Vajrapani Sadhana ! Do not practise if u have not taken initiation and empowerment !!!

Vajrapani puja: clearing the obstacles A PUJA TO VAJRAPANI: CLEARING THE OBSTACLES THE INVOCATION TO VAJRAPANI HUM! Burst forth, O Vajrapani, Blazing like the fire at the end of the aeon; Consume the blind darkness of delusion, craving and hatred, And destroy all fear of Yamaraja the king of death. Great hero, recognisable by the tiger-skin you are wearing, Trampling upon the hosts of demons And evil spirits, slayer of foes; Vajrapani, O wrathful one, be seated. You are being summoned here to annihilate the evil spirits; Puja is being performed For the benefit of all sentient beings, Hence you must come. Appearing from the non-duality Of Emptiness and Buddha-nature, You are ever devoted to the welfare of the world, Having manifested yourself with awe-inspiring body; To you, Vajrapani, O greatly wrathful one, I make obeisance. Within, abiding in the peaceful Jnana, Yet in appearance of fearsome foe-devouring aspect, Terribly roaring like a thousand claps of thunder, And by this overcoming evil spirits and demons; To you, Vajrapani, adorned with skulls, I make obeisance. You, whose essence is the highest knowledge, Who, wielding in your hand the powerful vajra, Have rooted out the klesas and deadly poisons; To you, Vajrapani, adorned with snakes, I make obeisance. Encircled by a blazing aura of fire, You stand heroically with your legs flexed wide apart, Angrily glaring with your eyes like the sun and moon; To you, Vajrapani, subduer of spirits, I make obeisance. Greatly fierce, like the fire at the end of the aeon, Splendid white fangs gleaming Like a thousand lightning flashes, You send forth a shout like a thousand thunder claps; To you, Vajrapani, wrathful king, I make obeisance. HUM! Invoking fear through roaring HUM, You overcome all obstacles And destroy all demons without exception. Dharmapala, bestower of all siddhi whatsoever; To you, Vajrapani, foe of the demons, I make obeisance. 1. Going for Refuge Namo Vajrapani! In order to clear the obstacles For the sake of all sentient beings I invoke you, wrathful Vajrapani Embodiment of all the refuges And go for refuge to you. To the Three Jewels: The Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha, I go for refuge. To the Three Roots, The Gurus, Yidams and the Dakinis I go for refuge. To all of you, the ocean of objects of refuge, I go for refuge until the attainment of Enlightenment. 2. Generating the Bodhicitta I will perform this sadhana of Vajrapani To clear the obstacles that obstruct spiritual progress. For the benefit of all sentient beings I intend to attain complete Enlightenment. My all beings enjoy happiness And the causes of happiness; May they be free from suffering And the causes of suffering; Whatever happiness they enjoy May it never come to an end; And may they always dwell In the immeasurable equanimity Which has neither near nor far Attraction or aversion. 3. Reflection on Sunyata All around me is the clear blue boundless sky, The immaculate Dharmadhatu. My body dissolves into a mass of brilliant white light Of the nature of Sunyata. OM SVABHAVA SUDDHAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SUDDHO ‘HAM X 3 All dharmas are essentially pure and Empty; I also am essentially pure and Empty. 4. The Evocation of Vajrapani Then suddenly, from the sphere of wrath Which is great bliss in its inner nature, There emanates the dark blue blazing form Of the Union of the Three Jewels: wrathful Vajrapani. In the sky there appears a dark blue lotus With mats of sun and moon. Standing proudly on the sun mat Is the wrathful figure of Vajrapani. His immensely powerful body is dark blue in colour And stepping to the right he stands with legs astride. His expression is intensely wrathful As he looks in all directions of space. His right hand brandishes aloft a golden vajra With which he overcomes the obstacles of all beings. With his left hand he makes the demon-defying mudra Whereby he subdues the spirits and demons of the six realms. He wears a crown of five human skulls Since he has understood the Emptiness of existence. A green snake is coiled around his neck Since he has transformed hatred into vajra wrath. A garland of fifty skulls adorns his body Since he is liberated from the rounds of existence. He wears many bone ornaments Since he leads the Dakinis to dance. His loins are draped with a tiger skin Since he overpowers the mightiness of pride. On his back he wears the flayed hide of an elephant Since he is perfected in the ten powers of a Buddha. He has a third eye in the middle of his forehead And all three eyes stare and bulge with fury. His fierce gaze causes mighty spirits and demons To tremble and quake in fear and terror. He has a gaping mouth and curling tongue And his teeth are bared sharp and white. He feeds on the flesh and blood and pounded bones Of enemies and obstructive demons. Gales whirl from his nose and thunder rolls, Overpowering and subduing the three-fold world. With just the right proportion of fierceness He crushes all fiendish spirits and demons to dust. His beard and brow blaze with fire And his entire body is enhaloed with flames. From every pore there emanate Fierce little appearances of himself. In smoke and fire the three-fold world trembles like a star. Overcoming all obstacles, Subduing all harmful spirits and demons, He averts the evil of the three-fold world. 5. The Recitation of the Mantra On the surface of his body Are the three seed syllables: At his forehead, a white OM At his throat, a red AH At his heart, a deep blue HUM. From these three seed syllables, Rays of white, red and blue light radiate upwards, Inviting the blessing of Vajrasattva And returning back again. Around the syllable HUM in his heart The root mantra revolves in a clockwise direction: OM VAJRAPANI HUM As the mantra is repeated It emits rays of light and sparks And appears like a ring of fire. The rays of light radiate out To all sentient beings of the six realms, Overcoming all their obstacles, And subduing all the gods, spirits and demons In the three-fold world. Recite: OM VAJRAPANI HUM 6. Praises and Requests to Vajrapani O Vajrapani, you who are the embodiment of the energy Of the Buddhas of the ten directions, Who bring into training the beings of this degenerate age Who are most difficult to teach, And manifest a display of wrathful manifestations; Your skilful means pacifies all disciples: Vajrapani, you are one in nature with all the Buddhas! O Vajrapani, you who are freed from the chains Of the obscurations to freedom and knowledge; Who dwell in the total purity of primordial perfection, Inexpressible and vast as the boundless sky; Who are a fountainhead of the wisdom of the 84,000 teachings: Vajrapani, you are one in nature with all the Dharmas! O Vajrapani, you who are a manifestation of the Buddhas Of the countless world systems; Who are chief among the Bodhisattvas Who train in the path of the ten stages; Who are the leader of the exalted assembly Of Sravakas, Bodhisattvas, and Mahasiddhas: Vajrapani, you are one in nature with all the Sanghas! O Vajrapani, you who in order to subdue the forces of evil Manifest many dancing forms of wrathful deities That release a rain of attainments Both ordinary and supreme on all beings; A veritable shower of the two siddhis: Vajrapani, you are one in nature with all Gurus, both root and lineal! O Vajrapani, you who are one in nature With the inexpressible Dharmadhatu truth; Who with skilful means use wrathful methods To annihilate the forces of darkness and evil; You are one in nature with the three jewels And with the Guru, Yidam and the Dakini Who are the roots of all blessing, attainment and inspiration. Vajrapani, you are one in nature with the three roots! O Vajrapani, you who are the source of great power Who are able to turn back the army of evil forces; You are the chief protector Of the teachings of all the Buddhas; The wrathful lord protecting all yogin practitioners And the guardian of all the Vidyadharas: Vajrapani, you are one in nature with all the Dharmapalas! O Vajrapani, you are the manifestation Of the primordial Buddha, Vajrasattva; The one who instantly breaks through all obstacles And conditions that oppose spiritual progress; Who in the bardo provide freedom from fear And who guides beings to the Pure Realm of Sukhavati: Vajrapani, you are the embodiment of every source of spiritual refuge! O Vajrapani, mighty protector of the Dharma, I make this request to you: Please protect the teachers of the Dharma And all the lineage holders, Especially in this age of darkness. Send your protective blessings That the Dharma may be taught And the Sangha may thrive and prosper: Vajrapani, please grant these requests! O Vajrapani, until all practitioners attain full Enlightenment Continue to manifest your playful activity That spontaneously and effortlessly fulfils Every spiritual aspiration, And eliminates all outer and inner obstacles to practice. May all evil forces obstructing spiritual progress be destroyed And the paths and stages of liberation be attained: Vajrapani, please grant these requests! 7. Consecrating the Offerings I make these offerings to Vajrapani, That you may protect me from all harmful forces And overcome all obstacles and difficulties. From the seed syllables RAM YAM KHAM The offerings are scorched, blown and cleansed by fire, air and water. RAM YAM KHAM X 3 May these offerings be as a lake of nectar in a vessel of gems Which emanates from the pure condition of absolute Emptiness. OM SVABHAVA SUDDHAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SUDDHO ‘HAM X 3 By pronouncing OM AH HUM The offerings are purified, multiplied and transformed, Becoming the most desirable of desirable things. OM AH HUM X 3 8. Making the offerings Offering goddesses emanate from my heart And make the outer and inner offerings to Vajrapani. Firstly, the eight outer offerings: OM VAJRAPANI ARGHAM PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Water for drinking) OM VAJRAPANI PADYAM PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Water for washing) OM VAJRAPANI PUSPE PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Flowers) OM VAJRAPANI DHUPE PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Incense) OM VAJRAPANI ALOKE PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Lamps) OM VAJRAPANI GANDHE PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Perfume) OM VAJRAPANI NAIVEDYE PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Food) OM VAJRAPANI SABDA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Music) Secondly, the six inner offerings: OM VAJRA RUPA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Mirror) OM VAJRA SABDA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Bell) OM VAJRA GANDHA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Incense) OM VAJRA RASYA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Cake) ON VAJRA SPARSA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Silk) OM VAJRA CITTA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (Text) Thirdly, the secret offering: From the realm of Emptiness Comes a vast and extensive skull-cup Supported by three skulls like a tripod. Beneath is the red syllable ‘A’ from which come flames. Within the skull-cup are the five fleshes: Heart, brain, guts, flesh and blood; And the five fluids: Urine, excrement, semen, saliva and blood. As the substances boil they are cleansed and purified By the white seed syllable HAM above the skullcup From which nectar pours down mixing with the contents. Reciting repeatedly OM AH HUM HA HO HRIH Purifies, increases and transforms the contents Into an inexhaustible ocean of nectar Of sublime colour, taste and smell: The essence of Samsara and Nirvana. Melted into Bodhicitta The nectar becomes the forms Of the five Buddhas and their consorts United in great bliss with the five Wisdoms. Samaya and Jnana are inseparably mingled as nectar And an offering cloud of desirable objects fills the sky. OM AH HUM HA HO HRIH X 3 HUM! This sacred and supreme unexcelled offering Fully adorned with the five desirable objects Radiates out the light rays of the five Wisdoms. I present this offering to Vajrapani; As your heart samaya accept it if you please. OM VAJRAPANI HUM SARVA PANCA MAHA AMRTA KHARAM KHAHI SARVA PANCA MAHA RAKTA KHARAM KHAHI IDAM BALINGTA KHARAM KHAHI (O Vajrapani, here is nectar and food, come and enjoy this offering.) 9. Confession and Aspiration Any impurities in the presentation Of this assembled offering I confess in the presence of the Dakinis and Dharmapalas. Through carelessness and delusion Vows are transgressed even when standing At the very door of the great mandala of Enlightenment. Therefore, whatever errors, lapses or breaches, In body, speech or mind, Have been committed with regard To either the precepts, vows or samayas, I now confess them in the presence of the Guru: May my faults be forgiven and my vows be restored. By the power of the truth of the Three Jewels And the blessings of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; By the great might of the accumulation of the two stocks Of merit and Wisdom through going for refuge; By the purity of the Dharmadhatu And the inexorability of cause and effect; May the outer and the inner obstacles be cleared So that spiritual progress is assured for all beings. Through the strength of the samaya of theYidam May these ardent aspirations be fulfilled. 10. Entreaty to Vajrapani to Avert all Evil HUM! Listen and think of me! All of you hear me! All the Gurus of the lineage, my personal Guru; All the glorious hosts of the Yidam Deities; All the noble Dakinis; All the Oath-bound Guardians and Dharmapalas; And you, wrathful Vajrapani; Here perform the function entrusted to you. Today I pray you avert everything that is evil. Avert it quickly! Make it not be! I pray you overcome all obstacles, Subdue all harmful demons, And avert all evil in the three-fold world. O you, the gods and demons of the six realms; Listen to my voice, I who hold the mantra. You great evil spirits and hindering demons Pacify your evil schemes! All the many things that you want, All the many objects of your desires We offer to you in substitute: The incense, the bright lamps, the beautiful flowers, We give to you in offering. Delicious food and nectar-like libation We give to you in offering. Take this cross-thread, these tormas, These substitutes given in offering And accept them with a willing mind. Bear them away and do no harm to us or anyone. O Vajrapani, wrathful protector, Come to our aid and avert, Turn back the strength of the magicians Who roll the magic dagger between their palms, Who fling the white mustard seed as magic, Who cast the magic weapons, Who prepare the destructive magic; The black magicians who beat the magic drum Who hold the whirring hand-drum Who cause the sin of strife: avert them! Those who practice the sorcery of the six realms; Avert them: turn back their strength! Of all the six realms of worldly gods and demons: Some come to steal our property, Some come as executioners at death, Some send fevers and pestilences, Or send the bad years when no rain falls Or send frost, hail and storm; Creditors pursuing their debt Following on the track of relatives and friends; Poisons which spread epidemics and disease, Eaters of flesh, blood and breath, Eaters of our fruits and harvests, Harmful spirits, gods and demons, Owners of the earth and spirits of the sky: May you pacify your harm and evil! May you be pleased with these substitutes! O Vajrapani, wrathful protector, I pray you avert the maledictions That incite the evil spirits! Make known the noble Dharma With the strength of your compassion. O you who wander lost in this world Awaken now the thought of Enlightenment! Arise as an example in your own person Inflict no harm on others Aspire to the path of freedom And the cleansing of the obscurations! Look upon your mindstream: Without attachment to the unmoving Your innate mind is the awareness of the Dharmakaya! Pacify your fevers and pestilences In the inner realm of Emptiness and compassion. O Vajrapani, wrathful protector, I pray you avert them every one: Avert the vindictive enemies of the past The barbarous enemies of the present The foreign enemies mobilised against us. Avert the 81 sudden calamities Avert the 360 afflictions Avert the 440 diseases Avert the 80,000 hindering demons. Let us all, yogins and our retinue, Avert evil years, months, days and times Pacify all gossip, slander and contention Pacify our enemies, thieves and robbers Pacify all epidemics and diseases. Dispel the confusion and darkness Of one day or two, of three or seven. O Vajrapani, wrathful protector, This moment I pray you avert All the forces of darkness and evil. I pray you let us be virtuous I pray you spread the Dharma Grant us the firm mountain of good fortune And the sunlit sky of merit; Grant us, full and unshaken, The ordinary and supreme siddhis! O you, the malevolent spirits and demons Who have been honoured here today, Cause no further trouble or harm Either now or in the future. Be satisfied with these offerings and be gone Each to your proper place. Stay not here! Go now! Go now! If you fail to go and cause obstruction The mighty Vajrapani will roar HUM! and PHAT! The three worlds will tremble with fear And all malign spirits and demons Will be crushed by him to dust! Recite: OM VAJRAPANI HUM (Make the offerings to the malevolent spirits and demons.) 11. Establishing the Mandala Through the merit of these offerings And by the power of the blessing of Vajrapani, This mundane place arises as a pure celestial mansion Within a sacred mandala of protection. The mandala has an adamantine base, An enormous double vajra. It has three circles of protection: An inner circle of pure lotus flowers, A wall of impenetrable iron vajras And an outer ring of fierce flames Blazing like the fire at the end of the aeon. Outside the three circles of the mandala, Fierce mantras swirl like a thunder storm And enormous iron kilayas Are planted in the ground and sky! Inside the sheltered space of the mandala There is protection from evil and misfortune. All obstacles are entirely cleared And all hindering spirits and demons are subdued. All illnesses, disease and old age are pacified, My lifespan, merit, health and wealth increase. All auspicious goodness becomes manifest And the two stocks of merit and Wisdom are attained. My precepts, vows and samayas are purified and restored And the ordinary and supreme siddhis are attained. The capacity to perform the four magical rites is achieved: Subjugation, attraction, pacification, and enrichment. Through the strength of repeating the mantra The blessings and empowerments are matured And the spontaneous accomplishment Of body, speech and mind is achieved. Through the power of practising this sadhana, I am established in the protective mandala And the wisdom and compassion of Vajrapani Becomes manifest for the benefit of all sentient beings. Thereby, may the blessing of Vajrapani And the protection of this sacred mandala Be present for all beings of the six realms; May they all be established within it. May I and all beings dwell in the deepest samadhi And realising the primordial perfection Of the vajra-like state of Reality Gain full and perfect Enlightenment. ****************************** Finally, all appearance and existence, The glorious protector Vajrapani And the celestial mansion of the mandala, Dissolve into a mass of brilliantly shining white light Which is absorbed into the boundless space of the Dharmadhatu. MANGALAM! This puja was compiled and edited by Dharmachari Prakasha at the Guhyaloka Vihara during Spring 1999 for the use of members of the Western Buddhist Order (now the Triratna Buddhist Order.)