Buddha Amitabha Day:
The Monthly Akshobhya Buddha Puja
Dechen Choekhor will be conducting the monthly Buddha Akshobhya Jangchok Puja on the 15th day of the Tibetan lunar month. This purification puja is extremely beneficial for both the livings and the deceased.
Should you wish to know more or participate in this puja, kindly contact us via email at web@dechenchoekhor.org
Out of immense kindness, Dorje Jinpa Choegon Rinpoche has graciously explained the history, significances and benefits of the Buddha Akshobhya Jangchok Puja as below:
The Buddha Akshobhya Jangchok Puja:
Buddha Akshobhya in Sambhogakaya form - a Dechen Choekhor's Buddha Akshobhya Thangka created according to the sacred vision of the late 8th Kyabgon Adeu Rinpoche
Why Akshobhya Buddha?
Buddha Akshobhya is one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas or Five Wisdom Buddhas (Skt: Dhyani for "Meditation"). In Tibetan, He is known as "Mitrugpa," the one who never becomes disturbed by anger or aggression. He is regarded as especially powerful and effective in purifying negative karma.
Buddha Akshobhya established his enlightened intention that all sentient beings could purify any degree of non-virtue, even the most extreme sinfulness of hatred, violence, and killing can be cleansed through relying upon him as the focus of meditation; confessing and abandoning non-virtuous actions, and invoking his blessings of purification through earnest supplication.
In the Akshobhya's Sutra, Buddha Sakyamuni himself extolled the perseverance of Akshobhya in actualizing this intention so powerfully that countless beings have been saved from the intense suffering of lower states of existence.
According to the Buddhist teachings, the present age is one of the degeneration when all beings in the cycle of existence (samsara) are suffering in the great deal because of their negative actions and disturbing emotions.
The Akshobhya ritual is a very powerful purification practice done for the benefit of all sentient beings. It can liberate not only the practitioners themselves from the fear of an unfortunate rebirth, but other beings as well. Akshobhya explicitly promised that the merit generated by reciting 100,000 of his long dharani mantra and creating an image of him could be dedicated to others, even someone long deceased, and they would be assured of release from the lower states of existence, and take rebirth in spiritually fortunate circumstances.
The Sambhogakaya Buddha Akshobhya Mandala
Why Jangchok Puja?
"Jang" means purifying. What's to be purified? Karma! "Chok" mean puja. "Karma Purifying Puja" is what it denotes.
Jangchok can be performed for both the living and deceased. Both will have same puja preparations, but differ in the execution prayers and rituals during the puja.
During the Buddha Akshobhya Jangchok for the dead, the main empowerment is the initiation of Six Paramitas of Akshobhya. By the power of the Buddha's Mantras, the strength of practices of the Vajra Master and the monks, the specific rituals and mudras; the deceased is given proper initiation of the Six Paramitas, guidance through the Dharma, and transference of their consciousness to pure-land through Phowa.
The living, too, are tormented by various of samsaric pain, sickness and sufferings resulted from their past and present negative actions, such as killing, harming others and so on; driven mainly by greed, attachment, anger, hatred, jealousy and ignorance. Through the cleansing power of the six Paramitas, one will be able to purify the six negativities like attachment, broken vows, anger, laziness, and so forth.
According to the Buddha's teaching, traditionally, Jangchok must be performed on a yearly basis for the deceased. That is how we can constantly benefit the dead or those in Bardos, even if they have passed away long ago or have taken a good rebirth. The Jangchok puja is an unfailing great helps for them and the countless others who are in the three lower realms. Even if the person has been reborn in a higher realm of samsara, every time we do Jangchok, it will affect them positively. However, if he or she is still wandering in the Bardo, then the prayer will liberate him from that state.
In the Tantra of Buddha Akshobhya, Buddha has mentioned that "Bodhisattvas* come down to prostrate to Masters and Monks during Buddha Akshobhya Puja since they realized that their rebirth to the pure-land was due to the Jangchok puja".
* Bodhisattvas = only those who have attained at least first bhumi can be reborn in Buddha Akshobhya pure-land. This means the ordinary beings who were sent their by the powerful Vajra master through Akshobhya Jangchok have become Bodhisattvas of first bhumi.
Why Dechen Choekhor Monastery?
Drukpa Kargyu's Lineage holds the main lineage of Buddha Akshobhya, principally in Dechen Choekhor (the seat of Choegon Rinpoche), Khampagar (the seat of Khamtrul Rinpoche) and Nangchen Garh (the seat of Adeu Rinpoche) and all their Lineage Holders. This lineage is directly from Buddha Akshobhya, Vajrapani, Arya Deva, down to Atisha, who traveled to Tibet, and then, from Tsangpa Gyare to Choegon Rinpoche's Lineages of Dechen Choekhor tradition. It's originated from there that the practice of Buddha Akshobhya practices spread to most Kargyu monasteries in the 16th century.
Dechen Choekhor put particular emphasis in Buddha Akshobhya practices. It has been our exclusive and intensive practices for puja, Jangchok, retreat, purification and other rituals. This blessing lineage was kept pure, intact and unbroken through the perseverance and diligent practices, particularly the Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche Lineage for over 500 years.
Being the mother monastery, not only to Khampagar, Hemis and Dorzong Monastery, but also to the most other Drukpa Kagyu monasteries that branched-out and spread throughout the entire Tibet in the 16th century, including Nangchen Garh; Dechen Choekhor and all the lineage holders have kept this lineage very strong and vibrant. What strong here means, is not merely referring to doing pujas, but being practiced as main practices in retreat, for purification, etc. The Buddha Akshobhya practice is still a mandatory retreat practice in our tradition until today.
Buddha Akshobhya Buddha Jangchok Puja is especially beneficial for:
Buddha Akyobya puja is known for its power in Karma purification. That is why it is incredibly effective for Jangchok, and is especially beneficial for:
The deceased, particularly:
Death during the passage toward birth (by miscarriage or abortion)
Death before adulthood (untimely death)
Violent or fearful death
Suicide
Those that have died of any of the above are indications that the deceased might have difficulties in obtaining fortunate, spiritually well-endowed rebirth. Through the power of Buddha Akshobhya Jangchok Puja, the person who receives the dedication will find a rebirth that is free of intense suffering and is conducive to ultimate happiness.
Likewise, in the west, many people have sponsored this puja for their pets or for animals they may have killed while driving or in other circumstances. Any animals can be benefited from the release from the animal realm through Akshobhya Buddha Jangchok Puja.
The living who suffer from:
Karmic sickness
Cancer or other incurable diseases
According to Dharma, we all have accumulated countless negative Karma in our incalculable life times, which causes our sickness and the never-ending cyclic existence, and these types of sicknesses can only be cured by cleansing of our Karma.
By purifying one's karma, it will bring great benefits and improvements to one's lives, helps eliminates the afflictive emotions and reduces the obstacles in both our worldly and spiritual pursues.
Click on the links to:
Listen to the Buddha Akshobhya Prayer chanting by Dorje Jinpa Choegon Rinpoche.