Building extensive intentions and prayers — a Skype conversation about technique
In the article titled “Branches of Buddhism – The Mahayana Canon. Intentions” I posted, in a comment for decoding and cancellation, a set of guidelines developed in Buddhism on how to become a Bodhisattva and what to do in order not to fall off the path while experiencing further misfortunes, worries, and suffering—when the whole world is collapsing. The MINW site is devoted to cancelling and freeing oneself from such ideas, and I addressed that text to people advanced in working with their own soul, who can independently adapt it into decoding prayers.
In the recording we talk about how, from that text, one can extract the maximum content into one sentence. A friend wrote those verses out as intentions, and in his hands they took the following form:
- Of me, of my soul, of our whole being in all forms of our existence and in various places of time and space, and also beyond them, practicing (–not) as bodhisattvas in such a way that through listening, reflection, and meditation—among other things after attaining the precious human rebirth endowed with freedoms, so difficult to obtain and yet so powerful—without ceasing even for a moment, neither day nor night, we strive to liberate ourselves and others from the ocean of samsara, as well as from all patterns, matters, limitations, and the effects connected with them, which You, God the Giver of Life, might still in Your kindness wish to indicate.
- Of me, of my soul, of our whole being in all forms of our existence and in various places of time and space, and also beyond them, being (–not) the negation of bodhisattvas so that through our actions, reflection, and listening—without ceasing even for a moment, neither day nor night—we strive to enslave ourselves and others by sinking into the ocean of samsara, as well as into all patterns, matters, limitations, and the effects connected with them, which You, God the Giver of Life, might still in Your kindness wish to indicate.
Here we are given only the intentions themselves, without the introductory cancelling scheme.
We established that Grzesiek completely omitted the introduction and the invocation addressed to Lokesi, called here Lokeshwaraye.
We analyze how one can expand intentions much more broadly and for what purpose. This is only part of the information on how any other text can be used differently for work with prayer and intentions.
It is also worth, in every intention and prayer, to ask the Creator to add what He considers appropriate. If throughout your whole life—indeed, many incarnations of your soul—you gave God little to do, then I assume He will be glad for the positive conclusions of those asking. At last, someone turns to God directly, without intermediaries and gurus.
The second part of the recorded conversation is devoted to a different topic.
The text that we independently adapt into intentions was taken from the page: http://mahajana.net/teksty/37_praktyk_bodhisattwy.html
How a Bodhisattva Acts
Thirty-Seven Practices
Ngulchu Thogme
translation: Łukasz Szpunar
proofreading: Joanna Grabiak, Sebastian Musielak
Namo Lokeshwaraye
I continuously bow with body, speech, and mind
Out of respect for the supreme teacher
And guardian Avalokiteśvara.
Although seeing that phenomena neither arise nor cease,
Bodhisattvas act solely for the benefit of others.
Fully enlightened buddhas,
The source of benefit and happiness,
Appeared from realizing the holy dharma.
And that depends on whether we know how to act;
Therefore I will explain what the practices of bodhisattvas are.
1)
After attaining the precious human rebirth endowed with freedoms,
So difficult to obtain and yet so powerful,
Without ceasing even for a moment, neither day nor night,
In striving to liberate oneself and others from the ocean of samsara;
The Bodhisattva listens, reflects, and meditates—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
From the above verses (bolded in red) the following intention was created:
concerning: “Of me, of my soul, of our whole being in all forms of our existence and in various places of time and space, and also beyond them, practicing (–not) as bodhisattvas in such a way that through listening, reflection, and meditation—among other things after attaining the precious human rebirth endowed with freedoms, so difficult to obtain and yet so powerful—without ceasing even for a moment, neither day nor night, we strive to liberate ourselves and others from the ocean of samsara, as well as from all patterns, matters, limitations, and the effects connected with them, which You, God the Giver of Life, might still in Your kindness wish to indicate.”
2)
Toward friends—attachment like restless waters;
Toward enemies—hatred like a raging fire.
Dulled by ignorance, we forget what we should and should not do;
The Bodhisattva abandons such a homeland—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
3)
When bad, unfavorable circumstances are left behind,
Disturbing emotions and views gradually subside.
Without any distractions,
Perseverance in striving for virtue naturally increases.
When awareness brightens, trust in the dharma arises;
The Bodhisattva spends time in solitude—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
4)
On the bed of death, the temporary consciousness leaves this body
Like a guest leaving an inn;
Therefore let us leave behind close ones with whom we lived so long,
And wealth gained with such great effort.
The Bodhisattva abandons all worries of this world—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
5)
People around you who infect you with the three poisons
Weaken the practice of listening, reflection, and meditation,
Damaging loving-kindness and compassion;
The Bodhisattva abandons bad friends—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
6)
Those you can rely on, because they put an end to wrongdoing,
Who develop positive qualities like the waxing moon,
The Bodhisattva values such spiritual friends
Even more than his own body—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
7)
Whom can the gods of this world support
If they themselves are imprisoned in samsara?
The Bodhisattva, seeking help, takes refuge
In the Three Jewels—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
8)
The Buddha said: “The result of negative actions
Is unimaginable suffering in some lower realm.”
Therefore the Bodhisattva does not commit evil deeds,
Even at the cost of his own life—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
9)
The happiness of the three worlds is like morning dew
Hanging on a blade of grass, vanishing in an instant.
The Bodhisattva strives for the supreme state—
Freedom that is unchanging—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
10)
What use is personal happiness
When every loving mother from the very beginning
Suffers? To free countless sentient beings
The Bodhisattva awakens bodhicitta—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
11)
All suffering without exception arises from the wish
To obtain happiness for oneself;
The desire to serve others gives rise to perfect buddhas.
The Bodhisattva takes upon his shoulders the suffering of others
At the cost of his own happiness—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
12)
Even if someone, out of great need, robs him of all his wealth
Or has another do it,
The Bodhisattva offers the thief his own body, joy, and merits—
Past, present, and future—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
13)
Even if someone cuts off his head,
Although he has done nothing wrong,
The Bodhisattva, by the power of compassion, takes upon himself
The negativities of his tormentor—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
14)
Even if he becomes the victim of slander
Resounding through millions of universes,
The Bodhisattva speaks with love of the slanderer’s virtues—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
15)
Even if he is insulted before an assembly,
His hidden faults pointed out,
The Bodhisattva bows respectfully, seeing in the enemy
A spiritual friend—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
16)
Even if someone treats him like an enemy,
Although he cared for that person like his own child,
The Bodhisattva regards him with great love,
Like a mother caring for a sick child—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
17)
If someone equal or lower in status,
Out of arrogance, despises him,
The Bodhisattva treats him with respect,
As if that person were his teacher—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
18)
Even penniless,
Humiliated by others, chronically ill,
Crushed by the power of bad conditions,
The Bodhisattva takes upon himself all evil deeds and suffering of beings,
Without losing heart—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
19)
Though widely known and respected,
And wealthy like Vaiśravana,
The Bodhisattva, understanding that wealth and fame in this world are empty,
Is free of arrogance—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
20)
When you cannot control anger, your inner enemy,
And you try to defeat external enemies,
They only increase.
Therefore the Bodhisattva calms the stream of his own mind
By the power of loving-kindness and compassion—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
21)
Desire is like drinking salt water:
The more you drink, the more you thirst.
The Bodhisattva immediately abandons everything that arouses attachment—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
22)
All manifest phenomena without exception
Are creations of the mind;
The primordial nature of mind is beyond its creations.
Understanding this, the Bodhisattva frees himself from dualistic perception—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
23)
If, on his path, the Bodhisattva encounters beautiful forms,
He practices renunciation of attachment,
Seeing them as wondrous yet unreal, like a summer rainbow—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
24)
Seeing illusory phenomena as real
Exhausts like experiencing the death of one’s own child
During a dream;
From this comes most of our suffering.
Therefore the Bodhisattva regards all unpleasant events as delusion—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
25)
Whoever wishes to be enlightened
Must, if necessary, sacrifice their body,
Not to mention material things.
The Bodhisattva is generous
Without hope for reward
Or any result—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
26)
Without self-discipline,
One cannot benefit even oneself;
So wishing to benefit others is a sad, unpleasant joke.
Therefore the Bodhisattva undertakes discipline free of attachment to this world—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
27)
All painful experiences are like precious jewels
For the Bodhisattva who delights in virtue.
Therefore the Bodhisattva cultivates patience
Toward all without exception, without anger or resentment—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
28)
Although śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas
Bring benefit only to themselves,
And their efforts resemble extinguishing flames in their own hair,
The Bodhisattva strives to develop good qualities
That benefit everyone—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
29)
Disturbing emotions and views
Are completely eliminated by vipaśyanā
When fully united with śamatha.
Understanding this, the Bodhisattva practices stability of mind in meditation
Beyond the four absorptions of the formless realm—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
30)
Perfect enlightenment cannot be attained
Through the five pāramitās without wisdom;
Therefore the Bodhisattva perfects wisdom free of concepts,
Endowed with threefold purity and skillful means—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
31)
If one does not examine the confusion in one’s mind,
One may become a charlatan
Disguised as a dharma practitioner.
Therefore the Bodhisattva always looks into the chaos of his mind and abandons it—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
32)
The power of disturbing emotions and views
Makes us speak of the faults of bodhisattvas,
Thus shaming ourselves.
The Bodhisattva does not speak of the faults of others on the Mahayana path—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
33)
Listening, reflecting, and meditating
Are tainted by talking about goods and services.
The Bodhisattva abandons attachment to the possessions of friends and donors—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
34)
When harsh speech is used, one’s behavior is tainted,
And the peace of sentient beings is disturbed.
The Bodhisattva abandons harsh words, unpleasant for others—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
35)
When accustomed to lower realms and crude views,
When accustomed to disturbing emotions,
It is not easy to find an antidote.
With the weapon of mindfulness he overcomes disturbing mind-states (such as desire, etc.) as soon as they arise—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
36)
In short:
Whatever he does, wherever he is,
The Bodhisattva looks deeply into the state of his mind,
Maintaining mindfulness at all times,
For the benefit of others—
This is the practice of a bodhisattva.
37)
This is the practice of bodhisattvas:
To dedicate the merit gained through effort
By means of impeccably pure insight
Free from the idea of benefactor, recipient, and gift,
In order to end the suffering of all beings.
For the benefit of those who wish to train on the bodhisattva path,
I have presented these thirty-seven practices of a bodhisattva,
Based on sutras, tantras, and treatises,
In accordance with the words of the holy ones.
Although I have not great education and am not very wise,
And my explanation would not satisfy scholars,
I believe there is no error in these practices of bodhisattvas,
Because they are based on sutras and holy teachings.
However, because it is difficult for someone like me
To understand the splendid deeds of bodhisattvas,
I ask the holy ones for patience
If I have made mistakes in logic, etc.
By this merit, may all sentient beings,
Having awakened absolute and relative bodhicitta,
Become like Lord Avalokiteśvara,
Who lives beyond the extremes of nirvana and samsara.
This text was written in the holy cave, precious like the Three Jewels,
In Ngulchu by Tsunpa Thongme,
Who teaches authentic scriptures and reasoning,
For the benefit of himself and all sentient beings.
Glossary
Three poisons: anger, desire, ignorance
Bodhicitta: the aspiration to attain enlightenment for all sentient beings, as well as the practice performed to develop that aspiration
Vaiśravana: god of wealth
Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas: followers of Theravāda who practice to attain nirvana and the state of arhat, which—though not full enlightenment—prevents rebirth in samsara
Vipaśyanā: various analytical and calming meditation practices to realize the nature of mind (emptiness); ultimately linked to realizing the non-dual true nature of mind
Six pāramitās: generosity, discipline, patience, effort (engagement), meditation (concentration), wisdom
Four absorptions: meditative states characteristic of beings in the formless realm; rebirth there results from stable, balanced meditations: (1) infinite space, (2) infinite consciousness, (3) nothingness/no perception, (4) the peak of samsara
Threefold purity: when we include the sixth pāramitā (wisdom) in practice, we stop seeing the three elements (the actor, the action, and the one acted upon) as real
Opublikowano: 08/02/2026
Autor: Sławomir Majda
Kateogrie: Prayer techniques
Komentarze