Description

Introduction of the "Ming Lin" or "Liberation Blanket" according to Tibetan Buddhist Tradition

The Six Liberation's Germany Padmasambhava:

"The Tibetan Book of the Dead" is a popular teaching doctrine, derived from German evangelization Padmasambhava (Guru Padmasambhava) in the sixth century 8. These are the instructions that teach about the "Bardo" medium after death, often called the Bardo. In Tibetan Buddhism, The "Tibetan Book" is known as the skillful means to help us attain liberation through hearing, means liberation through listening during the Bardo period (liberation through hearing in the Bardo).

Follow the instructions on “Bardo,”Has it all 6 "Bardo" period - is the transition period, starting from the time we are born until we are reborn again, include: (1) Median period of birth (Kye Ne Bardo), (2) of the dream (Milam Bardo), (3) of meditation (Velvet Bardo), (4) of the process of disintegration leading to death (Chikai Bardo), (5) of the experience experienced after death (Chonyi Bardo), and (6) of rebirth again (Sipai Bardo).

Particularly in the case of preparing for death and after death, it follows the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, The deceased are often recited by monks in order to listen to the entire teachings of the "Letter of Death" throughout 49 days to remind them of death, about the disintegration cycle of the five elements (land, country, wind, fire and gas), about what happens in the middle realm after the body and mind have separated, Help the dead find a way out. This is rescue through listening

But liberation through listening is also just one of the Six dharmas of Liberation taught by Padmasambhava, include:

1. Liberation through hearing (liberation through hearing)
2. Liberation through wear (liberation through wearing) (*)
3. Liberation through seeing (liberation through seeing)
4. Liberation through remembrance (liberation through remembering)
5. Liberation through tasting (liberation through tasting)
6. Liberation through touch (liberation through touching)

(*) Here refers to the clothes to wear, or covered, or apply on the body, It could also be the dharma guard that we can wear on our body.

** Meaning of "Deliverance Through." [Shirt] Wear:”

In the sense as above, Tibetans call "Blanket Quang Minh"We often use to cover for people who have passed away is Tag-Drol, means "liberated through wear" (liberation through wearing). “Quang Minh Blanket” (or "Liberation Shirt") here is constructed based on a combination of prayer notes, symbols and graphs. In fact, here, is the establishment of a spiritual mandala.

Vietnamese people have the habit of calling the "blankets" covered for the deceased "Man Quang Minh" because we want to refer to the state of bright and transparent clear light. (Clear Light) of Zhen Tam when achieving liberation. We expect the dead to reach this state after death, so calling with "Liberation Blanket" or "Liberation Coat" also has the same meaning as calling "Quang Minh Blanket." There are also places, Vietnamese people call "Quang Minh blanket" as "Austria Da la ni."

** Filling with the "Liberation Blanket" creates the following three types of merit and benefit:

1. Help protect the dead from obstacles or harm caused by evil spirits or demons.

2. Future, can liberate samsara and suffering.

3. In the intermediate realm "Bardo,”Can receive Pristine Awareness directly, or reborn in the Pure Land of Amitabha, later will gain Buddhahood.

Although the explanation of the "Liberation Blanket" talks about the benefits of "protecting" the dead as above, but according to Garchen Rinpoche, We should understand that, The "protection" here does not only focus on protecting the body of the deceased in a secular sense, but mainly to protect the minds of the dead from being scattered, Help them to keep lucid, one level towards the goal of salvation is to attain liberation. Here, rescue through [shirt] wear, by covering the "Quang Minh blanket",”A skillful means that helps the dead to focus, no distraction, Hold on to your desire to be born in the Buddha realm, achieve liberation.

Garchen Rinpoche also explained the following:

"Liberation Blanket" is an extremely skillful method of the Buddhas to transform sentient beings. When wearing the "Liberation Blanket", the dead can also purify many obstacles or obstructions. In our crude, impure body there is the potential of seed 100 The Buddha of Peace and Wrath (Tibetan language: Shitrula; Shi: Peaceful, Tru: Ferocity; The: Buddha's Protection). Really, The Peaceful and Fury Buddhas appearing in the "Bardo" are manifestations of the aggregates of the five aggregates (sharp, longevity, thought, onions, awake) and the five elements (land, country, wind, fire, gas) in every individual. At the time of life, after the five elements break up, the intrinsic characteristics of the five aggregates will be revealed through the appearance of visions., color, the light of the Buddhas. The Buddha protectors all contain the perfect insight of the Five Buddhas of Na Buddha or the Five Buddhas. When we put on the "Liberation Blanket" or "Liberation Coat", the seeds in the body will receive the blessing and metabolic power.. My body will transform into a Buddha body. The impure thoughts of the flesh will turn into the pure minds and minds of the Buddhas.

Tulku Jimge Rinpoche further mentioned that, following the instructions of Padmasambhava and following the tradition of the Phowa Move,"On the body we have 9 lodge (9 exit door) is where the consciousness will escape. therefore, covering the "Liberation Blanket" also has a cover effect 8 the exit where we don't want the consciousness to escape, and leaving only one exit, secondary door 9, That is the door of Phạm Thiên. General common, 8 lodge (8 exit door) (**) which we want to cover include: (1) above the head (From the hairline measured up to the width of the four fingers folded together); (2) eye, (3) or, (4) nose, (5) mouth, (6) Umbilical, (7) anus, and (8) genitals, except the highest exit on the top of the head - (9) Pham Thien door - should be left open. If consciousness escapes from Pham Thien's door, the dead will be reborn in the Pure Land or attain liberation.

The great sage Naropa once taught that, "Have 8 The exit is 8 the gate that leads to reincarnation, and only one gate (Pham Thien gate) is the path to Mahamudra (Mahamudra).”

(**) Lama Lodo, through the oral teachings of Kalu Rinpoche, presented in “The Bardo Doctrine: How to die and be reborn ” (Bardo Teachings: The Way of Death and Rebirth) about 8 The exit of consciousness is as follows: If the consciousness escapes (1) from above (From the hairline measured up to the width of the four fingers folded together), will be reborn in the heaven realms of the Formless World; (2) from the eye (including the third eye), will be reborn in the Heavenly plane of Lust; (3) from the ear, will be reborn as an astral; (4) from the nose, will be reborn as a human or yaksa (Yaksha); (5) from the mouth, will be reborn as hungry ghosts; (6) from the navel, will be reborn as gods in the realm of Sex; (7) from the anus, will be reborn in hell; (8) from the genitals, will be reborn as animals. Follow Lati Rinpochay and Jeffrey Hopkins in “Death, The Bardo and the Reincarnation According to Tibetan Buddhist Tradition ”(Death, Intermediate State and Rebirth in Tibetan Buddhism) then the classification 8 The exit and the site of reincarnation have some differences; Besides, in this document, The position of the third eye is considered a separate outlet, while the exit is on the head (From the hairline measured up to the width of the four fingers folded together) not mentioned. In some other documents, There are a few differences in the way the presentation is made.

** Explain the teachings, mantra, the mandala and the image printed on the “Quang Minh blanket”:”

1. Dzogchen teachings- Great Perfection: "The Four Great Dhammas" [of Long-chenpa] of the Longchen Nyingtik teaching system (thumbnail images of the pages of the doctrine of Dai Vien Man written in Tibetan literature).

2. Expression for the fullness of mind of the Guru (This is the imposing power of the Master) (The two round mandalas are on the left and right side of Vajrasattva).

3. Duc Kim Cang Slapping (Sanskrit: Vajrasattva / Tibetan: Dorje Sem-pa): the Buddha master in the mandala - his form is the embodiment of the essence 100 Buddha; His majesty is to purify the karma of those who wear or shape his body, helping them to attain liberation in the various stages of the intermediate state "Bardo" (Figure Kim Cang Slapped in the middle).

4. The Essence of the Dzogpa-Chenpo Teachings (round mandala, big, in the middle).

5. A Hundred of Peaceful and Fury Buddhas in "Bardo" [follow the instruction] by Karma Lingpa (square mandala, big, at the end).

6. Mace Kim Cang and Kim Cang continent themselves (Release comment 6 The sound of Kim Cang) (border around).

"The Blanket of Liberation" has been drawn from the essence of sutras and tantras. It is said in tantra, whoever is fortunate enough to hear, can see, to touch or put on the "Liberation Coat" will be able to be liberated through the Bardo, or reborn in the Pure Land. Besides, even animals if there is enough blessing to wear the teaching of "liberation through clothing" around the neck (***) it is also possible to be born in the higher realms or liberated in stages of transition. Animals are also like that, let alone human, benefits are hard to think of. Even those who created negative karma while alive and those who passed away without anyone reciting mantras or praying for dedication to, then they can still be reborn in the Pure Land as well, and then achieve liberation.

(***) The teachings, mantra, Icon, The image printed on the "Liberation Blanket" has also sometimes been scaled down and printed into a tiny booklet, can be worn around the neck or in the chest, for both humans and animals while alive.

** How to use Quang Minh Blanket

1. In the moment of death, if there is not enough time to change clothes or cover the dying person, Use Quang Minh Blanket to cover your whole body. In the case of the death of an accident, If Quang Minh Blanket touches blood on the body, there is nothing to worry about.

2. When we pray for the deceased, Cover the deceased's entire body with the Quang Minh Blanket. If you need to change clothes or perform a burial ceremony for the deceased, you can temporarily move the Quang Minh Blanket aside.. Then, put it back on.

3. Can also be placed on the lid of the coffin after the lid is covered. When you need to open the coffin lid, temporarily move the Quang Minh Blanket aside, can then be put up again.

4. Theo Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche, when the cremation begins to celebrate, Please move the Quang Minh Blanket aside. When the cremation ceremony was completed, Use Quang Minh Blanket to wrap the ashes. Later, you can put everything in an ash jar. When using Quang Minh Blanket to wrap the ashes, be careful, don't let the image of the Buddha [Kim Cang lies face down. If the ash jar is too small, you can fold the Quang Minh Blanket very small and place it on top of the ashes inside the ash jar., Or use Quang Minh Blanket to wrap the ash jar.

5. According to Garchen Rinpoche, when doing the cremation ceremony, You can keep the Quang Minh Blanket on the deceased's body and burn it all at once. This is also a tradition often done in the past in Tibet when a cremation is celebrated.

6. If buried (instead of cremation), The Quang Minh Blanket can be kept intact on the deceased's body (or on the lid of the coffin) and buried with the coffin.