Student: People come to make tea light offerings in front of the stupa table. These tea light candles take four hours to burn out. The center closes at night, without anyone around, and the tea lights are left burning, which can be a fire hazard. Therefore, is it OK to blow them out, even if the tea light is not finished?

Rinpoche: It’s very good to leave it until the natural end of the flame, according to Rinpoche’s mo. Why not light the candle four hours before you have to leave, so there is no issue.