Monday, December 30, 2013
A whole new world - Samsung
We are living in exciting times. So many new technology will be coming to make our lives more interesting...
Friday, November 15, 2013
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Word spread across the country about the wise Holy Man who lived in a house atop the mountain. A young man from the village decided to undertake the difficult journey to visit him.
When he arrived at the house, an old servant opened the door and greeted him.
“I have traveled long, and now I would like to see the wise Holy Man,” said the young man.
The servant smiled and led him inside. As they walked through the house, the man from the village looked around eagerly in each room, anticipating his encounter with this legendary Holy Man.
Before long, they had walked through the entire house, and the servant and the young man stood outside the door again.
“But, I wanted to see the Holy Man,” said the young man to the servant.
“You already have,” said the old man.
“Everyone you may meet in life, even if they appear commonplace… see each of them as a wise Holy Man. If you do this, then whatever problem you brought here today will be solved.”
Thoughts:
This Zen story illustrates that the greatest challenges in life require us to overcome obstacles within, not without. In the tale, the young man was able to conquer a long mountain path, but did not attempt to move beyond his own ego.
We need physical and mental effort to overcome everyday obstacles. But we also need something more, a kind of “spiritual” awareness, to understand the true significance of our existence, our path and our journey.
- See more at: http://www.buddhagroove.com/readings/listings/zen-storythe-holy-man/#sthash.LlX17vsX.dpuf
Thursday, October 31, 2013
This beautiful rainbow corn has a beautiful story...
href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-story-behind-glass-gem-corn-2013-10#the-story-of-glass-gem-corn-begins-with-an-oklahoma-farmer-named-carl-barnes-barnes-now-in-his-80s-is-half-cherokee-he-began-growing-older-corn-varieties-in-his-adult-years-no-one-is-exactly-sure-when-this-began-as-a-way-to-reconnect-with-his-heritage-1"
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Sunday, October 27, 2013
ZEN
Zen can be a philosophy, a spiritual tradition, or simply a “way.” Here are ten diverse thoughts (from teachers, writers and Zen masters) on what it means to walk the Zen path.
1. Zen is not about eliminating thoughts but illuminating them. (Gerald May)
2. Zen is not some kind of excitement but concentration on our usual everyday routine. (Shunryu Suzuki)
3. The ultimate standpoint of Zen is that… the peace we are seeking so eagerly has been there all the time. (D.T. Suzuki)
4. The beauty of Zen is found in simplicity and tranquility, in a sense of the all-embracing harmony of things. (Thich Thien-An)
5. The whole point of Zen is to suspend the rules we have superimposed on things and to see the world as it is. (Alan Watts)
6. Before enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. (Zen Buddhism)
7. Zen: If you try to aim for it, you are turning away from it. (Anonymous)
8. Zen is not thinking about God while peeling potatoes. Zen is just about peeling the potatoes. (Modern Saying)
9. The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there. (Robert M. Pirsig)
10. There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen. (Shunryu Suzuki)
Overall, Zen means creating a sense of awareness and intention in everything you do. To do this, you do not have to live on a mountaintop or temple – simply breathe and go slowly in order to find your unique path in everyday surroundings.
- See more at: http://www.mindfueldaily.com/livewell/10-thoughts-on-zen#sthash.XboBUJRD.dpuf
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Plant a Seed
When you plant seeds in the garden, you don’t dig them up
every day to see if they have sprouted yet.
You simply water them and clear away the weeds;
you know that the seeds will grow in time.
Similarly, just do your daily practice and cultivate a kind heart.
Abandon impatience and instead be content creating the causes for
goodness; the results will come when they’re ready.
— Thubten Chodron
Friday, October 18, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Girl with Telekinetic Powers freak out in a coffee shop
This ad is so good...
Watch it and see the reactions of the real people. The actors all played their roles so well too.
Classic!!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Simplicity
Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
- Lao-Tzu, Tao Te Ching
A Blessing for the Earth
Walk and touch peace every moment.
Walk and touch happiness every moment.
Each step brings a fresh breeze.
Each step makes a flower bloom.
Kiss the Earth with your feet.
Bring the Earth your love and happiness.
The Earth will be safe
when we feel safe in ourselves.
- Thich Nhat Hahn
2 Versions of the same ad
The above is the original Coke ad.
Here is another one : -
Which one do you like?
Monday, September 30, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
The story of Lego
This video is a very interesting look at how Lego becomes the great company it is today.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
How A Deva King Defeated An Asura King
It is indeed a fault for one,
Who returns anger for anger.
Not giving anger for anger,
One wins a double victory.
- Sakka (Vepacitti Sutta)
In the Vepacitti Sutta, the discourse on ‘Calm in the Face of Anger’, the Buddha recalls a great ancient war between the devas (gods) and asuras (demi-gods).
Victorious, the devas capture Vepacitti, king of the asuras, and brought him in chains before Sakka, king of the devas.
Incidentally, the asuras, who suffer from jealousy of the devas’ greater well-being, can never win them due to their karmically greater merits.
Ferocious in nature, Vepacitti hurls verbal abuse at Sakka. However, Sakka remains unprovoked, which prompted Matali, his charioteer, to ask if he was afraid, which is why he chose to forbear.
Sakka replied that although he forbears, he was not afraid or weak. Sakka asks in turn, of how he, who knows [the way things should be] could be provoked by a fool [whom Vepacitti was].
Matali remarked that a fool would be more angry if no one stops him, that the wise should restrain the fool with a ‘mighty stick’ [which is physical violence].
Sakka replies that the only thing he sees possible for stopping the anger is by being mindful of it and remaining calm.
[Of course, if the angry person is violent and not physically restrained, one should defend oneself and prevent him from harming anyone.]
Matali rebutted that he sees such forbearance as a mistake, since a fool will see him to be thus due to fear, hence coming on stronger, just as a bull might further chase one who flees from it. [However, true forbearance does not further provoke the angry, but allows the angry to calm down, for easier reasoning and reconciliation. True victory wins by transforming hearts and minds.]
Sakka replies to let such a fool think whatever he wishes, while nothing is more ideally good than patience – for one who is strong is able to forbear those who are weaker, with eternal endurance of the weak as the highest patience.
Those who see strength as that of fools see the [truly] strong as weak. The [truly] strong, however, would guard practice of the Dharma [Buddha's teachings] by never being contentious.
Sakka thereupon utters the famous verse that opens this article, on how forbearance quells anger for a win-win situation – by behaving for the good of both sides, thus healing all.
Those who see the forbearer as foolish simply do not understand this teaching. This is how Sakka won Vepacitti – with wise forbearance, which Vepacitti lacked, leading to his impetuous self-destructive deeds.
Hatred can never be ceased by hatred.
Hatred can only be ceased by love.
This is an eternal law.
- The Buddha (Dhammapada)
9 Characteristic of The Buddha
Some Buddhists contemplate the Buddha as having nine characteristics:
1. A worthy one
2. Perfectly self-enlightened
3. Stays in perfect knowledge
4. Well gone
5. Unsurpassed knowledge of the world
6. Unsurpassed leader of persons
7. Teacher of the gods and humans
8. The Enlightened One
9. The Blessed One or Fortunate One
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
How A Great Beauty Realised Greater Beauty
Khema, the chief consort of King Bimbisara, was said to be extremely beautiful. Revelling in her own exquisite beauty, she was ‘naturally’ uninterested in meeting Sakyamuni Buddha, as he was known for teaching that external beauty is impermanent – a truth she rejected. However, as the King was a devoted follower of the Buddha, he wanted her to learn from him. Using a skilful means to trick her to visit the monastery the Buddha was residing in, he got musicians to sing praises of the natural beauty of the grove the monastery was in. Being attracted to attractions sung, Khema decided to experience the grove in person. Seeing Khema approaching while teaching to a large assembly, the Buddha used his supernormal powers to manifest a beautiful maiden fanning him by his side. While engrossed in the beauty of the trees and flowers, Khema drew closer to the assembly. When she caught sight of the maiden, she was intrigued by her beauty, as it greatly surpassed hers. The Buddha then made the maiden age gradually, yet swiftly enough for her to see. Her skin wrinkled, her hair turned grey and her body collapsed in death, leaving a corpse that decayed into bones.
Finally recognising that conditioned forms were transient, Khema realised that the same would happen to hers. If even a form deemed more beautiful and precious than hers comes to pass, how could she retain hers? Her focus now shifted to the Buddha, he taught on the danger of lust for sense pleasures (as they breed spiritual complacency), and invited her to renounce them as they are fleeting in nature. Reflecting thus, she soon attained liberation as an Arhat, and became his first female chief monastic disciple, respected for her skills in explaining advanced teachings. Beyond the remarkableness of the Buddha’s means and Khema’s ability to awaken through it, this story also warns us of the possibility of spiritually backsliding in future lives. In her past lives, Khema already met and studied the Dharma from many Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Pratyekabuddhas. She also made sincere offerings, once by selling her beautiful hair, for getting alms to offer to a Buddha, and made the aspiration to be a future Buddha’s chief female disciple. Despite these and more great efforts, she almost forgot the greater preciousness and beauty of the Dharma due to vanity before meeting Sakyamuni Buddha!
Although with the near miss of neglecting the Dharma, she was fortunate to have had forged strong enough affinity with it, to be able to reconnect firmly in time. What about the rest of us? If we have learnt and practised the Dharma for some time already, we should roughly know the strength of our connections with the Dharma. Seemingly far from possible sudden enlightenment, we differ from Khema, who needed only an appropriate nudge from the Buddha. This is a compelling reason for us to aspire for birth in a Buddha’s Pure Land, where we can always learn from a Buddha and be mindful of the Dharma until liberation is attained – without the interruption of death when reborn, which causes forgetfulness of the Dharma and distractions by merits manifesting as beauty, wealth, status, power and such. As Dharma practitioners of average spiritual capacity, we are liable to repeatedly backslide, making it difficult for most to smoothly advance towards enlightenment in this life. This is why, as emphasised in the Amitabha Sutra by Sakyamuni Buddha, all Buddhas, including himself, highly urge beings of their worlds to seek refuge in Amitabha Buddha’s (Amituofo) Pure Land.
- Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Fog over San Francisco
Simon uses time lapse video to capture this over many days. He has to get up early, before dawn to get to the location to set up his cameras to capture all these beautiful sequences of fog rolling into the Bay Area.
Enjoy
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
Sugarland and Little Big Town singing Mumford and Sons "Sigh No More"
Love this video - the way the harmonize is so great!
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
Friday, May 10, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Overcome
Overcome greed with generosity,
Overcome anger with loving kindness,
Overcome ignorance with understanding.
- Heart of Buddha
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
May I
May I become at all times, both now and forever,
A protector for those without protection,
A guide for those who have lost their way,
A ship for those with oceans to cross,
A sanctuary for those in danger,
A lamp for those in the dark,
And a servant to all those in need.
As long as living beings exist,
and suffering afflicts them,
May I too abide to dispel the misery of the world.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Meditation on Compassion
How to train endless Pity and Compassion?
Sitting alone, in silence, each early morning, with closed eyes, one wishes:
May I radiate and meet with only infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all the various beings on the 31 levels of existence develop & find only this genuine gentleness of infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings on the sense-desire, fine-material, & the formless plane develop & encounter this tender infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in the front, to the right, the back, the left & below as above develop & experience caring infinite pity, sympathy, & compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, and universe always be fully aware and deeply mindful of this warm infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, and universe examine all details & subtle aspects of this benevolent infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, & universe put enthusiastic effort in their praxis of this affectionate infinite pity, sympathy, & compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country and universe find enraptured joy & jubilant gladness in this fond infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, & universe cultivate the tranquillity of quiet, silent, stilled, & endlessly merciful pity, sympathy, & compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country and universe attain concentrated & absorbed one-pointedness by this infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, and universe dwell in imperturbable equanimity joined with this loving infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion...
Sunday, April 21, 2013
A Chess Game To Arise Compassion
“Yes, there is,” said the Master, “provided you are genuinely determined. What did you study in your youth? Is there anything, anything at all that you have really concentrated upon in your life?”
“Nothing much. I come from a wealthy family and never had to work. The only thing that’s ever really interested me is chess. I used to spend a lot of time on the game.”
The Master summoned his attendant. “Send Gyosei here; ask him to fetch a chess board when he comes.”
“Sir, Gyosei cannot play chess.”
“That’s fine. Just call him.”
When the monk Gyosei arrived, the Master arranged the chessmen on the board. He also asked for a sword and showed it to Gyosei. “Monk, you have sworn obedience to me and now, I am going to ask you for it. Play a game of chess with our visitor; if you lose, I shall chop your head off with this sword. If you win, I shall chop off our visitor’s head.”
The look in the Master’s eyes revealed that he would do exactly what he had said.
The game began. The young visitor felt sweat running down his back. He was playing for his life. He forgot his surroundings; the chessboard had become his world. Soon, when his opponent made a weak move, he launched a powerful attack. When Gyosei lost a pawn, the visitor stole a covert look at him. His was a face with intelligent eyes, lined with years of austerity and wonderfully serene. Even the prospect of death, it seemed, was not affecting him.
Gyosei made another faulty move. He was losing! The visitor however, was overcome with reflections of his past life, worthless and devoid of meaning. He thought: “I cannot let this man die. If I die, the world loses nothing. I have wasted my time, achieved nothing. This monk has led a hardworking, disciplined life. His death will be a loss to the world.” A wave of compassion arose within him. Deliberately, he made a wrong move, leaving his position open to attack.
Suddenly, the Master leaned forward and toppled the board over. The contestants stared at him. “There is neither winner nor loser here,” declared the Master. He turned to the young man: “You only need two things to attain enlightenment – complete focus and compassion. Today, you have learned both. At first, you were entirely absorbed in the game. Out of that concentration arose compassion. It made you ready to sacrifice your life. Stay with us for some weeks, engage in our practices in the same spirit – your enlightenment is assured.” The young man agreed and eventually attained his wish.
Lose yourself entirely in whatever you do. Compassion will naturally follow – it is concentration’s faithful companion and cannot be practiced. This is the way to enlightenment.
- Extracted from Buddha Groove
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The One Mind
All the Buddhas and all sentient beings are nothing but the One Mind, beside which nothing exists. This Mind, which is without beginning, is unborn and indestructible. It does not belong to the categories of things which exist or do not exist, nor can it be thought of as in terms of time, past or future.
This pure Mind, the source of everything, shines forever and on all with the brilliance of its own perfection. But the people of the world do not awake to it, regarding only that which sees, hears, feels, and knows, as mind. Blinded by their own sight, hearing, feeling and knowing, they do not perceive the brilliance of the source-substance.
If they would only eliminate all conceptual thought in a flash, that source-substance would manifest itself like the sun ascending through the void and illuminating the whole Universe without hindrance or bounds.
- Extracted from Tao & Zen
Thursday, February 28, 2013
What They Don't Teach You In Business School About Entrepreneurship
This is a very good discussion on what entrepreneurship is about - presented by Stanford Business School.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
12 Powerful Resolutions for 2013
1. Begin.
Remember the feeling you get from taking the first step is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around thinking about it. So get up and get moving. Take the first step this year – just one small step forward.
The greatest miracle of your success will not be that you finished, it will be that you had the courage to begin. Read Getting Things Done.
2. Work hard on the essential.
Don’t be busy, be productive. Don’t track your time, track your results. Put first things first and get them done.
And don’t expect your goal to be easy; it’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard you would already have it completed, and so would everyone else. The hard part is what makes it worthwhile. In life there are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
3. Stay true to your path.
A successful life is one that is lived through understanding and pursuing one’s own path, not chasing after the dreams of others.
You have to do what’s right for you; no one else walks in your shoes. Keep moving forward, beyond the negative rhetoric echoing from the peanut gallery. Do what you have to do, for you. Live a life you are proud of. And the moment you realize you’re not, find the strength to start over again on a new path.
4. Nurture your self-confidence.
You have everything you need within you to become the best possible version of YOU.
Believe that you CAN. Believe that you’re capable of pushing harder and farther than you have before. Believe that you’re young enough, old enough, smart enough and strong enough to achieve your goals. Don’t let false beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself. And certainly don’t get sidetracked by the people around you who are not on track. Read Learned Optimism.
5. Focus on solutions.
Life gets better when you choose to make it so. Negative people make lots of noise about how bad things are, while positive people quietly and steadily improve things.
There are always problems, there are always challenges, and there are always people willing to transform those problems and challenges into great opportunities. Those who have the courage, commitment and discipline to do so, create a better life for everyone. Be one of these people. Focus on solutions and work your way eagerly toward a brighter future.
6. Accept the things you can’t change.
What you resist, persists. If you are resisting something, you are feeding it. Any energy you actively fight, you are feeding. If you are using negative energy to push something away, you are inviting it to stay.
Choose to accept what is, be positive and proactive, let go of the need to control every tiny detail, and embrace peace in the process.
7. Leave the past where it belongs.
Don’t stumble over something behind you. Don’t use the past as an excuse to miss out on today. You do not heal the wounds of the past by digging deeper into them.
Acceptance truly is the bitter pill you have to bravely swallow to move beyond yesterday’s sorrows. It’s a choice you must make. Because the truth of the matter is that history only dictates the future if you allow it. In other words, you only have to relive it if you choose to. Read The Power of Now.
8. Balance work with necessary rest.
Sometimes it’s best to rest so you can put a fresh set of eyes on your work. When you’re overworked or burnt out on a project, you become accident prone, and when that happens you’re increasing the chances of turning out suboptimal work.
Novelist Zadie Smith once said, “When you finish your novel, if money is not a desperate priority, if you do not need to sell it at once or be published that very second, put it in a drawer for as long as you can manage. Step away from it all. The secret to editing your work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer.” Even though Smith talks about doing this with a novel, it’s a piece of advice we can all use for just about anything we work on.
9. Set a good example.
It’s not about what you say; it’s about how you live your life every day. The people who look up to you are watching you all the time. These people are like sponges – what they see or feel you do, they will imitate. So remember that your words mean a lot less than what you’re doing. Choose to believe that you can and will change lives with what you do each day, and you will.
Let your actions speak for themselves.
10. Be sincerely kind to everyone around you.
Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates positivity. Kindness in giving creates love.
Through kindness you have the ability to make a profound difference in every life you touch, including your own. When you guide someone who is lost and confused, when you hold someone who is sad and grieving, when you hug someone who has lost all their hope, you too will feel yourself healing and growing stronger.
11. Show your love.
You don’t need to be perfect to be a perfect friend or lover, but the commitment to your relationship is a precious responsibility. Relationships last a lifetime only when two people make a choice to keep it, fight for it, and work for it. These acts of love don’t need to be extravagant either; they just need to be true. And true love is always shown in deeds, not words. Read The 5 Love Languages.
12. Help change one life.
No matter how overwhelming life’s challenges and problems seem to be, or how small you feel at times, YOU can make a difference in the world. What you do truly matters. In fact, the vast majority of positive changes come about in someone’s life simply because one other person cares for them, believes in them, and motivates them.
So be that one person, even if it’s to only one other person.
Extracted from : http://www.marcandangel.com/2012/12/31/12-powerful-resolutions-you-should-make-every-year/
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Happy New Year 2013
Well, another year has gone by and today, we welcome the new year.
In 2013, I resolve to be awesome in all aspect of my life : -
- Drink plenty of water, especially Kangen water
- Eat breakfast like a kind, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper
- Live with the 3 Es : Energy, Enthusiasm & Empathy
- Make time to pray and be close to the Creator (whoever He is to you)
- Play more games, be more child-like and be present
- Read more books that I did in 2012
- Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day and enjoy the peace in the silence
- Sleep for at least 7 hours a night and wake up grateful for the rest
- Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily and while walking, smile at the beauty around me
- Don't over do and over commit. Keep to my capabilities, while stretching it a bit
everyday
- Don't take myself too seriously - no one else does anyway
- Don't waste precious energy on gossip as it just drains you
- Dream more while I am awake and take action to make those dreams come true
- Envy is a waste of time. I already have all that I need right now
- Forget issues of the past and forgive. Otherwise, it will ruin my present happiness
- Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Let it go...
- Make peace with my past so that it will not spoil the present
- No one is in charge of my happiness except Me
- Smile and laugh more
- I don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree
- Call my love ones more often
- Each day, give something good to others
- Forgive everyone for all their trespasses.
- Don't sweat the small stuff
- Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6
- Try to make at least 3 people smile everyday
- What other people think of me is none of my business
- Always, to the best of my abilities, do the right thing
- Time heals everything - let go and forgive
- However good or bad a situation is, it will change
- No matter how I feel, get up, dress up and show up. The best is yet to come
- When awake in the morning, thank God for all your blessings
- Your inner-most self is always happy. So, be happy
Wishing all of you a wonderful 2013 filled with abundance, prosperity and happiness. May all your wishes come true.
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