THE MAHAYANA BATH OFFERING Like any Tibetan Buddhist ceremony, the bath offering begins with the

recitation of a verse for taking refuge and generating the altruistic aspiration of enlightenment. {1}To Buddha, dharma and the spiritual community Until enlightenment I turn for refuge. But my practice of giving and other perfections, May Buddhahood be attained for the sake of all. (repeat x3 times)

(Verse for purifying the environment) {2}May the entire face of the earth Become free from all harsh materials, As level as the palm of ones hand And as smooth as lapis lazuli. (Verse for invocation) {3}O Buddha, protector of all sentient beings, Destroyer of mara and his armies of evil forces, Prefect knower of all that exists, Please, together with your retinue, manifest here now. {4}O Buddha, who for countless eons cultivated Compassion for all living beings, And fulfilled your vast prayers, The time to act has come. Emanate forth from your Dharmadhatu sphere; Reveal your miraculous powers and blessings, In order to liberate countless living beings, Come forth with your retinue. Lord and master of all the dharma, You who have the color of pure gold And whose brilliance outshines the sun, With devotion I invite you to come. {5}Peaceful and compassionate one Who abides in discipline and Samadhi, Whose peerless wisdom sees all things, And who is of inexhaustible energy, {6}Lord of supreme masters, come forth, come forth. Supreme of sages, omniscient one With a form like a magnificent reflection, Be moved by my supplication and come forth. After this verse one visualizes that the Buddha and his retinue arrive instantly, traveling on rays of light. They appear seated in front of you. {7}For the sake of sentient beings you dwell In the sacred images now before us. Please, then bestow health, long life, Prosperity and all good things.

{8}O Buddha, how auspicious were you to manifest To prove the power of goodness. Descend, accept our offerings, And look upon us with compassion. Out of compassion for me and all the sentient beings Reveal the might of your miraculous powers. O Buddha, I request you, abide here For as long as I propitiate you. Then mentally generate the visualization of the bath house, as explained in the verse 9 {9}The bath house has an extremely sweet fragrance, With a crystal floor clear and blazing , Pillars of alluring radiant gems, and A canopy made brilliant with pearls. (The main part of the ritual - Offering bath) {10}Just as when Buddha took birth The celestial beings offered him bathing waters, This bath of mystical waters I now myself offer: OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{use bell &vajra} TO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA {11}Holy body created by ten million excellent virtues, Holy speech fulfilling the hopes of infinite migratory beings, Holy mind seeing all phenomena as it as, I offer this bath to Thubwang Dorje Chang. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} TO THE LINEAGE GURUS {12}I offer this bath to the holy bodies of the lineage gurus of extensive conduct. I offer this bath to the holy bodies of the lineage gurus of the profound view. I offer this bath to the holy bodies of the lineage gurus of the blessed practice. I offer this bath to the holy bodies of all the lineage gurus. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} TO THE GURUS {13}Guru Vajradhara, encompassing all three refuges, Who takes the form of the virtuous friend for those to be subdued, Who grants sublime and common realizations: To the kind gurus, I offer this bath. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra)

{14}To you who educate me (philosophical teachings), Who reveal sutra and tantra texts and advice, And who give tantric vows, initiations and commentaries, To the direct and indirect gurus, I offer this bath. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} TO HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA {15}To you, Lobsang Yeshe, who have total control over hero Manjushris speech, Who preserve the ocean like teachings of the victorious ones, Who completely control the three realms: to you, incomparable one, I offer this bath. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} TO HIS EMINENCE KYABJE CHODEN RINPOCHE {16}You, the lord of dharma, with your incomparable eminent wisdom and good heart, Without fear, spreading the teachings of the victorious one Who generates joy in the noble, learned, wise ones, rich in the jewels Of extensive listening, to you, savior of infinite beings, I offer this bath. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} TO ALL GURUS {17}Eyes to view all the vast teachings, Supreme gateway to liberation for the fortunate, Using skillful means to lovingly subdue: To the illuminating spiritual friends, I offer this bath. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} TO THE DEITIES {18} Guhyasamaja, blissful Heruka, Most glorious Vajrabhairava, and the rest, Protectors of the four wheels of countless tantras. To all the assembly of deities, I offer this bath. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} TO THE THREE JEWELS {20}I offer this bath to the holy bodies of the founding buddhas. I offer this bath to the protecting dharma. I offer this bath to the guiding Sangha. I offer this bath to the three precious gems. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra}

TO THE DHARMA PROTECTORS {21}In times long past before the bhagavan You committed to supporting as your child all beings Who accomplish practices according to dharma. To the assembly of dharma protectors and supporters, I offer this bath. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} TO THE LOCAL PROTECTORS {22}To the five long life goddesses, supporters of the dharma, All the protectors in the snow land of Tibet, Especially those of this country and this place; To all the local gods, nagas, landlords, and spirits, I offer this bath. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} TO THE BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS {23}To all the Tathagatas and their princes With many jeweled vases of scented water Beautifully filled up, with excellent songs And with a variety of music, I offer this bath. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra} DRY THEIR HOLY BODIES {24}now with unequaled perfumed cloth I dry and clean their bodies. OM HUM TRAM HRIH AH KAYA VISHODHANAYE SVAHA{bell&vajra} ANOINTING THEIR HOLY BODIES (25)O buddhas and children of the buddhas, to the accompaniment of music and song I offer to your holy bodies precious vases filled with perfumed oils. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE AH HUM{bell&vajra}

OFFERING CLOTHING. (26) Thus I offer sweet smelling garments Adorned with the most elegant of colors, Raiments fine, delicate and soft. And with a hundred supreme ornaments I adorn the bodies of samantabhadra, Munjugosa, avalokitesvara and the other bodhisattvas.

(27)Soft, fine and light cloth of the heavens I offer to those with the indestructible vajra body. With indestructible devotion I make this offering So that I too may gain that indestructible state. (28)In order to tame my mind I offer Precious cloth radiant as a rainbow, The mere touch of which bestows bliss. May I thus gain the cloth of patience. OFFERING THE ORNAMENT (29)The buddhas are adorned with marks and signs of perfection, And for ordinary ornaments have no need. Yet to benefit sentient beings I offer jewel ornaments; May all beings become adorned by the marks of perfection (30)The environment of compassion, the banner of renown, The canopy of Samadhi, the clear light realization, And every worthy and noble symbol I offer So that all sentient beings may gain wisdom itself. OFFERING THE AUSPICIOUS VASE (31)I offer a precious vase embellished with jewels And filled with the various mystical substances, That the stains of our karma and delusion may be cleansed, And that the waters of the bodhichita may shower down upon us. OFFERING A CROWN (32)To the prince of the Sakya clan I offer A crown made of purest gold, Radiating golden lights into the ten directions, And sparkling with every sign of splendor. (33)May it cause the enlightenment teachings to fill The ten directions, And cover the world with goodness and joy, That all beings may attain the state of the ten powers, The highest ornaments of gods and mankind.

DEDICATION
(34) Due to the immeasurable merit from these actions, May we never be reborn in the lower realms Of the hell, hungry ghost, animal and demi gods And may we be reborn at the holy feet of the Guru Savior Tsongkhapa. Please grant blessings that the teachings of the Mighty One spread, That living beings have happiness and comfort, That the gurus lives be long and stable and their holy actions flourish. May the two obscurations of migratory beings, be purified by completing the two types of merit And may they quickly achieve full enlightenment.

DI TAR GYI PI SO NAM PAG ME KYI NYEL WA YI DAG D DRO LHA MA YIN NE NGEN LEN PA TAG (TU) PANG JE NE GYL WA JAM GN SHAB DRUNG KYE WA SHOG TUB PI DEN DAR KYE GU DE SHING KYI LA MI KU TSE DEN SHING DZE TRIN GYE DRO NAM TRIB NYI JANG SHING TSOG NYI PO RAB DZOG JANG CHEN NYUR DU TOB JIN LOB