S: Message to friend discussing about 2012: “We might die the next second! Between now and 2012 or beyond, many will definitely die of various karmic reasons, and there is no guarantee it might not be us. Amituofo!’ (‘To live fully in this moment, assume that death is possible in this moment.” – Stonepeace) From http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2009/11/a-buddhist-perspective-of-2012 : ”Though [...]

S: ‎Depeche Mode in ‘Lilian’ sung, ‘Pain and misery always hit the spot. Knowing you can’t lose what you haven’t got.’ The truth is, nothing can be grasped on to. Not even enlightenment, for it is a state of non-grasping freedom. J: *Gasp!* S: When freedom is grasped at, freedom is lost! J: We lose [...]

He sits idly at the coffee shop, with an already empty cup, Just looking around… He had spent so many years working to reach these days of not needing to work. Is this now his full-time work? Old man! No more time to lose with wandering thoughts! Time for spiritual work! Enough worldly work done. [...]

I love how this piece of news is flipping perceptions around: http://independent.co.uk/news/science/candles-shine-new-light-on-diamonds-2339499.html Diamond dust forged in candle flames ‘Magical’ transmutation An unlikely haiku. Another wonderful reminder of how forms deemed common or rare, useless or precious, are but morphing agents in the open furnace of emptiness.

Sunyata (Emptiness) = Anicca (Impermanence) + Anatta (Unsubstantiality; Non-self) Anicca refers to all physical and mental phenomena not being with solid fixed nature at any time as they change from moment to moment. Anicca describes phenomena in terms of nothing physical and mental enduring in time, Anatta refers to all physical and mental phenomena not being with [...]

I find shows featuring makeovers for glamour shots on TV amusing… not that it’s a joke that these makeovers do give some greater practical social confidence. The shows would depict the subject struggling with new hairdos, clothes, and most of all, trying to pose well, such that they break free of their past personas as [...]

Nothing is more surreal than the shimmering lights of the city, and its colourful cars and people fleeting by. Nothing is more surreal than reality itself, than this scene of swift change. Thank goodness this is seen as such, for I wouldn’t want any hard and harsh ‘reality’ to stick.

There is a stranger in the house. There is an uninvited guest in the house. There is a phantom cockroach in the house. I don’t know where he came from. I don’t know where he’s going. I don’t know if he’s still around. He appeared suddenly one night. He disappeared suddenly the next morning. He [...]

A reply to a Pure Land course participant, who decided to attend the next round due to a relative’s passing and the need to attend to prayers on the first lesson of ten: My condolences… Amituofo. May he have a good rebirth, the best of which in Pure Land. Sometimes, these are timely reminders on [...]

A Tit for a Tat (218) Tit: He used to be a muscular weight-lifter. Now he’s so fat. Tat: Well, no matter what we used to be, we will all be skinny one day. Tit: Huh? Tat: Skinny skeletons rotting in coffins, or even skinner as cremated ashes! Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2011/02/isnt-very-helpful Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2011/02/do-the-dishes About aT4aT: [...]

A Tit for a Tat (208) Tit: How are you? Tat: Same old, same old. Tit: How so? People change! Tat: So? Tit: If you’ve not changed for the better, were the last few years wasted? Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2011/01/oi Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2011/01/no-marriage-guarantee About aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/logo-for-a-tit-for-a-tat-series

If you don’t like yourself, why don’t you change yourself? If you can change yourself, who is really your ‘self’? – Stonepeace Reflections from watching ‘A Ton Image’: If your clone vies for attention of your beloved, would you be jealous – of your double? Would there be a form of self-hate mixed with self-love? [...]

Don’t run out of time to express your appreciation. Not just love for a lover or care for a friend. But love for your parents too, the first ones to love you.

Question: How does the concept of the Collective Unconscious (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_unconscious) fit in Buddhist philosophy? Answer: Commenting based on the definition of ‘collective unconscious’ in the Wikipedia link, Buddhism would see that the collective unconscious is actually based on the personal unconscious. Because of the existence of past lives with similar experiences for many individuals, they [...]

All good things come to an end, in departure and death. All good things come to an end, if they are not yet pure. All good and bad things should thus transform to be more and more pure.