Background image credit: Photograph by Gerd Eichmann (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Padmasambhava, whose name means Lotus-Born, is also popularly known by the Tibetan title Guru Rinpoche, meaning precious master. The historical figure of Padmasambhava was a renowned 8th century lay tantric master from the land of Oḍḍiyāna who was invited to Tibet by the patron King Tri Songdetsen and Indian scholar-abbot Śāntarakṣita to enable the transmission of Buddhism to the Tibetan empire and wider Himalayan region. He eliminated obstacles to the construction of Samye, the first monastery in Tibet and taught many disciples, of whom the twenty five main disciples attained supreme realisations. It is only through the blessings and power of Guru Rinpoche that Buddha's teachings were able to take root in Tibet and survive to the present day.
The renowned "Looks Like Me" statue of Guru Rinpoche that was housed at Samye Monastery, said to have been acknowledged and blessed by Guru Rinpoche himself. Image credit: TseRigs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Recognising that his time in Tibet was limited, and out of his great compassion and concern for future sentient beings, Guru Rinpoche hid teachings and objects intended to be revealed at specific times in the future. These teachings and objects came to be known as terma, meaning treasures. These treasures were hidden not only physically, but also in the mindstreams of his disciples. Numerous incarnations of the twenty-five disciples have appeared and continue to appear to reveal these treasures. These teachings are powerful because they continually bring fresh blessings of Guru Rinpoche into our world, and contain methods tailored for the particular audience and circumstances.
Beyond the historical figure, Guru Rinpoche is a personification of the inner guru principle, as indicated by his name Lotus-Born. As Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche explains: "'Lotus' actually represents your devotion. Actually the lotus also represents your mind. Because lotus is born in the mud yet not stained by mud; even though your mind is filled with desire, anger, jealousy, pride, insecurity, but nature of the mind is not stained. This is why the moment you think of Guru Rinpoche, Guru Rinpoche is already there. Then that is 'lotus-born.' Born doesn't have to be born in the hospital. 'Born' - you think of Guru Rinpoche and he is already born. This is why again you are your own master. You are your own Guru Rinpoche."
Who is Padmasambhava?
What is a ganachakra offering?
Ganachakra is a Sanskrit term which can be broken down into two parts, 'gana' meaning gathering, and 'chakra' meaning wheel. The Tibetan translation is tshog-kyi-khor-lo, which is commonly abbreviated to tshog (or a variety of phonetic renderings like tsog, tsok, etc.) Ganachakra practices are only found in a particular level of tantric practice, the highest yoga tantras (or in the Nyingma scheme, from Mahayoga upwards). The wheel of gathering refers to multiple forms of gathering, such as: the external offering substances, primarily food and drinks; the gathering of higher guests, all enlightened beings; the gathering of lower guests, all sentient beings; the gathering of practitioners, the yogis and yoginis; the gathering of method (great bliss) and wisdom in inseparable union; and the resultant gathering of merits and wisdom.
An arrangement of offerings for a ganachakra
The essence of tantric practice is purification of ordinary appearance and grasping. Therefore, the ordinary venue, our ordinary identities, and ordinary offerings are transformed into a celestial mansion, divine beings, and inexhaustible divine nectar through the power of physical actions (mudra), sacred sounds (mantras), and meditation on the inseparability of great bliss and wisdom understanding the true nature of reality. Although the full practice of ganachakra cannot be explained to or performed by non-initiates, this 100,000 ganachakra offering ceremony is open to the public as a means for everyone to make a connection with the profound blessings.
What is the Rigdzin Dungdrub practice?
Rigdzin Godemchen, drawing by Panchito, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Rigdzin Dungdrub (meaning Becoming the Heir of the Awareness Holders) cycle of practice is one of the main practices of the terma tradition known as Jang-Ter, the Northern Treasures. Of the outer, inner, and secret cycles of the Northern Treasures, the Rigdzin Dungdrub is the inner cycle based on a peaceful aspect of Guru Rinpoche.
The Northern Treasures are one of the major termas in the Nyingma lineage, renowned as the king of old termas. They were revealed by the 14th century master Rigdzin Godemchen, who extracted them from a treasure casket in a cave on Sangsang Lhadrak mountain accompanied by many miraculous occurrences. Rigdzin Godemchen was considered a mind emanation of Guru Rinpoche himself, and an incarnation of Nanam Dudul Dorje, one of Guru Rinpoche's twenty five main disciples.
The Northern Treasures were patronised by the Fifth Dalai Lama in the 17th century so the Rigdzin Dungdrub practice became the most common Guru Rinpoche practice among practitioners of the Gelug lineage, especially at Namgyal Monastery, the personal monastery of the Dalai Lamas. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama regularly bestows the Rigdzin Dungdrub initiation since receiving the lineage from Trulshik Rinpoche.
Purpose of the ceremony
Trashi Ganden Choepel Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre and Padma Ati Buddhist Institute have come together to organise the 100,000 ganachakra offerings ceremony as a means for planting the seeds of peace in our world.
As Buddhists, we view all our experiences to be the product of causes we have created in the past. When those causes encounter suitable conditions for producing a result, they do so in accordance with the laws of causality (popularly known as karma.) Therefore, to experience happiness we must practice virtues, and to reduce suffering we must minimise non-virtues. In order to create a peaceful outer world, we must first create a peaceful inner world.
As explained in the previous section, the ganachakra ceremony is a profound way of gathering vast merits and purifying negativities because the practice takes place on the level of the inconceivable, beyond the ordinary conceptual mind's limitations. This particular 100,000 ganachakra offerings ceremony has been selected by our spiritual advisors Kathok Rigdzin Chenpo Rinpoche and Za Choeje Rinpoche as being the most suitable remedy for the troubles of our world in these desperate times. Requiring 100,000 collective recitations of the ganachakra offering verse underscores the grand scale of generosity required for spiritual transformation, and encourages group practice which is more powerful than practising alone.
Our hope is that the merits of the ceremony can contribute towards: rebalancing the inner and outer elements, putting an end to epidemic diseases and natural disasters; the pacification of attachment, hatred, and ignorance so beings may be at peace and enjoy abundance; and the flourishing of the Buddha's teachings and the stable lives of the genuine upholders of those teachings so all beings may follow the path to lasting goodness. May difficult circumstances transform into favourable circumstances for everyone, and may practitioners of mind training strengthen their minds so that no matter whether external circumstances are favourable or unfavourable, their peace of mind remains undisturbed.