Guru Puja

TRADITIONAL PRACTICES

Lama Chöpa Puja
The Guru Puja
with Tsog Offering
led by Venerable Thubten Dondrub

This is an offering to the Guru that is performed twice a month, on the 10th and 25th days of the lunar calendar. Although it is a practice of Highest Yoga Tantra, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche encourages all students to attend if they have faith in Tantra.

You may think that this is too advanced or not necessary because of not having made connection with a teacher yet. But as the ceremony is about the importance of the Guru, seeing the Guru’s qualities and kindness, it is a powerful way to create the cause to meet the perfect teacher.

The puja involves making offerings and requests to have all the attainments of the path to enlightenment. The whole path is outlined in the form of a requesting prayer.

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche says that this practice helps purify all the obstacles to these attainments, especially the heavy negative karmas created in relationship to the Guru in this and past lives. Rinpoche says: “If you are able to do Lama Chöpa well, you can achieve enlightenment in this very brief lifetime”.

Lama Chöpa Pujas are in English with some verses in Tibetan. So, considering the benefits to yourself and others, why wouldn’t you come?

PRACTISING TOGETHER…

Pujas are all about making offerings to the Guru… such as food, flowers or lights but the most important and meritorious offering to the guru is the offering of our practice. By joining the Buddha House community with pujas and practices we are accumulating “skies of merit”.

It also means we are putting compassion into action by dedicating the merits to the long life of our Gurus, dedicating for those who have died, to have a good rebirth in a place where the dharma is accessible and dedicating for those who are ill to be able to have the courage to face the challenges ahead.

Practising together also brings the community together, generating more powerful energy and inspires students to practice at home.

Lama Yeshe likened a puja to a straw broom…
“You can’t sweep much floor with just one straw, but when many straws are gathered together to make a broom, you can clean an entire assembly hall in no time at all.”

Lama Yeshe also says…
“When you’re among peaceful, generous, happy people, you’re inclined to feel happy and peaceful yourself. When you’re among angry, aggressive people, you tend to become like them. The human mind is like a mirror. A mirror does not discriminate but simply reflects whatever’s before it, no matter whether it’s horrible or wonderful.”     (Becoming Your Own Therapist & Make Your Mind an Ocean)
Read a teaching here by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche on the Guru Puja

EVERYONE IS WELCOME
Offerings of flowers, fruit, biscuits or lights are very welcome.