Residents of Kalmykia Made Offerings to the Burkhans Through Fire

Black sesame seeds, barley, rice, peas, lentils - 13 kinds of various substances in all. They were specially prepared and purified by the monks of the Central Khurul. All of this is necessary for performing the “Jinseg” ritual, the ritual of offering to the deity of Fire. The monks themselves don special tantric garments - wang dze. The grounds of the khurul complex are crowded. Everyone who comes here turns to the ritual with sincere faith. For it is believed that the Deities themselves, the masters of the locality, the masters of the bodies of water, descend to the place where the Fire puja is performed. They descend to hear the people’s requests and to accept their gifts.

It is worth noting that the gifts for the offering have a special meaning. For example, by throwing black sesame into the fire, we appeal to the Burkhans to remove our negative karma, to purify our negative deeds. We offer rice to increase our virtues, wheat - to overcome illnesses, and melted butter - to improve prosperity. All these offerings are united in that they ultimately lead to the highest attainment - to Enlightenment.

An important part of the rite is also the prayer for a better rebirth of those who have passed on to the other world. For this, slips of paper with the names of the deceased were also committed to the fire. It is said that after this ritual is performed, they may obtain another, better birth.

As the Shajin Lama of Kalmykia, Geshe Tenzin Choydak, noted, it is important on these special days of rituals to offer prayers not only for oneself and one’s relatives, but, having generated a virtuous motivation within oneself, to ask on behalf of all living beings, to ask for the well-being of all.

The series of tantric rituals will continue on October 4. At “The Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni” they will perform Yangdrub, the ritual of invoking well-being and good fortune.