Water Offering at the Retreat Land in Pemakod:

The Seven Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche begins "In the Northwest border of the country of Oddiyana, in the pollen heart of a lotus . . ."

In the northwest corner of the Deden Tashi Choeling Temple, now being constructed in the basic model of the Copper Colored Mountain, Guru Padmasambhava's pure land, at the retreat land in Pemakod, we plan to construct a water offering. The site where the water offering will be constructed is presently a naturally occurring receptacle for water. Water gathers in this spot year round -- only the amount varies during the seasons. During the summer rainy season it is full of aquatic life, but even during the driest seasons, the water never evaporates completely, but leaves a small natural pond.

The spot we have chosen for the water offering is adjacent to a large naga rock on which the tsa tsa house sits. Many masters of the past have predicted that this naga rock is very significant to the thriving and success of both the temple and the retreat land. Our vision is to use the existing natural source of water, following its natural shape to build an oval- or kidney-shaped dynamic water offering. In the center of the gently-enclosed pond will be a lotus-shaped stand, atop which a statue of Guru Rinpoche will reside, facing the Temple and radiating Guru Rinpoche's infinite blessing. Surrounding the pond will be a raised perimeter, both for circumambulation and with flowers and seating places for contemplation and silent meditation.

It is traditional in Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism to make water offerings, representing purity, purification, and clarity. We make daily water offerings in our practice to generate merit. No matter how rich or poor, or where we are or what our circumstances are, we can always offer water to the Three Jewels. Atisha speaks again and again how water in Tibet is a precious offering. The water offering at the retreat land in Pemakod will be an offering to the Three Jewels, to the Temple, and to the Three Holy Mountains that surround Yoldong in the innermost secret place of Dorje Phagmo -- Pema Shri, Cittapuri, and Riwo Tala, representing the Dharmakaya (Amitabha), Sambhogakaya (Chenrezig), and Nirmanakaya (Padmasambhava) realms.

Our intention in creating this Water Offering is to create a continual source of offering by evoking the mind's continual recollection of our precious Guru Padmasambhava. When we see the statue of Guru Rinpoche on a lotus seat in the center of this water offering, the mind will recall Guru Rinpoche appearing in the center of Lake Danakosha in the northwest border of the country of Oddiyana -- thus turning the mind continually toward our precious Heart Lama, with faith and devotion, and invoking Padmasambhava's blessings to radiate forth in a perpetual stream.

What needs to be done:

In order to complete the water offering, we must: (1) clear the site of existing debris and dredge slightly the existing pond to deepen and stabilize it; (2) secure the lake's perimeter with cement bordering (this will be the main work and major expense, as cement will need to be brought up from Tuting by porters); (3) build meditation benches and tables around the pond's perimeter; (4) plant lotus flowers in the water offering; (5) plant flowers around the water offering; and (6) commission both the Guru Rinpoche statue that will be placed in the center of the water offering and a lotus stand/base for this statue.

Please help us to fulfill this aspiration.

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