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 [...]

A Tit for a Tat (35) Tit: Just to let you know, in case you are losing patience with him… Tat: Aha? Tit: He is actually suffering from a mental condition. Tat: That explains so much! Tit: On him appearing to be difficult? Tat: Yes! Tit: I thought letting you know this would help you [...]

A Tit for a Tat (16) Tit: You must try this tea! Tat: Why? Tit: It’ll change your life! Tat: How did it change yours? Tit: It kept me coming back for more! Tat: Sounds like an addiction. Tit: But it’s really good! Tat: But not as good as not being addicted! Related Article: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thedailyenlightenment-quote/message/390 [...]

Did you know that ‘Padme’ means ‘lotus’, as in ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’? Did you know that the Jedi Order was inspired by the Buddhist monastic order? Did you know that George Lucas who created Star Wars is a ‘Methodist Buddhist’? I seldom post excerpts, especially lengthy ones, but below is a good one – [...]

After collecting about a dozen ‘Batman Black & White’ statues, which are released periodically into the market, I decided to give up. Okay, lest you mistaken, these are really statues worthy of showcasing – individually hand-painted porcelain ones – not tiny plastic action figures. They cost about SDG$100 each. I started collecting them because they [...]

Sent this to a remarkable friend who is unrelentingly involved in charity work for the greater good, to the extent that his good example puts me to shame at times: ‘Serve not any particular person only [not even your 'boss' or 'client', lest you feel let down by him or her], but as many as [...]

It is partly due to the ‘endless’ clinging to self-delusion, to constant wondering about the nature of the ‘self’, which is really an illusion, that perpetuates our rebirths in Samsara (via attachment to this non-existent ‘self’). The subtlest attachment we have to the idea of ‘self’ will lead to rebirth because rebirth is due to [...]

Yup, Depeche Mode does slow and sentimental songs too. The above is the moving studio version of ‘Come Back’ from their new ‘Sounds of the Universe’ album (which some say is better than the album version). It is angsty yet calming at the same time, with the element of dark majesty that DM is renown [...]