If you do not drive to drink,
you will not drink and drive.

To not drink and drive,
don’t drive (or drink).

菩萨畏因，众生畏果。

Bodhisattvas fear planting ill seeds.
Unenlightened sentient beings fear [reaping] tasting ill fruits.

A good student is always learning.
A good teacher is always learning too,
more in fact, to keep ahead of good students,
so that one can offer more to one’s students.

A master is one who has mastered both learning and teaching.

An ironical problem with Buddhist academia is that it often assumes study of limited ‘facts’ as the path to objectivity, while it is practice that leads to realisation of the truth. The Buddha was not a Buddhist academic after all. Due to the above, I decided not to further academic studies after receiving my MA in Buddhist Studies some years ago. Life is too short to be buried in research, to neglect practice. Even more ironically, truths realised via practice might be rejected academically due to academia’s limited means of measure.

Also, recently, I’ve disappointingly come across some supposedly Buddhist academics publicly stating their incredibly narrow views, which are clearly results of lacking the spirit of Ehipassiko – to come and see by enquiry AND practice. Never ever assume academics of Buddhism to definitely be experts – not even if they have been studying for a long time. Sometimes, they are spiritually the worst, with the least open minds, with the most mental blockages – the direct opposite of what the Buddha envisioned of those who study AND practise the Dharma. Sad but true.

K:My Dad struck lottery today but didn’t look happy. He said, it’s only a consolation prize.

S: So the consolation prize offered little consolation! It might be of some consolation to remember that not winning would offer less consolation. It’s even more consoling to know one will never lose any money if one doesn’t gamble.

四依

依法不依人，
依义不依语，
依了义不依不了义，
依智不依识。

Four Reliances

Rely on the Dharma; rely not on persons.
Rely on the meaning; rely not on the words.
Rely on the complete meaning; rely not on the partial meaning.
Rely on the wisdom mind; rely not on the ordinary mind.

Comment: 不依不不依 (Rely not, and not ‘rely not’)

Reply:

未能无住心，应依四依法。
不依四依法，不能无住心。

Yet to be able to abide one’s mind nowhere,
the Four Reliances should be relied upon.
Not relying on the Four Reliances,
one is unable to abide one’s mind nowhere.

Question: Some friends said Buddhists should refrain from playing badminton as shuttlecocks are made from bird feathers. What is your opinion, of badminton as an exercise?

Answer: As a vegan (a vegetarian who also does not use any animal products, as they are derived from animal suffering), I happen to agree with that. Haven’t played badminton for a long time, but I used to use shuttercocks made of plastic!

Question: Seems very extreme. I didn’t notice what shuttercocks were made from although I’m a vegetarian now.

Answer: It’s not extreme at all. To 将心比心 (put yourself in the position of the other), if an alien plucks your hair to make, say, some sports equipment, you will see the alien to be extreme, and the aliens who refrain as being kind. Non-vegan shuttercocks are made to profit off animal suffering. Birds DO die to have feathers made into shuttercocks: http://www.peopleforanimalsindia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=416

Morality is not a matter
of whether one can do this or not,
as based on others’ suggestions,
but whether one should do this or not,
as based on one’s understanding.

- Stonepeace

That criticised is usually…
close enough to be worth criticising, but
distant enough to be safe criticising.

And beyond mere criticism,
where action is needed,
most are distant!

Yes, words are cheap…. usually free too -
without an apparent price or consequences,
though there is karma created of course.

More than two years after the first sighting,
another ‘Be a Lamp Upon Yourself’ reader on the subway.
(The lady to the upper left of the picture.)

You can read it online at
http://media.kmspks.org/publication/be-a-lamp-upon-yourself

Related Article:
Be a Lamp Upon Yourself
http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/03/be-a-lamp-upon-yourself

No one really wants to be greedy, hateful or deluded.
Those who are simply do not realise
that being so brings suffering to oneself and others sooner or later,
or because they do not know any other way of being.

This is the basis for universal compassion,
even for the most greedy, hateful and deluded -
be it expressed in a benevolent or malevolent form.

Struck me that Elmo is the opposite of Emo!

Emo: One who has negative emotions often.
Elmo: One who has positive emotions often, 
such has loving-kindness, compassion, rejoice and equanimity. 

If Oscar’s the snobbish grouch, then Elmo’s the cheery! The littlest but best monster from Sesame Street ever. If Oscar stands for the poison of hatred, then Cookie Monster surely stands for the poison of greed! For the third poison of delusion, I vote the two-headed monster(s), which represents delusion and its resolution, because they are always confused about words at first, before getting them right: http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Two-Headed_Monster

Related Article:
Elmo as a Model Monster
http://moonpointer.com/index.php?itemid=825

I had requested feedback from a recently completed class: http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/07/understanding-amituofo-via-the-amitabha-sutra-8th-run This is a part of what I received, a nice commemorative Amituofo coin with a message. I’ve never won any major prizes in my life and this is probably the closest to getting something that resembles a medal! Thank you for the encouragement!

Dear Bro. Shi’an,

“The Gift of Truth Excels All Other Gifts”

Thank you for sharing the Pure Land Teachings with us. You have delivered the teachings in a very concise, interesting and creative manner. We enjoyed the lessons very much and have benefitted a lot from them. We are glad to have an excellent Dharma teacher like you in the Buddhist world. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! Amituofo!

With appreciation,
Tuck Khuen, Amy, Ivy, Doris & Joey

A very meaningful gift indeed! It’s a gift of the Dharma too, as it has a verse for repentance and aspiration for birth in Pure Land. It’s now on my shrine at home.

This is the second time I have taught at a Buddhist centre (Buddha of Medicine Welfare Society) that issues certificates for its classes’ students. (The previous was at Singapore Buddhist Federation.) Above is a ‘sample’ certificate.

A class participant receiving her certificate from the Venerable (Xiantong) in charge of Dharma education. Bro. William is the coordinator and emcee. The centre was trying out to see how well received an English class would be, as most of its classes are in Chinese. To everyone’s pleasant surprise, including mine, 73 participants signed up for this class.

Some early birds for the graduation ceremony singing ‘Way Out West’. Here is the video played by the volunteer who really loves the song.

By an auspicious ‘coincidence’, the ceremony for this Amitabha Sutra class happened to fall on Amituofo’s birthday (last Sunday). I took the opportunity to share the inspiring story of how the 17th day of the 11th lunar month came to be regarded as his birthday.

Above are scenes of an interesting group discussion to wrap it up, on learnings from the course. We chanted the Amitabha Sutra and Amituofo’s name too. A fruitful day of practice with reverence to Amituofo! The best way to celebrate his birthday is surely to be mindful of him and to share his teachings. Namo Amituofo :-]

Related Articles:

Upcoming 2012 Classes
http://thedailyenlightenment.com/category/11
Scenes from the Class
http://moonpointer.com/new/2011/11/scenes-from-a-pure-land-class
Thank You for the Thank You Gift
http://moonpointer.com/new/2011/12/thank-you-for-the-thank-you-gift

It is difficult to find a song
that expresses your current thinking and feelings exactly,
that is the song in the moment,

as most lyrics are either too estranged or too common,
as most tunes are either too dispassionate or too emotional.

Does your favourite song expresses
your thoughts and emotions perfectly
or does it make you more thoughtful or emotional?

What am I saying?
Write your own song, with music and lyrics.

(BBC’s ‘Perfect Day above, with a solo Lou Reed take at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C18RDqTApRk)

Does how fickle you are
in changing your favourite love song
reflect how fickle you are
about love itself?

The Paradox of Strife:

Sometimes, when you push yourself,
you will breakthrough.
How do you know you can outdo yourself
if you do not outdo yourself?

Sometimes, when you push yourself,
you will collapse.
How do you know the difference
between trying too hard and trying your best?

With more and more news of apparently healthy people
dropping dead suddenly while running,
I’m not so much a fan for physical strain,
but I do strain my mind with work that involves a lot of thinking,
that in turn strains my body.

I think the only way to resolve the paradox
is to push yourself more bit by bit -
trial and error but with reasonable caution and reasonable risk!
Middle Path.