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The Ritual of the Bodhisattva Vow

Prayers & Practices | Tibetan Masters Patrul Rinpoche | Tibetan Masters Chatral Rinpoche

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The Ritual for the Bodhisattva Vow, Arranged According to the Tradition of Patrul Rinpoche The first step in taking the bodhisattva vow, the key to the path of the Mahayana, is to recall the qualities of the Three Jewels: Recalling the Qualities of the Three Jewels1

ta ch hyenpa la cha tsal lo

Homage to the omniscient one!

i tar san y cho en e ni eshyin she pa racho pa yan a par o p san ye ri pa dang shyap su denpa Thus the Buddha, the transcendent, accomplished conqueror, the tathagata who has attained suchness, the arhat who has conquered all foes, is a perfectly and completely enlightened buddha, endowed with insight and worthy of reverence,

dewar shekpa The sugata who has reached the state of bliss, jikten khyenpa The knower of the entire world, kyebu dulw khalo gyurwa The guide and tamer of beings, lana mpa The unsurpassable one,

lha dang mi nam kyi tnpa The teacher of gods and humans, sangy chomden d t The Buddha Bhagavat. deshyin shekpa d ni sonam dak gi gyu tnpa The tathagata is in harmony with all merit. gew tsawa nam ch mi zawa He does not waste the sources of virtue.

zp raptu gyenpa He is fully adorned with patience. snam kyi ter nam kyi shyi He is the foundation of the treasures of merit. p ch zangpo nam kyi trpa He is ornamented with the excellent minor marks.

tsen nam kyi metok gypa He is the full blossoming of the major marks. ch yul renpar tnpa His activity is timely and fitting. tong na mi tnpa mpa Seeing him, there is nothing displeasing. dp mpa nam la ngnpar gawa He brings true joy to those who have faith.

sherab zil gyi mi nnpa His insight overwhelms all in its splendour. top nam la dziwa mpa His powers are invincible. semchen tamch kyi tnpa He is the teacher of all sentient beings. changchub sempa nam kyi yab He is the father of all bodhisattvas.

pakp gangzak nam kyi gyalpo He is the sovereign of all the noble ones. nyangen l dp drong khyer du drowa nam kyi dpn He is the guide who leads beings to the city of nirvana. yesh paktu mpa He has measureless wisdom.

pobpa sam gyi mi khyabpa He possesses inconceivable fearlessness. sung nampar dakpa His speech is utterly pure. yang nyenpa Its tones are melodious. ku ch taw chok mi shpa One can never have enough of looking at him.

ku tsungpa mpa His form is without comparison. dpa dak gi ma gpa He is unsullied by the realm of desire. zuk dak gi nyewar ma gpa He is quite unsullied by the realm of form. zuk mpa dak dang ma drpa He is not caught up in the formless realm.

dukngal dak l nampar drolwa He is completely liberated from suffering. pungpo dak l raptu nampar drolwa He is totally liberated from the aggregates. kham nam dang mi denpa He is not possessed with the constituents of ordinary experience.

kyemch nam dampa He is in control of the sense fields. dpa nam shintu chpa He has cut right through the knots. yong su dungwa dak l nampar drolwa He is completely liberated from torment. spa l drolwa He is freed from craving.

chuwo l galwa He has crossed over the river. yesh yong su dzokpa He is perfected in all the wisdoms. dpa dang ma jnpa dang data jungw sangy chomden d nam kyi yesh la np He abides in the wisdom of all the buddhas of past, present and future.

nyangen l dpa la mi npa He does not dwell in nirvana. yang dakpa nyi kyi ta la npa He abides in perfect finality. semchen tamch la zikp sa la shyukpa t He remains on the level where he sees all sentient beings.

di dak ni sangy chomden d nam kyi ku chw ynten yang dakpa nam so

All these are the authentic and supreme qualities of the embodiment of the Buddha.

damp ch ni tokmar gwa bar du gwa tamar gwa The sacred Dharma is good at the beginning, good in the middle and good at the end. dn zangpo It is excellent in meaning, tsik dru zangpo Excellent in words and syllables.

ma drpa It is distinctive. yong su dzokpa It is totally complete. yong su dakpa It is utterly pure. yong su jangwa

It completely purifies. chomden d kyi ch lekpar sungpa The Buddha teaches the dharma perfectly. yangdakpar tongwa It brings unerring vision. n mpa It is without affliction.

d chpa mpa It is constant and always timely. it is trustworthy when applied. It is trustworthy when applied. di tongwa la dn ypa Seein it fulfils ones purpose. khpa nam kyi soso rang gi rigpar chawa The wise can validate it through their own awareness.

chomden d kyi sungp ch dulwa la lekpar tenpa The dharma taught by the buddha relies entirely on training the mind. ngpar jungwa It brings about renunciation. dzokp changchub tu drowar chpa It causes one to arrive at perfect enlightenment.

mi tnpa m ching dpa dang denpa It is without contradiction. It is all-embracing. tenpa ypa It is constant. yuwa ch pao It is the cessation of all uncertainty. tekpa chenpi gendn ni lekpar shyukpa

As for the Sangha of the Great vehicle, they enter thoroughly. rigpar shyukpa They enter with awareness. drangpor shyukpa They enter straightforwardly. tnpar shyukpa They enter harmoniously.

talmo jarw su gyurpa They are worthy of veneration with palms joined together. chak chaw su gyurpa They are worthy of receiving prostrations. snam kyi pal gyi shying They are a glorious field of merit. yn yong su jongwa chenpo

Offering to them brings great purification. jinp n su gyurpa They are an object of generosity. untu yan jinp n su yurpa chenpoo They are in every way the greatest object of generosity. gnpo tukj ch denpa The lord who possesses great kindness,

tamch khyenpa tnpa po The omniscient teacher, snam ynten gyamtsi shying The source of oceans of merit and virtue, dshyin shek la chak tsal lo I prostrate to the Tathagata. dakpa dchak dralw gyu Pure, the cause of freedom from passion,

gew ngen song l drol shying Virtuous, liberating from the lower realms, chik tu dndam chok gyurpa This alone is the supreme, ultimate truth: shyi gyur ch la chak tsal lo I prostrate to the dharma, which is peace. drol n drolw lam yang tn

Having been liberated, they show the path to liberation. labpa dak la rab tu g They are fully dedicated to the disciplines, shying gi dampa ynten den A holy field of merit, endowed with noble qualities: gendn la yang chak tsal lo I prostrate to the sangha.

sangy tso la chak tsal lo I prostrate to the Buddha, the leader, kyobpa ch la chak tsal lo I prostrate to the dharma, the protector, gendn d la chak tsal lo I prostrate to the sangha, the community, sum la taktu g chak tsal

I prostrate respectfully and always to these three! sangy ynten sam mi khyap The Bu has virtues are inconceivable; ch kyi ynten sam mi khyap The har as virtues are inconceivable; gendn ynten sam mi khyap The san has virtues are inconceivable.

sam mi khyap la d chp Having faith in these inconceivables, na par inpaan sa i hyap

Therefore the fruition is inconceivable: namdak shying du kypar shok May I be born in a completely pure realm!

Prayer to the Bodhichitta and the Bodhisattvas

Now it is to the precious bodhichitta and the bodhisattvas, those who possess it, that we express our respect and go for refuge: n en ro l ni o yi chin

Turning us back from the road to the lower realms, to ri la ni rab t n la

It shows us the road to the higher realms, a shi par ren yi pa

And leads to where there is no old age and death:

changchub sem la chak tsal lo To this bodhichitta, in homage I bow!2 an la se yi a pa rinchen

I bow to those who have given birth y pa yi u la cha tsal shyin

To this most precious and sacred of minds gan la n pa ch yan relwa

Who bring bliss to even those who cause them harm. w jun n la yab su chi

In such sources of happiness, I take refuge! The Consecration of the Environment ncho su yi enpa an

Through the force of the truth of Buddha, dharma and sangha,

san y

an chan chub se pa ta ch gyi lap dang

yi chin

The blessing of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas, tso nyi yon su o p n a tan chenpo an

The great power of the completed accumulation of merit and wisdom, ch yi yin na par a chin sa hyabp top yi yi i

And the purity of the inconceivable dharmadhatu,

en ir hor yu i sa shyi i a wa chen yi shyin i pa tabu punsu tso p yen ta ch yi na par yenp shin yi u ongwa sam gyi mi khyabpar gyur Now this whole environment becomes like the landscape of the buddha-field sukhavati, magnificently arrayed with all kinds of exquisite ornaments, captivating and incredible in its beauty. om sarwa bid pura pura sura sura awarta ya awarta ya ho saparana kham Recite three times

Consecrating the Offerings punsu tso p shyin i a tu lha an ii yo ch a pa u an ra an ri an ro an re cha la so pa na par a chin yi u on w ch p trin ya tso sa yi i hyabp n h ha ta ch an war yur In this perfect realm, the sacred possessions of gods and menforms, sounds, fragrances, tastes, textures, and the likeinconceivable ocean-like clouds of offerings, so pure and enchanting, fill the entire expanse of space:

namah sarwa tathagate bhayo bishva mukhe be sarwa thakham utgate saparana himam gagana kham soha Recite three times The Offering Cloud Dharani

namo ratna trayaya namo bhagavate vajra sara pramardha ne tathagataya arhate samyak sambuddhaya tadhyata om vajre vajre maha vajre maha tedzo vajre maha vidya vajre maha bodhitsitta vajre maha bodhi manto pasam kramana vajre sarwa karma awarana vishva dhana vajre soha

Recite three times Inviting the Buddhas and their Entourages as a Field of Merit cho un n yab su a ch

O three sources of refuge, of all directions and all times, along with those who attend you, ny n on ro la hyen ts rab on t

In all your wisdom and love, think of living beings, tormented by our negative emotions,

pa

shyin n to

utrul yi

And come now, from limitless realms in unobstructed emanations, ir she ch trin ya ts i u shyu sol To take your place at the heart of this cloud of offerings. a l se chen un yi n yur chin

You are the protectors of all beings, every single one. pun ch i jo lha

You are the deities who remorselessly destroy the maras and their forces. n na a l ji shyin hyen yurp

You who know all things just as they are, in their true nature, cho en hor ch n ir she su sol

Enlightened ones, with your retinues, come now to this place! chomden kalpa drangm duma ru

Enlightened ones, over countless incalculable aeons, ro la ts chir tu j na jan shin Because of your love for sentient beings, you cultivated compassion. nla ya chen on pa yon o p

Your aspirations are vast, your vision all complete, hy shy ro n i la na

And if now is the time you intend to benefit beings, chir ch yin po ran lhun rup n Then from the palace of the dharmadathu, spontaneously perfect, utrul chin lap na tso t n chin

Display all kinds of magical emanations and blessings, tay se chen tso na ralw chir

And to liberate limitless sentient beings,

yon a hor an ch t she su sol

Come now, I pray and with you your retinue, in all their utter purity. ch na un yi wan chu tso

You are the lords of all dharmas; tsoma ser gyi dok dra shying Like the hue of refined gold,

nyi a l lha

iji ch

Your brilliance brighter than the sun. p chen ni ran war yi With faith and devotion, I invite you here. shyi shyin tu j ch enpa

You possess peace and great compassion, l shyin samten sa la shyuk You reside in gentleness and the stages of concentration;

ch an yesh cha ralwa

You possess dharma and wisdom free from desire, untu i n par en

And strength that is completely inexhaustible. tsur ch n tsur ch n shyi a la Come now, come from that state of peace,

tubpa y cho ta ch

hyen

Mighty sages, supreme beings, omniscient ones, shintu le ch u nyen ni

Assume exquisite illusory forms, ch p n ir she su sol

And come to this place of offerings, I pray! And so invoke them.

Inviting the Buddhas and their Retinues to Remain cho en ir ni j npa le

Enlightened ones, welcome, now that you have come. dak chak sonam kalpar den We have such good fortune and merit. a i ch y n shy n yan

Accept these offerings and then

tu la on shin nan war Turn your minds towards us, please. Offering the Buddhas their Places pa a a ala y sta I The Preparation The Seven Branches for Gathering the Accumulations 1 Prostration la a nya san y rinpoch

Incomparable masters, precious buddhas, as your nature su eshe s ch ta ch yi

You possess the blessing of body, speech and mind ku sung tuk kyi rangshyin chin labpa Of all the sugatas and bodhisattvas, past, present and future: a rin chenp i shyap la cha tsal lo

In homage I bow to those with such great kindness.

The Prayer in One Verse: ncho su la cha tsal lo

Homage to the Three Jewels! y bu hyu cho hy r ejon chenpo shyen a lha yul sa laan Supreme among beings, in all the god realms there do not exist other great spiritual practitioners like you.

ji ten i naan y pa a yin na t bu yi n naan y a yin In this world too there are none, nor even in the realm of vaishravana. lha yi po ran n cho an cho tsa a naan a naan la cho

In the supreme abodes, the palaces of the gods, there are none, nor in any direction, cardinal or intermediate, are they to be found. ri an na su ch p sa ten y pa untu or yan ala y

On the whole face of the earth with its mountains and its forests, where could any ever be?

The Prayer in Four Verses: ur yurpa ni ta ch laan Whenever you take on a form, in every one, tsen cho su chu nyi n aw

You are honored as perfectly enlightened buddhas

o p san y

ra

enpa

Endowed with all the thirty-two supreme marks: gyalwa kun la chak tsal lo To all you victorious ones, I pay homage. dzok sang gang du tampa dang Wherever the perfect buddhas are born, gang du changchub la rek dang Where they attain enlightenment,

shyiw horlo orwa an

Turn the wheel of dharma that pacifies, a nyan en pa an

And pass into immaculate nirvana, deshek gang du shyukpa dang Where they dwell as sugatas, chakpa dang ni shyengpa dang

Walk and stand and sen tabur i pa yi

Where they sleep like lions: n la ni a cha tsal

To all those holy places, I pay homage! teng dang wo dang bar dak dang Above and below and in between

chok dang chok tsam nam su yang In the cardinal and intermediate directions, ur ch u ni pa yi

Be they with form or without: ch rten la ni a cha tsal To the stupas, I pay homage! These two praises should be recited alternately.

The Great Praise of the Ten Acts of the Buddha3 san y sha ya tubpa la cha tsal lo Homage to the Buddha, Shakyamuni! an i an por chan chub tu y n

You I shall praise, who first awakened the mind of enlightenment, s na yesh tso nyi o chin

Then completed the accumulations of merit and wisdom,

ir pa ya chen rowa yi

And now in this age, through the vast sway of your actions, n yur hy la a i t par yi

Have become the lord and protector of living beings. lha na n ulw hyen n

Homage to you that, having taught the gods, lha l bab n lan chen tar she shin

Knew the time had come to tame the human world, and ri la i n lha o yutrul Descending from the god realm, like a great elephant, lhu su shyu par la cha tsal lo

Foresaw the family of your birth and entered the womb of Mayadevi. awa chu o sha y s po ni

Homage to you, prince of the shakyas, born after ten months trashi lu bii tsal u ta p ts In the auspicious Lumbini grove, where tsan an yajin yi t tsen cho ni

Brahma and Indra revered you, your supreme marks chan chub ri su n cha tsal lo

Proving you were destined to be enlightened.

shy nnu tob en i yi sen

Homage to you, lion among men, in all your youthful vigour, agha magadhar ni gyu tsal ten Displaying your prowess in the games at Agha Magadha, y wo re pa chen na tsar ch n

Where you triumphed over the proud contestants,

ren a

par

la cha tsal lo

So that not one could stand as your rival. ji ten ch an t npar chawa an

Homage to you, who, to comply with worldly convention, hana a to pan chir ts n o yi

And avoid all misdeeds, took on a queen and courtiers hor an en tab la h pa yi

And by acting with such skilful means,

yalsi yon war la cha tsal lo

So you ruled the kingdom. horw chawar nyin po i n

Homage to you, who saw that samsara is wholly futile, hyi n jun t ha la she n yan

Renounced the life of a householder

ch rten na

run

u nyi l nyi

And, travelling through the sky, rabtu jun war la chak tsal lo

Ordained yourself before the Vishuddha Stupa. ts np chan chub rubpar on n ni Homage to you, who, intent on persevering till enlightened, nairan an ram du lo druk tu

For six years practised austerities on the banks of the Nairanjana,

awa ch ts n r tar chin n

And taking diligence to its ultimate perfection, sa ten cho ny la cha tsal lo

Attained the supreme samadhi. to a n b pa n y chir

Homage to you, who, seeking to make meaningful

magadha yi chang chub shing drung du All your efforts, made throughout beginningless time, sat yil trun i yo n npar san y n

Unmoving in the vajra posture beneath the bodhi tree in Magadha changchub dzokpar la cha tsal lo

And awakened into true buddhahood, attaining perfect enlightenment. tu j ro la nyur u i n ni

Homage to you, who, in your compassion, waranasi la sok n cho tu Gazed at once upon living beings, then ch yi horlo or n ulcha na

Turned the wheel of dharma in sacred places like Varanasi, te pa su la cha tsal lo

And established disciples in the three vehicles.

shyen yi olwa n enpa tsar ch chir Homage to you that destroyed evil-minded opponents, ute t npa ru an lh chin sok

By defeating the six teachers of the Tirthikas, Devadatta and the rest, hor o ji i yul u na tul

As well as the maras in the land of Khormojik; tubpa yul l yal la chak tsal lo

You were the mighty sage, victorious in battle. sipa su na p y nten yi

Homage to you, who performed great miracles in Shravasti, nyen u y par chotrul chenpo ten Unmatched in their splendour in all the three realms, lha i rowa un yi rab ch pa

And through the offerings made by gods, humans and other beings,

tenpa y par la cha tsal lo

Caused the teachings to prosper and increase. l lo chen na ch la ulch chir

Homage to you, who, to spur the lazy on to the dharma, tsa chok drong gi sa shyi tsangma ru Left your body, though immortal and like a vajra,

chi

orj tab i u she n

And passed into parinirvana nya n en awar la cha tsal lo

In the pure abode of Kushinagara. yan a nyi u ji pa chir an

Homage to you, who, to show that you had not in reality perished, a on se chen sona tobch chir

And so that beings of the future could gain merit,

nyi u ni rin sel an trul n

Emanated a wealth of relics, and caused u un cha y la cha tsal lo

Your remains to be divided into eight portions. The Short Praise of the Bu an ts has Dee s4 ts

an nyi tsowo hy ta

When you were born, chief among human beings,

sa chen i la o pa n bor n

You took seven steps on this earth and said: n a ni ji ten i na cho ch sun In this worl I a supre e. ts h pa hy la cha tsal lo

To you, o wise one, I pay homage! an po an en lha yi yul n j n

First, you descended from the heaven of Tushita, yalp i hap tu yu yi lhu su shyu others

An in the royal ho e entere your womb; lumbi ni yi tsal du tubpa tam

In the grove at Lumbini, o sage, you were born: chomden lha yi lha la chak tsal lo To the victorious o a on homage! o s, I pay

shyal y han u a a y shyi ch

You were tended by thirty-two nurses at the palace, sha y ron u shy n n rol ts

You spent your youth in sports at the house of the Shakyas; ser y n su sa tso hap tu shy At Kapilavastu you took Gopa as your wife:

si su

tsun

u la cha tsal lo

To you who are unequalled in the three worlds, I pay homage! ron hyer o shyir yow tsul ten n

At the four city gates, you were shown the four kinds of sorrow, ch rten na a run n u tra sil

And cut your own hair in front of the Vishuddha Stupa; nairan an ra u a tub

On the banks of the Nairanjana you practised as an ascetic: rip nyi y n an ral la cha tsal lo

To you who are free from the faults of the two obscurations, I pay homage! yalp i hap tu lan chen ny npa t l At Rajagriha you tamed a rogue elephant, yan pa chen u tr u ran tsi pul In Vaishala the monkeys offered you honey;

a a ha ru tubpa n n san y In Magadha, o sage, you realized buddhahood: hyenp yesh bar la cha tsal lo To you in whom omniscient wisdom blossomed, I pay homage! wara nasir ch yi horlo or

At Varanasi you turned the wheel of dharma, et tsal u chotrul chenpo ten

And in the Jeta Grove you showed great miracles; tsa cho ron u on pa nya n en

At Kushinagara your wisdom mind passed into parinirvana: tuk ni namkha dra la chak tsal lo To you whose mind is like the sky, I pay homage! i tar tenp a po san y cho en

Through the merit of this brief praise of

p tsul la o tsa t pa yi

The deeds of the enlightened one, Master of the Teaching, ew rowa un yi ch pa yan

May the actions of all living beings eshe nyi yi an tsun par sho

Come to equal the acts of the sugata himself.

ewar she pa hy

u chi ra an

O Sugata, may I and others have a form, hor an u ts i ts an shyin ha an

An entourage, a life-span, a pure realm hy yi tsen cho an po chi rawa

And sublime marks of perfection ra honar a so yurwar sho

Exactly like you.

hy la t chin solwa tabp t Through the power of our praising you and this prayer, a so an na n p sa cho su

In whatever lands we dwell, may n n wul pon tab ts shyiwa an

Illness, negativity, poverty, and conflict be quelled, ch an trashi pelwar u sol

And dharma and auspiciousness increase and spread.

If you have ti e, then recite The Praise of the Twelve Acts of the The Sa e co pose by the o niscient i in pa The Praise of the Twelve Acts of the Buddha awa ya en chi ron hyer n

In the city of the immortal gods, in the heaven of Tushita, chang chub sem kyi dampa tok karpo

The bodhisattva, holy Svetaketu, saw the vessel sha y ri yi ti ler inp n

To contain the successor of the shakya clan gyutrul lhamo ridak mik chen yin Was the lady Mayadevi, her eyes of doe-like beauty. ton shar yi ri la ch pa shyin i e the splen our of a sunrise on a eastern face, ountains

lhu yi esar shy pa lu bii tsal

She gave birth, a lotus opening in blossom, in the Lumbini grove, tsan an wan p si shyu ch shin

Brahma and Indra there to serve you, to tend you with all their grace; chang chub rik su lung ten la chak tsal You who were prophesied into the lineage of enlightened ones, I bow to you in homage!

lan ts

re p sha ya shy nn i

Among the shakya youths, vaunting their athletic physique, yu tsal ru chu tsa shyii rol ts tu You excelled in your prowess in the sixty four crafts; un yi hy la t chin ra pa yi

All conceded victory and your renown y i na sh i an nawar o

Filled the eyes and ears of all.

s shya p shyen wan a yur shyin

Never were you slave to the noose of craving and desire, yab chi y l ts n i yu a la

Yet to please your father, you married, but saw this illusion yu taw t n yalp i hap

For the illusion that it was, ruling the kingdom all the while.

yan p n un rubpa la cha tsal

So you were known as Sarvarthasiddha: I bow to you in homage! shintu yo shying jikpa gyal si kyi Though precarious, fraught with danger and with change, cha y i wan u a yur a yan

No-one was immune to the allure of the kingdom, save you.

n par jun w

yen shyii hy

yi tu

Your mind was captivated by the four encounters that caused renunciation, tro n ran jun gelong nyi du ten And you ordained yourself, a self-originating bhikshu. ts n r lap yi i n al nairan ar

Your constant perseverance, never tiring, by the Nairanjana river a tub un wa p nyin tob an

Gave you the strength of mind to bear the agony of austerities, and un to ulw inp sa ten la

The concentration to keep on taming conceptual thought, cho ch i eshe y la cha tsal lo

Which delighted the sugatas of the ten directions: I bow to you in homage! ran su yi si u na ri un

Through three incalculable aeons in samsaric existence, tso nyi ta chin pa n y chir

You sought the meaningful, by binding all your thoughts chan chub shin run na tra ch n

With the rope of accumulating merit and wisdom. n npar o san yawa yal un shi

Then, beneath the bodhi tree, you put the maras to flight, horwa tin ta p yan sa la

And attained enlightenment, as all the buddhas do. yu p rowa horlo su yi r

On the ship of the three turnings of the wheel of dharma, you save ral n tarpa an ni na hyen yi

Bein s who rush into sa saras botto less an endless abyss, opan triwa hy la cha tsal lo And ferry them to the perfect levels of liberation and omniscience: I bow to you in homage! to chin ch yan o pa inp chan

Through the magical power of your miracles in Shravasti, tun p ch ir ute t np ch

You rendered speechless the tirthika teachers who, nyen u y p chotrul t ch p With all their analysis and research, drunk on the wine of indulgence, had become oppressive in the extreme. yen an iji nya p cho a o

In the final contest they were humbled, their prestige all drained away, utrul an pa shyi la cho top hy

As you triu phe throu h the the four bases of iraculous powers. y a na chii tsorwa mi nyong yang

Though you never experienced the feelings of birth, old age, sickness and death, n par parol ro i i se na

To bring disillusion to those who never think on the certainty of death, yo l nya n en a t n er cha tsal

You displayed your passing into parinirvana: I bow to you in homage! s na nya chun yurp rowa na

As a device to let beings whose merit is weak or small arp i ch rap pelw tson on ni

Increase their practice of the positive and virtuous, pa p rin sel cha y u

You left relics, that were inexhaustible, in eight shares, shya t ch yi yin su i pa tar

And you slept in the dharmadhatu.so, may I too a yan o in jan su tar chin n

Bring perfecting, maturing and creating pure realms to completion, ha su l wo in chenpo ru

Then in the great Akanishtha, that transcends the three realms,

n npar san y trulp pa ch

Attain manifest buddhahood and through the ten acts displayed by a supreme emanation, un hyen hy an ro n nya par sho

Become your equal, omniscient one, in benefitting beings! You may choose whether to recite long, medium-length or short praises of the Acts of the Buddha.

Offering Homage and Prostration5 jampal shyn nur gyurpa la chak tsal lo Homage to Manjushri, the youthful!

Prostration ji ny su dak chok chi jikten na To all the buddhas, the lions of the human race, d sum shekpa mi yi seng kun In all directions of the universe, through past and present and future:

dak gi ma l d dak tamch la To every single one of you, I bow in homage; l dang ngak yi dangw chak gyio Devotion fills my body, speech and mind. zangpo chp mnlam top dak gi Through the power of this prayer, aspiring to Good Action, gyalwa tamch yi kyi ngn sum du

All the victorious ones appear, vivid here before my mind shying gi dul ny l rap tpa yi And I multiply my body as many times as atoms in the universe, gyalwa kun la rap tu chak tsal lo Each one bowing in prostration to all the buddhas.

Offering dul chik teng na dul ny sangy nam

In every atom preside as many buddhas as there are atoms, sangy s kyi na shyukpa dak And around them, all their bodhisattva heirs: d tar ch kyi ying nam ma l pa And so I imagine them filling tamch gyalwa dak gi gangwar m Completely the entire space of reality.

d dak ngakpa mi z gyatso nam Saluting them with an endless ocean of praise, yang kyi yenlak gyatsi dra kun gyi With the sounds of an ocean of different melodies gyalwa kun gyi ynten rap j ching I sin of the bu has noble qualities, dwar shekpa tamch dak gi t

And praise all those who have gone to perfect bliss. Making offerings rinchen sem d zungwar chaw chir In order to hold this priceless jewel of a mind, dshyin shekpa nam dang damp ch I make offerings to the tathagatas, knchok drima m dang sangy s

To the sacre har athat ost rare an i aculate of jewels ynten gyamtso nam la lekpar ch An to the bu has heirs, whose noble qualities are without limit. The 37 Point Maala Offering om benza bhumi ah hung shyi yongsu dakpa wangchen ser gyi sashyi The earth is the golden ground, completely pure, full of beauty and power.

om benza rekh ah hung chi chakri khoryuk gi korw su hung The circular iron mountain wall completely surroun s it; in the centre is the letter h ri gyalpo rirab Meru, the king of mountains;

shar lpakpo lho dzambuling In the East is Prva Vi eha, in the South is Jambudvpa,

nub balangch jang draminyen In the West is Aparagodaniya, in the North is Uttarakuru.

l dang lpak ngayab dang ngayab shyen Besi e the are Deha an Vi eha, C ara an Aparac ara, yoden dang lamchok dro th an Uttara antria,

draminyen dang draminyen gyi da Kurava and Kaurava.

rinpoche riwo paksam gyi shing The jewel mountain, the wish-fulfilling trees,

djwa mamp lotok The wish-fulfilling cows, the harvest which needs no sowing,

khorlo rinpoche norbu rinpoche The precious wheel, the precious gem,

tsnmo rinpoche lnpo rinpoche The precious queen, the precious minister,

langpo rinpoche tachok rinpoche The precious elephant, the precious horse,

makpn rinpoche ter chenp bumpa The precious general, the Vase of Great Treasure,

gekpama trengwama The goddess of beauty, the goddess of garlands,

luma garma The goddess of song, the goddess of dance,

metokma dukpma The goddess of flowers, the goddess of incense,

nangsalma drichabma The goddess of light, the goddess of perfume,

nyima dawa rinpoche duk The sun, the moon, the precious umbrella, chok l nampar gyalw gyaltsen The royal banner victorious in all directions:

lha dang mi paljor pnsum tsokpa matsangwa mepa Here is all the bountiful wealth of gods and men, complete and flawless

dinyi All this I offer

rinchen tsawa an y par ch p pal en la a a pa na an yi a yalw yil hor yi lha tso san y an chan chub se p tso an ch pa na la bulwar yi o To the root lama in all his compassion, to the glorious, sacred lineage lamas, to the victorious yidam deities and all the deities of their mandalas, to the buddhas and all the bodhisattvas.

tukj drow dndu shy su sol Please accept it, with compassion, for the benefit of beings shy n jingyi lab tu sol Having accepted it, please grant your blessing!

Short Mandala Offering sa shyi p ch juk shing mtok tram The ground is purified with scented water and strewn with flowers. rirap ling shyi nyi d gyenpa di

It is adorned with Sumeru, the king of mountains, the four quarters of the universe, and the sun and the moon; sangy shying du mik t pulwa yi Thinking of it as the blessed buddha-fields, I offer it. dro kun namdak shying la chpar shok By virtue of this offering, may all beings here and now attain the happiness of that pure land!

tram guru ratna mandala pudza megha samudra saparana samay ah hung This is according to the tradition of Lama Phakpa. If so desired, then the Trikaya Mandala Offering from the Longchen Nyingtik can be recited: The Three Kaya Mandala Offering om ah hung a. Nir a ya Maala Offering tong sum jikten chwa trak gy shying One billion universesa hundred times ten million worlds,6

rinchen na dn lha mi jorp tam Filled with all the wealth of gods and human bein s, li e the seven precious e s,7

dak l longch chpa yong bul gyi My bodies, my possessions, and my sources of merit, all together, I offer them in their entirety, so that

ch kyi khorlo gyurw si top shok I ay attain a nir a ya birth, to turn the wheel of Dharma, liberating all beings!

b. Sabho a ya Maala Offering womin dechen tukpo kp shying The highest heaven of great bliss, the realm of Ghanavyuha,

ngepa nga den rik ng tsombu chen Perfect with the five certainties8 and the maala of the five buddha families,

d yn chp trin pung sam yepa And inconceivably vast clouds of offerings of every variety of sensual and emotional stimulants

pulw longk shying la chpar shok With this offering, may I enjoy the perfection of the sabho a ya fiel s!

c. Dhar a ya Maala Offering nang si namdak shynnu bump ku Where all appearance and existence are completely pure from the very beginningthe youthful vase body,

tu j

a a ch nyi rolp

yen

Ornamented by the play of har at, unceasing compassion,

u an ti l

inpa na

a shyin

The realm where all clinging to the perception of yas an ti les is naturally liberate

pulw ch

shyin la ch par sho

With this wisdom offering, may I enjoy the free o of the har a ya reality!

Even if you do not recite this Three Kaya Mandala Offering, it does not constitute an error of omission. In any case, there come the prayers of aspiration for what is being requested: Aspirations ku sum yong dzok lam tsok nam la To all the masters, who have perfected the three kayas, chi nang sangwa d shyin nyi kyi ch

I make offerings outer, inner, secret and of suchness. dak l longch nang si yong shy n Accept my bodies, my possessions and the whole universe, lam chok gi ngdrup tsal du sol And grant me the unexcelled supreme siddhi, I pray! And:

ny ch mandal zangpo di bulw By offering this excellent mandala which delights you, chang chub lam la barch mi jung shying May no obstacle occur on the path to enlightenment, d sum deshek gongpa tokpa dang May I realize the wisdom mind of all the sugatas, past, present and future, sipar mi trul shyiwar mi n shing

And, neither deluded in samsara, nor dwelling in the peace of nirvana, namkha nyamp dro nam drolwar shok May I liberate beings as limitless as space!

Offerings (continued)9 mtok dampa trengwa dampa dang To every buddha, I make offerings: sil nyen nam dang chukpa duk chok dang

Of the loveliest flowers, of beautiful garlands, marm chok dang duk p dampa yi Of music and perfumed ointments, the best of parasols, gyalwa d dak la ni chpar gyi The brightest lamps and finest incense. na za dampa nam dang dri chok dang To every buddha, I make offerings:

chma purma ri rap nyampa dang Exquisite garments and the most fragrant scents, kpa khypar pakp chok kun gyi Powdered incense, heaped as high as Mount Meru, gyalwa d dak la ni chpar gyi Arranged in perfect symmetry. chpa gang nam lam gya chwa

Then, offerings vast and unsurpassable d dak gyalwa tamch la yang m I imagine I give to all the buddhas, and moved zangpo ch la dp top dak gi By the power of y faith in Sa antabha ras Good Actions gyalwa kun la chak tsal chpar gyi I prostrate and make offering to all you victorious ones.

Offering Our Bodies lama gyalwa s dang ch nam la To the master, to the buddhas and bodhisattvas, dak gi go sum ten du bulwar gyi I offer my body, speech and mind at all times. sempa chok nam dak ni yong shy shik O supreme bodhisattvas, accept me completely!

gp khy kyi bang su chiwar gyi In my devotion, my only wish is to be your servant. dak ni khy kyi yong su zungw na For if you take me, fully, into your care, si la mi jik semchen penpar gyi I will have no fear of samsara, as I will be helping sentient beings. ngn gyi dik l yangdak da gyi ching

All the harm I have done in the past is over and done; dikpa shyen yang len ch mi gy do No further harm will I create from now on. 3 Confession of harm lama dorj dzinpa chenpo la sokpa chok chu na shyukp sangy dang chang chub sempa tamch la gong su sol O lama, great vajra holder, all you buddhas and bodhisattvas who dwell in the ten directions: turn your attention towards me, I pray!

dak ming di...(insert your name)... shy gyiw ts khorwa tokma ma chipa n I (...insert your name...) throughout time without beginning in samsara until this moment now,

data la tuk gi bar du nynmong pa dchak dang shy dang dang In the grip of negative emotions of attachment, aversion and stupidity,

ti muk gi wang gi l ngak yi sum gyi go n dikpa mi gwa chu gyipa dang With my body speech and mind I have committed: the ten negative acts, tsam m nga gyipa dang The five crimes with immediate retribution, d dang nyewar nga gyipa dang And the five crimes almost as grave. sosor tarp dompa dang galwa dang I have broken the pratimoksha vows,

chang chub semp labpa dang galwa dang sang ngak kyi damtsik dang galwa dang The bodhisattva precepts and the samayas of the secret mantra yana. pa dang ma la ma gpa dang I have failed to respect my mother and father, khenpo dang lobpn la ma gpa dang My preceptor and master,

drok tsangpa tsungpar chpa nam la ma gpa dang And the members of my sangha. knchok sum la np l gyipa dang I have performed acts harmful to the Buddha, dharma and sangha, damp ch pangpa dang Abandoned the sacred dharma, pakp gendn la kurwa tabpa dang

Disdained the arya sangha,

semchen la np l gyipa la sokpa dikpa mi gw tsok dak gi gyipa dang And acted so as to harm sentient beings, and more. all these harmful and negative acts I have committed, gyi du tsalwa dang Allowed to be committed

shyen gyipa la j su yi rangwa la sokpa dor na to ri dang tarp gek su gyur ching Or rejoice at others co ittin , in short all the downfalls and wrongdoings that will obstruct me from attaining higher realms and liberation,

khorwa dang ngen song gi gyur gyurp ny tung gi tsok chi chipa tamch lama dorj dzinpa chenpo la sokpa chok chu na shyukp sangy dang chang chub sempa tamch kyi chen ngar tol lo shak so And will be the cause of samsara and lower realms, whatever they may be, in their entirety, in the presence of you, the lama, great vajra

holder, and all the buddhas and bodhisattvas who dwell in the ten directions, I openly acknowledge and purify them! mi chab bo I do not hide them. mi b do Nor do I conceal them. chin ch dompar gyi lak so From now on I vow never to commit them again!

tol shying shak na dak dwa la rekpar npar gyur gyi If I openly acknowledge and purify them, I shall attain the state of bliss; ma tol ma shak na ni mingyur ro If I do not, that will never be. Then:10 Confession d chak shy dang ti muk wang gi ni

Whatever negative acts I have committed, l dang ngak dang dshyin yi kyi kyang While driven by desire, hatred and ignorance, dikpa dak gi gyipa chi chipa With my body, my speech and also with my mind, d dak tamch dak gi so sor shak Before you, I confess and purify each and every one.

4 The Remaining Four Branches11 Rejoicing chok chi gyalwa kun dang sangy s With a heart full of delight, I rejoice at all the merits rang gyal nam dang lop dang mi lop dang Of buddhas and bodhisattvas, drowa kun gyi snam gang la yang Pratyekabuddhas, those in training and the arhats beyond training,

d dak kun gyi j su dak yi rang And every living being, throughout the entire universe.

Imploring the Buddhas to Turn the Wheel of Dharma gang nam chok chi jikten drnma nam You who are like beacons of light shining through the worlds, chang chup rimpar sangy ma chak ny

Who passed through the stages of enlightenment, to attain buddhahood, freedom from all attachment, gnpo d dak dak gi tamch la I urge you: all of you protectors, khorlo la na mpar korwa kul Turn the unsurpassable wheel of Dharma.

Requesting the Buddhas not to Enter Nirvana nya ngen da tn gang shy d dak la Joining my palms together, I pray

drowa kun la pen shying dw chir To you who intend to pass into nirvana kalpa shying gi dul ny shyukpar yang Remain, for aeons as many as the atoms in this world, dak gi talmo rap jar solwar gyi And bring well-being and happiness to all living beings.

Dedication

chak tsalwa dang ch ching shakpa dang What little virtue I have gathered through my homage, j su yi rang kul shying solwa yi Through offering, confession, and rejoicing, gwa chung z dak gi chi sakpa Through exhortation and prayerall of it ta ch a i chan chup chir n oo

I dedicate to the enlightenment of all beings!

Training the Mind in the Four Immeasurables a na ha an nya p se chen ta ch dewa dang dew gyu dang denpar gyur chik May all mother-like sentient beings, as limitless as space, enjoy happiness and the causes of happiness!

a na ha an nya p u n al an dukngal gyi gyu dang dralwar gyur chik May all mother-like sentient beings, as limitless as space, be free from suffering and the causes of suffering!

a na

ha an nya p u n al ep dampa dang midralwar gyur chik

ewa

May all mother-like sentient beings, as limitless as space, never be apart from the sacred happiness devoid of suffering!

a na ha an nya p nyerin cha an nyi dang dralw tangnyom tsemepa la nepar gyur chik May all mother-like sentient beings, as limitless as space, dwell in boundless equanimity, which is free from attachment to some and aversion to others!

Recite three times Giving Away of the Three Bases of Clinging l dang d shyin longch dang My bodies and likewise my possessions d sum gw ngpo nam And all my merits, past, present and future, semchen kun gyi dn gyi chir I give them all away, withholding not a thing,

pangpa mpar tangwar ja To bring about the benefit of sentient beings.12 The Preliminary Prayer for Requesting the Attention of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Teachers chok chu na shyukp sangy chomden d tamch dang All you buddhas who dwell in the ten directions sa chu la np chang chub sempa sempa chenpo nam dang All you great bodhisattvas on the ten levels,

lama dorj dzinpa chenpo nam dak la gong su sol All you great teachers, the vajra-holders, turn your mind towards me, I pray!

II The Main Part Taking the Vows of Bodhichitta in Aspiration and Action Combined changchub nyingpor chi kyi bar Until I realize the essence of enlightenment,

sangy nam la kyab su chi I take refuge in the buddhas, ch dang changchub sempa yi And likewise in the Dharma, tso laan shyin yab su chi

And the assembly of bodhisattvas.13 ji tar ngn gyi d shek kyi Just as the sugatas of former times

chang chub tuk ni kypa dang Aroused the bodhichitta chang chub semp labpa la And established themselves by stages d dak rim shyin npa tar In the training of a bodhisattva, d shyin dro la pen dn du Just so, for the benefit of beings

chang chub sem ni ky gyi shying I will arouse bodhichitta d shyin du ni labpa laan And likewise I will train rimpa shyin du labpar gyi Progressively in those disciplines.14

On reciting this all the way through three times, we will have taken the vow of arousing the bodhichitta. At the end comes the meditation on encouragement and rejoicing: deng d dak ts drbu y Today, my birth has been fruitful mi yi sipa lekpar top I have well obtained a human existence. dring sangy rik su ky Today I am born into the family of the buddhas:

sangy s su da gyur to I have become a son or daughter of the buddhas.15 da ni dak gi chi n kyang From now on, at all costs, I will perform rik dang tnp l tsam t The actions befitting to my family. kyn m tsnp rik di la

I will not be a stain nyokpar mingyur d tar ja On this faultless noble family.16 longw chak dar pungpo l Just like a blind person ji tar rinchen nypa tar Happening upon a priceless jewel in a heap of rubbish,

d shyin ji shyik tar t n So, through some fortunate coincidence, changchub sem ni dak la ky The bodhichitta has been born in me.17 And: dak gi d ring kyobpa tamch kyi Today, in the presence of all the protectors,

chen ngar drowa dshek nyi dang ni I invite all beings to the state of sugata, bar du d la drn du b zin gyi And, meanwhile, to happiness and bliss: lha dang lha min la sok gawar gyi Gods, asuras and othersrejoice!18

The Series of Aspiration Prayers changchub sem chok rinpoch

O sublime and precious bodhichitta, ma kypa nam ky gyur chik May it arise in those in whom it has not arisen; kypa nyampa mpa yang May it never decline where it has arisen, gong n gong du pelwar shok But go on increasing further and further!

changchub sem dang mi dral shying May they not be separated from bodhichitta, changchub ch la shylwa dang But be always inclined to enlightened action: sangy nam kyi yong zung shying May they be cared for by the buddhas, and d kyi l nam pongwar shok May they abandon harmful action.

And: changchub sempa nam kyi ni May the bo hisattvas oo wishes dro dn tuk la gong drup shok For benefitting beings be fulfilled. gnpo yi ni gang gongpa Whatever the protectors have intended for them:

semchen nam la d jor shok May sentient beings receive it. semchen tamch d dang den gyur chik May all sentient beings be happy. ngen dro tamch taktu tongpar shok May all the lower realms be forever empty. changchub sempa gang dak sar shyukpa May the aspirations of all the bodhisattvas

d dak kun gyi mnlam drubpar shok Of the various bhumis be fulfilled!

III Conclusion Recitation of the Dharani of Pure Discipline dshyin shekpa tamch la chak tsal lo Homage to all the tathagatas!

chang chub sempa sempa chenpo pakpa chenrzik wangchuk la chak tsal lo

Homage to the bodhisattva, the mahasattva, the noble Lord Avalokiteshvara!

om amoghashila sambhara sambhara bhara bhara maha shuddha satva padma vibhushrita bhudza dhara dhara samanta awalokite hung phat svaha Recite three or seven times Aspiration Prayers

dak sok semchen tamch kyi gy la tsultrim kyi parol tu chinp ch nam yong su dzokpar gyur chik May all aspects of the paramita of discipline be perfected completely within the minds of all sentient beings, including me.

nynmongp tsultrim chalwa l jungw dikpa dang dribpa tamch jang shying dakpar gyur chik May all the harmful actions and obscurations caused by breakages in discipline due to negative emotions be cleansed and purified.

pakpa gyp tsultrim kyi kalpa dang denpar gyur chik May I possess the good fortune to practise discipline that pleases the noble ones. nynmongp mi dziwar nampar drolw dwa la rekpar npar gyur chik May I attain the bliss of complete liberation, that is free from the oppression of negative emotions. And: trim kyi tsultrim kyn m ching

May my discipline be free from any flaw, tsultrim nampar dak dang den May my discipline be completely pure, lom sem mp tsultrim kyi With discipline devoid of complacent pride, tsultrim parol chin dzok shok May I complete the paramita of discipline.

And: gyalwa kun gyi j su lob gyur t Followin in all the bu has footsteps, zangpo chpa yong su dzok ch ching May I bring Good actions to full perfection; tsultrim chpa drim yong dakpa May my conduct and discipline be flawless and pure,

taktu ma nyam kyn m chpar shok May it never fail me or be at fault. And: shyen n shyir ch pong la gomp t Through the power of training to abandon both harming others and the attitude behind it, milam na yang dik sem mi jung shying May the thought of doing harm arise not even in my dreams;

changchub sem dang nam yang mi dralw May everything be auspicious for me to have that perfect discipline, tsultrim punsum tsokp trashi shok Which never diverges from the altruistic mind of bodhichitta! Afterword

This arrangement of the Bodhisattva vow is according to the tradition of Patrul Rinpoche Dza Palge Trulku, Orgyen Chkyi Wangpowho was no different from that great learned and realized acharya Shantideva from the holy land of India, a manifestation in human form of the subli e, noble Avalo iteshvara, The Self iberation of Sufferin . It was han e own in succession by Patrul Rinpoches heart son, the great being Nyoshul Lungtok Tenp Nyima, to Jetsn Lama sel Rinchen Nyingpo Pema Ledrel Tsal Khenpo Ngakchungwhose great disciple was the supreme incarnation of Palyul Pema Norbu, Thubten Chkyi Langpo. At his

seat the Dago monastery, he sponsored its printing along with the rituals of the three roots of Longchen Nyingtik. However the corrections were incomplete and in the text there were generally many abbreviations of the style ...an so on, with the result that not everyone found it easy to recite. Because of this need, the corrections were made, the abbreviations filled out, and it was arranged so it could be read straight through, with rubrics added for clarification. It was edited by Chadral Sangye Dorje in the Male Fire Tiger year (1986) on the virtuous eighth day of the fourth month in the practice centre of Lotus Grove in Nepal. The calligrapher was Losal Abhaya. May virtue and goodness abound! Rigpa Translations 2001. Reproduced with permission. Some minor amendments have been made for this edition. Several prayers

were translated with reference to existing versions by the Nalanda Translation Committee. Fro the sutra Recallin the Qualities of the Three Jewels Fro Zan ch M nla

by Na arjuna by Arya Shura from the Seven Branches in Sa antabha ras Aspiration to Goo Actions iterally, A thir -order thousand world syste . See Myria Worl s, a n Kon trul Lodro Thaye, Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 1995, pp. 102-3. ( The seven jewels of royal power Skt. saptaratna), the attributes

of the universal monarch (Chakravartin) are: i)

the precious golden wheel, ii) the precious wish-fulfilling jewel, iii) the precious queen, iv) the precious minister, v) the precious elephant, vi) the precious horse, and vii) the precious general (or householder). See Buddhist Symbols, Dagyab Rinpoche, Boston: Wisdom, 1995, pp. 65-83. The five certainties or perfections are the certain or perfect: teacher, teaching, place, disciples and time. from the Seven Branches in Sa antabha ras Aspiration to Goo Actions fro the Seven Branches in Sa antabha ras Aspiration to Goo Actions fro the Seven Branches in Sa antabha ras Aspiration to Goo Actions fro the Bo hicharyavatara, III.11

from the Bodhicharyavatara, II.26 fro fro fro fro fro the Bo hicharyavatara, III.23-24 the Bo hicharyavatara, III.26 the Bo hicharyavatara, III.27 the Bo hicharyavatara, III.28 the Bo hicharyavatara, III.34

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