Lama Zopa Rinpoche has advised that individual students can do the following practices to protect from the novel coronavirus. 

Advice to Protect Yourself from the Coronavirus

As a motivation before reciting the two mantras, Rinpoche said it’s best if people can do The Method to Transform a Suffering Life into Happiness (Including Enlightenment) with Additional Practices, which is the daily morning practice Rinpoche has put together. That is best. But if that is too much, then do the lamrim motivation, which is just The Method without additional practices. [In other words, do the recitation on pages 7–14 of the booklet and stop at the Additional Practices, which begin with the “Blessing the Speech” section.] So at least do that part as a motivation before reciting the mantras.

1. 
   
   

   Vajra Armor

   Recite Vajra Armor mantra (receive the oral transmission online), which is a famous mantra for healing. You can do the entire Vajra Armor Protection Wheel [if you have received the appropriate initiation].  Otherwise, just do the mantra:

HŪṂ VAJRA PHAṬ* / OṂ PADMAŚHAVARI PHAṬ / NÄN PAR SHIG / NĀGANAN / TADYATHĀ / SARVAVIRITA / HANA HANA / VAJRENA RAKṢHA RAKṢHA SVĀHĀ

*Lama Zopa Rinpoche often gives the oral transmission of the mantra with the additional syllables “HŪṂ VAJRA PHAṬ,” as was taught by Trulshik Rinpoche. These syllables are recited with each recitation of the mantra. There are other lineages of the mantra that do not contain these syllables.

Audio of Lama Zopa Rinpoche reciting Vajra Armor mantra:

Vajra Armor mantra (To download: right click, “Save Link As…”)

After you finish reciting the mantra, hold your hand in front of your mouth and blow the air up, so it goes into your nostrils.

2. Then also recite Black Manjushri mantra. The Meditation-Recitation of Black Manjushri is also good to do [if you have received the Black Manjushri initiation]. Otherwise, just do the mantra:

OṂ TRA SÖ / CHHU SÖ / DUR TA SÖ / DUR MI SÖ / NYING GO LA CHHÖ / KHA LA JAḤ KAṂ ŚHAṂ TRAṂ / BÄ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ

Audio of Lama Zopa Rinpoche reciting Black Manjushri mantra:

Black Manjushri mantra

Black Manjushri

Then at the end, do dedication prayers:

JANG CHHUB SEM CHHOG RIN PO CHHE
May the precious supreme bodhichitta
MA KYE PA NAM KYE GYUR CHIG
Not yet born arise.
KYE PA NYAM PA ME PA YI
May that arisen not decline,
GONG NÄ GONG DU PHEL WAR SHOG
But increase more and more.

GE WA DI YI NYUR DU DAG
Due to this virtue, may I quickly
LA MA SANG GYÄ DRUB GYUR NÄ
Become a Guru-Buddha,
DRO WA CHIG KYANG MA LÜ PA
And lead all transmigratory beings,
DE YI SA LA GÖ PAR SHOG
Without exception, to that state.

Due to all the merits of the three times collected by me, the numberless buddhas, and the numberless sentient beings, may all wars, sickness, famine, torture, poverty, and economic problems in the world, and all dangers of earth, water, fire, and wind, be pacified immediately, and may perfect peace and happiness prevail in everyone’s hearts and lives. May the Buddhadharma last for a long time, and may the sentient beings in this world meet the Buddhadharma and achieve enlightenment as quickly as possible.

Due to all the past, present, and future merits collected by me and all the merits of the three times collected by the numberless buddhas and numberless sentient beings, which are completely empty of existing from their own side, may I, who am completely empty of existing from my own side, achieve the state of full enlightenment, which is completely empty of existing from its own side, and lead all sentient beings, who are completely empty of existing from their own side, to that state, which is completely empty of existing from its own side, by myself alone, who is completely empty of existing from my own side.

Rinpoche advised the arrangement of a wrathful fire puja to be offered by Jhado Rinpoche in South India at Sera Je Monastery. This was done. Also a Most Secret Hayagriva tsog kong was offered at Kopan Monastery and at Sera Je Monastery, and a number of other pujas were arranged in India and Nepal.

Scribed by Ven. Holly Ansett, January 23, 2020. Posted on FPMT.org, January 25, 2020; updated, March 18, 2020.

Advice to Protect Others from the Coronavirus

Thangtong Gyalpo

Rinpoche says that in addition to the above advice people should also recite The Vajra Speech of Mahasiddha Thangtong Gyalpo: The Blessed Prayer Known as “Liberating Sakya from Disease” (receive the oral transmission online). The prayer comes from the great yogi Thangtong Gyalpo (1385–1464) and is for healing from disease.

While doing this prayer, students should look at an image of Thangtong Gyalpo. (The image of Thangtong Gyalpo below is from a thangka in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s house.)

Rinpoche added, “the previous mantras are to protect yourself and others, but this prayer from Thangtong Gyalpo is to heal the disease in China and for it not to spread out to other countries. So it is to protect the country. And anyone in the world can recite this prayer.”

Posted on FPMT.org, January 28, 2020; updated, March 18, 2020.

Watch the video series Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Teachings on Thought Transformation during the time of COVID-19.