The invocation of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
Oh Buddhas and Bodhisattvas abiding in the ten directions, endowed
with great
compassion, endowed with pre-knowledge, endowed with impeccable
vision, endowed
with love, affording protection to sentient beings, consend through
the power of
your great compassion to accept these offerings actually laid out
and mentally
created.
Oh you compassionate ones possessing the wisdom of understanding,
the love of
compassion, the power of acting, and of protecting in
incomprehensible measure,
one is passing through this world and leaving it behind. No friends
does (s)he
have, (s)he is without defenders, without protectors and kinsmen.
The light of
this world has set. (s)he goes from place to place, (s)he enters
darkness, (s)he
falls down a steep precipice, (s)he enters a jungle of solitude,
(s)he is
pursued by karmic forces, (s)he goes into a vast silence, (s)he is
borne away on
the great ocean, (s)he is wafted on the wind of karma, (s)he goes
where there is
no certainty, (s)he is caught in the great conflict, (s)he is
obsessed by the
great affecting spirit, (s)he is awed and terrified by the
messengers of death.
Existing karma has put hir into repeated existence and no strength
does (s)he
have although the time has come to go alone.
Oh you compassionate ones, defend who is defenseless, protect who
is
unprotected, be his kinsman, protect hir from the suffering in the
depression of
the Bardo, turn hir from the storm wind of karma, turn hir from the
great awe
and terror of the Lords of Death, liberate hir from the long narrow
way of the
Bardo.
Oh compassionate ones who do not allow the force of your compassion
to be
weakened in assistance, who do not allow one to be in the miserable
states of
existence, forget not your ancient vows, you who do not allow
sentient being to
be influenced by habit, and protect from the misery of the
Bardo.
Oh conquerors and your offspring abiding in the ten directions, Oh
ocean
congregation of the peaceful and the wrathful, Oh gurus and devas,
you dakinis
and faithful ones, Hearken now out of your great love and
compassion, Obeisance
to you, oh assemblage of gurus and dakinis, Out of your great love,
lead us
along the path.
When through illusion, I and others are wandering in samsara, Along
the bright
light path of undistracted listening, reflecting and meditating,
May the gurus
of the inspired line lead us, May the bands of mothers be our
protectors, May we
be liberated from the fearful narrow passage of the Bardo, May we
be placed in
the state of perfect enlightenment.
When through violent anger one is wandering in samsara, Along the
bright light
path of the wisdom of reflection, May the Bhagavan, Vajra-Sattva
lead us, May
the Mother Mamaki be our protector, May we be liberated from the
fearful narrow
passage of the Bardo, May we be placed in the state of perfect
enlightenment.
When through intense pride one is wandering in samsara, Along the
bright light
path of the wisdom of equality, May the Bhagavan Ratna-Sambhava
lead us, May the
Mother of She-who-is-the-Buddha-Eye be our protector, May we be
liberated from
the fearful narrow passage of the Bardo, May we be placed in the
state of
perfect enlightenment.
When, through great attachment one is wandering in samsara, Along
the bright
light path of discriminating wisdom, May the Bhagavan Amitabha lead
us May the
Mother, She-of-white-raiment be our protector May we be liberated
from the
fearful narrow passage of the Bardo, May we be placed in the state
of perfect
enlightenment.
When, through intense jealousy one is wandering in samsara, Along
the bright
light path of perfected action, May the Bhagavan Amogha Siddhi lead
us May the
Mother, the faithful Tara be our protector May we be liberated from
the fearful
narrow passage of the Bardo, May we be placed in the state of
perfect
enlightenment.
When, through intense stupidity one is wandering in samsara, Along
the bright
light path of the wisdom of reality, May the Bhagavan Vairochana
lead us May the
Mother of Great Space be our protector May we be liberated from the
fearful
narrow passage of the Bardo, May we be placed in the state of
perfect
enlightenment.
* (Note: Vairochana and Amitabha may be interchanged.)
When, through intense illusion one is wandering in samsara, Along
the bright
light path of abandoning hallucinations of fear, awe, and terror,
May the Bands
of the Bhagavans of the Wrathful Ones lead us May the Bands of
Wrathful
Goddesses, Rich in Space, be our protectors, May we be liberated
from the
fearful narrow passage of the Bardo, May we be placed in the state
of perfect
enlightenment.
When, through intense conditioning one is wandering in samsara,
Along the bright
light path of Simultaneously-born Wisdom, May the heroic knowledge-
holding
deities lead us May the Bands of the Mothers, the Dakinis, be our
protectors May
we be liberated from the fearful narrow passage of the Bardo, May
we be placed
in the state of perfect enlightenment.
May the ethereal elements not rise up as enemies; May we come to
see the realm
of the white Buddha. May the watery elements not rise up as
enemies; May we come
to see the realm of the Blue Buddha. May the earthy elements not
rise up as
enemies; May we come to see the realm of the Yellow Buddha. May the
fiery
elements not rise up as enemies; May we come to see the realm of
the Red Buddha.
May the airy elements not rise up as enemies; May we come to see
the realm of
the Green Buddha. May the elements of these rainbow colors not rise
up as
enemies; May it come that all the realms of the Buddhas will be
seen May it come
that all the sounds in the Bardo will be known as one's own sounds,
May it come
that all the radiances will be known as one's own radiances, And
may it come
that the Tri-Kaya be realized in the Bardo.
Here begins the Root Verses of the Six Bardos:
O now when the Birthplace Bardo is dawning in one's mind Abandoning
idleness as
there is none in a devotee's life Entering into reality
undistractedly
listening, reflecting and meditating, Carrying on to the path
knowing the true
nature of appearances of mind, May the Tri-Kaya be realized: Once
that the human
form is accomplished, May there be no time as opportunity in which
to idle it
away.
O now when the dream bardo is dawning in one's mind Abandoning the
inordinate
corpse-like sleeping of the sleep of stupidity, May the mind
undistractedly
remain in it's natural state In understanding the actual nature of
dreams
Practice in the clear light of miraculous transformation Acting not
like brutes
in slothfulness May the blending of sleep and actual waking
experience be of
value.
O now when the Dhyana bardo is dawning in one's mind Abandoning the
whole mass
of distractions and illusions May the mind remain in the mood of
timeless
undistracted Samadhi May there be accomplishment in visualization
and perfection
At this time, one-pointedly with all other actions put aside May
one not fall
under the power of if misleading stupefying passions.
O now when the bardo of the moment of death is dawning in one's
mind Abandoning
all awe, fear and terror of all phenomena May one recognize that
whatever
appears as being one's own thought forms May one know them as
apparitions of the
intermediate state It is said, there comes a time when a turning
point is
reached. Fear not the forms of the peaceful and wrathful who are
one's own
thought forms.
O now when the bardo of rebirth is dawning in one's mind With one
single wish,
join with the results of meritious acts May the door of the womb be
closed and
the revulsion recollected The time has come when energy and pure
love are needed
May one cast off jealousy and meditate upon the father-mother
O procrastinating one, who thinks not of the coming of death
Devoting oneself to
the useless doings of this life, Improvident one is in dissipating
ones
opportunity Mistaken indeed would ones purpose be now if one
returns empty
handed Since Dharma is one's need, would one not devote oneself to
the Dharma
even now?
Thus say the Great Adepts in devotion If the chosen teaching of the
guru not be
borne in mind Would one not be acting as a traitor to oneself? It
is of great
importance that these root words be heard.
Here begins "The Path of Good Wishes Which Protects from Fear in
the Bardo":
When the cast of chance of one's life is exhausted The relatives of
the world
avail one not When wandering alone by oneself in the bardo O you
conquerors,
peaceful and wrathful, exercising the power of your compassion Let
it come that
the gloom of ignorance is dispelled
When wandering alone, parted from loving friends When the shapes of
one's empty
thought-forms dawn upon one here May the Buddhas, exercising the
power of their
divine compassion That there be neither awe nor terror in the
bardo
When the bright radiances of the five wisdoms shines upon one now
May one,
neither awed or terrified recognize them to be of oneself When the
apparitions
of the Peaceful and the Wrathful forms are dawning upon ones mind
Let it be that
with the assurance of fearlessness that one recognizes the
bardo
When experiencing miseries because of the results of one's actions
Let it be
that the conquerors, the Peaceful and the Wrathful dispel the
miseries When the
self-originating sound of reality reverberates like a thousand
thunders Let it
be that they are transmuted into the sounds of the Mahayana.
When one is unprotected and habitual influences have been followed
here Beseech
the conquerors, the Peaceful and the Wrathful for their protection
When
suffering miseries because of habitual propensities Let it be the
blissful
Samadhi of clear light dawning upon ones mind
When assuming supernormal rebirth in the Sidpa Bardo Let it be that
the
perverting revelations of Mara do not occur within When ones mind
arrives
wheresoever one wishes Let it be that one not experience the
illusory fright and
awe from karma.
When the roarings of savage beasts are uttered Let it be that they
are
transformed into the Six Syllables (the mantra of the jewel in the
lotus) When
pursued by snow, rain, wind and darkness Let it be that one sees
with the
celestial eyes of bright wisdom
Let it be that all sentient beings of the same harmonious order in
the bardo
Without jealousy obtain re-birth in the Buddhalands When suffering
from intense
miseries of hunger and thirst Let it be that one not experience the
pangs of
hunger and thirst, heat and cold.
When beholding one's parents in union Let it be that one see them
as the divine
pair, The conquerors, the Peaceful and the Wrathful, Father and
Mother. With the
ability of being born anywhere for the benefit of others May one be
endowed with
signs and graces
Obtaining for oneself a body, Let it be one that liberates all
Without allowing
karma to follow Let it be the merits which follow and be
multiplied
Wherever one is born, there and then Let it be that one meets the
conquerors,
the Peaceful and the Wrathful. With the ability to walk and talk at
birth, May
it come that one accomplishes the non-forgetting intellect And
remember all ones
past lives.
In all the various lores, great, small and intermediate Let it be
that one
masters hearing, reflecting and seeing In whatever place one is
born let it be
auspicious And may all sentient beings be endowed with
happiness
O you conquerors, Peaceful and Wrathful, in likeness to your
bodies, The number
of your followers, duration of your life period, limits of your
realms. And in
the likeness of ones divine nature Let it be that all others equal
you in every
way
By the gift-waves if the innumerable Peaceful and Wrathful deities
And by the
gift-waves of the wholly pure reality And by the gift-waves of the
one- pointed
devotion of the mystics Let it be that whatever is wished for be
fulfilled here
and now.
The Colophon:
Through perfectly pure intention In the making of this, through the
roots of the
merits thereof May the protectorless sentient beings, Mothers, Be
placed in the
state of the Buddha Let the radiant glory illuminate Jambudvipa
(this world) Let
this treatise be auspicious And let goodness and virtue be
perfected in every
way.
credited to the precious guru, PadmaSambhava
The Path of Liberation Through Hearing, Reflecting, and Seeing in
the Bardo
Throughout the six realms of samsaric existence this teaching is
known as
"Liberation Through Hearing and Reflecting". It is not necessary to
understand
what this teaching means, but rather in simply listening to the
words and
letting one's own interpretations do the rest. The title means just
what it
says, particularly the use of the word "through". These teachings
are the "Root
Verses of the Bardo Thodol", the transition, state of change, life
flux, basis
of duality, between birth and death; a description of conditioned
arising. The
deities mentioned are representative of the different aspects of
consciousness
in one's own mind, and do not represent some external divine being.
They form a
mandala, a recognizable pattern of archetypal conscious thought
forms.
Psychologically, they are known to the individual minds of samsaric
beings as
expressions of egocentricism, namely: (1)ignorance,(2)jealousy,
(3)desire,
(4)pride, and (5)hatred, as well as the corresponding collective
alternatives as
(1)bodhisattvic mind,(2)impartiality (justice), (3)altruistic
affection,
(4)compassion, and (5)all-embracing love. The attributes 2 through
4 constitute
the first(1). This teaching is important because of the changes
in
consciousness, and is not meant to be understood as an intellectual
truth or
conclusion. It is applicable to uprooting the habitual tendencies
of
conditioning in one's own mind, but it has no utility otherwise.
This teaching
is tantric in nature, utilizing duality as a vehicle of skillful
means for
expounding this dharma and penetrates to the deepest layers of
collective
unconsciousness. I post it not as an effort of self-aggrandizement,
but only to
offer it to you without any expectations of reward or condemnation,
that all
sentient beings realize enlightenment.