Thousands of Animals Have Been Saved in Nepal as Mass Slaughter Is Cancelled

A Hindu temple in Nepal has ended a centuries-old tradition of animal sacrifice, thanks to animal activists, India’s supreme court and the temple management’s wisdom.

Compassion: 1     Animal Sacrifice: 0

 

Nepalese temple authorities agreed to cancel the centuries-old Hindu tradition following a campaign from Humane Society International (HSI) and Animal Welfare Network Nepal (AWNN).

… …
In a statement, Gadhimai Temple Trust Chairman, Mr Ram Chandra Shah, said: “The time has come to transform an old tradition. The time has come to replace killing and violence with peaceful worship and celebration.”

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Reference

Precepts 101: Is it wrong to eavesdrop?

So a student shared with me a question on whether eavesdropping is against the precept on stealing.

This is a common situation where people start applying Buddhism in their daily life.  They start literally applying it everywhere, including where it is probably not needed.

You see, take eavesdropping for example.  It is just plain bad manners and rude to eavesdrop.  We don’t need to bring in the precepts or religion to tell us that we should not eavesdrop.

But if we are in a bus and some other passengers decides to chat so loud that it becomes difficult not to overhear their conversation, it is still not us “stealing” their conversation.  Although it would be good to not focus on it just as well.

When we are in a busy food court having lunch with our friend, surely bits and pieces of fellow lunchers’ conversation would spill over, hopefully without their lunch!  We have the ability to tune into and focus on our friend, filtering out the chatter from the others.

So likewise, we can do that when we are alone, we can tune out, so that we do not listen in on others’ conversation.

Lastly, even if we do not formally observe the precepts through the ceremony, if we take things without asking or outrightly steal, we are not absolved of the consequences of stealing.

Respecting others’ right to their property, we undertake the precept to abstain from stealing.

Keep Calm, Breathe, Be Happy. ^_^

Q&A: Internet addiction, chanting Buddha’s name and pungent roots

Question and Answers

Below is a repost of some questions and answers that I thought would be helpful for all.

Reformatted for clarity.

Hi venerable!

Thanks for answering my questions, I really appreciate it! I have a couple of questions to ask the venerable:

1)Regarding my question on internet addiction, let’s say that the person surfs the internet for a total of 6 hours( 3 hours in the afternoon, another 3 hours at night) and has started to neglect his studies, what can he do to reduce his addiction and concentrate on his
studies?

2) Also, can chanting a buddha’s name really enhance a person’s wisdom? Can I chant the buddha’s name( or Bodhisattva’s name. Say, Manjusri Boddhisattva’s name) so that I can memorise and understand a lot of Mathematics equations well?

3) Why is it that Mahayana Buddhist are encouraged not to eat the 5 pungent plant?

Thanks for answering my questions!

Hi Pandaboy,

Apologies for the delay in replies. Hope this is still helpful!

1. Internet Addiction

What makes you Tick?
The first thing one should perhaps do is ask oneself why the addiction should be dropped. It has to be one’s personal reasons. And by personal, I mean, reasons that matter to you and not from some guidebook.

Only when you have good enough reasons to do so, will the suggestions below work.

Peer Support/Pressure
A way to reduce the addiction, is to Change the cycle. And by that, I don’t mean stop using internet. I mean, using it in a different manner.

Tell someone you trust about your situation and see if they can help you out. Access the internet with him/her and limit it to that period. It should not be someone who also uses the internet for 6 hours or more a day!

Telling someone about it and making the above arrangement creates peer support so that you get someone you trust to help you out. Because you’ve made your plan open, you also get a little positive peer pressure to do it right!

Cold Turkey
Another way is to Break the cycle.
Get involved in other activities that does not require the internet. Let your friends know in advance that you will be off-line for a few weeks. This may be tricky if your school requires you to correspond on subject matters using the internet. If possible, get a trusted friend to assist in this area.

Path of Least Resistance
We humans typically choose the path of least resistance. Make it harder to access internet. Say, cut off your internet access at home? This may only prove to be useful if you are under direct supervision of your parents or guardian(s). If not, it is likely that you will circumvent the very obstacles you setup and then go on an internet-binge thereafter.

Whoever you are trying to help break the addiction, it may be helpful to bring the person to seek help in person.

2. Chanting of a Buddha’s name

Reciting the Buddha’s name has been endowed with numerous “powers”. My personal take is that while such claims had been experienced by individuals, it may be helpful to see how it can be practically put to practice.

For one, reciting the Buddha’s name is a form of simple meditation that can lead to inner calm and tranquility. This clears up our mind and make it easier to focus and learn. In that way, recital of the Buddha’s name can be helpful for your wisdom and studies. But you still need to do the studying!

It is like the sharpening of an axe; you still need to do the chopping!

3. The Five Pungent Plants

The avoidance of the five pungent plants fall under the Bodhisattva vows. The five pungent plants are said to be strong stimulants that can agitate the mind. The aim of avoiding them is to reduce the impact of stimulants on our mind. This is especially true for those striving to be a Bodhisattva.

For most people who are not training on the path, the impact of the pungent plants may seem negligible. This is because our mind is already agitated by our constant pursuit of our wants, desires and cravings. It does not however mean that there is no impact; it just mean that we are unaware of the impact because our mind is too desensitized already.

Consider how we can hear clearly something drop in a (quiet!) library while we are oblivious to many things when we are in shopping mall. In the former, there are little distractions, while in the latter, we are too busy with all the attractions
out there to see or hear anything else.

Hope this clear things up for you.

With metta,

🙂

Everything in Control?

IN CONTROL?

 

Probably of the TV Channels only. 

We want to be in control of our life, computer settings, handphone settings, work, home…etc. How about our emotions and feelings? Are we in good control of them?

Learn to be in control of your emotions at the Sunday Group Cultivation.

This Group Cultivation happens every Sunday, where you will meet a group of like-minded people to share and discuss with the Venerable.


Date: Every Sunday

Time: 2pm – 3:30pm

Venue: Venerable Hong Choon Memorial Hall, Level 1, Classroom 5.

Free Admission for ALL AGES (no registration required ;))

Programme

• Puja – Short Pali puja + Heart Sutra (in mandarin, it’s easy!)
• Meditation – Short meditation
• Dharma sharing and discussion – Weekly themes with special topics on occasions
• Dedication

Please share with those whom you think will benefit from the session.

What is Emptiness and How Can We Apply it in Our Life Today? Heart Sutra Workshop 17 Aug – 19 Oct 2014

 

HEART SUTRA WORKSHOP

Date: 17 Aug – 19 Oct 2014 (Sun)

Time: 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm

Venue: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Venerable Hong Choon Memorial Hall, Level 1, Room 9

Registration: Now till 11 Aug or when registration is full.
Limited to 150 participants!

For more information, please visit KMSPKS
website
or read below for more details.

What is Heart Sutra? 《心经》

The Heart Sutra is one of the most common sutra recited in temples and monasteries worldwide.

While being the shortest, at 260 Chinese characters, it expounds deep and profound teachings of Emptiness as taught by the Buddha.

色不异空、空不异色。

色即是空、空即是色。

What is Emptiness and how can we apply it in our life today? How do we recite this sutra and how can we change ourselves so that we can become happier?

Come join us for the Heart Sutra workshop and learn more!

Heart Sutra Workshop
Workshop Programme (conducted in English)
– Puja
– Recitation of Heart Sutra (Learn to recite!)
– Teachings
– Discussion
– Meditation
– Dedication of Merits
Date: 17 Aug – 19 Oct 2014 (Sun)
Time: 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Venue: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery,
Venerable Hong Choon Memorial Hall, Level 1, Room 9
Course Offering: $40
Closing Date: Now till 11 Aug or when registration is full.
Limited to 150 participants!
Registration Venue: Reception office | 9.00 am – 4.30 pm
Enquiries: Tel: 6849 5300 | Email: sem@kmspks.org
Registration Form: Heart Sutra Reg Form (Excel)
Heart Sutra Workshop conducted by Venerable Chuan Guan

Heart Sutra Workshop conducted by Venerable Chuan Guan