Download 2015 Pilgrimage to eight Buddha`s holy places

2015
Pilgrimage
With His Eminence Tulku Ogyen Rinpoche
Date: January 21 ~ 30, 2015
Location: Seat of Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya, India,
where the historical Buddha was enlightened.
The Historical Buddha Shakyamuni
Before he became the historical Buddha,
Prince Siddharta was born as the crown
prince of Kapilavastu in present-day Nepal.
At his birth, he received many prophecies
that he would one day attain great spiritual
or worldly attainment. In order to involve
his son in the duties of a successful king,
and partly to dissuade his son to become
an ascetic, King Suddhoana (Siddharta’s
father) showered him with the best physical
comfort and pleasure possible for his time.
However, thoughts of impermanence, the
suffering of beings in the six realms of
cyclical existing propelled Prince Siddharta
to renounce the worldly life to seek the truth
of life.
When Prince Siddharta asked for permission
to become an ascetic, his father hesitated and
ask if there are any possibility that will allow
him to change his mind. Siddharta replied
with four conditions: 1) that old age cease to
appear; 2) that sicknesses cease to be painful;
3) that death cease to terrify the mind; 4) all
phenomena remain as unrelinquished, unbreakable. Certainly when the King heard that,
he was not able to change Siddharta’s mind. However, it was Siddharta’s goal to achieve
these four conditions.
In the middle of the night, Prince Siddharta fled the royal palace to seek the ultimate truth.
And after six years of extreme hardship, he was not able to achieve enlightenment. He
realizes that neither extreme pleasure and suffering is the proper path, and the Middle Way
is the path beyond self-indulgence and self-mortification. So when he was at age 30, at the
riverbank of Nairanjananadi, he washed himself off the dirt from years of asceticism and
received the offering of milk and rice pudding from a village girl named Sujata. Following
this incident, he sat under the pipal tree - now known as the Bodhi tree - and meditated.
And after 21 days, and at dawn on the Eighth Day of the Second Month of the Lunar
Calendar, he accomplished the full Awakening and was thus named Buddha, the Awakened
One.
The Eight Holy Places of Buddhism and Its Benefits
The eight historical places where important in the life of the historical Buddha are: Bodhgaya,
where Buddha achieved enlightenment. Lumbini, where Buddha was born. Saranath, where
Buddha first taught. Kushingar, where Buddha entered Pari-nirvana. Vaisali, where Buddha
foretold his Pari-nirvana. Sankasia, where Buddha returned to this world after a 3 month
discourse to the devas (heavenly beings). Sravasti, where Buddha tamed and converted Mara
through teaching. Rajgriha, A place where the Sangha abide peacefully.These are known as
the Eight Holy Places of Buddhism, and it was said the Eight Stupas were based on the
monuments built in these sacred places.
Although we do not have the opportunity directly see the historical Buddha, according to
many sutras and tantras, even making offerings, circumambulating these Holy Places, would
generating inconceivable benefit.In the Sajyuktagama Sutra, Buddha has said, “Monks, after
I enter pari-nirvana, if a man or woman of good faith, should, in his or her lifetime, aspire to
attend these four Holy Places and be mindful. Which are the four? One should be mindful of
the Tataghatha: the places where he was born, where he was enlightened, where he turned the
wheel of Dharma and where he entered pari-nirvana. After my passing, at these sacred sites,
make offering, circumambulate, make prostration to the stupas, one should follow the words....”
Also, “Having such faith in the Enlightened One, even if one’s lifespan is exhausted, shall take
rebirth in higher realms.” Similarly, when newly ordained monks ask about the Buddha’s holy
biography, monks are advised to speak about Buddha’s life based on the events of these four
locations. Additional quotation from writings by a prominent Indian Buddhist Scholar
Bhavyaviveka also comments that by circumambulating the holy places, one may purify the
heaviest negative karma.
The benefit from visiting and circumambulating holy places is much greater than visiting
touristy monuments: it pacifies one’s obstacles, averts negativities arising from inner and
astrological conditions, and inner disturbances that are not treated by conventional medicine.
When one meditates, recites sutras, or perform positive deeds in holy places, one’s benefit
multiplied immensely and one’s aspirations made at sacred places also are accomplished swiftly.
As one walks on the ground of these holy places, the atmosphere naturally becomes conducive
to enhance our meditative experience and insight. One effortlessly becomes mindful of the
virtuous deeds of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, the Arhats and the enlightened masters of the
past and thus generates genuine minds of faith, renunciation and awaken their compassionate
nature. With the merits generated through these practices, one will obtain higher rebirth,
excellent physical and mental faculties that are the base of ultimately accomplishing
enlightenment. Such practitioners would have the capacity to fully accomplishment the
two heaps of wisdom and merits, purify all negativities, and accomplishing all the wisdom
and compassion aspects of a fully enlightened Buddha; which, spontaneously, brings benefit
to countless sentient beings. When analyzing in this manner, one can see that the benefits
arising from making pilgrimage to these holy places are truly inconceivable.
∼∼ Tulku Ogyen Rinpoche
We thank you for your support and
dedicate the merit to the peace and happiness
of this world and all sentient beings.
If you would like to participate,
please contact the following volunteers:
Taiwan: Shirley Wu 0910 - 338868
Canada: Sandy Pai 604-9988739
604-7612289
For more information, please visit :
www.buddhaofcompassion.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Address : 3F, 4-3, Linsen S. Rd, Taipei, Taiwan
Nyingma Monlam Chenmo
Prayer For World Peace
Since 1986, the Nyingma Monlam
Chenmo Prayer For World Peace is
celebrated to bring about world peace
and liberation of all sentient beings.
This well-respected event are attended
by monastic and lay participants from
the India, Nepal, Bhutan, and
everywhere around the world.
Countless venerable monastic and
yogi masters, reincarnate teachers
(Tulku), scholastic abbots (Khenpo),
monks, nuns, and practitioners gather
to pray in unison at the sacred site
of Bodhgaya, where Buddha sat
under the Bodhi Tree and attained
complete Enlightenment.
Each year, countless practitioners and
students gather to pray during the
Monlam Chenmo; for days and nights,
many devotees would complete vast
meritorious deeds such as 100,000
prostrations, 100,000 repetitions of
Vajrasattva mantra and countless
devotional offerings and guru yoga
practices. All lineages of Tibetan
Buddhism agrees that generates
countless merit and blessings, and
brings great benefit to the world.
The Nyingma Monlam Chenmo for
World Peace, therefore, is certainly
the most important event in the
Nyingmapa calendar.
“To raise awareness and accomplish
the Monlam Chenmo each year is an
extremely fortunate blessing!
This activity brings about benefits to
all schools of Buddhism, to the the
happiness of all beings, peace to the
universe as well as contributing to
the temporal and ultimate happiness
of all sentient beings, gathering to
make sincere practice and aspirations
during this event, I, Pema Norbu, also
deeply rejoice.”
~His Holiness
the late 3rd Kabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche
Since its inception, The Nyingma Monlam Chenmo for World Peace, which includes
the recitation of the entire texts of “Reciting the Name of Manjushri” (ManjushriNama-Samgriti) and “The Aspiration Prayer of Samantabhadra” 100,000 times each.
Lasting for 10 to 14 days, the Nyingma Monlam Chemo for World Peace is attended
by at least tens of thousands monastic and lay practitioners from over 1600 monasteries.
One of the chief sponsors of the annual Nyingma Monlam Chenmo Prayer for World
Peace, late Kyabje Penor Rinpoche has repeatedly told his students the benefit of
sponsoring and keeping the tradition of Monlam Chenmo alive.
Even as years went by, the words of our teacher still resound within our hearts.
It has been four years since the passing of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, and His
Eminence Tulku Ogyen Rinpoche, who considers H.H. Penor Rinpoche as his root
guru, has made the aspiration to sponsor the 2015 Nyingma Monlam Chenmo for
World Peace.
His Eminence Tulku Ogyen Rinpoche would like to invite sponsors for this important
event, for the continuation of His Holiness’s vision, and also for the benefit for all
sentient beings.
The funds we will collect will directly benefit: the cost associated with establishing
sacred Mandala, torma and flowers, and food and necessities for tens of thousands
of Sangha.
The Benefit of Making Offerings to Sangha
In the “Agama Sutra”, Buddha states that “If one can make offerings to the Assembly of
Sangha, the merit is uncountable.” In the “Sutra on Giving”, Buddha stated the five main
benefits of making offerings to the Triple Gems: 1. One obtains beautiful form; 2. One obtains
robust health; 3. One enjoys longevity; 4. One’s mind is always supple and joyful; 5. One obtains
skillful qualities of speech.
The Benefit of Making Flower Offerings
In a sutra named “A Discourse on Differentiating Karma with the Shoka the Elderly”, Buddha
stated that there are ten virtues arising from making a flowering offering:
1. Maintaining a life that is pleasant in this world, like a flower;
2. Maintaining a physical appearance that is free from dirt and ordour
3. Maintaining a lifestyle where the scent of one’s good conducts is pervasive
4. Wherever one is, maintain the ability to distinguish the scents that are beautiful or foul
5. Maintaining an outlook that is superior to the worldly view, thus becomes well respected
6. Naturally maintaining a presence that is clean and fragrant to the nose
7. Maintaining a love of the right path, and regularly recollect and studies Dharma
8. Possessing great merit for the benefit of oneself and others
9. Taking rebirth in the higher realms, due to the power of one’s great quality
10. Quickly attaining the ultimate goal of Nirvana.
The benefit of Making Lamp Offerings
The Buddha taught, “If one purely makes a lamp offering of from fragrant oils and with pure
motivation, have the knowledge that may the oil be as vast as the four oceans, the wick as large
as Mount Sumeru, and may the light of this lamp illuminate the whole world.”
In the same sutra named “A Discourse on Differentiating Karma with the Shoka the Elderly”,
Buddha stated that there are ten virtues arising from making a lamp offering:
1. One illuminates the world like a light
2. Wherever one takes rebirth, one enjoys strong, perceptive eyes
3. One may enjoy the eye of the Gods
4. One perceives the pure and impure deeds, and thus develops wisdom
5. One may destroy the great darkness of ignorance
6. One obtains great wisdom that illuminates the minds of oneself and others
7. One takes rebirth that are free from darkness
8. Possessing great merit for the benefit of oneself and others
9. Taking rebirth in the higher realms, due to the power of one’s great quality
10. Quickly attaining the ultimate goal of Nirvana.
In the “Avatamsaka Sutra” it states, “ Just like the light of
one lamp may illuminate a room that has been dark for a
thousand years. Likewise, the lamp of Bodhicitta, once it
enters the heart of sentient beings, will completely dispels
the karmic obstructions accumulated through countless
eons.”
The Spread of Buddhism in Tibet
Buddhism was first introduced in Tibet by the 33rd King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo,
who is considered to be an emanation of Avalokiteshvara. Then, in 742 AD, the 38th
King of Tibet, Tritson Deutsen invited monks, abbots, and accomplished teachers such
as Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava to Tibet, which brought about the golden age of
the spread of Dharma in Tibet.
With the King’s sponsorship, the Great Abbot Shantarakshita ordained Tibetan monks
for the first time in the newly established Samye Monastery and began the largest
Buddhist monastic system in the world. While many Indian and Tibetan translators
tirelessly translate all the known Buddhist scripture and manuscripts available in India,
Uddiyana, Burma, Shri Lanka, China to Tibet, as well as many south-eastern regions
including texts that were said to be preserved by the heavenly and naga beings; Guru
Padmasambhava and many teachers taught all nine vehicles of Buddhist teachings to
thousands of Tibetans at the time and many attained spiritual accomplishments. This
is named “Nyingma” (Old School) now, which includes Kadam (and its subsequent
follower, Gelug), Sakya and Kagyu.
From 1000 AD and on, teachings hidden (“Terma”) in the elements - teachings that
were concealed by Guru Padmasambhava and his disciples for later disciples’
practice - were gradually discovered and passed down.
Since 17th century, there emerged six main Nyingma monasteries or “seats” in Tibet,
each with hundreds of associated monasteries: in western Tibet, there are Dorje Drak
and Mindroling, in the center, Shechen and Dzogchen, and Katok and Palyul are in
eastern Tibet.Despite political turmoil, Nyingma teachings and practices were kept
practically undisturbed in these monasteries and have inspired tens of thousands of
followers. And through these teachings, numerous practitioners attained complete
accomplishments, such as Longchenpa, Jigme Lingpa,
Mipham Rinpoche and many other holy beings and scholars.
Nyingma teachings include within it the instructions
and accomplishment methods of the 9 Yanas of Buddha
Dharma, and in particular practices of Inner Three Yanas
as well as the practice of Great Perfection teachings or
Dzogchen. Whether one focuses more on the Buddhist
doctrine or on meditative practices, Dzogchen is definitely
the quickest path towards accomplishing full awakening.