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

  1. Writeup: Why have I not taken the refuge and/or 5 precepts?
  2. Daily reflections (*Updated* 18 June 2007)
  3. Dana for the day!
  4. Spending time with our parents

Details after the jump.

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Of Brushing or Cleansing Our Teeth?

This is just another placeholder for future entry … 8)

1st December, 2006

Some of the folks who come across my desk may wonder why a toothbrush is on my desk and not in the toilet where it belongs. Most people either miss it or are too polite to ask, so I shared with the Youth Ministry in Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery during their YMers retreat.

You see, sometimes in the day, I would find a piece of food stuck in my teeth, or find my teeth too grimy for myself, and no amount of rinsing or flossing ( … talking about flossing, they are there on my desk too! 😉 ) will cleanse it. I’m sure we have that once a while … or maybe we don’t notice.

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