Re: Google Groups: You've been invited to Gaden Shartse DroPhen Ling Study Group

[Palani]

Hi Chin Poh,

 

Do you attend our Saturday sessions?  Please introduce yourself to me this afternoon if you are joining us as I would like to get know more of you! :-)

 

Since your question would be of interest to the others as well, I have taken the liberty of including them in the email as well.

 

The mala is often used as counter to keep track of how many mantras we have chanted.  This helps us to focus on the mantra rather than the counting.  One round of 108 is considered a count of 100 - to compensate for errors while chanting.

 

It is always good to keep it in a pouch so that it is always in a clean place - as for all other things.  There are many materials and colours that have many different meaning and significance.  You could always choose something that you are comfortable with - it need not be expensive or precious - unless you can afford it and it has special meaning for you.

 

I have copied some urls for your reference:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_prayer_beads
2. http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/things/mala.htm

I hope that the above has been useful.  Feel free to clarify more queries whenever you need to.

 

Sarva Mangalam!

On Sat, Nov 6, 2010 at 1:05 AM, koh chinpoh <koh...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Palani,

Many thanks, being invited to joint the study group.

When and how to use the 108 mala?

Rejoice.
KOH C.P.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <nor...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 4, 2010 at 6:35 AM
Subject: Google Groups: You've been invited to Gaden Shartse DroPhen Ling Study Group
To: koh...@gmail.com


 Palani lotus...@gmail.com has invited you to join the Gaden Shartse DroPhen
Ling Study Group group with this message:

Hi Koh,

Welcome to the Group.

cheers/palani


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[Freon Chan]

Hi Palani,

A Good Day to you! This is Freon here.

 

1) Can you please advise us on the proper way (and contents) that we should write as the wishes on the flags that are to be sent to the Nepal temple ?

 

2) How should one perform a prostration when one has physical difficulties (e.g. deformation or difficulties in knee or elbow movement) and may not be able to perform it properly or may be very slow in getting up after touching ground?

 

I understand that it is best to rise quickly from the ground but what if one is restricted due to physical difficulties? We would want to show the proper respect but worried about somehow resulting in negative karma if we are not able to perform the prostration correctly in right speed.

 

3) Please explain the meaning of "Sarva Mangalam!", which you usually sign off your email.

 

Thanking you in advance for your kind attention and advice.  : )

 

Regards,

Freon

 

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[Palani]

Hi Freon,

 

You have raised good questions.  Let me share my thoughts on these.

 

1) Prayer flags: Prayer flags, since they are printed so full of prayers, are believed to have the effect of benefiting sentient beings when they fly and flutter in the wind.  The best way, in my limited opinion, to benefit others is to think about those for whom you are dedicating the flags; write their names and then visualise they shall benefit from your action.  Once this has been done, please remember to dedicate the merits of your action to the enlightenment of all sentient beings. By doing so, you would created good karma for yourself since you are acting for the benefit of others and also for others because you are dedicating both the flag and your merits.

 

2) Physical prostrations or other actions: Everything in Buddhism comes from the mind and is driven by our motivation and intention.  Whenever there are impediments beyond our control, such as health challenges, age not being on our side, etc, we need to work with it and around it.  So if prostrating is difficult, then please do not push yourself too much.  You can always mentally prostrate and physically just perform a standing bow - while in your mind, you are full of reverence for the objects of veneration. The physical action, while important, is not to be overshadowed by the lack of mental follow-up. People could be prostrating perfectly but their minds could be somewhere else.  So the common sense rule is always do what makes you comfortable and that which enables your spiritual practice to grow - let others do what they are comfortable with and let that not bother you as a yardstick.

3) Meaning of "Sarva Mangalam": Sarva means All or Everything and Mangalam means Auspicious.  So it literally means "May all be auspicious!". This is a wish for everything to be auspicious for everyone.  The reason I write this in Sanskrit instead of English is because all the mantras are in Sanskrit.  Even the Tibetan who have translated all prayers into their language have left the mantras alone.  This is the tradition.  The belief is that the vibration of the mantra is connected to the sound of the words. Certain words have been translated to Tibetan to make it easier to understand the meanings intuitively for their own people.  For example, Avalokiteshvara is known as Chenrezig both mean the "Ruler or Lord of the Universe (World)"  "Loka" means world or universe, "Ava" signifies "all", literally "all the worlds or universes" and "Ishvara" or "Eshvara" means the ruler.  But you would notice that they have kept the mantra pretty much in Sanskrit - "OM MANI PEMA HUM".  PEMA is Tibetan for the Sanskrit "Padme" which lotus and HUM is Tibetan for the Sanskrit "Hung" - a salute.

 

I learnt somewhere along my practice the tricks about karma.  Planting seeds for future lives is a favourite and expedient technique to link us to the intended future.  So by using the Sanskrit and Tibetan words where I can, I am planting the seeds both within myself and for all of your to be able to recognise it in your future lives.  It is estimated that at current speed of translation, it will take about 150 to 200 years to translate all the Dharma into English.  Well, I think that it is safe to assume that we might not be around to benefit now but shall definitely want to be reborn where we can understand the Dharma better in the future. So having the seeds of Tibetan and Sanskrit shall help us in the future.  This is my understanding and strong belief, so I am spreading it around for those I know.

 

Now that you have asked, both you and those who read this email shall have the seeds planted more consciously than before you had asked the question.  See how simple it all works out to be - once we become aware and start thinking about the reality around us! 

 

I hope the above makes sense!  Thank you for asking, Freon!

 

Sarva Mangalam!

[Freon Chan]

Hi Palani,

Thank You for your prompt response, advice received with great appreciation. See you in class later !

 

Regards,

Freon