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1BUDDHISM (Text File)
2
3
4
5ABOUT BUDDHA:
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7THE BIRTH OF BUDDHA
8The following excerpts about the life of Buddha are taken from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s book, Introduction to Buddhism:
9The Buddha who is the founder of the Buddhist religion is called Buddha Shakyamuni. “Shakya” is the name of the royal family into which he was born, and “Muni” means “Able One.”
10Buddha Shakyamuni was born as a royal prince in 624 BC in a place called Lumbini, in what is now Nepal. His mother’s name was Queen Mayadevi and his father’s name was King Shuddhodana.
11One night, Queen Mayadevi dreamed that a white elephant descended from heaven and entered her womb. The white elephant entering her womb indicated that on that very night she had conceived a child who was a pure and powerful being. The elephant’s descending from heaven indicated that her child came from Tushita heaven, the Pure Land of Buddha Maitreya.
12Later, when she gave birth to the child, instead of experiencing pain the queen experienced a special, pure vision in which she stood holding the branch of a tree with her right hand while the gods Brahma and Indra took the child painlessly from her side. They then proceeded to honor the infant by offering him ritual ablutions.
13When the king saw the child he felt as if all his wishes had been fulfilled and he named the young prince “Siddhartha.” He invited a Brahmin seer to make predictions about the prince’s future. The seer examined the child with his clairvoyance and told the king, “There are signs that the boy could become either a chakravatin king, a ruler of the entire world, or a fully enlightened Buddha.
14However, since the time for chakravatin kings is now past it is certain that he will become a Buddha, and that his beneficial influence will pervade the thousand million worlds like the rays of the sun.
15To find out more about Buddha, see Introduction to Buddhism.
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17BUDDHA’S RENUNCIATION
18The following excerpts about the life of Buddha are taken from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s book, Introduction to Buddhism
19As the young prince grew up he mastered all the traditional arts and sciences without needing any instruction. He knew sixty-four different languages, each with their own alphabet, and he was also very skilled at mathematics. He once told his father that he could count all the atoms in the world in the time it takes to draw a single breath.
20Although he did not need to study, he did so to please his father and to benefit others. At his father’s request he joined a school where, in addition to various academic subjects, he became skilled at sports such as martial arts and archery.
21The prince would take every opportunity to convey spiritual meanings and to encourage others to follow spiritual paths. At one time, when he was taking part in an archery contest, he declared, “With the bow of meditative concentration I will fire the arrow of wisdom and kill the tiger of ignorance in living beings.” He then released the arrow and it flew straight through five iron tigers and seven trees before disappearing into the earth!
22By witnessing demonstrations such as this, thousands of people developed faith in the prince.
23Sometimes Prince Siddhartha would go into the capital city of his father’s kingdom to see how the people lived. During these visits he came into contact with many old people and sick people, and on one occasion he saw a corpse.
24These encounters left a deep impression on his mind and led him to realize that all living beings without exception have to experience the sufferings of birth, sickness, ageing and death. Because he understood the laws of reincarnation he also realized that they experience these sufferings not just once, but again and again, in life after life without cessation.
25Seeing how all living beings are trapped in this vicious circle of suffering he felt deep compassion for them, and he developed a sincere wish to free all of them from their suffering. Realizing that only a fully enlightened Buddha has the wisdom and the power to help all living beings in this way, he resolved to leave the palace and retire to the solitude of the forest where he would engage in profound meditation until he attained enlightenment.
26To find out more about Buddha, see Introduction to Buddhism.
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28BUDDHA’S ORDINATION
29The following excerpts about the life of Buddha are taken from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s book, Introduction to Buddhism:
30When the people of the Shakya kingdom realized that the prince intended to leave the palace they requested the king to arrange a marriage for him in the hope that this would cause him to change his mind.
31The king agreed and soon found him a suitable bride, the daughter of a respected Shakya family, called Yasodhara. Prince Siddhartha, however, had no attachment to worldly pleasures because he realized that objects of attachment are like poisonous flowers, which initially appear to be attractive but eventually give rise to great pain.
32His resolve to leave the palace and to attain enlightenment remained unchanged, but to fulfill his father’s wishes and to bring temporary benefit to the Shakya people, he agreed to marry Yasodhara.
33However, even though he remained in the palace as a royal prince, he devoted all his time and energy to serving the Shakya people in whatever way he could.
34When he was twenty-nine years old, the prince had a vision in which all the Buddhas of the ten directions appeared to him and spoke in unison saying, “Previously you resolved to become a Conqueror Buddha so that you could help all living beings trapped in the cycle of suffering. Now is the time for you to accomplish this.”
35The prince went immediately to his parents and told them of his intention: “I wish to retire to a peaceful place in the forest where I can engage in deep meditation and quickly attain full enlightenment. Once I have attained enlightenment I shall be able to repay the kindness of all living beings, and especially the great kindness that you have shown me. Therefore I request your permission to leave the palace.”
36When his parents heard this they were shocked, and the king refused to grant his permission. Prince Siddhartha said to his father “Father, if you can give me permanent freedom from the sufferings of birth, sickness, ageing and death I shall stay in the palace; but if you cannot I must leave and make my human life meaningful.”
37The king tried all means to prevent his son from leaving the palace. In the hope that the prince might change his mind, he surrounded him with a retinue of beautiful women, dancers, singer, and musicians, who day and night used their charms to please him; and in case the prince might attempt a secret escape he posted guards around the palace walls.
38However, the prince’s determination to leave the palace and enter a life of meditation could not be shaken. One night he used his miracle powers to send the guards and attendants into a deep sleep while he made his escape from the palace with the help of a trusted aide.
39After they had traveled about six miles, the prince dismounted from his horse and bade farewell to his aide. He then cut off his hair and threw it into the sky, where it was caught by the gods of the Land of the Thirty-three Heavens. One of the gods then offered the prince the saffron robes of a religious mendicant.
40The prince accepted these and gave his royal garments to the god in exchange. In this way he ordained himself as a monk.
41To find out more about Buddha, see Introduction to Buddhism.
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43BUDDHA’S ENLIGHTENMENT
44The following excerpts about the life of Buddha are taken from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s book, Introduction to Buddhism:
45Siddhartha then made his way to a place near Bodh Gaya in India, where he found a suitable site for meditation. There he remained, emphasizing a meditation called “space-like concentration on the Dharmakaya” in which he focused single-pointedly on the ultimate nature of all phenomena.
46After training in this meditation for six years he realized that he was very close to attaining full enlightenment, and so he walked to Bodh Gaya where, on the full moon day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar, he seated himself beneath the Bodhi Tree in the meditation posture and vowed not to rise from meditation until he had attained perfect enlightenment. With this determination he entered the space-like concentration on the Dharmakaya.
47As dusk fell, Devaputra Mara, the chief of all the demons, or maras, in this world, tried to disturb Siddhartha’s concentration by conjuring up many fearful apparitions. He manifested hosts of terrifying demons, some throwing spears, some firing arrows, some trying to burn him with fire, and some hurling boulders and even mountains at him.
48Through the force of his concentration, the weapons, rocks, and mountains appeared to him as a rain of fragrant flowers, and the raging fires became like offerings of rainbow lights.
49Seeing that Siddhartha could not be frightened into abandoning his meditation, Devaputra Mara tried instead to distract him by manifesting countless beautiful women, but Siddhartha responded by developing even deeper concentration.
50In this way he triumphed over all the demons of this world, which is why he subsequently became known as a “Conqueror Buddha.”
51Siddhartha then continued with his meditation until dawn, when he attained the varja-like concentration. With this concentration, which is the very last mind of a limited being, he removed the final veils of ignorance from his mind and in the next moment became a Buddha, a fully enlightened being.
52To find out more about Buddha, see Introduction to Buddhism.
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54BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS
55In Introduction to Buddhism Geshe Kelsang gives us a brief overview of Buddha’s teachings:
56Forty-nine days after Buddha attained enlightenment he was requested to teach. As a result of this request, Buddha rose from meditation and taught the first Wheel of Dharma.
57These teachings which include the Sutra of the Four Noble Truths and other discourses, are the principal source of the Hinayana, or Lesser Vehicle, of Buddhism. Later, Buddha taught the second and third Wheels of Dharma, which include the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras and the Sutra Discriminating the Intention respectively. These teachings are the source of the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, of Buddhism.
58In the Hinayana teachings Buddha explains how to attain liberation from suffering for oneself alone, and in the Mahayana teaching he explains how to attain full enlightenment, or Buddhahood, for the sake of others. Both traditions flourished in Asia, at first in India and then gradually in other surrounding countries, including Tibet. Now they are also beginning to flourish in the West.
59“Dharma” means “protection”. By practicing Buddha’s teachings we protect ourself from suffering and problems. All the problems we experience during daily life originate from ignorance, and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practice Dharma.
60Practicing Dharma is the supreme method for improving the quality of our human life. The quality of life depends not upon external development or material progress, but upon the inner development of peace and happiness. For example, in the past many Buddhists lived in poor and underdeveloped countries, but they were able to find pure, lasting happiness by practicing what Buddha had taught.
61If we integrate Buddha’s teachings into our daily life we will be able to solve all our inner problems and attain a truly peaceful mind. Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible.
62If we first establish peace within our minds by training in spiritual paths, outer peace will come naturally; but if we do not, world peace will never be achieved, no matter how many people campaign for it.
63Extensive presentations of Buddha’s teachings can also be found in Joyful Path, Ocean of Nectar, Heart of Wisdom, and Understanding The Mind. 
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65
66
67Buddhist Beliefs:
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69WHAT IS THE MIND?
70Extracted from Transform Your Life by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
71Some people think that the mind is the brain or some other part or function of the body, but this is incorrect. The brain is a physical object that can be seen with the eyes and that can be photographed or operated on in surgery.
72The mind, on the other hand, is not a physical object. It cannot be seen with the eyes, nor can it be photographed or repaired by surgery. The brain, therefore, is not the mind but simply part of the body.
73There is nothing within the body that can be identified as being our mind because our body and mind are different entities. For example, sometimes when our body is relaxed and immobile, our mind can be very busy, darting from one object to another. This indicates that our body and mind are not the same entity.
74In Buddhist scriptures, our body is compared to a guest house and our mind to a guest dwelling within it. When we die, our mind leaves our body and goes to the next life, just like a guest leaving a guest house and going somewhere else.
75If the mind is not the brain, nor any other part of the body, what is it? It is a formless continuum that functions to perceive and understand objects. Because the mind is formless, or non-physical, by nature, it is not obstructed by physical objects.
76It is very important to be able to distinguish disturbed states of mind from peaceful states. As explained in the previous chapter, states of mind that disturb our inner peace, such as anger, jealousy, and desirous attachment, are called ‘delusions’; and these are the principal causes of all our suffering.
77We may think that our suffering is caused by other people, by poor material conditions, or by society, but in reality it all comes from our own deluded states of mind. The essence of spiritual practice is to reduce and eventually to eradicate altogether our delusions, and to replace them with permanent inner peace. This is the real meaning of our human life.
78The essential point of understanding the mind is that liberation from suffering cannot be found outside the mind. Permanent liberation can be found only by purifying the mind. Therefore, if we want to become free from problems and attain lasting peace and happiness we need to increase our knowledge and understanding of the mind.
79For a deeper understanding of the nature and functions of the mind, see the book Understanding The Mind
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81RENUNCIATION 
82Extracted from Transform Your Life by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
83Renunciation is not a wish to abandon our family, friends, home, job, and so forth and become like a beggar; rather, it is a mind that functions to stop attachment to worldly pleasures and that seeks liberation from contaminated rebirth.
84We must learn to stop our attachment through the practice of renunciation or it will be a serious obstacle to our pure spiritual practice. Just as a bird cannot fly if it has stones tied to its legs, so we cannot make progress on the spiritual path if we are tightly tied down by the chains of attachment.
85The time to practice renunciation is now, before our death. We need to reduce our attachment to worldly pleasures by realizing that they are deceptive and cannot give real satisfaction. In reality, they cause us only suffering.
86This human life with all its suffering and problems is a great opportunity for us to improve both our renunciation and our compassion. We should not waste this precious opportunity.
87The realization of renunciation is the gateway through which we enter the spiritual path to liberation, or nirvana. Without renunciation, it is impossible even to enter the path to the supreme happiness of nirvana, let alone progress along it.
88To develop and increase our renunciation, we can repeatedly contemplate the following:
89Because my consciousness is beginningless, I have taken countless rebirths in samsara. I have already had countless bodies; if they were all gathered together, they would fill the entire world, and all the blood and other bodily fluids that have flowed through them would form an ocean. So great has been my suffering in all these previous lives that I have shed enough tears of sorrow to form another ocean.
90In every single life, I have experienced the sufferings of sickness, ageing, death, being separated from those I love, and being unable to fulfil my wishes. If I do not attain permanent liberation from suffering now, I shall have to experience these sufferings again and again in countless future lives.
91Contemplating this, from the depths of our heart we make a strong determination to abandon attachment to worldly pleasures and attain permanent liberation from contaminated rebirth. By putting this determination into practice, we can control our attachment and thereby solve many of our daily problems.
92For more information on renunciation, see the books The New Meditation Handbook and Joyful Path of Good Fortune
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94KARMA
95Extracted from Transform Your Life by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
96The law of karma is a special instance of the law of cause and effect, according to which all our actions of body, speech, and mind are causes and all our experiences are their effects.
97The law of karma explains why each individual has a unique mental disposition, a unique physical appearance, and unique experiences. These are the various effects of the countless actions that each individual has performed in the past. We cannot find any two people who have created exactly the same history of actions throughout their past lives, and so we cannot find two people with identical states of mind, identical experiences, and identical physical appearances.
98Each person has a different individual karma. Some people enjoy good health while others are constantly ill. Some people are very beautiful while others are very ugly. Some people have a happy disposition that is easily pleased while others have a sour disposition and are rarely delighted by anything. Some people easily understand the meaning of spiritual teachings while others find them difficult and obscure.
99Karma means ‘action’, and refers to the actions of our body, speech, and mind. Every action we perform leaves an imprint, or potentiality, on our very subtle mind, and each imprint eventually gives rise to its own effect.
100Our mind is like a field, and performing actions is like sowing seeds in that field. Virtuous actions sow seeds of future happiness, and non-virtuous actions sow seeds of future suffering. The seeds we have sown in the past remain dormant until the conditions necessary for their germination come together. In some cases this can be many lifetimes after the original action was performed.
101It is because of our karma or actions that we are born in this impure, contaminated world and experience so many difficulties and problems. Our actions are impure because our mind is contaminated by the inner poison of self-grasping. This is the fundamental reason why we experience suffering.
102Suffering is created by our own actions or karma – it is not given to us as a punishment. We suffer because we have accumulated many non-virtuous actions in our previous lives. The source of these non-virtuous actions are our own delusions such as anger, attachment, and self-grasping ignorance.
103Once we have purified our mind of self-grasping and all other delusions, all our actions will naturally be pure. As a result of our pure actions or pure karma, everything we experience will be pure. We shall abide in a pure world, with a pure body, enjoying pure enjoyments and surrounded by pure beings. There will no longer be the slightest trace of suffering, impurity, or problems. This is how to find true happiness from within our mind.
104To find out more about karma, see the book Joyful Path of Good Fortune
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106REINCARNATION
107Extracted from Transform Your Life by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
108Many people believe that when the body disintegrates at death, the continuum of the mind ceases and the mind becomes non-existent, like a candle flame going out when all the wax has burned.
109There are even some people who contemplate committing suicide in the hope that if they die their problems and sufferings will come to an end. These ideas, however, are completely wrong.
110As already explained, our body and mind are separate entities, and so even though the body disintegrates at death, the continuum of the mind remains unbroken. Instead of ceasing, the mind simply leaves the present body and goes to the next life.
111For ordinary beings, therefore, rather than releasing us from suffering, death only brings new sufferings. Not understanding this, many people destroy their precious human life by committing suicide.
112We can gain an understanding of past and future lives by examining the process of sleeping, dreaming, and waking, because this closely resembles the process of death, intermediate state, and rebirth.
113When we fall asleep, our gross inner winds gather and dissolve inwards, and our mind becomes progressively more and more subtle until it transforms into the very subtle mind of the clear light of sleep. While the clear light of sleep is manifest, we experience deep sleep, and to others we resemble a dead person. When it ends, our mind becomes gradually more and more gross and we pass through the various levels of the dream state. Finally, our normal powers of memory and mental control are restored and we wake up. When this happens, our dream world disappears and we perceive the world of the waking state.
114A very similar process occurs when we die. As we die, our inner winds dissolve inwards and our mind becomes progressively more and more subtle until the very subtle mind of the clear light of death becomes manifest. The experience of the clear light of death is very similar to the experience of deep sleep.
115After the clear light of death has ceased, we experience the stages of the intermediate state, or ‘bardo’ in Tibetan, which is a dream-like state that occurs between death and rebirth. After a few days or weeks, the intermediate state ends and we take rebirth. Just as when we wake from sleep, the dream world disappears and we perceive the world of the waking state, so, when we take rebirth, the appearances of the intermediate state cease and we perceive the world of our next life.
116The only significant difference between the process of sleeping, dreaming, and waking and the process of death, intermediate state, and rebirth is that after the clear light of sleep has ceased, the relationship between our mind and our present body remains intact, whereas after the clear light of death this relationship is broken.
117By contemplating this, we can gain conviction in the existence of past and future lives.
118For more information on reincarnation, see the books Introduction to Buddhism and Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
119
120COMPASSION
121Extracted from Transform Your Life by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatao.
122Compassion is the very essence of a spiritual life and the main practice of those who have devoted their lives to attaining enlightenment. It is the root of the Three Jewels – Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
123It is the root of Buddha because all Buddhas are born from compassion. It is the root of Dharma because Buddhas give Dharma teachings motivated solely by compassion for others. It is the root of Sangha because it is by listening to and practicing Dharma teachings given out of compassion that we become Sangha, or Superior beings.
124What exactly is compassion? Compassion is a mind that is motivated by cherishing other living beings and wishes to release them from their suffering.
125Sometimes out of selfish intention we can wish for another person to be free from their suffering; this is quite common in relationships that are based principally on attachment. If our friend is ill or depressed, for example, we may wish him to recover quickly so that we can enjoy his company again; but this wish is basically self-centred and is not true compassion. True compassion is necessarily based on cherishing others.
126Although we already have some degree of compassion, at present it is very biased and limited. When our family and friends are suffering, we easily develop compassion for them, but we find it far more difficult to feel sympathy for people we find unpleasant or for strangers.
127Furthermore, we feel compassion for those who are experiencing manifest pain, but not for those who are enjoying good conditions, and especially not for those who are engaging in harmful actions.
128If we genuinely want to realize our potential by attaining full enlightenment we need to increase the scope of our compassion until it embraces all living beings without exception, just as a loving mother feels compassion for all her children irrespective of whether they are behaving well or badly.
129This universal compassion is the heart of Mahayana Buddhism. Unlike our present, limited compassion, which already arises naturally from time to time, universal compassion must first be cultivated through training over a long period of time.
130To find out more about compassion, see the books Eight Steps to Happiness, Universal Compassion and Meaningful to Behold
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132
133
134MEDITATION:
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136WHAT TO MEDITATE ON
137In general, any virtuous object can be used as an object of meditation.
138If we discover that by acquainting our mind with a particular object our mind becomes more peaceful and virtuous, this indicates that for us that object is virtuous. If the opposite happens, for us it is a non-virtuous object. Many objects are neutral and have no particular positive or negative effect on our mind.
139There are many different virtuous objects of meditation, but the most meaningful are the twenty-one objects of Lamrim meditation:
140* Our precious human life
141* Death and impermanence
142* The danger of lower rebirth
143* Refuge practice
144* Actions and their effects
145* Developing renunciation for samsara
146* Developing equanimity
147* Recognizing that all living beings are our mothers
148* Remembering the kindness of living beings
149* Equalizing self and others
150* The disadvantages of self-cherishing
151* The advantages of cherishing others
152* Exchanging self with others
153* Great compassion
154* Taking
155* Wishing love
156* Giving
157* Bodhichitta
158* Tranquil abiding
159* Superior seeing
160* Relying upon a Spiritual Guide
161We need to meditate on our precious human life to realize that we now have a special opportunity to practice Dharma. If we appreciate the great potential of this life we shall not waste it by engaging in meaningless activities.
162We need to meditate on death and impermanence to overcome procrastination, and to ensure that our Dharma practice is pure by overcoming our preoccupation with worldly concerns. If we practice Dharma purely it is not very difficult to attain realizations.
163By meditating on the danger of lower rebirth, taking refuge sincerely, and avoiding non-virtue and practicing virtue, we protect ourself from taking lower rebirth and ensure that life after life we shall obtain a precious human rebirth endowed with all the conditions conducive to the practice of Dharma.
164We need to meditate on the sufferings of humans and gods so that we develop a spontaneous wish to attain permanent liberation, or nirvana. This wish, known as ‘renunciation’, strongly encourages us to complete the practice of the spiritual paths, which are the actual methods for attaining full liberation.
165We need to meditate on love, compassion, and bodhichitta so that we can overcome our self-cherishing and develop and maintain a good heart towards all living beings.
166With this good heart we need to meditate on tranquil abiding and superior seeing so that we can eradicate our ignorance and finally become a Buddha by abandoning the two types of obstruction.
167By relying upon a qualified Spiritual Guide we open the door to practicing Dharma. Through the blessings of our Spiritual Guide we generate faith and confidence in our practice, and easily attain all the above realizations of the stages of the path. For these reasons we need to meditate on relying upon a Spiritual Guide.
168These meditations, along with instructions on how to practice and essential background material can be found in The New Meditation Handbook.
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170SITTING IN MEDITATION
171When we practice meditation we need to have a comfortable seat and a good posture.
172The most important feature of the posture is to keep our back straight. To help us do this, if we are sitting on a cushion we make sure that the back of the cushion is slightly higher than the front, inclining our pelvis slightly forward.
173It is not necessary at first to sit cross-legged, but it is a good idea to become accustomed to sitting in the posture of Buddha Vairochana. If we cannot hold this posture we should sit in one which is as close to this as possible while remaining comfortable.
174The seven features of Vairochana’s posture are:
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1761 The legs are crossed in the vajra posture. This helps to reduce thoughts and feelings of desirous attachment.
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1782 The right hand is placed in the left hand, palms upwards, with the tips of the thumbs slightly raised and gently touching. The hands are held about four fingers’ width below the navel. This helps us to develop good concentration. The right hand symbolizes method and the left hand symbolizes wisdom – the two together symbolize the union of method and wisdom. The two thumbs at the level of the navel symbolize the blazing of inner fire
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1803 The back is straight but not tense. This helps us to develop and maintain a clear mind, and it allows the subtle energy winds to flow freely
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1824 The lips and teeth are held as usual, but the tongue touches against the back of the upper teeth. This prevents excessive salivation while also preventing our mouth from becoming too dry
183
1845 The head is tipped a little forward with the chin slightly tucked in so that the eyes are cast down. This helps prevent mental excitement
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1866 The eyes are neither wide open nor completely closed, but remain half open and gaze down along the line of the nose. If the eyes are wide open we are likely to develop mental excitement and if they are closed we are likely to develop mental sinking
187
1887 The shoulders are level and the elbows are held slightly away from the sides to let air circulate
189
190PREPARING FOR MEDITATION
191In The New Meditation Handbook Geshe Kelsang Gyatsoexplains that we all have the potential to gain realizations in meditation:
192These potentials are like seeds in the field of our mind, and our meditation practice is like cultivating these seeds. However, our meditation practice will be successful only if we make good preparations beforehand.
193If we want to cultivate external crops we begin by making careful preparations. First, we remove from the soil anything that might obstruct their growth, such as stones and weeds. Second, we enrich the soil with compost or fertilizer to give it the strength to sustain growth. Third, we provide warm, moist conditions to enable the seeds to germinate and the plants to grow.
194In the same way, to cultivate our inner crops of Dharma realizations we must also begin by making careful preparations.
195First, we must purify our mind to eliminate the negative karma we have accumulated in the past, because if we do not purify this karma it will obstruct the growth of Dharma realizations. Second, we need to give our mind the strength to support the growth of Dharma realizations by accumulating merit. Third, we need to activate and sustain the growth of Dharma realizations by receiving the blessings of the holy beings.
196It is very important to receive blessings. For example, if we are growing outer crops, even if we remove the weeds and fertilize the soil we shall not be able to grow anything if we do not provide warmth and moisture. These germinate the seeds, sustain the growth of the plants, and finally ripen the crop. In the same way, even if we purify our mind and accumulate merit we shall find it difficult to meet with success in our meditations if we do not receive the blessings of the holy beings.
197Receiving blessings transforms our mind by activating our virtuous potentials, sustaining the growth of our Dharma realizations, and bringing our Dharma practice to completion.
198From this we can see that there are three essential preparations for successful meditation: purifying negativities, accumulating merit, and receiving blessings.
199If you like, you can engage in these preparatory practices by reciting the sadhana Prayers for Meditation.
200
201MEDITATION SESSION
202The Meditation Session
203A qualified mediation session consists of five stages:
204
205Preparation 
206Contemplation
207Meditation
208Dedication
209Subsequent Practice
210
211It is customary to begin with preparatory practices which prepare our mind for successful meditation by purifying hindrances caused by our previous negative actions, empowering our mind with merit, and inspiring it with the blessings of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
212If you like, you can engage in these preparatory practices by reciting the sadhana Prayers for Meditation while contemplating their meaning.
213Alternatively, you can simply recite a special prayer to Buddha composed by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
214
215Contemplation
216The purpose of contemplation is to bring to mind the object of placement meditation. We do this by considering various lines of reasoning, contemplating analogies, and reflecting on the scriptures.
217It is helpful to memorize the contemplations given in The New Meditation Handbook so we can meditate without having to look at the text.
218The contemplations given in that book are intended only as guidelines. We should supplement and enrich them with whatever reasons and examples we find helpful.
219
220Meditation
221When through our contemplations the object appears clearly, we leave our analytical meditation and concentrate on the object single-pointedly. This single-pointed concentration is the third part, the actual meditation.
222When we first start to meditate, our concentration is poor; we are easily distracted and often lose our object of meditation. Therefore, to begin with we shall probably need to alternate between contemplation and placement meditation many times in each session.
223For example, if we are meditating on compassion we begin by contemplating the various sufferings experienced by living beings until a strong feeling of compassion arises in our heart. When this feeling arises we meditate on it single-pointedly.
224If the feeling fades, or if our mind wanders to another object, we should return to analytical meditation to bring the feeling back to mind. When the feeling has been restored we once again leave our analytical meditation and hold the feeling with single-pointed concentration.
225Both contemplation and meditation serve to acquaint our mind with virtuous objects. The more familiar we are with such objects, the more peaceful our mind becomes.
226By training in meditation, and living in accordance with the insights and resolutions developed during meditation, eventually we shall be able to maintain a peaceful mind continuously, throughout our life.
227More detailed instructions on the contemplations and on meditation in general can be found in The New Mediation Handbook, Introduction to Buddhism, Transform Your Life, Joyful Path of Good Fortune and Universal Compassion.
228
229Dedication
230Dedication directs the merit produced by our meditation towards the attainment of Buddhahood. If merit is not dedicated it can easily be destroyed by anger.
231By reciting the dedication prayers sincerely at the end of each meditation session we ensure that the merit we created by meditating is not wasted but acts as a cause for enlightenment.
232
233Subsequent Practice
234This consists of advice on how to integrate the meditation into our daily life. It is important to remember that Dharma practice is not confined to our activities during the meditation session; it should permeate our whole life.
235We should not allow a gulf to develop between our meditation and our daily life, because the success of our meditation depends upon the purity of our conduct outside the meditation session.
236We should keep a watch over our mind at all times by applying mindfulness, alertness, and conscientiousness; and we should try to abandon whatever bad habits we may have.
237Deep experience of Dharma is the result of practical training over a long period of time, both in and out of meditation, therefore we should practice steadily and gently, without being in a hurry to see results.
238To summarize, our mind is like a field. Engaging in the preparatory practices is like preparing the field by removing obstacles caused by past negative actions, making it fertile with merit, and watering it with the blessings of the holy beings. Contemplation and meditation are like sowing good seeds, and dedication and subsequent practice are the methods for ripening our harvest of Dharma realizations.
239
240A MEDITATION SCHEDULE
241If we genuinely wish to gain experience of Lamrim, the stages of the path to enlightenment, we should meditate every day.
242On the first day we can meditate on our precious human life, on the second day we can meditate on death and impermanence, and so on, until we complete the whole cycle in twenty-one days.
243Between sessions we should try to remain mindful of the instructions on subsequent practice.
244Occasionally, when we have the opportunity we should do a retreat on Lamrim.
245By practicing like this we use our whole life to further our experience of the stages of the path.
246
247
248
249TANTRA:
250
251WHAT IS TANTRA?
252The highest of all possible human goals is the attainment of complete enlightenment, an ultimate state of peace in which all obstacles obscuring the mind have been removed and all good qualities such as wisdom, compassion, and skillful means have been fully developed.
253However, we cannot reach this ultimate goal merely by waiting for it; we need to use the appropriate methods to take us there.
254What are the methods for attaining the peace of full enlightenment? They are the paths of Sutra and Secret Mantra; there is no third method. Of these two, the techniques revealed in Secret Mantra are superior to those revealed in the Sutras.
255Not only is Secret Mantra the supreme path to full enlightenment, it is also extremely rare. As Je Tsongkhapa said, the teachings of Secret Mantra are even rarer than the Buddhas because, although a thousand founding Buddhas will appear during this Fortunate Eon, only the fourth (Buddha Shakyamuni), the eleventh, and the last will teach the paths of Secret Mantra.
256At the moment, we have a great opportunity to practice these rare and beneficial teachings, so it is important that we develop a strong intention to practice them purely.
257If the Mahayana teachings were to vanish from this world, we would have no opportunity to become a Buddha. Therefore, while we still have access to these precious teachings, we should apply ourself to them assiduously and try to gain some experience of them.
258The etymology of Secret Mantra is as follows. ‘Secret’ indicates that these methods should be practiced discreetly. If we make a display of our practices, we will attract many hindrances and negative forces. This would be like someone talking openly and carelessly about a precious jewel they possessed and, as a result, attracting the attention of thieves.
259‘Mantra’ means ‘protection for the mind’. The function of Secret Mantra is to enable us to progress swiftly through the stages of the spiritual path by protecting our mind against ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions.
260For more information on this subject, see Tantric Grounds and Paths.
261
262PRACTICE TANTRA?
263It is often said that the path of Tantra is superior to the path of Sutra, but to understand why this is so we need to engage in a precise study of both Sutra and Tantra; otherwise our statements about the superiority of Tantra will be mere words.
264Moreover, if we do not study both Sutra and Tantra well, we shall find it difficult to understand how to practice the union of Sutra and Tantra, and then there will be a great danger of our either rejecting the practice of Tantra or ignoring the practice of Sutra.
265The teachings of Tantra, or Secret Mantra as it is sometimes called, are the rarest and most precious of Buddha’s teachings. It is only by following the path of Secret Mantra that we can attain enlightenment, or Buddhahood.
266Why can we not attain full enlightenment just by practicing the paths of Sutra? There are two main reasons. First, to attain Buddhahood we need to accomplish both the Truth Body and the Form Body of a Buddha.
267Although Sutra teachings present a general explanation of how these two bodies are accomplished in dependence upon the stages of the path of wisdom and method, they do not give precise explanations of the actual direct, substantial causes of these two bodies. The direct, substantial cause of the Truth Body is meaning clear light, and the direct, substantial cause of the Form Body is the illusory body. These are explained only in Secret Mantra.
268The second reason why Sutra paths cannot lead us to full enlightenment is that Sutra teachings do not present methods for overcoming the very subtle obstructions to omniscience – the subtle dualistic appearances associated with the minds of white appearance, red increase, and black near-attainment.
269These three minds become manifest when our inner winds dissolve within the central channel during sleep, during the death process, or during completion stage meditation.
270Although these minds are subtle minds they are nevertheless contaminated minds because their objects – the appearance of space pervaded by white light, the appearance of space pervaded by red light, and the appearance of space pervaded by darkness – appear as inherently existent.
271These appearances of inherent existence are subtle dualistic appearances, and very subtle obstructions to omniscience. Because Sutra teachings do not explain how to recognize the subtle minds of white appearance, red increase, and black near-attainment, Sutra Bodhisattvas are unable even to recognize the subtle dualistic appearances associated with them, let alone abandon them.
272In general, dualistic appearance is the appearance to a mind of both its object and inherent existence. All the minds of living beings, with the exception of the exalted awareness of meditative equipoise of Superior beings, have this appearance.
273A direct realization of emptiness with a gross mind does not have the power to overcome the subtle dualistic appearances associated with the minds of white appearance, red increase, and black near-attainment.
274The only way to abandon these subtle dualistic appearances is to realize emptiness directly with a very subtle mind of clear light. Since the methods for manifesting and using the very subtle mind of clear light are explained only in Secret Mantra, anyone who wishes to attain Buddhahood definitely needs to enter this path.
275For more information, see Tantric Grounds and Paths and Clear Light of Bliss
276
277TANTRA
278Je Tsongkhapa explained that an authentic Secret Mantra practice must possess four attributes, known as the ‘four complete purities’. These are:
279
280* Complete purity of place
281* Complete purity of body
282* Complete purity of enjoyments
283* Complete purity of deeds
284
285The practice of these four complete purities was not revealed in the Sutra teachings, but is to be found only in Secret Mantra.
286Secret Mantra is distinguished from Sutra by the practice of bringing the future result into the present path. For example, even though we have not yet attained enlightenment, when we practise Secret Mantra we try to prevent ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions of our environment and instead visualize our surroundings as the mandala of a Deity.
287In the same way, we prevent ordinary appearance of our body, our enjoyments, and our deeds, and, in their place, generate ourself as a Deity, visualize our enjoyments as those of a Buddha, and practise performing enlightened deeds.
288By doing such practices, we can attain the resultant state of Buddhahood very rapidly.
289These four practices are essential for both the generation stage and completion stage of Secret Mantra.
290For more information, see Tantric Grounds and Paths and Clear Light of Bliss
291
292LEVELS OF TANTRA
293Tantra, or Secret Mantra, has four levels:
294
295Action Tantra
Performance Tantra
Yoga Tantra
Highest Yoga Tantra
296
297Action Tantra principally emphasizes external actions, Performance Tantra places equal emphasis on both external and internal actions, Yoga Tantra principally emphasizes internal actions, and Highest Yoga Tantra is the supreme class of Tantra.
298All four levels of Secret Mantra transform great bliss into the spiritual path, but the methods of transformation differ according to the level being practised.
299In Action Tantra, the meditator generates bliss by looking at a visualized goddess, and then transforms that bliss into the path. In Performance Tantra, the meditator generates bliss by exchanging smiles with the goddess, and in Yoga Tantra, by holding hands with her and so forth.
300In Highest Yoga Tantra, the meditator generates bliss by imagining sexual embrace with a consort and, at advanced stages, by engaging in actual embrace; and then transforms that bliss into the spiritual path. It should be noted, however, that it is very difficult to use great bliss as a method for attaining enlightenment, and if we are able to do so we have indeed attained a formidable accomplishment.
301As the great Mahasiddha Saraha said, ‘Everyone is excited by copulation, but very few can transform that bliss into the spiritual path’.
302For more information, see Tantric Grounds and Paths.
303
304ATTACHMENT & TANTRA
305Generally, Buddhism teaches that attachment is a delusion that is to be avoided, and eventually abandoned, but in Secret Mantra there is a method for transforming attachment into the path.
306However, to practice this method we must be very skillful. In this practice, we use attachment to generate great bliss and then use that mind of great bliss to meditate on emptiness. Only if we can do this is it a transformation of attachment.
307Attachment itself cannot be used directly as a path because it is a delusion, and even in Secret Mantra it is finally to be abandoned. In authentic Secret Mantra practice, the bliss generated from attachment meditates on emptiness and thereby overcomes all the delusions, including attachment itself.
308This is similar to the way in which the fire produced from rubbing two pieces of wood together eventually consumes the wood from which it arose.
309For those who are unskillful, or whose minds are untrained, such practices of transformation are impossible. For this reason, the Yogis and great meditators of the past have said that to attain the realizations of Secret Mantra, one’s mind should first be controlled by training in the Sutra stages of the path. Without building this firm foundation, there is absolutely no way to attain a pure experience of Secret Mantra.
310It is very important, therefore, that both the Spiritual Guide and the disciple have controlled minds and an impeccable motivation. Even though we may call ourself a Buddhist and take refuge in the Three Jewels every day, these alone are insufficient qualifications for the practice of Secret Mantra.
311It should be noted that the spontaneous great bliss of the completion stage of Secret Mantra is not the same as ordinary pleasure experienced at the height of sexual embrace.
312Spontaneous great bliss is experienced only when, through the force of meditation, we cause the winds to enter, abide, and dissolve within the central channel and, as a result, the white drop melts and flows through the central channel.
313Using spontaneous great bliss to realize emptiness was the essential heart practice of the great Secret Mantra Masters of ancient India, such as Saraha, Nagarjuna, Tilopa, Naropa, and Maitripa; and of the great Tibetan Masters, such as Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, and Je Tsongkhapa.
314As in the past, so today – the Secret Mantra meditator’s supreme path to perfect enlightenment is the union of spontaneous great bliss and emptiness.
315For more information, see Tantric Grounds and Paths and Clear Light of Bliss
316
317
318
319BUDDHADHARMA:
320
321ABOUT DHARMA
322Dharma means “protection”. By practicing Buddha's teachings we protect ourself from suffering and problems. All the problems we experience during daily life originate in ignorance, and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practice Dharma.
323Practicing Dharma is the supreme method for improving the quality of our human life. The quality of life depends not upon external development or material progress, but upon the inner development of peace and happiness.
324For example, in the past many Buddhists lived in poor and underdeveloped countries, but they were able to find pure, lasting happiness by practicing what Buddha had taught.
325If we integrate Buddha’s teachings into our daily life, we will be able to solve all our inner problems and attain a truly peaceful mind. Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible.
326If we first establish peace within our minds by training in spiritual paths, outer peace will come naturally; but if we do not, world peace will never be achieved, no matter how many people campaign for it.
327An extensive presentation of Dharma can be found in Joyful Path of Good Fortune
328
329DHARMA WHEEL
330Buddha’s teachings, which are known as Dharma are likened to a wheel that moves from country to country in accordance with changing conditions and people’s karmic inclinations.
331The external forms of presenting Buddhism may change as it meets with different cultures and societies, but its essential authenticity is ensured through the continuation of an unbroken lineage of realized practitioners.
332Buddha’s teachings are said to be like a precious wheel because, wherever they spread, the people in that area have the opportunity to control their minds by putting them into practice.
333
334TURNING THE DHARMA WHEEL
335After Buddha attained enlightenment, as a result of requests he rose from meditation and taught the first Wheel of Dharma. These teachings, which include the Sutra of the Four Noble Truths and other discourses, are the principal source of the Hinayana, or Lesser Vehicle, of Buddhism.
336Later, Buddha taught the second and third Wheels of Dharma, which include the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras and the Sutra Discriminating the Intention, respectively. These teachings are the source of the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, of Buddhism.
337In the Hinayana teachings, Buddha explains how to attain liberation from suffering for oneself alone. In the Mahayana teachings he explains how to attain full enlightenment, or Buddhahood, for the sake of others. Both traditions flourished in Asia, at first in India and then gradually in other surrounding countries, including Tibet. Now they are also beginning to flourish in countries throughout the world.
338Each year Buddha turning the Wheel of Dharma is celebrated in Kadampa centres around the world on a special day called Turning The Wheel of Dharma Day
339More information on Buddha’s turning the Wheel of Dharma can be found in Heart of Wisdom and Ocean of Nectar
340
341REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DHARMA WHEEL
342The Dharma Wheel appears above the door of traditional Kadampa Temples between a male and female deer. These symbolize the stages of the path of Highest Yoga Tantra.
343The eight auspicious signs symbolize in general how to progress along the Buddhist path. The Dharma Wheel, deer, and top vajra teach you the stages of the path of Highest Yoga Tantra. The male deer symbolizes the realization of great bliss. The female deer symbolizes the realization of emptiness. The Wheel of Dharma symbolizes the union of these two.
344Through progressing in this union of great bliss and emptiness, finally you will attain the five omniscient wisdoms of a Buddha, which are symbolized by the top five-pronged vajra.
345There is also a large Dharma Wheel in the lantern tower of the Temples containing precious scriptures, symbolizing the Holy Dharma spreading throughout all worlds.
346The Dharma Wheel is also used in Tharpa Publications logo to symbolize the pure Dharma of Kadampa Buddhism spreading throughout the world through the works of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
347In the center of the Dharma Wheel is the logo of International Kadampa Buddism - a radiant sun rising behind a snow-clad mountain.
348This symbolizes the sun of  Kadampa Buddhism, which came from behind the Eastern Snow Mountains, now radiating to many countries throughout the world through the power of Geshe Kelsang’s deeds.
349
350DHARMA PRACTICE
351To practice Dharma means to apply  Buddha's teachings in your daily life.
352The purpose of this Dharma practice is to enable us to attain permanent liberation from lower rebirth.
353At present we are human and free from lower rebirth, but this is only a temporary and not a permanent liberation from lower rebirth. Until we gain a deep realization of refuge, we shall have to take lower rebirth again and again in countless future lives.
354We attain permanent liberation from lower rebirth by sincerely relying upon the Three Jewels: Buddha – the source of all refuge, Dharma – the realization of Buddha’s teachings, and Sangha – pure Dharma practitioners who help us with our spiritual practice.
355Dharma is like medicine that prevents the sufferings of the three lower realms, Buddha is the doctor who gives us this medicine, and the Sangha are the nurses who assist us. Understanding this, we go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha and sincerely apply the Dharma to our lives
356
357
358
359BUDDHISM DAYS:
360
361BUDDHA’S ENLIGHTENMENT DAY
362April 15th marks the anniversary of Buddha Shakyamuni demonstrating the attainment of enlightenment in 589 B.C.E.
363This is an extremely important day in the Buddhist calendar because our actions are 100,000 times more powerful than on other days.
364This event is marked by special purification and fasting retreats in Kadampa Buddhist Centers worldwide based on the practice Drop of Essential Nectar. 
365This practice, which is done in conjunction with Eleven-faced Avalokiteshvara. It is very powerful for purifying negative karma of body, speech, and mind, and for pacifying strong delusions such as desirous attachment and hatred.
366It is also a special method for receiving blessings and improving our experience of love, compassion, and bodhichitta.
367
368TSOG DAYS
369Each month there are two days, the 10th and 25th, on which it is especially important for practitioners of Highest Yoga Tantra in general, and of Heruka and Vajrayogini in particular to perform a tsog offering.
370The tsog offering is very important for renewing commitments and averting obstacles. It is a special method through which we come under the care and guidance of the Dakas and Dakinis who bestow completion stage realizations. Our wealth, merit, and great bliss will increase through this practice.
371A `tsog’ is an assembly of Heroes and Heroines. The terms `Hero and Heroine’ and `Daka and Dakini’ are interchangeable. Shantideva said that a real Hero or Heroine is someone who has destroyed their self-cherishing mind, has conquered their delusions, and has developed the courage to help many living beings.
372When we make a tsog offering we should regard both those to whom the offering is made and those who are making the offering as Heroes and Heroines. We offer the tsog offering to the Field for Accumulating Merit, which includes the entire assembly of Heroes and Heroines.
373When we gather together in a group to do a tsog offering puja it is very important that we regard everyone as an assembly of Heroes and Heroines. If we do this puja alone we should visualize ourself surrounded by all beings in the aspect of Heroes and Heroines. Kadampa centers usually arrange an Offering to the Spiritual Guide puja together with a tsog offering on the 10th and 25th of each month.
374
375HERUKA & VAJRAYOGINI MONTH
376The month of January, specifically 3-31, is a powerful time for practitioners of Heruka and Vajrayogini to make offerings and do retreat.
377The two tsog days within this month are particularly special. The first, January 10, is a special day of Vajrayogini, and the second, January 25, is a special day of Heruka. It is particularly important to make special offerings on these two days.
378
379NKT DAY
380The first Saturday in April is set aside to commemorate the founding of NKT-IKBU by Venerable Geshe Kelsang  in 1991.
381The occasion is marked by special events and by pujas and dedications at Kadampa centers worldwide.
382Prayers are made for the flourishing of Kadam Dharma throughout the world so that all living beings might quickly find permanent inner peace.
383Above all, we remember the extraordinary kindness of Venerable Geshe Kelsang in founding NKT–IKBUand pray for him to remain with us for a very long time.
384
385TURNING THE WHEEL OF DHARMA DAY
386June 4 marks the anniversary of Buddha’s first teaching in this world and also the birthday of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the Founder of the New Kadampa Tradition - International Kadampa Buddhist Union.
387Forty-nine days after Buddha attained enlightenment, as a result of requests he rose from meditation and taught the first Wheel of Dharma. These teachings, which include the Sutra of the Four Noble Truths and other discourses, are the principal source of the Hinayana, or Lesser Vehicle, of Buddhism.
388Later, Buddha taught the second and third Wheels of Dharma, which include the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras and the Sutra Discriminating the Intention, respectively. These teachings are the source of the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, of Buddhism.
389It is because of the great kindness of Buddha in turning the Wheel of Dharma that the people of this world have the opportunity to follow a spiritual path to the permanent inner peace of enlightenment. Without these teachings there would be no path for us to follow and so no possibility of bringing our suffering to an end.
390To commemorate this special day, Kadampa Buddhist centers around the world hold special events with prayers for Buddha’s teachings to flourish in this world for a very long time.
391
392BUDDHA’S RETURN FROM HEAVEN DAY
393September 22 marks the celebration of Buddha’s Return from Heaven Day.
394The following explanation is an extract from a talk given by Geshe Kelsang on this day in 1991:
395‘On this day we celebrate Buddha’s return from the desire god realm called Land of the Thirty-three Heavens, where he had been to visit his mother who had been reborn there.
396Traditionally this day also marks the end of the summer retreat. Every year, during the summer months, Buddha did a three-month retreat with his disciples. His reason for doing this was to avoid harming insects and other animals.
397If we go out a lot during the summer months we will naturally kill more insects and other animals than at other times of the year. The nature of Buddhadharma is compassion – an unbiased compassion that is not just for human beings but for every living being, including animals.
398In fact, we should have stronger compassion for animals than for human beings because animals suffer more. Human beings have better conditions and are more fortunate than animals. Because animals have so much suffering and no freedom, out of compassion Buddhists should try not to kill or disturb them. So, for three months during the summer, Buddha advised his disciples to retreat, staying always inside and living carefully and conscientiously.
399One year during the annual summer retreat Buddha went to the Land of the Thirty-three Heavens. After his mother died she had taken rebirth in this god realm, so-called because it has thirty-three different types of god.
400The king of this realm is called Indra. The Indra who was king at that time was also Buddha’s disciple and he invited Buddha to go there. So Buddha went to benefit his mother and also, at Indra’s request, to benefit the other gods living there. He stayed three months, and then returned on this day.
401This day is therefore very special. It is said that if we engage in any kind of virtuous action on this day it becomes especially powerful and our merit greatly increases. For example, if we offer one single light offering this action is multiplied to become millions of light offerings.
402On this day we should especially remember Buddha’s kindness.
403We now have a special wisdom that understands that killing animals is a negative action, so we abandon killing. We now have a special wisdom that understands what love is and can distinguish between love and attachment, so we try to abandon attachment and increase our love. Thus, we have a wonderful opportunity to develop unbiased compassion for all living beings, and in this way we can gain the special realization of bodhichitta, which is the root of complete enlightenment.
404We now have the chance to abandon our self-grasping, which is the source of all suffering and problems. We have the wisdom that understands what self-grasping is, how it harms us and how to abandon it. All this knowledge and all our wisdom realizations come from the kindness of Buddha Shakyamuni.
405All Je Tsongkhapa’s books are commentaries to Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings. They help to clarify them and make it easier for us to understand them. Nowadays human beings are very intelligent and knowledgeable about how to develop and produce external things, but their understanding or wisdom about the profound Dharma of the inner spiritual path is very poor and weak. Je Tsongkhapa made it very easy for us to understand this. He clarified everything and made it easy for us to integrate all of Buddha’s teachings in a very practical way.
406Because Je Tsongkhapa’s books are commentaries to Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings, when we are studying Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings we are studying Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings, and when we are practicing Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings we are practicing Buddha’s teachings.
407All the books we study on the General Program, Foundation Program, and Teaching Training Program, are commentaries to Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings. They clarify Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings and explain how to practice and integrate them into our everyday life. They are a special presentation, but in reality they are all commentaries to Je Tsongkhapa’s books. We are therefore studying Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings – and in doing this we are studying Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings.
408In reality, every teaching we study and practise comes fundamentally from Buddha Shakyamuni; all our wisdom that understands Dharma comes from his kindness. Realizing this we should dedicate all the virtues we accumulate today to fulfilling his wish.
409What is Buddha’s wish? His main wish is that his teachings flourish throughout the world so that all living beings find release from the suffering ocean of samsara and attain permanent inner peace, permanent freedom, and eventually great enlightenment. Because the real method to find release from samsara is to practice Buddha’s teachings, unless they flourish in this world it is impossible to attain actual liberation.
410Buddha doesn’t need anything for himself because he has completed everything – he has fulfilled all his personal wishes. His sole remaining wish is that living beings attain liberation and enlightenment through practicing his teachings. In other words, his wish is for pure Buddhadharma to flourish throughout the world to free all living beings from every kind of problem and suffering.
411We should therefore dedicate all the virtues we accumulate today for this purpose.
412
413TSONGKHAPA DAY
414October 25 is Je Tsongkhapa Day, when we remember the great kindness of Je Tsongkhapa.
415The following is extracted from a talk given by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso on Je Tsongkhapa Day 1996 at Manjushri KMC.
416‘Before Je Tsongkhapa appeared in Tibet, many Tibetan scholars and practitioners already knew that he was coming because of predictions made by Buddha Shakyamuni that in the future Manjushri would appear as the Tibetan Lama, Je Tsongkhapa.
417You may recall that Buddha in his Root Tantra of Manjushri said to his Heart Disciple Manjushri:
418After I pass away
And my pure doctrine is absent,
You will appear as an ordinary being,
Performing the deeds of a Buddha
And establishing the Joyful Land, the great Protector,
In the Land of the Snows.
419‘The Land of the Snows’ refers to Tibet, and ‘Joyful Land’ refers both to Ganden Monastery and to the Ganden doctrine, the great Protector.
420Buddha was saying that in the future, after he had passed away and his pure doctrine was finished, at that time Manjushri would appear in the aspect of an ordinary being but would perform exactly the same actions as a Buddha, and in particular he would establish Ganden Monastery and the great Protector, the Ganden doctrine, or Je Tsongkhapa’s Dharma, in Tibet.
421If we memorize and contemplate deeply the meaning of Buddha’s words it will give us much advice, a good feeling, and a profound understanding. When he says that Manjushri would appear as an ordinary being but perform the deeds of a Buddha, he is describing Je Tsongkhapa’s special characteristic.
422Although Je Tsongkhapa had the highest realisations of Highest Yoga Tantra he never physically showed that he was a Tantric yogi. He lived like as an ordinary pure practitioner, emphasising by his outward appearance the pure practice of moral discipline. However, his daily life was that of a Bodhisattva, and his inner realisation of experiencing the union of great bliss and emptiness day and night was the very essence of Highest Yoga Tantra
423He had already gained this experience many lifetimes previously, but he appeared as a Tibetan Lama for the purpose of showing clearly a special example of how to begin, make progress on, and complete the stages of the path to enlightenment.
424He appeared as an ordinary human being for the benefit of his future followers. Buddha Shakyamuni also did the same. He took birth as an apparently ordinary human being, became ordained, engaged in meditation, and finally demonstrated attaining enlightenment.
425Most of you know the story of Buddha’s life: how he got ordained, engaged in meditation retreat for six years, and finally under the Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya attained enlightenment.
426The way Je Tsongkhapa demonstrated his attainment of enlightenment was a little bit different. He did not show his attainment of enlightenment during his life, but while he was passing away.
427When the time came for him to leave his old, gross body that had come from his ordinary parents, ordinary people thought he was dying, but at that time instead of experiencing the ordinary clear light of death that is experienced by ordinary beings during the death process, he experienced the ultimate example clear light.
428From that state, instead of arising from the clear light of death in the form of a bardo, or intermediate state, being he appeared in the form of the illusory body. From that state, instead of taking an ordinary rebirth he attained the Emanation Body of a Buddha. In this way, he showed the manner of attaining enlightenment.
429He showed this way of attaining enlightenment for certain specific reasons that would help his future followers. However, many of his direct disciples, as well as many of his future followers, including Gyalwa Ensapa, for example, attained enlightenment before death. As I have explained many times, Gyalwa Ensapa completed his training in Highest Yoga Tantra and attained full enlightenment in three years, and did not wait until the time of his death.
430There are many different ways to attain enlightenment. Since many of his disciples were ordained, Je Tsongkhapa wanted to show an especially good example to his ordained disciples. Thus he showed the manner of attaining enlightenment at the time of death instead of attaining enlightenment before death.
431Today we remember Je Tsongkhapa’s great kindness and dedicate all our virtuous actions including this evening’s puja so that his Dharma will flourish throughout the world and provide many living beings with the great opportunity to attain liberation and full enlightenment.
432
433INTERNATIONAL TEMPLES DAY
434On the first Saturday in November Kadampa centers worldwide celebrate the International Temples Project.
435Special events are held to raise funds for the project and prayers are made for the success and flourishing of the project and to dedicate the project to world peace.
436The following extract from a talk by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso explains the importance of temples and how they benefit all living beings in this and future generations:
437‘According to Buddhist view, especially Mahayana Buddhist view, a Temple is a representation of Buddha’s Pure Land. Statues or images of Buddha are representations of Buddha’s body, stupas are representations of Buddha’s mind, and Dharma books are representations of Buddha’s speech. These are holy, precious objects.
438For these reasons I recommend building Temples as one of the best ways of benefiting other living beings.
439The main function of a Temple is that those who see it or develop faith in it will receive special blessings.
440Whoever sees a Temple or an image of Buddha will receive the blessings of Buddha. There is no difference with regard to Buddhists and non-Buddhists – anyone, whenever they see an image of Buddha, or a Temple, will receive blessings.
441Therefore I can say that from my side, or from our side, this is the best public benefit or public service.
442We accomplished this Temple so that even people who have no interest in teachings will receive some benefit from Buddhism – anyone, any being.
443It doesn’t matter whether they have faith or not. Whoever sees a representation of the Pure Land of Buddha, and representations of Buddha’s form body, mind, and speech, will receive blessings.’
444
445
446
447HOW TO SAY A BUDDHIST PRAYER: 
448
449Buddhism is not marked by multiple "essential" prayers, like some other religions, but prayer is a spiritual dialogue that help you center yourself mentally and emotionally. As you begin to pray, visualize the beings you mention as happy and peaceful. Envision your thoughts of loving-kindness reaching them, touching them, embracing them and making them well, happy, and peaceful.
450
1.
Center yourself with good posture, steady breathing and mindfulness. 
451Before praying, take a deep breath, get comfortable, and close your eyes. Focus on the here and now, centering yourself however feels right. You want to sink into your prayers, not just say them.
452    - Candles, scents, and low lighting can help calm yourself down and bring yourself closer to your prayer.
453
2.
Learn some basic mantras.
454Mantras are simply phrases meant to be repeated over and over again. You do not necessarily need to know their full meanings, as the words themselves, through repetition, lose their "meaning" and help you avoid distraction.
455    - Om mani padme hum:Pronounced ohm man-ee pad-mae hoom, this translates to "Hail to the jewel in the lotus."
456    - Oṃ Amideva Hrīḥ: Pronounced "OM Ami-dehva re." Or, in English, "To overcome all obstacles & hindrances"
457    - Om A Ra Pa Ca Na Dhih: This chant is believed to help with wisdom, critical thinking, and writing. Emphasise the "Dhih" (pronounced Di) when chanting
458    - There are many, many other chants out  there to practice, and listening to audio tracks is a great way to learn them quickly.
459
3.
Try repeating or voicing a simple prayer for the Three Jewels.
460This prayer is good, short prayer that can be repeated as a mantra. Remember to focus on yourself and your own spiritual growth, not simply asking for it from Buddha:
461
462"I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
463Until I attain Enlightenment.
464By merit accumulations from practicing generosity and the other perfections
465May I attain Enlightenment, for the benefit of all sentient beings."

466    - Sangha translates as "community, group, or assembly." It usually refers to the community of believers in Buddhist ideals.
467    - Dharma is the overall universal truth common to all people. It is the common force, of sorts, that binds and holds the universe together.
468
4.
Pray for the happiness and wellbeing of your friends and family. 
469This prayer is a great way to stay thankful for the people around you, and to recognize their connection.
470
471"May I be well, happy, and peaceful.
472May my teachers be well, happy, and peaceful.
473May my parents be well, happy, and peaceful.
474May my relatives be well, happy, and peaceful.
475May my friends be well, happy, and peaceful.
476May the indifferent persons be well, happy, and peaceful.
477May the unfriendly persons be well, happy, and peaceful.
478May all meditators be well, happy, and peaceful.
479May all beings be well, happy, and peaceful."
480
5.
Perform simple thankfulness prayers before meals. 
481Mealtime is a wonderful time to slow down and show gratitude for earthly blessings. Eating food is a time where you can become close to those around you and respect your physical nature. Try out the following mealtime prayers: 
482
483"May this food be dedicated to the triple jewel
484The precious Buddha
485The precious Dharma
486The precious Sangha
487Bless this food so we may take it as medicine
488Free from attachment and desire
489So that it may nourish our bodies so we may
490Work for the benefit of all sentient beings."
491
6.
Learn the Metta Prayer. 
492The following prayer, adapted from a lecture by The Buddha, is an all-emcompassing and powerful prayer to repeat to yourself:
493"In order that I may be skilled in discerning what is good, in order that I may understand the path to peace,
494Let me be able, upright, and straightforward, of good speech, gentle, and free from pride;
495Let me be contented, easily satisfied, having few duties, living simply, of controlled senses, prudent, without pride and without attachment to nation, race, or other groups.
496Let me not do the slightest thing for which the wise might rebuke me. Instead let me think:
497May all beings be well and safe, may they be at ease.
498Whatever living beings there may be, whether moving or standing still, without exception, whether large, great, middling, or small, whether tiny or substantial,
499Whether seen or unseen, whether living near or far,
500Born or unborn; may all beings be happy.
501Let none deceive or despise another anywhere. Let none wish harm to another, in anger or in hate.”
502Just as a mother would guard her child, her only child, with her own life, even so let me cultivate a boundless mind for all beings in the world.
503Let me cultivate a boundless love for all beings in the world, above, below, and across, unhindered, without ill will or enmity.
504Standing, walking, seated, or lying down, free from torpor, let me as far as possible fix my attention on this recollection. This, they say, is the divine life right here."
505
7.
Remember that prayer is simply a way to connect to yourself spiritually. 
506Buddha is not a creator god, though some practices do see him as divine. That said, prayer is not meant as an offering to Buddha. Rather, it is a way to deepen your own spirituality. If you feel like praying, then you should pray, and worry about the theology later. You can, of course, make up your own specific mantras, and think about your own ways to pray, as there is no wrong way to practice.
507    - There are a vast array of prayers, and no right way to pray as a Buddhist. This frees you to practice your prayer and spirituality how you desire it, not how you 
508
509
510
511Method Two of Two:
512Using Tibetan Prayer Beads
513
1.
Use the beads to help count your prayers or mantras, not as a rigid amount of prayers you must say. The prayer beads, also known as Mala, are used to keep track of your prayers, not as some punishment or benchmark. They are a bit like rosaries, but know that they are there to help, not hinder, your spiritual practice.
514    - Counting the beads activates your body in the prayer, allowing you to work the body (beads), mind (prayer), and spirit (visualization) at once.
515    - You can use whatever prayers or mantras you desire with your beads.
516    - Prayer beads can be found online, or purchased at many Buddhist temples or Tibetan shops.
517
2.
Understand the make-up of a mala. 
518There are, usually 108 beads on a Tibetan Prayer Bead, plus one larger "head bead." Whenever you get around the mala, you're considered to have accomplished 100 prayers/mantras, with the other 8 used as spares in case you miscounted or missed a mantra.
519    - Some people believe the head bead has special significance, and it is sometimes called the "guru bead." This bead is your teacher, leading you through the prayer cycle.
520
3.
Perform a prayer for each bead. Close your eyes and feel the first bead, often the head bead. Perform your prayer or mantra completely, then move up to the next bead, feeling your way up the mala. Some people use different mantras for the different sized beads, if you have them.
521    - You may use your right or left hand to count on.
522    - Don't worry about getting it all "perfect." Focus on visualizing your prayer as you say it, staying completely in the current moment. Ground yourself in the physical world by keeping your hands on your current bead.
523
4.
Do not skip over the guru bead once you've completed the first set. 
524Once you've gone all the way around the beads, flip the chain over and keep going in the same direction you were already going.
525    - This is mostly symbolic, indicating that you would not "step-over" your teacher, guru, or head.
526
5.
Store your mala in a clean, high place, or around you neck and hands. 
527There is nothing wrong with wearing your mala, keeping it with you so that you can count your prayers anywhere. If you are not carrying it, hang it somewhere out of the way or on your alter, tucked away safely.
528
529
530
531- Can a person be blessed just by touching a Buddha statue?
532    - Traditionally, Buddhists do not touch, but bow. And yes, you can be blessed by it, insofar as your intention is "to do good, and to avoid doing evil." If you cultivate this view, you can be blessed by anything. In any case, it is better to try to bless, and not to be blessed -- as cultivating the first Paramita, the perfection of giving, is one of the most important steps on the pass.


Is there a mantra for warding off evil spirits
533    - Say whatever you feel like saying during a prayer. Though Buddha is indeed listening, praying is more to grow yourself and become spirituality influenced.
534
535- There are many different forms and practices of Buddhism. Many of them have different types and styles of prayer, but none of them are inherently wrong. Some use no formalized prayer at all. Do what feels right to you.
536
537
538
539MORE PRAYERS:
540   Buddhist Prayers   
541Founded in India 2,500 years ago, Buddhism remains the dominant religion of the Far East and is increasingly popular in the West. Over its long history Buddhism has developed into a wide variety of forms, ranging from an emphasis on religious rituals and worship of deities to a complete rejection of both rituals and deities in favor of pure meditation. But all share in common a great respect for the teachings of the Buddha, "The Enlightened One"
542
543
544A BUDDHIST PRAYER FOR PEACE
545"May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their illnesses. 
May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free. 
May the powerless find power and may people think of befriending one another. 
May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wildernesses - the children, the aged, the unprotected - be guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood."
 - U.N. Day of Prayer for World Peace 2
546
547EARTH PRAYER
548"We gently caress you, the Earth, our planet and our home. 
Our vision has brought us closer to you, making us aware of the harm we have done to the life-network upon which we ourselves depend. 
We are reminded that we have poisoned your waters, your lands, your air.  
We have filled you with the bones of our dead from war and greed.  
Your pain is our pain. 
Touching you gently, we pray that we may become peace-bringers and life-bringers so that our home in its journey around the Sun not become a sterile and lonely place.  
May this prayer and its power last forever."
 - Sensei Ulrich, Manitoba Buddhist Temple 3
549
550WATER FLOWS
551"Water flows over these hands.
May I use them skillfully
to preserve our precious planet."
 - Thich Nhat Hanh
552
553
554OVER CHERRY BLOSSOMS
555"Over cherry blossoms
white clouds
over clouds
the deep sky
over cherry blossoms
over clouds
over the sky
I can climb on forever
once in spring
I with god
had a quiet talk."
 - Shuntaro Tanikawa
556
557GOLDEN CHAIN
558"I am a link in Lord Buddha’s golden chain of love that stretches around the world. 
I must keep my link bright and strong. 
I will try to be kind and gentle to every living thing, and protect all who are weaker than myself.  
I will try to think pure and beautiful thoughts, to say pure and beautiful words, and to do pure and beautiful deeds, knowing that on what I do now depends my happiness and misery.
May every link in Lord Buddha’s golden chain of love become bright and strong and may we all attain perfect peace."
 - Buddhist Prayer
559
560PRAYER IF LOVINGKINDNESS
561"May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings awaken to 
the light of their true nature.
May all beings be free."
 - Metta Prayer
562
563MAY PEACE HARMONIOUS
564"May peace harmonious bless this land;
May it be ever free from maladies and war;
May there be harvest rich, and increased yield of grain;
May everyone delight in righteousness;
May no perverted thought find entry to your minds;
May all your thoughts e’er pious be and lead
to your success religiously."
 - Tibetan Great Yogi, Milarepa
565
566TIBETAN WIND HORSE PRAYER
567"As Wind carries our prayers for Earth and All Life, may respect and love light our way.
May our hearts be filled with compassion for others and for ourselves.
May peace increase on Earth. May it begin with me."
 - Tibetan prayer flag is 'Lung ta', meaning 'Wind Horse'
568
569MIKKYO PRAYER
570"May we realize Buddhahood in this very life.
May we dedicate ourselves to the well-being of people.
May we establish the World of Buddha on this earth."
 -  Practitioner Vows
571
572BUDDHIST PRAYER
573"We reverently pray for 
eternal harmony in the universe.
May the weather be seasonable, 
may the harvest be fruitful, 
may countries exist in harmony, 
and may all people enjoy happiness."
 - Buddhist Prayer
574
575BODHISATTVA PRAYER FOR HUMANITY
576"May I be a guard for those who need protection
A guide for those on the path
A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
May I be a lamp in the darkness
A resting place for the weary
A healing medicine for all who are sick
A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance and awakening
Enduring like the earth and sky
Until all beings are freed from sorrow
And all are awakened."
 - Shantideva, Indian Buddhist sage 700 A.D.  Prayer performed each morning by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
577
578WELL, HAPPY, AND PEACEFUL
579"May I be well, happy, and peaceful.
May my teachers be well, happy, and peaceful.
May my parents be well, happy, and peaceful.
May my relatives be well, happy, and peaceful.
May my friends be well, happy, and peaceful.
May the indifferent persons be well, happy, and peaceful.
May the unfriendly persons be well, happy, and peaceful.
May all meditators be well, happy, and peaceful.
May all beings be well, happy, and peaceful."
 - Buddhist Prayer
580
581BEING PEACE
582"If we are peaceful.
If we are happy.
We can smile and blossom
Like a flower.
And everyone
In our family,
Our entire society
Will benefit
From our peace."
 - Thich Nhat Hanh
583
584A BUDDHIST PRAYER
585"Evoking the presence of great compassion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion – towards ourselves and towards all living beings.
Let us pray that all living beings realize that they are all brothers and sisters, all nourished from the same source of life."
 - Buddhist Prayer
586
587WE PRAY FOR PEACE
588"We pray for peace in all the world;
We pray that evil may be overcome by good;
We pray for harmony in the Sangha,
and for the cessation of all disaster."
 - From Shasta Abbey
589
590OFFERING THE MANDALA
591"Here is the great Earth, 
filled with the smell of incense, 
covered with a blanket of flowers, 
the Great Mountain, the Four Continents, 
wearing a jewel of the Sun and Moon.
In my mind I make them the Paradise of a Buddha, 
and offer it all to You.
By this deed, May every living being 
Experience the Pure World."

592NEW YEAR POEM AND WISHES
593"Under the glorious canopy of redwood trees
The New Year peacock dances
Sun and moon rise into the blue sky
The earth grows and happinesss increases
In this New Year"
 - H.E. Khempo Yurmed Tinly Rinpoche
594
595SKY IS FREE
596"Sky is free.
Ocean is blissful.
Trees are divine.
Rocks are enlightened.
So are we.
Who is still searching ...
for what?"
 - Anam Thubten Rinpoche
597
598ENLIGHTENMENT
599"Enlightenment is like the moon reflected on the water. 
The moon does not get wet, nor is the water broken. 
Although its light is wide and great, 
The moon is reflected even in a puddle an inch wide. 
The whole moon and the entire sky 
Are reflected in one dewdrop on the on the grass."
 - Dogen
600
6011. OPENING THE SŪTRA
602"The unsurpassed, profound true Dharma
Is hard to encounter in billions of kalpas.
This I now have seen and heard, and can accept and uphold,
Hoping to understand the true meaning of the Tathāgatas."
603
6042. TRANSFERRING MERIT
605"May the merit of my practice
Adorn Buddhas’ Pure Lands,
Requite the fourfold kindness from above,
And relieve the suffering of the three life-journeys below.
Universally wishing sentient beings,
Friends, foes, and karmic creditors.
All to activate the bodhi mind
And all to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss"
606
6073. THE FOUR VAST VOWS
608"Sentient beings are countless; I vow to deliver them all. Afflictions are endless; I vow to eradicate them all.
Dharma Doors are measureless; I vow to learn them all.
Buddha bohdi is unsurpassed; I vow to attain it."
609
6104. THE UNIVERSALLY WORTHY VOW OF THE TEN GREAT ACTIONS
611"First, make obeisance to Buddhas.
Second, praise Tathāgatas.
Third, make expansive offerings.
Fourth, repent of karma, the cause of hindrances.
Fifth, express sympathetic joy over others’ merits.
Sixth, request Buddhas to turn the Dharma wheel.
Seventh, beseech Buddhas to abide in the world.
Eighth, always follow Buddhas to learn.
Ninth, forever support sentient beings.
Tenth, universally transfer all merits to others."
612
6135. ALWAYS WALKING THE BODHISATTVA WAY 
614"May the three kinds of hindrances and all afflictions be eliminated.
May I gain wisdom and true understanding.
May all hindrances caused by sin be removed.
May I always walk the Bodhisattva Way, life after life."
615
6166. REPENTING OF ALL SINS
617"The evil karmas I have done with my body, voice, and mind are caused by greed, anger, and delusion, which are without a beginning. Before Buddhas I now supplicate for my repentance.
The evil karmas I have done with my body, voice, and mind are caused by greed, anger, and delusion, which are without a beginning. I repent of all sins, the cause of hindrances.
The evil karmas I have done with my body, voice, and mind are caused by greed, anger, and delusion, which are without a beginning. I repent of all the roots of sin."
618
6197. WISHING TO BE REBORN IN THE PURE LAND
620"I wish to be reborn in the Western Pure Land.
I wish to have as my parents a lotus flower in nine grades.
When the flower opens, I will see that Buddha and realize that dharmas have no birth,
And I will have as my companions the Bodhisattvas who never regress."
621
6228. SUPPLICATING TO BE REBORN IN THE PURE LAND
623"I single-mindedly take refuge in Amitābha Buddha in the World of Ultimate Bliss. Illuminate me with Your pure light and draw me in with Your loving, kind vows! Thinking only of You, I now call the name of the Tathāgata. For the sake of the Bodhi Way, I supplicate to be reborn in Your Pure Land.

Before this Buddha attained Buddhahood in the past, he made a vow: “Suppose there are sentient beings that, with earnest faith and delight, wish to reborn in my land, even if by only thinking ten thoughts. If they should fail to be reborn there, I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.”

My thinking of this Buddha is why I have gained entrance into the Tathāgata’s ocean of great vows. By the power of this Buddha’s lovingkindness, my sins will be expunged, and my roots of goodness will grow stronger. At the end of my life, I will know the coming of my time. My body will have no illness or suffering. My heart will have no greed or attachments. My mind will not be demented but will be peaceful as if in meditative concentration. This Buddha, holding a golden lotus-borne platform in His hands, together with a holy multitude, will come to receive me. In the instant of a thought, I will be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. When the lotus flower opens, I will see this Buddha and hear the Buddha Vehicle, and my Buddha wisdom will immediately unfold. I will widely deliver sentient beings, fulfilling my bodhi vow.

Homage to all Buddhas of the past, present, and future, in worlds in the ten directions!
Homage to all Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas!
Homage to mahā-prajñā-pāramitā!"
624
6259. ASCENDING THE GOLDEN STEPS
626"In the ocean-like lotus pond assembly, seated on lotus-borne platforms are Amitābha Tathāgata and Bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Great Might Arrived, who welcome me to ascend the golden steps. I majestically declare my great vows, wishing to leave all afflictions behind.

Homage to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the ocean-like lotus pond assembly!"
627(Repeat three times.)
628
62910. PRAISING AMITÄ€BHA BUDDHA
630"Amitābha Buddha in a golden body is
Unsurpassed in His excellent appearance and radiance.
The curling white hair between His eyebrows is like five Sumeru Mountains.
His blue eyes are as clear as four great oceans.
Present in His radiance are innumerable kotis of magically manifested Buddhas
And countless magically manifested Bodhisattvas.
He has made forty-eight vows to deliver sentient beings,
Enabling them to arrive in nine grades at the opposite shore.

Namo Amitābha Buddha of great lovingkindness and great compassion, in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss!
Namo Amitābha Buddha!"
631(Say these words or “namo amituo fo” as many times as one wishes.)
632
633
634
635Quotes and Inspirations
636May all beings everywhere be happy, peaceful, and free.
 - The Buddha
637
638Display a heart of boundless love for all the world.
 - The Buddha
639
640All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.
 - The Buddha
641
642When you make peace with yourself, you make peace with the world.                                 
 - Maha Ghosananda
643
644We are all Buddhas by nature.  We only have to awaken and recognize who and what we are and how we fit perfectly in this world.
 - Lama Surya Das
645
646Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible.  We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be achieved unless we first establish peace within our own mind.
 - Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
647
648The dedication of a virtuous act for all beings is like a adding a drop of water to the ocean.  As long as the ocean exists, the drop of water exists.  So, too, a small positive action, when directed toward the benefit of all beings, will endure forever.
 - The Buddha 
649
650If the mindset of people in the world became one that was kinder, friendlier and more compassionate towards one another, peace and harmony would definitely result, and there would also be greater harmony and peace between humanity and the environment. This has to be our aspiration.
 - Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, ‘Very Little Needs and Much Contentment' article, Rigpa's summer retreat 2008
651
652I believe that to meet the challenge of our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility. We must all learn to work not just for our own self, family, or nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace, the equitable use of natural resources, and through concern for future generations, the proper care of the environment.
 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama
653
654Buddhism emphasizes the impact our individual actions have on our lives and the world around us, and it follows from this perspective that caring for the natural world begins with each of us.
 - Gil Fronsdal, Vipassana teacher 4
655All are nothing but flowers
656
In a flowing universe.
 - Nakagawa Soen-Roshi
657
658You should entreat trees and rocks to preach the Dharma, and you should ask the rice fields and gardens for the truth.
 - Eihei Dogen
659
660My heart that was rapt away by the wild cherry blossoms - will it return to my body when they scatter?
 - Kotomichi
661
662The color of the mountains is Buddha's body; the sound of running water is his great speech.
 - Dogen
663
664When human beings lose their connection to nature, to heaven and earth, they do not know how to nurture their environment or how to rule their world – which is saying the same thing. Human beings destroy their own ecology at the same time that they destroy one another. From that perspective, healing our society goes hand and hand with healing our personal, elemental connection with the phenomenal world.
 - Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior)
665
666The escalating threat to the world’s environment and climate stems from a profound predicament that affects all humanity. We are ever more rapidly losing our connection with the sacred nature of our world. This tragedy affects us in so many ways, but at its heart, it is a crisis of the spirit. We are harming our planet and fellow beings because we are losing touch with the basic goodness of our own sacred being.
 - Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche (A Call to Contemplation and Action on Climate Change 2009)
667
668
669HOW TO CREATE A SIMPLE BUDDHIST SHRINE
670
671Are you Buddhist and haven't gotten around to making a shrine? This article will show you how to build a simple 
672
673Buddhist Shrine 
6741. 
675Choose a stable place to set the shrine. (Some people use a whole room.) It may be a table or a shelf, but be sure to have it at least above head level based on the usual use of the room.
676
6772. 
678Make a stand or shelf to support the objects. A simple start is a wooden stand with three levels. This will be the main surface of the shrine, so you may want to put some effort into this.
679
6803. 
681Place the objects onto the shrine. First you will need an image of the Buddha. You can have as many as you like. This will go on the topmost level of the shrine. It is considered 'bad etiquette' to place the Buddha (or Buddhas) lower than any other image in the same room. In the place of an image of Buddha, a mantra written on a piece of paper or similar is perfectly acceptable, and preferred in the Jōdo Shinshū (Pure Land) tradition of Buddhism and in Nichiren Buddhism. Some buddhist schools recommend certain standardized arrangements of images for their lay members, in Japan often as triptychs with the main Buddha surrounded by either bodhisattvas, dharma guardians or lineage masters. This is not necessary, even after Japanese standards, and Chinese-Taiwanese Buddhism is usually less standardized when it comes to home shrines.
682
6834. 
684If a suitable Buddha image simply cannot be obtained, a picture of Buddha's relics, a stūpa , a Buddhist holy book, a bodhi leaf or picture of the Buddha's footprints may be acceptable.
685
6865. 
687On the next level, you may place an image of a Buddhist teacher like the Dalai Lama or a small statue of the Chinese Bùdài (the Laughing Buddha, considered to be a manifestation of Buddha Maitreya.) Two guardian images may be an idea to consider: Either the 'lion-dogs' common at the entrance of South Asian monasteries or two dharmapalas/vidyarajas you feel familiar with (Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan Buddhists doesn't use exactly the same palas, and for persons into Tibetan Buddhism or Shingon there may be reasons to choose carefully).
688
6896. 
690Place offerings on the lowest level or, if you wish, a Buddhist scripture or a bowl of water. Some find a bell or singing bowl on a cushion useful.
691
6927. 
693Traditional offerings include candles, flowers, incense, fruit or food. However, it is not what you offer that is important: it is that it is done sincerely with a pure heart. Since Buddhist monastics aren't allowed to eat after lunchtime, food, fruit and dairy offerings traditionally – and for symbolic reasons – occur in the morning or shortly before lunchtime. Offerings of water, non-dairy beverages, candles, flowers and incense may, however, occur at other times of the day.
694
6958. 
696Place a small stūpa on the supporting surface of the shrine, if you wish. You can make a simple stūpa with a small pile of stones. There is no need to go out and buy a costly gold one; that defeats the purpose of Buddhism.
697
6989. 
699It is traditional to change the offering water every morning, however, the old water should never go to waste. Use it to water a plant or something. A new cup or bowl should be used for this purpose: glass or crystal is preferable, because the clarity of the water represents clarity of the mind. Some Buddhist schools use two water bowls: 'drinking' water and 'washing' water. It is far from wrong to let flowers remain even after withering has begun: The flowers serve to remind you of impermanence.
700
70110. 
702If you wish, you may offer incense at the shrine when you recite morning ceremony. Touch the tip to your forehead, then light it. See warning.
703
704 
705Which would best time in the Morning Offering water before Sunshine? 
706
707The exact time (i.e., 4am or 6:30am) are not what's important. One should wake up early enough to have time to think about the purpose of one's life. When you wake up try to think that I have been in meditation and that your Lama (or the Dalai Lama or Amitabha, Tara or any Bodhidattva) is seated on a lotus on the crown of your head. Think that today I will pray to help all sentient beings even if it is just by being kind, compassionate and generous to those with whom I come in contact. Then rise and go to your shrine. You could light a stick of incense and think; To the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, I make this offering. Then continue by offering your seven (or 1 or 2 . . .) water bowls, etc.
708
709Tips -
710Yellow, white, orange, red, and blue are recommended colours of decoration.
711
712If you are unable to create levels, make sure any statues of Buddha are not direc