The Bodhisattva’s Jewel Rosary
By Atisha (Jowo Je Palden Atisha)
In the Indian Language (Sanskrit): Bodhisattva Mani Avali In the Tibetan Language: Jang-chhub-sem-pa’i Nor-bu’i T’hreng-wa In the English Language: The Bodhisattva’s Jewel Rosary
HOMAGE TO GREAT COMPASSION! HOMAGE TO THE GURUS! HOMAGE TO THE DEITIES OF DEVOTION!
Abandon all doubts and hesitations, And make serious practice of prime importance.
Completely abandon dullness, lethargy, and laziness, And always exert yourself with diligence.
Through mindfulness, alertness, and conscientiousness, Always guard the sense-doors.
During the three times of the day and night, again and again, Examine the continuum of your mind.
Make your own faults well-known, And don’t search for the mistakes of others.
Hide your own good qualities, And proclaim the good qualities of others.
Abandon profit and praise, You! Always abandon fame.
Minimize desire, be content, And be grateful to those who have shown you kindness.
Rely on love and compassion, And firmly establish bodhichitta.
Abandon the ten non-virtuous actions, And always establish yourself in faith.
Subdue anger and pride, And be endowed with a humble mind.
Abandon wrong livelihoods, And sustain yourself through a Dharmic livelihood.
Abandon material things, And adorn yourself with the riches of the Noble Ones.
Abandon all distractions and diversions, And stay in solitary places.
Abandon frivolous talk, And always restrain your speech.
When you see gurus and abbots, Give rise to devotional respect, and serve them.
Towards both individuals who have the eye of Dharma, And sentient beings who are beginners, Generate the perception of them as teachers.
Towards all sentient beings, whenever you see them, Give rise to an attitude which sees them as your parents and children.
Abandon negative friends, And follow virtuous spiritual friends.
Abandon aversion and the unhappy mind, And go everywhere with happiness.
Regardless of what it arises towards, abandon attachment. Through attachment, even happy rebirths are not attained, And the life-force of liberation is cut, too.
Wherever you see virtuous Dharma, Always put your effort right there.
Whatever undertakings you have already begun, Accomplish these first; Now, do them well and properly like this: Otherwise, nothing will be accomplished.
Through always being separated from negativity and excitement, You may at times give rise to arrogance. At those times, cut through pride, And remember the instructions of your guru.
When a discouraged mind arises, You should praise the sublimity of the mind. Meditate on the emptiness of both.
Whenever objects of attachment and aversion arise, See them as being like illusions and magical apparitions.
When you hear unpleasant words, Regard them as being like echoes.
When your body is harmed, See it as being your previous karma.
Stay well in solitary places at the edge of towns, Like a wounded deer, Hide your yourself, And abide without attachment.
Always rely on your tutelary deity, And when the mind of laziness and indifference arises, At that time, enumerate the faults of these to yourself, And remember the essence, courageous conduct.
At the times when you happen to see others, Avoid frowning and dark expressions, And abide always with a smile.
Continuously, when you see others, Without miserliness, delight in giving.
Abandon all jealousy.
In order to protect others’ minds, Abandon all disputes, And always be endowed with patience.
Without flattery and infatuation with new friends, Always be able to be stable.
Abandon deprecating others, And abide in the manner of respect.
When you give counsel to others, Be possessed with a compassionate, helpful mind.
Without casting aside any Dharma teachings, Let others be interested in whatever they aspire to, And through the door of the Ten Dharma Practices, Exert yourself throughout the day and half the night.
Whatever virtue you have accumulated in the three times, Dedicate it to the unsurpassable great enlightenment.
Give away your merit to sentient beings.
Always, through the Seven Branches, Offer up great aspirations.
If you act in this way, merit And pristine wisdom, the two collections, will become complete.
The two obscurations, too, will be exhausted, And with this meaningful attainment of a human body, You will attain unexcelled awakening.
The wealth of faith, the wealth ethical discipline, The wealth of giving and the wealth of hearing, The wealth of decency and self-respect, And the wealth of sublime wisdom, making seven: These seven sacred riches, Are seven riches that are inexhaustible, And are inexpressible and meaningless to spirits and ghosts.
When you are among many, examine your speech, When you are alone, examine your mind.
Written by the Indian abbot, Dipankara Shri Jnana, the Glorious Illuminator, the Essence of Pristine Wisdom, Who is Excellent.
THE BODHISATTVA’S JEWEL ROSARY IS COMPLETE. MAY VIRTUE AND GOODNESS SPREAD!
Translated by Erick Sherab Zangpo.
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