By Wakeupnow, on 17th February, 2009 Got US$60 million to spare?
In this crisis, are we still able to give? For some of us, we may not be directly affected and may still have a pretty stable job, but the very fear of possible retrenchment and further worsening of the economy may stifle our giving heart or even immobilise it altogether.
Give within your means. Heard some say “Give with your heart.”. I say “Give with your heart, or at least with your wallet”. 
“A Gift of Dhamma is supreme” — The Buddha
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.3.050-099.than.html#iti-098
Read on and be inspired to give. Here’s someone who is not. Caveat emptor: He is able to give US$60mil because he can afford it. However, many others can afford it, but may not be giving enough.
From the link below: Lots of bosses say they value their employees. Some even mean it.
And then there’s Leonard Abess Jr.
After selling a majority stake in Miami-based City National Bancshares last November, all he did was take $60 million of the proceeds — $60 million out of his own pocket — and hand it to his tellers, bookkeepers, clerks, everyone on the payroll. All 399 workers on . . . → Read More: Got $60 million to spare?
By Wakeupnow, on 18th January, 2009 Hi all,
Hope the new year is treating you well. I just came back from a three month retreat and thought I’ll share something here. (Strictly speaking, because of immigration requirements and some talk engagements I committed to, it was not a full three months!  )
Below is an email excerpt I sent to fellow buddhist on meditation. Thought I’ll share it here as it may be useful for some of us trying out meditation. 1. Feeling frustrated the day after meditation Hmmm …. that’s an interesting one. Before I jump to any conclusion, maybe some clarifications:
+ How long do you meditate per session? + How many times per day? + Do you do walking meditation with the sitting? + How many times do you meditate per week?
While it is true that improper postures can cause some discomfort, it usually occur under some specific conditions. Shed some light as above and we go from there. 2. Becoming more sensitive to our surroundings and people Becoming more aware and sensitive is always better. So good start there! What we do with this new awareness and sensitivity is a different . . . → Read More: Applying meditation skills to daily encounters
By Wakeupnow, on 1st January, 2009
By Wakeupnow, on 14th August, 2008 With the Olympic starting in just two days, the whole world goes into a frenzy, soaking in every bit of Olympic titbits they can find, lavishing in the news of all the different sports man and woman people and the history and background of the Games.
Suddenly everyone wants to know the psyche behind these sports folks, what their favorites are, what books they read. Ok, maybe not everybody wants to know, but at least the news people seem to be rather keen. So who is driving who? Are the readers driving the news or the journalists driving the content read? Hmmm …
Regardless, I read of some athletes and how they excel in their field. Without fail, the story would describe how they train for hours, days and years before they reach their present state of athletic perfection! While some may have had a flair for their sports since young, non attained their excellence by sitting on their butts for the past 10 years! :p
This is something common in sports, in the arts, in sciences and yes, even in business! In all fields, individuals excel through their diligence and repeated efforts, and even then only some succeed to . . . → Read More: So the Olympics is around the corner
By Wakeupnow, on 12th December, 2007 Today is not Mother’s day, nor is it Father’s day. It is also not my parent’s birthday. Least of all, it’s also not my birthday. Today, they accompanied me to run an errand to Funan. (Yes, sometimes monks also need stuffs … *grin*)
Here I am back in the monastery, after a meditation class/session with NUSBS in FuHai Monastery, reflecting about the day, thinking about how my parents accompanied me to run an errand to Funan at a short notice. Color me silly, but I found myself teary just reflecting over it.
I just sent them an sms and thought I would share with you all here:
Thanks Mom and Dad! For accompanying me to Funan today at such a short notice. For giving me your time, incessant care and love since my birth! For giving me this precious human life! For bringing me into Buddhism and giving me away to the Buddha! Thank you! THANK YOU! Thank you!
Before this day ends and we rest for the day, do take the time to reflect over the day. Ponder on the kindness, love and care that our parents had . . . → Read More: To my Mom and Dad! …
By Wakeupnow, on 11th December, 2007 A few thousand moons ago, 30612+ moons ago, or 2551+ years ago, to be exact. … That was how long ago when Buddha was in India, walking the land, going on alms, teaching the Dharma, meditating under trees, in the caves, couselling the monks, enlightening the seekers of Truths. And last two weeks, we went and spent some time at Bodhgaya under the novice retreat programme.
It was pretty amazing, to say the least, to see constant throngs of people coming to Maha Bodhi to pray, to chant, to prostrate, to meditate, to be where the Buddha attained enlightenment! … and of course, not forgetting to take some pictures for posterity. What really touched me was to see people of various nationalities & religion, speaking different languages and dialects, inter-mingling there, like old friends coming back for a reunion!
The other interesting thing that struck me was how “un-strucked” I was about India as a whole. It seemed almost just normal to see it the way it is/was, that I didn’t felt awed, surprised or shocked, as some would put it. It was my first trip to India, but in a strange way, I just . . . → Read More: Back from India … the land that Buddha walked on moons ago
By Wakeupnow, on 6th November, 2007 It’s official – Digital Buddha Vacana is now available on Facebook.
So facebook users can have a Dharma verse while they “throw a sheep” at their friend or “poke” at them!
Add to Facebook
By Wakeupnow, on 18th June, 2007 The Buddha said “The Highest Gift of all is the the Gift of Dhamma”.
For most lay people, Dana, the practice of giving, means giving material support. This includes giving Robes, Food, Lodging and Medicine, the four requisites. Some communities provide avenues for lay people to offer food on a daily basis before noon. Others also put up their phone and utilities bill for voluntary offerings. All these requisites support existing sangha members in their monastic life, so that they can focus on their learning and practice of the Buddha’s teachings.
. . . → Read More: How much would you give?
By Wakeupnow, on 13th June, 2007 Simply put, no. One does not have to be a vegetarian or vegan for that matter, to be a Buddhist.
Vegetarianism as a pre-requisite to being a Buddhist is a misconception that had been advocated directly or indirectly in the Chinese Mahayana tradition.
I’ve received many queries and responses from lay people about vegetarianism. Some wonder if it is a pre-requisite to be a vegetarian to be a Buddhist. Others wonder if it is a precept or by-clause under the No-Killing precept. All these questions plus some exchanges with a fellow Buddhist who is a vegan spur me on to write this post.
Here is a summary:
To be a Buddhist, it is optional to be a vegetarian. To observe the First of the Five Precepts of “abstaining from Killing”, one does not have to be a vegetarian. It is still optional to be a vegetarian even if one observes the Five Precepts. To observe the Bodhisattva vows under the Chinese Mahayana tradition, it is *compulsory* to be a vegetarian.
Foot note to #3, it is not compulsory to be a Bodhisattva even if you follow the Chinese Mahayana tradition. It is only at a later stage that the Bodhisattva . . . → Read More: So does it mean that one have to be a vegetarian to be a Buddhist?
By Wakeupnow, on 21st May, 2007 Putting money where one’s mouth is basically means showing due support for what we advocate. Also interpreted as “stop giving lip service and taking some real actions.”
Yesterday, Puay Khim commented to me that there is an interesting debate going on in some online forum about how it is wasteful or pointless or both to have a stupa cast in gold. The theme here is that Buddhism should focus on its teachings and not so much on devotional aspects that it becomes the main focus. Such views are commonly upheld by a strata of Buddhists who are supposedly the intellects. They are inclined towards Buddhism because of its teachings and see little value in devotional practises like chanting, prostrations or having Buddha statues or stupas built.
. . . → Read More: Putting one’s money where one’s mouth is
|
@ PMT *NEW*
Heart Sutra Workshop
More info
@ BL
Tue Morn Translation
Tue Nite Meditation
Sun Puja-talk-Bodhikids
Wed, Fri - Consultation
Thu SIMBB Dharma classes @ PMT
Sun Monthly talks @ SBM
@ Metta
Sun Nite 佛法概論
|
