音乐

又是因为机缘巧合， 撞见了从吉隆坡来的菩题工作坊的演出。他们的演出让我深深的感动。他们非常专业。唱歌技巧就不用说。他们对佛法的发心与谦忱都能在音符中感受到。对歌词的用心传达佛法，说得非常的贴切。

利用动人的歌曲，我相信佛法能传遍到世界各地，让人解脱。此时不知为何，突然有感触。“佛陀所走过的地方，都是我的归依”。

因为

“此身不在今生度，更待何生度此身？”

Start school loh!!

Finally started school. Schooling to me now seems to serve more purpose now. Every lesson seems so anticipating as I know what I learn I can apply the next day. Touch on maths yesterday and got a shock on how my brain has rusted so much. I even stumbled on algebra!

Classmates comes from all sorts of life and age. Also get to know a classmate that shares so much coincidence with me...from biotechnology, lives in Hg (few blks away), sharing 3 out of 4 similar modules, teochew, very "fats" resistant and likes talking to animals.

I quite appreciate my study group members as well as they seems very spontaneous and serious in their education.

Only problem now is to adjust myself to the schedule....come to think of it, I am only left with weekend evenings to meet up with friends and doing my personal stuff!

Buddhist Youth Conference

Made a trip to buddhist youth conference. Very insightful trip. Have the chance to see fellow buddhist youth making a difference in pple's life.

It was quite refreshing when the way the speakers share their projects. To put it crudely, they are mad!! haha....the way they display their determination and how they tackle issues were remarkable.Projects like "project million lotus and Vesak@ Orchard were one of the few outstanding large scale projects done. Its always not just spreading buddhism. To me its about spreading the msg of peace and harmony.

I always have this thought of "Heaven on Earth". Nobody has died, rose to heaven and come back to inform us about heaven. To be able to transform the world into a heaven, isn't that more practical?

My idea of heaven: A place where there is absolute peace, equality and harmony. No greed hatred and delusion. The 3 poison that caused differences in this world and root of meaningless war. Pple gets delight in knowledge of salvation. No need to have a kingdom as notion of kingdom leads to privilege and suffering, commands and complains. After all, if monarchy can work, why are we in democracy. Every being still strives very diligently to bring more salvations to more world and thus attaining the stage of Tathagata.

I will try my best to summarize my findings from the conference and maybe to post up here. Or may be just contact me to get a copy to protect intellectual rights!

21K AHM

Champs from 21K AHM....haha no really lah.....jus able to finish the race. Its more fun this year running with friends from FGS. Slightly tough as we have no prior training and I am the only one that have tried before.

But with sheer determination we still manage to complete. To compare running partners, this group is more focus, fun and very positive. Along the way we just cheer each one up, the feeling was good....

After the finishing line, we saw more FGS members! Jin Yao who came late and is handicap for 40mins, but out run us by huge difference. Shuyun and Shulin who ran the non competitve and many others. Haha!! Now then I know we have lotsa running enthusiast in our temple....I am considered sedentary if we were to compare.

After the run, we just grab any makan place and had a good chat.....wow now then I know there's lotsa of good guys and gals in the temple.....I guess most pple tat takes buddhism serious are good in certain way ba.....

Unshakable character

Had a short meet up with the gang @ p.park. Nothing to be excited about except able to meet up a friend that has not met for about half a year. Nothing change for her and still full of cold craps as usual. haha.

I suppose people don't really change their character. Read from some self-help book before. A winner does everything to his best but the average will only perform for some. I personally feel tat if you are a truthful person at home, you will tend to be honest to your friends as well. Every people has their own set of belief system and thus for whatever things they do or react, the same belief system will be used.

Of course this works for negative traits as well. People always harbor the hope that they can change their partner. I suppose if you can really change him, then he is not the original person you fall in love with.

Addicted to Love

I am just wondering...do we always fall in love or are we just addicted to love?

In our childhood days, I can still remember we usually say "friend or don't want to friend you". Life was simple. Everyone in the class is my friend and I am everyone's friend. But as we grew older, we find ourselves always bothered by relationship problems. Thus I came to a conclusion, are we addicted to love.

Its the first touch of love that starts the spark rolling. Everyone was getting into and out of love. I suppose we are just addicted to the feeling of love and to be love. Especially when after a painful one, the quest for another one starts. Cycle just repeats itself and so does the pain.

I am not saying love is bad but maybe true love is what comes after we are not addicted to love.

AN 4.55 Samajuvina Sutta

Searching high and low finally found this romantic sutta . . .

Once the Blessed One was staying among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at Bhesakala Grove, near Crocodile Haunt. Then early in the morning the Blessed One put on his robes and, carrying his bowl and outer robe, went to the home of the householder, Nakula's father. On arrival, he sat down on a seat made ready. Then Nakula's father & Nakula's mother went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, Nakula's father said to the Blessed One: "Lord, ever since Nakula's mother as a young girl was brought to me [to be my wife] when I was just a young boy, I am not conscious of being unfaithful to her even in mind, much less in body. We want to see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come."

And Nakula's mother said to the Blessed One: "Lord, ever since I as a young girl was brought to Nakula's father [to be his wife] when he was just a young boy, I am not conscious of being unfaithful to him even in mind, much less in body. We want to see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come."

[The Blessed One said:] "If both husband & wife want to see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come, they should be in tune [with each other] in conviction, in tune in virtue, in tune in generosity, and in tune in discernment. Then they will see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come."

Husband & wife, both of them
having conviction,
being responsive,
being restrained,
living by the Dhamma,
addressing each other
with loving words:
they benefit in manifold ways.
To them comes bliss.
Their enemies are dejected
when both are in tune in virtue.
Having followed the Dhamma here in this world,
both in tune in precepts & practices,
they delight in the world of the devas,
enjoying the pleasures they desire.

Friends or pest!!

Recently, a thought has been going thru my mind. What makes me get near to certain people and what drives me away. And here are some of my findings!!

I have found tat it all falls back to the tat person's attitude towards problems and issues. We can choose to be an energy powerhouse that brighten people's life and can also be a leech that drains away other's life force. Constant thinking that their problem is as big as the world and for sure their life will just be as big as their problem.

Some people indeed is gifted in certain way and usually "smart" is the over-used word to describe them. But smart sometimes does not mean wisdom. Smart may lead you to your downfall while wisdom would even help to alleviate other people's agony. Also, you might be a pro in basketball but a nut in bowling. Smart is temporary and definitely subjective.

The worst kind of people is they feel they are the center of the universe. The whole world owes them and the world will crumble without them. They only do things that they like to do. Its rubbish! Before you are alive, there is people. If you are dead, you are just a photo. You don't take anything into this world and you don't take anything away. People are sad not because you are important but they are just sad about their foolishness. All living things is interdependent. We don't own anything and we just borrow them.

Last but not least, beauty to me is not about body stats and the features. The purity of the heart will illuminate people around and that is the most beautiful miracle that I hope to meet.

修

见山是山
见山不是山
见山还是山
见山是水

Nice dinner!!

Met Shuyun for dinner @ Tao's Restaurant. At first, I'm really speechless by how they have forgotten my reservation but luckily manage to arrange another table but its really not wat I wanted....it's in the middle of the restaurant...haiz....can't imagine how we can manage any conversation among the noise.

But things got better when we are served by the "boss" of the restaurant. I would still recommend pple to go, after all the service was rather prompt and friendly. Food was delicious and in nice portion as well. The ribs were juicy and the rose petal tea was nice as well.

Stayed there for bout 2hrs + and the short catch up was real nice as well. Finally have the chance to catch up with the b'day gal. She had really changed and grown. But still nvr fail to show her genuine character and silly smile...hahahaha.....

Volunteering . .

Great day!! Very very busy day indeed spending almost the whole day at FGS Singapore volunteering. Although I can't participate in the Fa Hui but still, a well day spent! After all, its what I have promised and setting myself to do from this year on.

The happiest part i feel is the chance to let more people understand and rejoice in the Dharma. And the most fulfilling part is when a friend ask me or want to know more about the Dharma.

I am starting to understand what shifu meant by cultivation by working with people. I do face with not that pleasant encounters before but the lesson's I get is tremendously. Helping out in FGS has indeed expanded my insight and definitely getting to know more friendly, youthful yet truthful friends!

Life is full of pain and also happiness??

Life is full of uncertainty.

Just a few years back in 2001, there is this big news of a surgical breakthrough to separate the Nepalese twin that had their head joined together. It was the news of the town then and certainly have brought joy to a lot of people.

Recently the news reported one of the twins dead due to severe chest infection. Since their operation, one is left with brain damage and another luckier one losing the ability to walk although it was called a successful operation.

I am just thinking to myself. Is the operation bringing joy to them or more false hope after a good news. But was it a good news to begin with??

Of course we can argue that the operation gives them a new lease of life even be it a short lived ones. But is the family happy since one of the twin is suffering from brain damage when before that is a young child that have her own conscious.

The other child was luckier since she just lost her ability to walk. But what's future going to install for her? Will there be more health complications? Will that means more financial funding? And will the child be able to enjoy her life in the future. Does that also mean more pain and tears for her parents?

I believe that only the family will be in the best position to say good or bad ...