Making Wealth Vases from Scratch

Wealth Vases are an essential component in a Wealth Box. Similar to the ones made in the monasteries, the Yangdup team thought it would be very auspicious to create our own Wealth Vases in-house instead of using ones imported from the monasteries. By making our own Wealth Vases, not only do we learn the methods and techniques of producing one, but we also create the causes to be a Dharma institution and monastery because we conduct similar activities to that of Gaden Monastery itself. This is aligned with our aim to be a centre where the lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa can flourish for a long time.

The bronze vases for the Wealth Vases had to be sourced from abroad before we could begin the process of transforming this ordinary vase into a Wealth Vase. The extensive process involved the following:

1. Painting the vases yellow/gold

A total of 64 vases were spray-painted with a gold color. Although spray-painting may sound simple, there are many factors that we had to take into consideration to ensure the end product turned out perfect such as the weather (humidity and rain made it challenging to dry the paint quickly), lighting, as well as training our volunteers in the proper techniques of spray-painting to avoid the paint from dripping from the surface of the vase.

Auspicious designs drawn onto the Wealth Vases

2. Drawing and hand-painting auspicious symbols

All designs on the vases were penciled on the surface of the spray-painted vase, and later a selection of auspicious colors were added to the designs. The auspicious designs are traditionally painted on Wealth Vases according to scriptures and every single design has a significance in bringing abundance to the owner of this blessed Wealth Vase.

Wealth Vases being painted and prepared by Kechara volunteers for the Wealth Box

3. Lacquering the vases

After the hand-painted works were done and dried, the vases were then lacquered for a beautiful glossy effect and to protect the artwork.

4. Cleaning the vases

After the lacquer dried, the insides of the vases were carefully cleaned and purified with incense. As per tradition and scripture, a layer of saffron water mixed with wangla (traditional Tibetan glue) was coated inside the vase before any items were inserted.

Silks of five colors and an embroidered double dorje to seal the Wealth Vases

5. Filling the vases

Hundreds of items were inserted into the vase. Each item was prepared from scratch, packed neatly into yellow paper and labelled clearly. For a full list of the items inserted into the Wealth Vase, please scroll down to the “What Is Inside the Wealth Vases” section.

Kechara volunteers sealing the Wealth Vases

6. Sealing the vases

Silks of five different colors (blue, red, green, white and yellow) were then cut into square pieces and the edges sewn for a neat finish. A double dorje symbol was also embroidered onto the yellow color silk. These five colored silks were then stacked on top of each other, with the yellow silk being at the top most. They were then used to cover the lid of the Wealth Vase. A string was tied around the neck of the vase to hold the coloured silks in place, and knotted at the front of the vase. A wax seal was then used to seal the Wealth Vase.

7. Pujas

An extensive soongdroop and rabney puja was held to consecrate the Wealth Vases before they were placed inside the Wealth Box.

What Is Inside the Wealth Vases

Item #1: Dorje Shugden Gyenze Tsakaley

1. An image of Gyenze
2. Individual images of the Nine Mothers

Method of Preparation: Beautiful images of Gyenze and the Nine Mothers are printed out and cut to size. The images are then pasted onto a thin piece of wood and small Tibetan wordings ‘OM AH HUM’ are stuck at the back of the image at precise locations.

Mantras rolled up in preparation for the Wealth Vases

Item #2: Mantras and Auspicious Symbols

1. Bhumpa mantras
2. Auspicious symbols

Method of Preparation: The mantras are printed on high quality yellow paper, cut to size and rolled using special incense sticks. A think piece of yellow cloth is then wrapped around the rolled mantra and glued.

Item #3: Holy Items

Hair from High Lamas:

1. H.H. Kyabje Ling Rinpoche’s beard
2. H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s hair
3. H.E. Kensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche’s hair
4. Venerable Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen’s hair

Robes from High Lamas:

5. H.E. Panang Rinpoche’s robe
6. Kensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche’s robe
7. H.E. Teo Chopon Rinpoche’s robe
8. H.E. Lati Rinpoche’s robe
9. H.H. Panchen Lama’s blessing string
10. H.E. Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s blessing string

Other Holy Items:

11. Yangdzay rilbu
12. H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche pill
13. H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche Lineage pill
14. Manjushri pill
15. Medicine Buddha pill
16. Vajravarahi pill
17. Tara pill
18. Hayagriva pill
19. Saraswati pill
20. Lineage lama pill
21. Nectar pill
22. Water and Cream pill
23. Pilgrimage pill
24. Herbal pill
25. Protector rice
26. Protector string

Method of Preparation: Each category of holy item was packed into small yellow packets and labelled clearly.

Item #4: Precious Jewels and Metals

Jewels:

1. Turquoise
2. Amber
3. Lapis lazuli
4. Dzi
5. Conch
6. Jade
7. Mother of pearl
8. Pearl
9. Blue topaz
10. Malachite
11. Peridot
12. Agate
13. Cubic zirconia
14. Amethyst
15. Opal
16. Aquamarine
17. Emerald
18. Ruby
19. Blue sapphire
20. Diamond

Metals:

21. Gold
22. Silver
23. Copper

Method of Preparation: Each category of precious item was packed into small yellow packets and labelled clearly.

Cutting up brocade for the Wealth Vase

Item #5: Precious Silks and Brocades

1. Five different colors of silk and brocade

Method of Preparation: The five different colors of silk and brocades are cut into pieces, wrapped in yellow paper and labelled clearly.

Item #6: Traditional Ingredients

1. Aru
2. Barro
3. Kyuru
4. Zati (nutmeg)
5. Sugmel (cardamom)
6. Gurgum (saffron)
7. Lishi (clove)
8. Shutak Karpo
9. Kakola
10. Kandakari
11. Lete
12. Wangla
13. Chugang
14. Gyatso Buwa (cuttlefish bone)
15. Kapur (camphor)
16. White sandalwood
17. Red sandalwood

Method of Preparation: The traditional ingredients are cut into small pieces (if necessary), wrapped in yellow paper and labelled clearly.

Item #7: Animal Hair

Hair from:

1. Sheep
2. Goat
3. Horse
4. Cow
5. Yak

Method of Preparation: The animal hair is washed and dried. It is then cut into small pieces (if necessary), wrapped in yellow paper and labelled clearly.

Various herbs, flowers, medicines, soil and rock being dried

Item #8: Medicine and Herbs

1. Thyme
2. Dill
3. Bay leaves
4. Basil
5. Rosemary
6. Cinnamon
7. Oregano
8. Mint
9. Saffron (藏红花 Crocus Sativus)
10. Sweet pine (甘松 Radix Et Rhizoma Nardostachyos)
11. Yellow myrobalan (诃子 Terminalia Chebula)
12. Clove (丁香 Flos Caryophylli)
13. Coral skeleton (石钟乳 Stalactitum)
14. Quartz album (白石英)
15. Fluorite (紫石英)
16. Sweet flag (石菖蒲 Acorus Calamus)
17. Ginseng (人参 Panax Ginseng)
18. Asparagus root (天门冬 Radix Asparagi)
19. Chinese licorice (甘草 Glycyrrhiza Uralensis)
20. Largehead atractylodes rhizome（白术 Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae)
21. Dodder 菟丝子 (Cuscuta)
22. Ox knee (牛膝 Achyranthes Bidentata)
23. Leonurus fruit (茺蔚子 Fructus Leonuri)
24. Bupleurum (柴胡 Bupleuri Radix)
25. Mondograss (麦门冬 Ophiopogon Japonicus)
26. Pubescent angelica root (独活 Radix Angelicae Pubescentis)
27. Chinese plantain (车前子 Plantago Asiatica)
28. Costus (木香 Saussurea Costus)
29. Chinese yam (薯蓣/山药 Dioscorea Oppositifolia)
30. Coix seed (薏苡仁 Coicis Semen)
31. Water plantain (泽泻 Alismatis Rhizoma)
32. Senega / milkwort (远志 Polygalae Radix)
33. Japanese gentian (龙胆草 Gentiana Scabra)
34. Chinese wild ginger 细辛 Herba Asari)
35. Dendrobium stem (石斛 Dendrobii Herba)
36. Indian mulberry (巴戟天 Morinda Officinalis)
37. Lyreleaf nightshade (白英 Solanum Lyratum Thunb)
38. Turkey tail / Cloud mushroom (赤芝/灵芝 Coriolus Versicolar)
39. Spike moss (卷柏 Selaginella)
40. Coptis root (黄连 Coptidis Rhizoma)
41. Star jasmine stem (络石（藤）Trachelospermi Caulis)
42. Puncture vine (蒺藜子 Tribulus terrestris L.)
43. Astragalus (黄芪 Radix Astralagi)
44. Vaccaria seeds (王不留行 Semen Vaccariae)
45. Black cohosh 升麻 Rhizoma Cimicifugae)
46. Wolfberries (枸杞 Lycium Barbarum)
47. Wild poria (茯苓 Poria Cocos)
48. Chinese lacquer tree (干漆 Toxicodendron Vernicifluum)
49. Acanthopanax bark (五加皮 Cortex acanthopanacis)
50. Vitex fruit (蔓荆子 Viticis Fructus)
51. Mistletoe (桑寄生 Taxilli Ramulus)
52. Eucommia bark (杜仲 Eucommiae Cortex)
53. Ligustrum seed (女贞子 Ligustri Lucidi Fructus)
54. Lily magnolia (木兰 Magnolia Liliflora)
55. Red date (酸枣仁 Ziziphus Jujuba)
56. Rehmannia root (生地 Rehmania Glutinosa Libosch)

Method of Preparation: Each medicinal herb is ground to a fine powder, blessed with Rabney water and dried before being mixed with incense for insertion into the Wealth Vase.

Item #9: Earth and Water

Earth from Holy Places

1. Bodhgaya – leaf and sand
2. Mahabodhi temple – leaf and bark from the bodhi tree
3. Lumbini – leaf and soil
4. China – Er Mei San
5. Naropa’s and Tilopa’s cave
6. Sokpu Ladrang
7. Singapore – under the bodhi tree
8. India – Ganga (Ganges) River
9. Melaka, Malaysia – soil from a stupa with Buddha’s relic
10. Nepal – Swayambunath Stupa
11. Nepal – Bijaswari Vajrayogini chapel
12. Nepal – Boudhanath Stupa
13. Nepal – Patan Vajrayogini chapel
14. China – Leshan Buddha
15. China – Leshan Buddha (Master Hai Tong’s cave)
16. China – dirt from Nan Shan slope
17. Gaden, Tibet – dirt
18. Lhasa, Tibet – Jokhang
19. Amdo, Tibet – Tsongkhapa leaf
20. Tibet – Gangchen Ladrang’s Protector house
21. Tibet – Gaden’s Tsongkhapa cave
22. Tibet – Gaden’s Tsongkhapa stupa
23. Tibet – Gaden’s Tsongkhapa chapel
24. Tibet – Padmasambava soil
25. Sanya, China – Hai Shang Guan Yin
26. Tibet – Gangchen Ladrang dirt from Tara puja
27. India – Trijang Ladrang soil
28. Tibet – relics from Mount Kailash
29. Taiwan – Longshan Temple

Earth from Other Places

1. Indonesia – a mountain
2. Amsterdam – Bentheim
3. Japan – Fushimi, Kyoto
4. Vietnam
5. Maldives
6. Australia – Gold Coast
7. Singapore – Orchard Road
8. France
9. Malaysia

Pastor Yek Yee adds holy and blessed water into a leakproof container

Water from Holy Places

57. Nepal – Patan Vajrayogini Chapel
58. Naropa’s and Tilopa’s cave
59. Nepal – Bijaswari Vajrayogini Chapel
60. Nepal – Swayambunath Stupa
61. Nepal – Boudhanath Stupa
62. Loma Gyonma water
63. Gongri water
64. Bhutan water
65. Gangchen Rinpoche water
66. Chumig Jangchup Drubchu
67. Nordhen water
68. Vajrayogini consecrated water
69. Palden Lhamo lake in Tibet
70. Amitayus Initiation water (blessed by H.E. Gangchen Rinpoche and Ven. Gen Nyima)
71. H.H. Zong Rinpoche blessed pill water
72. Namtso lake water
73. Wutai Shan
74. Vajrapani Initiation – Penang (June 1999)
75. Bhutan – holy water from Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest)
76. Guru Rinpoche cave water
77. Chenrezig Ngesung Kundro Initation (June 11, 1999)
78. Manjushri Initiation in Kuala Lumpur (September 5, 1999)
79. Protector Alcohol in Taiwan (Dec 2007)
80. Chhamay Bhumpa water
81. Chagoo Bhumpa Choo (Lower Tantric Bhumpa water)
82. Multi purpose all-in-one water (September 21, 2013)
83. Initiation water from Malacca (October 6, 2006)

Water from Other Places

84. Bali – Gunung Kawi
85. Amsterdam – Bentheim Sandstone
86. Thailand – Hatyai
87. Thailand – Koh Samui
88. Singapore
89. China – Shanghai
90. France

Method of Preparation: Earth and water from around the world including various holy places were collected. The earth is dried and packed into yellow packets, while they water is mixed with incense. Together, these items are then placed in the wealth vase to harness the blessings and spiritual energy from these holy land.

Item #10: Earth from Specific Sources

Earth collected from fertile land, estates belonging to nine different wealthy/influential people, and land from royal palaces.

Item #11: Hair from Old People

Traditionally required, the insertion of hair from old people symbolizes an increase in life and longevity.

Item #12: Dried Food

1. Nei tsampa
2. Rice
3. Barley
4. Wheat
5. White peas
6. Salt
7. White sesame seeds
8. Black sesame seeds
9. Tea
10. Dried fruits (apricot, mango, raisin, cranberry, fig, kiwi)
11. Milk
12. Yogurt
13. Honey
14. Butter
15. Ghuram

Method of Preparation:The food items are dried (selected ones), cut into small pieces (if necessary), wrapped in yellow paper and labelled clearly.

Choje-la auspiciously filling the first wealth vase with incense mix

Item #13: Incense Mix

1. Shukpa wood
2. Dorje Shugden powder incense
3. Rabney thurel
4. Menche
5. Sangdruk
6. Bumzi
7. Herbs and medicines

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Preparing the Wealth Box

The rule of thumb when creating a Wealth Box is to offer all that is precious in abundance. A plain wooden box is less than ideal. Therefore the first step of preparing the wooden box (so that it is fit to be converted into a Wealth Box) was to offer gold on the inner surface of the wealth box. More than 15,000 gold leaves were carefully glued onto the interior of the Wealth Box, a process which took about a week to complete.

Below is a brief explanation of how the Wealth Box was prepared:

1. Gold leaves

More than 15,000 gold leaves were used to line the interior of the Wealth Box. Because gold leaves are delicate, the process was done carefully and took over a week to complete.

2. Painting auspicious symbols

After the gold leaves were done, the doors on the outside of the Wealth Box were painted with a bowl of jewels and a pair of jewel-spitting mongoose. This is traditionally painted on wealth boxes according to the scriptures.

Lhari and pearl curtains installed in the Wealth Box

3. Installing hooks inside the wealth box

Several hooks were installed inside the wealth box for two purposes, they are:

• To hold 4 bags known as yangku

Each yangku contains a different class of items such as coins and precious materials like gold and silver.

• To hang pearl curtains all around the wealth box

4. Eight petal lotus brocade

Nine special embroidered eight-petal lotus brocades were made to be put on the base of wherever the Wealth Vases would be placed.

Some of the precious holy items packed to be inserted into the Wealth Box

5. Offering Items

A long list of offering items were also placed into the Wealth Box. Inside the Wealth Box are:

1. Wealth Vases
2. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche photo (framed)
3. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche photo (framed)
4. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche photo (framed)
5. Dorje Shugden and entourage photo (framed)
6. Wealth deities’ photo (framed)
7. Tantric deities photo (framed)
8. Dorje Shugden tsa tsa
9. Shize tsa tsa
10. Gyenze tsa tsa
11. Wangze tsa tsa
12. Trakze tsa tsa
13. Trijang Rinpoche’s sungbum wrapped in brocade
14. Stupa
15. Wealth arrow (2x)
16. Wealth seat (8x)
17. Lhari (3x)
18. Brocade shelf liner (3x)
19. Eight Auspicious Signs (one set)
20. Seven Royal Emblems (one set)
21. Eight Auspicious Substances (one set)
22. Dorje Shugden ganze
23. Commitment offerings
24. Nine Mothers dakini dolls (one set)
25. Sensory offerings (four sets)
26. Auspicious animal figurines
27. Strings of pearls
28. Cubic zirconia
29. Holy water (in an air tight container)
30. Holy items
31. Herbs
32. Medicines
33. Tormas
34. Serkyem with a jug and dried tea leaves
35. Incense burner
36. Perfumes
37. Alcohols
38. Butterlamps with jars of butter

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The Sealing Process

After a month of preparations, it was finally time to consecrate and seal the Wealth Box. A three-day long puja known as the Yangdup Puja took place from 17th to 19th of July 2015. On the first day, a Soongdrup and Rabney puja was conducted, and on the third and last day a Tsog puja. The pujas were led by His Eminence the 7th Panglung Kuten and a group of His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s students, whereby all of the pujas were done in a traditional manner.

Choje-la conducted the three days of pujas required to seal the Wealth Box

On the final day of the puja, before the Wealth Box was closed, the Eight Auspicious Signs, Seven Royal Emblems and Eight Auspicious Substances were taken out on a procession around the prayer hall, blessing all that it touched with abundance in both material and spiritual growth.

It was the first time that Kechara has ever conducted such an extensive puja, and from now on we will be continuing this puja on a yearly basis to re-energize the Wealth Box.

We would like to thank all who have contributed in kind and in effort to make this project a success.

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How You Can Continue to Contribute

Missed the making of the Wealth Box and its ceremony? It is not too late to be involved with this project. Here are some areas where you can be a part of this blessed project:

• Sponsor a Wealth Vase in the Wealth Box
• Invite home a Kechara made Wealth Vase
• Sponsor the upkeep of the Wealth Box. On a yearly basis, perishable items such as food, tormas, herbs and medicines need to be replaced. The Wealth Box will also need an annual rejuvenating puja, for which we will need to invite learned Geshes and monks from the monasteries to conduct such an extensive pujas, whose trip will also require sponsorship
• We also need earth and water from around the world (especially holy places), being collected on an ongoing basis. This will be added to the Wealth Box once a year. Please refer here (https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/kechara-13-depts/get-involved-in-the-wealth-box-project-in-kfr.html) to learn how you can contribute earth and water to this Wealth Box.

Please contact Beng Kooi (beng.ooi@kechara.com) or Pastor Jean Ai (elena.khong@kechara.com) for more information on any of the above.

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