The Moon in May is Buddha’s Day.

Growing up in a traditional Chinese household, we had many cultural celebrations and paid respect to ancestors by lighting lanterns and candles, offerings flowers, incense and fruit throughout the year. In the Buddhist tradition, one of the most auspicious and significant celebrations happens every May on the night of the  full moon, with people all over the world celebrating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha. It is known as Buddha Day or Buddhas Birthday.

I’ve always thought Buddhists are quite efficient in the way we celebrate Buddha’s Birthday. We only have to remember one day a year and it encompasses the triple gem of the Buddhas journey, encompassing the birth, enlightenment-Nirvana and ascent-Parinirvana of Gautama Buddha.

A mudrā is a symbolic gesture in Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism, and a spiritual and energetic seal in the spiritual practice of East Asian religions. Some mudrās involve the entire body, but most are shown with hands and fingers.

In Tibetan Tantra, the body, speech and thought of the Buddha are the Three Mysteries. The mystic power (Adhisthana) of the Buddha can be expressed through humans, with our body, speech and thought

My last post talked about what Mudras are and what they represent. There are many mudras and variations in each country for usage and meaning. Ive put together a list of some of the most common ones found in Buddhism and Hinduism.

It is often helpful to know these variations when looking at temple art, especially Buddhist art, as the iconography and imagery can help bring the figures and stories to life.

Here’s some info on Mudras for you to get started:

• Dhyani Mudra Gesture of Meditation
• Vitarka Mudra Gesture of Teaching
• Dhammacakka Mudra Turning the Wheel of Dhamma
• Bhumisparsha Mudra Gesture of Touching Earth – Enlightenment
• Abhaya Mudra Gesture of Fearlessness/Protection

Crossing Multi Culti Bridges

If you have spent any time with Asian people, you may notice the world of difference in the way we think, act and treat each other than in the West.

As someone who is Hong Kong born, living in America, and has spent a lifetime crossing and making bridges to understand my multi-culti-masala mix, I have often examined and compared different languages, customs and cultures, and have decided it just comes down to heart communication.

And it might be just a language thing…

May all beings everywhere, Plagued by sufferings of body and mind, Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy By virtue of my merits.

May no living creature suffer, Commit evil or ever fall ill. May no one be afraid or belittled, With a mind weighed down by depression.

May the blind see forms, And the deaf hear sounds. May those whose bodies are worn with toil
Be restored on finding repose.

May the naked find clothing, The hungry find food.

May the thirsty find water And delicious drinks.

May the poor find wealth, Those weak with sorrow find joy. May the forlorn find hope, Constant happiness and prosperity.

May there be timely rains And bountiful harvests. May all medicines be effective And wholesome prayers bear fruit.

Gayatri Mantra

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वःतत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि, धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्

Om Bhur Bhuvah svah
Tat savitur varenyam,
Bhargo devasya dhimahi;
Dhiyo yonah prachodayat

We meditate upon the radiant Divine Light
of that adorable Sun of Spiritual Consciousness;
May it awaken our intuitional consciousness.

Many of you may have heard this story, but I was thinking of it recently and wanted to share this time old tale as a reminder for us to “take a step up”

Once upon a time, a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well that the farmer had accidentally left uncovered. The donkey cried and cried, and the farmer tried to figure out a way to get the donkey out of the deep hole, however, the sides were too unstable to lower someone down with a rope to tie around the donkey, and as the donkey was panicky and thrashing about, he was concerned he or one of his farm hands might be injured and stuck down the hole too.

The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, so it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited his neighbours to come and help, so they all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.

As he felt the dirt falling on him, the donkey, being a donkey, kicked and kicked. When that didn’t seem to help, he brayed and brayed. Once the piles of dirt hit the donkey, the animal found renewed energy, and brayed even louder than he had before. The men turned their eyes from one another and pretended not to hear the donkey’s pleadings. The donkey kicked up a fuss and made a terrible commotion, but no one came to help. The donkey cried, but as he tired and began to understand the hopelessness of its situation, he began to give up, and got quiet, and then he realised something amazing was happening.

This verse was written by Mother Teresa. It is engraved on the wall of her hospital for children in Calcutta and dedicated to people throughout the world.

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.