My dying friend

It is painful to watch life wither away slowly. Often, I'm not sure the dying suffers more or those who are alive watching the dying suffer. The fragility of life. The impermanence of life. 

I have known my 57-year-old Dharma sister for about 4 years. Comparing the chatty person she used to be to what she is now, is a completely different picture. She was the chilli padi who would not mince her words at certain times. She was a real live wire who would talk nonstop. She often describes herself as 'a monkey who cannot sit still, jump here and there'. The only time she is quiet is during a puja/teaching or when her guru is in front of her. She would spend hours just telling me stories of her gurus as well as their kindness. She herself has a kind heart. She would not hesitate spending money on beautiful offerings for her gurus. The material offerings she offered would always be delicately carved or chosen from the best quality. She is never worried about not making enough money, for it would only mean driving a longer 12-hour shift in her taxi. And most of her hard-earned money was offered to her gurus, or the Sangha community or charitable causes. She told me she drove a taxi because she could share the Dharma with her passengers, giving them little holy objects or sharing her wonderful experience with them. Even on her dying bed now, she is still thinking about her gurus and how to make offerings to them. In this aspect, I do admire her pure motivation. 

Last time, she used to drive me in her taxi to her favourite eating places. One of them is the Yong Tau Foo stall in Geylang Bahru. She always had her usual order 'customised', yong tau foo pieces in soup, and dry bee hoon on a separate plate, with no oil and no lard. She also likes the Teochew bee hoon fishball soup in Beach Road, with just fishballs and minced meat, and without fishcake. She is always hungry and she has a ravenous appetite. When she cooks at home, she would stir fry a huge plate of vegetables and a simple bowl of soup, and down 3 bowls of rice. She told me she is a 'png tang' (teochew for 饭桶). When she was undergoing her chemo-therapy treatment a few months ago, she wanted to go to a Korean restaurant in Katong, to have Samyetang, the best korean ginseng chicken soup, so I accompanied her there. Both of us had our own huge pot of the ginseng chicken soup and dozen of tiny dishes. Afterwards I brought her to a cafe and asked her to try the mixed berries panna cotta for dessert, which she totally loved. She was really very happy that day.  

Four years ago when I just got to know her, she told me upfront, she was not one who made friends easily, as she preferred to be alone after she was first diagnosed with cancer about 5 years ago. She did not like people to talk too much to her (I think it was because she would be the one talking most of the time, haha!). So as her friend, I am the listener. Although we have differing opinions at times, I know she trusts me. A few weeks ago, I visited her when she was first admitted to the hospice, and before I left, she held me my hand tightly, and kept thanking me, 'Thanks for coming to see me. I really really appreciate it. You know you are very close to me, right?'. I held back my tears because I did not want her to be sad and did not want her to see me sad. I broke down only when I went outside. 

Watching my friend suffering from the ravages of cancer now is a stark reminder to put our Dharma knowledge into practice. Seeing friends come together to offer prayers and concern for our friend, and everyone's earnest efforts in doing their part is really heartwarming. Troops and troops of friends come to see her almost daily, offering prayers, holy objects and food. I see how a couple of friends give her massages to soothe her aching pain from the cancer and morphine injections. The lumps on her are becoming more apparent, turning red and then to darkish colour. She is becoming weaker, tires easily, and sleepy all the time. However painful it is, she does not complain much at all. 

I was telling my mom how my friend has different cravings now, like she had asked me to buy her prawn noodles from Joo Chiat, and mee tai mak soup, and then cup noodles, and pomelo. My mom told me, 'Just get her what she wants. Whatever she wants to eat, let her eat. Just do'. That is what I am trying to do. Despite the emotions and some disturbing episodes I encounter during this period, I am just trying to fulfill a dying person's wishes, no matter how small a request it may be. My main motivation is to help a Dharma friend. She has been kind to me, and I should repay her kindness in return.  

May my friend be in a peaceful state despite her pain, and I hope that when the time comes, may her departure towards a better future life be smooth and blissful. May everyone around her ensure a quiet and calm environment for her, devoid of sadness and tears, for at the point of death, it is most crucial that the dying should not be disturbed as her consciousness prepares to take rebirth for her next life. No matter how long or short our life is, this is just another phase before we are born again. Om mani padme hum! 

When attachment is our nemesis

Reading the above quote, I thought about one particular verse in the "Eight Verses of Mind Transformation"

When someone I have benefited

And in whom I have placed great trust

Hurts me very badly,

I will practice seeing that person as my supreme teacher.

Venerable Thubten Chodron said, 

"This speaks about somebody we have benefited, who has been our best friend, whom we’ve trusted and told our secrets to. Then this person turns around and does exactly what we don’t want them to do. We feel vulnerable and hurt. When we are hurt, it’s often because we’ve held unrealistic expectations of others (they are not going to change). Think of a situation in which you felt hurt. Did you have accurate expectations? How did they cause you to feel betrayed, disappointed or disillusioned?

When we are hurt, it’s because our buttons have been pushed. Our buttons are our responsibility — as long as we have them, they will get pushed. That person becomes a great teacher by pointing our clearly what we need to work on, thus giving us the chance to resolve areas of internal conflict. When people we’ve trusted: break or ruin things, don’t keep commitments, criticize us, break off the relationship, talk behind our back, stop loving us, or give us bad recommendations. We need to see them as our supreme teacher.

What are they teaching us? Compassion. Abandoning expectations. Being flexible. Letting go of clinging to a solid image of somebody else. Patience that gives other people space to make mistakes. They are people just like we are."

The Power of Forgiveness

HH Dalai Lama with Richard Moore

This is a wonderful and powerful teaching by His Holiness the Dalai Lama who spoke about "The Power of Forgiveness" at the University of Limerick, in the Republic of Ireland. His Holiness was invited by Richard Moore.

Richard Moore, the founder of the charity ‘Children in Crossfire’, was blinded accidentally by a rubber bullet fired at point blank range into his face by a British soldier in 1972. Moore had not only forgiven the soldier who fired the rubber bullet, but he had also befriended him.

The Dalai Lama called him “my hero” and said that “Richard Moore has led an exemplary life. He has put compassion in action”. The sense of forgiveness and humanity shown by Richard Moore is an example for the world to learn to overcome negative emotions such as anger.

Moore, 48, recounted that after he realised that he would never see his parents’ faces again, he cried one night until he fell asleep. He said that he had accepted the situation he was in just like that (snapping his fingers), and said: “Forgiveness is a gift for yourself.”

“I have learned to live in a different way. One can take away one’s sight, but one cannot take away one’s vision.”

I hope you take some time to listen to this teaching by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Also, toward the end of the video, a wonderful song for His Holiness.... 

"If you like to take it in, I would like to let it go". 

Garchen Rinpoche's teaching on ice blocks and water

Garchen Rinpoche was teaching "live" from Los Angeles on 25-27 Nov 2011, about the Amitabha Buddha practice. This picture was a screenshot I took. I have transcribed and summarised a small part of his teaching here.

Garchen Rinpoche said that all humans have the Buddha nature. However we do not know that we possess that Buddha nature.  Take the analogy of ice blocks and water.  We humans are like ice blocks, frozen and deluded. Because we do not know we have Buddha nature, we are like ice blocks; when we meet together and interact with each other, we can hurt each other.  On the other hand, the water does not have such problem.  This is the ultimate difference between sentient beings and the Buddha.

Hence we must know how to supplicate to the Buddha, to obtain his blessings, protection and strength. We must supplicate to the Buddha because the Buddhas have promised to look after us. Therefore we must give rise to faith and devotion and in that way, we come close to receiving their blessings. 

It is like the example of a child who is very hungry. If he is hungry and yet his mouth is always closed or does not open his mouth, how can he take the food to fill his hunger? And no matter how much a mother loves her child, she cannot help him if the child does not open his mouth to take the milk. In the same way, the Buddhas cannot bless us if we do not make the effort to supplicate to them and to reduce our suffering.

Where is the 'self' we believe we have?  There is no 'self' in the body, and there in no 'self' the mind. We always thought of 'I'. We think there is the existence of the self-grasping 'I'. Yet we cannot find the 'I' externally. If we continue searching for the 'I', we continuously create samasara, we continuously create suffering. When there is no self, we give rise to the altruistic mind.  The mind will feel at ease whenever there is no self. Then there is peace in mind, and you will have happiness which arise easily.

Happy Chotrul Duchen!

Today, March 8, is Chotrul Duchen which in Tibetan means the Festival of Miracles. Today is the final Day of Miracles which marks and celebrates the first 15 days in which Buddha Shakyamuni performed great miracles in order to subdue the heretical teachings of those who opposed him. The tradition of observing these 15 days of miracles are said to increase the merit and devotion to Dharma practice of future disciples. The merit of any activity today is multiplied by 100 million times.

How appropriate then that I quote this teaching from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, taken from The Path to Enlightenment (edited and translated by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications). 

What is progress? How do we recognize it? The teachings are like a mirror before which we should hold our activities of body, speech, and mind. Think back to a year ago and compare the stream of activities of your body, speech, and mind at that time with their present condition. If we practice well, then the traces of some improvement should be reflected in the mirror of Dharma.

The problem with having expectations is that we usually do not expect the right things. Not knowing what spiritual progress is, we search for signs of it in the wrong areas of our being. What can we hope for but frustration? It would be far better to examine any practice with full reasoning before adopting it, and then to practice it steadily and consistently while observing the inner changes one undergoes, rather than expecting this or that fantasy to become real.

The mind is an evolving organism, not a machine that goes on and off with the flip of a switch. The forces that bind and limit the mind, hurling it into unsatisfactory states of being, are impermanent and transient agents. When we persistently apply the practices to them, they have no option but to fade away and disappear.

Ignorance and the "I"-grasping syndrome have been with us since beginningless time, and the instincts of attachments, aversion, anger, jealousy and so forth are very deeply rooted in our mindstreams. Eliminating them is not as simple as turning on a light to chase away the darkness of a room. When we practice steadily, the forces of darkness are undermined, and the spiritual qualities that counteract them and illuminate the mind are strengthened and made firm. Therefore, we should strive by means of both contemplative and settled meditation to gain stability in the various Lam Rim topics.

Happy Chotrul Duchen!  And oh yes, today is also International Women's Day. 38 妇女节快乐!! May you be happy always.

2012 Grand Puja of Obstacle-Clearing & Prayer Blessings by Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling

It is time again for the very popular Grand Puja which many Singaporean Buddhist devotees look forward to! Happening at the end of this month 24-26 Feb and organised by Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling, the very large scale pujas are conducted by 15 monks from Gaden Shartse Monastery, as well as personally graced by His Holiness Dagyab Kyabgoen Rinpoche. 

  

Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling is a direct collegiate affiliate of Gaden Shartse Monastery, (whose gurus are His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the late Kyabje Lati Rinpoche, the late Kyabje Trijiang Rinpoche and Zong Rinpoche, among many great high lamas). The name, Dro-Phen Ling, was auspiciously conferred upon by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, which means "a place to benefit beings". 

His Holiness Dagyab Kyabgoen Rinpoche and entourage of monks from Gaden Shartse Monastery

This will be a long post as I am excited to share with you these grand pujas and initiations in detail, because some of these will be conducted for the very first time in public. Past pujas of this scale have benefitted so many Singaporeans who came seeking to clear their illnesses, and/or obstacles, or simply for the blessings from the Three Jewels.  In these Dharma degenerating times, whilst teachings are of extreme importance as they plant the karmic seed and affinity to meet the Buddha Dharma again in future lifetimes, PUJAS are also equally relevant as they help to clear our present problems, illnesses and obstacles, cutting away our karmic delusions and afflictions, so that we are able to practice the Dharma without hindrances, without obstacles, without delay. 

This Grand Puja also coincides with Losar, the Tibetan New Year, which starts on 22 Feb 2012. It is the beginning of very important 15 holy days where the Buddha had performed miracles and where merits are multiplied by 100 million times. How incredibly wonderful and auspicious to be able to participate in this Grand Puja during Losar and to receive huge blessings and merits!

GRAND PUJAS

1. Powerful Tara Demon-Subduing Obstacle-Clearing Grand Puja

24/02/12 (Friday),10.00am to 12.30pm

During Dharma degenerating times, Green Tara is a very effective practice to counter the occurrence of diseases, supernatural harassments, natural disasters and terrorism. This is an extremely powerful puja amongst all Tibetan Buddhist rituals, and has the swift efficacy to drive away calamities, huge obstacles, supernatural harassments and destroy black magic spells. It is especially beneficial for patients who have been ill for a long time, as well as those who are in perpetual bad luck or failed business.

This powerful ritual employs the use of many special and rare ingredients, and enables one to 

- repay karmic debts to our past lives’ karmic debtors
- subdue demonic forces and evil spirits immediately 
- swiftly destroy black magic and evil spells
- restore peace immediately

2. Grand Leng Chag Torma Debt-Repayment Puja
24/02/12 (Friday) 3:00pm to 5:00pm

Since beginningless time, we have been trapped in this uncontrolled cyclic existence of samsara, and have undergone countless rebirths. Although we are unable to recall what we did in our previous lives, it is certain that we would have committed many acts of greed and hatred out of our ignorance - which explains why we are still unable to be liberated from samsara. It is also certain that we would have accumulated many debts in all lifetimes, like owing someone a sum of money, or harming or causing the death of other sentient beings.

When we do not repay such debts and they accumulate, these debtors may one day return to seek revenge, especially during times when we are experiencing low luck. They can cause various obstacles, from illnesses to problems at work, sleepless nights,nothing seems to go smooth, or in worse scenarios, could even be fatal. 

Through this Leng Chag Torma Puja, by offering torma (ritual cake offerings) to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Protectors, and together with the immaculate blessings by the Holy Speech of the Buddha’s scriptures, we purify our negative karma that we have accumulated over previous lifetimes and pay off these incurred debts.

3. Grand Fortune Puja of Calling Back The Soul & Luck

25/02/11 (Saturday),10.30am to 12.30pm

This is the first time this rare puja is being conducted in public. So do not miss this. 

It is a samsaric phenomenon that the sentient beings are reborn due to karmic relation and delusions, where their lives are interrupted and endangered by the acts of gods, demi-gods, nagas, lords of land and terrifying spots/sights etc. On realizations with love and compassion, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have disclosed this tantric ritual where the benefit is immense and effective in saving lives.

The Immediate Cause of Losing Soul: 

- occurrence of frightening and terrifying dreams in sleep. 

- visiting dreadful and scary places like high mountains, dense forest, isolated spots and houses where violent spirits live. 

- unconscious wandering of mind and sleeping on peaceful, pleasant meadows etc. 

The Visible Signs of "Lost Soul": 

- appearance of dull body complexion 

- appearance of dull facial complexion

- loses skin texture and richness 

- loses personality charm and confidence 

- appearing complicated fearful dreams 

- intense terrible thoughts in the mind are the clear signs of being "Lost Soul". Due to these circumstantial immediate causes, the individuals lose their "soul" and eventually "die". The practical approach to triumph over the lost soul and to save the life and; this specific Tantric Ritual could invoke the soul and bring back good luck. 

4. Career Blessing and Business-Boost Grand Puja 

25/02/12 (Saturday), 3.00pm to 5.00pm

For businesses and careers to progress smoothly, there are many underlying conditions, many of which we are unable to influence with our own limited strength. For us to accomplish success in our business or career, we need to have the merits; for without which there can be no form of attainment. Without merit, even if a promotion is impending, for some reasons the promotion will go to someone else. Without merit, despite being friendly and nice to others, they do not appreciate and instead find opportunities to pick on you. Without merit, even if you had done everything conscientiously, problems crop up at the last moment and affect the whole project. Without merit, even if someone were to recommend a client to you, for some reasons, you will not be able to take up the job. Or even if you have completed a job, you will not be able to receive its payment. Such are the obstacles which make the journey tough and arduous. 

Participating in this puja and making offerings to the Three Jewels, as well as the surrounding deities and land gods, increases our bank of merits. This puja invokes the blessings of all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Deities and Protectors, and also appeals to the area gods for their timely assistance. With divine protection and blessings, obstacles are cleared, positive conditions in workplace improve and opportunities for businesses also increase. Interested participants can bring along personal namecard. 

5. Red Tara Attraction of Wealth & Power Grand Puja 

26/02/12 (Sunday), 10.30am to 12.30pm 

This puja attracts blessings of power and wealth and this is the very first time it is being conducted in Singapore. Red Tara, who is one of the 21-Tara emanations, is a very powerful deity who subdues the three realms – desire, form and formless realms. She is red in colour, symbolizing the activity of power and magnetizing. 

The Red Tara puja confers the power of magnetising everything beneficial, summoning and attracting all the positive and helpful conditions in all aspects (career, business, family, and of course spiritual practice) - with the ultimate aim of benefitting all sentient beings. By engaging in the Red Tara practice, we can draw the essence of magnetizing power, health, wealth, wisdom, obstacle-clearing... to successfully accomplish both the temporal and ultimate happiness of all sentient beings. 

With pure motivation, we will beable to receive great blessings of the inconceivable magnetizing power of Red Tara; and every action becomes a direct cause for enlightenment and all virtuous minds.You can bring along your Red Tara power & wealth vase for recharge of energy during the puja. Or if you are interested, you can sponsor and invite a Red Tara power & wealth vase home.

6.  21 Taras Grand Offering Puja for Success & Fulfillment 

26/02/12 (Sunday), 3.00pm to 5.00pm 

Tara is a fully enlightened Buddha, her enlightened activities are numerous and powerful beyond comprehension. At a relative level, she is associated with conferring blessings of obstacle-clearing, longevity, prosperity, protection and so forth. At an ultimate level, she confers all the wisdoms for the realization of the ultimate state of Buddhahood. There are many aspects of Tara, of which the 21-Tara emanations perform different activities and confer swift blessings of health, prosperity, success and power and so forth. 

Tara’s colour also corresponds to each enlightened activity as mentioned above - White Tara for pacifying; Yellow Tara for increasing; Red Tara for subjugating; and Green Tara for wrathful activity. 

There are four different types of enlightened activities, and each activity isrepresented by a different colour:

1. Enlightened activity of Pacifying (white colour) - Pacifying illnesses, obstacles, dangers, supernatural harassment, black magic etc all of which would create hindrances to our life and dharma practice

2. Enlightened activity of Increasing (yellow colour) - Increasing positive conditions for merit, success, happiness, health, longevity, peace and prosperity in one’s life and dharma practice

3. Enlightened activity of Subjugating (red colour) - Subjugating and overcoming external forces (both human and non-human), which cannot be tamed through peaceful methods of the earlier two activities.

4. Enlightened activity of Wrath (black colour) - Involves wrathful and forceful methods to accomplish activities for enlightened purposes, which cannot be achieved by engaging in any other methods

INITIATIONS 

1. Vajrasattva Purification Jenang Blessing Initiation

24/02/12 (Friday)7:30pm to 9:30pm

There will come a time when we enter the dark age when Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings will no longer exist, and beings' minds will be increasingly obscured by emotional afflictions and unhappiness. For thousands of years, delusions, negativity and misfortune continue to grow, and beings will degenerate. Their lives will be fraught with many misfortunes and calamities, and their lifespans will decrease to only ten years old. 

As our late guru, Kyabje Lati Rinpoche said, in order to have the realizations of the path, we have to make our mental continuum receptive and ripe for such realizations, by purifying negativities and accumulating positive potential. Another Kadampa master said, "Because the nature of all functional things is impermanent, if someone engages in the practice of purification, accumulates positive potential, practices visualizing the celestial mansion, and does the sadhana with great effort, what may now seem impossible to achieve, like high realizations, will come about one day." 

Therefore, the practice of Vajrasattva meditation and recitation is very important and effective in purifying all obstacles. Unless we do purification practices to eliminate the negativities, our present store of negativities will continue to increase. As explained in the tantra - Ornament of the Vajra Essence - doing the Vajrasattva practice and reciting the 100-syllable mantra 100,000 times is said to purify the negativities if done properly, together with the four opponent powers. Refer here for the Vajrasattva practice. 


2.  Buddha Maitreya Jenang Blessing Initiation 

25/02/12 (Sat) 7:30pm to 9:30pm

Buddha Maitreya is the next Buddha after Buddha Shakyamuni, the 5th Buddha of this Fortunate Aeon, and is the embodiment of the loving-kindness of all Buddhas.

5000 years after Shakyamuni Buddha, driven by overwhelming compassion, Maitreya will manifest in the world as a great spiritual teacher, demonstrate the path of virtue, and inspire countless beings to take on the path of practice. Maitreya will particularly spread the teachings on loving kindness, resulting in the fortune of the beings in this world to change. As beings gradually abandon their deluded attitudes and unskillful actions, their lifespan increases, and after many ages, the life expectancy of humans will grow enormously and then slowly decrease again - until the human lifespan is about a hundred year.

According to the prophecy of all Buddhas, this will be the time when Maitreya Buddha will appear in this world as a universal teacher. Buddha Maitreya will give direct spiritual guidance to millions of disciples, leading countless beings to become Arhats, Bodhisattvas and fully-enlightened Buddhas.

This initiation specially conferred by His Holiness Dagyab Rinpoche is to make special karmic connection with Buddha Maitreya, so that we can become his disciples and receive his teachings directly when Buddha Shaykamuni’s doctrine has degenerated in this world. In order that our accumulated root virtues may not disappear (over time), we will entrust them to Buddha Maitreya. When he comes to this continent, displaying his supreme Nirmanakaya form and performing the deeds of a Buddha, we shall be among the followers of this Victorious One through the power of these root merits. We shall enjoy the nectar of his speech and be able to receive from him the prediction of our own peerless enlightenment.

3. White Tara Long Life Jenang Blessing Initiation 

26/02/12 (Sun) 7:30pm to 9:30pm 
The human body and life is not only precious and rare, it also has great and far-reaching potential to bring us vast benefits. We must know how to correctly utilize it. From a mundane perspective, it is ironic that many of us pursue wealth and fortune, happiness and health, yet we do not realize the very human life that we already possess, is in fact harder to achieve, and can bring about much greater benefit, than all those temporal desires. 

To a true Buddhist practitioner, the ultimate state of liberation can only be attained by utilizing one’s precious fully-endowed human life - to contact the precious dharma, to meet the perfect teacher, to continue their practice. 

In this degenerating times, many phenomena such as accidents and calamities may take away our precious life prematurely. The human life is extremely fragile; and we do not know when death will occur, it is essential that we cherish our life, perform virtuous acts, practise giving; and would be most beneficial if we can also engage in a long life practice. 

Participating in a long life puja and receiving a long life initiation are some ways to protect our precious human life. The White Tara practice is specially known for bestowing long life benefits. The correct motivation to engage in a long-life practice should be that of a great wish to have extended time for dharma practice and benefiting other beings, and not that of wishing to enjoy the luxuries of life.

During the initiation, Dagyab Rinpoche will invite the presence of the White Tara Goddess to confer the blessings onto the participants as well as conferring the oral transmission of the heart mantra of the deity during theinitiation. Long-life pills and long-life nectar will also be distributed, when upon consumption it is believed to bestow special blessings for a healthy long life. Also, should one be able to chant the mantra daily without interruption, it shall have vast benefits on one’s life and general well-being. 

And prior to the Grand Puja, there will be an auspicious Fire Puja to be conducted in Dro-Phen Ling centre (at 12 Guillemard Lane). 

Increase Fire Puja

18/02/12 (Sat) 7:30pm to 9.30pm 

A fire puja is a Buddhist ritual that purifies the environment, bestows blessingson the participants, and promotes world peace and harmony.  There are 4 types of ritual fire offerings:

(1) Peaceful  (2) Increase (3) Subduing (4) Forceful 

There are 4 objects of offering, the offering to deities being the main focus:

Offeringto (1) all Buddha, Bodhisattvas and deities

Offeringto (2) Protectors and highly-realized worldly gods

Givingto (3) all mother sentient beings

Giving to (4) all spirits and hungry ghosts.

       

All the offerings and ingredients used in the fire puja are very precise and rare, hence the fire puja is a very special ritual. Each offering also has a specific purpose. The general purpose of the offering is to remove obstacles to enligtenment by removing stains left by ordinary unwholesome actions,especially broken pledges, and to prevent all inauspicious circumstances. 

Participating in the Increase ritual fire puja can increase our merits, health, lifespan, wisdom, wealth and the wisdom of hearing, thinking and meditation. All auspicious things will grow and expand. Dagyab Rinpoche will be personally conducting this fire puja.

For more information on His Holiness the 9th Dagyab Kyabgoen Rinpoche who is based in Germany, go to Rinpoche's website or Dro-Phen Ling's website.

His Holiness Dagyab Rinpoche seen here with His Holiness Dalai Lama in Germany

See you at the Grand Puja!!!

Date: 24-26 Feb 2012

Time: 10:00am to 9:30pm daily
Venue: Tai Pei Buddhist Centre
Address: 2 Lavender Street, Singapore 338823.  

For more information and updates on the Grand Puja, visit Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling's website or 'Like' their Facebook Page, or  call/drop in at the centre for a copy of the brochure.  

May all be auspicious according to the Dharma.

Be your own therapist

Google invited Venerable Robina Curtin to one of its Tech Talks in 2008. Below is a clip. Venerable Robina Courtin was ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun in 1977. Ven Robina Courtin follows the teachings and lineage of Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Since 1997 she has run the Liberation Prison Project for Buddhist Practitioners which works with people in prisons throughout the US, helping them with their practice and studies. She is an enthralling teacher, using direct language to powerfully put across her strong message. 

Venerable Robina's teachings are unrelentingly challenging, hard-hitting, serious, funny, visceral, inspiring and empowering. She specialises in applying the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism to contemporary city life, using examples from TV, magazines and film. She has taught meditation to prisoners all over the world, developing a particularly close connection with people with life sentences in the USA.

The cow of wisdom

Remember the example of an old cow:

She's content to sleep in a barn.

You have to eat, sleep and shit— that's unavoidable.

Anything beyond that is none of your business.

Do what you have to do,

And keep yourself to yourself.

- Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887), the first reincarnation of great master Shantideva.

Advice from Atisha’s heart

Venerable Lord Atisha

This is precious advice from Atisha (AD 982-1054), the great 11th century Indian Buddhist saint, and the author of Lamp for the Path, the first text on Lamrim (the stages of the path to enlightenment). He came to Tibet, and his arrival there led to the re-establishment of Buddhism in Tibet. 

It is thus known as "Advice from Atisha's heart":  

How wonderful! Since you already have great knowledge and clear understanding, whereas I am of no importance and have little wisdom, it is not suitable for you to request advice from me. However because you dear friends, whom I cherish from my heart, have requested me, I shall give you this essential advice from my inferior and childish mind.

Friends, until you attain enlightenment, the spiritual teacher is indispensible, therefore rely upon the holy spiritual guide.

Until you realize ultimate truth, listening is indispensible therefore listen to the instructions of the spiritual guide.

Since you cannot become a Buddha merely by understanding Dharma, practise earnestly with understanding.

Avoid places that disturb your mind, and always remain where your virtues increase.

Until you attain stable realizations, worldly amusements are harmful, therefore abide in a place where there are no such distractions.

Avoid friends who cause you to increase your delusions, and rely upon those who increase your virtue. This you should take to heart.

Since there is never a time when worldly activities come to an end, limit your activities.

Dedicate your virtues throughout the day and the night, and always watch your mind.

Because you have received advice, whenever you are not meditating, always practise in accordance with what your spiritual guide says.

If you practise with great devotion, results will immediately, without your having to wait a long time.

If from your heart you practise in accordance with Dharma, both food and resources will naturally come to hand.

Friends, the things you desire give no more satisfaction than drinking sea water, therefore practise contentment.

Avoid all haughty, conceited, proud and arrogant minds, and remain peaceful and subdued.

Avoid all activities that are said to be meritous, but which in fact are obstacles to Dharma.

Profit and respect are nooses of the maras, so brush them aside like stones on the path.

Words of praise and fame only serve to beguile us, therefore blow them away as you would blow your nose.

Since the happiness, pleasure, and friends you gather in this life only for a moment, put them all behind you.

Since future lives last for a very long time, gather up riches to provide for the future.

You will have to depart leaving everything behind, so do not be attached to anything.

Generate compassion for lowly beings, and especially avoid despising or humiliating them.

Have no hatred for enemies, and no attachment for friends.

Do not be jealous of others' good qualities, but out of admiration adopt them yourself.

Do not look for faults in others, but look for faults in yourself and purge them like bad blood.

Do not contemplate your own good qualities, but contemplate the good qualities of others, and respect everyone as a servant would.

See all living beings as your father or mother, and love them as if you were their child.

Always keep a smiling face and a loving mind, and speak truthfully without malice.

If you talk too much with little meaning, you will make mistakes therefore speak in moderation and only when necessary.

If you engage in many meaningless activities, your virtuous activities will degenerate, therefore stop activities that are not spiritual.

It is completely meaningless to put effort into activities that have no essence.

If the things you desire do not come, it is due to karma created long ago, therefore keep a happy and relaxed mind.

Beware, offending a holy being is worse then dying, therefore be honest and straight forward.

Since all the happiness comes from the blessing of the spiritual guide, therefore always repay his kindness.

Since you cannot tame the minds of others until you have tamed your own, begin by taming your own mind.

Since you will definitely have to depart without the wealth you have accumulated, do not accumulate negativity for the sake of wealth.

Distracting enjoyments have no essence, therefore sincerely practise giving.

Always keep pure morale discipline for it leads to beauty in this life and the hereafter.

Since hatred is rife in these impure times, don the armour of patience free from anger.

You remain in samsara through the power of laziness; therefore ignite the fire of effort and application.

Since this human life is wasted by indulging in distractions, now is the time to practise concentration.

Being under the influence of wrong views, you do not realize the ultimate nature of things therefore investigate correct meanings.

Friends, there is no happiness in this swamp of samsara, so move to the firm ground of liberation.

Meditate according to the advice of your spiritual guide and dry up the river of samsaric suffering.

You should consider this well because it is not just words from the mouth, but sincere advice from the heart.

If you practise like this, you will delight me, and you will bring happiness to your self and others.

I who am ignorant request you to take this advice to heart.

Atisha (11th century Tibetan Buddhist master)

Story of the Ant and the Lizard

A couple of months ago, during the Medicine Buddha retreat in ABC, the very patient and gentle Geshe Chonyi told us a short story. Before that, without knowing what he would be sharing, I recorded a voice recording of this particular teaching. I do not normally record teachings but only when I felt a strong need to at that very moment. It turned out to be exactly something I feel strongly about and which I would like to share with my readers.

The below I transcribed what Geshe Chonyi taught ....

"Look at the ants, how hardworking they are. They go to different places everyday to search for food. Even if the place is 100-storey high, the ants will climb up in order to find food and to collect the food to bring back home. Sometimes the 'food' is a big dead insect, bigger than the size of the ants themselves. However the ants do not mind carrying the burden, they carry more than their weight everyday, diligently, day and night, up and down, in order to bring the food they found to store in their house. They pile up food in their house enough to last them for 6 months. So when the monsoon comes, when they cannot go out, they would be able to enjoy the food and do not need to go hungry for 6 months.

Compared to them, we are sometimes similar to the ants. We are looking for comfort, for happiness, for food, working, piling up our assets, to store for a rainy day, for old age, day and night we are sometimes like the ant, working, saving, and working hard for this life.

On the other hand, the lizard is not that hard working. The lizard is a different animal, who likes to find nice places like the porch, or cool stone, so that they can rest and relax. The lizard is looking for enjoyment. He enjoys the comfort and forgets everything else. But when the rain and storm suddenly comes, then he is caught unprepared. The lizard gets wet and suffers with no place to hide. Then at that moment the lizard starts thinking of having a proper house, and running frantically here and there looking for a refuge. This is the result of not being prepared.  However when the next day arrives, when the sunrise is out, the lizard again goes back to his usual self, and goes back to relax, to enjoy its present state in comfort.

We are exactly like the lizard. When we are not sick, when we are doing well, we are like the lizard. We enjoy life and we do not think of anything else. But when the strong rain comes, or when our business is bad, or when we encounter some problems, only then we begin to think of finding the solution. We are no different from the lizard.

This is a good example of us. Working for this life is like the lizard. Working for the future life is like the ant. Here at the present, when everything seems ok, there is no Dharma. We do not think of the future life. Most of the rich people are like this, they usually suffer, there is no Dharma for them. They think that life is comfortable, they do not think that Dharma is useful for them. Then when something happens, when they become sick, they begin to search and seek for something to help themselves.

Hence, crucial practice comes to mind. When you presently have a good life, when you are still healthy, when you have happy opportunities at the moment, you need to do something to prepare for your future life.

We should seek more for that happiness now. Otherwise when the problem comes, or when we become sick, even if we want to do something, we cannot, because by then, the pain is too strong, and you would not be able to chant, to practice. When you are healthy and able, it is the best time to do practice. The problem is, we don't. It is only when the problem comes, we do something. By that time, it is too late. Sometimes the pain is too incredible, or if you are lying down as a vegetable, it is impossible to do practice. Always practice Dharma when you are still young and healthy, so that when problems arise, we are prepared and are able to handle it. Do not wait till retirement. Do it when you are young. If we do not practice, when the problem comes, we cannot handle. If we practice, when the problem comes, we are ready. And by doing practice, the other problems disappear as well. There is a huge difference when we are able to handle the problem."

Geshe Chonyi said this was the second time he related this story, the first was in 2000. That was exactly the message I like to share with and remind my loved ones and friends. The irony is, it is the strangers or readers or new friends I have befriended who usually listen to this advice. They are more receptive and more appreciative, and understand the underlying message, even considering I never even need to convince. I may not be a very good practitioner yet, but I can show them who are those practitioners whose lives have changed for the better. On the other hand, on the very very rare occasions when I mentioned to loved ones about practice, the answer would always be "I'm not ready".

By the way, today marks the Buddha's Descent From The Heavens Of The Thirty-Three. Any merits today multiply by 100 million times! Happy Lha-Bab Duchen! Be good!

If you are keen to increase your merits today, join ABC for these events.