Liang Huang Repentence Liturgy

So fast, another year has arrived !

28/03-31/03/2014

Some past reference on the event: http://sunnyslove.blogspot.sg/2013/04/liang-huang-repentence-liturgy.html

(Smokey, Sweaty, Breathless, Tiredness, Pain are physical words. 

AGE caught up : -p

APPLAUSE again to the Leading Venerables...)

The abbess encouraged us to continue more than treating the prostrations as an exercise but repenting our past bad actions with the physical discomfort as cleansing process. 

Cause and effects ~ Karma...

We have created many past bad actions (known and unknown/forgotten) over present and past lives. Acknowledgement and vowing not to repeat,  the repentance puja will help us greatly.

(Every year is a different experience to the different chapters. And as only read it once a year at the puja, always enchanted by the wordings. Some of which pace being  too fast may not had completely comprehend the meaning which could be more than what one literally read and some beautiful paragraphs really Need guidance to really appreciate context.

Wish is for the texts of Liang Huang Repentance Liturgy to be taught and explained before next puja for participants to better and really appreciate the compilation of repentance phrases and the praises. 

With my deteriorating comprehension of Chinese,  it is already a masterpiece , I am sure it will be more appreciated by all if such classes are available and well explained...)

2013 Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Puja

 

 

Perhaps it was eve of Holidays, the hall was packed with enthusiastic "chanters".

Really like their chant sessions, everyone is chanting loudly with devotion, so rejoicing again this year.

Rejoice!

 

May more be received into Amitabha Buddha's Pureland...

Amituofo..._/|\_

 

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Even on less "packed" days, the 'Choir' sang loudly with enthusiasm as per "packed" days, Rejoice!

 

 

Please note that sessions on 25th & 30th will start at 7pm as Chapter 1 & 2 will be chanted on these 2 days instead of 1 Chapter.

 

Related posts: http://sunnyslove.blogspot.sg/search/label/Ksitigarbha%20Puja

 

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Offerings to Sangha on 18th Aug, Sun, 10am with Dharma Talk by Abbess followed by simple, serene ceremony.

Attended 1st time last year with M and the speech by Abbess was real good and relevant to M that comforted her and settled her unrest.

It is simple ceremony with representatives already chosen to present offerings to the Venerables on behalf of devotees, after which one may then make individual offerings if one chooses to do so.

May more benefit from attending the ceremony this year too. _/|\_

 

(PKFT/BGFT is located at 21 Shunfu Road, beside Shunfu market, behind Thomson CC, near Marymount MRT.)

Liang Huang Repentence Liturgy

It's time of my favourite No1 Puja for the year: at Qing Ming Festive period ~ 1st of Lunar March, PKFT holds their 4 days annual Liang Huang Repentance Liturgy 《梁皇宝忏》.
As usual, posters on origin and meaning of puja event put up at the temple premises to let the devotees have a better idea of why & what they are participating. And this year, even in English for their increasing English-speaking devotees. :-)

Their altar setup and offerings are simple, non elaborative (yet Serene).
But the Sangha is committed with powerful voices and devotion.
Their chanting is fantastic! I really like their Authentic yet Lively rhythm adopted that aids one to enjoy the chanting of the meaningful Dharma text.

We are chanting in an non- air-conditioned place and the weather is hot in the afternoon, which we had to do numerous bows to the Buddha and Bodhisattva (I would reference it to doing "hot yoga exercise") but the lead chanters could do it quite effortlessly (while lack exercise/stamina me is always catching my breath and could only bow but not chant out loud simultaneously by the 2nd session). I really salute them...

The text is actually very meaningful, also extracted below a summary from http://www.baike.com/wiki/梁皇宝忏

"此忏能够灾消吉至，罪灭福生。蒙弥勒菩萨梦中赐名为慈 梁皇宝忏悲道场。此忏法因始于梁武帝，故称为《梁皇宝忏》。拜忏时，由法师带领大众按照皈依，断疑，忏悔，解冤，礼佛，报恩，回向等忏仪形式，藉由共修，以提起大众虔诚忏悔的正念，并时时返观自照，让身心在忏悔中破除心碍，获得清凉。后世高僧去繁取要，改集为十卷。
　　《梁皇宝忏》这部由梁武帝发起的忏悔文，因为超度郗氏皇后效果明显，历代拜忏的感应更是层出不穷，度化了无量众生而流传至今，所以被称为宝忏。《宝忏》突出的是忏字，因为若没有真正的忏悔就不是慈悲道场，不能称其为宝。
　　《梁皇宝忏》恩惠大千，德被千秋，忏悔功德，赞不能尽。
　　梁皇宝忏不但可以在念经中知道自己的过错
　　还可以和非常多佛菩萨结缘
　　加上身体力行的大礼拜
　　有空一起去梁皇宝忏消灾增福慧吧
　　冥冥中皆有鬼神
　　愿你道心坚固 逢凶化吉 一起勇猛精进
　　愿一切所求皆得圆满 愿一切灾难退散"

Well, the benefit for the living, it's improved well-beings,
for the deceased, it's direction to better rebirth, and/or to Pureland of Amituofo! :-)

Awareness Meditation

Attended a meditation practice recently that is quite enriching, hence quickly drop down some pointers as reminders.

Fixed point 定 Meditation verus Awareness/Mindful 觉知 Meditation.

Unlike Fixed Point Meditation, Awareness Meditation does not focus on a single point. The awareness can move from one's breathing to movement of the body, awareness of the thoughts and emotions that arises as well.
For example, one's aware of what one is doing at the moment, ~ I am aware of I am typing right now, I am listening to a song, etc.
The constant awareness of what one is doing will help reduce wild thoughts from arising and drifts one along.

Venerable likes to use the illustration of cleaning a table.
One can focus on using a cloth to clean the table, and do a good job on it but that is still an external view, thoughts can arise that there is a corner spot that needs more effort to clean, why didnt the earlier cleaner do a better job?

Awareness is more internal in that one realises and is aware of one's movement in cleaning the table and the arisen of such thoughts. One continues to do as per normal speed what one is doing but at the same time, one is aware of the movement and thoughts that arises. For a thought that: "Oh, I had done a good job!" . One realises that such a thought arises.

Constant consistent awareness of thoughts and emotions arising will thus cause less drifting by the thoughts as awareness causes breaks in the thoughts and hence reduce continuation of any bad thoughts ~

For an anger that arises, one is aware that one is getting angry. 1st awareness I am angry with 1st thought of anger, continue with angry thoughts, then 2nd awareness, I am still angry, continue, but broken with constant awareness breaks the angry flow/cycle, one gets out of the situation faster than in an unawareness state that one drifts along with the flow of anger and creates more negative karma.

We can practise this constant awareness meditation anytime, anywhere.
A recommendation is always to refocus on one's breathing when one has lost it.

Tried the awareness meditation this morning when I am brushing my teeth.
Generally, I am very mechanically or unmindfully just brushing my teeth but with the awareness practice to work on, I believe I did a relatively good job in comparison to normal days.
I brushed more thoroughly in & out, left & right, front & back. Hopefully, I could always maintain this awareness.
Aware, Aware I am brushing, I am typing, I am reading, I am breathing...

Practice, practice until it becomes part of me, so that whenever any unwholesome thought arises, I will be aware and bring myself back to present moment and refocus on completing my tasks.

Amituofo.:-) 感恩

PKFT will be holding their next English Basic Meditation class from 2 Mar 2013 to 18 May 2013 (Sat nites). Registration has already started, you may visit the temple at 21 Shunfu Road, S'pore 575741 (beside Shunfu mkt) to register.

Their weekly activities include Friday nite chanting on 观音普门品 Pumenping .
Abbess will generally conduct an hour's of Dharma session from 7.30pm before the chant. Their last Fri session for the year is 14 Dec 2012 and and their monthly Dabeichan held on 1st of each lunar month nite will have their last session on 12 Jan 2013, then it is holiday til after Chinese New Year in Feb 2013.
(so sad, have to rely on oneself to chase away blues til then)

Medicine Buddha Repentence Liturgy

Another annual event of Pao Kwang Fo Tang (Bao Guang Fo Tang) at 21 Shunfu Road, just beside Shunfu Market. 
Their offering altar setup for the Medicine Buddha Repentence Liturgy is simple and non elaborating but their chant is as usual, nice and motivating.

There are Best Wishes cards of variety purposes for one to write one's names and wishes, there's also light offering for 49 days per sutra.
Really like their chanting...Traditional yet Modern & Compassionate

An extract below on the important pages of the Medicine Buddha Repentence Liturgy text used. 

Important extracts on the advices by the Buddha to cure ...
Putting up as a constant reminder...

The Abbess ended with a brief teaching on the extract of above and important reminder that we must not only ask for forgiveness for the wrong that we had done, but also we in turn, should develop the BIG Heart to forgive others.


May All Be Well...
May All Be Happy...

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)

 

 

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Puja

It's the 3rd year that I participated in the temple (PKFT)'s Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Puja but this year has so rejoicing feel that I told my family and close friends that they must remember to help write a blessing prayer tablet for me at their annual Liang Emperor Repentence Puja and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Puja should I pass away before they do.

It's a wonderful feel that with the great compassion of the Sangha (Venerables & devotees), all beings present would receive blessings and dedication of merits that would help one's lotus grade be improved even at Pureland. (my personal feel :P, oh pictures attached are from other sources, their settings are simple but good energy from the Sangha)

I like the praise portion at the end that mentioned:
"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"
(English translation extracted from "Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva"~translated by the Buddhist Text Translation Society")

Amituofo, final Recommended places for beings is still to Amitabha Buddha's Pureland!
And especially inspired by the mention of the Nine Flower Mountain, I was instantly inspired to visit China's Nine Flower Mountain (Jiuhuashan) and the swiftest tour decision ever made.

Amituofo, may it be a rejoiceful trip.