Thirty-seven Point Mandala Offering
The Thirty-seven Point Mandala Offering composed by Chögyal Pakpa is a famous practice of mandala offering. The thirty-seven points are:
- 1) Mount Meru
- 2-5) The four continents
- 6-13) The eight subcontinents
- 14) The jewel mountain
- 15) The wish-fulfilling tree
- 16) The wish-fulfilling cow
- 17) The harvest which needs no sowing
- 18-24) The seven attributes of royalty
- 26-33) The eight offering goddesses
- 34) The sun
- 35) The moon
- 36) The precious umbrella
- 37) The royal banner victorious in all directions
Text
shyi yong su dakpa wang chen ser gyi sa shyi
The earth is the golden ground, completely pure, full of beauty and power.
chi chak ri khor yuk gi korwé ü su hung
The circular iron mountain wall completely surrounds it; in the centre is the letter Hung—
rii gyalpo ri rab
Here is Meru, king of mountains;
In the East is Purva Videha
In the South is Jambudvipa
nub balang chö chang dra mi nyen
In the West is Aparagodaniya
In the North is Uttarakuru
lü dang lü pak nga yab dang nga yab shyen
Beside them are Deha and Videha
Chamara and Aparachamara
Shatha and Uttaramantrina
dra mi nyen dang dra mi nyen gyi da
The jewel mountain
The wish-fulfilling trees
The harvest which need no sowing
tsunmo rinpoche
lönpo rinpoche
langpo rinpoche
tachok rinpoche
The precious horse
makpön rinpoche
The precious general
ter chenpö bumpa
gekpa ma
trengwa ma
lu ma
The goddess of song
The goddess of dance
metok ma
dukpö ma
nang sel ma
The goddess of light
dri chap ma
rinpochei duk
chok lé nam par gyalwé gyaltsen
The royal banner victorious in all directions:
lha dang mii paljor punsum tsokpa ma tsangwa mépa
There is all the bountiful wealth of gods and men, complete and flawless—
di nyi
All this:
[See Alternative Insertions below]
tsawa dang gyupar chepe pelden lama dampa nam dang yidam khyil khor kyi lha tsok sangye dang changchup sampe tsok dang chepa nam la
To the root lama in all his compassion, to the glorious, sacred lineage lamas, to the victorious yidam deities and all the deities of their mandalas, to the buddhas and all the bodhisattvas.
[yön du] bul war gyio
I offer—
tukjé dro wé dön du shyé su sol
Please accept it, with compassion, for the benefit of beings
shyé né chin gyi lab tu sol
Having accepted it, please grant your blessing!
Alternative Insertions
To be said during teachings or empowerments with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
drinchen tsawa dang gyüpa chépé palden lama dampa nam dang khyepar du yang yongdzok tenpé ngadak kyabgön gyalwé wangpo tamché khyen ching zikpa chenpo jetsün jampal ngawang lobzang yeshé tendzin gyamtso pal zangpöi shyal nga né
To the gracious root and lineage masters, and the master of the entire Buddhadharma, our refuge and protector, the omniscient lord of the victorious ones, Jetsün Jampal Ngawang Lobsang Yeshé Tenzin Gyatso Pal Zangpo,
(Then insert another verse according to what kind of teaching or empowerment is being requested or being acknowledged with gratitude)
To be said when requesting teaching:
lama dampa chok shyap drung né dampé chökyi düdtsi zapmo shyu wé
To the Supreme and Noble Lama, in order to request the profound nectar of the True Dharma,
To be said when practising for the long life of the master:
palden lama shyap pé kal gyar ten ring zapmöi chö kyi khorlo korwé yön du mik té
To the glorious lama, in order that your life may be secure for hundreds of kalpas and that you may continue to turn the wheel of the profound Dharma teachings,
Or:
palden lama dampa shyab pé kalpa gyamtsor tso shying shyé la chökyi khorlo korwar solwa debpé
To the glorious Lama, with the prayer that he may remain among us for oceans of kalpas and continue to turn the wheel of Dharma,
Commentaries
- Jikmé Lingpa, Detailed Commentary on the Lama Gongdü, mandala section
- Jamgon Kongtrul, The Torch of Certainty (Boston: Shambhala, 1977, 2000), pages 97-104.
