Life Of Lopsided 8

Nonya-styled Ngoh Hiang (Five-Spice Meat Rolls) 娘惹五香

2012-01-27T12:44:00.000+08:00

The CNY is not CNY without my mom's Ngoh Hiang. Without fail, every CNY, I would help my mom prepare the ingredients for her Nonya-styled Ngoh Hiang (Five-Spice Meal Rolls). Mom followed Violet Oon's recipe with little improvisions. After chopping and chopping and chopping all the ingredients into tiny pieces, mom insisted she be the one wrapping the Ngoh Hiang so that they are consistent in size and look good, while I man the steamers and wash and wash and wash the dishes.

Ingredients used:

- pork loin

- minced pork

- minced fish meat

- prawns

- diced spring onions

- water-chestnuts (peeled)

- carrots (peeled)

- onions (peeled)

- transparent dried soya bean skin

- sugar, light soya sauce, salt, pepper

- Chinese five-spice powder

- corn flour

- sesame oil

The entire spread of ingredients... I peeled and chopped, peeled and chopped, peeled and chopped...

Mixing all the ingredients together...

Thoroughly mixed ingredients in a huge pot, ready to be wrapped!

Mom wrapping the Ngoh Hiang with beancurd skin, which is slightly salted by itself.

Nicely wrapped Ngoh Hiang in steamers ready to be steamed!

I had to jagah the boiling water and time. It takes about less than 15 minutes to steam the rolls of Ngoh Hiang.

The meat rolls are ready in no time!

All steamed and cooked Ngoh Hiang were laid out to cool, before being kept in the freezer. When you would like to eat them, just fry them.

After frying the frozen Ngoh Hiang, you are ready to serve golden brown juicy meat rolls, garnished with cut cucumber.

Our homemade Ngoh Hiang, with lots of crunchy water chestnuts. Bon appetit!

The final day of the Jade Buddha Exhibition is today!

2012-01-26T02:06:00.001+08:00

The once-in-a-lifetime event, the visit of the Jade Buddha of Universal Peace to Singapore, has finally come to a successful finale. The two-week exhibition has seen thousands and thousands of Singaporeans and visitors thronged to Ngee Ann City in Orchard Road to have a glimpse of the amazing largest Jade Buddha in the world and to receive his blessings. Today is the final day of the exhibition. If you have not made the connection with the Jade Buddha, do not miss this precious opportunity by today, as the exhibition will close at 10pm.

This is the reknown Jade Buddha of Universal Peace, who has visited many countries across the globe and given blessings to millions and millions of people. Carved from one single piece of jade called Polar Pride, the Jade Buddha is the exact replica of Shakyamuni Buddha in Bodhgaya, the very place where the Buddha gained enlightenment. By making the connection with the Jade Buddha, we are making the cause and condition to meet the Buddha Dharma again and again till we achieve enlightenment.

At the opening ceremony of the Jade Buddha Exhibition, representatives of the nine religious orders offered their prayers for world peace.

The ceremony was graced by Minister of Education, Mr Heng Swee Keat, former President, SR Nathan, as well as Mrs Goh Chok Tong among other dignitaries. This exhibition was organised by Amitabha Buddhist Centre and the host for the night was celebrity Nadya Hutalagung.

The beautiful sand mandala of the 1000-armed Chenrezig (Kuan Yin) was meticulously constructed by the nuns of Kopan Monastery over a period of few days. If you are there, do circumambulate around the blessed sand mandala 3 times.

Beautiful light offerings to the Jade Buddha.

Beautiful flower offerings to the Jade Buddha.

Amitabha Buddhist Centre has pledged more than 50,000kg of rice for distribution to 8 designated charities among both Buddhist and non-Buddhist communities in Singapore, which include; Brighthill Evergreen Home, Buddhist Lodge, Geylang East Home for the Aged, Jamiyah Singapore, Man Fatt Tong Nursing, Shan You Counselling Centre, Sun Love Home and Willing Hearts.

One of the highlights of the exhibition was the Lama Dance, performed by the monks and nuns of Kopan Monastery, to dispel obstacles as well as in tribute and veneration to the Jade Buddha and for world peace.

Dharma books and information was shared during the exhibition, and for devotees to make connection with the Three Jewels.

Many holy objects which were blessed and consecrated, were made available for sponsorship. There was a huge demand and interest among the visitors in inviting holy objects home during the Chinese New Year.

Thousands and thousands of Singaporeans as well as foreign visitors took time to visit the exhibition. Rejoice in all the visitors who had the affinity to witness the glory of the Jade Buddha.

Our friendly and tireless guru, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, who is the Abbot of Kopan Monastery, visited the grounds of the Jade Buddha Exhibition everyday, blessing devotees and the holy objects they sponsored, and thus allowing devotees to make connection with him as well as the Triple Gem.

Khen Rinpoche was literally mobbed wherever he appeared, as devotees seek blessings and consultation from him. I witnessed how he took the time to bless and pray for each devotee, whether he/she is a child, a troubled devotee or an elder in a wheelchair. He spent 5 hours blessing the crowd (who kept coming) with a small Jade Buddha without taking a break.

Monks and nuns of Kopan Monastery who were very hardworking during the entire Exhibition.

I only managed to capture a little orb from my several photos of the Jade Buddha. Perhaps you have also captured the beauty and magnificent aura of the Jade Buddha too?

This is Maitreya Buddha, the Future Buddha, fronting the entrance of the Jade Buddha Exhibition, surrounded by many holy relics of Shakyamuni Buddha, arhats, as well as high lamas. Among them, were many relics of our very own guru, the former abbot of Kopan Monastery, Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, who entered into Parinirvana last September and who manifested a myraid of holy relics.

Here is one of the relics of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup - the largest relic is his eyeball relic - which was left unburnt. Notice the several holy colourful orbs surrounding the amazing relic? Do not miss the chance to view the precious relics and be blessed.

It was an incredible experience for the many volunteers who contributed their time and effort during this CNY period to help out in the Exhibition. Rejoice in everyone's hard work and merits!

This is dedicated to all the sponsors and volunteers and benefactors of this Jade Buddha Exhibition, everyone who made it possible for this event to actualize and to benefit all beings.

Most importantly, this Jade Buddha Exhibition would not have been possible without the blessings from our precious guru, the spiritual director of FPMT Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. We are serving our guru to repay his kindness, as well as ultimately paying homage to all the Buddhas of the past, present and future.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche sent a message during this Jade Buddha Exhibition :

"Whatever one offers [to a statue of Buddha], whether it is tiny or big, it causes happiness from beginningless rebirth up to now. This refers to temporary happiness, on top of that, the cause of ultimate happiness, liberation from suffering and the causes of suffering, and full enlightenment, for the sake of all sentient beings. Then you are able to liberate numberless sentient beings from suffering and bring to enlightenment, and of course this includes achieving worldly people's small happiness; it is all contained here.

These are some of the benefits of coming here and seeing the Jade Buddha."

With much love and prayers,

Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Bodhgaya, 19 Jan 2012.

My earlier post on the Jade Buddha.

Have a Happy Compassionate Chinese New Year!

2012-01-23T03:30:00.003+08:00

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!! 祝大家龙年行大运!!!

This drawing was done by my niece many years ago when she was in primary 1 or 2. I have kept it for so long. This is what Chinese New Year meant to her.

I shall save all the usual CNY greetings, and share what I saw from a friend's Facebook status. I'm not sure if she is a Buddhist, but she wrote...

What is compassion? To me, it's in two aspects of 'giving' and 'taking'.

Giving aspect is to provide kindness and love, in acts of giving and charity to those people in need.

Taking aspect is to take others' suffering away and taking their life burden off their shoulders. To share and empathise with them.

Have you 'given' and 'taken' today?

How beautiful. May all of us be able to practice compassion in this lunar new year, by giving more and taking the suffering of others. For it is only through this, that we can truly find happiness. Have a Happy Compassionate Chinese New Year!

Everyone's double rainbow on 21 Jan 2012 (collection of photos)

2012-01-21T22:54:00.000+08:00

This evening, on the eve of CNY eve, at around 7pm, after the heavy downpour, a double rainbow appeared. Everyone in my Facebook and Twitter timeline started posting photos of the auspicious rainbow.

Celebrity Nadya Hutalagung tweeted, "Seems that the whole of Singapore was treated to the gorgeous double rainbows today... a reminder that life is AMAZING."

Geomancer Master Tan Khoon Yong said, "第一次看到双彩红。虽不明显，这是旺年象征."

Patricia Lee, Centre Manager of Amitabha Buddhist Centre said, "Double rainbow appeared shortly after the Dzambhala Puja conducted by Khen Rinpoche and monks and nuns from Kopan", at the Jade Buddha Exhibition.

And for once, I agree with what @Xiaxue said, "Love all the Singaporeans' happy tweets about the rainbow today. We should all be united in counting blessings like these, instead of whining."

To me, double rainbows are doubly auspicious. Read my previous post on the meaning of double rainbow. May everyone who saw the rainbow as well as those who didn't, be blessed with the arrival of the lunar new year. We are very blessed in Singapore, you know that?

Here is the double rainbow captured by everyone this evening (credits at the bottom of each photo).

Shen Shi'an

Goh Weixiang

@chronophobia

Bob Lee

Eugene Teh

@badboytiar

@buttercookies

Christina Koh

Nadya Hutalagung

Hairunizam Abdul Radir

Patricia Lee

Pearl Chan

Lee Yue Heng

@rochorbeancurd

Mathew Lwee

@xiaxue

@qinatthedisco

@songboh

@wokkingmum

Master Tan Khoon Yong

Wee Heng

@tangenghui

@xKimmykim

Noel Ong

Remembering Ah Gong

2012-01-21T09:11:00.000+08:00

I know it's CNY and everyone is busy preparing for their reunion dinner on CNY eve. Somehow I have not caught the CNY mood yet, even though I have done all the necessary spring-cleaning at home and put up 'cheena' CNY decorations. Tomorrow, I will be helping my mom make Ngoh Hiang, her very own version of five-spice pork rolls. It is our annual CNY ritual thing to do.

Reading @skinnylatte's touching blog post earlier about her late grandfather, made me think of my own Ah Gong. I have blogged about Ah Gong a couple of times before.

Ah Gong from young to old

I did not have that many memories of Ah Gong as he left when I was only 6 years old. Although I knew him for that short period of only 6 years, I remember he was someone very special to me. He was my baby sitter in the day, and we were practically inseparable. Everyday, he would bring me to kindergarten and by the time school ended, he would be there outside waiting for me. Often he would have bought me a little toy, ie. books, sweets, cars, guns (yes, even toys for boys, because I guess Ah Gong did not know how to buy girly stuff), drawing boards (he knew I like to draw) and crayons etc...

The old Cecil Street

Then sometimes Ah Gong would bring me to visit his friends or business associates, it was always around 大柏 or 小柏 (Shenton Way or Beach Road area). Most of the time we hanged around Cecil Street neighbourhood where we lived in a shophouse, the spot where Prudential Tower stands today. Ah Gong would bring me to the nearby park or the Esplanade, or to old Lau Pa Sat to have ice kacang or kambing (mutton) soup. Sometimes I played at the Market Street Carpark (which is still there today) opposite my house. And I remember vividly Ah Gong and I eating fried dark noodles from a street peddler somewhere near our shophouse. Usually, by the end of the day, after each adventure, my Mom would be shocked to see me, because my attire would be dirty, sweaty, untidy with unkempt hair. How would an old man know about keeping me clean?

Ah Gong and me

Then one day, Ah Gong decided to pay a visit to his homeland, Kinmen, Taiwan. That early morning at the airport where we were to send him off, he thanked my mom for taking good care of him all those years. It was as if he knew he might not be coming back again. Just as he was going into the departure gate, he turned around, smiled and waved goodbye to me. I could still recall this scene vividly till today. I remember I burst out crying. I did not know then that I would never see him ever again.

Ah Gong had a heart attack during his trip to Kinmen and died in his homeland. He was 69. He had a grand funeral in Kinmen, but sadly, none of his immediate family could be there. When his personal belongings were flown back to Singapore, inside his wallet was a small note. It was a little piece of paper which I had written and sent to him just a few days earlier before his heart attack. In all of my 6-year-old knowledge then (and probably with the help of my father), I wrote in English: "Grandpa, how are you?" and in Chinese, "公公, 你好吗? 我很想你." I still keep this tattered little piece of paper with me till today.

At that time, we held a religious ceremony for him at my home in Singapore. Shortly after, I had a dream. The scene was exactly that same ceremony at my house. I saw myself standing near the main door of my house during the ceremony, while all the adults were standing near the altar, their heads bent, praying and listening to the chanting from the monk. All of a sudden, right outside my door, I saw my Ah Gong standing there. He was waving at me, his ever-so-kind face was smiling at me. Then merely a few seconds later, he turned around to leave, then looked back again and gave me a good bye wave as he walked away. Then I woke up. As I got older, I realised that Ah Gong had appeared in my dream to say good bye to me. It's a sign to me that he doted and loved me dearly, and that dream was his final gift to me. It has been decades since Ah Gong left abruptly, but I still miss him very much whenever I think of him.

Welcoming His Holiness Dagyab Rinpoche to Singapore and CNY Eve Celebrations

2012-01-18T15:23:00.000+08:00

I'm so happy that one of my gurus, 72-year-old His Holiness Dagyab Kyabgoen Loden Sherab Rinpoche, has arrived in Singapore early yesterday morning. Rinpoche, who is based in Germany, is here to celebrate the Chinese New Year with us and to bestow a series of precious teachings and initiations. And in late February, Dagyab Rinpoche and 15 monks from Gaden Shartse Monastery will be conducting the Grand Puja at Ta Pei Buddhist Center.

I have known Dagyab Rinpoche for a few years and he is an excellent teacher, who speaks in Tibetan, English and German. Rinpoche is a reincarnate lama who is the spiritual head of the Dagyab region in Eastern Tibet, and carries the title of "King of Dharma". Dagyab RInpoche was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the 9th Kyabgoen of Dagyab (Patron of Dagyab). Despite being such a high ranking and very outstanding lama, Dagyab Rinpoche is a very humble, kind and sincere guru, with no airs about him. In fact, he is so humble that he insists we do not address him as "His Holiness", but rather, "His Eminence" or just "Rinpoche" instead. However, with utmost respect, I insist in according Dagyab Rinpoche as "His Holiness" in this blog, as befitting his honorable position and high rank/title. Unbeknownst to most people, Dagyab Rinpoche is a highly realised practitioner.

Rinpoche was an outstanding student from Drepung Monastery who graduated with a Geshe Lharampa degree (equivalent of PhD) and has been turning the Wheel of Dharma by tirelessly giving teachings to students all over the world for decades. Rinpoche is known to hold the most transmissions of the Gelugpa lineage, as well as a vast number of transmissions of the Sakya and Kagyu schools. Rinpoche himself received many teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Trijiang Rinpoche, Ling Rinpoche, as well as His Holiness Sakya Trizin and Kalu Rinpoche. He was one of the closest students of the late Kyabje Trijiang Rinpoche.

Dagyab Rinpoche is standing behind His Holiness the Dalai Lama in this precious photo

Recently I discovered a very precious old photo of high Tibetan lamas from all the major Tibetan Buddhist traditions. And since Dagyab Rinpoche is here with us in Singapore, we checked with him and he has confirmed that he was also present in this photo (standing behind His Holiness the Dalai Lama) and gave more details about this photo. Apparently, this was a gathering among all the Tibetan head lamas, the very first Dharma meeting held in His Holiness the Dalai Lama's first residence in exile, in Dharamsala, in the year of 1963 around the April-May period.

Setrap is Amitabha in wrathful form

His Holiness Dalai Lama is in the center with his two tutors Ling Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche on his left. On his right is His Holiness Sakya Trizin, His Holiness 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Rinpoche, and Dudjom Rinpoche. Behind them is Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Kalu Rinpoche and many other wonderful lamas. Dagyab Rinpoche himself was the Secretary in this meeting. This photo serves as precious memory of the 20th century's greatest practitioners and teachers.

Not many people know that His Holiness Dagyab Rinpoche is especially connected to Protector Setrap due to his line of reincarnation. The Dharma Protector Setrap is a manifestation of Buddha Amitabha in wrathful form, and resides in the Western Pure Realm of Sukhavati. Protector Setrap is the protector of the Dagyab region in eastern Tibet and is also the special protector of Menya; coincidentally, this is where Rinpoche was born. Hence Dagyab Rinpoche is considered to have a very special connection with Protector Setrap not only in this life, but in all past lifetimes as well.

CNY EVE CELEBRATIONS

There will be a grand celebration to herald in the year of the dragon this coming Sunday on CNY Eve in Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling with a series of pujas, conducted personally by Dagyab Rinpoche and 15 monks from Gaden Shartse Monastery.

Date: Sunday 23 Jan 2012 (CNY Eve)

Venue: Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling (12 Guillemard Lane, Singapore399878)

Time: 10:00pm to 12:30am

The prayers to be conducted are:

1 Heart Sutra Obstacle-Clearing Puja

To enjoy a fulfilling year 2012 ahead, whereby all our goals can be achieved smoothly with minimized obstacles, we must first purify negativities and bad karma that we have committed in the past year as much as we can. Obstacles arise from the ripening of bad karma. Obstacles cause us unhappiness and hindrances in achieving our aims. To prevent obstacles, we must avoid accumulating bad karma or purify them before they ripen. The Heart Sutra Obstacle-Clearing Puja is a powerfulritual to swiftly eradicate any on-coming major obstacles for us in the NewYear.

2 Namtose Fortune & Wealth-Recharge Puja

Namtose is a famous protector and wealth deity of Esoteric Buddhism. For centuries great Buddhist practitioners and yogis relied on his practice for wealth, protection and cultivation of the path. Namtose Wealth Pujas are one of the must-have auspicious pujas for the New Year. This puja summons immense positive wealth energies upon the puja participants, and is a very effective method to invoke positive wealth energy of the surroundings. For those who own wealth vases or fortune wands, they can bring them along for re-energizing of wealth blessings for the New Year.

3 Immaculate Smoke Incense Offering

The ritual of the immaculate incense offering is said to be very beneficial especiallydone for new year and new beginnings. This puja gathers great and inconceivablemerit as it makes offerings to a wide variety of objects:

3.1 Offering to the Three Jewels: The Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Holy Beings of the ten directions have overcome all forms of faults and delusions, hence by our offering to them, we will be able to increase both our wisdom and merit, andalso receive blessings and guidance from the Three Jewels.

3.2 Offering to mundane and super-mundane Protectors: We will be able to receive their protection blessings, be freed from obstacles and receivehelpful conditions in our career and work.

3.3 Offering to beings of the six realms in samsara:Through our offerings, we are able to repay our karmic debts, be relieved fromsupernatural obstacles, and lead them to receive blessings and liberation.

3.4 Offering to beings of hungry ghost realm: Hungry ghost realm beings are under the constant suffering of hunger and thirst. Our sincereofferings shall be able to alleviate their sufferings, overcome negativeconditions or obstacles to our lifespan, and can also prevent any illnesscaused by them. We can also dispel bad luck,nightmares or bad omens.

RED TARA POWER & WEALTH VASE

A very special attraction of this CNY Eve celebrations is the Red Tara Power & Wealth Vase. Having heard of its great benefits from Dagyab Rinpoche, DPL has specially requested and commissioned Gaden Shartse Monastery to consecrate these extremely powerful Red Tara vases for CNY.

Red Tara is one of the 21-Tara emanations. Red Tara is a very powerful deity who subdues the three realms – desire, form and formless realms. She is red in colour, symbolizing the activity of power and magnetizing. This Red Tara Power & Wealth Vase is not an ordinary wealth vase, which is very hard to come by.

Benefits of Red Tara Wealth Vase

The RED TARA POWER & WEALTH VASE confers the power of magnetizing everything beneficial, summoning and attracting all the positive and helpful conditions in all aspects (career, business, family, and of course spiritual practice) - with the ultimate aim of benefiting all sentient beings. For example, by engaging in the Red Tara practice, we could draw essence of magnetizing power, health, wealth, wisdom, obstacle-clearing – to successfully accomplish both the temporal and ultimate happiness of all sentient beings.

In summary, the Red Tara Vase will help to increase our abilities (by attracting the power of the three realms) so as to swiftly achieve goals and obtain various attainments. However, one needs to in all practices with the pure motivation of compassion and bodhicitta in order to be ableto receive great blessings of the inconceivable magnetizing power of Red Tara; and every action becomes a direct cause for enlightenment and all virtuous minds.

These vases are made available for sponsorship in the CNY BLESSED HAMPER OF POWER & WEALTH. The offering of each hamper is $280. All funds collected go to the air tickets and food fund of Dagyab Rinpoche and all monks for the upcoming grand puja visit.

What's in the CNY Hamper?

1. Red Tara Vase for Power & Wealth

2. Special Namtose Incense (in accordance to Golden Light Sutra): To invite Namtose and wealth deities into your home when one offers the incense

3. Butterlamp candle: For dispelling ignorance and growth of wisdom

4. Mushroom: Blessings for success everywhere you go

5. Mandarin Oranges: Auspiciousness

6. Rice: Blessings for abundance

7. Fa Choy: Blessings for wealth & fortune

8. Mee Sua: Blessings for long life

9. Nian Gao: Blessings for abundance and progress in one’s career

10. Long Karta: Symbolic of purity and blessings

11. Flowers

To place your order, you can contact Mari at 63449521 or 97928001.

Looking forward to the CNY Eve celebrations. May this New Year be an auspicious start for you with the divine blessings of the Three Jewels!

I will provide details of the upcoming in-house teachings and exciting Grand Puja in a later post.

A gift from Lama Zopa Rinpoche

2012-01-15T15:44:00.006+08:00

My precious guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, has started to write out the long mantra from the Amitayus long life sutra each day as an exercise for his right hand which is recovering from stroke. He explained the benefits of writing the long mantra, both for purification and to collect merits.

Rinpoche wanted to offer this to students of Amitabha Buddhist Centre with his heartfelt love and thanks for all the prayers that have been dedicated for his health. He signed off, saying, "This was written by my right hand, to show progression due to your kind prayers and dedication. 20 Nov 2011."

Thank you, Rinpoche! May I see you real soon!

Golden Peony in Conrad Centennial Hotel - A comparison between the normal & vegetarian menu selections

2012-01-14T09:11:00.000+08:00

I recently attended the wedding dinner of a cousin in Conrad Centennial Hotel. The customary 8-course Chinese dinner was from Golden Peony Restaurant in the hotel. My cousin kindly arranged my full-vegetarian dinner course. As it was fine dining, with each course being served individually, I could observe and compare what the others were having in the normal 8-course dinner with my vegetarian version. I remember those days when you attended wedding dinners, if you were a vegetarian, you would be allocated to a table where all the vegetarians would sit and partake the meal, separated from your friends or loved ones having the usual non-vegetarian dinner. I am glad that those days are over, as now I could sit with my cousins.

Beautifully decorated ballroom with nice romantic touches and friendly staff with super fast service.

Let's take a look at the menu of the 8-course dinner. They did not display the vegetarian menu as I was the only one at the table having that. The below photos are for an individual portion.

First course was Happiness Platter (top bottom photo) - Suckling pig, Vietnamese spring roll, Sliced smoked duck, Chilled sea whelk in Thai sauce, and Sea jelly with XO chilli sauce.

My vegetarian version came in a nicely decorated plate; Veggie dumpling, Mock Cuttlefish, Yam ball, and Mock ham with mango slice. A pretty delectable combination.

Second course - Lobster Soup vs my what tasted like mock fish maw with enoki mushroom and black fungus. I was pretty sure the taste of the broil was similar, the taste of sharksfin soup minus the sharksfin. Dribbled with vinegar and pepper, the taste was totally alike.

Third course - Conrad Prawn Duo. The dish came with 2 prawns, one deep fried wrapped in mashed taro, sauteed with green vegetables. My vegetarian equivalent dish was what looked like mock scallops sauteed with asparagus. The 'scallops' were soft and chewy, a nice combination with the asparagus.

Fourth Course - Red Grouper steamed with superior soy sauce. My cousins told me it was very fresh. Although it was served in individual portions, they presented the head and tail of the fish on the table too, I guess it represented 有头有尾. My dish was a fried mock fish made of soy bean tossed with very appetising mango slices and Thai sauce.

Fifth Course - Baby Abalone Braised with Black Mushroom & Spinach. This was pretty standard. The vegetarian version came with Braised Black Mushroom with Broccoli. The bonus was, I got to have extra mushrooms from those who did not like them.

Sixth Course - Crispy Chicken with Crackers. This is an natural winner. My vegetarian equivalent was Braised Spinach with a mixed of ingredients and what seemed like mock sea cucumber. It was actually radish nicely braised.

Seventh Course - Mian Xian Noodles stir fried with assorted vegetables, barbecued pork and diced prawns. Mine was also Mian Xian stir fried with bean sprouts and carrots and thinly sliced capsicum. My cousin tried it and said the vegetarian version tasted better.

Eighth Course - Desserts! Sweet Yam Paste served with golden pumpkin puree and also the wedding cake - a very nice homemade 4-tier Strawberry Chiffon Cake specially made by cousin's teacher. I loved both desserts.

What an FULLfilling dinner! We were too full from the entire 8-course dinner! Plus all the red/white wine! The huge VIP table was so pretty. And by now, with so many of us, we have a big collection of the cute Conrad teddy bears.

May the couple be blessed with wedded bliss and happiness always!

Do you remember your childhood?

2012-01-12T09:25:00.001+08:00

This clip brings back memories of our childhood in the era of 70s and 80s.

Remember those cute little autograph books which our friends would scribble with their wishes and drawings? Lying on the floor in my bedroom, I read tons of Enid Blyton books anytime of the day (we didnt have that much homework in those days). Enid Blyton books were a huge part of my life then and I think I read all her books.

My sis and I used to play in those playground tiled with dragon motifs or some designs and yes, they have sand! In school we played Zero Point and the monkey climb. In those days, we swim for fun and not to get some certificate. We played Five Stones, marbles and paper dolls. We snacked on sticks of sweetened cuttlefish, colored syrup ice pops, and Hawflakes sweets made from bing tang hu lu 冰糖葫芦. We chewed on bubble gum and 'tattoo' on our hand with its wrapper. We didn't blow water bubbles, we blew elastic plastic bubbles which were much more fun, that tube of goop that delighted millions of kids then.

I spent my evenings watching cartoon on TV; Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, Xiao Ding Dang, and the Three Stooges! I followed all the American sitcoms; Happy Days, The Cosby Show, I Love Lucy, The Golden Girls, Growing Pains, Mork & Mindy, Roseanne Barr etc... I followed all local Chinese drama productions like 我家住在大巴窑, 雾锁南洋 and so on. One of my first movies was Electric Dreams which was quite memorable. I was also a Bollywood fan too, catching Hindi shows! It didn't matter whether I understood what I was watching at all.

I collected tons of stamps from all over the world easily because my grandfather and uncle used to have an import-export business, hence many mails from overseas. I caught tadpoles from the puddle under the swing when it rained. And sis and I played house with actual furniture.

My buddies and I would hang out in A&W chomping fries and sipping root beer. And who would forget shopping in the Yaohan department store in the old Plaza Singapura and feasting on Ponderosa buffet.

How much of your childhood do you remember? Here's one blog post to rekindle more of your memories - 100 things we love about the 80s.

The beautiful, the meat-less and what's in the heart

2012-01-10T13:56:00.000+08:00

Saw this photo in my Facebook timeline a few weeks ago. Some people posted this to justify why people should NEVER be a vegetarian.

While I love the beautiful Nigellea and her hearty sexy appetite for life, the comparison here is a tad one sided, isn't it? I am not proposing that your diet can wholly influence how you look, but there are many other beautiful examples we see. Take a look at these celebrities who are vegetarians or vegans and they simply look gorgeous.

Actress Alicia Silverstone went vegan more than a decade ago. She traded in a steak-and-doughnuts diet for foods like seitan, a wheat-based meat substitute, after watching documentaries about the food industry. In 2009, Silverstone authored The Kind Diet and launched a complementary website that offers tips for a total vegan lifestyle, from recipes to decorating to fashion.

Actress Kristen Bell, PETA's 2006 Celebrity 'Sexiest Vegetarian Alive' Winner. At age 11, Bell became a vegetarian. She stated, "I have always been an animal lover. I had a hard time disassociating the animals I cuddled with—dogs and cats, for example—from the animals on my plate, and I never really cared for the taste of meat".

Natalie Portman, who has been a vegetarian since childhood and became a vegan in 2009 after reading Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals, is an advocate for animal rights. She does not eat animal products or wear fur, feathers, or leather.

Like many of her songs, singer Adele's inspiration came from love. She turned vegetarian in an effort to be more healthy and says her pet dog makes her feel guilty whenever she eats. "Whenever I am about to eat meat, I always see my little dog's eyes," she said. Adele feels that cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens, and other animals killed for food feel pain and fear, just as dogs and cats do, and it doesn't make sense to love one yet eat the other.

There are some handsome celebrities who are vegetarians too, lest you think only the gals are more anal about looking great, sexy and healthy.

Josh Harnett

Tobey Maguire

Joaquin Phoenix

Here is a list of some more famous vegetarian celebrities if you are not convinced.

And this one takes the cream.....

Mimi Kirk was voted the Sexiest Vegetarian over 50 a couple of years ago... She's looking better than ever, and she credits this to her vegan lifestyle. She will soon turn 74 but she says she doesn't feel her age at all. She's in perfect health and has what seems like a charmed life.

Ultimately what your motivation is in going meatless is important. And many have turned to a vegetarian diet with the sole conviction not to harm/kill other living beings and the natural environment. I think that this compassion manifesting from their heart is the most admirable motivation and action. Looking good and younger as a result is a bonus.

My only wish 愿

2012-01-08T23:27:00.000+08:00

The Healing Lama, Kangyur Rinpoche healing & giving blessings

Over the weekend in Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling, a thin middle-aged lady came up to me and spoke to me. She had wanted to know how she could participate in the Medicine Buddha puja which was due to begin. Speaking in Mandarin with an accent, I realised she is from mainland China. Seeing her wrapped up in a long-sleeved top and a scarf around her neck in the hot weather, I knew she was not feeling well. Her eyes were downcast and dull, with slightly dark circles under her eyes, and her face was pale. Speaking to her further, she told me that ever since she went back to China to visit her ailing father who passed away thereafter, she had been sick for over a year. She had previously knew about the centre after attending the great healing pujas in 2010 when the venerable Healing Lama, Kangyur Rinpoche was in town. She has been waiting to see the Healing Lama again.

After explaining to her about the puja and how the Medicine Buddha can help her, I asked her to make her sincere request to Medicine Buddha to heal her. Also it would be beneficial for her to attend the upcoming Grand Puja on 24-26 Feb which is a series of powerful, obstacle-clearing and healing pujas for the public conducted by Gaden Shartse Monastery monks. I also hope she can attend the weekly different pujas which aid in clearing different obstacles and thus, healing her. The centre would definitely be able to help her, whatever the causes are.

I have met so many people who are facing some problems or sicknesses, whether physically or mentally, and often they do not know how to find help. Even consulting a doctor and taking medication could not heal them. We need to first determine the cause of the problem/illness, and thus be able to find the right anecdote or solution to the problem. Otherwise, we would always be running around in circles, ridden with the problem and suffering in silence.

I just heard this beautiful new song by Faye Wong, a fellow Dharma sister - 《愿》 My Only Wish - which was released on new year day. May this lady I met earlier be able to be healed as soon as possible.

在山水之間　在佛塔之間

在聚散之間　在你我之間　

在山水之間　有一份信念　是靜默無言

在佛塔之間　有一條經幡　是為你掛牽

在聚散之間　有一劫宿緣　是無常善變

在你我之間　有一縷思念　是魂繞夢牽

在山水之間　有一份信念　是靜默無言

在佛塔之間　有一條經幡　是為你掛牽

在聚散之間　有一劫宿緣　是無常善變

在你我之間　有一縷思念　是魂繞夢牽

此生　上路　哪怕天絕地穿

只願　途中　能再與你相見

嗡嘛尼唄咪吽舍

Thank you @salafina22 !

2012-01-07T00:01:00.000+08:00

Over the Christmas weekend, I received this lovely handmade bookmark in the mail, from a fellow blogger/ online friend, Debbie ( @salafina22 ). What a sweet surprise, what a kind thought! I love getting handmade gifts because the giver spent the time, effort and thought making it, and thus it is so precious.... something which money cannot buy. I think this is the first time someone gave a gift to STUMPBO, my online moniker. Thanks, Debbie! May your life be filled with happiness always!

NTUC to stop selling shark's fin products

2012-01-06T00:11:00.000+08:00

Great news! Singapore’s largest supermarket chain, NTUC Fairprice, with more than 230 outlets, has announced that it would stop selling sharks fin products from 1 April 2012 onwards.

This came after the sales manager, Chris Lee, of its supplier of shark fin products, Thern Da Seafood Pte Ltd, enraged people online (who were against shark finning) by posting in his Facebook wall directed at divers. He mocked them for being unable to stop his company from supplying NTUC Fairprice with sharks fin and Mola Mola products in the upcoming Chinese New Year season.

The post drew much criticism and went viral on Facebook and also Twitter. Many called for a boycott of both the supplier and FairPrice. Comments also made its way on to FairPrice's Facebook page. Among them were calls for FairPrice to relook its corporate social responsibility policy and to stop selling shark's fin.

This was NTUC's reply on its Facebook Page today, 5 Jan 2012:

"Thank you everyone for your comments and for alerting us to this matter. As a standing instruction, all our suppliers are required to clear their joint promotional materials and messages with us before implementation. In this incident, the supplier had not complied with our standing instruction. We take this matter very seriously and we are withdrawing all products from Thern Da Seafood across all our stores."

"Sustainability is important to FairPrice and we have been relooking various policies in our commitment to be a socially responsible retailer. The sale of shark fin has been one of the areas that we have been looking into in the past few months. We are pleased to announce that we will cease the sale of shark fin products by the first quarter of this year. This is to ensure that we honour our current commitments to our partners but will no longer be placing new orders for shark fin products."

Sharks fin soup

Such is the beauty of social media. Kudos to NTUC Fairprice for making the right move by being socially responsible, albeit after this embarressing scandal. NTUC Fairprice is not the first supermarket in Singapore to stop selling sharks fin products. Another supermarket chain, Cold Storage, has already taken the lead by saying "no" to selling sharks fin on 1 Oct 2011. Let's hope the other supermarket chains like Sheng Siong, Giant and Shop N Save, will follow suit. Let's also hope that other suppliers and commercial shops do not seize this opportunity to sell to consumers.

If you are a consumer of sharks fin soup, think of the unbearable pain suffered by the sharks whose fins were cut off while they were still alive and thrown back into the sea. Please stop harming the sharks this Chinese New Year. Remember, if there is no demand, there will be no supply. Be kind. Be compassionate.

As for Chris Lee, well, he shot himself in the foot. He lost a huge corporate account and would probably lose his job as well. But I guess we have to thank him in hastening NTUC Fairprice's decision.

My previous posts on sharksfinning:

Stop shark finning
Say NO to Sharks Fin soup during this reunion! 庆祝新年, 拒吃鱼翅!

Have you tried Ci Hang Western & Chinese Vegetarian Fast Food 慈航中西素食 ?

2012-01-05T12:23:00.000+08:00

I am currently on a 100-day vegetarian diet which started on merit-multiplying day 17 Nov 2011, which was Lhabab Duchen, the day that Buddha Shakyamuni descended to The Heaven of Thirty-Three in order to give teachings to benefit the gods in the desire realms, and to repay the kindness of his mother by liberating her from Samsara.

Actually being a vegetarian for short periods is nothing new to me and I have been doing it for the past few years. Even on normal non-vegetarian days, I have cut down considerably on meat and seafood. Perhaps I am already a 80% vegetarian on normal days.

Since becoming a vegetarian for the past one and a half month, I have to find alternative ways of eating. Sometimes it can be inconvenient when you dine outside and especially when you are with friends. Otherwise, it is just a matter of changing your mindset that you need or have craving for meat dishes. However we are quite fortunate in Singapore as there are so many vegetarian food outlets available that we are spoilt for choice.

I tried Ci Hang Western & Chinese Vegetarian Fast Food located along the shophouses next to Aljunied MRT, which is among many vegetarian restaurants and stalls in the Geylang vicinity. It is a humble looking eatery which serves vegetarian dishes in both chinese and western cuisines. So one never really get sick of the food there as there is a wide variety of choices on the menu. Let me review some of the Western food items I have tried.

Chicken Chop - I recommend this and their Fish Chop which is equally good. The Chicken Chop comes in a generous portion, with 3 big pieces of fried 'chicken' made of soy bean product, side dishes of tomato baked beans, salad and french fries (or you can change it to Mashed Potato). The chicken chop is dribbled with a very delectable sauce. You must try this dish and especially if you are very hungry.

Mashed Potato - The sauce that they used in topping with the mashed potatoes is slightly darker than our usual mashed potato but it is no less delicious. You can have this on its own.

Hamburger - The patty of the 'ham' burger is fresh and crisp on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside and tastes something like a combination of fragrant luncheon meat and crabsticks. I was pleasantly surprised it was so good as I did not have high expectations of a so-called 'mock' burger. Although the burger is not big, I would choose this over a KFC Chicken Zinger Burger anytime.

Fried Mushroom - I totally love this dish! Chinese mushrooms are deep fried without being too oily. The mushrooms are so juicy and dipping them into a very unique sauce which turns out to be very appetising. I suspect they used a mix of plum sauce and other ingredients to create this sauce which is served piping hot (they had to warn me that the sauce is oven hot!). Funny thing about being on a vegetarian diet is that I have an increased craving for deep fried stuff at this moment. With these fried mushrooms from Ci Hang, I think I can eat 2 plates on my own!

Spaghetti - The spaghetti is a tomato based sauce, mixed with mushroom, and mock meat ingredients. I was disappointed with the spaghetti as they were overcooked, too soggy. The ingredients were also a little bland for my taste and a tad too watery.

All in all, there are so many items to choose from in Ci Hang. They have rice sets with brown rice and soup too, and individual dishes. On the chinese cuisine side, so far, I have only tried the Mee Sua Soup which was refreshing. I heard their Hainanese Chicken Rice is fantastic too. I will try and perhaps review their other chinese dishes the next time.

Ci Hang Address:
72 Lorong 25A Geylang, Singapore 388256. (next to Aljunied MRT), Tel: +65 6747 1229.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya 2012

2012-01-04T00:06:00.000+08:00

Happy 2012! Of course I must kick off my first post of the new year with the most compassionate guru, the Living Kuan Yin (Chenrezig), His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is currently in Bodhgaya, India, giving teachings and the Kalachakra empowerment to thousands of devotees from all over the world. Thousands of pilgrims from Tibet, the Himalayan regions, Bhutan, Korea, China, Singapore and from the West sat under tents covering the large grounds to listen to the Dalai Lama. I have some friends who are there right now attending this event. Unconfirmed sources estimated the audience to be about 200,000. (Post note: Crowd attendance was more than 400,000).

His Holiness the Dalai Lama greets some of the thousands who have come to attend the Kalachakra teachings on January 1, 2012 at Bodhgaya, India. Also present were Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay (Left) and Kalon Ngodup Dongchung of the Department of Security (Extreme Left). January 3, 2012 (Phayul photo/Norbu Wangyal)

Wishing his disciples a ‘Happy New Year’, the Dalai Lama began his Kalachakra teachings for a record 32nd time since he first gave the initiations in May 1954 in Lhasa, Tibet.

“This place (Bodhgaya) is a very holy place as the Buddha was enlightened here and those of you Tibetans who have come from Tibet despite lots of hardships, you all are among my special devotees for this Kalachakra,” the Dalai Lama said. 

“Lots of Chinese from different countries have come including from Singapore and Thailand, and even from mainland China. Unfortunately nowadays, some conservative Chinese leaders consider Buddhism as sort of anti-China,” the Dalai Lama said in his opening address. He urged all his devotees to practice his teachings based on reasons and not on “blind faith”.

Secretary Ngodup Dorjee told reporters “In information that we have received, we suspect there might be 1000 to 1500 spies attending the Kalachakra teachings sent by China to study and report on the Tibetan leaders and their activities in the exile community.”

His Holiness greeting the Sangha

The light rainfall which started earlier in the morning and ended along with the Dalai Lama’s teaching for the day has caused inconveniences to all the pilgrims, especially those staying in rented tents. But there were little complaints from the large crowd, as it is believed that a rainfall at the beginning of a religious teaching is auspicious and considered a blessing.

My precious heart guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, was seen along the road waiting for the arrival of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Besides Rinpoche, is reincarnate Charok Lama.

Hollywood star, Richard Gere, was also present for this event. Richard is a student of His Holiness as well as Lama Zopa Rinpoche. He also attended Lama Zopa Rinpoche's long life puja 2 days ago in Maitreya Project land, Bodhgaya.

Watch this below clip capturing His Holiness' arrival at Bodhgaya and a brief teaching. Towards the 10th minute, notice the Tibetan devotees doing prostrations on the red carpet after His Holiness has walked passed. Devotees were praying and rubbing their mala beads on the ground, where His Holiness has stepped on, for his blessings. Such is the devotion they have, in seeing the guru as the Buddha, for His Holiness the Dalai Lama is indeed the manifestation of the 1000-Armed Chenrezig (千手观音).

Om mani padme hum!

Round up of 2011. May your path be bright and auspicious in 2012!

2011-12-31T23:55:00.000+08:00

I'm overwhelmed by so many posts online from fellow bloggers and tweeps on new year greetings and their resolutions etc.... so here's my obligatory round up this year.

2011 has not been an easy year for me in all areas. So I am glad it is OVER as it had been a "blind" year. The Chinese New Year is coming and the last one seemed to have just passed not so long ago. Although I do not like the Dragon, I'm all ready to face the new year head on, as during the previous Dragon year 12 years ago, I did made some money.

Got reunited with a whole bunch of former classmates from primary and secondary school, all thanks to Facebook. We have not met each other for decades and I think everyone looks even prettier now, and that is the truth. It has been nostalgic and exhilarating reminiscing about our childhood and sharing about our lives right now. We remember fondly of our English teacher Mrs Quahe in Primary 3, and all of us hated our Chinese teacher 叶老师 who seemed to have scolded or beaten almost all of us with a ruler in those days. We are planning a huge gathering soon.

Legendary icon Elizabeth Taylor, and technology guru, Steve Jobs, passed on, leaving behind legions of fans. I can't say that of the demise of Osama bin Laden and Kim Jong Il though...

My guru Lama Zopa Rinpoche had a stroke in April and thankfully he is recovering well. Another guru, Kyabje Lama Lhundrup, whom I will always remember affectionately as "Khenrinpoche" (being the previous abbot of Kopan monastery), entered into Parinirvana in September and manifested a myraid of relics. I am still waiting for the reincarnation of yet another guru who left us in 2010, Kyabje Lati Rinpoche. I met and made connection with 4 new gurus who gave me initiations in 2011; namely Kyabje Choden Rinpoche, His Holiness Sakya Trizin, Kyabje Dagri Rinpoche, and Khensur Rinpoche Sonam Palsang. I am also excited to have met up with little Phuntsok Rinpoche again and to receive his blessings. Phuntsok Rinpoche is the reincarnation of the Great Mahasiddha, Geshe Lama Konchog. I was disappointed to read lots of news and happenings online and from some friends about fake gurus in our midst in these degenerated times. May all have the karmic affinity to meet only authentic gurus, virtuous friends.

Made plenty of Dharma friends in 2011. Except for a couple of them, most of them are so kind, supportive and are good practitioners and examples according to the Dharma. I am very fortunate to have been connected to them. I would also like to thank my blog's readers whom I have become friends with. I am so glad that through this blog, the Dharma has helped them in resolving their problems one way or another.This year, I have found somewhere most holy where I hope I have the good karma to die there next time. I am so blessed to have met many gurus and benefactors who have helped me in so many different ways. Even those so-called 'enemies' taught me a lesson or two.

The last quarter of 2011 was the most drastic with change. To be able to feel the extremes of happiness and sadness at the same time got to be some kind of a blessing. All my negative karma ripened at the same time and yet I was able to have it purified during a retreat. I have also gained a couple of close friends, the kind of special genuine friendship which I have not felt for a long time. Friends without an agenda.

The last 2 months of 2011 I decided to become a vegetarian for 100 days. I usually do a veg diet for short periods both for spiritual and health reasons. The main motivation of doing this is not to kill and eat more sentient beings who have been kind to me in all my previous lifetimes. And in doing that, it also helps in saving the environment we live in. Further more, as a result of not eating meat, I do not feel so bloated after each meal, my body is cleansed and pure, I feel more healthy and I've managed to slim down a little. My pants have become loose.

Last but not least, I am thankful and grateful to my family for being so supportive and understanding despite my many faults. May I be able to repay their kindness within this lifetime.

May your path be bright and auspicious in 2012! Happy New Year!

400 light offerings in Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling before the new year

Around the world in one minute

2011-12-30T09:41:00.000+08:00

Three Australian guys travelled around the world in 44 days shooting this awesome video, which made up of a second of footage for each location...... "3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... What an incredible video travelogue, and expensive one too.

I guess that sums up this year. Have a nice weekend! See you next year!

Losing it

2011-12-29T13:17:00.000+08:00

A few days ago, I lost it. I cannot remember the last time I was extremely consumed by anger, and it seemed a long time ago. I was attending an event and right at the start of the day, I was feeling very very uncomfortable about don't-know-what. The feeling was indescribable. As the day progressed, I got more agitated, restless and despondent. I simply did not understand why, as it was supposed to be a spiritually healing event. Instead of feeling special strong positive energies, I was consciously feeling uneasiness and conflicting energies. By the time it was evening, I had an unpleasant encounter with a stranger. It was evident to me that my earlier agitated mood the entire day was a premonition of what was going to happen.

Although I am glad I was able to feel that something was going to happen, I was not happy that it did, and that I was not patient enough and I could not control my anger. It was not the fault of the stranger per se, but it was a series of accumulated inefficiencies (things that were not done right) that happened which culminated in this unfortunate incident. Or perhaps, whatever that happened was meant to help me purify all the negative afflictions and thoughts.

And to my chagrin, the worst was, my friend suffered the brunt of my complaints and bad mood, and we did not even have time to talk about it. I was pissed I could not contain my mood and emotions, and to control my mind. I could even have affected my friend's session during the event as well. Another friend could not believe I could be so riled up.

Why didn't I meditate enough on Emptiness, which is the remedy for all delusions, especially anger? Why didn't I meditate on the teaching of Karma? The minute one meditates on karma, there is no room in the mind for anger because there is nothing to blame. In daily life, when a problem arises, we act like that problem was created by somebody else. But if we think about karma, there is no basis for anger. Why couldn't I see that at that point of time?

Nonetheless, I am grateful to that couple of friends/benefactors who gave me advice. I was trying very hard to be objective and recognised that whatever angry words I uttered that night, I was going to regret the next day. I am thankful I did not carry out a couple of actions caused by my anger, which could have been even worse now.

Reading Lama Zopa Rinpoche's teaching on Anger helped me calm down. May I improve in my practice on meditating on karma and emptiness.

Make you feel my love

2011-12-28T09:24:00.000+08:00

One of my fav songs... Adele is a phenomenal singer, and nothing beats hearing it 'live'.

When the rain
Is blowing in your face
And the whole world
Is on your case
I could offer you
A warm embrace
To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows
And the stars appear
And there is no one there
To dry your tears
I could hold you
For a million years
To make you feel my love

I know you
Haven't made
Your mind up yet
But I would never
Do you wrong
I've known it
From the moment
That we met
No doubt in my mind
Where you belong

I'd go hungry
I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling
Down the avenue
Know there's nothing
That I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love

The storms are raging
On the rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change
Are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing
Like me yet

I could make you happy
Make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends
Of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love, To make you feel my love

Sometimes a child can give the wisest answer

2011-12-27T11:43:00.000+08:00

I read the below touching short story. It's amazing how sometimes, an innocent little child seems to possess more wisdom than adults. May all learn how to live a good life, loving everybody all the time and be nice.

Why Do Dogs Leave Earth First?

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?”

The six-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

If Santa lived in Singapore....

2011-12-24T12:26:00.000+08:00

.... and let's hope he arrives on time,

with no SMRT train delay!!

'PRIEST' HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE !!!!

Jade Buddha is coming to Singapore! 13-26 January 2012

2011-12-22T13:28:00.000+08:00

A very exciting event is coming in 2012. The world's largest Jade Buddha is finally arriving to Singapore, right at the heart of Orchard Road! The amazing Jade Buddha for Universal Peace has been travelling around the world to bestow blessings to millions of people, and it will be on display at Ngee Ann City from 13-26 Jan 2012. Let's find out more about this event and why the Jade Buddha is so amazing....

Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC), an affiliate of the worldwide FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition), is exhibiting the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace, a 2.7metres tall statue of Shakyamuni Buddha which was carved from a rare boulder of translucent Polar jade discovered in Canada in 2000. It is said to be one of the largest single blocks of jade ever found. It sits on an alabaster throne of 1.4 metres high.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, my precious guru, and the Spiritual Director of FPMT, had a vision of this unique piece of jade, and thus instructed it be carved into a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha and named the statue the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace. Rinpoche said this Jade Buddha will inspire all beings to follow the peaceful path and it “will illuminate the world and bring inconceivable peace and happiness and help prevent the destruction that is happening so much in the world, including war.”

The 4-tonne statue, which has been valued at US$5 million, is modelled on the famous statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Bodhgaya, India, recognised by all Buddhists to be the place of the Buddha’s enlightenment.

HH Dalai Lama consecrated the Jade Buddha

His Holiness the Dalai Lama personally consecrated the Jade Buddha in Sydney, Australia on 1 December 2009. Lama Zopa Rinpoche had advised that the Jade Buddha must be consecrated by His Holiness and the opportunity came when the organizers of Dalai Lama’s visit suggested the Jade Buddha be on stage at his teachings. His Holiness bowed to the Jade Buddha at the commencement of each teaching session.

In early 2009, the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace embarked upon a world tour. Since then, millions of people around the world have been able to experience the blessings of this modern day wonder of the world. Once the tour has concluded, the statue will move to its final home at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo, Australia. The Great Stupa will be the largest Stupa in the western world (outside of Asia). It will be a symbol of peace to inspire the world for the millennia to come.

“Mandala Lights” appear around Jade Buddha

Very unusual lights have regularly appeared in photographs taken of the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace. These lights first appeared at Quan The Am temple in Da Nang, Vietnam. They have since appeared at every showing of the Jade Buddha in Vietnam, Australia and USA.

These lights appear in a wide range of conditions and even appear inside buildings such as the Museum of Western Australia in Perth and the Sydney Entertainment Centre. But not all people seem to be able to capture these photographs. The lights have been called “Mandala Lights” because of the symmetrical design which has a similarity to a Buddhist mandala. The lights appear to be semi-transparent and while they appear to be largely white, but when enlarged they are seen to be made up of many colours. Enlargements of the lights have also shown wonderful and colourful patterns within the lights.

Now for the program of this Jade Buddha exhibition.....

OFFERING OF PRECIOUS HEAPS OF RICE TO THE BUDDHA

By making even a tiny offering of one grain of rice to a statue of the Buddha, one accumulates extensive merit. Imagine the merit gained when one offers a handful of rice – that merit is far greater.

Then imagine how much merit is accumulated by offering heaps of rice, visualising each grain as a wish-fulfilling jewel, offering to the Buddha on behalf of countless sentient beings with the wish to achieve enlightenment for all of them!

50,000 kilograms of rice are available as offerings to the Jade Buddha statue throughout the exhibition period from 13 – 26 January 2012. For a token of $5 per kilogram of rice, you are welcome to make an offering of rice to the Jade Buddha statue for limitless skies of merit.

The entire bulk of 50,000kg of rice will be distributed to 8 designated charities among the multi-racial communities in Singapore at the conclusion of the exhibition of the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace.

You can make an offering on-line from 16 December 2011 till 12 January 2012. From 13 – 26 January, visit Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza for on-the-spot offerings.

SPECIAL PUJAS TO HERALD IN THE DRAGON YEAR

Special pujas are among the series of prayers and other sacred events that will accompany the exhibition. Sangha from ABC and Kopan Monastery and Nunnery will perform the following pujas in the presence of the Jade Buddha:

Tara Puja for Peace & Success
14 January 2012, Saturday 2 – 3.30 pm

Tara, female aspect of the Buddha, grants swift fulfilment to all one wishes for in this very life as she brings peace, happiness and success in all its forms. By making strong prayers to Tara, one receives her blessings for happiness in this and all future lives up to enlightenment.

Medicine Buddha Puja for Health & Longevity

15 January 2012, Sunday 2 – 3.30 pm

Prayers made to Medicine Buddha will be answered due to the power of the prayers that the Medicine Buddhas made while on the path, that they would help all sentient beings in their times of need. The healing energy associated with Medicine Buddha makes this a powerful practice for overcoming negative karma and attracting good health and success in life.

Dzambhala Puja for Wealth & Prosperity

21 January 2012, Saturday 2 – 3.30 pm

For an auspicious start to the New Year, rely on the Dzambhala wealth deity practice to receive wealth and prosperity for the priorities of this life such as work, studies and business; and for accumulating an abundance of positive qualities and merits to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

All are welcome to contribute to these auspicious pujas. At $10 per puja contribution, dedicate the pujas for yourself or on behalf of family and loved ones. You can also contribute now, donate on-line or visit ABC office from 16 December 2011 till 12 January 2012. From 13 – 26 January, visit Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza for on-the-spot contributions.

THE BLESSING OF HOLY RELICS

“Relics will only be produced by practising. Relics are manifested and remains are left behind due to the kindness of holy beings in order for us sentient beings to collect merit and purify obscurations.”Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The Dharma manifests in countless miraculous ways to benefit sentient beings. Highly realised spiritual practitioners who pass away often leave behind holy relics among their cremated remains. Manifesting in amazing sometimes gem-like formations, these relics arise and even multiply for years afterwards. It is well known among all Buddhist traditions that Shakyamuni Buddha left behind many extremely precious relics.

As part of the exhibition of the Jade Buddha, a collection of relics from holy beings will be on display. There will also be an opportunity for the public to receive blessings from these relics every afternoon from 2 – 5 pm. A set of relics will be placed on one’s head as an act of blessing.

KUAN YIN SAND MANDALA CONSTRUCTION & VIEWING

Observe sacred art in action as monks and nuns from Kopan Monastery and Nunnery in Nepal construct a sand mandala of Kuan Yin (Chenrezig), the Buddha of Compassion. Using powder-fine coloured sand grains from a palette of vibrant colours, the Sangha will take up to one week to create a beautifully symmetrical and intricately designed mandala that is a meditative expression of Kuan Yin. The mandala can be viewed after its completion from 21 – 26 January.

Construction of Kuan Yin Sand Mandala
14 – 20 January 2012, 2 – 7 pm

Viewing of Kuan Yin Sand Mandala
21 – 26 January 2012, 10 am – 10 pm

TIBETAN SACRED DANCES

Known in Tibetan as Cham, the ‘lama dance’ is a meditative dance performed during specific rituals and ceremonies in the monasteries. These dances, performed with deliberate movements and intent, enact certain sacred rites to counter obstructive forces that hinder the life and well-being of the community. The dancers usually wear masks that depict great masters of the past or an array of meditational deities as they move in tandem to the beating of cymbals and drums.

14 January 2012, Saturday 8.00 – 8.45 pm

17 January 2012, Tuesday 7.30 – 8.15 pm
21 January 2012, Saturday 8.00 – 8.45 pm

NEW YEAR'S EVE PROSPERITY HONGBAO GIVEAWAY

Sunday 22 January 2012, 9pm – 1am

On Lunar New Year’s Eve, join us as we enter the Year of the Dragon with a traditional Hongbao Giveaway at the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace. Opening hours are extended for this auspicious occasion. Visitors will each receive a hongbao as a token of ABC's good wishes for a prosperous and peaceful new year ahead. This hongbao gift is available on this date and time only and while stocks last.

BLESSINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR

23 January 2012, Monday 2 – 5 pm

Welcome the Year of the Dragon with positive auspicious energy – bring your family and friends to attend the Lunar New Blessing, a ceremony that will be conducted by ABC resident teacher who is also the abbot of Kopan Monastery and Nunnery in Nepal, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi.

Complimentary Auspicious Amulets
In celebration of the first day of the Lunar New Year, specially blessed amulets of the Dzambhala wealth deity will be distributed for free during the Lunar New Year Blessing. This complimentary gift is available on this date and time only.

Watch this short clip...

Venue Sponsor:	Organised By:	Supported By:

Download the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace factsheet here.
Mark your calendar for 13 - 26 Jan 2012! For more info, go to www.fpmtabc.org.

Toge~ther

2011-12-21T11:35:00.000+08:00

Last night, I learnt that someone close to me had broken up after almost 3 decades of an on-going relationship. It was unbearably painful. I was speechless and very sad. I remember when I first learned about the relationship years ago, I cried for my loved one, because I knew then it was going to be an uphill task to remain in the relationship. And I have always prayed that it would have worked out for them because I believe they were truly in love.

The other day when I was with a friend in Marina Bay Sands, I saw this pair of cups on display in a shop. "So sweet," that's my first impression of the words printed on the cups. So lovey-dovey....

But then, I thought....

..... one day these cups may be broken too. Or get chipped. But, even if they (the cups) remain intact and glued together, that does not mean a relationship will remain so, forever. So why be so sentimental and attached to an innate object? Why be so attached to a loved one? Why be so attached to everything in life.... when one day, life will also cease itself? One day, we have to say good bye, and perhaps meet again another time, in another realm -- as strangers.

Because kindness keeps the world afloat

2011-12-20T00:09:00.000+08:00

What a week.

Over the past week, SMRT screwed up real badly, not once, not twice, but three times. Then the SMRT shuttle bus, too, had to break down. And SMRT had Singaproeans enraged when it sent out an insensitive message to its taxi drivers about "income opportunity" when its trains broke down. The latest I heard, a woman is now in coma after falling onboard an SMRT bus. Also, I now know a Beng PRIEST Aaron Tan in Singapore. Kim Jong Il is dead and the North Koreans are weeping hysterically.

In our world of unrest and upheaval, take a few minutes to watch this video clip. Let us be thankful for the bad things in life, for they open our eyes to the good things we weren't paying attention to before. Be kind.

A dream of Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava

2011-12-19T00:08:00.000+08:00

A few days ago I told a friend of my wish to invite a very big statue of the lotus-born Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava 莲花生大师 into my home one day if I am able to afford it and if I have the good karma to. This is because I simply love Guru Rinpoche alot. Last night, I dreamt of Guru Rinpoche again, although it was brief and vague.

In the dream, I was outside walking along a very misty road. I saw some old houses. Everywhere seemed grey and dull in colour, foggy and blur but the air was crisp and fresh. Somehow, as I strolled along, I was looking or searching for something. In my mind, I was thinking of Guru Rinpoche and supplicating to him, "Guru Rinpoche, please can I invite you to my house?"

Then I saw an old house with its door opened. I entered it and standing at the entrance, when I looked inside the house, there was a golden statue of Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava, mounted on a round pillar, right in the center of the room. The other times when I dreamt of Guru Rinpoche, he was in very colourful resplendent robes. This time, it was a brilliant gold, which was a stark contrast to the old and dull room. Guru Rinpoche was emanating a shining blinding light in the center of the room. With my palm closed, I walked nearer to him. The statue was less than a metre tall. I bowed my head and lowered it to touch the extended right foot of Guru Rinpoche for his blessings. End of dream. I think I got the answer to my earlier question.

I had recently offered a blue rosary mala to a huge statue of Guru Rinpoche in a holy place and placed it on his left hand in which he is holding a skull-cup brimming with nectar, containing the vase of longevity that is also filled with the nectar of deathless wisdom and ornamented on top by a wish-fulfilling tree.

Because I feel so connected to Guru Rinpoche, I embrace the daily practice of reciting Guru Rinpoche's Seven-Line Prayer (invoking him to come) embedded in a short sadhana and faithfully chanting his mantra many times. I cannot explain more the immense benefits of this practice as I had previously blogged about. In fact I am trying to accumulate a certain number of the mantra.

Come to think of it, it doesn't really matter whether I have a statue of Guru Rinpoche in my home anymore. To me, he is always there very close to my heart. Om ah hum vajra guru padme siddhi hung!

The Shadow Effect - has our mask become our prison?

2011-12-16T23:42:00.000+08:00

This movie is an emotionally-gripping and compelling documentary and shows you a journey from your darkest thought to your greatest dream and to the discovery of your own soul. Sometimes, it's time we take a step back to find yourself.

Your shadow is the reason you get furious over a friend showing up late, yell at your kids when they have done nothing wrong, and sabotage your own success at the worst possible times. Until you are able to face your dark side, you will continue to hurt yourself and those closest to you and fall short of your potential.

In her film debut, The Shadow Effect, Ford presents the hidden power of “the Shadow” alongside some of today’s most provocative thinkers including Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Mark Victor Hansen, James Van Praagh and others.In this life-altering journey, individuals who have transcended child abuse, racism, the Holocaust, war, and wounded upbringings, share their remarkable stories. Meet those who have learned to face their terror, heal their wounds, and embrace their higher, heroic selves to overcome the shadow effect.

So do you know what and where is that Shadow inside you?

An alluring mirage

2011-12-16T15:26:00.000+08:00

The world, indeed, is like a dream

and the treasures of the world are an alluring mirage.

Like the apparent distances in a picture,

things have no reality in themselves,

but they are like heat haze.

- The Buddha

Benefits of reciting Om Mani Padme Hum

2011-12-16T11:47:00.000+08:00

Here is a teaching by Lama Zopa Rinpoche about the Benefits of Reciting Om Mani Padme Hum

The benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are like the infinite sky. Depending on how perfectly qualified one’s mind is and on one’s motivation, even reciting OM MANI PADME HUM one time can purify negative karma. For example, a fully ordained monk who has received all four defeats can completely purify that very heavy negative karma by reciting OM MANI PADME HUM one time. So it is very powerful.

Reciting 1000 Mantras Each Day
In the teachings it is said the benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are so many that the explanation will never finish. It is explained that if one recites OM MANI PADME HUM 1000 times every day, then one’s children up to seven generations will not be reborn in the lower realms. So if, for example, parents recite 1000 mantras every day then their children, their children’s children and so forth up to seven generations will never be reborn in the lower realms. So parents have quite a responsibility! This is one way that parents can benefit their children and grandchildren.

If one recites the OM MANI PADME HUM mantra 1000 times every day, then one’s body becomes blessed. So when a person who recites 1000 OM MANI PADME HUM every day goes into water, into a river or ocean for example, that water becomes blessed. Whoever that water touches fish, tiny or big animals, or tiny insects, the negative karma of all those sentient beings is purified and they do not get reborn in the lower realms.

If one recites 1000 OM MANI PADME HUM every day, then at the time of death, when the body is burnt, even the smoke that comes from it purifies the negative karma of whoever it touches or whoever smells it. The negative karma of those sentient beings to be reborn in the lower realms is purified.

15 Major Benefits
There are 15 major benefits, which are the same for both the long and the short mantra. Actually, there are so many benefits but if one can remember these 15, these are the most important, the integrated outlines.

1. In all lifetimes, one will meet with virtuous kings - religious kings like His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other virtuous leaders - and by being in such a place where there is a virtuous king one will have much opportunity to practise Dharma.

2. One will always be reborn in virtuous places where there is a lot of Dharma practice, where there are lots of temples, where one can make lots of offerings, where there a lot of holy objects, statues, stupas and so forth. Being in a place where there are all these holy objects gives one the opportunity to practise Dharma, to create the cause of happiness, to accumulate merit. And being in a place where there are many in the city doing practice inspires oneself to practise Dharma, the cause of happiness.

3. One will always meet with fortunate times and good conditions, which will help your Dharma practice. Having many good things happen it inspires you to practise Dharma, to receive teachings and to meditate.

4. One will always be able to meet with virtuous friends.
5. One will always receive a perfect human body.
6. One’s mind will become familiar with the path, with virtue.
7. One will not allow one’s vows, one’s morality to degenerate.
8. People around you - family, Dharma students, people in the office, and so one - will be kind and harmonious with you.
9. You will always have wealth, the means of living.
10. You will always be protected and served by others.
11. Your wealth will not be stolen or taken away by others.
12. Whatever you wish will succeed.
13. You will always be protected by virtuous nagas and devas.
14. In all lifetimes, you will see Buddha and be able to hear the Dharma.
15. By listening to the pure Dharma, you will be able to actualise the profound meaning, emptiness.

It is said in the teachings that anybody who recites this mantra with compassion - devas or humans - will receive these virtues. In addition, the mantra has the power to heal many diseases and to protect from any harms.

The Compassionate Buddha manifesting in the form of the mantra leads us to enlightenment. In relation to the Holy Body of the Compassionate Buddha we make offerings, accumulate merit, purify and meditate. Then the Compassionate Buddha manifests in the form of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. Reciting this mantra unifies our negative karma and causes us to actualise the whole path from guru devotion through renunciation, bodhicitta, and emptiness up to the two stages of tantra. Then we are able to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment. That is how the mantra benefits us. It is the Compassionate Buddha’s holy speech manifesting in an external way in order to benefit us.

OM MANI PADME HUM !!!

How to know a fake guru when you meet one

2011-12-15T10:17:00.000+08:00

Ever so often, I meet and talk to some Buddhist friends or strangers who are very concerned about finding the right authentic guru. The Guru is of the most esteemed importance in Mahayana Vajrayana Buddhism as they represent the essence of all Buddhas of the past, present and future.

"When teachers break the precepts,

behaving in ways that are clearly damaging to themselves and others,

students must face the situation,

even though this can be challenging,

criticize openly, that's the only way."

- His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Most of the time, people do not even know how to distinguish whether their gurus are genuine or fake. And there are some who simply do not have any wisdom and get cheated even if you tell them so. Sometimes it is due to one's karma that one meets questionable gurus. Hence it is with this concern that I put together a 'guideline' from information gathered from different sources (links at the end of this post). It is not an exhaustive list. I hope this list will help you to observe, analyse and have a better idea of how to identify a fake guru when you meet one. Do not get cheated, and heap voluntary road blocks on your Dharma practice and True Path. This is my sincere wish.

HOW TO KNOW A FAKE GURU WHEN YOU MEET ONE

1. States his own enlightenment: A wise guru tends not to focus on his own enlightenment or realisations for he knows this does not particularly help his followers. The false guru often make this claim because he had little else on offer to attract followers. Some claim to be tulkus, the reincarnation of a great yogi or high lama from the past, when it may not be the case. The system of tulkus depends on the re-affirmation of checking from other high lamas connected to the reincarnation through a series of tests. An authentic reincarnated tulku is found and discovered by others, and not merely announced and declared by the 'tulku' himself.

2. Makes false claims of lineage: Many mistakenly believe that realisation can only happen under the guidance of a realized master. In this belief, gurus are only authentic when they come from a lineage of realized gurus. Some gurus claim a false lineage of enlightened masters to bolster their authority to teach. Another pseudo form of "lineage" is to recount a miracle that once happened to them (maybe they cured themselves of some disease or Buddha spoke to them personally) which infers that they are "chosen" and therefore have the authority to set themselves up as teachers and gurus. Sometimes, even if one is from a recognised lineage, followers should find out about his growing up years and training the guru underwent to reach this stage. Followers need to examine closely.

3. Does not like criticism: A false guru strongly dislike either personal criticism or criticism of his teaching; he does not take kindly to ordinary followers questioning him. He and his organisation will even threaten and undertake law suits to stop ex-members from spilling the beans.

4. Acts omnipotently with no accountability: Some spiritual organisations are run like concentration camps, with the guru and his chosen ones acting like mafia. Unjust or outrageous behaviour by the guru is passed off as what is needed to help the followers grow. These are the dangerous gurus who have often severely damaged their students. A real guru respects your will even if he understands that your particular decisions may not be in your interest, and he will act accountably to an ethical code of conduct and also not be involved in unethical practices harmful to Dharma.

5. Does not practice what is preached: Contrary to spiritual myth, you do not reach a point of realization whereby you can then start acting mindlessly. If a teacher preaches love and forgiveness, then he should act that way. If he teaches meditation, he should meditate. If he teaches humility, he should be humble himself. If he insists that his followers live in austere conditions, so should he.

6. Lives in total opulence, accumulates lots of possessions: There is nothing wrong with living in luxury or being wealthy. But when that luxury turns to unnecessary opulence using funds that were not explicity donated for that purpose, then you are probably dealing with a false guru. Money is collected from followers usually in the form of donations, and those donations are given as an act of love, appreciation and to help spread the influence of the guru. However, a genuine guru is more likely to use such wealth to lessen the suffering in this world, not to buy another yacht, another house or expensive car. Real gurus do not exhibit greediness.

7. Encourages adoration from his followers: Avoid any group that focuses on the "guru" rather than the teachings or spiritual practices. This will be a hindrance to your self-realisation for your focus will be drawn outside of yourself, and usually indicates that there is not a lot more on offer than guru worship. Do not confuse guru devotion with guru worship. Real devotion is earned over time when we begin to really know the whole person and not just their public image.

8. Presents himself overly fashionably and glamorously: Beware of gurus who present glamourous flamboyant photographs of themselves and dress overly fashionably (whilst proclaiming that they have no ego!).

9. Runs aggressive marketing campaigns and overly relies on slick presentation: Some organisations adopt sassy modern day marketing campaigns to promote their guru's cause, by having lucky draws, parties, free gifts etc. It is important for you to look past the glamour, lovely music and video shows, to see what exactly the teaching is. We are not buying and cannot 'buy' spiritual development. A real guru focuses on only teachings, and not promoting teachings with freebies.

10. Takes advantage or abuse his followers: This may happen especially when a follower falls under the spell of a guru, he or she is likely to do anything for the great master. It is only afterwards that it may dawn on the follower that his or her openness has been used and abused. This can be very psychologically scarring.

11. Flatters you and treats you as very special: A false guru may hook a potential follower or to get a current follower to do a particular task by treating him/her as very special. Nothing can be more intoxicating and flattering to the ego than to be selected by your guru (or any high profile person). A real guru will stand back and allow you to make your decision whether to accept his teachings without trying to influence the process. We should always view the guru from our side, and not from the guru's side.

12. Talks bollocks: When a follower is devoted to a guru, it is not surprising they will accept everything the guru preaches. It is always good to discuss and seek the opinion of a neutral open-minded friend and soon enough, the follower will find out whether there is any real substance to the guru's teachings, or whether he/she is merely being drawn in by his charisma. Beware of the guru who oozes charisma and is worshipped blindly by his students. The best teachers are the most ordinary ones. The true gurus are those who say they have nothing to give you.

13. Opens and runs organisations like a business: A guru is there to help us find the true meaning of life and to practice the Dharma. This is nothing to do with becoming more successful at work or making more money, although this may or may not follow from being more spiritual. There is nothing wrong with wanting succcess, but if we mistake spirituality for increased business success, then we are guilty of spiritual materialism and we find ourselves deeper in the illusion.

14. More concerned about building fame: A false guru is more concerned about making himself famous, making himself seem connected to other high-profile lamas and well-known personalities through a series of on-going attempts. A real guru would be too busy transmitting teachings to followers.

15. Allows his followers to set up a hierarchy of access: A guru must be accessible. If he is not, or if he allows his followers to block your access, then he is playing the role of a king and not a spiritual guide. A guru is only useful to the process of awakening if you can directly interact with him. With a false guru, it is often the case of the more you donate the greater your access.

16. Presents themselves as non-profit whilst raking in the millions: Often, the false guru will present his teachings for free, whilst strongly encouraging her devotees to make large donations. In this way he can appear above money considerations, whilst maintaining his/her greed and opulence.

17. Growing group of angry ex-followers: This is an indication that something is seriously wrong. If he has used kindness and love in his interactions with his students, it is extremely unlikely that there would be more disheartened students. Many might drift away and feel they have wasted their time, but they are only likely to have felt great anger if they have put their teacher on a pedestal, given him power, and later realized that he was never worthy of such adoration. Contrary to what some believe, it is actually the teacher's responsibility to strongly discourage students from putting them on pedestals, for this is counter-productive to finding realisation inside.

18. Acts like a complete paranoid mad person: If your guru acts like a complete paranoid schizophrenic or psychotic, then he probably is. Run! Remember that there is no such thing as "crazy wisdom" - wisdom is the art of being balanced. However charismatic they may be, and sane between moments of madness, you will be damaged by them.

19. Having psychic abilities or superpowers: If a guru claims he has psychic abilities or can perform miracles, it does not necessarily mean he is more spiritual or enlightened. Ghosts, demons, and maras have superpowers, so what does having them prove about anyone's state of virtue or spirituality? As the Surangama Sutra mentioned, the Buddha talked about all the sorts of false spiritual teachers that arise and try to mislead you from the true cultivation path through subtle error.

20. Forbids students to use mantras or read holy scriptures or attend other gurus' teachings. Reading scriptures increases one's wisdom; reciting mantras helps with personal attainment and purification. If a guru forbids this, you have to ask why they are forbidding time-recognized, proven means for spiritual advancement. Also if the guru or his organisation forbids students to follow the teachings of other recognised gurus' teachings or programs, then the student should also question why, for all authentic teachings come from the Buddha. Pure Dharma is the same everywhere.

Mara failing to tempt Buddha from attaining Enlightenment

In the Surangama Sutra, the Buddha predicted, "After my Nirvana, the Five Mortal Sins will foul the world and the Maras will flourish exceedingly. The Maras will (guise) as monks, to spoil and wreck my Way. They will wear lay dress and multicoloured clothing. They will drink wine and eat meat, killing livings in their desire for fine flavors. They will not have compassionate minds, and will hate and envy each other..... The Mara monks will covet nothing but material goods, accumulating them without distribution, not doing good deeds.... harming living things... they will have none of the merit that comes from practicing the Way... The reason the Way will become shallow and weak is all because of that type of person!"

An authentic guru must be pure, compassionate, not engaged in unorthodox practices, and not be involved in creating disharmony within the Sangha community. If Dharma practitioners are not sure their gurus from theirbuddhist organisations are authentic, they should take time to observe, analyse, reflect, share and talk to other Buddhist friends within and outside of the circle.

No one can save you but yourself. That is why we need merit and wisdom to succeed on the spiritual path. We need Merit to come in contact with the right teachings/guru, and Wisdom to know it and then practice.

I have been very blessed with the good fortune and karma to be able to meet with authentic gurus in this life, and to witness their exemplary examples. How my gurus conduct themselves are living proof to me that they are indeed the precious authentic teachers of our degenerated times.

May dubious gurus engaging in false acts of propagating the Dharma, realise and confess their mistakes, and repent. May Lord Buddha tame and subdue modern-day Maras disguised as monks. May all sentient beings who have the affinity with the Dharma, have the good karma to encounter authentic gurus, and not get embroiled with controversial ones who can only separate them further from the path of liberation.

Om ah hum vajra guru pema siddhi hung!

Sources:

http://viewonbuddhism.org/controversy-controversial-teacher-group-center-questionable.html

http://www.meditationexpert.com/life-wisdom/l_how_to_recognize_a_fake_guru_or_false_prophet.htm

http://the-wanderling.com/mara.html

http://www.energygrid.com/spirit/ap-falsegurutest.html

A different path

2011-12-12T10:08:00.000+08:00

What differentiates Buddhism from Christianity

2011-12-11T01:34:00.001+08:00

My guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, gave a very concise and excellent teaching on what differentiates Buddhism from Christianity. He was asked by his physiotherapist in Nepal if Rinpoche had to be a Christian, would he be one. This was Rinpoche's reply: (a must-read!)

Christianity doesn’t have the four noble truths, which are:

1. True suffering

2. True cause of suffering

3. True cessation

4. True path

Concerning the first noble truth, true suffering, Christianity doesn’t explain true suffering well. It almost doesn’t mention true suffering or the suffering of suffering. It does not mention how samsaric rebirth is in the nature of suffering. It does not mention how samsaric death is in the nature of suffering. It does not mention the suffering of sickness and old age. Maybe it mentions the suffering of some poor or sick people, but it does not really mention the suffering of sicknesses. Then the main suffering in life, dissatisfaction, is also not mentioned; nor does it explain how the aggregates are in the nature of suffering. However, these are all explained in the lam-rim and sutra teachings of the Buddha.

For instance, the Buddha’s teachings contain extensive explanations of the five aggregates (form, feeling, cognition, mental formations, consciousness) in the samsaric realms: the desire, form and formless realms. Beings in the formless realm only have mind, no form, so they have only the mental aggregates and they are in the nature of suffering. We have gone through these three realms numberless times from beginningless rebirths, caused by karma and delusion. There are also teachings that explain the shortcomings of the aggregates.

There are three types of suffering:

1. Suffering of suffering

2. Suffering of change

3. Pervasive compounding suffering

The suffering of change refers to how temporary samsaric pleasures are in the nature of suffering and how they are temporary. This is what people in the world refer to as “happiness.” This is also only in the nature of suffering. However much samsaric pleasure we have, still we are never satisfied and we always want more. The suffering is wanting more but not being able to get more; also that it is not guaranteed to last. All of this is suffering. Then, of course we die, death can happen in the meantime, so we never achieve satisfaction.

It is very true what The Rolling Stones said in one of their songs, singing along with their guitars: “I tried and I tried and I tried, but I can’t get no satisfaction.” Actually, this is exactly the same as what the Buddha said, but this is The Rolling Stones’ own experience, and they have put it in a song. This is how samsaric pleasure is in the nature of suffering.

Regarding the suffering of change, there is an explanation in the Lam-rim Chen-mo by Lama Tsongkhapa where he says when we feel hot due to the sun and then go into cool water, initially, we feel pleasure. That pleasure comes from being out in the heat and then going into the cool. The suffering of heat stops being great and the suffering of cold starts from small. If we stay too long in the cold water, the suffering gets greater and greater and gradually becomes suffering of suffering. Initially, the mind labels that feeling pleasure.

Buddha teaching the Four Noble Truths

Pleasure does not come from its own side; it is labeled by the mind. This is one example of how samsaric pleasure is only in the nature of suffering. Like this, all samsaric pleasures are only in the nature of suffering. This is how we can understand that samsaric pleasures are in the nature of suffering of change.

Then there is pervasive compounding suffering. Our aggregates are pervaded by suffering because they are under control of karma and delusion. If they were not under the control of karma and delusion, they would not be in the nature of suffering.

Why do our aggregates experience the sufferings of birth, sickness, old age, death, separating from desirable objects, meeting undesirable objects and not finding the things we desire? These sufferings are because of pervasive compounding suffering. If we press our flesh we experience pain, not bliss; also, when an ant or mosquito bites us we feel pain, not bliss.

Pervasive compounding suffering comes from ignorance, anger and attachment. The root of all suffering is ignorance, not knowing the “I,” that which is totally empty from its own side. There are also imprints from the past that arise.

When we meet beautiful, ugly or indifferent objects we generate attachment, anger and ignorance, and this leaves imprints (seeds) on our mind. These imprints are the cause of future samsaric rebirths, which are also in the nature of suffering. In this way it goes on and on, compounding future lives’ suffering and causing this life’s suffering as well. This is how our five aggregates are pervasive compounding suffering.

To be completely free forever, not only from the suffering of suffering but also the suffering of change and pervasive compounding suffering, we have to realize emptiness, and not just realize emptiness but also directly perceive emptiness. Only then can we directly cease the seed of delusion, which creates suffering. This is why in Buddhism it is very important to realize emptiness (shunyata in Sanskrit and tong-pa-nyid in Tibetan). This is so essential; without this, then no matter what other realizations of sutra and tantra we have, we still cannot be free of the suffering of samsara forever.

Christianity says that suffering came from God. If this is the case, then God becomes the root of the suffering and in order to be free forever from suffering, then wouldn’t it be better to eliminate God? Wouldn’t it be better that God didn’t exist? If you think like this then you may attempt to destroy God, make him nonexistent, but there is no way to destroy God as God cannot be destroyed, God is inherently existent.

My other big question is, if God created the world, then didn’t God also create suffering? Wouldn’t it have been better if God hadn’t created the world at all? Adam ate the apple and then suffering started. Didn’t God create the apple and also Adam? If God did not create the apple and Adam, then there would not be any suffering.

We can go through more analysis.

What is God? The ultimate nature of phenomena is emptiness. Emptiness is not God. The nature of phenomena, which are impermanent, is not God. The nature of phenomena is not God; phenomena are not God.

Does God have mind or not? Does God have compassion for sentient beings or not? If God has compassion for sentient beings, who are suffering, then God has mind. If God has mind, then God is a living being. Then where is God?

Regarding the second noble truth, the true cause of suffering, in Buddhism, suffering comes from the mind, not from God or Buddha. Suffering comes from the mind but not from renunciation, bodhichitta and right view; suffering does not come from wisdom. Wisdom knows Dharma and ultimate wisdom, which realizes emptiness. This wisdom can be developed to directly realize that all phenomena are empty.

Suffering comes from ignorance. What is ignorance? Not perceiving the “I” and the aggregates to be empty, as they are empty. Suffering comes from believing them to be truly existent. Suffering does not come from generating compassion for sentient beings; compassion helps to eliminate suffering.

ULTIMATE WISDOM causes us to be free from samsara, from continuously taking birth with defiled aggregates. COMPASSION for suffering sentient beings causes us to be free from liberation for ourselves alone, to not get caught in liberation for ourselves. With wisdom and compassion together, we are able to achieve enlightenment, which means ceasing the gross and subtle defilements and achieving full enlightenment.

The true cause of suffering is karma and delusion. In Buddhism, all suffering comes from our own mind. Therefore, the most important thing is to cease karma and delusion, including their seed. This is liberation, ultimate happiness, the total cessation of suffering and the cause of suffering, which is karma and delusion. This is nirvana, everlasting happiness, and in Buddhism we are able to achieve this.

What makes it possible to achieve liberation is explained by the fourth noble truth, the true path, which is the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness, directly ceasing the cause of suffering, the delusions. This is why it is so important to learn the Madhyamaka teachings, the teachings on emptiness only, which is the ultimate nature of phenomena. These teachings explain how things are empty in reality. Everything that appears to us is a hallucination. What we believe is real is actually wrong belief, not right belief. Right belief is that everything is empty, and while everything is empty, it exists in mere name, merely labeled by the mind. That is right belief. While everything exists in mere name, merely labeled by the mind, everything is totally empty from its own side; nothing exists from its own side, it is totally empty. That is why the phenomena that exist are unified in emptiness and dependent arising. That is the way they exist and that is how the “I” exists.

Besides realizing this, we also need full renunciation of samsara in order to achieve ultimate liberation.

Here is a quote from Panchen Losang Chökyi Gyaltsen, who was like the sun shining on this earth and wrote many sutra and tantra teachings and benefited the Buddha’s teachings and sentient beings like the sky:

The way of reflecting on the hundreds of shortcomings of samsara:

Even though many beings are frightened by suffering of suffering,

And wish to be free from it, even the animals want this.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama said:

Suffering that you know is suffering,

And having the wish to be free from this,

Even animals have this wish.

For example, if you threaten a dog with a stick the dog runs away because the dog knows you’re going to hit him and he will have pain. This is because the dog has experienced it in the past and suffered. The dog is frightened, thinking he will suffer, so he runs away. When a dog is hungry he runs to look for food because he knows the suffering of hunger and wishes to be free from that. This shows how even animals are frightened of the suffering of suffering.

Even the outer beings have renunciation

Of deluded happy feelings.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama says that there are enlightened happy feelings that buddhas have. Also eighth, ninth and tenth bhumi bodhisattva have happy feelings of liberation from samsara. Also arhats, who have achieved lower nirvana, have the happy feelings of liberation from samsara. So these are happy feelings that we should try to achieve.

HH Dalai Lama & the Pope

Any other kind of delusional happy feeling comes from the root of suffering, ignorance. All those happy feelings that we experience numberless times with our aggregates are completely under the control of karma and delusion. The root of that delusion is ignorance.

The second suffering of samsara is the suffering of change. Even outer beings (mutekpa) recognize the suffering of change and the deluded happy feeling, which is actually suffering.

Outer beings who seek concentration, who meditate with firm contemplation, have renunciation and see desire realm, which includes some deva realms, happiness as only in the nature of suffering. They are totally detached from the desire realm and try to achieve the form realm, thinking there is more happiness there. The desire realm has so many sufferings, it is short, rough and only suffering in nature. They achieve the happiness of the form realm through meditation. Later, through meditation, they see the form realm happiness as only suffering in nature and look for the formless realm. The formless realm has four stages: limitless sky, limitless consciousness, nothingness and the tip of samsara. They gradually achieve the first three stages but they are unable to renounce the fourth stage because there is no higher samsaric realm that they can compare it to. That is why even those who have achieved renunciation of the previous realms cannot be free from samsara. This is why Buddhists, inner beings, meditate on the sufferings of these realms, including those of the formless realm, which is also only in the nature of suffering.

Panchen Losang Chökyi Gyaltsen also said:

These aggregates, closely taken through

The nature of compoundedness,

Contain established suffering and the one yet to be.

If one meditates viewing them as

Barley, rice or pain, then sinking thought dissipates.

The meaning of this quote is: the aggregates of closely taken (Tib: nyer-len) means karma and delusion. The main cause of the aggregates is karma and delusion. The aggregates are caused by impure causes, karma and delusion, so that is why the aggregates are in the nature of suffering.

These aggregates, with the seed of delusion, compound the suffering of this life and create the suffering of the future, and this is the basis of suffering. If this third suffering, pervasive compounding suffering, is recognized as suffering, then the wish to be free from it will arise.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that when the thought to be free from this suffering arises, then at that time the thought to be free from the suffering of change and the suffering of suffering arises. This comes by the way.

Liberation from the third suffering, pervasive compounding suffering, is called liberation, or nirvana. According to Buddhists, real liberation is forever, it is not temporary, and we attain everlasting happiness, forever; we are free from suffering forever, not temporarily. So even though non-Buddhists (mutekpa) and other religions talk about liberation, they do not have this level of liberation, as it is explained in Buddhism. Buddhist liberation is liberation from I-grasping through recognition of it as a delusion. While we are under the control of this we can’t achieve everlasting happiness. In Buddhism, liberation means victory over the enemy, delusion. That is the real liberation, freedom from the enemy, delusion. Otherwise, when we say liberation maybe we’re thinking of heaven or a pure land, but that is not liberation. Heaven can be samsaric, like the form and formless realms – they can be thought of as higher heavens compared to the desire realm. In Buddhism, freedom from suffering refers to freedom from pervasive compounding suffering. That is the real meaning of seeking liberation and that is why Buddhists have to meditate on suffering.

Renunciation of samsara is not mentioned in Christianity. But without this renunciation there is no way to achieve liberation from samsara.

Just like us, all samsaric sentient beings are suffering. By thinking of this we generate compassion for all, and then from that we generate bodhichitta, the wish to free them from suffering and bring them to full enlightenment. In order to cause this, we have to become fully enlightened, to be fully qualified to bring all beings to full enlightenment. The special principal conscious, that which has the five similarities with the wish seeking to do all the work for others and to achieve enlightenment for that, that realization is called bodhichitta. This is missing in Christianity. Without bodhichitta we cannot achieve full enlightenment and cannot enlighten all sentient beings.

Christianity talks about compassion but it is mainly for poor people. There is no compassion for rich people. However, rich people also have many sufferings, particularly mental ones. Compassion is only mentioned for a few people, like poor and sick people, and there is no mention of compassion for animals, such as pigs, sheep, goats, fish and so forth. The Bible even says that goats, sheep, fish and so forth are given by God for people to eat, which is completely wrong.

Whether God has compassion or not is a big question. If God has compassion, then why doesn’t God have compassion for animals? Is it that God has compassion only for some people, for those who believe in him, but does not have compassion for those who don’t believe in him?

Buddha has compassion for everyone – those who criticize Buddha, give up Buddha and do not believe in Buddha – Buddha has compassion for all. Buddha has compassion for every single sentient being, not just those who like him. So in Buddhism there is compassion for all living beings.

Buddhism has three levels of teaching – Hinayana, Mahayana Sutra and Mahayana Vajrayana. There are three levels of teaching because sentient beings have different levels of mind: some lower, some middle and some higher.

By practicing Hinayana we can become free from samsara and reach nirvana but cannot attain full enlightenment.

By practicing the Mahayana Sutra path we can achieve full enlightenment, but it takes three countless great eons collecting the merits of virtue and the merits of wisdom. These are the causes of the dharmakaya (Buddha’s holy mind) and the rupakaya (Buddha’s holy body).

By practicing the Mahayana Vajrayana path we can achieve full enlightenment in one lifetime without taking three countless great eons collecting merits, which are the cause for the dharmakaya and rupakaya. This is because the Mahayana Vajrayana path has greater skillful means of collecting the merits that take three countless great eons to collect on the Mahayana Sutra path. Here we can collect these merits in one lifetime.

Specifically, the Mahayana Vajrayana path has four levels: kriya tantra, charya tantra, yoga tantra and maha-anuttara tantra. By practicing the maha-anuttara tantric path we can achieve full enlightenment in not just one life, but in one brief lifetime of degenerate times. Since this has the highest skillful means, we can achieve enlightenment most quickly because we can stop the gross mind and utilize the subtle mind, and through this achieve full enlightenment. This is the highest and quickest path.

This is how the Buddhist teachings relate according to the different levels of sentient beings’ minds.

What differentiates Buddhism from all other religions is that Buddhism has compassion for all living beings. No other religion has this compassion for all: people we like, people we don’t like and people who don’t like us, as well.

From the three principal aspects of the path to enlightenment, we can realize all the paths of Buddhism. We can achieve not only temporary happiness but also the happiness of future lives and ultimate happiness: liberation from samsara and full enlightenment. We are so lucky that we have met these teachings.

Being a Buddhist doesn’t depend on being able to explain Buddhist philosophy or knowing the sutras and tantras by heart. Nor does it depend on being able to chant well or recite many mantras. Being able to do all this does not necessarily mean you are Buddhist.

Being a Buddhist is in the mind, the mind of refuge: firstly, having beneficial fear towards our own samsara. We don’t want to continue in samsara, particularly the animal, hungry ghost or hell realms. We want to be free from that. Then secondly, knowing that Buddha, Dharma and Sangha have the power and all the qualities to guide and liberate us from samsara.

Having complete trust in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is the Hinayana way of taking refuge.

Mahayana refuge is firstly, having useful fear for ourselves to be free from samsara, and secondly, knowing that Buddha, Dharma and Sangha have the complete qualities to guide us and then on top of that generating compassion for all sentient beings, wishing them to be free from the suffering of samsara. With that in mind we go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

If our mind does not have this and from the outside we are only reciting mantras, doing prostrations or even explaining texts by heart, like many scholars do, then that does not really mean that we are Buddhist. This is very important to understand.

Therefore, studying Buddhism is very important, and studying what is correct, so that we can clarify what is wrong. If we have intelligence, then we can study Buddhist philosophy extensively, including the four schools of Buddhism that existed in India when the Buddha was teaching. These four schools have four ways of thinking about the “I.” Of course, in reality there is no “I” that we can find; there is only the “I” that is merely labeled. That “I” creates the cause of samsara and the cause of enlightenment – freedom from samsara and the ability to achieve enlightenment.

Of course, there are many religions in the world, such as Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and so forth. These different religions are needed. It’s like having different clothes or different kinds of food in a restaurant; we need variety for different people. Christianity is needed for people who have the karma to devote themselves to Christianity and Hinduism is needed for those who have the karma to devote themselves to Hinduism and so forth. We must respect other religions, but that doesn’t mean we have to practice them. But we must have respect for them because many people in the world need Christianity and the other religions for their happiness. Therefore we must respect that. There are some Christians whose aim is not to convert other people to Christianity, but to take the suffering of others, like leprosy and so forth, onto themselves, wishing others to be free from these sufferings. There are some very sincere Christians.

Also, as a Buddhist, one can act as a Christian if there is a special purpose, or if there is special benefit to sentient beings.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave the following advice to his physiotherapist at Kopan Monastery, Nepal. Transcribed by Ven. Holly Ansett, June to August 2011. Lightly edited by Nick Ribush.

Facebook CEO's photos leaked due to security glitch

2011-12-09T22:25:00.000+08:00

Rediff reported a security glitch in Facebook, in which its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg's, photos from his private page have been leaked. Because of this, users could access his photographs even though they were private.The photographs that were leaked were taken inside the billionaire's $7-million California home, with his girlfriend Priscilla Chan. Facebook said it has already fixed the embaressing bug.

I find this so ironical, coming from the man who rocked the world by founding Facebook and who said, "I founded Facebook on the idea that people want to share and connect with people in their lives, but to do this everyone needs complete control over who they share with at all times. This idea has been the core of Facebook since day one. When I built the first version of Facebook, almost nobody I knew wanted a public page on the internet."

And not that the exposed photos were much of a revelation behind the Facebook CEO's personal life. They were pretty ordinary daily photos of his life, especially those with his pets and apart from, we now know he loves to cook at home. Here are some of the leaked photos:

Mark with President Obama

Mark with his Hungarian sheepdog, Beast

Mark with his girlfriend Priscilla Chan wearing matching red aprons

Mark with the snacks he cooked

Mark making sushi at home with girlfriend

Actually all pretty boring stuff if you were to ask me. Do not expect intimate and very private photos aka. HK-actor-Edison-Chen-type of scandal. But there was one photo which I baulked at. It is a photo which Mark Zuckerberg was holding a chicken at his house before he slaughtered it. It is reported that he only eats meat from animals he kills himself! I think this is such a cruel act, killing lives of animals with his own hands, and in the very compound of his home. I hope Mark realise the dire consequence of his actions. Peace.

Mark Zuckerberg with a chicken he was going to slaughter

To share an article on the results of a lab test done by the University of Chicago on rats, proving that little primitive animals have feelings too. Given a choice between munching on a tasty chocolate treat or helping a fellow rat escape from a restraint, test rodents often preferred to liberate a pal in need, indicating that their empathy for others was reward enough. During the research, 2 rats shared the same cage for 2 weeks. Then, they moved them to a new cage where one rat was held in a restraining device while the other could roam free.

Focused rat helped its cagemate trapped in a restrainer by trying to opening the door and eventually freed its fellow mate.

The researcher said, "There are a lot of ideas in the literature showing that empathy is not unique to humans, and it has been well demonstrated in apes, but in rodents it was not very clear." This lab test proved otherwise. Hence, as ironical as it seems in this study, that humans, with the highest level of intelligence, do not seem to feel as much for its own kind (fellow humans), compared to apes and rodents.

"Not like Singapore...one day flooding, everybody call police!"

2011-12-08T23:08:00.000+08:00

My cousin's parents have finally returned home, to their flooded neighbourhood Bangkae. They had been away staying in another province. My cousin did a cute collage of her mom (my aunt), her big boss, going to work.

This is my lovely, kind and generous aunty. May she always be blessed with wealth, great health and happiness!

My aunty's security guard and their home-made raft made of crates and plastic containers.

Aunty's workers got picked up and sent home in a boat! Kudos!

Yesterday, The Noose announced its comeback of season 5 with a hilarious spoof in Youtube, featuring the Thailand floods. However it was mysteriously removed today. I guess it may be due to Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra's visit to Singapore today. However someone reposted this clip again. Haha.

Saw from another website many photos of how the Thai people reacted to this testing period of floods. The online citizen aptly commented, "In times of flood, we complain. The Thais innovate". Indeed, I have a renewed respect for the Thais. Here are some of the photos...

Wow, what the world eats....

2011-12-05T11:20:00.000+08:00

Saw an interesting feature on TIME photos, showing what's on the family dinner table all around the globe. The beautiful photographs are by Peter Menzel from the book "Hungry Planet".

What an eye opener. For some families, they spend US$500 a week on food while for others, they survive with less than US$2 a week. Ironically, the family size of those who spend less are generally bigger than those families who spend and eat more. Take for instance, a Bhutanese family of 13 survives on US$5 per week on food, while a German family of 4 spends US$500 each week, 100 times more.

Let's look at what each family in a country spend on eating, from the most expensive to the least. How much do you spend on food a week?

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07
Favorite foods: fried potatoes with onions, bacon and herring, fried noodles with eggs and cheese, pizza, vanilla pudding

Luxembourg: The Kuttan-Kasses of Erpeldange

Food expenditure for one week: 347.64 Euros or $465.84

Favorite Foods: Shrimp pizza, Chicken in wine sauce, Turkish kebabs

France: The Le Moines of Montreuil
Food expenditure for one week: 315.17 euros or $419.95

Favorite Foods: Delphine Le Moine's Apricot Tarts, pasta carbonara, Thai food

Australia: The Browns of River View
Food expenditure for one week: 481.14 Australian dollars or US$376.45 Family Recipe: Marge Brown's Quandong (an Australian peach) Pie, Yogurt

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week: $341.98

Favourite Food: spaghetti, potatoes, sesame chicken

Japan: The Ukita family of Kodaira City

Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25

Favorite foods: sashimi, fruit, cake, potato chips

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily

Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

Favorite foods: fish, pasta with ragu, hot dogs, frozen fish sticks

Great Britain: The Bainton family of Cllingbourne Ducis

Food expenditure for one week: 155.54 British Pounds or $253.15

Favorite foods: avocado, mayonnaise sandwich, prawn cocktail, chocolate fudge cake

United States: The Fernandezes of Texas

Food expenditure for one week: $242.48
Favorite Foods: Shrimp with Alfredo sauce, chicken mole, barbecue ribs, pizza

Kuwait: The Al Haggan family of Kuwait City

Food expenditure for one week: 63.63 dinar or $221.45

Family recipe: Chicken biryani with basmati rice

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca

Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.00

Favorite foods: pizza, crab, pasta, chicken

China: The Dong family of Beijing
Food expenditure for one week: 1,233.76 Yuan or $155.06
Favorite foods: fried shredded pork with sweet and sour sauce

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna

Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Family recipe: Pig's knuckles with carrots, celery and parsnips

Turkey: The Celiks of Istanbul
Food expenditure for one week: 198.48 New Turkish liras or $145.88
Favorite Foods; Melahat's Puffed Pastries

Guatemala: The Mendozas of Todos Santos
Food expenditure for one week: 573 Quetzales or $75.70
Family Recipe: Turkey Stew and Susana Perez Matias's Sheep Soup

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo

Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

Favourite Food: Okra and mutton

Mongolia: The Batsuuri family of Ulaanbaatar

Food expenditure for one week: 41,985.85 togrogs or $40.02

Family recipe: Mutton dumplings

India: The Patkars of Ujjain

Food expenditure for one week: 1,636.25 rupees or $39.27

Family Recipe: Sangeeta Patkar's Poha (Rice Flakes)

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Family recipe: Potato soup with cabbage

Mali: The Natomos of Kouakourou

Food expenditure for one week: 17,670 francs or $26.39

Family Recipe: Natomo Family Rice Dish

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village

Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

Family recipe: Mushroom, cheese and pork

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23
Favorite foods: soup with fresh sheep meat

Lama Zopa Rinpoche meets His Holiness

2011-12-02T10:01:00.001+08:00

Venerable Roger updated his blog on the recent happenings of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Here are some excerpts:

Lama Zopa Rinpoche meets His Holiness Dalai Lama

His Holiness the Dalai Lama walked through the door. Rinpoche went forward to greet him (not being able to prostrate) and they embraced (this was the first time Rinpoche had met His Holiness since his stroke earlier in the year). The room was very silent and still. They remained embracing each other for what seemed like a long time. His Holiness then sat down and asked Rinpoche to sit close. His Holiness then held Rinpoche’s right hand and kept massaging and stroking it throughout their meeting and asking about how the stroke had started and all that had happened. During the meeting, for some who were in the small group with Rinpoche, it was hard to hold back the tears. Some were not holding them back at all.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Khandro-la

Khandro-la explained to me that it is very difficult for Rinpoche to think of looking after his own body. This is something I can really relate to. I see it all the time, but much more so since the stroke. In the hospital after the stroke, Rinpoche, at the most difficult and most critical times, seemed to have not the slightest interest in his body. He wasn’t at all interested in what the doctors or nurses did to his body. Never asked any questions of the doctors or nurses about his condition. He seemed to just accept everything, getting better/not getting better didn’t seem to make a difference. What was always foremost on his mind was commitments: prayers and practice, and that is the same now. All else can be left behind. Focusing on getting his body healthy isn’t easy! Khandro-la says Rinpoche is always “in practice.” It is rare to see someone like this even amongst high lamas, someone whose mind is never separate from tong-len, bodhichitta and emptiness. Outwardly we can see and comment on Rinpoche’s great generosity with so many projects to benefit others, but it is difficult to see the real practice.

Go read the remaining of his updates here.

Below are photos of Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Portland, Oregon. A beautiful rainbow was sighted after Rinpoche finished water offering to Dzambhala. May my precious kind guru recover completely immediately and may I see him real soon. Om mani padme hum!

Lama Zopa Rinpoche doing water offering to Dzambhala

Beautiful rainbow sighted

Drawing & message from Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Who is this Bell Curve God?

2011-12-01T12:27:00.001+08:00

Saw these unbelievable photos from STOMP. Some students in a local university who are sitting for their final examinations have reportedly resorted to and set up shrines to pray to a so-called 'Bell Curve God' for help. The Bell Curve grading is a method of assigning students' grades based on their relative performance in comparison to their classmates' performance.

Taken in a hostel in a local university, students are so stressed and desperate for good results that they have printed a photo of this so-called 'God' with '2 hands' next to it, and a table full of food offerings like instant cup noodles, sweets, Nutella, drinks, chocolates, bread etc. There are also 2 candles, 3 cups of water in front of the portrait. There is even a buzzer bell amidst the 'offerings'?

Don't you think this message with a skeleton is most disturbing and shocking? I am most astonished to see these photos and hope that these are just part of a sick prank. We should bear in mind, that one should not venerate and make offerings to any unknown subject as this may unwittingly attract passing spirits to reside in the surroundings. It can be dangerous and can cause upheaval to one's own life, not to mention the negative vibes. If one needs to pray or find solace, turn to one's own religion instead, whether you are a Christian, Buddhist or Catholic etc.... and get a proper object/statue/religious item with religious background. I feel parents or the school authorities should be alerted. They should act and counsel the students immediately, if this is found to be true.

May all beings be wise and free from unnecessary disturbances.

It's World AIDS day, let's be positive

2011-12-01T11:23:00.001+08:00

Today 1st December is World AIDS day. Let's not denigrate, ostracise and reject those who are HIV-positive. Let's not discriminate them for they are also humans like us. Let's open our hearts to them, support them, and do not deny them their right to live as normal a life as they deserve.

Let's be positive about people living with HIV.

The crying cow

2011-11-30T10:24:00.000+08:00

I found this e-book online 'Do we have a choice?". It is written by Chan Kah Yein who encourages readers to move towards a diet of eating less meat, which is definitely more doable and acceptable than adopting a strictvegetarian diet.

The author emphasized, "This is NOT a book aimed at making you feel bad that you still eat meat. It is also not a book aimed at trying to convert you into a vegetarian. Rather, this is a book that invites you to consider EATING LESS MEAT. I was motivated to write this book because I observed that most people have a natural compassion for animals. Many do want to eat less meat, not just for health reasons or to reduce one’s carbon footprint, but for the simple reason that we all know animals suffer so much at the slaughterhouses. Out of compassion for these animals, most people do want to eat less meat. But sometimes we just do not know how to start, or maybe we need some motivation to push us to do it".

You can download the e-book here.

Here is one interesting story from the book, FOOD for thought....

Jas grew up in Sarawak. Her parents were dairy farmers. They kept cows to provide milk for the family and also to generate income. Their cows lived a long life and, even when they could not provide anymore milk, Jas’ parents continued looking after them until they passed on.

One day, many years after having served the family, one cow developed a bad infection on her front hoof. Apparently, such an infection is very hard to heal and would cause great pain. Many farmers would sell these cows to the butcher rather than nurse them. One such opportunist-butcher came to know about this cow with the infected hoof and offered Jas’ parents a fair price to purchase the cow. Jas’ parents, despite being in need of the money, flatly refused to sell the cow. They told the butcher, “This cow has served my family and provided milk for my children for so many years. How can we sell her now that she is old and injured?”

After the butcher went away, the cow walked towards Jas’ parents. She held up her injured hoof. And she cried. I would like to believe these were tears of gratitude. The cow lived on until she finally passed on peacefully at a ripe old age.

I could totally relate to this story. I have not taken beef for almost 7 years. Although I am not a full time vegetarian yet but I am consuming considerably less meat than I was many years ago. Many of my faithful readers would remember that it was due a dream I had one night after an initiation. I was walking in an enclosed wet big kitchen which was chilly, as if I was inside a freezer. I saw a huge chopping board on a table. On it laid a cow carcass which was just freshly slaughtered. Its body was all white and I saw the head of the cow, its mouth slightly apart, and eyes wide opened. The eyes looked of fear and terror, and they were brimming with tears. Its whole body was stained with blood everywhere. I could still smell its fresh blood. I saw myself cringing in the dream. That was why I did not touch beef from then on.

The above photo was taken in late 2008 in Sri Lanka. Apparently a monk came to a slaughter farm to stop and to save cows from being killed. After he had done so, this white cow fell in front of the monk and prostrated to him! Prostration is a traditional way of paying respect to the Buddhas and Sangha. How amazing is that!

If you have $8 million, would you give it all back?

2011-11-29T08:13:00.001+08:00

I read an article this morning by James Altucher. In one particular section, I find it such a beautiful reminder to us 'suffering' from the daily grind.

Back in those days, James wanted to run a story about lottery winners, to interview them to know how their lives have changed since their overnight win. He called up the PA Lottery and got a list of all recent winners and started going down the list calling them. Almost nobody wanted to talk to him. Here's the part....

Finally, one guy spoke to me. He was 65 years old.

“At first it was great,” he said. He had, after his lump sum, about 8 million dollars. “My wife and I retired. We traveled a little bit. And I started my son in business. He sells supplies for boats down in Florida. I gave him all the startup money.

“But then I got diagnosed with severe diabetes. They had to cut off both my legs. Now my wife helps me out but every day is miserable. I wish I was dead. If you don’t have your health, you have nothing. I’d give it all back if I could have my legs.”

And then he was silent. I didn’t have any other questions but I didn’t know how to end the call. It felt weird saying, “ok thanks.” But I said, “I’m sorry to hear about that.”

“Yeah. Don’t lose your legs. You can’t ever get them back. There’s nothing good about it. I’d give all the money back if I could get my legs back. My life is over.”

I got off the phone and never wrote the article. The editor called me a few times to see if I had disappeared. I had, in fact, disappeared and never spoke to him again.

Years later, during the Internet boom, I felt like I had won the lottery. Then bad things happened and I wondered if I could ever come back from the bottom. But at least I can still walk.

Play our little secret ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

2011-11-28T22:56:00.001+08:00

Niece in kindergarten

While packing my cupboard, chanced upon this piece of paper. Had a good laugh. Was wondering was this written by my niece or nephew. I guess it was most likely done by my niece because.. look at all the little hearts.... ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ I have also kept many of her drawings as she loves art and craft.

I think this was written years ago when she would come over to my place after school each day, and spend the afternoons and evenings here. I don't remember doing up a "To Do" list myself even when I was a kid, so I find this so amusingly cute. My niece just received very good PSLE results and would be going to secondary school next year. I wish my little curly hair girl do not grow up so fast, at least not so soon. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Renew, anew

2011-11-27T00:01:00.000+08:00

Don't get lost in your pain,

Know that one day,

Your pain will become your cure.

Definitely the unmistaken child

2011-11-26T09:11:00.000+08:00

Recently I had the chance to visit the little Living Buddha, 9-year-old Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche. He is the reincarnation of the great saint-Mahasiddha, Geshe Lama Konchog, who manifested myriads of holy relics upon his passing in 2001. Little Phuntsok Rinpoche was born in Oct 2002.

Bright and cute Phuntsok Rinpoche with big round piercing eyes

This was the second time I met Phuntsok Rinpoche. The first time was when he visited Singapore in 2007 when he was only 5 years old. When the Little Buddha arrived, about 10,000 devotees thronged to see him to receive his blessings, among them also Christians and Hindus. Just a few months earlier, before Phuntsok Rinpoche's first visit to Singapore, I had a dream of his past life Geshe Lama Konchog. I have never met Lama Konchog before when he was alive and had no connection with him at all.

Geshe Lama Konchog

In the dream I was in a very crowded temple. Every worshipper there was kneeling, praying, doing prostrations and making offerings. The offerings were very unusual offerings. They have huge flower offerings and huge food offerings which I have never seen before. I followed suit by making these offerings. Then a man appeared and told me I must definitely meet his master and that he would bring me to see his master. Then he took out and showed me the photograph of Geshe Lama Konchog!

So when Phuntsok Rinpoche came to Singapore a few months later, I knew I had to pay him a visit to receive his blessings.

This time round, I was very fortunate to be able to see Phuntsok Rinpoche up close and personal. He has grown up quite a bit and is quite mature for a 9-year-old boy. When I met him earlier in the gompa, there were many people coming up to greet him. He was so shy he turned his head and faced the wall. When I called him,"Rinpoche..." he turned around and quickly tapped my head (to bless me) and then he turned his head to face the wall again, and then within seconds, he ran off to hide.

When I met him again later, this time alone, he was totally different, more relaxed. He even said cheerfully, "Gooooooood morniiiiiiing!!". As he climbed up his throne seat, he was serious, polite and soft spoken. I think it is when he is with his peers playing, then he becomes like them, a kid. He blessed me with khata, gave me the blessed red string, chocolate and a pack of incense sticks. I apologised for taking up his time (he was supposed to be having breakfast before going for class), he said "it's ok" meekly. i asked if he needed any books or particular toys, he shook his head repeatedly and said, "no no no..." with a gentle smile. When my friend asked him to bless a particular special deity's photo, he did so and he could even chant the mantra, much to our amazement. I felt so blessed to have made the connection with him.

Here are the clips (10 minutes each) of his entire movie, "The Unmistaken Child", which was about how Geshe Tenzin Zopa (personal attendant of Geshe Lama Konchog) found the reincarnation of his master. Geshe Zopa described the boy as "fatty fatty". Haha! It is so touching that I have watched it a few times. Oh, and a few of my gurus are all inside this movie; His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, and Dagri Rinpoche.

May Phuntsok Rinpoche grow up quickly so that he can continue to turn the Wheel of Dharma by teaching and benefiting his disciples, students and all sentient beings.

Would you tattoo your girlfriend on your back?

2011-11-25T17:35:00.001+08:00

Chinese national, Wang Zhijian, is on trial for allegedly killing his girlfriend Zhang Meng in a frenzied attack in her Yishun flat in Singapore. She was found with 44 knife wounds. He is also accused of killing her teenage daughter and a flatmate too.

The couple apparently fell out over durians. Zhang Meng had wanted money from Wang Zhijian to buy durians. When he refused, she called him a pauper, which enraged him and resulted in this tragedy.

When the couple were on better terms, Wang Zhijian got a picture of his girlfriend Zhang Meng tattooed on his back to prove his love for her, this was revealed in court today.

As a guy, would you tattoo your girlfriend's photo on your body? Does that make one more faithful? What happens when the relationship turn sour and you have found someone new to love? Does 'possessing' a part of your girlfriend with you ensure that she will stay with you forever? Why must one be so attached to a physical aspect of your lover? Isn't that too much attachment?

I just feel it is so foolish for a grown up man to kill 3 precious human lives in a moment of fury, not to mention the punishment he has to suffer now not just in this lifetime, but future lifetimes as well.

And just the other day, it was reported in the news that everyday, four or five people in Singapore attempt suicide, and at least one succeeds. The causes of suicide are often due to failed relationships and huge debts. And the number of those who committed suicide are getting younger. It is so sad to hear news like this.

It is so unfortunate and such a waste of precious human life. We have already created loads of good karma and incredible merits in order to be born as a human in this lifetime. Why do we have to waste it due to such foolish acts? If we do not treasure this precious human rebirth well, do you know we may be reborn as an animal, or hungry ghost or hell being in our next life, through the unbelievable atrocious actions we commit everyday in this life?

May the souls of the victims whom Wang Zhijian killed rest in peace and may he have a peace of mind and realise/confess his mistake. May those who need help be able to receive help, may those who need solace be able to find it. May all human beings treasure their lives well.

Anyhow, be careful what you tattoo behind your back, guys.

Rainbow on merit multiplying day

2011-11-25T11:20:00.001+08:00

An online friend, pingkwa, posted this beautiful photo of a double rainbow this morning somewhere in Singapore. This is incredibly auspicious and doubly auspicious as today 25 November is also a merit-multiplying day. It is the solar eclipse. All merits multiply by 100 million times today. It is a good time to take precepts, do practice, go vegetarian and create good deeds.

For Buddhists, the rainbow recalls the Prajnaparamita teaching on the Emptiness of Form. These striking atmospheric manifestations that occur at transitional times of the year, or of changing weather, are also understood in Tibetan Buddhism as indications of blessings from the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, dakinis or deities. Sometimes rainbows often appear as a sign in the skies foretelling the birth of a significant special reincarnate child.

Amitabha Buddhist Centre FPMT (ABC) will be liberating the lives of 500,000 animals today.
Om mani padme hum!

Happy thanksgiving?

2011-11-24T11:05:00.000+08:00

For the past 2 weeks, many, especially those from the United States, have been googling "thanksgiving turkey" and I'm gleeful that they landed in my blog post last year, titled "It's thanksgiving, don't kill". It was a post about how my guru Lama Zopa Rinpoche prayed for the 66 million turkeys who were sacrificed for thanksgiving.

Hope everyone had a truly amazing thanksgiving this year, without causing the lives of our white-feathered friends. Have a lovely weekend!

Condemn this cruel act in Singapore

2011-11-22T15:08:00.000+08:00

Saw this clip from Cat Welfare Society and I am disturbed and disgusted. It was captured by the CCTV of a local vet clinic, James Tan Veterinary Centre at Whitley Road.

"This is the footage of what appears to be a large-sized man (with a child) who drives a Mercedes Benz, dumping a cat in the bin of a local vet clinic. The cat (sterilised) was rescued 6 hours later by the clinic staff and is currently recuperating though it's in shock. Please spread the word. Pet abandonment is a crime punishable by law. We hope that folks can help with info that will lead to the identification and apprehension of the perpetrator."

This fat Ang moh man aka. cat dumper has got to be condemned and be held accountable for his act. What is worse then abandoning a cat (supposedly his pet) in broad daylight and dumping it into a rubbish bin, with no air to breathe for 6 hours (till it was found and rescued)? And he was performing such a cruel act in front of an impressionable little kid? How outrageous is that?

If the cat was not discovered and died due to suffocation, this cat dumper would have created the causes and conditions to be reborn as a cat in his next life. The workings of Karma. Does he even know and realise that?

Please help to spread the word and catch the culprit.

Hear ye, pig's ear..

2011-11-21T13:04:00.000+08:00

Saw these in a supermarket the other day, and it kind of grossed me out a little. These are braised pig ears. I do not see these often nowadays but I am sure many restaurants sell them.

Pig's ears are usually boiled or stewed, and then sliced thin, served with or spiced with chili paste.Pig ears are usually stewed in a classic Chinese red braise of soy sauce, sugar, star anise, and cinnamon, the savory-sweet ear is served chilled and sliced into long slivers. The ears are then cut across in width, each sliver is a cross section of all three elements in the organ. The Cantonese, in particular, like a platter of sliced pig's ear as a cold dish, an essential part of their Chinese dining experience.

When cooked, the outer texture is gelatinous, akin tofu is crunchy. Like tofu, the cartilage may be mild in taste. I was wondering, since it is almost tasteless, why eat pig's ears?

I have never tasted pig ears before and I do not intend to try. This is because, when I sight the ears, I would think of how those ears were sliced off the pigs' heads, just as how fins were being sliced off from the sharks.

In other news, it is great to hear that Asia's oldest hotel chain, the Peninsula Hotels group, is taking sharksfin the Chinese delicacy off its menus. From January, diners won't be offered shark's fin products at the luxury Peninsula Hotels chain, due to a decision by its owners, the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels group.

"By removing shark fin from our menus, we hope that our decision can contribute to preserving the marine ecosystem for the world's future generations," the group's chief executive officer Clement Kwok announced in a brief press statement.

Around 73 million sharks are estimated to be killed each year, taking one in three shark species to the brink of extinction. Their fins are hacked off at sea and the carcass discarded in the water in a practice referred to as "finning."