Just the other day, I was talking to a Dharma class student and he was telling me that things are stressful at work. I mentioned to him about how our last Group Practise* session was on the quality of Patience, the Perfection of Patience or Forebearance, and that he should have attended. His reply was that he did not attend it precisely because he cannot do it yet**!
I really do not know to laugh or to cry. Why do people cling onto such an obstinate and obsolete view that you have to be good at something before you attend the Dharma classes or Group Practises. This is ABSURD!!
This reminds me of the time when an aunty tells me that her son cannot become a monk because he still have defilements. I’m like … thinking “Duh! If he is perfectly free from defilements, he wouldn’t need to be a monk, now would he?”
It is an upside down view that people seem to have and does not help anyone here. We should strive to be more energetic in our learnings and practices!
Take Away Piece
It is precisely because you do not know about something, that you go attend a class to learn it.
It is precisely because you have not mastered it that you go attend a regular Group Practise* in order to master and perfect it.
Tibits
若有人請我作自己未知之事，這名為學習。
If someone ask you do something you do not know, that is for you to learn.
若有人請我作自己已知之事，這名為練習。
If someone ask you to do something you already know, that is for you to practise.
若無人請我自己作已知之事，這名為溫習。
If noone ask you to do anything, and you do it, that is revision.
* Group Practise
Time for some blatant advertisement. ^_^
Join us at SBF on the first three Wednesdays of every month for a quiet time to do some puja, meditation and listen to the sweet song of the Buddha’s teachings. Then close the evening with Dharma discussion and merits dedication. 7:30pm ~ 9:00pm.
SBF – Singapore Buddhist Federation is at 59 Geylang Lorong 24A.