Dear friends near and far

As you all know, on Saturday Nepal suffered a devastating earthquake that took the lives of thousands of people and has left many tens of thousands of others destitute, vulnerable, and filled with fear. Fortunately, our community of monks, nuns, and students are safe and our monasteries relatively undamaged. Many other areas though have suffered overwhelming loss and destruction.

Under the direction of Phakchok Rinpoche and senior monks, our community has already organized and sent out groups to help those in the worst-struck regions. Please donate to this and/or other relief funds as soon as you can.

Moreover, at this tragic time the country is not only in need of material aid but also prayers for the deceased and those suffering. Below is a list of mantras to chant. The blessings of these mantras can give immediate relief to those in the intermediate state. Please recite them as much as you can.

Liberation-upon-hearing mantra

a ah sha sa ma ha

The following are mantras for the three kayas buddhas and peaceful and wrathful deities:

Amitabha’s mantra

om amarani jivantaye soha

Avalokiteshvara’s mantra

om mani peme hung

Guru Rinpoche’s mantra

om ah hung bendza guru pema siddhi hung

Mantra for Guru Rinpoche and his emanations

om ah hung bendza guru pema totreng tsal bendza samaya dza siddhi pala hung dza

Mantra for peaceful deities

om bodhichitta mahasukha gyana dhatu ah

Mantra for wrathful deities

om rulu rulu hung joh ah

Vajrasattva’s mantra

om bendza sato ah

It is also extremely beneficial to recite the following aspiration prayers. These will help guide the deceased through the intermediate state and help them find the path to a good rebirth, and in the best case to liberation:

  • Sukhavati Aspirations Prayers
  • The tenth chapter (Dedication & Aspiration) of Bodhisattvacharyavatara (The Way of a Bodhisattva)
  • Maitreya Buddha Aspiration
  • Mahamudra Aspiration
  • The King of Aspiration Prayers: Samantabhadra’s Aspiration to Good Actions

And for those of you who know how, please do White Sur practice for the deceased. Reciting these blessed mantras, prayers, and practices as much as possible in the coming weeks and simply keeping all those suffering in your heart with compassion and love will bring great benefit and relief to all those affected here. Please keep this in mind and share this message with your family and friends.

With prayers and aspirations.

Sarva Mangalam,

KPR-Signature

Phakchok Rinpoche