To my aghast, I once heard a monk say that the path of attaining Nirvana is like pushing a button on a box which opens and extends a mechanical arm which shuts the box. This is surely one of the most unproductive, useless and erroneous ‘definitions’ of (Pari)Nirvana ever, as if Nirvana is just a process of [...]

There is a tension between learning and expressing, between internalising and ‘externalising’. There is so much to learn, while there is so much to express too. Where is the balance? To input (via study and practice) is to increase wisdom, to output (via action and example) is to exercise compassion. The truth is, they are one [...]

More than ten years ago, I visited Buddha Kasetra School (佛陀园地: http://www.buddhakasetra.org). Based at Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, Buddha Kasetra School (Buddha’s Garden) was founded by Phra Chaiyot Chaiyayasso in 1987. Its aim is to shelter and educate children from unfortunate and impoverished families, to enable them to rediscover hope in life. The efforts [...]

Question: Why do some say it is not advisable for the pregnant to visit wakes? Answer: This is probably in case the baby is spiritually not strong, such that s/he is susceptible to negative influence by unseen beings. This is just a precaution. The mother can practise chanting to protect herself and her child if [...]

In the movie ‘(Avatar): The Last Airbender’, one of the baddies shouts to his henchmen who capture him, ‘Do not kill the avatar! He will only be reborn!’ ‘Avatar’ is originally a Hindu term, which refers to a god who re-manifests to help mankind. Nowadays, it’s also used to mean a form that anyone takes [...]

Someone asked if I was more left-brained or right brained. Not that I’m no-brained, but I couldn’t really say. Are we mostly left-brained, too logical, too methodical, too rigid? Should we be more right-brained, more intuitive, more ‘random’, more creative? I couldn’t really say, because I don’t know your specific inclination. But I do propose [...]

If we don’t have the karma to be infected by a disease, we will not be? Yes. If you have the karma to, you might be infected even if not near the infected? Maybe? What we know is the karma ripens when there is a cause with the right conditions. The problem is we don’t [...]

A donkey’s strength renders him trapped, to be a beast of burden, fed and used. (Two of his hooves bound together, semi-parking him like a vehicle) A dog with no particular strengths keeps him free, as a wandering stray who needs to fend for survival though. (He is napping in a cosy corner on a [...]

We missed watching “The Unwinking Gaze” earlier due to our heavy work schedule. A friend had lent the DVD to us but needed it back sooner than expected.  The last time we checked during a local sale, the price was still unwinkingly expensive. But after several ‘obstacles’, we finally got to watch it. The film’s [...]

From His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, ‘Compassion is not a luxury, it is a necessity for human beings to survive.’* Compassion in all its expressions surely, for spiritual survival too! From ‘Ceriph’ of 17th September 2010 (issue one),** ‘Poetry is a luxury we cannot afford.’ Lee Kuan Yew famously declared in 1969, explaining Singapore’s [...]

Q: Is helping my enemies the right thing to do? A: It is right, provided that it doesn’t harm anyone, and if it helps the ones helpers and the helped to increase in compassion and wisdom – directly or indirectly. Helping your ‘enemies’ might be the only way to make them no longer your ‘enemies’; but [...]

I never take the obvious shortcut across the grass. Some might imagine this to be unwise, rigid in using the pavement. But to take the shortcut is to me uncompassionate, because one might trample on plants and insects. It’s a shortcut to harm, and some negative karma too? Related Article: Of Loving-kindness to Our Tiny [...]

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 by its profound [...]

Here is my mini sharing of His Holiness Dalai Lama’s 2010 Southeast Asia teaching tour. I felt very fortunate to be able to learn directly from him. Even more fortunate was to have two great Dharma friends who have been to His Holiness’ teachings for years, to take care of us and make this trip [...]

A message written for Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic’s magazine: There is a famous medical analogy in Buddhism used to describe the Triple Gem. The Buddha, with his perfect compassion and wisdom, is likened to a great doctor, who dispenses the pure medicine that is the precious teachings of the Dharma, for alleviating suffering. Members of [...]