‘The Umbrella Academy’s third season’s third episode summarised the Grandfather Paradox — of a ‘temporal anomaly’ that might be created, (if time travel in its usual...
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Non-Anger & Non-Violence
He who meets anger with anger is the loser. He who is calm in the face of anger is the winner. He has won a difficult battle.He who remains calm and unperturbed in the face of anger,saves both...
How Should Buddhists See The Plant-Based Meat ‘Revolution’?
第三食肉[轻]戒：若佛子，故食肉，一切肉不得食。夫食肉者，断大慈悲佛性种子，一切众生见而舍去。是故一切菩萨，不得食一切众生肉。食肉得无量罪。若故食者，犯轻垢罪。— 释迦牟尼佛《梵网经菩萨戒本》The Third [Light] Precept Against Eating Meat: If as Buddhas’ [Bodhisattva] disciples, of...
‘Spiderhead’s Existential And Ethical Questions
Is our experienced ‘reality’ just a result of chemical reactions in the brain? Is it matter over mind, or mind over matter? If the first is true, there would hardly be need to mind the...
Opportunity Haiku
All missed opportunitieswere in the now,even those ‘later’.
Mindfulness Of Buddha As A Universal Deathbed Practice In The Theravāda, Mahāyāna And Vajrayāna Buddhist Traditions
Plan for the last first,as the last will come,and it can come fast.— Shilashanti A meditator asked, ‘When approaching the end of life, how should I abide, as the body will be deteriorating...
‘RRR’s (Rise, Roar, Revolt) Riveting Relentless Resilience
Raju the revolutionary, who was unjustly imprisoned in chains, when mocked by his captor for still using them to exercise (for his eventual spectacular escape), uttered the following defiantly —...
Work Haiku
Work, only to rest,to work even more, mundanely,or towards the transcendental?
Five Sections On Patience In The ‘Sūtra Of Forty-Two Sections’《四十二章经》之忍辱五章
被辱不瞋难。— 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》(第十二章：举难勤修：第八难)To be insulted yet not angry is difficult.— Śākyamuni Buddha(Sūtra Of Forty-Two Sections:Twelfth Section: Raising Of Difficulties For Diligent Cultivation: Eighth...
The Dharma Of ‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness’
The movie suggests that dreams, instead of being mere delusions, are alternate realities with parallel worlds that we might ‘dreamwalk’ in. If so, this is not just one universe, but a...
Teaching Haiku
For various beings,skilfully share the Dharma —essentially, detailedly and in between.
Seven ‘Recurring’ Lessons From ‘Russian Doll’
[1] Core: With dreamlike layers within layers like nested Russian dolls, what are we at the core? We cannot be nothing as we are something. We cannot be something fixed as we can change. What...
Fall Haiku
Only fall…to do a push-up,that strengthens upon rising.
‘Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story’… In The Afterlife Too?
Over time, Savile subtly betrayed his lack of understanding on the dynamics of karma, not that he was expected to know them, or he would not have done the hellish deeds he did. During interviews, he...
The Buddhas Are The Best Friends Of All Sentient Beings
While mindfulness of teachings learnt is meritorious, mindfulness of our teachers is also meritorious.— Shilashanti During a chat on the precious support of spiritual friends, a friend remarked that...
Control Haiku
Since only youcan truly control you —take control well.
A Spinning Coin
The world keeps changing,and you are part of the world,but even if it changes to be worse,you can still change yourself for the better.— Shilashanti Uncertainty is the cause of anxiety, but it is...
[4] How Do We Know The Buddha’s Teachings Are Reliable?
TDE’s Dharma Dialogues: Issue [4][As continued from the previous issue…] Question [7]: If I’m interested in the Buddha’s teachings for attaining True Happiness, how do I...
‘Against The Ice’, Along With Hope
What if you are stranded in an almost totally frozen land, with scanty hope of any rescuers arriving? It is not at all unreasonable that there will be projections of whatever little hope remaining...
Rising Haiku
A sunsetis moonriseand star-rise too.
Where Should Buddhist Teachers And Students Be Reborn?
The Buddhas wish all beings to swiftly attain Buddhahoodfor one and all, by reaching Pure Land.— Shilashanti (Part 1) Question [A]: If there is a teacher, who also wrote many Buddhist books...
A Great Master’s Only Sincere Request 大师之唯一至祷
有一秘诀，剀切相告。竭诚尽敬，妙妙妙妙。— 净土宗十三祖印光大师《与吴璧华书》There is one secret for success to reach Pure Land, to earnestly inform one another. It is to have wholehearted sincerity and utmost reverence, which is most...
[3] Can There Be Both Worldly And Spiritual Happiness?
TDE’s Dharma Dialogues: Issue [3][As continued from the previous issue…] Question [5]: To attain the spiritual True Happiness mentioned, will I have to give up material ‘false...
‘The Batman’ As The Shadows And The Light
In the second year of Batman’s clandestine yet harsh vigilante work, he still seems to struggle between venting his anger and checking his bearings. Perhaps unsure of what he stands for, he is...
Dream Haiku
Further awaken —to know this is nota dream in a dream.
What Is The Best Way To Depart?
上念佛者，佳妙瑞相，预知时至，启众信心。—《佳妙偈》(1)Those with superior mindfulness of Buddha, have excellent and wonderful auspicious signs, including in advance knowing the time of reaching Pure Land, which inspires all...
What Does Your Life Expect Of You?
If it is finitely meaningfulto seek True Happiness for oneself,it is infinitely meaningfulto seek True Happiness for all.— Stonepeace I once had two world-weary people sitting opposite me — as chance...
[2] Can True Happiness Be Attained?
TDE’s Dharma Dialogues: Issue [2] [As continued from the previous issue…] Question [3]: What is this True Happiness that the Buddha attained? Answer: True Happiness...
‘Operation Chromite’: An Existential Race Against Time
The ‘Operation Chromite’ movie retells the Battle of Incheon, as planned by General Douglas MacArthur. Although about war and the fragility of life, the film also offered significant...
Attention Haiku
Attention.Attention.Attention.— Ikkyu
Should We All Fully And Strictly Uphold The Five Precepts?
有而犯者，胜无不犯。有犯名菩萨，无犯名外道。— 释迦牟尼佛《菩萨璎珞本业经》Those having precepts, yet breaking them [unmindfully], are superior to those without precepts, not breaking them. Those having precepts to break are named as...
Be Morally Superior Firmly
Those with a higher purposecan suffer meaningfully,thus not truly suffering.Those without a higher purposemight suffer meaninglessly,thus truly suffering.— Stonepeace We know today more than ever...
[1] Why Learn The Buddha’s Teachings?
TDE’s Dharma Dialogues: Issue [1]Question [1]: Why should I be interested in the Buddha’s teachings? Answer: Speaking from the personal experiences of many, there is no...
‘All Of Us Are Dead’ In Humanity?
The trickiest scenarios in zombie stories involve uncertainty over fellow humans on the run together. Was s/he really bitten by zombie? Will s/he transform to be another zombie? Should s/he be...
Self Haiku
Actual ‘self’-actualisationactualises selflessness,for all as one and no one.
Patience With Evil Without Anger 忍恶无瞋
恶人闻善，故来挠乱者，汝自禁息，当无瞋责。彼来恶者，而自恶之。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第六章 When evil persons who hear of good,are with those who thus come to disturb,if you are personally restrained and calm,you will be without angry...
All The More Should Pure Land Be Reached
国中天人… 识宿命，下至知百千亿那由他诸劫事者… — 前法藏菩萨；现在阿弥陀佛《无量寿经》：第五：生者皆得宿命愿[H]eavenly and human beings within my [Pure] Land, have those… knowing past lives… at least know[ing] a hundred...
Animals (A Vegan Slam Poem)
Veganism gives us all the opportunity to say what we ‘stand for’ in life — the ideal of healthy, humane living. Add decades to your life, with a clear conscience as a bonus.— Donald...
Are Such Funeral Proceedings Ideal?
Question: At a teacher’s funeral, there was a period when many students were standing and sitting around, not doing anything in particular. Some might be meditating, but none were chanting...
Just A ‘Feria’ Tale?
If there is evil in this world, is there not also the most powerful evil? Yes, of course. by logical default. In Buddhism, this is represented by Māra, the heavenly demon king. What if there is a(n)...
Right Haiku
Not rightly knowingright from wrongis already wrong.
Evil Returns To Oneself 恶还本身
有人闻吾守道，行大仁慈，故致骂佛。佛默不对。骂止，问曰：「子以礼从人，其人不纳，礼归子乎？」对曰：「归矣。」佛言：「今子骂我，我今不纳，子自持祸，归子身矣。犹响应声，影之随形，终无免离，慎勿为恶。」 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第七章 There was a person who heard of my guarding of the path, and practice of great...
From Schadenfreude to Mitfreude And Beyond
What Is Schadenfreude? In this Internet age, Schadenfreude is trending. Under the cloak of anonymity, malicious trolls will spin almost every celebrity’s mishap into an international roasting...
Keep Leading By Doing What Is Right
Let us not wait for other people to come to us and call upon us to do great deeds. Let us instead be the first to summon the rest to the path of honor. Show yourself to be the bravest of all the...
Can Those Who Misrepresent The Dharma To Many Avoid Hell?
Question: If a person who gave wrong teachings that harmed many in the name of ‘Buddhism’ passes away, can merits dedicated to this person prevent falling into hell...
Some ‘Bulgasal’ (Impossible To Kill) Truths
A ‘soothsayer’ of sorts tells a ‘prophecy’ of sorts — ‘You will cross paths [with one another] one way or another [in this and/or future lives]. Either as enemies or as...
Purpose Haiku
The full meaningof meaningfulness —is purposefulness.
With Dust & Spittle Self-Defiling 尘唾自污
恶人害贤者，犹仰天而唾。唾不至天，还从己堕。逆风扬尘，尘不至彼，还坌己身。贤不可毀，祸必灭己。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第八章 When evil persons harm those virtuous, it is like looking up to the sky and spitting. Their spittle does not reach the sky...
Am ‘I’ Thinking About ‘I Think, Therefore I Am’?
The fundamental delusionis to mistaken the selfas the fundamental reality.— Shilashanti In ‘Meditations On First Philosophy’, René Descartes (1596 – 1650) postulated the possibility that...
How To Stoically Respond To A Ghost
Direct yourself calmly and clearly.Guide others kindly and wisely.Direct and guide one and all likewise.— Shilashanti There was at Athens a large and roomy house, which had a bad name, so that no one...
Are Enlightened Ones Still Sentient Beings?
Question: Are awakened beings (觉者) like Buddhas (佛陀), Pratyekabuddhas (辟支佛), Bodhisattvas (菩提萨埵/菩萨) and Arhats (阿罗汉/罗汉) still considered as sentient beings? Answer: The term ‘sentient...
The Many Mysteries Of ‘The Medium’
‘The Medium’ tells a tale with more open-ended questions than conclusive answers. Are ‘medium’ practices primordial or primitive? Do every single practitioner continue their...
Selfless Haiku
To transcend yourself,do that selfless —for someone else.
Past As Prologue
The past had already formed.The future has yet to form.Only in the present is forming.— Shilashanti William Shakespeare wrote, ‘Whereof what’s past is prologue…’Not...
The Meaning Of Life Transcends Mere Pleasures
The meaning of lifeis to be livedever more deeplyuntil it is realised fully.— Shilashanti ‘[A]s the saying goes, “we are not in this world for fun”… [A] Russian experimental...
Why Is Buddhahood Manifested In The Human Realm?
Question: Why is Buddhahood manifested in the human realm? Answer: Buddhahood is always manifested in the human realm, be it terrestrial (planetary) or extraterrestrial (extraplanetary), as...
The ‘Squid Game’ Is Over, If You Want It
The ‘Squid Game’ is a series of life or death competitions, in the guise of childhood fun and games. As New Order sang, ‘Grow up children, don’t you suffer, at the hands...
Tragedy Haiku
The real tragedyis not having tragedy,but not rising above tragedy.
What Is The Proper Buddhist View On Rearing Of Child Spirits?
开示忏悔，念佛回向，即是最速，超度法门。Offering guidance, repentance,mindfulness of Buddha and dedication of meritsis the most swift Dharma Door for deliverance. Rearing of child spirits (养小鬼) was never taught by the...
How You Respond Matters More Than What Happens
It is not what happens to you,but how you react to it that matters.— Epictetus ‘Whoever has a why to live can bear almost any how,’ as the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche...
Ten Frequently Asked Questions On Troublesome Ghosts
Question [1]: Can scolding of vulgarities ‘shoo away’ a troublesome ghost?Answer: This might work — only if one is more intimidating than the ghost, who becomes intimidated instead...
Is This The Horror Of Horrors?
Having watched many horror films, I wondered what is the simplest yet still effectively ‘horrible’ scenario. To ‘qualify’, it must have the element of an existential crisis...
Advice
Advice for the young at heart: Soon we will be older… When we’re gonna make it work?— Tears For Fears(Advice For The Young At Heart)
Giving Of Alms In Turn Superior 施饭转胜
饭恶人百，不如饭一善人。饭善人千，不如饭一持五戒者。饭五戒者万，不如饭一须陀洹。饭百万须陀洹，不如饭一斯陀含。饭千万斯陀含，不如饭一阿那含。饭一亿阿那含，不如饭一阿罗汉。饭十亿阿罗汉，不如饭一辟支佛。饭百亿辟支佛，不如饭一三世诸佛。饭千亿三世诸佛，不如饭一无念无住无修无证之者。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第十一章 Offering food to a hundred evil...
Towards The True ‘Happily Ever After’
A very unhappy beginningand even many unhappy in-betweensdo not matter if there is a truly happy ending.— Shilashanti In Neil Gaiman’s ‘Preludes & Nocturnes’ (The Sandman, #1)...
Now Is Forever
That once thought, said and done become that forever thought, said and done, with karmic repercussions echoing forever.— Shilashanti [T]he eternal refers back to the temporal – to the temporal...
Should I Learn The Dharma From Movies?
Question: Someone asked if a movie with Buddhist themes is based on a ‘true’ story. How should I answer? Answer: Unless it is a proper documentary filmed with sound research, story-based...
Realignment Haiku
Be dead to the pastevil and false self —realign to Buddha-nature now.
Six Serenity ‘Prayer’ Reminders
What I can controlis what I think, say and do — that is all.As this is how I create my karma,may I always think, say and do well.— Shilashanti(The Control Reminder: Part 1) [1] When Trouble...
Rationality: A Simple Definition
The more rational knowthey are not always rational.The more irrational thinkthey are always rational.— Shilashanti Clearly the words “rational” and “irrational” can be quite...
How To Handle Unwanted Buddhist Pictures?
Question: What is the best way to ‘remove’ an old and faded Buddha picture? Answer: Due to its condition, unless it is a valued antique (and not a mass-produced picture), even if passed...
Can ‘My Name’ Be Neither Prey Nor Predator?
Villains often assume and impose false dichotomies upon their victims to justify their ways. For example, there is a rather central assertion in this series, that there are only two kinds of people —...
Character Haiku
‘Character is destiny’, taught Heraclitus.Change yourself to change your ‘fate’.
Are Humans More Frightening Than Ghosts? 人比鬼可怕吗？
人与鬼之间，谁更加可恶？恶人成恶鬼，都可怜可怕。— 人鬼偈 (1/2)Between humans and ghosts, who are more repulsive? With evil humans becoming evil ghosts, both are pitiable and frightening.— Verses On Humans And Ghosts (1/2)...
Buddhism And Stoicism On Overcoming Obstacles
You have power over your mind —not outside events.Realize this, and you will find strength. — Marcus Aurelius A misconception that many people have of Stoicism or Buddhism is that we have to bear any...
How To Know If What Learnt Is Questionable?
Question: How can I know if what learnt is questionable? Answer: The answer is in the question — to know if what learnt is questionable, question it. A quick way to know if one is caught in a cult...
Are The Unenlightened Not Somewhat ‘Unsane’?
The key problem with the very insane is that they think they are very sane, and that those who think they are insane are truly insane ones. Ironically, since only the very insane and very enlightened...
Karma Haikus
Those who do not believethat fire burnsnevertheless suffer fires’ burns.Those who do not believethat ill causes lead to ill effects.nevertheless suffer ill causes’ effects.
Why Is Āmítuófó’s Pure Land The Land Of All Lands, The Land Of Your Dreams? 为何阿弥陀佛的净土即是国中国，您的理想国
极乐世界，无山海谷。佛神力故，欲见则见。— 如意偈 (1/2)The Land Of Ultimate Bliss, is without mountains, seas and valleys. With the Buddha’s supernormal power thus, desiring to see them, then seeing them.— Verses On...
Life Is For Joyful Duty
I slept and dreamtthat life was joy.I awoke and sawthat life was duty.I worked – and behold,duty was joy.— Rabindranath Tagore [L]ife is somehow duty, a single huge obligation. And there...
Should We Help The Deceased Within 49 Or 100 Days After Death?
Question: Should post-death practices to benefit the deceased be within 49 or 100 days? Answer: In the Buddhist teachings, rebirth is taught to usually occur within 49 days after death (if in the...
Fare Well Now For ‘The Farewell’ Later
If an elderly relative is, according to medical professionals, technically dying, already in his or her last stages of life, but not yet sickly enough to be bedridden, should he or she be informed of...
Usefulness Haiku
You are usefulto others until…you are not.(But at least you were useful.)
What Will Never Deceive You
I can become a good personand create one good person for the world.And I think that if I can just do that,then I might become a personwho can create more than that.— Copper (via Genzaburo...
Give It To Me!
Give away what you do not need.Give away your miserliness.Give away what others do need.— Shilashanti One morning when the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes...
How To Relate To The Great And Small Vehicles’ Teachings?
Question: How should we relate to the Great Vehicle (大乘: Mahāyāna) and the Small Vehicle (小乘: Hīnayāna)? Answer: The Great Vehicle’s teachings contain the complete path to...
Run ‘Beckett’ Run
What is worse than being on the run, fleeing from relentless enemies eager to take your life? Not knowing why they are after you, even if you believe it is some karmic situation you got caught up in...
Karma Haiku
Those who will especially be humbled by the law of karma,are those who do not believe in it.
You Have Your Now
The centre betweenthe past and futureis forever the now.— Shilashanti I walked up toward Suzuki [Roshi] and said, ‘What now?’ He said, ‘Don’t ask me. Now is now. You have your...
Does The Teaching Of Emptiness ‘Condemn’ Forms?
Question: Does the Buddhist teaching of ‘form is emptiness’ (空即是色) ‘condemn’ or ‘negate’ one another’s personal identities? Answer: There need not be any...
Beyond ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, In Thought, Word And Deed
In (the movie) ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, before Freddie Mercury made it to the big time, his father semi-admonishingly reminded him of his family’s Zoroastrian spiritual roots, by...
Effect Haiku
As right cause and effect too,the wrong cause planted surely reaps the wrong effect.
When Brightness Comes, Darkness Fades 明来暗谢
夫见道者，譬如持炬入冥室中，其冥即灭，而明独存。学道见谛，无明即灭，而明常存矣。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第十七章 Those who see the path, for example, are like those holding torches entering dark rooms within, with that darkness then eradicated, and...
Why Is Eating Less A Spiritual Practice?
Question: Are there spiritual benefits for consuming only one meal a day (or one less meal a day), compared with having three meals and snacks whenever wished? Answer: Having one near-noon meal...
The Future Buddha’s Gambatte Spirit Under The Bodhi Tree
If the goal is worth it,and possible to reach it,rest if you must,but you must never give up.— Shilashanti The story of Siddhartha Gautama is well known; he left his family and the pleasures of...
What Truly Is ‘A Family’?
What if all left for worldly refuge is a ‘surrogate’ family? What is a real family? What if one never felt the love of a real blood family, while experiencing real care by gangsters? What...
Appreciate Wabi-Sabi, But Don’t Fall In Love With It!
This body and mindbear the Three Dharma Seals of phenomena.That Buddha-nature realisedbear the Four Virtues of Buddhahood.– Shilashanti Wikipedia’s entry on ‘wabi-sabi’ opens...
Wellness Haikus
There are none bornwho do not keepgetting to die. There are none youngwho do not keepgetting old.There are none wellwho do not keepgetting unwell. Wellness hereis no true wellness,just respite from...
Beyond Ruffy The Dog And Meowy The Cat
The language of fear and hatredtranscends words and species —it is of shrieks and screams.— Shilashanti In books and movies, when humans talk to animals and give them personal names, even if the...
The Most Wonderful Secret For Success 最妙秘诀
事事以诚为本，念念常省自心，则汝诸生之成就，均不可量。— 净土宗十三祖印光大师《法云寺佛教慈幼院规约书后诫勖诸生》When handling everything, with sincerity as foundation regarding them, and from thought to thought, always reflecting upon your own minds...
Does Mindfulness Of Buddha Always Work For Protection?
Question: Why is it that some say mindfulness of Buddha works for protection when having supernatural disturbances, while some it does not work?Answer: The answer is simple, as presented in the...
‘Reliving’ Lessons FromThe ‘Pet Semetary’
The tagline of ‘Pet Semetary’ says, ‘Sometimes dead is better.’ And sometimes, this needs to be reminded. Thus the ‘revival’ of the 1989 movie with the 2019 remake...
Rebirthday Haiku
Celebrate yourliberation day;not rebirthday.
Your Invincible Summer Despite The Changing Weather
Man is condemned to be free;because once thrown into the world,he is responsible for everything he does.— Jean-Paul Sartre(Being And Nothingness)(tr. Hazel E. Barnes) In Albert Camus’ essay...
With Utmost Sincere Minds Study And Recite Sūtras 以至诚心读诵经
有一秘诀，剀切相告。竭诚尽敬，妙妙妙妙。— 净土宗十三祖印光大师《与吴璧华书》There is one secret for success to reach Pure Land, to earnestly inform one another. It is to have wholehearted sincerity and utmost reverence, which is most...
Is Telling Half-Truths Lying?
Question: Is not telling all of the truth a form of lying, in terms of breaking the Fourth Precept? Answer: This depends on several factors. For instance, if there is legal declaration needed, such...
Are ‘Things Heard And Seen’ Completely Yet?
This life is ideally like a good movie, with all the fine details heard and seen tied up by the end, with everything falling into place, with all the bothersome issues ironed out. (Hopefully, there...
Do Films Reflect Or Recreate ‘Reality’?
This is not a film review, but a review on film, and its predecessor, photography. Beyond written words, paintings and sculptures, which conveniently record fiction, humans probably invented various...
Opinion Haiku
The definite truth is,your opinion isnot the definite truth
With The False And True Both Contemplated 假真并观
观天地，念非常。观世界，念非常。观灵觉，即菩提。如是知识，得道疾矣。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第十九章 Contemplate the heavens and earth, to be mindful of impermanence. Contemplate the world, to be mindful of impermanence. Contemplate spiritual...
The Central Practicality Of Pure Land Buddhism
无禅有净土，万修万人去。若得见弥陀，何愁不开悟。– 净土宗六祖永明延寿大师 | 法眼宗三祖永明禅师《禅净四料简》Without Chán and with Pure Land practice, of ten thousand cultivators, ten thousand persons will go to Pure Land. If...
Is It Right To Be Angry (At The Angry)?
Question: Is it not right to be angry at those who have offended us? Answer: Other than doing what practical to clear misunderstandings, there should not be anger, which only harms your mental well...
From ‘Ragnarok’ To ‘Trese’, From Myth To Reality
A review with eight ‘what if’ questions… What if ancient myths are not totally outdated world views, not merely arbitrary ‘theories’ for explaining the nature of life...
Strength Haiku
The more strength you exertwhen exerting strength,the more strength you have.
Reasoning For Self To Fundamentally Be Empty 推我本空
当念身中四大，各自有名，都无我者。我既都无，其如幻耳。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第二十章 You should be mindful, that of the body within’s four great elements, although each has a name, [as earth, water, fire and wind], all are that...
Why Did The Buddha Eat Horse Wheat? 佛陀为何吃马麦？
菩萨畏【造恶】因Bodhisattvas fear[creating of evil] causes.—Buddhist Saying (Part 1) According to the ‘Sūtra On Arising Of Practices’《兴起行经》, in a distant past life, when Pípóyè Thus Come One (毘婆叶如来) was in...
What Are The Benefits Of Committing To The Bodhisattva Precepts?
Question: What are the advantages of observing the Bodhisattva Precepts? Answer: According to the ‘Bráhma Net Sūtra’s Bodhisattva Precepts’ Text’《梵网经菩萨戒本》as taught by...
How ‘The Curse Of La Llorona’ Perpetuates
Whether true or as a mythical archetype, the Mexican case of La Llorona, (which means ‘The Weeping Woman’), is a powerful cautionary tale for all. With several takes on her origin, the...
Betterment Haiku
Offset,not upset,unless for the better.
For Reputation Losing The Fundamental 名声丧本
人随情欲，求于声名，声名显著，身已故矣。贪世常名，而不学道，枉功劳形。譬如烧香，虽人闻香，香之尽矣；危身之火，而在其后。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第二十一章 Of people following passionate desires, seeking for reputation, with reputation outstanding, the body is already...
In Each One Moment Is One New Encounter 一期一会
When I first came across the saying ‘一期一会’ in a Japanese-styled tea shop, I thought it was a special slogan, for urging customers to come and meet once a week in the shop for tea. It...
Should Merits Be Dedicated To Karmic Creditors Only?
Question: I heard online, that it is not good to dedicate merits directly to loved ones who are not well, that there should be dedication to their karmic creditors instead, who might be the...
The ‘Ghost Lab’ That Didn’t Work Well
The problem with trying to prove the existence of ghosts is that it requires physical recording and assessment of that recorded with the senses. This seems like the usual seeking of empirical...
Words Haiku
Only write wordsworthy to be your last,worthy to last.
Wealth And Sex Attracts Suffering 财色招苦
财色于人，人之不舍，譬如刀刃有蜜，不足一餐之美。小儿舔之，则有割舌之患。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第二十二章 Of wealth and sex given to people, of people not renouncing them, for example, are like having a knife’s blade with honey, not enough...
How To Avoid Supernatural Disturbances And Curses? 如何不撞鬼中邪？
To observe the Precepts well, is to avoid ghostly woes well. — Shilashanti As taught in ‘Guānshìyīn Bodhisattva’s Universal Door Chapter’《观世音菩萨普门品》in the ‘Wonderful Dharma...
Why Were The Buddha’s Eyes ‘Blinking’?
Question: A friend said he saw the Buddha’s eyes in a framed picture opening and closing when he was chanting with a group in a wake. Why is this so? Answer: Due to a technical issue, there is the...
‘Army Of The Dead’ (2021) Revives Ethical Issues
Just when we thought the zombie genre had run out of new nuances, it literally evolved to the next level… What makes zombies no longer run-of-the-mill zombies? When they begin to feel in terms...
Finity Haiku
In this finite life withfinite thoughts, words and deeds,think, speak and do well.
With One Recitation Of Āmítuófó Driving Out A Ferocious Possessing Ghost 一声阿弥陀佛驱赶附体猛鬼
不以戒律， 降伏三毒， 即自感召， 五十阴魔。 — 防魔偈 (1) Not with the Precepts, to subdue the Three Poisons, is to personally connect and call upon the Fifty Aggregate Demons. — Verses On Prevention Of The Demonic (1) The...
How To Transform Those Foolish And Arrogant 如何转变愚傲者
令亲在堂，宜以净土法门， 感应事迹，常时解说， 令其发欢喜心，信受奉行。 — 净土宗十三祖印光大师 《复永嘉某居士昆季书》 For your esteemed Mother still healthy and alive, you should with the Pure Land Dharma Door, its’ achievements of connections with...
Are Sicknesses Due To Karma?
Answer: All sicknesses that lead to physical and/or mental suffering involve negative karma, as expressed through biological and/or psychological processes naturally. Karma is part of nature too; it...
‘Searching For Sheela’ Outside ‘Wild Wild Country’
In 2018 was release of the engrossing ‘Wild Wild Country’. As Netflix introduces the documentary series, ‘When a controversial [Indian] cult leader builds a utopian city in the...
Opponent Haiku
A ‘good’ opponentis one who might win you,not one you will surely win.
How Should We Lie Down When Sleeping And Dying?
Every night is a minor death, the death of another day, as we advance towards the day of our ‘redeath’. — Shilashanti In the Seyyā Sutta, which is the discourse on ‘Lying...
‘Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas’ (Of Drugs And Such)
On what he considered the failure of the 1960s counterculture movement, Hunter S. Thompson wrote, ‘He [Timothy Leary, who advocated psychedelic drugs like LSD to be with potential for...
Desires’ Fire Burns Oneself 欲火烧身
爱欲之人，犹如执炬，逆风而行，必有烧手之患。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第二十五章 Of people with attachments and desires, they are like those holding torches, against the wind then walking, who definitely will have the suffering of...
How The Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng Was Recognised As Great Power Arrived Bodhisattva’s Manifestation 净土宗十三祖印光大师如何被认定为大势至菩萨的化身
莲风迭扇奏肤功，万论千经一句融；势至化身弘净土，故应念佛证圆通。— 李慧澄第十四《诗偈》: 第五偈With the Lotus Tradition’s wind repeatedly fanning, while [humbly] presenting ‘shallow’ merits, with ten thousand treatises and...
Why Not Dress Before Buddha Images?
Answer: In the absence of the Buddha in person, Buddha images are customarily taken to represent his presence, to serve as precious Dharma reminders. They are not meant to be mere decorative images...
‘The Little Stranger’ Who Is A Little Familiar
The best supernatural tales are never really about ‘super-nature’. They only use supernatural elements to highlight the workings of human nature, thus telling engaging stories filled with...
How To Solve ‘The Problem Of Evil’ With Buddhism
An omnipotent being [if he exists], who created a world containing evil [or potential for evil] not due to [its] sin must himself be at least partially evil [i.e. sinful]. — Bertrand Russell...
Should I ‘Just’ Let My Negative Karma Ripen?
Question: Is it right to think that I should not take special care of my health, so that my negative karma can be allowed to ripen, to be depleted? Answer: The Buddha’s teachings are not...
Are Negative Karma And Negative Habits The Same?
Question: A friend mentioned that a mutual friend has negative karma, that prevents learning and practising the Dharma well. However, I think it is due to negative habits instead, leading to...
The True Horror Of All Horror Movies
Watching on, seeing a truly horrific horror flick,we naturally first wonderhow such a horrible villain or demonis able to exist, even if fictitiously. Watching on, discovering the mysterious...
Transcendence Haiku
Go beyond space and timeby doing whattranscends your self.
Heavenly Demons Disturbing The Buddha 天魔娆佛
天神献玉女于佛，欲坏佛意。佛言：「革囊众秽，尔来何为？去。吾不用。」天神愈敬，因问道意。佛为解说，即得须陀洹果。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第二十六章 Heavenly gods offered beautiful maidens to the Buddha, desiring to destroy the Buddha’s resolve. The Buddha said...
A Review Of Epicurus’ ‘Deadly’ Existential Mistake
What seems to make sense at first,might be exactly that —what only seems to make sense at first.— Shilashanti In the third section of the ‘Letter to Menoeceus’ by the Greek philosopher...
Which Realm Has The Most Beings?
Question: Of the six realms of existence, which has the most sentient beings? Answer: Numbers in the scriptures were not encountered, probably as they fluctuate with rebirth. However, there is this...
Nothing Haiku
There is nothing to lose if you cling to nothing.
Those Without Attachment Attain The Path 无著得道
夫为道者，犹木在水，寻流而行。不触两岸，不为人取，不为鬼神所遮，不为洄流所住，亦不腐败。吾保此木，決定入海。学道之人，不为情欲所惑，不为众邪所娆，精进无为。吾保此人，必得道矣。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第二十七章 Those as practitioners of the path, are like wood on water, along with the flow then...
Record Of A Venerable Identifying A Fake Bodhisattva 和尚辨认假菩萨记
譬如穷人，妄号帝王，自取诛灭。况复法王，如何妄窃？— 释迦牟尼佛《楞严经》For example, like a poor person, falsely naming oneself as an emperor, this is to self-court extermination. Moreover, as a Dharma King, how can this title be...
Live Without Cold Spots
镬汤无冷处。The cauldron’s soupis without cold spots.— Zen Saying If you are living as fully a you can, you will have no time to be bored [or unhappy]. There is not a single drop of cold water in a...
Is It Alright To ‘Focus’ On More Than One Enlightened Being?
Question: Although I usually practise mindfulness of the name of Amitābha Buddha (i.e. Āmítuófó: 阿弥陀佛), as I once felt very desperate, I then pleaded to both Āmítuófó and Guānshìyīn Bodhisattva...
An Awakening Walk Through Bly Manor
Every unresolved ghost story is a tragedy, arising from the three poisons of strong attachment, aversion and delusion. Reborn out of delusion, we return with its offsprings of attachment and aversion...
Threefold Learning’s Haiku 三学俳句
Be good with preceptsBe calm with concentrationBe clear with wisdom
All Sentient Beings Have Everlasting Buddha-Nature 一切众生佛性不朽
人非草木，知错能改。灵性不朽，宰予成材。 — 不朽偈 (1)As humans are not grass and trees,when knowing their mistakes, they are able to change.With spiritual nature never rotting,even Zǎiyǔ became worthy.— Verses...
Everything In The Right Places
好雪片片，不落别处。— 庞云居士Good snow!Flake by flake,they do not fall on other places.— Layperson Páng Yún Do not be afraid. Live while accepting everything [as they are, so that they can be bettered if...
Is It Alright To Feed Deceased Animals To Living Animals?
Question: What do you think of feeding fish (and ‘standard’ canned pet food) to cats and dogs, while being vegetarian personally, with chanting of the Rebirth Mantra (往生咒) for the fish...
Direction Haiku
If there is a clear direction,there should beno confusing distractions.
Three Ways To Urge Those Doing Well To Learn Buddhism
The fleeting nature of the worldly,is our wake-up call from the worldly.— Skýlosan For those doing well in life, who feel that as long as they do not do evil, and do some good, there is no need to...
Even Great Bodhisattvas And Patriarchs Seek Birth In Pure Land
[I]f you wish to rescue deluded, suffering sentient beings, you should first seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Only after you have achieved Tolerance of Non-Birth should you return to the sea of...
How Should Buddhists See Birthdays?
Question: How should Buddhists view birthday celebrations? Answer: The term ‘birthday celebration’ viewed with the spiritual perspective is most ironic, as they are actually...
Endurance Haiku
Whining makes enduring harder.
Great Master Hānshān’s ‘Song On Wasting In Vain’ 憨山大师《费闲歌》
In Great Master Hānshān’s (憨山大师) ‘Song On Wasting In Vain’《费闲歌》, he wrote a list of ten deeds, which are relatively easier to do externally, as compared with ten deeds which are...
Universal Virtue’s Practices’ And Vows’ Chapter’s Verses Related To Amitābha Buddha’s Pure Land 与阿弥陀佛净土相关的《普贤行愿品偈颂》
尔时普贤菩萨摩诃萨，欲重宣此义，普观十方而说偈言：… At that time, Universal Virtue [Samantabhadra] Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, desiring to repeat proclamation of this meaning, universally contemplated the ten directions...
How To Advise An Angry And Greedy Dying Person?
Question: How can I advise an angry and greedy person who is dying to let go of her grudges and greed for money? Answer: Remind her that as her angry state of mind will affect her next life...
Learning Haiku
Learn to break free; not just to learn.
What Is ‘Beauty’?
The worldly onlycling to the beautiful.— Shilashanti(Part 1) The so-called ‘beautiful’ is soonly when perceivedunder certain conditionsof space and time. When seen too far without,it is...
The Danger Of Arrogance Vs The Power Of Repentance
忏悔文我昔所造诸恶业，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《普贤菩萨行愿品》Verse For RepentanceFrom my past, those created all evil karmas,all due to beginningless greed, hatred and ignorance,from body, speech and mind, of...
Will Speaking Of The Unfortunate Cause It?
Question: Will speaking of the unfortunate happening lead to it occurring? Answer: Not if there are no follow-up efforts to cause it to occur, or karmic conditions that allow so. The idea that...
Openness Haiku
Open your heart, and focus your mind to learn and ask.
From Desire’s Fire Far Depart 欲火远离
夫为道者，如被干草，火来须避。道人见欲，必当远之。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第三十章 Those as practitioners of the path, are like those who wear dry grass [i.e hay]. When fire comes, it must be avoided. Practitioners of the path...
To Transcend, And To Transcend Transcending
I woke up to see the sun shining all around me…Why would it shine down on me?…Just had to ask myself,‘What’s it really for?’— What’s It For?(Yoko Kanno) The worldly yet noble...
Go For That Easy To Get, Use And Keep
Wealth is able to buy the pleasures of eating,drinking and other sensual pursuits —yet can never afforda cheerful spirit or freedom from sorrow.— Musonius Rufus [From ‘On Furnishings’]:...
What If I Forgot A Death Anniversary?
Question: I recently forgot about my late parents’ death anniversaries. However, I have been daily practising repentance (on the behalf of all, including them) and mindfulness of Buddha, with...
Birthday Haiku
It is a happy birthday only if you were born happy, to bring happiness to others.
Great Master Hānshān’s ‘Song For Awakening The World’ 憨山大师《醒世歌》
In Great Master Hānshān’s (憨山大师) ‘Song For Awakening The World’《醒世歌》, he wrote a string of universal reminders and admonitions for spiritual practice. Being timelessly relevant, the...
Why Choose Sickness Over Indulgence?
How much better is itto be known fordoing well by manythan for living extravagantly?— Musonius Rufus [From ‘On Furnishings’]: I would choose sickness rather than luxury, for sickness...
What Is ‘Form Is Emptiness’?
Question: What is the meaning of ‘form is emptiness’ (色即是空)? Answer: ‘Form’ (色) refers to matter, (which is what has mass); the material, as summed by the Four Elements (四大)...
The Right Story Can Resume With Timely ‘Atonement’
‘Atonement’ is a believable cautionary tale on the ills of an over-active imagination, which can lead to the ‘natural’ ease of spinning destructive and false testimonials...
Wisdom & Kindness Haikus
The wise learn what they should, to help themselves. The kind share what they can to help others.
With Self Emptied Is Fear Eradicated 我空怖灭
人从爱欲生忧，从忧生怖。若离与愛，何忧何怖？ — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第三十二章 People from attachments and desires give rise to worries, and from worries give rise to fear. If departed from attachments, what worries and what fears...
To Pull Or Not To Pull… That Is The Question
If you are not able to choose,it is not your choice to make,not your responsibility to bear.— Shilashanti In ethical philosophy, perhaps the most famous dilemma is that of ‘Trolleyology’...
It Is Easier To Be Born In Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land
I prostrate to Amitabha, leader of humans and gods.Through compassion you always see each migrator as your own child.Remembering you just once leaves fear of the Lord of Death far behind.May you...
Is Guānyīn A Bodhisattva Or Buddha?
Question: If Guānshìyīn (Avalokiteśvara) Bodhisattva (观世音菩萨) is still a Bodhisattva as named, why do Buddhists commemorate her/his day of accomplishing the path to Buddhahood (成道日) on the 19th...
My Love Is ‘My Magic’
A man jaded after the loss of his wife struggles to provide for himself and his young neglected son. He intoxicates himself by drinking to drown his sorrows, but is reminded eventually, of his past...
Best Haiku
Do (what is right) (with) your (thought, word and deed) best (you can).
With Wisdom’s Brightness Destroy The Demonic 智明破魔
夫为道者，譬如一人与万人战。挂铠出门，意或怯弱：或半路而退，或格斗而死，或得胜而还。沙门学道，应当坚持其心，精进勇锐，不畏前境，破灭众魔，而得道果。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第三十三章 Those as practitioners of the path, are for example, like one person with ten thousand persons...
Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva’s Teachings On Butchers & Buyers
[M]eat itself always derives from killing.If there were no killing,the lives of animals would remain unharmed.If there were no meat-eater, there would be no killer.— Shambhala King...
To What Extent Should The Dharma Be Protected? 护法应当到什么程度？
于诸佛净戒，护持如明珠。— 释迦牟尼佛《梵网经菩萨戒本》Of all the Buddhas’ pure precepts, protect and uphold them like bright pearls.— Śākyamuni Buddha (Brahma Net Sūtra’s Bodhisattva Precepts) The Bodhisattva...
Why Dread Karmic Retribution?
Question: Why should one be afraid of being reborn in a lower realm like hell if one does not remember anything from one’s past life? Answer: If one knows one is going to hell later...
Meet Ron The White-‘BlackkKlansman’
Dharmically, we have been reborn so many times already, that we must have all been of various species of sentient beings, what more races. Who is a ‘purebred’ then? There are no...
Battle Haiku
As life is precious and short,choose your battles well —those against your ‘self’.
Abide In The Middle To Attain The Path 处中得道
沙门夜诵迦叶佛遗教经，其声悲紧，思悔欲退。佛问之曰：「汝昔在家，曾为何业？」对曰：「爱弹琴。」佛言：「弦缓如何？」对曰：「不鸣矣。」「弦急如何？」对曰：「声绝矣。」「急缓得中如何？」对曰：「诸音普矣。」佛言：「沙门学道亦然，心若调适，道可得矣。于道若暴，暴即身疲。其身若疲，意即生脑。意若生脑，行即退矣。其行既退，罪必加矣。但清净安乐，道不失矣。」 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第三十四章 A...
That One Should Disdain Hardships
You will earn the respect of all menif you begin by earning the respect of yourself.— Musonius Rufus(Fragment: 30) In order to support more easily and more cheerfully those hardships which we may...
How Best To Have Sea Burial?
Question: For sea burial, is it better to scatter the ashes, which seems to express freedom, or to drop the ashes in the urn?Answer: Scattering of ashes does not lead to freedom of the deceased, just...
‘She’s Funny That Way’, How She’s Connected To Others
In the tight comedic scripting of ‘She’s Funny That Way’, the audience quickly realises how each person is linked to another. As a film ‘law’ of sorts, it is no...
How Maitreya Bodhisattva Gave Rose To The Aspiration To Be Born In Amitābha Buddha’s Pure Land 弥勒菩萨如何发愿往生阿弥陀佛的净土
是故弥勒，设有大火，充满三千大千世界，要当过此，闻是经法，欢喜信乐，受持读诵，如说修行。– 释迦牟尼佛《无量寿经》Therefore, Maitreya, if there is a great fire, that fully fills the three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world, one should cross this...
Buddha Haiku
If what mindful of, you will become —be mindful of Buddha then.
With Defilements Purified Brilliance Is Retained 垢净明存
如人锻铁，去滓成器，器即精好。学道之人，去心垢染，行即清净矣。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第三十五章 Like people forging iron, ridding sediments to become wares, the wares are then excellent and beautiful. Of people learning the path, ridding...
May Your Compassion Be More Powerful Than Greed
We are just being slaughtered and slaughteredone lifetime after another — don’t let your wisdom, compassion and power be so weak!— Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol(in the voice of old ewes) As for...
What Is This Certain Sutra About?
Question: What is this ___ sutra about? Answer: While this is a very good question, it is also very difficult to answer simply. It is especially difficult to answer due to the length of the scripture...
Was ‘Mee Pok Man’s Love ‘True’?
Adapted from a horror story, ‘Mee Pok Man’ (1995) is an ‘innocent’ love story that turns into a heartbreaking tragedy. In an unqualified attempt to save his crush from a car...
Wáng Yángmíng’s Fantastic Encounter 王阳明奇遇记
无善无恶心之体，有善有恶意之动。知善知恶是良知，为善去恶是格物。-《四句教》王阳明Without good and without evil is the essence of the mind,Having good and having evil is the movement of the mind.Knowing good and knowing evil is intuitive...
Ego Haiku
Ego is our true enemy, for both ourselves and our false ‘enemies’.
Passing Through Much To Obtain Victory 展转获胜
人离恶道，得为人难。既得为人，去女即男难。既得为男，六根完具难。六根既具，生中国难。既生中国，值佛世难。既值佛世，遇道者难。既得遇道，兴信心难。既兴信心，发菩提心难。既发菩提心，无修无证难。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第三十六章 For people to depart from evil paths, to attain as humans is difficult. Already...
How Should Buddhists Respond To Pandemics? 佛教徒该如何应对疫情？
Consumer demand for fresh meatis also rising as the global populationapproaches 8 billion,including many who are increasinglyadopting diets rich in meat. — Mattha Busby(The Guardian, 21 Jan 2020)...
Does Cutting Out The Organs Disturb The Mind?
Helping our loved ones at the time of death is the best service we can offer them, our greatest gift. Why? Because death is the most important time of life: it’s at death that the next rebirth...
When Do Bodhisattvas Intervene To Help?
Question: Some claim great Bodhisattvas do not intervene to help those with ripening negative karma. However, we know that all Bodhisattvas vow to help all beings. How should this...
A Monkey’s Satire On Human ‘Love’?
‘A Chinese Odyssey, Part Two: Cinderella’《大话西游之大圣娶亲》is one of the (too) many (?) comedic retellings of ‘Journey To The West’《西游记》. Although often ridiculous, there seems to be...
Freedom Haiku
Freedom is fromgreed, hatred and delusion,not to be greedy, hateful and deluded.
Be Mindful Of Precepts To Be Near The Path 念戒近道
佛子离吾数千里，忆念吾戒，必得道果。在吾左右，虽常见吾，不顺吾戒，终不得道。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第三十七章 The Buddha’s disciples departed from me for several thousand miles, if recollecting mindfully my precepts, will definitely attain...
We Are Our Own Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
Being part of society,you shape the way it iswith the way you are.— Shilashanti ‘A self-fulfilling prophecy is an assumption or prediction that, purely as a result of having been made, cause...
Why Should I Attain Buddhahood Too?
Immeasurable Buddhas, including you,are needed to guideimmeasurable beings, including you,to Buddhahood.— Shilashanti Someone wonders, “Can Buddhas really benefit sentient beings?” Yes...
How Does Reciting Sutras Relate To Learning About Them?
Question: How does reciting sutras (i.e. Buddhist scriptures) differ from attending classes on them? Answer: There are many nuanced implications in profound teachings that need detailed explanation...
Should You Choose ‘Truth Or Dare’?
The two choices of the ‘Truth or Dare’ game are less conflicting than usually thought, a false dichotomy. Since when has telling the truth been kind of the opposite of doing a dare? The...
Mind Haiku
Mind your mind more as it matters more than your matter.
Are You Fighting A Viral Disease Or Viral Fear?
The Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca once said, ‘We suffer more in imagination than in reality.’ What did he mean? With too much-unfounded information leading to too many ‘what...
Why Be Ashamed Of Being Shameless?
Non-integrity is not to be ashamed of yourself;inconsideration of others is not being embarrassed with regard to others.Haughtiness is the incapacity of honoring others.Fury is a mental disturbance...
Why Do Buddhists Practise Fasting?
Question: What are the spiritual benefits of having only one (or two) meals a day (as in practice of the Eight Precepts)? Answer: Having one near-noon meal a day (or with breakfast) helps to...
On ‘Percy Jackson’, Knowledge & Power
In ‘Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters’, Chiron tells Percy the half-blood (i.e. an imaginary semi-human and semi-god), ‘Knowledge isn’t always power, Percy. Sometimes it’s...
‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ Of A Manifesto
In this sixth M:I movie instalment is a rather intriguing yet deluded manifesto featured, that a bombing terrorist insisted to be aired on the news to justify his destruction. Deluded thoughts are...
Fall Haiku
Always be mindful as all it takes is a slip to fall badly.
That Taught Are Without Differences 教诲无差
学佛道者，佛所言说，皆应信顺。譬如食蜜，中边皆甜，吾经亦尔。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第三十九章 Those who learn the Buddha’s path, of that the Buddha taught by speaking, all should be faithfully followed. For example, like eating honey...
Three Ways To See Mountains And Rivers 三看山水
[1] 参禅之初，看山是山，看水是水。[2] 禅有悟时，看山不是山，看水不是水。[3] 禅中彻悟，看山仍然山，看水仍然是水。— 青原惟信禅师 (意译) As above, it was proposed by Chán Master Qīngyuán Wéixìn in his paraphrased saying, there are three key stages to be...
Be As Bodhisattva-Like As You Can
All the suffering there is in this worldarises from wishing our self to be happy.All the happiness there is in this worldarises from wishing others to be happy.― Santideva You also get plenty of...
Is It ‘Better’ To Eat More Small Animals Or One Big One?
Question: Since we know meat is available only with killing on one’s behalf, does eating several cockles create more or less negative karma than eating a piece of beef? Answer: Generally, the...
How The Buddha Relieved A Triple Disaster 佛陀如何救济三大灾难
Whatever beings are assembled here, terrestrial or celestial,come let us salute the Buddha, the Tathāgata (Verse 15) /the perfect Dharma (Verse 16) / the perfect Saṅgha (Verse 17) /honoured by gods...
How An Angry Insulter Was Calmly Reasoned With
Overcome the angry by non-anger;overcome the wicked by goodness;overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth.— The Buddha(Dhammapada Verse 223) According to the ‘Akkosa...
A Golden Line Extracted From ‘Extraction’
During a few moments of respite, somewhere in the middle of the action-packed movie, the protagonist boy shares a golden quote with his rescuer, who was still grieving for his deceased son —...
Refuge Haiku
The path to enlightenment begins with taking refuge and ends by becoming refuge.
Walking The Path Is In The Mind 行道在心
沙门行道，无如磨牛，身虽行道，心道不行。心道若行，何用行道？ — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第四十章 Śramaṇas walking the path, should be without those like milling cows, whose bodies although walking the path, with the mind’s path not...
How A ‘Haunted’ Room Was ‘Exorcised’
If your fears are neverfaced and transformed,they will always haunt you.— Shilashanti On the second night in the small solo retreat room, one of the most nerve-racking events was experienced…...
The Butter & Lamp Analogies For Buddha-Nature
Full enlightenment is attainedby fully realising Buddha-Natureand fully renouncing all other ‘natures’.— Shilashanti I bow to you, the Dharmadhātu[i.e. Dharma-nature, or Buddha-nature,the...
Should I Use Chanting To Fall Asleep?
Question: Can I use a chanting track with a Buddha’s name, such as that of ‘Āmítuófó’ (阿弥陀佛) for listening to help me sleep? Answer: You should not use chanting as a lullaby to...
Choose Life Again, According To ‘T2: Trainspotting’?
21 years later, in 2017’s sequel ‘T2: Trainspotting’, Renton gives an updated ‘Choose Life’ speech, that marks significant cultural changes over time — ‘Choose...
Brace Haiku
Unenlightened life is suffering — brace yourself for it, or become enlightened.
With Straightforward Minds Leaving Desires 直心出欲
夫为道者，如牛负重，行深泥中，疲极不敢左右顾视，出离淤泥，乃可苏息。沙门当观情欲，甚于淤泥。直心念道，可免苦矣。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四四十二章经》: 第四十一章 Those as practitioners of the path, are like bulls carrying heavy burdens, walking in deep mud within, even if...
Summary of ‘Practices With Ten Great Obstacles’《十大碍行》纲要
佛祖圣贤，未有不以逆境为大炉韝者。— 净土宗九祖蕅益大师《十大碍行》跋 Of Buddhas, Patriarchs, noble and virtuous ones, there are yet to be with those who did not practise with opposing situations as great furnaces and hearths.— Pure...
Tame & Transform Your Raging Tiger
It’s great to be able to stopWhen you’ve planned a thing that’s wrong,And be able to do something else insteadAnd think this song.— Mr. Rogers As silly as those lyrics might seem to...
Is Spiritual Friendship Or Spirituality More Important?
Question: Which comes first — spiritual friends or spirituality? How should we ‘balance’ desire for spiritual friendship and spirituality itself? Answer: Although the Buddha taught that...
Choose Life, According To ‘Trainspotting’?
What is ‘trainspotting’ actually? It is a movie based on the novel by the same title. It is a serious hobby of some, to watch trains, to note their distinctive characteristics in...
Anxiety Haiku
There are noanxious situations;just anxious people.
Attain The World By Knowing Its Illusoriness 达世知幻
吾视王侯之位，如过隙尘。视金玉之宝，如瓦砾。视纨素之服，如敝帛。视大千界，如一诃子。视阿耨池水，如涂足油。视方便门，如化宝聚。视无上乘，如梦金帛。视佛道，如眼前华。视禅定，如须弥柱。视涅槃，如晝夕寤。视倒正，如六龙舞。视平等，如一真地。视与化，如四时木。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第四十二章 I see positions of kings and lords, to be like...
How Can Wandering Spirits Be Delivered? 如何超度孤魂？
One without meritscan be offered guidanceto easier create merits.— Shilashanti There are wandering spirits (i.e. 孤魂野鬼: lonely spirits and wild ghosts), who are those yet to be reborn, due to...
Do The Right Thing Naturally
There is no enjoying the possession of anything valuable unless one has someone to share it with. — Seneca Neither the Buddhists nor the Stoics believed in what has come to be called ‘original...
How Is The Threefold Refuge Both Vows & Precepts?
Question: Is it alright for ‘Buddhists’ who had taken the Threefold Refuge in the Triple Gem (of the Buddhas, Dharma and Sangha) to totally immerse themselves in other...
Meaning Haiku
Think the meaningful, to speak the meaningful and do the meaningful.
Bird In Vase
鸟来入瓶中，以縠掩瓶口。縠穿鸟飞去，识神随业走。 《大智度论》 When a bird comes to enter a vase within,with fine gauze covered is the vase’s mouth.When the gauze is penetrated, the bird flies to go off,the...
One Stone At A Time
Since there is only one thoughtin each moment,be aligned to do only one thing wellin each moment.— Shilashanti There is no such thing as good multitasking… Pay attention to your attention —...
Must Negative Karma Be Exhausted For There To Be Liberation?
Question: Is it so that we have to exhaust all our negative karma before we can become liberated? Answer: No. This can be clearly known by looking at the case of Maudgalyāyana (Moggallāna). Although...
The Matrix’s Desert Of The Real Vs Altered Carbon’s Garden Of The Virtual
In ‘The Matrix’ is this introductory dialogue on the titled… Morpheus: [In a white boundless space, which represents the mind’s open possibilities for simulated experiences.]...
Anger Haiku
An angry man opens his mouth and shuts his eyes. — Cato the Elder
Return To Original Nature By Understanding The Path 返本会道
博闻爱道，道必难会。守志奉道，其道甚大。 — 释迦牟尼佛《四十二章经》: 第九章 Widely listen to and treasure the path,as the path is definitely difficult to understand.Guard your aspiration for receiving the path,as that path is...
Is There Buddhist Minimalism?
Minimise evil entirely.Maximise goodness totally.Realise purity completely.— Shilashanti In recent years, the minimalist lifestyle seems to be the in thing. Is there a Buddhist take on it? Yes...
Master Being A Beginner
Those who think they are learnedare probably the least learned.Those who know they should learnwill probably become learned.— Shilashanti All of us act like those close-minded experts sometimes, and...
Are Saṃsāra & The Sahā World Same?
Question: How are the Sahā World and Saṃsāra different and similar? Answer: The Sahā World (娑婆世界) which means the ‘World Of Endurance’ [of suffering] (堪忍世界) refers to our world system, in...
The Chicken Or Egg Question In ‘The Coldest Game’
‘The Coldest Game’ begins with this chat in a cab, with a cerebral ‘joke’… Professor: What came first? The chicken or the egg? It’s important to see things as they...
Time Haiku
I wasted time,and nowdoth time waste me. — Richard II (in prison)William Shakespeare
Hearing Slander But Not Debating 闻谤不辩
古人云：「何以息谤？」 曰：「无辩。」 又云：「吃得小亏，则不至于吃大亏。」 余三十年来屡次经验，深信此数语真实不虚。 弘一大师《弘一大师全集》 Ancient ones say, ‘With what ceases slander?’ Saying, ‘Without debate.’ Also saying...
Mindfully Ask Your Heart If You Need It
It’s only after we’ve lost everythingthat we’re free to do anything.— Chuck Palahniuk(via Tyler Durden in Fight Club) You’re climbing a mountain but you aren’t well...
How To Help The Possibly Possessed?
Question: How to help a kid who might be possessed? Sometimes, there is waking up with crying, and speaking ‘gibberish’ at certain times, with preferring of dark and cold places. ...
‘The Coldest Game’ Of Duplicity
In this story that ties cunning games of chess competition with duplicitous espionage, the chess master Mansky spoke of how he decides who is truthful by recalling a classic brainteaser –...
First Haikus
You might be young now,but you will be old later —if you do not die first. You might be healthy now,but you will be sick later —if you do not die first. You might be alive now,but you will be dead...
Mind Like Bright Moon 心如明月
吾心似秋月,碧潭清皎洁。无物堪比伦,教我如何说？ 寒山(文殊菩萨化身) My mind is like the autumn moon,in the green pool pure and shining clean.Without an object worthy as an equal, tell me how can I speak of...
I Want You To Panic
No one is acting as if we are in a crisis. Even most green politicians and climate scientists go on flying around the world, eating meat and dairy.* — Greta Thunberg* Such consumption is one of...
What Is The Cause Of Sickness?
Question: A non-religious friend says he does not understand why he contracted a sickness, while a religious friend says she does not understand why the deity she has faith in allowed her sickness to...
5 Pain Relief Tips From ‘Narcos: Mexico’?
In season 2’s episode 2 of ‘Narcos: Mexico’ are some literally torturous-to-watch yet thought-provoking scenes, of an accomplice in torture-cum-murder being interrogated for leads...
Productivity Haiku
Be productive,or you might be destructiveor just stagnate.
How News Can Destroy Peace Of Mind
The more we value thingsoutside our control, the less control we have. — Epictetus What is wisdom? Think of a wide man… your personal ideal, a beacon of humanity. Someone like Socrates...
Are There Buddhist Wealth Gods?
Question: Does the god of wealth (财神) exist? Is there an equivalent in Buddhism? Answer: In Chinese culture, there are some characters believed and worshipped as gods of wealth, some of whom might be...
What Truly Scary About ‘The Ghost Bride’
The following clarifies on major myths propagated by the named series. In the Buddhist perspective, the very Chinese title of ‘The Ghost Bride’, as based on the book《彼岸之嫁》, which means...
Bitter Haiku
Life is already too bitterto be even more bitterabout others’ bitterness.
Verse With Three Truths 三谛偈
诸行无常，是生灭法。 生灭灭已，寂灭为乐。 释迦牟尼佛《涅槃经》 All phenomena* is impermanent,being rising and falling dharmas.*With rising and falling eradicated already,it is stillness...
How Dairy Cows & Veal Calves Suffer
若诸比丘，不服东方丝绵绢帛，及是此土靴履裘毳、乳酪醍醐，如是比丘，于世真脱。酬还宿债，不游三界。何以故？服其身分，皆为彼缘，如人食其地中百谷，足不离地。— 释迦牟尼佛《楞严经》If all Bhikṣus, [do] not wear eastern silk waddings [and] silk clothing, and this land’s [leather] boots [and]...
Do Not Forget This World Of Phenomena
Trying to suppress delusion is delusion too. Delusions have no original existence; they’re only things you create yourself by indulging in discrimination.— Bankei It’s said that Bakei’s...
How To Say ‘Thanks, But No Thanks’ Nicely?
Question: How can I reply someone who persistently invites me to his activities of another faith to try to convert me, despite knowing I am not interested? Answer: If invited again, how about...
The ‘Brightburn’ Alternative To Superman
‘Brightburn’ (i.e. BB, also spelling Brandon Beyer) imagines the polar opposite of the Superboy or Superman mythos. What are the chances anyway, that an alien baby is like a...
Anxiety Haiku
Aware of the worst possibility,never be anxious if it becomes reality.
How To Have More Peace
If you have the misconception that your life will be perfect, you will always be shocked by its up and down nature. If you expect your life to be up and down, your mind will be much more peaceful...
As Already Warned By A Great Master 大师已警告 (Staying Safe In Current Times)
The growth of the live animal export trade will make the spread of diseases more likely, experts have warned.— Mattha Busby(The Guardian, 21 Jan 2020) As a kind of public service announcement...
The Buddha’s Two Authorities Within Four Great References For All
For that which I have proclaimedand made known as the Dharma and the Discipline,that shall be your Master when I am gone.– Śākyamuni Buddha(Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta) What if you encounter a so-called...
Spiritual Practice In The Face Of War & Death
万物自有功，当言用及处。事存函盖合，理应箭锋拄。 石头希迁禅师 《参同契》 The ten thousand things each has its merits,that should be said of their functions and situations.Phenomena exists like boxes and lids...
Should Vegans Give Away Non-Vegan Food?
Question: As vegans, when having accidentally received non-vegan food (or drinks), what best should be done? Some would give them to non-vegan friends, as they themselves ‘cannot’ consume...
‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’, Not Far From Reality?
Is this yet another Spider-Man movie? Yes and no. Yes, it seems like a(nother) more teen-focused take, for the younger generation, to create new Spidey fans perhaps. No, as it does imagine, kind of...
Karma Haiku
Preaching about karma without practising accordingly creates worse karma.* * By being a negative example instead of an expected good one.
Eradicate Bad Minds
境缘无好坏，好坏起于心。愚人除境不除心，至人除心不除境。既除矣，境岂实有？ 达境本空，便能素位而行。 不愿乎外，以所历位，无非无外之法界也。知皆即法界，自无入而不自得。 — 净土宗九祖蕅益大师 《灵峰宗论》 Situations’ conditions are without good and bad, with good and bad arising from the...
How To Win At ‘Scissors, Paper, Stone!’
To easier win a game of chance,play with more certain knowledgeof your attachment and aversion. — Shilashanti ‘Scissors, Paper, Stone!’Does it make any sense to haveone as a favourite in...
Thank You Very Much
The essence of givingis to give awaygreed, hatred and delusion.— Shilashanti Giving is the warm heart of Bodhisattva practice. Generosity attends and responds with kindness to whatever turns up...
How Should New Vegans Handle Old Non-Vegan Stuff?
Question: As I am aspiring to be a Buddhist vegan also committing to the Five Precepts, what should I do with old non-vegan stuff like wool shawls and leather bags? Since they are already bought...
‘The Best Of Enemies’ As Better Friends
How do you transform an enemy, to make him or her a friend? By offering unconditional help as a fellow human being. By giving the least expected, yet the most needed without being asked, how can an...
Focus Haiku
Begin focusing now on what you have to at the end.
Are You Affected by the Bystander Effect?
The fully awakenedstand up fully,at the forefront. — Shilashanti The air-conditioning is way too cold in the waiting room.But all the strangers in it endure it for no good reason.No one complains to...
Give The Dharma By Asking For It
Ask well if the answer matters to the welfare of you and/or all others.— Shilashanti Bodhisattvas aspire to offer all their actions of body, speech and mind as Dharma gifts. We have received the gift...
Does Āmítuófó Have A Sexist Vow?
Question: The 35th Vow of Amitābha Buddha (阿弥陀佛: Āmítuófó) says that ‘if there are women who hear my name (i.e. are sincerely mindful of it), with joyful faith, give rise to Bodhicitta, and...
‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’; Not Go To War?
The word ‘Parabellum’ comes from the the Latin adage, ‘Si vis pacem, para bellum’, which translates as, ‘If you want peace, prepare for war.’ It comes from...
Madness Haiku
Who is totally mad, if mostly still able to cross streets well?
Verse For Wearing Precepts’ Robe 搭缦衣偈
善哉解脱服，钵吒礼忏衣， 我今顶戴受， 世世常得披。 This excellent liberation garment,the patta* prostration and repentance robe,I now with my crown support and receive it,** in life after life, may I always attain...
How A Great Master Overcame Suffering From Terrible Sicknesses 大师如何克服大病苦
诸佛菩萨，念念念众。 众虽不念，仍慈悲念。— 不弃偈 (1) All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,from thought to thought are mindful of all sentient beings.Sentient beings although not mindful of them,with loving-kindness and...
Patience With Big & Small Frustrations Is Needed
Turning away and touching are both wrong.For it is like a massive fire.— Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi Hakuin Zenji was falsely accused of impregnating a young girl who lived in the village near...
How To Know If One Is A Bodhisattva Or Buddha As Claimed?
Question: How do we tell if those who claim to be manifestations of the enlightened are truly so? Answer: This can be done by asking about what enlightened beings should perfectly know. For instance...
On Students & Teachers In ‘The Kominsky Method’
In the last episode of season 2 of ‘The Kominsky Method’, ‘A Thetan Arrives’… (N)orman says, ‘I believe the next step for me is the journey inwards… the...
Day Haiku
Your re/birthday marks another year to your re/deathday.
Supreme Offering 最上供养
是真精进，是名真法供养如来。 若以华、香、璎珞、烧香、末香、塗香、天缯、幡盖及海此岸栴檀之香，如是等种种诸物供养，所不能及； 假使国城、妻子布施，亦所不及。… 是名第一之施，于诸施中最尊最上，以法供养诸如来故。 — 诸佛《妙法莲华经药王菩萨本事品第二十三》 This which is true diligence [in Dharma...
Should Buddhists Take Their Time Spiritually?
生死事大， 光阴可惜。 无常迅速，时不待人。— 寺院钟板文Birth and death is a matter big,and time available is regrettably little.With impermanence swift,time does not wait for one.— Text On Temple Sounding Board Some Buddhists...
The Phenomenon Of Jewish Buddhists
‘Is your essential nature defined by your gender, race, culture… born into?’ The Pew Research Center’s (2013) ‘A Portrait of Jewish Americans’ revealed that the...
Should Buddhists Worry About End Of The World?
Question: What does Buddhism say about the end of the world? Answer: As Buddhism speaks of the whole universe, with many planets and such, its teachings are not merely earth-centric. Since nothing...
Is ‘The Devil Next Door’?
TDND is a documentary series on the case of Ivan Mykolaiovych Demjanjuk, who lived as an ordinary family man, about whether he was truly ‘Ivan the Terrible’, the nickname given to a...
Respite Haiku
Wellness is ever shorter respitebefore ever longer sickness,before ending in (re)death.(Swiftly live life well now then.)
Birds Of A Feather
世间人民不念修善，转相教令共为众恶。两舌、恶口、妄言、绮语、谗贼、斗乱，憎嫉善人、败坏贤明，于傍快喜。— 释迦牟尼佛《无量寿经》The world’s people are not mindful of cultivating good. In turn instructing one another, together doing many evils. With divisive...
How Egg-Bearing & Meat Chickens & Chicks Suffer
Animals are my friends… and I don’t eat my friends. — George Bernard Shaw As summarised from PETA’s sites below: 13 Ways Chickens & Chicks Suffer [1] More than 300 million...
Do People Swarm To You Or Shun You?
If there is always affinityor the lack of it,we might as well createonly good affinity.— Shilashanti Once Sakyamuni Buddha and his disciple Mahamaudgalyayana went with a large gathering of followers...
Four Queries On Buddhist Images & Ancestral Tablets
[1] Is It Inauspicious To Keep A Damaged Buddhist Image? Question: Is it inauspicious to keep a Buddha or Bodhisattva image with a defect, such as a missing finger at home? Answer: The defect is...
Is There A ‘Dark Phoenix’ In You?
‘Dark Phoenix’ is the tale of Jean Grey’s existential crisis. As she asks, ‘Who are we? Are we simply what others want us to be? Are we destined to a fate beyond our control...
Poison Haiku
As what truly harmful are the Three Poisons,* do not poison.** As what truly harmful are the Three Poisons, do not be poisoned.*** * of greed, hatred and delusion ** to harm others *** to harm...
Self-Deceit Before Other-Deceit 先自欺后欺他
妄语之人，先自诳身，然后诳人； 以实为虛，以虛为实，虛实颠倒，不受善法。 譬如覆瓶，水不得入。妄语之人，心无惭愧，闭塞天道、涅槃之门。 观知此罪，是故不作。 — 龙树菩萨《大智度论》 Of people with false speech, they first deceive themselves, afterwards deceiving people; With the...
How A Shocking Teaching Can Be True
[1] 为利杀众生，[2] 以财取诸肉， [3] 二俱是恶业，[4] 死堕叫唤狱。 — 释迦牟尼佛《大乘入楞伽经断食肉品第八》第六偈 [1] For profit killing sentient beings,[2] with wealth obtaining much meat,[3] both together are [with] evil karma,[4] [after] death...
Increasing Mindfulness Without Morality Can Be Dangerous
Without the right motivationtowards the right goal, anything in between might be wrong. – Shilashanti As noted by Matthieu Ricard, a French Buddhist monk, ‘There can be mindful snipers and...
Is Cultured Meat Considered Vegetarian Or Vegan?
Question: A documentary describes how chicken nuggets can be cultured from chicken feathers. Is such food considered vegetarian or vegan?Answer: The starter product as feather cells is...
What Most ‘Complicated’ About ‘Singapore Social’
There is a kind of relationship sometimes labelled as ‘complicated’ or ‘complex’ due to its ambiguous nature. It is sometimes the ‘open’ or ‘semi-open’...
Honour Haiku
The truly honourable are so,even when facing the truly dishonourable.
Truth & Goodness
If you appreciate truth,defend and share it,lest it distorts.If you appreciate good,praise and emulate it,lest it vanishes.– Bodhistoica
How To Be Mindful Like A Wise Tortoise
若众生心，忆佛念佛，现前当来，必定见佛。– 大势至菩萨 《念佛圆通章》 If sentient beings’ minds recollect the Buddha, and are mindful of the Buddha, now or in the future, they will definitely see the Buddha. – Great Power...
How Managers Can Have Right Speech
Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, and from idle chatter. This is called right speech. – The Buddha(Magga-vibhanga Sutta) The primary goal of giving feedback at work...
How To Prevent Breaking Of Precepts & What To Do When They Are Broken
Question: After committing to the precepts, what should be done if one breaks them? Answer: There should be sincere repentance to express remorse and resolution to not repeat the mistake again...
Why ‘Hellboy (2019)’ Is Not Hellbound
Tall, large, with red skin, a tail, hooves and horns, the half-demon Hellboy is a reminder not to judge by appearances – both in the fictitious and real world. Even those who seem...
Sanity Haiku
Use your moments with limited sanity to increase your sanity. (For how else can you do so?)
Where Evil Starts
一切恶事，虛妄为本。 – 释迦牟尼佛 《涅槃经》 All evil matters,are with falsehood as the root. – Śākyamuni Buddha (Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra)
Why Be A Lapsed ‘Buddhist’?
只看好样子…Only looking at good examples… – 净土宗十三祖印光大师 – Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng Someone shared a testimonial on how a person...
Those Who Care For The Buddha Should Care For The Sick Too
Think of helping yourselfbut give thought to others too.Radiate metta towards all beings.Without the foundation of compassion,the long trudge of Samsara has no end.Without it, how can you enter the...
Do Bodhisattvas Help Non-Believers?
Question: Can those who do not believe in Bodhisattvas be saved by them? Answer: The very definition of Bodhisattvas is that they are those who aspire to guide all beings to Buddhahood, which is the...
Is ‘Revenge Of The Pontianak’ Justified?
Ghostly vengeance sounds super scary and violent. Yet, revenge means there was wrong done, that seems to ‘justify’ the havoc, or does it? Bearing in mind that ghosts are ex-humans, which...
Craziness Haiku
The truly crazy one is the one who does not want to be uncrazy.
Ego
The bigger the ego,the greater the weakness. The smaller the ego,the lesser the weakness. The ending of ego,is the absence of weakness. – Shilashanti
How A Great Master Repented Slander Of The Mahāyāna Teachings 大师如何忏悔诽谤大乘教理？
世尊我一心，归命尽十方，无碍光如来，愿生安乐国。– 世亲菩萨 《往生论》第1偈 Before the World-Honoured One, I, with wholeheartedness, take refuge for life in the one who exhausts the ten directions, as the Unimpeded Light Thus...
In Summer & Winter, Dress & Eat
No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.– Alan Watts The greater part of Zen literature consists of mondo, of brief dialogues between masters and...
How Tall Was The Buddha?
Question: How tall was Śākyamuni Buddha? Answer: In Chinese Buddhist texts, the Buddha is usually described to be ‘丈六八尺’ in height, which is ‘one zhàng and six chǐs or eight chǐs...
Out & ‘In The Shadow Of The Moon’
Fascinating as time travel stories can be, it is also a rather exhaustedly ‘travelled’ genre, ‘inspiring’ a sense of ‘Isn’t this like what I saw before? Here we go...
Will Haiku
Your willingness to say and do what you will will make you culpable.
Just Pour Away Ink-Diluted Water
近墨易黑， 离朱难赤。生人天道， 易成善恶。 – 朱墨偈 (1) Those near ink are easily blackened,departed from cinnabar, difficult to redden.Born in the humanly and godly paths,it is easy become good and evil. – Verses On...
Effects Of Ten Unwholesome (Evil) Karmic Paths (十恶业道)
Those with great greed become hungry ghosts.Those with great hatred become hell-beings.Those with great delusion become animals. Of the Ten Unwholesome Karmic Paths, the most severe are causes...
Do Animals Who Kill Create Negative Karma?
Question: Do animals who kill other animals create negative karma, or are they ‘excused’? Answer: Animals might kill with less actual viciousness; with more instinctive violence for food...
How Comedies Can Become Scary Movies
Naturally, we think of comedies as the direct opposite of horror films. The first is for fun and laughter, the latter for terror and shrieks. Then again, there is a way in which a brainless comedy...
Clarity Haiku
If you assume there is no need to clarify at all, you might already be confused.
Loving-Kindness & Compassion 慈与悲
佛心者慈与悲：大慈则与乐，大悲则拔苦。 – 空海大师（性灵集） Those with the Buddha’s hearthave loving-kindness and compassion:with great loving-kindness thus giving joy,with great compassion thus uprooting suffering...
Are You Plugging Into The Right ‘Machine’?
The American philosopher Robert Nozick proposed a thought experiment, where people can choose to plug into a machine that induces exclusively pleasurable experiences. This Experience Machine (EM)...
Arrange Things Simply To Simplify Your Mind
When getting what needed, you only need to get what is good enough, and it is good enough. – Shilashanti The relationship between the mind and the body is like that between the chicken and the egg...
Will I Be Ready For Refuge & Precepts?
Question: If I hesitate taking the Threefold Refuge and committing to the Five Precepts, am I belittling their importance? Will I ever be ready? Answer: It might be so, that there is...
What To Make Of ‘Wounds’?
It is tricky trying to know what to make of ‘Wounds’. There is the idea that there are ancient rituals that see wounds as portals for summoning ‘higher beings’ to enter this...
Impact Haikus
Not braced for impact, the less impactful feels more so. Having braced for impact, the more impactful feels less so. Just as you brace yourself for physical impact, brace for the emotional too.
How Two Grandsons Married Their ‘Grandmothers’ 二孙如何娶祖母
古古怪，怪怪古，孙子娶祖母。 猪羊炕上坐，六亲锅里煮。 女吃母之肉，子打父皮鼓。 众人来贺喜，我看真是苦！ – 志公禅师 How oddly strange, how strangely odd, that a grandson is marrying his father’s mother. Pigs and goats on the heated bed above are...
Eat Clean With Your Whole Heart
Consume mindfully with compassion and wisdom or consume mindlessly with greed and delusion. – Shilashanti Do not neglect your meals: Make your meals about the eating When you eat, are you focused on...
What Creates The Most Positive Karma?
Answer: Killing creates the most negative karma. But if ways of breaking other precepts create equivalent harm, they are the same in negativity. Refraining from killing creates some positive karma...
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s Lack Of Logic On Balance
A key philosophical problem with the Star Wars universe is that it is ‘romantically’ yet unrealistically portrayed in terms of balance. For example, Luke Skywalker explains the force as...
Disappointment Haiku
If you see the unenlightened as ‘perfect’, prepare to be disappointed, as an unenlightened and imperfect one too.
Thought, Word & Deed
If pure, think it appropriately.If true, say it appropriately.If right, do it appropriately. If impure do not think it.If untrue, do not say it.If not right, do not do it...
Can Truths Be Invalidated By Disbelief?
Even the theoretical ‘truth’ that there are no truths is a ‘truth’ if it is true, that invalidates itself. – Nowanden (Part 1) Will one who ‘renounced’ the Triple...
Discard What You Don’t Need
What you do truly not need is so, even if you do not think so. What you do truly need is so, even if you do not think so. – Shilashanti When things aren’t going well, we tend to think we...
Are There Many Monastics In Hell?
Question: During a casual discussion with friends about Buddhism, a friend mentioned that many monastics end up suffering in hell. Is it so? Answer: There is this equivalent line that has been...
How To Not Be ‘Haunted’?
Episode one of season two of ‘Haunted’ features among the most malevolent of ghosts, one who is both cunning and wicked. With the ability to read minds, the ‘Mimic’ is able to...
Help Haiku
Those sincere to help will correct the wrong; not just condemn them. The first to complain to is the one doing wrong, not to anyone else.
How To Delight The Buddhas 如何令佛欢喜
若于众生尊重承事， 则为尊重承事如来。 若令众生生欢喜者， 则令一切如来欢喜。 何以故？诸佛如来， 以大悲心而为体故。 因于众生而起大悲， 因于大悲生菩提心， 因菩提心成等正觉。 – 普贤菩萨 《普贤行愿品》 If of sentient beings respectfully aided in matters, thus is as respectful aiding in matters...
Why Take Threefold Refuge & Receive Five Precepts? 为何受三皈持五戒？
First, be inspired by the Triple Gem to take refuge in the Triple Gem. – Shilashanti As the Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng (净土宗十三祖印光大师) taught in his ‘Third Reply...
Mindfulness Without Being Mindful Of Core Ethics & Its Ultimate Goal
Mindfulness is good — but what guides your mindfulness, if not sound ethics, and where does it lead to, if not true enlightenment? — Shilashanti The conspicuous absence of a path for ethical...
How To View Miscarriages?
Question: How should an accidental miscarriage be seen? If family members have been praying to deities, how could it still occur? Answer: In the Buddhist perspective, a miscarriage happens due to...
How To Check Your ‘Dharma’
Carefully studying the sentences word by word,one should trace them in the Discourses (Sutras)and verify them by the Discipline (Vinaya). If they are neither traceable in the Discoursesnor verifiable...
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Who Returned As Master
The Jedi Master Luke Skywalker once saw his apprentice Ben Solo, to be so potentially dangerous, that he almost destroyed him, in a bid to prevent him from actualising this potential. Yet, in that...
Hell Haiku
Do those who wish hell on others deserve hell too? If hell is for rehabilitation, why not repent now, to avoid hell later?
Merits Of Veg(etari)an Offerings 供斋功德
若能为其父母乃至眷属，命终之后，设斋供养，志心勤恳， 如是之人，存亡获利。 — 地藏菩萨《地藏经》 If able to, for their Fathers, Mothers and even [other] family members, after their lives end, arrange veg[etari]an offerings [to...
[H] What Will Happen After This Dharma-Ending Age? 末法之后将会如何？
恶人转多， 如海中沙。 – 释迦牟尼佛 《佛说法灭尽经》 Evil persons will multiply to be many, like sands’ number within the ocean. – Śākyamuni Buddha (Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of The Dharma’s Complete End)...
Wake Up Earlier To Be Less Busy
Find more time to live a more meaningful life – before you run out of time. – Shilashanti When we are short on time, this scarcity extends to our heart as well. We automatically say, ‘I’m...
Do We Chant Just To Show Respect?
Question: Is chanting to express respect to Buddha? How does it help us and others? Answer: Chanting should always be practised respectfully, so as to be attentive, to receive the teachings chanted...
Is ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ Ours Too?
What is the meaning, purpose or point of this life, be it long or short? These existential issues are pondered by a dog, who is able to recall several immediate past lives. Is it just to have fun and...
Painting Haiku
The palette is also painted with the painting.
Be Not The Last To Sever The Seed 莫作最后断种人
汝粗得其门， 当传灯化物， 莫作最后断种人也。 – 慧思大师致智者大师之遗教 《佛祖统纪》第六卷 智者大师最后教诲乃 亲自得生阿弥陀佛极乐净土 You, who have just attained this [Dharma] Door, should transmit its lamp to transform external beings, and not become the...
[G] What Will Happen To The Demonic In The Dharma-Ending Age? 末法之魔将受什么报应？
末世法灭之时，特驻此经，百年在世，接引众生，往生彼国。 – 释迦牟尼佛《无量寿经》 When it is the last period of the Dharma-Ending Age [which is this era],I will specially retain this sūtra, for one hundred [more] years in this world,to...
How To Reset & Recalibrate Your Mind
Be with yourself as you are, but without haste, without impatience. – Shunmyo Masuno In our everyday lives, do any of us have time to think about nothing? I imagine most people would say, ‘I...
What Are Buddhist Meditative Practices Truly For?
Question: What are Buddhist meditative practices for? Can they be for relaxation and the sharpening of mindfulness for work and play? Answer: They are for training, to attain enlightenment, which...
Why ‘Clash Of The Titans’ (1981) Endures
If we mindfully reflect on the fantastic Greek myth of Perseus, we should realise that it is not truly a tale about external gods and monsters. Instead, it tells of how mere mortals are able to...
Experience Haiku
Only those who know they are less experienced can become more experienced.
Two Razors
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity. – Hanlon’s Razor It is always from the third poison of delusion, that arise the first poison of greed, and the second...
[F] How Do Sūtras Disappear In This Dharma-Ending Age? 佛经如何在末法时期消失？
恶人转多， 如海中沙。 – 释迦牟尼佛 《佛说法灭尽经》 Evil persons will multiply to be many, like sands’ number within the ocean. – Śākyamuni Buddha (Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of The Dharma’s Complete End)...
How To Rise From Rock Bottom
When you hit rock bottom, the only way is up – or to stay sunken. – Extended saying I’ve been a Dharma teacher for twenty years, and I’ve observed that prisoners, war veterans, refugees...
Why Buy To Liberate Animals ‘Meant’ To Be Eaten?
Question: Buddhists practise liberation of animals caught from the wild or bred, into the right environments. But when bought, more might be caught or bred. Should they not be bought then? Answer:...
The Gun Of ‘Frankenstein’s Monster’s Monster Frankenstein’
In the first act of the theatrical production (ironically and comically produced for TV), the proverbial starting gun is spotted on a table, as this dialogue ensues… Miss...
Doppelganger Haiku
If you meet your ‘double’, while there can be only one, will you be the better one?
Why Take Threefold Refuge?
Worldly teachers will let you down, but the world-transcended Buddhas’ pure blessings will never let you down – thus should you take refuge in the Buddhas. Worldly teachings will let you down...
[E] How Is The Monastic Community Destroyed In The Dharma-Ending Age? 僧团如何在末法时期被破坏？
吾涅槃后法欲灭时，五逆浊世魔道兴盛。 – 释迦牟尼佛《佛说法灭尽经》 After my Parinirvāṇa, when the Dharma is about to end,in this Five Heinous Transgressions’and Five Defilements’ Evil Age,demonic paths will flourish. –...
Friends, Not Food
If you’re eating animals please understand that they do not want your metta; they want you to not eat them. – Bob Isaacson If you stopped people on the streets of Chicago or London and ask them...
Are There ‘Foreign’ Buddhist Manifestations?
Question: Why does it seem that there are no records of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifesting in non-Asian countries? Answer: They do manifest in all manners of form needed to reach out to all kinds...
Our ‘Escape Room’ To Escape From
Like it or not, life now is as if a giant escape room puzzle with minor puzzles within to escape from. Such escape is not from rightly due responsibilities, but from saṃsāric (娑婆) existence itself...
A Day Better Than A Hundred Years 百岁不如一日
若人活百岁， 不解生灭法， 不如生一日， 而得解了之。 – 释迦牟尼佛 《法句经》第 113 偈 If a person lives for one hundred years, not understanding rising and cessation of phenomena, this is not equal to living for one day, yet attaining...
[D] Why Even The Enlightened Cannot Prevent The Dharma-Ending Age 为何甚至觉者阻止不了末法时期
首楞严经，般舟三昧，先化灭去。十二部经寻后复灭，尽不复现，不见文字。– 释迦牟尼佛《佛说法灭尽经》 The Śūraṅgama Sūtra, and the Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra,will be the first sūtras to transform and disappear.The twelve divisions of the sūtras soon...
The Three Kinds Of Patience
There is no evil like hatred, And no fortitude like patience. Thus I should strive in various ways To meditate on patience. – Shantideva (Guide To Bodhisattva’s Way Of Life) [1] Not Becoming...
Can I Suffer On Behalf Of Others?
Question: Is it possible to suffer on the behalf of other sentient beings? Answer: Most parents, being loving, wish to suffer on behalf of their children when they are sick, but who is able to do...
What Is Your True Nature To Show?
Based on a true story, ‘TND’ depicts the dawn of the AV industry in Japan. As presented, are four key ideas raised and reflections on them. First, we are born and die naked. However...
Delusion Haiku
Believing you can get away, you are already trapped, by your delusions.
Where Is Freedom?
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. – Viktor E. Frankl
[C] Did The Buddha Warn About The Climate Crisis? 佛陀警告过气候危机吗？
吾涅槃后法欲灭时， 五逆浊世魔道兴盛。 – 释迦牟尼佛 《佛说法灭尽经》 After my Parinirvāṇa, when the Dharma is about to end, in this Five Heinous Transgressions’ and Five Defilements’ Evil Age, demonic paths will...
We Have No Time To Be Evil
There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels. – The Buddha (Dhammapada Verse 6) Let’s get rid of anger’s evil;...
How Do Beings Ascend From Lower Realms?
Question: Is it so that those who have fallen into one of the three lower realms will have to be reborn in all three before they can exit from them? Answer: It depends on where they fell to in the...
Breaking Free Of Rebirth In ‘Thor: Ragnarok’
When trapped on the planet Sakaar, there was this conversation… Korg: I’m actually organising another revolution. I don’t know if you’d be interested in something...
Material Haiku
Everything you experience is ‘material’ for reshaping your mind.
Great Meritorious Virtues Of Mindfulness Of Buddha 念佛功德之大
假使一月，常以衣食， 供养恭敬，一切众生， 不如有人，一念念佛， 所得功德，十六分一。 – 释迦牟尼佛 《大般涅槃经》 If for one month, constantly with clothing and food, offering reverently, to all sentient beings, this is not equal to having a person...
[B] What Are 32 Signs Of This Dharma-Ending Age? 末法时期有什么32现象？
吾涅槃后法欲灭时， 五逆浊世魔道兴盛。 – 释迦牟尼佛 《佛说法灭尽经》 After my Parinirvāṇa, when the Dharma is about to end, in this Five Heinous Transgressions’ and Five Defilements’ Evil Age, demonic paths will...
Are You Causing Suffering With Speciesism?
If you believe plants are also sentient, you should not eat animals’ meat and such, as they eat much plants to grow them, while vegans directly eat the least plants. – Commonsensical [T]he...
Are Animal Communication Courses Alright?
Question: Are courses which claim to teach tactics to communicate with animals alright? Answer: There is need to know what they entail, to know if they are ethical and sensible. For example, some...
Are You ‘Possessed’ Of Even Quicker Wits?
In ‘Possessed’ is an interesting scene of how a ‘sha-(C)on-man’ persuaded a (D)evotee to part with her money. As follows is the dialogue with comments between… C: You...
TV Haikus
Even a TV only occasionally faulty is still a faulty TV. Only a TV never ever faulty is then a perfect TV.
Reach The Shore
Few among men are those who cross to the farther shore [of liberation]. The rest, the bulk of men, only run up and down the hither bank. – The Buddha (Dhammapada Verse 85)
[A] Did the Buddha Teach The Dharma-Ending Age To Discourage Us? 佛陀的末法教理是要我们气馁吗？
末世法灭之时， 特驻此经，百年在世， 接引众生，往生彼国。 – 释迦牟尼佛 《无量寿经》 When it is the last period of the Dharma-Ending Age [which is this era], I will specially retain this sūtra, for one hundred [more] years in this world...
A Stoic’s Daily Zen-like Self-Review
Our spiritual health demands that we let go of anger, or else it will never let go of us. – Seneca Seneca, to judge by his self-presentation in his writings, was a self-reflective and inward...
Can I Listen To The Dharma At Night?
Question: Is it not advisable to listen to pre-recorded Dharma teachings too late at night, in case it attracts unseen beings to come, who might cause disturbances? I am however only free at night to...
The First Things In ‘Cities Of Last Things’
The film (幸福城市) begins in the midst of a casual yet cautionary song – ‘爱千万不要给得太多… 你今天将它挽留，明天它悄悄溜走。你将一切给我，我却不知如何接受。啊… 请你请你不要再来找我。世界上的男孩不只我一个。啊…...
Fleeting Haiku
Seek the lasting without distraction from the fleeting.
Control Yourself
Irrigators regulate the rivers;fletchers straighten the arrow shaft;carpenters shape the wood;the wise control themselves. Just as a solid rockis not shaken by the storm,even so the wiseare not...
Is Spiritual Practice Easier In This World? 在这个世界比较容易修行吗？
我观是 阎浮众生， 举心动念， 无非是罪。 – 地藏菩萨 《地藏经》 I see that of these Jambudvīpa sentient beings [here], with their raising of minds and moving of thoughts, none are not with transgressions. – Kṣitigarbha...
What Is In Your Circle Of Control?
Mind your mind mindfully, or it will be ‘minded’ by its negative habits of greed, hatred and delusion. – Shilashanti ‘We control our reasoned choice and all acts that depend on that...