The Grand Puja of Buddha Vajrasattva
Lord Buddha Shakyamuni taught innumerable methods of purification, but meditation and recitation on Vajrasattva, is said to be the most profound among all.
The Buddha of Purification
The practice of Vajrasattva, or Dorje Sempa in Tibetan, cleanses all obscurations, particularly those related to transgressed vows and broken samayas. Buddha Vajrasattva made this great aspiration of achieving enlightenment, "When I attained perfect Buddhahood, may all beings be purified of their obscurations, their negative deeds, and their dense darkness of ignorance, simply by hearing my name, seeing my form, thinking of me, or reciting the mantra that contains my name."
The Buddha Vajrasattva practice thangka of Dechen Choekhor
The Practice of Confession:
There are no negative actions that cannot be purified through confession, even the most heinous one. In fact, the great teachers of the past uttered this, "There is only one virtue of negative actions, is that it can be purified." However, purification can genuinely take place when one confess truthfully in the right way, applying the Four Powers as means of confession.
The Four Powers:
1) The Power of Support
Confession needs a support for us to express our remorse, our regret. In this context, the object or deity we seek to confess upon our negative deeds, is Buddha Vajrasattva.
2) The Power of Regret
One must have a feeling of deep remorse or regret over the harmful actions one has committed, knowingly or unknowingly, intentionally or unintentionally; those that one could remember, and all those one has forgotten. Knowing that all these past negative actions are the very cause of our sufferings and the endless circling in the samsara; and without purifying them, it will only perpetuate our sufferings further in lives to come. This arouse a sense of intense regret over all the negativities we have committed, out of ignorance or carelessness, in all our lifetimes since the beginningless time.
3) The Power of Antidotes
Regret alone does not serve. We have to find ways to repair these wrongs. We must make every effort to purifying ourselves. This is where one engage sincerely, wholeheartedly in practicing the Vajrasattva sadhana, to cleanse and purify one's negative karmas and obscurations.
4) The Power of Resolution
The purification will not have any lasting effects if we do not have the determination to refrain from committing it again. It just doesn't work if one have that kind of wrong perception in one's mind, "It really doesn't matter, as I can always confess afterwards for whatever wrongdoings I have committed ..." Thus, relentlessly remind yourself on the harmful actions you have done in the past and its retribution when the karma ripened, and make firm resolve that you will never commit them again from now on, even at the cost of your very own life.
The Importance of Purification Practices
As Vajrayana practitioners, we are constantly breaking the samayas due to our ignorance and lack of knowledge. If we do not keep the samayas well, it becomes the primary hindrance to the progress of our practices. No matter how much we practice; the progress will not there. Thus, for those who have entered the path of Vajrayana, the first priority is to purify, correcting the karma, and fulfilling the broken samayas. Once the karma has been purified, and all the samayas are filled, you'll feel increasing blessings and improvements. Your practices and meditation will steadily progress and heightened.
The Timeframe of Confessing a Wrong Deed or Transgressed Vows
It is extremely important for one to be mindful of one's actions, speeches and thoughts; and strive constantly and diligently, toward purifying all negative deeds and mending any violated vows. For any broken samaya or negativities committed, it's important to confess and purify it, as soon as one realized it. The best is immediately. Otherwise, within one day, three days, seven days or 21 days, it is still acceptable. Once it has exceeded three years, then it will be very difficult to be cleaned.
Daily Confession
It would be very beneficial, if one could make a daily confession as one's routine, and persevere in this practice. Every night, before retire, chant the 100 Syllables Mantra of Buddha Vajrasattva for 3 or 7 or 21 times; and confess all the wrong doings one has committed during the day, whether knowingly or unknowing, intentionally or unintentionally, for those one remembered, and those one do not. With deep remorse, one repent and confess all the negative deeds, and any possible breaches, faults and downfalls of the root and branch samayas related to body, speech and mind.
Brief Information on Lineage Transmission:
The Vajrasattva practice of Dechen Choekhor is originated Lineage of King Dza, which was brought back to Tibet by Lama Marpa. Later, it passes through many great enlightened masters of the Kagyupa until the previous Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche, Thutop Choeyi Gyamtso.
The Benefits of the Vajrasattva Meditation and Mantra Recitation according to the Sadhana
Vajrasattva is the embodiment of the infinite qualities and the deeds of the body, speech and mind of all Buddhas of the three times. Therefore, the Vajrasattva practice is the most supreme practice among all the tantric practices, and there is no meditational deity and mantra practice, which is not integrated in this.
1) Simply by hearing the name of Vajrasattva, has the advantage of purifying and cleansing the heinous actions of a tantric practitioner.
2) One hundred-time chanting of the Vajrasattva mantra, has the benefit of purifying all the transgressions of vows and saving the practitioner from plunging into the three hell realms.
3) Chanting the mantra with visualization, practitioner will be held and protected as the son of the Buddhas, in this life, and after death; he will surely become a son of the victorious ones.
4) The practice of Vajrasattva bestows the privileges of cleansing of unpurified sins; accomplishment of merits; attainment of spiritual insights; and perfection of wisdom.
5) Confessing and purifying the misdeeds with strong regret and proper remedies, Vajrasattva practice helps the tantric practitioner to purify all his negative karmas accumulated from beginningless time, and those created through the violation of the tantric precepts and vows.
All are welcome to participate in this auspicious and beneficial event.
Should you wish to find out more details of this puja, please write to us: web@dechenchoekhor.org
Thank you!
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Listen to the Buddha Vajrasattva Prayer chanting by Jetsun Choekyi Gonpo