The practice of the Thirty-five Buddhas is an atomic bomb on delusions and karma.
Reciting the names of the Thirty-five Buddhas of Confession is like an atomic bomb on negative karma and the defilements. I will be so happy if you can memorize it. It is unbelievably powerful. You are helping everyone to not be reborn in the lower realms and to quickly be liberated from delusions and karma. You are helping every ant, every cockroach, every rat, every single fish, every single fly, every single mosquito, every one of the numberless animals, every hell being, every hungry ghost, every human being, including your dearest family, those who accused you, the dearest judge, everyone.
If you can do the actual prostrations as well, that is best; it is two very powerful things combined—reciting the names and doing the prostrations. It is explained that however many atoms that your body covers, measured from the tip of your hairs to the tip of your toes, you create that many causes, multiplied by one thousand, to be born as a wheel-turning king. Of course, to be born as a wheel-turning king just one time you have to create unbelievable, inconceivable merits; the Buddha is just giving an idea by using this example of how much merit you collect by doing one prostration.
If you can’t prostrate, then at least put your palms together as you recite the names. As you recite, visualize that you emanate numberless bodies, as big as a mountain range, and all these bodies are prostrating from all directions, from all corners of the earth, toward the buddhas on the altar.
Visualize nectar beams coming from the buddhas into your body and mind, purifying all negative karmas collected by you and all sentient beings since beginningless time.
Of course, you dedicate the merits to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. You also pray that they have happiness, that they be free of all suffering, and that they achieve the ultimate happiness of enlightenment. It is unbelievable. Because of the kindness of the Buddha, the compassion of the Buddha, we have this easy method for helping sentient beings.
THE PRACTICE
Contemplate:
The purpose of my life is to free the numberless sentient beings—who are the source of all my past, present and future happiness, temporary as well as ultimate, including all the realizations of the path, liberation from samsara, as well as enlightenment—from all the oceans of samsaric suffering, including the causes: delusions and karma.
To do this, I must achieve full enlightenment. Therefore I need to actualize the path. Therefore I need to purify negative karma and delusions.
Samsara has no end.
Not only that, karma increases: from even a small negative action huge suffering results can come. From just one negative karma, I have to experience the results over and over for many hundreds of lifetimes.
And karma is certain to be experienced, so every negative action I have created will definitely bring its result, no matter how long it takes, until it is purified.
Understanding this, how can I stand to live life without purifying myself and getting rid of all these negative karmas, just as I would try to rid my body of a deadly poison?
Not only that, I’m going to die. Death can come at any moment, even today.
Therefore I must purify all my negative actions this second. To do that, I am going to do these prostrations with the practice of confessing downfalls.
And I’m doing this to develop myself in order to work for the happiness of all sentient beings.
How to meditate during the practice
Visualize in the space in front of you your guru in the aspect of Shakyamuni Buddha, with Thousand-arm Chenrezig, the Compassion Buddha, at his heart.
At the heart of Chenrezig is the syllable HRIH, and from this syllable thirty-four beams of light emanate, forming six rows in the space beneath Chenrezig.
At the end of each beam is a throne supported by elephants and adorned with pearls, and on each throne is seated one of the other thirty-four buddhas of confession.
In the first row are six buddhas, blue in color and in the aspect of Akshobhya, with the exception of the third buddha, King Lord of the Nagas, who has a blue body but a white head.
In the second row, there are seven buddhas, white in color, in the aspect of Vairochana.
In the third row are seven buddhas, yellow in color, in the aspect of Ratnasambhava.
In the fourth row are seven buddhas, red in color, in the aspect of Amitabha.
In the fifth row there are seven buddhas, green in color, in the aspect of Amoghasiddhi.
These are the Thirty-five Confession Buddhas.
In the sixth row are the seven Medicine Buddhas.
Think that each one of these buddhas is the embodiment of the Three Rare Sublimes Ones of the three times and ten directions, as well as all statues, stupas and scriptures. The essence of all of these is the guru. Have complete faith that each one has the power to purify all your negative karmas and imprints accumulated since beginningless time.
Increasing mantras
CHOM DAN DA DE ZHIN SHEG PA DRA CHOM PA YANG DAG PAR DZOG PAI SANG GYA RIN CHHEN GYAL TSHAN LA CHHAG TSHAL LO (7X)
OM NAMO BHAGAVATE RATNAKETURAJAYA / TATHAGATAYA / ARHATE / SAMYAKSAMBUDDHAYA / TADYATHA / OM RATNE RATNE MAHARATNE RATNA VIJAYE SVAHAA (7X)
OM NAMO MANJUSHRIYE / NAMAH SUSHRIYE / NAMA UTTAMASHRIYE SVAHA (3X)
Refuge: The power of reliance
I, [say your name], throughout all times, take refuge in the Guru,
I take refuge in the Buddha,
I take refuge in the Dharma,
I take refuge in the Sangha. (3x)
Recite the namers of the buddhas: The power of the remedy
Now imagine that you emanate numberless bodies in all directions. As you prostrate (or imagine that you are prostrating) visualize all these bodies also prostrating along with you, covering every atom of the earth.
Visualize nectar beams coming from the buddhas into your body and mind, purifying all negative karmas collected by you and all sentient beings since beginningless time.
Recite each buddha’s name several times. It is the recitation of the name of each buddha that causes the purification, so it makes a big difference whether you recite just a few times or many.
Homage
Homage to the Confession of the Bodhisattva’s Downfalls!
Shakyamuni Buddha
1. To the Founder, Bhagavan, Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Completed Buddha, Glorious Conqueror Shakyamuni Buddha, I prostrate.
First row, blue, in the aspect of Akshobhya
2. To Tathagata Thoroughly Destroying with Vajra Essence, I prostrate.
3. To Tathagata Radiant Jewel, I prostrate.
4. To Tathagata King, Lord of the Nagas, I prostrate.
5. To Tathagata Army of Heroes, I prostrate.
6. To Tathagata Delighted Hero, I prostrate.
7. To Tathagata Jewel Fire, I prostrate.
Second row, white, in the aspect of Vairochana
8. To Tathagata Jewel Moonlight, I prostrate.
9. To Tathagata Meaningful to See, I prostrate.
10. To Tathagata Jewel Moon, I prostrate.
11. To Tathagata Stainless One, I prostrate.
12. To Tathagata Bestowed with Courage, I prostrate.
13. To Tathagata Pure One, I prostrate.
14. To Tathagata Bestowed with Purity, I prostrate.
Third row, yellow, in the aspect of Ratnasambhava
15. To Tathagata Water God, I prostrate.
16. To Tathagata Deity of the Water God, I prostrate.
17. To Tathagata Glorious Goodness, I prostrate.
18. To Tathagata Glorious Sandalwood, I prostrate.
19. To Tathagata Infinite Splendor, I prostrate.
20. To Tathagata Glorious Light, I prostrate.
21. To Tathagata Sorrowless Glory, I prostrate.
Fourth row, red, in the aspect of Amitabha
22. To Tathagata Son of Noncraving, I prostrate.
23. To Tathagata Glorious Flower, I prostrate.
24. To Tathagata Pure Light Rays Clearly Knowing by Play, I prostrate.
25. To Tathagata Lotus Light Rays Clearly Knowing by Play, I prostrate.
26. To Tathagata Glorious Wealth, I prostrate.
27. To Tathagata Glorious Mindfulness, I prostrate.
28. To Tathagata Glorious Name Widely Renowned, I prostrate.
Fifth row, green, in the aspect of Amoghasiddhi
29. To Tathagata King Holding the Victory Banner of Foremost Power, I prostrate.
30. To Tathagata Glorious One Totally Subduing, I prostrate.
31. To Tathagata Utterly Victorious in Battle, I prostrate.
32. To Tathagata Glorious Transcendence Through Subduing, I prostrate.
33. To Tathagata Glorious Manifestations Illuminating All, I prostrate.
34. To Tathagata All-Subduing Jewel Lotus, I prostrate.
35. To Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Completed Buddha, King, Lord of the Mountains Firmly Seated on Jewel and Lotus, I prostrate. (3x)
Sixth row: The Seven Medicine Buddhas
1. To the bhagavan, tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha, Renowned Glorious King of Excellent Signs, I prostrate.
2. To the bhagavan, tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha, King of Melodious Sound, Brilliant Radiance of Skill, Adorned with Jewels, Moon and Lotus, I prostrate.
3. To the bhagavan, tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha, Stainless Excellent Gold, Illuminating Jewel Who Accomplishes All Conduct, I prostrate.
4. To the bhagavan, tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha, Glorious Supreme One Free from Sorrow, I prostrate.
5. To the bhagavan, tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha, Melodious Ocean of Proclaimed Dharma, I prostrate.
6. To the bhagavan, tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha, Clearly Knowing by the Play of Supreme Wisdom of an Ocean of Dharma, I prostrate.
7. To the bhagavan, tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha, Medicine Guru, King of Lapis Lazuli Light, I prostrate.
Confession prayer: The power of regret
All you [Thirty-five Buddhas] and others, as many tathagatas, arhats, perfectly completed buddhas as there are existing, sustaining and residing in all the world systems of the ten directions; all you buddha bhagavans, please pay attention to me.
In this life and in all the states of rebirth in which I have circled in samsara throughout beginningless lives, whatever negative actions I have created, made others create or rejoiced in the creation of;
Whatever possessions of stupas, possessions of the Sangha or possessions of the Sangha of the ten directions that I have appropriated, made others appropriate, or rejoiced in the appropriation of;
Whichever among the five actions of immediate [retribution] I have done, caused to be done or rejoiced in the doing of;
Whichever paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions I have engaged in, caused others to engage in or rejoiced in the engaging in;
Whatever I have created, being obscured by these karmas causes me and sentient beings to be born in the hell realms, in the animal realm and in the hungry ghost realm; in irreligious countries, as barbarians, or as long-life gods; with imperfect faculties, holding wrong views, or not being pleased with Buddha’s descent.
In the presence of the buddha bhagavans, who are transcendental wisdom, who are eyes, who are witnesses, who are valid, and who see with omniscient consciousness, I am admitting and confessing all these negativities. I will not conceal them nor hide them, and from now on in the future I will abstain and refrain from committing them again.
All buddha bhagavans, please pay attention to me. In this life and in all other states of rebirth in which I have circled in samsara throughout beginningless lives,
Whatever roots of virtue I have created by generosity, even as little as giving just one mouthful of food to a being born in the animal realm;
Whatever roots of virtue I have created by guarding morality;
Whatever roots of virtue I have created by following pure conduct;
Whatever roots of virtue I have created by fully ripening sentient beings;
Whatever roots of virtue I have created by generating bodhicitta;
And whatever roots of virtue I have created by my unsurpassed transcendental wisdom:
All these assembled and gathered, combined together, I fully dedicate to the unsurpassed, the unexcelled, that higher than the high, that superior to the superior. Thus, I completely dedicate to the highest, perfectly complete enlightenment.
Just as the previous buddha bhagavans have fully dedicated, just as the future buddha bhagavans will fully dedicate and just as the presently abiding buddha bhagavans are fully dedicating, like that I too dedicate fully.
I confess all negativities individually.
I rejoice in all the merits.
I urge and implore all buddhas to grant my request: may I receive the highest, most sublime transcendental wisdom.
To the conquerors, the best of humans—those who are living in the present time, those who have lived in the past and those who will likewise come—to all those who have qualities as vast as an infinite ocean, with hands folded, I approach for refuge.
Visualization at the end of the practice
Think that through the force of reciting these names of the Thirty-five Buddhas of Confession and Medicine Buddhas, through the power of their pure prayers and vows, through the power of generating regret and the other opponent powers and through the power of having made these prostrations, nectars and light rays descend from the holy bodies of the buddhas, completely purifying all negative karmas, defilements and imprints collected on your mental continuum since beginningless time.
Generate strong faith that your mind has become completely pure.
Determination to change: The power of resolve
At the end of the confession prayer, pause to make the determination not to commit these negative actions again in the future. Make this promise realistic, even if you are promising simply not to do the negative action even for just the next five minutes or seconds. This is to make sure you that you do not tell a lie to the merit field.
Reflect on emptiness
Then reflect on the emptiness of each of these negative actions, remembering that even negative actions do not truly exist from their own side. They arise in dependence on causes and conditions and are merely labeled by the mind.
You can think either that they are completely nonexistent from their own side, or that they are merely labeled by mind, or that they are hallucinations.
Whichever method you use to understand emptiness, the conclusion that should come in your heart is that each of these negative actions is completely empty, not existing from its own side, even the slightest atom.
In emptiness there is no I, the creator of negative actions.
In emptiness there is no creating of negative actions.
In emptiness there are no negative actions created.
Even though there are infinite phenomena, in emptiness nothing exists at all.
There is no this and that, no me and you, nothing.
In emptiness everything is one taste.
From this emptiness, everything comes into existence.
REMEMBER
- Reciting the names of the Thirty-five Buddhas of Confession is an atomic bomb on delusions and karma.
- The practice contains the four opponent powers.
- Have confidence that you have purified.
- Meditate on the emptiness of the creator of negative karma, the action and the karma itself.
