In the Tune of Brama, Shakyamuni Buddha mentioned The 10 Benefits of Offering Lights:
One becomes like the light of the world
One achieves clairvoyance of the pure eyes as a human
One achieves the Deva's eye
One receives the wisdom to discriminate virtue from non-virtue
One is able to eliminate the concept of inherent existence
One receives the illumination of wisdom
One is reborn as a Human or Deva
One receives great enjoyment wealth
One quickly becomes liberated
One quickly attains enlightenment
Several things are being prepared for the Retreat which shall be communicated once confirmed.
The most important and the greatest wish is to see as many Dharma practitioners together here as possible to make this event a warm and powerful one, a celebration of these lamps offered for world peace and the benefit of all sentient beings.
The History of the Annual Butter Lamp Retreat
The Prayer and Sutra of the Lamp
Sponsor the Yearly Butter Lamp Retreat
The History of the Annual Butter Lamp Retreat
It all started in the 1950s when Chhimed Rigdzin Rinpoche was doing a 3 years 6 months retreat at the sacred place of Tso Pema in India as advised by his root guru Tulku Tsorlo ( Tsulthrim Zangpo) .His needs were then generously taken care of by the king of Zahor, Jogin Singh himself, who made sure Rinpoche had enough butter for his offerings and enough food for himself.
During this time Rinpoche wrote an aspiration prayer of lamp offerings which came to him as a mind Terma for the benefit of all sentient beings in general and in particular for the supreme incarnation Tsulthrim Zangpo also known as Terchen Yeshe Rolpa Tsal, his root guru Tulku Tsorlo, in order to clear the obstacles related to his entering in his 61st year and to help him live for many more years.
Later on Rinpoche modified this prayer so that it can be practiced and integrated within every puja.
Much later, Rinpoche received instructions in pure vision from Nuden Dorje to offer 111.111 lamps every year for the sake of world peace.
The first butterlamp retreat took place in Bodhgaya with the help of a handful of Chhimed Rigdzin Rinpoche’s Western disciples together with his family members in December 1991.
Since then the 3 weeks long butterlamp retreat has taken place every winter, first in the premises of the Mahabodhi Society in Sarnath and at Khordong Byangter Monastery since the land was purchased in 1996.
Over the years this retreat of lamp offerings has become a tradition, seeing more and more participants coming from all over Europe to spend time and practice together with Rinpoche.
The retreat consists of the intense practice of the Vidhyadara Guru Padmasambhava according to the ritual texts discovered in the 19th century by Khordong Terchen Tulku Nuden Dorje Drollo Tsal, together with the recitation of the aspiration prayer of the lamps.
In between the practices, participants engage in the preparation and the lighting of the lamps. This way an average of 6500 lamps are offered everyday.
Since Rinpoche passed away in June 2002, the tradition of this intense and powerful retreat has been kept alive under the leading guidance of his son and Dungsi Tulku Ugen Chencho.
In January 2011, the 20th Lamp Retreat took place at Khordong Byangter Monastery with many students of our Khordong Byangter lineage attending to celebrate these 2 million lamps offered for world peace and for the benefit of all sentient beings in these times.
Slideshow of the 20th Lamp Retreat
The Prayer and Sutra Of The Lamp
To perform the puja turn your hands towards the sky and recite the prayer of the Gold-Handed King.
Today we dedicate the merits of this practice to the deceased and we offer lamps continually.
We all pray that any virtues arising from this be offering to Padma Sambhava and Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Clic to read The Lamp Story of the Gold-Handed King
