Compassion Buddhist Association Bi-Monthly Newsletter Volume 1 Compassion Buddhist Association Bi-Monthly Newsletter Volume 1. January/ February 2016 www.compassionbuddhist.org compassionbuddhist25@outlook.com Mission Compassion Buddhist Association Newsletter Vol 1

MISSION The mission of Compassion Buddhist Association (CBA) is to propagate Mahayana Buddhism, purify people's hearts, study and practice compassion and wisdom. Our primary vision is focused on the “Protection of the Spiritual Environment” based on the Buddha dharma taught in the past twenty five hundred years, in the hope that we can implement the Buddha's teachings in our daily life through the actual practice of mind continuum with an emphasis on compassion. Through continuous effort, CBA plans to benefit more and more people by involving them in the following activities: Lectures on Buddha Dharma Dharma Assembly and Group Practice Community Service Breakfast distribution for homeless people Senior home visitation Buddhism Teaching at Sac State University Teachings of Thangka Art Compassion Buddhist Association Newsletter Vol 1

Monthly Spotlight Topic Monthly Classes Event Every Saturday 7AM to 8:30AM Breakfast Distribution to homeless People Every First/Thursday Saturday 2:00 to 4:00PM The Words of My Perfect Teacher (普賢上師言教) Every First Sunday 9:00AM to 11:30PM Diamond Sutra Practice (金剛經 ) Every Second Saturday 10:00AM to 12:00PM Green Tara Practice ( 綠度母 ) Every Third Sunday Powa Practice or Pureland Prayer ( 破瓦法 ) or (淨土祈願文) The extraordinary transference of consciousness practice to the Pure Land : Phowa Phowa” is a Tibetan word which means “transferring the mind consciousness”, and move one's own mind to the World of Buddha Amitabha. It is the most extraordinary practice to take the rebirth in the Pure Land. There are primarily extraordinary benefits of Phowa: Phowa can be used to perform transference of consciousness for the diseased. This transference of midstream could be done no matter where the spirit of the diseased falls in the six realms. Phowa can be used to perform transference of consciousness for oneself. The path to rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha lies on the vertex. Therefore, the vertex must be opened. Compassion Buddhist Association Newsletter Vol 1

A person who practices Phowa well can leave the world whenever he desires. Opening the vertex is used to prepare for rebirth at the time of dying. For example, if you have not accomplished in your practice, but impermanence takes place this evening. This will be the time to apply Phowa. There is not a lot of time to recite rituals and meditate, and it is not necessary either. At the time of you passing, it is quite alright to just envision tiklés and the character “ shi尸” on your vertex, and utter “ ho 嗬 ”one to three time, then throw them into the heart of Buddha Amitabha. No matter how much negative karma you have accumulated in your lifetime, you will be able to take rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha even if you have done very bad deeds such as killing a person everyday. This is because of the immense power of Buddha Amitabha's vows and great compassion that even if one has committed the gravest crime of killing, he can still take rebirth in the Pure land with Phowa Compassion Buddhist Association Newsletter Vol 1