How do you perform the Dorje Khandro Fire Puja? I have a real liking for this practice and would like to perform it at home. Is an initiation or empowerment required? If someone could provide some instructions that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I read in a book by Lama Zopa Rinpoche that doing the seven-limb practice every day is essential for realizations. There are seven "limbs": prostrating, offering, confessing, rejoicing, requesting the teacher to turn the wheel of Dharma, requesting the teacher to remain for a long time and dedicating. How does one actually do these in practice? There is also a seven-limb prayer that presumably must be said. Does one simply say the prayer or is something more elaborate required (such as actually making offerings for the offering part)? Thank you.
Greetings, everyone! I am just here seeking some advice on how to meditate and build a connection with Tara. I have heard many great stories of people improving their lives and even witnessing miracles because they meditated on this particular Buddhist Deity. Is an empowerment needed to begin meditating on Tara? How can I incorporate Tara into my daily meditations? Are there any prayers or a sadhana/puja I can do? Any book recommendations would also be great. Thank you very much.
I know that Samatha meditation involves single-pointed concentration on an object such as the breath or a physical object. I am not really too keen on breathing meditation so would focusing on an object such as a rock or flower without wavering my mind count as samatha meditation? I would really like to make samatha part of my daily meditation routine. Thanks.
What are the detailed steps one must take to reach enlightenment? I am curious if there is a particular course of study or curriculum one must hold by to achieve enlightenment in Buddhism. I am particularly interested in what Tibetan Buddhism has to say about this. I don't mean enlightenment necessarily in this life (maybe even a future life), but what must someone do to reach this goal? I know there is the lamrim meditations one can follow to familiarize him/herself with the stages of the process. I also know that Buddhism often teaches faster ways to reach enlightenment like guru yoga or certain tantric practices. Oftentimes, however, people are not able to receive initiation to practice these methods. What should a normal, regular joe who really has a yearning to achieve enlightenment do?
I have always had a particular liking for the guru yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa. I have purchased the small booklet that contains the text by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. I want to add Guru Yoga to my daily meditation routine. I am just a little confused about how to actually do it. It seems to be mostly full of prayers and some visualizations. Does one simply recite it? Or is something more elaborate required? Does it require empowerment before doing it? Thanks.
How do you perform the Nyungne fasting practice? Does it require transmission or empowerment? I am looking for a detailed explanation for the Nyungne practice if I want to perform it for myself.