Are you in the shadows or are you a silhouette on the brink of illumination?

The photo above shows a man holding a pack of branded toilet paper rolls placed in a plastic bag. Here are the problems with such a seemingly innocent everyday sight. Firstly, such ‘good quality’ toilet rolls, which we don’t really need (for mere wiping and throwing), are usually made mostly from trees that can be [...]

< Sri Lankaramaya Temple When it comes to the stuff that requires faith, most of us are naturally skeptical. Modern folks like us want to be seen as a logical intellectuals instead of irrational superstitious ones. When one claims to have faith without any substantial evidence, it’s seldom to convince peers. But then again, experiences [...]

Last Saturday, after giving an almost full day course to guides on guiding in a Buddhist temple, I had about two and a half hours’ break before teaching lesson two of a Pureland class. At first, I was apprehensive of how my voice might be affected, by how tired I might be when it’s lesson [...]

Last Saturday, I conducted what was almost a full-day class (from 9am to 4pm) for a group of thirty-plus Singapore Tourism Board certified guides. It was held in Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, with free vegetarian lunch and introductory Dharma materials (books, notes and DVDs). The syllabus included classroom lessons on basic Buddhism, [...]

The film ‘Coming Soon’ explores what could be the real horror behind truly ‘horrible’ movies. That is, what if it’s all for real… since it seems so real? An actress accidentally killed on the set of a movie while acting as a vengeful spirit becomes a real vengeful spirit, haunting those who watch her on [...]

If someone gossips to you, there’s no need to respond enthusiastically. If someone else gossips to you, there’s no need to respond enthusiastically. If the two gossip about you, there’s no need to respond enthusiastically. The gossiping will stop because there’s no kick in gossiping to you, in gossiping about you. Those who engage in [...]

This was written in the burb of ‘The Walking Dead Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye’ by Robert Kirkman – ‘How many hours are in a day when you don’t spend half of them watching television? When is the last time any of us REALLY worked to get something that we wanted? How long has it [...]

Is one who suffers fools gladly one who is gladly a fool? Q:  What if someone is unreasonable? Should we suffer fools gladly? Should we speak up? I spoke up once but was disturbed that it displeased the person, while there was some anger in me. After that, I simply did things my way, against [...]

Photo: A Catholic Sister reading the Declaration of Religious Harmony: “We, the people in Singapore, declare that religious harmony is vital for peace, progress and prosperity in our multi-racial and multi-religious Nation. We resolve to strengthen religious harmony through mutual tolerance, confidence, respect, and understanding. We shall always Recognise the secular nature of our State, [...]

From ‘Civil War: Front Line: Embedded’ by Paul Jenkins… Speedball: Believe me, I would do anything to go back and have it be different. But I can’t change the past. She-Hulk: (Pointing at him firmly) Then change the present. The more you regret not being able to change the past, the less you focus on [...]

< Click to enlarge The Three Saints of Western Paradise (L-R): Mahastamaprapta Bodhisattva, Amitabha Buddha, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva A Purelander friend brought to my attention this less popular but nevertheless important Pureland Sutra. It’s so important that I decided to spend one and a half off-days to translate it. I hope it inspires you as much, [...]

It’s totally normal that many personal blogs are generous with photographs of the bloggers themselves, since they are visual as much as a textual diaries of their lives. Moonpointer.com has been running for years, and you might wonder why there isn’t a single photo of us moonpointer bloggers here. Well, we’re pretty shy. I like [...]

We believe what we want to believe. Be careful! What we believe might be believed into ‘reality’ like a self-fulfilling prophesy, though it wasn’t really true. We disbelieve what we want to disbelieve. Be careful! What we disbelieve might be disbelieved into ‘non-reality’ like a self-fulfilling prophesy, though it was really true. ‘Doubt’ is a [...]

Panel Discussion @ NTU Buddhist Society What is Suffering? Suffering is very subjective in one’s own way and it exists in every part of our lives. How can we overcome our suffering and liberate others from their suffering? Please come join this panel discussion as a Zen Master, a NTU Professor and a Dharma Worker [...]