Vajra Sound of Peace

The Seven Chapter Prayer is one of the most renowned practices in Tibetan Buddhism. It condenses and embodies all the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni into a single practice. Since its discovery by the great terton Rigdzin Godemchen in the 14th century, it has been regarded as one of the most essential and powerful ways to practice on Guru Padmasambhava. This Seven Chapter Prayer practice is popular in the Nyingma school, as well as in the Kagyu and Sakya schools. Because of its immense popularity, many Seven Chapter Prayer lineages have developed. In particular, there is the Northern Treasures lineage in which the teaching itself originated. Later, the great scholar and siddha Karma Chagme condensed the teachings and practices of all the Seven Chapter Prayer lineages, and it is his commentary that we are following.

All the great masters of Tibetan Buddhism have said that Guru Padmasambhava is the Buddha of the Degenerate Age. During this present time, he is the sole protector and refuge for all sentient beings. When we connect to Guru Padmasambhava, we’re connecting to all enlightened beings throughout space and time.

The Seven Chapter Prayer unites devotion, bodhichitta, and Dzogchen meditation in the form of a Guru Yoga practice on Guru Rinpoche. As the great master Karma Chagme said, absolute Guru Padmasambhava is the innate nature of mind, and the innate nature of the mind is the innate nature of everything. In order to fully realize this, we need to increase our devotion, joy, and bodhichitta. Then we visualize and supplicate Guru Padmasambhava with practices like the Seven Chapter Prayer, and we complete everything by resting in Dzogchen meditation and then dedicating the merit for our families, friends, and all living beings. This is the way to achieve enlightenment. It is how we can increase our inner beauty and let it shine to the world.

Published in honor of the ten year Anniversary of the Mahaparinirvana of Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche (1938-2010), this line-by-line commentary on the Seven Chapter Prayer given by the Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches at Padma Samye Ling in 2010 includes detailed practice instructions for each of the seven chapters according to the vajra speech of Khedrub Karma Chagme.

This book includes the entire Tibetan and English of the root text, as well as Khedrub Karma Chagme’s commentary in Tibetan.

Note: According to the Inner Tantras, as well as the great master Khedrub Karma Chagme, it is necessary and important that you first receive a Guru Padmasambhava empowerment from a qualified lama before you practice the Seven Chapter Prayer.