Butter Lamp

In the material world, "light" has the function of illuminating the darkness. For Buddhism, "lamp" is one of the offerings, which represent wisdom.

 

Offering butter lamps in the temples, contains the profound meaning of achieving the supreme wisdom in the world. It also symbolises the inherent light that originally exist in our hearts, which can destroy all the ignorance, negativity and evils.

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I have visited some local temples in Bhutan for offering and lighting all these butter lamps with my husband and friends this year. The Bhutanese believe that lighting lamps can benefit all sentient beings.

 

They believe through such actions of lighting lamps, can remind themselves to always learn from the selfless spirit of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, to have great compassion for sacrificing yourself, in order to illuminate the others. 

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在物質世界，「燈」有照明一切物、破除闇室黑暗的功能。於佛教世界，「燈」是供具器物之一，代表光明、智慧。以燈供養諸佛，含有成就世間無上的智慧的深刻涵義，也象徵人心中的自性光明，以滅一切無明癡闇、破暗晦惡法。

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這次不丹之旅，我們亦有到訪當地寺廟燃點酥油燈。當地人相信，點燈是求為一切眾生造福，有著燃燒自己、照亮別人，捨己為人的大慈悲心。信眾透過這樣的表法，提醒自己要時刻學習佛菩薩的無私精神。