Devotees Comments on Rinpoche's 45th Birthday

A Series of Comments from Rinpoche's Devotees, on the Events Held to Celebrate Rinpoche's 45th Birthday

- Thomas Ang -

The response was overwhelming, especially on the days where Rinpoche was giving teachings on the practice of Manjushri. The overall programmes were well co-ordinated and organised. It was a week of precious thoughts of Manjushri.

It was great to see so many of Rinpoche's disciples coming foward to render their help during the one week event. Organisers have been thoughtful to show appreciations to sponsors and volunteers.

On this day of Rinpoche's birthday, as his disciple, we hope we should always constantly be reminded to develop loving kindness,generosity and compassion for the benefits of all sentient beings, constantly doing our practice. Just like our Guru.

What I like most, I guess was "The Lights of unspoken graditude" from Rinpoche, it was very personal and touches my heart, and followed the lighting of candles.

Thomas Ang

- Grace Chock -

In recent years, it has been a great honor and privilege to be Master-of-Ceremony for Venerable Shangpa Rinpoche's birthday celebration. This year in particular, I find the celebration to be very meaningful, in that, the focus was on the practice of Manjushri. Although I played a small part in organizing a visit to The Moral Home of the Disabled in Jalan Eunos on the day of Rinpoche's birthday, it was nevertheless, an unforgettable event.

What caught sight on the night of Rinpoche's birthday was the great turnout of students, disciples and devotees. I truly felt a great joy deeply within my heart for Rinpoche, who is forever so compassionate and composed.

I was overwhelmed with joy when requested to read out Rinpoche's "Words of Unspoken Gratitude". It was such an honor. I rehearsed reading the script three times a day before the event and was very much moved by Rinpoche's warmth and sincerity. I tried my very best to read it out to the audience, although was told at the eleventh hour that the hall's lights would be switched off, and I would have to rely on the tiny lamp "on loan" from Rinpoche. Panic-stricken because I am quite "blind", I did my best. The most important factor was that everyone, I believe, was touched by Rinpoche's words. I usually do not keep any materials with me after emceeing any function, but in this particular case, I am keeping Rinpoche's script as a guide to me.

Thank you Rinpoche, for all your kindness and compassion. I pray, "May all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Gurus shower great blessings on you and May all your holy wishes be fulfilled!"

Long Live Venerable Shangpa Rinpoche!

With much metta,

Grace Chock

- Fred Ho -

"The lights of unspoken gratitude" speaks all!

In one way or another, through out our whole life, we have been always searching the most suitable words to express ourselves and that's 'Feelings'! The link/relationship between a couples/friends/family - Feelings! That's beyond any word / words to describe.

I supposed, Rinpoche has uses the methods of 'Feelings' to deliver His teachings in the darkness to us.

While listening to His message, I was thinking that the MC is so fortunate to hold this letter in her hand and how wonderful if I could own a piece of That! I didn't even know that actually this message has already passed down to each and everyone of us earlier. I only noticed that when I reached home and the letter was actually in my bag.

Once, during New Year , I received a card from KKBC . When I opened it and saw Shangpa Rinpoche's initial on it . It really feels with the Greatest Joy in my life and there shares the same feelings and joy to this Precious Letter - "The Lights Of Unspoken Gratitude".

May all sentient beings enjoy happiness and the cause of happiness.

Many Thanks and Take care,

Fred Ho

- Bro. Alec Chia Rong Teh -

I really enjoy this very night on 12 Sep 2004! This whole event is such a inspirational event. But.......... Of course it has to be during the dim lighting of the Hall when the "Mc" read the "The Lights of Unspoken Gratitude", Our Great Teacher Ven Shangpa Rinpoche really outdo himself this time! His words are so touching! One will definitely be shock that a person with no basic English grammar foundation could really wrote such inspirational speech! Well done!

He made life becomes very meaningful. In whatever you are doing - whether you are in the temple and doing prayer or if you're not able to go to the temple always to practice prayer, but your inner faith in the Buddha's teaching is there to help you to overcome any fear,delusions, ignorance,then you have no fear of whatever arises; when suffering comes, it is also a part of the practice; when happiness comes, it is also part of practice; miserable things happening are also part of the practice. So, you are protected. In every situation, you should feel happy. Why should you feel suffering? Why should you feel miserable? Because there are a lot good things even in the bad things, and sometimes, the bad and miserable things happening have so much positive qualities that even the good things are nothing. In that sense, the happiness of good practitioners is immeasurable, and cannot be described. Whatever miserable thing is happening, that state of mind is always full of joy; when good things happen, one is also full of joy. And have the courage in facing all Difficulties. I can feel that our Rinpoche have a very strong Guru-devotion! The way he treats all his Guru with such faith and devotion; faith, Let us develop this devotion and trust to our Great Teacher Ven Shangpa Rinpoche.

I will keep his words for many many life.............

With Metta

Bro. Alec Chia Rong Teh

- Jette Lauritsen and Claus Bilberg -

From an email sent from Denmark:

Dear Shangpa Rinpoche,

We wish you happy birthday and many happy returns (!) as the Americans say. I can understand from your homepage, that you have been celebrated a whole week.

Attached please find the poem I wrote for you as a "long distance present".

All the best wishes from both Claus and me.

Jette

To Shangpa Rinpoche

Life after life, day after day

tireless you work

to benefit beings the best way.

We take your advice

when you take our hearts

the blessing is strong

so we're never apart.

May you live healthy

and live long,

may the fruit of your

work be great and strong.

September 12, 2004

Jette Lauritsen

- Qwee Lan -

I give thanks to my guru and the triple gems as well as fellow varja brothers and sisters for allowing me the opportunity of being a translator and for allowing me the opportunity to share the joy and the blessings.

I know the limitations of my abilities and I know that I am hardly the ideal translator but it touches me to see the smiles of my fellow varja brothers and sisters from being inspired by Buddha Dharma.

This year's birthday celebrations for Shangpa Rinpoche started with an empowerment for the practice of manjushri and a dharma talk on this practice after which follows a week long recitation of the manjushri Mantra. The celebrations concluded with aspiration prayers and lamp offerings. The series of events inspired many Buddhists and it reinforced their confidence in the triple gems. During the week, whenever I step into the centre, I am especially conscious of the fact that Rinpoche is in a retreat upstairs, listening to the lamas reciting mantras with the lay followers, observing the attentive faces of followers listening closely to the lectures given by Rinpoche, I felt that it brought everyone closer and gave everyone a deeper understanding of the practices of Varjayana Buddhism.

On the night of the birthday celebrations, I saw the great compassion and Bodhicitta that Rinpoche has and his firm confidence in the Triple Gems when he lit the lamp offerings and made well-wishes for each and every one of us. In the darkness and in the silence, I felt like everyone was enveloped by the blessings of the Triple Gems, the teacher and the disciple became inseparable. it was a unique and wonderful experience of receiving blessings.

I give thanks in having the opportunity of celebrating Rinpoche's birthday along with everyone and I am thankful towards Vicky as well as the other vajra brothers and sisters for pulling the event off successfully. May we be able to share this joy with each and every one and may there be light and warmth in all of their hearts.

May the path of may teacher be smooth, firm and auspicious and may he benefit all mother sentient beings.

Qwee Lan

- Choon Hui Chin Amelia -

I was very glad that I went with my mum to Karma Kagyud for Shangpa Rinpoche's birthday celebration. It was a joyous occasion that many of our dharma brothers and sisters contributed their efforts to make a success. It was heartening to see such a high turnout and that everyone were in high spirits. I was thankful for the food that was generously provided by fellow dharma brothers and sisters, no doubt it helped everyone to better concentrate and participate fully in the ensuing programme.

Although there were a lot of people, majority of us managed to squeeze into the dharma hall as we all cooperated to close any gaps between us. Although we were quite packed, there was no problem distributing the candles, cups, tea and rice at the various times as everyone helped out. The two comperes were commendable as they did not have an easy task but managed to get everyone to understand clearly what to do and hosted the event smoothly. It was good that there was both English and Chinese as some of us are conversant only in one of the two languages.

The most touching event was no doubt the narration of Shangpa Rinpoche's essay when the lights were switched off. His benevolence shines through clearly and his intention to let us connect heart to heart was moving. I am sure that in most of our minds we resolved even more to help him fulfill his projects that will benefit all sentient beings. His concern for all of us was reflected even more in the manjushri pill that he prepared to give to us. His wish that we will all gain complete wisdom shines through clearly and everyone is greatly indebted by his kindness. The giving out of the manjushri pill was also an opportunity for all of us to greet him personally and wish him a very happy birthday which was an ingenious plan. I was also touched by the reaction of many of the parents present who wanted to save the pills for their children and not have it themselves. Such is the greatness of their spirits! This innate selflessness reinforces the belief that there is a Buddha in everyone of us.

The highlight of the celebration was the cutting of the birthday cake. Everyone was elated and joined in the singing and the popping of the crackers added to livening up the atmosphere. Even as the distribution of the cake went on, many of our dharma brothers and sisters were helping out in keeping the cushions and clearing the debris. One of the things that always impress me in Buddhist celebrations is how much initiative everyone shows.

All in all, my mum and I enjoyed ourselves alot and we were happy that Shangpa Rinpoche have had such a successful birthday celebration. Many thanks to Vicky from Green Tara for organizing this event and all others who helped to make it a success.

Regards,

Choon Hui Chin Amelia

- Evelyn Wong -

I cannot say in mere words how fortunate I am to have Venerable Shangpa Rinpoche as my main guru. As the Vajrayana teaching goes, "If you treat your guru as a Buddha, you will get the blessing of the Buddha". As such, Venerable Shangpa Rinpoche will always remain as a Buddha in my life.

Following Venerable Shangpa Rinpoche all these years, I could see the difficulties he had to encounter to oversee Karma Kagyud activities in South East Asia as assigned to him by Shamar Rinpoche. There are so many activities that Venerable Shangpa Rinpoche had engaged in and as his disciple, it is best to give full commitment to the guru in whatever means we can in whatever small way. If done with utmost devotion and sincerity, it will definitely bring about great joy.

It is the greatest wish of Venerable Shangpa Rinpoche that his disciples have compassion and wisdom, the very essential qualities for enlightenment. As his disciple, I understand that he does not aspire to make Buddhas much more than aspiring to make more Bodhisattvas to quickly benefit sentient beings. Every of his birthdays was special in its own way not its celebration for this guru do not actually need to celebrate birthdays....just that the day meant so much to his disciples and people around him that he in turn make it special for us to accumulate merits. This year, Manjushri week long recitation has made a mark for me to remember that the guru feels it urgent for all around him to acquire wisdom. In every of his project, I have never taken it lightly. The part of this event that touches me most is the part which he made aspiration prayers with us to the Lord Manjushri. That was the moment that was so great .... to be able to kneel down with hands clasped at the centre and say, "For the sake of the liberation of ALL SENTIENT BEINGS ...." . I have done nothing and not yet have the ability to benefit sentient beings but to be able to have the opportunity to have this pure thought for them is something so noble that no words could describe. Kneeling down for sentient beings .... making vows for them ... was such a noble act and thought that affected me so much. Futhermore, asking the lord to adorn us with the armour of patience and endurance was something so essential...so exact to speak of and every word that follows were so wonderful. That moment was the most fortunate and meaningful moment of my entire life. Though sentient beings are in trouble and always giving trouble all the time (it is understandable as we are all trapped in samsara) it is still essential and noble to care for them.

Thanks for this opportunity to share.

With warm regards.

Evelyn Wong

Details of Schedule of Events, and Special Message from Rinpoche can be found in the 'Events' section of this website.

Email : Shangpa Rinpoche