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Lama Zopa Rinpoche making prayers, at Kopan Monastery, March 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has given the following advice regarding practices to do in response to the current situation in Ukraine at this time, to reduce the war and to help stop the violence and suffering. Rinpoche has also already arranged a number of powerful pujas, such as controlling fire puja, wrathful fire pujas, and Drugchuma (Sixty-Four Offerings to Kalarupa).
With a bodhicitta motivation and strong dedication, Rinpoche is advising the following practices:
- Recitation of “Padmasambhava—The Prayer to Guru Rinpoche that Spontaneously Fulfills All Wishes” (Sampa Lhundrupma) | Download
- Recitation of “Padmasambhava—The Supplication to Guru Rinpoche Clearing the Obstacles on the Path” (Barchey Lamsel) | Download
- Recitation of White Umbrella practice
White Umbrella deity.
General Motivation:
The ultimate purpose of my life is to do perfect work for others. In order to fulfill that purpose, it is necessary for me to achieve the state of full enlightenment, omniscient mind, and in order to do that, I must actualize the path to enlightenment. Therefore, I am going to do actions that become only causes for me to achieve enlightenment and to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment as quickly as possible. May all my actions become only causes for me to achieve enlightenment and to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment as quickly as possible.
General Dedications:
To Actualize Bodhicitta
Due to all the past, present, and future merits collected by me and all the merits of the three times collected by numberless buddhas and numberless sentient beings, may bodhicitta be generated in the hearts of all the sentient beings of the six realms, and especially in the hearts of everybody in this world, including all the students, benefactors, and volunteers in the FPMT organization. May it be generated in the hearts of all those who rely upon me, all those for whom I have promised to pray, and all those whose names have been given to me. May it be generated in my heart
For Peace and Happiness to Prevail in the World
Due to all the past, present, and future merits collected by me, the numberless buddhas, and the numberless sentient beings, may all wars—particular the current situation in Ukraine—famines, diseases, global problems, and all dangers of earth, water, fire, and wind be stopped immediately. May perfect peace and happiness prevail in everyone’s hearts by their generating loving kindness, compassion, and bodhicitta. May the Buddhadharma, from where sentient beings receive peace and happiness, last a long time and spread in all directions. May all sentient beings meet the Buddhadharma and achieve enlightenment as quickly as possible.
To Seal the Merits with Emptiness
Due to all the past, present, and future merits collected by me, the numberless buddhas, and the 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 am completely empty of existing from my own side.
To Dedicate in the Same Way as All the Past Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas
I fully dedicate all these virtues
To be able to train just like
The hero Mañjuśrī, who knows reality,
And just like Samantabhadra as well.
I fully dedicate all my roots of virtue,
With the dedication praised as the best
By all the gone-beyond victorious ones of the three times
In order to have good conduct.
Motivation and dedications taken from A Daily Meditation on Shakyamuni Buddha, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Valuable and timely advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche can be found on Rinpoche’s advice page.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is the spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.