Prayers for the Sick and Deceased

http://www.angelfire.com/yt/fairtibet/

I was at a funeral once - for a young lady who had committed suicide at 17. In my bag, was a Prayer Book for her. It's titled Prayers for the Sick and Deceased. It contains a series - from Motivation, Prayers, Mantras and lastly, to Dedication.

This is written accordance to the Mahayana Buddhist practice.
Compiled by Amitabha Buddhist Centre (fpmtabc.org)

The book was compiled for the purpose of providing the members and friends of the person who is sick or deceased a means to emotionally and spiritually help the person who is undergoing great pain and suffering. They can be done in sequence as a set or just focusing on a specific prayer recited many times over.

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MOTIVATION

I am doing this practice to create the cause of attaining enlightenment in order to benefit all sentient beings, to free from all their sufferings and the causes of suffering, and to lead them to the perfect state of Buddhahood.

"In particular, this is to help ___, and all other beings who are are presently suffering from sickness. May they quickly recover from their sickness, and live a long life. In this and all future lifetimes, may they be free from suffering, may they always be under the care and guidance of the Gurus and Triple Gem, and may their always be peaceful, positive and filled with pure devotion to the Gurus and Triple Gem."

for the deceased...

"In particular, this is to help the deceased ___ achieve a good rebirth, as a human being with all the perfect conditions to practice the Dharma, or in Amitabha's pure land."

PRELIMINARY PRAYERS

Taking Refuge and Generating Bodhichitta

I go for refuge until I am enlightened

To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly.

By my practice of giving and other perfections,

May I become a Buddha to benefit all sentient beings. (3x)

The Four Immeasurables

May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.

May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of sufferings.

May all sentient beings be inseparable form the happiness that is free from suffering.

May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from attachment for friends and hatred for enemies.

Special Altruistic Intention

Especially for the sake of all mother sentient beings, I must quickly and more quickly - in this very life - attain the precious state of complete and perfect Buddhahood. Therefore, I shall practice the profound path of guru-deity yoga.

Seven Limb Prayer

Reverently, I prostrate with my body, speech and mind;

I present clouds of every type of offering, actual and imagined;

I declare all my negative actions accumulated since beginningless time

And rejoice in the merit of all holy and ordinary beings.

Please remain until the end of cyclic existence

And turn the wheel of Dharma of livings beings.

I dedicate my own merits and those of all others to the great enlightenment.

MANTRAS

Mantras are powerful syllables, holy words or phrases that helps to keep the mind focus and protected. It is believed to help maintaining a strong spiritual connection (alike planting a seed until the time is ripen). Mantras are usually visualized and recited in Sanskrit and are employed when meditating, rotating a prayer wheel and circumambulating a stupa. They are usually recited with a mala, usually beginning with 1 cycle (108 beads in 1 mala) to 10 cycles to 100 cycles and more.

Well, I personally find that the least it does is helps my mind keep away from generating defilements and afflictions through body, speech and mind actions. I also believe that it can shift the minds level of consciousness. ; ) And of course it stirs the mind away from idleness too.

OM MANI PADME HUM

The mantras below are in short form:

Mantra of All Buddhas: om ah hum

Avalokiteshvara's (Chenresig's) Mantra: om mani padme hum

Perfection of Wisdom Mantra: tayata gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi soha

Medicine Buddha's Mantra: tayata om bhekandzyai bhekandzyai maha bhekandzyai bhekandzyai randza samungate soha

Green Tara's Mantra: om tare tuttare ture soha

Vajrasattva's Mantra: om vajrasattva hum

Wisdom Manjushri Mantra: om ah ra pa ca na dhih (om arat padza nadi)

Padmasambhava's Mantra: om ah hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum

Buddha's Mantra: tayata om muni muni maha muniye soha

Prostration Mantra:om namo manjushriye namo sushriye namo uttama shriye soha

DEDICATION PRAYERS

Due to this merit, may ___ be completely be free of all sufferings and quickly recover from illnesses. May all their wishes be fulfilled in accordance to the Dharma, and may they meet virtuous Mahayana spiritual master and practise the Dharma for the benefit of all.

Due to this merit, may the decesed, especially ___ not be born in the lower realms but immediately attain a perfect human rebirth or be born  directly in Amitabha's Pure Land.

GENERAL DEDICATION PRAYERS.

1. Due to the merits of these virtuous actions

May we quickly attain the state of Guru-Buddha,

And lead all living beings, without exception,

Into that enlightened state.

2. May the supreme jewel bodhichitta

That has not arisen, arise and growl

And may that which has arisen not diminish

But increase more and more.

3. Just as the brave Manjushri and Samantabhadra, too,

Realized things as they are,

We, too, dedicate all these merits in the best way,

That we may follow their perfect example.

12. In order to follow the excellent examples set by the wisdom of the bodhisattva Manjushri and the always sublime Samantabhadra, we dedicate all virtues to their peerless ideals.

13. All conquerors passed into three times have praised as supreme this peerless dedication. Therefore, we also surrender all roots of our activities to be sublime goals of bodhisattva.