As we know, Phakchok Rinpoche has requested that the global sangha accumulate the 6 Vajra Line Dusum Sangye supplication. We are slowly making progress, but we’d like to use our first Sharing Practice with Sangha Blog to “reboot” this effort.
If each of us were to add just 10 minutes of reciting a day, we could easily reach the goal of 10 million prayers that Rinpoche set for us! But most importantly, we can make supplication meaningful in our own practice.
Why Do We Accumulate Large Numbers of Supplication Prayers?
As we supplicate, we might want to reflect that these numbers are not to benefit Rinpoche himself–he doesn’t get some sort of prize! Instead, out of his tremendous compassion he is offering us this opportunity to amass great merit. Of course the numbers seem very high–but time and time again, Rinpoche teaches on the importance of supplication and of aspiration. The numbers are high because Rinpoche wants us to truly integrate these practices into our very being. Moreover, the sheer vastness of the numbers helps us to go beyond our normal limits–we then engage in opening our minds. When we set our motivation to attain awakening for the benefit of all beings as far as space pervades we also shatter our habits of thinking in a narrow and constricted way. When we embrace the idea of these vast numbers, we take more steps toward changing our limited perspectives.
Blessings of the Guru: Why We Practice Lineage Supplication
On The Kindness of the Lineage Masters
“It is important to reflect on the kindness of the lineage masters—in particular our root teachers—before we begin any spiritual activity. Since the Buddha’s appearance in this world 2,600 years ago, the teachings have been practiced, actualized, and preserved by countless noble beings.“
Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche
Supplicating the Lineage is everything!…If we think about it for a moment BuddhaDharma is unique in the world of spiritual traditions and paths because it is a living tradition. The teachings have been passed down in an unbroken line (lineage) from teacher to disciple. This disciple practices the teachings and if realization takes place becomes a teacher in the lineage….this is an unbroken lineage right down to our own precious teacher, our Guru. This concept is subsumed in Padmasambhava, with whom our Guru is inseparable…..
Guru Rinpoche/Padmasambhava vowed ” I am never far from those with faith, or even from those without it, though they do not see me. My children will always, always, be protected by my compassion.”
Padmasambhava
This process and practice of Lineage Supplication is the birth of “Devotion” that mysterious quality we often wonder when will it happen to us, how does it happen to us…when will be the day that we experience this wonderful quality born from unshakeable faith?
It all starts with supplicating the lineage….little bit by little bit.
As Tai situ pa states ” Until we have devotion nothing deep is going to happen for sure.”
When we think of the obstacles understood, and not understood in life, on the path, we need to rely on something that is derived from wisdom. Wisdom in Dharma is experiential….an infinite source of this wisdom is from all of the great masters in the lineage who have broken free from the fetters of Samsara, who have championed the practice, and have reached realization…..Wisdom is Direct Experience.
Albert Einstien has a quote which speaks beautifully to this:” No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
So how do we crack open our hearts, step away from the inflation of mind and belief in our stories about reality….our mistrust and suspicion, our hopes and fears
Supplicating the lineage is the beginning of a deep trust, a trust that connects one to the teacher, to the wisdom that is beyond intellectual learning and opens the door to the possibilities of direct experience, in one’s own life “The Blessings of the Guru.”
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche explains it well here: ” Devotion is the essence of the path, and if we have in mind nothing but the guru and feel nothing but fervent devotion, whatever occurs is perceived as his blessing. If we simply practice with this constantly present devotion, this is prayer itself. When all thoughts are imbued with devotion to the guru, there is a natural confidence that this will take care of whatever may happen. All forms are the guru, all sounds are prayer, and all gross and subtle thoughts arise as devotion. Everything is spontaneously liberated in the absolute nature, like knots untied in the sky.”
And finally I wanted to say that on those days when laziness is king and we simply do not want to push through….the lineage marches forward…the momentum of this stream of dedicated bodhisattvas and their supplication and aspirations to support all of us on the path and to liberate us from Samsara moves forward ….there is a subtle guidance that is born…a beacon in the night of Samsara that reminds us that Enlightenment it is possible, accessible and real….” devotion is the dimension which allows you to sail across even if you do not know the way” …….
Tsunma Jamyang Donma
Great to see these comments. Having just returned from a Trinley Nyingpo retreat at Gomde UK with Lama Tenzin Sangpo, he stressed again and again the need for the preliminaries including supplication.
Supplicating the lamas yidams and dakinis and receiving the blessings is the perfect foundation for our practice.
Thank you for posting all these inspiring thoughts on supplication. The only thing I disagree with is the idea that somehow we are being asked to accumulate a huge amount of prayers. At first it can seem like this. But when I examine my mind it becomes pretty obvious that I am already accumulating large numbers of things. I mentally repeat all my habitual patterns of negative thoughts and emotions even though I don’t want to. If I were to count them up I am pretty sure the same set of truly unhelpful patterns get repeated many tens of millions of times. Compared to this onslaught of habits, possibly built up over countless lifetimes, how can we say that we are being asked to recite a huge number of prayers? It is incredible to think that making supplications, whole-heartedly, with pure motivation, a few hundred thousand times can actually work to overcome the sadhana of samsara, the same patterns of thoughts and emotions, that we have already repeated many millions (billions?) of times in this lifetime alone.
This is an amazing web site. It is and will be so very helpful. Profound gratitude to everyone who helped make this happen !
Thanks Craig and thanks for all your support!