Question: Someone claims to be a student of a certain teacher. This student claims to have some great attainment. What do you think? Answer: If you are doubtful, you can ask that student to verify with that teacher his attainment. Question: That person refuses to do so. Answer: If the teacher is a good one, [...]

Your karma is [or 'will be'] truly bad only when you take it badly, by not truly acknowledging your mistakes and the need for repentance. Once you acknowledge your mistakes, your karma is not [or 'won't be'] so bad after all. One who keeps saying sorry over the same matter is not sorry enough, which [...]

S: Sometimes, the most agreeable teacher is the worst [or least appropriate] – because you learn nothing new from him or her, that challenges your delusions, that spurs growth in your compassion and wisdom. (If everybody thinks alike, many might not be thinking enough. Groupthink!) C: I have no patience for teachers who mislead. S: [...]

The gently humourous yet very touching official ‘Paradise’ video from Coldplay, which speaks of animal liberation. Worth a post in itself, without me needing to comment much. (My review of the song: http://moonpointer.com/new/2011/10/paradise)

I’m interpreting ‘You’ve Got The Love’ by Florence + the Machine my way, with ‘Lord’ standing for Lord Buddha, and even Amitabha Buddha (Amituofo). Electric ‘spiritual’ beginning to the song at the concert in the video above! In a way, the ‘You’ sung about can refer to yourself, your own Buddha-nature, which ‘got the love’ [...]

心不老实即行不老实。 老实至心即老实修行。 When the mind is not earnest [forthright; honest; frank; straightforward], the practice [action] is not earnest. When the mind is earnest [and sincere], the practice is earnest. – Stonepeace

A strange man gesticulating wildly, almost hitting some but never really, somewhat intimidating but not really. Seems a little mad but not exactly, seems like us, you and yours truly, with our bizarre stuff done bizarrely. We cannot be truly mad. We cannot totally escape responsibility. We can become truly sane. Related Article: We Are [...]

Once a strand of hair falls off, it is totally disregarded, no longer cherished, even deemed as disgusting and useless. This is how fickle we are, in our ‘love’ to the body. Will you readily let your whole body go when dying too?

Question: There is this organisation headed by a lady who is said to be able to connect to the Jade Emperor (a Taoist god) and Maitreya ‘Buddha (or rather, Bodhisattva), and direct their light of blessings directed into mineral water bottles. What do you think? Answer: Sigh…. such groups usually deviate from true Buddhist teachings. As [...]

Question: I am not very clear about equanimity as the last of the Four Immeasurable Minds. Does it mean being neutral, ‘not affectionate’ and ‘not averse’,  being calm and not feeling much? Answer: Equanimity means a broad encompassing mind that sees all beings as equally deserving of loving-kindness, compassion and rejoice. It’s not a neutral [...]

Question: My friend’s business partner cheated her of her money. She wants to send him to jail. Answer: If the culprit is unrepentant, this might be the only way. Question: As an alternative, my friend could consider settling the matter privately than go to the police. Answer: If possible, why not? Question: If he goes to jail, his life [...]

Question: How do I cultivate loving-kindness for someone I dislike? Answer: It helps to remember that just as you suffer from disliking the person, the person might suffer from being disliked, not just by you, but by many others too. Since no one wants to dislike or be disliked, both you and the person are victims [...]

Question: I’m impatient who say ‘nonsense’ as I have a strong sense of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. Answer: If you know what is right, then all the more you should be patient, so as to deliver the message clearly. Often, we we deliver a message with impatience, it is less well received, as the listener might feel hurt, [...]

A lesson learnt from ‘Anya’s Ghost’ by Vera Brosgol. There is an unseen ghost behind every seen or unseen ghost – the real ghost, the real ‘demon’ behind the ghost, that ghost of attachment or aversion that binds the ghost, keeps the being being a ghost. Every ghost in unfortunate, but in guilty ways, for [...]

An unnerving passage by Steven Grant, in Warren Ellis’ ‘Scars’. ‘If they weren’t there and I saw them, there’s something drastically wrong with me. If they were there, and I saw them, there’s something drastically wrong with the universe.’ Such is the nature of existential Dukkha, the First Noble Truth, be it grossly physical or just [...]