The only lesson I learnt from ‘Au Revoir Taipei’:

Don’t miss the persons
before you now,
who care,
whom you might not care for.

Don’t pine for persons
gone now,
who don’t really care,
whom you imagine to still care.

A Tit for a Tat (157)

Tit: Why are you so irresponsible? Why do you keep making me angry?
Tat: Why are you so irresponsible? Why do you keep becoming angry?

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/08/accent-of-no-accent
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/08/do-you-really-need-it
About aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/logo-for-a-tit-for-a-tat-series

A Tit for a Tat (156)

Tit: My iPhone’s screen is too small.
Tat: So?
Tit: I need an iPad!
Tat: When did you realise this?
Tit: When iPad was launched!
Tat: So, you didn’t need it before?
Tit: Er…
Tat: A ‘need’ that comes from comparison is usually a ‘want’!

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/08/do-you-really-need-it
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/07/what-crap
About aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/logo-for-a-tit-for-a-tat-series

Love those imperfect…
because they can be perfect.

Love those trying to be perfect…
because they will be perfect.

Love those perfect…
because they are already perfect.

- Stonepeace

Q: Some Buddhists like to cast lots, e.g. at Guanyin temples. Are these lots’ words from Guanyin Bodhisattva?

A: There are a few divination systems worldwide ‘associated’ to Guanyin Pusa. They are not Guanyin Pusa’s words per se, but out of great faith that Guanyin Pusa will always find means to help people in need, compassionate Buddhist practitioners probably came up with the divination systems.

Q: How do they relate to Buddhist practice?

A: If the systems are associated with Guanyin Pusa, the lots should essentially urge devotees to do good. It is interesting to note that many devotees find advice from such lots relevant. This is not entirely unbelievable that they can be relevant as sincere mindfulness of the enlightened can elicit proper responses. Divination systems can be a means through which this happens. Though this is surely not the best or only way to learn the Dharma, it can perhaps be seen as a skilful means at least, for nominal Buddhists, that inspires some faith in the Dharma. Beyond this, the Dharma should always be learnt (and practised) systematically too. And one should not be attached to use of any divination system, instead of increasing one’s own wisdom.

In the movie ‘The Cave’, a parasite takes upon host humans, gradually taking over their bodies and minds entirely. A team of deep cave divers realise their leader was infected by this parasite, when they got trapped in a deep underwater cave. It made me wonder whether I’m a parasite for others or do I let myself be a host for parasites. Then it struck me that we are mostly both – to some extent, mindfully or not, once a while – as long as we are unenlightened, especially since Samsara is an interdependent place.

The dilemma surfaced as to how much of the human leader is still himself, especially as time trickled by. When is he truly a monster to be abandoned or even killed, for the safety of the others? Do either too soon as one becomes a monster in body and mind oneself – for demonising the innocent. Do either too late and one jeopardises everyone else. Can his leadership still be trusted? Another movie koan! Why corner ourselves with dualistic alternatives? There’s another way – bind the leader and move on with him to find the exit, with his instructions as guidelines to be followed with mindful discernment for what it’s worth!

(Spoilers alert: By the way, in the story, the leader’s advice turned out right. He didn’t transform to be a monster, while he sacrificed himself to save his team.)

A fool, even though he is associated with a wise man all his life,
does not understand the Dhamma,
just as a ladle does not know the taste of soup.

An intelligent man, even though he is associated with a wise man only for a moment,
quickly understands the Dhamma,
just as the tongue knows the taste of soup.

- Dhammapada (Verse 65 & 66)

Sent to a colleague who left some time back…

Hope u don’t mind me saying this… I got this worry about you all these years… I better say it now… Although you have been immersed in promoting Dharma activities, I sincerely hope you will take more time aside to learn and practise the Dharma systematically (e.g. go for classes and retreats). Life is too short and we don’t know when we have to leave all else behind. The only valuable things we can bring with us to the next life is Dharma understanding and our karma. As the Buddha said as his last words, ‘Subject to change are all conditioned things – Strive on with diligence!’

Related Article:
The Fool’s Spoon Vs the Wise’s Tongue
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thedailyenlightenment-realisation/message/413

Some espouse this idea – ‘…他是真的欺骗我们，我们随他…’ (If they really bully or cheat us, we let them do it.) The idea is to let them express our negative karma, so as to wear it out, and to just accept the suffering they inflict on us graciously. This doesn’t seem healthy, because it allows evil-doers to go scot-free. They are also likely to harm more people. It would be partly our fault if we let them off without even any admonition. If we don’t help the evil to see the error of their ways, who will? Even the Buddha tells off evil-doers he comes across – to educate them.

It seems selfish to want to ‘pay back’ others our ‘karmic debts’, while letting them create negative karma. What we can do is to counsel the person to change his/her ways out of compassion; not blame. But if he/she doesn’t change, that’s would wholly be his/her problem. If we really get bullied and there is absolutely nothing we can do about it, we should then let it be. But is there really nothing we can do? If one lacks compassion to help those one is capable of helping now, there would be lack of Bodhicitta in the moment. There is no other way to practise the Bodhisattva path, than to work with our present limitations.

The singing duo ‘Everything But the Girl’ (EBTG) adopted their name from the slogan of furniture which had a window sign that read, ‘for your bedroom needs, we sell everything but the girl’. A reminder that the material is still incomplete. In fact, the non-material or spiritual is the essential. What makes a well-furnished house a home is peace of mind, with or without good company.

Even if you get the gal or guy, he or she cannot stay forever. Either you or the other departs first. Will your life be incomplete (again) then? In Dharma sense, it is the Dharma well learnt, well practised and well realised that is essential for a truly fulfilling life, that completes it. Do you have EBTD? (Everything but the Dharma?)

It struck me
that the occasional ant
that crawls by my office desk
is not a bother…
Because I don’t really regard
this space as my place.

Then again,
nowhere is really my place -
not even the place I live in,
as everywhere is shared space
with other beings seen and unseen.
I am at peace with the ant as it is with me.
Cos not my place really
So same as anywhere else

Related Articles:

Palace that Became an Inn for All
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thedailyenlightenment-realisation/message/370
Solving the ‘Pesky’ Pest Problem
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thedailyenlightenment-realisation/message/189