24-3-2011 Spiritual Realm - Q&A Tainted Food残食

Just begin to practice TB. After reading your Blog dated 22rd March 2011, ‘Spiritual Realm 3 – Tainted Food’, there are some questions that would need your advice :

1. You mentioned, ‘raising your spirit brings lots of sufferings’, can you explain more on this?
A: I will write about the life of Ms Y & others that I have come across, please be patient.


2. I have always wanted to know/learn how to chant/offer/purify my food. Very happy to see this article. Just to confirm whether the steps are correct :

a) Chant Om Ah Hum once (don’t need to add the words ‘So Ha’?) , then offer to GM and Divinities first. What must I visualize when I do this?

A:Om Ah Hum - visualize universal light beams down on all foods - purifying them.
Then chant Mansjuri Boddhisattva's deliverance mantra "OM AH BEI LA HUM KAN CHA LA SOHA"X7.
Visualise animals like chicken, cow, pig, bacteria, insects, etc sitting on lotuses which transform into golden dots & eventually forming a golden river of lights, moving upwards to pureland.


b)Then visualize the transformation of offerings in form of rain-like white light showering upon all beings of the 6-realms.

A: Then you visualise that all the good food especially those that you like to eat filling the whole universe, you respectfully offer to GM, lineage gurus, all divinities. Visualise acceptance with bright golden yellow light or GM smiling at you, happily receiving your offerings.

Then the showering of white light upon all beings of the 6realms. visualise the light becomes brighter & brighter & you can even imagine you hear happy laughter as they also happily accept the offerings from you.

Are the above steps already inclusive of purifying, invitation and offering? Can I do this on every meal I take? YES.

I also heard about chants like ‘Om Ah Pei La Wa, Kan Cha La So Ha’ x 7 and ‘Om Ah Pei Ba La So Ha’ x 1. Do they serve the same purpose?

Tips:-
Offer food you like to eat to show your true hearted & sincere intention to please
Deliver all beings even if you only having chicken for that meal. Helping others get delivered is Boddhicitta. Don't cost you a thing. Haha!

GM's long mantra has the deliverance effect too, or you can teach those that did not take refuge to chant amituofo X7 also can.
The aim is to have a care for those beings that gave their lives to nourish your body to keep it fit & healthy for cultivation.
Do all these at ease for Buddha teaches us to be happy and leave sufferings behind. Don't force yourself to master the technique too fast.
I have also taken refuge for about 2years+, so I understand when we suddenly asked to visualise.

Visualization is something quite easy when you get the hang of it, relax and take it easy.
You will get it all done smoothly if you are true hearted.

Remember must have a compassionate heart for all beings, visible or invisible.

Hope I have helped you some. Write and yell for help if need be.

Amituofo
Lotuschef
TBS
Pure Karma Vihara