Month: November 2022

A Incredible Dharma Initiation of Tummo Concentration

linda chang1 Comment

Gadu Rinpoche

A Incredible Dharma Initiation of Tummo Concentration

Tummo concentration, a very high level Buddha Dharma, has been known in Tibet for a long time. However, most of the descriptions on this subject are like a famous metaphor of a group of blind people touching different parts of an elephant. Each of them then gave a vivid description of what the elephant’s body was like based on where he touched. It is definitely not easy to see true manifestation of tummo. In Tibet and India, there are still many lamas who practice tummo concentration. However, when they walk out of the closed room at the end of the extended practice of three years and three months in seclusion, very few of them can actually raise the body temperature. The most that they were able to do is symbolically wear a wet blanket and walk around the temple. Anyone who attained the initial level of tummo is regarded as a holy one. This is just an indication that tantric dharmas are being lost from generation to generation.

Gadu Rinpoche, a disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, had the opportunity to receive the holy inner tantric initiation of the state practice dharma from The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation. Below is the true account of what he experienced.

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One day, my Buddha Master instructed me to go to a place to meet a great holy virtuous one. Because this was a decision from my Buddha Master, the great holy virtuous one received me immediately (Because the great holy virtuous one does not permit me to reveal his identity, I can only address him as “the Great Holy Acharya” here). When I entered the mandala, I prostrated respectfully and then held my palms together to listen to the Great Holy Acharya’s decree and order. The Great Holy Acharya looked at me with benevolent eyes and said, “Buddha’s Disciple Gadu, I and dharma protectors have been observing you for quite a few years. Although your cultivation and conduct is not completely perfect and you still have a little violation, you have successfully attained the accomplishment of Niwan Daoguo. You can take a picture and you will see that. During the past several years, you carried out many Buddhist endeavors and accumulated a good amount of merit. I decided to conduct the initiation of the state practice dharma of the Body-Laying (Corpse-Pose) Tummo Concentration from The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation to transmit the Body-Laying (Corpse-Pose) Tummo Concentration Dharma to you. I hope that you can benefit more living beings after successfully practicing this dharma.” At that time, I couldn’t believe what I heard from my ears but it was true. It came from my countless times of incarnations to this Saha World since the many eons to save and transform living beings with my true bodhicitta of great compassion. I was able to receive this supreme profound great dharma also because of the correspondence of my three karmas of body, speech and mind to the Four Jewels of my Buddha Master, Buddhas, Dharma, and Sangha.

At the time of initiation, the Great Holy Acharya was far away from me and I was alone. I exposed my upper body and laid down on the green grass lawn. I formed the mudra with my hands and was chanting mantras and visualizing the seed figure of the Wind and Fire Wheel according to the steps of the dharma taught by the Great Holy Acharya. I concentrated my thinking on raising the temperature of tummo at the location of the tantric wheel. A short while after, the Wind and Fire Wheel started to rotate at the location of the tantric wheel. The fire of tummo began to rise. The temperature was rising very fast. I called out repeatedly, “The temperature is rising. It is scalding now. Scalding! Scalding! Scalding!” From inside to outside, the fire temperature of tummo was like that of a red-hot iron. Flame shot out from the tantric wheel. The scalding heat printed a seal of a dharma eye of the size of 1.5 cm on the skin around the tantric wheel. The Great Holy Acharya was about 10 meters away from me at that time. With a command of “Stop,” the temperature of tummo started to decrease immediately. At this moment, the dark karmas inside my body were let out by the temperature of tummo. My body instantly felt very cool and purified. I had a long-lasting feeling and lightness and easiness. The pain in my left shoulder disappeared immediately. The meridian channels within my whole body were relaxed all of a sudden. I felt that I became younger everywhere in me.

The Great Holy Acharya slowly walked closer to me. The Great Holy Acharya used dharma water to wash the spot of the tantric wheel on my body and at the same time examined the dharma eye formed by the ejection of tummo fire. The Great Holy Acharya benevolently spoke to me with a smile, “You have received the initiation and entered the true form of the Generation Stage.” Meanwhile, the Great Holy Acharya also reminded me a few things that I should pay attention to and then transmitted to me some important details for visualization in dharma practice and the secret mantra. In particular, I was instructed to follow the steps of putting concepts into practice, meditation practice, and concentration practice to practice the dharma expounded by H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III that includes the Vast Sea Mind Essence Dharma of the Root Mater, the Xiaman Magnificent Vast Sea Mind Essence Dharma, and the Most Magnificent Bodhi Vast Sea Mind Essence Dharma of the Dakinis. These are not hollow statements of talking about attaining Buddha-hood in the current lifetime without the actual accomplishment. They are the very precious dharma for attaining supreme enlightenment and, needless to say, can lead to accomplishment in the current lifetime.

I was listening to the discourse by the Great Holy Acharya while looking towards the sky with my eyes open. Suddenly, the events from my past experience emerged one by one before my eyes, as if I was watching a movie. Some were good and some were bad. They made me realize that the law of cause and effect never errs! From whatever causes I had planted, I harvested all corresponding consequences. My goal for coming to this Saha World is to benefit living beings and help them to attain Buddha-hood. I will treasure the remaining time in my current life to spend it well on benefiting living beings. After ending the causes and affinities of this lifetime, I am determined to come to this Saha World again to save living beings who have their affinities with me. Just as my vow of “As long as living beings are there, I will continue to perform the act of saving them.” Whenever living beings need, I will appear at their side!

Then I dressed and put on my dharma robe. I walked into the mandala and kneeled before the Great Holy Acharya with my palms together to listen respectfully to the Great Holy Acharya’s teaching. The Great Holy Acharya stood in front of me and discoursed, “Your inner mandala has been opened. Now I am going to open up your outer mandala. With that, the initiation of the Body-Laying (Corpse-Pose) Tummo Concentration Dharma on you will be very perfect. However, to avoid leaving a large dharma eye on your forehead, I will use a mild fire.” I immediately moved forward to kneel by the side of the Great Holy Acharya, with my eyes staring at the Great Holy Acharya’s palms.

When the Great Holy Acharya was chanting mantras and forming mudra, I felt as if I was kneeling by the feet of a very tall and cloud-reaching Buddha. Upon raising my head and looking up, I saw that a pair of solemn but benevolent eyes was watching me. Suddenly, the Great Holy Acharya lightly pressed right-hand middle finger at a point above my eyebrows. At first, it wasn’t hot at all. However, very quickly, a beam of flame-like intense and scalding heat was released. I responded right away, “Scalding! Scalding! Scalding!” The temperature of tummo rose very fast. This strong and scalding heat flow was led from the eyebrow wheel into the heart wheel and connected the fire seed at the tantric wheel to the entire body. However, there was nothing noticeable at the finger of the Great Holy Acharya. During this initiation of tummo, my body first endured a period of scalding heat but this was followed by a feeling of extremely cool and purified that filled up my entire body. Then, the Great Holy Acharya examined the dharma eye that became red-swollen due to receiving the tummo empowerment. It was right at the middle of my eyebrows.

The Great Holy Acharya discoursed with a smile, “The initiation of the Body-Laying (Corpse Pose) Tummo Holy Inner Tantric State Practice Dharma in The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation  includes two steps. The first step is having the vajra acharya who possesses the master’s qualification at the upper level of enlightenment perform initiation for the disciple at a distance of between 10 to 16 meters (32.8-52.5 feet) away. This is for receiving the recognition by the yidam of that dharma to plant the seed of affinity. This step is for obtaining the power of the accumulation of good fortune. Then, within 15 days after that, the vajra acharya who possesses the master’s qualification at the upper level of enlightenment will perform tummo initiation and teach the dharma directly to the disciple at a close distance. This step belongs to obtaining the power of the accumulation of wisdom. Therefore, now both your inner mandala and outer mandala from the initiation of the Body-Laying (Corpse Pose) Tummo Concentration have been completed perfectly. You can go out and inform the rinpoches and dharma masters who are caring about and waiting for you outside about the happiness and joy that will come to living beings in the future.”

With limitless gratefulness in my mind, after prostrating to the Great Holy Acharya, I exited the mandala to report to the rinpoches and dharma masters who were waiting the successful completion of my initiation of the Body-Laying (Corpse Pose) Tummo Concentration. Fellow brothers were all very happy for me. All I heard was the continuous congratulations one after the other. At this time, I felt that I was even more insignificant. My fellow brothers not only did not have any jealousy on my receiving the initiation of the supreme profound Body-Laying (Corpse Pose) Tummo Concentration, they were as happy for me as they had received the initiation of this great dharma themselves. Wasn’t such spirit a manifestation of the holy love from the “exchange between self and others bodhicitta” from the bodhicitta of great compassion? I have limitless admiration for them!

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My endless gratefulness cannot repay the blessing and empowerment from the Great Holy Acharya, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and Holy dharma protectors. I must cultivate and practice even more diligently to save and transform more sentient beings. Only that can requite a small portion of the initiation I received! The first thing I need to do is to study and cultivate according to the three dharmas of Mind Essences from The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation taught by the utmost supreme holiest Tathagata, my great Buddha Master!

A Incredible Dharma Initiation of Tummo Concentration

Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2022/11/11/a-incredible-dharma-initiation-of-tummo-concentration/

#DorjeChangBuddhaIII # HHDorjeChangBuddhaIII  #HolyManifestation#Gadu Rinpoche #Tummo Concentration#T#SupremeBuddhaDharma #TheSupremeandUnsurpassableMahamudraofLiberation #Cultivation#GreatHolyAcharya#Innertantricinitiation

Source: https://xuanfa.net/bibliography/free-books-to-download/cultivating-honesty/?hilite=gadu

8 Ways To Self-Sooth Without Using a Mind Altering Substance

linda chang1 Comment

8 Ways To Self-Sooth Without Using a Mind Altering Substance

Don’t let everyday stresses and problems get you down to the point where you think the only relief is heavily drinking or some other drug-related solution. Not only will your so-called relief be temporary, it can also be harmful to your health, contribute to possible addiction, and leave you more incapable of dealing with stresses on your own the next time they occur. 

HERE ARE 8 WAYS TO SELF-SOOTH WITHOUT USING A MIND ALTERING SUBSTANCE

READ
Develop a reading habit and you will find that you look forward to your time with your latest book. While you are reading, let this be your time for yourself. Set aside whatever amount of time you can and devote it wholeheartedly to reading.

MEDITATION
Meditation has been practiced for countless centuries to relieve stress, anxiety, depression, to treat a variety of illnesses, to help during treatment for addictive behaviors, reduce high blood pressure, and alleviate pain and to relax. Practice meditating every day at a regular time, for a regular duration. Ultimately, your perspective will start to evolve and you will grow more able to choose your moods and reactions instead of them choosing you.

YOGA
No need to be a master practitioner or a contortionist to reap the benefits from yoga. Yoga can be described as a collection of spiritual techniques and practices that seek to integrate mind, body and spirit in the quest to achieve enlightenment or oneness with the universe.

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TAKE A HOT BATH
AH, the satisfaction of soaking in a hot bubble bath, one of the best natural ways to relax and unwind. Give it a try! Light a candle, dim the lights and bring your awareness to the breath. Deep inhales through the noise, exhales out the mouth. Try this for sets of 5. You’ll absolutely feel less anxiety and much more able to cope with the challenges of day to day life.

VOLUNTEER
There’s no question there are many deserving charities and organizations that can use help. Volunteer to help serve meals at homeless shelters, or give of your time to visit with senior citizens at assisted living centers. When you look outside yourself and your own problems and give of yourself, it’s a selfless form of generosity that rewards you with a sense of inner peace.

WALK IN NATURE
Walking in nature helps you to decompress, as it magically increases the bodies natural feel-good chemicals. Breathing in the fresh air, noticing the beauty, and listening to the sounds around you will no doubt elevate your mood, leaving you with a feeling of completion and relaxation. 

BECOME MORE SPIRITUAL
Spirituality is something that is actively pursued, cultivated, and nourished. You don’t need to be religious to reap the rewards of a heightened spirituality. You can develop your spirituality by looking inward and trying to improve your outlook on life. Becoming more spiritual will give you a new appreciation for life and how precious it is. You will be able to give more of yourself to others, and gain richness beyond measure in return.

MAKE A GRATITUDE LIST
Get into the habit of writing down 5 things you are grateful for every morning. Goodness has a way of spreading its way around. When you are positive in your outlook, and act in a manner that inspires others to do likewise, you are helping to lift others out of themselves and into a better appreciation of life.

Life is all about living. Let’s make this life the best we can for as long as we have. You won’t need drugs to help you relax. Living life to the fullest will be your gift — to you and to those you love. Namaste.

Photo by Nilina on Pexels.com

8 Ways To Self-Sooth Without Using a Mind Altering Substance

Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2022/11/09/8-ways-to-self-sooth-without-using-a-mind-altering-substance/

#SelfSooth#Yoga#SPIRITUAL#VOLUNTEER#InnerPeace#WellnessHealth#Meditation

Source: https://www.beinghappybuddha.com

Treasure Room in The International Art Museum of America

linda chang1 Comment

Treasure Room in The International Art Museum of America

Last Sunday, I was so blessed to have a chance to visit the treasure room in The International Art Museum of America. The room only open four times a year. Three big locks fully close the door. Three persons open locks at the same time. One museum staff accompanied me inside the room, introducing each artworks, and answering my questions. There are four pieces of extremely beautiful splendid Yun Sculptures inside the room.

From the introduction, I learned that Yun Sculpture is an art form created by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. It is exquisite and mysterious, their beauty is astonishing and spellbinding, and structures are both exquisitely fine and sophisticated, with unanticipated variations. Unprecedented in history, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s Yun sculptures are the first form of art that cannot be replicated, regardless of the method used.

The first one I saw is called Holy Purity. Its color is soft and lustrous, like thin white silk. It looks as pure and noble as jade or ice, has an elegant hanging style, and is completely free of any flaw. This artwork, which is pleasing to the eye and comforting to the mind, fully deserves that name it was given, for it indeed possesses the qualities of holiness, purity, elegance, refinement, and white splendor.

Holy Purity

When look at different angles, I can see various remarkable sights, and light auspicious mist. I truly experienced a carefree and peaceful feeling that is difficult to describe. I felt my heart and soul are purified by this noble object. The pictures here are too dark, the whole sculpture is totally milky white.

Mystery of Lovely Colors

The second piece is called Mystery of Lovely Colors. Just like its name, it is a very vibrant and colorful artwork.

Mystery of Lovely Colors is a big Yun sculpture. Its structure and overall arrangement can only be described as “endlessly varied” and “unfathomably mysterious.” Phrases such as “swirling unusual colors,” “a mixture of emptiness and substance,” and “too beautiful to be absorbed all at once” are used to describe its grandeur, beauty, and elegance. When this exquisite sculpture is viewed from different angles, one can see various wonderful and fascinating sights that seem to be constantly changing.

The museum guide told me : “When this Yun sculpture was displayed in the Gold Room of the United States Capitol and at the Organization of American States, experts and scholars viewed it with admiration, praising it with words such as, “a gift from God to mankind,” “a treasure from a Buddha-land,” “captivatingly beautiful,’ and even “since the appearance of Yun sculptures, all treasures in this human world have become like stars in the sky that pale against a resplendent moon.”

Mysterious Mist Inside A Stone

Inside a small rome, there are two very special Yun sculpture pieces called Mysterious Mist in a Stone. One can see that mist is permanently sculpted in it like a miracle.

White jade-like gauze hangs inside a stone
Unmatched sculpting produces emotion amid the mist
Without words, a rare melody plays inside the cave
Such heavenly scenery is difficult to duplicate

Mist is permanently sculpted in the cave of the Mysterious Mist in a Stone, an artwork that cannot be replicated

From its external appearance, one can see that “Mysterious Mist Inside a Stone” is an ordinary greenish rock that is a few feet long. However, the inside of it is a totally different world. Its interior contains layer upon layer of what appears to be peaks and hills, forming a beautiful crisscrossing network. Its scenes seem to change endlessly, giving it a profoundly mystical quality. In some parts of the stone’s interior, there is mist as exquisite as chiffon, while in other parts the mist is so thick it covers whatever is behind it. In the latter case, a lamplight that penetrates mist must be shone into the stone to view the background scenes. One can see mist circling upward.

Mysterious Boulder with Mist

Right beside the Mysterious Mist Inside a Stone is another sculpture also has mist inside. It is called Mysterious Boulder with Mist. There are two grottoes inside the boulder, each of which contains its own scenery. When you look inside the right grotto, you will see thick mist enveloping everything. The structure of the carved scenery inside this hole is vague, since it cannot be clearly seen through the mist. You are left with the impression that the mist is a few dozen yards deep inside the hole when it is actually only three or four feet deep. When you look inside the left grotto, you will see that there is no mist at all. You will clearly see the structure of the carved scenery inside this hole. The material used to carve those two grottoes was the same, the colors applied to both of them were the same, and their depth is the same. The carving skills and inner-realization of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III caused this mysterious phenomenon of one side containing thick, enveloping mist and the other side containing no mist at all.

Sculptors throughout history have been able to produce material forms or images through sculpting. However, no one has been able to produce through sculpting something as insubstantial and formless as fog or mist. Nonetheless, there are sculptures of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III that combine both material form and mist.

While I was fascinated by those beautiful artworks, I seem to hear the works say, “I’m born on this earth in such a beautiful and exquisite way. Who or what kind of artist gave birth to me? I could not have been given life by a mundane person. “

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s Yun sculptures can truly be called peerless, priceless treasures. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was able to create these treasures based upon his high state of realization, profound and extensive knowledge, as well as his penetration of the laws that underlie the birth, growth, and change of all things in the universe.

Treasure Room in The International Art Museum of America

Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2022/11/09/treasure-room-in-the-international-art-museum-of-america/

#MasterWanKoYee #DorjeChangBuddhaIII #HHDorjeChangBuddhaIII#DorjeChangBuddha#IAMA#InternationalArtMuseumofAmerica

Legends of One thousand-armed and one thousand-eyed Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva

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Legends of One thousand-armed and one thousand-eyed Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva　

　

GuanShiYin (Avalokiteshvara) Bodhisattva is a well-known Buddhism figure in China and southeastern Asian. There are many different kinds of status and portraits of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva in the world. The most legendary one is one thousand-armed and one thousand-eyed form.

The Bodhisattva is personified as the symbol of compassion, and is frequently mentioned as the god of mercy who will help anybody who finds himself in trouble mentally or physically. He can infallibly eradicate all mundale sufferings. In order to achieve his ends, he can assume various forms, According to the text Karandavyuha Sutra he manifests all possible forms of life for the sake of ignorant and to bring liberation to living. It says: “As different people belonged to different faiths, this compassionate Bodhisattva was obliged to assume the shape of all gods of all faiths.”

Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion, in front of Buddha Amitabha made to commitment to intentionally manifest into the three realms of Samsara in order to harrow the depths; that is to say, in order to stir from depths and completely liberate all sentient beings from samsara, and to be their supreme guide. Thus in the presence of Buddha Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara made this promise. Also he vowed that if by chance his compassion and his courageous mind of mercy for sentient beings were to decrease, then may his head and his body just completely crack and fall into one thousand pieces.

When Buddha was residing at the Veluvana garden he was surrounded by Arahats. There were five different divine rays coming out of his circle of hair between the eyebrows in the middle of the forehead and gradually it formed itself into a rainbow. Thereafter it went to the north in the direction of the Himalaya country of Tibet. At that time Buddha looked and smiled, then immediately Bodhisattva Sarvanivarana Viskambhi asked Buddha, What is the reason of your smiling, Lord? Buddha answered, “Noble boy! In the future there will be a pure Dharma through which one can be delivered to the path of liberation in the barbarian country of Tibet where there has never been a single Buddha for three junctions of time and there are uncountable demons and ghosts yet to time. “Therefore, Avalokiteshvara will tame those wild men, because once upon a time when he was a Bodhisattva he prayed to One thousand Buddhas Saying,” May all the transcendent bless me to be able to time those beings who are into barbarian country. May you bless that barbarian country through my taming, May you bless me to become the parent of those ghosts and demons;. May you bless me to free all those beings.

Once Amitabha Buddha placed his hand on the head of Avalokiteshvara and commanded that noble son, “Now you be the one who can tame the animated beings of the barbarian snow land whereas not a singly Buddha of the Three times has been there. This is the fruit of your sincere prayer for the purpose you have wished. Those suffering beings will be emancipated from the three lower realms as soon as they see your young holy body and hear the sound of the six mystic syllables, Om mani padme Hum. May your Bodhimind be manifested to the minds of ghosts, demons, evil spirits and hobgoblins and may they be striving with their minds for the benefit of others like Bodhisattvas, instead, of harming others. May all carnivorous animals-such as tigers, leopards, bears and snow bears abandon the mind of eating others and turn into the love of parents for each other, seeing your holy body and hearing the sound of the six syllables.

After making such commitments and blessings from Buddha Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara went by way of international manifestations into the three realms of samsara to be the supreme guide for all sentient beings.

Thereby he went to Hell and emancipated them from both the hot and cold hells by teaching the On mani padme hum. Then he went to ghost realms and emancipated from hunger and thirst after giving a discourse on the same. After that he went to the animal realms and emancipated them from hardship in labour. Then he came to the human realms and emancipated them from the intense suffering of birth, old age, sickness and death by a discourse on the same, Thus he also went to Asura realm and Deva realm to free them from their respective sufferings. 

　

So Avalokiteshvara went into of these realms of Samsara, and he absolutely emptied the ocean of sufferings. Following which he went back to Buddha Amitabha and he declared that the liberation had been affected.

Buddha Amitabha said to him,” You should look back again into world!” And as he did, there he saw that once again sentient beings were in samsara and in sorrow, he became so discouraged as he saw that his “awakening mind (Bodhicitta) decreased in the moment he lost his courage. When he became discouraged, in that moment, the promise that he had made earlier declined.

The three realms of Samsara are Kamadhatu, the desire realm, the Rupa dhatu, the Form realm and the Arupya dhaty, the formless realm,. These three reams are so vast and so are the different types of suffering that sentient beings must experience in these realms. When Avalokiteshvara beheld that still sentient beings were in this type of suffering condition in these three realms respectively, he become overcome with sorrow, he become discouraged in the very presence of Buddha Amitabha. He felt how could the time come to ever liberate all sentient beings from this type of promise that he had made before, his head and body just cracked and fell apart into one thousand prices, and he fainted.

Avalokiteshvara, thus fainted, and Buddha Amitabha said to his “My son, where has your courage, your mental strength gone? He picked up all the pieces of his head and the body. At the same time he said,” this happened because of your prayer. You deserve the praise of all Buddhas since your prayer was efficacious. However, Noble son Don’t worry! Thereby he blessed his broken head into eleven faces and he sat upon those heads, and his broken body into one thousand hands like one thousand petals. Thereafter he said,” I bow to you because your one thousand hands are the hands of the thousand universal emperors and those eyes in each of the hand palms are eyes of one thousand Buddhas who will appear in this fortunate aeon.  

Legends of One thousand-armed and one thousand-eyed Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva

Link: 　https://peacelilysite.com/2022/11/03/legends-of-one-thousand-armed-and-one-thousand-eyed-avalokiteshvara-bodhisattva/

#GuanShiYinBodhisattva#Buddhism#Buddha#BuddhaAmitabha#Onethousand-armedandone thousand-eyed#legend#Samsara#Mercy#Compassion

(Saddharmapundarika Sutra)

Source: https://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-BH/bh117498.htm Min Bahadur ShakyaBuddhist Himalaya: A Journal of Nagarjuna Institute of Exact MethodsVol. No. I & II  (1989) Copyright 1989 by Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods

Chinese Plum Blossom Paintings

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Chinese Plum Blossom Paintings

One of the most beloved flowers in China, the plum blossoms (méi-huā, 梅花) have been frequently depicted in Chinese painting and poetry for centuries. The Chinese see its blossoms as both a symbol of winter as well as a harbinger of spring. It is precisely for this reason that the blossoms are so beloved, as they bloom most vibrantly amidst the winter snow, after most other plants have shed their leaves, and before other flowers appear. They are seen as an example of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity. Though neither the plum tree nor its blossoms are very striking, they manage to exude an otherworldly exquisiteness and beautiful elegance. The demeanor and character of the plum tree thereby serves as a metaphor for inner beauty and humble display under adverse conditions. Because they blossom in winter, the plum blossom is a member of the “Three Friends of Winter (歲寒三友)”, along with the pine and the bamboo. The plum blossom is also a member of the “Four Gentlemen (四君子)” in Chinese art (the others being orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum), symbolizing nobility. In China, there are over 300 recorded cultivars of mei, which can be broadly divided by color into white, pink, red, purple, and light green types.

When we look through all of the ancient and modern books on plum blossom paintings, it is not difficult to discover that all of the famous master plum blossom painters had extensive knowledge, deep understanding of ancient and their own contemporary times, and immense talents. No artist in history can be found who lacked virtue and learning and still was capable of painting highly exquisite plum blossom paintings. The plum blossom paintings of ancient artists such as Mian Wang and Dongxin Jin and the modern artist Changshuo Wu are splendid works based upon the profound knowledge and virtue of their creators.

Mian Wang ( 1287-1359 ) : Early Spring at South Corner of Garden
Artist: Dongxin Jin (1687 – 1764)
Artist: Changshuo Wu (1844 – 1927)

As a contemporary artist, the Pop of Buddhist, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has also painted dozens of masterpieces of plum blossom compositions. All in the book entitled Collected Plum Blossom Paintings, Calligraphy, Poems, and Songs. Wielding the brush with great facility, His Holiness creates paintings that are completely devoid of mundane garishness, have the exquisite look of ancient bronze and stone inscriptions, and are imbued with a scholarly air. His Holiness’s painting skills have surpassed the ordinary and reached the consummate mastery of a holy being. Below are several art works from the book. Some of the paintings are in the exhibition of The International Art Museum of America.

Small Portion of a Plum Grove

Yellow plum blossoms bloom in winter and are generally used during Chinese New Year celebrations as a symbol of great auspiciousness. The painting expresses beauty of a real plum blossom grove.

Drunk in a Green Garden

The turquoise plum blossom is a rare species of plum blossom. These elegant, sublime flowers have a strong resistance to coldness and a scent that is quite fresh and fragrant. This painting has a vigorous and firm style yet maintains great simplicity. The brushwork is bold, vigorous, and completely unconstrained. Large, dancing strokes of a casual hand and free mind bring to form branches and twigs.

Plum Fragrance in the Holy Realm

The brushwork, casually applied, was accomplished with an unfettered hand and detached mind, free of the slightest artificiality. It is a seemingly ever-changing work. Its charm, tone, transitions, and depictions represent the highest level of Eastern ink-and-wash paintings. A transparent layer of lighter ink on top of darker ink is clearly visible, imbuing the painting with a pure and fragrant air and providing the viewer with a feeling of comfort and ease.

Winter Powder

A most elegant and valued plum flower called ‘Dong Fen” (winter powder). It is widely known to be the king of whiter plum blossoms. A strong contrast is presented by the graceful dense ink that was used to paint the tree trunk and the whiting used to form the flowers. The spatial effect of fairness adds to the charm of the picture, showing an awareness of both emptiness and form. A very special aspect of this painting is that the artist did not apply powerful, bold strokes of uneven contour and content. Rather, ink was applied through a gradual moistening process, manifesting the strong talent of the artist.

Chinese Plum Blossom Paintings

Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2022/11/03/chinese-plum-blossom-paintings/

#DorjeChangBuddhaIII #HHDorjeChangBuddhaIII#DorjeChangBuddha#IAMA#InternationalArtMuseumofAmerica#ChinesePaintings#PlumBlossom#Paintings#WangMian#WuChangShuo

Source: https://www.comuseum.com/painting/flower-painting/plum-blossom/

This famous prayer has hidden wisdom in every line

linda chang1 Comment

This famous prayer has hidden wisdom in every line

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change; 
courage to change the things I can; 
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; 
enjoying one moment at a time; 
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; 
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it; 
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will; 
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next. 
Amen.

The Serenity Prayer is well known by both believers and non-believers. The famous prayer asks for God’s help achieving something that most people desire but few can achieve: peace and happiness in life. Unlike many prayers that ask for peace or happiness, the Serenity Prayer does not simply ask that God hand a person peace wholesale. Instead, the prayer lays out specific steps that will help a person achieve serenity in their life and asks God to help them gather the strength to live by those smaller goals. The Serenity Prayer does not so much ask for a gift as much as it asks God to help a person create or earn their own peace.

The first half of the Serenity Prayer is the most commonly quoted section of the prayer. The prayer has inspired millions of people, Christians and non-Christians alike. This beautiful prayer, however, is so often quoted that its wisdom can be lost. Here is a breakdown of the wisdom of the Serenity Prayer.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…
Everyone has things in their life they wish that they could change, whether it is something as small as the traffic and congestion that fills a person’s daily commute or something as serious as a loved one’s diagnosis with terminal cancer. When faced with something we wish we could change, we often fight it. We rage against the congested traffic and fall prey to road rage. We deny the terrible news of a deadly diagnosis and stick our heads in the sand. We hide from the truth. We hate it. We curse it. We do the spiritual equivalent of punching a brick wall and expecting the wall to come down instead of our knuckles to bruise and split and break. In our hearts we know that there is nothing we can do to change some facts of life. People will die. Tragedies will happen. The inevitability of those facts does not make them less horrible, but it does mean that there is nothing we can do about it.

The first two lines of the Serenity Prayer ask for perhaps one of the hardest things of all: the strength to both accept that some things are out of our control and come to peace with that fact rather than drowning in useless, toxic rage.



Courage to change the things I can…
People love to complain. Think about it. How often do our coworkers start the week not with a smile and story about something pleasant they did over the weekend but a moan, groan or curse about the first day of the work week? When starting a conversation, do we share our joy? Unfortunately, we are much more likely to start a conversation by complaining about something, even something as small as the weather. Complaints seem to be our go-to form of communication, but how often do people really try to change what they claim so grievously offends, inconveniences or angers them?

In the age of social media and the internet, it is easier than ever to jump on the bandwagon and complain about an event, person, policy or organization. Ironically, many of the loudest virtual voices have never done a thing to help the causes they claim matter so much. It is easy to complain, especially from behind the protection of a screen name and keyboard. It is not easy to actually enact change. It is not easy to go up to someone we respect and say “I disagree.” It is not easy to face down someone who is screaming with hate and say, civilly and respectfully, “You are wrong and here is why.” Truly creating change does not happen from behind a screen or around a water cooler. It takes time, effort, energy and, yes, risk.

The penultimate line of the first stanza of the Serenity Prayer asks God to help us find the inner strength and deep well of bravery we all possess and turn that willpower and courage toward bringing about the changes that matter to us.

And the wisdom to know the difference.
Discernment is one of the most difficult skills to master especially when it comes to dealing with our ability to influence the world around us. We often have an overinflated sense of our own power to enact change. On some subconscious level, we truly believe that we can make other people see our point of view if we just have one more conversation with them, explain our position one more time or, sometimes, yell loudly enough. This, of course, is ridiculous. People do not change their minds when others shout at them or call them names. Even those who try to change events or others’ opinions with civil, respectful behavior often find themselves frustrated as things refuse to change. This is because the things they want to influence are not within their ability to alter. Discerning what we can change and what we simply wish we could change is not easy. The Serenity Prayer recognizes that very human refusal to admit defeat and accept that something is out of our hands. As such, the prayer asks for God’s help discerning what we can truly control and what we merely wish we could influence.

Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time
We all know someone who is never really present in the moment. They may be worrying constantly about tomorrow or forever daydreaming about the next great thing that they believe will happen in their life. They never take the time to enjoy the moment they are standing in or to revel in the life they live. Their focus is always on something else. Unfortunately, when we are focused on something in the far off future or distant past, whether good or bad, we let life pass us by. Whether we want to admit it or not, most of life is composed of the little moments that so many of us ignore. When we are worrying about the big presentation we have at work later in the week, we are not paying attention to our spouse who is longing for some emotional connection. When we are consumed with excitement for our cruise next month, we miss the friend who was looking to simply catch up over lunch. The Serenity Prayer reminds us that those little moments—the butterfly perched on the flowers by the office door, the smile of our child when she sees that daddy’s home, the smell of fresh baked cookies–get lost so easily even though those little moments are the ones that make up most of our lives and make our lives worth living.

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace
No one likes to focus on the difficulties that come with life. For all that people love to complain, no one really wants to have a troubled life. We want to be able to win the competition of “who had the worst day,” but we do not actually want to be miserable. We want to have our cake and eat it, too. Unfortunately, this is not possible. Hardships will come up in life, but they are so much more important than a way to win the misery Olympics that so often take place at family dinners or around the water cooler.

“Nothing worth doing was every easy.” This cliché phrase has been both revered for its truth and reviled for its unpleasant reality, but there is no denying its accuracy. Finding love is difficult, and marriages are hard work. Few relationships, however, come close to being as fulfilling as a loving marriage. Parenting is a lifetime of staring at the ceiling at night wondering if we are screwing up our kids irreversibly. That does not mean that it is not the most important job on earth. Almost anything that will bring us true lasting happiness and peace instead of transient pleasure comes with difficulty and trial. In moments when we want to walk away, the Serenity Prayer reminds us that those struggles will be worth it in the end.

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it
The world is not perfect. Anyone who would say otherwise is naïve, blind or has their head buried so deep in the sand that their hair is poking through the grass on the other side of the globe. The advent of 24 hour news and the internet has driven home the imperfection of the world in all its gruesome, filthy, nightmarish detail. The worst of humanity is regularly on display as both natural and human made disasters dominate the news and religious extremism and terrorism are documented with sickly loving detail. Given that the horrors of the world are regularly shoved down our throats, is it any wonder that many people would prefer to hide under the covers and pretend that everything is just hunky dory?

Hiding from reality, however, does nothing to change what is actually happening in the world. Distorting facts and figures to feed a popular narrative robs those actually hurt of any chance of enacting real change. The key to dealing with this world is to accept it as it is, both the good and the bad. It is wrong to pretend away the suffering of others, but it is not right to rub the worst of human depravity in the face of someone who is counting their own blessings. The Serenity Prayer makes it clear that we need to deal with reality, not wishful fantasy. To do that, we need to celebrate the highs and spread the good as far and as wide as we can. We need to mourn the lows and fight fiercely to correct what wrongs we can. We cannot change reality when we do not even know what is real.



Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will
Trust is one of the key components of the Christian faith. Christians must trust that God has a plan for their lives. They must trust that everything, even terrible things, happen for a reason. Painful though it may be, they must trust that their loved ones who die are going to a better place. Trust, however, does not always come easily. Christians who are mourning a lost parent, spouse, friend or, worst of all, a child, may find themselves raging against God and questioning everything they ever believed.

While hardship and trial sometimes brings a person’s faith to its knees, the hottest fires sometimes forge the strongest faith. Those people who come out of trials with both a faith core of steel and a deepened trust in God are often those who manage to accept, somehow, that God is in control even when everything around them is going to hell in a handbasket. Even when life is easy-breezy and good, however, it is not always easy for us to trust in God and surrender. We want to take control. We want to be in charge. The Serenity Prayer reminds us, though, that what we can influence is so much smaller than what God can determine. Whether we like it or not, we are being dragged in the direction God wants us to go, so we may as well stop fighting, go with the flow and trust that He has our best interests at heart.



So that I may be happy in this life
Everyone wants to be happy. We know that this life is too short, and we want to enjoy every minute of it. We want to spend our days smiling and laughing. We want to feel both joy and excitement and treasure every moment. The desire to be happy is one of the most natural desires of humanity. Our very biological drive to survive is based on our need to be happy. Our bodies are hardwired to use a biological reward-based system to keep us alive. When we do something that helps us survive, we are rewarded with a surge of dopamine, a feel-good chemical. These hormonal surges come when we eat, sleep, talk with other human beings and have sex. These processes are necessary for the continuation of the human species. Staying happy in this life, however, is not just about fulfilling biological urges. We are hardwired to do more than survive. Dopamine floods our brains when we truly live. Singing, dancing, creating and exploring new things all trigger dopamine. The Serenity Prayer helps remind us that, despite what some fire-and-brimstone sermons say, aiming to be happy in this life is nothing to be ashamed of as long as we do not trade morality for transient pleasure. This, however, rarely happens when we do what is hardwired to be one of our greatest natural sources of happiness: connecting with and helping others.



And eternally happy with Him forever and ever in the next.
Christians know that there is more than just this world. There is another world that is free of the horrors and tragedies that plague this world. Our current world is painfully imperfect, but that does not make it devoid of beauty. God’s hand is everywhere in the world, and hope can be found in even the darkest and most dangerous of times. The beauty and good of this world, however, pale in comparison to what is waiting in the next world with Jesus Christ Himself. When we pursue happiness and peace in this life, we must be sure not to get so caught up in earthly pleasures that we take our eyes off the ultimate prize: eternal life with Christ in the next life. The Serenity Prayer helps us focus on what we need to do to achieve happiness and peace in this life, but the final two lines of the prayer make sure to remind us that there is more, much more, than just this life. It reminds us to keep the next life in mind even as we strive to enjoy this one and to change this world for the better.

The Serenity Prayer is well known by both believers and non-believers. It offers simple, but effective methods to truly begin to feel peace in this life, but it also reminds us of what is waiting for us in the next life. It asks God not to fix our lives for us but to lend us the strength to correct them for ourselves. It offers inspiration and advice in equal measure and reminds the faithful that with God anything is possible.



By Stephanie Hertzenberg
Source: Beliefnet

This famous prayer has hidden wisdom in every line

Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2022/11/02/this-famous-prayer-has-hidden-wisdom-in-every-line/

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