Thu, 09 Jul 2009
Sang and Sur
We had a small turnout at the Gampopa Center (not an unusual state of affairs), just Lama Phurbu Tashi, Michael, and myself. So a question Michael asked about sang (smoke offerings) occupied the whole evening's discussion. I didn't take notes, so I want to write down what I remember before it fades from my memory entirely. Sang (smoke) offerings are mostly done for the sake of local spirits (the earth lords) and sur (singed) offerings are done for the sake of pretas (hungry ghosts) and being in the bardo (intermediate state). However all offering practices are addressed to the four classes of beings: first, the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha), second, the dharma protectors, third, the six realms of beings, and fourth, our karmic creditors (those who we owe a debt bt having wronged them in the past). Sang offerings are made in the morning and sur offerings are made in the evening. Lama didn't say this, but I think the reason why is that according to Tibetan lore, spirits go about in the morning and demons (including hungry ghosts) go about in the evening. Sang offerings consist of fragrant and medicinal plants, cloth, fruits, and nuts. Juniper is often burnt. Sur offerings consist of barley flour and the "five whites" (diary products and sugar). In neither case is meat, onions, or garlic an acceptable offering.
After explaining this, Lama did a cleansing ceremony (treu, I think it's spelled bkrus), which is another kind of practice centering on Vajrasattva to remove contamination. The idea of contamination is that even coming into close contact with someone who has committed serious non-virtue, samaya breakers especially, dulls and confuses our mind and make practice more difficult. The cleansing ceremony is meant to remove this kind of contamination. Lam said that on his last visit to Tibet he was often asked to do this practice.
