In the movie ‘Premium Rush’, there is the pseudo-cool idea that changeable (instead of fixed) gears and ‘brakes are death’ for messenger bikers dashing from one place to another on the super-busy streets of New York. This is based on the assumption that ‘The bike...

Super Short Story (108): Direction When young, he wondered why it seems so hard for adults to be good; to not be evil… until he grew up and realised that life has many complex grey areas. Yet, this only reminds him more, of how knowing what is black and white since young is incredibly...

A good journalist is supposed to just record and report an event, and not be part of the action?  But in times of need, how about being part of proactive action while recording it? If a journalist remains indifferent, is this journalist really ‘good’, in the moral (instead of...

Morality is not a matter of whether one can do this or not, as based on others’ suggestions, but whether one should do this or not, as based on one’s understanding. -...

I can’t remember which comic the above panel is from. A vampire (if I remember correctly) laments to a vampire slayer, ‘We eat to survive! Do you avenge for cows and fish too? What have we done wrong? Who are you to judge us?’ Not that there are real vampires, if I become...

Good to be wary of those who hesitate to exercise their moral responsibility, by playing safe and sticking to the imperfect letter of the law written by the unenlightened. Good to be wary of becoming one of those, who skirt around making firm moral stands, who are ambiguous,...

If a ‘Buddhist’ teacher does evil, despite knowing it is evil, one probably does not really believe in karma. If one probably does not believe in karma, how can others learn from one, when even one’s basic morality is unsound? If a ‘Buddhist’ teacher does evil...

The Six Perfections (Paramitas) are essential qualities to be practised and perfected for the realisation of True Happiness (Buddhahood; Nirvana; Enlightenment). Based on the selfless intention to benefit one and all, they guide us towards happiness whenever they are practised –...

It’s bizarre when some Buddhists see ethical perfectionism as a fault. It’s not that all are perfectionistic out of attachment for ourselves, but that our ethics do need to be perfected as part of the path towards spiritual perfection, to better protect other beings. Why else is there...

Part 1: http://moonpointer.com/new/2009/11/appeal-to-drop-appeal Part 2: http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=22,8764,0,0,1,0 (as below): In reply to the letter ‘Buddhism not damaged by wayward monastics, but lay support for their misdeeds’...

From http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=22,8733,0,0,1,0 : The once most famous Buddhist monk in a small country is now its most infamous. Then again, he doesn’t seem very fit to be called a monk now. Here is a summary of his misdeeds, as gathered from press articles, in no...

A Tit for a Tat (15) Tit: I don’t think anything is definitely wrong or right. Tat: You really believe that is right? If you do, something is definitely right. Tit: I don’t believe anything is definitely wrong or right. Tat: You really believe that is right? If you do, you...

Here is an analysis of the poll question ‘Should All Taking the Three Refuges Commit to the Five Precepts Too?’ As of today, the results are: 66% : Yes 20% : Doesn’t matter 07% : No 07% : Dunno In the Theravada tradition, the 5 precepts are taken with refuge. In the Mahayana...

Japan Adventures (10) : Legend of the Sword that Did Not Cut From ‘Fodor’s Exploring Japan’ by David Scott – ‘Only those with the purest hearts and the highest moral standards could become master swordsmiths. The making of each sword was analogous to a spiritual...