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One of the methods to ‘combine’ Pure Land and Zen practice is that the one who practise mindfulness of Amituofo’s (Amitabha Buddha) name also asks oneself ’Who is the one mindful of Amituofo?’ Who is the one who practises mindfulness of Buddha? One who is...

A friend asked for my testimonial of how I become a Buddhist for sharing. Below is a short account… If you would like to share your story, please do by commenting! I began to be seriously interested in Buddhism after coming across an English version of the Heart Sutra. I was intrigued...

A bipolar student wasn’t sure he liked being his more ‘sober’ self. Perhaps he is used to swinging between highs and lows? I advised that there is no need to cling to any self… Since there is no fixed self that stays high or low, especially in mundane way. Good to...

From the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra (http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Vimalakirti.htm) are lesser known but some very surprising and illuminating teachings: ‘… Then the Licchavi Vimalakirti said to the patriarch Mahakasyapa, “Reverend Mahakasyapa,...

For the very first time, I became genuinely apprehensive of a Dharma class being oversized due to space constraints and shortage of chairs. This is called a ‘good problem’ and I have to agree. When I first started publicising the fifth run of the ‘Introduction to Pure Land Buddhism:...

Pic: Sign for ‘Homage to (or refuge in) Amitabha Buddha (Amituofo)’ in Taoyuan Another still and well-meaning ubiquitous sign, to remind fleeting passers-by to be mindful of Buddha… but how many are mindful of what his name means? More and more I hope! Namo Amituofo! Next...

On how to find one’s Guru? You just need to keep your mind and heart open and learn the Dharma from whoever you can. Everyone who is able to benefit us with the Dharma is like our Guru in the moment. With this approach, coupled with a questioning mind, you will encounter many ...

From ‘A Spacious Path to Freedom: Practical Instructions on the Union of Mahamudra & Atiyoga’ by Karma Chagme, Commentary by Gyatrul Rinpoche, Translated by B. Alan Wallace: (This excerpt continues from the excerpt at...

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I lost a good idea… It just slipped my mind, as suddenly as it arrived. The very next thought… that it may never return terrifies me absolutely. The thoughts after this… are even more terrifying that the previous… What if… I pine ‘endlessly’ for a...

Q: Where is the mind? How does it multi-task? A: The mind is where you put it to. E.g. If you think of your fingers typing, your mind is there then. Multi-tasking is an illusion. We can only do one thing mindfully at a time, though we can train to do many things quickly and some mindlessly...

A friend once asked me to never forget her, to remember to ‘save’ her, to lead her to Pure Land, should I reach there first. I didn’t promise her because me being mindful of her cannot bring her to Pure Land, while it is her mindfulness of Amituofo [Amitabha Buddha] that can...

‘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...

(Picture: A Buddhist making lamp offerings at a Tibetan temple near Mayadevi Temple) May we always be mindful of Amita Buddha. May we always aspire to swiftly become Buddhas. Next India Adventure: Coming Soon Previous India Adventure:...

That there is only one truth does not mean that all so-called ‘truths’ are one. - Stonepeace Recently, I met a holistic healer, who claimed to be very open-minded. His intentions seem good, though the way he carried himself could do better to benefit more. After asking a few questions...

Yah: I’m apolitical. Jat: More like apathetic. Yah: Apathetic to politics… yes! Jat: How so? Yah: Because politics has too many shades of grey. So I would rather spend time on something more real, like studying the Pureland sutras. Jat: And Pureland is more real than our...

Question: A friend’s son lately found it difficult to focus and could not study at all. He had applied leave of absence from school. But, currently he is preparing for a special exam required for studying the subject of choice later.  At times, he is quite frustrated, tense and...

In long drawn drama serials, it is rare that there are no sudden misfortunes via traffic accidents or great illnesses among some key characters. Sounds cliched? But in the long drawn drama of real life, such stuff do often happen. Sometimes, just because it’s on reel, we forget it can...

An SMS-email dialogue… C: I having bad headache from an infection, but I dreamt of of you last night. How are you doing? S: I’m okay. What happened in the dream? C: I dreamt you beat me. S: Huh? I have never got into any fist fight since young… got no history of violence....