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Offering Water Charity

to the Pretas

Including the Daily Practice ofWater Offering to Dzambhala

Practice and Commentary by Lama Zopa Rinpoche



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Extensive Offering Practices 3

ContentsIntroducon 5 A Short Pracce of Off ering Water Charity to the Pretas 17

An Abbreviated Pracce for Off ering Water to Pretas 23

Off ering Water Charity to Pretas, 27Intermediate State Beings, and Nagas

Dedicaon Prayer for Making Water Charity 37from Pabongkha Rinpoche

Appendix 1: 41The Daily Pracce of Water Off ering to Dzambhala

Appendix 2: 51Instrucons for Blessing Water in an Elaborate Way with Deies



4 Extensive Offering Practices

Four-Arm Chenrezig




Introduction to the

Practices of Water Charity by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Water Charity to The Pretas

First, I will explain how to make water charity to the pretas, which ispart of the pracce of the One Hundred Torma Off erings; aer that,perhaps I can menon the water off ering to Dzambhala.

First, of course, you have to generate a movaon of bodhichit-ta. Think, “Every single hell being is the source of all my past, pres-ent, and future happiness, including enlightenment. Every singlepreta being is the source of all my past, present, and future happi-ness, including enlightenment. Every single animal is the source of

all my past, present, and future happiness, including enlightenment.Every single human being is the source of all my past, present, andfuture happiness, including enlightenment. And it is the same withevery single asura, sura, and intermediate state being. Every singleone of them is the source of all my past, present, and future happi-ness, including enlightenment.”

Bring every single one of them into your heart by thinking of

their kindness and of how precious they are.Aer that, think, “I must take the total responsibility for all ofthem upon myself. I must free all the hell beings from the threetypes of suff ering; I must free all the hungry ghosts from the threetypes of suff ering. I must free all the animals from the three typesof suff ering. I must also free all the human beings, asuras, suras, andintermediate state beings from the three types of suff ering. I mustfree all senent beings from the three types of suff ering of samsara,

as well as their causes, and bring them to enlightenment. Therefore,I, myself, must achieve enlightenment. For this reason, I am going to




make water charity to the pretas.” (Or if you are doing Dzambhalapracce, say, “For this reason, I am going to do the water off ering toDzambhala.”)

It isn’t that you have to make the off ering to Dzambhala before

you can make water charity to the pretas. It is just that the watercarries more blessings if you first off er it to Dzambhala, and thengive that same water to the pretas; the pracce then becomes morepowerful and eff ecve for the pretas. This is what Venerable Ri-bur Rinpoche said. Previously I didn’t do Dzambhala pracce; I justmade water charity to the pretas. Somehow, I happened to talk withRibur Rinpoche about the water charity to the pretas, and Rinpochethen advised me that it would be beer to do the Dzambhala prac-ce first. That is how I started the Dzambhala pracce. Before that Ididn’t do the Dzambhala pracce. I did the water charity to the pre-tas because I read about some of its unbelievable benefits and be-cause they really need it. The pracce is not just about our collect-ing merit; the pretas actually need our help. I mean, when you thinkof their suff ering, there is no choice; you have to do the pracce.

If you wish, you can generate the movaon, then do the

Dzambhala pracce first; then, with that water, you make charity tothe pretas.

You already have an English translaon of the Dzambhala prac-ce [see p. 41], so I will read the oral transmission of it in Tibetan. Ireceived the oral transmission of the Dzambhala pracce and of thepracce of making water charity to the pretas, which is just a smallpart of the pracce of the one hundred torma off erings, from His Ho-liness Ling Rinpoche. There is a complete text of this in Dharamsala.I will give the oral transmission of this pracce, along with that ofDzambhala.

So think, “No maer what, I must achieve enlightenment in or-der to enlighten all senent beings. Therefore, I am going to takethe oral transmissions of the Dzambhala pracce and the pracce ofmaking water charity to the pretas.” [Rinpoche gives the oral trans-

missions in Tibetan.]

It would take a lot of me to translate all the prayers, and in anycase they have already been translated, so I’m not going to do itagain. I will just explain the meditaons.




When I do the pracce, I usually visualize myself as the Thou-sand-Armed Buddha of Compassion (Avalokashvara) with nectarflowing from the hand. But I guess that you can also think that youare the Buddha of Compassion with one face and two arms and

seated in the vajra posture as visualized in the very beginning ofthe Nyung Nä pracce, when you have to generate yourself as theBuddha of Compassion before you bless the acon vase and the of-ferings. This aspect of the Buddha of Compassion is similar to thatof White Tara; the only diff erence is that there are no eyes in thehands or the feet. Otherwise, I think the posion is the same. Alter-navely, you can visualize the Buddha of Compassion in the resngposture, the posture of royal ease. This aspect also has one face andtwo arms and is seated on a moon disc. The right hand rests on theright knee in the mudra of granng sublime realizaons and the le is stretched out behind on the moon disc. You can visualize which-ever aspect you like.

You visualize nectar coming from the palm of the hand, butphysically, you pour water from a jug, kele, or watering can. A wa-tering can is very good for Dzambhala pracce and for making water

charity to the pretas.For the water charity to the pretas, the container you use should

have a lid. You cannot use just any container that is around. It shouldbe covered because pretas get very anxious when they see an emp-ty container or a container that is only partly filled. Therefore, anycontainer you use should be covered unless it is full. It is also good todo the pracce in a clean place. This is advised for the One HundredTorma Off erings. Some pretas cannot come to dirty places.

Also, there shouldn’t be any sparkling lights where you are doingthe pracce, as these lights will make the pretas run away.

The torma charity or the water charity can generally be done atany me of the day, though some specify that it should be done inthe morning when the sun rises and others that it should be doneat night. Diff erent lamas give diff erent advice. According to LamaAsha, since pretas always need food and drink, the pracce can be

done at any me.However, the torma charity to the pretas should be done before

eang a meal, and this advice might also apply to the water char-




ity. Aer you have eaten a meal, the pretas become scared becauseyour body then becomes powerful and radiant. Another thing is thatyou should not smell of onion, garlic, or other black foods. If the pre-tas smell these foods on your breath, hands, or body, some of them

will run away and won’t get the torma or water that you are tryingto give them. So it is good to do the pracce in the morning beforehaving a meal.

Pretas are also so piful that they become frightened if they seethe eyes of humans. For them, a human face is like the face of alion, something very haughty and inmidang. When my alphabetteachers did this pracce every morning, they would wear a pieceof animal skin with a fringe that covered their eyes. Ribur Rinpocheexplained that when Pabongkha Dechen Nyingpo did this praccehe would wear very long black threads that completely covered hisface. You can make something with black threads that at least coveryour eyes.

When I stopped at Bangkok Airport on one of my recent tripsfrom India or Nepal, I found some yellow hats and bought a smallone for Brian and one big one. I wrote various mantras on the hat,

including OM MANI PADME HUM, the Wish-granng Wheel mantra(also known as the Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha mantra) – whichpurifies one thousand eons of negave karma each me you go un-derneath it, and another mantra which when seen purifies 100,000eons of negave karma. The hat was covered with mantras. I thenhad somebody sew black thread around the brim of the hat. The lastme that I went to see Ribur Rinpoche in Washington, D.C., I thoughtI le the hat there. I didn’t have one to use, so I started to use thesmall one that I gave Brian, which also had mantras all over it. Atthat me the hat that I bought for Brian became useful. The big hatwas later found in one of the suitcases.

When you pour the water, hold your le hand against yourbreast in the mudra of granng refuge and snap your fingers as yourecite OM AH HRIH HUM, the mantra for the general pretas, overand over again. Think that you are the Buddha of Compassion and

that your body is the size of a mountain. Think that nectar flows fromyour hand and relieves the suff ering of the numberless pretas. Thenectar instantly cools their suff ering of heat and they feel incredible




peace and pleasure. Not only that, but the nectar also goes into theirmouth, purifies their negave karma and defilements, and bringsthem sasfacon. They not only receive the drink but also, it puri-fies their mind.

You then recite OM MANI PADME HUM as you make charity tothe pretas with flames coming from their mouth.

To make charity to the pretas with three knots, recite OM J VALA MIDAM SARVA PRETA BHYAH SVAHA. “ J VALA” actuallymeans “flame,” but in the text it says that this mantra is for thepretas with three knots. As you recite the mantra, snap your fingersand at the same me give one drop of water. All three of these haveto come together. In the previous ones, you pour the water into thecontainer; here you drop the water outside the container. Do thesethree things together many mes to make water charity to the pre-tas with three knots.

Pabongkha Dechen Nyingpo says here that if you recite this veryblessed mantra OM J VALA MIDAM SARVA PRETA BHYAH SVAHA,snap your fingers, and give one drop of water outside the container,the knots in the pretas’ throats are instantly released, and the drop

of water goes into their stomach so that they experience great plea-sure and sasfacon. It has this great benefit.

As I have already said, I am not going to translate the prayersbecause I have already translated them.

The next pracce is called Yeshe Karda. Yeshe means “transcen-dental wisdom;” kar means “star,” and da can mean either “shoot-ing” or “arrow.” You visualize yourself as Chenrezig and visualize thedeity, Yeshe Karda, on your right hand. Yeshe Karda has a green-blueholy body; her right hand is in the mudra of granng sublime realiza-ons and her le is in the mudra of concentraon.

Nectar flows down from the palm of Yeshe Karda’s hand as wellas from the rest of her body. The nectar flows over all the senentbeings, but in parcular over the piful preta beings; they are all ful-ly sasfied by the nectar. Recite the mantra OM J ÑANA AVALOK-ITE SAMANTA SPHARANA RASMI BHAVA SAMAYA MAHAAMANI

DURU DURU HRIDAYA J ALANI SVAHA, snap your fingers, and pourthe water. Then recite the dedicaon, “By making this water charityto all the samsaric intermediate state transmigratory beings, may




they be liberated from all fear and suff ering and go to a pure land.”It is extremely good to do this pracce when you are at the

beach or near a river, lake, or even a swimming pool.Hold the water in a container and recite the mantra OM

J ÑANA AVALOKITE SAMANTA SPHARANA RASMI BHAVA SAMAYAMAHAAMANI DURU DURU HRIDAYA J ALANI SVAHA seven mes.The other mantras I recite are not menoned in the pracce; I addedthem to make the pracce more powerful. You can recite OM MANIPADME HUM a few mes, blow on the water, then pour it back inthe ocean, river or other body of water. Meditate that all the waterappears as uncontaminated nectar to all the pretas that are seen bybuddha’s omniscient mind. Think that all the pretas drink the nectarand are fully sasfied by it. Also, they are completely liberated fromall their suff ering, negave karma and defilements and all becomeenlightened in the aspect of the Buddha of Compassion. Visualize allof them as the Thousand-Armed Buddha of Compassion.

Recing this mantra (OM J ÑANA AVALOKITE…) and pouring theblessed water back into the ocean has the power to enable all thepretas to actually see the water and drink it. The special benefit here

is that not only are they relieved of all their preta suff erings, but alsothat their mind is purified and they achieve a higher rebirth. This isa very important benefit that the pretas receive when this pracceis done. This is a pracce for all pretas. When you go to the beach,you must take the opportunity of doing this pracce, because theocean is the largest body of water. Due to the power of the mantragiven by Buddha, the preta beings are able to see the whole oceanas nectar and to drink it; they are then able to be liberated.

Then, take another container of water and again recite the man-tra OM J ÑANA AVALOKITE… seven mes. You can support the con-tainer with your le hand and hold the handle with your right. Thenrecite the Medicine Buddha mantra a few mes and blow on thewater. Do the same meditaon and pour the water back.

Take another container of water, recite the mantra OM J ÑANAAVALOKITE… seven mes, then recite the Namgyalma mantra a few

mes, blow on the water, then pour the water back.For the fourth round, repeat the same process but recite the Mi-

trugpa mantra. For the fih round, recite the Kunrig mantra – Kunrig




is the king of the deies for purifying the lower realms. For the sixthround, recite the Wish-Granng Wheel mantra, OM PÄDMO USH-NISHA VIMALE HUM PHAT. For the seventh, recite the Stainless Pin-nacle mantra. You can also recite the Stainless Beam mantra.

Each me you take some water, recite the mantra OM J ÑANAAVALOKITE… seven mes, recite in turn a few of each of the otherseven or eight extra mantras, blow on the water to bless it, pour thewater back and meditate that the whole ocean appears as nectar toall the pretas.

I have added these extra mantras because if you bless the wa-ter with these powerful mantras and pour it back into the ocean,the whole ocean is then blessed and all the billions and billions ofsenent beings that live in the ocean are purified. The water puri-fies all their negave karma, and even that of the people who playin the water. If we recite these mantras and throw the water backinto the ocean, the negave karma of any senent being touchedby that water will be purified. Recing those extra mantras has thisunbelievable benefit; it has the power to bless the water and to pu-rify all those senent beings. And incidentally, you purify your own

negave karma. If you see some water when you are traveling, ifyou have me to stop and do this pracce, it is extremely good. Andif you have a swimming pool, you can do this pracce in your pool.

Aer the Yeshe Karda pracce, the text next menons visual-izing Mitrugpa to purify the nagas. Visualize that nectar flows downfrom Mitrugpa’s hands to all the senent beings of the six realms,especially to all the nagas. Again, while recing the Mitrugpa man-tra seven mes, pour the water and snap your fingers. All the sen-ent beings of the six realms, including yourself – and especially thenagas, who are suff ering so much – are purified. As I menonedbefore, the main cause of rebirth in the animal realm as a naga istaking vows and then degenerang them. The parcular funcon ofMitrugpa is to purify the negave karma of broken vows – pramok-sha as well as all others. Mitrugpa pracce is very powerful for that.Therefore, because rebirth as a naga is the result of having broken

vows, Mitrugpa pracce is especially beneficial for nagas.Finally, dedicate the merit as already translated there in the

pracce.




When you finish the water off ering to the pretas, think that allthe pretas have been totally purified of all their defilements and be-come the Buddha of Compassion. Here, you can think that all thenagas and the rest of the senent beings of the six realms are pu-

rified of all their defilements and become Mitrugpa. My feeling isthat recing the Mitrugpa mantra at the beach has parcularly greatbenefit because of all the nagas there.

Making water charity to the pretas is actually a cause of wealth.As menoned in the Madhyamikavatara, “From morality one re-ceives a good rebirth and from charity one receives wealth.” Mak-ing charity to other senent beings is a cause of wealth. Because ofthe nature of the karma, making charity becomes the cause of yoursuccess in this life and in all the coming future lives. You are ableto fulfill your wishes and receive whatever you need for both yourDharma pracce and to benefit others.

Water Offering to DzambhalaDid I menon before how Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion,came to manifest as Dzambhala? No? What happened was thatwhen Lama Asha was in India, one day when he was going some-where he saw a man dying of starvaon on a sandy riverbed. LamaAsha felt such unbearable compassion for the man that he wantedto cut some flesh from his own body to help the man to survive.The man, refusing his off er, said, “I don’t want to eat the flesh of amonk.” Lama Asha replied, “I understand. In parcular, you shouldnot eat the flesh of an arya being.” Lama Asha was an arya being,

one who has realizaon of true path, of the path of seeing and thepath of meditaon.

Lama Asha was disappointed that the man wouldn’t accept hisoff er. He lay down on the sand and suddenly a huge light appeared.When Lama Asha looked up, he saw the Thousand-Armed Buddhaof Compassion, who said, “Don’t worry. I have a method to relievethe poverty of senent beings.” The Buddha of Compassion thenmanifested as Dzambhala.

Thus, Dzambhala is the Buddha of Compassion, not some or-dinary, worldly, wealth-granng god. The Buddha of Compassion




manifested as Dzambhala to grant wealth, to relieve the poverty ofsenent beings. The pracces of the Dzambhala wealth vase, tormaoff ering to Dzambhala, water off ering to Dzambhala, and recitaonof the Dzambhala mantra came from Chenrezig as methods to re-

lieve poverty.There are a white Dzambhala, a black Dzambhala, a yellow

Dzambhala, and a red Dzambhala. There are an Australian Dzamb-hala, an American Dzambhala, an LMB Dzambhala, and a CalifornianDzambhala!

White Dzambhala rides a dragon and has four dakinis aroundhim. Recite the prayer, then pour water on the head of Dzambhalawhile recing the mantra OM PÄDMA KRODHA ARYA J AMBHALAHRIHDAYA HUM PHAT and snapping your fingers. Ribur Rinpocheexplained the reason for pouring the water on Dzambhala’s head.There might be more details in the text, but all that I remember isthat when Devadaa threw rocks at the Buddha, at that me theBuddha was surrounded by Dzambhalas. The rocks hit the Dzamb-halas on the head and made a wound. Therefore, we off er wateron Dzambhala’s head, and in return, Dzambhala gives prosperity,

wealth.However, Dzambhala is the Buddha of Compassion and this is

the story. I think that Buddha probably manifested in this way tohelp senent beings by giving them this method to pracce wateroff ering to Dzambhala. It is not possible for the Buddha of Compas-sion, an enlightened being, to experience suff ering. Anyway, you of-fer the water on Dzambhala’s head.

As in the general pracce of off ering, if you visualize Dzambha-la as inseparable from the guru, you accumulate more merit whenmaking the off ering. You can also think that your off ering fills Dzamb-hala’s holy mind with bliss as extensive as the sky and inspires him toimmediately help to fulfill all your needs.

Ribur Rinpoche gave me one very nice small statue of blackDzambhala, which came from Tibet. When Rinpoche gave it to me,he said to the statue, “Now you go to him, now you go to him....” I

also have one small yellow Dzambhala statue that was maybe boughtin Dharamsala. It was given to some Tibetans in Dharamsala to bepainted gold, but now even the eyes are covered with gold. You can’t




see the eyes clearly because of the gold. A white Dzambhala on adragon came just recently from Nepal. I ordered it from Rajesh, whois the best painter of gold and who has now started to make statues.He made the statue very nicely, except that he made Dzambhala’s

face wrathful, like Palden Lhamo’s or Mahakala’s face. Dzambhala’sface should be fat with round eyes like that of Namtöse [Vaishra-vana], the protector for morality.

Think of whatever projects you have and think that Dzambhalais totally inspired to bring them immediate success, as well as toimmediately relieve all other senent beings from poverty throughgiving them everything they need.

I usually try to think that Dzambhala is totally inspired to imme-diately bring about the success of the Maitreya Project, the build-ing of the 500-foot statue of Maitreya Buddha, by giving everythingthat is needed to actualize the statue. I also think that Dzambhalais inspired to immediately give everything that is needed to bringextensive benefit to the teachings and to senent beings. Howev-er, you can think like this in relaon to whatever projects you havein mind. First think of your main project, then aer that think that

Dzambhala is inspired to immediately bring extensive benefit to theteachings of the Buddha and to senent beings, which covers every-thing, through giving everything that is needed. I have been tellingpeople that these two small statues of Dzambhala have the respon-sibility of building the 500-foot Maitreya Buddha statue. They arevery small but their job is huge.

Next comes water off ering to yellow Dzambhala. There is aprayer to recite that requests the granng of realizaons; this hasalready been translated, so you can read it in the text (see page 49). You then recite the mantra, OM J AMBHALA J ALANDRAYE SVAHA.

At the end you recite a verse of prostraon and request. It says,“Senent beings are tormented by the fire of the acons of miser-liness, so together with all other senent beings, I go for refuge toyou from life to life. With the flowing nectar rain of jewel treasure,please pacify the suff ering of poverty of senent beings.”

Aer you have finished the pracce, you sprinkle the water ineach of the four direcons and in the center [Rinpoche uses ring fin-ger as in sprinkling the inner off ering.] The water can be out in any




clean place that people do not walk over. Think that the poverty inthe minds of all senent beings has been pacified. Then take a lilebit of water at the end as a blessing. Then say, J AMBHALA SIDDHIPHALA HO.

With the rest of the water you then make charity to the pretas.Ribur Rinpoche said that to do this is very powerful and has moreblessings.

Colophon:

Teaching by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, circa 2000, Land of Medicine Buddha, Califor-nia, USA. Transcriber and editor are unknown.




A Short Practice of

Offering Water Charityto the Pretas

This pracce is very important to do. It can be done with any large

expanse of water e.g. oceans, lakes, waterfalls, or rivers. It is verygood, especially while you are at the beach, to make one’s aconsmeaningful.

MotivationFirst, generate a movaon of bodhichia. Think:

Every single hell being is the source of all my past, present, and fu-ture happiness, including enlightenment. Every single preta being isthe source of all my past, present and future happiness, includingenlightenment. Every single animal is the source of all my past, pres-ent, and future happiness, including enlightenment. Every single hu-man being is the source of all my past, present, and future happi-ness, including enlightenment. And it is the same with every single

asura, sura, and intermediate state being. Every single one of themis the source of all my past, present, and future happiness, includingenlightenment.

Bring every single one of them into your heart by thinking of theirkindness and of how precious they are.

Aer that, think:

I must take the total responsibility for all of them upon myself. Imust free all the hell beings from the three types of suff ering; I must




free all the hungry ghosts from the three types of suff ering. I mustfree all the animals from the three types of suff ering. I must alsofree all the human beings, asuras, suras and intermediate state be-ings from the three types of suff ering. I must free all senent beings

from the three types of suff ering of samsara, as well as their causes,and bring them to enlightenment. Therefore, I myself must achieveenlightenment. For this reason, I am going to make water charity tothe pretas.

[If you are doing Dzambhala pracce first (see p. 13), think, “Forthis reason, I am going to do the water off ering to Dzambhala.”]

Blessing and Offering the Water Fill a bucket or jug with water from the source (support it withthe le hand on the boom and the right on top), and recite oneof the five powerful mantras of purificaon while visualizing thedeity, as huge as Mount Meru, in the space above the water. Usu-ally, you fill the jug seven mes. Recite a diff erent mantra each

me followed by the Yeshe Karda mantra (p. 8), then blow on thewater, and pour it back. [The most abbreviated way to do thispracce is to recite only the Yeshe Karda mantra, seven mes foreach of the seven rounds.] Remember to blow on the water be-fore breaking the mantra with speech.

The Five Powerful Mantras

The Long Namgyalma Mantra (optional)OM NAMO BHAGAVATE / SARVA TRAILOKYAPRATIVISHISHTAYA / BUDDHAYA TE NAMA / TADYATHA /OM BHRUM BHRUM BHRUM SHODHAYA SHODHAYA /VISHODHAYA VISHODHAYA / ASAMA SAMANTA / AVABHASPHARANA GATI / GAGANA SVABHAVA VISHUDDHE /ABHIKSHINCHANTU MAM / SARVA TATHAGATA / SUGATA

VARA VACHANA AMRITA ABHISHEKERA/ MAHAMUDRAMANTRA PADAIH / AHARA AHARA / MAMA AYUSSANDHARANI / SHODHAYA SHODHAYA / VISHODHAYA




VISHODHAYA / GAGANA SVABHAVA VISHUDDHE / USHNISHAVIJ AYA PARISHUDDHE / SAHASRA RASMI SANCHODITE /SARVA TATHAGATA AVALOKINI / SHAT PARAMITA PARIPURANI /SARVA TATHAGATA MATE / DASHA BHUMI PRATISHTHITE /

SARVA TATHAGATA HRIDAYA / ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE /MUDRE MUDRE MAHAMUDRE / VAJ RA KAYA SAMHATANAPARISHUDDHE / SARVA KARMA AVARANA VISHUDDHE /PRATINIVARTAYA MAMA AYUR / VISHUDDHE SARVA

TATHAGATA SAMAYA ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE / OM MUNIMUNI MAHA MUNI / VIMUNI VIMUNI MAHA VIMUNI / MATIMATI MAHA MATI / MAMATI SUMATI / TATHATA / BHUTAKOTIPARISHUDDHE / VISPHUTA BUDDHI SHUDDHE / HE HE J AYA

J AYA / VIJAYA VIJ AYA / SMARA SMARA / SPHARA SPHARA /SPHARAYA SPHARAYA / SARVA BUDDHA ADHISHTHANAADHISHTHITE / SHUDDHE SHUDDHE / BUDDHE BUDDHE / VAJ REVAJ RE MAHA VAJ RE SUVAJ RE / VAJ RA GARBHE J AYA GARBHEVIJAYA GARBHE / VAJ RA J VALA GARBHE / VAJ RODBHAVEVAJ RA SAMBHAVE / VAJ RE VAJ RINI/ VAJ RAM BHAVANTUMAMA SHARIRAM / SARVA SATTVANAN CHHA /

KAYA PARISHUDDHIR BHAVANTU / ME SADA SARVA GATIPARISHUDDHI SHCHHA / SARVA TATHAGATA SHCHHA /MAM SAMAS VASAYANTU / BUDDHYA BUDDHYA / SIDDHYASIDDHYA/ BODHAYA BODHAYA VIBODHAYA VIBODHAYA /MOCHAYA MOCHAYA / VIMOCHAYA VIMOCHAYA /SHODHAYA SHODHAYA VISHODHAYA VISHODHAYA /SAMANTENA MOCHAYA MOCHAYA / SAMANTA RASMIPARISHUDDHE / SARVA TATHAGATA HRIDAYA / ADHISHTHANA

ADHISHTHITE / MUDRE MUDRE MAHA MUDRE/ MAHA MUDRAMANTRA PADAIH SVAHA (1x )

Namgyalma Mantra (short)

OM BHRUM SVAHA / OM AMRITA AYUR DA DAI SVAHA




Mitrugpa mantra

NAMO RATNA TRAYAYA / OM KAMKANI KAMKANI ROCHANIROCHANI TROTANI TROTANI TRASANI TRASANI PRATIHANA

PRATIHANA SARVA KARMA PARAM PARA NI ME SARVASATTVA NANCHA SVAHA

Kunrig mantra

OM NAMO BHAGAVATE / SARVA DURGATE PARI SHODHANIRAJ AYA / TATHAGATAYA / ARHATE SAMYAKSAM BUDDHAYA /

TADYATHA / OM SHODHANI /SHODHANI /SARVA PAPAMBISHODHANI / SHUDHE BISHUDHE / SARVA KARMA AVARANABISHODANI SVAHA

Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha mantra(Wish-Granting Wheel)

OM PADMO USHNISHA VIMALE HUM PHAT

Stainless Pinnacle mantraOM NAMA STRAIYA DHVIKANAM / SARVA TATHAGATAHRIDAYA GARBHE J VALA J VALA / DHARMA DHATU GARBHE/SAMBHARA MAMA AH YU SAMSHODHAYA MAMA SARVAPAPAM / SARVA TATHAGATA SAMANTOSHNISHA VIMALEVISHUDDHE / HUM HUM HUM HUM / AM BAM SAM J A SVAHA

Other Mantras to ReciteYou can also recite Chenrezig’s mantra:

OM MANI PÄDME HUM

And the Medicine Buddha mantra:

TADYATHA OM BHAISHAJ YE BHAISHAJ YE MAHA BHAISHAJ YE[BHAISHAJ YE] RAJ A SAMUDGATE SVAHA




Then, recite the heart mantra of Yeshe Karda. Usually diff erentmantras are recited for the diff erent pretas, but this mantra cov-ers all of them.

Heart Mantra of Yeshe Karda

I prostrate to the Three Sublime Ones.

OM J ÑANA AVALOKITE SAMANTA SPHARANA RASMI BHAVASAMAYA MAHAA MANI DURU DURU HRIDAYA J ALANI SVAHA(7x)

Blow on the water, then throw it back into the ocean (or whateverbody of water you are blessing). Do this for seven rounds. Aereach round, visualize the following:

VisualizationMeditate that the whole ocean is transformed into nectar. All thewater in the world is transformed into nectar. Every preta that can

be perceived by the omniscient eye sees the water and drinks it. Alltheir terrible hunger and thirst is saated. First it appears to themas nectar – sublime, divine tasng food and drink. Everyone whodrinks that water will go on the path to happiness. Each preta getsfully sasfied while receiving seven Magadhi tai1 of food and drink.All their negave karma and defilements are completely purified.They are liberated from the preta realm; their next rebirth will be in

the upper realms.The essence of the benefits is that it stops the hunger and thirstof the pretas, purifies their negave karma, and gives them a goodrebirth. Merely by drinking, every single preta is liberated from thepreta realm and will be reborn as a happy transmigrator being. Notonly that, any man, woman, boy or girl, animal, preta, bird – any sen-ent being – who enters into or drinks that water will be purified of

all their negave karma and defilements. They will go in the path ofthe happy transmigrator being.




You can dedicate the merits according to Pabongkha Rinpoche’sdedicaon prayer on the following pages.

How This Practice WorksThe pretas see and drink the water by the power of the mantra. Thispracce was given by Lord Buddha – the benefits were explainedby Lord Buddha. Of course, it works because Lord Buddha gave themantra and so it has power.

This pracce includes the four diff erent kinds of charity:

1. The charity of loving-kindness: wishing the pretas to have hap-piness.2. The charity of fearlessness: saving beings from the suff ering of

hunger and thirst, and from the suff ering of the lower realms (bythe power of the mantra.)

3. Miscellaneous (material) charity: giving nectar.4. The charity of Dharma: recing mantras for them.

Endnotes:

1. Tai is the measure used in India to measure out rice or grains; Magadh isthe area around Bodhgaya; the measure of a Magadhi tai is larger than taimeasures in the rest of India. One tai = 20 handfuls.)

Colophon:

Dictated by Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche on the 26th November 2004, at KachoeDeching Ling, Aptos, California. Scribed by Ven. Thubten Labdron. An earliercompilaon of this pracce by Lorne Ladner, 1997 was also used as a reference.Edited and formaed by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Educaon Department,February 2005. Updated June 2006.




An Abbreviated Practice for

Offering Water to Pretas

IntroductionThis is how to make life beneficial for one’s most kind, precious,mother senent beings – especially pretas (hungry ghosts); for themto receive all happiness, including liberaon from samsara, and thegreat liberaon of peerless, full enlightenment.

Pretas suff er heavily of hunger and thirst – not finding even adrop of water or a spoonful of food for hundreds of thousands ofeons; incredible exhauson; disappointment; heat and cold, etc. Inparcular, the pretas experience three types of obscuraons: outer,inner, and obscuraons related to food and drink. This pracce of

“Yeshe Karda” is a pracce whereby every single preta, of all the dif-ferent types of pretas, receives drink.

This is how we can make our life most beneficial when we go tothe beach. When we go to any body of water, lakes, swimming pools,etc. get blessed by doing this pracce. This is one way to make itmost beneficial for all senent beings, parcularly for pretas.

The PracticeTake water from the ocean, swimming pool, etc., and put it intoa container or pitcher. Hold the boom of the container withyour le hand and the top of the container with your right hand.

Then, visualize the deity, Yeshe Karda, above the water in the con-tainer. While you recite the mantra, nectar flows from the de-ity into the water. Recite the heart mantra of Yeshe Karda seven

mes:




OM J ÑANA AVALOKITE SAMANTA SPHARANA RASMI BHAVASAMAYA MAHAAMANI DURU DURU HRIDAYA J ALANI SVAHA(7x)

Then blow on the water and pour the water back into the ocean,swimming pool, etc. While pouring out the water, recite and visu-alize the following:

For all pretas, whom the Omniscient Mind sees, this ocean of waterappears as nectar. All pretas see it as an ocean of milk; they drinkit and are fully sasfied. It liberates them from all suff erings, defile-ments, and the causes of suff erings – karma and delusions, includ-

ing the specific suff erings of pretas. All these are purified and theyactualize the whole path to enlightenment.

When you recite these words, the ocean of water actually appearsas nectar to the pretas. Then, visualize that every preta being be-comes Chenrezig. Again, take water from the ocean, swimmingpool, etc., visualize the deity with the nectar flowing, and recitethe mantra seven mes. Then blow on the water and pour it backas before. Do the recitaon and visualizaon each me you pourthe water back. Do this for seven rounds.

Benefits of this PracticeAll pretas – however many there are – will find devas’ food and drink.They find not only food, but divine food in the form of nectar. They

experience the devas’ supreme taste of nectar in all food and drink.Even other beings who are living in the water or drinking the wa-

ter, such as animals (including insects), also get purified and achievea higher rebirth. They will go onto the path of a happy transmigrat-ing being. Therefore, the benefits [of this pracce] are not limited toonly the pretas. All living beings, including the animals that drink thewater, get purified. The benefits are vast!

By receiving the blessing of this mantra, how much food anddrink does each preta get? Each preta receives as much food ordrink as seven mes a Magadhi tai (a special way of measuring grain




in India). Therefore, they are fully sasfied, purified, and get rebornin a higher realm. Whoever drinks this water, whether it be a humanbeing or an animal such as a bird, etc., and whoever lives in the wa-ter, etc.; all of their negave karma gets purified and they obtain a

good rebirth in the higher realms.

Colophon:

Dictated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Singapore, May 2005. Scribed by Tara Mel-wani and Ven. Dechen. Edited by Kendall Magnussen, June 2006.




Offering Water Charity toPretas, Intermediate State

Beings, and Nagas

MotivationFirst, generate a movaon of bodhichia. Think:

Every single hell being is the source of all my past, present, and futurehappiness, including enlightenment. Every single preta being is the

source of all my past, present, and future happiness, including enlight-enment. Every single animal is the source of all my past, present, andfuture happiness, including enlightenment. Every single human beingis the source of all my past, present, and future happiness, includingenlightenment. And it is the same with every single asura, sura andintermediate state being. Every single one of them is the source ofall my past, present, and future happiness, including enlightenment.

Bring every single one of them into your heart by thinking of theirkindness and of how precious they are. Aer that, think:

I must take the total responsibility for all of them upon myself. Imust free all the hell beings from the three types of suff ering; I mustfree all the hungry ghosts from the three types of suff ering. I mustfree all the animals from the three types of suff ering. I must alsofree all the human beings, asuras, suras, and intermediate state be-ings from the three types of suff ering. I must free all senent beings




from the three types of suff ering of samsara, as well as their causes,and bring them to enlightenment. Therefore, I myself must achieveenlightenment. For this reason, I am going to make water charity tothe pretas.

(If you are doing Dzambhala pracce first, think, “For this reason,I am going to do the water off ering to Dzambhala.” Dzambhalapracce may be found on p. 41.)

Offering Water Charity to the PretasMay the connuous flow of milk from the hand of the Arya Com-

passionate-eyed Lord sasfy the preta beings, washing them andalways keeping them cool.

As you recite this, stretch out your right hand on your knee in themudra of granng sublime realizaons, holding a container with alid in yourfingers, with which you will off er the water. You are clari-

fied as Chenrezig and in the palm of your right hand is HRIH. Beams

are emied, nectar flows, and all the pretas are sasfied. Yourle hand is against your breast in the mudra of granng refuge.

Snapping your fingers, recite the following mantra as you give wa-ter to the general preta beings.

OM AH HRIH HUM (7x o r 21x)

Then recite the following mantra while off ering to the pretasknown as “Flaming From the Mouth.”

OM MANI PÄDME HUM (7x o r 21x)

Then recite the following mantra as many mes as possible:

OM J VALA MIDAM SARVA PRETA BHYAH SVAHA




While you recite the mantra, snap your fingers and while simulta-neously off ering a drop of water. In this way, off er water charityindividually to the pretas known as “Jugekma,” and so forth.Thepreta, Jugekma, has obstrucons to taking food and drink because

of creang the karma of stopping other people from praccinggiving. Their necks are ed in three knots, so there is no free-dom to drink even a drop of water. They are especially torment-ed by hunger and thirst, and flames come from their stomachs.Among all the pretas, this preta has the most extreme suff ering.

If you recite this blessed, precious mantra, and off er one dropof water, the knots in the pretas’ necks are instantly uned. Asthe drop of water goes down its throat, the preta becomes bliss-

fully sasfied. The teachings say that this has great benefit. Alltheir obscuraons and negave karmas are purified and they allbecome enlightened in the form of Chenrezig, or the deity withwhich one does this pracce.

Due to the merit of making this nectar charity, may the Queen ofthe Pretas as the principal, and all the rest of the pretas who have

external and internal obstrucons to food and drink, those in themain place, and those who are scaered, be fully sasfied by thisand be liberated from suff erings of hunger and thirst and the twoobscuraons.

May all miserliness, and so forth, and even their imprints, be com-pletely purified. Having completed the paramita of charity, may theybe enriched with enjoyments infinite as the sky.

May all beings freely enjoy sky treasure, without ceasing and with-out harm.

In this way one benefits by accumulang inconceivablemerit, not experiencing poverty of necessies, enjoy-ments, and so forth, and also being born in the pure realms.

When you begin the prac

ce of off

ering water, visualize number-less “Flaming from the Mouth” pretas. As the nectar enters theirmouths, it immediately relieves them from all the heaviest suff er-ing and its causes and, in inconceivable bliss, they generate the




path. Visualize all the various beings to whom you off er charity asnumberless.

Offering Water Charity to the Intermediate StateBeings (The Practice of Yeshe Karda)You are clarified as the Arya Compassionate-Eyed Lord. The syllableHRIH in the palm of your right hand is transformed into Transcen-dental Wisdom Star-Arrow (Yeshe Karda), with a blue-green holybody. Her le hand is in the mudra of concentraon and her rightin the mudra of granng sublime realizaons. Nectar flows from her

enre body as well as from her palms, sasfying all senent beings,especially the piful migrators.

As before, snap your fingers, off er the water, and recite:

May this flow of nectar sasfy migratory beings.

OM J ÑANA AVALOKITE SAMANTA SPHARANA RASMI BHAVASAMAYA MAHAAMANI DURU DURU HRIDAYA J ALANI SVAHA(7x)

By making this water charity to all the samsaric intermediate statetransmigratory beings, may they be liberated from all fear and suf-fering and go to a pure land.

Additional Mantras to Recite from Lama ZopaRinpoche

Each me, take some water, recite the mantra OM JÑANAAVALOKITE… seven mes, then recite in turn a few of each of theother seven or eight extra mantras (listed below), blow on the wa-

ter to bless it, pour the water back, and meditate that the wholeocean appears as nectar to all the pretas. To do this pracce in amore elaborate way with each deity, see Appendix 2, p. 51.




OM J NANA AVALOKITE SAMANTA PARANA RAMI BAWASAMAYA MAHA MANI DURU DURU HRIHDAYA J ALANI SVAHA

(7x)

Recite the following mantra a few mes, blow on the water, thenpour it back in the ocean, river or other body of water.

OM MANI PÄDME HUM

Meditate that all the water appears as uncontaminated nectar to allthe pretas that are seen by buddha’s omniscient mind. Think that

all the pretas drink the nectar and are fully sasfied by it. Also, theyare completely liberated from all their suff ering, negave karma anddefilements and all become enlightened in the aspect of the Buddhaof Compassion. Visualize all of them as the thousand-armed Buddhaof Compassion.

Then, take another container of water and again recite OM

J NANA AVALOKITE… (7x). Then, recite the Medicine Buddhamantra a few mes and blow on the water. Do the same medita-on as above and pour the water back.

TADYATHA OM BHAISHAJ YE BHAISHAJ YE MAHA BHAISHAJ YEBHAISHAJ YE RANDZA SAMUGATE SVAHA

Take another container of water, and recite OM J ÑANAAVALOKITE… (7x). Then, recite the Namgyalma mantra a fewmes, blow on the water, then pour the water back.

OM BHRUM SVAHA / OM AMRITA AYUR DA DAI SVAHA

For the fourth round, take another container of water, and reciteOM JÑANA AVALOKITE… (7x). Then recite the Mitrugpa mantra afew mes, Blow on the water, then pour the water back.




NAMO RATNA TRAYAYA / OM KAMKANI KAMKANI ROCHANIROCHANI TROTANI TROTANI TRASANI TRASANI PRATIHANAPRATIHANA SARVA KARMA PARAM PARA NI ME SARVASATTVA NANCHA SVAHA

For the fih round, take another container of water, and recite

OM J ÑANA AVALOKITE… (7x). Then recite the Kunrig mantra afew mes, blow on the water, then pour the water back.

OM NAMO BHAGAVATE / SARVA DURGATE PARI SHODHANI

RAJ AYA / TATHAGATAYA / ARHATE SAMYAKSAM BUDDHAYA / TADYATHA / OM SHODHANI /SHODHANI /SARVA PAPAMBISHODHANI / SHUDHE BISHUDHE / SARVA KARMA AVARANABISHODANI SVAHA

For the sixth round, take another container of water, and reciteOM JÑANA AVALOKITE… (7x). Then recite the Lotus Pinnacle of

Amoghapasha mantra a few mes, blow on the water, then pourthe water back.

OM PADMO USHNISHA VIMALE HUM PHAT

For the seventh round, take another container of water, and re-

cite OM J ÑANA AVALOKITE… (7x). Recite the Stainless Pinnacle

mantra a few mes, blow on the water, then pour the water back.

OM NAMA STRAIYA DHVIKANAM / SARVA TATHAGATAHRIDAYA GARBHE J VALA J VALA / DHARMA DHATU GARBHE/SAMBHARA MAMA AH YU SAMSHODHAYA MAMA SARVAPAPAM / SARVA TATHAGATA SAMANTOSHNISHA VIMALEVISHUDDHE / HUM HUM HUM HUM / AM BAM SAM J A SVAHA

You can also take another container of water, recite OM JNANAAVALOKITE… (7x) and recite the Stainless Beam mantra:




NAMA NAWA NAWA TEENAN THATHAAGATA GANGA NAMDIVA LUKAA NAN /KOTINI YUTA SHATA SAHA SRAA NAN / OMVOVORI / TSARI NI TSARI / MORIGOLI TSALA WAARI SVAHA

From the Translator:

“I have added these extra mantras because if you bless the waterwith these powerful mantras and pour it back into the ocean, thewhole ocean is then blessed and all the billions and billions of sen-ent beings that live in the ocean are purified. The water purifies alltheir negave karma, and even that of the people who play in thewater. If we recite these mantras and throw the water back into theocean, the negave karma of any senent being touched by thatwater will be purified.”]

DedicationMay the intermediate state beings who died and were killed yester-day, and so forth, those who have not received a body, their mind

wandering without support in the intermediate state, be sasfied bythis nectar charity. May they be able to remember the guru-deity.By recognizing the intermediate state as the intermediate state, maythey be liberated immediately from the fear of the four terrifyingenemies (one’s own negave karma manifesng as the terrifying ap-pearance of the four elements), the three precipices (three lowerrealms), and so forth. May they achieve the holy body of CompletedEnjoyment.

Due to the merits of off ering this water charity, as soon as the ap-pearance of the intermediate state occurs, may every senent beingimmediately be shown the unmistaken path by the eight bodhisat-tvas, and then be born in a blissful realm. Through transformaons,may they guide the migratory beings of the impure realms.




Offering Water Charity to the Nagas

Aer you have finished the water off ering and prayers for the in-termediate state beings, Transcendental Wisdom Star-Arrow (Ye-

she Karda) is transformed into the Qualified Destroyer, Immov-able Vajra (Mitrugpa).

Due to the charity of water flowing from the fingers,May the piful migratory beings be able to free their breath.

From the Immovable Buddha’s right hand, which is in the mudra ofgranng sublime realizaons, nectarflows and purifies the senentbeings of the six realms, parcularly the nagas, and sasfies them.

While off ering water and snapping your fingers as before, recitethe following mantra:

NAMO RATNA TRAYAYA / OM KAMKANI KAMKANI ROCHANI RO-CHANI TROTANI TROTANI TRASANI TRASANI PRATIHANA PRATI-HANA SARVA KARMA PARAM PARA NI ME SARVA SATTVA NANCHASVAHA (7x)

Due to this water charity, may the mental connuum of the King ofthe Nagas, Joyful One, Near-Joyful One, and so forth, Owner of Allthe Water, the landlords, and all senent beings be adorned by thethought of pure charity, become the supreme meaning of the yoga

of pure enjoyment, and be quickly enlightened.With this prayer, off er water charity to the nagas.

Offering Dharma CharityDue to the power of my pure a tude,Due to the power of the blessings of the One Gone As It Is

(Lord Buddha),And due to the power of the sphere of Dharma(profound empness),




In order to make off erings to the transcendental beings and benefitall senent beings,May all my [good] intenons happen instantly, without resistance.

With your right hand in the mudra of revealing Dharma, recite:

All dharmas and all causes from which all dharmas have arisen wereexplained by the One Who Has Gone As It Is. Like that, all that whichceases the causes was taught by the Great One Training in Virtue.

You can then recite The Heart Sutra, in full or its essence, which

follows:

The inexpressible, inconceivable Wisdom Gone Beyond, unborn, un-ceasing, only in the nature of sky, is the object to be perceived bydiscerning self-recognizing wisdom. To the Mother of the VictoriousOnes of the three mes, I prostrate.

TADYATHA [OM] GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE

BODHI SVAHA (3X)

Think that all senent beings of the six realms have understood themeaning of the mantra and, generang the whole Mahayana pathand its result in their mental connuum, they are ripened and liber-ated.

In the center of your own heart, you then take the suff erings and the

causes of suff ering of the senent beings who are not yet liberated,and give your own happiness and merit to them as you recite:

And thus, perfect, pure, compassionate gurus,I seek your blessings that all karmic debts, obstacles, and suff eringsOf mother beings, may without excepon ripen upon me right now,And that I may give my happiness and virtue to others

And, thereby, invest all beings in bliss. (3x)

Should even the environment and the beings therein




Be filled with the fruits of their negave acons,And unwished-for suff erings pour down on me like rain,I seek your blessings to take these miserable condions as a pathBy seeing them as causes to exhaust the results of my negave kar-

ma.

Then dedicate the merits with the intense understanding thatyou, yourself, the acon, and the object of charity are all labeledby the mind – nothing in the slightest exists from above the object.In name, cause and result, and dependent arising are unbetraying.

Pabongkha Rinpoche’s dedicaon for this pracce can be found

on pp. 37-39.




Dedication Prayer For MakingWater Charity

From Pabongkha Rinpoche

May all worldly mundane beings ripen their mind through [making]miscellaneous charity and, through Dharma charity, may their mentalconnuum be liberated to its original abode.

Then, with the right palm facing down and out, snap the fingers ofthe le hand with the palm facing outwards, while remembering:

Not even an atom exists from the side of the three circles of charity,except as being merely imputed by mind. From reflecng on this, mayI derive a very intensive definite understanding in name (convenon-ality) that cause and eff ect and dependent arising are unbetraying.

By thinking in this way, slowly reflect on the meaning.

Due to the power of having created such a root of virtue, may I be-come the holy, purified, developed One (Buddha) to be the refugeand guide of those piful senent beings, tormented by suff eringcauses, who have no refuge and are guideless.

Due to the merit of having done this pracce, together with all themerit of the three mes, may I become the holy savior refuge to allthe piful transmigrator beings; may I be able to guide them imme-diately.




May I become the cooling rain protecng hell beings in their fear oftorment by heat, and the supreme sun eliminang the suff ering ofall the cold hell beings.

May I be able to give breath to every single preta, with oceans offood and drink of a hundred flavors.

May I become the supreme light illuminang the darkness of igno-rance of the animals, suff ering from the torment of labor (besidesbeing used for food, and so forth.)

May I become armor against the rainfall of the arrows of suff erings

of jealousy and quarrelling [of the asura beings.]

May I become a stable bridge to cross the turbulent water of death,transference, and falling down [for the deva beings]. (In Tibetan,chipho tungwa: chi means death; pho is phowa, transference of con-sciousness; tung is falling down. The suff ering of the deva at theme of death is seeing the consciousness transferring to a lowerrebirth, and falling down to the human or lower realms.)

For those (human beings) who are tormented by the intensive con-tagious disease of terrifying rebirth, old age, sickness, and death,may I become the supreme physician eliminang all delusions andsickness.

May I definitely become a virtuous friend to those suff ering from

the poverty of Dharma. May I become a great treasure fulfi

lling allthe wishes of those suff ering from material poverty. May I becomea relave, friend, and virtuous friend to those who are tormented byseparaon and parng.

May I also in all lifemes have a precious body qualified with free-dom and richness, holding the virtuous friend as a wish-fulfilling jew-el on the crown of my head. By abiding in the ship of listening, re-

flecng, and meditang, may I cross the ocean of the Dharmakaya.

Then, one may recite the Eight Verses of Thought Transformaon.




Eight Verses of Thought Transformation1. Determined to obtain the greatest possible benefit from all sen-ent beings, who are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel, Ishall hold them most dear at all mes.

2. When in the company of others, I shall always consider myself the

lowest of all, and from the depths of my heart hold others dearand supreme.

3. Vigilant, the moment a delusion appears in my mind, endanger-ing myself and others, I shall confront and avert it without delay.

4. Whenever I see beings who are wicked in nature and over-whelmed by violent negave acons and suff ering, I shall holdsuch rare ones dear, as if I had found a precious treasure.

5. When, out of envy, others mistreat me with abuse, insults, or thelike, I shall accept defeat and off er the victory to others.

6. When someone whom I have benefited and in whom I have greathopes gives me terrible harm, I shall regard that person as myholy Guru.

7. In short, both directly and indirectly, do I off er every happinessand benefit to all my mothers. I shall secretly take upon myself alltheir harmful acons and suff ering.

8. Undefiled by the stains of the supersons of the eight worldlyconcerns, may I, by perceiving all phenomena as illusory, be re-leased from the bondage of aachment.




Colophon:

Originally translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Sydney, Australia, in October,1991. Transcribed and lightly edited by Ven. Tenzin Tsäpel and Ailsa Cameron.Re-translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, California,

November 11, 2004. Scribed and edited by Ven. Thubten Labdron. Lightly editedby Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Educaon Services, February 2005. Words in “( )”were added by the translator. Words in “[ ]” were added by the editor for easeof recitaon.




Appendix 1

The Daily Practice of

Water Offering to Dzambhala

Instructions from Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The purpose of this practice

The purpose of praccing Dzambhala is to receive everything re-quired to pracce Dharma; to benefit all other senent beings ex-

tensively by relieving their poverty, liberang them from suff ering,giving them whatever they need to pracce Dharma, supporngtemples for the sake of all senent beings, maintaining monaster-ies for monks and nuns to study and pracce Dharma and helpingsenent beings collect merit and pracce Dharma in general; and tospread the teachings of the Buddha for the benefit of all senent be-ings. These are some of the many reasons for praccing Dzambhala.There are three basic Dzambhala pracces: the Dzambhala wealthvase; torma off ering to Dzambhala; and the daily pracce of wateroff ering to Dzambhala, including recitaon of mantras. The third ofthese is given here.

MotivationBegin this pracce with a strong movaon, first taking refugeand generang bodhichia and contemplang the four immea-surables:




The purpose of my life is to liberate all senent beings from theirsuff ering and cause them to become enlightened. For this I mustachieve perfect buddhahood.

Taking Refuge and Generating BodhichittaSANG GYÄ CHHÖ DANG TSHOG KYI CHHOG NAM LA

I go for refuge unl I am enlightened

J ANG CHHUB BAR DU DAG NI KYAB SU CHHI To the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly.

DAG GI J IN SOG GYI PÄ SÖ NAM GYI By my pracce of giving and other perfecons,

DRO LA PHÄN CHHIR SANG GYÄ DRUB PAR SHOGMay I become a buddha to benefit all senent beings. (3x)

The Four ImmeasurablesSEM CHÄN THAM CHÄ DE WA DANG DE WÄI GYU DANG DÄN PAR GYUR CHIG

May all senent beings have happiness and the causes of

happiness.

SEM CHÄN THAM CHÄ DUG NGÄL DANG DUG NGÄL GYI GYU DANG DRÄL WAR GYUR CHIG

May all senent beings be free from suff ering and the causes

of suff ering.

SEM CHÄN THAM CHÄ DUG NGÄL ME PÄI DE WA DANG MI DRÄL WAR

GYUR CHIGMay all senent beings be inseparable from the happiness

that is free from suff ering.

SEM CHÄN THAM CHÄ NYE RING CHHAG DANG NYI DANG DRÄL WÄI TANG NYOM LA NÄ PAR GYUR CHIG

May all senent beings abide in equanimity, free from aach-

ment for friends and hatred for enemies.

To strengthen your pracce, contemplate the suff erings of eachof the six samsaric realms. Then think:




In order to achieve enlightenment, I am going to make water off er-ings to Dzambhala and water charity to the pretas.

(When off ering water to White Dzambhala, recite White Dzamb-hala’s mantra. When off ering water to Yellow Dzambhala, re-cite Yellow Dzambhala’s mantra. When off ering water to BlackDzambhala, recite the mantra of Black Dzambhala. And when of-fering water to only one of the three, don’t recite the mantras ofother two. You can also recite the mantra without off ering water,in which case, visualize making the off ering.)

Water Offering to White Dzambhala

First, off er water to White Dzambhala. Then connue by of-fering water to Yellow Dzambhala and Black Dzambhala. Forthose who wish to do an extremely abbreviated water off er-ing to the Dzambhala deies (Dzambhala and the four dakinis),who are embodiments of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Com-passion, in order to off er service to the teachings of the Bud-dha and to suff ering senent beings, [do the following pracce]:

First take hear elt refuge in the Triple Gem and generate thebodhichia mind of enlightenment in your heart.

Refuge and Bodhichitta

I go for refuge un

l I am enlightenedTo the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly.By my merit from giving and other perfecons,May I become a buddha in order to benefit all senent beings.

Self-Generation

Generate yourself in the form of Chenrezig, and think:

In order to achieve enlightenment, I am going to make water off er-ings to Dzambhala.




Seven-Limb Prayer

Reverently, I prostrate with my body, speech, and mind;I present clouds of every type of off ering, actual and imagined.

I declare all my nega

ve ac

ons accumulated since beginninglessme;And rejoice in the merit of all holy and ordinary beings.Please, guru-buddha, remain unl the end of cyclic existenceAnd turn the wheel of Dharma for living beings.I dedicate my own merits and those of all others to the greatenlightenment.

RequestTo White Dzambhala riding a turquoise dragon,seated on a lotus and moon disk and carrying a white khatvanga tri-dent and pechon (banner staff ),Surrounded by four types of dakinis in the four direcons,I am off ering flowing water to the holy body.Please grant me your sublime realizaons.

Mantra Recitation

As you recite the mantra, you should off er water by pour-ing gently on the heads of Dzambhala and the four goddesses.

Also visualize as much as you can that from the holy mouth

of Dzambhala and the dragon numberless hundreds of mil-lions of dollars, wish-fulfilling jewels, and so forth are un-ceasingly granted to you like a huge waterfall coming fromthe Rocky Mountains. They completely fill your wholefamily’s house, your monastery, or your Dharma center.

As you pour the water with your right hand, snap the fingersof your le at your heart (to remind yourself of empness) andrecite the mantras. Recite the principal mantra 108 mes or as

many mes as you can. Recite the mantras of the four dakinis atleast 21 mes.




The mantra of the main deity

OM PADMA KRODHA ARYA J AMBHALA HRIDAYA HUM PHAT(108x)

Now the mantras of the four dakinis:

OM VAJ RA DAKINI HUM PHATOM RATNA DAKINI HUM PHATOM PADMA DAKINI HUM PHATOM KARMA DAKINI HUM PHAT SARVA SIDDHI HUM

(21x o r m o re)

Requesting Forgiveness

Please have paence with any mistakes I have made, such as nothaving completely understood, being unable to do at all, and soforth.




Purify with the hundred-syllable Vajrasava mantra:

OM VAJ RASATTVA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA / VAJ RASATTVA

TVENOPATISHTHA / DRIDHO ME BHAVA / SUTOSHYO MEBHAVA / SUPOSHYO ME BHAVA / ANURAKTO ME BHAVA /SARVA SIDDHIM ME PRAYACCHA / SARVA KARMASUCHAME/ CHITTAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM / HA HA HAHA HO / BHAGAVAN / SARVA TATHAGATA VAJ RA MAMEMUNCHA / VAJ RA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA AH HUMPHAT (3x)

Offerings

Make the eight off erings with this mantra:

OM PADMA KRODHA ARYA J AMBHALA SAPARIVARAARGHAM (PADYAM, PUSHPE, DHUPE, ALOKE, GANDHE,NAIVIDYA, SHAPTA) PRATICHHA HUM SVAHA

The eight off erings are the set of water bowls, etc. on the al-tar: 1) drinking water; 2) water for bathing the feet; 3) flowers;4) incense for the holy nose; 5) light off erings for the holy eye; 6)scented water to sprinkle on heart and holy body; 7) food off eringfor the holy mouth; 8) music off ering for the holy ear.

PraiseThe One Who Controls harm-givers,Whose holy body is elegant in nine ways of acng,Who is well-ed with rainbow aggregates made of melted whitecrystal,Who grants wish-giving realizaons like a rainfall.I prostrate to you, glorious Dzambhala.

Praise in this way and then dedicate the merits.




Dedications

Due to the merits of the three mes accumulated by me, the bud-dhas and bodhisavas, and all senent beings, may bodhichia,

which is the source of all happiness and success of myself and others,be generated in my mind and the minds of others without a delay ofeven a second. And where that bodhichia is already generated, mayit increase.

Then dedicate the merits that the wealth that is received may behighly beneficial for Dharma centers, to complete the extensiveworks for the teachings of the Buddha, and for migrator beings or

for any person, yourself or your family or any other person, to havesuccess without obstacles. Dedicate the merits that the wealththat is received never becomes a cause of samsara (suff ering) nor,especially, the lower realms, but that it become only a cause ofenlightenment.

Due to all the past, present, and future merits accumulated by meand all buddhas, bodhisavas, and senent beings, which are empty

from their own side, may I, who am empty from my own side, achievethe Compassion Buddha’s enlightenment, which is empty from itsown side, and lead all senent beings, who are empty from their ownside, to that enlightened state as quickly as possible by myself alone.

Dedicate the merits for enlightenment so the merits become unceas-ing, sealed by the three circles of empness, and so they can neverbe destroyed by heresy or anger.

Due the merit of the three mes accumulated by myself and by allthe buddhas and bodhisavas, may the father-mother senent be-ings have happiness, may the three lower realms be empty forever,may all the bodhisavas’ prayers succeed immediately, and may I beable to cause all of this by myself alone.

May the Naga King (Joy and Nearly Joy), the devas who have devoon

for holy objects, and also the king, the benefactors, and other sen-ent beings who are in poverty, may they all have long lives withoutsickness and achieve everlasng happiness.




Water Offering to Yellow DzambhalaOn a lotus and a moon disk, the seed syllable J AM transforms intoYellow Dzambhala. His right hand holds a pitsapura fruit and his le a treasure-producing mongoose spewing a stream of wish-granng jewels.

Again, clarify yourself as Chenrezig.

Request

By off ering to your holy body that which cleans1, all pains are paci-

fied, and I am fully sasfied by experiencing great bliss. Please grantall aainments and needs.

Mantra Recitation

OM J AMBHALA J ALANDRAYE SVAHA

Recite the mantra as many mes as possible. As before, off er thewater by holding up the watering can and snapping your fingers.

Water Offering to Black Dzambhala

Mantra Recitation

OM J LUM SVAHA / OM INDRAYANI MUKHAM BHRAMARI

SVAHA

Recite the mantra seven or twenty-one mes, pouring water onDzambhala’s stomach and snapping your fingers as before. To col-lect the greatest merit, again think that Dzambhala is your Guru.

Your off ering of water generates bliss like the sky in Dzambhala’sholy mind and he is fully inspired to grant you all realizaons andevery kind of assistance.




Requesting Prayer

Savior Dzambhala, guardian of the north,Enriched with wealth, treasure of jewels,

Lord of all the harm-givers who have wealth,To you who grants supreme aainments, I prostrate.

We who are tortured by the fire of miserly karmaGo to you for refuge from life to life.With the flowing nectar rain of jewel treasure,Please pacify the suff ering of those senent beings who live in pov-erty.

Think that the poverty of all senent beings in the ten direconshas been eliminated. Then take a lile water with your fingers andtouch it to your tongue to receive the aainments, while saying:

J AMBHALA SIDDHI PHALA HO

Aer off ering water to Dzambhala, it is very good to make charity

of that same water to the pretas; to combine these two pracces.For “A Short Pracce of Off ering Water Charity to the Pretas,”return to p. 5.




Endnote:

1. Tsang-che, or “that which cleans” is another term for water, and is calledthus because it cleans as it is poured.

Colophon:

The Daily Pracce of Water Off ering to Dzambhala: This pracce was extractedfrom a teaching given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Madison, Wisconsin on 26 July1998. The original trasncript was transcribed and edited by Vens. Sherab Chenand Diana Finnegan, and revised by Nicholas Ribush. This extract was edited byVen. Constance Miller, FPMT Educaon Department, March 2002.

Pracce of Water Off ering to White Dzambhala: Lama Zopa Rinpoche translated

and dictated this to Ven. Paul LeMay and dedicated the merits that anyone whodoes this pracce have miraculous success, even more than what the person canvisualize, and that even that become highly beneficial for our kind mother sen-ent beings and for our kind compassionate Shakyamuni Buddha.

Edited by Ven. Constance Miller, Educaon Department, January 1999. This re-vised edion, with complete prayers included, March 2001.




Appendix 2

Instructions for

Blessing Water in an

Elaborate Way with Various Deities

Each me you are going to bless the water with the mantra of aparcular deity:

Visualize the deity on top of the water. (Those with iniaon andinstrucons may visualize themselves as the deity instead.)

Invoke the wisdom beings, who absorb into the visualized deity andbecome non-dual.

Then, invoke the empowering deies who bestow the iniaon – vi-

sualize that enlightened beings pour blessings and nectar onto thedeity, thus empowering them.

Make off erings and praise to the deity.

Strengthen your faith and resolve to help suff ering beings.

Next, recite the deity’s mantra with the following visualiza

on: Visu-alize the mantra at the heart of the deity. From all the ten direcons,the blessings of the buddhas and bodhisavas, in the form of nectar




beams, absorb into the mantras at the heart of the deity. From themantras, nectar flows down through the deity’s holy body to mixwith the water in the container. In this way, the water is blessed. Re-cite one mala of mantras or as many as you wish to bless the water.

Then, the deity melts into light and absorbs into the water, becom-ing of one nature with the water.

As you finish recing the mantra, blow on the water, thus imparngthe mantra energy into the water.

Finally, pour the water, off ering it to the suff ering senent beings.

Colophon:

The above pracce is from the oral instrucons of Lama Zopa Rinpoche given in1991 in Sydney, Australia. Transcribed and edited by Vens. Tenzin Tsapel and Ail-sa Cameron. Further work done by Lorne Ladner in September, 1997. Extractedand included here by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Educaon Services, February2005.




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