Prayer for Awakening

By D.M. Heng Shi

As I first awaken this very early morn, I pray that all of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions and the three periods of time will bestow their compassionate aid upon me, so that I may be, at least, of some little benefit to other living beings.

Reality is merely the minds of all living beings. We each have a responsibility to cause the entire body of reality to be fully Awakened and pure - to cause all living beings to become Buddhas. Yet all living beings, having turned their backs on Bodhi, are deeply blinded by ignorance and driven by desire, so that they un­dergo a myriad of sufferings in the illusory realm of birth and death.

Therefore to even dream of helping in this awesome task of purifying the entire Dharma Realm, I today must give rise to great heroic vigor to try my very best to learn and actually practice the Bodhisattva path as embodied in the conduct and vows of Universal Worthy Bodhisattva, Mahasattva.

I pray that all living beings will awaken to the wondrous, essential light of their own mind, which like space pervades all places, yet cannot be grasped.  Like a precious jewel hidden in a poor person's clothing, it has never been lost, merely forgotten.