Dream of Dakini with Snakes

Two Saturdays ago (19th Jan 2013) I woke up with a vivid image of a strange dakini-like deity. Actually there were 2 deities but I remember the first one more clearly. These are supposedly the protectors of a certain lineage. I went to a unknown temple with a long-time dharma friend of mine (who is currently base in the USA, but is from my hometown). Apparently he is showing us (there was another mutual friend too) around. Then we saw two huge thangkas hanging on a wall/board, one on top of the other. The deity that I remember was on top. It has a yellow background. The deity wears a long flowing robes and has two or four hands. It has a fierce serious face.  He or she wears a rounded hat with many snakes crawling out of the hat. It is like a cross between Nagarjuna (who is seen in some thangkas with snakes crawling out from behind his head) and Achi Chokyi Drolma (who wears a long flowing robes and in standing position). Anyway, I put my palms together and pay my respect. I don't discount the existence of this deity because in this world there are many kinds of dakinis, gods, goddesses and various kind of spirits that we humans have never seen before. The year of the snake is coming soon. So, perhaps this dream is a blessings!   

Please Pray for William Yau

Referring to this story on William Yau Zhen Zhong, I would urge my readers to pray for him. Just click on the link here or google "William Yau" to read more stories about him.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/1/28/nation/12635963&sec=nation

Contrary to popular belief, people who die a tragic death normally do not rest in peace. They will be suffering. So I urget the Buddhist community of my blog to pray for him that he may be reborn in a better place and his karma be purified. Please transfer merits to him. He needs it. Let's not speculate on how he died, leave that to the police to investigate. Our job is to pray and help him cross-over to a better rebirth. If possible, to Amitabha's Pure Land. If investigations still cannot determine what happened to him, one way to help investigators find a leading clue will be to consult the Tibetan Mo. Get an expert Mo divinator to do it. This is the Buddhist way of CSI (crime scene investigation)!

William Yau

Pic source: www.malaysiandigest.com

  

Those terminally ill should practice Great Compassion

I want to start 2013's first blog post by relating to you how animal liberation should be done especially by people who suffer from cancer. This is what I have learned from Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. While it is okay for people who only want to sponsor the animals for the event financially, and not get involved in the prayers, I feel that for people who are terminally sick or seeking longevity, they must actually participate and recite the prayers for the animals. The most important part is for them to look at the animals and feel compassionate towards them. The feeling should be natural and not contrived. If it is not natural, then they have to contemplate the sufferings of the animals as taught in Lam Rim and other Buddhist texts. And if these sick people have to consume meat, then before putting the meat into the mouth, again look at it and feel compassion for the animals that has sacrificed for your meal and then recite the mantra. Same when eating vegetarian meals. Think of the worms and catterpillars killed in the farm. I emphasise this because it is not enough for cancer patients, for example, to merely pay someone a certain amount of money to conduct animal liberation for him/her. Unless he/she cannot walk, or bed-ridden, then every animal he/she comes across (or hears), he/she should express immediate compassion for it.... even from a distance. For example, a bird flies across the sky or a lizard on a wall. Or even hearing a dog bark outside. He should express compassion for it and recite the mantra as if the animal can hear it. Even if it does not cure the illness, such compassion will not be without some positive long-term spiritual impact. This is not just my words. So don't trust me. Trust Great Compassion. It is the great saviour in life as well as in death! Great Compassion is the ultimate medicine when conventional medicine fails. Great Compassion never fails!