Receiving the vows and blessings

This concerns taking pledges to abide by the precepts in order to receive the esoteric initiation. The disciples must receive two sets of vows, firstly, the common Mahayana or Bodhisattva vows and secondly, the vows of the secret mantra vehicle. While accepting the common Mahayana vows, the disciple seek refuge in

the Three Jewels from the depth of their hear placing all their faith and hope in them. Then, they confess all the negativities they have accumulated in their past lives and rejoice in the disciples generate a

strong intention to attain Buddhahood around them as their guests. They then contemplate the meaning of the verse, ‘I take refuge in the Three Jewels…’ while repeating it three times. This completes receiving of vows of the common vehicle.

The vows of the secret mantra vehicle are received through contemplating the meaning of the words, ‘ All the Buddhas and the supreme secret vows…’. The disciples request the master to bestow the secret mantra vows of the uncommon vehicle through repeating the lines, ‘All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas please listen to

me…’ three times. At this point the disciples take firm pledges to free all those not freed, to liberate all those un-liberated and to establish them in the state of liberation by guiding them properly through all the pledges of the five Buddhas families, collectively and individually. In this way, they receive the

secret mantra vows. Next the disciples visualize OM at their foreheads HUM at the hearts, HAM at their crowns, HO at their navels and KSHA at their secret organs, thinking that these syllables have transformed

into the female deities of the Buddha families in the entity of the three bodies and the method and wisdom aspects of the path. Holding the vajra in his hand the master touches it to the three points of the disciples there by bestowing blessing upon them.

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