Anywhere you go, if you dig hard enough, you will find dirt.
… from yours truly … 🙂
Category: Dharma
When the Going Gets Good … …
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 serving 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!
How Much Would You Give?
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.
Is Giving Badges to Boy Scouts Right or Is Mock Meat Right?
Of late, a couple of folks asked me about eating mock meat and all. Some friends did ask me about it as well in the past, and come to think about it, this is a question that had been asked, since perhaps the start of mock meat itself! It seems contradictory to actually advocate vegetarianism on one hand and on the other hand, fabricate realistic mock meat to satisfy one’s taste buds. Why should one do this? Why can’t we be real to ourselves and just eat meat or vegetables depending on our inclinations? Can there be a middle-ground? Read More …
Putting One’s Money Where One’s Mouth Is
Putting money where one’s mouth basically means showing due support for what we advocate. Also interpreted as “stop giving lip service and take 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 they become 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 …
Exercises for This Vesak (*Updated 18 June 2007*)
Below is a series of exercises that I gave to my students in the SBF English Dharma classes. I thought it would be interesting for us to do something this Vesak.
Take a look. Let me know what you think.
Exercises for this Vesak
- Writeup: Why have I not taken the refuge and/or 5 precepts?
- Daily reflections (*Updated* 18 June 2007)
- Dana for the day!
- Spending time with our parents
Details after the jump.