Nowadays anyone can buy a phurpa or peg in the open market. Without knowing methods of using a phurpa, then the item can only bring bad luck than good.
Basically a three-faced phurpa is the one held in the image of Vajrakila. It represents 'central government' and the power to destroy. To most of the Vajrakila practitioners, even the use of phurpa is out of bound. Only those privileged practitioners who have received empowerment of a special kind of Vajrakila with pointed triangular lower body can keep a phurpa.
This special Vajrakila is mostly used in slaughtering rituals. In Buddhism, slaughtering is prohibited but a special provision is made on tantric practitioners. The condition is that one can kill if he must on the condition that he can also deliver the soul of the slaughtered to the Pure Land of the Buddha.
For the purpose of this discussion, let us quickly skim through various methods of using a phurpa. My materials came from various gurus and without referencing to a particular lineage:
For defense from evil spirit
In the event that a practitioner is being disturbed by evil spirits during his meditation, he can pick up his phurpa and rub the phurpa with both of his palms. This will destroy the heart of the evil doers.
For setting up a boundary protection
A practitioner makes the mudra of vajra-hum-kara with his left hand holding a vajra and his right holding a phurpa. Accompanied by reciting the mantra 'hum', all unrelated spirits are expelled from a place temporarily.
For symbolic slaughtering and deliverance ritual
A flour effigy is normally made and placed in the middle of a triangle metal plate. The soul of the victim is first summoned into the effigy. Then, a phurpa is used to pierce the effigy's head, shoulders, heart, stomach and limbs. Finally, the consciousness of the victim is led into the tip of the phurpa and then the center and finally to the crown. This is done with accompany shout of 'phat'.
For removal of spirits possessing a person
If a person is possessed by a spirit and it refused to leave. The patient is either asked to be seated or stand straight. A phurpa with its tip pointing downwards is moved from the person's head to his feet a few times and finally touching the ground.
I have tried this method using a meteorite iron phurpa once to exorcise a kid spirit and surprised to find blood stains appeared from no where on my feet.
For removal of illnesses
Some gurus will use a phurpa to 'suck' out illnesses from a patients. The method is to use the tip of phurpa touching the part of body in pain and visualize the source of pain is sucked into the phurpa and burnt away.
For Dzongchen meditation and death ritual
In this case, the phurpa is actually our mind and the base is the Dharmadhatu (universe). With a shout of 'ha', the practitioner's consciousness is sent into the deep blue sky. This is also known as the 'buddhahood without meditation'. This is the same death ritual a master will use when his time has come.
A physical phurpa is not necessary for an advanced practitioner because he can use mudras or hand gestures in place of a phurpa. Even advance practitioner only needs visualization.
With a better understanding of various uses of phurpa, perhaps you will know where your practice brought you so far.
No comments:
Post a Comment