(continued from issue #749 P.3)

Please pay close attention to the practice procedure of the above mentioned deity. Yesterday I taught the practice of Four-armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, which included the "ban," "ah," and "seh" syllables [Sanskrit syllables with Grand Master's pronunciation]. The [last syllable] is pronounced "tri-li" in Shingon Buddhism (Japanese Vajrayana), whereas the syllable is pronounced "seh" in Tibetan Buddhism. Thousand-armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva manifests from the transformation of the Sanskrit syllable. Now, let us form the mudra. Thousand-armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva surely has a thousand arms and eyes. Look, does this [mudra] look like a thousand arms and eyes (Grand Master forms the mudra)? This [mudra] indeed looks like a Thousand-armed, Thousand-eyed Mudra. The thumbs touch each other and the little fingers spread out and point upwards, while the rest of the fingers are interlaced with each other like a thousand arms and eyes. That is the mudra of Thousand-armed, Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Form the mudra, press it on the five points [of your body] (note: the five points refer to the brow chakra, throat chakra, heart chakra, and the left and right shoulders) and then release the mudra on your forehead. One, two, three, four, five, bring it back to the forehead and release it. Now, you have become Thousand-armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

While forming the mudra, you should recite the corresponding mantra as well. Visualize Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva appearing in front of you. Form the mudra and recite the mantra: "Namo sam-man-do, moo-toh-nam, wa-ze-la, da-mo, seh. Namo sam-man-do, moo-toh-nam, wa-ze-la, da-mo, seh. Namo sam-man-do, moo-toh-nam, wa-ze-la, da-mo, seh." That is the short mantra, which is regarded as the root mantra. The long mantra is the widely known Great Compassion Dharani. If you have lots of time, then recite the Great Compassion Dharani. If time permits, then recite the short mantra: "Namo sam-man-do, moo-toh-nam, wa-ze-la, da-mo, seh." If time is scarce, then recite the heart mantra: "Wa-ze-la, da-mo, seh. Wa-ze-la, da-mo, seh." That is the heart mantra of Thousand-armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. "Wa-ze-la, da-mo, seh. Wa-ze-la, da-mo, seh." So, recite it like this.

(to be continued)