Celebrate Chinese New Year 2008 @ Thekchencholing (Singapore)

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Lunar New Year – Light Offerings

The Lunar New Year heralds the start of one of our major events for the year. This period also marks the Day of Miracles of Buddha Shakyamuni. On this day and during this fifteen day period, merit accumulated is multiplied 1,000,000 times. During this period, we provide fifteen days of light offerings and other prayers for good conditions for academic excellence and wisdom, compassion and wealth of dharma and material .

In particular the offering of lights has tremendous benefits. It is written in the Tune of Brahma Sutra Clarifying Karma that offering lights brings the following benefits:

It is said in the Sutra of Arya Maitreya that those who offer 1000 lights, or 100 blue upali flowers, or make the pinnacle of a stupa, make the holy form, will be reborn there when Maitreya Buddha shows the deed of gaining enlightenment and will receive his first dharma teaching. Offering lights in particular is a special door of dependent arising to complete the accumulation of merit and receive blessings quickly. It is said in the Second Chapter of the Root Tantra of Chakrasamvara (who is the manifestation of Lord Buddha) , “If you wish for sublime realizations, offer hundreds of lights”. People who offered light during this period would have offered an equivalent of 1 million lights per day.

The Lunar New Year period also coincides with the Tibetan New Year or Losar and the first fifteen days of the Lunar calendar also represent the fifteen days of miracles when Buddha manifested miracles to benefit those who were doubting him and also for future beings to have confidence in his teachings. The 15th day after Losar is the day of miracles or Chotrul Duchen. Prayers are recited by our Lama and sangha every day with special dedication for everyone who has offered lights and also to benefit all sentient beings.

The Days of Miracles
When Shakyamuni Buddha was 40 years old, 6 great Hindu teachers , who represented the 6 schools of Hinduism that existed at the time, challenged the Buddha to a competition. It was a common practice at that time that the great kings and noble families sponsored the teachers who could perform feats. Buddha accepted the challenge knowing that many would be benefited and achieve the state of arhatship (liberation) and people of the future would be inspired to practice as a result of his demonstration.

First Day - Buddha held a toothpick, put it on the ground and it turned into a wish fulfilling tree. It was decorated with jewels

Second Day - Buddha manifested two wish fulfilling jewels.

Third Day – The king offered to wash the Buddha's feet. The water from this became a pool with the eight special qualities of water. Whoever drank or touched it was healed of diseases and mental ailments.

Fourth Day - Buddha caused a rain which completely filled up the eight great canals.

Fifth Day - Buddha emitted golden light from His mouth and people could see the beings of the six realms being liberated.

Sixth day - Buddha transformed the energy of the audience and everyone became clairvoyant and knew each others' minds.

Seventh day - Buddha manifested as the greatly virtuous Wheel Turning King and many people were converted to Buddhism. Up to that time the Hindu teachers had not shown any feats of any capability

Eighth day - Gods from Indra's palace served the Buddha and made offerings to Him. His opponents fled in fear as tornados appeared as did wrathful deities. For the next seven days Buddha showed miracles without competition.

Ninth day - Buddha grew His body until the Brahma Realm came under His chin.

Tenth day - Buddha's body grew to the top of Akanishta.

Eleventh day - Buddha was not visible but the sound of His voice was heard everywhere.

Twelfth day- Rays of light from the Buddha's body emanated to and pervaded all of samsara and inspired the generation of loving kindness in all beings' heart.

Thirteenth day - Buddha manifested light from the spot between His eyebrows which filled the entire space with millions of Buddhas, all of whom taught the Dharma simultaneously to all beings in the six realms.

Fourteenth day - Flowers that were offered to the Buddha by the gods filled all of space and on each flower was a Buddha manifesting the activity of teaching and explaining Dharma.

Fifteenth day - Buddha gave the energy so that all beings could see all the six realms. Many people converted to Buddhism after seeing the lower realms with their own eyes.