A practice to do without initiation
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Dear Rinpoche,
I had a couple more questions. Could you please explain the benefits of wearing a Buddhist pendant such as Avalokiteshvara, also I was wondering if there was a sadhana I could do (without initiation). Thank you.
Much warmth,
~Liz
(Source: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/questions?cat=16&pn=#comment-21996)
Dear Liz,
Creating sacred Buddha images is a practice dating to over 2,500 years old. Buddha images represent the full enlightenment of a Buddha. The total omniscience and qualities of a Buddha is represented in any form of any Buddha (Chenresik, Tsongkapa, Tara, etc). To see, feel, visualize, connect and remember any form of the Buddha plants seeds of enlightenment in one’s consciousness to be triggered open at a later date. Wearing Buddha pendants is an expression of our wish to be close an enlightened being. Also the Buddha pendant represents the goals we have in life and our higher spiritual aspirations. In the case of Avalokitesvara, our deep and determined aspiration to achieve altruism and full enlightenment.
When other animals, non physical beings, humans, etc see our pendant it will bless their minds and plant the seeds of enlightenment in their minds.
Our blessed pendants can be a powerful source of protection when we go to places or encounter negative energies.
I have all my dogs wear Buddha pendants I designed for pets. I want them to be blessed. I even put Buddha images in my lawns and carport area so the birds, insects and ethereal beings will be blessed by Buddha. What’s a statue but a large pendant. What’s a pendant of a Buddha but a small statue. LOL.
Anyway, most of us like to wear some sort of jewellery or pendant; what’s better than a pendant representing an Awakened being.
Yes there are practices of Chenresik and many Buddhas that you can engage in without initiation. And I am glad you are not opting for initiation at this time. That is something you should wait until you are very sure.
For now you can recite, meditate, achieve, accomplish the blessings of Chenresik using the 8 VERSES OF THOUGHT TRANFORMATION. There are eight stanzas.
1. Set up an altar to Chenresik or any Enlightened Being.
2. Have simple, clean and affordable offerings in front if it’s convenient.
3. Three prostrations.
4. Make a motivation to achieve highest altruism and awakening by connecting and engaging in the sacred energies of this Buddha.
5. Recite the first verse, stop, contemplate and then recite one mala (rosary) of Om Mani Peme Hung. Do the same for the rest of the remaining 7 stanzas left.
6. Upon completion, recite a dedication. Then, if you choose, you’re done for the day unless you wish to insert other practices. It’s up to you.
7. It would be good to study up on the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation daily and Shantideva’s treatise on Bodhisattva-cha-avatara. An excellent treatise on the practice of altruism, compassion and universal responsibility.
I hope this helps you and I wish you luck. With much joy and excitement for you,
Tsem Rinpoche
P.S. what I have written here for Liz can be substituted for any Buddha. Example – if your main practice is Tsongkapa,then after each stanza you recite migzeyma 21x or more, or if it’s Tara, then do Tara’s mantra one round instead and so on. This is a practice you can do without any initiations yet still be blessed. Practices and mantras are great sources of benefits, but study of dharma to stabilize our mind with knowledge through reason and logic is very important to do which are complementary to our practices. Without knowledge, our practice can fizzle away and become neglected.
Eight Verses of Thought Transformation:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
P.S.
I have posted Liz Fields’ question and my answer here as I thought it can benefit many more people. If you also wish to benefit animals you may blow sacred mantras onto them daily.
If your animals have passed on, you can blow mantras such as Tara, Chenresik, Namgyalma or Medicine Buddha on their fur (if you have kept some) or even their picture and dedicate the merits for them. If you have neither, then you can visualize them or think of them while doing the mantras and visualize the mantras in the form of white lights touching them. You can do this daily. The white lights bless them. The white lights is the power of Tara’s mantra coming from your love to them and ask them to take a good rebirth. You help them on their journey. Pets are very important.
You can also do this for deceased persons. Usually for 49 days we can recite the mantra daily 1,000 times and dedicate to them. If they have passed on long ago, then you can do for as many days as you feel comfortable. To think of a loved one who has passed on will not benefit them much, but if you send your thoughts with powerful blessed mantras, there is some effect for them.
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Wearing a Buddha pendant attracts positive energy for anyone no matter where they are . They emit positive waves into the environment around them. The belief is all of the entire negativity is destroyed and a fighting spirit is generated within that person who wear it. A pendant with any Buddha images is common so that they have the blessings. It is an excellent gift as well. Rinpoche had explained clearly on Liz’s question of Buddha pendant.
A very profound teaching from Rinpoche for us to practice without initiation . We are fortunate able to learn about prayers and recitation of mantras for our loved ones and pets as well. Those videos on 8 verses of Thought Transformation’s practice and profound explanation by Rinpoche will be helpful for us in our prayers.
Thank you Rinpoche for all the teachings and sharings.
Wow! What a powerful practice this 8 verses of Thought Transformation practice is. This practice allows people to gain a daily connection with the compassionate aspect of Buddha’s teachings. If done well, it will definitely soften our minds with altruistic thoughts and motivations. Contemplation and meditation as embodied in this practice is so important for us to gain deeper understanding, deep realization into the original intent of the Buddha when he gave those teachings. Will definitely recommend and find time to do when I can.
Simple yet very beneficial prayers for everyone. Thank Rinpoche for the sharing. Prayers has never been so easy yet lot of people thought it was difficult.
Happy for Liz Fields to practice Chenrezig.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing.Your explanation on the purpose of wearing a pendant is very use full to us all.As most of us seek only external protection from wearing the pendant.
But there is a much deeper and more profound meaning to it. As to be one through the aspiration to achieve the similar attainment and qualities of the Buddha’s nature.
Eight Verses of Thought Transformation is a very important tool for all those who practice Dharma to set in the correct motivation in our daily lives, towards our development towards this goal.
But most of all ,Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the Blessed Mantra and Sadhanas with us.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing. This sadhanna is really convenient for those who are always ‘busy’ as it’s simple and short yet very very beneficial for us.
I love this quote of Rinpoche “What’s a statue but a large pendant. What’s a pendant of a Buddha but a small statue. ” By placing Buddha statues outside our house or at the garden, we can bless those birds or animals or whoever that passes by. What a convenient way to plant Dharma seeds into them!
Thank you Rinpoche sharing, it also benefit us to learn how to have the right steps to recite prayers.it is true instead only think of our love one who have passed away, why not recite the mantra and send the thought to them which will have great effect on them .
Thank you Rinpoche for giving us a detailed explanation to Liz’s question. I have heard Rinpoche teach us many times the reason and benefits of wearing a Buddha Pendant and have received many pendants from Rinpoche out of Rinpoche’s compassion to bless me and to protect me. I really hope Liz questions has been answered and that she finds what she is looking for. I hope Rinpoche is feeling well.
Thank you Rinpoche for the detailed explanation of this practice and the benefits of wearing Buddha pendants. This is a simple and yet profound teaching from Rinpoche for everyone to practice without initiation. We can do it daily to benefit our love ones and our beloved pets too.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for all your teachings and informative explanation of the practice to educate and remind us the importance of mantra recitations and prayer for the deceased of our loved ones. i feel truly fortunate to have absorbed the teachings and practice provided by Rinpoche as it will be very useful to pray for anyone who has passed away.
Thank you Rinpoche so much for this practice!
感恩仁波切总是用心良苦的开示我们学佛，仁波切也不断的想尽简单的方法让我们容易的吸收佛法的真理。简单的说，只要我们完全信任和遵守仁波切的教诲与开示，我们就不会对佛法产生疑惑。要是我们对佛法有疑惑，这样我们越修就越疑惑。
祈愿仁波切身体健康，长驻在世，常转法轮。
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this beautiful practice to us and explain about the benefits of wearing Buddha pendants. This is a short, simple and yet so powerful sadhana. A perfect practice that do not require initiation for everyone.
感恩仁波切总是给予我们，强大且适合沉溺在繁忙生活打拼的我们，一个修持法
并不断的鼓励与教诲我们要学习念诵《修心八诵》及做冥想以获得观自在的加持。从而帮助我们在修行的道路上有所领悟（若你研读《修心八诵》及寂天菩萨撰写的《入菩萨行论》，这很好。这是修得利他心、慈悲心及宇宙责任的绝佳颂文）
同时仁波切总是不断的给予我们指引，让繁忙的我们随时随刻的都能绽放我们内在心识的菩提心，在还没有接触仁波切前，当我看到小动物，流浪的动物时，我还心疼一下，然后就没有了下一个动作，现在感恩仁波切的开示，我知道如果想让动物受益，你可以每天念诵殊胜的心咒，再把气到它们身上。并祈愿他们会有好的转世，并祈愿他们将有机会接触佛法，修习佛法，如果我们常常这样做，对身边的人或动物与六道众生，慢慢的，我们会发现我们的菩提心更增长了，那么我们就可以发心与因更稳定了，然后向仁波切寻求更高或更多的修持法，来更快的利益与帮助娑婆世界里的一切众生。
感恩仁波切成立了克切拉佛教中心，并有专门的部门负责佛像与佛牌，确保佛像的任何一个细节都是准切无误，并打造出来，然我透过迎请与供养，累积更多的福德资粮，好让我们能更接近佛法，即使可能有时候什么都不做，就放空的呆着，然而慈爱的仁波切也为我们安排了能累积福德资粮的机会，那就是，只要我们身上佩戴着佛像，
（任何一个菩萨的任何形态（观自在、宗喀巴大师和度母等）都代表着菩萨的全知及德行。看见、感受、观想、接触、并记下菩萨的任何形态都能在一个人的意识下种下证悟的种子，留待后来开花结果，当其他动物、无实体的生命、人类等看见我们的佛坠时，他们的心识会得到菩萨的加持，这也能在他们的心识中种下证悟的种子。就这样即使我们暂时放空，然而因为佩戴着佛坠，还是在不间断的累积功德
仁波切总是善巧，慈爱，的帮助与引领我们，总是不断的惦记着我们，并为我们寻求更多的善巧法门，让我们更接近佛法。
尊贵的詹杜固仁波切，我顶礼向你致敬，祈愿您身体健康，长驻在世，常转法轮
Dear Rinpoche, thank you very much for the explanation above.
The pendants from Kechara are really beautiful and chic! Thats not only it, it blesses the beings who see it and the person who wears it as well!
As I have said before, we are so lucky and fortunate to be able to learn about prayers from the internet when people last time have to travel for months just to go for teachings.
Now even when I pass by dead animals on the road, I would chant Om Mani Peme Hung for them. I am also happy that we can chant for those who have passed on and dedicate the prayers to them.
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche. With this, people who are busy or do not have much time will be benefited a lot! If we can’t do this Sadhana, I don’t know what else we can accomplish in life, the whole Sadhana has been modified and designed for busy people, I think it’s perfect.
Thanks Rinpoche for the sharing. I really appreciate the teaching by Rinpoche although i still do not have chance to study directly from Rinpoche. But from this blog, i am able to get the ritual prayer that are already became my daiy practice, which is Praises To The 21 Taras. Tara practice do not require initiation.
Thanks again for the sharing
Thank you Rinpoche, for sharing a very simple but powerful practice to everyone. The 8 verses are the foundation of all Dharma, should one practice it, they shall receive enlightenment. That is true, but it is hard to do so due to all our samsaric restraints. Thus, we must strive to practice. But first, I could at least do this sadhana. Thank you Rinpoche.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this with us Rinpoche. I hope that many people follow this and like it. Its good that there is an easy and powerful sadhnana for us people to do. Especially since a lot of people these days have no time to do the complete ones. This is a good way for people to learn.
dear rinpoche I love this beautiful practice very much.will be benifit to many people.realy good can chant mantra for animal too.thank you very much for powerful teaching.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this practice with us. I feel very happy and bless every time I come across new practice I going to add on to my daily prayer, I think this is very simple to do and is good for people who are very busy. Thank you Rinpoche for all the teaching.
With folded hands
Shelly tai
Thank you Rinpoche for this post, which serves to remind me about how powerful a well-spring is the compassion of Avalokiteshvara.
In Malaysia, ‘Om Mani Peme Hung’ is very popular, and most Chinese homes have a Kuan Yin statue.
I remember giving my friend,in Sydney, a Kuan Yin statue for her to pray to in the last weeks of her life before she succumbed to 4th stage lung cancer. Through her daily chanting of Om Mani Peme Hung,she developed great calm and a peaceful mind, and acceptance of her pain and suffering. As she prepared to pass away,her family here joined her to recite Om Mani Peme Hung(on skype) for the last time.
Yes, reciting mantras with and for a loved one, who is passing away or has passed away is a very powerful and meaningful expression of love and compassion for the loved one, and brings huge benefits to the one we are praying for.
Wow, thanks Rinpoche for sharing such simple yet powerful sadhana for us and explain the benefits of wearing Buddha pendants with us.
How wonderful we can wear Buddha pendants as decoration hence giving us protection and blessing.
Its really buy 1 get 3 benefits free… LOL
Dear Rinpoche….
As a practice without initiation, i really love the usnisha vijaya dharani, and i have reciting it every day 7 times daily. I was wondering did my reciting isnt has any (direct) results..
I mean from what i read, if you recite this dharani it will cleans your bad karma but until now i have not exp any sign of purification..
I hope Rinpoche will kindly enlighten me….
Liz you are very fortunate to receiving a tailored teaching and practise from rinpoche, as are the Kecharians. With a guru in our midst, the teachings and deities are truly alive through the mastery of a guru. This is fantastic and one can interchange it with whatever buddha that we fancy.
I have a pendant of Lama Tsongkhapa and he is always around my neck except when I sleep or shower. I have more of a connection now then when I did when I first began practicing.
Prayer is important but what is more important is that the mind transformation and what we do during the 23 hours after our 1 hour prayer session.
When we face a problem or difficult situation, we are allowed to feel sad, angry, or hurt at the beginning but we are NOT Allowed to revenge, or treat the other party badly if we are following Buddha’s teaching or any religion that teach us how to cultivate altruistic mind.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks for sharing such a powerful practice to us.
This is easy to follow and we can just do it by ourselves to help our family members or beloved family members directly. And yet by doing a mantra recitation we heal our emotion problem too.
I will remember this and share it to everyone.
Thankyou Rinpoche for such simple yet so powerful teaching. Yes, 8 verses of mind transformation is one thing i put very close to my heart. Even though I couldn’t memorize all the verses, but one line i can memorize very clearly is “offering the victory to others..” This will immediately calm me down and look at things from another angle and accept whatever it is from the other person who has caused you damage. It is like a mirror image, if we ourself want to win, wouldn’t the other person wants to win as well? So we should practice kindness… Keep insisting we ourselves are correct even though sometimes we might be will actually bring more effort to create sufferings.
This practice is short, simple yet very very powerful. Please promote this post and share it with friends and family. Very easy to do and very beneficial.
Dearest Rinpoche
Thank you very much for sharing with us Liz questions. I am very grateful that you share it with us and also the ps section. I often think of my late son who passed away at the age of 19 (10yrs ago) as christian and only a mass has been done for him. I wished for him to have a good rebirth but I wont know where is he now. With your Ps section I will send my thoughts with the l blessed mantras and hope he can benefit from them. Thank you very much my dear Guru.
Dear Rinpoche,
I love this beautiful practice very much.Thank you Rinpoche.
I shall recite the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation and Om Mani.. after each verse, with reflection on each verse, as my practice for the next two weeks when I travel to UK and Ireland to be with my daughters and son-in-law’s family.
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing another super easy yet powerful sadhana for the ‘BUSY’ modern days people like us. This is really really easy for us.
I remember Rinpoche advised one of my friend when his very young son passed away not long ago. He and his wife (direct family) should recite at least 10 mala (rosary) mantra a day for 49 days, which could be OM MANI PEDMA HUM or Setrap and dedicate the merit to their son to have a good rebirth, so in very young age from the new reincarnation, the son will meet dharma, and he’ll be ok.
By doing this, the son will not only receive the blessing from the Buddha but also have the chances to be reborn in a good condition for him to practice altruism in the future lifetime.
On top of that, instead of keep crying everyday, both of them follow Rinpoche’s instruction reciting the mantra everyday, letting go their son from their sad emotion, and they feel much much more relieve.