If you haven’t noticed, the black and white version of the above poster was featured in the The Sunday Times’ Lifestyle section’s page 3.

It’s a prayer relay collaborated by four organisations to create and dedicate merits for the well-being of Singapore, with the wish that all beings find the strength to tide over bad times. Do join us if you don’t have anything special planned for new year’s eve. =]

I was at a group dinner last weekend, during which the conversation centered mostly around food. That seen as ‘great food’ for most is but burnt carcasses to me, no matter how well masked the meat is with herbs and spices. I can no longer comprehend why anyone can be fascinated by meat, isn’t it obvious that it’s the seasoning that renders it tasty? I was wondering, do I really need to spell out the truth to everyone?

It was no surprise that I was the only vegan at the table. What was appalling was the amount of meat ordered. So much there was that a few plates were left untouched. Ordering animal flesh is already unthinkable, but to waste animals’ lives by not finishing the meat asked for is atrocious!

Is it really that hard to go for a kinder diet? Or does the word ‘compassion’ simply not exist when it comes to filling one’s stomach? Why would any sensible person want their stomach to be a mortuary? Have so many human hearts grown as cold as a mortuary’s freezer? Please, during this season of giving, at least reduce the demand for animal lives. Give the helpless animals a break. Go vegan! If not, go vegetarian!

Ding: For goodness sake, ditch those torn cargo pants! 
Dong: Why? They can be patched. Reduces wastage of resources!
Ding: Come on! Who patches these? 
Dong: Well, people patch torn jeans all the time.
Ding: Those are jeans! These aren’t!
Dong: There’s no law that pants cannot be patched like jeans.
Ding: It’ll be weird.
Dong: Weren’t patched jeans weird at first too?
Ding: Yeah… but…
Dong: No buts! Why must I only be a trend follower, when I can be a trend setter too? 
Ding: But it’s uncool.
Dong: What is deemed cool by the masses is when they pick it up. This might be the beginning of something new!
Ding: Yeah, it’ll be great if being green in this way becomes cool.
Dong: It should always be in fashion!

Tit: Why does the Buddha image have blue hair?
Tat: It symbolises the blue light of universal compassion that radiated from his hair when he attained enlightenment. 
Tit: Thought it was strange to portray him with blue hair.
Tat: Look at the image’s body.
Tit: Aha?
Tat: Do you think it’s appropriate that his body is gold in colour?
Tit: Never thought about that before.
Tat: Then why the fixation on the hair?
Tit: Well…
Tat: Anyway, the Buddha is said to have a magnificent gold radiance about his body!
Tit: I didn’t know that!
Tat: We’ll know for sure when we see him! 
Tit: Or when we become Buddhas!

Riff: Look at that poorly painted picture of the Buddha!
Raff: What picture?
Riff: That one!
Raff: What Buddha?
Riff: That one in the picture!
Raff: Who said that is supposed to be the Buddha?
Riff: Looks like it’s supposed to be!
Raff: But you said it’s poorly painted.
Riff: So?
Raff: It’s poorly painted but still resembles the Buddha?
Riff: Yes, to some extent.
Raff:  If it still resembles the Buddha, how is it poorly painted? Maybe it’s not the Buddha?

Hee: I wanna eat something special for dinner.
Haw: But where is something special?
Hee: I don’t know.
Haw: And what is something special?
Hee: I don’t know either.
Haw: Looks like you’re letting yourself be haunted by a unknown meal from nowhere in particular.
Hee: Craving leads to suffering!
Haw: Yes, the more you crave, the more you suffer!

Woo: Look at the kid! She’s so irritating! 
Hoo: Don’t look then.
Woo: Huh?
Hoo: Unless you are looking to be irritated.
Woo: As in ‘looking for irritation’?
Hoo: Not really, because the cause of irritation is in you!
        The kid only presented a condition for it to arise.
        It’s time to take responsibility for your feelings!

Q: We’re working on our 2553 Spiritual Journal. Need to check with you the meaning of 2553 on the Buddhist calendar cos we’ll be including the meaning in its intro.

A: 2553 is the calculation of Buddhist year beginning from the physical passing of the Buddha. Come 19th May 2009, Vesak Day, the Buddhist calendar will be 2553 B.E., which stands for ‘Buddhist Era’. It marks the anniversary of the parinirvana of the Buddha. For more info, see http://accesstoinsight.org/history.html

I would say the significance of the B.E. dating system is similar to that of the B.C. system, which reminds Christians of J.C.; while the B.E. system commemorates the Buddha’s attainment of final liberation. Another take… For Buddhists, the anniversary of the physical passing of the Buddha reminds us of the importance of treasuring time to practise the Dharma that he taught… before our actual passing!

Though what they do not understand as yet
is as it totally irrelevant to them now,
what they do not understand
is that it might be totally relevant.

From the Dhammapada: 

Those who mistake the unessential to be essential
and the essential to be unessential,
dwelling in wrong thoughts,
never arrive at the essential.

Those who know the essential to be essential
and the unessential to be unessential,
dwelling in right thoughts,
do arrive at the essential.