“May I take defeat upon myself And offer them the victory.”
Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum
Bodhicitta (Awakening Mind)
From: The Dhammapada: Cittavagga (The Mind) 33. Just as an arrow-maker straitens an arrow shaft, even so the discerning person straitens his mind- so fickle and unsteady, so difficult to guard and control. 36. Let the discerning person guard their mind, so difficult to detect and extremely subtle, wandering wherever it desires. A guarded mind brings happiness. 43. Neither mother, father, nor any other relative can do one greater good then one’s own well-directed mind. Thus said the Blessed One.
From: A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life.
By: Shantideva.
I. The Benefits of the Awakening Mind
4. Leisure and endowment are very hard to find;
And, since they accomplish what is meaningful for humanity,
If I do not take advantage of them now,
How will such a perfect opportunity come about again?
8. Those who wish to destroy the many sorrows of (their) conditioned existence,
Those who wish (all beings) to experience multitude of joys,
And those who wish to experience much happiness
Should never forsake the Awakening Mind.
15. In brief, the Awakening Mind
Should be understood to be of two types;
The mind that aspires to awaken
And the mind that ventures to do so.
25. This intention to benefit all beings,
Which does not arise in others even for their own sake,
Is an extraordinary jewel of the mind,
And its birth is an unprecedented wonder.
36. I bow down to the body of those
In whom the sacred precious mind is born.
I seek refuge in that source of joy
Who brings happiness even to those who bring harm.
III. Full Acceptance of the Awakening Mind
4. And with gladness I rejoice
In the ocean of virtue, for developing an Awakening Mind
That wishes all beings to be happy,
As well as in the deeds that bring them benefit.
24. Likewise, for the sake of all lives
Do I give birth to an Awakening Mind,
And likewise shall I, too,
Successfully follow the practices.
28. Just like a blindman
Discovering a jewel in a heap of rubbish,
Likewise, by some coincidence,
An Awakening Mind has been born within me.
From: Eight Verses for Training the Mind By: Kadampa Geshe Langritangpa 5. In all actions may I watch my mind, And as soon as disturbing emotions arise, May I forcefully stop them at once, Since they will hurt both me and others.
Bodhicitta (Sanskrit) (Tibetan: byang chub kyi sems): An altruistic aspiration to attain full enlightenment for all beings. Bodhicitta is cultivated on the basis of certain mental attitudes, principle among them being the development of love and great compassion towards all beings equally.
From: The Handbook of Tibetan Culture, 1993.
Compiled by Graham Coleman
Ti-lakkhana (the three characteristics of existence)
All conditioned things are impermanent, All conditioned things are unsatisfactory, All things are without Self… When one sees this with wisdom, One turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.
Sabbe sankhārā anicca, Sabbe sankhārā dukkhā, Sabbe dhammā anattā… ti yadā paññāya passati, atha nibbinsati dukkhe; esa maggo visuddhiyā
Source in Pali
Who is the lover and who the beloved
This World Which Is Made Of Our Love For Emptiness by Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Balkhī (Rumi) Praise to the emptiness that blanks out existence. Existence: this place made from our love for that emptiness! Yet somehow comes emptiness, this existence goes. Praise to that happening, over and over! For years I pulled my own existence out of emptiness. Then one swoop, one swing of the arm, that work is over. Free of who I was, free of presence, free of dangerous fear, hope, free of mountainous wanting. The here-and-now mountain is a tiny piece of straw blown off into emptiness. These words I am saying so much begin to lose meaning: existence, emptiness, mountain, straw: words and what they try to say swept out the window, down the slant of the roof.
Śri Śivah Pūjā
namaste astu bhagavan viśveśarāya mahādevāya tryambakāya tripurāntakāya trikālāgnikāla kalagniridrāya nilakanthāya mrtyuñjayāya sareśvarāya sadāśivāya śrīmanmahādevāya namah.
Salutation to you, O Lord, the master of the universe, the great Lord, the three-eyed one, the destroyer of Tripura, the extinguisher of the Trikāla fire and the fire of death, the blue-necked one, the victor over death, the Lord of all, the ever-auspicious one, the glorious Lord of all deities.
Tripura: cities built of gold, silver and iron in the sky, air and earth by Maya for the Asuras and burnt by Śivah The golden city of satttva, silver of rajas, and iron of tamas
Trikāla: the three times or tenses
Source in Sanskrit
The Razor’s Age (Path of Love)
Into to song “Path of Love” by Atman off of album “Nirvana Lounge,” sampling movie “The Razor”s Edge”
Katha Upanisad: The Method of Yoga 12. The Self, though hidden in all beings, does not shine forth but can be seen by those subtle seers, through their sharp and subtle intellect. 13. The wise should restrain speech in mind; one should restrain the latter in understanding self. The understanding one should restrain in the great self. That a person should restrain in the tranquil self. 14. Arise, awake, having attained thy boons, understand them. Sharp as the edge of a razor and hard to cross, difficult to tread is that path sages declare. 15. (The self) without sound, without touch and without form, un-decaying, is likewise, without taste, eternal, without smell, without beginning, without end, beyond the great, abiding, by discerning that, one is freed from the face of death. 16. This ancient story of Naciketas told by Death (Yama), telling and hearing it, a wise man grows great in the world of Brahmā. 17. Whoso shall cause to be recited this supreme secret before an assembly of Brāhamanas or devoutly at the time of the ceremonies for the dead, this will prepare (for him) everlasting life, this will prepare everlasting life.
The Enlightened Families
Tibetan: rigs. Sanskrit: kula.
The five ‘Enlightened Families’ are perfected, purified states of our five aggregates, elements, sense-organs, and sensory perceptions. Since all sentient beings possess these faculties, either in their potential or fully manifest forms, any individual who attains buddhahood realizes their perfected state. Each of the five enlightened families comprise a central male buddha, representing one of the purified aggregates, and a female buddha representing one of the purified elements. In addition, four of the five enlightened families are surrounded by peripheral bodhisattvas, representing the purified sense-organs, and sensory perceptions.
The five are as follows:
- the buddha-family headed by the male buddha Vairocana (the purified aspect of our aggregate of consciousness/form)
- the vajra family headed by the male buddha Akshobhya (the purified aspect of our aggregate of consciousness/form)
- the ratna family, headed by the male buddha Ratnasambhava (the purified aspect of our aggregate of feeling)
- the padma family, headed by the male buddha Amitabha (the purified aspect of our aggregate of perception/discrimination)
- the karma family, headed by the male buddha Amoghasiddhi (the purified aspect of our aggregate of conditioning and motivational factors)
The correlation between the ‘enlightened-families’ and the aggregates can vary according to differing tantric system, particularly in the case of Vairocana and Akshobhya who may alternately be know as the purified aspect of consciousness or of form.
Bibliography: The Handbook of Tibetan Culture, 1993. Compiled by Graham Coleman
Irie
Ras Tafari “Were the thoughts of Plato and Socrates, the beliefs of Christianity and Judaism not harmonized with Hindu Philosophy: were Yoga and its previous stages not exposed to Western thought; had Western religion and philosophy not been exposed to the philosophy and religion of the East … how much the poorer would human thought have been! Since nobody can interfere in the realm of God, we should tolerate and live side by side with those of other faiths. In the mystic traditions of the different religions, we have a remarkable unity of spirit. Whatever religion we may profess, we are spiritual kinsmen. While the different religions in their historic form bind us to limited groups and militate against the development of loyalty to the world community, the mystics have already stood for the fellowship of humanity…in harmony with the spirit of the mystics of ages gone by. No one should question the faith of others, for no human being can judge the ways of God. However wise or however mighty a person may be, “he is like a ship without a rudder if “he is without God.” H.I.M. Haile Selassie
A meditation bracelet of 12 turtle beads
“... suppose that this great earth were to be an ocean upon which a single yoke were being tossed about by the wind and thus being moved from here to there. And suppose if under that ocean there were a blind turtle, do you think it would be easy for it to insert its head into that yoke when it rises to the surface only once every hundred years? In a similar fashion it is extremely hard to obtain the human state.” From Bodhicharyavatara
May I, for the sake of all beings, be ever mindful of intent to develop perfect renunciation for bodhicitta (awakening mind) of prajnaparamita (perfect wisdom).
om soham (x4)
In the ti-sarana (three refuges) of Buddha, Dhamma, and Shangha, I seek refuge…
- buddham saranam gacchati (… intent upon going)
- dhammam saranam gacchati
- sangham saranam gacchati
- buddham saranam gacchāmi (… I go)
- dhammam saranam gacchāmi
- sangham saranam gacchāmi
- dutiyampi buddham saranam gacchāmi (a second time…)
- dutiympi dhammam saranam gacchāmi
- dutiyampi sangham saranam gacchāmi
- tatiyampi buddham saranam gacchāmi (a third time…)
- tatiyampi dhammam saranam gacchāmi
- tatiyampi sangham saranam gacchāmi
As to take refuge in the three jewels is to give refuge, with intent to give refuge, I go…
- Without hate as the aim,
- Without greed as the aim,
- Without illusion as the aim,
- Without hate as the way,
- Without greed as the way,
- Without illusion as the way,
- Giving reverence to the many before,
- Giving reverence to the many after,
- Giving reverence to the many teachers of the path
- Giving reverence to the many who assist on the path
- Giving reverence to the many who share the path
- Giving reverence to the one who reveled the path
I give reverence to Buddha Shakyamuni, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and his twelve principle deeds…
- descent from celestial Tushita
- entrance into mother’s womb
- birth
- mastery of worldly arts and skills
- enjoyment of his consorts
- renunciation of worldly ways
- endurance of severe physical penances
- mediation under the Bodhi Tree
- overcoming the the forces of mara
- attainment of Buddhahood
- turning the wheel of dharma
- entrance into peaceful parinirvana
May I realize the causes and consequences of paticca-samuppāda (dependent origination)…
- avijja (ignorance) from which arises
- sankhārā (karma formations) from which arises
- viññãna (consciousness) from which arises
- nãma-rūpa (name and form or mind and body) from which arises
- salãyatana (six bases) from which arises
- phassa (impressions) from which arises
- vedanā (feelings) from which arises
- tanjā (cravings) from which arises
- upādāna (clinging) from which arises
- bhava (process of becoming) from which arises
- jāti (rebirth-process) from which arises
- jarā-marana (old age and death)
May I be ever conscious of ariya-sacca (the noble truths) [1-4] and the eightfold path [5-12]…
- dukkha (truth of suffering)
- tanhā (truth of attachment)
- nirodha (truth of renunciation)
- magga (truth of the path):
- sammā-ditthi (right view)
- sammā-sankappa (right intent)
- sammā-vacca (right speech)
- sammā-kammanta (right action)
- sammā-ājīva (right livelihood)
- sammā-vāyāma (right effort)
- sammā-sati (right mindfulness)
- sammā-samādhi (right concentration)
May I be diligent toward the paramitas (the six perfections) [1-6] for sake of all beings in the six realms of cyclic existence [7-12]…
- Perfection of generosity
- Perfection of ethical discipline
- Perfection of patience
- Perfection of perseverance or joyous effort
- Perfection of meditative concentration
- Perfection of wisdom (prajnaparamita)
- For all beings of the deva realm (celestials)…
- …the asura realm (demi-gods)…
- … the human realm…
- … the animal realm…
- … the hungry ghost realm…
- … the hells
May I develop determination toward attainment of the three principle aspects of the path for the sake of all beings and their bliss…
- I take refuge in the buddha
- I take refuge in the dhamma
- I take refuge in the shangha
- desiring to develop perfected renunciation
- desiring to develop perfected bodhicitta and loving kindness
- desiring to develop perfected wisdom of emptiness
- of the dharmakaya (empty or true body)
- of the sambhogakaya (enjoyment body)
- of the nirmanakaya (emanation body)
- so all beings may be without hate
- so all beings may be without greed
- so all beings may be without illusion and so free
May I be ever mindful of altruistic intent and of true buddha nature. and meditate on the…
- … left principle channel…
- … right principle channel…
- … center principal channel…
- … chakra A…
- … chakra HUM…
- … chakra OM…
- … chakra HAM…
- … the enlightenment family of Vairocana…
- … enlightenment family of Akshobhya…
- …. enlightenment family of Ratnasambhava…
- … enlightenment family of Amitabha…
- … enlightenment family of Amoghasiddhi…
Namo Gurubhāya
Namo Buddhāya
Namo Dharmāya
Namo Sanghāya (x3)
May I take on defeat and offer victory.
om vajrasattva hum
om mani padme hum
A Study on OM and the Māndūkya Upanisad
Māndūkya Upanisad OM shanti shanti shanti 1. This letter that is OM (AUM) is all this. Of this a clear exposition (is started with): All that is past, present, or future is verily OM. And whatever is beyond the three periods of time is also verily OM. 2. All is surely Brahman. This Self (atman) is Brahman. The Self, such as It is, is possessed of four quarters. 3. The first quarter is Vaiśvānara whose sphere of action/activity is the waking state, whose consciousness relates to things external, who is possessed of seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and who enjoys/experiences gross/material things. 4. Taijasa is the second quarter, whose sphere of action/activity is the dream state, whose consciousness is internal, who is possessed of seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and who enjoys/experiences gross/material things. 5. That state is deep sleep where the sleeper does not desire any enjoyable thing and does not see any dream. The third quarter is Prājña who has deep sleep as sphere, in whom everything becomes undifferentiated, who is a mass of mere consciousness, who abounds in bliss, who is surely an enjoyer of bliss, and who is the doorway to the experience ( of the dream and waking states). 6. This is the Lord of all, this is the knower of all, this is the inner controller of all; this is the source of all; this is verily the place of origin/beginning and dissolution/end of all beings. 7. They consider the Fourth to be that which is not conscious of the internal world, nor conscious of the external world, not conscious of both the worlds, nor a mass of consciousness, nor conscious, nor unconscious. Unseen, incapable of being spoken of, ungraspable, without any distinctive marks, unthinkable, unnameable, the essence of knowledge of the one self, that into which the world is resolved, the peaceful, the benign, the non-dual. That is the Self, and That is to be known. 8. That very Self, considered from the standpoint of the syllable is of the nature of the syllable OM. Considered from the standpoint of the letters (constituting OM), the quarters (of the Self) are the letters ( of OM/AUM) and the letters are the quarters. Namely the letter a, u and m. 9. Vaiśanara, having the waking state as sphere of activity, is the first letter a, because of (the similarity of) pervasiveness or being the first (Alpha). The one who knows thus, does verily attain all desirable things, and becomes the foremost. 10. Taijasa, with the state of dream as sphere (of activity ) is the second letter u (of OM/AUM); because of the similarity of excellence and intermediateness. One who knows thus increases the current of knowledge and becomes equal to all. None is born in their family who does not know Brahman. 11. Prãjña with sphere of activity in the sleep state is m, the third letter of OM/AUM, because of measuring or because of absorption. Anyone who knows this measures all this, and becomes the place of absorption. 12. The partless (without element) OM is Turīya- beyond all conventional dealings, the limit of the negation of the phenomenal world, the auspicious, and the non-dual. OM is thus the Self to be sure. One who knows this enters the Self through his self.