The Wheel of Great Compassion Wisdom

7/27/2019 The Wheel of Great Compassion Wisdom

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WL OF G COMSSIONThe Practice of the Paye Wheel

in Tibean Buddhism

Eded d duced byorne adne

y

Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

Lori Cayton & Khamng u

Dan Martin

Wison Hurey& Yeshe Kedup

ed

Laa hbten opa Rinpohe

WISD UBLICNS S


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Wisdo Publcaton199 E SteetSoevle 0244 USA

2000 Lome Ladner

No pat of h book ay be epodued n any fo oby any ean, electonc or ehanl, ncdnghoogapy, eodng, o by any nforaton toageand etreva ye o technooge now known oater deveoped wthot peon n wtng fothe pubhe.

ib oong oging-in-biion

The whee of geat copaon : te patce of he

raye whee i betan Bddh edted and ntodued by oe Lane ; wh tanaton by aabten opa Rnpohe [e ]; foewod by Laaben Zopa Rnpohe

p ncude bbogapha efeence and ndex

ISBN 0-86171-742 Prayer wheel 2 Spua lfeBddh Ladne ome bten Zopa, Rnpoce, 96BQ5075P73 W44 20002943'43721 00-043822

06 04 03 02 016 5 4 3 2

Cove degn by Gopa the Beantero by opa Degn

Coe poto by Nhoa Dawon a Lebhadand Veneabe oge Kunang

Wdo Pblaton boo ae pnted on acd-eepape and eet te gudelne fo peanene anddurabty of te Poducton Gdene for ookLongey o the Coun on Lbay Reouce

ned n Canada


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ContentsForewor

Prefe

Acnowlegmens

PAR ONE: Prayer WheelPractice, Symbolism and Lineage

Vll

XXlPrctice: Seeing wih Eyes of Compssion 3Symbolism The Rn Dhrm Wheel 1

Linege An cen nd Mystc Inhince 3

PAR Two Tibetan Commentarieson the Prayer heel

An Orl Discorse 35

Benes of the SSyllble Pryer Whee 41

Prctice nd Benets o the Pye Wheel 53

Benes of the Lous Wheel 3

A Short Tetise on Pye Whees 77

Deion of Meris om Bldingn Trning Pryer Wheels 1

PAR 'REE Diagrams Pictures and Instrctios 5

PAR FouR Methodfor Meditatingwith the Prayer Wheel 1

otes 117

ibliogphy 1


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Forewordb ama Thuben Za Rnhe

0'm vry hppy h Lo Lr h rough oghr hr hicri of h pcic of h py whl om h vriou x

h of mig h pryr whl of prcicig urig t pryrwhl. v Ti x o hi ujc r o y o . I mylf h o

wi o x o hi prcic.I hr ou h of hi prcic from Gh Lm Kochog,

who p hi if i Milrp' cv i hrmig oig my y of

rr, pcicig guru voio h Thee Pincie f the Pah

oig wo hou Nungna (rr o h ompio Buh ivolv-ig fig proro) H pir m ou h pyr whl, xpi-

ig h th prcic of h py whl h uiv . So, I wi

for my yr o x k fw m ou hi Fly, h

Lm Kochog ol m h ohr lm m cho poch h o

hor x h uriz h . A Kcho och w ivig i

Auri I p i my mi vry ogly h oo go o AurliI woul mmily cl him g h xt So I i h Nomly I m

vry ly ou rg hrm x, u hi o I immily. Th ci w ig urpri cu much fih o i So, I puh x o my crow h py o pr t chig vrwhr i

l icio m th commim i h pc of h Compio

Buh Afr h I ui pry wh i th E ml ig

o, w hh.I 1 my u Lo Th cm o p I ol hm

om of prcic fo puig h m ccumuig mri.

Fed


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Th hn gt a sma pa wh m h makt a Bha Stpa. Th

cam nsp an stat pc man hm pa whs wth

mcm an pap manas ns h gav m n, an I t thng f Npa Th Nps kng ask m whth h sh kp sa

"Ys,an f hav ths pa wh nx t a th tm ah hn cnscsnss w n a p an f Bha Bcas h's

n, ngg p ths sjct was a nsa I hp st has t.

L an hsa as a pa wh t s nss th aa

ama S I wn han hm v mch f ths pa whs th

ma an gav ma pp Nw th mang avaa n Engsh a

cctn n th nts f hs pacc

Th pa wh s a manfstatn f th mpassn Bhas h

spch Thgh ths pactc n thn achvs th h mn, h

an th qats f th mpassn Bha Sm as ma n sm

f th ans at ths nts ct. F xamp, h th

Fth Panchn Lama I tansa a sctn nwhch Amtaha Bha sas,

"An wh cs h sx sas wh tnng h hama wh at thsam tm s a n fn t h Thsan Bhas, an n whch

Shaamn Bha sas that tng h pa wh nc s tt than

havng n n, svn, nn as f ta Th pa wh s sch a

pw mt ; ng ths pactc n accmats xnsv mt

an ps stacs h ntnt f ths qtatns s t gv sm a xpssn t h ftn f ann wh wh has t ppnt t

ngag n ths pacc nng h pa wh nc s m manng

than ng man as f tat wtht th atsc mn f nghtn

mnt [St diia] an wtht ca gnatn f th acng sta

cncntatn, a s fth It s nt man that tnng th pa

wh nc n qas an aa hsata n ps mtatn I

thnk thgh, that spca f n ns th pa wh wth hchtta

mvatn wh ng h manta ctan, n w cc mch mxtnsv m qc achv nghtnmn han an aha wh as

man as h ss stat f pac f nsf n

as w can nstan h qtatn m Pamasamhava n

whch h sas tha vn ths ackg psvanc n th pactc wh

pass h m passv, w a t aa msc pws Sanst: iddi]

Ths wh psvanc ctng h manta an tnng t wh w

natan th nth gn Sk mi] t nstan mas

Te Weel f Gea Cmain


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immsbl giv rmi obsrios Whtvr mdbod dty[ib idam] yo ish to ti l b hvd simlosly Ev ifo h o hogh o b osl orgig oth to rit th

mtr d tr h hl ms os o givit d omlts

o's good qts So o drstd th his rti o tg hyr hl is st o th brbl omsso o th bddh o

sit bigshos mids r so obsrd d ld th dsrbg

hoghts li o ovrig hol ity d ho r xtmly d

igoo gid to ghtm ly osib t hs s to

oml h mlio of xtsiv mrit d r obstios so s

o hiv ghtm y ossblWh rdg of h b t my lso b hll o r tht my

hm bgs do o hv t ootit t m v o s holy

objt sh s s of Bddh i thir hol li. A s sg sh

hoy obs ris th mid d s sds h md to hvightmt or lbrtio thi ms thy dot hv ths oortity to

i i sh sy y. I hi orld h mbr of Bddhsts is smllomd o ho tiig ohr rligios. Ad v big Bddhst

dos m tht o s Mhyist So Mhysts r f i mbr

d v my Mhyiss do't g th oorty o mt ith d

dvlo ith i this ti of trig ryr hl d ritig Om

mani adme humSo thos ho gt his ios oortiy r vry f h ms yo

d o hv o of mri to b vry fortt so i od to hv tooty o gg i ths ri d hv fith i t bt Ev o

hr th ord "bodhht, o hs o hv t mi so o b bl to hrt thigs d rti o hs o hv xtsv mrt Why? Bths is th sis y to r th giv rms Ev h

hvist os h irrtd giv rm gt rid throgh tr-

g ryr hl Ev y ordid rso ho hs bro for rootvos ill gt rid. Ngtv rms r omlly rid o olltsmr th d o siy dvos omssio It's h s s

rtg th mtth tlr b is tht o dvlos omsso.So vry good hil itg th mt Om mani adme hum yo

lso tr ryr hl Whl yo r doig yor diy ommitmt o

rti ritig mala osris] o Om mani ad me hum holdg yor mi o hd yo r th ryr h t yor oth hd. Ev si

Fed


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person ying down o seep can trn the prayer whee by plng i wih asring as he Tibeans o n heir homes

Years ago in Dharamsaa I was very srprised o see Geshe aben in

poche, a holy schoar an great yog who was my phiosophy eacher, wth a

prayer wheel the se o a orearm's lengh wrappe n white cloth whch hewas trning by png a string. I was srprse o see ths becase it s nocommon or geshes in Sera, Ganden, or Drepng Monasteries o t prayer

whees I think ha he was doing his becase he was nspred by His Holness

Triang Rinphe h roo gr who is alo my roo gr. Hi Holine i-ang npoche had bt a prayer whee in Marogang so ha al the peope

here, ol and yong, col rn i as hey passed along the road. It was bi

and dedicaed or the pricaion an goo rebirh o one o hs attenans

who'd aken care o as a chld and had passed away. So I gess that his

nsa occrrence Geshe Raben Rinpoche rnng he prayer whee

happened becase he was inspired by ths roo gr His Holiness Trjang

Rinpoche.

Regarding he pracice i is very good whie yo are trnng he prayer

whee every day to recie a set nmber o maas o the mantra Om man padmehm I wol be good o recie en maasa thosand manraor eachream hell beings hngry ghosts, anmas, hman beings aa [ealos

gods] gods as wel as or the ntermediate beings and even or he arhas an

bodhsattvas who are still no ly enightene S thosand manras or eachream s very good i this isn't possible hen try to do a hosand or each

ream ha's no possibe, a leas recie a total o a hosand manras each

day while rning he prayer wheelA he beginning, yo generae the motvation o bohichitta hen yo

trn the prayer whee, recal

The prpose o my le is no js o oer happiness or mysel

an to solve a o my own probems; i is o ee the nmberess other sentien bengs. The prpose o my lie is o be se

l and benecal or other senien bengshat s to ree

other senten beings who are nmberless I will ee each o

them om a heir serngs and ead hem to happiness in

ths le, happness n re lives perec rebirths he ltimate

happiness o beraion rom samsara hen he peerless happi

ness o enighenmen.

x e Wheel f Gea Compaon


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Whe yo hi of eeg seie beigs yo ms emembe a he

sergs n he mds of he hell beings, hngy ghoss aimas hman

begs asras and gods he segs ha ae eplaied i he eachngs

Theefore yo esove o acheve enlghenme ad acalize bodh-

chia which s he door of he Mahana pah o enlghenme Wha maes possible for yo o have bodhichia s having he oo grea compassioo, as yo begin o rece he mnra ad rn he prayer whee yo esoveha yo're doing so o acalie hs for every hell beig every hngry ghos,

evey anima, every hma being every asra evey god ad every ineme

daesae beg. Yo dedicae everyhing every rn o he paye wheel adeey eciaon of he manra hs way.

Now o give a general dea regarding he vsalzaions f yo recie en

maas begin by pig yorself Vislize gh beams beg emiedom

he paye wheel One ca hin of he s ndvda coos relaed o hemaa Om man adme hum o eve js of whe gh Ths ligh comes

om he maras and i compleey desroys he egave armas ad

obscraions coleced om begnigless rebrhs A of hese are com-

peely absobed ino he payer wheel n he form of daess and

desroyed Repea his visaliaon a nmbe of imes Then do his fo a

oher senien beings as well Oe can do his focsing on al ohe seniebeings simlaeosy or one can focs on he indivda realms reciing a

ceain mbe of manas for he hell beigs ad hen gong o o hehgy ghoss amals ad so forh Eihe way oe vsaies a he obsc

raos negaive armas disbg hoghs diseases and spi harms

every seringbeing absorbed io he paye whee The ae hs

absopio igh is agan emied om he prayer whee, whch immediaely

pres all beigswherever hey are, each begs menal conim s

compleey ped rgh hee of hei bodies become compeely l-minaed A he ed each beg's body becomes nmanakaa in he ae

of ligh and each begs mind compleey pred, becomes dhamakaaheybecome he y elgheed ompassio ddha

Whle recing maras and rg he prayer wheel oe ca aso med-

ae on lamm sages of he pahespecally focsig o he ech-nes for generaing bodhichia Oe cn mediae o he seve srcios

of case and eec fo geeraing bodhichia or o he mehod of eqaiz-ng and echanging sef for ohes o geerae bodhcha This maes one's

fe very ch

ewd


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Te paye weel an deiey be sed o ealg ilnesses s as aneand so fo o is pupose e pae sould e done o a leas oneo evey day o o a few os along wi medaion if possble Tsngs exemey powel ealing Even f e disease o e pan sn em-

naed immedaey, is deniely pies e ndelyng ase o samsaiseing n e mnde negave impns Remembe a e disease is

no e only seg i samsaa i i us one small pa o samsaa In e

oeans o seing n samsaa is s s one smal pa So piing e

auses of seg n e mind in way means ping e ases a

e seings o samsaa. Healing s lie's siknesses is jus one ny aomamong e easons fo dong is paie wi ae limless ke e sy.No only do we ea e sikess we also eeive ep n soppig al sue

gs, in avng qik ealiaions o he pa ad in aeg enligenmen

qkly

Now I wod like o say a lile abo e essenial enes o is manaOm man adme hum I yo eie en maasa ousand manasa day

en wen yo go o was in a ive o a e bea al e wae eomes

blessed Bease you body is bessed by e mana al e wae eomes

blessed as i oes yo body ad so e wae pies all e animals wo

live in e wae ose wo dik e wae and ose wo o e waeI's e same as e benes o e paye weel isel e animas wo live

in ha wae ge pied and ae ibeaed om e lowe ealms ven osewo dnk a wae wl be libeaed lso if yo ee en malas a day en

wen yo give a massage o o oes o ey ou you, i puies emTs is a gea gi, m moe speial and mpoan an beg an odnayeale, bease i pies e mid f kama and delsons and s podues ongem benes o ose beings' ue lives eeig em om

expeenng seings and makng all ei e ives ge appie, andmoe peael By ping ei mnds also makes i ease o em o

aeve engenmen. emoe f you eie a osand Om manadme hum evey day en yo ilden and gandden and so on p

o seven geneaions no be eon n e lowe eams s is bease

yo body is bessed by e mana, nd as ei bodies ae desended om

yos e odies aso ay ese essgs w ae ei minds a e

ime o dea and s peven em om eng ebon in e owe ealms

Even wen a peson wo as eed a many manas evey day as died

and s eing emaed e smoke mng om a speial ody pes

xii e Wheel f Geat Cman


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othe etiet beig rm. tever etet beigiml, et,hm begthi moe tohe get berted om he ower rem byprig their egtve rm

ow for the deditio e to thee meritl the pt preet, d

tre metepeily thoe rig om mig pryer wheel, trgthem, d mig ommetrie o the beet vbe, well thoe

g om eve eeg, remembeg, or dremg of pyer wheel or theebeet d tto, my toe beg ever be rebor i the ower

em om ow o d my the d, piri hrm, egtve rm, d

obrto be ompetely pred immedtely My their wihe eed mmedtely ordg to hoy hrm, my they heve eght-

emet oo poible d epeily my they te bodhihitt

qkly pobe. My they eh beome ore o l etiet beghppie, ke the Whte Lot o et ompio Ad, my eveyoe

who ed thee beets d doe hi ve preio prte tlie theqlte more preo th the whoe ed wth jewel or blio o dol-

r d e l etiet beig to heve eghtemet qkly po

ble by pig d olletig merit. So, om the hert I oer my th

to my der tdet ore d There, to ll the rede, d to toe who

egge i the pryer wheel prte d pire otherhk yo very mh

Forewor iii


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Preface

n Mhn Bddhism1whn hol bings mk vows o ccom-pis prticlr sks for th sk of surng bings, h cs r sd to binconcvbl B mking nd kping sch vows of copssion i is sid

tht bodhistv cn vn trn n ordinr nvironmnt no pr lndof bddhn nvronmn prfc sid to hping othrs to progrss

towrd nghtnmn. Sc vow is somtng h cno b rnd bckIn m own xprinc v somtms flt tt th vows of bodhisvs rlik vrrlib springs contn givng pr nd rshing wtr At

othr tims Iv ft tht th r l th lov of mothr for hr child ind-srcibl rgrdss of circmsncs From Mn Bddhist prspc

tv, togh sch smls nvitbl f bcs h vows of bodhist gofr bond t bnts of this lif rlizd bodhstvs l His Holinss t

Dl m comm bsolt to bnting ll bings incding ons

hroghot innit im rgrdlss of wht on dos or wht on bcoms

nvr trning bck or trnng w nl ch bing who srs, ginincldng onsf s ll rlid totll nlightnd bddh

or on not fmilir wth th world of Mhn Bdhism h xpn

siv lrism nd vs powr of th bodhisv w cn b ding lik nd

ng onslf sddn n th hig ir nd brillint ight of h Himls Ircl onc lning to grop of nds how bodsttvs prfct thirskil nd wisdom in working for othrs cross contlss onstm spns

of so mn milions of rs ih so mn zros tt s I dscribd thm w

ll bcm brss If world of inconcvb wisdom nd compssion is

nfmiir thogh i is lso l of wondr; it s pc whr t srng

nd rfg nd whr h loving rt is hom. I mnon of thisbcs ccording to rdiion, b spinnng prr wl vn onc (nd,

Peface


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phaps to som xnt y radin tanslatons n his oo on s on

ntin onslf wth t vast vows o t ddhasohin o ntn arv that ows o h oan of hnmnt

Mos prayr whls a ld wth may ops o th manta of Ava-

oisvaa th Bddha of Compassion Om man adme hum So mh oh sprtua powr of t prayr wl drivs from h powr of his manta

is ompassionat ralizaions and hs pas vows. On sutra says hat is

"unvrsa vows a as dp as th oan .. Whn popl ha hs nam ands his ody and ink of hm no vany hy wil s vy fom of i

ad i h wrds2 By onntn w th pay wh on is on-ntn wi h ry of Avalokisvaa and wih th Buddst mastrshro h as who tansmittd his prai On is onntin wt an

outr manifstaio o nlind ompasson and awann ons own

hhst potnial ons udda nar.I mys rst am ntrsd n t prayr wh n onnton w a

vowthat my tar Lama Thtn opa npoh mad. was ad

ad ravld to Npa wth my w Thrsa who marrd duin h trip

Wd on to Asia o ma a pima o a numr of Bddhs oy sts

ad thn to vist Kopan Monasry in Npal wh Lama Zopa inpoh wasto tah for a month.

Th rst im an rall turnn a prayr wh was durn or pl

rima at th Grat Spa of Bodhana th Kathmand vally o Npal.Boudhanath is an annt oly pla t Grat Stpa sits majs as tBuddha himslf Srn Buddays pad on a o four sids o an

uppr vl o h stupa sm to wath ompassionaty as prayr as

tr hldrn surry Titan yois mdiat sny toriss y a and Buddha

saus om shopkps and aith pilrms oninualy rumamat

whl n handhd payr whls or any o hundrds of ml prayr

whls that hav n insald alon t or d o th stupa.

On our rst day o so Boudanath wn o visi h monasty o HsEminn Choy in po on o th atst livn ian md-

iaon mastrs and a tar to Hs Hoinss t Dalai Lama d m His

Emnn a fw yas arlr whn d visid th Unitd Sas and hd old

m to om visi him if was vr n Npal His monasry omd par o h

wall o uldns hat suoundd t Grat Spa W sat o a wl sn-

n o a tahin H Eminn was iv in Tian Th wals o assmy hal w paintd wt autl potais of lamas om th monastrys

xv The Wheel f ea Cman


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ineage The wa crwded with Tibean laa, nk, and ay pepleI reebe that wa tting next a Tetan wh cntnally rned whatlked ike an ancent handheld paye whee ae a we were leavng henatery, I paed peer nt a dakened r jt by the naery gae.

A iddeaged Tibean ather ddenly pinted at e Hey y' he caled, gering e enter. nde wa a gan, vey eatl paye wheel

t have t eigh r weve eet high with a daeter ve ixeet t wa trnng lwy; the ther eeed cncerned ab chidren whwere trying t trn the whee b wee lippng A hi cand, he chidrenepped back. He gtred r e t hep and ega trning he wheel e gt

he whee trning at a eady pace. ith each ratn, a ell n he ceing

ang. The chidren aghed and Theea ied.

Sn aer hi, we ade way p t Kpan Mnate which t atpa hl velking e eat Spa and where ne can ee the Hiaaya

in the ditance. aa Zpa Rinpche i a Sherpaa cltal grp the

Mn Evere regin Nepal wh have ng practced ibea ddhSherpa are well kw in the e r their par expeditn t he -it Mn Ever Ding hi nh eachng, Laa Zpa Rnpche

hwed gea paience and cae a he led hndred tdent and

he wrld thgh the vat and pnd pae and avel peak n thentain dhi hgh.

Arnd the end he week, herea and I had the pprnity eet pivatey wh hi ne evening in h al atp he eple he

aphere in t r whee he edaed wa ewldyvy p

tha I et th caler and re jy than I cd eca ever having et

previly I wa deepy rck y Rnpche' grea kindne and ndlnedring r eeting Althgh he hiel wa aing, he ered a n-

e dnk and gret nack nt eay t d in epa, whle anwerng

r any ein I recall a ne pint hi pping have Therea hep

h ve a all inec the r whee he eaed it ight get eppedna the ddha tagh: Har n a ingle vng being.

ate ha evening, Laa Zpa Rnpche egan taking ab prayerwheel He explaind that a a yng by he'd en wndered why any

lder pepe pn prayer wheel. He tld the try hi lng earch r atext n he bene thi practice and hw he'd eventaly nd a laa

wh had ch a tex. he tex that hi laa ent hi the r te

tranlain that apear n thi bk aa Zpa Rinpche expaned hat n

reface xvii


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ag ths tt a stag th bts o ts pat h a

pa th t atop s ha a vow to vaotsvaa th Ba ofompasso that h wo spa ths pat vwh

was tg b ths sto Rpoh ha sa a t t a

mto t to m sst who was Npa as a ag stt awas

aso attg th os at opa. fw as at sh bogt m a sma

ha- pa wh Wh Lama opa Rpoh saw m tg to t

th wh h am ov a v patt show m th ot wa to

t tpght smooth a sta Tsa stag x to m a

aga to s abot th tt fo abot th maab bts o

th pa w a abot hs vow to th Bha of ompasso S

wthot m fotoght abot how w mght go abot og so bt

ot Thsa a w p Lama opa Rpoh sa Wh o a of

th bts o wat vo to av o. th hat o thg that sp m to wat to hp was m awass

that Lama Zopa Rpoh a ma ths vow to spa ths pat w

aso mag a fg otss ot vows a ommtmts fo t

sk of ots t ata ow pop Lama Zopa Rpoh

pobabwot bv t xst Thos who v a tav wth hm

sa that appas amost v to sp a a v s ow. s

ota tahg mtatg pag tasatg ts wtg to st

ts a wog o otss pojts to bt oths. U s to osps a fo t g mos ots pos a

tboss a bg mat Bohgaa a foo s bg po

v to thosas of g mos om Tbt a stat o th ft Bha

Matat agst mta stat th wos bg bt a

s o ot stats st pas a patgs a bg ma books a bg

pbsh shoos Bhst ts a moasts a bg Lstg

th atvts h s t vov wo q a t boo So

wh h mto ts pata vow h ma ft sp to hp som sma wa wth ths o amog ma pojts.

tg to th US Thsa a bga mag stadg

woo pa ws that w st a foot g to gv to s

Bst ts a amas w w Dspt m poo ss as a atsa v

pat b st b pops ommts abot t bt thv p

om s pa whs mb of tms as af vg a

pa w a wo a o wt to sa that wh gog thogh

xv The Whel f Great Compassion


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so ty tg th pay wh ha hp th gt ba toh

wh th ow spt vso a abty to tat Oths havot how ag pay whs hav hp pov th gy tato

ts Yas ago y w too a paywh gv h as a wng g

to a bay shop wh sh wo a oths a wh sh h obth th ow a oth wos who w ot Bhst bgg h toav t th shop bas o th "bssgs a goo gy that thy p

o W ag pay whs aso bga asg bta aas abot

ths pa a otg what oato I o abot th hogh Iavt b ab to hp ay as h as I wo hav I hav b

aaz to wath as pop sh va pas as Astaa Hoa sa

a a Sgapo Nw aa Npa aaa a h US hav

b sp by Laa opa Ripoh o b o obta pay whs

Wh possb Iv t o sha so o th oato v gat wh

sh pop a has b a gat gi to b ab to s so o th bts

sb th bta otas as pops vs It s y hop

hat hs boo wi ob n so way to lg Laa opa Rpohs

gat vow

I hav o hstat as wo o ths boo bas I a ot a

tasao o Bhst shoa Howv as I oo ov th hstoy o th

pay wh pat ba appat ha ths pa was phany by gat yogs a sp ay paos It has ot gay b

popa h ga oast vsts o bt a Wst gos

shoas hav wtt vy o th sbjt So gv tha aa opa

Rpoh a gat yog n o s s th o bh ths boo bga

to that t was ot y sab hat a sp Bhst aya

ys sho b vov n bgg togth Paay wth ga o

Pat O whh I wot ys th tt s pay o p h pat o

h pay wh ot o as who ay b aa wth thMahayaa Bhst ott w aso shang so bas tos o th

a a sybos o hs pat apoog to schoas an pat

tos o ay os a sy hop ha ohs a to a awhat s o h

Rgag th st o h boo ts I s t as a ss o

abatos o th sbt o th pay wh hs pa o a

batg ows s a at o oo to Iia a swh I so

Prfae


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Bddh empe hee ae e cicumamai ha allw e

cme cle he ujec wih each d. Oe mih ay ha h ucued i hi way.

ed he pa hi b aemp p he pacce e

paye wheel i cex I ilde me dicu f he place f hi pac-ce i eai he pacice he eae he paye whee ad me

apec f i ymblim

The ecd pa f hi i ealy hea I cai uce m

ibea mae ncdi eded acp f a a dice he

pacice f he paye whee y ama Zpa Ripche ad alai f l

pa a me dee Tea cmmeaie he paye wheelby ibea auh icludi he uh Pache ama h ec wllive eade he ppuy he ime acce a cleci ide- maeia eaed h pacice.

The hid pa f he ae ide he paye wheel iel pvd

n cpie he maa ad madaae whee ha paye wheel aelled wih al wih diaam ad pcue hw paye whee ae c

uced ad decaed

ialy he h pa f hi pee a media ad valza-

i pacce ha e ca e whle a paye whee I ieae he

advce m he peced cmmeaie n a ced ma ha ca be

pu pacce.Ph f paye wheel ae iclded wh he ex hpe ha hee wl

ive eade a eea ee f he beauil ay wih whch Tibea havebul hee aced wheel. ama Zpa Ripche al emphaied ha cud-

iph paiculay bea paye wheel may be ue came

ad a wh may wh buld paye wheel he ue

I i my icee hpe ha h pce f cicumambai he uec

he paye wheel i ee accd wh he wihe paye ad

vw ama Zpa Rpche valiehvaa ad al he bddha adbdhava

e of Grat Copaon


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Acknowlegments

s he soce o he pae wheel lineae is he Bddha o Com

passion i seems siable o ben b hankin s oliness he FoeenhDaai Lama, who so peecl embodies enlihened compasson in or me

I also wsh o epess m aide and sincere deoon o VenerableLama Thben Zopa Rinpoche, who poded the nial inspiaion and heidance and paccal assisance wiho which his poec wold neeae eached compeion I is m sncere paer ha this book conibes n

some smal wa o his as eos on behal o al beinsOhe lamas who shold be acknowleded or hei diec or indirec help

ncde . Choye Tchen Rnpoche Veneable Ki Tsenshab Rinpoche

Veneable Rb Rinpoche Venerabe La Rnpoche, Venerabe Geshe Lama

Lhndrp Veneable Geshe sla Veneable Lama Pea Wandak, Vener

abe Geshe srm Gesen Khamln Tk, Veneabe Geshe Kelsan

Wand and Venerable Khenpo Phnsok Tashi.Fo hei help wh anslaions hanks are de o Loi Cayon Wlson

le Yeshe Kedrp, Veneable Tsen Tadha Tsenla) Veneable

Michael Lobsan Yeshe Fabzo Paloi, Daid Molk, Samdp Tsen ando Nawanthondp Nakid, or Kno' o his e knd and eneos

assisance Thanks o Poesso Geor Schopen o pemission o oeom hs npbished manscrp. A specal thanks o Dan Marn o alow

in his anslaion o appea hee and o shain hs own exensie eseach

on he sbjec o he paer wheelFo thei hep wih aos aspecs o his projec, I wold also ke o

oe thanks o Veneable oer Knsan, Veneabe Roe Mnroe, Veneabe

Paa Chichese, Jm McCann Seen Vanno, Sam Cassaro om Ior, DebaLadne, Pea Wandak, Jee Woodad an Kaminsk Ae Campbell

Ackowlegmet


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i i Bupi Rb s, y mz Ky W,

K Culy, S ii Liby Cgss by

sc s Pcic u Isi. Tks ls D Kism

Wsm Pubcs f s lp pc pcss E

Sm s lp cmms ccs ig is b.Ts ls my ps, R Cs Sp A

ly, y spcil s my p i s wk m bgg

Ts L.

ii The Whee of Gret Copo


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0PAR ONE

Payer eel Pactice,Symbolism Lineage


25/170


26/170

Pactice:Seeing with Eye of Compaion

e ra th mphai i Buddhm qui clarly o inne

ri o raformi o md Hi Hoi th Daa ama ha aidha whhr a aco bcom a practc o Buddhim o Dharma, prrly dpd o h motiaio ad udrtadi o h pro doi

h acto. Acto motiatd by atachm ario, or orac, rard

l of ay ra apparac ar imply o Buddhit pracic. Ad

acio do ou o a o compaioat atruim, with a corrct udr

adi o th atur o th, may proprly b abld Dharma pracic,

rardl o how thy appar. ma Zopa poch ha potd out thatoy by owi hir motaio ca you labl popl' aco holy

Dharma or worldy [aciity"; h ha alo ad, rythtmporl ad

utima happi, daytoday problm, ad h d ur uri ofamara dpd upo your ow md."3

So with hi tro mphai o th mid ad mal traii, o may

a what ro holy or acrd obct l prayr whl play Buddhi prac-

tic act om th alit tm crtai objct wr rcoid a acrd

i Buddhim For xampl, lthouh h mo rob ad bi bow ar

our i, hy ha lo b rrd a rmidr of th mo ir

commmt to mora coduc ad o rar h pah o ihtm.Ad bor hi dath, th Buddha a iruco that h rmai houd

b placd a tupa Stupa cotai h rlic of holy bi ha b

bult ad rrd by Buddhit praciior icDuri a corato abou h prayr wh with ama a a-

da, a Tibta lama who ad tach w Yor, h mtiod thaur h whl o prayr" wa imar to crcumambulati a tupa wt o o xpla that ayth you do with a ymbo of th body,

Patie Seeing with Eyes o Compassin 3


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seec and mnd of Budda as a lastng mac on your sou or mndTe Budds teacngs on karma ndcae at acons done n relaton

o oy bengs o oy objecs suc as suas or ayer weels are artcuarly

oten. Ineactons wt suc eoe or obecs eave a dee and lastng

mresson on e mnd Te Maayana Budds sutas go no deal ndescbng te emarkable benets of reang o oly obecsto symbos of

te Buddas enlgened body seec and mnd or exame Santdeva,

n s hiksasamuchaya, quotes e Avalkana tra as folows:

He wo tkes a seck smaler tan a gran of mustad seed and

burns ncense on e Blessed ne's srnes, ear me sng s

rases and be your earts serene leavng obsnacy and sn

He .waks over all regons altogeter ll of ealt rm nmnd vgnt e subdues an and waks n vrue dear andbeloved of the eole4

Undersandng ecsey ow relang o an outer object suc as a suao a rayer wee can e one o tran one's mnd and to deveo ostve

nner quales s a very subtle and comex subect. When asked about owthe blessng ower of oly obects o oly bengs benes us the great Tbetan

maser at Rnoce elaned ow te ower of e blessng deends not

only on e ower of e buddas bu aso on one's own fat He quoted a

sayng of e Kadama lamas: Bg o smal bessngs don' deend on bg osmall lamas deends entrely on your level of eceton and devoon.Slarly a great young lama, angs Rnoce lkened e blessng owe of

the buddas to a owerl crane, and fat to a ook or can hat allows te

crane to l u a large block of concrete: regardless of te cane's ower tcannot te concete wtou a can or ook.

I s sad tat e Budda's mnds omnscent menal body of tut

s everwere smultaneousy However because of our gnorance obscua-tons and negave karma, we cannot erceve te Budda's menta body

nd smlarly t s sad ta even were the Budda o emanate a sower of

ure bodes we would be unabe to erceve tem we are ke usdedown

os wc canno catc even a dro of suc a sacred ran So t would seem

tha throug te force of er comasson skl means and ast vows te

buddhas must mnfest n watever forms bengs can reate to e most oy

and morant of all manfesatons of te omnscent tru body of te

4 The Wheel of Great omasson


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uddhas a achrs of Dharmaguus o amaswho y achng hpah o nghnmn, acualy hlp ngs o ran h mnds, so ha hymay pur ngav ndncs, accumua mr and posv ndncsand gan alaons. Th uddhas aso manfs as holy ocsscrpurs

saus supas and prayr whlsaa n ordr o hlp ngs o purngavy coc vru, and gan raaons. n mgh say ha hs hoyjcs a k hooks, and y lang o hm w connc ousvs wh h

powr cran of h uddhas' quals, alowng oursvs o d up

On ohr pon on how hoy ojcs lk prayr whs hlp on o

dvlop posv quals n h md s worh nong hr. Buddhs ach-ngs mphas how vryhng coms no g asd on causs and condonsAnd succss n dvlopng posv nnr quals carly dpnds on

many causs and condons ncludng nvonmna facos. n Tananalogy nos ha whn a can cot s placd ovr a dung hap, gradualy com o smll lk dung whl anohr cloh pacd ovr ncns

com o sml vy nc. Smlarly th nvonmn n whch praconrs(paculary hos who a no y hghly rad) pac hmsvs can hava powrl mpac on hr mnds For anyon sd mdaon, hss no a dcul pon o prov for onslf xpnally. I nd only com-

pa my xpnc of ryng o mda durng a wkong usnss rp o

L Vgas wth my mdaons durng a wk of goup ra ld y a monk

n a Buddhs cnr Norhrn Vrmon o clar ths pon for myslfManypop hav nod how havng a ayr wh na hm hps hm omda mor cvy or o mor asly dvlop posv sas of mndThough Tans may gn ngagng n h prayr whl pracc asd onat, I suspc ha mos connu o ngag n asd on hr ow xp-nc of s adng o mor pacul joyl and vuous mnal sas Ths

s cranly ru of hos praconrs hav spokn wh ovr t yas Anum o Tan commnas sa ha havng a prayr whl a uld-

ng maks ha plac com k h Paa, h pu and of h Buddha oCompasson I woud sm ha jus as ga yogs can pcv Buddha saus gvng achgs or can s hddn ur rams so also ca hy drclypcv h acua Poala pur and mansng around a payr whIndd om akng wh hos who ngag n hs pracc appars hay rlang o a pay whl vn qu ordary popl can ga glmpss oftha pur ngy whch s k ohrwody gh shnng hrough vs ofou odnary prcpons

Ptice: Seeing with Ees o ompsion 5


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Medon nd e Pryer Weel

I pat te ppse nate te paye wheel is cnnect s wih te

has an make he envme cncive t pacicig vie, t s ly

ata ha metatg in cectin with he paye whee will enhance tepsitve ests.

t seems t me a the metati pactice sggeste in te cmmentaies is vey pn, cmbing impta elemets Stayaa aMatayaa ( Vajayana) Bist pacice5 e paye wheel pacce sesige t smtaesly egage ne's "hee sby speec anmin vite. With ne's by ne tns he paye wee es

speec, ne ectes e manta valkieshvaa wi es min ne

egages in specic cntempatins a visaliatnsPa F ths k " Meh Meitatig wi e aye Wee,pesets a stcte metatin pacce se wih e paye wheel aen the ibean cmmentaies a cmments by Lama Zpa Rnpce

e specic segs mentine each he s eams esence aeeve m he taina escptis i he sages te path [Ti.] teae. hse amila wih metais m e Maayana

Vaayana aitin Maayana Bhism will nte that a nme aspects hese meitatins sc as te ecitatn manas a te vi-alizatin ght eams the pcatin an engtenme all sn-ien beigs, ae ince in tis meatn. Many essental meatnsbjecs m the geneal Maayaa tati ae als nce eample,we egaging in tis stcte metatn, e ctempates sc sb-

ects as the seings the tee lwe ealms, the seings samsaa ingeeal, te als he s t esns te mmeasables (lvecmpassi, eqaimiy an jy), an bhchta te ble m aaspies l enligtenment the ene al sentient egs

In atn e paye whee meitatin is sce in a manne smi-a t the pwe mn ag jng ecie clle ag angivg ngn] which gves ise gea cmpassin an hichita6Whe ing te meitati ag a gvg e egs y geneaingeqanimty, lve an vey sng cmpassi an then e magies taingthe seigs all sentient beings p esel This s the pactice k-

ng Wat ne is takng m hes in hs case is te seing an tscasesteiegaive kamas istbig hgs a bscais Tis

h Wh f Grat Cmpassn


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id of taking derives om and enhaces one's compassion whch is denedasthe wish to ee others om suerng. In the takg-andgig meditation,one images drawg into onese in the form of dk smoke al this negatvity of others destroyng the sefchershing (or narcssstc) thoughts that

abide in ones heart The great lama Pabongka Rinpoche says to "vsualze their suerg eing shed ke hair shaved o with a razor and takng theform of ack rays that dssove into the sefcherishing at your heart7

One ne engages in the medtaton on giving, whch is based on andenhances ones feelings of ove, or the wsh for others happness. Here, onesazes givng away everyhing good that one hasones possessions odyowedge, wisdom and positive krmato others rgg them great happiness Though such visuaiztons do not on their ow, remove others' suf

ferings or ring them happiness t has been the experience of great Buddhistygis over many centuries that his medtaton does give rise over time togreat inner qualties of ove, compasson inner strength bravery and bodhichitta. And these qualtes in turn make one capae of progressing qickytoward enghtenment so that one can actuay provde the enets thatone formery visuaized.

n the prayer whee meditation, one visuaizes in turn each of the sixreams of eistencereams of he engs hungy ghosts, animas, humansdemigods, and godsand in each case one egns by vsuaizing taking awaya of the suerngs negatve karmas dsturing thoughts, and oscuratonsofal the beings in that ream. As in taking and gving one begns wth takg enhancing ones feeings of compasson The primy dierence beeenths visualizaton and the vsuaton the general takgadgivg meditaton s that here, rather than visuag the dark coud of negatvity coming into onesef one visuaizes t beg drawn nto the prayer wheel where itis completey destroyed And in the meditation on givig rather than justvsuazing givg away ones postvty one visuaizes giving al bengs the

innite virtues and quites of the uddha of Compasson which radate inbeams of lght and touch eings n each of the sx realms ringing themto enghtenment. Thus the prayer whee meditation is a very practicameans for enhancing ones ove compasson and odhchta.

The prayer wheel meditaton in art Four is incuded to give the generareader a sense of how one woud go aout meditatng with the prayer whee.For those interested in actualy dog the practice t s desgned so that it cane xeroxed for easy use.

ctice Seeing with Ee of Comassion 7


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Mantra Recitaton the Prayer Wheel

I s sggesed ha one eie he sxsyllable aa mni pdmehmwhile g he paye whee. e Tbean oenies sae a

he bees of dog so ae ieasuable is s he aa of Avaloieshvaa he udda of Copassion and is eed oinay by ayibens ne also ds i aved o oks, wie on aye ags, ebossedo ewely and side of os paye weels. ong ibeans is ooy

known as he mn mntr and us paye wheels ae oe eeed oaong ibeans as mni wheel.

Manas ae sgs of sylables eoweed by enghened beigs o be

e ohes. "The wod aa eas ndoeion I oes e d

o oday appeaanes and oeions ha haaeze e ongogye of sasai seing8 Diee anas ae sad o bng dee be-

es, d ny ae ep see and oy evealed o sdes wo have eeivedaion no a paia ediaon aie. Howeve, wi egad o he

ani ana Kalu Rioe oes a i "s exeey owel ad "a besedby one ad al o speed e pa o enigeen9 is oness go

Kyense Rinpohe woe, "The mn s no s a sng of odiay wods

oains al he bessings ad opasson o [Avalokiesvaa, and so eadvses s o sen o s aa "ee ead i and we beaily

golde lees Sine ee is no dieee beween he de self and eaa whi is his essee, hese aives wi bing gea bene10

The ole of anas i Bddhis ae is oen no we ndesood inhe Wes I has been senaly doueed a ana eaion o-dues sgnan psyhologil nd hysoogial elaxaio 11 and sasa

analyses have shown a ediao w adional anas podes ageae eduio xiey han ohe kinds of ediaio ildg edaion wih andoly seleed Sansk syables o w esonaly seeed

Eglsh wods. 12 Wesenes ave eded o ephasze e eaxg ee ofana eaon hei undesanding of is ae Fo a Tbea

ddhis eseive suh eaxaion is no he goal o ana eiaon;ahe i is a osive b ino side ee

Kalu Riohe as expaed ow fly enlgened bddhas and iglyealized bodsavas hose who have ealized a eas e egh bodisavalevel a peeve "saed ees wh he ndi o enegy hes o e

sble body1 He noes ha su higy ealized beings ibe anas wih

The Whee o Gret Compion


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pcc pow, c a t aby to brng ao at, ncra gn,pro potcton, an lk. Lama bn Y a no ow tmanra of Vajraata a t pow to pr ngat kama H crow ay rctaton o t manta wt clar concntraton can top nga-

karma om ncrang an ow ongong rctaton w goo concnaton an ngt "wll trmnoly c n racatng mpconcpt an t akn of motonal obacl.14 Lama Zopa Rnpoc

a on tagt pcc mantra at rct to bng at m of at

a t powr to top tm om takng ow rbrt an to ca tm togan goo rb a to progr along t pat to nlgtnmnt Som ot manta ar prmary mant to rct wl ot ar gn tobnt otr by bng rct, wttn on prayr ag, wrtn abo too to o or rol n o tpa or tat T crpon of bnt o c mana ar on mlar to t nt cb n t on t pray w

Utmaty t bct of manta an of ow y ncton n t

pactc xtrmy at an profon. Wat mportant o nrtar tat a mantra not lk a prayr to a n bng. Ratr, tanrawt rct wrtn or pn t ty nlgtnm,matlymanft. Dlgo Kynt Rnpoc ay tr no r-

nc bwn ty mlf an mantra wc n'5 Robr

rman not at wn btan rct t ma mantra, ty ar n cayng, "Al wl Eyng prct. Wom an compaon pory atom! In trnng payr wl an rctng t man mantra,on ntally atmptng to p a top to t mp amarc worla on gnoranc a lfcnt attt On atg wt on'oy, pc, an mn ta a of Compaon manft anow a t pr lan, an ta t n compltly w brlant lgt of compaona wom mant rywr n or to

awakn bng.W rgar to t manng of man manra tlf t a at nt

n a a co pon m al! On mpotant pont to nrta tat mn gnraly tranlat wl anpme gnally tranlata ot. On common ntrprtaton of manta tat t two

bol mto an wom rpcty at ty ar plac togtr n-ca ncty of practcng mto an wom togtr n or toprogr cly towa nlgtnmnt pacttonr of t Maayana

ctce Seen wth yes of Cmpsson


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Buddhst path is sometmes ikened o an eage who needs two wngs o y;the bodhisatva es to enightenment on the wings of method and wsdom.His Honess the Daa Lama has witten,

Thsthe sx syabes, om mn pme hummean that in dependence on a pah whch s an ndvisbe unon of method and wisdom you ca transom yo impe body speech and mindinto the pe exated body speeh and mind of a BuddhaY

It is geneay epaned that the syabe om whch s composed o heesounds-A Msymbozes he pctitone's impe body speech andmnd whch w be pued hogh actce nto he exted body, speech,and mnd o a buddha. Hs Honess he a ama says tha the syabehum ndicates dvsbtythat method and wisdom ae geneated as anindivsibe ny in the mind of the Mntrayana pactone

Each of the sx syabes can aso be ndestood as corespondig o specic hngs to be pred o achieved. For exampe they can be ndesoodas corespondng to he s reams of eisence (whch mus be pured), tohe sx oot deusons whch mst be ovecome), and to the s ds of veswhch mst be pued) They c aso be seen as coesponding to the spefectons o be competed on he path, o he s wisdoms to be eazed, and

to the six buddha fames o be acheved Tabe gves some exampes ocorrespondences that are directy eevnt to the visuazation practice of thepaye whee

Othe tes s addtona coespndences o exampe avid Mokstansaton of a eachng by the Tibeta kig Songsen Gampo, says

hrough ecng the ssyabe manta one atan the sixsddhis. hough Om, one wi atan the supeme siddhs;

though Ma, the common sidds; thogh N the sddhi opacing scess and spits; hrugh Pad, he siddh o icreaseifespan and mer; though Me the siddh to conto peope

weath and ood; and thogh m the sddh to desoy enemes obstrcters and hamers

The Wheel o Ge Compsion


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Mantra TibeanSx S Si

Colo Reams Roo PefecioSyabes Syabe uifed Deio Compete

OM

Wit Gods Pid edio

MA Gn Dmgds jalusy Eics

Ylow Hun DirooI f

A q Be A Ion Wso

ME Rdungy

G Gnesiyghos

UM

1

ndgo ll-bg Ag inc

is transaton goes on to sa

Tog Om one atan e o of Avaotesvaaog Ma, Avaoesvaras seec tog N Avaoesvaras mn tog a Avaoesvaas qates tog

Me, Avaotesvaas actvt a tog m one attane ees of Avaotesvara og Om one i atan eates of e at of accmaon rog Ma, aites ofte a of earaon tog N aites of te at of seeng tog a, qates of te at of meitaton tog Meone aain te at of no moe earng an tog mone attai e qaes of omnscent mn s, ecing e sixsae manta, as soon as one asses aa om s

Pactic Seeing th ith f Cmpain


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fe ne tae bih in Suhavat an, hen Avaieshvaabecmes the Buha name Rasmamamuaa Suaaja ne be bn miacuusy m a tus n Hs st etinue f s

ces an atan he sage f ievesbiy Thus it is sai18

Ceay the meanng he mana s mutiacee n my n eec

tns, 've smetimes et as thugh the manta s a hghy cnense, etcexessn hugh hch enghene beings shae smething the

ncnceivabe exeiencea etcs bs im an ve The ayay t bene m the manta s nt by stuyng it bu by ecitng t As necan eeen ne's unestang f a geat em by eang it ve an ve,ne can eeen nes exeience f the meanng an benets f a mana byectng it many tes s ness ig Kyentse Rinche has itten,

If yu tae the mani yu ege bh haness an n s [Avaieshvaa] i aays be ith yu yu fee

me an me evtn thu any e an a by itsef theeaiatn he Mahayana ath aise n yu being 19

he Tbetan cmmentaes esente n ths b state that by tunngthe aye hee an ectng he mani manta ne's hme becmes ie the

taa ue an an ne becmes "eua n ftune the Thusan Buhas an meaningu t beh by anyne ith hm ne has a cnnecn s that even "senen bengs h ae tuche by ne's sha i bebeate m the e eams ama Za Rinche say escbesh f ne ectes at east ne thusan man mantas e ay, then nesby becmes besse an benets eveyne h cmes nt cntact thyu What s beng suggeste hee is that by engagng n he actice tunng he aye hee an ecting the man manta, ne actuay becmes a

n f cnnectn f thes t cntac he enegy f the enghene ne'sn by becmes in sme sense e a hy ace e a suaa acehee the Buhas mnscent menta by f tuth maniests f the benet f thes

Watchng my n an the ee's eacns t such cams abut thebenets f hs actce has been inteestng m a men, mechanstcve eaty such benets may seem mausbe But m a Buhst esecve, hee the e f the mn an the ssbiy enghenment

2 e ee of reat Compassion


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a dstood sch s a y o mas icociva Th ga yogLaa Tht Ysh dscis how Vaayaa Bddhsm symos advisaizatios ca vry pow "iodcg s to o ssa athch s dvi ad lmiss20 sggsts that w mai hobly appd

y o ow aow ad socaig sfmag savd y h "yay ofodiay appaacs ad cocptos1 says ha Bdhst ata chalgs s o dissolv o astophoic dissatisd sfcocpt ad op po sg osvs tascdtay atias gods ad goddsss iac:' hs ogiig "h y awad xpc att wih s

my xpic, h pay wh has b a vaio to ak oth tay ad aowss of odiay sfcocps ad a mid hato ca do so O wh dscoagd o ovy slciica wimd mysf to ad th dscipios of th ts of th pay whacc t o pot ama Zopa Ripoch showd m how h had attachdo his ow pay wh a fw hadwit pags o qoaios aot th s o th pacic Ths coagd m o kp midig mys to chag sfimtatios ad o ty to hav th oy ad adacity to s mysf ascapa of g of pofod t ad t srvic to oths

Whil cotmpatg ths scts happd o com acoss a itsg acco i a oo y Dog Dawa Domaa ama ad visoay adth moh of Chagdd Tu Th boo dscibs h oy thogh va

os ams of istc dig a adath xpc ad is misct oats dsciptios o hs oys hogh hav ad hl a mbof occasios paicay dig h oys thogh hl sh dscibs sg vaios pop g a pay whl ad swty sigig th maiaa o som pay of compassio; ad o sch occasios bgs caght th msis o h is p ad foow ths pop o p ads c a ads a hosad h bigs o of h towad h p ad of hfma Bddha Taa Dawa Doma ots ha th was ab o do ths

bcas thos bigs "w coctd to h thogh spch o toch23 Thatsth who gagd i his pacic was a o bt thos bgs smly cas ach o hm had ochd h o had h spa dig hs oh pvios if

Wh was yog was i tigd y hia gds o hoswho sachd o ad fod magica obcs sch as th oly Ga ad Exca throgh whch hy cod oths h pay wh, whch accodig to tadito was bogh to h hma am by th gat ohisava ho

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Nagana o he real o te dagonke nagas i earkable in artbecaue a iary aga or dine object at nite o erha, dareone to nay ee one on diine arhetyal caaciy r enigtened andag oaion.

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Symbolism:The Radiant Dharma Wheel

One of the most univesa symbols n the word, boh i and oofthe Buddhst context s the wheel or cicle as a sola embem. ne scholarasserts tha "the concep of he su as a wheel was one of te most wdeseadnotios of anqt24 Ths kd of symolsm was aeady preset iIda befoe he time of the Buddha ad it certanly nuenced he udersandng of he wheel as a symbol n Buddhism Tieta ama and schoaDagyab Rnpoche has sad regadng he wheel, The crce . .s a nversalsmol fod cltes n pre-Buddhis ndia (the wheel oen seved]as a symbo for te sun, or derved om hs for tme or any knd of cyclcaloton25

he dian tadon, te sun god Srya was pctured rdg a charotwth js one whee, symbolizig he o of he su ad hs staying on hee rght o s pah across he sky fom east o west each day. he danBuddhst maste Chadragom who was known as a great devoee of teBddha of Compassio wote of the bodhsatva's eavey compassonae motvaton speccally sng magey om rya s solar charot:

he Sn

Cimbs aboad hs fantasc charioFles acoss the skyLghts up the wold Ad so is the wayf hose great engsWho wsh ohngo temseves,

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Thei lives devoedTo a single song:

he wel-being an he happinessO every livng hing26

Fom eay imes, Surya was epesene in saues by he sola wheel anthese saues ae quie smila o Budhis saues o he whee o Dharma.27n ndia hee is a vey ancien adiion egadng he wheel-uning kingSk chakravain ha appeas o be relae o he religious unersaningand imagey associaed wih Suya. he wheel hee is a symbo o "unvesadominion.28 Appaeny he orgina meanng o he em "wheeurningking was tha such a king was so powerul ha he wou gain dominion

wheeve he oe his grea chaio Thus, one migh say ha a wheeuningmonachs rse o powe occurs as naurally as he suns sing and ha he

ules wih a powe like he almpoan powe and raance o he sunThe assocaion o kings wh sola magey s a common heme in many

culues Solar gos associae wh skygoing chaios o wheels an wihdivine law such as Suya and his Greek counepar Apollo appear n manyimes and culues. Even he Od esamen escres a vision o hepophe Eekel in which our bgh, luminescen angels wh animal aces

oaed in a greawhiling cou o re, each accompanie by a mysical

whee ha oae alongside him conaining or expessing he spii o heangel. Jewish Talmudc scholas unersood he whels o hese unusua

angels as he wheels o a ceesial chaio a chao o God himse Thus

is he symolism o Ezekiels vison linke wih ha o Suya and oher

sola deies.30The whee has always been an imporan smbo in Budhsm The sym

bol o he wheel ceanly payed an impoan oe houghou the e o hehsocal Buddha.

is sai ha when he Budha was born his ahea ingaske a seero pedic his sons uure The young chl had been on wih a numbe oemakable auspicous sgns on hs body, incuding naura maks n heshape o whees on he soles o his ee and on his palms. Such maks ae

among he hty-wo majo maks o physical characeiscs o a greabeinghe ress o vas posiive kama The seer said ha the Buddha-obe ha emakale quaies; he would eihe become a wheel-unng king orbecome a udha a uly awakened beng

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By th Bddha' tim, h wh of h whltrnig kng wa no longrhoght o primariy a part of a hariot, bt had bom on of h vnblm of ovrigny. Th Cakkaatti Sianaa Sutta drib how thiagint whl appar in midair bfor h whrning king at h

bginning o hi rign a a ign o hi righton and powr31 Onibantt drib thi prio whl a bing a bail a a ondn th world in a ingl day, it roll nhindrd for a hndrd tho andana throgh h ky . hrvr th hakravart wih to go . h go

hr h ky with th aid of h thoandpokd whl a yongan th Bddha had a hoi: to bom h a powrl whtrningonarh or o lav hi kingdom and ntr ino fort od to pr

dp mditation and k th nlghnmn o bddahood H ho opr thi ond or and ar yar o mdtatio h awaknd to thr atr o thing. Evn a whlrning king i not from h r-ing of in aging, lo and dah From a Bddhit prptiv onlylightnd widom a grant h dom.

Th Bddha rnond hi option of boming a whltrningonarhth option of having mitd worldy powr. ording o tra-dition ar th Bddha nighnmnt, h at in ln for om tim nith god am to hm and aid: i, gra oan of ompaion and trn

th holy whl of Dharma33 Tg th whl of Dhrma rfr to giving

tahg on th trth on h Bddhi path to nlightnmnt. Th iralai Lama rfr to th B ddha a a born ord of trth ad a Dharmakng. Th rahr than bomng a worldly whltring ng, h bama kng of th ralm of trth, who by trning th whl of Dharma awaknothr to th r natr o thing

nmbr of th Tibtan ommntari on h prayr wh rfr to rning h prayr whl a rning h Dharma whl O ommntary aythat by ngaging in h prati of h prayr whl on gan a onntion

to a bddha' trng of th whl o Dharma Th Titan ommnariagr that h prai timatly ad on to bom a bddhaa lord orth who trn h wh o Dharma for othr.

n my own rtion on thi bt am rmd o th tahing onth for knd of karmi rlt o ation For a ngativ aon h ag h od inld th riene result o rbirth in th owr ralm,h exeriene ngruent wit te ause h a havg a hor li th atin

ngruent wit te aue h a g again i hi or tr iv, and th

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ninmntl rult such as living in voent paces. Though he karmic

bees of the prayer wheel pacce are seeingy incocevae, as oe

ooks a specc bees listed the commentares oe nds hat they doiclude these fou ins o armic resus For exaple rpeg esuts may

icle ebh as a huma or god. Expeieces cogruen withhe cause

ay include receving those eaizaos an qualities ha one has visuaiedadiag to ohes a eceiving eachings-eig pesen whe a budha

urns he wheel o Dhara viroetal ess ay incude living apure ad beaufl eviromet, e a pure lad Actions congruen it hecause may incle havg compasson ure lives egaging in the payewhee pacice aga in ture ves, a eve ung he wheel o Dharma

or otheshough he speccs of how arma pens s beyo the view o od

ay engs oes seem that a awareness of the symbos relate to thewhee i the Buddhst tation ca e o vale as one coemplaes theeangs ad benets of payer whee practice. hinig o these enesay help one ejoice in positve actos ad erey icease heir power

Awaeess of the symboc esoances the rua of the prayer wheelmay help oe to unestan what the itual evokes Jst as e buhas comunicae with the conscious through teachgs on subjects le impemanece, compassio an emptiess so aso o hey coicae with the

sucoscous hough rals ad sbols o awaen hide poetas

Hee I shall iscuss how ee archepal qualties o soa sybois appeao elate o he payer whee pracice his iscsson eecs my ow aempas a mode Westerner to uersan soeg that peope of ohe iesad cultures may have tuite irecty I hope hs iscusso ay help ohes o undesan wha ay e a ufaiar angage o soism. I o ocla, howeve that hese reecions are eitively va in relaion o he

paye wheel pacce.One d o achetpa solar symbolis evoe y he praye whee s he

imeess iage o he s as gving poecto agaist he demoic foces oaress. he iean comentares meio in a uber o paces taurig he payer wheel protects oe fom evl powers incuing emigods[St ur] harmgves [ykh] demos [mr iterferes ad"demoic plaes. I ancien Inia ad esewhere he sun was eleve o"rive away arness an demons om he gos in the sy as wel as o he

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earth5 Sar dvinite are ao en elieved t e ae t dipe he eect

fnegative atolgcal condiin. The god Surya wa equeny pictued (a

the Buddhit cave at Bhaja) ridng hi chat and "detroyng he evl

wer f darne, penied a demn.6 Hweve while he Tean

cmmenare ugget that praye wheel itua can help to dipel hee extera negaive fce they mae cea that the principle demon o e ovecme hough the pracice are the inne pychogical demn uch aef-centeredne pide, anger and ignrance Cf the pycholgt GJng deciption of hw teied he wa when he faced the demn andemigd f hi inne wrd.) On te dicult inner ourney tugh the

arer regin of e ul, tuning the paye whee can ring ght, jut acmpain can lighen the daet orow

nther ind of oar ymolim that the praye whee eem to invke the un a a uce of warmth ight, and gwth A the un gve warmthand lgh t eng on the earth and caue crp t gw t may e een

a a ml f gdne well-eng, and prperit Similay the Tetancommentaie gge that the prayer wheel rng healng, weath, and eie to te paciione Hweve he viulzatin practice mae it ea thata he emanatin fgheam m the prayer wheel eache eing, it prmarilycaue Dhama ealization t grow The ecion of the Tietan commentarie decring the viuaizatin to e dne while turning the paye

heel pecifcaly mention viualizing eam f light emanang om therayer wheel rng mgrary eing cauing them t "pntaneulyeveop the fur immeauale hughtlvingndne, compan joyand equanimi and o "compete the pactice of the x perfecingivingmraliy, patience, pereveance, cncentation and widm. The anguageere i miar to ome decrpton of the Buddha, uch a th ne frm theaamaka Sutra

Havng cutivated generot, e-cntrol, nd patienceDigence and meditaionnd utmate tancenden wdom,

With them he light the wrd.

The pirua lght f the Buddha in thi utra le the pritua ight

vaied emanatng from the payer wheel ha te partcular character of

inpiring the practce and cmpetion f the x perfecton, whch comprie

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the heart of the odhisattvas practice on he path to full enghtenment, orbuddhahood. As one commentary says through this practice "the discipei pen ke a good harvest

A thrd kind of sola symbolism evoked fo me by prayer heel actce

is the sn's estward tanst acoss he sy each day as a symbol of the rightpath That the prayer hee is spun clockise just as stu pas are geneally cicumambulated cockise seems to be eated to this symosm In the uddhist tradition, clocwise circumambulation s a sign of respect; a nume of

Buddhst sutras describe discipes dog three clockise circumamblations

of the uddha nd ostatng to hm efore euestng teachngs The od

cocwseis an adaptation of a earer term taslated om e Sansrit as sunwise) Lama Govinda riting of this custom of circumamuation, notesthat at the great uddhist stupa of Sachi the orentation of the gates equalycoresponds to he sns couse to sunise, zenith sunset nadir, th eachof these for beig ssocated ith one of he uddha's fou major deeds eastfo bth south fo elightenment, est fo setting n motion the heel of

hama and norh for his nal lieration Ths n circmamblatg such

a stupa, one s both paying homage to nd symbolicaly follong the lfe-coue of the uddhafoloing the right path.

I appears lkely that our dual association ith the ord idicatigones ight side nd also dicatng hat is te, moa, ad ustis associated

ith this ancient and archetypa dea of ccmambuatng cockise ithone's right side to the cente Wlliam Smson notes that he Sanskrit termrit oiginally used to ident the path fooed every day y the sn om hisrising to his setig later came to mean the etenal foundation of al thatest the "a general ad "all that is right good, and true9

Reectg on ho ervasive this archeypal idea of the aspicousness oftnng clockwise s it s nteresting to note ho n our moden technoogye generaly design obects so that locs, kobs and faucets tun cockse

to et s or turns things up or on.So, through the smle geste of turnng a ayer hee clocise o c-

cumambulatig a holy object one is evoing a very ancent nd ervasivelevel of syboism reated to payg homage to doing hat s right and tofooing a tue and enlightening ath

efore concluding this section on symbolism, I ant to say a fe odsaout the symbolc qaity of the ner stcture of the prayer heel Accord

g to a nmber of Tibetan commentaes in the cente of the aye hee,

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one places a leree or cenra sha pon whch a nmer o sacred syllalesd anras are wrten s s smar n desg to the e-ree paced heceer ostpas he top ad botom o e prayer wheel one en pacesadala-lke desgns wch also ave sacred sylales ad manras wrten on

he Bot desgs have a spealed los near he center wh eac petalorrespodng to a sylabe o the man mantra e desgn paced a e bottos caled the earh whee and the one at the top s caled the "sky wheel.

The Tbetan word or mandala s kylkor, whch means cener and srodgenvronmen.40 Whe he Tbetan commetares do no expcyenonhs erm te Tbea adon does ndersad the mantra o vaoesvara to e an aca manesaon o hs omnscen md So s approrae o consecrae he cener and srrondng envronmen o he nteroro prayer wheel beore nvg valokesvara msel o dwel n teprayer wheel by wndg the man manras arond he le-ree

n concdg ths secon shold note at wle reectng on te symbolsm o a sprtal practce s mportant s also mportan o recal thaaclarly n Bddhsm symbols are nended to pon towad experencesat ranscend symbosm the Aatamka tra says

e spral powers o the enlghtenng egs are asoconcevable.

ogh one may y to lsrae hs by meaphoer all tere s o meapho ha can e lkened o hs;However peope o wsdom and elgenceUndersand te meanng y means o smldes41

n a smar ven wh regard to the meanng o the Bddhs stpa Hsolness he aa ama has sad hat "the acal stpa exss he earcener n each o s4 By means o symbolsm rtal devoon and practce

oe may nd the radan prayer whee o enghtened nvesa compasson one's own hear

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LineageAn Ancient& Mystical Inherit ance

ease Mahayaa Bddhsm views he siral carees ofbodhsavas as akg lae ove he ose o eons and volvig vsis o varosreams o esene, he Bddhis view of hsory s e diere om ha

of moden Wesen socey. or eame is sad ha n a evios eon heeng who wold lae beome Shakami Bddha me a bddha named

iankara o whom he made oegs and i whose resece he generaede wish o become a bddha hmse. Aording o a nmber of Tbeanmmeares h oeivably ancien bddha held he leage of he

raye whee and gave o he naga43 (owerf, ongved seres odagonke bengs who sally live i oeas o oher dee bodies of waer

ad have he abli o magically ae o hman aearane). The arcaagas o whom Diankaa Bddha gave he raye wheel ieage wee

ahayaa Bddhis acioners, and hei kg was a bodhisava. The com-earies sgges ha ove he ose of millions of years, hese agas sed

he ayer wheel ad many aained hgh levels of reazaion o he ah o

elghemeI s ever sggesed ha akaa Bddha ognaed he ayer whee

racie, so oe ges a sense o a leage of omassion reachng back lim

ilessly aross eos The celesia Bddha of omassion, Avaokieshvarais aso assoiaed wih he rayer wheel lneage b he commenares doo diae ha he began he lieage eihe. Tyig o relae he moder

esen vew o hisorywhh foses almos elsvey o he as ewhosad yearso he Bddhis view ca a mes eel like omaring adeaed see ma of oes eghborhood o a ma of he gaaies: he

scale s so adcaly diee. Udesadg he Bddhis radiio's viewo lieage can gve one a sese o ohig somehig imeless and remd

Lneage An Ancent an Mytcal Inhertance 23


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oe o he epase bodhisatva worldiew om wi te praer weepraie omes

Tes sugges that te praer wheel neage remaed wt te agas omillions o eas until he ime o Nagajuna, a amous Idia Buddhit

sola, phiosope and ogi Nagaua is assoiated wh the rise oMaaaa Buddhsm during he rst etu ad s know as eounder o the Mddle Wa sool o Buddhis philosoph, wih al -

renteisting shools o Tibetan Buddhism aept as te most proound oll posophia ews ad whih was te welspring o he han nd Ze

tradiions o hi ad Japan as well

Beause Nagauna is so importan in he lineage o te prae whee it

ma be wothwl to ook at e Bddis tadios understanding o wohe was I is beieed ta duig the tme o te Buddha he one who woud

ate ake bih as Nagajua was ebon as a out amed Priadashaawho was a studet o the geat la Buddis sage Vmaakirti During aamous teahing b Vimalakirti o onduai, his out ahieed a higleel o isight "Te Buddha subseuentl predited that is

_oung ma

would be ebon in South India our hunded ears lae4 as one wo

would spead is etra wa eag ar ad wide, ad e go on to e

pre land o Sukhaati; and that he would be alled Naga45 Ta Sakmi

Budda predited Nagarjuna would eentual be reborn the pure land o

Sukhaatthe "lad o bliss is o interes as ts is he pure ad o teBuddha Amitabha e eesial guru o Aalokiteshara so, a umbe oommentaies o he pae wheel traslated in tis book sa tat one who

egages i he patie o he pae wheel take ebirth peisel hispue eam Shaat

lhough ot sholas agee on Nagajuas daes t appears tat e

was bon aoud e rs eu i souhen Ida Wle sil a bohe took odinaion as a mok ad etered Nlanda moast uniesi the

greatest uiersit in India at that time Thee e studied the Buddhas teah-ings and Indias arts and siees proig imsel n etemel apable oung

sa6 He emaed at Nlanda o maneas ad beame amous as a

teaher He is also ad to hae beome a sude o the geat tari adep,

Saraha Whe suig and teahg the eotei Buddhist teahigs e

apparel also egaged in pates o he esotei Buddhist tantras andbeame a powel ahemis as wel

Oe aou o Nagarjunas lie sas hat ee thoug e was alead a

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ge edor and schor, he woud e wake a nigh ng, use

ss o other peope n y presen sae of anen us gn he capc

o hep ohers.47 n one o hs er wrngs, he Tw Clectn f

Elightenment, Nagrjunawrote,

o rece for onesef nd o ech ohers the profond scrpresprsed y he Buddh d o expan the rous enngs . .Tofoow [he Bddha] ad o urn he coros harmacakrarned y the Bdd,8 nd o c and qench ad pusehs is odhsaas sore of er By earng he grea suerng o heno o enon a e exr suerngso s oene and pease ng eigs9 wi e n he rghhnd o nae con no for onesef ny o ene d

pease ing engs, oed y copassonodh s n herigh hand. Wisdo whou concepaaon e whosoth, generosy witho stinginessodh s the rgh hand50

agru so wroe,

May e s dear o senen egs as theOwn ife nd ay hey e ey der o e,

May her sns uc for eAnd y res for the.51

is cer o grjuns wrngs h he ws soeone led wh greacopssone concern for ohers. e was an exreey ged and ieigen who hogh coniuay o how es o ene ohers. The rdion soy sys ha arced y grjns copsson nd inegencehe ngas oo hn for o inie grjn o teir igdo, where hey

hed any Buddhs echngs ha Shkyui Bddha hsef hdenrsed o her care nti hans were ready o receie he.52 Snce heddha had predce ha Nagarjuna's nam wou nu "naga; on manfer ha he Buddh hd enrused hese echngs o he ngas so hNgrjun gh aer rns the o the hn re d here dissene he

here, under he se, n he ngdo of he ngas, garn receied he

ddhs echings h ke up he her of Mhayana Buddhs: he

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Perfectin f ism, Ltus, Pure Ln Jee Hep, isin t Lnk andIncnceive Liertin utrs and many othe.53 Nagauna i ad to havemade numeo ourney to the naga ingdom and o have wten andtaugh exenivey on the utra he dicovered. Nagarna teachng not ony

began one o te geae phloophica adton o al time, but alo contrbed immeaably to a cultual anormaton hat pead the ahayaa

Buddht von o nivea reponibly and adca compaon througmot o Centra and Ea Aa

A number o commentaie on he paye wheel tanlaed he ndcaetha Nagauna aw n a pe von Avaokehvara who ntrced him o

go to the king o the naga and reque a payer wheel that had been gven the naga ong beoe by Dpankaa Bddha Avaloiehvaa old Nagaua

that he dd thi the benet to enten beng be enomouIn he Indian ahayana tadion, othe bede Nagaruna had vion

ay encounter wh Avaloehvaa The gea ndian mate Chandagomn aid o have been ttoed n h debate wth Chandakti byvonary dcon wih Avaloitehvaa and he Indian nun Lahm

aid to have become higy realized ate eeing Avaloehvaa diectly and

ecevng eachng and empowerment54 Ao, Taanatha, in h Histry fBuism in Ini decibe how one end oNagauna did a tweve-yearretrea chanting he manta o Avaoktehvaa and ubeently aw Avao

tehvaa decly and received om hm pernaal powe allowing hmto work eectvely or the bene o ohe 55

That he prayer whee lineage hu aocaed wh both Nagaunaand Avaloitehvara ugget hat it i an important ymbol o ahayanaBddhm Indeed, he lineage o he prayer whee n one om or anothepead to mo ahayana Buddh conre.

Over the pat hundred yea Ween chola have debated whethe thepaye wheel oigaed n India, Tbet, o Chna. Extant Tbetan commen

ae ae nanmou in ter aeron ha the pacce came om Inda tobet Witho goig ino te anthropoogcal and achaeologca deail c o a ha have found no comeng vidne o conad he

Tbean clam he ymbolm o h pactce leay appear o be baed onIndian mage and the Tbetan commentaie ote nmeo oce thatevce tanlaion om the Sant themoe, at ea two inance,

epeced choar ee o evdence ha paye whee exed in nothenInda aond he eevenh centuy The rt appear n Taanaha hoy o

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he aa aa h ex iicae ha, ohea o Bohgaya, a goup o

ihalee hravakas bue a be o ex eoye a lage aue, a

gea amage o he Dharmaakra [Dhamawheel] o Mae uha

aa56 Mai illo, he aao o hi ex, oe ha Gehe

Japa echo beeve ha h eeece o a amage Dhamawheebably ee o "a oaig wheel coaig maa e a ibea payeheel, poiby wae ve57 he eco eeece occu a ye upublhe maucip by Poeo Gegory Schope, who oe ha aelevehceury cipio a he ie oNalaa Uiveiy (whee Nagaja uie) ee o a evice lie a paye whee he paage i pa o a

ee o vee paig he goo wo o a mo ame Viplahia alaeby Schope, he paage ea:

Fom couou eo a copy o) he Mohe o he Buha[he Perection o om ] coay evolve he geaemple o he oy Khaappaa [Avaoehvaa] , by mea ohe boo cae couce by him Vpulahima, a heiae ou image i he lmhoue o he holiay

he eeece eem o iice h a emple eicae o Avaoiehvaa

hi mo buil a paye whee caiig he Perection o isom Sutra

hee wo eeece o paye wheel i Ia uppo he aiio beaview o hioy

Ahough he majoiy o paye whee coai mai maa mayvaaio have ae he meo o he paye wheel coaiig a copy ohe ton oom utra ugge ha hee vaiaio bega ealy heaiio

Oe impoa vaaio, whch ex pimaly oue o be i heevolvg boocae Deige e paye wheel, hee evolvg libaie o

boocae ae lage, uig cae, uually ocagoal i hape emiice ohe eighpoe Dhama wheel), a ae ue clocwie o a ceal axi

he s o he ma whee, he ggeio ha by ug hewheel oe ceae viuou ama compaabe o ha which oe wol ceae by eaig o ecg he ex wihi Revolvg ibaie have bee oui Chia ice he ixh ceury; wheea, he eeece o he payewhee i be appea o be uig Kg Soge Gampo' eg he eveh ceuy om ha, evovg libae pea o Koea, Japa, a

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ot pa of Ea Aa.58 y th ghth a ctur y ha bcomqut popuar Cha. Pamaambhava ho accorg to tato ra

m th payr l lag o Tbt ot arv thr ul h g

cu59 Alhoug th t rvolg lbrar probably cam o Cha om

a60 t avalab C ourc o th lag a currtly u lmt61 O Tbta commtary ay hat Nagajua ak bacor

a Dhama kg, to mak a h coag t cao of ua tachgto b tur. f th Tbta t corrct, th th trato o th rvolvg bookca a bgu by Nagarjua

I th Tbt tao t accptabl to payr th mataa prayr of buha othr tha t uha of Compao o omca to cu th mata o a umbr o rt buha t o

payr O bta comar at at a yog am Mgtagpa

a a pur vo o Lama Togkap rgag bug a prayr l h t migtema, a pa to Togkhapa. Wl tavg Aa, my Thra a I av prayr hl o t uha Kalachakra (aoca th th mycal kgom of Shambhala) a of th uhaVajraattva (aocat th purca. I haramaa Ia tr arprayr o vral bua t, cug a fmal bua amStatapatra, or Wt Umbra. Fally, om lama Amrca ar ovrg h cotruco of prayr hl cotag Pamaambhava mara.

A umbr of Tbta lama hav cat ha t accptab to bulprayr l th ohr pray . Ur t cto of Tathag

Tulku, th Yh D Projct Cao ma a ag umbr o ahlpray h coag ortywo rt t a prayr.62 A Wt

uh oc ak Lama Zopa poch f t ou b bca o h to

mak a payr hl cotag h favot uht t, th Eence o Tre

Eoqence by Lama Togkapa. Lma opa poch rp a t ou

b bcal bu h coul ot gaa that t oul b a bca a a

ma hlI ak ab Gh Gyat Tbta lama ho ha b vg

a tacg Lo Agl o may ya about ug matra a prayr h. H aur m tha t a accptbl to u mata oh

tha ma matra prayr hl r v to m vral matra h

am payr h though h av agat mg pay om

t rlgo. Lama Pa Wagak York ag ta t a accptab

to mak pay hl cotag umrou matra a uggt tat

28 e ee of Great omaion


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articar cratis atas iht be esecialy beecal, ea

le, lac the a anra i the ceter, Majshri's atra i the id-

dle, ad Varaani's ara tside hat63 He as rsed a raye heeih the atras each the detes Tib yam] th h e has a

cecti isde, aai he the isde t accdi the aditial syste sh i iaes the lieae tree The Tibeta adit is etely csistet his i e Tibeta cetary (reeed

by a Mai, the Seche Laa ces his dsaral the acice tti re ha e saced text iside he sae ayer heel64 I se

ab ths isse th Laa Za Rche h adsed e hat hie i seissible t t ces her deiies aras a ayer heel i s s

beecal se iarly cies th ai atra.

Accrdi t Tibea tadti, Naaja assed he raye hee lie-ae t aakn (a eale, aele ein th he ace a li Ths ees the essi ha he actce s rarly a ystca e er,de beins, y teraly aed thrh he idess the Bddha

ass, t se rtae ebers haiy

Ee te Tibeta accts he ha lieae hdes ctibte is sese a lieae tasitted by seha beins Accdin t LaaZa Riche, he rayer hee ratice as eer lar at the reat

asic erstes Tibe. Ad yet the reatest yis Ida ad Tibe

adted i. Aer the eihthcetry Iia aster adasabhaa brhtheleae t Tibe, t as laer ractce by the Idian arc Bddhist as

es Tila ad Nara. Nara's discile Mara laer eeed he eae bet adassed i t that reed Tibeta edia, Milaea Thhthese astes ere secic ies ad lacestheir hsticy is dbtach, thrh the e s ic realzats ad insr deeds,s a alst thic re Tibetan Bddhis t as he reat ys, the,h disseiated e rayer heel lieae in Tbe A these as the

a aster Kaa ashi, hse rs are qed by s sbseqetrites the sbject

Accrdin t e Bue Annas a eat yi ad sa th eeth ce-y aed Sherab el eaed i the racice the a heel. 5 I the se-eeeh cety, the reat Gela y schlar Lsa hyi Gyalse

blt ay ai heels i e area Tsh Lh Master, as did JesLsa eshe. he ieeeth cery the reat yi Shaba, hse at-birahy stads beside Miareas as a arite ibetas, as blt a

Lneage An nent an Mysa Inertane 29


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wheels for he ene o ohes n hs laer e.66Eve n moe mes, oe

ns a s yogs lke Hs Emee Chogye he Rnpohe Hs oessTrag Rpohe, Geshe Rae, Lama Zopa Rnpohe, Chagu Tku,

eshe Lama ohog (who spen over welve yeas meang sr

ereas he aves of Maepa) an oher yogs om e vaos Tbearaons who eah hs prae a nspe he ulg of payer wheesfo ohers.

Through e gea popay of ese hoy propones of epraye whee

pae a he powe spr of Tbeans' evoo o valokeshvara, hepraye wheel prae beame wesprea among he aypeope of Te. Toay,as oe avels amog Teas exle Ina a Nepa one nevaly sees

many ee eas spng han-hel man whees, or age saoayma whees wh vse joy a evoon.

n ree years, e prae of he prayer wheel has gaay spea o eWes. Presely when Weserners rs ha ona w he prayer wheel eage s era. Some hsorans of ehnology6 eeve a n e ee

ery, whe Caol pohos agas akng Chrsan slaves e Ialas o esave osans of people fom Ceal sa he esave may have

bogh wh hem some pas of he prayer wheel ehology suh as healanha governo (om ha-he wheels) he veaaxs wml(om wheels rne by wn), a he ho-a une (om wheels re

ove repaes) f s hess s ore, en oe a harly mage a moreauspous begng for Wesern oa wh hs sae a.

I he neeenh euy, Wesern avelers o epmarly Chrsan mssonaesbegan og paye wheels her wgs. Thee s

no erm bea ommeaes o ommo bea sage ha oul

rghly e aslae as paye whee" Chrsan mssoares appea o haveoe he erm prayer wheel" o praygwheel ER. Hu an Englshwrer a joas raveng Tbe n he m1oos, ale hem

ng prayes' olng ha he Teas spesosly eleve ha hewheels hemseves wee prayg6 eans generally se he ems ma

hee an haa hee" wh reerr hs pra he erm

payer wheel gae ommo parlane los s orgnal pejoave sensean oay s eve use by beans n he Wes. Eay msonepons ase,he erm s appropae The praye n hs pae s o so muh a prayeto an exeal, superaua eg, as s one of ompassoor he welfareof ohes

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Aogh Mahaya Budhism has been spreading e Wes since he0s, he pactice o buldg large and smal prayer wheels became opularmog Wesern Buddhss oly sice he 1990s. With the ea diaspoa,enal a Eas Asan Buhst pactces a ar orms have come ito

ceasingy fit cotact Frhermore e inegratio o mode techoogy wh raditiona methods has cotrbted o ovatios e ouction of sace Bst at a ar of his reaissance of MahayaaBudhs as and cue, a creasg nmbe o Wesern arss an ati

sas have uilt vey eat praye whees

Lama The Zopa Rinpoche has been at he forefot of his asticeaissance Bohgaya, Indiahe se of he Buddhas enlghenmee s oveseeg he buiding o a saue of Maiteya, the Buddha o ove,hat w waf New Yoks Sate of Liey At appoximaey ve hue

fee, wl e he arges meal state the word and i s eing engineeredto as fo over a thousa yeas aditioal ibea arsts an lamas are colaorating wh Wesern arss Eas Asan Budhiss engineers compue

magig expers hyscss, and meallgsts o create an arisic expressio

o elightened love niue hisoy. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is also oversee

nge ulg of the lagest stpa in he West though this sua is beg

cosucted Astraa sing high-ech buling mehods, s esign s basedon e scre o the Grea Sua o Gyatse in Tet, a eeth-cetry

mserpece wih sevey-ve ineral emes In aifon Lama Zoaoche is overseeng the uilg of oe hue thosad stupas in aterraced madaa desg base o he famous suas in Boobdr, Inonesa he wold's largest Budhis monmen (eeced cca 788). Lama

Zoa Rinpoche has aso overseen the bding o hues o smaer stas

n sates he ceaion of elgos aings on a scale remiscen o hetla Reassance, and the creatio of molds o crag beaui, smallholy s s and sates om moen ress and pastes

In the constco o ayer whees Lama Zopa Rinoche has novaee use o micom technolog o pg he man mantras to be wou

i m Accodg o adiion a ray whl becom mo ow

with each aoal maa wo sde o hus y using micomoe ca bld aye whees more powerl a ay bu Tie Lama Zopanpoche has aso ecouaged the se of modern echoog in e esig

a construcion of payer wheels tha last oger a urn more easy. O

cose he isists at he raye wheels e led accorng to nstrucos n

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th commnris nd tht th otr dcortions r md with g c

nd rcision Silrly stdnts of Tthng Tl hv sd comtriztysttig qimn to rint vry smll lr scrirs nd mntrs to

til yr whs tht nd y lctc moors On sch yr

whl ws gvn to th US Lirry of Congrss nd cn sn n th AsinRding Room

Thogh th ots of Lm Zo Rnoch nd ohr lms nd ctitonrs yr whls contn to t in Titn nd othr Asin Bddhit

mm s wll s in th st t is my sinc ho tht this oo my

contit in som wy to th oishing o ths ng o rcic to ongoing nssnc n Bddhist ts nd rctics nd to h dvlomnt

nightnd comssion in th minds o ll ings

32 e eel Great main


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PR Two:

Tibea Cmmeaies he Paye Whee


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An Oral Dicoure

The rt ommetary i thi etio i a traript of a ora di-ore o the power ad eet of the prayer whee gie i eof y ama Zopa Ripohe at the ad of ediie Bddha iSoqe aiforia i dediatio of a arge prayer whee it y im

a at ama Zopa Ripohe reqet Thi diore wa tra-ried y idati Doeter ad edited y Briege Waridge ad Veerae Aia amero I hae made oy mior hage for the akeof oite with the other traato. Wth their emphai oig prayer whee for heaig ama Zopa Ripohe' ommet

here may e iewed a a eperietia ad pratia ommeta othe tet traated et i thi etio. Thi diore wa origiay

pihed i nl: Newsmgie o e T (Fodatiofor the Preeratio of the ahayaa Traditio) It i reprited here

with the permiio of the FPT ad the Widom Arhie

eI Sou Kumbu69 al te old me ad wome urn a paye wheeevey day We tey ae a ome inthe moig, and i te eveigbefore

ey go o edteyold a mala ei le and, a paye weel in te

rght ad ecite Om mani padme hum. Ad we they walk around they

cosaly u te rayer weel ad ecie Om mani padme hum. I oe

used o ik: How does tuing the pyer wheel become Dharmapractice? Ihad hs questo in my mind smly because I was igoraas o te bee-

s of te pacce. Idid't kow wat a potat pactice i is and ow

enel it is i ems o puitio Jus ouig ug pye

wheel bngs incedilepuication, and accumulaton of unelievable mer.

At Lwuo I ou my ol mnusts hwiten tets by tewuo Lm. he pevious Lwuo Lm who ws le Lm [Kunsg]

eshesome peole t he hs someng to o wt my le ot

A Ora Diore 35


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ve mnstery, ut ved in reret in cve7 He t t et in

cying exs cces vrius Vjryn deies A tt me sch texswere very e, s e we many u y hnd Becse they d been sedn e cve, whch ws very humid, he texs were dmp, nd used t dry

em n the sn I yu dn't dry em, the exts grw ngs nd e thendesryed by wms e wrms rencrne mng e texs nd me sme

ineesng les in them!One dy when I ws ing the texs u in e sn, I sw ne ld ex wh

e le Man Kabm On Hune housan Man eahngs t tl e sry e evln e wld, incudng w m cme nt

tis wld nd w te senien bengs ie, the Snw nd, ecme he

tclr bjects t e suded by he Cmssin Budd Avleshvr

Ambh nd he Cmssn Bdd re the same n essence and re versngy ed d, r me n went yers, e Cmssn Bddhnd Amibh hve guided Western cnries (n ny e and Ch),

eseclly y spreing hrmIn Man Kabum I sw sh exan the nege the ye

whee prctice nd ew les n w vsualize and mede wen y de cce In iet, nd geneally whereve ee ae he Mhyn echngs Vjryn, e prcce e pryer whee hs spred Ngrun gvee cce he n-ced dn, w gve i t Pdmsmbhv, w

en ught it t Tbeer edng ts, I develped i the prctce ws n nnsense,

t hd vld reerences and ws vlule nd menngl m ths ex I gtsme de hw pwerl te pye weel ctice s n puring e md

nd n ccumg exensve meritsIn 198 wen I ws Chenezig Institue Australi, I niced tt the

lce d ecme incedly ece It elt s serene tht yu wned be

thee, ve ee Chenrezg Insue d n been lie ere, nd

wndered wy t hd cnged At tht time, Geshe m Knchg ws hereGese-l hs dne l rm prcce Aer e esced m ibe,

e spen mny yes n reet in Mlreps cves in he Hmys He didw husnd Nugnas e inensve w-dy etre n e CmssnBudd t inves tg e eight Myn preces nd ding mnyprsrtins nd mntrs Gese m Knchg hs ined hs mnd wel ne p, s I thug tt te seeny Chenezig Instiue might e de

t is bdicit

6 h Whl at mpasson


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Hoever, one dy ne he end of my sty there, the thought cme into myd Oh the he miht be e t the pryer wheelit wst here befrepr heel much smer hn the one here t Land of Meicine Buddh

i aso contns mny mnts on micom nd is ver nicely mde

Some tme lte hen s in Bzi he ivition of medttion cen-te here stude gve me boo itten by one of thng Tuu's senodisciples bout his experiences hen he s in chge of uiding sups ndpryer heels thng uus centers. n one section he mentioned thter a payer hel s buit, e re s completey rnsformed becoming so pecefu plesn, nd conducve to he mind

This conrmed my belief, bsed on my on esoning tt Chenregnsttue hd become so pecef becuse of is ne pryer heel Th some

body ese experieced simi eec om uiding the pyer hee helpedo sbile my fihThee re eh, e re nd ind pryer heels One of he benes

of the pryer he is th it embodies he ctions of the uddhs ndbodhstts of te ten direcions o benet sentent beigs the buddhsnd odhistvs mnfest in he pye heel to puri of our negtvems nd oscrtons nd to cuse us to culie he eions of heph to enghtenment All the beingsnot oy the peope but aso theinsectsin the re hee the pyer hee is built re sved om rebirth inthe loer elms; they receve dev god) or humn body, or re bon in pe nd of Buddh

If you hve mn prye hee n your house, your house s the sme she Pot te pue lnd of the ompssion Buddh f you hve pryerhee next to you hen you de you don need ophow.71 Hing the pryerheel iself ecomes mehod to tnsfe your conscousness o pue lnd.Smply thinking of pyer hee heps dying person o shoot the con-sciousness up the centrl chnne nd out hrough he cron to rencrnte

in the pure lnd of Amitbh the Ld of Bss St khvti] or the ompssion Buddh [kt. Pot.].

Simply ouchng pyer hee bngs gre puricton of negive kr-ms nd obscurtions. urning prye hee contning hundred millionOm mi pme m mnrs ccumutes te sme mei s hvng ecited hundred million Om mipme hm mntrs. he pye heel here tnd of Medcne Buddh conins 8 bllion mnts, so uning t onetme s the sme s hving ecied tht mny mnts n hose fe seconds

Orl Disorse


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I is s nnd py whs sp hs sps nd

bngs nd s sp diss s n d I v s us h hgAnyn wih diss suh s AS n wh n hy v nyundsndg Dh n us h py w diin nd h-

ng F xp s pp ud ns sv husy dy un h wh nd d h visuzinsTh w vsuzins. ih s yu visuz g s

ing ns n h py wh uiing yu nd puig

yu yu diss nd h us diss yu ngiv ughs ndipns hs n yu n ninuu Yu hn visuiz ghiuning snin bgs nd puig sugs s w s

ngv s nd bsuins.ih snd visuizin bs id h ns nd

ik vuu n suing up dus y h h diss nd spiis nd s pny h us diss h ngiv s ndsuins. s bsd sukd n h py wh. ing v n s n yu vsuz pung yus is wy

A nd i s s w vsuzng h bs d h py wh pu suings nd bsuins h sn-in bings h six s. Ths bsbd in h py w nd

snin gs inuding yu n bd uzing h wp nd ng h Cpssin Buddh. Yu n s d iubuins wh h s visuizins.

I sn wih AIDS n s iss dd i hisvy dy s ny hus s pssib h wd diy b s I nw qui w pp wh hv py vd in n ug diin. Evn ug ps igh n w Dh bu nnn k bus hy wn v p

ind nw nd p d bus hy bu ving hhydy nd hhy d hy shud us his xy pw d n-ng d ng

I wud i psiz h vy g nd s py wh n usd by si pp hng Ths pi i vy p nd vyning

Tw ys g I skd J MCnn bud py wh Lnd Mdin Buddh n ny pp d p bu s bss

An Ora Discurse 39


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nd. I hs h inscs nd s s s n s. Jnd is if Sdr, o of i d o o zi xry ryr h, oh ' s ny oh o h oo. ro h dh o y h I od ik o vy

o hir hivn A ry ks h vy hoy nd ros, i r d

40 h Whl frat mpain


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Benets of the ix-yllable Prayer heel

Watfllws is thest in a series f translatins f Tietan texts that

cmment n the pracice, enets, and lineage f the prayer wheel.

his rst translatin is f a text y the urth anchen Lama An

rdained mnk his ll name was Lsang alden Tenpay Nyima

hgle Namgyal el Zangp 5 t was this text that LamaZpa Rinpche rst tld us aut at Kpan Mnastery in nting that he was s med y the xplanatin f the enets that he

placed the text atp his head and wed t the Buddha f mpas

sin that he wuld spread this practice thrughut the wrld. Irstreceied a c f a tanslatin f this text m Lama Zpa Rinpche

in The rst half f that translatin had een dictated y LamaZpa Rinpche t Venerale Frank Brk and Venerale Ailsa

amern and the secnd ha had een translated y Samdup Tser

ing wh was then the tanslatr at Tara

The Wheel of Great Compassion Wisdom

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