It's Chap Goh Mei and summing up the CNY!

In a flash, the 15 days of Chinese New Year has come to an end. Today is the Lantern Festival which is also known as 元宵节. In Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, it is also called Chap Goh Meh.  It is a festival celebrated on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar, the last day of the lunar Chinese New Year celebration. For some, tonight will be another night of get-together to celebrate and feast again.

The CNY was extra meaningful this year as there were many celebrations and events that went on...

On 立春 Li Chun, Lion and Dragon dances in Gaden Shartse Dro Phen Ling...  May the Dharma prosper in the 10 directions! Group of volunteers Lo-hei with His Holiness Dagyab Rinpoche too! So blessed and great team work with dear friends!  

In the midst of CNY celebrations, also received precious initiation and teachings of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom, bestowed by Dagyab Rinpoche.

Our little reunion dinner and lo-hei at home, and time with my beloved Grandma. May my loved ones be happy and blessed with great health and good luck this year.

So privileged to be part of the Jade Buddha Exhibition in Singapore. Although it was physically exhausting, it was fun and full of merits. Received much blessings from Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi too.

This was the last glimpse of the Jade Buddha on the last day of the Exhibition. I was on stage to capture this photo. Love it so much. I witnessed both the unveiling of the Buddha during setup a day before the Opening and this, the closing on the final day after 14 days. Had a memorable time and great team spirit with old and new friends in Amitabha Buddhist Centre. 

Perhaps the below lovely video clip sums up nicely the truly blessed Jade Buddha Exhibition and CNY. The amazing Jade Buddha arrived and blessed thousands and thousands of people who came and made connection. And all these were made possible through the kindness of my guru, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

HAPPY CHAP GOH MEI and how was your CNY?

CNY gifts and blessings to welcome the Dragon year

Today is 人日, the 7th day of the lunar new year. According to Chinese customs, it was the day human beings were created.  On this day, I would like to share some of the gifts I have received prior or during this Chinese New Year period. I am grateful and thankful for the kindness shown all around.

This cake was given to me on one of my past birthdays, drawn by my niece when she was younger. So happy birthday to everyone, every human, as well as all sentient beings! It's everyone's birthday!

This CNY banner is 5-storey high in Takashimaya. May everyone meet and achieve success in the highest possible auspicious conditions in this new year. This is my wish to you.

Early in the morning of the first day of the CNY, a monk approached me and gave me this little Buddha. I cannot think of anything more auspicious than this to herald in the new year.

An aunt from Thailand gave this 'pot of gold' frame. Again so auspicious. May our pockets be filled with overflowing wealth, may we huat ahhh!

I love this fried 'chicken wing' made of delicious beancurd skin and fried with a very crispy satfisfying batter. Mom has been buying special vegetarian food for me, because I am on a 100-day vegetarian diet. As I am not able to take some of the usual CNY dishes and goodies, this is a little blessing I am grateful for.

Mala rosary, a gift from Sarnath, the place where the Buddha first taught and turned the Wheel of Dharma. So blessed!

A special hamper full of blessed goodies and wealth, to create auspicious conditions and for a bountiful successful year. Every year, I spent my CNY eve at Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling to welcome in the new year with pujas and loads of blessings from Dagyab Rinpoche and the Three Jewels.

Received the 8 Auspicious Objects gold coin from dear friends, thank you!  Again so auspicious!

Ang pows from the Jade Buddha, as well as from many loved ones. Thank you so much!

Blessed precious jewels from Bodhgaya, the place where the Buddha became enlightened. So auspicious! I am very touched, thank you very much!

This CNY, I am very grateful that I have the chance to create mountains of merits  by volunteering my time at the Jade Buddha Exhibition, organised by Amitabha Buddhist Centre, especially on the first and second days of the new year. Thankful of the blessings from the gurus, those here and those far away. This photo is a poignant reminder that I have my gurus literally next to me and the Buddha above me at all times.  

Today especially, we 'lo hei' and have yu sheng to celebrate our birthdays. Last but not least, I am grateful for my family, who stood by me for so long, and for our little cosy reunion dinner at home, with some of my favourite vegetarian dishes too. 

I share here Gandhi's 10 fundamentals for changing the world. Well, it is actually changing and transforming our mind first before changing the world.... something which I am still learning.  May you have a blessed CNY. 

A tribute to the Hidden Yogi - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel's Relics

During the recent Jade Buddha Exhibition, there were many holy relics of one of my teachers, the late Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, the former abbot of Kopan Monastery, being displayed. The public was able to receive blessings from the relics of Shakyamuni Buddha, arhats and past high lamas such as Lama Lhundrup and the late Mahasiddha Lama Geshe Konchog.


Here is a video clip in tribute to a great teacher, guru, Bodhisattva... Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, who entered into Parinirvana in Sept last year. Below are some of his relics on display during the Exhibition.

Notice some orbs surrounding some of the relics? (and no, there are not reflections of LED lights).

May we aspire and be able to achieve in realisations and attainments of all holy gurus.

29 Sept 2011 - Project Swift Return 

25 Sept 2011 -  A closer look at the growing relics of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, an amazing blessing! 

20 Sept 2011 - Discovering Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's Holy Relics  

18 Sept 2011 - Devoting to a guru 

13 Sept 2011 - My dream of Lama Lhundrup just after his cremation 

12 Sept 2011 - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's last days and cremation 

9 Sept 2011 - Beautiful memories of Lama Lhundrup 

8 Sept 2011 - Passing into Parinirvana - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel 
22 Feb 11  - Dream of Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup 

28 Jan 2011 -  Khen Rinpoche back in Kopan Monastery 

19 Jan 2011 - Update on Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's health  

14 Jan 2011 - Prayers for Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup 

20 Sept 2010 -  Healing in a matter of time, but it sometimes also a matter of opportunity

Beautiful memories of Lama Lhundrup, 9 Sept 2011

Last night we attended the Medicine Buddha puja held for Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup at Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore. Lama Lhundrup has passed into Parinirvana early yesterday morning at 1am Singapore time. It was also 10th day of the Tibetan calendar, a guru tsog day which was an auspicious day. About 150 disciples and students turned up for the Puja.

In addition, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche has advised that students do Buddha Shakyamuni prayers 7 times every day, and to recite 100,000 Shakyamuni mantras. At the moment, Lama Lhundrup is still in clear light meditation. A time and date for the cremation will be decided as soon as the meditation has finished.

Below is a clip which a Dharma sister has done, in beautiful memories of our dear Lama Lhundrup. I am still used to calling him Khen Rinpoche, when he was the abbot of Kopan Monastery.  May the unmistaken reincarnation of dearest Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup return to us soon. 

My other blog posts on Lama Lhundrup:

29 Sept 2011 - Project Swift Return

25 Sept 2011 -  A closer look at the growing relics of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, an amazing blessing!

20 Sept 2011 - Discovering Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's Holy Relics 

18 Sept 2011 - Devoting to a guru

13 Sept 2011 - My dream of Lama Lhundrup just after his cremation  

12 Sept 2011 - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's last days and cremation  

9 Sept 2011 - Beautiful memories of Lama Lhundrup  

8 Sept 2011 - Passing into Parinirvana - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel  

22 Feb 2011 - Dream of Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup  

28 Jan 2011 -  Khen Rinpoche back in Kopan Monastery

19 Jan 2011 - Update on Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's health

14 Jan 2011 - Prayers for Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup

20 Sept 2010 -  Healing in a matter of time, but it sometimes also a matter of opportunity

Guru Rinpoche 蓮花生大士, The Lotus Born

When I was in ABC for teaching the other evening, I saw a new addition in the gompa - it was a big magnificent beautiful statue of Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche (蓮花生大士) !! Immediately, I fell down on my knees to do 3 prostrations to pay my respect to this Buddha and quickly proceeded to chant a few malas of his mantra "Om ah hum vajra guru padme siddhi hung" as well as his seven-line prayer.

Guru Rinpoche in Amitabha Buddhist Centre

I really love Guru Rinpoche a lot and there is a reason why. I previously had 2 dreams of Guru Rinpoche. The first dream was on Vesak Day. I saw from the dim sky above, the clouds suddenly parted and miraculously appeared a gigantic thangka which rolled down by itself slowly. When the thangka was fully opened, there was a stream of blinding bright light from the sky shining on the thangka which revealed a magnificent Guru Rinpoche! I was so awed.

The second dream was a long dream of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In the dream, when I made an offering to His Holiness, he accepted the offering with his right hand. And when his right palm opened again, a small statue of Guru Rinpoche in magnificent glory was revealed. I teared when His Holiness gave me the statue of Guru Rinpoche in its colourful splendour. 

Recently, a Rinpoche has advised me to chant the mantra of Guru Rinpoche on a daily basis. Since these were auspicious signs, I am especially happy whenever I see Guru Rinpoche or whenever I chant his mantra/prayer.

Guru Padmasambhava, The Lotus Born is popularly known as Guru Rinpoche (Precious Guru). He was born after the 24 years of Parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni and is renowned as the Second Buddha. He is the essence of Buddha Amitabha, who conceived the thought of enlightenment in form of Avalokiteshvara, and from the heart of Avalokiteshvara, Guru Rinpoche is born from the lotus, emanated from the seed syllable 'HRIH'. He is a great Tantric Buddhist Master.  Guru Rinpoche has 8 Manifestations and spent his life in Tibet between 747 A.D. to 765 A.D. He is said to remain in the "immortal rainbow body of transference". He had 25 great disciples who were instrumental in preserving the teachings of Lord Buddha till today through various manifestations. Here is a brief story of Guru Rinpoche.

What are the benefits of the sacred mantra of Guru Rinpoche? Guru Rinpoche revealed  these to his closest disciple, Yeshe Tsogyal. In his own words....

In the future, such times will befall sentient beings and both in a temporary and in a long term sense, the benefits of the Vajra Guru mantra can be definitely be felt. Since my spiritual instructions and the methods of practice that I offer are immeasurable, I have hidden a great number of treasure teachings in the water, rocks, the sky and so forth. In these evil times, even individuals with fortunate karma will find it difficult to encounter these teachings. It will be difficult to bring together the necessary circumstances for these teachings to be revealed. This is a sign that the collective merit of beings is on the wane.

However, at such times, if this essence mantra, the Vajra Guru mantra, is repeated as much as possible, a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times, a hundred thousand times, a million, ten million, a hundred million times and so forth, if it is repeated in holy places, in temples, next to great rivers, in areas where gods and demons abound, if it is recited in these places by tantric practitioners with pure samaya, by people with monastic ordination who maintain their vows purely, by men and women who possess faith in the teachings, if they give rise to bodhicitta on a grand scale and recite this mantra, then the benefits and advantages and energy of such practice are truly inconceivable. This will avert all of the negative forces of disease, famine, unrest, bad harvests and all bad omens and indications in all the countries of the world, such that the rain will fall in a timely manner for the crops so there will always be a plentiful supply of water for agriculture and for human and animal life, and all regions and areas will experience prosperity and auspicious conditions."

In this life, in future lives, and in the intermediate state between death and rebirth, these individuals who practice in this way will meet with me again and again. The very best of these individuals will actually meet me in their waking consciousness. Those of middling degree of attainment will meet with me again and again in their dreams. Gradually perfecting the different paths and levels of their practice, they will attain to the ranks of the masculine and feminine holders of intrinsic awareness in my pure land in the continent of Ngayab. Have no doubt of this.

If this mantra is recited 100 times a day, merely a 100 times a day without interruption, one will become attractive to others and will effortlessly come by food and wealth and the necessities of life.

If one recites it a 1000 or 10,000 times on a daily basis, one is able to literally overwhelm others with one's brilliance, in the sense of becoming very charismatic and influential in exerting a positive influence over others, and one will gain unhindered force of blessings and spiritual power.

If one repeats it a 100,000 times or a million times on a regular basis, one will become capable of effecting an immeasurably great benefit for beings, exactly as one would wish to.

If one recites the mantra 3 or 7 million times, one is never separate from the Buddhas of the three times and one becomes inseparable from me. All the gods and demons of existence will attend to one and offer their praises.

In the most excellent cases, individuals will attain the rainbow body, and the final level of attainment in this lifetime. On a more middling level, at the moment of death, the mother and child aspects of radiant luminosity will meet. At the very least, individuals will behold my face in the bardo state and all the appearances of the bardo state will be free in their own ground such that these individuals will be reborn on the continent of Ngayab and from that vantage point, be able to accomplish an immeasurable amount of benefit to beings.

The Vajra Guru mantra is: 

OM AH HUM VAJRA GURU PADME SIDDHI HUNG

Together with this mantra, one can make supplication to and invoke Guru Rinpoche with his seven-line prayer.

Guru Rinpoche said, “To this very prayer, you can give your whole mind in devotion. When a disciple calls upon me with yearning devotion, and with the melodious song of the Seven-Line Prayer, I shall come straightaway from Zangdokpalri, like a mother who cannot resist the call of her child."

Birthdays are really no big deal

Just realised I totally forgot about my June month end summary of pics. Nevermind, It's my birthday month, so I deserve a break. Ha! My birthday came and passed.  For those who know me well, they know I do not like to make a big fuss over my own birthday, for it is just another day to me (albeit  being officially older and way past the eligible age for everything!). I am also shy and prefer to be low profile. Also, from what I learn ed spiritually, there is no "i" phenomena. We should not feel so attached to ourselves, glorifying ourselves all the time. I was a little bemused that a couple of friends kept asking me what I was going to do on my birthday, and afterwards what I did for my birthday. What's the big hooha?

I received many well wishes and greetings from Facebook and Twitter, sms, and many private messages, from I think over 200 friends and family.  I am very heartened and touched by the attention. Over the years, I have learned to manage my own expectations. When you expect and have high hopes from people (especially close ones), you may get disappointed as a result (this is what I mean by "attachment"). Hence, no expectation means beautiful surprises. Nonetheless, a couple of weeks prior to my birthday, I met up with some friends, always with one or two close friends, over a cuppa or a simple meal.  They were all "quickies" short meetings. Catching up was more important than "birthday celebration".  And I also had makan with my family, so I am very grateful.

 

Special high tea set for July from TCC, they have different high tea set every month. A wonderful spread of sweet and savoury snacks and bites. Quite filling too.

Love the Cheese Chiffon Cake from Tampopo Deli as always, light and fluffy cream, not excessively sweet too.

Ham & Pineapple Quesadilla from DOME.  I love quesadillas here as it is light and juicy, plus generous salad and potato chips!

Premium Bento set from Sakae Sushi was value for money with its variety of dishes.

Quick lunch with a close friend in V8 with their V8 Special Dish - Chicken with with their V8 special sauce.

Traditional Banana Split. I actually used to dislike banana split and never order them at all. So I broke record finally. Have not had Banana split since my secondary days. It has kind of grows on me now. Love the black sesame ice cream flavour. Haha!

Who can say no to warm Molten Lave cake and ice cream? From Cheeky Chocolates?

Ramen from a Japanese joint. So-so ramen but egglicious soup stock.

Thai set lunch from Thai Express - Basil Pork rice set with Tomyum soup and drink. Full of fragrant flavours and comforting.

Enjoyable Steamboat dinner with my whole family at Thien Kee, the famous Hainanese place for chicken rice, porkchop and steamboat.

I have reviewed Thien Kee before in an earlier post.  We are quite predictable in the dishes, always ordering the steamboat with assortment of ingredients, chicken rice, pork chop, satay and Kailan veggies.

Finally ON the day itself, on my birthday, it was a normal working day.  I  had appointment and meetings outside. I was vegetarian that day. This was my lunch alone from Cedele - Mixed Veggies Ciabatta. Cedele has a good variety of meals for vegetarians. The Mixed Veggies sandwich was so good and juicy with red pepper, pumpkin, plum chutney, tomato, greens.

In the evening, brought the parents to Yes Natural Vegetarian Restaurant for a quick dinner. Delicious vegetarian dishes, watch out for my next post on this restaurant.  I found it significant to give my parents a treat especially on my birthday, for without them, where would I be, right?  Thanks, Pa & Mom!  

After dinner, I attended the Namgyalma puja in Amitabha Buddhist Centre, because 6 July was also His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's 76th birthday. I make it a point to attend this long life prayers for His Holiness every year, because he is a very very important guru to me, and also, participating in his long life prayers on my birthday also ensure I have a long life too.  So auspicious and I am very privileged.  A friend asked, "so you gonna spend your birthday in a temple eh?". Well, it is not what it seems to the uninitiated. ABC is a nice modern buddhist centre, a quiet place to do your prayers and meditation and studies. It is not like what we envisage a Chinese Mahayana crowded temple would be. It was only a 2-hour session at the end of the day. And I get to eat blessed cake (His Holiness' cake) too. I am so lucky.  

Before the puja, this beautiful new thangka of the beautiful and glorious White Tara (she bestows longevity) was unveiled.  The thangka just arrived and sent by my guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who is currently recuperating from stroke in Kopan Monastery. He wrote on the thangka, "specially for my students in ABC centre.... etc....".

My birthday gift from my sis. Thank you to her and my friends who gave me gifts and the treats.

Ang pow from my parents. I had a meaningful birthday these couple of weeks.  Diet time!  Merci beaucoup!

Here is a one-minute clip where His Holiness the Dalai Lama talks about making the most of each new day from his address at celebrations honoring his 76th birthday held in Washington DC, USA, on July 6, 2011.