22
Mar
2012

The First Buddhist Library I Came Across

The above is a 1995 photo by a school senior. This was how the library of Singapore Polytechnic Buddhist Society…

21
Mar
2012

A Cruelty Train Actually

There was a retreat in a Buddhist centre recently, which concluded, so I’ve heard, with a ‘pizza train’ celebration –…

21
Mar
2012

From Passionate Grief To Compassionate Relief

A friend remarked, ‘It is depressing to know that many suffer from depression.’ This is surely nothing to joyous over,…

21
Mar
2012

An Actor Paradox

A good actor can act as a bad actor, to the extent that you believe that (1) he or she is…

15
Mar
2012

Some Dharma Students’ FAQs

The below are common questions that some Dharma students might have, based on hypothetical scenarios: Q: What if a family member…

09
Mar
2012

For What Purpose?

A: Someone wants to meet me. B: For what purpose? A: The purpose is not clear. B: There is no…

07
Mar
2012

Advantages Of Dharma Discussions In Class

Note: In case any reader is in the category of (1) and/or (2) below, please note that this article does not…

07
Mar
2012

Words & Actions

If one had created a misunderstanding with inappropriate words, one should just clarify with appropriate words. (Sometimes, no other action…

07
Mar
2012

Ever Wish Your Boss Were Dead?

What do you do if you have a horrible boss who is making life hell for you, while you need…

07
Mar
2012

Mind Over Body

From ‘The Straits Times’, ‘In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), the heart is believed to control the mind and hence all…

07
Mar
2012

The Journalist Paradox

A good journalist is supposed to just record and report an event, and not be part of the action?  But…

07
Mar
2012

Why Let Faults Win?

Heard of a Dharma student thinking of giving up attending one of his teachers’ classes due to embarrassment over some…

07
Mar
2012

Free Yet Purposeful (The Groundhog Day Paradox)

When things get routine, we wish for the non-routine. When things get routinely non-routine, we wish for the routine. A…

07
Mar
2012

Can You Hug The Sky?

多年以前有一位朋友到楚布寺去覲見剛剛坐床的大寶法王。 不知道是怎樣的因緣,他突然問了小法王一句: “我可以抱你嗎?” 只有七歲的小法王靜靜地回答:“你可以抱住天空嗎?” ~摘自噶瑪噶舉之家 我們就是為了幻化的事物忙一輩子,以為可以抓住什麼, 但就是留不住,終其空空忙碌一生。 A summary of the above in English: Someone visited the then seven year…

07
Mar
2012

The Trick Is To Enjoy Life

From Woody Allen’s movie ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’: Cristina: Are you very religious? (They are gazing at a image of the…

07
Mar
2012

The Hope Paradox

I notice that the poor in many countries tend to have more kids. Perhaps it is due to lack of…

01
Mar
2012

Make Aspirations & Take Action

Saw an online chat between Buddhist friends about the possibility of doing a Dharma project. One said, to ‘make aspirations’….

29
Feb
2012

Getting In Sync

As am currently teaching the Dharma 5 evenings a week, and 6 for this one, I end up training myself…

29
Feb
2012

Pros & Cons

Question: What do you do if you don’t know whether to give up or hang on to something? Answer: How…

29
Feb
2012

Books & Readers Keeping Each Other Alive

I like the scene of reviving the old book – simply by reading it. Just as books give us a…