“Beauty never ends”
NgalSo Gangchen Labrang - Tibetan Calligraphy Üchen style
by Bebel Franco
I met Lama Gangchen Rinpoche in Sao Paulo in March 1993 when he came to Brazil, my country of origin, to transmit the NgalSo Tantric Self-Healing there for the first time. Since then I have felt a great sense of familiarity with him and subsequently I became his disciple until, in 2000, I moved to Italy to be close to him, that is to follow him in his extraordinary mission to help and heal me and others and to spread the Buddha's message on inner peace. I began to apply myself in Tibetan calligraphy simply because I wanted to learn to read Tibetan. At first it seemed like an impossible undertaking, but in 2013 Lama Caroline prepared a handout to learn how to read Tibetan and Rinpoche gave the oral transmission to everyone (youtube April 5, 2014), followed by the course: 'Learning Classical Tibetan' with Lama Michel Rinpoche and Lama Caroline and I participated in it. Then I attended, online, a Tibetan calligraphy course held in Sao Paulo in Brazil. And here I 'tasted' the magic of calligraphy. I started practicing alone but always looking for a teacher. Lama Gangchen told me that I had to be self-taught and that he himself would guide me. "You need self-learning!" he said. After months of practicing with the alphabet, in 2016, Lama Gangchen asked me to compose my first handwriting with an auspicious phrase dedicated to His Holiness Choktrul Trijang Rinpoche who was about to come to Albagnano.
Then, under the guidance of my life and calligraphy teacher, Lama Gangchen Rinpoche, I prepared my first mantra: OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA. In 2017 I had the privilege of decorating, with the calligraphy of the mantra, the statues of the Supreme Healers and the Great Mothers of the Elements present in the Temple of Heaven on Earth in Albagnano. I experience calligraphy as a devotional practice. I particularly like to make mantra garlands whose syllables revolve around a center, as they are visualized during tantric recitations. In recent years I have applied myself a lot in this type of works and still make them, even at the request of a specific mantra.
Tibetan spelling has its origins in the mid-7th century, when King Sogzen Gonpo sent his minister Thönmi Sambhota to India to learn Sanskrit and then be able to translate the Dharma texts into Tibetan. And so the written Tibetan began. Lama Gangchen said that this language became sacred precisely because it was born for sacred texts and then practiced for centuries in spiritual practice. He also said that in the same way Western languages, if used repeatedly for the recitation of sacred texts, acquire power and sacredness. The first Tibetan spelling was Üchen, capital letters. Its graphic characteristic lies in the fact that it 'descends' from an upper horizontal line, while the spellings of Western languages are usually 'resting' on a lower line. The Üme, on the other hand, is the Tibetan spelling in italics. While the Lamza is decorative writing. There are also many other styles born over the centuries. I see my work as one of Rinpoche's many art projects, he guides me. Tibetan calligraphy is also a self-healing practice for me. I hope that my handwriting can touch the heart of those who look at them and that they can appear in the heart of those who meditate on them.
"Beauty never ends" … Lama Ganchen Rinpoche told me when I was writing in the Temple of Heaven on Earth. I hope that the beauty of his teachings will never end and continue to guide us from life to life!
Bebel Franco
]]>
I first met Lama Gangchen in 1984 in Pomaia (Pisa, Italy) during his first visit to the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute. I belonged to the centre community since one year and had taken refuge owing to the great kindness of the resident lama, Venerable Geshe Jampa Gyatso. I helped in the kitchen in exchange for hospitality while I learned to meditate and practise Buddha’s teachings. One morning Pempa the monk, one of my new Tibetan friends, who knew my passion for painting, told me about the forthcoming visit of a most famous healer from the east: Lama Gangchen Rinpoche. Pempa suggested I try to paint a small Chenrezig, the “Buddha of Compassion” and gift it to him; he told me I should not miss this opportunity to know this Lama and receive his teachings. I was curious to meet Lama Gangchen and was fascinated by Tibetan art, so no sooner said than done, I began.
The day of Lama Gangchen’s arrival I was too moved to approach him, but the next morning I plucked up courage and presented him with my “gift”. He was in the office of the institute, very busy with a small group of Tibetan monks resolving a residence permit problem. I unrolled my small canvas and when he looked at me I asked him if he would accept my gift. Rinpoche smiled at me and both accepted my painting and at once commissioned me to paint another. He asked me to paint a blue Buddha for him, the Medicine Buddha. As he was talking to me in some odd English, he pointed to a tapestry on the office wall, it was a snow lion; he told me that size would be fine and that he would expect me in Gubbio (where he was the guest of one of his western disciples), for me to deliver the finished painting. It was almost lunch time and I rushed back to the kitchen filled with immense joy! In the afternoon I went to the library to get information about the blue Buddha “Sangye MenLa” in Tibetan. During his stay in Pomaia, Lama Gangchen gave the Open Eye Chenrezig, Lama Tsongkhapa and Vajrasattva initiations. I went back to him several times and understood that he would be my teacher. A few months later I travelled to Gubbio with the blue Buddha. Rinpoche displayed satisfaction when he saw the painting and asked me at once to make another much bigger. He wanted a giant sized blue Buddha! He explained to me how the landscape should be, about the offerings and the auspicious signs. I went back to Pomaia and started work on it immediately. When I returned to him with the giant Buddha, Rinpoche asked me to paint Buddha Shakyamuni (the historical Buddha) under the Bodhi tree; he told me the offerings had to seem transparent and explained that the nectar in the Buddha’s bowl had to be white and soft, slightly pink. So, I continued to paint and Rinpoche continued to commission me with tankhas of different deities.
After a few years he accepted my request to live with him (he had moved to Milan in the meantime), and during that time had asked me to paint the standing Buddha, under the tree of enlightenment, in the motion of blessing the world. As usual, he taught the details pertaining to the tankha and named it “World Peace Buddha”. I began to follow him in his frequent journeys and pilgrimages, taking with me canvasses and colours, making the most of every opportunity to deepen my knowledge of the sacred Tibetan art of painting. I often stayed to paint in monasteries in Tibet, Nepal, India and Mongolia, places where I could learn from other lamas and masters in art, as well as from the monks themselves who are remarkable artists, capable of realising beautiful works of art which they usually work on in a group during the preparations of traditional tantric rituals.
More journeys and painting in Europe, Russia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil… together with Rinpoche’s friends and disciples.
In 1993, Lama Gangchen began to teach NgalSo Tantric Self Healing. As I was working on the drawings for the NgalSo Tantric Self-Healing II book (published by Lama Gangchen Peace Publications), I began to think about teaching people how to paint the Buddha by using this method, which for us westerners makes the approach to Tibetan painting and tantra somewhat easier.
I have worked closely in all these years with Lama Gangchen following his direct instructions to realise his particular vision of the deities and their mandalas and according to Western Buddhism.
Since June 2000 I live on Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy, and collaborate in the development of the Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre.
Leonardo Duccio Ceglie
Medicine Buddha with the 4 dakinis and medicinal plants
Kurukulle, the lotus dakini from the personal collection of Lama Gangchen
The Five Great Mothers of the Elements according to the Making Peace with the Environment Practice of Lama Gangchen Rinpoche
]]>Gangchen Drupkhang was built in 2006, under the guidance of Lama Gangchen Rinpoche, with the aim of creating a permanent base for the preservation of traditional Himalayan handicrafts and culture: hand-carved wooden furniture and objects, traditional paintings and works of art, healing incenses and herbal remedies of the ancient Tibetan tradition, a centuries-old heritage of the Himalayan medical culture.
In Nepal, handicrafts are considered one of the sectors with the greatest potential both in terms of business opportunities and in terms of development and employment: in fact, it has a growing market, it makes about 6% of the national GDP and represents about 60% of the production of manufactured goods in the country. In recent years Gangchen Drupkhang has created real opportunities for training, employment and social inclusion for hundreds of people – among the poorest in the outskirts of Kathmandu – with particular attention to mothers in difficulty, young people, unemployed with families to support and disabled. It has offered them a renewed sense of dignity, whilst using and supporting the precious Himalayan artistic, spiritual, cultural and medical knowledge at the same time.
]]>
Ho iniziato a praticare e prendere rifugio nel Buddha, Dharma e Sangha nel 1977 quando, ancora prima di conoscere i ‘nostri’ lama, mi ero trasferito all’Istituto Lama Tsongkhapa di Pomaia, fondato da Lama Yeshe e Lama Zopa Rinpoche. In questo
centro, come in tutti quelli appartenenti alla scuola Gelupga, viene praticata la Guru Puja: un testo compilato da uno dei Panchen Lama, Panchen Lobsang Chökyi Gyältsen, il quale aveva creato una pratica così completa ed eccellente che è diventata poi lo standard per gran parte dei monasteri, anche quelli non legati alla sua figura come Sera, Ganden e Drepung. Quì la Guru Puja è sempre stata al centro di tutti i contesti. Essendo residente in un centro di Dharma della scuola Gelupga ho imparato molto presto a guidare la Guru Puja, inclusa l’offerta dello tsog. Mentre in istituti della stessa tradizione viene normalmente svolta soltanto il 10 e il 25 di ogni mese lunare (tranne occasioni o anniversari particolari), nella mia esperienza il centro di Albagnano è l’unico a ripetere la Guru Puja ogni giorno dal 2001.
Trattandosi comunque di una pratica standard, quando ad esempio alle 5 del mattino in Tibet i monaci si recano in Gompa per dedicare una puja ad uno sponsor, iniziano con una Guru Puja rapida di 10 minuti senza offerta dello tsog. Lo stesso avviene al Drupkhang di Kathmandu, dove i monaci la inseriscono all’interno di altre puje.
Al mio arrivo ad Albagnano nell’anno del coniglio (1999), ho introdotto nel nostro centro le melodie che avevo imparato a Pomaia, provenienti a loro volta dal monastero di Sera Jey in India. Ho intrattenuto piccoli corsi per insegnare agli altri membri del Sangha, i quali hanno poi contribuito con l’aggiunta dell’uso di dorje e campana. Lama Gangchen sosteneva che queste melodie provenissero in origine dalle Dakini e da altri esseri sacri. Purché standard, i tunes e la velocità della Guru Puja sono state adattate in seguito agli occidentali per essere più comprensibili.
Dal 1999, ho cercato di guidare la Guru Puja una volta alla settimana. Durante un viaggio in Tibet, ricordo di averla guidata in presenza di Lama Gangchen e Geshe Yeshe Wangchuk al tempio centrale di Lhasa. Un’evento raro e di buon auspicio!
Ho una forte connessione con la Guru Puja, alla quale mi appoggio spesso per reperire citazioni per la mia pagina Instagram. In particolare, il Lam Rim – l’esposizione del sentiero graduale verso l’illuminazione - racchiude concetti straordinariamente concisi e significativi.
Mentre le citazioni antiche di Sutra incontrano problematiche di traduzione che hanno dato adito a diverse interpretazioni, nella Guru Puja Panchen Lobsang Chökyi Gyältsen ha saputo esprimere con interezza e ricchezza esplicativa i vari insegnamenti. Questi includono il Lam Rim composto da Lama Tzongkhapa e originatosi dagli insegnamenti del grande Pandit indiano Atiśa in Tibet. In particolare, la completezza della Guru Puja è dovuta al fatto che il lignaggio ricevuto dai tibetani si avvalesse dell’integrità e precisione con le quali l’insegnamento del Buddha veniva studiato e praticato nelle istituzioni monastiche indiane di Vikramashila e Nalanda. È giunta poi in Tibet attraverso Atiśa con l’intento di unificare la dicotomia – la divisione - tra chi praticava il Tantra e chi seguiva il Sutra, mergendoli in un unico percorso a cui sono riconducibili i cammini spirituali di Theravada, Mahayana e Tantra. I principi fondamentali di questi tre sentieri sono inclusi nella Guru Puja dove, ad esempio, il Theravada si congiunge con il percorso dei Bodhisattva e arriva in un contesto di Tantra.
La Guru Puja si basa su testi originali con radici autentiche, come il Bodhipathapradīpam (La lampada sulla via dell’illuminazione), scritto da Atiśa per i tibetani come modo succinto di presentare il Dharma e tradotto dal bodhisattva Drontompa, una manifestazione di Avalokiteshvara.
Sulla base di questi insegnamenti si è creata la tradizione Kadampa, dalla quale è nata la scuola Gelupga che fu formalizzata da uno dei principali discepoli di Lama Tsongkhapa, Khedrubje, considerato una manifestazione di Vajrapani. Lama Tsongkhapa prese insegnamenti da vari maestri, inclusi Kagyu e Sakya, creando una tradizione che selezionava gli aspetti più integrabili del Sutra e del Tantra.
Non è solo un rituale ma fornisce punti importantissimi per la realizzazione del cammino spirituale. Ricordo, infatti, che Lama Michel aveva descritto la Guru Puja come una preparazione al Lam Rim, i vari aspetti della realizzazione del sentiero, essenzialmente tre: la rinuncia, la Bodhicitta relativa e la Bodhicitta assoluta.
La Guru Puja è un testo fondamentale che include tutti i passi essenziali per la realizzazione del cammino spirituale. Come altre pratiche della nostra scuola, inizia dal rifugio in Buddha, Dharma e Sangha – si tratta quindi di una pratica buddhista per noi esclusiva.
Con particolare riferimento alla parte finale, il Lam Rim, la Guru Puja dà un senso alla mia pratica spirituale. L’essenza del cammino spirituale è la devozione al
Guru e il riconoscerlo come inseparabile da tutti i Buddha. Sulla base di questo punto comune a tutti i testi del Lam Rim si possono ottenere le realizzazioni. Diversamente da rituali specifici dedicati a certi tipi di contesti, l’ambito della Guru Puja è così ampio e vasto che ti dà la possibilità attraverso la realizzazione dell’inseparabilità dal Guru di conseguire realizzazioni. Il fulcro del cammino spirituale è la corretta connessione con il Maestro Spirituale. Essendo il Dharma basato su una trasmissione orale, non so quanto possa servire se slegato dalla connessione con il Maestro ed uno specifico lignaggio..
La pratica della Guru Puja, così come l’Autoguarigione Tantrica NgalSo, sono dei manuali riassuntivi. L’Autoguarigione Tantrica NgalSo è stata definita da Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche ‘il Lam Rim del Tantra’ e si fonda sulla relazione con i cinque capostipiti delle famiglie di Buddha. Lama Gangchen diceva che tutti i Buddha, anche i mille Buddha, le divinità e le loro manifestazioni fanno capo a Vairochana, Amitabha, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava o Amoghasiddhi. Comprendere tutte le implicazioni dell’Autoguarigione Tantrica NgalSo, che si presenta in forma molto condensata, è ancora più difficile rispetto alla Guru Puja, che è in versione più estesa.
Entrambe sono chiavi di lettura per la comprensione del sentiero in modo ampio.
Questo punto è particolarmente importante in relazione alla difficoltà data dal fatto che il Buddhismo è talmente esteso e frastagliato attraverso numerose tradizioni, che molti praticanti ne hanno una conoscenza limitata che viene spesso assolutizzata.
In questo senso, seguiamo una tradizione che comprende tutti gli insegnamenti. A loro – e nostro – vantaggio, i tibetani hanno ricevuto il Dharma in un momento in cui era stato sistematizzato nelle università monastiche indiane. Quando il Buddha lasciò il corpo non aveva scritto alcun testo. Inoltre, i suoi insegnamenti orali non erano validi per tutti: poteva trasmettere un messaggio differente, a volte opposto, a seconda del ricevente e di ciò che necessitava. Dopo il passaggio del Buddha a Paranirvana, i monaci che lo avevano accompagnato nella predicazione furono invitati a trascrivere i suoi insegnamenti. Tra questi c’erano gli Arhat, i quali godevano di un’ottima capacità mnemonica, ed il suo assistente Ananda, l’unico presente durante tutti gli anni di predicazione. Ma Ananda non era un Arhat e fu quindi spinto a conseguire tale realizzazione in modo da poter riportare tutte le parole pronunciate dal Buddha. Questo aneddoto è stato spiegato anche da Lama Michel in uno dei suoi insegnamenti.
Si manifestarono in seguito esseri altamente realizzati come gli otto Pandit dell’India, inclusi Asanga e Nagarjuna, per uniformare gli insegnamenti. Una volta terminato il lavoro di questi grandi saggi, nacquero le università monastiche quali Nalanda e Vikramashila dove tutto l’insegnamento veniva trasmesso in forma sistematizzata.
Essendo il Tibet considerato dagli indiani una zona geografica infestata da spiriti ed energie demoniache, inizialmente si propagarono aspetti esoterici e rituali tantrici volti a contrastare queste energie che ostacolavano la diffusione del Dharma in una forma pura. Si narra, ad esempio, che il grande maestro tantrico Padmasambhava fu invitato dal re Trisong Detseng per soggiogare tutti gli spiriti. Questo permise la formazione del primo nucleo di Sangha monastico che risiedeva nel monastero di Samye. Col tempo, la conoscenza del Dharma da parte dei tibetani divenne sempre più completa e la traduzione dei testi sanscriti nella lingua tibetana è tuttora considerata una delle più precise ed attendibili.
]]>What does a mandala represent in Tantric Buddhism, how can we decode its messages and benefit from them?
]]>
‘Take a walk in the inner space of your heart and mind’
When visualising a mandala, we can imagine approaching an holographic, three dimensional palace, where all colors and images carry profound meanings.
The outer wisdom fire wheel purifies IGNORANCE, the opposite of a correct view of reality. Continuing inwards, the vajra fence is the indestructible compassion-like barrier against anger and HATRED.
In between this and the last one is a circle with the eight great charnel grounds, a clear reminder to the impermanent nature of samsara.
Last is the lotus ring with 64 petals signifying renunciation and contentment, the ability to recognise the real value of things that frees us from ATTACHMENT.
These barriers are meant to protect us from our own mental delusions, beside external disturbances. In fact, symbology and numbers refer to the chakras polluted by the three main poisons, that we have the opportunity to overcome by cultivating the three main qualities.
Between the fenced perimeter and the palace’s walls are scenes regarding the outer environment and the spiritual path. Symbols promote the benefits of the Dharma in our life. We encounter clouds, victory banners celebrating our triumph on negative emotions, a wish fulfilling tree - an important element in Tibetan mythology representing the Dharma as the way to peace and happiness.
The abode lays on a double dorje: the edges can be seen extending in the four directions, holding the four entrance gates - a reminder to the four Noble Truths.
We may also find two deers facing a Dharma wheel, another fundamental icon in Tibetan Buddhism representing the female and male energy, the union of method and wisdom, and the Buddha's teachings.
Each architectural element of the palace has a specific reference to Tantric teachings and practice. The inner wall, for example, is outlined by 5 colored stripes, the five powers - or strengths - at the base of our spiritual path: faith, perseverance, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom.
The center of the mandala is generally adorned with petals, recalling the 8 petaled lotus flower at our heart chakra, where the deity sits in union with us.
‘With your heart full of love you can heal the world’
In Tibetan Buddhism mandalas are re-created in several ways: from sand mandalas, to stupa mandalas and 3D models.
Probably the most well-known walk-through mandala is the monumental stupa of Borobudur, in Indonesia, the world’s largest Buddhist temple.
Renovated by UNESCO in the ‘70, it is a pilgrimage destination representing the universe and the mind according to the Buddhist view and a large-scale Tantric mandala. Lama Gangchen Rinpoche’s NgalSo Tantric Self-Healing is a practice inspired by the stupa of Borobudur.
Mandala offering
We have seen that the word mandala means in Sanskrit taking something out of the essence.
In Vajrayana Buddhism, the practice of mandala offering consists in a ritual where the universe and all its wealth are offered to the Guru and to the Three Jewels as an homage and an act of veneration.
The mandala offering is part of the preliminary practices and is itself a form of purification that also generates an incredible amount of merits, hence positive energy.
It is performed reciting Sanskrit mantras, either accompanied by hand mudras holding a mala or using the mandala set. This kit includes a flat bowl, 3 concentric rings and a diadem that are progressively filled upwards with grains of rice in pyramidal shape.
Here, again, the mandala is a symbolic representation of the purified world and its most valuable things. The visualisation follows Tibetan culture, with Mount Meru as the centre of the cosmos, surrounded by water, the continents, the Sun and the Moon.
" This ground anoited with perfume, strewn with flowers, adorned with Mount Mero, the four continents, the sun and moon, I visualise and offer as a pure land of the buddhas. May all sentient beings thus enjoy this pure land" (Guru Puja, - Mandala Offering)
All quotes are from H.H. T.Y.S. Lama Gangchen’s ‘Crazy Wisdom Oracle’
Most important is the spiritual value attributed to the altar and its ability to renew our aspiration to achieve inner peace and be freed from mental delusions, in order to heal ourselves, the environment and other sentient beings.
Setting up an altar is a practice itself and an intimate moment to commit to spiritual development.
]]>Start from the basics: altar layout guidelines
‘Transform your small self-cherishing heart and small self-grasping mind into the great heart and mind of the awakened warrior’
A Buddhist altar is a sacred place and, as such, deserves a respectful and clean dedicated space or, ideally, a separate room. It is your go-to meditation corner depicting the qualities of the Buddha that you wish to attain and, therefore, you may want to collocate it at the height of your eyes, either standing or sitting on your meditation cushion.
The altar represents the Buddha’s body, speech and mind, also referred to as the Three Jewels of Refuge: our ways to create merit.
At the heart is the image of the Awakened One, our Guru and/or Yidam representing His holy body. Adorned with offerings, this can be a basic setup for first-timers.
Tibetan buddhist statues are made of bronze and in fine details, according to an ancient tradition. They are, or can be, filled with mantra rolls and holy substances. Once you have chosen your statue, it can be blessed by your Guru, Teacher or during special ceremonies such as Rabne Chenmo.
Around the central figure can be added images of Tantra deities, Dharma protectors and spiritual teachers that are relevant to your practice and can support your visualisations.
On the left part of the shrine is generally placed a Dharma scripture, like the Prajnaparamita sutra, to remind us of Buddha’s speech.
On the right, either a dorje and bell or a stupa symbolise Buddha’s mind.
Although all prominent icons of your shrine, from left to right the Buddha’s speech holds the highest position, then - in order - the Buddha’s body and mind. Lower are the offerings.
If you do not possess any of the items listed above, an image of the Buddha and some offerings are also fine. Most important is the spiritual value attributed to the altar and its ability to renew our aspiration to achieve inner peace and be freed from mental delusions, in order to heal ourselves, the environment and other sentient beings.
OM AH HUM: an ocean-vast space of offerings
‘Visualise the syllable AH, it is the primordial symbol of space’
Traditionally, Tibetan Buddhist altars are adorned with offering bowls, incense, flowers, candles and butter lamps to please the five senses. In particular, light dispels ignorance with the brightening rays of wisdom. Key to making offerings is a pure motivation: cultivate generosity towards all by giving with joy and unattachment, gradually reducing our selfishness and its resulting negative karma.
Water is an abundant and inexpensive substance to most of us and generally not subject to attachment. Largely present on Tibetan Buddhism altars, 7 small water offering bowls symbolise the seven limbs of prayer:
homage and prostrating
offering to the Buddhas
confession of non-virtuous actions
rejoicing in the good qualities of oneself and others
requesting the Buddhas to remain in this world
beseeching them to teach others
dedicating the merits
They also correspond to the Seven Shrine Offerings: drinking water, cleaning water, flowers, incense, light, perfume, food. Normally these are eight offerings, including an extra bowl for music.
You may as well offer part of your meal, some tea, flowers and other delicacies, as long as they’re clean, fresh and acquired according to moral standards. Better to choose an incense made of pure healing ingredients, free from chemical or polluting components. Items on the altar should reflect as much as possible our conscious and peaceful actions
A tool to transform your mind
‘Develop bodhicitta, the altruistic compassionate motivation of wanting to benefit all sentient beings through your actions, and you will earn great happiness’.
The altar represents our deepest and pure intent to reach enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, by developing our inner qualities.
Offerings should be made with a sincere motivation to stamp on negative karma, cultivate generosity and lay the causes for growing this - and more - qualities naturally. While reciting the mantra OM AH HUM, we can visualise limitless offerings pervading all space, pleasing and satisfying all sentient beings and deities.
Lastly, do not forget to dedicate merits accumulated through this practice: may all beings have happiness and its causes, be free from suffering and its causes, never be separated from the great happiness that is beyond all misery, dwell in equanimity, unaffected by attraction to dear ones and aversion to others and enjoy inner and world peace now and forever.
‘Recite the mantra OM AH HUM and you will develop the pure crystal energies of body, speech and mind.’
Setting up the altar and renewing offerings is a mindful practice that should be performed according to specific rituals with a profound meaning. An insightful overview is kindly explained in Lama Michel Rinpoche’s teaching ‘The Six Dharmas of Preparations’.
Note:all quotes are from H.H. T.Y.S. Lama Gangchen’s ‘Crazy Wisdom Oracle’