Sunday, April 27, 2008

Thousand Stars Seminar at the Surin Hospital

The event on 25 April 2008 at Surin Hospital will remain one of our beautiful memories.

If there is any place that has a meaning on earth, hospital is one of them. Doctors, nurses and care takers are all bodhisattvas who cure patients with loving kindness and compassion.

With the power of medicine and bodhicitta, all diseases rooted in ignorance can be cured.



Seminar on Tibetan Spirituality and How to Take Care of Patients

At the event we distributed the first batch of bamboo seeds and the stupa postcard to remind people of peace and compassion. We are hopeful that soon we'll have more trees and more people will lead their lives toward peace and harmony.







Thanapol's Amitayus dance. May the patients recuperate soon and have long life!





Thousand Stars products and publications are on sale and display.

/>

The audience





Yontan's talk on vajra and bell with Krisadawan as a translator



Krisadawan's talk on Tibetan spirituality



Opening ceremony by the vice president of the Surin Hospital. Dr. Bundit gave a report on the seminar.

การเดินทางไปสุรินทร์และการเสวนาเรื่องจิตวิญญาณแบบทิเบตที่โรงพยาบาลสุรินทร์ในครั้งนี้เป็นประสบการณ์ที่มีคุณค่าที่สุดประสบการณ์หนึ่งของดิฉันและเพื่อนๆมูลนิธิพันดาราที่เดินทางไปด้วย ได้แก่ คุณเอก คุณเล็ก คุณกลาง น้องตั๋มและน้องป๊อก ขอกราบขอบพระคุณผู้อำนวยการและชมรมพุทธศาสตร์ โรงพยาบาลจังหวัดสุรินทร์ คุณหมอบัณฑิตและเพื่อนๆที่มาช่วยกันบริหารงานมูลนิธิพันดาราที่สุรินทร์ ได้แก่ คุณช้อย คุณจ๋อย คุณเป้ คุณอุ่น คุณแหม่ม คุณเอื้อย คุณอ้อย และเพื่อนๆที่ไม่ได้ระบุนามในที่นี้

Visiting Famous Silk Weaving Village



At Ajarn Veraatham's beautiful house, Ban Tha Sawang, Silk Weaving Village



Beautiful design of the cloth presented at the APEC conference



Silk weaving



Threads dyed with natural colors

**เรามีความหวังลึกๆว่าสักวันหนึ่งจะได้ทอรูปพระแม่ตาราหนึ่งพันองค์ด้วยไหมไทยย้อมด้วยสีธรรมชาติที่หมู่บ้านแห่งนี้**

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Visiting Sacred Sites in Surin






Paying homage to Praphut Surinthamongkol, main Buddha statue of Surin






An image of Luangpu Dul is kept inside this jediya



The Budda statue of around 200 years old at Buraparam, Luangpu Dul's temple



The present abbot of Wat Buraparam (Phra Bodhinanthamuni). Luang phor kindly talked with us for nearly two hours. He appreciated our idea of translating Luangpu Dul's teaching in English. The book will be in the care of Dr. Bundit and his team who will coordinate with Krisadawan and Soraj in translating and publishing it. Thanks to everyone who has made donations to this project.

New Office, The 1000 Stars Surin Group



Un, Kris, Yontan.

Un, who runs the Saren Travel company kindly arranges a corner of her office to be a meeting place for the 1000 Stars.
It's so wonderful to see a Green Tara thangka and Stupa posters hanging there.



The group from Bangkok posted with members of the Surin group, a beginning of a long-term work for sentient beings.



In front of the office

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Ten Questions about a Thai Practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism

In 2006 I was interviewed by Dr. Benny Low, editor of Eastern Horizon, a Dharma magazine published by the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia. Here are the questions and answers. Below is the interview with some updated answers.

1. It is quite unusual for a Thai Buddhist to be a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism? What started you on this path?

It had never occurred to me that I would become a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. The idea didn’t happen even when I was exposed to Tibetan Buddhist concepts while I was studying Tibetan studies at Indiana University in 1988-1993. I think what started me on the path is a combination of many factors, such as the meeting in 1983 with John Blofeld, the first person who introduced me to Tibetan Buddhism; my several sojourns in Nepal, India and Tibet, which made me acquainted with Tibetan cultural and religious practices, and my research in Kham in eastern Tibet since 1995. The time I spent in the field was not only beneficial for my data gathering but it also gave me excellent opportunities to meet with many inspirational lamas through whom I learned the most basic and profound lesson of being a human being, that is, to be compassionate to all sentient beings.



2. As someone who grew up in a Theravada environment, do you think it is possible to adopt an ecclectic approach in our practice, by combining the best of Theravada Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism?

Definitely. But first of all, we must understand that Theravada Buddhism is part of Tibetan Buddhism. You can’t be a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism and at the same time refuse basic tenets emphasized in Theravada Buddhism. In “The Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism,” Kalu Rinpoche started from the most basic teaching of Buddhism, such as the law of karma and its fruits and the impermanence of life. All of these are highlighted in Tibetan Buddhism.

I love to use an analogy of a pyramid when I describe the relationship between Theravada Buddhism and Vajrayana Buddhism. The former is the basis for the latter in a similar manner as the floor is the foundation for the house or the house is the basis of the roof. You can’t have the roof without first building the house.

You might have heard that the preliminary practices in Tibetan Buddhism require you to prostrate at least 100,000 times, to recite certain mantras for the same number and so on. But the most preliminary practices always start with the contemplation on these basic teachings, which form the core of Theravada Buddhism.

Recently, I was asked by a friend whether I consider myself a Thai Buddhist or a Tibetan Buddhist. I gave the exact answer as above and added that one thing I did which might characterized me more on the Tibetan path was that I prayed in Tibetan, not in Pali. But like other Thais, I made my aspirations in my native tongue.

3. Is this why you started The Thousand Stars Foundation to bridge the gap between Theravada Buddhists in Thailand and Tibetan Buddhism?

Actually, the idea of establishing the foundation came from the fact that I traveled to many parts of Kham and saw a lot of good work that local people have been doing. I knew I could help them if I set up a non-governmental organization through which I could apply for funding and ask for donations. These local people I have met are remarkable. They are great practitioners of Buddhism.

The idea of having the foundation as a bridge between Theravada Buddhists in Thailand and Tibetan Buddhists came much later. That is, in the beginning I concentrated more on how to help develop Tibetan communities, how to help practitioners in Tibet realize their goals, no matter whether the goals are renovating assembly halls, building nun residences, supporting the education of children, or publishing dharma books.

I later thought that the foundation could do more than just being an ordinary NGO and I should take advantage of being an academic to engage in academic activities for the purpose of spreading the dharma. This is why another half of our work is geared towards creating dialogues among the various denominations of Buddhism and by doing that we step beyond the territories of Theravada Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism.

4. What are some of the projects of this Foundation, and how are they funded?

As mentioned earlier, our projects are two-fold: developmental projects in Tibetan communities and academic activities in Thailand. As we are a new and small organization, we are not yet successful in getting substantial funding. The developmental work in Tibet has been possible through the kind-heartedness of Thai people who have donated to the foundation so that we could provide scholarships to nomad children in Jyekundo (Yushu county) and support a nunnery in a nomad area in Dzachukha (Shiqu county).




The names of the school and the nunnery we are supporting are Upper Pathang Primary School and Dakini Hermitage. Both places are in the northern part of Kham, which are now under the administration of Qinghai and Sichuan provinces. More detail on these can be obtained from the foundation’s website (www.thousand-stars.org).

As for the academic work in Thailand, which is aimed at promoting knowledge on Tibet and Buddhism, we received a grant from the Metanexus Institue in the U.S.A made through the Thousand Stars Buddhism and Science Group.

With this grant, we could conduct several conferences and seminars which touch upon such topics as death and dying, dream and spirituality from both religious and scientific perspectives. More activities will be held later of this year.

In June 2006 we will organize a workshop on mind training and in December we will hold a conference on body and mind. So you can see that our conferences are generally built around the theme of mind and reach out to various groups of people. Our policy is quite flexible. Although the main emphasis is on Tibetans in Tibet, we also want to help Tibetan lamas who live outside Tibet. We want to support practitioners so that they will have more time for dharma practice. And we want to invite them to come to teach in Thailand.

As dharma should be accessible to everyone who wants to hear it, we want to do it free of charge in many cases or, if necessary, charge small fees.

5. Your teacher is a Tibetan nun from Sichuan, China, whom you called Khandroma. What does it mean, and when did you realize you had affinity with her as your teacher?

I have many teachers. They all have been wonderful to me and played an important role in my spiritual development.

Kandroma is one of them. The facdt that she is a woman makes it easier for me to relate to. I felt there was a special affinity between us, the kind of karmic connection formed by our prayers and wishes in many previous lives to do the dharma work together.

The word “kandroma” refers to an enlightened female being who symbolizes our potentiality (both in male and female) to understand the nature of all things, which is emptiness. The exact translation of this Tibetan word is “sky goer” corresponding to the Sanskrit word “dakini”.

When the word is used to a human being, as in Tibetan Buddhist practice, it refers to a special woman practitioner who may be an emanation of the enlightened being.

All kandromas need not be ordained. They may be lay yoginis as well as consorts and close relatives of lamas. My teacher is a daughter of the late Lama Longtok Rinpoche, one of Tibet’s great tertons and dzogchen masters. I met her in April 2004, a day after I returned from my pilgrimage to the famous Tara temple in Denkhok, presently part of Dzachukha territory. The meeting wasn’t planned but after being at her place for about an hour both of us knew that we were spiritually connected. Before leaving her hermitage, I prayed that I would be back there again and again in this life to help her and practice with her and other nuns.









6. You plan to build a Tibetan temple in Bangkok. Could you tell us more about this ambitious project?

I plan to build a lhakhang, not exactly a temple. The word lhakhang means “building or place of deities”. I want to do it a Tibetan style to help preserve Tibetan Buddhist architecture.

The idea of lhakhang got materialized when I visited Tara temples in Tibet. These temples are called “Drolmai lhakhang” in Tibetan. Drolma is the Tibetan name for Tara, female Buddha. The lhakhang to be built which is three stories high will be a place to worship her and other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as well as to serve as a symbol of the three kayas of the buddha.

The first story will symbolize nirmanakaya, emanation of the buddha on earth. The second story will be a place of sambhogakaya, joyful body of the buddha symbolized by Tara and other deities. And the third story will symbolize dharmakaya, the ultimate nature of the enlightened one.

The idea of the temple is also inspired by the building of Zangdok Pali Lhakhang at Dakini Hermitage. I must add that the building is not just to add one more building on earth. But it will be part of the Tibetan center in Thailand which we hope to become a retreat center for serious practitioners eventually.

7. You mentioned that to practice Tibetan Buddhism you have to love the Tibetan language, culture, and customs. Isn’t it possible to practice Tibetan Buddhism purely as a psychology or philosophy, or as a spiritual path that helps us transform our minds without becoming too Tibetan in our external forms?

Philosophically speaking, it is possible to do so. But what I meant when I said you had to love the Tibetan language and culture is that you couldn’t adopt only the philosophy in an abstract level without paying attention to the lineage, the language and culture of your teachers. What I wanted to say is a simple thing: if we want the dharma from our teacher, it is not appropriate for us simply to take from him or her without appreciating the Tibetan culture in which the teacher is brought up.

8. As a result of your practice of Tibetan Buddhism, you said you now have a more meaningful life. Could you share with us which aspects of the teaching that has transformed you as a person?

There are many aspects in Tibetan Buddhism which have transformed me. The emphasis on compassion for the beings of the six realms, not only on our loved ones and human beings, touches my heart deeply. This is clearly seen in the practice on burnt offerings for beings in the bardo. If you can give your love to the beings whom you cannot perceive, you can give your love to anyone, let alone talking about your human enemies.

The focus on genuine faith in the Triple Gems, not merely lips service, the practice on meditational deities and the emphasis on devotion to your teacher are among the few aspects that I found instrumental in my life. I truly believe that these practices will make me a better person and enable me to help sentient beings.

9. You prefer to consider yourself a Dharma practitioner rather than a Buddhist scholar, though you are a well-known expert in the field of Tibetan language and culture. How do you bridge the gap between scholarship and practice?

I came to Buddhism through practice, not through academic study. When I give a talk on Tibetan Buddhism, I always emphasize that I talk from a practitioner’s perspective. I don’t have an objective view towards Buddhism. I have too much passion for the object of my talk, which is not always appreciated from an academic viewpoint. What I speak or write is mainly for lay Buddhists who want to understand Tibetan Buddhism, not for Buddhist scholars or students of Buddhism in the academic sense. That has a little benefit, in my point of view because the purpose is for academic pursuit, not for liberation. In this way, I have no problem bridging the gap between scholarship and practice.

10. If our readers are keen to support your wonderful work in Thailand and China, how could they contact you?

More detail about the Thousand Stars can be obtained from www.thousand-stars.org. I encourage your readers to contact me directly at hkesang@yahoo.com". Support, suggestions and comments would help us grow. Thank you.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

May the Flower of Love and Happiness Bloom in Our Heart















This past Sunday (April 20) the 1000 Stars Foundation organized a special event "Beloved Tara" at the foundation house on Ladprao Road.

Although it was hot and humid outside, inside the lobby of the house was full of cool air of compassion.

The beautiful Tara mandala was arranged. The main wall was decorated with beautiful cloth depicting hundred of tiny Taras and thangkas of various deities.

In the wake of unrest and violence in Tibet and amidst misconceptions about Tibetan mind and personality, the foundation offered a corner of love, peace and happiness.

The event started with an impressive presentation on Krisadawan's life, which Dr. Wichat and her former linguistic students at Chulalongkorn University did in the occasion of her early retirement from the university last October.

After that the film on Tara was shown. It was done by the Luck666 company. Thanks to their beautiful work, we got to learn more about this beloved Bodhisattva.

Tara has been worshipped in Tibet since the 8th century A.D. The teaching on compassion spread to Mongolia around the 13th century changing Mongol warriors into peace-loving people.

Then Krisadawan talked about Tara and how to worship and meditate on her.

Because Dr. Soraj had an urgent conference to attend in the Philippines, he couldn't give a talk on Indian and Tibetan devotees, as planned.

Instead, the foundation invited Meu Yontan Tongdrol to talk about Tara from the Dzogchen perspective.

Yontan said he was simply an ordinary man who was fortunate to be a monk for 27 years and served several masters including his maternal uncle Yongdzin Rinpoche, a great Dzogchen master in Yungdrung Bon, indigenous form of Buddhism originating in Tibet.

Yongdzin Rinpoche was a student of Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, who achieved rainbow body in 1935.

After the break, the participants sang the melodious praise to the Twenty-One Taras, recited Tara mantra and meditated on her. Krisadawan reminded the audience to practice the Dharma with pure aspiration to help sentient beings.



They visualized that there was a radiant light from the green TAM sacred syllable from their heart to the entire universe. The syllble TAM represents Tara and the true nature of their own mind. Its light grants love, happiness and healing blessing to any being it touches upon.




After visualization, they sang a praise to Tara for her unconditional love for sentient beings.

Thanapol, one of the first Thai dancers who got a chance to study tantric Buddhist dance from Nepal performed a touching performance of 16 offering goddesses and Green Tara.



Thanapol said this performance was not an entertainment but it was a devotional dance as an offering to Tara. It's an expression of art and spirituality which is rooted on Buddhist principle.

Before the session was over, there was a prayer dedicating the merit to all sentient beings, particularly the Tibetans, Han, Hui (Muslim nationality in China) and all parties related to the sad events in Tibet.

May the seed of peace be planted everywhere in the world! May the flower of love and happiness bloom in our heart always!

With appreciation:



The foundation would like to thank Miao (Worawanna) for her hard work and dedication which made this event a beautiful memory. Thanks are also due to Wichat for accepting to be our moderator even with a short notice and to the media who attended the event and to Thanapol for the inspiring dance.



The foundation is grateful to Bo for filming the event and for asking thought-provoking questions. Last but not least, we thank the audience and Tara devotees.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Seeds of Peace





The 1000 Stars Foundation is launching a seeds of peace project to promote peace and harmony with nature and environment. Each seed represents growth and hope. The seeds will be first distributed at our seminar on Tibetan spirituality and how to take care of patients at Surin Hospital on 25 April. Thanks to K. Glaang for the beautiful envelope.

Reflection on the Radio Interview

Yesterday I was interviewed on radio by Ven. Than Chandra of Santi Asoke. We were supposed to talk about my poetry book: Saeng Chan Nua Yodson or Moonlight over Pine Tree. But the update on my life after I left the university in October last year got us carried away. So instead we talked about how I lived my everyday life, how I ran the foundation, and how I practiced the Dharma.

Ven. Than Chandra even asked me practical questions such as whether I drove myself to the office of the foundation, how long I worked there, what I did when I stayed in a retreat, what mantra I recited, what time I woke up and so on.

He asked me whether I was being selfish by not working at the university to use my Ph.D knowledge to the fullest. I told him I have already done that for 14 years. And leaving the university doesn't mean I leave my knowledge behind. This is the time I can apply my knowledge to other contexts of life, and more importantly learn "within" looking inside my own mind. The understanding of the mind is imperative for society and the world. Without understanding the true nature of our own mind, we often harm others and do not recognize the great potential of our being.

I told Ven. Than Chandra that even though my new life is like a small boat, it's the boat that is driven by love, compassion and the willingness to change oneself. Controlling the boat is challenging, particularly when it is done by a female, but I wholeheartedly accept the challenge because I know the small boat will grow to become a big boat and no storms can harm it, as long as it is rooted in pure aspiration. Besides, this boat is nurtured by great support of friends, students, family and those who share my spirit.

After the live interview was on air, two people called. A woman said she was inspired by my decision and my dedication to Dharma activities. A man said he couldn't accept my view and my way of life.

It was interesting to see two different perspectives. I'm not surprised that the man reacted this way. It seems women don't have a right to devote herself to the Dharma, particularly if they have access to higher education.

To me, it's time we are broad-minded and look at Dharma in a new light. Dharma shouldn't be restricted to anyone's duty or role. Both men and women have rights to pursue their spiritual pursuits. If men want to become ordained, we usually rejoice, but when women want to do the same thing, they are blamed for abandoning their families. Is this the right way of reaction?

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Basic Tibetan Course I

The 1000 Stars Foundation is offering a 30-hour course on Basic Tibetan I on 28 May - 28 June 2008. Basic linguistic skills and an intenstive training of Tibetan will be emphasized. The course meets three times a week to ensure efficiency: on Wednesday and Friday at 18.30-20.30 hrs. and on Sunday at 16-18.00 hrs. Training fee is 4,500 baht which includes hands-out.All the proceeds will be contributed to the construction of the Tara Great Stupa for Peace and Harmony.

Instructors are Ajarn Meu Yontan Tongdrol, former Tibetan instructor at the Southwest Minorities Institute, Chengdu and editor of "Radiance of the Snow Mountain," Dokden Monastery's Dharma magazine, and Dr. Krisadawan Hongladarom, former lecturer in linguistics and Tibetan at Chulalongkorn University.

Interested persons please contact the foundation at worawora@gmail.com.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Tsog Offerings on Guru Rinpoche and Dakini Days, April 2008

There will be two tsog offerings based on the Guru Thugthig sadhana and a prayer and praise to the 21 Taras:

On Tuesday April 15 (Guru Rinpoche Day)
at the Tara shrineroom at the Foundation House on Ratanathibet Road, Nonthaburi, 5-7 PM

On Wednesday April 30 (Dakini Day)
at the Foundation shrineroom at the Foundation House on Ladprao Road, 6.30-8.30 PM

We'll meditate on Guru Rinpoche and Tara, the main deities of our Foundation. Our sessions will end with a prayer for peace and dedication of merit to all sentient beings, particularly those who went through all kinds of suffering. On the 15th we'll make a burnt offering particularly to the deceased Burmese migrants.

ขอเชิญผู้สนใจทุกท่านร่วมถวายเครื่องบูชาแด่พระคุรุปัทมสัมภวะและสวดสรรเสริญพระแม่ตารา

วันอังคารที่ 15 เมษายน (วันพระคุรุริมโปเช)
วิหารพระแม่ตารา บ้านมูลนิธิ ถนนรัตนาธิเบศร์ เวลา 5-7 PM

วันพุธที่ 30 เมษายน (วันฑากินี)
ห้องพระ บ้านมูลนิธิ ถนนลาดพร้าว เวลา 6.30-8.30 PM.

เราจะนั่งสมาธิถึงพระคุรุริมโปเชและพระแม่ตารา การปฏิบัติจบท้ายด้วยการสวดมนตร์เพื่อสันติภาพของโลกและการอุทิศส่วนกุศลให้สัตว์ทั้งหลายที่เวียนว่ายตายเกิดในสังสารวัฏโดยเฉพาะสัตว์ที่กำลังได้รับความทุกข์ทรมานในรูปแบบต่างๆกัน ในวันที่ 15 เราจะสวดมนตร์เป็นพิเศษให้แรงงานพม่าที่เพิ่งเสียชีวิตด้วย

Main Pillars Ritual for the Vasutara Meditation Hall

April 11, 2008 is one of the auspicious dates for conducting rituals related to the building of Dharma center. We took this great opportunity to put a treasure bag in a hole at the construction site of the Vasutara Meditation Hall. This was followed by the putting of two iron main pillars. All the workers including Prachum, the site manager, the construction owner and his wife joined me and Yontan in the prayer. It was a great moment when each one of us put blessed rice, coins, earth and stones in the hole while praying to deities, Mother Earth and generating our love and compassion to sentient beings.