For odd-sized packages of multiple The Daily Enlightenment books to be mailed to readers, we decided to use magazine pages to wrap them instead of using new envelopes or even purchased brown paper. That’s recycling at one level. And here’s more – the magazines themselves are unwanted ones picked up from those who might throw them away. That’s recycling at one more level! And TDE books are printed with 100% recycled paper for its pages and 55% recycled fibre with 45% pulp from sustainable forests for the cover. That’s recycling at even one more level!

To get TDE Book 4, please visit http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2010/08/get-tde-book-4

During the annual (early) Teacher’s Day lunch gathering organised by friends of Pureland Practice Fellowship on Sunday, which was quite moving to me, I spoke of the need for more leaders in terms of sharing the Dharma, which everyone agreed to. But I also spoke of the challenge of finding and being Dharma mentors. After some reflection a day later, here are some of the criteria I can think of at the moment…

Ought to Haves:

~ Vast and ever-expanding general knowledge
~ Great deal of common sense
~ Scientific in understanding and outlook
~ Good moral conduct, that emulates Bodhisattvas as much as possible
~ Proficient and balanced at least in general knowledge of all Buddhist traditions
~ Specialises in one key Buddhist tradition of choice
~ Learns and practises the Dharma constantly
~ Clear diction in teaching
~ Good in general English, Chinese, Sanskrit and Pali
~ Good general knowledge of religions and philosophies
~ Spontaneous
~ Humourous
~ Courageous
~ Responsible
~ Open-hearted and open-minded
~ Patient with every student
~ Compassionate
~ In short, exemplary as a model Buddhist

The above list might not be exhaustive. Any more points to add, anyone? Myself strive to meet the suggested criteria. The good news is that practice makes perfect. That’s how we can all become Buddhas, the best of teachers!

Thank you everyone, for the gift of the radio set for listening to translated upcoming Dharma talks in India. And thank you for sharing with me on how my Dharma sharing has made a difference in your lives. May we strive on together to make Pureland Practice Fellowship an ideal avenue for fellow Buddhist friends to learn and practise the Dharma together. Amituofo.

I like to watch cops-and-robbers flicks – not to see the plainly good guys chasing after one-sided bad guys, but to study the moral dilemmas that characters on both sides are scripted to face. In ‘The Stool Pigeon’, another dimension is added to the sometimes convoluted nature of good and evil. A cop becomes uncertain as to whether to use a stool pigeon (informer) to solve major crimes, just as the informer too is uncertain as to whether to secretly serve the cops.

At some points, the cop feels racked with guilt, as he wonders if he had sent the informer to the dark side, where he will certainly risk his life, while the informer also feels racked with guilt for pretending to be evil, as he is driven to be perpetually on the edge of really crossing over. It is the greyness of it all that is as intriguing as it is disturbing. The cops are not totally good or evil, just as the robbers are neither totally good nor evil too, just like the informers. The main characters are on a sliding scale of good and evil, changing positions from one crucial decision to another. Is this the story of our lives too, albeit told in a more intense manner?



Related Article:
Turning Point” Undercover Buddha or Mara?
http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/01/undercover-buddha-or-mara

A friend’s account: When I took up full-time Dharma work more than a decade ago, a friend warned me about the messy nature of the organisation I was going to work in. In short, he advised against me working there. I didn’t bother – because the details shared were vague anyway.  Till today, I’m not exactly sure what he was talking about. And I was clear I wanted to do Dharma work and nothing else. Back then and till now, I have passion for no other work. Even in much of my spare time, like writing about this, it’s still related to sharing the Dharma.

I’m still working in the organisation, though many staff come and go due to various reasons. Maybe I have already experienced some of the obstacles that the friend was talking about, but they turned out to be inconsequential personally – because my focus was and still is on making the best of the opportunity to share the Dharma. All other matters are distractions I do my best to ignore – which thus renders them insignificant. This applies to all other forms of Right Livelihood too - if your focus and motivation is right, the wrong things that pop up hardly matter.

A Dharma class participant asked me about the nature of doing full-time Dharma work. This is my summary…  How is it like? Is it like a sanctuary, the workplace and pace? Nope. Dharma work is no vocation to relax – it is for constantly engaging in various ways to actively share the Dharma. Work is never at a standstill – there is always something to do. E.g. Even for the repeat Dharma classes I run, I’m always thinking of more creative and coherent ways to present the ’same old’ Dharma. And for every Dharma article written, the approach must be refreshing; not rehashing.

It is natural that many imagine Dharma work to be ‘meditatively’ slow and peaceful. But why should this be? Work is work; it is not a retreat. Dharma workers are paid to share the Dharma best they can; not to retreat into the background, doing little for the masses that sponsor their efforts. If one takes up Dharma work to relax, one might be on the way to create tons of negative karma. I cannot imagine any work that is more busy, because there is so much to do, that requires more clear vision and meticulous effort, than Dharma work. Anyone who portrays Dharma work as easy to do is probably not doing enough, or lacking in aspiration.

When I visit some relatives semi regularly, I’m unfortunately not much of a conversation-maker in terms of small talk. I usually sit around and watch the tube in almost total silence, while the others chatter on. When a relative attended one of my Dharma classes recently, she was shocked at how different and alive I became. Sometimes, I even feel like a stand-up comedian cracking Dharma jokes that send the class guffawing away.

It’s ironical how being too close to someone can create a stubborn image (perception) that is hard to shake off. (I still have difficulties persuading other relatives to join my classes.) There are just so many sides to each person – that are seldom seen if regular encounters are of the same nature, thus hiding the unrevealed dimensions. This further affirms my belief that it is near impossible to judge anyone through a few encounters; and in my case, not even if these encounters are regular!

And here comes the next tricky part. Now that the above relative has seen two contrasting dimensions of my character, how does she decide which one is more real? I don’t even know myself – though most of us would cling to the ‘better side’ of ourselves to be more genuine due to our personal preference. There is simply no fixed side that manifests itself constantly (unless we become enlightened). Will she continue ‘demonising’ me as a boring person, ‘idealise’ me as an enthusiastic teacher, or somehow reconcile both? Doesn’t matter… as long as she keeps coming to future classes!

A Tit for a Tat (161)

Tit: I had a strange dream.
Tat: What about?
Tit: I can’t remember.
Tat: How do you know it was strange then?
Tit: I can only remember that it was strange!
Tat: So strange… that you forgot everything else about it?
Tit: Yeah… strange… isn’t it?

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/09/harder-to-forget
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/08/water-or-dirts-fault
About aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/logo-for-a-tit-for-a-tat-series

A Tit for a Tat (160)

Tit: Look! You’re leaving dirty footprints all over!
Tat: That’s because you’re making the floor wet.
Tit: But that’s clean water – it’s your dirty feet’s fault!
Tat: But it’s the water that made the dirt stick!

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/08/an-estranged-dream
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/08/why-are-there-leftovers
About aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/logo-for-a-tit-for-a-tat-series

A friend’s experience… While shortlisting films for a Buddhist short film festival, I spoke firmly against the choice of one, listing more than 20 reasons why it should not be selected. To my shock, despite this, someone exclaims that ‘It’s just a movie’. Disturbing… because aren’t Buddhist film festivals for sharing the Dharma; and not warped Dharma?

If warped Dharma is going to be presented, doesn’t it become an anti-Buddhism film festival? And wouldn’t any other movie do too, without needing any special selection? Thankfully, the film was not chosen at the end, despite some further short-lived contentions. I realised too, that any single thing is not ‘just something’ – there are always wider consequences, because that thing can influence other things, even if the scope of this influence might vary.

If mediums who claim to ’summon’ Bodhisattvas and Buddhas can really do so, then these enlightened ones should start the most excellent of Dharma classes, and be able to answer challenging technical questions about passages in the sutras.  However, few, if any, will ever ask them, because most go to mediums to solve worldly problems instead of seeking greater wisdom.

Yet, if the enlightened ones really possess mediums, they would be able to skilfully lead devotees to learn the Dharma, even if gradually. But no, this never happens. At least, not in the cases I hear. On the contrary, there is often advice offered that is misaligned or only partially aligned with the Dharma.

There is a kind of ghost who likes to possess mediums, to speak through them. As they can read minds, it is not difficult for them to know the answers the devotees expect to hear, and to answer accordingly. This is one of the reasons why true Buddhists don’t go to ghosts (and gods) for refuge or advice, while the Buddhas are perfect in compassion and wisdom, whom many ghosts and gods take refuge in instead, listening to their advice.

Related Article:
Buddhist Views of Mediums
http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/07/buddhist-views-of-mediums