Offerings & paying respect.
Years ago, when Boddhisattva MenLong & WuZhe teaches sentient beings, they always talk about 2branches. What is 2 branches? It is Offerings & Paying Respect (prostration – bowing & kneeling).
In Tantrayana, this 2 branches are just as Important. We see lots of Tantric temples decorated by bits & pieces of cloth sewn together & hung up everywhere within the temple. This is done by those that are extremely poor but they gather small bits of cloth & sew them together nicely to decorate the temple, this is also a form of Offerings.
The Tantric shrine is stipulated to be level & tidy. Level, tidy, neat & clean are the four words to guide us. Shrine must be at leveled grounds, offerings must be clean, to offer to the Triple Gems’ statues meaning dignifying self.
Offering to Deities & spirits, you have to do it. What is the purpose of this? It is to gather Resources like wealth & food supplies, much purpose within. When you make offerings to Deities & Spirits charitably, they will return you in multiples, these then become your Resources. Not only do you become dignified but you also have merits, this in Offering is very important.
Therefore when you do prostration you become dignified & offering to Deities & Spirits you accumulate Resources, this is important & according to the 2 Boddhisattva mentioned, Offerings & Prostration makes up 2 of 7 branches.
Offering & Prostration is considered as very big offering and that is charity.
Another point is when you make the shrine very dignified, you will also sit longer, you also like to come cultivate there too. Thus very happy to sit & cultivate & your heart & the Triple Gems’ communicate with each other & happy to sit longer. Therefore the 2branches represents very big charity offering. When the shrine is not dignified, nothing grows. When offerings are not truly from the heart, nothing grows. Meaning your cultivation will not progress to higher levels.
Today we talk about this 2 branches which are very important, simply explain & you all will know; charity to Deities & Spirits is accumulating Resources, doing prostration is dignifying self, shrine decorated nicely will encourage long stay.
As long as you did all offerings well, that is very big offerings.
Om Mani Pad Me Hum.
Remember to offer to Deities & Spirits when you do Mandala Offerings before meals or during cultivation. You are accumulating merits or resources while doing charity.
I wish to thank the spirit in red clothes that flashed before H & we started to prepare a tray of offerings to all free & homeless spirits every time we do fire puja. We also prepare a Lotus filled with offerings & offers to GM & all Divinities on their behalf as well.
Amituofo
Lotuschef
TBS
Pure Karma Vihara
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