If there's any highlight for this year's Wesak celebration for me, would be helping my mom a weeeee bit in making 300++ Ang Ku Kueh as Dana for Wesak! With the help of my 3 aunties, they were busy rolling and steaming the Ang Ku Kueh for the whole night of Wesak Eve, while I was being blessed by Lama at a Buddhist centre.
When I reached home, even after midnight, they were still rolling the kueh for the last round, and I just tried helping them to clear /pack before it gets too late into the night. My mom the chief, is one freaky angkukueh maker. Never like the taste, I dont even eat it... but that's my mom's signature recepi.
Angkukueh aside, I was blessed by 2 Lama, both from the same lineage of Kagyu... did you know how difficult it was to me to 'memorize' the word Tibetan centre's name.. what Kayu..kagr.. then the name lf the 1st Lama was what..nordo.. no Lodro... my DAD's buddhist name is Norbo. Aiyoh.. then the Lama at Bgf is easier to remember, lama Samten. Tibeten words, such a mouthful to me, its hard for me cos I'm not a good listener and I'm bad at memorizing.
I think I better keep a bookmark of this explaination of Tibetan Buddhism. You know I dont like to simply follow / do what people ask me to do, without knowing what I'm doing.
Left: Lama Samten Right: Lama Lodro. When I showed pix of Lama Lodro to Lama Samten, he knew him! And I now know how famous is John Fam is, the president of the PJ Kagyu branch, who's my dad's childhood friend, who was raised as Catholic. This Wesak I broke my personal record of skipping the big walk! Just dont know how to 'give an answer' the next time I meet my temple crew members. But I'll be teaching this Sunday, significantly its Mother's Day! Hmm... with the projector booked for my class, I could find materials to last for 2 hrs eh?! Say how about showing slide shows of wesak celebration in different temples, other than the one they know. Maybe talk about importance of Mother, and then sing 'Braham of my Heart'. Now that would be cool... using the projector, laptop, CD player.. wow all in a small 20+ student classroom. Dont tell me they'll sing the Chinese version of 'Only Mom is best in the world' song during Puja, its more of a sad song than a happy song to me.
My mom is organising a mother's day dinner, and my dad is trying to be funny, to buy chocolate to give to all the 'fathers' coming for the get together dinner. I just have to smile and agree when they ask for me to share the bill.
Not sure if I'll make up for the procession in PJ tomorrow night, I just have to walk out of my house, few meters away to join the walk. But then they'll end in CBL, how am I suppose to walk back?!
I couldn't live up to my intention to practise vegetarian for this holy day. When I slept through the rain until dinner time, my mom digged me up to join them for dinner with non-vegetarian relatives. Then I say, maybe I can just eat toufu and vege... yeah right.
I remembered the short talk by Lama Lodro this morning, that on this holy day, if you chant amitoufo 1 time, on Wesak day it is amplified 10,000 times! So I thought, if I eat vegetarian for this Wesak day, means I'm practising 10,000 days of being vegetarian! The most farfetch story, that in Lumbini park, the Queen gave birth to Prince Siddharta through the ARMPIT!!! I smacked my head, rolled my eyes. Continue staying calm with so many people around me.
So there, here you are my most non-elaborate Wesak, which is what I would appreciate. Last Wesak I followed my parents to Thai temple, this year I joined them to this Tibetan temple. I am starting to label my parents non-sectarian open-minded Buddhist :P As always, Brahma of my Home, Braham of my Heart.
Happy Wesak! Happy Parents Day!
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