Lights Offering & Marme Monlam Aspiration Puja at Borobudur
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- Published: Friday, 23 January 2009 11:27
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Vajrayana Nusantara Foundation Semarang will convene about one million light offering and marme monlam aspiration puja from March 6 to March 8, 2009 at Borobudur Temple.
In this event, during 3 (three) full days from morning to evening, one million lights will be offered along with the puja directly lead by His Eminence Zurmang Drukpa Rinpoche IV together with the monks/nuns and lay disciples from some countries.
This event is indeed initiated by His Eminence Zurmang Drukpa Rinpoche. Once during the visit to Borobudur, Rinpoche has said that Indonesian and people in the world are very fortunate to possess Borobudur. Looking at the magnificence of Borobudur and inspired by the Kagyu Monlam annually convened at Bodhgaya India, Rinpoche has the wish to hold a similar marme monlam puja at Borobudur with an offering of one million lights.
The word “Monlam” means “aspiration”. In general, Monlam means aspiration or a profound wish to bring happiness for others and at the same time enhance one’s own root of virtues, as well as dedicate the virtues for the benefits of all mother sentient beings. In the past, Sakyamuni Buddha made an aspiration to achieve Enlightenment and he offered a bowl of soup. A bowl of soup seems to be a small thing. However since he offerred it with a pure motivation with the highest aspiration to achieve Enlightenment, it’s blessing covered the whole space and benefited all mother sentient beings.
In the Sutra of “A Wall of Lotus”, it is said that any aspiration prayer made near a stupa containing one of the relics of the Buddha, will be fulfilled.
The famous Nagarjuna has said that if one makes an aspiration together with a great Bodhisattva, the result will be so strong that it will overcome any sickness and he or she will be free from natural disasters, as well as his or her bad karma will be purified.
A Glimpse of Borobudur
Borobudur, situated in Central Java, Indonesia, forty miles northwest of Yogyakarta, is one of the world’s oldest and biggest Buddhist Stupa. The monument is listed as a Unesco Word Heritage Site and one of the world’s seven wonders.
Borobudur is a Mandala symbol of 5 Buddha Families, and Borobudur is no different with Buddha’s others sacred Place in the world.
From the Agama Sutra “Buddha’s explanation to Sakyan elders regarding different karma”, it is said that light offering yields the following benefit: light to the world, perfect eyesight, heavenly eyes, wisdom to discern good and evil, annihilate darkness of ignorance, obtain wisdom of understanding, not stay in the dark, obtain great merits, reborn in heaven, obtain nirvana quickly.
The “Tantra of the wheel Chakrasambhava “ says, “To obtain the perfect siddhi, one has to offer one hundred light offerings.”
The Tibetan “Blessed Maitreya Sutra” says that those who offer one thousand light offerings will meet Maiterya Buddha in their future lives, become his students to listen to the Buddha’s first turning of the wheel of dharma.
“Sutra on Buddha’s exposition of the benefits of lights offering” says that those who offer light will accumulate boundless merits, which only the Buddha will know about, not to be known by even gods, dragons, wise men, panditas, hearers, and prayetka Buddhas.
Therefore, based on pure aspiration and motivation, may the Borobudur Monlam Puja and one million light offering bring blessings for the harmony and peace in the world including Indonesia, as well as benefit all mother sentient beings to obtain genuine and ever lasting happiness.
For further information, please contact the committee members as follows:
Jakarta | Livena Jonhson Fery Yabin |
08128541458 081310678933 08179808220 087877575138 |
Semarang | Redy Kimin |
08122868689 0811278686 |
Surabaya | Tukiman Junaidi |
0811842290 0818370568 |
Medan | Aliong Siau Ing Afang |
0816306478 0811605679 061-76511313 |
Palembang | Andy David |
08163280688 0711-364218 |
See also the borobudur monlam events schedule.
Convened by:
YAYASAN VAJRAYANA NUSANTARA
AND
COMMITTEE OF LIGHTS OFFERING & MARME-MONLAM ASPIRATION PUJA
BOROBUDUR 2009