Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion, or Chenresig in Tibetan belongs to both Sutrayana (Vehicle of Sutra) where he is more popularly known as Kuan Yin, or the goddess of mercy, and the Vajrayana level.

According to the late Ven. Kalu Rinpoche, the practice of the Chenrezig sadhana employs a number of techniques, which are effective in developing shine or tranquility of mind. Meditating on the form of Chenrezig, on the Hri in the heart of Avalokitesvara, or paying close attention to the sound of the mantra will calm and stabilize the mind.

The anecdote goes that Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion, also known as Chenresig in Tibetan, made a vow that he will go down the 18th hell and save all sentient beings. His guru is Amitabha, the Buddha of Enlightenment, sits on top of his head. As he progressed in his mission, he realized that as fast as he was saving sentient beings, their places were quickly refilled. In sadness and frustration, he broke into a thousand pieces. Amitabha asked all the Buddhas to put him together. It was then realized that he became the thousand arms, thousand eyes Chenrezig.

At this point, Amitabha gave Chenrezig the six-syllable mantra “OM MANI PEME HUNG” to be the effective way to save all sentient beings.

How does the  Six syllable mantra save sentient beings?
It closes the doors of the six realms. The Buddha of compassion use the mantra to thaws the heat of anger and hatred, calms the pain of jealousy, appeases the hunger and thirst of greed, tears the veil of stupidity and ignorance, sweeten the chain-cutting of attachment, and humble the ego of pride. The Six-syllable mantra has the power, by the use of compassion, to crush the five deadly poisons that put beings in samsara.

How is the appearance of Chenrezig?
In his simplest form, his body is white signifying the purity of his mind.

He radiates the five brilliant colors, predominantly white to the Buddha of the ten directions, who in turn bless all sentient beings by purifying them.

His smile of love and compassion is like that of a mother’s to her only child.

He has four arms, symbolizing the four limitless virtues of loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and impartiality. His first pair of hands in prayer posture, holding a crystal precious gem, as an offering and praying to the Buddhas to act for the benefit of all beings. His second right hand holds a mala ( prayer beads)  signifying Chenrezig’s ability to lead beings to liberation. His second left hand holding an open lotus is the vast compassion unsullied by samsara.

His wardrobe of silk and jewels is saying that things pleasing to the senses are not rejected but integrated with the practice in tantra.

The deerskin is compassion and bodhicitta, reminding us once in lifetime, the Buddha was a deer. In his compassion to the hunter, he laid down his life.

Amitabha, his guru, the head of the Padma family of Buddhas, the speech aspect of Buddhahood, sits on top of his head.

His legs in vajra posture represent the union of samsara and nirvana.

The moon backrest represents his ability to protect against the painful burn of defilements.

Remember, Chenrezig is the supreme refuge, the essence of all refuges.

Another way to visualize him is using the eleven heads Chenrezig with thousand arms, thousand eyes. We learned that during our retreat. It is advisable that the visualization of the four arms Chenrezig be perfected before we attempt to do the more complicated one.

What is the purpose and benefit of doing this puja?
The practice of this puja, in the beginning, is to plant the seed of love and compassion in us. Reciting the mantra will accumulate merits, which will be beneficial to us, and if dedicated to all sentient beings will result in inexhaustible and limitless benefits.

After gaining proficiency, to be able to practice with detachment, and devotion, and non-distraction will establish Chenrezig’s identity in us. The keywords are to practice mindfulness and awareness. Awareness is to acknowledge the establishment of Chenrezig’s identity. Mindfulness means the presence of the mind, the staying of that identity. The mind should not be straying somewhere else.

Thus practiced, this will gel into habitual tendency of being Chenrezig, being kind, loving, compassionate, sympathetic, and impartial.

The goal is to become one with Chenrezig and one is no different from him.

How is this done?
As with all formal practice of dharma, the meditation begins with taking refuge in the Three jewels; the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha to ensure that one will be free as much as possible from obstacles while striving to carry out one’s practice to enlightenment.

The next step is to develop Bodhicitta, the Bodhisattva’s attitude, practicing concern for the benefit of all beings. We generate the Bodhicitta of compassion to the establishment of all sentient beings in the state of Enlightenment. This is the magic formula that will transform the poisons into wisdom.

Start the visualization by seeing in the sky in front of us all the sources of refuge, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Also in front are the three roots that we will be protected, the Guru, the Yidam, and the Dharma Protectors
It is their blessings and refuge we seek that we will be protected from this moment until enlightenment.

What is the necessity of a refuge?
When there is a storm, we seek a place to be safe. In this case, we seek a safe place from the sufferings and fears of Samsara.

What are the fears of samsara? The fear that this precious body will be destroyed easily, the fear of impermanence, the fear of not having enough time and opportunities to develop the necessary skills needed, and the fear that the ropes of things pleasing to the senses will misguide and waylay us from our ultimate goal for enlightenment.

We recite the refuge and Bodhicitta three times.

In a more elaborate form, according to Kalu Rinpoche, we meditate there is a white lotus flower on the crown of our head and on each and every being in the Universe. We  visualize the disc and HRI on top of the head, the light radiating and coming back and the HRI being transformed into Chenrezig.

On top of this white lotus  resting flat on it, horizontally, is a full moon disc forming a seat or throne. On top of this moon disc, at the center, standing upright is the white syllable HRI, the seed syllable of compassion.

One meditates that from this white syllable HRI on the crown of one’s head, light radiates out towards all the ten directions of the universe. This light serves as offerings to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. It purifies all beings in the universe, eliminating all defilements and obscurations from their minds.

The light is drawn back into the HRI on top of one’s head, transforming it into the form of Chenrezig, white in color with one face, four  arms, sitting cross-legged, adorned with jewels and clad in silk. His form on the crown of the head is brilliantly clear and radiant.

On the crown of Chenrezig is the Buddha Amitabha, his guru, a small red form seated cross-legged, and wearing monk’s robes and holding a begging bowl on his lap.

To clarify and stabilize the visualization of Chenrezig on top of our head and the Buddha Amitabha on top of Chenrezig’s head, we recite a supplication prayer to Chenrezig, who is conceived as identical to our guru, on the crown of our head and that of each and every being in the Universe. It is a supplication for Cherezig’s blessing that the our love, compassion, and Bodhisattva commitment will grow in our mind stream that one day, Mahamudra, the ultimate stage of meditation, will be attained.

Visualize that, by the power of one’s supplication, light radiates out and fills the universe, purifying all the obscurations and impurities in the mind of all beings, transforming all experience from impure to pure.

The way to do this is to meditate that the external world transforming into Dewachen, the Pure Land of Amitabha, the realm of bliss.

All beings also transformed into the divine form of Chenrezig, the union of form and emptiness. All sounds become divine sound, the union of sound and emptiness, and the natural and spontaneous sound of “OM MANI PEME HUNG”. All thought, all mental activity is experienced as the mind of Chenrezig, the union of intelligence and emptiness, the state of Mahamudra.

To summarize, we meditate this way: Outer world is in the form of Pure Land of Amitabha; All beings are Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion; All sounds is the sound of the mantra “OM MANI PEME HUNG”, the union of sound and emptiness, which we recite over and over in low but distinct tone.

We meditate upon our form, which is that of Chenrezig. We recite the mantra for a short time. Resting our mind on the form of Chenrezig follows this. The size does not matter as long as the visualization is very clear and holds as much details as possible. One can and may rest on this visualization while reciting the mantra. One can also meditate on the level of the heart by visualizing a flat horizontal disc of the full moon. At the center is the white syllable HRI. Around the rim of the disc and surrounding the central HRI are the letters of the mantra. One focuses on the white syllable HRI as one recites the mantra.

There are two stages of development in Vajrayana, the creation and the completion.
This practice constitutes Che-rim, the stage of development or creation in Vajrayana. This is the form aspect of Vajrayana meditation, a technique of developing shi-ne or tranquility of mind based on the body, speech, and mind of the Bodhisattva’s form.

A further technique for developing this kind of stability or tranquility of mind consists in paying attention to the sound of the mantra, without attempting to visualize the form and without distraction.

The principle of che-rim or form aspect of Vajrayana meditation is that until one has transformed all of one’s experience from impure to pure, one cannot achieve Enlightenment. One will ask, what is the benefit of meditating this way when it is obvious we are not in this pure form.

The point is that all our phenomena are mental arising from our mind. It is basically our attitude that determines whether the experience is a good or bad one. In seeking the pure form of Chenrezig in the practice of one-pointed meditation and seeking for his blessing, it is possible one’s experience from impure to pure and thus reach enlightenment in this lifetime.

The whole point of visualization, of meditating on a deity, is to realize that nothing is impossible for the mind. The power of the mind can change anything and do absolutely anything.
Through the use of this technique for purifying one’s experience, one can come to enlightenment in this lifetime. The best is that one can purify one’s experience before death. This meditation technique prepares one for the Bardo’s state, particularly that period just before rebirth when, due to the forces of karma, one is taking physical existence again.

In the Bardo, there is only a mental body. There is no physical body to get in the way between mind and experience. Because of this, whatever one thinks is immediately manifested in experience.

For someone who has developed specific habits of meditation, has aspired to be Chenrezig, and has received the blessings of Chenrezig, he can, in the Bardo state, immediately experience the pure level of becoming Chenrezig and being in the Pure Land of Buddha Amitabha.

This is how the form aspect of Vajrayana prepares one both for this life and for after death experience in the Bardo state.

The Buddha, in his teachings, praises the power and benefit of this mantra. In one text, he says that if one can count the grains of dust in the earth, one could not begin to count the benefits of even one recitation of this mantra; if one can count the drops of water in the oceans of the earth, one cannot begin to appreciate the benefits of one recitation of this mantra; if it were to rain over the entire surface of the earth for twelve years and one can count the number of raindrops, one cannot begin to measure the benefits of even one recitation of this mantra. Both the Buddha Shakyamuni and Guru Padmasambhava, who brought tantric teachings to Tibet taught that there is no single meditation more beneficial that the meditation on Chenrezig and no mantra more beneficial than the Six-syllable  mantra.

The second stage of tantric meditation is called Zog rim. This is the completion stage or fulfillment. Basically, it dissolves the form meditation into formless meditation.

One meditates on oneself in the form of Chenrezig, with the syllable HRI in the center of the heart. From this white letter, light shines throughout the universe and the entire outer world in the form of Pure Land. All beings as Chenrezig dissolve into light and is absorbed into one’s own pure form. One’s own form dissolves into light and is absorbed into the letter HRI in the center of the heart. The letter shrinks slowly until it becomes a very tiny point of light, like a mustard seed or a fine grain of sand. (HRI.) This dissolves. The dissolution moves up until the round form also dissolves and only the tip on top is left.)  this light shrinks further until it is about of a strand of hair. One rests the mind one-pointedly on this small point of light. Finally this tiny point of light dissolves and one rests the mind in its ultimate nature, empty of inherent existence, as long as one comfortably can.

Through the use of this meditation, mind’s fundamental ignorance is transformed into fundamental awareness. Through the skillful of this meditation, it is possible to achieve complete enlightenment within this lifetime. This meditation prepares one for the process of dissolution of the elements at death when the earth element dissolves into water. Water dissolves into fire, which in turn dissolves into air. Air dissolves into space and space into consciousness. If one is skilled in this kind of meditation of dissolving the visualization stage by stage and resting in the state of alert awareness, immersed in mind’s emptiness of inherent existence, then instead of going through the very upsetting process of dissolution of physical body ending in a state of non-awareness, one shall be able to maintain consciousness throughout the death process and realize Enlightenment at the moment of death.

After this formless meditation, one meditates that from this state of emptiness, form immediately reappears, the outer world as Pure Land, All beings as Chenrezig, all sounds as the mantra, and all thoughts as dynamic play of awareness.

The practice concludes with dedication of all merits to all sentient beings that they may achieve Enlightenment. The prayer of aspiration wish that through the merits of the practice of Dharma, one self and all beings at the moment of death may transcend the cycle of samsara and achieve rebirth in the Pure Land of Amitabha.

Finally, the sadhana is concluded with the Dewachen prayer. It condenses the various meanings of the Amitabha Sutra, the Sukhavati Sutra, and the various sutras concerning Pure Land and Amitabha. While reciting this prayer, one meditates upon Amitabha and his retinue and develops great faith in him and aspires to be reborn in the Pure Land.

What are other related points to keep in mind?
Related to the practice of Chenrezig Sadhana, is the practice of Tong-len. It is the exchange of oneself for others. Many misunderstandings about how it is done and its effect have discouraged people from practicing it. The question often asked is “Will the bad luck or sickness be transferred to us?”

The instruction is that we have to think that all beings have been our mother at one time or the other. We project the desire that we have reserved for our mother to be free from suffering. With this attitude, we recite the Bodhicitta prayer.

While visualizing all beings and ourselves as Chenrezig, we see this brilliant, radiating, pulsating crystal body we have. We see the sufferings and impurities of all beings or someone in particular as a black cloud. As we breathe, the cloud comes nearer to our nose. At this point, keep the form of Chenrezig very clear in our mind, the mantra very distinct in our lips, we breathe in. As the black smoke reach our heart, the brilliance emitted from our diamond hearts incinerates and evaporate the black smoke. It cannot stay with us because we do not have the mental equivalence for that. Since we are Chenrezig with Amitabha on top of our head, we exhale and give to all sentient beings or a particular person our bliss, joy, and happiness. We see all sentient beings or that particular person blissful, joyful, and grateful.

Compilation of Nedo Bodhi Center.
June 13, 2010