Pilgrimage

Date: January 21 ~ 30, 2015 Location: Seat of Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya, India, where the historical Buddha was enlightened.

With His Eminence Tulku Ogyen Rinpoche

2015

The Historical Buddha Shakyamuni

Before he became the historical Buddha, Prince Siddharta was born as the crown prince of Kapilavastu in present-day Nepal. At his birth, he received many prophecies that he would one day attain great spiritual or worldly attainment. In order to involve his son in the duties of a successful king, and partly to dissuade his son to become an ascetic, King Suddhoana (Siddharta’s father) showered him with the best physical comfort and pleasure possible for his time. However, thoughts of impermanence, the suffering of beings in the six realms of cyclical existing propelled Prince Siddharta to renounce the worldly life to seek the truth of life.

When Prince Siddharta asked for permission to become an ascetic, his father hesitated and ask if there are any possibility that will allow him to change his mind. Siddharta replied with four conditions: 1) that old age cease to appear; 2) that sicknesses cease to be painful; 3) that death cease to terrify the mind; 4) all phenomena remain as unrelinquished, unbreakable. Certainly when the King heard that, he was not able to change Siddharta’s mind. However, it was Siddharta’s goal to achieve these four conditions.

In the middle of the night, Prince Siddharta fled the royal palace to seek the ultimate truth. And after six years of extreme hardship, he was not able to achieve enlightenment. He realizes that neither extreme pleasure and suffering is the proper path, and the Middle Way is the path beyond self-indulgence and self-mortification. So when he was at age 30, at the riverbank of Nairanjananadi, he washed himself off the dirt from years of asceticism and received the offering of milk and rice pudding from a village girl named Sujata. Following this incident, he sat under the pipal tree - now known as the Bodhi tree - and meditated. And after 21 days, and at dawn on the Eighth Day of the Second Month of the Lunar Calendar, he accomplished the full Awakening and was thus named Buddha, the Awakened One.

The Eight Holy Places of Buddhism and Its BenefitsThe eight historical places where important in the life of the historical Buddha are: Bodhgaya, where Buddha achieved enlightenment. Lumbini, where Buddha was born. Saranath, where Buddha first taught. Kushingar, where Buddha entered Pari-nirvana. Vaisali, where Buddha foretold his Pari-nirvana. Sankasia, where Buddha returned to this world after a 3 month discourse to the devas (heavenly beings). Sravasti, where Buddha tamed and converted Mara through teaching. Rajgriha, A place where the Sangha abide peacefully.These are known as the Eight Holy Places of Buddhism, and it was said the Eight Stupas were based on the monuments built in these sacred places.

Although we do not have the opportunity directly see the historical Buddha, according to many sutras and tantras, even making offerings, circumambulating these Holy Places, would generating inconceivable benefit.In the Sajyuktagama Sutra, Buddha has said, “Monks, after I enter pari-nirvana, if a man or woman of good faith, should, in his or her lifetime, aspire to attend these four Holy Places and be mindful. Which are the four? One should be mindful of the Tataghatha: the places where he was born, where he was enlightened, where he turned the wheel of Dharma and where he entered pari-nirvana. After my passing, at these sacred sites, make offering, circumambulate, make prostration to the stupas, one should follow the words....” Also, “Having such faith in the Enlightened One, even if one’s lifespan is exhausted, shall take rebirth in higher realms.” Similarly, when newly ordained monks ask about the Buddha’s holy biography, monks are advised to speak about Buddha’s life based on the events of these four locations. Additional quotation from writings by a prominent Indian Buddhist Scholar Bhavyaviveka also comments that by circumambulating the holy places, one may purify the heaviest negative karma.

The benefit from visiting and circumambulating holy places is much greater than visiting touristy monuments: it pacifies one’s obstacles, averts negativities arising from inner and astrological conditions, and inner disturbances that are not treated by conventional medicine. When one meditates, recites sutras, or perform positive deeds in holy places, one’s benefit multiplied immensely and one’s aspirations made at sacred places also are accomplished swiftly.

As one walks on the ground of these holy places, the atmosphere naturally becomes conducive to enhance our meditative experience and insight. One effortlessly becomes mindful of the virtuous deeds of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, the Arhats and the enlightened masters of the past and thus generates genuine minds of faith, renunciation and awaken their compassionate nature. With the merits generated through these practices, one will obtain higher rebirth, excellent physical and mental faculties that are the base of ultimately accomplishing enlightenment. Such practitioners would have the capacity to fully accomplishment the two heaps of wisdom and merits, purify all negativities, and accomplishing all the wisdom and compassion aspects of a fully enlightened Buddha; which, spontaneously, brings benefit to countless sentient beings. When analyzing in this manner, one can see that the benefits arising from making pilgrimage to these holy places are truly inconceivable. ∼∼ Tulku Ogyen Rinpoche

We thank you for your support and dedicate the merit to the peace and happiness of this world and all sentient beings.

If you would like to participate, please contact the following volunteers:

Taiwan: Shirley Wu 0910 - 338868 Canada: Sandy Pai 604-9988739 604-7612289

For more information, please visit : www.buddhaofcompassion.org E-mail: monlam2015@gmail.com Address : 3F, 4-3, Linsen S. Rd, Taipei, Taiwan

Since 1986, the Nyingma Monlam Chenmo Prayer For World Peace is celebrated to bring about world peace and liberation of all sentient beings. This well-respected event are attended by monastic and lay participants from the India, Nepal, Bhutan, and everywhere around the world. Countless venerable monastic and yogi masters, reincarnate teachers (Tulku), scholastic abbots (Khenpo), monks, nuns, and practitioners gather to pray in unison at the sacred site of Bodhgaya, where Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree and attained complete Enlightenment.

Each year, countless practitioners and students gather to pray during the Monlam Chenmo; for days and nights, many devotees would complete vast meritorious deeds such as 100,000 prostrations, 100,000 repetitions of Vajrasattva mantra and countless devotional offerings and guru yoga practices. All lineages of Tibetan Buddhism agrees that generates countless merit and blessings, and brings great benefit to the world. The Nyingma Monlam Chenmo for World Peace, therefore, is certainly the most important event in the Nyingmapa calendar.

“To raise awareness and accomplish the Monlam Chenmo each year is an extremely fortunate blessing! This activity brings about benefits to all schools of Buddhism, to the the happiness of all beings, peace to the universe as well as contributing to the temporal and ultimate happiness of all sentient beings, gathering to make sincere practice and aspirations during this event, I, Pema Norbu, also deeply rejoice.”

~His Holiness the late 3rd Kabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche

Nyingma Monlam Chenmo Prayer For World Peace

Since its inception, The Nyingma Monlam Chenmo for World Peace, which includes the recitation of the entire texts of “Reciting the Name of Manjushri” (Manjushri-Nama-Samgriti) and “The Aspiration Prayer of Samantabhadra” 100,000 times each. Lasting for 10 to 14 days, the Nyingma Monlam Chemo for World Peace is attended by at least tens of thousands monastic and lay practitioners from over 1600 monasteries.

One of the chief sponsors of the annual Nyingma Monlam Chenmo Prayer for World Peace, late Kyabje Penor Rinpoche has repeatedly told his students the benefit of sponsoring and keeping the tradition of Monlam Chenmo alive.

Even as years went by, the words of our teacher still resound within our hearts.

It has been four years since the passing of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, and His Eminence Tulku Ogyen Rinpoche, who considers H.H. Penor Rinpoche as his root guru, has made the aspiration to sponsor the 2015 Nyingma Monlam Chenmo for World Peace.

His Eminence Tulku Ogyen Rinpoche would like to invite sponsors for this important event, for the continuation of His Holiness’s vision, and also for the benefit for all sentient beings.

The funds we will collect will directly benefit: the cost associated with establishing sacred Mandala, torma and flowers, and food and necessities for tens of thousands of Sangha.

The Benefit of Making Offerings to SanghaIn the “Agama Sutra”, Buddha states that “If one can make offerings to the Assembly of Sangha, the merit is uncountable.” In the “Sutra on Giving”, Buddha stated the five main benefits of making offerings to the Triple Gems: 1. One obtains beautiful form; 2. One obtains robust health; 3. One enjoys longevity; 4. One’s mind is always supple and joyful; 5. One obtains skillful qualities of speech.

The Benefit of Making Flower OfferingsIn a sutra named “A Discourse on Differentiating Karma with the Shoka the Elderly”, Buddha stated that there are ten virtues arising from making a flowering offering:

1. Maintaining a life that is pleasant in this world, like a flower; 2. Maintaining a physical appearance that is free from dirt and ordour3. Maintaining a lifestyle where the scent of one’s good conducts is pervasive4. Wherever one is, maintain the ability to distinguish the scents that are beautiful or foul 5. Maintaining an outlook that is superior to the worldly view, thus becomes well respected6. Naturally maintaining a presence that is clean and fragrant to the nose7. Maintaining a love of the right path, and regularly recollect and studies Dharma8. Possessing great merit for the benefit of oneself and others9. Taking rebirth in the higher realms, due to the power of one’s great quality10. Quickly attaining the ultimate goal of Nirvana.

The benefit of Making Lamp OfferingsThe Buddha taught, “If one purely makes a lamp offering of from fragrant oils and with pure motivation, have the knowledge that may the oil be as vast as the four oceans, the wick as large as Mount Sumeru, and may the light of this lamp illuminate the whole world.”

In the same sutra named “A Discourse on Differentiating Karma with the Shoka the Elderly”, Buddha stated that there are ten virtues arising from making a lamp offering:

1. One illuminates the world like a light2. Wherever one takes rebirth, one enjoys strong, perceptive eyes3. One may enjoy the eye of the Gods4. One perceives the pure and impure deeds, and thus develops wisdom5. One may destroy the great darkness of ignorance6. One obtains great wisdom that illuminates the minds of oneself and others7. One takes rebirth that are free from darkness8. Possessing great merit for the benefit of oneself and others9. Taking rebirth in the higher realms, due to the power of one’s great quality10. Quickly attaining the ultimate goal of Nirvana.

In the “Avatamsaka Sutra” it states, “ Just like the light of one lamp may illuminate a room that has been dark for a thousand years. Likewise, the lamp of Bodhicitta, once it enters the heart of sentient beings, will completely dispels the karmic obstructions accumulated through countless eons.”

The Spread of Buddhism in TibetBuddhism was first introduced in Tibet by the 33rd King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, who is considered to be an emanation of Avalokiteshvara. Then, in 742 AD, the 38th King of Tibet, Tritson Deutsen invited monks, abbots, and accomplished teachers such as Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava to Tibet, which brought about the golden age of the spread of Dharma in Tibet.

With the King’s sponsorship, the Great Abbot Shantarakshita ordained Tibetan monks for the first time in the newly established Samye Monastery and began the largest Buddhist monastic system in the world. While many Indian and Tibetan translators tirelessly translate all the known Buddhist scripture and manuscripts available in India, Uddiyana, Burma, Shri Lanka, China to Tibet, as well as many south-eastern regions including texts that were said to be preserved by the heavenly and naga beings; Guru Padmasambhava and many teachers taught all nine vehicles of Buddhist teachings to thousands of Tibetans at the time and many attained spiritual accomplishments. This is named “Nyingma” (Old School) now, which includes Kadam (and its subsequent follower, Gelug), Sakya and Kagyu.

From 1000 AD and on, teachings hidden (“Terma”) in the elements - teachings that were concealed by Guru Padmasambhava and his disciples for later disciples’ practice - were gradually discovered and passed down.

Since 17th century, there emerged six main Nyingma monasteries or “seats” in Tibet, each with hundreds of associated monasteries: in western Tibet, there are Dorje Drak and Mindroling, in the center, Shechen and Dzogchen, and Katok and Palyul are in eastern Tibet.Despite political turmoil, Nyingma teachings and practices were kept practically undisturbed in these monasteries and have inspired tens of thousands of followers. And through these teachings, numerous practitioners attained complete accomplishments, such as Longchenpa, Jigme Lingpa, Mipham Rinpoche and many other holy beings and scholars.

Nyingma teachings include within it the instructions and accomplishment methods of the 9 Yanas of Buddha Dharma, and in particular practices of Inner Three Yanas as well as the practice of Great Perfection teachings or Dzogchen. Whether one focuses more on the Buddhist doctrine or on meditative practices, Dzogchen is definitely the quickest path towards accomplishing full awakening.