Mindfulness Meditation · Clarity
This week’s meditation session is led by Gegye Yongyal Tulku Rinpoche and the theme is Clarity. The guided meditation begins at 12:11.
Incense Burner; Kham Province, Eastern Tibet (possibly Derge area); 15th century; Damascened iron; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2005.16.67a-b
Dating from the 1400s, this Tibetan ritual incense holder has withstood the test of time. Burning incense plays a significant role in Buddhist ritual practice as a form of offering—one of the seven traditional offerings of Tibetan Buddhism.
Containers for incense such as this one are often placed on the table of a lama. This particular incense holder is small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand and is made of damascened iron. Damascening is the process of inlaying one metal into another to produce an elaborate design.
The top of the incense holder is shaped like a vajra, which represents method. It is a symbol of the indestructible nature of the ultimate truth.
The offering of incense is associated with purifying and clarifying one’s mind and refining one’s character. May the sight of this ritual incense holder kindle our spirit to awaken.
His Eminence Gegye Yongyal Tulku Rinpoche is an ordained Buddhist teacher and a prominent leader in the Kagyu Nyigma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He holds a master’s degree in Buddhist philosophy and has completed extensive meditation training. As the third seat reincarnate Trulku of Gegye Tashi Choling Monastery in Nyari (Mt. Kailash), he was enthroned as the Trulku of the second Gegye Yongyal Tulku Rinpoche at Gegye Tashi Choling Monastery. His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa conducted his hair-cutting and name-giving ceremony in India.
Rinpoche has mastered key areas of Buddhist philosophy, including Pramana Sutra, Prajnaparamita Sutra, Madhyamika Sutra, Abhidharma Sutra, and Vajrayana Tantra. He currently serves as the president of the Amala Center Nepal and the Himalayan Buddhist Center Australia. Since 2020, Rinpoche has been actively teaching Buddhist dharma and contributing to society. He is a revered lama in Tibet and China, focusing on the practical application of Sutrayana Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and modern Buddhist ethics. His teachings aim to cultivate loving-kindness and compassion, fostering personal transformation and bringing individuals closer to their Buddha nature.
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