Thekcheng Choling Grand Opening 20 Nov 2011

The crowds getting ready for the grand ceremony moments before 8.11pm

Thousand-armed Chenresig in main hall

And the celebrations begin at 8.11pm!

Smouldering sandalwood offering in main incense urn

Tibetan version of Maha Brahma

A cut-out of his Holiness graces the main shrine

Lama dancer making a grand entrance

Rear view of lama dressed as Guru Rinpoche 

Note flaming urn in the background.
It burst into flames when the dancer representing Guru Rinpoche made his appearance. 

Steve Jobs: "My third story is about death"

When one is aware of mortality, one lives life differently. It's not being pessimistic. It's being realistic. And the late Steve Jobs has summed it perfectly in his speech at Stanford University back in 2005.



"My third story is about death. 
 
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. 
 
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. 
 
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes. 
 
I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now. 
 
This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept: 
 
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. 
 
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Sigalovada Sutta - Buddha's advice for laypeople

Most people are not aware that besides the Five Precepts, the Buddha also gave some very good guidelines for laypeople to follow that pertains "to the happiness directly visible in this present life."

Buddhaghosa has aptly referred to this Sutta as the "Vinaya (Buddhist code of discipline) of the householder." Known as the Sigalovada Sutta, the events take place when the Buddha encountered a youth called Sigala who was prostrating and worshipping the four compass directions (East, South, West and North), and the Earth, and the Sky. The youth explained to the Buddha that he had been told by his father to do so, and thought it was right to uphold his wishes. 

The Buddha then skilfully advised Sigala on how a noble one should 'worship' the six directions (adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigalovada_Sutta):

Avoid evil ways

The Buddha first describes fourteen evil ways that should be avoided by a householder. The Buddha enumerates these evil ways to be avoided as:

• The four defilements of action:

1. taking life (panatipato)
2. stealing (adinnadanam)
3. sexual misconduct (kamesu micchacaro)
4. lying (musavado)

• The four causes of evil action:

1. desire (chanda)
2. hate (dosa)
3. ignorance (moha)
4. fear (bhaya)

• The six ways of squandering wealth:

1. indulging in intoxicants
2. wandering the streets at inappropriate times
3. frequenting public spectacle
4. compulsive gambling
5. malevolent companionship
6. habitual idleness

 

Choose true friends

The Buddha then elaborated on the importance of having and being a true friend, as he described what true friends are; and what true friends are not; and, how true friends will aid in attaining a blissful life.

Protect close relationships

Finally, returning to the topic of the six directions, the Buddha described the Four Compass Direction as : parents (East), teachers (South), wife (West), and friends and colleagues (North), and the two vertical directions as: ascetics and Brahmins (Up) and the Servants (Down). He elaborated on how to respect and support them, and how in turn the Six will return the kindness and support.

The householder's commitments and the reciprocal acts of those he honors, as identified by the Buddha, are represented below in accordance with the four directions on the horizontal plane (east, south, west and north):

		North FRIENDS
		commitments	reciprocal acts
		generosity kind words helpfulness impartiality integrity	supportiveness protect your wealth provide shelter loyalty honor your family
West WIFE				East PARENTS
commitments	reciprocal acts			commitments	reciprocal acts
honor her respect her fidelity share authority provide gifts	organize duties hospitality fidelity wise budgeting skillfulness			support them fulfill their duties honor traditions deserve inheritance honor their passing	restrain from evil nurture goodness teach skills arrange marriage provide inheritance
		South TEACHERS
		commitments	reciprocal acts
		rise to greet them attend to them eager receptivity serve them master their teaching	thoroughly instruct ensure comprehension provide well-roundedness provide referrals ensure safety

Nadir WORKERS		To the left are shown the householder's commitments to and the reciprocal acts of employees and servants (representing the nadir, below the practitioner's body). To the right are shown the householder's commitments to and the reciprocal acts of religious guides (representing the zenith, above the practitioner's body).		Zenith ASCETICS
commitments	reciprocal acts			commitments	reciprocal acts
apt work just wages health care perks leave time	rise early stay late no stealing work well allegiance			loving acts loving speech loving thoughts hospitality material support	restrain  from evil nurture goodness lovingkindness enlighten clarify teach goodness

 

Read the entire Sigalovada Sutta here:

^{http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html}

Phor Than Dam, Wat Mai Naparam, Narathiwat

Phor Than Dam was the first disciple of Luang Phor Dee, Wat Sangha Sitharam, who himself was a direct disciple of Luang Phor Kron (Tok Rajah). Although not a direct disciple of LP Kron, Phor Than Dam has attained great knowledge of the wicha required to create Phra Pitda amulets in a very similar way. LP Dam passed away a few years ago in BE 2551, aged 67. 

Luang Pu Toh, Wat Praduchimplee, Bangkok

Phra Pidta Jumbo Sorng, Bailan, B.E. 2521

Phra Pidta Tukata Yai, Bailan, B.E. 2521

Phra Pidta Tukata Lek, Bailan, B.E. 2521

Phra Pidta Na Ta Na

Phra Pidta Kenokang Kesorn, Bailan

Wat Pradoochimplee, Bangkok (2004)