Šantidéva: Being

“For as long as space remains
And as long as sentient beings remain
Until then may I too remain
To dispel the suffering of all beings.”

“In the ocean-like virtue of the Bodhimind
That brings joy to all beings
And in accomplishing the well-being of others,
I lift up my heart and rejoice.”

“May I fall as rain to increase
The harvests that must feed living beings
And in ages of dire famine
May I myself serve as food and drink.”

“If you have not even dreamed
Of benefiting yourself
Before dreaming of this for sentient beings,
How could you be of benefit to others?”

“Thus today in the presence of all awakened Ones
I invite every living being to this festival
Giving both immediate and lasting joy.
May the gods and all others rejoice.”

“My body, every possession
And all goodness, past, present and future
Without remorse I dedicate
To the well-being of the world.”

“Until every being afflicted by pain
Has reached nirvanas shores,
May I serve only as a condition
That encourages progress and joy.”

“For the sake of all beings I have made this body pleasureless. Let them continually beat it, revile it, and cover it with filth. Let them play with my body. Let them laugh at it and ridicule it. What does it matter to me? I have given my body to them.”

“To the Buddhas considering parinirvarna
I join my hands in prayer
Do not abandon the beings in sorrow
But remain and teach for countless ages.”

“The Spirit of Awakening … is the tree of rest for beings exhausted from wandering on the pathways of mundane existence.”

“May any spiritual energy thus generated
By my devotion to the enlightened ones
Be dedicated to dispelling the misery
Of living beings without exception.”

“To the Buddhas of the ten directions
I join my hands in respect
Let blaze the light of Dharmas truth
For the beings lost in darkness”

“In the spiritual energy that relieves
The anguish of beings in misery and
Places depressed beings in eternal joy
I lift up my heart and rejoice.”