You cry when you are born. Because returning painfully is suffering. How much more tears? You cry when you are here. Because living unhappily is suffering. How much more tears? You cry when you are dying. Because leaving fearfully is suffering. How much more tears? (The irony? Your parents...

For some singles, to have or not have a spouse, that is the question. But to have a spouse does not guarantee happiness, just as not having one does not guarantee unhappiness either. It is a gamble of sorts, as you never know how your spouse might be. For some couples, to have or not have a...

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...

Simple but good reality check, these lines from Sheryl Crow’s ‘If It Makes You Happy’: If it makes you happy It can’t be that bad If it makes you happy Then why the hell are you so sad? Most of us in Samsara are not really happy, while imagining we are, or that are...

From Wikipedia: ‘Thundereggs are rough spheres, most about the size of a baseball – though they can range from less than an inch to over a meter across. They usually contain centres of chalcedony in the form of agate, jasper or opal, either uniquely or in combination. Also...

If I were to summarise our mini pilgrimage to Taiwan, it would be 悲欣交集 (intertwinement of sadness and happiness). The Dharma is still strong and flourishing in Taiwan. Could it be because they have strong Dharma leaders who not only lead, preach but walk the talk too? Basically, there...

A young nephew didn’t understand the rationale of sharing, and became distressed when it was suggested to him that the iPhone lent to him for playing games should be passed in turn to other kids in the house too. Took me a while to conceive of how to share the value of sharing with him....

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...

A Dharma friend sent me this Youtube link on meditation. He felt that it’s a very good way to introduce Non-Buddhist friends to meditation, although ‘we all know the trainer uses Buddhist techniques’. I agree it’s skilful not to use Buddhist labels at first… lest...

A Tit for a Tat (50) Tit: Wedding day is a girl’s most happy and beautiful day… Tat: Why can’t all girls feel happy and beautiful every day? Tit: So unromantic! Tat: So much more fantastic! Every day is a good day. [Every moment is a good moment.] - Master Baizang Next...

No one wants to be unhappy due to being greedy. Some might not know how to be content. Why not generously share how with them, best you can? No one wants to be unhappy due to being unkind. Some might not know how to be kind. Why not kindly share how with them, best you can? No one wants to be...

A Tit for a Tat (23) Tit: You should die happy… because you have done much good. Tat: I think I will… it’s just that I happen to live unhappily. Tit: You’re not satisfied with….? Tat: …. with not dying happily yet! Tit: Are you giving me material for...

If you are invulnerable to harm, seemingly able to live forever, what would you do? Would you become a great villain [e.g. Octopus] who goes all out exploit and harm others? Since there are no apparent consequences? The ultimate harm has to be the harming of others - that which does not lead...

Ed: I read from TDE-Weekly that there is an offer for the pre-conference of “Happiness and its Causes” at $150. I had paid $500 earlier. I feel the pinch. Then I remember Dharma teaching about non-attachment. Knowing is really very different from practising. How do I contemplate...

The Case of the Acccidental Cloud Meditation Other than the truth that you can realise this truth the clouds have the same nature* as you. - Stonepeace *Same nature of being impermanent and non-self With ample time to kill after finishing his tedious homework, Zeph heaved a deep sigh of...