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Boris Dochkaev, An Old Kalmyk Prayer


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Authors

Terbish, Baasanjav 
Churyumova, Elvira 

Abstract

Boris talks about an old Kalmyk prayer-blessing that he learnt from the lama Sandzhi Ulanov. He also recites the prayer. This is his story. This prayer is a gratitude for a gift or offering. I learnt this prayer from my teacher, the lama Sandzhi Ulanov. If someone brings me a gift, I should read this prayer in return. It is in Tibetan and reads as follows: ‘May the person who brought me this gift and food have a long and happy life. May all that person’s relatives and clan members be strong. May all their wishes and plans be fulfilled. May they not experience hardships. May they come across the teaching of Buddha, practice it and free themselves from suffering’. The receiver of a gift should hold it with both hands, raise it and read the prayer in front of the giver three times. (Boris reads the prayer). Another purpose of this prayer is to avoid creating karmic debt to the giver of the gift. After all, to wish someone to get acquainted with Buddha’s teaching and become free from suffering is the best well-wish. People often say today that, ‘This or that healer or prayer practitioner charges a lot of money and that they do it for the sake of profit’. I read this prayer in order not to succumb to greed.

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Keywords

Buddhism, prayer, Sandzhi Ulanov

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Publisher

Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Documentation Project, University of Cambridge

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Sponsorship
Sponsored by Arcadia Fund, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin