On December 20, 2008, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the auspicious Buddha Amitayus puja in the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Kyoto, Japan. There were more than 140 people attended this puja, including the local guests and believers from Japan and guests from India, and guests and disciples from Taiwan. On May 29, 2008, during the grand inauguration ceremony of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Kyoto, His Holiness the 37th Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, Rinpoche’s root Guru, bestowed upon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche a statue of Buddha Amitayus from the sacred land of Lapchi in Nepal to symbolize the arrival of Buddha Amitayus. Therefore, the Buddha Amitayus puja conducted first time by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche in the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Kyoto is especially meaningful of the lineage transmission.

Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche enlightened in the puja: The Buddha Amitayus rituals is presented only in Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism, but is not in the Exoteric Buddhism in the countries such as Chinese, Japan, and Korea … etc. It is transmitted because the Buddhas concern that the lifespan of some sentient beings are not long enough to learn and practice Buddha-Dharma. Buddha has three Bodies, i.e. Truth Body, Enjoyment Body, and Emanation Body, and Buddha Amitayus is the Enjoyment Body of Amitabha. The longevity of human beings results from their Dharma practice in their past life, and it would be shortened by their killing or doing evils in this life. Nevertheless, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche extended his lifespan through living his life based on Buddha-Dharma in order to benefit the sentient beings. It was said in the Buddhist Sutra one’s life is ended with one of 4 following conclusion: some died by being short of wealth and being short of longevity; some died untimely due to doing too much evils while they are still wealthy and has longevity; some died by being short of wealthy while they still have longevity; some died by being short of longevity while they are still wealthy. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche wished that all attendees could prevent untimely death through the practice of this rituals, of course, as long as all never doing evils anymore. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche also enlightened that a human body is made of the four major elements, i.e. the combination of earth (bone & muscle), air (chi), water (blood & endocrine) and fire (energy). But that people nowadays think hard how to make more money everyday would consume the water and the fire. Those who like killing or eating meat would consume the air and the fire. Those who like drinking would consume the fire and the water. Those who like smoking would consume the air and the water. Through relying on Buddha teachings, we could know what we are supposed to do and not to do and therefore we have good health, longevity and happiness naturally. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche furthermore enlightened that Buddha Amitayus is the Enjoyment Body of Amitabha. Therefore, if one attends this puja and continues to practice Amitabha diligently in this life, one could definitely attain rebirth in the Pure Land of Amitabha. Besides, one could prevent untimely death by the help of this Dharma as long as one would not kill, go fishing, or do things harmful to others. Afterwards, 6 representatives that were selected by lot among the attendees made mandala offering towards the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, so that the sentient beings could accumulate the merits. Then Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the Buddha Amitayus rituals and led the attendees to recite the heart mantras of Amitayus. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche continued to enlighten that through attending this puja, one could avert the natural disasters and man-made calamities such as war and drought in the future, and also attain rebirth in place where there is no doing evils. Behaviors of killing, doing evils, smoking, drinking, and so forth, make people unbalanced in the four major elements, and furthermore it results in cutting lifespan and scattering longevity. Through the rituals of Buddha Amitayus, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche prayed the blessings of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Gurus, Yidams and Dharma protectors to the attendees with longevity, merits, wealth, luck, and all the essence of power. Then, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche compassionately gave blessings in person to all attendees one after another through the treasure vase that is on behalf of three Kayas of the Buddha, helping them with his own great merits. Moreover, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche bestowed upon all attendees the rare and auspicious nectar pills and nectar, which symbolize the essence of Buddha and the blood of Buddha respectively, to help them to fill again essence and blood that had been consumed in this life. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche wished all attendees with good health, who could work hard, and peacefully go through the turbulence and hardship of the macro environment in the future. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche expected and encouraged the attendees to do virtuous deeds often and to benefit the society and the country. Furthermore, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche compassionately enlightened that, if time allowable, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche would conduct the Jambhala Practice for the attendees so that all would be wealthy in addition to longevity.

In the end, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche especially gave thanks to three Japanese guests, President Kato who designed the yard of venue, President Maniwa who designed the main building of venue, and President Kumakura who was in charge of construction. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche enlightened that although there were some misunderstanding and arguments in the process, they will be solved eventually. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was thankful for their efforts to make the venue perfectly opened and started, so that many Japanese friends have the opportunity of contacting with and understanding Tibetan Buddhism. After the perfect completion of puja, a tea party was held. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche invited the guests to join and to visit the yard. At the same night, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has dinner with the disciples of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center. It is of so great merits to have meal with Mahasiddhas. All disciples of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center were grateful to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche for giving them the opportunity of accumulating merits.

Updated on December 25, 2008