Precept Dedication Prayer
by Shantideva,
by Shantideva,
revised by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama
May no living creature suffer, commit evil or ever fall ill.
May no one be afraid or belittled, with a mind weighed down by depression.
May the blind see forms, and the deaf hear sounds.
May the blind see forms, and the deaf hear sounds.
May those whose bodies are worn with toil be restored on finding repose.
May the naked find clothing, the hungry find food.
May the naked find clothing, the hungry find food.
May the thirsty find water, and delicious drinks.
May the poor find wealth, those weak with sorrow find joy.
May the poor find wealth, those weak with sorrow find joy.
May the forlorn find hope, constant happiness and prosperity.
May there be timely rains and bountiful harvests.
May there be timely rains and bountiful harvests.
May all medicines be effective and wholesome prayers bear fruit.
May all who are sick and ill quickly be freed from their ailments.
May all who are sick and ill quickly be freed from their ailments.
Whatever diseases there are in the world, may they never occur again.
May the frightened cease to be afraid and those bound be freed.
May the frightened cease to be afraid and those bound be freed.
May the powerless find power, and may people think of benefiting each other.
May all beings everywhere, plagued by sufferings of body and mind,
Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy by virtue of my merits.
May all beings everywhere, plagued by sufferings of body and mind,
Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy by virtue of my merits.
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When I remember to start my day with this dedication prayer
the day seems to be much less stressful.
I am more mindful of how fortunate I really am
and how small all my "big" troubles really are.
When my day does get crazy full of stress,
this prayer helps lower that stress to a more manageable level,
and for me that is very beneficial. ljc
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How does this work? A simple prayer can relieve stress?
ReplyDeleteBy focusing on others rather than ourselves, I think it does help ease stress. Often the most intense emotions seem to arise from dwelling in one state, constantly judging and making things worse, rather than accepting a certain emotion and moving forward with that acceptance. For example, stress often compounds when we dwell on it and just think about how bad things are for us, as if stress wasn’t something that happens to everyone; a normal part of living.
ReplyDeleteReading this prayer reminds me that there are many other beings in the world who are suffering in their pursuit of happiness, just like me. In fact, there are so much more of them and their sufferings are so much worse than my own. Reflecting and meditating on this, it is almost impossible to stay focused on my own problems, which seem so small in comparison. I become motivated to help others, and a feeling of gratitude arises in me, recognizing that I don’t have it all that bad, and in fact, I am rather well-off. I have found that this attitude of gratefulness really helps lift me out of a bad mood, be it stress, anger, or whatever. I think this prayer is very helpful in bringing about many positive, constructive, emotions. It may be gratitude, selflessness, or even just the smallest wish that others no longer suffer. Witnessing and meditating on the suffering in this world motivated the Buddha to develop compassion, and it eventually led to his enlightenment.