Date: 28/12/2013 11:39:59 PM
Subject: [CASonline] Special Appeal - for Rinpoche and the Protectors
       

 
 
Dearest Students of Most Venerable Drikung Ontrul Rinpoche
@ Phuntsok Cho Ling (CAS),
 
 
I am proposing that we, the Singapore students, who, techinically considered, at least, forming a part, albeit probably a tiny and very insignificant part, of the international Drikung Yangzab Dzogchen Community, ( dare I call ourselves a "sangha" !! ), offer the holy statue of Achi Choekyi Drolma at Rinpoche's monastery at Tso Pema, which is one of the holiest places associated with Guru Padmasambhava.
 
If we could, I hope to be able to raise sufficient funds for the other protectors as well, perhaps, Lord Mahakala, and / or the other related costs of constructing the Protector Temple.
 
 
Blueprint of proposed Protector Temple
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
As we understand, Ontrul Rinpoche, who is a living terton ( according to the other very recognised tertons such as Venerable Ganor Rinpoche ), and, of course, besides being a holy and "experienced" master of the Dharma, and recognised by the late 16th Karmapa, to be one of the 25 heart-disciples of Guru Rinpoche, has clearly stated that it will be important, blessed and very auspicious to contruct a Protector Temple at Tso Pema, a power site, very sacred to Guru Padmsambhava, and by association, the protection, preservation and flourishing of the Dharma in the world.  
 

The Protector Temple will be opposite to the main temple, and it will have the statues of Achi Choe Chi Dolma, Mahakala, Tsiumar and Palden Lhamo.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
The Protectors
 
 
Four Arm Mahakala
 
 
Mahakala
 
Mahakala is the manifestation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.
 
Origin of Mahakala

The compassion of the Buddha Amitabha manifested as Avalokiteshvara who took a vow to forgo his own enlightenment until all the realms of samsara had been emptied.

This vow required a renewal of determination, and so with Amitabha's blessing, Avalokiteshvara next assumed a form with eleven heads and a thousand arms. Still he had been unable to benefit even a few beings. Therefore after reflecting for one whole week, he determined that by assuming a wrathful form he would be able "to subdue the degenerate beings of this Age of Darkness."

 

Also he saw that even beings who practiced Dharma were unable to escape from the Bardo realms (time between rebirths where beings may face great anxiety and terrifying experiences) and he thought that in wrathful form he could also protect them in that way.

And lastly, he thought that the beings in this Dark Age were poor and needy, experiencing only suffering after suffering, and that in wrathful form he could provide them an antidote to that suffering so that by simply making the wish (for protection) their needs could be met.

 

These three motives made his determination even greater than before and so from the heart of Noble Avalokiteshvara emerged a dark blue HUNG syllable that immediately became the Instantaneous Protector of Wisdom, Mahakala.

The foundations of all the Pure Lands shook with six kinds of earthquakes, and the Conquering and Transcending One of Immeasurable Light (Amitabha) and all the other Tathagatas of the ten directions proclaimed with one voice:

"Son of the family, it is well that you have made this resolution. You shall have the empowerment of all the wisdom dakinis. You shall have the strength of the wrathful Yama, Lord of Death. You shall have the mountain spirits, the yakshas, the devils and the demonesses as your messengers. You shall embody the great wrathful empowerments of the Body, Speech, Mind, Qualities and Activity of all the Buddhas throughout the three times."

Ever since, bodhisattva Mahakala is the Dharma (Buddha's Doctrine) Protector of all Buddha fields.

 

Significance of Mahakala

Mahakala is typically black in color. Just as all colors are absorbed and dissolved into black, all names and forms are said to melt into those of Mahakala, symbolizing his all-embracing, comprehensive nature. Black can also represent the total absence of color and signifies the nature of Mahakala as ultimate or absolute reality and transcendence of all form.

Every evening at the monastery, offering pujas to the great protector Mahakala and entourage are performed in the evening. At the end of every year, it is traditional for all tibetan monasteries to perform the year-end Mahakala Grand Puja and Sacred Dance.
Source: Most Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche: http://www.thranguhk.org/buddhism/en_mahakala.html

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Achi Choekyi Drolma

Lord Buddha prophesied the coming and appearance of Achi in the Heruka Chakrasamvara tantras, citing Achi as the embodiment of the activity aspect of Buddha Vajrayogini, detailing also of Her unrivalled power and skilfulness in upholding the holy Dharma.

This holy, powerful protector is also considered to be the emanation of Holy Mother Tara ( whose yidam aspect is Buddha Vajrayogini !! ), manifesting as the grandmother of Lord Jigten Sumgon, the Founder of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage. She led a highly unconventional life, marked full of miraculous activities, a skilful enactment of liberated, unconstrained play of enlightened wisdom throughout Her life, at birth, when receiving teachings, during marriage, when instructing students and at death !

At the time of departure from our human realm, before assemblies of disciples who had gathered to bid their farewell, Achi rode upon a water-blue horse and took off before the astounded congregation into the vast expanse of skies, promising never to be separated at any moment from students with pure faith in Her, "like a shadow which never leaves its body".

"... adorned with jewel ornaments and flying silken ribbons;

on a blue water-horse amidst the clouds ...

rides the laughing Glorious Goddess Queen of Space ...

Glory to the Dharma Saviouress;

You, who are above the summits of samsara ...

Who is more brilliant than the sun and moon ...

In order to spread the unfailing Dharma of the Victorious Ones ...

To protect its followers and realise their aims ...

Protect us and never become separate from us."

( From: "Offering text of Achi Choekyi Drolma" )

An Aside

Most Venerable Drikung Ontrul has an extremely close relationship to Achi who is the protector closest to Rinpoche, extending Her protection to Rinpoche and all of Rinpoche's students for many, many lives in the past, and certainly, far into the future.

When Rinpoche's mother was carrying Rinpoche in her womb, once, she accidentally tripped and nearly fell, when to the amazement of people around her, little baby Ontrul Rinpoche in her womb screeched "Achi Drolma !!", whereupon, Rinpoche's mother miraculously arrested her nearly disastrous fall !! 

His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon and Most Venerable Drikung Ontrul Rinpoche have both frequently remarked, publicly, and quite several times, in fact, that all the dramatic and unprecedented auspicious revival and development in the spread of the holy Dharma everywhere around the world, especially with regard to the flourishing of the Drikung Kagyu teachings, including the guidance and blessings for spiritual and worldly successes of disciples who relied on them ( the Drikung Kyabgon and Ontrul Rinpoche themselves ), are all due to the power of Achi !! 
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Palden Lhamo Dudsolma
 
This particular aspect of Palden Lhamo, who is the female counterpart of Mahakala, ( She is sometimes also known as Mahakali ), is called Dudsolma and is closely associated to the Kagyu lineage.
 
She rides upon her mule, and encircles the entire samsaric sphere in a split of a second. While Achi is in semi-wrathful aspect, Palden Lhamo is in a completely wrathful form, adorned, full of miraculous implements, including Her blood-filled skull-cup, phurba and others. An interesting "ornament" will be that of a bag of the most dreadful diseases, containing diseases which She could no longer swallow to save beings of the world from, and which She kept fastened and tied up on Her mule. 
 
She actions are swift, decisive and ultimately inconceivable and eternally compassionate, for She is a major emanation of Holy Mother Tara, and an enlightened protector, relied upon by almost every Tibetan Buddhist lineages and monasteries. 
 
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
The Protector Tsiumar
     
The Protector Tsiumar, from a conventional point of view, like the Nechung Choegyal, was a formidable obstructor of the holy Dharma, until Guru Padmasambhava tamed Him, and exacted a vajra-pledge from Him, to uphold and protect the Dharma and the Masters of the Teachings. The Tsiumar is a violent and very wrathful spirit, who wields an apparently unending stream of miraculous powers, and whose oracle was sought for advice on the reincarnation of holy masters and is a personal protector of many great bodhisattvas such as the lineal Drikung Kyabgons, ( entire Drikung Kagyu lineage in fact !! ), Serta Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok and others. Within the Dalai Lama's personal compounds, too, is a very sacred consecrated cross-thread mandala, of Tsiumar, and dedicated to the well-beings of Tibet and all sentient beings.      
 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
At the moment, S$1/- is equivalent to about 48 Indian rupees.
 
Since the amount, if only for Achi and Mahakala alone, is not all that impossible, I hope we could all chip-in with whatever we have to fulfill our Teacher's holy wishes.
 
You may want to offer, of course, any other related costs as given in the breakdown below.
 
Serving the authentic Spiritual Friend ( we commonly call "Guru" !! ), according tothe Buddha in the tantras, carries the highest good, blessings and merit for the disciples and we badly need merit ( plus wisdom, which are both inter-dependent !! ) for attainment of Buddhahood .... for the benefit and good of all mother sentient beings !!
 
Please help to make Rinpoche's come true ... we have been guided and blessed by Rinpoche all the while ( plus past lives ) !!
 
How to chip-in
 
1) Bank or ATM transfer:
My personal bank account number: POSB Savings account 039-22633-2
 
2) Crossed checks
... should be written in the name of "Tan Boon Beng" and should be posted to my mailing address:
Blk 719, Jurong West Ave 5, #01-66, Singapore 640719.
 
3) Cash
 ... pass to us directly by hand at CAS's education centre; physical address can be found at: www.camden.edu.sg; we are opened daily from 4 to 9 pm weekdays / 11 to 6 pm weekends. Tel: 64686835.  
 
Please email to alert upon transfer; add in any dedication list where needed. We will faithfully forward to Rinpoche.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
For overseas students who wish to contribute, do send to CAS's official account; details are under the left column, in the "Make a Donation" tab, website: www.casotac.com
 
Receipts and / or acknowledgement letter directly from Rinpoche's monastery will be issued. Every amount, big or small, shall be accounted for.  
 
We are keeping clear of CAS's official acocunt, as much as possible for all fund-raising for overseas projects, to avoid very stringent auditing process required.
 
We will stop collection on about 15 January 2014.
 
bb ( for his precious Lama ) @ Phusntok Cho Ling (CAS)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
The breakdown
 
1. Four armed Mahakala : Rs.1.50.000
2. Achi Choe kyi Dolma : Rs. 1.60.000
3. Tsemar : Rs. 1.60.000
4. Palden Lhamo : Rs.2.00.000

5. Painting the Statues : Rs.1.10.000
6. Paint cost : Rs. 15.000
6. Inner fillings : around Rs. 50.000
_________________________________________________

Total cost for construction of four statues : Rs. 8.45.000

All the statues are under construction, each statue will be around 6 foot tall.
 
3 days of Special Protector puja will be performed for the donors in the new temple after its completion.

Normally, everyday we do protector puja and on special days, protector puja is done for the whole day.
____________________________________________

The monks will perform Puja in the Protectors Temple everyday after its completion. Any amount of donation for the Protector Temple Project is highly appreciated and beneficial to all beings.
 
Estimated cost of the Protectors temple is Rs.562105
 
The following are the pictures of Protectors, the site of the Protector temple and the blue print of the Protector Temple.
Thank you,
Aka
( for Most Venerable Drikung Ontrul Rinpoche )
--
Drikung Kagyud Monastery
P.O Rewalsar 175023
District Mandi
Himachal Pradesh
India 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
tELL A fRIEND
"KNOW DHARMA; SHARE DHARMA !!"
Be part of our thousand++ "Friends @ CAS" ( that belongs to Chenrezig & other holy beings )
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"I wanna number my days in samsara. sUBSCRIBE mE NOW !!"
See www.casotac.com ( available 24 hrs a day / 7 days a week )
CASonline - Your Buddhist online news and teachings.
( All online articles lovingly archived at http://www.casotac.com/casonline.htm )