The Preliminary Practice of Altar Set-up & Water Bowl Offerings

33 Pages·2004·1.42 MB·English

by  Lama Zopa Rinpoche

PractRiecqeu irements
Thep ractciocnetsa iinnet dh ibso oklceatnb ed oneb ya nyonwei th
faitNho. e mpowermeanrters e quired.
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Froncto vedre sibgynC andiBcael dwin.
ImagGee:s hTes ulgaal'tsaa trK urukuClelnat er
Photcoo urtoefsD ya viKdi ddlestrom
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Altsaeryt a -nuwda tBeorw ls 3
contents
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T�N� 5
Theo bjecatnsd what retphreeys ent 5
Offerings 7
Settiunpyg o uwra tebro wls 7
Presentthieon ffge rings 9
Removitnhgeo fferings 10
TheP ractoifOc ffee rinbyg L,a mZao pRai npoche 11
GuidelfionCreo sm plet1i0n0g, 0W0a0t eBro wlO ffering1s7
ExtensOiffveer iPnrga ctice 19
LighOtf ferPirnagy bye rL,a mAat isha 3 0
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4 Altsae-rtua y nd w atBeorw ls
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Altsaert a-nupwd a tBeorw ls 5
Alsteaatrn d
-uy
waBtoeowrffl es r in
g
ThAelt ar
Iti sv erhye lpfuflo yr oumre ditaptrioanc ttiohc aev ae s pecrioaoln o1r
spacseea ts iidney ouhro meth atis reserfvoeyrdo ur practiisc yeo.u rT his
"gompoar"" meditaptiloanc Thee. "m aini temtsog oi ny ougro mpaar e
ana ltyaoru,mr e ditasteiaoatnn, d p,e rhaapt se.,xtt ablTeh.ea ltisa wrh ere
youp lacyeo uhro loyb jecptsi,c tuarnedst ,exts whicihn spyioruenr 1 ind
andi nform pyroauctriI ctse h.o ubledi na c lean, repslpaewcciett thfuhel
objepcltsa cheidg hthearn t hel evoefly ouhre aads y ous ifta ciint\Xlg.h en
firssett tiunpgy our amlatkaesr u,rt eo c lean spthaecv ee rwye lla ndb um
incentsope u rithfye placYeo.u gro mpsah oubleds wepatn dd usteevde ry
daya ndg enellryka epvte rnye aatn dc leaOnff.e rinsghso ubledt naddea ily.
Theob jaecnwtdhs a t rtehyerye sent
A propBeurd dhiasltth aorl dssy mboolfes n lightbeondeysd,p eeacnhd
mindt,r aditiroenparlelsyeb nydt iesdp laays itnagto urpe h otoofB uddha
Shakyamuan sic,r iptaunrdea , s tupAat. t hev eyr leastth,ea ltar
shoulhdo lda n imagoef B uddhSah akyamutnhief, o undaenrd
sourocfet het eachiinngo su rt ime.
Regardtihnepg l acemoefnt th eim ageisti, si mporttahnaStth akyamuni
Buddhbae t hec entrfailg uOrteh.e irm ageasr en otr equirbeudti, f
youh ave thpelma,ct eh em fruopmp ermoosnyt o ura lttaorl ower
int hef ollowoirndge rro:o ltma as,y idam(shg ihesyto gat atnra
deitipeesro,fr manctea ntdreaii et,s thena ctiotna ntdreaii ets,)
dakisn,ai ndf inaplrloyt teocrd etiies.
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6 Altsae-rtuy a nwda tBeorw ls
Thes criprteuprree setnhteis npge eocfht heB uddhdao enso tn eed
tob ew rittienTn i betoarnS anskrIitc ta.nb ea Dharmtae xitna ny
languaAg en.i!cte e xtto h avies a copoyf L amaT songkhsa Lpaam'
Rim CheLanmmaoZ .o paR inpocahles roe commentdhseS utoraf
GoldLeinga hsat textto b ep lacoend t hea ltar.
Them indo ft heBu ddhisat raditiroenparlelsyeb nyat s etdu poafe nlight­
enmenbtu,ti td oenso th avteo b ea costsliyl voergr o lodn eA. 1p hoto­
grapohra c lamyo deilsp erfectly aTchcese tputpasabh loeub.le!dp laced
tot her igohftt heB uddhiam ag(ea yso ua rfea citnhgea ltaIrft) h.ea ltar
consiosftts h reoerm orel evethless ,c ripsthuoruebl edp lacheidg heosnt
thea lttahreB, u ddhsat atounet hen exatn,d t hes tupuan derneatthha t.l
Ift hea ltiasor n o nel evtehleo, r desrh oubledfr, o ml eftt or ig(htasy ou
arfea citnhgea ltatre)xB:tu ,d dhsat,u pa.
Theo bjeocntst hea ltaalrs o reptrheThesr eeneJt e weolfRs e fugeI.ft1 h ere
iso nlay s tatoufBe u ddhSah akyamtuhniin,tk h aittr epresaelnTltsh ree
JewelIsft. hte risea lsao s cripatnudra e s tuptah,i ntkh atth es tuprae pre,
sentthseB uddhtah,es criprteuprree stheen Dthsa rmaan,d t hei magoef
theB uddhrae prestehneSts a ngha.
Iti si mporttaonk tee pi nm indt hatth eo bjeocntt sh e asletraavrse a
meanfso dr irecotnien'gms i ndt bt heB uddhae'nsl ightqeunaeldi ties,
whicohn ea spitroee sm ulaftoeor t hebresn'e fit.!
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Altsae-rtu ay nd w atBeorw ls 7
offegsr in
Offerings bsehm oaudlead tt hae ltoanra d aiblays iThse.r ea rneo l imita-­
tioansst ow hacta nb eo ffereadn,dt heraerm ea nyl eveolfos ff eriInng .1
generoanlem, a yo ffaenry p leasoibnjge pcatr,t icuolbajreplclyte sa stion g
thef ive senses: form, asnodutn odu,c hIs.tim1 sce ulslt,o mttaoar syt e,
offesre veonre igbhotw losfw aterre prese(nfrtoimyn ogu lre ftt or ight):
watefro drr inkiwnagt,ef ro wra shitnhgef eeftl,o weirnsc,e nlsieg,hp te,r �
fume,f ooda,n dm usiOcft.e nt heriesn ow atebro wflo mru siacst hiiss
represebnyot need' s avnodit cheem usicianls trumuesnetswd h end oing
prayers.f olAwcetrucsaa,ln dloerbs u tter�alnadmi pnsc,e nasreoe f feirne d
theriers pecbtoiwvlaesn do/r e lsewhoenrt eh ea ltar.l
Thet hintgobs e o ffersehdo ubledc leanne,wa ndp leasiFnogo.ds1 h ould
befr esahn do fb esqtu al-inteyv eorl dl,e ftovoersr p,o ifloeoddB .o wlosr
platweist ohff erings lsohoofukul llad n dp lentiIfutil sb. e ttteoor ff ear
·
smalhle apibnogw olf o fferitnhgasan l arpgaer tieamlpltbyyo wl.
Offerinsghso ubledh onesotbltya ianneddn otc omefr oms tealcihnega,t­
ingo rh urtiontgh eirnsa nyw ayT.h1e e xteronfafle rsihnogusnl od tb e
seeans l imittoet dh ea ctual oobntj heeac ltst baurts, h oubledi magined
asv asitnn umbears,e xtenasissv pea cOef.f1e trh ew ateirm aginiitin sg
purnee ctar, ptloae latlsh iesn egn seIsti. si1 m porttaont th intkh atth e
merit afciceelptdth seo fferienngjso,y s atnhdei msp, l easTeod .m ake
watebro wolf feroinny gosu arl tyaoru,s houhladv aem inimuomf s even
bowlTsh.e b iggaenrdn ictehre q ualoiftym ateryioaulbr o wlasr mea de
of,t heb ettTehre. boswhlosu lbde c lean.1
setgtu iyYn ouwra tBeorw ls
Iti sc ustoymt aorw ash( your hands) beoffofreer iSmneagtyks oi.un!rg
motivatthiaoytno ua rem aking tohffeesreio nngb se haolffa lsle ntient
beinwgist thh ew istho a ttaeinnl ighteansmq eunitc kalspy o ssitbobl ee
ofg reatest benefiptr.o sMtarkaet itohnrse.e
Witha cleacnl otwhi,p teh eb owlosu tt hretei mecsl ockw(itsdoei spel
negaticvrietaiwteiestd bh o dy, sapnedem cihnd a)n,d th retei mecso unter�
clockw(itbsore i ntgoo nestehlefb lessoifnth ges B uddhab'osd ys,p eech,
andm indT)h.e np asesa cbho wolv ebru rning intcope unrsieify t As. you
fielalc bho wwli tihn cense tsmhoikntekh, ay to ua ref illailnslge ntient
beinmgisn'd wsi tehn lightweinseddo cmo,m passainodnp ,o wer.
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8 Alr.ts.ae- tuya nwda tBeorw ls
Them ostt raditwiaoynt aolo ffewra tebro wlisst ob egiwni tthh e
newly incenssetda cbkuoepwdsl isdd oew nt oo nes id(eY.o duo n ot
wantt op lacaen e mptvye ssreilg hsti duep on thea ltaarst his
represents offeriWnigt ha n poitthcihonefgrw . a)t epro,u rw ater
inttoh ef irbsotw lu ntiilti sf ullT.h enp ourmo st( bunto ta llo)f
the watert hfefr iorbmso tw li nttoh es econd abnodwp ll acteh e
firbsotw lo ntyoo uarl tatro,w artdhsel eft,hsainddeP .o umr osto f
thew atefrr otmh es econbdo wiln ttoh et hiradn,dp lacteh es econd
bowlo ntot hea ltajru,st to t her ighotft hef irbsotw l.C ontinue
int hiwsa yu ntiall sle veonr e ighbto wlasr eo n thea ltairna
strailgihntee ,a chw iths omew ateirn t heb ottoomf i tI.t i s
sometismaeisd tthheap to urionfgt he water fbroowmlt oto hnee
nexit ns uccessiisro enp resenotfac tairvrey oinn tgh el ineaogfe
Buddhitseta chifnrgosmt eachteord isciopvleegr e nerations.
Ify oubro wlasr et oob igor s omehouwn managetaobd loet hea bove
practyiocue ,c aalnt ernatpiovuearll yi twtalteei rn to eacfrho mbt ohwel
mainp itchbeerf ore piltoa nct ihneag l taRre.g ardolfew shsi ch method
youu sew,h enever pouriinntthgoe b woawtlesr rOeMc AHi tHeU M .1This
isa lstoru ew henl ightcianngd loeris n centsobe e o ffereTdh.ir se citation
prevednitss turbsipnigr friotmsp olluttihneog f fericnaguss,io nbgs tacles
toy ouprr actice.
Makes urteh beo wl" bheaevpnel acienad s trailgihn1 ctel ,o tsoeg ethbeurt
nott ouchiTnrga.d itiotnhaedl ilsyt,ab nectwee ebno wlissa bouthte w idth
ofa gr aionf w heat.s1Tyhmeb oliinst mh iisst haitfth e bowlasr teo of ar
aparyto,um ayb ec reattihnekg a rmtao b es eparafrtoemdy ougru ruI.f
theayr teo oc lotsoeg etthheerir,set hed angoefrc omplactehnacctyo mes
·withb eintgo oc lotsoey ougurn 1.
Now,u sey oupri tcohfew ra tearn dw,h ilree citOiMn AHg HUM,f ielalc h
bowLP outhre watelri kteh es hapoefa w heagtr ai-ni na t hisntr eaamt
firtshte,gn r adumaolrleyt, a peroifnafgt th e endT.r1y t op outrh ew ater
withomuatk inngo isaen dn eatlliyka,e m aideonff eritnegta o a k in(ga s
opposteoda barmapiodu ribnegefr ro mt het ap!T)h.ew atesrh ouflidl l
theb owtlo j usatb outth es izoefa w heagtr afrion mt het ops,oth att he
bowlasr efu lblu,tn ott oof ulIlfy. o ur baorwnelo st f uleln ougyho,u r
wisdowilml bei ncomplieftht eeyar; e o ver,yfuollu,wr is domwil l beuns table.
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Altsae-rtu ay n wda tBeorw ls 9
Ina dditiyoonum, i ght wtaonc to ver myoouutrh w ith kaat aogr
facmea ska si ti si mportnaonttt ob reatohnet heo fferiansog nse
ism akintgh emA.l soi,n steoafdw ateorn,e c ano ffefrl owers,
incenlsieg,ha tn df oodi nt heirre specptliavceie nst hel ineoufp
watebro wls.
drinkwiantge frL oweirnsc enLsieg hpte rfumfeo od
waterf or
washing
thfee et
Theriesn ol imtiott heq uantoifte yi thweart ebro wlfsl,o welrisg,h ts, etc.
thayto uc ano ffaetrt hea ltar.
Presget nhtoeiff nerings
An ExtensOifvfeeP rriancg(ft oiuconendp ag1e9 )ca nb eu seads a b asfiosr
actuaplelryf oyromuiorffn egr ipnrga ctiinac nee xtenwsaiyv.e
To perfoyromu orff eriinnga s s impwlaey g,e nerbaotdeh ichpiltatcae,
your hainnt dhse muodfrp ar ostrarteicoiOntM,e A H HUM threteim es
andi magithnaety ouorff erianrgrese ceibvyea dlth le h oloyb jecstst,a tues,
ands criptiunyr oeusgr o mptah aatr em anifestoaftt ihoegn usr u's holy
minda ndi magitnheat th eeyx perience greatth ibntlkhi asttsh .e Then
offerianrgers e ceibvyet dh ee ntimreer ifti ealldt,lh et end irectBiuodn,
dhaD,h armaan dS anghaan,da ltlh e statueasn,ds csrtiupptoaufsthr ,ee s
tend irections.
Witht heu nderstatnhdaiatnl tglh esheo loyb jeacrtsme a nifestoaft ions
theg urui,m agitnheat th eo fferianrgrese ceiavnedtd h atth eg uruh'osl y
minde xperiencebsl isgTsrh.eeta2 ht r eees sensttieaaplrs e p:r ostrating,
offerianngd,g eneragtrienbaglt i ss.
Afteyro uh avmea dey ouorf feridnegdsi,c tahteme e rifto r stwhie ft
enlighteonfma elsnlet n tibeenitn gs.
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10 w Altsae-rytu a nwda tBeorw ls
Remongv tihofeef rngis
Att he eonftd h de aye,m ptthye bowlosn eb yo ne, thdermy w itha c lean
cloatnhd s tactkh emu psiddoew no rp utt hema wayN.e1v elre aevmep ty
bowlrsi gshitd uep o nt hea ltaOrff.elr insghso unlodt b ed iscarrdaend,
domly. Watebre o sfhfoeutrloepd dl anotras g arden wihtwe irlnelo tb e
stepped overs.h1o uFblledpo uwtei rnas c leapnl acoeu tsiBdoew.l!os f
fruiatn df oocda nb el eoftn th e altfaorar f ewd aysa ndc ant hebne e aten
whent hecyo me doowrtn h ecya nb ep uti na h igchl ean opultsaicdee .
Endnotes
1 ·"Straiwgihttrh,e "s petcomt a kinogff ericnagnsb ei nterprase otffeedr iwnhgisc ahr efr ee
oft hef ivdee ceptioorwn rso nlgi velihoofoo bdtsa intihnign bgysm eanosf f:l attery,
hintibnrgi,b eerxyt,o rtoirop nr,e tense.
Fromo railn strucgtiivoebnnys L amaZ opaR inpocahtte h eM itrugRpeat reAautg,u st
2002a,tM ilareCpean tiernV ermonUtS,A .
coylhoon
Extracftreodmt heS piritualC oPorrodgirnaSamet rovrisc e MaannF uPaMlT,E ducatSieorn­
vicreess ourpcp4e 9,- 5w2i,t ahd diticoonmamle ntbaarys eodn o railn strucfrtoimo Lnasm a
ZopaR inpocahnedf romP abongRkian pochLei'bse raitnti hoPena lomfY ouHra nd.R evised
witahd ditifornosmN ickR ibusihnM arc2h0 04.