Bodhgaya 2014

It is nice to be back to Home Sweet Home, Singapore, just in time for Chinese New Year. Yes I do miss Singapore after spending my New Year Eve & Day in Bodhgaya, the Buddhist Holy site.

It is my 3rd trip to India. The 1st 2 were packaged Pilgrim tours with Buddhist centres which we were so well-taken care of without worries. And this is my 1st Free & Easy trip to India amidst of a lot of negative feedbacks received on wanting to spend close to a month there. So it's like an achievement to be back safe & sound!

Bodhgaya, a Buddhist Holy site.
Non Buddhist friends ask why there again?
One friend who came back just before my departure from a pilgrim trip with PMT commented she don't know why people want to visit Bodhgaya till she personally been there. She understands now and will go back again if she could in future.

Many would have asked Why would Buddha want to choose to get enlightened at Bodhgaya, such a poor state with sorry sights of beggars on the street?

Answers received from practitioners;
1) Gaya is the centre of Universe (you may see Red lights radiate from the Stone statute at the Bodhi tree)

2) It is the Buddha's Great Compassion. If not for His Enlightenment there, there would not be economic benefits now with influx of tourists to help the state. Imagine the people who would be worse off without tourism there.
And the sorry sights on the way to the holy site actually is a good teaching to let one see the sufferings in life and be motivated to pursue on right path to ultimate happiness.

3) The beggars are spoilt by the foreigners and they may be rich "after work" with land and houses. You think they are suffering but they may be richer than you.


Main theme of this trip is to attend the Kagyu Monlam hosted by His Holiness, the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. 
It is an eye-opener. It is an International event with participants from all over the world. And also a closer contact with the Vajrayana (Tibetan) tradition.

Despite his own tiredness and discomfort, His Holiness still tried His best to meet all in public or private audience.
During Public Audience time, His Holiness stood up to facilitate the crowd to see Him as the "Throne seat" was placed just on sitting eye-level,
During Private Audience, I was so surprised to find Karmapa standing just in front of the audience hall, near the door to greet one and is swift to bless one and gives autographs for the books instead of sitting behind His "Throne seat".
He is compassionate to listen to tales of problems of the audience and give them blessings despite His own unwell. He meets hundreds of audience per day and inevitably His action has to be swift that before we can react to Thank Him, we were ushered out and next group moved in.
Actually our problems might be big to ourselves but minute in comparison to His own responsibilities. 
He has Hugh responsibility to lead as well if not better than His previous reincarnations. He is humble to always apologize for not knowing better for His young age. 
http://kagyuoffice.org/the-way-of-the-authentic-practitioner/

The dust in Gaya was cleansed by showers after the Lama Dance on the 10th Jan.
Finally, we can walk in the open without face mask for a short while.
However, Hugh showers continued for next 2 days and revealed the poor development management in this important tourist state. Bricks and cement for improving the road near Monlam Pavilion were ordered by Karmapa (according to what we heard).

On 16th Jan, night of Marme Monlam, though it is a warmer nite, Karmapa sat on stage throughout the night since start of the evening concert without His cloak and at end sang the song on "Lamp Prayer".
http://kagyuoffice.org/musical-offerings-to-the-buddha-the-marme-monlam/

He made efforts to give teachings and improve the status and education opportunities for nuns of  Karma Kamtsang.
The 1st debate for Kagyu tradition nuns:  Arya Kshema Winter Gathering for Nuns and gave teachings to them and the general public, promoting awareness and accomplishments of the nuns.
http://kagyuoffice.org/another-step-forward-for-the-nuns-of-the-karma-kamtsang-the-opening-ceremony-of-the-1st-annual-arya-kshema-winter-dharma-gathering/
http://www.aryakshema.com/

From the brief encounters with Him, I am impressed and fast becoming a 'fan' of His Holiness...😀🙏
Friends say He is good-looking, But I would think "Majestic" is a better word for him.
He is Charismatic despite sparing few smiles. (or so I thought during Monlam period )
He is compassionate, no fuss practical Noble Dharma Prince!!! 🙏🙏🙏

During the trip, we were also led by more experienced Vajrayana Buddhist friends to meet several great teachers or Rinpoches, especially the reincarnated Tulkus. My room-mate and I (who are newbies to the Tibetan tradition history despite attended a couple of the Tibetan chanting retreats) visited them without knowing how great they or their previous reincarnation were until later, so repent if we had not shown enough respect for them then. (One of them visited is reincarnation of Dilgo Rinpoche! It was later friend lent me the book "Brilliant Moon" for quick read then I know His accomplishments; Repent)

Accomplishments: Attended Kagyu Monlam for World peace, met Karmapa and various Rinpoches, received oral transmission for "Om Mani Padme Hum" and "Om Ami Dewa Hrih" from Karmapa!, made many butter lamp offerings, offered robes, 8 offerings (including a bell for better voice in future life) to the Buddha, participated in the flower offerings for the Tara and Stupas and circumbulated around the main shrine of Mahabodhi temple.
Oh also 3 days of 8 precepts! Surprisingly did not suffer as much hunger groans and discomfort as in Singapore. Friend said it is because of blessings in a holy place.:-)
Hopefully bad karma purified or neutralised.

Not to forget 1st encounter with Tibetan medicine ;-)
Similar to Chinese medicine treatment with pulse reading. 
Given herbal tea, cough pills n precious pill!  
To be Taken Half an hour Before breakfast,  After lunch n dinner.
The timing verus the sequence seems to be more crucial so if missed the lunch portion just skip and take Dinner portion later...
Precious pill at 4am. Warmth throughout the body within an hour. 
Well, really recovered within 10 days portion per predicted by the Tibetan doctor...
Just like Antibiotics, recommended to finish whole course medicine despite recovery before all consumed.
And tested my belief in Amitabha Buddha in helping me recover better just by simply chanting and praying to him.
Friends of Tibetan tradition will pray to H.H.Dalai Lama or Karmapa for help in times of distress instead of Buddha or Bodhisattva unlike our Chinese tradition. Interesting!
Knew more International friends such as Vi, from the Monlam retreat...

Memories of butter tea, bread and oat drinks served during tea-breaks of Monlam; Tibetan Then-Thuk (Mee Hoon Kuai), Tibetan Spring Roll at Om Café , Indian Fried Noodles, Bhutanese rice with creamy mushrooms...
(http://vegefoodhunt.blogspot.sg/search/label/Oversea%20Delights-India-Gaya)
Oh exciting rides on Trishaw & Tutu (Tricycles)...
Early wake up to queue for Monlam and early sleep before 12pm bec no entertainment. Healthy lifestyle... haha...
(Grateful especially to sis A & CH for such a Rejoice trip 💖🙏💖)

(sources of most pictures from internet...)

Pilgrimage Trip to India

I had previously always wondered what attracts Muslims to their pilgrimage trips (from News coverage on TV) until I made a pilgrimage trip to India 4 years ago. Ever since, I had been encouraging friends (even Christians) to embark on their pilgrimage trips.

Some old photos of the trip to share....

Bodhgaya in the night

The temple was still under renovation then.

The beautiful windmill-like items are actually offerings of candles

Chanced upon a ceremony where lots of Tibetan Monks gathering before the Bodhi Tree.

The Vajrasana or Diamond Throne under the Bodhi Tree, is the central place of worship as it is situated at where the Buddha is believed to have attained Enlightenment

This is the Bodhi Tree, under which the Buddha had attained Enlightenment.

It may not have been reflected on picture but the atmosphere at Bodhgaya is really very holy. We had the fantastic experience of arriving there early one morning after 4am for a short meditation. One will feel the whole place is so serene especially when they played the music of "Buddam Saranam Gacchami" (Three Refuge) for the morning prayers. Something that could not be described in words, I felt so touched and reinforced my faith in the existence of the Buddha.

Another very holy pilgrim place visited is Jetavana at Sravasti where the Buddha gave many Teachings. It is a place that you could somehow feel or was it just my imagination, the presence of Devas? I was very surprised at how hugh the park is as I had heard about the story of how the park was laid with gold pieces by the Elder, Anāthapindika, to purchase the place from Prince Jeta. (more info can be viewed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetavana)

By just sitting under the tree (as shown in picture below, But no, I wasn't in below picture:P) to pose a picture of "pretend meditation" under a tree, one could almost feel the immediate bliss of meditation. Just as I thought I wanted to find a good spot to meditate, it's time for us to move on. :-(

(However, that experience did motivate me to explore a couple of meditation centres & methods after back in Spore but to-date, sad to say, I could not have similar fantastic experience from meditation)

If only I knew of any Sutra being taught at Jetavana by the Buddha such as the "Amitabha Sutra" then, it could have turned out to be another great experience to recite in such a holy place. It's a pity I was there, just with a tourist mentality without any preparation for the trip.

The trip really reinforced my faith and started my re-exploration on Buddhism.

I wish in my next pilgrimage trip to India, I could spend more time in these 2 places.

*If you are going on any group tour to Buddhist pilgrimage places, one advice is to go with a Buddhist group preferably with Venerable, instead of normal tour packages off the market.

The experience can be quite different (comparing my previous trips with Buddhist groups and visiting Er Mei Shan & Le Shan in China early this year with just normal tour packages off the market).

May We All have good karma to go on more pilgrimage trips...

May All Be Well & Happy...

8 Precepts Event and Bodhgaya

A picture taken at Bodhgaya (India) in 2004

On entering the tent set up for the 8 Precepts event (presided by Venerable Hai Tao on 30/11/08, Sun), it reminds me of the visit to Bodhgaya (2004).

A picture of the Compassionate Venerable giving Dharma Talk in the evening.