The Noble Sūtra Teaching the Eleven Perceptions, from the Words of the Buddha

Posted

October 5, 2022

Today we have a very relevant and wise offering from Tsering Paldron. of the Eleven Perceptions from the words of the Buddha
Tsering says about her offering of the Eleven Perceptions below,
“I feel that this teaching is absolutely crucial – so simple and yet so profound on how to die with grace and wisdom, but also how to live and take every breath.”

Here is the offering with the link at the end for LOTSAWA HOUSE TRANSLATION

Wishing you every blessing , a joyful mind and good health,
Margaret Richardson

The Sutra of the Eleven Perceptions

In the language of India: Āryasaṃjñānaikādaśanirdeśasūtra
In the language of Tibet: Pakpa düshé chuchik tenpé do (‘phags pa ‘du shes bcu gcig bstan pa’i mdo)
[In the English language: The Noble Sūtra Teaching the Eleven Perceptions]

Homage to the Three Jewels!

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in the dwelling in the Grove of Twin Sāl-Trees in the vicinity of the Malla town of Kuśinagara. As the time came for his mahāparinirvāṇa, he addressed the monks:

“O monks, at the time of death, a monk should engender the eleven perceptions. What are these eleven? They are:

The perception of non-attachment to this life

The perception of love for all beings

The perception of relinquishing all grudges

The perception of confessing all debauched discipline

The perception of genuinely taking all the vows of discipline

The perception of lightness towards even major wrongdoing

The perception of greatness towards even minor roots of virtue

The perception of fearlessness towards the next world

The perception of impermanence towards all conditioned things

The perception of selflessness toward all phenomena

The perception of understanding nirvāṇa to be peace

As soon as the Blessed One had said this, all the monks rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One. This completes Teaching the Eleven Perceptions, the final testament of the Blessed One.

Lhasey Lotsawa Translations (trans. Lowell Cook, ed. Stefan Mang), 2020.

Link to Lotsawa house