Buddhism and Taoism ? Are you confused?

Recently, a temple disciple asked me a question, he said his friend ask him 'You guys are a Taoist Temple, how come there is Buddhist rituals and also Tibetan Buddhist rituals during your Animal Liberation activities ?'

Many who are not familiar with either religion, Taoist and Buddhist will always take a separatist stand or view. It is like a choosing a political view, its either you are right or left. Some un- informed Buddhist with 'Divine Child Syndrome' or what we call 'I am better than thou' attitude will view that Taoist is lower and Buddhist is higher. Some un-informed Taoist will have renegade attitude and think that Taoist Deities are closer and grant our every request more easily.

Both views are mistaken.

Highest Taoist Cultivation is 大罗金仙 Da Luo Jin Xian, a state where you will surpass death and re-birth, the ability to manipulate your body 5 Elements and transform it into light and therefore one with the Dao 道.

This stage of cultivation is also known as Full Rainbow Body in Vajrayana. Which means when the person dies, his (it can be a she also) body turns into white light and glow of rainbow surrounds him, after which the physical body dissappear and only clothes and some parts of nail will remain. It is a manifestation that the cultivator have reached enlightment.

As you can see, the end goal of cultivators is the same for Taoism and also Buddhism. To surpass death and rebirth – samsara. But before we go too far and high up on our standards we must know how to gather merits to be able reach it. Without merits, nothing can be accomplished !

Many do not even know how to differentiate between karma and merit, but they are quick to jump on others when they see what they think is a mix and match. Below is my explanation to the Taoist Disciple.

From a Buddhism perspective, our Taoist Deities are our Protector 护法 in our cultivation in reaching Enlightment, Animal Liberation is a way for us to gather Merit (公德）or on a lower level Good Karma （福报）. During our Animal Liberation, we are doing 2 process at 1 go.

1. Name that have been written on the Biao Wen 表文list is being burn (submitted) to KDS Deities, to gather good karma for those people that have join the animal liberation.

2.At the same time, we chant Namgyalma mantra (Zhun Sheng Fo Mu) on the water and spray to the animal in hope that they obtain better rebirth in their next life - that is according to Buddhism - also we chant for mantras during our circumbulation - is to invite Buddhas and Boddhisatvas to grant their blessings to those fishes also in hope that they will obtain better rebirth.

If we just do the Taoist section, then all of us would only obtain good karma. That is also presuming you have a good request in your heart - better health, good relationship, good finance etc. If the person who went for animal liberation but inside their heart they request for bad luck on their enemies, sickness on the people they don't like, then in fact they will obtain a bad karma by requesting such action from Taoist Deities.

Karma affects everyone and all beings in any dimension.

Good karma can be use up. That is why it is consider a lower level good deed.

Our rebirth as human is also due to the balance of good and bad karma that we have gather in our many lifetimes in samsara. Changes of our luck also indicates, when our Good or Bad Karma will ripen. When the good ripen, we experience as good childhood, high study, good job, loyal spouse enter into a profitable business. When the bad karma ripens, we experience sickness, bad living conditions, failure of business, failure of marriage, Bad children etc.

Good and Bad Karma are constantly ripening, while we are also constantly creating them whether consciously or unconsciously. However good karma will not ensure that your next rebirth will be human or higher realms in samsara such as Deities etc. Only gathering of merits will ensure that you have a good rebirth in your next life. Therefore good karma is only very small compare to merits.

How do we distinguish good karma and merit? It is in your intention of your action.

1.When you do something for the benefit of yourself only - meaning better job, more money in life, successful business - and your intention is to benefit self - then your are USING UP your good karma.

2. When you do something good and HOPE that you can become better in your life situation or obtain something to benefit yourself - then you are creating only good karma for yourself and it is used up once you see improvement.

3. When you do something good, without any thought of self and purely in the hope that others will benefit THEN ONLY YOU ARE CREATING MERIT.

Why merit? Merit cannot be used up and it will follow you in your every rebirth until you achieve enlightment, Merit will constantly produce good karma in your every rebirth to help you in reaching enlightment. By being in KDS is also the result of your previous accumulated merit in your past lives to be able to be here as group to do something useful to benefit others.

While those new members that come to temple, we hope that they can create as much good karma as possible, when they see their life improve then they will start to accept in karma and merits and gather good merits instead.

While a person can create many many good karma, and in this lifetime they experience all the good karma and good conditions in life. However there is no guarantee their next life will experience the same comfort.

Can the same action produce either karma or merit? YES.

For example, when people come to join our animal liberation - if the intention of the organizer is to gather merit, even if those people who come and have request to obtain something, meaning they will only have good karma, it will also turn into merit. This is because the organization that is doing it is doing it CORRECTLY, therefore they have a higher benefit.

If KDS is built up for personal gains or personal intention, then whatever that is done will only gather good karma and not merits. Because the start is already due to personal gain.
If KDS is built up based on the sole purpose to benefit others and more people, then the whole organization is constantly gathering merits to benefit its member.

Then the next question is - When you are in the KDS contributing, are you thinking for the benefit of yourself or in hope that it can benefit others? Then that will also determine your presence in KDS is for exchange of good karma or to gather merit.
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Rest assured for those who frequent Kam Dong San Temple. I am not half baked cultivator who are filling in the activity when there is a gap. As a Taoist, I have the full lineage of 六壬伏英館 up to 五雷教 and also lineage 風火院. In my sworn oath into Tao Fa 道法, there will be no money requested and earn on personal basis in performing any Taoist rituals or help. In Vajrayana, I have kept and keeping full samaya with my teachers and lamas.

We are only helping you gain more merit in a single action....that however will depend on your karma and merit to join us in our activity! 大顯威靈. Om Mani Padme Hung !

Power of the Golden Fan 金扇的奥秘

This article is written without any intention to promote or condone any gambling activities. The author only wishes to share the spiritual experience of his student and disciple. Any form of gambling activities will involve risk of losing money, which most of the time is the inevitable fact!

Our temple had our 1st Quarter Committee meeting last night. After the meeting, when there are few people left clearing up the place, James (a temple disciple) shared with us his experience in Genting Highlands during Chinese New Year.

He said on the 9th day of Chinese New Year, he and his wife was in Genting Casino for some casual game. After entered the casino for a short time, he said he has already lost about RM1500. So he suggested to his wife that they go and have something to eat and then come back. When they came back, he had only RM170 left in his credit. He said, if he lose this amount he will called it quits. He went for the nearest jackpot, again he lost some money. Then his wife said to him "its not that you don't know how to play, it's that you can't win". Then she took the small Golden Fan out from her purse and started fanning him. James did not realize that she fan him with the fan until he turn his back and saw her action. Quickly he asked her to keep the fan back in her purse for fear of appearing funny and attracting attention .

Where did James got the fan? In the move for our temple to acquire donation for our electricity bill for the year 2012. Under the permission of all deities especially God of Wealth Zhao Gong Ming 金龍如意龍虎玄壇趙公明元帥, we have issued out 4 Golden Fans with talisman of 5 Directional Wealth Deities on the 5th day of Chinese New Year. James was one of the person who donated RM888 for the temple electricity bill and thus as a recipient of the golden fan for his generosity.

五路財神金法扇 5 Direction Wealth Marshall Golden Fan.

Anyway, back to his story. After that action by his wife, he went on to play another jackpot with whatever amount he had. On the 3rd spin of the jackpot, he won RM2500+. He went on to play the dice, he bet on 123, it came out 123. He then move to play other games, all the games he played he won. He said at the end of the round, he won back his RM1500 plus another RM5000. On his way out of the casino he went back to the slot machine that he lost RM350, he told himself " I don't believe I cannot get any money from this machine." Again one spin, he got back his RM350. Then he said both of them left happily.

Coincidence? How do we explain this from a spiritual perspective? Well when his wife fan him with the talisman, it will definitely and instantly invoke the energies of the deities. That would clear out any bad energy that is stuck to his body and clear his thought for that moment. In a traditional sense, we call it raising his luck. 

Will everyone who receive the Golden Fan be able to win money in the casino? I don't think so. Whatever blessings that they receive from the talisman is dependent on the deities. But 1 out of 4 fans, our track record can be considered impressive :)  However one thing is for sure, whatever generosity that is received by the temple, I am very sure that our temple deities would not short change our sponsors in blessings.

Mystical Power of Wood

In any practice of sorcery or magic, the use of right raw ingredients are utmost important. Lack of even a single ingredient can sometime cause the intended effect to fail. Raw ingredient on most cases reflect the natural characteristics of the intended effect plan by the practitioner.

 For example in types of wood used, there are practically hundreds of variety with different type of effect. Effect means that how the particular ingredient, in this case a type of wood will cause the energy change or aura change to the person. Some wood in their natural environment will cause wild animals to fear it's smell. Some will cause other plants/trees to grow in a particular manner when it's species is growing in the area. The list can go on and on.

 One of the simple way to use harness the effect of this wood on a person is to have them wear it on their body. The wood's natural energy print will cause changes in the person's aura. Aura and energy prints are pick up by our unconscious mind. Energy prints or aura on most cases are not visible to the naked eye unless the person is trained or have a tendency to differentiate subtle colors through their eyes.

Agarwood beads bangle and other woods to be combine.

 For my Agarwood 沉香 bead bangle, I am adding the White Wood of Submission, the Red Wood of Submission, Yellow Wood of Submission and also what is called the King of Wood. It is said that when the tree of Wood of Submission grows in a particular area, all the trees in the area would grow in a bowing shape towards the tree. King of Wood, is mainly use for healing. The wood when it is burn, will produce a smell which is unfavorable to spirit entities and also wild animals.

Why Agarwood beads bangle? Agarwood have been long favored by meditators. Prices of old Agarwood can go up to hundreds of thousands per kilogram. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agarwood. Why do meditators like the smell of agarwood? Well according to high cultivators, when they reach a certain deep stage of meditation, their nose will pick up a sense of aroma fragrance. When they are awake, they search for the closest smell of this fragrance to remind them of that state of meditation. Agarwood is the only wood that has the closest smell to what they have experienced.

Holes that are drilled and will be added the other woods into it.

Completed add-on

 I will write more on the usage of different types of wood in my future postings. This serves as a preview :). I have also used wood with natural characteritics of warding wild animals and add it with Taoist talisman to serve as a wand for making spiritual demarcation lines at any given place. That is of course in future postings.

I can see Boddhisatvas and Angels......

Many in cultivation wish to see higher beings such as boddhisatvas, deities and Buddhas. Some would like to be touched by angels, know that there is a higher form of power or the existence of real unconditional love towards them or among human beings.

Actually for many of us, we do not need to have high cultivation to recognize a Boddhisatva or Angels in our human realm. They are everywhere, if only we search and see with our eye unconditionally and free of judgement. This video highlights one of them.

Rejoice ! To be able to witness such unconditional love in action. Definitely all of us can learn a thing or two from him.

Centipede Pearl 蜈蚣珠

Centipede pearl size in comparison to a grain of rice

 I have finally added a pair of centipede pearl into my collection among many other mystical stuff ;). This pair of genuine centipede pearl came into my collection through a very experienced and knowledgeable source of centipede pearls. Since I have promised him that I will write about these pearls, after I have confirmed that they are genuine.

So what are centipede pearls? Centipede pearls are fossil like pearls that are form on either the crown of the centipede, at the tail of the centipede or at the mouth of the centipede. The micro bite marks usually can be seen on genuine pearls. Why do I stress on genuine? Because on the internet and world at large, there is a lot people selling fake glass, silica grain and even rock and claim it to be centipede pearls.

Why do people look for these pearls? Well it is claim that when the pearls are able to help the owner with good luck and in particular luck that involves risk ventures for example gambling. Because of the centipede swift action in nature, it is also deem to have the characteristics of swift clutch on opportunities that arise for the owner. Some traditional practitioners will use centipede pearls to aid in treating many different ailments and sickness. 

However long time legend has it that owner of crown centipede pearls would have the ability to see through walls/barriers or will be grant the ability to have deep instinctive abilities in any situation. Seeing through walls? I think we can pretty much do that with modern x-ray and infra-red machines. To develop deep instinctive abilities, you can do that too without centipede pearls - all you need to do is to hone your skills in meditation. Those abilities that I have mentioned are actually reserved for those who cultivate on these abilities. The centipede pearls will be use as a medium to enhance their ability. If you cannot even differentiate between being awake and relax, then no pearl can help you on training for these abilities.

How do I distinguish genuine from fakes?

1. Genuine pearls when you put them on your palm and close it gently, you will feel a throbbing sensation on your palm. Some with stronger energy vibrations would enable the person to feel the energy creeping or crawling up on their arms. 

2. Genuine pearls, if being taken care after some time, the pearl would turn into even deeper red tone and hence the energy vibration would be even stronger.

3. Size. Even centipede that have grown in big size in deep jungles, would not have pearls that are as big as some small rock. IF the size is able to reach the size of a single rice grain, then it is considered very big.

No editing of colors was done on this photo.

What do I feel when I hold this pair of pearls?

1. I do feel my palm throbbing when I place it on my palms after about 2 minutes.

2. There is also a method that is taught to me by a close friend. If you hold these pearls on certain fingers and try to turn your elbow as a form of pressure, you would discover that your elbow would be very difficult to bend. I did felt this when I tested these pearls.

I have received it last week and when I took photo for this article, I find that one of the pearls seem to got bigger a bit since last week. Here are the photo. of when I received it last week and posted on Facebook for my friends viewing

Red in colour are centipede pearls, Yellow one is a VITAMIN E for size comparison

So what do I do with these pearls? Since I don't gamble, because it was part of the prime directives that was given to me when I  initiated in Taoism. I just keep it in my collection and whenever I chant mantra such as The Great Compassionate Dharani 大悲咒, I will either dedicate or blow on it. The grew in size, could very well meant that its the right thing to do.

These pearls are best kept long term in the dark, due to the nature of centipedes. I have an instinct that they like to be kept in a gourd. Therefore the pearls are each place in a glass container, tied to a red string and suspended within the gourd. They will be place on my Taoist work table.

The purpose of this write up to give the readers a chance to view and recognize GENUINE centipede pearls. These are hard to come by and the price is high as well.

The Strike of LightningWood

Recently when I was in Hong Kong on a yearly meeting with my Feng Shui master, I received a call from Eric. When I called him back on the next morning (Wednesday), he told me a friend from his previous work place suspects that his sister is possessed. Eric did ask his friend, before the incident where did his sister went and what did she do? And the information that was relayed to Eric was she went to a funeral and after returning home on Sunday evening - she will cry and laugh on her own for no apparent reason.

Image from http://www.theofantastique.com/

Eric already told his friend J, to use the Shi Gong Fan to fan the possessed lady. J is also a temple member and disciple, which was given a Taoist fan on Chao Yuan Zhu Shi 潮源祖師 Celebration last year. However J and his friend was reluctant to do it, because they are worried something might go wrong.

One of the Taoist Fan in Kam Dong San

Eric also suggested to them that why not use the Lightningwood (wood taken from trees that are struck by lightning) and place it on her head. Logically that would be able to drive any minor to medium spirit that have just resided in the person. Anyhow they did not do it.

Thursday morning, Eric gave me a call and told me that everything is back to normal and the person will not be coming up to temple. The details of how it was settled was the brother of the lady who was possessed went to a few temples to ask for help, and was given talisman to ingest among other things. But his sister still repeat the action of laughing and crying for no reason.

Lightning Stroke TEAK Wood

After everything was done as he was almost running out of help, he decided to try what Eric has advised. He place a Lightningwood in her sister's pocket, the lightning wood was inscribed with some protective 花字 (Taoist spell symbols). Instantaneously she recovered and is alert of her surrounding. Eric's friend was very relief that his sister recovered, even though initially he doubted whether 1 just piece of wood would be able to help his sister.


Upon further conversation, they told Eric that before she went to the funeral, that very same day she went to a Taoist temple to request for invitation of deity into her body 請師父. This process is somewhat popular, in which certain temple do offer to invite Taoist deity as the person's protector. It is what we would called the 3rd Generation Trance Medium. In which the high level spirit will come close to the cultivator and aid them in whatever questions or problems they have dealing with the spiritual world.

Every process does have its inherent risk. For the lady that was possessed, most likely she went to a temple that did not invite deities into her body instead they could have invited something else into her. Therefore if someone who really wants to cultivate as medium or invite of deity into their body, first they have to know very clearly what is the reason for them in doing so - having the wrong reason is sometime enough to drive you over the edge.

Why did the lightningwood worked? Whenever there is lightning strike in nature, all animals run for cover. It is also a popular belief that when a lightning strike something on the ground, it means that the area have some bad spirits or demon, and heaven just send some bolt shock to take care of it. Imagine a thunderbolt can reach up to 100M Volts - that strike alone would be able to turn ANY spirits into smithereens! Therefore the tree that was stricken by lightning, it's wood would have the strong imprint of the Yang energy. Which is the perfect raw material to use in exorcism.

8 Ways to Increase your luck for the Dragon Year

Chinese New Year is very near and everyone is talking about how to increase their luck 升運 or 開運. I am will keep it short and straight to the point. Here are 8 ways to increase your luck for the coming Dragon Year.

1. Charity. Most of the time when a person tries to increase their luck through spiritual means, they will encounter obstacles or difficult to complete the required practice. This has to do with the person's individual merit in their destiny. Just like borrowing from a bank, everyone has their credit rating. If you don't consistently increase your merits, you will definitely encounter no result when you try to achieve it through spiritual means. Charity of any kind is a good start to increase your luck, once you increase your capacity for good luck, it will be easier to ask for divine intervention!
   
   
2. Increase of luck can also be done through REQUEST with specific Deities in Taoism. Base on your Chinese Zodiac sign, there is a specific deities within the Taoist pantheon that is responsible to 'look after' you for this particular year. Therefore you have to ask in the right places. Below are the list on which Taoist Deity to request for an increase in luck for Dragon Year.
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Sponsor a Buddhist or Taoist statue in temple. Sponsoring of statue in temple is like a fixed deposit that keeps on growing. Because as long as the statue is in the temple, and it is benefiting others through its image or inherent spiritual energy, parts of the merits will go to you. Sponsoring of big statues are difficult because not everyone has the first hand information in order for you to contribute your share. Therefore sponsoring even a small statue that will be place in a temple is a good way to keep the flow of good luck to you.
   
   
4. Feng Shui ready your house and office. Living and working in harmony with the surrounding energy of your home and office is one way to increase your luck. Using the environment energy to suit your own destiny make up is like a plane flying with a strong tail wind, you will arrive at whatever goals you set much faster, easier and effortless.
   
   
5. Before knowing how to live in harmony with your environment, you must first able to know what are your own personal cycles and timing. Check your Destiny through a good analyst, find when you should go all the way, and when to just lay low is winning more than half of the game in your individual destiny.
   
   
6. This method is long and tedious for some, but it works. Chant specific Buddhist mantra in thousands or millions – it will definitely help eliminate your past baggage of bad merits.
   
   
   For Ways 7-8, I will talk on short term boost that you will see in the shortest time possible. 
   
   
7. 
   Take a Flower Shower! :) Buy 7 or 9 types of flowers, the flower itself must not have torns and Lily is a MUST in your flower grouping. Theory of the Flower Shower is simple, flowers are Yang and vibrant energy, shower with it and it will wash away any 'foggy' energy that you have stuck in your own energy field. If you are really foggy, best is to add some Epsom salt into the mix. Both of this will definitely cleanse and recharge your own energy field.
   
   
8. During Chinese New Year, on the first day – travel to a favorable Qi spot base on 奇門遁甲 – harness the energy of that bi-hour then you are set for the following week. For this year, on the first day of Chinese New Year from 9am – 11am you can travel to a NORTH location from your house for your Chinese Year visit. This will gather a boost of Qi for yourself in that week.
   
   
   Have a great and prosperous Chinese New Year. 新年快樂！