Thursday, November 29, 2012

1000 Arms of Compassion

Avalokiteshvara, is an enlightened being who is a manifestation of all Buddhas' compassion. He is known as the Buddha of Compassion.
The name Avalokiteshvara is made of four parts: the verbal prefix ava, which means "down"; the noun loka, which means "the world"; the suffix ita, which changes the verb ''avalok'' into a noun, "one who looks upon the world"; and finally iśvarā, means "lord" or "master".
From "The Great Compassion Repentance"of Fo Guang Shan ( international Mahayana Buddhist monastic order):

Sincerely we repent. Your disciple and beings in all realms, within their present mind contain the multitude of phenomena, miraculous powers and bright wisdom, and are equal to both the Buddhas above, and sentient beings below.
Yet due to ignorance since the infinite past,
which obstructs this serene light,
we generate delusions in the world,
and our minds are bound with the cords of craving.
Although all phenomena are equal,
we conceptualize self and others.
Desire and views are the root,
and the body is a condition for this.
In the midst of existence,
there is no crime we have not committed,
such as the ten evil acts and the five atrocities,
slandering the Dharma and defaming others,
violating morality and the precepts,
desecrating stupas and destroying temples,
stealing from the Sangha, corrupting others’ pure practice,
ruining public property, food and drink.
Thousands of Buddhas may come and go,
but our offences would never be repented.
Our transgressions are boundless.
On the point of death,
we shall fall into the three lower realms and suffer endlessly.
Even while alive,
there will be much distress, sickness and cruel pains,
which hinder our cultivation, and obstruct our cultivation.
Now we have encountered the complete and full Dharani of Great Compassion,
which can swiftly extinguish all such obstacles and offences.
Therefore we shall now sincerely recite the Dharani.
We pray that most compassionate
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva,
guard us with Your Thousand Arms
and illuminate us with Your Thousand Eyes.

May all internal and external hindrances be eliminated.
All pledges and practices for the self and others can be completed.
We will see our true natures and realize all wisdom.
We will conquer all evils and diligently purify the three karmas.
Let us take refuge in Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and all Great Masters.
Aspire to Bodhichitta, and practice the cultivation of mantras.
Together with all beings,
we admit our many faults and sincerely beg for forgiveness.
Our sins will be eliminated.
By cultivating the causes for the Pure Land,
on abandoning this body we shall never be born in any other realm,
but will certainly be reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss.
We make offerings to the most compassionate Avalokitesvara in person, to learn the core of the Dharma and help deliver all beings from the painful wheel of rebirth,  into the land of wisdom. Now that we have completed the Repentance and pledges, we shall take refuge and prostrate to the Triple Gem.

namo ratnatrayāya 
nama ārya-jñāna-sagara-vairocana-buddha-rājāya tathāgatāya 
namaḥ sarvatathāgatebhyaḥ arhadbhyaḥ samyaksaṃbuddhebhyaḥ 
nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya mahāsattvāya mahākāruṇikāya
tadyathā oṃ dhara dhara dhiri dhiri dhuru dhuru iṭṭe viṭṭe 
cale cale pracale pracale kusume kusumavare
ili mili viṭi citijvalam avanaya svāhā

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