Prayer For The Dead Buddhist
Oh Compassionate Ones, you who possess The wisdom of understanding, The love of compassion, The power of doing divine deeds, And of protecting in incomprehensible measure, [...................................] is passing from this world to the next, [He/she] is taking a great leap, The light of this world has faded for [him/her], [He/she] has entered solitude with their karmic forces, [He/she] has gone into a vast silence, [He/she] is borne away by the great ocean of birth and death ..
Oh Buddhas and Bodhisattvas abiding in all directions, Endowed with great compassion, Endowed with foreknowledge, Endowed with divine eye, Endowed with love, Affording protection to sentient beings, Please come forth through the power of your great compassion, Please accept these offerings, both actually presented and mentally created.
Just as the soft rains fill the streams,
Pour into the rivers and join together in the oceans,
So may the power of every moment of your goodness
Flow forth to awaken and heal all beings,
Those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.
By the power of every moment of your goodness
May your heart's wishes be soon fulfilled
As completely shining as the bright full moon,
As magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem.
By the power of every moment of your goodness
May all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.
May no obstacle come across your way.
May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.
For all in whose heart dwells respect,
Who follow the wisdom and compassion, of the Way,
May your life prosper in the four blessings
Of old age, beauty, happiness, and strength.
May all be free from sorrow, and the causes of sorrow,
May all never be separated from the sacred happiness which is sorrowless.
May I know myself forgiven for all the harm I may have thought and done, May I accomplish this profound practice of phowa, and die a good and peaceful death, And through the triumph of my death, may I be able to benefit all other beings, living or dead. This is perhaps one of the best known Buddhist prayers.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
Today the deceased _____________ has ended all worldly relationships
And let go the physical body that causes and conditions once joined together.
Oh Buddha! We pray that
You receive and guide him/her to pure, carefree Buddhas' lands;
May he/she have no suffering or worries,
But rather receive only happiness;
May he/she be able to see you, see and hear your Path.
Now,
His/her descendents, relatives, and good friends from all over,
Stand before you, upright with respect,
Waiting respectfully for your great concern, protection, and care,
Waiting respectfully for you to receive, guide, and enlighten us.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
We would like to inform you that
The deceased ______________
was your devoted disciple;
He/she was an ethical person;
He/she was zealous in the public affairs of society;
He/she was compassionate and concerned about the masses.
He/she was a kind and amiable senior:
For his/her family, he/she contributed diligently;
For his/her relatives and friends, he/she dedicated himself/herself to the fullest;
He/she was an affectionate parent and a devoted child;
He/she showed love and respect as a good sibling should;
He/she was thoughtful and harmonious;
He/she managed the household and had a respectable career;
He/she strictly followed the teachings and admonitions of the elders;
He/she followed his/her ancestors' career.
At this very moment,
We would like to urge the deceased ______________ :
To put down all worldly desires and have the peace of mind to leave;
To always follow Amitabha Buddha in order to ascend to the Pure Land;
To contemplate the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha;
To cultivate precepts, meditation, and wisdom.
Some time in the future, if conditions are favorable,
May you, the kind one, take the vow of bodhi
And come to this world again;
May you initiate the bodhi mind
And conduct yourself in the way of bodhisattva.
We are praying to the Buddha on your behalf;
May you, under the Buddha's reception and guidance:
Be in the Pure Land;
Attain all happiness;
Tolerate life and dharmas;
And never withdraw.
From now on:
May you never be tortured by lower realms;
May you never be concerned by evil people;
May you never be entangled by worldly affections;
May you never be troubled by financial difficulties.
In the Pure Land:
There are groves of seven-jewel trees and there is the water of virtue;
There are excellent beings of superior wisdom, virtue, and kindness, who gather in one place.
Please rest in peace,
Or take the vow the come back again;
We are all here to transform our endless sad feelings
Into the soft chanting of Buddha's names,
And to transform our boundless memories
Into blessings and thoughts of gratitude.
This is what we pray for,
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Please accept our sincere prayer!
Please accept our sincere prayer!
May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their illnesses.
May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free.
May the powerless find power and may people think of befriending one another.
May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wildernessesthe children, the aged, the unprotectedbe guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood.
Through your blessing, grace, and guidance, through the power of the light that streams from you:
May all my negative karma, destructive emotions, obscurations, and blockages be purified and removed,
May I know myself forgiven for all the harm I may have thought and done,
May I accomplish this profound practice of phowa, and die a good and peaceful death,
And through the triumph of my death, may I be able to benefit all other beings, living or dead.