MR187 Fire ceremony

The great Tibetan master Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche performing a fire ceremony (jinsek), during which various substances are offered to the mandala deities visualized in the fire, in the courtyard of the seventh-century temple at Paro Kyichu, in western Bhutan. There are four kinds of fire offerings, corresponding to four types of enlightened activities. In each case, the instruments, substances, costumes and firewood used have a different color. Here, the purpose of the ceremony is to attract favorable circumstances, and the color is red. In other situations, the aim may be to pacify illnesses, wars and negative emotions, in which case white is used; to develop merit, longevity and meditative experiences, using yellow; or to subjugate internal and external obstacles and negative forces, using dark blue. The elements of Khyentse Rinpoche’s costume and the objects used all have a symbolic meaning which aids meditation. The crown with five skulls, for example, represents the death of the five poisons of the mind: hatred, desire (greed), ignorance, pride, and jealousy. 1983. Treat yourself with an exhibition quality, fine art photographic print, signed by the hand of Matthieu Ricard, buddhist monk, photographer and author. He has also been the French interpreter of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama since 1989. Some of the photographs in his collection are printed in limited edition, signed, numbered and delivered with a certificate of authenticity.