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Chenrezig meditation
Hi,
I've recently started practicing Chenrezig meditation, which I guess is part of deity yoga as you visualize yourself later on in the meditation as Chenzerig.
I'm really hoping it increases compassion, that's what I'm aiming for.
Is there anybody who knows more aobut this meditation?
Any experiences?
Thank you
I've recently started practicing Chenrezig meditation, which I guess is part of deity yoga as you visualize yourself later on in the meditation as Chenzerig.
I'm really hoping it increases compassion, that's what I'm aiming for.
Is there anybody who knows more aobut this meditation?
Any experiences?
Thank you
0
Comments
I like this meditation and the mantra is really simple.
Beginning maybe place more emphasis on the mantra, later on, as mind is more blessed and calm, then can focus on meditation.
It is a wonderful practice. Glad you doing it.
Pith Instructions by the Venerable Yangthang Rinpoche
The essence of the mind of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas is the bodhichitta, the awakened mind. When this bodhichitta assumes a form, it appears as Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara.
Whenever we practice Avalokiteshvara, the most important aspect of the practice is the generation and development of the bodhichitta, which is the compassion that Avalokiteshvara experiences for all sentient beings. So, if we also generate this same compassion, this same awakened mind, it will be very easy for us to accomplish Avalokiteshvara because the essence of Avalokiteshvara is the bodhichitta. Thus, the blessings and the results will be very swift.
Avalokiteshvara has many different emanations and many different names, but essentially they are one essence, which is the bodhichitta, the nature of the mind of all buddhas. He appears in a peaceful manifestation, an increasing manifestation, and a wrathful manifestation. He appears in different colors—sometimes white, sometimes red. Sometimes he appears with one thousand eyes and one thousand arms, sometimes with one head and four arms, sometimes with one head and two arms, and often holding different types of hand implements. He is sometimes referred to as “Thugje Chenpo,” which means the “One of Great Compassion.” He is given this name because it is considered that he is the very force of the compassion of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas, the embodiment of the power of that compassion. He is also called “Chenrezig,” which means the “One Who Sees all Sentient Beings Equally and Simultaneously and is Always Aware of Them and Their Needs.”
His consideration of sentient beings is all encompassing and constant. He is also sometimes referred to as “Jigten Wangchuk” because, until the three realms of cyclic existence are emptied from their depths, from his concerned activity he will appear in any way and in all ways. He will emanate completely and all-pervasively to make connections with and liberate sentient beings throughout the three realms. Thus, he is called the “One Who has Power Over the World.” These different names refer to the one deity, Avalokiteshvara. They are but different names for different emanations of the same single essence.
To explain it from the point of view of the three kayas, in the dharmakaya nature Avalokiteshvara is Buddha Amitabha, in the sambhogakaya he is Nam Nang Den So, and in the nirmanakya he is Chenrezig, who appears both peacefully and wrathfully. In the peaceful expression he appears with one thousand arms and one thousand eyes, or with one head and four arms. In the wrathful expression he appears as Hayagriva. The wrathful expression is simply an intense expression of utter compassion that is necessary to tame the minds of beings who cannot be tamed through peaceful methods. Hayagriva also appears in many different emanations, sometimes with nine heads and eighteen arms, sometimes with three heads and six arms, sometimes with one head and two arms, sometimes red in color, sometimes black. When Avalokiteshvara appears as the protector, the dharmapala, he is the primordial wisdom protector Mahakala with six arms. When he appears as a wealth deity, he is the white Dzambhala.
All of these various expressions are but different methods that the expression of the mind‘s compassion manifests to accomplish the needs and the purpose of all sentient beings. And because the numberless sentient beings are themselves different from each other, many countless, different methods are necessary. In fact, there are so many methods that if I were to explain them all we would run out of time before I could finish and you would all become quite tired. In short, the number of manifestations of this deity is inconceivable, yet they are all nothing other than the mind of compassion, the expression of the great bodhichitta.
Therefore, we can say that, in a sense, more than accomplishing any other deity, to accomplish Avalokiteshvara alone is sufficient, because Avalokiteshvara is the essence of the mind of all buddhas and thus the essence of all deities. Furthermore, Avalokiteshvara is quite easy to accomplish. It is taught that if one practices Avalokiteshvara very well, for six months without interruption, then one will certainly have a sign of accomplishment. There is no way that there could not be a sign of accomplishment. This means that one will have a direct vision of Chenrezig or some other sign of accomplishment. Also, it is very easy to recite the mantra, “OM MANI PEME HUNG.” It comes quite naturally for everyone. Buddha Shakyamuni said that of all the different recitations, there is no greater benefit to be derived from any recitation other than the recitation of “OM MANI PEME HUNG,” the mani mantra. Of all practices that are based on recitation, this is the most powerful, the most beneficial.
To accomplish any other meditational deity we must know how to accomplish the generation and the completion stage, we must know how to perform the sadhana correctly, we must know how the practice is put together, we must know how to construct the mandala, and we must know many other things that can actually be quite difficult and complicated—just to accomplish the deity. But the accomplishment of Avalokiteshvara is quite different in that none of this is necessary.
There was a lama in eastern Tibet who was known as the “mani lama” because the only practice he did was Avalokiteshvara. He said that even when one is experiencing desire, or any of the other poisons, like jealousy or aggression, when negativity is arising in the mind, one can still practice Avalokiteshvara and recite “OM MANI PEME HUNG.” In other words, one doesn’t have to put the practice aside or transform the poison or do any other such thing, because the practice itself simply eliminates the conflicting emotions. This is because the six syllables of the mani mantra have the power to eliminate the six conflicting emotions, which are lack of awareness (delusion), pride, aggression, attachment, jealousy, and avarice. The six syllables also have the specific power to close the door to rebirth in the six realms of existence because each and every sentient being in all the six realms, without exception, has in its body six syllables that correspond to rebirth in the six realms. The cause of wandering in cyclic existence is due to the condition of the presence of those six syllables.
When you recite “OM MANI PEME HUNG,” the six syllables of Avalokiteshvara, it is important to understand that they have the power to subjugate and eliminate the ordinary samsaric six syllables, thus obstructing or closing the doors to rebirth in the six classes. That is one specific power of the mani mantra. Also, in this very lifetime, simply reciting “OM MANI PEME HUNG” will eliminate illness, disease, and demonic force possession. One will become happy and peaceful and fully endowed. Reciting it will enhance ones power to meditate and one will develop deeper levels of meditative absorption in this lifetime that will carry over into future lifetimes. At the time of death one will not have to take rebirth in the three lower realms and will instead be reborn in Dewachen, the Western Pure Land of Great Bliss, or in Avalokiteshvara’s own pure realm of Riwo Potala, and there one will gradually achieve the status of buddhahood. Until that time, the blessing and the power of ones practice will not be exhausted; it will continue to produce the result of enlightenment.
Avalokiteshvara is truly unlike any other deity. Many people are attracted to the wrathful deities, like Vajrakilaya, Hayagriva, Guru Dragpo, and so forth, and want to accomplish them, but unless one knows very well and exactly how to practice the generation and completion stage inner tantric practices of the wrathful deities, it is very difficult to accomplish them. Avalokiteshvara, however, is very simple to accomplish, and the mani mantra is very easy to recite. So keep these things in mind.
There are many who think that the Avalokiteshvara practice and the mani mantra are just for simple folks and children and old people, not for real practitioners and scholars. This attitude is based on ignorance; it is absolutely mistaken. In fact, of all deities, Avalokiteshvara is the principal deity and the most important. This is true today and it was true in the past, during the time of the great pandits and mahasiddhas of India, almost all of whom achieved their realization through their practice of Avalokiteshvara. Each and every one of them had visions of Avalokiteshvara, and it was through those visions that they received their spiritual attainments and realizations. And in Tibet, especially, all the greatest masters had the strongest connection with Avalokiteshvara. They had visions of Avalokiteshvara, they were given prophetic indications from Avalokiteshvara directly, and it was through Avalokiteshvara that they achieved spiritual realizations.
The blessings of accomplishing Avalokiteshvara are extremely great. Have no doubt about this. To recite even just one round of the mani mantra is of tremendous benefit, inconceivable benefit. To pray to Avalokiteshvara from the depths of ones heart and recite the mantra is truly a very profound practice in itself. If you pray to Avalokiteshvara regularly, and recite the six-syllable mantra as much as you can, it is absolutely certain that when you pass from this life you will not take rebirth in the lower realms. So, consider this and incorporate the practice into your life.
You should see all appearances as the form of Avalokiteshvara, you should hear all sound as the speech of Avalokiteshvara, which is the six-syllable mantra, and you should consider that all arising thoughts are the mind of Avalokiteshvara. You should have compassion and loving kindness for all living beings without exception, from the tiniest insect to the largest being, because all of them, just as you do, wish to be happy and have a desire to experience bliss. Not a single one of them wishes to suffer. So, it is important to always have loving kindness for all sentient beings, maintain the threefold state of pure awareness, and recite “OM MANI PEME HUNG” as much as possible.
Spoken by Penor Rinpoche
Presently, we are in the dharma-ending age, where people have limited wisdom, faith and diligence. Thus, it is necessary to persevere diligently in the practice of dharma. A practice that fulfills this necessity is reciting the six-syllables mani mantra while viewing through one’s devotion that the guru is not different from Chenrezig. The six syllables mani mantra is very easy to recite and encompasses the essential meaning of all the Buddha’s teachings. It is the heart-essence of Chenrezig (or Avalokiteshvara) and brings infinite blessings. If one takes it as one’s primary practice, then all humans, celestial beings, and even the harmful ghosts or gods will bless you benevolently and you will have a long life without any sickness or calamities. In the next life, you will be reborn in Potala mountain or Amitabha’s pureland, or at least, you will take rebirth in a land where the Buddha-dharma is flourishing. This is because Chenrezig’s heart mantra is imbued with the limitless blessings, loving kindness and compassion of all the Buddhas.
In a sutra, it says, “If one recites this mantra, innumerable Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Gods, Dragons and beings of the eight classifications will congregate where one dwells and there will be endless dharma-doors of samadhi. Seven generations of the family of one who recites (this mantra) will be liberated. The worms (or sentient beings) in one’s stomach will attain levels on the Bodhisattva path. Such a person (who recites the mantra) will perfect the paramitas daily, have unimpeded eloquence and purify his wisdom aggregate. Whenever his breath touches others’ bodies, it would cause that person to attain levels on the Bodhisattva path. If, for instance, all beings below the fourth heaven realm attained to the seventh bhumi Bodhisattva position, all their combined merit would be the same as reciting the six syllables mani mantra once. If one used gold and jewels to build Buddha statues as numerous as dust, it would not be as meritorious as writing one syllable of the six syllables mani mantra. If one obtained the six syllables mani mantra, one will not be contaminated by the greed, hatred and ignorance. If one wore this mantra on the body, one will likewise not be contaminated by the sickness of greed, hatred and ignorance. Anyone who wears, touches, sees (the mantra), all such sentient beings will attain the levels on the Bodhisattva path and be forever set apart from the sufferings such as birth, old age, sickness and death.”
The six syllables mani mantra of Chenrezig, Om Mani Padme Hung, is the manifestation of all the Buddhas’ compassion in the form of sound. Within it, the 84,000 dharma-doors of the Buddha are encapsulated. Although there are many different kinds of mantras, such as awareness-mantra, dharanis, secret mantras, but none of them is more sublime than the six syllables mani mantra. The vast benefits of reciting this mantra (which is usually just called ‘mani’) has been mentioned frequently in the Buddha’s sutras and tantras. It is said that just reciting this mantra once is equivalent to reciting all the 12 categories of the Buddha’s teachings. Reciting the six syllables mani mantra can perfect the six bodhisattva paramitas and firmly seal off all possibilities of taking rebirth in the six realms. This is a simple practice, easy to understand. All the people can practice its recitation and it encompasses the essence of the Buddhadharma. If you are able to regard the mani mantra as your refuge in times of happiness or suffering, then Chenrezig will always be with you. You will become more and more devoted without even trying to. The realisation of the mahayana path will naturally arise in your mindstream.
According to the records in the Jewel-Chest sutra, reciting a hundred-million times of this mantra will cause all the organisms on one’s body to receive Chenrezig’s blessings and after one’s death, the smoke from the cremation of one’s corpse can protect anyone who breathes it from rebirth in the three lower realms.
Even one syllable from this mantra, whether it be ‘Om’, ‘Ma’ or ‘Ni’ has inconceivable power. It can bless and cause sentient beings to be liberated. It is said that the Buddha, who has such extraordinary power far exceeding those of any sentient being, is able to tell accurately how many raindrops there are in a rainstorm lasting 12 years but yet, even he is unable to completely express the merit of saying the mani mantra once. If the Buddha began to express its merit, even if all the world’s forests and trees were made into paper, it would not be sufficient for writing down even the smallest part of the merit of the mantra.
There is nothing in this world that can really frighten the god of death and make him retreat, but the warm radiance of Chenrezig’s compassion can remove all fear that anyone felt at the point of death. This is what is called, “the refuge which never deceives”.
The six syllables mani mantra is Chenrezig’s heart-essence, it is the bodhisattvas’ paramitas in the form of mantra. If you recite this mantra, all the six paramitas will automatically arise and action-bodhichitta will spontaneously be accomplished.
Mantra is one essential component of the Vajrayana path but not one mantra is better than the mani mantra. It encompasses all the functions of all mantras and also embodies all the other mantras’ blessings and power. Even the great Karma Chakme and other well-learned noble beings could not find any mantra in the teachings that was of more benefit, more quintessential and simple to practise than the mani, and thus utilised the mani mantra as their main practice. Even hearing the mani mantra can liberate one from samsara. Just as Chenrezig has said, anyone who practises this mani mantra will perfect all the six bodhisattva paramitas and cleanse all their obscurations and karma.
In order to bless sentient beings, Chenrezig endowed the mani mantra with the same power as his very own body, this is the ‘dedication of unborn emptiness’. Writing the six syllables mani mantra will lead all beings who see it to be liberated. Reciting the six syllables mani mantra will lead all beings who hear it to be liberated. If one thought of the mantra, then one will be liberated by recalling. By wearing it on one’s body, there will be liberation by contact. If you are accustomed to regarding all sounds as the mani mantra, then all the fearful sounds in the bardo will not cause you any trepidation.
In this age of the five degenerations, the compassionate Chenrezig’s blessings is exceptionally strong. But, just as Guru Rinpoche has predicted, “in the future, there will be some beings with insufficient merit who will not treasure the six syllables mani mantra.” Chenrezig’s emanation, the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo also said, “in the future, there will be some beings who will discriminate the dharma due to their own self-clinging, they will abandon all positive actions and belittle the six syllables mani mantra saying that it is a practice for old people or children. These people have been led by the demonic obstacles into the deviant paths. Their future life would definitely be in the hells. Thus you should not give rise to any doubt about compassionate Chenrezig’s dharma practice but should instead practice it diligently, because this practice is the easiest to accomplish and there is no other practice that bestows greater blessings that this.”
The six syllables mani mantra has worldly benefits such as removing all sickness, pain, negative karma, obscurations and demonic obstacles, increasing one’s merit and prosperity. Its ultimate benefit is to end samsara and bring one to the state of perfect unsurpassed Buddhahood.
The practice of Chenrezig meditation is very powerful. By visualizing yourself as the embodiment of compassion, you begin to dissolve the notions of separateness and selfishness. You radiate limitless compassion to all beings throughout all places and times. When I practice it reminds me that what I consider my normal self is not separate from that pure mind of compassion. Chanting the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM helps me generate a strong feeling of compassion and loving kindness.
I'd highly recommend the book Cultivating a Compassionate Heart: The Yoga Method of Chenrezig by Thubten Chodron. You can read more about it from Venerable's website page about the book.