Our own enemy

Our anger is our actual enemy. It is an obstacle that cuts us off from the cause of higher states of rebirth and the definitive excellence that is liberation. If we do not tame it, then outer enemies will simply multiply. They will increase to the same extent that we try to overpower them. And they could present a danger to our lives and to our ability to keep any of the three sets of vows (individual liberation, bodhisattva, and tantric) we may have taken.

We are the ones who make one another into enemies, they can proliferate without limit. By creating such projections, we are engaging in actions that are detrimental. Why is this so? Because there is not one living being who has not been our mother or father, and therefore they should all be the objects if our compassion. 

On the other hand, there is not one living being who has not been our enemy. In this way, all living beings are equally our friends and enemies, so being attached to some and feeling hatred for others makes no sense. Through a mind that sees this equality, we should tame the enemy of our own anger with an army of great compassion. This is the practice of a true bodhisattva.

Quated by His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa.

            Karmapa  Khenno, Karmapa  Khenno

Dedication of merits

May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.

Go Vegetarian

Not only will you practice compassion for all sentient beings, but you will decrease the resources you used up.

It takes about 100,000 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of beef but only 750 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of wheat.

Quoted by His Holiness 17th Gyalwang Karmapa  

Dedication of merits

May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.

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

I do not own or infringe copyright any of these photos. 

Photos courtesy and credit to the rightful owners

              

8 Auspicious Offerings - Third Offering - Flower [Part 4]

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.

3) Flowers for offerings( Generosity )

The third offering is the offering of flowers to the awakened ones to beautify their surroundings, though the gift of flowers is quite unnecessary in the perfection of their Buddha realms. Again it is for the benefit of those who make the offering and it is made with the intention that all beings might find noble forms to inhabit, and ultimately, that all beings might embody in their forms all of the marks and attributes of enlightenment, like the awakened ones.

 The flowers of the beauty of enlightenment. it is signifies the practice of generosity and open the heart. A flower is very beautiful; so you will certainly or naturally wish to keep it, but when you offer it to others, there is certain kind of feeling in our mind. With that we associated, make the offering and practice freedom from stinginess. 

Meditate on that by offering flowers, which signifies the practice of generosity, and may all sentient beings achieve the freedom and endowment of a precious human life. Flowers are offered and placed on the neck of the enlightened beings, for them to wear on the crown of the haed. 

Within the practice of generosity and we immediately think of giving wealth, giving fearlessness, giving wisdom, but there are many different kind of generosity and usually when we mention generosity, we think of giving wealth but it is not only that. 

For example, we giving fearlessness means giving life. If someone is afraid of swimming and fear of being drowned and if we can give them the safety assurance from the water, this is called giving fearlessness, giving freedom from danger to life.

Another is giving wisdom is very special generosity. When you give teaching to one who is less knowledgeable or wisdom. For example, they don't know what is samsara world is, what is enlightenment is or what is the karma and cause of suffering is, so when we can share and giving them these kind of explanations or sharing dharma knowledge , this is a gift to help them understand, so now we will know why offering flowers is symbolizes of generosity.

Fourth offerings to be continued in part 5. 

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of these photos.

Photos courtesy and credit to it rightful owners.

Dedication of merits May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.

              

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

Thank you for reading , may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world. 

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*
I do not own or infringe any copyright of these photos.

Photos courtesy and credit to it rightful owners.

8 Auspicious Offerings - First offering - Water for drinking [Part 2]

Tibetan altar with 8 auspicious offerings

The subject 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 qualities.

First offering - Water for drinking (Auspiciousness)

Om Benza Argham Ah Hum

The first offering is that of pure drinking water. It is offered with the thought that whatever benefit one accumulates may, for the present, bring about the annihilation of suffering through thirst among beings. Especially beings in realms such as hungry ghosts, may receive relief from the suffering of thirst. The offering is also made so that ultimately all beings may be permeated by loving kindness and compassion. 

It signifies auspiciousness or all the positive causes and conditions which bring positive effect. Offering cleaned, freshwater  for drinking and these are the best qualities to the Buddhas and enlightened beings, and you can visualize an ocean of water and then dedicate this water become a cause for all sentient beings to collect positive causes and conditions.

Second offerings to be continued in part 3.

Thank you for reading , may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings 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 I do not own or infringe any copyright of these photos. Photos courtesy and credit to it rightful owners.

8 Auspicious Offerings Part 1

It was the traditional Buddhist way of offering to the Buddha and his monks in ancient time in India. Frequently the Indian will be offering the cleaned water for drinking and washing , flowers, incense, lamps or table lamps, perfume or fragrant  and music.

Since then it became a practice and later famously been acknowledged as the auspicious of the symbol of giving offerings of the Buddha as part of  precious teaching , and the eight auspicious offering is done daily at the Tibetan shrine to articulate gratitude and respect for the Buddha.

The subject here today is an explanation of the significance of the eight offerings. We make these offerings to the enlightened beings in many practices - in the Vajrasattva practice, Guru Yoga, and a lot of other practices. We have been doing this for a long time for our daily eight offering at the alter, so it would be useful if we studies a little in-depth what that practice signifies.

The enlightened beings do not requiring or need these offering. We make offerings to accumulate great merit and wisdom. Enlightenment, Buddhahood, is achieved through the two great qualities - accumulation and purification. 

The Buddha has limitless qualities, which were gained through the great accumulations and purification. Our offerings are a simple way to accumulate both merit and wisdom. 

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.

Making the offerings is not just a limited cultural thing, but it is something important and meaningful. The making of offerings is an antidote to the pattern of attachment and greed. There is a material aspect to offerings, where a person offers from his or her possessions something particularly valued. 

Someone may symbolically offer the totality of their possessions with the thought of bringing about benefit for all sentient beings, that the material deprivation of all beings may be remedied and their perfection of generosity take place. In general, offerings on a shrine are in a set of eight, in eight bowls, and there are specific meanings for each of the eight offerings.

These are the eight auspicious offering as follow:-

1. Water for drinking (Auspiciousness)
2. Water for washing (Purification)
3. Flowers (Generosity)
4. Incense (Discipline, Moral Ethnics) 
5. Lamp (Patience)
6. Fragrance (Perseverance)
7. Food (Samadhi)
8. Music (Wisdom)

First offerings to be continued in part 2

( total are in 9 parts )

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of these photos.

Photos courtesy and credit to it rightful owners.

Dedication of merits May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.