1. Taking T he Eight Mahayana Precepts
5. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts 5 S hort M andala Offering This ground, anointed with perfume, strewn with flowers, Adorned with Mount Meru, four continents, Sun and Moon, I offer in visualization as Field of Buddhas. May all sentient beings enjoy this Pure Land! Inner M andala Offering (optional) The objects of my attachment, anger and ignorance, Friends, enemies, strangers – and my body, wealth and enjoyments, Without any sense of loss I offer this collection, Please accept it with pleasure and bless me with freedom from the three poisons. Om Idam Guru Ratna Mandalakam Nirya Tayami ( I send forth this jewelled mandala to you, Oh precious Gurus )
8. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts 8 Then think: This is my contribution to the peace and happiness of all sentient beings and, in particular, to the peace and happiness of all sentient beings of this world. Dedication Prayers May the supreme jewel bodhichitta not yet born arise and grow, M ay that born never decline b ut increase forever more. Because of the merits of taking the ordination and keeping the precepts, may I and all sentient beings achieve the two enlightened holy bodies created by the two vast acc umulations of merit and transcendental wisdom. H.H. the Dalai Lama states that reading about the Eight Mahayana Precepts, observing them, or even rejoicing when others observe such practice creates great positive potential in our minds. In order that this (positive potenti a l) be of greatest benefit to ourselves and others, it is very helpful to dedicate it following the example of Master Shantideva: May all beings everywhere Plagued by sufferings of body and mind, Obtain an ocean of h a ppiness and joy By virtue of my merits. May no living creature suffer, Commit evil or ever fall ill. May no one be afraid or belittled, With a mind weighed down by depression. May the blind see forms, And the deaf hear sounds. May those whose bodies a re worth with toil Be restored on finding repose.
7. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts 7 Just as the fo e destroyers of the past have abandoned all misconduct of body, speech, and mind, such as taking the lives of others, so shall I, for the sake of all beings, abandon for one day these wrong actions and devote myself to the pure practice of the training. The Commitment Prayer to Keep the Precepts From now on I shall not kill, Steal others’ possessions, Engage in sexual activity, Or speak false words. I shall avoid intoxicants, From which many mistakes arise. I shall not sit on large, high, or expensive beds. I shall not eat food at the wrong times. I shall avoid singing, dancing, and playing music, And I shall not wear perfumes, garlands, or ornaments. Just as the arhats have avoided wrong actions, such as taking the lives of others, So shall I avoid wrong actions such as taking the lives of others. May I quickly attain enlightenment, And may the living beings who are experiencing the various sufferings Be released from the ocean of cyclic existence. The Mantra of Pure Morality (x 21) Om Amogh a Shila Sambhara / Bhara Bhara / Maha Shuddha Sattva Padma Bibhushita Bhudza / Dhara Dhara / Samanta / Avalokite Hum Phat Svaha Prayer to Keep Pure Morality May I maintain faultless morality of the rules And immaculate morality. May the perfection of moral conduct be completed By keeping morality purely and untainted by pride. ( Make three prostrations. )
9. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts 9 May the naked find clothing, The hungry find food; May the thirsty find water And delicious drinks. May the poor find wealth, Those weak with sorrow find joy; May the forlo r n find hope, Constant happine ss and prosperity. May there be timely rains And bountiful harvests, May all medicines be effective And wholesome prayers bear fruit. May all who are sick and ill Quickly be freed from their ailme n ts. Whatever diseases there are in the world, May they never occur again. May the frightened cease to be afraid And those bound be freed May the powerless find power And may people think of benefiting each other. For as long as space endures, For as long as sentient beings remain, Until then, may I to o abide, To dispel the suffering of the world. (You may add in your own dedication ) May All Be Auspicious!
3. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts 3 The Four Immeasurable Thoughts (Short Version) May all sentient beings achieve extra ordinary superior happiness and its causes. May all sentient beings be free from the unbearable sea of suffering and its causes. May all sentient beings never be parted from the bliss of supreme liberation. May all sentient beings be free from aversion, attachment, clinging, feeling close to some and distant from others. Purifying t he P lace Everywhere may the ground be pure, free of the roughness of pebbles and so forth. May it be in the nature of lapis lazuli and as smooth as the palm of one’s hand. Offering Prayer May human and divine offerings, Actually arranged and mentally created, Clouds of finest Samantabhadra offerings, Fill the entire space. Offering Cloud Mantra (x 3) Om Namo Bhagawate Bendzay Sarwa Parma Dana Tathagataya Arhate Samyaksam Buddhaya Tayatha Om Bendzay Bendzay Maha Bendzay Maha Tadzya Bendzay Maha Bidya Bendzay Maha Bodhicitta Bendzay Maha Bodhi Mando Pasam Kramana Bendzay Sarva Karma Avarana Bisho Dana Bendzay Soha
6. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts 6 Now stand up and make three prostrations. Then, kneel on your right knee with your hands together in prostration and your head bowed. Visualize Guru Avalokiteshvara before you, generate the profound bodhichitta motivation for taking the precepts, and repeat three times: Prayer for T aking the P recepts (x 3) All buddhas and bodhisattvas dwelling in the ten directions, please pay attention to me. Just as the previous tathagathas, foe destroyers, perfectly completed buddhas who, like the divine wise horse and the great elephant, did what had to be done, performe d actions, laid down the burden, subsequently attained their own welfare, completely exhausted the fetters to existence, and had perfect speech, well - liberated minds, and well - liberated wisdom, for the welfare of all sentient beings, in order to benefit, i n order to liberate, in order to eliminate famine, in order to eliminate war, in order to stop the harm of the four elements, in order to eliminate sickness, in order to fully complete the thirty - seven practices harmonious with enlightenment, and in order to definitely actualize the unsurpassed result of perfect, complete enlightenment perfectly performed the restoring and purifying the ordination; S imilarly, also I, who am called [say your name], fro m this time until sunrise tomorrow, for the welfare of all sentient beings, in order to benefit, in order to liberate, in order to eliminate famine, in order to eliminate war, in order to stop the harm of the four elements, in order to eliminate sickness, in order to fully complete the thirty - seven practices harmonious with enlightenment, and in order to definitely actualize the unsurpassed result of perfect, complete enlightenment, shall perfectly undertake the restoring and purifying ordination . Upon comp leting the third recitation, think that you have received the vows in your continuum and rejoice. Then regenerate the thought of bodhichitta, the altruistic aspiration to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, by thinking:
2. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts 2 Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts Multiplying Virtues Mantra (x 7) Om Sambhara Sambhara Vimana Sara Maha Java Hung Om Smara Smara Vimana S k ara Maha Java Hung The Ultimate One Million Multiplying Mantra (x 7) Om Dhare Dhare Bendhare Svaha Blessing t he Mala (x 7) Om Rucina Mani Pravartaya Hung Refuge (x 3) Namo Gurubhya Namo Buddhaya Namo Dharmaya Namo Sanghaya I take refuge in the Gurus I take refuge in the Buddhas I take refuge in the Dharma I take refuge in the Sangha Taking Refuge and Generating Bodhicitta (x 3) To the Buddha, Dharma and Aryan Sangha, I go for refuge until I am enlightened. By the merit of giving and other perfections may I attain Buddhahood for the sake of benefiting all mother sentient beings!
4. Taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts 4 The Power of Truth By the power of truth of the Three Jewels, Of the blessings of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, By t he power of the great might of the completed two collections, And of the completely pure, inconceivable sphere of reality , May all these offerings become suchness. Invocation (with incense burning) Protector of all beings without exception ; Divine destroyer of the intractable legions of Mara; Perfect knower of all things : Bhagavan and retinue , p lease come here. Mantra and Praise with Prostrations Om Namo Manjushriye, Namah Sushriye, Nama Uttama Shriye Svaha To the guru, founder, bhagavan , tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha, glorious conqueror Shakyamuni Buddha, I prostrate, make offerings, and go for refuge. Please grant me your blessings. (x 3 with prostra tions) Then sit down to do t he following prayers. The Seven Limbs Prayer Reverently I prostrate with my body, speech and mind, And present clouds of every type of offering, actually offered and mentally transformed. I confess all my negative actions accumulated since beginningless time, And rejoice in the virtues of all holy and ordinary beings. Please , remain until the end of samsara And turn the wheel of Dharma for sentient beings. I dedicate all the virtues of others and myself to the great enlightenment.
