Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche_The Signifigance and Benefits of Six-Syllable Mantra Recitation

7/28/2019 Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche_The Signifigance and Benefits of Six-Syllable Mantra Recitation

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H EmnenceDrwn Konchok Nor Rnoche

For Free Distribution Only

Not For Sale

TheSignifcanceandBenefts

ofSix

-Syllable

Mantra Recitation


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HisEminence DrubwangKonchokNorbuRinpoche

Praised by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama as a very

powerul and accomplished practitioner, H.E. Drubwang

Rinpoche has over 30 years o meditation retreat

experiences, at times consuming only one petal o fower

and a drop o honey water per day during his retreat. Heis an accomplished practitioner with high realisation and

a retreat master o Mahamudra. Especially appointed by

H.H. the Dalai Lama to propagate the Guanyin Practice

to the whole world or the benet o all mother sentient

beings, he has personally completed 12 rounds o 100million times o the Six-Syllable Mantra. An exponent

o the Mind Only school and the Madhyamika school

philosophies, he has successully led numerous 100

Million Mani recitation retreats in Nepal and India. In

Singapore, he has led the completion o 100 Million

Mani recitation in Singapore at Kong Meng San Phor

Kark See Monastery rom 2001 to 2006.

About


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His Eminence Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche


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Contents

ix TheOriginof theSix-SyllableMantra

Extracted rom the book, Mani Kabum

xx TheRepresentationofFour-ArmChenrezig

Extracted rom the book, Mani Kabum

xxiii Explanationof theSix-SyllableMantra

xxv Preface

Day1:

02 The Benefts o Reciting the Six-Syllable Mantra

Day2:

10 Creating the Cause or Our Liberation

14 Dedication Crucial For the Beneft o All Beings


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Day3:18 Reciting the Mani Mantra to Realise the ThreeKayas Nature

19 What Makes One A Buddhist

Day4:

24 Reciting the Mani Mantra to Free All MotherSentient Beings rom Suering

26 The Mani Mantra is the Buddha in Mantra Form

Day5:

30 Importance o Reciting the Mani Mantra with a

Pure Motivation35 Taking Reuge and Generating Bodhicitta Beore

Each Practice

Day6&7:

40 Be Careul Not to Contaminate Your Recitation

Day8:

44 Recite the Mani Mantra at All Times

47 Regret Can Puriy Your Non-Virtuous Deeds


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THE ORigiN Of THEsix-syllablE MaNTRa

OMMANIPADMEHUM.Then the Bhagavan

was abiding in the palace monastery o Zetaitshel

grove, in Shravasti, in the pleasure grove o

Anathapindika. He was together with twelve and a

hal hundred sanghas and many Bodhisattvas. Then

to the Bhagavan the Bodhisattva Nivaranavishkambin

spoke these words, Bhagavan the great vidya mantra

benets all the six kinds o beings, removes samsara

rom the root, completely liberating hell beings,

pretas and animals rom the lower realms, making

human beings experience the taste o Dharma. Since

I seek an explanation o omniscient wisdom, how

will I attain it? Bhagavan, to the one who tells me the

Six-Syllable, lling the world (Jambudvipa) with the

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seven precious things, I will oer them. Bhagavan,since I wish to write down the Six-Syllable even i

there is no paper, birch bark, writing with pen and

ink, using my blood or ink, faying my skin, I will

use it as paper, taking my bones I will use it as pen.

Bhagavan or me there is no sadness and atigue. Asor that, it will be the root lama o our ather and

mother sentient beings.

Then, the Bhagavan exhorted these words to

the Bodhisattva Nivaranavishkambin, Son o Noble

amily, or the sake o the vidya mantra o Six-

Syllable, in ormer times, though I paid homage to

centillion limitless Tathagatas, I did not hear rom

these Tathagatas. At that time the Tathagata, Arhat

completely enlightened Red Buddha Amitabha, in

ront o Buddha, because o crying, tears arose in his

eyes. From the ace o the Tathagata, he exhorted,

Son o Noble amily, why are you crying? With

tears arising what is the ault? He asked. When

centillion limitless o Tathagatas paid homage, the

Six-Syllable that removes all the suerings o beings

was not given to them.

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I ask the Sugata, Knower o the world, Tamero beings, Steersman, Teacher o gods and humans,

the Buddha Bhagavan to explain it, so he requested.

Then by the Buddha Amitabha to the great

Bodhisattva Lord Avalokiteshvara, he said these

words, Son o Noble amily, as or this vidyamantra o Six-Syllable, these are rare words, vajra

words, words o unsurpassable wisdom, words o

inexhaustible wisdom, words o the completely

pure wisdom o the Tathagata. Son o Noble amily

this great vidya mantra o Six-Syllable, because

it was blessed by me, thereore centillon limitless

sentient beings will be completely liberated rom

samsara, quickly in unsurpassable true complete

enlightenment. They will be completely enlightened.

Say this vidya mantra o Six-Syllable. Then to the

Bodhisattva, the Noble One, Lord Avalokiteshvara,

he taught this vidya mantra o Six-Syllable.

OM MANI PADME HUM.

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Then the Buddha Amitabha exhorted theBodhisattva Nivaranavishkambin, This vidya

mantra OM MANI PADME HUM i some hold

it in their bodies, Son o Noble amily, as or

these bodies, they should be understood as vajra

bodies. They should be understood as relic stupas.They should be understood as the wisdom o

the Tathagata.

OM MANI PADME HUM. A son or daughter

o Noble amily i anyone recite this vidya mantra

one time, their condence will become inexhaustible.

Their sel-reliance wisdom, heap o wisdom will

be completely pure. They will possess the great

kindness and the Great Compassion. Every day the

six perections will be completely perected. They will

attain the power o a chakravartin. They will become

irreversible Bodhisattvas. They will be enlightened

with unsurpassable, true, complete enlightenment.

OM MANI PADME HUM, these Six-Syllable

when by the hand they have been written on walls

and rocks, by the hand when it has been touched

and the view have been produced, by these men and

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women, boys and girls by merely being seen theywill become Bodhisattvas in their next lie. Wild

animals, birds, horses, cows and such sentient beings

by which they are seen, all these will be Bodhisattvas

in their next lie. They will be without birth, old

age, sickness and death, meeting with unpleasantness,ree rom pain and without suering. Yoga siddhi

will become inconceivable.

Son o Noble amily, OM MANI PADME

HUM, this vidya mantra o Six-Syllable is the true

essence o the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Saying

this vidya mantra o Six-Syllable, make an eort

always to recite it. This Six-Syllable possesses merit.

At the time o reciting this, Buddha Bhagavans

ninety-nine times as many as the atoms o the sand

o Ganges River will gather. Son o Noble amily, in

every one o his hair pores, Tathagatas are abiding

there. Son o Noble amily, by you getting such a

wish-ullling gem, you will be attained. By you the

seven kinds o shravaka amilies will be enlightened,

that is good. Son o Noble amily, that even the

limitless creatures living in your belly, having become

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irreversible Bodhisattvas, is excellent. Whatever issaid they will be given.

Then the Bhagavan said these words to the

Bodhisattva Nivaranavishkambin, Son o Noble

amily, as or this vidya mantra o Six-Syllable,OM MANI PADME HUM. It is this or example,

though the number o atoms o the earth could be

grasped, the merits o reciting this vidya mantra o

Six-Syllable one time could not be grasped. Though

every drop o the water o the ocean could be

counted, the merits o reciting this vidya mantra o

Six-Syllable one time could not be counted.

OM MANI PADME HUM, Son o Noble

amily, it is like this, or example, the house o some

person is one hundred pagtse and its height is three

hundred pagtse. It is completely lled with mustard

seed or sesame grains. It is without even a hole the

size o the eye o a needle and at its door a man

who does not age and does not die is placed. I in

every hundred eons a sesame grain is taken out by

him, by the number o these it could go on until

the oundation o the house is reached, until it is

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exhausted and no more, but the measure o meritso reciting this vidya mantra o Six-Syllable one time

could not be grasped.


amily, it is like this, or example, by the sentientbeings living in the our continents, the barley,

wheat, rice, white Chinese beans, Nepalese beans

and so orth and little beans and juniper, a plant

with very small seeds and so orth, various kinds are

planted. By the naga king rom time to time, rain

alls. Ater these grains ripen they are reaped and

harvested. In the earthly world, having put these to

one side, on wagons, people carrying loads, animal

loads and basket loads having been brought in these

containers, transported by oxen and donkeys, having

been thrashed by sticks by people, though every

grain o that heap o grain could be counted, the

measure o merits o reciting this vidya mantra o

Six-Syllable one time could not be grasped.


amily, it is like this, or example, fowing in the

earthly world are the great rivers Sita, Ganga,

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Yamuna, Sindhu Pukcha, Shatadru, Tsendra-garva,Eyravati, Sumkata, Amakala, Kotari. Each river has

ve hundred tributaries; day and night they fow

into the midst o the ocean. Son o Noble amily,

OM MANI PADME HUM, as or the merits o

reciting this vidya mantra one time, they increaseeven more than that.


amily, or example, it is like this. Those o the

our-legged amily, oxen, donkeys, bualoes, horses,

elephants, dogs, oxes, goats, these our-legged

animals and likewise lions, tigers, zebras and so

orth, deer, monkeys, rabbits, pigs, mice, these and

so orth, every hair could be counted, but OM

MANI PADME HUM, the merits o reciting this

vidya mantra one time could not be counted.


amily, or example it is like this, the king o

mountains, the vajra iron mountains in height is one

billion ten million athoms (pagtse jatong). Every

ace o that mountain is also one billion ten million

athoms (pagtse jatong) and below it is one billion

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twenty million athoms (pagtse jedtri). I there isa person who does not grow old and die and this

person, ater an eon had passed by, i he wiped it

every time with a kashika cloth, one day it would

be exhausted, but OM MANI PADME HUM, the

measure o merits o reciting this vidya mantra onetime could not be counted.


amily, it is like this, or example, the midst o the

ocean has a depth o one billion sixteen million

athoms. In width to the horse head mountain.

From the existing immeasurable, by me a hair tip

hundredth part i it is scattered, though I could

count every drop, OM MANI PADME HUM, the

measure o merits o reciting this vidya mantra one

time could not be counted. OM MANI PADME

HUM, Son o Noble amily, or example, it is

like this. Every lea o a sandlewood tree could

be counted but OM MANI PADME HUM, the

measure o merits o reciting this vidya mantra one

time could not be counted.

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OM MANI PADME HUM, Son o Nobleamily, or example, it is like this. Existing in the

our continents the men, women, boys and girls,

all these abiding on the seventh bhumi level o a

Bodhisattva, the heap o merit o these Bodhisattvas

could be counted, but OM MANI PADME HUM,the measure o merits o reciting this vidya mantra

one time could not be counted.


amily, or example, it is like this. Twelve months,

a year, or twelve months with an extra lunar month

a complete solar year, the rain alls day and night,

every drop could be counted, but OM MANI

PADME HUM, the measure o merits o reciting

this vidya mantra one time could not be counted.


amily, the number o merits and virtues though it

need not be expressed, but i there exist centillion

limitless Buddhas like me and these or an eon,

requisites or lie o divine clothing, ood and

medicines which are ecacious or sickness, the

merit o paying them homage with these could

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be counted but OM MANI PADME HUM, themeasure o merits o reciting this vidya mantra

one time could not be counted. That I alone in

this world realm exist, what need is there to say

that they are inexpressibly countless.

Extracted rom the book titled MANI KABUM SECTION 1 -

CHAPTER 11, THE SOURCE OF THE SUTRA translated by

H.E Trizin Rinpoche

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are inseparable or the equal benet o all sentientbeings. Endowed with precious gems inseparable

dharmata like ornament arose. As or his head there

being a jewel ornament and on the crown o his

head the Buddha Amitabha abiding, he is a holder

o the lotus amily possessing the good qualities oall the Buddhas. As or the sun and moon seat, by

upaaya and prajna he impartially perorms benets

or sentient beings.

Extracted rom the book titled MANI KABUM SECTION 6

- CHAPTER 2, THE TRILOGY OF SADHANAS, THE WISH-FULFILLING GREAT COMPASSION translated by HE Trizin

Rinpoche

Moreover the white body colour is a symbol o

spotless dharmakaya. The one ace is a symbol o

co-emergent wisdom which is non-dual with onesel.

The two hands are a symbol o non-dual upaaya

and prajna. The mala in the right hand is a symbol

o guiding the six realm beings on the path to

enlightenment. The lotus in the let hand symbolises

mat though he produces the goal o sentient beings,

he is not covered by the aults o samsara. The two

legs symbolise the non-duality o dharmadhatu and

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wisdom. As or sitting on a sun, moon and lotus seat,it symbolizes that or sentient beings his compassion

is without bias and partiality like the shining o the

sun and moon, and that like a lotus he is not covered

by the kleshas and discursive thoughts o samsara.

As or the precious jewel ornaments, they symbolizethat although he enjoys all desirable qualities, it is

without attachment and accords with the style or

the benet o sentient beingsExtracted rom the book titled MANI KABUM SECTION 6

CHAPTER 3, GREAT COMPASSION WISH-FULFILLINGGEM SADHANA PRACTICE, ONE CYCLE translated by

HE Trizin Rinpoche

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ExplaNaTiON Of THEsix-syllablE MaNTRa

Closing the doors to the six realms, this mantra

rees sentient beings rom suerings to be reborn

in Buddhas Pure Land.

OM closes the door to the suering o being

reborn in the gods realm. The suering o the gods

arises rom their ability to oresee ones all rom the

gods realm.

This suering comes rom pride.

MA closes the door to the suering o being

reborn in the warring gods (asuras) realm. The

suering o these asuras is constant ghting.

This suering comes rom jealousy.

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NIcloses the door to the suering o being

reborn in the human realm. Humans suer rom

birth, sickness, old age, and death.

This suering comes rom desire.

PAD

closes the door to the suering o beingreborn in the animal realm. The suering o animals

is stupidity, preying upon one another, being killed

by men or meat, skin, etc. And being beasts o

burden.

This suering comes rom ignorance.

ME closes the door to the suering o being

reborn in the hungry ghosts realm. The suering

o hungry ghosts is hunger and thirst.

This suering comes rom greed.

HUM closes the door to the suering o being

reborn in the hell realm. The suering o the hell

is heat and cold.

This suering comes rom anger or hatred.

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o all mother sentient beings be puried. May allprogress well on the path o the Dharma, and meet

the Buddha within!

May all sentient beings have happiness and its causes.

May all sentient beings be ree rom suering and its causes.

May all sentient beings never be separated rom sorrowless bliss.

May all sentient beings abide in equanimity ree o bias,

attachment and anger, and share with others compassion.

~Mindulness is the Method, Compassion is the Expression, and

Wisdom is the Essence~

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pREfaCE

These teachings were given by His Eminence

Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche o the

Drikung Kagyu Lineage, during a 100 Mon

Mn Rectton Retretconducted at Kong Meng

San Phor Kark See Monastery over Christmas 2004

to the New Year o 2005.

They explain the beneits and importance o

doing the Mani recitation or the beneit o all

sentient beings and onesel, and the mental state in

which the recitation is to be conducted.

By the virtue o the publication o this book,

may the delements and obscurations in the minds

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Te Benets o Reciting theSix-Syllable Mantra

Everyone has assembled here in order to recite the

six-syllable mantra. It is indeed the best way to

make our human lives meaningul. In this world,the six-syllable mantra is the most suitable practice

or ordinary people like ourselves. Lord Buddha has

taught many dierent kinds o Dharma teachings,

and i all those teachings are summarised in a

nutshell, it is the six-syllable mantra. There can

be no Dharma practice more proound than this

mantra. Reciting the six-syllable mantra is extremely

beneicial and necessary at this point o time.

We have taken countless births in samsara, and

everytime we are born in samsara, we committed

lots o negative karma and we have had many

transgressions o precepts and vows. All these

downalls, transgressions and delements can be

puried through the recitation o this mantra.

Not only do we have this precious human

lie, we also possess the Buddha-nature, which is

the potentiality or the seed or attaining complete


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enlightenment. Generally speaking, all sentientbeings are Buddhas. The only dierence between a

Buddha and a sentient being is that the Buddha is

ree rom all delements while the sentient being

is not. The moment the delements are removed

rom the Buddha-nature o a sentient being, thesentient being becomes a Buddha. It is important to

know that all these delements which have covered

our mind are temporary. They can be removed

and eliminated through skilul methods such as by

reciting the six-syllable mantra. All these delements

that have covered our Buddha-nature have been

accumulated rom countless lives in samsara. And

all these delements all into two categories the

delement o afictive emotions and the delement

that obstructs one rom realising the absolute

reality. Both these delements can be puried and

eliminated rom its roots through the recitation o

the six-syllable mantra.

Everyone o us here has ormed this great

opportunity to recite this mantra. We must appreciate

that we have ormed this great opportunity through

our good karma and great aspirations in the past.


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Each mantra that we are going to recite here willbe more precious than all the wealth o the entire

world, because at the end o our lives, none o

that wealth can be taken with us to our next

birth, but each o the mantra that we are going to

recite here can be taken with us, even ater thislie. I we do not recite the six-syllable mantra, and

we do not do any Dharma practice or any mental

transormation, then at the end o this lie, we

have to go empty-handed.

Im sure everyone o us who is here has come

with devotion and aith in the Dharma. And through

such devotion and aith, the power and benet o

the recitation will be extremely great. With this

recitation, we can truly benet rom the teachings

o the Buddha, and beneit all mother sentient

beings. The six-syllable mantra actually represents

our Buddha-nature. In other words, the six-syllable

mantra is our own enlightened nature in the orm

o mantra. The six-syllable mantra also represents

the three bodies or the three kayas Dharmakaya*,

Sambhogakaya*and Nirmanakaya*.


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When we do the recitation, we should not missany word o the mantra, we should pronounce

each word very clearly and completely rom OM to

HUM in a pleasant melody. During the recitation,

we should constantly eel that we are doing the

recitation in order to puriy the karmic delements,the negative karmas and the afictive emotions o all

mother sentient beings. We should again and again

make supplications within our mind and say: May

all mother sentient beings attain Enlightenment.

May all mother sentient beings get the opportunity

to meet the Buddha within themselves.

During the recitation, we should also keep our

body, speech and mind absolutely pure by getting

rid o non-virtuous deeds that we usually commit.

We should try to spend the ew days in this retreat

like a monk in a monastery. In this way, when we do

the recitation with virtuous body, speech and mind,

and pure aspiration or the benet o all mother

* Dharmakaya : The Body of ultimate reality which is the absolute emptiness aspectof all Buddhas.

* Sambhogakaya : The Bliss Body of a Buddha.

* Nirmanakaya : The Manifestation Body of a Buddha.


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sentient beings, then truly there will be no practicebetter than the recitation o this mantra. During this

retreat, i we can, we should also at all times rerain

rom eating meat, consuming alcohol or smoking.

We should try and maintain a pure body, speech and

mind. And with that kind o body, speech and mind,whatever practice we do will be more powerul and

meaningul. Thus, when we do the recitation, there

is a great power to it which will bring happiness and

peace to all sentient beings.

I personally have received some kind o a

prediction or prophecy rom the three kayas to

benet sentient beings by expounding the powerul

benets o the six-syllable mantra. Because o that, I

have been promoting the recitation o the six-syllable

mantra everywhere. I would like to reiterate that all

the delements, all the negative karma that we have

been accumulating, can be puried and dispelled

rom our mind because they are temporary. It is

very important to know that the recitation o the

six-syllable mantra is the antidote to these temporary

delements. The benets o reciting the six-syllable

mantra are so immense that they are immeasurable.


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Hence during the recitation o the mantra, youshould constantly supplicate within your mind:

May all the delements in the minds o all sentient

beings and mysel be puried. May all o us get the

opportunities to meet the Buddha within ace to

ace. May all sentient beings and mysel take birthin the land o bliss, in Western Paradise the land

o Amitabha Buddha, ater death, and rom there

may all o us attain complete Enlightenment. In this

way, you can benet yoursel as well as others.

The six-syllable mantra which we called mani

is the most suitable Dharma practice that ordinary

people like ourselves can have. Through this skilul

way o practice, we have the way to become

enlightened, we have the way to puriy our minds.

I we dont attempt to expel the delements and

negative karma rom our minds and practise in

this way, then we will always remain as ordinary

sentient beings.

You should recite the mantra at all times, even

when you are walking and sitting, and not just at

the shrine. You should recite the mantra whenever


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you can, and as oten as you can. I you recite OMMANI PADME HUM, you will meet the Buddha

within.

My health hasnt been good or the past ew

months. Even then, I have decided to come here tolead this retreat. Because I thought i I do not come

and lead this retreat, it would be like giving up on

sentient beings and i I do that, the Buddhas and

Bodhisattvas will not be pleased. Thus, despite my

poor health, I am here.


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Day2


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Creating the Cause or Our Liberation

Each person who participates in this retreat will

have the benet o having recited 100 million mani

mantras. This means each participant achieves the

merit and benet o having recited the mantra or100 million times. Thereore, everyone should try

to attend all sessions, and not miss any o them.

I you miss a session, you wont have the benet

and accomplish the merit o having accumulated

the mantra or 100 million times. It is a great

opportunity to accumulate such extensive merits

because individually, it is almost impossible to recite

the mantra 100 million times. We should understand

this and try to have the courage and the perseverance

to attend the sessions regularly.

Attending the sessions to do the recitation is

benecial to us not just in this lietime but in all

lietimes to come. Reciting the mantra is benecial

or the liberation o all mother sentient beings

rom the lower realms o existences animals,

hungry ghosts, hells. Through such recitation, it is

possible or us to attain liberation rom samsara. It

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is said in the text, whether one is liberated or notis completely dependent on onesel. It means i

we want to attain liberation, we have to create the

cause which brings about liberation, and the cause

is, as just explained, reciting the mantra out o great

intention, loving- kindness and compassion. I wetruly realise the nature o our mind, then in itsel,

we see the Buddha. I we recite the mantra and ree

that Buddha-nature rom the delements, then that

is called attaining Enlightenment.

The three kayas are spontaneously accomplished

when the delements are removed rom the mind

because the three kayas have primordially been

the nature o our minds. During the recitation, we

should try to keep our mind ree rom afictive

emotions like attachment, anger, ignorance, pride

and jealousy, and the three poisonous thoughts o

attachment, anger and ignorance. When we ree

our mind rom these poisonous thoughts, our mind

becomes absolutely pure. With that pure mind, we

will also have pure speech and pure body, or we

would abstain rom the non-virtuous deeds rom

our speech and body. I we recite the mantra with

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such discipline, the power o the recitation will betremendous, and our precious human lie becomes

absolutely meaningul.

On the other hand, i the recitation is not done

properly, it wont bring much benet. During therecitation, all words o the mantra should be clearly

enunciated. From time to time during the recitation,

always make supplications silently, that all the

negative karma, non-virtuous deeds and delements

we have committed so ar are totally dispelled

and puried. It is very important to know that our

Buddha-nature is temporarily obscured by discursive

thoughts and deilements. Hence, during the

recitation, we should pray that these obscurations

be removed rom the mind. In brie, we have to

continually make supplications during our recitation,

so that all the obscurations we have accumulated

since beginningless lives be puried.

During the recitation, we should regard all

sentient beings as our own mother and recite the

mantra out o the wish or their delements to be

puried and eradicated rom the root. We should,

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thus, dedicate the merits o our recitation in thisway. Through the power o our dedication, those

delements can be puried and eliminated rom

the root. When the minds o sentient beings are

ree rom delements, they maniest as enlightened

beings. Hence, i you have pure motivation anddedicate your practice or the benet o all mother

sentient beings, then that is a very extraordinary and

perect kind o practice.

The six-syllable mantra is the core essence o an

entire range o Buddhadharma, and its a practice

very suitable or samsaric beings like ourselves. This

practice can puriy all karma and we can achieve the

results at the moment o our death. I practised well,

one can see the benets even beore death. However,

to achieve that, one has to always recite the mantra

with a very pure heart and dedicated mind one

that is always mindul and ree rom non-virtuous

discursive thoughts.

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in which we can make the attempt to meet theBuddha within ourselves ace-to-ace.

The six-syllable mantra should be viewed as the

Buddha Himsel in the orm o mantra. Getting

the opportunity to recite this mantra is extremelyortunate. I you do the recitation with pure

motivation, great supplication and all-embracing

love and aection or all sentient beings, then

your eort can truly benet the fourishing o the

Buddhas teachings, all mother sentient beings, and

yoursel in this lie and all the lives to come.

The six-syllable mantra is the essence o the

entire teachings o the Buddha and its recitation

is an extremely powerul antidote that can help us

remove all the delements in our mind.

When you do the recitation, you should dedicate

the practice or the benet o all mother sentient

beings in the six realms. In other words, dedicate

to all sentient beings in the innity o space who

have been our parents in our ormer lives. I always

pray to the three kayas and all the ormer great

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victorious masters or your purication, that yourpractice o the mantra recitation can truly remove

the obscurations rom your mind.

I my prayer is supported by your eort, your

great motivation and mindulness, then truly thismantra recitation retreat will become very, very

meaningul.

1

Whether one is liberated or not is completely dependent ononesel. I we want to attain liberation, we have to create thecause which brings about liberation, and the cause is, reciting themantra out o loving - kindness and compassion.


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Day3


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Reciting the Mani Mantra to Realise theTree Kayas Nature

The three kayas are the various personications

o the Buddha. For instance, Amitabha Buddha

is the Dharmakaya, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva isthe Sambhogakayaand Guru Padmasambhava is the

Nirmanakaya. And these three kayas are not oreign

to ourselves. In act, the true nature o our mind

has these three kayas within it. We are reciting the

six-syllable mantra to get rid o all the temporary

delements, so that we can realise the three kayas

nature o our mind. In order to do so, we need to

keep our body, speech and mind absolutely pure by

not perorming non-virtuous deeds with our body,

speech and mind. The mantra should also be recited

clearly word or word, and you should make great

aspirations when you do the recitation, so that you

can puriy your obscurations and deilements o

yoursel and other sentient beings and attain the

state o three kayas.

I you recite in this manner, then your eorts

can truly benet the Buddhadharma and all sentient

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beings in achieving the true path in this lie and inall lives to come, thereby attaining Enlightenment

ultimately.

Non-virtuous deeds are meaningless and bring

only suering to one. Thereore, you should at alltimes avoid committing non-virtuous deeds. Try

to make great aspirations during your recitation to

puriy your body, speech and mind.

What Makes One a Buddhist

We are all ollowers o the Buddhadharma. Thats

why we are called Buddhists. What makes us

Buddhist is our practice o taking reuge in the

Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. On top o that, we

also generate the awakened mind o Bodhicitta*.

When we take reuge in the Triple Gem and

generate Bodhicitta, we are actually making a kind

o resolution to get rid all non-virtuous deeds, and

to pursue all virtuous ones. However, in order to

do so, we need to rst understand what are virtuous

* Bodhicitta : The aspiration to help all beings attain True Happiness by becoming

Buddhas, by being Bodhisattvas.

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deeds and what are non-virtuous deeds. We need toeradicate all non-virtuous deeds as they are the causes

o all suering and we need to pursue virtuous deeds

as they are the causes o happiness.

All sentient beings, including the tiniest insects,have been our parents. And as our parents, there is

no distinction between all sentient beings and our

present ather and mother. One should not have any

doubt about that.

When you do the recitation, you should try to

have devotion and a good intention. I you recite

with this kind o devotion and motivation, you

can truly attain Enlightenment. What have kept

you as sentient being, stopping you rom attaining

Enlightenment is your negative karma and afictive

emotions. Thereore, to gain Enlightenment, you

have to rid yoursel o your afictive emotions which

cause all non-virtuous deeds. To eliminate afictive

emotions and bad karma, we need to rely on the

teachings o the Buddha. And the core essence o

the entire teachings o the Buddha is the six-syllable

mantra. As practitioners o this precious Dharma, we

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need to eradicate all non-virtuous deeds in general,particularly the consumption o meat, as it has the

heaviest negative karma. This is because all the livings

beings that we eat are actually our own parents

who have been very kind to us in many lietimes.

Eating meat is a non-virtuous act with such heavymisgivings that the Buddha Himsel also mentioned

that consuming the meat o other sentient beings

who have been our parents one lietime or another

is the gravest and most heinous deed to commit.

Over the past ew years, we have had the great

opportunity to recite the six-syllable mantra in a

retreat. You should realise that this opportunity has

come to you as a result o your good karma in the

past. You should consider yoursel very ortunate

to have this opportunity. Not only during a retreat,

but at all times, you should make the best eorts

to accumulate virtuous deeds and rerain rom

committing non-virtuous ones. And i you can

rerain rom eating meat at all, that is the most

perect way o not committing non-virtuous deeds.

Even i you are not able to give up meat permanently,

try to avoid meat consumption during special days

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o the month, such as the ull month days on the8th and 10th etc, according to the Tibetan calendar.

The human lie is extremely precious and is only

achieved once in a long while. Thus, it is extremely

important that you do not waste this precious humanlie. Make it as meaningul as possible by ollowing

the Dharma and by not commiting non-virtuous

deeds. Once again, I would like to beseech you to

avoid eating meat, as there can be no negative karma

heavier than that, or the meat we eat comes rom

our parents. This is what the Buddha taught and

this is what you should remember at all times.

You should also dedicate the merits o your

practice or the benet o all mother sentient beings,

even to the tiniest insects, so that they can be reed

rom the obscurations in their minds and attain

complete Enlightenment.


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Day4


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Reciting the Mani Mantra to Free AllMother Sentient Beings rom Sufering

Everyone in the retreat should recite the mantra

with a very pure and perect motivation, which is

generally to benet the fourishing o the Buddhasteachings and all mother sentient beings. You can

also recite the six-syllable mantra in order to ree all

mother sentient beings rom suering such as the

suering o sickness etc.

By making supplications to the three kayas

when you recite the six-syllable mantra, it can truly

dispel all the obscurations in your mind, such as the

obscurations o attachment, anger, ignorance, pride,

jealousy etc. During the recitation, you can pray

that the obscurations in the minds o all sentient

beings be dispelled. However, just puriying your

delements and obscurations is not enough. They

should be eliminated rom the root. When the

obscurations are totally removed rom the mind,

that very moment one becomes a Buddha, an

Enlightened being.


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It is very ortunate that you have such a greatopportunity to recite the mantra to benet other

living beings, in this age o degeneration. When

you have such a precious opportunity because o

your good karma and great merits in the past, do

not waste it. Try to utilise this opportunity or thebenet o others and yoursel.

I you recite the mantra with a very pure state

o mind, you can benet even those sentient beings

who have not encountered the Dharma and have no

knowledge o the Dharma. Over and over again, you

should pray that your eorts can bring tremendous

benets to the innite number o mother sentient

beings living in the six realms o samsara. You should

pray or the total elimination o their obscurations

and or their enlightenment. In short, it means to

do the recitation with all-embracing loving-kindness

and compassion or all sentient beings.


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Te Mani Mantra is the Buddha inMantra Form

We are all ollowers o the great vehicle or the

Mahayana vehicle and we must recognise that the

mani mantra is the Buddha Himsel in the orm omantra. Reciting the mantra in a retreat like this

is extremely great as each participant receives the

merits and benets as i individually having recited

the mantra 100 million times. I you were to recite

the mantra alone at home or 100 million times,

you will not nish even in one lietime. Thereore,

participating in a retreat like this truly makes your

precious human lie meaningul. How meaningul it

is, you will realise at the time o your death. Mani

is the true cause or attaining Enlightenment. Thus,

when you have such a precious opportunity and you

dont recite the mantra, you are wasting your lie

meaninglessly. Make sure you do not have many

discursive thoughts during the recitation. Rather,

make the eort to supplicate at all times or the

purication o the delements, negative karma and

obscurations o all sentient beings in the six realms.

Wish that all in these realms can be liberated, by


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being born in the Western Pureland to nally attainperect Enlightenment. This should be your constant

prayer and motivation when doing the recitation.

Dedicating your merits to all sentient beings is

a very powerul way o accumulating merits. It isvery benecial or all sentient beings, especially those

who are diseased. The benets o doing dedication

are immeasurable. A tsunami hit several countries

and thousands o people lost their lives when the

Mani retreat is still going on. There is a connection

between these people and our practice. Thereore, it

is extremely important or us to think o those who

lost their lives and dedicate all our merits or their

benet. The consciousnesses o some who passed

away are roaming around in this retreat hall. I we

dedicate and pray or them, it will help guide them to

their next birth. All those who passed away because

o this disaster are our own parents. You should pray

rom your heart that they be born in the Western

Pureland and ultimately attain Enlightenment.

You should pray so that they can be liberated

rom the lower realms and rom the samsaric

states. Pray to Amitabha Buddha, Avalokiteshvara


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Bodhisattva, Guru Padmasambhava and all theormer enlightened beings, to support you in your

dedication prayer to beneit all sentient beings

headed by the people who passed away due to the

tsunami. Everyone who is here to do such dedication

has very good karma and aspirations in the past.Because o that, you are here to do dedication prayer

or these people. Doing dedication or these people

is extremely powerul in terms o accumulating

merits.

Avoid eating meat, as there can be nonegative karma heavier than that,or the meat we eat comes rom

sentient beings who have been ourparents in one lie or another.

This is what the Buddha taughtand this is what you should

remember at all times.


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Day

5


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Importance o Reciting the Mani Mantrawith a Pure Motivation

Since we are ollowers o the Buddha, we take reuge

in the Triple Gem and generate Bodhicittabeore we

start our Dharma practice. Without taking reugeand generatingBodhicitta, there is no way to do any

Dharma practice. The mani mantra maniests the

Buddha-nature in mantra orm. All o us have ound

this mantra due to the great deeds and aspirations in

the past. You should recite this mantra not just or

yoursel, but or all mother sentient beings living and

suering in the six realms o samsara. Think about

the hell, hungry ghost and animal realms. There are

countless sentient beings suering in these realms

and their suering cannot be imagined. You should

recite to benet these sentient beings. And also,

during the recitation, you should keep your mind

ree rom attachment and aversion - the wish to

deeat your enemies, or to take care o riends

and amily with attachment. For i you hold such

thoughts during the recitation, your practice, instead

o bringing you up, may take you down. But i

you recite the mantra with a very pure motivation,

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compassion and love, it can benet and help allmother sentient beings rid the obscurations in their

minds.

During the recitation, you can ponder the non-

virtuous deeds that you have committed so ar, suchas killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and lying etc,

and coness them within your mind. This is the

time you can puriy your non-virtuous deeds, and

i you cant puriy them in a retreat like this, where

else can you puriy them? Thereore, this is a great

opportunity and you should be very cautious in

your practice and coness all the wrongdoings you

have had so ar.

All human beings have a lot o negative karma.

There isnt one who is absolutely ree rom negative

karma. So o course, each and everyone o us has a

lot to coness and puriy. During the retreat, always

remember to keep your body, speech and mind

absolutely pure. And with perect motivation, coness

all your negative karma. In a nutshell, everyone o us

should repent or the negative karma and afictive

emotions o not just onesel but all sentient beings.

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I you can think in this way, then your eorts willbe very benecial to all.

We are all in samsara, which is like an ocean

o suering. We need to attain liberation rom this

ocean o suering. That is the purpose o doing thisrecitation to be ree rom this ocean o suering.

The root to attaining reedom rom suering is

taming your mind. It is the main cause that can bring

about liberation, and is the essence o the teachings

o the Buddha. I said this repeatedly or three times

because i you keep your mind wild and untamed,

then no matter how much you try, you are not going

to attain liberation. A mind that is untamed is always

going to take rebirth in the lower realms, because

it is the cause o all afictions, which in turn is the

cause o samsara. To attain liberation, you need the

determination to be ree rom samsara, to renounce.

I you dont have the sense o renunciation, then

there is no way to attain liberation rom samsara.

Abandon all non-virtuous deeds o your mind like

covetousness, harmul intentions and wrong views.

Think about all mother sentient beings and recite

or them, so that they can be reborn in Western


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Pureland. Free your mind rom all discursivethoughts and afictive emotions, and recite out o

loving-kindness, compassion and Bodhicitta. I your

mind is not tamed, and still you try to practise the

Dharma, then it is nothing more than pretending

to be a practitioner. Thereore, tame your mindand generate loving-kindness and compassion or

all sentient beings. Generate the strong aspiration

to bring happiness to all mother sentient beings, to

ree them rom suering and all causes o suering.

Pray rom your heart that all sentient beings attain

liberation rom the lower realms o samsara. Keep

these words in your mind.

It is important to know that the three kayas

are one and the same in essence, though dierent in

aspects. These three kayas personiy the true nature

o your mind. They are not oreign to yoursel but

dierent expressions o your own mind, and are

spontaneously accomplished primordially, as the

nature o your mind. And it is very important to

understand, because through the Dharma practice,

what one has to realise is that ones mind is the

Buddha itsel, and the three kayas are maniestations


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o that mind. During the recitation, you shouldthink only about the teachings o the Buddha and

beneting other sentient beings. Think about your

own death which is waiting or you. I you do this,

then you can tame your mind. I you eel very

strongly in your mind due to afictive emotions, andi your mind is very rigid, not tamed or malleable,

it is not going to help or benet you. With a tamed

mind, recite the mantras o the three kayas or one

round o the mala each and every day.

Perhaps you are bored that I keep stressing the

same teachings over and over again. But I truly

believe that these teachings will benet you a lot.

I come all the way rom Nepal to repeat the same

things time and again on what to do and practise,

because Im very sure this will benet you at the

end o your lie.


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aking Reuge and Generating BodhicittaBeore Each Practice

With a very dedicated, perect and pure motivation,

you begin your Dharma practice by taking reuge in

the Triple Gem, ollowed by generating Bodhicittawith the below verses:

May all sentient beings have happiness and its

causes.

May all sentient beings be free from suffering

and its causes.

May all sentient beings never be separated from

sorrowless bliss.

May all sentient beings abide in equanimity

free of bias, attachment and anger, and share

with others compassion.

This should be done all the time, beore you

start your Dharma practice. Being ree rom bias

and attachment means not to take sides. It means

not to think in terms o me versus others. I

you think in this way, there is attachment to those

near and dear to you, and aversion to those who


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are not. I you such an attitude, you are going tocommit non-virtuous deeds out o attachment and

aversion, which will destroy the root o your merits.

Thus, keep your mind in equanimity, with equal

aection, love and consideration or all sentient

beings. Because all have been our parents, there isno room or us to be attached or aversed to any.

Having no attachment and aversion is the samaya*.

And i you dont have this samaya, then whatever

eort you make is not going to benet yoursel or

others. It will be wasted.

It seems to me that there is some sort o

attachment and aversion going on, and that must

be changed. It is extremely important to change this

attitude. This is because everyone here should have

the equal right to practise, and to receive blessings.

Even or His Holiness the Dalai Lama, there is no

distinction between disciples. All disciples can equally

approach him and receive teachings and blessings

rom him.

* Samaya : The sacramental bond and commitment in the Vajrayana establishedbetween the master and the disciples on whom empowerment is

conferred. The samaya bond also exists between the disciples of the

same master and between disciples and their practice.


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To attain Enlightenment, we are dependent onother sentient beings. Without helping other sentient

beings to attain Enlightenment, there is no way or

us as individuals to attain liberation. I we abide by

the samaya, we will be assisted by the kindness o all

ormer enlightened beings. Coupled with our ownpractice and aspiration, we can attain enlightenment.

In your aspiration prayer, you should include all

sentient beings o the six realms by considering

them as your own parents. Making such prayers,

and keeping the samaya is the method or you to

puriy your own delements. Most importantly, you

must have a pure samaya, because all o us who are

here are like one amily, doing the same practice

and listening to the same teachings. So keep this in

mind and try to have a very pure samaya.


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When we take reuge in the Triple Gem and generate

Bodhicitta, we are actually making a kind o resolution

to get rid o all non-virtuous deeds.


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Day

6&

7


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Be Careul Not to Contaminate YourRecitation

I you recite the mantra with a very pure intention,

it is most benecial to all sentient beings. What you

will achieve through the recitation is Buddhahood.Thereore, make the best eort during the retreat

to do only virtuous deeds in your body, speech and

mind and avoid non-virtuous ones. Your recitation

is what you can take with you to your next lie.

Also, be careul and mindul o not allowing afictive

emotions like jealousy etc. rom arising. Always

maintain a calm and delightul state o mind. Rejoice

that you have this great opportunity to recite this

mantra. I you harbour negative thoughts when you

are reciting, such thoughts can spoil your merits.

Hence, keep a pure and perect state o mind at

all times.

Feel the sense o tremendous joy rom having

have this great chance to recite the mantra. So

recite with happiness and joy, and not with negative

thoughts.

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Being able to recite the mani mantra is themost dicult opportunity to obtain. Yet you have

ound such a rare opportunity. As a Buddhist with

a precious human lie, what you have to achieve

ultimately is Buddhahood. The six-syllable mantra

can close the doors to the six realms o samsara. Iyou recite the mani mantra, you can be reborn in

the Western Pureland and attain enlightenment. Be

careul not to contaminate your recitation.

1

When you recite the six-syllable

mantra, it is very important to have

a very pure state of mind. Always

recite the mantra with a very pure

heart and dedicated mind one

that is always mindful and free from

non-virtuous discursive thoughts.


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You should recite the mantra at all times,

even when you are walking and sitting,

and not just at the shrine. You should recite the mantra

whenever you can, and as oten as you can.

I you recite OM MANI PADME HUM,

you will meet the Buddha within.


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Day8


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Recite the Mani Mantra at All imes

Today is the last day o the retreat and we are going

to complete 100 million o the mani mantra. During

this retreat, we have puried our negative karma

and made great supplications. And as a result oour eorts, it is raining today. This is an auspicious

sign. The recitation should be done not or onesel

but or the benet o all mother sentient beings and

the fourishing o the Buddhas teachings. I you do

this, your recitation will benet you in this lie and

the lives to come.

Recite the mani mantra at all times. Keep praying

so that you may attain complete enlightenment.

The great benets and blessings o this retreat are

symbolised by this rain, which will bring peace,

harmony and happiness everywhere.

Avoid negative deeds and afictive emotions at

all times, and concentrate on the recitation o the

mantra. Always clearly dierentiate between what is

virtuous and what is non-virtuous. Try to cultivate

virtuous deeds as much as possible, as they are the


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causes o attaining enlightenment. Committingnegative deeds will only land you in the lower realms.

There is a very strong bond o samayabetween the

people o Singapore and I. Also supplicate to Guru

Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) to attain realisations.

Everyone here is very ortunate to be blessed withgreat karma and past aspirations. You have attained

the endowment o a precious human body and have

very successully, without any obstacles, almost come

to the end o the retreat.

I have always prayed or the benet o all sentient

beings and the spreading o the teachings o the

Buddha. I pray that everyone can attain complete

enlightenment. Likewise, you should pray in a similar

manner. And pray that all your negative karma

committed since beginningless lives can be puried,

so that you can attain enlightenment.

Remember, the three kayas are one and the

same in essence. They are the true nature o our

mind. Thus, they are spontaneously and primordially

accomplished in our own mind. To realise this, you

need to practise the virtuous deeds well, such as the


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practice o the six paramitas (or Perections) theperection o generosity, the perection o morality,

the perection o patience, the perection o diligent

eort, the perection o meditative concentration,

and the perection o wisdom.

You should also always make the eort to avoid

perorming negative deeds. Make this eort till the

end o your lie. I you do so, you will gradually

realise the three kayas within yoursel.

Recite the mantra out o very deep and strong

loving-kindness or all sentient beings. Do not

harbour negative thoughts o covetousness and

the intention to harm others etc, otherwise your

recitation will be tainted. I you do the recitation

with loving-kindness, compassion and Bodhicitta,

your recitation can lead you to the realisation o

the three kayas. So bear in mind recite with all-

embracing compassion at all times.


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Regret Can Puriy Your Non-VirtuousDeeds

It is an extremely auspicious moment as we have

created the cause to attaining ultimate happiness.

Im very happy that so many o you are able toparticipate in this retreat and recite the mani mantra.

Your eorts will denitely benet all mother sentient

beings in the six realms o samsara. All sentient beings

are our parents. Thereore, you should always recite

the mantra out o loving-kindness and compassion

or all mother sentient beings. I you do so, the

results o your practice will maniest at the time

o your death. Think o all mother sentient beings

with compassion and love all the time. And puriy

your non-virtuous deeds and afictive emotions out

o a sense o regret. I you regret your non-virtuous

deeds, they can be puried. When you are doing

your dedication prayer, think o all mother sentient

beings and dedicate the merits o your practice to

their benet rom your heart. I thank you all rom

the bottom o my heart or attending the retreat.


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100 Million Mani recitation in Singapore at

Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery rom 2001 to 2006.

Documents

Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche_The Signifigance and Benefits of Six-Syllable Mantra Recitation