Discover the Buddha Nature within You!

Who is Lord Buddha? What is His view about Life? Do His Teachings still apply in our modern technologically advanced era?

If you are searching for answers to the above questions or would like to find out more about Buddhism. Come and Journey with us on 3 relaxed Sunday afternoons, the 16^th, 23^rd and 30^th Nov 2008, from 2pm to 4pm.

Reverend Kangyo Noda, a Nichiren Shu priest who graduated from Buddhism College in Rissho University (Japan), will be sharing a series of talks to uncover the Historical Aspects of Buddhism; the Significances of the Lotus Sutra; and How We Can Rediscover the Buddha nature within Our Life.

Venue: Daimoku-Ji Temple, the Lotus Sutra Buddhist Association

No. 9 Lor. 29 Geylang Road #07-01 Singapore 388065

(Next to Singapore Hui Hua Pugilistic Art Association building)

For any further clarifications,

Tel : 67482018

Email: lsba_talks@ymail.com

Website: http://nichiren-shu.org/

*Admission is Free, we apologise for the limited seating

1st Bobcats Camp – Leong Hwa Monastery

Dates: 20 Jun (Fri) to 22 Jun 2008 (Sun)

Campsite: Light of Hope Centre, Leong Hwa Monastery

Co-Organisers: Whispering Hearts Student Care Centre & Southern Wave Sea Scouts

Another of our moonwalkers also reported in his blogs under 2 write-ups:

– Bobcats Camp Preparation

– 1st Bobcats Camp at Leong Hwa Monastery 20 June – 22 June 2008

Also, check our camp photo albums online:

– 1st Bobcats Camp (Part 1)

– 1st Bobcats Camp (Part 2)

Praise the Lord ! Our Lord Buddha Sakyamuni ! The Eternal Buddha as preached in  Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra !

Witness the undertaking of my Faith & Vows to the Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Flower 妙法蓮華經.

Date: 24 Feb 2008 (Sun)

Place: Lotus Sutra Buddhist Association, Gojusan Daimoku-Ji 五重山題目寺

Event: Gojukai 御受戒 for Samuel Hue

Preceptors: Rev Myosho Obata & Rev Kangyo Noda

All right so what happened? Me, one of the moonwalkers, decided to undertake officially the Gojukai 御受戒 or Vows to the Lotus Sutra. The cermony is conduct by the Nichiren Shu 日蓮宗 branch temple in Singapore. The conferring of the Gohonzon 御本尊 or the Object of Devotion is also included in this conversion ceremony.

Eye-Opening of the Gohonzon 御本尊

Jukai 受戒 with the empowerment initiation by the Lotus Sutra in 8 volumes.
[Priest] “Until you attain Buddhahood, will you keep the Wonderful Precepts given by the Original Sakyamuni Buddha?
[Recipent, me] ” Yes, I will. Namu Myoho Renge Kyo 南無妙法蓮華經 .

[Priest] “Until you attain Buddhahood, will you keep the Great Mandala 大曼荼羅 revealed by the Original Sakyamuni Buddha?
[Recipent, me] ” Yes, I will. Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.

[Priest] “Until you attain Buddhahood, will you keep the Daimoku 題目 founded by the Original Sakyamuni Buddha?
[Recipent, me] ” Yes, I will. Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.

Honzon Juyo or Bestowing of the Great Mandala Gohonzon 大曼荼羅御本尊 .

Photo with both Rev’s
(From left: Rev Kangyo Noda, me & Rev Myosho Obata)

The 6 Qualities of the Bodhisattva, which we all can meditate upon.

1 . Rooted in the Bodhi Mind, the Bodhisattva earnestly tread the path of supreme enlightenment. In daily life, the Bodhisattva does not forget about his vows and keeps in mind the Higher Goal. For without mindfulness of the Higher Goal of liberation of both self and others, life is mundane.

2. Through studying and learning the causes that led to the sufferings of all sentient beings, the Bodhisattva undertakes the responsibilities of first finding out the causes of suffering and formulating the right method for which to deliver each sentient being. By constantly thinking about sufferings of the world, the Bodhisattva portrays a spirited enactment of his great compassionate vow to deliver all beings.  In both action and inaction, the Bodhisattva always has us in his mind

3.  Through setting himself as an example, the Bodhisattva causes others to arouse interest and faith in the Dharma. And in so doing, he makes no discrimination between himself and others.

4.  By carrying out the teachings of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva liberates sentient beings earnestly – never giving up. He sets himself on fire and constantly pushes his limits for the sake of one and all.

5. Through actual understanding of the system of the law of cause and effect and dependent origination, the Bodhisattva rows the Dharma wheel by his sublime but systematic actions. The constant practice creates a momentum where other practitioners joins in and declare the dharma

6. Selflessly giving, the Bodhisattva actualises himself and others. Irregarless of race, religion, language, rich or poor, the Bodhisattva always has something for everyone.

Quality Questions Quality Life

To practice the Buddha Dharma, we should constantly be mindful of our current mental-emotional state. A glimpse of our existing state of mind will unfold the level of happiness or struggle we had in our lives. This you have to DIY. No one can replace you.

To begin with, you can ask yourselves some questions. Questions do not assess you, but rather provides a friendly diagnosis to your inner well being. By asking yourself quality questions, you are seeking quality answers that will bring leverage into your life.

When you ask yourself something deep enough, you will definitely transcend beyond your day-to-day mental framework – and rise above your current life situation. Develop it into a daily habit and it will give you immense spiritual breakthrough. You begin to break out of mental Samsara

Therefore in the dharma, its not how much you know, but how deep you question and learn. When you ask yourself deep enough, you break down your inner walls of doubt and unlock yourself to a spectrum of resources never before known to you.

So start asking yourself – Am I taking good care of myself? Do I have control in my life? Have I overlooked my vows in place of worldly pursuits? What can I do today that will make me happier and stronger?

Remember, answers are not to be found in sutras and books until you have INTERNALIZE and PERSONALIZE them within you. They are answers, but do not belong to you until you can establish a deeper identity with its meaning.

By internalising and personalizing the answers we are transforming our life by giving it renewed meaning. By questioning and giving answers, we are coming back to the present and bringing back Focus to our problems. That focus is the leverage you need to breakthrough. That focus is the concentration of mind and spiritual power. That focus is like laser that can cut through steel. This is samatha or one-pointedness of mind that is immediately useful and applicable in your life.

Those who, through their personal suffering,

Truly want to end completely

All the suffering of others

Are persons of supreme capacity

– Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana

The Essence of Bodhicitta

This verse refers to those practitioners who generate compassion and loving kindess towards others on the basis of a deep understading of the nature of their own suffering. They understand that suffering comes into being as a result of the mental afflications rooted in fundamental ignorance and recognize that as long as they are under the control of these afflictions and the underlying ignorance, sufferings will continue to arise ceaselessly, like ripples on a lake.

Once you understand the nature of suffering in relation to your own existence in this way, you can then extend your understanding to see that all sentient beings suffers collectively. We are all interdependent upon one another as we exist within the same world. Because of this interdependency, we should seek the well-being of others and ourselves knowing that there is no point in creating hurt to others who are also on the same boat. In Chinese Mahayana this is called 同体大悲. Hence generating the Bodhicitta is not just about religious zeal at all. Conversely it is through direct realization that we are One People, One Being living in One Universe, that we should seek for the collective progress for one and all. When we generate the wish for all sentient beings to be happy, this is the practice of Metta, or loving kindness.

Extracted from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fo_Guang_Shan

Official Motto

“May the Buddha’s Light shine upon the ten directions. May the Dharma stream continuously flow towards the five great continents.”

The Four Verses of Fo Guang Shan and BLIA

• May palms in every world be joined in kindness, compassion, joy and generosity.
• May all beings find security in friendship, peace and loving care.
• May calm and mindful practice give rise of to deep patience and equanimity.
• May we give rise to spacious hearts and humble thoughts of gratitude.

BLIA Guidelines

• Offer others confidence
• Offer others joy
• Offer others hope
• Offer others convenience

What is Faith to me – by Samuel

 

“Make My Teachings your light and rely upon them. Do not depend on any other teachings.”
– Mahaparinibbana Sutta (The Great Decease Sutta)

“I am the father of the world. All living beings, who are deeply attached to the pleasures of the world, are my children. Only I can save them.”
– Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra)

 

• Faith is putting your confidence & trust in Lord Buddha & His Dhamma gospels.
• Faith is a sincere desire to come into the presence of Lord Buddha the Saviour.
• Faith is living life to the best I can be as the Lord intended for me.
• Faith is sharing with my family, friends & working colleagues the Wonderful Dhamma of Sakyamuni Buddha the Lord.
• Faith is staying true to the Lord & myself while working for the happiness of others.
• Faith is developing generosity, patience & perseverance in the quest for universal liberation.
• Faith is about knowing repentance but not giving up.
• Faith is about treasuring my moment of my life while on the path to Bodhi goal.
• Faith is actualising my vows & realising the seed of Buddha-nature in me will ripen as Buddhahood.

 

Praise the Lord – Buddha is the only Way!

一人一半，感情不散

惟愿一切观此佛相 – 业障消除，得证佛智，并能得见诸无量佛刹土

Buddha Image Productions

Pictures below were originally photographed and photoshoped by us in year 2006. Now I’m putting them up for all to download and hopefully mass print.

To reproduce, simply email sky2551@gmail.com with a short introduction of yourself, purpose of use. We’ll provide high resolution images thereafter

May all who sees these Buddha Images be free from suffering, attain to the Buddha’s wisdom and be able to see the Buddha lands as vast as the number of stars in the sky

Homage to the Lord, the Noble One, the Fully Enlightened Buddha

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南無本师释迦牟尼佛

 

 

Can’t believe it. We smoothly completed our first Dhamma Talk Show! What a challenge! Never thought that we can 独当一面 – put up a front

Date: 26Aug2007 农历七月十四 ==> one day before 15th Day of 7th Month.

Place: Leong Hwa Monastery Main Hall

Title: Introduction to Jodo Shinshu

Speakers: Rev Clifton Ong and Mr Steven Yap

Ok so what happened. We the moonwalkers did a Talk Show at Leong Hwa Monastery. The run up was exciting as we thought about how to spruce up the location allocated to us. However at last minute’s notice, we were told by Leong Hwa that we are to use the Main Hall instead.

Oh my goodness how will the crowd react to a Japanese Priest speaking to a traditional Mahayana crowd? Will the crowd lambast us as CULTS or will they simply do a Walkout? Thankfully nothing of the sort happened. The talk went about peacefully – Questions were asked and answered. At the end, what was not expected at all was people queueing up to offer Rev Ong their Dana of Ang Pow – some went on their knees. What a touching scene. Maybe we should do again next time.

Talk Show in Progress

 

Rev Clifton Ong and Abbot of Leong Hwa Monastery Ven. Meow Ee on a photo exchange

 

 

 

Group Photo