Amitābha Series

• Aspiration for Rebirth in Sukhāvatī by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima

These verses of aspiration to take rebirth in Amitābha's pureland of Sukhāvatī are extracted from the author's longer compilation of practices called The Easy Route to the Supreme Realm (zhing mchog bgrod pa'i bde lam).

• A Sukhāvatī Prayer and Aspiration by Dudjom Lingpa

Taken from the visionary revelation known as the Net of Wisdom (ye shes drwa ba), this is a brief aspiration for rebirth in Sukhāvatī (bde ba can).

• Prayer to Buddha Amitābha by Fifteenth Karmapa

A short prayer of invocation and aspiration addressed to Amitābha, the Buddha of Limitless Light, and Avalokiteśvara, the embodiment of compassion. The prayer concludes with the mantra oṃ amitābha hrīḥ.

• Lamp Aspiration Prayer (from the Tsok Offering 'A Rain of Blessings') by Fourteenth Karmapa

This brief prayer of aspiration to accompany the offering of a butter lamp (mar me'i smon lam) is part of the feast offering (tshogs mchod) for the Accomplishing the Land of Great Bliss (bde chen zhing sgrub) cycle of practices based on the original Namchö (gnam chos) revelation of Tertön Mingyur Dorje (1645–1667).

• Brief Sukhāvatī Aspiration by Gyalse Shenpen Thaye

Two verses: the first a prayer to Atiśa as an emanation of Padmasambhava and the second an aspiration for rebirth in the pure land of great bliss.

• Aspiration for Rebirth in Sukhāvatī by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

This three-verse aspiration for rebirth in Amitābha's pureland of Sukhāvatī was composed on the 22nd day of the eleventh month of the Earth Dog year (January 1, 1959).

• Aspiration for the Land of Great Bliss by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

Extracted from a longer prayer entitled Aspiration Written in Sadness During the Water Snake Year, this is an aspiration to take rebirth in Amitābha's paradise of Sukhāvatī, the Land of Great Bliss.

• Aspiration to Be Reborn in the Realm of Sukhāvatī by Jigme Lingpa

This prayer to be reborn in Sukhāvatī draws upon the Array of Amitābha Sūtra (amitābhavyūhasūtra, Toh 49) for its elaborate descriptions of the blissful realm. As with many of Jigme Lingpa's writings, the text is beautiful yet opaque in places, and the translation thus relies upon Rigdzin Gargyi Wangchuk's (1858–1930) commentary entitled Gateway to the Realm of Great Bliss (bde chen zhing gi 'jug ngogs).

• Prayer of Aspiration Towards Sukhāvatī by Katok Situ Chökyi Gyatso

This short prayer of aspiration for rebirth in Buddha Amitābha's pure-land of Sukhāvatī incorporates the so-called 'seven branches' (saptāṅga; yan lag bdun) of paying homage, offering, confession, rejoicing, requesting the turning of the wheel of Dharma, exhortation to remain, and dedication of virtue.

• Brief Sukhāvatī Aspiration by Palyul Choktrul Jampal Gyepe Dorje

A four-line prayer requesting the blessings of the guru in order to transfer one's consciousness to Sukhāvatī.

• Prayer of Aspiration Towards Sukhāvatī by Shamar Chökyi Wangchuk

This short prayer of aspiration towards Sukhāvatī (bde smon) incorporates the so-called 'seven branches' (saptāṅga; yan lag bdun) of devotional practice.

• Brief Sukhāvatī Aspiration by Tertön Mingyur Dorje

Part of the Namchö (gnam chos) revelation, this extremely popular prayer of aspiration for rebirth in Sukhāvatī derives from a vision in which Buddha Amitābha appeared to Tulku Mingyur Dorje, when the latter was just twelve years old, in 1657.

• Dedication from Vajravārāhī Cycle of Namchö revealed by Mingyur Dorje by Tertön Mingyur Dorje

Sometimes classified as a Sukhāvatī aspiration (bde smon), this well-known prayer for the dedication of virtue (dge ba bsngo ba) is attributed to Buddha Amitābha, who spoke to Tulku Mingyur Dorje in a vision in 1657.

• Guru Yoga That Liberates the Illusory Body as a Kāya of Light by Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol

In this guru yoga for transforming the body into a kāya of rainbow light one visualizes oneself as Avalokiteśvara and the guru as Amitābha within one's heart.

• Verso Inscription on an Image of the Pure Land of Great Bliss by Fifteenth Karmapa

A short prayer written on the back of an image of Sukhāvatī, the paradise of Amitābha.

• Brief Amitābha Sleeping Practice by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

A simple visualization and recitation focusing on Amitābha, the Buddha of Boundless Light, which can be performed at night prior to falling asleep.

• A Wondrous Instruction for the Moment of Death by Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyaltsen

Sakya Paṇḍita provides the outline of a very simple meditation on Amitābha for the moment of death, summarizing the preliminaries, main part, conclusion and benefits of the practice according to the oral tradition of his uncles and their father.

• Meditation on Amitābha by Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyaltsen

Following some lines of the Prayer of Good Actions (bzang spyod smon lam), Sakya Paṇḍita here offers a simple visualisation centred upon Buddha Amitābha, to be practised each day before falling asleep in order to secure rebirth in the Sukhāvatī pure-land.

• Verses of Homage to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas Together with their Mantras by Trulshik Rinpoche

Trulshik Rinpoche compiled these brief verses of praise and mantras so that all those connected with him could recite them daily or on special occasions. The deities included are Buddha Śākyamuni, Vajrasattva, Amitāyus, Amitābha, Ratnaśikhin, Medicine Buddha, Maitreya, Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, Vajravidāraṇa, Vijayā, Tārā, Guru Padmasambhava, and the union of Hayagrīva, Vajrapāṇi and Garuḍa.

• Prayer to Buddha Amitābha by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima

A four-line prayer to Amitābha, the Buddha of Boundless Light, aspiring to take rebirth in his blissful paradise of Sukhāvatī.

• Prayer to Behold Amitābha in Dreams by Tertön Mingyur Dorje

Taken from the visions Tertön Mingyur Dorje experienced at the age of just twelve, this is a short prayer to behold Amitābha and his Sukhāvatī pure realm during dreams.

• Purification of Negativity through Amitābha by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

Here Jamyang Khyentse adapts and expands upon A Means of Purifying Negativity through Amitābha ('od dpag med kyi sgo nas sdig pa sbyong ba'i thabs) by Chögyal Pakpa Lodrö Gyaltsen (1235–1280), which is contained in the Sakya Kabum (sa skya bka' 'bum).

• Liberation Through Training in the Realm of Amitābha, Boundless Light by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye

This concise ritual for cultivating the pure realm of Amitābha was arranged by Jamgön Kongtrul based on Chokgyur Lingpa’s Amitābha sādhana from the Essence Manual of Oral Instructions (zhal gdams snying byang). The practice forms the sixth of eleven modes of liberation in Kongtrul's Wondrous Ocean: An Elucidation of the Application of the Eleven Modes of Liberation of the Sambhogakāya, Tamer of Beings (longs sku 'gro 'dul gyi las rim grol ba bcu gcig gi lag len gsal byed ngo mtshar rgya mtsho).

• The Chariot Bound for Sukhāvatī, the Blissful Realm: The Liturgy for Cultivating Buddha Amitābha’s Pure Realm by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

According to the colophon, this elaborate ritual for cultivating the pure realm of Amitābha was compiled by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo at the passing of Chokgyur Lingpa’s mother, Tsering Yangtso. Taking Chokgyur Lingpa’s treasure Amitābha sādhana from the Essence Manual of Oral Instructions (zhal gdams snying byang) as a basis, Khyentse Wangpo added further instructions and verses, primarily from The Array of Amitābha Sūtra (Toh 49, 'od dpag med kyi bkod pa) and The King of Aspiration Prayers (bzang spyod smon lam).

• The Swift Path to Great Bliss: A Sādhana of Amitābha, Buddha of Limitless Light by Tertön Sogyal

Deciphered by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, this sādhana of Amitābha is among the most famous revelations of Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa.

• Prayer of Transference by Dezhung Tulku Ajam

This simple practice of the transference of consciousness, or phowa ('pho ba), in the form of a prayer was written by Dezhung Tulku Ajam and is also preserved within the collected writings of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö (1893–1959).

• Akṣobhya Series

• Namchö

• Sukhāvatī Aspirations

• Transference (Phowa) Series