Waking Up
In the morning when you wake up, visualize the Buddha on the crown of your head
and think, "How fortunate I am that so far I have not died. Again today
I have the opportunity to practice the Dharma. I again have the opportunity
to take the essence of this human rebirth which has so many freedoms and richnesses.
The great essence to be taken from this opportunity is to practice bodhicitta,
the mind that is dedicated to attaining enlightenment for the benefit of all
sentient beings, by renouncing myself and cherishing others. Cherishing only
myself is the greatest obstacle to being happy myself and it is especially the
greatest hindrance to bringing about the happiness of all sentient beings. So,
from now on, I will never allow myself to be under the control of the self-cherishing
thought.
Also, cherishing others is the best means to bring all success for my own happiness
and especially to successfully bring about the happiness that all sentient beings
desire. Therefore, from now on, I will never separate from the precious bodhicitta,
the mind cherishing other sentient beings, for even one moment. With the bodhicitta,
and the mind that cherishes others, I will live my life."
Then make a sincere request to the Buddha, "Whether my life is happy or
painful, may whatever actions I do with my body, speech and mind always become
only the cause to lead quickly the pitiful mother sentient beings throughout
infinite space to enlightenment."
Guru Shakyamuni Buddha is extremely pleased with your request. He melts into
light, which flows down through your crown to your heart, blessing, inspiring
and transforming your mind. Think, "I have received all of the Buddha's
qualities."Then imagine a small Buddha made of light appears at your heart.
Throughout the day, think of the Buddha constantly. In this way, you will become
more mindful of what you do, say and think, as you will be aware of Buddha witnessing
it.
Read and contemplate the "Eight Verses of Thought Transformation":
With the thought of attaining enlightenment
For the welfare of all beings,
Who are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel,
I will constantly practice holding them dear.
Whenever I am with others
I will practice seeing myself as the lowest of all,
And from the very depths of my heart
I will respectfully hold others as supreme.
In all actions I will examine my mind
And the moment a disturbing attitude arises,
Endangering myself and others,
I will firmly confront and avert it.
Whenever I meet a person of bad nature
Who is overwhelmed by negative energy and intense suffering,
I will hold such a rare one dear,
As if I had found a precious treasure.
When others, out of jealousy,
Mistreat me with abuse, slander and so on,
I will practice accepting defeat
And offering the victory to them.
When someone I have benefited
And in whom I have placed great trust
Hurts me very badly,
I will practice seeing that person as my supreme teacher.
In short, I will offer directly and indirectly
Every benefit and happiness to all beings, my mothers.
I will practice in secret taking upon myself
All their harmful actions and sufferings.
Without these practices being defiled by the stains of the eight worldly concerns
And by perceiving all phenomena as illusory,
I will practice without grasping to release all beings
From the bondage of the disturbing unsubdued mind and karma.
By remembering Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, do your daily life actions as follows:
Eating and Drinking
Before you eat or drink, think, "I am going to make this food (drink) offering
to Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, who is the embodiment of all the Buddhas, Dharma,
and Sangha, in order to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all mother sentient
beings." Think the food is very pure and sweet nectar that gives great
bliss. Its taste is delicious, like what the Buddha experiences; that is, it
is completely beyond the usual ordinary appearance of food. Offer the food with
the prayers contained in this book, and imagine the Buddha at your heart experiencing
bliss as you eat.
Enjoying Sense Objects
Whatever sense objects you enjoy during the day - cloths, music, beautiful scenery
and so forth - think that you are offering them to Guru Shakyamuni Buddha who
is at your heart. In this way, you continuously make offerings to the Buddha,
thus creating a great store of positive potential. Also, you will become less
attached to sense pleasures and will begin to enjoy them with a peaceful mind.
Making Offerings on the Altar
Think, "I am going to make these offerings in order to achieve enightenment
for the benefit of all pitiful mother sentient beings who have been kind to
me since beginningless rebirths." Immediately consecrate whatever you offer
by saying, "OM AH HUM."
When you look at the pictures and statues of the Buddhas and holy beings on
your altar, think that they are all the Guru and the Buddhas, Dharma and Sangha
of the ten directions. Offer to them with this recognition, and imagine that
they generate great bliss by receiving your offerings. Think that you are offering
to the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, arhats and sanghas of the ten directions. Offer
to the statues of the Buddhas and deities (which represent Buddha's holy body),
to all the scriptures (which represent the Buddha's holy speech), and to all
the stupas (which represent the Buddha's holy mind) that exist in all ten directions.
This includes making offerings to all holy objects in Tibet, in India and in
each person's home where there is a holy object. This is the most skilful way
to accumulate merit. In this way, you make offerings to each and every holy
object without needing to take even one step or spend even one dollar to travel
to those places. By thinking that all the statues, Buddhas, bodhisattvas and
so forth are manifestations of the Guru, you accumulate the highest merit.
After offering, think, "Whatever happiness and virtue I have accumulated,
may all sentient beings receive it, and whatever suffering sentient beings have,
may it ripen upon me." Then dedicate the positive potential.
Working
When you go to work, think, "I must achieve enlightenment in order to lead
each and every sentient being to enlightenment. Therefore, I am going to do
service for sentient beings by going to work." If you are working in order
to provide for your family, it is service to sentient beings. If you do not
have to provide for your family, you nevertheless need the necessary material
conditions in order to practice the Dharma so that you may attain enlightenment
for the benefit of all sentient beings.
While you are at work, remember the kindness of the other sentient beings who
gave you the job and who make it possible for you to earn a living. Thinking
in this way helps to avoid generating negative emotions like anger at work.
Bathing
Think, "I am going bathe by transforming this action into the cause to
attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings." By thinking
in a new way, you can make your shower or bath a purification practice. One
way to think is that the water is very blissful and you are offering it to the
Buddha at your heart. Another way is to visualize whichever manifestation of
the Buddha you feel a strong connection with (for example, Chenresig or Tara)
above your head and think that the bathing water is flowing from his/her hand.
The water is the nature of wisdom and it is making your mind clear so you can
practice the path for the benefit of sentient beings. While you are washing,
think that all negative karmas, sicknesses, and interfering forces are cleansed
by the wisdom realizing emptiness and that you receive all the realizations
and qualities of the Buddha.
Sleeping
At the end of the day it is important to purify the negative actions created
during the day. The most powerful method to do this is by means of the four
opponent powers:
1. Taking refuge and generating bodhicitta.
2. Having regret for the negative actions you have done.
3. Doing remedial actions, i.e. a purification practice.
4. Determining not to do the action again in the future.
By doing this, it stops the karma from multiplying each day, each week, each
month. It also purifies the negative karma accumulated since beginningless time.
By thus cleansing your obstacles, you have the opportunity to become enlightened.
Before going to bed, think, "I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha
until I am enlightened. By practicing generosity and the other far-reaching
attitudes, may I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of the migrating beings."
Visualize Guru Vajrasattva on your crown. Light and nectar flow down from his
heart into you and purify all negative karmas and obscurations of yourself and
others. While visualizing in this way, recite Vajrasattva's mantra at least
twenty-eight times:
Om vajrasattva hum.
Then Vajrasattva says to you, "All of your negative karmas and obscurations
are completely purified. Be happy about this." Vajrasattva absorbs to your
heart and blesses your mind.
Dedicate the positive potential:
May the precious bodhi mind
Not yet born arise and grow.
May that born have no decline,
But increase forever more.
In all my lives, with the Victorious One, Lama Tsong Khapa, acting in person
as the Mahayana Guru, may I never turn aside for even an instant from the excellent
path praised by the Victorious Ones.
Due to the positive potentials accumulated by myself and others in the past,
present and future, may anyone who merely sees, hears, remembers, touches or
talks to me be freed in that very instant from all sufferings and abide in happiness
forever.
When you go to bed, think, "I am going to practice sleeping yoga in order
to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings." Lie down
in the lion position, which is how Buddha lay when he passed away: lie on your
right side, with your right hand under your cheek. Your left hand is on your
left thigh, and your legs are extended. Remember the kindness and sufferings
of sentient beings and go to sleep feeling loving-kindness towards them. Visualize
Guru Shakyamuni Buddha on your pillow, and put your head in his lap. Very gentle
light flows from the Buddha into you, and by remembering the Buddha's enlightened
qualities with devotion, fall asleep.