Materials: Ghee, wick, aluminum bowl

Size: Set of 36. Each lamp burns approximately 3 hours

Description:

In Buddhist rituals, **ghee candles (also known as "ghee lamps")** are one of the most important offerings, symbolizing the light of wisdom and the dispelling of the darkness of ignorance. Their primary functions are as follows:

1. **Offering to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas**

- Lighting a ghee lamp is a "lamp offering," representing an offering of light to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha), praying for blessings and increased wisdom.

- In Tibetan Buddhism, offering lamps is a daily ritual, especially during ganachakra or pujas, where thousands of ghee lamps are lit, creating a spectacular spectacle.

2. **Symbolizing "Impermanence" and "Cause and Effect"**

- The burning wick represents "impermanence" (the fire will eventually go out), while the consumption of ghee represents "giving" and "letting go of attachment." A steady light symbolizes concentration; a bright lamp symbolizes wisdom.

3. **Purification and Blessing**

- Lighting lamps can liberate the souls of the deceased, dedicate merit, and ward off disasters and obstacles.

- In Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, countless ghee lamps, called Ganden Ngamchoe, are lit each year during the Dipankara Festival (occurring on the 25th day of the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar, commemorating the passing of Tsongkhapa).

The Origin of Ghee Candles

- **Origins in Indian Buddhism**: Early Buddhists used oil lamps as offerings to the Buddha, often using vegetable oils such as sesame oil and rapeseed oil.

- **Evolution after Introduction to Tibet**: Due to the lack of vegetable oils in the high-altitude areas, Tibetans instead used ghee (ghee-like butter) extracted from yak milk as a fuel, which became a hallmark of Tibetan Buddhism. **Tsongkhapa (1357–1419)**: Founder of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, he emphasized the merits of offering lamps, making ghee lamps a core offering in Tibetan Buddhism.

Ingredients

| Ingredients | Instructions |

|------|------|

| **Ghee (Main Body)** | Highly purified butter fat, made by boiling, fermenting, and refining yak or yellow cow's milk. It is free of water and impurities, burns stably, and produces little black smoke. |

| **Wick** | Usually made of cotton twisted into a thin string, or a special plant fiber (such as rush). |

| **Container** | A copper, silver, or ceramic lamp (called a "butterfly lamp" in Tibetan). A small amount of water can be placed in the bottom to prevent overheating. |

| **Spice (Optional)** | Some monasteries add a small amount of saffron or camphor to enhance the aroma and merit. |

Step 1: Make the ghee (Ingredients)

1. Boil fresh yak milk, cool it, and ferment it overnight to form yogurt. 2. Pour the yogurt into a leather bag or wooden barrel and repeatedly beat it with a churn to separate the buttermilk and buttermilk.

3. Heat and simmer the buttermilk to remove water and impurities, resulting in golden, clear ghee.

4. Strain the buttermilk and cool it in a container until it solidifies.

Step 2: Make ghee candles

Traditionally, these were not "molded candles" but rather liquid ghee poured into a lamp. However, modern solid ghee candles are also available:

**A. Traditional Liquid Ghee Candle**

- Melt pure ghee and pour it into the lamp.

- Insert a cotton wick, dipping one end in ghee and leaving the other exposed.

- Light it and refill periodically.

**B. Modern Solid Ghee Candle (Easy to Carry)**

1. Heat the ghee until it becomes liquid.

2. Add a small amount of beeswax or vegetable wax (to increase its firmness and facilitate shaping). 3. Pour into a mold and cool until formed (often into a small cylinder or lotus shape).

4. Insert a cotton wick into the center to create a ready-to-light "ghee candle."

Tips

- **Burning Time**: 100g of ghee burns for approximately 8–12 hours (depending on the thickness of the wick).

- **Environmental Considerations**: Modern temples are promoting "plant-based ghee lamps" that use palm oil or soybean oil instead of animal-based ghee to reduce their carbon footprint.

- **Double Merit**: Tibetan Buddhism believes that making your own ghee lamp is more meritorious than purchasing a ready-made one.

**Summary**:

Ghee candles are a tangible symbol of the "light of wisdom" in Tibetan Buddhism. Evolving from Indian oil lamp culture and incorporating highland ghee techniques, they have become important instruments for offering to Buddha, praying, and transcending the dead. Their production is simple and pure, their ingredients are simple, yet they hold profound Buddhist meaning.

 his tea light candles are made from 100% Plant Extract and certified by third party (Swiss-SGS) for Purity.

Each candle lasts for approximately 3hours each. Each box contains 36pieces.

Offering Butter Lamps is the best and most powerful offering because the light symbolizes wisdom.

It also creates harmony and generates merit while promoting sucess, prosperity, longevity and world peace.

When offered on behalf of th deceased prayers are also recited to liberate them and have a good rebirth.