Butter lamp offering at Menri Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown

“How wonderful!

Within these small, circular containers is placed a wick of twisted gauze.

They are filled with clarified melted butter which is a divine, concentrated essence.

By lighting these bright offering lamps, the fire of the lamps clears away darkness and obscurations, and radiates throughout the vast, clear space of the sky.

Performing these activities mainly for our kind mothers and fathers who are the sentient beings within the three realms of cyclic existence,

and with compassion for those who have passed away into the realm between this life and the next,

may all of them be liberated from cyclic existence!”

— Extract from Raising a Victory Banner of Butter Lamps

Tibetan translation by Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

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