Longevity practices

[Ratna Shugden]

How do longevity practices work?
Do they actually increase a person's lifespan?
Isn't our lifespan predetermined by our throwing karma from our previous existence(s)?

[psylotripitaka]

1. Through a combination of blessings and our genuine and concentrated application of longevity practices, we strengthen the life-supporting wind, accumulate merit to live longer, purify the karma for shortened life, and especially establish the causes to achieve the deathless vajra body.

2. Yes

3. Our karma is not fixed.

[Kim Hyun Jae]

Quoted from http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Long_life_practice

Long life practice (Skt. ?yu?s?dhana; Tib. tsé drup; Wyl. tshe sgrub) is an important aspect of vajrayana practice, employing the skilful means of the secret mantra in order to increase one's own or others' lifespan. Long life practices are often focused on deities specifically associated with longevity, such as Amitayus, the Buddha of Boundless Life, White Tara or Ushnishavijaya (Tib. Namgyalma)—known collectively as the 'three deities of long life'—Tsendali, the consort of Amitayus, or Thangtong Gyalpo.

Any spiritual practice we do, since it accumulates "merit," will help prolong our lives and bring good health. A good practitioner, through the inspiration and power of his or her practice, comes to feel psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually whole, and this is both the greatest source of healing and the strongest protection against illness.

There are also special "long-life practices," which summon the life-energy from the elements and the universe through the power of meditation and visualization. When our energy is weak and unbalanced, these longevity practices strengthen and coordinate it, and this has the effect of extending our lifespan. There are also many other practices for enhancing life. One is to save the lives of animals that are due to be slaughtered, by buying them and setting them free (animal liberation). This practice is popular in Tibet and the Himalayan regions, where, for example, people often go to the fish market to buy fish and then release them. It is based on the natural karmic logic that taking the life of others or harming them will shorten your life, and giving life will lengthen it.

[grandmapele]

Thank you psylotripitaka and kim hyun jae for the concise but clear explanation on long life practice. Guess, if we want to understand more fully, we should do more research on the internet if there is no Guru in our area.

But then, again is initiation a must before one can start any of the long life practice? Back to the library or should I say dharma centre, in the quest for knowledge. May there be enough merits for one to meet and understand the dharma

[psylotripitaka]

Dear Grandmapele,

We can do animal liberation, protect or save insects, make prayers and dedicate merit for long life, and purify negative karma related to short life all without initiation. In some lineages it is permissible to recite long life Deity practices without initiation but omitting the sections on self-generation, blessing offerings, or torma ritual.

To have the full impact of longevity sadhanas, it is necessary to receive the appropriate initiation. This will include a special blessing, making a connection with the particular Guru-Deity, transmission of the mantra, and if you're lucky, transmission of the sadhana and a commentary to the practice. There are initiations typically into either the long life practices of Action Tantra or Highest Yoga Tantra, with some Deities having practices that are transmitted for both categories, such as Amitayus. There are also special uncommon lineages of long life deities transmitted by Jetsun Manjushri to Je Tsongkhapa - Ganden Oral Lineage - such as Yellow Yamantaka and both the common and uncommon aspects of White Heruka.

We should strive to improve the scope of our motivation for doing such practices.

[icy]

If initiations of tutelary yidams are not within reach, Lama Tsongkhapa is a longevity and powa practice that can be done by anyone with faith and good motivation. When we sincerely connect with Lama Tsongkhapa and Dharmapala Dorje Shugden many wonderful conditions conducive to our spiritual practice to fulfil our temporal and ultimate wishes will be bestowed on us.

[RedLantern]

Any spiritual practice we do,since it accumulates "merits" will help prolong our lives and bring good health. A good practitioner through the inspiration and power of his or her practice, comes to feel psychologically,  emotionally,and spiritually whole, and this is both the greatest source of healing and the strongest protection against illness.  There are also special "long-life" practices which summon the life-energy from the elements of the universe through the power of meditation and visualization.When our energy is weak and unbalanced , these longevity practices strengthen and co-ordinate it,and this has the effect of extending our life span.

[psylotripitaka]

Icy,

True. But just wanna say that we live in a world where the Buddhas continue to bestow initiations, benefactors abound, and Dharma Protectors are listening to our heartfelt requests. Point being, initiations are within reach, people simply need to make effort to acquire conditions to receive them and the Protectors will do the rest.

[RedLantern]

 Amitayus: "The Buddha of Longevity"

Amitayus Buddha (Buddha of limitless life) is depicted in this iconic image in red with a gaze that dispels his compassion of all beings.  Above his two hands, which are, being held in a meditative posture is the long life vase, which contains the nectar of immortality.  Amitayus is shown to be clad with jewels, along with hair that is painted blue at the ends.  His elongated earlobes are similar to that of the Shakyamuni Buddha, which signifies his superhuman qualities.

 http://cubuddhism.pbworks.com/f/1270834899/amit1.jpg.

[grandmapele]

Thank you for the various clear explanations on long life practices. Now I know why animal liberation practice is popular with Buddhists and also why vegetarianism is encouraged.

[bahamut.white]

Long life deity such as Amitayus, White Tara and Namgyalma help to increase our life span by attracting the life-energy from the elements and the universe through the power of meditation and visualization.

But of course if our motivation of practicing Long Life practice is to use our life to benefit others, then the practice will be more effective.

[Joo Won]

According to some Buddhist master, White Tara, Amitayus and etc longevity practices strengthen and coordinate our energy, and could extend our lifespan.

Apart from these long life practices,  we could also regularly do animals liberation, saving animals who need our help; for example we can go to fish market to buy fish and then release them change their fate to be slaughtered.

Be a vegetarian and hail yourself from killing animals is another way to prolong one's life, because by creating the cause to prolong one's life, we receive the effect of getting longevity and health in return...most importantly when we do it with the motivation to help the animals, relief their sufferings.

[fruven]

In my own view if we can commit actions which can shorten our lives we can also do the same for increasing our lives. Committing harmful actions in this current live will shorten once life like smoking, drinking, taking drugs, doing crimes, everyone knows that. Therefore doing the opposite like exercise our body, training our mind by doing meditation, doing community work can increase our lives here. All negative actions have environmental impact therefore affects everyone, vice versa for positive actions. If we live our lives with little indulgence and benefit others, these create the causes for long lives.

[Ringo Starr]

Great discussion going on here!

[pinecone]

To my understanding, a person’s "lifespan" is  everything about our present live, from birth to death, determined by our karma, the cause and effects from our past lives  until this juncture at the time of death. A virtuous way of life from would have created the causes to be born in pleasant circumstances and enjoy a long life. Destructive and harmful actions, on the other hand will trigger negative karma that will eventually shorten the time one can enjoy life as a human being. Buddhism teaches, that we should strive to live as long as possible, and it is when we a live with dedication to this ideal that we are able to extend our lifespan and enjoy the most fulfilling and meaningful existence.