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Who Are You Behind That Mask? (‘Hema Hema’s Dharma Drama On Karma)
May. 23 | What if there is an secret camp of sorts, amidst the mountains, where for a fortnight, all don masks to hide their true identities, and are free to do whatever they wish? There, almost anything goes, though there are some basic rules to ensure there...
Consideration Haiku
May. 16 | Consider the critic,* Consider the criticism,* Consider the criticised.* *for credibility and truthfulness
Woe & Bliss
May. 16 | Those who imagine evil where there is none, and do not see evil where it is — upholding false views, they go to states of woe. Those who discern the wrong as wrong and the right as right — upholding right views, they go to realms of bliss. – The...
‘The Song Of Patience By Hánshān & Shídé’ As Sung By The Bodhisattvas Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra & Maitreya 文殊、普贤与弥勒菩萨所唱的《寒山拾得忍耐歌》
May. 16 | The following is a beloved classic teaching on patience (忍辱), called ‘Hánshān Asks Shídé’《寒山问拾得》or ‘Hánshān’s [And] Shídé’s Patience Song’《寒山拾得忍耐歌》, with notes on its meaning. 稽首文殊，寒山之士。南无普贤，拾得定是。 [I]...
Two Kinds Of Lion’s Roar
May. 16 | Truths are only surprising to those used to non-truths. – Shilashanti Two of the most important scriptures in the Pali canon are the Great Discourse on the Lion’s Roar (Maha-sihanada Sutta) and the Short Discourse on the Lion’s Roar (Cula-sihanada...
How Should We Handle Bad ‘Buddhist’ Examples?
May. 16 | Question: It is unfortunate that there are some persons, who like to tell others that they are staunch ‘Buddhists’, when their behaviour is far from good. What should we do? Answer: The truth is that there are bad examples in every religion. The...
Not ‘Possessed’ Of Enough Compassion & Wisdom
May. 16 | Featured in the middle of season 1 of ‘Possessed’, are some dialogues that a fictitious ‘monk’ has. Try to spot the Dharma mistakes… The senior monk asks a few young child monks who returned to the Korean monastery if they...
What Is ‘New’ This Year?
May. 8 | 所谓新者何， 亦如常人贴新春联、 着新衣等以为新乎？… 所谓新者， 乃是改过自新也。 – 弘一大师 What is that so-called ‘new’? Is it also like ordinary persons’ pasting of new spring couplets, wearing...
How Bodhisattvas Should Always Practise Repentance 菩萨应当如何常修忏悔
May. 8 | 忏悔文 (1) 我昔所造诸恶业， 皆由无始贪嗔痴， 从身语意之所生， 一切我今皆忏悔。 – 普贤菩萨 《华严经: 普贤行愿品》 Verse For Repentance (1) Of all my past created evil karma, all by beginningless greed,...
The Noble Abstain From False, Divisive, Harsh & Frivolous Speech
May. 8 | Renounce falseness and cultivate trustworthiness. Renounce divisiveness and cultivate harmoniousness. Renounce harshness and cultivate peacefulness. Renounce frivolousness and cultivate meaningfulness. – Shilashanti Kālāmas, a learned noble disciple...
Should Worldly Customs Override Spiritual Practice?
May. 8 | Question: If the 49th day after the passing of the deceased falls on the first day of the Chinese New Year (CNY), can the 7th post-death chanting ceremony be done before that day? Answer: NO. It should be done accordingly on the actual day. Although...
‘A Land Imagined’ With Labour & Loss?
May. 8 | What makes a country what it is physically? If it is the land itself, what if it is being expanded upon by reclaiming land, with sand from other countries? Being one of the world’s largest sand importer, if Singapore’s millions of tons of...
