Vesak Eve

Today the eve of Vesak Day, ABC has already started its celebrations by kicking off the Tara Puja in the afternoon, personally by Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, Abbot of Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal.

I attended the Tara Puja as it helps clear obstacles. Today was ideal because it was not as crowded as tomorrow would be, and I would not have time to attend the pujas tomorrow. What is a puja? A puja is a ceremony in which prayers are offered to the Buddhas to request their blessings or invoke their help. Pujas are performed to avert and clear the three types of obstacles, conditions which prevent us from achieving our worldly and spiritual goals.

3 types of pujas are:

1. Worldly obstacles
- these are affecting day to day life, relationships, business, finances.

2. Inner obstacles
- They affect our health or mental state.

3. Secret obstacles
- Obstructing the attainment of innate wisdom.

By making extensive prayers and offerings with sincere motivation, unfavorable circumstances that bring problems can be changed. It is said that prayers performed by ordained ones are especially powerful and effective as they are done on the base of pure morality. Similarly making offering to the assembled sangha during a puja collects extensive merit and purifies obstacles.

This year in the huge tentage was a huge thangka of Maitreya Buddha. And outside the tentage was the enormous 20-feet statue of Maitreya Buddha as well. Notice his feet are firmly on the ground. If you are interested in ABC's programme, please click here.