Tibetan Buddhist Prostrations

How to Perform Tibetan Buddhist Prostrations Correctly

To perform a full prostration in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, begin by kneeling with your upper body straight. Bring your palms together in a prayer position (Anjali Mudra) at the tip of your nose, keeping your eyes closed. Then, in one smooth motion:

1. Touch your palms to the ground, extending your body forward until your chest touches the ground.
2. Push yourself up, bringing your body upright while still kneeling.
3. Bring your palms together again.

Repeat this sequence for the second and third prostrations. This completes one full prostration.

The Meaning Behind Tibetan Buddhist Prostrations

1. Palms Together at the Chest: The act of bringing the palms together at the chest does not mean to just join the hands. It signifies a moment for introspection, examining the nature of your own heart. It is a reminder that your inner nature is fundamentally the same as all Buddhas. When your heart and mind are focused on the welfare of all beings, without a trace of selfishness, then you’re acting as a Bodhisattva, and you will receive the support of the Buddhas. It is similar to holding a wish-fulfilling jewel, where your own mind is that jewel.
2. Palms Above the Head: By raising your hands above your head, you are emulating the compassionate actions and vows of the Buddhas and aspiring to be reborn in the Western Pure Land upon death. You are directly taking Amitabha Buddha as your teacher and wish to quickly attain the same enlightened state as him. Afterwards, you want to immediately return to help all beings so they do not have to suffer.
3. Touching Forehead, Lips, and Heart: Touching your forehead, lips, and heart is symbolic of purifying your thoughts, speech, and actions. The merits of your good actions and words are also dedicated to your teachers and Buddhas, expressing gratitude for their unwavering guidance that leads us towards enlightenment.
4. Body Prostrate on the Ground: As the body extends forward and touches the ground, visualize your ten fingers as representing the ten stages of a Bodhisattva’s practice (the Ten Bhumis). The four limbs embody the Bodhisattva’s approach of the Four Means of Guidance: generosity, kind speech, beneficial action, and acting in harmony with others. When your forehead touches the ground, you are vowing to achieve the ultimate state of enlightenment, the eleventh ground (Buddhahood), through these practices.
5. Rising Up: Rising up from the ground is a reflection of the Four Immeasurables: loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. You wish that all beings may have happiness and the causes of happiness, be free from suffering and its causes, never be separated from the bliss of enlightenment, and remain free of attachment and aversion.

What are the Benefits of Tibetan Buddhist Prostrations?

The documentary film “Kailash Pilgrimage,” showcases the arduous journey of eleven Tibetan villagers as they travel over 2500 kilometers to Mount Kailash for pilgrimage. This act of devotion raises the question for many: Why prostrate? Does it truly have any value?

Prostrations are a fundamental practice in Buddhism, viewed as one of the most important preliminary practices. Its benefits are considered to be beyond comprehension. Scientists in recent years have been researching its health benefits as well and have noted it to be a full body workout, stimulating all the meridians.

It is often said that “illness arises from the mind”. When the mind is full of chaos and desires, Qi and blood become unstable leading to various ailments.

When one falls sick, they often look to doctors and medicine first, rarely considering their own selves. The root cause of the issues often lie within our own hearts. Only by untying our inner knots can we gain control of our bodies and reclaim our health.

108 prostrations are a powerful means to reclaim one’s health. The repetitive, full-body movement helps to stretch and strengthen muscles, activating the body’s natural immune system and healing capabilities. By putting ourselves into a state of humility, we can overcome pride, arrogance, delusion, and greed. When the mind is calm, the metabolism will regulate, and diseases may be healed without medicine.

108 prostrations are a combination of traditional culture and modern science. Dr. Kim Jae-sung, a Korean doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the founder of the 108 prostrations exercise, discovered the health benefits in prostrations. He integrated this into his health practices for patients. (Dr. Kim Jae-sung is a doctor in Traditional Chinese Medicine, with a focus in acupuncture. He is the founder of the 108 prostration movement, head of the Mapo district’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Association in Seoul, professor in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department of Woosuk University, and director of the “Smile Oriental Clinic”).

Dr. Kim himself has benefited greatly from these 108 prostrations and began recommending it to his friends, family, and patients. Initially, many were skeptical, but after practicing, they noticed significant changes. High blood pressure could be controlled without medication, obesity, arthritis, and diabetes were healed. Chronic fatigue and fatty liver disappeared, and many experienced shifts in their personalities.

Today, 108 prostrations is a national health exercise in Korea, also known as “the second national gymnastics.” It has spread to Western countries, such as the United States and Australia, becoming a popular health trend.

The Mudra of Tibetan Buddhist Prostrations

The practice of the Anjali Mudra (palms together) is done in these specific ways during the prostration:

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