CHANTED PRAYERS

Pujas (chanted prayers) are an important component of training in a spiritual life. They help us to still our mind, connect with enlightened beings, and receive blessings.

Here is information about the pujas we practise together at the Centre. Everyone welcome, no booking required. Free of charge

Please check calendar for dates

Prayers for World Peace
Prayers for World Peace is a free meditation class that gives us the opportunity to develop a warm and loving heart. Classes include a talk and inspiring prayers.
  Advice from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, 2001

“World peace is very important; we cannot ignore this now. Once something happens, it will be too late. This world is now, as you know, very delicate, very fragile, and very sensitive. It is almost as delicate as the life of a single person; the world situation is so delicate. This is because there are so many disagreements. Political leaders are ready to fight; everybody is preparing weapons ready to fight, and are challenging each other. So we religious practitioners need to offer prayers because prayers are very powerful. This is because of our pure motivation, the powerful words of the prayers themselves, and especially at such times enlightened beings will bestow their blessings upon us, our environment and other living beings. So we should pray for world peace.”

Usually held monthly – see calendar on home page

Wishfulfilling Jewel (WFJ)

This is our daily prayer practice through which we can purify negativity, accumulate merit and receive blessings, and attain a very special compassion, wisdom and spiritual strength. By relying upon the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden we can overcome obstacles to our practice and create favourable conditions so that we can nurture and increase our spiritual realizations.

Liberation from Sorrow (Prayers to Buddha Green Tara)

Tara is a female Buddha, a manifestation of the ultimate wisdom of all the Buddhas. Her name means ‘Rescuer’ because she rescues us from all outer and inner fears. Ultimately she rescues us from all suffering and guides us to full enlightenment. Like a mother she protects us from all internal and external dangers; she provides us with all the necessary conditions for our spiritual training, and guides and inspires us with her blessings as we progress along the spiritual path. These prayers include praises to the twenty-one manifestations of Tara. Because these are Sutra, the actual words of Buddha, they are particularly powerful and blessed. Usually held on the 8th of the month

Medicine Buddha Prayer

When the world is pervaded entirely by problems and dangers due to uncontrolled minds and inappropriate actions, one of the most important practices is that of Medicine Buddha. Medicine Buddha is a Buddha Doctor whose function is to release living beings from outer and inner sickness by bestowing blessings upon them. By relying on Medicine Buddha sincerely, we can be cured of heavy physical and mental disease, find release from the internal pain of the three poisons – attachment, anger and ignorance – and receive protection from many other dangers and obstacles.

Usually held once a month

Offering to the Spiritual Guide

This practice is a special Guru yoga of Je Tsongkhapa in conjunction with Highest Yoga Tantra. The main practice is meditation on reliance upon our Spiritual Guide, but it also includes all the essential practices of the stages of the path (Lamrim) and training the mind (Lojong), as well as both the generation and completion stages of Highest Yoga Tantra. 

By relying upon our Spiritual Guide as one with Je Tsongkhapa, our compassion, spiritual power, and especially our wisdom will naturally increase. A complete commentary to this practice can be found in the book Great Treasury of Merit written by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

Held on the 10th and 25th of the month.

Powa Ceremony

Through practising transference of consciousness, known as ‘powa’ with faith, compassion and concentration we can transfer the consciousness of those recently deceased to a higher rebirth or to the Pure Land of a Buddha. The Powa Ceremony can be done either by a group of practitioners or individually on behalf of one or more deceased persons, or countless deceased beings. By engaging in this practice we also create a great collection of virtue, which will also lead us into the pathway to a Buddha’s Pure Land.

Usually held once a month

Melodious Drum Victorious in All Directions (Kangso)

These are the extensive prayers to Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Dorje Shugden always helps, guides, and protects pure and faithful practitioners by granting blessings, increasing their wisdom, fulfilling their positive wishes and bestowing success on all their virtuous activities. These prayers are for fulfilling our heart commitment to practise Lamrim, Lojong and Mahamudra and to rely upon Dorje Shugden, regarding him as inseparable from our Spiritual Guide and Buddha, and for restoring any degenerate or broken commitments we may have incurred.

Usually held on or near the 29th of the month