大二爷赞 (Praise for Tua Li Ya Pek)

大二爷赞(闽南发音)

 

宋朝忠仁勇捕快

异姓结拜八兄弟

锄奸灭恶济良民

美名流传世间市

 

个个忠孝位位义

形影不离血缘硬

生死处于身形外

誓盟死生欲追随

 

七哥名唤谢必安

年轻有为人人钦

八弟唤作范无咎

视恶如仇万恶清

 

七哥八弟情深海

昼夜时刻不分离

如此缘分谁可比

千年难得一回闻

 

人人大限总有期

半点一厘不由人

风雨之日大限至

大罗天仙无法施

 

两幽魂，归阴司

点名簿，铁牢入

善恶好歹难推辞

城隍府中查分明

 

生死簿中显微光

两人善多恶难寻

忠孝仁义善廉耻

项项皆是人上品

 

城隍知情送奏词

阎罗王前奏分明

文武判官日夜巡

皆为两人称赞是

 

阎罗王爷亲降旨

提升两人为阴职

必安称为谢阴将

无咎范爷来称呼

 

日日月月年连年

时时刻刻钟复钟

心存一点善仁意

大二爷伯会扶持

 

（敬念名号）

 

忠义无双。谢府将军。大伯七爷。谢必安

视恶如仇。范府将军。二伯八爷。范无咎

日月年时常庇佑

弟子诚心来敬礼

Poster for Tua Li Ya Pek (大二爺伯海報)

Pictures of Da Er Ye Bo - Constable Xie & Fan (冥府兩將軍大二爺伯)

Da Er Ye Bo (大二爺伯) aka Constable Xie & Fan, actual name known as Xie Bi An (謝必安) & Fan Wu Jiu (范無咎), were born in Song Dynasty (生于宋朝年間), hometown in China Hokkien Province An Xi County (原籍為中國福建省安溪).

For Higher Res PIctures, please proceed to this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taoism_deity_singapore_2007/photos/album/1277283958/pic/list

Pictures of the Four Sea Dragon Kings (四海龍王)

Offering of Incenses to Deities (祝香之簡介)

 

Offering of Incenses to Deities

Offering of incenses, there are a lot of ways to do that, in here, I will like to share with you all two of the ways.

Usually for normal devotees, they will just light the incenses, kneel in-front of the Altar or Deities, make their requests and then offer the incenses into the urn.

Here, I will share with you all a more different way of offering incenses – by reciting the “Offering Incenses Incantation” or called “Zhu Xiang Shen Zhou (祝香神咒)”.

Version 1 - Sending Requests to the Deities of the Nine Heavens Directly

Step One:

After lighting the incenses (three sticks), kneel in-front the altar or the Deities, pay your respect sincerely, make a simple bow and then recite the following Incantation:

《祝香神咒》Zhu Xiang Shen Zhou

道由心學　心假香傳 Dao You Xin Xue, Xin Jia Xiang Chuan　
香爇玉爐　心存帝前 Xiang Re Yu Lu, Xin Cun Di Qian
真靈下盼　仙旆臨軒 Zhen Ling Xia Pan, Xian Pei Ling Xuan　
今臣關告　逕達九天 Jin Chen Guan Gao, Jing Da Jiu Tian

For the last sentence, if you are not a Priest or Spiritual Leader, you shall recite it as:

今民關告　逕達九天 Jin Min Guan Gao, Jing Da Jiu Tian

Step Two:

After reciting, respectfully rise from where you kneel down, gently place the incenses into the urn. And then make your request(s) accordingly.

Version 2 –Sending Requests to Deities Via different Heavens

Step One:

After lighting the incenses (three sticks), kneel in-front of the altar or the Deities, pay your respect sincerely, make a simple bow and then recite the following Incantation:

《祝香神咒》Zhu Xiang Shen Zhou

道由心學　心假香傳 Dao You Xin Xue, Xin Jia Xiang Chuan　
香爇玉爐　心存帝前 Xiang Re Yu Lu, Xin Cun Di Qian
真靈下盼　仙旆臨軒 Zhen Ling Xia Pan, Xian Pei Ling Xuan　
今臣關告　逕達三天 Jin Chen Guan Gao, Jing Da San Tian

For the last sentence, if you are not a Priest or Spiritual Leader, you shall recite it as:

今民關告　逕達三天 Jin Min Guan Gao, Jing Da San Tian

This Mantra is to send one’s request to the Deities around the First 3 Heavens.

Step Two:

Place the First Incense into the Urn as shown below:



Step Three:

Left with 2 Incenses, back to where you kneel down, pay your respect sincerely, make a simple bow and then recite the following Incantation:

《祝香神咒》Zhu Xiang Shen Zhou

道由心學　心假香傳 Dao You Xin Xue, Xin Jia Xiang Chuan　
香爇玉爐　心存帝前 Xiang Re Yu Lu, Xin Cun Di Qian
真靈下盼　仙旆臨軒 Zhen Ling Xia Pan, Xian Pei Ling Xuan　
今臣關告　逕達六天 Jin Chen Guan Gao, Jing Da Liu Tian

For the last sentence, if you are not a Priest or Spiritual Leader, you shall recite it as:

今民關告　逕達六天 Jin Min Guan Gao, Jing Da Liu Tian

This Mantra is to send one’s request to the Deities around the Second 6 Heavens.

Step Four:

Place the Second Incense into the Urn as shown below:

Step Five:

Left with 1 Incense, back to where you kneel down, pay your respect sincerely, make a simple bow and then recite the following Incantation:

《祝香神咒》Zhu Xiang Shen Zhou

道由心學　心假香傳 Dao You Xin Xue, Xin Jia Xiang Chuan　
香爇玉爐　心存帝前 Xiang Re Yu Lu, Xin Cun Di Qian
真靈下盼　仙旆臨軒 Zhen Ling Xia Pan, Xian Pei Ling Xuan　
今臣關告　逕達九天 Jin Chen Guan Gao, Jing Da Jiu Tian

For the last sentence, if you are not a Priest or Spiritual Leader, you shall recite it as:

今民關告　逕達九天 Jin Min Guan Gao, Jing Da Jiu Tian

This Mantra is to send one’s request to the Deities around the 9 Heavens.

Step Six:

Place the Last Incense into the Urn as shown below:



Step Seven:

Back to the position where you kneel down, this time round, no need to kneel down, simply make a bow in-front of the Deities, move one step backward and leave the altar.

And the whole pay respect ritual ends here.

Taoist Mantra for the Death - "Wang Sheng Zhou" (道教往生神咒一)

道教往生咒

浩渺玄靈。太乙太精。
Hao Miao Xuan Ling. Tai Yi Tai Jing.

煉度魂魄。洞气出冥。
Lian Du Hun Po. Dong Qi Chu Ming.

元梵恢漠。真靈上昇。
Yuan Fan Hui Mo. Zhen Ling Shang Sheng.

唵喥呏囁。
An Du Sheng Nie.


Mantra for the Death - allowing the pass-on to "migrate to the land of no-sufferings".

Usually this Mantra is recite together with the Taoist Scripture while doing the Rituals for the Death (Pass-on).

In the Night Taoist Home Work (道教晚壇功課), this Mantra is also included.

Gan Tian Da Di's Mantras (感天大帝許遜寶誥)

Dear All,

For 29 of Lunar 3 Month is consider as the Birthday of Gan Tian Da Di - Xu Xun.

While you are paying the birthday respect to him, you can also recite the following 2 Mantras infront of his statue.

In Chinese, we called these Mantras Bao Gao, meaning write-up that praised a Deity of his/her merits and also, to invite them to the Altar for us to pay our respect or to listen to our requests or Scripture Chanting, etc.

Here it goes:

感天大帝許遜寶誥(之一)　

至心皈命禮
混元始祖。一炁分真。多劫之前。積修至道。　
勤苦備悉。經緯愈深。萬法千門。罔不斯歷。　
救災拔難。除害蕩妖。功濟生靈。名高玉籍。　
眾真推仰。宜有甄陞。大悲大願。大孝大仁。
九州都仙太史。高明大使。雷霆泰省天樞伏魔上相。
至道玄應。神功妙濟。掌九天司職。太一定命。注生真君。
三天按察都檢校。普奏諫議大夫。天醫大帝。
萬劫度人祖師。淨明普化天尊。

感天大帝許遜寶誥(之二)　

至心皈命禮
玉虛候相。金闕真仙。教啟閭山。開不二法門之號。
靈通寰宇。統五雷風火之尊。揮劍斬蛟。救萬民于江畔。
拯災散榖。得大道于山中。綏靖冥陽。神鬼共欽恩澤。
殄滅魔怪。天人同慶安寧。運無量之神通。週巡碧落。
救寰古之浩劫。拜禱丹墀。謢國保民。廟貌長存萬古。
匡時救苦。心香永祝千秋。
大悲大愿。大聖大慈。
閭山五雷風火院。玄靈法主。旌陽真君。

Choosing an Urn (選對一個好香爐)

How to choose a more accurate Incenses Urn (Holder)?

Many people have been asking, “What are the suitable types of Urn that we shall buy for our Altar at home?”, “Are there any differences for Urns dedicating to Deities and Ancestors, etc?”

My answer is Yes.

So what are the differences?

Firstly, Deities and Ancestors can never share the same Urn.

Secondly, the different materials that used to make the Urn for Deities and Ancestors.

Thirdly, Heavenly Deities’ Urn, Tu Di Gong’s Urn and, if there’s any, Nether World Deities’ Urn also must be separated and the materials used are also different.

So, let us start with the basic – choosing an Urn.

When you reach a shop that sells Urns, firstly, explain carefully to the assistant of the shop that you are getting an Urn for who (an experience assistant will know how to introduce the type of Urns to you upon your request), usually they will get the correct one for you.

If they don’t, then you will have to look out for yourself.

Firstly: Material

For Deities, always choose those made of Metal (for Buddhism, can choose Crystal/Jade Urn).

For Ancestors, always get those made of Porcelain, if not, glass or clay.

For Tu Di Gong and Nether World Deities, same as for Ancestors.

Secondly: Outlook

For Deities, always choose an Urn with the “Ears” on it and 3 Legs supporting the Urn.


How the Ears look like?

Usually they are in the form of Lion Head, same will be Dragon Head, or some, biting onto a ring (for carrying) – refer to Picture One.

So what’s the meaning for that?

The Urn’s Ears represents the continuity of the Family Line (Generations). In the past, it’s a taboo of not getting Urns with “Ears”, usually when the elders found out that the Urn is “Ear-less”, they will usually request for a Change.

The 3 Legs, the Transformation of 3 Generals/Demons who are “chosen” to carry the Urn for the Deities.

For Ancestors (Tu Di, Nether World Deities), we will usually choose Urns made of other Material besides Metal and also, no Ears attached to it – refer to Picture Two.

NOTE: To get an Urn with Heavy/Steady Base (This will help to bless the Family with smooth and steady Future/Luck).

After getting the Urn, how shall we get going with it?

Usually at the shop, after you decide on which Urn to buy back, the assistant will wrap it up with Red paper (as a form of respect, no other meaning), for some good shops, they will even give up a pack of 5 Grains (5 Color Beans) or the 7 Gems/8 Treasures – for the enhancing of the Urn use.

After getting the Urn, try not to go somewhere else to shop, return home immediately.

Upon reaching home, placed the wrap up Urn at a high level area, do not allowed others to touch it till the day of Enhancing of the Urn (Auspicious Day).

So who shall be engaged for the Enhancing of the Urn?

Nowadays, many people will tend to engage Feng Shui Masters or Mediums to do the Enhancing.

But, if you are able to afford it, engaged a Taoist Priest to perform the Ritual, cos at the same time, the Priest might be able to conduct the Dotting of Statues Ceremony for you.

So after the Enhancing of the Urn, what shall be done?

After that, the burning of Incenses shall continue for at least 3 days. Reason, to keep the Xiang Huo (Continuity of Past, Current and Future Blessings) going non-stop.

But we can’t get hold of such a “LONG” Incense?

Ha ha, good question. Get those “Pagoda Incenses” – coiled up Incense, this will be able to last a longer period, keep changing it or adding on to it before it stop burning.

NOTE: Beware of the ashes, some dropped ashes can cause Fire, during these 3 days, arranged for someone to be at home looking after it.

 

ST: Why Taoist god is named Datuk Kong, "Straits Time Article"

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

Thanks to Ms Ai Lin of Singapore Heritage eGroup for the sharing of this Article.


Picture by VICTOR YUE

STRAITS TIMES
May 10, 2007
Why Taoist god is named Datuk Kong
An online group explains Singapore's unique Taoist traditions in English
Reported By Lee Chee Keng

AT A Taoist temple in Old Tampines Road, separate altars have been set up to honour the Hindu elephant god Ganesha, an earth god by the name of Datuk Kong, as well as the Chinese deity Tua Pek Kong.

Curious about how these different gods came to be housed in the 80-year-old Jiu Tiao Qiao Xin Ba Na Du Gong Temple, or about Datuk Kong's curious Malay-Chinese moniker?

Explanations - in English - can be obtained from the people in the online community called the Taoism-Singapore e-group (taoism-singapore@yahoogroups.com).

Its members keep each other informed about Taoist traditions and festival days at temples across the island.

Some take pictures of temple events and post them online with captions and articles explaining the history and deities of each temple.

The e-group, a boon for those who do not speak or read Chinese well enough to find out more about Taoism, was set up three years ago this month. It has already pulled in more than 300 members and more than 11,000 postings.

Mr Victor Yue, a 54-year-old engineer, pioneered the e-group. Things started rolling when Mr Yue, himself a heritage buff and a member of the Singapore Heritage e-group singaporeheritage@yahoogroups.com, saw a tourist at a temple procession one day and offered to show her around.

It turned out that the tourist - professor of anthropology Jean DeBernardi from Alberta University in Canada - was no newcomer to Chinese popular religious culture.

It was while Mr Yue was helping her to get information on Singapore temples that he decided to start an e-group for Taoism-related discussions.

He said: 'There is little written in English on Taoist temples and deities in Singapore. It will be a pity to miss out on this rich heritage just because our command of Chinese is not good enough.'

The e-group has brought together heritage lovers from all walks of life who want to share what they know and learn from others. They range from Ms Su Yin, a civil servant in her 30s, to theatre actress and lecturer Margaret Chan, 57.

Mr Jave Wu, a 26-year-old human resources executive, is one of the e-group's more well-informed members who is happy to share his knowledge. Hailing from a traditional Taoist family, he was reading Taoist scriptures in classical Chinese at age seven.

Other knowledgeable members are Dr Leon Comber from Monash University, who wrote the first English-language book on the Chinese temples here nearly 50 years ago, and Professor Choi Chi Cheung, a history professor from Hong Kong's Chinese University.

Visitors often provide members of the e-group opportunities to meet in real life.
Group member Tan Wee Cheng, 38, who works in finance, noted that visitors to Singapore are often fascinated by the rituals at the temples and surprised that they are not publicised as part of Singapore's tourist attractions.

Ms Geraldene Lowe-Ismail, who has been conducting heritage tours in Singapore for more than 40 years, said the rich, interwoven cultures make Singapore unique.

How Datuk Kong came to be part of the Taoist pantheon here is an example of this uniqueness: The early Chinese immigrants brought with them Taoist deities they were familiar with from their hometowns, but as they settled here, they also appealed to a new earth god they adopted and named Datuk Kong - 'Datuk' meaning 'chief' in Malay and 'Kong' meaning 'Lord' in Chinese.

cheekeng@sph.com.sg

How Religion (Taoism) changes my life? Part 2

Rating:	★
Category:	Other

So what actually are they?

* Let Off – Not to keep reminding oneself about the past or the past of others, if that person is your enemy and yet he/she did not causes any serious harm to you, let go that hatred and accept him/her as one of your friend again. In this World, there’s no Life-long enemies nor friends, being a more Accepting Person, you’ll be able to go a further distance than holding on to hatred and causes oneself to suffer.

* Sustain – Regardless of what difficulties that you have faced, attacks by the others, caused by jealousy, let them be and the most important, continue on what you are doing to promote the Culture and forever, never have the thinking of giving up. Once you have that idea, all your efforts will be gone with the water.

If you really feel tired or stressful, take a short break (put all Religious stuffs down), after the time is right, get on going again.

* Care – Care for all people that are related to you and also, to those who they need your help. Regardless where they are from, what races they are or what Faith they are in, they are all Human in this World, just like you and me. As a Human, no matter where we are, who we are or why we are there, we need CARE. CARE, a method to close-up the communication gap and a method to allow people to understand each other better. If you are a shy person that don’t know how to approach people or show your Care attitude to, take that slowly, for the beginning, try doing that on people you know first, by the time you think you can extend your Care to those who you don’t know and yet needed your help, then you approach them. I’m sure most of such people will be very grateful to you.

* Filial – As a Taoist, without this action, you can’t be a Good Taoist or considered a Cultivated Taoist (even if you reach a High Cultivation Level). Filial Piety is the root of all Actions.

Filial to parent, cos they brought you to this World.
Filial to parent cos they feed you till you are able to earn your own money to feed yourself.
Filial to parent cos they encouraged you when you are down or when you meet with difficulties.
Filial to parent cos they comfort you when you are sad or disappointed on certain issues.

There are more than just these reasons that oneself shall be Filial to his/her parent. Many people may answer back with, if some of the parents are bad to us, ill-treat us or even wanted to kill us, how do we show the Filial Piety to them? Hmm, this may sounds a bit complicated, but, if someone met with such circumstances, how to show his/her Filial Piety? Very easy, show no hatred to the parent, do not fight with them or have the thinking of revenging them. All these are the best ways to return our gratitude to them.

In the past, I had met with such an incident that, someone forced me to go for work, planned for events and so and so and knowing that my Mum is somehow seriously ill at that period. Due to no better ways to solve my problem, I had to stop going for work and stay at home to take care of my Mum 24 hours round the clock.

This case may not be a very good example for all, but this is what our teaching of Tao is about. Without Filial, no matter how much money you earn or how high up your position is, you are just you. And something to keep in mind, in this life, you only got a pair of parent, once they are gone, you can find anyone outside there to replace them but work/job is able to re-apply again.

So in the future, if you met with such a case, consider carefully before making your decision, once some decisions made, you may regret forever.

* Willing to Gain Knowledge – How to gain knowledge? By not restricting oneself (open-minded) in only learning on one skill but to all skills that come to you or being passed-down by someone to you.

A lot of people (out there) always have such thinking, after seeking a Master, oneself shall only restrict/follow to the Master’s teaching and don’t allow him/herself to gain more learning from other sources, this is definitely a Wrong Thinking.

Chinese, we have a saying, Teacher/Master may have accepted you in as his/her disciple, but a disciple’s cultivation has to depend on him/herself. This means that, by learning what a Master has passed-down to you, you also have to grab the opportunities to learn more stuff besides what you have learnt.

* Forgiving – To let go, to accept and to have a heart of kindness. Once a person can achieve these 3 mentioned actions, oneself will be able to show forgiving.

Sometimes, it’s easier to say then do, but without real practicing, how do you know that it’s impossible to do it?

So, from today onwards, try your best to achieve the 3 mentioned actions, I’m sure all people in this World is able to do that.

* Loyal – Not only to the Country, but also to the School that you belong to or the Sect you take refuge under.

Many people tend to sway from one School to another or from a Sect to another, even though this seems to be quite okay (no restriction on Learning or No Standard Rules to control), but this is not encouraged in all Religious Society.

Since you have put in your commitments and strong Faith into your School/Sect, why must you sway around? Even though you may like to learn more from the other Schools/Sects, but you still, must hold your own Initial School/Sect’s name out whenever you go. Be proud of where you belong to, cos this is where you are fated/destinated in this life or many all your lives.

* Respectful – To Human, Deities, Souls and all Living Kinds. This may sounds stupid but it does happen to a lot of people in this Modern World.

Have the simple courtesy of respect to the others (regardless of their position, cultivated level or gender). Being respectful is also a form of ways to determine a person’s cultivated level.
Hear, See and Feel the Right Things – This may sound a bit weird and to be frank, this is the most difficult, one out of all mentioned above, to achieve.

Never believe what the others heard before you heard it yourself.
Never believe what the others see before you see it yourself.
Never believe what the others felt before you felt it yourself.

A lot of the people will tend to bias one side or believe on just one side of saying and neglect the opportunities for the accused person to have a chance to speak up. This shows not only how cruel the others are but also shows how Low-cultivated the group of people is.

Always balanced oneself (Nature Law of the Teaching of Tao), allowing oneself to have a feel on both sides (Yin and Yang), allowed oneself to listen to the complaints and explanation and allowed oneself to see the bright and dark sides before making any judgment on one issue/case.

All the above are what I learnt after fully, seriously putting myself into a Religion – Taoism.

Some of the points that I have listed out may not be the best sharing information, but this is what I, personally, felt or experienced before.

For those who are interested, can used this as a reference but never a “Holy Rule” to follow, cos each individual person has their own experiences and encounters.

Hope that by sharing these, more people can understand how a Religion can have certain “effects” on an individual.

Last of all, wishes ALL, Wu Liang Shou, Wu Liang Fu.

How Religion (Taoism) changes my life? Part 1

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Category:	Other

Quite a few people enquired this question on me, hoping that I can give them an Accurate and Definite answer.

But, do you think it’s possible for me or someone to give anyone out there a 100% Accurate or “Follow-able” answer? Definitely a NO NO.

Why? It’s simple, by believing in any individual Religion or putting strong Faith into any individual Religion is a very personal and individual action (sincerely out from the Heart/Feeling/Soul). No one out there (Temples/Organisations/Groups/Families/Schools/Departments), can change your opinion or view on an individual Religion.

Once you have put in Faith in one individual Religion or you are strongly committed to one individual Religion, you must not back-out, give-up half way or considered to give-up (regardless of criticism, arguments, being boycott, etc).

Why? Because All Religions (in this World) don’t belongs to any individual one of us (but yet belongs to All of us in this World). If one day, you happen to come across anyone that makes any comments on you, with contents like: “You don’t fit to be a Taoist or You not a Buddhist/etc”, you can just ignore that person or that Group of people. Why? Cos they shall be the one who’re not fit to be part of that Religion.

A Good and Cultivated Religious Follower shall have a good manner/attitude of helping the others, allowing the others to gain the same or certain level of enlightenment as he/she is in (at that moment), and not down-grading or discouraging the others, in-order to climb higher-up or wishing to get Enlightenment before any one of the others (such people show selfishness and low-cultivated mind).

For me, personally, I have come across such people. But to me, all these are not important or have any effects on me, because I’m learning and doing cultivation on my own and not doing cultivation for the others or to affect the others. As long as an individual own, oneself can concentrate and follow what a Taoist (or according to your own Faith) shall do, I’m sure the Deities or the “Boss” up there will know and the credits and merits will be recorded.

For a Taoist, the most important is not to force oneself to believe in certain things or to train on any thing or to accept anything.

For self-cultivation, accept the things that come natural to you or things that a Master/Spiritual passed-down to you. Once you force yourself into learning or attaining certain skills/level, this will oppose the “Nature Law” of the teaching of Tao (yet in this Taoism Society, we can see quite a number of people fighting over certain issues, etc).

In-order to reach a certain level of self-cultivation, oneself must learn to Let Off, Sustain, Care, Filial, Willing To Gain Knowledge, Forgiving, Loyal, Respectful, Hear & See & Feel The Right Thing, etc.