Bite-sized Dharma on the go!
Some people tell me about how the company they are in is going south, or worse yet, not going anywhere. The seeming obvious decision is just to leave.
Others who are volunteering in societies or organisations sometimes feel that way too. And all too often, they leave feeling lost, burnt out, or even betrayed.
So they leave, or jump ship.
Today, take a few minutes to sit quietly … … and be thankful that you get to do it. ^_^
Heard a fellow monk said “(I’m) not eating. Eat when one is hungry, why eat when one is not hungry? ”
Simple and straight to the point!
Read More …
Often times, people struggle with the precept (training rule) of “Abstaining from Lying”.
“I am trying to protect others and their feelings”, they say. “That’s considered a white lie right?”
The kind of scenarios that is often brought up involves saving people’s life from hunters, burglars etc (or terrorists in today’s context?), but in our day to day interaction, how many of us really have to face a gun or knife wielding person? Read More …
A while back, a devotee who is a cab driver was driving me back after a lunch offering and was having a counselling-on-wheels session with me.
He was rather troubled by some past injustice and just can’t help but want to do something about it. He wants justice.
At some point, I realised that he was bent on spending a lot of his time and resources (more money) to fight and get some justice. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am all for justice. Where possible, there should be justice. But sometimes, for some twisted reasons unbeknownst to this world, justice may be very remote or may come at a price greater than the cause itself. Then I wonder if it is worthwhile pursuing this justice. Read More …
Someone asked me on facebook about the Buddha’s teachings on “Letting go”, below is my reply. (English right below)
有人在面簿上问我有关佛陀宣说的『放下』。以下是我的回答。
First off, don’t let go. Start by observing the people, matters and things that we cannot let go and find out what all this is about. Apply the Buddha’s teachings on impermanence, dependent arising, emptiness (of inherent nature) or no-self to reflect and observe.
When we slowly see clearly the inter-dependent-arising relationship between all of us, we would not be so attached to our self and esteem, and our unreal projection on others will cease.
However, this gradual “letting go” in reality does not exist. Without attachment, there is no need to “let go”. Further, “letting go” is not “giving up”. “Let go” of our deluded thinking and attachment, not give up on people, matters and things.
Amituofo. 🙂
