“Calling The Guru From Afar”

The guru here means the awakened ones, which the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha represent. These three jewels are revealed by our guru/teacher who awakens our three inner jewels, which are none other than the three kayas! In the practices of devotion and compassion, our self-image is dissolved. When calling the guru from afar, we ask the holders of wisdom to hear us, or bless us. This is a prayer calling on the names and qualities of the enlightened ones, and between each verse the important phrase we seem to melt into: “Lama hear me, lama hear me, lama hear me, lama hear me.” is repeated. In Tibetan this is “Lama cheno”. If we wished, we could involve other names such as “Jesus hear me” or “Jesus bless me.” The point is that we are not enlightened yet, and so in chanting we lose our selves – not in academic understanding but in selfless devotion to wisdom. It is amazing how, through regular practice, an inspiring phrase just repeats itself in the mind. Much of the benefit of chanting in Tibetan is its steady metre; the words are arranged to be chanted easily. But we can do this in our own language as well: it is the intention that matters. It really is the intention that matters!

It’s very healing…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85sW_dpMdOg

“Guru, think of me; kind Root Guru, think of me…”

A supplication to pierce our heart with devotion: “The key point for invoking the Guru’s Blessings is devotion, inspired by disenchantment and renunciation: not as mere platitudes, but from the core of our heart, with the confidence that our own Guru is none other than the Awakened One.”

It really is the intention that matters! Our teacher symbolises the awakened one through our intention.

Our teacher may not be enlightened but, through our aspiration, represents the enlightened ones.