Buddhism As Education

We may want to ask, “What is the method that Bodhisattvas of the Western Pure Land practice to achieve all their faculties and having supple body and gentle mind?” It is mindfully chanting “Amituofo”. As Mahasthamaprapta Boddhisattva said, “I and fifty-two fellow practitioners…”. Fifty-two” refers to the ten stages of faith, ten stages of abiding, ten stages of practice, ten stages of dedication, ten stages of ground, the stage of equal enlightenment and the stage of wondrous enlightenment. “Fellow practitioners” refers to practitioners who shared the same aspiration and focused on practicing the Pure Land method. This tell us that from Mahasthamaprapta Boddhisattva’s initial generation of the Bodhi mind until attainment of Buddhahood, he practiced the Buddha-name chanting without any changes. This is truly inconceivable! Buddha-name chanting enables us ordinary beings to attain Buddhahood. To practice good deeds with one sincere mind means to have an absolute proper and virtuous th...

If we want to practice filial piety to perfection, we just need to single-mindedly chant the Buddha-name and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. When we meet Amitabha Buddha, our filial piety will then be perfect. It is because, once we are in Pure Land, we will be able to recognize our parents and also all our parents in the past lifetimes and clearly know which paths they are in, so that when the conditions are mature, they will listen and accept our advice to mindfully chant the Buddha-name when we urge them to do so. This way, we will have the ability to help them, we will be able to help our family members, friends and those who have an affinity with us, from everyone of our lifetimes, transcend the Six Paths, attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land and attain Buddhhood. This is great filial piety, this is true filial piety! Single-mindedly chanting Amituofo day and night will reduce all of our wandering thoughts into one thought of Amituofo. Is Amituofo good or bad? N...

The Karma Norbuling Buddhist Centre (KNBC) recently held its 100 Deities Chang Chog and Chod Pujas in conjunction with the seventh month. The 100 Deities are attributes and activities of the 5 Buddhas and their female counterparts. At the end of the puja, the paper tablets of the deceased are burnt away, representing the purification of the 5 aggregates. Through the prayer and the ritual performed, the consciousness of the deceased are merged and become inseparable from the wisdom of the 100 Deities. Thus, they are liberated. Chod in Tibetan means cutting off, the significance is the sacrifice and offering of the ego. Through this practice, the practitioner will attain fearlessness and victory over the maras, symbolized through the curved knife and victory banner. The ultimate purpose is to cut off the ego. Non-biased love and compassion will also be cultivated through this practice. The above event was jointly presided by Dupsing R...

The Karma Norbuling Buddhist Centre (KNBC) situated in Jalan Rozhan, Alma, Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Perai Tengah will be holding the 100 Deities Chang Chog and Chod Puja from 15th August 2014 to 19th August 2014. The five-day Puja will be presided by Ven. Dupsing Rinpoche who is specially invited from India and KNBC resident master, Ven. Khedup Rinpoche.

The Buddha-name Chanting method is suitable for everyone to learn and practice regardless of one's capability. Other methods such as Zen meditation and Tibetan Buddhism are not as easy for one to learn or practice. The Buddha-name chanting method is simple and convenient. It does not matter whether one has a Buddha image at home or if one has flowers to offer. Everyone can learn and practice. This method does not emphasize appearance or learning environment. It is the most convenient method of all. The Buddha said, "All dharmas are created by the mind". When we think about a matter [that will benefit others] every moment of everyday, never forgetting it, then this matter will not be accomplished. Why? Because when we stop thinking of benefiting others, we stop generating energy. Thoughts will truly generate inconceivable energy - this is continual mindfulness. When one understands this principle, one sees that those who are mindful of Buddha will attain Buddhahoo...

For a true practitioner who wants to have a fast, assured success in his practice in this lifetime, the Buddha-name Chanting is all he needs. One chants and read the sutras to understand the truth. Once confidence in establishing upon one's understanding of the principles and the truth, one will naturally let go of everything else. Not only did Sakyamuni Buddha used this method as the foremost method to teach all beings, but all Buddhas do the same. The Pure Land method is hard to believe but easy to practice. Only when one has great good fortune and great wisdom will one be able to believe this method.  The way to cultivate a pure mind is to mindfully chant the Buddha-name. When we are not chanting the Buddha-name, we should listen to the chanting of the Buddha-name. It is best if we can listen to our own chanting. So, we could record our chanting and when we are not chanting, listen to this recording. This is very effective. This is call, cultivating a pure mind. As ...

Wandering thoughts are afflictions and karmic obstacles. As soon as they begin to rise, we will recognize them and change them into Amitofuo. As the six senses encounter the external world and a wandering thought, which may be pleasurable or unpleasant, virtuous or unvirtuous arises, we immediately replace it with a second thought of either Amitofuo or Namo Amitofuo. This is to awaken. This awakening needs to be immediate so there is no room for delusion to grow. This is how we will effectively uncover our wisdom. When one is often mindful of good dharmas, one's mind will be virtuous. When one often contemplates good dharmas, one's thoughts will be virtuous. When one often observes good dharmas, one's conduct will be virtuous. The criterion for virtuousness is to permanently end the Ten Evil Karmas: killing, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, enticing speech, greed, anger and ignorance. When one's every thought, every...

As it is extremely important to cleanse away the stains of black karmic debts and downfalls (from broken vows) tarnishing the three gateways (of your body, speech and mind), and especially (to remove) your karmic obstacles (which would prevent such rebirth), you should cherish continually devoting yourself to (applying) the complete set of four opponent powers (which can purge you of them). With respect to refraining from negative actions in the future, you can determine to maintain an ethical discipline that will protect you from committing negative acts in future, but what about the negative actions you have already committed? The only way to deal with these is to purify them. There is a Tibetan saying, "If there is one good thing about negativities, it is that they can be purified." However, there are different degrees of purification. One possibility is to completely eliminate the potency of a karmic act such that it can never ripen at all. Another is to diminish t...

Karma Norbuling Buddhist Centre (KNBC) which is situated in Alma, Bukit Mertajam has held its Wesak celebration from 23rd May to 24th May 2013 commencing with the Buddha Bathing and Circumambulation ceremony on the Wesak Eve Night and followed by Liberation of Live, Lamp Lighting and the 16 Arahant Puja. Members and devotees of KNBC later joined in the Wesak float procession at about 6.00 pm in the Bukit Mertajam town centre. Meanwhile at Cherok To'kun, also in Bukit Mertajam, Nandaka Vihara Meditation Society also held its Wesak celebration with numerous activities, which includes, Dharma Talk, Dana, Sanghikadana and Chanting of Suttas. The celebration also includes other merit making activities, like Offering of Robes and Sangha Requisites by the devotees.

Chenrezig is looked upon as the manifestation of the loving-kindness and compassion of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. He has a special affinity with beings in samsara  and can manifest into various forms to help beings who are in varying kinds of needs. The Buddha prophesied that : The Great Compassionate Bodhosattva (Guan Shi Yin Pusa) will manifest as Karmapa to liberate all sentient beings from samsaric sufferings. Therefore, the practice of Chenrizig is particularly very important in the Karma Kagyu Lineage. Om Mani Padme Hung, the six-syllable mani mantra of Chenrezig represents the loving-kindness and compassion of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifested as sound. Chanting the mantra is like practicing the six perfections and is able to close the doors to the six realms. In this life, one is able to remove obstacles, have success in life, harmony in family, healthy and prosperous, and all wishes fulfilled. In the next life, it is certain that one will be able to take ...

In conjunction with Yu Lan Pheng Festival, Heong San See Temple shall be performing a series of Puja with the aim of promoting Filial Piety, pray for the World Peace, as well as to transfer merits to the deceased, thus release them from the sufferings and be reborn in a higher realm. The Grand Sad-Dharma Pundarika Puja will be held from the 25th day of the Sixth Lunar Month to the 2nd day of the Seventh Month, corresponding to from the 12th August to 18 August 2012, from 8.00 pm to 9.30 pm. The Compassionate Water Repentance Puja and Mong Sun will be held on the 3rd day of the Seventh Month, corresponding to 19th August 2012, from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm. Lamp lighting and prayer to release the deceased from sufferings and be reborn in a better realm would also be incorporated into these Pujas. Devotees who wish to sponsor and donate for the Puja and contribute to the Dana, kindly register with Heong Sun See Temple at No 428 Jalan Tanjung Tokong Lama, 10470 Penang or call 04-8999...

On last Friday, 15 June 2012, the 11th Choeze Kuchen Rinpoche had conducted a Dharma discourse at the Palme Gon Buddhist Society in Taman Sentral, Bagan Lallang, Butterworth, Penang. Among his discourse were chanting of the Consise Sadhana of Chenrezig : Refuge and Bodhicitta, The Four Immeasurable, Mandala Offering, Turning of the Dharma Wheel, Dedication Prayer for the Mani Mantra The 100 Syllable Purification Mantra of Vajrasattva After the above, the Rinpoche also guided the devotees on a short discourse of meditation. The session adjourned at about 10.00 pm on that evening and is expected to resume from 18-19 June 2012 on the following week.