There is a view that horrible scenes from films which get imprinted onto human minds will be fleshed out accordingly if one goes to hell. Because of this, such films should not be seen. However, here are some alternative views: 1. If one watches horror films to rejoice or relish in suffering of others, despite [...]

In one of the stories within the movie ‘New York, I Love You’, we see a very old couple bickering all the way as they made their way towards the beach – just to see it. At first, the audience is likely to have empathy for them. Well, it is more sad to see the [...]

In ‘Highlander: The Search for Vengeance’, Colin the ‘immortal’s’ attachment to his lost lover drives him on a vengeful streak to stalk and kill her ‘immortal’ murderer… over the course of 2000 years. In the process, he fights in various wars of many eras in different lands to pursue him. Too blinded by hate to [...]

Taj Mahal tells of a very sad love story. It’s sad not because two who were deeply in love were separated by death, but because of the great attachment it embodies. The Mongol king spent 17 long years, much wealth and labour to build this extravagant monument to fill the voidness of his heart after [...]

En route to the first Buddhist holy place of worship, we dropped by the famed Taj Mahal. The brief of it all is that it’s a huge mausoleum built by a king to commemorate his lover upon her passing. But before you conjure a romantic vision of it, the truth is, it is largely an empty [...]

The above is a picture of a juzu (nianzhu; mala; prayer beads) holder we previously bought from Japan’s Daiso. (Yes, it’s designed to be the profile of a devotee with palms reverently together… and last we checked, it’s not available in Singapore’s Daiso outlets… in case you are thinking of getting one here!) The below [...]

When I was younger, I thought oldies sounded really old-fashioned. Then I realised I might end up years later preferring the ‘newer’ oldies of my own generation. Some say nostalgia strikes when you feel old – when you think the older stuff is better, while being less enthusiastic in keeping up with the new. Now [...]

In the movie ‘Fling’, the subject of open relationships is explored. According to Wikipedia, ‘An open relationship is a relationship in which the participants are free to have emotional, spiritual and/or physical relationships with other partners, often within mutually agreed limits. If a couple in an open relationship are married, it can be called an [...]

Meatguy: I think you are too strongly attached to being vegetarian. Shi’an: I’m not. I’m just aware that animals are attached to their lives, and that my choice of diet prevents more deaths. Meatguy: Didn’t the Buddha teach that all mind and matter is without self? Shi’an: Yes, but all the parties involved have not [...]

A Tit for a Tat (56) Tit: Why is it so difficult? Tat: You. Tit: Huh? Tat: Because you refuse to learn properly! Tit: But I’m trying… Tat: … while refusing to accept that it’s not going to be as easy as expected! Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/11/great-expectations Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/10/mere-impressions

There are many Buddha images around the world, and they come in all shapes, sizes and materials. We will always choose the one we feel close to for enshrining at home – one that is appealing to look at, that we feel close to. Non-Buddhists often accuse Buddhists of idol-worshiping. To them, paying homage before [...]

A Tit for a Tat (49) Tit: If you meet someone exactly like you, would you like you? Tat: I’m not sure… Tit: Well? Tat: I think I will dislike myself. Tit: You should change yourself now then… for the better. Tat: Wait… I think I will like myself. Tit: You should still change yourself [...]

The film ‘Thirst’ (which won the 2009 Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival) is another story that uses the vampire genre to address interesting issues. The personification of evil in Buddhist cosmology is Mara, who is synonymous with desire and death… which is in turn synonymous with indulgence in sex (as the melting pot [...]

Adapted from the bestseller, ‘The Time Traveller’s Wife’ tells of a man’s peculiar condition, of being involuntarily subject to fading away, only to manifest in another time and place. It is suspected to be a medical anomaly, though Buddhism would see it essentially as karmic. Time-travel is impossible though – as it would mess up [...]

Question: Based on the Alagaddupama Sutta, the snake and the raft represent all Dharma teachings as taught by Buddha. The snake parable teaches that if one understands the Dharma wrongly, it’s like catching the snake by the tail, letting it turn around to bite one. In other words, there must be Right Understanding (based on the Noble [...]