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MAY & JUNE 2008 ISSUE |
MEDICINE BUDDHA EMPOWERMENT
By: H.E. Tulku Gyang Khang Rinpoche
We are
pleased to have the short visit of H.E. Tulku Gyang Khang
Rinpoche in Singapore. During Tulku visit here, he will
conferred the Medicine Buddha Empowerment on
21/06/2008 (Saturday, 7.30pm).
Brief Explanation of Medicine Buddha Empowerment
Medicine Buddha is known as
the Healing Master of Lapis Lazuli Radiance, with a
distinctive colour of Deep Blue body. Medicine Buddha is also
known as Bhaisaya Guru, the manifestation of the healing
energy of all enlightened beings. Prayers is offered to
request for the blessing of Medicine Buddha to heal diseases
as well as to overcome obstacles, to achieve temporary and
ultimate goals and happiness for all sentient beings.
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HIGHLIGHTS
For the month
of May & June, our centre has lined up a few programs for
all to participate in accumulating virtuous merits with us
and join us in the practice. All are welcome to join us.
|
Date |
Dharma
Teaching |
Time |
|
03/05 |
Teaching: The
Practice & Visualization
of Vajrasattva |
8pm - 9.30pm |
|
10/05 |
Teaching: The
Practice & Visualization
of Dakini |
8pm - 9.30pm |
|
17/05 |
Teaching: Nyung
Ne Practice |
8pm - 9.30pm |
|
18/05 |
Teaching: The Twelve Links of
Interdependent
Origination |
7.00pm - 8.30pm |
|
17/05 -
19/05 |
Nyung
Ne Retreat |
Refer to
below schedule |
|
19/05 |
Vesak
Day Celebration |
Refer to
below schedule |
|
16/06 -
22/06 |
Phowa
Practice |
Refer to
below schedule |
|
June |
Teaching: Secret Teaching of Guru Rinpoche 7
Lines Prayer
*Prerequisite
required for the teaching* |
To be
advised |
You may
also accumulate merits in our monthly pujas (e.g.
Medicine Buddha Puja, Green Tara Puja & etc.) by making
lamp offering to the Buddhas, which is available at
S$5 per lamp.
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DHARMA TEACHING
Our
resident teacher, Khenpo Tashi Dhargye Rinpoche will
teach on the Practice and Visualization of Vajrasattva &
Dakini, Nyung Ne Practice and Twelve Links of
Interdependent Origination. All the teaching will be
translated in Chinese. Participation for the teaching is
free and no prior registration is needed. As we need to
cover the utilities bills and translator fee. Please
help us by lighting a lamp at $5 each for
each teaching session or making voluntary donation
in our centre donation box. Your generous help will
assist us in providing more beneficial teachings for
everyone.
The Practice and
Visualization of Vajrasattva
Date & Time : 03/05 (Saturday, 8.00pm -
9.30pm)
Vajrasattva, the Diamond Being is the main Bodhisattva
employed for purification by practioners of all
Vajrayana traditions. This prayer is the main method
with powerful purification to eliminate karma and
obscuration that one has gathered through beginningless
existence, in particular, the violation of scared
commitment (samaya) that obstruct liberation.
It is
said that through the performance of the devotional
practice of Vajratsattva, one is able to gather
immeasurable merits and the fulfillment of all
auspicious wishes! The teaching will covers how one
should do the practice and visualization of Vajrasattva.
The Practice and
Visualization of Dakini
Date & Time : 10/05 (Saturday, 8.00pm -
9.30pm)
Dakini is
the female form of Energies in Tibetan Culture and
beliefs. She appeared in many forms. As Vajrayogini, she
is considered as the Mother of all Buddhas. As Prajna
Paramita, she is considered as the Mother of Universe.
As Yeshe Tsogyal, she is the Consort of Guru Rinpoche.
She functioned as His consort in order to gather and
codify His teachings, to be handed down to the future
generations.
Dakini
symbolizes primordial wisdom. She also symbolizes the
great bliss of sphere emptiness and happiness for all
sentient beings. It is said that if ones practices the
Sadhana correctly and wholeheartedly, up-holds the
positive thinking and faith, the practice of Dakini
alone is more than enough for one to achieve the
ultimate blessings. The teaching will covers how one
should do the practice and visualization of Dakini.
Nyung Ne Practice
Date & Time : 17/05 (Saturday, 8.00pm -
9.30pm)
Nyung Ne
is a practice where one observed the 8 Mahayana precepts
and abstained from eating, drinking and talking. Through
this practice, one purified our negativity. Khen
Rinpoche will explain the benefits and how to practice
the Nyung Ne. This teaching will be conducted in
conjunction with the Nyung Ne Retreat from 17/05 to
19/05. Those who did not participate in the retreat are
also welcome to attend the teaching. Please read on for
more information on the Nyung Ne Retreat.
The Twelve Links of
Interdependent Origination
Date
& Time : 18/05 (Saturday, 7.00pm - 8.30pm)
Please note that this teaching
will start at 7.00pm.
Interdependent origination (Skt., pratityasamutpada) is
the law of causality, which Shakyamuni discovered at his
awakening. It revealed to him the whole truth of
existence, and in penetrating it he became the Awakened
One. What he saw was a total vision of how and why all
beings throughout space and time are entangled in
samsara for countless lives, as well as his own past
lives in his progress toward liberation. This was the
extraordinary insight that distinguished his teaching
from others, so it is said, “whoever sees interdependent
origination sees the dharma, whoever sees the dharma
sees the Buddha.” In personal terms interdependent
origination explains how our happiness and suffering in
our present life is the result of actions in our
previous lives. This process proceeds through
twelve links where Khen Rinpoche will teach on it. As
this teaching is conducted during the Nyung Ne Retreat,
those who did not participate in the retreat are welcome
to receive it. Please be reminded that there are
participants who are taking the speechless vow for the
retreat, do not engage in any conversation with them
when attending the teaching.
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NYUNG NE RETREAT
Date: 17/05/08 to 19/05/08 (Saturday to
Monday)
Venue: Palyul Nyingma Buddhist Association
Click here
to download
Nyung Ne Participation Form
(in MS word format)
In Tibetan,
the word “Nyung” means less, “Ne” means remaining. This
means that during this retreat, we reduce our negativity
and, ideally, eliminate negativity entirely. Nyung Ne is a
powerful practice for purification and the accumulation of
positive energy, based on the practice of Avalokiteshvara.
The retreat involves maintaining the eight Mahayana precepts
and additional vows of to abstain from eating, drinking and
talking starting from the second day. This is only excusable
if one has medication needs, due to health reason or is
feeling unwell during the retreat, then one can consume food
or drink.
It also
involves practices of purification such as fasting,
prostrations, and silence. Practitioners will recite the six
syllable mantra: Om Mani Padme Hung. The mantra
purifies the six seeds of the six realms within oneself and,
furthermore, has the effect of pacifying the suffering of
all beings.
The eight
Mahayana Precepts are:
1)
Refraining from killing
2)
Refraining from stealing
3)
Refraining from sexual behavior
4)
Refraining from telling lies
5)
Refraining from consuming alcohol or other
intoxicants
6)
Refraining from idle chatter, singing,
dancing, makeup or ornaments
7)
Foregoing evening meals
8)
Not sitting on high or elaborate seats
The merit for
practicing Nyung Ne is immeasurable. If one becomes ill
during the retreat, this purifies the karma that caused one
to be reborn in the hell realm (if you maintain the Nyung Ne
vows). If one become torpid, sleepy or depressed but
continued the retreat, this purifies the karma that caused
one to be reborn in the animal realm. If one suffers from
hunger or thirst, this purifies the karma that caused one to
be reborn as a hungry ghost.
Prerequisite
It is advisable that participants have received the
Chenrezig Empowerment. For those who have not received the
empowerment, Khen Rinpoche will give an oral transmission on
the Chenrezig Practice text.
Instruction on Participation
1)
Participants are required to complete the
participation form and submit to us by 16/05/2008.
2)
No participation fee is required as the
retreat is conducted in centre.
3)
Participants will go home to sleep and report
back to centre early in the morning as indicated on the
schedule.
4)
Bring extra clothing for changing your wet
clothing after the prostrations.
Retreat Program
* Due to space constraint, participants may do half-length
prostration instead of the full-length prostration.*
Click here to download
Nyung Ne Participation Form
(in MS word format)
|
Date |
Time |
Program |
|
17/05
Sat |
1.30pm - 1.50pm |
Registration & reporting in centre for
attendance taking |
|
2.00pm - 5.00pm |
Start of Retreat. Oral Transmission & Chenrezig
Prayers |
|
5.00pm - 7.30pm |
Rest Time and own practice |
|
7.30pm - 9.30pm |
Teaching: Nyung Ne practice |
|
Participants go home and observed the vows as
advised by the teacher. |
|
18/05
Sun |
7.10am - 7.30am |
Participant to report back to centre for
attendance taking. |
|
7.30am - 9.30am |
Morning practice (I) |
|
9.30am - 10.00am |
Rest Time |
|
10.00am - 11.30am |
Morning practice (II) |
|
11.30am - 2.00pm |
Rest Time and own practice |
|
2.00pm - 4.30pm |
Afternoon practice |
|
4.30pm - 7.00pm |
Rest Time and own practice |
|
7.00pm - 8.30pm |
Teaching: Twelve Links of Interdependent
Origination |
|
Participants go home and continue to observe the
vows. |
|
19/05
Mon |
7.10am - 7.30am |
Participant to report back to centre for
attendance taking |
|
7.30am - 9.30am |
Morning Prayer, Dedication of merits and end of
the retreat |
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Breakfast will be served in centre at 9.30am for
all participants. |
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VESAK DAY
Click here
to download
Vesak Day Celebration Registration
Form (in MS word format)
One of the
most important events in the year for the Buddhist community
is the observance of Vesak. This is where Lord Buddha
Shakyamuni’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana all fall
on the full moon of the lunar month, 19th May 2008.
On this day,
Buddhists take part in the ceremonial bathing of the statue
of baby Prince Siddhartha. A small standing statue of prince
is placed in a basin of perfumed water strewn with flowers.
The Buddhists scoop the perfumed water with a ladle and pour
it over the statue. This act of bathing symbolize the
purification of one unwholesome actions. Besides being a
festival for rejoicing and making offerings to the Triple
Gems, it is also an occasion for reflecting on our personal
spiritual development.
On Vesak Day,
some Buddhists release captive animals such as birds and
turtles. This act of kindness recalls the Buddha teaching of
Universal Compassion. Though not compulsory, many Buddhists
take vegetarian meals on this day.
We have
the following events lined up on this special day as
follows:
|
Vesak Day Celebration ( 19th May 2008 ) |
|
10.30am -
12.00pm |
Buddha Sakyamuni
Puja &
Ceremonial Bathing of Baby Prince
Siddhartha |
|
12.00pm -
1.30pm |
Vegetarian Lunch
Gathering |
|
2.00pm -
5.00pm |
Mahakala Puja |
You are
encouraged to accumulate merits on this special day by
contributing to the following:
|
Category |
Individual |
Family |
Company |
|
Lamp offerings |
S$10 |
S$20 |
S$50 |
|
Clear Obstacles |
$10 per
person |
|
Flower Offering |
S$5 each |
|
Mahakala Tsog
Offering |
$5 each |
|
Voluntary
Donation |
Any amount |
Please
complete the
Vesak Day Registration Form the above registration. Do
refer to the registration form on payment instruction.
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PHOWA PRACTICE
After a long
awaiting time, our centre has finally scheduled for the
Phowa Practice from 16/06 to 22/06. The practice will be
lead by Khenpo Tashi Dhargye Rinpoche and a Phowa Test will
be conducted on 22/06 to check if students have fully
accomplished the practice. It is advisable that students
should try to attend all the practices in centre in order
for one to actualize the practice together with the teacher.
Phowa is the
transference of one's consciousness. This teaching will
enable the devotees to take rebirth in the pure realm even
though one has not been able to put much time to practice
provided that one has observed and maintained stable faith
and clean samaya.
Prerequisite
Students must have received the
Amitabha Empowerment and teaching on Phowa Practice.
For those who have missed the teaching, Khen Rinpoche will
give the teaching on 16/06/08 at 8pm, where interested
students must attend in order to accomplish the
practice. Our centre has schedule an
Amitabha Empowerment on 15/06/08
(Sun) at 10am for those who have not received.
** Phowa Practice on
21/06/2008 (Saturday has been cancelled and replaced with
Medicine Buddha Empowerment.**
|
Date |
Time |
Program |
15/06
(Sun) |
10.00am - 11.30am |
Amitabha Buddha
Empowerment
(By Khenpo Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche) |
16/06
(Mon) |
8.00pm - 9.30pm |
Teaching: Phowa
Practice |
17/06 to
19/06
(Tue - Sat) |
8.00pm - 9.30pm |
Phowa Practice |
22/06
(Sun) |
10.00am - 11.30am |
Phowa Test |
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SECRET TEACHING OF GURU
RINPOCHE SEVEN LINES PRAYERS
|
Date |
Time |
Program |
14/06
(Sat) |
2.00pm - 4.00pm |
Secret Teaching of Guru Rinpoche 7 Lines Prayers |
|
7.30pm - 9.30pm |
15/06
(Sun) |
2.00pm - 4.00pm |
This is a
continuous teaching of the 7 Lines Prayers based on White
Lotus text by Khenpo Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche (Khenpo Guru).
Prior Requirements and
Commitments for receiving the teaching:
Students
MUST
fulfilled all the requirements
in order to become a qualified vassal to receive this
profound teaching
1)
At least received either the Outer or Inner Teaching on
the Guru Rinpoche 7 Lines Prayers. Those who did
not receive either teaching are not allowed to receive
the secret teaching.
2)
Must have
received Ngondro Teaching and Guru
Rinpoche Empowerment.
3)
Must commit to complete
1,000 Seven Lines Prayers and at least
100,000 Guru Rinpoche mantra. If those who are
unable to complete the recitation in time for the teaching,
they have to make the commitment to complete it. This is
part of our Guru Yoga practice and commitments.
Khenpo Guru had given a brief
introduction on the Secret Teaching as follows.
"The secret
part of this teaching is the actual Dzogchen teaching with
instruction, which is very precious and sacred. We have to
be more serious on the Guru and disciple pure relationship
with maintenance on the Dzogchen view and the samaya. If we
don't do any practice, especially the Guru Yoga, then we
will not receive the blessings.
If one could
not receive the blessings then one will not understand it,
it will be hard for one to realise the Dzogchen teachings
and will feel lazy to do the Dzogchen meditations. We have
to be more faithful and sincere to the Guru and the Dzogchen
teachings. We have to make the commitment to do these
practices.
We need to be
serious on the practices and teachings that we have received
so that we can receive such precious teachings more
effectively. Otherwise time is running out, our life is
short and impermanence. Death is just next door, it is
uncertain and will occur to everyone at any time and place.
Except for
the dharma practice, there is nothing in this world that can
save or protect you from all the sufferings and rebirths in
the three lower realms. As such, it is better not to waste
the precious human form and try to make good use of it."
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E-Newsletter
The latest
newsletter can now be view at our website at
www.palyulsg.org. If you would like to help us reduce
the financial burden of bimonthly printing, envelopes and
stamp costs, kindly indicate your wish to opt out of the
hardcopy newsletter mailing service by emailing your
particulars to
enews@palyulsg.org. Thank you.
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For cheque payment, please made payable to
Palyul Nyingma Buddhist Association
and mail
it to 721 Geylang Road, Singapore 389632.
Please
indicate your name(s) and the respective items/events that
you are registering for together with contact numbers for
our reference. Alternatively, you can come personally to our
Centre for registrations and payments. |
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