3rd 100 Million Ami Dewa Recitation Retreat 2013

Rejoice! Garchen Rinpoche is here again to lead us for the 3rd year for the Ami Dewa Retreat.
This year the venue changed to Marina Bay Sands' Poeny Ballroom at level 4 (nearest MRT: Bayfront exit D)
And I am pleasantly surprised by the serenity and energy there despite not being held at a Temple premise.

Facing the stage, near the entrance, do remember to turn the wheels, offer flowers and lights (centre),  write prayers for the living and deceased (left) and bring back some Dharma gifts (right)...

And breaking tradition, instead of public going on stage to receive empowerment, Compassionate Rinpoche came down the stage to empower and bless everyone in the hall. 

I am so touched!!! _/|\_

Again, another relaxed retreat which Compassionate Rinpoche delivers Teachings at each session, emphasising on ensuring we know what, why, how we are practising and the right attitude with explanation on texts such as "Wishing Prayers of Dewachen" .

Do join in the retreat as part-timers at $10 per session even if you could not make it full-time. (29 Aug - 1 Sep 9am-9.30pm)
Come join Blessings for public that starts from 1 Sep (Sun) 3pm (Free admission) _/|\_

For more info: http://www.drigar-dargyeling.com/web/forms/amidewa-retreat-2013.pdf;
https://www.facebook.com/pages/100-Million-Ami-Dewa-Recitation-Retreat/213035348735204

ps. The hall is cold, so do bring a warm jacket along...
and in view of pure vegetarian requirement, to aid part-timers in their diet, MBS had arranged for vegetarian sandwiches and wraps for sale @ $4 at their lvl3 cafe, do ask around if you need assistance.

Zzzzz

Zzzzzzz

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.)

A Slice of Life

Another nice meaningful email
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The Pear Tree

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,
and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring,
the beauty of your summer, the fulfillment of your fall.

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches
and better times are sure to come some time or later.

Mantra to compensate for errors in recitation 補闕真言/補缺真言

If one is concerned about reciting incorrect pronunciation or missing words of sutra, one may recite this mantra 補缺真言 (3times) to "remedy" any errors.   
An extraction to share from
http://www.buddha.twmail.cc/2-2/read_compensation.htm

真言原文：
南謨喝囉怛那，哆囉夜耶。
佉囉佉囉。俱住俱住。
摩囉摩囉。虎囉，吽。賀賀，
蘇怛拏，吽。潑抹拏，娑婆訶。

補闕真言發音：
nā mó hē là dá nà，duō là yè yē。
qié là qié là。jù zhù jù zhù。
mó là mó là。hǔ là，hōng。hè hè，
sū dá ná，hōng。pō mò ná，suō pó hē。

發音注解：
南謨：也有的書寫作「囊謨」。可讀作「南無（nā mó）」，今人多讀成南（ná拿）無（mó摩）。
囉：各地多讀成（là辣），此字與喇通假，喇，古讀（là辣）。也有的地區讀本音(luō）。
怛：讀音為（dá答）。
那：讀為（nà納）。此字讀音（nā、ná、nà、nuó…），是常用的多音字，讀法較為復雜。
佉：讀（qié茄）為古音。另發音為（qiè切）。
吽：讀音為（hōng轟）。
拏：讀作（ná拿），「潑抹拏」中「拏」有的書中寫做「挐」，其實「拏」和「挐」兩字都是漢字「拿」的異體字，發音都為（ná拿），有的經書中甚至直接寫成了「拿」字。也有的書裡注音為（nú奴）。

Amituofo _/|\_

Mantra on Good Memory & Wisdom and how to Dedicate Merits

In answering one of the Q&As in the Monday session, Venerable Hai Tao recommended reciting two powerful Mantra which after researching on internet, summarised below to share with more:

A) To aid one improve memory:
Mantra of Akasagarbha Bodhisattva 虚空藏菩萨咒 :

虚空藏菩萨咒语原文：

南无虚空藏菩萨摩诃萨(三称)

阿袮，逻阇鞞钤.浮娑阇鞞耶。
婆奈阇鞞。博厕，娑迷波吒。
逻阇鞞他奈婆逻鞞。
萨多逻伽逻泥。休磨休磨。
摩诃伽楼尼迦娑婆诃

虚空藏菩萨咒语注音：
ā mǐ，luó shé pí。qián fú suō shé pí。
yē pó nài shé pí。bó cè，suō mí。
bō zhà luó shé pí。tā nài pó luó pí。
sà duō luó jiā luó ní。xiū mó xiū mó。
mó hē，qié lóu ní jiā。suō pó hē。
(pronunciation in blue amended from extraction with advice confirmation by a Ven. to follow a printed copy)

念诵虚空藏菩萨咒可增加记忆力、有增长学习力。常念诵虚空藏菩萨咒毁禁恶名皆悉除灭，得以清净；能使方诸佛及诸菩萨之所护念及诸声闻皆来咨受。念诵虚空藏菩萨咒后临命终时净除业障，十方诸佛放金色光，皆来迎接为说妙法，随意往生清净佛国。
~extract from http://wapbaike.baidu.com/view/1704265.htm?uid=AD9F208240D420CDD40FC04A354DB248&bd_page_type=1&st=3&step=1&net=3&ldr=2

Method recommended from http://wk.baidu.com/view/c7635a2e453610661ed9f447#page/1/1372693619657
【持咒方法】早晨醒來吃早餐前，最好九點以前，拿一杯溫開水置於桌上： (雙手合十)
1.先念「南無虛空藏菩薩摩訶薩」三遍。
2.持誦「虛空藏菩薩神咒」七遍、四十九遍、或一百零八遍。
3.而後把將水飲用即完成。

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B) To aid one enhance Wisdom:
Mantra of Manjusri Bodhisattva 文殊菩萨心咒

梵文：Om Ara Pa Ca Na Dhih
藏文：Om Ara Pa Za Na Di

嗡啊惹 巴扎纳德。
嗡阿喇 巴札那谛。

文殊智慧咒是由《金刚顶瑜伽文殊师利菩萨经》提取。文殊智慧咒是增长智慧的咒语。又称文殊菩萨心咒。持诵文殊智慧咒能开启我们的智慧。平时常念诵文殊智慧咒此神咒能使您于空灵中将慢慢开启智慧大门，事事如意。
持诵“文殊智慧咒”的主要功德为：罪障消灭，获无尽辩才，所求世间、出世间事悉得成就，离诸苦恼，五无间等一切罪障永尽无余，证悟一切诸三昧门，获大闻持，成阿耨多罗三藐三菩提等等。
~extracted from http://wapbaike.baidu.com/view/2561092.htm?adapt=1&

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In addition, he recommended before dedication of merits,
we first rejoice in the merits of all Buddhas & Bodhisattvas 随喜诸佛菩萨功德, then their great merits together with our small merits we dedicate to all sentient beings, our 祖先 ancestors, our 冤亲债主 karmic-debtors，and all those beings who suffer similar misfortune as who we are specifically dedicating for or what we are suffering from.
In this way, with the great merits of the Buddhas & Bodhisattvas, then we do not have to worry that our small merits have not much dedication effect.

Venerable greatly  advocates on Generosity on charity and life liberation, Filial Piety, Rejoicing on merits of others and generating Bodhicitta.
His compassion on all beings, especially on the lower 3 realms is touching and his repeated emphasis for all devotees to join him in the practice of Compassion and Buddhism somehow revoked my fading compassion and enthusiasm.

Rejoice on All and his merits...

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Pardon is sought for any incorrect interpretation of above if any...
Amituofo   _/|\_

Compassionate Ven. Hai Tao Dharma talk & Life Liberation event in Singapore

Wow so close and good shot on Venerable!

Compassionate Venerable Hai Tao in Singapore.
Look at his schedule! http://www.lifetv.org.tw/calender.htm
Giving Dharma Talks or holding retreats or travelling on the road, in the air or sea almost everyday. His schedule is so packed for all sentient beings.
It is so good to see him, we rejoice on his deeds but we pain to see him tiring himself.

With palms together, we earnestly request , may he remain in good health to stay and teach us for eons, for the happiness and well-being of all wanderers in samsara.
Amituofo    _/|\_