Yeas ago, I stuck a bright red sticker with the words ‘Namo Amituofo’ (Homage to Amitabha Buddha) on a dangerous sharp corner of a cabinet – to alert people from banging their heads on it. Yes, mindfulness of Buddha can save your life. It can even lead you to transcend the cycles of life and [...]

One of the most memorable films ever is a film in a film – in the movie ‘American Beauty’ called by fans as ‘the plastic bag scene’. As commented by the young filmmaker in the story, who shot it… Ricky Fitts: You want to see the most beautiful thing I’ve ever filmed? It was one [...]

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 [...]

The classic ‘Mad World’ by Tears for Fears seems to be a poignant string of world-weary haikus. In between its stanzas below are some one-liner comments. Above is the more meditative cover version by Gary Jules, in a video directed by the very creative Michel Gondry, who gave us the amazing ‘Eternal Sunshine of the [...]

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. – John Lennon From ‘Astonishing X-men: Unstoppable’ by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday, Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat) says, “Everything is so fragile. There’s so much conflict, so much pain… you keep waiting for the dust to settle and then you realize this is it; [...]

I worked till late in office tonight. Suddenly, I felt great itches on my left arm. I looked and saw four huge bite bumps. I’d heard a buzzing sound moments earlier. I thought I’d better leave soon. Since I was the only fresh meal around. Then I thought it’s okay to stay… Because she has [...]

In a scene of the movie ‘Sherlock Holmes’, the famed super sleuth makes sharp observations and astute deductions on the character of Dr. Watson’s fiancée. He gets most of them right, but a key one wrong, His wrong conclusion hurt her feelings as she stomps off in rage. It made me think… as sure as [...]

Used to wonder what’s so wonderful about the beach… Till I realised it is the meeting point of many things… Not just surfboards, Not just volleyballs, Not just deck chairs… Of the vast sky, Of the vast sea, Of the vast land… Of calm of waves, Of turmoil at times, Of paradoxes of life… Of [...]

Anicca… is the truth of impermanence. From the perspective of time, nothing is unchanging, while Nirvana is timeless. Dukkha… is the truth of dissatisfaction. From the perspective of experience, nothing is truly fulfilling, while Nirvana is bliss. Anatta… is the truth of insubstantiality. From the perspective of space, nothing has self-nature, while Nirvana is true [...]

If there is a single film, that I have seen, that illustrates Samsara the most graphically, it would be Baraka. If there is a single song, that I have heard, that sings of Samsara the most poignantly, it would be The Host of Seraphim. [The Host of Seraphim by Dead Can Dance (with Lisa Gerrard) [...]

It is time for another more or less bi-weekly dosage of ‘Depeche Dharma’, when I interpret Depeche Mode’s songs with the Dharma. Featured today is one of their classic anthems from the 80′s – ‘Never Let Me Down Again’ (from the album ‘Music for the Masses’), which was a massive hit that paradoxically juxtaposes hope [...]

A Tit for a Tat (28) Tit: It’s good to be tall because there would be no need to wear high heels (to look taller). Tat: It’s not good to be tall because there would be less opportunity to wear high heels (or one might look too tall). Tit: But don’t you know it’s painful [...]

The company changed the clocking machine recently. It is now so easy to clock in and out that she even gets a kick out of ‘passing’ the scanning almost instantaneously – in just one go. It might have given her the illusion that it’s now more enjoyable to come to work. It made her wonder [...]

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 – [...]

Some interesting quotes below to share from ‘Stillness Speaks’ by Eckhart Tolle. The book’s ideas are not totally about Buddhism, but not really not totally not about it either. There are some parts I disagree with, while I appreciate its occasional acknowledgment where some ideas are clearly inspired by Buddhism – because this would lead [...]