DHARMA IN EVERYDAY LIFE

By Nhat Quan

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Deep in the soil of Northern Canada, under the British Columbian mountains, lies the jade foundation. Here, among the green grass hills filled with wildflowers, jade lies there with all its solemnity. This jade mine was first discovered in the 60s and 70s and is considered the largest jade mine in the world. At the end of the 90s, something unexpected happened here. People found south of the Yokon border a jade base with a bright, beautiful blue color never seen before. Scientific researchers say this type of jade is harder than any other type of Nephrite jade. The shiny, quality jade is considered a precious jade used for jewelry. In the spiritual world, people often believe that jade contains extraordinary sacred power, can help heal diseases, and keep evil spirits and demons away. Jade sculptures are often highly appreciated around the world. Truly Arctic Jade has changed the world's perspective on Nephrite jade.

Then in 2000, people found a block of jade that surprised the whole world once again. This block of jade is unprecedentedly great, completely flawless, weighing 18 tons, and is called:

- Polar Pride

Mean:

- Pride of the Arctic.

This jade block was assessed by a world-famous gem researcher, Mr. Fred Ward, as a discovery of the millennium. After the Polar Pride jade block was found, people asked Mr. Kirk Makepeace, director of the jade mining company:

- What will you do with this pearl?

He said:

- I will let the world decide, I call this gem Polar Pride, and I will leave it as is and auction it, because this is a wonder of nature. I hope this block of jade will become a priceless item enshrined in a museum, a major construction, or a symbol of some kind.

Indeed, this is a block of nephrite jade with a beautiful bright blue color that has never been seen before in the world. That's what I say happens in North America and Canada.

In Nepal, one night from the mountains in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Lama Zopa, the supreme leader of the Association for the Preservation of Mahayana Buddhism, dreamed of seeing a pearl in Canada. Startled awake, he called his disciple Ian Green and encouraged him to find a place to buy that block of jade and build a Buddha statue. With the wish that the light of the jade Buddha will light up the entire world and bring peace and happiness to sentient beings. And also the purpose is to prevent the devastating dangers of environmental pollution and war, the devastating destruction that is happening all over the world.

Mr. Ian Green was busy with the construction of the Great Compassion Stupa at that time but left it to go to Canada and eventually negotiated with Mr. Kirk Makepeace to buy this gem. After many months of choosing the Buddha statue as a model, finally, the Buddha statue at the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodh Gaya, where Buddha attained enlightenment in India, was chosen as the model. Because tens of thousands of Buddha disciples are familiar with the sitting posture, facial expression, and smile of this statue.

Talking about the Buddha statue, according to the Agama, it is recorded that during the 7th Retreat season, around the year 583 BC, Shakyamuni Buddha used his supernatural powers to go to Traiyastrimsa-deva palace to preach the dharma to save his mother, that's why that the Buddha was absent from India for three months. Not being able to meet the Buddha for such a long time, King Udayana ruled over the capital Kosambi, feeling sad and sick. The mandarins summoned famous sculptors of the time, used sandalwood from Buffalo Head Mountain to carve a statue that looked exactly like Buddha, five meters high, and presented it to the king. The king saw the Buddha statue, thought he saw the Buddha again, immediately bowed and worshiped, and the king immediately recovered from his illness.

It is the first statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in the history of world Buddhism. For more than two thousand six hundred years, Buddha's disciples across all five continents and four seas have created countless statues to honor, admire, respect, and worship Him during their practice. But now, the Emerald Buddha statue is still the first statue in the world, carved from rare jade. This statue was carved by Mr. and Mrs. Ian Green and Judy of the Tibetan Temple in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia from a jade block more than 3,000 years old, unearthed at a jade mine in Northern Canada. This block of jade was paid for a symbolic price of one million USD and was transported from Vancouver port to Bangkok in December 2006. In early 2008, carving began. June 2008 Completed the statue carving project. July 2008 Completed the statue polishing project. December 2008 Completed the prayer ritual and sculpting work over 5 years,

In early 2009 the exhibition program began. For the first time, this statue was exhibited in 6 cities in Vietnam and 4 states in Australia, then in the US in 2010. Then to Europe, from Europe returned to the US a second time for two consecutive years 2014 and 2015, serving as a basis for many millions of people to come and admire in the spirit of prayer for world peace and for living beings to be happy.

It can be said that the Emerald Buddha for World Peace is considered the largest and most solemn statue in the world today, sculpted from an 18-ton block of jade. The Buddha statue, including the throne and lotus, is 3 meters 85 meters tall and weighs 5 tons. With its size and beauty, this Emerald Buddha is honored as a wonder of the world today. Being able to worship and pay homage to a Buddha statue made from a rare gem is a blessing that is hard to come by in this life. The Buddha once mentioned this in the Increase Faith Force Mudra Sutra:

- In just a short moment of admiring the Buddha image, that practitioner has already gained immeasurable merit, let alone being able to worship and make offerings in front of the Buddha image, the merit is many times greater.

Jade sculptures are often highly appreciated around the world. Truly Arctic Jade has changed the world's perspective on Nephrite jade.

The purpose of the exhibition of the Emerald Buddha & Buddha's relics is to create an opportunity for many people to come and worship, regardless of religion. Everyone can attend as long as you spend a little time so that when you worship, you have the opportunity to see more clearly the value of peace. To pray, the Emerald Buddha and Buddha Relics will bring peace to the world, peace to relationships, peace to family and friends, peace in the workplace, and peace of mind. I hope that that strong desire will bring great joy and encouragement to those who have the opportunity to admire the Emerald Buddha. Especially at a time when our world is surrounded by the shadows of war and natural disasters.

That's why the purpose of the Jade Buddha Ceremony Festival for World Peace in Seattle, Medicine Master Pagoda & Ten Thousand Buddhas Medicine Master Pagoda is to create an opportunity for many people, regardless of religion, to come and worship and pay their respects. I hope that the positive inspirations of the Jade Buddha Palace Festival will bring joy and motivation in life to everyone. The World Peace Jade Buddha creates opportunities for everyone to come and worship and receive peaceful energy to pray for peace in the world and for each of you. When the public and the community worship, they will be inspired and receive energy blessings of peace for themselves, their families, and the community.

The Jade Buddha of Peace has become a spiritual and cultural event that has spread far and wide in Buddhist communities and has spread to our beautiful Seattle City. Millions of hearts were moved when they met and worshiped the Emerald Buddha. Millions of hearts feel the majesty and boundless power of the Emerald Buddha. Because the Jade Buddha statue is dedicated to World Peace, this name is a message of love to humanity, a message about the peaceful spirit of Buddhism. That is peace within oneself and the family. Peace in the workplace and peace in the world.

You can say that such a spirit of peace is the content and ideal of Buddhism. Such a spirit of peace is the practice process and also the goal that Buddhism aims for. Please join us in reciting the Dhammapada:

- With hatred destroys hatred,

This life is not possible.

Without hatred, destroy hatred,

It's the eternal law. (Dhammapada number 5)

During the festival period from August 6 to August 16, 2015, at Medicine Master Pagoda & Ten Thousand Buddhas Medicine Master Pagoda this year, I want to talk about the true meaning of worshiping the Emerald Buddha for World Peace. That is, each of you should diligently practice the Buddha's teachings on peace and tolerance, on kindness and love, on transforming body and mind, towards the realm of peace of mind and world of peace.

In the long night of ignorance, war, and hatred, the peaceful spirit of Buddhism is the warmth and light of dawn, the persuasive power of wisdom and love. Because, Buddhism is a religion that loves peace, or in short, the Religion of Peace. Therefore, Buddha's birthday was honored by the United Nations and became a common festival of the whole world. Because of that, the day of the Emerald Buddha of Peace Palace has been officially accepted by many localities as Peace Day when the Emerald Buddha comes and resides in those localities.

The Jade Buddha of Peace has now arrived and resides in Seattle, a gentle coastal city with fresh air, four seasons of warm climate, and beautiful flowers and grass. In the past days of preparation, although I have been busy, I have the feeling that the presence of the Emerald Buddha has made our peaceful City even more peaceful, warmer, and more beautiful. I am also very impressed with the images of Buddhists and non-Buddhists who have wholeheartedly sacrificed, contributing their efforts resources, time, and wisdom so that we can have an Emerald Buddha festival touching and solemn, joyful, and virtuous.

We worship the Emerald Buddha. Light up your spirituality. Transform afflictions into Bodhi, ignorance into enlightenment, hatred into sympathy. A peaceful mind means a peaceful world. Everywhere you see love. You are waiting for the symbol of peace, great kindness, and great compassion.

People must live for peace. To achieve world peace and help reduce the suffering and misfortune of living beings. Please light the torch of Buddha's wisdom and compassion, spread it everywhere, connect humanity, eliminate differences, and pray for humanity to soon enjoy peace.

In Seattle, the Medicine Master Pagoda and the Ten Thousand Buddhas Medicine Master Pagoda in particular, and the Vietnamese community in Washington State and the Northwest region of the United States in general, were very fortunate to be able to see the Jade Buddha statue three times:

- The first time in 2010 at Co Lam Pagoda

- The second time in 2014 at Medicine Su Pagoda and Ten Thousand Buddhas Medicine Master Pagoda

- Third time in 2015 at Medicine Su Pagoda & Ten Thousand Buddhas Medicine Master Pagoda.

Because of its sacred mission, the statue also had to travel to other localities. At first, we thought it would be difficult to see the Jade Buddha of World Peace again, but what was surprising was what the Organizing Committee of the Jade Buddha of World Peace Palace said. The Polar Pride jade block weighs 18 tons. In addition to creating this 12-foot large statue of Master Shakyamuni, the remaining five small jade blocks from the large jade block, the Organizing Committee also created 5 more statues of Buddha Shakyamuni. Small Ca Mau Ni statues are each 24 inches high. Currently, those five 24-inch tall statues are present in the following countries:

- 1 statue was purchased by a pagoda in Vietnam

- 1 statue was purchased by a sponsor in Chicago Illinois, USA.

- One statue was worshiped in Australia after the carving was completed, and the fourth statue traveled with the large statue of Sakyamuni, and will also be worshiped in Australia after the trip ended.

Fortunately, there is one last statue left, which is the 5th statue, Medicine Su Pagoda & Ten Thousand Buddhas Medicine Master Pagoda (USA) purchased on the occasion of the Emerald Buddha's return at Duoc Su Temple and Ten Thousand Buddhas Medicine Master Pagoda, Seattle Washington in 2015.

Because the Buddha is an omniscient being, and his statue is made of precious gems that have crystallized for thousands of years, in the spiritual world, people believe that the JADE BUDDHA STATUE OF PEACE, whether large or small, contains the source of extraordinary sacred power. Whoever has the good fortune to meet, worship, and make offerings can cure incurable diseases and keep evil spirits and monsters away.

To appreciate the strong dedication of Buddhists from near and far for the benefit of human beings in general, the Buddhist community in Seattle, Washington, in particular, has jointly contributed their finances to purchase the above-mentioned statue. Therefore, I decided to organize a festival once a year so that Buddhists near and far have the opportunity to worship the statue of the embossed Buddha of WORLD PEACE, which is a masterpiece in terms of art and spirituality and has become widely known in recent years. At the same time, it is also an opportunity for Buddhists, compatriots, and young friends from far and near to have the opportunity to worship and bow to the small Jade Buddha of Peace statue, and the various Buddha relics that Medicine Su Pagoda & Medicine Su Pagoda are worshiping.

In short, although we do not have enough blessings to be born during the Buddha's time in this world, we still have some blessings left over, so in this life, we ​​have been able to meet the Buddha's Dharma and listen to the teachings of the teachings of liberation by venerable monks. Even more fortunate is that we also have the blessing of worshiping the Jade Buddha of World Peace. So the rest is to try diligently to practice until you reach your destination, until the day of enlightenment.

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