Khenrinpoche’s longlife puja

I have so many things to write,…hahaha I just donot know where to start. Hmmm…maybe I’ll start with Khenrinpoche Lama Lhundrup's longlife puja held at LDC on 7 Oct 2007...and do it in point forms,with short notes just to capture the main points.

1.1 Purification outside the gate
It was held at LDC in KL and that was the first time I ever took part in a guru’s longlife puja. I took the last midnight bus from Penang and reached KL in the early morning. It was about 5.30 when we reached Hentian Duta. Not wanting to disturb any of my KL friends, and since I thought there would be someone at LDC to open the gate for me, I took a bus to Plaza Rakyat and from there, a taxi to LDC. It was only about 6.30am and to my horror, I found out that there was no ringing tone when I pressed the bell outside the gates. I tried to call a few people on their handphone, but they are either switched off or could not be reached. I really do not know what to do outside the gate… sitting, squating , standing… watching cars go by… looking at the ants and saying mantras to them… walking here and there…I caught two taxis and asked for their number in case no one came…hahaha… The real problem came when I had to use the toilet… my stomach rumbled…. Oh my goodness! Am I going to just poo in the public drain? How? Thank goodness Jesus came and bless me. I did not know the house a few doors away was a church, but I just walked a bit further… hoping to meet someone who could let me use their toilet. Then I came to the church and they had just opened their doors about then. How lucky! So, I was able to use their toilet... and showered there too. Before I left the church, I just went inside the hall and said my thanks to Jesus for coming to my help when I needed it. A short while later at about 8am, someone from LDC came … and the gate was finally opened and I could enter. Boy, was I glad! I later learned from William that he had switched off the bell the day before. That was why there was no sound when I pressed it. Osel-la thought that she could not hear the ringing because they were inside their rooms.

1.2 LO AND BEHOLD! THE BUDDHA ON THE THRONE!

LDC’s gompa is always spectacularly beautiful. The throne was especially magnificent to behold. It was arrange in such a way that the Singaporean delegation sat on one side, and those from Penang at another side. And the public and members of LDC sat about right in front. The committee members of LDC was there too… I do not know all of them but certainly Lillian Too, MK Sen and wife, Juanita, Chung Han, William and others were there too. Of course, the Venerables were there too – Geshe-la, Dechen-la, Osel-la, Ven. Sonam, as well as the Geshe-la from ABC and other attendants. I was seated just right behind Lillian Too and one other lady I forgot the name. And I was also seating near Leng Leng, Chee Hin, as well as Eillian and his husband. When Khenrinpoche Lama Lhundrup was ushered into the gompa, I felt he was like a Buddha walking in. I felt a small tear of joy in the corner of my eyes when he reached at the top at his throne and stood there for a moment to arrange his robes. There was a light at the top of his head and it must be that impact or maybe it was the purification I had waiting outside the gate…whatever, at that time, the feeling in me was of tremendous bliss erupting. For that fleeting moment, I was looking at a BUDDHA! WOW!! Just WOW!!

Another such moment came a short while later. I was waiting in line after the dance of the 5 dakinis and their offerings (The dance was spectacular and something I have not seen before – great performance!). Osel-la allowed me to hold one of the last of the 8 precious objects, to be offered to Venerable Khenrinpoche. When it reached my turn, I reminded myself to see him as a Buddha. I bowed my head down and he touched my head. He put a kata over my head and I felt so “kam tong” (“touched” in hokkien). I cried and wept that I would have the chance to meet both Kyabje Lama Zopa and Khenrinpoche, and their precious teachings. As I was wiping away my tears, when I closed my eyes, there was this halo of light around an image of a Buddha silhouette, just like what we see during an eclipse of the sun. There is this simmering light around it but all darkness within. At that time, I knew that it was because of our delusions that we cannot see our gurus as a Buddha completely in all their splendour and glory. To see even a small glimpse of it is considered a blessing. I also remember the story of Asanga whom Maitreya told him that he had visited the latter a few times. But Asanga did not see Maitreya, instead he saw ordinary people. One was trying to wipe a mountain or something, right? And the last was that of a dog infested by maggots. It was only after wiping all his delusions that he could see Maitreya as Maitreya.

Before I left KL, I had a private audience with Khenrinpoche to obtain his blessings. I returned to Penang in Chee Hin’s car. So it was a wonderful occasion and which I will always remember. Oops…not quite point form/notes format. :)