Worship

To Amitabha,

Whose discriminating wisdom

Sees the uniqueness

Of every phenomenon,

I make offerings of infinite variety.

 

I offer you flowers

Of scarlet, vermilion and crimson,

For every subtle shade

Is sacred to you.

 

I offer you incense

Of sandalwood, jasmine and rose,

For every subtle scent

Is sacred to you.

 

I offer you food

Spiced, salt and sweet

For every subtle flavour

Is sacred to you.

 

I offer you clothing

Silk-smooth and soft

For touch of every texture

Is sacred to you.

 

I offer you music

Of strings, drums and voice,

For every single note

Is sacred to you.

 

I offer these gifts

With great devotion

On behalf of all living beings:

Human and hungry ghost,

Animal and titan,

Hell-being and god,

For every single one

Is sacred to you.

 

 

Homage

To the Infinite Buddha Measureless Light

I offer deepest homage and respect.

To the streaming sunshine of your Teachings

I offer deepest homage and respect.

To all the warmth and beauty of the Sangha

I offer deepest homage and respect.

 

 

Going for Refuge

To you, the Lotus King,

Your heart’s eight petals

Open forever,

The HRIH at its centre

Radiating infinite light,

To Amitabha

I go always for refuge.

 

King of rubies,

Through the alchemy of your love

You transmute craving into contentment,

The final fulfilment of all desire.

Now I understand

That all my longing

Was for your undying state,

To Amitabha

I go always for refuge.

 

 

Confession of Faults

Lord of Great Compassion,

Going for refuge to you,

Bathed in your warm red light,

I become aware

Of all my faults and failings,

Of a past filled

With craving, aversion and delusion.

 

Looking back at my life,

I see that all too often

I didn’t care

I didn’t give

I didn’t try

I didn’t help

I didn’t say

I didn’t love

I didn’t forgive

I didn’t empathise

I didn’t think of the consequences.

 

All too often

Without intending it

I was part of Mara’s forces.

Please protect me

And help me,

So that all my negativities

Fall as flowers at your feet.

 

Knowing that you will always love,

May I find it in my heart

To forgive myself;

May I find it in my heart

To make amends

To those I have hurt

Or left uncared for;

May I find it in my heart

To plunge into the flames

Of compassion.

 

And from the ashes of my failings,

May I be reborn

On wings of light.

 

 

Rejoicing in Merits

King of flowers,

I rejoice in your gentle heart,

That cares for all beings,

Embracing us all

Like infinite lotuses.

 

I rejoice in those lotuses

That are struggling from the mud,

Called to an unknown destiny.

 

I rejoice in those lotuses

That are rising up through the water,

Drawn by distorted gleams of freedom.

 

I rejoice in those lotuses

That have grown into the light,

Unfolding their petals

In the warmth of your love.

 

 

Entreaty and Supplication

King of loving-kindness,

I entreat you to rescue me.

My craving has me in a strangle-hold.

I am tired of grabbing and grasping,

Tired of clinging to shadows,

Tired of clinging to concepts,

Tired of clinging to disappointment,

Tired of clinging to suffering,

Tired of clinging to the wreckage

Of mundane existence.

 

In my desperation

I squeeze the life

Out of my life.

 

King of egoless passion,

Please teach me what happiness really is.

Teach me what love really is.

Teach me what life really is.

Please teach me

To crave only freedom.

 

Please teach me to trust

The Buddha’s teaching.

Please teach me

To open my rigid hands

And embrace the world.

 

 

Requesting the Rays of Blessing

Gazing with one-pointed devotion

I formulate my wish:

Red Lord of Sunset,

Please bless me with your deepest rays of scarlet

Touch me with your sunbeams of compassion

Awaken all my unawakened wisdom.

 

SILENCE

 

Great Vow

For all beings, here and everywhere around,

In gratitude for the Vow of Amitabha

I dedicate all my body, speech and mind,

All future actions, words and skilful thoughts,

To realize in a Pure Realm

The Enlightening sun

Of Great Compassion.

 

 

 

Compiled by Vessantara. The Homage, Requesting the Rays of Blessing and Great Vow sections are adapted from a puja to Amitabha written by Kamalashila. The rest is adapted from Vessantara’s puja to Pandaravasini.

(This version September 2015.)