This month’s newsletter features Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. This Sanskrit name means “lord who gazes down at the world.” Known in Tibetan as Chenrezigs (pronounced: Chen-re-zee’), in China as Kuan Yin and in Japan as Kannon, he/ she is the helper of all sentient beings in the 6 realms (god, jealous god, human, animal, hungry ghost, hell). The main form of Avalokiteshvara is shining white and has 4 arms. His two primary hands hold the jewel of enlightenment that fulfills all wishes. His 2^nd right hand holds a crystal rosary, representing the tirelessness of his compassion, and in his left hand is a lotus of purity.

"It is very good to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast.

Om - The first, Om is composed of three letters. A, U, and M. These symbolize the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha.

Mani - meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method—the altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love. Just as a jewel is capable of removing poverty, so the altruistic mind of enlightenment is capable of removing the poverty, or difficulties, of cyclic existence and of solitary peace.Similarly, just as a jewel fulfills the wishes of sentient beings, so the altruistic intention to become enlightened fulfills the wishes of sentient beings.

Padme - The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom, just as a lotus grows forth from mud but is not sullied by the faults of mud, so wisdom is capable of putting you in a situation of non-contradiction whereas there would be contradiction if you did not have wisdom.There is wisdom realizing impermanence, wisdom realizing that persons are empty of being self-sufficient or substantially existent, wisdom that realizes the emptiness of duality—that is to say, of difference of entity between subject an object—and wisdom that realizes the emptiness of inherent existence. Though there are many different types of wisdom, the main of all these is the wisdom realizing emptiness.

Hum - Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility. According to the sutra system, this indivisibility of method and wisdom refers to wisdom affected by method and method affected by wisdom. In the mantra or tantric, vehicle, it refers to one consciousness in which there is the full form of both wisdom and method as one undifferentiable entity. Hum is the seed syllable of Akshobhya—the immovable, the unfluctuating, that which cannot be disturbed by anything."

From a lecture given by His Holiness The Dalai Lama of Tibet

at the Kalmuck Mongolian Buddhist Center, New Jersey

This is the Naga’s memorial month. They remember everything that happens during this time, good or bad. Since their memory is very strong at this time, if you make offerings during the teb days, the Nagas will always remember this and they will become your faithful servant and companion. On the other hand, if you make offerings to them on the dok days, they will perceive your offerings as being rotten and foul smelling and they will abandon you.

We appreciate feedback from our customers; encouragement ,suggestions and constructive criticism. We also enjoy getting photos of prayer flags on display, especially ones you got from us.