may/jun 2014 MIC (P) 057/02/2014 Celebrating Vesak through the Years

may/jun 2014 MIC (P) 057/02/2014 1 Celebrating Vesak through the Years

2 Amitabha Buddhist Centre is a centre for the study and practice of Mahayana Buddhism, based on the tradition of Lama Tsong Khapa, in the lineage of Lama Thubten Yeshe and our Spiritual Director, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. OUR VISION Learn to Be Happy Courage to cherish all Wisdom to see the truth Faith in Buddha s peace Follow Our Four-fold Path Inspire Connect Learn Practise SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche RESIDENT TEACHER Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi PRESIDENT Tan Hup Cheng SPIRITUALPROGRAMME COORDINATOR Ven. Tenzin Gyurme CENTRE MANAGER Koh Zi Yen Office staff Administration - Alicia Lee Operations - Denis Kwan retail - Serene Tan OFFICE HOURS Open daily except Mondays Tuesdays Saturdays: 10.30 am 6 pm Sundays: 10 am 6 pm (Hours extended to 7.30 pm when evening sessions are scheduled) AMITABHA BUDDHIST CENTRE 44 Lorong 25A Geylang Singapore 388244 Tel: 6745 8547 Fax: 6741 0438 www.fpmtabc.org centre@fpmtabc.org Celebration is the key word in this issue of TASHI DELEK. Yes, there are many reasons to celebrate. It is of course that time of the year where, as Buddhists, we celebrate Shakyamuni Buddha s enlightenment and parinirvana. As followers of the Tibetan tradition, we have the privilege of celebrating this holy festival not just once, but twice. This month of May, together with all Buddhists in Singapore, we commemorate Vesak Day on 13 th May. Our annual Vesak Celebration will be held over four days from 10 th to 13 th May. Turn to the back page for a quick look at the main events you can look forward to at Vesak Celebration 2014. Following the Tibetan mode of interpretation, the Buddha s enlightenment and parinirvana is observed on the 15 th day of Saka Dawa (fourth month). So we will have the splendid opportunity to celebrate the Buddha s great deeds again on 13 th June. Turn to page 13 for more about our Saka Dawa 15 th programme. Consider how fortunate we are to have two occasions within the space of a month to honour Shakyamuni Buddha, who showed unequalled kindness to us by bestowing the Dharma. In our search for spiritual help and fulfilment, though we offer pleas and prayers to many deities who, of course, are emanations of the Three Jewels, how often do we remember Shakyamuni Buddha Himself? Why We Worship Shakyamuni Buddha (page 8) gently reminds us of the inconceivable benefits of paying homage to the Buddha. In the blink of an eye, this 19 th May brings us to the seventh anniversary of our building at Lorong 25A. In our coverage of ABC s 25 th anniversary, we feature The Making of Amitabha Buddhist Centre (page 3), revisiting a crucial and long-drawn chapter of our history the construction of our premises. As we gear up for another grand Vesak celebration with the unfurling of our magnificent new Amitabha Buddha thangka, let s not forget the succession of Vesak celebrations past, which we have held for 25 years. On the cover of this issue are some of the key centrepieces that we have offered to the public over the years: the Kadampa Stupa in 1998, Amitabha Buddha (2000-2001), Mahabodhi Stupa (2004-2008), and from 2009-2013, our Maitreya Buddha statue. Read more about Celebrating Vesak through the Years on page 6. Last, but not the least, there is a special treat in store to celebrate our Silver Jubilee. Look forward to an exclusive double premiere on 7 th June when we light up the silver screen with memorable footage from our ABC story AND a surprise anniversary message from none other than our most precious and kind Lama Zopa Rinpoche! (Details on page 13.)

The Making of Amitabha Buddhist Centre For nearly a decade, the question that echoed frequently in the minds of the members and benefactors of ABC was: When will the building be ready? We cannot let this 25 th anniversary pass by without recounting the epic saga behind the building of Amitabha Buddhist Centre. In 1991, the fledgling society of Amitabha Buddhist Centre moved into its own property at 494-D Geylang Road. It was a small walk-up apartment, a compact 110 square metres, barely 1,200 sq. ft. It was the first property that ABC acquired, thanks to the generosity of benefactors and early fundraising efforts. The snug space was adequate for the needs of the initial group of 30 or so members. However, news of the centre s activities, of conducting meditation and lam-rim classes gradually spread, and it was not long before ABC s membership grew into the hundreds. When our Spiritual Director and precious guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, visited Singapore in 1995, he approved of the idea to acquire a larger property, to accommodate the centre s expanding membership. With Rinpoche s blessing, the Executive Committee began the search for new premises. There was hardly any inkling at the time about the developments that lay ahead, of the difficult challenges and strife that would unfold before Amitabha Buddhist Centre could finally manifest its own seven-storey building. In 1998, then Executive Committee member, Dennis Lau, initiated the purchase of the land on which Amitabha Buddhist Centre now stands, 3,800 sq. ft. at No.44 Lorong 25A, Geylang. On 10 th May 1998, during the Vesak Celebration that year, a land consecration ceremony was held. It was an incredibly blessed occasion. Not only did Lama Zopa Rinpoche lead the ritual, three of ABC s main past teachers were there: Geshe Lama Konchog, Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, and Geshe Dawa. 3

4 Efforts to raise funds for the new building had kicked off successfully. There were high hopes that the building would be completed within a short time. Another consecration puja was held on 1 st January 1999 as the first piling works began. But the hard realities of the undertaking soon set in. The building was initially conceived as a temple and this was the plan submitted to the Urban Redevelopment Authority. However, the proposal failed to meet the URA s criteria for land use. It was a great setback. Repeated applications to the URA were rejected. With Lama Zopa Rinpoche s guidance, the centre roped in the assistance of Sim Hong Boon, an architect with a wealth of experience and a long-time ABC member. Mr Sim was entrusted with the task of overseeing the project, from the architectural design to the all-important task of liaising with the building authorities and contractors. A fresh application was sent to the URA seeking approval under residential cum institutional land use. Finally, with that request, the URA officially granted its approval on 4 th May 2001. It was a big breakthrough. Construction could now proceed. Lama Zopa Rinpoche consecrated the land once again on 16 th February 2002. ABC president Tan Hup Cheng reported in the newsletter ( Update, Nov/Dec 2002) that new contractors were being assessed and hopes were up that construction would commence by November 2002. After years of delay, the original contractor had quit the project and the building fund was swiftly depleting. Construction costs amounted to $2 million. Many fundraising drives were held, through the annual Vesak Celebrations as well as specially organised dinner events, right up to January 2004. It was not until 2 nd April 2003 that construction really In 2007, Tan Hup Cheng, ABC president said: This building comes from the kindness and blessings of Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche. Without him, it wouldn t have been possible. Then there are the generosity of the benefactors and the hard work of those involved. So many people came forward to help in the project their generosity and kindness are immense. started. Even while construction got underway, it was not w i t h o u t obstacles d e s i g n modifications that needed to be approved along the way, differences with contractors, delays in obtaining the necessary p e r m i t s from various agencies all combined to impede the building s progress. Twelve years after the idea for having our own building was broached, all the favourable conditions finally fell into place. The long hard years of waiting were over as No.44 Lorong 25A was completed in 2007. At last, on 19 th May 2007, the prayers of many members and benefactors were answered as Lama Zopa Rinpoche officiated the grand opening of our premises, Amitabha Buddhist Centre. All outstanding loans were settled at the end of 2009. Today, we have 10,000 sq. ft. of space that offers the precious opportunity to learn, study and practise the Buddha s teachings in its entirety, providing us with inconceivable opportunities to accumulate merit and be rid of afflictions and suffering. That is the real value of our sevens t o r e y building.

In Print from the Past A Place to Train in Compassion As we recall the struggles that led to the creation of ABC s building, here is a precious page from our newsletter archives that puts the building s purpose in its right perspective. It is an extract from a teaching given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche when he visited Singapore in 1995. The article was published in ABC s newsletter, Update, Sep/Oct 2003, as hopes were raised of the building s impending completion. The source of one person s happiness, peace and success is a mind without anger, ill will etc., on top of that, benefiting others. As a result of these actions, this person does not receive harm from others in the future, only help. Therefore this individual has satisfaction and fulfilment and numberless others receive happiness and peace from him. It is the same for a couple s relationship. The harmony and success of it comes from the compassion of the individuals. This is similar for the family, the country and world peace. This is why our temple is important. We need this place for our training in meditation on compassion. It is also a place of many holy objects and making offerings to them is a source of extensive merit, the cause of this and future life s happiness, peace and success. The best way to help others is to inspire and educate others in compassion, besides oneself practising. This helps similar problems such as famines, disease, poverty, homelessness, earthquakes, economic difficulties, etc., all of which depends on causes and conditions, negative karma. Negative karma can wipe out a whole city in a few minutes! So we need to educate people on how to purify negative karma and not to create the cause again. This can be done by developing compassion and understanding karma. Why is there a need for a larger place to do listening, reflecting and meditation practice on the kind compassionate Buddha s path? One can understand by analysing how the need for Buddhadharma is much more important, many billions of times more crucial than going to the emergency hospital when the heart stops. Why? Because suffering and happiness do not come from the outside. They come from the mind. For example, by following attachment there is only dissatisfaction, discomfort and unhappiness. The minute one stops following attachment by reflecting on the nature of life, impermanence and death, immediately there is content, satisfaction, peace and happiness: there is no problem. There are many Buddhists who spend their life studying and reciting one or two sutras which explain only a small part of the path to enlightenment, they have no idea where to begin the path and how to go about practising. Another special feature of the 5

centre is having well qualified teachers who know the Mahayana teachings, not only sutra but also tantra taught by Buddha (not Hindu tantra). There is difference like sky and earth. What differentiates Buddhadharma from other religions in the world is compassion towards every living being without discrimination of religion, nationality, race and so forth. A Mahayana Dharma centre is the place that provides education on how to develop great compassion towards all living beings. A Dharma centre such as this becomes a very important tool to bring peace to the world, and peace to numberless sentient beings minds; so whatever you are able to contribute will benefit not only for peace of this world but for all sentient beings. Celebrating Vesak through the Years ABC s tradition of celebrating Vesak Day harks back to the days at Butterfly Avenue. As our first headquarters was a single-storey bungalow in a residential estate, the celebrations were understandably low-key and confined to the yard. We brought the tradition along with us when we moved into the second-floor apartment at 494-D Geylang Road. The celebration stretched somewhat further beyond our front door and spilled onto the sidewalk below, with a modest tent and a few stalls. In 1997, we progressed to renting the open field beside the Aljunied MRT Station, complete with an enormous marquee, and welcomed the public to our festival of prayers and homage to the Buddha. 6 ABC s role is especially to help by teaching clearly how to proceed on the gradual path to enlightenment through meditation practices. So you can see how the Dharma centre which offers these practices and education is an extremely important need. Therefore I would say it will be an extremely practical thing to help this Dharma centre with all these facilities to exist and flourish. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank all of you for your generosity to actualise our ABC temple, which is for all sentient beings to accumulate merit.

In 1998 when we acquired our property on Lorong 25A, Geylang, we invited Lama Zopa Rinpoche, together with the teenaged Lama Osel, the late Geshe Lama Konchog and the late Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, to perform a land consecration ceremony during the Vesak Celebration. As karma would have it, the newly purchased land was conveniently located across the street from the Aljunied open field! It is certainly convenience that we have enjoyed since moving into our building in 2007. Our Vesak organisers and volunteers are familiar with the annual exercise of setting up and dismantling after the festival, a logistical feat that involves loads of carrying and carting back and forth. If you have ever volunteered at or in any way contributed to ABC s Vesak Celebrations, please rejoice. Your efforts have enabled thousands of visitors every year to benefit from our pujas and the numerous Dharma activities that we organise, where people can easily take part in so many ways and accumulate boundless merit. The Year We Stood up to SARS Perhaps our most memorable Vesak Celebration was in 2003, the year the SARS epidemic broke out. With the widespread and worrying outbreak of the virus in Singapore, ABC stepped up to do our part in combating the disease for the benefit of all. Following advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, powerful pujas were organised to stamp out the karmic cause of SARS. 28 monks were invited specially from Kopan Monastery as well as Sera Je Monastery and Gyudme Tantric Monastery in India, to perform the pujas. The public threw its support behind us as 1,200 people thronged the opening ceremony of the Grand Fire Puja to Control the Spread of SARS, with then Minister of Trade and Industry George Yeo as the guest-of-honour. Our Vesak tent was pitched for three weeks that year as our annual celebration combined with the SARS pujas to create an elaborate festival of prayers. 7 The late Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup (seated centre) with monks from Kopan, Sera Je and Gyudme monasteries at Vesak Celebration 2003.

Why We Worship Relying on Tara Shakyamuni Buddha by Lama Zopa Rinpoche By Ngawang Päldan, author of the Shakyamuni Buddha Puja text advice worth remembering as we celebrate Vesak and the Tibetan 15 th day of Saka Dawa. 8 The Importance of Worshipping the Buddha In the Ten-Wheel Ksitigarbha Sutra (Dasacakra-ksitigarbha-namamahayana-sutra) it says: Bliss and happiness in the world All comes from worshipping the Jewels; So anyone wanting bliss and happiness Always should strive to worship the Jewels. This teaches that all bliss and happiness in this and future lives comes from worshipping and honouring the Three Jewels, so anyone desiring self comfort must strive in the worship of the Three Jewels. Out of the three, the Buddha jewel is the highest Field of Merit. For the Praise of Him Worthy of Praise (Varnarhavarna, by Matrceta) says: In the three worlds, there is no Field (of merit) equal to You. You are the best of objects of giving, The purest of the respectable. off rebirth in ill destinies for an eon. Many such statements can be found. The Importance of Worshipping Shakyamuni Buddha in Particular For us, worshipping the Lord of the Doctrine, our Teacher, the King of Sages is of greater merit than worshipping other buddhas: even if no scriptural source is found stating this, it is established by reasoning. For buddhas are the supreme field of merit by reason of being the unsurpassable field of virtues, and our Teacher, the King of Sages, is not only the supreme field of virtues but the unsurpassable field of benefit (to us). It is like, for example, the killing of an arhat who is your father being a greater fault than the killing of some other arhat. Therefore, we followers of Shakyamuni must hold him, the King of Sages, as our principal object of worship, above all other buddhas. For as all good accumulations in our minds, from the decrease of the slightest fault and the growth of the slightest virtue upwards, are the work of the speech of our teacher, the King of Sages, it is exceedingly beneficial to honour and worship him with the thought of repaying him for what he has done. Also, not to repay his kindness would be a burden heavier than the ocean and Mount Meru together, and one who does repay his kindness is taught in the Song of the Naga King Bheri (Nagaraja-bherigatha) to be an object of praise by the wise. Benefits of Worshipping Shakyamuni There are extensive benefits, such as that speaking the name of the Conqueror Shakyamuni purifies the sins of 10,000 eons, and that hearing his name plants the seed of irreversibility from Supreme Enlightenment. If an image of the teacher is kept in a And it is also taught that looking with faith at the body of a Tathagata for just an instant has greater merit than honouring a thousand million Pratyeka Arhats for many years; that by praising the Tathagata with just one verse, a Brahman closed the door to rebirth in the realms of woe for twenty great eons; and that each time one remembers a Tathagata cuts

temple as the main object of worship, and a continual practice is made of offerings and worship to it, then in that region, the Buddha s Doctrine will flourish and the Sangha will increase. As is well known, this is a fact. Understanding its importance, Avalokiteshvara took the appearance of a king as the Righteous King Songtsän Gampo, and before the introduction of Buddhism to snowy Tibet, skilfully had two images of Jowo (Lord) Shakyamuni brought in from China and Nepal. He built the Tsug-lag-kang in Lhasa, set them up in it, and made it the practice to worship them. When, as prophesied by the Conqueror himself, the Magnanimous Lord (Tsong Khapa), guru to the beings of the three realms, was restoring the Buddha s deteriorated Doctrine from its foundations, he first renovated the Lhasa Tsug-lag-kang and its images, and instituted the practice of making offerings before the Jowo Shakyamuni statue during the festival of the Great Miracle, from the first to the fifteenth of the first month, for as long as the Conqueror s Doctrine should remain. That the Conqueror s Doctrine will flourish if this is done is also the thought of the teacher, for it is taught in the chapter on separating pure and impure doctrine in the King of Imparting Instruction Sutra : To images of me, of both kinds, Offer head ornaments, and worship! Proclaiming my words as in the Sutras, Make request with pleasant voice! If you make request to me, The Doctrine will stay a thousand years. That is, that the Doctrine should flourish and remain for a thousand years is due to worshipping and praying to images of the Teacher. (King) Langdarma, who because of a wicked vow was skilled in making the Doctrine disappear, just as because of evil karma a cat is skilled in killing birds and mice, knew that if the Teacher s image remained visible and was continually honoured and worshipped, the Doctrine would not disappear. He therefore hid the two Jowo Shakyamuni images in a dark room, and so forth. If even he thought that, there can be no doubt that in a country where there are images of the Teacher and the practice of making prostration, offering and prayer to them is widespread, the Doctrine will flourish and remain for a long time. Whether you are a monk or nun or a layperson, you should set up in your home, etc., an image of the Teacher as your main object of worship, and make it your inviolable practice to make prostrations and offerings to it every day on rising, without fail. As is well known, nowadays tirthikas (Hindus) make prostration and offering at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya; and when on the orders of Jamyang Senior the deity statues of the Bönpo were destroyed, though there was no other Buddhist image among them there was an image of the Teacher. If the Compassionate Teacher is thus an object of worship even for Hindus and Bönpo, how can it be right for us avowed followers of Shakyamuni not to do the same? Many advantages come from following the above (advice). For example, you will accumulate immeasurable merits, good fortune will come to your home or room, it will be hard for enemies, evil spirits 9

10 and other hindrances to overcome you, and you will not die before your time. They have proofs by scripture and reasoning, but this is too much to write here. The Wearing of Buddha Images For followers of Shakyamuni to wear his image inseparably was a wonderful practice of the Kadampas of old; the best still have this practice undeteriorated to this day. Je Gungthangpa in particular taught that tying an image of Shakyamuni round one s body or neck is a great protection that enemies, hindering spirits and so forth cannot penetrate. This is quite true, for there is a story about a man who wore with faith and devotion a piece from a Buddhist monk s robe and could not be harmed by an adversary, and it is not possible that an image of Shakyamuni could have less power than a piece of a robe. Such benefits accrue because firstly, when the Teacher was still on the Path of Learning, he made the following vow, as is taught in the White Lotus of Compassion Sutra (Karunapundariga); and secondly, it is taught in the same sutra that Ratnagarbha predicted this vow would be fulfilled: When I awaken to Buddhahood, let all sentient beings who for my Doctrine wear garments of dull red, or for even one instant generate the recognition of me as teacher or a thought of respect, become irreversible in the three vehicles! Let all sentient beings who, feeling respect as soon as they see my robes of dull red, tie (something of that colour) round their neck, also become irreversible in the three vehicles! Let all who touch even just four finger widths of a red robe be furnished with food and drink and let their wishes be fulfilled! Let any sentient beings who, hating each other and with many differences, are quarrelling with, making war on and fighting each other, if they should but remember my robes of dull red, become of compassionate, gentle, and unquarrelsome mind, suitable for (religious) action! Let any sentient beings who in battle, dispute, combat, or contention wear a scrap of dull red (cloth) for protection and to show honour and respect always be victorious, unerring and not harmful, and let them be delivered from those battles, disputes, combats, and contentions! If my robes of dull red should not have these five noble qualities, then I shall have deceived all the buddha-bhagavans of the ten directions, so in that case let me be incapable of completing all the deeds of a buddha, let my teachings be forgotten, and let me be unable to overthrow the tirthikas! This is an abridgment of the sutra s words, for the full version you must consult the actual sutra. My robes mean the robes of any monk or nun of Shakyamuni s tradition. It should not be interpreted as the Teacher s own clothing. An excerpt from the Shakyamuni Buddha Puja text by Ngawang Päldan of Urga, translated by Martin Willson, originally published in 1988 by Wisdom Publications, reprinted by FPMT Education Services in 2013. ABC s very own retail store Visit us at Vesak Celebration 2014 at our all-day bazaar! From 10 13 May at Aljunied MRT Open Ground Find a stunning array of thangkas, statues and unique offering items for your altar. Look out for our new arrivals ethnic crafts and gift ideas, including exclusively designed T-shirts and trendy thermal flasks and many more surprises in store!

Introducing E-Books for Easy Reading E-books are now available for loan from our library! Our Free Publications team, headed by Ng Swee Kim, is making a selection of e-books available on Kindle, the lightweight e-book reader from Amazon. For a start, the following titles can be called up at the mere tap of a screen: By His Holiness the Dalai Lama Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment By Lama Yeshe Life, Death, and after Death and Universal Love By Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche Advice for Monks and Nuns By Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhisattva Attitude, The Heart of the Path, How to Practice Dharma, How Things Exist, Teachings from the Mani Retreat, Teachings from the Medicine Buddha Retreat and The Perfect Human Rebirth * By Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup A Commentary on Praises to the Twenty-one Taras By Kathleen McDonald (Ven. Sangye Khadro) and Ven. Robina Courtin How to Meditate: A Practical Guide 13 books all packed into a compact 500g tablet for easy reading. All the titles featured are from our print collection of free publication books, which ABC publishes in collaboration with Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. Five brand new Kindles are available for borrowing from our library. Members can visit our office to check out a Kindle after Vesak, from 17 th May onwards.** * The Perfect Human Rebirth, the newest title in our Free Publications, will be available at Vesak Celebration 2014. Visit the on-site Free Publications booth from 10 th to 13 th May to get a print copy of this latest book by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. **ABC has a modest library comprising several hundred Dharma books on Level 4. The books can be borrowed for stipulated periods through the office, a privilege that ABC members enjoy. 11 More Generosity in Action 250 households were the beneficiaries of our third JINPA for Our Community on 29 th March 2014. Our food distribution drive to help the less fortunate continued to draw an enthusiastic response from our members and their families and friends who contributed to the funds as well as helped make deliveries. 201 volunteers fanned out in a total of 52 vehicles to distribute the groceries throughout Singapore. Look out for news of the next Joy IN Practising Altruism for Our Community, targeted for later this year. This event, which ABC coorganises with CDAC [Chinese Development Assistance Council], is set to be a regular feature in our programme, with the encouraging support received so far from members and friends of putting generosity into action.

A Loving Heart Against All Odds Relying on Tara by Lama Zopa Rinpoche Farewell, Karina Tong Jung Jung (15 th November 1976 8 th March 2014) Karina Tong, a Life Member of ABC, passed away on 8 th March at the age of 38. She was the daughter of Amy Tong, who is a senior member and active volunteer at ABC. Karina herself served in different ways since she joined the centre with her parents 20 years ago. in a miraculous full recovery. Her gurus who prayed for and helped her included most venerable Lama Zopa Rinpoche, His Holiness Sakya Trizin, Jhado Rinpoche, Geshe Lama Konchog, Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, and Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi. 12 The sangha members at ABC as well as those who visited over the years from Kopan Monastery and Nunnery will always remember Karina for her ready service to them and her gurus. During occasions such as Vesak, Karina would lead the team that prepared meals and refreshments for the Sangha. She was also a volunteer teacher in ABC s Sunday school for children. With her good-humoured ways, one could hardly tell that Karina lived with severe health problems. Here is an account of Karina s life from her mother, Amy: She was born with two major congenital problems, a defective heart and a dislocated knee cap. Doctors stated that Karina would not live beyond five years if nothing were done. Karina overcame her destiny, living to 38 years and was employed as a kindergarten teacher. She had the will to live and took all the sufferings of her ill health with a smile. She was always positive and cheerful. Also, she had the good karma to have advances in medical sciences, and dedicated doctors and nurses to help her survive. It was her cheerful smiles, friendly character and generous nature that earned her many friends. In the hospital, she was a friend to the Head of the Cardiac Department, senior and junior doctors, nurses, as well as cleaners. Apart from her heart problem, she had corrective surgery done on her dislocated right knee at the age of six. At the age of eleven she was infected with Meningoencephalitis, a serious brain disease, which kept her in coma for more than a week. Her memory was affected and she had to re-learn how to speak and use her limbs. In 1994 at age 18 she had her second open-heart surgery. Her biggest hurdle was her third open-heart surgery in 2006. In the process, her heart stopped twice, her right lung collapsed and her kidneys failed. She was on life support for two weeks and had to stay in NUH Cardiac Intensive Care Ward for one whole month. The prayers from her gurus and Dharma friends helped her She had another eight years to practise Dharma and enjoy a quality life. Unfortunately, her heart valve began to fail and she was due for another very high-risk open-heart surgery. On 8 th March 2014 she had a sudden heart attack and passed away peacefully. Karina showed us how she overcame her destiny of a short life with her determination to survive, and taking the sufferings of samsara with a smile. Prayers and blessings by her gurus gave her eight more years to practise Dharma and remain truly happy. One of her Dharma friends, Tan Wee Khiang, shared his thoughts: I can t remember how I got to know Karina. But I remembered that she brought me to help out in serving the Sangha during Vesak Day and major events. She was the one who pulled me closer to the Sangha and importantly, my guru. Being always cheerful and with a loving heart, she s someone whom we can learn from. Deep in my heart, I rejoice in knowing her. Thank you, Karina. You helped many people around you. May you be enlightened quickly to benefit all!

A Special Invitation to a Special Show In celebration of our 25 th Anniversary, Amitabha Buddhist Centre invites all members, volunteers, students and benefactors as we present An Exclusive Double Premiere The Heart of Our Happiness A short documentary remembering and celebrating 25 years of Amitabha Buddhist Centre Thank You, ABC Family! Featuring a surprise message from our Spiritual Director and most precious guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, especially for the occasion of our 25 th anniversary memories of our 25 years, and receive first-hand, the warm greetings and inspiring advice that Lama Zopa Rinpoche wants to share with all of us. Registration is required to facilitate our arrangements for this special event. Please visit our website at fpmtabc.org/ onlineregister.php to complete the online registration. Saturday, 7 June 2014, 7.30 9.30 pm With Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi in attendance, let s come together to view ABC s very own story in two specially commissioned documentaries. Screening for one night only, a not-to-be-missed opportunity to look back and rejoice for the treasured Let s celebrate Saka Dawa 15 th together! Friday 13 June 2014 13 Golden Light Sutra Recitation, 1.30 pm Shakyamuni Buddha Puja with 1,000 Offerings, 7.30 pm As dawn broke on the fifteenth of the Vaishakha month, he manifested the attaining of Buddhahood. Thereupon the gods scattered flowers knee deep, the earth shook, and all realms were filled with light. Ngawang Päldan, composer of Shakyamuni Buddha Puja text The 15 th full moon day of Saka Dawa (fourth month) is observed in the Tibetan calendar as the day of Shakyamuni Buddha s enlightenment and passing into nirvana. According to the Vinaya text, Treasure of Quotations and Logic, all virtue accumulated on this special day is magnified by 100 million times! Some sutras further mention that the merit increases by ONE BILLION times! Join us on this auspicious occasion to venerate the Buddha with meaningful practice and prayers, and strongly dedicating the vast oceans of merit for all our holy and ordinary wishes to be fulfilled.

may 2014 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Stages of the Path to Enlightenment Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand 2.30pm Vesak Celebration 2014 Dharma for Seniors 10.30am Medicine Buddha Puja 4pm Vesak Celebration 2014 14 Vesak Day 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Vesak Celebration 2014 Vesak Celebration 2014 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Centre Closed Centre Closed Discovering Buddhism 10.45am Stages of the Path to Enlightenment Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand 2.30pm Discovering Buddhism 10.45am Stages of the Path to Enlightenment Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand 2.30pm Guru Puja 4.30pm Discovering Buddhism 10.45am Stages of the Path to Enlightenment Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand 2.30pm Tara Puja 4pm Deeds (Discussion) 1.30pm Tara Puja 4pm TASHI DELEK editorial team Editor Ven. Tenzin Tsultrim (Vivian Seah) Spiritual Programme Ven. Tenzin Gyurme Design & Layout Kennedy Koh Photography ABC photo archives Stephen Ching Ng Swee Kim Tan Seow Kheng Serene Tan Ven. Tenzin Gyurme Yew Kim Guan Printer Highlight Printing Services Stay Connected TASHI DELEK is a free publication of Amitabha Buddhist Centre. Subscribe: Call our office at 6745 8547 Online: Download our full-colour edition directly from www.fpmtabc.org All events and dates published are up-to-date at the time of printing. For the latest schedule and on-going updates, subscribe to our e-mail or SMS updates, or visit us online: www.fpmtabc.org OR www.facebook.com/fpmtabc

jun 2014 30 1 Dharma for Seniors 10.30am Medicine Buddha Puja 4pm 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Buddha s Enlightenment and Passing Away into Nirvana (100 Million Merit Multiplying Day) Golden Light Sutra Recitation 1.30pm Shakyamuni Buddha Puja with 1,000 Offerings 7.30pm Discovering Buddhism 10.45am Stages of the Path to Enlightenment Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand 2.30pm 25th Anniversary Celebration Movie Premiere 7.30pm Discovering Buddhism 10.45am Stages of the Path to Enlightenment Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand 2.30pm Discovering Buddhism 10.45am Stages of the Path to Enlightenment Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand 2.30pm Discovering Buddhism 10.45am Stages of the Path to Enlightenment Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand 2.30pm Animal Liberation 10am Guru Puja 4pm Tara Puja 4pm - Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds (Discussion) 1.30pm Guru Puja 4pm Tara Puja 4pm 15 For Beginners in Buddhism Those who have been waiting for an introductory course to Buddhism can join in the weekly Discovering Buddhism classes, beginning from Saturday, 17th May at 10.45 am. To register for this series of classes taught by Ven. Gyurme, visit our website at www.fpmtabc.org and select Register for Class in the Quick Links column. Closed for Rest The centre, including the office, will be closed on 14th and 15th May following our Vesak Celebration 2014. Regular opening hours will resume from Friday, 16th May.

Celebrate Vesak with Amitabha Buddhist Centre 25 Years of Giving Dharma to Others Vesak 2014 Highlights NEW! Display of magnificent 50 x 30 ft. thangka of Amitabha Buddha in His Pure Land. All welcome to view, make offerings, circumambulate and receive vast merits! Significance of Amitabha Buddha explained by Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi in two lectures: How to Be Born in Amitabha Buddha Pure Land 10 May, 7.30 pm The Benefits and Meaning of Amitabha Buddha s Mantra 11 May, 7 pm Blessing ceremonies on ALL four days by Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi Procession of light offerings and circumambulations every night All-day bazaar featuring traditional offerings of lotus lights, oil lamps, flowers; FREE Dharma publications, and delightful holy objects and gift ideas from our Tashi Delek Retail Store Puja Sponsorship Open to All Pujas performed every day by Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi and monks from Kopan Monastery Contribute to the pujas and dedicate for all wishes to be fulfilled Tara puja for success in career and studies, Yamantaka fire puja for pacifying obstacles, Namgyalma puja with 1,000 offerings for longevity, Medicine Buddha puja for good health, White Dzambhala puja for wealth and prosperity Healing Vajravidarana ritual to pacify illness and contamination: Bring along family and friends to take part in this special puja where negativities of body, speech and mind are purified Sponsorship is NOW OPEN for the pujas, and offerings of oil lamps and flowers. To sponsor, visit our office or donate online at www.fpmtabc.org. From 10 13 May, visit our Vesak fairground for on-site sponsorship. The full programme for Vesak Celebration 2014 is available at www.fpmtabc.org and at our office. Visit Us This Vesak Be Part of Our 4-Day Prayer Festival