Taking the vows
Visualizing the lamas, deities, and religious protectors in the space above the lama Kalachakra, the disciples generate great compassion by thinking of other beings’ sufferings and wishing to liberate them from them. Recalling the extraordinary qualities of the Three Jewels, they place their hopes in them and rely on them. The disciples then purify the negative circumstances which influenced them to engaged in unwholesome deeds in the beginning less past and rejoice in the positive circumstances that influenced them to engage in such wholesome deeds as generating a strong aspiration to train themselves in the practice of Bodhisattvas for the sake of all sentient beings. They repeat the words T go for refuge to the Three Jewels…’three times and at the end of the third repetition think that they have received the Bodhisattva vows, which are the common Mahayana vows.
The uncommon vows are taken by generating a strong supplication, thinking, ‘Please be my lama and give me the exclusive vow, which is the foundation for all the attainments of all the Buddhas, in order to fulfill the wishes of sentient beings.’
The actual supplication is made by reciting the verse, ‘Bestowing on me the excellent… etc.’ three times asking for the mantra vows to be bestowed.
The disciples imagine all the Mandala deities and the Mandala itself witnessing their receiving the vows. Each individual says his or her own name making a firm commitment, thinking, ‘I will follow the examples of all the previous Buddhas, in keeping the root and secondary vows, liberating sentient beings from suffering and bringing relief to those breathless in bad rebirths.
In brief, generating an aspiration to take these vows in order to place all sentient being in the state of Buddhahood the disciples recite, ‘Buddhas, Bodhisattvas please take heed of me…,’ three times and receive the vows.
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