My visit to Borobudu 2016

This trip is an eye opener to me. It's amazing that Buddhism already entered Indonesia in the 8th// 9th Century. I  took many pictures during the trip. We eat like a king and drank coffee from civet cat's shit.

I once asked my Guru for his lineage and he said its an unbroken one.

I asked about his past lives (not that I am window shopping but at least as a student with deep respect I need to know. We heard loads of his excellent existence all from lamas who knows him but he never said anything about his past.)

Guru said something like there are lots of people out there who claimed that there are this and that and can we know? The most important is to observed a teacher.

Guru is very humble and as his devotee I silently observed his actions. Guru do not bow to $$$ or he needs your $$$. He said the best offerings to a teacher is your practice...Body, Speech and Mind.

Being human with obscuration and defilement, we stained our offerings to Guru. Guru manifest sickness because of the impure conduct of devotees.

Ah Gong Rinpoche advice last night ...we are Varja dharma brothers which is one of the samaya vow. Causing breakups or harm to one and another will lead to Varja Hell. Not only devotees but also the Guru who accepted them.

This really scared me. I pray that we remember our vows to works for the happiness of all Beings and we are "all Beings" to each other let alone being Varja brothers..remember...切记..切记

MISUNDERSTANDING...

 

 

Tolerance of misunderstanding is like having a Mouth and it is Useless. It is like an itch inside you that verbalizing it makes it worst. You are caught in a situation that realizing all said is Fake even though it is the Truth. Something lost cannot be brought back by Words no matter how Sincere you are.

 

I admit my mistakes but no point making it Good. Because "To those who believe..no need to explain. To those who don't..more said more wrong".

 

I am sure many of us have been in this position before and no matter how painful, we lived with it. There are things that happened between human beings that are so complicated. You know why? It is our EGO!

 

We always think that we are right, we have been wronged and therefore we must retaliate or else others may think that we are weak. We do not allowed others to bully us. We are higher and better...etc..etc. WRONG! if only we stepped back, we can see the sky is blue and there are endless space out there.

 

If we think that others have wronged us, have we not wronged others before?

 

The worst is here..."in the eye of law, even if you are summon to hang, the law give you a chance to state your case". NOT misunderstanding, you are condemned with no chance to state your case.

 

Amendments are made for self awareness NOT for others approval.

 

These are my reflections!

INDIA TRIP 2015 (1)

This is a much waited trip for me. The last time I was there was like so so long ago but I never forget that I was there with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Late Ribur Rinpoche, Late Lama Konchok and Dharma friends. I was then ignorant and did not place important significant to this visit.

However after so many years, once again it rekindled my wanting to visit the Land of Buddha, walked the ground he and all Bodhisattvas paced, remember the merits and greatness of Buddha and thank him for leaving behind a legacy - the Path to Enlightenment.

We left on 1st October and returned on 16th October 2015. We are grateful to Khenpola Ngwang Gylasten and Lama Tenzin (both from Sakya, Daradun India) for guiding us on this meaningful trip. In all there are only 8 of us, a small but cohesive group. We set foot on this journey which brings more meaning and awareness to me this time. Khenpola is not a tour agent so we just follow our hearts to where we want to go.

Upon arriving India, we were booked into WangDu Guest House in Delhi which is ran by a Tibetan family. A small setup but consist of a fantastic eatery. We were here for 2 days.

1) Our 1st visit - SANKISSA. It is a long journey which took us early before sunrise and returned late at 9pm. The journey is even further than Agra and not easy to find. We asked around and the drivers took us to our destination. The place where Buddha descended from Heaven after teaching to his Mother and Beings of the heavenly realms. We did our prayers, offerings and walked the ruined. There is nothing much here but a small shrine, an elephant monument but it has a meaning. Buddha taught us filial piety.

 

2) The next day we left for Bodhgaya. In Bodhgaya we stayed at Kriti Lodge, 5 minute walk to Mahabodhi Temple. We spent 4 days in this location. We managed to offer robe to the Buddha and also pearls.

 

Mahabodhi Temple and the Seat of Enlightenment

 

3) While in Bodhgaya, we visited Sujata Village and Mahakala Cave.

 

 

 

Tracing history and reliving and recalling the Buddha teachings - Remembering the Four Noble Truth and not forgetting our Bodhicitta. (jounery to be continued)



“Buddha said
When you see through a person, you need not expose him”
By doing so you learnt the lesson of Forgiving
When you Dislike a person and keep your Cool
You will earn respect
In Living, there will be people you cannot agree with or people you dislike
Being Mature does not mean you have lived longer than others
Or you have taken more path or you have more failures
It is about LETTING GO
When you realized and let go, you are letting go Defilements
The Pain and Suffering of everyone
Will not be erased over time
It is whether one wants to share the sufferings
Some deep inner scars are hidden not because one don't care about it
It is silently facing the pain and pacifying oneself to understand the Truth
Coming to this age
It is not whom you are comfortable with or uncomfortable with
Even with Friends, so when one is tired just 'hibernate' and keep away
You will pass the age of Dislike and Like
It is easier to make oneself Happy than making others Satisfied
There is a saying…
I rather be Lonely than do things that is against my Principle
People who comes into my heart, I will keep them as Treasure
People who keep away, I will not beg -
when Affinity is low although my Love is deep
So when one is sad, there is not need to lament to others
They will not understand nor feel your pain
So look up at the Sky above
It is so spacious and endless and it embraces the whole YOU
So if one is sad…no need to lament to others
Because there are Pain which only you will know and feel
So if one is sad… no need to pretend that you are happy
Giving other happiness doesn’t mean you need to forget your own pain
So who have not suffered Pain, and
Who remembers?
Things passed is gone and will not return
If you really want to pretend, than be the one who is HAPPY
We walk this Path of Sufferings
and must learn to endure the Pain

May we All achieved inner peace

Ohm Mani Padme Hung

Still Hazzzzy

Singapore...is smoking again?

Well, this year smoking is driving us nuts. No amount of education to the Indonesian can make them understand that burning the forest or the plantations is not the only solution to clearing lands for agriculture.

The PSI is soaring. It caused health problems to themselves and neighboring countries. We are in this party together. As air knows no space, it pervades every nooks and corners. No matter where you are you "smoke". For us who avoid outdoor but staying indoor is worst and no government or countries can do anything. We have to suffered it out until the "Rain Gods" decide to take pity on us and give Indonesia a wash down.

In actual fact this is a standing issue. It happens yearly like a ritual. Their Government cannot solved the problem neither can ours. All lips services are lips services only. The people who burnt are only staff, they are just doing their jobs. The companies who permit these clearings are not bother, all they need to is pay fine.

I am actually sadden by these burnings. The weather is hot and it catches fire easily. The "Fire Gods" once ignited is not easy to appease unless you do it immediately and it is a small fire. The fire raged on. Animals and insects, reptiles, birds and all these died in fire. There are also people living in these places and they may be in danger too.

I pray..that it rain heavily on these "hot spots" or we continue to suffer. I am already having a patched throat and a headache.

Ohm Mani Padme Hung