BuddhaSai

Be A Light Upon Yourself

dorje — Sun, 06 May 2012 08:17:54 +0000

THE BUDDHA SAKYAMUNI, at the moment of enlightenment, invoked the earth as witness, as indicated by the fingers of his right hand, which spread downward in bhumisparshanamudra, the “gesture of touching the earth”.

As the Buddhist Sutras relate, the sun and moon stood still, and all the creatures of the world came to offer obeisance to the Supreme One who had broken through the boundaries of egocentric existence.

Every living being contains the seed of Buddhahood.

As our most beloved Bhagawan Baba always exhorts,

“I am you; you are ME.
You are the waves; I am the ocean.
Know this and be free, be DIVINE.”

Buddha Sakyamuni declared at the end of His life, “Be a light upon yourself!”

“Become a Buddha, an awakened being,” He urged, “but never a blind follower of tradition”.

How about?

The Medicine Buddha Retreat

dorje — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 07:05:58 +0000

|| One-Day Retreat With Medicine Buddha ||

17th March 2012 – Auspicious Merit Multiplying Day

Sai Ram Dear Brothers and Sisters,

With the blessings of Bhagawan Baba,
the One-Day Retreat With Medicine Buddha
was successfully conducted last Saturday, 17th March 2012,
on a very auspicious merit-multiplying day.

The retreat was initiated by Brother Sathya Ganesan Viswanathan, with the following prayer to Swami:

“Most Beloved Bhagawan,
we, Thy children and all sentient beings,
in one voice and with one heart,
invoke the supreme potency of this profound prayer,
The Medicine Buddha Mantra
in absolute dedication to Thee,
and pray that may You, Our Most Precious Swami,
eradicate the suffering that sentient beings are enduring
due to the sickness of the body or the mind.”

This retreat saw the Medicine Buddha Mantra being diligently chanted and offered 279 297 times.

Furthermore, with a global outreach through BuddhaSai, many more devotees were able to participate in the retreat as well. Names along with chant counts were submitted either by email or through the website. By including the mantras recited internationally, the total rises to more than 400 000. It is most blessed that devotees around the world were able to unite in such a beautiful effort.

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Before the start of the retreat, heaps of offerings, comprising fruits, biscuits, packet drinks, chocolates, candies, and more, were offered at Swami’s Lotus Feet as Naiveydyham.

A magnificent altar with Swami was installed in the front of the auditorium. Medicine Buddha was seated to Swami’s right with a statue and accompanying Thangka.

Placed on the altar was the sutra that was offered to Swami in the Tibetan Buddhist Chants For World Peace 2008 programme by Venerable Ngawang Sangye. Swami graciously accepted it during the programme, and the following day, Swami offered it back to Venerable Ngawang Sangye, blessing him to be successful in his future endeavours.

A total of 108 bottles of blessed Holy Medicine Buddha Water were laid out before the altar. These bottles of Holy Water had been mixed with water from Mount Kailash and Maratika. They had also been blessed by Rinpoches and Lamas chanting the Medicine Buddha Mantra continuously for one week.

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During the retreat, some of the residents of SWAMI Nursing Home joined in to chant and offer the Medicine Buddha Mantra for World Peace. They were each given the Medicine Buddha pill, which promotes the powerful healing of both the mind and body.

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During lunch and tea, freshly-brewed coffee and tea were served, along with fruits and homemade sandwiches.

More importantly, the beverages was prepared with the Sevadals visualising the following for purification purposes:

‘As the hot water filters through the coffee/tea powder into the cup, that we are filtering away all the negative karma accumulated from our actions in this lifetime as well as past lifetimes from beginningless time.Pray that, like the coffee/tea powder that is captured within the strainer, that all our negative tendencies are siphoned off.’

Likewise the sliced fruits and sandwiches with the following visualisation, with the very same purifying intent:

‘That all sentient beings have a smooth life free from obstacles and calamities.’

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At the end of each of the three Medicine Buddha chanting sessions, dedication and merit-multiplying prayers were offered to dedicate all the prayers and merits to all sentient beings, especially those who are suffering from sickness, illnesses and diseases.

At the end of the retreat, extensive and very strong dedication and merit-multiplying prayers for World Peace were offered, which included the ‘Water Bathing Pooja’, which was conducted by Venerable Ngawang Sangye.

The ‘Water Bathing Pooja’, which was carried out before Swami in the Tibetan Buddhist Chants For Universal Peace 2012 programme, is a powerful metaphor signifying our own purification process during which the Buddha is lovingly cleansed with saffron water.

While the ‘Water Bathing Pooja’ was being offered at the end of the retreat, the names and prayers of over 300 people, which were submitted to BuddhaSai for the individual name prayer dedication, were read out.

Before the retreat came to a close, Mangala Aarathi was offered, and heaps of Naiveydhyam offerings that were offered to Swami and were distributed to the participants of the retreat.

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In conclusion, we, the Children of our Most Beloved Sai, are extremely grateful to Swami, our most beloved Bhagawan, for granting us this rare and golden opportunity to offer the most excellent Medicine Buddha Mantra for World Peace.

We pray that our most Beloved Swami continue to shower all sentient beings with His Divine blessings, and that all suffering that sentient beings undergo due to the illnesses and diseases of the body, and the sickness of the mind, all be eradicated!

Jai Sai Ram!

With Love,
BuddhaSai

How about?

One-Day Retreat With Medicine Buddha

keet — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:23:54 +0000

|| One-Day Retreat With Medicine Buddha ||

Saturday : 17th March 2012

“Tadyatha Om Bekandzey Bekandzey
Maha Bekandzey Randza Samu Gate Svaha”

In this era of ruthless material pursuit and endless aggravations of our minds and bodies, so many of us are struggling to find a higher meaning to our very existence.

We crumble under the weight of mental anguish, flounder against the stress of coping with the multitude responsibilities in life and find ourselves beset with diseases that render our bodies weak.

But as Swami’s beloved children, we are capable of so much more!
We must rise above this, for this life bestowed upon us is meant to sing His Glory!

To this end, we are organising a One-Day Retreat with Medicine Buddha on a very auspicious merit-multiplying day,
Saturday, 17th March 2012, 10:00 AM – 08:00 PM at SWAMI Home located at 5 Sembawang Walk.

The Medicine Buddha represents the healing aspect of the absolute Buddha-nature, and is extremely powerful for the purification of negative karma.

Chanting the Medicine Buddha mantra eliminates both the pain of physical diseases and the major sicknesses of attachment, hatred, jealousy, desire, greed and ignorance.

It also empowers us in overcoming our problems and removing our unhappiness and suffering. In fact, simply by seeing an image of the Medicine Buddha, or hearing His name can confer inconceivable benefits!

The power of the Medicine Buddha mantra in healing our inner and outer illnesses cannot be underestimated. Indeed, this Mantra has been recited in the Divine Presence of our Beloved Bhagawan in Puttaparthi for many years.

Swami Himself has mentioned that the purification of the mind with such a mantra is essential for the purification of mankind as a whole.

So do come down with your family and friends on Saturday, 17th March at SWAMI Home and join us as we pray for Medicine Buddha’s Ever-Compassionate radiance to illuminate not just our lives, but the lives of all sentient beings.

To those in other countries who are unable to join us physically in Singapore to offer this most potent Medicine Buddha mantra, please do set aside some time wherever you are to offer the mantra at the same timings. The day would be a merit-multiplying one, and the merits accrued from offering the Medicine Buddha mantra would be multiplied countless times.

As we understand that not everyone will be able to attend the Medicine Buddha retreat on the 17th March at SWAMI Home,

If would like to dedicate prayers either in your name or in those of your loved ones, do drop us an email at dedication@BuddhaSai.com.

Kindly include:

FULL NAME(S): ________________________________
PRAYER: _____________________________________
SICKNESS (if applicable): __________________________

The names and prayers submitted would be compiled into a list, with the dedication conducted at the end of the retreat along with merit-multiplying mantras.

May our Most Beloved Bhagawan,
the Healer of All Healers,
Doctor of Doctors,
cure us from this sickness of negativity that shrouds us all.

And may every sentient being, in every corner of the universe, awaken from this darkness, so that we may all truly shine as genuine sparks of our Divine Mother Sai!

For more information, kindly check out the Facebook event page – [fb.com/375009025844095]

Jai Sai Ram.

How about?

BuddhaSai Facebook Page

keet — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:45:51 +0000

Sai Ram dear Brothers and Sisters,

BuddhaSai’s Facebook [fb.com/BuddhaSai] has reached the limit where BuddhaSai is no longer able to accept anymore friend’s request.

As such, a BuddhaSai Facebook Page has been created.

Please do visit the Facebook page at [fb.com/290405237652658].

Jai Sai Ram!

? BuddhaSai

How about?

Purification

dorje — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:47:20 +0000

|| Tibetan Buddhist Chants For Universal Peace 2012 ||

- Water Bathing Pooja -

The Water Bathing Pooja, during which the Buddha is lovingly cleansed with saffron water, is a powerful metaphor signifying our own purification process.

Purification of ourselves is a fundamental core of our spiritual journey. Indeed, there is no need for grand or complicated rituals.

Chanting the Medicine Buddha Mantra or even just hearing it, is in itself a potent cleansing force, and something easily accessible to every one of us. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has said that even if an animal hears the Medicine Buddha mantra, it will never be reborn in the lower realms!

Indeed, every daily chore and activity can be ‘spiritualised’. Our Beloved Swami has put this so beautifully and simply for everyone to understand – When you are sweeping your house, for instance, imagine that you are sweeping away all your impurities and negative thoughts. And when you cutting vegetables or fruits, visualise that you are cutting off your inner sicknesses of hatred, ego, attachment, etc.

Let us give humbly offer more of such examples.

• While spreading jam/butter on sandwiches: Visualise that all sentient beings have a smooth life free from obstacles and calamities.

• When making offerings at the altar: Pray that all sentient beings are freed from the scourge of hunger and thirst.

• When you are making coffee or tea: Visualise, as the hot water filters through the coffee/tea powder into the cup, that you are filtering away all the negative karma accumulated from your actions in this lifetime as well as past lifetimes from beginningless time. Pray that, like the coffee/tea powder that is captured within the strainer, that all your negative tendencies are siphoned off.

Every action of ours can be beautifully moulded into an act of purification, not just for ourselves, but for the benefit of all sentient beings!

How about?

Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche’s Verses of the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones

dorje — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:48:36 +0000

This is an exceptionally powerful prayer composed by Mipham Jamyang Namgyal Gyamtso (1846–1912) who was also known as ‘Mipham the Great’. Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche was one of the most preeminent scholars of recent times.

According to Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, this famous prayer is very effective in accomplishing positive aims, aspirations and good fortune – such as the health and wellbeing of oneself, the human species and the living world with its great ecosystems.

Likewise, on this extremely auspicious day of the Buddha’s First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, we would like to offer all this prayer to you and all mother sentient beings.

We look forward to the blessings and merits that you and all mother sentient beings will accrue.

As seen in the book ‘A Buddhist Response to the Climate Emergency’:

Q: What is the role of Buddhist prayer and puja to reverse, in the invisible real, the potential disasters of global warming?

Thrangu Rinpoche: In general, when we talk about making aspirations and prayers in Buddhism, it looks superficially like mere blind faith. You might think there is no way it could help at all. Yet if we look at it closely, it really does help. This is my experience. For example, I have a well-off student in Malaysia who built a thirty-two story hotel. No matter how hard he worked, nothing came of it. One partner was less than honest and he simply lost lots of money. He asked me what to do about the problem and I suggested he recite the Verses of the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones daily. He learned it by heart and did so. The hotel ended up a complete failure – but his other property in Australia jumped so much in value that he recouped all the losses in Malaysia. He told me, “Reciting that prayer was really wonderful!’ This is just to show that reciting such prayers is not blind faith, but something genuinely beneficial.

for the full Tibetan version with accompanying translation:

Verses of the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones

Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche’s

Verses of the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche stated that this famous prayer is very effective to accomplish positive aims, aspirations and good fortune – such as the health and wellbeing of oneself, the human species and the living world with its great ecosystems.

Om: Homage to the Buddha, Dharma and Noble Sangha —
All who dwell in the auspicious realms of the ten directions,
Where all appearance is completely pure, its nature spontaneously perfect,
May all be auspicious for us!

Homage to the Eight Sugatas,
Merely hearing your names increases auspiciousness and success.
King of the Lamp,
Stable Strength of Wisdom Accomplishing All Aims,
Glorious Adornment of Love,
Sacred and Glorious One Renowned for Virtue,
Vastly Renowned & Considerate of All,
Glorious One Renowned as Perfectly Strong and Exalted like a Mountain,
Glorious One Renowned as Considerate of All Sentient Beings,
Glorious One Renowned as Perfectly Strong who Satisfies the Minds of Beings.

Homage to the Eight Bodhisattvas,
Supreme in granting auspiciousness and success,
Gracefully holding your emblems -
Utpala flower, vajra, white lotus, naga-tree,
Jewel, moon, sword and sun -
The youthful Manjushri, the glorious Vajrapani,
Avalokiteshvara, the protector Maitreya,
Kshitigarbha, Nivaranavishkambin,
Akashagarbha and noble Samantabhadra.

Homage to the Eight Auspicious Goddesses -
Of beauty, garlands, song, dance flowers, incense, light and perfume,
Pleasing with offerings the Buddhas of all directions and time,
Holders of the eight precious symbols -
The precious umbrella, the auspicious golden fishes, the wish-fulfilling vase, the exquisite lotus, the conch of fame, the glorious knot of prosperity, the victory banner and the majestic wheel.
Pleasing with offerings the Buddhas of all directions and time,
Thinking of your essential qualities makes success and fame grow.

Homage to the Eight Guardians of the World -
Each one holding your divine emblem -
Wheel, trident, lance, vajra, vina, sword, stupa and banner of victory.
Mahabrahma, Shiva, Vishnu, Indra the Thousand-Eyed,
The Kings; Dhritirashtra, Virudhaka, Virupaksha Lord of Nagas and Vaishravana.
Auspiciously develop happiness and virtue in the three realms!

With all obstacles and harmful influences pacified,
May the work we are now about to begin
Meet with ever-growing fulfillment and success,
And bring good fortune, prosperity, happiness and peace!

Colophon:
If you recite this upon waking, all the tasks of the day will be accomplished.
If you recite it when going to sleep, it will bring you good dreams.
If you recite it when entering battle, it will bring total victory.
If you recite it at the outset of a project, all aims and wishes will be fulfilled.
If you recite it continually, you will enjoy a long life, glory, renown, prosperity,
auspiciousness, abundant happiness and positivity, and the fulfilment of all wishes.
All your misdeeds and obscurations will be purified,
and you will achieve the higher realms and liberation.
This was declared by the sublime victorious one himself.

This arose from the lake of the mind of Jampal Gyepé Dorjé on the third day of the third month of the Fire Monkey year (1896), an auspicious time according to the configuration of planets, sun and constellations. Mangalam!

The Eight Auspicious Symbols

How about?

Tibetan Buddhist Chants For Universal Peace – Mantra Chanting Sheet 2011

dorje — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:40:30 +0000

Loving Sai Rams dear Sisters and Brothers,

Kindly download the mantra sheet for this year’s Tibetan Mantra Offering here at:

http://buddhasai.com/files/Mantra%20Chanting%20Sheet%202011.pdf

These mantras will be offered once more to Bhagawan at Prashanti Nilayam in His Divine Presence on the 8th of February 2011.

We hope you will join us in this most auspicious event and its merits. Do dedicate these infinite merits to all the sentient beings in existence with the motivation of Samastha Lokha Sukhino Bhavantu. Jai Sai Ram.

Mantra Chanting Sheet 2011 Page 1 Preview

You might find these interesting...

Tibetan Mantra Offering 2011!

dorje — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:27:11 +0000

Tibetan Mantra Offering 2010

Pray for Universal Peace in the Divine Presence of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba this coming February 2011 in Prashanti Nilayam, the Abode Of Supreme Peace.

By doing so, innumerable merits would be accumulated, multiplied across the number of sentient beings participating.

As blessed by Bhagawan Baba, the following Tibetan Buddhist Mantras would be chanted during this year’s programme:

1. Short Mantra of Chenrezig [108x]
2. Medicine Buddha Mantra [9x]
3. Green Tara Mantra [36x]
4. The Extensive Mantra Of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha [5x]
5. Bhagawan’s Eternal Mantra [9x]
6. Long Dharani of Chenrezig [9x]

For the Extensive Mantra Of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha and Bhagwan’s Eternal Mantra, the audio chanting and mantra sheet can be downloaded here:

http://buddhasai.com/category/audio

Jai Sai Ram.
Samastha Lokha Sukhino Bhavanthu.

? BuddhaSai
www.BuddhaSai.com
www.facebook.com/BuddhaSai

*Tibetan Buddhist Chants For Universal Peace 2011 is not an organisation-organised event.*

How about?

The Power Of Mantra

keet — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:39:16 +0000

Om Mani Padme Hung (Bodhisattva Chenrezig Mantra) carved and painted on stone wall.

The power of a mantra mainly depends on your faith in the mantra. How much negative karma you can purify or how many activities you can accomplish by reciting the mantra comes from your faith in the mantra, not from how you recite it. In other words, it doesn’t depend on whether or not you recite it correctly according to Sanskrit. Most Tibetans don’t learn Sanskrit; in Tibet, they recite mantras in their own way.

The power comes from having strong faith in the mantra and its benefits. Those of you who have heard of lam-rim teachings many times will know the story of the old woman who was able to cook stones by reciting the deity Chunda’s mantra. The mantra is actually OM CHALE CHULE CHUNDE SVAHA, but she recited OM BALE BULE BUNDE SVAHA.

One day, her son, a monk living in thirty-six vows, came home and heard his mother reciting OM BALE BULE BUNDE SVAHA. He corrected her, and she then changed to reciting OM CHALE CHULE CHUNDE SVAHA. This mantra is used when there is a famine; you recite this mantra and are then able to cook and eat stones. She was able to cook the stones with the mantra she used before, OM BALE BULE BUNDE SVAHA, but when she changed to the correct mantra, the stones didn’t cook. When the correct mantra didn’t work, she changed back to the incorrect one, which again worked.

The power of mantra comes from faith, not from how you recite it. Because they don’t know Sanskrit, many Tibetans recite mantras in a way that is not correct according to the Sanskrit. This might also be the same in the Chinese community. With those who don’t know how to recite in the Sanskrit way, the pronunciation changes.

How about?

The Benefits Of Making Light Offerings

keet — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:22:44 +0000

It is said in The Ten Wheel Sutra of the Essence of Earth (Lord Ksitigarbha), “All comfort, happiness and peace in this world come from making offerings to the Rare Sublime Ones (the Triple Gem). Therefore, those who want comfort, happiness and peace should always try to make offerings to the Rare Sublime Ones.”

In general, all goodness in samsara and nirvana comes from making offerings to the Triple Gem, but specifically, different kinds of offerings bring you different benefits. Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, the forth of the thousand buddhas of this fortunate eons, whose holy mind was enriched with the ten powers, announced in the Tune of Brahma Sutra Clarifying Karma that making light offerings bring you ten benefits:

1. You become like a light in the world

2. You achieve (when born human) the clairvoyance of the pure flesh eye.

3. You achieve the devas’ eye.

4. You receive the wisdom of knowing what is virtue and what is non-virtue.

5. You are able to eliminate darkness of ignorance, the concept of inherent existence.

6. You receive the illumination of wisdom; even in samsara you never experience darkness.

7. You receive much wealth and enjoyment.

8. You are reborn in the deva or human realm.

9. You quickly become liberated.

10. You quickly attain enlightenment.

Devas or human beings who accumulate the merit of making one light offering – will see the fully enlightened Buddha, Maitreya.

The Sutra of Arya Maitreya says, “Those who offer a thousand lights or a thousand blue utpali flowers or make the pinnacle of a stupa or a holy form will be reborn when Maitreya Buddha shows the deed of gaining enlighten- ment and will receive his first Dharma teaching.”

It is also said that those who offer even one flower or rejoice in the merit of others who offer will achieve buddhahood. This means that even if you don’t get enlightened during the time of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching, dur- ing Maitreya Buddha’s teaching your mind will ripen and you will gain liberation.

Offering light, in particular, is a special door of dependent arising for quickly completing the accumulation of merit and receiving great blessings. It is said in the second chapter of the root tantra of Chakrasamvara, who is a manifestation of Shakyamuni Buddha, “If you want sublime realizations, offer hundreds of lights.”

If you want to know the detailed results of making offerings to holy objects or of offering service to the buddha or other holy objects, you should study The Sutra of the One Who Looks with a Compassionate Eye (Avalokiteshvara), the Sutra of Sogyal, where Buddha gave instruction to King Sogyal, or the Könchog Tala.

The text, Immortal Drum Sound Mantra, says, “If you devote yourself to the Inconceivable One, the results will similarly be inconceivable.” In the same way, The Sutra of the One Who Looks with a Compassionate Eye says, “Since the dharmas (i.e., the qualities) of the buddha gone thus (tathagata) are limitless, making offering to the tathagata brings limitless, infinite, inconceivable, in- comparable, unimaginable, numberless benefits.”

The Small Quotation (Lungtentseg) sutra says, “It is possible for the moon and stars to fall to earth, for mountains and forests to rise up into the sky and for the water of the great oceans to completely dry up, but it is not possible for the great sage (the buddha) to tell a lie. Keep this in mind and generate strong devotion to and faith in the root of all happiness and goodness – actions and their results (karma) and the blessings of the Three Precious Rare Sublime Ones. While you have this body and possessions – which are as if borrowed for a year, a month or a few days, night and day, all the time, attend to the practice of taking the essence of this human life, whose short duration is like a flash of lightning, by planting as many seeds as possible in the special field of merit.”

How about?

Motivation

keet — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:28:55 +0000

The Importance of Generating a Good Motivation

Having a positive motivation is essential in all that you do, therefore begin by setting your intention correctly.

Whether an action becomes positive or negative karma, it depends on the reason why the action was committed. All actions done with attachment to the happiness in this life alone, actions done simply for the comfort of this life, are negative. The karmic imprints such actions leave on the consciousness eventually ripen into an experience of suffering.

Positive actions, actions with the motivation of experiencing happiness in a future life, that benefit others, actions done with compassion, with sincerity, which brings happiness to others – leave positive imprints on our mental continuum. The imprints they leave ripen into happiness. In fact, the more we dedicate ourselves to others, the quicker and easier our own happiness arises. This is the natural evolution of happiness.

In Tibetan Buddhism, the highest level of motivation is one that is driven by Bodhicitta. It is the great compassion for all sentient beings, the compassionate heart that cannot bear to see sentient beings suffering and deeply wish for them to be liberated – that is the Bodhicitta mind.

If we can generate such a supreme motivation, the amount of merit and benefit that we naturally accumulate is inconceivable. The more genuine and sincere we are, the greater the benefit.

The Supreme Motivation

“We can visualise that all sentient beings are similar to me, being trapped in the cyclic existence of samsara endlessly and having to experience all kinds of suffering – all these beings, everyone of them, wishes to be freed from their present sufferings and even desire to achieve happiness.

However, by contemplating on our current self, we realise that we do not even have the ability to liberate them from sufferings. So who is able to help them achieve happiness? He is none other than the Buddha.

Hence it is necessary that we practice the essence of Buddha’s teachings, so as to attain the ultimate state of Buddhahood, to liberate and benefit all sentient beings. We should have this kind of motivation.”

His Eminence Kyabje Lati Rinpoche - Spiritual Advisor to His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama

How about?

The Five Dhyani Buddhas

keet — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:29:07 +0000

Due to all the past, present, and future merits collected by all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, by all sentient beings, and me, whoever reads this artcle, or sees the most precious image of the Five Dhyani Buddhas on this article, and also myself, may they never, ever be reborn in the lower realms.

May they immediately be liberated from all disease, such as cancer or AIDS, from mental problems, negative karma defilements, and spirit harm, and may they actualise the whole path to enlightenment, especially loving kindness, bodhicitta, renouncing the “I”, and cherishing others, with each person becoming the source of happiness for all sentient beings, including the sentient beings of all the worlds.

I salute those magnificent images of Bodhichitta, including forms (Vairochana), sensations (Ratnasambhava), notions (Amitabha), emotions (Amoghasiddhi), cognitions (Akshobhya), the six sense-media (Rupavajra, Shabdavajra, Gandhavajra, Rasavajra, Sparshavajra, Samantabhadra), and the six sense-faculties (Kshitigarbha, Vajrapani, Khagarbha, Lokeshvara, Sarvanivaranaviskambhi, and Maitreya), and earth (Lochana), water (Mamaki), fire (Pandaravasini), air (Tara), and space (Manjushri)!

In the presence of the greatly compassionate ones (Maha Karuna Kaya – Buddhas and Bodhisattvas), I confess and repent with proper rites all mistakes caused by misperceptions in this timeless ocean of existence.

The five Great Buddhas of Wisdom are of uncertain origin, although their existence and their appearances appeared relatively early in India. Various symbolic interpretations have been placed upon these five Buddhas better known as the five ‘Dhyani Buddhas.’ They are believed to represent the five great moments in the life of Buddha, the five typical elements of Indian philosophy or the five directions. However the most important attribute that esoteric Buddhism places upon this set of five Buddhas is their ability to transform the five great human delusions into specific positive attributes.

The five Dhyani Buddhas are:

Ratnasambhava

Amitabha

Amoghasiddhi

Akshobhya

Vairochana

Here at the center sits Dhyani Buddha Akshobhya. He displays the bhumisparsha mudra. It is believed that by meditating on this deity the human imperfection of anger can be transformed into mirror-like wisdom.

Just above him sits Amitabha, better known as the Buddha of longevity. He displays the dhyana mudra. By meditating on him, the delusion of attachment becomes the wisdom of discernment. The dhyana mudra helps in achieving this transformation.

At the top right sits Vairochana. He displays the Dharmachakra mudra, and helps mortal beings overcome the delusion of ignorance by transforming it into the wisdom of reality.

At the top left is Amoghasiddhi displaying the abhaya mudra. By meditating on him, the delusion of jealousy is transformed into the wisdom of accomplishment.

Finally at the center of the bottom layer is shown Ratnasambhava displaying the varada mudra. Under his spiritual guidance, the delusion of pride becomes the wisdom of sameness. The Varada mudra is the key to this transformation.

At the right hand of the central image of Akshobhya can be seen Vaishravana the god of wealth, seated upon a white snow lion. His large, rounded body is golden-yellow in color and his expression stern. In his right hand he holds a banner of victory and in his left a mongoose, an animal associated with good fortune, which is shown vomiting jewels.

At the left hand of Akshobhya is Mahakala in his incarnation as Mahakala Panjaranatha or the Lord of the Pavilion. This particular form of Mahakala, easily recognized by the wooden gong he carries across his arms, is a favorite protector of the Sakya Order. He stands heavily upon a human corpse, and holds in his hands a huge vajra chopper and a large white skull bowl full of the blood and guts of demons turned into elixir. He carries across the crook of his elbows an ornamented wooden gandi gong, used in Buddhist monasteries to call the Buddhist monks to assemblies, symbolizing his vow to protect Nalanda monastic university and by extension all Buddhist monasteries.

Finally at the extreme right in the lower layer stands Vajrapani, deep blue in color. He wears a tiger skin cloth wrapped around his waist. This is a symbol of fearlessness. Both of his hands are in the threatening mudra used for overcoming hindrances, and in his right hand he holds a vajra, or diamond-hard scepter. Just as the Olympian Zeus brandishes a thunderbolt as a symbol of his might, Vajrapani wields a vajra symbolic of the enlightened power of spiritual awakening.

This thangka is characterized by a disciplined mastery over line, and though the painting is enchantingly colorful, the hues nevertheless are restrained, lending a homogeneity to this diverse composition made up of both peaceful and wrathful deities.

How about?

Effective Participation in a Puja

keet — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:53:19 +0000

The success of the puja depends on the strength of one’s own karma. If the negative karma is very heavy and is supposed to result in a serious result, pujas can help to alleviate and lighten the problem. But if the negative karma is not so strong, and by the great merit of doing the puja, the obstacle can be eradicated. In whichever case however, the puja still plants powerful imprints and collects merit for avoidance of similar obstacles in the future. No pujas are ever wasted. Even in cases where we do not see tangible results, pujas are always very beneficial for us int he present and especially for our future lifetimes.

3 Simple Steps:

First, generate a good motivation to participate in the puja.
Develop faith and confidence (towards the Three Jewels, the conducting Lamas and the power of the puja itself) throughout the proceeding of the ritual. You may like to do some silent chanting of your own mantra, or a particular mantra advised for the puja session. If possible, you should also visualise the deity of the puja, and think that the deity is bestowing blessings upon you to help purify your negative karma, which is the root to all your problems. At completion of the puja, generate strong confidence and belief that the efficacy of the ritual has taken place, and you have now been purified of all obstacles and downfalls. It is very important that puja participants think this way.
Finally, do a good dedication for the merit which you have accumulated in the puja.

How about?

What Is A Puja?

keet — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 17:55:19 +0000

Tibetan Buddhist High Lamas conducting the Thap Khey Thug Jey puja before Swami’s Divine Presence during the ‘Tibetan Buddhist Chants for World Peace’ programme in February 2010, Prashanti Nilayam.

Puja is a ritual ceremony in which prayers are offered to the Gurus, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas to request their blessings and invoke their help.

Puja, are performed to avert and clear the three types of obstacles: conditions that prevent us from achieving our worldly and spiritual goals -

1. outer obstacles: these affect our day-to-day life, relationships, business and finances;
2. inner obstacles: these affect our health or mental state;
3. secret obstacles: these obstruct the attainment of innate wisdom and everlasting happiness.

They may also be performed for the dying to help pacify their mind, or to guide a deceased to a higher state of rebirth.

Pujas involve reciting sutras (sacred texts), chanting mantras (sacred phrases), visualising Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (enlightened beings), performing mudras (sacred gestures), and offering water, flowers, incense, light, food, music, etc. All these methods generate merit which is an indispensable factor in clearing the locality from diseases, and increases one’s lifespan, happiness and wealth.

Negative karma is being purified, and the merit acquired from the offerings is also used to trigger the forces of latent positive potential in oneself or others. The merit is used to awaken the forces of one’s own or other’s good karma so that obstacles can be overcome. Accumulation of merit also has a positive influence on the spread of Dharma and increases conducive conditions for a practitioner’s development on the paths to liberation and enlightenment.

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What is an Initiation?

keet — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 17:06:41 +0000

Planting a seed of Buddhahood

An initiation is an empowerment ceremony meant to activate certain potentials inherent within an individual. The Master confers vows (which we need to keep purely to properly shaping our behaviour and practice) and gives you the blessings to embark on a particular deity practice.

Receiving an initiation establishes a close affinity between you and the deity – who should be perceived as one with your Master; and after the blessings, engaging in the practice i.e. chanting the mantra becomes more effective and reaps more positive results as compared to one who has not been initiated.

Only qualified Masters who have received the unbroken lineage of the deity are allowed to confer initiation ceremonies. Hence when initiated by qualified Gurus, you receive blessings of your Master and the deity, as well as the blessings of the whole unbroken lineage which traces back to Buddha’s time.

Receiving an initiation purifies all the actions of our body, speech and mind, and removes our moral and mental defilements. With the blessings, it also lays the seed for future transformation of our (laymen) impure body, speech and mind into the pure exalted body, speech and mind of a Buddha. It is like planting a seed, whereby later with the right conditions, the seed will ripen, sprout and grow into Buddhahood.

The blessings are immeasurable, and very precious and helpful to our spiritual practice. Our length is shortened as it helps to awaken the clear and pure nature of our minds, and invoke the innate Buddha potential within all of us. So, we can achieve Enlightenment more swiftly.

How about?

Don’t Waste Your Human Life – Cherish Your Practice

keet — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:35:32 +0000

A body endowed with leisure and fortune is the supreme basis, which is difficult to find.

You have entered into the precious teachings of the Buddha

and, especially, have heard the Vajrayana Dharma.

So don’t waste your human life.

Cherish your practice.

This verse is concerned with one’s precious human life, with the qualities of leisure and fortune, and how difficult it is to find them. Leisure means having time to study and practice the precious Dharma teachings. Fortune means having all the necessary conditions, like interest in the Dharma, texts to study, and access to teachers. These form the critical basis for freeing ourselves from delusion, the cause of suffering. They are the supreme basis for attaining enlightenment.

Directly or indirectly, we have a connection with the Buddhist path and have entered into the precious teachings. Something has caused us to become aware of the precious teachings of the Buddha. The teachings are precious because if we take them to heart and practice them sincerely, they will free us from all suffering; indeed, they are the only way to attain complete joy and happiness. In contrast, the deluded joy and happiness that we ordinarily strive for are temporary and don’t last very long. Maybe we are happy today, but tomorrow we’ll again experience suffering and confusion. Maybe we are balanced for a few moments, but then we go back to the same routine of samsara. The precious Dharma teachings give us an opportunity to uproot our delusions – all the afflictions – they very cause of our suffering. We cannot replace Dharma with other methods; therefore, the teachings are called precious and holy.

The word Vajrayana, the diamond-like vehicle, has become widely known in the world these days, but its corpus of translation and meditation practices are not complete everywhere. Until recently, they were barely known outside Tibet. Even when Buddhism existed in many other countries, the complete Vajrayana teachings, all four classes of tantra, were developed and taught only in Tibet. So it’s quite rare to be able to hear and study these teachings. We who have contact with these teachings are so fortunate, but sometimes we take our good fortune for granted and don’t pay much attention to them or appreciate them.

We cannot waste this life. Making a living is a port of survival for this life but not the most important part. We should regard Dharma practice as the most important part of life because it is the means, the complete method, to free ourselves from all suffering in this life and those yet to come. This is the reason why we should cherish your practice.

an excerpt from: A Complete Guide To The Buddhist Path

by our most precious Guru, Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen

How about?

Supreme Compassion

keet — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:07:36 +0000

Supreme compassion is like a skillful mother nurturing her child.

Abandoning comfort, it engages in the benefit of others.

Therefore, generate the courage of altruistic thought.

This is my heart’s advice.

Supreme Compassion — what is that? Each and every sentient being has some level of compassion. Even wolves and hawks, who constantly try to take others’ lives, have compassion for their own offspring. In taking another’s life, they are acting to protect their own family. Having a mind that wants to free others from their suffering is called “compassion”. Supreme compassion extends to all sentient beings, including one’s bitter enemies. It is more than just sympathy; it is a mind that is willing to exchange one’s own happiness for another’s suffering. When you practice loving-kindness, you wish for all sentient beings to have happiness, but in reality they have suffering and they create the causes of more suffering. Considering that they are victims of suffering, allow strong compassion to arise in you.

A skillful mother will raise her child well. Physically and mentally she will undergo a lot of hardship and will give up her own comfort to protect her child. Compassion is like that: looking at each sentient being as if he or she were your own child. When a child is in pain and crying at night, the mother will abandon her own comfort and sleep. If the child is swept away by water, she will jump in to save her. Whatever the circumstance, the mother will risk her life for her child’s safety and happiness. In the same way, Bodhisattvas possessing great great compassion will sacrifice their lives for others’ benefit. Where there is that kind of compassion, one has no fear or hesitation to sacrifice oneself for others, and one joyfully acts for others’ benefit. This is the real courage of altruistic thought.

Before we act, though, we must develop this though in our minds and practice it. This is what Milarepa did. He spent all his time in the mountains cultivating these qualities. Then, after he actualised them, he came back into the world and benefited sentient beings without any doubt or fear about doing so. He had such great skill! Thus, we too must come to actualise it within our minds before we put it into action for others.

To practice compassion, sit down and take a deep breath. Exhale all your tension and calm your mind. Look at your own suffering or that of one who is close to you. How long to be free from that suffering! Develop such strong determination that no one can take it away from you! Next, expand this mind to include your loved ones. Cultivate enough compassion to free them all from suffering. Then encompass your town or city, even those enemies who destroy your happiness and bring you suffering. In your mind, cultivate sincere compassion wishing that each person were free from suffering. Again, expand that mind to include people in your state, country, and the whole world. Eventually, extend yourself towards all sentient beings everywhere, not just human beings. This doesn’t take much time; it costs nothing. It only requires your interest, mindfulness, and awareness. This heals the wounds in your mind and brings a smile to your face. This is the way to give rise to unfabricated peace and joy.

an excerpt from: A Complete Guide To The Buddhist Path

by our most precious Guru, Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche

How about?

Karma

keet — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 10:23:10 +0000

Bhavacakra, the Tibetan Wheel of Life, depicting the different karmic actions that contribute to one’s metaphorical existence in the six realms.

All felicity and adversity and all joys and sorrows of birth and death and so forth are dominated by our karma.

- Karma Chagme

The Sanskrit word karma literally means ‘action’, though in English it is often used to denote the fruit of an acion.

For sentient beings, karma is the primary force of development. Thoughts, words and deeds based on intention produce an energy that leaves karmic seeds, or traces, in the mind stream. These traces essentially define the course of future events as they ripen under the influence of external factors.

How do these traces affect the future? Consider a building. The top floor does not appear independently; rather, it depends on the first and second floors for its position. In turn, these levels depend on each brick or stone for their stability. If several bricks are defective or placed insecurely, a problem will arise at a higher level. In other words, we can say that the energy from these bricks is transmitted through the whole structure. The traces imprinted on the mind stream influence the nature of the whole stream in a similar way. In the future, the consequences of the acts that left the traces will be experienced.

With regards to the nature of the traces, the Buddha observed that mental, verbal and physical acts motivated by selfless generosity and goodwill produce pleasant and favourable results when the conditions are right. These are the solid bricks. In contrast, those governed by a mind distorted by greed, hatred, attachment, jealousy, pride or delusion are the bricks that lay the ground for future hardships.

These karmic traces or seeds are similar to the latent potential for sound to resonate from vocal chords or for ice to form water. They cannot be discerned, but when stirred by external factors, sound and ice are produced. In the same way, when karmic seeds meet conducive circumstances, a situation arises according to the nature of the seed. In an earthquake, for example, a house constructed with defective bricks might collapse.

The Treasury of Precious Qualities states:

Soaring high in the sky

The eagle’s shadow is lost from sight,

But like action and its resul

The two are intrinsically connected,

And when conditions are ripe,

It will be clearly seen.

The concept that past acts determine future circumstances can be difficult to comprehend. So, let us look at another example. As a youth, you exercised regularly and had a healthy diet. Now you are a middle-aged executive who lives to eat junk food and put his feet up in front of the TV. Even though this lifestyle is unhealthy, you will still reap the benefits of your previous good habits, though they will diminish in time. Equally, the rate at which they diminish will depend on the input of other actions. A diet consisting purely of junk food and exercise limited to switching TV channels will exacerbate a decline in health far more than a mixed diet and moderate exercise. In the same way that exercise primarily affects the continuum of the body, actions influence the continuum of the mind.

The results of one’s acts, however, bear fruit at different periods. They can materialise within the same lifetime that they are committed, within the next lifetime, or at some time far in the future. We might see those that cheat and commit atrocities living in wealth and opulence, while the good and kind are often poor and sick. This kind of situation arises because those that are currently engaged in unwholesome acts but who live in style are reaping the benefits of past positive actions, while those that are kind and generous but who experience ill health or poverty are suffering the effects of former negative actions. In Buddhism, it is often said that to know our past lives we need only look in a mirror, while to know the future we need only observe our present attitude and conduct. The Sutra Of One Hundred Actions describes the connection between cause and result in the following way:

The joys and sorrows of beings

All comes from their actions, said the Buddha.

The diversity of actions creates the diversity of beings.

And impels their diverse wanderings.

Vast indeed is the net of actions!

It is said that for every cause, there are a number of effects, and for every effect, there are a number of causes. Moreover, an outwardly similar act can produce different consequences, depending on various factors. For example, the result of a generous act depends on the intention, the level of assistance offered, the beneficiary, and whether the benefactor regrets or rejoices in the action later. Assistance offered to impress or to gain reward, for example, is like planting a tainted seed. The fruit will be adversely affected. In addition, the value of wholesome action is increased when it is directed towards beings to whom we are indebted, such as the Buddha, the guru or a parent. The law of karma is like a river that twists and turns, absorbing both filth and fresh rain as it cascades down a mountain.

Actually, it is impossible for the ordinary mind to fully grasp the intricacies of the law of karma; it is similar to a blind man trying to imagine a colour he has never seen – it can only be understood through direct experience. Consequently, the Buddha deemed speculation regarding such metaphysical matters a waste of time.

A common misunderstand, however, is to confuse karma with predestined fate. The difference is that with predestined fate, there is no free will. While Buddhism does not deny that our circumstances are generally beyond our control, it emphasises that the way in which we handle them is not.

The following example illustrates this distinction. Some people are in a small boat on the ocean, and a strong wind is blowing, threatening to capsize the vessel. These circumstances arose because of the past actions of those on board, and are presently unalterable. Nevertheless, the people have a choice in how they respond to the situation and to the others, and what they do will determine their future. A selfish response plants the seeds for future suffering, while calm and selfless action lays a foundation for future happiness. In order to make wise choices, it is very important to understand this point.

The Buddha rejected the idea of a soul, or atman. Yet, we have discussed karmic seeds ripening in future lives. What is it that transmit from one body to the next after death? It is the karmic traces, the residual forces themselves. When a snooker ball hits another, the first one stops and the second one continues. They are not the same ball, but there is transference of energy, and the way the first ball was hit determines how the second moves. This is similar to the process of death and rebirth. The Zen monk Ryokan also uses the example of a ball to explain life and rebirth in a playful poem:

Once we start to bounce a ball,

We will only be led on to

Counting: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten,

Only to start again – from the beginning!

The cycle of birth and rebirth is known as samsara, and, as we have seen, is created by beneficial as well as non-beneficial acts of body, speech and mind. However, if even beneficial action leads to further samsaric existence, why did the Buddha admonish his monks, saying: ‘Do not be afraid of deeds of merit’? In addition, why did he teach practices specifically aimed at creating merit?

According to the Mahayana, perfection of the two accumulations (merit and wisdom) is a prerequisite to attaining full enlightenment. Alone, merit does not lead to liberation, but only to higher states within samsara. However, by dedicating the meritorious act to the liberation of all sentient beings, the character of the seed is transformed. If one plants an apple seed, an apple tree will grow. Likewise, seeds dedicated to liberation will lead to liberation. Prior to performing any positive act, one should thus affirm one’s motivation: ‘May all benefits from this act help sentient beings attain complete enlightenment.’ In addition, while engaged in the activity, one should reflect that the giver, recipient and object given are empty of inherent existence. This protects the merit. Finally, the activity should be ’sealed’ by dedicating the merit towards the enlightenment of all beings. In the same way that a drop of water is preserved by adding it to the ocean, dedicating one’s merit to the ‘great ocean’ of beings sustains its power until the fruit of complete Buddhahood is attained.

How about?

The Correct Attitude Towards Criticism

keet — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:12:14 +0000

You must learn how to guard yourself from unjust criticism and how to make use of constructive criticism. You must look objectively at criticism that others give you. If the criticism that comes to you is just, well-founded and given with good intention, then accept that criticism and put it to use. However, if the criticism that comes to you is unjust, ill-founded and given with bad intention, you are under no obligation to accept this kind of criticism. If you know that your attitude is correct and appreciated by wise and cultured people, then do not worry about ill-founded criticism. Your understanding of both constructive and destructive criticism is important.

The Buddha says:

There is no one who is not blamed in this world.

How about?

The Cause Of Jealousy And How To Deal With It

keet — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 15:30:10 +0000

The Cause Of Jealousy

The basic cause of jealousy is selfishness. When a man becomes eccentric and self-centered, he lives only for himself and regards all other beings as his potential rivals. He is envious of their success. He covets their possessions. He cannot tolerate their happiness. He is jealous of their achievements. In the final analysis, he becomes completely unsociable and dangerous, which create problems. Problems can come from many sources.

Dealing With Jealousy

When we come to know the danger of harbouring jealousy, we can then devote our time and energy to the profitable cultivation of wholesome thoughts of kindness and sympathy. We should think that there is nothing for us to lose when others make progress. We should cultivate modesty, eradicate self-centered craving, and develop sympathetic joy at the happiness of others. A person who is imbued with such good thoughts is a blessing to himself and the world at large. The practice of sympathetic feeling for the sufferings of others should be encouraged while at the same time eradicating thoughts of selfishness. A happy and contented life is only attained when one overcomes selfishness and develops goodwill, understanding and benevolence.

The Buddha encouraged His disciples to develop sympathetic or appreciative joy when others are happy, which is an effective antidote to jealousy. They adopt a congratulatory attitude by rejoicing when others prosper and succeed. This may not be hard to do when our loved ones prosper and succeed, but is rather difficult with regard to our adversaries.

Just think: ‘Do we not want to prosper and succeed? Do we not wish to be blessed with happiness? Just as what we would want for ourselves, wouldn’t the others too want to be blessed with prosperity, success and happiness?’

Maintaining such a mental attitude can free a person from much suffering as well as from falling to ruin, especially when ill-will and malicious actions develop from jealous thoughts. It also prevents one from hindering others in making good progress.

On the other hand, we must practice with others who are jealous of our success. Their reaction can sometimes arise because we have not acted with humility. We must be considerate by not flaunting our achievements before others who are less successful. During moments of success, we must recall our past failures so that we may understand better the feelings of others who have performed less well.

When others act against us because of jealousy, guard ourselves against their resentment. We should remind ourselves that we, like others, are owners of our respective deeds (karma). We should think thus: ‘Now what is the point of me getting angry with him? Anger will not solve problems, they will only aggravate the situation. This anger will only create karma which will lead to my own suffering and downfall. By reply to him with resentment, I will only hurt myself like a person who picks burning embers in his hand to hit another with it.’