Dharma Teaching Events & Other Events as Posted by Nahahwu

An Eternal Now SG · 2009-12-17T00:44:13+00:00

I have consolidated and closed the separate Dharma Events topics created by Nahahwu into a single one for better referencing. Teachings in Bodh Gaya, Bihar,...

An Eternal Now SG

An Eternal Now SG

During the summer of 2008, Ven. Paula Chichester and Ven. Roger Munro trekked the Scottish Highlands completing an extensive Chöd Retreat. They discuss the inspiration they received from Tsongkhapa’s ear-whispered lineage of which Chöd is a part, and also their direct experience with the powerful effects of the practice on the environment and its inhabitants. When Geshe Khenrab told them it was so powerful for developing compassion to do it, he was right it really does. Gelugpas had to do it in secret. It wasn’t something they were allowed to do in the monasteries.

The actual practice lineage includes all the practices that Lama Tsongkhapa received from Manjushri directly on how to become enlightened in one lifetime in these degenerate times. When Lama Tsongkhapa was first practicing Dharma in Tibet, when he had learned everything, he looked around and he didn’t think it was possible to still become enlightened particularly because the emptiness teachings had become slightly unclear. And also the morality was changing at the time. He was skeptical and when he finally got to talk to Manjushri directly, he asked if it’s still possible to attain enlightenment in one lifetime like we hear in the great texts. Lama Manjushri said, “Yes.” And Lama Tsongkhapa asked, “How is that?”

Lama Manjushri outlined a whole series of teachings of which the Lama Chöpa practice is the embodiment of all. It contains them all. But it also includes the three deities, extensive sadhana practice, Chöd practice, ngöndro practices – this is really what you call Lama Tsongkhapa’s practice lineage. It was originally called the Ganden Kagyu lineage, meaning this is the Ganden practice lineage. Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche explained that some of the lineages that Lama Tsongkhapa incorporated into his practice lineage came through the Kagyu lineages, but not all of them. They also came from the Sakya and even from the Nyingma. It’s called the Ganden Kagyu lineage because it’s the Ganden practice lineage

After doing Heruka retreat, I decided to take the “Dedicating the Illusory Body” Chöd text, and make it into a chantable English version. I’d already received permission from Lama Zopa Rinpoche to do that. It’s the common Ganden Chöd lineage. The one we practiced in the retreat we just finished is the uncommon Ganden Chöd lineage. The sadhanas are different and the initiations you receive and the deities you practice while you do them are a little different in the uncommon lineage.I didn’t know about the uncommon lineage at the first Dharma Celebration because Song Rinpoche taught us about the common lineage. Just after we finished the Great Retreat, we serendipitously encountered David Molk who was willing to translate the common text for us into a chantable version.

David encouraged us to come to Toronto for teachings from Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche, who is said to be like the Dalai Lama of Mongolia. He was in Toronto at Zasep Tulku Rinpoche’s center giving the initiations and transmissions for the uncommon Ganden Chöd, which is the 108 Springs retreat. As the title implies, that involves going to one hundred and eight different springs consecutively and performing the Chöd practice at those sites. You have to be in a different place every night without interruption. Preferably it’s a spring, but it can also be a river, a lake or an ocean – somewhere there is water around.

The empowerment that enables one to do this retreat takes seven days of teachings and seven nights of going to scary places. Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche would give initiations and teachings all day long, and then at night he would send us off to a different graveyard where we were supposed to do the Chöd practice every night. Because it was twenty degrees below zero in Toronto winter, we went instead to a different student’s house every night and did Chöd as a group all night. That’s the prerequisite and commitment to 108 Springs Retreat.

It was a very intense seven-day long retreat. There were exactly thirty-eight people, like in Vajrayogini’s body mandala (thirty seven, plus the teacher in this case). We were given teachings and initiations all morning. At sunset we would do the practice together, and from the time we left him until we saw him the next morning, we couldn’t speak. We traveled with David and Minoshi Gould. We did the practice four times in the night, the last time just before dawn. We would drive back to the center in the morning after sleeping an hour or so, and then go back to receive teachings. We slept a little in the middle of the night, but not much. We moved to Land of Medicine Buddha where we met Ribur Rinpoche, who asked us to do a Yamantaka Great Retreat to benefit the FPMT. That took eight years from the time he asked us to do it until the time we finished.

In 2005, I went to Scotland to visit my friend Ven. Angie Muir who introduced me to Thubten Dechen there, who was six at the time. We took a walk across Leckmelm Farm on Loch Broom and came across a ruin of a house which I had no idea was a clearance1 house. I didn’t know what the clearances were.Out of the blue I said to Thubten Dechen, “What’s the wind telling you?” What the wind told me was, “Come back and do the 108 Springs retreat.”
I had the opportunity to speak with Lama Zopa Rinpoche who did a mo that came out “excellent” to live, teach and retreat in Scotland.

We found out that you can camp anywhere in Scotland. There is a “right of access” law on the books that allows you to put up a tent pretty much anywhere in Scotland. You can’t drive a car anywhere, but you can walk and camp in most places. That’s one of the reasons we picked Scotland: we had access almost everywhere. There are tons of creeks and springs – lots of water. Scotland has a very powerful spiritual tradition from the Celts. As much as some people tried to beat it out of the place, it’s still there. I feel called to do spiritual practice when I am in Scotland. Last year I went to Tibet for two weeks, thanks to Ven. Robina. Afterwards I came back and went to Scotland, and I felt more inclined to do retreat there than in Tibet. Part of that might be my DNA connection with Scotland, but it’s also an extraordinary place. Physically and energetically, it’s beautiful. Despite the bad weather, I loved it. Roger has a strong connection too his family is from there. Basically, when I was at a clearance the first time, I could feel sadness there. You can also see deserted houses and hear personal stories from people about the clearances. The stories are basically about ghosts!

The practice has several parts to it. The main things you’re dealing with are gods and ghosts – the local gods and ghosts of the place, land and country. There’s a whole hierarchy in those realms – the realms of the hungry ghosts, the gods, the types of ghosts. There are different levels of health and wealth and well-being. Some of them are suffering quite a bit, and they are the ones that usually hang around scary places. They are in terrible states of suffering and don’t know they don’t have to be there.

The particular 108 Spring practices involves three different practices a day: you take possession of the ground in the name of Prajñaparamita, then you do the practices, then you satiate them by making extensive offerings to them based on your own body and the Dharma, which pacifies their delusions. With this particular retreat, every place you go, you have a certain amount of boundary stones you use for protection during the practice that you bless. When the practice is over you gather them up and request Mother Prajñaparamita to come and stay in that place in order to continue to teach and care for the gods and spirits in that place.

We got positive feedback from people wherever we went. Whenever anyone with any level of clairvoyance came around, they said they could see or feel what we were doing as we were doing it. We did the practice in a very famous castle near Loch Ness, and something definitely happened in the water. Our dear friend Victoria who came with us said she could see the naga spirits coming to us at that offering. I couldn’t see anything, but I could see a big upwelling in the place she was talking about. You can expect things like that to happen, but the most important thing is how our minds felt.

It’s called 108 Springs, but the whole retreat was 126 days. We spent seven days at the first spring, seven at the 54th spring, and seven at the last spring. We started April 1 at Shambhala Retreat Center. It was still snowing and sleeting there. The first seven days were in the yard of the center.From there we moved around during the day to springs all around and we had to stay inside at night. It was just too cold at night. Tibet is even lower latitude than Scotland. Scotland is way up there, and the sun went down at 11 pm during the summer and came up at 3 in the morning. It was like dusk all night because it never really got dark. The opposite is true in the winter, where they have long, dark nights. What happened in Scotland was even more brutal than what happened in Tibet. One hundred fifty years later and they’re still reeling. You can just feel it in the people. It has a very high suicide rate and alcoholism, and it has to do with the country’s trauma.

Post script from Ven. Paula: I’ve noticed now that I’ve been back awhile that the main impact of the Chöd retreat is that I have no desire for anything. It’s pretty interesting. I usually have little desire for stuff, but now it is really no desire for anything. In the Chöd, you spend a lot of time satisfying all beings of all their desires by offering your body and transforming it into total bliss that satisfies all beings’ wishes – and then, you offer them Dharma, which they can hear because they are satisfied. You can see then that the result would be that the practitioner becomes totally satisfied. So easy and so profound.I spoke to Roger the other day on the phone while he was out winter food shopping and he said he is feeling the same way. No desire, but plenty of bliss and void a very good retreat!

http://www.mandalamagazine.org/2009/july/chod_retreat.asp

blodzxe SG

To the Three Jewels I go for refuge;
for the benefit of liberation I practice the Arya Tara.
OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM.
From the state of emptiness, above a lotus and moon is
my mind as the white letter TAM. The TAM transforms into
Arya Tara with a body white in color. Her right hand is
in supreme generosity; her left holds an utpala. She
smiles peacefully. She has seven eyes of primordial wisdom.
She is wearing silks and jewel ornaments. Her back is
supported by a moon. She is seated with the two feet in vajra posture.

Engage in the union of appearance-emptiness.

In the heart is a white eight-spoked wheel with five rims.
In the middle is TAM, surrounded by the pair, OM in front,
HA in back. On the eight spokes are the eight letters TA RE
(etc.). Surrounded by the garlands, purifying the rims, are
the Essence of Dependant Origination,vajras and the five lights.
Rays of light shine forth in samsara and nirvana gathering the pure essence - dissolving into me,

increasing the excellent attainments
of life, merit and primordial wisdom.

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAMA AYU PUNYE JNANA PUSHTIM KURU SVAHA,
(Recite as much as possible.)

By this merit having quickly attained the stage of Cintacakra Tara;
may I place on that stage all beings without exception.

***

First, one takes Refuge: (repeat 3 times)
SANG GYAY CHO TANG TSO KI CHO NAM LA
CHANG CHUB BARDU DA NI GYEP SU CHI
DA KI CHIN SOK GYI BA DI TA KI
DRO LA PEN CHIR SANG GYAY DRU BAR SHO
In the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, supreme among all grouping,
until enlightenment, I take Refuge.By my giving, etc., all
those good deeds, may I attain Buddhahood in order to help
all sentient beings

Then one develops the Four Boundless Minds: (repeat 3 times)

SEM CHEN TAM CHEH DEWA TANG
DEWEH GUY TANG DEN BAR GYUR CHICK
SEM CHEN TAM CHEH DUNGEH TANG
DUNGEH KI GYU TAN DRALWAR GYUR CHICK
SEM CHEN TAM CHEH DUNGEH MEBEH
DEWEH TANG ME DRALWAR GYUR CHICK
SEM CHEN TAM CHEH NYEH RING CHA DANG
TANG DRALWEH DANG NYOM LA NEH BAR GYUR CHICK

May all sentient beings possess happiness and the seed of happiness.
May all sentient beings be separated from suffering and the seed of suffering.
May all sentient beings not be separated from the happiness that has no suffering.
May all sentient beings stay in the equanimity which is separated from attachment
and hatred for near and far.

One then should say:

OM SUM BA WA SHU DA SAR WA DHAR MA SUM BA WA SHU DO HANG

From the emptiness appears the letter PAM which transforms
into a lotus seat. On the top of this appears the letter AH
which transforms into a moon seat on which your mind appears
in the form of the green letter TAM, From this green letter
TAM, rays of light are manifested which make offerings to
all the Aryas for the benefit of all sentient beings. The
light then reabsorbs into oneself and one becomes the Tara
of the Forest of Seng Teng Wood. The color of her body is
green and she has one face and two hands. Her right hand,
which rests on her right knee, is in the giving mudra. In
it she holds the Vessel of Life. Her left hand is at her
heart with the ring finger and thumb pressed together
holding the stem of the blue Upala

Flower, which blossoms at her left ear. She is peaceful and
smiling and she is fully matured. She is adorned by all precious
ornaments and garments. Her right foot is slightly extended and
the left leg is tucked in. Her back rests against a wall of moon.
On her forehead is the letter OM. At her throat is the letter AH.
At her heart is the letter HUM. From the HUM light rays are extended
and invoke all the Tatagatas of the ten directions in the form of
Green Taras. With the recitation,

OM BENZAR SAMAYA
ZA HUM BAM HO

all these deities absorb into oneself. Again from the seed
syllable at her heart, light rays are extended and invoke
the five initiating Dhyani Buddhas. Then one recites,

OM BENZAR SA MA YA

and makes the request:
Please, all Tatagatas, bestow on me all empowerments.
Then the Tatagatas say:

OM SARWA TATAGATA ABHI SHIKA SAMAYA SHIRIYA HUM

Having thus said, they pour water from a vessel on top of your head.
The water goes through your body purifying your bodily defilements.
It fills up your body to the top of your head. Then on top of your
head appears the Nirmanakaya form of Amitabha. You then say:

OM ARYA TARA SA PA RI WA RA ARGHAM PAR TI ZA SO HA
OM ARYA TARA SA PA RI WA RA PADAM PAR TI ZA SO HA
OM ARYA TARA SA PA RI WA RA PUBEI PAR TI ZA SO HA
OM ARYA TARA SA PA RI WA RA DUBEI PAR TI ZA SO HA
OM ARYA TARA SA PA RI WA RA ALOKE PAR TI ZA SO HA
OM ARYA TARA SA PA RI WA RA GANDE PAR TI ZA SO HA
OM ARYA TARA SA PA RI WA RA NEVIDIYA PAR TI ZA SO HA
OM ARYA TARA SA PA RI WA RA SHAPDA PAR TI ZA SO HA

In one’s heart, on the moon seat, there is a green letter TAM
surrounded by the syllables:

OM TA RE TU TA RE TU RE SO HA.

From these syllables rays of light are extended and make
offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and which become
useful for the benefit of all sentient beings. All the
powers, blessings and compassion of all the Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas manifest in the form of rays of light which
absorb into the rosary of seed syllables. Then one recites
the mantra,

OM TARE TUTARE TURE SO HA

at least 108 times or as much as is possible. At the end,
one makes the request:

Please bestow all the common and supreme siddhis,powers to all
sentient beings and to myself.From one’s heart, light is extended
and reflects from the moon seat upon which one sits. This causes
the seaat to absorb into oneself. Then one concludes by sharing
merits by reciting thus:

GYAY NAM DRU CHING SOL WA TAB PAY TU
DA SOK KANG DU NAY BAY SA CHOK SU
NAY DUN OO PONG TAP TSO SHI WA TANG
CHO TANG TRA SHI PEL WA ZA DU SOL
Through our praises and supplicating to you
May sickness, poverty and warfare
Subside wherever we may be and
May Dharma and good omens increase.

***

Namo Guru Ratnavardhaya!
I and others, all beings equal to space, from this time forth until the heart of
enlightenment is reached;To the holy Root Guru and Lineage, essence of all body,
speech, mind, qualities and activities of all tathagatas of the ten directions
and three times; Source of the eighty-four thousand articles of Dharma and master
of all the noble Sangha;

In the collection of glorious root and lineage Gurus, through the three doors with
great devotion, I go for refuge:In the Buddha, teacher, having completely abandoned
and realized, through the three doors; In the holy Dharma, essence of the teaching
of scripture and realization, through the three doors; In the Sangha, the Conqueror’s
sons, holders of the teaching, through the three doors.
(recite as much as possible.)

May you bless the three, body, speech and mind of myself and all beings;
bless my mind to approach the Dharma;
To accept the holy Dharma path;
To pacify errors on the path;
That mistaken appearances arise as space;
That discursive non-Dharma thoughts are stopped;
That love and compassion arise;
To quickly obtain omniscience.
For the benefit of all beings, once mothers, equal to space,
I must obtain the highest enlightenment.
For that purpose I practice the profound yoga, the path of all buddhas.
(recite three times)

OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM.

From the great sphere of reality, limitless and free, bestowing various wishes, is a
jewelled throne; unsullied by faults of samsara, a lotus seat; naturally luminous,
a moon mandala; above, I arise as the nature of all buddhas, Avalokiteshvara, in
colour, like stainless conch and crystal; very resplendent, smiling, peaceful and
radiant. With four arms the first are folded at the heart; the lower hold a crystal
mala and jewelled lotus; two beautiful feet seated in vajra posture; adorned with
many attractive silks and jewels; beautified with dark blue hair in tufts [some]
loose.

On the crown of the head, the wisdom of all buddhas, is the Lord, source of all
refuge gathered as one, in essence the Guru, in the aspect of Amitabha, in the
manner of the Lord of the Family, seated happily; I, in the form of the deity, like
the reflection in a mirror, the union of appearance-emptiness, the dance of illusion;
like an excellent dancer with many beautiful adornments. Beautiful and
resplendent is the mental appearance.
(Hold the mind for awhile on the deity. Then, with single pointed devotion to the
guru;)

All sources of refuge combined, precious guru, bhagavan tathagata arhat
samyaksambuddhaya Amitabha, regard me with a heart-mind of love;
blessings to purify bad actions, sins and obscurations; to quickly complete
the two accumulations; for the arising of perfect meditation and blessings to
quickly obtain buddhahood.
(from the depths of the heart pray three times).

Samsara, nirvana, happiness and suffering, all are pervaded by dharmas; dharmas
all, have as the root, just mind. Mind itself if examined, colour and shape are lacking;
lacking therefore, singular and plural nature, it is empty. Empty of the three,
the power to arise, disintegrate, or remain, it is free; free, yet clear appearance,
unceasing, all elaborations pacified. Pacified, mind itself is completely free from
extremes.
(Remain in a relaxed state free of mental activity).

In the middle of the heart on a lotus and moon is the letter HRIH, surrounded
by the six-syllable mantra. Rays of light invoke the compassion of
the conquerors, blessing myself, accomplishing the benefit of beings of the
six-realms.

OM MANI PADME HUM
(recite five hundred, etc.)

(In conclusion; the throne etc. in the aspect of light rays
dissolve into oneself.) By this merit may I and others, in
this life, have longevity, no illness and possess the Holy
Dharma; at death, be born in the field of Sukhavati and
quickly obtain the stage of Avalokiteshvara.

May the three, body, speech and mind never be free from
carrying the three, deity, mantra and wisdom; with the power
of compassion perform whatever benefits beings and accomplish
the performance of a conqueror’s son.

In this life, the next and the bardo, in all situations,
may the supreme guide, Guru Amitabha, the Lord, never
release the hook of compassion that removes the faults
from all the troubles of existence and peace.Dedicate
whatever is known and recite prayer-wishes. At all times
think that the home is the field of Sukhavati. Think
that oneself, in the pride of Avalokiteshvara,acts as
the servant of Guru Amitabha. With the doors of body,
speech and mind not free of carrying the three etc.
teach the accomplishment of great love for the benefit
of beings.

***

The meditation on Vajrasattva is, according to the Tantric tradition,
very beneficial for the confession and purification of sins. In order
to pacify all the obscurations accumulated since beginningless times,
and in order to restore broken pledges1, one should practice this
meditation regularly.

The most appropriate time to practice this meditation is at night,
before going to sleep. One should then recall and confess all the
sins accumulated during the day, through body, speech and mind,
the faults one is aware of, and all the faults accumulated
unconsciously, through ignorance.

There are two traditions, concerning this meditation. In one case,
a single Vajrasattva is visualized; this meditation is common to
all the Tantras. In the other, Shri Heruka (Vajrasattva and his
consort Vajragarvi) is visualized. Shri Heruka’s name is then
substituted for Vajrasattva’s name in the 100-syllable
mantra. This meditation is mentioned in the Mahayoga Tantras,
the special Mother Tantra. It is also practiced in the Hevajra Tantras.

Here is contained an explanation on the meditation of Vajrasattva.

Main Meditation
Before the main meditation, as before all meditations, one should
take refuge and awaken the Bodhisattva’s mind of great compassion:

SANG YE CHO TANG TS’OK KYI CHOK NAM LA
JANG CHUB BARDU DAK NI KYAB SU CHI
DAK KI JIN SOK GYI PEI SONAM KYI
DRO LA P’EN CHIR SANGYE DRUP PAR SHOK

In the Enlightened One, His Teachings and Exalted Assembly,
I take refuge until Enlightenment is won.
Through the merit of giving and other good deeds,
May I attain Enlightenment for the sake of all beings.
(3x or more)

One then thinks of oneself as having regular physical appearance.
On the top of one’s head one imagines a lotus flower on which rests
a moon cushion - the lotus flower represents purity and the moon cushion,
emptiness. On the moon cushion stands a five-pointed gold vajra. In
the center of the gold vajra there is a white letter HUM which stands
on a small moon cushion. This letter HUM represents the Dharmakaya of
Vajrasattva, the nature of all the Buddhas.

From the letter HUM, with the sound HUM, the Dharmakaya form is
transformed into the Sambhogakaya form: Vajrasattva appears.
His body is white, he has one face, and two arms. His right hand
is holding a gold vajra and his left hand, a silver bell. He is
adorned with the six jewel ornaments, and sitting in vajra asana
position (full lotus).

On top of Vajrasattva’s head, on a lotus flower and moon cushion,
sits the Master of the Family, Akshobhya Vajrasattva. The top of
his head is adorned with the top half of a gold vajra.

In Vajrasattva’s heart, there is a gold vajra on a moon cushion.
In its center, on a small moon cushion, there is a white letter
HUM. Imagine this letter as having three dimensions; it can be
seen from any side.

From the letter HUM, white light comes out and spreads throughout
the ten directions. With this light, Vajrasattva emanates thousands
of goddesses who bring offerings to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
The light touches all natural elements oceans, mountains, medicine,
trees and reaches all sentient beings, purifying all their defilements
and transforming them into Buddhas. The light then comes back, and all
the offering goddesses return with all the energies of the natural
elements, and with the blessings of all the Buddhas. This light
sinks into the letter HUM which then becomes very powerful, vibrant
with pure energy. This light circulation is repeated many times.

We then request Bhagawan Vajrasattva:
“O Blessed One, cleanse and purify, I pray, all the accumulations
Of sins, obscurations, faults, failings and impurities which I and
All beings have collected throughout beginningless times.”
(One then recalls all the sins gathered during the day and before.)

From the letter HUM, nectar comes out. It entirely fills up Vajrasattva’s
body and drips down the moon cushion and lotus flower seat. It flows
outside and inside one’s body, like the most pleasant shower.

The nectar washes out all physical diseases and sicknesses. It clears
away all mental obscurations and defilements. If one feels bothered by
evil spirits, one can imagine the nectar clearing them away. All these
come out through one’s feet and lower apertures of the body as dirty
liquid which then disappears in the Dharmadhatu. All physical and mental
problems are thus purified.With this visualization and while keeping
in mind the thought of the four powers8, one respectfully chants the
100-syllable mantra of Vajrasattva, at least 21 times.

OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA
VAJRASATTVA TENOPA TISHTHA
DRIDHO ME BHAVA
SUTOSHYO ME BHAVA
SUPOSHYO ME BHAVA
ANURAKTO ME BHAVA
SARVA SIDDHI ME PRAYACCHA
SARVA KARMA SUCH ME
CITTAM SHREYANG KURU HUM
HA HA HA HA HOH BHAGAVAN
SARVA TATHAGATA VAJRA MA ME MUNCA
VAJRI BHAVA MAHA SAMAYASATTVA AH.

OM. Over the vow of adamantine being keep guard:
do thou, Vajrasattva, stay nearby, steady me. Gladden me,
enrich me, be loving toward me.
Bestow upon me all perfections and, in
all deeds also, make virtuous my mind.
HUM! Ha Ha Ha Ha Hoh!
Blessed Ones, Thus Gone Ones,
do not abandon me!
Make me adamantine,
Thou Being of the Great Vow!
AH.

Completion Meditation
One more time, one asks Vajrasattva to purify all one’s obscurations:
DAK NI MI SHAY MONG PA TAY. TAM TSHIK LAY NI GAL
ZHING NYAM. LAMA GONPO KYAB DZOD CHIK, TSOWO
DORJAY DZIN PA TAY. THUK JAY CHEM PO’I DAK NYID CHEN,
DROWA’I TSO LA DAK KYAB CHI. KU SUNG THUK, TSAWA
TANG, YEN LAK GI TAM TSHIK NYAM PA THAM CHED THO LO
SHAK SO. DIK PA TANG, DRIB PA NYE PA TANG, TUNG WA THI
MA’I TSHOK THAM CHED, CHANG ZHING TAK PAR DZED DU
SOL
I, deluded by ignorance, have broken and spoiled the vows;
Guru and Protector, be my refuge.To the highest Vajradhara,
possessed of the essence of great compassion,the chief of
all beings, I go for refuge.

I confess all my transgressions of the root and branch vows
of body, speech and mind.Cleanse and purify, I pray, all
the accumulations of sins, obscurations,faults, failings
and impurities.

Vajrasattva then says: “My child, I purify all your external
and internal obscurations. You should now rejoice and feel
happy.” One thus feels encouraged and comforted.

Vajrasattva melts from the top of the Master of the Family down,
from the lotus flower stem up. The light concentrates around his
heart. This light is very powerful; it is the essence of all the
energies and powers of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

The light slowly sinks down in our body. We are now identical to
Vajrasattva.We cannot be separated from him. Our body becomes
rainbow, free from all conceptions. We keep this feeling, joyful,
natural, peaceful. We cannot separate the joyfulness from emptiness.
It is a non-dual situation. We make sure our mind is stable, and
we keep this state as long as possible.

Dedication Meditation

GAY WA DI YI NYUR TU DAK.
DORJAY SEMPA DRUB GYUR NAY.
DRO WA CHIK KYANG MA LU PA.
TAY YI SA LA GOAD PAR SHO.
GAY WA DI YI GYE WO GUEUN.
SONAM YESHE TSOK TSOK NAY.
SONAM YESHE LAY DJOUNG WAY.
TAM PA NYI PO TOB PAR SHOK

By this virtue, may I quickly attain the state of Vajrasattva
and place upon his stage all living beings, without exception.
By this virtue, may they all accumulate merits and achieve wisdom.
May they all obtain the two kinds of benefits, for oneself and
for others.

***
SANG YE MENGYILA BINDURYA ‘OD KI GYALPO

Refuge & Bodhicitta
I take refuge in the venerable Root Guru and in the
holy masters of the lineage;

Take refuge in the Blessed Accomplished Buddhas;
Take refuge in the Holy Teaching;
Take refuge in the Noble Assemblies. (3 x)

I shall practice the sadhana of Medicine Buddha in order
to reach the state of Buddhahood and to benefit all
sentient beings.
(3 x)

Spontaneously, I transform into Medicine Buddha.
From the syllable letter HUM at my heart, rays of
light spread out in all directions reaching the Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas’ natural abode which I imagine in front
of myself.

OM VAJRA SAMADZA
TUG JE KUN LA NYOM PA’I CHOM DEN DAS
TSEN TSAM THO PAS NAN DRO’I DUG NEL SEL
DU SUM NAD SEL SANG GYAS MEN GYI LA
BINDHURYA YI ‘OD LA CHAG TSAL LO

To the Enlightened One whose compassion is undifferentiating,
Just by hearing your name the suffering of all lower realms
are removed,And sicknesses stemming from the three poisons
are cleared away,Sangye Mengyila Bindurya’od, to you I bow down.
One then performs the offerings:

OM BEKANZE GURU BINDURYA BAR BAHARAJA YA SAPARIVARA
OM VAJRA ARGHAM AH HUM
OM VAJRA PADYAM AH HUM
OM VAJRA PUSHPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA ALOKE AH HUM
OM VAJRA GANDHE AH HUM
OM VAJRA NAIVEDYE AH HUM
OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM

The syllable at my heart is surrounded by a circling mantra rosary,
from which rays of light extend in all directions, to honor the
Tathagatas and to benefit all sentient beings. The compassion and
blessings of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are transformed into
light which dissolves into my heart. I repeat as many times as
possible:

THAYATA OM BEKANDZE BEKANDZE MAHA BEKANDZE BEKANDZE RADZA SAMUNGATE SVAHA

If one can, one should also repeat the longer mantra:

OM NAMO BHAGAVATE BEKANDZE GURU BINDURYA BAHARAJIA TATRAGATAYA ARHATE
SAMAYA BUDDHAYA TEYATA OM BEKANDZE RAJA SAMUNDGATE SVAHA

The Wisdom deities spring forth from my heart and stay in the space in
front of me. I perform the five sense offerings:

OM BEKADNZE GURU BINDURYA BAR BAHARAJA YA SAPARIVARA
OM VAJRA ARGHAM AH HUM
OMVAJRA PADYAM AH HUM
OM VAJRA PUSHPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA DRUPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA ALOKE AH HUM
OM VAJRA GANDHE AH HUM
OM VAJRA NAIVEDYE AH HUM
OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM
TUG JE KUN LA NYOM PA’I CHOM DEN DAS
TSEN TSAM THO PAS NAN DRO’I DUG NEL SEL
DU SUM NAD SEL SANG GYAS MEN G Y I LA
BINDHURYA YI ‘OD LA ChAG TSAL LO

To the Enlightened One whose compassion is undifferentiating,
Just by hearing your name the sufferings of all lower realms
is removed,And sicknesses stemming from the three poisons
are cleared away,Sangye Mengyila Bindurya ‘od, to you I bow
down.“Please bestow all conventional and absolute siddhis to
myself and to all sentient beings”

The Seven fold Prayer
In the Three Jewels I take refuge and before them
reveal all the wrongs I have done.
I rejoice in the virtues of living beings
and keep in my heart remembrance of the Buddha’s enlightenment.
Until I, too, have attained Buddhahood,
I rely upon the Enlightened One, His Teachings and exalted Assembly.
I am resolved to become a Buddha
in order to bring about my own and others’ well-being.
Awakening thus this aspiration to supreme liberation,
I invite all beings also to share in my spiritual career.
May I accomplish all the wondrous deeds of a Bodhisattva
and win enlightenment for their sake.
(3 x)

The Four Immeasurables
May all sentient beings have happiness and the cause of happiness.
May they be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
May they not be separate from the bliss that is without suffering.
May they dwell in equanimity, free of nearness or distance,
attachment or aversion.

OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO’HAM

From the state of emptiness the syllable-letter PAM appears
and transforms into a lotus. On top of the lotus the syllable
AH appears and transforms into a moon cushion on top of which
my mind rests as the blue syllable HUM. Rays of light extend
from the HUM, to honor the Aryas and to benefit all sentient
beings. The light returns to the syllable HUM and I instantly
appear as Bindurya Sangye Mengyila

‘Od Ki Gyalpo, Medicine Buddha, King of Light. I have a blue body,
with one face and two arms. My right hand is in the giving mudra,
holding the Arura medicine which cures the three poisons. My left
hand is in the Samadhi mudra, holding a begging bowl filled with
the nectar of medicine. I am wearing the three orange dharma robes;
my body is ornated with the auspicious signs. I am sitting in the
Vajra cross position.To my right, on top of a lotus seed, the
syllable-letter MAM transforms into Bodhisattva Nithar Nangje,
the One Who Radiates Sun-rays. His body is orange, with one face,
and two arms. His left hand holds the stem of a lotus flower upon
which the sun disc rests.

To my left, on top of a lotus seed, the syllable-letter AH transforms
into Bodhisattva Dawathar Nangje, the One Who Radiates Moon-rays. His
body is white, with one face, and two arms. His left hand holds the
stem of a lotus flower upon which the moon disc rests.

Both have their hands in the giving mudra. They are ornated with
precious jewels and garments. They are standing, slightly leaning
toward the Medicine Buddha, as a mark of respect.

On my forehead there is a white syllable OM. a red AH at my throat,
and a blue HUM at my heart. Rays of light extend from the syllable
HUM invoking the Medicine Buddha and the two Bodhisattvas, surrounded
by all the Tathagatas of the ten directions who present themselves
in the space in front of me. The wisdom deities dissolve into me.

DZA HUM BHAM HO

Again, from the heart syllable rays of light extend invoking the
Five Initiation Buddhas

OM VAJRA SAMADZA

“To you I pray, please bestow the abiseka to me”

The Tathagatas reply:

OM VAJRI BAHAVA ABISEKA HUM

Saying this, they pour the water of initiation on top of my crown
and my two attendants’ crown. When the sacred water overflows, the
Buddha Aksobhya appears on top of my head. On top of the two
Bodhisattvas’ heads the Medicine Buddha appears.

Upon saying OM VAJRA MU, the wisdom deities dissolve in space and
their thrones are absorbed into me. I remain silent and peaceful
as long as possible.

Dedication Prayer
GE WA DI YI NYUR DU DAK
SANGYE MENLA DRUB GYUR NAS
DRO WA CHIIG KYANG MA LU PA
DE YI SA LA GOD PAR COG

By the virtue of this practice, may I attain the state e of Medicine Buddha,
and liberate all beings without exception to that state.

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