Morning Prayers

1. Refuge

Guru is Buddha, Guru is Dharma. Guru is Sangha also. Guru is the source of all (goodness and happiness.) To all Gurus, I go for refuge(1). 3x

2. Generating the altruistic intention

To accomplish my own and others' aims, I generate the altruistic intention to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. 3x

3. Purifying the place

Everywhere may the ground be pure, free of the roughness of pebbles and so forth. May it be the nature of lapis and as smooth as the palm of one's hand.

4. Offering prayer

May offering substances human and divine, those actual and those which are emanated, unsurpassed Samantabhadra clouds of offerings fill the entire space.

5. Offering dharani

om namo bhagavate bendzay sarwaparma dana tathagataya arhate samyaksam buddhaya tayata om bendzay bendzay maha bendzay maha taydza bendzay maha bidya bendzay maha bodhicitta bendzay maha bodhi mendo pasam kramana bendzay sarwa karma awarana bisho dana bendzay soha

6. Power of the truth

By the power of the truth of the Three Jewels, the power of the inspiration of all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the power of the great might of the completed two collections, and the power of the intrinsically pure and inconceivable sphere of reality, may (these offerings) become suchness.

7. Invocation

Protector of all beings without exception, divine subduer of innumerable negative forces, deity, perfect knower of all things, Bhagavan and attendants, please come here.

8. Prostration mantra

Explanation [2 min] Download | Listen

om namo manjushriye namo sushriye namo uttama shriye soha 3x

9. Homage to the Buddha [Click here for an expanded version.]

To the guru and founder, the endowed transcendent destroyer, the one gone beyond, the foe destroyer, the completely perfected, fully-awakened being, the glorious conqueror, the subduer from the Shakya clan, I prostrate, go for refuge and make offerings. Please inspire me. 3x

(1) There are three objects of refuge: the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The Guru is not a fourth refuge. Guru refers to the blissful omniscient minds of all the Buddhas, and thus emcompasses all three refuges. The blissful omniscient mind, which is purified of all obscurations and has developed its good qualities completely, is the Buddha. By being the true path and true cessation, it is the Dharma. By directly realizing emptiness, it is the Sangha.