Question: On the article ‘The Cabbage & the Cow’ at http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/09/the-cabbage-the-cow , I think we should simply be grateful to have food to eat, be it a cabbage or a cow. It’s easy to condemn meat-eaters and conveniently forget that hundreds if not thousands of earthworms and other sentient beings living in the soil had to die just [...]

She immersed in Dharma research work, and used it to avoid human contact, even with those whom she should help. Her excuse was that she was too busy with Dharma work, as if Dharma theory mattered more than Dharma practice, as if many lifeless words of wisdom mattered more than a deed of kindness. She [...]

人不为己,  天诛地灭？ 人人为己,  人人共灭！ 为人为己,  人人共悦！ If one does not benefit oneself, will heaven and earth destroy one? If everyone benefits only themselves, everyone will be destroyed together! If everyone benefits oneself and others, everyone will attain happiness together!

A reply to a Buddhist friend, who chose to get pest control to exterminate lice-like insects that plagued her house, which bit her family members badly too. They were traced to being centred on baby birds hidden in a pipe… Very often, struggle as we might to see all sentient beings as equal, we still need [...]

Carl Jung is supposed to have said, ‘Life is not about being good. It is about being real.’ My take – ‘Life is about being good and real, as what is really good is also truly real.’ Life is about aligning ourselves with goodness via practising compassion, and with reality via realising wisdom.

‘A good car doesn’t makes one a good driver. A good camera doesn’t make one a good photographer , Good staff doesn’t make one a good manager.’ So what will make one a good person? Goodness itself – in terms of compassion and wisdom.

Though some might be harming you, they are harming themselves too – karmically. Which is why we should not just accept their harm, but practise compassion by urging them to stop harming.

As the saying goes, ‘A little knowledge is a dangerous thing…’ So… let’s go for a lot of wisdom! Equation 1: A little knowledge (know-how) + a little (wisdom – on how to use the know-how) + three poisons (greed, hatred,  delusion) = great harm for those involved Equation 2: A lot of knowledge + [...]

Anjali! As our left and right brains represent our rational and emotional sides, when we place our palms together in reverence, may it be the coming together of our wisdom and compassion, the unifying, centering of our head with heart. Gassho!

Learnt from Geshe Damdul’s talk tonight, in my own words: Actualisation of Bodhicitta brings about tenderness (an aspect of compassion). Realisation of emptiness brings about fearlessness (an aspect of wisdom). 发菩提心则生大悲柔软心。 了悟空性则生大智无畏心。 Good balance!

J: 想做的事多了，但做好的事少了，有时觉得自己能办到的，但更多时候却是“有心无力”的状况… 该放下？还是持续？有时很迷惑，别说方向，连自己也找不到。怎么办呢？我相信其实每个人都有无穷待开发的力量，只是… 只是… 易发愿，却难持续，怎么办？:’( S: How about finding your passion, and focusing on it as much as you can? Where there is passion, there is 心 and 力. No need to give up a passion if it is not against the Dharma. Take a break if needed, but no need to stop for good. [...]

Please don’t mistaken you are lovely because you think you have lovely hair, for hair is but dead cells. Please don’t mistaken you are lovely because you think you have lovely skin, for skin is but skin-deep. Please don’t mistaken you are lovely because you think you have lovely eyes, for eyes are but two slimy balls. [...]

I’m generally not supportive of domestication as it is a often form of exploitation but in the documentary ‘The Monk on Horseback’, it’s a different case. The Abbot Khru Bah rescues horses to be sent for slaughter to care for them, and makes a point to assign stubborn horses for stubborn kid monk disciples he [...]

I know very little about politics but I know a good government should work for the people and not for self-benefit. A party’s power is not a privilege like that of antiquated kings. A party in power is here empowered by the people to serve the people and not the other way round. It may [...]

Just before polling day, I wrote this on http://www.facebook.com/shen.shian/posts/10150189984054001 To my surprise, more than 30 friends ‘liked’ it, and many commented on it: How should a Buddhist vote? Vote with compassion and wisdom. Vote for greater compassion and wisdom. Vote with more compassion for others, even if you are already doing well. With more compassion [...]