The Prayer of the Enjoyment Body Pure Realm

“Jasper Blossoming by Moonlight”

Prayer composed by Shardza Rinpoche

The following are my own personal notes and understandings –to the best of my limited abilities and recollection– on the teachings of the Pure Land Prayer taught to me line by line by my teacher. I tried my best to capture the spirit and essence of what I was taught without adding to it. Any mistakes are my own. I type this up to aid me in my own memorization and study –for the betterment of my own practice and to ward off forgetfulness– and to hopefully leave a guide for my children and any others who wish to study and practice the path of the Pure Land, Buddha Limitless Light. May these writings be of benefit to all, and any merit generated from diligent note taking be shared with all. 

We are the fortunate ones who are under the blessing of the Lama. We have obtained the precious human body with the freedoms and endowments. Practicing the precious teachings of Yungdrung Bӧn is our excellent karmic connection and great fortune. 

This precious human body with the freedoms and endowments should be used for the diligent practice of the teachings of the Buddhas. Contemplating the meaning of the words and having the fortune to practice, we must realize that there is no other birth than that of a human that you get this opportunity. 

Therefore, having obtained this precious human life, we will use it to accomplish enlightenment. If we do not accomplish enlightenment, then our life is meaningless. It is like we are dying of thirst next to a giant lake. 

It is like we are sick with a fever next to a medicinal camphor tree. It is like we are on an island of precious jewels without the fortune of getting treasure. 

The prayer of the Completion Body entitled “Rope of Compassion”, also called the prayer of the Blissful Pure Realm teaches how to listen, contemplate, and practice. So, for any sentient being who is dying or wishes to be reborn in the Blissful Pure Realm, they need to face the western direction of the Pure Realm of Buddha Limitless Light, holding pleasant smelling incense, and through the six purifications recite the prayer of the Rope of Compassion prayer. 

When we recite this prayer, meditate, and recite the mantra, we should not omit or add any words, our contemplation should be stable, and our pronunciation of the mantra should be proper. We need to recite this prayer with faith and devotion. 

It is not easy to understand the teachings of Yungdrung Bön. But, if we try, step by step together, it will be accomplished - what we wish and what we need will manifest. 

Prayer of Intention

To the one whose mind’s wisdom is vast as the sky,

Whose great love is as full as the mandala of the sun,

Whose enlightened activities go everywhere skillfully,

May the deity of Limitless Light clear the darkness of my mind.

To even hear the name just once,

Liberates the torment of many kinds of suffering.

To be taken to the Blissful abode,

To be swiftly reborn in the Blissful Pure Realm,

The cause of rebirth in this Pure Realm is possible by the power of practice.

It is a greater happiness than finding a wish fulfilling jewel.

This prayer to be reborn in the Pure Realm, the Chain of Compassion,

May these words be a lamp to clearly illuminate this Pure Realm prayer.

According to Yungdrung Bön, there are three kinds of prayers, called essential prayers. The prayer of the three enlightened bodies. First, the prayer of the reality body, the dharmakaya, is "Rousing the Sleep.” Second, the prayer of the completion body, sambhogakaya, is “The Rope of Compassion.” And third, the prayer of the emanation body, Nirmanakaya, is “Transferring into Omniscience.”

The subject here is the prayer of the Pure Realm of great bliss or chain of compassion, also called The Prayer of the Completion Body “Rope of Compassion.”

This prayer presents the daily practices and teachings for birth in the Blissful Pure Realm. 

What are the main daily practices taught in the Blissful Pure Realm prayer?

Understanding the four causes of being reborn in the Blissful Pure Realm and how to put them into practice which specifically includes the following: 

1. Visualizing the environment of the Pure Realm & Buddha Limitless Light, Ӧpagmé.

2. Recognizing virtue and non-virtue, accumulating virtue and abandoning non-virtue.

3. The practice of prostration to receive the blessings of the Buddha which is the antidote to pride.

4. The practice of confession which is the antidote to hatred.

5. The practice of making offerings which is the antidote to miserliness.

6. The practice of rejoicing which is the antidote to envy.

7. The practice of requesting teachings which is the antidote to ignorance.

8. Praying that the Buddhas and teachers do not die which is the antidote to wrong views.

9. Generating the Enlightened Mind.

10. Dedication and Prayer which are the causes of rebirth in The Blissful Pure Realm.

11. Reciting the special mantra “OM MA TRI MU YÉ SA LÉ DU.”

12. Reciting the Blissful Pure Land Prayer with the truthful expression of accomplishing it.

Before we begin to practice, it is very important to generate the pure motivation that all beings, equal to that of space, will become Buddha. We can think, “I will listen to this teaching of the prayer of the Pure Realm and practice on the meaning of these prayers.” We need to continuously think this, from the beginningless cyclic existence up until now. 

Though all sentient beings cycle through many births and many deaths, continuously suffering without realizations in the past, all sentient beings have been our parents and have only thought of how we may be healthy, happy, and wealthy without considering themselves first. Parents who put the happiness of their children before their own happiness. Protecting us. Nourishing us. Raising us. Educating us. Introducing us to the Teachings. But yet even with all they have given us, they still continuously collect the cause of suffering. 

We cannot forget the kindness of sentient beings, and all the kindness and generosity we have received in this life and countless lifetimes and only consider ourselves. It is only due to the kindness and generosity of our countless benefactors that have allowed us to be reborn as a human being with all of these wholesome and loving qualities. How else could it be?

And yet still, your parents, your brothers and sisters are all trapped in the jail of suffering. So, generate compassion for all parent sentient beings. The practice of compassion is important. If we only consider our own well-being and not the suffering and well-being of all our countless parents, brothers, and sisters then it doesn’t matter what we call ourselves such as sutra practitioner, tantric practitioner, or dzogchen practitioner. Those words mean nothing without compassion for all beings. That is why we need to generate compassion for all parent sentient beings.

Generating compassion for ourselves is okay, but we also want to expand our heart and generate compassion for all sentient beings. Generating compassion for this life’s parents is okay, but we also want to expand our heart and generate compassion for the past life parents, and next life’s parents too. We need to take this way of looking at the bigger picture beyond this single life of many seriously. This is a different way of thinking about our past, future, and present then we are often used to. 

It is easy to say the words “I generate compassion”, but it is not enough to say the words, we must have the heartfelt motivation that all beings which have been our mothers may become Buddhas and until then, by listening and practicing on the meaning of teaching, on the prayer of Pure Realms, we need to reflect deeply, about the meaning of the teaching of the Pure Realm and how we can practice on this teaching everyday. If we prepare in this way, you will progress and travel the path of practice knowing how to do something for the benefit of sentient beings. That is what is most important. If you are just listening to the teaching and nothing changing inside you, in your habits of body, speech, and mind then even listening to 100,000 teachings is of no help.

How wonderful it would be for our mothers of all to be reborn in the blissful realm and to see the face of the Buddha Limitless Light. This is our motivation. Keep that motivation alive in your heart at all times. Then from that motivation we can practice genuinely.

Line-by-Line Commentary of the Prayer

E Ma Ho! 

E Ma Ho! 

What does “E Ma Ho!” mean?

“E ma ho” means amazing. Why is this Amazing? Because Nine accomplished Shen practitioners saw the face of the Buddha of Limitless Light. Because of this, they each became a Buddha of Limitless light. Anyone who connects through the power of these nine, will become enlightened in the Pure Realms of Limitless Light. This is why it’s amazing.

Who are the Nine Accomplished Shen Practitioners?

Nine Accomplished Shen Practitioners:

1. Yongsu Dagpa

2. Yéshe Nyingpo

3. Milü Samlek

4. Chimé Tsukphü

5. Sangwa Düpa

6. Nangwé Dogchen

7. Drenpa Namkha

8. Tshéwang Rikdzin

9. Yungdrung Thongdrӧl

These practitioners, through their worship of the Buddha of Limitless Light and reciting the prayer for the benefit of sentient beings, they actually saw the face of the Victor Buddha of Limitless Light. By this blessing of all of the light that filled the whole Pure Realms, these nine accomplished Shen practitioners actually became Buddhas, the Buddha of Limitless Light, Buddha Ӧpagmé. Also, anyone who connects through the power of these nine accomplished Shen practitioners become enlightened in the Pure Realms of Limitless Light. That is why it is amazing and this is the first line of the prayer.

3: Generating the Supreme Mind of Enlightenment

When we understand the teaching, you know what to generate in your meditation.

Like this and all virtue accumulated in the three times,

even the smallest virtue that I have done,

In order to take all sentient beings out of the ocean of cyclic existence,

I dedicate as the cause of supreme enlightenment.

“Like this and all virtue accumulated in the three times, even the smallest virtue that I have done,”

This means all of the virtues are dedicated from the three times of self and others.

Why do we dedicate? 

“In order to take all sentient beings out of the ocean of cyclic existence,”

“I dedicate as the cause of supreme enlightenment.”

These two sections of the prayer say that all beings are freed from the ocean of samsaric existence, all virtues are dedicated to the attainment of enlightenment. Whatever small or big virtue should always be dedicated to supreme enlightenment.

The Special Cause of Reciting the Mantra

I pay homage to Ӧpagmé, Buddha Limitless Light.

May I be born in the Blissful Pure Realm.

Reciting the name of Limitless Light Buddha and remembering his qualities and qualities of the Pure Realm, with strong motivation to be born in that place is the practice. In this way, through this special view of the Pure Realm, recite the mantra. 1,000, 10,000, or 100,000 times if you can, with great, pure motivation to be born in the place of the Pure Realm.

OM MA TRI MU YÉ SA LÉ DU

This mantra is the main cause of being born in the Blissful Pure Realm. In the one text, the Precious Jewel Tantra, it says, “recite the mantra with pure motivation and you will be born in the Blissful Pure Realm. When you pass from this life, you will be born in the Pure Realm. The MA TRI mantra is the path of the Blissful Pure Realm. Whoever goes on this path, you will be born in the Blissful Pure Realm.”

In the White Lotus Tantra it says, “the benefit of reciting this mantra… without laziness and distraction with strong diligence… you will go to the Pure Realm of Buddha Limitless Light. Born from a lotus, you will accomplish the benefit of sentient beings…”

The essence of the mantra is the supreme wish fulfilling jewel and by ‘reciting it with commitment and with the mind in the state of meditation on the sound of the mantra and emptiness, for one week, one month, or year, you can accomplish enlightenment in one lifetime and born into the Pure Realm of Limitless Light.

The meaning of the seed syllables of the mantra:

OM - the aspect of method. the seed syllable of Buddha Tonpa Sherap, as well as the seed of five enlightenment bodies and five primordial wisdoms. This OM has five parts. The A is the reality body and symbolizes dharmakaya and the emptiness primordial wisdom. On top of that is the symbol of completion body and mirror-like wisdom. The Crescent moon is the symbol of emanation body and individual discerning wisdom. The tigle is the essence body and equality wisdom. Under is the “HA” - the manifest enlightenment body and all accomplishing wisdom.

MA - is the aspect of wisdom and seed syllable of Sherab Chamma or Tugje Chamma

TRI - seed of Mucho Denmo, liberator of hell realm

MU - Selwa - liberator of hungry ghosts

YE - liberator of animals

SA - liberator of human

LE - liberator of demi god realm

DU - liberator of god realm

OM and MA are father and mother, means and wisdom. The rest of the six syllables are the seeds of liberators of the six realms. This mantra is important to recite everyday.

To aid us in our practice we can obtain a mala. It doesn’t have to be too fancy. Sandalwood is good. Recite this mantra everyday, whenever you have time. Don’t worry about counting. When others are talking even, you can do this in your mind. You can do this until our last breath. Bönpos all do this mantra all of the time. This is the main cause of rebirth in the Pure Realms. We recite it for enlightenment for the suffering of all beings.

Conclusion

The motivation for this series on the Pure Realm is to reveal the meaning of the prayer of the Blissful Pure Realm. To recognize how profoundly important it is, and yet at the same time simple to put into practice in our daily lives. Any of our sangha brothers and sisters can do this practice. I pray that the merit from these teachings and all of our virtues, we dedicate to all sentient beings to be born in the Blissful Pure Realm and reach the level of complete Buddhahood.

Now, this root prayer has been requested by Bon lineage lama to Shardza Rinpoche, who composed this prayer. This is a commentary by my own study and reflection based on the teachings I received from my teacher. I hope you understand it even more. Be strong. Believe in yourself.

Aspiration Prayer

The embodiment of all the Buddhas and the essential energy of love and compassion,

Which manifests as the lord of compassion, the Buddha Limitless Light.

We and all students and mother sentient beings,

Please bless us with your compassion.

Dedication

May this life become meaningful and may all adverse conditions and obstacles be pacified.

May longevity, glory, wisdom, and energy increase.

At the bardo may we connect to the light path of Buddha Limitless Light’s compassion,

And be reborn in the Blissful Pure Realm.