Paper Money

I was at the temple today and bought some paper money, many of the stacks I didn't know what they were for nor did the person helping me.  I was thinking if I do not know then likely many other English members do not know either.

I was thinking that perhaps later we can create a small section on this, and say scan each type with explanations.

Dance.  I have heard the money is blessed.
Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

The only articles I have ever found on this money is:

IS BURNING PAPER GOLD SUPERSTITIOUS ?
Dharma talk on 14/07/93
(page 255-257 Achievement of Rainbow Light Body Volume six)
Translated by Yuan Zheng Tang  


Nowadays many Buddhist and Taoist temples in Taiwan do not believe in burning paper gold. In their sermons, some dharma masters even go to the extent of telling their disciples that burning paper gold is merely a superstitious act. They advise against burning paper gold, paper houses, paper TVs, paper refrigerators, etc.

Personally, I think these dharma masters and persons-in-charge of the temples are incorrect. I will not oppose burning of paper items, as long as it does not flout the safety rule and pollute our environment. Why ? It is said in the Buddhism Sutra : " Myriad things but one mind; the only reality is mental . " In other words, all the dharma in this world arise because of our senses and minds. As Buddhists we must have a good understanding of what constitute our senses and minds, then we can understand the reasoning involved. Showing our filial piety, we burn the paper gold and offer it to our ancestors. The wills of those living descendants will make the paper gold efficacious and powerful.

We burn paper gold to show our filial piety, and not just for the sake of burning . In Buddhism, it is said : "everything arises from conditions" - By burning paper gold, we fulfill the condition, therefore the act is righteous and lawful, and cannot be considered mere superstition. If we consider burning paper gold as a hoax, then nothing in this world can be considered real. Everything that we do can be considered superstitious. The images of Buddha whether made of wood, bronze, clay, or fiberglass that we enshrine at the temples could not be considered the real things. Since they are all unreal, why do we still pay homage to them ? As we are mindful, a causal condition is produced - "Everything arises from conditions, and not being spontaneous and self-contained . It has no separate and independent nature." If we are of this view then our homage will be efficacious, otherwise it will be useless. This is the subtle difference between superstition and otherwise.

Those dharma masters who proclaim that burning paper gold is a superstition do not seem to understand this reasoning. In short, if we have the will, then whatever we do will be efficacious. Since Buddhism talks about mutual dependence, the paper gold will be effective as long as we do it for the sake of showing our filial piety .

In this world, we must use our wisdom to discern what is this "will" power. Our mind will decide, among other things, whether our offering is clean or filthy; what can be offered, and what cannot be offered ; what are the likes and dislikes of Bodhisattvas. Remember it is the human minds that create all the things in this world . Likewise Tantric Buddhism also advocate the use of mind to do the visualization and offering .

The nether world is created by the minds of the Samsara world, so is the paper gold. As the money used in our material world is made of paper, it is agreed by all that paper gold can also be used in the nether world . The wide recognition will make the paper gold effective. The subtle difference between superstition and otherwise lies in whether our mind consider it to be so or not. You may take your time to deliberate the issue . I am sure very soon you will be able to tell what is right and what is superstitious.

Nothing in this world is real. But once you have the will , it will become real. Europeans offer flowers at the graves, Chinese offer food to the dead during Qing Ming festival, offer food to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and offer paper houses, paper TVs, paper refrigerators and money to the deceased. These are rightful deeds; they are not superstitious. As some of the dharma masters do not realize it is the activities of human minds that count , they erroneously dismiss burning paper gold as something undesirable and to be discouraged.

Om Mani Padme Hum
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http://www.padmakumara.org/tbnews/whyBurnPaperGold_MasterLianTze.shtml
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Also this:
Question: This time i need to ask you whether it is alright to burn the 'ru yi jin', 'di zang jin', etc (ie. those small pieces of yellow paper only
TBS has) anytime of any day? Where do i write my wish?

Answer: In urgent cases you can burn it anytime, if not ,then burn it during auspicious times (refer to the chinese almanac). You can write the wish behind the paper, or read out the wish after you finish burning the joss papers.  
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Is another name for paper gold Joss paper?

1) the money is printed using special red ink -- known as "Chu Sha" in mandarin. "Chu Sha" is usually associated with the ink used in talismen in ancient chinese days....

2) What's more, some of the gold paper has mantras on it; some has Golden Mother's command on it. These are powerful when you burn and write your wish on it. For instance, when one burns Ksitigarbha Gold Paper, combining visualisation about debtors etc coming to collect the paper with the mantra + burning is very powerful.

As for printing, I dun think you should print. cos the effect of #1 would be missing.

Whether or not it has been blessed by any Master using vajra bell -- then, i am not sure.

for good health and luck, i'd use everything :)
- the Ksitigarbha gold paper relieves debtors (luck improves)
-Golden Mother paper -- has the mantra of High King Avalokitesvara Sutra on it -- eradicates karma (luck/ health improves)
Local Earth Deity/Kitchen Diety paper (Local earth god usually protects a household from illnesses -- health!)
Grand Master Lu paper -- all-in one!
Paper Money 6 -- go for it! (the chinese words say about eradicating karma -- health and luck involved)
Paper Money 7 is Good Luck/Wish Fullfilling (your wish of good health!)
Paper Money 8 Relationships (in some way, good luck, cos' everyone will be nice to one another, no quarrels, etc)

usually, best to use seven of each (or 21 or 49). Since seven is considered fulfilling number!

hope i answered your question,,,actually, we dun have to be really sticky about the paper. Everything is good!

In fact, For Earth God Deity, they would be glad to receive the Ksitigarbha paper too, cos they are also cultivating too, you see...But you see, some people are quite wary about buring deliverance paper for Earth God-- some think it'd be offending to them, but i dun think so...

Of course, you dun have to burn Kstigarbha deliverance paper on Buddhas' or Boddhisattvas' birthdays...I think just follow the definitions you have come up with and follow your heart!

My humble opinion

yah. you usually write words at the back of each stack such as:

"dedicating this gold money to my debtors, my ancestors, etc..." (depending on the type of gold paper). also write: "with respect and gratitude from: xxxx of address:.....)  so that the recipient and the giver status is clear.

then visualise that this stack becomes a lot of stacks....and is blessed by Grandmaster and all Buddhas and Boddhisattvas

as to visualising your ancestors, etc to collect, u can visualise spots of lights...this is what i would do, though i would usually forget, cos i tend to think the writing is enuff. i may be wrong here...



PS: in a recent ceremony, i saw someone dedicating a whole box of paper money to the world of spirits in the ten directions. I dunno whether this is advisable cos' that is a lot of spirits in the first place---so i was thinking, what happens to those who don't receive it? So i think that is where the Master should be blessing and doing the visualisation instead, so that there wouldn't be any disappointments...i tend to think: always start with what you are capable of handling: for instance, can start with yourself and your own debtors.
correct me if i am wrong
my humble opinion.

Brenda,

the part where you said about jumping over the paper-- i dunno about it...but i heard (not official) that when you come back from some event that may cause spirits to follow you home, all u need to do is to burn the paper and jump over the burning paper (not sure how many times)...This would prevent the spirit from entering ur home with you cos' the power of the burning paper is so great. This is for cleansing purpose.

This is different from the concept of dedicating to your debtors, etc.

I am going to convert it to html files.

do we have all the paper money?

I think that I may have some very special one that you guys may not see before.... I will find the time scanning them...


Mimosa

I wonder the status of dance's post
testing...testing!

Mimosa

dance...I can see your post now.

yes..strange problem..


mimosa

Oy, for purification purpose it is VERY important to perform this using the Backdoor ONLY.

Front door is to invite in (doubt you wish to do that lol), backdoor is to bid them adieu.

You start from outside...step in, step out and last step you should be inside your house, chanting for blessing and may the troublesome dieties be rid from the house.

Asura

Asura, you didnt see your post right? Yes, that was a problem..
I just fixed it :-)

Mimosa

weeee I can see!

hee  :-*

Asura