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

1 July 2012

It was like yesterday that it was last Friday and yet another Friday had approached and passed.
Time flies this year, half a year had gone.
Everyone I know commenting, "time flies...".

What had I achieved so far?
Nothing, just busy with work and a lot of bad karma generated, to be cleansed hopefully in next half year ...

Amituofo,
May I have the strength and wisdom to handle and overcome all the obstacles 
May All Be Well
May All Be Happy...

善惡與因果

A very meaningful email received

====================================

我很善良，為什麼還有種種痛苦、煩惱？

 在我剛入佛門不久，內心經常有不少莫名的痛苦，由於對心靈的規律還理解不深刻，因此常常對因果報應存在種種疑慮。

我向德行極其高尚的師父請教：「因果報應到底成立不成立？如果成立，為什麼像我這樣善良的人還經常會感到痛苦而那些惡人卻活得很好？」

師父很慈悲地看著我說：「因果報應是釋迦牟尼佛親口宣說的真理，是千真萬確的，不會有絲毫差錯的！如果一個人的內心有痛苦，就說明這個人的內心一定有和這個痛苦相對應的惡存在。如果一個人的內心已經沒有任何惡，那麼這個人的心靈是根本不會感到痛苦的。所以，根據這個道理，既然你還經常感到痛苦，說明你內心還有惡存在，還不是純粹的善人。而那些你認為是『惡人』的人，未必就是真正的惡人。一個人能快樂地活著，至少說明這個人還不是純粹的惡人。」

我不服氣地說：「我怎麼會是一個惡人呢？我一向心地很善良的！」

師父說：「內心無惡則無苦，你既然內心有痛苦，說明你的內心就有惡存在。請你將你的痛苦略說一二，我來告訴你，你內心存在哪些惡！」

我說：「我的痛苦很多！我有時感到自己的工資收入很低，住房也不夠寬敞，經常有'生存危機感'，因此心裡常常感到不痛快，並希望儘快能夠改變這種現狀；社會上一些根本沒有什麼文化的人，居然也能腰纏萬貫，我感到不服氣；像我這樣一個有文化的知識份子，每月就這麼一點收入，實在是太不公平了；我的家人有時不聽我的勸告，我感到不舒服……」

就這樣，我向師父述說了一大堆自己的痛苦。師父點點頭，不停地微笑，而且笑臉更加慈祥，並和顏悅色地對我說：「你目前的收入足夠可以養活你自己和你的全家，你們全家也有房屋住，根本不會流落街頭，只是面積小了一點而已，你完全可以不必要為這些感到痛苦的。可是，因為你內心對金錢和住房有貪求心，所以就有苦。這種貪求心，就是惡心，如果你已經將內心的這種貪求惡心去除了，你就根本不會因為這些而痛苦。」

「社會上一些根本沒有文化的人發財了，你感到不服氣，這是嫉妒心，嫉妒心也是一種惡心；你認為自己有了文化，就應該有高的收入，這是傲慢心，傲慢心也是惡心；認為有文化就應當有高收入，這是愚癡心，因為有文化根本不是富裕的因，前世佈施才是今世有錢的原因。愚癡心，也是一種惡心！」

「你的家人不聽你的勸告，你感到不舒服，這是沒有包容心。雖然是你的家人，他們卻有自己的思想和觀點，為什麼非要強求他們的思想和觀點和你自己一致呢？不包容，就會心量狹隘。心量狹隘，也是一種惡心！」

師父繼續微笑著說：「貪求心也好，嫉妒心也好，傲慢心也好，愚癡心也好，心量狹隘也好，這些都是惡心。因為，你的內心存在著這些惡，所以，你就有和這些惡相對應的痛苦存在。如果你能將內心的這些惡徹底去除，那麼，你的那些痛苦，也會煙消雲散。」

「要用快樂和滿足的心態看待你的收入和住房！你應當想想你根本不會餓死和凍死，而那些富人雖然也有錢，其實也只是沒有餓死和凍死。你應當看到，人是否快樂，不取決於外在的財富，而是取決於自己的生活態度。把握生命的分分秒秒，用樂觀、安詳和勤勉的生活態度，代替原來的貪求心，你的心就會漸漸快樂起來。」

「社會上沒有文化的人發了財，你應當為他們高興才對，要希望他們能夠具有更多的財富、擁有更多的安樂才對。別人得到，要像自己得到一樣開心；別人失去，要像自己失去一樣難過。這樣的人才能稱得上是一個善人！而你現在的心是別人的財富和安樂超過自己就不高興，這是嫉妒心。嫉妒心是一種很惡的心，要堅決去除！要用隨喜心代替嫉妒心！」

 「認為自己在某個方面超過別人，就自以為了不起，這是傲慢心。常言說『傲慢高山，不生德水』，人一旦有了傲慢就會對自己的不足熟視無睹，因此根本不可能看到自己內心的種種惡，從而改過遷善。所以，傲慢者自己堵塞了自己的進步之門。此外，傲慢者常常會有失落感，漸漸會有自卑感。一個人只有從自己內心深處培養起虛懷若谷的胸懷，心甘情願地永遠將自己放在謙卑的位置，內心才會感到充實和安樂。」

「前世佈施才是今世富裕的真正原因，『種瓜得瓜，種豆得豆』。而凡夫不識因果，將『種瓜」認為是『得豆』的因，將『種豆』認作是『得瓜』的因，這是愚昧的表現。一個人只有勤學佛法的智慧，真正懂得萬事萬物的因因果果，才能內心明亮，知道如何取捨自己的思想、行為和語言，唯其如此，才能從光明走向光明，從安樂走向安樂。」

「虛空能夠包容一切，所以廣大無邊、虛融自在；大地能夠承載一切，所以生機勃勃、氣象萬千！一個人生活在世界上，不要隨隨便便就對別人的行為、言語看不慣，即便是自己的親屬，也不要生起強求心，要隨緣自在！永遠用善良的心幫助別人，卻不要貪圖或強求什麼。如果一個人的心胸能夠像虛空一樣包容萬物，這個人怎麼會有痛苦呢？」

師父說完這些話，繼續用慈悲而柔和的眼光看著我。

我久久無言，兩行熱淚從我的眼中流出。我原來一直以為自己是一個很善良的人，直到今天，我才知道自己是怎樣的一個惡人！因為我內心有種種惡，所以我才有種種苦。

如果我的內心無惡，我怎麼會有苦呢？感謝師父，感謝佛！要不是師父的教導和佛陀的恩德，我可能永遠都不會知道自己內心的惡！

願我生生世世不離善知識，不離殊勝妙法，迅速斷除內心的惡！從感恩出發從謙卑做起。

http://wuyiblog.blogspot.sg/

Bodhicitta Music Gathering

It was a wonderful relaxing night by Bodhicitta, the Sin Yao equivalent for Buddhist Hymns at Taipei Buddhist Buddhist Centre. It was a small gathering with their reunion of 4 members (The 4th, the pianoist who just returned from the States was not caught in picture). The night was warmed up with a brother teaching us the Laughing Yoga followed by a nite of wonderful concert.  

Some of what may just appear as a "so so" song while listening to the past CDs, actually comes alive and appreciation deepened with the unplugged live concert, enhanced further with explaination of the history of the songs and realising the group's amazing talent and passion in Buddhist music.

I am glad I had introduced their recent CD, The Maha Cundi Dharani to my friend who in turn informed me of this Music Gathering and I managed to attend despite work obstacles.
It was a really relaxing, energy recovering nite.
Looking forward to their next music gathering which they promised to have more in future...:-)
And Gratitude to Taipei Buddhist centre for providing the venue. :-)