Gangloma
According to Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, the Praise to Manjushri (Gang-lo-ma) was composed by 100 Indian Mahasiddhas who had gathered together in praise of Manjushri. Each Mahasiddha recited separately in veneration of Manjushri, who at that time blessed their minds. Ninety-nine of them wrote the same praise, which together became known as Gang-lo-ma. The hundredth Mahasiddha wrote a slightly different praise, which formed the supplementary prayer to Gang-lo-ma referred to as Sheja-kha-yingpa. This praise is very famous and precious and was recited by the pandit Vidyakokila the Younger. The text is now almost lost; it is extremely rare and it is something many people are searching for, because it can be said to be one of the fundamental praises to Manjushri.
Gangloma
Obeisance to my Guru and Protector, Manjushri,
Who holds to his heart a scriptural text symbolic of his seeing all things as they are;
Whose intelligence shines forth like the sun, unclouded by delusions or traces of ignorance;
Who teaches in sixty ways, with the loving compassion of a father for his only child, all creatures caught in the prison of samsara, confused in the darkness of their ignorance, overwhelmed by their suffering.
You, whose dragon-thunder-like proclamation of Dharma arouses us from the stupor of our delusions and frees us from the iron chains of our karma;
Who wields the sword of wisdom hewing down suffering wherever its sprouts appear, clearing away the darkness of ignorance;
You, whose princely body is adorned with the one hundred and twelve marks of a Buddha,
Who has completed the stages achieving the highest perfection of a Bodhisattva,
Who has been pure from the beginning,
Mantra: OM AH RA BA TSA NA DHI (21x, 1 mala or more – followed by 1 mala reciting the syllable “DHI”, with the breath held during the entire recitation.)
I bow down to you, O Manjushri;
With the brilliance of your wisdom, O compassionate one,
Illuminate the darkness enclosing my mind,
Enlighten my intelligence and wisdom,
So that I may gain insight into the Buddha’s words and the texts that explain them.
Long mantra of Manjushri (click to enlarge)
Other Forms of Manjushri
Another form of Manjushri known as Manjushri Namasamgiti together with Dorje Shugden. Click on image to enlarge or click here for more beautiful thangkas.
Another form of Manjushri known as Dharmadhatu Vagishvara Manjushri together with Dorje Shugden. Click on image to enlarge or click here for more beautiful thangkas.
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Mantras in the waters of Kechara Forest Retreat-Malaysia
Mantras represent the blessings of the enlightened beings in the form of sound. When we recite mantras they stimulate the various parts of our body to heal itself, to clear itself, to purify itself and to gain higher states of consciousness. Therefore, mantras are very powerful. They can be written, visualised or recited out aloud. The mantras of enlightened beings bless ordinary beings, animals, ethereal or formless beings and everyone in the environment.
In Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia, we have a koi fish pond, on which sits a magnificent statue of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. When the fish circumambulate around Manjushri they are blessed by his divine presence. At the same time, people who come to visit the pond and circumambulate around Manjushri receive the same blessings.
Along with the Manjushri fish pond, we also have a lake in Kechara Forest Retreat. In the middle of this lake is a Shakyamuni Buddha statue. In both these places we have placed Manjushri mantra stones underneath submerged under the water so that the animals, humans and beings who circumambulate these holy statues, not only circumambulate the images of the Buddhas but also sacred mantras. The is done in order to plant the seeds of enlightenment in their mindstreams so that in the future they are able to realise Bodhicitta, the realisation of Emptiness and higher states of consciousness. So, I thought I would share this little video with everyone. Thank you.
Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1542840739.mp4
This video, narrated in Chinese, features Manjushri mantra stones. These are stones carved with the sacred mantra of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. The mantra of any Buddha is basically the manifestation of the enlightened being in the form of sound. Therefore, Manjushri’s mantra embodies the special qualities of his transcendent wisdom. Offering of these mantras stones is likened to an offering of Manjushri-like speech to the Three Jewels.
Sponsoring and offering such stones has the benefit of gaining deeper insight into spiritual practice, improving one’s memory, critical thinking, creativity, language and the purification of negative karma related to speech. It also promotes the development of powerful speech that has a positive impact on others.
In the video we see mantra stones placed at the majestic Four-armed Manjushri statue in Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia. The more stones are offered there, the more benefit it brings to the person circumambulating and paying homage to Lord Manjushri. These stones are available at Naropa’s Cave in Kechara Forest Retreat and can be offered to the statue of Manjushri here just as you see in the video.
Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1542838906.mp4
Wow….the Praise to Manjushri (Gang-lo-ma) was composed by 100 Indian Mahasiddhas. Interesting story of how Manjushri blessed their mind and each Mahasiddha wrote the same praise except one. This praise is very famous and precious since then and at one time almost lost. We are very fortunate to have it as it is extremely rare.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this rare fundamental praises to Manjushri.
Dear Rinpoche,
This praise should be very very powerful given that 99 of the Indian Mahasiddhas came out with the SAME prayer. How could that be if it’s not holy, sacred and beneficial? I have been reciting this praise almost every day. It’s short, easy to remember and it’s superb for people like me who are lazy and always complaint of “being busy”. Don’t have time and always sleepy. Sometimes it’s exhausting to recite long prayer at the end of the day but this praise is short and concise. Remember Rinpoche said in the teaching of Karma and it’s Avoidance, Rinpoche mentioned that reciting any Manjushri prayer will give us strong will power. Rinpoche even further mentioned that some people have strong will power to get boyfriend, to get girlfriend or money and actually this is a negative sign. I must be aware of this especially money, name and fame. I really need the will power to carry on my little Dharma practice with Rinpoche and others in Kechara. Sometime I felt like I’m lacking in my Dharma practice.
Thank you Rinpoche.
Looking back at my own comment, am feeling a little bit funny but I’m glad that I’m still reciting this Lord Manjushri prayer & mantra till today. It’s one of my favourite prayers still. Really thank you Rinpoche continuously reminding us to do this prayer and mantra daily.
Most of the time, we might have the problems and difficulties due to our ignorance and wrong projection on the things. Due to our ignorance, it caused us to suffer and therefore we need to practice Manjushri to illuminate the darkness enclosing our mind and increase our wisdom.
Thank you very much for this wonderful sharing on Praise to Manjushri (Gang-lo-ma) composed by 100 Indian Mahasiddhas and long mantra of 1,000 Manjushri. May everyone be blessed by Manjushri and able to understand the reality of true cessation of suffering and true cause of happiness.
It is very interesting to note that 99 of the 100 Indian Mahasiddhas came up with the same praise for Manjushri. It can only mean that the qualities of Manjushri is such that it is recognizable and identifiable very clearly and was of great benefit to the practitioners of the time.
And, I remember being told by the pastors that Rinpoche has always recommended this praise to Manjushri, Gangloma for all those who wish to seek his blessing for wisdom to understand dharma teachings.
Thank you for making this prayer easily available for everyone.