Amitabha Buddha Celebration Day

Lunar mth of Dec 17th is Amitabha Buddha Celebration Day.
Rejoice this year to fall on weekend and many centres have activities on the actual day including this one at Spore expo by ABS: http://www.amtb.org.sg/amtb/images/amtb_images/2012-dec-poster.jpg
My wish to join as full-timer this year did not materialise but will join as part-timer again...
Dropby if you are available...

Bring a jacket or shawl along as it is real real cold there...
Some snapshots from there...

Partimers warmed by the surrounding Amituofo images...

Beautiful Lotus paintings put up for purchase to contribute to ABS New Building fund, worth considering for a good cause...
Interested parties may visit their centre after the event ends on Sun if you miss it.

Complement of Meditation Techniques to Chanting Practice

Managed to do a quick read on the free Distribution book "The Significance and Benefits of Six-Syllable Mantra Recitation" based on His Eminence Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche's Teachings at the 2004 Mani Recitation Retreat held at kmspks before the Mani Recitation 2012 retreat.

Tried hard  to practice what's taught in the book such as :

Reciting the mantra out of wish for all beings' negative karma, non-virtuous deeds, defilements to be purified and eradicated from root,

Generating bodhicitta, loving-kindness and compassion to all beings,

May All be Well & Happy
May All be liberated from suffering and the causes of suffering
May All have happiness and the causes of happiness 

Repent on my past deeds that causes my present situation and wish for all beings and my obscurations to be eradicated,

Gratitude to those who had made me "unhappy" to let me realise the imperfection of the samsara, arise the aspiration to want to get out of it, meet good Dharma teachers, know more about Pureland practice and aspiring towards rebirth in Amitabha Buddha's Pureland...

However, distraction thoughts also arise often and really have a good time fighting them as well as the restlessness.

Then, I recall the recent meditation techniques learnt and reflect:

How would Rinpoche & Venerables advise one?
~ Try different tune of chanting or methods of visualisation
~ Practice awareness of the thoughts arising and just watch them without drifting along
~ Tired of generating the visualisation?
Take a step back and just relax and chant in a relax manner without visualisation or
just enjoy the chant...listen to the chant by others, let the mind rest for a short while
---> return with energy later...


Aspiration to attend more retreats in 2013 to tune one's mind.
Blessing required to attend more retreats without Physical, Mental or any obscurations.
Longing for a good long one after Apr.
Let go....
Om Mani Padme Hung
Amituofo

Mani Recitation Retreat 2012

Mani Recitation Retreat 2012 in Singapore ~ 21-25 Dec 8.30am-9.30pm

A change of venue this year to Toa Payoh Sports Hall.

The capacity for Full-timers for chair-seating became only about a third? of that in Suntec but plenty for part-timers at the top level bench seats with good "scenic" view.

A New image of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) as shown above.

The retreat is again led by His Eminence Thritsab Rinpoche &

 Drikung Kagyu Lamas.

It took me a while to get used to the new environment and looking around I don't see as much familar faces but the chant of the Universal mantra brings us warmly together:-)
Positive energy generated as we chant "Om Mani Padme Hung" ...

As per past practice, part-time participants are welcome to join the retreat:

One-day ticket: $35

Morning session (8.30am-12.30pm): $15

Afternoon session (1.30pm-6pm): $15

Evening session (7pm-9.30pm): $10

*Christmas night Blessing session starts from 6pm...

(Meals unless has excess from full-timers will not be provided to part-timers (but I see there is always  extra and organiser will announce before meals if there are sufficient for part-timers as well), no worries, just cross over the bridge to Toa Payoh Central and you will find at least 3 vegetarian choices at:

Koufu, Toa Payoh Central level2 , above NTUC

Gourmet Paradise, Toa Payoh HDB Hub Basement Food Court

Forks & Spoons Food Court, between HDB Hub & Courts, nearest to Sports Hall  )

For more info on OM MANI PADME HUNG and the retreat, pls click below link

http://maniretreat.sg/

Online Pledge

http://maniretreat.sg/online-mantra-pledge/

(So touching to read the email that Garchen Rinpoche just pledged his on-line counts and advocate his disciples to support the retreat)

 THANKS TO ALL, 108,612,012 Chants with assistance from Online pledges. :-)

*There is kmspks free Dharma books distribution booth on the left of the Hall facing the stage, Valuable Gems are there such as the recommended book to read for the retreat: "The Significance and Benefits of Six-Syllable Mantra Recitation" based on His Eminence Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche's Teachings at the 2004 Mani Recitation Retreat held at kmspks (Oh, how I miss the old venue for the retreat, participants, let's pray for better karma to resume future retreats at kmspks).



* Do bring a shawl or jacket along...

Gar Quotes Message

Some useful tips on meditation emailed to me by friend who knows my recent rekindled interest in meditation but still poor at practice :P
----------------------------------------------

You must train the mind like a muscle.
If you want to train your body you must practice exercise regularly.
Likewise, if you want to train your mind, you must practice meditation on a day to day basis. You will not be able to carry a heavy load with weak muscles.

Training is a gradual process.
You must persistently and constantly train your mind on a day to day basis if you wish to overcome difficulties and become stronger.
Every time you recognise a thought, your mindfulness has become that much stronger. Slowly you will gain in inner strength.
In the beginning it is not easy to overcome very powerful emotions.
If the emotions are too overwhelming and you are unable to overcome them with mindfulness, you must apply a different method.

You should then think of a deity, like Tara, immediately without allowing yourself to indulge in the bad feeling.
In the beginning you do recognise the emotions but they still won't go away.
That is because your mindfulness is not strong enough.
Therefore you must train the mind in all circumstances,
not only when you encounter problems.

You should train the mind first by recognising the less intense thoughts.
And if you train consistently with diligence, then eventually you will be able to overcome even more powerful thoughts.
And later, no thought or emotion can trouble you anymore.
Everything becomes the same.
Then even though the body is in samsara, the mind is liberated.

You have to make an effort to liberate your mind rather than your body. "Consciousness the guest, will cast aside the guesthouse of the body." (37 Bodhisattva Practices)
When your mental grasping diminishes, you will see how everything is so fleeting and doesn't truly exist.
This life is like a dream.
Nothing ever stays, suffering and happiness come and go.
You must be able to let go of your fixation to the things that cannot last. Thoughts of desire and attachment are the delusion of a confused mind.
Best is if you need nothing.
>
>
>
> Reminders of Kindness, Compassion, and Your Own True Nature by Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche
>
> Translation copyright © 2012 Ina Bieler. All rights reserved.
> The quotes may be forwarded to friends, but all other uses are reserved.
>>
> You can help spread the teachings of Rinpoche by distributing the sign-up
> link to others:
>
> http://www.garchen.net/gar-quotes.html
>
> Archive of past Gar Quotes:
>
> http://www.garchen.net/gar-quotes-archive.html
>>
> German Translation:
>
> http://garchen-rinpoche-zitate.blogspot.com/
>
> Chinese Translation:
>
> http://jangchubdrolma.blogspot.com/
>
> Spanish Translation:
>
> http://drikungcusco.wordpress.com/
>
> Vietnamese Translation:
>
> http://www.vietnalanda.org/Translations/GAR%20Quotes/tchnghatgionggiacngo.Garquotes.html
>
> Russian Translation:
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/gar-quotes-in-russian
>
> Hungarian Translation:
>
> http://stupa.hu/zalaszanto/category/idezetek/
>
> Ukrainian Translation:
>
 http://www.facebook.com/l/3b84dqE_wa3W1_H4pTkzbyy1OXA/groups.google.com/group/gar-quotes-in-ukrainian
>
> Estonian Translation:
>
> http://budism.weebly.com/gar-quotes.html
>
> Japanese Translation:
>
> http://garchenrinpoche.blog.fc2.com

Fantastic Animation on Amitabha Buddha's Pureland

Good links
-----------------------------

Just like someone who had heard about beauty of Japan or Bhutan, if one had seen pictures of it, one may be further inspired to visit it.

Similarly, just by reading the text, one may not be able to visualize and develop as great aspiration but these animations have helped me to better understand the Amitabha Sutra, the state of Pureland and hence enforced my Aspiration to Pureland.

View them on laptop for better effect.

Amituofo

1) 极乐世界之美

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO-mo5QGE4k&sns=em

2) 佛说阿弥陀经上集（动画)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilmBiHarFtg&feature=plcp

3) 佛典故事 - 佛说阿弥陀经 (全集)

this older version has better explaination
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn759B0FGoU

4) 佛典故事 大願 佛說無量壽經 ( 上 )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAp5XgRjAkI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

5) 佛典故事 大願 佛說無量壽經 ( 下 )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYBC3dnq9HI&feature=relmfu

May you be aspired as well.

Amituofo