QUESTION
Dearest Ven. Robina,
I am seeking clarification for whether I’m permitted to use a dorje and a bell after the Avalokiteshvara empowerment with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I have not received any other tantra initiation. Your guidance is appreciated.
Also, am I qualified to taste the tsog offering? I’ve attended tsog ceremonies online where it’s been said that Lama Zopa Rinpoche said to invite everyone to partake in the offering so no one feels left out.
But if I’m not qualified, I’m not sure whether I should even attend the ceremonies at all.
It’s hard to find answers to all my questions online.
Please continue to teach.
Warmest regards,
H
ANSWER
Dearest H:
Yes, it is good you use your dorje and bell, having received the empowerment from His Holiness. Remind yourself that the bell, held in your left hand, represents the wisdom of emptiness; and the dorje, held in your right hand, represents bliss.
As for tsog: only those who’ve received a Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment are permitted to partake of tsog; the empowerment you received is not in that class.
As Rinopche says in a teaching, “Strictly speaking, tsog should only be served to those who practice Highest Yoga Tantra.” And by this Rinpoche also means the other things besides the bala and madana – but usually those other things are offered to everyone, but the bala and madana not.
But we need to understand the teachings in order to enjoy the tsog appropriately, and most of us don’t.
The essence of the approach in tantra is to cultivate pure view, that is, see everything in the nature of bliss and emptiness. This, of course, is pretty esoteric for most of us, but we can at least train in that view until we have received the teachings.
So when we take home our little bag of the offerings that have been blessed, instead of grasping at the one that looks like a chocolate and leaving the one that looks like a fruit you don’t like, see them as being in the nature of bliss and emptiness and don’t discriminate. That’s the practice.
A friend of mine told me that Lama Yeshe told him that “it’s better to eat molten iron than to eat tsog with attachment!”
But attending the Guru Puja, which is typically when tsog is offered, is excellent. It’s actually a Highest Yoga Tantra practice, but traditionally among us Gelugpas it is often a public ceremony.
And accepting bala and madana online – in other words, in your mind – is wonderful! It can create the cause to be able to one day. So aspire to take a Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment when the time is right.
Love,
Robina