On the 21st of this month which is the special full moon day (Maghapuja) Yontan and I put treasure bags on Khadiravana's soil.
Benefits of treasure bags: to bring abundance, prosperity and auspiciousness; to prevent from calamity and disaster and to enhance longevity. Or in Tibetan we say "sa la tashi" bring auspciousness to the earth, "nam la tashi" bring auspiciousness to the sky, "mi la tashi" bring auspiciousness to human beings" "khyim la tashi" bring auspiciousness to home, and "gyal kham la tashi" bring auspiciousness to the country.
Each treasure bag is filled with grains, holy wood, precious and sacred objects from Tibet.
The picture on top of each bag is Dharmacakra "eight-spoke wheel of Dharma".
The picture underneath is four-petal lotus symbolizing purity.
Each direction of the bag has a symbol: yungdrung symbolizing indestructibility (east), lotus (west), wheel of Dharma (north) and precious stones (south). In addition, there are pictures of four guardian animals: tiger (east), turtle (north), hen (west) and dragon (south).
After we dig the soil, we purify the hole with an incense and put a turtle picture in it. Turtle is for guarding the soil and making it firm. Turtle is an important symbol for Tibetans. A Tibetan nomad tent made of yak's fur is also in this turtle shape. A thangka depicting the wheel of life has turtle as its background.
Then we sprinkle the bag with holy water, put some auspicious rice, fragrant offering and coins in the hole.
Yontan is preparing the hole.
Eight bags were buried in the soil. One of the locations is inside the second Mantra Stupa (near the front lake).
Another location is in front of the first banyan tree.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
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1 comment:
Dear Ajarn,
congratulation for the ground work. It seems that you are happier than ever.
Thanks for knowing you. Everytime I am in trouble with works, people, I always think of you and the way you were at the Faculty.
I always find the way out.
In May, I really hope that I can join the class because I want to do something in Himalayan Linguistics.
Can you remember the old website of Thousand Stars? There were some interviews you gave, which are very inspiring. I think you should post it again some where on the blog.
With respect
Champagne
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