Praise to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva

地藏赞 地藏菩萨妙难伦 化现金容处处分 三途六道闻妙法 四生十类蒙慈恩 明珠照彻天堂路 金锡振开地狱门 累劫亲姻蒙接引 九莲台畔礼慈尊 南无九华山幽冥世界 大慈大悲 地藏王菩萨 南无地藏王菩萨 南无地藏王菩萨   Praise "Earth Store Bodhisattva, wonderful beyond compare; Gold-hued in his transformation body he appears. Wonderous Dharma sounds throughout the Three Paths and Six Realms; Four Births and Ten Kinds of Beings gain from his kindly grace. His pearl, shining brightly, lights the way to heaven's halls; Six-ringed golden staff shakes open wide the gates of hell. Leads on those with causes garnered life and life again; To bow at the Nine-flowered Terrace of the Honored One. Namo Earth Store Great Vows and Compassion Bodhisattva of the dark and dismal worlds; On Nine Flower Mountain, Most Honored One, With Ten wheels of power you rescue all the suffering ones. Homage to Earth store Bodhisattva"   (Chinese version of Praise copied from http://www.lianxin.org.cn/down/download.asp?softid=1060; English translation extracted fom "Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva"~translated by the Buddhist Text Translation Society")

While chanting the Praise , a Hugh Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is being visualised using his Six-ringed golden staff to shake open the door of hell and the beings are being received readily into Amitabha Buddha's Pureland and it is a Rejoicing Visualisation!
And this Praise reminds me of last year's trip to Jiuhuashan  (Nine Flower Mountain) after being inspired by the Praise sang at the prior year's Puja.
The visualisation of the Hugh Bodhisattva was inspired from memories of the Hugh statute of 4 directions Ksitigarbha (Earth Store) Bodhisattva at the foot of the Jiuhuashan, China. That was the 1st time I saw such hugh statute and in 4 directions of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. (The common 4 directions is usually of the Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva , Guanyin).
It also brought back good memories of the Dharma friends I met at the trip.
May we be able to meet more good Dharma friends who inspire us to continue on the Right path to Liberation.
Amituofo...

拨一切业障根本得生净土陀罗尼(往生咒)

Recently, attended a class and the meaning of the short Dharani after the Amitabha Sutra was revealed.
This Dharani is like a Executive summary of the Amitabha Buddha Sutra.
It is in Sanskrit, a higher language believed to be communicated among the gods and devas.
And the passage is supposed to be a near sound pronouniciation.

It is Dharani that extract Karmic Root Obscurations that aid us to reborn in Pureland.
:-)


拨一切业障根本得生净土陀罗尼(往生咒)
=================================

南無阿彌多婆夜。哆他伽多夜。（歸命無量光佛如來）
Namo Amituofo Ye. Tathagatha (如來)

哆地夜他。（即說咒曰）

阿彌利都婆毗。（甘露主）
阿彌利哆。悉耽婆毗。（甘露成就者）
阿彌唎哆。毗迦蘭帝。（甘露灑播者）
阿彌唎哆。毗迦蘭多。（甘露灑遍者）
伽彌膩。伽伽那。（遍虛空宣揚者）
枳多迦利。娑婆訶。（聲聞造作者成就圓滿）

(Above extracted from http://zh.wikipedia.org/)

Clearing Myths about Seventh Lunar Month

 

What I like about attending the puja at PKFT is their creativeness in using interesting posters to explain the origin of the event and how we should go about doing it.

Let's see what they had prepared for this year's Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Puja.

 

 

The Sangha comprises of a group of new generation Venerables who are IT-savy but stay low profile in using internet to promote their temple. You could feel their passion in promoting Dharma if you had ever attended their classes or Dharma talks. You could feel the positive energy generated if you had ever attended their puja.

 

May they continue to spread the Dharma without obstacles,

May we  continue to have a good venue to practise the Dharma under their guidance...

 

ps. There is an article introducing the history of PKFT in the Oct2012 Issue of For You Buddhist magazine (pg8&9)

 

 

2nd 100 Million Ami Dewa Recitation Retreat 2012

I was certainly glad to be able to attend this year's Ami Dewa Retreat led by H.E. Garchen Rinpoche again.
On the first nite of empowerment, I already felt the positive energy compared to prior year, and the first day was excellent. I was allotted a good view seat though facing the strong blow of both side of air-con, which the coldness reminded me of those days in Bodhgaya whereby we visit it in the cold early winter mornings. It was very relaxing with no rush of chanting which Rinpoche emphasised more on Teachings (good reminders on Bodhicitta), with average more than 1 hr after lunch and in the evening.
I finally grasped closer to the right pronounicaton of the "Om Ami Dewa Hri" 's "Hri".
I felt young, after the 1st day, like back to twenty years old.

Their yellow text comes in Chinese and Engish version, and each prayer, etc, was recited in Tibetian, English and Mandarin.  They also had published (for free distribution) just like the Om Mani Padme Hum retreat, a book on the teachings of the prior year retreat which some only know about it on last day.

On the 3rd day, Questions by public was invited and where was Rinpoche, missing in the afternoon retreat from his seat? The compassionate Rinpoche was still with us, sitting behind, at right of the stage answering the questions with the help of our dear Tibetian~English translator, sister Ina.

Both sister translator, Ina (Tibetian~English), Hana (English~Mandarin) really did an excellent job in translating the teachings by Rinpoche, though I wish I could have direct teachings from Rinpoche who actually was with such compassionate tune and expressions when he communicated in Tibetian.
But we are already blessed to have them.

The compassionate Rinpoche really spent time blessing everyone. By end of retreat, Om Ami Dewa Hri comes as naturally as Om Mani Padme Hum. I hope Rinpoche will return again to lead next year and I will have the same good merit to be able to attend again and I must remember to read the book to remind myself the practice before the next retreat. Gratitude to the organisers, Rinpoches, sponsors, volunteers and the Sangha(/devotees) from the 32 countries who contributed greatly to the accomplishment of the retreat.

Both the centre's Om Ami Dewa Hri and Om Centre's Om Mani Padme Hum monthly recitation practice falls on 15th of the lunar month calendar. What a dilemma to attend which practice which are both good. :P