The 35 Buddhas for Purifying Old Bad Karmic Seeds

 The following is based upon a description of the 35 Buddhas of Purifying Old Bad Karmic Seeds, written by Je Tsongkapa 1357-1419), the teacher of His Holiness the First Dalai Lama, as well as explanations by his close disciple Gyaltsab Je (1364-1432), themselves based upon the teachings of Lord Atisha (982-1054). The original practice is drawn from a teaching spoken by Lord Buddha himself in 500BC entitled An Exalted Sutra of the Greater Way Which Was Requested by Upali, and Which Sets Forth the Teachings of Vowed Morality (Arya Vinaya Vinishchaya Upali Paripircha Nama Mahayana Sutra).

Seven Buddhas of the Family of Akshobhya, Unshakable: radiating dark blue light, and holding a diamond in their right hand, and a bell in their left—

1
I bow down to the Buddha
Nageshvara Raja, Lord and King of the Nagas,
who has gone that way.
(to purify 8 eons of bad karmic seeds)

2
I bow down to the Buddha Shakyamuni, Able One of the Shakya Clan,
who has gone that way.
(to purify 10,000 eons of bad karmic seeds)

3
I bow down to the Buddha
Vajra Garbha Pramardi, The Buddha who uses
the Heart of the Diamond to Wreak Total Destruction,
who has gone that way.
(to purify 10,000 eons of bad karmic seeds)

4
I bow down to the Buddha
Ratnarchis, Shining Jewel,
who has gone that way.
(to purify 31,000 eons of bad karmic seeds)

5
I bow down to the Buddha
Virasena, Army of Warriors,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the habit of meaningless talk)

6
I bow down to the Buddha
Viranandin, The Buddha who Pleases Warriors
who has gone that way.
(to purify bad karma committed in our thoughts)

7
I bow down to the Buddha
Ratnagni, Fire of the Jewel,
who has gone that way.
(to purify offenses involving the resources of a spiritual group)

Seven Buddhas of the Family of Vairochana, Appearances: radiating white light, and holding a wheel in their right hand, and a bell in their left—

8
I bow down to the Buddha
Ratna Chandra Prabha, Moonlight of the Jewel,
who has gone that way.
(to purify a single eon’s bad karmic seeds)

9
I bow down to the Buddha
Amogha Darshin, The Buddha who Makes Your Life
Meaningful, if Only You Lay Your Eyes On Him,
who has gone that way.
(also to purify the habit of meaningless talk)

10
I bow down to the Buddha
Ratna Chandra, Jewel Moon
who has gone that way.
(to purify the great sin of killing ones mother)

11
I bow down to the Buddha
Vimala, Immaculate One,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the great sin of killing ones father)

Seven Buddhas of the Family of Ratnakara, or Jewles: radiating yellow light, and holding a gem in their right hand, and a bell in their left—

12
I bow down to the Buddha
Sura Datta, Warrior’s Gift,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the great sin of killing someone who has reached nirvana)

13
I bow down to the Buddha
Brahman, the Pure One,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the great sin of causing a division in a spiritual community)

14
I bow down to the Buddha
Brahma Datta, Gift of the Pure One,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the great sin of drawing the blood of a Buddha with evil intent)

15
I bow down to the Buddha
Varuna, God of the Water,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the great sin of violating a woman who has reached nirvana)

16
I bow down to the Buddha
Varuna Deva, Angel of the God of the Water,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the great sin of killing a bodhisattva who is close to Buddhahood)

17
I bow down to the Buddha
Bhadra Shri, Fine Glory,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the great sin of killing ones Teacher)

18
I bow down to the Buddha
Chandana Shri, Shining Sandalwood,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the great sin of harming the possessions of a spiritual community)

19
I bow down to the Buddha
Anantaujas, Infinite Splendor,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the bad karma of destroying a temple or shrine)

20
I bow down to the Buddha
Prabhasa Shri, Blazing Light,
who has gone that way.
(to purify bad karmic seeds caused by anger)

21
I bow down to the Buddha
Ashoka Shri, Glory Beyond All Sadness,
who has gone that way.
(to purify bad karmic seeds caused by ignorant desire)

Seven Buddhas of the Family of Amitabha, Limitless Light: radiating crimson light, and holding a lotus in their right hand, and a bell in their left—

22
I bow down to the Buddha
Narayana, Child of the One Beyond Desire,
who has gone that way.
(to purify 10,000 eons of bad karmic seeds)

23
I bow down to the Buddha
Kusuma Shri, Shining Flower,
who has gone that way.
(to purify 100,000 eons of bad deeds)

24
I bow down to the Buddha
Brahma Jyotis, Light of the Pure One,
who has gone that way.
(to purify 1,000 eons of bad karmic seeds)

25
I bow down to the Buddha
Padma Jyotis, Light of the Lotus,
who has gone that way.
(to purify 7 eons of bad karmic seeds)

26
I bow down to the Buddha
Dhana Shri, Shining Riches,
who has gone that way.
(to purify bad karmic seeds that are still lying dormant in the mind)

27
I bow down to the Buddha
Smirti Shri, Shining Memory,
who has gone that way.
(to purify bad karmic seeds caused by physical actions)

28
I bow down to the Buddha
Suprakirtita Nama Shri, Shining Name that Spreads to All Places,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the bad karma of failing to praise Buddhas who are present)

Seven Buddhas of the Family of Amogha Siddhi, Attainment: radiating emerald light, and holding a sword in their right hand, and a bell in their left—

29
I bow down to the Buddha
Indra Ketu Dhvaja, Victorious Crown of the Lord of Power,
who has gone that way.
(to purify bad karmic seeds caused by jealousy)

30
I bow down to the Buddha
Suvikranta, The All-Conquering One,
who has gone that way.
(to purify encouraging others to commit negative actions)

31
I bow down to the Buddha
Yuddha Jaya, Victor upon the Field of Battle,
who has gone that way.
(to purify bad karmic seeds caused by pride)

32
I bow down to the Buddha
Vikranta Gami, The Buddha Who Travels in Conquering Glory,
who has gone that way.
(to purify bad karmic seeds caused by divisive talk)

33
I bow down to the Buddha
Samanta Avabhasa, Overflowing Light,
who has gone that way.
(to purify taking pleasure in others’ bad deeds)

34
I bow down to the Buddha
Ratna Padma Vikramin, The Buddha who Conquers with a Jewelled Lotus,
who has gone that way.
(to purify the bad karmic seed of giving up the spiritual path)

35
I bow down to the Buddha
Shailendra Raja, King of the Lord of All Mountains,
who has gone that way.
(to purify breaking our commitments and vows)]

Source

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