3 Buddhist Prayers for the Dead – Tibetan Chants

Death comes to all individuals, and at that crucial time of transition from one life to the next, we may not know how to best help our loved ones.

”Helping the people we love at the time of death is the best service we can offer them, our greatest gift. Why? Because death is the most decisive and important time of life: it’s at the time of death that the next rebirth is determined. By providing the right environment, the right support, you can help your loved one die peacefully, with virtuous thoughts, and hence have a good rebirth.” – Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The most crucial thing is to dedicate and say the name of the person who died as you recite the powerful mantras.

Doing this can change the circumstances of a person who is going to be reborn in the lower realms, benefiting them to have the causes to be reborn in a good rebirth.

The effectiveness of our mantras depends on the purity and strength of our intention.

READ MORE: Ho’oponopono Mantra Meditation

Here Is A List Of 3 Buddhist Prayers For The Dead You Can Use:

#1 Chenrezig Long mantra (Avalokitesvara Dharani):

Mantra lyrics:

”Namo Ratna Trayaya Namah Arya Jnana Sagara Vairocana Vyuha Rajaya Tathagataya Arhate Samyak Sambuddhaya Namah Sarva Tathagatebyah Arhatebyah Samyaksambuddhe Byah Namah Arya Avalokite Svaraya Boddhisattvaya Mahasattvaya Mahakarunikaya Tadyatha Om Dhara Dhara Dhiri Dhiri Dhuru Dhuru Ite Vatte Cale Cale Pra Cale Pra Cale Kusume Kusume Vare Ili Mili Citijvala mapanaye Svaha.”

Mantra meaning:

”Homage to the Three Jewels, Homage to the Ocean of that Superior, Exalted Transcendental Wisdom, The Appointed King, Vairocana, the Arhat, The Tathagata, the Pure and Complete Buddha, Homage to All the Tathagatas, the Arhats, the Pure and Complete Buddhas, Homage to the Supreme Avalokiteshvara, the Great Being, the Bodhisattva, that Great Compassion, Thus, Om, Apprehending the Deity of Sound, Apprehending the Deity of Form, Apprehending the Deity of Sign, and the Surrounding Entourage.”

Short mantra lyrics:

”Om Mani Peme Hung.”

”If one takes it as one’s primary practice, celestial beings, then all humans and even the gods or harmful ghosts will bless you benevolently and you will have a long life without any calamities or sickness. In the next life, you will be reborn in Potala mountain or Buddha Amitabha’s pure land, or at least, you will take rebirth in a land where the Buddha-dharma is flourishing.

This is because Chenrezig’s heart mantra is imbued with the limitless blessings, compassion, and loving kindness of all the Buddhas.” – Penor Rinpoche.

#2 The Heart Sutra

Mantra short version:

”Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.”

The long version of the Heart Sutra mantra is a Sanskrit text of some 280 words.

#3 Medicine Buddha Mantra

Medicine Buddha is renowned not just for healing, but for His vows to release repentant prisoners, His ability to help us on the path to enlightenment, His ability to bring good fortune to those in need, and even His ability to neutralize past negative karma. 

Mantra lyrics:

”Tayata Om Bekandze Bekandze Maha Bekandze Radza Samundgate Soha.”

Mantra meaning:

 ”May the many sentient beings who are sick, quickly be freed from sickness, and may all the sicknesses of beings never arise again.”

Final Words

Before you help others in the moment of death, you need to prepare for your own death.

But preparing for a happy death depends not just on spiritual practices at the time of death; a happy death depends on how we live our lives every day, every moment.

Images credit – Shutterstock

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