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In Tibetan Buddhism, the mandala offering set is much more than just a ritual object or a decoration for an altar. It represents the whole universe, serves as a way to build spiritual merit, and offers a deep lesson in generosity. When you hold one, it feels like you are holding the universe itself.

A traditional mandala offering set is both beautiful to look at and satisfying to hold. It is usually made from polished brass, copper, or sometimes even silver or gold. The surfaces shine in candlelight, decorated with detailed engravings. The set feels solid and steady in your hands, helping you focus on the present. Every part is made for both beauty and ritual use, meant to be held, stacked, and moved during meditation. The set has three main parts, each one representing a different part of the universe:

The Great Base Plate (The Foundation of Existence):

• This is the heaviest and largest piece in the set. It is a big, shallow, round bowl or flat disc, usually between 6 and 12 inches wide. When you pick it up, you feel its cool, solid weight in your hands, which helps you focus on the ritual. The thick metal feels strong and lasting.
• The surface is decorated with detailed engravings: circles, swirling waves, and the shapes of the four world continents—diamond, crescent, horseshoe, and round—plus their smaller lands. When you run your finger over the plate, you can feel the raised lines and fine details, like touching a map of a mythical world. These engravings encourage you to explore slowly and mindfully.
• The edge is often decorated with vajras, which are thunderbolt-shaped symbols of spiritual power, or with a ring of raised dots that look like pearls. These designs stand for the strong, protective mountains that surround the universe in Buddhist stories. Seeing these decorations reminds you of the line between the sacred and everyday life.

The Stacking Rings (The Cosmic Layers):

• Between three to five separate rings, each of increasing diameter, are placed on top of the base plate. They are designed to nest inside one another.
• When you pick them up, the rings gently chime against one another, producing a soft, resonant sound reminiscent When you lift the rings, they make a gentle, ringing sound like faraway temple bells. The outside of each ring is smooth, cool, and shiny, reflecting the light as you move it. The inside edges often have detailed patterns, such as lotus petals, clouds, or lucky symbols, so each ring feels different as you touch it. (Lowest): The ocean floor and the foundations of the earth.

• Ring 2 (Middle): The habitable continents and the realm of humans.
• Ring 3 (Highest): The realm of the desire gods and the celestial gardens.

• A 5-ring set adds even more layers, including the realms of form gods and formless gods, making the offering more detailed.

The Finial Crown (The Sacred Mountain Summit):

• This is the most ornate and eye-catching piece of the set: a tall, conical or domed top-piece that fits perfectly over the highest rThis is the most decorative and striking part of the set. It is a tall, cone-shaped or rounded top piece that fits over the highest ring. The finial is often carved with fine details and decorated with small gemstones or colored glass, which sparkle as you turn it. ward the heavens. Above this sacred mountain, a golden sun disc and a cool silver crescent moon are delicately balanced, their metallic surfaces glowing softly in the ambient light. These heavenly symbols float just above the top of the mountain, showing that wisdom and compassion shine over all worlds.
• A small, jeweled victory banner or a finely made parasol often sits at the very top of the finial. Decorated with colorful stones or shiny beads, this decorative ornament stands for the Buddha’s enlightened mind ruling over everything. Its presence feels both royal and inspiring.
• The Deeper Meaning: Why “Offering” the Universe?

In Buddhism, suffering comes from attachment and not wanting to let go. The mandala offering is a direct way to counter this suffering, both in your mind and spirit.

You are not really giving away Mount Everest or the Pacific Ocean. Instead, you use your imagination and intention to turn simple things like rice, grains, stones, or beads into the greatest gift you can imagine.

Here is the deeper breakdown of the ritual’s meaning:

Step in the Ritual: What You Do, What It Symbolizes Cleaning the Base You wipe the base plate with your forearm or a cloth 108 times clockwise. Removing the dust of ignorance, attachment, and aversion from your own mind. Filling the Rings You heap handfuls of rice or jewels into each ring, leveling it smooth with your ring finger. Mentally filling the 32 parts of the universe (continents, treasures, sun, moon, parasols, and wish-fulfilling trees) with wealth, beauty, and pleasure. The Offering Prayer You hold the stacked set in your left hand (the hand of wisdom) and rub clockwise with the back of your right fist (the hand of method). You then chant, “Sah-sa wa-ni, tso-gar yi-ram…”You are officially donating the entire cosmos—every grain of sand, every drop of rain, every jewel, every pleasure god, every fragrant breeze—to the Buddha. The Final Fling With a swift flick, you tilt the set and pour the rice off the edge into a small bowl. Letting go of attachment. You do not keep the universe for yourself. You give it away completely, destroying the ego’s hoarding instinct.

The Legend of Lama Tsongkhapa (The Ultimate Example)

To understand how powerful this practice is considered, look no further than the life of Lama Tsongkhapa (1357–1419), the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Early in his spiritual career, he was brilliant but felt blocked. He could not achieve profound realizations. His teacher, the bodhisattva Manjushri, gave him simple advice: “Stop studying. Do mandala offerings.”

Lama Tsongkhapa was so poor he could not afford a brass or copper set. Thus he found a flat stone to use as the base and smooth, flat stones for the rings. He had no rice or jewels, so he used handfuls of dry dirt and sand as his offering materials.

He performed this practice relentlessly. He built the universe with stones and dirt, offered it, and then brushed it clean to start again. He did this hundreds of thousands of times. The legend says he continued until the skin on the palms of his hands and the bones of his fingertips wore away and tore open from rubbing against the rough stone.

Finally, after completing over one million mandala offerings, his mind purified completely. That very night, he visioned the historical Buddha Shakyamuni and was granted the realization of emptiness (wisdom) and compassion, all from this simple act of symbolic generosity.

Why Practice It Today?

Even if you never go to such extremes, this practice is still very meaningful today:

• It helps you overcome a scarcity mindset. Your fear of not having enough begins to fade when you continue to offer the entire universe.
• It acts like a portable temple. You do not need a big shrine or costly statues. A small mandala set can fit in a drawer or backpack. Your wealth, home, and health can all become offerings.
• It calms a restless mind. The repeated actions of filling, stacking, and wiping are very meditative. They help shift your focus from daily worries to a sense of generous openness.

In short, a mandala offering set is not just a decoration. A mandala offering set allows you to hold the universe in your hands. By offering it, you release your own attachments. Tibetan Buddhism teaches that by letting go, you discover everything you truly desire.

Manjushri Bodhisattva is considered one of the most highly intelligent and wide-ranging Bodhisattvas in Buddhism.
If you see the  Bodhisattva statue or thangka of Manjushri, you will figure out the Bodhisattva holding the sword on the right side.

Do you know the meaning of holding the sword?  It is because the sword is trying to fight or cut out different types of vexation. Vexation  can include all kinds of three poisonous minds: greed, hatred, and ignorance, or jealousy, and so  on and so forth. So that’s the Bodhisattva’s holding of this sword to indicate that we need  to cut all our negative thoughts or vexations in order that we can practice to gain the  great wisdom eventually. On the left-hand side, the Bodhisattva is holding a lotus.  Inside the lotus was a sutra; the sutra is the meaning for all kinds of Buddha’s wisdom  and teachings. That means we have to learn from all kind of different teachings from Buddha in  order we can learn what is correct and what isn’t correct. So that’s the meaning behind that, the  bodhisattva for Manjushri. Why is the sword held in the right hand, and the left-hand side is a  Sutra. So it all has significant meaning behind it. So I hope you enjoyed today my sharing,  and I hope can see you soon again, thank you.

How to Practice Manjushri Practice

Manjushri  helps us by guiding us to truly understand Dharma. When we understand Dharma, our minds become more stable, and we are less likely to act in ways that harm ourselves or others. In this way, Manjushri and his many forms protect us. Let me explain this again, because this is how a Buddha’s blessing works. When we practice Manjushri , in any of his forms, it helps clear away obstacles or confusion in our minds. This makes it easier for us to read, listen to, or think about the Dharma, and real understanding can arise. When we act from this understanding, we create fewer problems for ourselves and others, which leads to more happiness. So, we are protected from suffering by the power of our own understanding, not by asking Mishri to fix everything for us. The practice of Mishri is meant to help us clear our minds so that understanding can grow. Once we have that understanding, we naturally act in better ways, leading to less unhappiness for ourselves and those around us. That’s why we do this practice. You don’t pray to a Buddha or Dharma protector just to solve your problems. Instead, you pray, meditate, and focus to clear your mind and understand the Dharma. When you truly understand and live by the Dharma, everything changes—your perspective, attitude, relationships, and even your appearance and energy. A Dharma protector helps by removing obstacles so we can learn and absorb the Dharma, but it’s up to us to transform our own minds. If we have too many obstacles, we can’t get the information we need to change. That’s why we rely on a Dharma protector to help clear the way, especially from inner obstacles like sleepiness, laziness, or anger.

If you have trouble focusing or feel your mind is slow, Manjushri can help. When we practice him, we gain a clearer understanding and thinking. With this clarity, our attitude changes when we listen to, meditate on, or think about the Dharma. To explain, imagine being in the middle of a storm, with a tiger biting your arm, an elephant about to step on you, and a car about to hit you. If your teacher tried to teach you Dharma in that moment, you couldn’t focus because there’s too much happening. Our minds are often like this—busy and unsettled. The elephant represents our anger, which can overwhelm us. When anger comes, it can drive everyone away, even ourselves. These are the emotions that surround us. Dharma protectors help by calming the storm, chasing away the elephant, and distracting the tiger. When things are calm, your mind can focus. If your mind is restless, you can’t understand things easily or you might misunderstand what you’re taught. That’s when you need practice. The practice won’t make you a Buddha, but it will calm your mind and make understanding clearer. This is very powerful. That’s why, when I teach any form of Manjushree—whether peaceful or fierce—I do so with confidence, because I have seen the results in myself. It’s not just my imagination. After retreat, I can remember things much more clearly. Manjushree can bless you with a clear mind. No matter how smart you are, you can always become smarter.

Who is the thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara?

This important bodhisattva plays a key role in Mahayana Buddhism. Known as Chenrezig in Tibetan and Kannon in East Asia, Avalokiteshvara represents compassion. This figure is dedicated to helping all beings overcome suffering, a central tenet of Mahayana teachings.

The thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara is a special form of this bodhisattva. This form shows that Avalokiteshvara’s compassion is so great it cannot be held in just one body. The thousand arms stand for the ability to help many beings at once.  The thousand eyes represent the wisdom needed to perceive all suffering in the world. In artistic representations, the thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara is often depicted with multiple arms radiating outward.

These arms are sometimes arranged in circles around the main figure. The main arms are often depicted in traditional mudras, symbolic hand gestures. The other arms may hold different objects or symbols, showing the many ways Avalokiteshvara can help.
Occasionally, this bodhisattva is shown with 11 faces, each representing a different aspect of compassion or wisdom. The origin of this form is rooted in Buddhist legend. It is said that Avalokiteshvara, moved by the suffering of beings, vowed to help everyone who calls upon him. Upon realizing the enormity of this task, Avalokiteśvara’s head split into multiple pieces. Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of infinite light, transformed these pieces into multiple heads and arms. This change allowed Avalokiteshvara to see all beings and help them everywhere.

In Mahayana Buddhism, devotion to the thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara is common. People believe that focusing rituals, prayers, and visualizations on this form can bring protection, healing, and spiritual purification. Practitioners often recite the mantra “om mani padme,” which is closely associated with Avalokiteshvara, to invoke his compassion and support.
The thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara is also called Mahakarunika, which means the great compassionate one. This title shows the bodhisattva’s role as a universal helper and protector in Tibetan Buddhism. Chenrezig is considered the patron bodhisattva, and his practice is important in many schools.

The thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara is a strong symbol of endless compassion and wisdom in Mahayana Buddhism. Through this form, Avalokiteshvara shows the ability to see and respond to the suffering of all beings, offering help and guidance in many ways. Devotion to this bodhisattva is common in Buddhist traditions, especially in Tibetan and East Asian Buddhism, as a way to grow compassion and seek spiritual support.

Looking to add an Avalokiteshvara statue or Thangka to your collection or spiritual space?

Vajrasattva is a deity figure in Vajrayana Buddhism. There are many different forms; he’s well represented in art, both sculpture and painting. He is a very popular deity, very well represented in art, and he’s male. He is generally white in color, has one face and two arms, and is peaceful in appearance, so in terms of basic iconography.  He is seated in a relaxed bodhisattva posture. Bodhisattva posture means one leg is not folded together with the other, as in vajra posture.

The function of Vajrasattva is to purify living beings’ impure minds and their impure actions and to transform living beings into completely pure beings. So the function of Vajrasattva is to purify living beings of their impure minds and their impure actions and to transform living beings into completely pure beings.

Buddha Vajrasattva is used to purify us. He bestows blessings on our mental continuums. So from our point of view, from our side, we need to rely, we need to rely sincerely upon Buddha Vajrasattva. And then we can purify ourselves and become a completely pure being, just like Buddha. All of our sufferings and problems are actually just appearances of our impure minds. But we don’t understand this. We believe that all the sufferings and problems are real. We believe they’re so true!
And due to this believing, a mistaken believing or mistaken appearance, we suffer. We experience tremendous pain and suffering again and again. From the birth of this life. through the aging and sickness of this life, to the death of this life, and into the birth of our next life, through the aging and sickness of that life, to the death of that life, and so on. The endless cycle of samsara is created by our self-grasping ignorance.

However, when we have relied upon Buddha Vajrasattva and have completely purified our minds, impure objects will no longer appear to us. There’ll be no suffering. We shall be completely pure. And we shall enjoy everything as pure. Everything appears to us as pure, and it will be very enjoyable!

Looking to add a  Avalokiteshvara statue or Thangka to your collection or spiritual space?

Over two and a half millennia ago, in a land steeped in tradition and legend, a child destined to change the world was born. This was no ordinary birth, as the boy was born into a royal family. His father, Suddhodana Gautama, was affectionately known as “The Pure Rice King,” and his mother was the noble Queen Maya. Even before his arrival, signs of greatness surrounded him. One night, Queen Maya dreamed of a majestic white elephant with six tusks, a vision unparalleled in ordinary experience.

Ordinary elephants have only two tusks, one on each side of their trunk. However, this elephant had three on each side, an extraordinary occurrence not seen in daily life. In the dream, the elephant entered Queen Maya’s womb through her right side. Upon waking, she reflected on the auspicious nature of her dream and decided to share it with the king.

The king also regarded the dream as auspicious, though its meaning eluded him. He summoned several self-cultivators and individuals reputed for their dharmic abilities to interpret the queen’s dream. After a brief discussion, the group concluded that a boy would soon be born.

If the boy succeeded the king as ruler, his achievements would be world-shaking. The prediction stated, “The boy’s achievement would surpass you, my lord.” The king’s guests further advised that, given his extraordinary potential, the boy should embark on a journey of self-cultivation as an adult, especially if he vowed to benefit all sentient beings.

His name, they said, would become known throughout the world. People everywhere would praise him for the benefits he would bring, and he would be a great king who would enlighten the world. The king and queen were overjoyed, regarding this as a gift from Heaven. When the boy was born, unusual phenomena appeared in the sky.

At his birth, the sky was illuminated and divine guardians appeared. The deities celebrated the boy’s arrival, and the land was blessed by divine dragons, which may refer to an auspicious rain. Immediately after his birth, the prince stood up and took seven steps. With each step, a lotus flower bloomed.

After taking seven steps, he stopped and pointed to the sky and the earth, declaring, “Under Heaven and on Earth, I am the supreme one.” According to legend, this was a miraculous birth. Unlike ordinary children, the prince demonstrated extraordinary abilities from the beginning. His father, like all fathers, loved his son deeply.

The king named his son Siddhartha Gautama. Queen Maya, the prince’s mother, died seven days after his birth. I believe she had a mission: to bring Prince Gautama into the world. Having fulfilled her purpose, she departed. The prince then grew up in his father’s palace.

As a prince, Siddhartha lived a life distinct from that of ordinary people, surrounded by luxury, maids, and servants. Loyal attendants ensured his well-being, and after his mother’s passing, his aunt cared for him as a mother would. To prepare him for succession, the king arranged for Siddhartha to receive extensive education in languages, history, and other essential subjects.

His education included languages, history, astrology, martial arts, and strategies for governance. In summary, Siddhartha mastered all that could be learned at the time. He was intelligent and a quick learner, and both the king and his aunt were pleased with his progress.

The prince grew up cherished by everyone in the palace. In those times, even royals married young, and his marriage was arranged by his father. When he was about twenty years old, the prince left the palace to experience life beyond its gates.

He witnessed people suffering from sickness, old age, and death—realities that define the human condition. This experience left him deeply saddened and inspired a sense of mission within him. For the first time, he began contemplating solutions to the suffering he observed.

He observed the suffering caused by illness and witnessed people in their final moments, their eyes filled with fear and hopelessness. He resolved to understand the nature of death and sought ways to face it with courage and wisdom. Beyond death, he considered the broader spectrum of human suffering—birth, old age, sickness, poverty, negative emotions, and conflict—believing there must be a way to overcome these challenges.

The prince thought he might have to  face them in the future. He knew more than anyone. His mother died days  after he was born, right? So he knew what that felt like. He experienced the pain of losing someone, a pain that would stay with him forever. The more he thought about it,  the more worried he became. Just like you and me, he was a human after all,  and we’re all in the cycle. Being a prince,  he shouldn’t have had any worries. Being a prince,  he shouldn’t have had any worries.

What about ordinary humans? His father, the king, was also bound by worldly suffering. Even the king had his own worries. He was a human, after all. So it’s normal. No matter who you are, rich or poor, you’re going to have your own worries. What matters is how you face them. The questions got the prince  thinking deeply. In his late 20s, about 29,  he made a big decision. In his late 20s, about 29,  he made a big decision. As I mentioned earlier,  under the king’s arrangement, he married a beautiful, kind, smart wife.

That wasn’t enough to banish  his worries about suffering and people’s fear of death. He had no answers to all that. He continued to look for an answer;  that was what he vowed to do. He continued to look for an answer;  that was what he vowed to do. One day, executing his plans,  he left the palace at night. One day, executing his plans,  he left the palace at night. One day, executing his plans,  he left the palace at night. After leaving the palace, Siddhartha practiced meditation  deep in the mountains.

What did he do? He meditated most of the time. His practice was about tormenting his body. He ate very little food. How little? He ate only one grain of rice a day. It was not about filling his stomach; it was just enough to stay alive. He also meditated. He practiced as such for about 6 years. Practicing as such was  tormenting and taxing. The young Siddhartha was so thin  because he ate so little. He was just skin and bones, no flesh. We’ve all seen it before, in paintings,  Buddhist classics and statues:

a young man, looking so thin  and malnourished, right? That was how Siddhartha looked  after 6 years of practicing. That’s the famous  “The Youth of the Himalayas.” What’s the idea behind this name? I think it refers to the time of  Siddhartha’s self-cultivation and how thin he got  from eating so little food. Fast-forward 6 years; Siddhartha went to the river to bathe. When you’re starved, a bath would further drain your strength. That’s what happened to Siddhartha;  he fainted.

Luckily for him, a shepherdess was nearby doing laundry. She saw the unconscious Siddhartha  and saved him. One day, he was close to a huge tree. It was a bodhi tree. Placing some kusha grass under the tree, Siddhartha was going to meditate again. This time, he vowed to enter into  a deep, enlightened state. For Siddhartha,  that was a do-or-die situation. If he failed to achieve enlightenment,  he vowed not to get up. If he failed to achieve enlightenment,  he vowed not to get up. The ultimate truth was his only goal.

Lowering his body, he started meditating. He had recovered his strength,  so everything went smoothly; he was able to quickly enter into  a deep meditative state. There he began to break away from  the 6 realms of existence. OK, let’s be more realistic. To break away from Earth, you need a rocket to fly past  the Earth’s atmosphere. You need a rocket to fly past  the Earth’s atmosphere. If you want to break away from  the solar system, it’s harder. I’m bringing this up so you know  how difficult it is.

I’m bringing this up so you know  how difficult it is. Being a human, you’re born to survive in  the human realm. You’re bound in this realm, period. When Siddhartha vowed to  achieve enlightenment, he was vowing to attain  ultimate wisdom from Heaven. It’s not ordinary wisdom, but wisdom that allows  an understanding of all truths. No mortal can achieve such a feat. When Siddhartha made such a vow, he might have angered the spirits that  watch over the human realm. They might have even punished him.

Indeed, Siddhartha did have some trouble. He had some scary encounters. For example,  he saw huge, venomous snakes. In India, these are quite common, right? He was almost devoured alive. He wasn’t scared,  and even showed compassion. He didn’t fight back. Apart from his compassion, he also showed  fearlessness toward death. He was more than just composed; he was in an incredible calm state. Evil failed,  because Siddhartha conquered it. Evil failed,  because Siddhartha conquered it. What next?  What about beautiful women?

Siddhartha was a young man. Could he be seduced by women? I’m talking about beautiful women  who dance and sing well. Threatening him didn’t work. What about seducing him? If he’d succumbed to his lust, he wouldn’t have  been able to meditate well. This trick would work against most men. These were fine, beautiful women; most men would die for  their singing and dancing. They were perfect seduction weapons. Siddhartha ignored them. They failed, as expected. Evil beings thought  Siddhartha was no human.

Nothing sent by evil seemed to work. Swords, blades, demons, women… None of them managed to work  on Siddhartha. He stood firm, and he was fearless. He’d witnessed too many deaths, and people being reborn  just to die again because of the cycle. Would death scare him? I guess not. That explains his fearlessness. He wouldn’t back off  even if swords rained down on him. Would death scare him? No way. The swords that rained upon him  eventually turned into flowers.

To sum up, Siddhartha was tested many times,  but he passed his tests. Days later, under a clear night sky, a miracle finally befell Siddhartha. He finally achieved instant enlightenment. He not only became one with the universe but also with all sentient beings, as well as birth, sickness,  old age and death. He was able to feel all humans. As such, he was able to  understand all humans. As such, he was able to  understand all humans. At the moment of enlightenment,  he became aware of everything.

At the moment of enlightenment,  he became aware of everything. He understood all truths. His father, the king, upon finding out that  he’d snuck out of the palace, protected him as all fathers would. The king had assigned a few bodyguards  to be at Siddhartha’s side. They were his disciples,  servants and bodyguards. They were his disciples,  servants and bodyguards. They were his disciples,  servants and bodyguards. They were Siddhartha’s first audience at Sakyamuni Buddha’s  first public teaching.

His first teaching took place  deep in the mountains. His first teaching took place  deep in the mountains. Imagine a lion’s roar;  that’s how loud he was. His 5 servants who were keeping him safe His 5 servants who were keeping him safe became full-time cultivation practitioners. What were they practicing under Sakyamuni? Freeing themselves from  all worldly sufferings. That was when he first  talked about liberation. From what?  Birth, old age, sickness, death, fear, pride, arrogance,  ignorance and so on.

fear, pride, arrogance,  ignorance and so on. fear, pride, arrogance,  ignorance and so on. fear, pride, arrogance,  ignorance and so on. Thanks to his enlightenment, he understood  the truth behind mistakes. Our mistakes come from our hearts;  we cause our own mistakes. Our mistakes come from our hearts;  we cause our own mistakes. Remember the 5 poisons? Greed, anger, ignorance,  arrogance and doubt. That’s all of them. Do you know why we sin? Our sins are caused by  the 5 poisons in our hearts.

There are 5 main types of sins: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct,  false speech, and abuse of alcohol. Sakyamuni knew it all along,  thanks to his ultimate wisdom. Also, I want to talk about social classes. Also, I want to talk about social classes. In Ancient India, discrimination based on  social class was common. People were labeled  and discriminated against. It’s a grouping thing. For example, if you’re poor, you’re ranked  the lowest in society. It still happens now. When did it first start?  Nobody knows for sure.

Sakyamuni believed in equality. Regardless of social class, rich or poor, everyone was welcome to  listen to his teachings. He allowed everyone to listen, right? That’s how it was. To him, everyone is equal. It’s about treating everyone the same, regardless of, say, your gender. What’s that? Gender equality. Sakyamuni believed that  humans and livestock are also equal. He found out the truth of rebirth. If you die as a human,  you could be reborn as an animal.

If you die as a human,  you could be reborn as an animal. You could be a cow, pig, or sheep. What about an ant? It’s possible. He even saw that. What kind of eyes did he see with? The Divine Eye, or Buddha’s Eye, maybe. That’s what a buddha’s wisdom can do: see through previous and future lifetimes. That’s what we call ultimate vision. What else did Sakyamuni see? The truth of life. All lives go through the cycle of life. Their existence depends on each other. They exist and perish together.

That’s how life works. Let me share an example. When I was young, I lived in Tibet. When I was young, I lived in Tibet. Wolves were the most feared. Wolves are carnivorous. Various animals inhabited the grassland; wolves in packs were the most common. Lynx were quite common, and so were snow leopards. Snow leopards are white,  with black spots. They’re not that big,  some locals called them big cats. They’re not that big,  some locals called them big cats. As a kind of leopard,  they’re skillful predators.

As a kind of leopard,  they’re skillful predators. There were tigers too. These animals were hunted by the locals. Now, they’ve become an endangered species. They’re now protected from hunters. Why? To keep the numbers  of sheep in balance. All lives are interdependent. That’s how the food chain works. In his enlightened state, Sakyamuni saw through the cycle of life. Who could have such wisdom? And then, people asked,  “Why are we fated differently?” And then, people asked,  “Why are we fated differently?”

Some are born into a wealthy family. They live a wealthy life forever. Some are born into a wealthy family,  but are still poor. They could have been rich in childhood, but their wealthy father was beheaded, and their family was exiled. But their rich father was beheaded,  and their family exiled. That’s how their poverty began. Some are born into a family of beggars, and they beg for the rest of their lives. Why do such things happen? Easy; it’s because of the merits  and karma from previous lifetimes.

That’s the most straightforward answer. I learned of this when I studied Buddhism. This is the way I believe.  That’s the truth. This is the way I believe.  That’s the truth. All the kindness we’ve offered  and our sins, from previous lives to our current life,  are coded in our life. from previous lives to our current life,  are coded in our life. Unfortunately,  we lack the wisdom to decode them. That’s the code of life. Although we have naked eyes, we lack the wisdom to  comprehend what we see.

What I know is the formation of our body, What I know is that the formation of our body, including our hands and face, is all coded. Whether we live rich or poor is decided by the kindness or  evil we’ve committed. What we did previously affects  our current life. That’s how it is. If we’re rich now, it’s because of  our merits from the past. It’s the merits from our kindness in  our previous lifetime. So, if we keep doing good deeds now, our future generations  will benefit from it. That’s how it is.

This is how to transform fate and free ourselves from  the shackles of nature. It’s called the law of merit. We often say, “Heaven decides,” right? Precisely speaking,  what we have is decided by our past. Precisely speaking,  what we have is decided by our past. And what about the future? It’s decided by what we do now. Our present decides our future. So, do good deeds to have a good future. In Ancient China, traditional philosophy and  Taoist teachings shared one belief: Heaven decides everything, including fate.

Heaven decides everything, including fate. Sakyamuni Buddha believed otherwise. To him, our past makes our present, and our future is shaped by our present. That’s how it is. This is simple math. Do nothing; gain nothing. We will avoid disasters, but we will not gain wisdom. What if we do good? We’ll become richer. Maybe we’ll live longer. Do more good deeds,  and our children will be blessed. Do more good deeds,  and our children will be blessed. Do even more good deeds, and our children shall live  a prosperous and wealthy life.

Let’s talk about subtraction. When we do evil instead of good deeds,  our luck decreases. When we do evil instead of good deeds,  our luck decreases. When our luck runs out,  we could end up in jail or even die. When our luck runs out,  we could end up in jail or even die. When our luck runs out,  we could end up in jail or even die. How? It might be suicide. Yes, it’ll cause some trouble. This is the law discovered by the Buddha. So in order to have a good fate, practice kindness and do good deeds.

Practice kindness and do charitable deeds. This is so important. Fate discussion can be scientific too. It’s not vague at all; it’s real. At this point, I have so many  thoughts I want you to know. At this point, I have so many  thoughts I want you to know. At this point, I have so many  thoughts I want you to know. You shall understand. If you want to understand more, you should listen to me singing  “A Hymn to the Buddha.” The lyrics reflect my thoughts on

all the transformations  I’ve been through thanks to the Buddha. all the transformations  I’ve been through thanks to the Buddha. Let’s sing together. If you can’t read the lyrics, just listen. The lyrics reflect my genuine feelings. Buddhadharma changed me, and I believe it can change many people. Read, understand, and feel it; you shall benefit from it and have your fate transformed. Even your personality and  abilities can be transformed. Buddhadharma is a collection of truths that are capable of freeing one  from the Law of Nature. Whoever gets it will benefit from it. So if a beggar gets it,  they can rise to fame and success. If a coward gets it,  they’ll become incredibly strong.

Looking to add a Shakyamuni Buddha statue or Thangka to your collection or spiritual space?