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The Home of Tibetan Buddhist Texts in Translation
ISSN 2753-4812
ISSN 2753-4812

Avalokiteśvara Series

Avalokiteśvara Lords of Three Families

English (31) | Deutsch (1) | Español (6) | Français (18) | Português (3) | 中文 (2) | བོད་ཡིག (30)

Your thousand arms are the thousand universal monarchs,

Your thousand eyes the thousand buddhas of this fortunate age,

You who teach each and every one of us according to our needs,

Lord Avalokiteśvara, to you I pay homage!

A series of texts related to the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara (spyan ras gzigs):

Introduction

by Stefan Mang
An introduction to the history, associated literature and principal forms of Avalokiteśvara (spyan ras gzigs), the bodhisattva of compassion.

Aspiration Prayers

by Gyalse Tokme Zangpo
A two-verse prayer of aspiration to follow Avalokiteśvara, the Great Compassionate One, and contribute to his enlightened activity.
Aspiration Prayers Compendium of Sādhanas 21 Nov 2022
by Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol
This five-verse prayer of dedication and aspiration was composed for an event at which the maṇi mantra of Avalokiteśvara was recited.
Aspiration Prayers Dedication 21 Feb 2023

Dhāraṇī

from the Words of the Buddha
In this incantation (dhāraṇī), preserved in the Kangyur (Tōh. 708), Avalokiteśvara reveals his heart mantra (hṛdaya) in the form of the deity Aparājita. Renowned for granting fearlessness (abhayaprada), the mantra reflects the fearless nature (abhaya) of Avalokiteśvara, his bodhisattva interlocutor, and the mantra itself.
Dhāraṇī Kangyur 17 Jun 2025
from the Words of the Buddha
This popular incantation (dhāraṇī), included in the Kangyur (Tōh. 696), offers a concise visualization of Avalokiteśvara in his four-armed form (caturbhuja) and praises the merits of reciting his mantra. While it may have served as a source for the well-known maṇi mantra, it appears that no Sanskrit or Chinese witnesses of the text have survived.
Dhāraṇī Kangyur 7 May 2025

Guru Yoga

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
Jamyang Khyentse composed this guru sādhana focused upon King Songtsen Gampo following a visionary experience he had at the sacred Moon Cave at Drak Yerpa.
Guru Sādhana Guru Yoga 15 Jun 2020
by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
A simple guru yoga based on the form of Avalokiteśvara known as Resting in the Nature of Mind (Semnyi Ngalso).
Guru Yoga 21 Sep 2022

Mantra

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
A prayer to Tsultrim Zangpo, whose Prayer of the Six Syllables, was rediscovered as a treasure by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.
Prayers 25 Oct 2022

Practices

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
A brief 'means of recitation' (bklag thabs) that provides the necessary prayers and visualization for reciting the longer and shorter dhāraṇīs of Amoghapāśa.
Reading Methods Dhāraṇī 13 Jun 2023

Praise

by Lakṣmī
This is the commonly recited version of Bhikṣuṇī Lakṣmī’s famous praise of Avalokiteśvara, often known as the Po Praise. It includes several differences from the version preserved in the Tengyur, as noted in the text.
Praise Compendium of Sādhanas Ḍākinī Treasury 13 Feb 2019
by Lakṣmī
This is the version of Bhikṣuṇī Lakṣmī’s famous praise of Avalokiteśvara (known as the Po Praise) that appears in the Kriyātantra section of the Tengyur (Toh 2738).
Praise Tengyur Ḍākinī Treasury 30 Jan 2019
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.
Praise Buddha Śākyamuni Vajrasattva Amitāyus Amitābha Mañjuśrī Uṣṇīṣavijayā Tārā Vajravidāraṇa 12 Jul 2010

Prayers

by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima
A simple two-verse prayer to Avalokiteśvara written at the request of a disciple from Washul, Amdo.
Prayers 5 Feb 2020
by Jigme Lingpa
In 1758, one year after the first, principal revelation of Dukngal Rangdrol, Jigme Lingpa had a vision of Avalokiteśvara, the Great Compassionate One, in standing posture and extending to the far reaches of the eastern sky. Following this, he tells us in his autobiography, "tears of devotion welled up" and he composed this prayer.
Dukngal Rangdrol Prayers 23 Mar 2021
by Khenchen Ngawang Palzang
This prayer to Avalokiteśvara is taken from a collection of prayers called "Cloud-banks of Blessings" (gsol 'debs byin rlabs sprin phung) in volume one of Khenchen Ngawang Palzang's collected works.
Prayers 30 Sep 2025
by Nyoshul Lungtok
This brief prayer to Avalokiteśvara, combined with the famous mantra oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ, is a heartfelt request for blessings and inspiration, so that all obstacles to the path may be overcome and bodhisattva activity may be accomplished.
Prayers 10 Sep 2015
by Sera Khandro
A prayer for invoking the two supreme deities—noble Avalokiteśvara and the goddess Tārā—and seeking their blessings and assistance on the path.
Tārā Prayers Ḍākinī Treasury 9 Jul 2025
recalled by Tangtong Gyalpo
Tangtong Gyalpo recalled this supplication to Noble Avalokiteśvara from the devotional practices of a previous lifetime as the bhikṣu Padma Karpo.
Prayers Rinchen Terdzö Compendium of Sādhanas Damngak Dzö 17 Apr 2020

Sādhanas

by Chögyal Pakpa Lodrö Gyaltsen
This brief sādhana of Avalokiteśvara in the form of Mahākāruṇika, The Great Compassionate One, incorporates instructions on examining the nature of mind according to the approach of Mahāmudrā. It is included within the Compendium of Sādhanas (sgrub thabs kun btus).
Sādhanas Sakya Kabum Compendium of Sādhanas Restricted 3 Sep 2021
by Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje
A short practice of visualization and manta recitation for remedying defective sight and enhancing wisdom vision based on the Padmapāṇi practice from the Ultra Secret Heart-Essence cycle.
Sādhanas Sickness & Healing Restricted 13 Nov 2025
by Dudjom Lingpa
A very concise and simple practice of Four-Armed Avalokiteśvara, the Great Compassionate One (Mahākāruṇika; thugs rje chen po).
Sādhanas Dudjom Tersar Restricted 26 Apr 2021
by Dudjom Rinpoche
A short, Dzogchen-themed sādhana focusing upon the ultimate nature of Avalokiteśvara as inseparable from one's own awareness.
Sādhanas Restricted 16 Apr 2026
by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
A daily practice of the Great Compassionate One, Wish-Fulfilling Wheel (thugs rje chen po yid bzhin 'khor lo), a yidam practice which Chokgyur Lingpa revealed at Yegyel Namkha Dzö in 1856.
Chokling Tersar Sādhanas Restricted 2 May 2023
by Mipham Rinpoche
This simple practice of Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, includes a visualisation to accompany the recitation of the six-syllable mantra, oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ, or, optionally, the seven-syllable mantra, oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ hrīḥ.
Sādhanas Restricted 24 Apr 2015
by Ngorchen Könchok Lhundrup
This sādhana of Mahākāruṇika, The Great Compassionate One, incorporates instructions on examining the nature of mind according to the approach of Mahāmudrā. It is included within the Compendium of Sādhanas (sgrub thabs kun btus).
Sādhanas Compendium of Sādhanas Restricted 3 Sep 2021
by Rigdzin Gödem
A popular practice of Avalokiteśvara in his four-armed form, this sādhana was discovered by Rigdzin Gödemchen Ngödrup Gyaltsen as part of the Northern Treasures (byang gter) revelation.
Sādhanas Termas Rinchen Terdzö Northern Treasures Restricted 12 Jun 2020
by Shikpo Lingpa
Revealed during a vision in 1557, this is a sādhana of the five self-arisen Avalokiteśvara brothers ('phags pa rang byon mched lnga). These are four ancient statues associated with King Songtsen Gampo, i.e., Ārya Vati Zangpo, Ārya Bukham, Ārya Jamali, and Ārya Lokeśvara, as well as the self-visualization of Avalokiteśvara generated by the practitioner.
Sādhanas Restricted 30 Aug 2017
by Tangtong Gyalpo
One of the most popular Avalokiteśvara liturgies in Tibet, this practice of visualization and mantra recitation for the Great Compassionate One (mahākāruṇika) is attributed to the great adept Tangtong Gyalpo.
Sādhanas Restricted 17 Apr 2020

Sūtras

from the Words of the Buddha
Perhaps the most famous of all Mahāyāna sūtras, the Heart Sūtra is so named because it encapsulates the heart or essence of the transcendent perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā).
Prajñāpāramitā Emptiness Kangyur Sūtras Ten Royal Sūtras Nyingma Kama 8 Jan 2019
from the Words of the Buddha
This edition of the famous Heart Sūtra, complete with additional material, including a section for averting obstacles, is arranged for recitation.
Prajñāpāramitā Emptiness Sūtras Nyingma Mönlam Averting Obstacles 8 Jan 2019

Tsok

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
A very short prayer for accumulating the tsok offering according to the practice of Avalokiteśvara, the Great Compassionate One (Mahākāruṇika).
Tsok Restricted 25 May 2023

Dukngal Rangdrol

Texts related to Dukngal Rangdrol (sdug bsngal rang grol), Natural Liberation of Suffering, the Avalokiteśvara practice from the Longchen Nyingtik that is either classed as a peaceful yidam or secret-level guru practice from the peaceful male-vidyādhara section.

16 texts

Related Topics

Fasting Ritual Lords of Three Families

Four-Armed Avalokiteśvara

Courtesy of Himalayan Art Resources

Further information:

BDRC T106 (thugs rje chen po)
Himalayan Art Resources

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ISSN 2753-4812

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