The Teachings of Yogi Chen on
Performing the Ritual of Fire Sacrifice to Jesus
Part II. Performance
CW40: No.124
Narrated and reviewed by Dr. Yutang Lin
Written by Dr. Juan Bulnes
General
The following are instructions for the Master on the details of this ritual.
The Master should now be seated, and, before starting, separate the upper layer from the lower layer of the holder of mustard and rice, so as to have both substances readily available. Then, he or she must pick up the Dorje and Bell, with the right hand crossed above the left one (Dorje in the right hand, Bell in the left). Throughout the ceremony the Master should hold the Vajra and Bell at all times except when doing a mudra. (These occasions will be noted explicitly in the following directions.)
The Master must remain silent during the whole ceremony, absolutely refraining from speaking with others.
The repetitions of the stanzas and mantras in the text must be performed audibly, while ringing the Bell. Sometimes they are also accompanied by the Drum. This is indicated in the accompanying instructions.
The following material is organized in the form of annotations referring to Chenian Booklet New Series No. 122, "A Ritual of Fire Sacrifice to the Five Saints of Christianity." Originally the full ritual text was reproduced in this booklet for ease of reference. Now that the ritual text is already available in this book, here instead we make only sketchy references. Each section of the ritual is accompanied by annotated instructions or observations, generally preceded by the word "Note" underlined.
1. Get Permission from the Goddess of the Earth
Note: Pick up Dorje and Bell.
Visualize the Goddess of the Earth ... she suddenly disappears.
Saying "Ohm Ah Hung", throw some rice as offering of nectar to the Goddess.
The Master wields his Vajra ... then recites the following half stanza:
...Ringing the BELL...
When abiding in the non limit of cosmos
The heavenly palace of God appears within.
Note: A Karma Vajra mental image is created as follows: with the right hand that holds the Vajra, stretch the index and little finger, and project them towards the altar, thinking of a Dorje, first horizontally, then vertically across.
2. Develop the Bodhicitta
Audibly recite:
...Ringing the BELL...
Goodness of man heaven yana may nourish Bodhicitta;
.....
May the Five Saints help spread the Dharma indeed!
3. Bless the Bell, Vajra and, Drum
Visualize that Father and Mother Buddha ... Use the Vajra to touch the heart (chakra) three times, simultaneously ring the Bell three times.
Note: Keeping the hands crossed, while saying "Maha Vajra Hum", beat thrice the heart with the Dorje; while saying "Vajra Kah Tsa Ah", ring thrice the Bell.
Note: Then pick up the Drum with the right hand (while holding the Dorje).
Then recite the following stanza:
...BELL & DRUM...
The Vajra embodies the Heavenly Mercy of Father,
.....
All help carry Jesus' cross of Salvation.
Note: Put down the Drum.
Then recite the incantation of Blessing the Bell and Vajra:
...BELL...
OM SARWA TATHAGATA, ... HUM HUM HUM PHAT. SOHA.
Then, while reciting the incantation of Requesting the Blessing of All Buddhas, ... HUM HUM HUM. HO HO HO. AH KON SOHA.
4. Protection
Two pieces of food, prepared in advance, ...
- Incantation: OM AH HUM KA KA KA HSI KA HSI
Note: Meaning: "please taste it, please!" This incantation is to be used at the end of the following recitation.
- Prayer Stanza to the Protectors: ...To destroy your head into many pieces!
Note: When saying the last two lines, touch the table with the Vajra, with index finger resting on the Vajra head that touches the table. Then, signal the attendant to throw the two offerings in opposite direction while both Master and attendant repeat the incantation: "Om Ah Hum Ka Ka Ka Hsi Ka Hsi."
- Repeat the Four Hum incantation to send the black deities away.
Throw the mustard in the following order:
front, back, right, left,
front right then clockwise:
back right, back left, front left
then up, and down
...BELL...
OM SUNBANI SUNBANI HUM HUM PEH! ... OM AHRAYA HO BAGABIN BIYALANTZA HUM HUM PEH!
Crossing hands, put down the Bell and Vajra.
Then the Master should visualize the Vajra Net which covers all ten directions and is formed with the Vajra Net Mudra. Thus from the beginning of the Homa performance until its end, the altar and the Master and his family and followers are protected.
Note: The Master makes in the ten directions the Vajra Net Mudra, which should be learned from a teacher. Thereafter, crossing hands, pick up the Bell and Vajra.
5. Blessing the Offerings
The Master should hold the sacred and secret Vajra dippers ...
OM TZAR! TZAR! TZAR! TZAR! TZAR!
Note: Take the Vajra dippers. Then, without leaving the seat, extend the dippers -held together so they meet at the ends -to bless the offerings in the three places: at the image altar, on the offering table, and in the fire altar. Each time, repeat the mantra, visualizing as indicated. Then put down the Vajra dippers.
Note: At this time, it would be appropriate for the attendant to spray nectar from the nectar bottle upon these offerings. If a trained attendant is not present, the Master should have done this before taking his seat to begin the ceremony.
6. Arrange the Seat of the God of Fire and that of the Five Saints
Place four auspicious grasses clockwise ...
Note: Unwrap the bunch of auspicious grasses and take them to the fire altar. Place them around, outside. Pay attention to the direction of the sticks (as they have head and tail). The heads point in the clockwise direction. When making the cross, the heads point up and to the right. Then place three incense sticks vertically, inside the fire altar, in a corner out to the front right. (One auspicious grass should still remain; it will be needed in a moment). Then return to the Master's seat and pick up the Drum.
- Arrange the seat of the God of Fire.
- Praise the God of Fire with the following stanza:
...BELL & DRUM...
Shine upon the dark ...
- Visualize the White Fire God.
...BELL & DRUM...
On the lotus seat ...
His great belly is round with white thread!
(Put down the drum.)
- Welcome the God of Fire.
Note: Here we need one more grass; roll it at the base of the ring finger, with the thumb.
The Master should raise a bunch of auspicious grass up to the sky ... and recites the following incantation:
OM AHRAYA SABARIVARA TZA KEI HUM TZA!
Note: Then put the grass back on the table. Visualize the God of Fire sitting on the candle at the corner of the altar.
Then he recites the following stanza in praise:
...BELL...
You are the victorious Prince of Dharma...
B. Arrange the seat of the Five Saints.
(Pick up the Drum.)
First visualize the heavenly palace while reciting the following stanza:
...BELL & DRUM...
Clear as crystal is the Holy City,
..................
Appears suddenly to receive this sacrifice!
Then arrange the seat of the Five Saints with this stanza:
...BELL & DRUM...
The boundless brightness of the Holy Spirit ...
Then visualize a big sphere of pure white light...
Note: Visualize the big sphere of light coming from the image of Jesus.
Then arrange the seat of Jesus with this stanza:
...BELL & DRUM...
Simple and poor manger is your seat outwardly,
.............
Then welcome Jesus with this stanza:
...BELL & DRUM...
Welcome, Jesus, the embodiment of five Saints!
.....................
Then praise Jesus with this stanza:
...BELL & DRUM...
You are the incarnation of compassionate Kuan yin,
..................
Yet none of these sacrifices is as well known As Jesus' Crucifixion.
(Put down the Drum.)
7. Bless the Wood
Repeat the following half-stanza:
...BELL...
With the calamity like wood ...
8. Bless the Oil
Repeat the following half-stanza:
...BELL. ..
The pure and clean oil ...
9. Start the Fire
Before starting, a candle lamp ...
Note: In the last sentence, South East refers to the orientation of the mandala, not to the actual magnetic direction; that corner is the one near the Master on his left. Be careful that the match should not go into the altar because it has poison. The match lights the paper first, then the paper lights the candle which is used to start the fire (the lit paper is also used for this). The candle and papers, once lit, should be promptly put into the center so they won't fly away.
A. Bless the Fire.
With the fire mudra ... the Master should repeat the following stanza:
...BELL & FAN...
YOUNG YOUNG YOUNG
Note: This mudra is done immediately after the fire has started, over the fire, saying: "LUNG, LUNG, LUNG." This is the seed syllable of the Fire God. We use a white piece of cloth with the Tibetan word "YOUNG" which means "wind." So, with "young, young young," we are helping the fire with wind. Sound the Bell while repeating "PARA PARA..." and fanning with the cloth.
Then with the right Vajra dipper ...
Note: The first offering of oil is meant for the Fire God. Immediately offer a plate with several offerings that were previously set apart for the Fire God. After this, visualize that the Fire God becomes one with the fire (there is no need to visualize Him after this until the end, when thanking him as follows: in the course of making offerings, save a little bit of some of them in the plate for the Fire God. This plate is offered at the end to thank Him.)
B. Offer the Fire God with the following Incantation and stanza:
- Incantation: ...
- Praise:
...BELL...
You are the Sovereign Prince of Dharma............
- Pray to the God of Fire:
...BELL...
I, the Acarya, and all my followers,
...............
In the following part of the ceremony, the Master must exercise care to keep the fire going. Although the sequence of the offerings is as indicated, the readings of the stanzas cannot always be exactly coordinated with the moment that the corresponding offering is put into the fire. At those moments when the fire does not need attention, the Master can go to the seat to continue the recitations, and these should be interrupted when the fire needs care.
10. Offer to the Five Saints
Note: Pick up the Drum, which will be used in all the following recitations. Thus the indication "Bell and Drum" will be omitted in the rest of these instructions.
Bless the bread and wine with the following stanza: ...
The eight offerings:
Note: Finally, the Puja ends with the eight offerings, that is the offering of the eight items on the Altar Table. Repeat the following stanza, using the Bell and Drum as before.
With this offering of water, ...
...................
..., may the Five Saints help spread the Dharma!
Put down the Drum.
The offerings have been completed, the Drum has been laid on the table. Now visualize that Jesus returns to the image.
Note: Visualize that Jesus returns from the fire altar, where He was visualized receiving the offerings in person.
11. Give Thanks to the God of Fire
While offering, say:
OM AHRAYA SABARIVARA KA KA KA HSI KA HSI.
12. Dedicate the Merit
The Master prays as follows:
- General Prayer:
...BELL...
If I and my followers have done anything ........
- Special Prayer:
...BELL...
May the merits of this Homa, .......................
13. Confession
- First, recite the 100 word incantation of Vajrasattva. (Do not ring the Bell during this incantation.)
- Then, repeat the below:
special confessions
...BELL...
A. To Vajrasattva we deeply confess ...
...BELL...
B. The sins of violating the five silas ...
...BELL...
C. Quarreling among various religions ...
Concluding the Ceremony
Put down the Dorje and Bell.
Pray with folded palms, dedicate the merit by formulating your personal vows and special requests.
Circumambulate clockwise three times around the place, passing outside the image, the offering table and the seat of the Master.
Bow three times to the image of Jesus, and end the ceremony with a short statement to those present, telling them for what general intention you have specifically prayed, thereby helping them to understand the significance of this Homa.
After the Ceremony
After the ceremony has been completed, the Master makes any particular offerings which are suitable to the particular place, e.g. offering incense at the Mandala, and food to the Protector crows.
Unless it rains, it is better to leave the various items standing on the tables for a while, signifying that the blessings will last long.
Before leaving, collect the ashes in a box and dispose of them properly, i.e. sending them into a stream. They can be used in one's garden for the plants or they can be sifted and the fine powder can be taken as medicine or drunk as tea. In any case, do not put them where they might be trod on by people.
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