DIY fire pujas

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Dharmadale
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DIY fire pujas

Post by Dharmadale »

Is it considered acceptable, in the Gelug tradition, for a lay practitioner to perform their own fire puja at the end of an approximation retreat? If so, are transmissions etc required?
Thanks,
Dallas
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Ayu
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by Ayu »

I believe one needs a kind of transmission. I'm not sure, if it's enough to have attended a firepuja or if the transmission needs to be done explicitly.
Therefore I'm curious for other answers.
Soma999
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by Soma999 »

In a Padmasambhava initiation, there was a transmission for the filling and puring spoon used for fire puja. So i guess yes some transmission can be done for that. That being said, are they a requirements..,

I have done fire puja with visualised fire, and sometime offering into the fire in the ajna center.

With physical fire it is quiet strong.

I heard a fire puja yogi say a fire ceremony can be stronger when it is internalised (visualise the fire in ajna and visualise make the offerings to this fire), but to do it well you need to first experience physical fire puja.
zerwe
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by zerwe »

I have been given instructions and go ahead to do so by one particular teacher. I am sure transmission is helpful, but I was not told it was necessary.

Shaun :namaste:
Dharmadale
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by Dharmadale »

Thanks Shaun! I have been following your posts on here for a while and am wondering whether I might have met you in Knappenberg in 2019?
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Hazel
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by Hazel »

zerwe wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:46 am I have been given instructions and go ahead to do so by one particular teacher. I am sure transmission is helpful, but I was not told it was necessary.

Shaun :namaste:
Are there different fire pujas that could be referred to here?
Happy Pride month to my queer dharma siblings!

What do you see when you turn out the lights?
zerwe
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by zerwe »

Hazel wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 4:31 pm
zerwe wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:46 am I have been given instructions and go ahead to do so by one particular teacher. I am sure transmission is helpful, but I was not told it was necessary.

Shaun :namaste:
Are there different fire pujas that could be referred to here?
Well, there may or may not be some different lineages represented given the earlier comments and I am sure there are differing fire pujas. However, I believe the OP is referring to the fire puja that is performed following approximation/accumulation/Le Rung retreat in Gelug or other Sarma schools?

Shaun :namaste:
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Hazel
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by Hazel »

zerwe wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 5:42 pm
Hazel wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 4:31 pm
zerwe wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:46 am I have been given instructions and go ahead to do so by one particular teacher. I am sure transmission is helpful, but I was not told it was necessary.

Shaun :namaste:
Are there different fire pujas that could be referred to here?
Well, there may or may not be some different lineages represented given the earlier comments and I am sure there are differing fire pujas. However, I believe the OP is referring to the fire puja that is performed following approximation/accumulation/Le Rung retreat in Gelug or other Sarma schools?

Shaun :namaste:
Gotcha! Thank you for the explanation :-).
Happy Pride month to my queer dharma siblings!

What do you see when you turn out the lights?
zerwe
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by zerwe »

Dharmadale wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 4:40 am Thanks Shaun! I have been following your posts on here for a while and am wondering whether I might have met you in Knappenberg in 2019?
Knappenberg doesn't ring a bell. As far as dharma events, etc... in 2019 I spent a little time in Nepal and the Bay area of California. Other than that here in North Carolina. Maybe we crossed paths elsewhere?

Shaun :namaste:
jmlee369
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by jmlee369 »

Dharmadale wrote: Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:25 am Is it considered acceptable, in the Gelug tradition, for a lay practitioner to perform their own fire puja at the end of an approximation retreat? If so, are transmissions etc required?
Thanks,
Dallas
You are supposed to do your own fire puja at the end of the retreat. Sometimes if done as a group one person will perform the actual ritual as a representative while everyone recites the text and does the visualisations. For practical reasons it is strongly recommended that you have at least two assistants, one person to help with you with the offerings and another person to recite the text. The ritual manuals state the assistants should have previously completed the enabling retreat and fire pujas themselves, but it is not always possible to find such a person, in which case you will have to make do (preferably they have at least received the initiation of the deity whose practice you are doing). No transmission is necessary to perform the ritual, but there are many practical things that you need to learn beforehand.
Hazel wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 4:31 pm
zerwe wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:46 am I have been given instructions and go ahead to do so by one particular teacher. I am sure transmission is helpful, but I was not told it was necessary.

Shaun :namaste:
Are there different fire pujas that could be referred to here?
Generally in Gelug circles fire puja refers only to the jin-sek ritual (homa in Sanskrit), while sur and sang practice are known as aroma/scent and smoke offering. There are also candle flame burnt offerings (most often associated with Vajradaka) for purifying negativities by burning sesame seeds, but this is usually known as just the Vajradaka (Dorje Khadro/Kache dorje) practice.
jmlee369
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by jmlee369 »

jmlee369 wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 8:31 am [...] Vajradaka (Dorje Khadro/Kache dorje) practice.
Sorry, that should read Za-che khadro not khache dorje.
Thousand thousand
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by Thousand thousand »

Wow jimlee, what a complete and correct answer, I think.
To make a end-tantra-retreat fire puja you need many parctical tips and instructions, but no permission/empowerment, I think.
Dorje Khadro is very simple but very very good for purification, I love it

jmlee369 wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 8:31 am
You are supposed to do your own fire puja at the end of the retreat. Sometimes if done as a group one person will perform the actual ritual as a representative while everyone recites the text and does the visualisations. For practical reasons it is strongly recommended that you have at least two assistants, one person to help with you with the offerings and another person to recite the text. The ritual manuals state the assistants should have previously completed the enabling retreat and fire pujas themselves, but it is not always possible to find such a person, in which case you will have to make do (preferably they have at least received the initiation of the deity whose practice you are doing). No transmission is necessary to perform the ritual, but there are many practical things that you need to learn beforehand.
Hazel wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 4:31 pm
zerwe wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:46 am I have been given instructions and go ahead to do so by one particular teacher. I am sure transmission is helpful, but I was not told it was necessary.

Shaun :namaste:
Are there different fire pujas that could be referred to here?
Generally in Gelug circles fire puja refers only to the jin-sek ritual (homa in Sanskrit), while sur and sang practice are known as aroma/scent and smoke offering. There are also candle flame burnt offerings (most often associated with Vajradaka) for purifying negativities by burning sesame seeds, but this is usually known as just the Vajradaka (Dorje Khadro/Kache dorje) practice.
zerwe
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Re: DIY fire pujas

Post by zerwe »

Some help/instructions/description from a Lama or Geshe is indispensable at the very least, if not, absolutely necessary.

A very good reference that covers a lot of ground is A Manual of Ritual Fire Offerings trans. Sharpa Tulku and Michael Perott

Again, this is material is for Anuttarayoga tantra eyes only.

Shaun :namaste:
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