Introduction

There is nothing more precious to us than our life. Because we have a precious human life, we have the opportunity to experience both temporary and ultimate happiness. We usually regard material possessions as very important and put much effort into acquiring them, but in reality our human life is our most important possession.

We all need a long life. If we lose this life, we shall lose our opportunity to enjoy a human life, to practise Dharma, and to attain liberation and enlightenment. This is why Je Tsongkhapa said that for those who wish to experience pure happiness, the greatest obstacles to the fulfilment of their wishes are death and ignorance. Death destroys our opportunity to take the essence of our precious human life, and ignorance destroys our opportunity to develop a pure experience of Dharma.

To overcome these obstacles, we need to increase our lifespan and our wisdom, and the principal method for doing this is the yoga of Buddha Amitayus. This yoga is also a special method for increasing our merit.

To give people an opportunity to practise the yoga of Buddha Amitayus, I have prepared this sadhana. May the merit of this work be a cause for all living beings to find pure peace and happiness.