The Great Aspiration
My favorite part of the Kagyu Monlam daily program in Bodhgaya is when His Holiness, the 17th Karmapa puts on his Black Hat and recites the Monlam Chenmo, or the Great Aspiration. This is a profound prayer written by the 7th Karmapa, Chodrak Gyamtso. Here is an excerpt:
“May all the deaf in all world-realms acquire the ears of the devas.
May the blind acquire the pure eyes of the devas.
May the mute gain eloquent speech.
May the insane gain sanity.
May every person gain a good appearance, eloquent speech, brilliant intelligence, and all praiseworthy qualities….”
“May I be like a father, a mother, a friend, a relative, and a king for all beings. Like medicine, food, clothing, and so forth; like earth, water, fire, air and space, may I become a support for the lives of all beings.”
—The Kagyu Monlam Book
A Compilation for Recitation
View a brief clip of His Holiness reciting this prayer:
tormafilm.com 