Myths about the 7th month Hungry Ghosts Festival debunked

Below is an earlier post which was highly popular with my readers. Since today is the start of the month-long Hungry Ghost Festival (中元节), I am re-posting this for my new readers.

The lunar 7th month is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits, including those of deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm, to visit the living. Both Taoists and Buddhists perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased.

Many people have the misconception that because it is the 7th month, the hungry ghosts are out to haunt the humans. It is not exactly true.

Below I summarised an article debunking 7th month myths.

Myth 1: The gates of Hell are opened during every 7th lunar month.

TRUTH: Only beings with very strong negative karma will be reborn in hell. Only when their negative karma is exhausted then will the beings leave Hell to be reborn again. Hence, there are beings leaving hell not just during the 7th month, but anytime, as and when karmically appropriate.

Myth 2: During the 7th month, hungry ghosts from hell roam the world freely as wandering spirits.

TRUTH: There is a difference between Hungry ghosts and Hell beings. Hell beings reside in the hell realm and generally have more intense suffering, and they do not have the privilege to take "vacation" in our world.   What we have in our world are hungry ghosts and wandering spirits, mostly unseen by us humans. Hungry ghosts are reborn beings with strong craving, while wandering spirits are the deceased who have yet to take proper rebirths due to strong attachment. Most ghostly encounters are with Wandering Spirits, and NOT hungry ghosts or hell-beings.

Myth 3: All go to hell after death in the afterlife.

TRUTH: Many Chinese believe that everyone will be reborn in hell in the afterlife, which is seen as a mirror image of our present world. However, only those who have created very negative karma are reborn in hell. There are 5 other possible realms of existence - realm of hungry ghosts, animals, humans, demi-gods and gods. Hell is also not an "interchange terminal" between every two consecutive lives.

Myth 4: Life in hell requires all the requisites of our world, so we must burn these items.

TRUTH: Since hell is a realm of intense suffering, worldly possessions such as money, houses, cars and handphones would not be relevant. There is no basis that paper items burnt to ashes will materialise into solid items. If life in hell requires everything in our world via burning, we would need to burn the whole world literally, as everything is interdependent for any one thing to function. But to burn absolutely everything is of course highly illogical. Burning expensive paper items not only wastes paper, money time and effort, it also pollutes the environment and can be damaging for health. Ironically, the excess fire, ashes and smoke might displease unseen beings, just as they displease humans who are irritated.

Myth 5: If we do not even burn paper items out of goodwill, we are being uncompassionate.
TRUTH: Instead, we can do good deeds in the name of the deceased, who we believe might have been reborn in an unfortunate realm (or who might still be a wandering spirit), and dedicate merits to them. We can also offer prayers by chanting, in the hope that they may learn the Buddha's teachings from them, thus alleviating their suffering by practising them. Openly sharing and listening to the Buddha's teachings is also meritorious. Food offerings can also be made for hungry ghosts and wandering spirits too. Donating food and necessities to worthy members of the Sangha and charities instead of burning items creates more merits. Actually, this can be done any time, but it is a custom to especially do so on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month in Buddhism - to celebrate Ullambana. Other than benefiting deceased relatives, friends and even past karmic "enemies", we can also have their suffering alleviated. We can also celebrate Ullambana by doing good to honour our present parents who are still alive.

Myth 6: Why is there more supernatural phenomena during the 7th month? What if I have dreams of a relative asking for paper items?
TRUTH: There might be more supernatural activity when we create elaborate and rowdy celebrations to gather and honour unseen beings, especially while we also become tense and expect supernatural incidents to occur. Humans disturb unseen beings accidentally, more so than them disturbing us intentionally. In this way, experiencing the supernatural can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Some of the deceased are attached to the idea that they need paper items burnt for them, which is why they might appear in dreams asking for them. Likewise, surviving relatives might be attached to the same idea, which is why they dream similarly. Explanation to the deceased might be good, to let him or her realise that burning is not needed. If this does not work, it is perhaps better to burn some items - to let him or her realise the futility of the practice.

Myth 7: Life in Hell is eternal suffering.
TRUTH: Since there is limited evil that one can do in a lifetime, one will not experience unlimited karmic retribution forever. However, due to great suffering, life in hell is often experienced as a very long duration, many eons.

Myth 8: All unseen beings are either mischievous or evil. We need to appease them and ask for protection.

TRUTH: Most hungry ghosts and wandering spirits (both of whom are so due to great attachment) are suffering too much in their own condition to be able to play tricks on or sabotage us humans in any way. Just as most humans do not go all the way out to harm each other, most of them do not harm us. Just as only a minority of humans are downright evil, so are unseen beings. There is no need to appease any unseen being, but we can practise compassion when we encounter them.

Myth 9: It is definitely unfortunate to encounter an unseen being.
TRUTH: Encountering an unseen being is due to your karmic affinity with each other. We should do what we can to ensure there is no enmity, by being sincerely compassionate, by understanding and calmly wishing him or her well. If it is a negative karmic affinity, it should be transformed to one of goodwill by urging him or her to let go of attachment to take a good rebirth. You can do this by having good intentions, and reciting the name of the Lord Buddha, while wishing the being to do the same single-mindedly. The Buddha vowed that any being who is continuously mindful of him will be received by him for birth in His Pureland.

To Buddhists, the 7th lunar month is actually a joyous month, which is also known as the Ullambana Festival. This is because the 15th day of the 7th month is often known as the Buddha's joyful day and the day of rejoice for monks. According to the Ullambana Sutra, the Buddha instructs his disciple Maudgalyāyana on how to obtain liberation for his mother, who had been reborn into a lower realm, by making food offerings to the Sangha on the 15th day of the 7th month. And because of this, the number of monks who attained enlightenment during that period was high, the Buddha was very pleased.

Every year, my parents usually write the names of my paternal grandparents and maternal grandfather at the temple so that the temple can make daily offerings and prayers to liberate the dearly departed into blissful rebirths. It is called a 超度 ceremony. It is an appropriate time to offer prayers and food offerings :

1. For the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

2. For the hungry ghosts and wandering spirits.

3. For the unfortunate unborn babies. 

4. To pacify karmic creditors and vengeful beings. Sometimes we meet obstacles because we have offended beings in our present and past lives, hence they are creating problems for us now.

There are 6 realms in which we can take rebirth; Deva (gods), Asura (demi gods), Human, Animal, Hungry Ghost, or being in Hell. One's previous actions and thoughts determine which of the 6 realms one is reborn into.

This is a photo of a Hungry Ghost (preta). They are beings with huge, empty stomachs, but they have pinhole mouths, and their necks are so thin they cannot swallow. They experience continuous frustration and unsatisfied hunger. They can never get enough satisfaction. They can never fill their bellies. They're always hungry, always empty, always seeking it from the outside. They seem to be attached to their worldly material possessions they once had, including their homes and other places, and when they pass away their suffering continues and no matter how much they have or they eat they are never satisfied.

Pretas are believed to have been jealous or greedy people in a previous life. As a result of their karma, they are afflicted with an insatiable hunger for a particular substance or object. Traditionally, this is something repugnant or humiliating, such as human corpses or faeces, though in more recent stories, it can be anything, however bizarre.

We can control our actions, to do good or bad deeds are entirely within our control, which will affect our karma, and in turn directs where we take rebirth in. We should have compassion towards those reborn in the lower realms of animals, hungry ghosts and hell, by performing good deeds and dedicating the merits to them. Merits are the only things we can bring with us in death, not our house, not money or loved ones. Hence, accumulating merits is crucial for the sake of ourselves as well as for other beings.  

Just Acia - great prices and free flow of.....

Discovered a little gem recently while finding lunch with a work mate. When one emerges from Dhoby Ghaut MRT, there is the area at the underground tunnel called Dhoby Ghaut Exchange. It is before you reach the basement of Plaza Singapura.  Here in Dhoby Ghaut Exchange, there are a number of little eateries, hair salons, and shops. 

We chanced upon Just Acia, an eatery which named themselves the "Best of Asia Noodles & Rice Sets".  But what really caught my eyes was "Set meals from $5.90 with FREE FLOW of cafe mocha, cappucino, soft drinks and ice cream". Sitting down at the open space with many available seats, Just Acia occupies the center of Dhoby Ghaut Exchange, the entire stretch in the center of all the little shops. They have a wide variety of choices of Japanese, Korean, Thai and Chinese themed dishes.

Could not really decide what to order and settled for the Dory Fish Noodle Set in Tomato Sauce.  When my lunch set came, I was pleasantly surprised.  The size was huge for the affordable price; a big bowl of noodles tomato soup which looked really spicy (but not), and 2 side dishes of Japanese Edamame (green soy beans) and Kimchi. They were generous with the ingredients, 2 big pieces of Fried Dory Fish in the noodles soup, with lots of mushroom, veggies and even a runny egg. The tomato based soup was thick, and quite satisfying. It reminded me of eating tomato-based pasta in soup.  If I have to complain, my only grouse was the noodles were not QQ chewy enough. They were a little soggy.

We ordered the Xi'an Spinach Fried Tofu which costs $2.90. It came with 3 big pieces of fried tofu with mashed spinach coated on top. They were hot and soft inside. I like the side dishes of Edamame and Kimchi.  I like biting and dislocating the Edamame beans from its pod. Even the Kimchi did not taste like the usual Korean kimchi. I guess it was freshly made, marinated with a slightly different taste and very crunchy.

Of course not forgetting our FREE FLOW drinks of cappucino, soft drinks, root beer and tubs and tubs of ice cream with different flavours to choose from. I had the Raspberry and Sweet Corn flavours that day.

Granted the quality of food might not have been on par with the high end restaurants, but Just Acia made it up with quantity and variety of choices.  All in all, a good lunch experience which was value for money for price-conscious diners. I believe it is the cheapest restaurant in Orchard Road. Even dining in food courts may not necessary be cheaper than what Just Acia had to offer.

Check out the variety of dishes in Just Acia website. Also, here are some reviews from other bloggers:

The Simplest Aphrodisiac

Daniel's Food Diary

Pasir Ris Not Paris

Soshiok.com

Must try??!!

Wanted to have my kopi-C fix and a little snack one afternoon.  I saw this little open-space counter selling kaya toast, sandwiches, and all the hot /cold beverages, similar to the likes of Yakun, ToastBox, Kiliney etc...  Looking at the lighted sign box menu above the counter, I was pondering what to order.  Usually we pay extra attention to the side of individual items with a "Must try!", "Highly recommended", "Chef's choice".... etc... I was not in the mood to have the usual kaya toast, until I saw "Steamed Kaya Bread" with a "Must Try" in red print at its side.  This was the first time I saw "steamed kaya bread", so I thought why not give it a try.  More healthy.

You can imagine my surprised look when the counter staff gave me my order. It was just a plate of warm steamed plain white bread cut into cubes, which came with a mix of butter and kaya spread plopped inside a small plastic container and a tiny wooden 'knife' to spread your bread.  So, the "must try" steamed kaya bread is actually plain bread which I needed to DIY myself.  Fooled. 

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

Whenever I see these popular 3 wise monkeys, they always remind me to be mindful of my thoughts and actions.  They embody the Confucian saying: "Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety" (非禮勿視， 非禮勿聽，非禮勿言， 非禮勿動).

It may be that this phrase was shortened and simplified after it was brought into Japan, and became "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". The three monkeys are Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil, Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil. Sometimes there is a 4th monkey depicted with the three others; the last one, Shizaru, symbolizes the principle of "do no evil". He may be shown crossing his arms.

Just as there is disagreement about the origin of the phrase, there are differing explanations of the meaning of "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil".

- Some simply take the proverb as a reminder not to be snoopy, nosy and gossipy.

- Some associate the 3 monkeys with the fearsome six-armed deity Vajrakilaya and link the proverb to the teaching of Buddhism that if we do not hear, see or talk evil, we ourselves shall be spared all evil (referring to the Three Vajra, which is body, speech and mind).

- Others believe the message is that a person who is not exposed to evil (through sight or sound) will not reflect that evil in their own speech and actions.

- Today "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" is commonly used to describe someone who doesn't want to be involved in a situation, or someone willfully turning a blind eye to the immorality of an act in which they are involved.

- In many interpretations it can be seen as a way to avoid spreading evil. Do not listen to evil things so they do not influence you. Do not read things that are evil or look upon evil things so they do not influence you, and lastly do not repeat verbally evil things so they cannot be spread about.

May each of us keep in mind and put to practice this powerful yet simple principle of "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" in our daily lives, and thus may we develop profound wisdom. 

Yummy prized finds in Geylang Lorong 29

Over the weekend, despite my very packed schedule, I had an impromptu meet up with my close friend J since Primary One for a little makan. We had a drink and cake in a little cafe before dinner. We had wanted to try the cafe's lemongrass drink but it turned out it tasted like ginger drink on that day!

Since we were very near Geylang, J suggested we try nice big premium pork belly satay at a coffeeshop in Lorong 29. We walked over to Sing Lian Eating House at 549 Lorong 29 along Geylang Road. There was a little queue at 6pm. We were told we had to wait for 30 minutes. So we decided to try some food from the other stalls in the same coffeeshop.

There is a stall selling duck rice and intestines and diffferent braised food. We ordered a small plate of duck meat, braised egg, and big intestines, as well as a big bowl of kwap chap to share. Do you notice the chilli sauce which is a mix of different types of chilli, a little tangy sourish and spicy at the same time?

The dish was quite tender and yummy, and well done with no peculiar smell. And the duck meat and intestines went well with the smooth kway chap. I forgot to note down the name of this stall, but it is in the same coffeeshop. Rating: 4.0/5

When one visits this coffeeshop, a must-try is the famous Swee Guan Hokkien Mee. We waited about 10-15 minutes for this dish because there was a queue too and many patrons ordered this noodle dish. I found out online that this stall is different and not to be mistaken with another stall named "Geylang Lot 29 Hokkien Mee" which is situated at Telok Kurau instead. This is Swee Guan Hokkien Mee. When the hokkien mee arrived, our first reaction was "wah, so messy!". The slightly moist noodles were splattered onto the plate. They did not bother 'arranging' the noodles nicely in the plate.

The initial shock of sight was replaced with heavenly taste. They were so generous with the ingredients of prawns, squid, lean meat, beansprouts, and tiny pieces of pork lard in such a small plate! There was "wok hei" and I learnt they used charcoal to fry this delicious Hokkien Mee. The slightly charred taste made this dish so delectable, makes me recall the Hokkien noodles of the past with nostalgia. No wonder they are so popular. I highly recommend this. Rating: 4.3/5

The dish we were waiting for finally arrived 35-40 minutes later, after we had finished our kway chap and hokkien mee. This is the famous Kwong Satay, aka. Premium Pork Belly Satay!!! As there were only 2 of us, we ordered 5 big sticks of the pork belly satay and 5 small sticks of the normal pork satay. Each premium stick of pork belly satay costs $1.00 (one dollar). The small satay stick cost 40cents each. Did you notice the satay gravy which had a little pineapple sauce in it? This is my favourite type of satay gravy, along with ketupat (rice cakes), small pieces of cucumber. I love small pieces of raw onions too but this stall does not serve onions.

These are the BIG sticks of Pork Belly Satay. Yes, our taste buds were satisfied, it was indeed very tender and marinated with sweet sauce and BBQ till optimum best with the corners a little charred. It IS indeed different from the other satay. It is particularly tender and juicy because they used pork belly. Dipping it into the satay peanut gravy, the satay was out of this world. I would safely say this is the best satay in Singapore.

Here is a comparison in size between the Premium pork belly satay and normal pork satay. The normal stick of satay was also nice, a tad sweeter than the premium version. It is not as tender as the pork belly satay but it is still tender compared to the other usual pork satay we are accustomed to, which may be quite hard at times. Rating: 4.5/5

Sing Lian Eating House is the corner coffeeshop at the junction of Lorong 29 and Geylang Road. Our stomachs were so full we could not try the other stalls. I would try the Fried Orh Luak in my next visit which seems to be popular with patrons as well. It was so surreal sitting at the roadside, eating, drinking and chatting with a close friend, absorbing the hustle and bustle of crowded Geylang on a weekend, people-watching, as well as watching the skies turned dark. Thanks, J, for the meet up!

Tony Leung as LKY?

This is too hilarious. Just heard that HK actor Tony Leung is going to play Lee Kuan Yew in an upcoming movie about Singapore's post-independence years. It is a jointly-produced film between Hong Kong and Singapore titled “1965″. With a star cast of Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung and Oscar-nominee Julian Moore, the producers hope to to rewrite Singapore’s film history. 

A reader sent this poster to theonlinecitizen. The onlinecitizen asks, "Does that mean Andy Lau gets to play Goh Keng Swee?"

Within one hour, more than 100 comments came in fast and furious.... they went wild with imagination...

Vanessa Choo 

"Some one with Shek Kin's looks will be more suitable to play LKY."

Kirsten Han

"YOU HAVE GOTS TO BE KIDDING ME."

Tony Wee

"I wonder who plays LHL, Eric Tsang?"

Simon Mok

"Eric tsang can be MBT lah...hahaha"

Wiki Wawa

"Gurmit Singh to be President Nathan !"

Jeff Leong

"Omg lah. 偶像变"呕相"."

Julian Lim

"Tony Leung: "I want to tell you a secret". "I'm a communist"

Emeritus Zaabah

"Patricia Mok to be Mrs Lee ....LOL"

Kent Yeoh

"Sure box office. A trip to the cinema will be a school excursion for all the school kids. Also free packet food for the aunties and uncles ( for once, the "no outside food" policy of cinemas will be waived)."

Yvonne Chia

"Is this a stunt by PAP to reverse its ailing image & reputation?"

Leon Yap

"Will it be a comedy?"

Dennis JZ

"wonders who's really funding the movie..."

William Chan

"hey it would be interesting... to see LKY speaking mandarin... bcos back then he cant speak, read or write a word in mandarin!!! or r they going to get Tony to speak in English while the rest of the cast speaks... dialects? LOL"

Koh Wee Kee

"I wont be watching Tony Leung and Maggie cheung movies after this.."

William Chan

"LOL did anyone check out the emoticon comments at the end of the article? 14% thinks its ridiculous, 14% is troubled by it, 28% fainted LOL 28% peng san"

Hahaha! I think Tony Leung is going to lose many Singaporean fans after this.

Savoury Pumpkin Rice

My mom cooked this for dinner on a week day  - Savoury Pumpkin Rice - and I love it very much. This is what we called Giam Png (salted rice in Teochew).  Usually mom would cook Giam Png using yam. However, this time, she used pumpkin instead.  

Ingredients: 

- Pumpkin

- 3 layer pork & lean pork (marinate if required)

- Dried shrimps (hae bee)

- Chinese mushroom

- Mix of brown rice and white rice

First, the dried shrimps were sauteed with garlic till golden brown with aroma. Then the meat, which was cut into thin slices, was sauteed together with the dried shrimps, followed by strips of chinese mushroom, adding condiments like light soya sauce, pepper, and a little salt. When the ingredients were half cooked, they were mixed into the rice cooker with the brown and white rice. Pumpkin which was cut in cubes, was also included in the rice cooker.  Then you add light soya sauce to taste. My mom usually use very little light soya sauce or none at all, as the ingredients would already be sufficiently flavourful and salty enough.

This is so simple as you wait for the rice and ingredients to cook in the cooker. After about 20-30 minutes, dinner is ready.  Serve with crispy fried shallots and pepper. The dish looks interesting and so colourful, especially that of the pumpkin with both brown and white rice.

I love pumpkin alot. The pumpkin pieces here are soft, almost mashed, and they taste sweet, complementing the other savoury ingredients like dried shrimps, pork and mushroom. I prefer pumpkin to yam because yam is too dry and taste quite bland to me.

Have you tried Savoury Pumpkin Rice before? 

Having vegetarian in Yes Natural F&B Restaurant

As I mentioned in the earlier post, I had a quick dinner with my parents before going to ABC for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday puja. We had vegetarian food at Yes Natural Restaurant nearby because I was on vegetarian that day. As there were only 3 of us, we ordered a couple of dishes to try. 

The Olive Fried Rice was very fragrant and refreshing, even though the ingredients used were very simple; only preserved olive, peas, cabbage, mock luncheon meat. My mom liked this dish.

Kong Bao Cubes.  A slightly spicy dish, instead of chicken used usually for this dish, they used beancurd cubes which tasted almost like chicken, plus dried chillis, cashew nuts, green peppers.  My father liked to eat the dried chillis on its own, when I did not even touch it. The dish was slightly salty for my taste but it went very well with the olive fried rice. 

We love this Stir Fried Sweet Potato Leaves. My mom requested be simply stir fried instead of the Sambal version.  It looked so plain but it was bursting with the freshness of the potato leaves.

Beancurd Wrap with Veggies. Big pieces of fried beancurd wrapped to look like fried dumplings dribbled with a slightly starchy sauce of a combination of stir fried enoki mushrooms, greens, red capsicum. Once you bite into the beancurd wrap, it was juicy, slightly wet yet still crispy. Yummy!

We totally love the piping hot Almond Milk we each ordered. It was thick with the aroma of almond and not too sweet. It is good for health too.

If you are on vegetarian, do give Yes Natural a try. The restaurant adheres to a policy with using less oil, salt and no MSG so as to preserve the natural taste and flavor of the food. Some of the ingredients are organic. They have individual set meals available too. For example, their Baked Cheese Noodles/Rice is good, their Fried Ho Fun and Mee Goreng has the wok hei. Also, they have a Bakery as well as an Organic shop as the same row of  shophouse units as the restaurant.

The address :
Yes Natural F&B (Restaurant)
57 Lor 27 Geylang Singapore 388184
Tel: (65) 6741 1580 Fax: (65) 6547 8437
Opening Hours: 11.30am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm.

Birthdays are really no big deal

Just realised I totally forgot about my June month end summary of pics. Nevermind, It's my birthday month, so I deserve a break. Ha! My birthday came and passed.  For those who know me well, they know I do not like to make a big fuss over my own birthday, for it is just another day to me (albeit  being officially older and way past the eligible age for everything!). I am also shy and prefer to be low profile. Also, from what I learn ed spiritually, there is no "i" phenomena. We should not feel so attached to ourselves, glorifying ourselves all the time. I was a little bemused that a couple of friends kept asking me what I was going to do on my birthday, and afterwards what I did for my birthday. What's the big hooha?

I received many well wishes and greetings from Facebook and Twitter, sms, and many private messages, from I think over 200 friends and family.  I am very heartened and touched by the attention. Over the years, I have learned to manage my own expectations. When you expect and have high hopes from people (especially close ones), you may get disappointed as a result (this is what I mean by "attachment"). Hence, no expectation means beautiful surprises. Nonetheless, a couple of weeks prior to my birthday, I met up with some friends, always with one or two close friends, over a cuppa or a simple meal.  They were all "quickies" short meetings. Catching up was more important than "birthday celebration".  And I also had makan with my family, so I am very grateful.

 

Special high tea set for July from TCC, they have different high tea set every month. A wonderful spread of sweet and savoury snacks and bites. Quite filling too.

Love the Cheese Chiffon Cake from Tampopo Deli as always, light and fluffy cream, not excessively sweet too.

Ham & Pineapple Quesadilla from DOME.  I love quesadillas here as it is light and juicy, plus generous salad and potato chips!

Premium Bento set from Sakae Sushi was value for money with its variety of dishes.

Quick lunch with a close friend in V8 with their V8 Special Dish - Chicken with with their V8 special sauce.

Traditional Banana Split. I actually used to dislike banana split and never order them at all. So I broke record finally. Have not had Banana split since my secondary days. It has kind of grows on me now. Love the black sesame ice cream flavour. Haha!

Who can say no to warm Molten Lave cake and ice cream? From Cheeky Chocolates?

Ramen from a Japanese joint. So-so ramen but egglicious soup stock.

Thai set lunch from Thai Express - Basil Pork rice set with Tomyum soup and drink. Full of fragrant flavours and comforting.

Enjoyable Steamboat dinner with my whole family at Thien Kee, the famous Hainanese place for chicken rice, porkchop and steamboat.

I have reviewed Thien Kee before in an earlier post.  We are quite predictable in the dishes, always ordering the steamboat with assortment of ingredients, chicken rice, pork chop, satay and Kailan veggies.

Finally ON the day itself, on my birthday, it was a normal working day.  I  had appointment and meetings outside. I was vegetarian that day. This was my lunch alone from Cedele - Mixed Veggies Ciabatta. Cedele has a good variety of meals for vegetarians. The Mixed Veggies sandwich was so good and juicy with red pepper, pumpkin, plum chutney, tomato, greens.

In the evening, brought the parents to Yes Natural Vegetarian Restaurant for a quick dinner. Delicious vegetarian dishes, watch out for my next post on this restaurant.  I found it significant to give my parents a treat especially on my birthday, for without them, where would I be, right?  Thanks, Pa & Mom!  

After dinner, I attended the Namgyalma puja in Amitabha Buddhist Centre, because 6 July was also His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's 76th birthday. I make it a point to attend this long life prayers for His Holiness every year, because he is a very very important guru to me, and also, participating in his long life prayers on my birthday also ensure I have a long life too.  So auspicious and I am very privileged.  A friend asked, "so you gonna spend your birthday in a temple eh?". Well, it is not what it seems to the uninitiated. ABC is a nice modern buddhist centre, a quiet place to do your prayers and meditation and studies. It is not like what we envisage a Chinese Mahayana crowded temple would be. It was only a 2-hour session at the end of the day. And I get to eat blessed cake (His Holiness' cake) too. I am so lucky.  

Before the puja, this beautiful new thangka of the beautiful and glorious White Tara (she bestows longevity) was unveiled.  The thangka just arrived and sent by my guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who is currently recuperating from stroke in Kopan Monastery. He wrote on the thangka, "specially for my students in ABC centre.... etc....".

My birthday gift from my sis. Thank you to her and my friends who gave me gifts and the treats.

Ang pow from my parents. I had a meaningful birthday these couple of weeks.  Diet time!  Merci beaucoup!

Here is a one-minute clip where His Holiness the Dalai Lama talks about making the most of each new day from his address at celebrations honoring his 76th birthday held in Washington DC, USA, on July 6, 2011.

Green tea without ice

I was at McDonalds one lunch time. After placing and waiting for my order, one man in his 50s was next in the queue.

He asked the price difference between the French fries and the twister fries. Then he asked how much is the upsize price for each type of fries. Then he asked was the 40 cents more for upsize worth it. He then said better to take the regular fries. Next he asked if green tea is available in the set meal. Also, how much is the price difference between the set meal with green tea and the usual set meal. He said he wanted green tea. Then he said green tea without ice. He repeated this twice. Then he asked for Filet O Fish without the sauce please (he repeated it 3 times). And stressed again, green tea without ice.

He took out his wallet and took out stacks of $10 dollars, counted ALL the notes twice, before finally taking out two $2 notes. Then he rummaged his pocket for coins. Total order $4.80. Again he repeated "green tea, no ice please".

His order finally came, he took his tray of food to a table. Less than one minute later, he was back at the counter. He asked, "Can I have a glass of ice please? For my green tea."