An excerpt from the Mindfulness workshop given by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo in 1999
Another aspect of our Ngöndro practice is purification, the prayers to Vajrasattva. How would it be if we were to sit for maybe an hour and practice the purification and confession of Vajrasattva and accumulate the mantra and then just put our books aside and consider it’s over? That’s it. I confessed. I said all the prayers, the short ones and the long ones, short confession, long confession. Remember, if you practice like that, you never have to revisit it again. It’s a lazy, cop-out way to practice.
Instead, we should think, “I’m deeply involved in the practice of purification and confession which does not stop at the end of my practice.” There are so many ways to practice that kind of purification: by being mindful, by making offerings in the way that I’ve described, by moving into a state of better recognition about what is precious and what is ordinary, and ultimately moving into the state of Recognition of the nature of all phenomena. Automatically one is constantly purifying the senses, constantly purifying one’s intention, which is the very thing that needs purifying even more than everything else. If we practice in that way as we’re walking around, it complements any confessional prayers that we make.
In most of the confessional prayers, if you really read the meaning and content of the prayers, there is talk about broken samaya in the confessional prayers. Nobody really knows what that means. Does that mean you didn’t do your mantra today? Well, maybe on one level it means that, but on a deeper level, it is referring to the state of non-recognition. So in everything that we do, if we continually make offerings, as we continually give rise to a deeper Recognition, then the five senses are being purified constantly. The habit that I’m suggesting you develop will antidote the automatic reaction that is so natural for us, so habitual. Remember, we can insert this way of thinking or this way of practicing because we are human.
I really like animals, but one thing I’ve noticed about animals, even if they are trainable and very smart, they cannot change or alter the way they perceive their environment. They can’t do that. The dog can’t say, “Wait a minute, before I lift that leg, let’s think about the nature of that fire hydrant.” The dog is not capable of this. You are. That is one of the great blessings of being a human being, and yet the habits that we tend to cultivate are the habits that you don’t even need to be a human being to do: that habit of automatically reacting, not taking oneself in hand, not creating any kind of space or a moment where we can Recognize the nature of reality, not making any offerings. We tend to just automatically move through life like an automaton, like a robot.
However, being human, we can develop a little bit of space in our minds to antidote that constant clinging and reactivity, and yet we’re all about collecting things. Well, you know, crows collect things. We’re all about having relationships. Well, even animals can bond for life. We’re all about having children. Well, dogs and cats do that, too. Isn’t it wonderful that here in Dharma practice, if we choose to, if we practice sincerely, we can do that which only humans can do? How amazing!
© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo
witch particular god should i pray n what pray line should i recite n how many times should i do, to get purification form all those all kind of sin i have commited till now ,so if u all are kind enougf to tell me or give me the teaching of purification,plese give me in buddist words not in the words which is written n translated in english.thank you.
Vajrasattva and the Four Powers
For purification, one prays to the Buddha Vajrasattva by reciting Vajrasattva’s mantra while visualizing Vajrasattva (link to image). The mantra is translated here so you can see what it means, but the best result comes from reciting in the Tibetan language the words in the capital letters. Vajrasattva’s mantra is
OM
[The most excellent exclamation of praise]
BENZAR SATO SAMAYA
Vajrasattva’s Samaya:
MANUPALAYA BENZAR SATO
O Vajrasattva, protect the Samaya
TENOPA TISHTHA DRIDHO ME BHAWA
May you remain firm in me
SUTOKHAYO ME BHAWA
Grant me complete satisfaction
SUPOKHAYO ME BHAWA
Grow within me (increase the positive within me)
ANURAKTO ME BHAWA
Be loving towards me
SARWA SIDDHI ME PRAYACCHA
Grant me all the siddhis
SARWA KARMA SU TSA ME
Show me all the karmas (activities)
TSITTAM SHREYANG KURU
Make my mind good, virtuous and auspicious!
HUNG:
| The heart essence, seed syllable of Vajrasattva]
HA HA HA HA
[Symbolizes the four immeasurables, the four
empowerments, the four joys, and the four kayas]
HO
[The exclamation of joy at this accomplishment]
BHAGAWAN SARWA TATHAGATA
O blessed one, who embodies all the Vajra Tathagatas
BENZAR MA ME MUNCA
Do not abandon me
BENZRI BHAWA
Grant me the realization of the Vajra Nature
MA HA SAMAYA SATTO
Great Samayasattva
AH
Make me one with vou
Together with the recitation of the mantra, it is important that one practice the four powers: the power of support, the power of regret, the power of resolution, and the power of action as an antidote.
The power of support comes from Buddha Vajrasattva. He is the One to whom you address your confession. In order for the confession actually to purify one’s faults, one must sincerely wish to purify them in order to be of benefit to sentient beings. It is compassionate intention that actually purifies misdeeds.
The power of regret is feeling true remorse for all of one’s negative actions. One confesses these with fierce regret without concealing anything. One reveals thoughts, as well as motivating forces, e.g., I did this because I was angry, or jealous, or thought this person deserved to suffer, revealing whatever poison of the mind might be involved.
The power of resolution is the resolve never to commit that act again, even at the cost of one’s own life.
The power of action as antidote means creating virtue by engaging in positive actions. The most positive actions are those of spiritual practice motivated by the compassionate concern for the welfare of all sentient beings. If one has killed, one now saves lives: insects and animals, as well as human beings. If one has stolen, one engages in acts of generosity, making offerings to the Buddhas, providing for the needs of others with material, time and/or energy.
Visualize Vajrasattva in the space in front, or look at a picture or a statue of Vajrasattva, and make sincere confession. Then make a heart-felt commitment to never engage in that non-virtue again. After this, it is time to recite Vajrasattva’s mantra, the 100 syllable mantra, with confidence that Vajrasattva will purify the misdeeds. The mantra must be repeated many times. If one uses a mala (prayer beads), one may keep count of one’s repetitions, counting one bead for each repetition. One mala of recitation is 100 repetitions. One may do 100,000 or even 400,000 repetitions of the mantra.
When one has finished with the practice session, one dedicates the merit of the practice.
By this effort, may all sentient beings be free from suffering.
May their minds be filled with the nectar of virtue.
In this way, may all causes resulting in suffering be extinguished,
And only the light of compassion shine throughout all realms.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo