The Sadhana of 1000 Armed Chenrezig
A Brief Sadhana of the Compassionate Buddha, Arya Chenrezig 2
Front Visualisation (Note: If you have the initiation of 1000 Armed Chenrezig you may visualise yourself as the deity) With firm concentration, visualise in the space in front of you the divine form of the 1000 armed Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig in Tibetan), who is the embodiment of the infinite Buddhas compassionate wisdom. He stands on a lotus and moon seat; his body is in the nature of white light, youthful looking and decorated with magnificent jewel ornaments. He has eleven faces. His central face is white, the right is green and the left is red. Above those, his central face is green, the left is white and the right is red. Above those, his central face is red, the left is green and the right is white. Above those is a dark blue face in wrathful aspect, with orange hair standing erect. And on the very top is the red-colored Amitabha Buddha, in peaceful and smiling aspect. Two hands are clasped together at his heart, holding the wishfulfilling gem. On his right, the next hand is in the mudra of giving realisations. The next bears a Dharmachakra, turning the wheel of Dharma, and the uppermost bears a mala (rosary), reminding you to recite the mantra. On his left, the next hand bears a vase containing the nectar of his divine, compassionate wisdom. The next holds a bow and arrow, symbolising defeat of the four maras, and the uppermost bears a white lotus, the purest of flowers although born out of mud. The other 992 hands are also in the mudra of giving the highest realisations. The skin of an antelope is draped over his left shoulder, symbolising that hatred is overcome completely by peaceful, compassionate wisdom. 3
Refuge and Bodhicitta I go for refuge, until I am enlightened, To the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly. Due to the merits of giving and so forth, may I achieve Buddhahood in order to benefit migrating beings. (x3) With the thought desiring to liberate migrating beings, I shall always go for refuge To the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha Until I reach the essence of enlightenment. With perseverance for the welfare of Sentient beings due to wisdom with mercy, I take a place in the presence of the buddhas And generate the mind of complete enlightenment. (x3) Four Immeasurables May all sentient beings have happiness and the cause of happiness. May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the cause of suffering. May all sentient beings not be separated from the happiness that is without suffering. May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free of attachment and hatred (for those held) close and distant. (x3) Seven Limb Offering I prostrate to the holy body of the Supreme Arya, the Great Compassionate One And make each and every offering, those actually arranged and those mentally transformed. I confess all negativities and transgressions collected since beginningless time And rejoice in the virtues of ordinary beings and aryas. Please remain supremely until cyclic existence is emptied And turn the wheel of Dharma for the sake of migrators. I dedicate the merits of myself and others to the great enlightenment. 4
Brief Mandala This ground, anointed with incense and strewn with flowers, Adorned with Mount Meru, the four continents, sun, and moon, I offer, visualised as a buddha realm. May all migrators enjoy this completely pure realm. Inner Mandala The objects with which my greed, hatred, and confusion grow Friends, enemies, strangers, body, and possessions I offer without hesitation. Graciously accept them, and bless me to be freed From the three poisons upon their occurrence. Auspicious Prayer Please bless me that the lives of the glorious gurus be long, That there be happiness and comfort everywhere equaling space, And that myself and others, without exception, accumulate the collections (of merit and wisdom), Purify the obscurations, and quickly achieve buddhahood. Requesting Prayers (recite either one of the following) 1. O Arya Compassionate-Eyed One, who is the treasure of compassion, I request you please listen to me. Please guide myself, mothers and fathers, in all six realms To be freed quickly from the great ocean of samsara. I request that the vast and profound peerless awakening mind may grow. With the tear of your great compassion, please cleanse all karmas and delusions. Please lead with your hand of compassion, me and migrators to fields of bliss. Please Amitahba and Chenrezig, in all my lives be virtuous friends. Show well the undeceptive pure path, and quickly place us in Buddha s state. May I, the members of my family, and all living beings be guided by you, Compassion Buddha, in all our lifetimes. IDAM GURU RATNA MANDALAKAM NIRYATAYAMI 5
or 2. Whatever kind of life I experience happy or suffering, healthy or unhealthy, gain or loss, rich or poor, living or even dying, even rebirth in a hell realm may all these experiences and every action I do from now on be most beneficial for all sentient beings, causing them to achieve enlightenment as quickly as possible. May whatever happens in my life be most beneficial for all sentient beings. Even if I receive criticism from people, may it be most beneficial for sentient beings. Even if I receive praise from others, may it be most beneficial for sentient beings. If I am healthy or even if I have a sickness such as cancer, may it be most beneficial for all sentient beings. May I, the members of my family, and all living beings be guided by you, Compassion Buddha, in all our lifetimes. IDAM GURU RATNA MANDALAKAM NIRYATAYAMI Guru Chenrezig is extremely pleased by your request, and together with the moondisc and the lotus, descends to the crown of your head. The Actual Practice (together with the Root Text) With each verse, visualise from the seed syllable HRIH at Chenrezig s heart much blissful white nectar streaming down through the crown of your head. It fills your whole body, purifying all obscurations and bringing all realisations of the entire path to enlightenment from guru devotion through to buddhahood, and purifying and granting the specific obscurations and realisations relating to the particular verse you are contemplating. 1. Determined to accomplish the highest welfare for all beings who excel the wishfulfilling gem, I shall constantly hold them dear. you from holding others most dear, and brings all realisations, especially the loving, compassionate bodhicitta, which holds others most dear. 2. When accompanying anyone I shall view myself as the lowest of all and in the depth of my heart, shall hold others dearly as supreme. 6
you from considering yourself the lowest of all and from holding others dear and supreme, and brings all realisations, especially the loving, compassionate bodhicitta, by which you consider yourself the lowest of all and hold others dear and supreme. 3. Examining my own continuum throughout all actions, whenever an emotional affliction arises, that endangers myself and others, by facing it, I shall strictly avert it. you from confronting and averting delusions the moment they appear, and brings all realisations, especially the loving, compassionate bodhicitta and the wisdom of shunyata, which automatically extinguishes all delusions. 4. When seeing a being of wicked nature who is forced by violent wrongs and suffering, I shall hold dear this one, so hard to find, as though discovering a precious treasure. you from holding wicked sentient being, near, and brings all realisations, especially the loving, compassionate bodhicitta, which holds wicked sentient beings as dear as a precious treasure. 5. When others, out of jealousy, treat me badly, with abuse, insults and the like, I shall accept their harsh words and offer the others the victory. you from accepting defeat and offering the victory to others, and brings all realisations, especially the loving, compassionate bodhicitta, which accepts defeat and offers the victory to others. 6. When someone whom I have assisted and in whom I have placed great hope inflicts me with extremely bad harm, I shall view that one as my supreme spiritual friend. 7
The blissful white nectar purifies all obscurations, especially those that prevent you from seeing beings who harm you as your holy guru, and brings all realisations, especially the loving, compassionate bodhicitta, which enables you to see harmful beings as your holy guru. 7. In short, I shall offer benefit and bliss to all mothers in this life and in the future continuum, and secretly I shall take upon myself all the harms and sufferings of my mothers. you from offering every happiness and benefit to all mother sentient beings and secretly taking upon yourself all their harmful actions and suffering, and brings all realisations, especially the loving, compassionate bodhicitta, which offers every happiness and benefit to others and accepts all their harmful actions and suffering. 8. Also, having not defiled all these by the stain of preconceptions of the eight worldly dharmas and by perceiving all phenomena as illusory, free from attachment, I shall be released from bondage. you from perceiving all phenomena as illusory, and brings all realisations, especially the wisdom of Shunyata, which perceives all phenomena as illusory and by which you are released from the bondage delusion and karma. The Completion Make the following request: Most compassionate one, please extend your holy hand and lead me and all other sentient beings into your blissful pure realm after this life. Be our virtuous friend forever and quickly lead us to buddhahood. Think that Guru Chenrezig accepts your request and sends innumerable nectar 8
rays into your body. All obscurations, negative karma, diseases, and harm from spirits are instantly purified. Your body becomes as clear as crystal. Then Guru Chenrezig melts into light and absorbs into you. Your body, speech, and mind become inseparably one with Chenrezig s holy body, speech, and mind. Mantra Recitation Recite the six syllable mantra... OM MANI PADME HUM... throughout the following visualisation: You are in the form of Chenrezig. Beams of light radiate from your body, each one bearing a Chenrezig at its tip. Chenrezig comes to sit above the crown of each and every sentient being. Nectar rays flow from each Chenrezig s heart, purifying all the obscurations and negative karma of each sentient being. When all sentient beings are completely purified, Chenrezig dissolves into each one through their crown. Each sentient being becomes Chenrezig. Concentrate on this visualisation as you recite the mantra as many times as you can. Alternative Visualisations for Mantra Recitation On a moon disc at Arya Chenrezig s heart is the concentration being, (the syllable HRIH), surrounded by garlands of the mantra to be recited, OM MANI PADME HUM, white in color and standing clockwise. Light rays radiate from them filling all the inside of one s body and purifying all negativities and obscurations. Light rays radiate outwards from which an incalculable assembly of deities of the Great Compassionate One are emitted purifying the negativities and obscurations of all sentient beings and setting them in the state of Arya Chenrezig. These then collect back and dissolve into the HRIH at the heart of Arya Chenrezig. or 9
Meditate on topics within the Lam Rim, the stages of the path to enlightenment, e.g. impermanence and death / the law of cause and effect / opportunities provided by a precious human rebirth to develop spiritually / great compassion and bodhicitta (the desire to be enlightened for the benefit of all beings in order to lead them all to enlightenment). or Meditate on the meaning of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. OM: MANI: PADME: HUM: or the holy body, speech and mind of the Buddha the jewel of compassion the lotus representing the wisdom realising emptiness the union of compassion and wisdom Send out light rays of compassion to beings in the six realms to relieve their suffering, e.g. Send cool breezes to beings in the hot hells Send warmth and sunshine to beings in the cold hells Send delicious food and drink to the hungry ghosts and imagine they are able fully to enjoy it If you are unfamiliar with the six realms, think of those suffering in the human and animal realms and imagine relieving their suffering. eg: the sick and dying, the homeless, those who have lost a loved one, animals used for experimentation, battery hens trapped in cages, etc. or Meditate on the appearance of Chenrezig as being of pure light and visualise the details of his holy body as clearly as possible: the faces, the thousand arms, the sacred ornaments. Think about Chenrezig as the embodiment of all the Buddhas, a representation of your own Buddha Nature.
Dedication Then dedicate the merits. May all the suffering and causes of suffering of all sentient beings ripen upon me right now, and may all sentient beings receive all my happiness and virtue. May the precious bodhicitta that has not yet arisen, arise and grow, and may that which has been generated never degenerate but increase forever more. May I never be discouraged, even for a moment, from practising the deeds of the bodhisattvas for the sake of others by completely renouncing anything done for my own sake and by engaging in the holy actions of the kind founder Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. Through these merits, may I quickly attain the state of the Great Compassionate One and, without exception, lead all mother sentient beings, who are most high and noble, to that enlightened state. It is essential always to pray like this, to create merit constantly, and to meet the holy Mahayana virtuous friend in this and all future lives.
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