6. SEVEN-LIMBED PRACTICE

THE SEVEN PARTS of the practice are encompassed by two practices—the purification of negativities and the enhancing of the store of merit. When you engage in the practice, it is very important to understand that each and every one of the seven limbs¹ has its individual purpose and significance, and only with such knowledge can you engage properly in the practice. The seven limbs are: prostration, offering, confession, rejoicing, requesting to turn the wheel of the dharma, entreating not to enter into nirvana, and dedication of merit.

When you recite the verses of the seven-limbed practice, it is important to fold your palms to demonstrate the physical expression of the prostration. You should not feel embarrassed about folding the hands when reciting the prayers. A sense of shame and embarrassment should accompany only an indulgence in negative actions, when your conscience should be able to guard you well. On the contrary, people often demonstrate feelings of heroism and pleasure when indulging in such actions, which is very sad.

VERSES OF THE SEVEN-LIMBED PRAYER

1. Prostration

To my lama, who embodies all Buddhas

Who in nature is Vajradhara, and

Who is the root of the Three Jewels,

Ah, to my lama I bow down.

To all-compassionate Buddha Vajradhara,

To perfect seers Tilopa and Naropa,

The glorious Dombipa and Atisha:

To the tantric practice lineage I bow down.

To Maitreya, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Vimuktisena,

Paramasena, Vinitasena, Shrikirti, Singhabadra,

Kusali the Second, and Dharmakirti of the Golden Isles:

To the lineage of bodhimind’s vast action I bow down.

To Manjushri, destroyer of grasping at “is” and “is not,”

And to Nagarjuna, Chandrakirti, Vidyakokila the Great,

Buddhapalita and the other exalted teachers:

To the lineage of the profound teachings on emptiness I bow down.

And I bow to the glorious Atisha,

Who in the presence of Buddha was Bhadrapala,

In Tibet was called Dipamkara Atisha

And now, in Tushita Heaven, as Nam-kha Tri-ma-me,

Like a magic jewel works the good of the world.

And to the feet of the perfect friend and master,

The Bodhisattva who performed the work of Buddha,

A precious source fulfilling the two needs:

To the feet of the spiritual friend Drom I bow.

To Lama Tsongkhapa, crown jewel of Tibetan sages,

Who was an incarnation of the three Bodhisattvas—

Avalokiteshvara, treasure of unapprehendable compassion,

Manjushri, lord of the stainless wisdom,

And Vajrapani, destroyer of Mara’s armies:

To Tsongkhapa, Lob-sang Drak-pa, I bow down.

To the lineage Gurus past and present

Who train us in the mystic lore,

Teach us the sutras, tantras, commentaries, and oral traditions

And bestow initiations and blessings, I bow down.

Homage to the Guru, embodiment of the Three Jewels:

The precious Buddha, a peerless teacher,

The precious Dharma, a peerless savior,

And the precious Sangha, a peerless guide.

To Buddha Shakyamuni, Lord of the Shakyas,

Who out of wise compassion was born a prince,

Invincible one who crushed the force of evil:

To he whose body is a golden mountain I bow down.

O lions amongst men,

Buddhas past, present, and future,

To as many of you as exist in the ten directions,

I bow down with body, speech, and mind.

On waves of strength of this king

Of praises of exalted, sublime ways,

With bodies numerous as atoms of the world,

I bow down to the Buddhas pervading space.

On every atom is found a Buddha

Sitting amidst countless Bodhisattvas.

In this infinite sphere of mystic beings,

I gaze with eyes of faith.

With oceans of every possible sound

In eulogy of the perfect Buddhas,

I give voice to their excellent qualities:

Hail to those passed to bliss.

2. Offerings

Garlands of supreme flowers I offer them;

And beautiful sounds, supreme parasols,

Butter lamps and sacred incense,

I offer to all Awakened Ones.

Excellent food, supreme fragrance,

And a mound of powders as high as Meru

I arrange in mystic formation

And offer to those who have conquered themselves.

All these peerless offerings I hold up

In admiration for those gone to bliss.

In accord with exalted and sublime ways,

I prostrate and make offerings to the Buddhas.

For the practice of confession, which is the third of the seven limbs, it is very important to have the factor of regret; without this factor there is no possibility of purifying the negativities. A proper practice of purification requires four powers—the power of regret, the power of the basis, the actual application of the opponent forces, and the power of resolve. If you have the basic factor of regret, all the other powers will ensue naturally. On the other hand, if you lack the power of regret induced through a proper recognition of negative actions as destructive, then the completion of the other powers is not possible. One’s practice of purification will not be effective, since it will not be heartfelt. The great yogi Milarepa said: “When I examined whether or not confession could purify the negativities, I found that it is regret that cleanses them.”

In order to generate regret, it is important to see the destructive nature of negative actions and also to understand the law of causality. Causes and effects have a relation between them; in particular, the experiences of suffering and happiness—although having external causes as well—mainly come about due to the state of mind that we have. Based on a disciplined mind, we experience happiness; based on an undisciplined, untamed mind, we undergo suffering. We should think that if we are not able to make any progress from our present state of mind, which always indulges in negative thoughts, there is not much hope for us. So, if we are able to think in such terms, we will be able to really see the destructive nature of negative actions, and also that the store of negative actions that we have is inexhaustible, like a rich person’s bank balance. Without the recognition of the destructive nature of the negative forces, we will never be able to develop the deep factor of regret from the depth of our hearts.

If we do not engage in a proper practice of dharma, it seems that we may expend all our store of merit in mundane pleasures. It is very important to have this faculty of regret in our practice of purification and confession.

3. Confession

Whatever ill deeds I have committed,

Under the power of desire, anger, and ignorance,

Through my body, speech, and mind,

I confess and purify these individually.

This practice should be followed by the cultivation of admiration and rejoicing in the accumulation of merit by oneself and others.

4. Rejoicing

In the merits of all sentient beings,

Solitary realizers, learners and those beyond learning,

Buddhas in ten directions and their heirs,

I rejoice in all their virtues.

5. Requesting to turn the wheel of dhanna

O the light of all universes in ten directions,

Who realized Buddhahood through the stages to enlightenment,

I appeal to all of you protectors

To turn the unsurpassed wheel.

6. Entreating not to enter into Nirvana

With folded hands I entreat

Those intending to enter nirvana

To live for aeons equal to the atoms on earth,

For the benefit and happiness of all beings.

7. Dedication

Whatever little merit I have accumulated,

Through prostrating, offering, confessing,

Rejoicing, requesting, and entreating,

I dedicate all toward attaining full enlightenment.