The Transmission of Smoke Offering Practice
(A discourse by His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu, at the Lunar New Year Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Guan-Yin) Ceremony at the Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple in Redmond, Washington on February 16, 2008.)  

With reverence, we pay homage to Reverend Liao-Ming, Guru Sakya Zheng-kong, His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa, Guru Thubten Dargye, and the Triple Jewels at the shrine. Ritual Master, Shi-mu (Master Lian-hsiang), Acharya/Vajra Masters, Reverends, Dharma Instructors, Dharma Lecturers, Dharma Assistants, fellow school members, students from across the internet, and all our honored guests, auspicious greetings to all of you. (Audience applause.)

First let me address what was just discussed by Mr. Sun, a guest speaker. Actually, he did not talk much, but he did send good wishes to everyone. Although we currently reside in the United States, our thoughts extend not just to Seattle, but also to Taiwan, as well as all beings throughout the world. In Taiwan, candidates from the Blue Party and the Green Party are currently campaigning for president. Now Mr. Sun belongs to the Blue Party. In the Seattle Chinese community, as well as in our group of fellow students, advocates for both parties exist. I have a blue colored dragon vest as well as a green colored dragon vest; but for this reason, I am not wearing either color today. Instead, I am wearing a black and white dragon vest. (Audience applause.)

Anyhow, regardless of one's position, one should be concerned about their national birth origin as well as one's current residence. In the future, we should do what we can to repay the communities that have nourished us. (Audience applause.) Putting the politics aside, if one is capable and qualified, we should help that person out. In the eyes of Buddhas, every person is equal. Regardless of which Party a candidate belongs to, our hope is that this person is capable and able to manage the country well. Take Mr. Sun for example, he is the director of a business association and is managing it very well indeed.

We therefore should vote for someone capable who will act in the best interest for the country. The United States is having a presidential election this year. The same principle applies here. We should try our best to fulfill our obligations to serve all beings. This is the first point I want to make.

Secondly, I would like to address what Master Lian-bao discussed earlier. He gave many examples of what he thinks 「love」 is dependent on. Love, actually, should not be dependent on anything. 「Love」 is fundamentally non-existent. He was correct in saying that one needs to transform 「egotistical love」 to an 「expansive love.」 But in reality 「love」 does not even exist in the 「expansive」 state. In that state, you simply do everything with your best effort and in good conscience. That is that! What love is there to talk about？

I fancy the thought of speaking to Master Lian-bao and informing him that I would like to switch places with him. However there are things he indulges in that I would not. The 「small love,」「great love,」 「old love,」 and 「young love」 he speaks of will lead one very far away from the Buddhas. It may just lead one towards creating a baby. We all know that Master Lian-bao is over sixty years old and his new wife is in her twenties. They just had a baby. Wouldn’t you say that this is far from the Buddhas？ Nevertheless, the facial features of their child are very remarkable, and I do hope in the future he would take the renunciation vow. If he were to come before me in the future, I won’t even know how old I would be by then. I would do what I could to perform the tonsure rite for him. That would be very close to the Buddhas then. (Grand Master laughter)

Now, about Shi-mu. Shi-mu earlier wished everyone good fortune in the year of the Rat. The word 「rat」 in Chinese sounds like the word for 「counting.」 Shi-mu was wishing everyone wealth to the point that everyone would double over from fatigue 「counting」 their money. She also wished upon everyone the good fortune of a sound night's sleep and the ability to awaken naturally in the morning.

Yesterday Chen Chuan-fang, a student, jokingly made the following comments: 「People in this world do not practice what they say. They all say that they know money cannot be brought into this world or taken from it. Yet, they still love money till they die. Everyone knows that speculating in stocks is dangerous. Yet, they still take the risk and end up tied up like Shanghai hairy crabs. Men know well that mistresses can be home- wreckers. Yet, they continue committing one affair after the other. We are all hypocrites! And most importantly, everyone claims that the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, Heaven, is the best place to be. Yet, no one wants to go there.」

Since you cannot take money into or out of this world, it would seem sufficient to have enough for this one lifetime. Yet, people love money more than their own lives. They spend all their energy amassing more and more and are never content. It is the same thing with sex. Mr. Sun had wished his gout would improve, but he had also wished he could have more luck with women. (Grand Master laughter) His wife must not be here today. Mr. Sun had referred to Song Xian-zheng, a student, whose past romantic interludes I am also aware of. As the Chinese saying goes, 「Womanizing can lead a hero to his tomb.」 Indeed, such things will lead one far away from the Buddhas.

Today I am transmitting the Smoke Offering Practice. A simple explanation of this practice does not take very long. However, if I go into detail, it may take several hours, and we will not be able to finish today's program on time.

Spiritual practitioners have obstacles just as ordinary people do. Earlier, Mr. Sun had wished that our wishes would come true. This Smoke Offering will help you realize your wishes. Without a proper cleansing, karmic obstacles will manifest and hinder your success. A business deal you are about to sign may suddenly fall through. A marriage may be suddenly called off. You may be a sure bet to become the next president, but for some reason, the opportunity brushes you by. Obstacles exist between you and your goals that come from the human as well as the invisible world. The latter forces are more formidable. We are under the control of invisible forces in the Universe. Your past lives, the relationships and connections that you have forged in this lifetime, your karmic friends, enemies, and creditors -visible or invisible factors exist to bring about your present experiences. Practicing this Smoke Offering will assist in cleansing you of all these visible and invisible obstacles.

To perform this ritual, the first thing you will need is a smoke offering burner (censer). (Grand Master picks up the incense burner.) This is the smoke offering burner for individual practice. For group practice, a bigger burner may be used. You may also use a horizontal censer, depending on what it is you are offering. What I have here today is a smoke offering burner used in Vajrayana practice. The lid can be uncovered for you to place the smoke offering inside. After lighting it, smoke will rise from the opening. As the smoke ascends, chant the mantras slowly, and perform the visualizations and the rest of the ritual steps.

To where does the smoke ascend？ Firstly, if you are making an offering to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, perform this practice between 5 and 9 a.m. If you are making an offering to your karmic enemies and creditors, perform this practice between 5 and 9 p.m. This is the time requirement.

Tantric rules specify requisite items for the smoke offering. The first requisite is sandalwood incense powder. The second item is flour that has been pan-fried without oil – to this you may use some milk powder, brown rice powder, peanut powder, bean powder, or five-grain powder. The third requisite is a mixture of brown and white sugar. The fourth item is red, white, blue, green, and yellow fabric cut into small squares.

The fifth is a fire starter or incense sticks for lighting. The simplest offering can be made of flour, oats, brown rice powder, cream, and milk. You only need a tiny bit of milk and cream. After mixing these together, allow the mixture to dry, then light and burn it. With a burner like the one we have here, you can shape the offering into a round patty. For a horizontal censer, you can shape it into an elongated form.

While working to produce these smoke offerings, we should chant 「Om Ah Hum.」 「Om」 is to transform the offerings into an infinite size filling the Universe; 「Ah」 is to purify the offerings; 「Hum」 is to enhance Dharma Taste. You also should chant 「Lang Yang Kang.」 「 Lang」 is the rising fire; 「Yang」 is the wind blowing away the smoke being generated; 「Kang」 disperses the smoke throughout the Universe. To reiterate, while preparing the offering, chant 「Om Ah Hum」 and 「Lang Yang Kang.」

When you are making the actual offering, form the Garuda Mudra. This symbolizes the smoke soaring and flying throughout the Universe undergoing transformations. If you are making the offering to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, place the censer at the shrine in front of the deities. If you are making the offering to your karmic enemies and creditors or obstructing ghosts and spirits, place the censer at the balcony where there is air ventilation. You want a well ventilated area so the smoke can circulate outside. At home, you will need open windows in your shrine room. You want the smoke to soar and occupy all empty space.

Similarly, as in our regular practice, we will perform the seven ritual steps: the Great Homage, the Mandala Offering, the Fourfold Refuge, the Armor Protection, the Hundred Syllable Mantra, the Four Immeasurable Vows, and so forth. The Four Immeasurable Vows are as follows:

「May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness; this is immeasurable loving- kindness.

May all beings be liberated from suffering and the causes of suffering; this is immeasurable compassion.

May all beings be free of suffering and always stay happy; this is immeasurable joy.

May all beings be free of grasping and aversion and practice equality; this is immeasurable equanimity.」

After finishing the seven steps, visualize yourself transforming into the Personal Deity for this practice. The Personal Deity of the Smoke Offering practice is the Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The mantra of Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is 「Om Mani Padme Hum Seh.」 「Seh」 is the seed syllable.

When you finish the seven preliminary steps, the smoke will already be rising up, and you can then perform both the visualization and the practice. If you are sitting in front of your shrine, do the smoke visualization in front of the Buddhas. If you are at the balcony, practice the visualization facing the balcony.

At the start of the Smoke Offering, visualize the manifestation of the Personal Deity: the appearance of a moon disc in the Empty Space before you, the emergence of the seed syllable 「Seh」 and its transformation into the Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. From your heart chakra, a blue colored 「Hum」 syllable is emitted to transform into a hook that latches onto the Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (from your crown opening) and lowers her to your heart chakra. You then transform into Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. At this moment, you are Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

To recapitulate: When you are done with the seven preliminaries, visualize the moon disc, the seed syllable 「Seh」 and its transformation into Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in the Empty Space. Then, visualize the seed syllable 「Hum」 in your heart emitting a blue light to guide and receive the Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva to your crown to enter the lotus in your heart. Gradually this Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva enlarges to the size of your body, and in a snap, you become Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

After becoming Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, you visualize emptiness. The mantra for the emptiness visualization is 「Om, si-ba-wa, su-da, sa-er-wa, da-er-ma, si-ba-wa, su -do-hang.」 This mantra transforms everything into emptiness. You are Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva sitting in emptiness. To strengthen this identity, chant 「Om Mani Padme Hum」 one hundred and eight times.

While you are dwelling on the vastness of Empty Space, visualize the smoke arising from the censer and filling the vastness of this space. The smoke also transforms into very subtle and wonderful clothing, foods and drinks, tools and equipments, houses, cars, refrigerators, and electrical appliances. All articles for use appear in your visualization: food, utensils and tools, exquisite clothing, and the five kinds of subtle offerings. You may also visualize the manifestation of jewels and gems filling up this Empty Space.

At this time, offer these items engendered in the smoke to all the ghosts, spirits, karmic enemies and creditors, and other beings who have negative affinities with you; so that after accepting your offerings, you will be left without hindrances and obstructions. Your undertakings will then be successful. All your karmic creditors, whether visible or invisible, will be positively influenced by your Smoke Offering.

At this time, while visualizing these offerings, snap your fingers seven times and chant this mantra, 「Om, Ah-bu-la-di, Pu-ba-yeh, So-ha.」 Chant this mantra seven times accompanied by finger snapping. Chant the mantra once and snap the fingers once. 「Om, Ah-bu-la-di, Pu-ba-yeh, So-ha.」 Snap once. 「Om, Ah-bu-la-di, Pu-ba-yeh, So-ha.」 Snap once. Repeat a total of seven times.

And the dedication verse？ If you are making offerings to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, then you recite:

「These five amazing offerings, I sincerely render to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Vajra Protectors, and Heavenly Beings through this smoke offering.」 If you are making offerings to karmic enemies and creditors, then you recite: 「These five amazing offerings, I sincerely render to Incense-Eating Deva Buduga, Kinnara and retinue, Five-Knots Incense-Eating Deva and retinue, Dragon Kings and Dragon Maidens, Mountain Devas, River Devas, Ocean Devas, and all Bardo beings and suffering beings. May their desires be fulfilled. May all Bardo beings be liberated from fear and suffering. May Buddhas of the Perfect Body bless me to quickly attain realization. Even if the power is not acquired yet, may Buddhas bless me to be delivered, despite all obstacles, by the merits of cultivation. I sincerely practice the supreme dharma.」

Finally, chant the Hundred Syllable Mantras three times. This remedies any deficiencies during the practice. I have read through the liturgies of the Smoke Offering quickly as it is a rather short practice. (Audience applause.)

When performing Tantric fire offerings, many practitioners find themselves called upon by fire trucks. Neighbors may become alarmed and notify the fire department since fire offerings generate quite a bit of smoke. Smoke offerings on the other hand offer a better solution and are suitable for individual as well as group practice.

How did this Smoke Offering transmission come about？ On my last trip to Taiwan, I visited the Hua-lian Local Chapter and the East Ocean Local Chapter. At the East Ocean Local Chapter, I was asked to teach this practice, because it is one that can be performed by all students. Fire offerings are more difficult to conduct because their set-up requires more items than smoke offerings and they run the risk of alarming the fire department. This is the reason behind the transmission of the Smoke Offering Practice.

During the offering of smoke, form the Garuda Mudra. The Principal Deity of this practice is the Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The liturgy is very simple, but you must make sure that you have all the requisite items. The five colored cloths for example, enable all your karmic enemies and creditors to receive all the beautiful clothing you are offering. For this clothing to be beautiful and elegant, you must have all five colored fabrics. Do not forget the incense -sandalwood incense. Included in the smoke offerings is the five- grained powder. And why are white sugar and brown sugar required？ They allow your creditors a taste of sweetness so that their hatred and enmities will be released.

Why are you failing in your career and your marriage？ Why is your reputation suffering？ Why is your business failing？ These things happen because you have obstructions in both the visible and invisible worlds.

After performing the Smoke Offering, you will satisfy your karmic enemies in the way of food, clothing, housing, and transportation. As for transportation, let me teach you this. You can make a mini Ferrari, quite an expensive car, out of paper and place this in the censer. And houses？ Visualize them as clearly as possible. And visualize the five colored cloths weaving themselves into beautiful clothing. As for food, visualize a variety of scrumptious foods appearing within the smoke offering.

Conduct the smoke offering practice to the Buddhas between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. and to the ghosts and spirits between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. In either case, the censer must be placed in a well ventilated area so the smoke can slowly disperse while you engage in the liturgical steps of the Great Homage, the Mandala Offering, the Fourfold Refuge, the Four Immeasurable Vows, the Armor Protection, and so forth.

The purpose of chanting the Four Immeasurable Vows is to offer them (referring to the ghosts and spirits) happiness and the mitigation of suffering, so that your offering will be accepted joyously. You endeavor to offer and bring them satisfaction. This is 「loving- kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.」 The most important step is to visualize yourself as the Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva before making the offering. Although the censer may be small, visualize it to be as vast as the Universe. When the smoke arises, it is transformed into the best kind of offerings, jewels, treasures, and diamonds filling up all of the Empty Space. At this time, form the Garuda Mudra.

Listed here are two different mantras. The first is Tibetan mantra:

「Om, Ah-bu-la-di, Pu-ba-yeh, Soha.」

The second one is Chinese mantra:

「Om, Ah-bu-la-di, Pu-la-yeh, Soha.」

The mantras come from two different sources. I cannot say only one of them is correct. You may chant either one of them.

There is the snapping of the fingers seven times. 「Seven」 symbolizes completion and wholeness. All karmic enemies and creditors are wholly satisfied.

Let me now talk about the occurrences at the Transmission of the Kalachakra True Vajrakila Practice in Malaysia. I feel that I had misspoken one sentence during the ceremony. Because of our concerns regarding global warming, I had raised the Kalachakra True Vajrakila and said, 「Due to global warming, let’s request Kalachakra to pull the Sun and the Earth slightly apart from each other.」 As a result, we are now having some troubles. Master Chang-ren of the Hong Kong Lotus Light Charity said that mainland China recently experienced the greatest blizzard in fifty years. The United States is also having heavy snow storms in many regions.

Let me say this, leaders and representatives from close to a hundred countries convened in Bali to discuss solutions to global warming. They gathered together to sunbathe, read, sip some coffee, and have some fun. And after many days of meetings and spending a lot of money, the end result was these five words, 「Can’t come to a consensus.」

I simply picked up the Vajrakila and said, 「May the Sun distance itself a tad away from the Earth! Not too much or the oceans will freeze over!」 As a result, there has been all this snow this year.

There are many benefits to performing the Smoke Offering. I myself have also conducted the Smoke Offering and although I encountered many obstacles, they were resolved and everything is fine. Wouldn’t you say that I have been dealt with many setbacks？ Many! Yet everything is fine now. Why？ It’s the Smoke Offering! Through this practice, your problems will be resolved. Also, solutions will come to you rather ingeniously. An obstacle may be right before you blocking your path, but like 007’s car, you will fly over it. If your car falls into the sea, it will become a submarine. When you are cornered, you will transform into a swirl of smoke and escape. Nobody will find you. The Smoke Offering can engender this kind of power.

How long does it take to apply for a green card nowadays？ It took me eleven days! Many years ago, my lawyer, Mr. Henry, had told me that the shortest wait would be three to four months. I got mine in eleven days. After practicing the Smoke Offering, the Garuda carried my application to the Immigration Department. My file was actually at the bottom of the pile, but it flew up and rested itself at the top of the pile. The immigration officer was about to write down a new number on the next application. OK, fine. It was done. Then, in a daze, he hurriedly mailed the approval letter that same night, feeling that it was of utmost importance. It was mailed back to me through regular mail. I got my green card eleven days after sending the application off. (Audience applause.) When Lawyer Henry heard this, he said, 「I doubt it.」 I brought the approval and the green card to show him. When he saw it, he almost fell off from his chair. It had never happened before. There were many miracles.

When I went for my citizenship interview, Master Lian-huo assisted me. Invisible beings also helped me. The immigration officer asked me who the President of the United State was. How could I not know that？ Even a three year old knew that it was Bush. (Grand Master laughter.) At that time it was Bush senior, not Bush junior. Since I did not know English, I actually answered, 「Bu Xi.」

The officer corrected me and said, 「George Bush.」 Then he asked, 「What is the capital city of the United States？」

I also knew the answer is Washington D.C.. Right？ We have a local chapter in that city. They have been struggling for a very long time to build a Lei Zang Temple there. I was not dumb enough to say 「Fei-li-da-fei-ya」 (Philadelphia). He asked me some especially easy questions since he knew that I didn’t know much English.

Finally he asked me to write a sentence, and I wrote 「I like America.」 (Grand Master laughter.) I have been practicing this one sentence for three months. How could I be stumped？ You see, I got my citizenship right away.

The trouble is, every time I return from an overseas trip, I have trouble understanding the immigration officer’s English. As one might expect, the answers to their questions are, 「 I went to Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia....」 Sometimes they may ask me if I have brought in ten thousand US dollars. This I can understand, because it is about money. I responded, 「No! No!」

They ask, 「You have fruits？」

「No! No!」

「You have a gun？」

「No! No! You have but not me.」 (Grand Master laughter) I can only communicate with them in these simple English sentences. Consequently, each time the immigration officer would say to me, 「welcome back」 and stamp my form (for approval to United States entry).

It is true that I am a college graduate, but during my college years I disliked memorizing English vocabulary. I preferred studying math because it was not so much about rote memory. That is why I know limited English words. Shi-mu knows many English words. After arriving at United States, I started watching TV to learn English and would then go to the bars.

One time a bar tender asked me, 「Are you marred？」

「I am married,」 I told him.

「No good,」 he replied. (Grand Master laughter)

Now when my car breaks down, I drive it to the repair shop and tell them, 「My car is no good.」

「Where no good？」

「I don't know. You check everything. Change oil and check everything.」

「You don't know？」

「Check everything and change oil.」 That is all I could say. He would then help me check everything. I know how to drive.

I know how to make hotel reservations. When I go to the airport, I would say, 「I want the seat number and what time the airplane fly？ And what gate？ What time？ And my seat number.」 As long as I know how to obtain information for these three matters, I can fly aboard to anywhere.

When I go to restaurants, although I cannot read English, I would say, 「This one, this one, this one.」 I could say, 「Soup. What kind of soup？ What kind the soup of day？ I want this soup.」 Then I would order the main course, beef, fish, or duck. Just one of these few selections.

If I were to order soup, I would not order salad. If I were to not order soup, I would order Caesar salad.

「What kind of dressing？」

「Ranch.」

Each time the waiter asks me about eggs, I would say 「over easy.」 (Grand Master laughter)

「Beef cook？」 I would say, 「medium-well.」 Shi-mu says that I need to purse my lips further so that others can understand me. 「Medium well.」 (Grand Master purses his lips and laughs)

「What kind of toast？ White toast？」

「Wheat.」 Shi-mu says that 「Wheat」 is more nutritious than white. There is also 「 hash brown.」 This is how I memorize words in English. I render the term into some sensible Chinese to help me memorize it. So 「hash brown」 becomes 「Ba Brown Hai-si」 (doing Brown some harm) in Chinese, and then I reverse it to make it Hai-si Brown (hash brown). (Grand Master laughter) When one can say these words for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, one can survive in United States!

Also, every night, when it is bedtime, I could say, 「I want sleeping.」 How come I remember the word 「sleeping」 so well？ Because this was how I rendered it into Chinese, 「si-zai-ping-ze-li (die inside the bottle).」 (Grand Master laughter) This is my American life. This is the method I use to help myself learn English.

When Shi-mu said 「banana,」 she saw that my notation next to the word was 「bai-nai-nai (white bosom).」 I have to think of 「bai-nai-nai」 before I can recall banana.

And pineapple？ Pineapple becomes 「pa-lau-po (henpecked).」 Frankly, I have never been afraid of Shi-mu. I am now telling all students that Grand Master is the only one in the world who is not 「pineapple.」 I always say this in public. What happens at home afterwards is a different matter.

So the 「love」 that Master Lian-bao talked about earlier does not exist. In the absolute sense, love is non-existent. We can only act in accordance with our conscience. This is what a practitioner does. Sun Yat-sun spoke of universal love, Jesus spoke of universal love, but I do not speak about universal love. I simply talk about using our best conscience to benefit other beings.

Conduct the Smoke Offering and all your obstacles will be resolved. I have had many obstacles resolved. Every single karmic enemy or creditor coming before me accepts my offerings and departs. This is a very important practice. By making offerings to all ghosts and spirits and all karmic enemies and creditors, all obstacles in our path will recede and vanish. The Eight Supernatural Beings of Devas and Nagas will descend to protect and support you. I hope that after conducting this practice, every one of you will eliminate all obstacles and succeed in cultivation. Whether you are a home practitioner, a monk or a nun, if you have any supplications, do this Smoke Offering.

I also invite the communities in Seattle, if there are any wishes from us, to let us know, and we will try our best to fulfill these wishes. And the Chinatown here, as long as they make their wishes known to us, we will do our best to do something about it. (Audience applause.)

The important point here is, as a spiritual practitioner, to first help all karmic enemies and creditors recede so that you will achieve success in your spiritual practice. It is my blessing to everyone that all be auspicious. May auspiciousness be with you in daytime, night time, and all hours of the day. May there be Great Auspiciousness at all times.

Om Mani Padme Hum. (Audience applause.)

 (The end)
《本文譯自蓮生活佛在西雅圖雷藏寺2008年新春觀音大法會煙供法傳法開示》

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