Tibetan Buddhism and Culture

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Samye Ling Tibetan Monastery Scotland UK Part 10 - Nagarjuna Holy Lake

Nagarjuna Bodhisattva and the Naga holy lake in Samye Ling Karma Kagyu Monastery , Scotland UK

One of the main attraction of Samye Ling Monastery will be the most stunning and majestic of the Nagarjuna Bodhisattva 龍樹菩薩 holy lake. This holy statue of Nagarjune Bodhisattva 龍樹菩薩 bears with his preaching mudras posture and a dragon is forming on his head, one can evoke different feelings in one's mind, it is depending on where one stand to look at the holy statue.

Behind the view of the Nagarjuna and the Naga

This holy statue of Nagarjune Bodhisattva 龍樹菩薩 bears with a Naga or Dragon is forming an umbrella on top of his head to protect him from the sun. His preaching mudras posture and can evoke different feelings in one's mind, it is depending on where one stand to look at the holy statue.

In front of the face, one can discern a smiling mood in the face.
At the back of the holy statue, one can discern the calm and serenity of a snake which emanations of a Dragon king is forming an umbrella on top of Nagarjuna Bodhisattva to protect him from the sun when Nagarjuna Bodhisattva is giving the profound teaching of the Prajnaparamita sutra (般若波羅蜜多)

I was having a relaxed meditation at the Holy lake and my Scottish
friends quietly took the photo.

I had a short meditation and relax oneself to the tranquility environment. To meditate on Nagarjuna Buddhisttava Dharma spiritual awareness and his positive holy energy and his blessings.

Please guide me how to purify my body, my speech,my minds, my inner knowing, the senses of my body and to pacify my outer, inner and secret obstacles.

I prays to you and with your grace, guide me to trust these things and with your guidance and blessings and sentient beings could free themselves beyond fears and any doubts, thus walks in the balance with the passing of each glorious sun and moments.

Nagarjuna was one of the six great commentators on the Buddha's teaching. He born in South India from 150 CE to 250 CE and is revered by all Buddhist schools. His teachings are the basis of the "Madhyamaka school" of Mahayana Buddhism.

Madhyamaka school in Chinese is known as the (中觀派) the middle way philosophy of emptiness. Nagarjuna he is also credited with developing the philosophy of the Prajnaparamita sutra (般若波羅蜜多) to the human realm from the Naga world. Nagarjuna Bodhisattva he is counted among the 84 great mahasiddhas of India.

His famous writings include the "Precious Garden" , "Letter to a friend" and "Commentary on Bodhichitta"His commentaries were renowned for their ability to covey outer, inner and secret levels of meaning, corresponding to the three turnings to the wheel of Dharma.

Thank you for reading my blog, and it helps to spread the Dharma knowledge and as well turning the Dharma wheel to the world. Kindly support to sign up a free 123Rf.com subscription and Agoda.com and Amazon.com or your booking hotel destinations at the advertising sponsor banners to enable us to grow better and stronger.

Dedication of merits

May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Eggs balancing up on a Chinese Lap Chun day

Lap Chun (立春) starts on February 04, 2015 ,11:58 hour. Lap Chun is the first day of the lunar calendar for the Year of Goat is on 19th February 2015, which is after the day of the 1st solar term. Hence its known as a blind year.
In Chinese culture around the globe, a lunar year meaning a New Year which starts on Lap Chun (立春), the official first day of Spring in the Chinese lunar calendar, which usually falls on Feb 3, 4 or 5. Lap Chun is the Spring /Vernal Equinox and many Chinese around the world do belief that you can try to balancing up some egg on a smooth surface during Lap Chun day than at any other time of the year.

I was skeptical not because it could be a hoax, but rather is a challenge instead. I did tried last year in February 04, 2014 and to my amazed, I managed to balancing up to 5 eggs ! Dear readers , let give it try this coming February 04, 2015 if you are in doubts and let have some funs.

Friday, January 30, 2015

Auspicious Dakini Prayer Days 2015 Scheduled

Ekajati she is generally regarded as one of the three principal protectors of the Nyinmapa Lineage. Ekajati is the principal guardian of the Dzongchen and she is to regard as one of the higher Tantric practice in Vajrayana Buddhism and which required or involved and concerned with powerful ritual acts of body, speech, and mind and heavy Samaya vows.

Simhamukha Dakini is one of the important practices for Gelup, Kagyu,Nyinma, Sakya the four Vajrayana lineages. She is to regard as one of the higher Tantric practice in Vajrayana Buddhism and which required or involved and concerned with powerful ritual acts of body, speech, and mind and heavy Samaya vows.

Please note that Dakinis practices, you are required to obtain at least an oral transmission from your Guru permission or a qualified master to perform such prayer, certain Dakinis are considered a tantric practice which required or involved and concerned with powerful ritual acts of body, speech, and mind and heavy Samaya vows. Some Dakini required lessen Samaya vows.

According to the Tibetan calendar, the Dakini auspicious day will be scheduled on every 25th of the Tibetan lunar month and traditionally the Dakini practice will be in the pre-dawn session and when evening approaching.

Lunar Calendar 2015	Day
January 15, 2015	Thursday
February 14, 2015	Saturday
March 15, 2015	Sunday
April 14, 2015	Tuesday
May 13, 2015	Wednesday
June 12, 2015	Friday
July 11, 2015	Saturday
August 09, 2015	Sunday
September 07, 2015	Monday
October 07, 2015	Wednesday
November 06, 2015	Friday
December 05,2015	Saturday

There are two important lunar days which is 10th and 25th of every month. According to the Vajrayana Buddhism , we must offer "Tsok" purification practiced especially on the 10th and 25th days of the Tibetan month. The Meaning of Tsok is a method for gathering the accumulations of merits and wisdom.

Some Dakini prayers and practice, we can reciting or perform mother Green Tara mantra or praises of the 21 Taras. Mother Green Tara she is the manifestation of the Avalokitesvara, (Chenrizig in Tibetan) (Kuan Yin Pusa in Chinese) she can be practiced as the Yidam or Dakini.Green Tara is one of my daily practice. Whoever came to know and or have seen her statue or Tangka printing will certainly and simultaneously be connected with her tranquility and her very unique quality of love and compassion.

Vajrayana features countless skillful and powerful methods which, if they are practiced in the proper way, can make the process of accumulation and purification incredibly swift and direct. One such method is the practice of tsok, which is primarily a practice of offering. It is not just a practice of offering however; it is also a powerful method for purifying our Samaya.

Thank you for reading my blog, and it helps to spread the Dharma knowledge and as well turning the Dharma wheel to the world. Kindly support to sign up a free 123Rf.com subscription and Agoda.com and Amazon.com or your booking hotel destinations at the advertising sponsor banners to enable us to grow better and stronger.

Dedication of merits

May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.

Samye Ling Tibetan Monastery Scotland UK Part 9 - The Peacock and Peahen

Samye Ling Tibetan Monastery has changed rapidly in recently years. A new giant smiling Tara ,and her statue is painted in sparkling golden color.She will be greeting with her tranquility and tender smiles on your arrival at the Monastery.

You have never seen before there are many wildlife activity at the Monastery, and especially the Peacock and Peahen are the Monastery celebrities. The Peacock and Peahen are wild birds and has chosen the Monastery as their natural habitat.

Animals and birds may approach you for food and especially birds may fly and approach you and take food from your palms, because animals and birds through their instinct knew that this is a place where people are with their loving kindness and compassion toward all beings.

Dedication of merits

May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.

Samye Ling Tibetan Monastery Scotland UK Part 8 - The River Dragon Stupa

During the freezing afternoon, we spent some time exploring and walking around at the river bank that is located near the Monastery garden. from a short distance not far away, you will see there is a river stupa stood right in the middle of the junction. In the middle of the stupa, a picture featuring of a powerful river Dragon deity whom is constantly watches over the cardinal directions.

We spent a night at the Samye Ling Monastery with a reasonable accommodation charges and the Monastery is provided three vegetarian meals a day. Meals are taken in a spacious dinning hall for guessts. The Monastery Dharma programs are scheduled daily as follows:-

6.00 - 7.00am Tara Prayers

7.00 - 8.00am Breakfast

8.00 - 9.00am Meditation session

10.00 - 12.30pm Teaching session during courses

12.30pm Lunch

1.30 - 3.00pm Mahakala Prayers

3.00 - 5.30pm Teaching session during courses

5.00 - 6.00pm Meditation session

6.00 - 7.00pm Dinner

7.00 - 7.45pm Chenrezig Prayers

(Sundays: 7.00pm - 8.00 pm Amitabha Prayers, 8.00pm - 8.30pm Chenrezik Prayers)

10.00pm Temple Closed and quiet time.

Dedication of merits

May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Guru Rinpoche Prayer Day 2015 Scheduled

Guru Rinpoche prayer day according to the Tibetan lunar months 2015 are scheduled as follows:-

Lunar Calendar 2015	Day
January 29, 2015	Thursday
February 28, 2015	Saturday
March 29, 2015	Sunday
April 28, 2015	Tuesday
May 29, 2015	Thursday
June 26, 2015	Friday
July 26, 2015	Sunday
August 25, 2015	Tuesday
September 23, 2015	Wednesday
October 22, 2015	Thursday
November 21, 2015	Saturday
December 20,2015	Sunday

Today Is January 29, 2015 and it is the 10th day of the lunar month and it is also known as the Guru Rinpoche day. There are two important lunar days which is 10th and 25th of every month. According to the Vajrayana Buddhism , we must offer "Tsok" purification practised especially on the 10th and 25th days of the Tibetan month. The Meaning of Tsok is a methods for gathering the accumulations of merits and wisdom.
Vajrayana features countless skilful and powerful methods which, if they are practised in the proper way, can make the process of accumulation and purification incredibly swift and direct. One such method is the practice of tsok, which is primarily a practice of offering. It is not just a practice of offering however; it is also a powerful method for purifying our Samaya.

The main benefit of tsok practice mentioned in the tantras is the accumulation of merit with conceptual focus as well as the accumulation of wisdom beyond focus. There could be no greater benefit than this. For example, it is said that Guru Rinpoche himself will come and bless the tsok practitioners, or that the place where tsok is performed will become exactly the same as the Paradise of Guru Rinpoche.

Dedication of merits

May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Samye Ling Monastery Scotland UK Part 7 -The temple of the fine arch

At noon we had finally arrived at the Samye Ling Monastery and this is the entrance of the Monastery and you can see the Majestic and beautiful Tibetan structure, which i called it "the temple of the fine arch" is standing tall and welcoming you to the holy place of Scotland UK. This "temple of the fine arch" has been modified in recent years and there are four heavenly guardian deities images had been printed on the 4 pillars. In the Buddhist faiths, be it a Mahayana or a Vajrayana schools, there are four heavenly deities guardian and each of whom watches over one cardinal direction of the world.

The temperature was rather icy and chilly cold. It was extremely freezing cold weather partly due to the strong wind and until I had the difficulty to put on my winter clothes.The holy lake is completely frozen and while the danger from winter varies across the country, depending on how severe the condition is.

This is Samye Ling Monastery and we arrived late afternoon and the vegetarian lunch was over. Due to heavily rain and there are not many visitors today. The main shrine was conducting the Mahakala Prayer and it is scheduled at 1.30pm - 3.00pm. We restrained our self for taking any photos when the monks and nuns and others are conducting the afternoon prayers.

For your information, Mahakala prayers is usually conducted at the afternoon or before the end of the day. For more information of Mahakala the Karma Kagyu lineage Dharma protector , you may please refers my search box for "mahakala" and it will lead you to more information of this powerful and wrathful Dharma protector.

Dedication of merits

May those who read and sharing of this blog's information be peaceful and joyful. May the Buddha Dharma be flourished and the merits will be dedicated to the sentient beings.