The way of doing mandala offering – A guidance talk

(This transcript is of a guidance talk by His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche on The Way of Doing Mandala Offering, via webcast, on 20 July 2020, as a part of a series of guidance talks, via webcast, in July – August 2020, on spiritual practices requested by others.)

The word “maṇḍala” is in Sanskrit language. The lotsawa-translators of the past did not translate the word into Tibetan, they left it as in the Sanskrit, and I think there would have been many purposes that they did not translate it into Tibetan. In general, the Sanskrit word maṇḍala refers to many things, depending on the contexts. When the word “mandala” as a branch of offerings is explained in Tibetan by lotsawas the word [given is] surely ‘kyil–khor’ (dkyil ḥkhor), ‘central circular’, where kyil (central) means essence, and khor (circular) means to take, thus to take essence, to draw essence, or to take the sublime meaning, to take the supreme meaning. This is how mandala offering is regarded as one of the most important branches of offerings.

Generally, in the perfection vehicle and in the mantra vehicle (tantric vehicle) there are a variety of offerings. In the perfection vehicle, there are non-sublime offerings, sublime offerings, Samantabhadra’s Clouds of Offerings, and so forth—such varieties are advised. And in mantra vehicle, there are classifications into outer offerings, inner offering, secret offering and suchness offering. Mandala offering is applicable to both Sūtra (perfection vehicle) and Mantra (Tantric vehicle), that in the context of Sūtra there are many occasions mandala offering is mentioned. Also in the context of Mantra [vehicle] there are many mentions of mandala offering. More so in the Mantra context, there is the practice of having to offer mandala—as one of the offerings—to Teacher and multitude of mandala deities in six sessions a day, and that’s why in The Six-session Teacher-Integration Practice there is mandala offering, as among tantric pledges it is a part of the pledge of making offerings in six sessions.

Regarding the actual material for mandala offering, well, generally, with offerings other than mandala offering, there are flowers, incense, light, perfume and so on—the items of regular usage, and music, as the offering materials; or presenting offerings through the five attributes of desire realm (form, sound, fragrance, taste and touch), or offering of the seven royal possessions, there are such [varieties of materials to offer]. The reason mandala offering is considered as the most extensive and the supreme of offerings is that, of whatever varieties of materials for offerings that are in this habitat universe (container universe) of the three realms, there is not any other offering-material not inclusive into it; whatever offering-materials that possibly can be, that could be, in the habitat universe, are offered in the nature of mandala offering, that there is not any offering-material remaining to be offered, all are included, and so it is of greater coverage, of greater reach, of greater accumulating of multitude of merits. Thinking of such facts, mandala offering has been advised.

When offering mandala, say, for example, with the substance of each of [the other offerings], if it is water offering one actually arranges water [in bowls]; if they are flowers, flowers are presented; it is important that the offering substances are actually arrayed, actually arranged. Offerings [can be of the types] actually arranged, mentally transformed and mentally received, yet it is important to actually arrange the offering substances. Likewise, when offering mandala it is important that there is an actually arranged one, as symbolising mandala, and so have a mandala set (‘mandala container’) like this (indicates at the mandala base held in the hands). This (referring to the mandala set) new tradition that flourished in Tibet, the Land of Snows, perhaps, I think, would have existed in India prior to that. I don’t know whether it was similar to this (indicating to the set in the hands). The great Atisha had said that he was daily practising mandala offering six times a day, so certainly there would have been a mandala offering set (‘articles’) that flourished in India. We have nothing to identify to say ‘it was like this’ that which flourished in India. That tradition which then flourished in Tibet has [the set with] (indicates at the set) the base, the encirclements (the rings) and the top, which, when offered, forms actually a reflection (replica) of the four continents and Mount Sumeru.

As regards the material of the mandala [set], it can be of li-bronze alloy, bronze, brass, and so on, or of precious materials, or of wood, stone, clay; whichever of these materials would do. For an ordained person, say, a bhikṣu, there is one tradition of advice which says it is alright for an ordained to have, as offering materials, that of jewels (precious things), gold, silver and so on. Why that is so is, touching jewels is for a bhikṣu a downfall to which occasion awareness (i.e., permission receiving) can be applied; in general, touching of precious materials (gold, jewels, etc.) is a solely (merely) advised ethical code, [not a naturally downfall], to which occasion awareness can be applied. When a bhikṣu daily does occasion awareness [permission is requested] to touch precious materials, for Dharma spiritual purposes, for others’ welfare. As such, there is one tradition where it is advised it is alright to have as the materials, of the precious type. That is one tradition. Yet, there is a tradition which advises that even as offering materials it would be better if one strives to not touch precious materials—for example, with Gyuto and Gyudme, there is [the guideline] that the tenth counters on a rosary has to be of iron, not allowed to be made of other materials; likewise, with the chabkhungs (-22: 37) they are made of with wooden lid, and so forth, which are the practices done in a strict way. As such, for a bhikṣu, if the practices are done in strict way, if one uses mandala of wood, or of stone, there would be the difference of not having to touch precious things.

As for the size of mandala, there is not any set size saying ‘it has to be like this’. Nonetheless, it must not be too small; in Tibet, we had the tradition of advice that for a monk the mandala [set] should not be smaller than one’s congregation bowl. If it is too small, it would become too convenient.

When initially getting a mandala [set] made, when the materials are gathered, at first one applies (rubs) a cow-sourced on this mandala base (indicating to the base in hands). As regards applying a cow-sourced, in lamrims there is the advice to apply it on mandala every month; if not able to do so, to apply once every year. What is advised is that, when initially making a mandala [set], it has to be applied with cow-sourced. “Cow-sourced” (‘Received [from] Cow’, Cow Extract) is something that is a substance certainly required when constructing a mandala (deity’s unfathomable mansion), and in Tibet, Gyudme and Gyuto used to make it; in the seat monasteries there are those who make it, in the mantric seat monasteries. The blending of the five—cow’s dung, urine, milk, yogurt and butter—and made into an ingredient is called “the five kinds of cow-sourced”. Such a cow-sourced is put on when constructing a coloured-particles mandala, or even with a mandala painted on a cloth it has be applied with a cow-sourced prior to drawing of the lines, such is the instructions from the Tantras. I don’t know if one can now get cow-sourced in India; if it is available, one uses such; if cow-sourced is not available, one may collect clean cow dungs and soak them in water, and then you apply the water on the mandala base, like this (indicating by the right hand applying on the base).

Thereafter, one applies ‘good fragrance’ (fragrant aroma)—good fragrance (dri bzaṅ, dri zang) is abundant in Tibet; in India, I haven’t seen where it is. In Tibet, there grows the good-fragrance tree, with flowers blooming. If you do not get good fragrance in India you can use saffron, Kaśmīrī saffron, which is one of good types of good fragrance; its juice extract is rubbed onto the mandala. (While demonstrating with fingers, His Eminence continues) When applying, at first, one dips the tips of one’s thumb and the index finger into the juice of the good fragrance, into Kaśmīrī saffron, and then, while placing the thumb at the centre of the mandala base (demonstrating) the index finger goes over the base in one circle, like this (demonstrating), a full circle. And then, place the index finger at the centre, while the thumb goes over, like this (demonstrating), a full circle, [thus applying fragrance on the base]; that is the way of doing when accomplishing (getting prepared) a mandala.

Now, when actually offering the mandala, with the way of offering mandala, the mandala rites (the mandala offering liturgy) that we do in the widely-known way is called “mandala of the thirty-seven heaps”. It is traditionally said that the thirty-seven heaps one is in the practice tradition of Drogon Choegyal Phagpa (ḥgro mgon chos rgyal ḥphags pa). Whether the rites were composed by Drogon Choegyal Phagpa, or were translated from Indian texts, I don’t have anything to say, there’s nothing clear. Yet, this is greatly, widely practised: in all of Tibetan Buddhism’s traditions—Sakya, Gelug, Kagyu and Nyingma, and also that of Primordial Bon, what they would be reciting—mandala offering liturgy that is being recited these days are mostly of this thirty-seven heaps kind; it is widely practised in Dharma institutions of all traditions.

When Jey Rinpoche did a hundred thousand mandala offering, on a stone, at Wolkha Choelūng, Jey Rinpoche did through the twenty-three heaps. Between the thirty-seven heaps and the twenty-three heaps it is the difference in the number of the heaps. The twenty-three heaps one is as in the rites of Guhysamāja, where each of the heaps are recited in both Sanskrit and Tibetan. With the thirty-seven heaps mandala offering that we these days recite the Sanskrit words are used with two [items]: the base ground and the fence of iron-mountains: oṁ vajra bhūmi ā: hūṁ (om benza bhumi ah hūm), the powerful golden base ground, and om vajra rekhe ah hum (om benza rekhe ah hūm), the outer encirclement of iron-mountains; the remaining part thereafter are not said in Sanskrit. The reason for saying the mantra [oṁ ā: hūṁ] is in place of making blessed the materials to be offered; for example, when we recite oṁ arghaṁ ā: hūṁ, oṁ pādyaṁ ā: hūṁ and so on, we bless prior to offering the water for mouth washing and water for feet washing. Likewise, with the heaps of mandala, prior to offering them if one were to bless them, one would recite the mantra oṁ ā: hūṁ, oṁ at the beginning and ā: and hūṁ and at the end joined with each word of the heaps. When reciting oṁ vajra bhūmi ā: hūṁ (om benza bhumi ah hūm) the ground is blessed; when reciting oṁ vajra rekhe ā: hūṁ the fence of iron-mountains is blessed.

When actually offering the mandala, (demonstrating) one holds in the left hand some grain, so that it is not empty. The grains for mandala offering are to be wheat, or barely, better grains, again dyed with the hues of saffron or good fragrance, and it would be good if one adds on the grains precious stones: turquoise, coral, and so on; if not, certainly grains that are excellent. (Demonstrating) When offering, at first, keep some grains in the left hand, and place the mandala base upon it, and then pour onto the base few grains by the right hand, and wipe with one’s right arm’s front side; again, pour some grains and wipe; again, pour some grains and wipe—three wiping, outwardly. Whether one does it once or two or three times, there’s no difference. When one pours grains on the base and then wipes them (demonstrating) one thinks that, similar to the grains wiped away, one has become purified of all negativities and obscurations in one’s mental continuum: with the first wipe, one thinks with belief that the negativities accumulated by body are purified; with the second, one thinks with belief that the negativities accumulated by speech are purified; with the third, those of mind are purified. The negativities and obscurations of all three—body, speech and mind—are thought of with belief as purified.

Thereafter, when one pours some grains by the right hand on the base and wipes inwardly (demonstrating), one thinks with belief that the blessings of the enlightened body of those whom mandala offering is to be offered—Fields of Merits or Refuge Objects—have entered within you; during the second, one thinks with belief that the blessings of enlightened speech have entered; during the third, the blessings of enlightened mind have entered. If it is during The Preparatory Practices, or Delighting Teachers (Lama Choepa; Guru Pūja), one visualises that around oneself are all sentient beings who as well are offering mandala together with you.

With the actual offering of mandala, first one pours few grains on the centre of the base (demonstrating throughout) and recites, oṁ vajra bhumi ā: hūṁ (om benza bhumi ah hum), the powerful golden ground, and at the same time place the first encirclement (ring) on the base. Next, when reciting oṁ vajra rekhe ā hūṁ one pours some grain around [the interior of the ring], for ‘the outer fence of iron-mountains’. Then, when reciting, ri’ gyal po ri rāb (Sumeru, the king of mountains), some grains are poured on the base at the centre; that is the Mountain Sumeru, of the four continents. Thereafter, the four continents are placed. For that, the east is towards oneself, that is one way of referring; the other way of referring to the east is towards whom the offering is to be presented. Here, in the context of presenting offering, the east is to be towards whom offerings are presented, and in that case, when the heap for shar lu phāg po (the east Videha [continent]) is poured, it is poured from here (demonstrating, opposite to oneself); then, lho zambuling (south, Jambu Island, Jambudvip), [pour some grains to the south]; and then, nūb balāng chod (west, Godaniya); then, jāng dra mi-nyen (north, Kuru), thus the four continents.

Thereafter, the eight sub-continents are each placed to the right and the left of each of the continents. (Demonstrating throughout, with pouring grains on the respective spots)
Lue dāng lue phāg (Deha and Videha);
nga yāb dāng nga yāb zhan (Chamara and Aparachamara);
yo dhan dāng lām chog dro (Satha and Uttaramantrina);
dra mi nyen dāng dra mi nyen gyi dha (Kurava and Kaurava)—thus the eight sub-continents. The heaps for Mount Sumeru, the four continents and the eight sub-continents are thus complete.

After that, the four distinct attributes of the four continents are offered with the mandala: (demonstrating pouring, starting from the east)
rin po chei ri wo (the precious mountain), the uncommon attribute of the eastern continent
Videha;
for Jambu Island, pāg sām gyi shing (the thought-knowing tree);
for western Godaniya, the uncommon attribute is dho joḥi ba (wish-granting cow);
and then for the northern Kuru, ma moe paḥi lo tok (unploughed harvest).

When these heaps have been placed one then places the second encirclement (the second ring) (demonstrating). The heaps to be place in the second encirclement are first the seven royal possessions of a wheel-ruling monarch, those are indispensably needed by a wheel-ruling monarch.

(Demonstrating) The first,
khor lo rin po chey (the precious wheel) on the east;
then, norbu rin po che (the precious gem);
tsun mo rin po chey (precious queen);
and lon po rin po chey (the precious minister)—these are placed on the four directions.

And then,

lāng po rin po chey (the precious elephant);
māk pon rin po chey (the precious combat general);
and ter chen poḥi būm pa (the vase of great treasures), which is a royal possession required by a wheel-ruling monarch, it is a type of gem—these are placed on the four main directions and the four sub-directions.

Subsequent to them are the eight celestial females, the celestial female of style and so forth. They are the eight celestial females of offering.
(Demonstrating) gaek ma (celestial female of style),
treng wa ma (~ of garland),
lu ma (~ of song),
gar ma (~ of dance)—these are placed on the four main directions.
And then, mae tok ma (~ of flowers),
dhūk poe ma (~ of incense),
nāng sel ma (~ of light),
dri chāb ma (~of perfume)—these are placed on the four sub-directions. These are the eight celestial females, of style and so on, and they are visualised on the levels of Mount Sumeru.

(Demonstrating with picking up the last ring) Then, it is the last [encirclement, the last ring];
ñi ma (sun) is placed to the east;
dha wa (moon) is to the west;
thus ñi ma, dha wa.

rin po cheḥi dhūk (the precious parasol) is to the south;
chog lae nām par gyal wai gyal tsen (the victory-marking banner victorious over all directions) is to the north.

When all those have been placed, then when reciting ue su lha dāng miḥi pal jor phun sūm tsok pa (at the centre, the excellent riches of the celestials and humans) a heap is placed on the top, without specification. With that the stages of placing the heaps are finished. Thereafter, one places the top (demonstrating). And then, one keeps some grains in the right hand and hold up the mandala (demonstrating), and recites the actual wordings of offering the mandala: sa zhi poe kyi jūk zhing mae tok trām/ (The base ground anointed with incense and flowers strewn/) so on, whatever the rite is, one recites according to that. For example, if it is Delighting Teachers (Lama Choepa, Guru Pūja), the lines are:

jey wa trāg gyai ling zhi lhūn por chae
rin chen dhūn dāng ñe wai rin chen dhūn
kun gah kye pai noe chue phūn sūm tsok
lha mi’ long choe dhoe gui ter chen po
dāng wai sem kyi phūl jūng zhing gi chok
kyāb gon thūk jei ter la ul war gyi

A hundred billion universes’ four continents and Sumeru,
The seven precious and the seven secondary precious,
Excellent habitats and habitants delighting all,
A great treasure of celestials’ and humans’ numerous riches,
With a pure mind I offer [this] to You, Protecting Refuge,
Treasury of Compassion, the Supreme Excellent Field.

The one which is normally, widely recited is the verse sa zhi poi kyi…(The base ground anointed with incense…) and so forth, which is a wording from Buddha’s discourse (Sūtra). Perhaps, in a Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra, it is the wording of the recitation by bodhisattva Ever-Crying (Sadāprarudita) when, in requesting for teachings, was offering mandala to [his teacher] bodhisattva Exalted Teachings (Dharmodgata). The wording has come from there. When reciting the verse, there are two ways of reciting it: one is sāng gyae zhing du mik te būl wa yi/ (I offer visualised as Buddha realms/); the other is, sāng gyae zhing la mik te būl wa yi/ (I offer to Buddha realms visualised/); they are two variations in the way of reciting. With the former—that is, I offer visualised as Buddha realms/—has the meaning of visualising the impure habitat universe, the four continents and Mount Sumeru and so on, that are being offered, are not [thought of] as impure realms, rather as pure realms formed from Buddhas’ pristine consciousness’s self-appearances; the substances being offered are offered by having visualised as Buddha realms, thereby the offering substances, the habitat universe, are made still more improved. [With the other wording:] sāng gyae zhing la mik te būl wa yi/ (I offer to Buddha realms visualised/), the meaning is of the Objects to whom offered, that the mandala is offered to the Buddhas and scions (bodhisattvas) of the ten directions, the multitude of deities of Merit Fields, present before oneself.

Thereafter, when saying idaṁ guru ratna maṇḍalakam niryātaya mi the rites of mandala offering is complete, and at this point (demonstrating tossing upward of a flower) one tosses upward a flower, and one thinks that the Objects to whom offered—Teacher, or the multitude of deities of Merit Fields, or Refuge Objects, to whomever offered—accept them and that the great bliss has risen in their mental continuum. That is the way of offering mandala.

And then, also in the Perfection Vehicle system there is mandala offering called “inner mandala offering”, which is to offer one’s body placed in the form of the mandala.

pāk pa rāb zae ser gyi sa zhi’ teng
trāg chen dhue tsi’ chu yi chāk chāk tāb
sha trāg mae tok phāng phūng tsom būr gyūr
yan lāg nām lae ling chen zhi dāng ni
ñing lāg ling tren gyae du gyur pai ue
khok pa rin chen dul māng tsek pai tser
go wo nām par gyal wai khāng sāng zey
mig ñi mūn sel ñi ma dha wa dāng
ñing ni yi zhin nor bu rin po chey
wāng po nāng trol yong su gyur pa lae
lha mi’ dhoe yon pal jor phūn sūm tsok

Upon the golden base ground of skin
Made moist by great blood ambrosia’s water,
Flesh and blood become heaps of ripe flowers,
From the limbs the flour continents,
The limb-parts the eight sub-continents,
At their centre the abdomen of stacked many jewels,
At their pinnacle, head the noble mansion beautiful,
Two eyes, darkness-dispelling sun and moon,
Heart, the precious wish-fulfilling gem,
Organs, the innards transformed, the excellent riches
Of celestials’ and humans’ desire attributes.

Besides offering the complete habitat universe, one places one’s body in the form of the habitat universe: one’s skin is placed (visualised) in the form of the base ground; blood is placed in the form of water, such as, ocean and so on, for water to sprinkle [on the ground]; feet and hands, the four limbs, as the four continents; then, the sub-parts of feet and hands as the eight sub-continents; head as the Fully Victorious Noble Mansion; spine as Mount Sumeru; two eyes as sun and moon; heart as wish-fulfilling gem, or as the vase of great treasure—can be either; the innards, the organs as the excellent riches of celestials’ and humans’; visualised as such, they are offered. That is one manner of offering. [Or], it would be alright to think that one’s parts of body have merged into the four continents and Mount Sumeru and so on that one is offering, where the skin merges/absorbs into the base ground, the limbs and their parts absorb into the continents and the sub-continents, the eyes absorb into sun and moon, the head absorbs into Śakra’s (The Hundred Giver’s; Indra’s) Fully Victorious Noble Mansion, it would be alright to think with belief and offer thus. Such is the inner mandala offering, one’s body is transformed into the entity of the mandala and is offered.

With mandala offering, as mentioned earlier, there is the occasion it is offered during offering. The other occasion is when it is offered during making a supplication request, such as for [supplicating] for receiving attainments (realisations, siddhi); for instance, with Delighting Teachers (Lama Choepa, Guru Pūja), there the mandala offering offered at the end of having offered the seven limbs—which include the pivots of accumulation [of multitude of merits] and purification [of negativities and obscurations]—and prior to the lines yon tan jūng nae…(the verses on Teacher’s qualifications) and so on, is a branch of offerings. And, for that, as I said earlier, the east (demonstrating with pouring of a heap in the east) is away [towards the Objects of offering]. For the mandala offering for supplication, such as, during The Preparatory Practices (sjor chos, jor choe), and others, where one offers a mandala prior to making the supplication, the supplication for the three great meanings, the east is towards oneself. When offering where the east is towards oneself, (demonstrating with pouring first for Mount Sumeru at the centre) one pours a heap at the centre for ri’ gyal po ri rāb (Mount Sumeru, the king mountains); when that has been poured, then with shar lue phāk po (east, Videha), pour a heap towards oneself (demonstrating); likewise, thereafter, lho zam bu ling (south, Jambu Island), (demonstrating, with pouring a heap in the south, and continuing in clockwise), nūb ba lāng choe (west, Godaniya), jāng dra mi ñen (north, Kuru), and then followed by lu dāng lu phāg (Deha and Videha), and so on, as before, and pouring the heaps on their spots (demonstrating). Thus they are the variations in the east as towards oneself and the other where the east is towards the Refuge Objects, and one applies the same with all others. Nevertheless, when placing the heaps, all are placed in right to left circle (clockwise), which is the same in both of them.

When it is finished, if one is a regular practitioner of The Six Preparatory Practices, or Delighting Teachers, one does not dismantle the mandala, instead it would be alright to place the mandala on offering altar. If it were to be dismantled (‘collected back’), it is packed together. Perhaps this might be enough [to say] on mandala offering.

If one were to do mandala offering as a Preliminary (sṅon ḥgro, ngon dro), tallying to a hundred thousand, one first offers a complete thirty-seven heaps mandala. After having offered that, when amassing a tally, sāng gyae choe tsok ma (the one verse Going for Refuge and Generating of Bodhicitta) is amassed together with amassing (tallying) of mandala offering, where the mandala offering of seven heaps would do. The seven-heaps mandala offering is (demonstrating) done starting with reciting:

sāng gyae choe dāng tsok kyi tsok nām la
jāng chūb bar du dāk ni kyāb su chi
dāk gi jin sok gyi pai tsok nām kyi
dro la phen chir sāng gyae drūb par shok

To the Buddha, Dharma and the Supreme Congregation
I go for refuge until enlightenment.
By my multitudes through having done generosity and so on
May I attain Buddhahood to benefit wandering beings.

(Note: ‘multitudes’ refer to the twin multitudes, that of merits and pristine consciousness)

One pours grains on the base and wipes away (demonstrating), wiping outwardly once, and wiping inwardly once. Thereafter, while reciting sa zhi poe kyi jūk zhing mae tok trām/ (The base ground anointed with incense, and flowers strewn/) and so forth, the heaps for Mount Sumeru, the four continents, sun and moon, are poured in succession (demonstrating); it would be slightly more convenient if this (the ring, encirclement, demonstrating) is not required to place; if one keeps placing each of the rings it would take more time, and when amassing (tallying) for a hundred thousand one needs to recite quickly, quickly, so perhaps just the mandala base would do. I don’t think the three stacked encirclements (three rings stacked) are a must, for there are mandalas of big sizes with just one encirclement. It is something one may choose as one likes. That is the way of doing when doing tallying mandala offering.

As for the mandala offering of twenty-three heaps, that I mentioned earlier, they are: Mount Sumeru, the four continents, the eight sub-continents, totalling thirteen; and in addition to them, the four distinct attributes of the four continents are not offered separately, because the four continents have already been offered—the seven royal possessions and the vase of great treasures are present, they are offered; the eight celestial females—of style and so on—are not present (that is, not separately offered), because, since they are on the levels of Mount Sumeru, and Mount Sumeru has already been offered, and they are not offered separately; and finally, the parasol and victory banner are not present; thus it is called “the thirty-seven heaps [mandala]”.

(While ‘packing’ the mandala set, with the base, rings and the top placed on the base turned reverse, and putting the grains into them, continues) In some texts there is the mention of twenty-five heaps mandala, where it is the same to that of the twenty-three heaps; the other two heaps added are the base golden ground (wāng chen ser gyi sa zhi) and the outer fence of iron mountains all around (chi chāk ri khor yūk); when the two are counted as the heaps, they are the twenty-five heaps. In the thirty-seven heaps those two are not counted as heaps, nor in the twenty-three-heaps. One of the widely practised is the seven-heaps mandala offering, made up of Mount Sumeru, the four continents, sun and moon. When doing amassing (tallying) of mandala offering, it is done through the seven-heaps. There can also be occasions where the mandala is of nine heaps, comprising of Mount Sumeru, the four continents, sun and moon, and parasol and victory banner. In some texts we come across mentions of a variety of the number of heaps, if one does not understand these [details, one may get confused]. The seven-heaps is the widely known sa shi poe kyi jūk zhing mae tok trām/ (The base ground anointed with incense and flowers strewn). If one were to tally to a hundred thousand mandala offering, one does so during this time [of reciting the verse]. If along with amassing a hundred thousand mandala offering if one were to simultaneously amass (tally to) a hundred thousand of the verse sāng gyae choe tsok ma—which includes Going for Refuge and Generating of Enlightenment Mind—it would be convenient.

(While demonstrating packing back of the mandala set, continues) After having offered mandala, when one packs the mandala set it is done this way.

Of all offerings, mandala offering is the most extensive and the supreme, resembling Samantbhadra’s Clouds of Offerings. As such, if one were a practitioner of the path, one has to be attentive in doing regularly the practice of mandala offering, it is greatly important. Normally, when giving teachings on lamrim, [my Teacher] used to advise that once the great Kadampa Teacher Geshe Gonpawa (dgon pa wa), a great yogi, was absorbed in meditative concentration for about a week, during which time he had skipped mandala, that dust had formed on his mandala [set]. When this was seen by Gyalwa Dromtonpa, who then said to Gonpawa, “You haven’t been offering mandala for many days?” When Gonpawa responded by saying that he had been in placing [the mind] inwardly on the perfect (i.e., to place the mind in meditative concentration on the perfect) and happened to skip offering, Dromtonpa said, “Atisha, Jowo Rinpoche, has a meditative concentration better than your’s, yet Atisha would never skip offering mandala at three times [of the day].” Dromtonpa advised Gonpawa to regularly offer mandala—there is such a narrative of thus rebuking [by Dromtonpa].

(While speaking, His Eminence continues with packing back, perfectly neatly, of the set, with tying the cloth wrap) As such, for a person practising the path, it goes without saying that one needs to regularly do accumulation of the multitudes [of merits] and purification of obscurations, through the seven-limbs practices; and, if one is able to, as part of these practices, regularly do mandala offering one would be able to complete great waves of multitude of merits.

Now, as regards the benefits of mandala offering, and the extensive way of thinking, it is mentioned in the texts that through mandala offering one would complete the practices of the six perfections; generosity and so forth, would be completed simultaneously. I don’t remember the wordings [of the texts] right now; there are texts where it is explained how from the initial applying of cow-sourced, the practice of the six perfections would be included complete. If one could, therefore, do as much the practice of mandala offering one would have the opportunity to accumulate great waves of multitude of merits, and so it is something everybody needs to take interest in.

(The video recording of this talk, in Tibetan, can be viewed at this link: