Prayers to be Said at the Start of Meditation

Taking Refuge and Generating Bodhicitta (three times) I take refuge until I am enlightened In the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Sangha. Through the positive potential I create By practicing generosity and the other far-reaching attitudes, May I attain Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings.

The Four Immeasurable Thoughts May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. May all sentient beings never be separated from the happiness that knows no suffering. May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from attachment and anger that hold some close and others distant.

Refuge in the Guru (three times) The Guru is Buddha, the Guru is Dharma, The Guru is Sangha, also; The Guru is the creator of all happiness: In all Gurus I take refuge.

The Seven Limbs Reverently, I prostrate with my body, speech and mind And present clouds of every type of offering, actual and mentally-transformed. I declare all my negative actions accumulated since beginningless time And rejoice in the merits of all holy and ordinary beings. Please remain until samsara ends And turn the wheel of Dharma for sentient beings. I dedicate the merit created by myself and others to the great enlightenment.

Outer Mandala The fundamental ground is scented with incense and strewn with flowers, Adorned with Mount Meru, the four continents, the sun and the moon. I imagine this as a Buddha-land and offer it. May all living beings enjoy this pure realm. Inner Mandala The objects of attachment, aversion and ignorance -- friends, enemies and strangers, 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. idam guru ratna mandala kam nirya tayami (I send forth this jewelled mandala to you, precious gurus.)   Mandala Offering   Bold numbers and indented or italicized text are for instruction, not for recitation during the offering. Take some grain in your left hand and hold the mandala base. Take grain with your right hand and put it on the base. Wipe clockwise three times with your forearm, tipping the grain away from you. Visualize that you are purifying incorrect motivation. Take grain and put it on the base again. Wipe anti-clockwise three times with your forearm, tipping the grain toward yourself. Visualize that you are receiving great blessings from the merit field to open your mind to offer the mandala from your heart. Spread some grain over the base to symbolize the golden ground with precious jewels. OM vajra ground AH HUM, mighty golden ground. Place the first ring on the base. Take more grain and sprinkle it around the inside of the ring. This symbolizes blessing the iron fence that encircles the universe. OM vajra fence AH HUM, the iron fence around the edge,  1 In the center is Mount Meru, the king of mountains, 2 in the east the continent Lupapo East is toward you if the aim is receiving blessing power from the merit field. East is away from you if your aim is accumulating merit. 3 in the south Dzambuling 4 in the west Balangcho 5 in the north Draminyan. In the east are the sub-continents 6 Lu and 7 Lupag in the south 8 Ngayab and 9 Ngayabzhan in the west 10 Yodan and 11 Lamchog dro in the north 12 Draminyan and 13 Draminyan Gyida. Here are 14 the precious mountain 15 the wish-granting tree 16 the wish-fulfilling cow 17 the unploughed harvest. Place the second ring on top of the grain-filled first ring. Visualize placing the eight precious objects belonging to a wheel-turning king who rules the four continents. Here are 18 the precious wheel 19 the precious jewel 20 the precious queen 21 the precious minister 22 the precious elephant 23 the precious horse 24 the precious general 25 the great treasure vase. Continue on the inner area of the second ring. These eight symbolize the eight goddesses carrying eight different types of offerings: Here are 26 the goddess of beauty 27 the goddess of garlands 28 the goddess of songs 29 the goddess of dance 30 the goddess of flowers 31 the goddess of incense 32 the goddess of light 33 the goddess of perfume. Place the third ring on the grain-filled second ring. Place the grains to your left and right for the sun and moon. Place the banner of victory toward you to receive blessing power from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If there is an obstacle, place the parasol toward you to symbolize receiving protecting power from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Here are 34 the sun 35 the moon 36 the precious parasol 37 the banner of victory in all directions. Place 38 the mandala top in the middle to symbolize the offerings of Samantabhadra. In the center are the most perfect riches of gods and humans, with nothing missing, pure and delightful. To my glorious, holy and most kind root guru, the lineage gurus and in particular to the great Lama Tzong Khapa, Buddha who is the king of sages, Vajradhara, and the entire assembly of deities, I offer these as a Buddha-field. Please accept them with compassion, for the sake of migrating beings. Having accepted them, please bestow on me and on mother sentient beings abiding as far as the limits of space your inspiration with loving compassion. Visualize an enormous tree on the top of Mount Meru with many branches spreading throughout space. On each branch is Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, creating from his concentration innumerable priceless offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Transform the universe you have just created into a pure universe. Hold the mandala at your heart and offer it. Recite the mantra: idam guru ratna mandala kam nirya tayami Having made your request, tip the grain toward you, thinking that you are receiving their blessings. Visualize that from their hearts emanate brilliant white light and nectar which enter through your crown chakra, completely filling your body and mind and purifying all obstacles formed by negative karmas and delusions that hinder us from gaining realizations. The merit field dissolves into Buddha Shakyamuni, who is inseparable from your root guru. Buddha Shakyamuni comes above your head. At his heart, visualize a moon disk surrounded by the syllables of his mantra: om muni muni mahamuniye soha. (Recite this 100 times.) Outside this mantra is the mantra of Lama Tzong Khapa, which represents the mantra of your own guru: om ah guru vajradhara sumati kiti siddhe hum hum. (Recite 100 times.) Perform your meditation practice then dissolve the merit field. At your heart is an open lotus, Guru Shakyamuni descends through your crown chakra and sits inside the lotus. Think that he becomes inseparable from your mind. Instructions are from Awakening the Mind of Enlightenment by Geshe Namgyal Wangchen Wisdom Publications, Boston, 1987, pages 61-69. The Mandala Offering Prayer is from Pearl of Wisdom, Book I by Ven. Thubten Chodron, pages 17-21.