8 Auspicious Offerings - 5th Offering - Light [Part 6]

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. 

It’s important that we must know the purpose and symbolism of offerings one realizes that the importance lies in the attitude with which one makes the offering to the enlightened objects of the refuge and the sources of all inspiration. Offering is an occasion for the accumulation of inexhaustible merit. The more sincerely offerings are made; one will find themselves surrounded by an abundance of what has been offered.

5) Light or lamp for offerings ( Patience )

Om Benza Aloke Ah Hum.

The fifth offering is the offering of the lamp. The awakened ones, seeing through their wisdom eyes, have no need for such a small light, yet the offering of it is made with the thought that ignorance may be purified in all beings. 

It is made so that ultimately the merit of such offerings of light might cause the transcendental knowledge and experience to become manifest in all beings just as it has in the Buddhas and enlightened ones

Light or lamp offering, which signifies the stability and clarity of patience, the beauty which dispels all ignorance. Light offering is made to the eyes of all the enlightened beings, who see clearly without mistake. 

Some people feel patience is showing of weakness or pessimism. But, actually patience shows the strength and clarity of mind, which are based on wisdom and compassion. Without proper wisdom and compassion, one cannot practice patience. Patience can be practiced in all different forms, not just when people are faced with anger. For instance, there is patience in Dharma practice and study.

First, this is based on wisdom, so we should have such wisdom to really know how Dharma is, what quality it has,the depth and vastness of Dharma, and how we can achieve these qualities. 

Seeing those great qualities, then we need patience to study. On the other hand we shouldn't be patient with our afflictive emotions. When we have anger, desire, jealousy, pride, ego, lust, don't practice patience with these! This is the wrong way to practice patience and these are subjects to get rid of purity; they don't do any good. 

No matter what kind of difficult circumstances we are facing, we must and have to go through this, many people commit suicide to get rid of afflictive emotions. This is the wrong way to sacrifice this life, we should cherish our precious human life.

An example I would like to share, when a medicinal tree is very small, it has to be protected in order to grow into a huge tree.

If you pick it up when it's small, it will only benefit only a few and the medicinal tree will be vanished. On the other hand, if we protect it well with many fences, certainly it will grow larger and then tree will bring fruits, flowers, roots, leaves, branches for the benefit of many sentient beings.

Sixth offering to be continued in part seven.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and joyfulness. With your support it helps spread the Buddha's precious teaching and turning the Dharma wheels in the world. 

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

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
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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