Bodhi Bhajan

The Bodhi Bhajan Project is an initiative to revive the Nalanda Tradition in India, by promoting sanskrit liturgy, sutras and shastras set to Indian classical music. The project is inspired and initiated with the blessings of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. Produced by WCCL Foundation and SI India this project showcases Indian Buddhist heritage in poetry and music. Shantideva’s text – Bodhicharyavatara, Saraha’s Vajra Geeti and Dohas in hindi, Chanting names of Manjushri, and Heart Sutra are some of the tracks being offered.

हे बुद्ध हे तथागत

हे बुद्ध हे तथागत

Vocals: Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Djembe & Backing Vocals: Jaydeep Vaidya, Keyboard: Devendra Bhome, Violin: Anup Kulthe, Tabla: Ketan Pawar. Lyrics: traditional

This was recorded live, under the Bodhi Tree in Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Bodhgaya.

In a previous life, when Buddha Shakyamuni was a Bodhisattva, he met Buddha Dipamkara. At that moment, Bodhisattva Shakyamuni made the following aspiration in the presence of Buddha Dipamkara.

Lyrics of हे बुद्ध हे तथागत

O Buddha, O Tathagata, O Mahamuni

just as how you care, and
how many you inspire

How infinite you live
how many directions you influence

How glorious and beautiful you are!
May we also emulate and
May we too actualise that.

ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION OF HINDI:

Hé Buddha, Hé Tathāgata, Hé Mahāmuni.

Jaise, Aap ki karuna sab par
Prerak anginat sankhya ke

Anant apaar aapka jeevan
kitni dishaaye prabhavit kare !

Hé Divya manjul Svarupi Buddha !
Hum bhi aapka anusaran karen,

hum mein bhi ye saare gun jaage
Hé Buddha, Hé Tathāgata, Hé Mahāmuni.

Hriday Sutra

Hriday Sutra

by Chinmay Kolhatkar (Singer, Composer, Arranger) with Sound Design & Concept by Ms. Maneesha Abhay

The profound Hriday Sutra (Heart Sutra) recited in Sanskrit by Chinmay Kolhatkar (Singer, Composer, Arranger) with Sound Design & Concept by Ms. Maneesha Abhay, Pune-based Kathak dancer and choreographer, who is developing choreographies based on Sutras and Stotras from Indian Buddhist Traditions.

Lyrics of Hriday Sutra

The Bodhisattva of Compassion,
When he meditated deeply,
Saw the emptiness of all five skandhas
And sundered the bonds that caused him suffering.

Here then,
Form is no other than emptiness,
Emptiness no other than form.
Form is only emptiness,
Emptiness only form.

Feeling, thought, and choice,
Consciousness itself,
Are the same as this.

All things are by nature void
They are not born or destroyed
Nor are they stained or pure
Nor do they
wax or wane

So, in emptiness, no form,
No feeling, thought, or choice,
Nor is there consciousness.
No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body,
mind;
No colour, sound, smell, taste,
touch,
Or what the mind takes hold of,
Nor even act of sensing.

No ignorance or
end of it,
Nor all that comes of ignorance;
No withering, no death,
No end of them.

Nor is there pain, or cause of pain,
Or cease in pain, or noble path
To lead from pain;
Not even wisdom to attain!
Attainment too is emptiness.

So know that the Bodhisattva
Holding to nothing whatever,
But dwelling in Prajna wisdom,
Is freed of delusive hindrance,
Rid of the fear bred by it,
And reaches clearest Nirvana.

All Buddhas of past and present,
Buddhas of future time,
Using this Prajna wisdom,
Come to full
and perfect vision.

Hear then the great dharani,
The radiant peerless mantra,
The Prajnaparamita
Whose words allay all pain;
Hear and believe its truth!
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate
Bodhi Svaha
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate
Bodhi Svaha
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate
Bodhi Svaha

Tadchittaratna (Electronic) by Bodhi Bhajan Project

Tadchittaratna (Electronic) by Bodhi Bhajan Project

Vocals – Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Sound Design & Production – Mr. Ankit Uppal. Lyrics – Shantidev’s Bodhicharyavatara Ch. 2

The magical verses of Shantidev create a beautiful imagery of the Buddhas, the offerings that one can make and the confession of our ignorant actions.

Lyrics of Tadchittaratna (Electronic)

ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION:

Taccittaratnagrahanāya samyak pujaṃ karomyeṣa tathagatānām Saddharmaratnasya ca nirmalasya uddhatmajānāṃ ca gunodadhīnam

Manjughosḥ prabhrutayaḥ pujayanti yathā jinan Tathā tathāgatānnathān saputran pujayāmyaham

Swaraṅgsāgraiḥ stotraiḥ staumi cahaṃ gunodadhīn Stutisangītimeghaśca sambhavantveṣvananyathā

Sarvakṣetrāṇusaṃkhyaiśc pranāmaiḥ pranamāmyahaṃ Sarvatryadhvagatān budhān sahadharmagaṇottamān

Sarvachaityāni vandehaṃ bodhisatvāśrayaṃstathā Namaḥ karomi upādhyayān abhivandyān yatīṃstathā

Buddhaṃ gachāmi śaranaṃ yavda bodhimandataḥ Dharmaṃ gachāmi śaranaṃ bodhisatvaganaṃ tathā

Vijñāpayami saṃbuddhān sarvadikṣu vyavasthitān Mahākarunikāṣāpi bodhisatvān krutāṅajaliḥ

Anādimati saṃsare janmanyatraiva vā punḥ Yanmayā paśunā pāpaṃ krutaṃ kāritmeva ca

Yacchānumoditaṃ kiṃchit ātmaghātāya mohataḥ Tadatyayaṃ deshyāmi paśchātāpena tāpitaḥ

Ratnatrayepakāro yo matpitruṣu vā mayā Guruṣvanyeṣu vā kṣepāt kayavāgbuddhibhiḥ krutaḥ

Anekadoṣaduṣhtena mayā pāpena naykāḥ
Yatkṛtaṃ dārūnaṃ pāpaṃ tatsarvaṃ deshayāmyaham

Kathaṃ ca niḥsarāmi asmāt atyodvignosmi naykāḥ Ma bhūnme mṛtyuḥ achirā dakṣhine pāpsaṃcaye

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

To the Buddhas, those thus gone, And to the sacred Dharma, spotless and supremely rare,
And to the Buddha’s offspring, oceans of good qualities, That I might gain this precious attitude, I make a perfect offering.

Just as Mañjughoṣha and the like
Made offering to all the Conquerors,
I do likewise to all the Buddhas our protectors,
And to all their Bodhisattva children.

To these vast oceans of good qualities
I offer praise, a sea of airs and harmonies.
May clouds of tuneful eulogy
Ascend unceasingly before them.

To Buddhas of the past, the present and all future time,
And to the Dharma and Sublime Assembly,
With bodies many as the grains of dust
Upon the earth, I will prostrate and bow.

To shrines and all supports
Of bodhichitta I bow down;
To abbots who transmit the vows, to every learned master,
And to all sublime practitioners of Dharma.

Until the essence of enlightenment is reached,
I go for refuge to the Buddhas.
Also I take refuge in the Dharma
And in all the host of Bodhisattvas.

To perfect Buddhas and to Bodhisattvas,
In all directions where they may reside,
To them who are the sovereigns of great mercy,
I press my palms together, praying thus:

“In this and all my other lives,
While turning in the round without beginning,
Blindly I have brought forth evil,
And incited others to commit the same.

“Deceived and overmastered by my ignorance,
I have taken pleasure in such sin,
And seeing now the blame of it,
O great protectors, I confess it earnestly!

“Whatever I have done against the Triple Gem,
Against my parents, teachers, and the rest,
Through force of my defilements,
In my body, speech, and mind,

“All the evil I, a sinner, have committed, All the wicked deeds that cling to me,
The frightful things that I contrived
I openly declare to you, the teachers of the world.

“It may be that death will come to me
Before my evil has been cleansed.
How then can I be freed from it?
I pray you, quickly grant me your protection!”

Shataparamita Sutra

Shataparamita Sutra

Vocals – Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Arrangements, Flute & Sound Design – Gandhaar Amin, Tabla – Mr. Charu Phadke. Composition – Traditional.

The Six Transcendental Perfections are – Generosity (Daana), Discipline (Sheel), Patience (Kshanti), Diligence (Virya), Meditation (Samadhi) & Wisdom (Prajna).

Lyrics of Shataparamita Sutra

English Transliteration:

Dānabalena samudgatabuddho Dānabalādhipatā narasimhe
Dānabalekşaka śrūyati śabdaha kāruņikena pure praviśantam II 1 II

Śīlabalena samudgatabuddho Śīlabalādhipatā narasimhe
Śīlabalekşaka śrūyati śabdaha kāruņikena pure praviśantam

kşāntibalena samudgatabuddho kşāntibalādhipatā narasimhe
kşāntibalekşaka śrūyati śabdaha kāruņikena pure praviśantam II 3II

Vīryabalena samudgatabuddho Vīryabalādhipatā narasimhe
Vīryabalekşaka śrūyati śabdaha kāruņikena pure praviśantam II 4II

Dhyănabalena samudgatabuddho Dhyănabalādhipatā narasimhe
Dhyănabalekşaka śrūyati śabdaha kāruņikena pure praviśantam 5

Prajnabalena samudgatabuddho Prajnabalādhipatā narasimhe
Prajnabalekşaka śrūyati śabdaha kāruņikena pure praviśantam 6

Śrī Śaţpāramitāstotram Samāptam

Shantidev Aspiration (Hindi)

Shantidev Aspiration (Hindi)

Vocals: Jaydeep Vaidya, Backing Vocals: Namrata Mahabal, Tabla: Ketan Pawar, Keyboard: Devendra Bhome, Violin: Anup Kulthe, Lyrics: Shantidev, Hindi Translation: Suruchi Choksi.

Lyrics of Shantidev Aspiration (Hindi)

Verses in English:

For all those ailing in the world,
Until their every sickness has been healed,
May I myself become for them
The doctor, nurse, the medicine itself.

Raining down a flood of food and drink, May I dispel the ills of thirst and famine.
And in the aeons marked by scarcity and want, May I myself appear as drink and sustenance.

For sentient beings, poor and destitute, May I become a treasure ever-plentiful,
And lie before them closely in their reach, A varied source of all that they might need.

May I be a guard for those who are protectorless, A guide for those who journey on the road.
For those who wish to cross the water, May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.

May I be an isle for those who yearn for land, A lamp for those who long for light;
For all who need a resting place, a bed; For those who need a servant, may I be their slave.

May I be the wishing jewel, the vase of wealth, A word of power and the supreme healing,
May I be the tree of miracles,
For every being the abundant cow.

Just like the earth and space itself
And all the other mighty elements, For boundless multitudes of beings
May I always be the ground of life, the source of varied sustenance.

Thus for everything that lives,
As far as are the limits of the sky,
May I be constantly their source of livelihood
Until they pass beyond all sorrow.

Seven Branch Aarti

Seven Branch Aarti

Vocals – Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Sitar, Tabla and Backing Vocals – Mr. Jaydeep Vaidya, Sound Recording – Mr. Devendra Bhome. Lyrics – select verses from Shantidev’s Bodhicharyavatara Ch. 2 & 3.

The Seven Branch Prayer is one of the most popular prayers in Tibetan Buddhism. The Seven Branches are referring to the seven mental actions, intentions and aspirations that one makes daily in order to train the mind. The seven branches are: Prostrations, Offerings, Confessions, Rejoicing in other’s merit, Requesting Buddhas to kindle the light of Dharma, requesting Enlightened beings to remain in samsara for the sake of helping us, Dedicating our merit for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Lyrics of Seven Branch Aarti

ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION:

Sarvakṣetrāṇusaṃkhyaiśca pranāmaiḥ pranamāmyahaṃ
Sarvatryadhvagatān budhān sahadharmagaṇottamān

Manjughosḥ prabhrutayaḥ pujayanti yathā jinan
Tathā tathāgatānnathān saputran pujayāmyaham

Mayā bālena mūdhena
yatkinchitpāpamāchitaṃ
Prakŕutya yaccha sāvadhyaṃ
prajñaptyāvadhmév ca.

Tatsarvaṃ deśyāmyeṣ nāthānāmgrataḥ sthitaḥ
Krutāñjalirduḥkḥ bhītaḥ pranipatya punaḥ punaḥ.

Atyayam atyayatveṇ pratigṛuhantu nāykāḥ
Na bhadramidaṃ nāthā na kartavyam punarmayā

Apāyduḥkha vishrāmaṃ sarvasatvaiḥ kŕutaṃ śubham
Anumode pramodena sukhaṃ tiṣṭhantu duḥkhitāḥ

Sansārduḥkh nirmokṣham anumode śarīriṇām
Bodhisattva tva buddhatvam anumode ca tāyinām

Cittotpādsamudrāńṣca sarvasattvasukhāvahān
Sarvasattva hitādhānān anumode ca śāsināṃ

Sarvāsu dikṣhu saṃbuddhān prārthyāmi kŕutāñjaliḥ
dharmapradīpaṃ kurvantu
mohaduḥkh prapātinām

Nirvātukāmāṃśca jinān yāchyāmi kŕtāñjaliḥ
Kalpān-anantāṃ-stiṣṭhantu mā bhūdandhamidaṃ jagat

evaṃ sarvamidaṃ kŕtvā yanmayāsāditaṃ śubham
tena syāṃ sarvasattvānām sarvaduḥkha-praśāntikṛt.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

To Buddhas of the past, the present and all future time, And to the Dharma and Sublime Assembly,
With bodies many as the grains of dust upon the earth, I will prostrate and bow.

Just as Mañjughoṣha and the like made offering to all the Conquerors,
I do likewise to all the Buddhas our protectors, and to all their Bodhisattva children.

Therefore all the sins i have committed, Blinded in the dark of ignorance,
actions evil by their nature, or the fault of broken vows

Mindful of the suffering to come, I join my palms and ceaselessly prostrate,
And all my evils, I will now confess, directly in the presence of the buddhas

I pray you, guides and guardians of the world, To take me as I am, a sinful man,
And all these actions, evil as they are, I promise I will never do again.

With joy I celebrate the virtue that relieves all beings from the sorrows of the states of loss,
Exulting in the happy states enjoyed by those who yet are suffering.

I revel in the stores of virtue, Cause of gaining the enlightened state,
And celebrate the freedom won by living beings from the round of pain.

And in the Buddhahood of the protectors I delight and in the grounds of realization of the Buddhas’ heirs.
Their enlightened attitude, an ocean of great good, that seeks to place all beings in the state of bliss,
And every action for the benefit of beings: Such is my delight and joy.

And so I joined hands and pray, The Buddhas who reside in every quarter: Kindle now the Dharma’s light
For those who grope, bewildered, in the dark of pain!

I join my hands beseeching the enlightened ones Who wish to pass into nirvāṇa:
Do not leave us wandering in blindness, Stay among us for unnumbered ages!

Through these actions now performed, And all the virtues I have gained,
May all the pain of every living being, Be wholly scattered and destroyed!

Refuge Bodhisattva Vow

Refuge Bodhisattva Vow

Vocals by Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Text & Editing by Raji Ramanan

Recorded live at Study of Mind Lecture Series, Pune. Vocals by Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Text & Editing by Raji Ramanan (Original version sung by Vidya Rao in Dharma Nada.

Lyrics of Refuge Bodhisattva Vow

English Transliteration:
Buddhaṃ gacchāmi śaraṇaṃ yāvadā bodhimaṇḍataḥ
Dharmaṃ gacchāmi śaraṇaṃ bodhisattvagaṇaṃ tathā॥२६॥

Yathā gṛhītaṃ sugatairbodhicittaṃ purātanaiḥ।
Te bodhisattva-śikṣāyāmānupūrvyā yathā sthitāḥ॥२२

Tadvadutpādayāmyeṣa bodhicittaṃ jagaddhite।
Tadvadeva ca tāḥ śikṣāḥ śikṣiṣyāmi yathākramam॥२३॥

Adya me saphalaṃ janma sulabdho mānuṣo bhavaḥ।
Adya buddhakule jāto buddhaputro.asmi sāṃpratam॥२५॥

Jagadadya nimantritaṃ mayā sugatatvena sukhena cāntarā।
Purataḥ khalu sarvatāyināmabhinandantu surāsurādayaḥ॥३३॥

English translation:
Until the essence of enlightenment is reached, I go for refuge to the Buddhas.
Also, I take refuge in the Dharma, And in all the host of Bodhisattvas. [26]

Just as all the Buddhas of the past, have brought forth the awakened mind,
And in the precepts of the Bodhisattvas, Step-by-step abode and trained,
Likewise, for the benefit of beings, I will bring to birth the awakened mind,
And in those precepts, step-by-step, I will abide and train myself.

“Today my life has given fruit. This human state has now been well assumed.
Today I take my birth in Buddha’s line, And have become the Buddha’s child and heir.

“And so, today, within the sight of all protectors,
I summon beings, calling them to Buddhahood.
And, till that state is reached, to every earthly joy!
May gods and demigods and all the rest rejoice!”

Manjushri Naam Sangeeti

Manjushri Naam Sangeeti

Vocals – Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Backing Vocals & Arrangements – Mr. Jaydeep Vaidya. Lyrics – Shantidev’s Bodhicharyavatara.

These are Sanskrit verses from Shantidev’s Bodhicharyavatara, a seminal 7th Century text from Nalanda University. The verses describe taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma & Sangha, taking a vow to achieve enlightenment not merely for oneself, but for the sake of liberating all sentient beings. Singing this daily is a good way to remind ourselves of the noble intent.

Ch 10 hindi dedication

Ch 10 hindi dedication

Vocals – Ms. Namrata Mahabal, Traditional Arrangement, Lyrics: Shantidev (Chapter 10 of Bodhicharyavatara).

Whatever merit is accrued from any positive deeds done, are also dedicated towards the liberation of all sentient beings. Helping to cultivate an attitude of selflessness.

Lyrics of Ch 10 hindi dedication

ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION:

Punya paaya hain jo maine,
Bodhisattva-raah lekhan se

Khule dvaar is raaha ka,
Chale sab Buddha-rah pe

Yah prarthna hain meri,
Bheet ho jaaye nir-bheet
Sarva Quaydee ab ho aazaad,
Nirbal janata ho balvaan
Kare seva ek duje ki,
har avsar man mein ho pyar,
Kshan mein mukt ho rog se sabhi,
Vyaadhiyon se mukt sansaar.

Raahi paaye khushiyaan, Jaayein woh, jo bhi disha
Sahaj mile unhe saari manzilein,
sahaj mile unhe woh manzil.

Kare Shantidev yeh prarthna ki –

punya-aatmaaon ki krupa se, barse saavan samay anusaar
Jisse phasal ho sampan, aur anna ho apaar

raajya-shaasan ho dharm-anusaar,
Sukhi samruddh ho sansaar
Dava ho shaktishaali
mantra ho prabhaavshali

Sarva daakini Rakshas aadi, jo sukh-shaanti nasht karein
Unke man mein sab ke prati karuna aur daya jaagein.

mere punya ka laabh ho, har jeev-jan ko, anginat hain sankhya jinki, apaar aakaash samaan.
har ek jan tyaage, vinaashak karma sadaa
sarva chalein bodhicharya path par, na ho kabhi path se juda.

Buddha-saare sarva jan ko shishya roop sveekar karein
sarva jan ki sadhana, vighno se mukt rahein

Shantidev kahe –

mein jab bhi chahoon dekhna unhe, prashna chhota ho ya gehra, pratyaksh mein dekhoon unhe, mere rakshak, manjughosh manjushree, manjunath, manjughosh.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

By all the virtue I have now amassed
By composition of this book, which speaks
Of entry to the Bodhisattva way,
May every being tread the path to Buddhahood. [1]

May those who go in dread have no more fear.
May captives be unchained and now set free.
And may the weak receive their strength. May living beings help each other in kindness. May every being ailing with disease Be freed at once from every malady.
May every sickness that afflicts the living Be wholly and forever absent from the world. [22]

May travelers upon the road
Find happiness no matter where they go,
And may they gain, without the need of toil,
The goals on which they set their hearts. [23]

Shantidev prays that –

May kindly spirits bring the rains on time,
For harvests to be rich and plentiful.

May princes rule according to the Dharma;
May the world be blessed with all prosperity. [39]
May medicines be full of strength;
May secret words of power be chanted with success.

May spirits of the air that feed on flesh
Be kind, their minds imbued with pity. [40]

And thus by all the merit I have gained,
May every being, leaving none aside,
Abandon all their evil ways
Embracing goodness now and ever more.
From bodhichitta may they never separate,
And constantly engage in Bodhisattva actions.

May they be accepted as disciples by the Buddhas,
Drawing back from what is demons’ work. [32]

Says Shantidev –

Whenever I desire to gaze on him Or put to him the slightest question,
May I behold with unobstructed sight
My own protector Mañjughoṣha. [53]