Contentment vs Craving

Contentment vs Craving


After graduation, I wanted a job that's 'compatible' with my qualifications.

I got a job with reasonable pay, doing very simple tasks.

I was unhappy.

I've got a double degree, surely I can do more than just simple tasks like these.

Way before 'busy-ness' became a trend, I already wanted it - look busy, act busy, be busy -

Busy busy busy ....

So, I found one.

What people would call a high flying job, earning big bucks and VERY busy.

Was I happy?

No!

I was miserable, stressed out, tired, depressed, and so Not happy!

So I left. Got myself temp work, earn little, did simple tasks, but very happy.

Then, my greed, ego and craving got the better of me.

I started thinking ...

I've got a degree! I should not be doing this.

What I'm paid is too little - I should be earning more!

What about my future? I don't have enough for retirement!

My skills, my talents, my knowledge, my abilities, my everything, ME!

I'm not fully utilised. This job is a shame to my talent, my skills, my ....

Blah blah blah

I was so full of myself.

My ego was so huge I could put the whole Earth in it.

So, back I went to those 'high flying, busy' jobs that squeeze every drop of blood, sweat and fat out from me.

Was I happy?

No! Of course not! You kidding me?!

I was miserable, stressed out, tired, depressed, and so so so NOT HAPPY!

So I left. Again.

Temp, busy, temp, busy ... round and round I was going in circles, like a dog chasing its tail.

Then one day, as I sat on my bed, reflecting,

I saw.

For the first time, I saw right in front of me, so clearly what was happening.

How could I be so foolish?

So blind?

History was repeating itself over and over again, yet, I didn't 'see' it.

From that moment on, I took off the chains of craving, and walked my first step towards

The Light of Contentment.

Was I happy?

VERY.




"When there's no wanting, there's no having, there'll be no lacking."

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"Contentment is the greatest Wealth

Wisdom comes to the one who's content "




"From craving springs grief

From craving springs fear

For he who's wholly free from craving

There's no grief, much less fear"

- The Buddha

To 'mah to vs To 'may' to

To 'mah' to vs To 'may' to



You say 'tomahto', I say 'tomayto'

It's just a fruit, it's just a vegetable.


You say 'tomahto', I say 'tomayto'

We can argue till the cows come home and still not reach an agreement.


You say 'tomahto', I say 'tomayto'

It's still just a fruit, it's still JUST a vegetable.


"Which is more important -

Harmony of a relationship, or being right?"

"Let go, live and let live

Forgive and be at peace. "

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"Avoid taking silly chances with Happiness just to win some small point. "

Why Oh Why?

Why oh Why? Observations of the strange, sad and silly kind



1) Those of you who are parents will be familiar with this :

When children fight, parents have no peace ... and get headaches.

If there's a God / Creator, and as a 'parent' of those who call themselves his 'children',

I bet he is probably having a huge, massive headache right now, and no peace too - seeing how his 'children' are fighting and arguing among themselves.

Since they are all 'children' of the same 'parent', why are they fighting and arguing?

Wouldn't it be nice that they help each other, embrace each other and work with each other, instead of fighting?

Maybe this is what people call 'sibling rivalry'.

Interestingly, isn't this what we, the world, is experiencing right now?

No peace ... and headaches.



2) Everyone likes to be first.

Even during Chinese New Year.

There's a belief that the first to put joss stick in the urn of the Kwan Yin Temple at Waterloo Street, at the stroke of 12, will bring one good luck for the new year. ( Watched this on TV some years back )

However, looking at the way all are pushing and shoving, I don't think anyone will get any luck at all!

Have you ever wonder why, in the temple of Compassion, NONE is showing compassion, or practising it?

And all are blindly following a SUPERSTITIOUS tradition that does more harm than good.

If only they had read THE KALAMA SUTTA.



3) It seems to me that people like to burn.

Otherwise, why would they, come rain or shine, stand round a scorching and smoky fire, inhaling all that smog and haze, and get themselves and their family 'jewels' roasted?

And in the process, create a 'beautiful' Heaven-like ambience to their immediate surroundings, with strange-looking particles floating around.

It's funny they don't burn the real thing.

Firstly, it'll help save a lot of trees and the environment,

Secondly, it'll help save a lot of time and effort going to get the fake money, etc and then folding them into nice shapes.

Have you ever wonder who gets the cash?

The departed loved ones?

I don't think so ...

Cos' the only people I see collecting the burnt cash ( or rather, ash ) are the cleaners.

And if you were to ask if they've benefitted, or become richer from it ( collecting the burnt cash ), they'll probably think you're mad.

So, nope, definitely not them either.

Perhaps the only ones who benefit and get the cash (the real cash) are the shopkeepers who sell these fake money etc.

Surely there must be a better, and a more environmentally friendly way to show our respect and filial piety to our ancestors, and to remember our loved ones by -

For example, appreciate them when they are alive.

Or, do good in their names after they're gone.

Wouldn't that be better and more meaningful?

To truly benefit the departed loved ones, wouldn't it be better to use the money to make donations to charities, temples etc in the names of the loved ones, to benefit more people, rather than buying these fake money etc to burn?

I'm sure making donations will help earn plenty of merits, too, not just for the departed, but also for those who are still alive.



4) I think humans spend a lot of time talking -

Over the phone, on the net, sms, face-to-face meeting etc.

Yak yak yak, blah blah blah, lah lah lah .....

Wouldn't it be good if we can spend a little less time talking, and a little more time keeping quiet, being silent, reflecting and observing, studying and learning about the mind, Life and things around us?

The world would be a much happier and peaceful place.

Otherwise, why do you think they say 'silence is golden', and 'Empty vessels make the most noise'?

Note to All Readers :Please know that the alternatives suggested above are just suggestions. They are merely alternatives which I feel, if we can, perhaps consider.

Thank you... :)

Let's Talk About Love

Let's Talk About Love



"Only we hold the key; only we can set ourselves Free."



"The only power is the Power of Love, of Kindness, of Compassion, and of Mercy.

And this power alone, is Liberating."




"To understand things, we have to accept first.

For without acceptance, there can be no understanding, no realisations.

Being open does not mean accepting other's beliefs.

Being open means accepting that what (ie. the beliefs) you had held so dearly, tightly and strongly for so long to be the Truth,

May actually be, Un-True."


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Let's Talk About Love

LOVE

That's what it's all about

And that's what the world needs now ...

Would you agree?

Love is who I am, what I am and how I am;

Love is also who you are, what you are, and how you are;

That's also who , what and how everyone is ...

Why do I say that?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that ALL religions/faiths teach the following :

Love, Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Peace.

And, if you think about it, all of us - each and everyone of us, have all these qualities in us, within us .........

Am I right?

Look at it another way : Put up your hands those of you who do not breathe in oxygen that's given out by the trees.

If all of us here breathes in oxygen that's given out by the trees, then 'why the division' ?

Regardless of where we are in the world - Middle East, America, Europe, Asia, or anywhere else in the world, we all breathe in the same air.

The same polluted air - air that's polluted by no one else but US ...


We're all in one, and one in all

So, why the division?

Why are we in the situation we are in today?

The situation that causes so much suffering and pain to ourselves and others?


Because there's no love ...

Why is there no love?

Why can't we love?

Why won't we love?

Why don't we want to love?

Because of wrong views.


Why is there wrong views?

There is wrong views because of ignorance and a lack of Wisdom ...

Because there's no Wisdom, therefore we're not happy, not content

And we crave, we want power and control

Result?

WE suffer ...


But with wisdom/discernment, we can end suffering ........

( Read The Four Noble Truths (The Wheel of Life) - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2006/12/four-boble-truths-wheel-of-life-buddha.html , and

How Do We Get Wisdom - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2006/12/truths-of-life.html )

And bring love, kindness, compassion, joy and peace back to this world again -

As long as we have the right view and understanding of things.

What's happening now is a lot of people are having wrong/false views, or blindly following wrong/false views.

And that's why there's so much suffering.

I'm not just talking about war, clash of faiths/religions etc.

This is collective ...

But I'm also talking about the individual.

Each of us is suffering because we put so much emphasis on the 'self', the Ego.

We crave, we want more, we're not content, and therefore, not happy ......

All due to ignorance and a lack of wisdom

And it snowballs; it has a spillover effect

It spills to others.

People around us - our friends, our loved ones, our family - people we come into contact with.

It's like a 'disease'.


Negativity breeds negativity.

Notice if one gossips, all gossip.

eg.

"I tell you a secret"
"Yes, yes, yes! What?!"
"You can't tell anybody"
"Yes, yes, yes"

and before you know it, the whole world knows your little secret !


Or, if one complains, all complain.

eg.

"The yoga instructor is so terrible!

She's doing so fast, and make us hold the poses for so long!"

"Yeah! Especially the exalted warrior!"

"More like the exhausted warrior!

"My legs were shaking, arms were aching, and she can still smile and laugh so happily!"

"She's a witch!"

"A sadist! A torturer!"

"Cruel! Evil!

Blah blah blah ...

As you can see, there's very little positivity right now.

BUT this can change -


Positivity can expand.

It can increase - through our individual and collective effort.

The answer lies within us - Each and everyone of us.

Just like the light/flame of a single candle can light up a whole room of candles without it getting extinguished,

So, the Light of Wisdom, of Love, of Kindness, of Compassion, of Joy, and of Peace, too, can shine on this Earth once more.



Picture this : If I have a lighted candle in my hand right now, and I pass the light to you, each and everyone of you - the readers, and I ask all of you to pass it on ........... what happens?

It depends on us.

Each and everyone of us To make the effort.

To have the right understanding, to be mindful of our own emotions, our thoughts, our speech and our actions.

To do the Right Thing.

To use our human intelligence WISELY to discern right from wrong.



Note to readers : If you're interested to know how to discern, please refer to "What's right, What's wrong - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2006/12/kalama-sutta-karma.html "

The path is ours to take
The journey ours to travel

So let's all tread carefully
Wisely and compassionately

And let's all bring the Light of Wisdom
Love, Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Peace

Back to this place we call 'Home'

Once again

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened,

Happiness never decreases by being shared."

- The Buddha

"You alone is the light in the dark.

No one can light the path for you.

Except YOURSELF. "





"Be a lamp upon yourself.

Be the lamp that shines when the world is in darkness and in gloom.

Be the lamp that shines to help others who are lost along the way.

Be the lamp that shines to guide others on the right path.

Be the lamp that shines."

May all be well and happy

May all be free from harm and animosity

May love, happiness and peace of mind

Be with each and everyone

Today and Always....

Thank you all for reading


Maitre-Light

Writing This Blog

Writing This Blog



Writing this blog is hard work. I never expect it to be this hard.

How can something so simple be so hard?

I suppose the simplest things in life are the hardest.

What to say, how to say it right so that it'll come out right, so that people will understand, and not misunderstand.

Cos' I may come across as too harsh, too pushy, preachy, authoritative even.

Sometimes, what's being expressed may not be what was intended, no matter how hard I try.

Realisations like these can never be put into words.

It has to be experienced.

To be felt.

I've cried my tears of sadness that I'm such a failure, that I can't even do something as simple as writing a blog.

I fell, I stumble, I falter, I made mistakes (loads of them) but I just have to pick myself up again.

Life is a learning process.

And I'm learning how to write a blog.


Just as I told the most notorious class in a neighbourhood secondary school which I was giving relief teaching some years back -

" You made a mistake but that does not make you a lesser being. It does not mean you have to live with that mistake for the rest of your life. You pick yourself up, sweep the dust off your butt and you move on."

Writing this blog has been a humbling experience for me.

In the process, I learn.

"It's just a blog, so why should I be so hard on myself?", you may ask.

But if you want to share what you've learnt, discovered and realised, so as to benefit others, and to bring some love, peace and harmony back to this world again, it's no longer "just a blog".

It can't.

I have my share of joy, too.

When people ask for the address to read it.

When people tell me "well done!"

This may not be 'perfect', but I do my best, the best that I can, to share with everyone my realisations and experiences, and this is one of them.


Happy Reading
Maitre-Light

Love

Love



Nothing in the world can be, or should be , achieved by, or through the use of Force.

Only Love, Kindness, Gentleness, Compassion, Forgiveness and Mercy.

There's no other way.

THIS, is the only Way.



Just as the Buddha once taught :

"Anger begets anger;

Hate begets hate;

Anger can Never dispel anger;

Hate can Never dispel hate.

Only LOVE.

Only LOVE Can dispel anger;

Only LOVE Can dispel hate."

So, Let's all love ... universally, unconditionally.



Universal Love : Love regardless of class, caste, colour or creed.

Unconditional Love : Love with no terms, no conditions, no strings attached -

Love that's all forgiving, that accepts totally, completely.


And, you know what?

That best teachers to show and teach us universal and unconditional love are ... the Animals!

Consider the following :

1) They'll kiss you even though you look and smell horrible in the mornings.

2) They'll hug you despite all the 'loose tyres' hanging out from all parts of your body.

3) They'll nudge you, lie next to you, stay close to you, even if you've just scolded them, or hurt them.

If the above aren't good enough, read on ...


Animals Love Universally :

They don't mind if you're rich or poor, elite or not (class)

They don't mind if you're a CEO, a manager, a road sweeper, a cleaner or a trishaw rider (caste)

They don't mind if you're black, white, yellow or blue (colour)

They don't mind whether you believe in the sun, the stars, or the moon (creed)

They'll love you all the same.


Animals also love unconditionally :

They're not demanding :

You don't have to be home by 5pm everyday (No Terms)

They won't get suspicious or insecure :

You don't have to hug them, and tell them " I Love You" all the time, or call them every hour / every night to report. (No Conditions)

They have no expectations :

You don't have to take them to restaurants, buy them expensive gifts, or chocolates, or roses, or diamond rings etc. (No Strings)

They're not jealous :

You can ogle and drool at all the sexy hot babes or handsome hunks you want, and you'll not get your ears pulled. You'll still get to sleep on the bed at night, with a goodnight hug and kiss thrown in. (All Forgiving)

There'll be no cold war or silent treatment :

You can argue with them in the morning, and they'll still greet you with a smile on their face, sparkle and excitement in their eyes when you come home at night. (Forgive and Forget)

They 'see' beyond the physical :

You can have a full head of greys and whites, or a whole face full of acne, or wrinkles and dry saggy skin, and they'll still hug and kiss you and not complain of your looks or complexion. (Total Acceptance)

And, They'll appreciate you as You :

You can be Ah Beng, Ah Seng, John, Mary with all your teeth missing, and they'll still love and accept you all the same. (Total Acceptance)

Yet, why are so many animals being abused and abandoned every day?

And, by the very people - the humans, whom they (the animals) thought they could trust, they could love and be loved in return.

I believe Gandhi once said something like this : You can see the Greatness (and I feel graciousness as well cos owners need to be responsible) of a society (and country) by how they treat their animals (not just the pets, but also the strays).

I think animals know how to love more than we humans do.

I had a dog many years ago, and all he wants and asks for is a hug from me before I go to sleep at night.

Then, and only then will he go to bed.

And my cat, who will always run and greet me in the mornings, regardless of where he is, or what he's doing.

We can ignore them the whole day and yet they don't fault us.

They're always giving and forgiving - that's how huge and pure their hearts are.

You know, I don't think any being likes to suffer, animals included.

Yet, there're so many cases of animals being abused and left to die a slow and painful death.

Why?

Have we forgotten what love is?

Have we become a Human race that's so devoid of feelings, that's so devoid of the very qualities that make us 'Human"?

That all we know about is making money and (economic) excellence?

Wouldn't it be good if we can be excellent at being Human as well?

Consider also the animals who sacrifice their lives so that we can eat and live.

I'm not a vegetarian and I'm not suggesting that everyone should be one.

I do eat meat, and I would always silently, in my heart say a word / prayer of thanks to the animals to show my gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifice they make.

I know vegetarians and some Buddhists refrain from eating meat out of compassion for animals, so as not to harm any living being.

It's about non-indulgence.

Some people have to eat meat all the time - every meal.

And every dish has to be 'Big fish big meat'.

I know a few who are like that.

I'm sure you know quite a few too.

Why?

Is it necessary?

Please don't misunderstand - I'm not suggesting that everyone has to go total vegan / vegetarian.

What I'm suggesting is cutting down on meat consumption, and not indulging in it if you can.

It's about non-abuse (of animals, as well as of your own stomach, digestive system, body and health).

It's about moderation.

The next time you eat chicken rice etc, please spare a thought for the chicken that's sacrificing its life so that you can eat chicken rice.

And, if you can, maybe say a word of thanks, or a prayer or two for them, to thank them ...

If we can start appreciating the sacrifice of animals, we'll start to appreciate life, we'll start to appreciate our loved ones and not take them for granted.

To Vicky, Kuching and all my other 'babies', and to all Animals - This is Dedicated to You :

"Maitre-Light Thanks You -

For showing and teaching me how to love Universally, Unconditionally ......... "
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'Jivaka, I have declared that one should not make use of meat if it is seen, heard or suspected to have been killed on purpose for a monk.

I allow the monks meat that is quite pure in three respects:

If it is not seen, heard or suspected to have been killed on purpose for a monk.'

- The Buddha, Majjhima Nikaya 55, Jivaka Sutta