意供

Mental Offerings

有等持及观想能力的人，依靠意幻供养不仅方便而且功德很大。其具体方法如下：

Making mental offerings generates great merit. It is an easy task for those skilled in concentration and visualization. The following provides specific steps:

以等持观想各种供品持于手中，供养释迦牟尼佛或其他佛菩萨。若观想能力成熟，可观想尽法界、尽虚空界，遍满诸传承上师、十方三世一切佛，种种菩萨、修行僧众海会围绕。《宝箧经》云：“掌中观想诸供品，供养一尊佛陀前，供养诸佛亦复然，仙人等境仍如是。”《华严经》中也有相同描述。

With a steady mind, imagine many excellent substances in your hands and offer them to Buddha Shakyamuni or other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If you are good at visualization, think throughout space and reaching the end of the universe there gather the objects of veneration like cloud banks—lineage lamas, Buddhas of the ten directions and three times, as well as Bodhisattvas, sages, and noble Sanghas. The Sutra of Jewel Chest says: “Visualize many offering substances in your hands, offer them to the Buddha in front of you and to many other Buddhas throughout the universe. Offer in the same way to all sublime beings.” Similar descriptions are also found in the Avatamsaka Sutra.

再观想自己与六道之无量众生以胜妙之供养：上妙珍馐、轮王七宝、花云、天音乐云、天伞盖云，天衣服云，天种种香：涂香、烧香、末香，如是等云，一一量如须弥山王。燃种种灯：酥灯、油灯、诸香油灯。一一灯柱，如须弥山；一一灯油，如大海水……以如是等诸供养具而为供养。

Then imagine yourself and limitless beings of the six realms presenting the most excellent gifts: sumptuous nourishment, the seven jewels of the universal monarch, clouds of flowers, heavenly music, celestial parasols, angelic garment, all kinds of sublime perfumes—scented balms, aromatic incense, fragrant powders, and so on. Each of these cloud offerings is equal in quantity to Mt. Meru. Also present lamps of various kinds—butter lamps, oil lamps, and lamps of sweet perfumes, the wick of each lamp the size of Mt. Meru, the burning oil the amount of ocean water. Ceaselessly offer such gifts in veneration.

麦彭仁波切云：“等持意供者，以信心与恭敬心为基，由等持幻变无边之供云，以智慧了知彼无自性者也。”

Mipham Rinpoche teaches: “When making mental offerings, first establish faith and devotion, then in a state of concentration imagine limitless offerings as cloud banks; at the same time, realize with wisdom that none of them has any real essence.”

由此可见，与其为供养上师、佛陀而以欺骗手段造作恶业，还不如以清净心意幻供养为妙。

Hence, in honoring spiritual masters and the Buddhas, it would be better to make mental offerings with a pure mind, rather than to make material offerings through trickery or deception.

供养乃为令诸佛菩萨欢喜之法，“上报四重恩，下济三途苦”是每位佛子之本分。但如果为供养佛菩萨而伤害其它众生，实为舍本趋末之颠倒行为。

Making offerings is a skillful means to please the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Every follower of Buddhism should advocate, “repaying the four great kindnesses and easing the sufferings of the three realms.” But should we harm other living beings in the name of offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it would be a perverted act that barters the trunk for branches.

如果每天利用片刻时间，以观想自性清净力之缘起，而修持意幻供养，定会获得无边功德。

Every day, take just a few minutes to practice mental offering with a mind arising from innate purity. By doing so, we are sure to accumulate boundless merit.

众生能依靠如此之多的方便法积累二资，真是令人欢喜。

There are many skillful means like this for us to accumulate the two merits of wisdom and compassion. How wonderful!

壬午年二月初八　　
2002年3月22日

8th of February, Year of RenWu
March 22, 2002