Giving gifts and teachings

[Luke]

Hi,

I've heard that giving a gift to a lama when he/she gives you a special teaching is a good thing to do. Traditionally, when is the proper time to give the lama the gift: before or after the teaching?

I'm hoping to do a retreat with a lama. My feeling is that it would be good to give the lama a gift at the beginning of the retreat because it seems more auspicious to me, but I'm not sure.

[Pero]

Hi,

I've heard that giving a gift to a lama when he/she gives you a special teaching is a good thing to do. Traditionally, when is the proper time to give the lama the gift: before or after the teaching?

I'm hoping to do a retreat with a lama. My feeling is that it would be good to give the lama a gift at the beginning of the retreat because it seems more auspicious to me, but I'm not sure.

I think any time you have the chance to give it to him is fine.
I actually had this dillema happen to me in August when I went to receive an initation from my teacher. I wasn't sure when to give the gift to him. I ended up giving it to him on the 3rd day of the retreat because I wasn't sure if I'll have the chance to speak to him on the 4th day when the main initation was and at the same time it was the day I had to leave.
But after the initation there was a chance to speak with him and other people were giving him gifts. Then I thought it might have been nicer if I gave it to him after the initation because like this I just went to him to say goodbye haha. On the other hand, it could've happened that I wouldn't have been able to give it him on the last day. In the end he still received it and that's what counts IMO.

Also, when I was buying the gift it was a little stressful as I didn't know what to buy. But a vajra sister told me that anything is fine as long as it comes from the heart and then I relaxed about it.

[Dhondrub]

According to to Dza Patrul Rinpoches classic "Words of my perfect Teacher" there is special merit in offering to the Guru in the course of him giving the empowerment(page 150)
http://books.google.de/books?id=40i38mG ... &q&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Luke]

According to to Dza Patrul Rinpoches classic "Words of my perfect Teacher" there is special merit in offering to the Guru in the course of him giving the empowerment(page 150)
http://books.google.de/books?id=40i38mG ... &q&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hmm, that's interesting, but how do you give a lama a gift while he's in the middle of giving an empowerment without being disruptive?

[Dhondrub]

Usually there is a point in every Abisheka where everybody gets in front and gets blessed by the various consecrated ritual objects and Samaya substances. At that point you can just place your offering on the throne of the Guru in charge.
But this is just a suggestion. Of course you can give your gift to your Lama at any time.

best

Tashi

[lisehull]

In my all too brief experience with teachings and empowerments, it's normal for the student to gift the teacher at the end of the teaching. That's when kata ceremonies occur. One offers the kata for blessing and dana for the teaching/empowerment.

Lise

[Luke]

In my all too brief experience with teachings and empowerments, it's normal for the student to gift the teacher at the end of the teaching. That's when kata ceremonies occur. One offers the kata for blessing and dana for the teaching/empowerment.

Yes, that's been my experience as well.

I wonder if this still counts as "giving a gift during the empowerment" like it mentions in "Words of My Perfect Teacher"?

[muni]

What else is there to give besides symbolic giving for liberating teaching other than just everything? For getting a push out of the selfgrasping grey cloud into open all good sky? How can one not offer the whole dreamlike cloud?