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The Offering of Tsok
“Tsok is a gathering together of many elements; it is a gathering of yogis and yoginis who share pure samaya; it is a gathering of the samaya substances of food and drink representing skillful means and wisdom; it is a gathering of the wisdom-being guests, such as the Three Roots (lama, yidam, and dakini); and it is a gathering for the accumulation of merit and wisdom. According to Vajrayana, tsok is the most profound method of accumulating merit and wisdom, its special qualities that make one moment of tsok practice equal to eons of confessing downfalls in our samaya; of liberating obstacles, and of fulfilling the wisdom minds of the lama, yidams, dakinis and dharmapalas.
Through the offering of tsok, the six guests are pleased; the root and lineage lamas are pleased by our understanding of the perfect view; the yidams are pleased by our samadhi; the dakinis and dharmapalas are pleased by pure samaya; the practitioners are pleased by the enjoyable qualities of food and drink; the invited guests, the outer and inner local protectors who have taken a vow to protect the dharma, are pleased by the remainder offering; the dakinis of the twenty-one and thirty-two sacred places are pleased by the singing of the Vajra song.”
-Lama Tharchin Rinpoche
This Summer Retreat we will offer tsok every day at Pema Osel Ling as part of the Seven Treasures, Thröma Nakmo and Dorje Drollo sadhanas being performed. To connect with the blessings of the Dudjom Tersar lineage, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, Lama Sonam Rinpoche and other precious lamas and vajra brothers and sisters, please consider making a tsok contribution.
Outside of retreat we also offer tsok every day during our daily pujas. On the 10th and 25th days of the Lunar calendar (Guru Rinpoche Day and Dakini Day, respectively) we perform Lake Born Vajra, Thrőma Nakmo or Khandro ThukTik puja. On the 1st (new moon day), the 8th (waxing quarter day) and the 15th (full moon day) and) we do Buddha or Vajrasattva (Dorsem Lama Chőpa) puja. On the remaining days we offer Vajrakilaya tsoks. We recite the Orgyen Menlha (Medicine Buddha) sadhana daily during each tsok for Lama Tharchin Rinpoche's health and long life.
The Offering of Butter Lamps
“Offering butter lamps is the most powerful offering because their light symbolizes wisdom. Just as a lamp dispels darkness, offering light from a butter lamp represents removing the darkness of ignorance in order to attain Buddha’s luminous clear wisdom. The lamp offering is a sense offering to the Buddha’s eyes. Because Buddha’s eyes are wisdom eyes, they do not have the extremes of clarity or non-clarity. Our ordinary eyes, however, are obscured by the darkness of the two defilements – gross afflictive emotional defilements and subtle habitual defilements. While the Buddha does not have desire for offerings, we make offerings for the purpose of our own accumulation of merit and wisdom. Through the power of this accumulation, we can remove the cataracts of our ignorance eyes in order to gain Buddha’s supreme luminous wisdom eyes. When we offer light, the results are the realization of Clear Light wisdom phenomena in this life; the clarification of dualistic mind and the dispersal of confusion and realization of Clear Light in the bardo: and the increase of wisdom in each lifetime until one has reached enlightenment.
Traditionally, butter lamps are also offered as a dedication to the dead in order to guide them through the bardo by wisdom light. We can pray as well that this light guide all beings of the six realms, removing their obscurations so that they may awaken to their true wisdom nature. With genuine faith and devotion, visualize that with your offerings, countless offering goddesses offer immeasurable light to all enlightened beings. You may recite the Butter Lamp Offering Prayer” from the Collection of Offering Prayers.”
-Lama Tharchin Rinpoche
During Summer Retreat we offer butterlamps copiously and continuously. Out of retreat we offer them every day during puja. Lamps can be sponsored on any day of the year and bring particular benefit lit for those who have passed away, connecting them to wisdom energy.
Jinsek (fire puja) Offering Sponsorship
In order to accomplish the four enlightened activities of pacifying, wrathful, magnetizing and enriching, we use skilful means related to the elements. Jinsek is a ritual of generously burning offerings using the fire element to accomplish enlightened activities quickly and powerfully. Jinsek is also related in particular to this “Collection of Seven Treasures” Guru Rinpoche Drupchen. The benefit of performing jinsek or even making a connection with them is immense, both relatively and ultimately. We are inviting you to make a connection by sponsoring any of the four activities, either contributing in part or in full (at $250 per jinsek) or any amount for general jinsek expenses. Pacifying jinsek is performed on the 2nd day of Drupchen followed by wrathful, magnetizing, and enriching jinseks at intervals during the remaining retreat days.
- Pacifying (Zhiway Jinsek): This activity heals the imbalances of physical elements that result in sickness; removes demonic energy; pacifies karmic defilements of countless lifetimes until now; and liberates us from all unwanted circumstances.
- Wrathful (Drakpö Jinsek): All enemies, obstructers, and those who bring harm both to worldly life and the path of enlightenment are eliminated and liberated.
- Magnetizing (Wang-gi Jinsek): Gods, demons, and nagas are brought under one’s control; queens, ministers, their retinues, all qualities of the three realms of cyclic existence, any worldly desirable qualities, and glorious qualities of the Dharma path, such as meditative experience, realization, and enlightened wisdom qualities, are magnetized and brought under one’s control.
- Enriching (Gyaybay Jinsek): Longevity, merit, glory, wealth, splendor, powerful influence, fame, good reputation, wisdom and all enlightened qualities are enriched and expanded.
Sponsoring
To sponsor tsok or butterlamps you may use the online option below. You can also email the office or phone (831) 761-6266 or mail in a check made out to Vajrayana Foundation and sent to 2013, Eureka Canyon Road, Watsonville, CA 95076.
Thank you for your kind offering.
| 1 full summer retreat tsok sponsorship |
$300 |
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| Specify your own tsok contribution |
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| Sponsor 100 Butter Lamps |
$25 |
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| Specify your own butter lamp offering amount |
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| Sponsor Jinsek |
$250 |
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| Specify your jinsek offering |
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