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Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering the oral transmission of The Array of Sukhavati Pure Land, August 29, 2020.
In this most precious video we are sharing today, Lama Zopa Rinpoche offers the oral transmission (*lung) of The Array of Sukhavati Pure Land: A Concise Mahayana Sutra, a prayer that came from Buddha Amitabha.
This is an incredibly powerful text to utilize when someone is passing away and in our care.
From the root text:
“In this eon, all Dharma practices that are sealed with this prayer of dedication are greatly meritorious. If those who write, recite, keep, or disseminate it, read or recite it three times, they will not experience sickness or [untimely] death. May all of their wishes be fulfilled, and may they meet with those who are propitious and endowed with the fortunate karma to be reborn in Sukhavati Pure Land. …”
“This is the essence of the ultimate. It is the pith of the dharmata. It is the king of all confessions of misdeeds. If you write and recite this, you will definitely be purified even if you kill insects and creatures, such as 100 people, 100 horses, 100 snakes, 100 dogs, 100 women, 100 cattle, 100 fish, 100 pigs, 100 monkeys, and 100 sheep; curse others; poison others; engage in miserliness and deceit; are the owner of a dog that kills deer; have degenerated your promises and commitments and then engage in sexual misconduct; kill your guru, abbot, or teacher; or do any of the ten nonvirtues.”
Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised: As soon as someone dies, it is good to recite The Array of Sukhavati Pure Land loudly and clearly in their presence, without mumbling and whispering. After you have read it three times, tap the sūtra three times on the head of the dead person. It can also be recited on the day that the person is to be cremated, and even as they are being cremated.
Rinpoche also encourages us to recite this sutra daily: When you finish reading The Array of Sukhavati Pure Land for yourself, you should also tap the text on your head three times. Reading The Array of Sukhavati Pure Land every day becomes a preparation for your own death and causes you to be reborn in Blissful Realm of Amitābha Buddha. Therefore, this text is very useful both for you and for others.
In addition to the English version, we are delighted to share this oral transmission video with Rinpoche’s commentary translated into Chinese, Italian, and Spanish.
Additionally, we have the sutra available in English, Chinese, French, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Italian!
Audio is also available of Rinpoche chanting this sutra to his own tune, and giving a commentary on it in 2022.
During these powerful Fifteen Days of Miracles which end on March 3, we invite you to take advantage of this unbelievable opportunity to receive this oral transmission from Lama Zopa Rinpoche who so kindly granted permission for us to take it online.
*A lung (pronounced “loong”) is the oral transmission of a text, mantra, or practice by an authorized lineage holder. Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave permission to take this transmission online. If you consciously decide to listen to this recording as oral transmissions (lung), then you are able to take it as such. Please remember to set an appropriate motivation and listen to every word in order to receive it. Please also be aware that if you decide to do this, it means you are creating a guru-disciple relationship.
Please explore all of the resources and opportunities available to make the very most of these powerful fifteen days of miracles, and please join us in rejoicing in all the meritorious activities happening within the FPMT organization and around the world on this auspicious merit-multiplying period!
Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.