To usher in the coming Year of the Monkey, Geshe Lama Konchok and Buddhist monks will be conducting the “Dhugkar Sitatapatra Ritual for Extermination of Negative Factors” on 7th of February 2016 (Eve of Lunar New Year) 10pm at Maha Tare Buddhist Centre. This ritual is to ward off evils and negative factors in the passing year from intruding into the new year.
- Event: Chinese New Year Eve Puja: Sitatapatra Ritual for Extermination of Negative Factors
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- Date: 7 February 2016 (Saturday)
- Time: 10pm
- Venue: 658A Geylang Road, Singapore 389588
Goddess Sitatapatra
The ritual will be conducted in complete reliance upon the one of the most powerful deities for extermination of evils—Goddess Sitatapatra (Tibetan: Dugkar; Literally “[Goddess with] White Parasol”).
This fully enlightened goddess is white in color like a clear moon and stands on a multicoloured lotus and moon discs. With 1000 faces, 1000 hands, 1000 legs and 10,100,000 eyes. With 1000 faces, the central face, in white, shows a slightly fierce expression, with 999 heads radiating outwards to right, left and above. Each face has three eyes, and an eye each on all her feet and hands. The first right hand holds a parasol and an arrow, and the left holds a Dharma Wheel. Adorned with precious jewels and ornaments, she is attired in silky garments. The 1000 legs, 500 on each side press a hordes of animals, spirits and demons symbolizing all negative factors that unleash evils and terror in this world.
Ritual
The ransom-cake ritual for reversal of all unfavorable conditions include making offerings and supplication to the enlightened goddess Sitatapatra for her spiritual intervention in ending and reversing all harm and for complete protection from all negative Karmic consequences. The ritual is intended to end all unfavorable and negative factors and conditions such as misfortunes and failure; evil intentions and malice of enemies and harmful spirits; eighty-four kinds of evil omens; three hundred and sixty obstructing forces; four hundred and four types of diseases and ailments; eighty thousand classes of obstacles; eight causes of untimely death; harmful spells and curses; plagues and epidemics among humans and animals; unfavorable astrological calculations; and other all obstructing conditions caused by humans and non- human negative spirits.
As per Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the monks pray to Sitatapatra to end all negative factors and prevent even the slightest remnants of negativities in hinder the New Year. It is hoped that participation in this sacred ritual involving casting of ritual ransom-cake will bring an end to all dissatisfactions of the past, and ensure much happiness and joy to you and your family.
Arya Sitatapatra Mantra (short version)
OM SARVA TATHAGATA USHNISHA HUM PHAT / HUM MAMA HUM NI SVAAHA