- Sukhavati Aspiration Prayer Root Text -
by Karma Chakme Rinpoche
Based on the translation by Jens Hansen
Published by Milarepa Retreat Zentrum, Schneverdingen, Germany
With modification added with reference to Khenpo Sodargye's translation
Emaho!
In the direction of the setting sun,
across countless worlds, slightly above,
is the land of the noble beings,
the perfectly pure realm Sukhavati.
It is not visible to ordinary eyesight, but
is clearly visible to a mind with pure vision,
so we should visualize it clearly in our minds.
At that time, the Bhagavan Amitabha was dazzling
with red-lotus, jewel-colored light.
The limitless height of his crown, wheels under soles, etc.,
he has thirty-two major and eighty minor marks of superiority,
With one face and two arms, his hands
in dhyana-mudra and holding the alms bowl,
he is sitting in lotus position wearing the three monk's robes.
On the thousand-petal lotus with moon disc on top,
leaning on the bodhi tree at his back.
Looking at me with the eyes of compassion and wisdom from afar.
On his right is Avalokiteshvara, his body is white and
holding a white lotus in his left hand.
On his left is Vajrapani, his body is blue and holding
a vajra Lotus in his left hand.
And both have their right hands extend towards me in refuge
bestowing mudra,
The three chief deities appear in splendour like Mount Sumeru,
towering, immovable and indestructible.
There are hundreds of billions of monks of the great vehicle,
their bodies are golden with the splendor of marks of perfection,
Wearing three monk's robes of shinning yellow.
Whether it is from far or near, the obeisance does
not become different,
therefore I prostrate devotedly by my three doors right here.
The Dharmakaya Buddha, Dhyani Buddha,
the Lord of Infinite Light,
his right hand radiates light and transforms into Avalokiteshvara,
further transforming into 100 koti Avalokiteshvaras;
the left hand radiates light and transform into Tara,
further transforming into 100 koti Taras;
from his heart radiates light and transform into Padmasambhava,
further transforming into 100 koti Padmasambhavas;
I prostrate to the Dharmakaya Amitabha.
During the six times of day and night,
his Buddha eye constantly beholds
all sentient beings with affection.
He always knows clearly whatever thoughts arise in the mind of
every single sentient being.
And he always hears distinctly and
without confusion whatever words
are spoken by every single sentient being.
I prostrate to the All-knowing Buddha of Infinite Light.
It is declared that anyone who aspires with faith,
except one who has committed the five
inexorable offenses or abandoned the Dharma,
by aspiring to be reborn in Sukhavati,
Amitabha will come and lead him towards that realm
when he enters the bardo,
I prostrate to the Guide Amitabha.
It is declared that Amitabha
will remain alive for countless aeons,
without going into Nirvana, and is now present;
And anyone who supplicates with single pointed devotion,
will obtain power over life,
and, except for those already ripened karma,
the ability to live for a hundred years,
and he will be protected against all untimely death.
I prostrate to the Protector Amitayus.
It is declared that even if one could fill
a billion worlds countless myriads of
times with jewels and give them as gifts,
hearing but once the name of Amitabha
and Sukhavati and joining the palms
in faith would have greater merit.
Therefore I prostrate devotedly to Amitabha.
Whoever on hearing the name of
Amitabha develops uncontrived devotion
from the depth of his heart and bones just once,
he will never regress on the bodhi path.
I prostrate to the Protector Amitabha.
Who even hears the name of Buddha Amitabha,
until he attains Buddhahood,
will not be reborn as a woman, will be born in a noble family,
and have pure vows,
I prostrate to the Sugata Amitabha.
My body, my wealth, my roots of virtue,
all material offerings,
the eight auspicious objects, eight
auspicious signs, and seven royal attributes,
and all offerings of mental creation,
the billion evolvements of Mount
Meru, the four continents and sun and moon
as they appear in the primordial
creation of the billion worlds,
all wealth of devas, nagas, and human
beings, everything my mind holds onto -
this I offer to Amitabha.
In your compassion accept it for my benefit.
All the non-virtuous deeds which have
been committed by myself and other beings,
by all sentient beings headed by my father and mother,
from beginningless time until now -
killing, stealing, and impure conduct,
the three non-virtues of the body,
I now confess.
Lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, and idle talk,
the four non-virtues of speech,
I now confess.
greed, malice, and wrong views,
the three non-virtues of the mind,
I now confess.
Killing one's father, one's mother, one's guru, or an arhat,
and having evil intentions to harm the body of a Buddha,
the heinous crimes I now confess.
Killing a bhikkhu or a samanera,
defiling a nun, destroying a statue, a
stupa, or a temple and so on,
all near heinous crimes I now confess.
Swearing by the refuge, the temple, or the scriptures,
then violating it, etc.
All such deeds of abandoning the Dharma,
I now confess.
The crime of slandering Bodhisattvas is more serious,
than killing all sentient beings in the three realms.
The misdeeds I commited unknowingly,
I now Confess.
Having heard about the benefit resulting from virtue and the
suffering resulting from non-virtue,
about the suffering of the hells and about the life spans
of different realms, etc.,
Thinking that it is not true and just saying it,
this crime is more serious than the five heinous crimes,
All such crimes that cut one off from any chance of liberation,
I now confess.
Breaking the pratimoksha vows through the
four inexpiable offenses, or the thirteen temporary excommunication transgressions,
or indulging in the five kinds of defilement,
all this I now confess.
Falling into the four black activities, or
violating the five, the other five, or eight vows
and thus breaking the bodhisattva vows,
all this I now confess.
Breaking the fourteen root vows and
eight branch vows of Vajrayana
I now confess.
The vows I have failed to take and the
unvirtuous deeds I have committed,
my impure conduct, and my enjoyment of wine and so on,
all the faults which cannot be clearly
described and all the faults I cannot recognize as faults
I now confess.
Having taken refuge vows or empowerments,
without knowing how to keep the commitment precepts,
and subsequently having fallen from them,
this I now confess.
As confession without remorse is impure,
I now confess all my previous faults
from their depth - like having eaten poison,
I confess with shame and fear and great remorse.
As confession without taking further commitment,
will not clean off the negative karma completely,
I commit myself from now on, even in life-threatening situations,
to abstain from killing and all such unvirtuous deeds.
By the blessing of the Sugata Amitabha and his heirs,
may I now be completely purified.
To develop heartfelt joy when one hears
about the virtuous deeds done by others,
and to abandon the non-virtue of jealousy
towards them is declared by the Buddha,
to be a merit equal to that of the performers'.
Therefore I rejoice in all virtue,
performed by noble beings as well as ordinary beings.
I rejoice in all the many deeds for the
benefit of sentient beings,
performed out of the generation of the
supreme bodhichitta.
I rejoice in the reversal of the ten
non-virtues into the ten virtues:
saving other's lives, giving in charity, and
keeping one's commitment,
speaking the truth, reconciling conflicts,
speaking gently and straightforwardly,
speaking what is meaningful,
having small desire, meditating on
loving kindness and compassion, and
practicing Dharma activity. In all
these virtues I rejoice.
I enjoin all accomplished Buddhas of all
the myriad worlds of the ten directions-
please turn without delay the wheel of Dharma,
extensively as well as expediently.
By the Buddhas' super-faculties, they know
and grant our requests gladly.
I supplicate all buddhas, bodhisattvas,
Dharma upholders, and spiritual
friends intending to enter Nirvana -
please do not enter Nirvana, but remain in this world.
My virtue accumulated by this devotion,
and all virtue of the three times,
I dedicate to benefit sentient beings.
May all beings quickly attain the highest enlightenment,
and may the samsara of the three realms be
churned to complete destruction from its depth.
May this virtue quickly ripen for me so
that the eighteen kinds of untimely death may not affect me.
May I remain free from disease, and
may my body have the strength of an adolescent.
May my splendour never be exhausted,
but remain as abundant as the river Ganga in the rainy season.
May I perform the activities of the liberating
Dharma without being endangered by hostile forces;
may all intentions I have in mind be
completely fulfilled according to the Dharma;
may I accomplish great benefits for the
advancement of the Dharma and for all beings;
may I make this human existence full of meanings.
The moment I and all who has karmic connection
with me pass on from this life,
may the emanation Buddha Amitabha
surrounded by his mendicant sangha
appear openly before us.
Content with the joy of beholding him,
may we not experience the suffering of death.
May the eight bodhisattva brothers miraculously
appear in the sky before us.
And by their knowledge of the path to
Sukhavati may they guide us along that path.
The suffering of the lower realms is unbearable,
and the happiness of gods and men is impermanent.
May this cause fear to arise in me.
Samsara has endured from beginningless time until now.
May this cause sadness and renunciation to arise in me.
Even transmigrating from human life
to human life, enjoying the best of all births,
countless times one must undergo birth, old age, sickness, and death.
This degenerate age is affected by impurities and many obstacles.
The happiness and contentment of even
human beings and devas is like food mixed with poison -
may I be without even the slightest desire for this.
All relatives, food, wealth, and companions
are illusory like a dream -
may I be without even the slightest
desire for them.
All countries, places, and homes are like
the lands and homes of a dream -
may I recognize their lack of reality.
To attain the pure realm of Sukhavati
from the inescapable ocean of samsara
is like being liberated from a prison of great evil -
may I not look back towards samsara.
To cut all snares of attachment is like a
vulture being liberated from a net -
may I thus fly away towards the western sky.
Having travelled beyond innumerable
universes in an instant,
may I reach the realm of Sukhavati.
There may I openly behold the face of
Buddha Amitabha and may all my karmic obstacles be purified.
May I take the superior of the four modes of birth,
the miraculous birth from the heart of a lotus flower.
May I instantly obtain a perfect body
endowed with all marks and perfections.
For those who have doubt or hesitation here in this life,
the flower will not open for five
hundred years and they will have to remain within,
fully enjoying all bliss and contentment
and hearing his buddha speech, but unable to behold his buddha face.
May I not develop this fault.
May my flower open instantly on my birth,
and may I behold the face of Buddha Amitabha.
By the power of my merit and magic ability,
may offering clouds surpassing all imagination
emanate from my hands
as offerings to Buddha Amitabha and his retinue.
At that moment, may the Tathagata
stretch out his right hand and touch my head,
and bestow my enlightenment prophecy.
By listening to his deep and extensive Dharma teachings,
may my mind continuum be ripened and liberated.
May Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani, the
two principal bodhisattvas,
bless and accept me.
Each day, as innumerable buddhas and
bodhisattvas of the ten directions
approach the Buddha Amitabha to
make offerings and to behold his realm,
may I through serving all of them
receive their Dharma nectar.
By unhindered projection one can reach
the realms of Abhirati and Shrimat,
Karmaprasiddhi and Akanistha -
may I every morning proceed to visit these realms,
meet the Buddhas Akshobya and Ratnasambhava,
Amogasiddhi and Vairocana,
receive empowerments and blessings,
take vows and make many offerings,
and then by the evening return without
effort or difficulty to Sukhavati.
May I proceed to Potala and Alakavati,
Chamara of Orgyen,
the billion realms of the billion emanations
of Avalokiteshvara and Tara,
Vajrapani and Padmasambhava,
and meet them and make oceans of offerings,
receive empowerments and request profound teachings,
and quickly and without difficulty
return to my own place, Sukhavati.
With my divine eye may I clearly see
those close friends and students I have left behind,
grant them protection and blessings,
and lead them towards this realm at the time of their death.
The duration of a great kalpa of this fortunate
aeon is a single day in Sukhavati,
and for innumerable kalpas there is no death.
May I remain in this realm for all times.
From Buddha Maitreya until Buddha Möpa,
when during this fortunate aeon the
Buddhas appear in this world,
may I miraculously proceed there, make
offerings and listen to their liberating Dharma,
and then again without difficulty return to Sukhavati.
All the qualities of the 8 million 100 thousand koits of
buddha realms are combined in Sukhavati -
May I be reborn in this unsurpassed, the most noble of all realms.
There the jewel ground is as flat as
the palm of the hand, spacious and radiant with beams of light.
When it is pressed down it gives way,
and when it is lifted up it rises.
May I be reborn in this lofty realm of gentle happiness.
There wish-fulfilling trees abound, of
various precious gems,
with leaves of brocade and fruits of jewel ornaments;
flocks of emanation birds perch on them,
singing the teachings of the profound and extensive Dharma.
May I be reborn in this realm of great wonder.
There the rivers flow with perfumed water having the eight qualities,
and the nectar water of the bathing ponds have the same qualities.
The bathing stairs are tiled with the seven precious stones,
and the waters abound with lotus flowers yielding fragrant fruits.
The lotus blossoms radiate light beyond all limits,
and each beam is on its point adorned with an emanation buddha.
May I be reborn in this realm of the greatest marvels.
There the eight unfavourable conditions
and the misery of the lower realms is unheard of.
The three or five emotional poisons, diseases, demons, enemies, paupers, fight, and quarrel and so on,
all such suffering is unheard of.
May I be reborn in this realm of great bliss.
There are no women and nobody is born
from a womb - all are born out of a lotus flower.
All have faultless bodies of golden
complexion adorned with the crown protrusion and so on,
all the marks and perfections, and all
possess the five super-faculties and five eyes.
May I be reborn in this realm of countless precious qualities.
There palaces made of various precious materials arise by themselves;
anything desirable arises by having the thought of it.
No exertion is necessary, all needs are spontaneously fulfilled.
There is no distinction between "you"
and "me" because there is no self clinging.
Whatever one wants arises in offering
clouds from the palm of one's hand.
All practices the Dharma of the highest Mahayana.
May I be reborn in this realm of all pervading joy and contentment.
There the fragrant breezes rain down wonderful flowers.
The trees and rivers and lotus flowers
all have surpassingly lovely colors, shapes, sounds,
fragrances, tastes, and touches.
Offering clouds with all sorts of sense pleasing objects continuously arise.
No women abide in that realm,
but there are abundant emanation devas and devis of many
distinctions continuously presenting offerings.
By the wish to take rest, a jewel palace arises.
By the wish to lay down, a jewel throne
with cushions and pillows of various
brocades appears.
By the wish to listen, the birds, the wish-fulfilling trees,
the rivers, and musical instruments
all sing the wonderful Dharma.
By the wish for silence, no sound is heard.
The nectar pools and rivers become warm or cold upon one's wish.
May I be reborn in this wish-fulfilling realm.
In this realm the perfect Buddha Amitabha will
reside for countless aeons without passing into Nirvana.
May we serve him during this time.
When Amitabha has passed into Nirvana, there will be
an intermediate period of Dharma remaining, lasting
as many aeons as there are sand grains in the river Ganga.
May I not be away from the heir Avalokiteshvara, and
uphold the Dharma during this period.
Eventually the Dharma will decline, but
then Avalokiteshvara will attain perfect enlightenment.
He will appear as the Tathagata King of Wondrous Amassment of Victorious Light (胜光妙聚王, or Tathagata King of Massive Splendour of Victorious Light),
During that time may I offer my attendance
and listen to the liberating Dharma.
His lifespan will be one trillion and sixty-six hundred thousand aeons.
During that time may I offer continuous service and propitiation and
without failure uphold the liberating Dharma.
Then Avalokiteshvara will pass into Nirvana,
and during a period of six hundred million and three hundred thousand
kotis of aeons the Dharma will be uphold and taught by Vajrapani.
During that time may I remain inseparable from Vajrapani.
Vajrapani will then demonstrate the attainment of buddhahood,
the Buddha name is the King of Heaps of
Jewel-Like Steadfast Qualities (坚德宝聚王如来).
His lifespan will be of the same duration as that of Avalokiteshvara.
During that time may I offer continuous service,
make offerings, and be able to uphold the liberating Dharma.
Then may I, when my life there ends, instantly,
in Sukhavati or other pure realms,
attain the Supreme Perfect Enlightenment
Having achieved the perfect buddha state, may I like Amitayus
be able to ripen and liberate all beings just by hearing my name.
May I be able to guide sentient beings
by countless emanations -
may I accomplish boundless benefits for
living beings effortlessly and spontaneously.
O Amitabha, Dharmakaya Buddha of Infinite Light,
the unlimited life, merit, quality,
pristine awareness, and brilliance of the Tathagata,
O Bhagavan of boundless life and pristine awareness,
it is declared that whoever chant your name
will remain protected from all threats of fire, water, poison,
weapons, yaksa, rakshasa, and so on,
except for already-ripened retribution of accumulated karma.
As I prostrate and chant your name,
please grant me your protection against all fear and suffering.
Please bestow your blessing for all auspiciousness,
everything in plenty.
By the blessing of the certainty of the three buddha-kayas,
by the blessing of the truth of the immutable Dharmata,
and by the blessing of the guidance of the unfailing sangha,
may these aspirations be accomplished as they have been made.