Illuminating Sunshine: Buddhist Funeral Rituals of Avalokiteshvara Padma Trinley ( Padma 'phrin-las )

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Illuminating Sunshine: Buddhist Funeral Rituals of Avalokiteshvara
By: Padma Trinley ( Padma 'phrin-las )

Illuminating Sunshine: Buddhist Funeral Rituals of Avalokiteshvara Padma Trinley ( Padma 'phrin-las )

Our Price: $60.00

Members Price: $57.00

Author: Padma Trinley ( Padma 'phrin-las )
Translator: Martin Boord
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9783942380133
Publication Date: 2012

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Product Code: 17367

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Contents

Apart from the prayers stemming from the well-known Tibetan Book of the Dead, there is a remarkable lack of ritual material available in the Western world for those who wish to perform a Buddhist funeral.

This gap has now been filled by a welcome new publication from Wandel Verlag:

According to our author Padma 'phrin-las (1641-1718), disciple of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama and fourth incarnation of the gter-ston Rig-'dzin rgod-ldem, there are three main stages in the care of those who have come to the end of their lives. These consist of facilitating the transference of consciousness (pho ba) at the moment of death, performing postmortem rituals in order to guide the deceased along pathways of escape from the six modes of unhappy rebirth in samsara, and cremating the corpse with due dignity. Associated rites include prayers of good wishes for the deceased to be reborn in the pureland of Amitabha's Blissful Paradise (Sukhavati), and the casting of small votive images (tsha tsha) from any fragments of bone that may remain after the cremation has been completed. Taken as a whole, such rites are designed to ensure that the good karma of the deceased is used to maximum effect so that he or she may be liberated from bondage to an endless cycle of confusion and pain, obtaining instead the three kaya of an awakened being.

All the relevant texts have been gathered together in the present volume, which thus contains a full set of instructions for those who find themselves called upon to care for the Buddhist dead. Together with the Tibetan texts and English translations, this book contains transliterated prayers that may be chanted with greater ease on such solemn occasions, with full explanations of how to perform a full Buddhist funeral ceremony, by either burial or cremation.

May this work bring happiness and comfort to the living, as well as blissful liberation to the deceased!

Illuminating Sunshine: Buddhist Funeral Rituals of Avalokiteshvara, Padma Trinley ( Padma 'phrin-las ). Edition Khordong, Hardcover, 352 Pages, $60.00

Contents: Illuminating Sunshine: Buddhist funeral rituals of Avalokitesvara by Padma 'phrin-las (1641-1718)

Introduction

Avalokitesvara 2

OM MANIPADME HUM 6

Hymn of the naga king 20

Buddhist rites for the dead 22

Preparation of the ritual vases
23

Acknowledgments & dedication
43

Transference of consciousness

Root text of Rig-'dzin rgod-ldem 45

Instructions by Padma 'phrin-las & 'Phrin-las bzang-po 49

Learning the technique 49

Actual engagement 51

The six abodes of rebirth

Root Text of Rig-'dzin rgod-ldem 62

Preparation 62

Driving away the messengers of death 68

Summoning the deceased 69

Guiding out of the hells 71

Guiding out of the realm of hungry ghosts 78

Guiding out of the animal realm 84

Guiding out of the human realm 90

Guiding out of the asura realm 96

Guiding out of the realm of the gods 103

Empowerment and prayers of Aspiration 110

Conclusion 115

Dedicating food to the deceased 118

The special instructions of Padma 'phrin-las 127

Setting out the necessary items 127

The performance of the ritual 131

Inviting the consciousness to be present 131

Banishing the messengers of death 131

Introducing the symbols 134

Guiding out of the six realms 136

Cutting all future connection 138

Empowerment 139

Giving food 139

Doctrines of the path 141

Fixing the seals 141

Burning the name card 141

Prayers of aspiration 142

Rite of Cremation

Root text of Rig-'dzin rgod-ldem 144

The special instructions of Padma 'prin-las 160

Preliminaries 162

Earth rituals 163

Taking refuge & the development of bodhicitta 164

Generation of oneself as Avalokitesvara 168

Earth rituals (cont.) 171

Building the kiln 175

Arranging the necessary items 186

Main part 192

Purification of the ground, the corpse & offerings 192

The deity of fire 196

The mandala of Avalokitesvara 212

Empowerment of the deceased 218

Confession 244

Departure of the wisdom deities 246

Prayers to the protectors 247

Thanksgiving & praise to the fire deity 254

Prayer for rebirth in the Land of Bliss 259

Concluding part 267

Making tsha tsha from the relics 268

Afterword 280

Preparation of tsha tsha (Root text of Rig-'dzin rgod-ldem 283

Preparation of tsha tsha (Mahamandalavyuhatantra) 285

Avalokitesvara funeral ritual 288

Order of sevice in English & Tibetan 290

Closing prayers 336

Bibliography 342

Illustrations

Amitabha (dharmakaya) 260

Avalokitesvara (sambhogakaya): frontispiece

Padmasambhava (nirmanakaya) 44

Preparation of the flask 25

Name card of male deceaased 65

Dharmaraja, liberator of the hell realm 73

Gaganaganja/Jvalamukha, liberator of hungry ghosts 79

Sthirasimha, sage of the animal realm 85

Sakyasimha, sage of the human realm 92

Vemacitra, sage of the demigods 98

Indra Satakratu, sage of the gods 104

Guiding through the circle of six realms 130

Mandala 178

Cremation stupa & alternative kilns 181

Agni, the fire god 197

Silk robes and golden jewels 236

Three bodies of the guru 337

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