Prostrations to the Guru and Manjushri!
Under the Bodhi Tree, the earth and sky were filled with hosts of
Mara.
Thunderbolts, javelins, weapon wheels, fire, mountains, and
snow-capped peaks
rained down.
Powerful archers with flower arrows magically attempted
to block the path
to enlightenment.
Prostrations to the one who completely defeated
them with a loving mind, and
attained perfect Buddhahood.
When you, for others' benefit,
With perfect resolve and
action,
Created excellent enlightenment thought,
Even the
earth trembled in six motions.
You completely accumulated giving and morality,
Mastered
patience and diligence, and
Accomplished concentration and
wisdom.
Prostrations to you who accomplished the perfections.
Protector of beings, when you took birth,
All the wise in the
world were delighted.
All demons grew extremely suspicious,
And all heretics were afraid,
Because the holy works of your doctrine
Shine like the light of
the sun.
Never deceiving in any way,
I take refuge in you,
the source of all.
When you proclaimed the scripture like a lion's roar
In all the
worlds, including the gods'
Brahma and Vishnu were struck dumb,
and
The teachers of gods cowered like foxes.
Learned Kangmig, Trogkhar,
Rishi Gyepa, Rishi Nejok,
And many others well-renowned,
Prostrations to you who
defeated them with Dharma.
Even after attaining perfect enlightenment,
Amazingly, you
still performed the benefit of beings.
For those not freed from
clinging to existence,
Renouncing life makes the hair stand on
end.
But disregarding your own holy life,
You resolved to benefit
beings, and
Accept the protectorless, like us.
I take
refuge in you, Protector.
Conqueror, you tamed the host of maras,
Defeated all heretics
without exception,
Liberated countless disciple Shravakas, and
Prophesied noble Bodhisattvas.
Those who perceive this excellence,
Strive to attain your
qualities.
So, I who have undertaken the goal of enlightenment
Again take refuge in you.
Your son is Manjushri.
Your disciple is Shariputra.
Your holy regent is Maitreya.
Who among the intelligent could
doubt?
Not to mention your own perfection,
The good qualities of your
sons are dazzling.
As through the glorious rays of dawn
We
learn the brilliance of sunlight.
You realize the nature of all phenomena
Exactly and
entirely.
Prostrations to you who accomplish
Every holy
deed just as you aspire.
Thus, the teacher of beings from the Shakya family,
Took birth
in the Puramshing clan.
Through this homage to the blessed, perfect
Buddha,
May all beings swiftly reach omniscience.
These fifteen verses of supplication to the King of the Shakya clan were
written by the
glorious Sakya Pandita in the Lhasa shrine.
Translated into English by Venerable Lama Kalsang Gyaltsen and Ane Kunga
Chodron
in 1997 at Sakya Phuntsok Ling in Washington D.C.
