Meaning of Saffron Water

[psylotripitaka]

You may have wondered why saffron is put into water offerings. It was explained to me by the Lama that it is put there not only to look and smell beautiful, but that specifically it is because it imbues the water with the '8 good qualities and 8 benefits of water offerings' explained in the Lamrim.

[christine V]

Thank you for sharing Chokyi.

Saffron - is a plant. The dried stigmas (thread-like parts of the flower, known as Crocus sativus or "saffron crocus") are used to make saffron spice. It can take 75,000 saffron blossoms to produce a single pound of saffron spice. Saffron is largely cultivated and harvested by hand. Due to the amount of labor involved in harvesting, saffron is considered one of the world's most expensive spices. The stigmas are also used to make medicine.
Thus , to put saffron in water also mean to offer the precious to Buddha.

[Midakpa]

The eight good qualities (properties) of water are: coolness, sweetness, lightness, softness, clarity, freedom from impurities, digestibility, and soothing properties for the throat. The karmic benefits of offering water are: pure ethics, one's food will be delicious, a fit and flexible mind, a gentle mindstream, a clear and alert mind, one's  obscurations will be purified, pleasant speech, and one will be free of illness. The water of pure realms is traditionally described as having these qualities. The great Atisha had praised the water in Tibet as having these fine properties and he said that people in India would pay gold for it.

[lotus1]

Thank you Christine V & Chokyi Dorje for sharing on why we use Saffron Water for offering.

Saffron water also can be used for purification. It is used to purify offerings items.

Thanks Midakpa for sharing the eight good qualities of water and the benefit of water offerings.
Water offerings are one of the preliminary practices for us to collect merits and do purification so that we can be ready to receive higher training.

[Shugdener]

First and foremost, thank you Chokyi Dorje for sharing the meaning behind why saffron is put into water offerings.

The growing and harvesting of Saffron spice requires a lot of labor as it has to be harvested by hand and not with a machine, because of the higher labor cost involved that means that the price of the Saffron is also higher.

To me, the offering of saffron to the Buddha's is good because when we take the trouble to spend money to buy the saffron to offer, it shows that we are willing to offer the best to the Buddhas

[psylotripitaka]

First and foremost, thank you Chokyi Dorje for sharing the meaning behind why saffron is put into water offerings.

The growing and harvesting of Saffron spice requires a lot of labor as it has to be harvested by hand and not with a machine, because of the higher labor cost involved that means that the price of the Saffron is also higher.

To me, the offering of saffron to the Buddha's is good because when we take the trouble to spend money to buy the saffron to offer, it shows that we are willing to offer the best to the Buddhas

Great point Shugdener, and that is also the meaning of 'torma', that with a pure motivation and a deep appreciation for the 3 Jewels and our opportunity, we should be willing to offer everything we own to make torma offerings. Sadapratudita, Mahasiddha Naropa, Marpa Lotsawa, Ra Lotsawa, Jetsun Milarepa and so on are particularly excellent examples of practitioners who value spiritual realization as supreme. I'm reading the biography of Ra Lotsawa again and Marpa Lotsawa recently, and I am so deeply inspired by their dedication and willingness to give up everything and go through great hardship for the sake of Dharma and living beings. Beautiful!

[angelica]

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. When one is using Saffron as water offering, means he is giving the best and most precious one to Buddha. When one is willing to offer generously, it means he is able to let go of his worldly attachment, money. Wordly attachments are the source of all our suffering. Dharma is our way out of samsara. 

[James Bond]

Oh! Okay now that makes sense. At first i thought that the saffron was only added into the offerings for his scent and pleasant appearance. Thank you Chokyi Dorje for clearing that up. I didn't know that they also add Saffron into offerings to represent the 8 good qualities and 8 benefits of water offerings.

[grandmapele]

Thanks for the information about the 8 good qualities and 8 benefits of adding saffron in offering water. I thought it was because saffron is expensive and so one offers that as symbol of generosity and letting go of attachment by offering precious items to the Buddhas.

[SabS]

Thank you Chokyi Dorje and the others for explanation of saffron in water offerings. Had wondered and thought that being an expensive spice, it would be a good offering to the Buddhas. Now I learned more. 

[Celia]

It is interesting to note that the addition of saffron is actually meant to imbue the 8 good qualities and 8 benefits water offering. Similar to some here, I had just chalked it down to offering good quality items such as saffron to Buddhas as means to developing of generosity and cutting away attachments. Thanks for sharing the information.

[pgdharma]

Offerings in general, are an antidote to greed and attachment, Saffron is considered as one of the most expensive spices and offering this precious spice to the Buddha is a practice of generosity, giving and letting go of attachments. Thank you, Chokyi Dorje, for this sharing and the information that saffron actually imbues the water with 8 qualities and 8 benefits of water offerings.

[grandmapele]

I wonder if it would be same if golden tea was offered instead? Or would it better to stick to plain, pure, clean, refreshing water? Tea is considered precious and good tea can be quite expensive and it is golden. The base meaning would still be there. Just wondering.