(continued from issue #717 P.3)

However, this Smoke Offering practice is specially for making offering to past [karmic] creditors, gods and ghosts. The offerings items are just some incense sticks, some powders of five grains, fabrics of five colors, white and red sugars, and some milk powder. Mix them together into powder cake and allow to air-dry. When these items are dried and ready, you can use them for smoke offering.

Why would this offering make gods and ghosts happy？ There are a couple of reasons. When you chant the mantra, 「OM AH HUM,」 this means that first you had transformed these small amount of offerings into abundant offerings. The OM syllable will transform the small offering into a great abundance to fill up the entire Universe. This 「Om」 is the Universe. 「Ah」 is purity. This 「Ah」 syllable purifies the offering. 「Hum」 transforms them into dharma flavor. The fabrics become very fine clothing, the powders of five grains become very delicious food, the incense powders become very sublime perfume, and the sugar transforms bitterness into happiness, turning bitterness into sweetness. In Taiwan, we have a saying, eat something sweet, and have a new baby boy next year. This is an endearing way of wishing you to achieve your goal successfully, to turn a bad situation into a good one. The milk is to pacify all misfortunes. The color of milk is white and pure. It pacifies all misfortunes.

So, when you chant 「Om Ah Hum」 and 「Lang Yang Kang,」 although the amount of Smoke Offering is small, these mantras transform into the offering into great abundance. By performing this practice, all the illnesses, bad karmas, god and ghosts, those spirits, which came to harm you, they will all receive your offerings and accept your offering. It is hard to bite the hand that feeds you, that's what this means. Of course, this is not a bribe -- we performed these offerings sincerely. The offering's goal is to request the karmic creditors not to harm you. They originally came to seek reparations, but they will leave you now because you performed this offering. Thus, you business will flourish, your restaurant will be jam-packed, your supervisors will give you raises, you will be healthy, and you will be in a good mood. Those who hate you will adore you, and you will gain their respect. You were originally sick, and now you will gradually get better. If you weren't sick, you will be healthier. This is the benefit of performing the Smoke Offering Practice.

The Smoke Offering practice can also to be used to make offering to the Buddhas. The Smoke Offering for Buddhas can be performed between 5 AM to 9 AM. Offering to gods and ghosts is done between 5 PM to 9 PM.

(to be continued)