Category: Consecration Services

The “Blessing of Buddha Statue” refers to a common practice in Buddhism where devotees offer prayers and pay their respects to a Buddha statue or an image of the Buddha. The act of offering blessings to the statue is seen as a means of expressing gratitude, seeking protection, and accumulating positive karma. Blessing of Buddha Statues varies across different Buddhist traditions and cultures, but the essence of the blessing remains consistent – to imbue the statue with sacred qualities and to create a connection between the devotee and the enlightened beings the statue represents.

In Buddhism, the Buddha is not considered a deity to be worshiped, but rather a teacher who attained enlightenment and taught the path to liberation from suffering. Buddha statues serve as a reminder of the Buddha’s teachings and the ideal of enlightenment.

When a Buddhist offers blessings to a Buddha statue, it is an act of devotion and reverence. The practitioner may bow, make offerings such as flowers, candles, or incense, recite prayers or mantras, or simply sit quietly in meditation as a way to connect with the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion.

The act of offering blessings is not about seeking blessings from the Buddha himself but about cultivating positive qualities within oneself and fostering a sense of peace and harmony in the mind. It is also believed that such acts of devotion and mindfulness can help the practitioner progress on the path towards enlightenment.

Different Buddhist traditions and cultures may have variations in how they perform the “Blessing of Buddha Statues,” but the underlying intention remains the same – to honor the Buddha’s teachings and find inspiration in the qualities he embodies.

Tibetan Buddhists believe that a Statue is only an empty shell unless it is properly filled with the consecration materials inside it and consecrated. Therefore, the Statue should be filled with consecration materials inside it by the qualified Buddhist monk or Guru and then have to be blessed it by the Rinpoche or high ranked Guru known as Khempo. After the proper filling and then blessing only it is Buddhist belief that your statue will be aesthetically pleasing and it will also bring you blessings to you.

The process of Consecration of Statues:

1. Filling of Consecration Materials inside the Statue

For the Consecration; first the Statue has to be filled with consecration materials which consists of paper mantra rolls of particular deity, five materials (gold, silver, brass, copper and iron), coral stones (if available), lots of incense powder, holy objects (such as soil of holy places, objects of holy persons, etc.) and jhilap or Prasad.

2. Blessing by the Rinpoche or High Ranked Guru or Khempo

Once the Statue has been properly filled with above ingredients by the qualified Buddhist monk or Guru then comes the second part which is; blessing. The second phase is to bless by the Rinpoche or High Ranked Guru or Khempo. During this blessing process the Rinpoche or Khemp will continuously recite the deity’s mantra for the particular Statue. The Statue will come to live only after the blessing process is completed. So it is must to have the Statues blessed after they are filled.

We are also pleased to offer consecration for ritual items upon request. In the Buddhist tradition, consecration is considered essential for any sacred implement used for meditation or devotional practice. A qualified Lama from our Buddhist monastery in the Kathmandu Valley will utter mantras while sprinkling holy water, rice, and purifying herbs in the traditional consecration ceremony.

Because so few consecration materials are required, there is no fee for consecrating ritual items. However, it is customary (and merit-bringing) to make a donation to the Lama for his time and services.

NOTE:

Please note that Buddhist tradition prohibits re-selling or otherwise disposing of consecrated items, thus we are unable to accept returns of consecrated ritual items.

Ritual consecration is also available for all of our thangkas upon request. In the Buddhist tradition, consecration serves to “awaken” the thangka, and is considered essential for any sacred image used for meditation or devotional practice. Your painting will be inscribed with holy mantras and consecrated by a qualified Lama from our Buddhist monastery in the Kathmandu Valley.

Because so few consecration materials are required, there is no fee for consecrating a thangka. However, it is customary (and merit-bringing) to make a donation to the Lama for his time and services.

NOTE:

Please note that Buddhist tradition prohibits re-selling or otherwise disposing of consecrated items, thus we are unable to accept returns of consecrated thangkas.

We also offer traditional dress clothing for statues upon request. After consecration, it is a gesture of honor and respect to dress your statue well before placing it on the altar or shrine. Our statue clothing is hand-made from beautiful Tibetan silk. Again, we do not profit from this service, and request only a small fee to cover the cost of the clothing. The fee will vary according to the size and shape of the statue, and generally follows the pricing given in the table below.

WE are pleased to offer ritual consecration for all of our sculptures upon request. In the Buddhist tradition, consecration serves to “awaken” the statue, and is considered essential for any sacred image used for meditation or devotional practice. Your statue will be filled with hundreds of holy mantras and consecrated by a qualified Buddhist Lama; Rinpoche will also bless the statue after consecration if he is available.

We do not make any profit by providing this service, and request only a small fee to cover the cost of materials such as the tightly rolled strips of paper containing the mantras, the incense, the chhoksing (the wooden “heart” of the statue), and the medicinal and purifying herbs. These costs vary according to the size of the hollow area inside the statue to be filled. In general, the fee ranges from US $ 30 to US $ 150 for 8″ to 24″ statues. In addition, you may offer some payment to the Lama for his time and services. There is no set amount for this offering; he will be happy to accept any amount offered to him. It is believed that a person who bears the cost of consecration receives great blessings from doing so.

NOTE:

Please note that Buddhist tradition prohibits re-selling or otherwise disposing of consecrated items, thus we are unable to accept returns of consecrated statues.

Guru Dhendup from Sangye Choeling Monastery in Swayambhu, Kathmandu performing blessing ceremony for the:

a. 12″ Chenrezig Statue

b. 8.5″ Shakyamuni Buddha Statue

c. 8.5″ Bernagchen Mahakala Statue

Note: The Blessing Ceremony was held on 9th September, 2018 in Sangye Choeling Monastery which is located in Swayambhu, Kathmandu

Blessing Buddha Statue and Thangka Painting: Guru Dhendup from Sangye Choeling Monastery in Swayambhu, Kathmandu performing blessing ceremony for the:

a. 17″ Shakyamuni Buddha Statue

b. Medicine Buddha Thangka Painting

Guru Dhendup from Sangye Choeling Monastery in Swayambhu, Kathmandu performing blessing ceremony for the:

a. 15.5″ Menla / Medicine Buddha Statue

Guru Dhendup from Sangye Choeling Monastery in Swayambhu, Kathmandu performing blessing ceremony for the:

a. 12.5″ Manjushri Statue
b. 18″ Shakyamuni Buddha Statue