An Ocean of Offering Clouds

A Light Offering Prayer

by Gatön Ngawang Lekpa

I consider that this lamp is made of the finest precious metal, And is as vast as the entire billionfold universe.

It is filled completely with the finest essence of butter,

And in its centre is planted a wick as large as Mount Meru. Its flame is alight and has the nature of the five wisdoms; In appearance, it blazes with the dazzling splendour of a billion suns, Its light pervading everywhere throughout all the realms of the ten directions. Out of this radiant expanse, appear vast clouds of offerings like Samantabhadra’s, To make gifts throughout all eternity, until the very ends of time, So that the objects of our prayers, be they living or dead, Gather the two accumulations, purify the two kinds of obscuration, And swiftly attain unsurpassable awakening.

This was composed by Gatön Vāgindra.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2007

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What is a Tsok

By Lama Thubten Yeshe

Tsok means gathering. We gather together the things we're offering, and we ourselves gather together to do the practice. Gathering together with other practitioners, concentrating our minds into the same space, gives us great inspiration. It's much better than just doing puja alone in our own rooms. This is the Tibetan connotation of tsog.

An example from my college at Sera likens a group puja to a straw broom. You can't sweep much floor with just one straw, but when many straws are gathered together to make a broom, you can clean an entire assembly hall in no time at all. We are not as strong as distinguished practitioners such as Milarepa. He was okay by himself, we are not ready for that yet.

So it's good that we come together trying to develop single-pointedness of mind; one hundred people's minds all meeting at the same place. This becomes very powerful.

Tsok in the Tibetan tradition is a most profound method of purification, a profound way of gaining realisations. When you recite the text in English you can see how many subjects are included in the practice. The Guru Puja, for example, covers the entire path to enlightenment from beginning to end. 

So it can happen that in your daily meditations you're not making any obvious progress, then suddenly during a puja, because of the conducive atmosphere you've created, zoom! -- some realisation comes into your mind. Many people have gained realisations during a puja simply because of the atmosphere.

Normally, we push ourselves to achieve, but nothing happens because we've not made the space for something to happen. By gathering together to offer tsok we're making space. When the right space opens, zoom! - realisations come as if magnetically attracted. This is true.

Thus, to gain realisations we need to create the right atmosphere. We do this by gathering together and directing our minds to the same place. The power of this practice brings understanding. I think it's great: we're an international gathering and each of us has developed in our own unique way; but despite our differences our minds can still meet at the same place and we can communicate with each other. I really think it's wonderful. Parents may not be able to communicate with their children but here we are from different countries all over the world and we're able to communicate with each other, heart to heart.

Another connotation of tsok is 'party' - a party at which we share simultaneously born great wisdom and bliss. Now that's a party.

Guru Rinpoche Tsok

Throughout the world, Vajrayana Buddhist practitioners of the Nyingma and other traditions celebrate the Guru Rinpoche Tsok on the 10th day. Guru Rinpoche, commonly known as Padmasambhava, brought Buddhism to Tibet is considered a second Buddha.

During the Tsok Ceremony, along with meditation and prayers, we will make offerings of many things, including flowers and various foods brought by the participants. Food offerings can include many types of food. (see picture of typical offerings). Through meditation and mantra recitation, the offerings are consecrated and offered to the invoked gathering of enlightened beings, to bless sentient beings and free them from suffering. At the end of the ceremony, the food and drink are shared by all, and the merit which has been generated is dedicated for the benefit of all beings.

It is said that a single day of practice on a tenth day is more powerful than a year of practice at any other time.

This year the anniversary of Padmasambhava's birth is especially auspicious as it is a monkey year, which according to the Tibetan calendar occurs only once every twelve years. 

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The Sur Offering in Tibetan Buddhism

A sur offering is a Tibetan Buddhist practice in which a mixture of flour, sweets and dairy products, sometimes with additional valuable or aromatic substances, is consecrated and placed in a fire or burned as incense. The resulting fragrant smoke is offered to the objects of refuge and shared with all sentient beings.

Tiny, high-pitched cymbals called tingshas may be struck while the offering is burned; these call sentient beings, especially hungry ghosts (pretas), to share it and satisfy their hunger. Partaking of this blessing purifies their karma and allows them to pass on to a blessed rebirth.

The practice may be long or short, as time and circumstances allow, and generally does not require initiation from a lama. The merit of the practice is dedicated to the benefit of deceased persons or animals, especially during the 49 days after death, during which they are believed to be in the bardo state. Sur offerings may also be done to dispel negative or harmful influences, such as ghosts.

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From Tibetan Treasures:

The sur substance is made of roasted barley flour (tsampa), yogurt, butter, milk, sugar, molasses, and honey (the three whites and the three sweets). Reciting the prayers and mantra syllables in the text, one purifies and consecrates the offering, sprinkles a small amount of it onto a burning coal, and sounds the tingsha to summon beings to partake of it. Together, the aroma and the practitioner's motivation, visualization, and dedication of merit provide an offering that both delights enlightened beings and satisfies all ordinary beings. In particular, sur offerings nourish those in the bardo, the intermediate state after death. These beings experience hunger and thirst but can be nourished only through their sense of smell. This practice can be done for forty-nine days after someone's death, with emphasis on dedicating the merit of this virtuous activity for the benefit of the deceased.

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