Prostrations
to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas!
Ananda, in previous times when the Bodhisattva,
the great sattva Arya Maitreya,
performed the deeds of a Bodhisattva, he placed
his Dharma robe upon one shoulder,
and three times each day and three times
each night, bent his right knee to the
ground, and folding his hands, made
this aspiration prayer:
Prostrations to all the Buddhas.
Prostrations
to those rishis who possess the divine eye.
And to all the Bodhisattvas,
And
also to the Shravakas.
Prostrations to bodhicitta,
Which repels the action
of the lower realms,
Thoroughly demostrates the path of higher rebirth,
And
leads to deathlessness and agelessness.
Whatever unwholesome deeds I committed,
Acting under the power of the mind,
I confess all these
In the presence
of the Buddhas.
Through the accumulation of merit
Which I developed from
the three sources,
Which are the seeds of my omniscience,
May my enlightenment
never be exhausted.
I, too, rejoice in the merit of
Any offering made
to the Buddhas
In the pure realms of the ten directions
And rejoiced by
the Buddha's wisdom.
I confess all negative deeds
And rejoice in all meritorious
deeds.
I prostrate to all the Buddhas.
May I achieve exalted primordial
wisdom.
To the exalted enlightened Bodhisattvas,
Who abide on the tenth
stage
Throughout the ten directions,
I request that they become fully
enlightened.
Having attained the noble enlightenment of Buddhahood,
And
conquered maras and their hosts,
May they turn the wheel of Dharma
For
the benefit of every sentient being.
May the sound of the great drum of Dharma
End the suffering of sentient beings.
May they remain,
Teaching the
holy Dharma for countless eons.
For those beings who are sunk in the quicksand
of desire,
And tightly bound by the fetters of attachment,
And completely
tied by every form of bondage,
May the Supreme Among Men gaze upon them.
Beings
of stained mind
Are not scorned by the Buddhas,
Who possess the mind of
compassion toward sentient beings,
May you liberate beings from the ocean
of existence.
May I follow those fully enlightened beings who abide in the
present,
Those who have existed in the past,
And those who are yet to
appear,
And perform enlightened conduct.
Having accomplished the six perfections,
May I liberate all sentient beings of the six realms.
And by actualizing
the six types of clairvoyance,
May I place them in unsurpassable enlightenment.
May I realize the Dharma of emptiness
Which was unborn and will not arise,
Has no nature and no place,
No consciousness and no substance.
Like
the great sage, the Buddha,
May I realized the Dharma of selflessness,
The
non-existence of beings and the non-existence of their life,
The non-existence
of persons and the non-existence of things.
May I be able to give unstintingly
For the benefit of every sentient being,
Without ego or clinging
Toward
any material thing.
May I acquire all my wealth spontaneously
Through
realizing the non-material view of all matter,
And may I accomplish the perfection
of giving
Through which clinging to material vanishes.
May I accomplish
the perfection of morality
Through ethics lacking pride,
And by possessing
pure moral conduct
Without lapses in ethical rules.
May I accomplish the
perfection of patience
Which harbors no anger,
And is non-abiding, like
the elements of air,
Earth, water, and fire.
May I accomplish the perfection
of diligence
Through possessing strength of body and mind
By exerting
diligence,
Stable, blissful, and without laziness.
May I accomplish the
perfection of concentration
Through illusion-like concentration,
Through
heroic traveler-like concentration,
And through diamond-like concentration.
May I accomplish the perfection of wisdom
Through actualizing the three
types,
And equalizing the three times,
And the three doors of liberation.
May I accomplish my aspiration
Through a Bodhisattva's diligence,
Which
blazes with dignity and light
And is praised by all the Buddhas.
Performing
this conduct,
Becoming renowned for kindness,
And accomplishing the six
types of paramitas,
May I thoroughly abide on the peak of the tenth bhumi.
Soon after departing this life
And having been born into the realm of
joy,
With blissful mind may I swiftly please the Lord Maitreya Bodhisattva,
And may I obtain a prophecy to enlightenment.
Translated from Sanskrit
to Tibetan by Bhante Yeshe De.
Translated from Tibetan to English by Venerable
Lama Kalsang Gyaltsen and Victoria
Hunckenpahler.
***************************************************************************************
Aspiration for Rebirth into the Pure Realms of Great Bliss
Prostrations
to the holy lamas who possess great compassion!
Prostrations to the bliss
realm which was praised as the most
exalted of the Buddha's pure realms,
By the King of the Shakyas,
The perfectly enlightened Buddha of this world,
To his ocean-like assembly of disciples.
Prostrations to Amitabha, the
exalted teacher of gods and humans,
Seated in the center of that pure realm
under the precious royal tree,
Dignified as a red lotus mountain,
Adorned
by millions of light rays.
Prostrations to him who transmits the exalted vehicle
To an assembly of disciples, through the melodies of Brahma.
Even arhats,
intoxicated by samadhi,
Discard inferior motivation and apply their minds
to excellent
enlightenment.
Prostrations to him whose activities are
inconceivable,
Who bestows immerasurable benefit and happiness
to protectorless
beings in numberless realms
Through a multitude of actions,
And in infinite
incarnations from moment to moment.
Prostrations to him who is surrounded
By an assembly of Buddhas filling space,
Along with Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara,
Vajrapani, and the rest,
And a Shravaka assembly equal in number to the atoms
in the ocean.
Prostrations to Mahasiddha, and to the great compassionate Sakyapa.
And to the oceans of lineage lamas,
Who were born miraculously into that
realm
Through the power of pure aspiration and infinite virtue.
By the
power of the ocean-like resolve of Amitabha,
By the blessings and kindness
of the root and lineage lamas,
By the virtues accumulated by myself and others
throughout
the three times,
When this life's perception diminish, may
I and all sentient beings
wandering in the ocean of existence,
Take birth
in that pure realm which is praised by all the Buddhas.
As soon as we behold
the excellent face of Amitabha,
May we hear the teachings of the great vehicle
which are vast and
profound from the ocean-like melody of his speech.
May
our minds be filled with good qualities like faith, wisdom,
dharanyi, and
samadhi.
By emanating bodies as numberless as atoms,
And travelling to
all the realms of the ten directions in a single instant,
With vast clouds
of offerings like Samantabhadra,
May I worship all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
without exception.
May I venerate the protector of that pure realm
And
the assembly of exalted lamas, the rescuers.
Having obtained the profound
Dharma of the Mahayana,
May I accomplish all the deeds of enlightenment.
Through
compassion, may I satisfy all beings in impure realms
According to their individual
needs.
Demostrating the three vehicles as suited to each,
May I accomplish
all the deeds of enlightenment.
At the time of actualizing the supreme state,
May I gather them as an assembly and manifest the exalted teaching.
Lead
them to the stage of a Bodhisattva's deeds,
And reveal the Buddha's exalted
wisdom.
May they attain the noble realm,
Which has the purity of container
and contained,
According to the aspiration of the Bikkshu Dharmakara,
Who
attends the Buddha Lokeshvara.
May I and all sentient beings
Swiftly accomplish
the Aspiration to Noble Deeds,
And the aspirations of the Bodhisattvas,
Who
dwell on the stage of complete bliss.
This was written by the fully ordained
Shakya monk, Sonam Senge, at Thubten Nampar
Gyalwa monastery, of the purpose
of attaining that place to which we aspire.
Translated into English by Lama
Kalsang Gyaltsen and Victoria Huckenpahler at Sakya
Phuntsok Ling during the
auspicious time of the Tibetan New Year, 1997.
*****************************************************************************************************
The
Great Compassion Dharani (Tibetan tradition)
Namo ratna trayaya namah
arya jnana sagara vairocana buyu harazaya
tathagataya arhate samyak sambuddhaya
namah sarva tathagate bhe arhate
bhe samyak sambuddha bhe namah arya avalokiteshvaraya
bodhisattvaya
mahasattvaya mahakarunikaya tadytha om dhara dhara dhiri dhiri
dhuru
dhuru itti watte tsale tsale pratsale pratsale kusume kusuma wara ili
mili tsiti zola mapanaya svaha.
Tadyatha om dhara dhara dhiri dhiri dhuru
dhuru itti watte tsale tsale
pratsale pratsale kusume kusuma wara ili mili
tsili zola mapanaya svaha.
Om Mani Padme Hum.
***************************************************************************************
SONG
OF THE RIGHT MOMENT
IN THE MELODIOUS HUM OF THE BEE
His
Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa
This song is ala ala ala.
It is thala thala thala.
"Ala" means it is a song of the unborn.
"Thala" is a word that invokes.
If you do not recognize this
place,
It is the place of Akanishtha's heart chakra.
In the mandala
of glorious Chakrasamvara,
The main seat is Tsurphu in the Dowo valley.
If you do not recognize a person like me,
I belong to the family lineage
of 'den, a good ancestry.
If you call me by name, I am known as Rigdrol Yeshe
(This is the childhood name of the XVIth Karmapa, used until his
enthronement
at the age of eight.)
This victory banner of the teaching of glorious Dakpo's
lineage
(Dakpo Lhaje or Gampopa was the teacher of the first Karmapa, Dusum
Khyenpa.)
Is raised high on the summit of worldly existence, they say,
Planted at the end of a series, held high and never declining.
("Series"
refers to the unbroken lineage of the Kagyu teachings.)
Nourished by the
essence of the father lama's oral instructions,
It is the perfection of the
great display of innate primordial wisdom.
The turquoise mane of the lion
from the high snows
(The snow lion's mane is vast and a metaphor here for
the teachings of
Buddhism in Tibet.)
In the stunning sandalwood forests,
lives a huge tiger
With a powerful roar and the radiant color of clouds at
dawn.
(The lustrous saffron color of the tiger to the brilliance of the Dharma.)
Insatiably he conquers the wild animals of wrong views.
What I have
spoken is the truth, the Victorious One's power,
Resounding over the lake
with its waters of eight qualities
( The water is cool, sweet, light, soft,
clear, pleasant, wholesome, and
soothing.)
Like the pleasant sound of
hastening ducks.
(The metaphors of the lake and ducks refer to the clear
and pleasing quality
of the Dharma and to the fact that it pervades the great
oceans.)
In the sky, vast and all-pervading,
Are set the sun and moon,
luminous and natural.
(This metaphor refers to the naturally luminous quality
of the
Dharma and to the fact that it pervades all space.)
The very
famous one called Rigdrol
Does not remain, yet knows not where he will go.
The swan places its trust in the lake
And the lake, unreliable, turns
to ice.
(The Karmapa is the swan residing on the lake of its monastery, Tsurphu.
When the Chinese invade Tibet and take over the monastery, it becomes
uninhabitable like a frozen lake.)
The white lion places its trust on the
snow,
But the fine, white snow attracts the sun.
(The lion is also the
Karmapa, who relies on his monastery of Tsurphu in the
snowy land of Tibet.
The heat of the sun, which melts the snow, is a metaphor
for the destruction
of Tsurphu during the Cultural Revolution. Both
metaphors of the swan and
its lake and the lion and its snow indicate that
although the Karmapa wished
to remain at Tsurphu, it was not possible.)
May all the noble ones left behind
in the snowy land of Tibet
Not come under the power of the four elements.
(Here, the Karmapa prays that those who could not escape will be protected
from harm caused by the four elements, such as being drowned in water,
burned by fire, and so forth.)
On the day the swan circles the edge of the
lake
And leaves its fledglings in the darkening swamp,
(Again the swan
is the Karmapa departing for India and the young birds left
behind are the
people of Tibet, and in particular, his disciples.)
The day the white vulture
soars in the depths of the sky,
You will wonder where the man Rigdrol is.
O Fledglings, I feel untold grief for you.
Now I will not explain much;
this is but a jest,
Yet unified with ultimate reality.
When the Lord
of the Path is held by the king of birds,
In prayer I aspire that we gather
in great joy.
("The Lord of the Path" refers to the astrological
path or cycle of twelve
years and the "king of the birds" refers
to the year of the bird. It was the
year of the bird, (in June of 1992) when
the XVIIth Karmapa returned to
Tsurphu and a joyful reunion with his disciples.)
For this life, take this as the essential point coming to your ears.
Speech is indestructible sound like an echo.
Mind is empty, free of material
concerns.
On the path with no accepting of good nor rejecting of bad,
The conduct of the king of birds is relaxed within itself.
("These four
lines refer to meditation on the true nature of mind.)
Examine in detail
this meaning of a hundred flavors.
Ki ki so so, gathering of wrathful Wermas.
(Wermas are dharmapalas [protectors of the Dharma] with great dignity and
courage.)
In the sixteen Rabjung's [sixty-year cycle's] year of the wood
monkey [1944], this was
composed by the sixteenth incarnation of the Karmapas,
Ranjung Rigpe Dorje, in his residence
Tashi Khangsar, located in the main
temple of Tsurphu Dowolung. May it be auspicious. Under
the guidance of Khenchen
Thrangu Rinpoche, translated by Michele Martin, Bodhanath, Nepal,
April 1994.
****************************************************************************
Samantabhadra's Aspiration to Noble Deeds
Verses
1 to 12 are suitable to recite when visiting shrines, doing prostrations, making
offerings, confessing negative karma, or rejoicing in the virtuous and meritorious
deeds
of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and holy beings. It is also good to recite
whenever you
visit stupas and temples or meet holy teachers.
Verse 12
may be used for brief chanting.
Verses 13 to 63 is a dedication done when
you have performed some good deeds.
Verses 55 to 56 are dedicated verses that
you can use at the end of any prayer.
Salutions to the ever-youthful Arya
Manjushri!
1. With clarity of body, speech, and mind,
I bow without exception
to all the lions among men
Of the past, present, and future,
In every
world in all the ten directions.
2. By the power of this Aspiration to Noble
Deeds,
I manifest bodies as numerous as all the atoms in all the lands,
Aware in mind of the presence of numberless victorious Buddhas,
And I prostrate
to all of them.
3. I conceive the entire realm of truth
To be completely
filled with enlightened ones.
There are as many Buddhas as atoms present
in each atom,
Each Buddha surrounded by many Bodhisattvas.
4. I honor
all these blissful lords,
Extolling the ocean of their inexhaustible perfections
With an ocean of all melodies and sounds,
And endless praise.
5.
I offer to those heroic Buddhas
The best flowers, best garlands, best music,
Best ointments, excellent canopies, finest lamps,
And the best incense.
6. I offer to those heroic Buddhas
The finest robes and best fragrances
And a variety of foods piled as high as Mount Meru,
All perfectly arranged.
7. By the power of my faith in noble deeds
I prostrate and present
Vast and unequaled offerings
To each of the victorious Buddhas.
8. I
confess every type of wrong
That I have done
In thought, word, or deed,
Under the influence of desire, anger, or ignorance.
9. I rejoice in the
meritorious deeds
Of all the Buddhas of the ten directions,
The Bodhisattvas,
Pratyeka Buddhas, Arhats,
Practitioners, and all sentient beings.
10.
I request all the enlightened protectors
Who have attained the detachment
of Buddhahood,
And illumine the worlds of the ten directions
To turn
the peerless wheel of Dharma.
11. With hands folded, I beseech
Those
who intend to manifest the final nirvana
To remain for as many eons as there
are atoms in all theBuddha lands,
To gladden and benefit all living beings.
12. May whatever little virtue I may have gained
From prostrating, offering,
confessing,
Rejoicing, requesting, and beseeching,
Be dedicated to attain
perfect enlightenment.
13. May I worship the Buddhas of the past, and those
now present
In the worlds of the ten directions.
May those to come quickly
fulfill their aspirations,
And reach Buddhahood by traversing the stages
of enlightenment.
14. May all the worlds of the ten directions
Become
spacious, pure,
And filled with victorious Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,
Who proceed to the royal tree of enlightenment.
15. May all beings in the
ten directions
Always be happy and free of sickness.
May their aspirations
be in harmony with the dharma,
And may they fulfill their hopes.
16.
May I perform all the deeds of enlightenment,
And remember my lives in all
states of existence.
In all my lives, after death, migration, and rebirth,
May I always renounce the world.
17. May I follow all the victorious
Buddhas,
And completely perfect all noble deeds.
Pure in the immaculate
deeds of morality,
May my conduct always be flawless and without lapses.
18. May I teach the Dharma in every tongue,
In whatever sounds are understood
by living beings,
In the language of the gods,
Nagas, yakshas, spirits,
and human beings.
19. May I always diligently and patiently perform the perfections.
May I never forget enlightenment mind,
And completely remove
Whatever
negativities may obscure it.
20. Freed from karma, defilements, and actions
of demons,
As unsoiled by the mire,
So in every rebirth in the world,
may I proceed unhindered,
Like the sun and moon in the sky.
21. Throughout
all the lands in all the directions,
May the sufferings of the lower realms
be completely relieved.
Establishing all beings in happiness,
May I
work for the benefit of all living beings.
22. May I fully accomplish the
deeds of enlightenment,
Work in harmony with the deeds of all beings,
Thoroughly demostrate noble deeds,
And perform them through all future eons.
23. May I always associate with those
Whose deeds are similar to mine.
May we act alike in thought, word, and deed,
And may our aspirations
be as one.
24. May those friends who wish to help me,
And thoroughly
demostrate noble deeds,
Always meet me again,
And may I never disappoint
them.
25. May I always personally behold the victorious Buddhas,
Those
guardians surrounded by Bodhisattvas,
And without tiring in all future eons,
May I always present them magnificent offerings.
26. May I always uphold
the Buddhas' holy Dharma
And illuminate the deeds of enlightenment.
May I thoroughly train in noble deeds
In the future eons.
27. Through
rebirth in all the states of existence,
May I gather endless stores of merit
and wisdom.
May I become an inexhaustible treasure of
All virtues of
method, wisdom, concentration, and freedom.
28. May I always behold as many
lands
As there are atoms present in each atom.
In each land countless
Buddhas sitting in the midst of their Bodhisattvas,
And performing the deeds
of enlightenment.
29. In this way may I be able to perform everywhere,
Even on every mote of dust,
The deeds of oceans of Buddhas of the past, present,
and future,
In oceans of pure lands, and oceans of eons.
30. May I always
heed the pure speech of the victorious Buddhas,
Which holds withtin each
word the totality of the perfect Dharma,
An ocean of words and languages
Precisely suited to the needs of all beings.
31. May I possess perfect
intelligence
So as to heed the endless melody of speech,
When the victorious
Buddhas of the past, present, and future
Turn the wheels of Dharma.
32.
May I enter all the past, present, and future eons
In a fraction of a second.
May I enter all future eons
In a single instant.
33. May I behold
all Lions among Men
Of the past, present, and future in a single instant.
May I always perform their activities
Through the power of liberation
from illusion.
34. May I perceive upon a single atom the perfect design
Of the pure realms of the past, present, and future.
Thus may I enter into
the realms
Of the victorious Buddhas in all directions.
35. May I always
be in the presence of the future illuminators of the worlds,
When they gradually
reach the stages of Buddhahood,
Turn the wheel of Dharma,
And manifest
the profound peace of nirvana.
36. May I acquire the perfectly accomplished
powers of enlightenment
The power of miraculous swiftness,
The power
of the door to every spiritual path,
The power to manifest all virtuous qualities.
37. The power of all-pervasive love,
The power of the merit of every
virtue,
The power of wisdom which transcends all attachment,
And the
powers of wisdom, method, and concentration.
38. May the power of action be
utterly purified,
The power of defilements be utterly subdued,
The power
of demons be utterly destroyed,
And the power of noble deeds be perfected.
39. May the ocean of lands be completely purified,
The ocean of beings
completely liberated,
The ocean of Dharma fully understood,
And the
ocean of wisdom fully attained.
40. May the ocean of deeds be completely purified,
The ocean of aspirations entirely accomplished,
The ocean of Buddhas
ceaselessly worshipped,
And noble deeds tirelessly performed through oceans
of eons.
41. The victorious Buddhas of the past, present, and future
Attained enlightened Buddhahood
Through aspiration to the noble deeds of
enlightenment.
May I accomplish all of those deeds without exception.
42.
The eldest son of all the victorious Buddhas
Is called Samantabhadra.
I dedicate all of these merits
That my deeds may be like those of that wise
one.
43. Just as that noble wise one dedicated
His completely pure body,
speech, mind,
Deeds, and realms,
Likewise, may I become equal to that.
44. To perform every noble virtue,
I will practice the aspiration of
Manjushri.
May I tirelessly accomplish all of his deeds
In every future
eon.
45. May there be no limit to my activities.
May there be no limit
to my good qualities.
Through persevering in limitless deeds,
May I
accomplish all miraculous deeds.
46. The limit of living beings
Is as
the limit of open space.
May the limit of my aspirations be equal
To
the limit of their activities and passions.
47. Whoever offers to the victorious
Buddhas
All the realms of the ten directions adorned with jewels,
And
all the excellent joys of gods and men
For as many eons as there are atoms
in those realms, shall gain great merit.
48. But whoever hears this greatest
dedication prayer,
Greatly aspires to perfect enlightenment,
And even
once generates faith,
Shall gain even higher and holier merit.
49. Whoever
utters this Aspiration to Noble Deeds
Will never again endure lower rebirth,
Will abandon all evil friends,
And soon behold the Buddha of boundless
light.
50. They will find that which is sought
And live in happiness,
Find joy also in this life,
And soon become like Samantabhadra himself.
51. Even though they may have, in ignorance,
Committed the five irredeemable
sins,
They will soon be completely purified
Through uttering this Aspiration
to Noble Deeds.
52. They will achieve perfect wisdom, a radiant countenance,
Ethereal form, auspicious physical marks, and a noble birth.
Profane
and devilish beings will not trouble them,
And they will be honored in the
three realms.
53. They will quickly reach the royal tree of enlightenment,
Residing there to benefit all beings.
As enlightened Buddhas, they will
turn the wheel of Dharma,
Taming the demonic hosts.
54. Whoever knows,
teaches, or recites
This Aspiration to Noble Deeds
Shall ultimately
attain perfect Buddhahood.
May none despair of complete enlightenment.
55.
In whatever way valiant Manjushri and Samantabhadra
Know how to transfer
merit,
So do I dedicate all of my own virtues
That I might train to
be like them.
56. Through this dedication, praised as supreme
By the
victorious Buddhas of the past, present, and future,
I dedicate all of these
roots of virtue
To accomplishing noble deeds.
57. At the moment of my
death,
All obscurations will be removed,
I will behold the Buddha of
boundless light,
And go to the pure land of perfect bliss.
58. In that
blissful land,
May I completely manifest all of these aspirations,
And
benefit all beings
As long as the universe remains.
59. Joyful there,
in that blessed pure realm of the Buddhas,
May I be reborn in the beautiful,
perfect body of a lotus,
And the Buddha Amitabha Himself
Foretell my
own enlightenment.
60. May I thereafter accomplish countless benefits
For living beings in all the ten directions
By the power of perfect wisdom
In its myriad incarnations.
61. Through whatever small virtue I have
gathered
By uttering this Aspiration to Noble Deeds,
May all virtuous
aspirations of living beings
Be accomplished in a single instant.
62.
Through the boundless merit gained by so dedicating
This Aspiration to Noble
Deeds,
May the countless beings drowning in the torrent of suffering
Reach the stage of Amitabha.
63. May this greatest of dedication prayers
Benefit countless living beings.
May uttering this ornament of Samantabhadra
Release all beings from the suffering of the lower realms.
Translated
into English by Venerable Lama Kalsang Gyaltsen, Ane Kunga Chodron,
and John
Golden, at Sakya Phuntsok Ling in Washington D.C. on the auspicious
occasion
of the Tibetan New Year 1987.
***************************************************************************************
NAGARJUNA'S
ASPIRATION
by Arya Nagarjuna
Prostration to the Triple Gem!
Through
each of my lives in samsaric states
Until I achieve the state of patience
toward phenomena,
May I never be born in the three lower realms;
May I
be born in higher realms in a human birth.
Having taken human birth in a higher
realm,
May I not take birth as a sinful king or his minister.
May I not
take birth as the leader of an army or an execitioner.
May I not take birth
as a profiteer, liquor seller, sesame seed grinder,
thief, or male or female
slave.
May I not take birth as one who dominates bikkshus,
A working monk,
enforcer of evil rules,
Disciplinarian, sweeper monk, or challenger.
May
I not take birth in any of these jobs.
May I not take birth in the land of
savages or barbarians.
As one dumb, blind, deaf, imbecilic, or jealous,
In
the castes of heretics, or those with wrong view,
In the lower castes, or
as a butcher.
Until enlightenment is reached,
May I always take birth
as a practitioner of the holy Dharma.
Having been born as a Dharma practitioner,
May I not be under the power of non-virtue.
With a life unhindered by
illness,
May I meet the Dharma soon after birth.
Having met the Dharma
soon after birth,
May I train my mind in the wisdom of study, contemplation,
and meditation.
May my mind be able to remain in single-pointed concentration,
Six consciousnesses undistracted by objects,
Developing physical power
without defective limbs,
Sense organs perfect, as the object of veneration
in a higher birth.
Able to accomplish all the Buddha's Dharma,
May I renounce
the world as a youth and maintain morality,
Always relying on holy spiritual
masters,
And gradually traverse the ten paths.
May I reach the unsurpassable
essence of enlightenment.
Having attained the unsurpassable essence of enlightenment,
For all six realms beings in samsara,
Through various actions of skillful
means,
May I perform the benefit of beings through the four social gatherings.
Written by Guru Nagarjuna. Translated by Venerable Lama Kalsang
Gyaltsen,
Ane Kunga Chodron with the aspiration that all beings may attain
enlightenment.
***************************************************************************************
Hymn
to Manjushri
Obeisance to
my Guru and Protector, Manjushri,
Whose wisdom like the sun is free of the
twin veils' clouds, with most pure
perfect clarity sees all subjects, however
many, as they are: so to his own
heart a book he holds.
Those who are
in the prison of the world, bewildered in the darkness of
ignorance, oppressed
by sorrows are all the crowds of wandering ones.
Loving he is, as to an only
son.
Possessing sixty tones, his voice. Like a dragon roaring loudly, wakes
from
the sleep of defilements; from the iron bonds of Karma setting free.
The
darkness of ignorance he dispels and cuts off the sproutings of misery.
However many, wielding a sword.
Pure from the beginning, having gone to
the Tenth Stage's end and the
body of virtues perfected. The foremost Son
of the Victorious Ones.
Whose form is adorned with ornaments, ten times ten
twelve, making
clear our minds of darkness: Manjushri to you I bow!
OM
A RA PA TSA NA DHI
(Recite 3, 7, 21 or 100 times or as many times as possible)
DHI
(Recite 21 or 100 times or as many times as possible)
With the
brilliance of your wisdom, O compassionate one,
Illuminate the darkness enclosing
my mind.
Enlighten my intelligence and wisdom so that I may gain insight
Into
Buddha's words and the texts that explain them.
***************************************************************************************
Dedication of Merit
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
Perfect in renunciation and
realization, peaceful, the Dharmadhatu;
Radiant with the major and minor marks,
blissful, the Sambhogakaya;
Conforming to the disposition of disciples, Nirmanakaya;
To the ocean of Guides, the Three Buddha Bodies, we pray.
The fourth lamp
of this fortunate era, crown of the Shakyas;
Undefeated Manjughosha, Lord
of Mysteries,
Avalokiteshvara, Padmavajra, and others;
To the Victors
and their Sons we pray.
The Sixteen Elders, the Seven Hierarchs,
The Six
Ornaments, the Three Teachers, the Eight Wisdom-holders,
The Eighty-four Lords
of Yoga and others:
To the panditas and siddhas of the exalted country of
India we pray.
The Nyingmapa introduced the teaching to Tibet,
The Sakyapa
spread these perfect teachings,
The Kadampa were a source of ten million upholders
of the teachings:
To them and their lineage of spiritual beings we pray.
The
Kagyudpa possessed the secret path of incomparable attainment,
Buton and Dolpopa
were masters of the profound and extensive tantras,
Tsongkhapa, the sun of
the Dharma, was Manjughosha:
To them and their disciples upholding their lineages
we pray.
Furthermore we pray to those great upholders of the teachings
Of
scripture and realization who rely upon the explication and attainment
Based
on such lineages as: Pramana, Vinaya,
Abhidharma, Prajnaparamita, Madhyamaka,
and Pacification/Cutting.
In particular we pray to our Root Lamas,
Who
combine in their excellent bodies
The wisdom of all the lamas of the lineage
who have come in succession
From the excellent Teacher, the Buddha, until
the present time.
Similarly by the power of our having prayed with steadfast
devotion,
Bless us to engage in the actions of the Buddha's Sons:
Turning
from the world; not being attached to peace and comfort;
Cultivating loving-kindness,
compassion, and the two aspects of Bodhicitta.
Bless us to perfect moral behavior,
study, reflection, and meditation,
To mature the mind through initiations;
to purify the pledges;
And to give birth to the wisdom of the union
Of
learning and no further learning arising from the two stages.
***************************************************************************************
Compassion
- The Language of a Bodhisattva
His
Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa Ranjung Rigpe Dorje
The practice
of a Dharma involves certain possibilities. How these potentials evolve into actual
situations for the practitioner, and how much is possible withtin these situations
depend on the
capacity of individual beings. It depends upon the level of
teachings that one is able to relate to,
such as Mahayana or Theravada. At
this particular time in our lives, the practice of the Mahayana
teaching is
possible. It is absolutely precious and absolutely rare. Our concern for development
and our sense of responsibility has placed us in a position to integrate the
preciousness and rarity
of the Mahayana teaching with our lives. Through it
there is the possibility of the experience of
no-returning back into Samsara
and the experience of ultimate bliss that is self-knowing and in
which there
are no doubts.
In the midst of the wandering of our minds we might sometimes
fall into thinking that whatever
one practices or not, the Dharma will always
be available. If you have that kind of notion, it is a
very serious mistake.
Any brief moment, any time at all that one could use as an opportunity for
Dharma practice,
one must use.
If you do not take this responsibility
and offer sincere respect to the Mahayana and Vajrayana
teachings, there is
a definite possibility of causing harm to oneself as well as to those spiritual
friends to whom one is linked. A lack of attention to the responsibilities
of the Mahayana path
constitutes a breaking of Samaya principles, therefore,
in whatever way one can hold to the
teachings, one must sincerely do so.
If
you think that the teaching is negligible, such a reality will manifest because
of your attitude,
to your great loss. The fact is that the teaching is very
much hidden from you, so you cannot
really make speculations about it. On
the other hand, the validity of the teaching has been
witnessed by its ageless
effectiveness from the time of the Buddha to this day. This is something
to
dwell upon. You must sincerely realise the sacredness of the teachings, to the
point of
understanding that there is actually nothing more important than
the practice of Dharma within
this lifetime, and in lifetimes to come.
In
a simple mundane life situation, in the field of business, we know that the businessman
develops
a plan for a project, he knows what it will cost him, perhaps one
million dollars, and every detail of
the project is regarded with the utmost
care. Absolute importance is attached to such a project in
the business world,
and a great deal of energy is put into bringing it to a successful conclusion.
The
point is if one is going to expand such effort for a result of such a
temporary nature, why not put
at least as much effort into a project that
is going to cause one temporary as well as ultimate
benefit? Whether you are
receiving an empowerment, or an explanation, if you are able to have or
develop
that sense of importance about Dharma, then there is purpose in your relationship
with the
Mahayana teachings and there is going to be fulfilment, too. If there
is a genuine commitment to the
teaching, you will be able to develop direct
and meaningful trust and confidence in the teachings and
sincere compassion
towards beings. You will at the same time develop a true understanding of the
universality of the working of Karma and the nature of cause and effect.
The
Bodhisattva's aspiration and actions are powerful because from the very beginning
when a
Bodhisattva embarks on the Journey of the Bodhi Path, he aspires to
work for the benefit and
liberation of all sentient beings with a very determined,
definite and powerful intention. Because
of the sincere resolve that is withtin
this aspiration, whatever actions need to be performed to
benefit and liberate
beings are performed with great power and tirelessness. Having undertaken
such
a profound journey by virtue of the aspiration to help beings, as the different
stages of the
Bodhisattva are experienced one finds oneself increasingly capable
of benefiting countless beings.
That is how the Bodhisattva first treads upon
the path. When the Bodhisattva works for the
benefit of all beings with such
appropriate aspiration and actions there is total fulfilment. The
fulfilment
is appropriate in the sense that there is no selfishness involved in the way of
expectations,
doubts, hopes, attachment or aversion regarding gains and losses
of any kind. The Bodhisattva is
completely pure ans spotless, working incessantly
and wholeheartedly for the benefit of beings.
Not for a moment is there any
hesitation or doubt, as these obstacles have been transcended.
The ways of
a Bodhisattva are gentle, since all harmful actions and indulgences have been
abandoned. Not only are harmful deeds themselves eliminated in a Bodhisattva's
life, but
also the creation of causes of future harmful situations. Work is
done solely for the benefit
of other beings, not only in direct deeds, but
in laying the foundations for future benefits to
accrue. When these Bodhisattvas
initiate work, then they are able to cause immeasurable
benefit towards beings,
and they do so manifesting fearless generosity without doubts or
expectations,
like the great Bodhisattvas of Boundless Compassion, Avalokitesvara, or the
Bodhisattva
of Boundless Power, Vajrapani, and so on.
All who comprise the great assemblage
of Bodhisattvas are equally powerful and equally
beneficial to countless beings,
so that all things seem to be at their command. Sometimes
beautiful lotuses
and lotus frees are caused by them to growfrom the middle of the ocean,
or
a teardrop is transformed into an ocean. Everything in nature is at the Bodhisattva's
call.
Fire can appear as water; water can appear as fire. It is all because
of the strength of the
Bodhisattva's attitude, the aspiration and action.
For us this says that the practice of compassion
must be given full consideration,
and it must at all times be in our awareness and at all times
performed.
This is an excerpt from an article sent to IKH publication by Ms Ursula Altmaster
of
Divonne-les-Bains/Arbere, France.
***************************************************************************************
Cloud
Banks of Nectar
by
Longchenpa
A
Yearning Supplication and Aspiration
to the Three Roots
Victorious
Ones and Your Sons in the ten directions,
All assemblies of noble Shravakas
and Pratyekabuddhas,
And everyone who practices the Dharma, I supplicate
you respectfully.
Regard me with compassion and grant your blessings.
Gurus
of the three lineages, peaceful and wrathful yidam deities,
Dakas and Dakinis,
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,
Dharma Protectors and Samaya-holders, Rishis who
have attained
true speech,
Lovingly bestow your blessings on this supplicating
child.
Kyema Kyihu, a wretched one like me,
Has been tormented by unbearable
karma and the kleshas for so long.
Stretch out your hands with great love
and compassion
And guide me this very moment.
Although my nature is primordially
enlightened,
Because of ignorance and confusion I have wandered
throughout
existence.
I am desolate in this dream-like samsara.
Please be my refuge
and protect me.
Please rescue me and countless sentient beings
From the
endless ocean of samsara, so difficult to cross.
Take us across the sea of
suffering
In the unsurpassable boat of wisdom.
The manifestations of tendencies
- habits for so long,
And dualistic grasping to deluded experience, are more
imposing than Mount Sumeru.
Please demolish them this very moment
With
the wisdom vajra of supreme liberation.
The darkness of ignorance, such a
dense obscuration,
has lasted so long,
It is hard to fathom and its end
is impossible to see.
With your wisdom light rays please clear away
This
immense cover which obscures the luminous essence.
Whatever I do, it is but
the cause of kleshas and suffering.
Letting my mind turn completely away
From
the futile concerns of this world,
Please make me spend day and night in Dharma
practice.
Incorrect thinking is like overlapping waves.
Various conceptualizations
chase after the five sense objects.
Please pacify the eight collections, the
tendencies and
the all-ground
Within Dharmadhatu.
Conceptual tendencies,
the klesha-mind of the desire realm,
And habitual tendencies connected with
the samsaric mind
Of the clarity of the form realm and the nonthought of
the formless,
Please purify all of them.
Having turned away from the pursuit
of solitary peace -
The inferior attitude of practicing for the benefit of
oneself,
Let me enter the path of the supreme outer, inner and
secret
teachings
And enable me to act vastly for the benefit of others.
Completely
purifying karma, the kleshas and tendencies
Of all beings who are on an inferior,
perverted or mistaken path,
Please help everyone, without exception, to journey
together
To the liberated citadel of the wishfulfilling mind-essence.
We
have remained for so long, without beginning or end
In the ocean of obscurations,
murky with emotions,
With no chance for emancipation by ourselves.
Please
liberate us with your great compassion.
From the strong and intense emotions,
so hard to endure,
From the pain of existence with so much suffering,
And
from the level of carelessness, dependency and laziness
Please fully liberate
us this very day.
May we fully realize that all futile phenomena
Are impermanent,
unstable, a magical enticement for the mind.
Please enable us to spend day
and night continously
With sincere renunciation and weariness.
Having
attained awareness, super-knowledge and samadhi
In the delightful secluded
phases of sacred mountain dwellings,
Please enable us to arrive, withtin this
very lifetime,
At the celestial realm of great bliss, the spontaneous
accomplishment of the two benefits.
Exerting ourselves in practice, alone
with perseverance,
May we not drift toward the concerns of this life for an
instant.
Perfecting the siddhis in the footsteps of the forefathers,
May
we always please our spiritual master.
Free from the flows of broken samayas,
And realizing unmistakenly the meaning of the view,
meditation, action
and result,
Without wavering from the luminous state, day and night,
May
we accomplish the twofold benefit for self and others.
Perfecting development
and completion, the purity of
what appears and exists,
Let the ocean
of dakinis samaya-holders gather like
cloud banks.
With the twofold siddhis
descending on us like rain,
May we accomplish the four activities.
With
pure perception and devotion arising without bias,
With uninterrupted love
and compassion,
And with experience and realization - the virtues of
view and meditation - blazing forth,
May we impartially act for the welfare
of beings.
Through this, our perfect devotion and merit,
May all beings
be fully liberated together, without exception,
And journey withtin this very
lifetime
To Samantabhadra's realm of spontaneously present great bliss.
This supplication was made at Lharing Drag, the seat of the Self
Born
Padma, by Longchen Rabjam, a yogin of the supreme
vehicle who has attained
unshakable faith in all the holy masters
and is wealthy with the richness
of learning. May this be auspicious
throughout all directions and times.
***************************************************************************************
Buddhist
Tantra: Some Introductory Remarks
His
Holiness Sakya Trizin
There is a common misconception among many non-Buddhists
(and even among certain
Buddhists) that the Tantras are late and corrupt additions
to the Buddha's Teachings. This is
false. The Tantras are genuine teachings
of the Lord Buddha, and they occupy a paramount
position withtin the overall
flamework of Buddhist doctrine.
Some of the misconceptions about the Tantras
stem from their esoteric nature. Since the
time of the Buddha the Tantras
were always taught secretly and selectively. For their correct
understanding
they have always required the oral instructios of a qualified master; without
such
explanations they can easily be misunderstood in wrong and harmful ways.
In order to uphold
this tradition I am prevented from discussing most aspects
of Tantra here. But it is perhaps
permissible here to say a few general things
about Buddhist Tantra and about how it is related
to other systems of Buddhist
and non-Buddhist thought and practice. I shall base myself on the
teachings
of our tradition such as the Rgyud sde spyi'i rnam gzhag ("General System
of the
Tantras") of Lobpon Sonam Tsemo.
WHAT IS TANTRA?
In Tibetan
tradition the word Tantra (rgyud) nomrally refers to a special class of the
Buddha's
teachings like the Kriya, Carya, Yoga and Anuttarayoga Tantras, and more
specifically
to the scriptures that embody it, such as the Hevajratantra, the Kalacakratantra,
and the Guhyasamajatantra. But contrary to its English usage, the word does
not usually
refer to the whole system of Tantric practice and theory. For
the doctrinal system of Tantra,
the terms Mantrayana ("Mantra Vehicle")
and Vajrayana ("Vajra" or "Adamantine Vehicle")
are used
instead.
In its technical sense the word Tantra means "continuum".
In particular, Tantra refers to
one's own mind as non-dual Wisdom (jnana);
it exists as a continuum because there is an
unbroken continuation of mind
from beginningless time until the attainment of Buddhahood.
This continuum,
moreover, has three aspects or stages; the causal continuum, the continuum
involved
in applied method, and the resultant continuum. Sentient creatures in ordinary
cyclic
existence (samsara) are the "causal continuum". Those who
are engaged in methods of
gaining liberation are the "continuum involved
in the method". And those who have achieved
the ultimate spiritual fruit,
the Body of Wisdom, are the "resultant continuum". The causal
continuum
is so called because there exists in it the potential for producing a fruit is
not actually
manifested. It is like a seed kept in a container. "Method"
is so called because there exists
means or methods by which the result latent
in the cause can be brought out. "Method" is like
the water and
fertilizer needed for growing a plant. "Fruit" or "result"
refers to the actualization
of the result that was latent in the cause. This
is like the ripened flower that results when one
has planted the seed and
properly cultivated the plant.
THE PLACE OF TANTRA IN THE BUDDHIST TEACHINGS
In His infinite compassion, wisdom and power the Lord Buddha gave innumerable
different
teachings aimed at helping countless beings of different mentalities.
These teachings can be
classified into two main classes: 1) the Sravakayana
(which includes the present Theravada),
and 2) the Mahayana. The Sravakayana
(sometimes also called the Hinayana) is mainly aimed
at individual salvation,
which the Mahayana stresses the universal ideal of the Bodhisattva ("the
Being intent upon Enlightenment") who selflessly strives for the liberation
of all beings, vowing to
remain in cyclic existence until all others are liberated.
The Mahayana or Great Vehicle can also
be divided into two: 1) the Paramitayana
("Perfection Vehicle") which we also call the "Causal
Vehicle"
because in it the Bodhisattva's moral perfections are cultivated as the causes
of future
Buddhahood, and 2) the Mantrayana ("Mantra Vehicle"),
which is also known as the "Resultant
Vehicle" because through its
special practices one realizes the Wisdom of Enlightenment as
actually present.
THE SPIRITUAL FRUIT TO BE ATTAINED THROUGH TANTRA
The spiritual fruit
that is aimed at in both branches of Mahayana practice is the Perfect
Awakening
or Enlightenment of Buddhahood. A Perfectly awakened Buddha is one who
has
correctly understood the status of all knowable things in ultimate reality, who
possess
consummate bliss that is free from the impurities, and who has eliminated
all stains of the
obscurations. The latter characteristic - the freedom from
the obscurations - is a cause for
other features of Buddhahood. It consists
of the elimination of three types of obscurations
or impediments: those defilements
such as hatred and desire, those that obscure one's
knowledge of reality as
it is and in its multiplicity, and those that pertain to the meditative
attainments.
THE PATH THAT LEADS TO THE FRUIT
We speak of a method of spiritual practice
as a "path" because it is a means by which one
reaches the spiritual
destination that one is aiming at. There are two types of path. One consists
of
the common paths that lead to inferior results, and the other is the extraordinary
path that
leads to the highest goal.
INFERIOR PATHS
Some religions
or philosophical traditions while claiming to yield good results actually lead
their practitioners to undesirable destinations. For instance, the inferiors
Tirthikas (non-Buddhist
Indian schools) as well as those who propound Nihilism
only lead their followers to rebirths in
the miserable realms of existence.
The higher Tirthikas can lead one to the acquisition of a
rebirth in the higher
realms, but not to liberation. And even the paths of Sravakayana and
Pratyekabuddhayana
are inferior, for they lead only to simply liberation, and not to complete
Buddhahood.
THE SPECIAL PATH
The special path is the Mahayana. It is superior to
both non-Buddhist paths and the lower
Buddhist paths for it alone is the means
by which perfect Buddhahood can be attained. It is
superior to all other paths
for four particular reasons. It is a better means for removing suffering,
it
is without attachment to cyclic existence, as a method of liberation it is the
vehicle of
Buddhahood, and it does not desire only liberation for it is the
path of existence and quiescence
equally, in which emptiness and compassion
are taught as being non-dual.
THE DIVISIONS OF THE MAHAYANA
The Mahayana
itself has two major divisions. As mentioned above, these are the Perfection
Vehicle
and the Secret-Mantra Vehicle. The first of these is also termed the general Mahayana
because it is held in common with both Mahayana divisions, whereas the second
is termed the
particular because its special profound and vast doctrines are
not found withtin the general
tradition. The two vehicles derive their names
from the practices predominating withtin them.
In the Perfection Vehicle the
practices of the Bodhisattva's perfections (paramita)predominate,
and in the
Secret-Mantra Vehicle the practices of mantra and related meditations, such as
the
two stages of Creation and Completion in visualizing the Mandala and the
Deity, the mantra
recitation and various secret and profound yogas, predominate.
One essential difference between the two Mahayana approaches can be explained
by way
of their approach to the sensory objects which are the basis for both
cyclic existence and
Nirvana. In the Perfection Vehicle one tries to banish
the five classes of sensory objects outright.
One first restrains oneself
physically and verbally from overt misdeeds regarding the objects
of sense
desire, and then through texts and reasoning one learns about their nature. Afterwards
through meditative realization one removes all of one's attachment to them.
This is done on the
surface level through meditatively cultivating the antidote
to the defilements, such as by cultivating
love as antidote to anger, and
a view of the repulsiveness of the sense objects as the antidote to
desire.
And on the ultimate level one removes one's attachment through understanding and
meditatively realizing that all of these objects in fact are without any independent
self-nature.
In the Mantra Vehicle too one begins by restraining oneself
outwardly (the essential basis
for one's conduct is the morality of the Pratimoksa
and Bodhisattva), but in one's attittude
toward the sense objects one does
not try to eliminate them directly. Some will of course
object that such objects
of sensory desire can only act as fetters that prevent one's liberation,
and
that they must be eliminated. Though this is true for the ordinary individual
who lacks
skilful methods, for the practitioner who possesses skilful means
those very sense objects
will help in the attainment of liberation. It is
like fire which when out of control can cause great
damage, but when used
properly and skilfully is very beneficial. While for lower schools the
sense
objects arise as the enemies of one's religious practice, here they arise as one's
teachers.
Moreover, sense objects do not act as fetters by their natures,
rather, one is fettered by the
erroneous conceptual thoughts that are based
on them.
THE SUPERIORITY OF VAJRAYANA OVER PARAMITAYANA
The Secret-Mantra
Vehicle is superior to the Perfection Vehicle from several points of view,
but
its superiority primarily rests in the greater efficacy and skilfulness of its
methods. Through
Mantrayana practices, a person of superior faculties can
attain Awakening in a single lifetime.
One of midding faculties can attain
Awakening in the after-death period (bardo). And one of
inferior faculties
who observes the commitments will attain enlightenment in from seven to sixteen
lifetimes. These are much shorter periods than the three "immeasurable"
aeons required through
the Paramitayana practices. But even though the Mantra
Vehicle is thus superior in skilful
methods, its view of ultimate reality
is identical with the Madhyamika view of the general
Mahayana. For both schools
the ultimate reality is devoid of all discursive developments or
elaborations
(nisprapanca). One view cannot be higher than the other since "higher"
and "lower"
are themselves but discursive developments or conceptualizations.
PREPARATIONS AND PREREQUISITES FOR TANTRIC PRACTICE
The foregoing has
been a general introduction to a few of the basis ideas of Buddhist Tantra.
The
real question is how to apply these theoretical considerations in a useful way,
that is how to
practice them. The practice of Mantrayana and further in-depth
study of its philosophy requires
first of all a special initiation from a
qualified master.
IMPORTANCE OF THE GURU
One must seek an carefully choose
a Guru who has all the qualifications to teach the Tantras;
for instance he
himself must have received all the necessary initiations and explanations from
a
qualified Teacher, done long retreats, and learned all the rituals, mudras,
drawing of Mandalas,
etc. He must also have received signs of spiritual attainments.
It is also very important to find a
Guru with whom one has a connection by
karma. In any case it is imperative to find a Guru, and
one should not practise
without a teacher, especially withtin the Vajrayana. One cannot get any
result
by merely studying a text. It is said in the Tantras that the Guru is the root
and source of
all the siddhis and of all realization.
QUALITIES OF THE
DISCIPLE
Before one can be initiated one will first examined by the teacher
who will ascertain whether
one is a fit receptable for the teachings. The
main qualities required are faith, compassion and
Bodhicitta (the Enlightenment
Thought). A major empowerment is never given to those who
have not developed
Bodhicitta to a higher degree. In this way both the student and the teacher
must
examine each other carefully.
IMPORTANCE OF THE TRANSMISSION
When the
right Guru is found, one should then request him for initiation and explanations.
In Vajrayana it is necessary to receive the Wangkur (Empowerment or Initiation),
the
transmission or permission to practice the Tantra, without which one cannot
practise anything.
The transmission is particularly important in Vajrayana
and the Lama (Guru) assures the
continuity of a line of direct transmission
through a succession of teachers. This line of
transmission has been unbroken
since the Lord Sakyamuni Buddha set into motion the Wheel
of Dharma. Not only
must there be this line of Transmission, but also there must be a line of
practice,
that has kept the lineage alive.
VOWS AND PRACITCE
After one has been
led into glorious mandala by the master, one begins one's practice,
carefully
observing the various vows and commitments of the Vajrayana. These vows are
primarily
mental, and such they can be even difficult than those of the Pratimoksa and
Bodhisattva
systems. One must also devote oneself to further study, and to practising the
specialized visualizations and yogas according to the master's instructions.
BUDDHIST VERSUS HINDU TANTRA
Buddhist Tantra is thus distinguished from
the other branches of Mahayana by its special
methods. It is, however, identical
to the Mahayana Madhyamika in its ultimate view, and it is
the same as all
Mahayana schools regarding its aim and motivation. Hindu Tantra by contrast
has
different philosophical basis and motivation, even though it shares some of the
same
practical methodology. Some persons must have suggested that Buddhist
Tantra must not
belong to pure Buddhism because it shares many elements of
practice within the Hindus.
This is specious reasoning because certain methods
are bound to be shared by different
religious traditions. Suppose we had to
abandon each and every element of practice shared
with Hindu traditions. In
that case we would have to give up generosity, morality, and much
more!
There are of course many further differences between Buddhist and Hindu Tantra
in their
meditative practices, and so forth. But I shall not attempt to explicate
them since my own
first-hand knowledge is limited to the Buddhist tradition.
Here it will be enough to stress that
Buddhist Vajrayana presupposes the taking
of refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha (and
the Guru as the embodiment
of those three), the understanding of Emptiness (sunyata), and the
cultivation
of love, compassion and Bodhicitta (the Enlightenment Thought). And I must again
underline the importance of Bodhicitta, which is the firm resolve to attain
perfect Buddhahood
in order to benefit all sentient creatures, through one's
great wish that they be happy and free
from sorrow. These distinguishing features
are not found in the non-Buddhist Tantras.
CONCLUSION
The study of Tantra
can only be fruitful if one can apply it through practice, and to do
this
one must find, serve and carefully follow a qualified master. If one finds one's
true
teacher and is graced by his blessings one can make swift progress towards
the goal,
Perfect Awakening for the benefit of all creatures. In composing
this account I am mindful
of my own immeasurable debt of gratitude of my own
kind masters. Here I have tried to
be true to their teachings and to those
of the other great masters of our lineage without
divulging that which is
forbidden to be taught publicly. I will consider my efforts to have
been worthwhile
if some harmful misunderstandings have been dispelled.
May all beings come
to enjoy the true happiness of Buddhahood!
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A
General Confession
This prayer
is for the purification of negative deeds. Especially effective
for reviving
the Vinaya and Bodhisattva's vows, and the Vajrayana samaya.
To the Lamas,
such as the Great Holder of the Vajra, and to all the
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
dwelling in the ten directions, I pray, grant
me your attention.
Through
the power of the passions of lust, hatred, and ignorance from
beginningless
time up until the present, I, who am known by this name
.... (your name) ....
have committed the sins of the ten non-virtues with
body, speech, and mind.
I have committed the five actions of immediate
retribution and the five related
to them. I have transgressed the vows
of Pratimoksa, have broken the training
of the Bodhisattva, and have
transgressed the sacred commitments of the secret
Tantras. I have been
disrespectful to the Triple Gem, disrespectful to my
parents, disrespectful
to the Abbot and Teacher, and disrespectful to companions
who have
been pure in their conduct. I have done such things as renounce the
excellent Dharma, sell the scriptures for profit, and slander the noble
Sangha.
In brief, before the Lamas, such as the Great Holder of the Vajra, and
all
the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who dwell in the ten directions, I
confess all
those sinful acts which serve as barriers to the higher realms
and liberation
and become the causes of samsara and evil existences.
I confess whatever accumulated
misdeeds and transgressions I have
committed, those which I have urged others
to commit, and those which
I have rejoiced at when committed y others. I do
not conceal nor hide
these, and henceforth will keep my vows.