sign in sign up
<<
Home , Potala Palace, Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

MCI (P) 128/10/2015 April – June 2016

Make Life Good

rom building a spectacular three- Fmetre tall statue of Thousand-Arm Chenresig, to completing the recitation of 100,000 tsog offerings, to hosting three weeks of amazing teachings by the guru himself, our admiration and adoration of Zopa is stamped clearly throughout this issue of TENDREL as we celebrate the inspiration that Rinpoche brought to us in the early months of 2016.

Quarterly News from an incredible time with Lama Zopa rinpoche Besides ABC students old and new, a record number of visitors flew in from Join Us in Celebrating the An Incredible all over the world, including from FPMT centres from as far away as Buddha’s Enlightenment Mexico and Brazil. “As dawn broke on the fifteenth of the Vaishakha month, he manifested the attaining of . Time with Rinpoche gave to many new Thereupon the gods scattered flowers knee deep, the earth shook, and all realms were filled with light.” students, presided over an extensive Puja with 1,000 Offerings (see page 11), and conferred two highest Celebration Our Guru yoga initiations. Crowning off What sublime joy it was to host our very An incredible, non-stop whirl of an already amazing programme was 2016 beloved guru and Spiritual Director, activity right from the get-go with an unforgettable long life puja for 20 – 22 May 2016 Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, for three Rinpoche’s late night arrival at Changi Rinpoche on 13th March. This was the ALJUNIED MRT OPEN GROUND weeks of teachings, initiations and Airport on 26th February. Hundreds first time ABC had served as a venue th th grand pujas from 27 February to 16 of enthusiastic people came to greet for a long life puja hosted by the FPMT March! Rinpoche and attend the teachings. International Office. Joining us from Friday 20 May around the world were representatives 4.00 pm Puja from 125 FPMT centres, projects and 5.30 pm Blessing for the public services, and more than 70 by Khen Rinpoche members, resident and teachers, Chonyi and a surprise visit by Lama Osel! 7.30 pm “The Benefits of Doing With a seamless procession of extensive Avalokiteshvara Practice” offerings, moving speeches and several by Khen Rinpoche teachings from Rinpoche himself, the Geshe Chonyi Return of magnificent puja stretched for nearly 12 hours! 8.30 pm Light and Amitabha Buddha Pure circumambulation Land ! All are welcome to view, Displaying healthy robust energy, make offerings, circumambulate Rinpoche gave us night after night, Saturday 21 May – Vesak Day + and receive vast incredible hours of his precious time, *Saka Dawa 15th and as he has done so often in the past, 6.00 am Taking the 8 Puja sponsorship open to all! patiently and skilfully led us through Precepts with Khen Up to 20 May: visit our office / the entire lam-rim, bestowing upon Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi 20 – 22 May: on-site at our Vesak us the real essence of the Buddha’s 8.00 am Bath Offering Ceremony fairground teachings. “Wow, wow, wow, wow, 9.00 am Medicine Buddha Puja OR donate online at www. wow!” and Vajravidarana Puja fpmtabc.org for Pacifying Sickness and Contamination *Saka Dawa 15th coincides with 11.00 am Blessing for the public by Vesak Day! Khen Rinpoche Geshe Double celebration on 21 May Chonyi as the merit multiplying 15th day th 11.30 am Free vegetarian lunch of Saka Dawa [Tibetan for 4 month, : Vaishaka] falls 3.00 pm White Dzambhala Wealth on the same day as Vesak. A most Deity Puja auspicious day to commemorate 5.00 pm Blessing for the public by the Buddha’s enlightenment—all Khen Rinpoche Geshe Sunday 22 May virtue accumulated is magnified Chonyi 100 million times as stated in 10.00 am Yamantaka Pacifying Fire Puja 7.00 pm Taking Refuge and 5 the text, “Treasure of Precepts with Khen 2.00 pm Namgyalma Puja with 1,000 Quotations and Logic”, and even Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi Offerings ONE BILLION times according 8.00 pm Light offering and 4.00 pm Final dedication of merit to some . circumambulation Rinpoche being greeted by ABC The very long registration queue on the first day of pre-initiation teachings! founding member, Alice Chua (right)

2 Tendrel • Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre • Tendrel 3 realm, is unbelievably hot. All the I saw in a Tibetan mystical text that after reborn in the lower realms. You have actualised the wisdom directly human beings’ fire put together is like the relics of Buddha go into the ocean, understand? By relying on that you perceiving emptiness. OHHH! That Taking Refuge – air conditioning, like snowfall, it says they become wish-granting jewels. are able to purify negative karma, the ceases the seed of delusion and karma. in the text. Compared to the fire spark That is more rare than diamonds. cause of the lower realms. You create The seed ceases, what the right seeing More Precious than from the hell realm, how hot it is. That is more precious than things like the cause of virtue, morality. You path has abandoned, what the path Probably six times’ hotter than the end- diamonds. But THAT can’t purify can achieve higher rebirths, and of meditation has abandoned. OH! Wish-Granting Jewels of-the-world fire, where the mountains your karma, obscurations, which cause human . You achieve that and Then, by ceasing delusion—the cause and everything get melted. It is six you to be born in the lower realms! It you achieve liberation from oceans of suffering— delusion, karma, you Here is an excerpt from Lama times’ hotter. And now that tiny spark can’t purify! Just by that you don’t get of samsaric suffering by ceasing the become free from suffering. You don’t of fire in the hell realms is sixty times human rebirth, devas’ rebirth. cause of delusions and karma. You can have to experience death as well as, you Zopa Rinpoche’s teaching hotter. It is mentioned in one text. It is do that. And not only that you can don’t have to experience the suffering where he emphasised the unbelievable. Only if you practise morality, if you actualise, achieve, the total cessation of rebirth. You don’t have to be reborn great importance and real take refuge, only through the practice of mistakes, the obscurations and the again and again without choice, Now here, the main purpose of our of morality, virtuous action, then you complete realisations, ‘sang-gye’. So you without your freedom! And then you meaning of taking refuge, relying on Buddha, , Sangha, get a deva and human rebirth. And can achieve that by relying on Buddha, don’t have to experience old age. Old given on 27 February 2016 the Three Precious Jewels, ’kon-chog just from that alone, you don’t get Dharma, Sangha, you understand? By age, death and rebirth came from your at ABC. sum’, the Three Precious Sublime Ones. liberation from the oceans of samsaric relying on wish-granting jewels, you mind, delusion and karma, from your It is translated normally in English as suffering, —the blissful state of can’t achieve that. mind. Delusion came from eating devotion, it is able to protect you. You the Three Jewels. It becomes a very peace. You don’t achieve, just from that some wrong food, no! It came from When people get hungry, they take don’t get reborn in the hells, as hungry ordinary, very simple translation. It is [the wish-granting jewel]. Without But relying on Buddha, Dharma, your impure mind—delusion. refuge in food. When thirsty, they take ghost or animals. You don’t get reborn like plastic. It is like, what is the best practising Dharma, without practising Sangha helps. So ‘kon’ is this. It is refuge in drink—Coca Cola! They take in the lower realms, in the narak (‘narak’ fruit in Singapore? [Asks the audience] the Three Higher Trainings, ‘lab-pa extremely rare, more rare than a wish- Sickness, cancer, any life-threatening refuge in milkshakes, chocolate, beer. is Sanskrit for hell), as hungry ghosts, sum’, without that, no way to achieve granting jewel, much more rare. Wish- disease, even diarrhoea, headache, That is normal. To protect the body animals, if you remember somebody Ah, durian. I forgot durian. It is like liberation from oceans of samsaric granting jewels are more rare than the toothache, any small thing, all the from hot and cold they take refuge whom you have devotion to, a monk plastic durian! suffering. No way. And then ultimate most precious jewels and diamonds. But sickness came from your own mind— in the house, rely on the house. And or nun. That definitely protects your happiness, peerless happiness, total Buddha, Dharma, Sangha is extremely delusion—understand? By ceasing then when sick, they take refuge in life from rebirth in the lower realms. You can’t eat it, like a reflection in the cessation of obscurations, completion rare, precious, more precious than delusion, karma, then you become free. medicine, rely on medicine, doctors, mirror. You can’t eat it. of all the realisations, ‘sang-gye’, you wish-granting jewels. It is extremely nurses, and hospitals. These are the Even the suffering of the lower realms, don’t achieve that. No way to achieve rare! ‘Kon’ has that meaning—‘kon- So here, taking refuge, to be free from normal things. So life’s happiness for the hell realm, if it manifested as form, In Tibetan, ‘kon-chog sum’ has great that. chog sum’. ‘Sum’ is three, so extremely, death, which you don’t like, hate. If people and animals is the same. like the sky, it is inexpressible suffering. meaning. It is not translated as Three unbelievably, extremely, most precious. you don’t think about it, you ignore Whatever human problem, the Jewels. I try to translate it exactly Just by receiving a wish-granting jewel it, that doesn’t help. You are going to The happiness of life—you have a heaviest, you think it is the heaviest— according to Tibetan. It has great you don’t get . You can’t Therefore, why we are taking refuge in die in five minutes. Ignore death. How wedding, you have marriage. The “I am the only one in this world who meaning, ‘kon-chog sum’, Three Precious generate compassion towards ALL, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha—extremely does that help? Better learn about happiness of life, to have marriage experiences the heaviest suffering”. Sublime Ones. towards every single hell being, hungry most important, most urgent, most death, and conquer death. Conquer! and children, is a common thing in Compared to the lower realms’ ghost, animal—animals in the ocean, needed. The need to rely on Buddha, Not conquer a country, but conquer the world. After eating food, you take suffering of the animals, suffering of Diamonds, those jewels, are more Atlantic Ocean, on the ground, on Dharma, Sangha is most extremely your death. You are not under the refuge in the toilet, a common thing. the , especially the suffering of precious than other materials. Now the grass, tiny insects, in the trees, in needed. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! control of death, but you control death That’s what everybody does in the the hell realms, it is nothing. It is great even more precious than that is the the sky. That is just animals. Then the and rebirth. Understand? You control world, all these things. peace. Compared to the suffering of the wish-granting jewel. and human beings: there are numberless Of course, most of us don’t like death. sickness. Rather than sickness controls lower realms, even the heaviest human universal kings, those who have lots universes, numberless human beings, We don’t want to think about death. you, you control sickness. You control So here, taking refuge in the founder problem, it is great peace, happiness. It and lots and lots of merit, find the sura beings, beings. To be able Ignore, even though it is something you death! OH! So for that reason, you take of the actual refuge—the Buddha, is peace. wish-granting jewel in the ocean. They to generate compassion to every single have to go through in reality. Whether refuge. then the actual refuge, Dharma, then wipe off the mud because it is covered sentient being, it doesn’t happen. you are a millionaire, billionaire, helping us to be able to actualise refuge How much relationship problems you with mud. Then last thing, for the zillionaire, trillionaire. What else? So taking refuge is SO IMPORTANT! within oneself, Sangha. That is very have, whatever, it is nothing, great smell, with cotton, cleaning it three Just by receiving the jewel, you don’t get I don’t know what else is after that. It is not just you become a Buddhist, different. peace, compared to the suffering of ways. great compassion. Just by receiving the Whether you have one rupee, one dollar not just some trip, you understand? the lower realms. It is like great peace, jewel, you don’t get bodhicitta. Just by or one Singapore dollar, whatever! You If you don’t eat food, you die. So the To be free from being reborn in hell, almost like liberation, nirvana. We Then you put it on the [victory] banner receiving the jewel, through that alone have to go through death. If you own reality is so, so, so, so, important. Wow, as a hungry ghost or animal, at the don’t know how we are so fortunate. on the 15th day. And then whatever you you can’t achieve enlightenment, ‘sang- the world, you have to go through wow, wow, wow, wow. Taking refuge, time of death, even a monk or nun to We don’t realise how we are so pray for, the needs of this life, anything, g ye’, buddhahood. You can’t achieve. death. wow! It is not just a trip. It is not just whom you have devotion, or a , fortunate. Unbelievable. Compared to whatever you pray for—how many a custom. People may think it is just a or Dharma text, like Heart . Just that suffering it is like great peace. helicopters you want, how many boats, Everything else, whatever you need for At least you have actualised true custom or something, but it is not like remembering at the very last moment how many fishing boats—I am joking. this life, you get by praying. suffering, true cause of suffering, that. of your life, you rely upon the Heart Even if all the fires in the human world How many five-star hotels you want. true cessation of suffering. You Sutra, or mantra, or Buddha’s name, or were put together, it is nothing. One Whatever needs for this life, you get. Oh, now Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, actualised true paths, wisdom directly Transcribed and edited for TENDREL by Ven. even a monk or nun to whom you have tiny fire spark from the narak, hell OHHH! That helps you to not get perceiving emptiness—shunyata. You Tenzin Tsultrim – March 2016

4 Tendrel • Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre • Tendrel 5 After 17 years of waiting, fundraising, researching, designing and building, “So wonderful in our circle at long last, the statue, very nearly complete, could be presented at that when you see auspicious moment to our most precious guru, fulfilling Rinpoche’s this Chenresig Our Chenresig wish to create this amazing image of Chenresig for our benefit, for the statue!” benefit of all sentient beings. - Lama Zopa Immediately upon seeing the Rinpoche Statue – statue, Rinpoche wanted to offer a khata. Rinpoche then explained the A Dream Come True motivation we should all have as we offered the khata together: 27th February 2016 was the day. At 4:15 pm, the moment when “Offering to the vajra holy body of over 300 of our ABC family and friends gathered at the centre Chenresig with my inseparable devotion, then, may I and all sentient beings to welcome our most precious guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, into achieve the vajra holy body, Chenresig’s the building for his first teaching of this 2016 visit, was the vajra holy body.” same moment that Rinpoche came face to face with our newly built Thousand-Arm Chenresig statue for the first time. Rinpoche went on to say the best offering was to think of Chenresig as inseparable from the root guru, His Holiness the : “Numberless buddhas, sangha, numberless statues, , scriptures, Buddha, but all one—root guru, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, then you collect most extensive merits, greatest purification. You collect much greater merit than offered to numberless Buddha, Take hold of the rare privilege of Dharma, Sangha, offered to numberless being able to observe the painstaking statues, stupas, scriptures, all the holy Watch It All in process of how the Chenresig statue objects in the world.” was made. Our cameras were rolling from the moment the first shipment Several details had yet to be finished “A Thousand carrying parts of the statue arrived in on the statue, the key one being the th crowns for the first and second tiers of Singapore on 14 September 2015. heads. Principal artist Denise Griffin Working closely with Peter Griffin, our was to present a new design of the tiny volunteer crew was able to capture crowns to Rinpoche, incorporating and show in real time, the key stages changes that Rinpoche specified. Hands” of the statue’s on-site construction and The casting of the crowns would development right up till Lama Zopa begin when Rinpoche approved the design. With the statue itself close to Rinpoche’s arrival in February 2016. complete, the next step will involve creating a three-dimensional mural For most people who have little idea depicting the Nyung Nay merit field, about how holy objects are made, our with small statues of the gurus six-part video series, “A Thousand and deities floating on clouds around Hands”, provides first-hand views and Avalokiteshvara. When this spectacular insights into the sacred art of building merit field is completed, it will be a wondrous sight to behold, with a statue. Watch this documentary, glorious Thousand-Arm Chenresig in a modest homemade production, the centre, blessing us all. A dream anytime on ABC’s YouTube channel at come true. www.youtube.com/user/ABCFPMT

6 Tendrel • Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre • Tendrel 7 which forms the central core of the 2. From Trijang Rinpoche’s orange statue. robe

ABC made a similar request of Lama 3. From salt that was used to cover Zopa Rinpoche in December 2015, in the holy body of the previous south . Rinpoche then selected after he had A Holy nine holy relics to offer to the statue. passed away, while he was in clear Rinpoche also dictated a brief message light meditation. The previous The yellow robe of His Holiness the to explain about these relics. incarnation of Ling Rinpoche was Dalai Lama the senior tutor of the His Holiness Here is a description of the relics and the . The salt was some of Rinpoche’s comments: offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche Object by the present incarnation of Song 1. From Trijang Rinpoche’s yellow Rinpoche, of Gaden Monastery. Inside and Out robe Rinpoche: “After His Holiness’s tutor The Thousand-Arm Chenresig statue Gyudme Tantric College in December Rinpoche: “His Holiness Trijang Ling Rinpoche passed away, he was is not only inspiring to behold, but 2015, and initiations given Rinpoche was His Holiness the Dalai in meditation a long time [13 days]. The first Shabdrung Rinpoche sequestered within it are countless on three different occasions. Lama’s younger tutor and my root Salt is what was used to cover the holy objects of immeasurable value. holy body.” guru from whom I received the first The one-syllable Prajnaparamita is Inside the statue are millions of There are also some exceedingly lam-rim teaching in my life. I don’t AH. In Sanskrit it means a negative. , including the powerful Four precious gifts that were offered by His 4. From the yellow robe of the previous remember the year but it was in What it means is, no phenomenon is Dharmakaya Relic mantras, precious Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Ling Rinpoche . I might have just come from truly existent. Like in the Heart Sutra nectar pills, and sand from significant Zopa Rinpoche. In 2014, we had made Buxa at that time with the teacher where it says no eye, no ear, and so . There is sand that was a request to His Holiness for a personal This was offered to Lama Zopa who had brought me to enter Dromo forth, AH means “no”. It means no obtained from mandalas that were article to be offered to the statue. His Rinpoche by the present incarnation Monastery in , who brought me truly existent such and such.” constructed for initiations conferred Holiness accepted our request and gave through Bhutan into exile in India. of Ling Rinpoche. Great yogi Thangtong Gyalpo by His Holiness the Dalai Lama: us his yellow robe (‘chogu’). The‘chogu’ The robe is most precious.” 7. From the Fifth Dalai Lama’s red the Guhyasamaja initiation given at has been wrapped around the life tree, 5. From the yellow robe of the first robe Shabdrung Rinpoche, Ngawang Traditionally when you move into a Namgyal new house, you first carry an astrological Rinpoche: “Before the Fifth Dalai diagram called ‘simpa ho’ to eliminate Lama, the previous Dalai Rinpoche: “Shabdrung Rinpoche was inauspicious things. Then this great didn’t hold the power of government the first great lama in Bhutan.” yogi’s picture is taken in. Perhaps in Tibet, just Dharma. From the that is for long life, I am not sure, or Fifth Dalai Lama onwards, it was 6. From the holy robe of the Great Yogi maybe for auspiciousness. Then this Thangtong Gyalpo both Dharma and government. The is followed by the root guru’s picture. was built during that These days we carry the picture of His th Rinpoche: “Here is his abbreviated time. Up to the 14 Dalai Lama, Holiness the Dalai Lama followed there was the unification of Dharma life story. What he did in Tibet in his by the Prajnaparamita [Perfection of lifetime was he built 58 iron bridges, and political government. Now, His Wisdom Sutras] in 8,000 stanzas (in Holiness says he has completely retired 60 wooden bridges, 118 ferries, 120 Tibetan, ‘Gyaltong-pa’). assembly halls and temples, 111 stupas from government.” and many hundreds of large and small There is the elaborate one in twelve th statues and innumerable paintings! So 8. From the 13 Dalai Lama’s yellow volumes, a more condensed one in robe amazing, amazing, amazing, how he three volumes, and a third even more benefited Tibet. condensed one is the one volume 9. Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje’s holy hair ‘Gyaltong-pa’. This is carried to enter a For example, the iron bridges, such an new house. Even much more condensed incredible distance from one mountain Sending “much love and prayers”, is the Essence of Wisdom, the Heart Rinpoche said: “Everybody please enjoy to the next—he built many of those. Sutra, and even more condensed is a There are still some pieces of the iron all the merits by offering, by praying, few syllables of the Prajnaparamita, the prostrating, everything.” bridges that you can see, and there prayer “Lama tonpa…” and so forth, might even still be the whole bridge. and “Tadyatha Om Muni Muni” and I saw a story that, lifetimes ago he so forth. [Thangtong Gyalpo] was Guru Relics offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche Shakyamuni Buddha.

8 Tendrel • Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre • Tendrel 9 In Our Circle – continued from page 6 Amitabha Buddhist Centre is a centre for the study and practice of Mahayana Buddhism in the tradition of the What’s next In February, ABC organised Tibetan master Lama Tsong Khapa, originating from APRIL / Qing Ming Puja two special prayer events that Offering Our Prayers the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Our annual Qing Ming puja will not be held this year. Tradition (FPMT), a non-profit international organisation Lama Zopa Rinpoche is on a rare extensive teaching tour were inspired by prayers for founded by Lama and Lama Thubten in the region and will be giving teachings in Malaysia Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the Zopa Rinpoche. throughout April. Many students from ABC, including desire to fulfil Rinpoche’s holy to the Guru the sangha, are planning to attend. wishes. The pujas took place in Amitabha Buddhist Centre the newly refurbished prayer MAY / th 44 Lorong 25A Geylang Saka Dawa 15 Day hall on Level 2, soon after the Singapore 388244 This year, the 15th full moon day of Saka Dawa, which Nearest MRT station: Aljunied celebrates the Buddha’s enlightenment and completion of our Thousand- Tel: 6745 8547 E-mail: [email protected] according to the Tibetan calendar, will fall on 21 May, Arm Chenresig statue. Fax: 6741 0438 Web: www.fpmtabc.org coinciding with Vesak Day. According to , Facebook: www.facebook.com/fpmtABC this is a merit-multiplying day where the power of any virtue created is increased by 100 million times (some Guru Puja with Opening Hours sutras say 1 billion times). Join us at our Vesak Celebration Tuesdays – Saturdays: 10:30 am – 6 pm 2016 to pay homage to the Buddha and create extra merit Sundays: 10 am – 6 pm on this auspicious day (see page 2 for details). 100,000 The office is open till 7.30 pm when evening events are scheduled JUNE Closed on Mondays / Basic Program The current module on Chapter 8 – “Meditation” of Tsog Spiritual Director Lama Shantideva’s “Engaging in the Deeds” is Resident Teacher Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi expected to run until June. The topic for Module 9 of the Offerings Centre Director Tan Hup Cheng Second Basic Program taught by Khen Rinpoche Geshe Coinciding with the merit-multiplying Spiritual Programme Chonyi will be announced later. This advanced course Days of Miracles during Losar, we held an The puja was organised in response to Through our concerted efforts, we Coordinator Ven. Tenzin Gyurme has been in progress since June 2011. Every Tuesday and all-day guru puja (Lama Chöpa) on 13th a call for FPMT centres to accumulate accumulated 100,000 tsog offerings Centre Manager Koh Zi Yen Thursday, 7.30 – 9.30 pm. February to accumulate 100,000 tsog 100,000 tsog offerings to pacify and wholeheartedly dedicated for offerings. It was encouraging to find that obstacles for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Rinpoche’s extremely long and healthy The TENDREL Team / Introductory Courses many students turned up to participate, life and health. Eager to contribute to life, and for all his wishes to be swiftly Editor Ven. Tenzin Tsultrim (Vivian Seah) The schedule for our upcoming beginner level courses was with some 200 people attending the the international FPMT effort, we set fulfilled. Designer Kennedy Koh not available at the time of publishing. Subscribe to ABC’s morning and afternoon sessions. the bar high for a target of 100,000. Photography Tan Seow Kheng / Ven. Tenzin mailing list to receive on-going updates on our spiritual Tsultrim / Noelle Teoh programme and other events. Call the office or sign up With Rinpoche himself presiding, we the centre was able to purchase quality Yew Kim Guan through our website: www.fpmtabc.org. To subscribe performed an extensive Maitreya Puja items for the presentation of the online, click on the ‘Subscribe to E-mail’ box shown on with 1,000 sets of offerings on 28th thousand offerings. For example, 2,000 Maitreya Print edition produced by Highlight Printing Services on the top right corner of the homepage. February. The puja acknowledged the bottles of Icelandic mineral water was wood-free paper special importance that Rinpoche places purchased for the water offerings at a puja with PRAYER SESSIONS APR-JUN 2016 on the , which centres cost of $2,400. 1,000 bottles of pure Connect with ABC Animal Liberation: 1,000 Offerings on the plan to build a gigantic statue sandalwood essential oil were offered for TENDREL is a free quarterly publication of Amitabha 10 April / 8 May / 12 June – 10 am Buddhist Centre, available in print and online. of Maitreya Buddha in Bodhgaya as the perfume offerings, and 1,000 jars of Confession & Purification Practice: well as in . During the puja, Manuka honey for the food offerings. For a postal subscription, call or e-mail our office at 6745 15 May / 19 June – 4 pm Rinpoche stressed the great importance There were also flowers and incense, and 8547/ [email protected] (This service is available for of making strong prayers for oneself and generous food offerings for the main altar ABC members only, to addresses within Singapore.) Guru Puja: 2, 16 April – 4 pm / 2, 16 May / 29 June – 7.30 pm loved ones, including the deceased, to be that day. Alternatively, pick up a print copy from the centre or guided by Maitreya Buddha in the future. download our full-colour web edition from: www. Tsog Offering: 31 May, 14 June – 9 pm Rinpoche said that prayers to Maitreya Please rejoice in our collective karma of fpmtabc.org Medicine Buddha Puja: Buddha had the power to liberate from having made these excellent offerings, All published dates and events are up-to-date at the time 17 April / 1 May / 5 June – 4 pm rebirths in the lower realms. transformed into oceans of blissful of printing. For our latest news, subscribe to our e-mail or nectar through the prayers performed, SMS updates, or visit our website at www.fpmtabc.org for Tara Puja: ABC would like to thank all the sponsors and to have dedicated the merits for a preview of What’s On and Calendar. 10, 24 April / 8, 29 May / 12, 26 June – 4 pm for their generous donations to the Rinpoche’s holy wishes to be successfully Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/fpmtABC For our full calendar visit www.fpmtabc.org offerings made during the Maitreya accomplished. puja. With the contributions received,

10 Tendrel • Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre • Tendrel 11 WORDS OF MY VIEW TRUTH Care to share good thoughts or helpful ideas from your Dharma experience? Send “If you really think well, your views, in 150 words or less, by e-mail to TENDREL at [email protected] and your message might be selected for print in the next issue. Note: It is our policy by next year, this time by to edit any material for language and content before publishing. next year, or by tomorrow First Glimpse of the New Chenresig Statue this time, even by tomorrow As I opened the door to our gompa at ABC to receive the Chinese New Year this time you can’t say you blessing from Khen Rinpoche, I felt as if I had been struck by lightning – my breath stopped, and I froze in my tracks. The long wait was over and there are in Singapore, you are in before me was the Thousand-Arm Avalokiteshvara, radiating blessings to all who beheld him. I stood there, mesmerised. For me it was not just a statue but this gompa, at Amitabha Chenresig himself, surrounded by images of my root guru, His Holiness the Buddhist Centre. You Dalai Lama, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The dream that we had all dreamed together had now taken concrete shape and it made me gasp. can’t say you will be here

As I stepped forward towards Khen Rinpoche to receive blessings from him, I tomorrow in Amitabha knew that our decision to leave USA in 2007 and to move to Singapore to be Buddhist Centre.” close to ABC had been the right one. – Lama Zopa Rinpoche, teaching Tara Dhar Hasnain, ABC member about death on 3rd March 2016 at ABC ONE SHOT 8th March 2016 – Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the midst of preparing for an initiation, surrounded by students who were quietly reciting the Vajra Cutter Sutra. Rinpoche had just advised those gathered to recite certain prayers to help two students who had illness and any others who might be sick. Photography: Ven. Tenzin Tsultrim

12 Tendrel • Quarterly News from Amitabha Buddhist Centre