Archive for the 'Spiritual' Category

The Jade Buddha to be Completed by Early 2008

Published
by
karuna
on September 5, 2007
in Spiritual
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Download the Jade Buddha pdf flyer

The Jade Buddha Project is one of the largest and most magnificent Buddhas ever carved from gemstone-quality true jade. The Buddha, including lotus and alabaster throne will be nearly 3.5 metres (11.4 feet) tall. The Jade Buddha will be carved from the great boulder known as “Polar Pride.” It will be a wonder of the world. It will be carved by January 2008.

The Jade Buddha will be toured to major cities in Asia and Australia before being set up in The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo, Australia.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche said “It will illuminate the world and bring inconceivable peace and happiness and help prevent the destruction that is happening so much in the world, including war.”

Achievements to date:

  • Paid US$300,000 deposit on Polar Pride.
  • Shipped Polar Pride from Vancouver to Northern Thailand.
  • Completed photo study of Buddha in Mahabodhi Stupa, India.
  • Prepare 3 prototypes for review by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
  • Raised US$50,000 towards payment of year one instalment to miners (total instalment US$100,000
  • Raised over US$35,000 towards carving of Jade Buddha (total cost US$108,000).

Become a Jade Buddha Carving Benefactor

This is a unique once-in-a-life time opportunity to be part of a massive holy object for the world. We are seeking 108 Carving Benefactors to each contribute AUD$1080 (SIN$1335). Each will have their name carved into the throne of the Jade Buddha (and probably gold-leafed). These names will be part of the statue for as long as it exists.

We already have over half the Carving Benefactors. The Buddha will be carved by early 2008, so names must be finalised by December this year. We allow up to 22 characters (including spaces) for the names.

Carving Benefactors can securely donate online. Also magnificent jada mala gifts can be obtained by donors.

See details at: www.jadebuddha.org.au

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Brisbane

Published
by
karuna
on August 29, 2007
in Spiritual
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When His Holiness the Dalai Lama accepted an invitation to visit Brisbane in June, Karuna was fortunate to have the opportunity to become involved in all three events scheduled during his one day visit.

The day began with His Holiness launching Kindness Week at Australia Zoo, where he addressed 5,000 people and spoke about kindness to animals and the environment. Our wonderful Ambassador Marie-Louise Theile spoke about Karuna before His Holiness officially launched Kindness Week. It was a wonderful start to his visit to Queensland.

Our sincerest thanks go to Terri Irwin and the staff of Australia Zoo for supporting Kindness Week.

After the launch, His Holiness came to Karuna and spoke to an audience of 700 people including clients, supporters, volunteers and staff. His Holiness spoke about the importance of living a meaningful life and the impact this has on our quality of life as we face its natural conclusion.

Later, His Holiness addressed a large public audience at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where 15,000 people heard His Holiness speak about the importance of kindness and compassion in the community.

We have had some wonderful feedback from our supporters, volunteers and others who enjoyed seeing and hearing the wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Karuna is producing a DVD of His Holiness’ visit to Brisbane. While it is still a few months away from being ready, if you are interested in receiving a copy, please subscribe to receive email updates (on the right sidebar) and we will inform you when it becomes available.

The Dalai Lama in The Mandala Room

His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s Visit to Karuna

Published
by
karuna
on June 28, 2007
in Spiritual
. 0 Comments

Karuna is still basking in the joy of hosting His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Wed 13 June.

Within minutes of arriving by helicopter at nearby Flynn Oval, he was weaving his way through the volunteers and staff lining the path to welcome him, clasping hands and smiling warmly at us all. He also spoke to a number of our clients and their families who gathered in the garden to hear his advice on death and dying. Altogether seven hundred guests sat in the warm sunshine to hear his twenty minute address.

In the words of one of our guests:

“I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed my afternoon at Karuna today. It was so professionally organized and I feel so very blessed to have been in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to hear his compassionate wisdom.”

Happily, His Holiness also accepted our request to become Karuna’s Spiritual Patron.

The whole event was filmed and we will have a DVD available soon.

Heartfelt thanks to all our volunteers and staff who worked so tirelessly, both on the day and in the months leading up to the event. We could not have achieved it without you.


His Holiness and Karuna Director Yeshe Khadro.
Photo © Michelle Bowden 2007

Weekly Meditations

Published
by
karuna
on May 31, 2007
in Spiritual
. 0 Comments

Take some time out to relax and calm your mind through meditation at Karuna. Be guided through the skills necessary to develop your meditation capability and enhance the quality of your daily life. Newcomers are always welcome. Cost is by donation.

A warm welcome to Annette Norris who will be guiding the Monday Mediations. Annette is a long time Karuna volunteer and Buddhist practitioner. She has led meditation groups for many years.

Monday 4-5pm in the Mandala Room with Annette Norris.

Wednesday 10-11am in the Mani Room with Chodron.

The Golden Light Sutra

Published
by
josh
on May 9, 2007
in Spiritual
. 0 Comments

Please Recite The Golden Light Sutra For World Peace

“Anybody who wants peace in the world should read The Golden Light Sutra (Ser.ö dam.päi do wang.gyi gyälpo). This is a very important practice to stop violence and wars in the world. The Golden Light Sutra is one of the most beneficial ways to bring peace. This is something that everyone can do, no matter how busy you are, even if you can read one page a day, or a few lines and in this way continually read The Golden Light Sutra.

The holy Golden Light Sutra is the king of the sutras. It is extremely powerful and fulfills all one’s wishes, as well as bringing peace and happiness for all sentient beings, up to enlightenment. It is also extremely powerful for world peace, for your own protection and for the protection of the country and the world. Also, it has great healing power for people in the country.

For anyone who desires peace for themselves and for others this is the spiritual, or Dharma, way to bring peace that doesn’t require you to harm others, doesn’t require you to criticize others or even to demonstrate against others, yet can accomplish peace. Anyone can read this text, Buddhists and even non-Buddhists who desire world peace.

This also protects individuals and the country from what are labeled natural disasters of the wind element, fire element, earth element and water element, such as earthquakes, floods, cyclones, fires, tornadoes, etc. They are not natural because they come from causes and conditions that make dangers happen. They come from past inner negative thoughts and actions of people, and from external conditions.

The benefits of reading this sutra are immeasurable: it is said in the texts that even compared to offering precious jewels as numberless as the amount of atoms of the Pacific Ocean to numberless buddhas, reciting just a few lines of The Sutra of Golden Light creates more merit than making these immeasurable offerings to the Buddha.

Reciting this Sutra directs one’s life towards enlightenment. There is so much merit created by reciting this Sutra, everything is taken care of, one’s life becomes so easy, whatever one wishes for one receives. This is because there is unbelievable purification and one collects extensive merits. This is how one liberates numberless sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric suffering and brings them to enlightenment.

So here, I would like to make this request with my two palms together, to please recite the Sutra of Golden Light for world peace as much as you can.”

–From Lama Zopa Rinpoche