Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 45-minute teaching, Ven Jampa Ignyen provides a complete guided visualization of the mandala offering, a foundational tantric practice. He begins with philosophical grounding from Nāgārjuna’s Precious Garland, explaining how the Buddha’s perfection embraces both the removal of all delusions and the achievement of uncommon qualities rooted in great compassion. From this motivation of bodhicitta, he then walks methodically through the entire mandala visualization: the cosmology of Mount Meru and four continents, the seven precious objects placed in their cardinal directions (wheel, jewel, queen, minister, elephant, horse, general), the treasury vase, eight offering goddesses stationed at cardinal and intermediate points with their specific colors and hand mudras, and finally the sun and moon. The instruction is precise and detailed, suited for practitioners who have already received tantric initiation.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 05 MO 1996 05 23.mp3
UUID: 6e019eab-0aad-4017-86ca-b9fa0581ad07
Teacher: Ven Jampa Ignyen
Collection: Mandala Offerings (Ven Jampa Ignyen)
Date: 1996-05-23
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.6 minutes
Words: ~1,906
So so according a line from the teaching of Nāgārjuna, the text so called precious garland. And that in that text, Nāgārjuna explains the two perfections of the Buddha. How is like, self perfection and the perfection of others? So in this line, the first line which shows how Buddha have perfected in abandoning or removing the obstructions. And then in second line, shows the Buddha’s realizations of his insight.
So, yeah, in the line it says that Buddha is free of all delusions such as self-grasping or grasping to an object that inherently exists. That all these delusions are free of all these delusions and achieved the commonly achieved qualities like Hearers and Pratyekabuddhas, plus specific qualities or uncommon qualities known as those of the ten powers are all achieved. And And having a mind, a compassionate mind, where no thought of near and far towards which is free of the thought of near and far towards sentient beings and possessing this great compassion. So so seeing Buddha is the one the refuge object of all sentient beings. It it is the protector of all sentient beings.
And yeah. It is the protector of all sentient beings. So with with recognizing, identifying the good in this way, one should generate the mind for the bodhicitta. So so how you generate the mind, bodhicitta, by recognizing enlightened beings or the Buddha, is that seeing the qualities of the Buddha and wishing how nice if all sentient beings, those equal to this space may achieve that state of enlightenment, those qualities. And for that purpose I listen listen to the teaching.
In this way, we generate a mind that is for the bodhicitta. So setting up this motivation and this motivation which is bodhicitta where we do short meditation. So last time we shall explain the the world of the four continents, the precious mountain, the wish granting tree, the wish-granting cow. So so then next is the precious object, which is the precious wheel. So so you pile the precious wheel on the on the on on the side of the east the east side, which is So which which is which you visualize, you’re piling the precious wheel inside the seven mountains.
So we’re on the east east on the east on the east eastern the side of the eastern continent. So this precious wheel is the many qualities which explain of the wheel, which is golden wheel with a thousand spokes. So so that precious wheel it’s not something which is constructed by human, but it is it is, I would say, the wheel that came into existence through the merit of the universe. So, yes, let’s say, there there are many other qualities everywhere, but we won’t be going into detail. Making it short.
So so then next piling is the precious jewel or gem that is piled inside the, sorry, the seven mountains, which is on the southern direction, southern direction, which is yeah. On the southern direction, which is which is. So inside the the wishful tree and in the the space that they visualize. So so this precious gem or the jewel is, what do say, is old and it removes the suffering of coldness, which removes the suffering of heat, which removes the suffering of hunger and thirst and so on. So then the third one is precious queen, and that is piled on the western continent the western direction, which is in the inside part of the wishful-fulfilling pile.
And, yeah, that’s a pile that you imagine in this space, being piled in this space. So, the precious queen too, having all the qualities of a female, which are having beautiful appearance naturally having the scent of Utpala, Utpala flower, and briefly, having all the qualities of female body. So then next is on the northern on the north, which you pile which you make one piling, which is So, that is precious minister. So that minister to adorn with all the precious ornaments and being honest, having the quality of honesty and being what is that? Helping helping other sentient beings and Help helping other sentient beings.
So having all these qualities, you have to visualize because So so then next is the precious elephant, and that is between east and south. So the color of the elephant is not as a normal ordinary elephant, which is little dark color, but it is completely white. And, like, double or thousand times stronger than the normal elephant. So so imagine the elephant with with those infinite qualities. And elephant too is adorned with precious, let’s say, ornaments.
So so then next is the precious horse, and that is between the south and west. So that horse too is adorned by the crown jewel. Mhmm. The jewel at the crown of those different gods. And and similarly with other other ornaments are drawn by other ornaments too.
And and having perfect shape and colors. Size. Having having a perfect size and shape. And which if one if the the horse, if it do go around the wall, then it can go like three times. Three can make three round or around the wall.
Imagine like that kind of horse. So so then next is the precious general and that is between the west. Between the west and north. So that general to give no harm to to all beings. So have abandoned all the non-virtuous actions.
Let’s say, skilled in in all our activities. So and and it’s also a general which which fulfills all the wishes of the king without without telling him such and such or without commanding him. So and and one who we one who can destroy one who can destroy all the interference and obstruction to Dharma? So so then is the treasury vase, and that is between you you pass between north and east. And it is golden.
And having all the, let’s say, characteristic of the path, let’s say, the full characteristic of the vase. And which is which is which the let’s say, on the neck, which is adorned with a silk cord. And inside, not being empty, but having all the, how do say, all the all all the sources of wealth. So so then, again, the next eight lines, which are starting from the the the goddesses of grace. All all these are these eight are offering goddesses.
So so the goddess of grace, you also power in the east, which is inside inside the inside part in the in the space. And the this goddess grace in both hand in the, let’s say, in the mudrā of holding a five-pointed vajra Uh-huh. In both hands. So as you can see, I just showed the posture of the this which both hand out, which is holding the five pointed and a little bit, I would say, tilted towards the left. So one who, like, who performs the dance.
So so then next is the goddess of garland, and that is placed inside the direction of the south, which is in the inner part of the precious jewel, and having yellow colored body. And the on both hand, like like the same first one. So the garland is only which is a jewel garland? So so so then we can also visualize a flower garland or other other precious stone garland. And in the position, like, the goddesses are like in the manner of, like, let’s say, storing initiation.
Like, holding like this, the garland. Mhmm. So so then next is next offering is the the goddesses of song, and that is on the west. And pink color body. So same same mudrā, and holding the five-pointed vajra.
And at the same time, playing So the goddess of song, which are playing, I would say, imagining that you’re playing a dilruba or the you can also visualize guitar. And and at the same time, I was playing the the instrument, also singing the song. So so not thing like Australian, say, hairs everywhere, long hair. But in in a it’s a beautiful one. And then next is the goddess of dance.
So the goddess of dance, you piled that on the on the north. So that goddess is the color of that body. Color of the body is various color. So so that like, one who one who performs the dance? And right hand in the in the mudrā of threatening, holding it above your crown.
And left same way holding the holding it and then And those two. somewhere around the heart. So so then next is the goddess of flower, and that is the pile in between the east and south. Sorry.
And that yellow yellow colored body. So and then that goddesses, which is in in her left hand holding, I would say, holding a container which is filled with. So and then which is the container which is filled with flowers and and right hand, same with holding the vajra in the manner of sprinkling the flowers. So so then next is the goddess of incense, and that is between the south and west. White colored body.
So the right hand holding the vajra and the same mudrā and also holding the incense in a manner of satisfying the refuge object. And then left hand similarly holds the vajra So so then next is So, on this, between the north and the west, like, the third circle, where comes the goddess of lamp. Inner part of the precious wheel. And that is pink color body. And right hand holding the vajra together with the lamp.
To get holding the lamp. So in the manner of, like, offering the lamp, going like this from left to right. And then That’s the. So the left hand also holding the vajra in the same mudrā at the heart. So, then next is the goddess of perfume that is in between north and east.
So the left hand holding a vessel and at the same time holding a small bowl. And then on the right hand, the same time also holding the, like, taking some perfume and then some applying the form of in a manner of applying the perfume. So these are the the eight, let’s say, So so then next is is the sun, and that is which is just in front of one. That’s in that direction. That’s at least.
So the sun that you visualize, like the height measuring four hundred forty thousand yojanas, which falls just above the first circle of the mountains around Mount Meru. So, just above that. So the sun, which is, let’s say, caused or created by a crystal. Mhmm. And with the with its light, it can, let’s say, remove the darkness of all beings So inside the sun, visualizing that all the many sons and daughters of the gods, like, playing or enjoying their life.
And then next is the the piling of the moon, and that’s on the north western direction. So that is formed by, what do you call, crystal. Oh. And and in the same So so and also within the in the moon, visualizing that the sons and daughters of the gods are playing and enjoying. So then next is the precious parasol that is piled on the southern side.
That