| Essay Five: Tibetan style, Buddha Bowing |
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| An Explanation of Tibetan style, Buddha Bowing |
There are many ways to perform Buddhist Bowing
or “Prostrations.”
I’ll just explain the way I was taught to do it.
In Tibet the common practice involves sliding on a smooth surface.
My teachers, however, were mindful that here in the west,
shag carpeting is far more common then bare floors.
So, this is more of a crawling prostration
than it is a sliding prostration.
As a Non-sectarian “Ri-me,” I have had the privilege of being taught
several styles of Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian and Tibetan Buddha-bowing.
#1. I stand-up straight, facing an image
of Four-armed Chen-re-zig,
in a “bent” Lucite frame,
resting upon a “half” book case.
Between the image and myself I have laid a wool blanket,
that has been folded in half {length wise}.
Sweating is common when prostrating,
and it is far easier to throw a blanket in the washer,
than the carpet.
My hands are pressed together,
with the Middle-fingers just under my nose,
the thumbs tucked in between my palms
which are just before my throat,
though somewhat cupped,
as if holding an imaginary jewel
to present to Chenrezig,
who is the synthesis of every, Bud-dha, Dhar-ma, Sang-ha,
Gu-ru, Yi-dam, Da-ki-ni,
Nir-ma-na-ka-ya, Sam-bho-ga-ka-ya
as well as the all pervasive Dhar-ma-ka-ya.
For truly devotion is like a wish granting jewel
that can lead us to accomplish
all the common and supramundane attainments
in THIS very life.
#2. While gazing upon the image of La-ma Chen-re-zig,
I invite the experience of devotion,
and as I breath in I Mentally-recite,
“May all beings now benefit!”
#3. While bowing I like to softly, and rapidly recite:
“Lord, white in color NOT stained by faults
a perfect Buddha adorning your head
you look upon all beings with eyes of compassion
Chen-re-zig to you we bow to you.”
#4. As I now begin the First “OUT-breath,”
a. I bring the heels of my cupped palms
up to the crown of my head
b. Then I bring the hands down and forward
so that the Base-knuckle of my tucked thumbs
are touched to the center of my forehead
c. The hands are brought further down
so that the tips of my Middle-fingers touch just below my nose,
and the cupped palms are just before my throat
d. The hands are brought further down
so that the Base-knuckle of my tucked thumbs
touch the sternum, at the level of my heart,
e. My hands now separate as I squat down
on the balls of my feet
f. Gently rolling down upon my knees,
I continue rolling forward
as both my hands {palms up}
and then my crown gently touch the blanket
g. As my crown momentarily bares the weight
of my upper body,
I lightly slide my palms all the way forward,
and allowing my elbows to now bare the weight,
h. I hinge forward upon my elbows
until my chest comes to rest upon the blanket
i. Once again, I slide my hands forward, {palms up}
until the arms are fully extended,
then I cup my palms in the prayer-gesture, again
and bend my arms at the elbows
until they describe a “right” angle
with my cupped palms in the air
and then extend the arms again
while returning the palms to the blanket before me;
j. Pulling the elbows back to my sides
while swinging my shins up, to describe “right” angles,
I then use the constriction of my abs
and the extension of my shins
to create the momentum necessary
to roll back upon my knees
while reciting, “Om Mani Padme Hum”
until my “tush” comes to rest upon my heels
and the balls of my feet are braced against the carpet,
k. Bringing my palms together,
I swing my arms up,
so that once again the finger tips are just beneath my nose
and the cupped palms are before my throat;
as I return to the standing position
I inhale.
Although this may seem awkward at first,
if you practice it at least twelve times every morning
and twelve times every evening,
within seven days, it could feel like second nature.
This is very important to do
at the conclusion of every Meditation session;
as it therapeutically distributes whatever energy
might have pooled or congested.
Additionally, whenever my legs get sore from sitting,
I rest them by pounding out a quick set
of three, full body prostrations.
When I’m done, I feel refreshed and invigorated
and ready to return to the Sadhana.
Below I have adapted an ancient prayer {in nine quatrains}
dedicating the good karma that is generated by Buddha Bowing:
or “Prostrations.”
I’ll just explain the way I was taught to do it.
In Tibet the common practice involves sliding on a smooth surface.
My teachers, however, were mindful that here in the west,
shag carpeting is far more common then bare floors.
So, this is more of a crawling prostration
than it is a sliding prostration.
As a Non-sectarian “Ri-me,” I have had the privilege of being taught
several styles of Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian and Tibetan Buddha-bowing.
#1. I stand-up straight, facing an image
of Four-armed Chen-re-zig,
in a “bent” Lucite frame,
resting upon a “half” book case.
Between the image and myself I have laid a wool blanket,
that has been folded in half {length wise}.
Sweating is common when prostrating,
and it is far easier to throw a blanket in the washer,
than the carpet.
My hands are pressed together,
with the Middle-fingers just under my nose,
the thumbs tucked in between my palms
which are just before my throat,
though somewhat cupped,
as if holding an imaginary jewel
to present to Chenrezig,
who is the synthesis of every, Bud-dha, Dhar-ma, Sang-ha,
Gu-ru, Yi-dam, Da-ki-ni,
Nir-ma-na-ka-ya, Sam-bho-ga-ka-ya
as well as the all pervasive Dhar-ma-ka-ya.
For truly devotion is like a wish granting jewel
that can lead us to accomplish
all the common and supramundane attainments
in THIS very life.
#2. While gazing upon the image of La-ma Chen-re-zig,
I invite the experience of devotion,
and as I breath in I Mentally-recite,
“May all beings now benefit!”
#3. While bowing I like to softly, and rapidly recite:
“Lord, white in color NOT stained by faults
a perfect Buddha adorning your head
you look upon all beings with eyes of compassion
Chen-re-zig to you we bow to you.”
#4. As I now begin the First “OUT-breath,”
a. I bring the heels of my cupped palms
up to the crown of my head
b. Then I bring the hands down and forward
so that the Base-knuckle of my tucked thumbs
are touched to the center of my forehead
c. The hands are brought further down
so that the tips of my Middle-fingers touch just below my nose,
and the cupped palms are just before my throat
d. The hands are brought further down
so that the Base-knuckle of my tucked thumbs
touch the sternum, at the level of my heart,
e. My hands now separate as I squat down
on the balls of my feet
f. Gently rolling down upon my knees,
I continue rolling forward
as both my hands {palms up}
and then my crown gently touch the blanket
g. As my crown momentarily bares the weight
of my upper body,
I lightly slide my palms all the way forward,
and allowing my elbows to now bare the weight,
h. I hinge forward upon my elbows
until my chest comes to rest upon the blanket
i. Once again, I slide my hands forward, {palms up}
until the arms are fully extended,
then I cup my palms in the prayer-gesture, again
and bend my arms at the elbows
until they describe a “right” angle
with my cupped palms in the air
and then extend the arms again
while returning the palms to the blanket before me;
j. Pulling the elbows back to my sides
while swinging my shins up, to describe “right” angles,
I then use the constriction of my abs
and the extension of my shins
to create the momentum necessary
to roll back upon my knees
while reciting, “Om Mani Padme Hum”
until my “tush” comes to rest upon my heels
and the balls of my feet are braced against the carpet,
k. Bringing my palms together,
I swing my arms up,
so that once again the finger tips are just beneath my nose
and the cupped palms are before my throat;
as I return to the standing position
I inhale.
Although this may seem awkward at first,
if you practice it at least twelve times every morning
and twelve times every evening,
within seven days, it could feel like second nature.
This is very important to do
at the conclusion of every Meditation session;
as it therapeutically distributes whatever energy
might have pooled or congested.
Additionally, whenever my legs get sore from sitting,
I rest them by pounding out a quick set
of three, full body prostrations.
When I’m done, I feel refreshed and invigorated
and ready to return to the Sadhana.
Below I have adapted an ancient prayer {in nine quatrains}
dedicating the good karma that is generated by Buddha Bowing:
By bowing to Chen-re-zig,
the {union of every Guru, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha}
may all the defilements and obscurations of every sentient being and myself
now be Purified.
By clasping the two palms,
may compassion and insight be accomplished.
By touching the clasped hands to the top of my crown,
may I take auspicious Po-ta-la rebirth at the very end of this life.
By resting the clasped hands on my forehead,
may all the defilements and obscurations of my Body now be purified.
By resting the clasped hands at my throat,
may all the defilements and obscurations of my Speech now be purified.
By touching the clasped hands to my heart,
may all the defilements and obscurations of my Mind now be purified.
By unfolding the two hands, may I now accomplish the two bodies of a Buddha
for the sake of all sentient beings
By touching both knees to the ground, may all be liberated
from the Hot hells and the Cold hells.
By touching the fingers of the each hand to the ground,
may I now accomplish the Ten Bhu-mis and Five Stages.
By touching the forehead to the ground,
may the eleven radiant rays bless everyone.
By the straightening and bending of the arms and legs,
may the four activities be all at once all accomplished.
By straightening and bending the channels and sinews,
may all the channel knots be loosened without exception.
By bending the spine and central channel,
may all the winds enter the central channel without exception.
By touching the ground and rise again,
may liberation from Sam-sa-ra be accomplished.
By prostrating many times, may I become the guide of all sentient beings
without grasping personal calmness.
By offering full prostration, may the conditions in this life be freed from sickness
and blessed with three auspiciousness.
During the time of dying, may I be reborn in the state of bliss
and quickly accomplish the state of a Fully Enlightened Buddha.
the {union of every Guru, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha}
may all the defilements and obscurations of every sentient being and myself
now be Purified.
By clasping the two palms,
may compassion and insight be accomplished.
By touching the clasped hands to the top of my crown,
may I take auspicious Po-ta-la rebirth at the very end of this life.
By resting the clasped hands on my forehead,
may all the defilements and obscurations of my Body now be purified.
By resting the clasped hands at my throat,
may all the defilements and obscurations of my Speech now be purified.
By touching the clasped hands to my heart,
may all the defilements and obscurations of my Mind now be purified.
By unfolding the two hands, may I now accomplish the two bodies of a Buddha
for the sake of all sentient beings
By touching both knees to the ground, may all be liberated
from the Hot hells and the Cold hells.
By touching the fingers of the each hand to the ground,
may I now accomplish the Ten Bhu-mis and Five Stages.
By touching the forehead to the ground,
may the eleven radiant rays bless everyone.
By the straightening and bending of the arms and legs,
may the four activities be all at once all accomplished.
By straightening and bending the channels and sinews,
may all the channel knots be loosened without exception.
By bending the spine and central channel,
may all the winds enter the central channel without exception.
By touching the ground and rise again,
may liberation from Sam-sa-ra be accomplished.
By prostrating many times, may I become the guide of all sentient beings
without grasping personal calmness.
By offering full prostration, may the conditions in this life be freed from sickness
and blessed with three auspiciousness.
During the time of dying, may I be reborn in the state of bliss
and quickly accomplish the state of a Fully Enlightened Buddha.
If you would like to see me demonstrate
the various types of prostrations as I explain them,
simply ask my Seminar-partner Alan F. Rockefeller
for a “Buddha Bowing DVD kit” by writing him at :
alanfrock2@yahoo.com
Om Mani Padme Hum!
Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika
the various types of prostrations as I explain them,
simply ask my Seminar-partner Alan F. Rockefeller
for a “Buddha Bowing DVD kit” by writing him at :
alanfrock2@yahoo.com
Om Mani Padme Hum!
Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika