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Posted in Announcements, Ramblings on 06/19/2007 09:36 am by Wakeupnow |
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11/17/2007 at 4:51 pm
of course i am not ‘wandering’ but rather ‘wondering!!’.
11/06/2007 at 10:06 am
Hello Jo,
I’m the author of DBVPalm.
There were plans a few years back to compile a Chinese version and have books by my late teacher, Master Miu King, but it didn’t fall through.
It’s been awhile since I removed the Palm development environment as the app seem to be pretty much simple and bug-free as it is.
Two ways to go about it:
1. Chinese Interface with Chinese verses and
2. English Interface with Chinese verses
I vaguely remember writing/testing some unicode conversion function but I doubt it went into the Palm version; some of the alpha HandheldPC version had support for unicode < -> Chinese characters.
I’ll see if I can rig up something for Chinese support, and in the meantime, would you have any means to translate the verses to Chinese? Let me know how that pans out for you. Thanks and appreciate it!
With Metta Joy!
Ven. Chuan Guan aka “Shi ZhiXing”
11/04/2007 at 7:31 pm
Hello Gerald,
Apologies for the belated replies, I’ve been avoiding email and blog replies as I was still in retreat even though I was back in town. So, here goes my replies … hope they would still be valid.
>> So I am asking you the question now, 1) avoid intoxicant??? if a person drinks responsibly and moderately and in control say a can of beer and thats all,how not?? like to have your comment on it.
Without going into the technicalities of what constitutes consumption of intoxicants, I would say that most people drink moderately, or at least aim towards that. I’ve yet to meet anyone who aim to get drunk by choice* and strive to make a fool of themselves. But still, we have folks who get drunk and make a fool of themselves, and that’s considering the lighter consequences.
A quick look at newspapers everyday, we find that people loose their self control much more easily when under the influence of alcohol, sometimes to the extent of harming themselves and others. According to some stats, casualties from drunk driving actually exceeds terrorism!
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/drving.htm
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/376041/murder_rates_and_violent_crimes_in.html
Add in other non-premeditated crimes and the number goes further up.
The fifth precept is also known as a “protection precept” in that it protects you from breaching the first four precepts. The problem is that we can never quite know when the first or next drink would cause us to go tipsy enough as to do something we would regret. Why play dice with our life?
Taking that one beer also don’t just end because you went off sober and alive. For most people, a beer or two may not seem to have an immediate impact, but over time, it dulls the mind. Further, if one were to be mindful and aware, one would see the effect that even one sip of beer have on one’s mind and body, much less a whole can.
>> 2) Why is that Buddhism is segregated into Mahayana and ThErAvada Buddhism not mentioning other group,does this mean there is some disagreement in Buddha’s teaching???
Hope you can enlighten me with your answers,
Yes and no. On the surface, it appears to be disagreement and some less informed Buddhist do indeed disagree with each other. For that matter, we may also disagree with ourselves over matters that we have decided strongly on in the past, but with new maturity, we may see the variety in opinions as strength in diversity than differences in stands.
Over the past decades, there’s been much progress in understanding the various traditions by Buddhists and non Buddhists alike. This had been made possible by cross-translation, study and practise of ‘others’ tradition and practices, and is continuing to grow and have a positive impact on how the traditions see themselves and others in the whole totality of Buddhism.
The seemingly different traditions can and should be seen as different approaches catering to people of different mental affinities, but all leading ultimately to the core teachings of Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path; these in turn when rightly practised leads one towards liberation, ie Nirvana … or Nibbana if you will!
Hope my replies are helpful. Post back if you have other queries …
With Metta Joy!
Ven. Chuan Guan
* – On second thought, I think there are people who do that. They drink thinking that they can at least seek solace in ‘forgetting’ their problem, only to bring up more problems later while not really solving their original problems.
11/04/2007 at 7:01 pm
XinMin, thought I should add on here, though I’ve pretty much touched on these during the group practices.
>I had been making notes, not on this blog tho, in notebooks, on the rising and fallings of many many emotions.
>> Made discoveries during each contemplation of emotions. Realised that without conscious effort & mindfulness, will be spun into ‘repeat’ mode, replaying over and over again, the same tracks. Its really as easy as hitting the small ‘repeat’ button on cd players.
Indeed! Seeing the reruns is a good start. Most of us end up reliving the reruns without realising they are reruns, and potentially conjecturing new scenarios based on our own discriminations. *shiver*
>> So when can we stop the replay?
By removing the cd altogether?
Like removing defilements?
The interesting thing about this ‘cd player’ is that it is powered by us, by our mind. When we are in the relive mode, we power it; when we identify with the contents, we power it; when we are not mindful and we get immersed in it; we power it .. on and on, replays after replays.
Starting with the realisation that we are having replays, we slowly but gradually merely be aware of this process of replays, and not watch the replay itself. It’s like noticing the TV set showing reruns and having no interest in the reruns, one just move on to do more important things, vs watching and reminiscing in the reruns itself.
Initially, we may realise that the CD or TV is replaying or rerunning only after watching a a few episodes
… but after a period of time, we become more mindful and alert to our wandering mind that loves rerun. Over time, we learn to just be aware of this wandering mind the moment it arises. In turn, the wandering mind becomes weaker while mindfulness strengthens, and (momentary) concentration improves.
In such a way, we stop the CD and at a later stage stop identifying with the CD, player, or rerun content altogether.
That’s all for now … anymore and our mind would start wandering … *grin*
11/04/2007 at 2:04 am
of course i am not ‘wandering’ but rather ‘wondering’.
11/04/2007 at 2:02 am
Dear Xinmin,
I recentrly found the Buddha Vacana for Palm OS and I would like to thank you for writing such a great application. (The application icon is kind of ugly, though…)
I was wandering if there is or will be a chinese version of the app?
Thanks again,
阿彌陀佛
jo.
Germany
10/18/2007 at 9:34 pm
Hi Shifu,
Sorry did not manage to join the lunch as planned,
Chiller and Freezer at store broke down.
Had to attend to it, tho no experience handling it.
But also saw dhamma at work from this experience…hehe
After Tue’s discussion,
I am really keen to attend a retreat,
maybe not 3 mths, but 14 days
I have been searching thru the web for retreat centres or sessions, dun seem to be getting anywhere.
I have quit the supermarket job and will be moving into social service sector.
Have worked in a period of about 3 weeks to work on skills to eliminate/reduce/manage suffering from 28 Oct till 18 Nov before the demand of new job kicks in. Once the job starts it will be another 6 mths before leave application can be considered.
Really hope to go thru a retreat and experiment the teachings
for myself. Would you know of any retreats or centres or websites I can work on? Am prepared to travel for the experience.
Cheers!
10/14/2007 at 8:01 pm
Good evening Ven Chuan Guan,
We attended your talk on 14/10/07 regarding 5 precepts and it was interesting the way you presented the topic,unfortunately there was insuffient time for me to ask you questions.
So I am asking you the question now, 1) avoid intoxicant??? if a person drinks responsibly and moderately and in control say a can of beer and thats all,how not?? like to have your comment on it.
2) Why is that Buddhism is segregated into Mahayana and Threvada Buddhism not mentioning other group,does this mean there is some disagreement in Buddha’s teaching???
Hope you can enlighten me with your answers,
Amituofo
Gerald Pang
10/09/2007 at 8:57 am
Hello Xinmin,
It’s so good to hear from you and doubly so that you have taken refuge! Congratulations!
Yes, this trip had been rather enlightening, on many levels! It’s really quite a trip … of exploration and discovery.
… however, it has not ended. On one hand, the rains will end only end of the month (a few days after the official one, as a few days was ‘lost’ during my transit back to Singapore); on the other hand, it is like what you said, it’s like a rebirth, a re-start of a journey, rather an end. 
Some of the youth folks are meeting up on this Saturday. Can you join us for lunch? Let me know ya?
With Dharma Joy!
10/08/2007 at 9:42 pm
Hi Shifu,
Welcome back!
This trip should be different from the previous retreats you went. Maybe something more enlightening this time?
I had been making notes, not on this blog tho, in notebooks, on the rising and fallings of many many emotions.
Made discoveries during each contemplation of emotions. Realised that without conscious effort & mindfulness, will be spun into ‘repeat’ mode, replaying over and over again, the same tracks. Its really as easy as hitting the small ‘repeat’ button on cd players.
So when can we stop the replay?
By removing the cd altogether?
Like removing defilements?
Shifu, I am oso happy to share that I have taken refuge,
The session was emotional, confusing, refreshing.. mm ..like rebirth
1st step to serious practicing of Buddha’s teachings
Look forward to receiving enlightening teachings from you.
Cheers!
Xinmin
09/29/2007 at 6:28 pm
Hello tong heng,
Thanks for your message …. Sorry for the delay, I just came back from Myanmar half-way through a retreat. *phew*
I still have not ported to the Nokia platform but happened to be planning on doing that after the rains retreat (end October). I’ll keep you posted on the progress.
With Dharma Joy!
08/16/2007 at 1:10 pm
Namo Buddhaya,
I wonder if Digital Buddha Vacana has nokia version (9300)
Thank you
07/02/2007 at 3:19 pm
Hi XinMin,
Have you got a link to that website? Would be good for them to explain their sentence ya? ^_^
In general, taking the Threefold Refuge (also known as taking refuge in the Triple Gem) brings about favourable conditions as it means that for a start, such a person has began to take notice of his/her spiritual life and is willing to do something about it.
In particular, in Buddhism, taking refuge is really not just a half hour or two ceremony wherein one is admitted into an exclusive club that exempts one from all suffering. It is instead, a daily commitment to take charge of one’s happiness, to be happy! ^_^
Acting rightly and making a conscientious effort to change one’s way of life, would gradually bring about a change in one’s life. In the end, it is the change in mindset, brought about through the Dharma (Buddhist teachings) that would be the favourable conditions to practise.
And what is this change in mindset? While we go about our life, we conscientiously abstain from harming others and ourselves, by observing the five precepts. In this life, here and now, this brings about harmony with others and oneself; one lives without anxiety of censor. In future, one is reborn as a human or in the heavenly realms.
Being reborn as a human is considered a favourable condition for learning and practising the Dharma and attaining Enlightenment.
To take refuge is to learn, practise and abide by the Buddha’s teachings. And to benefit from the Buddha’s teachings, one has to learn, practise and abide by it. So if one is already learning, practising and abiding by the Buddha’s teachings, one would benefit from it, even if one has not gone through the refuge taking ceremony. However, going through the refuge and precepts ceremony does help strengthen one’s resolve and forms a daily commitment to one’s practice and happiness.
For that matter, if one already practises Buddhism, why does one hesitate in taking refuge in the triple gem?
06/28/2007 at 9:28 pm
More qns..
Why is it that ‘One who takes the Threefold Refuge is more likely to have favourable conditions in the practice’?
What are the favorable conditions? (Sentence is quoted from buddhist website)
What is the significance of taking refuge?
I have yet to take refuge.
Want to know what I am getting into.
If we are not taking a refuge, does it mean we will not experience benefits of Buddha’s teachings?
Cheers!
06/28/2007 at 11:23 am
Hello Min,
It’s heartening to hear about your interest in getting ordained.
I’ll share with you a brief overview of the ordination process here in Singapore, though I should highlight that depending on the community you ordain with, it may vary a little.
For a start, you would want to find a Master to learn from. You should spend some time to learn under this Master and see if you ‘connect’ with his or her teaching. For those pursuing ordination, one may want to seek out a monk as his teacher or a nun as her teacher accordingly. In most cases, it is alright to learn from either one as it may take awhile to be firm and ready.
During the learning period, the Master will also observe your temperament and see if you are suitable to be taught and if there are any specific areas you should work on. In some cases, the master may recommend for you to learn from someone else whom he thinks is more suitable. (Hint: A bit of perseverance do help as masters may sometimes test the determination of the student before taking you under his tutelage!)
To be continued … …
06/27/2007 at 5:46 pm
Hi Shifu,
I am interested to know more about getting ordaine.
How does it work here in Singapore?
Its the 2nd time I am attending the Heart Sutra talk by Shifu,
and am inspired to further in Buddhism. The teachings have taught me how to resolve problems I faced at work and home.