Offering Circumambulations

Geshe Gelek’s advice for practice while doing circumambulations

  • Begin with setting your intention to purify your negative karma for the benefit of all sentient beings.
  • Then recite a merit-multiplying mantra.
  • Recite other mantras while circumambulating, such as MANI (Chenrezig), Tara, or Vajrasattva.
  • Be sure to dedicate when you are done.
    First, recite a merit-multiplying mantra. Lama Zopa Rinpoche advises using this mantra:

[NAMO RATNA TRAYAYA] OM NAMO BHAGAVATE RATNA KETU RAJAYA TATHAGATAYA ARHATE SAMYAK SAM BUDDHAYA TADYATHA OM RATNE RATNE MAHA RATNE RATNA BIJA YE SVAHA (7x)

Most important is to remember that all problems in this life arise from causes and conditions, and we need to purify them. Circumambulating is one of the most important purification practices, and it’s very easy.
Start with a positive intention to purify, not just your own negative karma, but also the negative karma of your family, your friends, and all sentient beings.  It’s good to take your pet when you go around.
The more people who circumambulate, the more the Dharma will spread out from Kadampa Center and benefit others. As more people do spiritual practice at Kadampa Center, it will become a holy place.

The benefits from circumambulation are felt not only in this life but in many more lives in the future. That is also taking the essence from this life.  Even bugs who go around a stupa from fear or attachment will create the karma to take a precious human rebirth.

In ancient times, stupas were built containing the relics of buddhas and many thousands of mantras, to create an opportunity for any sentient being to get benefits and create merit, and circumambulating is a very easy practice.  create  The stupa is a manifestation of enlightened mind.

While circumambulating, recite the mantra of your choice, such as:

Tara Mantra:

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA

Chenrezig Mantra:

OM MANI PADME HUM

Vajrasattva Mantra:

OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA / VAJRASATTVA TENOPA TISHTHA / DRIDHO ME BHAVA / SUTOKAYO ME BHAVA / SUPOKAYO ME BHAVA / ANURAKTO ME BHAVA / SARVA SIDDHIM ME PRAYACCHA / SARVA KARMA SU CHAME / CHITTAN SHRIYAM KURU HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BHAGAVAN SARAVA THATAGATA / VAJRA MAME MUNCHA / VAJRA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA AH HUM PHAT

SIMPLIFIED PRONUNCIATION:

OM VAJRA SATTVA SAMAYA MANU PALAYA / VAJRA SATTVA DENOPA DIDA / DRIDO MAY BAWA / SUTO KAYO MAY BAWA / SUPO KAYO MAY BAWA / ANU RAKTO MAY BAWA / SARWA SIDI MAY PRY ACHA / SARWA KARMA SU CHAMAY / CHITAN SHREE YAM KURU HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BAGA WAN / SARWA TATA GATA / VAJRA MAMAY MUNCHA / VAJRA BAWA MAHA SAMAYA SATWA AH HUM PAY

SHORT VAJRASATTVA MANTRA:

OM VAJRASATTVA HUM

Lama Zopa Rinpoche's Advice on Circumambulation 

Attachment: 
PDF icon circumambulation_lzr_advice_c5.pdf