Here are your resources to use to create mountains of merit and purify negativities!
Celebrate Buddhist holy days by taking precepts, offer a puja on the go if you cant make it at the programmed time or enjoy a weekend retreat with guided meditations and beautiful screenshares.
Virtual Pilgrimage
(One-day retreat or visit a place a day)
Following in the Buddha’s footsteps, visit the eight places of Buddhist pilgrimage. Photos from past to present, satellite map of the area, in-depth notes about the discovery of the place, the events of the Buddha’s life, and recent developments, a short sutra to read at each place, and motivation and dedication prayers.
START HERE and then follow the prompts to travel to the next pilgrimage place.
Practices to Protect from Coronavirus
(Recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche)
Specific practices and mantras to protect from disease and epidemics, with extensive dedications. There is a screenshare of the thangkas personally owned by Rinpoche of these deities to help with the visualisations. In addition, there is the incredibly moving supplication prayer spontaneously composed by Khandro-la, serving as motivation and a cry from the heart.
Practices to Avert Disease
(From advice from HH the Dalai Lama)
The video has a screenshare to help with the mantras and visualisations, and prayers chanted in Tibetan and recited in English. These practices include praises and mantras of Shakyamuni Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, Green Tara, Parnashavari and others. Although abbreviated practices, they address the deep karmic causes of illness and contagious disease.
Medicine Buddha Puja
This is one of the puja that Lama Zopa Rinpoche requested we do together often, as a group, to help keep Langri Tangpa Centre flourishing. We usually do this puja on full moon, Medicine Buddha day, Tibetan 15th, but it is good to do on any day, especially for those who have passed away within the last 49 days.
- Exquisite images can be downloaded for free from Digital Thangka
- Download the puja text by donation from the FPMT
- BYO medicines to place on the altar!
Protector Prayers at Home
The protectors are wrathful emanations of the Buddha, that terrify our distorted attitudes and free us from the bondage of ego. They strengthen our connection to the Dharma and dispel interferences, distractions and obstacles. They are a skilful way to pacify the inner demons of doubt and confusion. Done on Tibetan 29th, Protector Day, and most suited for those with a a background in tantric practice.
- Text is in the FPMT Retreat Prayer Book and can be downloaded by donation from the Foundation Store
Guru Puja (in English)
To complete the path to enlightenment we need to maintain a strong and pure relationship with the guru. We do this by relating to the different aspects of the guru, and to ultimately bring forth the inner guru, the purity of our own mind. This puja contains the whole path to enlightenment, and creates a powerful potential for spiritual growth. Practice along with this shorter version, done entirely in English, so you can become familiar with the visualisations, the deep symbolism of the prayers, and the structure of the ceremony. Guru Puja with Tsog is traditionally offered on the Tibetan 10th and 25th, and is of special significance to those with an HYT initiation.
- Text is in the FPMT Retreat Prayer Book and can be downloaded by donation from the Foundation Store
Cittamani Tara Puja
If you are doing this puja from home (rather than joining us in the gompa) it is most suited for those with a Cittamani Tara Initiation (or at least an HYT initiation). It includes the 21 Tara Praises, as well as four long mandala prayers. Everyone is encouraged to use a mandala set for this part! Practitioners with the initiation will also need bell and dorje, damaru, inner offering. You will need an image of the 21 Taras , and it would also be nice to set out some offerings on your own altar or in your home. As Rinpoche recommended, we try to do this puja on Tara days (Tibetan 8th), but if the schedule does not allow it, you can still do it at home from here.
- Image of 21 Taras (from a mural at Vajrayana Institute in Sydney)
- Download the text from the FPMT (initiates only)
White Tara Retreat for Long Life
Long-life practices to overcome any life-obstacles for our precious gurus HH the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and ourselves as well! The special purpose of the retreat is to purify our own black karmic vision that causes us to see our gurus as aging or sick – especially HH the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. It is also for the quick recovery of all those suffering from COVID around the world.
White Tara meditation and mantras help to remove life obstacles, to energise spiritual practice, and to create the causes to always be looked after on the spiritual path. The practice is easy to follow, creates inner peace and calm, and effortlessly pacifies spiritual obstacles. Each session includes White Tara mantras, Amitayus long-life practice, and special dedications.
Four sessions with a new motivation each day, and a special image to end. Each session also includes a torma offering to hasten realisations.
- Beginning motivation Calling the Guru From Afar
- FPMT White Tara Practice
- Extended White Tara Sadhana, we use the Torma Offering on page 15
- White Tara Praises
Eight Mahayana Precepts
Make your life highly meaningful on the auspicious Buddhist days! So easily and with small hardships one is able to collect great merit. Lama Zopa Rinpoche bestows the precepts in person, in an unbroken lineage from the Buddha. Miffi leads the prayers from the LTC gompa.
The vows are to refrain for 24 hours from: killing, lying, stealing, sexual activity, alcohol and other intoxicants, perfumes, jewellery, singing or dancing, and sitting on high seats with pride. In addition we take just one meal, at lunch time.
- Text can be found on page 24 of the FPMT Gold Prayer Book
- Or a similar version on the LYWA site lamayeshe.com
Vajrasattva Express
“We create negativity with our mind, so we can purify it by creating positivity with our mind.” — LAMA YESHE
Every hardship, pain, and suffering we encounter is due to our karma and delusions. Purify your mind of these obstacles and create a path for happiness by harnessing the four opponent powers and Vajrasattva.