Subject: [CASonline] Back with more Goodness !!
 

 
Dearest Friends @ CAS,
 
It has been a full month since our last CASonline issue: hair-tearing work in school and Camden Education Center......
CASonline is now back !!
 
We bade farewell to the Principal of the main Drikung Kagyu College in-exile, Khenpo Konchog Rangdrol.
 
It is awfully embarrassing to be apologising again for the webcast glitches. Really, we were tripped by the shockingly bad internet connection strength in the auditorium whilst everything else was held trim and neat !!
 
It is a fine lesson in the overwhelming place of merit over frail human planning. 
 
The promise/s:
1) The webcasts shall continue.
2) The IT friends @ CAS shall refine their skills further.
 
Most important: All people to accumulate merit and purify obscurations !!
 
The missing page 23 from the Achi Chokyi Drolma's text is available upon request. Email to bb at contact@casotac.com
 
This issue, we will start 2 new sections in CASonline: "Meditation on the Lam Rim - The Sure-Steps to Enlightenment".
 
The other section will be "Support Dharma Propagation Fund ( DPF ) - Product Highlight".
All contributions, acquiring of products from this section supports CAS's life-saving projects via the DPF. DPF has built meditation huts for Khenpo Achuk's nuns ( one of Tibet's Nyingma leaders ), sponsored free medication for impoverished indian villagers and tibetan refugees via Men Tsee Khang, transported elderly monks to hot springs ( for alleviation of their athritis ), printed thousands of free holy pictures of Guhyamasaja, Lama Takhyung Barwa, Green Tara and many many buddhas to the great monasteries and the remote corners of India and Tibet .......... the list streches back far, far over the rainbows !!   
 
 
 
( From James Liaw )
 
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Quote/s from the Buddha's holy scripture
 
From Ven. Walpola Piyananda Thera:
The Serial Killer meets Lord Buddha
 
 
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( We meander a little further this week to peek at a Thai youth's take on being a Buddhist !! )
 
If someone asked me what my religion is, I would be very proud to say ?<I am a Buddhist?\. I say this even though I rarely wake up early in the morning to give food to the monks or go to the temple to listen to sermons. I have been told so many times by my old relations that I am not a very good or strict Buddhist. I don?.t deny that, as I am sure I don?.t really behave as good as their generation did. But, I am still a Buddhist.

For me, I feel Buddhism is part of my blood. When I was a kid, I used to stay at my grandmother?.s house, which is next to a temple. I spent most of my childhood there around monks......

Every morning, after the monks came back from their alms round, I ran to the temple to get some food. The monks always gave some food to the poor children in the area as they had too much for themselves. Even though I wasn?.t a poor kid, I still went for the food as there would be some sweets and desserts in there as well..........

I was surprised to learn that there were Thai temples in other countries! Apparently there are lots of temples in Europe and America and some of them  are very big! It was nice to read that Thai teenagers in other countries like going to temples. Since I first read that letter, I saw a newspaper article that said a group of Thai children in America had been ordained as novice monks for a week. That is really amazing..........

Honestly, even though I don?.t often go to the temple, I am still a Buddhist in my heart. I will try and live a good life like the Buddha teaches us. Of course, I now have to pay more attention to this as I have the responsibility to make sure my baby daughter becomes a good Buddhist in the future. I will try and make it my family tradition that we go to the temple on every important Buddhist holiday.

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FOR Friends of CAS
( May the Dharma flourish far and wide, bringing peace and liberation to all mother beings wherever they are !! )
 
ONE
MANI Retreat at Suntec City, Singapore - a legacy of the Most Venerable Drubwang Konchog Norbu Rinpoche.
Contact 6400 2072 / enquiry@ManiRetreat.org
 
TWO
Retreat with one of the senior Masters of the Drikung Kagyu lineage, the Drikung Ontrul Rinpoche.  

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The Update/s
 
The great Abbot Emeritus of Drepung Loseling, Khensur Lobsang Gyamtso,  has returned to Taiwan to continue with His Dharma programmes at Taipei and Taichung's Drepung Loseling centres.
 
Most Venerable Drikung Ontrul Rinpoche's Singapore programme has been fixed from 31 October to 7 November. Mark your calendars and dedicate for the venue and all. The costs divisions have also been negotiated with the Malaysian Drikung centres.  
 
Gen Wangchen Namgyal, the primary Teacher of Ling Rinpohe Yangsi ( incarnated senior tutor of the Dalai Lama ) is pending visa for possible short private trip to Singapore so that CAS's friends could have the merit of serving Him and so accumulate merit and purify obscurations for attainment of Enlightenment soonest for the good of all that lives and walks.
 
The great Palyul Khenpo, Khenpo Tsering Dorje, has consented to come again in November though no confirmed dates as yet.  The Secret Guru Cycle may be bestowed together with moving into the Yidam Cycle of the Longchen Nyingthig, starting with the main Yidam: the Eight Great Herukas. Keep your prayers going !!

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"The Sure-Steps to Enlightenment."
( Meditation on the Lam Rim - rough, authentic notes. )
 
TOPIC ONE
The Centrality of the Spiritual Friend: the Guru.
 
A
We need a qualified Teacher because He or She has walked the path and has realised its Truth. He or she has the compassion and skills to lead us to the same state: freedom from suffering, the best position to help all others. Without someone exprienced, we cannot practise properly.
( While contemplating the above, do 108 times mantra of your Yidam - Chenrezig, Tara, Yamantaka or others. Or you can do the mantras until you feel the topic has firmly been internalised in your mind !! )
 
B
You need to look for a truly qualified Teacher:
A qualified Teacher teaches in-line with the Buddha's teachings. ( Je Tsongkhapa's point )
He or she must "walk the talk" ( The late Khensur Dorje Tashi emphasises this point !! )
He or she may have good reference from other established Teachers. ( this point from worldly common sense ) 
( While contemplating the above, do 108 times mantra of your Yidam - Chenrezig, Tara, Yamantaka or others. Or you can do the mantras until you feel the topic has firmly been internalised in your mind !! )
 
C
If we rely on the Teacher, every possible good will come: worldly protection, aims and sublime spiritual fruits all ripen !!
If we do not rely on the Teacher, we will be lost and sufferings will come !!
( While contemplating the above, do 108 times mantra of your Yidam - Chenrezig, Tara, Yamantaka or others. Or you can do the mantras until you feel the topic has firmly been internalised in your mind !! )
 
D
The qualified Teacher is / should be a Buddha because he or she already possesses the pure Buddha Nature. So you pray and rely on their "Buddha Nature" is equivalent to relying on an actual Buddha.
( While contemplating the above, do 108 times mantra of your Yidam - Chenrezig, Tara, Yamantaka or others. Or you can do the mantras until you feel the topic has firmly been internalised in your mind !! )
 
E
The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas all committed to liberate all beings from suffering. Since there are still suffering beings, the buddhas and bodhisattvas all are still here. The best way for them to help will be to manifest as a human master, the form of a qualified Teacher. The qualified Teacher is surely the Buddha come back !!
( While contemplating the above, do 108 times mantra of your Yidam - Chenrezig, Tara, Yamantaka or others. Or you can do the mantras until you feel the topic has firmly been internalised in your mind !! )
 
F
All the holy scriptures talk of how the Buddhas shall return as qualified Teachers. Even if they are not fully enlightened, Manjushri promises to bless and guide on the Teacher's behalf so long as disciples have faith. So, no matter what, i must see the qualified Teacher as a Buddha !!
( While contemplating the above, do 108 times mantra of your Yidam - Chenrezig, Tara, Yamantaka or others. Or you can do the mantras until you feel the topic has firmly been internalised in your mind !! )
 
[ Here ends the main points dealing with the First Topic of all Lam Rim traditions. Firmly do it till it becomes your mind. ] 
  
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"Support Dharma Propagation Fund ( DPF ) - Product Highlight".
 
The Hayagriva and Manjushri Chakras:
- Supreme Protection from all harms: planetary, spirits, humans.
- Attracting all harmonious, auspicious conditions: wealth, friends, etc.
 
( Important tip: Faith in the chakras with the standard Buddhist Right Living !! )
 
We only have about 30 chakras each to go.
Suggested offering at S$16/- excluding postage if applicable.
All contributions into CAS's life-saving DPF !!
 
More details:
 
Dear YK,
 
The Hayagriva chakra is from Sera Je monastery and this is the special Yidam practised by the entire monastery.
HH the Dalai Lama offered the great empowerment of Hayagriva at Sera Je a few times at the monastery's request.
 
This special chakra of Manjushri is from the Tibetan Astrological and Medical College and is produced in the most authentic and meticulous way.
 
Both these chakras have been blessed by the 100th Ganden Trisur ( Head Emeritus of Gelugpa ), Sharpa Choje ( second in line to Gelugpa Head ), Geshe Wangchen ( Teacher of Ling Rinpoche ) and many other very holy and realised Masters. In fact, we only intend to offer the chakra to students with strong faith and who will cherish them.
 
This time, we have managed to secure a few items which have been blessed by these Masters, some of Tibet's greatest Masters !!
 
We could try to post them to you ( will include postage costs to reimburse Dharma Propagation Fund - DPF ) or you could come down to Camden Education Center to collect.
 
Do confirm first so we can transfer them from Ganden Trisur's place in Singapore to the education centre before you come.
 
"Amituofo !!"    
 
  bb
 
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FROM Friends of CAS

Dear bb,

Here are some pictures of Drubwang Rinpoche's cremation at http://album.blog.yam.com/trashi&folder=4017638&page=1&limit=20 from the day Rinpoche's kordon arrived in Nepal, to the building of the stupa itself.

I must have sounded incoherent the other day when you asked if it was a coincidence whether I took the same flight back as Rinpoche as you met Rinpoche unexpectedly when you were abroad as well. Yes, it was a coincidence, as was the cremation day itself which fell on my birthday (my most memorable birthday). It's hard to express the inconceivable blessings and love Rinpoche had for us and all sentient beings. He was everyone's Guru yet could still be so close to each of us personally even if not physically. Have also attached a photo of Drubwang Rinpoche taken by Garchen Rinpoche's disciple at Changi Airport when Drubwang Rinpoche arrived. It just makes me cry again when I think of Rinpoche's inconceivable great love for us by coming here to enter into parinirvana. Actually, when I saw Him at the Nepal airport, He was so sickly and looked like He would leave any moment. Yet Rinpoche still came..

Am also attaching a doha by Milarepa to Marpa (I think it was the last time Milarepa and Marpa saw each other in physical life and having precscience, they were aware of that) and in this context when I think of Drubwang Rinpoche, it's profoundly moving and brings tears to my eyes. Actually, when we went to pay respects to Drubwang Rinpoche in Nepal and brought our heads down to the blue khata connected to His heart, His heart was still beating..I know it sounds funny or as if I am making things up, but it was the strongest blessing I received from any Rinpoche.

I want to also thank you for organizing all these dharma programmes all these years.. All of you must have such a strong karmic connection to Drubwang Rinpoche in spirit to have met Him the first time He came to Singapore..

Please take care of yourself too and get more rest......

Yours in the Mani,

SL

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Drinchen Marpa
  - by Milarepa

I prostrate at the feet of kind Marpa.
My son, the determined and the painstaking one;
Focused and patient, You, the fortunate one;
The wisdom nectar wine of Guru; Drink to the satisfaction; and farewell
my son;
In the pure Buddha-field in the next life; I pray for our tryst as an
acquainted.

Do not forget your father and mother; Pray and invoke again and again;
The pith teaching food beneficial to mind; Please eat to the full, and
farewell my son;
In the pure Buddha-field in the next life; I pray for our tryst as an
acquainted.

Do not forget your father and mother; Remember their kindness and
persevere;
The clothe of profound blessings of the Dakini; Please wear warmly, and
farewell my son;
In the pure Buddha-field in the next life; I pray for our tryst as an
acquainted.

Do not forget the helpless sentient beings; For whom enter your mind
onto the path of Enlightenment;
The burden of greater vehicle of the Buddha Dharma; Carry it
magnificently, and farewell my son;
In the pure Buddha-field in the next life; I pray for our tryst as an
acquainted.

As I, the fortunate one, Dagmedma, Have exhorted you all the heart
advices;
Remember, my son, do not forget; I, too, will remember it always;
The harmonious two-minds of mother and son; May we meet in the pure
Buddha-field in the next life;
I pray for our tryst as an acquainted.

May it come true as supplicated;
May the kindness be returned by the practice of Dharma.

from "SONG OF MILAREPA ALBUM - Kelsang Chukie Tethong"

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Beautiful articles on the splendid "Wats" of Chiang Mai, the sparkles of Paris and others by Dr Lim ( aka Vin Vin ) is available upon request via vincent.lim.s.l@singhealth.com.sg 

"Enjoy !!"

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tELL A fRIEND

"KNOW DHARMA; SHARE DHARMA !!"

Be part of our thousand++ "Friends @ CAS"  ( that belongs to Chenrezig & other holy beings ) 

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