Field visit: Chanting Hare Krsna!
Date: Oct 26 (Sat), 2019
Time: 10.30 a.m.-1.30 p.m. (lunch included)
Address: 6F, Ocean View Court, 27 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Hong Kong
Quota per visit: 20
Time: 10.30 a.m.-1.30 p.m. (lunch included)
Address: 6F, Ocean View Court, 27 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Hong Kong
Quota per visit: 20
Visit programme and remarks
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Yoga exercise (Warm Up)
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PowerPoint presentation
11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Dress up in Saree and Dhoti
11:45 a.m. – 12:00 n.n. Deity worship (with an emphasis on the spiritual significance of the ritual)
12:00 n.n. – 12:15 p.m. Mantra meditation + 5 min Japa experience (chanting on beads)
12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. Singing and dancing
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Discussion on “Spiritual Solutions for Material Problems”
1:00 p.m. Vegetarian feast
You will have the chance to chant the famous Hare Krsna Mantra in group and meditate inside the temple. Don't leave early as you can try the wonderful, karma-free meal prepared by our host. In addition, our host would also like you to learn about some of the mantra meditation music before going to the temple. Please watch the videos below.
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Yoga exercise (Warm Up)
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PowerPoint presentation
11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Dress up in Saree and Dhoti
11:45 a.m. – 12:00 n.n. Deity worship (with an emphasis on the spiritual significance of the ritual)
12:00 n.n. – 12:15 p.m. Mantra meditation + 5 min Japa experience (chanting on beads)
12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. Singing and dancing
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Discussion on “Spiritual Solutions for Material Problems”
1:00 p.m. Vegetarian feast
You will have the chance to chant the famous Hare Krsna Mantra in group and meditate inside the temple. Don't leave early as you can try the wonderful, karma-free meal prepared by our host. In addition, our host would also like you to learn about some of the mantra meditation music before going to the temple. Please watch the videos below.
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YouTube videos - Mantra meditation music recommended by the ISKCON community
An introduction
ISKCON can be known as a newly found international religious group whose members practice bhakti tradition within Hinduism. Most of the devotes observe four principal rules—(i) no meat, fish or eggs, (ii) no intoxicants or stimulants (e.g. coffee, alcohol), (iii) no illicit sex, and (iv) no gambling. Their key writing and scriptures include Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita As It Is which are both translated by the founder Prabhupada. Prabhupada brought Krishna Consciousness to the west in 1965—it was a time of hippie culture in the United Stated when he started to instruct seekers and formed the group in New York.[1] According to the ISKCON website, Prabhupada in his last ten years, “circled the globe twelve times on lecture tours that have took him to six continents.” He passed away on November 14, 1977 and was “surrounded by his loving disciples who still carry on his mission today.” For more information, please browse http://www.iskconhk.org/srilaprabhupada
Srila Prabhupada (1896-1977) - photo retrieved from http://www.iskconhk.org/
The Maha Mantra
The Great Mantra (or Maha Mantra) composed of Sanskrit is better known as the “Hare Krsna Mantra” frequently chanted by the members of ISKCON. The chanting is the process for receiving the pure consciousness of God and dispelling the illusion (maya) in which the world is immersed.[2] “Hare” means energy of the Lord, “Krsna” simply means the God Krishna, and “Rama” is another name for the supreme deity.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
A portrait of Lord Krishna playing his flute (photo retrieved from http://www.iskcon.org/)
Please listen to the all-time hit "My Sweet Lord" (1970) by George Harrison (one of the Beatles) in which you can hear the chanting of “Hare Krsna.” It was reported that the rock star had made friends with several ISKCON gurus and had met Prabuhupada several times who sometimes referred to Harrison as a “very nice boy.” For more information, read the interview of Mukunda Goswami (an ISKCON spiritual master) at https://www.iskconnews.org/the-george-harrison-documentary-interview-with-mukunda-goswami,2944
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YouTube clip - George Harrison's My Sweet Lord (1970)
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Part of the lyrics of "My Sweet Lord" (1970) by George Harrison
Hm, my lord (hare krishna)
My, my, my lord (hare krishna)
Oh hm, my sweet lord (krishna, krishna)
Oh-uuh-uh (hare hare)
Now, I really want to see you (hare rama)
Really want to be with you (hare rama)
Really want to see you lord (aaah)
But it takes so long, my lord (hallelujah)
Hm, my lord (hare krishna)
My, my, my lord (hare krishna)
Oh hm, my sweet lord (krishna, krishna)
Oh-uuh-uh (hare hare)
Now, I really want to see you (hare rama)
Really want to be with you (hare rama)
Really want to see you lord (aaah)
But it takes so long, my lord (hallelujah)
The relationship between God and man
An ISKCON member can be in relationship with the Lord in five different ways:[3]
A devotee understands Lord Krishna as the enjoyer, and we living beings shall cooperate with him, and eventually become a conjugal lover of the Lord. The attainment of such level can also be explained by the metaphor of satisfying the stomach. All the parts of the body—hands, legs, eyes and so on—are engaged in satisfying the stomach; and all food should be supplied to the stomach so that you can become healthy throughout your entire body. Similarly, all living beings should develop an intimate relationship with the Lord whose joyfulness could maintain a healthy spiritual world.[4]
- He may have a passive relationship;
- He may have an active relationship;
- He may be in a friendship;
- He may have the relationship of a parent;
- He may have the relationship of a conjugal lover of the Lord.
A devotee understands Lord Krishna as the enjoyer, and we living beings shall cooperate with him, and eventually become a conjugal lover of the Lord. The attainment of such level can also be explained by the metaphor of satisfying the stomach. All the parts of the body—hands, legs, eyes and so on—are engaged in satisfying the stomach; and all food should be supplied to the stomach so that you can become healthy throughout your entire body. Similarly, all living beings should develop an intimate relationship with the Lord whose joyfulness could maintain a healthy spiritual world.[4]
The essence of vegetarianism
Regarding their practice of vegetarianism, the ISKCON website explains that the group “believes the art of cooking is a sacred experience,” and that “the preparation and eating of food should be based on principles of compassion, non-violence and balanced living.” Krishna devotees advocate a lacto-vegetarian diet that avoids meat, fish and eggs. They stress that all edible food is produced by the Lord in His own arrangement, and yet, karma is involved in food (even vegetables) as one needs to take the lives of plants to prepare food. To get rid of karma, one could offer the food to Krishna. The simplest form of offering takes three basic steps: (i) place the food before the pictures, (ii) say, “My dear Lord Krsna, please accept this humble offering,” and (iii) chant Hare Krsna.[5]
As Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (8.16), “From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to my abode never takes birth again.” Karma is accumulated through the endless cycles of reincarnation—life and death—and that, maintaining a vegetarian diet and offering food to the Lord before every meal is a way to get rid of karma, and hence, halt the cycle. To lean about how ISKCON further promotes vegetarianism in India, please watch the National Geographic documentary “India’s Mega Kitchens” (2016).
As Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (8.16), “From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to my abode never takes birth again.” Karma is accumulated through the endless cycles of reincarnation—life and death—and that, maintaining a vegetarian diet and offering food to the Lord before every meal is a way to get rid of karma, and hence, halt the cycle. To lean about how ISKCON further promotes vegetarianism in India, please watch the National Geographic documentary “India’s Mega Kitchens” (2016).
YouTube clip: ISKCON's Mega Kitchens (2016) produced by National Geographic Channel
ISKCON Hong Kong: To develop a caring spiritual community
The mission statement of ISKCON Hong Kong reads “to develop a caring spiritual community.” The group has been regularly conducting educational services and interfaith dialogue throughout the years, and remarkably, they are arranging “Sunday Love Feast” every week and welcome all people to join. Their website explains, “Anyone can come regardless of beliefs as we welcome all into an experience of Love.” The community also celebrates festivals from time to time. A remarkable event is the Ratha Yatrathat (Chariot Festival) in June and July and devotees would take the temple deities of Lord Jagannath, Balarama and Subhadra out and parade through the busy streets so that everyone can share the fortune of seeing them.
Devotees celebrating Ratha Yatrathat (2016) in the busy street of Tsim Sha Tsui (photo retrieved from http://www.iskconhk.org/)
[1] Chryssides & Wilkins eds., A Reader in New Religious Movement, 23-4.
[2] Melton ed., Encyclopedia of American Religions, 1992.
[3] Chryssides & Wilkins eds., A Reader in New Religious Movement, 83.
[4] Chryssides & Wilkins eds., A Reader in New Religious Movement, 85.
[5] Chryssides & Wilkins eds., A Reader in New Religious Movement, 118.
[2] Melton ed., Encyclopedia of American Religions, 1992.
[3] Chryssides & Wilkins eds., A Reader in New Religious Movement, 83.
[4] Chryssides & Wilkins eds., A Reader in New Religious Movement, 85.
[5] Chryssides & Wilkins eds., A Reader in New Religious Movement, 118.
Suggested further reading
"God is a person" on ISKCON website: http://www.iskcon.org/god-is-a-person/
"Vegetarianism" on ISKCON website: http://www.iskcon.org/vegetarianism/
"Meditation" on ISKCON website: http://www.iskcon.org/meditation/
"Vegetarianism" on ISKCON website: http://www.iskcon.org/vegetarianism/
"Meditation" on ISKCON website: http://www.iskcon.org/meditation/
Online resource
The official website of ISKCON: http://www.iskcon.org/
ISKCON Hong Kong website: http://www.iskconhk.org/
ISKCON Hong Kong website: http://www.iskconhk.org/
References
Chryssides, George D. and Margaret Z. Wilkins eds. A Reader in New Religious Movements. New York: Continuum, 2006.
Melton, J. Gordon ed. Encyclopedia of American Religions (sixth edition). Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, 1999 [1998].
Melton, J. Gordon ed. Encyclopedia of American Religions (sixth edition). Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, 1999 [1998].