Lesson 26

The Sutra of Great Liberation L26 26

Chapter Title Mapping

This session focuses on the merits and spiritual cultivation of the Mahāyāna path as revealed in the Sutra of Great Liberation. Core Teachings and Practices The discourse covers how the practice of the Mahāyāna leads to inner tranquility (quiescence), the attainment of supernatural powers, and spiritual resplendence. A central theme is the paramount importance of arousing Bodhicitta—the aspiration for enlightenment—and dedicating oneself to the welfare of all sentient beings. Karmic Origins and Fruition The sutra further elucidates the karmic causality behind the Buddha’s own journey, detailing how his devotion to this scripture led to his prophecy of enlightenment (vyākaraṇa) and the acquisition of the thirty-two marks of a great man. Exhortation to the Assembly Listeners are encouraged to uphold, recite, and propagate this sutra. By doing so, one accumulates boundless merit, establishing the necessary causes to ultimately attain perfect Buddhahood.

Teachings by Khenpo Sodargye.The Sutra of Great Liberation is a profound scripture taught by the Buddha near the time of his parinirvana. It is treasured in nearly every Tibetan household, where it is commonly recited for 49 days to help the deceased attain liberation. The sutra is filled with the sacred names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and merely hearing or reciting them brings inconceivable merit. Khenpo Sodargye was deeply moved since childhood by witnessing a kind elderly man devotedly reciting this sutra daily, thus forming a profound connection with it. Through confession and practice of this sutra, one can purify negative karma and attain Buddhahood—it is truly an extraordinary path to liberation.