A sign from the buddhafields

We had just finished hosting the Buddhist Relics Tour here in Capetown and Johannesburg, South Africa. The relics tour is a collection of sacred relics produced by Buddhist masters at the time of their death. They are pearl-like objects found in  their cremation ashes.

It was a very beautiful and moving event.

Here iin Johannesburg, we held it in the Lam Rim centre, where Anna and I were married last year.

We had a tremendously busy day yesterday. So many people felt so fortunate at having experienced the Relics. So many moving stories of young and old. We also had a beautiful Question and Answer session with venerable Samden which I felt was very insightful. Samden explained that the relics are actually the result of intense visualization meditation at the chakra points of the body.  I have practiced for many years but I found Samden's explanations very enlightening (no pun intended).

We have received a sign at the closing ceremony from Geshe Konchog Rinpoche that this event was spiritually profound for Africa.

During the closing ceremony last night, there were only about 20 of us left including sangha members Philip, Neil, myself, Anna, Louise, Karl and Atu.  The most amazingly beautiful thing happened.

As Nyingje, the nun with the tour was saying some final words, she glanced over and noticed that the relic of Geshe Konchog began to glow orange...the same color as a heater heating element or a lit cigarette. She said "oh, look, the relic is glowing". It was an area about 1mm square on the relic that actually glowed, not the entire relic.

She said that every time she said "rejoice", it pulsated more light out. We couldn't believe it so we all rushed forward to the relics to see and sure enough, all 20 of us witnessed a dot of warm orange light glowing the one side of Geshe Konchog's relic! The orange light seemed to be emanating from the heart of one side of the relic.

Those with digital cameras took some pictures and we could clearly see on the pictures what we witnessed with our eyes. Later that evening, we looked at Samden's pictures and they were the clearest of all. He will send them to us later.

We were all visibly moved by this auspicious sign. It was a profoundly joyous and moving experience for all present.

It was funny because Victoria, the Relic coordinator was explaining the relics earlier to the audience and said that in Taiwan and in Korea, the relics both did something similiar. In Korea, the community there had suspicions about the relics because a Chinese tour had come by some time earlier and they were asking for huge donations of money. There, a number of relics kept lighting up alternately. In Taiwan, there was one relic that shone as brightly as a lightbulb. Victoria said there was a Youtube video of it but I wasn't able to find it yet.

Nyingje said that it was a sign from Geshe Konchog Rinpoche that we had done an auspicious deed bringing the tour to Africa and sending blessing energy of the great teachers out for the benefit of beings throughout....like a ripple in a pond. Perhaps it marks a turning point of sorts.

What this means is that Geshe Konchog's energy and probably all the other enlightened beings whose relics were part of the collection were right there manifesting their presence with us in the shrine room all this time. The signs also confirms to practitioners we are on the right path and inspires each of us and together as a group to continue with our efforts towards awareness and loving kindness to all beings.

This sign has changed my way of experiencing reality. It's funny. Just before this, Anna and I were just discussing "intelligent devotion". Unmistakable signs like this have a way of converting partial confidence into full confidence. One needs that full confidence in order to make full commitment. Venerable Samden said that Milarepa practiced so hard because he received signs of the Hell realms and did all that was possible to avoid it!

A profound experience like this leaves no doubts in one's mind about the reality of the incredible truth and of our own potential to realize buddha-nature. The makes us feel that the buddhafields are indeed surrounding us at all times. It is up to us to remove our obscurations to directly experience them.

We are all so fortunate to have been a part of this. I will publish the photo as soon as it is sent to me.

Many Blessings to all sentient beings
Gien