Message from Ven. Shangpa Rinpoche This coming Vesak is very special as we celebrate Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana with the Grand Mani Dungdrub Project. The whole month of Vesak is a good opportunity for all Buddhists to avoid negative thoughts and actions and develop the six paramitas in order to make headway in the path towards enlightenment. During this month, any merit that we accumulate will be multipled many millions of times as mentioned in Buddhist scriptures. Karma Kagyud Buddhist Centre has therefore specially arranged this meritorious project at this special time in order to benefit lots of people who are keen to join and recite the Six-Syllable Mantra. Avalokiteshvara is the manifestation of the compassion of all the Buddhas who acts as a Bodhisattva in order to benefit sentient beings. Lord Buddha has mentioned and praised Avalokiteshvara many times and also gave vast amount of teachings related to Avalokiteshvara, resulting in 21 Sutras and Tantras. Each of the teachings mentioned a lot on the qualities of Avalokiteshvara and the Six-Syllable Mantra. Lord Buddha strongly encouraged everyone to engage in the practice of Avalokiteshvara and recite the Six-Syllable Mantra as much as possible since the merit of this practice is superior to the merit accumulated from other practices. Lord Buddha mentioned that, "Merit accumulated from the constant offering of divine objects such as robes, food, cushions and medicine to a trillion Buddhas like me for the duration of one Kalpa may be countable but the merit accumulated from reciting the Six-Syllable Mantra is uncountable." In today's degenerate time where the world is suffering from many natural and human created disasters and humans experience many obstacles such as physical sickness and emotional problems, life is extremely miserable. It is therefore the most appropriate time for us to think of Avalokiteshvara and recite the Six-Syllable Mantra constantly in order to develop loving kindness and compassion towards all sentient beings and also transform the dismal state of world and its inhabitants such that peace and joy reigns through the practice of Avalokiteshvara. I sincerely request everyone to join in this meritorious event of 100 million Mani recitations and benefit yourself and others as well as be a part of the force to turn the world around and bring sentient beings into a state of peace and harmony. I am very impressed and rejoice in the effort of the organizing team for the Mani Dungdrub Project who has created such a great opportunity for everyone to accumulate great merit. It is really a great Bodhisattva's act. Those who are contributing to this Mani Dungdrub Project will accumulate great merits. Just like every drop of water contributed to the ocean will not be lost until the whole ocean is drained, so the merits of this contribution will never end until the attainment of enlightenment and this will directly or indirectly become a cause of enlightenment. Lastly, I sincerely wish this event will go smoothly and benefit everyone. May the lord Avalokiteshvara bestow blessings to all so that this world will become peaceful; the hatred towards each other will totally diminish and love and compassion to each other will increase every moment.