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May 29th marks an important day for over 500 million people of all Buddhist traditions worldwide. It is Wesak (Vesak in Pali), a holy day that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the historic Lord Buddha, Siddharta Gautama.Kechara House, a Tibetan Buddhist organization based in Malaysia will celebrate Wesak with a series of traditional ceremonies and prayers namely the Lama Chöpa. The Lama Chöpa is the Guru Puja of Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, written by the First Panchen Lama in the 1600’s. The prayer has as it’s foundation, the secret teachings of the great Gelug masters and is believed to have the power to strengthen a disciple’s relationship with his spiritual teacher who in Tibetan Buddhism is regarded as the root of all attainments.
H.E. The 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche who is the founder and spiritual director of Kechara House says that this year, it is especially important to recall the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings that at its core, stresses living a harmless life. There are conflicts everywhere in the world and there are even wars that persist in the name of religion, even Buddhism which is supposed to be a religion of peace, says Tsem Rinpoche
Tsem Rinpoche adds that there cannot be outer peace if inner peace is absent and it is here that Buddhist philosophies are helpful. One does not need to belong to the Buddhist religion to practice the dharma and fundamentally all religions cultivate morality and virtue. Wesak is not merely a celebration of a supreme being who was awakened and whom we call the Lord Buddha. More importantly, Wesak is also a celebration of our own potential for goodness and kindness and a reminder that every single person has the Buddha or ‘god nature’ in him or her.
According to Tsem Rinpoche, Wesak is an opportune time to commit to honoring all life forms and not seek to harm them. There are many things in this complex life that seem to be out of our control, say Tsem Rinpoche. But one thing that is squarely within our control is the choices we make. And today, we can choose not to harm other life forms just to satisfy our taste buds and so today is a good day to consider and commit to a vegetarian diet.
Accordingly, one highlight of Kechara House’s annual Wesak event is the taking of vegetarian vows where participants undertake to abstain from consuming the flesh of other sentient beings. This vow of abstinence may be for the remaining term of one’s life or even for a few weeks or months. "Ultimately, the goal of a Buddhist is the removal of suffering, for others first and then ourselves. The complete elimination of suffering from the mind is definitely possible. When we reach this state, it is called Nirvana."
H. E. Tsem Rinpoche’s Kechara House also made fervent prayers for the resolution of conflicts around the world, and for the good health and long life of religious leaders of all traditions and faiths. Tsem Rinpoche wishes His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the leaders of all Buddhist traditions – Theravada, Mahayana and all lineages in the Vajrayana tradition, a happy and blessed Wesak and offered prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to live long and to unite all Tibetan people in harmony and with the understanding that more unites us than separates us.
In concluding, Tsem Rinpoche repeated his advice for practitioners of all beliefs and faiths to foster peace within the community they live in, and to reject all forms of prejudice and bigotry. We do not live our lives in isolation and therefore, doing what it takes to improve all lives in our community is the sign of true spirituality.
About Kechara: The Kechara Buddhist organization was founded by H.E. the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, known for his community-driven work in Malaysia, India, and Nepal. His charitable projects have, amongst others, furnished schools and hospitals for the poor in India, helped disaster victims in Nepal and fed thousands of homeless and urban poor people in Malaysia.
For more information, please visit: http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/
Contact Info:
Name: MK Chow
Email: Send Email
Organization: Kechara House
Address: No. 7, Jalan PJU 1/3G, SunwayMas Commercial Centre, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, MALAYSIA
Phone: +60172474418
Website: http://www.tsemrinpoche.com
Release ID: 352080
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