8 Mahayana Precepts

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

The practice of taking and keeping the eight Mahayana precepts is a special practice of moral discipline that is performed 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 eight 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, and
(8) wearing ornaments, perfume, singing and dancing and so forth

– and to keep them purely for this period of time.

We use the prayer booklet, ‘A Pure Life,’ for this puja. If you want to buy your own copy you can purchase it online – https://tharpa.com/uk/a-pure-life-booklet.html

An electronic verson of the booklet is available as well as the paper version.

Long Protector Puja

Held on 29th of each month
(3.5 hours)

This is a monthly practice of making offerings and requesting the Dharma Protector, Dorje Shugden, to remove obstacles and to gather all favourable conditions for our spiritual practice.

The long protector puja, ‘Melodious Drum,’ or ‘Kangso,’ includes a tsog offering. For tsog pujas, we gather together to pray and make special offerings. You are welcome to bring a vegetarian food offering if you wish.

The prayer booklet that we use for the practice can be bought online – https://tharpa.com/uk/melodious-drum-booklet.html. However, at present, there is no electronic version available for purchase.

Avalokiteshvara Puja

Please see puja timetable for dates and times
(25 minutes)

Avalokiteshvara is an enlightened being who is a manifestation of all Buddhas’ compassion. By relying sincerely on Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion, and reciting his mantra with strong faith, temporarily we will improve our realizations of all the stages of the path, especially our realization of great compassion, and ultimately we will attain supreme Buddhahood in Avalokiteshvara’s Pure Land.

We use the prayer booklet, ‘Avalokiteshvara Sadhana,’ for this puja. If you want to buy your own copy you can purchase it online – https://tharpa.com/uk/avalokiteshvara-sadhana-booklet.html

An electronic verson of the booklet is available as well as the paper version.

Vajrayogini Pujas

(1 hour – 1.5 hours)

Quick Path held on Wednesday each week at 7.30am (finishing just before 9am)
Blissful Path held on Thursday each week at 7.35am (finishing at 8.35am)
Dakini Yoga held on Friday each week at 8am (finishing just before 9am)
 
 
Blissful Path,
Dakini Yoga,
Quick Path to Great Bliss,
and Vajrayogini Self Initiation
are all practices associated with the female wisdom Buddha Vajrayogini.

In order to attend these practices, practitioners need first to have received, or have a strong intention to receive, Highest Yoga Tantra (HYT) empowerments.

If you have questions about these practices or would like information on receiving HYT empowerments, please ask.

To buy your own copy of the prayer booklet, please follow the appropriate link from the selection below:
https://tharpa.com/uk/quick-path-to-great-bliss-booklet.html
https://tharpa.com/uk/dakini-yoga-booklet.html
https://tharpa.com/uk/quick-path-to-great-bliss-booklet.html
https://tharpa.com/uk/feast-of-great-bliss-booklet.html