While in KL

In Kuala Lumpur, we are busy doing Jangchog Puja. Daily, I see quite a number of people coming to attend the prayers while others come to pay their respect to their beloved deceased whose names are included for the Puja.

Chinese lunar seventh month is known as the ghost month to common Chinese origins but Buddhist people of Chinese origin regard that as time to dedicate merits to deceased people as well as all beings such as Karmic Debtors. Every Buddhist temple is busy with activities of prayers and dedication during this month. That also applies to centres that follow Tibetan Buddhist traditions in East Asia and South East Asia but there maybe slight difference.

The Karma Kagyu Buddhist centre in Singapore and Malaysia follow the same programme that is 100 deities Puja for Jangchog. This text is from Guru Rinpoche’s hidden treasury that was revealed by Karma Lingpa. It is very a extensive preparation and detailed puja.

Related to the 100 deities puja, a Jangchog puja is also specially added and performed for deceased people during this time. The meaning of Jangchog is ritual of purification. It is a step-by-step guide to the path and it encompasses various levels of empowerment to the consciousness of the deceased so that one can develop from first step of refuge to the highest level of tantric empowerment to the entire stages of creation and completion within a short moment until finally the deceased is able to attain the non-dual state of Vajradhara with the assistance of ritual and the Master of the puja. That is the whole idea of Jangchog and it is absolutely not like giving food or some material offerings to the spirit, hoping that they will be happy and give good luck in return.

The entire Ritual benefits not only the deceased but to anyone who is within the samsara because during prayers, we make aspiration and dedication to all sentient beings that pervade the entire space. In this way directly or indirectly, it benefits everyone. In Buddhist practice, aspiration is important as it makes entire enlightenment become possible. So we generate merits and then make an aspiration and dedication for the cause of enlightenment for every sentient being.

My stay at Kuala Lumpur Karma Kagyu Dharma Society was great and most people I know from long time and many old members still come to the centre and play an active role of helping the centre. This is fantastic and it indicates that their devotion to the lineage is firm and unshakeable. This centre was established by His Holiness 16th Karmapa directly with the help of a few disciples at that time. Eventually everyone shows interest and the centre gets supports from many people. Today the centre is well established and it has a great shrine hall and many residence rooms for the sangha. Many Rinpoches visit here to give valuable teachings and programme, especially His Holiness 17th Gyalwa Karmapa who visited twice to give teachings and empowerments.

You can also visit the website for details: http://www.kagyu-asia.com/kl/index.html

I will be moving from here to Johor Bahru Saraha centre for a 3-days programme and then back to Singapore.

In the earlier blog I wrote a story of wealth god and luck and it seems little interest for some of you. There is some one who wishes to donate some money to the Nuns of Tharpa Choling which I rejoice. You can hand over your donation to anyone who is joining the tour with us to the nunnery, so it can be handed over to the nunnery. Thanks for your generosity.