Practices for epidemics and pandemics

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dharmafootsteps
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by dharmafootsteps »

How does ChNN's Mandarava fit in with the original list of practices? It seems to straddle being both a healing practice like Orgyen Menla and a personal purification/preventative practice like the rest of the list.
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

FPMT has made a page just for this pandemic:

https://fpmt.org/fpmt/announcements/res ... -pandemic/
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Soma999
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Soma999 »

Quad, i am very sorry for your situation. Some problems are complex and involve more than just doing ceremony. A profund change needs to be done also. To do certain changes in your life for exemple. Everything work together : doctors, ceremony, energy works, they all work together. And to manifest change, you have to change. You have to become someone else, someone who manifest good health.

I know someone with throat problems, but who have lots of difficulties to express emotions peacefully. How healing could occur if inner tension do not dissolve in this case ?

How do practice work ? I know someone who was so much in pain she could not ever walk without a cane. Doctor, chiropractists... they did their best, no results. This person recited the Sanghata sutra, it seems like nothing happened if you judge the immediate results. But few days latter, this person met another doctor, who, for free, offer his help. In less than 15 minutes, this person was completly healed, and the cane left behind. So, who know how those things work ?

Some people get sick for many reasons. I met a young woman with the back which really hurt. I asked her what happen... « i can’t forgive » was her answer.

People ask for healing, but when they are asked for inner transformation, they resist so much. They want peace but do not want to forgive. They expect a miracle but when the miracle come, it’s not in the form they want so they reject it or do not even see it.

There was a woman asking help for her daughter who is a drug addict. She wanted to heal him with rituals. But when solution was given to her, even when it is efficient, she rejected if that did not fit in what she expects (ie ceremony). Needless to say, i saw, years later, the problem never changed.

When you call upon Medicine Buddha, you call your own inner intelligence to heal. You have to trust it, and to have faith, even though you may not see results. A seed in the soil, you see nothing, but something is happening. You have to trust, like saying « i know it is efficient even thought the results i long for are not here for the moment ». Project yourself in the results you want. Feel it. Feel things improving. Express gratitude for it. And even say the positive energy you generate will benefits a lot of people.

Life is a school, and we have to learn. Who want total pleasure, peace and tranquility ? Everyone. Who want pain and suffering ? Nobody. But even thought we want to avoid suffering, it comes.

If you accept it, and i know it is a terrible thing to say as it can be hugely difficult, you may help the healing. Like for exemple « certainly i have so much to learn from this experience, i will not complain but ask how, through this difficulty, i can learn, grow, benefits other and myself ».

In your practice, beside faith, you need to develop compassion, and a vast spirit. You can say « i suffer, but there are so many like me, and in even worst situation, affected by plague, leper and so on for exemple. They need so much help, i place the intention what i practice today can be of benefits to you also ». And really do it, as a loving offering to your fellow human beings.

You can also do tong-len : may this i am experiencing liberate all those you suffer the same and all the others. May it substitute for their suffering.

The key point is to develop acceptance « whatever happen, i accept, i will extract the best of the situation ». And faith « i know what is done has effects » and gratitude.

We don’t know the reasons of our suffering. Someone with a « problem » said to a master for healing, and he says, no i can’t. The person adked why, the master refused to answer. Second time, he refused to say. The person asked a third time and the master told him what happened in a previous life for thos person. When he started to hear, he said « please, stop, i understand... i accept, i will carry this situation ». So, sometime also, time is necessary, and certain suffering can’t get removed just like this. But anyhow, practice will bring benefits, if not now, in the future.

There was a saint in France who was famous for his mieacle abilities. Even leader of different countries asked for his help. One person was with severe money difficulties. He asked for help. Some advise were given, which, at first, worsen the situation. A little after, he got material ease and his suffering ended. The saint said something quiet enigmatic « one day less of suffering for this man and he would not have got money... he would have been put in jail instead ».

This same saint was shown a situation were someone was missing everything. He answered by showing a vision everyone saw of the previous life of this man, explaining his suffering today. He also say something like « this man should not even have food, but because the divine mother prayed for him, he could eat today ».

So, we don’t know many things. What os hiding behind a problem ? It could be light, it could be heavy. We don’t know. And sometime, the heaviness can be lifted in a moment.

My advise to you is to help other people, offer them time, hope, loving presence. Offer them books, medicine, kind words. Practice for all suffering people, offer your own torment so that they can benefits to other. Use this situation as a lesson. Learn also from all kind of people, open your mind, to maybe also what people of different traditions may offer, to neuroscience, epigenetics and so on...

Say, even if i get no results, i will do it as a loving offering to the universe and to all beings.

Even if i don’t heal, i will do practice to turn suffering into a medicine to become better human being.

I wish you the best and hope those words can be of some help for you.

Everything is impermanent. Suffering also.

Keep practicing, and let your practice also transform yourself, purify your heart and let your mind become an ocean. Let go of the results, and practice as an offering. By renouncing your goals in appareance, they will manifest much faster and in the beauty way.
Fortyeightvows
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Fortyeightvows »

May all beings have toilet paper and the causes of toilet paper.
May they be free from panic buying and the causes of panic buying.
May they never be separated from the joy which is beyond stockpiling.
May they rest in equanimity free from from attachment and aversion.
thogme19
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by thogme19 »

Kyabgön Phakchok Rinpoche's Message Regarding The COVID-19 Virus
I hope you are all doing well. At this time, I want to share a short message with all of you. From the hygienic point of view, keeping healthy is very important, and I think you all know about this. From the spiritual point of view, you can do any practice that you usually do. There is no need to do any particular extra practice. If you know how to do sang puja, it is good to do this as it cleanses all the karmic debts, cleanses all the obstacles, and cleanses the environment and the health of others.
I think many of you know how to recite the Vajra Guru mantra, so it is good to chant this. Other Rinpoches and lamas are advising to practice certain mantras, and it is good to chant those if you have time.
The most important part is to focus on your main practice. This will be easier for you, and more effective. If you don’t know about the Guru Rinpoche mantra or sang puja, then focus on meditation, tonglen or compassion, or whatever practice you already do. You can keep up with the same practice.
These diseases happen through causes and conditions. The causes and conditions, in this case, are our collective karma as human beings. So, to purify karma, you can practice virtue through your actions, your practice, your meditation, and so forth. This will remove our karmic debt. The most important part is to dedicate merit and make aspirations for our parents and family members in this life and past lives, for our villages, towns, and cities, and for all human beings. To dedicate and aspire for their good health, happiness, and fulfillment of all their wishes.
The key points are (1) to do your main practice with focus, (2) to chant Guru Rinpoche’s mantra and supplications to Guru Rinpoche that you already know, and (3) to do sang puja if you already know it, and to do all of this with the dedication and aspiration for the good health of human beings. Essentially we should accumulate virtue to purify the karma of those who are going through difficulties of environment, health, finance, and happiness that have been created by the collective karma of human beings.
jet.urgyen
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by jet.urgyen »

dharmafootsteps wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2020 9:03 am How does ChNN's Mandarava fit in with the original list of practices? It seems to straddle being both a healing practice like Orgyen Menla and a personal purification/preventative practice like the rest of the list.
it's a higher lvl practice, if one understands what vajra tent means.
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
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monkishlife
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by monkishlife »

All phenomena is based on causes and conditions. All suffering is likewise based on causes and conditions. It is very complicated. No one suffering is forever; it will cease.

I sincerely wish that people with physical and mental diseases be free from their pain. I wish this from the bottom of my heart.

May we all fulfill our deepest wish: to be free from all suffering.

With much love and metta to all.

:namaste:
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Grigoris
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Grigoris »

My Greek lama recommended I do some protector practices (torma, serkyem, etc) to pacify the Mamo.

I informed him that I am happy to do so, but shouldn't somebody tell everybody else to stop irritating the Mamo?
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Toenail
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Toenail »

When we want to accumulate the Nubchen Sangye Yeshe Degyed Serkyem, is there a special way to do it? I remember if in hurry there was an instruction to just do the last stanza. Would it be appropriate to do the whole text one time and then accumulate the last paragraph many times?
Malcolm
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Malcolm »

Toenail wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 11:02 pm When we want to accumulate the Nubchen Sangye Yeshe Degyed Serkyem, is there a special way to do it? I remember if in hurry there was an instruction to just do the last stanza. Would it be appropriate to do the whole text one time and then accumulate the last paragraph many times?
yes.
Tenma
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Tenma »

Grigoris wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 6:45 pm My Greek lama recommended I do some protector practices (torma, serkyem, etc) to pacify the Mamo.

I informed him that I am happy to do so, but shouldn't somebody tell everybody else to stop irritating the Mamo?
How are the mamos being irritated exactly?
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lelopa
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by lelopa »

Tenma wrote: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:41 pm
Grigoris wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 6:45 pm My Greek lama recommended I do some protector practices (torma, serkyem, etc) to pacify the Mamo.

I informed him that I am happy to do so, but shouldn't somebody tell everybody else to stop irritating the Mamo?
How are the mamos being irritated exactly?
pollution of their habitat, f.e.
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Könchok Thrinley
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Könchok Thrinley »

Tenma wrote: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:41 pm
Grigoris wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 6:45 pm My Greek lama recommended I do some protector practices (torma, serkyem, etc) to pacify the Mamo.

I informed him that I am happy to do so, but shouldn't somebody tell everybody else to stop irritating the Mamo?
How are the mamos being irritated exactly?
Malcolm said that they can be provocated through food being burned. And last year there was a huge amount of pigs killed and burned because they had swine flu. So that might be the cause of this irritation.
“Observing samaya involves to remain inseparable from the union of wisdom and compassion at all times, to sustain mindfulness, and to put into practice the guru’s instructions”. Garchen Rinpoche

For those who do virtuous actions,
goodness is what comes to pass.
For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.

- Arya Sanghata Sutra
jet.urgyen
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by jet.urgyen »

Tenma wrote: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:41 pm
Grigoris wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 6:45 pm My Greek lama recommended I do some protector practices (torma, serkyem, etc) to pacify the Mamo.

I informed him that I am happy to do so, but shouldn't somebody tell everybody else to stop irritating the Mamo?
How are the mamos being irritated exactly?
as humans, some get irritated by mere opinions (laughs), you can have an idea of the rest.

for instance, when the enviroment is polluted as lelopa mentioned, when you cut down trees, alter the course of rivers, suck water from the underground, when you burn garbage or sinthetic things in general (plastic, rubber, chemicals, etc.), when you burn meat, when you harm animals, when humans practice violence in general, when you don't have respect in general.

and in particular when you get involved in politics you may be affected by powerfull classes, such as mamo, as well. politics is the seed of warfare.

this is how i see it.

btw, provocation can be also when these clases get encouraged when they see humans being violent. not only irritating them.
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
tingdzin
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by tingdzin »

The Chinese have dammed and massively diverted water from three major river systems, to the detriment of downstream neighbors and ecosystems, they have fouled their air, land and water probably worse than any other nation, they are overfishing not only their own but everyone else's waters, they have rescinded their sensible "one child only" policy -- it seems the mamos and nagas have shown amazing patience with them up to now.
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by pemachophel »

The Covid-19 pandemic may have started in China, but it is clear that this is not just a Chinese problem. If, in fact, the Mamo are upset, they are upset with all of us. Certainly here in the U.S., we are far from exempt from culpability.
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Könchok Thrinley
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Könchok Thrinley »

:good:

Yup, we should clean up our acts for sure (and our rivers, air, forests... etc etc)
“Observing samaya involves to remain inseparable from the union of wisdom and compassion at all times, to sustain mindfulness, and to put into practice the guru’s instructions”. Garchen Rinpoche

For those who do virtuous actions,
goodness is what comes to pass.
For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.

- Arya Sanghata Sutra
Malcolm
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Malcolm »

pemachophel wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:03 pm The Covid-19 pandemic may have started in China, but it is clear that this is not just a Chinese problem. If, in fact, the Mamo are upset, they are upset with all of us. Certainly here in the U.S., we are far from exempt from culpability.
Indeed, we live on one planet. We destroy it at our own peril.
Toenail
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Toenail »

Would that type of frankincense they use in church be an OK ingredient for smoke offerings to spirits? Or would it drive them away? I'm asking because Guggul is used after Gektor to drive hindering spirits out. And it comes from the same family I believe. I am asking specifically about that type of church incense because I have a lot of it.
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Re: Practices for epidemics and pandemics

Post by Vasana »

Frankincense is fine. Guru Rinpoche approved. Just be sure to purify it. It's best not to always view them as spirits in the traditional sense either. They're as alive as you or me, they're just abiding in the same space and realm we are, with different perceptions of it.
'When thoughts arise, recognise them clearly as your teacher'— Gampopa
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
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