Losar Prayer Flags

Prayer flags are for the enhancement of health, longevity, wealth, and all desirable qualities.  The prayer flags at Pema Osel Ling contain great blessings as the design and prayers on each flag come directly from HH Dungse Rinpoche, and Lama Tharchin Rinpoche ensured their accuracy.  According to tradition, each Losar, all prayer flags at Pema Osel Ling are replaced with new ones in a sang (smoke) offering.  This year’s Losar (Tibetan New Year) falls on February 5th.

“The raising of prayer flags removes obstacles to the path of enlightenment.  It is particularly good for those experiencing illness and obstacles.  It will increase ‘windhorse’ life energy and bring good fortune and success in the New Year!”  — Lama Tharchin Rinpoche

Following is an excerpt from a letter that Lama Tharchin Rinpoche and Lama Sonam Rinpoche sent from Bhutan in 2012 for Losar:

“Setting up prayer flags raises our lung-ta (translated as “wind horse” and refers to good fortune and uplifting energy).  It helps both our Dharma practice and worldly life.  For practitioners, when our lung-ta goes up, it’s an auspicious sign of increasing our meditative experiences and realization on the path.  For ordinary persons, or on a relative level, raising lung-ta is very important too.

When our lung-ta decreases, then even though we put so much effort into something, our success will be miniscule.  Also, if we face a sudden danger and are saved from it and become victorious over the obstacle, then that is our lung-ta raising.  Without lung-ta, we find that all our good fortune is down.

This practice of raising prayer flags… increases our sok (life force), lu (physical health), wang-tang (power and glorious splendor), as well as our lung-ta.  There are so many benefits.  For example, for people who are experiencing illness, raising lung-ta can be helpful.  Whatever we wish can be quickly accomplished; obstacles are removed.”

If you can join our sangha, that’s wonderful.  If you can’t come to Pema Osel Ling, you can still sponsor prayer flag [click here to sponsor prayer flags].

We will write yours and your loved ones’ names on the prayer flag.

“We will pray for the long lives of our precious lamas, for all of our sangha, and worldpeace in our dedication of the prayer flags, with the wish that we all become victorious against undesirable circumstances and obstacles and that all good fortune flourishes.”

Vajrayana Foundation Newsletter: Dharma Programs 2018

 

Dorje Drollo stupa

The Namdrol Pemay Gatsal (Lotus Grove of Liberation) at Pema Osel Ling holds a mandala of the eight traditional types of stupas representing the eight miraculous events in the Buddha’s life. In the center of the mandala is a Red Dorje Drolo stupa, which subdues negative forces and liberates upon seeing.

Story of the stupa:

“When such stupas hold transcendent buddhas’ sacred relics, they become sublime supports, the highest field for embodied beings’ cultivation of merit. Moreover, in general, each Buddhist way, great and small, has its own path’s belief system and characteristic manner of identifying stupas; this specific instance concerns one of the series that is commonly known as:

‘The eight stupas of the Joyous Buddha‘

1. When our teacher Powerful Sage attained perfect, manifest enlightenment under the tree of awakening, it is said that King Bimbasara and others constructed the Stupa to Subdue Negative Forces or the Stupa of Awakening.

2. When the Buddha was born in Lumbhi Gardens, it is said that King Shuddhodana and others constructed the Source of Joyous Buddhas Stupa or the Lotus Mound Stup

3. When the Buddha turned the Wheel of the Teachings in Varanasi, it is said that the Five Excellent Individuals constructed the Wheel of the Teachings Stupa or the Auspicious Many-Gated Stupa.

4. When the Buddha defeated non-Buddhist teachers in Sravasti’s Jéta Gardens, it is said that the Lichavis constructed the Miracle Stupa.

5. After the Buddha taught in the heavens, he returned to humans’ land in Kashi. It is said that the people of Kashi then constructed the Descent from the Heavens Stupa.

6. When the sublime pair of Buddha’s disciples repaired the schism caused by Devadatta in the Spiritual Community, it is said that the people of Maghadha constructed the Reparation of the Schism Stupa.

7. When the Buddha extended his life three months after the layman Chunda in Vaishali asked him to do so, it is said that the people of that town (or, according to some, the gods) constructed the Blessed Longevity Stupa or the Stupa of Total Victory.

8. When the Buddha transcended suffering in the town of Kushinagar, it is said that the Mallas constructed the Stupa of Transcendence

Further, it is said that in this world, the first among the Victor’s stupas is the Lotus Mound Stupa. Among this series of eight, this account centers upons the special support mentioned above as the Stupa to Subdue Negative Forces.”

Colophon:
“The Stupa to Subdue Negative Forces was consecrated on September 5, 2002, at the isolated retreat center of Péma Osel Ling in the western United States.  On completion of that ceremony, some of my spiritual brothers and sisters encouraged me to write the story of the stupa to inspire others’ confidence.

Respecting their wishes, I, holder of the title Lama Tsédrup Tharchin, gathered the essential points and put them in context, in the wish that this text should prove entirely virtuous.”

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Best wishes!
Neo