Mantras and Mudras: Meditations for the hands and voice to bring peace and inner calm. Lillian Too

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       Whether a life situation is wonderful or not depends on the way your mind perceives and interprets it. You can choose to label an experience “wonderful” or “a problem.” It depends completely upon your mind, upon your interpretation.

       KYABJE LAMA ZOPA RINPOCHE

       HOW TO MAKE PROSTRATIONS

      There is a short prostration and a full-length prostration. Here is how to practice each one.

      First, calm your mind and generate devotional thoughts. Think, “Reverently I prostrate with my body, speech, and mind, and take refuge in the Guru-Triple Gem – Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.” Next, place your palms together, touching the top of your head; then bring them down to touch your forehead; then down again to touch your throat; and then touch your heart (see a, b, c, and d on page 8). Then bend down. Kneel on the floor and place your hands, palms down, on the floor (see e). If you are making the short prostration, lower your forehead until it touches the ground, and then get up. Repeat three times.

      For the long prostration, stretch yourself full length on the floor after you have lowered yourself (see f). Raise your palms above your head (see g) and then get up (see h). Do not stay too long on the floor, and make your prostrations with focused concentration. Think reverential thoughts and dedicate the merit created to your own spiritual awakening. Keep your feet together and your fingers closed as you prostrate. The merit gained is simply enormous. As Rinpoche would say, “the merit is like sky!”

Generating motivation

       The sun of real happiness shines in your life when you start to cherish others.

       KYABJE LAMA ZOPA RINPOCHE

      The chanting of mantras becomes extremely powerful when it is practiced with the pure motivation of helping or benefiting others. This altruistic intention develops what Buddhists refer to as “bodhichitta,” or the spontaneous kind heart. When you chant this mantra three times to generate powerful motivation before any kind act or prayers, the mantra becomes very meaningful:

       DAG DANG ZHEN DON DRUP LAY DU

       DAG GI JANG CHUB SEM KYAY DO

       TRANSLATION:

       To accomplish my own and others’ aims I generate the mind seeking Enlightenment.

      Alternatively, you can meditate on the Four Immeasurable Thoughts – your heartfelt wishes for all beings:

      

Immeasurable equanimity

       May all beings abide in equanimity, free of hatred, anger, and attachment

      

Immeasurable compassion

       May all beings be free of sufferings and the causes of suffering

      

Immeasurable love

       May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness

      

Immeasurable joy

       May all beings never lose the joys of high rebirth

      

And may I cause all of these things to happen.

      The meditation on the Four Immeasurable Thoughts is considered to be a classic in masterful motivations. Meditate on it.

       This is the image of the Dharmachakra, which signifies the teachings of the Buddha. It is placed at the top of Mandala Offerings and is most auspicious.

       OVERCOMING ANGER

      Anger obscures your mind and makes your everyday life unhappy. Anger causes you and others great problems from day to day. Anger is extremely harmful.

      The antidote to anger is patience; as soon as anger begins to arise, you should immediately recognize it and remember its shortcomings. Practice patience and at once there is tranquillity, relaxation, and happiness.

       The pain of anger is like red-hot coals in your heart. Anger transforms even a beautiful person into someone ugly and terrifying. What was happy, peaceful, and beautiful completely changes and becomes dark, ugly, and terrifying. As soon as you apply patience, however, anger stops, and as soon as it stops, even your appearance suddenly changes . . .

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