Brief Sukhavati Aspiration
by Karma Chakme Rinpoche
༄༅། །རྣམ་དག་བདེ་ཆེན་ཞིང་གི་སྨོན་ལམ་བཞུགས་སོ།

CHAG ME DE MON
OM A MI DE WA HRI
This is a treasury from the heart practice of (Karma) Chagme. Although my hands are in great pain, after considering the immense benefit this would bring forth to beings, I diligently composed this prayer. There is no greater merit than to propagate this prayer widely by allowing others to contemplate and practice it. There is no dharma teaching more profound than this. It is the root of all dharma. Do not fall into indifference, but persevere in this practice. Since it belongs to the class of sutra, one does not need the oral scriptural transmission in order to contemplate and
practice it.









The Four Causes For Rebirth in Dewachen

1. First Cause: Mindfulness of the Dewachen Pureland:

Slightly elevated from here, in the direction of sunset, beyond a myriad of cosmic worlds, is the land of the Noble Ones, the completely perfect pure realm of Great Bliss, Dewachen. Although Dewachen is not visible with our physical eyes, its imagery can be vividly perceived through our mental faculties. There resides Amitabha, Victorious One of Boundless Light, ruby red in color and blazing with radiance, adorned with the 32 major and 80 minor signs of excellence—
such as the crown protuberance and the dharma wheel at the sole of each foot.
He is wearing the three robes of dharma.
He has a single face, and his two hands are holding an alms bowl in the mudra of equanimity.
In the vajra posture, he is seated upon a 1,000-petalled lotus and moon-disk seat with a Bodhi tree rising from behind as a backrest. From a distance, his wisdom eyes gaze down at me with loving affection. To the right is the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who is white in color. In his left hand he holds a white lotus. To the left is the bodhisattva Vajrapani blue in color, holding a lotus marked with a vajra in his left hand. Both bodhisattvas extend their right hands in the mudra of bestowing refuge. These three supreme deities appear like Mount Mehru, the king of all mountains, illuminating with splendor and radiance. Surrounding them is their retinue of a trillion fully ordained monks of a shimmering golden color with the respective marks and signs of excellence.
They are dressed in the three robes of dharma.
2. Second Cause: Accumulation of merits through 7-Branch Prayer
2.1. 1st Branch: Prostration
With a devotion that transcends time and space,
I prostrate wholeheartedly with my three doors.
From the right hand of Amitabha, the dharmakaya Buddha of Boundless Light, a light radiates forth in the form of Avalokiteshvara; from which one billion emanations of Avalokiteshvara shine forth. Tara emanates from a light ray sent forth from the dharmakaya lord’s left hand; followed by one billion emanations of Tara welling forth. From the dharmakaya lord’s heart, light radiates becoming Padmasambhava along with one billion similar emanations of Orgyen guru. I prostrate to dharmakaya Buddha of Boundless Light. With the clairvoyant ability of a buddha, Amitabha watches over all sentient beings with loving kindness during the six periods of the cycle of day and night. With his omniscience, he is constantly aware of every arising thought in the mind of each sentient being. With clairaudience, he distinctly hears without confusion every conversation spoken by each being. I prostrate to the omniscient Buddha Amitabha.
All who have strong faith in you and who earnestly supplicate with aspirational prayers, excepting those who have rejected dharma, or committed extreme negative deeds that result immediate retribution, will be born in Dewachen, and their prayers will be fulfilled. In the intermediate state of transition, the bardo, you will appear and guide us into your pure realm. I prostrate to the Guiding Guru of Boundless Light. Although your lifespan lasts for countless kalpas, please remain firm not transgressing beyond samsara. With utmost sincerity we pray, except for the fruition of fully matured past karma,
for our lifespan to extend beyond one hundred years and
for untimely death to be averted. I prostrate to the Protector of Boundless Light. Not even the merit of cloudbanks of offerings of precious jewels that permeate the three thousandfold universes can compare to hearing the holy name Buddha Amitabha once while solemnly joining hands in the mudra of prayer. There is no greater merit. Therefore, I respectfully prostrate to the Buddha of Boundless Light. Merely hearing the name Amitabha
while simultaneously having intense faith arising from one’s depths, one is ensured of never turning away from the path to buddhahood.




I prostrate to the Protector of Boundless Light.
Until buddhahood is reached, upon hearing the holy name Buddha Amitabha, may I be reborn in a royal family and not have a female body. I shall maintain pure discipline in all of my future rebirths. I prostrate to the One Gone to Bliss, Deshin Shegpa, the Buddha of Boundless Light.

2.2. 2nd Branch: Making offerings
I offer the root of all of my virtue, my body and all my physical possessions, along with imaginary offerings of the eight auspicious signs, the seven royal symbols and whatever is desirable. All the wealth and glory of the three thousandfold universe as well as billions of Mount Mehrus, of continents and sub-continents and suns and moons, together with the immense wealth of gods, nagas and humans, all of these are offered to the Buddha of Boundless Light. By the force of your compassion, please accept these offerings for my benefit.

2.3. 3rd Branch: Confession
Since the very beginning, throughout countless rebirths until this present lifetime, all motherly sentient beings including myself have committed immeasurable negative karma.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, the three unwholesome acts of the body:
killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, the four unwholesome acts of speech:
lying, slandering, harsh speech and gossip.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, the three unwholesome acts of the mind:
greed, malice, and wrong view.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, the five heinous crimes of killing one’s parent or ones spiritual guide, an arhat,
or the abominable act of causing a Victorious One to bleed.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, evil deeds similar to that of the five heinous crimes, such as killing a fully ordained monk or a novice monk, seducing a nun, destroying a statue, stupa or monastery, and so forth.
I confess having having broken these sacred vows with the Three Jewels, at a holy monastery and bonded by the sacred scriptures, as my witness.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again,
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, any unintentional yet negative act of slandering a bodhisattva, which by comparison is much more severe than killing a sentient being in any of the three realms of existence. Compared to the five heinous crimes, it is more severe to not believe in the benefits of virtuous deeds and the negative results of nonvirtue.
Even though the great torment of the hell realms have been explained, we still choose to not to believe it other than as simply a pedagogical device.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, the extreme negative karma that makes liberation impossible.
I confess committing, and promise to never commit again, the breakage and deterioration
of the five categories of the vows of individual liberation,
the four root downfalls and thirteen branch downfalls of the fully ordained monk.

I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, all transgressions concerning the bodhisattva training: the four negative actions plus the eighteen downfalls.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, the deterioration of the secret mantra words of honor:
the fourteen root tantric downfalls and the transgressions of the eight secondary tantric vows.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, all harmful deeds I have unknowingly committed, all ordinary nonvirtues that I have committed due to lack of knowing the basic precepts, and all negative acts I have committed due to not being fully aware of the true karmic propensities, including sexual misconduct, indulging in alcoholic intoxicants, and
so forth. I have taken refuge vows and received empowerments, yet I have carelessly disregarded the sacred words of honor and abandoned commitments.
I confess having committed, and promise to never commit again, these serious transgressions according to the words of the Buddha. All of my cumulative harmful deeds are like deadly poisons deeply lodged within my belly. Without deep remorse and pure confession, this poison cannot be cleansed.
May I confess with utmost sincerity and remorse.
Without maintaining my vows, my attempts to purify negative karma are feeble.
I solemnly swear, at the cost of my own life
and from today onward, that I will abandon all non-virtuous activities!
Buddha of Boundless Light and your heirs: grant your blessing to continuously purify my mind stream!

2.4. 4th Branch: Rejoicing
According to the Buddha,
I shall acquire the same level of merit when,
without envy, I sincerely rejoice in wholesome acts performed by others.
For this reason, I rejoice in all virtuous deeds accumulated by both realized and ordinary beings.
By rejoicing in the vast activities accomplished for the benefit of sentient beings, I will cultivate the intention of supreme enlightenment.
I rejoice in relinquishing the ten unwholesome acts and
performing the ten wholesome acts: fostering lives, making offerings, keeping vows, communicating honestly, reconciling with adversaries, speaking gently,
engaging in meaningful conversation, curtailing one’s desire, cultivating loving kindness, and engaging in dharma. I exhort the completely perfect buddhas

2.5. 5th Branch: Requesting Buddhas to Turn the Wheel of Dharma
who dwell in the myriad worlds of the ten directions
to swiftly and unceasingly turn the wheel of dharma without further delay! Through your omniscience,
please be aware of my prayer!

2.6 6th Branch: Requesting Buddhas Not To Enter Nirvana
I supplicate to all the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and lineage holders who intend to go beyond suffering,
to remain firm and not pass into enlightenment!

2.7. 7th Branch: Dedication
I dedicate the root of all my virtue of the three times
for the welfare of sentient beings.

3. Third Cause: Developing Bodhicitta
May they swiftly obtain unsurpassable enlightenment and
may the cycle of existence of the three realms be exhausted.
May my heartfelt aspirations be quickly fulfilled,
and the eighteen types of untimely death be pacified.
May my physical attributes be endowed with the youthful vitality of a healthy adolescent in full bloom.
May my material wealth never diminish, but increase like the great river Ganges during a monsoon.
May I practice the noble dharma free from demonic influence or hindrance on the path.
May I obtain realization and may all my dharma aspirations and prayers be fulfilled.
May I be catapulted toward bringing the great benefits of the doctrine to sentient beings.
May I internalize the true meaning of the precious human rebirth.

4. Fourth Cause: Dedication and Aspiration to be reborn in Dewachen
4.1. Aspiration To Go To Dewachen

At the very moment of death,
may I and those who have a karmic connection with me
be greeted by the manifestation of Boundless Light
along with the surrounding retinue of ordained sangha.
Upon seeing him, may our minds be blessed with joy and happiness, and may the suffering of death be pacified.
At the time of transitioning into the intermediate-state,
may the eight great bodhisattvas appear in the sky in front. Through their miraculous power, may they indicate the path to Dewachen. The suffering of the lower realms is unbearable and the temporal joy and well-being of gods and humans are only transitory; realizing that one has endured this process since beginningless time, may I be appalled by samsara and renounce it with clear conviction. Although one may have the fortune to have been reborn as a human, one is still subject to the process of birth, old age, sickness and death.
Particularly during these dark degenerate times with an abundance of obstacles, the well-being and happiness of humans and gods are contaminated like a poisonous meal. May I arouse the proper motivation to abandon samsara! May I be free of cravings toward food, wealth and the companionship of a spouse or friend; they are all impermanent with an illusory dreamlike nature. May I recognize that my abode and its vicinity have no true existence, but are merely mirage-like, dreamy reflections.
Like the newly released criminal from a prison, without any hesitation, I declare with conviction my intentions to
escape from this ocean of great torment and realize that there is no authentic freedom until I reach the pure realm of Dewachen. May I cut all tendencies of attachment and desire. Like a vulture just broken free from a net, may I soar high into the sky, and traverse beyond countless worlds towards the western direction, instantly reaching Dewachen.
4.2. Aspiration To Be Reborn And See Buddhas In Dewachen

May I see the face of the Buddha of Boundless Light
who actually dwells in the pure realm and may I purify all of my negativities. May I take the most supreme rebirth among the four types —miraculous rebirth in the pollen heart of a lotus. May I obtain, in an instant, the completely perfect body with all the major marks and the signs of excellence.
Like a lotus flower that will not bloom for five hundred years, even though I may hear the words of the Buddha
and experience brief contentment, my mind, when filled the hindrances of doubt and hesitation toward the dharma, only delays the opportunity to be in the presence of the Buddha. May the lotus blossom open immediately
when I am reborn in the presence of the Boundless Light.
Through the force of my merit and miraculous activities,
may inconceivable cloudbanks of offerings spring forth
from the palms of my hands as pristine offerings to the Buddha and his retinue. May the Tatathagata bless me by placing his right hand on my crown so that I may receive the symbolic indication of enlightenment. May I actualize spontaneous realization after receiving vast and profound dharma teachings. May I be blessed and guided by the two principal heirs of the Buddha: the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and the bodhisattva Vajrapani. May infinite buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions make daily offerings to the Buddha of Boundless Light.
Similarly, may I receive the nectar of holy dharma by paying homage and making immaculate offerings.

4.3. Aspiration About Personal Qualities In Dewachen

Through my miraculous activities, in the early dawn,
may I visit the realm of Happiness named Supreme Activity and the realm of Merit called Dense Array.
May I request empowerments, blessings, and partake of vows from Buddhas Akshobya, Ratnasambhava, Amoghasiddhi, Vairocana, and so forth, as well as present bountiful offerings. May I swiftly return to Dewachen at dusk. May I visit the billions of pure emanation realms, including the realms of Potala, Alakavati , Kurava and Orgyen Yul. May I meet Avalokiteshvara, Tara, Vajrapani, Padmasambhava, and so on. May I present oceans of offerings and receive ripening empowerments and liberating instructions.
May I swiftly return to my own pure realm.
May I clearly perceive with clairvoyance
my friends, sangha, students and so on.
May I protect them and bestow blessings upon them.
At the time of their death, may I guide them to this pure realm. A single day in Dewachen is equivalent to a Fortunate Aeon; may I live forever in Dewachen without ever dying. From Buddha Maitreya to Buddha Möpa, the final Buddha, may I see each of the buddhas of the Fortunate Aeon when they emanate in this world.
With my miraculous powers, may I meet these buddhas, present offerings and listen to the holy dharma;
then without any obstacle, may I return to the pure realm of Dewachen. Dewachen is the coalescence of the qualities of the eight million and one-hundred thousand
Buddha realms. May I be reborn in the pure realm of Dewachen, the pinnacle of all the pure realms.
4.4. Aspiration About the Outer Qualities of Dewachen
The flat ground, as smooth as the palm of a hand, is ornate with precious jewels; it is vast, spacious, and radiant. Supple in texture, it retracts upon pressing down and rebounds when released. There are wish-fulfilling trees adorned with fine silken leaves, jewel ornaments and exotic fruits. On top are gathered flocks of emanation birds, singing melodiously the profound tune of dharma.
May I be reborn in this rare and sacred realm.
The rivers are perfumed with the eight qualities of fragrance. The bathing pools are filled with nectar
and surrounded by stairs and cornices made of the seven treasures and fragrant lotus flowers bearing fruit
and emitting molecules of light rays. On the tip of each light ray is an emanation of a buddha. May I be reborn in this realm of great marvel!

4.5. Aspiration About Our Practice of Dharma
May I be born in this realm of Great Bliss
where there are not even words for the eight undesirable conditions and suffering, where the three or five poisons, the emotional afflictions of sickness, mental disturbance, enemies, poverty, quarrelling, war and so forth, do not even exist. Instead of rebirth through a female or womb, all rebirths shall be in the pollen heart of a lotus. Possessing five types of miraculous powers and five types of clairvoyance, may everyone be identical and of a shimmering golden hue. May all bodies be endowed with the major marks and signs of excellence such as the crown protuberance and so forth. May I be born in this realm of inexhaustible merit and qualities. Without attachment to self and others, or to non-existence by merely visualizing, all one’s needs are fulfilled and
spontaneously a treasure-filled palace arises. May cloudbanks of offerings emit from my palms.
May all beings engage in the unsurpassable Great Vehicle.
May I be reborn in this pure realm of original bliss and contentment. A shower of flowers rains down delightful fragrances. From trees, lotus flowers, and streams,
arise oceans of clouds of all sorts of offerings of sensory enjoyment: form, sound, smell, taste and touch.
Although there are no females of ordinary form,
many goddesses present offerings continuously.
At the time when I wish to rest, a jewel palace appears.
When I am ready to sleep, a beautiful throne
covered with luxurious silken pillows and cushions appears. From celestial birds, wish-fulfilling trees, streams made of nectar, and celestial music emanate the pleasant sounds of dharma. These sounds can be heard if I choose, or, if I wish to hear nothing, are silent.
The soothing temperature of the streams is perfect.
May I be born in this realm where all wishes are fulfilled.

4.6. Aspiration About the activity of the Buddhas in Dewachen
The complete and perfect Buddha of Boundless Light
shall remain in this realm for countless eons without passing into enlightenment. May I be his servant during this time. Until his passing into enlightenment, his teaching shall remain for two eons equal to the number of particles of sand in the great Ganges. After his passing,
may I never be separate from his regent Avalokiteshvara,
who will uphold the noble dharma. When the sun of dharma is setting, at the moment of the dawn of next morning, the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara shall transform into the Complete
and Perfect Buddha. His title shall be the King with Aural Splendors of all Noble Ones. When this occurs, may I meet him and present offerings and receive
holy dharma. He shall remain six-million six-hundred thousand eons, during which I shall worship him,
follow the infallible dharma, and be a respectful servant.
After he has passes into enlightenment, his teaching shall remain for six-million three-hundred eons;
May I uphold the dharma during that time and be inseparable with Vajrapani.
When Vajrapani becomes the Buddha.
His title shall be the Completely Reliable Tathagata King with Jewel-like Intent Qualities, with a lifespan and teaching ability just like that of Avalokiteshvara.
May I continuously be the servant of this Buddha,
presenting offerings and upholding the infallible dharma.
When this present life ends, may I instantly attain unsurpassable complete
and perfect buddhahood in this or another pure realm.
Having thus obtained complete and perfect buddhahood,
just like the Buddha of Boundless Light,
sentient beings shall be liberated by merely hearing my name and my emanations shall guide them on the path.
All of my activities shall spontaneously and effortlessly be for the benefit of all beings. Deshin Shegpa’s (Amitabha) lifespan, merit, qualities,
primordial wisdom, and splendor, are beyond measure.
For those who can remember your names—Dharmakaya Buddha of Boundless Light, or Bhagavan of Infinite Life and Primordial Wisdom—, they shall be
protected. The Omniscient Buddha said that sentient beings can achieve liberation, except for those with fully ripened previous karma. By merely recalling his holy name, beings can be protected from the dangers of flood, fire, poison, weapons, goblins, and evil spirits.
By prostrating and supplicating to you,
may I be protected from all suffering and danger.
May you grant your blessings of excellent auspiciousness.
4.5. Concluding Aspiration

Through the blessing of achieving the three bodies of the Buddha, the truth of the unwavering dharmata, and the undiminishing strength of the sangha, may my aspirational prayers be realized.

Dharani for Accomplishing the Aspiration:
TADYATHA ! PENTSA DRIYA AVABODHA NA YA SOHA !
Dharani for Multiplying:
NAMO MANJUSHRIYE ! NAMO SUSHRIYE ! NAMO UTTAMA SHRIYE SOHA !

It is declared that if you make 3 prostrations with this mantra it will have the same value as 100,000 prostrations done otherwise.
It is best if you can make one hundred prostrations,middeling is to make as many as possible, and at least you should make seven.
It is best if you never cease the regular recitation of this aspiration, middeling is to continue without interruption for a year or a month, and at least you should recite it occasionally, with your palms joined and with single pointed devotion, turning towards Amitabha and his realm Sukhavati in the West. To do so will dispell all
obstacles to your life and later you will without doubt be reborn in Sukhavati, this is declared in the Ödo and Zhingködo sutras and in Pema Karpo's Chime Ngadra and other works.
This aspiration was composed by the monk Raga Asya. May it cause many sentient beings to be reborn in Sukhavati.
English: The main part translated by Lama Drimed & his team.