Buddha Poornima May 9, 2009

Buddha Poornima is the most sacred day in the Buddhist tradition: more than two and a half millennia ago on this day in profound meditation under a Bodhi tree prince Siddhartha achieved Enlightenment and became the Buddha, the Awakened One. It's also the day of the Buddha's birth and passing into Parinirvana. Choe Khor Sum Ling celebrates Buddha Poornima with a special event - Khangser Rinpoche will give a teaching on Bodhichitta, the Mind of Enlightenment, and confer an initiation into the practice of White Tara. Bodhichitta is the mind wishing to achieve full enlightenment in order to free all sentient beings from suffering. It's often called the 'Wish fulfilling gem', because like a magic jewel such an attitude brings true happiness for self and others. The teaching will be followed by an empowerment ceremony representing a transmission from Rinpoche of a sadhana devoted to the deity with the aspiration to acquire some of her qualities. In Buddhist tradition Tara is a female Buddha, known as 'the mother of liberation'. Within Tibetan Buddhism she has 21 major forms in all, each, tied to a certain color and energy, offers some feminine attribute or ultimate benefit to spiritual aspirants who ask for her assistance. As peaceful and compassionate White Tara she gently protects and brings long life that we may better and for longer pursue the Dharma and serve the humanity. Her love heals at the source of disease, bringing health, strength and longevity. Meditation on White Tara reduces the forces of delusion in the forms of negative karma, sickness, afflictions of kleshas and other obstacles and obscurations. The mantra helps generate Bodhichitta within the heart of the practitioner and purifies the physic channels within the body allowing a more natural expression of generousity and compassion to flow from the heart center. Through experiencing Tara's perfected form one acknowledges one's own perfected form, the Buddha nature, usually covered by obscurations and clinging to dualistic phenomena as being inherently real and permanent.Venerable Khangser Rinpoche is one of the foremost Buddhist scholars and practitioners of our time, currently teaches at Sera Jey Monastic University in Bylakuppe, Karnataka. Rinpoche is famous for his modern and simple style of teaching.

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