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Butter lamps or butterlamps (Tibetan: དཀར་མེ་, Wylie: dkar me; simplified Chinese: 酥油灯; traditional Chinese: 酥油燈; pinyin: sūyóu dēng) are a common feature of Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries throughout the Himalayas. The lamps traditionally burn clarified yak butter, but now often use vegetable oil or vanaspati ghee.

The butter lamps help to focus the mind and aid meditation. According to the Root tantra of Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, "If you wish for sublime realization, offer hundreds of lights".

Pilgrims also supply lamp oil to gain merit. The monks in the monastery manage the actual lamps, taking extreme care to avoid starting one of the devastating fires which have damaged many monasteries over the years. For safety, butter lamps are sometimes restricted to a separate courtyard enclosure with a stone floor.

Externally, the lights are seen to banish darkness. Conceptually, they convert prosaic substance into illumination, a transformation akin to the search for enlightenment. Esoterically, they recall the heat of the tummo yoga energy of the Six Yogas of Naropa, an important text for Kagyu, Gelug, and Sakya schools of tantric Buddhism.

See also

• List of light sources
• Chotrul Duchen (Butter Lamp Festival)
• Nachiarkoil lamp
• Sky lantern

References

1. Khandro

v t e Butter
Types of butter	Beurre d'Ardenne Beurre d'Isigny Beurre Rose Bog butter Clarified butter Ghee Manteiga-da-terra Niter kibbeh Smen Urfa Drawn butter Rucava white butter Vologda butter Whey butter Yak butter
Dishes featuring butter	Butter-based sauces Beurre blanc Beurre fondue Beurre monté Beurre noir Beurre noisette Café de Paris sauce Compound butter Beurre Maître d'Hôtel Truffle butter Garlic butter Other Butter cookie Butter tea Deep-fried butter Egg butter Fettuccine Alfredo List of butter dishes
Butter paraphernalia	Butter churn Butter curler Butter knife Butter stamp French butter dish Scotch hands
Butter industry	Boterwet Butterfat Buttermilk Butter grading Chicago Butter and Egg Board Churning Print butter
Butter brands	Anchor Bretel Land O'Lakes Lurpak Magnolia Ornua/Kerrygold Plugrà Président Western Star
Butter in culture	Buttergate Butter sculpture Butter lamb Torma Iowa State Fair Butter lamp Butter rebellion Buttered cat paradox Buttered toast phenomenon Norwegian butter crisis
Miscellaneous	Butter mountain Artificial butter flavoring Fruit butter Nut butter Butter salt Dairy salt List of spreads Butter churning in Nepal Molly McButter
Category: Butter

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• Types of lamp
• Tibetan Buddhist practices
• Butter