Sadhana for Burning Mantra Sheets

Yutang Lin

 

1. Original Purity

 Visualize that all things in the Dharmadhatu return to original purity and become limitless blue light.

2. Field of Visualization

From the blue light Guru Lin appears, above him is Guru Chen. On Guru Lin's right-hand side is Bodhisattva Wei Tuo, and on Guru Lin's left-hand side is the Dragon King.

In front of the practitioner are all the suffering beings and deceased beings that are prayed for. These beings and the practitioner are surrounded by all beings in transmigration. All look up to the holy ones in the sky with eager yearning for salvation. 

3. Bodhicitta 

Recite the "Stanza of Unification of Four Boundless Minds" once:

Benevolence means to bring happiness to sentient beings. Compassion means to relieve sentient beings of sufferings. Joy means the delight of original purity. Release means freedom from all attachments.

Benevolence of benevolence, compassion of benevolence, joy of benevolence, release of benevolence;
Benevolence of compassion, compassion of compassion, joy of compassion, release of compassion;
Benevolence of joy, compassion of joy, joy of joy, release of joy;
Benevolence of release, compassion of release, joy of release, release of release;

And then repeat three times:

Benevolence, compassion, joy, release.

Visualize that unification of the four boundless minds becomes genuine Bodhicitta. Bodhicitta emits blue lights from the heart chakra of the practitioner, and the lights shine on all sentient beings. The lights also inspire the holy ones to emit five-color lights to bless all sentient beings and the practitioner. 

4. Supplication for Blessing 

Recite the "Stanza of Supplication for Guru's Grace" once:

Suffering beings in transmigration are eagerly yearning for salvation.
Guru Buddha's merciful empathy encompasses each and every being.
Now I burn these holy mantra sheets to benefit helpless beings.
May salvation and liberation be readily accomplished via Guru's Grace!

5. Burning Mantra Sheets

Repeat "Namo Amitabha Buddha" six times and then "Weng Ma Ni Bei Mi Hong" six times, signifying blessing all beings in the six realms. Then burn the mantra sheets.

Visualize that from the burned mantra sheets of "Namo Amitabha Buddha" countless transformations of Amitabha Buddha appear, and they guide each and every deceased being in the Dharmadhatu to the Pureland.

Visualize that from the burned mantra sheets of "Weng Ma Ni Bei Mi Hong" countless transformations of Bodhisattva Wei Tuo appear, and they help each and every suffering being in the Dharmadhatu to remove hindrances and increase merits so that they will gradually attain better ground on the path to liberation. 

6. Expression of Gratitude

Recite the "Stanza of Gratitude for Guru's Grace" once:

Amitabha Buddha guides deceased beings to Pureland.
Bodhisattva Wei Tuo helps suffering beings to gain ease.
Guru's calligraphy miraculously saves beings universally.
Abundance of holy grace shines the liberation path indeed!

7. Continuity

Recite the "Stanza of Supplication for Guru's Extensive Stay in the World" once:

Oh, originally pure yogi you are!
Wonderful conversion through Ewam as the Lotus-born Guru;
The great joy in Sunyata is peerless,
May the Holy Guru live long and abide in this world!

Recite the "Stanza of Supplication for Continuation and Wide-spreading of the Lineage" once:

Passed from generation to generation the marrow of Right Dharma,
Succeeding predecessors and guiding successors in propagation of Dharma,
Continuity of Dharma artery is cared for and well guarded by holy ones,
Universal illumination and salvation will be carried on by endless lamps!

Epilog

     Upasaka Goh Yong Lee of Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia requested me to compose a simple Sadhana for his daily practice of burning the two kinds of mantra sheets printed with my calligraphy in Chinese of "Namo Amitabha Buddha" and "Weng Ma Ni Bei Mi Hong" respectively so as to benefit deceased beings and suffering beings that came across his attention. In recognition of his Bodhi aspiration and taking delight in his wish to follow a Sadhana for regular practice I finished this composition within one day of having received his request. May the number of practitioners that follow this Sadhana grow daily so that the benefits of this Dharma practice will spread ever expansive!

Written in Chinese on February 9, 2006
Translated on February 10, 2006
El Cerrito, California 


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