Tara Puja – Liberation from Sorrow

Held on the 8th of each month
(50 minutes)

Tara is a female Buddha and a manifestation of the ultimate wisdom of all the Buddhas. Her name means “Rescuer” because she rescues living beings from outer and inner fears, protects them from danger and ultimately guides them to freedom from suffering and full enlightenment.

Like a loving mother, Tara provides the conditions we need for spiritual progress and inspires and guides us through her blessings. These prayers include praises to the 21 manifestations of Tara.

We use the prayer booklet Liberation from Sorrow for this puja. Copies are available to use at the Centre, or you can purchase your own from Tharpa Publications in either printed or electronic form: Liberation from Sorrow – Tharpa Publications.

The practice is also included in Modern Buddhism, which is available as a free download.

Powa – Transference of Consciousness Puja

Please consult the puja timetable for current dates and times
(35 – 40 minutes)

Powa, or transference of consciousness, is a special practice performed on behalf of those who have recently died. Through engaging in this practice with faith, compassion and concentration, we make prayers for the deceased to attain a fortunate rebirth or the Pure Land of a Buddha.

The Powa Ceremony can be practised individually or as a group on behalf of one or more deceased people, as well as for countless deceased beings. By engaging in this practice, we also accumulate great merit and create causes for our own future spiritual progress.

We use the prayer booklet Powa Ceremony for this puja. Copies are available to use at the Centre, or you can purchase your own from Tharpa Publications in either printed or electronic form: Powa Ceremony – Tharpa Publications.

Eight Mahayana Precepts

Held on the 15th of each month at 6.30am
(30 minutes)

The practice of taking and keeping the Eight Mahayana Precepts is a special practice of moral discipline undertaken with bodhichitta motivation – the supreme good heart.

The essence of the practice is to take eight precepts, promising to abstain for twenty-four hours from the following actions:

1. Killing
2. Stealing
3. Sexual activity
4. Lying
5. Taking intoxicants
6. Eating after lunch
7. Sitting on high or luxurious thrones or seats
8. Wearing ornaments or perfume, and engaging in singing, dancing and so forth

We then make a commitment to keep these precepts purely for the twenty-four-hour period.

We use the prayer booklet A Pure Life for this practice. Copies are available to use at the Centre, or you can purchase your own from Tharpa Publications in either printed or electronic form: A Pure Life – Tharpa Publications.

Extensive Protector Puja

Held on the 29th of each month
(3.5 hours)

This monthly practice involves making offerings and requesting the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden to remove obstacles and gather favourable conditions for our spiritual practice.

The extensive protector puja, Melodious Drum, also known as Kangso, includes a tsog offering. During tsog pujas, we gather together to make prayers and special offerings. You are welcome to bring a vegetarian food offering if you wish.

We use the prayer booklet Melodious Drum for this puja. You can purchase your own copy from Tharpa Publications: Melodious Drum – Tharpa Publications. At present, the booklet is available in printed form only.

Avalokiteshvara Puja

Please consult the puja timetable for current dates and times
(40 minutes)

Avalokiteshvara is an enlightened being and a manifestation of the compassion of all the Buddhas. By relying sincerely upon Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion, and reciting his mantra with strong faith, we can improve our realizations of the stages of the path, especially our realization of great compassion.

Ultimately, through this practice, we create the causes to attain supreme Buddhahood in Avalokiteshvara’s Pure Land.

We use the prayer booklet Avalokiteshvara Sadhana for this puja. Copies are available to use at the Centre, or you can purchase your own from Tharpa Publications in either printed or electronic form: Avalokiteshvara Sadhana – Tharpa Publications.