Lighting a candle offering at Menri Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown

The practice of making aspirational prayers is one of the ten perfections. The Tibetan word for this is mönlam, wylie: smon lam. This is a compound of the two words “mön” meaning aspiration or wish, and “lam” meaning path. The mönlam is a kind of spiritual mission statement that invokes the truth of the words of the buddhas and the truth of the ultimate nature of reality. These aspirations can spontaneously manifest as we purify our obscurations and develop our wisdom and positive qualities.

The Aspiration Prayer for the Continuation of the Teachings, also known as the Tengyé Mönlam, is a well-known and commonly practiced aspiration prayer within the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. It is especially sung at the conclusion of special events and gatherings at Tashi Menri Monastery in India, the mother monastery of the Yungdrung Bön community.

“May the lotus feet of the incomparable lamas who hold, sustain and increase the tradition remain steadfast!

May the completely upright community flourish, and may great, resounding acclaim for them fill the land!

Depending upon these aspirations and although having eliminated all illness, hunger and violence for all migrating beings who are as vast as the sky,

and a hundred thousand auspicious suns of benefit and happiness having arisen,

ultimately may everyone have the auspiciousness of attaining complete buddhahood!”

— Extract from Aspiration Prayer for the Continuation of the Teachings

The English language translation of the prayer can be downloaded from this page: https://ravencypresswood.com/publications/

To hear this prayer sung by His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Thrinley Nyima Rinpoché, click on the link below. He begins the prayer at approximately 13:10.

https://cybersangha.net/prayer-for-pandemic/

All translations and content by Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

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