Modern Buddhism - The Path of Compassion and Wisdom - Volume 3 Prayers for Daily Practice by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - HTML preview

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Introduction

Sincere practitioners of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka sadhana can perform a close retreat of Heruka body mandala in accordance with the following instructions.

Having set out ritual objects, and torma and other offerings, in either a traditional or simple manner, in the evening of the first day on which the retreat begins you should engage in the practice of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka from Going for refuge up to and including Reciting the mantras; then perform torma and tsog offerings as presented below. The session should be concluded by reciting the Dedication and remaining prayers from the sadhana.

Beginning on the second day, if you intend to do four sessions of retreat each day, in the first three sessions you should engage in the practice of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka from Going for refuge up to and including reciting the Dedication and remaining prayers, without any additions. In the fourth or last session you should engage in the practice of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka from Going for refuge up to and including Reciting the mantras, and then perform the torma offerings as presented below; the session should be concluded by reciting the Dedication and remaining prayers from the sadhana.

Having collected 100,000 recitations of the essence mantra of Heruka, 100,000 recitations of the three-OM mantra of Vajrayogini, 311

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and 10,000 recitations of the condensed mantra of the sixty-two Deities of Heruka body mandala you then need to perform a fire puja, or burning offering. This practice and its explanation can be found in the book Essence of Vajrayana. In this way your close retreat of Heruka body mandala will be completed. Until the fire puja is completed you should engage in at least two sessions of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka each day, making torma offerings in the last session.

Once you have completed the close retreat of Heruka body mandala you can engage in the practice of Heruka body mandala self-initiation, which can be found in the sadhana Union of No More Learning. It is most important that whenever you recite the sadhana The Yoga of Buddha Heruka you should strongly concentrate on its meaning, free from distraction and impure motivation.

Between sessions you should carefully read the commentary to this sadhana presented in Modern Buddhism – Volume 2: Tantra, in the chapter The Practice of Heruka Body Mandala.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

April 2010

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TORMa OFFERING

Having engaged in the practice of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka

from Going for refuge up to and including Reciting the mantras , now perform the torma offering.

Blessing the inner offering

OM kHaNDaROHI HUM HUM PHaT

OM SÖBHaWa SHUDDHa SaRWa DHaRMa SÖBHaWa SHUDDHO HaM

Everything becomes emptiness.

From the state of emptiness, from YaM comes wind, from RaM comes fire, from aH a grate of three human heads.

Upon this from aH appears a broad and expansive skullcup.

Inside from OM, kHaM, aM, TRaM, HUM come the five nectars; from LaM, MaM, PaM, TaM, BaM come the five meats, each marked by these letters. The wind blows, the fire blazes, and the substances inside the skullcup melt.

above them from HUM there arises a white, upside-down khatanga, which falls into the skullcup and melts whereby 313

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the substances take on the colour of mercury. above them three rows of vowels and consonants, standing one above the other, transform into OM aH HUM. From these, light rays draw the nectar of exalted wisdom from the hearts of all the Tathagatas, Heroes and Yoginis of the ten directions.

When this is added the contents increase and become vast.

OM aH HUM (3x)

Blessing the outer offerings

OM kHaNDaROHI HUM HUM PHaT

OM SÖBHaWa SHUDDHa SaRWa DHaRMa SÖBHaWa SHUDDHO HaM

Everything becomes emptiness.

From the state of emptiness, from kaMs come broad and expansive skullcups, inside which from HUMs come water for drinking, water for bathing, water for the mouth, flowers, incense, lights, perfume, food and music. By nature emptiness, they have the aspect of the individual offering substances, and function as objects of enjoyment of the six senses to bestow special, uncontaminated bliss.

OM aHRGHaM aH HUM

OM PaDÄM aH HUM

OM ÄNTZaMaNaM aH HUM

OM VaJRa PUPE aH HUM

OM VaJRa DHUPE aH HUM

OM VaJRa DIWE aH HUM

OM VaJRa GÄNDHE aH HUM

OM VaJRa NEWIDE aH HUM

OM VaJRa SHaPTa aH HUM

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Blessing the tormas

OM kHaNDaROHI HUM HUM PHaT

OM SÖBHaWa SHUDDHa SaRWa DHaRMa SÖBHaWa SHUDDHO HaM

Everything becomes emptiness.

From the state of emptiness, from YaM comes wind, from RaM comes fire, from aH a grate of three human heads.

Upon this from aH appears a broad and expansive skullcup.

above them from HUM there arises a white, upside-down khatanga, which falls into the skullcup and melts whereby the substances take on the colour of mercury. above them three rows of vowels and consonants, standing one above the other, transform into OM aH HUM. From these, light rays draw the nectar of exalted wisdom from the hearts of all the Tathagatas, Heroes and Yoginis of the ten directions.

When this is added the contents increase and become vast.

OM aH HUM (3x)

Inviting the guests of the tormas

PHaIM

Light rays radiate from the letter HUM on the sun seat at my heart and invite to the space before me the entire assembly of the Deities of Chakrasambara together with his mundane retinues, such as the directional guardians who reside in the eight charnel grounds.

OM aHRGHaM PaRTITZa SÖHa

OM PaDÄM PaRTITZa SÖHa

OM VaJRa PUPE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa DHUPE aH HUM SÖHa

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OM VaJRa DIWE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa GÄNDHE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa NEWIDE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa SHaPTa aH HUM SÖHa

From a white HUM in the tongue of each guest, there arises a white, three-pronged vajra, through which they partake of the essence of the torma by drawing it through straws of light the thickness of only a grain of barley.

Offering the principal torma

OM VaJRa aH Ra LI HO: DZa HUM BaM HO: VaJRa DakINI SaMaYa TÖN TRISHaYa HO (3x)

With the first recitation, offer the torma to the Principal Father, with the second to the Principal Mother, and with the third to the four Yoginis, beginning in the east and offering counter-clockwise.

Offering the torma to the Deities of the heart wheel, speech wheel and body wheel

OM kaRa kaRa, kURU kURU, BÄNDHa BÄNDHa, TRaSaYa TraSaYa, kYOMBHaYa kYOMBHaYa, HROM HROM, HRaH

HRaH, PHaIM PHaIM, PHaT PHaT, DaHa DaHa, PaTSa PaTSa, BHakYa BHakYa BaSa RUDHI ÄNTRa MaLa WaLaMBINE, GRIHaNa GRIHaNa SaPTa PaTaLa GaTa BHUDZaMGaM SaRWaMPa TaRDZaYa TaRDZaYa,

akaNDYa akaNDYa, HRIM HRIM, GYÖN GYÖN, kYaMa kYaMa, HaM HaM, HIM HIM, HUM HUM, kILI kILI, SILI SILI, HILI HILI, DHILI DHILI, HUM HUM PHaT

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Offering the torma to the Deities of the commitment wheel OM VaJRa aH Ra LI HO: DZa HUM BaM HO: VaJRa DakINI SaMaYa TÖN TRISHaYa HO (2x)

Outer offerings

OM aHRGHaM PaRTITZa SÖHa

OM PaDÄM PaRTITZa SÖHa

OM VaJRa PUPE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa DHUPE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa DIWE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa GÄNDHE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa NEWIDE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa SHaPTa aH HUM SÖHa

OM aH VaJRa aDaRSHE HUM

OM aH VaJRa WINI HUM

OM aH VaJRa GÄNDHE HUM

OM aH VaJRa RaSE HUM

OM aH VaJRa PaRSHE HUM

OM aH VaJRa DHaRME HUM

Inner offering

OM HUM BaM RIM RIM LIM LIM, kaM kHaM GaM GHaM

NGaM, TSaM TSHaM DZaM DZHaM NYaM, TraM THraM

DraM DHraM NaM, TaM THaM DaM DHaM NaM, PaM

PHaM BaM BHaM, YaM RaM LaM WaM, SHaM kaM SaM

HaM HUM HUM PHaT OM aH HUM

Secret and thatness offerings

Through Father and Mother uniting in embrace, all the principal and retinue Deities enjoy a special experience of great bliss and emptiness.

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Eight lines of praise to the Father

OM I prostrate to the Blessed One, Lord of the Heroes HUM HUM PHaT

OM To you with a brilliance equal to the fire of the great aeon HUM HUM PHaT

OM To you with an inexhaustible topknot HUM HUM PHaT

OM To you with a fearsome face and bared fangs HUM

HUM PHaT

OM To you whose thousand arms blaze with light HUM

HUM PHaT

OM To you who hold an axe, an uplifted noose, a spear and a khatanga HUM HUM PHaT

OM To you who wear a tiger-skin garment HUM HUM PHaT

OM I bow to you whose great smoke-coloured body dispels obstructions HUM HUM PHaT

Eight lines of praise to the Mother

OM I prostrate to Vajravarahi, the Blessed Mother HUM

HUM PHaT

OM To the Superior and powerful knowledge Lady unconquered by the three realms HUM HUM PHaT

OM To you who destroy all fears of evil spirits with your great vajra HUM HUM PHaT

OM To you with controlling eyes who remain as the vajra seat unconquered by others HUM HUM PHaT

OM To you whose wrathful fierce form desiccates Brahma HUM HUM PHaT

OM To you who terrify and dry up demons, conquering those in other directions HUM HUM PHaT

OM To you who conquer all those who make us dull, rigid and confused HUM HUM PHaT

OM I bow to Vajravarahi, the Great Mother, the Dakini consort who fulfils all desires HUM HUM PHaT

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Requesting the fulfilment of wishes

You who have destroyed equally attachment to samsara and solitary peace, as well as all conceptualizations, Who see all things that exist throughout space; O Protector endowed with strong compassion, may I be blessed by the waters of your compassion, and may the Dakinis take me into their loving care.

Offering the torma to the mundane Deities The directional guardians, regional guardians, nagas and so forth, who reside in the eight great charnel grounds, instantly enter into the clear light, and arise in the form of the Deities of Heruka in the aspect of Father and Mother.

OM kHa kHa, kHaHI kHaHI, SaRWa YakYa RakYaSa, BHUTa, TRETa, PISHaTSa, UNaTa, aPaMaRa, VaJRa Daka, DakI NÄDaYa, IMaM BaLING GRIHaNTU, SaMaYa RakYaNTU, MaMa SaRWa SIDDHI METRa YaTZaNTU, YaTIPaM, YaTETaM, BHUDZaTa, PIWaTa, DZITRaTa, MaTI TRaMaTa, MaMa SaRWa kaTaYa, SÄDSUkHaM

BISHUDHaYE, SaHaYEka BHaWÄNTU, HUM HUM PHaT

PHaT SÖHa (2x)

With the first recitation, offer the torma to the guests in the cardinal directions, and with the second to the guests in the intermediate directions.

Outer offerings

OM aHRGHaM PaRTITZa SÖHa

OM PaDÄM PaRTITZa SÖHa

OM VaJRa PUPE aH HUM SÖHa

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OM VaJRa DHUPE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa DIWE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa GÄNDHE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa NEWIDE aH HUM SÖHa

OM VaJRa SHaPTa aH HUM SÖHa

Inner offering

To the mouths of the directional guardians, regional guardians, nagas and so forth, OM aH HUM

Requests

You the entire gathering of gods,

The entire gathering of nagas,

The entire gathering of givers of harm, The entire gathering of cannibals,

The entire gathering of evil spirits,

The entire gathering of hungry ghosts,

The entire gathering of flesh-eaters,

The entire gathering of crazy-makers,

The entire gathering of forgetful-makers, The entire gathering of dakas,

The entire gathering of female spirits, all of you without exception

Please come here and listen to me.

O Glorious attendants, swift as thought, Who have taken oaths and heart commitments To guard the doctrine and benefit living beings, Who subdue the malevolent and destroy the dark forces With terrifying forms and inexhaustible wrath, Who grant results to yogic actions,

and who have inconceivable powers and blessings, To you eight types of guest I prostrate.

I request all of you together with your consorts, children and servants

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To grant me the fortune of all the attainments.

May I and other practitioners

Have good health, long life, power,

Glory, fame, fortune,

and extensive enjoyments.

Please grant me the attainments

Of pacifying, increasing, controlling and wrathful actions.

O Guardians, always assist me.

Eradicate all untimely death, sicknesses, Harm from spirits and hindrances.

Eliminate bad dreams,

Ill omens and bad actions.

May there be happiness in the world, may the years be good, May crops increase, and may Dharma flourish.

May all goodness and happiness come about, and may all wishes be accomplished.

At this point you can, if you wish, make the tsog offering. This starts on page 323.

Purifying any mistakes made during this practice with the hundred-letter mantra of Heruka

OM VaJRa HERUka SaMaYa, MaNU PaLaYa, HERUka TENO PaTITa, DRIDHO ME BHaWa, SUTO kaYO ME BHaWa, SUPO kaYO ME BHaWa, aNURakTO ME BHaWa, SaRWa SIDDHI ME PRaYaTZa, SaRWa kaRMa SUTZa ME, TZITaM

SHRIYaM kURU HUM, Ha Ha Ha Ha HO BHaGaWÄN, VaJRa HERUka Ma ME MUNTSa, HERUka BHaWa, MaHa SaMaYa SaTTÖ aH HUM PHaT

OM YOGa SHUDDHa SaRWa DHaRMa YOGa SHUDDHO HaM

VaJRa MU

The mundane beings return to their own places, and the assembly of the Deities of the in-front-generation dissolve into me.

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Dissolution and generating the action Deities The charnel grounds and protection circle dissolve into the celestial mansion. The celestial mansion dissolves into the Deities of the commitment wheel. They dissolve into the Deities of the body wheel. They dissolve into the Deities of the speech wheel. They dissolve into the Deities of the heart wheel. They dissolve into the four Yoginis of the great bliss wheel. They dissolve into me, the Principal Deity Father and Mother, the nature of the white and red indestructible drop. I, the Principal Deity Father and Mother, also melt into light and dissolve into the letter HUM at my heart, in nature the emptiness of the Dharmakaya.

From the state of emptiness our world arises as Heruka’s Pure Land, keajra. I and all sentient beings arise as the Blessed One Heruka, with a blue-coloured body, one face, and two arms embracing Vajravarahi.

The session should be concluded by reciting the Dedication

and remaining prayers from the sadhana The Yoga of Buddha Heruka .

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THE TSOG OFFERING TO HERUka BODY MaNDaLa Blessing the outer and inner offerings, the environment and beings, and the substances of the tsog offering OM aH HUM (3x)

By nature exalted wisdom, having the aspect of the inner offering and the individual offering substances, and functioning as objects of enjoyment of the six senses to generate a special, exalted wisdom of bliss and emptiness, inconceivable clouds of outer, inner and secret offerings, commitment substances and attractive offerings, cover all the ground and fill the whole of space.

EH Ma HO Great manifestation of exalted wisdom.

all realms are vajra realms

and all places are great vajra palaces

Endowed with vast clouds of Samantabhadra’s offerings, an abundance of all desired enjoyments.

all beings are actual Heroes and Heroines.

Everything is immaculately pure,

Without even the name of mistaken impure appearance.

HUM all elaborations are completely pacified in the state of the Truth Body. The wind blows and the fire blazes.

above, on a grate of three human heads, aH within a qualified skullcup, OM the individual substances blaze.

above these stand OM aH HUM, each ablaze with its brilliant colour. Through the wind blowing and the fire blazing, the substances melt. Boiling, they swirl in a great vapour. Masses of light rays from the three letters radiate to the ten directions and invite the three vajras together with nectars. These dissolve separately into the three letters. Melting into nectar, they blend with the mixture.

Purified, transformed and increased,

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EH Ma HO They become a blazing ocean of magnificent delights.

OM aH HUM (3x)

Inviting the guests of the tsog offering PHaIM

From the sacred palace of the Dharmakaya, Great Master, holder of the supreme lineage of the Vajrayana, Who fulfil our hopes for all the attainments, O assembly of root and lineage Gurus, please come to this place.

From the twenty-four holy places throughout the world, O Glorious Heruka, whose nature is the compassion of all the Buddhas,

and all the Heroes and Heroines of these places, Please come here to bestow the attainments that we long for.

From the pure and impure lands of the ten directions, O assembly of Yidams, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Dharma Protectors,

and all the beings of samsara and nirvana, Please come here as guests of this tsog offering.

OM GURU VaJRaDHaRa CHakRaSaMBaRa SÄMaNDaLa DEWa SaRWa BUDDHa BODHISaTTÖ SaPaRIWaRa EH

HaYE HI VaJRa SaMaYa DZa DZa

PÄMa kaMaLaYE TÖN

Making the tsog offering

HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar, Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra, I offer to please my kind root Guru, Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka.

OM aH HUM

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