The benefits of Mandala offerings, the specific means for the accumulation of merit, are explained in the following lines:
Patrul Rinpoche states in his book called ‘The words of my perfect teacher’: Though the omniscient Buddha taught us infinite methods for accumulating merit, Mandala offering is considered as the most supreme means. Similarly, a Tantra text also states: If the three thousand world system of each and every universe bejewelled with all the pleasing objects were made as offerings to the Buddhas of blissful realms, then the merit accumulated will be great enough to attain enlightenment.
In addition to the above excerpt, the Embodiment of the Master’s Realization (Lama Gungpa Dupa) elaborates:
The outcome of any individual who offers the Mandala with great effort are as follows: If the quantity of merit accrued from the Mandala offering which has an outstanding power to generate a vast and immense positive qualities, has to be expressed in words, even the highly realized beings do not posses enough courage to do so. Thus, those practitioners offering Mandala will be endowed with riches and will be free from the tortures of misery in the present life. And they will also generate unwavering faith to the sublime teachers and the teachings of Mahayana. They will be admired and revered by all beings.
It also says that the meritorious wealth of the merit acquired by making a Mandala offering merely once, in front of the supreme objects like the Guru, the Triple Gem and sacred relics etc, on auspicious occasions with strong devotion will surpass the merits obtained from making outer and inner prayers and offerings to the assembly of Buddhas and their retinues for countless eons. Those making the offering will also fulfil all their wishes, and all the sins and delusions committed with the lapse of vows for many eons will be cleansed and purified as well. And moreover if one offers a Mandala once and makes any aspirations with devotion it will be fulfilled spontaneously. Furthermore, the merit of offering a Mandala is greater than the collective merits accumulated from all other dharma activities, such as sublime concentration, realization, and insights will develop within one’s mind-stream, vividly. In the future generations one will accomplish wealth and glory as one wish and ultimately one will be reborn in the pure land of Buddha. One will be blessed and cared for by all the Buddhas. So, the accumulation of merit by Mandala offering is beyond any estimation.
The verbal testimony of earlier translations of secret tantras cited in the preliminary instructional text of the sky treasure also states:
The merit of Mandala offering,
Which generates vast positive qualities,
Cannot be gauged even by the realized beings.
And Guru Padmasambhava also said:
Through the outer Mandala offering the accumulation of merits is generated. If one offers a Mandala with the following visualization, one’s attachment towards material wealth will be minimized, and one will be endowed with wealth in the present life and ultimately one will be born in the pure realms of Buddhas.
OM AH HUNG!
In the celestial palace of the outer world of billon fold universe,
Filled with clouds of offering of Mt. Meru and the four continents equal to the umbers of dust particles
And every kind of offering items that exist in the human and god realms,
I offer to Guru, Triple Gem and the pure reams of Nirmakaya.
The merit accumulation will act as the cause to generate the accumulation of wisdom as the result.
Zhabkar Tsogdruk Rangdol also writes in his collection of 100,000 spiritual songs (Gurbum):
Homage to all the Gurus!
Bless me with the potential to accumulate merit.
It is the source of peace and happiness
Of all the time until we attain Buddha-hood.
Even during the complete enlightenment,
The enlightened bodies endowed with great marks and signs
Are the outcomes of the merit accumulations.
Though there are infinite means of merit accumulation,
There is no means profounder than Mandala offerings.
Keeping large amounts for offerings and serving tea for the sangha,
Giving alms for the poor and erecting holy objects and so on —
These offerings which require material wealth
Are always blended with the three-fold defilements.
In the beginning, while obtaining them, they are mixed with evil thoughts;
In the middle they are stained with sins due to hardships
Finally they meshed with the defilement of stinginess.
Offering the Mandala is devoid of these three stains.
Thus, Lingchen Repa proclaimed offering the Mandala
As the unsurpassable means to accumulate merit,
And this accords with all the sutras and tantras of the new and old translations.
If one practices Mandala offerings many times,
The spiritual accomplishments and wisdom will arise implicitly,
And one’s understanding will improve spontaneously.
All your noble aspirations will be fulfilled, and
Ultimately one will attain the enlightenment.
Therefore endeavour in the practice of Mandala offerings,
The supreme of all the means of accumulations.
May everyone who hears this short song expressing the modes of accumulation of merit,
Strive in the accumulation of merit.
And also the great Maha Siddha, Tilopa said thus:
Oh! My son, until you realize the unborn reality of interdependent origination of phenomena
Never ever depart from the wheels of the two fold accumulations.
Thus, as proclaimed by authentic masters and texts, all the well-being – both relative and absolute – does not occur without depending on causes and conditions. For this reason it is very important to practice all the means of accumulations in general and the Mandala offering as the supreme means at all the times with faith and perseverance.
Benefits and merits of sweeping and cleaning
The benefits of sweeping and cleaning temples, the surroundings of monasteries and so on, the great means of accomplishing great purpose with little effort are as follow:
A Sutra states:
“Ananda asked Lord Buddha- My lord! What will be the basic outcome or the merits of cleaning and sweeping? The Buddha replied – Ananda! The advantage and merits of cleaning Temples and so forth can be grouped into five points:
- It will make one’s mind pure.
- Others will become calm and pleasant.
- The gods will become pleased with one.
- Such an admirable job will accumulate merit to have good fortune.
- After one’s death one will be reborn in the upper realms of the gods.”
Thus, the compassionate teacher, Gautama Buddha acclaimed this great job of cleaning. On top of this, there are accounts in the Vinaya scriptures that Buddha himself sweeping the temples and surroundings where the Sangha community dwelled.
Likewise, there is the story of even Lamchungpa, who was in his last samsaric birth, doing the sweeper’s job to cleanse his delusion.
Similarly, Bodhisattva Tagtu Ngu swept and cleaned the surrounding area of 1.6km, applying his blood to the ground, while he was receiving Prajna Paramita teaching from the realized master, Choephag.
Therefore, by remembering the enlightened activities of past great beings we the followers of Lord Buddha, both ordained and lay practitioners, must keep monasteries in our vicinity and our own surroundings clean by cleaning and sweeping them regularly. If you do so it not only accords with sublime dharma but also protects our environment, which helps keep our bodies healthy. It is an open fact that all the people will praise about the cleanliness and will be inspired too. Therefore, as it is of great value for both present and the life after, I appeal to everyone to bear this in mind.
By Sonam Rinchen
8th Year, NNI
