Incense Offering to Dorje Shugden
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Beatrix Ooi)
Incense has played a very important role in Buddhism for a long time. Whether in the Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, Zen or Tibetan tradition or any other sect or school of thought, incense is one of the most common and basic substances used as offerings to the Buddhas and Enlightened Beings.
A depiction of Magadha Sangmo. Click on image to enlarge.
According to Buddhist history, the first recorded use of incense occurred during Buddha Shakyamuni’s time, when a woman named Magadha Sangmo offered incense and prayers to request the Buddha to come forth and visit her village. Magadha Sangmo was the daughter of the Buddha main patron, Suddatta. She mirrored her father’s immense faith in Buddha Shakyamuni and was his ardent devotee.
After marrying and moving to a village where Buddhism was not practised, she wished very much to meet her guru, the Buddha, again. So one day, she climbed to the roof of her in-law’s house, offered incense and sincerely prayed for the Buddha to visit her. Hearing her prayers, Buddha Shakyamuni, together with his entourage, descended from the sky to fulfil her request. It is said that upon meeting the Buddha and hearing his teachings, the entire village became Buddhists. In this way, Magadha Sangmo’s heartfelt request to the Buddha also benefited those around her and succeeding generations.
Magadha Sangmo recited the following verse while engaged in prayer to the Buddha:
MA LU SEM CHEN KUN GYI GON GYUR CHING
DU TE PUNG CHAY MI ZAY JOM DZAY LHA
NGO NAM MA LU YANG DA KYEN GYUR PAY
CHOM DEN KOR CHAY NAY DIR SHEG SU SOLProtector of all beings without exception,
Divine subduer of innumerable negative forces,
Deity, perfect knower of all things,
Bhagawan and attendants, please come here.
The practice of sangsol or incense offering to Dorje Shugden is of particular significance, as Magadha Sangmo is considered to be one of the previous lives of Dorje Shugden himself.
Incense Offering in the Tibetan Tradition
Within Tibetan Buddhism, incense has traditionally been used as an offering to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) for centuries, just as in other Buddhist traditions. Within ritual, incense is also used to purify offering substances such as water, food and light.
In traditional Tibetan medicine, incense is used as a medicinal substance to cure certain ailments. Due to the healing qualities of its ingredients, Tibetan incense can help to soothe and calm a mind affected by depression, restlessness, anxiety and stress. Tibetan doctors trace their knowledge to Tibetan medical texts, which themselves originate from the Four Tantras, known as the Gyudzhi in Tibetan. These are the Root Tantra, the Tantra of Enlightenment, the Tantra of Instructions, and the Concluding Tantra.
According to traditional Tibetan medical theory, everything in the universe is made up of the five elements: Sa (earth), Me (fire), Chu (water), Lung (wind or air) and Namkha (space). However, only the first four elements play a role in the classification of medical ailments. Incense can also be used in a non-religious contexts where it is strictly for healing also.
Sangsol: Incense Offering Ritual
The offering of incense reminds us to hold our vows purely and creates the causes for us to do so. These vows include the Refuge vows, Pratimoksha vows, Bodhisattva vows and Tantric vows. Many great monks are said to have emitted a wondrous scent, a result of having kept their vows well and having achieved the perfection of morality. The great Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism is known to have been one such example.
In Buddhist thought, morality is considered to be one of the Six Perfections of a Bodhisattva practitioner. As such, it is one of the keys to reach Full Enlightenment. So, as we make incense offerings to the Buddhas, we generate the merits to become like them and hold our vows perfectly. Higher attainments are based on the holding of our three sets of vows (Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva and tantric) which we receive from a qualified teacher. By holding these vows, we regenerate and redirect our habits to a higher reality. This reality consists of non self-centred actions based on correct view, as opposed to self-centred projections leading to more karma and results. Karma and results bind one into samsara endlessly. Wrong projections are our ways to view the world that is distorted therefore leading to distorted actions that harm others and ourselves. Distortion in this case is self-centered views and viewed as permanent phenomena. All views that project the ‘I’ as more important to all sentient beings is distorted because in layman’s terms, it leads to deeper selfishness. Selfishness cannot be beneficial on any level and in any society. Selfishness is gaining through ‘abandonment’ of the needs of others. Therefore offering incense collects the merits based upon bodhisattva aspirations that lead to realization of higher views which sees the faults of serving oneself as to the needs of all sentient beings. Serving oneself is the cause to all harm and misery and serving others is the cause to all happiness in samsara and Nirvana. Therefore holding our samaya, words of honour, promises and vows leads to higher insight, better actions, easier to turn our harmful habits to positive ones and leads us to creating less karmic causes that are harmful. Less harmful actions leads to less sufferings for ourselves and all those around us. If we cannot turn ourselves around, how can we be of any genuine and lasting service to others. Therefore offering incense of the best quality with the highest motivation may seem to be a simple spiritual act, but it leads to higher insight, integrity of practice, consistency of practice, generation of merits, ability to hold our vows leading to the generation of higher attainments and insight within our mindstream. Offering incense should be done daily and consistently with great confidence in the supreme Dharma that liberates our mind from all sufferings and to the holy sage Buddha who has traversed over samsara. Who will never return to samsara in the form of a suffering being that brings sufferings to others. Incense offerings is indeed a profound practice we should never underestimate.
The earliest sangsol text dates all the way back to the 8th Century during the establishment of the first monastery in Tibet called Samye Monastery. The monastery was built under the patronage of King Trisong Detsen, the great Tantra master Guru Rinpoche, and the great Sutra master Santarakshita. The original text was hidden and it was only centuries later that it was rediscovered by devotees. Remember offering sangsol or incense is nearly the same. Sang is just powdered or crushed incense in abundance. Incense is a single stick.
Within the Gelugpa lineage, there are a few sangsol texts composed by some of the most erudite masters of Tibetan Buddhism such as His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, Lama Yeshe Wangpo, and His Holiness the 4th Panchen Lama Lobsang Chokyi Gyaltsen. A condensed version of the sangsol offering to Dorje Shugden (text included below) was composed by yet another highly accomplished master, His Eminence Serkong Dorje Chang.
When to do Sangsol?
Sangsol is usually performed outdoors during religious celebrations and special occasions such as marriages, birthdays, Losar (Tibetan New Year), during pujas and more. According to Tibetan tradition, the incense is normally burnt in a sangpur, which is a large urn-shaped incense burner. Sangpurs are usually built on elevated sites, for example, in the mountains and on top of hills. They are also usually built in areas where local deities or nagas reside. This is so that when sangsol is performed, the surrounding environment including the beings that inhabit the area will be blessed by divine energy.
By tradition, sangsol is also performed specifically to purify the karma collected by breaking one’s samaya. While samaya usually refers to the spiritual relationship with our spiritual guide, in this instance samaya can also refer to the relationship with our Dharma brothers, sisters and peers. Therefore building a harmonious relationship with such individuals is very much encouraged.
Another instance where sangsol is often performed is to purify the environment within the home. Before important events begin, His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche has his students sang the room or the house. The purpose of this is to remove the obstacles of the participants, for example, those who come to seek audience so that they may receive advice and teachings with a clear mind. Using sang on a daily basis throughout the house, office or premises also dispels negative energies and increases positivity for all who live or work there. If there is negative energy or negative entities in our environment, then offering incense to the Buddhas and permeating the incense throughout our living quarters or office will serve to expel or calm them down. It is a very powerful way to revitalize the lost or polluted energy in our house or office. This can be done even by those who are not religious.
Other than purifying one’s karma and obstacles, sangsol can also be performed at construction sites. When this is done, the wisdom beings are invited to that particular location to come forth and aid us. In the example of Dorje Shugden, when his divine energy is invoked, it will bless the environment as well as the beings who reside there such as local deities and nagas who can easily be offended when the construction encroaches on their territory. The sangsol ritual will bless them, grant them peace and as such, potential obstacles and accidents that can be caused by these beings can be prevented.
How to Begin
Before performing the sangsol, there are some important points to keep in mind:
- The incense or sang to be offered should be of the best quality we can afford. Most importantly, it must be clean and pure.
- The incense should not be stepped over by animals or people during its preparation
- According to Tibetan culture and tradition, incense is normally comprised of juniper, conifer, fragrant leaves and woods, ferns, red or white sandalwood, agarwood, pine, cedar, myrrh, amber, frankincense, snow lotus, hibiscus, saffron, red orpine, borneol, rhododendron and many other substances. Most of the time, other medicinal herbs along with a mixture of butter, tsampa (roasted barley flour) and sugar are also burnt together. Those who live in the city and who are without easy access to these natural ingredients can offer a simpler mixture of juniper and protector incense. (Click here to find out more about the different types of incense.)
- The ingredients should be in their purest state, free from other pollutants such as alcohol, onions and garlic.
Sang offering being done at Kechara Forest Retreat
It is common practice to always set a good motivation before starting any prayers or meritorious works. The same should be applied to the sangsol ritual. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept of setting a good motivation, it is the generation of a sincere intention to benefit all beings by dedicating the merits collected through a particular virtuous deed, in this instance the offering of incense, to their well-being.
After setting the correct motivation, we recite the refuge verses while contemplating the Four Immeasurables. Practitioners who have received Tantric empowerments can visualise themselves as their individual yidams or meditational deities. We then proceed with the sangsol prayer, which opens with the chanting of “OM AH HUM” three times.
If we have any special requests for Dorje Shugden, they can be made at any time during the recitation of the sangsol. Towards the end of the sangsol prayer, we request the local deities to return to their abodes. We then finish the sangsol ritual by reciting verses of dedication.
Note: Although it is written in the offering text that we are purifying the deities when we offer incense, it signifies that we are purifying our own negative karmas or obstacles through the offering. One can offer sangsol daily or as often as you choose. No harm and no limitations.
Incense Offering To Dorje Shugden
Below are two different incense offering prayers to Dorje Shugden. Either one can be recited when performing the sangsol ritual.
Sangsol Prayer by Ganden Serkong
JAM MGON RGYAL BA’I BSTAN SRUNG RDO-RJE SHUG-LDAN RTSAL CHEN PO’I BSANGS MCHOD [DGE LEGS MCHOG STSOL] BZHUGS SO
(At the time of wanting to make a sang offering, collect the incense substances; repeat refuge and Bodhi mind generation verses three times.)
HUM!
Visualising myself as the yidam, from the heart,
Light emanates clearing all faults from incense,
Scent having the five desirable qualities complete in perfection,
Granting uncontaminated bliss fills the extent of awareness.
OM AH HUM (repeat as many times to bless)
HUM!
Root and lineage gurus, Three Jewels,
Dakas, Dakinis and Dharma Protectors,
Especially Dorje Shugden and retinue,
By boundless magical power come here.
Also, birth, warrior and patron deities,
Local deities, spirits and guardians with the eight classes,
Assembly of guests worthy of offering
Please come here.
Each happily dwelling on their seats
For the sake of fulfilling the yogi’s entrusted activities,
Outer, inner clouds of offerings, commitment substances and presents,
Accept these and accomplish the entrusted activities.
KYE!
Agar, sandalwood, six medicinal ingredients and plants,
By the smoke cloud from the burning wisdom fire completely filling the sky,
Purifies the root and lineage Lamas, Yidams and Three Jewels.
Purifies the Dakas, Dakinis and Dharma Protectors.
Purifies especially the Chief Dharma Protector of Conqueror Manjunatha
Dorje Shugden and four cardinal emanations.
Purifies birth, war and five patron gods.
Purifies local deities, spirits, guardians and the eight classes.
By the power of offering incense to worthy guests
May all obscurations of quarrel and samaya be purified.
May lifespan, merit and power all increase.
Pacify all diseases to humans and animals, famine, war and dispute.
May the crops be good and the rain be timely.
Conquer classes of demons of the dark side, increase the positive,
And having befriended spontaneously and effortlessly,
Attain all goals just as wished.
KI KI SO SO, LHA GYEL LO!
HUM!
Being pleased and satisfied, guests return to their abodes,
Returning again upon request for activities.
By this virtue may I myself and all mother beings
Have perpetual auspiciousness of happiness and benefit.
This Sang offering bestowing excellence was composed by the yellow hat lineage holder bearing the reincarnation name Ganden Serkong.
Gyelchen Dorje Shugden’s Sang Offering Entitled Blazing Light of Auspiciousness
Homage to the assembly of fierce powerful ones
With power more forceful than any others
Courage to protect the essence of the Teachings
Those Teachings of Buddha Losang Vajradhara!
(Here, if one wishes to offer sang [fragrant smoke offering] to the five families of Dorje Shugden, Dharmapala uncommon to the Geden, in an agreeable place such as atop a mountain, having collected, with no degeneration of samaya, substances such as various types of fragrant medicines, woods, precious sand and incense, such as of sandalwood and aloe, to dispel obstructing spirits from the substances, recite:)
HUM
Myself generated in form of Vajra Bhairava
Immense light radiates from HUM at my heart
Purifying all impurities of the sang substances
So that they abide in unobjectifiable emptiness of the three spheres.
(Bless with the six mantras and six mudras and express the power of truth, “DAG GI SAM PAY… by the power of my wishes…”, etc. Then, to generate the commitment beings:)
In the vast space of deathless inseparable bliss and void,
On the tip of the wishfulfilling tree, on the surface of a lion throne, lotus, sun, and moon,
Guru Buddha Losang Vajradhara
And the complete assembly of deities, smiling, there abide.
(To invoke the wisdom beings:)
From the palace of Ganden, Yiga Chötzin
Maitreya, Manjusri, and Atisha,
Manjunatha Guru and You Sons
And the whole assembly of vast and profound lineage, pray come!
From the mansion of supreme, indestructible E WAM,
All-pervading, immutable Guhyasamaja, Heruka,
The Vajra Terrifier and hosts of deities
Of all four classes of Tantra, pray come!
From the twenty-four supreme places of Dzambuling,
The hosts of heroes and heroines who, with a mother’s love,
Grant aid on the excellent path of supreme bliss,
Pray come through your force, as quick as thought!
From the eight cemeteries such as Silwa Tsel [Cool Wood]
And each vajra palace, wherever you reside,
O guardians of the three scopes of beings as principals
And hosts of Dharma protecting guardians pray come!
Especially, Mighty Dorje Shugden’s Five Families
Whose power, force, and ability is greater and swifter than others,
And nine mothers, eight monks, ten youthful guardians
And attendant Kache Marpo, pray come!
Further, my, the yogi’s personal protector,
Enemy destroying protectors, place protectors, birth protectors, etc.
All devas and nagas who protect on the side of virtue,
Please come as guests for the offering of sang!
Through light emanating from the three places three vajras,
From their natural abodes, the wisdom truth bodies and form bodies
Come to abide inseparably with the commitment beings,
Delighted, on each of their desired seats.
(Then, as for the actual chant and offering of the sang:)
From BHRUM (བྷྲཱུཾ), a blazing jewelled vessel inside of which,
Midst a mass of fire, like blazing mounds of molten gold,
These fragrances and excellent medicines blessed by samadhi, mantra and mudra,
Generated as clouds of Samantabhadra’s offerings,
Sang for the three-fold kind Root Gurus.
Please grant the siddhi of attaining Yuganaddha in this life.
Sang for the Buddha Losang Vajradhara.
Please grant the siddhi of proper reliance on the Spiritual Guide.
Sang for Maitreya and the lineage of vast activity.
Please grant the siddhi of the stages of the vast past.
Sang for Manjushri and the lineage of the profound view.
Please grant the siddhi of the stages of the profound path.
Sang for the Kadampa Gurus in whom the lineages are united.
Please grant the siddhi to accomplish the precepts of mind training.
Sang for Manjunatha Guru (Tsong Khapa) and sons especially.
Please grant the siddhi of pure view, meditation, and action.
Sang for the gathering of glorious actual and lineage Gurus.
Please grant the siddhi to live a stainless life.
Sang for Bhagawan Guhyasamaja’s host of deities.
Please grant the siddhi to swiftly arise in the illusory body.
Sang for Chakrasamvara who grants great blessings swiftly.
Please grant the siddhi of dawning clear light of bliss.
Sang for Vajra Bhairava endowed with five distinguishing features.
Please grant the siddhi of magical emanation victorious over maras.
Sang for Kalachakra, Non-dual Bliss-void Glory.
Please grant the siddhi to accomplish mudra of empty form.
Sang for the powerful Yogini who bestows undefiled bliss.
Please grant the siddhi to accomplish inner and outer Dakiniland.
Sang for Venerable Tara who protects swiftly with activity.
Please grant the siddhi of infinite protection from the eight great dangers.
Sang for the Deity hosts of the infinite four sets of Tantra.
Please grant the siddhi of each Tantra set’s specialty.
Sang for the ten direction’s countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Please grant the siddhi to oust the two obscurations completely.
Sang for the non-dual sublime Dharma of scripture and realization, door of peace.
Please grant the siddhi of the Arya’s realization of true paths and cessations.
Sang for the Sangha Jewel endowed with eight qualities of knowledge and freedom.
Please grant the siddhi of such paths as accumulation, preparation, seeing and meditation.
Sang for the heroes and heroines, loving like mothers.
Please grant the siddhi of increase of great bliss experience.
Sang for the guardian protectors, endowed with the wisdom eye.
Please grant the siddhi of accomplishment of the four activities.
And especially for the Geden Dharmapala, of enemy destroyers,
King, Great King, entitled Vajra, the Heart Jewel, for you,
Jewel Wealth Deity, Duldzin, King of Dharma, Sang,
Sang offering accepted, please grant siddhi of the four activities.
Sport of mirror-like wisdom, Vairochana’s Body,
Bodily color like the autumn moon, so peaceful,
For Pacifier Gyelchen, Dispeller of All Obscuration, Sang.
Please grant siddhi of pacification of sickness, spirits, and obstructions.
Sport of equanimity wisdom, Ratnasambhava’s Body,
Bodily color like light of a hundred thousand suns, so full of increase,
For Increaser Gyelchen, Blazer of Glory of the Three Realms, Sang.
Please grant siddhi of increase of life, merit, and prosperity.
Sport of discriminating wisdom, Amitabha’s Body,
Bodily color endowed with brilliance of ruby, the three realms’ subjugator,
For Subjugator Gyelchen, Overwhelmer of Beings and Lands, Sang.
Please grant siddhi of powerfully collecting the three realms.
Sport of all-accomplishing wisdom, Amogasiddhi’s body,
Bodily color of unbearable dark red fire, so terrifying,
For Terrifier Gyelchen, Dorje Shugden, Sang.
Please grant the wrathful siddhis such as of killing, hooking, and confusing.
Sang for the four Mothers who are the purified five elements.
Please grant the siddhi of hooking luck and prosperity of the animate and inanimate worlds.
Offerings to the five Vajra-goddesses such as of form.
Please grant the siddhi of a festival of sensual objects generating simultaneous bliss.
Sang for the eight monks, eight close Bodhisattvas in nature.
Please grant the siddhi of increase of Dharma activity of teaching and practice.
Sang for the ten Young Warriors, the purified ten knowledges.
Please grant the siddhi of reversing the magical daggers of opponents.
Sang for Kache Marpo, the minister attendant.
Please grant the siddhi of reducing enemies of the Teachings to ashes.
Sang for the fluctuating oceans of hosts of retinue armies.
Look after us unwaveringly throughout day and night’s six periods.
Sang for the land owners and country’s deities of this area.
Having pacified annoyance and jealousy, assist us!
Sang for the guardian of my, the yogi’s, family.
Accompany us like a body and its shadow.
In short, with this offering sang of clouds of Samantabhara’s offerings,
Having delighted and satisfied the gathered supreme and lesser guests,
Pacifying all harm, contention, set-backs and offences,
Accomplish supreme and ordinary siddhis effortlessly and spontaneously!
(Having thus offered and exhorted, here follows the method for hooking in the luck, prosperity and perfection of all excellences of samsara and nirvana:)
Having thus offered and thoroughly exhorted your minds,
Light and nectar streams down from the bodies of the
Delighted Guru Buddha Losang Vajradhara and hosts of deities.
Please purify obstructions and bestow fortune of the four Bodies.
Please bestow fortune to call forth excellence and auspiciousness
That our, the masters’, disciples’, sponsors’, sponsored’s, and entourages’,
Lives, merit, prosperity, fame, scriptural and realizational Dharma
May fully increase like the reservoir of the summer ocean.
In all the vast realms symbolized by this land, here,
Pacify disease, famine, hail, ruin, and drought.
Bestow fortune of timely rain and ever-good crops
Of fresh endowment with complete happiness and bliss.
Kings caring for their kingdoms in accordance with Dharma,
Retinues and subjects, as well, living in morality of the ten virtues,
All possession by maras and dark forces defeated,
Grant fortune of victory in the battle against evil.
The golden mountain of the general Buddhist Teachings
And, in particular, Je Rinpoche’s unmistaken view meditation and action,
Untarnished by the stains of bad conceptions, bestow fortune
That above, on, and below the earth be ablaze with illumination.
As for the upholders of the Teachings, all the supreme beings
Who have undertaken the liberating life of that pure excellent tradition,
The Geden, permeated by the crown ornament, Father Buddha and his two Sons,
Bestow fortune that their lives and enlightening activity increase.
The communities of Sangha living in pure harmony and discipline,
Their teaching, practice and experience of the three wheels of Dharma
Increasing from higher to higher like the waxing moon,
Bestow the fortune that their status be higher than the heavens.
By mechanism of the path of reasoning, proof statements, and refutations,
With the three valid cognisers’ perfect ascertainment
Of the three types of objects of cognition without exception,
Bestow fortune of Pramana, generating valid cognisers through reasoning.
The three knowledges, four preparations, and resultant truth body’s activity,
The fruit of having fully realized, through the eight topics,
The path of realization, hidden meaning of the Prajnaparamita,
Please bestow fortune to thoroughly accomplish the paths and stages.
The special wisdom which destroys completely
The ignorance which is root of endless samsara’s faults,
That path pleasing the Buddhas, free from extremes of permanence and nihilism,
Please grant fortune of Madhyamika’s suchness, the profound path.
Well gaining certainty in the animate and inanimate’s mode of arising,
The coarse and subtle sources from which arise all causes of suffering,
Knowledge of delusions on their subtlety, spread, and means of abandonment,
Please bestow fortune of the stainless Abhidharmakosha.
Like the base from which these, without exception, are generated,
Practicing the three higher trainings by relying
On the boundaries based on refutation, proof and instruction,
Please grant fortune of Buddha’s 100,000 verse Vinaya scripture.
Likewise comprised in excellence, as means of helping others,
By clearing away all confusion and ignorance in the fields of skill,
Such as grammar, astrology, poetry, lexicography, painting, handicraft and medicine,
Please bestow fortune of wise and subtle mastery.
Especially, please grant fortune of view, meditation, and action practiced in conjunction,
Which are unmistaken as to the entities, order, and interpretive and definitive meanings
Of all stages of practice of renunciation, Bodhicitta,
The correct view of voidness, the six perfections, and the four means of gathering.
Then, from a qualified vajra master, having received
Empowerment of the four Bodies, the Tantra’s door of entrance,
Guarding the vows and precepts dearly as I would my life,
Bestow fortune of success in four session yoga.
Then, introduced to the basis; birth, death and bardo,
That to be purified, its purifiers, and the fruits of purification,
Bless me with fortune to attain stability on the gross and subtle
Mandala wheels of the profound, clear deity, the ripening state of generation.
With vajra recitation, that which pierces the vital points,
Freeing all the channel knots so that all the winds
Enter, abide and dissolve in the central channel; bless me with fortune
To thus manifest the bliss-void path, the liberating stage of completion.
The great pure and impure clear lights derived from that
And the mere wind and mind directly arising in a manner
Like an illusion in the form with the marks and signs,
Please grant fortune of the Yuganaddha endowed with the seven features.
In brief, like melting down the amassed collection of all goodness
And blessings of samsara and nirvana, both worldly and supramundane,
Having been fully exhorted with immutable faith and pure samaya,
Grant fortune of great auspiciousness and excellence.
(Thus reciting is the way to melt down the amassed blessing of all excellence of samsara and nirvana according to the tradition of oral instructions of the Geden. It is important to have stable conviction of directly hooking all common and supreme attainments. Then purify additions and omissions with the 100 syllable mantra. Having requested forbearance of faults, then request the departure:)
HUM
The Deity Buddha Losang Vajradhara and
The whole merit field dissolve into me, the yogi.
All impurities and stains of the three doors purified,
I receive the four initiations and become able to accomplish the four Bodies.
The worldly ones, satisfied by the sang,
With no thoughts of mutual jealousy or malice,
But with loving minds, return to their natural abodes.
May whatever virtue I have accumulated
Be of benefit to the Teachings and migrators,
And especially may it cause the essence Teachings
Of the unerring master Losang Dragpa to be clear forever!
(Recite whatever desired prayers and auspicious verses.)
Click here to download the PDF version
For more interesting information:
- Kawang: A Dorje Shugden Confessional Practice
- Dorje Shugden Retreat: A powerful practice to fulfill wishes
- Dorje Shugden Trakze to Dispel Black Magic & Spirits
- Dorje Shugden Gyenze to Increase Life, Merits and Wealth
- Dorje Shugden Wangze for Power and Influence
- Dorje Shugden Shize: A practice for healing and long life
- Sadhana & Prayers
- Mandala Offering – A Powerful Method to Accumulate Merits
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- A Short Practice to Overcome Obstacles for Work with Officialdom
- All About Manjushri | 关于文殊菩萨
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Thank you Rinpoche and Beatrice Ooi for this sharing and explaining the details of incense. Within Tibetan Buddhism, incense has traditionally been used as an offering to the Three Jewels for centuries, so as in other Buddhist traditions. Within ritual, incense is also used to purify offering substances such as water, food and light. We offer incense as an expression of our gratitude and reverence for the Buddha’s great compassion. The practice of burning incense sticks has a dual purpose, purifying and cleansing the energy of a space. It is said that the fragrant eliminating negative impurities and creating a positive environment. In many religious practices, burning incense is believed to deepen our attention and empower our spiritual focus. The aroma of incense can help us to tap in our spiritual connections. It calms the environment and our mind, cleansing the space for inner and outer journeys. Great article.
Tibetan incense is natural incense used in Tibetan Buddhism rituals for 1,300 years. In Tibet, for many centuries, incense has been a part of their daily lives. Widely used for relaxation, meditation and the cleansing of the home environment. Incense is also widely used in Buddhist temples and monasteries, as an offerings. In Buddhism, symbolic offerings are made to the Triple Gem, giving rise to contemplative gratitude and inspiration. Offering incense is a symbol of purification. It is a very powerful way to revitalize environment ,removing obstacles and purifying one’s karma. Incense offering to our Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden is indeed very helpful and beneficial. It helps in many ways as such to clear any obstacles ,and so on.All thanks to our Guru Tsem Rinpoche for sharing this practice .
Thank you Rinpoche and Beatrice Ooi for this sharing and explaining the details of incense. We are so fortunate to learn, understand and practice it.
Sangsol or incense offering is an ancient form of ritual dates back to the 8th century. The practice of sangsol or incense offering to Dorje Shugden is of particular significance, to purify the environment , karma, clear obstacles, for protection, assistance, blessings, and the fulfilment of one wishes. It has great power to perfect the accumulation of merit and wisdom. This incense offerings ritual involves the burning of different woods and incense. It begins with setting a good and meritorious intention, with the correct visualization. We are in-fact purifying our karma through the deities. We are fortunate to learn and practice this incense offering’s practice indeed through the kindness of our Guru.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing of this post and explaining all about it.
Thank you so much for these sang offering prayers. I’ve been using the short one recently daily wherever I go be it at home or at work. I actually started offering a small cone incense that doesn’t take long to burn, and keeping some in a small pouch to carry with me (thats more for convinence instead of the stick incense etc). I’ve found doing a Sang offering in the parking lot at my place of employment before I begin the night shift I’ve found the spirits calm down, and don’t bother me. It was a small experiement on my end but each time I’ve done it. They don’t bother me or my coworkers throughout the entire night. Everything is quiet, and you get a sense or gut feeling that they are pleased and happy.
Since I was a kid, I always teaches by the elders to light 3 incense sticks at once, it’s to offer the 3 realms: Heaven, Earth, Human.
Within Tibetan Buddhism, incense has traditionally been used as an offering to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha). I’m wondering if light 3 incense sticks has related to this.
However, the offering of incense is like a mindful practice, to reminds us to hold our vows. We dont just do it, but with mindfullness. Because we want to achieve higher attainment like Buddha, the vow is teaching us not to be self-centered. When we are mindful, it is easier for us to notice our own wrong projections to view things in distorted way, this could lead less harm to ourselves and others.
Incense offering is blessings of divine energy. But I feel that it might contributes a lot to global warming. So, maybe we can light just 1 incense rather than 3, 5 or more. I believe the divine mother would understand our love to the nature.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this wonderful, unbelievable practice of incense offering to Dorje Shugden. It seems that incense offering was carried out in Tibet since the birth of Buddhism. Offering incense should be done daily and consistently with the right motivation. There are various benefit for occasions and purposes. We do incense offerings to the Dorje Shugden and reciting the prayers, we could purifying one’s karma, obstacles, bless the environment and so forth. It can also be included in our daily prayers as well.
Thanks again Rinpoche for the explanations on the benefits and the story behind it.
Mantras are sacred verbalized words that invoke the protection and blessings of the deity to whom the mantra is ascribed. Mantras are also the manifestations of Buddhas in the form of ‘sounds’, hence the various mantras of Dorje Shugden contain the essence of the Protector.
Dorje Shugden’s main mantra 多杰雄登主要咒语
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for peace 平和咒语
For gaining attainments through the energy of Peaceful Shugden, peace of environment and mind, harmony in one’s abode and dwelling area, and calming of disasters
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SHANTI SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for health 福寿安康咒语
For long life, increasing life, healing of disease and protection from diseases
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA AYU SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for increase 增长咒语
For gaining great merits and increase of all necessary needs, both material and spiritual
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA PUNYE SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for control 控制咒语
Of worldly deities, negative people and nagas and for influencing friends towards the positive
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA WASHAM KURU HO
Dorje Shugden’s mantra to grant protection 庇护咒语
Visualize that you are in the Protector’s mandala, fully protected from outside interferences. Recite when in danger or for dangerous situations, for protection while travelling or when residing in dangerous/hostile places
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA RAKYA RAKYA HUNG
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1544345059.mp4
Dear friends,
Tibet has produced many powerful meditations, rituals and guidelines to help us gain spiritual protection, gain wisdom and higher states of consciousness. In general Tibet has produced many powerful methods for the growth of our spiritual evolution. Dorje Shugden is an angel, a saint, a powerful spiritual protector-warrior who originated 350 years ago when a highly awakened Tibetan Lama fulfilled his vows to become a special being to grant protection, wisdom, material needs, safety when travelling (normal and astral travel) and spiritual awakening. Both the Great 5th Dalai Lama and the current His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama composed short yet effective prayers to invoke upon the power and blessings of this special saint and protector. One can recite either one of the prayers that you feel suits you, anytime or even daily. When you feel a special need for help, you can recite either prayer anytime. When you are feeling down, afraid or just need a blessing, you can recite them. After reciting either invocation, it is good to chant the mantra of Dorje Shugden: Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha.
You do not have to be a Buddhist or practitioner of any religion to invoke upon the blessings and protection of this special enlightened and awakened angel Dorje Shugden. He helps all without discrimination or bias as he is filled with compassion and love. Divinity has no boundaries, they help all who call upon them.
Enclosed are the prayers in English, Chinese and Tibetan.
May you be safe, protected and blessed.
Tsem Rinpoche
More on the Great 5th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2w7KHv6
More on H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2QdaL4n
Chapel (Trode Khangsar) built by the Great 5th Dalai Lama dedicated to Dorje Shugden in Lhasa – https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
—
亲爱的朋友们，
西藏产生了许多有助于我们得到精神庇佑、取得智慧和更高层次之觉悟的强大禅修法、仪式和教诲。总括来说，西藏产生了许多有助于我们在修行上取得提升的强有力方法。多杰雄登是一个天使，一位圣人和一名护法战士。他的崛起始于350年前，当一位高度觉悟的西藏高僧履行本身的承诺，化身为特别的护法，赐予我们守护、智慧、物质需要、出入平安（平日外游和神游时）和灵修上的觉醒。任何人都可以随时随地在任何时候念诵适合自己的祈愿文。当你需要特别的帮助时，你可以随时念诵任何一篇祈愿文。当你感到沮丧、恐惧或仅是需要加持时，你也可以持诵这些祈愿文。在念诵任何祈请文后，你应该接着念诵多杰雄登的心咒：嗡 班杂 维格 毗札那 娑哈 Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha。
要祈请多杰雄登这位特殊、觉悟和觉醒的天使赐予加持和庇佑，你无需是佛教徒或任何宗教的修行者。他总是没有分别或偏见，充满慈悲和慈爱地帮助一切众生。神圣是没有界限的，圣者会帮助有求于他的任何人。
以下附上英文、中文和藏文的祈愿文。
愿你平安，常受庇护和加持。
尊贵的詹杜固仁波切
更多关于第五世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2zsC3tG
更多关于第十四世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2r4aaDN
第五世达赖尊者为多杰雄登护法在拉萨建造的护法殿（布旦康萨）— https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
Divination (‘mo’) Text by Dorje Shugden
This is an important divination (‘mo’) text composed by Dorje Shugden himself. Dorje Shugden took trance of the Choyang Dulzin oracle lama, the senior oracle of Gaden Shartse Monastery, and instantly on the spot composed this text within two hours.
The divination text contains information on how to use dice to do divination for the future and is known to be highly accurate. When practitioners use this text, they will be in direct contact with Dorje Shugden to get answers to questions about the future. It is for those who have good samaya with Dorje Shugden and are free of the eight worldly dharmas to be of benefit to others in divining the future.
Tsem Rinpoche
DS-MO-choyang.pdf
A Daily Request for Wealth, Peace and Protection
Composed by H.E. Tsem Rinpoche
In the heavens there are myriad manifestations of the divine. All those manifestations specifically show us different aspects of divinity in order to be of benefit to all living beings. All the rupakaya forms of the divine have compassion, skillful means and wisdom. We invoke upon them whether we are happy, sad, down, lost, fulfilled, confused, empty, and during the whole range of emotions we constantly experience due to an untrained mind.
Understanding our nature, Great Wisdom Being Dorje Shugden, therefore all the more so, please hold us close to your bosom as an only child to a parent.
Though the manifestations of the divine need no offerings and gifts from us, we offer you supreme Manjushri Dorje Shugden a libation of tea, incense and mantras, in order to ask you to bless us, to be a part of our lives, to abide in our dwellings and to give us signs, omens and portents of both good and bad. When the negative arises, quell them immediately. Please increase the positive for my weary and worn mind as I lay my hopes in you.
When difficulties, problems and confusion arise, we ask you, who is but the culmination of all that is powerful, holy and omniscient to bless myself, family, loved ones, environment and even my pets. May I see wisdom, find hope, and be at peace.
I request you, O Divine Bhagavān Dorje Shugden, who wears a round dome hat and the three robes of a saffroned bhikshu, who wields a sword of liberty, justice and wisdom and clutches a wish-fulfilling jewel, who rides on a supreme lion of subjugation of all that is negative, to fulfill my wishes. I understand my wishes may not be the best, so I surrender to your wisdom for the outcome though it may not be what I have in mind. Please bless myself and everyone that we may enter into the supreme city of liberation.
Great Bhagavān Dorje Shugden, I request you sincerely from my heart to be a part of my life, bless my home, and grant me wisdom, solace and comfort, that I might be of service to others without agenda, and that I may focus out onto others and not be fixated on myself, creating more problems for all that I hold dear.
Bless me to become kinder, wiser, more compassionate, tolerant and very forgiving to all those who hurt and love me. In order to become close to you, Dorje Shugden, we must surrender the banal. We must abandon fixed views, projections and rigidity. Lastly, in my final moment when I leave this plane of existence, only the positive actions I have done will matter as everything and everyone will be left behind. Let me realise this and act upon this now! At this crucial moment, please may I have a vision of yourself, the powerful and merciful Dorje Shugden, to take me to where I may course in the sky to continue my journey of spiritual waxing.
I offer you saffron-coloured tea and my faith to fulfill my prayers and gain siddhis. By reciting your mantra, may healing, peace, love, long life, protection and perfect view of sunyata arise.
Mantra of fulfillment, peace and wisdom:
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA
(It is good to recite this mantra daily as much as you like or your timing allows.)
I dedicate this supreme heartfelt prayer to the all-knowing Celestial and Supreme Protector Dorje Shugden, that I may quickly become a being of light, compassion, love and enlightenment.
Please play the audio included here to follow along with the prayer.
OR
Follow on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-OSudd323A
For more information, go to: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=61394
https://video.tsemtulku.com/chat-videos/chat-1538813324.mp4
Be blessed with these rare videos featuring explanation and advice about Dorje Shugden practice by His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche in his own voice. The teaching was requested by Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the earliest masters who taught Tibetan Buddhism in the West.
Video 1: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Explains Dorje Shugden Initiation and Benefits (With English Subtitles)
Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet. At the request of Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Tibetan Buddhism in America, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche gives clear explanation and advice about the life-entrustment initiation of Dorje Shugden and how to go about the practice and get the maximum benefits in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzFMvlxAqtc&feature=youtu.be
Video 2: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche speaks on the History and Lineage of Dorje Shugden (With English Subtitles)
In this video, an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche talks about the incarnation lineage of Dorje Shugden and how the practice arose, with examples of Dorje Shugden’s previous lives that reveal his powerful spiritual attainments and contributions. This very rare teaching was given at the request of Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s student, Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Buddhism in the West to many disciples since the 1970s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIzKSJgK618&feature=youtu.be
For more information: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/kyabje-zong-rinpoches-advice-on-dorje-shugdens-practice.html
For the first time available, Dorje Shugden and his entourage of 32 asssistants of his mandala.
Dorje Shugden is a powerful protector deity who is also an emanation of Manjushri, a wisdom bestowing Buddha. Therefore, he has great ability to help us to progress further on the spiritual path. He does this by helping us to overcome obstacles and problems for the modern individual.
Due to his enlightened nature, Dorje Shugden is able to manifest 32 deities and within the same abode resides Setrap and Kache Marpo:-
1. 5 Dorje Shugden families or emanations. They consists of the following:-
– Dulzin Dorje Shugden, which performs activities to eliminate inner and outer obstacles.
– Shize, which performs activities to pacify all illnesses and disease.
– Gyenze, which performs activities to increase all desirable material and spiritual wealth.
– Wangze, which performs activities to control difficult people and circumstances.
– Trakze, which performs activities to wrathfully eliminate all insurmountable obstacles and life-threatening situations.
2. 9 Mothers. They represent protection of the five senses and developing control of the four elements. These are all attributes that signify their ability to assist tantric practitioners with their higher meditations.
3. 8 Guiding Monks. They represent the Eight Great Bodhisattvas (Avalokitesvara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Samantabhadra, Maitreya, Kshitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Sarva-nivarana-viskambini) and they bring about the growth of the Dharma, through the Sangha, Dharma practitioners and Dharma establishments.
4. 10 Youthful & Wrathful Attendants. They represent the ten wrathful attendants to avert inner and outer obstacles. They are beings who are from Mongolia, China, Kashmir, India, Bengali, etc.
5. Setrap. He is a senior Dharma Protector from India and an emanation of Amitabha Buddha. He had enthroned Dorje Shugden as an authentic Dharma Protector. Therefore, he also resides within the same mandala of Dorje Shugden.
6. Kache Marpo. He is not an emanation of Dorje Shugden but he is still an enlightened Dharma Protector in his own right. He was originally known as Tsiu Marpo of Samye Monastery. However, he has placed himself under the service of Dorje Shugden as his chief minister, performing many activities in order to protect and benefit practitioners. Therefore, he stands guard at the main entrance of Dorje Shugden’s mandala. He often takes trance of qualified mediums to speak.
7. Namkar Barzin. He is the reincarnation of an old Mongolian monk and when he passed away in Phari area of Tibet, his spirit was placed as a powerful assistant of Dorje Shugden. He guards and protects buildings and great institutions especially those that benefit others. He rides on a mythical Gyaling animal that resembles a goat but with scales.
These sacred images are available on *Vajrasecrets. They are made of high quality alloy and are one of a kind. They are based on the lineage of His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s monastery, Tashilhunpo in Shigatse, Tibet. In fact, the iconography of these statues are based on detailed photographs taken by H. E. Tsem Rinpoche during a trip to Tashilhunpo’s protector chapel. These are based exactly as the 10th Panchen Lama’s personal collection.
Dorje Shugden mandala: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=131570
Dorje Shugden’s benefit and practice: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=62422
Dorje Shugden’s origins: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=106424
Dorje Shugden chapel in His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s Tashilhunpo Monastery in Tibet: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=68698
*Stand not included
His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama
Tibetans commonly refer to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama as the “sun and moon” of Tibetan Buddhism. They are the center of Tibetan Buddhist civilization, which draws to its sphere of influence millions of non-Tibetan practitioners. The Panchen Lama’s incarnation line began with the 16th abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen (1570 – 1662). He was bestowed the title of Panchen Lama by His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama after being declared as an emanation of Amitabha.
After being given the title, his three previous incarnations were posthumously also bestowed the title, making Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen the 4th Panchen Lama. He became a teacher to many Tibetans, Bhutanese and Mongolian religious figures, including His Holiness the 4th and 5th Dalai Lamas, and the 1st Jetsun Dampa of Mongolia. A prolific author, Chokyi Gyeltsen is credited with over a hundred compositions, including a number of commentaries and ritual texts that remain central in the Gelukpa tradition today. Along with his role as a teacher of the Dharma, the Panchen Lamas are usually responsible for the recognition of the rebirths of the Dalai Lamas, and vice versa.
The 10th Panchen Lama, Lobsang Trinley Lhundrub Chokyi Gyeltsen (19 February 1938 – 28 January 1989) continued both the spiritual and political roles of his predecessors. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, his contemporary, was even heard to say and echo the Panchen Lama’s own words that the Dalai Lama would safeguard Tibet from the outside while the Panchen Lama would safeguard Tibet from the inside, as he never left Tibet after the political troubles of 1959. He was truly loved by the Tibetans, all the way until his passing. When he taught, thousands of people would attend, not only from his own Gelug lineage, but masters and practitioners from all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
At his sprawling monastery of Tashi Lhunpo, he has a special chapel specifically dedicated to Dorje Shugden, where prayers and rituals are performed on a daily basis. In his great omniscience the Panchen Lama held Dorje Shugden as the principal Dharma protector of the monastery. He also personally propitiated Dorje Shugden among other Dharma protectors, and even wrote extensive prayers and rituals to Dorje Shugden. These rituals and prayers are contained within his ‘sung bum’ or collected works, which are provided here. As such a great lama, with an erudite and clear understanding of the Buddhist scriptures, a teacher to millions in both Tibet and China, from an established incarnation line and an emanation of the Buddha Amitabha, he could not be mistaken about his practice of Dorje Shugden.
His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama is known for his composition of commentaries and practice texts that are still in use by contemporary Buddhist practitioners both in Tibet and across the world. One of these is a powerful ritual composition propitiating the compassionate Dorje Shugden.
Upon the request by Acharya Lobsang Jangchub to compose a shorter version of the prayer (sadhana) for the exhortation of activities of Dorje Shugden, Panchen Lama immediately composed an abbreviate form of Dorje Shugden’s Kangsol. This text is entitled “Manjunatha’s (Tsongkapa) Lineage protector Dorje Shugden and five forms wrathful propitiations and confessional prayers and fulfilment of activities rites” or “Melodious sound of Accomplishment of the Four Activities” for short. Once the prayers were completed, he had signs and strong feelings that Dorje Shugden has been working hard to protect the Buddhadharma in general and the lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa specifically.
Mirroring the abilities of one of his earlier incarnations, Khedrub Je, a disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa and master of both sutra and tantra, the Panchen Lama used his compositional skill and poetic prowess to create a masterful sadhana. Worthy of note is a praise in which the first letter of each verse is a Tibetan vowel. Such compositions are rarely seen, and have historically only been used when propitiating senior Dharma protectors such as Palden Lhamo and Kalarupa.
The Panchen Lama also stated that while composing the Dorje Shugden sadhana (prayers) he was filled with a sense of happiness and bliss. He ends the composition with not only his official title but his ordination name, Tenzin Trinley Jigme Choje Wangchuk, endorsing the validity of his work. He composed the sadhana in his own Tashi Lhunpo monastery while in the Hall of Clear Light and Bliss.
See the Panchen Lama’s writings and download: https://bit.ly/2KIfeXb
This elderly & innocent monk in India was brutally attacked, find out why. Shocking – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=163953
“If the Dalai Lama, if His Holiness the Dalai Lama can be harmed by Dorje Shugden, then we might as well not practice Buddhism anymore. If His Holiness the Dalai Lama can have his life shortened by a so-called evil spirit, any evil spirit, then can he be Avalokiteshvara? So on one hand you say, we say, I say, everybody says, he is Avalokiteshvara; on the other hand you’re saying that he can be harmed by an evil spirit… Which one is it? Can he be harmed by an evil spirit or is he Avalokiteshvara? Do you think Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Tara all take refuge in something else to protect themselves from Dorje Shugden? How illogical is that? How illogical of people to say His Holiness the Dalai Lama can be harmed by an evil spirit, any evil spirit or “Dorje Shugden” evil spirit. How is that possible?” – Tsem Tulku Rinpoche
Photo: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, young Tsem Tulku Rinpoche and Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s tutor Kensur Rinpoche Jampa Yeshe
DON’T MISS THIS! FANTASTIC NEW GREAT STUFF! High quality videos redressing the misinformation about Dorje Shugden practice and people and the current sad Tibetan situation and why they are losing ground in the world. Powerful and truthful – CLEAR VIDEOS – https://bit.ly/2LJbo35
Sakya tradition’s thangka of Dorje Shugden sitting on a throne within his palace with his four emanations and high Sakya Lamas nearby. Tsem Rinpoche
Amazing post!!!!!
Dear friends, For months we have been working on this BEAUTIFUL and meaningful mural in Kathmandu, Nepal. Please click here to enjoy the many stunning pictures of this mural: https://bit.ly/2LgOj8J
Tsem Rinpoche
Antique Pelden Lhamo thangka with sacred Dorje Shugden at the bottom right. Can see Tsongkapa and Guru Rinpoche on the top also. Beautiful and holy.
This is important for us to know offering incense should be done daily and consistently with great confidence just like Magadha Sangmo. Magadha Sangmo had strong faith in Buddha, and with her pure motivation, she offered incense, prayed and requested Buddha to visit her. Finally, hearing her prayers, Buddha Shakyamuni together with his entourage, descended from the sky to fulfill her request and gave teachings to the entire village.
Thank you Rinpoche and Beatrix for sharing this article and powerful sangsol prayers.
Incense offering is indeed very powerful to purify environments and places, it also helps to induce more uplifting and positive states of mind within people. We owe much to Magadha Sangmo to helped to start this tradition of offering incense.
Personally I do like the smell of the incense offering. Hence, whenever I offer incense, I will add on protector incense to it and the area of my altar will be clouded with incense smell. Incense offering of course have many benefits. I find that offering incense when we face obstacles will stop or reduce the impact of the problem. The smell of the incense will also calms me whenever I am stressed up. While typing this comment I am also doing my incense offering on my altar.
Sang offering to protector is very powerful way when you need to seek help in urgent matter. Personally i did sang offering weekly two to three time to protector. First to purify places at KFR to bless local deity, being living around us to create harmony living envairoment. Thank you writer to put in sang offering prayer of Dorje Shugden in this article. I highly recommend to learn up this holy prayer and share with others.
When you start to offer incense and read the prayer– sangsol. You will find that this is not just a incense offering but it is more than that. It is a very powerful prayer, and the story of Magadha Sangmo offered incense and prayers to request the Buddha to come forth and visit her village is inspired. As long as you have a strong faith of this sangsol practice, things will come true.
I didn’t really read into the offering of incense prior to this. All I thought was by offering incense, one creates the cause for us to have a calm and peaceful mind hence making us able to have better wisdom. Now I know better that it helps us to remember the quality of Buddha possesses and we aspire to be. Everytime we offer incense, it means we are pray g for ourselves to be able to hold our vows just like what The Buddhas do.
For incense offering within different cultures, there different meanings. For instance, for Chinese culture, when we offer incense to spirits it’s like a kind of “food” for them, not really sure about for gods, then when it comes Tibetan Buddhism, to offer incense is to purify ourselves as we have tons of accumulated karma and they acts as barriers for us to achieve our goals in our secular & spiritual path.
***Some other significance of offering incense are
a) The burning of an incense stick resulting in fragrant smoke teaches the necessity to burn away negative qualities within oneself in order to reveal the pure self within.
b) The aroma of incense, typically derived from herbs, flowers and other natural sources, purifies the atmosphere and inspires us to develop a pure mind.
c) The fragrance it gives off spreads far and wide, just as a good deed brings benefits to many. Incense rises and dissolves into the air, subtly reminding the viewer of the transient nature of existence.
*** is sourced from https://www.buddhagroove.com/why-do-we-burn-incense-in-buddhist-rituals/
The Sang Offering to Dorje Shugden is a very powerful and helpful practice. It is indeed amazing that incense has been offered all the way back until Magada Sangmo.
It is amazing to have these precious prayers available for everyone so that we can perform them any time and on a daily basis to Dorje Shugden. We encounter so many obstacles and problems when we want to do something meritorious, and maybe negative habits which hinder our practice. Therefore it is important to burn sang daily to help us and request the Protector Dorje Shugden to kindly alleviate these many obstacles and support our practice.
Thank you very much for this precious practice
Incense burning is an ancient religious ritual common to Egypt, India and East Asia. It is steeped in symbolism.
I personally love incense smell because it have a calming effect. Making incense offering during my sadhana at home is one of my favourite.
In spirituality it symbolizes the fragrance of pure moral conduct it also reminds us to cultivate good conduct. May this practice flourish and always being practice.
As I know that the beneficial of incense is for healing, calming our mind, thoughts, our nerves and emotions. Different incense of aromatic serves different advantages such as juniper, agarwood, frankincense etc. I think these scents are quite similar with aromatherapy which came with same purpose.
Offerings to the Buddhas is always meritorious with the right motivation of thanksgiving and generosity.
It is astonishing to learn that a great Buddhist practitioner, Magadha Sangmo could invoke a visit from Shakyamuni Buddhas with incense offering as she had the great motivation of propagating the Dharma.
Personally I had made incense offerings to Protector, Dorje Shugden to request for help when I feel there is danger or difficult situations coming my way.
In reading this article, I understand that incense offerings to Dorje Shugden can be made under many different circumstances and it is to invite Dorje Shugden to be with us to assist and guide us.
I have always loved to offer incense to Dorje Shugden and with further understanding from this article, I shall do more offerings in particular to thanksgiving for Dorje Shugden’s protection.
It is a wide practice among many people with different culture and tradition to burn incense during meditation, and for religious and spiritual use. It is good to keep doors and windows open, where possible, when burning incense for the smoke to permeate and purify a wider area.
Kechara retail outlets and vajrasecrets.com offer good quality incense made from a mixture of herb and natural ingredients. It is good to use an incense holder with a cover to keep the ashes in.
I love the smell of herbal incense especially those without chemicals. And there are not many out there that are traditional made according to the scriptures. So pleasant to smell and it does not ‘hurt’ your nose. But what I especially like are the benefits of offering incense.
The tradition of incense offering was practiced thousands of years ago by many traditions. Not only it was believed to purify or please the gods, it was also to purify disturbances by unseen beings. It’s good that it is still widely practiced to this day.
Isn’t this just lovely?! Look at these cute Tibetan kids singing praises to Dorje Shugden during Losar celebration in Tibet! Great blessings to all – Click to watch! ???
https://video.tsemtulku.com/chat-videos/chat-1519938132.mp4
This excerpt of the Swiss Television documentary presented in 1988 is a painful reminder of the hypocrisy and the sad reality of the oppression, discrimination, and ostracisation of Dorje Shugden practitioners. For 20 years, Dorje Shugden practitioners have endured this and no one supported their fight as the Tibetan leadership in exile continues to undermine their effort by denying the existence of this ban, and silencing their voice by peer pressure, flooding the media and fooling the general public with accusations that Shugden practitioners are political tools supported by the Chinese government to create discord within the Tibetan community. Please listen to their plea and please share this video far and wide to end this injustice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gis2vaURT40
Thank you very much Rinpoche and Beatrix for this very important explaination on incense offering ritual to Dorje Shugden. Something we should always remember in our practice?
Magadha Zangmo who started this practice is benefitting so many sentient beings and Buddhists. The incense offering article is filled with so much information and we can clearly see there is so much benefits to do incense offerings.
Will remembers to make sang offerings for the success of dharma works and activities.
Offering of Incense is a traditional practice since the birth of Lord Buddha. First recorded instance of incense being used occurred in the story of “Magadha Sangmo” who was considered as one of previous lives of Dorje Shugden. As the story goes, she was said to be an ardent student of Buddha Shakyamuni’s time, who offered incense and prayers on the roof of her in-law’s house to request the Buddha to come forth and visit her village. Hearing her prayers, Buddha Shakyamuni, together with entourage, descended from the Heaven to fulfill her request. Upon meeting the Buddha and hearing Buddha’s teachings, the entire village became Buddhists. The practice of “sangsol ” or incense offering to Dorje Shugden is of a particular significance, as Magadha Sangmo is considered to be one of the previous lives of Dorje Shugden himself. Within Tibetan Buddhism, incense has traditionally been used as an offering to the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) just as in other Buddhist traditions. Within the rituals, incense is also used to purify such as water, food and light. The use of incense offering as a reminder for us to hold our vows purely and create the causes for us to do so. Such vows include “refuge vows, Pratimoksa Vows, Bodhisattva vows and tantric vows. As a point to note, within the Tibetan Buddhism, an incense offering symbolishes moral ethics or disciplines, therefore whatever incense or sang to be offered should be of the best quality we can afford. Most importantly it must be clean and pure, free from other pollutants such as alcohol, onions and garlic.
A very clear and easy understanding of Incense Offering to Dorje Shugden. After reading ,i realised there is more for me to understand , learn and improve more . When we performed Incense offering to Dorje Shugden ,its purify the environment , clearing all negative energry and creating positive energy as well.. Infact i had included incense offering in my daily sadhana prayers.
Thank you Rinpoche and Beatrix Ooi for sharing these article to increase my knowledge of the incense offering.
Thank you Rinpoche and Beatrix Ooi for producing and sharing the article about incense offering especially to Dorje Shugden. This is my first time of learning about the sangsol text to be recited during the incense offering to the Buddhas, Dorje Shugden and His entourage.
The history of the first recorded use of incense by Magadha Sangmo during Buddha Shakyamuni’s time, has signified the importance of incense offering during our current days of puja. Although most of us are not able to see Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or other formless enlightened beings such as Dharma Protectors, we should consistently hold a strong faith and full trust in Buddhas and the Three Jewels that Buddhas and the Three Jewels will come to bless us whenever we call upon Them during our puja.
Upon reading the article, I have also learnt that the incense offering can be a simple spiritual act but this simple spiritual act can lead us to higher level of attainments when we set pure and sincere motivation to benefit others whenever we offer incense to Buddhas and the Three Jewels. From my own contemplation, incense offering to Buddhas can be a form of mind training that lead our physical body to benefit others through our Dharma practice and Dharma works.
May all sentient beings will be blessed and protected through the incense offerings to Buddhas and the Three Jewels in all Buddhist temples from around the world.
Humbly with folded hands,
kin hoe
谢谢仁波切和Beatrix 的分享。
烟供是一样非常简单的仪轨， 简单而且有效， 只需要香炉和香粉就可以进行。
供香看似简单， 只是把香点燃， 然后供佛，不过却可以为我们累积功德。
曾经我看过仁波切送了一尊文殊菩萨给一位需要做翻译和文字工作的同修， 还有一个香炉。 仁波切说， 每天供香给文殊菩萨可以让他累积功德， 在翻译工作上也可以更顺利。
所有我们不要小看如此简单的香供或烟供。 这些简单的供养都可以为我们累积功德， 让我们修习路上更顺利。
谢谢
Thank you Rinpoche and Beatrix for giving a clear explanation of incense offering to Dorje Shugden. When I was younger I have never like making insence offering to Buddhas because the smoke irritates my eyes a lot. And coming from a Taoism family , my family members do not explain the reason for making incense offering and I just need to follow the instruction to do. I appreciate this article as it not only explains the reasons, benefits but also the step by step of incense offering to protector. Thanks again for sharing.
From this article, i have learned that Incense offering started during Buddha Sakyamuni time, and Magadha Sangmo-none other then one of the previous lives of Dorje Shugden himself, have thought us the method to do offering to Buddha to collect merits. Dorje Shugden have always wanted to protect us by teaching us since His 1st reincarnation.
Some incense is for healing, i have experiences on the effect of Tibetan incense sold in Vajrasecret.com where the incense could calm me down and even aid my pain during my migraine and when i was very sick. From this article, only i know that Tibetan Medicine have elements of Buddhism in it, thus, it is very effective in treatment.
I have learned from this article that offering incense remind and create causes for us to hold our vows strongly. I agreed that when we wanted to benefit sentients being, our mind become more opened, wise and more mindful. And we improved ourself through benefit others.
Incense offering is also powerful to bless the environment, to create positive energy.
Thus, offering incense is not as what we think the Buddha wanted it, but, it have so much deeper meaning in it. Such a simple and yet powerful offering, which i love so much.
Thank you Rinpoche and Beatrix for this knowledge
very very good for all
i wonder who composed the longer version and who translated it in to english
sincerely gary
The origin of incense offering can be traced back to Buddha Shakyamuni’s time where the devotee Magadha Sangmo made incense offerings to request Buddha to come to her in-law’s house. The practice carried on until today where practitioners use incense as offerings for the Three Jewels. Incense is also used as healing component in Tibetan medicine tradition that can calm depression, anxiety or depression of our mind.
It is important that we set a good motivation during incense offerings prayers. When we offer incense to the Buddhas, we are generating merits to become like the Buddhas who hold the vows purely. Holding vows purely is the fundamental practice in our spiritual path that helps to enforce our practice with mind transformation and develop of our mind with compassion and wisdom.
From the example of Magadha Zangmo requesting the Buddha with utmost faith and conviction and good motivation with incense, we should also take note that it is with faith and motivation that sang offering is most powerful.
it is also to signify keeping of vows besides helping to clear negativity from the environment, infusing positive energy and clearing negative karma from people in the area so that their broken samaya with those around them be mended. These will aid in their dharma work.
Thank you for this great information in the article.