My dear, most precious, wish-fulfilling one,
Thank you very much for your kind, long letter, which I have read. My suggestion is as far as possible every day, generally recite the Compassion Buddha, Chenrezig’s mantra, OM MANI PADME HUM and the Medicine Buddha mantra for success. This is very important as the basic practice.
By reciting OM MANI PADME HUM, the benefits are unbelievable. You can count the drops of the Pacific Ocean, but not the benefits of OM MANI PADME HUM, which are much more than that. Drops of rain can be counted, but not the benefits of OM MANI PADME HUM. The dust of the world can be counted, but not the benefits of OM MANI PADME HUM. Especially with bodhicitta, the benefits are more than the sky, purifying all the negative karma collected from beginningless rebirths and collecting extensive merit. With bodhicitta, the benefits are more than the sky.
The other thing is that it especially causes us to generate compassion for the sentient beings, which makes us achieve enlightenment quickly, showing compassion for even one sentient being. This is one of the main benefits of OM MANI PADME HUM. For example, my mother’s compassion is much greater than mine, even though she can’t read the texts. Every day she recited 50,000 OM MANI PADME HUM mantras, though later she couldn’t do that many.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s Middle-Length Lamrim is the text you should study. Read and study it from beginning to end three times. When you study, with an orange or pink highlighter respectfully mark the text, the things you don’t understand, like offering robes to a painting or statue of Buddha. Or buy a notebook and write down what you don’t understand and then discuss these points with students who have studied the lamrim well or with a geshe.
- Refuge: 300,000
- Water bowls: 30,000
- Dorje Khadro: 300,000
- Prostrations to the Thirty-five Buddhas: 60,000
Regarding your deity, you can choose between Yamantaka and Heruka. Practice whichever one you have a stronger feeling for.
With much love and prayers ...
