Ramblings of a Monk

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 be the very best.  So it makes me raise a brow when people come to me complaining that their practices fail to quell their anger … … after one week of trying!

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Of late I recall what my Instructor Master said during our Upasampada (higher ordination), that in future if we get a lot of (material) support while servicing the community and/or practising, do not be quick to think that it is because of our cultivation or merit or that we are doing the right things, for Mara also has his supporters!

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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 the rest of this entry »

So the other day, I was having a casual ‘one to one’ session with someone and he mentioned that he aspires to be a Dharma teacher.

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While it is heartening that he aspires to be a Dhamma teacher, it is important not to become one for the sake of being a Dhamma teacher. Or simply put, not to give Dhamma talks for the sake of giving Dhamma talks.

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