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What you are reading now is the first compiled (and revised)
collection of a complete year’s articles contributed by some 30
members. Join us today—be a TDE member, who not only reads,
but writes to share the Dharma too!
Suddenly, I wasn’t sure whether it was the heat of the sun that
made me dizzy, or that it was me feeling contempt for the sun that
made me dizzy.
Funny. I think the latter that is true. The sun meant no harm.
It was me to be blamed ultimately. I should have experienced the
heat mindfully without attachment—that’s all—no need to grumble
about it inside.
01
1
JANUARY 2 | way of the bodhisattva
202
JANUARY 3 | Magic
03
3
JANUARY 4 | Belief
Be honest.
To seek the Truth and True Happiness,
you have to be honest to yourself.
Be honest.
Do you honestly believe you are a Buddhist at heart?
If yes, what is it you do that makes you Buddhist?
4
JANUARY 5 | Wild Wide Eyes
I noticed that the world looks brighter and sharper when I open my
eyes bigger. Don’t laugh! Maybe you think we should have realised
this since we were toddlers. But I don’t think this is exactly true.
Seeing the world through new big eyes brings a new wave of
life to everything. Try it on your loved ones—see them renewed with
a tinge of amazement at their being and their infinite complexities
from head to toe. It is because kids live their days with perpetually
wild and wide eyes that they have endless fun. Is that not true?
5
JANUARY 6 | Simple Truth
606
JANUARY 7 | Openness
With this openness in the heart, any angry words which come
your way become echoes in space that you can truly hear deeply—
without prejudice. With a closed heart, angry words become sharp
arrows piercing it, as they are taken with bias, assumed to be
weapons shot to harm. He who is open can never be hurt. How can
you hurt openness? Incidentally, “happiness” in Mandarin means
“open-heartedness”!
07
7
JANUARY 8 | Resistance
808
JANUARY 9 | Compassion DEMON
09
9
JANUARY 10 | Real practice
I found and bought “The Long Discourses of the Buddha”. There and
then in the shop surrounded by the myriad Dharma books available,
I realised that all the sutras have been spoken by the Buddha
already (of course!), that all the essential teachings have been given.
And there were, just as there are, living masters who are still
teaching us today by word and example.
We are alive, able to appreciate all this. Yet aren’t many of us still
waiting? Something doesn’t seem quite “right”, so we procrastinate,
delaying the real learning and practice. But it is exactly because
things are not “right”, that we need to practise now! We tend to
keep delaying the actual practice. And when we do it, it’s in bits and
pieces. Sometimes we let ourselves “take off” on certain practices,
and other times, we let our mindfulness go on indefinite holidays.
10
JANUARY 11 | Marriage Vows
11
JANUARY 12 | Maybe
12
Is 1. a consolation or an excuse when we fail to do what we
should? How and when should we use 2. to motivate ourselves
instead of using 1. to excuse ourselves? How true is 1. or 2. at that
point in time when you make each statement? Do you live more
by 1. or 2.? Why?
13
JANUARY 13 | Meditate!
14
JANUARY 14 | Amusement
For example, when you slip and fall in public before a crowd,
try to grin it away! (It happened to me before—it was such a
ridiculous fall that I laughed till my sides ached!) Do you know
there’s Compassion involved here? The people around you might
feel uneasily tense if you were to pick yourself up grumbling, or
even looking flustered and ashamed. That’s Compassion for the
crowd—assure them with a grin that you’re okay! They might even
smile back! And it’s Compassion for yourself for sure. It’s okay to
be occasional clowns as long as we learn to be more mindful in
future!
15
JANUARY 15 | Value of a Day
What is the value of each day? What is the value of today? Seize
the day—seize today! Discover the value... and value it! Why not start
a personal spiritual diary where you pen your own “enlightenments”
each night? It will chart your spiritual growth as the days of your
life go by. Just a crazy thought, but it wouldn’t be too bad if we
“train” ourselves to question how we live each day, such that we will
only go to bed if we can recall an important lesson learnt that day!
Would that be developing a spiritual conscience!
16
JANUARY 16 | RIGHT NOW
17
JANUARY 17 | Alive
Feel your feelings and see your thoughts. Smell the roses and
hear the birds. If you find that enjoyable, the Buddha has greater
news for us —things can get even better, with increased objective
awareness. And nothing beats the “aliveness” of Enlightenment!
18
JANUARY 18 | Anger Reflection
Keep a pocket mirror with you everywhere you go. When you
become angry under any circumstances, the very moment you are
aware of it, take out the mirror and look at your facial expression in
it. See how horrible you look and your anger will dissipate quickly.
This method works like magic. This is the outer reflection of our
inner state of mind.
The tricky part is being mindful enough to catch the anger, and
to take out the mirror in time. Your mind is your most immediate
mirror to use though.
There will be times when you do indeed feel anger, but refuse
to look in the mirror. Know what that means? It means you are
really angry! Watch it! The more you don’t feel like reflecting upon
yourself, the more you should!
19
JANUARY 19 | Death and the TITANIC
The Titanic was a real major disaster—It was the only ship
proudly proclaimed in history to be unsinkable—yet it sank on its
maiden voyage. How does this relates to us? Many of us feel that we
are Titanics—we feel immortal at times. We feel undefeatable by old
age, sickness and death, invincible against the law of impermanence.
There are few illusions that great. Impermanence is not to be only
talked about, but felt in the bones.
20
Impending death is one of the best motivations available for
us to attain the deathless state of Nirvana. The day we were born,
we are all sinking Titanics—we start advancing towards death. The
tricky part is that we do not know how much of our “ship of life” is
still above the water. Have you planned your escape? How are you
going to escape? There is an ancient Indian saying:
21
JANUARY 20 | happy ending
In the happy ending, “I” went beyond life and death, happily
ever after in the bliss of Enlightenment.
22
JANUARY 21 | Zooming
23
JANUARY 22 | Puja
24
JANUARY 23 | Silence
I think I will close my eyes and meditate upon this silence for a
while, as I wait for the power to return.
25
JANUARY 24 | Learning Quickly
There are many things we have to learn. But there are not “too
many” things—the number is just right despite it being “much”.
This is because what we ought to learn, we ought to learn anyway.
It is crucial then, that we live sharply and mindfully, moving quickly
through the school of life, learning lessons properly and promptly,
paying attention to the details going through the mind, being
honest to oneself and the world.
26
That only took only 5 seconds. With more practice, it can be done
even faster. Pretty soon, if you have mastered this, you can hardly get
angry generally. The more challenging part is being mindful enough
to extinguish the volcano of anger... before it erupts!
27
JANUARY 25 | Pride
Pride is a tricky thing isn’t it? One can be so proud that one refuses
to admit it. The very moment one refuses to admit that one is proud,
one is almost definitely proud.
Now watch it—you might “proudly” proclaim that you are proud.
Be repentant! It is not a great or glamourous thing! It is different from
basic human dignity. It takes a person to be mindful enough to realise
that one is indeed proud to some extent. Only then can one
seriously work at subduing pride. Are you proud? Answer this
mindfully with conviction, with the least pride possible.
28
JANUARY 26 | Letting Go
29
JANUARY 27 | Tension
30
JANUARY 28 | Conqueror
When you win in a competition and you get high and haughty,
you had actually lost spiritually. And when your opponent, who
has lost, is not angry but is gracious about his defeat, it is he who
has won instead.
31
JANUARY 29 | Intentions & Consequences
32
JANUARY 30 | Spiritual Friendship
Then Ananda came to the Lord (Buddha) and said, “Half of the
holy life is friendship, association and intimacy with the spiritual.”
The Buddha replied, “Say not so! It is the whole of the holy life,
not half, this friendship, this association, this intimacy with the
spiritual.”
—Upaddha Sutta
33
JANUARY 31 | Dying & Sleeping
34
February 1 | Breathing
Watch your breath—it’s all there. The Buddha was a genius to teach
a practice as usefully simple yet profound as the mindfulness of
breathing. If you watch your breath constantly, noticing its ins and
outs, short and long durations, etc... you will discover that there is a
direct correlation between the state of your mind and your breath.
Therefore, you hear the good old advice that, “When you are
feeling mad, take a deep breath and count to ten.” Try it—it works.
Of course that is not the real solution. All problems have to be
eradicated at their root causes. Taking a deep breath might well be
a fool’s way of swallowing unneeded suffering repeatedly, without
Wisdom.
35
February 2 | Humility
36
February 3 | Beauty
Beauty makes sense, and is beautiful, only when it is felt in the heart.
And a beautiful heart is one that sees beauty all around. It even sees
the hidden beauty in what the world sees as ugliness.
37
February 4 | Real
But most of us are all still deluded about this Truth, since each
of us sees it only to a certain extent, while we struggle to fulfil our
material cravings. Is this not what we call a spiritual struggle—being
caught between material and spiritual goals?
38
February 5 | Guarding the mind
The watcher is the vigilant cat and one’s thoughts the scurrying
mouse. For the cat to be constantly chasing the mouse all over the
place is tiring, not to say never-ending. However, if the cat keeps
watch just outside the mouse-hole, it would be much easier to
“catch” it when it runs out, and the mouse would never have a
chance to run too far.
39
February 6 | Music to My Ears
40
February 7 | Enough
41
February 8 | Freedom
42
February 9 | attachment
It is said that his hair never grew back. Instead, they coiled up
neatly—this explains the curls on Buddha images’ heads. Maybe
this is symbolic of the fact that he never got attached to anything
worldly again.
43
February 10 | Untitled
44
February 11 | Miracle
45
February 12 | Success
The secret to success is not wrongly giving up doing the right thing.
Yes, it is that simple. Learn from mistakes and carry on along the new
direction found. You only fail when you give up. No one can really say
you have failed for good.
The greatest mistake one can make is to not dare to make any
mistakes. Mistakes made accidentally should be learnt from sincerely
—with no haunting regrets or hard feelings. Making mistakes is an
inevitable part of the learning process.
Many of life’s failures are those who did not realise how close
they were to success when they gave up. Success is just a whole
bunch of failed attempts plus one final perfect attempt. If it is worth
it, just do it—never give up. Tell yourself—if I should, I shall!
46
February 13 | anew
The guy who knocked into you without an apology should not
receive a confirmed mental verdict as a condemned nasty guy. Live
your next encounter with him anew without the past judgement
and you might realise that he is basically a good guy, who was then
rushing in a bad mood perhaps? If you were to stubbornly believe
that his true nature is lousy, what good can that do? Would you
want to live with that judgement of him forever? What if others do
that to you? Is it fair either way?
No—we don’t need another life to live anew. A new life can
begin now.
47
February 14 | Judgement
Who is the best judge? Who has the “right” taste? Is there a
“proper” preference? A thousand people have a thousand different
preferences because they have a thousand different sets of karmic
perceptions and habitual inclinations.
The wise argue not over the unimportant and frivolous because
they know there will be no fruitful conclusion. The wisest judge is
probably one who does not judge, especially for trivial matters.
48
February 15 | Renunciation
49
February 16 | Posture
When depressed, depress not your head—lift it up. Look to the sky.
Take a mindful deep breath. Open your eyes wide. Smile. And where
is the depression now?
50
February 17 | Monday Blues
51
February 18 | Silence
Do not speak...
unless it improves on silence!
Only when you are truly silent can you truly hear what is going
on in your mind—this is a basic step for meditation and quiet
reflection.
Have you had your silence period today yet? Keep quiet and you
might just manage to keep some peace—and increase it!
52
February 19 | Did the Buddha Exist?
Is the historical Buddha for real? Did he really exist? Of course he did.
But in a sense, it isn’t very important even if he did not exist. Because
even if he was only legendary, he would still be the best teacher,
since he gave us the best teachings!
So what if all or some of the stories about him are fictitious? If his
teachings lead to True Happiness, that’s good enough! As Buddhists,
where else can we find a better teacher with greater teachings?
Treasure his teachings if it’s obvious there is no better option!
53
February 20 | Sudden Light
I want one too! I want to have one single startling realisation that
shatters aeons of clotted ignorance heaped up in the depths of my
mind. I think you would want one too. But how many of us actually
have this single amazing realisation beyond all means of description?
Is it not a spiritual fantasy to have Enlightenment strike you out of
the blue into super-consciousness and liberation just like that? Well,
I think yes and no.
54
February 21 | Nagging
55
February 22 | Humility
I discovered that false humility can develop into such a state that
one can even think one is truly humble. It can be quite horrifying.
Some of us, at some point of our lives, get pointed out that we aren’t
humble and sincere enough. And some thus try too hard and too
fast without proper and deep mindfulness to be humble and sincere.
Some then end up humble and sincere only in outer appearance,
while the heart remains full of pride.
56
February 23 | Upside Down
3. We eat exotic spicy food and turn our stomachs inside out with
“fire”, perspiring and panting, and feel that was “real good!” While
this happens, the yearning for the coolness of peace of mind or
Nirvana has no place in one’s mind! The food was just too “good”
to be true—at that moment “superior” to Nirvana! We often
would rather go for such a meal than meditate for peace of mind!
57
February 24 | Blame
Don’t blame yourself for the way you are now. Don’t lament of your
past (or past lives), when you did the wrong to deserve your present
state. Because that past person is no longer you. You now are the
repentant one willing to do good, not the past stubborn one only
willing to do evil. You have changed. And you have no one to blame.
Not even yourself in any way. Be at peace.
58
February 25 | Ugliness
See.
See deep.
See deep into the ugliest thing you ever laid your eyes upon.
See so deep that you realise that it is the ugliest thing,
not because of itself.
59
February 26 | No Compromise
60
February 27 | Re-emptying Your Cup
Do we re-empty our cups from time to time? For most of us, our
minds open and close cyclically, believing and disbelieving, taking
up and giving up speculations. This unnecessary and mindless
loop hinders us from getting closer to Enlightenment. We need to
transcend having mere opinions by having true realisations.
61
February 28 | Time
Time “exists” only when one waits for the future to come, and when
one wishes for the past to return. It doesn’t “exists” for one who
lives in the “now” only. There is no fixed conception of time to the
good Bodhisattva. He is not anxious to attain the future fruit of
Buddhahood (which he knows is “a matter of time”—which is why
he is still gladly a Bodhisattva), and he yearns not to return to his
deluded non-Bodhisattvic past.
62
February 29 | Transformation
This passage itself... you needn’t have read it—if you were not
going to let it transform you. No need to nod your head in theoretical
agreement, or try to recall where you heard something similar.
Get “real”—be transformed, or it’s just an utter waste of your time.
63
March 1 | Dare to let go
64
March 2 | Was the Buddha Enlightened?
65
March 3 | Cloud
Or is it “cloudiness”?
What is the Truth?
Truth is just exactly the way things are.
66
March 4 | Imagination
67
March 5 | Mara
68
March 6 | snapshot
69
March 7 | death rehearsal
Stop!
Whatever you are doing right now—
sense the uneasiness and dissatisfaction
in the abrupt interruption.
The above has been a poor rehearsal for your possible sudden
death. We either face death abruptly and rudely, or with ample
time to prepare for it. It is arrogant to assume we will be dying the
latter way.
70
March 8 | Practise now
Hello fellow Buddhists out there! Are you a real practising Buddhist
in body, speech and mind? Are you sure? I’m referring to right now—
not a few years back, or yesterday, or even a minute ago.
71
March 9 | Ego
72
March 10 | Tendencies
73
March 11 | Adventure
For example, don’t keep walking the same old path from your
home to the bus-stop day after day. Take a new turn and enter new
worlds to explore new sceneries. You might meet an interesting
“new” neighbour or...
74
March 12 | Smile
The next time you catch a stranger in the eye, don’t look
away abruptly, glare on furiously, or stare lifelessly. Generate
a wish of well-being for him or her and smile it to him or her!
What a simple, beautiful and effective way of creating fresh positive
karmic connections!
75
March 13 | The THIRD Precept
76
March 14 | Offerings
77
March 15 | Trash
The story doesn’t end here. Before I cleared the trash, I told
myself to be mindful of my present attachments—both material
and mental. I wouldn’t want to sort out a pile of trash again in a few
years’ time!
78
March 16 | Sense of the Sacred
The reverence a “good” Buddhist has for the Triple Gem is sacred—
because one realises the true preciousness of it. When one sees a
monastic member of the Sangha (of the Triple Gem) making a human
mistake, one might be ever courteous and encompassing—because
that person represents a sacred goal.
79
March 17 | mystery
80
March 18 | Vow
Bodhisattvas were once ordinary human beings like us, but they
developed hearts of great Compassion. They vowed with all their
hearts to help all sentient beings be released from their suffering. In
that sense, they were great human beings.
81
March 19 | Calm
82
March 20 | Middle Way
No. When we say “to walk the Middle Way”, we actually mean
“to try our best to walk the Middle Way.” We will tend to stray now
and then in different aspects of our life while we practise walking it.
For example, we might in one second entertain the illusory possibility
of the existence of a permanent self (this is falling into the extreme
of belief in eternalism). And in the next second, we might catch
ourselves over-eating our favourite food (another form of extreme).
And this is where diligence and the perfection of effort in cultivating
Wisdom comes in. The point is to constantly tune ourselves to the
balancing point of “not too much or little; but just enough”.
83
March 21 | questions
84
March 22 | Refuge
85
March 23 | Misery
Pain is often inevitable, but misery is often avoidable. Many lead more
fortunate lives than those living in Third World nations. However, we
are still dissatisfied. There are things abound that we find “imperfect”
or “painful”, and so suffering arises. We seldom see that what we
have is already enough to give us more than the basic comforts that
we need.
86
March 24 | Lost in Space and Time
87
March 25 | Common Ground
Like the rays of light from the “sun” of the Threefold Refuge,
may we reach out in 84,000 ways and directions pervading all
space, eliminating the darkness of delusion. May all traditions of the
Buddha’s teachings thrive to benefit many.
88
March 26 | what you want
Have: great.
Don’t have: it’s okay.
This is non-attachment:
the non-yearning all-accepting heart.
89
March 27 | Seeking Forgiveness
90
March 28 | Best
Do your best.
But how do you know it is your best?
Because you don’t,
you don’t have any reason not to try harder.
91
March 29 | Millennium
92
March 30 | Spiritual Improvement
To improve spiritually is
to be kind enough to want to help all,
and to be wise enough to be able to help all.
93
March 31 | Light
94
April 1 | Knowing
The Truth is what you know. If you do not know it, you only choose
to believe in something that might, or might not be the Truth. Be
without choosing. Why play the guessing game? A correct guess
is still only a guess.
95
April 2 | Help Yourself
96
April 3 | Bowing
Why do some Buddhists not bow when they come across a Buddha
image at a place of worship? Do they not remember the significance
of bowing? It is to pay our homage to the enlightened one while
humbling ourselves, so that we can be more willing to learn.
97
April 4 | Faults
98
April 5 | Insight
Be glad that you are one step closer and continue stepping
forward. Do not think that you are one step ahead of others—that is
your ego playing tricks—you are not out to win others in attaining
Enlightenment first. Your Enlightenment is for others—we are all
“one”. Your one “big” step to your personal Enlightenment might
be just one small step towards the Enlightenment of all.
99
April 6 | design
You, the architect of your life, what kind of world have you
designed yourself to be in? Does it has poetry and fountains?
Or do you pass them by? What is your master plan and what does
it lead to?
100
April 7 | Transformation
101
April 8 | Dharma Doors
I’d been prying open some doors here and there, entering some,
taking short walks within, before turning back to try new doors.
The journey to Enlightenment isn’t really ever trod yet. Like they
say, “All roads lead to Rome.” Well, in this case, all Dharma doors
lead to Enlightenment. I shouldn’t be spending the rest of my life
exploring bits and pieces of what is behind each door without really
getting anywhere ahead.
Sit and reflect. Contemplate things over. Then open the selected
door and walk forth without turning back. Better get going soon—
because the journey might be long and life is short.
102
April 9 | Peace All the Time
You can learn to stay longer “at the bottom of the sea” by
meditating for longer periods of time. Better still, have no concept
of time—just spend more days off in a retreat and meditate on and
on to train the steadfastness of your mind. You don’t always have to
fix the meditation session as half an hour or so. As long as you have
grasped the technique, meditate on with no holds barred.
103
April 10 | Human
104
April 11 | Thousands
Here are verses, words and lines hard to find amongst thousands
of others—
105
April 12 | Sutra Surprise
Whenever I feel empty and hollow, down and out, I would flip
open a Dharma book or a Buddhist sutra at random and cast my
eyes upon any passage. It would be a nice “karmic coincidence” if
the passage relates to my present blues and suggests a related
solution. I feel inspired almost instantly. Even when the passage is
irrelevant, it still brings me calmness and contentment as I read
the Buddha’s words—his dialogues with his disciples.
106
April 13 | Is-ness
107
April 14 | Demystification of the Buddha
So how do we see the Buddha? Just see him as the wisest and
kindest person ever. Nothing fancy in that sense. His greatness is his
total ability to connect with us human beings, understanding us all,
and offering us a path that leads to True Happiness. Let us all feel
close to him. The closer you feel you are to him, the closer you are
to your very own Buddha-nature and Buddhahood itself!
108
April 15 | Natural
Just look deep into yourself honestly. For example, is your sexual
drive always natural? Do you always have to be driven by it? Is your
backstabbing of your colleague natural? Do your animal instincts
justify you to be animal and inhumane? Though humans are of
the animal kingdom (as classified by science), are we supposed to
behave like animals? Or is there clouded conscience and Wisdom
within that knows exactly what is right from wrong?
Which aspect of your nature do you feel the closest to, that you
are the most comfortable with? I suspect it is your Buddha-nature!
It’s only perfectly natural!
109
April 16 | Little by Little
110
April 17 | Opportunity
111
April 18 | Sickness, Ageing & Death
1. Sickness is sickening!
(It feels terrible and that it can strike any time.)
2. Ageing is crippling!
(Old age cripples body and mind, and this is ongoing.)
3. Death is deadly!
(Life is a fatal disease we all eventually die of!)
112
April 19 | Bad Mood
Don’t think you have a valid excuse for bad behaviour when you are
moody. Don’t think you can just say something offensive, followed
by, “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. I’m in a bad mood today.” You can’t
just walk away like that.
Not a single angry word slipped from the Buddha’s mouth even
when the ones talking to him cursed and swore at him. Nope—no
bad moods for he who is ever mindful, a master of his mind.
113
April 20 | Professionalism
114
April 21 | Rationalisation
We all rationalise here and there, now and then, to the world and
to ourselves, to get away. We bend, stretch and re-interpret reality
to excuse ourselves from the unpleasant aspects of our “real”
selves. This is actually breaking the fourth precept, which is about
respecting the Truth.
115
April 22 | Much Ado About Nothing?
Life is then easy and bearable for the Buddhist who understands
his personal roots of suffering. Why then, is there a “need” to aspire
towards the ultimate fruit of Buddhahood? It is simple—so that
you can help the countless other beings, who understand not,
that their craving and hatred, out of their delusions, are “much ado
about nothing”.
This need in you that you feel, to become a Buddha, arises out
of Compassion. This is the preciousness of Compassion. It creates
Buddhas—that creates countless more Buddhas. It is not “much ado
about nothing” at all! It has to do with everything that is precious.
116
April 23 | The SIX Senses
117
April 24 | Spiritual Burnout
There are times when we feel spiritually low and burnt out. While
it is a popular belief that this might mean it is time to “take a
break” from any spiritual training, I personally see that for a mature
enough spiritual practitioner, there is no better time to really put
his spirituality to the test. As the saying goes, “When you hit rock
bottom, the only way is up.” How can anyone who is serious about
seeking liberation actually “take a break” from this goal? Of course
this is a lot easier said than done. But what is truly worth doing
will always require much effort; Enlightenment isn’t going to come
too easily.
Great effort is needed not only to, say, being able to meditate
with steady calm and insight, it also means living totally down
to earth responsibilities, like being a better child or friend etc.
Spirituality is not up in the heavens, it is here on Earth where you
stand right now. The next time you burn out, remember that your
spirituality was probably never properly “kindled” in the first place!
A good flame burns on unflickering and bright.
118
April 25 | Good Reason
But there will also forever be 1 good reason for you to strive on
the challenging path of spiritual betterment—so that you can become
truly happy, so that you can help bring True Happiness to others.
119
April 26 | One Moment
A lifetime is not
what’s between the moments of birth and death.
120
April 27 | Giving Chance
121
April 28 | Dirty Job
I was at a public toilet bowl, about to pass motion, when I saw this
small winged insect on the surface of the water, fluttering helplessly,
drowning. In a split-second, arose the question of how to save it.
There was nothing to scoop it out with—and I didn’t want to get
my hands dirty.
122
April 29 | A Serious Problem
123
April 30 | No New Dharma
Don’t look for some “new” Dharma teaching here today. There is
already a whole lot of “old” but timeless Dharma teachings that
you already know—that you have yet to put into practice! Right?
124
May 1 | effort
One who has put in enough effort is ever at ease and has no
need to ask this. If you are not asking this question, you are either
enlightened or are plain lazy to some extent! Put in more effort
then!
125
May 2 | Mess
I don’t want it to be such that I came into this world to mess it up.
There is an ideal “place” for everything and everything should be
in its place.
The next step from not creating a mess is clearing up your own
personal mess. My personal mess is my collection of bad habits
from my greed, hatred and ignorance, which is spiritually harmful
to myself and others.
126
I think of the Buddha as one major mess-clearer. He cleared
messes perfectly—in fact, he “enlightened”. He came into our
world in a time when humans were seriously “messed up” in their
hearts and minds. It was when dozens of systems of religions and
philosophies were abound, and few really knew what was really
worth living for.
If we are to all clear up each of our own mess, and help one
another do the same, there would be no mess left in this world. This
world will then become a Pure Land.
127
May 3 | Beyond the Horrids of Life
“The secret of happiness is to face the fact that the world is horrible,
horrible, horrible.”
128
May 4 | Repentance
129
May 5 | Allergy
130
4. Allergies are generally (but not always) harmless. Well, what we
feel averse to, is only in our minds—like inner demons haunting
us.
5. Allergies can be prevented as aversion, as one of the three
poisons, along with craving and ignorance, can be eradicated.
Keep an open mind and heart. Learn to embrace all. Mind over
matter! With enough practice, even bodily reactions can be
overcome with control of the mind!
131
May 6 | Ehipassiko
“Ehipassiko” means “Don’t just believe; come and see”. It sums up the
Buddhist spirit of free enquiry. This is the teaching that any teaching
should not be accepted upon face value. It should be thoroughly
investigated before accepting them as Truth.
Many Buddhists are proud that Buddhism lives this spirit. But
some might get carried away such that they use it as a “weapon”
against other religious beliefs, proclaiming faiths without the
Ehipassiko spirit as blind. But they themselves might forget to apply
Ehipassiko in their own Dharma practice. They might end up the
very ones who accept the Buddhist teachings upon face value!
132
May 7 | for you
The reason why the Buddha came into our world, though he might
have came before your birth, is for YOU. The reason why the myriad
countless Bodhisattvas are still around to help is because YOU are
still unenlightened, and that they are still hopeful, believing that
YOU can be helped on the path to Enlightenment.
The priceless Triple Gem is YOURS. All the sutras were spoken
for YOU. All the venerable masters are YOUR teachers.
Everyone rejoice!
133
May 8 | Transgressions
The state of the world lies in the hands of the individual. Don’t
just complain that you don’t know what the world is coming to.
The transgressions of the world belong to the world. The world is
responsible for them all and you are part of the world. You are just
as responsible as anyone else for the state of the world.
134
May 9 | Living Joyously
135
May 10 | merry-Go-Round?
The possible reasons why you are still riding in the “(un)merry-go-
round” of life and death (Samsara):
1. You have not got sick and tired of the ride yet.
2. You have forgotten how sick and tired of the ride you were.
3. You enjoy it now, not realising you will get sick and tired of it.
4. You are sick and tired of it but don’t know how to get off.
5. You...
136
May 11 | Birthday
137
May 12 | Ignorance
138
May 13 | spiritual Deadlines
Okay everyone! Yes, you too! It is high time that we all give ourselves
some spiritual deadlines. Let us not say we want to be better people
while taking forever (maybe that’s why we are reborn time and
again); let us give ourselves credible real-time deadlines to urge us
to advance steadily on the path of spiritual betterment.
139
May 14 | Rush
140
May 15 | Celebration
141
May 16 | Comfort Zone
Are we better off than him? We have our comfort zones too.
Sometimes they aren’t obvious at all. It could be someone you keep
confiding in when in trouble. It can be the unchallenging job that
offers little chance for personal growth, that you have been holding
for years. Sometimes we shouldn’t get too comfortable, or we end
up imprisoning ourselves within self-made walls.
142
I dedicate this article to the unknown man at the window.
And to all of us at the windows of our self-made prison cells. Let
us not get too comfortable. Let us start stepping out. Any comfort
zone that is not Nirvana is not real comfort.
143
May 17 | Sleeping on It
Can we call that wise and forgiving, or plain escapism? The issue
of who was right was not even brought up yet! Some of us sleep on
serious problems—figuratively. Sleep as in plain “don’t give a damn”.
But forgetting about a problem does not resolves it. Doing so is like
being an ostrich that buries its head in the sand, thinking that if it
can’t see what is troubling it, that thing will disappear!
144
May 18 | Perfect
Don’t look for the perfect time and place to truly begin your spiritual
practice. We should create perfect existence though this might
not “be” perfect existence. Practice is the perfecting of our minds
such that every time becomes the perfect time, and every place
becomes the perfect place. This is the state of perfect existence.
It is not a place or time. It is a state of mind. And this state of mind
is achieved without a perfect place and time, for a perfect place
and time is possible only in the perfected mind. So wherever you
are, whenever it is, already is your “perfect place and time” to begin
your perfection!
145
May 19 | Experimentation
146
May 20 | Treasure the Dharma
147
May 21 | Appreciation
148
May 22 | One
When alone,
learn to be at one with yourself and the world;
don’t be the loneliest one in the world.
149
May 23 | Next
150
May 24 | Kicking Off Bad Habits
We all know it can be pretty tough to kick off our bad habits.
However, this is important because habits are what “make” us. Every
sentient being’s illusory self is just a bunch of tendencies to do this
or that due to habitual forces. In fact, kicking off a habit is part and
parcel of the process of breaking the illusion of a self that seems so
fixed, and condemned by the negativity of the habit.
For example, for habits like smoking, what is the best way
to quit it naturally? We have to first be deeply convinced of
the destructiveness of the bad habit, physically and spiritually,
deep down in our hearts. The next step is to replace that bad
habit with a good one, or at least a neutral one. This is to fill in the
sudden feeling of “loss” and urge. Maybe have a bunch of baby
carrots around to chew? That’s healthy! Vitamins instead of over
400 chemicals in a cigarette!
151
May 25 | Secret of Daily Happiness
Once, a king visited the Buddha and was astonished to see how
calm and happy his monks were. So he asked, “Venerable Sir,
the monks of other gurus constantly look as if they’re in pain. But
your monks, Sir, radiate such peace and happiness. Tell me, how do
they did it?”
152
May 26 | Bump in the Night
153
May 27 | Looking for Me
Who am I?
I can’t find.
I can’t define.
I can’t see.
Who am I?
I am “looking”.
154
May 28 | Veneration
155
May 29 | ORIGINALITY
156
May 30 | Light
157
May 31 | Finger and Moon
I point my finger at the moon and my dog looks at “it”. “It”, however,
as in my finger, not the moon. He sees not that beyond my finger.
I move my finger and he jumps around with it. He only needs to
see where my finger leads to, to see the moon. But he misses it. So
close yet so far away!
The finger represents the sutras and teachings, that point to the
Truth, as represented by the moon. The finger is just a guide to the
moon. The finger is not the moon per se. The teachings are not the
Truth—they are about the Truth.
158
June 1 | Nature
We see that the Buddha was one with nature and saw the
importance of its relationship with us all. Respect nature. We belong
to nature. Nature does not belong to us. Destroy nature and we
destroy ourselves, for we are part of nature too.
159
June 2 | Change
I discovered that there is this trap that Buddhists tend to fall into, as
a result of not seeing clearly enough, as according to the spirit of the
Middle Way. Specifically here, I refer to the truth of impermanence.
There is this tendency for us to visualise this truth in terms of death
and decay only. We tend to relate to this truth only in its “negative”
aspects. We forget the other side of the coin!
The rain will come after sunshine, but sunshine also comes after
the rain! Impermanence means “constant change” of all phenomena.
This truth is neutral. It is what makes possible the transforming of
bad situations for the better (and vice versa). Impermanence thus
can offer hope! It is partly due to this truth that we can transform
into Buddhas! No one is condemned to be unenlightened forever.
160
June 3 | Sutra Closing
“When the Buddha preached this sutra, ... and the other Bodhisattvas,
... and the gods..... human and non-human beings, and all others in
the great assembly greatly rejoiced together, and taking possession
of the Buddha’s words, made salutation to him and withdrew.”
161
June 4 | Secret Smile
162
June 5 | Chains
Quit it now!
Rid that bad habit of yours.
An attachment is a weakness.
No matter how small it is,
it is one of the chains that shackle you to Samsara.
Remember—
you have a thousand other chains to free yourself from.
You had better start freeing yourself now.
Out of Compassion,
I dare you!
163
June 6 | Paradox
164
June 7 | Happy Buddhist
165
June 8 | Spiritual Friend
166
June 9 | Words
Whatever it is,
however much,
hope you understand what this means.
Well, these words can only help this much...
167
June 10 | Realisation
168
June 11 | Teaching of All Buddhas
PRACTISE!
Get practical.
Practise what you preach.
Practise what the Buddha preached.
169
June 12 | Sexual Tension
170
June 13 | Me
The senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and sensation that I lose
in an accident is not me. The mind that I lose to insanity is not me.
Or is there a “me” at all? Me—perhaps the greatest conjurer of the
greatest magic trick ever. “Me” created the illusion of “me”.
171
June 14 | Threshold of Pain
172
June 15 | The Purpose of Life
173
June 16 | Point
Be careful—
What seems most purposeful
(e.g. accumulation of fame and fortune)
might be most pointless eventually,
and what seems most pointless
(e.g. renunciation of worldly indulgences for peace)
might be most purposeful.
174
June 17 | LOOK!
Look!
And in that split instant, I caught you off guard.
I got you surprised.
And maybe now I got you a little impatient and irritated.
Because you don’t know what I’m up to.
Is this worth your attention, you might wonder, as you fret a little.
Look!
Aha!
Don’t let me catch you again.
175
June 18 | All-Knowing
176
June 19 | Ending all Wars
While we alone may not effectively end the wars out there, we
can definitely contribute to world peace... by first ending the wars
within us. Every quarrel, every shout of anger, every gesture of fury,
even if just to another person, is a small war waged. And it only
takes a handful of angry persons to start a riot and more to start
a “real war”. Your family fights and disputes might well be a micro
version of a localised war.
177
June 20 | Mountain
178
June 21 | History’s HeroES
Discounting the fact that there were great heroes who “fought”
their way through, to contribute to our glorious present, there
were countlessly more pointless and petty struggles, what must
have been “unending” strife to gain and conquer. But it is all over
now. And most of it was plain ugly and silly. Not really worth the
trouble at all.
That was the big picture. Are we each not right now writing
history with every one of our personal endeavours? Are your
struggles as simple as wanting a promotion or as complex as
wanting to be a world leader? How will our descendents see
us? Would what we have done be worthwhile? Will you make
a worthwhile mark for the betterment of everything? The truly
substantial “stuff” to be achieved in life is not material. It is without
“substance”. For example, being at peace and spreading peace is
formless and “strifeless”.
What wars are you waging right now? Will it be good for one
and all? How will you stand in history? Be a great hero, a spiritual
one. Visualise being your own descendent and tell me what you
see of your ancestor’s failed and successful conquests. Anyway,
you are truly your own “descendent”, the heir of your own karma.
179
June 22 | Ease the Heart
180
June 23 | No Need to Judge
It seemed kind of scary that people can change “just like that”.
It kind of jolted me to my senses—I don’t really know anyone at
all! I can’t ever really! (But there is the unchanging Buddha-nature
beneath this all.) Even I myself am a fickle person under the guise
of a “fixed” personality.
181
yesterday. We are all literally reborn with every changing thought.
No one particular self persists throughout all time.
182
June 24 | The Old Man and the Child
The wise old man doesn’t have to run after the child
to take care of him.
He only has to watch him.
The stiller the old man is,
the stiller the child will be.
183
June 25 | Boredom
Boredom...
is a disease subtle,
that eats away time and life.
We “escape” it by filling up the gaps of our life
with essentially empty and meaningless activities—
the eternal search for new external stimulus of the senses...
hear music, see shows, shop, snack, chat, surf the net...
Sit down.
Meditate... look at your state of boredom...
See its roots.
Suddenly, you see them,
sharp and clear...
and all boredom disappears,
and the world is seen in fresh clear light.
184
June 26 | contentment
Can we say that the Buddha did not inherit his Father’s
kingdom, much as the King wished? Well, he did much more. He
“conquered” much of the world with his Wisdom and Compassion.
He is a King beyond space and time. Even we today two and a
half millennia later as Buddhists, are his loyal “subjects” singing his
praises! And yet he was one who lived a simple humble life! True
wealth is spiritual and immeasurable—the Buddha has got to be
the “richest” person ever to appear in history!
185
June 27 | Mere Feelings
With this thought, I felt much better. I realised that our feelings
fluctuate easily when the environment changes. Only now do I really
see how true the Buddha’s teachings are about impermanence and
non-self—everything physical and mental is in constant change.
So much so, that there is no fixed self in anything. No feelings are
substantially real because they change all the time. We express our
emotions in the heat of the moment because our feelings of rage
feel so “real” and justified then. Pause a few seconds in the light of
mindfulness and you will see the anger dissipate as quickly as it
surfaced. Never let feelings control us; we should learn to control
our feelings. Rashness leads to lots of negative karma!
186
June 28 | TRUTH
187
June 29 | Big Sky Mind
188
June 30 | Nature
Be natural then.
No one is as natural as the Buddhas.
189
JULY 1 | Just Like That
War breaks out and all able young men have to fight.
Friends congratulate him.
He says,
“I don’t know whether this is good or bad—
it is just like that.”
190
JULY 2 | Inner Demons
191
JULY 3 | Blurred Vision
192
JULY 4 | Being Touched
193
JULY 5 | Only Human
194
JULY 6 | Threshold of Pain
It’s time you made up your mind on what it’s all worth.
Your threshold of pain might well be that which determines
when you truly aspire to step out of Samsara. You decide when
enough is enough, when the time for renunciation from all causes
of suffering is right.
195
JULY 7 | FirE
196
JULY 8 | Different Horror of Rebirth
I might have confidence in the Triple Gem, but was just never
determined enough to break free from the cycle of birth and death.
I am half-awake and half-comfortable in this realm right here and
now as a human—a precarious position with no definite rise or fall
at the moment.
197
JULY 9 | Empty Boat
198
JULY 10 | Responsibility
199
JULY 11 | My Teacher
He is, at the same time, the best teacher I’ve ever had.
He has taught me everything I know...
about dissatisfaction, greed, hatred, and ignorance.
200
JULY 12 | Six Perfections by Mindfulness of Buddha
201
JULY 13 | Greatest Resource
202
JULY 14 | Freedom
203
JULY 15 | Before & After
204
JULY 16 | The Teaching of All Buddhas
To avoid evil.
To do good.
To purify the mind.
This is the teaching of all Buddhas.
What is evil?
It is that which causes suffering, for one and/or all.
It is our thoughts, speech and actions,
that arise from the three poisons—
Attachment (Greed/Craving), Aversion (Hatred/Anger)
and Ignorance (Delusion).
What is good?
It is that which causes the end of suffering;
Nirvana; Enlightenment; Emancipation;
Liberation; Freedom; True Happiness, for one and/or all.
It is our thoughts, speech and actions,
that arise from the three antidotes to the three poisons—
Generosity, Loving-kindness and Wisdom.
205
JULY 17 | Renunciation
206
JULY 18 | Sandcastles
Evening came,
and the children thought they ought to go home.
No one now cared about the castles.
One stepped on his own, and another pushed hers over.
Then they turned away and went back, each to their homes.
207
JULY 19 | Bliss
208
JULY 20 | Hope
209
JULY 21 | Hold On
210
JULY 22 | Rise & Fall
211
JULY 23 | Sentiments
212
JULY 24 | Letting Go
Letting go is just letting go. It is not trying to let go. The element
of mere trying suggests attachment. The more you try, the more
you might suffer. If you cannot let go your trouble in mind just
yet, try resolving it another way. Maybe it is not to be let go
just like that.
When you want to forget, you might recall. When you recall, you
might want to forget. I guess this is the anguish of mental suffering,
of not being with the beloved, of departing from the beloved.
213
JULY 25 | Centre of the Universe
214
JULY 26 | Why Gratitude?
215
JULY 27 | Ladies & Gentlemen
Ladies!
Do not be ladylike!
Gentlemen!
Do not be gentlemanly!
216
JULY 28 | Be Centred
217
JULY 29 | The Lake of Your Mind
218
JULY 30 | Mud Bodhisattva
The mud Bodhisattva who crosses the river does not get across.
He needs to toughen himself spiritually,
much more so if he wishes to bring others across suffering,
to the other shore of liberation.
219
JULY 31 | Change
220
AUGUST 1 | An Appropriate Statement
221
AUGUST 2 | Love
222
AUGUST 3 | Chains
223
AUGUST 4 | Freedom
224
AUGUST 5 | Reason
225
AUGUST 6 | Precepts
226
AUGUST 7 | Embrace Your Karma
Then the goat cried. And the priest asked, “Why are you in
tears?” The goat replied, “Five hundred lives ago, I was a priest like
you, killing goats for offerings!” Of course, karma does not always
operate so simplistically.
227
AUGUST 8 | Pure land
228
AUGUST 9 | Wrong
229
AUGUST 10 | Enjoy
230
AUGUST 11 | What’s the Point?
231
AUGUST 12 | Surprise
First,
because of surprise.
Second,
because words fail to describe it.
232
AUGUST 13 | Sustenance of Realisations
You’ll be surprised...
how simply being mindful from moment to moment
can keep the light of your realisation
from flickering or extinguishing.
Be aware, be awake!
233
AUGUST 14 | Laziness
234
AUGUST 15 | By the Second
235
AUGUST 16 | A Hundred Years Later
236
AUGUST 17 | Conquering Mountains
237
AUGUST 18 | Alone
238
AUGUST 19 | Spiritual Hero
“I” am...
the unsung, unrecognised, unknown hero
of my own small proud and self-centred world.
This is so sad—
sadly egoistic!
No ego.
No swelling pride.
They are the real heroes—
spiritual heroes who inspire us to be selfless heroes like them.
239
AUGUST 20 | Confession of Faults
240
AUGUST 21 | Rebirth
Go then!
Beyond good and evil—be pure,
beyond life and death,
to the other shore of Nirvana.
241
AUGUST 22 | Bodhisattva Mother
Guanyin Bodhisattva
does not cling on to the fact
that she is Guanyin.
My Mother
is “being” Guanyin
to me,
by praying to Guanyin
for me...
without thinking she is “being” Guanyin.
Guanyin, my Mother;
My Mother Guanyin;
Guanyin Mother.
242
AUGUST 23 | Scenery
243
AUGUST 24 | Sanity
244
AUGUST 25 | Mosquito Bite
Scratching
a mosquito bite
is pleasure,
is pain
altogether...
Mini Samsara!
How paradoxical!
Makes me think
that
true peace
transcends either.
245
AUGUST 26 | Mercy
246
AUGUST 27 | Pass You By
Almost meditation—
driver meditation,
passenger meditation.
247
AUGUST 28 | Setting Free
248
AUGUST 29 | Letting Go
249
AUGUST 30 | Success
There was a majestic temple laid with marble flooring. Inside its
hall was a marble Buddha image. One night, the floor asked the
Buddha image, “You and I were made from the same material.
How is it that I’m on the floor, stepped on by humans, and you
are sitting up there being respected?”
250
AUGUST 31 | One Crucial Realisation
251
SEPTEMBER 1 | Release
Realise this—
such a simple thing
as easing yourself at the loo,
you have to do by yourself.
No one else can do it for you.
252
SEPTEMBER 2 | Mind
253
SEPTEMBER 3 | Being Single
The news article read half-jokingly, “If all else fails, perhaps the
best way to get singles to marry and have babies is to drum into
them the loneliness of being single and childless.” Will it work?
I am a single woman. Am I afraid of lonely twilight years? Do
I need to worry that I might die enveloped by insecurity and
loneliness? Honestly speaking, I used to. Until I realised what my
supreme teacher, the Lord Buddha, had compassionately and
painstakingly told me, his disciple—that life is uncertain, likened
to a bubble that can burst any moment. I cannot “prevent” the
bubble from bursting. Nor am I able to bring along with me
my beloved ones, be it my spouse or children to my next life.
What is there right here and now that can guarantee I will die
happily with someone by my side? And for that matter, must it
be a husband or my children?
What is insecurity in life? The truth is, my short life span should
be what I am mindful about. And this mindfulness continually
inspires me to treasure everyone and everything in my life right
here, right now. It is needless to anticipate or speculate about the
unknown future when I do not even know whether I can live to see
tomorrow. The harsh reality is that I cannot even hold on to this very
moment, which continually slips away.
254
This day is a special day,
It is yours.
—Ancient poem
255
SEPTEMBER 4 | Brakes
Like brakes, the precepts are for control, safety and protection;
they were never meant to restrict or restrain you.
A car without brakes can never come to any good use.
The same goes for a person who has no moral guidelines.
256
SEPTEMBER 5 | True Love
257
SEPTEMBER 6 | Flinch
258
SEPTEMBER 7 | Ignorance
Do not be ignorant
about who or what is right or wrong—
Blame the ignorance, not the ignorant!
259
SEPTEMBER 8 | A Buddhist Management Style
All beings are given the best advice by the best possible skilful
means. This means the Buddhas are blameless. Thus, for all leaders
and would-be-leaders to be blameless, they have to actively work
towards perfecting themselves, working towards Buddhahood.
260
SEPTEMBER 9 | Conflict
261
SEPTEMBER 10 | Teacher
262
SEPTEMBER 11 | Escapism
263
SEPTEMBER 12 | Be Blameless
264
SEPTEMBER 13 | Nose
265
SEPTEMBER 14 | Truth Hurts?
266
SEPTEMBER 15 | Procrastination
Today
is
your last day?
267
SEPTEMBER 16 | What Truth?
Everyday,
You smile and say “yes” to an invitation you do not want.
You say “no” to a piece of cake which you want.
You cower when something wrong is going on.
You dare not speak up,
and so on and on...
268
SEPTEMBER 17 | Be Better
However,
we are seldom as evil as we think we are.
No matter how evil we reckon ourselves to be,
we can almost always be better.
269
SEPTEMBER 18 | Self-Entitlement
270
SEPTEMBER 19 | Quarrel
271
SEPTEMBER 20 | Light
One is to be a candle.
One is to be the mirror passively reflecting it.
One is to actively share your light with other candles.
272
SEPTEMBER 21 | Boring
273
SEPTEMBER 22 | You Are Responsible
But of course,
by that,
I mean...
it is entirely MY fault—
not yours—at all...
274
SEPTEMBER 23 | Law
It is permanent—
it applies to you,
as long as you are not “above the law”—
not enlightened.
275
SEPTEMBER 24 | Open-Mindedness
You can choose to believe your ex-lover left you because you
were too good for her. But it is just a belief; the truth might be
that you were not good enough for her. And because it might hurt
you to ask, and that she might hurt you by telling, you will never
know the truth. Yet it is an assumption that you will be hurt—
an assumption that the truth will not set you free, when your false
belief keeps you prisoner from reality.
The day we are so down to earth that we are rooted in the here
and now, is the day we awaken to all truths that already lie naked
before us, another collective name for which is “the Truth”.
276
SEPTEMBER 25 | Letting Go
By plucking a flower,
you do not grasp its beauty.
By clinging,
you do not get.
By letting go of everything,
what of this world is not already “yours”?
277
SEPTEMBER 26 | Freedom of Choice
278
SEPTEMBER 27 | Liberation
What is yours?
279
SEPTEMBER 28 | Trying
Stonepeace says,
“Hold something and TRY to drop it. Can you?”
“TRY not to think about a blue dog. Can you?”
Zeph says,
“TRYING is the uncertainty,
the fickleness of the heart,
the half-heartedness of intention.”
280
SEPTEMBER 29 | Make & Break
281
SEPTEMBER 30 | Deaf Ears
282
OCTOBER 1 | The Laughing Buddha
283
OCTOBER 2 | Wonderful Karma
284
OCTOBER 3 | Buttons and the Six Perfections
285
OCTOBER 4 | Versed in the Dharma
286
OCTOBER 5 | Wave-Rider
287
OCTOBER 6 | Steal
288
OCTOBER 7 | Is There Something Wrong?
289
OCTOBER 8 | The First Existential Question
290
OCTOBER 9 | Home Sweet Home
291
OCTOBER 10 | Imprints
292
OCTOBER 11 | Uncertainty
I am sometimes as sure...
that today is my last day...
as you are sure it is not yours.
293
OCTOBER 12 | Why Buddhas are Still Bodhisattvas
Where’s the punch line? Are we not sometimes like this disciple?
Do we not keep asking irrelevant questions that keep us from
attaining Enlightenment? Maybe the disciple had asked the same
question repeatedly life after life—which shows his ignorance, not
being on the right track to Enlightenment.
294
OCTOBER 13 | Heat of Anger
What stupidity!
295
OCTOBER 14 | Birthright
296
OCTOBER 15 | The Key Difference
297
OCTOBER 16 | Refuge
True refuge
is taken in the Triple Gem
from moment to moment,
in every moment.
The refuge ceremony
we go through
merely marks the moment
it formally wholeheartedly begins.
298
OCTOBER 17 | Gratitude to the Buddhas
299
OCTOBER 18 | Discipline
It is a vicious cycle—
only to be stopped by first disciplining the mind.
300
OCTOBER 19 | Moment
301
OCTOBER 20 | truth
302
OCTOBER 21 | Karma
How true.
303
OCTOBER 22 | Retrospection
304
OCTOBER 23 | Desire
305
OCTOBER 24 | Dedication
306
OCTOBER 25 | Nature
307
OCTOBER 26 | Emptiness
308
OCTOBER 27 | Mind Over Matter
309
OCTOBER 28 | Life & Death
Sometimes we forget
that life and death
is a matter of life and death.
We are not talking about one life and one death at its end;
We are talking about countless lives and deaths of many rebirths.
310
OCTOBER 29 | ...ing
311
OCTOBER 30 | Laugh
312
OCTOBER 31 | Perception
313
NOVEMBER 1 | First Thought
315
NOVEMBER 2 | Path
316
NOVEMBER 3 | Change
317
NOVEMBER 4 | Get it Right Fast
318
NOVEMBER 5 | Birth
319
NOVEMBER 6 | Nature
320
NOVEMBER 7 | Sound
I asked a friend,
“When a tree falls in a forest,
and no one is there to hear it,
does it make a sound?”
He replied,
“There was a sound
when I was thinking of the question.”
I replied,
“I just said there is no one there to hear it,
why did you put yourself there?”
321
NOVEMBER 8 | Eye
322
NOVEMBER 9 | Truth
323
NOVEMBER 10 | See the Buddha
Truth is,
if you do not ask for the Dharma,
you are not a true Buddhist, not a Truth-seeker;
you are merely a Buddha worshipper.
324
NOVEMBER 11 | Black & White
325
NOVEMBER 12 | Precepts
326
NOVEMBER 13 | Enlightenment
Even so,
avoid taking the indirect path,
unless you are sure it does lead the right way,
eventually,
and fast enough.
327
NOVEMBER 14 | Solace
328
NOVEMBER 15 | Smile
Behold!
And hold—
the Buddha’s smile!
329
NOVEMBER 16 | Truth
330
NOVEMBER 17 | Wind
Oh!
What bliss!
Self—
No more.
Time—
Don’t know!
331
NOVEMBER 18 | Lust
—Alternative version
332
NOVEMBER 19 | Dear Mum
I regret being born the way I was. I can almost imagine myself as a
baby just out of your womb, howling and screaming like the whole
wide world owes me much. It’s so sickening a thought that I came
crying madly, even though I don’t remember.
333
NOVEMBER 20 | Interdependence
We exist interdependently;
we are dependently-originated and sustained.
We do not exist independently.
334
NOVEMBER 21 | Love
335
NOVEMBER 22 | Blessings
336
NOVEMBER 23 | So Close
337
NOVEMBER 24 | Fundamental Questions
338
NOVEMBER 25 | Purpose of Living
If as yet,
I have not found my purpose of living.
I shall live in order to find it.
339
NOVEMBER 26 | Prophecy
340
NOVEMBER 27 | Middle Path
341
NOVEMBER 28 | Justice
342
NOVEMBER 29 | Creativity
It is spiritual creativity—
the realisation that as many kinds of delusions there are,
there are as many means appropriate to eradicate them.
Think within the box, out of the box, and without any box.
You can be spiritually creative too.
343
NOVEMBER 30 | Fill in the Blanks
In this space,
please pen your personal realisations:
344
DECEMBER 1 | No Prejudice
345
DECEMBER 2 | Good & Evil
In avoiding evil,
the aversion to evil is itself evil (not good),
because aversion is evil.
Just avoid evil.
In doing good,
the attachment to good is itself not good (evil),
because attachment is evil.
Just do good.
346
DECEMBER 3 | Heed This
Welcome to here.
Welcome to now.
Welcome to your life.
347
DECEMBER 4 | Mind Garden
348
DECEMBER 5 | Perception
It is an inward reflection—
learn to look at your thoughts.
Seeing how perceptions rise,
and how they fall away,
Wisdom arises.
349
DECEMBER 6 | Retaliation
In retaliating,
you would had become like the abuser.
And it becomes a lose-lose situation.
350
DECEMBER 7 | Have a Good Time
351
DECEMBER 8 | It is Time
I think it is time
to face yourself again.
Because
it is always time
to face yourself.
352
DECEMBER 9 | Hell
353
DECEMBER 10 | Mistakes
354
DECEMBER 11 | Delusion
355
DECEMBER 12 | Truth Within Oneself
356
DECEMBER 13 | Everyone Everywhere
357
DECEMBER 14 | Share
358
DECEMBER 15 | Evil
359
DECEMBER 16 | Die Young
360
DECEMBER 17 | Hidden Reality
361
DECEMBER 18 | The Gift of Truth
362
DECEMBER 19 | Meaningfulness
Life is meaningless
in the sense that there is no obligatory purpose in life.
Death is meaningless
in the sense that there is no specific purpose in death.
363
DECEMBER 20 | Estimation
364
DECEMBER 21 | Ambidexterity
365
DECEMBER 22 | Mara
Without “me” ,
Mara and his minions would amount to absolutely nothing!
366
DECEMBER 23 | Live In the Moment
367
DECEMBER 24 | Fool
368
DECEMBER 25 | Conquer
369
DECEMBER 26 | Indirect Dharma
370
DECEMBER 27 | Concentration
“Hey! Stop that racket! I’m concentrating!” In the very next moment,
I realised the foolishness of the remark. How can I be distracted if
I’m truly in concentration?
371
DECEMBER 28 | The State of the World
372
DECEMBER 29 | Forgiveness
373
DECEMBER 30 | Complacency
After the heavenly holiday, even the gods can fall—and all “hell”
might break loose. Are you a “god” now? Be careful!
374
DECEMBER 31 | Integration of the Dharma
into Everyday Life
375
Regular practice sessions are likened to deep studying or
revision of the Dharma, while the rest of the day is when you are
continually tested—by how well you respond with the Dharma,
while facing the challenges of changing circumstances in everyday
life—be it at work, play or doing the most mundane task of trying
to get on the busy subway train.
Only so can our practice seep through all other periods of time.
Only when we integrate the Dharma into everyday life can there
be accurate assessment of our spiritual well-being. For example, if
I had been practising Loving-kindness meditation daily for months
and still find myself flaring up at my kid brother over his “request”
for some Loving-kindness, something must be very wrong with my
practice; more so than with my brother! It is then time to look into
how well I have been doing my regular practice, and whether it had
been integrated well enough into everyday life.
376
Glossary
Emptiness : The truth that all mind and matter are constantly
changing—thus being empty of any fixed unchanging self.
377
4. The Truth of the path to Nirvana being the Noble Eightfold
Path.
Hell : The mind state of fear and hatred. Also refers to a world one
might be born in, as influenced by these negative mind states.
Karma : The moral law of cause and effect, that what we experience
is the result of what we have intentionally done in terms of thought,
word and deed, and that what we do will result in what we will
experience.
Noble Eightfold Path : The Fourth Noble Truth of the Four Noble
Truths, the path to Enlightenment and True Happiness. It includes
the practice of:
378
1. Right Speech
2. Right Action
3. Right Livelihood
4. Right Effort
5. Right Mindfulness
6. Right Concentration
7. Right Understanding
8. Right Thought
379
Three Poisons : The roots of evil and all suffering—Greed, Hatred
and Ignorance.
Triple Gem : The Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha collectively—
the subjects of the Threefold Refuge.
380
The Merits of Producing
Buddhist Teachings & Buddha Images
1. One’s light karmic transgressions will dissolve, while heavy ones will
lighten.
3. One will always be free from the suffering of hatred and vengeance.
10. One who practises what one preaches will be respected and loved by all.
14. One will be free from being reborn in the lower realms.
15. One will be able to help others grow in wisdom and gain great merits in
doing so.
16. One will always be able to learn the Dharma, till one’s wisdom and
spiritual penetrations are fully developed, before becoming a Buddha.
Namo Amituofo
www.TheDailyEnlightenment.com
ISBN-13: 978-981-05-5768-3