Finding the Perfect Cup for Cultivation

A lot of people that I have came across, often told me they would like to spend more time doing cultivation either meditation, practice of dharma, learning of dharma or even just have more spare time to attend Taoist events at the temple.

Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. Each of us choose to spend the 24 hours differently. Why? Because each person's value is different. What you value as important will be very different from the next person. Whatever you value that's where you put your time into it.

That's not all. Then comes the set of conditions in which we want to put time into it. I call it finding the perfect cup.

Some I have met, told me they will be able to do dharma only when they have more time when they retire, until then they choose to put cultivation aside. Some told me when their children grows up, then they will have the time to cultivate. There are also some that told me when they have enough money, then they will have time to cultivate. And the reasons are as much as the individuals, such as having the perfect space for altar, less distraction in work then only they can focus, when they have not so busy schedule then they will do it.

This is all about finding the PERFECT cup for cultivation. Then for some TIME is not one of the conditions for the cup, the type of temple, the type of lineage, they type of people, they type of activities and so on.

When a person highlight all those factors, it is about finding the PERFECT cup. However the biggest important factor is the water that will be in the cup. Because when you are thirsty or almost dehydrated, you don't go looking for the perfect cup, you just need a container. The liquid or water is the important factor for your survival spiritually. A lot of people miss the water for the cup.

A perfect teacher, a perfect lineage, a perfect temple, a perfect deity, having ample time, the right group of practitioners and more. All these are still just the cup, you need to drink the liquid, survive spiritually then worry about the design and type of cup.

The saddest part are too many people die of dehydration looking for the cup while the water was in front of them all along.  In samsara, time moves without our realization, some of us can remember our childhood so vividly as if it was yesterday, while a look in the mirror or at our children, instantly it will dawn on us that so much of our life have pass by. Illusions are moving on and very soon a different dream will take over. Have you drank? Or are you still looking for the perfect cup?

Secret of How to Fill Up Your Merit Tank to Request Effectively for What You Want.

Chinese New Year is just a stone throw away. Everybody is hoping a beginning of a new year will bring about improvements and also better change for current situation in all parts of our life.

What are the driving force for better changes in a person's life spiritually? What are the crucial factors that boost up your already good luck or decrease your bad luck tremendously?

Spiritually where did money, good relationship, good health and also good luck manifest itself? What is the source?

The source is ............. merit and specifically charitable merits. Things, money and action that you have given out generously in the past (this life and many lifetimes ago), those are the very things and factors that keep coming back as the good stuff you enjoy and experience in this life. The universe and karma never forgets, our continous and endless mind/soul do not forget, we may have change body but the mind/soul still remembers the affinity.

Without charitable merits, life of hardship is the reward. With too much charitable merits, the punishment is not enough time to enjoy it all :)

How to fill up your merit tank for this coming year? Donate, donate and donate. How to donate effectively and what to donate?

Spiritually, the best thing to donate is for building of a temple. Temple is a place where people gather to do only good actions, to affect other people in a positive way and also a place where people gather merits.

Then what type of temple you should donate? Well you should donate to a temple that is close to your community. It is the place then for you to establish the connection and also positive affinity with those who are close to you. People whom you will have a higher chance to bum into. Why is that? A simple bum of shoulders in a crowded place requires 5 lifetimes of affinity. Imagine if you have sponsored on a cause that can benefit people whom already have possible affinities with you?

Since we solved the location on where to donate, second factor that comes in to consideration is the temple actively generating positive vibes in the community or is it once in a blue moon type of schedule. This is money for value of merits -  for those of you who are expert in cost/value ratio. A place that constantly have positive activities for the community, affecting the community, generating more affinity with the public, these are the places that you should help them expand. Because each person that they in turn help or affect for the better, you will also share the merits.

Kam Dong San Temple, Penang has launch its temple building initiative last year June http://www.facebook.com/kdspg . It is also the temple where I contribute and volunteer my time for the past 10 years. Some of our milestones

1. Hosting Dharma activity for esteemed Rinpoches and helped more than 100 people taken refuge in Buddhadharma.

2. Collectively dedicated more than 7,000,000 mantras

3. Released more than 100,000 lives and continue to do so every month non-stop for the past 5 years

4. Distributed more than 5000 vegetarian dinners meals to surrounding community.

5. Hosted more than 100 Celebrations for various deities in Kam Dong San.

6. Started yearly distribution of 1000 bags of rice to local 1000 needy families.

There is at least 50 activities in a year for Kam Dong San Temple. https://www.facebook.com/kdspg/photos_stream

Our temple building project is called Square Feet for Boundless Merits.

Each square foot for our temple building would cost about RM888 (about USD202 at current rate) which includes all fixtures and fittings. A person can donate 1 square foot each month, or 1 square foot a year. Donors can also opt to donate for a temple pillar which is the cost of 20 square feet x rm888 = RM17,760. There are many options to refill up your merit tank in your contribution for the manifestation of Kam Dong San Temple Building.

Donor of each square foot would be entitle to have their name listed on the specific hall that they have donated. Some hall require at least 2 square feet to have the name of donor engraved.

How and what to do when I donate? Should I just donate and forget about it? This is what the whole purpose of this article. The secret to fill up your merit tank and request effectively for what you want. Between what you request (logical request ok, not I want to be an astronaut when you cannot even handle the roller coaster ride) and its manifestation, there is a gap. That gap is usually due to lack of merit. If you have the merit, then you would have gotten it. There will be no request in the first place.

I have many people that comes to me with their problems, and ask me spiritually what they can do. Because they have exhausted or have done all the things possible on their side but still they cannot manifest it. For example, someone wants to sell of a luxury piece of property and cash out. They have tried all the ads, all the agents all the required commission but still they cannot connect to someone who is willing to buy their property. What is lacking here? Merits. The merit to have that high amount of cash in their hand from the sale of their property.

Then comes the part where people try to bypass the system of merit. They will think, okay I will make a promise to donate to the temple cause when I can sell off my property. That is the mistaken thought. The very reason the person is unable to sell their property is the lack of merit. So how can it be possible to sell it then later only donate a small fraction from the amount you received to temple building project. It is a the case of I will believe it when I see it. 

YOU WILL SEE IT WHEN YOU HAVE THE MERITS.

Taoist Deities cannot and unable to help the person connect to the buyer even though they may be very earnest in their request. Why? Because their merit tank is empty. The credit line is finished. Overdraft is max out.

Either to request for smooth luck, request for getting rid of petty people in your life, more work and career opportunities, good relationship, finding a good partner, avoiding dangerous situations - all these and more required a person to fill up their merit tank BEFORE and not AFTER it happened.

That is the SECRET. Finally, if you request for USD1 million property to be sold off, please do not donate 1 square foot and expect that it is enough merit to request that deities and heavenly marshall can help you. At least 3% or more merits need to be filled up before there is even any chance of manifestation!

For any donation, do contact Bro Fa Hong who is the admin for the temple at  +6011-1657 1418.

Do you know what's Inside the Statue?

Yesterday was doing Feng Shui audit at temple members home. It was the first time I have visited their home.

After looking through their home layout and advise them on the necessary changes, I notice that the home altar, the energy level was not very broad. Usually for a Taoist altar, that has consistent incense offering and prayers, the perimeters of the altar energy that can be felt would usually be at least 2 -3 feet from the altar.

Some who has absolute faith in their Taoist Deity and with consistent prayers, the perimeter could be as wide and expansive as the entire living room.

For their case however, I was quite curious because the energy field is narrow and not expansive. The altar has 3 statues on it. 1 of the statue was consecrated in our temple 2 years ago and taken back to their home.

The remaining 2 statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva was later added onto the altar. Because they are temple members, I then would have a look at their altar table and the conditions.

I went into meditative stabilization, and discovered that only the Deity that was consecrated by our temple has an energy presence. The other 2 statues has no presence at all. Due to this, I have decide to reconsecrate the 2 statues and also clear up the energy field of the altar with Tao Fa.

As both remaining statue is of Buddha and Bodhisattva, one is unable to consecrate it, just to cleanse and seal the statues energetically. Any form of Buddhist statue would require a 'clean' statue in order to invite the Buddha and Bodhisattva energy later on. After that was done, and also given them some advice to move the altar away from a beam on top, so that the energy field can expand further.

The interesting part of this story happen around 7am this morning. I was asleep, and in my dreams there are 2 visitors. One is dressed traditionally in Buddhist robes and the other was in lady form. In my dream, I was awake - meaning a lucid dream. I asked the guy in the Buddhist robe what did he wanted, and as I approach, I have an instinct to request and open up our Taoist protection mantra. Immediately the guy in the buddhist robe, his image change statically, just like tv with bad reception and changes a few times. Finally in my dream I was able to catch hold of his neck, push him to the ground and his shape change into somewhat like a goblin. 

I was alone in my dream, so I had to use my left foot to step on 'its' neck and warn the other in lady form to scram or I will use Tao Fa to rip her energy field. The other one left immediately and the one on my feet was released as well. After which an old man appear, was quite hunch back and wearing traditional earth god robes, in my dream I tried to look carefully on whether this one will change shape as well. However after close inspection, he looks ok, no static change and I asked him are you the house deity and he nodded. Immediately I was awake after that.

I did not make the correlation of the dream and my clients' altar until about lunch time. Initially I could not make out the sign and similarity. My clients' house also have an earth deity, however I did not do any consecration or cleanse as I do not see a need to do so.

Word of advice, any forms of statues that you wish to put on an altar, make sure it is properly consecrated. Many people believe that Buddha statues or Bodhisattva statues does not need any consecration. That is far from the truth. It may look the same, but inside may housing a total different entity.