Recitation Preliminary to Teaching

Excerpted from the Vinaya Sutra. A Tibetan transliteration followed by an English translation by David Molk.

TON PA CHOM DEN DE/ DE ZHIN SHEG PA/DRA CHOM PA/ YANG DAG PAR

To the Bhagavan Tathagata Arhat Samyak Sam Buddha

TZOG PAY/ SANG GYE / RIGPA DANG/ ZHAB SU DEN PA/ DE WAR SHEG PA/

Endowed with wisdom and merit, Gone To Bliss

JIG TEN KYEN PA/ KYE BU DUL WAY/ KA LO GYUR WA/ LA NA ME PA/

Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed, Steersman taming beings,

HLA DANG/ MI NAM KYI/ TON PA SANG GYE/ CHOM DEN DE/ PEL GYEL WA/

Teacher of humans and gods, Bhagavan, Buddha, glorious

SHAK YA/ TUB PA LA/ CHAG TSEL LO/ CHÖ DO KYAB SU/ CHI WO/ (3X)

Conqueror Shakyamuni I prostrate, offer and go for refuge.

GANG TSE/ KANG NYI/ TSO WO/ KYO TAM TSE/

When You, Chief on Two Legs, were born,

SA CHEN/ DI LA/ GOM PA/ DUN BOR NE/

Taking seven strides on this great earth,

NGA NI/ JIG TEN/ DI NA/ CHOG CHE SUNG/

You said, I am supreme in this world,

DE TSE/ KE PA/ KYO LA/ CHAG TSEL LO/

And then, to You, the wise paid homage!

NAM DAG/ KU NGA/ CHOG TU/ ZUG ZANG WA/

Endowed with pure Body, Form supremely excellent,

YE SHE/ GYA TSO/ SE GYI/ HLUN PO DRA/

Ocean of wisdom, like a golden Mount Sumeru

DRAG PA/ JIG TEN/ SUM NA/ HLAM ME WA/

Renown outstanding in these three realms,

GON PO/ CHOG NYE/ KYO LA/ CHAG TSEL LO/

Supremely Realized Protector, homage to You.

TSEN CHOG/ DEN PA/ DRI ME/ DA WAY ZHEL/

Endowed with supreme signs, stainless moon of a face,

SER DOG/ DRA WA/ KYO LA/ CHAG TSEL LO/

Like gold in color, homage to you

DUL DREL/ KYO DRA/ SI PA/ SUM MA CHI/

Unsullied, there are none like You in these realms

NYAM ME/ KYEN CHEN/ KYO LA/ CHAG TSEL LO/

One of Peerless Wisdom, homage to you!

GON PO/ TUG JE/ CHE DEN PA/

Greatly Compassionate Protectors,

TAM CHE/ KHEN PAY/ TON PA PO/

Omniscient Teachers,

SO NAM/ YON TEN/ GYA TSO SHING/

A merit field of oceanic qualities,

DE ZHIN/ SHEG LA/ CHAG TSEL LO/

Homage to the Tathagatas.

DAG PE/ DO CHAG/ DREL WAR GYUR/

From clinging parted through purity

GE WE/ NGEN SONG/ LE DRÖL CHING/

From lower realms freed through virtue,

CHIG TU/ DON DAM/ CHOG GYUR PA/

The single supreme ultimate object,

ZHI GYUR/ CHO LA/ CHAG TSEL LO/

I prostrate to Dharma which is peace.

DROL NE/ DROL WAY/ LAM YANG TÖN/

Freed yet showing the liberating path,

LAB PA/ DAG LA/ RAB TU NE/

Fully abiding in pure trainings,

ZHING GI/ DAM PA/ YÖN TEN DEN/

Best of fields, endowed with qualities

GE DUN/ LA YANG/ CHAG TSEL LO/

I prostrate to the Sangha as well.

DIG PA/ CHI YANG/ MI JA SHING/

Commit no one unwholesome action

GE WA/ PUN SUM/ TSOG PAR JA/

And perfectly engage in virtuous action.

RANG GI/ SEM NI/ YONG SU DUL/

Fully subdue one's own mind;

DI NI/ SANG GYE/ TEN PA YIN/

This is Buddha's teaching.

KAR MA/ RA RIB/ MAR ME DANG/

Stars, burry vision, butter lamps,

GYU MA/ ZIL WA/ CHU BUR DANG/

Illusion, dew, and bubbles,

MI LAM/ LOG DANG/ TRIN TA BUR/

Dreams, lightening, and clouds,

DÜ JE/ CHO NAM/ DI TAR TA/

View composed phenomena like that.

SU NAM/ DI YI/ TAM CHE/ ZIG PA YI/

Through this merit, having attained

GO PANG/ TOB NE/ KYON GYI/ DRA TUL TE/

The all-seeing state, having subdued the enemy-faults,

GA DANG/ NA DANG/ CHI WAY/ LAB TRUG PAY/

From the ocean of existence with its disturbing waves

SI PAY/ TSO LE/ DRO WA/ DROL WAR SHOG

Of aging, sickness, and death may I free all beings!