Meditation on 1000-Armed Chenresig

Visualization
In the space in front of me is the divine form of 1000-Armed Chenresig, who is the embodiment of all the
infinite Buddhas compassionate wisdom. e stands on a lotus and moon seat. is bod! is in the nature of
white light, !outhful, and decorated with magnificent "ewel ornaments.
e has eleven faces. #f the three on his shoulders, his center face is white, the right green and the
left red. Above those, his center face is green, right red and left white. Above those, his center face is red,
right white and left green. Above those is a wrathful dar$ blue face with !ellow hair standing erect. #n the
top of that is the red head of Amitabha Buddha, peaceful and smiling.
Chenresigs first two hands are at his heart, palms together, holding a wish-fulfilling gem. #n his
right, the second hand holds a cr!stal rosar!, reminding me to recite the mantra. %he third hand is in the
gesture of giving reali&ations and from it a rain of nectar falls, curing the hunger and thirst of the hungr!
ghosts. %he fourth hand holds a 'harma wheel.
#n his left, the second hand holds a golden lotus, the purest of flowers although it is born from the
mud. %he third hand holds a vase containing the nectar of his compassionate wisdom. %he fourth holds a
bow and arrow, s!mboli&ing defeat of the four negative forces. %he other (() hands are in the gesture of
giving the highest reali&ations. An antelope s$in is draped over his left shoulder, s!mboli&ing that hatred is
overcome completel! b! peaceful, compassionate wisdom.
Taking Refuge and Generating the Altruistic Intention (odhicitta!
I ta$e refuge until I am enlightened in the Buddha, the 'harma and the *angha. B! the positive potential I
create b! practicing generosit! and the other far-reaching attitudes, ma! I attain Buddhahood in order to
benefit all sentient beings. +,ecite - times from the depth of !our heart..
The "our Immeasura#les
ow wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were to abide in e/uanimit!, free of bias, attachment and
anger. 0a! the! abide in this wa!. I shall cause them to abide in this wa!. 1uru Chenresig, please inspire me
to be able to do so.
ow wonderful it would be if all sentient beings had happiness and its causes. 0a! the! have these.
I shall cause them to have these. 1uru Chenresig, please inspire me to be able to do so.
ow wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were free from suffering and its causes. 0a! the!
be free. I shall cause them to be free. 1uru Chenresig, please inspire me to be able to do so.
ow wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were never parted from upper rebirth and
liberations e2cellent bliss. 0a! the! never be parted. I shall cause them never to be parted. 1uru Chenresig,
please inspire me to be able to do so.
$e%en-&im# 'ra(er
,everentl! I prostrate with m! bod!, speech and mind,
And present clouds of ever! t!pe of offering, actual and mentall! transformed.
I confess all m! negative actions accumulated since beginningless time,
And re"oice in the virtues of all hol! and ordinar! beings.
3lease remain until c!clic e2istence ends,
And turn the wheel of 'harma for sentient beings.
I dedicate all the virtues of m!self and others to the great enlightenment.
Mandala )ffering
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%his ground, anointed with perfume, flowers strewn,
0ount 0eru, four lands, sun and moon,
Imagined as a Buddha land and offered to !ou
0a! all beings en"o! this pure land.
%he ob"ects of attachment, aversion and ignorance 4 friends, enemies and strangers, m! bod!, wealth and
en"o!ments 4 I offer these without an! sense of loss. 3lease accept them with pleasure and inspire me and
others to be free from the three poisonous attitudes.
idam guru ratna mandalakam nirya tayami
Re*uest 'ra(er
# Ar!a Compassionate-e!ed #ne
5ho is the treasure of compassion,
I re/uest !ou, please listen to me,
3lease guide m!self, mothers and fathers
In all si2 realms to be freed /uic$l!
6rom the great ocean of samsara.
I re/uest that the vast and profound
3eerless awa$ening mind ma! grow.
5ith the tear of !our great compassion,
3lease cleanse all $armas and delusion.
3lease lead with !our hand of compassion
0e and migrators to fields of bliss.
3lease Amitabha and Chenresig
In all m! lives be virtuous friends.
*how well the undeceptive pure path
And /uic$l! place us in Buddhas state.
Meditation on the +,ight Verses of Thought Transformation-
+After each verse, visuali&e much light coming from Chenresig, flowing into !ou and completel! filling !our
whole bod!. It purifies the selfishness and ignorance which prevent !ou from understanding the meaning of
that verse, and gives !ou the abilit! to understand and integrate each verse into !our life. If !ou li$e, sa! the
si2-s!llable mantra a few times while visuali&ing that..
1. 5ith the thought of attaining enlightenment
6or the welfare of all beings,
5ho are more precious than a wish-fulfilling "ewel,
I will constantl! practice holding them dear.
). 5henever I am with others
I will practice seeing m!self as the lowest of all,
And from the ver! depth of m! heart
I will respectfull! hold others as supreme.
-. In all actions I will e2amine m! mind
And the moment a disturbing attitude arises,
7ndangering m!self and others,
I will firml! confront and avert it.
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8. 5henever I meet a person of bad nature
5ho is overwhelmed b! negative energ! and intense suffering,
I will hold such a rare one dear,
As if I had found a precious treasure.
9. 5hen others, out of "ealous!,
0istreat me with abuse, slander and so on,
I will practice accepting defeat
And offering the victor! to them.
:. 5hen someone I have benefited
And in whom I have placed great trust
urts me ver! badl!,
I will practice seeing that person as m! supreme teacher.
;. In short, I will offer directl! and indirectl!
7ver! benefit and happiness to all beings, m! mothers.
I will practice in secret ta$ing upon m!self
All their harmful actions and sufferings.
<. 5ithout these practices being defiled b! the stains of the eight worldl! concerns,
B! perceiving all phenomena as illusor!,
I will practice without grasping to release all beings
6rom the bondage of the disturbing unsubdued mind and $arma.
Those who have not received the great empowerment into the Chenresig mandala
+If !ou have not received the great empowerment into the Chenresig mandala, continue with the front-
generation, doing the purification and absorption below. %hen go to the dedication verses at the end of the
sadhana. %hose doing the self-generation, ma! s$ip the purification and absorption and go to the section
entitled =%hose who have received the great empowerment into the Chenresig mandala> and continue from
there to the end of the sadhana..
'urification and Recei%ing Ins.iration
Chenresig now comes on top of m! head, facing the same direction as I do. Chenresig also appears on the
heads of all sentient beings, who are seated around me. At the heart of each Chenresig are a lotus and flat
moon disc. *tanding at the center of the moon is the seed-s!llable hri, the essence of Chenresigs omniscient
mind of wisdom and compassion. %his is surrounded b! the letters of the long mantra, and inside this stand
the letters of the si2-s!llable mantra. All of it is made of radiant light.
6rom the mantras and hri much white light and nectar, which represent the nature of Chenresigs
blissful omniscient mind, flow into me, permeating m! entire nervous s!stem. %he! totall! purif! all
disturbing attitudes, negative $armic imprints, diseases, and obscurations. I feel completel! pure and blissful.
%he light and nectar also fill me with all the reali&ations of the gradual path to enlightenment, especiall!
Chenresigs love, compassion, and wisdom.
*imilarl!, light and nectar from the Chenresigs on the crowns of all the sentient beings flow into
them, purif!ing all negativities and obscurations and inspiring them with all the reali&ations of the path to
enlightenment. +'o this visuali&ation while reciting the long mantra and then the si2-s!llable mantra..
?ong mantra@
namo ratna trayaya/ namo arya gyana sagara/ berotsana buha radzaya/ tatagataya/ arhate/ samyaksam
buddhaya/ namo sarwa tatagatebhye/ arhatebhye/ samyaksam buddhebhye/ namo arya awalokite/
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shoraya/ bodhi satoya/ maha satoya/ maha karunikaya/ tayata/ om/ dara dara/ diri diri/ duru duru/ itte
wate/ tsale tsale/ partsale partsale/ kusume kusume ware/ ihli mili/ tsiti dzola/ ahpanaye soha/
*i2-s!llable mantra@
om mani padme hum
A#sor.tion
I will live m! life in a meaningful wa!, and do all actions with the motivation to attain enlightenment for the
benefit of all sentient beings. Because I have such a noble intention, Chenresig is e2tremel! pleased. e melts
into white light and absorbs into m! heart.
B! Chenresig absorbing into me, m! mind becomes the nature of great compassion, loving-$indness,
and bodhicitta. 0! bod! is filled with light and becomes ver! pure and clear, li$e cr!stal. +Concentrate on
this for a while..
%he Chenresigs on the heads of all the sentient beings melt into light, absorb into them, and bless
them so that the! ma! progress along the gradual path to enlightenment.
+Aow dedicate the positive potential from doing the meditation b! reciting the dedication pra!ers at the end
of the sadhana..
Those who have received the great empowerment into the Chenresig mandala
+'o the self-generation practice of the si2 deities..
1/ 0ltimate 1ature of the 2eit( (meditation on em.tiness!
om sobhawa shudo sarwa dharma sobhawa shudo ham +#m b! essential nature all phenomena are pureB b!
essential nature, I am pure..
%he natures of m!self, the meditational deit!, and all phenomena are pure in the one taste of
emptiness.
3/ 2eit( of $ound
5ithin the sphere of emptiness, the aspect of the tone of the mantra, om mani padme hum, resonates,
pervading the realm of space.
4/ 2eit( of &etter
%he ultimate nature of the deit! is inseparable from the transcendental aspect of m! own mind. %his
manifests as a moon mandala. Above that, the sound of the mantra resonating in space manifests around the
moon in the aspect of written letters, which are li$e ver! pure and bright mercur! mi2ing completel! with
grains of gold.
5/ 2eit( of "orm
%hat transforms into a thousand-petaled lotus, glittering with brilliant light. Its center is decorated with om
mani padme hum. Infinite light radiates from the lotus, moon and mantra letters, presenting clouds of
offerings to all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. %he! bestow blessings and inspiration of their bod!, speech
and mind, and the light reabsorbs.
Again light radiates. #n the tip of each ra! is the *uperior, the 1reat Compassionate #ne, going out
to purif! and empower all the sentient beings. A great cloud is emanated and from it a rain of nectar falls,
pacif!ing the sufferings of the sentient beings. All sentient beings are satisfied with bliss and become
Chenresig. All of these Chenresigs absorb bac$ into m! mind which is in the form of lotus, moon and mantra
garland.
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%hese transform into a variegated lotus and moon seat. Above that I arise as Chenresig, white,
!outhful, radiating and beautiful. I have eleven faces. #f the three on m! shoulders, the center face is white,
the right green and the left red. Above those, m! center face is green, right red and left white. Above those,
m! center face is red, right white and left green. All of the faces have fine, narrow e!es and are smiling.
Above those is a wrathful dar$ blue face, snarling and having three e!es and !ellow hair standing erect. #n
the top of that is the red head of Amitabha Buddha, in the form of a mon$, peaceful and smiling.
0! first two hands are at m! heart, palms together, holding a wish-fulfilling gem. #n m! right, the
second hand holds a cr!stal rosar!. %he third hand is in the gesture of giving reali&ations and from it a rain
of nectar falls, curing the hunger and thirst of the hungr! ghosts. %he fourth hand holds a 'harma wheel.
#n m! left, the second hand holds a golden lotus. %he third hand holds a vase with nectar. %he
fourth holds a bow and arrow. %he other (() hands, soft li$e lotus petals, are in the gesture of giving the
highest reali&ations. In the palm of each hand is an e!e. %he hands do not e2tend be!ond the crown pinnacle
or below the $nees. An antelope s$in is draped over m! left shoulder. I am adorned with a s$irt made of the
finest cloth, a golden belt decorated with "ewels, "eweled crown, earrings, nec$lace, armlets, an$lets and
scarves of different colors. 0! red-!ellow hair is arranged in garlands.
At m! crown is a white om, throat red ah, heart blue hum. At m! heart is a moon disc with the white
s!llable hri.
6/ 2eit( of Mudra
om pay ma utpa waye soha
+5ith the mudra of the lotus essence, touch !our hands to !our heart, brow, nec$, right and left shoulders.
*a! this mantra while touching each point..
7/ 2eit( of $ign
At m! heart is a moon disc. *eated on that is the transcendental wisdom being, white Chenresig, with one
face and two arms. is right hand is in the mudra of giving sublime reali&ations and the left is holding a lotus
at the heart. At the heart is a moon disc. #n that is the concentration being, the white s!llable hri. %he hri is
surrounded b! the letters of the long mantra, and inside this stand the letters of the si2-s!llable mantra.
+0editate to develop clear appearance of !ourself as Chenresig and divine identit! of being Chenresig@
Clear appearance of yourself as the deity. 1o over the details of !our Chenresig bod! and then
concentrate single-pointedl! on this image of !ourself as Chenresig. 'oing this overcomes the ordinar!
appearance of !ourself as an ordinar! being involved in c!clic e2istence. 'ont thin$ !our ordinar! bod!
has become Chenresig because !our ordinar! bod! of flesh and bones vanished when !ou meditated on
emptiness and !our wisdom reali&ing emptiness now appears in the form of Chenresig.
Divine identity +divine dignit! or divine pride.. B! concentrating on the feeling =I am the Buddha
Chenresig,> !ou will overcome the ordinar! grasping which holds onto a poor-/ualit! image of !ourself
and grasping at !ourself as inherentl! e2istent. An inherentl! e2istent =I> doesnt become Chenresig C it
cant because such an =I> doesnt e2ist at all. ,ather, !our conventional =I> becomes Chenresig.
%hen, aware that the two, appearance and emptiness, arise together, meditate on the !oga of non-dual
profundit! and clarit!. Clarit! is imagining having the bod! of the deit!B profundit! is the wisdom $nowing
this bod! and self are empt! of inherent e2istence. %r! to unif! method and wisdom in one consciousness,
i.e., meditate that !our wisdom reali&ing emptiness +wisdom. assumes the appearance of the deit! +method..
%hat is, while !ou appear as Chenresig, ascertain that !ou are empt! of inherent e2istence. 5hile !ou are
empt!, !ou appear as Chenresig. Chenresig is li$e a reflection or an illusion, appearing in one wa! but
e2isting in another. Chenresig is a dependent arising, dependent on the basis of designation, name and
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concept..
Mantra Recitation
At m! heart is a white moon and the concentration being hri. *urrounding this, standing cloc$wise on the
moon are the s!llables of the long mantra, white in color. Inside this stand the s!llables of the si2-s!llable
mantra. ?ight radiates from these and completel! fills m! bod!. All obscurations, disease and hindrances are
purified. %he light radiates outside, carr!ing a countless number of 1reat Compassionate #nes. %he! purif!
all sentient beings negative $arma, disturbing attitudes, and obscurations.
%he light gives sentient beings all the temporal happiness the! want. It also ripens their minds so that
the! receive the reali&ations of the gradual path to enlightenment and attain the ultimate happiness of
Buddhahood. All sentient beings become Chenresig.
Again light ra!s radiate from m! heart. %he! carr! offerings to all the Buddhas and to all the
sentient beings who have become Chenresig. All these Chenresigs are e2tremel! pleased and e2perience bliss.
%hen all the /ualities of Chenresigs hol! bod!, speech, and mind in the form of white light come
from all the Chenresigs and absorb into m! heart, blessing m! mind. All the Buddhas and all the sentient
beings who have become Chenresigs fall li$e snowfla$es into me. I feel ver! blissful and m! bod!, speech,
and mind become completel! one with 1uru Chenresigs hol! bod!, speech and mind.
+5hile doing the above visuali&ations, recite the long mantra and the si2-s!llable mantra..
namo ratna trayaya/ namo arya gyana sagara/ berotsana buha radzaya/ tatagataya/ arhate/ samyaksam
buddhaya/ namo sarwa tatagatebhye/ arhatebhye/ samyaksam buddhebhye/ namo arya awalokite/
shoraya/ bodhi satoya/ maha satoya/ maha karunikaya/ tayata/ om/ dara dara/ diri diri/ duru duru/ itte
wate/ tsale tsale/ partsale partsale/ kusume kusume ware/ ihli mili/ tsiti dzola/ ahpanaye soha/
om mani padme
+Disuali&e Da"rasattva on !our crown. Aectar flows from his heart into !ou, purif!ing an! incorrect mantra
recitations. ,ecite the following 100-s!llable Da"rasattva mantra -2..
om paymasattva samaya manu palaya/ paymasattva deno patita/ dido may bhawa/ suto kayo may bhawa/
supo kayo may bhawa/ anu rakto may bhawa/ sarwa siddhi mempar yatsa/ sarwa karma su tsa may/ tsitam
shriyam kuru hum/ ha ha ha ha ho/ bhagawan/ sarwa tatagata/ payma ma may mu tsa/ payma bhawa
maha samaya sattva/ ah hum pey
ecoming the $im.le "orm of Chenresig
All m! faces absorb to the root face, all the arms to the root arms. I maintain the divine dignit! of m!self as
the 1reat Compassionate #ne, with one face and two arms, with an om at m! crown, ah at m! throat and
hum at m! heart.
2edication
'ue to this merit ma! we soon
Attain the enlightened state of Chenresig
%hat we ma! be able to liberate
All sentient beings from their sufferings.
0a! the precious bodhi mind
Aot !et born arise and grow.
0a! that born have no decline
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But increase forever more.
'ue to the positive potentials accumulated b! m!self and others in the past, present and future, ma! an!one
who merel! sees, hears, remembers, touches or tal$s to me be freed in that ver! instant from all sufferings
and abide in happiness forever.
In all rebirths, ma! I and all sentient beings be born in a good famil!, have clear wisdom and great
compassion, be free of pride and devoted to our spiritual masters, and abide within the vows and
commitments to our spiritual masters.
In whatever guise !ou appear, # Chenresig, whatever !our retinue, !our life span and pure land,
whatever !our name most noble and hol!, ma! I and all others attain onl! these.
B! the force of these praises and re/uests made to !ou, ma! all disease, povert!, fighting and
/uarrels be calmed. 0a! the 'harma and all auspiciousness increase throughout the worlds and directions
where I and all others dwell.
In the snow! mountain paradise
Eoure the source of good and happiness.
3owerful %en&in 1!atso, Chenresig
0a! !ou sta! until samsara ends.
2ail( Acti%ities
5hen !ou are doing !our dail! activities, visuali&e !ourself as Chenresig and the environment and beings
around !ou as Chenresigs pure land with man! Chenresigs. 5hen !ou eat or en"o! other sense pleasures,
offer them to Chenresig. 5henever !ou are praised, thin$ the other people are praising Chenresig.
Colo.hon
%he present sadhana was prepared for the Chenresig retreat sponsored b! Casa %ibet 0e2ico and 'harma
6riendship 6oundation in )001-)00). It accommodates the needs of both those who have and those who have
not received the great empowerment into the mandala of 1000-Armed Chenresig. %his sadhana is based on
the Chenresig sadhana b! Fopa ,inpoche in Pearl of Wisdom, ook !!. %he self-generation section was
abbreviated and added from the A!ung Ae! sadhana +6asting ,etreat with Chenresig..
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