Can you join us in prayers/positive energy/healing/co-operative think-tanks  for rain on our continent, nice steady gentle downpours that will soak the soil and fill the dams and enable the crops to grow?

May all politicians, scientists, farmers co operate and negotiate in a fair and just way to all involved in sharing the limited water resources we have on this continent.

May Australia take responsibility for our contributions to the pollution of the atmosphere, and may we come up with creative solutions to our needs for energy that do not hurt the planet as much and protect our neighbouring countries.

Cheers,

Merril

[That's it from me tonight.   When it rains, it pours.  Cheeky grin. I hope my verbal diarhoea tonight has been of some benefit to someone somewhere on the planet!  Smiling warmly.  Smiling wryly at myself!]

what YOUR HEART is Saying...

MY BROTHER's & SISTERS HEART...

"We think that good is hating what is bad.

What is bad is the hating mind itself."

—Bon Kai (Buddhist monk)

There is plenty to find offense in the behavior of fearful men - regardless of the religion they profess to, or what millenia they hail from. The awesome thing about Jesus the Christ, a relationship with him does not depend on a religion... that much love, can't be chained to any institution of believers.

**

    Thanks Holly R.

GAIA's HEART...

CONNECTED TO OUR MOTHER

If you understand Nature,
The deer will eat from your hand.
The sun makes the plants,
Animals eat the plants,
The humans eat the animals,
and Earth needs the humans to take care of it.
So you see, as you stare
into the endless sky,
we live from our Mother Gaia's birth,
and if you understand Nature,
The deer will eat from your hand.
And we all, plants, animals, humans,
are children of the Earth.

- Maria Domeier,gr. 5, Red Wing, MN -



Ana

With the Fall Season well underway in the Land of OZ, I hope and pray that you have received and continue to receive all the Rain that you need in these times. Please continue to work for solutions to Global Warming and other environmental impacts that we creatures called Humankind have helped and harmed into being since our rampant Industrialization and Population Boom problems have expanded into the situations that our Mother Gaia is experiencing in our tumultuous times. With the onset of PEAK OIL which occured in the United States in 1970-71 and now prevalent in most countries of the world, which will lead to more WARS such as the United States has fommented in the Middle East, each and every one of us has a Universal Responsibility to do all that we can, individually and collectively to embrace our planet and its peoples with more intelligence, love, unterstanding and forthright action. I pray with all my heart that we can save our planet for future generations. Our critical path is at least well understood. Study & Practice & Educate all children and adults in our world.

Sapan Rinpoche

 [ send green star]

Prayers for rain afford such a common illustration of the relation of Buddhism to the life of the peasant that a detailed presentation of such a service may be of seal value.

During a prolonged drought in some district of China, when the heat opens gaping cracks in the fields and the grain is drying up, the populace may visit their highest official and apprise him of the dire situation. He often forbids the slaughter of all animals for three days and, in case rain has not thereby come, he goes in person or sends a deputy to the nearest monastery to direct the monks to pray for rain.

(a) The Altar.–On such an occasion the great hall of the Law may be used for the ceremony. Quite often a special altar is erected in an enclosure near the monastery on a platform one foot high and twenty-five feet on each side, overspread by a tent of green cloth. In the center seats are arranged for the presiding monk and his assistants. On each of the four sides of the altar is placed an image of the Dragon King who is supposed to control the rain. If an image is not obtainable a piece of paper inscribed with the name of the dragon may be used. Flowers, fruits and incense are spread before the images. On the doors of the tent are painted dragons with clouds. The tent and altar are green and the monks wear green garments, because green belongs to the spring and suggests rain. For this ceremony the monks prepare themselves by abstinence and cleansing. The presiding monk is one of high moral character and religious fervor. While some monks recite appropriate sutras, two others look after the offerings, the incense, and the sprinkling of water during the ceremony to suggest the coming of rain. The services continue day and night, being conducted by groups of monks in succession.

(b) The Prayer Service.–The ceremonial is opened by a chant as follows:

“Pearly dew of the jade heavens, golden waves of Buddha’s ocean, scatter the lotus flowers on a thousand thousand worlds of suffering, that the heart of mercy may wash away great calamity, that a drop may become a flood, that a drop may purify mountains and rivers.

“We put our trust in the Bodhisattvas and Mahâsattvas that purify the earth.”

The chant ended, a monk takes a bowl of water and repeats thrice: “We put our trust in the great merciful Kuan Yin Bodhisattva.” Then follows the chant:

“The Bodhisattva’s sweet dew of the willow is able to make one drop spread over the ten directions. It washes away the rank odors and dirt. It keeps the altars clean and pure. The mysterious words of the doctrine will be reverently repeated.”

This chant ended, the monks intone incantations of Kuan Yin, quite unintelligible even to them, but of magical value. While these are being uttered, the presiding monk and his attendants walk around the altar, while one of them with a branch sprinkles water on the floor. This symbolizes the cleansing of the altar and of the monks from all impurities which might render the ritual ineffective. When the perambulating monks have returned to their place, while the sprinkler continues his duties, the monks repeat the words: “We put our trust in the sweet dew kings, Bodhisattvas and Mahâsattvas.”

The Bodhisattvas have now come to the purified altar and while the abbot offers incense to them, the monks repeat the words:

“The fields are destroyed so that they resemble the back of a tortoise. The demons of drought produce calamity. The dark people* pray earnestly while crops are being destroyed. We pray that abundant, limpid liquid may descend to purify and refresh the whole world. The clouds of incense rise.”

*A term denoting the Chinese.

This plaint is repeated thrice and is followed by an invocation:

“Wholeheartedly we cast ourselves to the earth, O Triratna, who dost exist eternally in the realm of dharma of the ten directions.”

The leader remains quiet a long time with his eyes closed, visualizing the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, the dragon kings, and the saints, all with their heavenly eyes and ears knowing that this region is afflicted with drought, that an altar has been constructed and that all have come to make petition. This meditation is regarded as of chief importance. It is followed by an announcement to the effect that the sutra praying for rain was given by the Buddha, that a drought is afflicting the land, that the altar has been erected in accordance with the regulations and that prayer is being made for rain. But fearing that something may have been overlooked, the magic formula of “the king of light who turns the wheel” is read seven times so as to remedy such oversight.

The altar having thus been cleansed of all impurities, the rain sutra is opened and the one hundred and eighty-eight dragon kings are urged by name in groups of ten to take action. The formula is as follows:

“We with our whole heart invite such and such dragon kings to come. We desire that the heart and wisdom which knows others intuitively will move the spirits above to obey the Buddha, to take pity on the people below and to come to our province and send down sweet rain.”

When the dragons have all been duly invited, the monks chant suitable magical formulas, while the leader sits in meditation visualizing these dragon kings and their tender solicitude for the people in distress. The monastery bell is sounded and the wooden fish is beaten, while drums and cymbals add their effect. The whole is intended to draw the attention of the dragon kings to the drought. Then the fifty-four Buddhas are invited in a similar manner in groups of ten, the sixth group consisting of four. A similar form of address is used and similar magical formulas are recited with the noisy accompaniment. The cerem  [report anonymous abuse]

Upon the altar are four copies of an announcement to the dragon kings and Buddhas. On the first day three copies are sent to them through the flames, one to the Buddhas, one to the dragon kings and one to the devas. One copy is read daily and then sent up at the thanksgiving ceremony. The announcement is as follows:

“We put our trust in the limitless, reverent ocean clouds, the dragons of august virtue and all their host, all dragon kings and holy saints. Their august virtue is difficult to measure. In accord with the command of Buddha they send liquid rain. May their quiet mercy descend to the altar; may they send down purity and freshness, spreading over the ten directions. We put our trust in the company of dragon kings of the clouds, the saints and the Bodhisattvas.”

The offerings are made only in the morning inasmuch as the Buddhas, following ancient custom, are not supposed to eat after the noonday meal. Great care is taken that the altar shall not be desecrated by any one who eats meat or drinks wine. The magic formulas of great mercy are uttered or the name of Kuan Yin is repeated a thousand times. The monks, take turn in these services which continue day and night until rain comes.

(c) Its Meaning.–In the religious consciousness of the people is the idea that the drought is a punishment for sin. The altar is made pure and acceptable and sin is removed in various symbolic ways. This fits in with the idea that man is an intimate part of the world order. His sin disturbs the order of nature. Heaven manifests displeasures by sending down calamities upon men. Men should cease their wrongdoing which disturbs the natural order and should also wash away the effects of their sins. The services for rain with their magic formulas help to clear away the consequences of sin and to predispose Heaven to grant its blessings again.

Now that Australia is having too much rain, I suggest alter our prayers to be for continuous light rain Have a beautiful weekend everyone! I hope you all enjoyed my little Buddhist Dragon prayer overview above xo The above was obtained from:

http://www.authorama.com/buddhism-and-buddhists-in-china-5.html