Mandala offering, refuge and bodhicitta

OM vajra ground AH HUM, mighty golden ground. OM vajra fence AH HUM, the iron fence around the edge, In the center is Mount Meru, the king of mountains, in the east the continent Videha, in the south Jambudvipa, in the west Godaniya, in the north Kuru. In the east are the sub-continents Deha and Videha, in the south Camara and Aparacamara, in the west Shatha and Uttaramantrina, in the north Kurava and Kaurava. Here are the precious mountain, wish-granting tree, wish-fulfilling cow, unploughed harvest.

Here are the precious wheel, precious jewel, precious queen, precious minister, precious elephant, precious horse, precious general, great treasure vase. Here are the goddess of beauty, goddess of garlands, goddess of song, goddess of dance, goddess of flowers, goddess of incense, goddess of light, goddess of perfume. Here are the sun, moon, precious parasol, and victory banner. In the center are the marvelous riches of gods and humans, with nothing missing, pure and delightful. I offer these as a Buddha-field to my glorious, holy, kind root guru, the lineage gurus, and (choose the appropriate verse:)

• (before teachings, to request them)in particular to the master of the entire doctrine, the noble spiritual mentor, as an offering while requesting profound Mahayana instructions.
• (after teachings, in appreciation for having received teachings)in particular to the master of the entire doctrine, the noble spiritual mentor, as an offering to thank you for your kindness because we have received the profound Mahayana teachings.
• (in general, before meditation)to the great Je Tsongkhapa, Buddha who is the King of Sages, Vajradhara, and the entire assembly of deities.

Please accept these with compassion for the sake of migrating beings. Having accepted them, please bestow on me and on the mother sentient beings abiding as far as the limits of space your inspiration with loving compassion.

Long mandala (download)

Short mandala offering

This ground, anointed with perfume, flowers strewn,
Mount Meru, four lands, sun and moon,
Imagined as a Buddha land and offered to you
May all beings enjoy this pure land.

Mandala offering to request teachings

Venerable holy gurus, in the space of your truth body, from billowing clouds of your wisdom and love, let fall the rain of the profound and extensive Dharma in whatever form is suitable for subduing sentient beings.

Mandala offering to request teachings (download)

Mandala offering after teachings

May the spiritual teachers who lead me on the sacred path and all spiritual friends who practice it have long life. May I pacify completely all outer and inner hindrances – grant such inspiration, I pray.

May the lives of the venerable spiritual mentors be stable, and their divine actions spread in the ten directions. May the light of Lobsang’s teaching, dispelling the darkness of the beings in the three worlds, always increase.

Mandala offering after teachings (download)

Inner mandala offering

The objects of attachment, aversion and ignorance—friends, enemies and strangers, my body, wealth and enjoyments—I offer these without any sense of loss. Please accept them with pleasure and inspire me and others to be free from the three poisonous attitudes.

Idam guru ratna mandala kam nirya tayami

Note: “Inspire” or “bless” means to transform our mind. A student has received “blessing” or has been inspired when his/her own mind transforms into the Dharma, i.e. when the student has understood and integrated the meaning of the teachings into his/her life.

Refuge and bodhicitta

Note: Bodhicitta is the aspiration to become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings.

I take refuge until I have awakened
in the Buddhas, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
By the merit I create by listening to the Dharma,
may I attain Buddhahood in order to benefit all sentient beings. (3x)

Refuge and bodhicitta (download)

See also these related teachings: Mandala Offering, Taking Refuge, Bodhicitta