‘It’s Kind of a Funny Story’, simply put, is an ode to life. An ode to living itself: He who is not busy being born is busy dying. – Bob Dylan: It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) This is like another way of saying this: Heedfulness is the deathless path, heedlessness, the path to death. [...]

A blog reader urgently wanted to use the second poem at http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/02/the-famous-funeral-poem for a real funeral, and asked for the author. Wondering if the idea was called off because it wasn’t from someone famous and deceased… It’s interesting how things from anyone seem more valuable the instant the person is gone. But I can understand [...]

While hosting a game of setting deadlines for our bucket lists, one participant listed becoming a vegan in a few months’ time, and another wrote ‘to be nicer to my parents’, with no fixed deadline, because it seems strange to fix one for such a ‘task’. I next asked everyone to reset their deadlines within [...]

To a Buddhist friend on disseminating news of a forum (slightly extended): ‘Even though the topic is of universal interest, and relevant to all, my worry is that when death is talked about in general covering many perspectives, Buddhist listeners might feel more lost than enlightened as to which is the truly relevant one. I [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

Some lament of not finding a dream partner, of not getting the one one wants now. Some lament of losing a dream partner, of not having ‘the one’ any more. Which is worse? Not getting what you want now, or losing what you get later? Is it worth it? Getting heavenly marital bliss now, only [...]

A friend sent by the Chinese text below, written by a Dharma teacher, for comments. My comments are in English, in between – “依佛法的认知，人来到这个世间，有两个任务：一是还债受报，偿还过去多生之中恩怨情仇的债务，接受福报与苦报； This is not exactly true. A 任务 (mission) would mean a specific task one chooses to undertake. Most beings are not born intentionally to pay back, or to receive pay back. They are [...]

The above is Art Spiegelman’s ‘Synopsis’ of the human condition. This mortal life is as if a definite walk towards the eventuality of death, which can happen instantly through an unmindful slip. The challenge is to walk a worthy path, that if possible, is even possible to veer towards the deathless.

Lost a good idea within a finger snap Arghhh! Imagine if this happens on the deathbed. Arghhh! Not a good idea then, no matter how good it seems. Amituofo! (Best thought and idea!)

If a pet has died, will you get a new pet? Will you relive the possible pain of departure again? Will you be better braced, or too shakened? The same questions apply to all relationships, which will end in one way or another. Ultimately, the question is – How ready are you for your ongoing [...]

There is this part in ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ that mentions Buddhism. Morrie: Everybody knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it.  If we did, we would do things differently.” Mitch: So we kid ourselves about death. Morrie: Yes. But there’s a better approach. To know you’re going to die, and to be prepared for [...]

Since life has no (fixed) meaning, what the meaning of life is, is to give life a (meaningful) meaning. Since life is meaningless, what is meaningful would be to transcend life (and death). Since this is meaningful, what is the most meaningful would be to help one and all do the same.

A hospice flyer read, ‘To them, every moment matters.’ But wait… we are all the dying. The important question is… What are you dying for, dying to do?

Question: We went to exhume of one of our long-time ancestors’ graves for cremation and discovered some ornaments with the remains. Some relatives suggested keeping them for remembrance and good luck. Is there any harm in doing so? Answer: It’s not likely that the items will bring good luck, especially since there is no such [...]