This post is coming a bit late but I thought it would still be worthwhile posting it. This year’s Wesak Fair at Kechara was held at the usual field which has traditionally been the venue for previous Wesak Fairs. There was one difference though, the weather was notably hot this year but that didn’t melt the spirits of all those involved in making the fair a success. As in previous years, the fair saw a vast array of products and goods being sold to raise funds for charity and exhibition booths promoting various Kechara departments. The crowd was also treated to cultural dance performances and a magic show later in the day.

Dog for adoption at the Kechara Animal Sanctuary booth.

JP Thong brings a distinguished guest on a tour at the Tsem Ladrang booth.

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Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche regarding Medicine Buddha

If you can recite Medicine Buddha mantra as much as you can every day (good to do at least 5 malas), this will purify negative karma and will help you never to be reborn in the lower realms.

TADYATA OM BHEKHANDZYE BHEKHANDZYE MAHA BHEKHANDZYE (BHEKHANDZYE) RAJA SAMUDGATE SVAHA

Medicine Buddha said that even if an animal hears the Medicine Buddha mantra it will never be reborn in the lower realms.

If you don’t purify negative karma, even dying, having cancer, still you have to die because of negative karma, because it is not purified, so you will be reborn in the lower realms as a hell being, hungry ghost or animal, and again and again without end have to suffer. Therefore, you need to purify the negative karma now. If you cannot bear the sickness now how can you bear the suffering of the lower realms? Especially because of the incredible length of time that beings have to suffer in the lower realms. It is a billion times more suffering than all the human problems put together.

Medicine Buddha mantra prevents you from experiencing all these things. So it is much more precious than skies of gold, diamonds and wish-fulfilling jewels—all this wealth means nothing because it can’t purify all the negative karma. Even if you own that much wealth, this one Medicine Buddha mantra is much more precious because it leaves imprints of the whole path to enlightenment in your mind; it helps you to have realizations of the whole path to enlightenment. It ceases all the gross and subtle defilements and makes you achieve enlightenment.

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From the blog of Tsem Tulku Rinpoche: http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/a-true-account-of-an-accomplished-practitioner-of-the-vajra-guru-mantra-in-recent-times.html

I received this article in the mail and it caught my attention. These days it is very rare to hear the account of practitioners with attainments, so I thought I would share this with you.

In the monasteries, it is very common that through sincere motivation and practice, one can achieve great realizations as taught by Buddha and the lineage Gurus. It is the same whether you come from Mahayana, Vajrayana, Theravadan, or whichever school of Buddhism you practice. In this day and age, it is heart warming to know that Buddha’s teachings are still alive and beneficial to all. Remember, what this practitioner achieved can be achieved with any mantra you sincerely stick to. You can recited migtseyma thoroughly and devotedly, or Tara’s or Setrap’s mantras and gain great results just the same. All mantras have great power and which one is given to us by our teachers or affinity or both, we should devotedly practice daily without disappointment and with stability…but we must be very devoted to it and it will bear great results. I thought I would post this as an inspiration to show an ordinary person can gain these accomplishments through faith and mantra. You can too!! Remember, you can accomplish with any mantra.

Tsem Rinpoche

Orated by Jamyang Dorje Rinpoche of the Taipei Padmakara Buddhist Society

Padmasambhava

Recorded by Pema Tsering on 22 Aug 2007 with due respect

Translated from Chinese into English and editted by Jigme Sherab with due respect

Homage to Padmasambhava and Pema Norbu Rinpoche

May 2006 – In the holy land of Padmasambhava, Bhutan, a blind accomplished master knew his time of his death in advance and sat in crossed vajra posture while passing into parinirvana.

As the author was afraid of gradually forgetting the details of this master’s liberation story over the passage of time, the sublime details of it were committed to paper with one’s own inadequate literary skills.  It is hoped that all those who see, hear or are acquainted with the facts of this history will be filled with deep faith and devotion to Padmasambhava, thereby receiving blessings and accomplishments.

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From the website of Tsem Tulku Rinpoche: http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/vegetarian-cat-in-south-korea.html

Can you believe that there is a cat in South Korea who is vegetarian and prays?

This video is of the vegetarian cat who goes by the refuge name, 解脱 (Free oneself). A nun rescued the male cat a few years ago, and it has been living in the temple with many other nuns since then. Every day without fail, the cat will go to the prayer hall, sit on a cushion with its paws placed in front and eyes staring at the Buddha statue as if he is praying!! Very interesting!

The cat will only leave the prayer hall after many hours. Sometimes, when the Chief Nun wants to bring it out to play, he refuses to go. It just sits at prayer hall and stares at the Buddha statue.

A few years back when the Chief nun rescued the cat, she instructed the cat not to make any noise in the temple compound, not to eat meat and not to kill any beings…the cat listened and complied! Until today, he does not eat meat…even when a piece of fried chicken is placed in front of the cat, he does not get tempted! This vegetarian cat has also not gone against the other rules set by the Chief Nun.

The video also shows a visitor to the temple who was so curious and impressed with the cat to the point she prostrated to him!!

Could you have imagined that a cat could be vegetarian, pray and refrain from killing any beings?

I have added a video below, as well as the translation. Do watch how well-mannered this cat is. He can sit in front of the altar for hours throughout the day, looking at the Buddha statues on the altar.

Tsem Rinpoche

“Do I Follow My Personal Dreams Or My Parents’ Expectations?” is taken from Question Time with Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda, published by Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society.

Question: Torn between my personal dream and my parents’ wishes, what should I do?

Answer:

Dear JJJ,

I really sympathise with you over your dilemma but rest assured that you are not the only one in this predicament. In the past, parents even dictated what profession their children should follow and who and when they should marry.

In your case, I would advise you to follow the middle path, and seek a compromise. That is, please your parents by following a profession that will make them happy. Remember that there are many well-paid service-oriented jobs. Some NGOs, for example, pay salaries comparable with the private sector.

You can, in the mean time, do voluntary work with charitable organisations to gain experience and make contacts. You can eventually get a high paying job with the UN, for example, serving both your desire to help mankind and fulfilling your parents’ wishes. This will take time, of course, but patience is a virtue.

At the same time, remember that serving mankind need not be dramatic, going into war-torn areas and risking your life, but there are socially acceptable jobs like teaching, which is also serving mankind, without posing a danger to yourself. Over time, you may be able to persuade your parents to allow you to follow your heart’s desire, but do not go against them now. My advice is, make a choice that will eventually create a win-win situation. With the Blessings of the Noble Triple Gem,

Yours in the Dhamma

Ven K Sri Dhammananda

Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda Maha Nayaka Thera (1919-2006). Picture by Jeff Ooi

“What Happens if One Commits a Wrong Out of Ignorance?” is taken from Question Time with Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda, published by Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society.

Question: If we do something wrong but we do not know that it was wrong (because nobody ever told us), are we wrong?

Answer: Put another way, you are asking, if we do something wrong without knowing it is wrong, do we accumulate bad kamma?

Well, if we are unaware of the action, e.g. if when driving at night, we run over a snake and kill it, we do not accumulate bad kamma because there was no intention to kill.

But if we do anything wrong knowing that we are doing it for our benefit, whether it is killing, lying or stealing, then we are guilty because our actions deprive others of their peace of mind and happiness.

It does not matter whether we are taught about it or not. Certain actions are wrong and apply to all beings. Kamma is action and re-action. If you walk into a hole, you will fall in. You cannot say that it is unfair because you were not looking and it is not your fault. Of course, the effect of the bad kamma depends on several factors, e.g. the quantum of greed, hatred or anger involved; the amount of effort put in to carry out the action and the degree of suffering which was created by the action.

Not all wrong actions bear the same kammic effect. Certain wrong actions (e.g. killing) are wrong in all societies and at all times. Others are wrong because of social constraints (e.g. stealing, speaking falsehoods) and can vary according to the place, the mitigating circumstances and period in which we are living. Bad kamma does not always produce identical consequences.

Recently, His Eminence Tsem Tulku Rinpoche answered two commonly asked questions about Lama Tsongkhapa posted on his Facebook page. Rinpoche answered in the form of two videos and in the first video, Rinpoche explains about how the practice of Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga relates to the Buddha Maitreya — the Buddha who is predicted to take rebirth in the human world in the future.

Rinpoche touched briefly on the visualization one does when performing the Guru Yoga, its benefits as well as the importance of Guru Yoga practice in Tantric Buddhism. This is however just a very condensed explanation of the Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga and a much more detailed teaching by Rinpoche is available on YouTube and on his official website. In the second video, Rinpoche explains on the significance of the color of Je Tsongkhapa’s pandit hat which is yellow.

The Relationship between Lama Tsongkhapa and Maitreya Buddha

Why is Lama Tsongkhapa’s Hat Yellow?

The Kechara Grand Setrap and Dzambhala Puja (GSDP) 2011 concluded on Sunday in a carnival-like atmosphere that attracted Kechara members, friends and visitors from all over Malaysia as well as a few who came from abroad.

Unlike previous editions of GSDP which were held annually at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall along Jalan Maharajalela in Kuala Lumpur, this year’s GSDP was held at Kechara’s new Gompa at Sunwaymas, taking advantage of a larger floorspace which included booths and tents that were erected on the grounds just outside the Gompa.

Each Kechara department had their own dedicated booth showcasing their respective activities, programs and products to the public. GSDP 2011 also featured various lucky draws and contests.

GSDP 2011 takes on some Chinese New Year flavor with rows of red Chinese lanterns.

The Buddha comes with bling. One of the various altars at GSDP 2011 featuring Tsongkhapa.

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On 27 November 2010, Kechara saw the unfolding of a new chapter with the launch of its new and bigger Gompa at SunwayMas, Petaling Jaya. The event, which was officiated by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, was attended by a crowd of approximately 700 Kechara members and friends from Malaysia and around the world. Dignitaries who graced the event include Datuk Dr. Victor Wee Eng Lye, Secretary General of the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism, the Argentine Ambassador to Malaysia and wife and Datin Paduka Mother Mangalam Iyaswamy Iyer co-founder and president of the Pure Life Society.

Guests were treated to food, drinks and cultural dance shows. The new Kechara Gompa houses three of the largest Tibetan Buddhist statues in Malaysia — a 10 feet tall Tsongkhapa statue, a 7 feet Vajrayogini statue and a 7 feet Setrap statue. The following are photos from the event. Click on the images for a larger view.

A guest looking at some exhibits at the gallery showcasing the life of H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche

Kechara Media and Publications writer and editor Kok Yek Yee bringing a group of journalists from the Chinese media on a tour of the gallery

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Maintain the state of undistractedness, and distractions will fly away.

Dwell alone, and you shall find the Friend.

Take the lowest place, and you shall reach the highest.

Hasten slowly, and you shall soon arrive.

Renounce all worldly goals, and you shall reach the highest Goal.

If you follow this unfrequented path, you will find the shortest way.

If you realize Sunyata (the absolute Emptiness), compassion will arise within your hearts;

and when you lose all differentiation between yourself and others, then you will be fit to serve others.

- Jetsun Milarepa