Appendix A.1. How To Set Up A Tantric Shrine

Far too many disciples remain uncertain as to the layout of a tantric shrine. It is in response to frequent requests for such information that this article is written.

The most important reason for setting up a tantric shrine is to dedicate an area for peaceful and uninterrupted daily cultivation.

One should practice before the tantric shrine at least once, and ideally twice, each day. The tantric shrine is both for personal cultivation and for making offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

An elaborate and solemnly adorned tantric shrine can induce joy and reverence in the practitioner, and inspire cultivation. Making offerings inside a tantric shrine is equivalent to "offering to the Triple Jewels above, and aiding the Four forms of birth below", and magnifies in subtle ways one's fortune and wisdom.

Master Lu knows the great importance of locating the shrine in a room capable of "storing spirit and concentrated energy"; therefore, the statues of the Buddhas and Bod-hisattvas should be installed against a sturdy wall which has neither windows nor openings.

Moderate lighting should be used.

To begin with, the main deity at the center should be one's own personal deity, i.e. the primary focus of one's daily cultivation. This signifies that the personal deity yoga is the main practice and the fruition of the practice is transformation into this personal deity.

Central placement of the personal deity also facilitates visualization.

According to tradition, the number of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the shrine is an odd number (such as one, three, five, or seven).

The arrangement of the statues should be, in descending order, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Diamond Protectors, and Heavenly Gods. The principal deity should be in the middle, the higher ranked among the rest should be at the right, and the lower ranked at the left. If there are numerous deities, they can be arranged into two, three or even five separate tiers.

For the object of offering, one may use statues of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, or pictures (mandalas), or mantra wheels. As previously mentioned, the principal statue in one's tantric shrine should be one's personal deity. For example, if one practices Avalokitesvara (Kuan-Yin) Yoga, that should be the principal deity of the tantric shrine. If one practices Padmasambhava Yoga, then the principal deity should be Padmasambhava. A statue may be sculpted out of wood, clay, gold, or copper. Alternatively, a photograph or even a drawing of the assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas may be employed.

An enshrined mantra wheel is known as the "Dharma Mandala".

Some people enshrine pictures of Madras and implements; this is known as the "Samaya Mandala".

Some people enshrine only their personal deity, which could be a statue of Buddha or a Diamond Protector. This is known as "Karma Mandala".

Some enshrine many Buddas, Bodhisattvas, and drawings of the assembly of Diamond Protectors. This is known as the "Maha Mandala".

Where, then, does one place the statue of one's root guru? If one's personal deity is Padmakumara, the porcelain statue of Padmakumara is placed in the middle, leading to rebirth in the "Maha Double Lotus Ponds in the Western Paradise." Otherwise the picture of one's root guru may be placed on either side of the main deity.

Buddhist sutras may be placed at the right of the shrine. At the left a stupa may be placed, and some adornments may be added to further enhance the shrine.

Offerings are to be set up before the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Up to 37 kinds of offering may be employed. In general, the Five and Eight Offerings are employed. The Five Offerings are: incense, flower, lamp, tea, and fruit. The Eight Offerings are (from right to left): conch, fruit, scented incense powder, lamp, three unlighted incense sticks, five white flowers (for Nyingmapa School), soapy water, and water. In the Kagyu tradition, red flowers are substituted for white flowers.

An oil lamp or a candle can be used for the lamp.

After all the offerings are set up, the next step is the placement of the center. The structure of the altar consists of the mandala, offerings, and censer (in that order). For each meditation session, replace the fruit, soapy water, and water, and light the lamp and the incense (sticks should be in odd numbers). The remaining offerings can be replaced as seems appropriate.

Some people arrange their offerings in two rows, with the upper row for Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and the lower row for their personal deity.

The meaning of the Eight Offerings are:

• the two waters = merit;
• flower = charity;
• incense = precepts;
• lamp = endurance;
• fruit = samadhi meditation;
• scented incense = vigor;
• conch = fulfillment.

When all is prepared, one may write to the Master and request a blessing for the shrine. Although far away, he can, by remote empowerment, consecrate the personal shrine with water and grain. Due to the Master's blessing, the shrine will have great power and benefit.

If setting up the shrine by oneself, consecrate it with 21 recitations of the "Universal Wheel One Word Dharani Mantra," which is "Om, bu-lin."

Then recite seven times the Kundalin Mantra, "Om, ah-mi-li-deh, Hum pei," visualizing that the mantra enters water in a cup which is then sprinkled throughout the room and all over the shrine.

Or, one may recite the Master's Heart Mantra 108 times. Dakinis¹ will come, forming Auspicious Mudras and spontaneously aiding the practitioner to purify the Dharma Realm and the shrine. Dakinis help disperse all the evil and impure spirits and prevent disasters. The tantric shrine will provide ever-present inspiration, and the person who sets it up will receive help and blessings from the heavenly gods.

If a Tantric practitioner can prepare a clean room and set up a tantric shrine with Buddha statues, Mahayana sutras, fine offerings, and implements of worship in a dignified arrangement, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from above will be pleased and will descend to bestow good fortune; the practitioner will be pleased and will spontaneously fold hands and pay reverence. Other Dharma friends, upon seeing the shrine, will be induced to take refuge at the True Buddha School. A good tantric shrine can produce wonderful merit.

However, among the disciples of the True Buddha School, are many who have no clean, private room available. Even their sleeping quarters are very cramped, so where is there room for a shrine? Also, many disciples experience familial conflict, such as when a husband is against his wife's Buddhist belief, or parents oppose their son's belief, or vice versa. In such instances it is impractical to set up a tantric shrine.

For such disciples, Master Lu has great sympathy and encourages them to practice at any time or place by visualizing the tantric shrine in the air. One begins by reciting seven times the "Dharma Realm Purification Mantra," which is "Om, na-mo, so-ha." This purifies the surrounding environment, transforming the four quarters to Emptiness and Luminosity, and turning the bed into a lotus flower. Then, visualizing the personal deity or guru appearing in the space, one may proceed with the cultivation using visualization.

In general, when people travel (by whatever means), they set up their tantric shrines completely in the Void. All mudra and mantra are visualized; offerings are visualized; even all prostrations are visualized.

This boundless, limitless secret lies completely in visualization. That is:

Cultivation by visualization

fills all Dharma realms with vows;

All Buddhas are aware of it,

and Sages also know of it;

Space which is boundless and limitless

is used to reach attainment;

An auspicious rite that is for everyone,

may all together achieve Bodhicitta.

The Tantra of Holy-Red-Crown-Vajra-Master is for everyone. Those who are rich or poor can practice, as can the healthy or infirm, the highborn or people of common birth.

This is truly the first principle of Dharani² offering grace to both the wise and ignorant, with impartial respect towards all.

A gloriously adorned tantric shrine can generate immense joy.

A non-physical tantric shrine transformed from the Space can also generate immense joy.

Let us all go forward vigorously and achieve together the highest attainment!

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