Dhih!

Supreme enlightened form of all the buddhas and their heirs,

Throughout the whole of space and time,

Powerful lord of speech and embodiment of wisdom, precious Manjughosha,

Remain forever upon the lotus in the centre of my heart.

 

You are the father of all the buddhas who have gone to bliss,

And the dharmadhatu mother from whom the noble ones are born,

Yet you appear as the son of the buddhas of past, present and future—

To you who are without equal, I prostrate in devotion!

 

Dancer in the net of illusion which pervades the whole expanse of reality,

Treasury of universal benefit and happiness for as long as space exists,

Embodiment of the vajra wisdom of all-encompassing equality,

To you, Manjushri the ever-youthful, I prostrate and offer praise!

 

With the vibrant splendour of the orange sun rising in the sky,

Your youthful form brings to my heart a delight beyond compare.

Adorned with divine garments of silk and with jewels and flowers,

You sit cross-legged, with your long hair tied up in five main knots.

 

With wisdom’s sword that blazes with the light of intelligence,

You subdue the maras and cut the darkness of our ignorance.

With the fresh and lovely utpala flower clasped in your hand,

You show the mudra of generosity, and grant our every wish.

 

In the very instant we think upon your perfect form, O precious one,

All the darkness of samsara and deluded perception is at an end,

And you grant us the light with which to perceive the genuine path,

As if the sun’s glorious radiance had been brought into our minds!

 

‘Gentle Splendour,’ Manjushri, embodiment of wisdom and intelligence,

Respectfully I offer you this seat upon the lotus of my heart,

And I invoke your wisdom mind, O protector,

Through the sovereign of all awareness-mantras.

 

Swiftly set ablaze a great fire of wisdom within my heart,

A powerful intelligence discerning words and meaning,

Supremely keen, swift, utterly profound and expansive,

Illuminating all, like the mandalas of the sun and moon.

 

Grant me too the confidence of eloquence,

That is unhesitating, entirely unassailable,

Unhindered, constant, never dissipating—

A vajra-like fearlessness that is indestructible.

 

Grant me the great treasure of infallible memory,

Which is as broad and all-encompassing as space,

And is entirely unerring, so that never will I forget

Any aspect whatsoever of the words or of the meaning.

 

Through Sarasvati’s delight as she plays at my throat,

May I achieve the power of mastery over speech,

And my words entice and enchant the learned,

Like the taste of sweetest nectar, bringing pleasure to their minds.

 

From the whole of this world—from the buddhas, bodhisattvas,

And the noble assembly of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas,

From gods, nagas, humans, yakshas, sages and the like—

I invoke the splendour of intelligence, summoning it into my mind!

 

May I perfect the spheres of study, reflection and meditation,

Shine bright the lights of explanation, debate and composition,

And possess humility, calm, altruism, kindhearted love and faith,

The most beautiful and perfect qualities, as boundless as the ocean.

 

Through the power of this, may I accomplish vast deeds

To benefit the teachings of the victorious buddhas,

And always delight and be cared for by Manjushri,

Spontaneously accomplishing my own and others’ welfare!

 

This praise and aspiration for increasing intelligence with verses equal in number to the fourteen vital essences (dvangs ma) of the animate and inanimate was written by Mipham Jampal Gyepa on an auspicious day during the ninth month of the Fire Horse year (1906). May virtue abound!

 

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2006. Originally published on www.lotsawaschool.org