Super Short Story (123): Late Even though he was already here, as he kept apologising for being late, and explaining why he was late, he became even more...

If one is constantly apologetic, one has never been truly apologetic. If one keeps saying sorry, one is simply not sorry enough. If one wishes to be respected, one should first be...

Reflection after watching ‘Attack the Block’: Those who have done great wrong should redeem themselves by doing great right. -...

In the movie ‘Tree of Life’, a family is run by a authoritarian father. They are depicted to be not particularly special – American middle-class, attends church…  But the father is so strict and hard in his punishments that his children begin to fear him. A son even...

To be unapologetic for one’s evil done makes one more evil. To be ungrateful for others’ goodness done makes one less good. - Stonepeace Another instance on the importance of acknowledging one’s misgivings and acknowledging others’ gifts (of...

有恩不报恩，即是自我心。 不弃自我心，即是住魔心。 有错不认错，即是我慢心。 不弃我慢心，即是住魔心。- 石子 To be indebted but not repay kindness, is the mind of self-centredness. To not renounce the mind of self-centredness, is to abide in...

Your karma is [or 'will be'] truly bad only when you take it badly, by not truly acknowledging your mistakes and the need for repentance. Once you acknowledge your mistakes, your karma is not [or 'won't be'] so bad after all. One who keeps saying sorry over the same matter is not sorry...

Question: My friend’s business partner cheated her of her money. She wants to send him to jail. Answer: If the culprit is unrepentant, this might be the only way. Question: As an alternative, my friend could consider settling the matter privately than go to the police. Answer: If...

The foreign man suddenly extended his phone to me, instructing me to listen, in a matter of fact way, as he can’t understand the speaker. I ignored him for a few moments, before taking the phone, though I had absolutely no obligation, to pass the speaker’s message. Returning...

She assumed he had let go of the matter, so she let it go, not further resolving it, not realising it is always better to over-apologise than to not apologise at all. It is always better to be doubly humble than not humble at...

‘A Study in Scarlet’ is the debut Sherlock Holmes story. It is a good reminder of several truths… The plot of how things came to be is usually thicker than we superficially assume. This does not just pertain to criminal matters. There is always tragedy behind crimes which...

This is the traditional verse for recitation to express repentance: 忏悔文 Verse for Repentance 往昔所造诸恶业 For all the evil deeds I have done in the past 皆由无始贪嗔痴 from beginningless greed, hatred and delusion 从身语意之所生 created by my body, speech and...

In the light of some debate over the questionable integrity of a so-called ‘monastic’, she said, ‘Sometimes, I feel so ashamed to be a Buddhist!’ No need to feel shame as a lay Buddhist, I said, just because a so-called ‘monastic’ is shameless. Just take...

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...

Question: If I have committed observe the Five Precepts but repeatedly break one of them despite having practised repentance, can I still repent again effectively? Answer: To answer the question, I need to know how many times more the precept is intended to be broken! You need to remember...

(From a friend to her Mother) Never knew the loss is so painful, never knew you are so important in my life, never knew your support was so vital to the wholeness of me, never so deeply appreciated and touched by the things you did for us, never discovered the jewel of ‘Buddha’ within...

The most enlightening part of ‘The Losers’ was when the cornered Jensen uttered something ‘true to bluff’ those pointing guns at him… (Yes, it’s paradoxical) - ‘In the words of Ancient Tibetan [Buddhist] masters, “Don’t start none…...

Question: If I had committed to a regular sadhana practice after an initiation, must I ask the guru for permission if I want to give it up? Can I simply give it up myself? I heard that this creates heavy negative karma? Answer: It is best to ask the guru for permission and forgiveness. If...

Question: I contributed money for a group gift, but later realised that it wasn’t an animal-friendly gift. Do I create negative karma because of this? Answer: About pooling of money for the hamper, if it wasn’t intentional to neglect asking, it’s okay. It’s just unmindfulness. You...

To avoid all evil, To do all good, And to purify the mind - These are the teachings of all Buddhas. - The Buddha (Dhammapada) How readily you say ‘Sorry’ reflects how well you recognise evil. Because you can see your inner ‘badness’, you can see ‘badness’...