Brief introduction to Puja
| IN TIBETAN | IN ENGLISH |
|---|---|
| Lachoed Tsogkho* | Tsog offering with Guru Puja blessings (Mentor worship) |
| Dug She Sheng Sum | Combination of 3 prayers for clear obstacles |
| Dorje Namjom Thue** | Vajravidaran healing ablution (Bath) |
| Thinchol | Protector Puja (Tea offering) |
| Molam Lachoed | Prayers for deceased |
| Menla | Menla Puja (Medicine Buddha worship) |
| Ten Thue Yul Thue | Vajravidaran Environment cleansing |
| Rabne | Consecration / House blessings |
| Thusol Rabne*** | House Blessings (Extended) |
| Dolchog | Tara Puja (Tara worship) |
Brief introduction to Puja
Pujas are spiritual practices performed to assist any one in their quest to eradicate the sufferings of Samsara and achieve enlightenment in order to benefit others. Tibetan lamas of all traditions often on request perform special spiritual practices (pujas) for the benefit of individuals, who are in trouble, sick or deceased or for the community, state or nation in need.
Lachoed Tsogkhor*
Tsog offering with Guru Puja blessings
In the Tantric Buddhism of Mahayana tradition, mentor worship is core practice. Without mentor worship practice there is no way to achieve anything through practices. Mentor is personified form of all the enlightened beings and it represents complete blessings of Body, Mind, Speech and mission of enlightened beings.
Mentor is closest point or most accessible source of spiritual energy. For a common being there is no other way better then worshiping one's own mentor to collect great amount of merit and receive blessings of enlightened beings. It is very important to know special emphasis put on mentor worship by great many classical tantric treatises. In many classical tantras Vajradhara repeatedly stress on importance of mentor worship. It is also taught to be the highest form of worship common human being can engage in this world.
Dug She Sheng Sum
prayers for clear the obstacles
Almost every individual human being goes through hard time in life. Many of such problems are effectively solved through modern technology and medical facility, but there are many problems, which can't be solved through such methods.
Problems like being possessed by harmful spirits, getting influenced by unfavorable zodiac signs, planetary spirits and various hunting spirits. A real world of invisible spirit consisting various groups and levels exist as similar to the mortal world of us. Many of these spirits just live by hunting on human beings. So, occasionally people fall prey to them, but unknowingly try to remedy themselves through improper method of modern medicine and technology. As a result they get no benefit at all even though they consult best brains in the field or access best technology available.
Millennium ago spirit world interfered with life of the students and devotees of Buddha. Buddha was begged for help by those poor people; motivated by great compassion and armed with super-wisdom Buddha revealed various effective methods to tackle such problems of human beings. After that those methods were used, tested and approved very effective for centuries in different societies of India, China, Tibet, Mongolia, Japan, Korea and many other countries throughout the Asia.
With a pure and strong motive to help people we bring the same art of healing to west. Dug-She-Seng-Sum is combination of three highly revered and effective remedy out of thousands of such methods revealed by Buddha. It is so popular in Tibetan community that almost every household knows about these prayer and often arrange to have these done for them.
Dorje Namjom Thue**
Vajravidaran (Supreme destroyer) healing bath)
Vajravidaran is a specialized cleansing deity of esoteric Buddhism. It is very powerful in cleaning body, speech and mind of living beings from all the possible spiritual and material contaminants. For millennium great Tibetan yogis lived long, healthy and prosperous life by relying on the practice of Vajravidaran. Through infinite power of Vajravidaran one can benefit self and others by purifying body, speech and mind from impurities.
This healing ritual target to clean impurities besides eliminating the influence of external obstructions caused by imbalance in nature, unfavorable stars, planets and zodiac signs etc. After the cleaning and eliminating the impurities, a diamond shield protection is created, which protects the subject from similar kind of influences in future.
With the power of Mantra, Mudra and Samadhi the supreme power of Vajravidaran are activated and directed to benefit the subject. Benefit of the ritual will be felt mentally, physically and emotionally. The ritual contributes greatly to harness positive energy, and increase mental and physical faculties.
Thinchol
Protector Puja (Tea offering)
This world is home of innumerable kind of living beings including all kinds of spirits. Invisible spirits has been living on earth from time unknown as we the mortals are. Unaware of existence of community of invisible spirits, many people occasionally unintentionally disturb or cause harm to them. Invisible spirit world's reaction to such things are disturbing, uncomfortable and dangerous, which sometimes become so serious that person affected may meet with sudden death. Development of technology and medical science is incapable to protect our society from such elements.
Civilization with long history like Tibet has profound understanding and experience in how to deal with such matters. For millennium Tibetans relied on powerful protector deities to protect themselves from various such harmful spirits. Protector deities are good spirits and long ago enlightened mortal beings put them under oath to protect mortals from any kind of harm that comes from harmful spirits. Most famous Buddhis protectors are Mahakala, Kalarupa, Kalidevi, Vaisharvana and Mahayaksha as well. Although the protectors are under oath to protect mortals, in order to receive complete protection it is important to worship them and direct their energy to protect self and others.
Molam Lachoed
Prayers for deceased
In mundane world we help living beings through charity and various act of kindness. Similarly, we can also help the dead ones through doing specific pujas and proper dedication. Similar to living beings dead ones too need help, especially while they are in period of transition from this world to other.
As soon as a person passes away from this world he or she goes through various unfamiliar mysterious stages of path to next world. Similar to as we need guidance and help to go to new place, they too need lot of help and guidance of positive energy and blessings of enlightened beings to smoothly and peacefully cross the path to the other end.
To meet this requirement to help deceased person, in Tibetan culture we observe 49 days of final rites for each deceased one. During the 49 days of final rites Assembly of Buddhas are invited, worshiped and then the merits accumulated from that is dedicated to benefit the particular deceased person and all who passed away.
Menla
Menla Puja (Medicine Buddha blessings)
Making offering and prayers to the Medicine Buddha is called "encompassing all the Buddhas". This means making seven-fold offering to Medicine Buddha is same as offering made to numberless Buddhas, bringing countless, inconceivable merit like the limitless space! The special mantra of Medicine Buddha quickly actualizes prayers that these Buddhas made in the past, to bring happiness to beings by bringing causes for enlightenment, pacifying problems, fulfilling good wishes, and especially to help those who are troubled by illness. Medicine Buddha practice is extremely powerful and beneficial for the sick and dying, as well as those who have already passed away, and will help you bring deep and profound benefits to others with your chosen healing method.
Ten Thue Yul Thue
Vajravidaran Environment cleansing
Vajravidaran is a specialized cleansing deity of esoteric Buddhism. It is very powerful in cleaning environment and eco-system. For millenniums, great Tibetan yogis avoid degradation of environment and Tibetan eco-system by relying upon the practice of Vajravidaran. Through infinite power of Vajravidaran one can reinstate the vitality of the environment and eco-system.
This healing ritual target to wash impurities besides eliminating the influence of external obstructions caused by imbalance in nature, unfavorable stars, planets and zodiac signs etc. After cleaning the impurities, a diamond shield protection is created to protect the environment from similar things in future.
Rabne
Consecration / House blessings
Throughout the consecration we invoke assembly of enlightened beings, worship them to the highest level of bliss and happiness and then we request them to bless the private, family, community, society, nation, natural resources, belongings like statues, paintings, houses etc.
At the end merit accumulated through the divine activities are dedicated to benefit the benefactor and all living beings. It is followed by chanting the lines of auspiciousness and prosperity.
Thusol Rabne***
House Blessings (with offering bath)
Throughout this ritual assembly of enlightened beings are invoked, offered a complete elaborate ablution with massage in order to purify our own body, mind and speech from impurities, then worshiped to the highest level of bliss and happiness. We request the assembly of enlightened being to bless the Private, Family, Community, State, Natural resources, Belongings like statues, paintings and houses etc. At the end merit collected through the divine activities are dedicated to benefit household, community, mankind and all living beings and then lines of auspiciousness and prosperity are chanted to let it flourish.
Dolchog
Tara Puja (Tara worship)
There are many inner obstacles to our mental development, and these inner obstacles manifest into external obstacles. To be successful in our Dharma practice, and to actualize the path to Enlightenment, we need to rely on a special Buddha like Tara. Actions of the Buddha manifest in the form of Tara, to help sentient beings to successfully accomplish both temporary and ultimate happiness.
By doing practice of Tara, one can collect great deal of merit, avoid suffering and lower rebirth, quickly attain the Enlightenment and receive initiation from enumerable Buddhas. Blessing of Tara is specially effective and appropriate for a person, who got many virtuous missions to accomplish.
