8 Auspicious Offerings - 2nd offering - Water for washing [Part 3]

 

The subject continue today is all about what significant for Eight offerings, we make these offerings to the Buddhas, enlightened beings in many practices, such as the Vajrasattva Practice, Guru Yoga and other profound Vajrayana practices.

The  Buddhas, enlightened beings they do not requiring these kind of offerings. We make these offerings is for accumulation of merits and wisdoms, enlightenment, Buddha hood, is achieved through these great qualities - accumulation and purifications. As we knew the Buddhas had limitless of qualities which were attained through these two mentioned qualities.

2) Water for washing (Purification)
It signifies us offerings clean water mixed with incense or sandlewood which is made as an offering to Buddhas and other enlightened beings for washing feet. This symbolic meaning of purification. By cleansing the feet of the enlightened beings, we cleanse all our own negative karmic and obscurations by making this offerings, we are actually cleaning the "feet" of our own mind. 

With respect, devotion and confidence, we offer an ocean of this kind of water to all enlightened beings to purify all the temporary obscurations of ourselves and other sentient beings.
Obscurations are called temporary because they can be purified, if they were permanent, then we could not purify them even if we make efforts. 

Washing or bathing waters are offered to the body of the Buddhas, not because they are thirsty or need cleansing, but because by making such an offering to the objects of refuge, sufficient merit may be gained to bring about physical purification and cleansing of our own bodies, which are subject to negativity and are very vulnerable. The offering is also made, ultimately, to dissolve obscurations that interfere with meditation, that block Dharma understanding, and to purify all obstacles to Dharma practice. 

Let us meditate on this when we make offerings. All the different types of obscurations it could be gross, subtle, negative karma, afflictive emotions, and obscurations to enlightenment and all these different types of obscurations become completely purified.

Tibetan altar for 8 offerings

Third offerings to be continued in part 4

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Aspiration For Bodhichitta

Jang Chub Sem Chog Rinpoche

Ma Kye Pa Nam Kye Gyur Chiang

Kye Pa Nyam Par Mey Pa Yang

Gong Nay Gong Du Phel War Shog.

May the precious Bodhichitta arise

Where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit
So nam di yi tham chay zig pa nyi
Thob nay nye pa'i dra nam pham jay nay
Kye ga na chi'i ba lab thrug pa yi
Si pa'i tso lay dro war drol war shog.

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note*
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