Just now as I was bathing, I suddenly realised just how good my life is.
I get to study in a school, studying the subjects i choose, thoroughly enjoying some.
Studying with good friends who always help me out and keep me company.
Having good family members who share their experiences with me, whom teach me many things.
Having following a good Buddhist temple, which really pushes me to practice.
Having a good country with a great transport system which allows me to get from place to place so easily, without giving me any trouble of having to worry about how i should get to the place.
Having great teachers who try their best to teach us. Although some of them can't produce very good results, they still try.
Having the opportunities for me to practice the Buddhist teachings.
Having the great opportunity to pass the last 1 year safe and sound and even growing.
Having the great opportunity to return to the temple again after 1 year for the winter training and having the great opportunity to hear the Shinnyo Kyoshu-sama chant the Mitsugon-in Hotsuro Sange no Mon(Mitsugon-in words of repentance). The calmness of his voice, which reminds of the strength of the mountains, the vastnes of the skies, the calmness lakes, the deep of the oceans.
And being in the schools' Buddhist society, which made me research for articles and quotes for gratitude which I think was what made me reflect.
What can I say?
I really have really been blessed and incredible opportunities are presented to me.
Thanks everyone.
May all have the same or even better conditions and blessings than me.
With Gassho.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Lovely night, lovely love...
The rain has just stopped
the floor was still wet
the cockcroach hobbbled across the road
the night was just cool and quiet.
I approached the stairs,
and saw a girl and a guy sitting by the stairs,
the girl was in the guy's lap.
looking up to the night sky,
as they chatted,
thier hearts and souls intertwined.
I appear,
only to break the moment,
I quickly run up the stairs,
wishing that I was invisible,
all so that their moment will last.
May all live the moment fully.
May all be well and happy.
And sorry to the couple!!
the floor was still wet
the cockcroach hobbbled across the road
the night was just cool and quiet.
I approached the stairs,
and saw a girl and a guy sitting by the stairs,
the girl was in the guy's lap.
looking up to the night sky,
as they chatted,
thier hearts and souls intertwined.
I appear,
only to break the moment,
I quickly run up the stairs,
wishing that I was invisible,
all so that their moment will last.
May all live the moment fully.
May all be well and happy.
And sorry to the couple!!
Dream of my inner heart
Somewhere through the prayer last night, I remembered or rather was reminded of remembering all other beings as one's mother. And to repay their kindness(an effect of doing research for the Buddhist Awareness Week at NUS).
The above mentioned, entails giving them respect and many other actions like not losing my temper, keeping my usual great big ego in check etc. However, while sleeping last night, I dreamt of myself at home, argueing with my parents over what i do not remember. But it was a big arguement. We were shouting, or rather, I remember I was shouting, not too sure about them. There were none of the usual check barriers that I have in place in daily life, everything just came out.
Now what does that mean?
That I still tend to do that and that is a further reminder to strengthen what I gainded from my prayer?? Or is it my inner demons, that although I try to put barriers in place, the inner demons, inner poisons are still not cured?? Very difficult, very difficult.........can't put my hand on it.
Anyhow, I'll just work on what I promised. And words of advice for me would be to harmonise. Harmonise, harmonise, harmonise!!! I'll work on it!!!!!!
The above mentioned, entails giving them respect and many other actions like not losing my temper, keeping my usual great big ego in check etc. However, while sleeping last night, I dreamt of myself at home, argueing with my parents over what i do not remember. But it was a big arguement. We were shouting, or rather, I remember I was shouting, not too sure about them. There were none of the usual check barriers that I have in place in daily life, everything just came out.
Now what does that mean?
That I still tend to do that and that is a further reminder to strengthen what I gainded from my prayer?? Or is it my inner demons, that although I try to put barriers in place, the inner demons, inner poisons are still not cured?? Very difficult, very difficult.........can't put my hand on it.
Anyhow, I'll just work on what I promised. And words of advice for me would be to harmonise. Harmonise, harmonise, harmonise!!! I'll work on it!!!!!!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Healing
Today, my brother was sick, and I was just thinking if I should do a chant for him.
In the japanese esoteric buddhist tradition, they have a healing ritual called the kaji ritual. As its name suggests, it is supposed to be used for healing of sicknesses.
But i was thinking, on what kind of illness should the kaji ritual be performed? Flu? cough? cancer? AIDS?
Should we do it for even small illness??? Hmm........ I don't think so. Those we should let it run themselves out right?
So what if the person is healed?
Usually the aim is so that the person can practice the Teachings of the Buddha more easily.
But, sometimes, through the illness, the person grows. But then again, the person must recover to pass on this experience and knowledge right?
So it is good after all to do a prayer for the illness after all? I should think so. Ultimately, it still depends on his karma. If his bad karma is too strong, and the conditions are right, no prayer can rearrange that kind of situation.
But what abt for a bad guy, once he recovers, then he will go back to his bad actions. Then should we pray too? Hm....i still would stand on the positive side and say we should and if he should recover, we should then try to reform him.......
May there be no causes for people to have illness,
May there be good causes for people to practice the Dharma,
May all be free from suffering,
May all be well and happy!
With Gassho
In the japanese esoteric buddhist tradition, they have a healing ritual called the kaji ritual. As its name suggests, it is supposed to be used for healing of sicknesses.
But i was thinking, on what kind of illness should the kaji ritual be performed? Flu? cough? cancer? AIDS?
Should we do it for even small illness??? Hmm........ I don't think so. Those we should let it run themselves out right?
So what if the person is healed?
Usually the aim is so that the person can practice the Teachings of the Buddha more easily.
But, sometimes, through the illness, the person grows. But then again, the person must recover to pass on this experience and knowledge right?
So it is good after all to do a prayer for the illness after all? I should think so. Ultimately, it still depends on his karma. If his bad karma is too strong, and the conditions are right, no prayer can rearrange that kind of situation.
But what abt for a bad guy, once he recovers, then he will go back to his bad actions. Then should we pray too? Hm....i still would stand on the positive side and say we should and if he should recover, we should then try to reform him.......
May there be no causes for people to have illness,
May there be good causes for people to practice the Dharma,
May all be free from suffering,
May all be well and happy!
With Gassho
Speech,chanting
It is said that your speech affects the efficacy of the chant.
To those who want their chanting to be effective,
the secret is in the watching of your speech.
And I had better watch mine....
To those who want their chanting to be effective,
the secret is in the watching of your speech.
And I had better watch mine....
The wind
The cool wind blows, my hair flows with the wind and as I enjoy the wind, my spirit is lifted, bliss.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Our merit fields
Parents, teachers, and all beings, our teacher of the humility, respect, compassion, filial piety,perserverance and etc.
Thanks to all!! Glad to have you all as my teachers!!!
Thanks to all!! Glad to have you all as my teachers!!!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Wake up call
This morning, I woke up at 10am.
10am, the time when I should be out of my house to my taiji lesson.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
In my mind:
10am, the time when I should be out of my house to my taiji lesson.
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In my mind:
- Why didn't my mum wake me up????????!!!!!!!!!!!!
- (Looking around) She is not in. Nobody's in.
- Oh yeah! They had to go temple this morning.
- Then why didn't she set an alarm clock to wake me up??!!
- How could she just go off??
- Doesn't she know that I have to go to taiji this morning????????!!!!!!!!
- Hold on a minute, why am I blaming her?
- Did I tell her to wake me up?(No)
- Then why am I blaming her??
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Looking somewhere else, I trip before the trash in front of me.
Zen??
Your search among books, word upon word, may lead you to the depths of knowledge, but it is not the way to receive the reflection of your true self.
When you have thrown off your ideas as to mind and body, the original truth will fully appear. Zen is simply the expression of truth; therefore longing and striving are not the true attitudes of Zen.
-Dogen, "The Practice of Meditation"
From "Teachings of the Buddha," edited by Jack Kornfield, 1993. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston, www.shambhala.com.
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As are those engaged in the higher practices of Vajrayana, Theravada, and all Buddhism.
When you have thrown off your ideas as to mind and body, the original truth will fully appear. Zen is simply the expression of truth; therefore longing and striving are not the true attitudes of Zen.
-Dogen, "The Practice of Meditation"
From "Teachings of the Buddha," edited by Jack Kornfield, 1993. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston, www.shambhala.com.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As are those engaged in the higher practices of Vajrayana, Theravada, and all Buddhism.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Of past conditions, of not knowing
I say Mr BYJ is zen like. My friend says he is Theravadin. I think he is more zen like.
Actually now that I look back, he is more Theravadin. So why did I insist he is more zen like?
Is it because I like zen more and know how the middle path is expressed in zen (past conditioning) better than how it is expressed in Theravada?
Partly i think.
Is it because I feel he should be a Mahayanist as he loves animals?
Can't be sure, a lack of penetrative wisdom. Nevertheless,it is an erroneous assumption.
Or is it because I am plain stubborn that I reject all other views other than my own?
Yes, and I think this should be the main reason.
Actually now that I look back, he is more Theravadin. So why did I insist he is more zen like?
Is it because I like zen more and know how the middle path is expressed in zen (past conditioning) better than how it is expressed in Theravada?
Partly i think.
Is it because I feel he should be a Mahayanist as he loves animals?
Can't be sure, a lack of penetrative wisdom. Nevertheless,it is an erroneous assumption.
Or is it because I am plain stubborn that I reject all other views other than my own?
Yes, and I think this should be the main reason.
A non-buddhist
Mr BYJ claims that he is not a Buddhist. Because when he was a Buddhist previously, he held on to too many views and concepts of Buddhism. But Buddhism is about non-attachment. About impermanance. About non-self. Holding on to so many concepts, how can he be a Buddhist? Thus, he deconditions himself.
So, Mr BYJ is not a Buddhist.
So, Mr BYJ is not a Buddhist.
the uncurable kind medicine man
One upon a time, a person with a terrible diarrohea met a local medicine man. The local medicine man, was very kind and gave the sick man some oral medicine which he knows is an antidote to diarrohea. However the medicine man has never been to med school before and so is not so well trained so he does not know how to use injection. But he knows that the medicine is used to treat diarrohea because his teacher taught him that and his family members have used it before and it works.
Anyway, the sick man does not trust the medicine man because he looks like a begger and smells like the weeds in his backyard. So the sick man pushes the medicine away. But the medicine man is really a compassionate medicine man and really wants to cure the sick man so he grabs the sick man's mouth and gorges the medicine down the sick man's throat. The sick man is furious and the thought of eating the medicine man's dirty weeds makes him so super disgusted he throws up the medicine right away.
Finally after much convincing, the sick man swallows the medicine willingly. But the next time he visits the local river to relieve himself, he sees the medicine floating down the river with the brown milk he had just produced. And 5 minutes later, he is back at the river again.
He is furious again and looks up the medicine man for a fight, claiming that the medicine man is a useless quack! And that he should not have wasted his time and energy before with the medicine man!
End of story........
Great Compassion, Great Wisdom, Great Methods, train hard and cultivate! 加油！
Anyway, the sick man does not trust the medicine man because he looks like a begger and smells like the weeds in his backyard. So the sick man pushes the medicine away. But the medicine man is really a compassionate medicine man and really wants to cure the sick man so he grabs the sick man's mouth and gorges the medicine down the sick man's throat. The sick man is furious and the thought of eating the medicine man's dirty weeds makes him so super disgusted he throws up the medicine right away.
Finally after much convincing, the sick man swallows the medicine willingly. But the next time he visits the local river to relieve himself, he sees the medicine floating down the river with the brown milk he had just produced. And 5 minutes later, he is back at the river again.
He is furious again and looks up the medicine man for a fight, claiming that the medicine man is a useless quack! And that he should not have wasted his time and energy before with the medicine man!
End of story........
Great Compassion, Great Wisdom, Great Methods, train hard and cultivate! 加油！
Induced reflection
Today, we had a discussion where we talked abt the biasness of science and the notion of showing how the other's belief is flawed. It was interesting to see how each one of us analysed the whole situation according to our own sets of beliefs.
------------>
Some say that science is biased because it is based on the assumption of how we as human beings intepret the world around us based on our senses which is true!
Some say it is impossible to analyse something without first establishing the truth in some 'assumptions'. Which I totally agree too.
So how should we live our lives? Actually more often than not, i find myself leading my life taking the assumptions eg. 'science as the truth' if not, how do we move on? There is nothing to build upon to come to a next step or conclusion.
Even in Buddhism, they always say middle path, middle path, empty but not empty. Do not hold yourself to a concept, beyond concepts. The ultimate, while saying it as the ultimate is wrong. A Buddha nature exists in everyone which is permenant but nothing is permenant.. When was it there? However strange this may seem, believe me,this makes perfect sense. If you do not get it, never mind. Do not be too concerned because this is purely garbage.
In any religion, we have to start from somewhere, some fundamental building block which can be said as an assumption. In saying so, i mean, if we say to experience things to know it is true and real , and not because of tradition or teachers. That is based on the fact the the experience you have is accurate, which is truely not, as experience is a relative thing. But nevertheless, it is the one and only most accurate yardstick that we as human beings have.
------------>
Some say that science is biased because it is based on the assumption of how we as human beings intepret the world around us based on our senses which is true!
Some say it is impossible to analyse something without first establishing the truth in some 'assumptions'. Which I totally agree too.
So how should we live our lives? Actually more often than not, i find myself leading my life taking the assumptions eg. 'science as the truth' if not, how do we move on? There is nothing to build upon to come to a next step or conclusion.
Even in Buddhism, they always say middle path, middle path, empty but not empty. Do not hold yourself to a concept, beyond concepts. The ultimate, while saying it as the ultimate is wrong. A Buddha nature exists in everyone which is permenant but nothing is permenant.. When was it there? However strange this may seem, believe me,this makes perfect sense. If you do not get it, never mind. Do not be too concerned because this is purely garbage.
In any religion, we have to start from somewhere, some fundamental building block which can be said as an assumption. In saying so, i mean, if we say to experience things to know it is true and real , and not because of tradition or teachers. That is based on the fact the the experience you have is accurate, which is truely not, as experience is a relative thing. But nevertheless, it is the one and only most accurate yardstick that we as human beings have.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
That which got me started
Read 2 blogs lately, both of people who ask themselves questions but derive no answers.
Something which troubled me lately too.
When we have a problem of the heart, maybe of missing someone or something, or of losing someone or something. To rationalise the problems with our mind, to use thoeries to try to solve the problem, use some some religious doctrine. Would these actually work??? I ask myself. But the basis of feelings is not from logic. It does not seem to work, it is more like running away from the problem and trying to convince oneself of something that one has already been convinced of.
So what is the method? To suppress the thoughts? To run away from it and hope it disappears? To address it in the face? I have no idea. Let us penetrate the mind and explore it deeply. Know thy thoughts, know thyself.
Tmr is a good day. Just as today is. Be well!
Something which troubled me lately too.
When we have a problem of the heart, maybe of missing someone or something, or of losing someone or something. To rationalise the problems with our mind, to use thoeries to try to solve the problem, use some some religious doctrine. Would these actually work??? I ask myself. But the basis of feelings is not from logic. It does not seem to work, it is more like running away from the problem and trying to convince oneself of something that one has already been convinced of.
So what is the method? To suppress the thoughts? To run away from it and hope it disappears? To address it in the face? I have no idea. Let us penetrate the mind and explore it deeply. Know thy thoughts, know thyself.
Tmr is a good day. Just as today is. Be well!
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