ENJOY THE SPECIAL EXPERIENCE OF MEDITATING WITH OTHERS
– Heart Jewel Practice –
DEVONPORT | Quoiba Room, Paranaple Centre, Devonport, Wednesday 5.30pm – 6.20pm
Heart Jewel Prayers are free of charge and everybody is welcome to attend.
Heart Jewel Practice or puja, is offered before the start of the Devonport and Launceston weekly drop-in class. Heart Jewel is a beautiful chanted prayer in English, and is a wonderful opportunity to receive the blessings of Je Tsongkhapa, the protection of Dorje Shugden and gain a deep familiarity with the 21 meditations that reveal the stages of the path to Enlightenment.
Heart Jewel includes two practices revealed by the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri.
The first is a special Guru yoga in which we visualize our Spiritual Guide as Je Tsongkhapa, who himself is a manifestation of Manjushri.
By relying upon this practice, we can purify negativity, accumulate merit, and receive blessings.
The second practice is a method for relying upon the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Through this, we can overcome obstacles to our practice and create favourable conditions so that we can nurture and increase our Dharma realizations.
These two practices are the very essence of the New Kadampa Tradition of Mahayana Buddhism. If we practice them regularly and sincerely, we will reap a rich harvest of pure Dharma realizations, and eventually come to experience the supreme joy of full enlightenment.
OTHER CHANTED PRAYERS OFFERED BY THE SAMUDRA KADAMPA BUDDHIST CENTRE
Wishfulfilling Jewel Puja with Tsog
Wishfulling Jewel tsog offering prayers are ceremonies that involve making offerings of food and drink to the Buddhas in conjunction with prayers and meditation of Wishfulfilling Jewel. They are an excellent method for accumulating merit, purifying negativity and receiving blessings.
Tara Puja
The Tara Puja, Liberation from Sorrow, which includes a special prayer Praises to the Twenty-one Taras composed by Buddha, is performed regularly at Kadampa Buddhist centres worldwide.
POWA
A special method for leading countless deceased beings to the Pure Land of a Buddha
Offering to the Spiritual Guide
The practice of relying upon a Spiritual Guide, or ‘Guru Yoga’, is the root of the spiritual path and the foundation of all spiritual attainments.
In Kadampa Buddhism, Guru Yoga is practiced in association with Je Tsongkhapa, an emanation of the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri.
Kangso
The extensive sadhana, or ‘method of attainment’, for fulfilling our commitment to rely upon the Dharma Protector and to practise Lamrim, Lojong and Mahamudra, and for restoring any degenerate or broken commitments.
Kansgo is traditionally held on the 29th of each month.
What is a puja?
A puja (chanted prayer) is a highly creative and imaginative practice, the words of the puja guide us through powerful methods for transforming our mind, and help create the right inner experience for our meditation to be successful. The prayers can initially seem a little mysterious when we are new to the teachings. This a great opportunity to discover a powerful aid to our meditation.
What are these practices?
In these practices we make prayers (requests to Buddhas) to remove negativity from our mind and gain positive energy and good fortune, helping us along our spiritual path.
During some prayers we make offerings of food (tsog) to our Spiritual Guide and all the holy beings. The purpose of making offerings is to improve our mind of giving.
These food offerings are set out very beautifully on a table in front of the shrine before the prayers start, and during the prayers we offer these to Buddha, our Spiritual Guide, and the Tsog. After the prayers are over, everyone is welcome to stay and eat some of these offerings together.
*Please arrive in advance of the advertised start time so that you are settled in the Meditation Room before the prayers start. You are welcome to bring your own offerings – vegetarian food that is ready to eat, or drinks.
Why do we do it regularly?
There are two practices in this puja. The first is a special Guru Yoga in which we visualize our Spiritual Guide as Je Tsongkhapa, who himself is a manifestation of Manjushri. By relying upon this practice, we can purify negativity, accumulate merit, and receive blessing.
The second practice is a method for relying upon the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Through this, we can overcome obstacles to our practice and create favourable condition so that we can nurture and increase our Dharma realisations.
Who is Dorje Shugden?
Dorje Shugden is the Dharma Protector of modern Kadampa Buddhists. He always helps, guides, and protects pure and faithful practitioners by granting blessings, increasing their wisdom, fulfilling their wishes, and bestowing success on all their virtuous activities.
What is a Dharma Protector?
A Dharma Protector is an emanation of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva whose main functions are to avert the inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from gaining spiritual realisation, and to arrange all the necessary conditions for their practice.
FAQs
Do I need to bring anything or wear anything special?
No. You can choose to sit on a chair, or on a cushion if you prefer to sit cross-legged. You don’t need to bring anything else with you. Some people like to bring offerings, so feel free to do so or not.
What if I’m new to this?
Everyone is welcome to participate, if you feel the prayers are a little mysterious, we will happily recommend some follow-on reading or classes after if you are interested.