MoonCentral (Archive : Apr 2005)

Crux of the Problem



When the mind is pure, the land is pure. -Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra

When the heart is good, everything else is good. -saying on a monastery wall

The problem is not that we are in Samsara, but that we are samsaric
(have attachment, aversion and delusion). -stonepeace

26/04/05 12:39 AM

Being Focused

<Do it for liberty (liberation)

If that which we do is not consciously linked, be it directly or indirectly to the goal of Enlightenment, the liberation of one and all, then I'm afraid, it is done for the spiritually wrong reasons. Even drinking a cup of water is to nourish us for furthering ourselves on the path. When we miss the Dharma reasons for doing things, they become merely samsaric things. To have no ulterior motive on the spiritual path is to keep focused on the goal of Enlightenment. -stonepeace

26/04/05 12:10 AM

Responses: Are Casinos Anti-Buddhist?



Comments 1: I was shocked to see a Mahayana monk and nuns in the Genting Casino area playing slots. I was initially very upset at the sight and had a little discussion with a lay devottee who brought them there. I was asked to leave them alone and after I pondered, I guess I should do just that as I cannot pass judgement. The unwholesome karma may be his and what more of the monks and nuns! Shockingly again, in after a year in my recent visit there, I bumped into them again and this time they are attired in windbreakers and the monk in a dark brown Chinese collar shirt instead of the usual gery outfit. Their head are of course bald. If I can meet them again after one year, I am sure they must be very frequent there. What will become of the Buddha Sasanna? -achim

Comments 2: Thanksfor sharing. This is sad indeed. I think as Buddhists, we should approach the "monastics" directly and ask them what they are doing politely. I see every right for laypeople to question the non-lay with goodwill, without animosity. As Buddhists, if we do not look out for each other, including those who have lost sight of the monastic code of conduct, who will? There is also of course, the possibility that they are not real monks and nuns. If so, even the more should we "fix" the situation by warning them not to defame Buddhist clergy. Repeat offenders are often the result of our repeat steering clear of engaging in any preventive actions. Anyone dressed as a monk or nun is not by default "holier than thou", though the robes stand for the ideal of renunication which we respect, which makes it even less correct to gamble while wearing them. Any money monks and nuns have, which might be largely donations from followers, should be put to good skillful use to benefit even more beings - not a single coin should be fed to any one-armed bandit! That is the feeding of greed, the wasting of merits. Here is a related excerpt from the Sigalovada Sutta (Digha Nikaya 31) by the Buddha on the ills of gambling. If it applies to laypeople, of course it applies to monastics too:

"What are the six channels for dissipating wealth which he does not pursue?

(i) indulgence in intoxicants which cause infatuation and heedlessness;
(ii) sauntering in streets at unseemly hours;
(iii) frequenting theatrical shows; (excess entertainment?)
(iv) indulgence in gambling which causes heedlessness;
(v) association with evil companions;
(vi) the habit of idleness...

There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in indulging in gambling:

(i) the winner begets hate,
(ii) the loser grieves for lost wealth,
(iii) loss of wealth,
(iv) his word is not relied upon in a court of law,
(v) he is despised by his friends and associates,
(vi) he is not sought after for matrimony; for people would say he is a gambler and is not fit to look after a wife."  -zeph

Comments 3: Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! Those who abide by the Sigalovada Sutta will not go wrong. Sad to say that most so-called Buddhists at large are ignorant of the few suttas which in my opinion all Buddhists should know, understand and try to put into practice for their own good. -achim

26/04/05 12:05 AM

Adornment

When you are in a magnificent building, it's easy to lose sight of the building's external's beauty. But when you are outside the building, you can see the big picture better. In this sense, I prefer to live near interesting buildings than in them. As Master Cheng Yen said (my imperfect translation), "To admire others (not being envious) is to adorn oneself." Sometimes there is no need to have and hold beauty. Beholding it in appreciation in beautiful enough. But of course, in terms of spiritual practice, we don't stop at rejoicing in the merits of others, we derive inspiration from them, seeing them as an model example for emulating. -shiqin

25/04/05 11:05 PM

See Truth


You can't learn truth -
you see it or you don't,
just a glimpse, more, or the complete picture. -stonepeace

25/04/05 10:40 PM

Sentient Being



The well-known Hollywood celebrity (Richard Gere) has followed the Dalai Lama's teaching that to make a child respectful of life, you need to get them to respect the life of an insect first. "If you can get a child to understand that even an insect feels pleasure and pain and has a life force exactly as we do, then that is a powerful lesson to teach a child," quipped the 55 year old actor. -contactmusic.com

20/04/05 11:05 PM

Desire Freedom



We tend to think that to be able to desire is freedom, but to cling to desires is to be imprisoned by them mentally, which can lead to physical imprisonment (jail/hell) when followed blindly. True freedom is freedom from desire. -zyrius

20/04/05 10:50 PM

Why Keep Love Spiritual?



If you do not grow together,
you will only grow apart. -stonepeace pic:dharmadate.net

20/04/05 02:07 AM

Are Casinos Anti-Buddhist?



The Singapore government has decided to built a couple of casinos integrated into two resorts. There is much argument over the pros and cons, on spiritually religious and worldly economic grounds. Here is a point of view... A casino is not a cause for gambling addiction and its related problems - it is but one of the many conditions for the root-cause of the individual's greed to grow. In this sense, a casino itself is not the essential culprit for any problems. But then again, should we create conditions for greed to grow? As Buddhists, let us remember this - an ideal world (a Pureland) has no casino, no avenue for greed to even sustain. But now that the decision has been made, let us make the best of it, to be extra mindful not to be tempted by greed. The roulette is a wheel of Samsara - why give it a spin? Since the spiritual test is coming whether Singaporean Buddhists like it or not, may they welcome the test.  -zeph

20/04/05 01:40 AM

Promote Vegetarianism

< please meet it

One thing Buddhist organisations can never do enough of, to repay the kindness of countless beings who make their sustenance possible - Promote vegetarianism for a less violent world, to eliminate urge for killing out of greed for taste, which many of us are still strongly linked to. As long as this this great evil thrives on, it means our outreach of the value vegetarianism is not done skilfully enough yet. Is it possible to transform our world into a violenceless vegan paradise? Yes, or we would be doubting the existence of countless Purelands created by Buddhas, worlds where there are no suffering beings of any kind, not even animals. The next new Pureland has to start from someone - YOU. -shian

20/04/05 01:25 AM

Take Care Of Your Mind First



Reflection for lay and non-lay Buddhists: Take care of your mind before taking care of any other thing (or you might mess it up) - even when regarding Buddhist organisational matters, without forgetting to take care of the world at large too. Only when we increase our compassion and wisdom, can our caring be increasingly effective and relevant. We must realise we are never kind or wise enough, and continually stretch ourselves, or we will stop growing for others and oneself. -zyrius

20/04/05 01:20 AM

Wisdom Tooth Wisdom (3)



I learnt the following the painful way - When you let go of wanting to rid the pain, the pain lets go of you. Wanting inescapable painful situations to be otherwise adds redundant pain onto the already present pain.

"A very old and sick man, once approached the Buddha, requesting for a simple teaching. In responds, the Buddha taught him this powerful spiritual statement: 'Even though my body is sick, let not my mind be sick.' (Samyutta 3:1) Later on, the old man met the Buddha's chief disciple who explained to him the meaning of this short statement: Now, householder, how is one sick in body and sick in mind? Here an ignorant person would regard that the body as a permanent unchanging self, thinking "I am the body, this body is mine". And when the body changes and suffers, he too suffers.

And, householder, how is one sick in body but not sick in mind? Here a wise disciple does not regard the body as being permanent, nor does he live obsessed with the idea "I am the body, this body is mine". As a result, when the body changes and suffers, his mind does not suffer." -Abridged by Piya  -zeph

20/04/05 12:57 AM

Wisdom Tooth Wisdom (2)



At the dentist's, he tells me, after the anaesthetic shots, as he twists and turns the problem tooth, as I cringe a little, that "there is a difference between pain and pressure." I tell myself, if it is already numb, all the existing pain is purely mental - in the mind, imagined due to fear. Recalling that the Buddha has perfect teeth, let me watch my speech karma, eating karma and brushing karma for my far from perfect teeth! 

"The Blessed One said, 'When touched with a feeling of pain, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught. So he feels two pains, physical & mental. Just as if they were to shoot a man with an arrow and, right afterward, were to shoot him with another one, so that he would feel the pains of two arrows; in the same way, when touched with a feeling of pain, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught. So he feels two pains, physical & mental.'" -Sallatha Sutta  -zeph

20/04/05 12:50 AM

Wisdom Tooth Wisdom (1)



Never had a real toothache before till my wisdom tooth went haywire recently. It drove me nuts, unable to sleep or do anything properly. The dentist was closed for the night too. If the pain is not increasing, it is tolerable and already lived with, so it should not be fought with but made peace with now, since fretting it only worsens it. The pain, if it comes and goes in electrifying waves or even as throbbing pain, should be understood as so, rising and falling - so there is no need to fret it as it is impermanent. -zeph

20/04/05 12:41 AM

More Gratitude



We should be grateful if in the morning we can wake up and work.
The more of our gratitude, the less of our complaints. -Dharma Master Cheng Yen

Yet another wonderfully simple but practical teaching from the incredibly quotable master. I'm going to wake up more grateful tomorrow, especially since my work is related to sharing the Dharma. -zyrius

19/04/05 11:22 PM

A Fair Statement For Buddhist Gays?

 < Buddhist & Gay Flag

Do gays suffer more than straights? I think asking this is like asking the sexist question of whether girls suffer more than guys. Do we have to give a generic answer, a sweeping statement? Is it ever fair? Everyone should make do best they can spiritually, despite their gender and sexual orientation, whether they are generally ostracised or approved. The minority might even end up stronger due to the greater urge by pressure to better itself spiritually. Is it negative karma to be reborn gay? Yes, if you are gay and feel you have more suffering due to being so. No, if otherwise. There is no need to argue over this to get one single answer for all gay Buddhists, when it boils down to the individual gay's perspective and experience. Gay or straight, we have to remember that true "straightness" is to be neither gay or straight, but to transcend sexuality and lust altogether. That is the point to dwell upon, not whether you are gay or not. -shiqin

19/04/05 10:23 PM

Uphold the Dharma



A "monk" (is he really one?) who emailed me online wants to print the notoriously incorrect "Cause and Effect Sutra", which is not a genuine sutra. When we come across a monk or nun who does not uphold the Dharma, let us, even if we are laypeople, remind them to. Upholding the Dharma and reminding others to do so is everyone's responsibility. Sadly, he insisted on printing even after I told him the following...

"The "sutra" does not contain totally accurate Buddhist teachings. It will create more confusion than right understanding on Karma with its often ridiculous simplification. For instance, a preposterous passage goes - "If you born short, it's because you read sutras on the floor." How can this be stated like an absolute truth? This book is banned in many Buddhist places for its misinformation of the Dharma. Many Buddhists have also found its "teachings" twisted, which also perpetuate unhealthy straightforward labelling of specific present effects due to specific past actions. For instance, a passage goes, "If you vomit blood, it's because you blew off offering candles." This publication is a continual laughing stock for those of other religions too, when they think Buddhism is represented in it. A right sutra on cause and effect is available here. You might want to consider printing this instead. Please beware of the karmic consequences (cause and effect!) of putting words into the Buddha's mouth. I sincerely hope you can do your best to propagate the precious Dharma in its right light." -zeph

19/04/05 09:58 PM

Totally Okay



To Sophie on the clearing of the drug allergy:
"Oh, I'm almost totally okay now - unless bad karma strikes in another way...
though total okayness is to be enlightened actually." -zeph pic:bikamwhiterock.com

19/04/05 09:29 PM

No Escape



No matter where I may try to flee,
I am within the Buddha's compassion. -from a calendar

As long as I have yet to escape Samsara,
I cannot escape the infinite compassion of infinite Buddhas. -stonepeace

19/04/05 09:20 PM

Euthanasia?



A belated reflection on the case of the late Terri Schiavo (not her picture above)...

It is good to decide beforehand, on whether you want to live on indefinitely in a persistent vegetative state on a life support machine, as you can become an indefinite burden for others for life. But you have to be mentally prepared that you might be reluctant to go when the actual time comes, and have no way to show it. This is why practising detachment to worldly life is important now. It is good for you to give yourself some time to let go of life, as you might not be ready immediately, as you cling on desperately as you are taken off the machine, propelling you to a negative rebirth. It then becomes spiritual and physical suicide. It is good for you to give others some time to let go of you too, as they might be more attached to your life than you are.

I think I will give myself at the most __ years, should I ever end up on a machine? Not sure yet as to what is a fair time at the moment. Life, whether in a coma or not, is a constant race against time - before its plug is pulled, without warning in an accident or slowly through a conscious illness. May Terri have had a good rebirth, if she is reborn at all, any more. Thank you for showing the world the importance of looking after the mind, above the body. Just as you did not expect it to happen to you though it did, it could happen to us too. -shiqin pic:eternalsunshine.com
18/04/05 06:04 PM

Lesser or Freer



Don’t jump up and rush off, but mingle your mindfulness with everyday life. Be like a man who’s fractured his skull, always careful in case someone will touch him. -Dudjom Rinpoche

That was advice for post meditation care for the mind - to let the postive effects of meditation seep into other moments of life. Interestingly, I feel like a man who fractured his skull after removing two wisdom teeth and a molar in the way. I become more mindful about not injuring the healing wound, as I move about. Even my steps become more careful, to not send heavy shockwaves to the gums. Not the paranoia, but I hope this mindfulness will last, though as I write, it has been noticeably lost over the last week.

Making peace with the new found space at the back of my mouth felt weird. It's as if part of the physical self is gone forever. I felt a little unsure whether it made me feel lesser a human being, less complete and more inadequate. Then I remember it only reaffirms that none of the aspects of our physical being is "self", that I should feel freer instead, since there is no more need to care for the teeth in trouble. (Incidentally, my drug allergy came from the antibiotics taken for the dental surgery.) -zeph

18/04/05 04:50 PM

Certainty of Uncertainty



Having taken the medication for some time already, I still couldn't really tell if my rash was clearing. It just seemed to be changing more than disappearing. I got worried about whether there are complications coming up. Then I remember I am already doing what I can - taking medication. What else can I do but wait out my bad karma and create whatever merits I can to tide me over? I'll just have to see where this leads to.

Then it struck me that this is life itself - We are struck by a mysterious disease called "life", that we all die of eventually. The rash was simply an indication, a reminder of my mortality - how how my karma might be becoming better or worse at the moment. We live in this constant certainty of our existential uncertainty, buying our time, doing what we think is worthwhile with our lives, before we expire. Rash or no rash, I am still dying. Just seize life now and accomplish the worthy. No time to worry in excess about the rash. It does seem to be clearing up more steadily now though. -zeph

18/04/05 03:21 PM

What About Those Before the Buddha?



Q: If the Buddha's teaching represents complete truth and liberation, what provision was there for the millions who lived prior to His Enlightenment and teaching?

A: Every being has his personal self-created karma, as he transerses the cycles of rebirth. We encounter what we deserve, and what we do after that is also up to us. In this sense, whether one encounters Buddhism or not, and whether he chooses to benefit from it or not is a play of his karma. There are many beings born before, during and after the Buddha's time who have not encountered the Buddha's teachings.

A question I used to ask Christians is "If Christ came to save the world, what happened to those who did not encounter him?" The answer I get is that they go to heaven by default. This is problematic because if so, Christ shouldn't have come to save the world, and we would all go to heaven by default. With all due respect, this obviously does not make sense. Why is my "karma", which did not even exist before me "being created", not good enough to be born before Christ? Why must I choose to accept or reject God? Seeing this, amongst countless other good reasons, I choose to be Buddhist, to bear my own "cross", the defilements which I created by myself. Which is wiser and kinder? To believe someone can and should supernaturally atone for all our misgivings or to believe that we can do it ourselves in a down-to-earth way if we try hard enough? True salvation is to be won through personal efforts, not merely believed into existence. -dhi

18/04/05 03:09 PM

The Details Now



Sometimes I think it takes so much just to stay alive. Details details everywhere. It's all too easy to drown in them, forgetting the larger purpose. Buy another bedsheet. Top up the detergent. More fruits needed... When living becomes a string of tasks to merely stay alive, it becomes an end in itself, self-contained, meaningless. More often than not, the "sinful" breather is totally okay to take. Reschedule the shopping. Just bask in open space and time. What do you really hope to achieve after managing all your everyday tasks? Is it to attain this space and time to just be? For what and for how long? Are your tasks supposed to get you somewhere? All we all want is just to be happy. Why are you not happy now, even as you do your tasks? Is life in the details now or the details after the details are taken care of? All we have is now. -dhi

17/04/05 06:03 PM

Easily Amused



Slipped and fell like a clown and I catch me laughing away till my sides split... not at anyone else but myself - someone easily amused. The funniest jokes those experienced on yourself - only if you don't take your "self" too seriously! Are you gracious enough to laugh at yourself before others do? -dhi

15/04/05 08:08 PM

Dimpoche



Rinpoche: Honorific Tibetan Buddhist term meaning "Precious One" - used to address reborn lamas or other highly respected persons. All tulkus (recognised reborn master) are rinpoches but not all rinpoches are tulkus. I am not a recognised tulku of course, but I recognise myself to be a "dim-poche" (opposite of "rinpoche") - a great reborn fool - only as "precious" as my recognition of my own foolishness, without which I cannot become wiser.  -zeph

15/04/05 07:36 PM

A Short Course in Politics

Terrible things happen when a group's leaders split into two factions. More terrible things happen when the members split into two factions. Even more terrible things happen when the two factions of the first side the latter. Then again, two strong conficting factions are better than having even more strong factions? It depends on whether any party has the truth and is truthful at all. As much as we might not want to be involved in politics, we have to take a stand sometimes. Just make sure you stand on the side of the truth. Just make sure you sustain your wisdom and increase it, or you might lose the truth. When you choose not to vote for the truth, or that which seems more truthful, you are being untrue. -zyrius

15/04/05 07:11 PM

Phone Pouch



Swinging her phone in a pouch on its strings, it fell. At times like these, it pays to have your phone in a pouch. But this would not have happened if she did not put it in a pouch in the first place. In fact, it would be even better if she didn't need a phone at all. Swinging now between being born and dying, I will die. But this needn't be if I was never born in the first place. -zyrius

15/04/05 06:59 PM

One Thought At A Time



One useful little but important factoid I learnt from Abhidharma (the higher psychology of Buddhism) is that we can only have one thought at a time, though the mind can be so fickle that it appears to entertain two thoughts at the same time, when it is simply alternating between the two rapidly. Knowing this, I advised a friend with schizophrenia that when he hears voices, which he knows are illusory and from his own mind, he should immediately chant the Buddha's name. This will put a stop to the voices - if he chants well without much distractions, letting mindfulness of the Buddha take up positions otherwise occupied by stray thoughts. This is especially important since his medication wasn't really helping. What about meditation? In "silencing" his mind, he might hear more voices instead. It's just too complicated for him at the moment. -zeph

15/04/05 06:51 PM

Dream On



Patting the baby, who was startled awake, probably by a nightmare, she said gently, "Hush! Hush! It's alright now. That was just a dream..." She paused, thinking, "though this is another dream too. One day, you will really wake up totally. Everything will truly be alright then." The baby closed his eyes, turning away. Reflecting in understanding? Or mindlessly falling asleep again? I don't know. Like the many layers of sheets covering the baby, we have layers upon layers of delusion to peel off, before we come face to face with the naked truth. We have dreams within dreams to awake from, before we burst the final bubble, before we get to breathe the fresh air of freedom.

"The man who has awakened from sleep doesn't have dreams. This impure Samsaric scene of suffering is like a dream, it's like an illusion. So the man who has awakened from this illusion can never dream again. But, due to his Bodhicitta, and his compassion, help for others spontaneously arises. But the Buddha himself never sees suffering. For him, all things are transformed into pure appearance." -His Holiness 41st Sakya Trizin  -shiqin

14/04/05 05:41 PM

Make Peace



A good meditator does not escape disturbances but makes peace with them.
They are not irritating hindrances but welcomed challenges. -stonepeace

Meditation is an art of making peace with anything,
not the art of escaping from everything. -stonepeace pic:drby.net

14/04/05 04:09 PM

Helping



Q: What kind of dana (practice of generosity) should we do if we want to receive support and help
     from colleagues and friends? Any idea? I noticed that is lacking in my life.
A: Help them. -zeph

14/04/05 03:52 PM

Just Clouds



Somewhere in the middle of the movie "Cold Mountain", Nicole Kidman, upon her first peering into a well, using it as an oracle to see what she wanted to, saw ominous yet auspicious signs of her lover's return and demise. But it wasn't sure if she only saw what she wanted. By the end of the movie, when she did it again, despite the demise of her lover upon return, she was able to make peace with herself and said, "this time there was nothin' there to haunt me. Just clouds. Clouds, and then... sun." No more preoccupied thoughts from clouded perception and craving, just seeing a reflection of the way things are now. Just things as they are in the brightening light of reality, as she finally learnt to live in the glorious moment. It was a beautiful ending of an epic film, not bitter or sweet - just apt. Inkblot tests like such can happen anywhere! Peering long and hard into anything, what you eventually see will be a reflection of your state of mind. -shiqin

14/04/05 03:45 PM

Take Control



One of the most significant effects of well-practised meditation is becoming increasingly aware of the power of your self-responsibility. You become mindful that every positive or negative thought that arises is chosen by you, and whether to let is manifest into word or deed is also up to you. You become truly responsible for feeling the way you do about yourself and the world at large. From this turning point onwards, you have real control, mastery of your own happiness. You realise you are the one who has been victimising youself since no one can control your attitude. Welcome to your new life, as it should have always been - entirely in your hands. -dhi

14/04/05 03:05 PM

Molecules



The "molecule speech" from the movie "The Ice Storm" , which predated "American Beauty", but was of somewhat similar film genre -

"Because of molecules we are connected to the outside world from our bodies. Like when you smell things, because when you smell a smell, it's not really a smell - it's a part of the object that has come off of it, molecules. So when you smell something bad, it's like in a way you're eating it. This is why you should not really smell things, in the same way that you don't eat everything in the world around you, because as a smell, it gets inside of you. So the next time you go into the bathroom after someone else has been there, remember what kinds of molecules you are in fact eating."

A funny but powerful example of (physical) interbeing, of how we are all interconnected with no clear divisions of individual identity. When "you" breathe in that sh*t, "you" effectively become part of that sh*t! -zeph

14/04/05 02:48 PM

Is Karma Empty?



There is a popular saying that -

The ten thousand dharmas are empty.
 Cause and effect (karma) is not empty.

We should note that the word "empty" in the first line refers to "unsubstantiality" of all phenomena due to "impermanence". The second "empty" refers to the substantantiality of the ongoing workings of karma. This line warns us not to take our moral conduct lightly. However, one's karma itself is ultimately "empty" in that it is also "unsubstantial" and subject to change. If not, there would be no point in practising repentance. Yet as long as we have not realised the ultimate emptiness of the ten thousand dharmas (everything - which includes karma), karmic returns will always have "substantially-felt" effects on us unenlightened beings. This saying is thus a powerful warning not to theoretically sweep everything under the rug of emptiness and behave without moral guidelines, when one has not realised emptiness practically. We are thus under, not above the law.

Use the law of cause and effect to end negative cause and effect,
by not creating negative causes which create negative effects,
by creating positive causes which create postive effects,
which purify your negative causes and effects. -zeph

14/04/05 02:26 PM

Wisdom Vs Delusion



Wisdom is the seeing of things as they are, unconfused.
Delusion is the seeing of things not as they are, but as you are... confused.

Wisdom is perception corrected.
Delusion is perception twisted. -stonepeace

14/04/05 02:14 PM

Where is the Buddha?



The question is not where is the Buddha out there,
but where is the Buddha in you. -stonepeace

14/04/05 02:00 PM

Sad?



Quietly contemplate the pattern of things.
Nothing here to make us sad. -StoneHouse

Gently reflect on all things.
Nothing to make us glad.
Things are just like that. -stonepeace

14/04/05 01:53 PM

Only Love



A picture taken by a friend's friend in November 2004 on a London street. It reflects some of the public sentiments of that time. Note the words on the old man's placard. I think the actual statement by the Buddha is perhaps one of His most famously powerful, as "Love" covers many aspects of life - from politics to interpersonal relationships, to care for animals (and the environment) to self-esteem...

Hatred can never be ceased by hatred;
Hatred can only be ceased by love.
This is an eternal law.

-The Buddha (The Dhammapada)  -shian

14/04/05 12:39 AM

This World of Dew



A poignant haiku from Issa below, written after the death of his daughter, in which describes his conflicted feelings of being painfully caught between a fleeting world and his deep attachment which holds him to it -

This world of dew
is a world of dew
and yet, and yet...

An attempted extension here -

We cannot bear to let it go,
though it has to go,
as surely as we have to go.

Love on though,
but learn to let go,
and learn to go.

Or we would return
again and again
to this world of dew.

For what, for what,
but to free each other from it -
this world of dew. -shiqin

13/04/05 10:38 PM

Coma



What if the love of your life falls into a deep coma for years with no clear hope of ever waking up? Will you wait on, even if you meet a possible new love interest? My personal answer is simple - I will wait on, or renounce the worldly life to be a monk if I feel prepared. I will not become attached to another person. How much more do I want to perpetuate my Samsara? Will my new love not face the possibility of falling into coma too? Am I indirectly saying we should not be attached in the first place? Yes and no. Yes, because that is naturally the ideal. No, because we might "need" to be attached in the first place to learn invaluable lessons of how to love without attachment. Otherwise, we might be deluding ourselves into thinking we are detached in an equanimous way; when we might be simply cold and loveless at heart. -zeph

13/04/05 09:36 PM

A Gift Box from The Twilight Zone



In an old episode of Twilight Zone, a couple is given a simple box with a button on it. Their mysterious messenger tell them that if they choose to push the button, they will receive one million dollars the next day, though someone they do not know will die. The couple debate over what to do. They even dismantle the box, discovering the switch to be connected to nothing. After further debate, the man decides to press the button, rationalising that there will be no harm for them anyway - an apparent case of nothing to lose and everything to gain. The messenger returns with the next day with their million dollars. When asked what will happen to the box, he replies that it will be re-offered to someone else - whom they do not know.

That was probably the simplest yet most wonderful TZ episode I ever saw, which works well as a moral thought experiment without the usual horror factor. In the process of reading the story, imagine you are given the box - what were your decisions of "to push or not to push" throughout? Did your decision change at the end?

The man did eventually lose something after pushing the button - his conscience and peace of mind. Though the box was not physically connected to anything, it was a symbol of interconnection and interdependence beyond the physically obvious. Whether pushing the button really causes someone's death is inconsequential. Maybe it was a million dollar lesson given by a Bodhisattva in disguise. Maybe the man should had destroyed the box, but he ended up passing "Pandora's Box" of temptation to others. Because he was greedy, he "perpetuated" his greed into the world, which might in turn close in on him in the full circle of karma's return. This is true since the next recepient of the box might cause his death. In truth, there is no one who is not connected to us in some way, even if we do not know them. Remember the game "Six Degrees of Separation"? We are connected even closer than that. There is also a cost for everything we receive - be it what we had already paid for karmically or will pay for karmically. -shian

13/04/05 09:04 PM

Easy as a Child Stealing Candy



I saw a toddler lagging behind her mother at a candy shop. Unaware it was wrong, she reached into a candy box and took a piece for herself. The shop assistant saw it and told her "No, no, no!" Being very young, the child didn't understand. The mother heard the commotion and turned around, seeing her child about to put the candy in her mouth. All this while, the shop assistant was saying "No, no, no!" while not daring to physically stop the child in the presence of her mother, probably in the hope that she herself would deter her child. To her shock, the mother smiled and told the child (and not the shop assistant) in a semi kind yet stern voice, "One piece only okay? One piece!" As the child put the candy into her mouth, the shop assistant uttered in exasperation, "It shouldn't be like this!"

The wrong is the wrong, even if it is a little wrongdoing by a little child ignorant about what is right or wrong. Stealing candy from an unknowing child is as bad as letting a child unknowing steal candy? When does teaching morality to a child begin? The earlier the better of course. The moral lapses of a child, be they little or huge, are often reflections of the parents' moral imperfection. A piece of candy is never just a piece of candy - it is a piece of priceless integrity. -shiqin

13/04/05 07:45 PM

Allergic to Life?



If you have an allergic reaction to something, it means that something is not suitable for you, or that you are not suitable for that something. It occurred to me that I tend to think I am allergic to life (and death) - because of the suffering which inevitably comes included. Life is something I am allergic of, that I eventually die of, unless I transcend it by Enlightenment in time... or I will "revive" by rebirth and experience this terminal disease again. Sounds pessimistic? It is not, because as mentioned in the first sentence, it is by seeing the truth in the latter - that an allergic reaction can also mean you are not suited to life and death; not merely that life and death is not suitable for you. There is no need to victimise yourself by seeing yourself as a victim. Why not adapt yourself to be suited to reality, to master life and death, and all the suffering attached? In this way, you transcend life and death. -zeph

13/04/05 07:18 PM

Nice Quotes



Some wonderful quotes attributed to the Buddha I saw on a set of bookmarks -

~ Since everything is a reflection of our minds,
    everything can be changed by our minds.

~ Happiness does not come from having much,
    but from being attached to little.

~ He who receives kindness should never forget it,
    but he who performs it should never remember it.

~ The happiness of people don't necessarily have the best of everything.
    They just make the best of everything that comes their way.

More wonderful Buddhist quotes of paradoxically ironic truths -

~ Nothing endures but change.
~ Acceptance leads to change.
~ Detachment is a path of least resistance. -zyrius

13/04/05 06:50 PM

Inner Force

< Is Yoda a Zen Master?

"May the force be with you"? The force needs not be with you, because it already is in you. Rediscover the "force" in you - your Buddha-nature with perfect compassion and wisdom. So it should be the other way round instead - "May you be with the force!" -zeph

< Yoda modelled after Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche

12/04/05 06:11 PM

ABCs



abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
now i know my abcs,
next time won't you sing with me? -Alphabet Song

Thinking back, that was the strangest mantra-cum-haiku-like song I learnt as a kid. It was taught to me in kindergarten out of the blue one morning. There was no explanation as to what it was about, yet we were unconsciously tricked into memorising the 26 syllabled "mantra". Only some time later did I know (yes, still not taught "officially") that these syllables are called letters, building blocks which make up the alphabet, which when used in different combinations and repetitions, form words, which form sentences, which can be spoken and written to communicate. Example of its usage - "Om Mani Padme Hum" - sacred Sanskrit syllables of the world's best known mantra romanised! -shiqin

12/04/05 05:47 PM

Death of Death Penalty



Inspired by news that His Holiness the Dalai Lama called for abolition of death penalty...

If you can read the mind of an ex-criminal of the most heinous crimes, and can truly tell that he is fully repentant, will you not forgive him and not send him to death? If you cannot read his mind, will you assume? Why not give infinite chances to reform, even if in jail? Why not do so until you are sure he has repented? The death sentence is a 50-50 gamble of being right or wrong on each occasion it is meted out. The life sentence takes no chance; it gives chances. The true solution to softening hardened criminals is with love, not hatred. They get reborn anyway... what if as habitual unrepentant criminals again? Why not transform their deluded nature now, instead of pushing the problem forward for future generations? -shian

12/04/05 05:32 PM

Not Making the Mind Ill



Being ill slows me down, as I more mindfully ensure I am well in the mind, to be unaffected by the physical discomfort. As I check my work email from home, I realise I have never been more patient with the slow processing webmail program. I realise all my impatience in the past was totally self-punishing, since the program never intended to punish me by waiting. The impatence was useless too, since it only made me feel unwell in the mind. -zeph

12/04/05 04:40 PM

One for All & All for One



He who saves one life, it is as if he has saved the entire world.
-The Talmud (Jewish library of oral law and tradition)

Perhaps diverse ancient wisdom has more interlinks with Buddhism than we thought. Is the above not above interdependence (interbeing)? Everything and everyone counts. It was one of the taglines of the award-winning movie, Schindler's List (see Dharma-inspired review). -zyrius

12/04/05 03:57 PM

No Rash Decision



I am down with a strange rash from a drug allergy. Every single spot of itching rash is the fruition of my karma. It is still tolerable, though sometimes barely. Yet this is nothing compared with the unbearable pain of countless other beings. What else can I do, but to make sure I do not toy with the cycle of my life and death. What better choice do I have, than to seek birth in Pureland, to make sure I can really free myself of suffering, to make sure I can truly help other beings be free of suffering too? I express my great gratitude to Amituofo (Amitabha Buddha) - the hope for so many of us, who are not heroic enough to aspire for indefinite future lives' return to Samsara as the unenlightened, who still aspire to be perfect Bodhisattvas to help all. Thank you for your boundless compassion and wisdom in creating Pureland, the ideal haven where we can steadily become enlightened without fail, without fear. -zeph

11/04/05 07:15 PM

Immersing in the Dharma



Though all his life a fool associates with a wise man,
he no more comprehends the Truth
than a spoon tastes the flavor of the soup. -The Buddha (Dhammapada 64)

If one immerses in the Dharma in a thousand ways,
but fails to internalise it through any practice,
one does not benefit a single bit. -zyrius

11/04/05 06:49 PM

Why Doubt?



Great doubt great realisation.
Little doubt little realisation.
No doubt no realsation. -Zen saying

Doubt is good
only when you seek to clarify it,
to transform it into wisdom.

Doubt is not good
only when you perpetuate it,
to let it foster other delusions. -stonepeace

11/04/05 06:40 PM

Good Writing



Good writing is not the abilty to pen words of substance, as in creation of fanciful expressions;
Good writing is the ability to pen substance through words, as in the creation of meaningful expressions. -shian

11/04/05 06:36 PM

Help Me Help You Let It Go



Forgive and be free. Forget that you have forgiven and be freer. -The Buddha
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. -Gandhi

Today, I found out that a "friend" (who someone sees me as an enemy now) told a mutual friend that he easily forgives anyone, other than me. I would like to tell him the below, when the opportunity is right -

Dear friend,

If you are to reflect mindfully, which I sincerely bessech you to, what you see to be unjust "evil" that I have done to you, were acts done with the best of my intentions, in safeguarding you from furthering your own delusions - even if they had terrible consequences to you. Perhaps you cannot forgive me as yet because you are still deluded as to what your delusions were. Perhaps there is no need to forgive at all?

What can I do to relieve you of your hatred towards me? I can't apologise for what I see no wrong in - that would be spiritually hypocritical - downright lying. It would do no good to either of us. I write this not to be condescending or self-righteous. If I am the truly deluded one, please let me know. What I know is it is painful not being able to forgive. I wish to remove this pain. I hope we can have a heart to heart discussion of the issues again... as many times as necessary... so that we can see each other's perspective. -shiqin

11/04/05 06:30 PM

Judgement



J said he takes flyers handed out on the streets because he doesn't want to disappoint the folks giving them out. S said he doesn't take them because none of the flyers he had ever taken were ever relevant to him - that it was a waste of paper, time and effort. He said from the same incident there are two opposite actions and different actions. "It is hard to judge someone from his actions, since we can't read his mind." W said "Don't judge!" There is indeed no need to judge when there is no need to. Having wisdom is knowing when one needs to judge... wisely. -shiqin pic:mastmedia.tv

10/04/05 04:24 PM

Games People Play



Winning when playing, gaming of any kind for entertainment might bring a certain sense of achievement, a form of samsaric satisfaction. But how are we playing in the real and greater game of life and death? It's a more serious game with higher stakes - lose and be existentially unhappy. Are we winning (Enlightenment) or losing (it)? Are you happy with the status quo if it's always a "draw", getting nowhere? Are we indulging in the wrong games, especially with our impending time-out? True - as in the games we play, we get infinite chances (by countless rebirths). But it's the fool who chooses to take forever to win. The "kick" from winning liberation is so much more satisfying than winning the most challenging state-of-the-art computer game. What are we waiting for? Start practising, start winning. Practice makes perfect. Rechannel your perseverance in gaming.. -zyrius pic:kidsregen.org

09/04/05 02:42 AM

Treasuring Commentaries



^ Free "Mind Seal of the Buddhas: Commentary on the Amitabha Sutra" by 9th Pureland Patriarch MasterOu-I
Online version available. (Below are reflections after reading the above.)
   
It is definitely encouraged to read sutras on their own first, without commentaries - to connect best you can on your own - but inevitably, there will be your own delusions mixed in your intepretations. How many of us can completely use our innate Buddha-nature to see the complete Buddha-nature innate in the sutras? When we study commentaries written and spoken by Buddhist Patriarchs and masters in books and talks, we are giving ourselves invaluable chances to clarify our misconcepts and to truly benefit from the missed implied wisdom in the sutras. The longer we delay getting clarification from relevant commentaries, the more our corresponding delusions proliferate and the more we do "injustice" to the integrity of the sutras.

If one tells you to "never ever read commentaries of sutras", remember that that statement itself is personal "commentary" on sutras. Only masters have the authority to tell us to abandon their commentaries. That's as "Zen" as it can get. (Even silent and verbal teachings of Zen masters are "commentary" for us!) Who are we to undervalue the masters' advice on the sutras? The ancient masters did not write commentaries out of vanity - they did it with great compassion, to pass down their great wisdom from understanding the sutras for future generations, which include us. They do not expect us to ignore their commentaries entirely, to rely totally on our unmastered wisdom.  

The masters would not be masters if their wisdom is not greater than that of most of us. If you acknowledge them as masters, you should study their commentaries - or your respect for them would be hollow, based on blind faith. To really open your mind through sutras is thus not only to read it first without commentaries, but to further open it using commentaries. When you think you already know enough, your learning has already stopped - till you open your mind again. If to truly understand the sutras is straightforwardly easy, we would have been "enlightened" by now, since many of us have read at least a few important sutras. But alas, not only is the sutras' essence deep, even the words of explanation in the commentaries need our deep reflection.  -shian

09/04/05 02:11 AM

Mumbo-Jumbo?



Sometimes, we see other religions' teachings and new age ideas as spiritually inadequate "mumbo-jumbo". In this way, we close our minds and cease being able to learn anything possibly worthy from them. This is still somewhat understandable due to one's inclination to the teaching one has already embraced as a Buddhist. However, some Buddhists also assume the teachings of Buddhist traditions "different" from theirs to be "mumbo-jumbo" too, failing to appreciate the beauty of the vast spectrum of skilful Buddhist teachings which lead to the one same truth. Some Buddhists even think they have seen it all and stop active learning in their own tradition. The end of humility is the end of spiritual growth - whether one is a Buddhist or not. -shiqin pic:wisc.edu

Comments: This struck me as an apt quotation regarding "the end of humility" and "clinging to past knowledge" - "The mind of a perfect man is like a mirror. It grasps nothing. It expects nothing. It reflects but does not hold. Therefore, the perfect man can act without effort." -Chuang Tzu  -lindastell1

Hear what is said, retain what is important, and speak what is worthy. Attach to nothing. -The Buddha  -shiqin

08/04/05 12:40 PM

Master



Be one a renunciate or layperson, one is not a "master" simply because others think you are. One must be aware that one is probably more of a practising Buddhist than a "practised" Buddha. Spiritual practice is a process of actualising, not assuming mastery. -zeph pic:StarWars

08/04/05 12:18 PM

This Is It



People are like monkeys, frantically grasping for the moon in the water. -Ryokan

You can only relish this moment,
but without clinging to it,
because it can't be clung to.

What else can you do? -stonepeace pic:utahskies.org

08/04/05 12:03 PM

Guru



What makes you think you need only one guru?
Maybe you need many other "gurus"...
to lead you to your ideal guru(s).

Who then, is not your guru now? -stonepeace pic:chunan.com

08/04/05 11:50 AM

Purposelessness



To be truly purposeless is the ultimate purpose.
True freedom is not needing to seek freedom anymore.

(One is then able to purely help all with complete ease.) -stonepeace pic:ayradyss.org

08/04/05 11:41 AM

Tears & Joy


Laughed so hard it became painful.
So painful I wasn't sure it was funny anymore.

Almost can't stand stifling the laughter.
Almost can't stand the stitches in the sides.

One full minute of pain and pleasure.
One complete serving of Samsara.

Of tears of joy.
Of joy and tears.

The Buddha smiles on silently...
at my folly, not mocking...
but with gentle compassion and understanding. -shiqin

07/04/05 06:17 PM

Go(o)d(ness)



This shows the extent the misguided are willing to go. It's a "flaw" with God-centred religions. They worship "God"; Buddhists "worship" ultimate "Goodness" (Purity, to be exact) as the ideal. The few extra letters "o" and "ness" make a whole lot of difference. Ironically, "God" fundamentalists have provided Buddhists many opportunities to practise patience and compassion (Goodness). May they be well and happy... and good for goodness' sake.  -Dharma Apprentice

07/04/05 06:01 PM

Obsessive Over-Drivenness



I think a major contributor to obsessive behavior lies in the unskillfull impulsive reactions toward stress and the seeking of the illusion of absolute security. In Zen, one is taught to watch inner talk (which can be very compelling) arise and internally respond to to it by silently responding "don't know!" This is a reminder to greet with gentle "matter-of-factness" all manifestations of the monkey mind. Much peace eventually results from this practice if pursued diligently. -lindastell1 pic:marvelite.prohosting.com/cherlene

07/04/05 02:57 PM

Zen & the Art of Sleep Maintenance



Hope am not taking the problem too lightly. A piece of news on curing insomnia inspired the below -

When tired, sleep.
When not tired, don't sleep.

Just be natural.
Just be.

No need to try to be tired.
No need to try to sleep. -shiqin pic:colorado.edu

07/04/05 02:26 PM

Bittersweetness of Life

< One of the last scenes of "LiT"

"Why do we use the word 'bittersweet' instead of 'sweetbitter'? Most probably because nothing is really sweeter than bitter in this world, and bitter aftertastes last longer than the sweet ones. The First Noble Truth says life is prevalent with much dissatisfaction, and I can't agree more. No, not everything is dissatisfactory, but most things slant towards that, as we crave for the taste of the 'sweets' to last forever, and for the 'bitters' to fade away once and for all. The craving itself can make what was the sweetest the most presently bitter. But take heart! There is one sweetest "thing" that will not turn bitter - Enlightenment. So what if the journey is bittersweet, as long as we will taste sweet victory eventually, as long as we do not give up?"

< Heartbreaking departure scene - seconds before the above

The above is an excerpt from a detailed Dharma-inspired movie review of the multiple award-winning film "Lost in Translation".

< Wandering, lost in sight, sound and thought?

A quote from Stonepeace in the review -
“To find yourself, you need to first lose yourself, or realise you are already lost.” -shian pic:FocusFeatures

07/04/05 02:25 PM

Dreamt Up



Reply to a friend who read a dream I wrote about for another mailing list - "Actually I didn't dream of it - I wanted to write something fantastical yet with meaning - so I wrote is as a dream haha. The fictional can relay truths. Anyway, what is not fictitious if we do not experience reality in its fullest? Delivering the Dharma through dreamt up dreams - a skillful means perhaps? The weird and wonderful intrigue readers. I do wish I have more enlightening dreams though". -zeph pic:doostiema.persianblog.com

06/04/05 02:03 PM

Dharma Apprentice



A friend created the above avatar logo (someone in a Dharma wheel) for use in a Buddhist forum, modelled after "The Apprentice", the reality TV show. Now, he's an apprentice (disciple) of the Dharma seeking reality! Apprentice of "the way of the world", not "the way of the worldly"! I joked that in his briefcase is a laptop he uses to surf for the Dharma. Hmmm... maybe he shouldn't be running. But if he stood still or sitted, he would be meditating, not resembling "The Apprentice" at all. Haha. Looks like running in a hamster wheel of Samsara though, a mundane business guy running from the Dharma but never getting away, because he is in the "Dharma" ("phenomena" here). He might as well run on and with "the Dharma" (the Buddha's teachings). Only so can he run out of his Samsara! Okay... enough playing with words. -zeph

Comments by "The Dharma Apprentice" : The carry case can be my "learning material", or karmic
baggage, or defilements that I still carry with me. I am running (working hard), learning to walk the Buddha's teachings of the Noble Eightfold Path as symbolised by the wheel. Still running in Samsara, still learning to sit still.

06/04/05 02:14 AM

Animals Have "Souls"

< click for "Intro to Veganism" (PETA)

Wow! Look at the article below! Not that "souls" is the right term to use in Buddhism though.* A church-going friend once rationalised to me that animals are "soulless", okay to be eaten, that they appear to be sentient to fool us into feeling guilty, saying it's a trick of the devil! Is the real devil not his inner demon of greed missing compassion? How can he refute the wisdom of the two "Holinesses" (see picture below of HHDL and the late Pope)? I hope the Pope was vegetarian or vegan, or at least pro. Then again, maybe he didn't want to give too much pressure to his followers accustomed to meat-eating? (HHDL is vegetarian)

(*We prefer the term "consciousness" or "mindstream", instead of "soul", which denotes an unchanging and thus non-d/evolving mental entity. Buddhists don't subscribe to the idea of a creator God too; we believe we individually and collectively re/create this world and our-"selves" from moment to moment.)

< click to enlarge (AP)

From PETA : Pope John Paul II Taught Love for Animals

As Catholics around the world mourn the passing of His Holiness John Paul II, non-Catholic animal lovers join them in their grief. Pope John Paul II taught love for animals more than any other pope in recent memory. In 1990, His Holiness proclaimed that “the animals possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren.” He went on to say that all animals are “fruit of the creative action of the Holy Spirit and merit respect” and that they are “as near to God as men are.” Animal lovers everywhere were overjoyed!

The Holy Father reminded people that all living beings, including animals, came into being because of the “breath” of God. Animals possess the divine spark of life—the living quality that is the soul—and they are not inferior beings, as factory farmers, fur farmers, and others who exploit animals for profit would have us believe. After he became Pope John Paul II, His Holiness went to Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, and spoke of the saint’s love for animals. He declared, “We, too, are called to a similar attitude.” PETA is grateful that His spoke out so beautifully for animals and their souls, and we hope that his successor will also speak out for them with the same love and compassion. Catholics can honor his teachings by incorporating compassion for animals more fully in their own lives.

Read about His Holiness John Paul II's dream about a homeless cat and her kittens
Read about His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's comments on animal welfare
Read about His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's tribute to the Pope -shian

06/04/05 01:23 AM

No Why



A zenny conversation I vaguely remember from a movie in the movie "S1mOne", as Simone passes away in the presence of her lover -

Him: Why here?
Her: No why - just here. 

But seriously, only the enlightened truly don't need to ask why. Why do you still ask why? Wow - did Simone's character die enlightened? Hey! Just a movie. -shiqin

05/04/05 06:57 PM

Best Meal



When asked what Buddhist tradition I follow - this comes to mind... The best meal is a buffet - mix and match what you need exactly. But be sure what you want to have for your main course - it should be your last meal too - before you leave this life. Mine? "Namo Amituofo." Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana - Ekayana (One Vehicle)! Why be "non-sectarian" in the sitting on the fence way. Why not be "mulit-traditional" instead? I enjoy living my life in the "zennest" way I can, while I practise universally foundational Theravada meditation for fortifying my goal in practising mindfulness well enough to be born in Pureland, to be able to return "qualified" to more readily help all beings. Practices like Vajrayana thought transformation helps in daily life too. -zeph

05/04/05 07:05 PM

Park Your Mind



The new IBM Thinkpad (notebook) has "air-bag"-like harddisk protection technology, able to park itself within less than a second when it senses physical disruption to the unit. Reminds me of protecting the mind. I think it was Shantideva who taught that if you are mindful that you rage is growing, freeze your mind like a log of wood - to prevent any aversion growing or expressing - and just let it simmer off. Secure your karma! If you are mindful, you can park your mind safely within seconds or less. It's true! It works. -zyrius

05/04/05 07:16 PM

Not Dreading Your Practice



Try to look forward to your daily/nightly scheduled spititual practice as the highlight of the day - especially if you find it a drag. Don't make your night practice the last dreadful thing on your mind, that you feel obliged to go through as a commitment. Practise when fresh, not tired; or it would be pointless! The last thing that should happen is to habitually make your practice feel irksome when it is supposed to spiritually perk you up! -zeph

05/04/05 07:05 PM

Familial Karmic Genes



How is your karma linked with your family? First of all, let's be clear that you don't inherit karma from your parents "karmic genes" - we can only inherit our own self-created karma from our past; not someone else's. Some similar patterns might appear to run in the family. But that's because "birds of common karma tend to flock together." If you are short-tempered, you might have a short-tempered Father - because you deserve to experience a reflection of your anger problem. It's not as if your Dad passed down his bad angry genes to you; you simply carried them over from your past life. That just explained family karma the negative way - how children get "bad" parents due to their own "bad-ness."

Now let's explain family karma the positive way - how parents can get good kids due to their own goodness... A certain Mother might be terrible morally, yet her kids create merits and dedicate them for her to be able to "bail" her out of a terrible destiny. This is possible because she does have some postive karma to deserve such good kids too. Enough said - just be good to all, as all are family in one way or another. Be we kids or parents, let's help each other transform our negative karmic genes to pure ones. -zeph

05/04/05 07:54 PM

Little Might



A little might not make a big difference -
but it might -
and that might be all that is needed. -stonepeace

05/04/05 08:01 PM

Endless Revisions



Did I lock the door? Did I turn off the gas and tap? I know a friend who repeatedly and obsessively goes through these endless revisions mentally, even when coupled with physical checks. Is he being extra mindful about checking important details? Actually no. It means he had his "mindfulness" set on auto-pilot mode. In this way, it is actually switched off more than on. That is why mindfulness should be on manual mode, which means he would only need to mindfully lock the door, turn the gas and tap off once and for all. This applies similarly to terminating endless revisions of life and death (cycle of rebirths) - we just need to be mindful enough, to live life well, and end our Samsara once and for all, best we can. -zeph pic:worldofbrass.co.uk

05/04/05 08:19 PM

Too Much Beauty?



The famous "American Beauty" plastic bag "speech" in the movie -

"It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. And this bag was, like, dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. And that's the day I knew there was this entire life behind things, and... this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember... and I need to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in."

When we are mindful and soak in the way things are naturally, we can experience similar magic in the most ordinary of otherwise unnoticed everyday phenomena. What is this benevolent force, if there is one? I choose to think it is our force of mindfulness itself, which urges us to be benevolent and to see things in a benevolent way. But is there so much beauty that we might not be able to stand it? I don't think so. We might be surprised, overwhelmed, but it is only when we crave for the beauty we see to last or increase that we "can't stand it." -shian

05/04/05 08:33 PM


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