When I perform the abhisheka for a karmic connection, I ask each person to throw a flower into the mandala and give the mudra and shingon of the buddha or bodhisattva where the flower fell.

Why do we do the abhisheka for a karmic connection in the first place?
First of all, as I have mentioned several times, the purpose of esoteric Buddhism is to know our own mind as it really is. By knowing our own mind as it really is, we learn that even suffering is created by our own mind. On the other hand, we do not know how to know our own mind. Therefore, we must first know the characteristics of our own mind, and then use that as a clue to begin the journey of knowing our own mind. So, how do we know the characteristics of our own mind? To find out, we perform the abhisheka for a karmic connection. Then, we perform yoga (瑜伽) with the characteristics of our own mind as the main deity. This is the entrance to esoteric Buddhism.

In Mahayana Buddhism, there is the concept of “main deity, 本尊 (Honzon)”. In English, 本尊 is sometimes translated as main deity, but this does not accurately express the meaning of the word 本尊. In esoteric Buddhism, the word “main deity” in English is used in accordance with worldly rituals because worldly things are considered to be the manifestation of truth, the so-called manifestation of our mind.

In the teachings that Kobo-Daishi learned from master Keika, we find the following words.

The essentially pure mind is another name for Mahavairocana Tathagata. It refers to the mind itself, which is free from acquired values. In other words, “Honzon (main deity)” means something truly precious. What is truly precious is none other than your mind, as Kobo-Daishi learned from Master Keika. The buddha and bodhisattva that you have got a connection with through the abhisheka for a karmic connection are the characteristic of your mind, so that characteristic of your mind is also truly precious in this world. Therefore, that buddha or bodhisattva you got a connection with becomes your main deity (本尊, Honzon) when you perform yoga in Shingon way. If you misunderstand this skillful means, you will perceive the Buddha as a god.

As a side note, our mind is also called “Cintāmaṇi”. It is spoken of like a tale as a jewel that fulfills our wishes, but this is just a story told by those who interpret the letters as they are. Cintāmaṇi is our mind. We sympathize with people, we think of various things to solve problems people face, and then we make them happen. At the root of these things is our mind. Without the mind, nothing is realized. Therefore, the mind is called “the jewel that fulfills our wishes as we wish (Cintāmaṇi).”

This is why it is said that Buddhism is not a religion but a way of life.

It seems to me that it is a disease of our time to misunderstand that we know everything from Wikipedia.