Butter Lamps
kali.cox
30 Jun, 2023
- Butter Lamps 2024
- Butter Lamps 2024
The Meaning of Butter Lamps
What does it mean to offer butter lamps? We do not offer butter lamps because enlightened beings need to see them. Rather, the offering of lights is a means of dispelling the darkness of our ignorance thus giving rise to clarity and wisdom. We offer them with the wish that these lights will illuminate the lower realms and the bardos, and lessen the torment of sentient beings who suffer in darkness. We also aspire that all beings will develop greater mental clarity in order to discover the causes of long-lasting happiness in virtuous actions of
body, speech and mind.
The pure and excellent ones to whom we offer are the Three Jewels — the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, who encompass all enlightened beings; the Three Roots — Guru, Yidam and Dakinis; and the Dharma Protectors.
For the deceased –
Traditionally one can offer lamps for the 49 days after someone’s death, or every 7th day during the 49 days, or just on the first or last day. Even if the deceased had no particular religious affiliation, we make light offerings to ease their passage after death, with the wish that they make a positive future connection with a true spiritual path. However, you can offer butter lamps for the deceased anytime you wish.
For someone undergoing suffering –
For anyone experiencing problems or life-threatening conditions, we offer butter lamps and dedicate the merits to the specific person and all beings who are suffering; with the wish that the suffering and its causes be dispelled.
As a prayer for someone’s long life –
You can offer butter lamps on the occasion of someone’s birthday, or if someone is ill, or at any time regardless of the conditions they are experiencing. This may also be done for the Lamas, with the aspiration that they remain long in this world to bring benefits to all beings.
Each offering of butter lamps consist of either a single lamp or a set of 10 lamps. Donation for 1 butter lamp is $5. You may offer any number of sets butter lamps from one to 100 sets, and they can be offered all together or for a number of days. Whatever dedication you wish to make at the time of your offering will be read aloud as part of the puja, and the names of the deceased or those facing obstacles will be put on the prayer list for a specific period of time.
Comments are closed.
Comments RSS Feed
