Sunday 26 July 2009

Doing Merit on Birthday.

That morning, i woke up at 7am, went to Gelyang Serai to get the set of flowers for shower (if wonder why must go all the way there, refer to older post).

After getting the flower, together with my bucket of offering for the monk and proceed to Tian Kong & Kancanarama Buddhist Temple located at Lorong Ong Lye.

When i got there, i went straight to the monk and place the bucket(1) near his seat and proceed to the backyard for a pial of water. I passed the flowers to him and he start cutting the lime and coconust husk, light the candle and go round the pail with a white string. Then he handed the string to me and start chanting. Wow, the chanting, not what a thought a short one, my leg was cramped and in fact i started to shiver. Then after about 25-30min of chant, i was told to proceed for my shower.

After finishing the shower, i thought i can proceed to pay my respect to all the Buddha, i was called by the monk to sit down and he ask me to repeat after him another chant... That lasted about 10min and lastly he gave me a cup of holy water (during the chanting, i'm supposed to pour the holy water into a small cup as the monk do his chant) Then he ask me to go out and pour away the water(2).
The whole process then completed. It's so refreshing and the feeling was peaceful and calm.

**Note- (1) Buckets are offered to Monks as a way to gain Merit. The items incuded are rice, candles, tooth brush, tooth paste, medication, joss stick, monk robe, soap, toilet roll, drinking water and many more.
(2) Pouring holy water on the floor is called- SAT NAM. This is to give strength and good deeds to the spirit. It give good deeds to the dead and help them to shorten the time to wait for next life.

2 comments:

Alvin said...

Bro can tell whr buy flowers 4 shower cos wan bath bath than HUAT ah !!

Rahu Om Chan Singapore said...

Alvin
In fact if you are just buying the standard flowers, you can get it anywhere from the florist. Just tell them you wanna buy the "loose" flower or "chui hua", you can get it. If you are going to Lorong Ong Lye, then tell the monk you wanna have the holy shower, they will provide(towel too, at $1). Please make sure after the shower you sweep away the flowers/candle on the floor. some people are too inconsiderate,and the monk have to sweep for them. This is bad for ourselve.Make sure u don't pick it up with your hand. Sweep away, brooms are easily available there.
And HUAT ah! :)

 
eckhart tolle