In many prayers, we use the term ‘Calling the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as witnesses’.
by Khenpo Tashi
In many prayers, we use the term ‘Calling the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as witnesses to this prayer or aspiration’. “Calling Witness” – What is the meaning of this?
Because the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are stainless, their minds are filled with power and strength and incredible potential. Another way of saying this is that their minds have no negative Karma, non-virtue, transgressions and obscurations. (Read: Mind in Buddhism)
So, when they make aspirations, the effects and reach of their aspirations are very, very different from ours, ordinary Buddhists. Our aspirations and positive activities are so much lowered and stained by our obscurations and inner blockages. What are these blockages? Doubts, wrong view, indifference.
Doubt. We doubt the Buddha’s words so much. We have so little trust. We may pray and practice, but always in our minds, we doubt. “Is this really true? Is this really effective?”
Wrong view. No belief in cause and effect. As for us, we cannot even see so much as to the next year. We hesitate doing so much virtue and merit accumulation, because we doubt if we have a next life. We just strive for the pleasures of one life. So, being narrow-minded, only believing in what we can see. That is wrong view.
Indifference. We do so much non-virtues and vow breakages, but we are happy doing them. We say, “Oh, it is just a small lie. It is ok.” See? We don’t care about positive Karma and virtuous tendencies.
With these kinds of hidden, hardened inner obstacles, our aspirations and prayers are very very limited in power and effect. So, we need the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to witness, to act as a support to our very low and limited aspirations.