Sacred Smoke: A Guide to the Riwo Sang Chöd Offering
This article is based upon a talk given by Lama Palden Drolma in Paro in the Fall of 2024, during the Sukhasiddhi Pilgrimage to Bhutan.
Riwo Sang Chöd, or the "Mountain Smoke Offering," is a profound practice dedicated to purifying the environment and the beings within it. By making offerings to the Buddhas, nature spirits, and those to whom we owe karmic debts, we create a positive atmosphere to manifest a more peaceful and happy world.
The Spiritual Significance of the Land
The practice recognizes that we share our world with a variety of "local spirits" and nature spirits. Whenever a temple or retreat center is established, it is traditional to ask these spirits for permission to use the land, informing them of the intended purpose.
A powerful example of this occurred during a retreat consecration on a mountaintop on Salt Spring Island. During the ceremony, the 16th Karmapa performed the Riwo Sang chöd while a local Native American medicine man performed a parallel ceremony from his own tradition. This collaboration honored the spirits of the land and sought their support for the practitioners.
The Process of Visualization
The effectiveness of the offering relies on focused visualization. We begin by visualizing the sky in front of us filled with awakened beings, specifically centered around a powerful awareness holder who embodies the qualities of all teachers and protectors.
We recognize the concept of apparent existence: while the world around us appears solid and real, it is ultimately illusory—a vibrant display of "appearance-emptiness." With this understanding, we take refuge in the awakened ones to help liberate all beings from the cycle of suffering.
The Non-Dual Seven Branch Prayer
The practice incorporates a unique prayer focused on our true nature:
Prostration: Recognizing and bowing to our own natural, uncontrived awareness.
Offering: Presenting a clear luminosity that has no limits.
Confession: Letting go of unwholesome actions by resting in vast equanimity.
Rejoicing: Celebrating the state of being that exists beyond the intellect.
Beseeching: Asking the masters to continue sharing the teachings of Great Perfection.
Stirring the Depths: Praying that the power of the teachings reaches into the deepest levels of suffering to touch all beings.
Dedication: Offering the merit of the practice for the benefit of all, beyond the limits of the desire, form, and formless worlds.
The Ritual Offering and Repayment
The heart of the ceremony involves transforming a vessel of offerings into a "wisdom elixir" through the use of sacred syllables. This nectar is then offered to several groups of guests:
The Enlightened Ones: The victorious Buddhas of the ten directions.
The Guardians: The local nature spirits of the planet.
The Six Realms: Every sentient being within existence.
Karmic Creditors: Beings to whom we owe debts of food, wealth, or dwelling from previous lives.
Obstructing Forces: Forces that cause sickness, insanity, or obstacles.
By burning the incense in a "red fire," we repay these debts and satisfy the needs of these beings. This process even purifies the infractions of practitioners who may have been insincere in their past vows or offerings.
Performing the Offering at Home
As the mantra is recited, the practitioner may carry the incense through every room of their home, ensuring the smoke reaches every corner and object. This act serves as both a purification and a blessing for the household. Finally, the incense is placed outside for the nature spirits.
As the smoke rises, we visualize the entire universe filling with strings of rainbow light. These "tongues of wisdom flame" pervade all realms—from the highest heavens to the deepest hells—transforming all beings into a "rainbow light body" and realizing the heart of enlightenment.
Aspirations for Peace and Protection
The practice concludes with deep aspirations for the practitioner and the world:
Purification of Karma: Praying that past negative karma—whether individual or collective—does not manifest as present suffering.
Realization: Seeking to realize our deathless true nature, often referred to as "Vajra Youth."
Turning Back Negativity: Asking to turn back sickness, negative omens, the taking of life force, and the "great fears" that haunt existence.
Auspiciousness: Requesting that our senses encounter only beauty, delightful conversation, and pleasant smells, and that our intelligence remains satisfied by unsullied bliss.
By reaching out to the awakened ones through this smoke offering, we meet their constant reaching for us, creating a shield of protection and a path toward incomparable enlightenment.