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Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation

The Simple Way to Do the Long Life Meditation of

Amitayus

for oneself and others

by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition Education Services

Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation So all these negative karmas, diseases, and so on in the form of dirty liquid, scorpions, etc., all fall into the mouth of the Lord of Death. When they enter his mouth, they becomes nectar. He then closes his mouth, which is sealed with a golden double vajra so that it becomes impossible to open. Then the Lord of Death returns to his own place, very far away, from where it is impossible to return, and the earth closes up. Feel that your body has become like crystal. Everything has been purified. All the obscurations and negative karmas have completely gone. Your body is in the nature of light. Calm and clear. Concentrate on this with strong conviction. This is a particular meditation technique for long life.

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FPMT Education Department P. O. Box 888 Taos, New Mexico 87571 USA Tel: 1 (505) 758-7766 Fax: 1 (505) 758-7765 Email: [email protected] www.fpmt.org/shop

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, 2004 All rights reserved.

Colophon:

Practice requirements
No empowerment is required to do this practice.

This text has been translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Thubten Gyurme (Bill Kane), endlessly typed by Ven. Paul at Land of Medicine Buddha, July 1994. Some practice additions had also been made to the original text by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The practice has been lightly edited for publication by Ven. Constance Miller, FPMT Education Department, in August 2002 for the students and centers of the FPMT. All errors are the fault of the editor. Revised in December 2004 by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Education Services based on new information provided by Ven. Holly Ansett in July 2004.

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Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation

More benefits of the mantra

Even just by writing down the letters of this mantra oneself, or letting someone else write them down, one cannot receive harm from harmgivers and cannibals, even if they try to give harm. At the time of death 26,100,000,000 buddhas will directly predict to that person, then 1,000 buddhas will stretch out their hands to that person, and that practitioner will go from one pure land of the buddhas to another. Your should not have any doubt about this. By doing this practice, mountains of collections of negative karmas will be purified. Even if ones lifespan is finished, one can postpone death for 100 years. That person will never be reborn in hell, in the animal realms, in the yama world, or as a preta, and will never be reborn in a realm that does not have freedom to practice the Dharma. One will remember rebirth in all ones lives.

The Long Life Meditation of Amitayus

for oneself and others

The Preliminaries
Going for Refuge and Generating the Enlightenment Mind
I go for refuge until I am enlightened To the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly. By my practice of giving and other perfections, May I become a buddha to benefit all sentient beings. (3x) Sang gy chh dang tshog kyi chhog nam la Jang chhub bar du dag ni kyab su chhi Dag gi jin sog gyi pa di dag gi Dro la phn chhir sang gy drub par shog (3x)

Instructions for the Session

Imagine that the mantra encircles the syllable HRIH at Amitayus heart. Sometimes you can just concentrate on the mantra syllables around the HRIH, but most of the time, you should concentrate on the visualization of yourself being purified of all obscurations, negative karma, and diseases as described above. If you can, it would be very good to do at least six rosary (mala) rounds of the mantra in each session. You can do the meditation several times each day. The best time to do it is when the sun is just rising, but if this is too early at least one should do it in the morning. Morning is a good time to do any practice for spiritual development. At the end of the session whenever you do the meditation, for one mala round, or at least half a mala round, do the following visualization while reciting the mantra. One can also do this visualization at the end of the purification: Imagine that all the negative karmas and disease, etc., which you visualized in the form of black liquid, pus, and scorpions, etc. are now piled up around you like mountains. In front of you appears a huge crack in the earth. Inside, you can see the Lord of Death, way down, nine stories under the earth, waiting for your life, hungry for life.

Generating The Four Immeasurable Thoughts

How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were to abide in equanimity, free from hatred and attachment, not holding some close and others distant. May they abide in equanimity. I myself will cause them to abide in equanimity. Please, guru-buddha, bless me to be able to do this.

Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation

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How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings had happiness and the causes of happiness. May they have happiness and its causes. I myself will cause them to have happiness and its causes. Please, guru-buddha, bless me to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were free from suffering and the causes of suffering. May they be free from suffering and its causes. I myself will cause them to be free from suffering and its causes. Please, guru-buddha, bless me to be able to do this. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were never separated from the happiness of higher rebirth and liberation. May they never be separated from these. I myself will cause them never to be separated from these. Please, guru-deity, bless me to be able to do this.

Benefits of the Mantra

The extensiveness of the merit of reciting this mantra just once is inconceivable. By reciting this mantra just once, one creates far greater merit than making statues with three galaxies of precious jewels, precious gold, silver, copper, and iron. For example, by making one statue of Buddha, one creates merit, the causes of enlightenment, equal to as many atoms as the statue contains. The merit of reciting this mantra just once is greater than making statues of the Buddha with a Buddha relic for a thousand eons. The merit of reciting this mantra once is greater than reading the entire collection of the Dharma. Reciting this mantra is greater than one yogi doing all the causative virtue, with the exception of the ocean of qualities derived from meditating on the transcendental wisdom without conceptions (emptiness). For the yogi who recites this mantra, there is no experience of the eight aspects of death and no distractions of the three types of suffering. It stops the inauspicious signs and bad omens. It stops evil mantras, black magic, and all other harms. It is the supreme protection from the eight aspects of death. One will achieve the holy body of all the buddhas gone to bliss of the three times and receives the blessings of their glory. One is able to eliminate hundreds of obstacles. Due to the blessings of reciting this mantra, from the place and the environment of all the surrounding directions, all obstacles and sicknesses are removed and all auspiciousness received. The beneficial qualities of this mantra are beyond concepts. Even the buddhas and their princes, the bodhisattvas, are unable to express the benefits of this mantra. The ultimate reality of it is the sound of itself. This completes the essence of all the transcendental inconceivable life.

Purifying the Place

Everywhere may the ground be pure, Free of the roughness of pebbles and so forth. May it be in the nature of lapis lazuli And as smooth as the palm of ones hand.

Offering Prayer
May human and divine offerings, Actually arranged and mentally created, Clouds of finest Samantabhadra offerings, Fill the entire space.

Offering Cloud Mantra

OM NAMO BHAGAVATE VAJRA SARA PRAMARDANE / TATHAGATAYA / ARHATE SAMYAKSAM BUDDHAYA / TADYATHA / OM VAJRE VAJRE / MAHA VAJRE / MAHA TEJA VAJRE / MAHA VIDYA VAJRE / MAHA BODHICHITTA VAJRE / MAHA BODHI MNDO PASAM KRAMANA VAJRE / SARVA KARMA AVARANA VISHO DHANA VAJRE SVAHA (3x)

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Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Multiplying Mantras
To increase by 100,000 times the merit created, recite these special mantras at the end of the session:
CHOM DN D DE ZHIN SHEG PA DRA CHOM PA YANG DAG PAR DZOG PI SANG GY NAM PAR NANG DZ KYI GYL PO LA CHHAG TSHL LO (1x or 3x) JANG CHHUB SEM PA SEM PA CHHEN PO KN TU ZANG PO LA CHHAG TSHL LO (1x or 3x) TADYATHA [OM] PNCHA GRIYA AVA BODHANI SVAHA OM DHURU DHURU JAYA MUKHE SVAHA (7x)

The Power of Truth

By the power of truth of the Three Jewels, Of the blessings of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas, By the power of the great might of the completed two collections, And of the completely pure, inconceivable sphere of reality, May all these offerings become just so.

Generating Bodhichitta
The purpose of long life is to free all sentient beings from suffering and lead them into peerless happiness and full enlightenment, therefore I must achieve enlightenment. May I achieve enlightenment quickly and more quickly in order to liberate the sentient beings from all their sufferings and obscurations. In order to offer service to sentient beings and to the teachings of the Buddha, I am going to practice the long life meditation of Amitayus. Also I am going to do this practice for the long lives of my virtuous friends and the holy beings who are benefiting sentient beings; for the long lives of the Sangha, who preserve the Dharma; for the long lives of the benefactors who sponsor the Sangha and the teachings of the Buddha; for the long lives of the Dharma practitioners, students, and so forth; for the long lives of all those who live in the moralities, those who are ordained, lay, and Christian monks and nuns those of other religions, and so forth; for the long lives of those who create more benefit for sentient beings and who cause less harm; for the long lives of all those who have life obstacles such as cancer, AIDS, and so forth; for the long life of anyone for whom it is more beneficial for them to live than to die; and also in order to purify all sentient beings.

To actualize all our prayers as well as to multiply the benefits by 100,000: CHOM DN D DE ZHIN SHEG PA DRA CHOM PA YANG DAG PAR DZOG PI SANG GY NGO WA DANG MN LAM [THAM CH RAB TU] DU P GYL PO LA CHHAG TSHL LO (1x or 3x)

Due to the power of the blessings of the eminent buddhas and bodhisattvas, the power of infallible dependent arising, and the power of my pure special attitude, may all my pure prayers succeed immediately.

Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation to the Dharma; and may all their actions become most pleasing to the holy mind of the virtuous friends. Also, may all the individual students be healthy and have long lives, and may all their wishes succeed immediately according to the Dharma.

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The Actual Practice

Visualization
In the space before me appears the Infinite Life Wisdom Victorious One (Amitayus). His holy body is of red color, with one face and two arms. His hands are in the mudra of concentration, holding a vase filled with immortal life nectar. He is sitting with his holy legs in the vajra posture. His holy body is in the aspect of complete enjoyment. He is adorned with the holy signs and exemplifications, beautified with jewels and ornaments, and clothed in various divine scarves. On his crown is OM, at his neck is AH, at his heart is HUM.

Long Life Prayer for His Holiness the Dalai Lama

In the land encircled by snow mountains You are the source of all happiness and good; All-powerful Chenrezig, Tenzin Gyatso, Please remain until samsara ends. Gang ri ra w kor wi zhing kham dir Phn dang de wa ma l jung wi n Chn r zig wang tn dzin gya tsho yi Zhab p si thi bar du tn gyur chig

Seven-limb Prayer
Reverently, I prostrate with my body, speech, and mind; I present clouds of every type of offering, actual and imagined; I declare all my negative actions accumulated since beginningless time And rejoice in the merit of all holy and ordinary beings. Please, remain until the end of cyclic existence And turn the wheel of Dharma for living beings. I dedicate my own merits and those of all others to the great enlightenment.

Long Life Prayer for Lama Zopa Rinpoche

You who uphold the Subduers (thub) moral way; Who serve as the bountiful bearer (z)-of-all, Sustaining, preserving, and spreading Manjunaths victorious doctrine (tn); Who masterfully accomplish (drub pa) magnificent prayers honoring the Three Jewels, Savior of myself and others, your disciples: please, please live long! Thub tshl chhang zhing jam gn gyl wi tn Dzin ky pel w kn z dog por dz Chhog sum kur wi leg mn thu drub pa Dag sog dl ji gn du zhab tn shog

Short Mandala Offering

This ground, anointed with perfume, strewn with flowers, Adorned with Mount Meru, four continents, the sun and the moon: I imagine this as a buddha-field and offer it. May all living beings enjoy this pure land! Sa zhi p kyi jug shing me tog tram Ri rab ling zhi nyi d gyn pa di Sang gy zhing du mig te l wa yi Dro kn nam dag zhing la ch par shog

Now recite the mantras to multiply the merits on the following page:

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Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Due to the merits of the three times created by myself, the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings all these virtues we have created we dedicate as causes enabling us to uphold the holy Dharma of scriptures and insights, and to fulfill without exception the prayers and deeds of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the three times. By the force of this merit in all our lives May we never be parted from Mahayanas four spheres And may we reach the end of our journey along the paths Of renunciation, bodhichitta, the pure view, and the two stages. Due to the past, present, and future merits of myself, the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, which are empty from their own side, may I, who am empty from my own side, achieve Guru Amitayus enlightenment, which is empty from its own side; and lead each and every living being, who are empty from their own side, into that enlightened state, by myself alone. Due to the past, present, and future merits of myself, the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, may I, my family members, students, and all sentient beings be able to meet the complete teaching of the Complete Pure Victorious One (Lama Tsongkhapa), which includes pure morality, the brave heart that performs the extensive bodhisattvas deeds, and the yoga of the two stages which is supreme bliss and voidness. May we meet with these teachings without even a seconds delay. Due to the past, present, and future merits of myself, the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, may all the general works of the FPMT and the invidicual meditation centers that are benefitting others succeed immediately and receive immediately all the necessary conditions for that. May the become wish-fulfilling gems for all sentient beings to pacify their problems and achieve happiness. May the students of this organization, who have sacrificed their lives to serve other sentient beings and theachings of the Buddha with much hardship, have long and healthy lives; may all thei wishes succeed immediately according

Praise and Request

Amitayus, principle guide for this world, Destroyer of all untimely death, Refuge for all who suffer without a protector, Homage to Buddha Amitayus. When seeing signs of untimely death, In that second may I see Protector Amitayus, And, by that, conquering the Lord of Deaths power, May I quickly attain the state of an immortal wisdom holder!
Now, visualize:

Below Amitayus are my gurus, all holy beings, and the Sangha. In front of them are my parents and enemies; to the left, students and attendants; to the right, relatives and friends; and behind, all strangers. Surrounding them all are the benefactors who sponsor the Sangha and the teachings of the Buddha, Dharma practitioners, students, and all those who live in morality, those ordained, lay, Christian monks and nuns and those of other religions as well. (If there is one specific person for whose long life you want to pray, they are directly under Amitayus.) Inside the implement vase of Amitayus there is a moon disc. Above this is a red HRIH surrounded by the heart mantra and the long mantra.
While reciting the mantra, do the following visualizations:

Mantra Recitation with Visualization

Light beams radiate from these, purifying all sentient beings and making offerings to the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Then they reabsorb back into the mantra. Again, light beams are emitted from the mantra, drawing back the life essence that was stolen by the Lord of Death, the Spirit King, and so forth and also lives that have been scattered. These are absorbed to the mantra garlands in the form of vases and skulls filled with nectar. Yet again, light beams are emitted from the mantras. The essence of

Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation Due to all the merit accumulated in the three times by myself and others, May those beings who merely see, hear, remember, touch, or talk to me Be freed in that very second from all their sufferings And abide in happiness forever. May the lives of the glorious gurus be long. May all beings equaling the extent of space have happiness. May I and others without exception accumulate merit and purify negativities, And may we be blessed to quickly attain buddhahood.
Then, recite one of the following two verses related to guru devotion:

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the four elements and of the life and fortune of all sentient beings, all the perfections of the three realms, and the blessings of the holy body, speech, and mind of all the victorious ones and bodhisattvas are drawn back in the form of beams of nectar. These are absorbed into the mantra garlands.
As you continue to recite the mantra, visualize the following:

From the vase in the lap of Amitayus, white nectar of immortality overflows and enters into my central channel through my crown. My entire body is filled with nectar, all the stains are purified, and I achieve the realization of immortal life. All the holy bodies of all the virtuous friends are filled with long lifenectar. Their holy bodies become like a crystal glass filled with milk.
Think that their holy lives are stabilized to live long. (The stains of the gurus to be purified are sentient beings superstitions.) Perform the same visualization for all the other holy beings, the Sangha, and those who you wish to have long life.

Long Mantra
NAMO RATNA TRA YAYA / OM NAMO BHAGAVATE / APARIMITA AYUR JANA / SUPINISH CHITATAYE / JORA JAYA / TATHAGATAYA / ARHATE SAMYAK SAM BUDDHAYA / TAD YA THA / OM PUNYE PUNYE / MAHA PUNYE / APARIMITA PUNYE / AYU PUNYE / MAHA PUNYE / AYUR JANA / SARVA RUPA SIDDHI / AYUR JANA / KE CHE BHRUM / OM BHRUM / AH BHRUM / SVA BHRUM / HA BHRUM / CHE BHRUM / OM SARVA SAMSKARA / PARI SHUDDHA DHARMATE / GAGANA SAMUDGATE / SVABHAVA VISHUDDHE / MAHA NAYA PARIVARA YE SVAHA

Due to all the merits of the three times accumulated by myself, the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, may we not arise heresy even for a second in the actions of the glorious guru. May we regard whatever actions are done as pure. [With this devotion] may we receive the blessings of the guru in our hearts.
or:

Due to all the merits of the three times accumulated by myself, the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, please bless me to see that every supreme and mundane attainment follows solely upon pure devotion to you, my savior. Seeing this may I give up my body and even my life, and please bless me to practice what will only please you.
Then continue to dedicate with:

Heart Mantra
OM AMARANI JIVAN TIYE SVAHA

To conclude your mantra recitation, meditate as follows:

My entire body is filled with immortal nectar. All diseases, spirit harms, negative karmas, and obscurations are purified. By the nectar absorbing into my body and mind, I achieve the realization of immortality. In the same way, all sentient beings that I visualized previously are also

Due to the merits of the three times created by myself, the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, may I, my family members, all the students and benefactors of the organization, and all sentient beings be able to meet perfectly qualified Mahayana virtuous friends in all our future lives. From our side may we always see them as enlightened and always perform only actions most pleasing to their holy minds. May we always fulfill their holy wishes instantly.

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Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation purified. Also, the life force, merits, wisdom, and qualities of scriptural understanding and realization are fully developed within me and in the minds of all sentient beings. My mind becomes completely pure like crystal.

Dedication Prayers
Due to the merit of doing this meditation and reciting the mantra, may I be able to become, without even a minutes delay, the perfect guide, the Infinite Life Buddha Amitayus, and bring every sentient being to the fully enlightened state of Amitayus. Due to these merits, whenever death happens, may I and all sentient beings be able to clearly see the Buddha Amitayus and quickly achieve undying realization. When seeing signs of untimely death, In that second may I see Protector Amitayus, And, by that, conquering the power of the Lord of Death, May I quickly attain the state of an immortal wisdom holder! May the supreme jewel bodhichitta That has not arisen, arise and grow; And may that which has arisen not diminish But increase more and more. Whatever suffering sentient beings experience, May it ripen on me. Whatever merit and its resulting happiness I have accumulated, May others experience it.
Meditate on making charity of your own body, speech, mind, possessions, and merits of the three times, together with all their resulting happiness including enlightnement, to every hell being, preta being, animal being, and so forth to all sentient beings.

Conclusion of the Practice

Purifying Errors
For the completion, recite the 100- syllable mantra of Vajrasattva:
OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA / VAJRASATTVA TVENOPATISHTHA / DRIDHO ME BHAVA / SUTOSHYO ME BHAVA / SUPOSHYO ME BHAVA / ANURAKTO ME BHAVA / SARVA SIDDHIM ME PRAYACCHA / SARVA KARMA SU CHAME / CHITTAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BHAGAVAN SARVA TATHAGATA / VAJRA MAME MUNCHA / VAJRA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA AH HUM PHAT (3x)

Now, recite the following lam-rim prayer:

The Foundation of All Good Qualities

The foundation of all good qualities is the kind and perfect, pure guru; Correct devotion to him is the root of the path. By clearly seeing this and applying great effort, Please bless me to rely upon him with great respect. Understanding that the precious freedom of this rebirth is found only once, Is greatly meaningful, and is difficult to find again, Please bless me to generate the mind that unceasingly, Day and night, takes its essence. This life is as impermanent as a water bubble; Remember how quickly it decays and death comes. After death, just like a shadow follows the body, The results of black and white karma follow.

Because of these merits may my actions never cause Even the slightest harm to any sentient being. Instead, may they bring only the greatest of benefit. Whatever suffering or happy life I experience, May it be only of the greatest benefit to others, Causing them to achieve enlightenment as quickly as possible.

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Long Life Amitayus Meditation

Long Life Amitayus Meditation At that time, the basis of accomplishing the two attainments Is keeping pure vows and samaya. As I have become firmly convinced of this, Please bless me to protect these vows and pledges like my life. Then, having realized the importance of the two stages, The essence of the Vajrayana, By practicing with great energy, never giving up the four sessions, Please bless me to realize the teachings of the holy guru. Like that, may the gurus who show the noble path And the spiritual friends who practice it have long lives. Please bless me to pacify completely All outer and inner hindrances. In all my lives, never separated from perfect gurus, May I enjoy the magnificent Dharma. By completing the qualities of the stages and paths, May I quickly attain the state of Vajradhara.

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Finding firm and definite conviction in this, Please bless me always to be careful To abandon even the slightest negativities And accomplish all virtuous deeds. Seeking samsaric pleasures is the door to all suffering: They are uncertain and cannot be relied upon. Recognizing these shortcomings, Please bless me to generate the strong wish for the bliss of liberation. Led by this pure thought, Mindfulness, alertness, and great caution arise. The root of the teachings is keeping the pratimoksha vows: Please bless me to accomplish this essential practice. Just as I have fallen into the sea of samsara, So have all mother migratory beings. Please bless me to see this, train in supreme bodhichitta, And bear the responsibility of freeing migratory beings. Even if I develop only bodhichitta, but I dont practice the three types of morality, I will not achieve enlightenment. With my clear recognition of this, Please bless me to practice the bodhisattva vows with great energy. Once I have pacified distractions to wrong objects And correctly analyzed the meaning of reality, Please bless me to generate quickly within my mindstream The unified path of calm abiding and special insight. Having become a pure vessel by training in the general path, Please bless me to enter The holy gateway of the fortunate ones: The supreme vajra vehicle.

Amitayus is pleased with you for directing your life towards enlightenmnet for all sentient beings. He melts into light and absorbs into the center of your two eyebrows and blesses your body, speech, and mind.

Praise
Amitayus, principle guide for this world, Destroyer of all untimely death, Refuge for all who suffer without a protector, Homage to Buddha Amitayus.