Question on 拜Guan Yi as 干妈

funniegal SG

Question 1. Heard that if a fengshui teacher or someone saying your baby should 拜Guan Yi as 干妈. How is the procedue?

Question 2. If as a young kid , You yourself staring at the sky and acknowledge Guan Yi as 干妈. But as you grow you never do a 拜拜 to ackowledge..and now as a adult you want to devoted to it. How is the procedue too?

Thanks =D

sinweiy SG

sorry, these procedures are not related to Buddha/ buddhism. period.

An Eternal Now SG

imo not necessary. it would be best if you and child can take refuge in the triple gems: buddha, dharma and sangha. that would be much better and is greatly meritorious. it creates a wholesome karmic affinity with the triple gems. but have some understanding of buddhism first would be best.

mr music SG

Go to waterloo temple or shuang lin cheng huang temple and tell her you want to her godson or goddaugther. Why do you want to 拜Guan Ying as 干妈 in the first place may I ask?

An Eternal Now SG

guan yi is guan yin？

funniegal SG

paiseh is guan yin.

Btw..just asking on behalf of my frend. she went see fengshui..lah...he say first child if gal bai guan yin as godmother lor...blablabla

I thought like need to have special praying and see whether guan yi accept bo.

SJS6638 SG

You asked question in the wrong forum. This is buddhism forum. Buddhism does not teach about praying or treating/ to Guan Yin as godma. Your friend can go do it in Taoism temple.

funniegal SG

oh 0.0 sorry. my wrong

mr music SG

I thought usually babies should 拜注生娘娘 as 干妈. If your friend needs help, ask her to PM me.

reborn76 SG

that’s a folklore 民間習俗, not buddhist practice :-)

An Eternal Now SG

Last time my parents were trying to conceive a boy (I have a sister who is 6 years older than me). They couldn't somehow... so my mom went to this very famous temple in Penang called the snake temple. That time my mom is still not a Buddhist.

(The temple was built circa 1850 in memory of Chor Soo Kong (祖師公), by a Buddhist monk. Qingshui (Chinese: 清水; pinyin: Qīngshuǐ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chheng-chúi; 1047-1101), also known as Chor Soo Kong (Chinese: 祖師公; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chó͘-su-kong), born Chen Zhaoyin (陳昭應, Tân Chiau-èng in Hokkien) was a Northern Song Dynasty Chan Buddhist monk from the region of Anxi County in Quanzhou, China. He was very serious about spiritual attainment and was ordained at a young age. He was said to have gained supernatural powers gained through his skill in speaking the dharma and meditation.^[1] Through this, he is said to have saved the town of Anxi during a period of drought, bringing rain as he went from place to place. In reverence, the villagers built shrines to him and hence became a deified person in Chinese folk religion.

Legend has it that Chor Soo Kong, who was also a healer, gave shelter to the snakes of jungle. When he died at the age of 65 after a lifetime of good deeds, he was bestowed the honorific title Chor Soo, meaning an eminent historic figure continuously revered by a community generation after generation. After the completion of the temple, snakes appeared on their own accord.)

Every year during the patriarch Qing Shui's birthday, all the snakes will actually cross the street by themselves from all directions to enter the temple. There will be so many of them that unfortunately some will die by car accident when crossing the street.

Anyhow, my mother prayed to Qing Shui zhu shi for a boy, and through divination picked the Qian which told her that for fulfill her wish, she needs to chant Amitabha Sutra for 12 days. She was told that she needs to bring the child back to the temple every year for the first 16 years if she did conceive of this child, and make the child become the god son of Master Qing Shui. She did just that and afterwards I was conceived, my mom had a strange dream, anyway when I was born my mom brought me back.

The funny thing is, after three times of divination (throwing the block: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaobei) it seems that the Qing Shui zhu shi resolutely refused to take me as his godson. The medium then said, maybe Guan Yin will take me as godson. So they checked and that seems to be the case, so I became Guan Yin godson.

Later my mom became a Buddhist and took refuge under the Venerable Master Shen Kai. She conveyed a question to him, whether she needs to bring me back to the temple to pray every year. He said if you feel you need to then do it, but said that it is not necessary. As we became Buddhists, my mom stopped visiting these temples.

Then as a Buddhist, even now, I still find a strong affinity with Guan Yin. I also found out that Guan Yin - who is actually a Buddhist Bodhisattva called the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, is the bodhisattva of compassion. She 'saves' all beings without discrimination, her compassion for all beings is without discrimination.

For example, he does not 'protect' his godsons and goddaughters more than he/she 'protects' anyone else. His/her compassion is unconditional. If you mentally recite the name of Guan Yin if say you are facing danger to life, whether you are Buddhist, Taoist or Christian, you will be helped. There is no need to form a 'special relationship' like asking to be guan yin's godson. If we take refuge in the triple gems - the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, that would suffice as it creates a strong causal connection.

The Lotus Sutra states:

http://www.fodian.net/world/0262_25.html

I shall now tell you in brief,
That for those who hear his name or see him,
And who are mindful of his name unceasingly,
He can extinguish the suffering of all realms of existence.

If someone is the victim of another's harmful intent,
And is pushed into a pit of fire,
If he evokes the strength of Guanyin,
The pit of fire will turn into a pool.
If someone is being tossed about in the great sea,
And is surrounded by the dangers of dragons, fish, and ghosts,
If he evokes the strength of Guanyin,
The waves will not drown him.

etc etc

As a Buddhist, we do not practice superstition. We do not go '拜拜' with a superstitious mindset, but we do venerate and bow to the images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

We do this out of respect and veneration, not out of superstitious thought. But not only that, we should practise to be like the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

You know there is this form of Avalokitesvara called the qian shou guan yin - thousand armed avalokitesvara?

This means that each of us can become an 'arm' of avalokitesvara. We should practise to be as compassionate as Guan Yin, we should attain enlightenment ourselves and save all suffering beings in samsara. In this way, we carry out the work of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. We ourselves become bodhisattvas, and we too will attain Buddhahood.

An Eternal Now SG

Also, I suspect that I recited a Avalokitesvara mantra in my past life as a Tibetan Buddhist (this life I'm not Tibetan Buddhist, haha)

Because in one of my dreams, I dreamt of a dakini telling me to recite the the green tara mantra, but in a very strange tune that I cannot find elsewhere. When I woke up and chant I had a very strange experience of entering into an intense state of bliss and felt very strong devotion to the green tara (a female emanation of Guan Yin).

I seldom ever chant in this life (if I do I would chant Namo Da Ci Da Bei Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa 南无大慈大悲观世音菩萨), and I don't chant mantras. I mostly do meditation.

An Eternal Now SG

www.jenchen.org.sg

Why practise Buddhism?

Enlightenment is the reason to practise Buddhism

Why do we practise Buddhism? Buddha means awareness and enlightenment, enlightening oneself as well as others. Having attained the highest level of enlightenment, one becomes Buddha. Because all sentient beings are blinded by ignorance, confusion, worries and sufferings, it is only through the practise of Buddhism that we can liberate ourselves from these sufferings and worries, and attain the real happiness and bliss. Sakyamuni Buddha is the teacher of our Saha world. There are also many Buddhas in the many other worlds. Sakyamuni Buddha lived in this world for 81 years, of which he spent 49 years expounding over 300 discourses on the Dharma. Of the Dharma which he expounded, the Humanity Vehicle Buddhism or Jen Chen Buddhism is most relevant and most suitable for humanity.
There are 5 vehicles of Buddhism, namely,

   1. Humanity Vehicle Buddhism or
       Jen Chen Buddhism,
   2. Deva Vehicle Buddhism,
   3. Sravaka Vehicle Buddhism,
   4. Pratyeka-Buddha Vehicle Buddhism,
   5. Bodhisattva Vehicle Buddhism.

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The Buddhism that we are promoting is the orthodox Dharma that Sakyamuni Buddha has expounded to humanity, that is, the Jen Chen Buddhism. Because the Buddha manifested in the human form to attain Buddhahood, and we are all human beings, we therefore promote Jen Chen Buddhism. This is the Buddhism for humanity.

Because human beings live in a world in which sufferings are created by emotions, passions and lusts, they become confused. Thus, the enlightened and compassionate Buddha expounded the Dharma to bring salvation to humanity and to lead them from confusion to realization. Realization means enlightenment, and it is only through enlightenment that we can liberate ourselves from sufferings, attain happiness, and unfold our wisdom. Hence, that is the reason Buddha preached to lead sentient beings into the fold of Buddhism.

How to be a Buddhist? How does one start?

Learning Buddhism starts with taking refuge

It is a simple matter to be a Buddhist. Yet, it is also not easy. A verse from the Buddhist sutra reads: "Avoid all evils; do all that are good; purify one’s mind. These are the teachings of all Buddhas." One may ask about the difference between Buddhism and Christianity, or indeed the other religions. The majority of us have the concept that all religions are the same: they all teach us to be good. Indeed, most religions teach to avoid all evils and do all that are good. However, purifying one’s mind is the underlying tenet of Buddhism. In general, other religions are still within the transmigration of the six realms - the realm of celestial being, human being, asura, animal, ghost and hell, and within the fiery of the Three Planes of existence - world of sensuous desires, world of forms and world of formless. Buddhism is different from all other religions.

How to be a Buddhist? First of all, we need to understand that Buddhists are categorised into those who believe in the Buddha, and those who learn from the Buddha. Those who believe in the Buddha are believers of Buddhism. This category is further subdivided into those who believe blindly, that is, being superstitious, and those who exercise wisdom in their beliefs. Learning Buddhism, however, is different. In learning Buddhism, we cultivate to correct our conduct and habits, we carry out religious duties, and promote the Dharma for the good of sentient beings. We follow the Buddha in his cultivation and practices. That is learning Buddhism.

How does one start? The best way to start is to take refuge in the Three Treasures - the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Only then, is one really a Buddhist. While on the path of learning Buddhism, there are many things that we ought to do. The most basic of which is to be aware of our self serving and evil habits, and to eradicate these habits. When our mind is impure, we need to purify it. When we are pure and everyone in the family is pure, then our society is pure. When every society is pure, then the entire humanity is pure. In this way, the world becomes a pure land.

How to become an authentic Buddhist?

To be an authentic Buddhist

To be an authentic Buddhist, firstly, one has to take refuge in the Three Treasures - the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. After taking refuge, one has to learn and practise the Dharma, understand the Law of Cause and Effect, and stop being superstitious. In addition, one should observe the Five Precepts

performing the Ten Virtuous Deeds

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Learning and practising Buddhism, eradicate self serving and evil habits, seek liberation, unfold one’s wisdom and follow the Bodhisattva Path. This is the way to be a righteous Buddhist.

Does one absolutely need to take refuge to learn Buddhism?

Taking refuge and learning Buddhism

Certainly. Just like a student, one needs to register in a school before commencing lessons. Being a Buddhist one needs to take refuge and form a cause with the Three Treasures - the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Nowadays, many people learn Buddhism, but the majority are either superstitious or lacking in the correct concept. This is because they did not take refuge, and do not follow what the Buddha taught. To be an authentic Buddhist, one needs to take the following steps: take refuge, observe the precepts, and follow the Buddha’s teaching to cultivate one’s conduct.

Are there any advantages in taking refuge?

There is brightness in taking refuge

There are many, many advantages in taking refuge. If you were to ask somebody about the advantages of going to university, he will tell you about the many advantages: you can become an engineer or a doctor after graduating from the university. There is an enormous amount of knowledge, principles and theories which one would be able to understand when one goes to university. It is the same with taking refuge. The many things which we do not understand before, become clear to us when we have unfold our wisdom after taking refuge to learn Buddhism. Being without wisdom is like the night, the room is dark and we do not know how many people are in it. With wisdom is like turning on the light, with one look we know what is in the room and how many people are there. Turning on the light is analogous to the brightness in our mind. With brightness we can understand many things. These are the advantages of taking refuge, learning Buddhism and unfolding our wisdom.