Pabongkha Rinpoche - Practices to Benefit Pretas, Nagas and Spirits

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Practice Requirements

All three practices in this book require the practitioner to have received a Great Chenrezig Empowerment. If you have not received a Great Chenrezig Empowerment, it is still possible to do the practices, but you may not do the self-generation as Chenrezig. Instead, at the point of the self-generation in the sadhana, visualize Chenrezig on top of your head performing all the actions in the practice.

Here, the Tibetan word sur (gsur) refers to the smell of roasted flour that is offered to spirits. Usually this offering is made at sunset or thereafter because spirits are on the move then, and it is known as the time when spirits gather. This is also the time when dakinis (a class of tantric deities) gather.

Use a roasting pan that is not cracked, broken, or worn out and is clean. (It may be possible to dispense with the roasting pan and sprinkle the flour directly onto hot coals.) The fire itself should not produce much smoke, because smoke disturbs spirits; a smokeless bed of red hot coals will do. The fireplace should be clean.

Use clean flour mixed with men-chey (sman phye). Men-chey can be obtained from the Tibetan Medical Center, Dharamsala or other Tibetan pharmacy or from a Tibetan doctor. I think it is a mixture of sang-druk (bsangs drug), an incense made of six different shrubs. It is also used for black tea offerings. One can also use tantric nectar pills. When His Holiness Song Rinpoche offered tea to the merit field, to protectors, or to worldly gods, he used a mixture of men-chey and black tea. See also, for additional substances that can be added to the Sur offering.

In addition to men-chey, include the powder of crushed jewels, such as coral, pearls, lapis, gold, silver, or other jewels. All this is mixed with the flour. This mixture would be a perfect substance for the offering. Mix clean, roasted flour with butter and then add these other ingredients, if possible. Bless the sur substances with the vase water as indicated below, and then place them on the hot coals. Make sure to allow enough air circulation so that the fire doesn't go out; i.e. don't fully cover the coals, but make a small mound of the sur substances on top of the coals.

I must free every one of the numberless hell beings, who are the source of all my past, present, and future happiness, from all suffering and its cause, the defilements, and bring them to enlightenment.

I must free all the numberless spirits, who are the source of all my past, present, and future happiness, from all suffering and its cause, the defilements, and bring them to enlightenment.

I must free all the numberless animals, who are the source of all my past, present, and future happiness, from all suffering and its cause, the defilements, and bring them to enlightenment.

Likewise, I must free all humans, gods, demigods, and intermediate state beings, who are the source of all my past, present, and future happiness, from all suffering and its cause, the defilements, and bring them to enlightenment.

To do this I must achieve enlightenment myself. Therefore, I am going to practice the charity of aroma: offering aroma to the merit field and giving aroma to sentient beings.

Instantaneously I appear as Khasarpani [an aspect of Chenrezig], white in color with one face and two arms. My right hand is granting sublime realizations, and my left hand is holding the stem of a white lotus and resting on a moon cushion. I am seated in the half-vajra posture and have an antelope skin draped over my left shoulder. Light radiates from the syllable HRIH in my heart, inviting the guests of nirvana and samsara who take their seats on comfortable cushions.

OM VAJRA AMRITA KUNDALI HANA HANA HUM PHAT

OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM

Within this state of emptiness the syllable BHRUM appears. This syllable is in actuality your non-dual wisdom experiencing emptiness with great bliss. The syllable BHRUM transforms into a precious vessel, vast and spacious. The syllables OM AH HUM

OM AH HUM (3x)

NAMA SARVA TATHAGATA AVALOKITE OM SAMBHARA SAMBHARA HUM (7x)

OM GNDE KAME GUNA PUJA IDAM KHA KHA KHAHI KHAHI* (7x)

*This mantra has not yet been checked against the Tibetan.

OM PDMO USHNISHA VIMALE HUM PHAT (7x)