Koi Cafe’s drinks are becoming very popular these days. (I go only for the vegan ones, once a while, free of dairy stuff.) It struck me that the reason why its drinks are so in demand, that long queues form and ticket numbers have to be issued, is really very simple…

Other than having a variety of flavours, which can easily be replicated by competitors, it has a magic formula that is really an open secret. The special recipe is that Koi Cafe allows customers to select the amount of each key ingredient that one prefers. In short, it tailor-makes drinks according to individual tastes. Now this is real customer service!

The formula of emptiness it is -
the formula of changing formulas,
the formula of no fixed formula,
the formula of non-attachment to any formula,
the formula of success!

Saw this t-shirt at Bugis Junction.
The design is the kind of photo I used to take.

When you highlight the most ordinary of things,
and appreciate them, they suddenly become intriguing, amazing.

In the right light… of mindfulness,
at the right time… that is now,
anything is never ordinary.

M: If one were to mind, wouldn’t that translate to more ‘mindfulness’
And if one were to take a ‘never mind’ approach,
wouldn’t that make one relatively ‘mindless’?

S: Vaguely reminds me of this by George Berkeley,
‘What is mind? No matter.
What is matter? Never mind.’
However, matter can be shaped by mind,
and mind can be influenced by matter too.

(The quote in the badge is by Mark Twain)

The easiest way for a masked vigilante
to hide his or her identity in open sight
is to secretly shed the mask,
to blend in as one of the crowd.

To unmask
is
to mask.

Haiku!

From ‘The Mighty Avengers: Secret Invasion Book 1′ by Brian Michael Bendis is this diialogue,

Journalist: Doctor, why did the Avengers [superhero team] break up?
Dr. Henry Pym: In my mind, they’re – they’re just taking a break. I think – I think if the world needs the Avengers again, the Avengers will be there. But, on the other hand, let’s hope they’re never needed again.

Likewise, truly spiritually heroic Bodhisattvas never give up their mission of helping all beings. True Bodhisattvas will always be there. Though we too wish they are never needed, the truth is that there are many in suffering, whom without the help of Bodhisattvas, will be far from the path to enlightenment. Paradoxically, the only way for Samsara to need less Bodhisatttvas is that more of us become Bodhisattvas to guide one another to be Bodhisattvas to one another!

On the path to become truer and truer Bodhisattvas, we might become disheartened once a while… and take a break. We might even contemplate giving up. Yet, when we again become true again to Bodhicitta, the aspiration to guide all, including oneself, to enlightenment, we will willingly take up the mission again.

One who easily loses one’s mindfulness
easily loses one’s temper.

- Stonepeace

The Hulk never intentionally hurts the innocent. But does that really make him always innocent, just as innocent as the ones accidentally hurt, as part of the collateral damage he inflicts? Not really – because he should cure his rage by better cultivating his mindfulness, such that he will never lose his temper.

Though his righteous wrath is sometimes useful to help others, it is always useful only if he better manages his rage… And the only way to do so is via increased mindfulness, which helps him to focus his energies, to do only what is right, while minimising damage, if any at all. General Ross, his constant nemesis out to hunt him, has quite a temper too, and in his self-righteous rage, jeopardises the innocent aspect of the Hulk too.

Truth be told, with all due respect to all great Tulkus,
many Tulkus (recognised reborn Buddhist masters or students)
still need Dharma re-education
to re-align themselves to the path… in case…

It is not true that
all Tulkus are firmly on the path to enlightenment,
or already enlightened,
for there are cases of Tukus who go astray.

Such is the danger
of the rounds of rebirth,
when you return not exactly ready,
when you might stray off even with good company.

If you are reborn in a culture,
where Tulkus are readily recognised,
could you be seen as one?
Would you become spoilt by special attention or further groomed?

There is a safe place to be born without these dangers.
Amituofo’s Pure Land,
where we will be groomed by the enlightened, bound for enlightenment,
before we return fully ready to better help all beings.

Related Article:
Are You ‘Recycling’ Yourself Every Three Lifetimes?
http://thedailyenlightenment.com/enewsletter/51.php

A Tit for a Tat (158)

Tit: I don’t like her accent.
Tat: But you have one too!
Tit: I don’t have an accent!
Tat: But your no-accent is your accent!

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