Prayer

Saraswati

Pancha Tathagata Stuti

Ya Kundendu Ode To Saraswati

Vocals - Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Backing Vocals & Arrangements - Mr. Jaydeep Vaidya. Lyrics - Shantidev's Bodhicharyavatara. 

Description: These are Sanskrit verses from Shantidev's Bodhicharyavatara, a seminal 7th Century text from Nalanda University. The verses describe taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma & Sangha, taking a vow to achieve enlightenment not merely for oneself, but for the sake of liberating all sentient beings. Singing this daily is a good way to remind ourselves of the noble intent.  

English Transliteration: 
Buddhaṃ gacchāmi śaraṇaṃ yāvadā bodhimaṇḍataḥ
Dharmaṃ gacchāmi śaraṇaṃ bodhisattvagaṇaṃ tathā॥२६॥

Yathā gṛhītaṃ sugatairbodhicittaṃ purātanaiḥ।
Te bodhisattva-śikṣāyāmānupūrvyā yathā sthitāḥ॥२२

Tadvadutpādayāmyeṣa bodhicittaṃ jagaddhite। 
Tadvadeva ca tāḥ śikṣāḥ śikṣiṣyāmi yathākramam॥२३॥

Adya me saphalaṃ janma sulabdho mānuṣo bhavaḥ। 
Adya buddhakule jāto buddhaputro.asmi sāṃpratam॥२५॥

Jagadadya nimantritaṃ mayā sugatatvena sukhena cāntarā। 
Purataḥ khalu sarvatāyināmabhinandantu surāsurādayaḥ॥३३॥

English translation: 
Until the essence of enlightenment is reached, I go for refuge to the Buddhas.
Also, I take refuge in the Dharma, And in all the host of Bodhisattvas. [26]

Just as all the Buddhas of the past, have brought forth the awakened mind,
And in the precepts of the Bodhisattvas, Step-by-step abode and trained,
Likewise, for the benefit of beings, I will bring to birth the awakened mind,
And in those precepts, step-by-step, I will abide and train myself.

“Today my life has given fruit. This human state has now been well assumed.
Today I take my birth in Buddha’s line, And have become the Buddha’s child and heir.

“And so, today, within the sight of all protectors,
I summon beings, calling them to Buddhahood.
And, till that state is reached, to every earthly joy!
May gods and demigods and all the rest rejoice!”

Refuge & Bodhisattva Vows (बुद्धम गच्चामि शरणाम......)

Vocals - Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Sitar, Tabla and Backing Vocals - Mr. Jaydeep Vaidya, Sound Recording - Mr. Devendra Bhome. Lyrics - select verses from Shantidev's Bodhicharyavatara Ch. 2 & 3. 

Description:  The Seven Branch Prayer is one of the most popular prayers in Tibetan Buddhism. The Seven Branches are referring to the seven mental actions, intentions and aspirations that one makes daily in order to train the mind. The seven branches are: Prostrations, Offerings, Confessions, Rejoicing in other's merit, Requesting Buddhas to kindle the light of Dharma, requesting Enlightened beings to remain in samsara for the sake of helping us, Dedicating our merit for the benefit of all sentient beings. 

ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION:

Sarvakṣetrāṇusaṃkhyaiśca pranāmaiḥ pranamāmyahaṃ 
Sarvatryadhvagatān budhān sahadharmagaṇottamān

Manjughosḥ prabhrutayaḥ pujayanti yathā jinan 
Tathā tathāgatānnathān saputran pujayāmyaham

Mayā bālena mūdhena 
yatkinchitpāpamāchitaṃ
Prakŕutya yaccha sāvadhyaṃ
prajñaptyāvadhmév ca.

Tatsarvaṃ deśyāmyeṣ nāthānāmgrataḥ sthitaḥ
Krutāñjalirduḥkḥ bhītaḥ pranipatya punaḥ punaḥ.

Atyayam atyayatveṇ pratigṛuhantu nāykāḥ
Na bhadramidaṃ nāthā na kartavyam punarmayā

Apāyduḥkha vishrāmaṃ sarvasatvaiḥ kŕutaṃ śubham
Anumode pramodena sukhaṃ tiṣṭhantu duḥkhitāḥ

Sansārduḥkh nirmokṣham anumode śarīriṇām
Bodhisattva tva buddhatvam anumode ca tāyinām

Cittotpādsamudrāńṣca sarvasattvasukhāvahān
Sarvasattva hitādhānān anumode ca śāsināṃ

Sarvāsu dikṣhu saṃbuddhān prārthyāmi kŕutāñjaliḥ
dharmapradīpaṃ kurvantu 
mohaduḥkh prapātinām

Nirvātukāmāṃśca jinān yāchyāmi kŕtāñjaliḥ
Kalpān-anantāṃ-stiṣṭhantu  mā bhūdandhamidaṃ jagat

evaṃ sarvamidaṃ kŕtvā yanmayāsāditaṃ śubham
tena syāṃ sarvasattvānām sarvaduḥkha-praśāntikṛt.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

To Buddhas of the past, the present and all future time, And to the Dharma and Sublime Assembly,
With bodies many as the grains of dust upon the earth, I will prostrate and bow.

Just as Mañjughoṣha and the like made offering to all the Conquerors,
I do likewise to all the Buddhas our protectors, and to all their Bodhisattva children.

Therefore all the sins i have committed, Blinded in the dark of ignorance, 
actions evil by their nature, or the fault of broken vows

Mindful of the suffering to come, I join my palms and ceaselessly prostrate,
And all my evils, I will now confess, directly in the presence of the buddhas

I pray you, guides and guardians of the world, To take me as I am, a sinful man, 
And all these actions, evil as they are, I promise I will never do again.

With joy I celebrate the virtue that relieves all beings from the sorrows of the states of loss,
Exulting in the happy states enjoyed by those who yet are suffering.

I revel in the stores of virtue, Cause of gaining the enlightened state,
And celebrate the freedom won by living beings from the round of pain.

And in the Buddhahood of the protectors I delight and in the grounds of realization of the Buddhas’ heirs.
Their enlightened attitude, an ocean of great good, that seeks to place all beings in the state of bliss,
And every action for the benefit of beings: Such is my delight and joy.

And so I joined hands and pray, The Buddhas who reside in every quarter: Kindle now the Dharma’s light   
For those who grope, bewildered, in the dark of pain!

I join my hands beseeching the enlightened ones Who wish to pass into nirvāṇa:
Do not leave us wandering in blindness, Stay among us for unnumbered ages!

Through these actions now performed, And all the virtues I have gained,
May all the pain of every living being, Be wholly scattered and destroyed!

Bodhicharyavatara

Seven Branch Prayer in Sanskrit

Vocals - Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Lyrics - Shantidev's Bodhicharyavatara Ch. 2

This accoustic version is easy to song-along with. 

ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION:

Taccittaratnagrahanāya samyak pujaṃ karomyeṣa tathagatānām Saddharmaratnasya ca nirmalasya uddhatmajānāṃ ca gunodadhīnam

Manjughosḥ prabhrutayaḥ pujayanti yathā jinan Tathā tathāgatānnathān saputran pujayāmyaham

Swaraṅgsāgraiḥ stotraiḥ staumi cahaṃ gunodadhīn Stutisangītimeghaśca sambhavantveṣvananyathā

Sarvakṣetrāṇusaṃkhyaiśc pranāmaiḥ pranamāmyahaṃ Sarvatryadhvagatān budhān sahadharmagaṇottamān

Sarvachaityāni vandehaṃ bodhisatvāśrayaṃstathā Namaḥ karomi upādhyayān abhivandyān yatīṃstathā

Buddhaṃ gachāmi śaranaṃ yavda bodhimandataḥ Dharmaṃ gachāmi śaranaṃ bodhisatvaganaṃ tathā

Vijñāpayami saṃbuddhān sarvadikṣu vyavasthitān Mahākarunikāṣāpi bodhisatvān krutāṅajaliḥ

Anādimati saṃsare janmanyatraiva vā punḥ Yanmayā paśunā pāpaṃ krutaṃ kāritmeva ca

Yacchānumoditaṃ kiṃchit ātmaghātāya mohataḥ Tadatyayaṃ deshyāmi paśchātāpena tāpitaḥ

Ratnatrayepakāro yo matpitruṣu vā mayā Guruṣvanyeṣu vā kṣepāt kayavāgbuddhibhiḥ krutaḥ

Anekadoṣaduṣhtena mayā pāpena naykāḥ Yatkṛtaṃ dārūnaṃ pāpaṃ tatsarvaṃ deshayāmyaham

Kathaṃ ca niḥsarāmi asmāt atyodvignosmi naykāḥ Ma bhūnme mṛtyuḥ achirā dakṣhine pāpsaṃcaye

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

To the Buddhas, those thus gone, And to the sacred Dharma, spotless and supremely rare,
And to the Buddha’s offspring, oceans of good qualities, That I might gain this precious attitude, I make a perfect offering.

Just as Mañjughoṣha and the like 
Made offering to all the Conquerors,
I do likewise to all the Buddhas our protectors,
And to all their Bodhisattva children.

To these vast oceans of good qualities
I offer praise, a sea of airs and harmonies.
May clouds of tuneful eulogy
Ascend unceasingly before them.

To Buddhas of the past, the present and all future time,
And to the Dharma and Sublime Assembly,
With bodies many as the grains of dust
Upon the earth, I will prostrate and bow.

To shrines and all supports
Of bodhichitta I bow down;
To abbots who transmit the vows, to every learned master,
And to all sublime practitioners of Dharma.

Until the essence of enlightenment is reached,
I go for refuge to the Buddhas.
Also I take refuge in the Dharma
And in all the host of Bodhisattvas.

To perfect Buddhas and to Bodhisattvas,
In all directions where they may reside,
To them who are the sovereigns of great mercy,
I press my palms together, praying thus:

“In this and all my other lives,
While turning in the round without beginning,
Blindly I have brought forth evil,
And incited others to commit the same.

“Deceived and overmastered by my ignorance,
I have taken pleasure in such sin,
And seeing now the blame of it,
O great protectors, I confess it earnestly!

“Whatever I have done against the Triple Gem,
Against my parents, teachers, and the rest,
Through force of my defilements,
In my body, speech, and mind,

“All the evil I, a sinner, have committed, All the wicked deeds that cling to me,
The frightful things that I contrived
I openly declare to you, the teachers of the world.

“It may be that death will come to me
Before my evil has been cleansed.
How then can I be freed from it?
I pray you, quickly grant me your protection!"

Song of Offerings & Confessions - Tadchittaratna..... (Accoustic)

The Bodhi Bhajan Project is an initiative to revive the Nalanda Tradition in India, by promoting sanskrit liturgy, sutras and shastras set to Indian classical music. The project is inspired and initiated with the blessings of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. Produced by WCCL Foundation and SI India this project showcases Indian Buddhist heritage in poetry and music. Shantideva’s text – Bodhicharyavatara, Saraha’s Vajra Geeti and Dohas in hindi, Chanting names of Manjushri, and Heart Sutra are some of the tracks being offered.