Offerings

Many students ask questions about how to set up a proper Tukdrup Barché Kunsel shrine for group practice or at home. Phakchok Rinpoche has kindly requested his artist to prepare detailed diagrams that we may follow.

In this video teaching, Phakchok Rinpoche reminds us that the essence of our mind is already enlightened. Yet, even though our nature is pure, that does not imply that we then can sit back and do nothing. We need to accumulate merit!

Rituals at Tibetan Buddhist Dharma Centers can delight, intrigue, and/or confuse newcomers. Here we offer some brief guidelines for the curious onlooker.

Feast offerings are very important in the Vajrayāna tradition. Here, Phakchok Rinpoche describes the meaning and significance of this ritual practice. Additionally, he gives some very practical instruction on how we prepare for a feast offering. 

Water offerings are a tradition was accepted by the masters of the past as a practice unique to Tibet. It is the most common offering of Tibetan Buddhism.

Offering water bowls is an easy and pleasurable meritorious activity widely practiced in Tibetan Buddhism. Water’s purity gives it great power.

In this advice session with students, Phakchok Rinpoche explains that Buddhism encompasses a great deal. “Buddhism is everything!” he says.

Sang pūjā aids practitioners as a purification practice.  As we perform this ritual, we focus on removing the impurities in the mindstream of the practitioners and all sentient beings. At the same time, we practice generosity by offering to all the ‘guests’.

When we recite this text while making feast offerings it brings great benefit for ourselves and for others. This condensed text helps achieve good fortune. Additionally, it offers protection from all types of calamities, temporary and ultimate. Sampa Lhundrup guards against conflict, disease, poverty, obstacle-makers, vicious animals, disturbances of the four natural elements, robbers, sudden death, the intermediate state, clinging to reality, and the sufferings of the six classes of beings.

What I’d like to mention in today’s message are a few points that apply both to the mundane world and the spiritual path.