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Venerable Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche

Returns to Dallas June 3-8, 2004

About the Mandala Offering

From a teaching by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche at http://www.palyul.org/eng_about_mandala.htm

The Mandala offering is a very skillful means of accumulating two types merit: ordinary merit and

primordial wisdom merit. We accumulate merit through the practice of mandala by cutting the root of

attachment or desire. The actual practice of generosity is not having a stingy mind or a mind full of desire.

When you give up all attachment to external material belongings, then that is generosity. When you have

that kind of practice of generosity, then you have the accumulation of merit. If we give a little thing, we

accumulate some merit. If we give more, we also accumulate merit. If we give a great, huge thing, we

also accumulate merit. According to the quantity, we accumulate that much merit.

For the mandala practice, we visualize offering the whole universe to all the Buddhas and Bodhisatvas,

the Dharma and the Sangha. All the wealth of the whole universe is symbolized by the rice held in your

hand. You visualize the rice as every jewel and precious stone, all the wealth of the universe, and you

offer it all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the Dharma and the Sangha. When you really do it, when you

really feel that you have made a great offering, then you accumulate lots of merit. It is a special technique.

If you don't understand in a deeper way and just go through the motions of chanting and throwing rice, it is

child's play. You need to understand everything you are doing. Only then can you accumulate merit.

Practitioners who wish to accomplish the Nam Chö Ngöndro accumulations will perform 100,000 of the

shorter Mandala offering prayer and utilize the Mandala offering plate. At the summer 1999 retreat, His

Holiness Penor Rinpoche clarified the way he wishes his students to practice the Mandala. It is possible

that other masters may instruct their students differently.

This foundation of earth, strewn with flowers and purified with scented water,

Adorned by Mt. Meru, the four continents, the sun and moon,

Visualized as a pure realm, is offered to the assembly of Buddhas.

May all beings be reborn in that perfectly pure realm! Mandala Offering Practice

Short Mandala Offering Practice

SA SHI PÖ CHU JUG SHING MÉ TOG TRAM pile 1, 2, 3, 4

This foundation of earth, strewn with flowers and purified with scented water,

RI RAB LING SHI NYI DÉ GYEN PA DI pile 5, 6,7

Adorned by Mt. Meru, the four continents, the sun and moon,

SANGYÉ SHING DU MIG TÉ PHUL WA YI hold up as offering

Visualized as a pure realm, is offered to the assembly of Buddhas.

DRO KUN NAM DAG SHING LA CHÖD PAR SHOG dissolve back to pile

May all beings be reborn in that perfectly pure realm!

É DAM RATNA MANDALA KAM NIRYA TAYA MI rub and recite this mantra