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Thanh Tri – the 3rd Mind Dharma: THE PRACTICE OF UNINTERRUPTED OFFERING – Part 3: WHERE DOES A GURU STAND IN THE PRACTICE OF MAKING OFFERINGS BY DONORS AND DISCIPLES? (ĐẠO SƯ THUỘC ĐỐI TƯỢNG NÀO TRONG SỰ CÚNG DƯỜNG TỪ THÍ CHỦ & ĐỆ TỬ?)
Thanh Tri – the 3rd Mind Dharma: THE PRACTICE OF UNINTERRUPTED OFFERING – Part 3: WHERE DOES A GURU STAND IN THE PRACTICE OF MAKING OFFERINGS BY DONORS AND DISCIPLES?
Through parts 1 and 2, you’ve known that there are thirteen subjects, of which 12 (persons) are worth of making offerings with reverent attitude and one (animal) worth of giving alms only. Although “making offerings” and “giving alms” are alike in action but totally different the real meaning. Why? Because reverent spiritual elders are definitely different from the destitute. From another angle, “giving alms” is merely one of six paramitas that shows compassion to those in misery whilst “making offerings” is a practice or skillful means which is included in the Ten Great Vows and Conducts of the Samantabhadra. “Giving alms” can be seen in many religions but not all paths have the practice of making offerings like Buddhism does, given a lack of subjects deserved offerings (a total of 12 including Buddha, Pratyeka-Buddha, Sravaka, bhikkhu, jhana attainer).
Now I will give you explanation of some terms: “religion” is the community or a group of believers who worship demon, atula or god (devas)”. “Dharma path” is the way of practice that are also found in other religions like Catholicism with “pray and admire”, Caodaism with “accumulation of merits and virtues”, Islam with “five pillars: only praise and worship one creator (Allah), daily prayer, pilgrimage, fasting and alms-giving”. However, their ways of practice are merely limited to spiritual activities rather than a methodical way or path like the practice of making offerings in Buddhism.
The largest difference between Buddhism and other religions is that in Buddhism, only humans with eight freedoms and ten endowments are spiritually suitable and able to practice Dharma. That’s why the subject worth of making offerings is also human who becomes the kalyanamitra (see Article: “Who Is Called Kalyanamitra?”). In parts 1 and 2, you may wonder where the Guru stands among 12 persons reserved holly offerings because there is no word of “Guru” at all. You might think you’ve made a big mistake in making offerings to me (your Guru), haven’t you?
Vajra Master who owns pedagogical approaches to sentient beings based on their capacity
Thanh Tri Master – Thinley Nguyen Thanh
Absolutely not! In Vajrayana, apart from a skillful means of “taking the result as the path”, there exists another extraordinary form of practice which is called “Guru Yoga”, meaning taking the Guru as the central point of all spiritual activities and practices. This is also included in Thanh Tri Yoga of Song Nguyen Tantra House. The standard practice of Ngondro (preliminary practices) is four sets of 100,000 repetitions of practice (four times 100,000), including“visualization of the Guru” or “Guru Yoga”. From these points on, the Guru or the Tantric Master is a kalyanamitra who is worth of making offerings. From seven stories in Part 2, you can realize that all subjects of making offerings were masters or kalyanamitras, don’t you?
Besides, the merits and virtues of a Tantric Master are also recognized in the first two verses in Tantras:
- Bowing down to the lotus feet of my Guru
Padmashuri reverently requested for Dharma in Song Nguyen Tantra House
Who bestows upon me the boundless field of blessings
And is the cause for me to attain enlightenment in this life
How unconceivable merits he holds
That have been told in holy Tantra texts
I shall briefly explain principle aspects
Then listen with due veneration
- All the Buddhas of the three times and ten directions
Pay their homage to the Tantric Masters
From whom they’ve received the highest initiation
Like the door of liberation we are stepping in
****
Tantra Sutradaka – Professor and Doctor of Philosophy in Buddhist studies attended Bien Nho Conference 2019 (Memory of the Sea)
Also in his work, Avagosha asserts:
To Guru, always keep your words of honor
And make abundant offerings with your whole heart
For he is the same as all Buddhas
“Visualizing your Guru in some moments is better than thousands of kalpas of visualizing the Yidam”
Ven. Thich Phat Đao on his trip to learn Dharma in Song Nguyen Tantra House
The Tantric text named “Precious Incarnation” also says: “Visualizing your Guru in some moments is better than thousands of kalpas of visualizing the Yidam”. So now you can have a panoramic view of the role and position of the Tantric Master! It’s not by chance that both practitioners and holy saints believe that the Guru (Master) is the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, or representing the Three Jewels, thus he is undoubtedly one of 12 subjects worth of making offerings. I am not the Buddha, Bodhisattva, holy monks or Jhana attainer but I have completed my role as a Master (Guru) over the past years thanks to your trust and confidence in me. I give you my special six spiritual inventions introduced on October 9, 2016, for these are my treasures to you as an expression of my thankfulness in the sense of the Buddha’s teachings on “three kinds of person hard to be met” and “Four great commitments of gratitude”.
Tantra Sutradaka requested Dharma in Song Nguyen Tantra House
The International Get-together 2018 Dharma Festival
Guru and disciples
At the time when I wrote these lines, frankly speaking, my merits and virtues, as a Thanh Tri Master, are definitely connected with your strong belief, based on which I am able to fulfill the role of Tathagata’s messenger. Together we need highlight the example of being “the third kind of person hard to be met”for a sustainable development of Song Nguyen Tantra House and a wide propagation of Thanh Tri Dharma in the sense of “serving sentient beings is to make offerings to all Buddhas”.
I would end this part with a following verse:
In spring permeates the fragrance of Dharma flowers
In spring permeates the fragrance of Dharma flowers
Through every direction Bodhicitta spreading far and wide
Then Song Nguyen Tantra House sets sail
across the ocean of Dharma to the land of true eternity
across the ocean of Dharma to the land of true eternity
A rainy afternoon on the peak of Phu Van Mountain, March 12, 2019
Thinley- Nguyen Thanh
Translated by Mat Hue Phap
Thanh Tri – the 3rd Mind Dharma – THE PRACTICE OF UNINTERRUPTED OFFERING
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Thank you for writing and sharing this article.
I bring to your kind notice, it is equivocal, some say Buddhism is both a religion and philosophy.! Some say Buddhism is not a religion, but it is a mode of life since Buddha is not a founder of any religion. He, was only a teacher , teaching spiritual, and moral life on the path of Dharma leading to Enlightenment and liberation from Human suffering.
This point is appraised here, b ecause a layman like may feel while explaining the difference of ‘ offerings’ between Buddhism and other religions, hope we are not underestimating other religions , since the meaning of Alms-giving and ‘offerings ” is almost same in intention and meaning in all the religions in all walks of spiritual field ( no bad intention but helping the needy and poor simultaneously learning to ‘ let go’ and freefrom ‘ attachment ‘.
Of course, this all must be on the strong foundation of Guruji’s teachings who is the embodiment of Triple gems, Buddha. Dharma and Sangh who has to be highly respected and loved who will shape our life on Dharma path!
Om Mani Padme Hum.
Dr C H Lakshminarayan
( Nirvadeva )
Kính bạch Thây !
Con hoan hỷ thiện hạnh huynh Mật Huệ Pháp đã chuyển ngữ bài viết: ĐẠO SƯ THUỘC ĐỐI TƯỢNG NÀO TRONG SỰ CÚNG DƯỜNG TỪ THÍ CHỦ & ĐỆ TỬ của vị Thầy sang tiếng Anh giúp các bạn đọc hữu duyên được đọc .
Con cầu nguyện cho huynh Mật Huệ Pháp luôn được hạnh phúc tự tâm, thế sự hanh thông và thành đạt xã hội .
Con cầu nguyện Thầy Cô sức khỏe, trường thọ vì đại nghiệp phổ truyền Yoga Thanh Trí, làm lợi lạc tất cả chúng sanh .
Cầu nguyện tất cả chúng sanh được nương tựa bóng lành Thầy, Phật, Pháp, Tăng .
Om Mani Padme Hum !
By reading this article I understand the importance of making offerings to Guru, and feel good to meet Guru in this life time.
May Guru and his consort live long for sake of other beings and get enlightened.
May all beings be free from suffering and get enlightened.
Om Mani Padme Hum..
Kính bạch Thầy!
Con xin phép được dịch comment của đạo hữu Tantra Upatissa sang tiếng Việt như sau:
“Kính bạch Thầy!
Con cảm tạ ơn Thầy đã viết bài ạ.
Đọc bài viết của Thầy con hiểu được tầm quan trọng của việc cúng dường lên Đạo sư và con thấy mình thật ơn phước khi được hạnh ngộ Thầy trong đời này.
Con cầu nguyện Thầy Cô trụ thế lâu dài vì sự lợi lạc của tất cả chúng sanh.
Cầu nguyện tất cả chúng sanh đoạn trừ phiền não và đạt được giác ngộ.
Om Mani Padme Hum. “
Thank you so much for sharing this with me.
No, no with you, with all learners! You must send to me letter for studying Dharma!
Mô Phật!
Mật thúy rất hoan hỉ với thiện hạnh dịch bài viết của vị Thầy sang tiếng Anh của huynh Mật Huệ Pháp cầu nguyện cho huynh luôn tin tấn thực hành pháp để được tha lực hộ trì. Con cầu nguyện sức khoẻ và sự trường thọ của thầy cô vì lợi lạc của chúng sanh Om ah hum.
Dear guru
Thank you for this article. I bow my head on your lotus feet.
It is my best fortunate to have guru like you.guru is our present budha.samsara world is very strong to hold us so we need blessings from guru to get rid off. Guru always take care of us. The understanding of budhism to whole world is needed today and guru has taken responsibility for the sake of all sensient being. thank you so much to being with us.
May all sensient being attain true nature.
Om Mani padme hum.
My name is Tantra Sagovana.
Thank you for sharing this article.
In this article you explain about making offerings to the Guru and Guru devotion/Guru Yoga.
May all sentient beings be healthy and well and be free from suffering.
May Guru be healthy and live long for the benefit of all beings.
Om Mani Padme Hum.
Tantra Sagovana (Ahmed Khan)
Dear Guru
Thank you for this article. Thank you for letting earlier articles stay on chanhtuduy.com so students like me can catch up on the reading.
Dear Guru
May Guru live long and healthy for the benefit of all sentient beings.
May Guru’s teaching reach in all directions for the benefit of all people who wants to follow Dharma
Kind regards Tantra Mitraga
Om Mani Padme Hum
My is Tantra Ashihata.
I appreciate you for this wonderful arctle you have given to us. May you always help us in the journey of life by practicing dharma so that we all be free from suffering which will lead to liberation.
May Guru live for the benefit all sentient beings and may all sentient be free from suffering
Om mani padme hum