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:
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.
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