཐུང་བ་རྣམས་དང༌། ཟས་སུ་ཤ་ཟ་བ་རྣམས་དང༌། ཟས་སུ་རྣག་འཐུང་བ་རྣམས་དང༌། ཟས་སུ་ཞག་ཟ་བ་རྣམས་དང༌། ཟས་སུ་རྐང་ཟ་བ་རྣམས་དང༌། ཟས་སུ་ངར་སྣབས་ཟ་བ་རྣམས་དང༌། ཟས་སུ་གཏོར་ཁུང་ནས་འབབ་པ་འཐུང་བ་རྣམས་དང༌། ཟས་སུ་དབུགས་རྔུབ་པ་རྣམས་དང༌། འབྱུང་བ་ཟ་བའི་བར་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་འཚེ་བར་མི་འགྱུར་རོ། །

rik kyi bu zung di tü mi nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do mi mayinpa nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do nöjin nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do sinpo nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do yidak nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do shaza nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do jungpo nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do drulbum nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do jé jé nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do nönpo nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do lü sulpo nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do lha nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do lha mayin nam nampar to tsampar mi jé do zé su mi tsangwa zawa nam dang zé su chin tungwa nam dang zé su traktung ba nam dang zé su shaza ba nam dang zé su nak tungwa nam dang zé su zhak zawa nam dang zé su kang zawa nam dang zé su ngarnab zawa nam dang zé su tor khung né babpa tungwa nam dang zé su uk ngubpa nam dang jungwa zawé bar nam nampar tsewar mingyur ro

O noble son, through the power of this dhāraṇī no human will ever harm you. No yakṣa will ever harm you. No rākṣasa will ever harm you. No preta will ever harm you. No piśāca will ever harm you. No bhūta will ever harm you. No kumbhāṇḍa will ever harm you. No apasmāra will ever harm you. No ostāraka will ever harm you. No kaṭapūtana will ever harm you. No deva will ever harm you. No asura will ever harm you. No demons, whether they feed on feces, urine, blood, flesh, pus, grease, marrow, snot, effluent, or breath, nor spirits who are able to possess you, will ever harm you!

རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ། ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་གྱི་གཟུངས་འདི་རིགས་ཀྱི་བུའམ། རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ་མོ་གང་གི་ཁྱིམ་ན་ཡོད་དམ། སྙིང་ལ་ཡོད་དམ། ལག་ན་ཡོད་དམ། གླེགས་བམ་དུ་ཆུད་དམ། ཐོས་པར་གྱུར་ཏམ། ཀུན་ཆུབ་པར་བྱས་སམ། བཀླགས་སམ། བཟུང་ངམ། རྗེས་སུ་ཡི་རང་བར་བྱས་སམ། གཞན་དག་ལ་རྒྱ་ཆེར་རབ་ཏུ་བསྟན་པའི་རིགས་ཀྱི་བུའམ། རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ་མོ་དེ་ལ་ཡུན་རིང་པོའི་དོན་དང༌། ཕན་པ་དང༌། དགེ་བ་དང༌། གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། བདེ་བ་དང༌། ལོ་ལེགས་བར་འགྱུར་རོ། །

rik kyi bu nor gyi gyün gyi zung di rik kyi bu am rik kyi bumo gang gi khyim na yö dam nying la yö dam lak na yö dam lekbam du chü dam töpar gyur tam kün chubpar jé sam lak sam zung ngam jesu yirangwar jé sam zhendak la gyacher rabtu tenpé rik kyi bu am rik kyi bumo dé la yünringpö dön dang penpa dang gewa dang drubpa dang dewa dang lo lekwar gyur ro

O noble son, the son or daughter of noble family who takes the Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī and places it in their home, takes it to heart, holds it in their hands, renders it in text, listens to it, comprehends it, reads it, memorizes it, rejoices in it, and extensively teaches it to others, will enjoy lasting benefits, welfare, goodness, advantages, pleasures, and good harvests.

སུ་ཞིག་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་རྣམས་ལ་མཆོད་པ་བྱས་ཏེ། ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་གྱི་གཟུངས་འདི་ནམ་ཕྱེད་ན་ལན་གཉིས་སམ། ལན་གསུམ་མམ། ལན་བཞི་བཏོན་ན། དེའི་ལྷ་ཡིད་རངས་ཏེ་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པའི་བསྟན་པ་ལ་དགའ་བ་དང༌། ཆོས་གདགས་པ་བྱས་པས་དགའ་བ་དང༌། དགེ་འདུན་གདགས་པ་བྱས་པས་དགའ་བ་དང༌། ཆོས་སྨྲ་བ་ལ་དགའ་བ་དང༌། ལྷག་པའི་བསམ་པས་བདག་ཉིད་འོངས་ཏེ། འབྲུའི་ཆར་འབེབས་སོ། །

su zhik dezhin shekpa nam la chöpa jé té nor gyi gyün gyi zung di nam ché na len nyi sam len sum mam len zhi tön na dé lha yi rang té dezhin shekpé tenpa la gawa dang chö dakpa jepé gawa dang gendün dakpa jepé gawa dang chöma bala gawa dang lhakpé sampé daknyi ong té drü charbeb so

Whoever worships the tathāgatas and then at midnight recites the Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī two, three or four times will cause the deities to rejoice. They will bring delight through the teachings of the Tathāgata, and through contributing to the promulgation of the Dharma and development of the Saṅgha, and bring delight to those who teach the Dharma. Noble thoughts will come to them and a rain of grains will shower down upon them.

Dharani

ན་མོ་བཛྲ་དྷ་ར་སཱ་ག་ར་ནིརྒྷོ་ཥཱ་ཡ། ཏ་ཐཱ་ག་ཏཱ་ཡ།

namo benza dhara sagara nirghoshaya tathagataya |

namo vajradhara-sāgara-nirghoṣāya tathāgatāya |

ཏདྱ་ཐཱ། ཨོཾ་སུ་རཱུ་བེ། བྷ་དྲེ། བྷ་དྲ་བ་ཏི། ཨཾ་ག་ལེ། མཾ་ག་ལེ། མཾ་ག་ལ་བ་ཏི། ཨ་ལེ། ཨ་ཙ་ལེ། ཨ་ཙ་ལ་བ་ལེ། ཨུདྒྷ་ཏི་ནི། ཨུད་བྷེ་དི་ནི། ཤ་སྱ་བ་ཏི། དྷ་ན་བ་ཏི། དྷཱ་ནྱ་བ་ཏི། ཤྲཱི་མ་ཏི། པྲ་བྷ་བ་ཏི། ཨ་མ་ལེ། བི་མ་ལེ། ནི་རྨ་ལེ། རུ་རུ་མེ། སུ་རཱུ་པེ། སུ་རཱུ་པ་བི་མ་ལེ། བི་མ་ལེ། ཙ་ལེ། ཨ་རྩ་ན་སྟེ། ཨ་ཏ་ན་སྟེ། བི་ཏ་ན་སྟེ། བི་ཤྭ་ཀེ་ཤི། བི་ཤྭ་ནི་ཤི། ཨཾ་ཀུ་རེ། མཾ་ཀུ་རེ། པྲ་བཾ་ཀུ་རེ། བི་ར་མེ། བི་དྷ་མེ། རི་རི་མེ། དི་དི་མེ། དུ་དུ་མེ། ཁ་ཁ་མེ། ཏ་ཏ་རེ། ཏ་ར་ཏ་ར། ཏཱ་ར་ཏཱ་ར། བཛྲེ་བཛྲེ་བཛྲོ་པ་མེ། ཊ་ཀེ་ཊ་ཀེ། ཋ་ཀེ་ཋ་ཀེ། ཨུཀྐེ་བུཀྐེ། ཐ་ཀེ་ཐ་ར་ཀེ། ཨ་བརྟ་ནི། བ་ར་ཤ་ནི། ཥ་ད་ནི་བཛྲ་དྷ་ར་སཱ་ག་ར་ནིརྒྷོ་ཥཱན། ཏ་ཐཱ་ག་ཏ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར། སྨ་ར་སྨ་ར། སརྦ་ཏ་ཐཱ་ག་ཏ་ས་ཏྱ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར། དྷརྨ་སཏྱ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར། སཾ་གྷ་ས་ཏྱ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར། ད་ཏ་ད་ཏ། པཱུ་ར་པཱུ་ར། པཱུ་ར་ཡ་པཱུ་ར་ཡ། པཱུ་ར་ཎི། བྷ་ར་བྷ་ར་ཎི། ཨ་མ་ལེ། སུ་མཾ་ག་ལེ། ཤཱནྟ་མ་ཏི། ཤུ་བྷ་མ་ཏི། མཾ་ག་ལ་བྷ་ནི། མ་ཧཱ་མ་ཏི། བྷ་དྲ་བ་ཏི། པྲ་བྷཱ་བ་ཏི། སུ་ཙནྡྲ་མ་ཏི། ཨཱ་གཙྪ། ཨཱ་གཙྪ། ས་མ་ཡ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར་སྭཱཧཱ། ཨཱ་བ་ར་ཎི་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར་སྭཱཧཱ། པྲ་བྷ་བ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར་སྭཱཧཱ། དཱི་དི་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར་སྭཱཧཱ། ཏེ་ཛོ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར་སྭཱཧཱ། བི་ཛ་ཡ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར་སྭཱཧཱ། ཧྲྀ་ད་ཡ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར་སྭཱཧཱ། སརྦ་སཏྭ་བི་ན་ཡ་མ་ནུ་སྨ་ར་སྭཱཧཱ།

teyata | om surubé bhadré bhadra bati amgalé mamga é mamgala bati alé atsalé atsala balé udghatini udbhédini shasya bati dhana bati dhanya bati shri mati trabha bati amalé bimalé nimalé rurumé surupé surupa bimalé bimalé tsalé atsanasté atanasté bitanaté bishokeshi bishonishi amkuré mamkuré trabamkuré biramé bidhamé ririmé didimé dudumé khakhamé tataré tara tara tara tara badzré badzré badzropamé také také thaké thaké ukké bukké thaké tharaké abartani barashani shadani benzadhara sagara nirghosham tathagatam anusmara smara smara sarva tathagata satyam anusmara dharma satyam anusmara sangha satyam anusmara data data pura pura puraya puraya purani bhara bharani amalé sumamgalé shanta mati shubha mati mamgala bhani maha mati bhadra bati trabha bati sutsandra mati agatsa gatsa samayam anusmara soha | awaranim anusmara soha | trabhawam anusmara soha | didim anusmara soha tédzom anusmara soha | bidzayam anusmara soha | hridayam anusmara soha sarva sato binayam anusmara soha |

tadyathā | oṃ surūpe bhadre bhadravati aṅgale maṅgale maṅgalavati ale acale acala-bale udghātini udbhedini śasyavati dhanavati dhānyavati śrīmati prabhavati amale vimale nirmale rurume surūpe surūpavimale vimale cale arcanaste atanaste vitanaste viśvakeśi viśvaniśi aṅkure maṅkure prabhaṅkure virame vidhame ririme dhidhime dhudhume khakhame tatare tara tara tāra tāra vajre vajre vajropame ṭake ṭake ṭhake ṭhake ukke bukke ṭhake ṭharake āvartani varṣaṇi nishpādani vajradhāra-sāgara-nirghoṣaṃ tathāgataṃ anusmara smara smara sarva-tathāgata-satyam-anusmara dharma-satyam-anusmara saṅgha-satyam-anusmara data data pūra pūra pūraya pūraya pūraṇi bhara bharaṇi amale sumaṅgale śāntamati śubhamati maṅgalabhaṇi mahāmati bhadravati prabhavati sucandramati āgacchāgaccha samayam-anusmara svāhā | avaraṇim-anusmara svāhā | prabhavam-anusmara svāhā | dīdim-anusmara svāhā | tejom-anusmara svāhā | vijayam-anusmara svāhā | hṛdayam-anusmara svāhā | sarva-sattva-vijayam-anusmara svāhā |

ཨོཾ་བཱ་སུ་དྷཱ་རེ་སྭཱཧཱ། ཨོཾ་བཱ་སུ་ཤྲཱི་ཡེ་སྭཱཧཱ། ཨོཾ་ཤྰྲི་བ་སུ་སྭཱཧཱ། ཨོཾ་བ་སུ་སྭཱཧཱ།

om basudharé soha | om basushriyé soha | om shribasu soha | om basu soha |

oṃ vasudhāre svāhā | oṃ vasuśriye svāhā | oṃ śrīvasu svāhā | oṃ vasu svāhā ||

རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ། འདི་ནི་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་ཅེས་བྱ་བའི་གཟུངས་ཏེ། གཟུངས་སྔགས་འདིའི་མཐུས་མུ་གེ་དང༌། ནད་དང༌། འཆི་ངས་འབྱུང་བར་མི་འགྱུར་རོ། །

rik kyi bu di ni nor gyi gyün chejawé zung té zung ngak di tü mugé dang né dang chi ngé jungwar mingyur ro

Noble son, this is the Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī. Famine, diseases, and untimely death will be averted through the power of this dhāraṇī-mantra.

རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ། སུ་ཞིག་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ་ཡང་དག་པར་རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས་རྣམས་ལ་མཆོད་པ་བྱས་ཏེ། ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་གྱི་གཟུངས་ཀྱི་གསང་སྔགས་ཀྱི་ཚིག་འདི་དག་ནུབ་གཅིག་བཏོན་ན། དེ་ནས་དངོས་གྲུབ་ཏུ་འགྱུར་རོ། །

rik kyi bu su zhik dezhin shekpa drachompa yangdakpar dzokpé sangye nam la chöpa jé té nor gyi gyün gyi zung kyi sang ngak kyi tsik didak nub chik tön na dené ngödrub tu gyur ro

Noble son, whoever worships the tathāgatas, the arhats, the complete and perfect buddhas, and recites the words of this secret mantra, the Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī, while facing the west will reach accomplishment.

རྒྱས་པའི་དོན་དུ་བདག་གི་ཁྱིམ་མམ། གཞན་གྱི་ཁྱིམ་མམ། གནས་གཙང་མའི་བང་མཛོད་དམ། གནས་གང་ཡང་རུང་བར་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་དབང་ཕྱུག་དང༌། སངས་རྒྱས་དང༌། བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ་ཐམས་ཅད་དང༌། གསང་སྔགས་ཀྱི་ལྷའི་ཕྱིར་ཙནྡན་གྱིས་དཀྱིལ་འཁོར་གྲུ་བཞིར་བྱས་ཏེ། ནུབ་གཅིག་བཏོན་ན། རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ། དེའི་ཁྱིམ་ནོར་དང༌། འབྲུ་དང༌། གསེར་དང༌། དངུལ་དང༌། ཡོ་བྱད་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱི་རྒྱུན་མི་ཆེན་པོའི་ཚད་ཙམ་གྱིས་གང་བར་འགྱུར་རོ། །འཇིགས་པ་དང་གནོད་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱང་མེད་པར་འགྱུར་རོ། །

gyepé döndu dak gi khyim mam zhen gyi khyim mam netsangmé bangdzö dam né gangyang rungwar dezhin shekpa chenrezik wangchuk dang sangye dang changchub sempa tamché dang sang ngak kyi lhé chir tsenden gyi kyilkhor dru zhir jé té nub chik tön na rik kyi bu dé khyim nor dang dru dang ser dang ngul dang yojé tamché kyi gyün mi chenpö tsé tsam gyi gangwar gyur ro jikpa dang nöpa tamché kyang mepar gyur ro

To explain this in more detail: Arrange a maṇḍala in a suitable place—such as your own house, another person’s house, a clean place, or a storehouse—using sandalwood for the Tathāgata, Lord Avalokiteśvara, and all the buddhas and bodhisattvas and secret mantra deities, and recite the dhāraṇī while facing the west. Noble son, the person’s house will soon be completely filled with a stream of jewels, grain, gold, silver, and all necessities, and all danger and harm will be brought to an end.

རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ། དེའི་ཕྱིར་ཁྱོད་རབ་ཏུ་བསྒྲིམས་ལ་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་གྱི་གཟུངས་འདི་ཟུངས་ཤིག །ཆོངས་ཤིག །ལྷོགས་ཤིག །སྟོན་ཅིག །གཞན་དག་ལ་ཡང་རྒྱ་ཆེར་ཡང་དག་པར་རབ་ཏུ་སྟོན་ཅིག་དང༌། དེས་ཁྱོད་ཀྱི་ཡུན་རིང་པོའི་དོན་དང༌། ཕན་པ་དང༌། བདེ་བར་འགྱུར་རོ། །

rik kyi bu dé chir khyö rabtu drim la nor gyi gyün gyi zung di zung shik chong shik lhok shik tön chik zhendak la yang gyacher yangdakpar rabtu tön chik dang dé khyö kyi yünringpö dön dang penpa dang dewar gyur ro

Noble son, therefore, hold the Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī dear. Retain it! Memorize it! Recite it! Teach it! Explain it to others as well! This will lead to your lasting benefit, welfare and happiness.”

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས། ལེགས་སོ་ཞེས་གསོལ་ཏེ།

chomdendé lek so zhé sol té

“Very well, Blessed One!” said the householder Sucandra upon receiving the Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī from the Blessed One.

ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ལས་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་གྱི་གཟུངས་འདི་ཐོས་ནས་ཚིམ་ཞིང་དགའ་ལ་མགུ་ཞིང་ཡིད་རངས་ཏེ། རབ་ཏུ་དགའ་ནས་དགའ་བ་དང༌། ཡིད་བདེ་བ་སྐྱེས་ཏེ། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱི་ཞབས་ལ་མགོ་བོས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ནས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ལ་འདི་སྐད་ཅེས་གསོལ་ཏོ། །

khyimdak dawa zangpö chomdendé lé nor gyi gyün gyi zung di tö né tsim zhing ga la gu zhing yi rang té rabtu ga né gawa dang yi dewa kyé té chomdendé kyi zhab lago bö chaktsal né chomdendé la diké ché sol to

Pleased, glad, joyful, delighted, happy, satisfied and joyous was Sucandra as he paid homage by touching the feet of the Blessed One to his head. He then said to the Blessed One:

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས། བདག་གིས་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་ཅེས་བགྱི་བ་བླངས་ལགས། གཟུངས་སུ་ཟིན་ལགས། བཟུང་ལགས། བཀླགས་ལགས། ཀུན་ཆུབ་པར་བགྱིས་ལགས། རྗེས་སུ་ཡི་རང་བར་བགྱིས་ལགས་སོ། །གཞན་དག་ལ་ཡང་རྒྱ་ཆེར་ཡང་དག་པར་རབ་ཏུ་བསྟན་པར་བགྱིས་ལགས་སོ། །

chomdendé dak gi nor gyi gyün ché gyiwa lang lak zung su zin lak zung lak lak lak kün chubpar gyi lak jesu yirangwar gyi lak so zhendak la yang gyacher yangdakpar rabtu tenpar gyi lak so

“Blessed One, now that I have received the ritual for Vasudhārā, I will keep this dhāraṇī in mind; I will memorize it; I will recite it; I will master it; I will delight in it; and I will explain it in detail to others as well!”

དེའི་སྐད་ཅིག་ཙམ་ལ་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོའི་བང་མཛོད་རྣམས་ཡོངས་སུ་གང་བར་གྱུར་ཏོ། །

dé kechik tsam la khyimdak dawa zangpö bangdzö nam yongsu gangwar gyur to

At that very moment, Sucandra the householder’s storehouses became completely full.

དེ་ནས་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ལ་ལན་འབུམ་ཕྲག་དུ་མར་བསྐོར་བ་བྱས་ཏེ། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱི་ཞབས་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ནས། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱི་ཐད་ནས་སོང་ངོ༌། །

dené khyimdak dawa zangpö chomdendé la len bumtrak dumar korwa jé té chomdendé kyi zhab la chaktsal né chomdendé kyi té né song ngo

Sucandra the householder circumambulated the Blessed One many hundreds of thousands of times, and after touching his head to the feet of Blessed One, he left his presence.

དེ་ནས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་ཚེ་དང་ལྡན་པ་ཀུན་དགའ་བོ་ལ་བཀའ་སྩལ་པ།

dené chomdendé kyi tsé dang denpa küngawo la katsal pa

The Blessed One then spoke to venerable Ānanda:

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ། ཁྱོད་སོང་ལ་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོའི་ཁྱིམ་ནོར་དང༌། འབྲུས་ཡོངས་སུ་གང་བ་ཕུན་སུམ་ཚོགས་པ་དང༌། མཛོད་ཆེན་པོ་དང༌། བང་མཛོད་ཡོངས་སུ་གང་བ་རྣམས་ལ་ལྟོས།

küngawo khyö song la khyimdak dawa zangpö khyim nor dang drü yongsu gangwa pünsum tsokpa dang dzö chenpo dang bangdzö yongsu gangwa nam la tö

“Ānanda, go to Sucandra the householder, the one whose home is abundantly filled with all kinds of riches and grains and whose massive treasury and storehouses are replete with all one could require.”

དེ་ནས་ཚེ་དང་ལྡན་པ་ཀུན་དགའ་བོས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱི་ལྟར་མཉན་ནས་ཀཽ་ཤཱམྦཱིའི་གྲོང་ཁྱེར་ཆེན་པོ་ག་ལ་བ་དང༌། ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོའི་ཁྱིམ་ག་ལ་བ་དེར་སོང་སྟེ་ཕྱིན་ནས་ནང་དུ་ཞུགས་པ་དང༌། ནོར་དང༌། འབྲུས་ཡོངས་སུ་གང་བ་ཕུན་སུམ་ཚོགས་པ་དང༌། རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ཕུན་སུམ་ཚོགས་པ་དང༌། ཡོ་བྱད་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱི་མཛོད་པ་ཆེན་པོ་དང༌། བང་མཛོད་རྣམས་ཀྱང་ཡོངས་སུ་གང་བར་མཐོང་ངོ༌། །མཐོང་ནས་ཀྱང་ཚིམ་ཞིང་དགའ་ལ་མགུ་ཞིང་ཡིད་རངས་ཏེ་རབ་ཏུ་དགའ་ནས་དགའ་བ་དང༌། ཡིད་བདེ་བ་སྐྱེས་ཏེ་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ག་ལ་བ་དེར་སོང་ངོ༌། །

dené tsé dang denpa küngawö chomdendé kyi tar nyen né kaushambi drongkhyer chenpo gala ba dang khyimdak dawa zangpö khyim gala ba der song té chin né nang du zhukpa dang nor dang drü yongsu gangwa pünsum tsokpa dang rinpoche pünsum tsokpa dang yojé tamché kyi dzöpa chenpo dang bangdzö nam kyang yongsu gangwar tong ngo tong né kyang tsim zhing ga la gu zhing yi rang té rabtu ga né gawa dang yi dewa kyé té chomdendé gala ba der song ngo

At these words of the Blessed One, venerable Ānanda went to the great city of Kauśāmbī where Sucandra’s house was located. Upon reaching the house he entered, and he saw that it was filled with an abundance of riches and grains. Precious gems were abundant, and there was a massive storehouse of all kinds of goods. The treasuries likewise were completely full! Pleased, glad, joyful, delighted, happy, satisfied and joyous upon seeing this, he returned to the Blessed One.

དེ་ནས་ཚེ་དང་ལྡན་པ་ཀུན་དགའ་བོ་ཡ་མཚན་དུ་འཛིན་ཅིང་དགའ་བ་དང༌། ཡིད་བདེ་བ་སྐྱེས་ནས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ལ་འདི་སྐད་ཅེས་གསོལ་ཏོ། །

dené tsé dang denpa küngawo yatsen du dzin ching gawa dang yi dewa kyé né chomdendé la diké ché sol to

Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, and, in his amazement, happiness and joy, he said this to the Blessed One:

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས། གང་གིས་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོ་ནོར་མང་ཞིང་མཛོད་ཆེན་པོ་དང༌། བང་མཛོད་རྣམས་ཀྱང་ནོར་དང༌། འབྲུ་ཕུན་སུམ་ཚོགས་པའི་རྒྱུ་གང་ལགས། རྐྱེན་གང་ལགས།

chomdendé gang gi khyimdak dawa zangpo nor mang zhing dzö chenpo dang bangdzö nam kyang nor dang dru pünsum tsokpé gyu gang lak kyen gang lak

“Blessed One, why does Sucandra the householder have so much wealth? What is the cause and what are the circumstances for his treasury and storehouses to be replete with riches and grains?”

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་བཀའ་སྩལ་པ།

chomdendé kyi katsal pa

The Blessed One replied:

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ། རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོ་དད་ཅིང་མཆོག་ཏུ་དད་ཅིང་དགེ་བའི་བསམ་པ་ཅན་དེས་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་གྱི་གཟུངས་འདི་བཟུང་ཞིང་རབ་ཏུ་བཏོན་ཏེ། བླངས་ཤིང། བཀླགས། ཀུན་ཆུབ་པར་བྱས། རྗེས་སུ་ཡི་རང་བར་བྱས་ཤིང༌། གཞན་དག་ལ་ཡང་རྒྱ་ཆེར་ཡང་དག་པར་རབ་ཏུ་བསྟན་པའི་ཕྱིར་རོ། །

küngawo rik kyi bu khyimdak dawa zangpo dé ching chok tu dé ching gewé sampachen dé nor gyi gyün gyi zung di zung zhing rabtu tön té lang shing lak kün chubpar jé jesu yirangwar jé shing zhendak la yang gyacher yangdakpar rabtu tenpé chir ro

“Ānanda, it is because the noble son Sucandra the householder has received and chanted the Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī with devotion, great faith, and pure motivation. He kept it, recited it, mastered it, delighted in it, and expounded it in detail to others as well.

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ། དེའི་ཕྱིར་ཁྱོད་ཀྱིས་ཀྱང་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་གྱི་གཟུང་འདི་ལོངས་ཤིག །ཆོངས་ཤིག །ལྷོགས་ཤིག །སྟོན་ཅིག །ཟུངས་ཤིག །ཀུན་ཆུབ་པར་གྱིས་ཤིག །གཞན་དག་ལ་ཡང་རྒྱ་ཆེར་ཡང་དག་པར་རབ་ཏུ་སྟོན་ཅིག་དང༌། དེ་ནི་སྐྱེ་བོ་མང་པོ་ལ་ཕན་པ་དང༌། སྐྱེ་བོ་མང་པོ་ལ་བདེ་བ་དང༌། འཇིག་རྟེན་ལ་སྙིང་བརྩེ་བ་དང༌། སྐྱེ་བོ་ཕལ་པོ་ཆེ་དང༌། ལྷ་དང༌། མི་རྣམས་ཀྱི་དོན་དང༌། ཕན་པ་དང༌། བདེ་བར་འགྱུར་རོ། །

küngawo dé chir khyö kyi kyang nor gyi gyün gyi zung di long shik chong shik lhok shik tön chik zung shik kün chubpar gyi shik zhendak la yang gyacher yangdakpar rabtu tön chik dang dé ni kyewo mangpo la penpa dang kyewo mangpo la dewa dang jikten la nying tsewa dang kyewo palpo ché dang lha dang mi nam kyi dön dang penpa dang dewar gyur ro

Ānanda, therefore, you too should receive the Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī, keep it in mind, recite it, teach it, memorize it, master it, and explain it to others in detail. This will benefit many individuals. It will bring them happiness. It will bring love and compassion to the world, and it will bring benefit and happiness to hosts of beings, gods and humans alike.

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ། སུ་ཞིག་རིག་སྔགས་འདི་ལས་གཞན་དུ་སྨྲ་བ་ནི། ལྷ་དང་བཅས་པ་དང༌། བདུད་དང་བཅས་པ་དང༌། ཚངས་པ་དང་བཅས་པ་དང༌། དགེ་སྦྱོང་དང་བྲམ་ཟེར་བཅས་པ་དང༌། ལྷ་དང། མི་དང། ལྷ་མ་ཡིན་དུ་བཅས་པའི་འཇིག་རྟེན་ན་ངས་མ་མཐོང་ངོ༌། །ལན་གཉིས་སུ་བཏོན་ཏམ། ལན་གསུམ་དུ་བཏོན་ཀྱང་འགལ་བར་བྱེད་པ་དེ་ནི། གནས་མེད་དོ། །

küngawo su zhik rik ngak di lé zhendu mawa ni lha dang chepa dang dü dang chepa dang tsangpa dang chepa dang gejong dang dramzer chepa dang lha dang mi dang lha mayin du chepé jikten na ngé ma tong ngo len nyi su tön tam len sum du tön kyang galwar jepa dé ni nemé do

Ānanda, I do not see anyone in worlds of gods, māras, brahmas, humans, or asuras, who would say otherwise about this vidyā-mantra. It is impossible not to receive the mantra’s benefits having recited it two or three times.

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ། གཟུངས་ཀྱི་གསང་སྔགས་ཀྱི་ཚིག་འདི་དག་ནི་མི་ཕྱེད་པ་ཡིན་ནོ། །

küngawo zung kyi sang ngak kyi tsik didak ni michepa yin no

Ānanda, the secret mantra words of this dhāraṇī are indestructible.

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ། འདི་དག་ནི་སེམས་ཅན་དགེ་བའི་རྩ་བ་ཟད་པ་རྣམས་ཀྱི་རྣ་ལམ་དུ་གྲགས་པར་མི་འགྱུར་ན། གླེགས་བམ་ལ་ཡི་གེར་འབྲི་བ་དང༌། ཡིད་ལ་གཟུང་བ་ལྟ་ཅི་སྨོས།

küngawo didak ni semchen gewé tsawa zepa nam kyi nalam du drakpar mingyur na lekbam la yiger driwa dang yi la zungwa tachi mö

Ānanda, it is clear that these words, when heard, will benefit² even those whose roots of virtue have been exhausted. Thus, there is no need to mention the benefits of writing them down in a book or memorizing them.

དེ་ཅིའི་ཕྱིར་ཞེ་ན། འདི་ནི་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱི་བཀའ་སྩལ་ཏེ། གཟུངས་སྔགས་འདི་ནི་སེམས་ཅན་དབུལ་པོ་དང༌། ནད་སྣ་ཚོགས་ཀྱིས་གཟིར་བ་དང༌། འཇིགས་པ་དང༌། སེམས་ཅན་སྡང་བས་གནོད་པར་བྱས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱི་དོན་དུ་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱིས་གསུངས་པ་དང༌། བཤད་པ་དང༌། རྗེས་སུ་ཡི་རང་བ་དང༌། རབ་ཏུ་ཕྱེ་བ་དང༌། བསྔགས་པ་དང༌། བཀྲོལ་བ་དང༌། གསལ་བར་མཛད་པ་དང༌། བསྐྱེད་པ་དང༌། བྱིན་གྱིས་བརླབས་པ་དང༌། ཆོས་ཀྱི་ཕྱག་རྒྱས་བཏབ་པ་དང༌། བསྟོད་པ་དང༌། སྙན་པར་བརྗོད་པ་དང༌། གོ་བར་མཛད་པ་དང༌། བསྙད་པའི་ཕྱིར་རོ། །

dé chi chir zhé na di ni dezhin shekpa tamché kyi katsal té zung ngak di ni semchen ulpo dang né natsok kyi zirwa dang jikpa dang semchen dangwé nöpar jepa tamché kyi döndu dezhin shekpa tamché kyi sungpa dang shepa dang jesu yirangwa dang rabtu chewa dang ngakpa dang trolwa dang salwar dzepa dang kyepa dang jin gyi labpa dang chö kyi chakgyé tabpa dang töpa dang nyenpar jöpa dang gowar dzepa dang nyepé chir ro

Why is this the case? It is because this dhāraṇī has been taught by all the tathāgatas. This dhāraṇī-mantra has been spoken, explained, honored, revealed, praised, unraveled, clarified, expounded, blessed, validated by the dharma seal, commended, sung, declared, and told by all the tathāgatas for the welfare of all sentient beings who live in poverty, suffer from diseases, live in fear, or are harmed by the wicked.

དེ་ནས་ཚེ་དང་ལྡན་པ་ཀུན་དགའ་བོ་སྟན་ལས་ལངས་ཏེ་དེའི་ཚེ་ཐལ་མོ་སྦྱར་ནས་ཆེད་དུ་བརྗོད་པ་འདི་ཆེད་དུ་བརྗོད་ཅིང་ཚིགས་སུ་བཅད་པ་འདི་དག་གསོལ་ཏོ། །

dené tsé dang denpa küngawo ten lé lang té dé tsé talmo jar né chedu jöpa di chedu jö ching tsik su chepa didak sol to

Venerable Ānanda then rose from his seat and with his hands folded, he uttered this praise in verse:

སངས་རྒྱས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་བསམ་གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་སྟེ། །

sangye chomden sam gyi mi khyab té

“Inconceivable is the Blessed Buddha.

སངས་རྒྱས་ཆོས་ཀྱང་བསམ་གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་ལགས། །

sangye chö kyang sam gyi mi khyab lak

Inconceivable too is the Buddha’s Dharma.

བསམ་གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་པ་ལ་དད་རྣམས་ཀྱི། །

sam gyi mi khyabpa la dé nam kyi

For those with faith in the inconceivable,

རྣམ་པར་སྨིན་པའང་བསམ་གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་ལགས། །

nampar minpa ang sam gyi mi khyab lak

Inconceivable too will be their results.

ཞི་བ་ཅི་ཡང་མཁྱེན་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་མཁྱེན། །

zhiwa chiyang khyenpa tamché khyen

Tranquil knower of everything and all,

ཆོས་ཀྱི་རྒྱལ་པོ་རྒ་ཤི་མི་མངའ་བ། །

chö kyi gyalpo gashi mi ngawa

Dharma King free of aging and death,

ཡེ་ཤེས་ཕ་རོལ་བགྲོད་པར་བྱོན་གྱུར་པ། །

yeshe parol dröpar jön gyurpa

The one who’s arrived at wisdom’s far shore,

སངས་རྒྱས་དཔའ་པོ་ཁྱོད་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

sangye papo khyö la chaktsal lo

Buddha the Hero, to you I pay homage!”

དེ་ནས་ཚེ་དང་ལྡན་པ་ཀུན་དགའ་བོ་ཚིམ་ཞིང་དགའ་ལ་མགུ་ཞིང་ཡིད་རངས་ནས་རབ་ཏུ་དགའ་སྟེ། དགའ་བ་དང༌། ཡིད་བདེ་བ་སྐྱེས་ནས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ལ་འདི་སྐད་ཅེས་གསོལ་ཏོ། །

dené tsé dang denpa küngawo tsim zhing ga la gu zhing yi rang né rabtu ga té gawa dang yi dewa kyé né chomdendé la diké ché sol to

Venerable Ānanda was satisfied and joyful, gladden and overjoyed. In his joy and happiness, he said to the Blessed One:

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས། ཆོས་ཀྱི་རྣམ་གྲངས་འདིའི་མིང་ཅི་ལགས། འདི་ཇི་ལྟར་གཟུང་བར་བགྱི།

chomdendé chö kyi namdrang di ming chi lak di jitar zungwar gyi

“Blessed One, what is the name of this form of Dharma? How shall I remember it?”

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་བཀའ་སྩལ་པ།

chomdendé kyi katsal pa

The Blessed One replied:

ཀུན་དགའ་བོ། འདི་ནི་ཁྱིམ་བདག་ཟླ་བ་བཟང་པོས་ཞུས་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བར་ཟུངས་ཤིག །ནོར་དང༌། འབྲུ་དང༌། རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱི་གཏེར་ཞེས་བྱ་བར་ཡང་ཟུངས་ཤིག །དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱིས་བསྔགས་པ་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་གྱི་གཟུངས་ཞེས་བྱ་བར་ཡང་ཟུངས་ཤིག །

küngawo di ni khyimdak dawa zangpö zhüpa zhejawar zung shik nor dang dru dang rinpoche tamché kyi ter zhejawar yang zung shik dezhin shekpa tamché kyi ngakpa nor gyi gyün gyi zung zhejawar yang zung shik

“Ānanda, remember this teaching as ‘The Question of Sucandra the Householder.’ Remember it as ‘The Treasury of Wealth and Grain and All That is Precious.’ Remember it as ‘The Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī Praised by All the Tathāgatas.’”

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་དེ་སྐད་ཅེས་བཀའ་སྩལ་ནས། ཚེ་དང་ལྡན་པ་ཀུན་དགའ་བོ་དང༌། དགེ་སློང་དེ་དག་དང༌། བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ་དེ་དག་དང༌། ཐམས་ཅད་དང་ལྡན་པའི་འཁོར་དེ་དག་དང༌། ལྷ་དང༌། མི་དང༌། ལྷ་མ་ཡིན་དང༌། དྲི་ཟར་བཅས་པའི་འཇིག་རྟེན་ཡིད་རངས་ཏེ། བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་གསུངས་པ་ལ་མངོན་པར་བསྟོད་དོ།། །།

chomdendé kyi deké ché katsal né tsé dang denpa küngawo dang gelong dedak dang changchub sempa dedak dang tamché dang denpé khor dedak dang lha dang mi dang lha mayin dang drizar chepé jikten yi rang té chomdendé kyi sungpa la ngönpar tö do

When the Blessed One had said this, Venerable Ānanda, the monks and bodhisattva mahāsattvas, together with the whole assembly and the world of gods, human beings, asuras and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the speech of the Blessed One.

འཕགས་པ་ནོར་གྱི་རྒྱུན་ཅེས་བྱ་བའི་གཟུངས་རྫོགས་སོ།། །།

This concludes the Noble Vasudhārā Dhāraṇī.

| Translated by Samye Translations (Stefan Mang and Peter Woods), 2019. Further suggestions and clarifications based on the Sanskrit³ have been kindly given by Wiesiek Mical.

Hatred is the most potent of the three poisons, considered more dangerous than greed and ignorance.

Buddha taught many ways to supress hatred, and especially emphasized advesha — “absence of hatred” methods.

Hatred is often our way of reacting to suffering, and it is not necessary to feel the need to distinguish between worthy and not-so-worthy objects of our hatred. Sometimes, we just feel the need to hate someone.

What can Advesha do for us?

Advesha or the absence of hatred means, firstly, that we do not want to hurt people who have not given us a reason to hate them.

Special Feature by Donald Mena

(Bio below.)

Advesha, or absence of hatred, also means that we are not angry at unsatisfying situations, which ultimately means that we are not enraged even by the inevitable decline and destruction of things, or impermanence. (Hatred is the klesha known as “dosa.”)

Thirdly, it means that we do not feel malicious towards people who hurt us, even if they do it consciously. Advesha means that we do not react to suffering in any of these ways. Although hatred creates suffering – in so far as hatred immediately causes pain – suffering should not lead to hatred. Instead, we can develop advesha.

• This is part of our series on the 10 poisons. For part 2, which focused on “Greed” see>>
• Part 1 of this series gave an overview of all ten poisons>>
• Buddha and the “angry man” is a classic sutra story illustrating anger>>

We do not create conditions for hatred in others

Advesha —  a lack of intent to cause harm — also means that we do not create conditions for hatred in others. Hatred breeds hatred, it is contagious. Hatred makes us and others suffer, and this suffering leads us and other people to new hatred and new suffering. This is quite obvious: we do not cause suffering directly, we do not deprive someone of what they value, because, among other things, to do so would be to cause hatred in others.

However, in a quote from the Vijnaptimatratasiddhi-sastra, there is a conclusion that a person can become an object of hatred simply by being impermanent. You can be completely devoted to someone throughout your life, but when you die, the person you left behind may feel hurt, as if it’s your fault. “Why did this have to happen to me? – they ask. “Why did you have to die right now when I need you so much?” It’s unreasonable, but it happens.

Resentment in itself is unreasonable. Even if someone gets into an accident or faces an illness without being to blame for it, and needs to be taken care of, the one who has to do it seems to naturally feel offended from time to time. This does not mean that we are responsible for the fact that others hate us: even Buddha was hated by some.

• The classic sutra story of compassion as a remedy for the poison of hate is the story of mass-murderer Angulimala who tried to kill Buddha. Not only did Buddha remedy his life-taking hate, he took him in as a disciple. Read the full story here>>

Hatred and attachment are connected

There is a close connection between hatred and attachment. It is probably most obvious in the context of sexual relationships. Perhaps we can say that where there is an attachment in sexual relations, sooner or later hatred will arise. Are they so amazing, these terrible fights and quarrels that break out between partners? This is the inevitable fruit of attachment. If there are no outbursts of anger, if you can live for several years without hatred breaking out, without slipping into a routine, most likely there is no strong attachment between you, and the relationship is more or less healthy.

“When a good mind is born, whatever the object of its perception, it always manifests itself as non-attachment with existence and absence of discontent to suffering. This means that the absence of greed and the absence of anger is strengthened with “existence” and “suffering”, but the mind does not need to remember existence and suffering to manifest these two Chaittas. Similarly, the sense of shame and integrity is strengthened with good and bad, but the mind does not need to feel good and bad to manifest these two Chaitas. It follows from this that the absence of greed and anger accompany all good minds”.

— “Vijnaptimatratasiddhi-shastra”

All these concepts — shame, fear of censure from the wise, non–attachment, and absence of hatred — represent the positive state of the mind and not just negative events of the mind that somehow could not be realized. To experience or manifest them, we do not need to feel inclined to something shameful or reprehensible, to feel on the verge of attachment or disgust.

We may be confused by the fact that grammatically negative expressions are used for positive qualities, but this is a common characteristic of Pali and Sanskrit: adding a- as a prefix creates a negative equivalent of the word, just as the prefix non- does it in English (so we have dvesha, which means hatred, and advesha, which means non-hated, non-hate).

In English, this “double negation” is rarely used for positive qualities. But there is one obvious example of an English word that is created in this way – the word immortal, “immortal”. It means “no mortality”, but in itself, of course, has a very positive meaning. In such expressions as “the absence of hatred”, you also need to see similar positive shades.

Non-hate is not just the absence of hate

But if “non-hate” is not just the absence of hate, if it is a positive quality in itself, why not call this quality, say, just love or maitri (metta in Pali)? It makes sense to express certain qualities through their opposite, since they become difficult to achieve as a result, which is very important for their meaning. Yes, it is difficult to break through negative terminology to these qualities, but in fact, it is not so bad. When faced with such “negative” terms, we must ask ourselves: “What is meant here?”

The word itself does not allow us to imagine that we know everything about it, simply because we know the meaning of the word. We begin to understand that we must experience this very quality – alobha or advesha – as an experience to understand what it is.

It is not enough just to understand the meaning of the name. And there is a difference between these “negative” expressions and their positive equivalents. For example, loving-kindness goes beyond the absence of hatred.

If you are in a situation where someone is causing you great difficulties or inconvenience, you can feel the absence of hatred without necessarily feeling loving-kindness, which suggests that these are two different states of the mind.

While the absence of hatred and the absence of attachment support each other – because there is no hatred without attachment, and attachment without hatred – both are born only by the non-obscurity, the next state of the mind. Together, these three fundamental positive events of the mind form the three beneficial roots of all positive actions.

The principle of abstinence from hatred — Compassion

The true nature of the non-hurtful state of consciousness, which concerns the Ninth Instruction, can be understood only by establishing a connection between the concepts of “Hatred” and “Greed”. While greed is a state in which the “I” or ego expresses its attitude towards the “not-I” or “not-ego” in the form of a desire to appropriate it or even make it a part of itself, hatred is a state that arises if such an attitude is detected, prevented or suppressed by itself “not-me” or “not-ego”, or by another person or factor. Therefore, if greed is a primary psychological state, then hatred is a secondary one. It manifests itself in the form of a deadly desire to cause as much harm and damage as possible to everything that comes between the hungry subject and the object of greed.

As for the positive opposite of the principle of Abstinence from Hatred, it is not Love, as it would be logical to imagine, but Compassion. The term Love is already used as the positive opposite of Abstinence from Killing, but the main reason that the word Compassion is used in this case, and not Love, is that the positive opposite of Abstinence from Hatred is contained in the concept of the Bodhisattva Ideal.

• For a feature on Mahayana compassion, see>>

Neglect under influence of anger is a serious violation

According to the text of Upali-pariprichcha or “Questions (Arhat) Fell”, in the Mahayana Ratnakuta Sutra, for a Bodhisattva, neglect of instructions under the influence of desire (= greed) is considered a minor violation, even if it occurred in many kalpas, whereas even a single case of neglect of any instruction under the influence of anger (=hate speech) is considered a very serious violation.

The reason is that “A Bodhisattva who does not follow instructions because of desire [still] holds sentient beings in his arms, and a Bodhisattva who does not follow instructions because of hatred renounces them all.”

In this episode, however, as in all others, Mahayana does not at all assert that neglecting instructions because of desire is not essential, but emphasizes that it is extremely important for a Bodhisattva not to renounce sentient beings, under any circumstances, but neglecting instructions because of hatred, he does exactly that. Hatred and compassion are mutually exclusive. Therefore, “Compassion” and not “Love” is the positive opposite of Abstinence from Hatred.

About the author: Donald Mena is a writer, psychologist, and meditation enthusiast. He studies ancient Buddhist texts and is a contributor to Bidforwriting.com, where you can get help with academic writing. (This feature was not requested — and was submitted under Buddha Weekly’s standard writer terms.)

Why is Maitreya Bodhisattva the face of love? Why is Maitreya called the Future Buddha? Why does his name translate as loving friend?

Maitreya’s name gets to the heart of his practice right away. His name, Maitreya, literally translates as “loving friend.” Maitreya’s name is derived from the Sanskrit word Maitri as in “friendship” however it has many layered meanings: benevolence, kindness, friendliness, amity, goodwill, active love for others.

Maitreya’s Main Practice: Loving Kindness

For people who aspire to his loving kindness and protection, simply chant his powerful mantras, and his famous Dharani. Later in this presentation, we’ll cover the mantra and Dharani. We’ll also explain how one syllable in the Dharani and heart mantra is frequently mispronounced, and how to correctly chant the mantras.

VIDEO:

Maitreya is frequently just called Ajita, which means the unsurpassed. Ajita is part of his Dharani as well. When Buddha speaks to Maitreya Bodhisattva Mahasattva in the Lotus Sutra, he addresses him in person. The assembly usually call him “Ajita.”

Maitreya Foretold in Many Sutras

Maitreya is foretold in many Sutras as the future Buddha, the next Buddha to come after Shakyamuni Buddha to the Earth, including the Maitreya vimana Sutta, the Lotus Sutra and the Maha paranirvana Sutra.

Maitreya Bodhisattva embodies the Bodhisattva ideal of Mahayana Buddhism: one who delays their own Buddhahood out of compassion for all sentient beings, although he is now on his “last life time” before being born into our world as the next Buddha. Maitreya’s name means “loving friend” or “friend of all”, and his compassionate nature is extended to all beings, regardless of whether they are human, animal or anything else. Maitreya is therefore known as the “friend of all creatures”.

Practicing Maitreya Now

How do we practice Maitreya now, in this life? As the Loving Friend, the Compassionate One, the Great Bodhisattva of the highest level, his main practice is compassion. One story often told by lineage teachers to illustrate how we can see and practice Maitreya now, is the wonderful and inspiring life of the great Asanga.

In Lama Tsomo’s book Deepening Wisdom, Deepening Connection This story of the great Asanga, the fourth century founder of Yogachara school, is especially poignant.

Asanga’s Quest to See Maitreya

“Long ago, in ancient India, a Dharma student named Asanga had a goal: to see the Future Buddha Maitreya, who was already a great bodhisattva. He then planned on getting instructions from him. He began a Maitreya practice retreat in a cave on Kukkutapada Mountain. Asanga spent all his waking hours, every single day, reciting Maitreya’s mantra, visualizing him, making offerings to him and so on.

This went on for six years. He never saw Maitreya, even in his dreams. No sign of any kind. Nothing. He became discouraged and gave up. After completing the closing rituals for his retreat, he packed up his things and walked down the road in despair. He came upon a man rubbing a huge iron pole with a soft cloth.

“What are you doing, my friend?” Asanga asked.

“I need a needle, so I’m rubbing this pole, to fashion it into a needle.”

“Hmmm,” thought Asanga, “It would take him a century of rubbing to do the job. Yet he’s persevering. Here I am, supposedly a good practitioner, and I’ve quit my lofty goal after only six years. And my goal is way more important and beneficial than a needle could ever be.”

He was embarrassed, regretful that he didn’t know the meaning of persistence. He turned around and went back to the cave.

For three more years he did nothing else but pray to Maitreya continuously. Still no sign whatsoever. This time he was positive that there was absolutely no hope of seeing Maitreya, that he was wasting his life, accomplishing nothing. Again, he ended retreat, packed up his few possessions, and walked down the path.

The first person he came upon was a man at the foot of a towering rock. The man was dipping a feather in water and stroking the rock.

Glenn Mullin recites the Sadhana of Maitreya by the Fifth Dalai Lama:

“What are you trying to do here?” Asanga asked, more than a little bewildered.

“This rock is blocking the sunlight from my house, so I’m wearing it away,” the man explained.

Immediately Asanga’s mind went to the thoughts of three years before, and he returned to the cave, practicing with renewed vigor. Three years passed. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.”

Lama Tsomo then tells the emotional story of how Asanga saves a dying dog. When he turns around, the dog has transformed into a glorious Maitreya Buddha.

Maitreya smiled and said,

“Asanga, I was there with you every single minute. And when you gave up, I appeared as the man with the scarf, the man with the feather, and now a dog.”

Maitreya explained that in previous years, Asanga wasn’t ready to understand what he was seeing. To prove it, he invited Asanga to go with him to town and see if anyone else could see glorious Maitreya.

Lama Tsomo continues the famous lineage story:

“Asanga carried Maitreya on his right shoulder. He asked everyone at the market what they saw. Every one of them looked at him a little strangely and said they saw nothing. At last they came to an old woman at the edge of town, whose obscurations were relatively more cleared away than the villagers. When Asanga asked her what she saw, she said, “I see a dog.”

At that moment, Asanga attained realizations and was taken immediately to Tushita Heaven.

Bodhichitta and Compassion are Maitreya’s Practices

Lama Tsomo finished the teaching by commenting: Asanga’s “story reminds us that, in training in bodhicitta in general, and Compassion in particular, we can accomplish the two processes that lead toward enlightenment: clearing away obscurations and bringing forth our Buddha Nature. You can see why Compassion is essential to Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism.”

Even though buddhas and great bodhisattvas can appear anywhere, even in the Bardo (the dreamlike state between lifetimes) or our dreams, if we’re too caught in our own fixations and obscurations, we can’t see them. And even if we do see something, we can’t see these beings as they really are. When we see with the eyes of compassion, we see more truly.”

How Compassionate is Maitreya?

How compassionate is the great Bodhisattva, our future Buddha? Maitreya’s compassion is so expansive it includes even those who have caused harm. In the Maitri upanishad, Maitreya says:

“By taking refuge in me, even those who have committed the most heinous crimes will be freed from their karma and will attain liberation.”

This shows that Maitreya’s compassion is not selective and is available to all, no matter how bad their past actions may have been. Maitreya’s compassion is therefore seen as boundless and all-inclusive.

Currently, Maitreya resides in Tushita heaven, as described fully in The Sutra on Maitreya’s Birth in the Heaven of Joy.

In The Sutra on Maitreya’s Birth in Heaven of Joy, Shakyamuni Buddha explains to the Great Assembly:

“In the Heaven of Joy, beings practice the ten virtues, return the kindness of the victorious ones, and have the merit to produce great wonders.”

Buddha continued by explaining how to serve Maitreya:

Whether it is a single monk or the entire retinue, anyone who has not yet grown weary of birth and death, and wishes to be reborn in a divine realm, must generate the mind set upon unsurpassed awakening. The observances for those who wish to serve Maitreya are as follows: perfect the observance of the eight precepts including the five requisites; be ceaseless in physical and mental diligence; practice the ten virtues; desire abundant happiness; and maintain a one-pointed desire to be reborn in the Heaven of Joy.

Maitreya – Our Helpful, Protective Friend

Until then, as long as we are born in the Samsaric worlds of suffering, Maitreya is always are helpful and protective friend. He is friendly and peaceful in appearance and noble, in keeping with his role as a loving friend of suffering sentient beings.

His practice flourished during the time Alexander the Great arrived in India. Many statues of Maitreya, in the Greco-Buddhist style, portray him as a beautiful nobleman with a Bhumpa or wisdom urn in his left hand.

Maitreya’s Many Forms

Most commonly, the Future Buddha Maitreya appears in a peaceful form, yellow or gold, on a throne, with two feet down, with his two hands at the heart performing the mudra of Dharma Teaching while holding the stems of two red utpala flowers supporting a Stupa on the right and a water flask on the left. Sometimes, he will appear on a throne with only the one flower with a vase.

In other forms Maitreya appears as a Bodhisattva on a lotus with legs crossed, with the hands in the mudra of Dharma Teaching.

Maitreya may also appear on a lotus with one leg down on a lotus footstool, resembling Tara’s pose, with one hand in the mudra of the three jewels.

In the Japanese form, known as Miroku Maitreya, he appears to be sitting with one leg crossed, one leg hanging down on a lotus with right hand in the mudra of the Three Jewels and the left on his knee.

In one form he appears as Buddha in full lotus posture on a lotus flower with the Dharma Teaching mudra.

In  rarer forms he is standing with a stupa either in his hand or on top of the Uptala flower.

There are many variations, with one vase, two vases, one flower, two flowers, and can also appear with Stupa, Mala, Dharma Wheel.

The Future Buddha Can Be Reached Now

He will come as the “future” manifested Buddha in our world, according to the prophecies of Shakyamuni Buddha, our loving friend Maitreya is “reachable” now through meditation, prayer, mantras and practice. Although he resides in Tushita Heaven, he is active as a compassionate Bodhisattva and emanates in countless world systems as a savior Bodhisattva. Simply call his name, meditate on his form, chant his mantra, and his compassionate power will reach you.

His mantra is

om maitri maha maitri maitri ye svaha

There is also a longer Dharani mantra called the Arya Maitrina pratijna nama dharani.

Mantra of Maitreya Buddha’s Promise

This is often translated as, the Mantra of Maitreya Buddha’s Promise. Although it should be chanted in Sanskrit, a translation of the Dharani is helpful for our practice.

Homage to the Three Jewels

Homage to the Lord Shakyamuni, Tathagata, Arhat, Completely Perfect Buddha

The Dharani translated follows:

Om Invincible, Invincible, Unconquered; Conquer the Unconquered;

You Who Look Down with Friendliness: Act! Act!

Bring! Bring the fulfillment of your great pledge

Shake the seat of great awakening

Remember. Remember your pledge for us.

Awakening, awakening, great awakening, svaha

Here is the Heart Mantra

OM MOHI MOHI MAHA MOHI SVAHA.

Here is the close Heart Mantra

OM. MUNI. MUNI. SMARA. SVAHA.

NOTE: For the Dharani and close Heart Mantra there is a common transcription error from Sanskrit to other languages. In the Dharani and the Close Heart Mantra, the word “smara” which means remember is often transcribed as “Mara”, which has a negative connotation. Mara was the Opponent of Buddha under the Bodhi tree, and various meanings include death, suffering and other negative associations.

In the mantra it is meant to translate as “remember, remember, your pledge for us.” It is fairly common to see the mantra chanted “mara mara atmakam samaya” however this should be “smara smara atmakam samaya” to translate as “remember, remember your pledge for us.” Smara is “remember. “Atmakam is “Consisting of” and “Samaya” is promise or oath.

The Dharani, in Sanskrit is:

NAMO BHAGAVATE SHAKYAMUNIYE TATHAGATAYA ARHATE SAMYAK SAM BUDDHAYA

TADYATHA: OM AJITE AJITE APARAJITEH

AJITAN CHAYA HARA HARA

MAITRI AVALOKITE KARA KARA

MAHA SAMAYA SIDDHI BHARA BHARA

MAHA BODHI MANDA VIJA

SMARA SMARA ATMAKAM SAMAYA

BODHI BODHI MAHA BODHI SVAHA

OM MOHI MOHI MAHA MOHI SVAHA

OM MUNI MUNI SMARA SVAHA

While chanting the Dharani, always remain mindful of Shakyamuni’s words in the Sutra of Maitreya’s Birth in Heaven of Joy.

“In the future, all of you will create merit, guard your discipline, and take birth in the presence of the bodhisattva Maitreya. The bodhisattva Maitreya will then bless all of you.

Upon hearing Maitreya’s name, they will no longer fall into the realms of darkness upon death, nor will they be reborn in any outlying regions, nor among people with wrong views or nonvirtuous behaviors. Such people will be reborn in every lifetime where the view is proper, the retinue is abundant, and the Three Jewels are never disgraced.

If those noble sons or daughters who have broken their vows or committed unwholesome misdeeds hear the name of the Bodhisattva of great compassion, call out his name, place their full body on the ground, and confess with an undistracted mind, the entirety of their misdeeds will swiftly be purified.” Thus spoke the Buddha.

May all beings benefit.

We dedicate this presentation for the benefit of all sentient beings.

For many Vajrayana Buddhists, nothing is more difficult than generating (creating) a detailed, stable and complete visualization. Yet, at the same time, it is vital, as explained by Kunkhyen Tenpe Nyima:

This is one of the primary functions of the development stage; it is a unique method that allows one to practice calm abiding by focusing on the mind of the deity

Although some teachers reassure us that our skills will increase with experience — and in the mean time to just “know” the deity is there — never-the-less, visualization is so fundamental to the advanced path of Generation Deity Practices, it’s hard to be satisfied with only a glimpse of our Yidam. Visualization is so important that Guru Rinpoche advises us to have “a well-made painting of the yidam deity and place it in front of you.” [1]

Traditionally, if we have difficulties visualizing, this is due to “obstacles” on our path (and in our mindstream). This is one of the reasons for initiation and instruction from the teacher. The great Lotus Born Padmasambhava put it this way:

“Whether you meditate on the deity in front of you or meditate yourself as the deity, after you have received the masters oral instructions, the master should have given you, the disciple, his blessings and protected you against obstructing forces.”

Practical advice from Padmasambhava, the great Guru Rinpoche

The advice from the Lotus Born Padmasambhava, quoted below in translated English, is from His oral instructions to Lady Tsogyal, herself a Dakini. Clearly, then, we can certainly rely on this precious advice. In his oral instructions, He advised Lady Tsogyal, to hone Her skills in this way (after we receive the blessings from our teacher):

“Next, sit on a comfortable seat and be physically at ease. Take a well-made painting of the yidam deity and place it in front of you. Sit for a short time without thinking of anything whatsoever, and then look at the image from head to foot. Look again gradually at all the details from the feet to the head. Look at the image as a whole. Sometimes rest without thinking about the image and refresh yourself. Then in this way, look again and again for a whole day.

“That evening take a full night’s sleep. When you wake up, look again as before. In the evening, do not meditate on the deity but just rest your mind in the state of nonthought.

“Following this, the deity will appear vividly in your mind even without your meditating. If it does not, look at its image, close your eyes and visualize the image in front of yourself. Sit for as long as the visualization naturally remains. When it becomes blurry and unclear, look again at the image and then repeat the visualization, letting it be vividly present. Cut conceptual thinking and sit.”

Five kinds of experiences in visualization: Guru Rinpoche

“When meditating like this you will have five kinds of experiences: the experience of movement, the experience of attainment, the experience of habituation, the experience of stability, and the experience of perfection.

Experience of Movement

“When your mind does not remain settled at this time and you have numerous thoughts, ideas, and recollections, that is the experience of movement. Through that you approach taking control of the mind. This experience is like a waterfall cascading over a steep cliff.”

Experience of Attainment

“Then when you can visualize the deity for a short time with both the shape and color of the deity remaining vivid and clear at the same time, that is the experience of attainment. This experience is like a small pond.”

Experience of Habituation

“Following this, when the deity is clear whether you mediate upon it from a long or short distance, and when it remains for a sixty of your session without any occurence of gross thoughts, that is the experience of habituation, which is like the flow of a river.”

Experience of Stability

“Next, no thoughts move and you are able to maintain the session while clearly visualizing the deity. That is the experience of stability that is like Mount Sumeru.”

Experience of Perfection

“Following this, when you can remain for a full day or more without losing the vivid presence of the deity’s arms and legs even down to the hairs on its body and without giving rise to conceptual thinking, that is the experience of perfection.

Instructions to Lady Tsogyal from the Lotus Born

“Practioner, apply this to your own experience!

“If you sit too long with an unclear visualization of the deity, your physical constitution will be upset. You will become weary and consequently unable to progress in your concentration. You will have even more thoughts, so first refresh yourself, then continue meditating.

“Until you attain a clear visualization, do not meditate at night. In general it is important to visualize in short sessions. Meditate while there is sunlight, when the sky is clear, or with a butter lamp. Do not meditate when you just have woken up or when you feel sluggish or hazy.

“At night, get a full night’s sleep and meditate the next day in eight short sessions.

“When meditating, if you leave the session abruptly, you will lose concentration, so do it gently.

“When your visualization becomes vivid the moment you meditate, you can also practice at nighttime, during dusk, and at early dawn.

“In general do not weary yourself. Focus your mind on the visualization, grow accustomed to it with stability and visualize the complete form of the deity.”

Video visualization advice from H.E. Zasep Rinpoche

In a short video, H.E. Zasep Rinpoche offers suggestions for students on visualization:

Excerpt from video teaching:

It helps achieve good visualizations faster… if you have strong faith, devotion and passion. You have to have a passion. Some people have this passion. Some people don’t have the passion, but can develop it.

When I say passion, it doesn’t mean attachment. It’s more like devotion. Devotion, joy and excitement. You can call it passion.

So, when you have that, it’s like a child, a little child, fantasizing about toys. You go to the toy shop, and all you think about are toys. Like a little boy with his toy truck.

Automatically, boom, your mind is gone. Drawn in. Because you want this, you like this, you are so excited. Yogis, or Yoginis, should have this kind of excitement or passion.

Advice on Visualizing the Deity from Kunkhyen Tenpe Nyima

“Start out by placing a painting or statue before you, using one made by a skilled artisan and with all the appropriate characteristics. Next, arrange offerings before it an practice the preliminaries. You can do the latter in a brief form, or a more etensive one; either is acceptable…” [2]

“Once this is finished, gaze at the painting or statue placed before you. Then close your eyes and visualize the image immediately, transferring it to your own body. Train by alternating between these two steps. Once you’ve gotten used to the visualization, you can refine your ability by changing its size, increasing or decreasing the number of figures, visualizing the central deity and then the retinue, and so forth. You can alternate periods of simultaneously visualizing the complete form of the deity with periods where you only focus on certain parts or ornaments.

“Whichever you do, start out by focusing solely on the central deity. Starting at the tip of its crown and working your way down to the lotus seat, try to develop a clear visualization of each element: the color of its body, its face, hands and ornamentation, its clothing, the pupils of its eyes, the shape of its arms and legs, the appearance of the marks and signs, the radiation and absorption of light rays, and so on… work at visualizing all of these in minute detail.

The figure you are visualizing should not be a corporeal entity. It shouldn’t be flat like a painting or protrude like a carving, in other words. On the other hand, it should not be a mindless entity either, like a rainbow. Rather, it should be clearly defined in every respect — its front and back, left and right sides, proportions and so forth. Yet at the same time it should be devoid of any sense of materiality…

“The term “clear appearance” refers to the point at which every aspect of the supporting and supported mandala circles arise in your mind with a sense of vivid clarity. This is one of the primary functions of the development stage; it is a unique method that allows one to practice calm abiding by focusing on the mind of the deity.”

NOTES

[1] Quoted from Dakini Teachings by Padmasambhava, as revealed by Nyangral Nyima Ozer with translation by Erik Pema Kunzang.

[2] Excerpt from Notes on Development Stage, found in the appendix in Deity Mantra and Wisdom: Development Stage Meditation in TIbetan Buddhist Tantra by Jigme Lingpa, Patrul Rinpoche, and Getse Mahapandita, translated by the Dharmachaki Translation Committee (on Amazon>>)

Friday, February 23, 2024

Milarepa (Mi la ras pa in Wylie [Wylie is a method of turning Tibetan script into Roman characters]) was an incredibly wise Tibetan yogi, master, and poet who reached enlightenment in his lifetime. Widely considered to be the founder of the Kagyü school of Tibetan Buddhism. His life story is among the most commonly known and shared narratives in Tibetan culture, not only for its Buddhist profundity but for how interesting, moving, and glorious it is as well.

Happy is a pot of nettles

We celebrate the life of Milarepa with one of his most profound stories. In this story, he explains to starving hunters why “nettles” and a hard cushion is all he needsed for happiness. He told the story:

“About another year had passed when several hunters from Tsa who had failed to catch any game appeared. I was clothed in the three cloth sacks tied with a jute rope and resting in meditative equipoise. They prodded me with the ends of their bows and said, “Is this a man or a ghost? Judging by its looks and its garb, it is probably a ghost.”

I opened my mouth and said, “I am most definitely a man.”

Recognizing the gap in my teeth, they asked, “Are you Töpaga?”

“I am,” I replied.

“In that case we request some food for now, which we will not fail to repay later. It was said that you once returned to the village, but that was many years ago. Have you been living here all the while since then?”

“I have indeed,” I replied. “But I have nothing agreeable for you to eat.”

“We will take whatever you eat. That will be enough for us.”

“Very well then, build a fire and cook some nettles.”

When they had built a fire and cooked some nettles they said, “Now we need some meat or fat to season it.”

“If I had meat or fat my food would not have lacked nourishment, but I have not had any for years. For seasoning, use nettles.”

“In that case, we need some barley flour,” they said.

I replied, “If I had flour my food would not have lacked substance, but I have not had any for years. For flour, too, use nettles.”

“Well then,” they added, “we cannot do without salt.”

I replied, “If I had salt my food would not have lacked flavor, but I have not had any for years. For salt, use nettles.”

They said, “Definitely, with your food and clothing, you will never improve your appearance or regain your strength. This is not becoming of a man. Even a servant has a full belly and warm clothes. There is no one in the world more miserable or pitiful than you.”

“You shouldn’t say such things,” I replied. “I am the most formidable of men to have obtained a human body. I have encountered the likes of Lhodrak Marpa Lotsawa.

I have received the oral instructions for attaining buddhahood in one life and one body. Having renounced this life, I am meditating alone in the mountains and devoting myself to achieving this enduring aim. I have sacrificed food, clothing, and conversation and in this life I shall defeat my enemies, the mental afflictions. For this reason, there is no one in the world more courageous or high-minded than me. On the other hand, although you have been born in a land where the Buddha’s teachings have spread, you have no inclination even to listen to dharma let alone practice meditation. There is no form of ruinous behavior graver than piling up sinful deeds by the handful and the sackload. This is the way to land in the deepest and most enduring hell. In the end I will certainly gain happiness and ease, but even right now, this is the sort of happiness I am assured. So listen to my song.” Then I sang this Song of the Five Happinesses:

I bow at the feet of Lord Marpa most kind.

Bless me to give up concerns for this life. In Drakar Taso Üma Dzong,

At the summit of Üma Dzong Fortress

I, the Tibetan cotton-clad yogin

Sacrificed clothing and food of this life

And then worked to become a perfected buddha.

A small rigid cushion beneath me: happiness.

A soft cotton robe around me: happiness.

A meditation belt wrapped around me: happiness.

Illusory body neither hungry nor full: happiness.

Mind that gives up examination: happiness.

I am not unhappy. Happy is what I am.

If I seem happy, so happy, do all I have done.

If you don’t have the fortune to practice the dharma,

Spare me your mistaken pity.

The one who accomplishes lasting contentment

For myself and all sentient beings. The sun’s rays have set on the mountain pass,

You should return to your homes.

Life is short and death strikes without warning—

While I work to become a perfected buddha

I have no time to waste on such meaningless talk.

Therefore, in evenness now I rest.

SOURCE:

[1] Heruka, Tsangnyon. The Life of Milarepa (Penguin Classics) (pp. 139-140). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

• Learn more about the great Mahasiddha Milarepa>>

Saturday February 24, 2024 we celebrate Buddha’s Day of Miracles. Although it celebrates the 15 Days of Miracles Buddha performed on one occassion, his entire life was a marvelous spectrum of miracles. One early Sutta described the Wonderful and Marvelous Qualities of the Buddha, starting from his miraculous birth and describing all of his wondrous qualities.

[Full translated Sutta below.]

This sutra is a wonderful “recap” of some of the early miracles and wonders of the Buddha. His life began as a miracle: “Mindful and fully aware the Bodhisattva passed away from the Tushita heaven and descended into his mother’s womb.”

Celebrate the miracles and wonders of Shakyamuni Buddha and the Dharma on Saturday February 24. May all beings benefit!

Acchariya Abbhuta Sutta

Wonderful And Marvelous

Thus have I heard:
On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s Park.

Now a number of Bhikkhus were sitting in the assembly hall, where they had met together on returning from their alms-round, after their meal, when this discussion arose among them: “It is wonderful, friends, it is marvelous, how mighty and powerful is the Tathágata! For he is able to know about the Buddhas of the past—who attained to final Nibbána, cut the tangle of proliferation, broke the cycle, ended the round, and surmounted all suffering—that for those Blessed Ones their birth was thus, their names were thus, their clans were thus, their virtue was thus, their state of concentration was thus, their wisdom was thus, their abiding in attainments was thus, their deliverance was thus.”

When this was said, the venerable Ánanda told the Bhikkhus: “Friends, Tathágatas are wonderful and have superb qualities. Tathágatas are marvelous and have splendid qualities.”

However, their discussion was interrupted; for the Blessed One rose from meditation when it was evening, went to the assembly hall, and sat down on a seat made ready. Then he addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, for what discussion are you sitting together here now? And what was your discussion that was interrupted?”

“Here, Venerable Sir, we were sitting in the assembly hall, where we had met together on returning from our alms-round, after our meal, when this discussion arose among us: ‘It is wonderful, friends, it is marvelous…their deliverance was thus.”

When this was said, Venerable Sir, the Venerable Ánanda said to us: ‘Friends, Tathágatas are wonderful and have superb qualities. Tathágatas are marvelous and have splendid qualities.’ This was our discussion, Venerable Sir, that was interrupted when the Blessed One arrived.”

Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ánanda: “That being so, Ánanda, explain more fully the Tathágatas wonderful and marvelous qualities.”

“I heard and learned this, Venerable Sir, from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘Mindful and fully aware, Ánanda, the Bodhisattva appeared in the Tushita heaven.’ That mindful and fully aware the Bodhisattva appeared in the Tushita Heaven – This I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.‘

I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: Mindful and fully aware the Bodhisattva remained in the Tushita Heaven.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘For the whole of his life-span the Bodhisattva remained in the Tushita heaven.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘Mindful and fully aware the Bodhisattva passed away from the Tushita heaven and descended into his mother’s womb.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisattva passed away from the Tushita heaven and descended into his mother’s womb, then a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendor of the gods appeared in the world with its gods, its Maras, and its Brahmas, in this generation with its recluses and Brahmans, with its princes and its people. And even in those abysmal world interspaces of vacancy, gloom, and utter darkness, where the moon and the sun, mighty and powerful as they are, cannot make the their light prevail—there too a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendor of the gods appeared. And the beings born there perceived each other by that light: “So other beings, indeed, have appeared here.” And this ten-thousand-fold world system shook and quaked and trembled, and there too a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendor of the gods appeared.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisattva had descended into his mother’s womb, four young deities came to guard him at the four quarters so that no humans or non-humans or anyone at all could harm the Bodhisattva or his mother.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisattva had descended into his mother’s womb, she became intrinsically virtuous, refraining from killing living beings, from taking what is not given, from misconduct in sensual pleasures, from false speech, and from wines, liquors, and intoxicants, which are the basis of negligence.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisattva had descended into his mother’s womb, no sensual thought arose in her concerning men, and she was inaccessible to any man having a lustful mind.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisattva had descended into his mother’s womb, she obtained the five cords of sensual pleasure, and furnished and endowed with them, she enjoyed herself with them.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘when the Bodhisattva had descended into his mother’s womb, no kind of affliction arose in her; she was blissful and free from bodily fatigue. She saw the Bodhisattva within her womb with all his limbs, lacking no faculty. Suppose a blue, yellow, red, white, or brown thread were strung through a fine beryl gem of purest water, eight-faceted, well cut, and a man with good sight were to take it in his hand and review it thus: “This is a fine beryl gem of purest water, eight-faceted, well cut, and through it is strung a blue, yellow, red, white, or brown thread;” so too when the Bodhisattva had descended into his mother’s womb…she saw the Bodhisattva within her womb with all his limbs, lacking no faculty.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘Seven days after the birth of the Bodhisattva, his mother died and reappeared in the Tushita heaven.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘other women give birth after carrying the child in the womb for nine or ten months, but not so the Bodhisattvas mother. The Bodhisattvas mother gave birth after carrying him in her womb for exactly ten months.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘other women give birth seated or lying down, but not so the Bodhisattvas mother. The Bodhisattvas mother gave birth to him standing up.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisattva came forth from his mother’s womb, first gods received him, then human beings. This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: When the Bodhisattva came forth from his mothers womb, he did not touch the earth. The four young gods received him and set him before his mother saying: “Rejoice, oh Queen, a son of great power has been born to you.” This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisattva came forth from his mother’s womb, he came forth unsullied, un-smeared by water or humors or blood or any kind of impurity, clean and unsullied. Suppose there were a gem placed on Kasi cloth, then the gem would not smear the cloth or the cloth the gem. Why is that, because of the purity of both! So too when the Bodhisattva came forth…clean and unsullied.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisattva came forth from his mother’s womb, two jets of water appeared to pour from the sky, one cool and one warm, for bathing the Bodhisattva and his mother.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: “As soon as the Bodhisattva was born, he stood firmly with his feet on the ground; then he took seven steps north, and with a white parasol held over him, he surveyed each quarter and uttered the words of the Leader of the Herd: “I am the highest in the world; I am the best in the world; I am the foremost in the world. This is my last birth; now there is no renewal of being for me. This too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.

“I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisattva came forth from his mother’s womb, then a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendor of the gods appeared in the world with its gods, its Maras, and its Brahmas, in this generation with its recluses and Brahmins, with its princes and its people. And even in those abysmal world inter-spaces of vacancy, gloom, and utter darkness, where the moon and the sun, mighty and powerful as they are, cannot make their light prevail – there too a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendor of the gods appeared. And the beings born there perceived each other by that light: “So other beings, indeed, have appeared here.” And this ten-thousand-fold world system shook and quaked and trembled, and there too a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendor of the gods appeared.’ That when the Bodhisattva came forth from his mother’s womb, then a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendor of the gods appeared… this too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.”

“That being so, Ánanda, remember this too as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Tathágata: Here Ánanda, for the Tathágata feelings are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; perceptions are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; thoughts are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear. Remember this too, Ánanda, as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Tathágata.”

“Venerable sir, since for the Blessed One feelings are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; Perceptions are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; Thoughts are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear – this too I remember as a wonderful and marvelous quality of the Blessed One.”

That is what the venerable Ánanda said. The Teacher approved. The Bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the venerable Ánanda’s words.

Even though aging is identified as one of the sufferings experienced in life — an important lesson in “impermanence” — it is also our opportunity for awakening and wisdom.

By Karoline Gore

“The aging of beings, their old age, brokenness of teeth, grayness of hair, wrinkling of skin, decline of life, weakness of faculties – this is called aging. With the arising of birth there is the arising of aging and death.” – MN 9, Sammaditthi Sutta, v. 21-22 – The Discourse on Right View

In Buddhist Sutras (Suttas), old age is often discussed to stress the inevitability of change, decay, and death, in line with the fundamental belief regarding the impermanence of all things. Indeed, aging is considered to be one of the types of suffering (dukkha), since it is typical for human beings to suffer as they experience changes in their body and mind.

However, there are upsides to aging, as mentioned in the Sutras. For instance, as we age, mindfulness and acceptance become easier, after a lifetime spent perfecting these techniques. Aging is both a challenging time but also a process that brings us enlightenment. Suffering itself is a reminder of why reaching for Nirvana is our ultimate goal and the only path to liberation from suffering.

Wisdom Can Grow Over Time

In the Anguttara Nikaya, a collection of discourses in the Pali Canon, some suttas reveal how wisdom is developed gradually over time. Thus, those who are older have had the opportunity to gather wisdom. For instance, one section in the Anguttara Nikaya known as the Anupubbikatha discusses the progressive steps that lead to the development of wisdom.

One sutta in the Anupubbikatha, the Nakulapita Sutta (AN 3.49), sees Buddha outlining three types of gradual training: in virtuous conduct (sila), concentration (samadhi), and wisdom (pañña). Buddha explains that insight is developed over time, as are skills such as mindfulness and concentration. Many years may pass until someone understands the harm of prioritizing sensual pleasures and decides to cultivate their insight into suffering and the nature of impermanence.

The Importance of Sharing Wisdom and Kindness

The Metta Sutta stresses the importance of cultivating loving-kindness as a way to relate to others and oneself. So how can a modern-day, older Buddhist share their time, advice, and friendship with those who may need it? Just look around you and you will find many sources of inspiration. For instance, in the US and beyond, communities comprising people of all ages (or age-inclusive communities) are creating vital connections between people from all walks of life and differing abilities.

Intergenerational connections are a vital way of building a solid community. Sharing can also exist within the context of one’s own family. Older Buddhists can take time to get to know younger family members, offer a lending ear, and supporting them in their pursuit of wisdom.

Wisdom Is Not Always Dependent on Age

Although age typically brings the wisdom that arises from experience, the Buddha stressed that it was not, in itself, enough to guarantee greater wisdom than that possessed by younger people. The Dhammapada Verse 52, for instance, states that:

The person of little learning

Grows old like an ox;

The flesh increases, 

But insight does not.

These words are a powerful reminder to reflect on how we are leading our lives. A middle-aged or senior person, for instance, should think about where they are at in their lives frequently, since they have no time to waste.

Questions to ask oneself include,

• “What are my values?”
• “To what extent is my life aligned with these values?”
• “Am I fulfilling my purpose more so than when I was younger and knew myself less profoundly?”
• “Am I giving myself to others and supporting them when they are in need?”
• “Am I taking time to share my life lessons with others who may need them?”

You don’t have to answer all these questions at once. As the Anguttara Nikaya states, wisdom and virtue are acquired gradually; nobody can expect to hone these vital skills and abilities all at once, regardless of their age.

Buddhist scriptures contain a wealth of information about wisdom taking time to develop. Having said that, achieving true wisdom is ultimately not dependent on age alone, but rather, on one’s willingness to cultivate it and let go of materialistic and sensual pursuits. While these are usually achieved over time, there are no limits… and Buddha himself was relatively young when he achieved full Enlightenment—he was only 35!

One of the treasured merit-accumulating practices in Mahayana Buddhism is the recitation of the glorious Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels. In Sanskrit this is Ārya-ratnatraya-anusmṛti-sūtra.

According to the teachings, reciting this Sutra only one time, purifies negative karma, illuminates the mind, cultivates concentration, propagates the Dharma, protects the Dharma, delivers the deceased, and prays for blessings. Accumulations of multiple recitations, when dedicated for the benefit of all sentient beings, has “skies of merit.”

Reciting on “Buddha Days” Multiplies Merit

This short Sutra, when recited on one of the eighteen Sacred Buddha Days, has “Karmic results multiplied one hundred million times.” according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, citing the Vinaya Text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.

Recite the short. but important. Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels every day, or at least on Sacred Buddha Days – -18 each year if you could the 15 Days of Miracles. Recite it as often as possible on the eighteen Sacred Buddha Days as merit is multipled millions of times.

Please dedicate the merit of your Sutra recitation to the benefit of all sentient beings and to other virtuous causes such as world peace.

Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels

Ārya-ratnatraya-anusmṛti-sūtra

Homage to the Omniscient One! Purified and consummate, Victorious, Virtuous and Transcendent, thus-gone, foe-destroying, entirely perfect Buddha, full of wisdom, the blissfully proceeding, the knower of the world, charioteer and subduer of beings, the unsurpassable, and teacher of gods and men: such is Buddha, Victorious, Virtuous and Transcendent.

He who is thus-gone exemplifies the merit which is his cause; in him no root of virtue is ever worn away; through his manifold patience he is exceedingly beautiful. He is the treasure ground of merit; adorned with the tokens of enlightenment, he is graced with the flowers of the marks of Buddhahood.

All he does is seasonable and opportune and nothing inharmonious mars the sight of him. True joy indeed he gives to those who open up their hearts to him in faith. Through the brilliance of his wisdom he is unconfounded, and against his power there is no victory.

He is the teacher of all living beings, the father of all bodhisattvas, the king of all superior ones; he is the guide of those who journey to the city of Beyond Affliction.

His wisdom is unbounded, his assurance is beyond imagining. His speech is altogether pure, well tuned and sweet to hear. Gazing on him, one is never sated; his body is beyond compare.

By the realm of desire he is unstained, and by the realm of form, is wholly uncontaminated; he is not mingled with the formless. He is altogether free from misery, and from the aggregates he is utterly and altogether free. The elements have no hold on him; he has mastery of the sense powers. All bonds he has completely severed and from all pain he is perfectly and totally released.

No craving does he have; he has passed beyond the stream. Perfect is his wisdom; and in the wisdom of the Buddhas past, present and to come, he has made his dwelling.

In nirvāṇa where all suffering is transcended, he does not abide; his abode is in the very summit of perfection, residing in that place where he perceives all living beings. Such are the sublime qualities that are the greatness of the Buddha, Victorious, Virtuous and Transcendent.

The sacred Doctrine is righteous in the outset, righteous in the middle, righteous in the end; in its meaning excellent and in its words and syllables likewise. It is integral and unalloyed; it is all-sufficing, altogether pure and purifying.

Well spoken is this Dharma by the Victorious, Virtuous and Transcendent. It is a perfect way of seeing and is devoid of ailment; it is perennial and leads us onward. To see this Dharma, is to fulfill one’s purpose; the wise will see in it their self-cognizing wisdom.

The Dharma spoken by the Victorious, Virtuous and Transcendent is shown to be well-tempered to the instruction and the needs of all. It drives us from saṁsāra and causes us to go to perfect Buddhahood. It is free from contradiction, and in it, all is summarised. It is totally to be relied upon; it is a cutting of the root.

The Saṅgha of the Mahāyāna comprises those who have well entered, wisely entered, entered with straightforwardness and aptitude. Right it is to join our hands before them, and right to make prostration.

They are the glorious field of merit. They are the perfect recipients of gifts; they are the object of offering; everywhere and always they are the worthy object of all offering.

Thus ends the Sublime Sūtra of Remembering the Three Jewels.

We dedicate the merit of the reading of the Sutra of Remembering the Three Jewels to the benefit of all sentient beings.

Frequently referred to as Chintachakra White Wish-Granting Wheel Tara or simply White Tara, this embodiment of sublime enlightenment beautifully encapsulates all five key activities and wisdoms of the Buddha Families: pacifying, magnetizing, enriching and wrathful actions, plus all-activities of protection – blending in her practice as a comprehensive activity practice.

With other Taras, or other practices, we typically focus on one activity. For example, with a Red Tara we might meditate on magnetizing. For Yellow Tara, we emphasize enriching. Black Taras bring their wrath. With other White Taras, several of which appear in the 21 Taras, for example, we expect Pacifying activities. But, with White Chintachakra Wish-Granting Tara, we practice all of the activities.

The Wish-Granting Wheel Tara

Chintachakra White Wish-Granting Wheel Tara, unique among the other White Taras found in the 21 Taras, is a combination of all the activities. Imagine white light exiting a prism and separating into the primary colors. White Tara does this.

She is the prism, and as we practice her meditation, and her mantra, we rays of colored lights emitting from her prism — not just white, but altogether a prism of six lights:

• First is white, purifying light and intention.
• Then yellow enriching light and intention.
• Third, red magnetizing light and intention.
• Fourth is bright sky blue fierce and wrathful light and intention.
• Fifth is pervasive green light, the light of Mother Samaya Tara, which is the synthesis of infinite activities.
• Last, a startling magenta purple light (some translations call it brown), surrounds us in an impenetrable field of protection.

This is the stunning Wheel of Wish-Granting Tara, the shining light of unlimited powerful activities.

The Fusion of All Buddha Families: The Uniqueness of Chintachakra White Tara

Supreme Chintachakra White Tara encompasses a very unique blend of visualizations. After our initial preliminary practices of Taking Refuge, Purification and Making Offerings, and our initial mantra chanting, we then, one by one,  visualize all of the activities of the Buddha Families as emanated rays of lights of different colors (along with one additional protective color). As we do, we visualize her activities blessing all the realms and all sentient beings.

Even though she is a “so-called” White Pacifying Tara, her distinct meditation fuses all the Buddha families – the five categories that represent the different aspects of the enlightened mind. We consciously meditate on each of the activities of each of the Buddha families in the nature of blessings of empowered light

White Tara is really an All-Tara All-Colour Tara

In some Buddhist practices you hear the term “Rainbow” — referring to a number of things, but in terms of deity colors often meaning the combination of all activities and colors. For example, the Rainbow Padmasambhava. White Chintachakra is actually a White Tara, but this is the prism before it breaks into a rainbow of lights. As we chant her mantra, the prism sends out powerful laser-precise beams of all colors, to perform all the activities. White Tara, in essence, is also a Rainbow Tara, at least in this context.

This embodiment of collective activities transforms White Tara into a comprehensive Buddhist practice. As a practitioner, you engage with all forms of enlightened action, encapsulated in one deity.

This is not just the five activities, but the five wisdoms, as Tara is a Wisdom Mother. Even though we visualize White Tara as White, we see rainbows of colors emitting from her heart. So as we visualize the various colors of light, we also meditate on the wisdom of each Buddha Family:

• First is the White Buddha Family, the light of White Tara, which sends out pacifying activities, pacifying illness, dons and obstacles. This activity helps us overcome the poisons of ignorance and delusion as we meditate on the Wisdom of the Dharma essence, the Perfection of Wisdom.
• Second is the Yellow Gold light of Yellow Tara, the activities of enriching, which overcomes the obstacles of poverty and lack of bounty both in riches and in life-force. This overcomes the poisons of pride and greed with the wisdom of equanimity.
• Third is the Red Light of Red Tara, the activities of enchanting and magnetizing, which overcomes the obstacles of lust and clinging. This overcomes the poison of attachment with the Wisdom of Discernment.
• Fourth is the Blue Light of Black or Blue Tara (they are the same, the color of “space”) , the activities of wrath and power that destroy or nulify agression. This overcomes the poisons of aversion and hate with the Wisdom of Reflection.
• Fifth is the Green Light of Green Samaya Tara, the collective activities of all the Buddha Families in their most “windy” active form. Green Tara is the hurricane of activities, the Super Hero who flies to the aid of people. Her green light emits now from Mother White Tara in this practice, completing all the activities, and overcoming all dangers. This light is supresses the poisons of envy and jealousy and becomes the Wisdom of Perfect Practice.
• Last is the Magenta Purple Light which becomes a “tent of protection” around the practitioner.

While visualizing the different colors of lights as described in your Sadhana (or in the guided meditation below), you chant the White Tara mantra. Here is a 2 hour mantra chanting session:

Through her embodiment of multifaceted activities and the incorporation of these elements in sadhana meditation, Chintachakra White Tara practice sets itself  apart from other practices. While there are other practices that visualize all five activities on the inner body  — in Body Mandala practices — White Chintachakra Tara’s meditation visualizes the activity lights emiting outwards to all sentient beings, engaging in benefiting activities for all beings.

Deciphering the Symbolism of Supreme White Tara’s Seven Eyes

When we envision Supreme White Tara, one of the most striking features is her seven eyes. But what do these eyes mean? In Buddhist symbology, each eye of White Tara is representative of her omnipresent compassion and vigilance in protecting living beings from physical and spiritual harm. They symbolize her ability to see suffering in all realms of existence and her willingness to provide help wherever it’s needed.

Going beyond the basic symbolism of eyes, Tara’s Seven eyes carry special signficance, as explained by Robert Beer:

 “She is adorned with seven bow-shaped eyes, with her three facial eyes representing the perfection of her body, speech and mind, and the four eyes in her palms and soles symbolizing the “Four Immeasurables” of her loving kindness, boundless compassion, sympathetic joy, and perfect equanimity.”

In details, Supreme White Tara has one eye on her forehead, one on each palm of her hands, one on each sole of her feet, and the traditional two on the face. These eyes reflect her omniscient view. The eye on her forehead indicates her ability to see the divine truth, while the eyes on her palms and soles represent her ability to help beings in the human all the realms of existence. They are also symbolic of her attentiveness to those who faithfully practice her teachings and of her readiness to respond to their prayers.

This understanding of White Tara’s seven eyes can be traced back to sutras and commentaries in the Buddhist canon such as The Saddharma Pundarika Sutra, The Sutra of Golden Light and Jetsun Taranatha’s “The Origin of the Tara Tantra.”

By understanding the symbolism of White Tara’s seven eyes, practitioners can deepen their connection with her and cultivate an increased appreciation for her boundless compassion. They can recognize White Tara’s dedication to alleviating suffering in all realms of existence and feel comforted knowing that, like a mother for her children, White Tara is always keeping a watchful eye over them.

In essence, the seven eyes of Supreme White Tara are not just physical features; they are potent symbols of her divine qualities of omniscience, compassion, and vigilance. They serve as reminders of her transformative teachings, her loving-kindness, and her ceaseless commitment to the welfare of all sentient beings.

Chintatakra White Tara’s Other Symbols

Robert Beer, the expert on Buddhist deity symbolism desscribes the rest of her attributes and symbols:

“White Tara sits in vajra-posture upon a white moon disc on the golden centre or sun-disc of an immaculate pinkish-white lotus. She is beautiful, peaceful, graceful and youthful like a sixteen-year-old, with full breasts, a narrow waist, and a sweetly smiling face. Her complexion is radiant and white like a full autumnal moon. In this composition the aureole disc of a full autumnal moon forms both her aura and her backrest, which is encircled by rainbows and radiates beams of pure light throughout the ten directions. ..With her lowered right hand she makes the open-palmed boon-granting varada-mudra of supreme generosity. And with her left hand she makes the abhaya-mudra of protection or giving refuge, as she holds the stem of an immaculate bluish-white utpala lotus blossom in front of her heart. This lotus blossoms at the level of her ear and bears a fruit, an open blossom and a bud, representing the Buddhas of the three times – past, present, and future.

She wears the five divine silk garments and eight jeweled ornaments of a sambhogakaya goddess, with these being her golden tiara; earrings; bracelets, armlets and anklets; and short, medium and long necklaces. Half of her long sapphire-black hair is bound up into a topknot, while the other half hangs freely behind her back. Her golden tiara is adorned with little flowers and five jewels, and from the crown of her head emerge two entwining rainbows that embrace the halo-like sphere or tigle of rainbow light that encircles the form of red Amitabha Buddha, the “Lord of the Padma or Lotus Family” to which White Tara belongs. Amitabha wears the three orange-red robes of an ordained bhikshu or Buddhist monk, and with his two hands joined upon his lap in the dhyana-mudra of meditative equipoise he holds his nectar-filled blue alms-bowl.

In front of Tara’s lotus-seat is a convoluted lotus leaf bearing the five sensory objects of a golden mirror (sight), a pair of cymbals (sound), a conch full of perfume (smell), fruits (taste), and a red silk cloth (touch). On either side of these are two stacks of precious jewels, along with the “seven precious insignia of the chakravartin or universal monarch” – white tusks (elephant); rhinoceros horn (horse); triple-eyed gem (jewel); crossed white lozenges (general) on the left. And coral (wheel); square earrings (minister); round earrings (queen), and tusks on the right. A fruit-laden tree, rainbow, water and clouds appear in the background landscape.”

“White Tara practice for compassion, long life and peace is an equally widespread Tara practice in Tibet and the Himalaya region,” wrote Venerable Zasep Rinpoche in his new book Tara at your Lotus Heart, a sequel to his popular Tara in the Palm of Your Hand.

 

White Tara and Yanfen

A recent, typical anecdote of White Tara’s activity — typical, because you’ll find thousands of these true stories — is a recent Facebook post by Amrita Nadi.

Amrita Nadi posted, with a picture of Yanfen and Garchen Rinpoche:

“There is a story behind this picture that HE Garchen Rinpoche wanted shared with everyone.

Yanfen, the lady in the photo was very ill 28 years ago and her doctor told her and her family that they should prepare for her death. She came to see Rinpoche and Rinpoche instructed her to visualize White Tara and do her mantra everyday.

She is shown here greeting Rinpoche on his recent trip to Tibet at age 88. HE Garchen Rinpoche told Yanfen that she should share this story so that people understand the result of White Tara practice and if you supplicate White Tara she will help and protect you.

Om Tare Tutare Mama Ayu Punya Jhana Puktrim Kuru Svaha!”

Tara as the Mother of All Buddhas

Tara is often called the Mother of all the Buddhas. She represents the wisdom of the Buddhas. It is wisdom that is the mother of Enlightenment.

Venerable Zasep Rinpoche explains: “Prajnaparamita or Mahamata, the great mother, manifested as Tara; almost all female deities are emanations of Tara, the most beloved and best known of them. Emanations of Tara include the powerful female deities, Vajrayogini, Kurukulla, Sarasvati, Machig Labdron, and Palden Lhamo.”

The Power of Tara

In his new book, Tara At Your Lotus Heart, Zasep Rinpoche, describes many of his own experiences with Tara throughout his life:

“I myself have had many experiences of the power of Tara, starting from when I was a boy in Tibet. When I was six or so, my grandmother and I, along with an attendant, were riding on a mountain path. Suddenly we came across a mother bear with three cubs. She turned on us as if to attack. My grandmother quickly recited Tara’s mantra. Instantly the bear turned her back on us and ambled off, following her three cubs, which were wandering away. Just to be on the safe side, my grandmother continued reciting Tara’s mantras all afternoon.”

The practice of White Tara is widespread among Tibetans and Himalayan Buddhists. White Tara is also known as Sitala (“the cool one”), due to her power to heal fevers. White Tara is perhaps the most popular Tara among Western practitioners.

White Tara for Healing

“White Tara is particularly associated with healing, protecting and stabilizing your life-force.” Gelek Rimpoche

White Tara is as much the “swift heroine” as Green Tara—since they’re both aspects of Tara, who is known as the “swift savior.”

How fast is she?

In Tibet, there’s a saying, “For protection, call on your protector if you have time—but call on Tara if you have no time.”

A prayer from the fifth Dalai Lama puts it this way: “Merely by remembering Her feet one is protected.”

Is White Tara the Same as Tara?

“The main characteristic of Arya Tara— Noble Tara— is that she is a Buddha who in earlier times promised to always be born in the pure form of a female body in order to help living beings reach enlightenment. There are many outer and inner impediments that practitioners encounter, so Arya Tara manifests in order to eliminate hindrances and obstacles one runs in to while on the path to liberation from suffering.”

—Venerable Chöje Lama Phuntsok

White Tara is one of the main 21 manifestations of Arya Tara—which means, yes, She is Tara. In Venerable Choje Lama Phuntsok’s words: [White] “Tara protects disciples from one of the main outer hindrances, which is death – she helps practitioners live a long life.”

There’s an old unattributed Buddhist saying—which is my way of demonstrating why White Tara is for healing practice:

“Good Health is the simply the slowest way for a human to die.”— Unknown

Explaining from the point of view of the Kagyu lineage, Venerable Lama Phuntsok said: ” …White Arya Tara, from among the 21 Taras, frees practitioners from untimely death. It is truly possible to extend the span of one’s life by practicing White Tara and this will be very beneficial for one’s Dharma practice.”

Short 30 minute White Tara teaching and guided visualization with animated graphics and beautiful images of White Tara, taught by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche:

How Does Tara Heal?

Again, drawing on the teachings of Venerable Lama Phuntsok, White Tara overcomes the impediment to long life and long Dharma practice: “All problems—sufferings, sicknesses, and diseases arise from thoughts that are based upon attachment, aversion, and ignorance as to the way things really are. It is said again and again that the worst obstacle is the third—concepts and thoughts. We continually think that we want to be happy and be free from suffering; we therefore never stop wanting more and more and as a result increase our attachment and aversion.”

Buddhism teaches that “we are the creators of our own suffering,” said Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche at a recent Lojong Seven-Point Mind Training retreat at Gaden Choling Toronto. “Everything depends on mind.”

From this point of view, all of our problems, including health issues, arise from our mind and concepts. Tara helps us to overcome the obstacles of mind and body. At a relative level, Tara rescues from disease, illness and apparently “external” health factors. At an ultimate level, Tara protects our mind, preventing the rising of attachments, aversion and ignorance.

Famously, Tara protects from the eight fears—fear of fire, lions elephants, snakes, imprisonment, floods, demons, robbers—but these eight fears are also “metaphors” for the cause of our obstacles leading to suffering. The fifth great Dalai Lama wrote a magnificent praise for Green Tara where he illustrated the metaphors of the eight great internal fears: anger (fire), pride (lions), ignorance (elephants), snakes (envy), imprisonment (avarice), floods (attachment), demons (doubt) and robbers (wrong views.)

Practicing White Tara

Sita Tara rescues all, and requires no special permissions or initiations to practice at a basic level. Advanced practices, some sadhanas and advanced healing certainly require a teacher’s guidance and permission, but the meditations and practices I’m discussing here are for anyone.

Meditating on Sita Tara is a good place to start. If you have time, take a half hour and meditate along with Gelek Rimpoche of Jewel Heart—a well-known and highly realized teacher of the Gelugpa tradition.

Gelek Rimpoche of Jewel Heart “White Tara Guided Meditation”:

Mantra and Meditation

Mantra is very effective for protection and healing both. Simply repeating the mantra with focus is enough to bring healing. Visualizing Tara’s blessings entering into your body as purifying light, purging illness and pushing out negativities as black smoke or sludge, is even more affirming, strengthening the blessing.

According to the FPMT Education Department, “This meditation can be done on behalf of oneself or others. It is frequently done to remove the obstacles to our gurus’ long lives and health. If one has experienced many health problems, accidents, depression, or a loss of “lust for life,” the practice of White Tara can be especially powerful.”

Tara Mantra

Tara’s mantra, chanted by millions daily around the world connects with Tara, including the White aspect—since all Tara’s are ultimately one:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Pronounced Aum Tah-ray Tew-tah-ray Tew-ray Svah-ha. Svaha is sometimes pronounced Soha in Tibetan traditions.

The root Tara mantra (above) is as effective as the more specialized White Tara mantra (see White Tara Mantra below)—which adds more specific requests and intentions.

Mantras were given by the Buddhas via Sutra or transmission of lineage, and carry great cumulative, power. Mantra literally can translate as “mind protection.” Since the mind affects health, a Sanskrit mantra dedicated specifically to healing is very effective.

The meaning of the mantra is explained in numerous ways by many great teachers, all of which are complimentary and correct. Lama Zopa Rinpoche taught [2]:

• “TARE shows that Mother Tara liberates living beings from samsara”
• “TUTTARE liberates you from the eight fears related to the external dangers from fire, water, air, earth and also from such things as thieves and dangerous animals. However the main dangers come from ignorance, attachment, anger, pride, jealousy, miserliness, doubt and wrong views.”
• “TURE liberates you from disease”—so Green Tara is equally the Healer as White.

One reason Tara’s mantra is especially meaningful is that it contains within it the entire teachings on the Four Noble Truths. See our previous stories on Tara in Buddha Weekly for more on this:

• Limitless Tara, Beyond the Green
• Mama Buddha Tara: Compassionate Action

Here is one of the most beautiful sung versions of Tara’s mantra by the Internationally famous Ani Choying Dolma at the Rigpa Center Berlin:

Lung or Empowerment

Although Tara mantras can be practiced by anyone—they are more effective when transmitted by a teacher. If you are in need of healing, it would be ideal to seek out a qualified lineage teacher and ask for either lung or initiation. Lung is, broadly speaking, transmission of the mantra itself (or permission to use the mantra), whereas initiation (also known as empowerment) can involve complete deity practice and commitments.

According to the highly realized teacher Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the FPMT, “empowerment of Tara is needed to practice [Tara’s] sadhana in full. However, one can do this practice without such an empowerment as long as one does not generate oneself as the deity. If one does not have the empowerment, one can do the self-generation practice at the crown of one’s head.” Basically, visualize Tara and meditate on her, and receive blessings from her, but do not absorb or merge with Tara—a more advance practice.

With or without empowerment, all mantras carry the blessings of the deity—connecting us with our inner Buddha or Tara (Buddhanature). Mantas are quite powerful in meditation and active healing. If empowerment or lung is impossible, the mantras are less powerful, but still effective. I chanted Tara’s mantra for eight years before a teacher came into my life to guide me and empower my practice of Tara. I believe, in some ways, chanting the mantra for those years created the conditions for me to find my teacher.

Anyone can chant Tara’s mantra. The visualizations and certain other practices are different if you receive teachings from a qualified teacher. In Tibet, some of the first words children learn to speak are mantras, particularly “Om Mani Padme Hum” and “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha.”

White Tara Mantra

White Tara mantra is Tara’s root mantra, but energized with additional intentions and “words of power.” After Om Tare Tuttare Ture—and before the final Svaha—the mantra adds “Mama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha, thus becoming:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

Pronounced: oṃ tā re tu ttā re tu re ma ma ā yuḥ pu ṇya jñā na pu ṣṭiṃ ku ru svā hā

In Tibetan pronunciation this might sound like:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayur Puney Gyana Puntin Kuru Soha

The three extra words do have multiple meanings, but are generally translated as:

• Mama — “mine” or “I would like to possess these qualities”
• Ayuh —”long life” — for which White Tara is famous
• Punya ­— “merit” — to live ethically
• Jnana — “wisdom”
• Pushtim — “increase”

When added to the root Tara Mantra, the mantra is basically drawing on Tara’s power to increase my long life, merit and wisdom and blessings.

For main healing practice, normally the mantra is recited with visualizations of Tara, however singing or chanting is a very beautiful and effective way to receive the blessings.

Here’s one of the most beautiful “chanted” versions.

Versatility of the White Tara Mantra

Healing and helping others is something we all should all wish to accomplish. Aside from the selfish goal of increasing our own merit and good karma, we engage our compassion as humans and Buddhists when we think of others.

The White Tara mantra can be modified from a “personal” affirmation to one targeted at someone else. “Mama” in the mantra means “mine”, or “I” or “me” meant for self healing. Simply replacing “Mama” with the name of another person sends Tara’s healing power and blessings to someone else.

For instance, if we wanted to practice White Tara for the long life of my teacher or parents, we would substitute Mama:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture [person’s name] Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

Wishing your teacher long life would become

Om Tare Tuttare Ture [Your teacher’s name] Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

Wishing the Dalai Lama long life would become

Om Tare Tuttare Ture His Holiness the Dalai Lama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

There are also forms of White Tara’s mantra for subduing or pacifying, with somewhat different wording, meant for subjugating fevers, viruses, evil spirits and so on, but those are more advanced practices that should be guided by a teacher. Fevers, evil spirits and viruses are equally subdued by the main White Tara mantra, or even the root mantra of Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha.

More Advanced White Tara Healing

Tibetan medicine often makes use of “mantra-blessed water or medicines.” At a basic level, after performing a twenty or thirty minute mantra recitation-meditation, preferably visualizing Tara, blow on your medicine or a glass of water and visualize the mantra’s “power of Tara’s speech” as light coming from your mouth and being absorbed. Then, consume the medicine.

In more intense practices, or when the medicine is for someone else, you can place a week’s supply of medicine on a table or shrine dedicated to Tara with Her Image, some water bowl offerings, perhaps Her mantra written out, and other meaningful objects. Chant the mantra for a week, then use/dispense the blessed medicine.

Finally, mantra’s fullest ripening comes from full performance of a sadhana. These are passed down through the centuries by direct transmission of teacher to teacher, right back to the Buddha or Enlightened Being. These normally require a teacher’s transmission, lung or empowerment. Some sadhanas, such as White Tara’s sadhana written by the fifth Great Dalai Lama can be performed by anyone, provided the uninitiated do not generate themselves as the deity. In other words, substitute simple visualization for generation of oneself as Tara.

White Tara’s Visualization

Visualizing Tara is an important part of mantra recitation when possible. Although the mantra can be recited while walking, cooking, etc, when engaging in a highly focused healing practice, sitting with eyes closed (or half closed) in meditation is best.

“Visualization isn’t the best translation for what we do,” explained Venerable Jigme in her talk during a White Tara Retreat (see video below). “We’re actually working with our imagination. Visualization implies that we’re working with a visual image, and then using our eyes. So, we’re working with our imagination… not only are we working with imagined sights, but we’re working with imagined touch and smells and sounds, physical sensations and feelings.”

“We use our imaginations in a very practical manner to develop the potential we all have to transform ourselves,” Venerable Jigme continued. “So, it’s quite an important piece of our practice! It’s a very creative process.”

Tara’s Image

When you have a teacher’s guidance—the visualization would be as he or she instructs. There are generation practices associated with some initiations, but none of that should be contemplated without a teacher.

For someone without a teacher’s guidance, a basic visualization of Tara in front of you—generally involving healing white light flowing from Tara into you or the person being healed—is simplest. Sometimes you visualize Tara on top of your head, arising from your crown chakra sitting on a lotus throne with 1000 petals.

You can make the visualization simple or complex. More complex and detailed visualizations engage the mind to a higher level, and tend to be more effective for that reason. Visualize what you can of the following details.

White Tara is shining white, the nature of light, a glowing beacon of healing, vitality and perfection. We wouldn’t think of Tara as flesh and bone, but as glorious, spectacular, awe-inspiring (and at the same time) soothing light. Sometimes, what is meant by “body of light” is “uncontaminated body.”

In the same way Tara is visualized uncontaminated and spectacular, we should see Her arrayed in gorgeous silks and shining jewels like stars. Tara, Her name, literally translates as “star.” The beautiful ornaments are not meant to show attachment, but are symbolic of Her transcendence. On the crown of Her head is a crown of five sides representing the five Dhyani Buddhas and on top of Her hair knot is Amitayas Buddha, the Buddha of Long Life. Amitayus is the Long Life emanation of Amitabha. With other Taras we visualize Amitabha as her hair ornament. Amitabha and Amitayus are the same Buddha, different manifestations (similar to Green and White Tara). Amitayas and Amitabha are both red in colour.

We visualize Tara sitting on a thousand-petal white lotus. She is sitting in a position of meditative equipoise in the vajra (full lotus) position. The glorious lotus signifies renunciation, the spontaneous wish to be free from samsara, or cyclic existence. From Geshe Wangdu’s White Tara Commentary: ” So the manner in which the lotus signifies renunciation is that, even though the lotus itself was born out of a pond, what we call a swamp, or a muddy pond, even though it grows out of that, when it blooms on top of the water, there’s not even a bit of mud on its’ petals, and it is free of the mud itself. That is how it resembles renunciation.”

The Lotus and Moon Disc

On the lotus is a moon-disc, representing all-important bodhicitta, and the wish to achieve enlightenment. The deity sits on both a lotus and moon-disc, indicating Tara has achieved enlightenment through renunciation and bodhicitta.

Beautiful Tara Herself has one face, two arms, but—importantly—seven eyes. An eye appears on each of Her hand palms, Her feet and three on Her face (two “regular” eyes and the wisdom eye on the forehead chakra). The eyes represent how the Mother of the Buddhas sees all our suffering.

Seven Eyes of White Tara

Very strikingly, the position of the seven eyes create the shape of the sankrit letter TAM which is Tara’s mantra when you connect the eyes with lines), according to Visible Mantra[3]. Also, they symbolize the special relationship between the five “extra” eyes of White Tara and the five Dhyani Buddhas: Akshobya, Amitabha, Amoghisiddhi, Vairochana and Ratnasambhava.

The right hand of Tara is in the “mudra” (hand gesture representing) Supreme Generosity—the mudra that signifies Tara is ready and willing to grant us the state of Enlightenment.

The left hand of Tara holds a white lotus flower or uptala. Uptala is really a different flower from the lotus, but most people are content with visualizing a lotus. The uptala stems out in three branches, each with a different flower, one in full bloom, one about to open, one just a bud. These represent the Buddhas of the three times: past, present and future.

In advanced visualizations, we’d see a white syllable TAM—Tara’s seed syllable mantra. If you don’t know what that is, it’s best to wait for a teacher. The Tam is normally at her heart. Often, visualizations would—as with other Buddhas—visualize shining seed syllables OM, AH and HUM at her crown, throat and heart respectively. These represent the Holy body (OM), speech (AH) and mind (HUM) of Tara Buddha.

Healing Light Visualization

You might visualize (imagine) white healing light flowing from Tara into your crown chakra (top of your head) or heart chakra, or all of your chakras. The energy fills you as you chant the mantra, displacing negativities, bad karma, disease and other impurities—often visualized as black smoke or sludge dispelled violently from your body. For advanced practices, your teacher would guide your visualization, but for simple practices, the healing light is a safe, effective image.

As a final note, try to imagine Tara as a real, three dimensional being of light, who can move, speak, gesture, transmit—Tara is above all “activity” of the Buddhas and definitely not a static two-dimensional picture.

For a better description on how to visualize during Tara Deity Practice, please refer to Venerable Jigme (Sravasti Abbey’s” teaching video, part of a White Tara retreat (7 minute video):

Simple White Tara Practice

A simple daily practice, or a practice that you could use when you are ill, would normally include some basic fundamentals, such as going for refuge. Many teachers say that Refuge is the first healing. When you take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, that refuge will help you in all your difficulties, including illness. To the practice of refuge, you might add a simple offering of water bowls, in front of an image of White Tara. Basically, a simple practice, not requiring empowerments, would be:

1. Take refuge and dedicate.
2. The four immeasurables: This prayer affirms your wishes that all beings not suffer and be happy—important to generate loving kindness and Bodhicitta.
3. Make an offering (for example, a water bowl offering—see our article “Buddhist Water Bowl Offerings as an Antidote to Attachment”)
4. Preferably recite the Seven Limbs practice (seven short lines that contain the essence of good practice).
5. Visualize Tara as described above or as indicated by your teacher. Normally you visualize Tara in front of you when you do not have teacher instructions.
6. Recite the mantra (either Tara’s root mantra, or the full White Tara mantra, optionally with the name of the person who is ill replacing “mama” in the mantra. As you recite, visualize white healing light and energy transmitting from Tara to you or the person. In advanced visualizations this might emit from Tara’s heart chakra and absorb into your heart chakra, or as advised by your teacher.
7. Affirmation prayers (optional)
8. Dedicate the merit. (This is generally very important).

Typical Refuge Prayer (normally 3 times)

I go for refuge until I am enlightened.

To the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly.

By my practice of giving and other perfections,

May I become a buddha to benefit all sentient beings.

Four Immeasurables

May all beings have happiness and its causes,

May they never have suffering or its causes.

May they constantly dwell in joy transcending sorrow;

May they dwell in equal love for both near and far.

Offering

You can visualize mental offerings if you don’t have bowls of water. Buddhas do not need your offering. You are generating merit by this practice.

Seven Limbs

To You Venerable Tara, with my body, speech and mind, I respectfully prostrate.

I offer flowers, incense, butter lamps, perfume, food, music and a vast collection of offerings, both actually set out and emanated through wisdom and imagination.

I declare all my non-virtuous acts since beginningless time.

I rejoice in the virtuous merit accumulated by Holy and ordinary beings.

I request You turn the wheel of Dharma.

I beseech You to remain until samsara ends. Please, with your boundless compassion, look upon all beings drowning in the ocean of suffering.

May whatever merit I have accumulated be transformed into the cause for Enlightenment so that I may help all sentient beings.

Mantra and Visualization

Visualize Tara and healing energy and recite one of the mantras:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

or

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

or, if healing or doing long life practice for another person such as your teacher, substitute person’s name for “Mama”

Om Tare Tuttare Ture PERSON’S NAME Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

Dedication

By this merit may I quickly reach

The enlightened state,

So that I may lead all living beings without exception

To the same Enlightenment.

A Praise to White Tara by the First Dalai Lama

Another healing practice is to recite sutras or texts, or to pray to Tara daily. The First Dalai Lama Gyalwa Gendun Drub’s “A Praise of White Tara” is especially powerful—written centuries ago:

Homage to the Female Buddha beautiful with youth

Who sits on seats of white lotus and moon in nature

Spreading with stainless compassion and knowledge,

Who captures the radiance of snow mountains.

Homage to the Youthful One with budding breasts,

Who has one face and two arms, sits in the vajra posture,

Is bold with grace and calm, has a full moon as backrest

And is filled with great bliss.

Homage to the Ultimately Generous One whose right hand,

Showing the mudra Supreme Giving

Easily releases boundless karmas of peace, increase, power and wrath

As well as the eight siddhis and even supreme Buddhahood.

Homage to the Spiritual Mother who gives birth to Buddhas

Past, present and future; whose left hand

Supporting a blue lotus, grants protection

From lions, elephants, fires and all eight terrors.

Homage to the Refuge of the World, who has eyes

In hands and feet gazing at the four doors of freedom

And who leads all living creatures

Toward the isle of blissful liberation.

Homage to she whose face unites

The beauty of a million autumn moons,

Whose wide eyes gaze with compassion

Whose Joyous mouth smiles equally on all.

Homage to she with head adorned by Amitayus, boundless Life,

The mere thought of whom grants life and wisdom,

Whose hand, in the contemplative mudra,

Hold a vase filled with ambrosia of immortality.

Homage to the All-Beautified One whose crown

Steals the light of sun and moon,

Whose sapphire hair is half knotted on top

And half falling freely over her shoulders.

Homage to the Majestic One of precious ornament blazing,

Whose crown, earrings, necklaces, arm-bands,

Bracelets, anklets and belt so elegantly arranged

Surpass the ornaments of men and gods.

Homage to she of celestial raiment,

Whose shoulder-sash and skirt

Hug her body like rainbows

Hug the crystal mountains.

Homage to the goddess before whose lotus feet

Vishnu, Indra, Shiva, Brahma, the antigods, spirits,

Men, semi-humans and all the world

Submit themselves in devotion.

Merely by reciting your mantra,

Those who make offerings at your lotus feet

Gain immortality, wisdom and merit

And attain all desired siddhis; to you I bow down.

The knowledge, compassion and perfect actions of all Buddhas

Appear in the form of the beautiful goddess

I take refuge in you and offer you my prayers;

Pray eliminate all my obstacles and fulfill all my aims.

Quickly release your perfect action of peace,

Calming all interferences to my practices for enlightenment;

Interferences such as the eight terrors,

Sickness, demons and other harmful agents, inner and outer.

Quickly release your perfect action of increase which multiplies

All good qualities, such as life, merit, unapprehending compassion,

The stainless wisdoms of learning, contemplation and meditation,

And the three higher trainings.

Quickly release your perfect action of power,

Which causes gods, men and spirits

To humbly bow before you

And which fulfils all wishes of the mind.

Quickly release your perfect action of wrath,

Which with punishments befitting the evils done

Destroys demons, interferences and hindrances

Hateful opposing Buddhadharma and its holders.

Pray, bestow quick and easy attainment of siddhis

Such as the magic sword, mystic eye-medicine, fast-walking,

The food pill and the precious vase,

And even mahamudra, the highest siddhi.

In brief, from now until enlightenment

I respectfully make offerings at your lotus feet

I need seek no other refuge

Out of compassion gaze upon me and quickly grant protection.

By the meritorious energy of this practice

May the transcended, perfect Tara

Look upon me forever with pleasure

And never leave me, even for a moment.

May all sentient beings after death take rebirth

Before Amitayus in Sukavati, Land of Pure Joy,

May they live in the ways of the great Bodhisattvas

And come to equal Avalokiteshvara, Lord of Compassion.

May I realise the oceans of Sutras and Tantras

To be able to pass them on to others;

And until samsara be emptied may I strive

To uphold the victory banner of practicing exactly as taught.

Mantra: OM TAREE TU-TAREE TUREE MAMA AYU-PUNYE-JANA PUTIM KURU SOHA

The Colophon: This praise of exalted White Tara, supreme mother of all Buddhas, was written by the monk Gyalwa Gendun Drub while he was residing in the Hermitage of Great Awakening at the Tegchen Potreng.

NOTES
[1] Presented at the Kamalashila Institute in Germany, 2005 https://www.rinpoche.com/teachings/whitetara.htm

[2] Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche speaking at Nepal, May 1987. https://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&id=357

[3] White Tara, Tam and the Mandala, Visible Mantra https://www.visiblemantra.org/whitetara-mandala.html

Why are supplication mantras, such as the activity mantras of the 21 Taras more effective for problems than general praise mantras? How do we actually make a specific supplication to a Buddha or our Yidam or Guru?

In this feature, we’ll explain how supplication mantras work, and why, with teachings from the great Longchenpa, Lord Atisha, and Guru Rinpoche, and using the example of the 21 activity mantras of the 21 Taras, explained in full.

Supplication Mantras: Set Your Intention

All Buddhist Mantras have the Bodhichitta Intention to Benefit all sentient beings. If they do not, they are not Mahayana Buddhist Mantras.

Supplication Mantras take this one-step further. Also known as Intention-Setting Mantras, these are Mantras exhorting or asking earnestly for powerful help from Enlightened Buddhas. They are among the most important practices in Vajrayana and Mahayana. Supplication Mantras almost always begin with a praise mantra, to honor and invoke the Enlightened Buddha, but then supplicate an activity or outcome.

If we are explicitly asking for healing, or accumulation of wealth and resources for the benefit of sentient beings, or trying to avert the violence of war, or any noble aspiration, it can be helpful to use supplication mantras. The ones passed down through lineages are well-proven through centuries of use.

Expanding on the Name Praise Mantra

Praise mantras without an explicit supplication, such asVajrapani’s name mantra, Om Vajrapani Hum, do also have the subtle unspoken “supplication for blessings” or removal of obstacles, but are mostly a merit-accumulation and devotional practice.

Supplication mantras are specific requests targeting an affliction or obstacle to our practice and our lives, such as averting war, healing our bodies, or attracting auspicious circumstances.

Video feature by Buddha Weekly on this topic:

For example,  adding Phat (Sanskrit for “cut” or “destroy”) to the praise mantra of Vajrapani,  makes it Om Vajrapani Hum Phat,  a mantra given by many teaching lineages. In this version, we specifically supplicate him to “cut” our obstacles with his great power. It then becomes both a praise and supplication mantra.

The great Longchenpa, more formally known as Longchen Rabjam Drimé Özer, was among the greatest of Yogis, who lived 1308 to 1364.  In his treatise, The Great Chariot, he explained how to use mantras to supplicate a Buddha or Guru. The principle for both is the same.

Although his instruction was a “how to” instruction for building your own supplication mantras (normally to your Guru), it is also helpful to understand the principle when you explore what your favorite practice mantra means. It is helpful, when chanting a mantra, to understand generally what it is supplicating.

Here, we’ll explore the very popular 21 Taras mantras from the Lord Atisha lineage, and break down why and how they are supplication mantras, and what they actually ask for as an “activity” from, in this case, Tara.

Longchenpa’s Tutorial on Supplication Mantras

Quoting from the great Longchenpa:

“After the Om Hum and name of the Guru or Yidam you add the supplications:

• For the activity of pacifying say SHANTIM KU RU YE SVAHA
• For enriching: PUSTIM KURU YE SVAHA
• For magnetizing, VASHAM KURU YE SVAHA
• For destroying MARAYA PHAT.

For example, for the yidam guru Padmasambhava, for enriching you would say: OM VAJRA GURU PADMASAMBHAVA AH HUM KARMA PUSTIM KURU YE SVAHA.” 

The same suffixes or supplications apply In the case of Yidam practice. You don’t need the “Ah Hum” after the name in this case, since you are using the Yidam’s existing mantra and Om already praises the Body, Speech and Mind of the Yidam.

The Four Activities Formulas

Great Longchenpa also instructed on how to work with each activity intention. This also applies neatly to 21 Taras practices, which includes several White Taras for Pacifying, Yellow Taras for Enriching, Red Taras for Magnetizing and Black Taras for Destroying the obstacles.

1) Longchenpa’s instruction for Pacifying or the White Taras

“To pacify sickness and döns, obscurations and evil deeds,
Visualize that you emanate white light rays everywhere.
Think that the desired siddhi has been attained,
While everything that is contrary has been pacified.At the time of pacifying, from white Taras, from all points, emanate white light rays. Gurus and yidams fill the sky. With the murmur of mantra, think that the siddhi of pacifying is attained.”

2) Longchenpa’s instruction for Accumulating Activities, or the Yellow Accumulating Taras

“For the karma that increases splendor, life, and wealth,
Visualize yellow rain that falls as all you desire.

Think of everything as yellow. A rain of wealth, life, and so forth falls. Thinking that our dwelling places and bodies are pervaded, do the recitation.”

3) Longchenpa’s instruction Summoning and Magnetizing Activities , or Red Magnetizing Taras

“As for the powers that can summon and magnetize,
Visualize rays of a vivid red in the shape of hooks.

For subjugating, drawing in, making enter, and all such powers of magnetizing, light rays of karma-like hooks invite whatever is desired. Thinking that it is beneath the feet, recite the mantra.”

4) Longchenpa’s instruction for Destroying or Cutting Activities or Black or Blue Taras

“For the action of destroying obstructing spirits and harm,
Visualize blue-black rays, that emanate as weapons
Or a conquering wheel of fire that has a thousand spokes.

If obstructions of dön demons, obstructing spirits and so forth arise, visualize blue-black karma light rays everywhere, emanating a collection of weapons that make the döns and obstructing spirits into dust. In the place where you are and in the space of the sky visualize a wheel of fire with a thousand radiating spokes. Having heaped up and drawn in the harmful spirits, it pulverizes them into dust.”

Longchenpa recommends dedicating the merit for the benefit of all sentient beings

“Having done the meditation,

At the end collect the details in conceptionless emptiness.
Then you should relax for just a little while,
Dedicating the merit to enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.”

21 Taras as Supplicating Mantras

How does the great Longchenpa’s advice apply in, for example, the case of the 21 Taras?

For example, in the Atisha lineage, the first Tara, Tara Swift Lady of Glory, the mantra is Om Tare Tutare Ture Vasham Kuru Svaha. All 21 of the mantras begain with Om Tare Tuttare Ture and end with Svaha, so the entire Tara mantra is contained within each. This is both her Praise mantra and also a supplication to save from the 8 fears and dangers.  So all 21 have this supplication already:

• Om , which is homage to the Body Speech and Mind of Tara.
• Tare, liberates and saves us from suffering in Samsara
• Tuttare liberates us from the 8 dangers of lions, elephants, fires, snakes, robbers, prisons, floods and demons, which also mirror the poisons of pride, delusion, hatred, jealousy, wrong views, greed, desire, attachment, doubt. Thus, Tuttare liberates us from every outer and inner danger.
• Ture, liberates us from disease.
• Svaha, is the root of the path, and means “be it so” or “well said.”

Intention Setting Supplications

To this, each of the 21 Taras Mantras adds an extra specific layer of intention-setting and supplication. The original supplication of Tare, Tuttare, Ture remains, but, an even more specific supplication is added. For the first Tara, Red Tara Swift Lady of Glory we add   “Vasham Kuru Svaha” which, as instructed by Longhcenpa is for magnetizing. The first Tara, indeed is the main Magnetizing Tara. There are other Red Taras, but she is the chief of the magnetizing Taras of the Padma family.

As an example of a White Tara, the second Tara is for pacifying, therefore is OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SHANTIM KURU SVAHA

Third example, the third Tara is gold for enriching, so Her supplication mantra is Om Tare Tuttare Ture Pushtim Kuru Svaha  (according to Longchenpa’s instructions).

21 Taras Explained as Supplications

1.  Tara, Swift Lady of Glory  (Red Tara)

The first Tara is red for magnetizing fortunate circumstances. She is also called Tara, Swift and Heroic. Her mantra is:

om tare tuttare ture vasham kuru svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे वशम कुरु स्वहा

This mantra supplicates Red Tara of Glory to magnetize generally fortunate circumstances: such as helpful people, helpful resources, helpful students, helpful economy, generally magnetizing a good situation. In Longchenpa’s supplication instruction this is “vasham kuru svaha.”

2. Tara of Supreme Peace  (Sarasvati White Tara)

om tare tuttare ture shatim kuru svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे शतिम कुरु स्वहा

This mantra supplicates White Tara Sarasvati to Pacify obstacles and negativities generally and bring peace, the “Lady of Supreme Peace.” In Longchenpa’s supplication instruction, this is “shatim kuru svaha”

3. Tara of Golden Yellow Color

om tare tuttare ture pushtim kuru svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे पुश्तिम कुरु स्वहा

This mantra supplicates Golden Tara for enrichment, generally. so auspicious circumstances and good fortune and wisdom, as in Longchenpa’s instruction for “pushtim kuru svaha”.

4. Tara of Complete Victory, Embodying All Positive Qualities  (Ushnishavijaya) (Yellow)

om tare tuttare ture ayur-jnana pushtim kuru svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे अयुर्-ज्नना पुश्तिम कुरु स्वहा

This mantra supplicates Yellow Tara (Ushnishavijaya) for enriched “vital life” and “health” (ayur as in aryurvedic medicine) and “wisdom.” In Longchenpa’s instructions, “pushtim kuru svaha” supplicates enriching” and in this case what we’re supplicating ins an enrichement of “ayur Jnana” or wisdom of vital life and health.

5. Tara Who Proclaims the Sound of Hum   (Red Tara Kurukulla)

om tare tuttare shtri akarshaya hrih svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे श्त्री अकर्शय हृह स्वहा

This mantra supplicates Red Tara Kurukulla (who is an extremely actively magnetizing form) to “Extra attract”  or “extensively attract” (Sanskrit: shtri akarshaya) or draw-in the Padma Lotus of Compassion (Hrih syllable is the Amitabha Padma family Seed Syllable). In other words, asking Tara to draw in the compassionate power of the Lotus Family of Amitabha.

6. Tara Who Is Completely Victorious Over the Three Worlds (Red Black)

om tare tutare ture shatrun ucchataya svaha

ॐ तरे तुतरे तुरे शत्रुन उक्चतय स्वहा

This mantra supplicates Red Black Tara Who has Victorious Power over the Three Worlds to protect us and overpower our arrogant enemies. “Shatrun Ucchataya” means “overpower (shatrun) and Ucchataya is “pride” or “arrogance.” In this context the enemy can be the obstacles and negativities of our own arrogance and pride preventing us from attaining realizations, or it can be mundane, powerful arrogant external enemies threatening our lives.

7 Tara Who Conquers Other (Wrathful Black Tara!)

oṃ tāre tuttāre ture sarva vidyā avarṇā ye bhye phaṭ svahā

ओं तारे तुत्तारे तुरे सर्व विद्या अवर्णा ये भ्ये फट स्वहा ॥

Known as the most powerful of protections, this Black Tara mantra supplicates Tara to Cut our obstacles, negativities (Phat). In keeping with Longchenpa’s supplication teaching, Phat supplicates Tara to “destroy” or cut. What does she cut? All Black Taras are wrathful and “destroy” or “cut” a negativity. In this case, the supplication is to “cut (phat) all negative intentions (sarva vidya), obstructions (avaranye) and fears (bhye) including black magic or supernatural enemies.”

8. Tara Who Conquers Maras and Enemies (Red Black Tara)

om tare tuttare ture sarva mara shatrun maraya phat svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे सर्व मरा शत्रुन मरय फत स्वहा

Another supplication to Destroy (cut) our enemies, this time as Maras. Maras were the great enemy of Shakyamuni Buddha, as they are for us. They mirror the internal poisons of anger, hate, jealousy, attachment, but are also seen as external “demons” depending on your view. As with the 7th Tara, “sarva” means “all”,  Maras mean “demons” , so “sarva maras” means “all demons.” “Shatrun” means to “overpower” the evil spirits, demons, monsters “marayas” plural. The full supplication is for Tara to destroy all Maras and overpower all evil spirits, demons, monsters who are obstacles to our practice.

9. Tara Who Protects from All Fears (White Tara)

om tare tuttare ture mam upakrama raksha raksha svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे मम उपक्रमा रक्षा रक्षा स्वहा

This is a very powerful supplication mantra, as it includes “mam” which means “me.” Although “me” is implied in all supplications, here, “mam” is explicit. “raksha” means “protect” so having raksha twice is an extra exhortation: “protect me, protect me.” Some teachers advise that if you are practicing for another person you can substitute the “me” with that person’s name. In this mantra Raksha means protect so having raksha twice in the mantra is an extra exhortation, like chanting: protect me, protect me. The supplication upakrama means commence or start. In other words we’re very specifically supplicating Tara “please start protecting me, protect me.”

NOTE: In Nyingma lineage, the 9th Tara is often Green (who is generally protective) and also sometimes in Surya Gupta (not always, one teaching lineage has 9 as a different color). In Atisha lineage, Green Tara is the Mother of all the Taras, outside of the 21 (in the Tangkha’s normally in the center.) 

10. Tara Who Brings Maras and the World Under Her Power (Red Tara)

om tare tuttare sarva mara pramardhani svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे सर्व मरा प्रमर्धनी स्वहा

This is a supplication to Red Tara to crush and destroy (pramardhani) all maras, evils and enemies (“sarva mara”).

11. Tara Who Eradicates Poverty (Vasudhara, who is Gold or yellow-red Tara)

om tare tuttare ture vasudharini svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे वसुधरिनी स्वहा

This is a supplication for prosperity and to alleviate poverty to none other than Vasudhara (Mother Earth) who is Golden Yellow Tara (“vasudharani”).

12. Tara Who Grants All That Is Auspicious  (Golden Tara)

om tare tuttare ture mangalam svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे मङलम स्वहा

This is a supplication for auspicious “mangalam” circumstances in our life.

13. Tara Who Blazes Like Fire or Tara Who Averts War and Destroys Enemies (Red Tara)

om tare tuttare ture bhaya bhasmim kuru svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे भय भस्मिम कुरु स्वहा

 

This is the Tara most often supplicated to help avert war, stop war, or stop the most fearsome enemies who are attacking. Here we are supplicating Tara to “disintegrate or burn up all that we fear.” These are usually the very worst fears, such as war, violence, or evil. “Bhaya” means “fear” (as in the Abhaya mudra which means the opposite, “no fear”). Bhasmim is “ash” in this context “disintegrate” or “burn up to ash.”

14. Tara Who Is Frowning Wrathfully (Dark Blue Black Tara)

om tare tuttare ture vajra maha pada bhasmim kuru svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे वज्र महा पदा भस्मिम कुरु स्वहा

This is a mighty Tara, as signified by “maha” meaning great. She also has “vajra” in her mantra meaning “lightning bolt” and symbolizing wrathful power. In her praise, she is praised as “She who strikes the earth with her palm and foot and beats it” which is reflected in her mantra with “pada” meaning foot. She uses the great vajra and her crushing foot to disintegrate or bhasmim. “Kuru Svaha” as taught by Longchenpa indicates, in the black context” wrathful supplication.

15. Tara of Supreme Peacefulness (White Tara)

om tare tuttare ture sarva papam prashamanaya svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे सर्व पपम प्रशमनय स्वहा

This supplicates Tara to calm and pacify “prashamanaya” all criminals “sarva papam”.  In this case, criminals can mean criminals who “rob us” of time, or concentration, or anything that interferes with practicing Dharma.

16. Tara Who Arises from the HUM of Intrinsic Awareness (Red Yellow)

om tare tuttare ture sarva dharma prati parishodhaya svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे सर्व धर्मा प्रती परिशोधय स्वहा

This supplicates Tara to magnetize all Dharma (sarva dharma) in the direction of (prati) purity and perfection (parishodhaya).

17. Tara Who Causes the Three Realms to Tremble (Red Yellow Gold)

om tare tuttare ture sarva stambhani tare svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे सर्व स्तम्भनी तरे स्वहा

This supplicates Tara to swiftly (tare twice in the mantra) remove all harm to you caused by evil intentions, curses or mantras of others: sarva is “all” while stambhani is a type of black magic or the evil intentions of others. She has the power to shake all three worlds.

18. Tara Who Neutralizes Poison

om tare tuttare ture naga visha shantim kuru svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे नगा विश शन्तिम कुरु स्वहा

As explained by Longchenpa, this supplicates White Tara to pacify through shantim kuru svaha. What are we pacifying? Naga Visha is outwardly translated as snake poison which also synonymous with any skin disease, internal disease, infection insect bits, snake bites, rheumatism, and many other conditions. Inwardly, this is asking Tara to pacify jealousy one of the eight poisons that afflict us and prevent our realizations.

19. Tara Who Alleviates All Suffering (White Tara)

om tare tuttare ture mocana svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे मोकना स्वहा

Mocana means liberating. This is the White Tara who alleviates and pacifies any and all of our suffering, and is especially known for pacifying disputes (such as those that can lead to war), nightmares, and all suffering generally.

20. Tara Who Removes Pestilence  (Red Tara)

om tare tuttare ture visarata svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे विसरता स्वहा

This supplicates Red Tara to magnetize the conditions necessary to eliminate epidemics and wide-spread pestilence. Tara is always the remover of disease, but “visarata” refers specifically to the story of Buddha entering Vaisali (from the Sutra Entering the City of Vaisali) when Buddha gave the Dharani of Vaishali to pacify a terrible epidemic. Visarata became a metaphorical “shortform” of this Dharani in mantras. (That Dharni, by the way, begins: “Visarata, visarata, visarata,” As always, with Tara, there is external and internal functioning. Epidemics, internally, refers to our unbreakable habits and attachments that “plague us.”

21. Tara Who Completely Perfects All Enlightened Activities (Marichi)

om tare tuttare ture sarva siddhi sadhanam svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे सर्व सिद्धी सधनम स्वहा

This supplicates Tara Marichi for “all enlightened accomplishments and activities.” Sarva siddhi means “all accomplishments, wishes, knowledge.’ Sadhanam means “instrument of accomplishment” or “means of achieving”, similar to Sadhana, which is our method of accomplishment in meditation. Her name also expresses this, “Tara Who Completely Perfects All Enlightened Activities.”

SOURCE

Full excerpt of the , cited from Wisdom Library>>

Why is the Bardo Thodol considered a spiritual treasure from the Enlightened Mind of the Second Buddha Padmasambhava? Why is a Book of the Dead considered nothing less than a profoundly liberating teaching?

Let’s start with the title. Tibetan Book of the Dead was an early — and incorrect — translation of Bardo Thodol, by a non-Buddhist translator.

A much better translation is The Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between, as translated by notable teacher Robert Thurman. It may not be as thrilling a title, but it is an important correction. “Bardo” translates best as the “Between” — a vital concept in Buddhism, as important as understanding Samsara, rebirth and the Bodhichitta intention to become Enlightened to benefit all sentient beings.

Another translation of the longer title is Great Liberation through Hearing: The Supplication Pointing Out the Bardo of Existence. Tibetan Book of the Dead is more of a Westernized nickname than a serious title, conceptualized by an early translator likely influenced by Egyptian myth, or Dante’s inferno.

The Origins of The Bardo Thodol: A Spiritual Treasure from Ancient Tibet

Whatever you call the great teaching text, the question is: “Why study what happens “Between” one life and the other?” And how does knowing that, help us now?

“Between lives” can be taken as a  literal translation, or as a metaphor for a studen who is “between” the state of non-realization and the state of realization. This applies to most of us.

Liberation, whether in this life, or “in between” — which is the Bardo — is the same process of wisdom. By describing the process we go through “between our lives” we illustrate the process we are now going through in our samsaric current life. To liberate ourselves from suffering, in this life, or in the Bardo, we try to sever our attachments, habits, clinging, and poisonous emotions such as anger. We also learn to face all these things as a Dharma hero, and to realize their illusory nature.

In The Book of Liberation Through Understanding the Between, the glorious Lotus Born elaborates on a process of purification of negative karma baggage we all carry from our actions in the past. This is, ultimately, a path to liberation. We can, and should apply the metaphorical concepts in our current life. And, of course, he teaches us what to expect as we transition “in-between” lives.

Taught in the 8th century by the respected Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava, The Book of Liberation Through Understanding the Between, is not merely a guide for the deceased but equally, a manual for serious spiritual practice in this lfe. The book, known as Bardo Thodol, treats death as a transformative process – a premise that the modern spiritual seeker can apply in everyday Buddhist practice.¹

The Bardo Thodol is a profound guide for spiritual transformation and realization.
– Dalai Lama

Reality of death spurs virtue

How is it possible that a book on the “between lives” can be applicable to our modern, daily lives? As His Holiness the Dalai Lama pointed out in the foreward to Robert Thurman’s superb translation of The Book of Liberation Through Understanding the Between:

“The reality of death has always been a major spur to virtuous and intelligent action.”

As we age, we realize the folly of our youthful activities, our wasted time, our selfishness, our anger, and we mellow, mature and start to think about others. As our grandparents and later our parents age, and pass away, we regret not having acted better, not having been more attentive and loving. As we come to grips with our mortality, we ripen our compassion, our altruism, our kindness. We tend blunt our anger, the saying of “grumpy old person” notwithstanding. We have also developed more wisdom with age. Aging, dying, and impermanence are great teachers if we take a mature view.

These are some of the lessons we find in the Bardo Thodol. We are bound to impermanence. Yes, we may continue in future lives, but how those lives map out is very much in our control now. Even if we don’t believe in rebirth, the lessons of the Bardo Thodol also help us become kinder and more helpful in this life.

Highest Yoga Tantras mirror Bardo Thodol

To a great extent, the Unexelled Yoga Tantras, the Higher Yoga Tantras mirror the process described in the Bardo Thogrol. In Highest Yoga Tantras, this is an “inner” rather than “in between” journey but the process is the same. These yogas, such as Guhyasamaja or Heruka Chakrasamvara, Vajrayogini, Hayagriva, Chittamani Tara, and so on, are inner body journeys.

Robert Thurman, in his introduction explained:

“Unexcelled Yoga Tantra is a highly technical approach to inner experiences, an ancient tradition of spiritual techniques every bit as sophisticated as modern material technologies. It uses special yogically induced states to explore the nature of self and mind, of death and life, and the between states. It describes death in great detail: its physiology, its psychology, its normal experience and its simulated experience… I have found it lucid and useful, not only for thinking about death, but also for thinking about life, health, and even breath. When I encountered death, thinking about my own or losing friends, this spiritual science gave me a framework within which I could understand the process.”

Robert Thurman speaking on the Art of Dying and Living: Bardo Thodrol:

Benefiting from the teachings in the Bardo Thogrol starts with a better translation of the title: “Bardo simply means between state.” There is no Tibetan phrase that translates as Book of the Dead. Bardo means “between” and Thos Grol (usually transcribed Thodol) means the “wisdom that liberates.”

The Bardo Realms: Navigating the Intermediate States of Consciousness

The can be likened to a spiritual GPS, a roadmap to navigating the uncharted territories of our consciousness. The Bardo Realms can also be seen as metaphorical of the journey through our samsaric life as well.

This remarkable text guides us through the Bardo Realms, the intermediate states of consciousness that lie between birth, death, and rebirth. It encourages us to confront, understand, and transform our fears and desires, helping us break free from the cycle of Samsara, the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Its profound teachings illuminate the path to liberation and offer valuable insights into the nature of the mortal condition and the journey in the Between.

In essence, the Bardo Thodol serves as a comprehensive spiritual guidebook, aiding us in discerning the nuances of existence and the complexities of our inner world.  Although it describes a method for transformation in the Bardo in preparation for our next life, the same principles equally apply to living practice, now, in this very world. Each stage of the Bardo is also a metaphor for the stages of transformation in our own living practices.

Encountering Deities and Demons: Understanding the Symbolism in Bardol Thodol

The Tibetan Book of the Dead, or the ‘Bardo Thodol‘, guides one through the metaphorical labyrinth of the afterlife. Throughout this journey, one will encounter various deities and demons, and understanding their symbolism is crucial to unlocking the profundity of this spiritual manifesto.

According to Tibetan Buddhism, upon death, the consciousness enters into Bardo, the realm that lies between death and rebirth. It is in this state that one will encounter various deities. The Peaceful Deities are encountered first, and these emanations of Buddha-nature represent our innate potential for enlightenment. Each of these deities correlates with a particular Buddha and highlights different aspects of enlightened mind, like compassion, equanimity, and wisdom.

Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa described these deities not as entities but as “the radiance of the wisdom of selflessness” in “The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Liberation Through Hearing in the Bardo” (1).

After the Peaceful Deities, one meets the Wrathful Deities. These terrifying entities signify inner fears and negative emotions. They are actually transformed wrathful versions of the peaceful deities. Confronting these wrathful deities is a chance for personal growth, as one learns to confront and integrate these negative aspects of the self.

“For years, ever since it was first published, the Bardo Thodol has been my constant companion, and to it, I owe not only many stimulating ideas and discoveries, but also many fundamental insights”

Another prominent figure in the Bardo Thodol is the Lord of Death, who is a symbol of our fear and denial of mortality. By acknowledging this figure, the text suggests, we can truly embrace the transitory nature of our existence, further leading toward ultimate liberation.

These encounters are not meant to be taken literally but to be interpreted symbolically. These figures represent aspects within ourselves, and understanding this can provide profound philosophical insight and spiritual development.

Robert Thurman Teaching on the Bardo Thodrol:

Meditation Practices in the Tibetan Book of the Dead

The Bardol Thodol prescribes precise meditation techniques for each stage of the Bardo, allowing the spiritual seeker to prepare for the trials and tribulations of the transitional periods. The instructions lay out detailed processes for observing one’s thoughts and emotions, fostering a calm and focused mind, and maintaining awareness and presence even in the face of death.

These practices are intended to facilitate a direct encounter with one’s own mind, emphasizing the importance of self-realization and inner transformation. They embody the Buddhist teachings of mindfulness, non-attachment, and compassion, engendering a deep sense of inner peace and equanimity.

The Origins of The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Spiritual Treasure from Ancient Tibet

Heralding from the ancient spiritual traditions of Tibet, the “Bardo Thodol,” better known as “The Tibetan Book of the Dead,” is more than a mere historical relic; it’s a profound manual for the journey of life, death, and beyond. Its origins are clouded in the mists of the 8th century, attributed to the Indian master, Padmasambhava^[1].

Enshrined in the text is a detailed guide on confronting death, traversing the intermediate bardo states—times of transition—and navigating rebirth in the asortment of cyclic existence or samsara. This esoteric narrative was envisioned during Padmasambhava’s spiritual practice, amalgamating wisdom gained during his meditative experiences^[1]. It provided instructions for guiding practitioners through their own spiritual journeys.

These teachings were initially transmitted to Padmasambhava’s close student, Lady Yeshe Tsogyal. Later, they remained concealed, gifted to the future generations as a ‘Terma,’ or spiritual treasure, by Yeshe Tsogyal herself^[2]. The exclusive understanding and utilization of the book was traditionally reserved for advanced Buddhists.

However, it gained popularity in the West when Walter Evans-Wentz translated it in 1927, albeit with the somewhat sensational and inappropriate title of Tibetan Book of the Dead. This seminal event introduced a broader audience to the esoteric philosophical and psychological teachings in Tibetan Buddhism^[3].

Serving practitioners as a spiritual guide, ‘Bardo Thodol’ continues to inspire and intrigue individuals seeking spiritual growth, enabling them to face the ultimate truth—the inevitability of death—with equanimity and courage.

The Bardo Realms: Navigating the Intermediate States of Consciousness

Whether you view the Bardo Thodol as a helpful guide to the “in between” states or for a guide for modern, living practice as many of us do, it is helpful to understand the context of the Buddhist ideas about death, particularly Tibetan Buddhist.

Robert Thurman puts it this way:

“The Tibetan attitude toward death and the between is neither mystical nor mysterious. This guidebook for the journey through the between shows how the reality of death fits into the Tibetans’ world, vividly picturing the continuity between former, present and future lives. Tibetans considered it a matter of common sense and scientic fact that animate beings exist along a continuum of lives, and that death, between and rebirth processes follow a predictable pattern. They have credible accounts by Enlightened voyagers who have gone through the between experience, consciously preserved the memory, and reported their experiences. Tibetans also believe that most people can recover memories of their former lives by a fairly elementary regime of meditation.

A Quick Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Bardo Thodol

Some interesting nuggets of wisdom and psychology from the Bardo Thodol:

• The Tibetan Book of the Dead, also known as Bardo Thodol, is a text from a larger corpus of teachings, the ‘Profound Dharma of Self-Liberation through the Intention of the Peaceful and Wrathful Ones’.
• The Bardo Thodol teaches that once awareness is freed from the body, it creates its own reality similar to that of a dream, which can be terrifying or blissful depending on the mental state of the deceased.
• The text emphasizes the opportunity for liberation, or enlightenment, from the cycle of death and rebirth during the Bardo state.
• The Bardo Thodol has been interpreted by various Western psychologists, including Carl Jung, who saw it as a psychological document providing an understanding of the unconscious mind.
• The text is a guide for the dead during the state that intervenes death and the next rebirth, known as the Bardo.
• The text also provides detailed descriptions of the visions that we might encounter, depending on our state of mind and karma, during the Bardo, and instructions on how to interpret them.
• The Tibetan Book of the Dead teaches that death is not an end but a transition into a new beginning, thus encouraging a transformation of consciousness and spiritual realization.
• The text is considered a manual for serious spiritual practice within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and is also studied and used by many people of different faiths who are interested in the teachings it contains about life, death, and rebirth.

A Path to Liberation: The Tibetan Book of the Dead as a Guide to Spiritual Transformation

The Bardo Thodol describes three Bardos we will plass through, which correspond not only to bardo states between lives, but meditative states we can contemplate in life.

These are

The Bardo of the moment of death, or chikhai bardo, where we experience “clear light.” For those who practice Buddhist Yogas, you’ll recognize this as our meditation on “clear light” during our Sadhanas.

The chonyid bardo or “bardo of the experiencing of reality” which is where we experience reality as it really is. This is what we’ve been preparing for, in fact, in our generative yogas, when we imagine ourselves dissolving into Emptiness and become One with ultimate reality of the deity. In the Bardo Thodol, this bardo is described as meeting the various forms of the Buddhas, the peaceful and wrathful Buddhas. Likewise, in generation stage yogas in our daily practices, we imagine generating the peaceful and wrathful Buddhas.

The sidpa bardo or “bardo of rebirth” where our continuity continues if we have unresolved karms. In this Bardo we are karmically propelled by various hallucinations, due to our unresolved clinging and attachments, including our attachment to being alive. These imaginings result in new karmic rebirth, appropriate to our current state of mind and spiritual comprehension.

There are actually three other Bardos mentioned, including the Bardo of Life — which is our ordinary life and consiousness, as illusory as it might be. The other two are the Dyana Bardo, which means Meditation Bardo, and the Milam Bardo or Dream State.

These last three, are practices we engage in through our ordinary lives. For example, Milam Bardo Yogas are a popular practice for advanced Yogis.

Carl Jung and the Tibetan Book of the Dead

As a pioneer of depth psychology, Carl Gustav Jung had a great interest in the eastern spiritual traditions, including Buddhism. Within his vast body of work, his engagement with the Tibetan Book of the Dead, or Bardo Thodol, holds a significant place. Jung understood the psychological dimensions of this sacred text and saw in its symbolism a mirror of the human psyche.

Jung’s interpretation centers around the concept he termed as the ‘Collective Unconscious,’ the reservoir of experiences shared by all humans. “The Tibetan Book of the Dead” with its rich symbolism and imagery, according to Jung, is a therapeutic tool that guides the individual through layers of their subconscious (Collective Works of C.G.Jung, 1960).

A central theme in Jung’s exploration of the Book of the Dead is the process of individuation, the journey toward self-realization. He viewed the text as an allegorical guide for this transformative journey. During this process, individuals confront and integrate the contents of their unconscious, symbolically represented in the text by various deities and wrathful aspects (Jung, 1939).

In the words of Jung, “The dangerous life-suppressing ghost of the unconscious is not an alien mind, but our own, though a despised side” (Jung, 1939). This encapsulates his understanding of The Tibetan Book of the Dead, where the fearsome figures encountered in the Bardo realms, are understood to represent parts of oneself.

For Jung, the liberation promised by the Book of the Dead ultimately signifies liberation from the grasp of the unconscious, a process requiring courageous confrontation with one’s deepest fears and suppressed aspects (Jung, 1959).

In essence, Jung’s engagement with The Tibetan Book of the Dead opens new avenues for understanding the deeply symbolic nature of this text and its profound psychological implications. Further exploration enables insights into the intersections of eastern spiritual wisdom and western psychology.

Bardo Thodol as a funerary practice

Yes, Bardo Thodol is still, today, recited as a guide for the deceased.  The title Bardo Thodol can also be translated as Liberation Through Hearing During the Intermediate State. One part of the text is called Great Liberation through Hearing: The Supplication of the Bardo of Dharmata. The other part is called Great Liberation through Hearing: The Supplication Pointing Out the Bardo of Existence.

It is commonly believed that the consciousness of mindstream of the deceased remains connected to the deceased body due to its attachments and emotional clinging. By tradition, the Bardo Thodol is read each day for 49 days for the deceased, out loud. It is believed that the deceased may hear the guidance and words of Padmasambhava, easing them on the journey through the between or the Bardo. This is part of the meaning behind “Liberation Through Hearing.”

By reading and studying the Bardo Thodol prior to death, it can also help ease the transition and can also contribute to our understanding of Liberation. Comprehension of what we may see and imagine in between lives can help us attain what is called “Liberation through hearing.”

Today, some people record the recitation of the Bardo Thodol and play it for the deceased.

Confronting Fear and Embracing Impermanence: Lessons from The Tibetan Book of the Dead

Tibetan scholar Robert Thurman, in his translation of the book “The Tibetan Book of the Dead” (2), explains that the various wrathful and peaceful deities encountered are really just different manifestations of the individual’s own mind and represent the potential for enlightenment that lies within us all.

Harnessing the Wisdom of the Tibetan Book of the Dead

The Bardo Thodol serves as a beacon, illuminating the way through the fog of ignorance and fear. Its teachings encourage a radical shift in perspective, enticing us to encounter our insecurities and anxieties with courage and determination. It reminds us that death is not an end, but a transition; it is a doorway to new beginnings and opportunities.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead unravels the profound mysteries of existence, offering precious nuggets of wisdom at every turn. It is not merely a book to read; it is a path to tread, a journey to embark upon, towards the pinnacle of spiritual awakening.

References

1. Chögyam Trungpa (1992). The Tibetan Book of The Dead: The Great Liberation Through Hearing in the Bardo. Shambhala Publications.
2. Robert Thurman (1994). The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Bantam Books.
3. Carl Jung References:
   • Jung, C.G. (1939). The integration of the personality. New York: Farrar & Rinehart.
   • Jung, C.G. (1959). The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. New York: Pantheon Books.
   • Collective Works of C.G.Jung (1960). Edited by Read, H., Fordham, M. and Adler, G. London: Routledge.

Other Citations and Sources

[1] Powers, J. (1995). Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. Ithaca: Snow Lion.
[2] Ricard, M. (2003). The Life of Shabkar: Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion.
[3] Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (1927). The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Or, The After-Death Experiences on the Bardo Plane, according to Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup’s English rendering. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

From the Texts to the Heart: Understanding Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava’s Teachings

Guru Rinpoche’s life-message is the essence of Vajrayana Buddhist philosophy and methodology, preserved through the centuries in texts and terma, biographies, lineage teachings, and oral transmissions that continue to illuminate the lives of millions across the globe.

To appreciate the depth of Guru Rinpoche’s teachings, we only need to explore the rich library of treasure texts or ‘termas’. These were teachings and practices concealed by Guru Rinpoche himself and later discovered by ‘tertons’ or treasure revealers[1]. In these texts, Guru Rinpoche’s teachings often focus on three central themes: the importance of the mind’s perception, Yidam,  and the mantra practice. Mantra itself, a Sanskrit word, is translated as “mind protection.”

Mantra can be a Complete Practice with “Infinite Powers and Benefits”

The great Guru Rinpoche Padmasmbhava, Lotus Born, the second Buddha, taught many deep and profound teachings. Although he gave us some of our deepest and profound teachings and practices, he also foresaw the degeneration of times, the lack of time to practice that afflicts so many people in modern times.

Lady Yeshe Tsogyal, Wisdom Dakini, asked for and recorded his answer to an important question for modern times. As recorded in the Treasure Text of Tulku Karma Lingpa, Lady Yeshe asked the Compassionate Buddha about the practice of the Vajra Mantra as a practice for busy times. She asked him:

“You have spoken of many ways to remedy these afflictions, but beings in the future will have no time to practice. Those who do have a slight inclination towards practice will be beset by powerful obstacles. Beings will not get along with one other; supplies and materials will be insufficient. Such terrible times as these will be extremely difficult to avert. In such times, Guru, what are the benefits of relying solely upon the practice of the Vajra Guru mantra?”

The Master Lotus Born spoke thus:

“O, Lady of Faith, what you say is absolutely true. In such future times, that practice will definitely be of short and long term benefit for sentient beings. Although I have concealed many earth treasures, water treasures, rock treasures, sky treasures and so on which contain unfathomable pith instructions and methods of practice, in the degenerate times it will be terribly difficult for fortunate beings to find the conditions and circumstances to meet with the teachings; this is a sign that beings’ merit is running out.

“However, in such times as those, this essential Vajra Guru mantra—if recited with vast bodhicitta aspiration in great sacred places, in monasteries, on the peaks of high mountains and the shores of vast rivers, in places inhabited by gods, demons and evil spirits, at the heads of valleys, geophysical junctions and so on—by ngakpas with unbroken samaya, vow-holding monastics, faithful men, women of fine qualities, and the like, however many times—one hundred, one thousand, ten thousand, one hundred thousand, ten million, one hundred million, etc.—will bring inconceivable benefits and powers. Countries everywhere will be protected from all plague, famine, warfare, armed violence, poor harvests, bad omens and evil spells. Rain will fall on time, harvests and livestock will be excellent, and lands will prosper. In this life, future lives, and on the pathways of the bardo, fortunate practitioners will meet me again and again—at best in actuality, or else in visions, and at the very least in dreams. Having gradually perfected the levels and paths, there is no doubt that they will join the ranks of male and female Awareness Holders in Ngayab Ling.

“Even one hundred recitations per day without interruption will make you attractive to others, and food, wealth and enjoyments will appear effortlessly. If you recite the mantra one thousand, ten thousand, or more times per day, you will bring others under your influence with your brilliance, and blessings and powers will be continuously and unobstructedly obtained. If you perform one hundred thousand, ten million or more recitations, the three worlds will come under your power, the three levels of existence will fall under your glorious sway, gods and spirits will be at your bidding, the four modes of enlightened activity will be accomplished without hindrance, and you will be able to bring immeasurable benefit to all sentient beings in whatever ways are needed. If you can do thirty million, seventy million or more recitations, you will never be separate from the Buddhas of the three times nor ever apart from me; thus, the eight classes of gods and spirits will obey your orders, praise your words, and accomplish whatever tasks you entrust to them.

“At best, practitioners will attain the rainbow body; failing that, at the time of death, mother and child luminosities will meet; and at the very least, they will see me in the bardo and all their perceptions having been liberated into their essential nature, they will be reborn in Ngayab Ling and accomplish immeasurable benefit for sentient beings.”

Thus he spoke.

The Benefits of the Vajra Guru Mantra in Guru Rinpoche’s Own Words

the Great Master spoke thus:

“O, Noble Daughter, the Vajra Guru mantra is not only my essential mantra, it is the life-essence of the deities of the four classes of tantra, the nine vehicles, the 84,000 aspects of the Dharma, and so on. The heart essence of all the Buddhas of the three times, the lamas, deities, ḍākinīs, Dharma protectors, and the like is encompassed by this mantra. The reason for this is as follows. Listen well and hold this in your heart. Recite the mantra. Write it. Tell it to sentient beings in the future.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ is the supreme essence of enlightened body, speech and mind.
VAJRA is the supreme essence of the Vajra Family.
GURU is the supreme essence of the Ratna Family.
PADMA is the supreme essence of the Padma Family.
SIDDHI is the supreme essence of the Karma Family.

HŪṂ is the supreme essence of the Buddha Family.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

OṂ is the complete Sambhogakāya of the Five Buddha Families.
ĀḤ is the complete unchanging Dharmakāya.
HŪṂ is the complete Nirmāṇakāya—Guru Rinpoche.
VAJRA is the complete assembly of Heruka deities.
GURU is the complete assembly of Lama Awareness Holder deities.
PADMA is the complete assembly of Ḍākinīs and powerful female deities.
SIDDHI is the heart of all the wealth deities and protectors of hidden treasures.
HŪṂ is the heart of each and every Dharma protector.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ is the heart of the three classes of tantra.
VAJRA is the heart of the Vinaya and Sūtra.
GURU is the heart of the Abhidharma and the Kriyā Yoga.
PADMA is the heart of the Upā and Yoga Tantras.
SIDDHI is the heart of the Mahā and Anu Yogas.
HŪṂ is the heart of the Dzogchen Ati Yoga.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ purifies obscurations of the three mental poisons.
VAJRA purifies obscurations of hatred and aversion.
GURU purifies obscurations of pride.
PADMA purifies obscurations of craving and attachment.
SIDDHI purifies obscurations of jealousy.
HŪṂ purifies obscurations of delusion and disturbing emotions.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ grants the attainment of the three kāyas.
VAJRA grants the attainment of mirror-like wisdom.
GURU grants the attainment of the wisdom of equanimity.
PADMA grants the attainment of the wisdom of discernment.
SIDDHI grants the attainment of all-accomplishing wisdom.
HŪṂ grants the attainment of all that stems from primordial wisdom.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ subdues gods, spirits, and human beings.
VAJRA conquers the gandharvas and fire spirits.
GURU conquers the lord of death and demonic spirits.
PADMA conquers the harmful water gods and spirits who reign over the mind.
SIDDHI conquers the powerful demons who haunt mountain ranges and passes.
HŪṂ conquers the planetary demons and gods of localities.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

By OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ, the six transcendent perfections are accomplished.
By VAJRA, all peaceful activities are accomplished.
By GURU, all enriching activities are accomplished.
By PADMA, all magnetizing activities are accomplished.
By SIDDHI, all enlightened activities are accomplished.
By HŪṂ, all wrathful activities are accomplished.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ averts the dagger sorcery of Buddhists and Bönpos.
VAJRA averts the harmful powers of the wisdom deities.
GURU averts the harmful powers of the eight classes of gods and demons.
PADMA averts the harmful powers of the worldly gods and spirits.
SIDDHI averts the harmful powers of nāgas and gods of localities.
HŪṂ averts the harmful powers of all three: gods, demons and human beings.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ crushes the forces of the five poisons.
VAJRA crushes the forces of hatred and aversion.
GURU crushes the forces of pride.
PADMA crushes the forces of craving and attachment.
SIDDHI crushes the forces of jealousy.
HŪṂ crushes the forces of gods, demons and humans.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

By OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ, the accomplishments of enlightened body, speech and mind are attained.
By VAJRA, the accomplishments of the peaceful and wrathful deities are attained.
By GURU, the accomplishments of the Awareness-Holder Lamas are attained.
By PADMA, the accomplishments of the ḍākinīs and Dharma protectors are attained.
By SIDDHI, the supreme and common accomplishments are attained.
By HŪṂ, whatever accomplishment you wish for is attained.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ transfers one to the primordial pure realm.
VAJRA transfers one to the Eastern Buddhafield of Manifest Joy.
GURU transfers one to the Southern Buddhafield of Glory.
PADMA transfers one to the Western Buddhafield of Bliss.
SIDDHI transfers one to the Northern Buddhafield of All-Accomplishing Action.
HŪṂ transfers one to the Central Buddhafield of Immutability.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

By OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ, the level of the Three-Kāyas Awareness Holder is attained.
By VAJRA, the level of Level-Dwelling Awareness Holder is attained.
By GURU, the level of Immortal-Life Awareness Holder is attained.
By PADMA, the level of the Great-Seal Awareness Holder is attained.
By SIDDHI, the level of the Spontaneous-Presence Awareness Holder is attained.
By HŪṂ, the level of Fully-Ripened Awareness Holder is attained.

OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ

One recitation of the Vajra Guru mantra will grant a physical body and entry into this world. Any sentient being who sees, hears, or thinks of the mantra will definitely be established among the ranks of the male and female Awareness Holders. The infallible Vajra Guru mantra is the word of truth; if what you wish for does not happen as I have promised, I, Padma, have deceived sentient beings—absurd! I have not deceived you—it will happen just as I’ve promised.

If you are unable to recite the mantra, use it to adorn the tops of victory banners and prayer flags; there is no doubt that sentient beings touched by the same wind will be liberated. Otherwise, carve it on hillsides, trees, and stones; after they are consecrated, anyone who merely passes by and sees them will be purified of illness, spirit possession, and obscurations. Spirits and demons dwelling in the area will offer wealth and riches. Write it in gold on pieces of indigo paper and hang them up; demons, obstacle-makers, and evil spirits will be unable to harm you. If you place the mantra upon a corpse immediately upon death and do not remove it, during cremation rainbow colors will flash out and the consciousness will definitely be transferred to the Blissful Realm of Amitābha. The benefits of writing, reading and reciting the Vajra Guru mantra are immeasurable. For the benefit of sentient beings in the future, write tåhis down and conceal it. May it meet with those of fortune and merit. Samaya Gya Gya Gya”