Incense Offering to Dorje Shugden

By Tsem Rinpoche and Beatrix Ooi)

Incense has played a very important role in Buddhism for a long time. Whether in the Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, Zen or Tibetan tradition or any other sect or school of thought, incense is one of the most common and basic substances used as offerings to the Buddhas and Enlightened Beings.

According to Buddhist history, the first recorded use of incense occurred during Buddha Shakyamuni’s time, when a woman named Magadha Sangmo offered incense and prayers to request the Buddha to come forth and visit her village. Magadha Sangmo was the daughter of the Buddha main patron, Suddatta. She mirrored her father’s immense faith in Buddha Shakyamuni and was his ardent devotee.

After marrying and moving to a village where Buddhism was not practised, she wished very much to meet her guru, the Buddha, again. So one day, she climbed to the roof of her in-law’s house, offered incense and sincerely prayed for the Buddha to visit her. Hearing her prayers, Buddha Shakyamuni, together with his entourage, descended from the sky to fulfil her request. It is said that upon meeting the Buddha and hearing his teachings, the entire village became Buddhists. In this way, Magadha Sangmo’s heartfelt request to the Buddha also benefited those around her and succeeding generations.

Magadha Sangmo recited the following verse while engaged in prayer to the Buddha:

MA LU SEM CHEN KUN GYI GON GYUR CHING DU TE PUNG CHAY MI ZAY JOM DZAY LHA NGO NAM MA LU YANG DA KYEN GYUR PAY CHOM DEN KOR CHAY NAY DIR SHEG SU SOL

Protector of all beings without exception, Divine subduer of innumerable negative forces, Deity, perfect knower of all things, Bhagawan and attendants, please come here.

The practice of sangsol or incense offering to Dorje Shugden is of particular significance, as Magadha Sangmo is considered to be one of the previous lives of Dorje Shugden himself.

Incense Offering in the Tibetan Tradition

Within Tibetan Buddhism, incense has traditionally been used as an offering to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) for centuries, just as in other Buddhist traditions. Within ritual, incense is also used to purify offering substances such as water, food and light.

In traditional Tibetan medicine, incense is used as a medicinal substance to cure certain ailments. Due to the healing qualities of its ingredients, Tibetan incense can help to soothe and calm a mind affected by depression, restlessness, anxiety and stress. Tibetan doctors trace their knowledge to Tibetan medical texts, which themselves originate from the Four Tantras, known as the Gyudzhi in Tibetan. These are the Root Tantra, the Tantra of Enlightenment, the Tantra of Instructions, and the Concluding Tantra.

According to traditional Tibetan medical theory, everything in the universe is made up of the five elements: Sa (earth), Me (fire), Chu (water), Lung (wind or air) and Namkha (space). However, only the first four elements play a role in the classification of medical ailments. Incense can also be used in a non-religious contexts where it is strictly for healing also.

Sangsol: Incense Offering Ritual The offering of incense reminds us to hold our vows purely and creates the causes for us to do so. These vows include the Refuge vows, Pratimoksha vows, Bodhisattva vows and Tantric vows. Many great monks are said to have emitted a wondrous scent, a result of having kept their vows well and having achieved the perfection of morality. The great Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism is known to have been one such example.

In Buddhist thought, morality is considered to be one of the Six Perfections of a Bodhisattva practitioner. As such, it is one of the keys to reach Full Enlightenment. So, as we make incense offerings to the Buddhas, we generate the merits to become like them and hold our vows perfectly. Higher attainments are based on the holding of our three sets of vows (Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva and tantric) which we receive from a qualified teacher. By holding these vows, we regenerate and redirect our habits to a higher reality. This reality consists of non self-centred actions based on correct view, as opposed to self-centred projections leading to more karma and results. Karma and results bind one into samsara endlessly. Wrong projections are our ways to view the world that is distorted therefore leading to distorted actions that harm others and ourselves. Distortion in this case is self-centered views and viewed as permanent phenomena. All views that project the ‘I’ as more important to all sentient beings is distorted because in layman’s terms, it leads to deeper selfishness. Selfishness cannot be beneficial on any level and in any society. Selfishness is gaining through ‘abandonment’ of the needs of others. Therefore offering incense collects the merits based upon bodhisattva aspirations that lead to realization of higher views which sees the faults of serving oneself as to the needs of all sentient beings. Serving oneself is the cause to all harm and misery and serving others is the cause to all happiness in samsara and Nirvana. Therefore holding our samaya, words of honour, promises and vows leads to higher insight, better actions, easier to turn our harmful habits to positive ones and leads us to creating less karmic causes that are harmful. Less harmful actions leads to less sufferings for ourselves and all those around us. If we cannot turn ourselves around, how can we be of any genuine and lasting service to others. Therefore offering incense of the best quality with the highest motivation may seem to be a simple spiritual act, but it leads to higher insight, integrity of practice, consistency of practice, generation of merits, ability to hold our vows leading to the generation of higher attainments and insight within our mindstream. Offering incense should be done daily and consistently with great confidence in the supreme Dharma that liberates our mind from all sufferings and to the holy sage Buddha who has traversed over samsara. Who will never return to samsara in the form of a suffering being that brings sufferings to others. Incense offerings is indeed a profound practice we should never underestimate.

The earliest sangsol text dates all the way back to the 8th Century during the establishment of the first monastery in Tibet called Samye Monastery. The monastery was built under the patronage of King Trisong Detsen, the great Tantra master Guru Rinpoche, and the great Sutra master Santarakshita. The original text was hidden and it was only centuries later that it was rediscovered by devotees. Remember offering sangsol or incense is nearly the same. Sang is just powdered or crushed incense in abundance. Incense is a single stick.

Within the Gelugpa lineage, there are a few sangsol texts composed by some of the most erudite masters of Tibetan Buddhism such as His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, Lama Yeshe Wangpo, and His Holiness the 4th Panchen Lama Lobsang Chokyi Gyaltsen. A condensed version of the sangsol offering to Dorje Shugden (text included below) was composed by yet another highly accomplished master, His Eminence Serkong Dorje Chang.

When to do Sangsol? Sangsol is usually performed outdoors during religious celebrations and special occasions such as marriages, birthdays, Losar (Tibetan New Year), during pujas and more. According to Tibetan tradition, the incense is normally burnt in a sangpur, which is a large urn-shaped incense burner. Sangpurs are usually built on elevated sites, for example, in the mountains and on top of hills. They are also usually built in areas where local deities or nagas reside. This is so that when sangsol is performed, the surrounding environment including the beings that inhabit the area will be blessed by divine energy.

By tradition, sangsol is also performed specifically to purify the karma collected by breaking one’s samaya. While samaya usually refers to the spiritual relationship with our spiritual guide, in this instance samaya can also refer to the relationship with our Dharma brothers, sisters and peers. Therefore building a harmonious relationship with such individuals is very much encouraged.

Another instance where sangsol is often performed is to purify the environment within the home. Before important events begin, His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche has his students sang the room or the house. The purpose of this is to remove the obstacles of the participants, for example, those who come to seek audience so that they may receive advice and teachings with a clear mind. Using sang on a daily basis throughout the house, office or premises also dispels negative energies and increases positivity for all who live or work there. If there is negative energy or negative entities in our environment, then offering incense to the Buddhas and permeating the incense throughout our living quarters or office will serve to expel or calm them down. It is a very powerful way to revitalize the lost or polluted energy in our house or office. This can be done even by those who are not religious.

Other than purifying one’s karma and obstacles, sangsol can also be performed at construction sites. When this is done, the wisdom beings are invited to that particular location to come forth and aid us. In the example of Dorje Shugden, when his divine energy is invoked, it will bless the environment as well as the beings who reside there such as local deities and nagas who can easily be offended when the construction encroaches on their territory. The sangsol ritual will bless them, grant them peace and as such, potential obstacles and accidents that can be caused by these beings can be prevented.

How to Begin

Before performing the sangsol, there are some important points to keep in mind:

The incense or sang to be offered should be of the best quality we can afford. Most importantly, it must be clean and pure. The incense should not be stepped over by animals or people during its preparation

According to Tibetan culture and tradition, incense is normally comprised of juniper, conifer, fragrant leaves and woods, ferns, red or white sandalwood, agarwood, pine, cedar, myrrh, amber, frankincense, snow lotus, hibiscus, saffron, red orpine, borneol, rhododendron and many other substances. Most of the time, other medicinal herbs along with a mixture of butter, tsampa (roasted barley flour) and sugar are also burnt together. Those who live in the city and who are without easy access to these natural ingredients can offer a simpler mixture of juniper and protector incense. (Click here to find out more about the different types of incense.)

It is common practice to always set a good motivation before starting any prayers or meritorious works. The same should be applied to the sangsol ritual. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept of setting a good motivation, it is the generation of a sincere intention to benefit all beings by dedicating the merits collected through a particular virtuous deed, in this instance the offering of incense, to their well-being.

After setting the correct motivation, we recite the refuge verses while contemplating the Four Immeasurables. Practitioners who have received Tantric empowerments can visualise themselves as their individual yidams or meditational deities. We then proceed with the sangsol prayer, which opens with the chanting of “OM AH HUM” three times.

If we have any special requests for Dorje Shugden, they can be made at any time during the recitation of the sangsol. Towards the end of the sangsol prayer, we request the local deities to return to their abodes. We then finish the sangsol ritual by reciting verses of dedication.

Note: Although it is written in the offering text that we are purifying the deities when we offer incense, it signifies that we are purifying our own negative karmas or obstacles through the offering. One can offer sangsol daily or as often as you choose. No harm and no limitations.

Incense Offering To Dorje Shugden

Sangsol Prayer by Ganden Serkong

JAM MGON RGYAL BA’I BSTAN SRUNG RDO-RJE SHUG-LDAN RTSAL CHEN PO’I BSANGS MCHOD [DGE LEGS MCHOG STSOL] BZHUGS SO

(At the time of wanting to make a sang offering, collect the incense substances; repeat refuge and Bodhi mind generation verses three times.)

HUM!

Visualising myself as the yidam, from the heart,
Light emanates clearing all faults from incense,
Scent having the five desirable qualities complete in perfection,
Granting uncontaminated bliss fills the extent of awareness.

OM AH HUM

(repeat as many times to bless)

HUM!

Root and lineage gurus, Three Jewels,
Dakas, Dakinis and Dharma Protectors,
Especially Dorje Shugden and retinue,
By boundless magical power come here.

Also, birth, warrior and patron deities,
Local deities, spirits and guardians with the eight classes,
Assembly of guests worthy of offering
Please come here.

Each happily dwelling on their seats
For the sake of fulfilling the yogi’s entrusted activities,
Outer, inner clouds of offerings, commitment substances and presents,
Accept these and accomplish the entrusted activities.


KYE!


Agar, sandalwood, six medicinal ingredients and plants,
By the smoke cloud from the burning wisdom fire completely filling the sky,
Purifies the root and lineage Lamas, Yidams and Three Jewels.
Purifies the Dakas, Dakinis and Dharma Protectors.

Purifies especially the Chief Dharma Protector of Conqueror Manjunatha
Dorje Shugden and four cardinal emanations.
Purifies birth, war and five patron gods.
Purifies local deities, spirits, guardians and the eight classes.

By the power of offering incense to worthy guests
May all obscurations of quarrel and samaya be purified.
May lifespan, merit and power all increase.
Pacify all diseases to humans and animals, famine, war and dispute.

May the crops be good and the rain be timely.
Conquer classes of demons of the dark side, increase the positive,
And having befriended spontaneously and effortlessly,
Attain all goals just as wished.


KI KI SO SO, LHA GYEL LO!

HUM!


Being pleased and satisfied, guests return to their abodes,
Returning again upon request for activities.
By this virtue may I myself and all mother beings
Have perpetual auspiciousness of happiness and benefit.

This Sang offering bestowing excellence was composed by the yellow hat lineage holder bearing the reincarnation name Ganden Serkong.

 

Gyelchen Dorje Shugden’s Sang Offering Entitled Blazing Light of Auspiciousness
Homage to the assembly of fierce powerful ones
With power more forceful than any others
Courage to protect the essence of the Teachings
Those Teachings of Buddha Losang Vajradhara!

(Here, if one wishes to offer sang [fragrant smoke offering] to the five families of Dorje Shugden, Dharmapala uncommon to the Geden, in an agreeable place such as atop a mountain, having collected, with no degeneration of samaya, substances such as various types of fragrant medicines, woods, precious sand and incense, such as of sandalwood and aloe, to dispel obstructing spirits from the substances, recite:)


HUM


Myself generated in form of Vajra Bhairava
Immense light radiates from HUM at my heart
Purifying all impurities of the sang substances
So that they abide in unobjectifiable emptiness of the three spheres.

(Bless with the six mantras and six mudras and express the power of truth, “DAG GI SAM PAY… by the power of my wishes…”, etc. Then, to generate the commitment beings:)

In the vast space of deathless inseparable bliss and void,
On the tip of the wishfulfilling tree, on the surface of a lion throne, lotus, sun, and moon,
Guru Buddha Losang Vajradhara
And the complete assembly of deities, smiling, there abide.


(To invoke the wisdom beings:)


From the palace of Ganden, Yiga Chötzin
Maitreya, Manjusri, and Atisha,
Manjunatha Guru and You Sons
And the whole assembly of vast and profound lineage, pray come!

From the mansion of supreme, indestructible E WAM,
All-pervading, immutable Guhyasamaja, Heruka,
The Vajra Terrifier and hosts of deities
Of all four classes of Tantra, pray come!

From the twenty-four supreme places of Dzambuling,
The hosts of heroes and heroines who, with a mother’s love,
Grant aid on the excellent path of supreme bliss,
Pray come through your force, as quick as thought!

From the eight cemeteries such as Silwa Tsel [Cool Wood]
And each vajra palace, wherever you reside,
O guardians of the three scopes of beings as principals
And hosts of Dharma protecting guardians pray come!

Especially, Mighty Dorje Shugden’s Five Families
Whose power, force, and ability is greater and swifter than others,
And nine mothers, eight monks, ten youthful guardians
And attendant Kache Marpo, pray come!

Further, my, the yogi’s personal protector,
Enemy destroying protectors, place protectors, birth protectors, etc.
All devas and nagas who protect on the side of virtue,
Please come as guests for the offering of sang!

Through light emanating from the three places three vajras,
From their natural abodes, the wisdom truth bodies and form bodies
Come to abide inseparably with the commitment beings,
Delighted, on each of their desired seats.

(Then, as for the actual chant and offering of the sang:)

From BHRUM (བྷྲཱུཾ), a blazing jewelled vessel inside of which,
Midst a mass of fire, like blazing mounds of molten gold,
These fragrances and excellent medicines blessed by samadhi, mantra and mudra,
Generated as clouds of Samantabhadra’s offerings,

Sang for the three-fold kind Root Gurus.
Please grant the siddhi of attaining Yuganaddha in this life.

Sang for the Buddha Losang Vajradhara.
Please grant the siddhi of proper reliance on the Spiritual Guide.

Sang for Maitreya and the lineage of vast activity.
Please grant the siddhi of the stages of the vast past.

Sang for Manjushri and the lineage of the profound view.
Please grant the siddhi of the stages of the profound path.

Sang for the Kadampa Gurus in whom the lineages are united.
Please grant the siddhi to accomplish the precepts of mind training.

Sang for Manjunatha Guru (Tsong Khapa) and sons especially.
Please grant the siddhi of pure view, meditation, and action.

Sang for the gathering of glorious actual and lineage Gurus.
Please grant the siddhi to live a stainless life.

Sang for Bhagawan Guhyasamaja’s host of deities.
Please grant the siddhi to swiftly arise in the illusory body.

Sang for Chakrasamvara who grants great blessings swiftly.
Please grant the siddhi of dawning clear light of bliss.

Sang for Vajra Bhairava endowed with five distinguishing features.
Please grant the siddhi of magical emanation victorious over maras.

Sang for Kalachakra, Non-dual Bliss-void Glory.
Please grant the siddhi to accomplish mudra of empty form.

Sang for the powerful Yogini who bestows undefiled bliss.
Please grant the siddhi to accomplish inner and outer Dakiniland.

Sang for Venerable Tara who protects swiftly with activity.
Please grant the siddhi of infinite protection from the eight great dangers.

Sang for the Deity hosts of the infinite four sets of Tantra.
Please grant the siddhi of each Tantra set’s specialty.

Sang for the ten direction’s countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Please grant the siddhi to oust the two obscurations completely.

Sang for the non-dual sublime Dharma of scripture and realization, door of peace.
Please grant the siddhi of the Arya’s realization of true paths and cessations.

Sang for the Sangha Jewel endowed with eight qualities of knowledge and freedom.
Please grant the siddhi of such paths as accumulation, preparation, seeing and meditation.

Sang for the heroes and heroines, loving like mothers.
Please grant the siddhi of increase of great bliss experience.

Sang for the guardian protectors, endowed with the wisdom eye.
Please grant the siddhi of accomplishment of the four activities.

And especially for the Geden Dharmapala, of enemy destroyers,
King, Great King, entitled Vajra, the Heart Jewel, for you,
Jewel Wealth Deity, Duldzin, King of Dharma, Sang,
Sang offering accepted, please grant siddhi of the four activities.

Sport of mirror-like wisdom, Vairochana’s Body,
Bodily color like the autumn moon, so peaceful,
For Pacifier Gyelchen, Dispeller of All Obscuration, Sang.
Please grant siddhi of pacification of sickness, spirits, and obstructions.

Sport of equanimity wisdom, Ratnasambhava’s Body,
Bodily color like light of a hundred thousand suns, so full of increase,
For Increaser Gyelchen, Blazer of Glory of the Three Realms, Sang.
Please grant siddhi of increase of life, merit, and prosperity.

Sport of discriminating wisdom, Amitabha’s Body,
Bodily color endowed with brilliance of ruby, the three realms’ subjugator,
For Subjugator Gyelchen, Overwhelmer of Beings and Lands, Sang.
Please grant siddhi of powerfully collecting the three realms.

Sport of all-accomplishing wisdom, Amogasiddhi’s body,
Bodily color of unbearable dark red fire, so terrifying,
For Terrifier Gyelchen, Dorje Shugden, Sang.
Please grant the wrathful siddhis such as of killing, hooking, and confusing.

Sang for the four Mothers who are the purified five elements.
Please grant the siddhi of hooking luck and prosperity of the animate and inanimate worlds.

Offerings to the five Vajra-goddesses such as of form.
Please grant the siddhi of a festival of sensual objects generating simultaneous bliss.

Sang for the eight monks, eight close Bodhisattvas in nature.
Please grant the siddhi of increase of Dharma activity of teaching and practice.

Sang for the ten Young Warriors, the purified ten knowledges.
Please grant the siddhi of reversing the magical daggers of opponents.

Sang for Kache Marpo, the minister attendant.
Please grant the siddhi of reducing enemies of the Teachings to ashes.

Sang for the fluctuating oceans of hosts of retinue armies.
Look after us unwaveringly throughout day and night’s six periods.

Sang for the land owners and country’s deities of this area.
Having pacified annoyance and jealousy, assist us!

Sang for the guardian of my, the yogi’s, family.
Accompany us like a body and its shadow.

In short, with this offering sang of clouds of Samantabhara’s offerings,
Having delighted and satisfied the gathered supreme and lesser guests,
Pacifying all harm, contention, set-backs and offences,
Accomplish supreme and ordinary siddhis effortlessly and spontaneously!


(Having thus offered and exhorted, here follows the method for hooking in the luck, prosperity and perfection of all excellences of samsara and nirvana:)


Having thus offered and thoroughly exhorted your minds,
Light and nectar streams down from the bodies of the
Delighted Guru Buddha Losang Vajradhara and hosts of deities.
Please purify obstructions and bestow fortune of the four Bodies.

Please bestow fortune to call forth excellence and auspiciousness
That our, the masters’, disciples’, sponsors’, sponsored’s, and entourages’,
Lives, merit, prosperity, fame, scriptural and realizational Dharma
May fully increase like the reservoir of the summer ocean.

In all the vast realms symbolized by this land, here,
Pacify disease, famine, hail, ruin, and drought.
Bestow fortune of timely rain and ever-good crops
Of fresh endowment with complete happiness and bliss.

Kings caring for their kingdoms in accordance with Dharma,
Retinues and subjects, as well, living in morality of the ten virtues,
All possession by maras and dark forces defeated,
Grant fortune of victory in the battle against evil.

The golden mountain of the general Buddhist Teachings
And, in particular, Je Rinpoche’s unmistaken view meditation and action,
Untarnished by the stains of bad conceptions, bestow fortune
That above, on, and below the earth be ablaze with illumination.

As for the upholders of the Teachings, all the supreme beings
Who have undertaken the liberating life of that pure excellent tradition,
The Geden, permeated by the crown ornament, Father Buddha and his two Sons,
Bestow fortune that their lives and enlightening activity increase.

The communities of Sangha living in pure harmony and discipline,
Their teaching, practice and experience of the three wheels of Dharma
Increasing from higher to higher like the waxing moon,
Bestow the fortune that their status be higher than the heavens.

By mechanism of the path of reasoning, proof statements, and refutations,
With the three valid cognisers’ perfect ascertainment
Of the three types of objects of cognition without exception,
Bestow fortune of Pramana, generating valid cognisers through reasoning.

The three knowledges, four preparations, and resultant truth body’s activity,
The fruit of having fully realized, through the eight topics,
The path of realization, hidden meaning of the Prajnaparamita,
Please bestow fortune to thoroughly accomplish the paths and stages.

The special wisdom which destroys completely
The ignorance which is root of endless samsara’s faults,
That path pleasing the Buddhas, free from extremes of permanence and nihilism,
Please grant fortune of Madhyamika’s suchness, the profound path.

Well gaining certainty in the animate and inanimate’s mode of arising,
The coarse and subtle sources from which arise all causes of suffering,
Knowledge of delusions on their subtlety, spread, and means of abandonment,
Please bestow fortune of the stainless Abhidharmakosha.

Like the base from which these, without exception, are generated,
Practicing the three higher trainings by relying
On the boundaries based on refutation, proof and instruction,
Please grant fortune of Buddha’s 100,000 verse Vinaya scripture.

Likewise comprised in excellence, as means of helping others,
By clearing away all confusion and ignorance in the fields of skill,
Such as grammar, astrology, poetry, lexicography, painting, handicraft and medicine,
Please bestow fortune of wise and subtle mastery.

Especially, please grant fortune of view, meditation, and action practiced in conjunction,
Which are unmistaken as to the entities, order, and interpretive and definitive meanings
Of all stages of practice of renunciation, Bodhicitta,
The correct view of voidness, the six perfections, and the four means of gathering.

Then, from a qualified vajra master, having received
Empowerment of the four Bodies, the Tantra’s door of entrance,
Guarding the vows and precepts dearly as I would my life,
Bestow fortune of success in four session yoga.

Then, introduced to the basis; birth, death and bardo,
That to be purified, its purifiers, and the fruits of purification,
Bless me with fortune to attain stability on the gross and subtle
Mandala wheels of the profound, clear deity, the ripening state of generation.

With vajra recitation, that which pierces the vital points,
Freeing all the channel knots so that all the winds
Enter, abide and dissolve in the central channel; bless me with fortune
To thus manifest the bliss-void path, the liberating stage of completion.

The great pure and impure clear lights derived from that
And the mere wind and mind directly arising in a manner
Like an illusion in the form with the marks and signs,
Please grant fortune of the Yuganaddha endowed with the seven features.

In brief, like melting down the amassed collection of all goodness
And blessings of samsara and nirvana, both worldly and supramundane,
Having been fully exhorted with immutable faith and pure samaya,
Grant fortune of great auspiciousness and excellence.


(Thus reciting is the way to melt down the amassed blessing of all excellence of samsara and nirvana according to the tradition of oral instructions of the Geden. It is important to have stable conviction of directly hooking all common and supreme attainments. Then purify additions and omissions with the 100 syllable mantra. Having requested forbearance of faults, then request the departure:)


HUM


The Deity Buddha Losang Vajradhara and
The whole merit field dissolve into me, the yogi.
All impurities and stains of the three doors purified,
I receive the four initiations and become able to accomplish the four Bodies.

The worldly ones, satisfied by the sang,
With no thoughts of mutual jealousy or malice,
But with loving minds, return to their natural abodes.

May whatever virtue I have accumulated
Be of benefit to the Teachings and migrators,
And especially may it cause the essence Teachings
Of the unerring master Losang Dragpa to be clear forever!

(Recite whatever desired prayers and auspicious verses.)

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The ingredients should be in their purest state, free from other pollutants such as alcohol, onions and garlic.