To Make Money or Make Sense?

 

While waiting to go into a seminar, my friend and I struck a conversation with a stranger who was very impressed with the previous seminar in this same institution and was looking forward to the evening's event. He opined that it is a rare to find university professors who can make money and not just talk about making money. Further he emphasized that the professor in the previous seminar did not only reveal  "how to make money", but "how to make OBSCENE sums of money".

Curious about who we were talking to, we asked for this stranger's name and got an "Andy". 

"Andy? ...and your surname is?", we asked.

"Andy will do," he replied firmly.

And so we called him "Andy Will Do".

"Andy Warhol!", I added in jest. 

"Not Andy Warhol!" he retorted, and then went on to criticise Warhol for being overly commercialised and that he would not regard that man as an artist.

"But Warhol makes money! Not only that, he makes OBSCENE sums of money!" I added.

Evidently, Andy Will Do did not see that coming and was instantly silenced.

Then, it was time for the seminar and we went into the room.

Thankfully, and to my surprise, the seminar was not about maximisation of profits, or making OBSCENE sums of money, but rather about "Running Companies Through Humanistic Approaches". And that coming from three medium-sized companies in China is commendable. That was surprise number two. 

The three companies mentioned were:

• Tecsun Wood Houses
• Fotile Kitchen Ware
• Good -Ark Electronics.

All three of the companies practised Confucian values and Tao philosphy and purportedly placed a lot of emphasis to allow their employees to reach their personal goals and potentials in the long term. And all that happening with a very healthy bottom-line and rapidly expanding businesses too.

Tecsun's core values, for instance are "Honest, Diligent, Having a loving heart and Do not take short cuts". Its Employee Handbook has been reprinted 30 times and sold over half a million copies.

Fotile's mission is to "Make people feel better about their homes". In 2013, their growth exceeded 45% and the number of its patents exceeded the sum of those of its nine competitors.

Good Ark explicitly makes happiness the company's purpose since 2011 and is committed to introducing Sage culture, embracing Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism,  to the world and creating happiness to humanity.

So apparently, it is possible to "Make Money AND Make Sense".

The seminar was a refreshing change. Too many business seminars are about making money and more money and then deliberately making the audience feel inadequate and small, before heading for the final kill of selling you a highly priced follow-up course. It didn't happen here and I am glad. I left the seminar feeling inspired and hopeful for humanity.

Note:

This commentary is made based on what we listened to during the seminar. We are not related to any of the companies and do not have access to business data for us to verify the claims made in the seminar. Nevertheless, I am happy to accept them at face value.

Incidentally, just after I had finished this post, I got this "Thought of the Day", flashed in a website I stumbled upon:

Thought Of The Day

'Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.' 

- Andy Warhol.

Enlightenment Guaranteed

This is a film screened by the Buddhist library on the 18th February 2012.

"Enlightenment Guaranteed" is a light comedy about two lost souls finding their way to a Zen monastery to rediscover themselves.

In the film, the two brothers are lost in Tokyo, but as it turned out, became an opportunity and experience for both of them to bond and understand each other. So, a seemingly adverse situation being lost in what was an outlandish city like Tokyo to them, turned out to be a blessing.  The secret here is to learn from the trouble itself.

The two brothers are contrasting characters: One who hasn't meditated before and another who meditates regularly, but it ended up that the one who hasn't meditated adjusted better to the strict and grueling monastery life. As the one who meditates regularly, took everything overly seriously and attempted to look for perfection in everything, leading to much psychological hardships during the retreat. Whereas, the brother who did not meditate before took in everything in his stride. Everything to him seems fine. Nothing worried him much.

Similarly, when we meditate, we do not look for perfection, but to go with the flow.

Zen Dance

Zen Dance: Dance Meditation

by Sun-Ock Lee (D.A)

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Date: 18th Dec 2010 (Sat)

Place: Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore

Organised by: Kwan Yin Chan Lin (KYCL) Zen Centre

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For over 30 years, Dr Lee has been teaching and performing throughout Europe, USA and Asia. Dr Lee's extraordinary dance performances and therapy programs, based on the mastery of Zen philosophy and Zen Dance technique, she has been recognised and awarded internationally at colleges and schools in Asia, Europe and the United States, as well as many dance concerts.

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Zen Dance is a hybrid of Zen and dance which Dr Lee has developed for performance, daily practice, and clinical therapy. It has been implemented various therapeutic programs for the breast and womb cancer, spinal disc management, pre and post-natal women, stress reduction for people of various ages and occupations.

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The evening started with the opening dance performed by Dr Lee, amid a backdrop of colours and light. The graceful movements and flow of costume was also complemented by the interplay of cymbals and the large Korean drums.

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After her performance, Dr Lee explained how she got into incorporating meditation into dance, after a Zen master told her that meditation can be done anywhere and even while one is in movement, as long as one is mindful of one's action. By that, she meant that the mind and actions are well synchronised. Being one whom she said 'cannot sit still and meditate', she decided to dance and meditate - hence the discovery of Zen Dance.

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She says, "Dance is the best way of relaxation and fighting stress."

With that, she asks all of us to stand up and dance, as she guided us with a few key aspects of what Zen Dance entails.

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As we moved our hands, we are to be fully aware of our movements. The movements are mostly continuous and 'piece-wise smooth', until she incorporated opposite and complementary movements - what she calls the 'ying-and-yang' movements. That is, you may be moving gentle and slow, then suddenly fast; or you can be soft and gentle, then turned over to strength. With such flip-flop of opposites, it becomes easier for the aggression and stress to be released. Basically, a dance of opposites, akin to the affairs of the heart.

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After the concert, I contributed some money in the donation box for the KYLC Zen Centre building fund. It is my little support towards having a full-fledge Zen Centre where more people can benefit from the Zen teachings and meditation. My friend who was with me in the concert too donated money to the fund - this to my amazement, as though she is a believer of the Christian faith, she was donating money to a Zen temple building fund.

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I guess it shows that she is able to rise above her religion to trust that in all that exist, there is sacredness and god in sublime; even if they exist outside the precinct and practice of her religion.

That's harmony!.

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Coffeeshop Talk

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At my neighbourhood coffeeshop today, the coffee auntie asked if I have been to the newly opened casino in Sentosa (Singapore). I told her that I haven't since I don't gamble. She was surprised since many others here love gambling to the extent of taking it almost like a religion.

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I told her that I believe in the teachings of Buddha, and that in gambling, for me to win, many have to lose. She was amazed and then confessed that she is a Buddhist, but couldn't get herself to understand some of the principles in Buddhism that encourages people to live a less materialistic life. She then related to me that her friend had just spent $18,000 to bring a Buddhist monk into Singapore ( I assumed it's for blessings), but still that had not got her anywhere (read 'made her rich').

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I explained that faith is in the heart and not in the matter of spending money to bring priests and monks to bless oneself and gain merits. She listened intently, but seem confused and then walked away.

Caravan Himalaya

Guest Writer: Tiger Ng

Movie: Caravan (Himalaya)

Screened at the Buddhist Library.

Review

This movie is simple, no “big-shot” movie stars, no over-budgeted advertising trick! What Eric Valli used in this movie are the breathtaking views of the Himalayas, the courageous caravan, and the completely non-professional cast (real chiefs, lamas and local villagers) which provide the film with a sense of “authenticity” that is not found in the “money-hunting” Hollywood products.

“Himalaya” delivers a strong message that revolves around power, leadership ability, tradition, and change. A simple question: “When superstition, tradition and culture collide with our own conscience, what would you have done best to avoid conflict?” Probably we can make use of what is uttered by one of the main character in the film, Norbu: "When two paths open up before you, choose the hardest one." Talking about this, Bhante Dhammaratana (The Buddhist Library Spiritual Advisor) has opined that one should always take the hardest path. [This is my own view: there’s no easy way or short-cut in everything we do in our life (be it spiritual or secular). Obstacles in fact serve as our “spiritual teacher” that makes us matured over the course of time].

Indeed, “Himalaya” reflects what is really happening in our modern society today: struggle between old and new, as well as between god-fearing society and self-reliant upstarts. How do you challenge the tradition and belief systems that have been practised for thousands if not hundreds of years? Especially when things happen in accord to what is “prophesised” by those so-called superstitious predictions…

Well, to relate this subject to what is taught by the Buddha, we may want to reflect upon the Kalama’s Sutta. Following is an excerpt from the Kalama Sutta: “It is fitting for you to be perplexed, O Kālāmas, it is fitting for you to be in doubt. Doubt has arisen in you about a perplexing matter. Come, Kālāmas. Do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by a collection of texts, by logic, by inferential reasoning, by reasoned cogitation, by the acceptance of a view after pondering it, by the seeming competence of a speaker, or because you think, ‘The ascetic is our teacher.’ But when you know for yourselves, ‘These things are unwholesome; these things are blameable; these things are censured by the wise; these things, if undertaken and practiced, lead to harm and suffering,’ then you should abandon them.”

My principle is simple. I always respect the ancient belief system, even though some of them seem to me rather superstitious. They have survived for such a long time, there must be some reasons for them to exist until now. Some of them are simple innocent belief [for example, whenever someone has urgent toilet business, but there’s no nearby toilet can be found, he would have to settle his “business” at a nearby tree. Before doing this, we were always told during our childhood time that we must ask for “permission” from whatever “things” residing at that tree to allow us to proceed with our urgent business. For me, although this might sound superstitious, but it is a form of respect for all the living (and non-living) things in this world, who knows there might be a tree Deva at particular tree?]. However, if the practice of such belief systems become an obsession and start to disrupt my daily life, and could probably lead to the unwholesome consequences, I would not tolerate them, will try to challenge and clear the “clouds”.

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Compassion in Action

30th May 2009, 7.30pm

"Compassion in Action: Transforming Lives in the Himalayas", by Venerable Bhikku Sanghasena, from the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre, Ladakh, India, at the Buddhist Library, Lorong 24A. Geylang, Singapore

About the Speaker:

Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena established the Mahabodhi International Meditation Center in 1986 to offer both spiritual instructions as well as desperately needed humanitarian services to impoverished people in the remote land of Ladakh. Come and listen to how he turns his vision into reality and his great works in this “forgotten” region.

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This talk is written as a first-person account for the purpose of readability. It is not an ad-verbatim record of the speaker. Any errors that arise are mine.

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We have less than two hours this evening for this talk. After this time in Singapore, I don't know when I can be back here, so we have to make full use of this time. I'll try to tell you as much as I can during this time. As such, we may overrun the time. You may get home a little late, so I hope you won't be complaining. Or that your body is here, but mind somewhere else. Try to be in the present. Listen intently and do not anticipate before the sentences are finished, or to think, "Oh, I already know this already...". Or to think, "Always the same old thing. Same thing said before...". There's no new Dhamma. Dhamma is always the same, as it is eternal.

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Be simple, kind and receptive. Clear you head to allow. More knowledge does not bring enlightenment. Listen with an open mind. That way, you can learn more.

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The "3 H" mantra. Head thinks, Heart feels, and Hand acts. It is simple. Dhamma doesn't necessarily need to have something you don't understand.

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There is a story about a university professor who seek the advice of the zen master.

Zen master: What can I do?

Professor: I have this problem. Can you please advice? Please help me.

Zen master: I can't help you. I can't give you anything.

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Then the Zen master continues to pour a cup of tea to the professor, while the latter holds the cup. The Zen master pours till the cup is full but didn't stop after that. He kept pouring and the tea overflow out of the cup on the professors hands and on the table.

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Professor: Stop. Master the tea is overflowing.

Zen master: So is your mind. Your mind is full and unless you empty it, there is nothing that can go in.

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So clear your mind. Be in the present. Leave what is in your mind aside. You can take it back later after this talk. Only for this two hours, after that you can do what you want. Just like your shoes downstairs. You haven't renounced your shoes. *laughters*

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Nothing is preventing us to be relaxed and happy. Smiling is a special gift. Only human beings can smile. If you don't utilise it (smile), so what does it mean? A smile costs nothing. If you can't be happy here, where can you be? You can't make someone else responsible for your happiness. We are born to be happy. Smile and radiate love.

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There is a funny teacher. He laughs and teaches laughing meditation. You have to laugh. If you can't laugh, you laugh artificially. Then everyone starts laughing. Then all the laughing becomes real (not artificial). Learn to smile, then bring about higher levels. Live happily now, don't wait to do that when you are reborn.

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Otherwise, you are only living in your head. Scientists live in their head. They need heart and hands. Religious people also need heart, and not to wage religious wars against others.

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Human beings have achieved many feats in history. We have climbed the highest mountains, sent men out to space, invented robots and computers...etc. But are human beings happy? Is there less fear, more contentment, less diseases? Or are there more?

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What happened to humanity? Humanity has lost its directions, like a ship lost in the sea. Humanity is busy running. For what?

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There is a story of an on-flight announcement from the captain of an aircraft.

Captain: I have good news and bad news. The good news is that every part of the aircraft is working. The bad news is that we have lost our directions.

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Isn't this where humanity is at the moment?

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Some Westerners have told me that they like meditation, but finds no time to do it. No time? Cannot be! Most of your work are done by machines.

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In Ladakh, most work is done by hand. Just to cook a rice soup, it took my mother the whole day. She has to start early in the morning, to collect dung, firewood, then make the fire, blow air to raise the fire, collect the ingredients...etc. It is labor-intensive and very time consuming.

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Here in Singapore, the machine does most of the work. You have to do laundry? Put the clothes in, press the button and then meditate. *laughters*

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You have invented ways to keep yourself busy - to fill up the time freed by technology. So check where you spend your time. You don't have to read every article in the newspaper, go shopping less, cut down on entertainment, television...etc, then you have time for meditation. You use technology the right way, you can reach enlightenment faster. You have books about buddhism and spirituality. You want to listen to a discourse by the Dalai Lama, just put in the DVD. Don't understand and wants him to repeat? Just press a button and listen to him again.

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In the old days, people walk from Ladakh to Lhasa to see the Dalai Lama. It took three months. It was a long and hard journey. Some die along the way. Then in Lhasa, they have to wait a long time for the Dalai Lama. Then when he comes, you are just able to see him on his balcony as he waved to you. Just these brief moments, you have to learn all the sutras there. *laughters*

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Cut your time for the worldly things that are not essential. Spend time on the essential. Meditation, prayer, chanting, reading, discussions, reflections...etc. If you miss a meal sometimes, never mind. Eating never seems to be missed. *laughters*

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Real beauty comes from beauty of the heart. Inside and outside beauty. Otherwise, it is only half. Beautify the heart with love and compassion.

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We have forgotten the purpose of life. Don't know how to live this life meaningfully. Don't go to search for the Buddha anywhere. Buddha is in you. Not even one centremetre between Buddha and you. Point to the moon, but don't hold on the finger.

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I'll tell you this story. Don't worry and ask if this story is true or not...etc. This story has a message and that is more important.

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There is this beautiful world. It is so beautiful, but there was nobody there. No human beings. So god thought, it would be nice to have some human beings there to enjoy all the beauty of the world. So he created human beings.

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The next day, he heard a knock on the door from human beings. There were two of them. They were there to complain to god because they have a dispute with one another. God is puzzled. It is such a beautiful world, why are these human beings in dispute? It is not even one day and they are already in dispute. God then listened to their complaints and asked them not to find faults in one another and live peacefully. They agreed and promised to live happily. Then went home.

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Next day, again there was a knock on the door and it was the same human beings and they have the same problem, fighting each other. God opened the door and asked them to be happy and not to fight anymore. They agreed and went home.

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The next day, again there was a knock on the door. God peeked out of his window and saw the two feuding human beings. "Again? Oh dear" god thought, and decided not to open the door and went to hide somewhere.

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Then god called all his ministers. He told them he has a problem.

Ministers: What you are god. How can you have problem. You must be joking.

God: Seriously. I have a problem with these feuding human beings and they are looking for me to solve their problem everyday. I don't know where to hide.

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Minister: You can go and hide in Mt Everest.

God: No, that won't work, Hilary and Tenzing will come up very soon.

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Another minister: How about the moon?

God: No, the Americans will go there soon.

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Another minister: How about the depths of the ocean?

God: No they will make submarines and go and find me there.

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Then one very wise minister came to god and said, "God, I know where you can hide, where the human beings will find very hard to find you."

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God: Where?

Wise minister: In the human beings' hearts. They won't seek for you there.

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So there is nothing to seek outside.

Nothing. No-thing. Nobody. No-body. You are Buddha.

From the time we were children, we were taught to be somebody. Everyone wants to be Somebody. Nobody wants to be Nobody. Is there Someone who wants to be Nobody? *laughters*

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Try to be nobody for a minute, ... then 2 minutes. If you can, you are enlightened for that time. Enlightenment is for human beings. So, read, recite, understand and follow.

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Do in this life. Go deep. Not just superficial and not just offerings. Be aware of the precepts and take responsibility. You have to work on yourself. Nobody can liberate you. Teachers can only give you something to inspire you. Compassion, love and kindness will lead to no killing and starvation in the world.

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Further, we are shown slides of the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre, started by Ven Sanghesena. A very impressive project, as they started from a barren desert with no water and tree. Now they have planted 30,000 trees, built the centre and a boarding school for five hundred children.

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See video below of a similar slideshow presented in Kuala Lumpur recently.

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After the video, we did a closing Prayer of Compassion.

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Buddhist Miracles

7 May 2009

This is my notes of the talk on "Buddhist Miracles", by Ajahn Brahm at the Buddhist Lodge on the 7th May 2009, organised by the Buddist Fellowship, in Singapore. They are written as in the first person for easy reading, but it is not an ad verbatim recording of what Ajahn Brahm spoke of during the seminar.

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Announcement:

Before the talk proper, the master of ceremony announced that this talk is organised by the Buddhist Fellowship in Singapore and that anyone can join as members. That membership is very cheap, even cheaper than those of AWARE (the Association for Women's Action and Research) - a tongue-in-cheek reference to their recent surge in the membership size in order to oust the executive committee in an extra-ordinary general meeting. 

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Also, the announcement that the Buddhist Fellowship is working closely with National Parks and the Public Utilities Board, to educate people not to release their unwanted pets in the wild because these pets may not survive or worse still may upset the local ecology. 

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If you want to be kind to animals, you can eat less meat, or don't eat meat at all. And for those vegetarians, don't feel too smug too, because in the process of growing vegetables many insects and earthworms are inadvertently killed too.

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Do things with your heart, but not with the aim of gaining 'merits' for if you are too conscious of gaining 'merits' then they are merits no more.

Not a Miracle 1

We had just finished a conference recently and the day after the stockmarket shot up. Oh, it must be a miracle! *Roaring laughters*

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"Miracles" - don't spend too much time on it. They are the 'special effects', the seasonings, the chilli in you life. 

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Not a Miracle 2

The talk about miracles about me started when they took some photos of me and they saw little sparkling cirlces and they all got excited. They thought that was a miracle. Those were not miracles. They are merely dust particles from the floor carpets reflecting the camera flash. This happens nowadays because we use digital cameras. Either that or miracles live in carpets. *laughs*

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Miracles show you the power of the mind. We haven't understood fully how miracles work. Perhaps they can be explained in the future.

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Miracle 1

There are some miracles that some people have experienced. There is one about a man who had contracted lung cancer on both lungs. He went through tests and X-Ray. The X-Ray clearly showed it had badly infected both lungs. So he went through chemotherapy and radiation. The doctor said that he had only two to three months to live. Resigned to it, he then went back to talk to his wife and child.

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One week later, he went back to the hospital and the doctor was astonished after the X-Ray. The cancer has totally disappeared! 

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"How did it happened? What did you do?" asked the doctor.

"Meditation," he said.

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This one is a true miracle. This miracle has appeared in reputable and mainstream medical journals. But this is the power of the mind that works within the Laws of Nature. It is not from a superior being.

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Miracle 2

Another miracle happens during a meditation session, where there is this very noisy man. There are complaints about him, but later, we learned that he is dying of nasal cancer. After we knew about it, there were no more complaints. So understand situations with compassion and a lot of irritation will disappear.

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Anyway, during one of the meditation session, there was a loud 'pop' and he could breathe easily. Then the cleared block, closed again. Three or four years later, he came back and his cancer was totally cleared!

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It is the nature of what the mind can do. Peace and calm can help  your health. 

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NOT a Miracle 3:

However, there is also what the mind cannot do. For instance, you can't write a phoney cheque, stare at it, visualise on it and expect to get a real one in your post the next day!

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The power of the mind also depends on its purity.

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NOT a Miracle 4

There was a Chinese guy in Australia that dreamed of his dead father saying, "Tomorrow go to the casino".  So he did and went to the rollette. 

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Then he heard his father's voice saying, "Number 16". He then put his chips on '16'. The rollette turned and when it stopped, the ball really stopped on '16'!!!!!!! He was delighted that he had won.

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Next he heard, "Number 27", this time he put all his chips on '27'.  This time, he place all his chips on '27' and when the rollette stopped, to his utmost delight, the ball landed on '27'. Again he won!!!

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Then next, he heard, "Number 21". Again, he placed all his chips on '21'. Then, the rollette turned and when it stopped, the ball went to '21' and then gently rolled over to '22'. What happened? Then suddenly heard the same voice saying, "Aiyoh!!!!!" (Oh dear!) *laughters*

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If that is the guy's father that is guiding him to win, what made him think that he is infallible? If his father has made mistakes when he was in this dimension, what made us think that he will not do so just because he has passed away? That is why we don't believe in miracles by these beings.

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Miracle 3

There is another miracle of this lady who was driving long distance at night and she became tired and dosed off. Then suddenly she got a slap on her face and she woke up and realised she had already swerved to the opposing lane.

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If you doing something noble, miracles do happen.

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Miracle 4

For instance, during the 30th annivesary of our monastery, we wanted to have it celebrated on the Supreme Court Garden in Perth. We wanted to do something big. We imported statues from Thailand and invited the Premier of Western Australia to attend. 

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Then, that very morning, it rained. It was absolutely pouring. The monks had came to him and asked if we should call off the celebration as the rain had built into a storm and they thought it was no way it could clear in time for us. I said "No, we carry on...". They must all think that I am crazy.

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Then 30 minutes before the celebration was about to start, the rain stopped. Five minutes before the celebration started, the sky cleared. After the celebration, the rain returned. That was also a stormy day for Perth, apart from the brief period when the ceremony happened at Supreme Court Gardens. Everywhere else was storming! On that day, fields and freeways were also flooded.

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So, the higher beings are behind you if you are doing inspiring deeds. Miracles of hope in good things.

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The Swine flu is not dangerous. It is mostly fear. The Wine Flue is dangerous! *laughters*

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Is this a Miracle 1?

There is this Australian guy who went trekking in Ladakh in the Himalayas. It was so beautiful and he spent his time taking photos, that he got left behind. He tried to figure out his way, but eventually got lost. Then he saw a light in the distance. He followed the light and found that it was a monastery.  He went to the monastery and knocked on the door. A monk opened the door and welcomed him to stay for the night as it was getting dark, and that they will direct him to the next morning.

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At about midnight, he was woken up by a beautiful music. It was so delightful and enchanting. It was joyful.

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The next morning, he asked the abbott about the music, but the abbott said, 

"Can't tell you that, as you are not a monk".

"Oh! Come on! Tell me! It was such a beautiful music! Tell me!" he pleaded.

"No, you are not a monk," the abbott insisted.

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The Australian guy was disappointed, but soon he had to leave the monastery and head back to join his group. The beautiful music, however continued to recur in his mind.

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This continued even after he rejoined his group and returned to Australia. The music continued in his mind so much that he had to see a psychiatrist.

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A year later, he couldn't take it anymore and returned to the monastery in Ladakh to ask the abbott, but got the same reply,

"Can't tell you. You are not a monk".

"Oh please!!!" he again pleaded.

"No," the monk replied.

"I am going crazy with the music in my mind, please tell me!" he begged.

"No, you are not a monk," the abbott replied.

Desperate, the Australian guy said, "Okay then, if I become a monk, will you tell me...?"

"Yes," the abbot replied.

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Delighted he became a monk.

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However, for the first three months while he was learning to be a monk, he didn't hear the music in the monastery at all. Then, after three months, one evening, around midnight, he heard this beautiful and enchanting music. It was so joyful. Delighted, he asked the abbot to reveal to him about the music. The abbot remained silent and asked him to follow him.

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The abbot took a bunch of keys and walked down the hallways towards the sound of the music. Then they reached a door and he took a wooded key to open the door. It looks like that door had not been opened for along time, as it creaked opened on its hinges. As the door opened, the music came louder and clearer. Oh! It was so beautiful. 

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Then, the followed the music down the hallway. It was a long hallway and it lead to another door. The abbot then took out a rusty iron key to open the door. Again the door creaked as it opened to reveal the music even clearer and louder. The Australian was delighted and enchanted.

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The monk is so pleased and followed the music further down the hallway till they reach another door. The abbot then took out a silver key to open the door. The door creaked open and the music came clearer and more delightful. By this time, there is no turning back for the Australian monk. He really really want to find out what the music is.

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So he dutifully followed the music again down the hallway. As he walked down the hallway, the music got more and more enchanting as it became clearer. Then they reached a golden door. The abbot then said that this is the last door. There are no more doors after this in between the music and them. So the monk took out a golden key and put it in the keyhole and turned. The door swung open and....

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What happened??

I can't tell you all because you are not a monk!!!!!!!!! *laughters*

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See how much sufferings curiosity brings you in you life?

Who cares what the music is.

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Is this a Miracle 2?

There is a grieving mother who went to the Buddha to plead with him to bring back his dead son to live. The Buddha replied that he will if he can bring just three mustard seeds to him. Each from a different family, and that it must not be from a house that somebody has passed away in.

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"That's easy!" the mother thought, and she wasted no time and left to ask for the three mustard seeds. The first house, said they have many mustard seeds, but their grandmother just passed away, so it is no use giving her the mustard seed. Then the next house, someone else had died in it recently. Another one, yet a family member had passed away in it. She went on to check everyone in the village and realised that it is futile. Everyone had someone died in the house before. 

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Then, it dawn on her! Everyone had to die. There is nothing to grief for. Her son is dead. Everyone dies. No problem. Then she understood why the Buddha had asked her to seek this three mustard seeds.

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It would have been futile if the Buddha had the power and revive her son. Instaed the Buddha taught her something much more powerful. This mother then eventually became an arahat.

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Fireworks?

That's why all other miracles are just 'seasonings', the razmatazz, the fireworks. Go for the deep ones. Those that gives you the free loving heart. The feelings that free people from all the pains and sufferings in life.

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QUESTIONS:

1. I am a playboy. Many girls come to me even though they know that I am a playboy. I take advantage of that and have sex with them. Is that wrong?

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You have to be very careful as this involves physical intimacy with another person that can lead to complications and attachments. So you have to be aware of the consequences.

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2. Is there proof of reincarnation?

The way to get scientific proof of it is to die and then find out! *grins*

[MC: No, I am not going to let you go away with this (reply)]

Ok, there are already many scientific evidence of people who has lived as somebody else in their previous incarnation. Evidence of information they had not possibly known just based on their present incarnation.

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3. Is divorce or abortions correct?

Don't blame yourself or the other party in a divorce and the attachment of sex, lust and anger.

For abortions, many  had been told by men about it. There is no straight answer to that, but whatever the decision is, do not act out of fear, but love. Also intention is not cause of karma.

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4. I hear that you mention a lot about 'good' and 'bad'. Isn't this a judgment?

Good deeds are those that you don't harm other people and that you feel joyful about it. A pleasant feeling. When you start feeling rotten after doing something, it is a bad deed. We all feel about these things and we know what is good and what is bad. It has to come from you and nobody else can tell you what is good or bad.

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For instance, is homosexuality good or bad. Bad? What happens if he is your son and that he is a fine character in many other respects. Now is he good or bad? Is homosexuality good or bad?

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5. I am very attached to a past relationship. What should I do?

There is a master who used to hold up a glass and tell us it is cracked. "Where?" we asked and he said that they are microscopic cracks that has already happened and if these cracks are stressed, the glass will break. He used that to illustrate to us that relationships are fragile. The human body, marriages, relationships,...etc are fragile. We know that glasses are fragile and that is why we treat them gently, but if it is a plastic mug, we throw it around. That's why we don't take care of our relationships. We think they are like plastic mugs. We think that our bodies, relationships...etc are all permanent. However, if the glass has cracked, let it go.

Environment - The Buddha and the Environment

Date: 21st April 2009

Time: 7.30pm

Place: The Buddhist Library, Singapore

Speaker: Mr Joe Lim, from the Singapore Environment Council (A non-government charity)

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Mr Lim started by saying that for the Dhamma and the Environment, the hardest part is the practice. So here tonight, we are here to influence more people and like the Dhamma, to convert it into practice.

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Is climate change all doom and gloom?

Young people feels that it is unfair as they did not destroy the climate.

If everyone does something (to protect the environment against destruction), then it will not be doom and gloom.

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The Rich are more wasteful. The following is some comparison:

Waste in OECD = 3 x that in China = 10x that in India = 100x that in Africa

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At that rate, we will need a second earth by 2030.

The wastes in Singapore is also quite high. This could be attributed to its industries like the seaport and the oil refineries.

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It is the first time in history that there are more people living in cities. Cities occupy 3% of land, but 75% of energy.

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A video called "The Story of Stuff" was screened:

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The Dhammapada has aspects related to the environment. There is a whole chapter related to flowers. In one, it mentioned a flower with no fragance - which means words that sounds beautiful but do not result in practice.

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In the Uposatha sutta (UD5.5), it describes the ocean beautifully. For details, read here

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My comments:

The linear production consumer system can be made cyclical, as illustrated in the last part of the video. Then we can achieve:

1. Sustainability.

2. Equity

3. Green chemistry

4. Zero waste

5. Closed looped production

6. Renewable energies

7. Local living economies.

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The good news is that there are already technologies that are able to take mixed waste, treat them and separate them automatically for reuse, with the remaining organic wastes used to generate electricity. Therefore, the issue of the green revolution is not the technology, but about 'political will'. 

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Unfortunately, politicians in many countries, particularly developing countries, like to see their investments paying back within their term of office, so that it can benefit them.  This term is usually a period of five years. Hence green technologies are not implemented because decisions are made for the short term. If decisions are made for the long term, then after say 7 or 10 years, recyclables will be recovered and reused, and electricity will be generated free.

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If you are reading this from facebook and cannot watch the video, click here
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Gross National Happinesss

Some of you may have heard of Bhutan's Gross National Happiness index. I have not been to Bhutan, but found some informative videos on Youtube, which I have included here, as they have helped me to reflect on my life and the priorities I set for myself daily.

Some data about Bhutan (from Wikipedia):

Location: In the Himalayas, in between China and India.

Capital: Thimpu

Land area: 47,000 sq km

Population: 672,425

Per capita GDP: $5,477

For more on the history and geography of Bhutan, click here

Here is an introductory video of Bhutan:

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Click here to watch this video entitled, "Dragon Kingdom Bhutan". It depicts the country, its culture rooted in Buddhism and their reverence to their King, who embraces happiness above their GNP.

Early this year, Bhutan became a constitutional monarchy, with their first democratic elections:
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As Bhutan opens up, some of the social ills found in the West have started to surface in the country. The following documentary depicts the situation, where alcoholism and drug abuse has become an increasing problem.

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Questions:

1. Do you think Gross National Happiness can be applied to the country you live in? Does it apply to a densely populated city-state like Singapore that relies heavily on industrial efficiency, foreign labour, foreign trade and tourism?

2. Do you think Happiness should be the ultimate end of companies and organisations in their quest for material wealth? Watch the commuters in mass rapid transit in the morning rush hour. I have tried observing this in London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Budapest, Singapore and Hong Kong. They always give me a quick and rough guide to a city. Is GNH feasible amid the vagaries and the harsh cut-and-thrust forces of the market economy? Is there a better economic model? Communism failed. Socialism is expensive! :) How about Bucky's vision of the 'World Game'? Read here . Or Alvin Toffler's Revolutionary Wealth? Read here

3. Do you think as an individual, you can put happiness first? Is this feasible with the meritocratic and competitive school system you go to, or the organisation you serve?

4. As a parent, do you tell your child to study hard to make more money and have a comfortable life after that? Or do you remind your children to be educated so that they will grow up to be useful citizens that can put a smile on every other person he meets everyday?

5. In the quest for happiness, does it necessarily mean that you will have less material wealth? Do you think it is worthwhile to sacrifice material for happiness? Or does sacrificing happiness for material wealth makes more sense to you?

6. Many of us have been happy children when we were little, yet we didn't realise we were poor at the time, until years later as an adult. Why is this so?

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"The Buddhist Attitude to Sensuality" by Ajahn Brahm

Listen to a Buddhist monk speaking about sensuality, sex, addictions, vices and how to take stock, be mindful and be 'skilful'. Long video: 61 minutes.

The Mindful Way - a BBC documentary

Found excerpts of this enlightening BBC documentary, "The Mindful Way", that has an interview with Ajahn Chah, posted on YouTube. For more about Ajahn Chah's wisdom in Vacuum State, click here

The ultimate is to let go, and even to let go of "letting go", for the mind must have no desire and flow with the natural cause. When that happens the mind will be as still as the forest pond. There will be problems but you will see through them.

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When we cease to cling to happiness, we begin to be happy. In the end, we don't own anything, as ultimately there is no self, but just the basic elements of Earth, Water, Air and Fire.

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Meditation confronts this 'self'. This can be like a raging storm to free one's heart and open to loving kindness that embraces all life - that all lives have breath that rises and falls - and eventually, all lives expire.

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If we can't understand 'death', life can be confusing. And so in the movie "Tuesday with Morrie", Morrie said, "When you understand death, you start to learn how to live."