Dudjom Throemai Tshogbum Chenmo 2008 , Bodhigaya, India.

A little sharing from our vajra brother Mr Neo on his trip to Bodhigaya, India on November 2008 for the Dudjom Throemai Tshogbum Chenmo, an event where thousands of disciples worldwide and likeminded people gather with the guidance of Dungse Garab Rinpoche to promote world peace and awareness....and this was what he experienced there.

"Due to the blessings of Root Guru, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, I am most fortunate to be able to participate in the annual Dudjom Throemai Tshogbum Chenmo 2008. It was indeed an eye-opener for me as this is the very first time I visited the most important place for Buddhists...the place where Siddhartha attained Enlightement and became the Buddha.

On the first day the prayers started off on a very cold morning at 4.30am. As I walked to the Mahabodhi temple, the surrounding sky was still pitch dark and the air filled with the morning mists. When the prayers started the sun had not even risen yet and we had to use torchlights to assist us to read the texts.

The afternoon session started at 2pm with the sun out in full force. I was really in awe and touched by the strong faith of the thousands of Bhutanese people who unflinchingly sat on the hard ground and practised under the hot blazing sun. This is a big contrast when compared to practitioners from Singapore and Malaysia where back home in our country we sit in very comfortable seats and air-conditioned event halls.

How lucky and fortunate we are I realized, when compared to the type of physical comforts of the Bhutanese people.

The evening session concluded with a feast offerings joined in together by everyone and supplication to the Root Guru.

The entire 4 days events are schedule as above but the moments there are totally different. As this is just a blog it's hard for me to describe all that I have seen and experienced in my trip.

It has been a short but enriching time for me and if you have the opportunity please don't miss the chance to participate in this event. Experience it for yourself as nothing can tell you better than your own personal experience being there."

Dana Offerings sponsored by Eric Khoo & associates together with Susana Idaman Insani Trading Pte Ltd.

Just before last winter hit the Land of the Thunder Dragons ~ Bhutan...our fellow dharma brother Mr Eric Khoo together with Susana Idaman Insani Trading Pte. Ltd send a container of winter clothing over there.

Their great compassion and generosity has indeed benefited many people as last winter was a very cold one, where temperatures drop below 0 degree.

It was no easy means to get those clothing over to Bhutan as it is a country not easily accessible. The container was shipped from Indonesia to Singapore and then onwards to Calcutta, India where it has to travel by land cargo over many days to East Bhutan where Garab Rinpoche's main monastery (Rangjung Monastery) is located.

As can be seen from the pictures, the nuns are helping to unload many of the boxes and sorting through them in order to distribute them out.