Did Jesus travel to India?

 Christmas was just yesterday. And during this festival, traditionally meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is common for Buddhists to wish other Buddhists and the public "Merry Christmas". Many Buddhists do join in the merry making during this time. 

I'll like to weigh in on my thoughts on one line of thinking among some people involving Jesus Christ. There are even videos on this online. You can search for it. Well, this issue is about whether Jesus went to India/Tibet or not before he began his active missionary and teachings. There were supposedly missing years of his life, i.e. the younger days where there are no records in the Bible of his life. So, there are those who does some research into this issue. While I don't think there are any hard evidence of him proving that he did venture to India during that period of time, there are also no evidence that that he did not go. However, I will give you my two cents on what I think.

Well, I do not think he went to India during that period at all, not learned about the Buddha's teachings. Perhaps he did learn some other religions that may exist at that time, but I doubt he came across the Buddha dharma as we know it today. You see, I based my opinion on the absence of key Buddhist teachings in Jesus' teachings. IF HAD indeed gone to India and learned the Buddha dharma from the Buddhist Sangha at that time, be it whatever Buddhist traditions, he would have incorporated at least these key teachings into his teachings. BUT no.... there was nothing on impermanence, nothing on specific and generic suffering, and certainly nothing on non-self. These CORE Buddhist teachings of ALL BUDDHIST TRADITIONS are conspicuously missing from the pages of the Holy Bible. Even if he had not embraced the Buddha dharma, but merely influenced by it, these key teachings would have been at the very least mentioned by Jesus Christ. 

Hence, my conclusion, although I definitely cannot rule it out with 100% certainly, on the question of whether did Jesus Christ travel to India, learned some Buddhadharma and returned to his homeland, I would say, "No, I'm sorry but I do not think so.". But, if you can prove me wrong, I will be happy to listen to your arguments and/or evidences. Okay, that's all for this post. Wishing all readers a "Happy Ending to Year 2022. May we strive to gain the end of suffering". There is also the question of whether Jesus survive his crucifixion and then escaped to India thereafter. Hahaha, my short response is, "I don't think so". But we can explore this in another post. 

#Christmas #JesusChrist #JesuswenttoIndia 

You may want to explore this post -   https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2013/07/dont-react-negatively-to-others-who.html

Ancient Buddhist Sculptures in Yunnan

I thought this is an interesting video I want to save here for my viewing later, and also to share it with all of you. Someday I would like to visit these interesting places. This is a place at a mountain called Shibaoshan, somewhere in Yunnan region in China. The ancient Chinese kingdom called Dali was supposedly here. Hope you will enjoy watching this video.    #Dali #AncientBuddhastatues #Shibaoshan

Try to read this post when you have the time -  https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2009/07/khenpo-konchog-rangdrol.html

The Tulku of Kalu Rinpoche

I have been extremely busy for the last 3 weeks and hardly have time for my blog or anything else. 

But this is an interesting video about the discovery of the "reincarnation" of the last Kalu Rinpoche. 

Hope you like it! 

#KaluRinpoche #reincarnation

You may check out this old post too. https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2012/12/osel-hitas-film.html

Maha Satipatthana Sutta Pt3B: Mental Contemplations (The 4 Noble Truths)

This is the continuation of what I posted at the beginning of the year. You will note that I dated it 27 Jan. 2022. That was when I had created the notes on the Maha Satipatthana Sutta. I had taken the trouble to create a flowchart diagram so that it will be easier for you to concenptualise the arising of sense impressions. In the diagram, I had focused on just one sense impression, i.e. visual impressions. The other sense impressions also arise in much the same way.

Do check out my other posts... particularly if you have not seen my last blog post on the celebration of a deity's birthday. https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2022/10/cultural-showpiece-celebration-of.html

#mahasatipatthanasutta #fournobletruth 

Cultural Showpiece: Celebration of a Chinese Deity's Birthday

 In this post I share with you some photos and videos I have taken at a Chinese Temple in celebration of their patron deity, which is the God Erlang (or Erlang Shen). This is the Chinese deity with the so-called "third eye" who famously fought with the Monkey God (Sun Wukong) in the novel "Journey to the West".

The first picture is that of the Deity Erlang Shen. and the second shows is Howling Sky Dog (or, Xiao Tian Quan) and is often seen helping the God in his battles. There are a few versions of his earthly story and how he attains his deitification. In one of the popular versions, he was the son of a human and a heavenly goddess. His earthly name was Yang Jian. He helped fought against the Shang dynasty tyrannical king and brought its downfall. There is a Chinese drama on Yang Jian called "Investiture of the Gods". It is very interesting but also quite long - 65 episodes altogether. 

The celebration included a few days of Chinese Opera show. I believe the troupe was invited from China or Taiwan. Also invited to perform were 3 lion dance troupes and 1 dragon-and-phoenix dance troupe. It was really a spectacular sight to behold the dragon and phoenix. 

There were drum performances too by a group of boys and girls. 

The festival culminates with the medium going into a trance and then performing the rituals. The show ended with the deity, via the medium, taking Q&A from the devotees. I did not stay on but there was supposedly distribution of protective charm to those who wanted it. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GOD ERLANG SHEN! 

Hope you guys have enjoyed this blog post - which I hope is also sharing of cultures and traditions within the mixture of local Buddhism-Taoism and local practices. Do check out my post on Journey of the West in my blog. There are several posts, one of which is this - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2010/11/monkey-god-and-pilgrimage-to-west-pt-2.html

 #Erlangshen #chineseopera #liondance #dragondance

Pierce Brosnan's Buddhist Mala

This is a Youtube posted not too long ago on Pierce Brosnan's 10 Things Pierce Brosnan Can't Live Without. He was the former James Bond 007 before Daniel Craig took over. I do like him as James Bond. Now he portrays Dr Fate in DC's Balck Adam (also starring Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson as Black Adam). In about 4mins into the video, he took out a Mala (or a chanting bead/rosary). He says it is his travelling beads. It goes with him wherever he goes. So, that's how important the mala is to him. He has two travelling beads, i.e. the other one being a Catholic bead. He is both a Catholic and a Buddhist. 

He related how he obtained the mala. He went on a trip to India to visit His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He was there for 7 days. On the way back to the airport, a Tibetan lama hitch a ride with him. They were on the same plane. The lama was a medium to the Oracle of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I think it is the Nechung. Anyway, during the journey, a turbulence happened in mid-air. The lama, sitting beside Pierce Brosnan, seeing his worry, took out a mala from his bag and put it over Pierce's head. And ever since then, it is always with him. It is one of Pierce's treasured Buddhist mala.

So, there you are, this is the story of one of Hollywood's famous actors' Buddhist story. And as many of you may not take notice of this story due to it being embedded within other stories in the same video, I decided to share it here in this blog. 

If you like this post, do read another of my old post here. https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2011/02/huge-pig-in-hell.html

#piercebrosnan #jamesbond #buddhistmala 

Awakening Hermitage

Early morning 360degree view. Peaceful. 

That's all for this post. #awakeninghermitage #retreat

Please consider viewing this post too https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2009/08/mantra-to-my-rescue.html

Bringing to Life Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta

Although it is common to translate the words Annica, Dukkha and Anatta as Impermanence, Suffering and Non-self, some of the other words I use to give me a better and deeper realisation during meditation sessions are as follows: - 

Anicca (impermanence)
changing
fleeting

momentary/not lasting

Dukkha (suffering)

ultimately disappointing

dissatisfaction

untrustworthy

Anatta (non-self)

illusory

fake

ultimately no owners

ultimately cannot hold /grasp on to anything 

Only the Vow of Compassion is true (for example, Amitabha's Vow). Shinran Shonin understood this very well. He said, "Only the Vows of Amida is true. The rest is false". Indeed. Indeed. He knew that reciting the Buddha's Name is not for us. It is for others. This is the true way of Pure Land Dharma. 

It is important not to just verbalise the common words but be able to reflect your own innate wisdom by being able to describe what it means to you. So, the words above are what the three words mean to me. I hope you reflect yourself what Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta means to you. 

When you are able to let these words sink into yourself, when defilements arise, for instance, feelings of desire, you reflect that such desirous feelings are fleeting and is bound to be ultimately disappointing, and that such feelings are illusory and thus untrue, then such desires will not be able to take root in you. You will then be able to cut it off. So, this is just an example why a vivid understanding of those 3 words is important in the prevention of arising fetters/defilements and to reduce such occurrences. That is how meditation is able to help in cutting of defilements. 

And why is the Vow of Compassion important? Because we then avoid to sink and get stuck into deep states of consciousness (especially the Jhana states) and unable to get out. By placing importance on Vow of Compassion, you realise that sentient beings need help, and you will come out of your meditation seat to take action to help the world... even if, sometimes, this means only helping your physical self. With bodhicitta, we avoid getting stuck in the quicksand of "voidness". We take control of this ability to "go in" and "come out" as is necessary. This underscores the context and validity of bodhicitta in our practice. That is why we have the Mahayana Spirit, as what I wrote in the last post. It is not about the superiority of your tradition or lineage. 

On another note, I am thankful the last 5 days had been more satisfactory than I had anticipated. I had performed another round of Dorje Khadro fire puja before I started this week's new chapter for me. This time, I saw many white sesame seeds after the fire puja. In a way, the last several months had been very transformative for me. Slowly I feel there are "things" that have changed. One thing, I may have subtly adopted a different attitude towards many things. I am no longer so fixated on things I was previously "holding on" to steadfastly. And it is this transformation that I feel is slowly shown in my meditation practice. I have always thought there is a problem in how I visualise myself as a yidam. I had always thought it is a way of hocus-pocus self-hypnotism. BUT today (1 Oct 2022) I realised the correct way to do it. I feel that today the yidam is truly self-generated and I truly receive the 4 empowerments. On earlier occasions, I was only false-thinking of the deity. And this is my recording it down just for my own reference. Perhaps in future I will write more on it. Okay, that's it for now. Stay safe, take care of your mind! 

Since currently we are in the midst of celebrating the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, do try to read my post here - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2008/10/nine-emperor-gods-and-buddhism.html

#anicca #dukkha #anatta #bodhicitta #yidam #purelandbuddhism

Are you having Mahayana Spirit or Mahayana Pride?

Not by wearing Mahayana robes do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by living in or going to a Mahayana temple do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by reading or studying a Mahayana Sutra/text do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by being the Abbot of a Mahayana temple do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by leading a congregation of followers in a Buddhist assembly do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Not by teaching a Mahayana Sutra/text do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Certainly not by belittling Theravada Buddhism do you become a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you are wearing Theravada robes, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you are reading or studying Theravada scriptures /texts, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you let your students cultivate on their own (in between formal together-session), it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you are teaching a Pali-based text, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Just because you do not make offerings or accept the Mahayana pantheon of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhists.

Just because you are the Abbot of a Theravada temple, it does not mean you are not a Mahayana Buddhist.

Certainly not, just because you are an Arahant (or working towards being one), it does not mean you cannot be a Mahayana Buddhist as well.

Some Mahayana people judge the ways of practice belonging to Theravada school as "individual effort", whereas theirs are "collective effort". These are only external forms of practices. All of the items listed above talk about only externalities. It does not make a person a "Mahayana" or "not a Mahayana" person. It is perplexing that Mahayana people do not understand what makes a person a Mahayana. It is all in their own ATTITUDE. The answer to this question is key: what is your aspiration to achieve liberation?   

Also, it does not mean it is wrong to strive for individual enlightenment first. However, it is important to start laying the groundwork for strong BODHICITTA at the beginning, even though it is alright to walk the path towards being an Arahant. If you infuse your Arahanthood with BODHICITTA, then that's called a BODHISATTVA. Being an Arahant, you can help more sentient beings than if you were just a normal sentient being. In this sense, walking together at the same level and achieving liberation together is not only not practical, but also being stupid. You are incapable of even saving yourself, far less saving others. There is also the aspect of hypocrisy. Therefore, it is good to at the very least, being a Sotapanna yourself in order to set yourself a good example to others before you can lead them. How can you convince others to strive for Nirvana, if you yourself are still mired in Samsaric mess? Therefore, any talks about "collective effort" in your Temples must not be merely on external forms of practices, but more about the way you treat others, and also how you set yourself as "good example". By being a "good example", you do not need to lead in a walking group meditation. When people see you are a "good example", everyone will naturally be inspired to follow your footsteps in practice earnestly to attain the same too. That is true BODHICITTA. So, there is no need for Mahayana people to say things like, "... theirs is "individual effort"... ours is "collective effort"..." The division between Mahayana spirit and non-Mahayana spirit are drawn not merely on simplistic externalities (or outer forms) lines. Sometimes, this Mahayana spirit thing gets too much into their pride that they don't really understand what is "Mahayana". It becomes an "ego" thing. This is disappointing. In actual fact, having the Mahayana spirit is very humbling. 

If you like this post, try read this one - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2014/11/guidance-from-chan-master-hsu-yun.html

#Mahayana #Theravada #Bodhicitta 

Hua Chenyu's Dharma Song: Seven Personalities

Let me introduce you to one of China's latest singing sensation - Hua Chenyu. He is 32 years old but looks a lot younger. He first made a name for himself from a singing competition in China. Since then, he has been recognised widely for his expertise not only in singing but in composing. He was given a short tune without lyrics in another competition in 2016, and yet he was able to come out with such a big hit - Qi Tian Da Shen (Great Sage Equal to Heaven, i.e. the title for Sun WuKong/ Monkey God). Video is included below too. His songs and superb stage performances have earned him praises by even Westerners. You may search Youtube for "Seven Personalities Hua Chenyu Reaction". In the song "Seven Personalities", there is a part whereby the Mani mantra is hummed. In the video below, you can see it. There is English lyrics included. But if you search the original performance video, there is no mani mantra humming in the background. Just the "Oo...Oo...Oo..." made by Hua Chenyu himself. It is not difficult to understand why he is so popular in China and beyond. His voice and facial expressions as well as body movements are all very well executed. Video is here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_HR6ACvedE

I thought this is so talented of him. Perhaps he might have gotten help from the lyricists and others, but the fact that he was able to even compose this tune shows his respect and knowledge of the Dharma. Oh yes, there is one line in the lyrics which seems to me to have a reference to a famous Avatamsaka Sutra sentence. See if you can spot it. 

Translation of the lyrics to English

source: Hua Chenyu - 七重人格 [Seven Personalities] (Qī chóng rén gé) lyrics + English translation (lyricstranslate.com)

Night befalls and insects chirp

See a robin in the sky fly by

The sparrow outside the window for whom does it mourn?

(shut up!)

 

If all time is unrecorded, leaving not a trace behind

If all ancient books turn black, how could the past be portrayed?

If numbness is to be exposed, wounds will bleed afresh

If a man can tamper with his cruel and doomed fate, stamped at birth

wu wu~ (note: this is the part of the humming of the mani mantra)

 

Ancient, Present, Heaven, Earth

When the Great Chaos first dissipated

clarity, turbidity, black and white were distinguished birthed specks of dust

 

Ecstasy, Anger, Joy, Sorrow

Flourish and decay in endless cycles

Right and wrong, victory and defeat alternate, hundred of mundane lifeforms in eons of Samsara

 

The eternal, the bygone, the existing, the unknown

From antiquity to future ages, prosperity eventually fades

All things bloom with a single move of my thoughts

 

The Great Chaos transforms in thousands of incarnations

'Tis none other than this, 'Tis none other than this

Let me dictate, It's up to me to dictate

All shall vanish and leave only

 

That completely unrestrained self

Who stands in the torrid storm and does! not! die!

Bearing unhealed wounds I dash to the battle on the verge of loosing control25

For the fi-! -nal! es-! -cape!

For snatching back the lost freedom

I am willing to turn into a beast

 

If the truth is entirely buried, no words are uttered

If men could accept succumbing to these predestined, doomed fates

wu wu wu~ (note: this is the part of the humming of the mani mantra)

 

When tranquility arrives once more

oh how beautiful is this scenery

Even stars doth tumble and perish, utterly pitch-black

 

Like a puzzle, I have lost a piece

with such glaring blankness

Endlessly ruing,

till I.. have completely.. lost.. myself!

https://lyricstranslate.com

Try to guess what are the 7 personalities. If not mistaken, it is given in the first 7 paragraphs. 

There is another interesting song by him called "Fake Monk". You should check it out. Usually we despise fake monks, right? But he advocated that we should understand that they become this due to problems they face and we should help them in ways we can. This is what I interpret his words when he said we should "love" this wandering fake monks. Perhaps, the welfare department should round up these people and see how they can help (not for purpose of punishment). I know it is easier said than doing it, but still I think he has a point there for our reflections. He sang and performed one of the greatest touching song ever seen in "Dad, I'm Home". He re-arranged Jay Chou's original song into something very touching. After listening to Hua Chenyu's rendition, I like his version better. Conveys the feelings and emotions better. It's like a different song altogether. He is really amazing! I may comment on it in the future.

If you like my comments above, check out my previous post on Sun Wukong chinese dramas. https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2012/04/journey-to-west-part-3.html

#huachenyu #sevenpersonalities #avatamsaka 

3rd copy of Sangahata Sutra Dharmaprayaya has been completed

1. My 3rd copy of writing out the Sanghata Sutra has been completed on the 2 August 2022. 2 more to go. Since there is no Sutra writer that can be found within the flesh and bone body and there is "sutra" that can be found in the paper nor the ink, there is no merits or good karma to make out of writing out this Sutra. Be it as it is, nevertheless MAY ALL BE AUSPICIOUS! I have a short video of it, but I will not upload it here as the size is too big. 

2. Yesterday I marked Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's birthday on the last day of the lunar 7th month. Previously I had also recited the entire Ksitigarbha Sutra and dedicated to the accomplishment of the bodhisattva's wishes and aims. 

3. I rejoice over the Singapore Government's repeal of Sec377A. Refer this news link - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62545577

However, the Prime Minister stressed that they will retain the meaning of the word "marriage" as between that of a man and a woman. In a blog post long time ago, I did write to state my view on this "marriage" definition too (refer the post in the link below), as in it should be confined to that of a man and a woman. It is, in fact, meaningless for same gender couples to marry as they cannot bear children. If it is just recognition and ceremony the couples want, they can still get those, without being regarded as "marriage". Perhaps, other words or terms may be more appropriate, whatever that word/term is.  

#SanghataSutra #Ksitigarbha #samesexmarriage

You may refer to my past blog post here to read more :  https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/search/label/Homosexuality 

Meditation Practice Must Result in Uprooting of Defllements

Today I realised something about Vajrayana’s deity practice. Although I have practiced it for many years, the method that I have been taught all these years was perhaps wrong. Mostly people are taught to visualise themselves as a deity. We are told to visualise ourselves as emptiness and the deity illusory-like. And then they are to visualise the actual deity come down to them and merge with their own mind. Then you continue with the meditation of generation of deity practices. Because of these wrongly taught practices, I felt that the visualisations did not help me at all in overcoming defilements. I felt that visualisation as deity is a kind of haux, or self-hypnotism. In other words, I believed that the process involve directly or indirectly you are hypnotising yourself into a deity, which is like “brain-washing”. I have brought up this issue with Tibetan teachers but none of them gave me a satisfying answer. I noted that even though we are visualising all the beings around us as Enlightened Beings, we are in fact cheating ourselves, i.e. by adding more delusions and illusions on top of delusions and illusions. How can merely visualising ourselves and others as Enlightened effectively eliminate our deeply rooted greed, anger and ignorance? IT CANNOT AND NEVER WILL. Do you seriously think just by visualising ourselves as Avalokiteshvara we will be able to transform into Avalokiteshvara? Fat hope. Whoever tells you that is lying. The way I see it is visualisation is only a spiritual tool to enable us to treat others better. It is never meant to transform us into somebody we are not. That is not the way to achieve the path and fruition to Nirvana. Keep our focus on that, instead of focusing on becoming a deity, or achieving some particular state (Jhana, Mahamudra, Dzogchen, breaking of Zen kung-an gates, etc). These latter states are only "means" to an "end", they are not the "end" itself.  STOP fantasizing yourself merging your mind with Cakrasamvara, Yamantaka, etc. Without a correct view on these Yidams, you could possibly go towards insanity. There is a warning I have read in a Sadhana text that many tantric practitioners have been reborn into the animal realm by wrongly visualising themselves as wrathful  deities. By visualising yourself with many hands and legs and with a wrathful head, or many heads, it is even possibly, to be reborn as a strange looking demon! Then you will lose whatever Buddhist cultivation you had done before. That will be your greatest regret! 

That explains why perhaps a number of Tibetan teachers still find themselves mired in sexual desires. As a result, we hear of sexual scandals from time to time. To be fair, not just Tibetan Buddhist teachers, but teachers of all traditions. In fact, not just teachers, even normal lay Buddhists are not yet able to effectively uproot the defilements even after many years of “practice”. At most, what Buddhists do are merely “sweeping” these defilements “under the carpet”. Or, merely trimming down, but in all seriousness, the main trunk and roots are still underneath the mind “ground”. Most methods that you hear are only good at “filtering” out these defilements. Even though it is better “filtering” than doing nothing at all, nevertheless we are not pulling out all the roots and ridding of them altogether. It is not so easy to uproot them. Following the Buddha’s teachings is the only way. If we have some knowledge of Abhidhamma, we will know of the workings of consciousnesses, the relationship (or inter-relationship) between nama and rupa (mentality and materiality) and the path of purification that will eventually lead to attainment of fruition (phala and magha).    

Well… the process of how visualisation is done is wrong. If done correctly, it can also effectively uproot defilements. In this respect, I find the Buddha’s Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Maha Satipatthana) very essential as a basis for the generating and arising of the Pure Deity. In this case, I realise that the Pure Deity is NOT some external deity. The Deity is our own true essential nature.  When we have successfully purified our body, feeling and mind through the methods of Body contemplation, Feeling contemplation and Mind contemplation, then our innate “deity” is ready to arise. That is the only TRUE DEITY. Not some deity that comes from outside. There is no deity from outside. If the deity is from outside, do you think the deity’s mind and your mind can merge? Do you want your mind to be taken over by any external deity (such as like in the case of a person in trance)? Finally, by doing the Mental Factors Contemplation, we will be able to start the process of uprooting the defilements and preventing fresh ones from taking root. The ultimate aim of Buddhist meditations is never to attain some fanciful state of consciousness, nor attaining immortality.  

This post is my short take on what I understand from the Vajrayana practice of Generation of Deity (or, yidam practice) and how to generate the TRUE DEITY. There is no true yidam apart from your pure and original mind. If you like this post, try read this one, which to my own surprise, I think it is one of my best book review. This is something on Pema Chodron's revered book – https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/book-review-places-that-scare-you.html

#yidam #satipatthana #deitymeditation

Dagri Rinpoche committed sexual misconduct?

I was not aware of this until today. Apparently this "news" was 2 years old already and I discovered it only now. How outdated I am! So, here goes an article published in "Phayul" website. And if you google, there are many others. I will re-produce it in full, without any editing on my part. 

https://www.phayul.com/2020/11/19/44802/

Dagri Rinpoche committed “intentional and inappropriate sexual behaviour”, says FPMT

By Tenzin Dharpo

DHARAMSHALA, Nov. 19: “Dagri Rinpoche did engage in a pattern of intentional and inappropriate sexual behaviour that persisted over many years towards women who were in his company due to his position as a trusted incarnate lama and teacher,” the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) said in a statement released on November 13.

Dagri Rinpoche was as a senior spiritual teacher at FPMT, a Buddhist establishment founded by two well known Buddhist teachers Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.

The statement from the leading Buddhist foundation in the west comes after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against the Tibetan Buddhist teacher. FPMT said that “witness interviews, statements and corroborating evidence” from an independent investigation led to the determination.  

“Despite multiple requests, Dagri Rinpoche did not meaningfully engage with FaithTrust Institute’s investigation. However, when he received a detailed summary of multiple victim statements from FaithTrust Institute, he emailed a written response asking for forgiveness,” FPMT’s statement read. The foundation said it has unanimously decided to permanently remove Dagri Rinpoche from the list of registered FPMT teachers and consequently FPMT centers, projects, and services, cannot invite the Tibetan teacher to give Dharma teachings at the center.

The foundation added that the allegations against Dagri Rinpoche dated as far back as 2008 including complaints from women of “groping, sexual harassment and sexual assault, both within FPMT centers and elsewhere. Some women reported they were assaulted for years. Some were ordained nun”.

On May 3, 2019, an Indian woman alleged that the 66-year-old Tibetan religious leader groped her during a flight from Delhi Airport to Gagal Airport. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed against him at the Gagal Police station near Dharamshala.

Days later a Spanish woman posted a video where she said that in 2008, Dagri Rinpoche molested her on the pretext of giving her blessings when she was a nun studying Buddhism in Dharamshala. Jakaira Perez Valdivia claimed that when she visited Dagri Rinpoche’s apartment near Namgyal monastery for advice and blessing for her back problem (herniated disk), the Tibetan Lama molested her.

Valdivia in her statutory declaration stated that the Tibetan lama asked her to remove her robe, touched her breasts and sat on her buttocks while she laid face down on the floor. The former nun said that the whole incident took place while Dagri Rinpoche chanted mantras and continuously drank and applied an alcoholic drink over her belly which he claimed was a “very holy substance”. She said that she sent copies of the declaration to the private office of the Dalai Lama and the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), where Dagri Rinpoche is one of the senior religious teachers.

In her video posted on YouTube, she said that an apology from Dagri Rinpoche during a meeting set up by the private office of the Dalai Lama, prevented her from reporting the case to police.

Dagri Rinpoche released a statement in May 2019 where he denied any wrongdoing in both the incidents. The Tibetan lama also said years after he helped Jakaira who he claimed was “physically and mentally troubled” with blessings, she had accused him of molestation and consequently sat down for a meeting with witnesses. Dagri Rinpoche made no reference whether the meeting was set up by the Dalai Lama’s private office other than that the meeting helped “clarify the truth”.

Dagri Rinpoche belongs to Sera Jey’s Tsawa khangtsen based in Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement in South India, one of the largest monasteries in Tibetan Buddhism. He is the 5th reincarnation of Dagri Kyenchen Gyatso Thaye, a highly respected yogi and scholar. He is a holder of Geshe Lharampa, the highest order of the Gelukpa’s scholastic hierarchy.

The Buddhist world’s encounter with incidents of sexual misconduct by spiritual teachers towards students is not new; high profile cases like that of the late Sogyal Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche have come to light in the recent past.   

- end of article

#DagriRinpoche #FPMT #sexualaccusation 

Since it is still the Month of the Hungry Ghost, I am sharing again this previous post - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-destination-of-killers-and-murderers.html

Please Pray for Mo Lee Kai-Yin

1. ULLAMBANA

It’s the 7th lunar month already. It marks the month whereby all the unseen portals (or inter-dimensional gates) connecting our human realm with the preta realm are in a state of flux. It’s supposed to be easier for them to cross over here (and for you to cross over there too). At least this is the belief. As Buddhists, we must remain open-minded and exercise our bodhicitta beyond the tradition of Ullambana. It is popularly known as Month of Hungry Ghost. 

Here I am extending my prayers 😃 to any one of them that may accidentally wander into our realm. That's the first story.

2. PLEASE PRAY FOR MO LEE KAI-YIN

I'm putting my 2nd story in CAPITAL LETTERS to convey the seriously of this incident and the seriousness of my personal plea that you all also participant in some prayers (even if it is just for a brief moment) for the young man who got seriously hurt. 

I SEEK THE KINDNESS OF EVERYONE ALL TO KINDLY PRAY FOR THIS 27-YEAR OLD BOY BY THE NAME OF 

LEE KAI-YIN (ALSO KNOWN AS "MO") 

WHO WAS CRITICALLY INJURED WHEN A GIANT MONITOR FELL ON HIM AT THE HONG KONG'S COLISEUM DURING A "MIRROR BAND" CONCERT YESTERDAY. 

IT WAS REPORTED THAT HIS THIRD AND FOURTH VERTEBRA IS FRACTURED AND IT IS POSSIBLE HE COULD BE PARALYSED FROM THE NECK DOWN - IF THE INJURIES DO NOT HEAL PROPERLY. HIS HEAD AND LUNGS ARE ALSO INJURED. 

ALTHOUGH I DO NOT KNOW HIM, I REALLY PITY THIS YOUNG MAN. I PRAY FOR HIM AND I URGE YOU TO DO LIKEWISE. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

For you to realise how bad the injury was, you can watch this YouTube. But be warned, it could be traumatizing just to watch it. Watch it at your own risk! Perhaps you may recite "OM MAN PADME HUM" as you watch it. 

#MirrorBand #LeeKaiYin #HungryGhostMonth

I have previously also prayed for others in my channel - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2013/11/yes-yong-vui-kong-spared-death-sentence.html

Subsequent comment:

After publishing this post, I have went on to inform my various Buddhist groups. I am quite happy that a lady in a Theravada temple had immediately used my message to update her own WhatApps group to pray for Mo Lee Kai-Yin too. I am very happy to see her quick reaction, despite being a Theravada. On the other hand, I do not see such reaction in supposedly people who are Mahayana. It is true that in the teachings it is said that even though you listen to Mahayana teachings, or you usually go to Mahayana temples, or you wear Mahayana robes, nevertheless it does not mean you have the Mahayana spirit. On the contrary, someone who does not, could have more Mahayana spirit as compared to someone who does.  

Gampopa: Instructions on Looking at the mind

This is extract of the chapter 18 of “A String of Pearls”, a collection of Gampopa’s teachings.

This particular part teaches us how to remedy our afflictions by way of meditation on the mind. He used the words “looking at the mind”. In the Maha Saipatthana Sutta itself, the Buddha did not provide much details on this in the chapter on Cittanupassana (“Contemplation on the Mind”). There are definitely more details in the Mahamudra texts of Tibetan Buddhism. Before "looking at the mind", two words you need to know in-depth what it entails, i.e. "looking" and "mind". 

-          Start of extract -

Looking at our own minds is beneficial and so brings happiness, but how do we go about looking at the mind to bring happiness? If we accumulate causal merit and then look at the resultant accumulation of wisdom, that is “looking at the mind”. Or, if your interest is in the Mantrayana’s generation and completion stages, then that is “looking at the mind”.

During the meditation session, know that everything that appears is the mind. Look at your own mind and see that it has no shape or colour. It is beyond any identification. All the conceptual elaboration of extremes of “is” and “isn’t” are naturally and spontaneously liberated, and the intellect is not engaged in anything. That is “looking at the mind” in a meditation session, which is the true “looking at the mind”.

Meditation on dream and illusion in the post-meditation periods is also “looking at the mind”.

Continually accustom yourself to looking at the mind in these ways. If you do this kind of practice, the Dharma will be a remedy for your afflictions. When the Dharma is a remedy for your afflictions, you have attained the ability to look at the mind. The Dharma teaches that:

“The afflictions agitate the mind

And sink you in the swamp of ignorance.”

It’s very important that the Dharma be a remedy for the afflictions.

If your practice is perfect, you will realise the meaning of deathlessness. If you have medium practice, you will be on the path. If your practice is minimal, you will not be reborn in the lower existences. It’s important to practice with effort, and it’s important to meditate.

Without meditation, you can only slightly turn your mind away from desire, so you will not be liberated from death. Hence, meditation is vital. Through meditation, appearances will be overcome, and you will be naturally liberated from all belief in reality. Therefore, meditation is important. But does meditation itself actually exist? It’s taught that:

“There is no meditation and no meditator.”

-    End of extract - 

Reflect on Gampopa’s teachings and I invite you to read, such as this https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2010/11/tara-mantras-to-help-avert-calamities.html

Do check the previous posts, in case you have missed any.

#Gampopa #Mahamudra #deathlessness #cittanupassana

Questions by King Milinda: What is being reborn?

I find the below notes on the exchange between King Milinda and Nagasena very instructive as far as the concept of REBIRTH and NON-SELF (or, "emptiness" if you wish to use this term) is concerned. My understanding of how rebirth happens is consistent with this conversation and the twelve links. 

Note: "MIL" = King Milinda and "Nag" = Nagasena

- start extract

Mil: What is your name?

Nag: It is only a convention, and no [permanent] individual exists behind it.

Mil: Who then does all your acts? Who is responsible for Karma?

Nag: Are any of the parts of my body my self? No. Are any of the skandhas my self? No. Is my self the sum total of the skandhas? No.

Is Nagasena nothing but a sound?! Extreme Nominalism from Latin nomen (name). Not the famous medieval nominalist William of Ockham, but his obscure predecessors such as Roscelin (ca. 1050-1120 CE). Roscelin’s position on the Trinity was that since we use three different names for each person of the Trinity, there then must be three gods. Roscelin was forced to repudiate these teachings at the Council of Soissons in 1093.

Nagasena then uses the metaphor of the chariot. It is not any one of its parts, neither the sum of its parts, or anything other than the sum. "Chariot" is nothing but a sound, too.

Nag: How did you arrive here, dear King?

Mil: Because of the parts being connected in a certain way, the name "chariot" came into use.

Nag: Because of the arrangement of the parts of my being, the name "Nagasena" came into use.

In neither case is there a permanent individual "essence" chariot or Nagasena.

A nun's poem (p. 93)--a very significant fact.

For just as for an assemblage of parts

The term "chariot" is employed,

So, when the Aggregates [skandhas] are present,

The expression "living being" (jiva) is employed

(Samyutta Nikaya 5.10.6)

We might say that the argument here has shifted to a bundle theory of the self rather than nominalism, but one might object that Nagasena is still speaking linguistically not metaphysically. The nun says "expression" of jiva not a real individual.

Gilbert Ryle and the "Category Mistake" in his book The Concept of Mind (1953).

Greek either/or dialectic meets Buddhist neither/nor (p. 94). Read dialectic essay on web.

Section Title: There is No Continuous Personal Identity

Isn’t this misleading on the part of our editor? Shouldn’t it read: No continuous substantial identity?

Mil: Is the person who is reborn the same person or different (i.e. either/or)?

Nag: She is neither the same nor different (i.e., neither/nor dialectic). Example of Embryo and Child and Mother--we are all changing in every moment.

p.. 95 (top): But there is a continuous thread "solely because of dependence on this body, all these are embraced in one."

Example of Lamp and Flame--Flame is different, but the lamp remains the same? Lamp is like the five skandhas? "Uninterrupted succession of mental and physical states (nama-rupa)." The changing "person"--the "flame" of the nama-rupa--is neither the same nor different. The best description of personal identity?

The Example of Milk and Butter--Fresh milk->sour milk->fresh butter->clarified butter (ghee).

One would be mistaken to say it is the same, but also mistaken to say that it is different. Therefore, neither the same, nor different is the best way to describe the continuing person. Neither/nor dialectic again.

Chain of causation is the basis for moral responsibility--"They who know causation know the Dharma." Or: They who know causation (as interdependent coorigination) know their Dharma-karma. That is, they know not only what to do, but also what their karma is.

FIRE IN THE FIELD

"The fire I failed to put out is one thing, and the fire that set fire to this man's field is another; I am not guilty."

Different nama-rupa but karma is carried over with full moral effect.

99: "Although one nama-rupa comes to an end at death, and another nama-rupa comes into existence at rebirth, nevertheless the second comes straight from the first. Therefore, the man is not released from his evil deeds."

 WHAT IS REBORN? (p. 96)

Nama-rupa is reborn, but not the same nama-rupa. One person does the karma, another person is reborn because of it.

Hindus--same unchanging, eternal soul, different persons. But how can a pure soul carry impure karma? If karma is always changing, then it must be carried on the changing soul--the phenomenal self or jiva.

Mil: Does that mean that the first person is released from his evil karma?

Nag.: No. (But in a sense, Yes? The previous person really doesn't exist any more.)

METAPHOR OF THE MANGOES

The mango thief who, as a defense, claims that the mangoes the man planted are not the ones that he took. But that's absurd because the "last mango came from the first." Direct chain of causation by which karma is carried on nama-rupa.

- end extract

Source: https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/ngier/307/milina.htm

#nagasena #kingmilinda #rebirth #karma

If you like this post, try this one - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2014/04/elephant-dream.html

Do read up the immediate previous days' posts in case you miss any. Check it up.

Plunging into discovering Mind-Body

I'm starting a retreat tomorrow. Hopefully so, provided Covid test is negative. But I feel that my karma is such that I must DO this. This is something I MUST do....even though I am not really into "slow-motion" stuff. But it's like inevitable. This is my spiritual path. This is my karma. So, I will make this a short post. Time to re-energize myself by taking the plunge. Hope to be back soon in "one piece". And of course, wish me "all the best" and I will share what I can share later on. See ya.

This is such a short post... until another post... do read the many thousands of post I have accumulated over the years. Perhaps read this - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2012/12/kpis-for-meditation-retreat.html

#retreat #meditation #samathavipassana 

Sayadaw U Pandita: Saving Oneself is Not Selfish

Extract of teachings by Sayadaw U Pandita from “Timeless Wisdom”.

Defilements arise due to “seeing”, “hearing”, “smelling”, “tasting”, “touching” and so on. The Buddha eradicated all forms of defilements without anything remaining. The Buddha was endowed with the knowledge and compassion to guide beings. The Buddha knew what was beneficial and what was harmful to beings. Both knowledge and compassion are essential to guide others. If one does not have this knowledge, one does not know what is beneficial and what is harmful. The Buddha taught dhamma and vinaya that enabled beings to reap the benefits of the practice and to eradicate all defilements.

Only those who have practiced satisfactorily can guide others. Without direct knowledge and a realisation of the path, it is impossible to guide others. Some teachers try to teach without a realisation of the dhamma and from theoretical knowledge only. This can be dangerous as their understanding of the dhamma is incomplete. To teach others, one should clearly understand what is beneficial and what is harmful.

Years ago, when Sayadawgyi was teaching in Hawaii, a question was posed whether it was more important to work to free others first or free oneself first. Some felt that it was selfish to free oneself first. If two people are sunk in mud to nose level and one says to the other ‘I will save you”, it is not possible. One must free oneself first from the mud before saving the other. When Sayadawgyi was in USA, criticisms were made that practising to free oneself was selfish and that one should be selfless and save others. In actual practice, we must free ourselves first. Then, when we are free from defilements, we can save others and show them the way to be free from their defilements. During the time of the Buddha, there were those who attained mundane absorption, but didn’t know how to free themselves from defilements. It is only by cutting the currents of defilements through insight knowledge, stage by stage, that can free oneself and be in a position to save others!

-end of extract-

My comments

I do agree with the view that ultimately if you want to be able to help sentient beings, first you need to have some genuine dhamma realisation and some spiritual ability that comes with it. For example, the ability to read the person’s karma will definitely come in handy in understanding how to help a person. Otherwise, you could possibly make the person’s situation worse. Also, if the meditator has strayed from his/her path, if the teacher has been through the same path and fruition before, then the teacher can guide the meditator the pitfalls to avoid and/or how to overcome any problems that may have arisen. It is absolutely risky to be guided by  a teacher who can only make guesses. However, to strive for oneself, one MUST have a strong cause that is deeply rooted in the aspiration to safe others. This is referred to as “Aspiration Bodhicitta” in Mahayana Buddhism. At the very least, this should be present as a motivation to saving oneself. Otherwise, if it is just saving oneself for one’s own sake, then such efforts may result in other “issues” along the way. One example is, by having a strong aspiration for saving others, one can avoid getting stuck for too long in any deep samadhi states. One would then apply more effort on Vipassana methods to cut off one's defilements. This is just my personal opinion.

I invite you to read this other post - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2011/11/peaceful-means-may-not-always-be.html

#SayadawUPandita #meditation #Bodhicitta 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama giving Avalokiteshvara Jinasagara Initiation

Giving you four update nuggets: -

1.  Understanding how rebirth happens. On early morning (1.20am) of Friday 17 June 2022, while doing Vipassana meditation before I go to sleep, I thought I finally understood how rebirth can take place in spite of there being no self. Usually people believe that it is the alaya vijnana/ consciousness that goes to another birth. But the problem with this believe is that you will fall into the wrong idea of a “self”. If you believe in this idea, then the alaya becomes your “self” and that is NOT correct according to the concept of Anatta. Understanding it on our own, intuitively, is very much difference from theoretical understanding, particularly when theoretical understanding is impossible. It is very much like the Zen koans whereby theoretical understanding is impossible and even senseless to do so. Having read the Maha Satipatthana commentaries as well as Dhamma books by Theravadan monks, it helps in gaining this understanding on the rebirth process. This realisation is just a realisation; not an attainment. There is nothing special in it. I did not obtain anything too. It is a knowledge that is already there, but obscured by ignorance. 

2.  Gyalwa Gyatso initiation. On 13 and 14 June 2022, I obtained the Avalokiteshvara Jinasagara (another name for "Gyalwa Gyatso") initiation from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. But from my side it is imperfect because of 2 reasons. One, I obtained it through the online Youtube channel, not physical presence. So, all the objects used during the ceremony did not get passed to me, not touched by me. I was also not blindfolded not did I obtain the small white-coloured leaf that we are supposed to wear it on the head. I was also late for the 2nd day initiation. Furthermore I was also not aware of the details of the tantric vows. Hahaha…. I was like just blindly following. I did not have much choice as this is an initiation that was said by one Rinpoche that is suitable for me. I had been waiting for roughly 16 long years for Gyalwa Gyatso highest yoga tantra. I never take any other HYT, not do I intent to. Only Gyalwa Gyatso initiation for me. But I tried my best to follow and regard it as received. I did use some dried stalks (used for cleaning or dusting) and cut it out to place under my pillow and under my mattress. His Holiness advised audience to observe their dreams whether it is auspicious dream or not. This is a typical initiation process. He said that if you dream of the deity or Guru, then it is auspicious. Or, if you dream of climbing up something, then it is also auspicious. But if you dream of something and after that you feel tired or nervous (i.e. all these negative feelings), then it is inauspicious. I dreamed of attempting to climb over a big chair which was against a huge wall. I was stretching my hand out to those people who already climbed over to help me pull over. And I was also afraid I may fall down, instead of climbing over. But nobody seems wanted to help me. In the end, someone did. But in the dream, I was told that in actual fact I was never at risk of falling down. The reason is, if I put down my feet, I can touch the ground. It wasn’t really that high anyway. In other words, I was only frightening myself. I can actually push myself a little harder and I can climb over. Hmmm…. That is some piece of advice for me! Something for me to think over and digest. If you are interested in the ceremony, you should note that the ceremony was recorded in Youtube in two videos.  

3. Bodhisattva Vows. I also took the Bodhisattva Vows from Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen. This was done virtually on Tuesday 14 June 2022. I was getting nervous due to I was short of internet data and the session was getting longer and longer. It was wrong of me to want to end it faster. So, this is my public apology. I realised that other than our karma, the Bodhisattva vows are the only things we can take with us after we die. The vows also serve as our protection in the after life. So, I have no regrets taking it. Thank you, Khenchen-la for giving us the Vows. He used a Drikung Kagyu text entitled “The Lion’s Fountain”, composed by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Tinle Lhundup. Essentially, we are going over and recommitting to the Four Great Vows in Mahayana Buddhism.   

4. Tableau & Data Visualisation. I have also been busy prepping for the Data Visualisation Challenge that was on 15 June 2022. I after a few months of learning data analytics visualisation with storytelling using Tableau, I am glad I did better than expected. I didn’t expect to get so much positive comments as I was nervous during my presentation. Also there are other candidates who already had prior skill in Tableau. They are much better in using Tableau. But the judges said I did the data cleaning very well. I uncovered quite a number of data errors. Mind you, we were provided with actual data from one of the clients of the organiser. I had been very busy with this challenge lately and had little time to update my blog. Anyway, glad I did well and hope to put this to good use in my job hunting. Perhaps one day I will use this Tableau to do some in-depth analysis of profile of Buddhist meditators as well as their meditation methods employed. 

So, that’s all my updates for now. 

#GyalwaGyatso #DalaiLama #Rebirth #DataVisualisation #Tableau #KhenchenKonchogGyaltsen

If you have time, do read this post https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2010/12/is-your-meditation-leading-you-to.html

Dharma Talk: Mindfulness is like Yeast and Salt

I found some notes I have taken on July, 8, 2012 from a dharma talk I have attended then. But I did not write down who gave the dharma talk. My bad. Anyway, let me just share it. But most of the notes were on the mindfulness of dharma. If I am not mistaken, the talk was given by a Tibetan Lama. One of the Rinpoches. 

1. Mindfulness of body 

Sorry, I did not take notes on this, but from the notes below, it does appear this mindfulness of body is more towards Samatha, particularly when doing repulsiveness of the body. 

2. Mindfulness of feelings

Going to vipassana. Mindful of feeling of body from head to toes. 

3. Mindfulness of mind contents.

i.e. thoughts. Tibetan emphasis mostly on this. Mind stream/thoughts/feelings as they arise without interfering it. Everything from our ideas, creativity, identification, etc are in our thoughts. What is mind that gives rise to thoughts? Who is thinking? Observing the mind.

4. Mindfulness of dharmas

States of mind. When young, everything seems new and interesting. Time seems long at that time. When we get older, time seems to pass more quickly. As we get older, our mind becomes stale. We get caught up in our own inner world of problems, ideas, plans, worries, biases, etc. We don't see things in its freshness anymore. We colour it with our own perception. Washing dishes just to wash dishes. Justifying that it is easy with our own conceptual thinking. Allow our mind to be spacious, yet with awareness. Not being focus on our mindfulness in a tight way. Allowing our mind to "rest", yet doing things. Our life passes by without really savouring the moment's experiences. Why mindfulness is difficult is because our ego exists in the past or future and not experiencing the present. The ego does not allow us to stay in present. We can do this mindfulness anywhere, including in a committee meeting. But usually in the beginning, we do it without the need of much intellectual thinking. Mindfulness is like yeast, making bread with a little yeast. We add a little bit of it into our dough of life and let it grow. We don't have to leave our family, profession, etc. We just use mindfulness in our daily life. Mindfulness is also like salt, we can apply it to every dish. It brings out the vividness of our experiences. The truth is we are sleep walking. Buddha means The Awakened One. So we should wake up. Simple way is to apply mindfulness as much as we can. The point is to know - standing, sitting, walking, etc. 

#mindfulness #satipatthana #dhammanupassana

Saka Dawa Day being starting today according to the Tibetan calendar, here's wishing everyone a HAPPY SAKA DAWA DAY. 

If you like to know the significance of the Saka Dawa Day, read this post https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2009/06/saka-dawa-day.html   

Namgyalma Mantra

From the previous post, now allow me to share with you the Namgyalma mantra. 

OM NAMO BHAGAVATE SARVA TRAILOKYA PRATIVISHISHTAYA 

BUDDHAYA TE NAMA 

TA YA THA 

OM BHRUM BHRUM BHRUM SHODHAYA SHODHAYA 

VISHODHAYA VISHODHAYA 

ASAMA SAMANTA AVABHASA SPHARANA GATI GAGANA SVABHAVA VISHUDDHE 

ABHISHINCHANTU MAM / 

SARVA TATHAGATA SUGATA VARA VACHANA AMRITA ABHISHEKARA  

MAHAMUDRA MANTRA PADAI 

AHARA AHARA 

MAMA AYUS SAMDHARANI 

SHODHAYA SHODHAYA 

VISHODHAYA VISHODHAYA 

GAGANA SVABHAVA VISHUDDHE

USHNISHA VIJAYA PARISHUDDHE 

SAHASRA RASMI SANCHO DITE 

SARVA TATHAGATA AVALOKINI

SHAT PARAMITA PARIPURANI

SARVA TATHAGATA MATE 

DASHA BHUMI PRATISHTHITE  

SARVA TATHAGATA HRIDAYA  

ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE 

MUDRE MUDRE MAHA MUDRE 

VAJRA KAYA SAMHATANA PARISHUDDHE 

SARVA KARMA AVARANA VISHUDDHE  

PRATINI VARTAYA MAMA AYUR

VISHUDDHE SARVA TATHAGATA

SAMAYA ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE 

OM MUNI MUNI MAHA MUNI 

VIMUNI VIMUNI MAHA VIMUNI 

MATI MATI MAHA MATI 

MAMATI SUMATI TATHATA 

BHUTA KOTI PARISHUDDHE

VISPHUTA BUDDHE SHUDDHE

HE HE JAYA JAYA / VIJAYA VIJAYA 

SMRARA SMRARA / SPHARA SPHARA

SPHARAYA SPHARAYA 

SARVA BUDDHA ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE 

SHUDDHE SHUDDHE 

BUDDHE BUDDHE 

VAJRE VAJRE MAHA VAJRE 

SUVAJRE VAJRA GARBHE JAYA GARBHE

VIJAYA GARBHE

VAJRA JVALA GARBHE 

VAJROD BHAVE 

VAJRA SAMBHAVE  

VAJRE VAJRINI

VAJRAMA BHAVATU MAMA SHARIRAM

SARVA SATTVA NANCHA KAYA PARISHUDDHIR BHAVATU 

ME SADA SARVA GATI PARISHUDDHISHCHA 

SARVA TATHAGATASHCHA 

MAM SAMASHVAS YANTU 

BUDDHYA BUDDHYA 

SIDDHYA SIDDHYA 

BODHAYA BODHAYA

VIBODHAYA VIBODHAYA 

MOCHAYA MOCHAYA 

VIMOCHAYA VIMOCHAYA

SHODHAYA SHODHAYA

VISHODHAYA VISHODHAYA 

SAMANTANA MOCHAYA MOCHAYA 

SAMANTA RASMI PARISHUDDHE

SARVA TATHAGATA HRIDAYA 

ADHISHTHANA ADHISHTHITE 

MUDRE MUDRE MAHA MUDRE  

MAHAMUDRA MANTRA PADAI SVAHA

I got the above mantra from this link - https://shrawastionline.blogspot.com/2016/01/namgyalma-long-mantra-in-sanskrit.html

There are various Youtube channels on this mantra. I am sharing the video of Dzongsar Kyentse Rinpoche reciting this mantra. Although the video stated that is it Usnishavijaya, the mantra recited is more closer to Namgyalma. But of course, the two names are supposed to refer to the same thing. But as we can see, the actual words in these 2 mantras are somewhat different. Recite whichever is your preference. Or, the one that works most for you. In any animal liberation ceremony, and I would say funeral rites, the Namgyalma is often recited by Tibetan Lamas.  

If you like this post, I suggest you read another. https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-pure-aspiration-prayer-to-triple-gem.html

#usnishavijaya #mantra #namgyalma

Usnishavijaya Mantra

Recently I saw this prayer book at the Jade Emperor temple and got a strong attraction to the Usnishavijaya mantra. I will present the mantra below. Please note the name is sometimes spelled with a “h”, as in “Ushnishavijaya”. Or, the “Vijaya” could be a separate word. This is just for your noting. Usnisavijaya is known as "Fwo Ding Zun Sheng" in Chinese Mahayana Buddhism. As I mentioned, I found the dharani in a prayer liturgy book (version 1 below). The deity probably originated from India, then spread to Tibet and then entered China. I'm just making a good guess but I could be wrong. Along the way, the words of the mantra got adapted or transliterated into Chinese language. And you know, how languages evolved and changed through the centuries. Even when it entered Tibet, there were most likely som evolution too in this dharani/long mantra. But it's okay, you can refer to the Tibetan version (i.e. Namgyalma mantra) in the next blog post.   

Version 1

namo bhagavate trailokya prativiśiṣṭāya buddhāya bhagavate.

tadyathā.

oṃ

viśodhaya viśodhaya. asamasama

samantavabhāsa spharaṇa gati gahana svabhāva viśuddhe.

abhiṣiñcatu māṃ. sugata vara vacana. amṛtābhiṣekai mahā mantrapadai.

āhara āhara āyuḥ sandhāraṇi. śodhaya śodhaya gagana viśuddhe.

uṣṇīṣa vijaya viśuddhe sahasraraśmi sañcodite.

sarva tathāgatāvalokani ṣaṭpāramitā paripūraṇi.

sarva tathāgata mati daśa bhūmi pratiṣṭhite.

sarva tathāgata hṛdaya adhiṣṭhānādhiṣṭhita mahāmudre.

vajra kāya saṃhatana viśuddhe.

sarvāvaraṇāpāyadurgati pari viśuddhe. pratinivartaya āyuḥ śuddhe.

samayādhiṣṭhite. maṇi maṇi mahā maṇi.

tathatā bhūta koṭi pariśuddhe. visphuṭa buddhi śuddhe.

jaya jaya. vijaya vijaya. smara smara. sarva buddhādhiṣṭhita śuddhe.

vajre vajragarbhe vajraṃ bhavatu mama śarīraṃ.

sarva sattvānāṃ ca kāya pari viśuddhe. sarva gati pariśuddhe.

sarva tathāgata siñca me samāśvāsayantu.

sarva tathāgata samāśvāsādhiṣṭhite.

budhya budhya. vibudhya vibudhya.

bodhaya bodhaya. vibodhaya vibodhaya. samanta pariśuddhe.

sarva tathāgata hṛdayādhiṣṭhānādhiṣṭhita mahāmudre svāhā.

Version 2

namo bhagavate trailokya prativiśiṣṭāya buddhāya bhagavate

tadyathā oṃ viśodhaya viśodhaya

asamasama samanta avabhāsa spharaṇa gati gahana svabhāva viśuddhe

abhiṣiñcatu māṃ

sugata vara vacana

amṛta abhiṣeke mahāmantra pāne

āhara āhara āyuḥ sandhāraṇi

śodhaya śodhaya gagana viśuddhe

uṣṇīṣa vijaya viśuddhe

sahasraraśmi sañcodite

sarva tathāgata avalokana ṣaṭpāramitā paripūraṇi

sarva tathāgata hṛdaya adhiṣṭhāna adhiṣṭhita mahāmudre

vajrakāya saharaṇa viśuddhe

sarva āvaraṇa apāya durgati pariviśuddhe

pratinirvartaya āyuḥ śuddhe

samaya adhiṣṭhite maṇi maṇi mahāmaṇi

tathātā bhūta koṭi pariśuddhe

visphuṭa buddhi śuddhe

jaya jaya vijaya vijaya smara smara

sarva buddha adhiṣṭhita śuddhe

vajre vajra garbhe vajraṃ bhavatu mama śarīraṁ

sarva sattvānāṁ ca kāya pariviśuddhe

sarva gati pariśuddhe

sarva tathāgatāśca me sama āśvāsayantu

sarva tathāgata sama āśvāsa adhiṣṭhite

budhya budhya vibudhya vibudhya

bodhaya bodhaya vibodhaya vibodhaya

samanta pariśuddhe

sarva tathāgata hṛdaya adhiṣṭhāna adhiṣṭhita mahāmudre svāhā

These are 2 versions of the Usnishavijaya mantra, but there could be more. I got these from Wikipedia. Usnishavijaya is also known as Namgyalma in Tibetan tradition. But the mantra is somewhat different. I will post the Namgyalma mantra in another post. It is taught that the Usnishavijaya mantra is a very powerful mantra. It’s said that if you recite the mantra 21 times and blow it into a small lump of soil, and if you throw the soil to a ghost/spirit, the latter will immediately be liberated from its miserable existence.  There’s a story of one guy who goes around graves to do just that. He did this after a monk taught him this mantra and was rid of a ghost that had been stalking him. It was stalking him because he dug out some the grave of that dead person and took some things buried inside the grave. The monk saw the ghost after noticing this man has a black aura around him. It does not matter if the being has taken rebirth. Wherever he/she is, he/she will be better off. After the ghosts in the graves were liberated, the ghosts followed him.... But this time, they were following him as benefactors. They helped him. The man had a bright aura around him. So, this mantra is very beneficial! 

If you like this post, I suggest you read another. https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2012/03/daimoku-is-part-of-buddhism.html

#usnishavijaya #mantra #namgyalma

The Lotus Sutra: A Comparison of the Chapters in the Chinese & Sanskrit versions

Today being Wesak Day, in order to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha, I will do a comparison between the traditional Lotus Sutra translation against the Sanskrit translation. I believe the common version is the one translated into Chinese by Kumarajiva. Then others use his version and translated into English. The names of chapters below that I am using for comparison is the one used in Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (2007 – publication by BDK English Tripitaka).

The common Lotus Sutra version

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Skillful Means

Chapter 3. A Parable

Chapter 4. Willing Acceptance

Chapter 5. Herbs

Chapter 6. Prediction

Chapter 7. The Apparitional City

Chapter 8. The Five Hundred Disciples Receive Their Predictions

Chapter 9. The Predictions for Those Who Still Have More to Learn and for Those Who Do Not

Chapter 10. The Expounder of the Dharma

Chapter 11. The Appearance of a Jewelled Stupa

Chapter 12. Devadatta

Chapter 13. Perseverance

Chapter 14. Ease in Practice

Chapter 15. Bodhisattvas Emerging from the Earth

Chapter 16. The Lifespan of the Tathāgata

Chapter 17. Description of Merits

Chapter 18. The Merits of Joyful Acceptance

Chapter 19. The Benefits Obtained by an Expounder of the Dharma

Chapter 20. Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta

Chapter 21. The Transcendent Powers of the Tathāgata

Chapter 22. Entrustment

Chapter 23. Ancient Accounts of Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja

Chapter 24. Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara

Chapter 25. The Gateway to Every Direction [Manifested by Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara]

Chapter 26. Dhāraṇī

Chapter 27. Ancient Accounts of King Śubhavyūha

Chapter 28. Encouragement of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra

This is the more common text used in most Mahayana temples.

The Sanskrit version of the Lotus Sutra

Chapter 1. Introductory

Chapter 2. Skillfulness

Chapter 3. A Parable

Chapter 4. Disposition

Chapter 5. On Plants

Chapter 6. Announcement of Future Destiny

Chapter 7. Ancient Devotion

Chapter 8. Announcement of Future Destiny of the Five Hundred Monks

Chapter 9. Announcement of Future Destiny of Ananda, Rahula, and the Two Thousand Monks

Chapter 10. The Preacher

Chapter 11. Part 1 - Apparition of a Stupa

                     Part 2 - Devadatta

Chapter 12. Exertion  

Chapter 13. Peaceful Life

Chapter 14. Issuing of Bodhisattvas from the Gaps of the Earth

Chapter 15. Duration of Life of the Tathagata

Chapter 16. Of Piety

Chapter 17. Indication of the Meritoriousness of Joyful Acceptance

Chapter 18. The Advantages of a Religious Preacher

Chapter 19. Sadaparibhuta

Chapter 20. Conception of the Transcendent Power of the Tathagatas

Chapter 21. Spells

Chapter 22. Ancient Devotion of Bhaisajyaraga

Chapter 23. Gadgadasvara

Chapter 24. Chapter Called That of the All-Sided One, Containing a Description of the    

        Transformations of Avalokiteshvara

Chapter 25. Ancient Devotion

Chapter 26. Encouragement of Samantabhadra

Chapter 27. The Period

 

The Sanskrit version is translated by Hendrik Kern. The above chapters are extracted from his version. Note that Chapter 11 is split into 2, otherwise there would be 28 chapters altogether, same as the common translation version. The arrangements of the chapters are somewhat different for a few chapters. For example, the chapter on “Dharani” is usually chapter 26, but in the Sanskrit version, it is Chapter 21.

 

#TheLotusSutra #Wesak #ComparativeStudy

 If you have time, try to explore this post as well https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2011/05/mothers-day-teachers-day-and-wesak-day.html

HAPPY WESAK