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About Dorje Shugden => General Discussion => Topic started by: Alexis on May 09, 2008, 04:06:37 AM
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To all,
This is a question I forgot to ask Dagom Labrang last time my wife called them. Not wanting to bother them again for a small question, I thought I'll put it up in the forum for answers.
Does anyone know what's the difference between reciting mantras (Om vajra wiki...) and offering serkyem.
One is mainly verbal, sure, and the other one has a material offering aspect to it.
But beside these, they are both explained as short requests to the deity, so what is the main difference between them? They are both requests for activity!
The mantra has to do with the inner (wind) energy of the deity and the sekyem seems to be a quick call for action. That's all I know...anything else?
Like what the difference in results between reciting 100,000 mantras and collecting 100,000 Sekyem offerings?
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Dear Alexis,
While offering serkyem we request the removal of our (mostly inner) obstacles, which is then followed by the
mantra recitation and visualisation, through which we activate the protector's energy within and around (healing the environment and sentient beings)us.
A 'quick call to action' - of course, serkyem offering is also used specifically, for example to help make an event successful and beneficial for all involved. In that case, we do basic Gaden Lhagyama/yidam practice, invocation, kawang, and during serkyem repeat Dharmapala's verse many times.
To repeat the short kawang many, and/or the long kawang a few times, is also excellent to begin any important virtuous endeavor.
Because, as suggested above, most of our obstacles are of an inner nature, reciting the seryem verse DOES at times feel similar to mantra recitation (in my experience). But this just on the side.
Yours, beggar
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What is Kawang?
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Thank you very, very much!
This clarified some things and I did'nt know we could accumulate 'Kang'wa' repetitions like mantras or Serkyem.
BTW it think it spell 'Kangwa' not 'Kawang'. Kang is the tibetan word that stands for 'filling' or 'retauring' it also means 'snow'. Its the 'kang', that you find in Kangso'. Kang'wa' is the main part of the text where we offer fullfilling and retauring offerings to Gyelchen.
Maybe TK can help us here...
Anyway, thanks very much!
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To Mooch,
The 'Kawang' or 'Kang'wa' is the main part of the ritual were you describes all sorts of fanstastic offerings. It's usually inserted after the 7 limbs prayer and confession, just before the mantra recitation.
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Dear Mooch,
For the short Kawang see SHORT SADHANA OF DORJE SHUGDEN on our homepage, right after the praise:
KAWANG
HUM !
Heart’s blood drinking offerings set out like the flow of the Ganges,
Flowers of the sense organs blossoming and clouds of smoke gathering,
Human bile perfume, flesh and blood, and the sound of thigh bone trumpets,
Please accept these as well as an ocean of undefiled nectar!
Also sensual objects and the seven royal objects,
The intelligent horse, elephants, frightful yaks, sheep, and dogs,
Saffron robes, strong, hard armour and shields,
Arrows, spears, swords, and outer, inner, and secret bases,
With these clouds of offerings, both supramundane and worldly,
O Dorje Shugden and all your wrathful entourage,
May your heart commitment be fulfilled and degeneration restored!
Especially, each accumulated faulty deed of body, speech and mind
We have committed under the influence of ignorance,
Which goes against your mind, protector,
We confess with a mind of remorse and regret.
Furthermore, transgressions of our commitments to the protector
And entourage, neglect or degeneration of retreat practice,
Tormas, offerings, and so on,
We practitioners confess all of these
Within the unobjectifiable emptiness of the three spheres.
This is very beneficial as here we make offerings and confess and restore broken commitments.
In other words, we make our connection 'clean and clear', without which it is difficult for Dharmapala to help.
He can only help if we have good motivation and a minimum of sincerity.
He cannot help with things that harm others or ourselves. In fact, he will try to keep us from doing so - i guess older practitioners have all experienced the hints and signs and the heavy conscience that can suddenly awake in us when we are about to be seduced by selfish notions.
All the best for your practice!
Yours, beggar
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TK,
This website wouldn't be the same without you! ;)
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This post was way back in 2008 where many questions are asked as to how to do this and how to do that.
I thought it is interesting to revive this post so that we may be prepared to answer new Shugdenpas who may want to know the rituals and prayers of Shugden practice.
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Thank you for sharing this post. Protector Mantra, Serkym and Kawang are part of my prayers for more than 2 year now. I started with mantra, then added serkym, then added kawang. I find that this has helped me a lot in my spiritual journey in getting me staying focus as well as helping me to remove my obstacles.
I learned a lot from the articles shared under the “Dharma Readings” category: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/#1043 (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/#1043)
Mantra: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/dharma-readings/dharma-demystified-the-mantra-of-dorje-shugden/ (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/dharma-readings/dharma-demystified-the-mantra-of-dorje-shugden/)
Serkym: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/dharma-readings/dharma-demystified-golden-drink-offering-serkyem/ (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/dharma-readings/dharma-demystified-golden-drink-offering-serkyem/)
Kawang: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/mail-out/dharma-demystified-kawang/ (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/mail-out/dharma-demystified-kawang/)
Thank you very much dorjeshugden.com!
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A question, how do offering Serkim helps us in term of emergency situation and on our dharma improvement. Does that mean, protector only help us after the tea.. Why it is serkim is important in protector practices.
It confuse me, as, serkim offering seems only apply in Vajrayana.
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A question, how do offering Serkim helps us in term of emergency situation and on our dharma improvement. Does that mean, protector only help us after the tea.. Why it is serkim is important in protector practices.
It confuse me, as, serkim offering seems only apply in Vajrayana.
I would disagree that tea offering only apply to Vajrayana. I have seen my Mahayana friends offering tea on their altar, however they use small porcelain cups instead of the traditional Tibetan serkym set that is made of brass or silver.
As for the help that we request, to me I always believe positive action breeds positive results. It is not that Dorje Shugden will not help us if we don't offer tea... in fact, Dorje Shugden do not need any offering or tea from us. However from the practitioner's end, when we offer tea, we directly create the merits and the positive karma to accomplish our wishes.
Also, the serkym offering is just a representation of what is being offered. After all, being a low level practitioner like myself, it is indeed difficult to visualize an ocean of offerings being made to the Buddhas, so by pouring the tea, it helps me to visualize my offerings to Dorje Shugden. It is not just one pot of tea that we offer, it is the whole universe, so the merits from there that is gained is immense to aid in our spiritual aspirations or even solve our worldly problems that hinder our spiritual practice
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Thank you Q for your explanation on the offering of serkym to Dorje Shugden. As a matter of fact, when we do our Sadhana (daily prayers) we are also encouraged to make the best offerings to our Protector.
Not that without the offerings, our Protector will not grant us guidance and protection but rather our way of showing reverence to Him and lessening our miserliness.
All offerings to enlightened beings benefits us as enlightened beings need nothing.
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out of curiosity, why does Vajrayana emphasize on abundant offerings, and Mahayana emphasize on thrift? Does that mean that being a Mahayana practitioner as opposed to Vajrayana, one does not have to make elaborate offerings? Isn't having so much offerings in Vajrayana encouraging spending beyond our means at times?
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That is a good question Alexis, and i hope to give you a good answer that will make you understand. According to research i have done using the internet, when you do serkyem you are actually asking to remove your most inner obstacle. After this mantra recitation follows. Also, mantras come in many different forms and are used in many different occasions when used in prayers, however serkyem is used only for certain prayers. Those are the only 2 differences that i could find on the internet. I hope they were uselful, Alexis.
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Thanks for the reminder. Many a times, we tend to forget that the serkym is indeed needed to remove specific obstacles swiftly. We tend to sometimes look askance at obstacles that materialize on our path. Goes to show how shallow my understanding of the Dharmapala practice is.
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Thank you Alexis for your question. It had created a teaching and learning session that I find helps me to understand better the difference between recitation of Mantras and offering of Serkyem. I thank those who had answer the question. May more people come to practise the powerful practise of offerings to the Three Jewels and gain the merits necessary for our progress on the path to enlightenment.
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Hello everyone on this thread. Here is what I have learnt regarding Serkyem offerings. It is the ancient lineage lamas that have developed this practice as an extended offering to the Dharma Protector to request for swift assistance. Another interesting fact is that the Serkyem offering practice is done mainly for Dharma Protectors prayers. Just found out in detail about this even though I have been offering Serkyem daily.
Here is the link to learn up more about this powerful practice:
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/dharma-readings/dharma-demystified-golden-drink-offering-serkyem
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Nice to revisit this topic again. I read somewhere that the offering of serkym as with all offerings is from the side of the practiitoners. The Protectors do not need our tea offering or any offerings for that matter. We offer up our attachment and greed and cravings, so why not offer up tea?
That's my penny's worth of thought.
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Best is to do Serkym along with Mantras and Kawang. Daily prayers are best to keep our connection strong and improving our spiritual practice. Kawang will help us clear our obstacles, inner and outer.