PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS - 1

Nehemiah 9:6-15, Matthew 6:9-15

Reflections of the Heart:

When we ask God to forgive us, what do we really expect?  He said He would cast our sins into the sea of forgetfulness and never remember them.  Do we believe this?  Today, trust the Lord to purge you with His hyssop and wash You whiter than snow.  He said He would forgive us.  As you admit any wrongdoing, confess them with the confidence of knowing that God loves you and He wants what is best for you.

Scriptural Prayer:

Father( COULD BE ANY GOD YOU BELIEVE), we honor You and we bless You.  With all our souls and all that is within us, we pray,it is you who crowns us with love and tender mercies and You fill our lives with good things.  We give thanks to You and proclaim Your greatness.  

 Thank You, Father, for loving us, forgiving us and saving us.  Thank You for being patient with us. Your compassion towards us is unfailing and Your mercies are new every morning.  Lord, Your faithfulness is great towards us.

Father, Your Word tells us that if we forgive those who have sinned against us, then You, our Heavenly Father, will forgive us.  But, if we refuse to forgive others, You will not forgive us of our sins.  Today we choose to forgive. Father, we declare that we will be patient with people and forgive those who have offended us.   I forgive                for                           , and I release them and let it go.  Father, forgive me for my sins.  You said that if I confess my sins to You, You are faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me from all wickedness.  Therefore, Father, please forgive me for _________________.

Lord, help all of us to forgive people who have hurt us.  Heal our emotions that have been wounded and teach us how to love unconditionally.  Continue to extend Your love and mercy toward us.  Please remind us daily to use Your power living on the inside of us which helps us in all things.  Lord, help us to forget the past so that we can move forward to the future as we press toward the mark of our higher calling in You.

Father, please forgive us for not being forgiving. Forgive us for thinking evil thoughts, and seeking revenge against people who have offended us.  Forgive us for hatred and for not walking in love.  Forgive us for gossiping, lying and for rehearsing in our minds what was said or done to us.  Lord, remind us of those persons we need to forgive, and help us to forgive.

Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the evil one.

God, You are a mighty fortress. You are subject to none, yet, all are subject to You.  You are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  You are the God who is, and was, and who is to come.  To You, the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  In your’ Name, Amen.

Peace Love and Light !!!

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

The Attitude of Gratitude.

Just for today: I will give thanks for my many blessings.

Just for today: I will not worry.

Just for today: I will not be angry.

Just for today: I will do my work honestly.

Just for today: I will be kind to every living thing.

 1) Just for today - the importance of "today”, applicable for all five principles. How you live today determines whether or not you will complete the necessary learning. -Today- is a collection of moments. This teaches us to fully live each and every moment and this whole day.

(2) Do not get angry - recover the balance of mind and emotion. Live a quiet and peaceful life. Anger hurts others and yourself.

(3) Do not worry -  Do not have any unnecessary worries and fear. Do your best today and let the universe take care of the rest, keeping the peace of your mind. It is the key to being free from fear to believe in the universe and be with the universe.

(4) Be thankful - you naturally become thankful if you receive the benefit of being loving and forgiving.

(5) Work hard -  A lazy mind is bad for you. People will grow through work and learn through everyday life.

(6) Be kind to others - A sense of oneness can be developed naturally through practice of love. A healthy society can only be established through the cooperation of a large number of people. In the universal dimension there is no distinction between self and others, only the existence of the same soul. "Be kind to others' is synonymous to "Be kind to yourself". 

Peace Love and Light !!!

Sai Kasht Niwaran Mantra in English and Hindi

शिर्डी साईं बाबा कष्ट निवारण मंत्र

सदगुरू साईं नाथ महाराज की जय

कष्टों की काली छाया दुखदायी है, जीवन में घोर उदासी लायी है l

संकट को तालो साईं दुहाई है, तेरे सिवा न कोई सहाई है l

मेरे मन तेरी मूरत समाई है, हर पल हर शन महिमा गायी है l

घर मेरे कष्टों की आंधी आई है,आपने क्यूँ मेरी सुध भुलाई है l

तुम भोले नाथ हो दया निधान हो,तुम हनुमान हो तुम बलवान हो l

तुम्ही राम और श्याम हो,सारे जग त में तुम सबसे महान हो l

तुम्ही महाकाली तुम्ही माँ शारदे,करता हूँ प्रार्थना भव से तार दे l

तुम्ही मोहमद हो गरीब नवाज़ हो,नानक की बानी में ईसा के साथ हो l

तुम्ही दिगम्बर तुम्ही कबीर हो,हो बुध तुम्ही और महावीर हो l

सारे जगत का तुम्ही आधार हो,निराकार भी और साकार हो l

करता हूँ वंदना प्रेम विशवास से,सुनो साईं अल्लाह के वास्ते l

अधरों पे मेरे नहीं मुस्कान है,घर मेरा बनने लगा शमशान है l

रहम नज़र करो उज्ढ़े वीरान पे,जिंदगी संवरेगी एक वरदान से l

पापों की धुप से तन लगा हारने,आपका यह दास लगा पुकारने l

आपने सदा ही लाज बचाई है,देर न हो जाये मन शंकाई है l

धीरे-धीरे धीरज ही खोता है,मन में बसा विशवास ही रोता है l

मेरी कल्पना साकार कर दो,सूनी जिंदगी में रंग भर दो l

ढोते-ढोते पापों का भार जिंदगी से,मैं गया हार जिंदगी से l

नाथ अवगुण अब तो बिसारो,कष्टों की लहर से आके उबारो l

करता हूँ पाप मैं पापों की खान हूँ,ज्ञानी तुम ज्ञानेश्वर मैं अज्ञान हूँ l

करता हूँ पग-पग पर पापों की भूल मैं,तार दो जीवन ये चरणों की धूल से l

तुमने ऊजरा हुआ घर बसाया,पानी से दीपक भी तुमने जलाया l

तुमने ही शिरडी को धाम बनाया,छोटे से गाँव में स्वर्ग सजाया l

कष्ट पाप श्राप उतारो,प्रेम दया दृष्टि से निहारो l

आपका दास हूँ ऐसे न टालिए,गिरने लगा हूँ साईं संभालिये l

साईजी बालक मैं अनाथ हूँ,तेरे भरोसे रहता दिन रात हूँ l

जैसा भी हूँ , हूँ तो आपका,कीजे निवारण मेरे संताप का l

तू है सवेरा और मैं रात हूँ,मेल नहीं कोई फिर भी साथ हूँ l

साईं मुझसे मुख न मोड़ो,बीच मझधार अकेला न छोड़ो l

आपके चरणों में बसे प्राण है,तेरे वचन मेरे गुरु समान है l

आपकी राहों पे चलता दास है,ख़ुशी नहीं कोई जीवन उदास है l

आंसू की धारा में डूबता किनारा,जिंदगी में दर्द , नहीं गुज़ारा l

लगाया चमन तो फूल खिलायो,फूल खिले है तो खुशबू भी लायो l

कर दो इशारा तो बात बन जाये,जो किस्मत में नहीं वो मिल जाये l

बीता ज़माना यह गाके फ़साना,सरहदे ज़िन्दगी मौत तराना l

देर तो हो गयी है अंधेर ना हो,फ़िक्र मिले लकिन फरेब ना हो l

देके टालो या दामन बचा लो,हिलने लगी रहनुमाई संभालो l

तेरे दम पे अल्लाह की शान है,सूफी संतो का ये बयान है l

गरीबों की झोली में भर दो खजाना,ज़माने के वली करो ना बहाना l

दर के भिखारी है मोहताज है हम,शंहंशाये आलम करो कुछ करम l

तेरे खजाने में अल्लाह की रहमत,तुम सदगुरू साईं हो समरथ l

आये हो धरती पे देने सहारा,करने लगे क्यूँ हमसे किनारा l

जब तक ये ब्रह्मांड रहेगा,साईं तेरा नाम रहेगा l

चाँद सितारे तुम्हे पुकारेंगे,जन्मोजनम हम रास्ता निहारेंगे l

आत्मा बदलेगी चोले हज़ार,हम मिलते रहेंगे बारम्बार l

आपके कदमो में बैठे रहेंगे,दुखड़े दिल के कहते रहेंगे l

आपकी मर्जी है दो या ना दो,हम तो कहेंगे दामन ही भर दो l

तुम हो दाता हम है भिखारी,सुनते नहीं क्यूँ अर्ज़ हमारी l

अच्छा चलो एक बात बता दो,क्या नहीं तुम्हारे पास बता दो l

जो नहीं देना है इनकार कर दो,ख़तम ये आपस की तकरार कर दो l

लौट के खाली चला जायूँगा,फिर भी गुण तेरे गायूँगा l

जब तक काया है तब तक माया है,इसी में दुखो का मूल समाया है l

सबकुछ जान के अनजान हूँ मैं,अल्लाह की तू शान तेरी शान हूँ मैं l

तेरा करम सदा सब पे रहेगा,ये चक्र युग-युग चलता रहेगा l

जो प्राणी गायेगा साईं तेरा नाम,उसको मुक्ति मिले पहुंचे परम धाम l

ये मंत्र जो प्राणी नित दिन गायेंगे,राहू , केतु , शनि निकट ना आयेंगे l

टाल जायेंगे संकट सारे,घर में वास करें सुख सारे l

जो श्रधा से करेगा पठन,उस पर देव सभी हो प्रस्सन l

रोग समूल नष्ट हो जायेंगे,कष्ट निवारण मंत्र जो गायेंगे l

चिंता हरेगा निवारण जाप,पल में दूर हो सब पाप l

जो ये पुस्तक नित दिन बांचे,श्री लक्ष्मीजी घर उसके सदा विराजे l

ज्ञान , बुधि प्राणी वो पायेगा,कष्ट निवारण मंत्र जो धयायेगा l

ये मंत्र भक्तों कमाल करेगा,आई जो अनहोनी तो टाल देगा l

भूत-प्रेत भी रहेंगे दूर ,इस मंत्र में साईं शक्ति भरपूर l

जपते रहे जो मंत्र अगर,जादू-टोना भी हो बेअसर l

इस मंत्र में सब गुण समाये,ना हो भरोसा तो आजमाए l

ये मंत्र साईं वचन ही जानो,सवयं अमल कर सत्य पहचानो l

संशय ना लाना विशवास जगाना,ये मंत्र सुखों का है खज़ाना l

इस पुस्तक में साईं का वास,जय साईं श्री साईं जय जय साईं l

IN ENGLISH

Kashton ki kali chaya dukhdayi hai,Jeewan me ghor udasi layi hai l

Sankat ko talo sai duhai hai.Tere siwa na koi sahayi hai l

Mere man teri surat samai hai ,Har pal har kshan mahima gayi hai l

Ghar mere kashton ki aandhi aayi hai,Aapne kyun meri sudh bhulayi hai l

Tum bholenaath ho daya nidhan ho,Tum hanuman ho maha balwan ho l

Tumhi ram aur shyam ho,Saare jagat mein tum sabse mahan ho l

Tumhi mahakali tumhi maa shaarde,Karta hoon prarthna bhav se taar de l

Tumhi mohhammad ho gareeb nawaz ho,Nanak ki vani mein eesa ke saath ho l

Tumhi digambar tumhi kabir ho,Ho budh tumhi aur mahaveer ho l

Saare jagat ka tumhi aadhar ho,Niraakar bhi aur saakar ho l

Karta hu vandana prem vishwas se,suno sai allah ke vaste l

adharo pe mere nhi muskaan hai,Ghar mera banna laga shamshan hai l

Reham nazar karo ujre viran pe,Zindagi sawaregi ek vardan se l

Paapo ki dhoop se tan laga haarne,Aapka ye das laga pukaarne l

Aapne sada hi laaj bachayi hai,Der na ho jaaye man shankayi hai l

Dheere dheere dheeraj hi khota hai, Man me basa vishwas hi rota hai l

Meri kalpana saakar kar do,Sooni zindagi me rang bhar do l

Dhote dhote paapon ka bhaar zindagi se,Main gaya haar zindagi se l

Naath avgun ab to bisaaro,Kashton ki lehar se aake ubaaro l

Karta hu paap main paapo ki khan hu,Gyani tum gyaneshwar main agyan hu l

Karta hu pag pag par paapo ki bhool main,Taar do jeewan charno ki dhool se l

Tumne ujda hua ghar basaya,Paani se Deepak bhi tumne jalaya l

Tumne hi shirdi ko dhaam banaya,Chhote se gaon mein swarg sajaya l

Kasht paap shrap utaro,Prem daya drishti se nihaaro l

Aapka daas hu aise naa taaliye,Girne laga hu sai sambhaliye l

Saiji balak main anaath hu,Tere bharose rehta din raat hu l

Jaisa bhi hoon, hoon to aapka,Keeje nivaran mere santaap ka l

Tu hai sawera aur main raat hoon,Mel nhi koi phir bhi saath hoon l

Saiji mujhse mukh naa modo,Beech majhdaar akela na chodo l

Aapke charno mein base pran hain,Tere vachan mere guru saman hain l

Aapki raah pe chalta daas hai,Khushi nhi koi jeewan udas hai l

Aansoo ki dhaara mein doobta kinaara,Zindagi mein dard , nhi guzaara l

Lagaya chaman to phool khilaao,Phool khile hai to khushboo bhi laao l

Kar do ishara to baat ban jaye,Jo kismat me nhi wo mil jaaye l

Beeta zamana ye gaake fasana,Sarhade zindagi maut tarana l

Der to ho gayi hai andher na ho,Fikr mile lekin fareb na ho l

Deke taalo ya daaman bacha lo,Hilne lagi rehnumayi sambhalo l

Tere dam pe allah ki shaan hai,Sufi santon ka ye bayan hai l

Gareebon ki jholi me bhar do khazana,Zamane ke wli na karo bahana l

Dar ke bhikhari hain mohtaaj hain hum,Shehenshahe aalam karo kuch karam l

Tere khazaane mein allah ki rehmat,Tum sadguru saiji ho samarth l

Aaye ho dharti pe dene sahara,Karne lage kyun humse kinaara l

Jab tak ye brahmand rahega,Sai tera naam rahega l

Chaand sitare tumhe pukaarenge,Janmojanam hum rasta nihaarenge l

Aatma badlegi chole hazar,Hum milte rahenge baarambar l

Aapke kadmo mein baithe rahenge,Dukhde dil ke kehete rahenge l

Aapki marzi hai do ya na do,Hum to kahenge daaman hi bhar do l

Tum ho data hum hain bhikhaari,Sunte nhi kyun araz hmari l

Achchha chalo ek baat bta do,Kya nhi tumhaare paas bta do l

Jo nhi dena hai inkaar kar do,Khatam ye aapas ki takrar kar do l

Laut k khali chala jaaunga,Phir bhi gun tere gaaunga l

Jab tak kaaya hai tab tak maaya hai,Isi mein dukhon ka mool samaya hai l

Sab kuch jaan ke anjaan hu main,Allah ki tu shaan teri shaan hu main l

Tera karam sada sabpe rahega,Ye chakra yug yug chalta rahega l

Jo prani gayega saiji tera naam,Usko mukti mile pahuche param dhaam l

Ye mantra jo praani nit din gaayege,Raahu ketu shaani nikat na aayenge l

Tal jaayenge sankat saare,Ghar mein vaas Karen sukh saare l

Jo shraddha se karega pathan,Us par dev sabhi ho prasann l

Rog samool nasht ho jayenge,Kasht nivaaran mantra jo gaayenge l

Chinta harega nivaran jaap,Pal mein door ho sab paap l

Jo ye pustak nit din baanche,Shri lakhmi ji ghar uske sada viraaje l

Gyan buddhi praani wo paayega,Kasht nivaran mantra jo dhyayega l

Ye mantra bhakto kamal karega,Aayi jo anhoni to taal dega l

Bhoot prêt bhi rahenge door,Is mantra mein sai shakti bharpoor l

Japte rahe jo mantra agar,Jaado tona bhi ho beasar l

Is mantra mein sab gun samaye,Na ho bharosa to aazmaye l

Ye mantra saiji vachan hi jaano,Swayam amal kar satya pehchaano l

Sanshay na laana vishwas jagana,Ye mantr sukhon ka hai khazana l

Is pustak mein sai ka vas,Jai sai shri sai jai jai sai l

OM SAI RAM !!!

The Meaning Of Om Mani Padme Hum

Syllable	Six Pāramitās	Purifies	Samsaric realm	Colours	Symbol of the Deity	(Wish them) To be born in
Om	Generosity	Pride / Ego	Devas	White	Wisdom	Perfect Realm of Potala
Ma	Ethics	Jealousy / Lust for entertainment	Asuras	Green	Compassion	Perfect Realm of Potala
Ni	Patience	Passion / desire	Humans	Yellow	Body, speech, mind quality and activity	Dewachen
Pad	Diligence	Ignorance / prejudice	Animals	Blue	Equanimity	the presence of Protector (Chenrezig)
Me	Renunciation	Greed / possessiveness	Pretas (hungry ghosts)	Red	Bliss	Perfect Realm of Potala
Hum	Wisdom	Aggression / hatred	Naraka	Black	Quality of Compassion	the presence of the Lotus Throne (of Chenrezig)

The Meaning Of Om Mani Padme Hum
It is very good to recite the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast. The first, OM is composed of three letters, A, U, M. These symbolise the practitioner's impure body, speech and mind; they also symbolise the pure exalted body, speech and mind of a Buddha.

Can impure body, speech and mind be transformed into pure body, speech and mind, or are they entirely separate? All Buddhas are cases of beings who were like ourselves and then in dependence on the path became enlightened; Buddhism does not asset that there is anyone who from the beginning is free from faults an possesses all good qualities. The development of pure body, speech and mind comes from gradually leaving the impure states and their being transformed into the pure.

How is this done? The path is indicted by the next four syllables. MANI, meaning jewel, symbolises the factors of method, the altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion and love. Just as a jewel is capable of removing poverty, so the altruistic mind of enlightenment is capable of removing the poverty, or difficulties, of cyclic existence and of solitary peace. Similarly, just as a jewel fulfils the wishes of sentient beings, so the altruistic intention to become enlightened fulfils the wishes of sentient beings.

The two syllables, PADME, meaning lotus, symbolise wisdom. Just as a lotus grows from mud but is not sullied by the faults of mud, so wisdom is capable of putting you in a situation of non-contradiction whereas there would be contradiction if you did not have wisdom. There is wisdom realising impermanence, wisdom realising that persons are empty of being self-sufficient or substantially existent, wisdom that realises the emptiness of duality - that is to say, of difference of entity between subject and object - and wisdom that realises the emptiness of inherent existence. Though there are many different types of wisdom, the main of all these is the wisdom realising emptiness.

Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolised by the final syllable HUM, which indicates indivisibility. According to the sutra system, this indivisibility of method and wisdom refers to wisdom affected by method and method affected by wisdom. In the mantra, or vajrayana vehicle, it refers to one consciousness in which there is the full form of both wisdom and method as one undifferentiable entity. In terms of the seed syllable of Akshobhya - the immovable, the unfluctuating, that which cannot be disturbed by anything.

Thus the six syllables, OM MANI PADME HUM, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path that is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure exalted body, speech and mind of a Buddha. It is said that you should not seek for Buddhahood outside of yourself; the substances for the achievement of Buddhahood are within. As Maitreya says in his Sublime Continuum of the Great Vehicle (Uttaratantra), all beings naturally have the Buddha nature in their own continuum. We have within us the seed of purity, the essence of a One Gone thus (Tathagatabarbha) that is to be transformed and fully developed into Buddhahood.

Reciting 1000 Mantras Each Day
In the teachings it is said that the benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are so many that the explanation will never finish. It is explained that if one recites OM MANI PADME HUM one thousand times every day, then one's children up to seven generations will not be reborn in the lower realms. So if, for example, parents recite one thousand mantras every day then their children, their children's children and so forth up to seven generations will never be reborn in the lower realms. So parents have quite a responsibility! This is one way that parents can benefit their children and grandchildren.

If one recites the OM MANI PADME HUM mantra one thousand times every day, then one's body becomes blessed. So when a person who recites one thousand OM MANI PADME HUM every day goes into water, into a river or ocean for example, that water becomes blessed. Whoever the water touches, fish, tiny or big animals, or tiny insects, the negative karma of all those sentient beings is purified and they do not get reborn in the lower realms.

If one recites one thousand OM MANI PADME HUM every day, then at the time of death, when the body is burnt, even the smoke that comes from it purifies the negative karma of whoever it touches or whoever smells it. The negative karma of those sentient beings to be reborn in the lower realms is purified.

 

The Benefits of Chanting Om Mani Padme Hum

The Mani mantra is the most widely used of all Buddhist mantras, and open to anyone who feels inspired to practice it -- it does not require prior initiation by a lama (meditation master). The mantra originated in India; as it moved from India into Tibet, the pronunciation changed because some of the sounds in the Indian Sanskrit language were hard for Tibetans to pronounce. The vowel in the sylable Hu (is pronounced as in the English word 'book'. The final consonant in that syllable is often pronounced 'ng' as in 'song' -- Om Mani Padme Hung. There is one further complication: The syllablePad is pronounced Pe (peh) by many Tibetans: Om Mani Peme Hung.

Sanskrit form	Om Mani Padma Hum mantra of Avalokiteshvara
Tibetan form	Om Mani Peme Hung mantra of Chenrezig

 

The benefits of reciting the Compassion Buddha mantra are infinite, like the limitless sky.Even if you don’t have much intellectual understanding of Dharma, even if the only thing you know is om mani padme hum, still the happiest life is one lived with an attitude free of the eight worldly concerns. If you live your life with the pure attitude free of attachment clinging to this life and simply spend your life chanting om mani padme hum—this six-syllable mantra that is the essence of all Dharma—that’s the purest Dharma.

It looks very simple, very easy to recite. But if you think of the benefits, it’s not at all simple. Here, I’d to mention just the essence of its infinite benefits.

Reciting the Compassion Buddha mantra just once completely purifies the four defeats of breaking the four root vows of self-liberation and the five uninterrupted negative karmas1.

It is also mentioned in the tantras that by reciting this mantra you achieve the four qualities of being born in the Amitabha Buddha pure land and other pure lands; at the time of death, seeing Buddha and lights appearing in the sky; the devas making you offerings; and never being reborn in the hell, hungry ghost or animals realms. You will be reborn in the pure land of Buddha or as a happy transmigratory being.

When one who recites ten malas a day goes swimming, whether in a river, an ocean or some other body of water, the water that touches that person’s body gets blessed.

It is said that up to seven generations of that person’s descendents won’t get reborn in the lower realms. The reason for this is that due to the power of mantra, the body is blessed by the person reciting the mantra and visualizing their body in form of the holy body of Chenrezig. Therefore, the body becomes so powerful, so blessed that this affects the consciousness up to seven generations and has the effect that if one dies with a non-virtuous thought, one is not reborn in a lower realm.

Thus, when a person who has recited ten malas of om mani padme hum a day goes into a river or an ocean, the water that touches the person’s body gets blessed, and this blessed water then purifies all the billions and billions of sentient beings in the water. So it’s unbelievably beneficial; this person saves the animals in that water from the most unbelievable suffering of the lower realms.

When such a person walks down a road and the wind touches his or her body and then goes on to touch insects, their negative karma gets purified and causes them to have a good rebirth. Similarly, when such a person does massage or otherwise touches others’ bodies, those people’s negative karma also gets purified.

Such a person becomes meaningful to behold; being seen and touched becomes a means of liberating other sentient beings. This means that even the person’s breath touching the bodies of other sentient beings purifies their negative karma. Anybody who drinks the water in which such a person has swum gets purified.

We are unbelievably fortunate to have met the Dharma and to have the opportunity to do recitation and meditation on the Compassion Buddha. It is an easy way of purifying whatever negative karma we have collected, in not only this life but in many previous lives as well.

Because we have met the Buddhadharma, and especially this method–the practice of Compassion Buddha and recitation of his mantra–it is easy to purify negative karma and collect extensive merit and thus to achieve enlightenment. We are unbelievably fortunate.

Therefore, there is nothing more foolish than not taking advantage of this great opportunity. Normally, we get continuously distracted and waste our lives. Not only that, but all the actions done with ego and with the three poisonous minds of anger, attachment and ignorance create negative karma, the cause of suffering. In all existence, there is nothing more foolish than using this perfect human body to create only suffering.

In places such as Tibet, Nepal, India and Ladakh, there’s a well-established tradition of doing the Compassion Buddha retreat and reciting 100 million om mani padme hum mantras.

Lotus Sutra - Chapter - 27

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE PERIOD [OF THE LAW, DHARMAPARYÂYA].

Thereupon the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., rose from his pulpit, collected the Bodhisattvas, took their right hands with his own right hand, which had become strong by the exercise of magic, and spoke on that occasion as follows: Into your hands, young men of good family, I transfer and transmit, entrust and deposit this supreme and perfect enlightenment arrived at by me after hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of incalculable Æons. Ye, young men of good family, do your best that it may grow and spread.

A second time, a third time the Lord spoke to the host of Bodhisattvas after taking them by the right hands: Into your hands, young men of good family, I transfer and transmit, entrust and deposit this supreme and perfect enlightenment arrived at by me after hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of incalculable Æons. Receive it, young men of good family, keep, read, fathom, teach, promulgate, and preach it to all beings. I am not avaricious, young men of good family, nor narrow-minded; I am confident and willing to impart Buddha-knowledge, to impart the knowledge of the Tathâgata, the knowledge of the Self-born. I am a bountiful giver, young men of good family, and ye, young men of good family, follow my example; imitate me in liberally showing this knowledge of the Tathâgata, and in skilfulness, and preach this Dharmaparyaya to the young men and young ladies of good family who successively shall gather round you. And as to unbelieving persons, rouse them to accept this law. By so doing, young men of good family, you will acquit your debt to the Tathâgatas.

So addressed by the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., the Bodhisattvas filled with delight and joy, and with a feeling of great respect they lowered, bent, and bowed their body towards the Lord, and, the head inclined and the joined hands stretched out, they spoke in one voice to the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., the following words: We shall do, O Lord, what the Tathâgata commands; we shall fulfil the command of all Tathâgatas. Let the Lord be at ease as to this, and perfectly quiet. A second time, a third time the entire host of Bodhisattvas spoke in, one voice the same words: Let the Lord be at ease as to this, and perfectly quiet. We shall do, O Lord, what the Tathâgata commands us; we shall fulfil the command of all Tathâgatas.

Thereupon the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., dismissed all those Tathâgatas, &c., who had come to the gathering from other worlds, and wished them a happy existence, with the words: May the Tathâgatas, &c., live happy. Then he restored the Stûpa of precious substances of the Lord Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c., to its place, and wished him also a happy existence.

Thus spoke the Lord. The incalculable, innumerable Tathâgatas, &c., who had come from other worlds and were sitting on their thrones at the foot of jewel trees, as well as Prabhûtaratna, the Tathâgata, &c., and the whole host of Bodhisattvas headed by Visishtakâritra, the innumerable, incalculable Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas who had issued from the gaps of the earth, the great disciples, the four classes, the world, including gods, men, demons, and Gandharvas, in ecstasy applauded the words of the Lord.

Lotus Sutra - Chapter - 26

CHAPTER XXVI.

ENCOURAGEMENT OF SAMANTABHADRA.

Thereupon the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra, in the east, surrounded and followed by Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas surpassing all calculation, amid the stirring of fields, a rain of lotuses, the playing of hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of musical instruments, proceeded with the great pomp of a Bodhisattva, the great display of transformations proper to a Bodhisattva, the great magnificence of a Bodhisattva, the great power of a Bodhisattva, the great lustre of a glorious Bodhisattva, the great stately march of a Bodhisattva, the great miraculous display of a Bodhisattva, a great phantasmagorical sight of gods, Nâgas, goblins, Gandharvas, demons, Garudas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men, and beings not human, who, produced by his magic, surrounded and followed him; Samantabhadra, then, the Bodhisattva, amid such inconceivable miracles worked by magic, arrived at this Saha-world. He went up to the place of the Lord on the Gridhrakûta, the king of mountains, and on approaching he humbly saluted the Lord's feet, made seven circumambulations from left to right, and said to the Lord: I have come hither, O Lord, from the field of the Lord Ratnategobhyudgata, the Tathâgata, &c., as I am aware, Lord, that here in the Saha-world is taught the Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law, to hear which from the mouth of the Lord Sâkyamuni I have come accompanied by these hundred thousands of Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas. May the Lord deign to expound, in extension, this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law to these Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas. So addressed, the Lord said to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra: These Bodhisattvas, young man of good family, are, indeed, quick of understanding, but this is the Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law, that is to say, an unmixed truth. The Bodhisattvas exclaimed: Indeed Lord; indeed, Sugata. Then in order to confirm, in the Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law, the females among the monks, nuns, and lay devotees assembled at the gathering, the Lord again spoke to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra: This Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law, young man of good family, shall be entrusted to a female if she be possessed of four requisites, to wit: she shall stand under the superintendence of the Lords Buddhas; she shall have planted good roots; she shall keep steadily to the mass of disciplinary regulations; she shall, in order to save creatures, have the thoughts fixed on supreme and perfect enlightenment. These are the four requisites, young man of good family, a female must be possessed of, to whom this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law is to be entrusted.

Then the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra said to the Lord: At the end of time, at the end of the period, in the second half of the millennium, I will protect the monks who keep this Satrânta; I will take care of their safety, avert blows [or punishment], and destroy poison, so that no one laying snares for those preachers may surprise them, neither Mâra the Evil One, nor the sons of Mâra, the angels called Mârakâyikas, the daughters of Mâra, the followers of Mâra, and all other servitors to Mâra; that no gods, goblins, ghosts, imps, wizards, spectres laying snares for those preachers may surprise them. Incessantly and constantly, O Lord, will I protect such a preacher. And when a preacher who applies himself to this Dharmaparyâya shall take a walk, then, O Lord, will I mount a white elephant with six tusks, and with a train of Bodhisattvas betake myself to the place where that preacher is walking, in order to protect this Dharmaparyâya. And when that preacher, applying himself to this Dharmaparyâya, forgets, be it but a single word or syllable, then will I mount the white elephant with six tusks, show my face to that preacher, and repeat this entire Dharmaparyâya. And when the preacher has seen my proper body and heard from me this entire Dharmaparyâya, he, content, in high spirits, ravished, rejoiced, joyful, and delighted, will the more do his utmost to study this Dharmaparyâya, and immediately after beholding me he will acquire meditation and obtain spells, termed the talisman of preservation, the talisman of hundred thousand kotis, and the talisman of skill in all sounds.

Again, Lord, the monks, nuns, male or female lay devotees, who at the end of time, at the end of the period, in the second half of the millennium, shall study this Dharmaparyâya, when walking for three weeks, (or) twenty-one days, to them will I show my body, at the sight of which all beings rejoice. Mounted on that same white elephant with six tusks, and surrounded by a troop of Bodhisattvas, I shall on the twenty-first day betake myself to the place where the preachers are walking; there I shall rouse, excite, and stimulate them, and give them spells whereby those preachers shall become inviolable, so that no being, either human or not human, shall be able to surprise them, and no women able to beguile them. I will protect them, take care of their safety, avert blows, and destroy poison. I will, besides, O Lord, give those preachers words of talismanic spells, such as, Adande dandapati, dandâvartani dandakusale dandasudhâri dhâri sudhârapati, buddhapasyani dhârani, âvartani samvartani sanghaparîkshite sanghanirghâtani dharmaparîkshite sarvasattvarutakausalyânugate simhavikrîdite. The Bodhisattva Mahâsattva, whose organ of hearing is struck by these talismanic words, Lord, shall be aware that the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra is their ruling power.

Further, Lord, the Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas to whom this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law shall be entrusted, as long as it continues having course in Gambudvîpa, those preachers, Lord, should take this view: It is owing to the power and grandeur of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra that this Dharmaparyâya has been entrusted to us. Those creatures who shall write and keep this Sûtra, O Lord, are to partake of the course of duty of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra; they will belong to those who have planted good roots under many Buddhas, O Lord, and whose heads are caressed by the hands of the Tathâgata. Those who shall write and keep this Sûtra, O Lord, will afford me pleasure. Those who shall write this Sûtra, O Lord, and comprehend it, shall, when they disappear from this world, after having written it, be reborn in the company of the gods of paradise, and at that birth shall eighty-four thousand heavenly nymphs immediately come near them. Adorned with a high crown, they shall as angels dwell amongst those nymphs. Such is the mass of merit resulting from writing this Dharmaparyâya; how much greater will be the mass of merit reaped by those who recite, study, meditate, remember it! Therefore, young men of good family, one ought to honour this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law, and write it with the utmost attention. He who writes it with undistracted attention shall be supported by the hands of a thousand Buddhas, and at the moment of his death he shall see another thousand of Buddhas from face to face. He shall not sink down into a state of wretchedness, and after disappearing from this world he shall enter the company of the Tushita-gods, where the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Maitreya is residing, and where, marked by the thirty-two sublime characteristics, surrounded by a host of Bodhisattvas, and waited upon by hundred thousands of myriads of kolis of heavenly nymphs he is preaching the law. Therefore, then, young men of good family, a wise young man or young lady of good family should respectfully write this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law, respectfully recite it, respectfully study it, respectfully treasure it up in his (or her) mind. By writing, reciting, studying this Dharmaparyâya, and by treasuring it up in one's mind, young men of good family, one is to acquire innumerable good qualities. Hence a wise young man or young lady of good family ought to keep this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law. I myself, O Lord, will superintend this Dharmaparyâya, that through my superintendence it may here spread in Gambudvîpa.

Then the Lord Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c., expressed his approval to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra: Very well, very well, Samantabhadra. It is happy that thou art so well disposed to promote the weal and happiness of the people at large, out of compassion for the people, for the benefit, weal, and happiness of the great body of men; that thou art endowed with such inconceivable qualities, with a mind so full of compassion, with intentions so inconceivably kind, so that of thine own accord thou wilt take those preachers under thy protection. The young men of good family who shall cherish the name of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra may be convinced that they have seen Sâkyamuni, the Tathâgata, &c.; that they have heard this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law from the Lord Sâkyamuni; that they have paid homage to the Tathâgata Sâkyamuni; that they have applauded the preaching of the Tathâgata Sâkyamuni. They will have joyfully accepted this Dharmaparyâya; the Tathâgata Sâkyamuni will have laid his hand upon their head, and they will have decked the Lord Sâkyamuni with their robes. Those young men or young ladies of good family, Samantabhadra, must be held to have accepted the command of the Tathâgata. They will have no pleasure in worldly philosophy; no persons fondly addicted to poetry will please them; no dancers, athletes, vendors of meat, mutton butchers, poulterers, pork butchers, or profligates will please them. After having heard, written, kept, or read such Stitrantas as this, they will find no delight in those persons. They must be held to be possessed of natural righteousness; they will be right-minded from themselves, possess a power to do good of their own accord, and make an agreeable impression on others. Such will be the monks who keep this Sûtrânta. No passionate attachment will hinder them, no hatred, no infatuation, no jealousy, no envy, no hypocrisy, no pride, no conceitedness, no mendaciousness. Those preachers, Samantabhadra, will be content with what they receive. He, Samantabhadra, who at the end of time, at the end of the period, in the second half of the millennium, sees a monk keeping this Dharmaparyâya of the Lotus of the True Law, must think thus: This young man of good family will reach the terrace of enlightenment; this young man will conquer the troop of the wicked Mâra, move forward the wheel of the law, strike the drum of the law, blow the conch trumpet of the law, spread the rain of the law, and ascend the royal throne of the law. The monks who at the end of time, at the end of the period, in the second half of the millennium, keep this Dharmaparyâya, will not be covetous, nor greedy of robes or vehicles. Those preachers will be honest, and possessed of three emancipations; they will refrain from worldly business. Such persons as lead into error monks who know this Satranta, shall be born blind; and such as openly defame them, shall have a spotted body in this very world. Those who scoff and hoot at the monks who copy this Sûtrânta, shall have the teeth broken and separated far from each other; disgusting lips, a flat nose, contorted hands and feet, squinting eyes; a putrid body, a body covered with stinking boils, eruptions, scabs, and itch. If one speaks an unkind word, true or not true, to such writers, readers, and keepers of this Sûtranta, it must be considered a very heinous sin. Therefore then, Samantabhadra, people should, even from afar, rise from their seats before the monks who keep this Dharmaparyâya and show them the same reverence as to the Tathâgata.

While this chapter of the Encouragement of Samantabhadra was being expounded, hundred thousands of kotis of Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas, equal to the sands of the river Ganges, acquired the talismanic spell Âvarta.