Question asked by Luke
Hi pastor's
I'm a student of Tsem Rinpoche in Australia and i just want to know, although i have no tantric initation can i still use the Vajra and bell whilst pouring the serkym and during the prayer for Auspiciousness at the end of my sadhana?
Am i also allowed to throw rice during those prayers at the end of the sadhana i found an old lecture where Rinpoche said it's very Auspicious to sprinkle the rice and ring the bell whilst saying the verse for Auspiciousness.
Thank you
Dear Luke,
Thank you for your questions. In the traditional sense, vajra and bell is only used once you have tantric initiation. However, Tsem Rinpoche has said that students can use them to create the causes to receive initiation in the future. There is no problem with using it during the sections that you have mentioned, but there are very specific ways of how they are used and methods of playing at these sections. Hence it will be difficult since you have no one physically around you to teach you. You can watch a very short teaching about using them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-Z9tgtfx7E.
That being said there are actually some rules regarding playing them. In most cases, practitioners do not use vajra and bell during their daily sadhanas unless they have permission from the Gurus to do so. Usually, in our tradition they are used only during pujas or ceremonies. This is to maintain humility, and not to show off that you are engaging in practice. Also if there are people around you who could be disturbed by the sound, you wouldn’t actually use the ritual instruments.
For the throwing of rice for auspiciousness, again this is not something that is usually done in one’s daily sadhana, only during pujas and ceremonies. However, there is nothing wrong with doing so during your daily practice, as long as you have a good motivation, not for reasons to look good to those around you, etc.
I hope this helps. Thank you.