April 98 Issue
Sponsoring Pujas
One of the many activities that Venerable Lama Samten and Venerable Lama
Shedrup do at Karma Choeling, is to perform pujas on behalf of people who
wish to sponsor one for any particular reason. Many people request pujas
either for themselves or for family and friends who are facing difficulties.
Traditionally in Tibet, every year people consult with a Lama about the
positive things that are beneficial for them to do, and the types of
activities to avoid. There is a Tibetan saying about one’s Lama, if you
are happy, you share laughter; if sad, share tears.
The most frequent pujas that the Lamas are requested to do are:
GREEN TARA:
Buddha says: “Noble Tara is the essence of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Like a wish fulfilling jewel or a good vase will fulfill all wishes
unhindered, being never separated from us but looking after all beings
compassionately”
According to the Sutra: A wise person with confidence in the Deity who
recites the praises at dusk or dawn, will feel complete fearlessness by
remembering Tara. All their wrong actions will be totally pacified, and
any chance of an inferior rebirth destroyed. The seventy million Buddhas
will rapidly confer their power, and thus receiving better conditions for
dharma practice, they will reach the ultimate stage of Buddhahood. All
powerful poisons which could hinder this - those fixed in one place,
those eaten or drunk - will be completely removed by calling Her to mind.
They will be freed from the multitude of sufferings inflicted by evil
forces, contagious diseases and poisons and will be able to free others
also. If one properly recites these praises twice, three times or seven
times, anyone who wants a child will have a child, anyone who wants to
become rich, will become rich. Whatever one wants one will obtain and all
obstacles will be removed or overcome.
The shrine is set up according to the traditional sadhana called the four
mandalas. The twenty one aspects of Tara are represented and surrounded
by the four mandalas along with offerings of flowers, incense, fruit and
candles.
Green Tara practice is done regularly in monasteries, especially on the
8th of the Tibetan month. At Karma Choeling , it is done bi-monthly, on
the second and fourth Sundays of each month at 10am. These are the times
available for sponsorship, although additional times can be arranged when
necessary.
A special request can be made to include tsog (food) offering. The extra
cost reflects the additional offerings.
Your sponsorship money is divided equally between an offering to Lamas,
purchasing offerings for the shrine and a donation to the monastery.
Cost of Sponsorship $200
PADMASAMBHAVA LONG LIFE PUJA:
In Vajrayana Buddhism there are three different bodies or kayas.
Dharmakaya - Amitabha
There are five different Buddha families, and these three kayas are all
part of the lotus family. The lotus family is related to the emotion of
attachment and desire, and associated with the element of fire. Within
each element there are a further five elements. Within Buddhism there are
four aspects that are referred to: peaceful, expansive, magnetising and
wrathful. The lotus family is associated to the magnetising element.
Padmasmabhava represents the three kayas and the wisdom energy. The nature
of this energy is to magnetise the different elements. Our body is made
up of the five elements. Sometimes when there is an imbalance of these in
our bodies, this effects our emotions, our physical health and our
appearance. As a result we can feel physically and mentally exhausted.
Long life puja replenishes your energy and balances the elements, giving
an increase in energy, confidence and contentment.
The shrine is set up according to the traditional text, with offerings of
flowers, incense, candles, and tormas.
If you would like to include the tsog (food) offering in this puja, please
arrange this with the office as there will be an additional cost involved
in the extra offerings.
Cost of Sponsorship: $200
MEDICINE BUDDHA PUJA:
Medicine Buddha or Healing Buddha is a practice done for physical and
mental healing and for imbalance of energy. It is traditionally done on the
8th of the Tibetan month. There are no regular days that it is done at
Karma Choeling, so the Lamas are able to do it on request.
The Medicine Buddha sutra says: "The excellent benefits of binding oneself
to this practice are as follows: if one is honourable, then one's morality
never diminishes. In the case of a defilement, then the sin is cleansed
and one won’t fall to the lower realms. If one already has the karma to
be reborn in the hells, as a hungry ghost, or as an animal; then one can
purify that negativity, (through this practice), and one will not take that
birth. But if one does, one will then be instantaneously released and
instead take birth in a happy higher realm where one can progress by stages
to Buddhahood."
"In this life, one will obtain food and clothing without difficulty. The
harm causers such as sickness, spirits, curses, the Kings sentence and so
on will be pacified. Vajrapani, Brahma, Indra, the four great kings, the
twelve great leaders of the Nochin tribes, with their twice seven hundred
thousand servants will all guard and protect. The eighteen causes of untimely
death, enemies, beasts of prey etc; will be unable to harm you."
"All one's wishes will be accomplished and one's activities fulfilled; the
other benefits are found in the two longer Menla sutras. This kind of
practice was used in all monasteries as a purification ceremony for both
the living and the dead, because there is no greater practice for clearing
obscurations than Menla." One can sponsor the puja for a relative or friend
or for oneself. Offerings of flowers, incense, fruit and candles are used
on the shrine when it is set up with the Medicine Buddha statue.
Your sponsorship money is divided equally between an offering to the
Lamas, purchasing offerings for the shrine and a donation to the monastery.
Cost of Sponsorship $200
FIRE PUJA:
There are three types of fire puja that can be requested.
1.Jinsik, jin(giving/offering) sik(burning). Within this there are 5
different types:peaceful,expansive ,magnetising, wrathful and multi
(combination of the four). Jinsik fire puja is usually done on a Lama's
recommendation or at the end of a long retreat.
2.Sang(purify) This is the purification of the environment, your own
physical body and mind which is done through using offerings and fire.
Sang fire puja is helpful if there are problems with your business,
personally your energy is low, or you feel you are unpopular. It is also
a practice done for the environment in times of drought, floods, crops
being damaged by insects, cyclones or any kind of inauspiscious
circumstances.
3. Sur. This is the dedication to hungry ghosts or the deceased. Hungry
spirits can only eat through smell, so by placing offerings of smell in
the fire, they can be satisfied. Sur puja is done when a relative or
friend dies, especially during the 49 days after the passing away. It is
also the practice that is done when there is uncomfortable energy in a
house or if it feels as if it is possessed by spirits.
Offerings of flowers, incense, fruit and candles are made on the shrine.
Numerous different substances are offered into the fire, which differ
between each type of fire puja.
Your sponsorship money is divided equally between an offering to the Lamas,
purchasing offerings for the shrine and fire, and a donation to the
monastery.
Cost of sponsorship:$200
BARDO PUJA:
Jang (purification)chok(puja)
The 49 days after someone passes away is known as the bardo or intermediate
state. Jangchok is the purification of disease, both physically and
mentally. Physically it is purified by the four elements and mentally
letting go of attachment gives confidence to the deceased. For those that
are left behind, their feelings of loss, grief and attachment to the
deceased are purified. Any negative energy that has been left behind is
also cleared away.
Offerings of flowers, candles, incense, tormas and tsog (food) are offered
on the shrine. The different levels of bardo puja, reflect the certain
texts that are used. The largest bardo puja involves a longer text, more
extensive tormas and offerings.
There are two levels of bardo puja that can be sponsored:
Small bardo puja $100
All the costs of sponsoring pujas cover the minimum amount for purchasing
offerings, donations to the Lamas and monastery. If you would like to
increase the amount of your donation for the puja, this will be used for
extra offerings.
Return to April
98 Index
For removing obstacles on one’s path, success in life
and business.
Sambohgakaya - Amitayus
Nirmanakaya -Padmasambhava
Large bardo puja $200