Our world is so turbulent with problems and so filled with distress. How could there be a better time to slow down and supplicate the forces of goodness to h...elp us?
This week, please enjoy reading as much as you enjoy, if you want to read at your own space.
Download the Sutra of Golden Light texts in various languages >>
For others, who enjoy reading the same chapters with people from around the globe, please read Chapter 1 to the end of Chapter 4, the extremely beautiful chapter on Confession, so perfect for beginning the new year.
The following dedications have been requested by our members this month:
~Let's offer a prayer of gratitude to all those who inspire us, teach us, guide us, help us with course-corrections and, in general, hold up the light allowing us to find our way out of the darkness. from Tenzin Lhamo
Remember, if you scroll down, you will find the beautiful dedication prayers by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, based on Shantideva's text.
For our reading of the Sutra of Golden Light, we usually begin with the first chapter and conclude with the last (full guidelines for reading are included at the end of this email.) As the most kind Lama Zopa Rinpoche advises, increase the power or merit of your activity by saying this mantra 7 times before beginning your reading: OM DHARE DHARE BENDHARE SVAHA. It is also very beneficial if you take a moment to articulate your motivation before starting your reading, and finish by dedicating the power of your reading to fulfill a particular intention.
wishing you and all beings countless blessings,
Tenzin Lhamo
ps: If traveling, you can download the sutra to read while on the road; you can also report your reading after completing the entire sutra, by going to the FPMT site: https://www.fpmt.org/golde
Dedication Prayer by His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
following the example of the bodhisattva Shantideva
May all beings everywhere
plagued by sufferings of body and mind
obtain an ocean of happiness and joy
by virtue of my merits.
May no living creature suffer,
commit evil or ever fall ill.
May no one be afraid or belittled,
with a mind weighed down by depression.
May the blind see forms,
and the deaf hear sounds.
May those whose bodies are worn with toil
be restored on finding repose.
May the naked find clothing, the hungry find food;
may the thirsty find water
and delicious drinks.
May the poor find wealth,
those weak with sorrow find joy;
may the forlorn find hope,
constant happiness and prosperity.
May there be timely rain
and bountiful harvests;
may all medicines be effective
and wholesome prayers bear fruit.
May all who are sick and ill
quickly be freed from their ailments.
Whatever diseases there are in the world,
may they never occur again.
May the frightened cease to be afraid
and those bound be freed;
may the powerless find power
and may people think of benefiting each other.
( taken from The Direct and Unmistaken Method, Wisdom Publications, 1991)
Notes and reminders on reciting the Sutra of Golden Light
The link to print or download the sutra is >> ; For those of you new to such readings, some of the names can be quite astonishingly long; breaking them bit by bit into small groups of syllables can be helpful.
It is not necessary to recite aloud, but if you want to, you can use a very low voice rather than complete silence, it is said to bless all the beings in the area around you, seen and unseen.
Before starting:
For those of you who enjoy offering practices, it would be appropriate to put out a picture or statue of Buddha, offer a candle, flower, piece of fruit, water bowls, a mandala (or all of the above!), as part of your preparations.
Before beginning, it's suggested to take refuge; then take a moment to set and articulate your motivation, the reason why you are personally choosing to offer this time in reciting the Golden Light Sutra.
The sutra suggests washing, and wearing clean clothes (Lama Zopa Rinpoche recommends that we clean the body "mouth, both hands and feet" and have virtuous thought in approaching the reading of the sutra.)
We use two approaches: you can read at any time during the day (your local time) or, for those who enjoy reading at the exact time they know others will be doing the same, read at either 10 am or 9 pm (match the US East Coast time).
Before you begin, Lama Zopa Rinpoche recommends reciting the mantra
OM DHARE DHARE BENDHARE SVAHA 7 times.
This mantra increases the merit or positive power of your reading by one million times!
After completing:
Remember to dedicate the power you have generated after you complete your reading--you can dedicate or direct that merit to any purpose you choose. Rejoicing about all the others doing this practice (both when you are participating or when you have to skip a session) also generates huge merit!
http://www.fpmt.org/sutras
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