Kathok Rigzin Chenpo Rinpoche
There was an old man in Gansu named Langde. He was a war hero of his tribe, stayed in Mula village, his descendants are still around today.
In his youth, during the Mongol wars and tribal conflicts, he killed many people and created heavy negative karma. In his later years, he constantly repented. He recited an enormous number of Amitabha mantra and name over a long period of time and also recited Dampa Deshek’s phowa prayer.
In the 1950s, he was imprisoned for many years. After being released, he passed away in the Luqi County in Gansu. He said to the person who received him upon his release from prison, “I won’t be able to return to my home but I have done a great deal of Amitabha practice. My negative karma has been purified and I am about to go to Sukhavati.” Joyfully, he sat on the roadside reciting Dampa Deshek’s phowa prayer and passed away with total freedom and peace.
The same thing happened to my maternal grandfather. During chaotic times, he also killed many people and created very heavy karma. Later, he too recited Amitabha’s mantra and practiced phowa, attaining rebirth in Sukhavati.
In short, this Dharma method has immense blessings and power. Many ordinary people have practiced it and attained rebirth in Sukhavati. Although they do not have any attainment in the generation or completion stages, they possess sincere faith and a mind of repentance, through which even very grave karma can be purified.
When doing this practice, think often of Amitabha’s qualities and powers. In this world, people most easily resonate with practices related to the Lotus Family among the Five Buddha Families — such as Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha, and Guru Rinpoche. For beings with strong desire, the deities of the Lotus Family are especially effective. The requirements for practice is also easy—as long as you have faith in Amitabha, you can practice.
Of course, unwavering, stable faith, loving-kindness and compassion are in themselves not easy qualities to have. Perseverance is not easy either. The two people mentioned above did not attain their accomplishment in an easy manner. I once asked others about how they practiced.
Although they had created very heavy killing karma, they were also loyal, courageous and trustworthy people. Later on, for more than ten years, they diligently repented and did the practice of Amitabha. Langde did a walking pilgrimage from Gansu to Lhasa. For three years he avoided idle talk and devoted himself solely to Amitabha practice. My grandfather was the same. For over a decade he practiced continuously. Every day, he recited Amitabha’s mantra and practiced the phowa prayer without talking unnecessarily.
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Dampa Desheg's Phowa Prayer
(Note: Dampa Deshek is the founder of the Nyingma Kathok lineage and said to be an emanation of Amitabha himself.)
