Toh 700The Practice of Lokeśvara

Explanation of the Sūtra on the Practice of Lokeśvara

Background

The Lokeśvarakalpa (Pāli: Lokeśvara; Tibetan: Jig-ten gyi-dbang-phyug) is a sūtra belonging to the Mahāyāna tradition of the Northern Buddhist canon and included in the Kangyur, the collection of Buddhist scriptures translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan from the eighth to the thirteenth centuries. Lokeśvara, also called Avalokiteśvara, is the most beloved bodhisattva in the Mahāyāna age, manifesting the boundless compassion (karuṇā) of all Buddhas.

The title of this sūtra points directly to practice: kalpa means “method” or “rule of practice.” This is not a sūtra describing legends or abstract doctrine, but a practical instruction for those who wish to practice in the manner of the bodhisattva Lokeśvara, in order to develop compassion and help all sentient beings escape suffering.

Main Content

The specific content of this sūtra has not yet been fully translated, but based on the Mahāyāna context and the title Lokeśvarakalpa, this text instructs methods of meditation, aspiration, and action for practicing in the manner of this bodhisattva.

According to the Northern Tibetan tradition, the practice of Lokeśvara usually includes: (1) Meditation on the image of the bodhisattva, visualizing Lokeśvara with a beautiful face, holding a lotus, turned toward all sentient beings with a compassionate smile. *(2) Mantra recitation — mantra*, especially “Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ” (嗡 嘛 呢 呗 美 吽), the most sacred mantra of Northern Tibetan Buddhism, containing the compassion of the bodhisattva. (3) Aspiration (pranidhāna)**, concluding each practice session by making the vow to practice for the sake of all sentient beings and dedicating merit for liberation from suffering.

This sūtra emphasizes that compassion is not merely a fleeting emotion, but a transformative power trained through action, speech, and thought.