Arya Maitreya's Aspiration

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.