The 17th Karmapa's Long Life Verse for Sai Baba

For more info on Sai Baba's meeting with lamas from Sera Je Monastery, refer this link: -

http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/chinesenewyear2010.html

In 2007, he met with lamas from all 4 main Tibetan traditions. And moreover there is the Long life prayer composed by Gis Holiness Urgyen Trinley Dorje for Sai Baba, which goes like this:

Tsang Sog Lha Wang Soong May Den Pa Dang,

Kar Chok Gay We Thu Dang Nu Pa Yi,

Pal Den Lama Zhab Pad Rab Ten Ching,

Zam Ling Che Kyi Nang Way Khyab Par Shok.

By the Truth of the Deities, the Protector - Brahma and so forth,

And the power and ability of the virtues,

May the Guru's life be long and stable,

And may the world be pervaded by the light of Dharma.

It is not that difficult to understand why the Karmapa himself would want Sai Baba to live longer. If you only would check and see for yourself the impact of his vast project on the lives of many ordinary Indians as well as millions of people around the globe (who may not necessarily be his followers, by the way), you will know the real Sai Baba and come to respect him too. His schools in India as well as around the world are some of the best. They have been acknowledged by the accreditation bodies and acclaimed even in western countries. Would Buddhist education ever reach Zambia? I doubt so. What reaches Zambia may not be Buddhism, but it is still dharma if it teaches the students universal religious values. Sai Baba water projects had resulted in clean and clear water for the rural areas in India. He brought people of various religions together and unite them as harmoniously as humanly possible within the context of a world torn apart by many religious conflicts. He showed that divinity and the spiritual path can be expressed in many ways and not be too fanatical about our own religions that we exclude others and think they are going on the wrong path. All these are important projects that are beyond the scope of any one religion... and certainly beyond Buddhism. We need people like Sai Baba to be able to achieve all these.

So, you see that his miracles are not that important. Yes, there are people who stir up controversy by accusing that his miracles are a fake. But I say, "so what?". However, based on my own personal experiences, I can vouch that the miracles I have seen and experienced are all genuine, for Sai Baba is no where in Malaysia to pull any possible tricks. And there are others in other countries as well who can vouch the same. I am certainly not the only Buddhist who believed in him. I am not sure of those lamas believed in him or not and it does not matter they believe in him or not. But I am confident they see the vast benefit Sai Baba had on all sentient beings and due to that, they respect and do not demonise him. In fact they recited the Medicine Buddha mantra for him, and as mentioned, even HH the Karmapa wrote a longlife verse for him. If and once he is gone, millions of devotees will be deprived of a hope - an important aspect in the world of much pain and sorrow. He provides hope in a way Kuan Yin does for many Kuan Yin believers. But Kuan Yin operates not at the human level. Ordinary people cannot see and touch and speak to Kuan Yin but they can see and touch and talk to Sai Baba. Nirmanakayas make a lot of difference, you know?! If anyone intents to be a great bodhisattva one day, this is how you too should operate. You shuld not just sit there in your Pure Land and operate from there. You would want to "get your hands dirty" so to speak and come as a human among humans to benefit people. Do you understand now? So I learn all these from Sai Baba. He contributed much to the Buddhist I am today.

Yesterday I participated in a Sai Baba centre members gathering after many years of missing-in-action. Most of the members are chinese Buddhists. 20 years ago this center didnot exist and the center I went to was mostly Hindus and they sang mostly Hindu bhajan songs. But yesterday night, we sang mostly Buddhist songs. See how things change. We also recited the Mani mantra, the Medicine Buddha mantra, the white Tara mantra, the long chenrezig mantra and something I have not seen before in Buddhist circles, the long Ksitigarbha dharani. And my long time friend who is a Professor in religious studies was there to speak on some aspects of the benefit and significance of mantras. We used to go to the center where I said was mostly Hindus last time. Today, even that centre has many chinese Buddhists followers. It was truly incredible!

Sai Baba is already 84 years old this year and I realise that time is running short for me to meet up face to face with him. Somehow I am determined to meet up with him very soon. But then I realise that compared to me, there are so many other people who donot even had the chance to hear his name or see his image, far less to get to know and experience him. At least, I have eperienced him and he had written messages to me in the past. For that, I am most thankful!

Om Sai Ram

Om Mani Padme Hum

Love All, Serve All

I'll end this with an intriguing question from my friend professor, which he asked the members of the centre to ask themselves. Sai Baba used to say in his early years, "Now I give you what you want, for later you will want what I have to give". The thing is, the professor asked, now that Sai Baba is getting old, have we received it?" Have we received what Sai Baba wanted to give? And what is it? That you have to think for yourself. But for me, the inner transformation as a Buddhist and my development in the path of Lam Rim are what I have received. For all these that I have received, I have to thank the compassionate Enlightened Force, whatever we may call it "the Buddha", "Kuan Yin", or whatever.