To order the Pearl of Wisdom prayer books.
Meditation on the Buddha
Taking refuge and generating the altruistic heart dedicated to attaining enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings
I take refuge until I am enlightened in the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Sangha. By the positive potential I create by practicing generosity and the other far-reaching attitudes, may I attain Buddhahood in order to benefit all sentient beings. 3x
In order to help all sentient beings and lead them to the perfect peace and happiness of enlightenment, I must attain enlightenment. For this purpose, I shall meditate on Guru Shakyamuni Buddha.
Visualization
Every aspect of the following visualization is made of light - transparent, intangible and radiant. At the level of your forehead, about five or six feet in front of you, visualize a large golden throne adorned with jewels and supported at each corner by a pair of snow lions. On the throne is an open lotus, and on that two discs - the moon and the sun.
Seated upon this is the Buddha, one who has purified all defilements and attain all perfect realizations. He is the embodiment of all enlightened beings. His body is made of golden light and he wears the saffron robes of a monk. He is seated in the vajra posture. The palm of his right hand rests on his right knee, the fingers touching the moon cushion to symbolize his great control. His left hand rests in his lap in the meditation pose, holding a bowl filled with nectar, which is medicine for curing our disturbing attitudes and other hindrances.11 Feel that this is the real Buddha in front of you.
Buddha's face is very beautiful; his smiling, compassionate gaze is directed towards you and simultaneously encompasses all sentient beings. He is free of all judgmental, critical thoughts and accepts you just as you are. His eyes are long, narrow and very peaceful. His lips are red and his earlobes long. His hair is blue-black and each hair is individually curled to the right. Each feature of his holy body represents an aspect of his omniscient mind.
Rays of light emanate from each pore of Buddha's body and reach every corner of the universe. These rays are composed of countless miniature Buddhas, some going out to help sentient beings, others dissolving back into the Buddha's body after having finished their work.
Around you are seated all sentient beings in human form - friends, strangers and enemies. You are all facing the Buddha together.
Purification
Feel the living presence of the Buddha and take refuge in him, recalling his perfect qualities and his willingness and ability to help you. Make a request from your heart to receive his inspiration and blessings to help you and others become free from all of your negative energy, disturbing attitudes, misconceptions and problems. Request to receive all the realizations of the path to enlightenment so that you may be peaceful and happy and be able to make your life beneficial for others. Recite the following three times:
To the Guru and Founder, the Endowed Transcendent Destroyer, the One Gone Beyond, the Foe Destroyer, the Completely Perfected, Fully-awakened Being, the Glorious Conqueror, the Subduer from the Shakya Clan, I prostrate, go for refuge and make offerings. Please bestow upon me your inspiration.
Your request is accepted. A stream of purifying white light, which is the nature of the enlightened mind of wisdom and compassion, flows from the Buddha's heart and enters your body through the crown of your head. The light also flows into all the sentient beings, whom you have visualized sitting around you. Just as the darkness in a room is instantly dispelled the moment a light is switched on, so too is the darkness of your negative energy dispelled as soon as the radiant white light enters you. Continue with the visualization while reciting the Buddha's mantra as many times as you wish:
tayata om muni muni maha muniye soha
Feel that the negative energy, problems and subtle obscurations of yourself and others have been completely purified. Your body is filled with light and is very blissful. Concentrate on this for a while.
Receiving inspiration and blessings
Visualize that a stream of golden light, the essence of which is the excellent qualities of the Buddha's body, speech and mind, descends from the Buddha's heart and flows into you and into all the sentient beings around you through the crown of your head. These infinite good qualities permeate every part of you. Concentrate on this blissful experience of receiving the blessings and inspiration of the Buddha while reciting:
tayata om muni muni maha muniye soha
Feel that you have received the infinite excellent qualities of the Buddha. You have unbiased love and compassion for all beings, just as the Buddha does. Feel that you have actualized the six far-reaching attitudes: generosity, morality, patience, joyous effort, concentration and wisdom. It is the same for all the sentient beings around you. Feel blissful and satisfied. Concentrate on this for some time.
Absorption
Make a determined aspiration to live your life according to the loving and compassionate thought to become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings. Think that Guru Shakyamuni Buddha is extremely pleased with your noble aspiration, and will guide you so that you can actualize it.
Visualize that the throne absorbs into the lotus, and the lotus into the moon and sun discs. They, in turn, absorb into the Buddha, who now comes above your head, facing the same way as you do. He melts into light and dissolves into you, thus blessing, inspiring and transforming your mind. Feel that not even the slightest bit of selfishness remains and that your mind has become the loving, compassionate thought aspiring to attain enlightenment only for the benefit of others.
Reappearance
At your heart center appears a small Buddha, made of light. Be mindful of the Buddha at your heart as you do all the daily activities of your life.
Dedication
Due to this merit may I soon
Attain the enlightened state of Guru-Buddha,
That I may be able to liberate
All sentient beings from their sufferings.
May the precious bodhi mind
Not yet born arise and grow.
May that born have no decline,
But increase forever more.
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