Good intentions are not good enough if they arise from delusion.
This is why Buddhism pays attention to both
goodness (compassion; the opposite of evil intentions, speech and actions)
and truth (wisdom; the opposite of delusion).

- Sisyphusian

This is one of my favourite Batman scenes from the 1966 TV series. Watch and listen carefully. It’s side-splittingly hilarious! It made me think…. this could had been pretty cool in its time, but is now seen as mostly as super camp. Now look at how much darker Batman has become in our times. Even a brief scene of Batman in action in broad daylight is seen as totally uncool.

I wondered what constitutes the true and universal meaning of ‘cool’ – that is really timeless. And the answer suddenly struck me. Cool is nothing to do with trying to be so. What’s always cool is genuine compassion coupled with wisdom – in all its forms. Super cool. (No real shark was hurt in the making of the above… I think. Come on… which shark would cling to a leg out of water for so long?!)

A Tit for a Tat (103)

Tit: The caller hung up. So impatient!
Tat: What did you say?
Tit: I asked him to speak up – as I couldn’t hear him properly.
Tat: Maybe he couldn’t hear you properly too!
Tit: Huh?
Tat: Which is why he hung up – instead of speak up!

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/03/excuse-for-less-mindfulness
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/whats-the-matter

A Tit for a Tat (102)

Tit: There’s no need for you to know it.
Tat: Why?
Tit: Because it doesn’t matter to you.
Tat: But how do you know it doesn’t matter?
Tit: And how do you know it does matter?
Tat: I don’t! I will know if it matters only after knowing what’s the matter!

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/speak-up-or-hang-up
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/kockroach-karma

Love is the only shocking act left on the planet. – Reed Bennett

If you are honest, and would like others to be honest, how would you take it if your otherwise perfectly ‘faithful’ spouse of many years tells you that she once had a very brief affair in your absence a long time ago? In the movie ‘Valentine’s Day’, an old lady confesses so to her husband so on Valentine’s Day itself – because she couldn’t stand the guilt.

At first, the husband couldn’t take it. He remarks that the newfound truth makes the rest of the relationship all lies – since it was covered up for some time. It seemed that he preferred not to know the truth – which seemed to spoil it all. But later in the night, he reflects and realises that love is about acceptance of a person, warts and all.

But what if you are the wife? Knowing your husband is honest and ‘prefers’ honesty, plus the fact that you are honest to him in all aspects other than the secret short-lived affair, would you reveal it to him – knowing that there is equal possibility of him accepting the truth versus feeling repulsion about it? Is it worth the risk? If someone admits their mistake to you out of love, shouldn’t you appreciate it instead of hate it?

Are some things really better off left unsaid? Does the truth, even ugly ones, always set us free? Or can it wreck our lives? Does it differ on a case by case basis? But aren’t relationships about honest communication of thoughts and feelings? If a relationship cannot withstand a little blemish, how true and worthy is it? Honesty should only strengthen instead of weaken it.

Unconditional love is the only truly shocking act in the universe. – Anonone

During the eve of Chinese New Year, a group of us went for blood donation. We were way over due since the last donation because of our trip to India. But the wait is worthwhile as a friend received two sms-es from the blood bank appealing for blood. It’s a known fact that festive seasons are more accident prone, as there are those who drink and drive. Other than these accident victims, there are patients with severe anemia and those undergoing major surgeries. Even a newborn baby might need some blood. Every hour of the day, 15 units of blood are used in Singapore. Health Science Authority (HSA) needs to collect at least 350 units a day, as a whopping 90,000 units are needed in a year, just to meet the transfusion needs of patients in Singapore.

While we were in the waiting room, a quick glance reveals that most who came today are foreigners. It was also likewise the other time when came. I can’t help wondering why there aren’t more Singaporeans coming forward for blood donation. We live in an affluent society but it seems like we do not have enough idea of giving back to society? To many, doing charity means donating money or material goods, but one do not need to have a cent to donate blood. In fact, it is a act of possibly immeasurable kindness – the gift of life. A single blood donation can help at least three different patients! So, if you…

1. Are between 16 and 60 years old;
2. Weigh at least 45 kg;
3. Have a haemoglobin (iron) level of at least 12.5 g/dl (which will be checked at HSA for free before actual donation);
4. Are in generally good health;
5. Have not had any symptoms of infection for at least 1 week (e.g. sore throat, cough, runny nose, diarrhea); and
6. Have not had a fever in the last 3 weeks…

please come along, and ask your friends to join in as well.

Do you know: Blood donations do not cause any weight gain. Our bodies only replace the blood donated — they do not overcompensate and produce excess blood or fat. We need more ladies to come forward as blood donors — as currently, only 30% of donors are women. For more info, please see the HSA website

Personal observation: To increase or replenish your iron level before or after blood donation, one can drink organic blackstrap molasses from Biogreen. It is rich in iron, calcium, potassium and other trace minerals. It can help to increase blood count, warm up bodies and also reduce menstrual problems. Avoid caffeine drink or food for at least a few days before donation as they tend to affect your haemoglobin level.

Amazing Buddhist fact: The accounts of fulfillment of Perfections by the Bodhisattva (before he became Shakyamuni Buddha) as mentioned in the 550 Jataka stories and in the stories of Cariya-Pitaka are just a few examples out of the countless experiences which he had during the long period of four asankhyeyya and a hundred thousand aeons…

“…the gift of his (the Buddha) ears, nose, etc., in order to obtain the spiritual faculties of faith, etc.; the gift of his eyes in order to obtain the universal eye; the gift of his flesh and blood with the thought: “May my body be the means of life for all the world! May it bring welfare and happiness to all beings at all times, even on occasions of merely seeing, hearing, recollecting, or ministering to me!” And he gives the gift of his head in order to become supreme in all the world.”
Source: http://tinyurl.com/ylfggc4

Related article:
http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/08/just-a-little-blood

A Tit for a Tat (101)

Tit: Are you afraid to kill cockroaches because it creates bad karma?
Tat: I don’t kill them because they are afraid to die like us.
Tit: If all are like you, wouldn’t the world be overrun by cockroaches?
Tat: Firstly, not all are like me. Secondly, if we are more mindful, we wouldn’t attract or breed many cockroaches.

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/whats-the-matter
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/even-more-special

A Tit for a Tat (100)

Tit: Everyone should see someone as special.
Tat: Only one?
Tit: If not, that person wouldn’t be special.
Tat: Isn’t it more special to see two or more than one to be special?
Tit: Sounds like promiscuity!
Tat: What if everyone is seen as equally special?
Tit: Sounds like equanimity!

While the unenlightened seek special ‘someones’
for mundane reasons,
the enlightened see everyone as special
for spiritual reasons [as all have Buddha-nature].

- Stonepeace

A reason why the Buddha is someone special
is because he truly sees everyone as special.

- Stonepeace

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/kockroach-karma
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/why-people-wear-toupees

A Tit for a Tat (99)

Tit: I wonder why people wear toupees when it looks so obvious that they are doing so.
Tat: As a rule, those who you spot to be wearing toupees must be obvious toupee-wearers.
Tit: What do you mean?
Tat: As a rule too, those who you don’t spot to be wearing toupees must be non-obvious toupee-wearers!
Tit: Huh?
Tat: You only see the obvious toupee-wearers while you miss the less obvious ones!
Tit: So people do wear toupees because they think it doesn’t look obvious that they are doing so!

Comments:

It might be easier said than done, but why not
embrace baldness graciously and not suffer due to it?

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/even-more-special
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/bizarre-baby-love

‘The Serpent and the Rainbow’, which is supposedly based on a true story (By Wade Davis) tells of a terrifying Haitian semi-scientific and semi-voodoo drug, that can induce a fake death syndrome, where the ‘deceased’ is seen to be thoroughly dead medically, who is not so at all. One might then be buried alive, but springs back to life while in a claustrophobic coffin a few feet underground. Sounds hellish? It is hell. Maybe due to being badly traumatised and cultural beliefs, and/or even truly due to the drug itself, survivors are said to become mindless zombies.

What is the Buddhist solution if one is infected by this drug? Given that you cannot move anything but your mind in the grave, practise mindfulness of (Amitabha) Buddha (nianfo) for divine help! And if one does become relatively mindless after crawling out of the grave, one should still practise mindfulness of Buddha – to rediscover one’s human and Buddha-nature, to regain normal mindfulness at least. And in the worst case scenario that one remains buried indefinitely, mindfulness of Buddha with the right faith and aspiration (and without attachment to the body) will lead to a swift rebirth in Pureland – away from the living hell. Amituofo!

Read more

A Tit for a Tat (98)

Tit: He’s breaking up with her.
Tat: Why?
Tit: Because she doesn’t want to have a baby with him.
Tat: That’s it?
Tit: Uh huh…
Tat: Looks like he loves his non-existent baby more than his existing lover!
Tit: Now his lover doesn’t exist either!

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/why-people-wear-toupees
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/its-better-but

A Tit for a Tat (97)

Tit: How’s your sore throat?
Tat: It’s better but am not sure if it’s permanent.
Tit: As if you will never get a sore throat again in your life!

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/bizarre-baby-love
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/help-more-readily

When you’re born a lover
You’re born to suffer
Like all soul sisters and soul brothers…

I’m not looking for an easy ride
True happiness cannot be tried
So easily

- Depeche Mode (Goodnight Lovers)

We are reborn as lovers of Samsara, and suffer,
sometimes willingly and more often unwittingly,
even as we seek love and happiness.

If not, we wouldn’t be here…
unless we are Bodhisattvas
who are here to love unconditionally,
to rescue those trapped here.
But sometimes, we are in between?

True Love being Bodhisattva love that we strive to embody,
‘The course of True Love never did run smooth.’ (Shakespeare)

Conditional love is only good for one thing -
for transforming to become less and less conditional;
for purifying to become more and more unconditional.

- Stonepeace

A Tit for a Tat (96)

Tit: Why don’t you help more readily?
Tat: Because it’s not so easy to do so readily!
Tit: Because it’s too easy to think so readily!

Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/its-better-but
Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/a-greater-desire

What if you said what you really want to say?
What if you did what you really want to do?
Will the world become a better place?

If the world will not become a better place,
there is something wrong with what you are thinking of saying and doing.
If so, why not change your mind now?

If the world will become a better place,
there is nothing wrong with what you are thinking of saying and doing.
If so, why not say and do it now?

With deeds of Loving-kindness, I purify my body.
With open-handed Generosity, I purify my body.
With Stillness, Simplicity and Contentment, I purify my body.
With Truthful Communication, I purify my speech.
With Mindfulness clear and radiant, I purify my mind.

- The Positive Precepts