The crying cow

I found this e-book online 'Do we have a choice?". It is written by Chan Kah Yein who encourages readers to move towards a diet of eating less meat, which is definitely more doable and acceptable than adopting a strict vegetarian diet. 

The author emphasized, "This is NOT a book aimed at making you feel bad that you still eat meat. It is also not a book aimed at trying to convert you into a vegetarian. Rather, this is a book that invites you to consider EATING LESS MEAT. I was motivated to write this book because I observed that most people have a natural compassion for animals. Many do want to eat less meat, not just for health reasons or to reduce one’s carbon footprint, but for the simple reason that we all know animals suffer so much at the slaughterhouses. Out of compassion for these animals, most people do want to eat less meat. But sometimes we just do not know how to start, or maybe we need some motivation to push us to do it". 

You can download the e-book here.  

Here is one interesting story from the book, FOOD for thought.... 

Jas grew up in Sarawak. Her parents were dairy farmers. They kept cows to provide milk for the family and also to generate income. Their cows lived a long life and, even when they could not provide anymore milk, Jas’ parents continued looking after them until they passed on.

One day, many years after having served the family, one cow developed a bad infection on her front hoof. Apparently, such an infection is very hard to heal and would cause great pain. Many farmers would sell these cows to the butcher rather than nurse them. One such opportunist-butcher came to know about this cow with the infected hoof and offered Jas’ parents a fair price to purchase the cow. Jas’ parents, despite being in need of the money, flatly refused to sell the cow. They told the butcher, “This cow has served my family and provided milk for my children for so many years. How can we sell her now that she is old and injured?” 

After the butcher went away, the cow walked towards Jas’ parents. She held up her injured hoof. And she cried. I would like to believe these were tears of gratitude. The cow lived on until she finally passed on peacefully at a ripe old age.


I could totally relate to this story. I have not taken beef for almost 7 years. Although I am not a full time vegetarian yet but I am consuming considerably less meat than I was many years ago. Many of my faithful readers would remember that it was due a dream I had one night after an initiation. I was walking in an enclosed wet big kitchen which was chilly, as if I was inside a freezer. I saw a huge chopping board on a table. On it laid a cow carcass which was just freshly slaughtered. Its body was all white and I saw the head of the cow, its mouth slightly apart, and eyes wide opened. The eyes looked of fear and terror, and they were brimming with tears. Its whole body was stained with blood everywhere. I could still smell its fresh blood. I saw myself cringing in the dream. That was why I did not touch beef from then on.

The above photo was taken in late 2008 in Sri Lanka. Apparently a monk came to a slaughter farm to stop and to save cows from being killed. After he had done so, this white cow fell in front of the monk and prostrated to him! Prostration is a traditional way of paying respect to the Buddhas and Sangha. How amazing is that! 

If you have $8 million, would you give it all back?

I read an article this morning by James Altucher. In one particular section, I find it such a beautiful reminder to us 'suffering' from the daily grind.  

Back in those days, James wanted to run a story about lottery winners, to interview them to know how their lives have changed since their overnight win. He called up the PA Lottery and got a list of all recent winners and started going down the list calling them. Almost nobody wanted to talk to him.  Here's the part....

Finally, one guy spoke to me. He was 65 years old.

“At first it was great,” he said. He had, after his lump sum, about 8 million dollars. “My wife and I retired. We traveled a little bit. And I started my son in business. He sells supplies for boats down in Florida. I gave him all the startup money.

“But then I got diagnosed with severe diabetes. They had to cut off both my legs. Now my wife helps me out but every day is miserable. I wish I was dead. If you don’t have your health, you have nothing. I’d give it all back if I could have my legs.”

 

And then he was silent. I didn’t have any other questions but I didn’t know how to end the call. It felt weird saying, “ok thanks.” But I said, “I’m sorry to hear about that.”

“Yeah. Don’t lose your legs. You can’t ever get them back. There’s nothing good about it. I’d give all the money back if I could get my legs back. My life is over.”

I got off the phone and never wrote the article. The editor called me a few times to see if I had disappeared. I had, in fact, disappeared and never spoke to him again.

Years later, during the Internet boom, I felt like I had won the lottery. Then bad things happened and I wondered if I could ever come back from the bottom. But at least I can still walk.

Play our little secret ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Niece in kindergarten

While packing my cupboard, chanced upon this piece of paper. Had a good laugh.  Was wondering was this written by my niece or nephew.  I guess it was most likely done by my niece because.. look at all the little hearts.... ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  I have also kept many of her drawings as she loves art and craft. 

I think this was written years ago when she would come over to my place after school each day, and spend the afternoons and evenings here.  I don't remember doing up a "To Do" list myself even when I was a kid, so I find this so amusingly cute. My niece just received very good PSLE results and would be going to secondary school next year.  I wish my little curly hair girl do not grow up so fast, at least not so soon. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Renew, anew

Don't get lost in your pain,

Know that one day,

Your pain will become your cure.

Definitely the unmistaken child

Recently I had the chance to visit the little Living Buddha, 9-year-old Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche. He is the reincarnation of the great saint-Mahasiddha, Geshe Lama Konchog, who manifested myriads of holy relics upon his passing in 2001. Little Phuntsok Rinpoche was born in Oct 2002.

Bright and cute Phuntsok Rinpoche with big round piercing eyes

This was the second time I met Phuntsok Rinpoche. The first time was when he visited Singapore in 2007 when he was only 5 years old. When the Little Buddha arrived, about 10,000 devotees thronged to see him to receive his blessings, among them also Christians and Hindus. Just a few months earlier, before Phuntsok Rinpoche's first visit to Singapore, I had a dream of his past life Geshe Lama Konchog. I have never met Lama Konchog before when he was alive and had no connection with him at all.

Geshe Lama Konchog

In the dream I was in a very crowded temple. Every worshipper there was kneeling, praying, doing prostrations and making offerings. The offerings were very unusual offerings. They have huge flower offerings and huge food offerings which I have never seen before. I followed suit by making these offerings. Then a man appeared and told me I must definitely meet his master and that he would bring me to see his master. Then he took out and showed me the photograph of Geshe Lama Konchog!

So when Phuntsok Rinpoche came to Singapore a few months later, I knew I had to pay him a visit to receive his blessings.

This time round, I was very fortunate to be able to see Phuntsok Rinpoche up close and personal. He has grown up quite a bit and is quite mature for a 9-year-old boy. When I met him earlier in the gompa, there were many people coming up to greet him. He was so shy he turned his head and faced the wall. When I called him,"Rinpoche..." he turned around and quickly tapped my head (to bless me) and then he turned his head to face the wall again, and then within seconds, he ran off to hide.

When I met him again later, this time alone, he was totally different, more relaxed. He even said cheerfully, "Gooooooood morniiiiiiing!!". As he climbed up his throne seat, he was serious, polite and soft spoken. I think it is when he is with his peers playing, then he becomes like them, a kid. He blessed me with khata, gave me the blessed red string, chocolate and a pack of incense sticks. I apologised for taking up his time (he was supposed to be having breakfast before going for class), he said "it's ok" meekly. i asked if he needed any books or particular toys, he shook his head repeatedly and said, "no no no..." with a gentle smile. When my friend asked him to bless a particular special deity's photo, he did so and he could even chant the mantra, much to our amazement. I felt so blessed to have made the connection with him.

Here are the clips (10 minutes each) of his entire movie, "The Unmistaken Child", which was about how Geshe Tenzin Zopa (personal attendant of Geshe Lama Konchog) found the reincarnation of his master. Geshe Zopa described the boy as "fatty fatty". Haha! It is so touching that I have watched it a few times. Oh, and a few of my gurus are all inside this movie; His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, and Dagri Rinpoche.

May Phuntsok Rinpoche grow up quickly so that he can continue to turn the Wheel of Dharma by teaching and benefiting his disciples, students and all sentient beings.

Would you tattoo your girlfriend on your back?

Chinese national, Wang Zhijian, is on trial for allegedly killing his girlfriend Zhang Meng in a frenzied attack in her Yishun flat in Singapore. She was found with 44 knife wounds. He is also accused of killing her teenage daughter and a flatmate too.

The couple apparently fell out over durians. Zhang Meng had wanted money from Wang Zhijian to buy durians. When he refused, she called him a pauper, which enraged him and resulted in this tragedy. 

When the couple were on better terms, Wang Zhijian got a picture of his girlfriend Zhang Meng tattooed on his back to prove his love for her, this was revealed in court today.

As a guy, would you tattoo your girlfriend's photo on your body?  Does that make one more faithful? What happens when the relationship turn sour and you have found someone new to love?  Does 'possessing' a part of your girlfriend with you ensure that she will stay with you forever?  Why must one be so attached to a physical aspect of your lover? Isn't that too much attachment? 

I just feel it is so foolish for a grown up man to kill 3 precious human lives in a moment of fury, not to mention the punishment he has to suffer now not just in this lifetime, but future lifetimes as well.

And just the other day, it was reported in the news that everyday, four or five people in Singapore attempt suicide, and at least one succeeds. The causes of suicide are often due to failed relationships and huge debts.  And the number of those who committed suicide are getting younger. It is so sad to hear news like this.

It is so unfortunate and such a waste of precious human life. We have already created loads of good karma and incredible merits in order to be born as a human in this lifetime. Why do we have to waste it due to such foolish acts?  If we do not treasure this precious human rebirth well, do you know we may be reborn as an animal, or hungry ghost or hell being in our next life, through the unbelievable atrocious actions we commit everyday in this life?  

May the souls of the victims whom Wang Zhijian killed rest in peace and may he have a peace of mind and realise/confess his mistake.  May those who need help be able to receive help, may those who need solace be able to find it.  May all human beings treasure their lives well.

Anyhow, be careful what you tattoo behind your back, guys. 

Happy thanksgiving?

For the past 2 weeks, many, especially those from the United States, have been googling "thanksgiving turkey" and I'm gleeful that they landed in my blog post last year, titled "It's thanksgiving, don't kill". It was a post about how my guru Lama Zopa Rinpoche prayed for the 66 million turkeys who were sacrificed for thanksgiving.

Hope everyone had a truly amazing thanksgiving this year, without causing the lives of our white-feathered friends. Have a lovely weekend!

Condemn this cruel act in Singapore

Saw this clip from Cat Welfare Society and I am disturbed and disgusted. It was captured by the CCTV of a local vet clinic, James Tan Veterinary Centre at Whitley Road.  

"This is the footage of what appears to be a large-sized man (with a child) who drives a Mercedes Benz, dumping a cat in the bin of a local vet clinic. The cat (sterilised) was rescued 6 hours later by the clinic staff and is currently recuperating though it's in shock. Please spread the word. Pet abandonment is a crime punishable by law. We hope that folks can help with info that will lead to the identification and apprehension of the perpetrator."

This fat Ang moh man aka. cat dumper has got to be condemned and be held accountable for his act. What is worse then abandoning a cat (supposedly his pet) in broad daylight and dumping it into a rubbish bin, with no air to breathe for 6 hours (till it was found and rescued)? And he was performing such a cruel act in front of an impressionable little kid?  How outrageous is that?

If the cat was not discovered and died due to suffocation, this cat dumper would have created the causes and conditions to be reborn as a cat in his next life. The workings of Karma. Does he even know and realise that?

Please help to spread the word and catch the culprit.

Hear ye, pig's ear..

Saw these in a supermarket the other day, and it kind of grossed me out a little. These are braised pig ears. I do not see these often nowadays but I am sure many restaurants sell them. 

Pig's ears are usually boiled or stewed, and then sliced thin, served with or spiced with chili paste. Pig ears are usually stewed in a classic Chinese red braise of soy sauce, sugar, star anise, and cinnamon, the savory-sweet ear is served chilled and sliced into long slivers. The ears are then cut across in width, each sliver is a cross section of all three elements in the organ. The Cantonese, in particular, like a platter of sliced pig's ear as a cold dish, an essential part of their Chinese dining experience. 

When cooked, the outer texture is gelatinous, akin tofu is crunchy. Like tofu, the cartilage may be mild in taste. I was wondering, since it is almost tasteless, why eat pig's ears? 

I have never tasted pig ears before and I do not intend to try. This is because, when I sight the ears, I would think of how those ears were sliced off the pigs' heads, just as how fins were being sliced off from the sharks.

In other news, it is great to hear that Asia's oldest hotel chain, the Peninsula Hotels group, is taking sharksfin the Chinese delicacy off its menus. From January, diners won't be offered shark's fin products at the luxury Peninsula Hotels chain, due to a decision by its owners, the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels group.

"By removing shark fin from our menus, we hope that our decision can contribute to preserving the marine ecosystem for the world's future generations," the group's chief executive officer Clement Kwok announced in a brief press statement.

Around 73 million sharks are estimated to be killed each year, taking one in three shark species to the brink of extinction. Their fins are hacked off at sea and the carcass discarded in the water in a practice referred to as "finning."

Gyudmed Khensur Lobsang Delek Rinpoche

Recently, I received a piece of wonderful news of one of my foremost gurus in the early days, whom I have only met once but he left an unforgettable memory. He is Gyudmed Khensur Rinpoche Jetsun Lobsang Delek.

In those days, we only know him as Geshe Lama Gyudmed.  He bestowed me my very first Green Tara initiation when he was here on his maiden trip to Singapore. After that, Geshe Lama Gyudmey went on to become the Abbot of Gyudmed Tantric College, one of the famous monastery also known as the Lower Tantric College of Lhasa in Tibet and also one of the 6 major learning monasteries within the Gelugpa School of Tibetan Buddhism. The other famous monastery of tantric teachings is Gyuto Tantric College. 

Gyudmed Khensur Lobsang Delek Rinpoche is a renowned Tibetan Buddhist scholar, one of the esteemed teachers in the Gelugpa tradition, being the teacher of thousands of students, including several important reincarnate Masters. He is also one of the foremost teachers of the "Five Major Texts" at Sera Jey Monastic University in southern India, being known as Geshe 'Uma Gyukpa' (foremost scholar of the Middle Way). 

The recent good news is that Gyudmey Khensur has been appointed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be the 100th Segyu Khen Rinpoche, Abbot of Segyu Monastery.  Only senior, retired abbots of Gyuto and Gyudmed Tantric Monasteries are eligible to be the Abbot of Segyu Monastery in Tibet. In fact, it is the first tantric college of Tibet. After exile, Segyu Monastery has suffered in terms of its practice and precious traditions. So as Abbot, Gyudmed Khensur is called upon and needed to revitalise the monastery. Rejoice!

When he was here with 2 monks on his first trip to Singapore a few years ago, we went on an extensive animal liberation trip.  We took a few bum boats out to the kelong to purchase lots of huge fishes and other sea creatures and to release them.  I was in the same bumboat with Gyudmed Khensur. He was very focused and serious when saying prayers for the fishes, and even after they were released into the waters, he meditated for a long while on his own, gazing at the sea. Afterwards, he broke his serious demeanor, and became his friendly jovial smiley self with a hearty laugh again. Rinpoche is a very very humble monk.

Huge fishes being released to sea

Gyudmed Khensur and monks reciting prayers for the fishes

My godbro with Gyudmed Khensur at the kelong

My godbro and I took plenty of photos with Gyudmed Khensur. My godbro has a very special connection with Gyudmed Khensur.  He is very respectful to Rinpoche, and was particularly attentive to Rinpoche, his very first teacher. After that fateful trip, my godbro has gone on to many other animal liberation activities on his own. May my godbro continue his virtuous activities and may he succeed in his Dharma practice. 

I have only met Gyudmed Khensur once since his first visit. As he is now very busy as Abbot of Segyu Monastery at least for the next 3 years, may I be able to meet him again some day.  May he stay healthy always!

Never give up...

One Earth, One Mission

A beautiful, incredible short film that shares all of life and the future of our planet. I love the shots on greenery. Please watch and share! 

"Peace and the survival of life on earth as we know it are threatened by human activities that lack a commitment to humanitarian values. Destruction of nature and natural resources results from ignorance, greed and lack of respect for the earth's living things. 

Many of the earth's habitats, animals, plants, insects and even micro-organisms that we know to be rare may not be known at all by future generations. We have the capability and the responsibility to ace; we must do so before it is too late. 

Just as we should cultivate gentle and peaceful relations with our fellow human beings, we should also extend that same kind of attitude towards the natural environment. For this generation and for future generations, the environment is very important. If we exploit the environment in extreme ways, we will suffer, as will our future generations. When the environment changes, the climatic condition also changes. When the climate changes dramatically, the economy and many other things change. Our physical health will be greatly affected. Again, conservation is not merely a question of morality, but a question of our own survival. 

If you must be selfish, then be wise and not narrow-minded in your selfishness. The key point lies in the sense of universal responsibility. That is the real source of strength, the real source of happiness. If we exploit everything available, such as trees, water and minerals, and if we don't plan for our next generation, for the future, then we're at fault, aren't we? 

However, if we have a genuine sense of universal responsibility as our central motivation, then our relations with the environment, and with all our neighbours, will be well balanced. Ultimately, the decision to save the environment must come from the human heart. The key point is a call for a genuine sense of universal responsibility that is based on love, compassion and clear awareness."

- His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

It's Lhabab Duchen!

Today is an auspicious merit-multiplying day. Today, Buddhists celebrate Lhabab Duchen, the day where Buddha Shakyamuni's Descent from Tushita Heaven. Anything positive or negative actions today will multiply 100 million times. 

During his forty-first year, Shakyamuni Buddha ascended from Shravasti to Tushita Heaven, and spent the rainy season  there, teaching dharma to his mother, Queen Mayadevi, who had died seven days after Buddha's birth and was thus unable to receive any teaching from her enlightened son.  Mayadevi had been reborn in Tushita as a male god.

A great assembly of the kings and people of the eight kingdoms gathered. As the Buddha descended, a flight of gold stairs appeared, down which he came.  He was accompanied on the right by Brahma, who, holding a white chowry, descended on a crystal staircase, while to the left Indra came down a flight of silver stairs, holding a jewelled umbrella.  A great host of gods followed. 

Thus Buddha descended in Tushita Heaven to repay his mother's kindness by teaching dharma to her and other celestial beings. He remained in Tushita for 3 months. As a result of receiving the teachings, Mayadevi attained the realization of an arhat. 

Romankon Yokohama Katsu Sandwich

Believe or not, this post has been in draft mode for more than a year! I just did not get round to posting it.  Sometimes my mom and I will go shopping in Orchard Road. Mom likes to go Takashimaya because her favourite clothes brand is there.  Sometime last year, we were there again, where mom got a few tops.

We needed a rest, so we had a little tea time break at the basement of Takashimaya, where there were many stalls and shops, especially a few quaint small Japanese cafes. I thought the sandwiches at Romankon Yokohama looked interesting.  Morever, they are handmade Katsu sandwiches.  I love my Japanese food and Pork Katsu.  Both of us shared a set which came with a drink too, nicely packaged.

Romankon Yokohama Handmade Katsu Sandwich

The set came with 2 sandwiches, chips, a cuppa coffee..

It also includes a salad.... I especially like Japanese salad which is light and appetising

Deep Fried Pork Katsu sandwiches with lettuce, onions & tomato and sauce

Very juicy, crunchy, a little unique Katsu with lighted toasted  bread

We also tried the Banana Chocolate Tokyo Crepe from Fukuoka Tenjin, yummy!

Liberation in the palm of my hand

I was inside a gompa for a retreat recently.  A retreat is a spiritual term for taking time off to pray, reflect or meditate, ponder about life and death, and perhaps gain some realisations.  It was not easy sitting on the cushion for a long period of time and doing what I needed to do but I think I am well trained by my guru Lama Zopa Rinpoche (who can teach very long hours between 6-16 hours in a stretch). So it meant I was able to sit still with no body ache, no sickness, no obstacles... and it turned out to be an awesome experience. Yup, if this was what it is going to take, baby steps, to attain Buddhahood, I think I can live with it.

During one of the sessions, while I was sitting on the meditation cushion, chanting mantras, and reading a text, I did not notice a bee flying and landing on the inside of my right palm. I only realised it when I felt a sharp pain. Shocked to see a bee on my palm, I instantaneously swung my hand and pushed it away. The bee landed on the floor of the gompa. Within mere minutes, its tiny body writhed and curled up and it died on the spot.  It should have been a honey bee, which could only sting you with its stinger, lodge into your skin and by doing that, it teared loose its own abdomen, leading to its own death in minutes.  

For the first time in my life, I was officially stung by a bee. Within 24 hours after being stung, my hand became numb and painful, and the next day, it became swollen. Luckily someone gave me an anti-histamine pill. The small wound took about 2-3 weeks to dry up and heal.  I was not really bothered by this little sting. 

A Dharma sister sitting next to me was shocked (to see the bee dying) and she chanted prayers and kept blowing onto the bee on the floor. Because I was not supposed to get up during the session, I spent time cleaning my wound, and also chanted and blowing onto the dying bee too. I was wondering why it had sacrificed its little life just to sting me with its venom. I hope it will have a better rebirth. Nonetheless I think it was blessed to die in a holy place.  I hope it was, literally, liberation in the palm of my hand! Incidentally, there is a book called "Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand", a discourse on the Path to Enlightenment written by the great Pabongka Rinpoche, which we are studying. So it became sort of a joke really, my this bee sting.  Om mani padme hum!

The extraordinary Garchen Rinpoche, the Living White Tara in Singapore

One of my favourite gurus came and just left Singapore.  I am so blessed to have had the chance to meet him personally, at almost the end of his visit here.  I had thought I would not be able to see him this time. His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche is one of my dearest gurus, and whenever he is in town, I would surely pay him a visit. I have already known him for a few years.

This time, when I met Rinpoche in his room, I did not know why but I cried and cried even before I spoke to him. I even forgot to do prostrations. I kneeled down immediately, palm clasped and cried and cried. Garchen Rinpoche is like a dearest Grandpa and Grandma all rolled into one. He hugged me tightly. He quickly asked me to sit beside him. I said no no (I should be kneeling down in front of my guru, lower than my guru). Then he wanted to get up and move to the 3-seater sofa so that I could sit beside him. Again I refused. I should not be sitting side by side with my guru, the embodiment of the Buddha of the Three Times. Garchen Rinpoche then reached out to get me some tissue paper and tried to speak to me in very very basic mandarin.  Then he held my hand and put it on his heart, and closed his eyes for a long while. I knew he was praying for me, blessing me and assuring me at the same time, with overflowing compasssion.  Then he gave me some personal advise, even when I have not uttered anything at all.  He also gave me a White Tara statue and a few other gifts. He gives different disciples different gifts according to their karmic affinity, I guess. How can I not be touched by such a clairvoyant master, a Bodhisattva, the Living White Tara?  In addition, I also renewed my refuge vows with Garchen Rinpoche this time.

To the uninitiated, Garchen Rinpoche is an important high master in the Drikung Kagyu tradition. One of his previous incarnations, Gardampa Chodengpa, was born in 1180 A.D. He was recognized to have been an incarnation of Aryadeva Bodhisattva, a disciple of Nagarjuna. At birth he was able to hold a staff and he chanted the six syllable mantra. In another incarnation as Gar Choekyi Nyima, he chanted the Chakrasamvara mantra more than 13 billion times and became a Mahasiddha. He could perform great miracles, such as curing diseases, preventing wars, eliminating hunger, etc. 

In this lifetime, Garchen Rinpoche was imprisoned by the Chinese for 20 years and put in a labor camp during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Garchen Rinpoche kept on practicing in secret, according to his guru's instructions until he achieved the wisdom-mind realisation which was "an emanation of a Bodhisattva". He was practicing, in "retreat" for 20 years! When Garchen Rinpoche was released from prison in 1979, he took it upon himself to rebuild the Drikung Kagyu monasteries, re-establish the Buddhist teachings, and build two boarding schools for local children in eastern Tibet. Read about his biography here.

A Dharma brother shared with me his encounter with Garchen Rinpoche, who granted him personal refuge during his first meeting with him. When Garchen Rinpoche gives refuge, it is a little different from the norm; he would cut a little bit of your hair, blesses you with prayers, and then he would apply a very special balm to your head.

Garchen Rinpoche said that the hair he cut from you will be placed in a bag with White Tara in it, and whichever holy places Rinpoche goes to, he will do circumambulation and prayers with that bag. When he met His Holiness the Dalai Lama the previous time, he also brought along the bag of hair to be blessed, so that all his disciples and students can receive the equal merits and blessings he receives from His Holiness. 

With White Tara in the bag as well, we are also constantly getting blessings and protections from Mother Tara at all times.  Garchen Rinpoche has assured and even promised us that he will be with us in all future lifetimes until we achieve Buddhahood. How blessed is that?

The special balm (called Blessed Chokor Jodrag) is made from the greasy residue of the precious Gyanagma prayer wheel at Gar Monastery which contains all the words of the Buddha that was miraculously built by the Great Hearer Licchavi Vimalakirti. The balm confers Liberation Upon Smelling and can be applied on the nostril of the sick, dying or deceased. Through the blessings endowed in it, one will be able to repel contagious diseases and be protected. The prayer wheel at Gar Monastery was miraculously hidden away for hundred of years, then uncovered, and then again hidden away at Yeshe Tsogyal's cave when Tibet was invaded by China. Then after the war, when Garchen Rinpoche was released, he re-installed it back at Gar Monastery in Tibet and it has been spinning since. 

Garchen Rinpoche cutting my hair, blessing and apply holy balm on my head during refuge

Before he left that day, Garchen Rinpoche reminded us, "please always pray to Tara. Inside this prayer wheel there is 150 million Tara mantras. I am always turning it for your sake, for the sake of all sentient beings. In one second, this 150 million Tara mantra is rotated once and there are immeasurable benefits ripened. I was involved in a car accident once and it overturned three times but I survived, all because of Tara. I was only very concerned with my prayer wheel when the accident occurred... I covered it with my hand to protect it..... I have accepted your money offering and I owe you debts, so I turn this prayer wheel for you". 

How kind is that??  Read my post last year about this Great Bodhisattva.

Another great news is, the movie about Garchen Rinpoche is already out, titled "For The Benefits Of All Beings", directed by Christina Lundberg, a beautiful film including charismatic storytelling by Garchen Rinpoche himself, interviews with peers and students, historical context using archival footage, unprecedented public and private access to Garchen Rinpoche in over 15 countries, and stunning visuals of Tibet.

 Below is the trailer of this film. Watch the entire film in DVD if you can.

May my precious guru, Garchen Rinpoche have a long and healthy stable life. May he continue to turn the Wheel of Dharma for the benefit of all beings who are suffering in wretched Samsara.

Om Tare Tuttare Ture 
Mama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pustim Kuru Svaha!

Surviving the floods in Bangkok

Hello everyone! I apologise for the long hiatus from blogging, because I am exhausted and preoccupied with some stuff. I am also thinking of the place which I have found (akin to Pureland to me in this samsaric world) which I would like to settle down in, retire, and perhaps to die there next time, if I have the good karma to. No, I don't mean Bangkok.

Anyway, I am sure we have all heard about the floods in Thailand. In Facebook, I have been getting daily updates from my cousin there about the flood situation.  They are definitely affected. Work and life has come to a standstill. Most people are stuck at home. Here are some photos which my cousins have shared and updated about their current daily life now, being stranded at home. They stay in Bangkae, south-west of Bangkok.  I feel it is actually quite fun to have such an experience, at least once in a lifetime. :P

My cousin with her gear and boots et al, standing in the midst of the flood waters.

I wonder how the buses can still function at this stage, but people still need to get to work at some places, right? 

Credit must be given to the Thai Military for transporting the people from place to place. 

Would you want to be stuck like this? 

A mother and daughter in the street, out for shopping? 

The boat has replaced the car and became the mode of daily transport!

The water level is already above the knees. 

Outside my cousin's house, that's their homemade raft!!

Outside cousin's house, over the fence, everything outside is submerged. The road has become a canal!

See my cousin, safe and dry inside his house, watching people outside. Is the man fishing??

They are installing "zinc sheets" outside their fence, to prevent the waters from seeping into the house. 

Loads of sandbags are also stacked up high to control the flood from coming into their property.

See the stark difference of wet and dry, the street outside and inside their house. Suddenly they are like living in an island surrounded by waters.

All due to these powerful electric pumps, pumping the flood waters out. 

The 2 main gates blocked by sand bags. The house compound is dry.

My cousin's security guard at work - patrolling outside - on the homemade raft.  Haha!

The cousin has run out of food supply!  Out shopping on a boat....

 

The Mall in Bangkae - flooded too.

Up to a certain point, my cousin got off her boat and up her car to drive to the Mall !

Frantically stocking up on food, food and food!

Reaching back home with her supply of food...in a boat again!

They even had "luke-chin-moo" today as a yummy treat! 

My cousins took turns cooking every day being stranded at home. So much fun and sibling bonding time. I think it's a blessing in disguise to have this flood.

These boots are made for walking... I mean, flood!

While my cousins hold the fort at home, their parents (my uncle and aunt) are staying in another province with their grand children, playing golf everyday. Hope everything gets back to normal soon, and all my family and friends are safe and sound!  Khop khun ka!!