The award-winning graphic novel ‘Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic’ (actually ‘Funeral Home’) is a bittersweet tale, of how the author Alison Bechdel grew up with a father, who seemed distant, yet demanding in expecting obedience from his children – especially in...

‘The Broken (Reflexion Trouble)’ is an unconventional thriller. I was interested in it as it seemed to be about doppelgangers, of how some seem to see doubles of themselves, which foretells of something unfortunate going to happen. It’s hard to comment on whether this...

An imaginary verse on how a Bodhisattva might think: The only reason my heart is broken is because so many hearts are broken. There is no time to indulge in being heartbroken, when there are so many broken hearts to heal. From the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra: Manjusri: Householder, whence came...

In the movie ‘Fling’, the subject of open relationships is explored. According to Wikipedia, ‘An open relationship is a relationship in which the participants are free to have emotional, spiritual and/or physical relationships with other partners, often within mutually...

Meatguy: I think you are too strongly attached to being vegetarian. Shi’an: I’m not. I’m just aware that animals are attached to their lives, and that my choice of diet prevents more deaths. Meatguy: Didn’t the Buddha teach that all mind and matter is without...

Time of Your Life (Green Day) Another turning point; a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist; directs you where to go. Comments: ‘Now’ is always a turning point for the rest of our lives, that eternal fork between the past and the future. Time is the river we must...

During the silent prayer of nine religions during the ‘Voices of Harmony’ concert, I heard a child cry in the background. Silence is first prayer, so that you can hear your plea. Silence is first prayer, so that you can hear others’ pleas. Silence is first prayer, so that...

Beware of one, who is slow to apologise, for one might believe in pride, that under the power of Mara, more than in karma, that aligned with goodness and truth. With less faith in moral consequences (karma), there is less ground for shamefulness and repentance, there is less ground for virtue...

Daoni and company (my soft toy dogs) look different from different angles. They might look sad from one, but glad from another. But that’s just physical. People’s characters too, look different from different views. They might seem bad from one, but good from another. And they...

Part 1: Shi’an: To the temple please. Cabbie: Are you a Buddhist? Shi’an: Yes, are you one too? Cabbie: Yes. Have you been learning the Dharma long? Shi’an: I don’t know how long is considered long, but as long as I’m not yet a Buddha, it’s not long...

Financial planning is not just about amassing as much as possible. but giving as much as possible that which is ‘precious’, that can’t be brought over to the next life. As long as we die with an extra cent in our pocket, we die with an extra cent too rich. -...

This is special entry is an extension of the ‘Realisation’ article in the latest issue of TheDailyEnlightenment-Weekly: When a Dharma Teachers are Not Yet One with the Dharma: http://thedailyenlightenment.com/enewsletter/20.php [01] If a Leper Holds the Torch of Truth (What If...

I came across the Kutadanta Sutta (on ‘a bloodless sacrifice’), which records how the Buddha taught about the superior and ultimate spiritual sacrifice not being that of any sentient being’s life, but the sacrifice (giving up) of one’s defilements. As the sutta is...

This is a message from Human Society International. It might be belated, but it’s important and we can work towards ending the next round of killing… We urgently need your help [by signing the petition here] to stop the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of animals [some say half...

The Four Reliances Do not rely on the individual, but on the Dharma Do not on the words, but on the meaning Do not rely on the provisional meaning, but on the definitive meaning Do not rely on the ordinary mind, but rely on wisdom Mipham Rinpoche says in The Sword of Wisdom: If you do not...

From ‘Wonderland’, which is a spin-off story based on ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew are some interesting dialogues - Feather: You’re late because you spent so much time bleaching, starching, and ironing this apron! Mary...

Here is an analysis of the poll question ‘Would You Marry Someone of Another Religion?’ As of today, the results are: 39% : Hmmm, I don’t think so! 30%: Of course, why not? 15% : Does it really matter? 10% : I’m not sure… 04% : Already! And regretting it. 02% :...

In the whimsical tale of  ‘The Eternal Smile’ by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim, a mercenary frog craves to have a swimming pool that is so deep that it can hold all the gold coins he has, such that when he hops into it for a swim, he wouldn’t hit his nose at the bottom....

From http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=22,8733,0,0,1,0 : The once most famous Buddhist monk in a small country is now its most infamous. Then again, he doesn’t seem very fit to be called a monk now. Here is a summary of his misdeeds, as gathered from press articles, in no...

Watch the early morning sun Drip like blood from the day See the crazy people run So many games to play See the blue suburban dream Under the jet plane sky Sleep away and dream a dream Life is just a lullaby Ah Ah Ah And everything will flow Watch the day begin again Whispering into the...