Cultural meanings of sickness

These past 3 weeks, i have been experiencing severed stiffness on my left arm - unable to bend to my back, including difficulty to put on clothing myself. I was delaying if i needed to see a doctor - i thought if i see a GP, from past experiences,one of the medication i might be prescribed is 'pain killer'. Thus i decided not to do that but practising prostration instead - reflecting on the motivating real-life story of Kunde Rinpoche's grandpa - who was once very sicked and illed -  he vomitted seriously. Instead of visiting hospital, he practised 100 prostrations daily as his medicine, and he recovered from this sickness after months - without medication! - it is indeed sounded like 'miracle' - amazingly meaningful example to view / perceived (?) human sickness in Vajrayana Buddhist practice towards a different light!
This story motivates me to continue practising full prostration in the evening after work at home - i chose the only corner space available at this little apartment - a little space which is reserved to place my sentimental value 'old' piano - which i have been delaying to 'retrieve' from the refurbishing warehouse since February month this year.
I could only do three sets of the full prostrations initially, feeling very painful the whole physical body. Slowly i managed to increase to 7 sets. In less than a week, the condition of the left arm has improved much, at lease i could bent over my left hand back to my waist area.  Physical pain can be like spiritual friend motivates one to spend time listening to the body's needs, even lifestyle changed!
This physical pain thus becoming my motivation to continue my prostration practice more consistently for now. I have long way to reach 10 thousand times with Taking Refuge Chant ( 归依) and Arousing of Boddhicitta Chant (发心) which prostrating - a continuation of last year's less than a thousand time bowing and chanting these verses taught by my spiritual friends .......
Oh, My Buddha, May i be determined.......
May 1, 2011 at 0221hrs, sonam yeshi

Body, Speech & Mind

Many years ago when i first started learning the essence of the Dharma Teachings, the profound teachings of Karma relates to our Three Doors: Body, Speech & Mind.  It was said that the right speech is the most difficult to observe precept in our daily life (for lay people, i think).
Personally, i like the summary chart of the Noble Eightfold Path presented at this website (view 23 April 2011):
http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html

In daily life, from family, workplace to religious organizations (not to mention the political scene squabbles), it is easily testify the cause of most human misunderstandings, unhappiness, even quarrels and fights because of human words/speech, including human communication problem/barriers (cultural meaning of language, percepetions etc) !

With the blessings of the Guru &The Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma & Sangha), my prayer wish while visiting some beautiful, ancient monasteries in the holy lands: May the Sangha spirit be the light of all Buddhist organizations!

In retrospection, when Khenpo Kunga Tashi Rinpoche was invited to use my late parents'old house in March 2009, during the first few months, many times my little wisdom was distracted, disheartened, even stressed by human words, especially from the fence sitters - while spending time, energy and finance in organizating some initial activities for people to learn Buddhist practices. Khenpo compassionately guided me with this simple phrase: 管自己没有烦恼，管别人可带来烦恼 [self-management no problem, other-people management may give problem]... this practical reminder has thus constantly guided me in many ways in lay life. 
Ironically, one time (or more?), i was so stressed that even almost like 'told off someone who talked like non-stop, commenting on those who contributed much, but no action of helping! Under such circumstances, instead i was inviting remarks such as: you did not practise well (你没有修到!).  It made me realized that our little remarks may be the result of blowned negative energy of others. Then I confessed to Khenpo for my lost of temper, he compassionately compared someone practising in a cave alone and contributes to dharma activities to benefits others as more challenging in practise. At that time, i felt that compassion is very difficult to practise ( 慈悲心很难修)!
I thanked all my teachers, the presence of Rinpoches' and their compassionate guidance-  through their actions of showing tolerance, patience and forgiveness to people who do not treated them in the right manners in many situations. I reminded myself it was my own motivation that sailing me through, when i asked myself: why am i doing all these? If it is for my own "accummulations of good karma or clearing my past karma", hi and bye style is simpler, just joined any dharma activities organized ready, go there, chants together, do little donation or participated in activities, folded palms to the Reverand Ones, or get blessings, give little 'red packet' (token), said thank you and go home - happy and no problem.
Last night before going to the dream land, i read this beautiful dharma teaching: 依法不依人[let dharma be your guide, not personal behavior]
- it is a quintessence teaching for constant reminder for all lay practitioners in learning the Dharma, sometimes we may forget being caught in the samsaric world of the eight winds (八风). 
Below is a beutiful phrase from 'WORD OF WISDOM' by Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, given to us (Maitrikara group at Norman, USA in 1995) by Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche:

Do not forget the Lama,

Pray to him at all times.

Do not be carried away by thoughts,

Watch the nature of mind.

Do not forget death,

Persist in Dharma.

Do not forget sentient beings,

With compassion dedicate your merit to them.

Thus have i read...

The Mara? & The Buddha!

[Picture photographed by Sonam Yeshi on 10 April 2011 - a beutiful ring of light captured!]

A friend travelled about 200KM with her 2 daughters to join us for our Naga Vase Puja, Released Life & Smoke Puja on 10April 2011. They missed the exit in the N-S highway and spent double the time to reach us. Luckily they managed to arrived before we started to proceed to the destination with the Naga Vases.

Later in the afternoon, all friends had left , we cleaned the floor of the centre together. Then she narrated to me this moving episode of her experiences with Konde Rinpoche - sometime while this late friend, Sonam Dzogchen (the name given by Konde Rinpoche after he had taken Refuge to the Guru, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha before his diceased) was admitted to a local hospital - The wife of this sicked friend was wearing the robe of a renounced nun, visiting him at that time with one of their daughters. The wife pointed with her index finger from top to bottom towards our teacher, something like asking that he was a monk?, followed by her daughter putting a 50 (RM) dollar note inside one of his arms stated it was for his blessing chant he did to his illing father etc. 

The friend mentioned that she respected this Rinpoche, who was standing humbly, with his head looking down and forward,just noded, no sign of any negative emotion. Like a child, he gave back the money to this 'surprised' friend instead, and said he did not need it! She remarked: i wish i have one percent of his patience and compassion...Once again, i was moved to tears hearing another real-life experience of my humane teacher's patience and tolerance...
Sometimes out of concerned for his child-like, no concept style had been like '"trapped" by people that i know, i confessed that i felt myself also like a Mara in front of him many times...and he softly/gently asked me: are you going to scold me? [laughter] :)-D

Note: A picture to share - The Smoke Puja which seems to turn out like Fire Puja, no smoke, only beautiful fire which was lit up effortlessly (no ignite material used nor human fanning required, narrated by brother Wah) - an auspicious sign of spiritual devotion... - it is still impermanent!