Sometimes, there are requests for notes for my Dharma classes, by those who have not attended them. Usually, I decline, while encouraging them to sign up for the classes. (Another thing I discourage is the assumption that printed Powerpoint slides are equivalent to a whole course – when they only highlight some points.) The reason for [...]

Symbol of the Triratna (: Sanskrit; Tiratana: Pali), as seen in the Sanchi stupa, 1st century BCE. 自皈依佛，当愿众生，绍隆佛种，发无上心 自皈依法，当愿众生，深入经藏，智慧如海 自皈依僧，当愿众生，统理大众，一切无碍 – 华严经 Taking refuge in the Buddha, may all beings succeed and glorify the Buddha seed, giving rise to the unsurpassable aspiration [for Buddhahood]. Taking refuge in the Dharma, may all beings deeply enter the [...]

In ‘The Rabbi’s Cat 2′ by Joann Sfar, the cat says this of his master, ‘I love you because you’re vulnerable. I love you because there has to be someone who loves you.’ But does that mean that those who are not vulnerable do not deserve love? If yes, why is there a need to [...]

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If enlightenment is impossible, the strife towards it is still meaningful because it is the path to greater happiness, as we can tell when we practise the Dharma. If enlightenment is possible and we can backslide from it, the strife towards it is still meaningful because it is the path to greater happiness, as we [...]

We replaced the one dim bulb in the living room with a new bright one, and removed the lamp cover too. It was so brilliant ‘cool daylight’ (Philips 23 Watts), without being glaring, that it slightly spilled over to the kitchen and a room. We can now save more electricity as there is less need [...]

One who braces for the hard knocks of life will find them less shocking and painful. Not bracing for reality is to be attached to fantasy. – Stonepeace During naval exercises, sometimes there is this announcement over the broadcast system to simulate incoming missile attacks: Brace! Brace! Brace! We’re expected to hold on to something [...]

Q: What is ‘invaluable’? A: It’s what’s ‘priceless’. Q: Of course the ‘in-valuable’ is ‘price-less’ – but what’s that? A: The invaluable is that which is very valuable, priceless because it has no price. Q: How can something be valuable but without price? Something important but free like air? A: Free or not, the invaluable [...]

I finished reading ”Becoming Enlightened’ by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins, PhD) a few weeks ago, but had been procrastinating on writing a review. Not because I don’t want but how do you review a master’s work? It probably won’t do it any justice. So, instead of reviewing it, [...]

A Tit for a Tat (119) Tit: Those who should come most to Dharma lessons tend not to come. Tat: Since I come often, does it mean I needn’t come? Tit: No! Everyone should come, but those who never came should all the more come! Next aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/03/not-real-either Previous aT4aT: http://moonpointer.com/new/2010/03/like-c-s-i

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 [...]

When we were younger, our dreams to save the world was huge. But as we grew up, we easily find ourselves distanced from our ‘heroic’ ambition. Had a chat with an old friend recently about our supposed big dream, about how we drifted so far apart from what we wanted to do. Now, we are [...]

B: You know, you look like you need a ‘best friend’. Z: How so? B: You have no blings (diamonds) on you – not even a tiny stud! Z: Well, I have the best friend (the Dharma), who is around 24/7. What’s more, this spiritual friendship is priceless yet free! On the contrary, you might [...]

Went to the library yesterday. To my great disappointment, there aren’t many English or Chinese Buddhist books to borrow. I heard it’s the same for the central National Library’s borrowable collection. Am wondering if it’s the same case islandwide. I wasn’t expecting an entire room of Buddhist books but two rows on a single shelf [...]

In ‘Timbuktu’ by Paul Auster (illustrated by Julia Goschke for an abridged graphic novel), the author explores human homelessness via the vision of a vagrant dog. Ostracised by society, as Mr. Bones the dog put it, ’He would have to keep on moving, even if he had nowhere to go.’ There is no true lasting refuge [...]