By Shi ChuanGuan, on 10th May, 2011 I find Bhante's delivery during the Mother's Day lunch very meaning, practical and close to heart. As I recall, one part that resounds deeply with me, goes like this: "… During Mother's Day, at least don't give trouble to your mother! And not just during Mother's Day, everyday, don't give her trouble. That way, you show your love and respect for your mother by not giving her trouble. … "
The same goes for our father. Our parents' kindness to us is so great, the Buddha declares that it is uneasy for us to repay them even if we were to serve them, make them rulers of the world with the seven treasures!
In Anguttara Nikaya 2.31, he first teaches what is a person of no integrity and what is a person of integrity.
"Monks, I will teach you the level of a person of no integrity and the level of a person of integrity. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "Now what is the level of a person of no integrity? A person of no integrity . . . → Read More: During Mother’s Day, at least don’t give trouble to your mother! And not just during Mother’s Day, everyday, don’t give her trouble. That way, you show your love and respect for your mother by not giving her trouble
By Shi ChuanGuan, on 8th May, 2011 Dear friends,
This coming Wednesday would mark the completion of the 10 sessions of the Sutra Study Class @ BL.
Below are the handouts for the five sessions I covered. Replying to queries on continuation of this series of classes, Bhante has agreed in principle to do so but only after a break! ^_^ So do turn up this Wednesday for the concluding session and beseech Bhante for a continuation! 
MN86.angulimala AN3.65.kalama MN135 .culakammavibhanga AN5.34.siha AN3 70.muluposatha
By Shi ChuanGuan, on 8th May, 2011 2500+ years ago, the Buddha already taught that "one should observe how conditioned phenomena is like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow / reflection, like dew drops, like a lightning flash", that consequently, one should and would then not be so attached by it (conditioned phenomena) and be agitated by it.
Here is an interesting article about how we might well be in a dream by an Oxford Philosopher Nick Bostrom:
http://io9.com/#!5799396/youre-living-in-a-computer-simulation-and-math-proves-it
Is your life really your life, or is it actually the dream of a butterfly? Or is it a complex computer simulation indistinguishable from "real" reality? Don't worry, it's just a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something.
. . . → Read More: You’re living in a computer simulation, and math proves it
By Shi ChuanGuan, on 16th April, 2011 When we make the beautiful dedication "May all beings be well and happy" (loosely translated from 'Sabbe satta sukhita hontu'), do we really mean it?
Is it "May all beings be well and happy … … except those foreigners who are here in Singapore!" or is it "May all beings be well and happy … except those who were not nice to me, … but I will forgive you Tan Ah Kow for criticising my work that day … but but …" …
Almost all religion profess a message of love and peace encompassing all on earth, but there seem to always be a "but" creeping in somehow. Are we Buddhists any better? While the Four Immeasurable (Metta, Karuna, Mudita & Upekkha) is pride to be so all encompassing, they are immeasurable, are we saying our dedication with that level of commitment? Do we really mean "sabbe satta" (all beings) when we say it?
In the Buddha's teachings, all beings is super, duper encompassing. It includes all living beings, but not living things like trees and plants (note: the Jains in Buddha's time included plants in their list. I think they still do!). Meaning, all human beings, all heavenly beings . . . → Read More: May all beings be well and happy … and that includes the foreign workers coming to take your job!
By Shi ChuanGuan, on 11th April, 2011 Dear friends,
Here's an update on the Yogacarabumi sastra translation.
http://buddhavacana.net/yogacara-bumi-sastra/ch20-cultivation/
It contains the full translation of the whole chapter and I am doing a final review of it with my fellow Dharma brother.
Should be complete in a month's time or so.
Please email me if you find any typo or incorrect translations. Thank you.
Sabbe satta sukhita hontu! ^_^
By Shi ChuanGuan, on 28th March, 2011 So we started off with wood for our tools and made many things with it. We chose the trees that are strong and durable. That was good for awhile. Then we dried them, treated & processed them and made them last longer. Along the way, we also used stone. Oh, stone is so much harder and last longer. But it was not as malleable as wood. So we used both for a long time, complementing each other.
We then discovered smithing and started using copper, tin, bronze, iron and many others. Along the way, we developed and learnt how to make them stronger and more durable. With each innovation, we found a way to prevent them from rusting, from breaking down.
Beyond wood, stone and metal, we also used glass and clay. Unlike wood, glass and clay can be molded into various shapes needed. Strong and yet lighter than metal, it was great. But they were brittle. Very brittle. Modern tempered glass can be made stronger, but then it is heavy.
Then we invented a magical material.
It was malleable and yet hard. If you needed, soft variants can be made. You can make it into thin strands like cotton . . . → Read More: Which part of “All conditioned phenomena are subject to change” do we not understand?
By Shi ChuanGuan, on 25th March, 2011 Yes, I've said it. I really don't mind ants eating my leftovers, it is just that they have a tendency to drown in it.
So my little effort is to ensure that either
I do not have any drinks (even plain water!) left unattended and uncovered. If ants have started helping themselves to the drink or food, I move them to the sink and drain the drink or food so that they do not drown1 in their food!
For the most part, they do a great job cleaning up the leftovers and leave the utensil reading for light washing. So I leave at peace with them. :p
I usually finish up my drink and wash up. But sometimes I leave a cup of water, yes, even plain water on my desk, only to find it swarmed by ants! There is something about ants these days, they go all over the place even when there is no visible food or drinks around. Aren't they supposed to forage for food, and not just go jalan jalan?
Sometimes, they even bite me. I once tried to endure the bite. I wondered how much of the ant bite I can endure. Not much I . . . → Read More: I don’t mind ants eating my leftovers, it’s just that they have a tendency to drown in them! ಠ_ಠ
By Shi ChuanGuan, on 24th March, 2011 When this news caught my eye, I thought I was misreading. I was like, come on, disasters don't happen so often. I mean, they are not supposed to. Right?
Well, wrong.
http://earthquake-report.com/2011/03/24/massive-and-extremely-dangerous-earthquake-in-the-border-area-in-between-myanmar-thailand-laos-and-china/
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/mar/24/as-myanmar-earthquake/
I'll post back if there are relief efforts from Tzu Chi and how we can help.
Meanwhile, as you wind your day down, send metta and loving thoughts to our friends in these countries (seems like Myanmar could be harder hit?). And if you are able to, send them monetary and material aids as well.
Sabbe satta sukita hontu! -__-
By Shi ChuanGuan, on 24th March, 2011 Dear Friends, Below is a sharing from an atheist who was once a pastor, a missionary and an evangelist.
I am quite moved by the length at which he goes to really understand his religion and its teachings. While I can only say that I read one over times, the English translation of the Pali Nikayas (Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta, Anguttara (anthologies) Nikaya and some of the available suttas in the Khuddaka Nikaya), with repeated readings of some suttas that I have special affinity to, he read all 66 books a total of TWENTY-SIX (26) times! That is not to mention that of the Chinese Mahayana Tripitaka where I have mainly focused on sutras and sastras (commentaries) from the Prajna (Wisdom) sections 般若部 and Yoga (Cultivators1) sections 瑜伽部 (唯識) and spent more time learning certain sutras or commentaries as needed.
I am posting it here as there may be something we can glean from his personal journey. How are we Buddhist equally dogmatic or not? How are we cultivating and verifying the Dharma as the Buddha invited us to? Or are we merely accepting everything while praying for the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to come do the change for us?
Many people ask why someone like . . . → Read More: Sharings from an atheist who was once a pastor, a missionary and an evangelist
By Shi ChuanGuan, on 10th March, 2011 When I was a teenager, I've heard of how Buddhist parents were afraid when their children get drawn to attend church services because if their child should get baptised, then it is a one way path, and their children in future, could not or would not pay respects to them, or remember and honour them with an ancestral tablet either in the temple or at home.
I myself went to, let me see, three or four services when I was a student in JC and in NTU. The first1 when I was in NTU was through the invitation of my then girlfriend who was a Christian Catholic (I was a lay person back then!). Actually, she was not quite my girlfriend yet but we were more or less headed in that direction. I was not about to jeopardise my prospects with her. My mom had a very different idea.
When she saw me wake up early (7+8am or so) on a Sunday morning, her mommy-spidey senses alarms went off faster than you can finish reading this line! She grilled me on where I was going and basically charged me with LIM (Clan of the Forest) Family Penal Offence #348 Section 28A Clause 132, . . . → Read More: Debaptism in UK or Is it ok for a Buddhist to attend church service
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