Monastery Pujas | Amitabha Foundation

2024 Guru Dragpo and Shitro Pujas

February 4, 2024 by Becky

Guru Dragpo Statue, Bylakuppe

Guru Dragpo Drubchoe ~ February 2 – 8

At the end of each lunar year, it is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition to make offerings and perform wrathful pujas, such as Guru Dragpo, a wrathful form of Guru Rinpoche. This clears away negativity and obstacles on both physical and spiritual levels, to prepare for a New Year of opportunity, abundance and good fortune.

The annual Guru Dragpo puja will be held February 2-8, 2024 at Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling, Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery in Bylakuppe, India. Tibetan New Year (Losar), is February 10th this year, the first day of the Wood Dragon Year, according to the Tibetan calendar.

You may participate at home by reciting the Guru Dragpo short mantra:

OM AH HUNG ARTSIK NIRTSIK NAMO BHAGAWATE HUNG HUNG AH HUNG HUNG PHAT//

You may also participate by reciting the Guru Rinpoche mantra (see below) or the Seven-Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche. Read Rinpoche’s teaching on the Seven Line Prayer , and the prayer in Tibetan and English.

OM AH HUNG BENZRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG//

One Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities Drubchoe ~ February 18 – 24

and Ceremony to Liberate Dead Beings (Nedren)

The annual Shitro (100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities) Puja to celebrate the beginning of the lunar new year will begin on February 18th and will conclude on the Full Moon Day of the Miracle Month, February 24th.

About the 100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities Puja, Ayang Rinpoche says,

“The hundred deities are the attributes and activities of the five Buddhas and their female counterparts. They are the manifestations from the pure nature of our minds, and remain within us in the form of five faculties, five elements and twelve sources of perception, and so on. By relying on the practice of the hundred deities, or even by just hearing the mantra and seeing the mandala and picture of the hundred deities, one may either instantly or gradually realize that the nature of one’s mind is inseparable from the perfect wisdom of the hundred deities.

“During the performance of Jang Chog puja, the hundred deities are invoked and the various types of offerings are made to them. The merits accumulated from these offerings are dedicated to the deceased to help them in their purification and liberation. The prayer itself is also an offering of assistance to those in the intermediate or Bardo state to show them the path to liberation.

“At the end of puja, the paper tablets of the deceased [names] are burnt away. The fire used in the burning symbolizes the wisdom of the hundred deities; the burning of the tablets symbolizes the cutting of the attachment of the deceased to a “self” which is the cause of his or her suffering. Through the prayer and the ritual performed, the consciousness of the deceased are merged and become inseparable from the wisdom of the hundred deities. Thus they are liberated.“

Ayang Rinpoche says the Ceremony to Liberate Dead Beings is the best time to dedicate prayers for the departed beings. Anyone who would like to make offerings and dedicate prayers to family members, friends, loved ones or pets who have passed, please make your offering and send in names of the deceased by Thursday, February 22 at 5 pm (Pacific time) to be included in the prayer list for the Liberation Ceremony.

Ayang Rinpoche reminds us of Milarepa’s saying that anyone sponsoring Dharma activities gains the same merit as the practitioners. If you would like to make a US tax-deductible contribution to the Guru Dragpo or Shitro pujas using PayPal or your credit card, please select the amount of your donation below. The full cost of the Guru Dragpo puja for 280 monks, nuns, khenpos and lamas is $21,650. The cost of one day of meals is $412 and monks offering is $927, not including extras for Rinpoches, Khenpos, Disciplinarian, Chanting Master and Shrine Master.

Your offering of any amount will be appreciated and will be like a drop of water mixed in an ocean of merit. You may include a dedication for your offering in the name of a loved one, including pets. The deadline to submit names of loved ones for the prayer list is Sunday, February 27th at 5 pm PST, but donations to help cover the cost of the puja will bring merit and benefit any time.

You may also send a check in USD made out to Amitabha Foundation to: P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001. Mail the names for your dedication to info@amitabhafoundation.us.

For donors outside the United States, make offerings to Amitabha Foundation in your own country or click here for information on making offerings directly to the monastery’s account through the Drikung Charitable Society.

2020 Guru Dragpo Puja and Tsok Offering in Bylakuppe, India

Statues Crafted By Bhutanese Artisans for the New Temple at Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling in Bylakuppe (2024)

Guru Rinpoche

Kalachakra

Tantric Deity

Vajrakilaya

Vajrapani

White Dzambhala

Yamantaka

Yellow Dzambhala

Filed Under: AF News, Announcements, Monastery Pujas

Annual Wealth Deity (Dzambhala) Offering Puja

November 26, 2023 by Becky

Dzambhala, Tantric Deities Temple, Amitabha Retreat Center, Kathmandu, Nepal

Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery in South India, Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling, will hold their annual Dzambhala, or Wealth Deity Offering Prayer, December 3-7 (corrected dates).

Dzambhala is an emanation of Buddha Ratnasambhava, whose enlightened activity is increasing and whose essence is generosity. Dzambhala is an emanation of Buddha Ratnasambhava, whose enlightened activity is increasing and whose essence is generosity. He is portrayed riding a snow lion and holding victory banner and a jewel-spitting mongoose. Some view the mongoose as triumphant over snakes or nagas, the keepers of wealth.

The offering prayer is also referred to as a Yangdrup, meaning a ritual to generate “Yang”, the powerful magnetizing properties associated with fortune and luck. This in turn creates all opportunities to ensure accomplishment in spiritual practice, as well as an abundance of wealth, prosperity, success, good fortune, luck, long life and wisdom in a person’s personal, business and family life.

People who wish to dedicate prayers for their loved ones, including pets, living or passed, may donate towards tormas, butter lamps, tsog, tea, meals, offerings for monks and nuns, or other puja expenses, by sending in their contributions through Amitabha Foundation in their own country, directly to the monastery’s account, or by donating online below. Donations are tax-deductible in the US

Dedications must be received by December 5th at 5 PM (Pacific Time) to be sent to the monastery in time to be included in the puja ceremony. Donations are welcome any time.

Filed Under: AF News, Announcements, Monastery Pujas Tagged With: Dedication of Merit, Offering, Tantra, Vajrayana, Wealth deity

Annual Vajrakilaya Drupchod 2023

October 21, 2023 by Becky

Vajrakilaya (Dorje Phurba) Drubchoe, October 20-24, 2023

Dedications for the Prayer List due by 5 PM (Pacific) Monday, October 23 (Offerings welcome anytime).

At Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery in South India they are holding their annual Vajrakilaya Drupchoe Puja, October 20-24, 2023. Vajrakilaya (Dorje Phurba) is one of the most effective yidam practices, which are the root of spiritual accomplishment. It is known in the Tibetan Buddhist world as the most powerful means of destroying the forces counteracting compassion and of purifying obscurations and negativity. The phurba, or wisdom dagger, is a symbol of our unchangeable true nature of mind. “Vajrakilaya is the best practice to clear away any kind of obstacles.”

All the monastery’s lamas, monks, nuns and associated lay people in the community will do elaborate offering prayers and chant the Vajrakilaya mantra for five full days. There will be no official count of the mantras, but everyone is encouraged to participate by chanting the mantra at home.

OM BENZA KILI KILIYA SARWA BIGHANEN BAM HUNG PHAT

The total cost of the Drubchoe is approximately $22,000. People who wish to dedicate prayers for their loved ones living or dead and would like to sponsor or donate towards meals, butter lamp, Tsog, tea, altar, offerings for monks and nuns, management expenses, may send in their contributions through Amitabha Foundation in their own country or directly to the monastery’s account (see the information below). For a US-tax-deductible donation, you may also send a check in USD to Amitabha Foundation USA, P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001, or use the PayPal button below. [If sending a check, please email your dedication.] Dedications must be received by October 23 at 5 pm Pacific Time to be sent to the monastery in time. Offerings may be made at any time.

Vajrakilaya

Photos will be posted on H.E. Ayang Rinpoche’s Facebook page.

Filed Under: AF News, Announcements, Monastery Pujas

Achi Chökyi Drölma Offering Prayers

September 21, 2023 by Becky


Achi Shrine 2023	Achi Chökyi Drölma

The annual Achi Chokyi Drolma Offering Prayers are being held September 21-28 at Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery in Bylakuppe. Achi is the main Dharma Protector in the Drikung Kagyu lineage.

Rinpoche invites all sangha members to join by reciting Achi Choekyi Dolma mantras during this time:

OM SARVA BUDDHA DAKINI HRI MAMA TSAK TRA SOHA

You are also welcome to make offerings in your own name, for your business, or for a loved one, including pets, whether they are living or deceased. Send donations to the Drikung Charitable Society account. For a tax deductible donation in the U.S., please send your check to the Amitabha Foundation, P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001, or donate online below. Dedications submitted by September 26th at 5 pm Pacific time will be posted in the temple for the conclusion of the Offering Pujas.

Brief Biography of Achi Chökyi Drölma

Chöje Ayang Rinpoche, Sydney, Australia in 2004

Achi Chokyi Drolma is an emanation of Vajra Yogini and Tara. She was born in the central area of Tibet. Beginning at a young age she was very special. She had great compassion and always practiced Tara, and she taught the Tara prayer for everyone in the village. When she grew older she prophesied that in the future there would be a new Buddhadharma lineage, and that she would be that lineage’s Dharma protector, whereupon she wrote protector offering prayers. Several generations later, her great grandson Jigten Sumgon started the Drikung lineage and she did become the main lineage Dharma protector.

She moved to Eastern Tibet, married and had 4 sons. Her most holy practice place is in East Tibet. At her death she attained the Great Rainbow Body. Her entire body become rainbows and light, leaving only her hair and nails. Like this, with no need to change this physical body, she went to the Pure Land.

On the relative level, Achi was like the Dharma protector. But on the ultimate level, Achi had already attained the tenth Bhumi of a Bodhisattva. In this way, Achi was already enlightened. Achi’s activity in Tibet is very famous. All the Tibetan people, especially the older generation people, know very well about her great activity, how it is so helpful because it is very fast. In Tibet, some great masters say that Achi is exactly the same as the Buddha, and if we pray to Achi, then by our Achi practice we will achieve enlightenment, or we will attain the Pure Land at our death moment.

Filed Under: AF News, Announcements, Monastery Pujas Tagged With: Achi, Dharma Protector, Donation, Offering, Prayer, puja