Awaken A New Earth

Beautiful Yosemite

2012-01-26T17:01:00.001-08:00

Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.

This video is a collaboration between Sheldon Neill and Colin Delehanty. All timelapses were shot on the Canon 5D Mark II with a variety of Canon L and Zeiss CP.2 Lenses. Project Yosemite Website: http://projectyose.com/ Contact info: info@projectyose.com

Gong Xi Fatt Chye

2012-01-22T17:21:00.001-08:00

Wishing everyone a prosperous and happy 2012, filled with an abundance of blessings, good health, luck and opportunities.

May the Year of the Dragon bring you everything that you hope for.

Somebody That I Used To Know - Walk Off The Earth

2012-01-19T22:30:00.000-08:00

These group is so talented. They don't let the limitation of just 1 guitar to stop them from making beautiful music

Warren Buffett : Integrity

2012-01-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

"In looking for someone to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy," said Warren Buffet.

"But the most important is integrity, because if they don't have that, the other two qualities, intelligence and energy, are going to kill you."

"When you hire someone to run your business, you are entrusting him or her with the piggy bank," according to Buffett.

"If these people are smart and hardworking, they are going to make you a lot of money, but if they aren't honest, they will find lots of clever way to make all your money theirs."

The rule is simple: People with integrity are predisposed to perform; people without integrity are predisposed not to perform.

The lesson is simple: Having integrity is more important than being good at what you do.

Karmic Affinities

2012-01-14T01:30:00.001-08:00

One day, when the Buddha entered a village with his assistant Ananda, he approached a poor woman to share his teachings with her.

However, the woman disliked the Buddha so much, that despite his magnificent and pleasing appearance, she could not even stand the sight of him. Wherever the Buddha went, she would turn away. When he went to her right, she would look left. When he went to her left, she would look right… Even when the Buddha used his supernormal power to levitate above to catch her attention, she looked down and refused to look up.

However, when she saw Ananda, her attitude became the reversed. She was naturally drawn to him, and happily listened to the Buddha's teachings related by him, which she found to be beneficial. This is very interesting as though Ananda almost resembled the Buddha in form, he was still not his equal, and especially not the same in compassion, wisdom and skilful means. How is this outcome possible then?

In a distant previous life, the woman once lost her child and was consumed by much grief. A spiritual practitioner passed by and enquired after her. After hearing about her misfortune, he replied somewhat 'indifferently', that there was no need to grieve as death is natural. As he seemed detached, his words felt cold and hurting, which gave rise to her aversion.

When another practitioner came by and enquired similarly, he kindly offered his condolences, before sharing about the truth of death.

The first practitioner was the Buddha-to-be and the latter Ananda-to-be. Due to these karmic affinities formed, the woman developed a 'natural' disdain for 'the Buddha' and a 'natural' attraction to 'Ananda'.

As such,positive and negative karmic affinities can be carried not only from one moment to the next in this life, but also from one life to the next. This is a crucial reason why we ought to be mindful of the impact of our fewest words and slightest gestures, or even the lack of them, as they can affect present and future relationships for better or worse.

Although the Buddha, with his great wisdom, already knew the outcome of his approaches to the woman, what he demonstrated was the importance of doing our best in connecting to others, with as many skilful means as possible, before deciding the next skilful means is to step back, to let the 'next better player' try.

The inexplicable 'first' impressions we have towards total or near strangers are often due to affinities formed in past lives. As these perceptions are not always rational, and often result from emotional bias, as in the case above, we should learn to manage all relationships anew, to form updated and thus truer perceptions of people as they are now. Feel-good vibes might not always turn out good, just like feel-bad vibes might turn out unjustified. Unless proven 'hopeless' for the time being, all deserve second chances – including ourselves. Remember, if you believe any affinity to be beyond hope, you are fatalistic with dishttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifbelief in the dynamic nature of karma, whose power you always hold!

For true skilful means to arise,
true compassion and wisdom must arise
to create skilful karmic affinities too.

- extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

Three Levels of Suffering

2012-01-02T06:27:00.000-08:00

The practice here is to meditate on the three expressions of suffering and to experience their nature.

The Buddha said there is one word that can describe the meaning of suffering, and that is fear. Fear is what suffering means.

But what is this fear? It is the fear of losing something that is pleasant, something that is very dear and beloved, something to which you have become attached. It is also the fear of gaining something that is unpleasant that you don't want.

Overall, you always get what you don't want, and you don't get what you really want. Therefore, we have three levels of suffering, which we call the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change, and all-pervasive suffering.

All pervasive suffering is the fundamental fear that exists whether we are happy or down. All of our feelings are pervaded by this fundamental fear, which is why it is called all-pervasive suffering. It's compared in traditional Buddhist literature to developing a fatal disease that has not fully ripened. You haven't really experienced it yet, but its presence is there all of the time, growing every minute. That kind of fundamental situation is known as all-pervasive suffering.

The traditional metaphor for the suffering of change is a very delicious cookie baked with poison. When you eat that cookie, it's very pleasurable – but it is deadly poisonous.

In order to show that more dramatically, Shantideva, in the Bodhicharyavatara, said the suffering of change is like honey on a razor blade. When we lick this honey, it's very sweet, and because of our desire and attachment, we want more and more all the time. With our poverty mentality, we lick the honey harder each time we experience its sweetness, and the harder we lick the honey, the deeper we cut our tongue on the razor blade. So the suffering or change is experienced initially as a pleasurable, pleasing feeling, but it leads us to suffering.

The suffering of change leads us to the suffering of suffering, which is the most obvious level of suffering. This simply means that, in addition to our fundamental fear, we accumulate further sufferings, one on top of the other. For example, after experiencing the delicious honey, we notice that we have cut off our tongue. When we notice that our tongue is gone, not only do we feel the pain of our wound, we also realize we won't be able to taste the sweetness of the honey again in this lifetime.

As we work with and examine the three levels of experience – pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral – we can see they are related with the three sufferings. Pleasurable feelings are connected to the suffering of change, unpleasant feelings connected to the suffering of suffering, and the neutral state of mind is connected to fundamental suffering, all-pervasive suffering. So mindfulness of feeling is being totally watchful and present with every level of fear.

This is the mindfulness of feeling from the perspective of the general Buddhist approach.

- Extracted from "The Best Buddhist Writing" by Melvin McLeod

Sydney New Year 2012 Fireworks

2012-01-01T05:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

Wishing all of us a joyous, happy and prosperous New Year!!

Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-31T05:32:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!! A Wonderful Welcome to 2012.

The above is the fireworks going off at 9 pm in Sydney Harbour.

Enjoy!

Do They Know It's Christmas?

2011-12-24T06:10:00.000-08:00

A beautiful version from the Glee cast.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-21T18:40:00.000-08:00

2011 has been quite a tumultuous year.

There had been earthquakes, tsunami, hurricanes, drought and famine.

People everywhere has awaken to their right to freedom to pursue their own happiness, leading to the fall of dictators in many countries. There has been a lot of atrocities committed in the name of "righteousness".

The USA has pulled out of Iraq, bringing an unpopular war to an end. But what of the people of Iraq - they are left with a country that is still not fully functional, with a lot of tribal strife and power struggle.

Europe is suffering from its excesses with their economies in the dumps and deteriorating each day.

In the midst of all these, it is some times difficult to feel the joy of the holidays.

Nonetheless, we still must give thanks to all that we have, be grateful for all the blessings that we have received and the abundance that we had enjoyed through out the year.

So, let the above be a guide to living well and compassionately.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Here is wishing 2012 will be a year of healing, a year of blessings and a year of abundance.

Time Lapse of Earth

2011-11-27T06:18:00.000-08:00

Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS from Michael König on Vimeo.

Christmas is Coming

2011-11-27T06:14:00.000-08:00

Beautiful ad about showing that you care at Christmas...

10 Things You Should Be Able To Say Before You Die

2011-11-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

1. I followed my heart and intuition.

As our friend Steve Jobs says:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

This is your life, and it’s a short one. Don’t accept false choices. Don’t let others put a cage around you. Try what you want to try. Go where you want to go. Follow your own intuition.

2. I said what I needed to say.

Everyone has this little watchdog inside their head. It’s always there watching you. It was born and raised by your family, friends, coworkers, bosses and society at large, and its sole purpose is to watch you and make sure you stay in line. And once you become accustomed to the watchdog’s presence, you begin to think his opinion of what’s acceptable and unacceptable are absolute truths. But the watchdog’s views are not truths, they’re just opinions – forceful opinions that have the potential to completely brainwash you of your own opinions if you aren’t careful.

Remember, the watchdog is just a watchdog, he just watches. He can’t actually control you. He can’t do anything about it if you decide to rise up and go against the grain.

No, you should not start randomly cussing and acting like a fool. But you must say what you need to say when you need to say it. It may be your only chance to do so.

Don’t censor yourself. Speak the truth. Your truth.

3. I did what I needed to do.

Every morning you are faced with two choices: You can aimlessly stumble through the day not knowing what’s going to happen and simply react to events at a moment’s notice, or you can go through the day directing your own life and making your own decisions and destiny.

The greatest gift extraordinarily successful people have over average people is their ability to get themselves to take action – to physically do something about getting from where they are now to where they want to be. And no, it won’t be easy. But in the end, suffering from the pain of discipline while you do what you need to do is a whole lot easier than suffering from the regret and disappointment of never fulfilling any of your dreams.

4. I made a difference.

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.

In life, you get what you put in. When you make a positive impact in someone else’s life, you also make a positive impact in your own life. Do something that’s greater than you – something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less.

Doing something nice for someone can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world.

5. I know what true love is.

Finding a companion or a friend isn’t about trying to transform yourself into the perfect image of what you think they want. It’s about being exactly who you are and then finding someone who appreciates that. Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason.

As with all things of the heart, there is an ingredient of magic in finding love. There are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason. Love is beautiful and unpredictable. The best thing you can do is to start to become the most outstanding person possible. The universe will know when you are ready, and when you are, true love will happen, unexpectedly.

6. I am happy and grateful.

Very little is needed to create happiness. It is all within you, in your way of thinking. How you view yourself and your world are conscious choices and habits. The lens you choose to view everything through determines how you feel about yourself and everything that happens around you. You must choose to be happy.

A big part of this is simply being grateful for what you have. As Mick Jagger once said, “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might find you get what you need.” Look around. Appreciate the things you have right now. Many people aren’t so lucky.

7. I am proud of myself.

You are your own best friend and your own biggest critic. Regardless of the opinions of others, at the end of the day the only reflection staring back at you in the mirror is your own. How you feel about this person is vital to your long-term well-being.

Being proud of yourself is also known as having strong self-esteem. People who are proud of themselves tend to have passions in life, feel content and set good examples for others. It requires envisioning the person you would like to become and making your best efforts to grow as an individual.

Being proud isn’t bragging about how great you are. It’s more like quietly knowing that you’re worth a lot. It’s not about thinking you’re perfect – because nobody is – but knowing that you’re worthy of being loved and accepted. Boost your self-esteem by recognizing your accomplishments and celebrating them. Acknowledge your positive qualities, and when you come across a quality in yourself that you aren’t proud of, don’t sulk in your sorrows, proactively work on correcting it.

8. I became the best version of me.

It’s a good idea to be yourself, not only because everybody else is taken, but because trying to be anything else doesn’t usually get you very far. Trying to be someone else is a waste of the person you are. Strength, success and contentment come from being comfortable in your own skin.

Judy Garland once said, “Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of somebody else.” Live by this statement. There is no such thing as living in someone else’s shoes. The only shoes you can occupy are your own. If you aren’t being yourself, you aren’t truly living – you’re merely existing.

Remember, at any given moment, you are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself. You are competing to be the best you can be.

9. I forgave those who hurt me.

We’ve all been hurt by another person at some point or another – we were treated badly, trust was broken, hearts were hurt. And while this pain is normal, sometimes that pain lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go.

This causes problems. It not only causes us to be unhappy, but can strain or ruin relationships, distract us from work and family and other important things, make us reluctant to open up to new things and people. We get trapped in a cycle of anger and hurt, and miss out on the beauty of life as it happens.

Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.

10. I have no regrets.

This one is a culmination of the previous nine headlines…

Follow your heart. Be true to yourself. Do what you need to do fulfill your dreams. Say what you need to say. Be kind to others. Offer a helping hand when you’re able. Love those who deserve to be loved, and cherish the bond you share. Appreciate all the things you do have. Smile. Celebrate your small victories. Learn from your mistakes. Forgive. And let go of the things you can’t change.

Extracted from : 10 Things You Should Be Able To Say Before You Die

OCTOBER 23RD, 2011 @ 2:13 PM BY: MARC

Jelly Beans

2011-11-15T18:44:00.001-08:00

The above is an incredible video that took more than 288K jelly beans and more than 2 years to make.

Enjoy the song : "In Your Arms". The singer, Kina Grannis appeared on The Ellen Degeneres show and also got a recording contract.

Below is a video of how was made : -

They are really so creative and dedicated to their art...

Oh Wow!!

2011-11-03T04:57:00.000-07:00

In the beautiful and touching eulogy, Steve Job's sister, Mona Simpson, wrote about how his brother prepared for his death.

As he knew that he was dying soon, he prepared for it by meeting the people that he wants to meet, saying goodbyes to his friends and treasuring each moment with his family. He approached his impending death with equanimity, knowing that death is as natural as life.

His last words as he drew his final breaths were, "Oh Wow!! Oh Wow! Oh Wow!!".

In his death Steve Jobs shows the person that he is. He faced it with courage and acceptance. He also let go of all his earthly attachments, simply just welcoming his final journey.

Even with his last breaths, he demonstrated his fearlessness because as a Buddhist, he knew that there was nothing to fear about death.

His final exclamations seems to indicate the beautiful rewards that he was going towards.

Because he has done so much for the world, the kinds of gifts that he has given to man-kind and the life that he lived, Steve Jobs generated a lot of good karma.

Therefore, when he died, he was shown the kind of paradise that his good karma has prepared for him. And that is why he go towards his next journey with no fear, with no reluctance and at peace.

And that is a good way to die...

Dealing With Regret

2011-10-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

On one occasion this [elderly] monk asked the Dalai Lama for initiation into a particular set of demanding practices. The Dalai Lama demurred, saying that they were meant for younger monks, that they were vigorous and demanding exercises that he wished to spare the man from undertaking. The next thing he knew, this monk committed suicide, hoping to be reborn into a younger body with better stamina. The Dalai Lama was asked… how he dealt with his regret, how he made it go away. 'It didn't go away,' the Dalai Lama replied, a little perplexed by the question. 'It is still there.'…

The psychiatrist [questioner] was operating from the point of view of fixing the pain rather than feeling it. The Dalai Lama, for all his good humor, had the fortitude, and the faith, to accept his regret without looking to heal it. This is the essence of the Buddhist approach to psychological change.Striving to rid of the pain only reinforces it, while acceptance of the truth deepens our capacity for tolerance, patience and forgiveness. The Dalai Lama was forever changed by the loss of his friend and by his part in it. How could he not be?

In Buddhist psychology two mental factors, called shame and dread, are considered to be skillful qualities that increase with meditative awareness… Would we not want to free ourselves from them, as we do from anger or fear?… Their function is to make us shrink from unskillful actions, to recognize the negative consequences of our deeds, and to develop a wariness toward repeating our mistakes. The Dalai Lama was honest enough with himself to recognize the role he had played, however unwittingly… I would attempt to rationalize the situation, to excuse myself, or, at the very least, to grieve my loss and move on.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif But in the Buddhist view, this desire would, in itself, be clinging. If could redirect my awareness from my regret to my abhorrence of it, I would have a chance of seeing my own clinging in action. Seeing this clinging is what frees the mind.

- Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

How To Quit Your Job

2011-10-23T07:19:00.001-07:00

This video is so good.

Yes, quit your sucky job in style

Simple Wisdom

2011-10-13T05:35:00.001-07:00

Wisdom to live by.

Celebrate life in all its glory. Be Present...

Life Happens

2011-10-12T00:12:00.000-07:00

I meant to do my work today
But a bird sang in the apple tree,
And a butterfly flitted across the field,
And all the leaves were calling me,
And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grasses to and fro,
And a rainbow held out its shiny hand -
So, what could I do but laugh and go?

Don't be so tied up to your routines.

Take a moment to savor the beauty around you.

When life calls, respond spontaneously and be happy.

Be present, be here and be alive!!

Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

Wondered what "Occupy Wall Street" is about?

This young guy, in his very passionate speech, summarizes the main points best. He tells the truth, not the propaganda printed in the newspapers.

99% of the Main Street have the righteous anger to take action against the corrupt, greedy bankers in Wall Street.

Good for them...

And here are the reasons that people are occupying Wall Streets : -

Understanding Liberals

2011-10-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

The liberal vision of government is easily understood and makes perfect sense if one acknowledges their misunderstanding and implied assumptions about the sources of income. Their vision helps explain the language they use and policies they support, such as income redistribution and calls for the rich to give something back.

Suppose the true source of income was a gigantic pile of money meant to be shared equally amongst Americans. The reason some people have more money than others is because they got to the pile first and greedily took an unfair share. That being the case, justice requires that the rich give something back, and if they won't do so voluntarily, Congress should confiscate their ill-gotten gains and return them to their rightful owners.

A competing liberal implied assumption about the sources of income is that income is distributed, as in distribution of income. There might be a dealer of dollars. The reason why some people have more dollars than others is because the dollar dealer is a racist, a sexist, a multinationalist, or a conservative. The only right thing to do, for those to whom the dollar dealer unfairly dealt too many dollars, is to give back their ill-gotten gains. If they refuse to do so, then it's the job of Congress to use their agents at the IRS to confiscate their ill-gotten gains and return them to their rightful owners. In a word, there must be a re-dealing of the dollars or what some people call income redistribution.

The sane among us recognize that in a free society, income is neither taken nor distributed; for the most part, it is earned. Income is earned by pleasing one's fellow man. The greater one's ability to please his fellow man, the greater is his claim on what his fellow man produces. Those claims are represented by the number of dollars received from his fellow man.

Say I mow your lawn. For doing so, you pay me $20. I go to my grocer and demand, "Give me 2 pounds of steak and a six-pack of beer that my fellow man produced." In effect, the grocer asks, "Williams, you're asking your fellow man to serve you. Did you serve him?" I reply, "Yes." The grocer says, "Prove it."

That's when I pull out the $20 I earned from serving my fellow man. We can think of that $20 as "certificates of performance." They stand as proof that I served my fellow man. It would be no different if I were an orthopedic doctor, with a large clientele, earning $500,000 per year by serving my fellow man. By the way, having mowed my fellow man's lawn or set his fractured fibula, what else do I owe him or anyone else? What's the case for being forced to give anything back? If one wishes to be charitable, that's an entirely different matter.

Contrast the morality of having to serve one's fellow man in order to have a claim on what he produces with congressional handouts. In effect, Congress says, "You don't have to serve your fellow man in order to have a claim on what he produces. We'll take what he produces and give it to you. Just vote for me."

Who should give back? Sam Walton founded Wal-Mart, Bill Gates founded Microsoft, Steve Jobs founded Apple Computer. Which one of these billionaires acquired their wealth by coercing us to purchase their product? Which has taken the property of anyone?

Each of these examples, and thousands more, is a person who served his fellow men by producing products and services that made life easier. What else do they owe? They've already given.

If anyone is obliged to give something back, they are the thieves and recipients of legalized theft, namely people who've used Congress, including America's corporate welfare queens, to live at the expense of others. When a nation vilifies the productive and makes mascots of the unproductive, it doesn't bode well for its future.

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. To find out more about Walter E. Williams and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM

Gone Too Soon

2011-10-06T01:46:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs passed away yesterday, on Wed, Oct 5, 2011. In his passing, the world has lost a visionary and a beautiful leader who has changed the world.

His legacy lives on in the way he impacted our lives. Everybody here on earth owes him a debt of gratitude for his creativity that has changed how we live.

Here is a tribute to Steve in the Wall Streets Journal : - Wall Streets Journal Tribute

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. ” Mr. Jobs said in a commencement speech at Stanford University in June 2005, almost a year after he was diagnosed with cancer.

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

"Stay hungry. Stay foolish."http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Here is a transcript of his speech : - Commencement Speech

No many people know that Steve Jobs was a Buddhist - he converted to Buddhism when he was in his early 20s, after visiting India and exploring Eastern religion. He was also a vegetarian. You can clearly tell that he has not much attachment - he accepts death as a gift to live life fully.

All his belief systems and values shows up in his words of wisdom. And in the way that he directed Apple to not be attached to its past successes. In his inventions, you can feel the intuitive design that he incorporates into his products.

Follow his teachings and live abundantly and mindfully.

Rest in Peace, Steve - may you be reborn in Western Paradise. And thank you for all the unique gifts that you have shared with all of us. You have made a beautiful difference to the world...

20 Words

2011-10-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

These words can really change your life.

Believe in it, visualize it and act on it...

Family of Ducks Struggling in the Wind

2011-10-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

Is The Buddha Just A Man?

2011-09-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

If the Buddha is a mere human being (which he is not),
Who was born and died like us,
How can he guide us to become Buddhas,
Who are beyond birth and death?

- Stonepeace

According to the Dona Sutra, the brahmin Dona was walking along when he sighted the Buddha's footprints. Amazed by their auspicious details of wheels with a thousand spokes, with rims and hubs, it occurred to him that they could not belong to a human being.

Tracing the footprints, he encountered the Buddha, who was seated under a tree, radiating and inspiring confidence and tranquillity mindfully.

Curious, he went forth and asked if the Buddha was a deva, a godly being, to which the Buddha said he was not. Next, he asked if he was a gandharva, a lesser godly being, to which the Buddha also replied that he was not.

Dona then asked if he was a yaksha, a demon, to which the Buddha again replied that he was not. Stumped, Dona finally asked if he was a human being, to which the Buddha too replied that he was not.

Out of further imaginable options, Dona finally asked, 'Then what sort of being are you?'

The Buddha answered that he had abandoned fermentations that conditioned rebirth as a deva, gandharva, yaksha or human being, similar to how a palmyra stump is totally uprooted. As such, he is no longer any of them or subject to being any of them again.

Just like a lotus flower that blossoms untainted and stands above muddy defiled water, though he was born in this world, he overcame its taints to become 'awakened'. This was when the Buddha defined himself for the first time, when he said, 'I am awake', or 'I am Buddha'.

The word 'Buddha' means an 'awakened one', one who was awakened from the taints of attachment, aversion and delusion, the muck and mire of Samsara.

Having described himself to be like a lotus, this is how the lotus became the symbol of purity in Buddhism, the goal which all Buddhists aspire towards, away from all fermentations and taints that condition rebirth.

The Buddha did not state that was not a mere human being in just one instance. He repeatedly taught that fully awakened ones cannot be defined as adhering to conditions which bind beings to the cycles of rebirth.

While their minds cling to those conditions which define them, his mind does not cling to any of them, just as a lotus flower rises above pure, unconditioned by the dirt where its roots were.

Greater than humans and gods, both of whom are still bound by rebirth, one of the traditional titles of the Buddha is 'Teacher of humans and gods', as it is he, who is free from rebirth, who discerned and walked the path to this freedom, who is capable of teaching all along this path. The Buddha was human when he was still Prince Siddhartha and Ascetic Gautama, but having evolved spiritually and perfectly in compassion and wisdom, he joins the 'race' of all other Buddhas, who are equally supremely enlightened!

Having transcended all constraints,
the Buddha can skilfully manifest as
devas, gandharvas, yakshas, humans or any other beings
to guide them to Buddhahood.

- Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

Adele - Someone Like You

2011-09-29T06:03:00.000-07:00

Love this version of Adele's song.

Enjoy!!

Promises Unleashed

2011-09-28T01:54:00.000-07:00

This is a good documentary on how the banking systems is so screwed up that it caused the global financial crisis.

If nothing changes, the contagion will always be with us...

Not Google Plus

2011-09-25T23:43:00.000-07:00

Even Gods May Fall

2011-09-19T07:27:00.001-07:00

Whoever has accumulated much merit, after his rebirth in the Deva-realms [heavenly planes of gods], lives there till the end of the life-span of that realm is attained.

If, however, the force of the meritorious deed [good karma] that caused his rebirth onto that realm [which is limited] is exhausted before the end of the life-span of that realm, is reached, he dies [and resume rebirth within Samsara, if not yet enlightened].

Some devas sometimes so indulge themselves in the pleasures and enjoyments of the Deva-realms, that they forget to take their food at the due and proper time. Consequently, at last, they come in for a fainting fit and then pass away. Some others die due to extreme anger caused by jealousy against another’s prosperity.

That is because their subtle bodies cannot endure the burning that their anger generates within themselves, so their bodies are consumed and wither. (This description is given in the story of Ghosaka in the commentary of the Dhammapada.)

In describing the actual manner in which death occurs in these Deva-realms, we are told that when death is approaching and a deva is destined to fall away (die), five signs of warning are shown to him: (1) His garland fades, (2) his garments become soiled, (3) sweat exudes from his arm pits, (4) his body becomes ill-coloured, and (5) he feels no delight in his seat even as he remains seated.

It is also of interest and significance to note that from the moment of birth in a Deva-realm to the moment of death, neither the decaying and breaking of teeth, nor the greying of hair seems to occur. A heavenly female being (devi) for instance, maintains the appearance of a sixteen year old maiden all throughout her life, and a male has the appearance of a twenty year old youth.

At the last moments preceding death, however, their bodies lose their colour, they feel exhausted and faint. Up to this last moment they never feel tired. When they near death, they begin to yawn… Only a few of the devas who are the wisest among them know what is about to happen… When devas die, their mansions too vanish and no residue remains, just as when a piece of camphor is burnt.

[Editor: As such, the mere doing of good to create merits for heavenly rebirths is dangerous, as wisdom is needed too, while the safest place for rebirth is a Buddha's Pure Land, where enlightenment will be eventual, where there is no possibility of sensual indulgence, rise of defilements like anger, spiritual complacency, ageing, disease or untimely death.]

- Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

R U OK Day

2011-09-15T01:27:00.000-07:00

Today, Australia has launched the "R U OK" day.

It is to highlight the many cases of suicides that had occurred over the years.

The intent is to prevent anyone from considering suicide by just being concerned about the people around you, by just asking a sincere question of how they are doing.

A simple question like "R U OK" and just taking the time to be present and listen to them would perhaps be the very thing that a depressed person needs to stop him from taking the drastic step of ending his life.

So, take a minute to ask your friends, family and acquaintances if they are OK. Be genuinely interested in them and really be there for them.

Help your fellow man and prevent the senseless loss of a beautiful human being from taking their own life.

Life is beautiful - live it fully.

Have You Washed Your Bowl Yet?

2011-09-11T07:09:00.000-07:00

In the Zen tradition, a classic dialogue between a teacher and a student is called a ‘mondo’ (in Japanese and Chinese: ‘問答: question and answer’). It is considered classic as it is an illuminating exchange. Whether it is enlightening to one who hears it, however, depends on how deeply one connects to it.

With Zen’s focus on direct experience of the essence of the Dharma in everyday life over looking for it in sutras, mondos are both records of realisations and instructional guides.

One such mondo is called ‘Joshu washes the bowl’, as recorded in ‘The Gateless Gate’ by Zen Master Mumon (Wumen)…

A new monk asks Master Joshu (Zhaozhou), ‘I’ve just entered the monastery. Please teach me.’ Joshu enquires, ‘Have you eaten your porridge?’ The monk replies, ‘I have eaten.’ Joshu says, ‘Then you had better wash your bowl.’

Upon hearing this, the monk became enlightened.

The mystery of this mondo, for musing over, or rather, contemplating, would be why he became enlightened and why we are not likewise so, despite having ‘heard’ the same words! Speculating or rationalising, instead of realising the mondo’s significance would not count, as this is the opposite of directly experiencing the mondo, like the monk did.

Mumon commented on the mondo in verse – ‘It is too clear and so it is hard to see. A dunce once searched for fire with a lighted lantern. Had he known what fire was, he could have cooked his rice much sooner.’

So much said earlier, here are some speculated and rationalised possibilities of what Joshu and Mumon could be conveying. Warning! Mondo ‘spoiler’ ahead – though you might disagree!…

Zen, or rather, the essence and actualisation of the Dharma, is about doing what is supposed to be done in the moment. Though Joshu’s question and instruction seemed out of point as replies to the monk’s request, what he uttered were really the best answers in the moment.

Joshu asked if the monk had eaten out of concern. The question itself was guidance that the monk sought – exemplifying how to practise the Dharma – by being caring, by expressing compassion, to a newbie too! Perhaps the monk didn’t realise this yet, as he answered conventionally, in a way he expect he should.

The Master’s next response was an expression of wisdom, though also based on compassion, helping him to see more clearly what he should do – a skilful and direct instruction. There were no wasted words or efforts. So… why go wash the bowl?

Zen is not about doing or reaching towards something special or mystical. It is down-to-earth and practical, about doing what should be done in this moment – even if it is an ordinary, routine and so-called mundane task.

When we look for something extraordinary, we have forgotten that the extraordinary enlightenment arises from taking care of the ordinary. To focus on doing what is appropriate in each moment with an ‘ordinary mind’, that is not cluttered or distracted with the unnecessary is Zen practice.

Joshu’s replies was Zen in the moment too – what was appropriate there and then. Everyday matters done properly with mindfulness, compassion and wisdom would amount to good Zen practice – beyond just sitting well on the cushion during a meditation session.

Now… we all have our food to eat when hungry, bowls to wash after eating, bodies to bathe at the end of the day… How Zen are you making these activities to be? Now that you have read this article, what is the ‘bowl’ you should ‘wash’ – that next appropriate thing to do? The way of Zen is so clearly before our eyes that we overlook it, as if foolishly looking for glasses while wearing them.

If we lived and breathed Zen all this while, we would be Zen Masters already!

- Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

A Journey With Nature

2011-09-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

Time-lapse video of Mother Nature.

So beautiful.

It takes a lot of dedication to film these in remote places. Our thanks to the author for sharing the beauty with us.

Bruno Aveillan - A Beautiful Artist

2011-08-29T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here are some other examples of the beauty that he sees :

Go to YouTube to see more of his work.

Do Not Go Gentle Into The Night

2011-08-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Mad World

2011-08-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

This is such a beautiful song.

It just sums up the state of our world - the strife, the suffering and the pain.

Here is the singer Gary Jules, singing live :

The Glee Project

2011-08-26T23:21:00.000-07:00

Here is The Glee Project cast performing "Don't Stop Believing". Beautiful song...

I like this better than the original as their energy is so much better.

Enjoy!

Karma

2011-08-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a very good discussion about "Karma" by Eckhart Tolle :

Everybody is born into a certain external environment. Also, everyone is born with certain predispositions – they may be partly genetic, they may be other things. A person is born with certain patterns, in other words. We don’t need to examine where they come from, but the fact is that a human being is born into a certain environment. It may be violent, or it may be relatively peaceful. A person is born with inner patterns that you inherit. Even pain-body is partly inherited.

There’s a whole set of conditioning that happens when you come into an environment. The environment conditions you further, and there’s no choice involved – it’s just influences. You find yourself in this world with certain unconscious patterns that have become the conditioning of who the person is. Karma, as I see it, is the unconscious conditioning that runs your life. Karma is partly collective, and partly personal. You can only understand karma not as an abstract subject external to yourself, you can only understand it by observing yourself, and then you know many other things. If you want to understand karma, you need to look at yourself.

I began to understand what karma is when something arose that was not part of karma at all. Here is the key – the arising of consciousness, or Presence, or spiritual awakening, is not part of karma. It is another dimension that breaks into the karmic realm. You do not become awakened by accumulating, as they sometimes say in the East, “good karma”. That’s fine on this level, you can make the walls or furniture in your prison a little more comfortable, but there’s something totally from beyond karma, that can come into your life at any point.

Re-birth is of course part of karma. The deeper meaning of re-birth is identification with form. We don’t need to even believe in transmigration, or whatever, you can look at re-birth in your own life. Every time you identify with a thought that arises, which is form, you are born into that thought. Your identity, your sense of self is in it. That’s karma. Your karma is the unconscious identification with these patterns that you have inherited – the conditioned. It is complete identification of consciousness with the conditioned patterns. Consciousness is dreaming, one could say. That is why we use the word “awakening” in many spiritual traditions. Consciousness is awakening, consciousness is in a dream-like state, when you are identified with the unconscious patterns. Many times a day, you are re-born into an emotional or mental reaction, into thoughts that arise.

Karma creates, in the external, confirmation that it is correct. So if you think the world is full of evil people, you will meet many evil people – in other words, unconscious people. Even people who are halfway between being conscious and unconscious, your belief will pull them into unconsciousness. Karma is the complete absence of conscious Presence. It is automatic. It plays itself out.

Time does not free you of karma. That is a mis-perception, that if you only spend enough time, eventually you can become free of karma. Karma renews itself and repeats itself. The only thing that can free you of karma is the arising of Presence. At any point in the wheel of karma, Presence can come in. It can happen to a criminal in prison, condemned to death. It can happen to somebody who’s never heard of anything spiritual. It can happen to somebody who’s been meditating for thirty years.

Presence frees you from karma. Not all at once. Karma has an enormous momentum. The thought patterns, the emotional patterns, the reactive patterns. As Presence arises, gradually karma diminishes and you will experience a fading out of those patterns. Not that it matters that much anymore, because once you are present, those thought patterns may still arise, but it is no longer problematic. They no longer cause the suffering that they would have caused before, because they are seen in the light of awareness. In the light of awareness, the patterns no longer dominate your life.

Painbody is part of karma, which may be strong in some and not so in others. As Presence arises, you are freed from karma. Then you have another completely different factor coming into your life. For example, for a person to become free of collective karma, you need a considerable amount of Presence for that to come in. It then will remove you, either internally or you may find yourself somewhere else.

For a person who is born into vast collective karma, it requires considerable Presence for one not to be drawn into that. When Hitler came into power, not many people were able to remove themselves. Some were, and they left. They could see what was happening and they were strong enough not to be identified with the collective. To take yourself out of that collective karma requires considerable Presence – and some people had it. It is our destiny, then, to go beyond karma by being the receptacles for Presence.

Everyone who is awakening will find that sooner or later that they become a kind of teacher to others. What a spiritual teacher does is point out the possibility of awakening out of identification with unconscious patterns. The spiritual teacher teaches you to go beyond karma. That is your function, and will become increasingly so, whether you become a formal teacher, or an informal teacher.

Spiritual awakening and stepping out of karma are the same thing. Many people will be drawn to you. Anybody who is going through the awakening process is already a teacher. Teaching means you find yourself listening from spaciousness, when somebody speaks or asks a question, or tells you about their problems. You may find that the answer comes out from that Stillness in which you listen. You don’t have a sense that “I’m going to teach this person now”. You will find that teaching is spontaneous. You will help people to step out of identification with unconsciousness, which means going beyond karma. This applies to everybody who is awakening.

As you teach, Consciousness is becoming aligned with your mind. Your mind is able to tune in to the deeper Consciousness and can be used as an instrument. Then the words come out of your mouth. There is ultimately really only one teacher, the awakened Consciousness is the teacher. It can only teach those in whom there is a degree of readiness. The teaching needs to be received. If there is only a density of mind, the teaching won’t happen.

You will be amazed when people are drawn to you – people who are ready – and you find yourself saying something that you didn’t even know yourself. It’s only when the question was asked, that the Consciousness responded. As you teach, you learn. Realizations come. Teaching and learning is the same process. A deepening happens, as you teach. You are here to help people go beyond karma.

The important thing to know is that time does not free you of karma. The egoic mind says “I need more time to become free”. The only thing that people may need more time for is that they need time to realize that they do not need time”. It may be another twenty years of suffering for them to realize that they do not need time. They may need to suffer a bit more before they realize the power of the timeless. The timeless is of course the end of karma.

- by Eckhart Tolle

Is There A Creator?

2011-08-14T03:13:00.000-07:00

Buddhism refutes the possibility of something independent that does not depend on a cause.

Everything is interdependent. No phenomenon arises autonomously, suddenly deciding, so to speak, that it will manifest.

If the primal substance were the cause of everything it gives rise to, then it would have to be produced itself. But as it is not itself created, how can it create anything?

Buddhism teaches that everything arises from causes and conditions and that there is no such thing as an un-caused cause.

If there were such a thing, then everything could be said to arise from nothing! Alternatively, the primal substance would have to be constantly giving rise to (causing) something. But as we can see, phenomena sometimes manifest and at other times do not. This is because the causes and conditions on which they depend sometimes come together and at other times do not.

If the cause were independent and able to create constantly, then of course its results would also have to be constant.

Since the results are not constant, we can argue that their cause also is not constant: it is impermanent. If there is such a thing as an independent creator, which in consequence is alone and all-pervading, all its manifestations or results should be permanent.

Belief in such a creator is simply not logical.

- Extracted from : The Daily Enlightenment

Prajna Paramita

2011-08-09T21:43:00.000-07:00

Prajna Paramita is the Perfection of Wisdom, as preached in the Heart Sutra.

When we realize and can perceive that the 5 aggregates (form, feeling, pereception, mental formation and consciousness) are empty, we would have developed Prajna Paramita.

Without Prajna (wisdom), we cannot understand the principle of emptiness.

Developing Prajna is not about secluding yourself in some remote retreat to meditate and chant the Heart Sutra. Wisdom emerges in the midst of the ordinary activities of our daily lives. It is there while we are eating, walking, sitting, sleeping or interacting with our environments and other people.

Here is a beautiful story that illustrates this.

Once, there lived a monk who visited a great Chan Master well known for his wisdom and enlightenment.

He stayed with the Master for more than ten years, serving him faithfully and taking care of all his mundane needs.

One day, he approached his Master and told him that he wants to leave.

The Master asked, "Where do you want to go?"

The young monk answered, "I want to go in search of the existence of the Dharma."

The Master answered, "There is the essence of the Dharma right here. Where else do you want to search for it?"

The young monk replied, "I have been here for more than 10 years, serving you faithfully. You have never explained anything to me about the Dharma. So, how can it be here?"

The Master was astonished, "How can you say that there is no essence of the Dharma here? When you came to offer me tea, I always accepted it and drank it. When you brought me food, I ate it. When you joined your palms and bowed down to pay respect to me, I have nodded my head in response. All these things tell you about the essence of the Dharma. How can you say that the essence of the Dharma is not here? All these are the essence of the Dharma. They stand for the parjna in our daily life!"

The young monk answered, "Oh! This is Prajna! Let me think this over."

The Master said, "Don't think. Thinking arouses differentiation; thinking is no longer prajna."

The moment the young monk heard this sentence, he became enlightened.

So, what this story illustrates is that prajna is everywhere, and Buddhist teachings is everywhere around us. It is when you live mindfully that you will understand prajna.

If you have prajna, then you can clearly see that the 5 aggregates are empty. Once we understand that these aggregates are empty, then we are able to cross the ocean of suffering and achieve enlightenment. We will no longer be consumed by the differentiation of our lives, the dualities of existence.

We can then see that everything is emptiness and this world is illusory...

Reminders For The Coming Tough Times

2011-08-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

Here are 75 reminders to help motivate you when you need it most.

Tough times never last, but tough people do.
- Robert H. Schuller

1. You never know how strong you really are until being strong is the only choice you have.
2. Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.
3. You cannot change what you refuse to confront.
4. Nobody is perfect, and nobody deserves to be perfect. Nobody has it easy. You never know what people are going through. Every one of us has issues. So don’t belittle yourself or anyone else. Everybody is fighting their own unique war.
5. Crying doesn’t indicate that you’re weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you’re alive and full of potential.
6. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying. (Read Unstoppable.)
7. Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
8. Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. Let it go.
9. Making one person smile can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. Start small. Start now.
10. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
11. Never let success get to your head, and never let failure get to your heart.
12. You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.
13. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
14. You can learn great things from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.
15. Give up worrying about what others think of you. What they think isn’t important. What is important is how you feel about yourself.
16. When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.
17. When other people treat you poorly, keep being you. Don’t ever let someone else’s bitterness change the person you are.
18. You have to accept that some things will never be yours, and learn to appreciate the things that are only yours.
19. Sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one in the world who’s struggling, who’s frustrated, or unsatisfied, or barely getting by. But that feeling is a lie. And if you just hold on, someone will find you and help make it better. Because we all need a little help sometimes – someone to help us hear the music in our world. To remind us that it won’t always be this way. That someone is out there right now.
20. Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. Some of your best life experiences and opportunities will transpire only after you dare to lose.
21. Sometimes we accidentally allow small problems to escalate and dominate our lives. If we get overcharged a few cents, it is irritating, but don’t let it ruin your day. There will always be small issues that irritate us; the secret is to be able to give them the miniscule level of importance they deserve.
22. Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go. (Read The Dip.)
23. Ask yourself whether each of your relationships drags you down or lifts you up. Surrounding yourself with positive, loving people is half the battle of living a happy, successful life.
24. Spend more time with those who make you smile and less time with those who you feel pressured to impress.
25. There are few joys in life that equal a good conversation, a good read, a good walk, a good hug, a good smile, or a good friend.
26. Don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future for too long. Right now is life. Live it.
27. No matter how cautiously you choose your words, someone will always twist them around and misinterpret what you say. So just say what you need to say.
28. In order to be creative, we must lose our fear of being wrong.
29. Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of good luck.
30. To be great does not mean you have to dominate others. It means you have to dominate your own potential.
31. If you are passionate about something, pursue it, no matter what anyone else thinks. That’s how dreams are achieved.
32. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.
33. Forgiveness is one of the primary keys to happiness.
34. The best revenge is happiness, because nothing drives your adversaries more insane than seeing you smile.
35. Stay positive when negativity surrounds you. Smile when others frown. It’s an easy way to make a difference.
36. If a person wants to be a part of your life, they will make an obvious effort to do so. Don’t bother reserving a space in your heart for people who do not make an effort to stay.
37. Don’t regret intimate relationships that don’t work out. Because they will only help you find the right partner for you, and better appreciate them for everything they do and everything they are.
38. What lies before us and behind us are tiny matters when compared to what lies within us.
39. The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists. It rewards people who get things done. And the only way to get things done is to be imperfect 99% of the time.
40. Never lie – not even a white lie! When you steer away from the truth, you steer away from your soul. Be honest, be real and tell the truth. This awareness forces you to make better choices and be a stronger person.
41. Feelings, good and bad, always come and go.
42. Don’t get caught up in wasted potential from years past. Potential is all we ever have.
43. We are not alone. No matter how bizarre or embarrassed or pathetic we feel about our own situation, there will be others out there experiencing the same emotions. When you hear yourself say “I am all alone,” it is your mind trying to sell you a lie so you will continue to feel sorry for yourself.
44. It is okay to be angry. It is never okay to be cruel.
45. Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.
46. Mistakes teach you important lessons. Every time you make one, you’re one step closer to your goal. The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.
47. Money is a renewable resource. If you lose some money, don’t sweat it. You can always make more. However, if you spend valuable time stressing over money, or lost opportunity, you’ll never get that time back. Time is more valuable than money – time is the greatest constituent of life.
48. Never let people know that they got to you. Ignore them. Hold your head up high and pretend all their negative remarks don’t even phase you, and someday they actually won’t.
49. There is nothing to hold you back except you. And there is only one question to ask yourself: “What would you do if you were not afraid?” Think about it.
50. Life is way more enjoyable when you stop trying to be cool and simply focus on being yourself.
51. It’s often hard to tell just how close you are to success.
52. When you spend time worrying, you’re simply using your imagination to create things you don’t want.
53. No matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.
54. You must see things how they are instead of how you hoped, wished, or expected them to be.
55. Even when you feel like you have nothing, someone else likely has far less. Find them and help them. You’ll see why.
56. Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Laugh at yourself often. Find the humor in whatever situation you’re in.
57. If you want to feel rich, just count all the great things you have that money can’t buy.
58. Forgiving yourself is far more important than getting others to forgive you.
59. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
60. You can press forward long after you can’t. It’s just a matter of wanting it bad enough.
61. It’s not about getting a chance, it’s about taking a chance. You’ll rarely be 100% sure it will work. But you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Sometimes you just have to go for it!
62. If it were easy everyone would do it. This is why get rich quick schemes will never be true. If it was so quick and easy then everyone would be millionaires. Accomplishing great things is hard work, but well worth it.
63. Notice and cherish life’s surprises. Just because it’s not what you were expecting, doesn’t mean it’s not everything you’ve been waiting for.
64. Be vulnerable. Allow yourself to feel, to be open and authentic. Tear down any emotional brick walls you have built around you and feel every exquisite emotion, both good and bad. This is real life. This is how you welcome new opportunities.
65. You must create and look for opportunities. Opportunities rarely ever come knocking on the door of someone who’s not seeking them. You have to create and seek opportunities for yourself. You have to take the initiative to get the ball rolling and the doors opening.
66. If it’s out of your control, why fret about it? Concentrating on things you can control is how you make good things happen.
67. Saying “no” to right people gives you the time and resources required to say “yes” to right opportunities. (Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.)
68. No matter how much progress you make there will always be the people who insist that whatever you’re trying to do is impossible. Or they may incessantly suggest that the idea or dream as a whole is utterly ridiculous because nobody really cares. When you come across these people, don’t try to reason with them. Instead, forget that they exist. They will only waste your time and energy.
69. If you spend 80% of your time focusing on the problem and only 20% on the solution, what do you think is going to happen?
70. No matter how badly you think your life may be going, or how messed up you think you are, there is at least one thing you are doing right in your life or you wouldn’t be alive reading this.
71. A problem is a chance for you to learn.
72. The greatest struggle is to be something different from what the average man is.
73. In times of great stress, it’s always wise to keep busy, to plow your anger and frustration into something positive.
74. One thing is for sure: Regardless of the situation, life goes on.
75. Everyone wants a perfect ending. But over the years I’ve learned that some of the best poems don’t rhyme, and many great stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, or end. Life is about not knowing, embracing change, and taking a moment and making the best of it without knowing what’s going to happen next.

Oh, and…

You wanna know who’s awesome? Read the first word of this line again.

The Secret of the Buddha's Smile

2011-07-28T01:41:00.001-07:00

One of the most iconic images of Buddhism is surely that of the Buddha sitting silently under a tree, with his eyes half-closed, while beaming the most beautiful, kind and understanding smile ever.

So enduring is this depiction of deep peace and composure, that the Buddha, be it in the form of statues or pictures, is the most reproduced image in the world. It is appreciated not only by Buddhists, but by people from various cultural walks of life – to the extent that Buddha images have become home decor must-haves for many!

Yet, as alluring as the Buddha’s smile is, many of us are still puzzled by it, for it presents many a mystery… Why is the Buddha smiling? What is he smiling about? How did he manage to attain the True Happiness that his smile represents? Perhaps most importantly, can we smile a similar smile too?

Of course we can! Is that not the deeper reason why we venerate the Buddha – so as to draw inspiration from him, so as to emulate his perfect compassion and wisdom? The good news is that ever since the Buddha smiled his ‘magic’ smile, he shared on how we can too.

The Buddha smiles because he has made peace, not only with himself, but with the rest of the world too.

This should not be mistaken as constant abiding in a state of complacent inactivity, for Buddhahood is realised through the active perfection of compassion to benefit all beings, and of the perfection of wisdom to know how to best help them. What the eternally seated Buddha represents is the state of enlightened bliss that the Buddha abides in – even as he does his best, which is whatever is necessary in the moment, to guide beings to the same enlightenment (synonymous with True Happiness).

The secret of the Buddha’s smile lies in the mastery of his mind – through the practice of meditation. The pose we see Buddha images in is usually that of the Buddha in the classic meditation posture. There are many forms of meditation taught today, with just as many varied purposes as techniques, just as in the Buddha’s time.

The Buddha himself mastered meditation from the greatest meditation teachers available then – before realising their methods were inadequate for realising enlightenment.

What then, sets the Buddha’s meditation methods aside? The Buddha too taught many forms of meditation, as part of the Noble Eightfold Path to liberation. In this sense, the Buddha never really taught any meditation technique for its own sake, as the long-term goal is always nothing less than perfect enlightenment.

Buddhist meditation thus should ideally not be practised merely as a feel-good relaxation exercise, as if one is doing yoga only for fitness. It would be a great pity to shortchange ourselves of meditation’s full benefits! However, it is nevertheless true that what the Buddha taught can still benefit many who do not yet aspire for enlightenment. All in good time?

A good example of a Buddhist meditation method suitable for all, be one Buddhist or not, is the practice of loving-kindness (Metta) meditation, whereby one systematically cultivates thoughts and energy of loving-kindness, first within and for oneself, before it overflows and radiates to the world.

Often mistaken as a simple visualisation exercise, when Metta is trained well, transformative waves of loving-kindness can truly be generated, felt and extended. Strong metta is a soothing balm not just for one’s troubled mind, but heals beyond – through loving words and deeds too. With more Metta for all, you will get closer to the Buddha’s magic smile too!

One of the most common misconceptions of meditation is that it is dangerous – which unfortunately keeps some a perpetual distance from attaining the Buddha’s smile. This is a very general misconception indeed… that easily applies to virtually everything else in life. For instance, it is dangerous to drive too, as one might have a fatal crash, just as it is dangerous to swim as one might drown? The truth is, nothing is dangerous if it is learnt properly from a skillful teacher. Just as a masterful driver and swimmer is always safe, likewise is a good meditation practitioner.

Someone remarked to a friend new to meditation that though meditation may bring benefits according to many independent scientific reports, it is dangerous as demons may infiltrate his mind! Though well-meaning, the truth is that meditation, when practised properly, is precisely to learn how to mindfully protect one’s mind from inner demons, which are our spiritual defilements like attachment, aversion and delusion (which cause unhappiness), and outer demons (in terms of any adverse external circumstances). In this sense, it is more dangerous not to meditate!

As meditation always involves mindfulness, when the practitioner is mindful, the person is not only in control, but in control greater than usual. As such, it is not possible to ‘lose one’s mind’ through meditation. In fact, one becomes a better master of one’s mind. That said, there are some who might be less suitable for certain forms of meditation due to mental ailments. Yet, there is always at least one method suitable for everyone. Just as a doctor can prescribe the right medicine for physical ills, a good meditation teacher can likewise prescribe the best method.

Meditation is also not about making the mind blank – as mindfulness is always required. As such, it is not about doing nothing or daydreaming. Once again, with the presence of mindfulness and control, there is no need to worry about being brainwashed! It is only by surrendering mindfulness that brainwashing can happen. In contrast, whenever we live our lives unmindfully, in a state of haze, we are already somewhat ‘brainwashing’ ourselves! Meditation thus reverses this tendency and reconnects us with genuine conscious living.

Another common misconception of meditation is that it is very difficult to practise. Using the driving and swimming examples again, it is almost always challenging at first, for anyone who is new to any skill, to master it. When the going gets a little tough, we should remind ourselves of the immeasurable worth of mastering our minds – that very source of our happiness and unhappiness. The good news is that practice does make perfect. Let us practise diligently then! It is also appropriate to start simpler by learning foundational meditation techniques such as mindfulness of breathing (Anapanasati).

It is worth noting too, that the practice of chanting done well is also a meditative practice, as it too has effects similar to other meditation techniques – in cultivating calmness and clarity of mind. That chanted can include sutras (discourses of the Buddha), mantras (strings of sacred syllables for invoking pure states of mind – such as the mantra of compassion – ‘Om Mani Padme Hung’) and general prayers. The chanting of ‘homage to’ or ‘refuge in’ (Namo) various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is practised too, the most popular of which is ‘Namo Amituofo’ (Amitabha Buddha). The benefits of these practices are tremendous as well.

Contrary to popular belief, meditation is not at all a dull activity. In fact, it is the doorway to the greatest inner adventure ever – to discover and actualise the hidden potentials of the mind. The practice of meditation eventually leads to mastery of both the inner and the outer world, as we increase in fortitude for facing the vicissitudes of life, to be able to remain smiling like the Buddha in the eye of the storm! Through meditation, may we spring to greater life with mindfulness, as we master the smile of the Buddha!

Heedfulness is the path to the deathless (Nirvana; liberation from suffering of rebirth).
Heedlessness is the path to death (and rebirth).
The heedful die not (as they are alive with mindfulness).
The heedless are as if dead already (as they live mindlessly).

- The Buddha

Extracted from : - The Daily Enlightenment

Fighting Gravity

2011-07-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

Beautiful and so creative...

Increase Your Perception

2011-07-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

Ken Dyers gave a very enlightening lecture about how your perception forms your reality.

The Skill In Means Sutra

2011-07-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

Then the Lord [Buddha] again addressed the Bodhisattva Jnanottara:

“Son of the family: Once a upon a time, long before the Thus-come-one, the Worthy, the fully perfected Buddha Dipamkara, there were five hundred merchants who set sail on the high seas in search of wealth.

Among the company was a doer of dark deeds, a doer of evil deeds, a robber well-trained in the art of weaponry, who had come on board that very ship to attack them. He thought, “I will kill all these merchants when they have achieved their aims and done what they set out to do, take all possessions and go to Jambu Continent.”

“Son of the family: then the merchants achieved their aims and set about to depart.

No sooner had they done so, than that deceitful person thought: “Now I will kill all these merchants, take all their possessions and go to Jambu Continent. The time has come.”

At the same time, among the company on board was a captain named Great Compassionate. While Captain Great Compassionate slept on one occasion, the deities who dwelt in that ocean showed him in a dream: "Among this ship’s company is a person named so and so, of such and such sort of physique, of such and such, garb, complex, and shape—a robber mischievous, a thief of others’ property. He is thinking,” I will kill all these merchants, take all their possessions and go to Jambu Continent.”

To kill these merchants would create formidable evil karma for that person.

Why so? These five hundred merchants are all progressing toward supreme, right and full awakening; they are each irreversible from awakening. If he should kill these Bodhisattvas, the fault—the obstacle caused by the deed—would cause him to burn in the great hells for as long as it take each one of these Bodhisattva to achieve supreme, right and full awakening, consecutively. Therefore, Captain, think of some skill in means to prevent this person from killing the five hundred merchants and going to the great hells because of the deed.’

“Son of the family: Then the captain Great Compassionate awoke. He considered what means there might be to prevent that person from killing the five hundred merchants and going to the great hells.

Seven days passed with a wind averse to sailing to Jambu Continent. Without wind during those seven days he plunged deep into thought, not speaking to anyone.

“He thought, ‘There is no means to prevent this from slaying the merchants and going to the great hells but to kill him.’

“And he thought, ‘if I were to report this to the merchants, they would kill and slay him with angry thoughts and all go to the great hells themselves.’ “And he thought, ‘if I were to kill this person, I would likewise burn in the great hells for one hundred-thousand eons because of it. Yet I can bear to experience the pain of the great hells, that this person not slay these five hundred merchants and develop so much evil karma. I will kill this person myself.

“Son of the family: Accordingly, the captain Great Compassionate protected those five hundred merchants and protected that person from going to the great hells, by deliberately stabbing and slaying that person who was a robber with a spear, with great compassion and skill in means.

And all among the company achieved their aims and each went to his own city. Son of the family. At that time, in that life I was none other than the Captain Great Compassionate. Have no second thought or doubt on this point. The five hundred merchants on board the five hundred Bodhisattvas who are to gain supreme, right and full awakening in this auspicious eon.

“Son of the family: For me, Samsara was curtailed for one hundred-thousand eons because of that skill in means and great compassion. And the robber died to be reborn in a world of paradise. The five hundred merchants on board are the hundred future Buddhas of the auspicious eon.

Son of the family, what do you think of this? Can curtailing birth and death for one hundred-thousand eons with that skill in means and that great compassion of skill in means be regarded as the Bodhisattva’s obstacle caused by past deeds? Do not view it in that way. That should be regarded as his very skill in means.”

The Skill In Means (Upayakausalya) Sutra [Excerpt above]
Translated by Mark Tatz

- Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

Whoopi Goldberg's 2011 SCAD Commencement Address

2011-07-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

Whoopi Goldberg is such an inspirational speaker.

She has lived her life on her own terms. Her wisdom shines through as she urged the new graduates to be bold and claim the world for their own.

She advised them to be bold, to believe in themselves and in their dreams.

That is what makes life interesting - the courage to push the boundaries and make discoveries about yourself and share it with the world.

That is how the world has progressed, how humanity has grown and how the creativity of our society has increased.

Sweet Revenge Song

2011-07-14T02:09:00.000-07:00

This Canadian singer took a United Airlines flight and saw the ground workers throwing his guitar when loading it into the cargo hold.

When he arrived at his destination and found that his guitar was damaged, he approached United for compensation. However, he was given the run-around and United denied any responsibility for the damage to his guitar.

So, what did he do?

He wrote a song, made a video and posted it on YouTube.

The video became a viral hit and attracted so much bad publicity for United that the airline quickly contacted the singer to reimburse him with a new guitar.

However, damage has been done and United's reputation was dragged through mud. Such a small act of listening to your customer and taking pro-active actions to address their grievances could have prevented a huge brand destruction of their name.

Sweet revenge indeed...

The Real Meaning of the Dharma

2011-07-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

The real meaning of the Dharma…
must be directly experienced.

~ Siddhi Nagarjuna

Personal experience is…
the foundation of Buddhist philosophy.
In this sense, Buddhism is radical empiricism or experimentalism.

~ D.T. Suzuki

The Truth itself…
can only be self-realised
within one’s own deepest consciousness.

~ The Buddha

Doing What is Possible

2011-07-09T04:45:00.000-07:00

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

The above quote from Eleanor Roosevelt is so inspiring to me.

Often, we are defeated before we even do anything because our mind tell us that we cannot do it.

What we think actualize the reality of our lives.

So, when you think you cannot do something, invariably, you will not do it.

Why? Because your internal voice has already told you that it cannot be done. Therefore, why even try?

However, true courage means that you face up to what you fear, what you think you do not have the capability to do.

A lot of times, we sell ourselves short - we convince ourselves that we do not have the talent, the ability, the skills to do the things that we need to do.

The warrior spirit within us tells us that we can. We need to listen to it and say to ourselves that whatever the outcome, I am going to give it a go and try my very best to succeed in what "they" say cannot be done.

That is the achievements of the human race - every breakthroughs and new inventions comes about because the courageous human spirit refuses to believe that it cannot be done.

So, listen to your internal warrior - do what you think that cannot be done. Strive on despite whatever challenges is in front of you.

When you succeed, when you crossed over to the other side and when you realized the victory of the battle, you will be glad that you have done that...

So, live your dreams big!!

Ocean Sky in Australia

2011-07-08T01:33:00.000-07:00

Ocean Sky from Alex Cherney on Vimeo.

Beautiful night skies in Australia.

Life is A Gift

2011-07-06T20:54:00.000-07:00

Today before you say an unkind word -
Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food -
Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife -
Think of someone who ' s crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today before you complain about life -
Think of someone who went too early

Before whining about the distance you drive
Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job -
Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down -
Put a smile on your face and think :

You’re alive and still around.

It is important to count your blessings everyday. Give gratitude to all the blessings that you have.

Live fully now and be grateful for even the smallest miracles of life...

Running Across America

2011-07-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

Marshall Ulrich ran from California to New York, running nearly 5000 kilometers across USA in just 52 days.

The human spirit, when challenged, will soar...

Virtual Choir 2.0

2011-07-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

Composer and conductor Eric Whitacre brings together 2052 singers from 58 countries to create the largest ever online choir.

The performance of his composition "Sleep" is beautiful and showcase the wonders of the Internet - its ability to bring together people all around the world to produce beauty...

Beat The Wind

2011-07-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

The freedom of running...

Giving With Wisdom

2011-07-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

A long time ago there lived a Bodhisattva of great diligence who wanted to achieve Enlightenment as soon as possible.

In his practice, he emphasized the core principle of having no attachments even though he was very rich and prosperous. Therefore, he announced publicly that he would give away everything that he has.

Many people came to him and he gave generously - money, food and anything that anyone asked him for. Those who benefited from his generosity praised him for his kindness and his non-attachment to his wealth and property. The Bodhisattva was pleased.

One day, a rather disagreeable beggar came and asked him, "Is it true that you are ready to give away anything that people ask you for?"

The Bodhisattva replied, "Yes, I will give freely away everything I have, whatever you ask for."

The beggar then said to him, "Give me your right hand."

The Bodhisattva took a knife, cut off his hand, and gave it to the beggar with a smile.

The beggar then said. "I could never accept something given with the left hand. This is really improper!"

In that instant, anger arose in the Bodhisattva. "You are so ungrateful!" he shouted at the beggar.

And with that he abandoned the Bodhisattva path...

True giving is all about giving without attachment. Even if the recipient rejects your gift or treat it with disrespect, if you have given generously, with great wisdom, the response would not have mattered to you.

The karma would have be upon the recipient. If he is very grateful, he would have generated good karma. Being ungrateful and unappreciative would cause evil karma to be visited on the recipient.

So, the giver would have generated lots of merits if he gives with wisdom, gives without attachments and gives with equanimity...

Once the act of giving has taken place, the result of the giving is inconsequential to the given. That is giving with wisdom.

Map of The Four Noble Truths

2011-06-30T08:06:00.000-07:00

The First Noble Truth is the effect of suffering.
The Second Noble Truth is the cause of suffering.
The Third Noble Truth is the effect of the end of suffering.
The Fourth Noble Truth is the cause of the end of suffering.

The First Noble Truth
is about knowing your current situation
(of being lost in suffering),
For if you don't know where you are,
As a reference point,
Even the best map (of the Dharma) is useless
(as you might assume you're elsewhere).

The Second Noble Truth
is about knowing what cause your current situation
(attachment, aversion, delusion),
For if you don't know why you are where you are,
As a reference point,
Even the best map is useless
(as you'll remain stuck where you're).

The Third Noble Truth
is about knowing the situation you wish to be in
(away from suffering; Nirvana),
For if you don't know where you are going,
As a reference point,
Even the best map is useless
(as you can't reach there).

The Fourth Noble Truth
is about knowing how to be in the situation you wish to be in
(by walking the Noble Eightfold Path),
For if you don't know how you are going there,
As a reference point,
The best map is useless
(as you won't be using it as a guide).

Just as realisation of the Noble Truths ennoble,
ignorance of them is to remain ignoble.

Extracted from : The Daily Enlightenment
- Stonepeace

The King of Heaven Seeks Out the Dharma

2011-06-28T22:11:00.000-07:00

One day, when the Buddha was teaching at the Jetavana Monastery, King Brahmaloka descended from heaven and came before the Buddha to listen to the Dharma.

The King of Heaven asked :
"Lord Buddha, can you kindly tell me which is the sharpest sword, which is the most potent poison, which is the most furious fire and which is the darkest night?"

The Buddha answered :
"King of Heaven, you should know that harsh and unkind words form the sharpest sword; greed is the most potent poison; worldly worries form the most furious fire; and ignorance is the darkest night."

The King of Heaven asked :
"In the three worlds, who receives the most benefit, who suffers the greatest loss, what forms unbreakable armor, and what is the best weapon?"

The Buddha answered :
"Those who give receive the most benefit; those who are greedy, who look only for gain and never intend to reciprocate, suffer the greatest loss; patience forms unbreakable armor; and wisdom the best weapon."

The King of Heaven asked :
"In all the realms, who is the most cunning thief, what is the most precious treasure, what is the greatest cause for attachment, and what treasure can we rely on most?"

The Buddha answered :
"Unwholesome thoughts are the most cunning thieves; morality is the most precious treasure; mind is the greatest cause of attachment; being liberated from the cycle of birth and death is the treasure upon which we can rely on most."

The King of Heaven asked :
"What quality is the most attractive, what quality is the most disgusting, what is the most horrible pain, and what is the greatest enjoyment?"

The Buddha answered :
"Goodness is the most attractive; evil is most disgusting; regret is the most horrible pain; and liberation is the greatest enjoyment."

The King of Heaven asked :
"What is the reason for death in this world, what can spoil a friendship, what is the most serious fever and what makes the best doctor?"

The Buddha answered :
"Ignorance is the root of death; jealousy and selfishness spoil friendship; hatred is the most serious fever; and the Buddha is the unsurpassed doctor."

The King of Heaven though for a while and asked again :
"Now, I have one more question to ask you. What cannot be consumed by burning fire, what cannot be destroyed by raging floods, what cannot be torn asunder by blustering wind and still remains the source of all existence?"

The Buddha replied :
"The merit created from good karma is the answer to all. It cannot be consumed by burning fire, nor destroyed by raging floods, nor torn asunder by the winds, yet it still remains the source of all that exists in the universe."

After listening to the Buddha's words of wisdom, the King of Heaven was full of Dharma joy. He paid homage to the Buddha and departed...

Dear Sixteen Year-Old Me

2011-06-27T18:46:00.001-07:00

Take precautions - slop on the sunscreen everyday.

Season of the Heart

2011-06-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

One of the most beautiful song sung by John Denver, a singer who died too young...

Medicine Buddha Mantra

2011-06-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

The Medicine Buddha Mantra should be chanted by people who are very sick and is looking for a cure.

The more you chant, the more it will help you.

Chant with a sincere mind and dedicate the merits to all sentient beings in the 10 directions. Doing so will enable merits to come back to you and help you in your recovery from whatever sickness that you are facing.

This Mantra is very powerful...

An Old Pair Of Trousers and a Grain of Rice

2011-06-15T07:30:00.001-07:00

Once, there was an old couple who was so poor that they lived in a deserted coal pit. They did not have any possessions and have only a single pair of trousers that they share.

When the husband need to go out, the wife had to stay at home, half-naked. And when the wife went out, the husband was forced to remain in the pit without any trousers to wear.

One day, the Buddha and his disciples came to their neighbourhood begging for alms.

They wanted to pay homage to the Buddha and make an offering but realized that they do not have anything to offer to Him.

The wife sighed deeply and said, "There is nothing here in our pit fit to give the Buddha. What can we offer?"

The husband thought for a while and said firmly, "No matter what, it would be better to starve ourselves to death than to let his great opportunity to pay homage slip by us. We cannot miss the chance to accumulate merit. Well, the only decent piece of property we have is this pair of trousers. Let us take them and make an offering of them to the Lord Buddha."

Happily, they took off the trousers and offered them to the Buddha.

The disciples were startled with embarrassment. Covering their noses, they shoved the pair of dirty trousers back and forth among themselves. They did not know what to do with it.

Finally, Ananda brought back the trousers to the Buddha and asked for his advice.

"Lord Buddha," he said, "This pair of trousers is too filthy to wear. Let me throw them away!!"

The Buddha then compassionately said to His disciples, "Dear bhiksus, do not think that way. An offering from the poor is the most precious. Bring them here and let me wear them."

Ananda, full of remorse, went with Maudgalyayana to the river to wash the trousers. As soon as they dip the trousers into the river, huge waves began to appear and the water started to rise and fall.

In panic, Maudgalyayana used his supernatural power to bring Mount Sumeru to suppress the waves. It did not work and the waves were not calmed. He tried and tried and finally gave up.

The two of them rushed back to the Buddha to report the strange occurrences.

At that time, the Buddha was having his meal. He gently picked up one grain of rice and told them, "The swells on the river are due to the praise of the Naga King of the Four Seas has for the poor couple and their determination to make an offering to me. Thrown this grain of rice into the river, it should take care of the waves."

Ananda was very puzzled, "Lord Buddha, how can a small grain of rice calm the waves if even Mount Sumeru cannot?"

The Buddha smiled and said, "Just give it a try and see."

Skeptically, both Ananda and Maudgalyayana threw the grain of rice into the river. Within minutes, the river returned to it original calmness.

They marveled at such a wonder!! How is it possible that the whole of Mount Sumeru could not compare to a grain of rice?

They rushed back to the monastery and immediately asked the Buddha for an explanation.

The Buddha said, "True nature is without differentiation. From the point when the rice seed is sown, it undergoes irrigation, fertilization, harvest and finally sale. To reach the state of a rice grain, it must go through various efforts and hard work. The merit that is contained in a grain of rice is immeasurable and boundless."

"The same explanation applied to the trousers that the poor couple offered. Those trousers were their entire fortune and because of the couple's enormous generosity, the trousers contained immeasurable, boundless merits."

"Even the Naga King of the Four Seas saw that the merit of the offering of the grain and of the dirty trousers were equally limitless and boundless, both arising from a sincere thought. Recognizing their equivalency in merit, the Naga King gladly retreated, giving praise to such wonderful generosity."

"Thus, we can see that as long as we make offerings with sincerity, the power of even a small rice grain or a dirty article of clothing is equal to that of tens of millions of Mount Sumerus."

The Legendary Shots

2011-06-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

How do they do it?

So cool...

Orbs : Gods or Ghosts?

2011-06-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

Many people, Buddhist or otherwise, have snapped pictures, be it in broad daylight or night, of mysterious orbs. (I accidentally took some myself.) With much experimentation and checking of the cameras, they are mostly thought not to be due to camera tricks or errors.

Some Buddhists have even snapped, with the same camera, the “before” and “after” pictures of the same night sky - above where they did mass sharing of spiritual merits after chanting. The “before” pictures are empty of orbs while the “after” ones with plentiful.

They also appear in religious places of worship (not just Buddhist ones).

Most Buddhists I'd come across so far believe the orbs are devas (gods, or the Buddhist equivalent of angels) who had come forth to gather in a holy place, or to rejoice in the merits, especially since there is the tradition of inviting the devas to come share the merits. Some even say the orbs looked up close resemble Dharma wheels! Not sure if that is a mere coincidence. (An inkblot test effect perhaps?) Even without actual invitation, merits are usually also shared with all beings in general.

Interestingly, most non-Buddhist westerners believe the orbs are ghosts. Now, there is a big world of difference between gods and ghosts (or rather, wandering spirits). The first are much “well-to-do” while the latter are usually unfortunate and deprived. What is generally agreed though, is that the orbs are manifestations of intelligent beings unseen by the naked eye. Ghosts or gods, they are welcomed to partake of the merits we universally share in goodwill.

If you read the suttas, you will find records of devas approaching in the cover of night to consult the Buddha for teachings. They are described with brilliant lights... “I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then a certain deva, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One.” (Opening of Maha-Mangala Sutta: Discourse on Blessings)

The orbs could also be gods with lesser radiance perhaps?

Many friends had personally twice witnessed probably similar magnificent lights flashing in the night sky - after a long meditation retreat conducted by the late great Venerable Amatha Gavasi. They appeared during the sharing of merits with the recitation of the Maha-Samaya Sutta (Discourse on the Great Meeting of Devas). (Discourse on the Great Meeting of Devas). The Sutta is a detailed formal invitation of devas to partake in the merits offered.

Now, these lights, which I saw on their video, are not lightning flashes - they light up the sky in different areas with various shapes and colours silently. Anything like thunder is absent. The ongoing flashes sustain for up to fifteen minutes or more. Some said they could see the shapes of traditional crowns that devas are commonly depicted with.

One night, the Venerable was also accidentally seen speaking to an “aura” of light in private! On another occasion, he was seen going into the unlit precept house of a temple, when it became suffused with a bluish glow. Maybe he was having another private in-house audience?

There was a popular theory that UFOs might be “chariots of the gods”. But if the devas themselves already glow, maybe the lights are the gods per se!

Some time after writing the above, I saw a documentary on TV showing how orb digital pictures can be made by stirring up and snapping reflected dust particles. Looks quite convincing. It doesn't explain the above light phenomenon though. As such, if the documentary offers good proof to go by, I'll stick more to the lights (not orbs) as described above as the more probable manifestations of deva and/or ghost activity.

Hmmm... but the seeing of reality is only as possible as our delusion allows. Anyway, what's more important than seeing gods or ghosts is seeing one's true nature.

- Extracted from Moon Pointer

Miracles

2011-06-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

Once, a layman named Kevaddha told the Buddha that the city of Nalanda was nearby, full of people, many of whom admired him, and that if any of his disciples could perform a miracle, they would have greater admiration for him.

He then asked if the Buddha could request a disciple to do so. Despite being asked thrice, the Buddha rejected his appeal. After all, the Buddha doesn’t encourage the performing of ‘street magic’ just to boast or please the populace. What more essential was to develop one’s mind and to guide others to do the same.

On another occasion by a river, an emaciated ascetic with long thick hair glanced at the Buddha sarcastically, before crossing it on its surface. Seeing this, a disciple of the Buddha asked if he could see him do the same. The Buddha replied that he would show him the worth of the feat instead. When a ferryman came towards the Buddha, he asked him how much one paid him to cross the river. The answer was ‘half a masaka’, a coin of very low value. The Buddha remarked that the ascetic’s miracle was worth only that doable with half a masaka, while he had mortified his body over a long time just to master that. It would had been worthier to use the time for the well-being of others.

However, this does not mean that the Buddha and his disciples were incapable of, or never performed any miracles at all, though he did forbid insensible miracles which served no useful purpose.

As recorded in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the Buddha once came to the swelling River Ganges. Some were looking for a raft, and others binding reeds to form one. The Buddha, as swiftly as a strong man stretches or flexes his arm, vanished from where he was with his retinue of monks and remanifested on the other shore.

Commenting on those who have yet to cross, he said, ‘When they want to cross the sea, the lake or the pond, people make a bridge or raft, the wise have crossed already.’ In short, the Buddha had mass-teleported himself and the monks across the river in the blink of an eye! This is surely more efficient than walking on water!

This was done for practical reasons of not being able to find transport, and it was an opportunity to teach. The late fashioning of a bridge or raft represented the belated creation or search of a means to cross the water, which represented the sea of suffering, to reach the other shore, which represented liberation. The Buddha was emphasising that wisdom is the true and speedy vehicle needed to cross over suffering.

In a related story, a ferryman refused to take the Buddha across a river because he did not have the fare to pay. To his amazement, the Buddha simply disappeared from the bank and reappeared on the opposite.

When King Bimbisara heard of this incident, he issued an edict to allow all ascetics in his country to be ferried for free.

Once again, the Buddha displayed his supernormal powers only as a last resort. Miracles by themselves might amaze, while not necessarily leading the amazed to realise the Dharma. They might distract their witnesses from the Dharma instead, who might be attracted only to learn how to perform such miracles.

One of the most famous of miracles that only the Buddha could do, was the Twin Miracle. He would levitate into the air and sprout the opposing elements of fire and water from his upper and lower body simultaneously (followed by from his left and right), and in reversed directions. This he did on two occasions – once, to humble his proud clansmen, so as to open their minds to listen to the Dharma with reverence, and once, when some other teachers sought to promote their ‘superiority’ by showing off their miracles. As many other incidents would attest, the Twin Miracle is really just the tip of the iceberg of the extraordinary feats the Buddha was capable of!

As for the miracle where a certain person gives [Dharma] instruction in this way:

‘Direct your thought in this way, don’t direct it in that.
Attend to things in this way, don’t attend to them in that.
Let go of this, enter and remain in that’:

this is the miracle that… appeals to me as the highest and most sublime.

- Sangarava Sutta

Balls of Lights

2011-06-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

Ball Of Light from Sam Collins on Vimeo.

Watch this documentary of a photographer who creates awesome balls of lights...

Balls of Light

The Miracle Food

2011-06-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

Do you know that bananas are a miracle food that brings a lot of benefits to you when you consume it?

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure.. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work: Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood Enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'

Korea's Got Talent

2011-06-07T01:17:00.001-07:00

Here is a young man, struggling through life, and yet still finds the courage to bring his gifts to the world and grace us with beauty...

Who You Are Born To Be

2011-06-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

"That which each can do best, none but his Maker can teach him. Where is the master who could have taught Shakespeare? Where is the master who could have instructed Franklin, or Washington, or Bacon, or Newton? . . . Shakespeare will never be made by the study of Shakespeare. Do that which is assigned you, and you cannot hope too much or dare too much."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Each of us are born with gifts, talents and special skills that makes each of us uniquely human and an individual.

However, many people go through life, merely existing and letting the mundane activities totally take over their days.

Days turn into months, months turn into years and all of a sudden, we look back and found that, alas, we have not lived our lives fully.

It takes courage for each of us to discover these special gifts and talents that God has given us. It needs the silence in our soul to listen to the tiny voice, whispering that we are destined for greater things. It takes awareness to be bold and pursue our destiny.

Therefore, take the time to be aware of your calling.

And when you find your calling, go forth and serve humanity with consciousness, compassion and humility.

The Top 5 Regrets

2011-06-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

When Ms. Bonnie Ware, a nurse who worked for years with the dying, posted her list of the top 5 regrets people say aloud on their deathbed, we teared up a little bit here at TNW.

According to the blog post, the following regrets were first posted in The Observer in 2010, and we’ve recopied them for you here below. But instead of just the grandmotherly bits of advice about dreams having gone unfulfilled, we’ve supplemented each regret with some rockstar advice on how to not have these regrets in the digital age.

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others
expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

TNW Advice: We interview so many entrepreneurs here at The Next Web, some of whom will succeed, most of whom will fail. But it’s about going out and creating a reality out of what was once just an idea in your head. Today, due to the Internet’s accessibility, smart people are discovering that instead of getting the next big paying cog-in-a-machine job that they are able to start their own company and they’re receiving a lot of satisfaction from doing so.

“Yesterday, I had an epiphany that for the first time in my life, who I am and who I want to be are virtually one in the same. It’s so much more effective to be yourself than to pretend to be something your not because doing the latter is so emotionally taxing, you’ll never be someone that is fully committed. Being yourself pays dividends.”

-Brett Martin, the CEO and Founder of Sonar, a hot new social, location-based mobile application.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

TNW Advice: We are really hard workers here at The Next Web, in fact, I am pretty sure that @Zee hasn’t slept in the past 36 hours. But being a Dutch-based company, our roots are in relaxation. We know how to unwind after hard days.

If you need some literary inspiration, read up on How To Disconnect, A Primer andThe value in jumping off the social media train.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

TNW Advice: Expressing your feelings to loved ones and blogging or tweeting your thoughts are two different things. People often use Twitter as a soap box to express their anger or resentment over things they can not control. We’d like to take this time to remind you that as much as we love living in the virtual world, sometimes a hug, a long chat over a glass of wine or a phone call to a loved one far away is more valuable than any social media valuation, no matter how ludicrous.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

TNW Advice: At first glance, this is a relatively easy problem to tackle as social networks, namely Facebook, have allowed us to keep up with too many friends and social connections. My best friends always say, “Thank god for Facebook, because I know you’re alive.” And this is slightly concerning. My best friends have to follow me on Facebook to know I’m alive? Use Facebook to keep in quick contact with friends, but defer to real life for those that matter. Pokes, Likes and Comments are not the same as ladies’ lunches, beach trips and dinner parties. Make the time.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have sillyness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

TNW Advice: If you’re reading this, chances are you have a long way to go before you die. So, please, allow yourself to be happy. Smile in the sunshine, kick the ball around with your son, have a glass of wine with your wife in the afternoon, move to Argentina, buy yourself that iPad 2 even if you think you don’t need it, buy yourself a Kindle, because you won’t regret it; whatever it is, be good to yourself.

The 5 Top Regrets

- Extracted from The Next Web

How A Dragon Girl Attained "Instant" Buddhahood

2011-06-01T01:42:00.000-07:00

Major sudden enlightenment in an instant is the culminating effect
of minor gradual awakenings over much time.

- Stonepeace

In the Lotus Sutra, there is a section where Wisdom Accumulation Bodhisattva asks Manjushri Bodhisattva if there is anyone who could, through diligent vigour, swiftly cultivate the teachings in the same profound sutra to quickly attain Buddhahood.

Manjushri Bodhisattva replied that there is a Dragon King’s daughter, who is only eight years of age, who is able to practise all the teachings taught by the Buddha, who is able to, in an instant, aspire to Bodhicitta and attain irreversibility of spiritual progress.

Being compassionately mindful of all beings as if they were her children, her eloquence in teaching the Dharma is wondrous and her merits complete.

Wisdom Accumulation Bodhisattva remarked that he had seen Shakyamuni Buddha practising the Dharma for the sake of limitless beings throughout immeasurable space and time without rest to attain Buddhahood, which makes it hard to believe that the girl could do likewise so soon.

Just then, the girl appeared, bowed before them, and praised the magnificent form of the Buddha, which is complete with the thirty-two marks and eighty secondary characteristics of a great being, which shines in all directions and is honoured by all.

Shariputra too exclaimed of the difficulty in believing the claim of her quick attainment of Buddhahood, as one with a female form cannot become a Brahma heaven king, Shakra (king of Trayastrimsa Heaven), a Mara king (of the Parinirmita Vasavartin Heaven), a Wheel-turning Sage king (who rules the world with the Dharma), and much less a Buddha (a Dharma King) – unless one has passed through many eons to perfect the paramitas (perfections).

The Dragon Girl then offered a precious gem to the Buddha, asking if her offering was swift, to which Wisdom Accumulation and Shariputra agreed that it was.

Next, she asked them to watch her become a Buddha in an even swifter manner. At that moment, the entire assembly saw her suddenly transform into a man, perfect the Bodhisattva conduct, instantly going to a southern world, sitting upon a jewelled lotus and attaining Buddhahood, embodying the thirty-two marks and eighty secondary characteristics.

There, she proclaimed the wonderful Dharma for many beings, who rejoiced and paid their respects. Hearing the Dharma, many aspired to Bodhicitta, attained irreversibility and received predictions of Buddhahood.

This short teaching speaks against, at the same time, ageism, sexism, casteism, racism and speciesism.

Despite being young, female, a non-brahmin (priests revered in ancient India as the ‘select few’ with higher spirituality), and a dragon (naga), the Dragon Girl was able to attain Buddhahood swiftly, by adhering to the great universal teachings of the Lotus Sutra.

She herself attests to this very teaching against unjustified forms of discrimination by example.

Even if there are relatively few like the Dragon Girl among us, it is true, nevertheless, that anyone of any age, gender, social background, race or even kind, can attain Buddhahood.

It all depends on how diligently one had been practising and realising the Dharma both in this life and in previous lives.

While it is true that Buddhas naturally arise from male forms, it is possible to instantaneously evolve to a male form within this life, also through diligence, as in the case of the Dragon Girl.

Being born in Pure Land is also a fast way to relinquish gender limitations. This incident also subtly reminds us not to discriminate anyone, as anyone might be on the brink of Buddhahood, or even be the skilful manifestation of a Buddha!

The Buddha never spiritually discriminated anyone
as everyone has undiscriminating Buddha-nature.

- Stonepeace

The Talk

2011-05-30T21:07:00.000-07:00

What if your future self were to call you today when you are going to make a major decision in your life?

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

2011-05-29T04:56:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite song sung by Mr Schultzer from Glee.

Enjoy!!

The Murky Water in our Minds

2011-05-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

Once Buddha was traveling with a few of his followers.

While they were passing a lake, Buddha told one of his disciples, "I am thirsty. Please do get me some water from the lake."

The disciple walked up to the lake. At that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy and turbid. The disciple thought, "How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink?"

So he came back and told Buddha, "The water in there is very muddy. I don't think it is fit to drink."

After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake.

The disciple went back, and found that the water was still muddy. He returned and informed Buddha about the same.

After sometime, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back.

This time, the disciple found the mud had settled down, and the water was clean and clear. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, "See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be, and the mud settled down on its own -- and you have clear water.

Your mind is like that too ! When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don't have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless."

Having 'Peace of Mind' is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process!

___________________________________________________________

What the Buddha also meant was that all of us are Buddhas.

We are all enlightened, with the Buddha seed already inside us.

Because of our egos, ignorance and karmic hindrance, our Buddha lights do not shine forth naturally.

If we just let go of all attachments and tame the monkey-mind, then our Buddha essence will arise naturally...

Heart to Heart

2011-05-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

Do good and be joyful...

Taking Refuge in the Dharma

2011-05-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

Be islands unto yourselves,
refuges unto yourselves,
seeking no other refuge;
with the Dharma as your island,
the Dharma as your refuge,
seeking no other refuge.

- The Buddha

Shortly after the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi (Enlightenment) Tree, and having surveyed the entire universe, he reflected thus – 'It is not a good thing to live without anyone to look up to, follow, or take refuge in. But there is no holy teacher or brahmin [noble person], no one in this world, who surpasses me in [the Threefold Training of] discipline [morality], meditation [concentration] or wisdom, whom I could honour and venerate.

All there is for me to honour and venerate is the Dharma, the holy teaching [that leads to enlightenment] that I have discovered myself… That is good. I shall place myself under that. The enlightened Buddhas of past ages of the world also lived honouring and venerating the precious holy Dharma.' If even all the countless Buddhas saw the Dharma to be so good for taking refuge in, it must be all the more beneficial for us unenlightened beings to look up to, follow and take refuge in as well – for it leads to the perfection of the Threefold Training, culminating in unsurpassable Buddhahood!

The Buddha's thoughts above form a remarkable teaching, which expresses the humility of the Buddha despite his obvious spiritual greatness, of how he sees the need to check one's position with what is above oneself, which in his case, similar to ours, is the Dharma – the truth itself, and the path that leads to the realisation of it.

Even the Buddhas are not above the natural and universal laws of the Dharma, which is why even after the Buddha had attained supreme enlightenment, he continues to take refuge in the Dharma. In fact, still under the Bodhi Tree when recently awakened, he spent time to fully reflect upon and relish in the marvels of the Dharma. Becoming one with it in totality of body, speech and mind, he meant it literally when he uttered, 'One who sees the Dharma sees the Buddha.'

The Buddha is the living embodiment of the Truth and one who walked the path to it perfectly, who unceasingly honours and venerates the Dharma by practising and sharing it out of boundless compassion for all who have yet to realise it. Without the Dharma, there would be no Buddhas or Sangha!

The two earliest lay Buddhists could only take refuge in the Double Gem of the Buddha and the Dharma due to the absence of the Sangha then. Thereafter, Buddhists take the Threefold Refuge in the Triple Gem – of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

This is so with the exception of Buddhas. Though also perfect members of the Sangha, they take refuge only in the Dharma. Even the Sangha community of monks and nuns founded by the Buddha takes refuge in the Triple Gem (including the Sangha itself).

However, the central aspect of refuge in the Triple Gem for all monastic and lay Buddhists is always 'the Dharma taught by the Buddha' (Buddhadharma). This is so as unless the Sangha members we take refuge in are of the Arya (Noble) Sangha, who consist of those who are enlightened to some extent, the ordinary and thus somewhat worldly Sangha is realistically imperfect, still a work in progress towards enlightenment. The tricky thing is that we can't, with our limited wisdom, readily differentiate who is a member of the Arya Sangha, who can range from the young to the old, men to women, laypeople to monastics. It makes sense then, to respect everyone – even if they are not Buddhists by label!

The true Triple Gem never disappoints
as the Buddha, Dharma and Arya Sangha together
is a perfect teacher, a perfect teaching
And its community of perfect practitioners.

- Stonepeace

Extracted from The Daily Enlightenment

Don't Give Up

2011-05-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

When you are faced with problems so big that you think are insurmountable, it is important to know that "This too will pass".

Therefore, it is important not to lose faith and give up.

It is when you persevere that you will find the beautiful sunrise at the top of the mountain.

So, take a deep breath, enjoy a cup of hot coffee and then resume your battle with the problems that you are facing.

Never give up. Why? Because you are loved...

Loved by your loved ones, loved by your friends and loved by the Almighty...

You are loved by more people than you know...

Sydney Harbour

2011-05-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

3513 A view of the Sydney Opera House from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Here is a time-lapse video of Sydney Harbour.

You can see how busy it is, with all the ferries and boats in the Harbour.

There are also a view of the traffic conditions on the iconic Harbour Bay Bridge.

Life Lessons

2011-05-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a very good site that talks about Life Lessons - lessons that you wished that you had learnt and that if you could do it, you would go back to the past to give these advices to a younger version of you.

In the old days, many of these life lessons were passed down and inculcated into the younger generations through the parents, grand-parents and other older, wiser relatives.

It took a whole tribe to raise a child and therefore, the child benefited from the collective wisdom of the tribe, each member sharing her memories and lessons that she had learnt to the small child.

However, with the advance of civilization and technology, our society has started to loss this collective wisdom.

Many children are now raised in a small family, with limited access to the grand-parents and other relatives.

So many children are now the product of divorce or come from single family due to the untimely death of one parent.

Even when both parents are there, it is tough to find the time to spend with children given the pressure of daily life, the long commute and the challenges of earning a living.

Therefore, it is good that there is a web-site that collects all the collective wisdom of the people so that they can be passed down to the younger generation.

Check out the web-site : -

Everyday Life Lessons

You may also learn something and pick up some gems of wisdom youself too.

Here is a sample of what you can find : -

What has life taught you?

Think about all the things you would love to tell yourself if you could travel back in time to give your younger self some advice about life.

Here’s a sample of 111 life lessons that were recently submitted to the site:

1. Spend more time with those who make you smile and less time with those who you
feel pressured to impress.

2. Never tell someone their dreams are impossible. You’ll feel like a fool when
they prove you wrong.

3. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still
way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.

4. Pursuing happiness by acquiring material things (fancy cars, expensive
jewelry, designer clothing) is like jogging to the grocery store on your
treadmill: it won’t get you anywhere.

5. Laugh at stupid jokes. Apologize. Tell someone how much they mean to you. It’s
the small moments that make life grand.

6. At 79, I regret the things I didn’t do far more than the things I did.

7. Life is way more enjoyable when you stop trying to be cool and simply focus on
being yourself.

8. Start by asking yourself whether each of your relationships drags you down or
lifts you up. Surrounding yourself with positive, loving people is half the
battle of living a happy, successful life.

9. When the ‘want’ gets stronger, the ‘how’ gets easier.

10. Too often we judge people on too little information. Instead of judging
someone for what they do or where they are in their life, figure out why they
do what they do and how they got to where they are.

Virgin Australia

2011-05-15T21:21:00.000-07:00

Love this ad!

It communicates everything about the Virgin brand...

First Kiss

2011-05-07T02:50:00.000-07:00

The innocence of first kiss...

Do you remember your first kiss?

Did it occupy a special place in your memory?

This is one of life's journey that you will always remember...

Your Action Reflects On God

2011-04-28T02:14:00.001-07:00

His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans,
and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of
college.

He is brilliant. Kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a
Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative
church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how
to go about it.

One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his
T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts
down the aisle looking for a seat.

The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are
really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.

Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes
there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.

By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.
About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the
church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.

Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece
suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with
a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to
themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.

How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some
college kid on the floor? It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.
The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All
eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister
can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do.
And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great
difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with
him so he won't be alone.

Everyone chokes up with emotion.

When the minister gains control, he says , "What I'm about to preach, you
will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget."
"Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever
read!"

Cool Video

2011-04-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

This is such a cool video...

There was such a sense of fun and spontaneity.

It is produced by an opposition party from Singapore for the coming election on May 7, 2011.

Bach's Cantata 147

2011-04-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

Watch this cool video of how creative the Japanese people are!

They play Bach's Cantata in the woods using a wooden ball and a rail made of wood.

Enjoy and be inspired!!!

What Are You Teaching Them?

2011-04-22T20:25:00.001-07:00

Children are all born innocent.

They do not come with any in-built values, cultural inclinations or morality.

All of them learn these values from the people closest to them - their parents, relatives, neighbours, play-mates, friends and enemies.

They learn the good and the bad through being exposed to the various media outlets, from TV, movies to songs and the various 'celebrities'.

They are like sponges - they just absorb what they see.

If they see their parents do certain things, they will just imitate them, as they do not know better what is acceptable; what is right or wrong.

Therefore, if a child grows up in a dysfunctional family, it is highly likely that he will be similarly dysfunctional.

If she grows up with a neurotic mother, it is likely she too will also be neurotic and sick in her mind.

Sigmund Freud said it very succinctly : -

"If you want to know the child, just look at the mother."

What Freud said is very true.

In my experience, if I want to know how a child behave, I just have to look at the mother. Often times, it is the mother who profoundly influences the child. If the mother is well-adjusted and happy, the child will also grow up to be like her. And vice-versa.

Therefore, it is very important to be self-aware of yourself and your actions when you are around a child.

You can bet that he/she is observing you and registering how you behave and react to the situation at hand.

That is where the young children learn how to hate, learn how to be insensitive and learn how to uncaring.

The flip side is that, under the proper guidance, a young child can also learn to care, to love and to be a good person...

"If the causes we create arise from wisdom,
So then will be the results.
If the causes we create arise from ignorance,
So, then will be the results."

- Heart of a Buddha

Bring A Smile To Your Day

2011-04-20T21:52:00.001-07:00

Advertisement In A Long Island Shop:
Guitar, for sale........ Cheap....... .
.......no strings attached.

Ad In Hospital Waiting Room:
Smoking Helps You Lose Weight ...
One Lung At A Time!

On a bulletin board:
Success Is Relative.
The more The Success,
The more The Relatives.

When I Read About The Evils Of Drinking...
I Gave Up Reading

My Grandfather Is Eighty
And Still Doesn't Need Glasses....
He Drinks Straight Out Of The Bottle.

Sign In A Bar:
'Those Of You Who Are Drinking To Forget,
Please do Pay In Advance.'

Sign In Driving School:
If Your Wife Wants To Learn To Drive,
Don't Stand In Her Way....

Behind Every Great Man,
There Is A Surprised Woman.

The Reason Men Lie Is Because
Women Ask too Many Questions..

Getting Caught
Is The Mother Of Invention.

Laugh And The World Laughs With You,
Snore And You sleep Alone,

The Surest Sign
That Intelligent Life Exists
Elsewhere In The Universe
Is The Fact That It Has Never Tried To Contact Us.

Sign At A Barber's Saloon In Detroit :
We Need Your Heads To Run Our Business..

Sign In A Restaurant:
All Drinking Water In This Establishment
Has Been Personally Passed By The Manager

East and West

2011-04-19T02:41:00.000-07:00

The difference between the English speaking world and the Asian countries.

16 Truths That Make Us Strong

2011-04-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

1. Life is not easy. – Hard work makes people lucky – it’s the stuff that brings dreams to reality. So start every morning ready to run farther than you did yesterday and fight harder than you ever have before. (Read The Road Less Traveled.)

2. You will fail sometimes. – The faster you accept this, the faster you can get on with being brilliant. You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. So get out there and do something! Either you succeed or you learn a vital lesson. Win – Win.

3. Right now, there’s a lot you don’t know. – The day you stop learning is the day you stop living. Embrace new information, think about it and use it to advance yourself.

4. There may not be a tomorrow. – Not for everyone. Right now, someone on Earth is planning something for tomorrow without realizing they’re going to die today. This is sad but true. So spend your time wisely today and pause long enough to appreciate it.

5. There’s a lot you can’t control. – Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation. Invest your energy in the things you can control.

6. Information is not true knowledge. – Knowledge comes from experience. You can discuss a task a hundred times, but these discussions will only give you a philosophical understanding. You must experience a task firsthand to truly know it.

7. You can’t be successful without providing value. – Don’t waste your time trying to be successful, spend your time creating value. When you’re valuable to the world around you, you will be successful. (Read Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?)

8. Someone else will always have more than you. – Whether it’s money, friends or magic beans that you’re collecting, there will always be someone who has more than you. But remember, it’s not how many you have, it’s how passionate you are about collecting them. It’s all about the journey.

9. You can’t change the past. – As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” You can’t change what happened, but you can change how you react to it.

10. The only person who can make you happy is you. – The root of your happiness comes from your relationship with yourself. Sure external entities can have fleeting effects on your mood, but in the long run nothing matters more than how you feel about who you are on the inside.

11. There will always be people who don’t like you. – You can’t be everything to everyone. No matter what you do, there will always be someone who thinks differently. So concentrate on doing what you know in your heart is right. What others think and say about you isn’t all that important. What is important is how you feel about yourself.

12. You won’t always get what you want. – As Mick Jagger once said, “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might find you get what you need.” Look around. Appreciate the things you have right now. Many people aren’t so lucky.

13. In life, you get what you put in. – If you want love, give love. If you want friends, be friendly. If you want money, provide value. It really is this simple. (Read The Four Agreements.)

14. Good friends will come and go. – Most of your high school friends won’t be a part of your college life. Most of your college friends won’t be a part of your 20-something professional life. Most of your 20-something friends won’t be there when your spouse and you bring your second child into the world. But some friends will stick. And it’s these friends – the ones who transcend time with you – who matter.

15. Doing the same exact thing every day hinders self growth. – If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Growth happens when you change things – when you try new things – when you stretch beyond your comfort zone.

16. You will never feel 100% ready for something new. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means you won’t feel totally comfortable or ready for it.

And remember, trying to be someone else is a waste of the person you are. Strength comes from being comfortable in your own skin.

- Extracted From Transitioning.org

Do Good Today and Spread The Word

2011-04-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Below is a write-up by Kristian Anderson, a recovering cancer survivor.

He is fighting to have the drug, Erbitux, to be covered by the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme so that patients will be able to get treated at a subsidized rate. Without the subsidy, the price of Erbitux is beyond the means of many cancer patients as it would be too expensive.

Please help to spread the word and take action by sending/faxing a letter to the Prime Minister and the Treasurer (contact details shown below) to include Erbitux in the above Benefits Scheme.

Do this so that many cancer patients can benefit from the result of your pro-active actions.

Spread the seed of goodness. Take compassionate action now!

__________________________________________________________

Many-Hands

Right now, in Australia, the federal government is dragging it’s heels in relation to releasing the drug Erbitux onto the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee and the board of Medicare have both signed off and given it the thumbs up and the government has (had) promised to release it to those who need it…. but they haven’t done it by the date they said they would and we’re not getting any answers as to when they intend to honour their promise.

Erbitux is working wonders in my body, I kid you not.

I have been on the drug for 8 weeks now (I had my 8th infusion yesterday) and today received my round 7 results. In just seven weeks my CEA markers have dropped from 4,100 to 234. My CA 19.9 markers have dropped from 113 to 13.9…. remembering that in the CA19.9 arena a “normal” person has a marker count of 37 and below. Each week my markers decrease by 25 to 50 percent. At a time when my markers were inexplicably climbing, Erbitux has sent them packing. Of course, keeping in mind the success of the bowel operation and the SIR spheres treatment but still… it’s producing incredible results. Erbitux needs to be, must be, available as a front line treatment option.

There are approximately 2,000 Australians that need Erbitux. My weekly treatment costs $2,000 to supply. All up, we need $30 million dollars a year to potentially bring this kind of result to many, many Australians at no cost to themselves.

The government has promised it but I need all of you to help remind them of their pledge to the cancer patients of Australia.

When I first started this journey my voice was small, quiet and helpless. Today my voice echo’s loudly around the world thanks to the prayers and support of everyone who visits the blog, countless prayer groups and churches around the world, the local media here in Australia, news outlets around the globe and, of course, Oprah.

Let me feel you, carry you higher
Watch our words spread hope like fire
Secret crowds rise up and gather
Hear your voices sing back louder

We can make a difference. One person plus one person plus one person…. all of us little people. I’m convinced of it.

If you have the time and the inclination please write a (polite) letter to the following people and let them know the people of Australia who are fighting cancer, their families and loved ones, all want and need Erbitux (Cetuximab) released onto the PBS.

Contact details for our Prime Minister, Health Minister and Treasurer are below:

The Hon Julia Gillard MP

Prime Minister

PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Tel: +61 (02) 6277 7700
Fax: +61 (02) 6273 4100

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP

Minister for Health and Ageing

PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Tel: +61 (02) 6277 7220
Fax: +61 (02) 6273 4146

The Hon Wayne Swan MP

Deputy Prime Minister; Treasurer

PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Tel: +61 (02) 6277 7340
Fax: +61 (02) 6273 3420

You can send it by mail but fax will be quicker.

Please, help if you can. The benefits I am receiving from this drug should be available to everyone who needs it. It’s not a miracle cure but it is really smart science and it works.

It works.

- Kristian Anderson

Green Lantern Trailer

2011-04-07T00:32:00.000-07:00

I am so waiting for this movie!!

From the trailer, it looks like it will be a good faithful representation of the comic characters and its history.

FRESH

2011-04-06T07:05:00.000-07:00

Here is a very good documentary called "FRESH" that tells you how food is produced. The documentary is about 1 hour and is broken up into 8 part series in YouTube.

It seems that we have moved very far away from how Mother Nature intended the natural food that we eat is cultivated.

Because of the big, greedy corporations, our food has become laden with pesticides, antibiotics, hormones and genetically modified. Many of these food are deficient in nutrients, vitamins and essential minerals that our cells need to survive. All these are very unhealthy for our bodies.

That is why the number of people coming down with various diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart diseases are increasing dramatically. Many children nowadays have diseases that never really exist in our grand-parents' times - diseases like autism, ADHD, leukemia, eczema and food allergies.

However, there are small, enlightened farmers who are trying to farm decent, natural food as Mother Nature intended. They are rearing cows, chickens and other animals in a humane way. Everything that they do on their farm is respectful to Mother Nature and her laws.

So, if you can afford it, support these farmers, buy organic food and live a healthier life...

The Speechless Animal

2011-04-05T02:36:00.000-07:00

In the twilight of a beautiful day, when fancy seized upon my mind, I passed by the edge of the city and tarried before the wreck of an abandoned house of which only rubble was left.

In the rubble I saw a dog lying upon dirt and ashes. Sores covered his skin, and sickness racked his feeble body. Staring now and then at the setting sun, his sorrowful eyes expressed humiliation, despair, and misery.

I walked slowly toward him wishing that I knew animal speech so that I might console him with my sympathy. But my approach only terrified him, and he tried to rise on his palsied legs. Falling, he turned a look on me in which helpless wrath was mingled with supplication. In that glance was speech more lucid than man’s and more moving than a woman’s tears. This is what I understood him to say:

“Man, I have suffered through illness caused by your brutality and persecution.

“I have run from your bruising foot and taken refuge here, for dust and ashes are gentler than man’s heart, these ruins are less melancholy than the soul of man. Be gone, you intruder from the world of misrule and injustice.

“I am a miserable creature who served the son of Adam with faith and loyalty. I was man’s faithful companion. I guarded him day and night. I grieved during his absence and welcomed him with joy upon his return. I was contented with the crumbs that fell from his board, and happy with the bones that his teeth had stripped. But when I grew old and ill, he drove me from his home and left me to merciless boys of the alleys.

“Oh son of Adam, I see the similarity between me and your fellow men when age disables them. There are soldiers who fought for their country when they were in the prime of life, and who later tilled its soil. But now that the winter of their life has come and they are useful no longer, they are cast aside.

“I also see a resemblance between my lot and that of a woman who, during the days of her lovely maidenhood enlivened the heart of a young man; and who then, as a mother, devoted her life to her children. But now, grows old, she is ignored and avoided. How oppressive you are, son of Adam, and how cruel!”

Thus spoke the speechless animal whom my heart had understood.

- The Speechless Animal, Khalil Gibran

The Four Essential Freedoms

2011-04-03T20:39:00.001-07:00

“In the future days, which we seek to make sure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression, everywhere in the world.

The second is the freedom of every person to worship God in his own way, everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want...

The fourth is freedom from fear.”

- Franklin D Roosevelt

The Best Student and Teacher

2011-03-31T00:54:00.001-07:00

The best Dharma student
aspires to be the best teacher
[a Buddha].

The best Dharma teacher
aspires to be the best student
[a good disciple of the Buddha(s)].

The Guilt of War

2011-03-28T06:17:00.000-07:00

The first casualty of war is always the Truth.

And it is often the poor people who suffered the most.

The rich will just get on with their lives, with no worries about how the war will impact them. It is like they live in another world where sufferings will not touch them.

Yet, all of them are living under the web of delusions.

As all of us are connected one way or another, the consequences of the war will also visit them sooner or later...

Get Wisdom at any Cost

2011-03-27T23:25:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 4

Listen, my son, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.

I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.

For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.

Then he taught me, and he said to me,

“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.

Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.

The beginning of wisdom is this:
[a] Get wisdom, though it cost all you have,
[b] Get understanding.

Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.

She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”

Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.

I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.

Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.

For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.

They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.

My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.

Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;

For they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.

Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.

Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

Awaken

2011-03-26T04:48:00.000-07:00

Life is Short.
Time is Fleeting.
Uncover the True Nature.
Purify the Mind and the Heart
To Attain True Happiness.
Be Kind; Be Compassionate.
Ge Generous; Do Good.
Concentrate.
Understand.
Awaken...

- The Heart of the Buddha

Pure Land and Zen

2011-03-24T02:52:00.000-07:00

The supreme and endless blessings of Samantabhadra’s deeds,
I now universally transfer,
May every living being, drowning and adrift,
Soon return to the Land of Limitless Light! [Amituofo's Pure Land]

~ Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (Vow #10)

Many people following the current fashion of Zen think of it as the supreme Dharma.

They look down on Pure Land and do not practice it. Because they delight in fame, they learn some words and sentences from ancient sages so that they can talk smoothly and eulogize one another.

The urge to enter the Dharma doors (i.e., to cultivate) is in decline. These people not only lack real practice, they even deprecate the Mahayana sutras, claiming that the sutras are mere words and need not be read. Though such persons may have some mundane knowledge, they cannot save themselves. It is really terrible.

Most of them do not understand the Mahayana sutras, do not understand that there are many expedient methods for teaching sentient beings, do not know the meaning of the expression: “Everything returns to oneness, but there are many expedient methods that lead us to an understanding of the Truth.”

They only know that the Zen Patriarchs stressed Awakening.

Yet the original intent of the awakened mind is to end Birth and Death. Is this not also the very purpose of Buddha Recitation?

Many Zen practitioners fail to escape the cycle of Birth and Death, while Pure Land followers find it easy to escape that cycle [by seeking birth in Pure Land first, where Enlightenment is guaranteed by learning in the best environment from the best enlightened teachers].

What is the reason for this?

It is because to practice Zen, you must stop the thought process, while to recite the Buddha’s name, you must concentrate on pure thoughts.

Since sentient beings have been mired in false thinking for untold eons, it is very difficult to detach themselves from it [and thus end the thought process].

Buddha Recitation, on the other hand, changes impure thoughts to pure thoughts, fighting poison with poison to purify one’s own thoughts.

Therefore, in Zen practice it is difficult to attain Awakening, while Buddha Recitation makes it easy to reach that goal.

If you really want to end Birth and Death in one lifetime, concentrate on Buddha Recitation. There is no need to worry any further.

People today think of the Dharma of Pure Land as an expedient teaching [skilful means]. Little do they realize that it is also a wonderful teaching.

Take the Great Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, whose teaching encompasses the whole Dharma Realm (cosmos). He made ten Great Vows directed toward the Pure Land.

The Patriarch Asvaghosa relied on numerous Mahayana sutras to write the Treatise on the Awakening of the Faith, showing sentient beings the way to the Pure Land.

Zen patriarchs in China are involved in transmission of the lamp (Mind-to-Mind transmission). While they may not always refer to the Pure Land, if after becoming awakened and bringing an end to the cycle of Birth and Death, they do not turn to the Pure Land, would that not be nihilism?

The eminent Zen Master Yung-Ming collected passages from the entire Tripitaka (Buddhist Canon) demonstrating that to point to the Mind is to return to the Pure Land.

During the Dharma-Ending Age, many Zen masters glorify the Western Pure Land. Moreover, the Pure Land Dharma was preached by Sakyamuni Buddha himself without being requested and is extolled by all Buddhas throughout the Ten Directions [as stated in the Amitabha Sutra].

Are not the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Patriarchs more worthy than a few defiled sentient beings?

- Extracted from Pure Land of the Patriachs

Super Moon

2011-03-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

On March 19, the moon approached the earth at its closest range in more than 18 years.

Because of that, the moon looks very large and beautiful.

Here are 50 beautiful pictures of the Supermoon appearing all over the world: -

Beautiful Pictures of Supermoon

Amazing Talent

2011-03-21T06:55:00.001-07:00

This guy has the most amazing talent!

Watch the cool video

Child Soldiers

2011-03-20T23:33:00.000-07:00

There are children as young as 4 years old training to be soldiers in Africa.

What kind of hate and evil in the society and people there that would do such things?

Yet, there is hope.

Hope that comes from people who see the evil and takes steps to help the children there to build a better future.

There is hope in a former child soldier who have found salvation and turned away from the evil paths to become a role-model for his community.

Even in the bleakest times of evil, the light of hope will always shine brightly...

The Tiny Dot

2011-03-19T06:42:00.001-07:00

The truth about politics and the power you surrender to your elected representatives.