Meditation and life's perspective

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

Author:

Jerome is a Buddhist practitioner that has learnt from Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan traditions and is still learning! He first learnt meditation and Dharma from Theravadan monks and practitioners in the lineage of the Arahant Venerable Amatha Gavesi Maha Thero from Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist temple in Singapore. Then, he completed a Diploma in Buddhism from the Buddhist and Pali College in 2016. He also learnt from Zen Master Wu Jue Miao Tian (85th Zen Patriach) from the LingJi lineage in Taiwan in 2014 - 2015. Subsequently, he learnt from Garchen Rinpoche from the Drigar Thubten Dargye Ling tradition (Tibetan) and attended annual Om Mani Padme Hum and Om Ami Dewa Hrih retreats from 2015 till date. Currently, he is a disciple of Master Jin Bodhi (Mahayana) from Bodhi Meditation in Singapore and is an active volunteer there. Master Jin Bodhi is his main Dharma teacher. Jerome feels that Buddhism is not a religion but is a practical way to reduce our life's problems. The essence of Buddhism is not in the books or sutras but in the way we apply it into our lives. Having understood some aspects of Buddha's teaching, he wants to give back to the society and hopes to share his insights with everyone who has the affinity with him.

Friday 23 February 2018

What is the highest happiness?

To me, attaining personal liberation and happiness is not my true bliss. I wish to see all people relieved of worries and suffering - that is my ultimate happiness.

- Meditation Master Jin Bodhi

对我来说，得到自我解脱和快乐并不是我的真正的快乐。我希望看到大家都脱离烦恼和痛苦 - 这才是我真正的快乐。

- 金菩提禅师

Commentary by Jerome:

Happiness has many definitions. Mundane people say the acquisition of material wealth (money, fame, status, job, power, etc) is happiness. Some say being contented is being happiness. Some say helping other people (donations, etc) is happiness.

Looking at these forms of happiness, they are only temporary and at best only help them in this life. True happiness is to help people rid themselves of suffering. All suffering arise from the mind. If we helps others learn the Dharma and rid themselves of this mental suffering, we help them not only in this life but also the lives ahead. This is the highest form of happiness.

More information available at:

1) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

Author:

Wednesday 21 February 2018

The purpose of meditation

Your body is not real. It is a compounded phenomenon, a creation of your own imprints/habitual patterns, a creation of the mind. Our clinging to physical comfort and aversion toward physical discomfort is a delusion of the mind. After we have died, there is no body, yet we experience more intense suffering in the Bardo. If we are able to let go of our thoughts of attachment and aversion, we will not experience such painful delusions in the Bardo. Therefore, we must contemplate that this life is like a dream again and again.
If, in this life, we are able to recognize the empty nature of the afflictive emotions we will also be able to recognize the empty nature of the Bardo. However, if we give way to the afflictive emotions and accumulate negative karma which leave an imprint in the mind, the frightening appearances of the Bardo will seem to be real. This is the point of meditation.

-H.E. Garchen Rinpoche

Commentary by Jerome:

The whole purpose of meditation is to clean our mind of defilements. The defilements of attachment, aversion and delusion give us suffering. External circumstances are neutral by nature but it is the reaction of the mind to these circumstances that create the suffering. In other words, afflictive emotions (anger, jealousy, hatred, love, etc) causes us suffering. Why is this so? The Buddha has explained in the First Noble Truth that separation from the beloved and association with things you dislike cause suffering and that the cause of this suffering is attachment and aversion to these things. In order to break the chain of suffering, we must learn to let go through meditation and see the empty nature of these emotions. Emotions arise and fall quickly. It is the attachment to these emotions that causes suffering. Dear Dharma friends, there is no value in these emotions at all except to cloud your mind!

Author:

Monday 19 February 2018

Should parents let their children play computer games?

Many parents feel troubled when they see their children playing with computers and have sought my advice to resolve the problem. Among them was a Taiwanese secondary school teacher who asked me with a face full of sorrow: “My child sits in front of the computer every day from morning till night. Though I earnestly talk to him and ask him not to, he refuses to listen. I am troubled over this!” I asked her: “How did your child fare in his school examination?” Secondary school teacher: “Average.” I asked: “Does he have physical disability?” Secondary school teacher: “ No.” I told her: “Congratulations!” Secondary school teacher: “ Why did you congratulate me? He is so disobedient.” I replied: “Congratulations on having a good child! At least his mental development and physical health is normal. You have to feel grateful for this mere fact. Do you know a lot of women desire to have children but cannot conceive? These women must be very envious of you! Besides, your child is healthy and able-bodied. What else do you have to grumble about?” Moreover, in this modern age, people use computers to earn a living. Every job requires the use of computers. If a child does not know how to use computers, he would not be able to find a job in the future; when he fails to find a job, you would regret it then and blame yourself for not letting him play with computers! We only need to worry if a child shows no interest in computers! As to how we can hone his computer literacy skill, that is dependent on parental guidance. For instance, ask your child to take photos of you and then modify them to how he thinks you looked like when you were 18 years old. That is what I would call guiding him properly. In this way, you are developing his computer skills over time. After listening to my words, she acknowledged the truth of my words and adopted an understanding and accommodating mindset to think from her child’s perspective. Her relationship with her child is now no longer opposing and strained. She does not look sorrowful now whenever she sees her child playing with computers.

家长该给孩子玩电脑吗？不少家长为了孩子玩电脑而伤透脑筋，问我该如何来解决这个问题。其中就有台湾的一位中学老师满面愁容地问我：「我的孩子一天到晚玩电脑，半夜才睡觉，我苦口婆心的劝他，他就是不听，让我真的很心烦了！」我问她：「妳的孩子成绩怎么样？」中学老师：「普通。」我问：「他有残疾吗？」中学老师：「没有。」我说：「哎呀，恭喜妳啊！」中学老师：「恭喜我什么啊？他那么不听话。」我说：「恭喜妳生了个好孩子啊！最起码他的智力和身体都是正常的，这就值得恭喜了。」你知道多少女人期盼能生个孩子却办不到，那些女人多羡慕你！更何况妳的孩子身体健康，四肢健全，妳还有什么好抱怨的？再说，电脑是现代人谋生的工具，各行各业都必须用到电脑，孩子如果没有具备基本的电脑技能，将来是找不到工作的；当他找不到工作时，妳才会气自己当初为什么不让他多玩电脑呢！如果孩子对电脑没兴趣，我们才要担心呢！至于如何让孩子的电脑技能更熟练精确，重点在于父母的正确引导。比方说，请孩子帮妳拍张照片，再请他帮妳修成十八岁的模样，这就是正确的引导，在不知不觉间培养孩子的电脑技能。听完我的一番话之后，她也认清了这个事实，改变了想法，用理解和包容去换位思考，亲子之间的互动也不再对立，看到孩子玩电脑也不再满面愁容了。

Commentary by Jerome:

Problems are only problems when you see them as problems. Change your perspective of the problem and you will find that actually there is nothing to worry or fuss about. In fact, the other perspective may even be better than yours. Learn to be more accepting and tolerant!

More information available at:

1) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

Author:

Friday 16 February 2018

Staying healthy this Lunar New Year

Article by Ada:

Happy Chinese New Year

It was the flu season a while back and I caught the flu bug too :( I generally dislike to take meds so I have developed some ways to recover from flu naturally. Hope this will be useful for you next time when you fall sick!

Drink lots of water.
Ventilate your house. You don't want the virus to be trapped in your house, and make your family members more likely to fall ill as well.
Rest and sleep well.
Eat fruits for Vitamin C. But do not overeat as most of them have cool properties
Eat mints and peppermint to help control the cough. Again, do not overeat.
Determine if your cough and flu is heaty or cooling in nature and eat corresponding food to counter them

A heaty cough and flu (usually comes with yellow and thick phlegm): chrysanthemum and luo han guo drink - link to my food blog
A cold cough and flu (usually comes with yellow and thick phlegm): ginger drink - link to my food blog (avoid eating fruits of high cooling nature such as pears and oranges)
Persistent cough (eat food that nourish the lungs): honey, white fungus link to my food blog (avoid eating hot and spicy food)
Remember to eat all types of food in moderation

If all else fails, take meds regularly (lozenges and ibuprofen) so you can get back up with your daily tasks soon! Listen to your body and don't force yourself too much.

More information on cough and flu properties:
http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/exam/cough_dietary.html

Monday 12 February 2018

Five poisons of the mind

A dialogue between teacher and student

Student: What are the five poisons?

Teacher: Greed, Hatred, Delusion, Arrogance and Doubt.

Student: Why do the five poisons arise?

Teacher: It is due to attachment to wealth, lust, fame and status.

Student: How do we detach ourselves from them?

Teacher: As mundane beings, we are attached to these naturally. However, do not be overly attached to worldly things because they are impermanent in nature. We should learn to practice compassion and cultivate a bodhicitta heart.

Student: How do we practice bodhicitta and cultivate a compassion heart?

Teacher: Make a constant effort to perform charity work and self-cultivate until you gain enlightenment one day, which is permanent. When your mind is filled with compassion, your body will be filled with immeasurable energy and light.

Student: Thank you for your enlightenment. . . .

老师和学生对话

学生：什么是五毒？老师：贪、瞋、痴、慢、疑，就是贪婪，憎恨，愚痴，傲慢和怀疑。

学生：为什么我们会产生五毒？

老师：这是因为财、色、名、利而升起的。

学生：我们如何克制它们呢？老师：身为凡夫，我们一定会升起贪、瞋、痴、慢、疑，这是自然规律。但是，不要过分地执着这些事物，因为它们是无常的。我们应该学习培养慈悲心和修一颗菩提心。

学生：我们如何修菩提心和培养慈悲心？老师：不断地行善和修行到你觉悟，这是永恒的。当你的思想充满慈悲心时，你的身体将充满无量无边的能量和光明。

学生：谢谢您的启发。

Commentary by Jerome:

5 poisons or defilement of the mind are Greed, Hatred, Delusion, Arrogance and Doubt. They arise due to our attachments to material things that we hold dearly on to. Not knowing that these material things are at best only able to support them these 100 years of our human lives, we spent our lives chasing after them, fighting with others, comparing with others, thereby creating a mass of unnecessary unhappiness in our lives. Some people despite knowing this find it difficult to let go because of past habitual mental habits (imprint). As such, we find ourselves fluctuating between episodes of happiness and unhappiness subjected to external circumstances.

The fastest way to get rid of these 5 poisons is to reflect on their impermanence and use a compassion (aka bodhicitta) to function our daily lives. After weakening the bonds that bind us to the 5 poisons, we can find that these material things do not affect us at all. We can practice to the extent that our mind is filled with compassion and our body is filled with immeasurable energy and light. In this way, we will find happiness all day and all night and this state of bliss is the state of emancipation not bound by any external circumstances.

More information available at:

1) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

Author:

Sunday 11 February 2018

How to accumulate merits?

The secret to accumulate merits is to be grateful of the kindness that the Buddha has bestowed upon us.

We always talk about accumulating merits. If a person is constantly grateful, he will become more virtuous, and is accumulating merits. Chanting is about remembering the kindness of the Buddha, if you chant frequently you will have a pure mind, and sharing this pure mind to people who need them will help you to receive blessings.

Life is short! In this very short amount of time, we must learn to treasure our blessings, share health, share happiness, and share kindness. Even though we are blessed, we cannot enjoy it all!

積累福報的秘訣---念佛恩

我們常講積功累德，也就是一個人如果能常常「念恩」，德行就會愈積愈厚，也稱為累德，念佛則是念佛恩，常念常淨，分享這份清淨清安給需要的人們，福氣就來了。

人生很短！在這極短的時光當中，我們要能懂得分享福氣、分享健康，分享歡笑、分享一切善，因為我們縱然有福氣，也不能享盡！

Commentary by Jerome:

Merit determines your destiny. Some people work hard in their life but they achieve little in life. Some people put in very little effort but they achieve success easily. It all boils down to merits. How then to gain merits? We need to learn to be grateful for what others give us. We need to help others in need. We need to be more generous and charitable. The more good we do, the more auspicious we are and the likelihood of success in life is bigger.

More information available at:

1) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website