Why are Vajrasattva, Tara and Ushnisha Vijaya described as the Three Supremes or the Three Special Deities? In all lineages of Buddhism, the triad of practice represents: purifying Ignorance to attain wisdom; overcoming our fears and poisons to remove suffering; and ultimately, to triumph over death, through Enlightenment. As Dharmakaya Supreme Buddha, Vajrasattva, represents Wisdom. As Karma Mother, Green Tara is Supreme Compassionate Method and Wisdom. As the Crown of All Buddhas, Usnisha Vijaya is the Supreme Realizations overcoming Death itself.

We can describe these three as the Three Jewels, or as the Three Supremes, or the Three Great Bodhisattvas, or as the Three Roots. All of these describe the same trinity of wisdom, compassionate method, and realizations (Enlightenment.) The Three Supremes overcome the three great obstacles: Ignorance (with Wisdom), the Poisons (with Compassionate Method) and Death itself (with Enlightened Realizations.)

Three Supremes

The Triumphant Buddha Trinity, are often known as the “Three Special Deities” or the Three Supremes: Vajrasattva, Tara, and Ushnisha Vijaya, representing the rapid path to realizations and Enlightenment. Together,  they symbolize the Three Jewels, the three aspects of practice,  which are wisdom, compassionate method and activity; and also overcoming the three major obstacles of ignorance, suffering, and death.

In the practice of the Three Supremes, we have the Wisdom of Vajrasattva, who purifies the poison of ignorance;  the Enlightened Activities of Tara, which represents overcoming the eight dangers in Samsara; and the Compassionate method of Ushnisha Vijaya, which helps us overcome the obstacle of death.

Video: Ushnisha Vijaya’s Supreme Dharani from Sutra:

This is explained in the opening praises of several of Marpa Lotsawa’s practice sadhans. For exmaple, from the Sadhana of Venerable Tara:

“Arising from the Ushnisha, Namgyalma, destroying the Lord of Death ; Tara, who liberates the fears of Samsara; Lord of All Families, Vajrasattva; I bow to the wonderful and supreme deities.”

Three Supremes of Practice

The Three Supremes, or Three Aspects, complete all three areas of Practice, which are Wisdom, Compassionate Method, and Activities. The Three Supremes represent the same thing as the Three Jewels, the Three Great Bodhisattvas and the Three Roots.

• The Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, represent, respectively, Wisdom,  Compassionate Method, and activities.
• With the Three Great Ones, the Bodhisattvas:  Manjushri represents Wisdom, Avalokiteshvara represents Compassionate methods, and Vajrapani represents the power of activities.
• With the Three Roots: Guru or Teacher represents the root of Wisdom, Yidam represents the root of Compassionate method, and Dakini represents the root of activities.
• Symbolizing the Threes in Vajrayana are the practice supports of bell, vajra and mala. Bell represents Wisdom, Vajra represents compassionate means, and mala represents activities, realizations and accomplishments.

All of these are reflections of the same Three Supremes, the same practices and wisdoms, presented in various ways to convey core truths. Regardless of how you visualize or practice the three supremes, every Buddhist practice includes an equal emphasis on Wisdom, Compassionate Method and Activity.

Video: The King of Prayers (Samantabhadra’s aspiration), for example, begins with Refuge in the Three Jewels, Roots and then the Seven Limbs (the limbs of practice) — a supreme practice in Mahayana Buddhism:

You can think of it as two, plus one, in the old metaphor of the wings of a bird. Wisdom and Compassion are the two wings, but the bird only flies when both wings flap — the activities of wisdom and compassion working together.

For example, Buddha attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree. If he simply wanted to help himself, we would never have heard of his triumph. Instead, he then applied his wisdom and compassion, by teaching his disciples, which became the recorded Dharma teachings. He also shared his realizations in Enlightened Activities — teaching the Dharma in such a compelling way that the Sangha community grew and spread around the world. Without the Sangha’s activity we would never have heard of the Dharma.

For this reason, we don’t only take Refuge in Buddha. We don’t only take refuge in Dharma. We take refuge in all Three: Buddha Dharma and Sangha; or Teacher, Yidam and Dakini, or Vajrasattva, Ushnisha Vijaya and Tara, or Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani.

Wisdom without Compassion is incomplete. Wisdom and Compassion without activity is a flightless bird. We have to flap our wings with Enlightened Activities, to fly to the other shore of Enlightenment.

The Three Supremes from Marpa Lotsawa

In several lineage teachings transmitted by Marpa Lotsawa, the Three Supremes are Vajrasattva, Tara and Ushnisha Vijaya, the Three Great Buddhas. Why these three? Although all Buddhas are Conquerors, these three specifically represent conquering the three largest obstacles to realizations: overcoming ignorance; the five poisons and eight dangers; and ultimately, realizations that take us to the other shore, or Enlightenment.

Together, they represent the triad of practice: purifying our ignorance and negative karmas; overcoming our fears, the poisons and our dangers; and ultimately triumph over death when we attain Enlightenment.

Among the most beautiful of practices is the Three Special Deities practices, brought from India to Tibet by the great translator hero-teacher Marpa Lotsawa.

Marpa Lotsawa and the Three Supremes

Marpa Lotsāwa (མར་པ་ལོ་ཙཱ་བ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས་, 1012–1097), sometimes fully known as Marpa Chökyi Lodrö  or more familiarly referred to as Marpa the Translator, was a pivotal figure in Buddhism. Renowned for bringing extensive Vajrayana teachings from India, he played a crucial role in the establishment of the Mahamudra teachings and lineages. In recognition of his significant impact, the lineage he founded, the Kagyu, is often called Marpa Kagyu.

The Lotsawas or great translators of Tibet were genuine Dharma heroes and treasures. They spent their entire lives in difficult journeys of months or years to India, through a landscape of perils. For this reason, Tara was their constant companion, protecting them as they journeyed. Their lives were epic in scope and scale, and their contribution to the Dharma is supreme.

Video: 100 syllable mantra of Vajrasatttva:

Of these, Marpa was the greatest. His most famous student was the great Milarepa. Yet it is Marpa who brought the teachings treasured in many lineages today.

Each journey over the mountain passes brought danger from the elements and bandits. He spent many months struggling to journey to India and Nepal, to learn from the greatest Mahasiddhas, including Naropa.

The scale of his grand journey was as epic as Xuanzang, the 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk who inspired the epic novel Journey to the West, and who heroically brought back 657 Buddhist texts from India to China.

Marpa traveled seven times from Tibet to India and four times to Nepal. On his third visit, Marpa went through another battle with the elements as he searched for the elusive Naropa, who was hidden in the wilderness in retreat. He was nowhere to be found, yet Marpa knew Naropa would be his main guru. With determination, trust, and devotion, Marpa finally found Naropa and received the ultimate teachings and instructions from him.

Tara’s mantra 108 times is part of any practice of the Three Supremes:

To Learn More about the Three Special Ones:

• Vajrasattva, the Supreme Purifier>>
• Tara, the Supreme Activity of all the Buddhas>>
• Ushnisha Vijaya, the Supreme overcoming Death>>

Merit Practice of the Three Special Deities

The cycle of teachings from Marpa on the Three Special Deities includes separate practices for each of the three, but all sadhanas start with the praise to all Three Special Deities. We might focus on our Yidam as a main practice, but start with the praise, prostration and offerings to the Three Special Deities. The following recitation is from the Sadhana of Venerable Tara called Udamvara Flower, a subsection of the Three Special Deities passed down from Master Marpa the Translator. Here we only recite the frontal generation together with the seven limbs of practice and visualized offerings, followed by the mantras.

In all Vajrayana practices of most Yidams we recite the 100-syllable mantra of Vajrasattva first, to purify. In this concise merit practice, we prostrate, make offerings, and perform the 7 limbs of practice as the King of Prayers. This is followed by Vajrasattva mantra, Tara mantra and Ushnisha Vijaya mantra. For a longer practice, you would include the 21 praises to Tara and the Ushnisha Vijaya Dharani. If you practice a Yidam, you might follow the merit practice with your self-generation practice.

“Arising from the Ushnisha, Namgyalma, destroying the Lord of Death ; Tara, who liberates the fears of Samsara; Lord of All Families, Vajrasattva; I bow to the wonderful and supreme deities.

In the Three Supremes Vajrasattva, Tara, and Usnihsa Vijaya, in the Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma, and Supreme Assembly, in the Three Roots Guru, Yidam and Dakini, I take refuge until Enlightenment. By the merit of my generosity and other deeds, may I attain Buddhahood for the sake of beings.

Instantly, The entire merit field appears before me.

I prostrate with complete purity to Three Supremes, the Three Jewels and the Three Roots 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 Three Supremes, 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 the merit field, I recite the mantras of the three supremes. As I recite, I see green light going out from the hearts of the Three Supremes, blessing all beings in the entire universe, then returning and blessing my own body, speech and mind.

Oṃ Vajrasattva samayam anupālaya Vajrasattva tvenopatiṣṭha dṛḍho me bhava sutoṣyo me bhava supoṣyo me bhava anurakto me bhava sarva siddhiṃ me prayaccha sarva karma sucha me chittaṃ śreyaḥ kuru hūṃ ha ha ha ha ho ḥbhagavan sarva tathāgata vajra mā me muñcha vajrī bhava mahā samaya sattva āḥ

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Om Brum Svaha Om Amtrita Ayur Da Dai 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.

Why are lunar days, such as the new moon and full moon, special in Buddhism? What are the four special practice days based on lunar phases that have extra merit for Dharma practice? Why is the New Moon on the last day of the lunar month, special for Purification practices and what are the four practices for New Moon Days that help ensure a positive, prosperous, obstacle-free month ahead? We answer these questions and more in this short video and end with a recitation of the all-important Confession and Five Buddha Vows traditional for the New Moon Day.

• Buddha Weekly’s Lunar Dharma Practice Calendar is here>>

4 Important Lunar Days Each Month: Merit Multiplied

The four important Lunar Days are often called Activity Day on the first quarter moon waxing, Supreme Merit Day on the full moon day, Reflection Day on the third quarter waning moon, and Renewal Day on the New Moon. Each of these four days have extra merit for practices, with benefits multiplied millions of times, according to Lama Zopa, quoting the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.

Buddhist calendars are always lunar. This is because Shakyamuni Buddha was born, became Enlightened and attained Parinirvana, all on Full Moon Days.

Video:

Supreme Activity Day: First Quarter Moon, 8th Day Lunar

Supreme Activity Day is on the first quarter moon, the 8th Day of the lunar month. It is called “Supreme” because merit is multiplied. All waxing moon days are otherwise considered Activity Days as well, with normal merit.

As Enlightened Activity Day, it is therefore special to Mother Tara and the Karma Buddha Family of Amoghasiddhi. Or, for example, if the activity you are practicing is medical or health, this can also be Medicine Buddha Day. As the moon grows towards a full moon, we think of the “Enlightened Activities” growing and multiplying.

Activity Day, the 8th Lunar Day, like the other three lunar Dharma days, are extra merit days. We might practice the 21 Tara Praise, or recite Tara’s Sutra or practice the Sadhanas of Tara or Medicine Buddha. We might recite the supplication mantras of each of the 21 Taras to encourage those activities of power and magnetizing, pacifying, enriching and wrathful protective activities.

Special Practices:

• Tara Day: Mother of All the Buddhas
• Amoghasiddhi, Karma Dakini and all Karma Family
• Vajrakilaya: Activity of All the Buddhas

Supreme Merit Day: Full Moon, 15th Day Lunar

The full moon on the 15th day of the lunar month is the Supreme Day of Merit each month. Shakyamuni Buddha was born, became Enlightened and attained Parinirvana on full moon days. According to Mahayana Sutra, all Buddhas in all times were also Enlightened on Full Moon Days. For this reason, this is also Amitabha Day.

On the full moon day, we usually practice Amitabha, Shakyamuni, and Medicine Buddha. If we have a Yidam practice this will normally be an important day for practicing the full Sadhana. This day is the most significant for the Padma Family and practices of Amitabha’s family, such as Kurukulla, Avalokiteshvara, or Hayagriva. This is also a high merit day, with merit multiplied by Millions.

Special Practices:

• Shakyamuni Buddha
• Amitabha Buddha
• Medicine Buddha
• Avalokiteshvara Guanyin
• All Padma Family: Kurukulla,  Hayagriva, Padma Dakini

Supreme Reflection Day: Third Quarter, 23rd Day Lunar

Reflection Day, on the third quarter on the 23rd of the lunar month, in the waning period of the moon, is Supreme Day of Reflection, a day of quiet and meditation, ideal for Mahamudra and Dzogchen practices, mindfulness practices and quiet Sutra recitation. It is also special to the Vajra Family of Akshobhya Buddha as the Buddha of Mirror-Like Wisdom.

As the main practice day in the waning period of the moon, it is Supreme Day of Reflection day for quiet and meditation, especially for Akshobhya Buddha and the Varjra Family who represent the practice of the wisdom of Mirror-Like Reflection: “Mind like a Sheet of Water” or the moon reflected in still water. This wisdom overcome the poison of Anger.

Special Practices:

• Mahamudra
• Dzogchen
• Akshobhya Buddha Family

Upavasatha Renewal Day: New Moon, 30th Day Lunar

This brings us back full lunar cycle to the all-important New Moon, or Renewal Day. This day is called Upavasat-ha and is a critical practice day in all traditions of Buddhism for renewal, vows, purification, merit and confession. The New Moon is the day we wield the irresistible power of the Four Opponent Powers.

The last day of the lunar month, or New Moon, is very auspicious and has high merit for all practices but it is especially the day for purifying all the negative karma of the previous month for a fresh start on the new month. Especially important for Mahayana Buddhists is Vajrasattva’s 100-syllable mantra, which purifies all negative karmas. New Moon practices are special to Vajrasattva, the Buddha Family of Vairochana, and the more wrathful purification practices such as Vajrapani and Vajrakilaya. See the information icon for links to beautiful chanting of these Mantras in Sanskrit, ideal for New Moon Day.

Lunar 30th Day, or the New moon, arose as a critical practice day from the ancient tradition of Upavasat-ha or the practice of renewal. The main practices are different variations of the Four Rs, or the Four Opponent Powers. The Four Rs are: Refuge; Regret; Remedy; and Refrain.

Whether you practice Vajrasattva; or Vajrapani; or Vajrakilaya; or the 35 Buddhas; or the renewal of your lay or monastic vows; or Heart Sutra recitation, the four Rs are the same in all of these renewal practices.

Special Practices:

• Vajrasattva
• 35 Confessional Buddhas
• Vajrakilaya: Vajrasattva’s Wrathful Form
• Vajrapani
• Heart Sutra and All Sutra Recitations
• Renewal of Bodhisattva and Vajra Vows
• Four Opponent Powers practices genrally.

All Practices Include Refuge, Regret, Remedy and Refrain

Every one of these practices includes Refuge in the Three Jewels or Three Roots. They all feature a form of Regretting the negative actions — in this case of the past month. They all feature a Remedy, usually a vow, a mantra or sutra recitation. And all of these practices finish with a statement or promise to Refrain in future from negative activities.

The best way to ensure you’re practicing the Four Rs is to renew your Bodhisattva vows and commitments at least on the New Moon day.

Ideally, you do this in front of your Shrine or your teacher after taking Refuge and Prostrating. This makes it a complete purification practice, and a meaningful vow of practice. If you don’t have a shrine or object of Refuge in front of you, you visualize one if you can, or just “know” that you are making your vow in front of the Three Jewels.

Recite along with us now, the Renewal of Your Bodhisattva and Commitment Vows. These are likely the words you spoke during any empowerment, although you may have spoken it in Tibetan or Sanskrit. Here, we’ll recite in English. We start with Refuge in the Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

After taking Refuge we Confess all our wrong-doings for the last month. This is followed by the Bodhisattva Vows. Then, we renew our Samaya or promise to the Five Buddha Families. End by dedicating the merit, and you have a very complete purification. The vow itself is the Remedy in this case. Or, you can simply add this vow to your daily practice.

• Practice below, or download the PDF of the Renewal of Bodhisattva and Five Buddha Family Vows here>>

Renewal of Bodhisattva and Five Family Vows

Recite along with us now:

I take Refuge in the three Jewels, the Buddha the Dharma and the Sangha, until I attain Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

I rejoice in all virtues of holy and ordinary beings.

I will cultivate the Bodhichitta, to most effectively benefit all sentient beings.

Having generated the intention to take the Buddha’s path, I will care for all sentient beings as my guests. I offer flowers, incense, light, fragrances, food, music and the like, both those actually arranged and those mentally imagined. Supreme gathering, please accept them. Please accept my confession:

Whatever non-virtue, downfalls, and degenerations, I have accumulated since beginningless time, especially those of the Mahayana Vehicle, I confess all without exception, and promise to refrain.

I Remedy my Samaya with the Bodhisattva Vow:

I go for refuge to the Three Jewels. I confess each of my negative actions. I promise to refrain from negative actions. I rejoice in the virtues of migrating beings, and hold with my mind a Buddhas’ enlightenment.

To Buddha, Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly, I go for refuge until I am enlightened, and to accomplish the welfare of myself and others, I will generate the mind of enlightenment.

Having generated the mind of supreme enlightenment, I shall invite all living beings to be my guest, to engage in the pleasing, supreme practices of enlightenment. May I attain Buddhahood to benefit living beings.

I remedy my Samaya with New Commitments:

All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, please listen to me.

From this time forth, until the essence of enlightenment, I shall generate the unsurpassed sacred Bodhichitta, just as all the Protectors of the three times, have ensured their enlightenment.

I shall uphold firmly each of the three moral disciplines: moral restraint, accumulating virtuous Dharmas, and working for the welfare of living beings.

I renew my Samaya to great Vairochana and the Buddha Family. Please accept my commitment.

I shall uphold from today onward the vows arisen from Buddha Yoga; the unsurpassed Three Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

To great unshakable Akshobhya and Vajra Family, please accept my commitment.

I shall uphold purely the vajra, bell and mudra of the great, supreme Vajra family, and I shall uphold purely the Master commitment.

I renew my Samaya to great auspicious Ratnasambhava and Jewel Family. Please accept my commitment

I will always make the four types of gifts each day; the pleasing commitments of the great supreme Jewel family.

I renew my Samaya to Infinite Light Amitabha and the Padma Lotus Family. Please accept my commitment.

For the pure, great Lotus family, arisen from great enlightenment, I shall uphold each of the holy Dharmas, of the outer, the secret and the three vehicles.

I renew my Samaya to Supreme Fearless Amoghasiddhi and Tara and the Karma Family. Please accept my commitment:

For the great, supreme Karma family, I shall uphold purely each of the vows I am endowed with, and make as many offerings as I am able.

I shall generate the holy, unsurpassed Bodhichitta, and for the welfare of all living beings, I shall uphold all of my vows without exception.

I shall liberate those not liberated, deliver those not delivered, give breath to those breathless, and lead all beings to nirvana.

I dedicate the merit of this practice and offerings to the cause for Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

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

NEW exciting music release of Ushnisha Vijaya Long Dharani from Buddha Weekly’s team, original music, composition, vocals and recording, available on Music Streaming.

Ushnisha Vijaya’s Dharani, taught by Shakyamuni Buddha to Devaputra — who discovered he only had seven days left to live! — has a long history of extensive benefits. Learn more about this Dharani, complete with the history, translations, benefits and the entire sutra translated, see our new feature>>

BENEFITS OF DHARANI

According to the text, major applications of this dhāraṇī include:

• Destroy calamities and rescue those in difficulties
• Eliminate offenses and create good deeds
• Purify all karmic obstructions
• Increase blessings and lengthen lifespan
• Attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi
• Relieve beings in the ghost realm
• Benefit birds, animals and all crawling creatures
• Increase wisdom
• Revert the fixed karma
• Eliminate various illness
• Destroy hells
• Ensure the safety of the households, and having children to inherit the family pride
• Harmonise husbands and wives
• Be able to reborn in Sukhavati or other pure lands
• Heal sickness inflicted by pretas
• Request for rain, etc.

CHANT ALONG!

namo bhagavate trailokya prativiśiṣṭāya buddhāya bhagavate

tadyathā oṃ viśodhaya viśodhaya

asamasama samanta avabhāsa spharaṇa gati gahana svabhāva viśuddhe

abhiṣiñcatu māṃ

sugata vara vacana

amṛta abhiṣeke mahāmantra pāne

āhara āhara āyuḥ sandhāraṇi

śodhaya śodhaya gagana viśuddhe

uṣṇīṣa vijaya viśuddhe

sahasraraśmi sañcodite

sarva tathāgata avalokana ṣaṭpāramitā paripūraṇi

sarva tathāgata mati daśa-bhūmi prati-ṣṭhite

sarva tathāgata hṛdaya adhiṣṭhāna adhiṣṭhita mahāmudre

vajrakāya saharaṇa viśuddhe

sarva āvaraṇa apāya durgati pariviśuddhe

pratinirvartaya āyuḥ śuddhe

samaya adhiṣṭhite maṇi maṇi mahāmaṇi

tathātā bhūta koṭi pariśuddhe

visphuṭa buddhi śuddhe

jaya jaya vijaya vijaya smara smara

sarva buddha adhiṣṭhita śuddhe

vajre vajra garbhe vajraṃ bhavatu mama śarīraṁ

sarva sattvānāṁ ca kāya pariviśuddhe

sarva gati pariśuddhe

sarva tathāgatāśca me sama āśvāsayantu

sarva tathāgata sama āśvāsa adhiṣṭhite

budhya budhya vibudhya vibudhya

bodhaya bodhaya vibodhaya vibodhaya

samanta pariśuddhe

sarva tathāgata hṛdaya adhiṣṭhāna adhiṣṭhita mahāmudre svāhā

In Devanāgarī Script:-

नमो भगवते त्रैलोक्य प्रतिविशिष्टाय बुद्धाय भगवते

तद्यथा ॐ विशोधय विशोधय

असमसम समन्त अवभास स्फरण गति गहन स्वभाव विशुद्धे

अभिषिञ्चतु मां

सुगत वर वचन

अमृत अभिषेके महामन्त्र पाने

आहर आहर आयुः सन्धारणि

शोधय शोधय गगन विशुद्धे

उष्णीष विजय विशुद्धे

सहस्ररश्मि सञ्चोदिते

सर्व तथागत अवलोकन षट्पारमिता परिपूरणि

सर्व तथागत हृदय अधिष्ठान अधिष्ठित महामुद्रे

वज्रकाय सहरण विशुद्धे

सर्व आवरण अपाय दुर्गति परिविशुद्धे

प्रतिनिर्वर्तय आयुः शुद्धे

समय अधिष्ठिते मणि मणि महामणि

तथाता भूत कोटि परिशुद्धे

विस्फुट बुद्धि शुद्धे

जय जय विजय विजय स्मर स्मर

सर्व बुद्ध अधिष्ठित शुद्धे

वज्रे वज्र गर्भे वज्रं भवतु मम शरीरं

सर्व सत्त्वानां च काय परिविशुद्धे

सर्व गति परिशुद्धे

सर्व तथागताश्च मे सम आश्वासयन्तु

सर्व तथागत सम आश्वास अधिष्ठिते

बुध्य बुध्य विबुध्य विबुध्य

बोधय बोधय विबोधय विबोधय

समन्त परिशुद्धे

सर्व तथागत हृदय अधिष्ठान अधिष्ठित महामुद्रे स्वाहा

Translation of the Sanskrit Dharani:

Namo bhagavate, trailokya prativisistaya,

Adoration to the blessed, in the triple world the most excellent,

buddhaya bhagavate! Tadyatha Om!

to the enlightened! Adoration to the blessed! Namely: Om!

Vishodhaya, vishodhaya – asama-sama,

Cleanse, cleanse – the always impartial,

samantavabhasa-spharana

being in possession of all-pervading, all-illuminating light,

gati gahana, svabhava vishuddhe abhisinchatu!

cleansed of the darkness of the five paths of existence, the pure in-himself

Mam, Sugata, vara vachana amirta abhisekai maha,

Consecrate us, Sugata, with an immortal consecration which consists of the best words,

mantra-padai! Ahara, ahara

the great true phrases! Remove disasters, remove disasters,

ayuh sam-dharani! Sodhaya, sodhaya,

holder of an eternal life! Cleanse us, cleanse us,

gagana visuddhe usnisa vijaya vishuddhe,

the as-pure-as-the-sky, as the victorious head-crown as pure,

sahashra-rasmi sam-chodite!

the inflamed with a thousand rays of light!

Sarva tathagata avalokani,

O One overseeing the thus-gone ones,

sat-paramita-paripurani!

the perfect in the six paramitas!

Sarva tathagata mati dasha-bhumi prati-sthite!

O One who has passed all ten stages of tathagata-consciousness!

Sarva tathagata hirdaya adhisthanadhisthita maha-mudre,

O One who from the heart of every tathagata the spiritual power emanating holds

maha-mudre, vujra kaya sam-hatana vishuddhe!

the great seal, whose body is as adamantine and pure as diamond!

Sarva varana apaya-durgati pari vishuddhe prati-nivartaya ayuh shuddhe!

O One who is thoroughly cleansed of all return-compelling karma!

Samaya adhisthite, mani, mani, maha mani! Tathata,

Keep your promise, jewel, jewel, great jewel! Suchness,

bhuta-koti parishuddhe visphuta buddhi shuddhe, jaya, jaya,

the absolute pinnacle of evolved purity of mind, be victorious, be victorious;

vijaya; vijaya! Smara; smara!

be ever victorious; be ever victorious! Bear in mind; bear in mind!

Sarva buddha adhisthita shuddhe!

O One who of all buddhas is the pure and appointed!

Vajri vajragarbhe, vajram bhavatu mama shariram!

Vajra-holding diamond-womb, let my body be like diamond!

Sarva sattva’am cha kaya –

O One who possesses a pure body –

pari vishuddhe sarva gati parishuddhe –

who is absolutely pure from all the paths of existence –

sarva tathagata singcha me samasvasayantu,

O One who consoles me by all the tathagatas,

sarva tathagata samasvasa adhisthite,

O One who is empowered with all the consoling power of the tathagatas,

budhiya, budhiya, vibudhiya, vibudhiya!

be enlightened, be enlightened, be ever enlightened, be ever enlightened!

Bodhaya, bodhaya, vibhodhaya,

Have them enlightened, have them enlightened, have them ever enlightened,

vibodhaya, samanta parishuddhe!

have them ever enlightened, the most pure in a thoroughgoing way!

Sarva tathagata hirdya adhisthanadhisthita

O One who from the heart of every tathagata the spiritual power emanating holds

maha-mudre, svaha!

the great seal, hail!

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)

The 10th of the lunar month is the day we celebrate Guru Rinpoche each month. (Dates below for this year!)

According to National Today:

“Believers agree that he was born on the tenth day of the sixth lunar moon. However, the specific year of his birth has been lost to history. However, his birth took place during the eighth century, and it is generally acknowledged that it occurred on that day.”

ANNUAL Guru Rinpoche Anniversary

Each month, we also celebrate and honor with Pujas and other celebrations — and Tsok or Tsog offerings — the great Lotus Born Guru Rinpoche. [See section below “Guru Rinpoche Tsok Days.”]

June 16th is the annual Guru Rinpoche anniversary in 2024. The Birth Anniversary of Guru Rinpoche is a public holiday in some countries, observed on the tenth day of the sixth lunar month, which falls on June 16th this year. This day is a celebration of his birth in a lotus. It is also, on the lunar calendar, the monthly (recurring) Guru Rinpoche Day!

The next few annual Guru Rinpoche Anniversary Days are:

Anniversary of Guru Rinpoche dates

Monthly Guru Rinpoche Days are below.

Vajra Mantra is a perfect Guru Rinpoche practice (see meaning of mantra as taught by Guru Rinpoche himself below:

Guru Rinpoche Tsok (Tsog) Days

“The 10th day of the lunar calendar is connected with Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) who is revered as the Second Buddha.” [1]

Merit for practices on these days is multiplied auspiciously. The converted dates in the 2024 western calendar are:

• January 20
• February 19
• March 19
• April 18
• May 18
• June 16 Annual Birthday of Guru Rinpoche: Considered a Buddha Day
• July 16
• August 14
• September 13
• October 12
• November 11
• December 10

Guru Rinpoche’s life embodied miracles

Padmasambhava’s life was a living embodiment of the miraculous. Nothing is impossible to the fully Enlightened and marvelous Guru Rinpoche — and everything about his amazing life is a wonder. Just as Shakyamuni Buddha, the first Buddha of our age, demonstrated extraordinary phenomena, Padmasambhava personified them. Why does an Enlightened Buddha display magical feats? As “Upaya” or skillful means, or upaya-kaushalya meaning “skill in means.” In simplest terms, upaya is any activity that helps others realize enlightenment.

Timeline of Guru Rinpoche

• 717 A.D. Birth of Guru Rinpoche in Oddiyana
• 747 A.D. Guru Rinpoche invited to Tibet by the King Tri Songdetsen
• 810 A.D. Guru Rinpoche enters Bhutan

Important 7 Line Praise Dharani of Guru Rinpoche in Sanskrit, a perfect practice daily:

The Lotus Born

Historically, Guru Rinpoche turned the final wheel of Dharma, popularizing the powerful methods of Buddhist Tantra. Traditionally, he is “Lotus Born” in Oddiyana, by tradition “consciously incarnated as an eight-year-old child appearing in a lotus blossom floating in Lake Dhanakosha, in the kingdom of Oddiyana.” He is the Lotus Born — born fully Enlightened.

Historically, Guru Rinpoche is acknowledged by scholars.[1]

“Scholars agree that Guru Rinpoche was a real person, that he came from Uddiyana, a kingdom possibly located around present-day Swat in Pakistan, and that he arrived in Tibet some time around 760.”

One of the best ways to honor and celebrate Guru Rinpoche Day is with his mantra. Enjoy this beautiful Sanskrit version of the Mantra:

Recommended by National Today:

• View Buddha Weekly’s special section with many Guru Rinpoche features>>

Video chanting of the 7-Line praise to Guru Rinpoche in Sanskrit

Buddha Shakyamuni predicted Guru Padmasambhava

Buddha Shakyamuni predicted Padmasambhava’s coming and activities in 19 Sutras and Tantras, stating he would be an emanation of Amitaba and Avaloketishvara.

“Buddha Shakyamuni actually predicted Guru Padmasambhava’s appearance in several different sutras and tantras contain clear predictions of his coming and activities.In the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, Buddha Shakyamuni announced his parinirvana to the students who were with him at the time. Many of them, particularly Ananda, the Buddha’s cousin and personal attendant, were quite upset upon hearing this. So Buddha turned to Ananda and told him not to worry. “…After my parinirvana, a remarkable being with the name Padmasambhava will appear in the center of a lotus and reveal the highest teaching concerning the ultimate state of the true nature, bringing great benefit to all sentient beings.’” [5]

Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche

Padmasambhava’s best known manifestation is probably Padma Gyalpo (Peme Gyalpo), the Lotus King, as described in the Wangdu prayer as the Lotus Lord having “all of samsara and nirvana beneath your control.” [4] However, even his life and manifestations provided lessons in Quantum Mechanics and the “illusory nature” of our relative reality. In the film Guru Padmasambhava – Searching for Lotus born Master – Part I, the filmmaker explores a fascinating concept: that each of the eight key manifestations of Guru Rinpoche represent different energies in Quantum Physics.

The Lotus Born’s life can be viewed as a perfect exemplar of Quantum Mechanics, or as a life of miracles. He displayed countless miracles and powers, including eight important manifestations at different stages of his wondrous life:

1. Guru Tsokyé Dorje, ‘Lake-born Vajra’ (birth)
2. Guru Shakya Sengé, ‘Lion of the Shakyas’ (ordination)
3. Guru Nyima Özer, ‘Rays of the Sun’ (subjugating demonic spirits)
4. Guru Padmasambhava, ‘Lotus-born’ (establishing Buddhism in Tibet); Guru Pema Jungné (Wyl. gu ru pad+ma ‘byung gnas)
5. Guru Loden Choksé ‘Wise Seeker of the Sublime’ (mastery of the teachings)
6. Guru Pema Gyalpo ‘The Lotus King’ (kingship)
7. Guru Sengé Dradrok ‘The Lion’s Roar’ (subjugation of non-buddhists)
8. Guru Dorje Drolö ‘Wild Wrathful Vajra’ (concealing terma, binding spirits under oath)

These are not separate Buddhas. Padmasambhava, a fully Enlightened Buddha, could manifest any characteristics suitable to the needs of the world and his followers.

12-Syllable Mantra of Guru Rinpoche

Guru Rinpoche’s mantra is a supreme and profound meditation. It’s benefits are vast, benefiting all beings.

The twelve syllable mantra of Guru Padmasambhava: (in Sanskrit):

oṃ āḥ hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Tibetan pronunciation:

 om ah hung benza guru péma siddhi hung

Chanting in melody versus for numbers

In a precious teaching, H.E. Garchen Rinpoche explained that most mantras have melodies. In a teaching on the Guru Rinpoche mantra (embedded below), he explained:

“Guru Rinpoche taught about the benefits of chanting the mantra in melody. It is more beneficial to chant the mantra slowly in melody than to recite many mantras quickly. Reciting mantras purely makes a hundred-fold difference. Reciting them in melody makes a hundred-thousand-fold difference. Thus, chanting it in melody multiples the power of mantra.

“And why is its power multiplied? It is because to the extent that you focus on the meaning of each word in the mantra that much greater will be the blessing that enters your mind stream.

“Some people think about the numbers of mantras accumulated and of course, there is benefit from accumulating a number of mantras, but it is said ‘The recitation should be neither too fast nor too slow, neither too strong nor too soft.’ The elements of each syllable should be pronounced without deterioration. Most important for mantra or any other recitation is that the elements of each syllable are pronounced without deterioration.

“This is important. Pronouncing without deterioration has an outer, inner and secret qualities.”

The meaning of the mantra

Guru Rinpoche himself explained his essence mantra to Yeshe Tsogyal [6]:

“O daughter of good family, the Vajra Guru mantra is not just my single essence mantra, it is the very essence or life force of all the deities of the four classes of tantra, of all the nine yanas, and all of the 84,000 collections of dharma teachings. The essence of all of the buddhas of the three times, all of the gurus, yidams, dakas and dakinis, dharma protectors etc., the essence of all of these is contained and is complete within this mantra. How, you may ask, does this work? What is the reason for all these being complete with this mantra? Listen well and hold this in mind. Read it again and again. Write it out for the benefit of sentient beings, and teach it or demonstrate it to beings in the future.”

 

Garchen Rinpoche’s excellent 34 minute teaching on the Guru Rinpoche mantra:

The essence mantras multiple aspects

The tightest synopsis of the mantra essence meaning as it relates to the five Buddha Families, taken from a teaching by Lama Tarchin Rinpoche: [6]

• OM AH HUM (or HUNG) are the sublime essence of the principles of enlightened body, speech, and mind
• VAJRA or BENZA is the sublime essence of the indestructible family
• GURU is the sublime essence of the jewel family
• PADMA or PEMA is the sublime essence of the lotus family
• SIDDHI is the sublime essence of the activity family
• HUM or HUNG is the sublime essence of the transcendent family.

From the point of view of the aspects or bodies of a Buddha manifestation

• OM is the perfect splendor and richness of sambhoghakaya, the manifest body of splendor
• AH is the total unchanging perfection of dharmakaya, the manifest body of absolute reality
• HUNG perfects the presence of Guru Padmasambhava as the nirmanakaya, the manifest body of emanation
• VAJRA perfects all the heruka deities of the mandalas
• GURU refers to the root and transmission gurus and the holders of intrinsic awareness
• PEMA perfects the assembly of dakas and dakinis
• SIDDHI is the life force of all the wealth deities and the guardians of the treasure teachings
• HUNG is the life force of the dharmapalas, the protective deities.

From the point of view of the three classes of tantra

• OM AH HUNG are the life force of the three classes of tantra
• VAJRA is the life force of monastic discipline and the sutra class of teachings
• GURU is the life force of abhidharma and kriya (action) yoga, the first level of tantra
• PEMA is the life force of the charya (conduct) tantra, the second class of tantra, and yoga (joining) tantra, the third class of tantra
• SIDDHI is the life force of the mahayoga and anuyoga classes of teachings
• HUNG is the life force of the ati yoga, the Natural Great Perfection (Dzogchen)

From the point of view of obscuration’s and poison remedies

• OM AH HUNG purify obscurations arising from the three mental poisons — desire-attachment, aversion, and ignorance
• VAJRA purifies obscurations which stem from anger
• GURU purifies obscurations which stem from pride
• PEMA purifies obscurations which stem from desire and attachment
• SIDDHI purifies obscurations which stem from envy and jealousy
• HUNG in a general way purifies obscurat ions which stem from all emotional afflictions

From the point of view of realizations

• Through OM AH HUNG one attains the three kayas
• Through VAJRA one realizes mirror -like pristine awareness
• Through GURU one realizes the pristine awareness of equalness
• Through PEMA one realizes the pristine awareness of discernment
• Through SIDDHI one realizes the all-accomplishing pristine awareness
• Through HUNG one realizes the pristine awareness of basic space
• Through OM AH HUNG gods, demons and humans are subdued
• Through VAJRA one gains power over the malevolent forces of certain gods and demons
• Through GURU one gains control over the malevolent forces of the Lord of Death and the cannibal demons
• Through PEMA one gains control over the malevolent influences of the water and wind elements Through SIDDHI one gains control over the malevolent influences of non-human forces and spirits bringing harm and exerting negative control over one‘s life
• Through HUNG one gains control of the malevolent influences of planetary configurations and earth spirits

From the point of view of the activities and accomplishments

• OM AH HUNG accomplishes the six spiritual virtues
• VAJRA accomplishes pacifying activity
• GURU accomplishes enriching activity
• PEMA accomplishes magnetizing activity
• SIDDHI accomplishes enlightened activity in general
• HUNG accomplishes wrathful enlightened activity

How to recite according to Guru Rinpoche

“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 this down and conceal it. May it meet with those of fortune and merit. Samaya Gya Gya Gya” [6]

How to Recite Mantras Video (as taught by Guru Rinpoche):

NOTES and CITATIONS

[1] Encounters with a Badass 8th Century Buddhist Mystic>>

Why is the magnetizing or attracting power of Amitabha Buddha and the Lotus family so alluring? Why is Amitabha so popular in all lineages and schools of Mahayana Buddhism? Why is Amitabha’s Western Pureland of Sukhavati called the Happy Realm and how easy is it to attain this paradise? Why is Amitabha called both Infinite Light and Infinite Life?

We answer these questions, and more, in this in-depth presentation, and end with his Dharani, Mantras and Sadhana to help you connect directly to this compassionate and powerful Buddha of the 48 vows. We tell the story of these 48 vows later in this presentation, the story of Amitabha as Bodhisattva Dharmakara from Sutra.

Amitabha: Quick Snapshot

• Buddha of the Western Padma (Lotus) Family
• Amitabha translates as “Infinite Light”
• Amitayus, his other main form, translates as “Infinite Life”
• Wisdom Mother or Consort: Pāṇḍaravāsinī or Pandara
• Bodhisattva: Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin, Chenrezig, Kannon)
• Heruka: His wrathful heroic emanation is Hayagriva Heruka
• Mudra: Samadhi Mudra or Dhyana Mudra is the most significant, but Amitabha may also be seed with nine other mudras, such as Abhaya, Varuda, teaching and others.
• Poison: of Attachment and Desire
• Wisdom: Discernment
• Power: Magnetizing, Enchanting, Attracting powers
• Skanda or Aggregate: Perception
•  Pureland Sukhavati, Western Paradise or “the Happy Realm”
• Padma Family Mandala: Pandaravasini, Avalokiteshvara, Hayagriva Heruka, Vajravarahi Dakini, Red Tara, Kurukulla, Vajradharma, Red Ganesha (12-armed), and many other red deities.
• Element: Fire
• Symbol: Lotus
• Seed Syllable: Hrih
• Heart Mantra: Om Amitabha Hrih or Om Ami Deva Hrih
• Sacred Animal: Peacock
• Color: Red the color of the setting sun and in some lineages gold (also signifying setting sun and west)

Amitabha Buddha: Overcoming Attachments

Amitabha is the magnetic, savior Buddha. He helps with his charismatic bliss and joy, and his wisdom of discernment to overcome the poisons of attachment and desire.

It is our constant attachment to things, and objects, and money, and ownership and ego that causes suffering in Samsara. With discernment wisdom, the wisdom of Amitabha’s Lotus family, we overcome our out-of-control clinging to things and ego.

Red Magnetizing Power

His practice is the magnetizing power of the Buddhas, signified by his body made of red glowing light — like a beautiful, glowing sunset.  Red is the color of magnetizing, the colour of fire and the setting sun of the west, all of which are symbols of Amitabha.

Orgyen Topgyal Rinpoche explained in a teaching on Red Amitabha’s Lotus family:

“The manifestations of the wisdom of discernment are the deities of the lotus family of magnetizing. The magnetizing deities have the power to bring circumstances under control.”

Magnetizing power is the power of charisma, of attracting, of cooperation and compassion, of loving kindness. Amitabha’s magnetizing power attracts auspicious circumstances, knowledge, good fortune, helpful people, students, business, and prosperity — as long as we are motivated by the cause for Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.  Khenpo Namdro explains:

Magnetizing of Amitabha’s Lotus family is “that which brings within one’s power all that appears and all that exists. It goes by such a name because if you make this prayer fervently, you will be able to magnetize or bring within your power the phenomena of the entire universe.”

The magnetizing lotus family of Amitabha brings us fortunate circumstances so that we may help others in this lifetime. Ultimately, when our current life karma ends, we carry on in Sukhavati, where the conditions for practicing Dharma are perfect.

Before he was Buddha, he was Bodhisattva Dharmakara

Amitabha Buddha’s popularity arises from his 48 great vows, made when he was the Bodhisattva Dharmakara. Before he made his vow, Dharmakara was a kind and noble king who, dissatisfied with his ability to help sentient beings as a simple king, attended the teachings of the Buddha of that ancient time, named Lokeshvararaja.

From the Longer Sutra of Amitabha, his story is told:

“Having superior intelligence, courage, and wisdom, Bhikshu Dharmakara distinguished himself as a seeker of the Dharma. He went to see Lokeshvararaja Tathagata and reverently praised him. He resolved to become a Buddha who was different from all other Buddhas, as his vows would be so great that they would surpass those made by all previous Buddhas.”

Abandoning his kingdom and throne, he chose the life of a sramana monk and took the name Dharmakara. His deeds as a Bodhisattva known for compassion surpassed all others. He was a monk of perfect virtue and kindness.

Expressing his compassion for all sentient beings, he made 48 vows in front of Buddha Lokesvaraja that were so profound and perfect that he ultimately became the Buddha Amitabha. From the great Sutra, it is recorded that he vowed:

I resolve to become a Buddha,
Equal in attainment to you, O holy king of the Dharma,
To save living beings from birth-and-death,
And to lead them all to liberation.

I vow that, when I have become a Buddha,
I shall carry out this promise everywhere;
And to all fear-ridden beings
Shall I give great peace.

His Vow as a Bodhisattva

After his shining Enlightenment, he manifested his Pureland as the place of great peace he promised. It is the most accessible of all of the Purelands. Shakyamuni Buddha explains how easy this is, in the Sukhavati-vyuha Sutra:

Shariputra, if there is a good man or good woman who hears the Name ‘Amitabha’ and holds to it, whether for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, or seven days, single-hearted without confusion. At the time of near death, Amitabha Buddha and all the Sages will appear before this person. When the person is at the time of death, if his heart (mind) is not deluded, then he will be reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss. Sariputra, I see these benefits, therefore, I speak of these words. If living beings hear this, they should make the vow to be born in that Land.

Amitabha Infinite Light Buddha

Amitabha’s name helps us know him. His name literally means infinite light. In the same way we think of the sun as the center of our solar system, we think of Amitabha’s virtuous light as the undying source of life. Through his great vow, any being can be reborn in his Happy Pureland of Sukhavati.

His other name, Amitayus translates as Infinite Life. Infinite Life here refers to our eternal and infinite Buddha Nature. Even sentient being in Samsara, from insect to human to deities have Buddha Nature — the eternal light of our potential to become Enlightened Buddhas ourselves. Amitabha’s vow is to help us realize our own Buddha Nature through rebirth in his perfect pureland of Sukhavati.

In the Amitabha Sutra, the shorter Sukyavati Sutra, the great teacher Shakymuni explains Amitabha’s great name this way to Shariputra and the other disciples:

Shariputra, what do you think? Why is that Buddha named Amitabha? Shariputra, the light of that Buddha is infinite, illumining all worlds in the ten directions without obstacles, therefore, He is named Amitabha. Moreover, Shariputra, the life of that Buddha and His people extend for infinite limitless asamkhyeya kalpas, thus, He is named Amitayus.

Amitabha’s Name and Symbolism

Amitabha Buddha’s name literally means “Infinite Light” Buddha. His appearance, like his name, similarly helps us relate to him. We visualize the great Lord of light and life as peaceful and kind and glowing with vivid red light, like the setting sun of the West. He is, in fact, the Buddha of the West, of the setting sun — all symbols of infinite light and life.

In some traditions where symbolic color is not visualized, he may appear golden, but in most Pureland Dhyani Buddha and Vajrayana traditions he is traditionally red, made of glowing, brilliant light like the most beautiful sunset. As the Buddha of Infinite Life and Light, his spectacular sunset symbolizes the peak of Enlightenment and is, therefore, a sunset that never fades. There is no night after Amitabha’s light. The sunset is eternal happiness and bliss.

Poses and Mudras

He can appear in different poses, seated or standing, but most depictions are of a seated Buddha in monk’s garments with his two hands, commonly in meditation mudrā, with thumbs touching and fingers together. He is seen in Dharma art with 9 different mudras, depending on the focus of meditation. For instance, he can hold his hands in the teaching or exposition mudra. He can be seen holding a lotus with the meditative mudra, or the no-fear mudra. The only mudra we do not see with Amitabha is Shakyamuni’s earth-touching mudra.

He can also appear crowned, in his Amitayus aspect as the Buddha of Infinite Life.

Peacock Power

Peacocks symbolize his charismatic power. Like the stunningly beautiful peacock, he attracts people to the Dharma. Peacocks support his throne. They can also be his mount when he is described in mounted form.

The magical peacock companions of Amitabha are the mortal enemies of nagas and snakes, able to safely kill even cobras. In legend, they can transmute the poison of snakes into amtrita or nectar, symbolizing Amitabha’s power to transform the poison of attachment into the nectar of the wisdom of discernment.

Peacock feathers are sacred to Amitabha, and often peacock feathers are used as the sprinkler for the consecrated water or amrita in the bumpa blessing vase at ceremonies.

Seeing or hearing a peacock is considered an auspicious sign.

Dragon Power

Less commonly, Amitabha may be depicted on a throne of red dragons or with a dragon as a mount.

Padma Lotus Family

His entire Padma or lotus family are energetic and magnetic. His glorious wisdom mother partner or consort is Pandaravashini, sometimes simply called Pandara. She balances Amitabha’s boundless compassion with wisdom.

Avalokiteshvara, also known as Guan Yin or Chenrezig, is the most famous member of the family and can appear in countless forms. The Bodhisattva of the Padma family can appear as male, female, wrathful, two-armed, thousand-armed, and in many other forms of compassion.

His wrathful Heruka form is glorious Hayagriva, a ferocious Sambhogakaya form who, like Amitabha, rescues all beings who call his name. His power is the same but manifests more energetically, symbolized by his fierce appearance and the horses emerging from the top of his wrathful head.

Tara is Amitabha’s most famous daughter or disciple. Tara, whose activity spans all of the Buddha Families, always has Amitabha appearing over her head in art to symbolize he is her Guru or teacher or spiritual father. It is usually Tara who carries out the activities of compassion in all six worlds on behalf of Amitabha. Even in her main role as Wisdom consort of the Karma activity, Amitabha is still her Spiritual Father or Guru.

Kurukulla is one of Red Taras forms, and one of the most popular practices in magnetizing.

Vajravarahi and Vajrayogini are Highest Yoga Dakini forms in the family. For more on the Magnetizing family of Amitabha, including the 9 principle members, see our video or feature on the Wangdu Magnetizing practice, linked above.

Eternal Buddha Nature

Amitabha’s mission is to nurture that eternal life, our Buddha Nature. He does this through his activities of magnetizing auspicious activities in our current life, and after this life, through his perfect Pureland, a place where we can continue to practice the Dharma in peace. He has many practices in many lineages, but his most famous is the Pureland Practice, which can be as simple as repeatedly calling his name praise, Namo Amitabha Buddhaya.

Any being who takes Refuge in Amitabha and calls his name, can potentially be reborn there. (This is explained more fully in the Larger Sukhāvatī-vyūha Sūtra or the Sūtra on Immeasurable Life or the Shorter version we present in full below, the smaller Sukhāvatī-vyūha Sūtra, or the Amitābha Sūtra.)

The Happy Place: Sukyavati

In this special place, the Western Happy Land called Sukhavati, we no longer suffer in Samsara. We dwell in the Dharma and teachings, the happy realm, until full Enlightenment. It is also called the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

For all of these reasons, Amitabha is the most accessible and popular of the Five Dhyani Buddhas. While all Buddhas can help us on our Dharma journey towards Enlightenment, it is Amitabha’s magnetizing power that draws auspicious circumstances into our current lives, giving us the opportunity to be reborn in the Happy Realm.  Shakyamuni Buddha explains why it is called the Happy Realm in the Sukhavati Vyuha Sutra:

Shariputra, for what reason is that Land called Ultimate Bliss? All living beings in that Land have no suffering, but enjoy all bliss, therefore, it is called Ultimate Bliss.

The description continues, elaborating on a spectacular paradise of perfection. Later in Buddha’s description he explains that even the soft wind gives rise to mindfulness:

Shariputra, in that Buddha Land, when the soft wind blows the rows of jewelled trees and jewelled nets give rise to delicate and wonderful sounds, like a hundred thousand kinds of music playing at the same time. Those who hear these sounds will naturally give rise to the heart of being mindful of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Shariputra, the realization of the Buddha Land is thus meritoriously adorned.

Amitabha’s Dharani

There is a longer and shorter version of Amitabha’s Amrita or Pureland Dharani. The shorter one appears in the short version of the Sukhavati Sutra, while the longer one usually appears in the longer Sutra. We have a beautiful video with the longer Dharani, with our Buddha Weekly band singing the Amitabha Dharani, linked above. The longer Dharani is:

Namo ratnatrayaya Nama aryamitabhaya tathagatayarhate samyaksam buddhāya Tadyatha: om amrite amitodbhave amritasambhave amritagarbhe amrita siddhe amrita teje amrta vikrante amrita vikrantagamini amrita gagana kirti kari amritadun dubhisvare sarvarthasa dhani sarva karma kleshak shayamkari svaha. Aum, brum, hum.

Which translates in English as:

Homage to the Three Jewels. Homage to the noble Amitabha, to the Tathagata, the Arhat, the completely and perfectly awakened one.

Thus: Om O immortality, O maker of immortality! O born of immortality! O essence of immortality! O immortality perfecting one! O the brilliance of immortality! O He who goes beyond immortality! O He who goes beyond immortality and whose glory is infinite as the sky. O sound of the drum of immortality realizing benefit for all. O, He who destroys  all karmic afflictions. Homage!

Amitabha’s great mantra is a complete practice. Chant daily for merit and magnetizing benefits:

Heart Mantra

When you don’t have time for the longer mantra, there is a shorter mantra, which is also a daily practice for most people who practice Amitabha or any Padma deity.

The heart mantra  is

Om Ami Deva Hrih

A Variant on the heart mantra is:

Om Amitabha Hrih

Great Dharani of Amitabha, chanted beautifully:

Namo Amitabha

The Sutra also recommends the Namo Mantra. This is:

Namo Amitabha Buddhaya

Which literally translates as Homage to Amitabha Buddha.

Sadhanas or Pujas

There are more practices and Sadhanas for Amitabha than most other Enlightened Deities, due to the extensive body of practices focused on Sukhavati, including complex sleep yogas and sadhanas to behold Amitabha in dreams, practices for the newly deceased, phowas or transference of consciousness, and many specific magnetizing practices. For this short Sadhana, presented here, it is a short daily practice to draw you closer to the great, compassionate Buddha, and to develop the common and uncommon siddhis.

For the short daily Sadhana, presented here, you can either visualize Amitabha in front of you if you do not have empowerment, or as a self-generation if you do have initiation. You can visualize Amitabha in his golden form, or Red form, although the Sadahana is presented as Red.

Ten Protections of Amitabha Practice (video):

A Sadhana, including this one, should include taking refuge in the Three Jewels, the Seven Limbs of Practice and a frontal or self generation, and mantra recitation with an acitivity such as purification or healing or magnetizing fortunate circumstances visualized. The seven limbs of practice are:

• Paying Homage to the Buddha
• Presenting Offerings
• Confessing our downfalls and negative deeds, and promising to refrain in future.
• Requesting Dharma Teachings.
• Asking the Buddha to remain with us until we attain Enlightenment.
• Dedicating the virtue for the benefit of all beings.
• Always dedicate the merit of the practice to the cause for enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

One very beautiful and unique practice presented here, is called, as it was designed for purification prior to sleeping in hopes of having auspicious dreams and blessings through the night of glorious Amitabha — but it is considered a complete practice any time. It is short enough that we can meditate on this practice each night before sleep — which according to the teaching brings auspicious dreams and  purifies negative karma.

It can be done at any time of day, but it certainly is wonderful as a way of relaxing and purifying before sleep.

༄༅། །འོད་དཔག་མེད་ཀྱི་ཉལ་བསྒོམ་མདོར་བསྡུས་བཞུགས།

Brief Amitābha “Sleeping” Practice

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

སངས་རྒྱས་ཆོས་ཚོགས་ཀྱི་སྐྱབས་སེམས་ལན་གསུམ། །

Take refuge and generate bodhicitta by reciting ‘Sangye chötsok… etc.’ three times:

སངས་རྒྱས་ཆོས་དང་ཚོགས་ཀྱི་མཆོག་རྣམས་ལ། །

sangye chö dang tsok kyi chok nam la

In the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly

བྱང་ཆུབ་བར་དུ་བདག་ནི་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི། །

changchub bardu dak ni kyab su chi

I take refuge until I attain enlightenment.

བདག་གི་སྦྱིན་སོགས་བགྱིས་པའི་བསོད་ནམས་ཀྱིས། །

dak gi jin sok gyipé sönam kyi

Through the merit of practising generosity and so on,

འགྲོ་ལ་ཕན་ཕྱིར་སངས་རྒྱས་འགྲུབ་པར་ཤོག

dro la pen chir sangye drubpar shok

May I attain buddhahood for the benefit of all beings.

མ་ལུས་སེམས་ཅན་སོགས་ཤྭ་ལོ་ཀ་གཅིག་གི་མཐར།

Then recite the single verse beginning ‘Malü semchen…’:

མ་ལུས་སེམས་ཅན་ཀུན་གྱི་མགོན་གྱུར་ཅིང༌། །

malü semchen kun gyi gön gyur ching

You are the protectors of all beings, every single one.

བདུད་སྡེ་དཔུང་བཅས་མི་བཟད་འཇོམས་མཛད་ལྷ། །

dü dé pung ché mizé jomdzé lha

You are the deities who remorselessly destroy the māras and their forces.

དངོས་རྣམས་མ་ལུས་ཇི་བཞིན་མཁྱེན་གྱུར་པའི། །

ngönam malü jizhin khyen gyurpé

You who know all things just as they are, in their true nature,

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འཁོར་བཅས་གནས་འདིར་གཤེགས་སུ་གསོལ། །

chomden khor ché né dir shek su sol

Enlightened ones, with your retinues, come now to this place!

ཨོཾ་ཨ་མི་ཏ་བྷ་ཧྲཱིཿས་པ་རི་ཝཱ་ར་ཨེ་ཧྱེ་ཧི་བཛྲ་ས་མཱ་ཛཿ པདྨ་ཀ་མ་ལཱ་ཡ་སྟྭཾ།

om amitabha hrih sapariwara é hyé hi benza samadza | pema kama laya tom

Oṃ amitābha hrīḥ saparivāra ehy ehi vajra samājaḥ | padma kamālaya stvam ||

གྱིས་གདན་ཕུལ་བར་མོས།

Thus offer a seat.

ཇི་སྙེད་སུ་དག་སོགས་ཡན་ལག་བདུན་པ་བྱ།

Then perform the seven branches with ‘Jinyé su dak…etc.’:

1. Prostration

ཇི་སྙེད་སུ་དག་ཕྱོགས་བཅུའི་འཇིག་རྟེན་ན། །

jinyé su dak chok chü jikten na

To all the buddhas, the lions of the human race,

དུས་གསུམ་གཤེགས་པ་མི་ཡི་སེང་གེ་ཀུན། །

dü sum shekpa mi yi sengé kün

In all directions of the universe, through past and present and future:

བདག་གིས་མ་ལུས་དེ་དག་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ། །

dak gi malü dedak tamché la

To every single one of you, I bow in homage;

ལུས་དང་ངག་ཡིད་དང་བས་ཕྱག་བགྱིའོ། །

lü dang ngak yi dangwé chak gyi o

Devotion fills my body, speech and mind.

བཟང་པོ་སྤྱོད་པའི་སྨོན་ལམ་སྟོབས་དག་གིས། །

zangpo chöpé mönlam tob dak gi

Through the power of this prayer, aspiring to Good Action,

རྒྱལ་བ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཡིད་ཀྱིས་མངོན་སུམ་དུ། །

gyalwa tamché yi kyi ngönsum du

All the victorious ones appear, vivid here before my mind

ཞིང་གི་རྡུལ་སྙེད་ལུས་རབ་བཏུད་པ་ཡིས། །

zhing gi dul nyé lü rab tüpa yi

And I multiply my body as many times as atoms in the universe,

རྒྱལ་བ་ཀུན་ལ་རབ་ཏུ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

gyalwa kün la rabtu chaktsal lo

Each one bowing in prostration to all the buddhas.

2. Offering

རྡུལ་གཅིག་སྟེང་ན་རྡུལ་སྙེད་སངས་རྒྱས་རྣམས། །

dul chik teng na dul nyé sangye nam

In every atom preside as many buddhas as there are atoms,

སངས་རྒྱས་སྲས་ཀྱི་དབུས་ན་བཞུགས་པ་དག །

sangye sé kyi ü na zhukpa dak

And around them, all their bodhisattva heirs:

དེ་ལྟར་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབྱིངས་རྣམས་མ་ལུས་པ། །

detar chö kyi ying nam malüpa

And so I imagine them filling

ཐམས་ཅད་རྒྱལ་བ་དག་གིས་གང་བར་མོས། །

tamché gyalwa dak gi gangwar mö

Completely the entire space of reality.

དེ་དག་བསྔགས་པ་མི་ཟད་རྒྱ་མཚོ་རྣམས། །

dedak ngakpa mizé gyatso nam

Saluting them with an endless ocean of praise,

དབྱངས་ཀྱི་ཡན་ལག་རྒྱ་མཚོའི་སྒྲ་ཀུན་གྱིས། །

yang kyi yenlak gyatsö dra kün gyi

With the sounds of an ocean of different melodies

རྒྱལ་བ་ཀུན་གྱི་ཡོན་ཏན་རབ་བརྗོད་ཅིང་། །

gyalwa kün gyi yönten rab jö ching

I sing of the buddhas’ noble qualities,

བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་བདག་གིས་བསྟོད། །

dewar shekpa tamché dak gi tö

And praise all those who have gone to perfect bliss.

མེ་ཏོག་དམ་པ་ཕྲེང་བ་དམ་པ་དང་། །

metok dampa trengwa dampa dang

To every buddha, I make offerings:

སིལ་སྙན་རྣམས་དང་བྱུག་པ་གདུགས་མཆོག་དང་། །

silnyen nam dang jukpa duk chok dang

Of the loveliest flowers, of beautiful garlands,

མར་མེ་མཆོག་དང་བདུག་སྤོས་དམ་པ་ཡིས། །

marmé chok dang dukpö dampa yi

Of music and perfumed ointments, the best of parasols,

རྒྱལ་བ་དེ་དག་ལ་ནི་མཆོད་པར་བགྱི། །

gyalwa dedak la ni chöpar gyi

The brightest lamps and finest incense.

ན་བཟའ་དམ་པ་རྣམས་དང་དྲི་མཆོག་དང་། །

naza dampa nam dang dri chok dang

To every buddha, I make offerings:

ཕྱེ་མ་ཕུར་མ་རི་རབ་མཉམ་པ་དང་། །

chema purma rirab nyampa dang

Exquisite garments and the most fragrant scents,

བཀོད་པ་ཁྱད་པར་འཕགས་པའི་མཆོག་ཀུན་གྱིས། །

köpa khyepar pakpé chok kün gyi

Powdered incense, heaped as high as Mount Meru,

རྒྱལ་བ་དེ་དག་ལ་ནི་མཆོད་པར་བགྱི། །

gyalwa dedak la ni chöpar gyi

Arranged in perfect symmetry.

མཆོད་པ་གང་རྣམས་བླ་མེད་རྒྱ་ཆེ་བ། །

chöpa gang nam lamé gya chewa

Then the vast and unsurpassable offerings—

དེ་དག་རྒྱལ་བ་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ་ཡང་མོས། །

dedak gyalwa tamché la yang mö

Inspired by my devotion to all the buddhas, and

བཟང་པོ་སྤྱོད་ལ་དད་པའི་སྟོབས་དག་གིས། །

zangpo chö la depé tob dak gi

Moved by the power of my faith in Good Actions—

རྒྱལ་བ་ཀུན་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་མཆོད་པར་བགྱི། །

gyalwa kün la chaktsal chöpar gyi

I prostrate and offer to all you victorious ones.

3. Confession

འདོད་ཆགས་ཞེ་སྡང་གཏི་མུག་དབང་གིས་ནི། །

döchak zhedang timuk wang gi ni

Whatever negative acts I have committed,

ལུས་དང་ངག་དང་དེ་བཞིན་ཡིད་ཀྱིས་ཀྱང་། །

lü dang ngak dang dezhin yi kyi kyang

While driven by desire, hatred and ignorance,

སྡིག་པ་བདག་གིས་བགྱིས་པ་ཅི་མཆིས་པ། །

dikpa dak gi gyipa chi chipa

With my body, my speech and also with my mind,

དེ་དག་ཐམས་ཅད་བདག་གིས་སོ་སོར་བཤགས། །

dedak tamché dak gi sosor shak

Before you, I confess and purify each and every one.

4. Rejoicing

ཕྱོགས་བཅུའི་རྒྱལ་བ་ཀུན་དང་སངས་རྒྱས་སྲས། །

chok chü gyalwa kün dang sangye sé

With a heart full of delight, I rejoice at all the merits

རང་རྒྱལ་རྣམས་དང་སློབ་དང་མི་སློབ་དང་། །

ranggyal nam dang lob dang mi lob dang

Of buddhas and bodhisattvas,

འགྲོ་བ་ཀུན་གྱི་བསོད་ནམས་གང་ལ་ཡང་། །

drowa kün gyi sönam gangla yang

Pratyekabuddhas, those in training and the arhats beyond training,

དེ་དག་ཀུན་གྱི་རྗེས་སུ་བདག་ཡི་རང་། །

dedak kün gyi jesu dak yi rang

And every living being, throughout the entire universe.

5. Imploring the Buddhas to Turn the Wheel of Dharma

གང་རྣམས་ཕྱོགས་བཅུའི་འཇིག་རྟེན་སྒྲོན་མ་རྣམས། །

gang nam chok chü jikten drönma nam

You who are like beacons of light shining through the worlds,

བྱང་ཆུབ་རིམ་པར་སངས་རྒྱས་མ་ཆགས་བརྙེས། །

changchub rimpar sangye machak nyé

Who passed through the stages of enlightenment, to attain buddhahood, freedom from all attachment,

མགོན་པོ་དེ་དག་བདག་གིས་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ། །

gönpo dedak dak gi tamché la

I exhort you: all of you protectors,

འཁོར་ལོ་བླ་ན་མེད་པར་བསྐོར་བར་བསྐུལ། །

khorlo lanamepar korwar kul

Turn the unsurpassable wheel of Dharma.

6. Requesting the Buddhas not to Enter Nirvāṇa

མྱ་ངན་འདའ་སྟོན་གང་བཞེད་དེ་དག་ལ། །

nya ngen da tön gang zhé dedak la

Joining my palms together, I pray

འགྲོ་བ་ཀུན་ལ་ཕན་ཞིང་བདེ་བའི་ཕྱིར། །

drowa kün la pen zhing dewé chir

To you who intend to pass into nirvāṇa,

བསྐལ་པ་ཞིང་གི་རྡུལ་སྙེད་བཞུགས་པར་ཡང་། །

kalpa zhing gi dul nyé zhukpar yang

Remain, for aeons as many as the atoms in this world,

བདག་གིས་ཐལ་མོ་རབ་སྦྱར་གསོལ་བར་བགྱི། །

dak gi talmo rab jar solwar gyi

And bring well-being and happiness to all living beings.

7. Dedication

ཕྱག་འཚལ་བ་དང་མཆོད་ཅིང་བཤགས་པ་དང་། །

chaktsalwa dang chö ching shakpa dang

What little virtue I have gathered through my homage,

རྗེས་སུ་ཡི་རང་བསྐུལ་ཞིང་གསོལ་བ་ཡི། །

jesu yi rang kul zhing solwa yi

Through offering, confession, and rejoicing,

དགེ་བ་ཅུང་ཟད་བདག་གིས་ཅི་བསགས་པ། །

gewa chungzé dak gi chi sakpa

Through exhortation and prayer—all of it

ཐམས་ཅད་བདག་གིས་བྱང་ཆུབ་ཕྱིར་བསྔོའོ། །

tamché dak gi changchub chir ngo’o

I dedicate to the enlightenment of all beings!

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ་ཡང་དག་པར་རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས་འོད་དཔག་མེད་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆིའོ།

chomdendé dezhin shekpa drachompa yangdakpar dzokpé sangye öpakmé la chaktsal lo kyab su chi o

Bhagavān, tathāgata, arhat, complete and perfect buddha, Amitābha, to you I pay homage! In you I take refuge!

མཚན་ལན་གསུམ་བརྗོད།

Recite his name like this three times.

མོས་གུས་དྲག་ཏུ་བསྐྱེད་ལ།

Then generate fervent devotion and continue with:

མདུན་གྱི་སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས་ཀྱི༔

dün gyi nangwa tayé kyi

The Buddha Amitābha, ‘Limitless Light’ is before me.

ཐུགས་ཀའི་ཧྲཱིཿ་ལས་གཉིས་པ་བྱུང་༔

tukké hrih lé nyipa jung

From the syllable Hrīḥ at his heart a second syllable emerges,

ཤངས་བུག་གཡས་ནས་རང་ཉིད་ཀྱི༔

shang buk yé né rangnyi kyi

Passes through his right nostril and enters my left nostril,

སྣ་བུག་གཡོན་ཞུགས་སྙིང་གའི་དབུས༔

nabuk yön zhuk nyinggé ü

From where it descends to the centre of my heart.

འོད་ཟེར་སྣང་བ་རབ་འཕྲོས་པས༔

özer nangwa rab tröpé

It radiates light and rays of light,

སྡིག་སྒྲིབ་བག་ཆགས་བཅས་པ་སྦྱངས༔

dikdrib bakchak chepa jang

Which purify my misdeeds, obscurations and habitual patterns.

རླུང་ཕྱིར་སོང་དང་ལྷན་ཅིག་ཏུ༔

lung chir song dang lhenchik tu

Then, together with my exhalation of breath,

སྣ་བུག་གཡས་ནས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་གྱི༔

nabuk yé né chomden gyi

It passes through my right nostril to enter

ཤངས་བུག་གཡོན་ཞུགས་ཧྲཱིཿལ་ཐིམ༔

shang buk yön zhuk hrih la tim

The conqueror’s left nostril and dissolve back into the Hrīḥ.

རྒྱལ་བའི་ཐུགས་དང་རང་གི་སེམས༔

gyalwé tuk dang rang gi sem

My own mind and the victorious one’s wisdom mind

དབྱེར་མེད་བློ་འདས་ངང་དུ་བཞག༔

yermé lodé ngang du zhak

Merge indivisibly and I rest in a state beyond the ordinary mind.

ཅེས་བརྗོད་ཅིང་མོས་ལ་དབུགས་ཀྱི་འགྲོ་འོང་དང་བསྟུན་པའི་དམིགས་པ་ཡང་ཡང་བསྒོམ་པའི་མཐར་ཐུགས་ཡིད་བསྲེ་ཞིང་། ཉལ་བའི་དུས་སུ་ དེའི་ངང་ལ་གཉིད་ལོག་པའམ། ཐུན་ལས་ལྡང་ན་འོད་དཔག་མེད་རང་ལ་བསྟིམ་པའམ། མི་དམིགས་པར་བཞག་ལ། སྨོན་ལམ་རྒྱས་བསྡུས་ཅི་རིགས་བྱའོ། །

Recite this, practising the visualization again and again in coordination with your breathing, and merging your mind with the wisdom mind at the end. When sleeping, you can fall asleep in this state. Alternatively, it is fine if, when rising from the session, Amitābha dissolves into you, or you remain in the non-referential state, and then you recite prayers of aspiration, as elaborately or briefly as you prefer.

ཞེས་ནུབ་བླ་མ་ཀུན་བཟང་ཆོས་འཕེལ་ནས་གསུང་བསྐུལ་ངོར་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས་པས་བྲིས་པའོ། །དགེའོ། །བཀྲ་ཤིས།

Thus, Chökyi Lodrö (Born 1893) wrote this in response to a request from Nub Lama Kunzang Chöpel. May there be virtue and auspiciousness.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey with the generous support of the Khyentse Foundation and Tertön Sogyal Trust, 2020, as published by Lotsawa House>>

The 48 Vows of Dharma

From the Three Pure Land Sutras, Volume II: The Larger Sutra, pg. 20-29

From the Three Pure Land Sutras, Volume II: The Larger Sutra, pg. 20-29

1. ‘If, when I attain Buddhahood, there should be hell, the realm of hungry spirits, or the realm of animals in my land, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
2. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land, should, after their death, return once more to the three evil realms, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
3. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not all be the color of genuine gold, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
4. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not all be of the same appearance and should be either beautiful or ugly, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
5. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not remember all their former lives, and thus be unable to know at least the events of the previous hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of kalpas, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
6. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not possess divine eyes, and thus be unable to see at least a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of Buddha‐lands, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
7. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not possess divine ears, and thus be unable to hear the teachings being expounded by at least a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of Buddhas or remember them all, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
8. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not possess the wisdom to see into the minds of others, and thus be unable to know the thoughts of the sentient beings of at least a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of Buddha‐lands, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
9. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not possess divine feet, and thus be unable to go beyond at least a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of Buddha‐lands in a thought‐moment, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
10. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should give rise to any thought of attachment to their body, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
11. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not dwell in the stage of the truly settled and necessarily attain nirvana, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
12. If, when I attain Buddhahood, my light should be finite, not illuminating even a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of Buddha‐lands, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
13. If, when I attain Buddhahood, my life should be finite, limited even to a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of kalpas, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
14. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the number of sravakas in my land could be counted and known, even if all the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas in the triple‐thousand great thousand worlds should spend at least a hundred thousand kalpas counting them, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
15. When I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land will not have a limited life span, except when they wish to shorten it freely according to their original vows. Should this not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
16. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should even hear that there are names of evil acts, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
17. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the countless Buddhas throughout the worlds in the ten quarters should not all glorify and praise my name, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
18. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the sentient beings of the ten quarters who, with sincere and *entrusting heart, aspire to be born in my land and say my name even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment. Excluded are those who commit the five grave offenses and those who slander the right Dharma.
19. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the sentient beings of the ten quarters, while awakening the mind aspiring for enlightenment and performing meritorious acts, should desire to be born in my land with sincere aspiration, and yet should I not appear before them at the moment of death surrounded by a host of sages, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
20. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the sentient beings of the ten quarters, upon hearing my name, should place their thoughts on my land, cultivate the roots of virtue, and direct their merit with sincere mind desiring to be born in my land, and yet not ultimately attain birth, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
21. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not all have the thirty‐two major physical characteristics of a great person, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
22. When I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas of other Buddha‐lands who come and are born in my land will ultimately and unfailingly attain the stage of succession to Buddhahood after one lifetime. Excepted are those who, in accordance with their original vows to guide others freely to enlightenment, don the armor of universal vows for the sake of sentient beings, accumulate roots of virtue, emancipate all beings, travel to Buddha‐lands to perform bodhisattva practices, make offerings to all the Buddha‐tathagatas throughout the ten quarters, awaken sentient beings countless as the sands of the Ganges, and bring them to abide firmly in supreme, true enlightenment. Such bodhi‐ sattvas surpass those in the ordinary bodhisattva stages in carrying out practices; in reality, they cultivate the virtue of Samantabhadra. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
23. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land who, upon receiving my transcendental power and making offerings to Buddhas, should not be able to reach all the innumerable and countless nayutas of Buddha‐lands in the brief period of a single meal, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
24. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land, in accumulating roots of virtue in the presence of Buddhas, should not be able to obtain whatever they wish in order to make offerings to these Buddhas, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
25. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land should not be able to expound the Dharma with all‐knowing wisdom, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
26. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land should not possess the diamond‐like body of Nåråyaˆa, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
27. When I attain Buddhahood, all the myriad features enjoyed by the humans and devas in my land will be glorious and resplendent with superb, wonderful, and exquisite forms and colors that are beyond description. If, even with the divine eye that they acquire, they should be able to clearly distinguish and enumerate these features, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
28. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land, even those of little virtue, are unable to perceive the bodhi‐tree of immeasurable light and countless colors, which is four million li in height, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
29. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land should not possess wisdom and eloquence when comprehending, reciting, and expounding sutras, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
30. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land should possess limited wisdom and eloquence, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
31. When I attain Buddhahood, my land will be pure and brilliant, completely illuminating and reflecting all the countless, innumerable, and inconceivable Buddha‐worlds in the ten quarters, as if one were looking at one’s own face in a clear mirror. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
32. When I attain Buddhahood, all the myriad features in my land, from the ground to the sky, such as palaces, pavilions, ponds, streams, flowers, and trees, will comprise countless precious substances and a hundred thousand kinds of fragrance, which splendidly adorn the land, surpassing anything in the realms of humans and devas. Those fragrances will pervade the worlds in the ten quarters, bringing bodhisattvas who sense them to perform the practices of the Buddha‐way. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
33. When I attain Buddhahood, the sentient beings throughout the countless and inconceivable Buddha‐worlds in the ten quarters, having received my light and having been touched by it, will become soft and gentle in body and mind, surpassing humans and devas in those qualities. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
34. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the sentient beings throughout the countless and inconceivable Buddha‐worlds in the ten quarters, having heard my name, should not attain the bodhisattva’s insight into the nonorigination of all existence and all the profound dharanis, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
35. When I attain Buddhahood, the women throughout the countless and inconceivable Buddha‐worlds in the ten quarters, having heard my name, will rejoice in entrusting heart, awaken the mind aspiring for enlightenment, and wish to renounce the state of being women. If, after the end of their lives, they should be reborn as women, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
36. When I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas throughout the countless and inconceivable Buddha‐worlds in the ten quarters, having heard my name, will, after the end of their lives, always perform the sacred practices and fulfill the Buddha‐way. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
37. When I attain Buddhahood, the devas and humans throughout the countless and inconceivable Buddha‐worlds in the ten quarters who, having heard my name, prostrate themselves on the ground and bow to me in reverence, rejoice in entrusting heart, and perform the bodhisattva practices, will be revered by devas and people of the world. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
38. When I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land will acquire garments as soon as such a desire arises in their minds, and they will naturally be clothed in fine robes as commended and prescribed by the Buddhas. If they should need sewing, bleaching, dyeing or washing, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
39. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land should not attain happiness and delight comparable to those of a bhiksu whose blind passions have all been exhausted, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
40. When I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land who wish to see innumerable glorious Buddha‐lands in the ten quarters, whenever they please, will be able to see them all reflected in the jeweled trees as if one were looking at one’s own face in a clear mirror. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
41. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in other lands, having heard my name, should have any disabilities in their physical faculties until they become Buddhas, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
42. When I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in other lands, having heard my name, will all attain the samadhi of pure emancipation. While dwelling in that samadhi, they will make offerings in an instant of thought to the countless and inconceivable number of Buddhas, World‐honored Ones, without losing their concentration of mind. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
43. When I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in other lands, having heard my name, will be reborn into noble families after the end of their lives. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
44. When I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in other lands, having heard my name, will leap and dance with joy and perform the bodhisattva practices, thereby acquiring the roots of virtue. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
45. When I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in other lands, having heard my name, will all attain the samadhi of universal sameness. While dwelling in that samadhi, they will continually behold all the countless and inconceivable numbers of Buddhas until they become Buddhas themselves. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
46. When I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land will spontaneously be able to hear, as they wish, the Dharma that they desire to hear. Should it not be so, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
47. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in other lands, upon hearing my name, should not be able to reach the stage of nonretrogression, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.
48. If, when I attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in other lands, upon hearing my name, should not be able to attain the first, second, and third *dharma‐insights and should they fall back from the pursuit of the teachings of the Buddhas, may I not attain the perfect enlightenment.’

Sukhāvatī-vyūha Sūtra

Namo Amitabha Buddha!

Namo Amituofo! 南无阿弥陀佛!

佛说阿弥陀经

The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra

or simply

 The Amitabha Sutra

(The Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra)

Namo Fundamental Teacher

Shakyamuni Buddha (three times)

Namo Amitabha Buddha (three times)

Namo Lotus Pond Ocean-Wide Assembly of
Buddhas & Bodhisattvas
(three times)

Sutra Opening Verse

The unsurpassed, profound, subtle, and wondrous Dharma

is difficult to encounter in hundreds of millions of kalpas.

I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,

May we understand the true meaning of the Tathagata.

佛说阿弥陀经

The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra

(The Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra)

姚秦三藏法师鸠摩罗什译

Based on the Chinese text translated by
Tripitaka Master Kumārajīva of the Yao Qin Dynasty

如是我闻。一时佛在舍卫国，祇树给孤独园。与大比丘僧，千二百五十人俱，皆是大阿罗汉，众所知识：长老舍利弗、摩诃目犍连、摩诃迦叶、摩诃迦旃延、摩诃俱絺罗、离婆多、周利槃陀伽、难陀、阿难陀、罗侯罗、憍梵波提、宾头卢颇罗堕、迦留陀夷、摩诃劫宾那、薄拘罗、阿那楼驮，如是等诸大弟子。并诸菩萨摩诃萨：文殊师利法王子、阿逸多菩萨、乾陀诃提菩萨、常精进菩萨，与如是等诸大菩萨。及释提桓因等，无量诸天大众俱。

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha dwelt at the Jetavana Monastery in Shravasti, together with a gathering of twelve-hundred-fifty great Bhikshus, all great Arhats whom were known by all: Elders Sariputra, Mahamaudgalyayana, Mahakashyapa, Mahakatyayana, Mahakaushthila, Revata, Shuddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ananda, Rahula, Gavampati, Pindola Bharadvaja, Kalodayin, Mahakapphina, Vakkula, Aniruddha, and other great disciples such as these.  Together with all the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas: Dharma Prince Manjushri, Ajita Bodhisattva, Gandhahastin Bodhisattva, Constant Endeavour Bodhisattva, and other great Bodhisattvas such as these. Together with Sakra, and countless heavenly beings.

尔时，佛告长老舍利弗：‘从是西方，过十万亿佛土，有世界名曰极乐，其土有佛，号阿弥陀，今现在说法。’

At that time the Buddha told the Elder Sariputra,“To the West over a hundred billion Buddha Lands away, there is a world called Ultimate Bliss. In that Land, there is a Buddha named Amitabha, who is right now teaching the Dharma.

‘舍利弗，彼土何故名为极乐？其国众生，无有众苦，但受诸乐，故名极乐。又舍利弗。极乐国土，七重栏楯，七重罗网，七重行树，皆是四宝周匝围绕，是故彼国名为极乐。’

Sariputra, for what reason is that Land called Ultimate Bliss? All living beings in that Land have no suffering, but enjoy all bliss, therefore, it is called Ultimate Bliss. Moreover, Sariputra, the Land of Ultimate Bliss has seven tiers of railings, seven layers of netting, seven rows of trees, all surrounded by the four treasures, thus, it is named the Ultimate Bliss.

‘又舍利弗。极乐国土，有七宝池，八功德水，充满其中，池底纯以金沙布地。四边阶道，金、银、琉璃、玻璃合成。上有楼阁，亦以金、银、琉璃、玻璃、砗磲、赤珠、玛瑙而严饰之。池中莲花大如车轮，青色青光、黄色黄光、赤色赤光、白色白光，微妙香洁。舍利弗。极乐国土，成就如是功德庄严。’

Moreover, Sariputra, the Land of Ultimate Bliss has seven-jeweled ponds, filled with eight-merit water. The bottoms of the ponds are covered with golden sands. On the four sides of the streets are stairs made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and glass. Above are pavilions adorned with gold, silver, lapis lazuli, glasses, Tridacna stones, crimson pearls and agates. The lotuses in the ponds are as large as carriage wheels, green colour of green light, yellow colour of yellow light, red colour of red light, white colour of white light, delicate, fragrant and pure. Sariputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.

‘又舍利弗。彼佛国土，常作天乐。黄金为地。昼夜六时，雨天曼陀罗华。其土众生，常以清旦，各以衣祴盛众妙华，供养他方十万亿佛，即以食时，还到本国，饭食经行。舍利弗。极乐国土，成就如是功德庄严。’

Moreover, Sariputra, in that Buddha Land, there is heavenly music playing constantly, the ground is made with gold. In the six periods of the day and night, Mandarava flowers fall from the sky. In the early mornings, the beings of the Land, each with garments filled with wonderful flowers, makes offerings to a hundred billion Buddhas in the other worlds. At mealtime, they return to their own Land, after eating, they walk about in meditation. Sariputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.
复次舍利弗：‘彼国常有种种奇妙杂色之鸟：白鹤、孔雀、鹦鹉、舍利、迦陵频伽、共命之鸟。是诸众鸟，昼夜六时，出和雅音。其音演畅五根、五力、七菩提分、八圣道分，如是等法。其土众生，闻是音已，皆悉念佛、念法、念僧。’

Moreover, Sariputra, in that Land there are various wonderful variegated birds: white cranes, peacocks, parrots, saris, kalavinkas, and birds of common destiny. In the six periods of the day and night, all the birds sing forth harmonious and elegant sounds which proclaim the five roots, the five powers, the seven factors of Bodhi (enlightenment), the Noble Eightfold Path, Dharmas such as these. When living beings of that Land hear these sounds, they are altogether mindful of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

‘舍利弗。汝勿谓此鸟，实是罪报所生，所以者何？彼佛国土，无三恶道。’舍利弗。其佛国土，尚无恶道之名，何况有实。是诸众鸟，皆是阿弥陀佛，欲令法音宣流，变化所作。’

Sariputra, do not think that these birds were born as retribution for their karmic offences. For what reason? In that Buddha Land there are no three evil paths. Sariputra, in that Buddha Land, the names of the three evil paths do not even exist, what does it say about their existence. All these birds were transformed by Amitabha Buddha for the Dharma sound to spread widely.

‘舍利弗。彼佛国土，微风吹动诸宝行树，及宝罗网，出微妙音，譬如百千种乐，同时俱作。闻是音者，自然皆生念佛、念法、念僧之心。舍利弗。其佛国土，成就如是功德庄严。’

Sariputra, in that Buddha Land, when the soft wind blows the rows of jewelled trees and jewelled nets give rise to delicate and wonderful sounds, like a hundred thousand kinds of music playing at the same time. Those who hear these sounds will naturally give rise to the heart of being mindful of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Sariputra, the realization of the Buddha Land is thus meritoriously adorned.

‘舍利弗。于汝意云何？彼佛何故号阿弥陀？舍利弗。彼佛光明无量，照十方国，无所障碍，是故号为阿弥陀。又舍利弗。彼佛寿命，及其人民，无量无边阿僧祇劫，故名阿弥陀。舍利弗。阿弥陀佛成佛已来，于今十劫。又舍利弗。彼佛有无量无边声闻弟子，皆阿罗汉，非是算数之所能知。诸菩萨众，亦复如是。舍利弗。彼佛国土，成就如是功德庄严。’

Sariputra, what do you think? Why is that Buddha named Amitabha? Sariputra, the light of that Buddha is infinite, illumining all worlds in the ten directions without obstacles, therefore, He is named Amitabha. Moreover, Sariputra, the life of that Buddha and His people extend for infinite limitless asamkhyeya kalpas, thus, He is named Amitayus. Sariputra, since Amitabha realized Buddhahood, ten kalpas have passed.

Moreover, Sariputra, that Buddha has immeasurable boundless Sravakas, all Arhats, their numbers cannot be known through calculation. The same is true for all the Bodhisattvas. Sariputra, the realization of that Buddha Land is thus meritoriously adorned.

‘又舍利弗。极乐国土，众生生者，皆是阿鞞跋致，其中多有一生补处，其数甚多，非是算数所能知之，但可以无量无边阿僧祇说。舍利弗。众生闻者，应当发愿，愿生彼国，所以者何？得与如是诸上善人俱会一处。’

Moreover, Sariputra, those living beings born in the Land of the Ultimate Bliss are all Avaivartika. Many among them are in the Position of One Lifetime Replacement. Their number is extremely many, cannot be known by calculation, but can only be spoken in countless limitless asamkhya kalpas. Sariputra, living beings who hear this, should make the vow – I vow to be born in that Land. And why? So they can gather together with all the superior and good people in one place.

‘舍利弗。不可以少善根福德因缘，得生彼国。舍利弗。若有善男子善女人，闻说阿弥陀佛，执持名号，若一日、若二日，若三日，若四日，若五日，若六日，若七日，一心不乱，其人临命终时，阿弥陀佛，与诸圣众，现在其前。是人终时，心不颠倒，即得往生阿弥陀佛极乐国土。舍利弗。我见是利，故说此言。若有众生，闻是说者，应当发愿，生彼国土。’

Sariputra, one cannot have few good roots, blessings, merit and karma to attain birth in that Land. Sariputra, if there is a good man or good woman who hears the Name ‘Amitabha’ and holds to it, whether for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, or seven days, single-hearted without confusion. At the time of near death, Amitabha Buddha and all the Sages will appear before this person. When the person is at the time of death, if his heart (mind) is not deluded, then he will be reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss. Sariputra, I see these benefits, therefore, I speak of these words. If living beings hear this, they should make the vow to be born in that Land.

[在这里值得注意的是玄奘法师翻译的版本：“又舍利子，若有净信诸善男子或善女人，得闻如是无量寿佛无量无边不可思议功德名号、极乐世界功德庄严，闻已思惟，若一日夜，或二、或三、或四、或五、或六、或七，系念不乱（心一直系在阿弥陀佛名号上，不故意胡思乱想）。是善男子或善女人临命终时，无量寿佛与其无量声闻弟子菩萨众俱，前后围绕来住其前，慈悲加祐令心不乱，既舍命已随佛众会，生无量寿极乐世界清净佛土。

“Also, Shariputra, if there are good men or women with pure faith who hear the name of Amitayus (Infinite life) Buddha, the immeasurable inconceivable merit of His name, and the majestic merit of the World of Ultimate Bliss, and have thought about it for one day and night, or two, or three, or four, or five, or six, or seven, continously recite without distractions. When that good man or woman is about to die, Amitayus (Infinite life) Buddha and his countless disciples of sravakas and bodhisattvas will surround him and stay in front of him. They will be compassionate and bless him so that his mind will not be disturbed. Having given up his life and joined the assembly of the Buddha, he will be reborn in Amitayus’ Pure Buddha-land of Ultimate Bliss.]

‘舍利弗。如我今者，赞叹阿弥陀佛，不可思议功德之利。东方亦有阿鞞佛、须弥相佛、大须弥佛、须弥光佛、妙音佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛，各于其国，出广长舌相，遍覆三千大千世界，说诚实言：“汝等众生，当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经。”’

Sariputra, as I now praise the inconceivable merit of Amitabha Buddha. In the East, there are also Akshobhya Buddha, Sumeru Appearance Buddha, Great Sumeru Buddha, Sumeru Light Buddha, Wonderful Sound Buddha, all Buddhas such as these, countless as Ganges sands. Each in His own Land brings forth the appearance of a vast and long tongue, covering the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, speaking these honest words: ‘All you living beings should believe and praise the inconceivable merit of the Sutra which all Buddhas protect and are mindful of.’

‘舍利弗。南方世界，有日月灯佛、名闻光佛、大焰肩佛、须弥灯佛、无量精进佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛，各于其国，出广长舌相，遍覆三千大千世界，说诚实言：“汝等众生，当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经。”’

Sariputra, in the Southern worlds, there are Sun Moon Light Buddha, Famous Light Buddha, Great Flame Shoulder Buddha, Sumeru Light Buddha, Limitless Diligence Buddha, all Buddhas such as these, countless as Ganges sands. Each in His own Land brings forth the appearance of a vast and long tongue, covering the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, speaking these honest words: ‘All you living beings should believe and praise the inconceivable merit of the Sutra which all Buddhas protect and are mindful of.’
‘舍利弗。西方世界，有无量寿佛、无量相佛、无量幢佛、大光佛、大明佛、宝相佛、净光佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛，各于其国，出广长舌相，遍覆三千大千世界，说诚实言：“汝等众生，当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经。”’

Sariputra, in the Western worlds are Amitayus Buddha, Infinite Appearance Buddha, Infinite Banners Buddha, Great Light Buddha, Great Brightness Buddha, Jewelled Appearance Buddha, Pure Light Buddha, all Buddhas such as these, countless as Ganges sands. Each in His own Land brings forth the appearance of a vast and long tongue, covering the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, speaking these honest words: ‘All you living beings should believe and praise the inconceivable merit of the Sutra which all Buddhas protect and are mindful of.’

‘舍利弗。北方世界，有焰肩佛、最胜音佛、难沮佛、日生佛、网明佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛，各于其国，出广长舌相，遍覆三千大千世界，说诚实言：“汝等众生，当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经。”’

Sariputra, in the Northern worlds, there are Flaming Shoulder Buddha, Most Victorious Sound Buddha, Hard to Upset Buddha, Sun Birth Buddha, Net Brightness Buddha, all Buddhas such as these, countless as Ganges sands. Each in His own Land brings forth the appearance of a vast and long tongue, covering the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, speaking these honest words: ‘All you living beings should believe and praise the inconceivable merit of the Sutra which all Buddhas protect and are mindful of.’

‘舍利弗。下方世界，有师子佛、名闻佛、名光佛、达摩佛、法幢佛、持法佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛，各于其国，出广长舌相，遍覆三千大千世界，说诚实言：“汝等众生，当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经。”’

Sariputra, in the worlds below are Lion Buddha, Famous Name Buddha, Famous Light Buddha, Dharma Buddha, Dharma Banner Buddha, Holding Dharma Buddha, all Buddhas such as these, countless as Ganges sands. Each in His own Land brings forth the appearance of a vast and long tongue, covering the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, speaking these honest words: ‘All you living beings should believe and praise the inconceivable merit of the Sutra which all Buddhas protect and are mindful of.’

‘舍利弗。上方世界，有梵音佛、宿王佛、香上佛、香光佛、大焰肩佛、杂色宝华严身佛、娑罗树王佛、宝华德佛、见一切义佛、如须弥山佛，如是等恒河沙数诸佛，各于其国，出广长舌相，遍覆三千大千世界，说诚实言：“汝等众生，当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经。”’

“Sariputra, in the worlds above are Brahma Sound Buddha, King of Stars Buddha, Superior Fragrance Buddha, Fragrant Light Buddha, Great Flame Shoulder Buddha, Variegated Jewel Flower Adornment Body Buddha, Sala Tree King Buddha, Jewelled Flower Merit Buddha, Seeing All Meanings Buddha, Sumeru-like Buddha, all Buddhas such as these, countless as Ganges sands. Each in His own Land brings forth the appearance of a vast and long tongue, covering the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, speaking these honest words: ‘All you living beings should believe and praise the inconceivable merit of the Sutra which all Buddhas protect and are mindful of.’
‘舍利弗。于汝意云何？何故名为一切诸佛所护念经？舍利弗。若有善男子、善女人，闻是经受持者，及闻诸佛名者，是诸善男子、善女人，皆为一切诸佛之所护念，皆得不退转于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。是故舍利弗，汝等皆当信受我语，及诸佛所说。’

Sariputra, what do you think? Why is it called ‘the Sutra which all Buddhas Protect and are Mindful of?’ Sariputra, if a good man or good woman hears this sutra and holds to it, and hears the names of all these Buddhas, this good man or good woman will be the one which all Buddhas protect and are mindful of and will irreversibly attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Therefore, Sariputra, all of you should believe and accept my words and those which all Buddhas speak.

‘舍利弗。若有人已发愿、今发愿、当发愿，欲生阿弥陀佛国者，是诸人等，皆得不退转于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，于彼国土，若已生、若今生、若当生。是故舍利弗，诸善男子、善女人，若有信者，应当发愿，生彼国土。

Sariputra, if there are people who have already made the vow, who now make the vow, or who will make the vow, ‘I vow to be born in Amitabha Buddha’s Land,’ these people, whether born in the past, present or future, will all irreversibly attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Therefore, Sariputra, all the good men and good women, if they are among those who believe, should make the vow to be born in that Land.

舍利弗，如我今者，称赞诸佛不可思议功德，彼诸佛等，亦称赞我不可思议功德，而作是言：“释迦牟尼佛能为甚难希有之事，能于娑婆国土，五浊恶世，劫浊、见浊、烦恼浊、众生浊、命浊中，得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。为诸众生，说是一切世间难信之法。舍利弗。当知我于五浊恶世，行此难事，得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，为一切世间说此难信之法，是为甚难。’

Sariputra, as I now praise the inconceivable merit of all Buddhas, all those Buddhas also praise my inconceivable merit and speak of these words, ‘Shakyamuni Buddha can do extremely difficult and rare deeds. In the Saha World, the evil world of Five Turbidities – the Kalpa Turbidity, the Perception Turbidity, the Affliction Turbidity, the Living Beings Turbidity, and the Life Turbidity, he can attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and for the sake of all living beings, speak this Dharma which is difficult for the whole world to believe.’Sariputra, you should know that I, in the evil world of Five Turbidities, practice these difficult deeds, attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, and speak this difficult to believe Dharma for the whole world, which is extremely difficult indeed!

佛说此经已，舍利弗，及诸比丘，一切世间天人阿修罗等，闻佛所说，欢喜信受，作礼而去。

After the Buddha spoke this sutra, Sariputra and all the Bhikshus, heavenly beings from all worlds, asuras and others, upon hearing what the Buddha had said, joyously accepted and faithfully upheld, bowed and withdrew.

往生咒 (拔一切业障根本得生净土陀罗尼)

Rebirth Mantra

(The Dharani of Removing all karmic obstacles and attaining birth to the Pure Land)

南无阿弥多婆夜 哆他伽多夜 哆地夜他 阿弥利都婆毗

阿弥利哆 悉耽婆毗

阿弥唎哆 毗迦兰帝

阿弥唎哆 毗迦兰多

伽弥腻 伽伽那 枳多迦利 娑婆诃

Sanskrit:

namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya

tadyathā amṛtod-bhave

amṛta-siddhaṃ bhave

amṛta-vikrānte

amṛta-vikrānta

gāmine gagana kīrta-kare svāhā

English:

Adoration to the Exalted one of Infinite Light

namely: Oh! Nectar-producing one!

Nectar-creation-perfecting one!

Nectar-miracle one!

(he) performs miracle with nectar,

he makes (nectar) glory in sky,

All Hail!

普贤菩萨十大愿

Ten Great Practices and Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra

一者礼敬诸佛。二者称赞如来。三者广修供养。四者忏悔业障。五者随喜功德。六者请转法轮。七者请佛住世。八者常随佛学。九者恒顺众生。十者普皆回向。

First, to pay homage to all Buddhas;

Second, to praise the Tathagathas;

Third, to extensively cultivate making offerings

Fourth, to repent of karmic obstacles;

Fifth, to rejoice in merit;

Sixth, to invite the Buddhas to turn the Dharma Wheel;

Seventh, to invite the Buddhas to live in the world;

Eighth, to constantly learn from the Buddhas;

Nineth, to constantly accord with living beings;

Tenth, to universally transfer all merit.

赞佛偈

In Praise of Amitabha

阿弥陀佛身金色，相好光明无等伦。

白毫宛转五须弥，绀目澄清四大海。

光中化佛无数亿，化菩萨众亦无边。

四十八愿度众生，九品咸令登彼岸。

Amitabha Buddha’s body is the colour of gold,

With incomparable good appearance and brightness.

White urna curls around five Sumeru

His eyes as pure as four great seas

In His light transforms immeasurable millions of Buddhas,

also boundless transformed Bodhisattvas.

Forty-Eight Great Vows save all living beings,

Nine Grades to enable all to arrive on the other shore.

三皈依

Three Refuges

自皈依佛，当愿众生，体解大道，发无上心。

自皈依法，当愿众生，深入经藏，智慧如海。

自皈依僧，当愿众生，统理大众，一切无碍，和南圣众。

南无西方极乐世界大慈大悲阿弥陀佛（三称三拜）

南无观世音菩萨（三称三拜）

南无大势至菩萨（三称三拜）

南无莲池海会佛菩萨（三称三拜）

I take refuge in the Buddha, may all living beings understand the great path and generate the unsurpassed Bodhicitta.

I take refuge in the Dharma, may all living beings enter deeply in the treasure of the sutras, with wisdom as profound as the sea.

I take refuge in the Sangha, may all living beings be guided without obstacles, to pay homage to the assembly of sages.

Namo Great Compassionate Amitabha Buddha of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (three chants with three bows)

Namo Bodhisattva Guanyin/Namo Guanshiyin Pusa (three chants with three bows)

Namo Bodhisattva Great Strength/Namo Dashizhi Pusa

(three chants with three bows)

Namo Lotus Pond Ocean-Wide Assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

[1]

NOTES:

[1] Source https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/pure-land-sutras/the-buddha-speaks-of-amitabha-sutra

–

Why is Ratnasambhava Buddha described as the wish-granting Buddha? Why is he considered the Buddha closest to our world, always ready to help? What are the four generosities of the Jewel Buddha of the Earth? What is his great Dharani that delivers the four Generosities into our lives? We answer these questions, and more, in this in-depth presentation, and end with his Dharani, Mantras and Sadhana to help you connect directly to this generous and auspicious Buddha.

Ratnasambhava: Quick Snapshot

• Buddha of the Southern Jewel Family
• Wisdom Mother: Mamaki (in some lineages Lochana)
• Bodhisattva: Ratnapani
• Wisdom of Equality
• Varada Mudra of Generosity
• Overcomes Poison of Jealousy
• Skanda or Aggregate: Feeling (the pleasant or unpleasant feelings we cling to or avoid)
•  Pureland Shrimat
• Ratna means “Jewel” — the wish-granting jewel held in his left hand
• Members of Family include: Mochana, Wisdom King Gundari or Kundali (his wrathful Guardian King aspect), Yellow Jambhala, Vasudhara Yellow Tara, Ratnapani
• Element: Earth
• Symbol: Sacred Jewel (Ratna)
• Sacred Animals: Horse (and sometimes tiger)
• Seed Syllable: Tram
• Heart Mantra: Om Ratnasambhava Tram
• Color: Yellow or Gold, the flourishing warmth of living earth
• Season: Spring

Auspicious Buddha of Equality

Ratnasambhava Buddha, the glorious and auspicious Buddha of the South is characterized by his open hand of generosity, the mudra of giving. Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen, one of the five Sakya patriarchs, who lived 1147 to 1216, described the glorious Buddha of Generosity this way:

Arising in the southern direction is Ratnasambhava on a horse, lotus and sun throne; with a body yellow in colour the right hand is placed in the mudra of supreme generosity.”

The mudra of generosity characterizes his vastly important wisdom. It is generosity and kindness and equality that defines the great Buddha closest to our earthly existence.

He is the Buddha who grants wishes. As described by Konchog Ozer, from the Sadhana, which we recite at the end of this presentation:

He has “a radiant body having the colour of blazing gold, one face, two hands, the right is in supreme generosity — fulfilling the wishes of beings.”

His wisdom is the wisdom of Equality, and his practice are the four generosities.

Ratnasambhava, and his family is characterized by the Dana Paramita, the Wisdom of Generosity, and especially by his Four Generosities: the generosity of helping sentient beings with material aid; the generosity of giving your karma or activity to create the causes for happiness of sentient beings; the generosity of fearlessness and protection to save and help others; and most importantly, the generosity of giving the Dharma teachings, which are the ultimate remedy to suffering.

The karma activity for accumulating wealth is generosity and giving, the activities of the Equality family of Ratnasambhava. There is an ancient saying, “If you want to be a rich person in your next life, give as much as you can in this life.”

Practicing Ratnasambhava

Ratnasambhava’s practice is both demanding and simple. The practice is called making the Four Types of Gifts Daily. The other reinforcing practice is called the Sublime Attitudes, the brahmavihara, best known as the four immeasurables. These state, in different ways, the four generosities. The four Immeasurables are loving-kindness and benevolance or metta; compassion or karuna; empathetic joy or mudita, and equanimity or upekkha.

The all-important four generosities is reflected in the great Vajrayana vow called “the Commitment of the Great Supreme Jewel Family” that we take during empowerments. In this vow, there are five verses, one for each of the Dhyani Buddhas. The vow for Ratnasambhava expresses the practice of giving, generosity, and especially merit through offerings to the Three Jewels, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. It is, in fact, the entire practice of Ratnasmabhava. The Jewel Vow we repeat daily is:

I will always make the four types of gifts 
Six times each day; 
The pleasing commitments of 
The great supreme Jewel family. 

The Four types of gifts are the Four Generosities of Ratnasambhava.

Each day, we are asked to give something material for the benefit of another sentient being, even if it’s just feeding a stray cat or the birds outside. This also includes offerings made on our altar to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, such as water bowls, incense fruit or other symbolic offerings.

Each day we are also asked to perform generous acts, giving of our time, for the benefit of another sentient being — to create the causes for happiness for all beings, even if it’s just holding a door open for someone, or saying a kind word of support. Think about how you can help someone today.

Also, each day, we are asked to give fearless protection to help another being, even if it is only an insect or a small animal.

And finally, each day, we are asked to give the gift of Dharma in some way. There are many ways to accomplish the gift of Dharma. Through writing sutras, chanting mantras, practicing your pujas, or just being supportive of the Dharma. Or, volunteering at a Dharma center.  Or, sharing a Dharma video online. Anything that “Spreads the Dharma” is the final — and greatest — of the four Givings.

These four are the vow we give to Ratnasambhava during our Vajrayana Vow.

Six times a day in the vow, refers to making offerings six times a day, also called Six Session Yoga.

To do this, six times a day, we try to take Refuge in the Three Jewels and make an offering. This can be an offering of a silently expressed mantra. Or a gift of food to someone who is hungry. Or any other gift that expresses generosity and Bodhichitta Intention. 

Golden Yellow Jewel Family

Reinforcing his benevolent mission, Rantasambhava appears closest to Shakyamuni in appearance, reflecting he is of the earth.

Ratnasambhava is golden and of the earth element. He is the Dhayani Wisdom Buddha closest to us — the Buddha ready to leap to our aid with material help, activity, protection, or teachings. He whispers in our ear and thoughts. He is present in our lives. He is always with us. His Jewelled paradise, Shrimat, his Pureland, is so close to our world, we just have to open our hearts to see it there.

Name in Other Languages

The Jewel Family: Wisdom of Equality Overcoming the Poison of Pride

The Jewel or Ratna Family is one of the Five Buddha Families in Vajrayana Buddhism, each symbolizing different wisdoms. At various times in our lives way may need different wisdoms. As Jealousy arises, we might turn to Amoghasiddhi and Tara for help. As anger arises, we might need the steadying wisdom of Akshobhya and Lochana with the Wisdom of Reflection.

The most common poison that afflicts us in Samsara is usually pride, which can give rise to the other poisons such as attachment, anger or jealousy. For Pride, we turn to the Ratna Family with their teachings on the five generosities and on the Wisdom of Equanimity or Equality.

At the heart of this family is Ratnasambhava, the Buddha of the South, whose teachings focus on this Wisdom of Equality. This is, perhaps, the wisdom that today’s world most needs. With equality and equanimity arises compassion, kindness, support and love.

Ratnasambhava’s wisdom helps us transform the poison of pride into equanimity, allowing us to see and appreciate the intrinsic value and equality of all beings. With that great Mahayana view, our generosity and kindness grows, like a wholesome infection. Kindness, just like it’s opposite hate, tends to flourish.

Pride, from a Buddhist perspective, is considered a significant obstacle on the path to enlightenment. Ratnasambhava and the Jewel Family focus all practices on the remedy to Pride, which is called the Four Generosities.

Mamaki, Ratnasambhava’s sacred Wisdom Partner balances Ratnasambhava’s compassion with Wisdom. Together, they represent the perfect fusion of wisdom and compassion.

Wish-Granting Jewel

The symbol of the Ratna Family is the wish-granting jewel, representing the preciousness of enlightenment and the inherent value within every sentient being. This powerful symbol serves as a reminder of the boundless potential within us and the importance of recognizing this in every interaction. By internalizing the teachings of Ratnasambhava and his consort, we not only combat pride but also cultivate a deep, abiding sense of equality and connection with the world around us.

Engaging with the practices and sadhanas associated with the Jewel Family invites us to reflect deeply on our own tendencies toward pride — while transforming the poison into the wisdom of equality. One of the merits of the practice is to bring auspiciousness, bounty, good fortune, and resources, so that we may help as many beings as possible.

The Essence of Ratnasambhava: Embodying the Wisdom of Equality

As you delve deeper into understanding Ratnasambhava, you encounter a profound teaching on the Wisdom of Equality. This wisdom is not merely an abstract concept but a transformative practice that dissolves the divisions created by pride. Imagine a world where all beings are seen through a lens of equal potential and intrinsic worth—this is the essence of Ratnasambhava’s wisdom.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Ratnasambhava’s teachings is how they invite you to embrace equanimity. Equanimity is the ability to remain balanced and centered in the face of life’s constant flux. By embodying this quality, you cultivate a mind that views success and failure, praise and blame, pleasure and pain with an even gaze. It’s about finding that middle ground where you neither exalt nor diminish yourself or others.

Compassion and Oneness

The Wisdom of Equality is intrinsically linked to compassion and unity. When you practice seeing everyone as equals, you naturally develop a deeper sense of compassion. You recognize that every being, regardless of their status or achievements, shares the same inherent value. This recognition fosters a solidarity that transcends superficial differences, leading to genuine unity and harmony.

Another critical element of Ratnasambhava’s teachings is generosity. Embracing equality naturally leads to a generous heart, open to giving without a sense of superiority or attachment. Generosity here is not limited to material wealth but extends to time, attention, and emotional support. By sharing from a place of abundance, you reinforce the understanding that there is more than enough for everyone, fostering a sense of shared abundance.

Ratnasmbhava’s Serene Appearance

When you contemplate Ratnasambhava, visualize his serene and peaceful iconography. He is seated as Buddha in full vajra posture, with his right hand turned out in front of his knee in the gesture of giving or generosity. His left hand is on his lap in the gesture of meditative equipose, holding an upright wish-granting jewel, symbolizing his ability to grant the deepest spiritual and material needs of all beings. His image serves as a reminder of the inner wealth and benevolence that you can cultivate through the Wisdom of Equality.

In essence, Ratnasambhava’s teachings offer a pathway to dissolve pride and cultivate a more compassionate and balanced perspective. Embrace these practices, and you will begin to see the world with the divine impartiality that Ratnasambhava embodies.

Key Sutras That Illuminate the Path to Equality

The Buddha’s teachings are vast, yet several key sutras prominently highlight the essence of Ratnasambhava’s Wisdom of Equality. Delving into these sutras not only expands your understanding but also deepens your spiritual practice.

The Golden Light Sutra or Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra (Sanskrit: सुवर्णप्रभासोत्तमसूत्रेन्द्रराजः) contains the story of Ratnasambhava Buddha alongside the stories of the Four Guardian Kings. The Sutra of Golden Light offers a treasure trove of insights into equality and compassion. Dedicated to promoting universal peace and harmony, this scriptural text underscores the principles of respect for all life forms, aligning seamlessly with Ratnasambhava’s teachings.

The Śūraṅgama Sutra and Mantra, dedicates one entire division to Ratnasambhava as the Buddha of the Jewel Division in the South. This division holds a crucial responsibility, commanding vast demon armies from five directions. It is through this portrayal that Ratnasambhava showcases his power to transmute negativity and bring about positive transformation.

The Ratna-gotra-vibhaga: This profound text focuses on the doctrine of Buddha Nature, and the Oneness of all beings, essential for comprehending the Jewel Family’s Equality Wisdom. It elucidates the inherent Buddha-nature within all beings, promoting the idea that everyone possesses the potential for enlightenment. By meditating on this sutra, you nurture an appreciation for the equality imbued in all life.

The Avatamsaka Sutra: Renowned for its rich and intricate teachings on the interdependence and unity of all phenomena, this sutra illuminates how every aspect of existence is intertwined. Ratnasambhava’s wisdom permeates this text, focusing on recognizing the value and equal worth of each being.

When practiced mindfully, the wisdom contained in these sutras acts as a powerful antidote to pride. They serve as guiding lights on your journey towards embodying the Wisdom of Equality, fostering a heart rich in compassion and a mind that views all beings impartially.

Dharani and its Benefits

If there are sentient being, by upholding, making offering and reciting the name of this Tathagata Dharani, He will be reborn as a Chakravartin, the Great King of Dharma. Achieving the holy life and He will have great supernormal powers. Obtaining ten kinds of Dharani. The Tathagata and all the Buddhas like the sands of the Ganges River, they have spoken the truth. After numerous Kalpas, the one who upholds this dharani will not be undergoing reincarnation again. By continuously cultivating the seed of the path without losing the bodhicitta, He who upholds this dharani will be able to eternally destroy all the karmic offences and obtain the Sambhogakaya form of the Tathagata. Om Ratnasambhava Tram

南无宝生如来 虔诚供养宝生佛 是人不失菩提心 一句南无宝生如来 善根亦得现前 得天眼清静 天眼通 永离轮回 光明常自照曜 常作如来胜利之事

People who make sincere offerings to Ratnasambhava Buddha do not lose their bodhicitta. By reciting ‘Namo Ratnasambhava Buddha’ , good roots are also revealed. Gaining peace of mind, clear vision, and exit the loops of reincarnation forever. The light always shines upon the path thus to be able to always perform the Tathagata’s victorious deeds.

Ratnasambhava Buddha Dharani

Namo Ratna Rasmi Chandra Pratimandita Vidyam Teja Kosesvara Rajaya Tathagataya Arhate Samyak-sambuddhaya. Tadyatha, Ratne Ratne, Ratna Kirane, Ratna Pratimandite, Ratna Sambhave, Ratna Prabhe, Ratnod-gate Svaha

णमो रत्न रस्मी चन्द्र प्रतिमन्दिता विद्यम टेज कोसेस्वरा रजय टथगतय अर्हते सम्यक्-सम्बुद्धय । टद्यथ, रत्ने रत्ने, रत्न किरने, रत्न प्रतिमन्दिते, रत्न सम्भवे, रत्न प्रभे, रत्नोद्-गते स्वहा

若有众生。于此如来陀罗尼名号受持供养。彼人生生得转轮位。成就梵行具大神通。获十种陀罗尼。复值恒河沙等诸佛如来而无虚妄。经俱胝劫不入轮回路。不断菩提种不失菩提心。永灭一切罪得报身如来。

Ratnasambhava Sadhana

(Frontal Generation description source: Konchog Ozer)

namo ratnasambhava buddhayah

namo buddhaya guruve
namo dharmaya tayine.
namo samghaya mahate.

tribhyopi satatam namaha.

Homage to Ratnasambhava Buddha.

Homage to the Buddha, the Teacher

Homage to the Dharma, the Protector

Homage to the Great Sangha

To all of these I continually offer homage.

While visualizing the merit field,  I offer the Seven Limbs of Practice:

I go for refuge to Ratnasambhava, the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Highest Assembly.

I declare every nonvirtuous act since beginningless time.
I rejoice in all virtues of holy and ordinary beings.
I will cultivate the Bodhichitta, to most effectively benefit all sentient beings.

Having generated the intention to take the Buddha’s path, I will care for all sentient beings as my guests. I offer flowers, incense, light, fragrances, food, music and the like, both those actually arranged and those mentally imagined.

I offer the four types of gifts 
Six times each day; 
The pleasing commitments of 
The great supreme Jewel family. 

Supreme gathering, please accept them.
I will practice the four generosities, the generosity of helping sentient beings with material aid; the generosity of giving my activities to create the causes for happiness of sentient beings; the generosity of fearlessness and protection to save and help others; and the generosity of giving the Dharma teachings.

I will in this way cultivate the Bodhichitta.
I wish that all beings may have happiness and its causes.
May we never have suffering nor its causes.
May we constantly dwell in joy transcending sorrow.
May we dwell in equal love for both near and far.
Supreme merit field, please remain in Samsara and turn the Wheel of the Dharma of the greater and lesser vehicles, to benefit all sentient beings!

I now visualize the merit field.

Appearances and existence, all phenomena of samsara and nirvana are empty by nature. Realizing this, within that state of emptiness, I visualize a glowing, illuminated yellow Tram syllable, on a shining lotus throne.
Yellow golden light emanates from the Tram syllable, going out as an offering to all the Enlightened Beings. The light purifies the karma of all sentient beings in the universe, blessing them. The lights return and the Tram syllable and transforms into glorious Ratnasambhava, Golden Yellow in Color, seated on a lotus throne supported by great horses.

The essence of all qualities is Ratnasambhava. With a radiant body having the colour of shining gold, one face, two hands, the right is in supreme generosity — fulfilling the wishes of beings. Performing meditative stabilization, the left is in the mudra of meditation and holding a wish-granting jewel.

Seated in vajra posture, method and wisdom, and having the thirty-two marks of excellence. He is well adorned with jewels and beautiful silk garments. A million light rays of light goes out and returns, blessing all sentient beings. He has a voice possessing sixty separate tones and a mind continuum of immeasurable pristine awareness.

Holding this visualization, I recite the glorious Dharani:

Namo Ratna Rasmi Chandra Pratimandita Vidyam Teja Kosesvara Rajaya Tathagataya Arhate Samyak-sambuddhaya. Tadyatha, Ratne Ratne, Ratna Kirane, Ratna Pratimandite, Ratna Sambhave, Ratna Prabhe, Ratnod-gate Svaha

Namo Ratna Rasmi Chandra Pratimandita Vidyam Teja Kosesvara Rajaya Tathagataya Arhate Samyak-sambuddhaya. Tadyatha, Ratne Ratne, Ratna Kirane, Ratna Pratimandite, Ratna Sambhave, Ratna Prabhe, Ratnod-gate Svaha

Namo Ratna Rasmi Chandra Pratimandita Vidyam Teja Kosesvara Rajaya Tathagataya Arhate Samyak-sambuddhaya. Tadyatha, Ratne Ratne, Ratna Kirane, Ratna Pratimandite, Ratna Sambhave, Ratna Prabhe, Ratnod-gate Svaha

Om Ratnasambhava Tram

Om Ratnasambhava Tram

Om Ratnasambhava Tram

I dedicate the merit of this practice and offerings to the cause for Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

[1]

NOTES:

[1] Ratnasambhava Buddha Dharani from Shurangama Dhamma Associationhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZEZyD4XBGw

Tara’s mantra chanted by Buddha Weekly:

The full story of Tara and Her Rescues of Sentient Beings:

21 Praises in Sanskrit

Chanting the Dharani of 21 Praises to Tara in original Sanskrit is the most sacred and powerful of practices. The 21 Taras Mantra Dharanis in Sanskrit, as taught by Buddha in the Kangyur, became popularized as the 21 Homages or 21 Praises to Tara. When chanted in the original Sanskrit, the 21 Praises to Tara are 21 potent and powerful Dharanis (long-form mantras). Although popularized as both a Tibetan and English 21 Praise chant, in its Sanskrit Holy syllable form, it is an original Dharani as taught by the Buddha. In its Tibetan or English form, it loses its sacred vibrational sound and the actual “meaning” (translation) is significantly more simplified in other languages.

The Dharani is nuanced and profound in Sanskrit. In its Sanskrit form it is a Dharani or mantra (or series of 21 Dharanis), but in other languages it becomes more of a “chanted prayer or praise” or hymn. For example, Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha, the famous and powerful mantra of Tara, if translated to English is simply, “I prostrate to Tara the liberator, mother of all the victorious ones” — beautiful, but lacking the sacred sound vibrations of mantra, and missing the nuanced and layered meaning of each syllable:

Tara’s mantra, a complete practice

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA

21 English Praises: Singable

20-Minute Tara Meditation

Follow along with Venerable Zasep Rinpoche, author of Tara in the Palm of Your Hand, for a guided 20-minute meditation and practice of Tara

Tea or Torma offering

Bopar Rinpoche, in his wonderful book Tara The Feminine Divine, recommends that in addition to general offerings of water bowls, flowers, incense, that someone seeking a special activity from the great Saving Goddess consider a Torma (cake) offering. Likewise, the same offering can be made as hot tea — traditionally indicating “activity offering.”

After presenting and purifying the offering — OM AH HUM being a widely used purification mantra — he suggests the traditional activity dedication (substitute “tea offering” as appropriate):

“Tara, You who fully rejoice in the mandala creation, consume this well-made offering torma. Give me and people around me: health, life, power, glory, fame, luck, and abundent wealth. Give me the accomplishments of activities, such as purification, increase and others. You who have made the promise protect me, give me the support of all accomplishments. Brush away untimely death and illness, demons and creators of obstacles. Brush away bad dreams, inauspicious signs and unwholesome acts. Make the world happy, the years excellent, the harvest bountiful. Make the Dharma spread, happiness perfect and may all my wishes be realized.”

NOTE: If it makes you feel awkward to demand so many wonderful activities, there’s no need to be. Tara will provide what our karma and our needs dictate.

A Song of Longing for Tara, the Infallible

By Lama Lobsang Tenpey Gyaltsen (1852)

Translated by Lama Thubten Yeshe

Why is Akshobhya Buddha the very face of peace? Why is the focus of the Vajra family of Akshobhya Buddha the poison of Anger? Which wisdom is central to Akshobhya Buddha family of the Vajra? Why is the family blue, and what is the significance of the great Vajra? We answer these questions and more and end with the mantras, practices and a Puja visualization of Akshobhya Buddha.

Video: The Unshakable Buddha

The Unshakable Buddha

Akshyobhya Buddha’s name means, literally, “The Unshakable Buddha.” One of Akshobhya’s great vows is to never become angry until reaching enlightenment.

“Now that I have become a bodhisattva, I will never allow myself to get angry at any living being.”

Akshobhya or Vajra Family practice is ideal for people who have a temper, or anger issues, or deal with the anger of others. If anger is the reason you find yourself locked in a poisonous cycle, trapping you in suffering, then, practices of the Vajra family, is often recommended by teachers of all schools.

The great Lama Yeshe strongly advocated Vajrapani Bodhisattva’s, the Bodhisattva of the Vajra family, as a practice in this age to calm anger and increase our confidence and strength.

Appearance Reflects His Vow

Reflecting this vow, his face is serene and blue, like cool, refreshing water. He is seated on a lotus throne in unshakable vajra posture. His  right hand touches the earth,  bhumisparsha mudra, the very same gesture Shakyamuni used to indicate that mother earth was his witness, and signifying his unshakable vow. His left hand is in the mudra of meditative equipoise on his lap, often with the indestructable vajra in his hand.

His throne and animal is the “unshakable” elephant.

Our Vajra Vow

Just as he made a vow to us to be unshakable, we likewise make a vow to him each time we renew our Bodhisattva and Tantra and Vajrayana Vows when we say:

I shall uphold purely

The vajra, bell and mudra of

The great, supreme Vajra family,

And I shall uphold purely the Master commitment.

This means that we likewise promise to be unshakable in our commitment to the Dharma.

His wisdom, reflecting his unshakable nature, is Mirror-Like Wisdom. This is described as “seeing phenomena as they truly are” — the nature of Shunyata, symbolized by the elemental metaphor of water.

He is in the East of the Five Buddhas Mandala (athough in some specialized practices he might be in the center of the mandala).

Names

Sanskrit अक्षोभ्य

Akṣobhya

Chinese 阿閦佛

(Pinyin: Āchù Fó)

Japanese 阿閦仏あしゅくぶつ

(romaji: Ashuku Butsu)

Khmer អសុភ្យ

(a-sop),

អសុភ្យពុទ្ធ

Korean 아촉불

(RR: Achog Bul)

Mongolian ᠬᠥᠳᠡᠯᠦᠰᠢ ᠦᠭᠡᠢ

Хөдөлшгүй

SASM/GNC: Ködelüsi ügei

Thai พระอักโษภยพุทธะ

Tibetan མི་བསྐྱོད་པ་

Wylie: mi bskyod pa

THL: mikyöpa. Mitrugpa

Vietnamese A Súc Phật

Blue and Watery

Characterized by a serene blue, draws parallels with water and purification, the symbolic color and element of the Unshakable Buddha. Venerable Tulku Yeshi Gyatso Rinpoche the color blue[4]:

“Why is his color blue? The blue represents the Dharmadhatu, which contains the five distinguishing features or aspects: body, speech, mind, qualities, and activities of all the Buddhas.” 

Blue Symbolizes Shunyata

Blue is symbolic of emptiness, with the metaphor of the great ocean. In the Buddhist metaphor, we are each a “drop of water” which appears distinct, but its ultimate reality is “water” and when the water drops gather they become a stream, and stream joins a river and river flows into the seas where all waters on earth are ultimately of one essence.

The blue as a color serves as a reminder of the healing properties and medicinal qualities traditionally found with water, another reason for the metaphor. Blue, in Buddhism, represents the cooling of anger, like splashing cool water on an angry person to startle him, then cool him off. Water is also synonymous with tranquility. Among the most popular of sounds for meditation is the sound of a gentle waterfall or flowing stream.

Water is the source of life. We arose from the oceans. Water can be both serene, the trickle of a stream, and vast and angry, like the tempestuous ocean. It’s power is tidal — just as the Vajra family is considered the most potent of powerful forces.

To transform our anger into wisdom of mirror-like wisdom, the discernment of reality as it truly is. Like the moon, reflected in water,  Akshobhya Buddha’s Vajra family show us that what we think we are, and the emotions that seem to arise, are nothing but reflections with no essence — that we are part of a great force, the tidal force of the metaphorical ocean.

Vajra – Diamond Sceptre

Another great symbol for the Akshobhya family is their iconic and powerful vajra, often called the diamond scepter, not because it’s made of diamond, but because, like a diamond, it is indestructable. Why is it indestructable? Because the true essence is indestructable. Why is it indestructable? Because it symbolizes Buddha Nature.

Like that, we too, are indestructable or immortal because our essence has never died and never will die. Our true essence, our Buddha Nature, is indestructable. This becomes clear, as we practice Akshobhya Buddha’s clarity practices.

^{Dharani of Akshobhya Buddha}

^{NAMO RATNA TRAYĀYA OṂ KAṂKANI KAṂKANI ROCHANI ROCHANI TROṬANI TROṬANI TRĀSANI TRĀSANI PRATIHANA PRATIHANA SARVA KARMA PARAMPARĀṆI ME SVĀHĀ}

^{Name Mantra of Akshobhya Buddha}

oṃ akṣobhya hūṃ

^{Family Seed Syllable}

^Hum

Family Summary

Mirror-like Wisdom and the Magic City in Lotus Sutra

Aksobhya’s wisdom is Mirrorlike Wisdom which overcomes the poison of anger.  Just as we think we see true reflections in a mirror, mirror-like wisdom helps us understand that ultimately what we think is relatively real is ultimately not as it seems. If we touch the reflection of the moon in the water, the ripples we create makes it dissapear. In this metaphor, if our mind is busy or stressed, we cannot see.

Thich Nhat Hanh, a renowned Zen Master taught the concept this way:

“The mind is like a sheet of water, calmly reflecting the reality as it is. When the water is still, it can hold the image of the reality exactly as it is, with no distortion”.

This metaphor also arises from the old superstitions that mirrors would not reflect evil or illusory beings. In western lore, like the vampire who cannot be seen reflected in a mirror.

The Magic City in Lotus Sutra

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. 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 tells the story:

“There is a road, five hundred yojanas long, steep, dangerous and bad, an uninhabited and terrifying place. A large group of people wish to travel this road to reach a cache of precious jewels.

Among them, there is a guide, intelligent, wise and clear-headed, who knows the road well, both its passable and impassable features, and who wishes to lead the group through this hardship.

Midway, the group he is leading grows weary and wishes to turn back. They say to the guide, “we are exhausted and afraid. We cannot go forward. It’s too far. We want to turn back now.”

Having had this thought, through his power, he manifests a spectacular city in the center of the dangerous road, three hundred yojanas in extent, and says to them,

“Do not be afraid. Do not turn back; Stay here now in this great city I have created just for you. If you go into this city, you will be happy and at peace. If you then wish to proceed to the jewel cache, you may do so.”

Then the exhausted group rejoiced greatly, having gained what they had never had.

“We have now escaped this bad road and gained happiness and peace.”

Then the group went forward and entered the transformed city; thinking that they had already been saved, they felt happy and at peace.

At that time, the guide, knowing that they were rested and no longer weary, made the city disappear, saying to them,

“All of you, come, let us go. The jewel cache is near. The great city was merely something I created from transformation to give you a rest.”

Shakyamuni finished the story of the illusory city of Akshobhya this way. He said to the monks:

“Bhikshus, the Thus Come One is also like this. He now acts as a great guide for all of you.

He knows that living beings should leave and cross over the evil road of the torments of birth and death which is so steep, difficult and long. He shall respond to and save them.”

The parable acts as a poignant reminder of the transient nature of our experiences and the value of spiritual enlightenment above worldly illusions, underpinning the importance of Akshobhya’s Mirrorlike Wisdom in assisting our navigation through life.

Their leader, who was Buddha Akshobhya, had this thought; “How pitiful they are. How can they renounce the great and precious treasure and wish to turn back?”

This unique wisdom offers us the invaluable tool of self-examination and awareness needed to transform and purify negative emotions, echoing the teachings of Mirror-Like Wisdom.

Transforming the Poison of Anger

“As Akshobhya, we acknowledge the hidden treasures of our anger… We are together, discovering that peace is not the absence of turmoil but the capacity to meet adversity with an open heart; we are learning to cultivate peace, not by eliminating aggression, but by seeing that it does not bind us, that we are not compelled to act it out.” — Pema Chödrön, a Buddhist teacher, nun, and prolific author.

Akshobhya’s Mirror-Like wisdom is an unshakable fortitude born of calm reflection, a quality from which Akshobhya derives his name.

Akshobhya cultivates inner serenity amidst a world of constant change and unpredictability, not in resistance to it. He shows us that our anger is only illusory, and how we can transform it into Wisdom.

• If you’re interested in online empowerment in this wonderful practice of Akshobhya Buddha, His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche has an empowerment recorded on Youtube here>>

• NOTE: His Eminence indicates that pre-recorded empowerments are valid and do not need to be live in the case of his empowerments from his lineage.

Anger and the Wrathful Deities

It is this association with transforming “anger” — and the expedient described in the Lotus Sutra in the story of the magic city — that gives rise to the powerful wrathful forms of Buddhas. Many of the ferocious aspects of enlightenment are blue, like Akshobhya. This is because, as Akshobhya’s parable demonstrated, even if we think something is real, it is ultimately empty. The city was refuge, until Akshobhya transformed it back into the road. Likewise, the ferocious, wrathful Buddhas transform from Emptiness.

As stated in the Heart Sutra, “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.” Akshobhya can manifest any form, expediently, like he created the magic city, but ultimately, it’s nature is Empty of self-arising reality.

This symbolizes that, despite their wrathful, furious appearance, these wrathful Buddhas who arise from the Vajra nature are both expedient means, and real in terms of our limited conceptual understandings.

Prayer to Akṣobhya

by Mipham Rinpoche

ཨེ་མ་ཧོ།

emaho

Emaho!

སྔོན་ཚེ་རྣམ་དག་ཐུགས་བསྐྱེད་སྨོན་ལམ་མཐུས། །

ngöntsé namdak tukkyé mönlam tü

Through the power of your pure past intentions and prayers of aspiration,

ད་ལྟ་ཤར་ཕྱོགས་མངོན་དགའི་ཞིང་མཆོག་ཏུ། །

danta sharchok ngöngé zhing chok tu

Now, to the east, in the supreme pureland of Abhirati—Manifest Joy,

མངོན་པར་སངས་རྒྱས་རྒྱལ་བ་མི་འཁྲུགས་པ། །

ngönpar sangye gyalwa mitrukpa

You are the fully awakened victorious one Akṣobhya,

འགྲོ་བའི་མགོན་པོ་ཁྱེད་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས། །

drowé gönpo khyé la solwa deb

Protector of beings—to you I pray.

ཁྱེད་ནི་སྟོབས་བཅུ་ལྡན་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་བརྙེས། །

khyé ni tob chu denpé yeshe nyé

You have found wisdom endowed with the ten powers

མ་ལུས་ཤེས་བྱ་ཡང་དག་ཇི་བཞིན་གཟིགས། །

malü sheja yangdak jizhin zik

And you see all that is knowable just as it is,

བདག་ནི་རྒ་ན་འཆི་སོགས་འཇིགས་པ་བརྒྱས། །

dak ni ga na chi sok jikpa gyé

While I am plagued by a hundred terrors, such as ageing and death.

མནར་བཞིན་ཁྱེད་ལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི་བ་གཟིགས། །

nar zhin khyé la kyab su chiwa zik

Look upon me now as I turn to you in search of refuge!

མགོན་པོ་ཁྱེད་ནི་མཐའ་ཡས་འགྲོ་བ་ལ། །

gönpo khyé ni tayé drowa la

Protector, you who gaze upon all infinite beings

སྙིང་རྗེ་ཆེན་པོས་གཟིགས་པ་ཡོལ་མི་མངའ། །

nyingjé chenpö zikpa yol mi nga

With great compassion and unimpeded vision,

བདག་ནི་ཤིན་ཏུ་ཉམ་ཐག་འཇིགས་ཆེན་གྱིས། །

dak ni shintu nyamtak jik chen gyi

Be a refuge to me, as I am utterly exhausted,

གསོར་མི་རུང་བར་མནར་ལ་སྐྱབས་མཛོད་ཅིག །

sor mi rungwar nar la kyab dzö chik

Hopelessly tormented by anxiety and dread.

དབང་བཅུའི་དབང་གིས་ཕྱུག་པའི་མགོན་པོ་ཁྱེད། །

wang chü wang gi chukpé gönpo khyé

Protector, equipped with the might of the ten powers

འགྲོ་ཀུན་སྐྱོབས་པའི་མཐུ་དང་ནུས་པའི་ཤུགས། །

dro kün kyobpé tu dang nüpé shuk

And the strength and capacity to protect all beings,

མཚུངས་པ་མེད་པ་རྡོ་རྗེའི་སྟོབས་མངའ་བས། །

tsungpa mepa dorjé tob ngawé

You who possess vajra fortitude beyond compare,

བདག་ལ་མྱུར་དུ་དབུགས་དབྱུང་མཆོག་སྩོལ་ཅིག །

dak la nyurdu ukyung chok tsol chik

Swiftly grant me the supreme release from suffering.

སེམས་ཅན་ལས་ཀྱི་མནར་བ་ཆོས་ཉིད་ཀྱང་། །

semchen lé kyi narwa chönyi kyang

It is the nature of things that beings suffer for their actions,

བདག་ནི་ལྷག་པར་ནད་དང་སྡུག་བསྔལ་དང་། །

dak ni lhakpar né dang dukngal dang

But I am excessively tormented by sickness and pain,

རྐྱེན་ངན་འཇིགས་པ་མི་བཟོད་དུ་མས་མནར། །

kyen ngen jikpa mi zö dumé nar

Adversity and unbearable anxiety and apprehension.

སྐྱབས་བྲལ་ཡི་ཆད་ཤིན་ཏུ་ཉམ་ཐག་གྱུར། །

kyabdral yiché shintu nyamtak gyur

Bereft am I of refuge, dispirited and fatigued.

དེ་ཕྱིར་རྨོངས་དང་ཐེ་ཚོམ་རྣམ་རྟོག་བརྒྱས། །

dechir mong dang tetsom namtok gyé

Thus, when I cry out to you in anguish and despair,

དཀྲུག་ནས་གདུང་བའི་འོ་དོད་འབོད་པ་ལ། །

truk né dungwé odö böpa la

Disturbed as I am by delusion, doubt and speculation,

གཟིགས་པ་སྒྲིབ་པ་མེད་པའི་མགོན་པོ་ཡིས། །

zikpa dribpa mepé gönpo yi

Please, O protector whose vision is unobstructed,

ཡེ་ཤེས་ཐུགས་རྗེས་མྱུར་དུ་དགོངས་པར་མཛོད། །

yeshe tukjé nyurdu gongpar dzö

Consider me swiftly in your compassionate wisdom.

འཇིགས་དང་སྡུག་བསྔལ་འདི་ནས་དབུགས་དབྱུང་ནས། །

jik dang dukngal di né ukyung né

Once I am relieved of this anxiety and suffering,

འཇིགས་མེད་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོ་ཐོབ་པ་དང་། །

jikme dewa chenpo tobpa dang

May I discover the jubilation of freedom from fear,

རང་གཞན་དོན་གཉིས་ལྷུན་གྱིས་གྲུབ་པ་ཡི། །

rangzhen dön nyi lhün gyi drubpa yi

And may you confer the great celebratory attainment

དངོས་གྲུབ་ཆེན་པོའི་དགའ་སྟོན་ཉེ་བར་སྩོལ། །

ngödrub chenpö gatön nyewar tsol

Of spontaneously accomplishing my own and others’ aims.

ལྕགས་གླང་ཟླ་ ༡ ཚེས་ ༣ ལ་མི་ཕམ་པས་སྦྱར་བའོ།། །།མངྒ་ལཾ།། །།

Mipham composed this on the third day of the first month of the Iron Ox year. Maṅgalam.

Vajra Family Blue for Emptiness and Water

They are blue, to connote Emptiness, and the cooling nature of Mirror-Like Wisdom. This is symbolized by water.  In the metaphor of the ocean in Buddhism, Buddhat teaches that a drop of water appears to be a “drop of water” until it becomes rain, then joins the stream, then joins the ocean. It’s ultimate nature is greater than the “drop of water.”

Vajra Family: Mirror-Like Wisdom and the Purification of Reflection

The term ‘mirror-like’ refers to the ability to see reality as it is, without distortion. It is the wisdom that provides clarity and forestalls the mind’s tendency to ‘color’ perceptions with personal biases, fears, and desires. Akshobhya’s mirror-like wisdom emblematically manifests in the ability to differentiate between reality and illusion, offering an unwavering gaze at the nature of existence^[2].

Purification, at its core, revolves around releasing ourselves from these distorted perceptions — it is about cleansing the ‘mirror’ of the mind, enabling a fresher, cleaner reflection of reality. The practice adopted by the Vajra Family harnesses the purification power of self-reflection, where one contemplates their actions and motivations, aiming to eliminate harmful behavior and nurture positive habits^[3].

Incorporating this approach into your everyday life can be transformative. Self-reflection fosters a deeper understanding of oneself and the world, paving the way for improved emotional health, well-being, and ultimately, spiritual liberation.^[4]

So, as you immerse yourself in the teachings and practices of the Vajra Family, anticipate a stimulating journey that explores the depths of mirror-like wisdom, and invites you to embark on a path of purification through the power of reflection.

Lochana: The Wisdom Mother of the Vajra Family

Lochana, also referred to as Akashadhāteshvarī, is the wisdom consort or the spiritual partner of Akshobhya Buddha. She embodies the mirror-like wisdom aspect of Vajra family, embodying clear, unceasing awareness.

Lochana’s name itself exemplifies her role. ‘Lochana’ means ‘The Eye’ or ‘Seer’, signifying the power of visual understanding and wisdom. She is recognized as an enlightened being who mirrors the immense purity of the universe. Her wisdom transcends ordinary understanding and provides a glimpse into the unsullied reality.

In visual depictions, Lochana is often color-coordinated with Akshobhya, daughter of the nadir, adorned in royal-blue attire reflecting the purification virtues of the Vajra family. She places her right hand in the Bhumisparsa mudra (the earth touching gesture), while her left-hand cradles a vajra-topped lotus, encompassing the traditional representation of mirror-like wisdom.

Lochana’s role is vital to the understanding and spiritual practice within the Vajra family. Meditating on Lochana supports nurturing a tranquil mind and enhancing wisdom. Engaging with Lochana’s symbolic characteristics can assist in liberating oneself from negative emotions and deep-seated ignorance, leading towards the path of enlightenment.

The Dynamic Symbol of the Family: Diamond Vajra

The vajra, or diamond sceptre, is a potent emblem for the Vajra family. It symbolizes the unyielding nature of their commitment to wisdom and compassion, and their ability to cut through ignorance to attain enlightenment. Etymologically, ‘vajra’ in Sanskrit denotes both ‘thunderbolt’ and ‘diamond,’ extending its symbolism to embody the formidable power of the enlightened mind and the durability of wisdom that can’t be destroyed.

The vajra in the context of the Vajra Buddha Family is normally either five or nine pronged. When five pronged it is five prongs on each end, with one side representing the five Buddhas and the other end representing the five Mothers. It is the ultimate symbol of Power and Wisdom in Vajrayana Buddhism.

In Vajrayana practice, the vajra often finds utility as a ritual implement, held in the right hand to symbolize method, while a bell in the left hand stands for wisdom. The vajra and bell together symbolize the inseparability of compassion and wisdom, culminating in the path towards enlightenment.  See our in-depth feature on the Bell and Vajra here>>

The Impactful Role of Vajrapani in the Vajra Family

Steeped in Buddhist lore and recognized for his immense power and relentless dedication to the Dharma, Vajrapani stands as a venerated figure within the spiritual framework of the Vajra family. As a Bodhisattva, his role extends beyond mere symbolism, serving as a beacon of strength, martial ferocity and spiritual enlightenment.

Vajrapani, artistically depicted wielding the Vajra, encapsulates an embodiment of power that transcends mortal understanding. The Vajra, a diamond sceptre, symbolizes indestructible strength and the immutable truth of the Buddha’s teachings. Through Vajrapani, the Vajra transforms from a static symbol into a dynamic, spiritual force.

Vajrapani’s representation, clothed in warrior’s armor, and enflamed with spiritual intensity, captures the unyielding fight against delusions and the fundamental ignorance that binds all beings to the cycle of Samsara. Despite his wrathful appearance, his goal is ultimately benevolent, aiming to break the chains of delusion and free sentient beings from their suffering.

As a part of the Vajra family, Vajrapani embodies the mirror-like wisdom of this Buddha clan, the Providence of purification and reflection. His fierce dedication to slicing through delusion mirrors the unyielding nature of Akshobhya Buddha’s teachings, and his unwavering commitment to the enlightenment of all sentient beings reflects the compassionate heart of this Buddhist dynasty.

Buddhist practitioners who follow the Vajrapani path often engage in intense spiritual practices. They make use of visualizations and meditations centered on Vajrapani’s iconic image, focusing on the elements of strength, tenacity, and unyielding resolve that he represents. This process helps practitioners develop their own inner strength, equipping them to handle the challenges of life and spiritual pursuit.

See our in-depth documentary video on Vajrapani here>>

A Daily Practice of Buddha Akṣobhya

by Karma Chakmé

 NOTE: THE TEXT HERE IS CHANGED FROM KARMA CHAKME’s TEXT TO SAY “I visualize Bhagavan Akshobhya in front of me” to make this a frontal generation. If you have empowerment and instruction you can state this as written by Kamra Chakme “I visualize myself as Bhagavan Akshobya.”

རང་ཉིད་བཅོམ་ལྡན་མི་འཁྲུགས་པ། །

rangnyi chomden mitrukpa

I visualize  the Bhagavān Akṣobhya in front of me,  (as written it is “I visualize myself as Bhagava Akshobya — which you may recite and visualize if you have empowerment.)

སྤྲུལ་སྐུའི་ཆ་ལུགས་མཚན་དཔེ་རྫོགས། །

tulkü chaluk tsenpé dzok

Complete with the major and minor marks and in nirmāṇakāya garb,

གླང་པོའི་ཁྲི་ལ་བཞུགས་པར་བསྒོམ། །

langpö tri la zhukpar gom

And seated upon a throne supported by elephants.

ཐུགས་ཀར་ཟླ་སྟེང་ཧཱུྃ་མཐིང་མཐར། །

tukkar da teng hung ting tar

At his heart, upon a moon-disc, is a blue hūṃ,

གཟུངས་ཀྱིས་གཡས་སུ་བསྐོར་བ་ལས། །

zung kyi yé su korwa lé

Around which the mantra rotates to the right,

འོད་ཟེར་མཐིང་ཁ་རབ་འཕྲོས་པས། །

özer tingkha rab tröpé

Sending out powerful rays of deep blue light.

ཚེ་འདས་ཐོགས་དྲངས་འགྲོ་ཀུན་གྱི། །

tsedé tok drang dro kün gyi

Through this, I visualize, the karmic obscurations

ལས་ཀྱི་སྒྲིབ་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ནི། །

lé kyi dribpa tamché ni

Of all sentient beings, especially of those who have passed away,

བ་མོར་ཉི་ཟེར་ཕོག་ལྟར་བསྒོམ། །

bamor nyizer pok tar gom

Disappear entirely, just like frost in sunlight!

ན་མོ་རཏྣ་ཏྲ་ཡ་ཡཱ། ཨོཾ་ཀཾ་ཀ་ནི་ཀཾ་ཀ་ནི། རོ་ཙ་ནི་རོ་ཙ་ནི། ཏྲོ་ཊ་ནི་ཏྲོ་ཊ་ནི། ཏྲཱ་ས་ནི་ཏྲཱ་ས་ནི། པྲ་ཏི་ཧ་ན་པྲ་ཏི་ཧ་ན། སརྦ་ཀརྨ་པ་རཾ་པ་ར་ཎི་མེ་སརྦ་སཏྭཱ་ནཱཉྩ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ།

namo ratna trayaya | om kamkani kamkani | rotsani rotsani | trotani trotani | trasani trasani | tratihana tratihana | sarwa karma paramparanimé sarwa satananytsa soha

namo ratnatrayayā | oṃ kaṃkani kaṃkani | rocani rocani | troṭani troṭani | trāsani trāsani | pratihana pratihana | sarva karma paraṃpāraṇime sarva satvānāñca svāhā

ཨ་རཱ་གས་སྦྱར་བའོ༎ ༎

Composed by Arāga.

NOTES

^[1] Mikyopa, T. (2003). Akshobhya, The Mirror to Our Souls. Vajrayna.

^[2] Kamalashila’s Bhavanakrama (stages of meditation, 9th century). (n.d.). Vajrayana.

^[3] Sutras, V. (n.d.). Visualization Sutras. Vajrayana.

[4] Ven Tulku Yeshi Gyatso Rinpoche https://www.sakya.org/2010/12/dharma-lecture-the-vajrapani-practice/

[5] The Dharani that Thoroughly Purifies Karmic Obscurations is a Sutra that contains the dharani mantra

Of the four Holy Days dedicated to Shakyamuni Buddha each year,  Chokhor Duchen, the “First Teaching” celebration — the first turning of the Wheel of Dharma — is the most important. This year in Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, it is celebrated on July 9 or 10, 2024, depending on your lunar calendar. FPMT calculates it as July 10, while some other centres have it as July 9 — due to lunar skip days. There are also time-zone differences. The important thing is to celebrate the first teaching!

In Buddhism, we take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, but the Dharma — the teachings (Dharma) — is considered the most important. The true refuge is in Buddha’s teachings and the conduct and practices he taught — and no teaching was more important than the first discourse.

From FPMT website: “Chokhor Duchen, one of the four annual holy days of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, takes place this year on July 9 or July 10 depending on the various Tibetan calendars. Both days are fine.  On these holy days of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, the power of any meritorious action is multiplied by 100 million, as taught in the vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.”

In this feature, we explain the Holy Days and offer many meritorious practice recommendations for the most Holy of Days Chokhor Duchen. In this feature we offer dozens of practices, long and short, with links to other suggested practices from venerable teachers.

Chokhor Duchen commemorates the day when Buddha gave his first teaching, the turning of the Wheel of Dharma, at Sarnath. It is also known as Sangha Day, because it celebrates the founding of the Buddhist monastic order.

According to Lama Zopa: “Chokhor Duchen, one of the four annual holy days of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, takes place on the 4th day of the 6th Tibetan lunar month. On these holy days, the power of any meritorious action is multiplied by 100 million, as taught in the vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.”

Reciting Sutras is Highly Meritorious on Buddha Days:

Reciting Sutras — Highly Meritorious on Buddha Days!

Among the most auspicious and meritorious of practices on Buddha Days is recitation of Sutras. This can be in Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, English, or any language.

Two of the most meritorious are the Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels and the Heart Sutra. We have recitations as videos in English and Sanskrit embedded throughout this feature, starting with the Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels, which is recommended by Lama Zopa for Buddha Days:

• Don’t miss the verified timeline of Shakyamuni Buddha’s life in the section below “Buddha’s Life” with dates or in the video below:

Extra merit for practices on Chokhor Duchen

On Chokhor Duchen, we celebrate by doing extra practices and dedication for the benefit of all beings. This can include reciting sutras, making offerings to the Sangha, practicing bodhichitta — the mind of awakening — and giving charity. [At the end of this feature, we excerpted some valuable practices for recitation on the Holy Day August 1, with links to extensive other practices.]

When we dedicate our actions on Chokhor Duchen to others, we create powerful merit that will help them in this life and in future lives. If you’ve been thinking about taking up a new practice or making a change in your life, Chokhor Duchen is an excellent day to start.

No matter what you do on Chokhor Duchen, the most important thing is to remember the spirit of the day: giving and benefiting others. When we focus on others, our own happiness naturally increases. So take some time on August 1st to think about how you can benefit others, and make it a special day for everyone.

As one of the four major days celebrating the shining life of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Conqueror, according to sutra, the merit of all practices is multiplied at least 100,000 times.

The one overwhelming theme of Chokhor Duchen is joy, life affirmation, and compassion for all beings.

This is why we might eat a vegetarian meal — to honor our fellow sentient beings — or engage in acts of charity or kindness. On this day, most Buddhists — and non-Buddhists to honour the day of compassion — will typically engage in the five lay precepts, to paraphrase them concisely:

• Refrain from taking life (hence vegan for the day!)
• Refrain from taking what is not given.
• Refrain from misuse of all our senses.
• Refrain from wrong speech (gossip, lies, and so on)
• Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind.

[See section “Precepts” below for more detail.]

The First Teaching, Meet the Buddha in Deer Park: Video

In a lovely video, our editor visualizes “stumbling on the Buddha” in Deer Park and eavesdropping on the first turning of the Wheel of Dharma. Don’t miss this lovely visualization:

Practices to honor Chokhor Duchen

Some practices recommended by teachers for this very special day, which falls on August 1st this year include :

1. Chanting Sutras  [Why reciting sutras out loud is important feature>>]

Chanting the Heart Sutra, here in English (Sanskrit version above):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yvs8B9KQjU

2. Making Offerings to Sangha

3. Practicing Bodhichitta  [For a feature on Bodhichitta, see>>]

4. Giving Charity

5. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts

6. Doing a Water Bowl Offering Ceremony. [For a feature on Water Bowl practices, see>>]

7. Developing the Paramita of Wisdom by Studying Dharma Texts

8. Doing Prostrations to the Buddha or Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels. [Why taking refuge is important>>]

1. Chanting Sutras

The recitation of certain sutras is believed to be very powerful on this day, such as The Sutra of Golden Light, The Heart Sutra and The Diamond Sutra. Chanting these texts can create tremendous merit and help purify negativities. You could also chant the teaching on the Eightfold Path — translated below in the section “Teaching on the Eightfold Path.”

It is a wonderful practice to chant short sutras, such as the magnificent Heart Sutra. Here’s a lovely Sangha chanting of the Heart Sutra by the Sangha of Khyentse Foundation, with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche [For the Heart Sutra “chant along” text see Appendix: Heart Sutra below]:

2. Making Offerings to Sangha

On Chokhor Duchen, we remember the importance of the monastic order and make offerings to them. This can be done in many ways, such as offering food, clothes or money. It’s also important to remember that the offering doesn’t have to be material — it can be something as simple as offering a smile or lending a helping hand.

3. Practicing Bodhichitta

Bodhichitta is the mind of awakening, and on Chokhor Duchen we try to cultivate this precious attitude. There are many ways to do this, but one practice that is particularly effective is called “The Seven-Point Mind Training” (lojong in Tibetan). This practice helps us to develop compassion and love for all beings, even those who seem difficult to love.

• For a feature on the King of Prayers and Bodhichitta>>

Reciting the King of Prayers is a strong Bodhichitta practice (here in Sanskrit with English translations):

4. Giving Charity

On Chokhor Duchen, we remember the importance of giving and helping those in need. This can be done in many ways, such as giving money, food or clothes to those who are less fortunate. It’s also important to remember that charity doesn’t have to be material — it can be something as simple as offering a kind word or lending a helping hand.

5. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts for the Day

The Eight Mahayana Precepts are a set of guidelines for ethical living, and on Chokhor Duchen we take them especially seriously. This is because the precepts help us to purify our negativities and cultivate positive actions. Taking the precepts is an excellent way to make our Chokhor Duchen celebration more meaningful. Lay practitioners normally follow five lay precepts, but on Holy Days, it is recommended to follow all eight. [For a feature on the Eight Precepts, see “Precepts for the Holy Day” section below.]

6. Doing a Water Bowl Offering Ceremony

A water bowl offering ceremony is a practice in which we offer water to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. This practice helps us to purify our negativities and accumulate merit. It’s also a great way to show our respect for the Three Jewels. [For a feature on water bowl offering and its benefits, see>>]

7. Developing the Paramita of Wisdom by Studying Dharma Texts

The paramita of wisdom refers to the perfection of wisdom, and on Chokhor Duchen we especially focus on developing this quality. One way to do this is by studying Dharma texts. This helps us to understand the teachings of the Buddha and put them into practice in our own lives. One text to study, of course, on his day, would be the Prajnaparamita Sutras themselves, and especially the short Heart Sutra.

• For a feature on the Heart Sutra, see>>
• Heart Sutra text>>
• For a feature on the benefits or reading sutras out loud, see>>

8. Doing Prostrations to the Buddha or Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels

On Chokhor Duchen, we remember the importance of taking refuge in the Three Jewels — the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. This can be done in many ways, but one particularly effective way is by doing prostrations to the Buddha. Prostrating helps us to develop a sense of respect and humility, which are essential qualities for taking refuge in the Three Jewels.

Taking Refuge and Bodhichitta (daily practice, but extremely meritorious on Buddha Day) chanted in Tibetan by Yoko Dharma:

No matter what you do on Chokhor Duchen, the most important thing is to remember the spirit of the day — to benefit others and yourself. By practicing bodhichitta and living in accordance with the precepts, we can create tremendous merit and make our Chokhor Duchen celebration truly meaningful.

No time for other practices? Chant Shakyamuni’s mantra

If you have no time for other practices, throughout the day, simply chant Shakyamuni Buddha’s mantra, while keeping your mind focused on the Great Conqueror. Of course, ideally, on such a Holy Day, more extensive practices are recommended.

Shakyamuni Mantra Video

Here is a beautiful Sanskrit version, 1 hour of full chanting of Shakyamuni Buddha’s Mantra. The mantra is

Om Muni Muni Mahamuni Shakyamuni Svaha

This translates as “Homage to the Sage, the Sage, the Great Sage Shakyamuni, Well Said.” and is considered a highly meritiorious practice. If we combine with prostrations, or accumulations of mantras for dedication of the merit for the benefit of all sentient beings, it is considered the most precious of practices:

Here’s is a beautiful video with chanting of the mantra in Tibetan Style (Soha instead of Svaha) by the amazing Yoko Dharma:

The Precepts for the Holy Day

Any day, a devout practicing Buddhist tries to observe the five precepts — ideally recite them aloud, then follow them for the day at least:

1. “I undertake the training-precept to abstain from onslaught on breathing beings.” (Pali: Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.)
2. “I undertake the training-precept to abstain from taking what is not given.” (Pali: Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.)
3. “I undertake the training-precept to abstain from misconduct concerning sense-pleasures.” (Pali: Kāmesumicchācāra veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.)
4. “I undertake the training-precept to abstain from false speech.” (Pali: Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.)
5. “I undertake the training-precept to abstain from alcoholic drink or drugs that are an opportunity for heedlessness.” (Pali: Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi.)

However, the devout Buddhist who is a lay practitioner — on days such as Wesak — usually tries to observe the Eight Precepts of ordained Buddhists for the day, as training in morality and humility.

The remaining three precepts

The remaining three precepts, for special days (or ordained practitioners all of the time), would be:
6.    I undertake to abstain from eating at the wrong time — the correct time is after sunrise but before noon.
7.    I undertake to abstain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainment performances, wearing perfume, and using cosmetics and garlands or decorations.
8.    I undertake to abstain from luxurious places for sitting or sleeping, and overindulging in sleep.

Buddha’s Previous Lives: Video

For all family members, gathering together to read the beautiful Jataka Tales — the previous lives of the Buddha — is a time-honored tradition. Or, watch one in our series of Jataka tales narrated and visualized in this video:

Shakyamuni Buddha Practices

Specific practices and pujas or prayers honoring the glorious Buddha Shakyamuni Buddha can be found freely available online, for example, this excellent resource at Lotsawa House (available in multiple languages)>>

Homage to all the Enlightened Ones: Prayer and Mantras

Another important practice for Holy Days is to give Homage to all the Enlightened Ones with their mantras. For this, the Homage to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas together with their Mantras by Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche is a valuable, short practice. Rinpoche himself recommended this practice for all Holy Days and especially “and on the four great anniversaries of our Teacher Śākyamuni.”

༄༅། །རྒྱལ་བ་སྲས་དང་བཅས་པའི་མཚན་ཕྱག་འགའ་ཞིག་མཆོག་དམན་ཀུན་གྱི་ཞལ་འདོན་དུ་བསྒྲིགས་པ་བཞུགས་སོ། །

Verses of Homage to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas Together with their Mantras Arranged for Recitation by Practitioners of All Levels

by Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche

༈ བདག་ཅག་གི་སྟོན་པ་ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཅན་ཤཱཀྱ་ཐུབ་པའི་ནི།

Our Compassionate Teacher, Śākyamuni

སྙིང་རྗེ་ཆེན་པོས་རྩོད་ལྡན་སྙིགས་མའི་ཞིང༌། །

nyingjé chenpö tsöden nyikmé zhing

With your great compassion, you embraced this turbulent and degenerate world,

བཟུང་ནས་སྨོན་ལམ་ཆེན་པོ་ལྔ་བརྒྱ་བཏབ། །

zung né mönlam chenpo ngabgya tab

And made five hundred mighty aspirations.

པད་དཀར་ལྟར་བསྔགས་མཚན་ཐོས་ཕྱིར་མི་ལྡོག །

pekar tar ngak tsen tö chir mindok

You are as exalted as the white lotus; whoever hears your name shall never return to saṃsāra—

སྟོན་པ་ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཅན་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

tönpa tukjé chen la chaktsal lo

Most compassionate teacher, to you I pay homage!

བླ་མ་སྟོན་པ་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ་ཡང་དག་པར་རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས་དཔལ་རྒྱལ་བ་ཤཱཀྱ་ཐུབ་པ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

lama tönpa chomdendé dezhin shekpa drachompa yangdakpar dzokpé sangye pal gyalwa shakya tubpa la chaktsal lo

Supreme teacher, bhagavān, tathāgata, arhat, complete and perfect buddha, glorious conqueror, Śākyamuni, to you I bow! To you I pay homage!

མཆོད་དོ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆིའོ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

chö do kyab su chi o

In you I take refuge!

བྱིན་གྱིས་བརླབ་ཏུ་གསོལ། །

jingyi lab tu sol

Grant your blessings, I pray!

ཏདྱ་ཐཱ། ཨོཾ་མུ་ནེ་མུ་ནེ་མ་ཧཱ་མུ་ན་ཡེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ།

teyata om muné muné maha munayé soha

tadyathā oṃ mune mune mahāmunaye svāhā

༈ དཔལ་རྡོ་རྗེ་སེམས་དཔའ་ནི།

Glorious Vajrasattva

མི་རྟོག་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཐབས་ཀྱི་ཡེ་ཤེས་ནི། །

mintok dorjé tap kyi yeshe ni

You are the primordial awareness of skilful means—the indestructible state beyond all concepts,

དམིགས་མེད་ཤེས་རབ་ཡུམ་གྱི་ངང་དུ་རྟོགས། །

mikmé sherab yum gyi ngang du tok

Realized in the nature of the Great Mother, transcendental wisdom free from any reference,

ཐུགས་རྗེའི་བྱེ་བྲག་སྣ་ཚོགས་ཅིར་ཡང་སྟོན། །

tukjéi chedrak natsok chir yang tön

Displaying your compassion, in all its variety, in every kind of way—

རྡོ་རྗེ་སེམས་དཔའ་ཆེ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །ཅེས་དང་།

dorjé sempa ché la chak tsal lo

O Great Vajrasattva, to you I pay homage!

ཨོཾ་བཛྲ་སཏྭ་ཨཱཿ ཞེས་སོ། །

om benza sato ah

oṃ vajrasattva āḥ

༈ བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཚེ་དང་ཡེ་ཤེས་དཔག་ཏུ་མེད་པའི་ནི།

Amitāyus, Buddha of Limitless Life and Wisdom

འཇིག་རྟེན་འདྲེན་པའི་གཙོ་བོ་ཚེ་དཔག་མེད། །

jikten drenpé tsowo tsepakmé

Buddha of Infinite Life, foremost guide for beings in this world,

དུས་མིན་འཆི་བ་མ་ལུས་འཇོམས་པའི་དཔལ། །

dü min chiwa malü jompé pal

Your glory overcomes all untimely death,

མགོན་མེད་སྡུག་བསྔལ་གྱུར་པ་རྣམས་ཀྱི་སྐྱབས། །

gönmé dukngal gyurpa nam kyi kyab

You are a refuge for those of us who suffer without protection—

སངས་རྒྱས་ཚེ་དཔག་མེད་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

sangye tsepakmé la chak tsal lo

To you, Buddha Amitāyus, I pay homage!

ཨོཾ་ཨ་མ་ར་ཎི་ཛཱི་ཝནྟི་ཡེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ། ཞེས་སོ། །

om amarani dziwenti ye soha

oṃ amaraṇi jīvantaye svāhā

༈ འོད་དཔག་མེད་ནི།

Amitābha, Buddha of Limitless Light

བདེ་ཆེན་ཞིང་དུ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་འཁོར་ལོ་བསྐོར། །

dechen zhing du chö kyi khorlo kor

In the realm of Sukhāvatī, you turn the wheel of Dharma,

སེམས་ཅན་རྣམས་ལ་རྟག་ཏུ་ཐུགས་རྗེས་གཟིགས། །

semchen nam la taktu tukjé zik

Gazing on living beings with all your compassion,

དམ་བཅའ་ཇི་བཞིན་འགྲོ་བའི་དོན་མཛད་པ། །

damcha jizhin drowé tön dzepa

And acting for their benefit, just as you vowed—

སྣང་མཐའ་མཉམ་བཞག་མཛད་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །ཅེས་དང་།

nang ta nyamzhak dze la chak tsal lo

To you, Amitābha resting in meditation, I pay homage!

ཨོཾ་ཨ་མི་དྷེ་ཝ་ཧྲཱིཿ ཞེས་སོ། །

om amidhewa hrih

oṃ amitābha¹ hrīḥ

༈ རིན་ཆེན་གཙུག་ཏོར་ཅན་གྱི་ནི།

Buddha Ratnaśikhin

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ་ཡང་དག་པར་རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས་རིན་ཆེན་གཙུག་ཏོར་ཅན་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

chomdendé deshin shekpa drachompa yangdakpar dzokpé sangye rinchen tsuktor chen la chak tsal lo

Bhagavān, tathāgata, arhat, complete and perfect buddha, Ratnaśikhin, to you I bow! To you I pay homage!

མཆོད་དོ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆིའོ།  །ཞེས་དང༌།

chö do kyab su chi o

In you I take refuge!

བྱིན་གྱིས་བརླབ་ཏུ་གསོལ། །

jingyi lab tu sol

Grant your blessings, I pray!

ཏདྱ་ཐཱ། རཏྣེ་རཏྣེ་རཏྣ་ཤི་ཁེ་ནེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ།  ཞེས་སོ། །

teyata ratné ratné ratna shikhene soha

tadyathā ratna ratna ratnaśikhene svāhā

༈ བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་སྨན་གྱི་བླའི་ནི།

Blessed Bhaiṣajya Guru, Buddha of Medicine

ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཀུན་ལ་སྙོམས་པའི་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས། །

tukjé kün la nyompé chomdendé

Blessed one, whose compassion for all is equal,

མཚན་ཙམ་ཐོས་པས་ངན་འགྲོའི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་སེལ། །

tsen tsam töpé ngendro dukngal sel

Simply hearing your name dispels the suffering of lower realms,

དུག་གསུམ་ནད་སེལ་སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་གྱི་བླ། །

duk sum nesel sangye men gyi la

Buddha of Medicine, you who heal the sickness of the three poisons—

བཻ་ཌཱུརྻ་ཡི་འོད་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

bendurya yi ö la chak tsal lo

Light of Lapis Lazuli, to you I pay homage!

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་དགྲ་བཅོམ་པ་ཡང་དག་པར་རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་གྱི་བླ་བཻ་ཌཱུརྻ་འོད་ཀྱི་རྒྱལ་པོ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

chomdendé dezhin shekpa drachompa yangdakpar dzokpé sangye men gyi la bendurya ö kyi gyalpo la chaktsal lo

Bhagavān, tathāgata, arhat, complete and perfect buddha, Buddha of Medicine, Radiant Light of Lapis Lazuli King, to you I bow! To you I pay homage!

མཆོད་དོ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆིའོ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

chö do kyap su chi o

In you I take refuge!

ཏ་དྱ་ཐཱ༔ ཨོཾ་བྷཻ་ཥ་ཛྱེ་བྷཻ་ཥ་ཛྱེ་མ་ཧཱ་བྷཻ་ཥ་ཛྱེ་བྷཻ་ཥ་ཛྱེ༔ རཱ་ཛ་ས་མུདྒ་ཏེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ༔

teyata | om bhekandze bhekandze maha bekhandze bhekandze | radza samudgaté soha

tadyathā oṃ bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajye mahābhaiṣajye bhaiṣajyarājasamudgate svāhā

ཞེས་གཟུངས་སྔགས་ཅི་འགྲུབ་བཟླ༔

༈ རྒྱལ་ཚབ་བྱམས་པ་མགོན་པོའི་ནི།

Buddha’s Regent, the Protector Maitreya

བྱམས་ཆེན་མེ་ཡིས་ཞེ་སྡང་བུད་ཤིང་བསྲེགས། །

cham chen mé yi zhe dang bü zhing sek

The fire of your great love burns up the dry wood of hate,

ཡེ་ཤེས་འོད་ཀྱིས་མ་རིག་མུན་པ་སེལ། །

yeshe ö kyi marik münpa sel

The light of your wisdom dispels the darkness of ignorance,

ཆོས་ཀྱི་རྒྱལ་ཚབ་འགྲོ་བའི་མགོན་གྱུར་པའི། །

chö kyi gyaltsap drowé gön gyurpé

Dharma regent, protector of all living beings,

དགའ་ལྡན་བཞུགས་པ་དེ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

ganden zhukpa de la chak tsal lo

Who dwells in the Tuṣita heaven—to you I pay homage!

ཨོཾ་མ་ཏི་མ་ཏི་སྨྲྀ་ཏི་སྭཱ་ཧཱ། ཞེས་སོ། །

om mati mati smriti soha

oṃ mati mati smṛti svāhā

༈ འཕགས་པ་སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་ཀྱི་ནི།

Noble Avalokiteśvara

ཕྱག་སྟོང་འཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་སྟོང༌། །

chak tong korlö gyurpé gyalpo tong

Your thousand arms are the thousand universal monarchs,

སྤྱན་སྟོང་བསྐལ་པ་བཟང་པོའི་སངས་རྒྱས་སྟོང༌། །

chen tong kalpa zangpöi sangye tong

Your thousand eyes the thousand buddhas of this fortunate age,

གང་ལ་གང་འདུལ་དེ་ལ་དེར་སྟོན་པའི། །

gang la gang dul dela der tönpé

You who teach each and every one of us according to our needs,

བཙུན་པ་སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

tsünpa chenrezik la chak tsal lo

Lord Avalokiteśvara, to you I pay homage!

ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པདྨེ་ཧཱུྂ་ཧྲཱིཿ

om mani pemé hung hrih

oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ hrīḥ

ཞེས་སྦྱར་ནའང་རུང་བར་གསུངས་སོ། །

It is said to be acceptable to add the final syllable hrīḥ.

༈ རྗེ་བཙུན་འཕགས་པ་འཇམ་དཔལ་དབྱངས་ཀྱི་ནི།

Noble Lord Mañjuśrī

ཤེས་བྱའི་མཁའ་དབྱིངས་ཟབ་ཅིང་ཡངས་པ་ལ། །

shejé kha ying zap ching yangpa la

Across the skies of all that can be known, profound and infinite,

བློ་གྲོས་དཀྱིལ་འཁོར་རྒྱས་པའི་འོད་ཟེར་གྱིས། །

lodrö kyilkhor gyepé özer gyi

Shine vast rays of light from the sun of your intelligence,

སྐྱེ་དགུའི་མ་རིག་མུན་པའི་ཚོགས་བསལ་བ། །

kye güi marik münpé tsok salwa

Dispelling the darkness of ignorance in all beings’ minds—

རྗེ་བཙུན་འཇམ་དཔལ་དབྱངས་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

jetsün jampalyang la chak tsal lo

Lord Mañjughoṣa, to you I pay homage!

ཨོཾ་ཨ་ར་པ་ཙ་ན་དྷཱིཿ  ཞེས་སོ། །

om arapatsana dhih

oṃ arapacana dhīḥ

༈ རྡོ་རྗེ་རྣམ་འཇོམས་ནི།

Vajravidāraṇa

༈ གང་ཐུགས་གཉིས་སུ་མེད་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་ཀྱིས། །

gang tuk nyi su mepé yeshe kyi

With the non-dual wisdom of your enlightened mind,

རྡོ་རྗེ་རིན་ཆེན་ཀུན་ནས་འབར་བའི་མཐུས། །

dorjé rinchen kun nas barwé tü

And through the power of your blazing vajra and jewel,

བདུད་བཞིའི་སྟོབས་རྣམས་རྣམ་པར་འཇོམས་མཛད་པ། །

dü zhi top nam nampar jom dzepa

You vanquish completely the forces of the four māras,

རྡོ་རྗེ་རྣམ་པར་འཇོམས་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་བསྟོད། །ཞེས་དང༌།

dorjé nampar jom la chak tsal tö

Vajravidāraṇa, to you we offer homage and praise!

དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱི། །

deshin shekpa tamché kyi

All the buddhas’ power and strength

མཐུ་སྟོབས་གཅིག་ཏུ་འདུས་པའི་བདག །

tu top chiktu düpé dak

Is condensed within you alone,

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཁྲོ་བོའི་སྐུར་སྟོན་པ། །

dorjé trowöi kur tönpa

Who manifest as the enlightened form of vajra wrath—

རྣམ་པར་འཇོམས་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། ཞེས་དང་། །

nampar jom la chak tsal lo

Vajravidāraṇa, to you I pay homage!

ན་མཤྕཎྜ་བཛྲ་ཀྲོ་དྷ་ཡ། ཧུ་ལུ་ཧུ་ལུ། ཏིཥྛ་ཏིཥྛ། བྷནྡྷ་བྷནྡྷ། ཧ་ན་ཧ་ན། ཨ་མྲྀ་ཏེ་ཧཱུྃ་ཕཊ། ཞེས་སོ། །

namash chanda benza krodhaya | hulu hulu | tishtha tishtha | bhendha bhendha | hana hana | amrité hung pé

namaścaṇḍa vajrakrodhāya | hulu hulu | tiṣṭha tiṣṭha | bhandha bhandha | hana hana | amṛte hūṃ phaṭ

༈ འཕགས་མ་རྣམ་པར་རྒྱལ་མའི་ནི།

Noble Vijayā, Goddess of Victory

དཔལ་ལྡན་ལྷ་མོ་སྟོན་ཀའི་ཟླ་བའི་མདོག །

palden lhamo tönké dawé dok

Glorious goddess, your colour that of the autumn moon,

ཞལ་གསུམ་ཕྱག་བརྒྱད་རབ་མཛེས་ཞི་བའི་སྐུ། །

zhal sum chak gye rab dzé zhiwé ku

With three faces and eight arms, your form ravishing and serene,

ཡེ་ཤེས་དཔག་ཡས་ཚེ་ཡི་མཆོག་སྩོལ་མ། །

yeshe pakyé tsé yi chok tsolma

You grant the supreme gifts of longevity and boundless wisdom—

རྣམ་པར་རྒྱལ་མའི་ཞབས་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

nampar gyalmé zhap la chak tsal lo

Noble Vijayā, to you I pay homage!

ཨོཾ་ཨ་མྲྀ་ཏ་ཨཱ་ཡུརྡ་དེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ། ཞེས་སོ། །

om amrita ayurdadé soha

oṃ amṛtāyurdade svāhā

༈ རྗེ་བཙུན་འཕགས་མ་སྒྲོལ་མའི་ནི།

Noble Saviouress Tārā

བདག་གིས་ཚེ་རབས་སྔོན་ནས་བསྒྲུབས་པའི་ལྷ། །

dak gi tserap ngön né druppé lha

Deity on whom I meditated in lives gone by,

དུས་གསུམ་སངས་རྒྱས་ཀུན་གྱི་ཕྲིན་ལས་མ། །

dü sum sangye kün gyi trinléma

You are the enlightened activity of all buddhas, past, present, and future,

རབ་དཀར་ཞལ་གཅིག་ཕྱག་གཉིས་སྤྱན་བདུན་མ། །

rap kar zhal chik chak nyi chen dün ma

Brilliant white, with your one face, two hands, and seven eyes,

ཡུམ་གྱུར་ཨུཏྤལ་བསྣམས་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

yum gyur utpala nam la chak tsal lo

Mother of the buddhas, holder of the utpala flower, to you I pay homage!

ཨོཾ་ཏཱ་རེ་ཏུཏྟཱ་རེ་ཏུ་རེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ། ཞེས་སོ། །

om taré tuttaré turé soha

oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā

༈ རྒྱལ་ཀུན་འདུས་ཞལ་གུ་རུའི་གསོལ་འདེབས་ནི།

Prayer to the Guru, the Embodiment of All the Buddhas

སྤྲུལ་པའི་གུ་རུ་མཚན་བརྒྱད་དང༌། །

trulpé guru tsen gyé dang

To the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche,

གྲུབ་པའི་རིག་འཛིན་ཆེན་པོ་བརྒྱད། །

druppé rigzin chenpo gyé

The eight great accomplished vidyādharas,

བྱང་སེམས་ཉེ་བའི་སྲས་བརྒྱད་དང༌། །

changsem nyewé sé gye dang

The eight great bodhisattvas, the ‘close sons’,

སྒྲུབ་ཆེན་བཀའ་བརྒྱད་ལྷ་ཚོགས་ལ། །

drupchen kagyé lha tsok la

The eight maṇḍalas of Kagyé with all their deities:

གསོལ་བ་འདེབས་སོ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། །

solwa depso chin gyi lop

To you I pray—inspire me with your blessings!

ཕྱི་ནང་གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་སོལ། །

chi nang sangwé barché sol

Dispel all obstacles outer, inner and secret!

བསམ་པ་ཡིད་བཞིན་འགྲུབ་པ་དང༌། །

sampa yizhin druppa dang

Fulfill all my aspirations!

མཆོག་དང་ཐུན་མོང་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ། །ཞེས་དང༌།

chok dang tünmong ngödrup tsol

Grant us attainments, ordinary and supreme!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྂ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྂ། ཞེས་སོ། །

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āḥ hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

༈ མཐར་དྲག་པོ་རྟ་ཕྱག་ཁྱུང་དྲིལ་གྱི་ནི།

Finally, the Wrathful Union of Hayagrīva, Vajrapāṇi and Garuḍa

ཕྱོགས་བཅུའི་རྒྱལ་བ་ཀུན་གྱི་སྐུ་གསུང་ཐུགས། །

chok chüi gyalwa kün gyi ku sung tuk

You are the wisdom body, speech and mind of all the buddhas of the ten directions,

བྱ་ཁྱུང་རྒྱལ་པོ་རྟ་མགྲིན་གསང་བའི་བདག །

cha khyung gyalpo tamdrin sangwé dak

The kingly Garuḍa, Hayagrīva and the Lord of Secrets

རང་བཞིན་གཅིག་ཏུ་ཉེར་བསྟན་ཁྲོ་བོའི་གཙོ། །

rangzhin chiktu nyer ten trowöi tso

Manifesting as one deity, foremost among the wrathful.

དྲན་པས་བགེགས་དཔུང་འཇོམས་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་བསྟོད། །ཞེས་དང༌།

drenpé gek pung jom la chak tsal tö

The very thought of you crushes obstructing forces—and to you I offer homage and praise!

ཨོཾ་བཛྲ་པཱ་ཎི་ཧ་ཡ་གྲཱྀ་བ་ག་རུ་ཌ་ཧཱུྂ་ཕཊ། ཅེས་སོ། །

om vajrapani hayagriva garuda hung pé

oṃ vajrapāṇi hayagrīva garuḍa hūṃ phaṭ

Dedication

དགེ་བ་འདི་ཡིས་མྱུར་དུ་བདག །

gewa di yi nyurdu dak

Through this merit, may I swiftly accomplish the realization

སྲས་བཅས་རྒྱལ་བ་འགྲུབ་གྱུར་ནས།  །

seché gyalwa drup gyur né

Of the buddhas and their bodhisattva heirs

འགྲོ་བ་གཅིག་ཀྱང་མ་ལུས་པ། །

drowa chik kyang malüpa

And may I bring each and every single living being

དེ་ཡི་ས་ལ་འགོད་པར་ཤོག །ཞེས་དང༌།

de yi sa la göpar shok

To that perfect state as well.

༈ བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་མཆོག་རིན་པོ་ཆེ། །

changchup sem chok rinpoche

Bodhicitta, precious and sublime:

མ་སྐྱེས་པ་རྣམས་སྐྱེས་པ་དང༌། །

makyepa nam kyepa dang

May it arise in those in whom it has not arisen;

སྐྱེས་པ་ཉམས་པ་མེད་པ་ཡང༌། །

kyepa nyampa mepa yang

May it never decline where it has arisen;

གོང་ནས་གོང་དུ་འཕེལ་བར་ཤོག །

gong né gong du pelwar shok

May it go on increasing, further and further!

༈ སྟོང་ཉིད་ལྟ་བ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ། །

tongnyi tawa rinpoche

The precious view of śūnyatā,

མ་རྟོགས་པ་རྣམས་རྟོགས་པ་དང༌། །

matokpa nam tokpa dang

May it be realized by those who have not realized it;

རྟོགས་པ་ཉམས་པ་མེད་པ་ཡང༌། །

tokpa nyampa mepa yang

May it never decline where it has been realized;

གོང་ནས་གོང་དུ་འཕེལ་བར་ཤོག །ཅེས་སོ། །

gong né gong du pelwar shok

May it go on increasing, further and further!

དེ་ལྟར་ཁོ་བོར་ཆོས་འབྲེལ་གསན་མཁན་རྣམས་ནས་ཉིན་རེ་བཞིན་ཡོངས་རྫོགས་གྲུབ་ན་རབ། དེ་མིན་གང་མོས་དང༌། ལྷག་པར་ཟླ་བ་འབྱུང་ངོ་ཅོག་གི་ཉ་སྟོང་བརྒྱད་གསུམ་སོགས་དང༌། སྟོན་པའི་དུས་ཆེན་ཁག་བཞི་སོགས་སུ་གང་འགྲུབ་པ་ཞལ་འདོན་དུ་མཛད་ཚེ་ཕན་ཡོན་ཚད་མེད་པ་འབྱུང་བ་ལགས་སོ་ཞེས་ཐལ་མོ་སྦྱར་པ་པོ་སྟེ། ཤཱཀྱའི་དགེ་སྦྱོང་ཀུན་རྨོངས་ཞྭ་དེའུ་པ་ངག་དབང་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས་སོ། །

For all of you who have received teachings from me and have a Dharma connection with me, it would be best to recite all these prayers and mantras every day. Otherwise, recite whichever you wish, especially on the 8th, 15th and 30th days of the lunar month, and on the four great anniversaries of our Teacher Śākyamuni. Whenever you do so, the benefit will be immeasurable. I, the Zhadeupa Ngawang Chökyi Lodrö, an ignorant monk of Śākyamuni, entreat you with folded hands.

ཤུབྷཾ།། །།སརྦ་མངྒ་ལཾ།།

Śubham. Sarva Maṅgalaṃ.

| Rigpa Translations 2011, revised 2016.

Vajrasattva Purification

Another practice recommended by various teachers in Tibetan Buddhism is Vajrasattva practice, sadhanas, pujas or mantras. Since merit is multiplied, it is important to take advantage of this opportunity to purify our negative karmas.

• See our previous feature on Vajrasattva here>>
• Video guided meditation on Vajrasattva here>>
• Podcast version of guided meditation on Vajrasattva here>>

Practices recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for these special days:

• Taking the eight Mahayana precepts: students can receive the lineage of these precepts from a specially produced video of Lama Zopa Rinpoche granting them, which was edited from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Teachings on Thought Transformation during the Time of COVID-19 and Practice Advice at Kopan Monastery recorded in May 2020.
• Reciting the Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels

Other recommended practices include:

• Performing the Guru Shakyamuni Buddha puja. A beautiful and deeply inspirational puja. The puja text is formatted with hyperlinks for smooth navigation, so that individuals can easily do the core practice and any additional ones as their time allows. (This puja was performed with Khandro Kunga Bhuma on Vesak Day 2022 at Losang Dragpa Centre in Malaysia, with its resident teacher, Geshe Jampa Tsondu, as chant master. You can watch this online, starting at 6:10 in the video.)
• Reciting sutras, such as Vajra Cutter Sutra, Sutra of Golden Light, and Sanghata Sutra
• Undertaking Nyung nes
• Performing self-initiation, for those who fulfilled the necessary prerequisites
• Performing Lama Chopa, and at either the beginning of the practice or during the lamrim section, you can meditate on emptiness
• Reciting other prayers, such as Chanting the Names of Manjushri, and King of Prayers
• Reciting the names of the Thirty-Five Buddhas, with prostrations
• Reciting Vajrasattva mantras
• Reciting OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ with bodhichitta
• Meditating on emptiness and dependent arising
• Meditating on bodhichitta
• Practicing tonglen
• Rejoicing
• Liberating animals [2]

Tonglen teaching visualization video

Tonglen is a visualized Bodhichitta practice that is considered very meritorious and beneficial for all sentient beings.

Enjoy this guided meditation on Tonglen:

From FPMT’s newsletter on Chokhor Duchen:

“Chokhor Duchen, one of the four annual holy days of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, takes place this year on August 1. On these holy days, the power of any meritorious action is multiplied by 100 million, as taught in the vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.”

Known in English as “Turning the Wheel of Dharma,” Chokhor Duchen commemorates the anniversary of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s first teaching. It is said that for seven weeks after his enlightenment, the Buddha did not teach. Afterward, Indra and Brahma offered a dharmachakra and a conch shell, and requested Guru Shakyamuni Buddha to teach. Accepting, Guru Shakyamuni Buddha turned the wheel of Dharma for the first time at Sarnath in his teaching on the four noble truths.”

Buddha’s First Teaching at Deer Park

These two extremes, monks, are not to be practiced

by one who has gone forth from the world.

What are the two?

That joined with the passions and luxury—

low, vulgar, common, ignoble, and useless,

and that joined with self-torture—

painful, ignoble, and useless.

Avoiding these two extremes the one who has thus come

has gained the enlightenment of the middle path,

which produces insight and knowledge,

and leads to peace, wisdom, enlightenment, and nirvana.

And what, monks, is the middle path, by which

the one who has thus come has gained enlightenment,

which produces knowledge and insight,

and leads to peace, wisdom, enlightenment, and nirvana?

This is the noble eightfold way, namely,

right understanding, right intention,

right speech, right action, right livelihood,

right attention, right concentration,

and right meditation.

This, monks, is the middle path, by which

the one who has thus come has gained enlightenment,

which produces insight and knowledge,

and leads to peace, wisdom, enlightenment, and nirvana.

Now this, monks, is the noble truth of pain:

birth is painful; old age is painful;

sickness is painful; death is painful;

sorrow, lamentation, dejection, and despair are painful.

Contact with unpleasant things is painful;

not getting what one wishes is painful.

In short the five groups of grasping are painful.

Now this, monks, is the noble truth of the cause of pain:

the craving, which leads to rebirth,

combined with pleasure and lust,

finding pleasure here and there,

namely the craving for passion,

the craving for existence,

and the craving for non-existence.

Now this, monks, is the noble truth

of the cessation of pain:

the cessation without a remainder of craving,

the abandonment, forsaking, release, and non-attachment.

Now this, monks, is the noble truth

of the way that leads to the cessation of pain:

this is the noble eightfold way, namely,

correct understanding, correct intention,

correct speech, correct action, correct livelihood,

correct attention, correct concentration,

and correct meditation.

“This is the noble truth of pain”:

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“This noble truth of pain must be comprehended.”

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“It has been comprehended.”

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“This is the noble truth of the cause of pain”:

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“The cause of pain must be abandoned.”

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“It has been abandoned.”

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“This is the noble truth of the cessation of pain”:

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“The cessation of pain must be realized.”

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“It has been realized.”

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“This is the noble truth

of the way that leads to the cessation of pain”:

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“The way must be practiced.”

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

“It has been practiced.”

Thus, monks, among doctrines unheard before,

in me insight, wisdom, knowledge, and light arose.

As long as in these four noble truths

my due knowledge and insight

with the three sections and twelve divisions

was not well purified, even so long, monks,

in the world with its gods, Mara, Brahma,

its beings with ascetics, priests, gods, and men,

I had not attained the highest complete enlightenment.

This I recognized.

And when, monks, in these four noble truths

my due knowledge and insight

with its three sections and twelve divisions

was well purified, then monks,

in the world with its gods, Mara, Brahma,

its beings with ascetics, priests, gods, and men,

I had attained the highest complete enlightenment.

This I recognized.

Knowledge arose in me;

insight arose that the release of my mind is unshakable:

this is my last existence;

now there is no rebirth.

Timeline of Buddha’s Life

Although earlier experts placed Buddha’s life at 490 B.C. to 410 B.C., the latest archeological evidence places Buddha’s Birth at 563 B.C. and his Paranirvana at 483 B.C. Dating relates to birth relics recently found, and his Paranirvana dates can be easily reinforced by his funeral relics scattered throughout India and Asia.

563 B.C. Conception to the Sakyas

Sakyamuni (Shakyamuni) Gautama Buddha’s conception — in much of Asia, conception is the celebratory date, rather than the actual date of birth. [2] Famously, Queen Maha Maya, Buddha’s mother, had a conception dream of a white elephant with six tusks descending from heaven to enter her womb. His title Sakyamuni (pronounced Shakyamuni) literally means ‘sage’ of the Sakyans — where Sakya was his father’s kingdom or oligarchic republic (located in modern-day Nepal). Muni literally means “sage.” Śākyamuni (शाक्यमुनि) is title of Buddha fist cited  in  Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter VI).

563 B.C. Siddartha’s Birth in Lumbini Nepal

Buddha was actually born Prince Siddartha, in Lumbini Nepal. According to tradition:

“Buddha emerged from his mother’s side, as she stood leaning against a tree, in a painless and pure birth.” [2]

He was named Siddartha (or Sarvathasiddha) — literally meaning “a man who achieves his goals” — by his father the king, who was determined he would be a great worldly king and conqueror, not a Buddha as predicted by the sages. His mother passed away, and he was brought up by his aunt Mahaprajapati.

548 B.C. Siddartha’s marriage to Yasodhara

His father the king determined he must be sheltered from the suffering of the world to remove any causes that might arise compassion in the young prince. True to his father’s aspirations, he was brought up a privileged prince, sequestered in the palace. He was married to young Yasodhara, who conceived their son Rahula.

Siddartha grew up in Kapilavastu, the capital, and became very accomplished in “kingly arts” including the martial arts.

534 B.C. Buddha sees the four sights: suffering

True to predictions of the sages — and despite his father’s fiercely protective tactics — Prince Siddartha escaped the palace and saw the four sights of suffering: poverty, illness, old age, and death. He also saw religious ascetics. His “existential crisis” [2] led to his life’s mission — to release the world from all suffering.

534 B.C. Siddartha leaves home

With compassion awake in the young Prince Siddartha, he became driven to overcome the suffering of Samsara. In a dramatic moment, Siddartha determined to leave home — quietly leaving the palace to avoid his father’s guards. He knew he must abandon his conventional, privileged life, to seek the answers that would save all beings from the eternal cycle of suffering.

Dramatically, he left his beloved wife and child — knowing he must for the ultimate benefit — cut his hair and left behind even his inseparable horse. Cutting his hair was a symbol of leaving behind his ordinary life. He traveled south, seeking out other spiritual seekers, and ended in Magadha (current Bihar) where he begged on the streets.

533 B.C. Siddartha Meditates in Magadha

Like most spiritual seekers, Siddartha sought out and trained with many meditation teachers — notably “the masters Ālāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta” [2]

He learned and mastered with the best of the great sages of the time, attaining great realizations, but not the ultimate solution. He determined they did not have the final “permanent” solution, and decided he must seek the solution on his own.

532-5238 B.C. Siddartha the Ascetic

Asceticism was an extreme form of practice that included living in the wild without protection, extreme fasting — basically, an attempt to “down the physical influence of one’s being and release the soul, an insubstantial essence in each individual.” [2]

He continued this until he was nothing but dry skin and bones, close to death.

528 B.C. Siddartha risks death at Varanasi

Pushing his practice to the extreme, he tried every extreme meditation and practice — together with five other ascetics — only to nearly die of starvation. Finally, he realized the “middle way” was the correct path to Enlightenment — neither the extreme of deprivation nor its opposite of luxury. Barely able to move, he accepted a tiny bowl of mik, rice from a devotee named Sujata. From that moment, he pioneered the “Middle Path” now known as “Buddhism.”

528 B.C. Awakening at Bodh Gaya

At Buddhism’s most “famous” site, Bodhgaya, Siddartha found the liberating path. Rejected by the five ascetics, he ate modest meals, recovering his strength, then moved to a new meditation site under the most famous tree in history — the Pipal Tree of Bodh Gaya. [A decedent of this tree is still honored today in Bodhgaya.]

He withdrew into his mind, pioneering a new “middle way” of meditating. He endured trials under the tree, tempted by the Mara and his legions and armies. [Mara and his legions, assailing the Buddha under the tree, can be thought of as the struggle Buddha faced internally with his own attachments and past karmic imprints.] Finally, he awakened, and Mara and his legions vanished. Famously, the symbol of this is Buddha touching the earth as his witness. He attained Bodhi — Awakening — and became the Buddha, the Awakened One.

528 B.C. First Teaching at Sarnath

Buddha “turned the first wheel” of teaching, determined to help others with his perfect methods. His first pupils were the five ascetics who had earlier rebuked him. His first teachings were the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path:

Buddha first taught the Four Noble Truths, the Truth of Suffering, metaphorically, the “disease” we are treating.

“What, monks, is the truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, decay, sickness and death are suffering. To be separated from what you like is suffering. To want something and not get it is suffering. In short, the human personality, liable as it is to clinging and attachment brings suffering.” [3]

Overcoming suffering relied on the Eightfold Path:

“This is the noble eightfold way, namely, right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right attention, right concentration, and right meditation.” — Shakyamuni Buddha at Deerpark

• For a feature on the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, see>>

528-483 B.C. Countless teachings, Turning the Wheel

Buddha traveled with a growing entourage of disciples, teaching for the next 45 years. These precious teachings, recorded by his pupils, became a vast body of Pali Sutta, and later Mahayana Sutra — the largest collection of spiritual teachings in history. His teachings would spread throughout India, China, Japan, Korea, and all of Asia — and ultimately around the world.

483 B.C. Paranirvana at Kusinagara, Malla

At the age of 80, he decided it was time for him to leave the teachings to his Sangha of disciples. He gave his last teaching. He asked his disciples if they had any last questions for him before he left.

Finally, he said, “Things that arise from causes will also decay. Press on with due care.”[3]

He lay down on his right side, with his hand under his face — in the pose made famous by the Sleeping Buddha statue — and passed into the peace of ultimate Paranirvana. [3]

Chant the Heart Sutra:

To Chant Along: Heart Sutra

THE SUTRA OF THE HEART OF TRANSCENDENT KNOWLEDGE

Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Råjagriha at Vulture Peak mountain, together with a great gathering of the sangha of monks and a great gathering of the sangha of bodhisattvas. At that time the Blessed One entered the samådhi that expresses the dharma called “profound illumination,” and at the same time noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, while practicing the profound prajñåpåramitå, saw in this way: he saw the five skandhas to be empty of nature.

Then, through the power of the Buddha, venerable Shåriputra said to noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, “How should a son or daughter of noble family train, who wishes to practice the profound prajñåpåramitå?”

Addressed in this way, noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, said to venerable Shåriputra, “O Shåriputra, a son or daughter of noble family who wishes to practice the profound prajñåpåramitå should see in this way: seeing the five skandhas to be empty of nature. Form is emptiness; emptiness also is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness. In the same way, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are emptiness. Thus, Shåriputra, all dharmas are emptiness. There are no characteristics.

There is no birth and no cessation. There is no impurity and no purity. There is no decrease and no increase. Therefore, Shåriputra, in emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no appearance, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no dharmas; noeye dhåtu up to no mind dhåtu, no dhåtu of dharmas, no mind consciousness dhåtu; no ignorance, no end of ignorance up to no old age and death, no end of old age and death; no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path, no wisdom, no attainment, and no nonattainment.

Therefore, Shåriputra, since the bodhisattvas have no attainment, they abide by means of prajñåpåramitå. Since there is no obscuration of mind, there is no fear. They transcend falsity and attain complete nirvåna. All the buddhas of the three times, by means of prajñåpåramitå, fully awaken to unsurpassable, true, complete enlightenment.

Therefore, the great mantra of prajñåpåramitå, the mantra of great insight, the unsurpassed mantra, the unequaled mantra, the mantra that calms all suffering, should be known as truth, since there is no deception. The prajñåpåramitå mantra is said in this way:

OM GATE GATE PÅRAGATE PÅRASAMGATE BODHI SVÅHÅ

Thus, Shåriputra, the bodhisattva mahåsattva should train in the profound prajñå-påramitå.”

Then the Blessed One arose from that samådhi and praised noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, saying, “Good, good, O son of noble family; thus it is, O son of noble family, thus it is. One should practice the profound prajñåpåramitå just as you have taught and all the tathågatas will rejoice.”

When the Blessed One had said this, venerable Shåriputra and noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, that whole assembly and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One.

• For Dzongsar Jamyan Kyentse’s Rinpoche’s Facebook page please visit>>
• For more information on Dzongsar Rinpoche, please visit Siddartha’s Intent website>>

Source

[1] FPMT Newsletter>>

[2] Lama Zopa’s Advice for practice with multiplied merit on sacred days>> 

[3] Timeline from the BBC documentary studying the evidence of Buddhas Life.  BBC: Life of the Buddha, a Spiritual Journey>>

There are times when we ask ourselves: Am I alone in struggling with enthusiasm for my Buddhist practice? Why did I lose my enthusiasm for meditation? How can I find time to practice in our stressful modern world? These are questions that frequently stall Buddhist practice. When this happens, do we lose our refuge? Have we broken our vows? What happens now?

Refuge isn’t just a vow — it’s a support network

When we take Buddhist Refuge, we take Refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. We should never feel alone, when we face obstacles in Buddhism. Refuge vows aren’t to make us feel guilty when we go “astray” and forget to practice, or lose our enthusiasm. They’re there to remind us we have a centuries-old support network of loving Dharma friends.

In Mahayana, Refuge revolves around Bodhicitta. Regardless of the state of our practice, our vows, our work schedule, or our stress factors — we never lose Bodhichitta, just as we never lose our attitude of loving-kindness and compassion.

As long as we have Bodhichitta, we have our practice

As Garchen Rinpoche said, “If you receive empowerment, it’s about bodhicitta. If you receive teachings, it’s about bodhicitta. If you practice teachings, it’s about bodhicitta. Everything comes down to bodhicitta. The essence of practice is about bodhicitta. When you sit down to do your practice, what you practice is bodhicitta.”

How do we do this? As always, when we turn to Dharma and the recorded teachings of Buddha, there are answers. There are many methods for developing uncontrived Bodhicitta in Mahāyāna teachings.

For example, to arouse Bodhicitta, the main focus is on the Four Immeasurables (Brahmavihara) as contemplation and practice:

• Immeasurable Loving-Kindness (Maitrī),
• Immeasurable Compassion (Karunā),
• Immeasurable Joy in the Good Fortune of Others (Muditā),
• Immeasurable Equanimity (Upekṣā)

King of Prayers — a Complete Bodhichitta Practice

One practice that can help renew our enthusiasm for practice is the King of Prayers, the aspiration of Samantabhadra. Why is the King of Prayers, the king? This prayer, recommended by many Mahayana teachers, is translated as “The Extraordinary Aspiration of the Practice of Samantabhadra” and is from the Gandavyuha Sutra. Samantabhadra, Universal Good Bodhisattva, offers us the entire path to becoming a Bodhisattva, for the benefit of all sentient beings! It’s literally, in modern terms, a complete “how-to.”

Chanting it in Sanskrit or English is a powerful, complete practice:

It can help, for example, to simply chant the Four immeasurables, sometimes to beautiful music. Here’s a lovely visualization and chant of the Refuge in the Three Jewels together with the Four Immeasurables by the amazing Yoko Dharma:

Modern life and the obstacles of stress

Modern life, stress, and the struggle to survive all take their toll. It’s not that we don’t want to “practice” — we just never find the time. We’re too tired? We feel blocked. We don’t understand — and, instead of plunging through, we give up.

Sound familiar? Buddhist practitioners often face a blocked or stalled practice. The key to overcoming the practice blocks — the secret to a “practice reboot — is to remember we have friends on the path — Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The Buddha never left us. The Dharma is our constant companion. And, the Sangha, our friends in the Dharma — who might be as busy, stressed and tired as we are — still find time to help. Even if we are cut-off by location, travel restrictions or just don’t have time to visit our friends — we can always turn to our online Sangha. Today, more than ever — in the wake of Covid-19 — there are many Sanghas practicing online.

The bottom line, to our reboot, is not to try to go it it alone. We have friends in the Dharma. Even if we don’t have enthusiasm for practice — a very real obstacle in todays stressed-out world — our friends can bring us back to the joy of practice. If we’ve lost touch with our Sanhga, there’s a simple solution. Just “reconnect.” If we have lost our joy of the Dharma teachings, return to the basics of the teaching. If we think we’ve “lost our vows” — simply renew them. Nothing is ever lost. Renewal is a part of samsaric life.

Friends in the Dharma: Online or at a Dharma Center

Our friends in the Dharma are always there for us. Even if we’re in a remote area, without a local Dharma center, we are most fortunate to live in a widely connected world. Dharma flourishes online, from Buddha Weekly to your Dharma group to Youtube and social media. Connecting with Dharma practitioners, even a “virtual Sangha” is inspiring and helpful. After all, Bodhichitta and Compassion are central to Mahayana Buddhism.

There are many ways to find and connect with your Sangha online. Comment here on BuddhaWeekly.com and on Buddha Weekly’s social media:  Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter. Look for a local meditation or practice group that shares your interests. Once you’ve found a Sangha, participate as often as you can. Don’t be shy — post comments, ask questions and share your own experiences. In short, engage with the group. The more you do, the more you’ll get out of it — and, the deeper your connection will become.

Connecting on Youtube with Dharma people and groups is helpful to stay enthusiastic in your important practice:

Modern life takes its toll on Buddhist practice, especially the higher practices that might have come with daily practice commitments. Once the momentum is lost, its easy to self-justify just letting practice go “for now.” All the teachers, however, agree that it’s important to get right back into your practice — even if you feel no motivation.

Lama Zopa: “Start from now.”

Lama Zopa Rinpoche had similar advice:

“Anyway, continue to do the practice again, start from now.”

Of course, he and the other teachers had much more to say on this important topic.

Returning to the basics can be helpful. Sutra recitation, especially key Sutras can be vital.

Heart Sutra in English:

It is very common to find oneself suddenly drifting without enthusiasm for practice, swept away by the daily grind, stress and family obligations until there’s no energy for training or even meditation. Or, perhaps a death in the family, a long-term illness, or some other dire situation that abruptly shifted your priorities from practice to survival-mode. Even though we know practice and meditation is actually the cure for this stress, we have trouble fighting our way through this maelstrom of emotions.

Reciting Heart Sutra in Sanskrit as a meditation:

It is mainly a problem with lay practitioners, who have employment, family and social commitments. One of the reasons Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhism is so “ritualized” (meditations written out) is to help facilitate the repeatable discipline needed to progress. Even when exhausted, angry, stressed, depressed, it’s easy to follow the pattern of a formulaic sadhana (ritual). Sadhanas can also be done “anywhere.”

Sutra Remedies

In general terms, Buddha and Dharma point to three main meditations to improve our motivation to practice, regardless of how we feel:

• Meditation on death and impermanence: the core and base meditation in Buddhism, where we analyze and try to understand suffering and its causes, including Dependent Arising — it is this motivation that led Buddha to the Eightfold Path
• Meditation on the preciousness of human life: or, in traditional texts, “precious human rebirth.” Only life as  a human gives us the capability and opportunity to pursue Dharma in our lives
• Meditation on the infallability of cause and effect and karma: a key meditation that helps us understand that every action and every thought — and every missed practice — has a consequence.

The Four Reminders

In most Tibetan Buddhist Schools — Nyigma, Kagyu, Gelugpa — we would refine these sutra meditations as “The Four Reminders”. These are elaborations on the Sutra remedies:

• Develop the strong desire to escape Samsara by meditating on suffering.
• Develop the enthusiasm to learn and study by understanding how precious an opportunity this very lifetime is for us — here and now.
• Develop an urgency to practice by understanding we could die at any moment — our own death is unknown, but certain.
• Develop right conduct by really understanding Karmic cause and efffect.

Returning to the inspiration, such as celebrating on Buddha Days or remembering the life of Shakymuni Buddha;

The five main remedies

Traditionally, in the teachings, when your practice stalls, there are five pieces of advice for re-establishing your practice:

• Repeat foundation practices (to rebuild your base) even if you previously completed the main foundations — for example study Lamrim and return to purification practices, offer water bowls, Vajrasattva mantras, and prostration.
• Attend a teaching with your teacher or lama (to rebuild your enthusiasm).
• Take a major initiation with your teacher to re-establish your commitments.
• Attend a major 2 or 3 week retreat to help get you back on track.
• Or, you simply schedule your meditation, regardless of how you feel (rebuilding discipline) and “just pick up where you left off.”

But, what do the Buddhist teachers have to say when this happens? We especially wanted to research the issue from the point of view of broken commitments — which tend to go hand-in-hand with a sudden loss of pratice enthusiasm or discipline. If your own stress or sickness — or that of another you are caregiving — interrupts your practice, for example, chances are good you’ll miss practice commitments.

One foundation practice which is a daily practice for even the most advanced practitioner is Vajrasattva’s powerful meditation and mantra. Focus on the Four Powers as you chant: regret, reliance, remedy and resolve.

What if we don’t feel like it? H.E. Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has practical advice:

“Anyway, continue to do the practice again, start from now. Each day you do the practice it leaves positive imprints on the mind. Even if you recite the words and your mind is totally distracted, it still leaves imprints on the mind, and sooner or later you will have attainments on the path.”

No Motivation?

His answer was to a student who had let her practice stall. In Lama Zopa’s amazing “Advice Book” is full of great advice, some of it highly targeted. For example, for  student who said she felt “blocked” and had no motivation:

All the problems are because of not having meditated well on impermanence and death. You should read Heart-Spoon by Pabongka Rinpoche and other things on impermanence and death.

Think, “Today children died in their mother’s womb, even after the consciousness took place on the fertilized egg; other children died just after being born. Many young, middle-aged and old people also died. Not only those with cancer died. Many people are dying every day from car accidents, from heart attacks. People suddenly die in so many ways. Therefore, I could be dead at any time. Any year, any month, any week, even today, I could die. After death there are only two ways: rebirth in the lower realms or in the higher realms. There’s no third option.”

Different Obstacles

Lama Zopa Rinpoche had this advice for a student experiencing obtacles:

“These are the five sutras that you need to recite (or have someone else recite):

1) Heart Sutra, the sutra of right view
2) Transcendental Wisdom Passing Away
3) The sutra of pure conduct, the meditation—the King of Prayers
4) The sutra of washing (Dorje Namjom)
5) One syllable Heart of the Sutra—AH. You just recite AH and meditate on the meaning of AH—that the “I,” action, and the object—no phenomena—have true existence. Meditate on emptiness—that is the meaning of AH. Recite AH then meditate on that meaning, looking at everything, all phenomena, the “I,” action, and the object, everything, as empty.”

Yidam practice

One of the miracles of Yidam practice is that it is very self-motivating.  Yidam means “heart-bond” deity (one translation). Because you have a very special bond — not just through your affection and original connection to the Yidam, but by virtue of initation and days and hours of practice — simply looking at an image of your Yidam and repeating the mantra will self-generate new momentum and enthusiasm.

In Yidam meditation, you generate yourself in an ideal way. Even if it feels artificial and flat at times, you can always return to your Yidam practice and “reboot” your motivation at any time. Especially, if you’ve completed a mantra retreat, you can try “self initation” to really kick yourself into gear. Or, an initiation with your teacher to renew your commitment. Or, as Zasep Rinpoche advised, “Just pick up where you left off.”

“Just pick up where you left off”

Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche advises students not to dwell on the issue, but simply to return to the practice, even if the practice commitment has been broken:

“Do not think your practice is no longer worth the effort just because you have broken your commitments; do not abandon your commitments and daily practice; just pick up where you left off. My kind teacher, the most holy Tara Tulku Rinpoche said, “If you forget to eat breakfast, you don’t give up there and then. The next day, you go ahead and eat breakfast. Simple.”

Rinpoche, of course, had more to say on the topic (see, for example, the embedded video in this feature). Saying it’s “Simple” did not mean the solution was simple. Only, that regardless of the reason we stopped practising, we should feel we can still pick up and carry on — for our benefit and the benefit of all sentient beings.

Rinpoche added: “We try to practise every day, but sometimes we feel that the practices have become routine recitations, an obligation and no more. This can happen especially when our lives are too busy and we are very tired. When this happens, we need to make time for a retreat to renew our commitments and refresh our practice. When we break our vows and commitments, we should do purification such as Vajrasattva mantras, prostrations, and reciting the Sutra of the Three Heaps by chanting the names of the thirty-five Buddhas.”

You are not alone

When we take Refuge, we take Refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. It is to these three we should turn when we feel stalled. And, especially, we should turn to our Sangha — especially, of course, our teacher, if possible. Finding inspiration and motivation from others is very important. Today, we can even think in terms of our “close Sangha” and our “virtual Sangha” since many of us have Dharma friends online. We can turn for inspiration to our online Dharma communities (including, even Facebook friends, if you have a supportive Dharma-oriented group).

Of course, if you are a member of a local temple, gompa or meditation group, this is always the first stop in recharging our motivation. Try volunteering for Dharma work — cleaning or repairing the Gompa, helping organize events. Attend events when you can.

Of course, the ultimate contradiction in “You are not alone” is renewing via “retreat.” Retreats are often group retreats today, but even though there might be a large group, mostly the retreat will be hard, motivating practice, not socializing. Retreat is one of the key remedies for a stalled practice.

In Buddhism, most visualization meditation practices begin with the expression of Purity, called the Purity Essence Mantra:

Om Svahava Shuddho Sarva Dharma Svabhava Shuddho Ham

What does this actually mean, and why is it considered the most profoundly powerful and insightful of mantras?

A simple translation of the Purity mantra — although it is by no means complete — is:

Oṃ, all dharmas are pure by nature; I am pure by nature.

Another important commentary translation of this mantra, who calls it the “mantra of reality” is from the great Gelek Rimpoche:

Nature’s empty; everything is pure; naturally pure, that’s what I am.

It is called the “purity mantra” and also the “reality mantra”  or even the “One-ness” mantra because it focuses our minds on the understanding that everything dependently arises, nothing is self-existent. This doesn’t mean we don’t “exist” but only that we don’t exist as self-contained “me” or “you” with nifty labels called “names.” We exist as beings, dependent on each other, and one, in essence. Within that state of spaciousness we can find profound peace and realizations, instead of grasping at artificial ego and cravings.

This is why Shunyata, especially in Chan or Zen, is translated as “Oneness.”

Reciting the mantra purifies our own essence, but also the essence of everything. When we make offerings, for example, we purify with this mantra first. When we pick up our mala, to practice, we purify with the Purity mantra. Nearly every Vajrayana practice starts and often ends with this mantra.

Fast Facts

• The mantra is often used in meditation and practices to purify the mind and environment.
• Understanding Shunyata can lead to a deeper realization of the interconnectedness of all things.
• SARVA DHARMA means ‘all phenomena’.
• SVABHAVA SHUDDHO translates to ‘pure by nature’.
• SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM translates to ‘I am pure by nature’.

All Yoga Meditations Begin with Purity

In many Yogas, the beginning of practice is usually a mindfulness of breath meditation. In Mahayana Buddhism, we also start usually with breath and mindfulness, and then focus on Pure Essence. Traditionally, in Buddhist practice, we must start from a place of purity.

Lama Thubten Yeshe explained, in a teching:

“The main body of the yoga meditation begins with the shunyata mantra, OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM. First, it’s significant that the words of this mantra are the original Sanskrit – just hearing or reciting them imparts great blessings. Also, this mantra contains a profound explanation of the pure, fundamental nature of both human beings and all other existent phenomena. It means that everything is spontaneously pure – not relatively, of course, but in the absolute sense. From the absolute point of view, the fundamental quality of human beings and the nature of all things is purity.”

This is also the mantra often used to purify or bless a Dharma object, such as malas, bells, vajras, inner offerings, outer offerings, consecrated items, or even a person, as a blessing.

When chanting the Purity mantra, you might also reinforce your meditation with Shunya Mudra (Oneness or Emptiness mudra):

What is Pure?

“I am pure” says the mantra, but what is the essence? The essence is that we are all dependently arisen. We are all made of the same “star stuff” as Carl Sagan famously wrote:

“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”

In Buddhism, we think of this as Buddha Nature — our essential nature that is one with the universe. It’s not empty of life and existence, but rather the opposite –boutiful with limitless life and existence.

Likewise, we are one with that universe. When we practice the yoga of purification, we visualize our essence, ourselves — or the object or offering we are consecrating — as merging and become one with everything. Although this is visualized as “emptiness” where we “dissolve the limitations of our bodies and minds” we are not disintegrating or destroying, we are opening and collecting. We are removing the barriers that make us believe we are a distinct, non-dependent being, and seeing that we are part of a greater essence.

Why Begin Your Sessions with the Shunyata Mantra?

Starting your sessions with the Shunyata Mantra sets a powerful tone for your practice. This ancient chant, “OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHO SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM”, translates to “all phenomena are naturally pure; they are pure in essence.” By reciting this mantra, you remind yourself of the intrinsic purity and emptiness of all things, allowing you to cultivate a calm and focused mind.

The Shunyata Mantra serves as an anchor, bringing your awareness to the present moment. It helps to cut through the layers of mental noise and misconceptions that often cloud our perception. By recognizing the nature of emptiness, you’ll start to dismantle the ego-grasping tendencies that lead to suffering.

Furthermore, embracing the concept of shunyata, or emptiness, encourages a sense of unity with all phenomena. This perspective shift is crucial for deepening your meditation practice and achieving a state of inner peace. It helps you let go of dualistic thinking, fostering a sense of interconnectedness with the world around you. Incorporating the Shunyata Mantra into the beginning of your sessions is not merely a ritual; it’s a transformative practice that aligns your mind and spirit with the true nature of reality.

Step-by-Step Guide to Chanting the Shunyata Mantra

Ready to incorporate this profound practice into your sessions? Here’s a step-by-step guide to chanting the Shunyata Mantra — after first, of course, taking Refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha:

1. Find a Quiet Space: Begin by selecting a peaceful environment free from distractions. This will help you focus and immerse yourself fully in the meditation.
2. Get Comfortable: Whether you prefer sitting on a cushion, chair, or even lying down, ensure your physical comfort to avoid interruptions during the practice.
3. Set Your Intention: Take a moment to clear your mind and set a positive intention for your meditation session. This could be as simple as “I am open to experiencing purity and emptiness.”
4. Start with Deep Breathing: Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this for a few minutes to center yourself and prepare for the chanting.
5. Chant the Mantra: Begin chanting “OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHO SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM” at a comfortable pace. Focus on the pronunciation and intonation, allowing the sound vibrations to resonate within you.
6. Enter a State of Mindfulness: As you chant, bring your attention to the meaning of the words. Reflect on the concept of intrinsic purity and the emptiness of all phenomena. Visualize each word dissolving into spaciousness.
7. Maintain Consistency: Continue chanting for a designated period, ideally starting with 5-10 minutes and gradually increasing as you become more comfortable. Consistency is key to deepening your practice.
8. Conclude Gently: When you’re ready to finish, gradually reduce the volume of your chanting until it naturally dissipates. Once you stop, sit in silence for a few moments, absorbing the tranquility.
9. Reflect: Take a few minutes to reflect on your experience. Notice any shifts in your state of mind or any insights gained during the meditation.

By following these steps, you can effectively integrate the Shunyata Mantra into your practices, paving the way for greater awareness and spiritual growth. Remember, the key is consistency and openness to the profound wisdom embedded in these ancient words.

After your meditation, you usually follow on with your main practices or offerings, with a pure and settled and calm mind, at one with the Universe.

80% of the Known Universe is “Emptiness”

“The emptiness between stars and galaxies makes up 80 percent of the volume of the known universe. Dark energy is expanding these voids rapidly. There are dark places out there in the deep universe, vast Saharas hundreds of millions of light years across, empty except for a stray hydrogen atom or a bit of radiation.”  [Popular Mechanics Feature 1]

Similarly, on a microscopic scale, an atom is 99.999999% empty (traditional physics), yet we appear to “feel” and touchs objects. Even though we believe we touch an object, there is actually a space between. Quantuum Physicist explains it differently, but regardless, there’s more of emptiness than substance in our relative world. 

In Buddhism, the concept of shunyata, or emptiness, is not just a philosophical notion but a profound realization that all phenomena are devoid of inherent existence.

And — like space itself — Shunyata does not mean “nothing.” Although sometimes Buddhist teachers use the word “voidness” this is not the same thing as “nothing” — just as zero, in mathematics is not nothing. It is important to remove any notion of nihilism from Buddhism. Emptiness emphatically does not imply nihilistic beliefs.

This is akin to the way neurons in the brain orchestrate perceptions and consciousness, without harboring a fixed, tangible essence themselves. Similarly, when we gaze into the vast expanse of outer space, we encounter an overwhelming sense of mystery and infinity, a canvas upon which the stars and galaxies dance yet remain devoid of a core entity.

Shunyata, Neurons and the Cosmos are All Empty

Understanding Shunyata — the Buddhist concept of Emptiness — can be likened to grasping the nature of neurons and outer space. Just as neurons transmit signals without an intrinsic nature and outer space appears boundless and empty yet is the cradle of celestial phenomena, Shunyata underscores these “realities” with advanced concepts such as interdependent origination and dualistic perspectives on reality. This perspective is deeply rooted in the teachings of the Prajnaparamita Sutras, which teaches:

“Form is emptiness; emptiness is form”

“When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” — Lao Tzu

From an advanced Buddhist outlook, Shunyata isn’t nihilism; it’s a liberating insight into the true nature of reality — like trying to probe the space between neurons and galaxies. By appreciating the emptiness of all phenomena — that connects all phenemena — you tap into a deeper interconnectedness and compassion, transcending the illusion of separateness. Just because, when I shake your hand, or hug you, we never actually physically touch — remembering that there’s always space between atoms — doesn’t mean we aren’t deeply connected.

This aligns well with the philosophy of dependent origination, which reveals that all things arise in dependence upon multiple causes and conditions and lack an independent essence (“Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation”, 2020).

How can we relate these to Neurons and outer space?

• Neurons: Just as neurons are fundamental yet empty of inherent nature, conditioned by countless factors like synapses and neurotransmitters, our experiences and identities are similarly conditioned and interdependent.
• Outer Space: The vast emptiness of space with its scattered celestial bodies can be compared with the Buddhist concept of the Emptiness, where innumerable phenomena arise and dissolve without an intrinsic core. It may appear that space doesn’t exist, but clearly it does — and not only that, it connects star systems and galaxies.
• Shunyata: Embracing the emptiness of all phenomena helps in developing a profound sense of equanimity and interconnectedness when we realize that if we don’t exist “independently” of each other, then we are connected and One. Thich Nhat Hanh in teachings often favored the English translation of “Oneness” instead of “Emptiness” for Shunyata.

Shunyata Mantra

The profound Shunyata Mantra expresses this concept, which is why, at least in advanced Vajrayana Buddhist practice.

In Buddhist practices, incorporating the Shunyata Single Essence Mantra, OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHO SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM, into your sessions can serve as a constant reminder of this profound truth, aiding in the dissolution of ego and fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnected nature of existence.

The origin of Zero

In mathematics, Zero is not the same as nothing. Zero is the “potential.” When we say your “bank account has a lot of zeroes” that means — a lot! The earth, a globe, is shaped like a zero. The earth orbits the sun in an eliptical zero, the moon orbits the earth, the solar system orbits the galaxy, our galaxy orbits other galaxies. The nature is zero is union, oneness, and limitlessness.

The concept of Zero spread around the world, revolutionizing mathematics, science and philosophy. Notably, in Shaivism, Shunya means “the supreme.” In Buddhism it can be thought of as “Oneness.” In other words, it is a mistake to think of Shunyata as anything remotely nihilistic.

Zero is a number representing an empty quantity. Adding 0 to any number leaves that number unchanged. In pre-Islamic time the word ṣifr (Arabic صفر) had the meaning “empty”. [2] Sifr evolved to mean zero when it was used to translate śūnya (Sanskrit: शून्य) from India. The first known English use of zero was in 1598.

NOTES

[1] Popular Mechanics https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a44050735/the-universe-is-mostly-empty-space/

[2] Smithsonian Institution. Oriental Elements of Culture in the Occident, p. 518, at Google Books. Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution; Harvard University Archives. “Sifr occurs in the meaning of “empty” even in the pre-Islamic time. … Arabic sifr in the meaning of zero is a translation of the corresponding India sunya.”

Who are the Nine Enlightened Deities of Amitabha’s Lotus Family of Buddhas? Why is their practice so important and popular in Mahayana Buddhism? What are the powerful and magnetizing benefits of the Padma Family, and especially the 9 Deities of the Cloud of Blessings? Why do many teachers say that magnetizing activity Buddhist practice is the most beneficial in this degenerate age, and especially for people new to the Dharma?

The Buddhas of the Padma family are probably the most popular in Mahayana Buddhism, especially Amitabha (Amita, Amitayus) and Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig, Guanyin), and, of course, the Lotus Born Padmaraja (Tibetan Padma Gyalpo or Pema Gyalpo) (Lotus King manifestation of Guru Rinpoche). 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?

Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche explains (see video below):

“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.”

Why are we attracted to the Magnetizing Buddhas?

Many Buddhists are attracted (magnetized) to the charismatic emanations of Enlightenment of the Padma family: Amitabha, Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara), Hayagriva, Vajravarahi, Chakrasamvara, Kurukulla, Vajradharma, Padmaraja (Lotus King aspect of Padmasambhava). It seems natural and instinctive — the nature of the magnetic personas of these great beings. In Sanskrit, magnetizing activity is called saṃgraha.

All of these can be thought of, as emanations of the compassion of the Padma family of Amitabha, and representative of “Discriminating Wisdom.” His family is also the “Speech” or Dharma family, 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 (Lotus) Buddhas. One practice that concisely brings all the magnetizing Yidams together is the popular daily practice of the Wangdu.

The Wangdu prayer 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:

• Amitabha, Buddha of the Padma Family [For a full feature on Amitabha see>>]
• Vajradharma (the Padma Dharmakaya)
• Hayagriva, Heruka aspect of Amitabha and Avalokiteshvara [For a full feature on Hayagriva see>>]
• Red Avalokiteshvara Padmapani (Red Chenrezig) [For a full feature on Chenrezig see>> ]
• Padmaraja (Pema Gyalpo, Lotus King aspect of Padmasambhava)
• Vajravarahi  Dakini
• Guhyajnana Dakini [For a full feature on Vajrayogini, see>>
• Kurukulla (Red Tara aspect) [For a full feature on Kurukulla, see>> ]
• Chakrasamvara (Dope Gyalpo is an emanation of Chakrasamvara according to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and other teachers.)

The Benefits of Magnetizing with the Wangdu

According to Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche:

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

According to teachings from Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche:

“There is only one way that it’s possible for people like us “to magnetize all that appears and exists”: by bringing the outer world that appears and the sentient beings who exist within the outer world under control by invoking the magnetizing deities and receiving their blessings.”

Mirror-like Awareness of Amitabha

Ultimately, all Buddhas are of one essence, but the various emanations of Enlightenment represent a skillful means. In Vajrayana, the Five Wisdom Tathagatas “are emanations and representations of the five qualities of the Buddha.” [4] Amitabha Buddha’s Family represents the wisdom of Ādarśa-jñāna, the wisdom of “Mirror-like Awareness” or discernment, or “Discriminating Wisdom.” This wisdom helps us overcome selfishness, through various methods including compassion, meditation, and speech, or Dharma. [5]

The Magnetizing deities of Amitabha’s Padma Family are usually visualized with the colour red. They are alluring, attractive, seductive, enchanting — it is the nature of their charisma. Their speech is Enlightening Nectar. Even the Heruka wrathful emanation of Amitabha — great Hayagriva — is irresistible and mesmeric, despite an awe-inspiring wrathful appearance.

Teaching on the benefits and practice of the “Great Cloud of Blessings” Saye Institute Kyabgön Phakchok Rinpoche with Transmission of the Prayer for the purpose of accumulating a million recitations:

Red and sometimes naked: true nature of mind

Red, the color Magnetizing Padma family, is associated with both love and compassion. Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin) is literally the very face of compassion. Amitabha’s vast love for all sentient beings is all-embracing, and one of the reasons millions chant his name mantra daily. Kurukulle, a Magnetizing aspect of Tara, is often directly associated with love.

Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche [3], in his commentary on Wangdu, explains:

“Among the nine principal magnetizing deities, apart from Amitabha, a few of the dakinis appear naked as well. From this perspective, Vajrayana is indeed the practice of those with sharp natural capacities. If a person still holds on to the notion of shame, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas merely assume graceful and majestic forms. But if a person has realized the bare naked nature of the mind, where all conceptual thoughts and attachments have ceased to exist, then Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appear in another form.”

Amitabha and Avalokiteshvara (Guan-yin, Chenrezig) — arguably the most popular Buddhas, if we take into account the huge population of Mahayana Buddhists — are attractive. Their smiling faces attract us. Their peaceful gestures and meditative equipoise are the very pictures of Buddhist Metta and Karuna (love and compassion). Their speech, the Dharma, attracts us and teaches us, and their mantras are pleasing. The entire family is charismatic, even enthralling.

Wangdu — the Nine Yidams of the Great Cloud of Blessings

People familiar with the teachings of Mipham Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche will recall and, perhaps, practice the Wangdu prayer, composed by Mipham Rinpoche in 1879. At one point, at Lerab Ling, Khenpo Sodargye asked the Sangha to “accumulate 10 million recitations of the Wangdu prayer — which praises the Nine Great Yidams of the Magnetizing Family. [1] [Prayer, in full, below. See the tangkha inset.]

According to Khenpo Namdro [2]:

“This prayer is called “that which brings within one’s power all that appears and all that exists’. It goes by such a name because if you make this prayer fervently, you will be able to magnetize or bring within your power the phenomena of the entire universe. This comprises both the inanimate environment and its animated inhabitants, sentient beings.”

[For Khenpo’s full commentary on Wangdu, see>>]
Video: The Great Benefits of Wang Du, featuring Khenpo

Other traditions may not have the formal framing of Wangdu, but there is no doubt that these emanations, these precious Nine Yidams, are a major focus in all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and Mahayana (the position from the point-of-view of the Deity, not the viewer):

• Amitabha (top centre on Thangka)
• Vajradharma (immediately below Amitabha on Thangka)
• Hayagriva, Heruka aspect of Amitabha (left of Amitabha)
• Red Chenrezig Padmapani (right of Amitabha)
• Padmaraja (Tib: Pema Gyalpo, central deity — one of the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava )
• Vajravarahi (Vajrayogini) Dakini (left of Padma Gyalpo, under Hayagriva)
• Guhyajnana Dakini left of Padma Gyalpo
• Kurukulla (bottom right of Padma Gyalpo)
• Dope Gyalpo (bottom left).

Full Wangdu Prayer

As indicated by Khenpo Sodargye (above video) the Wangdu Prayer is so widely practiced it can be recited without empowerment:

“When you chant and practice Wang Dü, you can follow the instructions of the common or advanced tantric practices. Of course, uninitiated practitioners, or practitioners who are foreign to tantric practice can practice Wang Dü using the Sutrayana method. Mipham Rinpoche did not require people to strictly practice this prayer in the way of the generation or perfection stages. As long as we pray to the magnetizing deities with devotion, all animate and inanimate worlds will resonate. This will allow the essence of samsara and nirvana to be gathered into oneself.”

༄༅། །སྣང་སྲིད་དབང་དུ་སྡུད་པའི་གསོལ་འདེབས་བྱིན་རླབས་སྤྲིན་ཆེན་བཞུགས་སོ། །

Wang Dü: ‘The Great Cloud of Blessings’—The Prayer which Magnetizes All that Appears and All that Exists

by Mipham Rinpoche

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྂ་ཧྲཱིཿ བདེ་ཆེན་འབར་བ་དབང་གི་ཕོ་བྲང་དུ། །

om ah hung hrih, dechen barwa wang gi podrang du

Oṃ āḥ hūṃ hrīḥ! In the palace of power, the blazing of great bliss,

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

detong sosor tokpé yeshe ku

Are the embodiments of the wisdom of discernment, union of bliss and emptiness:

མ་ཆགས་བདེ་ལྡན་པདྨའི་རང་བཞིན་ལས། །

machak deden pemé rangshyin lé

Each on a lotus, its nature bliss free from all attachment,

རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉི་མ་སྣང་བ་ཆེན་པོའི་དཔལ། །

dorjé nyima nangwa chenpö pal

And the splendour of a great, illuminating vajra sun—

ཆོས་སྐུ་སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆོས། །

chöku nangwa tayé dorjé chö

Dharmakāya Amitābha and Vajradharma,

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

jikten wangchuk tukjé jechak zuk

Avalokiteśvara, Lord of the World, the very manifestation of compassion,

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

pema gyalpö khordé ngawang gyur

Padmaraja, all of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa beneath your control,

སྣང་སྲིད་ཟིལ་གནོན་དབང་ཆེན་ཧེ་རུ་ཀ །

nangsi zilnön wangchen heruka

Hayagriva Heruka, subjugator of all that appears and exists,

གསང་བ་ཡེ་ཤེས་བཛྲ་ཝཱ་ར་ཧི། །

sangwa yeshe benza varahi

‘Secret Wisdom’ Guhyajñāna and Vajravārāhī,

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

demchok döpé gyalpo dechen ter

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

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

malü kyegü yitrok rikjema

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

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

choktün chakgyé wangchuk detong gar

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

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

wangdzé dorjé pawo daki tsok

Hosts of vajra ḍākas and ḍākinīs attract and magnetize.

སྣང་སྟོང་མཉམ་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་ངང་ཉིད་དུ། །

nangtong nyampa chenpö ngang nyi du

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

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

dorjé ku yi gar gyi si sum yo

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

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

gakmé sung gi shyé dré kham sum guk

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

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

özer marpö khordé yong la khyab

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

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

sishyi dangchü yo shying düparjé

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

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

dorjé chakpa chenpö tuk kyi ni

With your enlightened mind of great vajra passion,

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

nam nyi ngödrub dö gü chok tsol shying

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

རྡོ་རྗེ་ལྕགས་ཀྱུ་ཞགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ཡིས། །

dorjé chakkyu shyakpa chenpo yi

And with your great vajra hooks and lassos

སྣང་སྲིད་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོར་སྡོམ་བྱེད་པ། །

nangsi dewa chenpor domjepa

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

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

tayé gyutrul drawé rolgarchen

Dancers in the play of the limitless net of illusion,

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

til gyi gongbu chewa shyin shyukpé

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

རབ་འབྱམས་རྩ་གསུམ་དབང་གི་ལྷ་ཚོགས་ལ། །

rabjam tsa sum wang gi lhatsok la

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

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

güpé solwa deb so jingyi lob

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

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

choktün ngödrub dö gü pal tadak

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

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

tokmé wang du jepé ngödrub tsol

Of magnetizing, without obstruction, whatever we desire!

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། །

NOTE: This was composed on the first day of the seventh month of the Earth Hare year (1879) by one named Dhīḥ. Anyone who prays in this way will, without any doubt, accomplish all magnetizing activities exactly according to their wishes. This prayer may be written on red flags and flown in the air, or used in prayer wheels powered by heat or wind. Mangalaṃ!

NOTES

[1] Wangdu: the Prayer Which Magnetizes all the Appears and all that Exists>>
https://all-otr.org/vajrayana/42-wangdu-the-prayer-which-magnetizes-all-that-appears-and-all-that-exists
[2] Khenpo Namdrol, Commentary on the Wang Dü prayer, 1998, Rigpa.
[3] Khenpo Sodargye “The Magnetizing Deities”
https://khenposodargye.org/teachings/khenpos-teachings/wang-du-great-cloud-blessings/
[4] Williams, Wynne, Tribe; Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition, page 210.
[5] The Five Tathagatas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Tathagatas

The sages and the Buddhas found ultimate wisdom in the spaces between thoughts, between sounds, between images, between feelings. The ancient saying “all Dharmas are forms of emptiness” isn’t just a fun pun — how can there be “form” in emptiness? — it is also a core mission.

When we think of the vastness of the Universe — and its amazing, unlimited scope — we think of stars and glittering lights; but the true vastness is in the vacuum of the spaces between the stars. The space between stars in the Universe seems vast, until you contemplate the even more incredible space between galaxies.

The multiverse grows even more expansive with Quantum physics and the unlimited reality of the invisible. Our minds also seem limitless — boundless thoughts — until we contemplate the spaces between those thoughts. And, as Buddha taught — in various ways — it is in the spaces between our thoughts that might find Enlightenment.

“Indoctrinated reality” — born from attachments

Our attachment to our senses begins as an unborn baby in the womb. We feel and hear our mothers. As growing children, our senses bind us even more firmly to sensations that seem real, tangible, living, and powerful. We crave the apparently pleasant sensations and avoid the unpleasant. By the time we are adults, we are bound firmly in this indoctrinated reality of the senses. When, as adults, we find Buddhism, we are taught to untangle all of that conditioning. We seek the wisdom of emptiness.

Buddha taught many skillful means, all of which, on the surface, seem contradictory or nonsensical. On one hand, the sutras speak of a vast multiverse of endless universes beyond our conception; and on the other, we learn “form is emptiness; emptiness is form.”

In Zen, we seek wisdom in apparently mindless meditation — just watch your thoughts come and go. [We have dozens of features in our special section on mindfulness here>>] In Pureland Buddhism, we focus on a single praise such as “Namo Amituofo” — another form of apparent “mindless” practice.  [See our feature on this practice>>]

In soundless sound meditation, we learn to listen for “one hand clapping.” In Chod — in a method, in common with shamanism — we use the drum and chanting to seek out the spontaneous sensations — often with a mask or visor. [See our previous feature on “drumming for mindfulness>>]

Sensory deprivation tank anyone?

“The moment you try to understand nothing, you fill it with something.” The man who said this was either trying to be funny — for the Youtube video below — or serious?

Why not just use modern methods and jump into a sensory deprivation tank until “wisdom” manifests? After all, why bother with all this “mindfulness” and “visualizing” and “drumming” and “bells” and “chanting” — just put on a mask and headphones and plunge into the sensory deprivation tank for an Enlightening experience.

Science and technology aren’t a good substitution (yet!) for teachers and proven methods. Bear in mind that in the above video, the two subjects spent an hour each in the “tank.” Imagine the longer experiements — days and weeks in the tank.

The cautionary aspect of the early experiments conducted in the 50s is that sudden and complete sensory deprivation for a long period results in “temporarily impaired cognition.”  Isn’t that what we want — to put aside constructed cognition to find the truth beyond? Yes — and no. Those early experiments by scientists indicated it can be dangerous and damaging to suddenly plunge a subject into “nothingness.” There can be psychological harm. Many early subjects panicked and refused to continue after only a few hours in the “tank.”

Progressive still works best

For this reason, for example, in Buddhism, we learn mindfulness as an initial “wisdom” method before we move into more profound ways to release “the gates of the senses” such as “Soundless Sound” meditation, Dzogchen, Mahamudra and Chod practices.

Mindfulness

In mindfulness, we observe the arising and passing away of thoughts without getting caught up in them. This simple act of mindfulness can lead to deeper understanding and wisdom, and a release of the grip that our thoughts have on us. As the author of “Tranquility’s Secret” explains,

“All meditation practices use a support — at least initially — upon which you focus your attention. This is done in order to keep your mind in check… Mindfulness meditation is quick, it’s easy, and it’s productive… so why not? Mindfulness meditation uses different types of phenomena as the support for the practice. The support is a phenomenon which you focus your attention on in a mindful manner. The breath is the most frequently used, but really any phenomenon will suffice, as they are equally beneficial. Through the effort to focus your attention, you calm your mind.”

Soundless sound?

In “Soundless Sound” meditation, we take things one step further by learning to listen for the spontaneous “sounds” that arise in the spaces between our thoughts. As with “mindfulness” where we simply observe our thoughts, here we just “listen” for spontaneous sounds that don’t arise voluntarily.

The aim of this type of meditation is to catch a glimpse of the true nature of reality beyond our ordinary perceptions. When we can see thoughts as just thoughts, and sounds as just sounds, we open up the possibility of experiencing reality without the lens of our conditioned minds. In the words of one teacher, this type of meditation is “mindfulness without method.”

Spontaneous sound?

The beauty of spontaneous sound meditation is that it can be practiced anywhere, at any time. You don’t need to go off into the wilderness or sit in a cave for years; you can do it right now, in the midst of your everyday life. All you need to do is listen for the spaces between your thoughts, and for the spontaneous “sounds” that arise in those spaces. With practice, you will begin to catch glimpses of the true nature of reality — the “emptiness that is form, and the form that is emptiness.”

• This is the subject of the book Tranquility’s Secret,  the Inner Spontaneous Sound Practices>>

Looking for the spaces “between”

In the search for the spaces between — without the use of the sensory deprivation tank — we can refine our meditations, usually as guided by teachers.

In the case of All-Pervading Sound and “Soundless Sound Meditation” we go beyond simple mindfulness: looking for the inner spontaneous “sounds” in between our thoughts. Inner Spontaneous Sound is an ancient method of Dzogchen preparation.

In Chod — an advanced form of Tibetan meditation — we wear black visors or masks to remove even the slightest hint of mundane sight — and early attempt at sensory deprivation? In mindfulness practice, we still our minds to find the wisdom between our frenetic thoughts.

All of these methods share the commonality of the wisdom practice of “emptiness.” We look for the “in-between” truths that hide far away from our obscuring senses.

As mentioned, even scientists experiment with this concept with “sensory deprivation tanks.” When sensory deprivation experiments fail, science looks to “sensory overload.” Both concepts are ancient methods found in Dzogchen, Mahamudra, Zen and other conceptless concepts of Dharma practice.

Methodless Method

Just as Chan (Zen, Seon) practice is meant to be the “methodless method” or the “way without doctrine” — the Dharma path without scriptures — the somewhat lost technique of “inner spontaneous sound” listens for the sounds between the sounds, or the non-thoughts between the thoughts.

Emptiness isn’t just a translation of “Shunyata” — albeit an insufficient one — it is a concept that is intrinsically bound to the concept of “between thoughts.”

Why do we undertake mindfulness meditation? Why is Emptiness associated with wisdom in Buddhism? Aside from those who simply hope to attain the health benefits of stress release, there is a profound and almost unreachable objective for mindfulness — as practiced in Buddhism.

We don’t seek to empty our thoughts to attain a vegetative state. The quest for Enlightenment begins with the path untrodden. We seek wisdom in the empty spaces between our thoughts.

Buddha taught consistently — from the first teaching, right on up to the glorious Paramita sutras — that we are trapped and imprisoned in Samsara due to our “gates of the senses.”

The eyes deceive us with illusory images.

The ears trick us with rhythms and patterns that we interpret as language.

Our flesh craves the exotic senses of delightful touches — and recoils from the painful sensations.

What do all these senses do for us? Yes, they help us to survive in Samsara — but equally, they trap us here in the illusory world of perceptions.

This is why, in various lab testing environments, sensory deprivation has proven so empowering to the developing mind. When we take away the eyes, we learn to see in a superior way. Take away the ears, we hear the “inner spontaneous sounds” that we weren’t able to hear before. Take away touch, and we float in bliss.

This is where Dzogchen, Mahamudra, and even generation stage meditations in Vajrayana help us.

Mindfulness without method

In movies, the “Zen” monk always poses enigmatic, unsolvable riddles. In the real temple environment, these are called koans. In TV-land, it makes for powerful “mysterious” energy. Another nearly “cliché” TV scene is the seated monk, so immovable in contemplation that nothing can move him.

Both of these TV “clichés” are based in real Zen practice. We do challenge — and try to “break the mind” — with koan riddles. In mindfulness we are taught — if taught makes any sense in this context — to non-think or to just “be” in the moment.

Mindfulness itself, though, has a higher goal than simply to “be in the moment.” The yogi’s or meditator’s mission is to explore the spaces “between the moments” and “between the thoughts.”

What is the goal of these bizarre methods?

So, back to my original question: what do sensory deprivation experimentation, mindfulness and unsolvable riddles have in common? Why are they considered advanced techniques when they appear so “mindless?”

The answer is simple. They are all methods to find the gaps — the spontaneous “sounds” that occur in between our thoughts. And, in those gaps, we just might glimpse the true nature of reality.

It’s not an accident that Buddha taught us to use the word “Dharma” — which can be translated as “gap” or “space” to describe the truth that we are seeking. (I don’t mean the “literal translation of Dharma to English” — I’m referring to the teaching context.)

Dharma is the space in between thoughts, and it is also the spontaneous sound that occurs when we non-think.

In Zen, this concept is immortalized in the famous Koan:  “the sound of one hand clapping.” It is the silence between the notes, the void between the words.

And it is in this space that we find true wisdom.

When we can non-think — the nearly impossible method of mindfulness without method, we are opening the door to spontaneous sound — and spontaneous sound is the key to true wisdom.

So, the next time you find yourself caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life, take a moment to just “be” in the silence between the thoughts. And, who knows, you just might find that spontaneous sound — the key to true wisdom.

You choose your enigmatic, sage-like concept — methodless method, thoughtless mindfulness, soundless sound — they all amount to the most advanced non-concepts of “Dharma.”

Non-conceptual Dharma

“The dharani entering into nonconceptuality”:

“Once bodhisattvas, great beings, have thus abandoned every type of conceptual sign by not directing their minds toward them, they are well oriented to the nonconceptual but have yet to experience the nonconceptual realm. They do, however, possess the well-grounded meditative absorption conducive to experiencing the nonconceptual realm. As a consequence of cultivating this genuine method, training in it repeatedly, and correctly orienting their minds, bodhisattvas will experience the nonconceptual realm without volition or effort, and gradually purify their experience. For what reason, noble sons, is the nonconceptual realm called ‘nonconceptual’? It completely transcends all conceptual analysis, completely transcends all imputations of instruction and illustration, completely transcends all conceptual signs, completely transcends all imputation via the sense faculties, completely transcends imputation as sense objects, completely transcends imputation as cognitive representations, and is not based in the cognitive obscurations or in the obscurations of the afflictive and secondary afflictive emotions. For this reason the nonconceptual realm is called ‘nonconceptual.’”

The dharani entering into nonconceptuality; translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee [1]

Science and Sensory Deprivation

What did scientists learn by placing subjects “back in the womb” by depriving them of senses?

The goal of sensory deprivation experiments is to find the spontaneous “sounds” that occur in between our thoughts — to glimpse the true nature of reality.

In one such experiment, subjects were placed in a dark, soundproof room where they floated weightlessly in murky water.

After just a few hours, many of the subjects began to experience hallucinations — to “hear” spontaneous sounds that were not actually there.

These subjects were not crazy — they were simply experiencing “glimpses” of the true nature of reality, unmediated by the senses. Or, were they? This is why teacher-guidance is superior to the “tank” method. The teacher can coach us when spontaneous sensations arise.

In another similar experiment, subjects were placed in an anechoic chamber — a room designed to stop reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves. In this chamber, waves cannot bounce off the walls, and as a result, all external noise is effectively eliminated.

Again, many of the subjects began to experience spontaneous “sounds” — this time, “inner” sounds that were not actually there

What do these experiments tell us? They tell us that the true nature of reality is far more strange and mysterious than we could ever imagine. That, itself, won’t bring wisdom — for that we still need the guidance of sutras and our teachers — but as a method it’s a start.

NOTES

[1] “Entering into nonconceptuality”

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.”

 

The entire fourth month of the lunar year is meritorious, this year running between May 9 and June 6. On the full moon day (15th day) of this sacred month — this year on Thursday the 23rd– we celebrate Saga Dawa Duchen:

• Birth of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Conqueror
• Enlightenment of Gautama Shakyamuni Buddha
• Buddha’s Paranirvana

Although these events were separated by years, the history of his great life reveals that the three most important events occurred on the full moon of the 4th month. For this reason, according to Lama Zopa:

“Saka Dawa Duchen is one of the four great holy days of the Tibetan calendar, each of which celebrates an anniversary of Shakyamuni Buddha’s display of extraordinary powerful deeds for sentient beings’ sake. On these four days, karmic results are multiplied by 100 million, as taught in the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations.”

• The Sacred Month also has multiplied merit and this year 2024, runs from May 9 – to June 6 (Month 4 of Lunar Calendar)
• Saga Dawa Duchen, the Birth, Enlightenment and Paranirvana Day celebrated on the full moon of the 4th month: May 23, 2024

Did you know?

• Many Buddhists engage in acts of generosity, such as giving to the poor and freeing animals
• Reciting mantras and reading Buddhist scriptures are common practices on this day
• Lighting butter lamps and making circumambulations around stupas are traditional observances
• Tibetans often refrain from eating meat during the entire month of Saga Dawa
• The month of Saga Dawa is considered a time for increased spiritual practice and reflection
• Saga Dawa Duchen is a public holiday in Tibet and other regions with significant Tibetan Buddhist populations
• The festival promotes the values of compassion, kindness, and mindfulness

Merit of Paramitas

Increased merit activities include any of the Paramitas:

• Generosity of Dana, supporting Dharma activities, helping “Spread the Dharma”– for instance, buying, coping, and circulating sutras,  supporting Dharma centers, becoming a patron of a teaching event and so on.
• Another powerful form of generosity during Saga Dawa Duchen is Life Release, the practice of saving lives of animals destined to be killed. This act is believed to extend one’s own lifespan and foster positive karma. Imagine setting free a bird or fish, granting them a new lease on life—it’s profoundly symbolic and spiritually uplifting.
• Participating in fasting retreats is also highly regarded. During these retreats, you abstain from meals for a specified period, focusing instead on prayers and meditation. This not only purifies your body but also sharpens your spiritual focus.
• Lighting butter lamps is another common practice. Each lamp lit is a symbol of enlightenment and wisdom, guiding souls towards the light of Dharma. It’s a simple yet deeply meaningful act.
• Reciting spiritual texts, especially those that involve praises to deities like Tara or rituals such as the Mamo Pacification Ritual, also yield immense merit. Reading these texts aloud not only transforms your own mind but also benefits all sentient beings through the power of spoken words.
• Supporting Dharma centers by attending their events or even making regular donations can further your spiritual journey while ensuring the longevity of these crucial institutions. Your contribution helps keep the teachings accessible to everyone and maintains a sacred space for practice.
• Sponsorship of religious activities, such as funding rituals or ceremonies aimed at invoking blessings and protection for all beings, is another meritorious act. These activities often require funds to purchase offerings and make arrangements, and your sponsorship can make these events possible.Engaging in these practices during Saga Dawa Duchen not only elevates your own spiritual state but contributes to the collective merit and well-being of all sentient beings. Remember, every act of generosity, no matter how small, multiplies a hundred million times during this auspicious period. So, seize the opportunity to do good and spread the light of Dharma far and wide.

Saga Dawa Duchen

The most important day in the month (perhaps for the entire year, for many Buddhists) is Saga Dawa Duchen on the full moon. Duchen means “great occasion,” and this year falls on the full moon day, May 23rd. It is similar to Vesak in Theravadin Buddhism  — celebrating the birth, Enlightenment and Paranirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha, but is based on the Tibetan lunar calendar. Both are the “4th month” of the lunar calendars, but they are calculated differently. (See this feature on lunar confusion for clarification>>)

The day of the “Great Occasion” this year on May 23, 2024 is the best day of the entire year for “making merit” for the benefit of all sentient beings. In addition to the 8 precepts, other activities recommended include:

• Strongly recommended by Lama Zopa: do a Shakyamuni Buddha Puja. There are long and short forms of this Puja, downloadable here from FPMT>>
• Reciting the Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels  [For a feature on the benefits of reciting sutra out loud, see this special story>>]
• Your regular daily practices.
• Reciting sutras, such as Vajra Cutter Sutra, Sutra of Golden Light, and Sanghata Sutra
• Reciting other prayers, such as Chanting the Names of Manjushri, and King of Prayers
• Undertaking Nyung nes
• Performing self-initiation, for those who fulfilled the necessary prerequisites (normally only for people who have completed a particular retreat protocol and fire puja.)
• Performing Lama Chopa, and at either the beginning of the practice or during the lamrim section, you can meditate on emptiness
• Reciting the names of the Thirty-Five Buddhas, with prostrations
• Reciting Vajrasattva mantras
• Reciting OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ with bodhichitta
• Meditating on emptiness and dependent arising
• Meditating on bodhichitta
• Practicing tonglen
• Rejoicing
• Liberating animals
• Listening to Dharma teachings (live or online is fine).

Taking the 8 Precepts for a day

The late, great Lama Zopa recommends taking the full 8 precepts — the precepts of a monk or nun (not necessarily shaving the head) — for the day. Traditionally, lay disciples follow five of the precepts — but for the day they take all eight. This should be done in the early morning (earlier the better!) He explains:

“Taking the eight Mahayana precepts is a way to make life meaningful, to take its essence all day and night, by taking vows,” Lama Zopa Rinpoche has taught. “It is so simple. It is just for one day. Just for one day. It makes it so easy.”

Here is a video of  Garchen Rinpoche offering Refuge Vow:

You can certainly take the precepts simply by action and conscious decision. You don’t have to take formal precepts. Just set your mind and, for the day, ensure you do your best:

1. I undertake to abstain from causing harm and taking life of any kind
2. I undertake to abstain from taking what is not given.
3. I undertake to abstain from sexual misconduct.
4. I undertake to abstain from wrong speech: telling lies, deceiving others, manipulating others, using hurtful words.
5. I undertake to abstain from using intoxicating drinks and drugs, which lead to carelessness.
The additional precepts on Wesak and other special ceremonial days (or for non-lay practitioners all the time) are:
6. I undertake to abstain from eating at the wrong time—the correct time is after sunrise but before noon.
7. I undertake to abstain from singing, dancing, playing music, attending entertainment performances, wearing perfume, and using cosmetics and garlands or decorations.
8. I undertake to abstain from luxurious places for sitting or sleeping, and overindulging in sleep.

Please be aware that by taking the lineage of the eight Mahayana precepts from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Rinpoche will become one of your gurus.” You can download the PDF text for recitation along with Lama Zopa here>>

• • Prajna (Wisdom): Understanding the true nature of reality, leading to enlightenment.
  • Sila (Morality/Discipline): Ethical behavior and adherence to moral precepts.
  • Virya (Energy/Perseverance): Diligence and effort in pursuing spiritual goals.
  • Kshanti (Patience): Cultivating tolerance and forbearance, even in difficult situations.
  • Upaya (Skillful Means): Applying wisdom and compassion effectively to help others.
  • Samadhi (Meditative Concentration): Developing deep states of focused meditation and mental clarity.
  • Karuna (Compassion): Developing a deep sense of empathy and care for the suffering of all beings.
  • Mudita (Sympathetic Joy): Rejoicing in the happiness and success of others.
  • Upeksa (Equanimity): Maintaining mental calm and balance, regardless of external circumstances.
  • Danaparamita (Generosity): The practice of giving selflessly to support others.
  • Dana (Generosity): You can make donations to a local Buddhist temple, or sponsor the lighting of butter lamps as a part of your offerings.
  • Sila (Good Conduct): Be conscious about leading a life of morality, by being truthful and not inflicting harm on others. This could involve activities like helping others in need.
  • Kshanti (Patience): Practice patience through understanding and forgiving others, regardless of the difficulties.
  • Virya (Diligence): Break out of comfort zones and commit to reading or reciting spiritual texts or sutras during Saga Dawa to obtain merit.
  • Dhyana (Meditative Concentration): Engage in longer meditation sessions or join a fasting retreat, helping you to develop a deeper sense of peace and tranquility.
  • Prajna (Wisdom): Take time to study the teachings by revered Buddhist figures or Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s recommended practices for Saka Dawa Duchen.
  • Upaya (Means or Expedient Measures): Offer your help towards organising religious events, circulating sutras, or helping in any other tasks required during Saga Dawa celebrations.
  • Pranidhana (Resolution or Vow): Make a conscious resolution to refrain from negative actions and increase positive behaviors during Saga Dawa, since each action’s merit is multiplied.
  • Bala (Power or Spiritual Potency): Engage in practices such as Mamo Pacification Ritual, and other rituals to praise the Glorious Goddess, harnessing the spiritual power of these rituals.
  • Jnana (Knowledge): Strive to enhance your knowledge about Buddhism by studying scriptures, listening to teachings and engaging in thoughtful discussions with fellow practitioners during Saga Dawa.

Buddha’s Life — Based on Latest Archeological Evidence

• For a full story on the archaeological evidence, and his timeline, see>>

563 B.C. Conception to the Sakyas

Sakyamuni (Shakyamuni) Gautama Buddha’s conception — in much of Asia, conception is the celebratory date, rather than the actual date of birth. [2] Famously, Queen Maha Maya, Buddha’s mother, had a conception dream of a white elephant with six tusks descending from heaven to enter her womb. His title Sakyamuni (pronounced Shakyamuni) literally means ‘sage’ of the Sakyans — where Sakya was his father’s kingdom or oligarchic republic (located in modern-day Nepal). Muni literally means “sage.” Śākyamuni (शाक्यमुनि) is title of Buddha fist cited  in  Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter VI).

563 B.C. Siddartha’s Birth in Lumbini Nepal

Buddha was actually born Prince Siddartha, in Lumbini Nepal. According to tradition:

“Buddha emerged from his mother’s side, as she stood leaning against a tree, in a painless and pure birth.” [2]

He was named Siddartha (or Sarvathasiddha) — literally meaning “a man who achieves his goals” — by his father the king, who was determined he would be a great worldly king and conqueror, not a Buddha as predicted by the sages. His mother passed away, and he was brought up by his aunt Mahaprajapati.

548 B.C. Siddartha’s marriage to Yasodhara

His father the king determined he must be sheltered from the suffering of the world to remove any causes that might arise compassion in the young prince. True to his father’s aspirations, he was brought up a privileged prince, sequestered in the palace. He was married to young Yasodhara, who conceived their son Rahula.

Siddartha grew up in Kapilavastu, the capital, and became very accomplished in “kingly arts” including the martial arts.

534 B.C. Buddha sees the four sights: Suffering

True to predictions of the sages — and despite his father’s fiercely protective tactics — Prince Siddartha escaped the palace and saw the four sights of suffering: poverty, illness, old age, and death. He also saw religious ascetics. His “existential crisis” [2] led to his life’s mission — to release the world from all suffering.

534 B.C. Siddartha leaves home

With compassion awake in the young Prince Siddartha, he became driven to overcome the suffering of Samsara. In a dramatic moment, Siddartha determined to leave home — quietly leaving the palace to avoid his father’s guards. He knew he must abandon his conventional, privileged life, to seek the answers that would save all beings from the eternal cycle of suffering.

Dramatically, he left his beloved wife and child — knowing he must for the ultimate benefit — cut his hair and left behind even his inseparable horse. Cutting his hair was a symbol of leaving behind his ordinary life. He traveled south, seeking out other spiritual seekers, and ended in Magadha (current Bihar) where he begged on the streets.

533 B.C. Siddartha Meditates in Magadha

Like most spiritual seekers, Siddartha sought out and trained with many meditation teachers — notably “the masters Ālāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta” [2]

He learned and mastered with the best of the great sages of the time, attaining great realizations, but not the ultimate solution. He determined they did not have the final “permanent” solution, and decided he must seek the solution on his own.

532-5238 B.C. Siddartha the Ascetic

Asceticism was an extreme form of practice that included living in the wild without protection, extreme fasting — basically, an attempt to “down the physical influence of one’s being and release the soul, an insubstantial essence in each individual.” [2]

He continued this until he was nothing but dry skin and bones, close to death.

528 B.C. Siddartha risks death at Varanasi

Pushing his practice to the extreme, he tried every extreme meditation and practice — together with five other ascetics — only to nearly die of starvation. Finally, he realized the “middle way” was the correct path to Enlightenment — neither the extreme of deprivation nor its opposite of luxury. Barely able to move, he accepted a tiny bowl of mik, rice from a devotee named Sujata. From that moment, he pioneered the “Middle Path” now known as “Buddhism.”

528 B.C. Awakening at Bodh Gaya

At Buddhism’s most “famous” site, Bodhgaya, Siddartha found the liberating path. Rejected by the five ascetics, he ate modest meals, recovering his strength, then moved to a new meditation site under the most famous tree in history — the Pipal Tree of Bodh Gaya. [A decedent of this tree is still honored today in Bodhgaya.]

He withdrew into his mind, pioneering a new “middle way” of meditating. He endured trials under the tree, tempted by the Mara and his legions and armies. [Mara and his legions, assailing the Buddha under the tree, can be thought of as the struggle Buddha faced internally with his own attachments and past karmic imprints.] Finally, he awakened, and Mara and his legions vanished. Famously, the symbol of this is Buddha touching the earth as his witness. He attained Bodhi — Awakening — and became the Buddha, the Awakened One.

528 B.C. First Teaching at Sarnath

Buddha “turned the first wheel” of teaching, determined to help others with his perfect methods. His first pupils were the five ascetics who had earlier rebuked him. His first teachings were the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path:

Buddha first taught the Four Noble Truths, the Truth of Suffering, metaphorically, the “disease” we are treating.

“What, monks, is the truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, decay, sickness and death are suffering. To be separated from what you like is suffering. To want something and not get it is suffering. In short, the human personality, liable as it is to clinging and attachment brings suffering.” [3]

Overcoming suffering relied on the Eightfold Path:

“This is the noble eightfold way, namely, right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right attention, right concentration, and right meditation.” — Shakyamuni Buddha at Deerpark

• For a feature on the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, see>>

528-483 B.C. Countless teachings, Turning the Wheel

Buddha traveled with a growing entourage of disciples, teaching for the next 45 years. These precious teachings, recorded by his pupils, became a vast body of Pali Sutta, and later Mahayana Sutra — the largest collection of spiritual teachings in history. His teachings would spread throughout India, China, Japan, Korea, and all of Asia — and ultimately around the world.

483 B.C. Paranirvana at Kusinagara, Malla

At the age of 80, he decided it was time for him to leave the teachings to his Sangha of disciples. He gave his last teaching. He asked his disciples if they had any last questions for him before he left.

Finally, he said, “Things that arise from causes will also decay. Press on with due care.”[3]

He lay down on his right side, with his hand under his face — in the pose made famous by the Sleeping Buddha statue — and passed into the peace of ultimate Paranirvana.

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 with new content every week in online features, Dharma download PDF resources, videos, podcasts, and emailed “ezines”, thanks to your help. 

• Don’t miss our special section and our growing library here>>

Obstacles are plentiful in daily life. Whether we’re dealing with an emergency with our children, rushing around trying to find an emergency plumber, dealing with the aftermath of an accident — or even something more terrible, such as a natural disaster or war. Yes, we can find refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Yes, we can rely on the Dharma for answers. Yes, we can trust that “karma-willing” there will be Bodhisattvas in our life. Yet, sometimes it feels as if there are so many crushing obstacles, tragedies, and disasters that it all seems negative and impossible.

The Dalai Lama, who faced greater obstacles and dangers than most of us will — including invasion, persecution, and exile — often speaks about obstacles and how they can be transformed into opportunities to practice: “It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.”

The shining example: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

When this happens, it can be helpful to remember the shining example of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and his people who fled into exile when faced with oppression and violence. In the face of that disaster — and after overcoming it through years of obstacles — His Holiness remains the perfect model of Compassion and Metta. [See the photos below of His Holiness in 1959, enduring the long march to India.]

On the first anniversary after exile, his Holiness said: “As to the future, I stated my belief that, with truth, justice and courage as our weapons, we Tibetans would eventually prevail in regaining freedom for Tibet”

Video teaching below from His Holiness, speaking on “Facing Challenges with compassion and wisdom”:

Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche has very good starting advice on obstacles:

“All these negativities, all the difficulties we now experience in the world, are really overcome if we cultivate a mind of love and compassion.”

Obstacles are opportunities

No matter how great our examples of courage in the face of disasters, sometimes, our mental and emotional lives take such hits —  facing challenges such as anxiety, depression, addiction, or grief — that love and compassion seems far away. How do we cope in these urgent situations? How do we prevent the tragedies and suffering from overwhelming our lives and our Buddhist practice?

From a Buddhist perspective, obstacles — even the most terrible and tragic — are opportunities to practice. If we face disaster, we help others as a compassionate practice. If we face seemingly insurmountable odds, somehow we adapt and overcome. These are not tests, they’re opportunities for merit, for compassionate practice, and for metta (loving-kindness practice.) Fortunately, there are Buddhist practices and supports to help us overcome even the worst obstacles, even war and natural disasters.

While some may be tempted, in the face of disaster to give up practicing, it can be inspiring to look back at all the deadly obstacles Buddhist monks, Siddhas and Yogis faced over the last two thousand years. In the inspiring example of the Dalai Lama, the tragedy and obstacle of invasion and exile became a blessing for others as the Dalai Lama’s teachings propagated around the world. The Dalai Lama said,

“When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways – either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.” — Dalai Lama

In separate teaching, he explained that we do not overcome opportunities through passive acceptance. “It is natural that we face obstacles in pursuit of our goals. But if we remain passive, making no effort to solve the problems we meet, conflicts will arise and hindrances will grow. Transforming these obstacles into opportunities is a challenge to our human ingenuity.”

There is no such thing as insurmountable obstacles in Buddhist philosophy. Just think of what it must have taken hundreds of years ago to build this meditation room at the Tiger’s Nest:

Obstacles: quick fixes

Some of the solutions we’ll cover in this feature include both Mahayana Sutra practices and Vajrayana. Before we do, glance at our “quick start fix list” for practice suggestions we’ve covered previously. If you’re still experiencing obstacles to life and practice, read the additional recommendations below. [8000 words of suggestions!]

Quick start fix list

• Metta and Karuna (love and compassion) practices [See our previous feature on Metta and Karuna>>]
• Renewing refuge in the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha [See our previous feature on Taking Refuge>>]
• Re-taking the lay vows, and especially focusing on daily conduct: “vow to not harm others”; “vow to undertake virtuous deeds”; and “service to others.”
• Reciting sutras — purifies many negative karmas and accumulates merit. [For a feature on reciting sutras, see>>]
• Vajrasattva purification practices. [Vajrasattva practice>> or see the embedded Vajrasattva video with a guided meditation in this feature below.]
• Prayer Wheel practice — recommended strongly by Garchen Rinpoche as a complete daily practice as it combines all of the practices of  purifying “body, speech, and mind” and is a compassion (karuna) and loving-kindness (metta) aspirational practice. [See our previous feature on prayer wheel practice>>]

If you find the obstacles are more urgent, devasting or unyielding even in the face of the short list above, read on for our more in-depth suggestions based on various teachers, sutras and tantras.

Obstacles as a sign of “progress”

In Buddhism, it’s said that difficulties are a sign of progress. Why? Because they offer us an opportunity to purify negativities and obscurations, and to cultivate positive qualities such as patience, compassion, and wisdom. They also tend to motivate us to practice more — there’s nothing like a “close call” for teaching us a Dharma lesson.

In Mahayana Buddhism, generally, reciting sutras or engaging in meritorious practices — such as generosity — are the “go-to” recommendations. Creating merit and virtue helps us overcome the negative karma (not only our own, but our collective negative karma as custodians of the Earth) but this is a gradual effect. There are some more “immediate” helpful practices, such as appealing to the Bodhisattvas for help. Guan Shi Yin or Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, is famous for rescuing beings from harm with literally millions of accounts of direct interventions. For healing we might pray for help from Medicine Buddha or recite his precious sutra (see below).

Reciting the Medicine Buddha Sutra by Jason Espada with meditational images:

Reciting sutras — especially the Heart Sutra or the Diamon Sutra — are also considered protective and meritorious. Reciting Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra is famous for helping “avert war and strife” for example.

• See our previous feature Guan Shi Yin and the ten great protections of the Goddess of Mercy>>
• Medicine Buddha Sutra: video audio recitation of full Sutta — listening or reciting is a very empowering healing practice
• If you have time for only one Buddhist Practice — recite Diamond Sutra, or Vajra Cutter Sutra; containing the four main points of Mahayana practice — unlimited merit according to many teachers: full text of the Sutra
• Why Reciting Buddhist Sutras Out Loud is Important; Sutras Help Us Remain Mindful of the Teachings and Disengage the “Clinging” Conscious Mind
• Pacifier of War and Strife, Avalokiteshvara Guanyin Chenrezig — Bodhisattva delivering us from every danger; Chapter 25 Lotus Sutra

Vajrayana emphasizes actively working with obstacles

The Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism, on the other hand, emphasizes the importance of working with negativities and obscurations. In this tradition, it’s believed that when we encounter difficulties, we have an opportunity to purify our negativities and obscurations. This process of purification can lead to deeper insight, understanding, and compassion.

The Praises to 21 Taras and Tara’s mantra are the most often recommended practices for overcoming obstacles. Many Tibetan masters recount stories of Her rescues:

“On the inner level, you might have health problems, discomfort, insomnia, long and involved dreams, and other unusual phenomena,” explains Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche in The Dark Red Amulet from Shambala. “The secret signs show up in the emotions. You may have more expectations and anxiety about the teachings. You may have doubts about the teacher and other sangha members, less certainty about what you are doing, or less compassion than before. These signs do not mean that you are losing the ability to love and be kind. When we come to these rough places in the road, we should always persevere, strengthen our practice, and keep moving toward our goal.” [1]

Vajrakilaya’s mantra chanted beautifully with meditational images. His mantra is famous for overcoming our obstacles:

Obstacles are opportunities

So next time you’re facing an obstacle, remember that it’s an opportunity to grow and learn. Work with the negativities and obscurations that arise, and cultivate positive qualities such as patience, compassion, and wisdom. In this feature, we’ll explore some ways to not only use our obstacles as a practice but also to prevent or overcome them.

Easy to say, perhaps. Aside from general stress and suffering for those around us, it is dispiriting in the context of maintaining Dharma practice. When things are difficult, it’s human nature to either search for solutions — including spiritual ones — or to throw up your hands in despair.

Of course, as Mahayana Dharma practitioners, our obligation is to search for solutions for suffering — not only our own, but the suffering of all sentient beings. And, fortunately, Buddha, and all the great teachers since, have provided many solutions to our obstacles — not only how to prevent or overcome them, but also how to work with them as practice.

This always starts with helping ourselves. Saving ourselves in the face of an emergency makes sense since we can hardly save others from drowning if we’re underwater ourselves. (A recurring theme in Buddha’s Jataka Tales of his previous lives. Or, as a modern metaphor, in the event of an emergency, a flight attendant reminds us to place the oxygen mask on ourselves before we try to help our children or others.)

Prevention of Obstacles

How do we prevent these difficult situations from interfering with our spiritual practice — our Dharma activities? What does this mean in context of a Buddhist practitioner? What are the karmic implications? How do we help purify our obscurations and obstacles — to minimize the disasters, reduce our suffering, and the suffering of those around us?

“Experiencing these difficulties is a sign that you are actually moving. Whether the road is smooth or bumpy, it is good that you are moving along. When you begin practices, these obstacles will manifest.”

Obstacles and difficulties are a sign of progress because they show that we are moving forward. Many times, these obstacles are actually created by our own actions — such as in the case of the water pipes bursting. Other times, they are due to outside forces, such as the horse being heaving and asthmatic with the heat.

In either case, it is important to remember that we can’t control everything — and that’s okay. What’s important is how we deal with these obstacles when they come up. Do we let them stop us from our Dharma practice? Or do we see them as an opportunity to grow and purify our negativities?

It is said that Vajrayana Buddhism is the fastest path to enlightenment — but it is also the most difficult. This is because the Vajrayana practitioner works with their own obstacles and negativities directly, in order to purify them. This can be a difficult and painful process, but it is also said to be the most effective way to achieve Liberation. In Vajrayana, the expectation of gurus for their students is that they will practice faithfully, diligently and daily.

Green Tara practice and mantra is famous for overcoming obstacles, even urgent, deadly, worldly dangers:

So, how can we work with our own obstacles and negativities? First, we need to identify them. What are the things that cause us suffering? What are the things that make it difficult for us to maintain our Dharma practice? Once we know what these things are, we can start to work on them.

This might mean making some changes in our lives — such as letting go of attachments or changing our habits. It might also mean doing some specific practices to purify our negativities — such as reciting mantras or doing Vajrasattva practice. Whatever it is, the important thing is that we are taking action to improve our situation.

Obstacles and difficulties are a part of life, but we don’t have to let them stop us from practicing Dharma. By working with our own obstacles, we can actually use them as a tool for our own spiritual growth. In this way, we can turn our difficulties into a sign of progress on the path to Liberation.

Vajrayana Methods of Averting Obstacles

Most famous among the obstacle removers in terms of Enlightened Deities are the practices of Green Tara — and all of the 21 Taras — and Vajrakilaya. Both, represent the “activity of all the Buddhas.” Where Avalokiteshvara represents the compassion of all the Buddhas, and Manjushri the wisdom of all the Buddhas, both Green Tara and Vajrakilaya represent the “activity of all the Buddhas.” The main difference is the character of practice: Tara is peaceful and accessible, while Vajrakilaya is supremely wrathful and requires permission for the deeper practices.

• Prayers and mantras for both are accessible to all. See the prayer to Vajrakilaya by the Great Fifth Dalai Lama below, along with mantra videos for both Tara and Vajrakilaya (videos in this feature).

These are the “active” practices for removing obstacles and creating positive karmas and blessings.

The other methods often recommended, to all practitioners is Vajrasattva purification — since purifying all negative karmas past and present is the method to remove future obstacles. Vajrasattva practice is known for purifying these negative karmas before they ripen. How, you ask? By creating virtues — in this case confessing the negative karmas and promising not to repeat — we create merit which helps offset our past negative karmas.

• For a full feature on Vajrasattva and his practice, see>>

Four-Line Prayer to Remove Obstacles

Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava practice is also strongly recommended by many teachers. When instructing Lady Yeshe Tosgyal, for example, he explained how he would always help those who call out to him.

In Vajrayana Buddhism, Guru Rinpoche is the second Buddha. One famous practice revealed by Orgyen Chokyur Denchen Lingpa is the “the Prayer Which Removes All Obstacles from the Path (Barché Lamsel)” which is in full below. A shorter Guru Rinpoche prayer, famous for removing obstacles to is the Six Vajra Lines:

༄༅། །རྡོ་རྗེའི་ཚིག་རྐང་དྲུག་གི་གསོལ་འདེབས།

The Prayer in Six Vajra Lines

revealed by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

དུས་གསུམ་སངས་རྒྱས་གུ་རུ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ༔

dü sum sangye guru rinpoche

Embodiment of buddhas of past, present and future, Guru Rinpoche;

དངོས་གྲུབ་ཀུན་བདག་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཞབས༔

ngödrub kün dak dewa chenpö zhab

Master of all siddhis, Guru of Great Bliss;

བར་ཆད་ཀུན་སེལ་བདུད་འདུལ་དྲག་པོ་རྩལ༔

barché kün sel düdul drakpo tsal

Dispeller of all obstacles, Wrathful Subjugator of Māras;

གསོལ་བ་འདེབས་སོ་བྱིན་གྱིས་བརླབ་ཏུ་གསོལ༔

solwa deb so jingyi lab tu sol

To you I pray: inspire me with your blessing,

ཕྱི་ནང་གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་ཞི་བ་དང༌༔

chi nang sangwé barché zhiwa dang

So that outer, inner and secret obstacles are dispelled

བསམ་པ་ལྷུན་གྱིས་འགྲུབ་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

sampa lhün gyi drubpar jingyi lob

And all my aspirations are spontaneously fulfilled. [3]

It is important in understanding how Yidam deity practice helps remove our obstacles to understanding that it should be a daily, long-term practice. A sudden burst of practices, in an emergency, can certainly help us, but it is more effective if we’ve be accumulating merit and purifying karma over a long period of time with these great Yidams.

Enlightened Protectors in Vajrayana

Generally, Tara, Vajrakilaya, and Vajrasattva practices — or any practices of Buddhas and personal Yidams — are the most highly recommended for most of us. They are effective, powerful, meditative, and moving. They help us simultaneously purify and remove obstacles while also progressing in our Dharma practices of merit accumulation, compassion, loving-kindness, and wisdom meditation.

For senior practitioners, who have permission and empowerment, there may be time to bring in the “big guns” for obstacle removal. Again, as with Yidam practices, long-term offerings and practices — for example, daily tea offerings to protectors — is the best approach, rather than a sudden “emergency” puja. The merit accumulated is much greater, which helps us in overcoming our obstacles.

We’ve previously covered protectors such as Palden Lhamo — the great Mother Protector, who is also the protector of His Holiness the Dalai Lama — Black Mahakala, and other great Enlightened Protectors. [Some linked features and videos below.]

Here, we’re only focused on Enlightened protectors, who are aspects of the great Bodhisattvas and Yidams. Worldly protectors are not generally recommended as a practice by many teachers, and in any case, requires permission and training. When approaching Enlightened Protectors, the worst that can happen is nothing (if you have no connection) — as Enlightened, wrathful deities, you can never be harmed. They only work for the benefit of sentient beings.

Wrathful Protectors are not Yidams

Wrathful Enlightened protectors are NEVER self-generated. You do not usually take them as a Yidam practice. For example, Vajrakilaya is the supreme wrathful emanation of Vajrasattva — but is NOT a protector; he is a Yidam, albeit a powerful, wrathful one. We can, if we have the permission of a teacher via empowerment, self-generate as Vajrakilaya and have him as our daily practice.

On the other hand, Palden Lhamo, who is certainly an Enlightened Protector, an aspect of Tara, is NOT a Yidam and we would never self-generate as Palden Lhamo. Always seek the advice of your qualified teacher.

Examples of Enlightened Protectors who are NOT Yidams:

• Palden Lhamo or Shri Devi is an emanation of Tara — so the ultimately ferocious activity Protector
• Six-Armed Black Mahakala is an emanation of Chenrezig
• Begtse Chen is a protector aspect of Amitabha
• Achala

Examples of Wrathful Deities who are protective, but Yidams rather than protectors (although in some schools and lineages they are classified as protectors — or sometimes as BOTH — as in the 10 Wrathful ones):

• Hayagriva, wrathful emanation of Amitabha and Chenrezig
• Yamantaka, wrathful emanation of Manjushri
• Ekatjati, wrathful aspect of Tara.

However, it is still recommended to have some connection and relationship with these great beings before approaching them in a time of need.

Protectors, in other words, even the Enlightened Protectors, are generally only practiced with permission.

3 Short Obstacle-Removing Prayers

“Oh Vajrakilaya who dwells in the central region of Oddiyana, destroyer of all the hosts of Mara, please come swiftly to my assistance! I take refuge in you until samsara is emptied.”

— The Great Fifth Dalai Lama

“To Tara who saves us from eight million dangers, I bow down.”

— His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama

“In order to vanquish the hordes of obstructing demons that rise up against me from within and without, attacking me like an army on every side, I take refuge in you, Vajrakilaya. Come to my aid with your great power! Please remain until samsara is emptied.”

— The Great Fifth Dalai Lama

Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche speaks on overcoming obstacles, in this case especially Covid-19 and other diseases:

Short Vajrakilaya Dokpa

༄༅། །ཕུར་བཟློག་བསྡུས་པ།

Short Vajrakīla Dokpa

by the Fifth Dalai Lama

ཧཱུྃ། གཞི་དབྱིངས་འགྱུར་མེད་ཆོས་སྐུའི་ཀློང་ཡངས་ནས། །

hung, zhi ying gyurmé chökü long yang né

Hūṃ! Out of the unchanging space of the ground, dharmakāya’s vast expanse,

རྩལ་སྣང་འགགས་མེད་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཕུར་པའི་ལྷ། །

tsalnang gakmé dorjé purpé lha

You manifest unimpededly as its dynamic power, deities of Kīla—

དབྱིངས་རིག་དབྱེར་མེད་གཏོར་མ་འདི་བཞེས་ལ། །

yingrik yermé torma di zhé la

Please accept this torma of indivisible space and rigpa,

འཁྲུལ་སྣང་ནད་གདོན་དགྲ་བགེགས་དབྱིངས་སུ་ཟློག །

trulnang ne dön dra gek ying su dok

And dispel all delusory appearances, sickness, harmful influences, enemies and obstructing forces into all-pervading space!

ཟ་ཧོར་གྱི་བན་དེས་སྦྱར་བའོ། །

This was composed by the monk from the Zahor family.

Vajrakilaya Practice — the ultimate obstacle remover

Vajrakilaya is known as the supreme obstacle-remover. Why? Because he is none other than Vajrasattva in his most wrathful form.

In The Dark Red Amulet (a book on Vajrakilaya practices) Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche explain that obstacles may be a sign of progress in practice, and what to look for [1]:

“In his Dzogchen teachings, Guru Padma Sambhava urged his disciples to keep going beyond the boulders on the road of meditation. In Tibet, there are lots of boulders on the roads, but in America, we would probably say “the potholes in the streets.” Experiencing these difficulties is a sign that you are actually moving. Whether the road is smooth or bumpy, it is good that you are moving along. When you begin practices, these obstacles will manifest. At such times, maintain your strength and renew your commitment. You need stability and continuity to overcome these episodes. There are many ways in which signs can occur. Difficult situations can arise externally, internally, and secretly. Externally, things may happen that you did not expect, or things may not proceed the way you want them to. You may find that when one problem is solved, another problem arises.On the inner level, you might have health problems, discomfort, insomnia, long and involved dreams, and other unusual phenomena. The secret signs show up in the emotions. You may have more expectations and anxiety about the teachings. You may have doubts about the teacher and other sangha members, less certainty about what you are doing, or less compassion than before. These signs do not mean that you are losing the ability to love and be kind. When we come to these rough places in the road, we should always persevere, strengthen our practice, and keep moving toward our goal.

Positive signs of achievement may also occur. Externally, there may be periods where everything goes along nicely. Inwardly, your body feels peaceful and healthy, and it functions well. Emotionally, you feel relaxed, and anger, jealousy, and other emotions do not disturb you as they did before. We should not cling to positive signs, but maintain the ultimate view in every situation from now until we attain enlightenment.

The strongest and most positive signs of achievement—in Vajrakilaya practice, for example—are the three signs known as the body, speech, and mind signs of Vajrakilaya. Among the signs of the body are that the practitioner’s physical form becomes very bright, light, joyful, and peaceful. One has visions, dreams, or direct perceptions of the emanations of Vajrakilaya. Also, one’s phurba on the shrine might spark and radiate light. These phenomena were quite common in Tibet. Almost every monastery had special phurbas that danced on the shrine. These are all signs of the physical achievement of Vajrakilaya.

The signs of the speech achievement of Vajrakilaya involve the practitioner’s speech becoming very powerful and perfect, and one’s expressions of wisdom spontaneously expanding. For example, there are yogis who can write beautiful dharma songs that send special messages to sentient beings. Hearing the Vajrakilaya mantras, such as the syllable HUNG, resounding from the shrine or from trees, mountains, or open space is another sign that one has achieved the speech of Vajrakilaya.

The initial signs of achieving the mind of Vajrakilaya are temporary experiences of joy, peace, and a very relaxed state of mind. The ultimate sign of accomplishing the mind of Vajrakilaya is a perfect understanding of the nonduality of the awareness wisdom phurba and the immeasurable compassion phurba. Boundless compassion arises for all beings while the mind abides in the expanse of wisdom beyond concepts. The moment anything arises, it is liberated in the very space of its appearance. At the same time, unceasing great compassion arises for all beings without any expectation or reluctance.

There are also special signs, such as a pure understanding that the teacher, the teachings, and the sangha are all part of the mandala of Vajra kilaya. Another is the ability to perform the four actions of Vajrakilaya: pacifying, increasing, overpowering, and subjugating. You become efficient at whatever you do.

These are signs of having achieved a measure of the realization of Vajrakilaya. In any case, it is important not to become over-involved with the appearance of signs, whether good or bad, but simply continue to practice and meditate.”

• For a full feature on Vajrakilaya, see>>

Varjakilaya Ultimate Dokpa

ཆོས་ཉིད་དོན་གྱི་བཟློག་པ་བཞུགས་སོ༔The Ultimate, Natural Dispeller of Obstacles

by Tertön Sogyal  ཆོས་ཉིད་དོན་གྱི་བཟློག་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ༔ རྣམ་འབྱོར་པ་རྣམས་དགོངས་པ་མཉམ་ཉིད་ཀྱི་ངང་ནས་རྒྱས་འདེབས་ཆེན་པོའི་ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན་ལས་བཞེངས་ཏེ༔

From the experience of realization and equality, practitioners arise from the samādhi of great sealing and recite the following:

ཧཱུྃ༔ ཆོས་ཉིད་འགྱུར་བ་མེད་པ་ལས༔

hung, chönyi gyurwa mepa lé

Hūṃ! Out of the unchanging dharmatā—reality itself,

རང་བྱུང་འཁོར་འདས་སྣང་སྲིད་ཀུན༔

rangjung khordé nangsi kün

Saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, appearance and existence, naturally arise—

གཉིས་མེད་བདེ་ཆེན་རང་བཞིན་དུ༔

nyimé dechen rangzhin du

Although we do not realize their nature, great bliss beyond duality,

མ་རྟོགས་གཉིས་སུ་འཛིན་པ་ཡང་༔

ma tok nyisu dzinpa yang

And instead we cling to them dualistically,

མ་བཅོས་མཉམ་པའི་ཏིང་འཛིན་གྱིས༔

machö nyampé tingdzin gyi

Still, through the samādhi of uncontrived equality,

འཛིན་མེད་རོལ་པ་ཆེན་པོར་བཟློག༔

dzinmé rolpa chenpor dok

Let this be dispelled within the great play of non-grasping!

འཁྲུལ་པར་སེམས་པའི་དུག་ལྔ་དང་༔

trulpar sempé duk nga dang

There are five poisons of the ordinary deluded mind,

དུག་ལྔ་སྒྲོལ་བའི་ཐབས་ཆེན་པོ༔

duk nga drolwé tab chenpo

And great methods for liberating these five poisons—

དབྱིངས་ཀྱི་ངང་ལས་མ་གཡོས་ཕྱིར༔

ying kyi ngang lé ma yö chir

As they have not strayed from the experience of basic space,

ཡེ་ནས་ཐ་དད་གཉིས་སུ་མེད༔

yené tadé nyisumé

They have always been inseparable and non-dual,

གཉིས་སུ་མེད་པ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་སྐུ༔

nyisumepa chö kyi ku

In this non-duality, which is the dharmakāya,

སྤྲོས་བྲལ་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོར་བཟློག༔

trödral dewa chenpor dok

Great bliss beyond conceptual elaboration, let them be averted!

གཏི་མུག་མ་རིག་ཆེན་པོ་ཡང་༔

timuk marik chenpo yang

Great ignorance and delusion too

རང་གསལ་མེ་ལོང་ཡེ་ཤེས་ཏེ༔

rangsal melong yeshe té

Are the naturally clear mirror-like wisdom.

གཉིས་སྣང་ཞེན་པས་འཐིབ་པ་རྣམས༔

nyinang zhenpé tibpa nam

Let obscurations brought on by attachment to dualistic perception

གཏི་མུག་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉིད་དུ་བཟློག༔

timuk dorje nyi du dok

Be averted in the vajra nature of delusion itself!

ཞེ་སྡང་གདུག་པའི་རྟོག་པ་ཡང་༔

zhedang dukpé tokpa yang

Thoughts of hostility and anger too

རང་བྱུང་ཆོས་དབྱིངས་ཡེ་ཤེས་ཏེ༔

rangjung chöying yeshe té

Are the naturally arisen wisdom of dharmadhātu.

གཉིས་སྣང་ཞེན་པས་མནར་བ་རྣམས༔

nyinang zhenpé narwa nam

Let torments brought on by attachment to dualistic perception

ཞེ་སྡང་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉིད་དུ་བཟློག༔

zhedang dorje nyi du dok

Be averted in the vajra nature of anger itself!

ང་རྒྱལ་གཏུམ་པའི་རྟོག་པ་ཡང་༔

ngagyal tumpé tokpa yang

Thoughts of pride and stubborn arrogance too

རང་བྱུང་མཉམ་ཉིད་ཡེ་ཤེས་ཏེ༔

rangjung nyamnyi yeshe té

Are the naturally arisen wisdom of equality.

གཉིས་སྣང་ཞེན་པས་ཁེངས་པ་རྣམས༔

nyinang zhenpé khengpa nam

Let haughtiness brought on by attachment to dualistic perception

ང་རྒྱལ་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉིད་དུ་བཟློག༔

ngagyal dorje nyi du dok

Be averted in the vajra nature of pride itself!

འདོད་ཆགས་འཛིན་པའི་རྟོག་པ་ཡང་༔

döchak dzinpé tokpa yang

Thoughts of desire and clinging too

རང་བྱུང་སོར་རྟོག་ཡེ་ཤེས་ཏེ༔

rangjung sortok yeshe té

Are the naturally arisen wisdom of discernment.

གཉིས་སྣང་ཞེན་པས་འཆིང་བ་རྣམས༔

nyinang zhenpé chingwa nam

Let restraints brought about by attachment to dualistic perception

འདོད་ཆགས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉིད་དུ་བཟློག༔

döchak dorje nyi du dok

Be averted in the vajra nature of desire itself!

ཕྲག་དོག་རྒོད་པའི་རྟོག་པ་ཡང་༔

trakdok göpé tokpa yang

Thoughts of rampant jealousy too

རང་བྱུང་བྱ་གྲུབ་ཡེ་ཤེས་ཏེ༔

rangjung ja drub yeshe té

Are the naturally arisen all-accomplishing wisdom.

གཉིས་སྣང་ཞེན་པས་འཁྲུགས་པ་རྣམས༔

nyinang zhenpé trukpa nam

Let disturbances brought on by attachment to dualistic perception

ཕྲག་དོག་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཉིད་དུ་བཟློག༔

trakdok dorje nyi du dok

Be averted in the vajra nature of jealousy itself!

འཕོ་འགྱུར་གཉིས་མེད་ཆོས་དབྱིངས་ལས༔

pogyur nyimé chöying lé

Out of the dharmadhātu, beyond the duality of change and transformation,

སྒྱུ་མའི་ཆོ་འཕྲུལ་ཅིར་ཡང་འཆར༔

gyumé chotrul chiryang char

Illusory appearances arise magically in all manner of forms.

ཐ་དད་འཛིན་པས་སྣ་ཚོགས་གྲུབ༔

tadé dzinpé natsok drub

By perceiving them as distinct, variety is created,

མ་རིག་འགྲོ་རྣམས་བདེན་པར་འཁྲུལ༔

marik dro nam denpar trul

And ignorant beings stray into the belief that things are real.

མཉམ་ཉིད་རྟོགས་པའི་རྒྱལ་བ་ཡིས༔

nyamnyi tokpé gyalwa yi

To free them, victorious buddhas, who have realized equality,

སྒྲོལ་ཕྱིར་ཕྲིན་ལས་སྣ་ཚོགས་སྟོན༔

drol chir trinlé natsok tön

Display a variety of enlightened activities.

དབྱིངས་ལས་མ་གཡོས་རོལ་པའི་རྒྱན༔

ying lé ma yö rolpé gyen

Never straying from basic space, all adornments of display

ཐམས་ཅད་རྒྱལ་བའི་ཕྲིན་ལས་ཏེ༔

tamché gyalwé trinlé té

Are the enlightened activity of victorious buddhas.

ཐམས་ཅད་ཡེ་ནས་མཉམ་པ་ཉིད༔

tamché yené nyampa nyi

They are and always have been equality itself.

སྤང་བླང་མེད་པའི་འཁའ་དབྱིངས་སུ༔

panglang mepé kha ying su

In this sky-like sphere, beyond acceptance and rejection,

གཉིས་སྣང་རྟོག་ཚོགས་ཐམས་ཅད་བཟློག༔

nyinang toktsok tamché dok

Let all thoughts of dualistic perception be averted!

ཧཱུྃ༔ ང་ནི་རྡོ་རྗེའི་རིག་པ་འཛིན༔

hung, nga ni dorje rigpa dzin

Hūṃ! I am the holder of vajra-like awareness,

དུས་གསུམ་རྒྱལ་བའི་བདག་ཉིད་ཆེ༔

dü sum gyalwé daknyi ché

Great embodiment of the buddhas of past, present and future,

རང་བྱུང་དགོངས་པའི་བྱིན་རླབས་ཀྱིས༔

rangjung gongpé jinlab kyi

Through the inspiration and blessings of naturally arisen realization,

འཁོར་འདས་བདེན་ཞེན་སྒྱུ་མ་ཀུན༔

khordé denzhen gyuma kün

Let all illusory attachments to the reality of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa

ཡེ་ནས་སྤྲོས་བྲལ་མཁའ་ལ་བཟློག༔

yené trödral kha la dok

Be dispelled within the space that has always been free from conceptual elaboration,

ལྷུན་གྱིས་གྲུབ་པའི་དབྱིངས་སུ་བཟློག༔

lhün gyi drubpé ying su dok

Be dispelled within spontaneously present basic space!

བདེ་ཆེན་ཟུང་འཇུག་ངང་དུ་བཟློག༔

dechen zungjuk ngang du dok

Be dispelled within the state of unified great bliss!

མ་སྐྱེས་རང་གནས་ཆེན་པོར་བཟློག༔

makyé rangné chenpor dok

Be dispelled within the great unborn natural state!

འདུ་འབྲལ་མེད་པའི་ངང་དུ་བཟློག༔

dudral mepé ngang du dok

Be dispelled within the state beyond union and separation!

སྐྱེ་འགག་གཉིས་མེད་ཀློང་དུ་བཟློག༔

kyegak nyimé long du dok

Be dispelled within the expanse beyond both arising and ceasing!

ཅེས་མཉམ་པར་བཞག་གོ༔

With this, rest in meditative equipoise.

Simhamukha and the Wrathful Wisdom Dakinis

Simhamukha, the Snow-Lion-Faced Dakini — more commonly known as just “Lion-Faced Dakini — is one of the best known of the wrathful wisdom Dakinis who specialize in removing obstacles. Even the most terrible of obstacles such as war, strife, and natural disasters can — according to Tantra — be reduced or eliminated through her ferocious attention. Other wrathful Dakinis also are well-known for activities averting obstacles and disasters.

• For a full feature on Simhamukha, the Snow-Lion-Faced Dakini, see (coming soon)>>

Barche Lamsel — The Prayer Which Removes All Obstacles from the Path (Barché Lamsel) : Guru Rinpoche

༃ གསོལ་འདེབས་བར་ཆད་ལམ་སེལ་བཞུགས༔

The Prayer Which Removes All Obstacles from the Path (Barché Lamsel)

revealed by Orgyen Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

ཆོས་སྐུ་སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས༔

chöku nangwa tayé la solwa deb

To the dharmakāya Amitābha we pray!

ལོངས་སྐུ་ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཆེན་པོ་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས༔

longku tukjé chenpo la solwa deb

To the saṃbhogakāya—the Great Compassionate One—we pray!

སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས༔

tulku pema jungné la solwa deb

To the nirmāṇakāya Padmākara we pray!

བདག་གི་བླ་མ་ངོ་མཚར་སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ༔

dak gi lama ngotsar trulpé ku

Wondrous emanation, master of mine,

རྒྱ་གར་ཡུལ་དུ་སྐུ་འཁྲུངས་ཐོས་བསམ་མཛད༔

gyagar yul du kutrung tö sam dzé

In India, you were born, you studied and you contemplated;

བོད་ཡུལ་དབུས་སུ་ཞལ་བྱོན་དྲེགས་པ་བཏུལ༔

böyul ü su zhal jön drekpa tul

To the heart of Tibet you came, to subjugate its arrogant demons,

ཨོ་རྒྱན་ཡུལ་དུ་སྐུ་བཞུགས་འགྲོ་དོན་མཛད༔

orgyen yul du kuzhuk dro dön dzé

In Orgyen you dwell, accomplishing the benefit of beings:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Gyalwé Dungdzin¹

སྐུ་ཡི་ངོ་མཚར་མཐོང་བའི་ཚེ༔

ku yi ngotsar tongwé tsé

When we gaze on the wonder of your perfect form,

གཡས་པས་རལ་གྲིའི་ཕྱག་རྒྱ་མཛད༔

yepé raldri chakgya dzé

Your right hand forms the mudrā of the sword,

གཡོན་པས་འགུགས་པའི་ཕྱག་རྒྱ་མཛད༔

yönpé gukpé chakgya dzé

Your left in the mudrā of summoning.

ཞལ་བགྲད་མཆེ་གཙིགས་གྱེན་ལ་གཟིགས༔

zhal dré chetsik gyen la zik

Your mouth held open, with teeth bared, you gaze up into the sky.

རྒྱལ་བའི་གདུང་འཛིན་འགྲོ་བའི་མགོན༔

gyalwé dungdzin drowé gön

O Gyalwé Dungdzin, Protector of Beings:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Mawé Sengé

དམ་ཆོས་རིན་ཆེན་གསན་པའི་ཚེ༔

damchö rinchen senpé tsé

When hearing the priceless teachings of Dharma,

སྐུ་གསལ་འོད་ཟེར་མདངས་དང་ལྡན༔

ku sal özer dang dangden

Your body shines with a dazzling radiance of light,

ཕྱག་གཡས་སྡེ་སྣོད་གླེགས་བམ་བསྣམས༔

chak yé denö lekbam nam

In your right hand, volumes of the tripiṭaka,

གཡོན་པས་ཕུར་པའི་པུསྟི་བསྣམས༔

yönpé purpé puti nam

In your left, the texts of Kīlaya.

ཟབ་མོའི་ཆོས་རྣམས་ཐུགས་སུ་ཆུད༔

zabmö chö nam tuk su chü

All these profound teachings have infused your mind,

ཡང་ལེ་ཤོད་ཀྱི་པཎྜི་ཏ༔

yangleshö kyi pandita

O Paṇḍita of Yangleshö:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Kyéchok Tsul Zang

དམ་ཅན་དམ་ལ་བཏགས་པའི་ཚེ༔

damchen dam la takpé tsé

When placing under oath the protectors who abide by their vows

དྲི་མེད་གནས་མཆོག་ཉམས་རེ་དགའ༔

drimé né chok nyam ré ga

In that supreme place of power, immaculate and enchanting,

རྒྱ་གར་བོད་ཡུལ་ས་མཚམས་སུ༔

gyagar böyul satsam su

On the very border of India and Tibet,²

བྱིན་གྱིས་བརླབས་ནས་བྱོན་པའི་ཚེ༔

jingyi lab né jönpé tsé

You grant your blessing, and as soon as you arrive

དྲི་བསུང་སྤོས་ངད་ལྡན་པའི་རི༔

drisung pö ngé denpé ri

The mountain becomes fragrant, a sweet scent wafting through the air,

མེ་ཏོག་པདྨ་དགུན་ཡང་སྐྱེ༔

metok pema gün yang kyé

Even in winter lotus flowers bloom,

ཆུ་མིག་བྱང་ཆུབ་བདུད་རྩིའི་ཆུ༔

chumik changchub dütsi chu

And there flows a spring called ‘Nectar of Enlightenment’.

བདེ་ལྡན་དེ་ཡི་གནས་མཆོག་ཏུ༔

deden dé yi né chok tu

In this supreme and sacred place, inundated with bliss,

སྐྱེས་མཆོག་ཚུལ་བཟང་ཆོས་གོས་གསོལ༔

kyechok tsul zang chögö sol

O Kyéchok Tsul Zang, clad in Dharma robes,

ཕྱག་གཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ་རྩེ་དགུ་བསྣམས༔

chak yé dorjé tsé gu nam

Your right hand wielding a nine-spoked vajra,

གཡོན་པས་རིན་ཆེན་ཟ་མ་ཏོག༔

yönpé rinchen zama tok

Your left holding a jewelled casket

རཀྟ་བདུད་རྩིས་ནང་དུ་གཏམས༔

rakta dütsi nang du tam

Brimful of the elixir of rakta.

མཁའ་འགྲོ་དམ་ཅན་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

khandro damchen dam la tak

You bind under oath the ḍākinīs and guardians who keep their pledges,

ཡི་དམ་ཞལ་གཟིགས་དངོས་གྲུབ་བརྙེས༔

yidam zhalzik ngödrub nyé

And you attain the siddhi of beholding the yidam deity face to face:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Dükyi Shéchen

རྒྱལ་བའི་བསྟན་པ་བཙུགས་པའི་ཚེ༔

gyalwé tenpa tsukpé tsé

When you establish the teaching of the buddhas,

གཡའ་རིའི་ནགས་ལ་སྒྲུབ་པ་མཛད༔

yari nak la drubpa dzé

And practise in the Slate Mountain forest,

བསྙེན་ཕུར་ནམ་མཁའི་དབྱིངས་སུ་འཕར༔

nyenpur namkhé ying su par

Your ‘kīla of approach’ soars into the wide open sky.

རྡོ་རྗེའི་ཕྱག་རྒྱས་བླངས་ཤིང་བསྒྲིལ༔

dorjé chakgyé lang shing dril

You catch it with the vajra mudrā, roll it

བསྒྲིལ་ཞིང་ཙནྡན་ནགས་སུ་འཕང་༔

dril zhing tsenden nak su pang

Between your hands and hurl it into the Sandalwood Forest,

མེ་འབར་འཁྲུགས་ཤིང་མཚོ་ཡང་སྐེམ༔

mebar truk shing tso yang kem

Which bursts into flames, evaporating its lake.

སྲིབ་ཀྱི་མུ་སྟེགས་ས་གང་བསྲེགས༔

sib kyi mutek sa gang sek

In an instant, you burn the land of the tīrthikas to ashes,

ཡཀྴ་ནག་པོ་རྡུལ་དུ་བརླག༔

yaksha nakpo dul du lak

And crush their dark yakṣa lords into dust.

འགྲན་གྱི་དོ་མེད་བདུད་ཀྱི་གཤེད༔

dren gyi domé dü kyi shé

O peerless Dükyi Shéchen:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Dzam Ling Gyen Chok

སྲིན་པོའི་ཁ་གནོན་མཛད་པའི་ཚེ༔

sinpö khanön dzepé tsé

When overpowering the rākṣasas,

ཁྱེའུ་ཆུང་སྤྲུལ་སྐུའི་ཆ་ལུགས་ཅན༔

khyé’u chung tulkü chaluk chen

You appear as a youth in nirmāṇakāya garb,

ཡ་མཚན་གཟུགས་བཟང་ཁ་དོག་ལེགས༔

yatsen zuk zang khadok lek

Your amazing, beautiful form, with its lovely hue,

ཚེམས་འགྲིགས་དབུ་སྐྲ་སེར་ལ་མཛེས༔

tsem drik utra ser la dzé

Perfect teeth and golden hair, gorgeous

དགུང་ལོ་བཅུ་དྲུག་ལོན་པའི་ཚུལ༔

gunglo chudruk lönpé tsul

Like a youth of sixteen years,

རིན་ཆེན་རྒྱན་ཆ་སྣ་ཚོགས་གསོལ༔

rinchen gyencha natsok sol

Wearing all the jewel ornaments.

ཕྱག་གཡས་འཁར་བའི་ཕུར་པ་བསྣམས༔

chak yé kharwé purpa nam

Your right hand grips a kīla of bronze,

བདུད་དང་སྲིན་པོའི་ཁ་གནོན་མཛད༔

dü dang sinpö khanön dzé

Subjugating māras and rākṣasas.

གཡོན་པས་སེང་ལྡེང་ཕུར་པ་བསྣམས༔

yönpé sengdeng purpa nam

Your left hand holds a kīla of teak,

མོས་པའི་བུ་ལ་སྲུང་སྐྱོབ་མཛད༔

möpé bu la sung kyob dzé

Granting protection to your devoted sons and daughters,

མགུལ་ན་ལྕགས་ཀྱི་ཕུར་པ་བསྣམས༔

gul na chak kyi purpa nam

Around your neck you wear a kīla of iron—

ཡི་དམ་ལྷ་དང་གཉིས་སུ་མེད༔

yidam lha dang nyisumé

You and the yidam deity are inseparable,

གཉིས་མེད་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་འཛམ་གླིང་རྒྱན༔

nyimé tulku dzamling gyen

O Dzam Ling Gyen Chok, manifestation of non-duality:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Pemajungné

འདྲེ་ཡི་ཡུལ་དུ་དགོངས་པའི་ཚེ༔

dré yi yul du gongpé tsé

When you choose to go to the ‘Land of Phantoms’,

མེ་དཔུང་ཤོད་ཀྱི་ས་གཞི་ལ༔

mepung shö kyi sazhi la

The ground on which the blazing pyre is lit

མདའ་རྒྱང་གང་གི་མཚོ་ནང་དུ༔

da gyang gang gi tso nang du

Turns into a lake, the width of an arrow shot,

པདྨའི་སྟེང་དུ་བསིལ་བསིལ་འདྲ༔

pemé tengdu sil sil dra

Where, on a lotus blossom, you appear, cool and sparkling.

པདྨའི་ནང་ན་དགོངས་པ་མཛད༔

pemé nang na gongpa dzé

Within the lotus, you display your realization

མཚན་ཡང་པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་ཞེས༔

tsen yang pema jungné zhé

And win the name of Pemajungné, ‘Lotus-born’.

རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས་དངོས་སུ་བྱོན༔

dzokpé sangye ngö su jön

You come in person as a completely realized buddha—

དེ་འདྲའི་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་ཡ་མཚན་ཅན༔

dendré tulku yatsen chen

O wondrous nirmāṇakāya, such as you:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Khyépar Pakpé Rigdzin

བོད་ཀྱི་ཉི་མ་མཛད་པའི་ཚེ༔

bö kyi nyima dzepé tsé

When you shine as the sun over Tibet,

དད་ལྡན་འགྲོ་བ་འདྲེན་པའི་དཔལ༔

deden drowa drenpé pal

An awe-inspiring guide for any with devotion in their hearts,

གང་ལ་གང་འདུལ་སྐུར་བསྟན་ནས༔

gang la gang dul kur ten né

You display whatever forms each being needs to be tamed.

གཙང་ཁ་ལ་ཡི་ལ་ཐོག་ཏུ༔

tsang khala yi la tok tu

High up on the Khala mountain pass in Tsang,

དགྲ་ལྷའི་དགེ་བསྙེན་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

dralhé genyen dam la tak

You place the genyen of the dralas under oath.

ཡུལ་ནི་ཚ་བའི་ཚ་ཤོད་དུ༔

yul ni tsawé tsashö du

Down in the valley of Tsawarong,

ལྷ་ཡི་དགེ་བསྙེན་དྲེགས་པ་ཅན༔

lha yi genyen drekpachen

It was the arrogant genyen of the gods,

ཉི་ཤུ་རྩ་གཅིག་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

nyishu tsachik dam la tak

Twenty-one of them, you make swear fealty.

མང་ཡུལ་དེ་ཡི་བྱམས་སྤྲིན་དུ༔

mangyul dé yi jamtrin du

In Mangyul, at the temple ‘Cloud of Love’,

དགེ་སློང་བཞི་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་གནང་༔

gelong zhi la ngödrub nang

You grant attainments to the four bhikṣus.³

ཁྱད་པར་འཕགས་པའི་རིག་འཛིན་མཆོག༔

khyepar pakpé rigdzin chok

O supreme Khyépar Pakpé Rigdzin:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Dzütrul Thuchen

དཔལ་མོ་ཐང་གི་དཔལ་ཐང་དུ༔

palmo tang gi pal tang du

On Palmotang’s plain of glory

བརྟན་མ་བཅུ་གཉིས་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

tenma chunyi dam la tak

You give the twelve tenma goddesses their binding oath.

བོད་ཡུལ་ཁ་ལའི་ལ་ཐོག་ཏུ༔

böyul khalé la tok tu

Up on the Khala pass of Central Tibet,

གངས་དཀར་ཤ་མེད་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

gangkar shamé dam la tak

You bind the white snow goddess Gangkar Shamé under oath.

འདམ་ཤོད་ལྷ་བུའི་སྙིང་དྲུང་དུ༔

damshö lhabü nying drung du

In the marshlands of Damshö before Mount Lhabüi Nying,

ཐང་ལྷ་ཡར་ཞུད་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

tanglha yarzhü dam la tak

You swear Thangla Yarshu to a solemn vow.

ཧས་པོ་རི་ཡི་ཡང་གོང་དུ༔

hepori yi yang gong du

High up, on the peak of Mount Hépori,

ལྷ་སྲིན་ཐམས་ཅད་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

lhasin tamché dam la tak

You place all the devas and rākṣasas under oath:

ཆེ་བའི་ལྷ་འདྲེ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱིས༔

chewé lha dré tamché kyi

And out of all these great gods and demons,

ལ་ལས་སྲོག་གི་སྙིང་པོ་ཕུལ༔

lalé sok gi nyingpo pul

Some offer up the very essence of their life force,

ལ་ལས་བསྟན་པ་བསྲུང་བར་བྱས༔

lalé tenpa sungwar jé

Some are turned into guardians of the teachings,

ལ་ལས་བྲན་དུ་ཁས་བླངས་བྱས༔

lalé dren du khelang jé

Others take the pledge to act as your servants.

མཐུ་དང་རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་སྟོབས་པོ་ཆེ༔

tu dang dzutrul tobpo ché

O mighty Dzutrul Thuchen:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Dorjé Drakpo Tsal

དམ་པ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བསྟན་པ་ནི༔

dampa chö kyi tenpa ni

When you plant the teachings of the sublime Dharma,

རྒྱལ་མཚན་ལྟ་བུར་བཙུགས་པའི་ཚེ༔

gyaltsen tabur tsukpé tsé

As if hoisting a victory banner,

བསམ་ཡས་མ་བཞེངས་ལྷུན་གྱིས་གྲུབ༔

samyé mazheng lhün gyi drub

Samyé is completed spontaneously, with no need to be built,

རྒྱལ་པོའི་དགོངས་པ་མཐར་ཕྱིན་མཛད༔

gyalpö gongpa tarchin dzé

And the entire vision of the king is fulfilled.

སྐྱེས་མཆོག་གསུམ་གྱི་མཚན་ཡང་གསོལ༔

kyechok sum gyi tsen yang sol

Then, you bore the names of three supreme beings—

གཅིག་ནི་པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་ཞེས༔

chik ni pema jungné zhé

One was Padmākara, ‘Lotus-born’,

གཅིག་ནི་པདྨ་སམྦྷ་ཝ༔

chik ni pema sambhava

One was Padmasambhava,

གཅིག་ནི་མཚོ་སྐྱེས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཞེས༔

chik ni tsokyé dorjé zhé

And one was Tsokyé Dorjé, ‘the Lake-born Vajra’.

གསང་མཚན་རྡོ་རྗེ་དྲག་པོ་རྩལ༔

sang tsen dorjé drakpo tsal

O Dorjé Drakpo Tsal, now we invoke you by your secret name:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Kalden Drendzé

བསམ་ཡས་མཆིམས་ཕུར་སྒྲུབ་པ་མཛད༔

samyé chimpur drubpa dzé

When you practise at Samyé Chimphu,

རྐྱེན་ངན་ཟློག་ཅིང་དངོས་གྲུབ་གནང་༔

kyen ngen dok ching ngödrub nang

You ward off harmful circumstances, and grant attainments.

རྗེ་བློན་ཐར་པའི་ལམ་ལ་བཀོད༔

jelön tarpé lam la kö

You set the king and ministers on the path to liberation,

གདོན་གཟུགས་བོན་གྱི་བསྟན་པ་བསྣུབས༔

dön zuk bön gyi tenpa nub

Destroying those teachings of the Bönpos that conjure evil spirits,

ཆོས་སྐུ་དྲི་མེད་རིན་ཆེན་བསྟན༔

chöku drimé rinchen ten

And showing the dharmakāya, precious and immaculate.

སྐལ་ལྡན་སངས་རྒྱས་ས་ལ་བཀོད༔

kalden sangye sa la kö

O Kalden Drendzé, you lead us fortunate ones to buddhahood:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Rakṣa Tötreng

དེ་ནས་ཨོ་རྒྱན་ཡུལ་དུ་བྱོན༔

dené orgyen yul du jön

Then you leave, and for the land of Orgyen,

ད་ལྟ་སྲིན་པོའི་ཁ་གནོན་མཛད༔

danta sinpö khanön dzé

Where now you subjugate the rākṣasa demons;

མི་ལས་ལྷག་གྱུར་ཡ་མཚན་ཆེ༔

mi lé lhak gyur yatsen ché

Great wonder—surpassing any human being,

སྤྱོད་པ་རྨད་བྱུང་ངོ་མཚར་ཆེ༔

chöpa mejung ngotsar ché

Great marvel—in your phenomenal enlightened actions,

མཐུ་དང་རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་སྟོབས་པོ་ཆེ༔

tu dang dzutrul tobpo ché

Great might—with all your miraculous powers:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Guru Dechen Gyalpo

སྐུ་གསུང་ཐུགས་ལྡན་འགྲོ་བ་འདྲེན་པའི་དཔལ༔

ku sung tukden drowa drenpé pal

Endowed with wisdom body, speech and mind, you are our glorious guide;

སྒྲིབ་པ་ཀུན་སྤངས་ཁམས་གསུམ་ས་ལེར་མཁྱེན༔

dribpa kün pang kham sum saler khyen

You have freed yourself of obscurations, and so know the three realms with vivid clarity;

དངོས་གྲུབ་མཆོག་བརྙེས་བདེ་ཆེན་མཆོག་གི་སྐུ༔

ngödrub chok nyé dechen chok gi ku

You have attained the supreme siddhi, and so possess the supreme body of great bliss;

བྱང་ཆུབ་སྒྲུབ་པའི་བར་ཆད་ངེས་པར་སེལ༔

changchub drubpé barché ngepar sel

All the obstacles to our enlightenment—eliminate them for good!

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་རྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་ཐོད་ཕྲེང་རྩལ་བཛྲ་ས་མ་ཡ་ཛཿསིདྡྷི་ཕ་ལ་ཧཱུྃ་ཨཱ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema tötreng tsal benza samaya dza siddhi pala hung a

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma tötreng tsal vajra samaya jaḥ siddhi phala hūṃ āḥ

ཞེས་པའང་རྩོད་བྲལ་དུས་བབས་ཀྱི་སྤྲུལ་པའི་གཏེར་སྟོན་ཆེན་པོ་ཨོ་རྒྱན་མཆོག་གྱུར་བདེ་ཆེན་གླིང་པས་ཟླ་ཉིན་ཁ་ལ་རོང་སྒོའི་དཔལ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཞབས་འོག་ནས་སྤྱན་དྲངས་པའི་བླ་མའི་ཐུགས་སྒྲུབ་བར་ཆད་ཀུན་སེལ་གྱི་ཞལ་གདམས་སྙིང་བྱང་ཡིད་བཞིན་ནོར་བུ་ལས། ཕྱི་གསོལ་འདེབས་ཀྱི་སྒྲུབ་པ་ཁོལ་དུ་ཕྱུངས་པ་སྟེ།

Without any question, the great treasure revealer Orgyen Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa manifested specifically for this time. From below the foot of the Great Awesome One at the door of Danyin Khala Rong, he revealed the ‘Quintessential Manual of Oral Instructions: the Wish-fulfilling Jewel’ from ‘The Guru’s Heart Practice: Dispelling All Obstacles’—Lamé Tukdrup Barché Kunsel. This prayer forms the outer practice of this revelation.

འདིས་ཀྱང་བསྟན་འགྲོའི་བར་ཆད་དང་རྒུད་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཉེ་བར་ཞི་ཞིང་དགེ་ལེགས་ཀྱི་དོན་ཐམས་ཅད་ཡོངས་སུ་གྲུབ་པའི་རྒྱུར་གྱུར་ཅིག། །།

May this prayer become the cause for pacifying completely all the obstacles and degeneration for both the teachings and beings, and accomplishing all the aims of virtue and goodness! Maṅgalaṃ!

| Rigpa Translations, 2013. Revised 2016, 2017 & 2020. With many thanks to Hubert Decleer for his clarifications concerning place names, and to Erik Pema Kunsang for his pioneering translation of this text. [2]

Obstacle-Removing Lemonade

Obstacles and “unsteadiness” are a part of life, but luckily we have many tools at our disposal to help us overcome them. Daily, long-term offerings and practices to Buddhas, Yidams, and Protectors is the best approach to take in offsetting negativies and building up merit. However, in a time of need, sudden burst of practices can still be helpful. His Holiness the Dalai Lama always recommend taking refuge in Tara — who saves us from eight million dangers — and The Great Fifth Dalai Lama recommends taking refuge Vajrakilaya — destroyer of all hosts of Mara. There are many Obstacle-Removing Prayers and Practices, some of which are linked above. So don’t forget, when life gives you lemons, make Obstacle-Removing Lemonade!

What are some of your favorite Obstacle-Removing Prayers or Practices? Share in the comments below!

NOTES

[1] The Dark Red Amulet by Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche https://www.shambhala.com/snowlion_articles/when-difficulties-are-a-sign-of-progress/

[2] SOURCE: Lotsawa House and Treasury of Lives https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/chokgyur-dechen-lingpa/barche-lamsel

[3] ཞེས་གཏེར་ཆེན་མཆོག་གྱུར་བདེ་ཆེན་གླིང་པས་སེང་ཆེན་གནམ་བྲག་གི་གཡས་ཟུར་བྲག་རི་རིན་ཆེན་བརྩེགས་པ་ནས་སྤྱན་དྲངས་པའི་དུས་བབས་ཀྱི་གསོལ་འདེབས་འདི་ཉིད་བྱིན་རླབས་ཤིན་ཏུ་ཆེ་བས་ཀུན་གྱིས་ཁ་ཏོན་དུ་གཅེས་པར་ཟུངས་ཤིག །

Discovered by the great terma-revealer Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa, from the right-hand side of the Sengchen Namdrak rock on Mount Rinchen Tsekpa, ‘The Pile of Jewels’. Because the blessing of this prayer, one intended for this present time, is so immense, it should be treasured by all as their daily practice. https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/chokgyur-dechen-lingpa/prayer-in-six-vajra-lines

[4] Source བདག་འདྲ་ཀུན་བཟང་པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་ཀྱིས་བཀོད་པའོ༔ ས་མ་ཡ༔ རྒྱ་རྒྱ་རྒྱ༔

This was set down by one like me, Kunzang Padmākara. Samaya! Gya gya gya!

གཏེར་མིང་བསོད་རྒྱལ་གྱིས་ཤོག་སེར་ལས་བཤུས་ཏེ་ཕབ་པའོ།།  །།

This was deciphered from the yellow scroll by one whose treasure-revealing name is Sogyal. https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/terton-sogyal/ultimate-dokpa

Many of Buddha’s teachings focus directly on overcoming our fears. In fact, when Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree to meditate on Enlightenment, he wrestled with Mara, the personification of fear.

The source of fear

Most of our fear and stress derives from what are known as the five poisons (kleshas) of: ignorance, attachment, aversion, pride, and envy. In Mahayana Buddhism, the five Buddhas specifically focus on the five poisons — and how to convert them into the five wisdoms. [For a feature on the Five Wisdom Buddhas, see>>]

• Raga: our attachment for our fragile lives and all that we “own” makes us fear losing it.
• Moha: our ignorance of the true nature of reality makes us fear death.
• Dvesha: our aversion to any form of perceived illusory suffering leads to fear.
• Mana: our pride leads us to think so highly of ourselves that others attack us — a cause of fear.
• Irshya: our envy for what others have leads us to unwholesome ethics and conduct, creating dangers and fear.

In earlier Pali Sutta, Buddha spoke extensively on remedies for the five poisons and explained how our fears are a direct result of the five poisons.

Fear results from clinging

The Buddhist Warrior: Gesar of Ling

“When we talk here about conquering the enemy, it is important to understand that we are not talking about aggression. … Thus the idea of warriorship altogether is that by facing all our enemies fear­lessly, with gentleness and intelligence, we can develop ourselves and thereby attain self-realization.” [4]

The remedy according to Pali Sutta, Mahayana Sutra and Tantra

The most often cited “remedies” for fear are as varied as the teachings of the Buddha:

• In Pali Sutta, such as Abhaya Sutta,  Buddha teaches us we will have no fear if we attain “certainty with regard to the True Dhamma” and teaches us four types of people who do not feel fear — and how we can be like them (see Abhaya Sutta, below).
• In Mahayana Sutra — such as Heart Sutra — we take refuge in the Three Jewels as protection. We are also taught that our own Buddha Nature gives us no reason to fear. We practice Compassion (Metta) — by caring for others as much as ourselves, we feel protective and strong, rather than afraid. (The Dharma Bodhisattva, or the Hero, like King Gesar of Ling.)
• In Tantra, the visualized meditative path, in addition to the Pali Sutta and Mahayana Sutras, we also visualize and work with the Buddhas and Yidams who represent protection: such as Green Tara, Palden Lhamo, Black Mahakala, and other protectors — in other words, our connection to our higher Buddha Natures.

 

 

Buddha often spoke about “fear” in the suttas (sutras), and most notably in the Abhaya Sutta [Fearless Sutta: full English translation appended to this feature]. It is not by accident that sutta (sutra) translators often now tend to translate “dukka” as “stress” rather than the older interpretations “suffering.” For instance, Thanissaro Bhikku, who has translated countless Pali Suttas, translates Calu-dukkha-khandha Sutta as “The Less Mass of Stress.” It is this stress that Buddha taught us to overcome.

The Five Fears — and our addiction to fear

Buddha named five fears, which certainly we can all relate to:

• Fear of death
• Fear of illness
• Fear of losing our mind and memories (today, a big fear, for example, is Dementia)
• Fear of losing our livelihood (our jobs)
• Fear of public speaking.

 

 

Equally problematic is our addiction to fear. We feed it with our need to read the “bad news” in the media every day, and we spread manure on it with unrestrained social media. We fan the flames of fear by watching horror movies. We try to avoid fear, but at the same time, we’re addicted to it — as with all things in Samsaric life.

Concise fear advice: the Dhammapada

As always, Buddha gave us both concise advice and more elaborate teachings. The go-to for concise advice, the Dhammapada (collection of sayings of the Buddha 212-216) certainly has powerful teachings on fear:

From what is dear, grief is born,
from what is dear, fear is born.
For someone freed from what is dear
there is no grief
— so why fear?

From what is loved, grief is born,
from what is loved, fear is born.
For someone freed from what is loved,
there is no grief
— so why fear?

From delight, grief is born,
from delight, fear is born.
For someone freed from delight
there is no grief
— so why fear?

From sensuality, grief is born,
from sensuality, fear is born.
For someone freed from sensuality
there is no grief
— so why fear?

From craving, grief is born,
from craving, fear is born.
For someone freed from craving
there is no grief
— so why fear?

Stress is the Disease; Dharma is the Cure

Buddhist meditation, so well accepted in the west (particularly, mindfulness) is famous for reducing “stress” — so the metaphor of “stress is the disease, Dharma the cure, Buddha the doctor” — seems very modern and appropriate. In fact, Dukkha can be translated a dozen ways, depending on context: painful experience, anxiety, conditioned experience, sorrow, pain, despair. It also literally translates as “uneasy” or “unpleasant” or “causing of pain.” The word stress applies, in a way, to all of these — the outcome of our pain, despair, sorrow and anxiety is stress.

We are stressed when we fear for our lives because of the latest terror attack, or threat of nuclear attack.We are stressed when we can’t afford what we want. We are stressed when we are infatuated with a beautiful person we can never possess.

 

Stress is the disease that Buddha — often metaphorically described as “the Doctor” — is treating. It is our clinging to our possessions, our need to have even better “things,” our clinging to our youth, that causes stress and fear when we think of losing them. So, who is it who doesn’t feel fear? Buddha described, in the Abhaya Sutta, four types of people that do not feel fear, notable among them, the person who understands the True Dharma:

“Furthermore, there is the case of the person who has no doubt or perplexity, who has arrived at certainty with regard to the True Dhamma. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought occurs to him, ‘I have no doubt or perplexity. I have arrived at certainty with regard to the True Dhamma.’ He does not grieve, is not tormented; does not weep, beat his breast, or grow delirious. This, too, is a person who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death.”These, Brahman, are four people who, subject to death, are not afraid or in terror of death.”

Heart Sutra: and the “Great Mantra”

In Mahayana teachings, The Heart Sutra, almost certainly the most beloved of Sutras, goes to the heart (pun intended) of the remedy:

With no hindrance in the mind.
No hindrance, therefore no fear.
Far beyond deluded thoughts, this is Nirvana.

Among the shortest and most beautiful of all Sutras, the Heart Sutra is also one of the most difficult. It has many layers of meaning and nuances. Heart Sutra is a lifetime meditation for many Buddhists, and also contains among the most powerful of mantras for protection from fear:

“Bodhisattvas who practice
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
see no more obstacles in their mind,
and because there
are no more obstacles in their mind,
they can overcome all fear,
destroy all wrong perceptions
and realize Perfect Nirvana…

…Therefore Sariputra,
it should be known that
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
is a Great Mantra,
the most illuminating mantra,
the highest mantra,
a mantra beyond compare,
the True Wisdom that has the power
to put an end to all kinds of suffering.
Therefore let us proclaim
a mantra to praise
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore.

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!” [1]

His Holiness, the Dalai Lama’s advice

The Dalai Lama has spoken of fear many times. In “A Policy of Kindness,” he summarized a few principles for handling fear:

“…someone who is engaging in the Bodhisattva practices seeks to take others’ suffering onto himself or herself. When you have fear, you can think, “Others have fear similar to this; may I take to myself all of their fears.” Even though you are opening yourself to greater suffering, taking greater suffering to yourself, your fear lessens.”

He also wrote: “Another technique is to investigate who is becoming afraid. Examine the nature of your self. Where is this I? Who is I? What is the nature of I? Is there an I besides my physical body and my consciousness? This may help.” This get’s to the heart of the Heart Sutra (again, pun intended.)

Lankavatara Sutra: Buddha Nature

Many Mahayana Sutras give “remedies” for fear. In Lankavatara Sutra, Buddha speaks elaborately about Buddha Nature — how we all have inherent Buddha Nature — and explains how to “cast aside fear”:

“The reason why the ‘Tathagatas’ who are Arhats and fully enlightened Ones teach the doctrine pointing to the tathagatagarbha (Buddha Nature) which is a state of non-discrimination and image-less, is to make the ignorant cast aside their fear when they listen to teaching of egolessness.”

Tathagatagarbha (the doctrine of Buddha Nature) basically states (as quoted from the Third Karmapa):

“All beings are Buddhas,

But obscured by incidental stains.

When these have been removed,

There is Buddhahood.”

Often the metaphor of the sun behind the clouds is used. The clouds — our fears, uncertainties and defilements — obscure our true nature, Buddha Nature, the sun. Once the defilements of ego are removed, and there is an understanding of Shunyata (Emptiness, or Oneness), we are Buddha; there can be no more fear.

For a video teaching on Buddha Nature see>>

For a feature on Buddha Nature see>>

Tantra: Green Tara, the Protectress

Green Tara is one of the most popular Enlightened deity emanations in Mahayana Buddhism, and Her practice is the go-to for fear. Tibetans in trouble almost invariably (and almost involuntarily) chant the Tara mantra whenever there is danger or fear:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Pronounced: Ohm Tah-ray Tew-tah-ray Tew-ray Svah Ha

Or Tibetan: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha

Tara is the aspect or emanation of Buddha who is the protective mother — as fierce as the mother Grizzly bear protecting us, her cubs. There are numerous stories of Tara’s miraculous interventions. [For some stories of her famous rescues, see this feature>>]

For instance, H.E. Zasep Rinpoche [2] told the story of the collapsing balcony:

“I had parked my car, which had a picture of Tara in it, next to an apartment building. While I was away doing an errand, a concrete balcony on the building collapsed, crushing the two cars next to mine, but leaving mine intact, albeit dusty.”

Is Tara a self-aware deity who swoops down to save us? No, Buddhas are beyond self-aware ego. Bokar Rinpoche explains: “In truth, if we realize the true nature of our minds, the deities reveal themselves as being not different from our own minds.”[3] He also helps us understand how Tara helps, explaining it in the terms of Buddha Nature (we all have Buddha Nature, and at that level we’re all connected):

This isn’t a “green goddess sweeping down” but often takes the form of listening to our own intuitive mind (wisdom). There’s also an element of Karma in these stories. By relying on Tara, this itself is meritorious karma, making our outcomes in life more positive.

For a full feature story on Green Tara, see:

Limitless Tara, Beyond the Green: Buddha, Bodhisattva, Savior, Mother of all the Buddhas, Hindu Maa Tara, Goddess of Many Colors, Consort of Buddhas, Wisdom Mother, Action Hero…

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Why is the Karma family, and especially Amoghasiddhi or Green Tara, an important practice in modern-times? Why is the entire family considered “success-oriented” in inspirational modern language? Why is he, and his Mother Wisdom partner Tara, green in color? What are his praises, practices and mantras? Why is he associated with “Chi” or prana and wind in the body? We answer these questions, and more, in this presentation.

 Synonymous with Success

Amoghasiddhi’s name literally means Infallable Success or Accomplishment. Amogha means infallable and Siddhi means Accomplishment. Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche describes Amoghasiddhi this way:

“Among the victorious ones of the five families, Amoghasiddhi is the lord of the family of enlightened activities.” [3]

This is highlighted especially each time we renew our Bodhisattva Vows, when we state the Karma vow verse:

“For the great, supreme Karma family, I shall uphold purely each of vows I am endowed with, and make as many offerings as I am able.”

For this reason, the Karma family of Amoghasiddhi family of Bodhisattva realization, where Bodhisattva activities are the main practice. Since Amoghasiddhi and the karma family are all about Enlightened activity, such as right conduct, holding vows and promises, benefiting others, and making offerings these are considered the highest and best practices of the Karma family of Amoghasiddhi and Mother Tara. In other words, the Dharma student who volunteers at a Dharma center or for any Dharma activity is by definition practicing the activity of Amoghasiddhi’s Karma family.

Fearless Amoghasiddhi

Amoghasiddhi also embodies the virtues of “dauntlessness” and “fearlessness.”  For this reason his family mudra is Abhaya, or the fearlessness mudra.

In the precious Shurangama Dharani, from the Sutra of the same name, the fifth section is devoted to the power of the Karma family. In line 373 Venerable Master Hsuan Hua translates as:

A canopy of incense pervades the entire great void.
Everywhere permeating the Dharma-nature of all sentient beings.
Superior strength enables us to hold the pure moral precepts.
The host of the Northern Karma Division is fair and just.

7 Limbs of Practice and the Karma Family

The practice of the seven limbs is the most important of practice for Amoghasiddhi, Tara or their wrathful aspect of Vajrakilaya Father and Mother. Each of the limbs corresponds to one of the Buddha Families, but the Bodhichitta Intention and the Dedication of Merit are considered the most important of these. Why? It is through this motivation to benefit others that we are Mahayana Buddhists, dedicated to the Bodhisattva mission.

The seventh limb is “Dedicating the merit of all devotion, offerings and practice” to the benefit of all sentient beings. This purifies the poison of jealousy.

The poison of jealousy is the specific domain of Amoghasiddhi, Tara and the Karma family. All activities, including the seven limbs prayer, are karma activities. This is Amoghasiddhi in action. This is why the name Amoghasiddhi is translated as “meaningful accomplishment.” It is meaningful accomplishment that defines the actions of a Bodhisattva hero.

For those who aspire to Amoghasiddhi, Green Tara, or Vajrakilaya practices, the 7 limbs of practice are the main practice, and dedicating the merit to the benefit of others is the most important principle.

“Whatever is meaningful is accomplished”

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche in his book The Five Buddha Families and Eight Consciousnesses describes in full Amoghasiddhi’s realizations:

“Buddha Amoghasiddhi is the realization of all -accomplishing wisdom. The Tibetan name for Buddha Amoghasiddhi is Sangye Donyodrupa. The word donyod means “meaningful” and the word trubpa means “accomplishment”.

So Buddha Ammogasiddhi means “whatever is meaningful and fruitful is accomplished. “ He is also the complete purification of jealousy, which is a hindrance for both material and spiritual success. His activity is perfect accomplishment and fulfillment of meaningful aims. Furthermore, his activity removes ordinary daily hindrances such as illness and obstacles. This is why Amoghasiddhi’s activity is meaningful accomplishment.”

Amoghasiddhi and Green Tara and their wrathful emanation Vajrakilaya Father and Mother also heroically represent fearlessness and protection in Buddhism. One of his best known title is the Buddha of Fearlessness. Likewise his co-equal Wisdom Mother Tara is famous as the hero and protector. For this reason, Amoghasiddhi’s sacred mount is a Garuda, who feeds on delusions and poisons and can only be ridden by a fearless rider. Another sacred creature is the Kinnara, who is half man or woman, half bird, who watch over humans in times of danger.

Karma Prasiddhi Pureland

Every Buddha family has a Pureland, the pristine mind-essence of the Buddha. This is the place we can aspire to be born in our next lives to receive direct instruction from the Buddha. Unlike other Purelands, Amoghasiddha and Tara’s pureland is a Turquoise Green wildland, a pristine and beautiful forest.

Vessantara, in his excellent book A Guide to the Buddhas, described an imagined, visualized encounter with Amoghasiddhi in his Pureland, which is called Karma Prasiddhi or Prakuta, and which also emphasizes the degree of “Fearlessness” we can develop as someone who practices Amoghasiddi. Vesantara wrote:

“After the last delicate rays of the setting sun have tinted the sky, night falls. You make your final journey, completing your circuit of the mandala, into the north, a country of green pine forests.

It is dark as you walk between the huge trees. In the forest you can hear rustlings and cries. It would be easy to become afraid, and turn back, but if you were to do so you would never meet Amoghasiddhi, the Buddha of the northern realm, whose name means ‘unobstructed success’.

You walk for hours, with the whispering wings of owls overhead. Finally, at midnight, you emerge from the forest into a clearing. Ahead of you is a palace made entirely of jade and emerald. It towers into the air, vertical, a mass of roofs and pinnacles.

You go forward eagerly, then stop. There is a gate to the palace, yes. It is in the shape of a great bow, string uppermost. However, the gate is set high up in the smooth wall. Only an eagle could enter such a gate. As you stand, not knowing what to do, you hear a great commotion from within the palace: rhythmic crashings.

Suddenly the bow-shaped gate lifts high and … a chariot, drawn by two strange figures. At first they look like eagles, with wings and talons. Then you see that their hands and torsos are human. In their hands they each hold a huge pair of cymbals, which they clash together as they fly.

On the chariot, seated on a green lotus seat, is a dark green Buddha, clad in scarlet robes. The light from his body transforms the midnight scene so that everything is radiant and clear. His right hand is raised in a powerful gesture, which seems to banish the darkness and fears of the night.

In his left hand sits a mysterious [Vishvavajra]: two diamond thunderbolts crossed and fused together . He hurtles effortlessly above you. As he does so, the huge pines are transformed into a forest of jewel trees. Has the green Buddha ridden out of his palace, or into it? Can you have been in his Pure Land all along, without realizing it?” [5]

Fearlessness and Protection

Their mudra is Abhaya, the mudra of fearlessness, as we saw in Vesantara’s visualization, usually the right hand held up with five fingers outreached as if to say “stop.”

This is the same gesture that Shakyamuni used to calm the anger of the charging elephant, holding up his hand calmly in a “stop” gesture. We also saw in Vesantara’s visualization, his sacred mount, the powerful Kinnara. This is more than just a sacred animal. Lama Govinda explains:

“This Inner Way leads into the mystery of Amoghasiddhi: in which the inner and the outer world, the visible and the invisible, are united; and in which the spiritual takes bodily shape, and the body becomes an exponent of the spirit. For Amoghasiddhi is the lord of the great transformation, whose vehicle is the winged man, the man in transition towards a new dimension of consciousness.” [6]

The winged man/bird is a Kinnara, the adversary of nagas and poisons. Garudas are also sacred to the north and the Karma family, and are the antagonists of the poisons that afflict us.

Amoghasiddhi as Hero-Savior

In many ways, the practice of Amoghasiddhi and Green Tara is the most practical and important of the five Dhyani Buddha Families.  This is because Amogahsiddhi and Tara represent practical activity. They are also “known as the savior Buddhas.”

What enables practical activity is fearlessness and also the element of air. Wind, or air, is, in Buddhist terms, the essence of lifeforce. Both are the domains of the Karma family of Amoghasiddhi and Green Tara, the windy Buddhas of the North.

Not only does Amoghasiddhi represent savior activities in our lives, he — and his co-equal Wisdom Buddha Green Tara — also embody Air or Wind in our bodies, also known as Chi, or Prana, making them a vital life essence practice for most of us. We work with Chi or Prana through meditation, which is symbolized by Amoghasiddhi’s left hand in the mudra of meditative equipoise on his lap, the hand turned upwards receptively.

Often the left hand holds his powerful symbol the double vajra or Vishvavajra. Meditation, symbolized by the meditative mudra of his left hand, is a very profound method for strengthening our Chi or prana in our bodies. One of the many meanings of his double vajra symbol, sometimes seen in this hand, is also a symbol of the unification of the outer and inner body, outer cosmos, and inner chakras. It also represents the five Buddha families, with center and the five spokes.

Amoghasiddhi and Tara’s Karma family element is wind, including the winds in the body, also known as Chi or Prana or Lung. These are the very essence of life. Breath is life, and as long as we are in samsaric realms, wind sustains us. For this reason, many higher yogic practices of Amoghasiddhi or Tara involve inner body meditations on chi, wind and what is called the body mandala, where we visualize Amoghasiddhi or Tara at our various chakras.

Wisdom, Poison and Symbolism

The Wisdom of Amoghasiddhi’s Karma family is “All-Accomplishing Wisdom” which is the remedy for the poisons of envy and jealousy. The Karma family is literally the compassionate and wisdom activities of all Buddha Families as action. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche describes it this way:

“All-accomplishing action is the completion of all that needs to be done. Positive passion is their power and what destroys negativity. It is the opposite of jealousy and paranoia.”

Jealousy and envy are the cause of nearly every other poison. Envy is the cause of wars on neighbors. Envy makes us angry when we can’t have what we think we want. Envy leads to attachment and clinging to our perceived treasures. Envy and jealousy is the antagonist of love and trust. Greed arises from envying what others have.

Amoghasiddhi’s fearless All-Accomplishing Wisdom overcomes this poison before it degenerates into even more potent poisons like anger and hate. It is only possible through the cultivation of fearlessness. We can overcome envy, or any poison, if we fearlessly admit it’s an issue and pursue positive actions to prevent it.

The fearless mind can accomplish anything, for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Fearlessness and Clarity

Amoghasiddhi’s fearlessness allows us to contemplate with clarity, not afraid of what might be revealed.

 His main symbol is the Double Vajra, or Vishva Vajra held in his left hand, a symbol of fearlessness and protection, and also the symbol of the mandala of the Five Buddhas. Amoghasiddhi and Tara’s karma family are best known as the “activity of all the Buddhas” and their activity manifests in the mandala of every Buddha. The VisvaVajra, appearing as two vajras crossed represents the five  directions of the mandala, and his activity in all the cosmos.

This symbol represents perfect foundation, perfect practice, perfect activity. For this reason, when teachers visit, or when we sit ourselves for retreat, we often sit on a symbolic Double Vajra symbol or Vishvavajra, just like Amoghasiddhi’s throne. Often this is a cushion with the double vajra symbol, or just a piece of paper with the image underneath our cushion. This represents our aspiration to practice with perfect activity and with fearlessness. [2]

The other symbol of the Karma family is the sword, which cuts through ignorance and obstacles, and represents fearlessness.

Color Green Symbolizes All Activities

His color is green, the color associated with nature and our samsaric world and the breath of life, or wind. When we think of living things, we think of green for growth and activity.

The Karma family is all about all-accomplishing activities in our world, represented by green nature. Green, in Tibetan Buddhism, also symbolically represents the combining of all colors.

Not all of the members of his family are green, although many are, such as Tara, Vishvapani Bodhisattva, Green Jambhala, Green Vasudhara, and many others. The wrathful heruka of the family is Karma Heruka Vajrakilaya.

Wrathful Windy Activity: Vajrakilaya

Vajrakilaya, who is the most wrathful activity of all the Buddhas, is often called the Karma Heruka, meaning Activity Hero, the wrathful form of Amoghasiddhi’s activity. He is an emanation of the Karma family of Amoghasiddhi. This was explained by Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche in a Q & A teaching on Vajrakilaya:

“In terms of the activities of the five Buddha families, their wrathful enlightened activity is mainly assigned to Amoghasiddhi. So Amoghasiddi is the crown ornament [of Vajrakilaya], while the garuda is more of an outer ornament. There is probably also a deeper meaning to the garuda, but here it is Amoghasiddhi, who represents the wrathful enlightened activity.”

Garchen Rinpoche also explained that Amoghasiddhi was the chief of the Activity mandala, in his his superb book Vajrakilaya: A Complete Guide with Experiential Instructions:

“Amoghasiddhi, lord of the Karma family… is the chief of this mandala. Among body, speech, mind, attributes, and activities, the accomplishment of enlightened activities is the Karma heruka’s principal purpose.” [4]

Both Amoghasiddhi and Karma are Not Subtle

The profound importance of karma in Buddhism is not subtle. It’s no less than the tempest of practice, and the inspiring practices of Amoghasiddhi Buddha and Green Tara. This is why Amoghasiddhi and Tara are associated with the element of wind.

If we seek peace from the storm of suffering, we can control the outcomes. Like global warming and other negative karmic actions, the damage is reversible, even if it might take considerable effort.

Shakyamuni Buddha taught the irresistible power of karma, in numerous Sutras, starting with the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path and the Ten Perfections of Practice, and winding through every Sutra teaching. He also gave us the remedies. To inspire the warm, nourishing winds, we rely on the Ten Perfections. To avoid the unimaginable suffering of negative karma is likewise in our control.

The Root of Negative Karma: Envy

It’s fair to say that all the poisons of Buddhism contribute to negative karma, but it is envy that inspires many of the others: anger, attachment, pride, and even delusion. We get angry because we envy what others have. We have pride in our own achievements but still want more. We become deluded, modeling our ideals of success after other people. These are forms of envy.

The remedy for the poison of envy and jealousy are Karma-family practice — or right conduct and action. These are the practices of Amoghasiddhi Buddha, or Mother Tara, or any of the Karma family.

According to Beer’s “The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols” (2003), Amoghasiddhi reigns over the Northern direction and the Father Buddha of the Karma family of deities.

“Amoghasiddhi, the All-accomplishing Wisdom Buddha, is linked with the purging of the poison of jealousy and envy, transforming these negative emotions into the wisdom of accomplishment and enlightened activity.” Beer, 2003

When someone asks, “How do I aspire to rebirth in Amoghasiddhi’s Pureland?” the answer is simple. Practice the Ten Perfections to the best of your ability, dedicating the merit for the benefit of all sentient beings. Since Amoghasiddhi’s practice is positive Enlightened Activities, the Ten Perfections become the most important.

The ten Perfections are giving and generosity, moral integrity, renouncing negative behavior, profound understanding and insight, right effort, forbearance, truthfulness, resolve, loving-kindness, and equanimity. They represent the path to complete Enlightenment, often referred to as ‘Buddhahood’, and are central to anyone seeking to follow the karma path of Amoghasiddhi.

Thich Nhat Hanh, in his book “The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching” (1999), elucidates these ten perfections beautifully.

“The ten perfections provide us with the most wholesome ways to respond to any situation. They are the ten kinds of virtuous action that lead us to the ultimate goal of full enlightenment.” Thich Nhat Hanh, 1999

Connecting with Amoghasiddhi

Connecting with Amoghasiddhi, as with all Enlightened Buddha is as simple as thinking of him, Taking Refuge, and praising his name or chanting his mantra. This connects you to the fearlessness and unfailing accomplishment karma of Amoghasiddhi. Later in this presentation, we demonstrate a short practice meditation. But, anytime you want to connect to his unfailing activity, simply think of him and chant his name praise.

His Namo praise is

Namo Amoghasiddhi Buddhaya

His mantra is

Om Amoghasiddhi Ah Hum

His seed syllable or bija is AH, which is, in Sanskrit. Ah is a foundational sound in Buddhism, together with Om and Hum. The three syllables Om Ah Hum are considered a mantra, with all three syllables present in most other mantras, and represent the body, speech and mind of Buddha. Ah is Amoghasiddhi’s sacred syllable.

A Practice of Amoghasiddhi

Here is a simple practice for Amoghasiddhi which is a frontal visualization, not requiring empowerment. It is always best to receive instruction and transmission when possible, however the wholesome practice or Pujas of any of the Five Dhyani Buddhas does not require permission.

Take Refuge

Start by Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels. This is followed by the Bodhichichitta intention, stated outloud, to benefit all sentient beings. Visualize Amoghasiddhi, or Amoghasiddhi with Green Tara, in front of you with as vivid a mental picture as you can. It can help to have a picture or statue on a higher table or altar — higher than your seat — with offerings in front of the image. These can be offerings of water, incense, flowers, fruit, or any vegetarian offerings.

Offerings

As the karma Buddha, it is best to offer vegetarian to ensure your offerings have the best karmic potential.

Purification and 7 Limbs of Practice

It is best to confess your downfalls in karmic activity, now and in the past, and promise to refrain. Think of your activities through the day, especially negative ones that might imprint negative karma, and vow to yourself to refrain from such negativity in future.

If you have time, it can be helpful to chant and meditate on Vajrasattva mantra, or chant the King of Prayers with a devoted heart. Look for other presentations on Buddha Weekly for both of these practices. Otherwise, ideally, with a devoted heart, state the seven limbs if you have time. These are:

1. Prostration and devotion, which purifies the poison of our arrogance.
2. Offerings to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas without exception which purifies the poison of greed.
3. Confession of Negativity and past faults, which purifies the poison of anger.
4. Rejoicing the virtue of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, which purifies the poison of wrong views.
5. Requesting the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas continue to turn the wheel of Dharma and teachings, which purifies the poison of doubt.
6. Requesting the Bodhisattvas not pass into Nirvana, asking they remain in Samsara to save all beings from suffering, which purifies the poison of ignorance.
7. Dedicating the merit of all devotion, offerings and practice to the benefit of all sentient beings, which purifies the poison of jealousy.