I was reviewing the events of the day and suddenly this verse of the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua came into my head :-
"Patience is a priceless gem."
It is a 4-verse saying, but i can't remember the following 3 verses..please do pardon me haha..but anyway, the focus was on Patience. =)
Indeed it is a priceless gem. But how many of us know how to use it? Being accused for the wrong reasons. Hearing someone speak bad of you. Helping others with all your heart and yet those whom you've help out start picking on you. The list goes on and on..until one day, ka-boom! You can't take it any longer and finally exploded.
Its easy for our own feelings to take control of us, and very often they do when we do not realise it. However, before the oncoming of an 'eruption', we should try to keep ourselves in check, think again the consequences, and decide on the appropriate action.
Patience is knowing that when you're being accused, you can still stand through it all despite all the commotion, knowing in your heart that you did nothing wrong. Patience is realising that when people speak bad of us, they're only helping us to look at our own mistakes and shortcomings, thus making us better persons. Patience is also a teacher to us - to endure what others cannot endure, to take what others cannot take.
Indeed Patience is a great treasure! It can take us where we've never been to before! ;)
Monday, February 26, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Full lotus position?
I forgot to write about this until last night when i was chatting to my sisters about sitting in the full lotus position.
It was on Chinese New Year's Eve - and we went to Dharma Realm Guan Yin Sagely Monastery for the 24-hour Great Compassion Mantra Recitation Session meant for protecting the country and eradicating disasters. This has sort of become a yearly event for us. When we first reached there we went to the canteen at the back to grab a bite since we were feeling a lil hungry - and boy, the variety of dishes there just made me drool all over the place! Ok, i was spoilt for choice! Met DM Heng Rong and she said -
"Check out the water dumplings there! They're really nice! And its not locally made - recipe specially flown in from China!"
Thats it. Got us so excited that it was quite obvious to DM Heng Rong that we are dumpling maniacs. Lol! She just laughed at us =D. We ordered the first plate of 12 pieces and before long - on came another plate! It was yummy-licious!
Ok ok, enough about food. After the small supper we went to the main Buddha Hall, bowed and join in the recitation session. It was the circumambulation time. After 20 minutes, we were back to sitting again - and this time i tried to sit in the full lotus position - left leg on right and then right over left - the sitting posture for meditation. And gosh, my legs were aching!
I remember reading that once you have bear through with the pain, the pain will just go away - and its true! After some time, the pain just simply vanished - and in fact it felt quite comfortable! I continued reciting the Great Compassion Mantra and there was one thing i noticed - the blood flow in my body felt different. No wonder we were encouraged to sit in full lotus! This position makes the blood flow to unreachable parts of the body.
After 20 minutes, we were to circumambulate again. The moment i undo the full lotus position, my legs ached like crazy!!! I had to force myself to stand up - and i almost tripped on the first few steps! Lol..i guess thats what happens when you don't practice full lotus position constantly haha.. =p
However, i soon found out one thing. Sitting in the full lotus position kept my mind more focused and alert - compared to sitting in half lotus. I guess i should practice more. Lol!
I've read in one of the books published by BTTS/DRBA that when sitting in full lotus, one resembles a golden pagoda and when in half lotus a silver pagoda. I should practice more. Haha..peace and happiness to all! ;D
It was on Chinese New Year's Eve - and we went to Dharma Realm Guan Yin Sagely Monastery for the 24-hour Great Compassion Mantra Recitation Session meant for protecting the country and eradicating disasters. This has sort of become a yearly event for us. When we first reached there we went to the canteen at the back to grab a bite since we were feeling a lil hungry - and boy, the variety of dishes there just made me drool all over the place! Ok, i was spoilt for choice! Met DM Heng Rong and she said -
"Check out the water dumplings there! They're really nice! And its not locally made - recipe specially flown in from China!"
Thats it. Got us so excited that it was quite obvious to DM Heng Rong that we are dumpling maniacs. Lol! She just laughed at us =D. We ordered the first plate of 12 pieces and before long - on came another plate! It was yummy-licious!
Ok ok, enough about food. After the small supper we went to the main Buddha Hall, bowed and join in the recitation session. It was the circumambulation time. After 20 minutes, we were back to sitting again - and this time i tried to sit in the full lotus position - left leg on right and then right over left - the sitting posture for meditation. And gosh, my legs were aching!
I remember reading that once you have bear through with the pain, the pain will just go away - and its true! After some time, the pain just simply vanished - and in fact it felt quite comfortable! I continued reciting the Great Compassion Mantra and there was one thing i noticed - the blood flow in my body felt different. No wonder we were encouraged to sit in full lotus! This position makes the blood flow to unreachable parts of the body.
After 20 minutes, we were to circumambulate again. The moment i undo the full lotus position, my legs ached like crazy!!! I had to force myself to stand up - and i almost tripped on the first few steps! Lol..i guess thats what happens when you don't practice full lotus position constantly haha.. =p
However, i soon found out one thing. Sitting in the full lotus position kept my mind more focused and alert - compared to sitting in half lotus. I guess i should practice more. Lol!
I've read in one of the books published by BTTS/DRBA that when sitting in full lotus, one resembles a golden pagoda and when in half lotus a silver pagoda. I should practice more. Haha..peace and happiness to all! ;D
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Vegetarian Feast!!
To all readers in Malaysia, especially around Selangor and KL:
Interested in a vegetarian buffet? And its free! Do drop by the Dharma Realm Guan Yin Sagely Monastery at Jalan Ampang on the 14th of April, 2007 for the first ever vegetarian buffet! If you think vegetarian is about eating flour-made mock products, or just plain vegetables, and that choices are limited, do come and experience for yourself the many varieties of food!
Everyone is welcome!! This is the first time the Way-place is holding such an event - with the purpose of clarifying the doubts of being a vegan as well as sharing the many benefits! There will also be cooking demonstrations and a talk by the Dharma Masters!
The buffet time is from 11am to 4pm. Do check it out! ;D Peace and happiness to all!
Interested in a vegetarian buffet? And its free! Do drop by the Dharma Realm Guan Yin Sagely Monastery at Jalan Ampang on the 14th of April, 2007 for the first ever vegetarian buffet! If you think vegetarian is about eating flour-made mock products, or just plain vegetables, and that choices are limited, do come and experience for yourself the many varieties of food!
Everyone is welcome!! This is the first time the Way-place is holding such an event - with the purpose of clarifying the doubts of being a vegan as well as sharing the many benefits! There will also be cooking demonstrations and a talk by the Dharma Masters!
The buffet time is from 11am to 4pm. Do check it out! ;D Peace and happiness to all!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
"Down in the valley to pray"
I was listening to Music in the Dharma- a production by Reverend Heng Sure, Alan Senauke, Betsy Rose as well as a few others guitar/banjo players and this song "Down in the valley to pray" was featured in the second section (Part 2). The file is available here - click on the link titled "Music in the Dharma - Part 2", and if you're there do check out Parts 1, 3 and 4 as well! The songs are relaxing, with beautiful guitar backgrounds, and not to mention a touch of humor here and there. =)
I felt compelled to do a lil writing on this song (as mentioned in the title) - its originally a Christian song, and Alan Senauke has taken it and did a lil change of words, he has given the song a beautiful meaning - one which i definitely will be reminded always whenever i heard this song. Part of the lyrics for this song goes like :-
"As I went down in the valley to pray,
Studying about that good old way,
And who shall wear the starry crown,
Good Lord show me the way,
Oh brothers, let's go down, let's go down, let's go down,
Don't you wanna come down,
Oh brothers, let's go down,
Down in the valley to pray."
Initially when i heard this song the only thought that occured to me was a simple one, but Alan's description has opened up a whole new different view to me. He said :- [extracted from Music in the Dharma and rephrased]
"This is where we have to go - inside ourselves, we have to go deep down to encounter ourselves. We have to go down into the valleys, down into the dark places, down into the places where we experience fear or hesitation, and then when we get there, we have to let go - we can let go with prayer, and we can let go with song. One has to go down into the valley, but one goes along with everybody, and one takes everybody with him, including all sentient beings."
Try this song! =) Its light, easygoing and has a touch of country to it. Heartlifting. ;D
I felt compelled to do a lil writing on this song (as mentioned in the title) - its originally a Christian song, and Alan Senauke has taken it and did a lil change of words, he has given the song a beautiful meaning - one which i definitely will be reminded always whenever i heard this song. Part of the lyrics for this song goes like :-
"As I went down in the valley to pray,
Studying about that good old way,
And who shall wear the starry crown,
Good Lord show me the way,
Oh brothers, let's go down, let's go down, let's go down,
Don't you wanna come down,
Oh brothers, let's go down,
Down in the valley to pray."
Initially when i heard this song the only thought that occured to me was a simple one, but Alan's description has opened up a whole new different view to me. He said :- [extracted from Music in the Dharma and rephrased]
"This is where we have to go - inside ourselves, we have to go deep down to encounter ourselves. We have to go down into the valleys, down into the dark places, down into the places where we experience fear or hesitation, and then when we get there, we have to let go - we can let go with prayer, and we can let go with song. One has to go down into the valley, but one goes along with everybody, and one takes everybody with him, including all sentient beings."
Try this song! =) Its light, easygoing and has a touch of country to it. Heartlifting. ;D
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
A Nice Post
I came across this post on the 'The 84th Problem' posted on a Buddhist Community Blog and it definitely is a good read, an inspiration to us all when we are down in the dumps and overloaden with problems - this post teaches us not to run away from the problems, nor to find consolation for ourselves while the problem remains unsolved, but to find a solution to the problem.
The Buddha's words were very wise - it is not others who help us to solve our problems, but our very ownselves - are the best solutions.
Click here to read the post! Cheers!! =)
The Buddha's words were very wise - it is not others who help us to solve our problems, but our very ownselves - are the best solutions.
Click here to read the post! Cheers!! =)
Friday, February 02, 2007
The impermanence of things
I've been thinking about this topic while driving back yesterday morning. Nothing can escape from this one single condition: impermanence. Lol sorry i know that sounded a lil depressing maybe, but when we really look at everything, its true.. And that is why we have to make the most out of every moment - cultivate goodness, do what we can to help others, even making a difference in another's life! =)
Let's look at it. Things come and go. A simple leaf, born from the branches of a tree, lives out its duration, turns brown and then falls to the ground. Then it is decomposed and its elements break up and return to the earth. The same applies to everything around us. When there is a cause for things to come into being, there is also a cause for things to return to the state before they come into being.
Change is inevitable. In objects, in the environment, and even sometimes in ourselves - our very own nature. But one thing we have to make sure is that the change is always headed in one direction, and that is for the better.. ;)
Let's look at it. Things come and go. A simple leaf, born from the branches of a tree, lives out its duration, turns brown and then falls to the ground. Then it is decomposed and its elements break up and return to the earth. The same applies to everything around us. When there is a cause for things to come into being, there is also a cause for things to return to the state before they come into being.
Change is inevitable. In objects, in the environment, and even sometimes in ourselves - our very own nature. But one thing we have to make sure is that the change is always headed in one direction, and that is for the better.. ;)
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