Liturgy for the Recitation at the Time of Death

Those who recite with pure mindfulness and compassion in front of a dying one or one who has just passed away, visualize that the Buddhas of ten directions emanate light and grant blessings. Refrain from crying. If it’s possible, place a Buddha statue, sutra or other representations of the Three Jewels above the deceased one’s head. Also place offerings of butter lamps, water, incense, flower, and fruits. Then recite the following together:

I. Refuge (three times)

Namo Guruya (I take refuge in the Guru)

Namo Buddhaya (I take refuge in the Buddha)

Namo Dharmaya (I take refuge in the Dharma)

Namo Sanghaya (I take refuge in the Sangha)

II. Generate the Four Immeasurable Attitudes

May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness;

May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering;

May all sentient beings never be separated from the happiness that knows no suffering;

May all sentient beings live in equanimity, free from attachment and aversion.

III. FOUR GREAT VOWS

Countless are sentient beings, I vow to liberate;

Endless are afflictions, I vow to eradicate;

Measureless are the Dharmas, I vow to master;

Supreme is the Buddha Way, I vow to attain.

IV. Prostrations to the Thirty-five Buddhas–The Bodhisattva’s Confession of Ethical Downfalls

Namo, I take refuge with all the Buddhas of the Ten Directions to the End of Space.

Namo, I take refuge with all the Venerable Dharmas of the Ten Directions to the End of Space.

Namo, I take refuge with Sangha of all Sages and Worthies of the Ten Directions to the End of Space.

Namo the Thus Come Ones, Worthy of Offerings, of Proper and Universal Knowledge, Perfect in Understanding and Conduct, Skillful in Leaving the World Through Liberation, Unsurpassed Knights. Taming Heroes, Teachers of Gods and People, Buddhas, World Honored Ones.

Homage to Buddha Shakyamuni

Homage to Indestructible Vajra Buddha

Homage to Jewel Light Buddha (Ratnarchi Buddha)

Homage to Dragon King Buddha (Geyaraja Buddha)

Homage to Commander of Effort Buddha (Vorasena Buddha)

Homage to Joyous Effort Buddha (Vorandandin Buddha)

Homage to Precious Flame Buddha (Ratnagni Buddha)

Homage to Jeweled Moon Light Buddha (Ratnachandraprabha Buddha)

Homage to Displayer of Wisdom Buddha (Amoghadarsin Buddha)

Homage to Precious Moon Buddha (Ratnachandra Buddha)

Homage to Taintless Buddha (Vimala Buddha)

Homage to Beyond Stain Buddha

Homage to Heroic Giver Buddha (Shridatta Buddha)

Homage to Purity Buddha (Brahma Buddha)

Homage to Giver of Purity Buddha (Brahmadatta Buddha)

Homage to Water Deity Buddha (Varuna Buddha)

Homage to Water God Buddha (Varunadeva Buddha)

Homage to Firm Virtue Buddha (Shribhadra Buddha)

Homage to Glorious Sandalwood Buddha (Chandanashri)

Homage to Measureless Light Buddha (Anantejas Buddha)

Homage to Glorious Light Buddha (Prabhasashri Buddha)

Homage to Sorrowless Virtue Buddha (Ashokashri Buddha)

Homage to He Without Craving Buddha (Narayana Buddha)

Homage to Flower of Merit Buddha (Kusumashri Buddha)

Homage to Mastery of Knowledge Lotus Light Buddha (Padmajyotivikrodhitabhijna Buddha)

Homage to Wealth of Virtue Buddha (Danashri Buddha)

Homage to Glorious Recollection Buddha (Smrtishri Buddha)

Homage to Glory of Righteous Fame Buddha (Brahmashrisuparikirti Buddha)

Homage to King of Indra’s Red Flame Banner Buddha (Indraketudhvajaraja Buddha)

Homage to Marching Forth in Wholesome Merit Buddha (Suvikrantashri Buddha)

Homage to Victory in Battle Buddha (Yuddhajaya Buddha)

Homage to Righteous Step Buddha

Homage to Adorned All Round in Virtue Buddha (Vikrantagamishri Buddha)

Homage to Walking Upon Jeweled Blossoms Buddha

Homage to King Lotus Gem Well Abiding Beneath the Sala Tree Buddha (Ratnapadmashailendraraja Buddha)

All these, and other such Bhagavan Buddhas throughout the universe, who forever abide in the universe, please O World Honored Ones, consider me with kindness. In this life, or in past lives, throughout beginningless birth and death, All the many offenses that I have either committed myself, or instructed others to commit, or rejoiced in seeing the committing thereof; Or at a shrine or temple, those possessions of the Sangha that I have either stolen myself, or instructed others to steal, or rejoiced in seeing the stealing thereof; Or the five atrocious offenses that I have either committed myself, or instructed others to commit, or rejoiced in seeing the committing thereof; Or the ten unwholesome actions that I have either committed myself, or instructed others to commit, or rejoiced in seeing the committing thereof; All these offenses and transgressions, whether concealed or not concealed, lead to descent into the hells, the spirit or animals realms, or other painful destinations, wilderness lands, low birth, and the cycle of sorrow, and other such results. All these offenses and transgressions, and all the calamities and misfortunes that follow as their results, I now repent them all, and wish for their elimination and absolution.

May the present Bhagavan Buddhas act as my witnesses, and bear me in mind. I further, before all the Bhagavan Buddhas, do so declare: If in this life, or in other lives, I have practiced giving or upholding pure precepts, even as much as giving food to an animal, a small morsel of food, or cultivation of purity; All these wholesome roots mature to mature living beings; All these wholesome roots and the cultivation of Bodhi; All these wholesome roots, up to the highest wisdom; May all these wholesome roots be gathered together, amassed and accumulated together, and dedicated to Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi. Just as all the Buddhas of past, present and future do so dedicate, I too shall dedicate this merit.

 I repent all my offences,

rejoice completely in all merits,

and the virtue of inviting the Buddhas,

vowing to accomplish supreme wisdom.

The Buddhas of past, present and future,

are supreme amongst all living beings,

 In their measureless ocean of virtues,

I now prostrate and take refuge for life.

V. The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra

Homage to the oceanic assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Lotus Pond (three times)

The Amitabha Sutra

Thus have I heard: at one time the Blessed One, the Buddha Shakyamuni, was staying near the city of Shravasti, in the cloistered garden that the generous Anathapindada gave to the Buddhist Order in Prince Jeta’s grove. He was staying there with a large gathering of monks numbering one thousand two hundred fifty. These monks were well known for their extraordinary powers. They were true elders, great disciples. They had all achieved the highest degree of sainthood, that of an Arhat.

Among these Arhats surrounding the Blessed One were the elder Sariputra and his close friend Maudgalyayana the Great. Kashyapa the Great was also among them, and Kapphina the Great, Katyayana the Great and Kaushthila the Great. Also among these monks were Revata and Shuddhipanthaka, and the Buddha’s half-brother Nanda, and his cousin and closest disciple, Ananda, as well as Rahula, the Buddha’s son. Present there was also Gavampati, and Bharadvaja, Kalodayin, Vakkula, and Aniruddha. These and other,many more, great disciples accompanied the Buddha at that time.

And the Buddha was accompanied by many of those magnificent human beings well advanced on their way to full awakening, those who are called Bodhisattvas or Mahasattvas.

For instance, the Bodhisattva Manjushri, the Prince of Dharma, was present in that assembly – and so was the Bodhisattva who is the Future Buddha of our age, the Bodhisattva Maitreya, who is called Invincible. And the Bodhisattvas Gandhahastin, Nityodyukta, and Anikshiptadhura were there. These and other, many more Bodhisattvas or mahasattvas accompanied the Buddha at that time. Also present were Shakra, known also as Indra, the King of the Gods, and Brahma, Lord of this, our world, known as the Saha World. These and other heavenly beings – many hundreds of thousands of millions – accompanied the Buddha at that time.

Then, the Blessed One addressed the reverend Sariputra, saying, ”To the west of us, Sariputra, a hundred thousand million Buddha-fields from where we are, there is a world called the Land of Bliss. At this very moment, the Tathagata, Arhat, perfect and full Buddha called Amitayus lives in that Buddha-field; he abides and remains there, and even now continues to teach the Dharma in that field.

Now, what do you think, Sariputra: Why is that world called the ‘Land of Bliss’? Sariputra, physical and mental pain are unknown to the living beings that inhabit the world called the ‘Land of Bliss’; on the contrary, they only experience conditions of boundless happiness. This is why that world is called the ‘Land of Bliss.’

Furthermore, Sariputra, the world known as the Land of Bliss is adorned and enclosed on every side by tiers of seven railings and seven rows of palm trees, all decked with nets of tinkling bells. It is made colorful and attractive by four precious substances, namely, gold, silver, emerald and rock crystal.This is how that Buddha-field is adorned, Sariputra, with such a panoply of the wondrous qualities of Buddha-fields.

Furthermore, Sariputra, in the world known as the Land of Bliss there are lotus ponds all made of seven precious substances, namely, gold,silver, emerald, rock crystal, red pearl, sapphire, and mother of pearl as the seventh. These ponds are brimming with water that is cool, clear, sweet, light, soft, free from odor, free from disease, refreshing, and invigorating. In each of these ponds the bottom slopes gently along the shore, so that the water reaches the right depth in every bathing spot and a crow could drink from the edge of the pond. The bottom of each pond is covered with golden sand.And all around on each of the four sides of these lotus ponds four sets of stairways descend into the pools. These stairways are colorful, elegant, and made of four precious substances, namely, gold, silver, emerald and rock crystal.

And on every side of these lotus ponds grow gem trees, colorful and graceful, made from seven precious substances, namely, gold, silver, emerald, rock crystal, red pearl, sapphire, and mother of pearl as the seventh.

And in those lotus ponds grow lotus flowers. Some are blue – intensely blue, or with a blue sheen, or with a tinge of blue. Some are yellow – intensely yellow, or with a yellow sheen, or with a tinge of yellow. Some are red – intensely red, or with a red sheen, or with a tinge or red. Some are white – intensely white, with a white sheen, or with a tinge of white. Some are multicolored, with a sheen of many colors, or with a tinge of many colors. And these lotus blossoms are as wide as chariot wheels. This is how that Buddha-field is adorned, Sariputra, with such a panoply of the wondrous qualities of Buddha-fields.

Furthermore, Sariputra, in that Buddha-field one hears heavenly musical instruments constantly being played. And the ground all around is golden in color, pleasant to look at. And in that Buddha-field a shower of heavenly coral-tree blossoms pours down three times every day and three times every night. And the living beings who are born there travel before their forenoon meal to other worlds, where they worship a hundred thousand million Buddhas, and then return to their own world, the Land of Bliss, in time for the afternoon nap, having showered a hundred thousand million flowers upon each one of those Buddhas. This is how that Buddha-field is adorned, Sariputra, with such a panoply of the wondrous qualities of Buddha-fields.

Furthermore, Sariputra, in that Buddha-field wild geese, curlews and peacocks gather three times every night and three times every day to sing in chorus, each singing with a different voice. And as they sing, one hears that their voices proclaim Buddhist virtues, such as the five spiritual faculties, the five spiritual powers, and the seven elements of awakening.

When human beings in that world hear these sounds, their thoughts turn to the Buddha, their thoughts turn to the Buddha’s teaching, the Dharma, and their thoughts turn to the Buddha’s Order, the Sangha.

Now, Sariputra, what do you think? Are these birds born as retribution for their karmic offenses? You could not consider this possible. Why? Because even the names of the hells, the names of animal rebirths, and the name ‘Realm of Yama, the King of Death’ are unknown in that Buddha-field – let alone actual birth in any of these forms. Rather, those flocks of birds gather there to sing with the voice of the Dharma only because they have been created magically by the Buddha who presides in that field, the Tathagata Amitayus. This is how that Buddha-field is adorned, Sariputra, with such a panoply of the wondrous qualities of Buddhafields.

Furthermore, Sariputra, when the rows of palm trees and nets of tinkling bells in that Buddha-field sway in the soft wind, a sweet and enrapturing sound issues from them. This concert of sounds is, Sariputra, like a set of heavenly cymbals, with a hundred thousand million playing parts – when these cymbals are played by expert musicians, a sweet and enrapturing sound issues from them. In exactly the same way, a sweet and enrapturing sound proceeds from those rows of palm trees and those nets of tinkling bells when they sway in the wind. When human beings in that world hear this sound, they remember the Buddha and feel his presence in their whole body, the remember the Dharma and feel its presence in their whole body, and they remember the Sangha and feel its presence in their whole body. This is how that Buddha-field is adorned, Sariputra, with such a panoply of the wondrous qualities of Buddha-fields.

Now what do you think, Sariputra? Why is that Tathagata called Amitayus, or ‘Measureless Life-span’? Now, Sariputra, the length of that Tathagata’s life and of the human beings in that Buddha-field is immeasurable. That is why that Tathagata is called Amitayus,

‘Measureless Life-span.’ And ten cosmic ages have passed, Sariputra, since this Tathagata awoke to unsurpassable, perfect, and full awakening.

What do you think, Sariputra? Why is this Tathagata called Amitabha, or ‘Measureless Light’? Now, Sariputra, the light of this Tathagata spreads unimpeded over all Buddha-fields.

This is why this Tathagata is called Amitabha, ‘Measureless Light.’ And, Sariputra, this Tathagata is surrounded by an immeasurable assembly of disciples, who are all pure Arhats and whose number is impossible to count. This is how that Buddha-field is adorned, Sariputra, with such a panoply of the wondrous qualities of Buddha-fields.

Furthermore, Sariputra, those sentient beings who are reborn in the Buddha-field of the Tathagata Amitayus as pure Bodhisattvas who will not fall back and will be separated from awakening by only one birth – the number of these Bodhisattvas, Sariputra, is not easy to reckon. One can only approximate their numbers by saying that they are immeasurable and countless.

Now, Sariputra, sentient beings should set their minds on rebirth in that Buddha-field. Why? Because there they will meet persons like themselves, who practice the good. For, Sariputra, living beings are not reborn in that Buddha-field of the Tathagata Amitayus as the result of an inferior root of merit.

Sariputra, those sons or daughters of good families who will hear the name of the blessed Amitayus, the Tathagata, and then will bring it to mind, and will keep it in mind without distraction for one night, or two, or three, four, five, six, or seven nights – they will be met by the Tathagata at the moment of their death. When the moment of death approaches for one of these sons or daughters of good families, Amitayus, the Tathagata, surrounded by an assembly of disciples and at the head of a host of Bodhisattvas, will stand before this son or daughter, and this son or daughter will die with a mind that is free from distorted views. After they die, they will be reborn in the Land of Bliss, in the Buddha-field of Amitayus the Tathagata. Therefore, Sariputra, as I understand well the meaning of this, I declare: Sons and

daughters of a good family should direct their thoughts earnestly towards rebirth in that Buddha-field.

Sariputra, in the same way that I now praise that Buddha-field, the Land of Bliss, other Buddhas, blessed ones, in the Eastern regions of the universe, praise their fields – Buddhas equal in number to the grains of sand in all the Ganges rivers in every world in the eastern regions of the universe. Led by the Unmoved Buddha Aksobhya, Sumeru Appearance Buddha, Great Mystical Mountain Buddha, Excellent Mountain Illuminating Buddha and Wondrous Voice Buddha, each one of these Buddhas covers his own Buddha-field with his tongue and then reveals all that is in it. You should place your trust in this discourse on Dharma, called ‘Embraced by All Buddhas,’ which extols inconceivable wondrous qualities.

In the same manner, other Buddhas, blessed ones, in the Southern regions of the universe, praise their fields – Buddhas equal in number to the grains of sand in all the Ganges rivers in every world in the southern regions of the universe. Led by Sun and Moon Lantern Buddha, the Well Known Illuminating Buddha, the Great Blazing Shoulders Buddha, Sumeru Lantern Buddha, and Unlimited Pure Progress Buddha, each covers his own Buddha-field with his tongue and then reveals all that is in it. You should place your trust in this discourse on the Dharma, called, ‘Embraced by All Buddhas,’ which extols inconceivable qualities.

In the same manner, other Buddhas, blessed ones, in the Western regions of the universe, praise their fields – Buddhas equal in number to the grains of sand in all the Ganges rivers in every world in the western regions of the universe. Led by Boundless Life Span Buddha, Immeasurable Characteristics and Marks Buddha, Immeasurable Curtain Buddha, Great Illuminating Buddha, Great Wisdom Buddha, Jeweled Appearance Buddha and Pure Light Buddha, each covers his own Buddha-field with his tongue and then reveals all that is in it. You should place your trust in this discourse on the Dharma, called, ‘Embraced by All Buddhas,’ which extols inconceivable qualities.

In the same manner, other Buddhas, blessed ones, in the Northern regions of the universe, praise their fields – Buddhas equal in number to the grains of sand in all the Ganges rivers in every world in the northern regions of the universe. Led by Blazing Shoulders Buddha, All-Conquering Sound Buddha, Difficult-to-Injure Buddha, Rising Sun Buddha and

Net of Wisdom Buddha, each covers his own Buddha-field with his tongue and then reveals all that is in it. You should place your trust in this discourse on the Dharma, called, ‘Embraced by all Buddhas,’ which extols inconceivable wondrous qualities

In the same manner, other Buddhas, blessed ones, in the Lower regions of the universe, praise their fields – Buddhas equal in number to the grains of sand in all the Ganges rivers in every world in the lower regions of the universe. Led by Lion Buddha, Renown Buddha, Famous Light Buddha, Dharma Buddha, Dharma Curtain Buddha and Dharma Protecting Buddha, each covers his own Buddha-field with his tongue and then reveals all that is in it.

You should place your trust in this discourse on the Dharma, called, ‘Embraced by All Buddhas,’ which extols inconceivable wondrous qualities.

In the same manner, other Buddhas, blessed ones, in the Higher regions of the universe, praise their fields – Buddhas equal in number to the grains of sand in all the Ganges rivers in every world in the higher regions of the universe. Led by Pure Sound Buddha, Lord of Past Lives Buddha, Superior Fragrance Buddha, Fragrant Light Buddha, Great Blazing Shoulders Buddha, Many Colored Jewels and Flower Adornment Body Buddha, Sala Tree King Buddha, Jeweled Flower Virtue Buddha, Vision of All Truths Buddha, and Such as Mount Sumeru Buddha, each covers his own Buddha-field with his tongue and then reveals all that is in it. You should place your trust in this discourse on the Dharma, called ‘Embraced by All Buddhas,’ which extols inconceivable wondrous qualities.

Now what do you think about this, Sariputra, why is that discourse on Dharma called, ‘Embraced by All Buddhas?’ Those sons or daughters of a good family who hear the name of this discourse on the Dharma and remember the names of these Buddhas, blessed ones, will all be embraced by all these Buddhas and will never retreat in their pursuit of unsurpassable, perfect and full awakening. Therefore, Sariputra, believe in me, and believe in these Buddhas, blessed ones; place your trust in us, and do not doubt us.

Those sons or daughters of a good family, Sariputra, who have set their minds on rebirth in the Buddha-field of Amitayus, the Blessed One, the Tathagata, or those who are now setting their minds, or will set their minds, on such rebirth, they will never retreat in their pursuit of unsurpassable, perfect, and full awakening; they have been reborn, are now being reborn, or will be reborn in that Buddha-field. Therefore, Sariputra, sons or daughters of good families who have faith should actively direct their thoughts towards rebirth in that Buddha-field.

And, Sariputra, just as I at present here extol the inconceivable wondrous qualities of other Buddhas, blessed ones, so in the same manner, Sariputra, all those other Buddhas, blessed ones, extol these inconceivable wondrous qualities of mine, saying: ‘A most difficult task has been accomplished by the Blessed One, Shakyamuni, the Sage of the Shakyas, the Monarch of the Shakyas. After he awakened to unsurpassable, perfect, and full awakening in this Saha World, he taught a Dharma that the whole world was reluctant to accept, at a time when the cosmic age was in a period of decay, when living beings were in a period of decay, when views and opinions corrupted human beings, when the length of human life had declined, when the afflictions vitiated human beings.

This was, even for me, Sariputra, a most difficult task, namely, that after I awakened to unsurpassable, perfect, and full awakening in this Saha World, I taught a Dharma that the whole world was reluctant to accept, at a time when living beings were in a period of decay, when views and opinions corrupted human beings, when the afflictions vitiated human beings, when the length of human life had declined, when the cosmic age was in a period of decay.”

This was spoken by the Blessed One, the reverend Sariputra, and the Bodhisattvas, and the whole world as well – including its gods, humans, asuras, and heavenly gandharva musicians – felt enraptured, and they rejoiced at the words spoken by the Blessed One.

VI. The Heart Sutra

Avalokita, the Holy Lord and Bodhisattva, was moving in the deep course of the Wisdom which has gone beyond. He looked down from on high, He beheld but five heaps, and He saw that in their own-being they were empty. Here, O Sariputra, form is emptiness and the very emptiness is form; emptiness does not differ from form, form does not differ from emptiness, whatever is emptiness, that is form, the same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness. Here, O Sariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they are not produced or stopped, not defiled or immaculate, not deficient or complete. Therefore, O Sariputra, in emptiness there is no form nor feeling, nor perception, nor impulse, nor consciousness; No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind ; No forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables or objects of mind ; No sight-organ element, and so forth, until we come to: No mind-consciousness element ; There is no ignorance, no extinction of ignorance, and so forth, until we come to : There is no decay and death, no extinction of decay and death. There is no suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path. There is no cognition, no attainment and no non-attainment. Therefore, O Sariputra, it is because of his non-attainmentness that a Bodhisattva, through having relied on the Perfection of Wisdom, dwells without thought-coverings. In the absence of thought-coverings he has not been made to tremble, he has overcome what can upset, and in the end he attains to Nirvana. All those who appear as Buddhas in the three periods of time fully awake to the utmost, right and perfect Enlightenment because they have relied on the Perfection of Wisdom. Therefore one should know the prajnaparamita as the great spell, the spell of great knowledge, the utmost spell, the unequalled spell, allayer of all suffering, in truth — for what could go wrong ? By the prajnaparamita has this spell been delivered. It runs like this:

gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.

(Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond, O what an awakening, all-hail ! — )

This completes the Heart of perfect Wisdom.

VII. Names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

Foe Destroyer, Well Gone One, Worthy of Offering and Truly Omniscient Buddha Shakyamuni, to you, I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge.

Foe Destroyer, Well Gone One, Worthy of Offering and Truly Omniscient Tathagata of Excellent Signs, to you, I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge.

Foe Destroyer, Well Gone One, Worthy of Offering and Truly Omniscient Tathagata of Melodious Sound, to you, I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge.

Foe Destroyer, Well Gone One, Worthy of Offering and Truly Omniscient Tathagata of Stainless Excellent Gold, to you, I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge.

Foe Destroyer, Well Gone One, Worthy of Offering and Truly Omniscient Tathagata of Supreme Glory, to you, I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge.

Foe Destroyer, Well Gone One, Worthy of Offering and Truly Omniscient Tathagata of Melodious Ocean, to you, I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge.

Foe Destroyer, Well Gone One, Worthy of Offering and Truly Omniscient Tathagata of Clear Knowing, to you, I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge.

Foe Destroyer, Well Gone One, Worthy of Offering and Truly Omniscient Tathagata Medicine Master Vaidurya Light, to you, I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge.

Foe Destroyer, Well Gone One, Worthy of Offering and Truly Omniscient Buddha Amitabha of the Sukhavati, to you, I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge.

I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge in Manjushri,

I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge in Ksitigarbha,

I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge in Maitreya,

I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge in Avalokitesvara,

I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge in Bodhisattva Sarvanivarana Viṣkambhin,

I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge in Vajrapani,

I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge in Samanthabhadra,

I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge in Akashagarbha,

I prostrate, make offerings to, and take refuge in all Buddhas and Boddhisattvas of the three times and ten directions.

VIII. Mantra Recitation (three, seven or twenty-one times each)

Mantra of Buddha Shakyamuni: OM MUNI MUNI MAHA MUNIYEY SVAHA

Mantra of Vajrasattva: OM VAJRA SATTVA HUM

Mantra of Amitabha: OM AMI DEY WA AH YU SIDDHI HUM HRIH

Mantra of a Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities: OM AH HUNG BODHI CHITTA MAHA SUKHA JHANA DHATU AH OM RULU RULU HUM JO HUM

Mantra spontaneously liberating the six realms:  AH AH SHA SA MA HA.

Mantra that liberates upon hearing: AH BE GYA DANG GA

Mantra of the six liberations of the samsara: MA MA GO LING SA MAN DA

Mantra of Aksobhya, the Immovable Buddha: NAMO RATNA TRAYAYA OM KAMKANI KAMKANI ROTSANI ROTSANI TROTRANI TROTRANI TRASANI TRASANI PRATIHANA PRATIHANA SARWA KARMA PARAM PARA NI ME SARWA SATTVA NANTSA SVAHA

Mantra of Ksitigarbha for Eradicating Fixed Dharma: OM PRA MA NI DA NI SVA HA

Mantra of Seven Buddhas for Eradicating Offenses: DEVA DEVATE, CYU HA CYU HATE DHARA DHRTE NIR-HRTE VIMALATE SVAHA

The Mantra for Rebirth in the Pure Land: NAMO AMITABHAYA, TATHAGATAYA, TADYATHA, AMRTOD BHAVE, AMRTA SIDDHAMBHAVE, AMRTA VIKRAMTE, AMRTA VIKRAMTA GAMINE, GAGANA KIRTI KARE SVAHA

Mantra of Avalokitesvara (Recite as many times as time allows): OM MANI PADME HUM HRI

IX. Recitation of verses

Those things which proceed from a course,

of these the Tathagata has told the cause;

And that which is their stopping –

the great recluse has such a doctrine

Abandon evil-doing.

Practice virtue well.

Master your own mind.

This is the Buddha’s teaching

All conditioned phenomena

Are but dreams of illusion, shadows of bubbles,

No more than dew or lightning,

Thus it shall be perceived.

X. Prayers for the Bardos

1. Prayer Entreating the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (three times)

At the time of your own death, or at any time, request the Buddhas’ and bodhisattvas’ aid as follows: make physical and mental offerings to the Three Jewels, and, holding fragrant incense, recite with great fervor:

You Buddhas and bodhisattvas who dwell in the ten directions, endowed with compassion, endowed with wisdom, endowed with vision, and with love; you who are the refuge of beings, through compassion, please come to this lace! Please accept the offerings, both physical and mental!

Compassionate ones, since you have mastered, to an unimaginable extent, understanding wisdom, loving compassion, and skillful action -

Compassionate ones, this person named [   ] is going beyond this world to another; is abandoning this world; is at death’s door, without friends, in great suffering, without refuge, without protection, without relatives or anyone close; this life’s perceptions are fading away; he is going to a different realm; entering a dense darkness, falling into a great abyss, going into a thick forest; the force of his karma drives him on. He is off to an empty wasteland; he is tossed by a great sea. Impelled by the karmic wind, he finds himself with nowhere to stop and rest. He is thrown in the midst of a great battle; he is seized by a demon. The Lord of Death’s henchmen fill him with terror. From one existence he goes to yet another, helpless. Alone and friendless, the time has come when he must go. Compassionate one, please give refuge to [    ] here, who has no defense! Please protect him! Please be kith and kin to him! Please save him from the vast, pitch darkness of the bardo! Deflect the fierce wind of karma! Protect him from fear and terror of the Lord of Death! Deliver him from the long, dangerous defile of the bardo!

Compassionate ones, do not be stinting in compassion! Come to his aid! Do not send him to the three lower realms! Not forgetful of your previous promises, quickly show the power of your compassion! Buddhas and bodhisattvas, do not be stinting in the means and power of your compassion of [    ] here. Clasp him with your compassion! Do not leave this being to the power of his negative karma!

Three Rare and Supreme Ones! Please save him from the suffering of the bardo!

2. Prayers for the Bardos — Protection against Fears

An! When this life of mine falls apart

Recent times does not vanish from this world.

When I wander alone in the Bardo

May the Victorious Peaceful and Wrathful Deities show the power of their compassion

And so dispel the darkness of ignorance.

When, parted from friends I love, I wander alone

And the Empty reflections of my own perceptions arise

May the Buddhas show the power of their compassion

So that the panic and terror of the bardo do not occur.

When the Five Lights of the clear Wisdoms arise

May I be fearless and undaunted, recognizing them as my own appearance.

When the forms of the Peaceful and Wrathful deities arise

May I be fearless and confident, recognizing that it is the Bardo.

When due to negative karma I experience suffering

May the Victorious Peaceful and Wrathful deities dispel the suffering.

When the natural sound of Dharmata roars like a thousand thunderclaps

May it be transformed into the sound of the Dharma of the Great Vehicle.

When, without refuge, I am pursued by karma,

Victorious Peaceful and Wrathful deities, please be a refuge for myself and others!

When I experience the karmic suffering of my habitual tendencies

May the blissful Clear Light samadhi arise.

At the moment of seeming rebirth in the Bardo of Becoming,

May no negative signs arise to turn me back to Samsara.

When I am transported anywhere by the power of thought

May the delusory terrors of negative karma not occur.

When wild beasts roar ferociously,

May it be transformed into the sound of Dharma, the 6 Syllable Mantra.

When I am driven by snow, rain, wind and darkness,

May I obtain the pine eye of clear wisdom.

May the different kinds of beings in the bardo,with their various experiences

Be without jealousy and be born in the higher realms.

When extreme negative emotions cause hunger and thirst

May the suffering of hunger, thirst, heat and cold not occur.

As soon as I see my future parents in sexual intercourse

May I see them as the Victorious Peaceful and Wrathful deities in union.

Having obtained control over where I will be born, for the sake of others

May I obtain a supreme body, graced with the marks and signs.

Having been born with a supreme body,

May all who see or hear me quickly be liberated.

May I not be pursued by all my negative karma,

And may whatever merit I have increase and follow me.

Wherever and whoever I  may be born as,

May I encounter the yidam deity of my previous life.

As soon as I am born, may I be able to speak and walk,

And regain, without forgetting again, the memory of my past lives.

May I learn great, small, and medium things

By studying or even just seeing them.

May whatever place I am born in be auspicious.

May all sentient beings become happy!

Victorious Peaceful and Wrathful deities! Just as your bodies,

Your entourage, your lifespan, and your Pure Realm,

And just as your supreme and excellent marks all are,

May I and others become exactly like that!

By the compassion of the all-pervading Perfect Peaceful and Wrathful Deities

And by the power and truth of the completely pure Dharmata,

And by the blessing of accomplishing single-pointed mantra practice

May the wishes of this prayer thus be accomplished!

3. Prayer for the Bardos — Protection from Dangers

I pay homage to the lama, to the yidam and to the host of dakinis.

Through your great love, please guide me!

When I wander due to great delusion through Samsara

Lamas of the oral lineage, please guide me

On the luminous, undistracted path of listening, reflecting and meditation!

Supported by throngs of dakinis, supreme mothers,

Deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying, narrow passage!

Escort me to the land of totally pure, perfect Buddhahood!

When I wander due to intense ignorance through Samsara

Buddha Vairocana, please guide me

On the luminous path of the Wisdom of Dharmadhatu!

Supported by Dhatisvari, your supreme consort

Deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying, narrow passage!

Escort me to the land of totally pure, perfect Buddhahood!

When due to fierce aggression I wander in Samsara

Buddha Vajrasattva, please guide me

On the luminous path of Mirror-like Wisdom!

Supported by Buddhalocana, your supreme consort,

Deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying, narrow passage!

Escort me to the land of totally pure, perfect Buddhahood!

When due to intense pride I wander in Samsara

Buddha Ratnasambhava, please guide me

On the luminous path of Equalizing Wisdom!

Supported by Mamaki, your supreme consort

Deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying, narrow passage!

Escort me to the land of totally pure, perfect Buddhahood!

When due to intense desire and attachment I wander in Samsara

Buddha Amitabha, please guide me

On the luminous path of the Wisdom of Discernment!

Supported by Pandavarasini your supreme consort,

Deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying, narrow passage!

Escort me to the land of totally pure, perfect Buddhahood!

When due to intense jealousy I wander in Samsara

Buddha Amoghasiddhi, please guide me

On the luminous path of All-accomplishing Wisdom!

Supported by Samaya-tara, your supreme consort,

Deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying, narrow passage!

Escort me to the land of totally pure, perfect Buddhahood!

When due to strong habitual tendencies I wander in Samsara

Dakas and Vidyadharas, please guide me

On the luminous path of Co-emergent Wisdom!

Supported by a throng of dakinis, your supreme consorts,

Deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying, narrow passage!

Escort me to the land of totally pure, perfect Buddhahood!

When due to intense delusion I wander in Samsara

Throng of Peaceful and Wrathful Buddhas, please guide me

On the luminous path that abandons panic and terrifying appearances!

Supported by a host of dakinis, who control space,

Deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying, narrow passage!

Escort me to the land of totally pure, perfect Buddhahood!

Ah! May the Space element not arise as an enemy,

And may I see it as the Pure Realm of the Blue Buddha.

May the Water element not arise as an enemy,

And may I see it as the Pure Realm of the White Buddha.

May the Earth element not arise as an enemy,

And may I see it as the Pure Realm of the Yellow Buddha.

May the Fire element not arise as an enemy,

And may I see it as the Pure Realm of the Red Buddha.

May the Wind element not arise as an enemy,

And may I see it as the Pure Realm of the Green Buddha.

May the Rainbow element not arise as an enemy,

And may I see it as the Pure Realms of the various Buddhas.

May the sounds, lights, and light-rays not arise as enemies

And may I see them as the Pure Realm of the all-encompassing Peaceful and Wrathful Deities.

May I realize all sounds to be my own sounds,

May I realize all lights to be my own lights,

May I realize all rays to be my own rays.

May I recognize the Bardo to be my own appearance,

And may I actualize it as the Pure Realm of the Three Kayas!

4. Root Verses of the Six Bardos

Ah! Now that the bardo of birth is arising for me,

Abandoning laziness for which there’s no time in life

I shall enter the undistracted path of listening, reflecting and meditating;

Developing appearances and mind as the path, I shall actualize the Three Kayas.

Now when, for once, I’ve obtained a human body,

Is not the time to rest on the path of distraction!

Ah! Now that the Bardo of Dreams is arising for me,

Abandoning the careless, sleeping corpse of ignorance,

I shall guide my undistracted mindfulness into the natural state;

Taking control of my dreams, I shall purify delusion into clear light.

Do not sleep like an animal!

It is important to practice mixing sleep and direct perception of reality.

Ah! Now that the Bardo of Meditation is arising for me,

Abandoning the mass of distraction and confusion,

I shall enter the state free of the extremes of distraction and grasping;

I shall attain stability in the Development and Completion Stages.

Having abandoned activity, at this time of one-pointed meditation

Do not fall into the power of delusions and negative emotions!

Ah! Now that the Bardo of Dying is arising for me,

Having abandoned all attachment, grasping and clinging

I shall enter undistractedly into clear understanding of the oral instructions

And transfer my own Awareness into the sphere of unborn space.

When just about to be parted from this composite body of flesh and blood,

Realize that it is impermanent and illusory!

Ah! Now that the Bardo of Dharmata is arising for me

Having abandoned all panic and terrified perceptions

I shall recognize whatever arises as the natural manifestation of my own awareness,

Realizing that this is the way the bardo appears.

A vital moment will come, when cessation is possible -

Do not fear the throng of peaceful and wrathful deities, your own manifestation!

Ah! Now that the Bardo of Becoming is arising for me,

Holding in mind my one-pointed longing

I shall try hard to prolong my good karma;

Stopping up the entrance to the womb, I shall remember to turn away from it.

Now is the time I must have courage and pure perception.

Abandoning jealousy, I will meditate on the teacher and his consort in union.

Not thinking death will come, but that I’ll live long,

Having accomplished only the pointless activities of this life

I would be truly stupid to return now empty-handed.

Recognize that what is needed is the Holy Dharma

So why don’t I practice the Dharma at this very moment?

As the great siddhas have said:

If we do not keep the lama’s instructions in our mind

We are betraying ourselves, are we not?

May these root verses of the Bardo Todral(Liberation on hearing in the Bardo)

XI. Short Prayer for Sukhavati

E MA HO
How Wonderful!

NGOR TSAR SANG GYE NANG WA THA YE DANG
Splendid Buddha of Boundless Light

YEH SU JOWO THUK JE CHEN PO DANG
With the lord of Compassion to the right,

YON TU SEM PA THU CHEN THOP NAM LA
The Bodhisattva of Great Power to the left,

SANG GYE JANG SEM PAK ME KHOR KYI KOR
and surrounded by innumerable Buddhas and Bodhisattvas!

DEH KYI NGO TSAR PAK TU ME PA YI
The marvelous joys and pleasures are

DEWA CHEN SHE JA WEI SHING KHAM DER
immeasurable in that pure land called Bliss.

DAK NI DIR NEH TSEH PO GYUR MA TAK
Right after this life ends,

KEY WA SHEN GYI BAR MA CHO PA RU
without any other intervening birth,

DE RU KYE NE NANG THE SHEL THONG SHO
may i be born there and see the face of the Buddha of Boundless Light.

DEH KEH DAK KI MON LAM TAP PA DI

Thus I make aspirations

CHOK CHU SANG GYE JANG SEM THAM CHE KYI
May all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions

GEK MAY DRUP PAR JIN KYI LAP TU SOL
grant their blessings to accomplish this without hindrance.

I wish to be reborn in the Western Pure Land.

I wish to have as my parents a lotus blossom in nine grades.

When the blossom opens, I will see the Buddha and realize that dharmas never arise,

And I will have as my companions the Bodhisattvas who never regress.

XII. The Extraordinary Aspiration of the Practice of Samantabhadra (The King of Prayers)

I bow down to the youthful Arya Manjushri.You lions among humans,
Gone to freedom in the present, past and future
In the worlds of ten directions,
To all of you, with body, speech and sincere mind I bow down.

With the energy of aspiration for the bodhisattva way,
With a sense of deep respect,
And with as many bodies as atoms of the world,
To all you Buddhas visualized as real, I bow down.

On every atom are Buddhas numberless as atoms,
Each amidst a host of bodhisattvas,
And I am confident the sphere of all phenomena
Is entirely filled with Buddhas in this way.

With infinite oceans of praise for you,
And oceans of sound from the, aspects of my voice,
I sing the breathtaking excellence of Buddhas,
And celebrate all of you Gone to Bliss.

Beautiful flowers and regal garlands,
Sweet music, scented oils and parasols,
Sparkling lights and sublime incense,
I offer to you Victorious Ones.

Fine dress and fragrant perfumes,
Sandalwood powder heaped high as Mount Meru,
All wondrous offerings in spectacular array,
I offer to you Victorious Ones.

With transcendent offerings peerless and vast,
With profound admiration for all the Buddhas,
With strength of conviction in the bodhisattva way,
I offer and bow down to all Victorious Ones.

Every harmful action I have done
With my body, speech and mind
Overwhelmed by attachment, anger and confusion,
All these I openly lay bare before you.

I lift up my heart and rejoice in all positive potential
Of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas in ten directions,
Of solitary realizers, hearers still training and those beyond,
And of all ordinary beings.

You who are the bright lights of worlds in ten directions,
Who have attained a Buddha’s omniscience through the stages of awakening,
All you who are my guides,
Please turn the supreme wheel of Dharma.

With palms together I earnestly request:
You who may actualize parinirvana,
Please stay with us for eons numberless as atoms of the world,
For the happiness and well-being of all wanderers in samsara.

Whatever slight positive potential I may have created,
By paying homage, offering, and acknowledging my faults,
Rejoicing, and requesting that the Buddhas stay and teach,
I now dedicate all this for full awakening.

May you Buddhas now living in the worlds of ten directions,
And all you gone to freedom in the past, accept my offerings.
May those not yet arisen quickly perfect their minds,
Awakening as fully enlightened ones.

May all worlds in ten directions,
Be entirely pure and vast.
May they be filled with bodhisattvas
Surrounding Buddhas gathered beneath a bodhi tree.

May as many beings as exist in ten directions
Be always well and happy.
May all samsaric beings live in accord with the Dharma,
And may their every Dharma wish be fulfilled.

Remembering my past lives in all varieties of existence,
May I practice the bodhisattva way,
And thus, in each cycle of death, migration and birth,
May I always abandon the householder’s life.

Then, following in the footsteps of all the Buddhas,
And perfecting the practice of a bodhisattva,
May I always act without error or compromise,
With ethical discipline faultless and pure.

May I teach the Dharma in the language of gods,
In every language of spirits and nagas,
Of humans and of demons,
And in the voice of every form of being.

May I be gentle-minded, cultivating the six paramitas,
And never forget bodhicitta.
May I completely cleanse without omission
Every negativity and all that obscures this awakening mind.

May I traverse all my lives in the world,
Free of karma, afflictions and interfering forces,
Just as the lotus blossom is undisturbed by the water’s wave,
Just as the sun and moon move unhindered through the sky.

May I ease the suffering in the lower realms
And in the many directions and dimensions of the universe.
May I guide all wanderers in samsara to the pure bliss of awakening
And be of worldly benefit to them as well.

May I practice constantly for eons to come,
Perfecting the activities of awakening,
Acting in harmony with the various dispositions of beings,
Showing the ways of a bodhisattva.

May I always have the friendship
Of those whose path is like mine,
And with body, words and also mind,
May we practice together the same aspirations and activities.

May I always meet a spiritual mentor
And never displease that excellent friend,
Who deeply wishes to help me
And expertly teaches the bodhisattva way.

May I always directly see the Buddhas,
Masters encircled by bodhisattvas,
And without pause or discouragement for eons to come,
May I make extensive offerings to them.

May I hold within me the Buddha’s genuine Dharma,
Illuminate everywhere the teachings that awaken,
Embody the realizations of a bodhisattva,
And practice ardently in all future eons.

While circling through all states of existence,
May I become an endless treasure of good qualities -
Skillful means, wisdom, samadhi and liberating stabilizations-
Gathering limitless pristine wisdom and positive potential.

On one atom I shall see
Buddha fields numberless as atoms,
Inconceivable Buddhas among bodhisattvas in every field,
Practicing the activities of awakening.

Perceiving this in all directions,
I pe into an ocean of Buddha fields,
Each an ocean of three times Buddhas in the space of a wisp of hair.
So I, too, will practice for an ocean of eons.

Thus I am continually immersed in the speech of the Buddhas,
Expression that reveals an ocean of qualities in one word,
The completely pure eloquence of all the Buddhas,
Communication suited to the varied tendencies of beings.

With strength of understanding I plunge
Into the infinite enlightened speech of the Dharma
Of all Buddhas in three times gone to freedom,
Who continually turn the wheel of Dharma methods.

I shall experience in one moment
Such vast activity of all future eons,
And I will enter into all eons of the three times,
In but a fraction of a second.

In one instant I shall see all those awakened beings,
Past, present and future lions among humans,
And with the power of the illusion-like stabilization
I will constantly engage in their inconceivable activity.

I shall manifest upon one single atom
The array of pure lands present, past and future.
Likewise, I shall enter the array of pure Buddha fields
In every direction without exception.

I shall enter the very presence of all my guides,
Those lights of this world who are yet to appear,
Those sequentially turning the wheels of complete awakening,
Those who reveal nirvana – final, perfect peace.

May I achieve the power of swift, magical emanation,
The power to lead to the great vehicle through every approach,
The power of always beneficial activity,
The power of love pervading all realms,
The power of all surpassing positive potential,
The power of supreme knowledge unobstructed by discrimination,
And through the powers of wisdom, skillful means and samadhi,
May I achieve the perfect power of awakening.

Purifying the power of all contaminated actions,
Crushing the power of disturbing emotions at their root,
Defusing the power of interfering forces,
I shall perfect the power of the bodhisattva practice.

May I purify an ocean of worlds,
May I free an ocean of beings,
May I clearly see an ocean of Dharma,
May I realize an ocean of pristine wisdom.

May I purify an ocean of activities,
May I fulfill an ocean of aspirations,
May I make offerings to an ocean of Buddhas,
May I practice without discouragement for an ocean of eons.

To awaken fully through this bodhisattva way,
I shall fulfill without exception
All the perse aspirations of the awakening practice
Of all Buddhas gone to freedom in the three times everywhere.

In order to practice exactly as the wise one
Called Samantabhadra, ‘All Embracing Good’,
The elder brother of the sons and daughters of the Buddhas,
I completely dedicate all this goodness.

Likewise may I dedicate
Just as the skillful Samantabhadra,
With pure body, speech and mind,
Pure actions and pure Buddha fields.

I shall give rise to the aspirations of Manjushri
For this bodhisattva practice of all embracing good,
To perfect these practices
Without discouragement or pause in all future eons.

May my pure activities be endless,
My good qualities boundless,
And through abiding in immeasurable activity,
May I actualize infinite emanations.

Limitless is the end of space,
Likewise, limitless are living beings,
Thus, limitless are karma and afflictions.
May my aspiration’s reach be limitless as well.

One may offer to the Buddhas
All wealth and adornments of infinite worlds in ten directions,
And one may offer during eons numberless as atoms of the world
Even the greatest happiness of gods and humans;

But whoever hears this extraordinary aspiration,
And longing for highest awakening
Gives rise to faith just once,
Creates far more precious positive potential.

Those who make this heartfelt aspiration for the bodhisattva way
Will be free of all lower rebirths,
Free of harmful companions,
And will quickly see Amitabha, Infinite Light.

And even in this very human life,
They will be nourished by happiness and have all conducive circumstances.
Without waiting long,
They will become like Samantabhadra himself.

Those who give voice to this extraordinary aspiration
Will quickly and completely purify
The five boundless harmful actions
Created under the power of ignorance.

Blessed with supreme knowledge,
Excellent body, family, attributes, and appearance,
They will be invincible to vast interfering forces and misleading teachers,
And all the three worlds will make offerings.

Going quickly to the noble bodhi tree,
And sitting there to benefit sentient beings,
Subduing all interfering forces,
They will fully awaken and turn the great wheel of Dharma

Have no doubt that complete awakening
Is the fully ripened result – comprehended only by a Buddha -
Of holding in mind by teaching, reading or reciting
This aspiration of the bodhisattva practice.

In order to train just like
The hero Manjushri who knows reality as it is
And just like Samantabhadra as well,
I completely dedicate all this goodness, just as they did.

With that dedication which is praised as greatest
By all the Buddhas gone to freedom in the three times,
I, too, dedicate all my roots of goodness
For the attainments of the bodhisattva practice.

When the moment of my death arrives,
By eliminating all obscurations
And directly perceiving Amitabha,
May I go immediately to Sukhavati, Pure Land of Great Joy.

Having gone to Sukhavati,
May I actualize the meaning of these aspirations,
Fulfilling them all without exception,
For the benefit of beings for as long as this world endures.

Born from an extremely beautiful, superlative lotus
In this joyful land, the Buddha’s magnificent mandala,
May I receive a prediction of my awakening
Directly from the Buddha Amitabha.

Having received a prediction there,
May I create vast benefit
For beings throughout the ten directions,
With a billion emanations by the power of wisdom.

Through even the small virtue I have accumulated
By offering this prayer of the bodhisattva practice,
May all the positive aspirations of beings
Be fulfilled in an instant.

Through creating limitless positive potential
By dedicating this prayer of Samantabhadra’s deeds,
May all beings drowning in this torrent of suffering,
Enter the presence of Amitabha.

Through this king of aspirations, which is the greatest of the sublime,
Helping infinite wanderers in samsara,
Through the accomplishment of this scripture dazzling with Samantabhadra’s practice,
May suffering realms be utterly emptied of all beings.

In recent years, when people recite for the deceased, they don’t have a complete liturgy for recitation. Although past Buddhist masters have left us many teachings on how to transfer the consciousness of the dead, its contents are mostly about reciting the name of Buddha Amitabha, which might not be the cure for sentient beings of different inclinations. Therefore, after having read a large amount of classical texts, I compiled this Liturgy for the Recitation at the Time of Death. Its contents are entirely the undeceiving vajra words of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and are beneficial to the deceased.

You must know that within the limited time frame after death, recitation is extremely important for the deceased. The Ksitigarbha Sutra said “If all dying persons have an opportunity of hearing only the name of one Buddha or one Bodhisattva, or the chanting of the Sutra, or even the chanting of one sentence or one poem of any Sutra, I can assure you that these dying persons will be kept away from the five Avici Hells. If a dying person has committed only small evil deeds which will cause him to be cast into the evil State for punishment, he will be relieved upon hearing the name of the Buddha or Bodhisattva or even the chanting of the Sutra.”

Therefore, it is most advisable for family members of the deceased to recite this liturgy every day for 49 days after the death. They should try their best to practice wholesome deeds such as recitation, life-release and refraining from meat-eating. It is said in Ksitigarbha Sutra that “When dying persons have passed away and their relatives continue to perform meritorious acts on their behalf within forty-nine days immediately after their death, it is assured that the departed ones will never be reborn in an evil state but will go into a Heaven or be reborn to the human world to enjoy longevity and felicity.” If you can, you should also recite classical texts such as the Diamond Sutra, Ksitigarbha Sutra, Prayer for Sukhavati, and Liberation upon Hearing. This will bring immeasurable benefit for the deceased.

This liturgy is easy to recite, its blessing infinite, and it is suitable for Sutrayana, Vajrayana and major schools of Tibet and China. I hope the fortunate ones do not take it for granted!

By Shakya monk Sodargye

at Serta Larong Five Sciences Buddhist Academy

December 10^th, 2009