Fortune-Telling

Fortune-Telling


Many people like to go to fortune-tellers, card readers, mediums, chanellers, or whatever you call them, to ask about their fortune.

Honestly, if you think about it : Would the gods, deities, ascended masters, angels, and all the other 'so-called' higher beings possess our gross and ugly bodies?

Or even to bother about your future?

Even if they do, what makes you think they know and understand everything?

All that I know is, before you go seek the advice of such fortune-telling masters etc, observe them.

Really watch/study them.





If they're greedy, lustful, impatient, selfish, egoistic, conceited, full of anger, jealousy, enmity and hate etc, better be careful ..................

Cos' chances are their so-called guides, angels etc are not much better.

After all, birds of a feather flock together.



Coming back to fortune-telling.

There was once an old villager went to see Ajahn Chah, to ask Ajahn Chah to read his fortune.

Ajahn Chah kept rejecting and telling him no, cos' good monks DO NOT tell fortune; and are NOT supposed to.

It's part of the Vinaya.

But the old villager kept insisting and reminding Ajahn Chah of all the good, help and donations he had given Ajahn Chah and the monastery, and the least Ajahn Chah could do to repay him was to read his fortune.

Finally, Ajahn Chah relented and asked to see the man's palm.

Ajahn Chah studied intently at the man's palm, and then looking deeply into the man's eye, told him,

"Sir, your future ........ is ........ uncertain!"

Ajahn Chah is absolutely right!

The future is uncertain.

It was most brilliant of the Venerable Master to use the opportunity to teach Dhamma to the old villager who would just not listen.



Actually, I can read fortune, too.

Really!

Honestly, I can!

And it's with 100% accuracy.

No, not that the future is uncertain, although that's true.

Rather, it's

"If you do a lot of good now, you can be sure your future will be good;

But if you do lots of mean, nasty, bad, selfish, greedy and evil stuff,

Then, 'good luck to you' !"

"Mind is the forerunner of (all evil) states.

Mind is chief; mind-made are they.

If one speaks or acts with wicked mind,

Because of that, suffering follows one, even as the wheel follows the hoof of the draught-ox.


Mind is the forerunner of (all good) states.

Mind is chief; mind-made are they.

If one speaks or acts with pure mind,

Because of that, Happiness follows one, even as one's shadow that never leaves."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 1 & 2









"The only thing that's permanent in life is impermanence.

The only thing that's certain in life is uncertainty.

So accept, and not resist.

Surrender, and not control;

Let go, and let nature be."

"Life may be uncertain.

But there's one thing that's certain - Kamma.

Kamma is certain."

""Kamma is what differentiates beings, such as the base and the refined."

- The Buddha

"Kamma is within oneself.

It is oneself who is constantly performing causes,

And experiencing their effects."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun

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"There's no power greater than the results of our own actions."

- Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno

"Actually, our misery is caused by ourselves.

Many of our problems are created by us due to our ignorance and crazy attitude for too much pleasure."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda









"Although Buddhism does not refute the belief in deities, spirits, astrology and fortune-telling,

The Buddha's advice was that people should not be slaves to any of those forces."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda

"Things happen unexpectedly,

Prayers may or may not come true.

But effort brings results,

That neither thoughts nor prayers can do."

"If you want beauty, then be kind, be virtuous, be nice.

Avoid anger, ill-will, jealousy and hate.

If you want wealth, then be generous (genuinely that is, not faking it or showing off).

Avoid being stingy, selfish and greedy.

If you want health and longevity, then give life to others, save other beings,

Avoid hurting, harming and/or killing any being.

If you want wisdom, then learn to question, avoid intoxicating yourself, and very importantly, meditate!"

** And last but not least, Remember :

" ........ the way to goodness is open for all people who want to be good,

No matter how badly they have behaved in the past."

- Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Kamma

Kamma


In early September 2007, my mum met with an accident.

The results from the Traffic Police took a good 3-6 months to come out.

What follows thereafter was getting compensation from the car driver's insurer.


It was a nightmare which a good friend had prepared me for.

My friend's husband met with an accident some years back involving a bus company.

According to her, what follows was long delays, many phone calls and emails, before the bus company finally made the offer.

And even then, it was a meagre sum.

Feeling unhappy and unjustified, they took the case to the MP (Member-of-Parliament).

What happens after that was that the bus company paid up very fast and even double the amount of compensation!

Strange, isn't it?

That companies can suddenly become so efficient and generous.



Anyway, coming back to my mum.

The insurer of the car driver came over to my place to file a report for claims.

As an observer, I can see very clearly that he and his manager are using the good guy / bad guy technique, and he's playing the role of the good guy.

But I must say he's very good.

Good at sweet talking, that is.

He was such a sweet talker, and so good at sweetening my mum that she was led into the 'tiger's mouth' without her knowledge.


Anyway, in February 2008, we received the Traffic Police result.

As instructed by 'good guy', we faxed a copy to him so that his manager can prepare for the compensation offer.

I spoke to the manager who told me the letter of offer would be sent off in a week's time cos' it takes a few days to prepare.

March came and went, but not the offer letter.

It was only in early April when I checked with my mum did she then tell me she didn't receive it.

Not able to get hold of the manager, I made a call to good guy.

He sms back with the offer amount, claiming that a letter of offer dated Mid-March was sent to my mum's place.

I double-checked with my mum and she denied.

I sms good guy, informing him and asking if they could resend the letter, putting down my mum's address in the sms.

However, not getting any reply from him, the next day I called the manager again, double-checking that they got the right address etc, and asking if they could resend the offer letter, and how soon we could receive it so that my mum can keep a look-out for it.

Again the manager said it'll take a few days to prepare the letter, and earliest we could receive it was the following week.

Still, a week later, the letter did not come.

That night, I had an insight to what's happening.

Smiling to myself, I told myself that it's a good thing I've got plenty of patience.

The next day, I called good guy and told him that the 2nd letter did not arrive.

He sounded worried.

Anxious, sympathetic and concern even.

That's when I told him if he would be so kind to hand-deliver it since this is the 2nd time it has happened.

He was caught off-guard, but recovered fast enough to agree.

That's when he asked me if I received his sms on the offer amount, and what do we think of it.

"Ah........the wolf is finally showing his tail," I thought.

I said yes, but my mum would like to see the letter first.

I reiterated that if he would be so kind as to hand-deliver the letter cos' both times their side claimed that they've sent it out, yet my mum's side did not receive it, then I suppose obviously the problem lies with the Post Service then.

But by him hand-delivering the offer letter, we can be very sure that we'll receive it this time.

That's when he asked me, twice the letter had gone missing, if we got the offer letter, and if we do decide to accept the offer, what if the cheque got lost in the mail, too?

(Ah-ha! Gotcha! You're finally revealing the strategy of your game.)

Patiently I told him I am just as concerned as he and that then I'm afraid he'll have to make another trip of hand-delivering the cheque, too.

He was very unhappy, but still playing the good guy role, he reluctantly agreed.

The next day my mum came, telling me she still has not received the offer letter.

I told my mum the letter isn't coming, what happened, and the 'games' they were playing.

Fortunately, my mum agreed to just accept the amount they offered, and not be sucked into their control dramas and political games.

That evening, good guy came to my place with a photocopy of the offer letter, saying he'll bring the original letter only with the cheque; highlighting, indicating and emphasizing to me to read the terms and conditions on the indemnity/discharge voucher.

It's sad and scary to think that this guy during our 1st meeting boasts that he was from the police force for a good 30-40 odd years, and that we should trust and believe him. That in the whole of Singapore, he's the only one who's familiar with such cases, that he knows his stuff.

Well, I'm sure he does.

All that I know is,

People, companies etc who are employing such tactics of deception,

I urge you to be careful -

Cos' whatever suffering and inconvenience you cause to others, next time, other people will cause the same suffering and inconvenience to you.

And the effects will be multiplied.

Whatever you throw out will always come back to you.

The boomerang will find you,

Someday, somewhere, somehow,

( Read Boomerang Effect Part 1 - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/06/boomerang-effect-part-1.html

& Part 2 - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/06/boomerang-effect-part-2.html)

Cos' what goes around comes around.

As Newton says, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

Why?

Simply because The Universal Law of Kamma is very real.

"If ever people should be able to see plainly the results of evil and good kamma as they see other material things,

They would most certainly be horrified at evil kamma and stay away from it, the same as they dare not touch fire.

They would also be eager to do good which has the power of cooling and which results in happiness.

There would not then be so much trouble and misery as there is in the world today."

- Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno




"Not in the sky, nor in mid-ocean,

Nor in a mountain cave,

Is found that place on earth

Where abiding,

One may escape from (the consequences of)

One's evil deed."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 127






"We are what we were

And we will be what we are."





"Today is yesterday's tomorrow; and tomorrow's yesterday.

So focus on today - For today is the cause of ALL our tomorrows -

ie. The acts we do today affects ALL of our tomorrows."




"As you sow, so you shall reap."

- The Buddha





"As long as an evil deed does not affect the fool,

He thinks it is honey.

But when it affects him,

That's when he comes to grief."

- The Buddha

"There is NO power superior to that of Kamma (which goes beyond the grave)."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun.

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"I am the owner of my kamma.

Heir to my kamma.

Born of my kamma.

Related to my kamma.

Abide supported by my kamma.

Whatever kamma I shall do,

Whether good or evil,

Of that I shall be the Heir."

- The Buddha, the last of the 5 Daily Remembrances.





"Beings are the owners of their kamma, and the results of their kamma belong to them ALONE."

- The Buddha .

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"One has the right to make Kamma,

But Kamma (also) has the right to bring results back to one."

- The Buddha

How To Be Ugly

How To Be Ugly


I remembered there was once my students and I were talking about being happy.

I suggested that they put a mirror in front of them, on their desks, so that whenever they look at themselves, they'll smile and be happy.

I also mentioned that perhaps they can get the kind of mirrors that changes the shape of the face, and when they see a funny face staring back at them, they'll laugh and it'll make them happy.

One of the students commented that if she wants to get a mirror, she'll get a mirror that makes her look pretty.


When I reached home that night, I thought about it.

Actually, it's very easy to look pretty.

All that one needs to do is smile.

Think about it : All the beauty contestants, celebrities, SQ girls, politicians etc, all smile when they pose for the cameras, or when the cameras zoom in on them.

Why?

To look good, pretty, handsome and appealing.


Have you ever seen a grouchy, angry, jealous looking politician or beauty contestant?

No, right?

Why?

Because anger makes a person look ugly,

Jealousy makes a person look sour, and

Hatred makes a person look bitter.


When I mentioned it to the students again the following week, the same student said that that's because it's all fake - the beauty contestants, politicians etc are all faking it.

Well, maybe .........

But even if it's fake, they're still getting the votes, aren't they?

People are still blinded by those smiles, and deluded enough to vote for them.

So smiling does work.


Now, let's consider the opposite : Ugly.

I think what really makes a person ugly is not so much the looks, but the behaviour.

A person can be very well-dressed, made-up and all, but when they start pushing and shoving and rushing, it makes their make-up look like mud.

Likewise, a person can look very humble and peaceful.

They may even speak in soft gentle tones, with speech of love, kindness, peace and non-violence.

But when you see through their lies and deception and their disguises, and realise how much anger, hate, jealousy and greed they actually have within them,

You'll find that suddenly they look very ugly.

It's similar as tasting something so sweet so sweet that it ends up tasting sour, or leaving a bitter after-taste.

Cos Miss/Mr Nice Guy may actually be the real devil/Mara in disguise.

So you see, it's very easy to be ugly.

All you need to do is to jump queue, push and shove, lie and cheat, bear grudges, and be selfish and greedy.

But if you want to look good and beautiful,

Then you better start smiling, and be Happy, Giving, Loving, Caring and Kind.

And genuinely, that is.


And where do we start?

We start from the beginning - as a baby.

So parents, if you want your children to grow up looking cute and beautiful, make sure you discipline them and teach them morality.

Cos' ill-disciplined, spoilt and wailing babies are definitely going to grow up looking VERY ugly.



"A beautiful thought and word which is not followed by corresponding action is like a bright flower that has no scent and will bear no fruits."

- The Buddha




"There are the scents of sandalwood, tagara, lotus and jasmine;

But the scent of virtue surpasses ALL scents."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 55




"Not by fine talk, nor good looks is one considered good-hearted,

If he/she were jealous, selfish and deceitful."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 262

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"If, an individual, while NOT being a holy, perfected saint, were to claim to be a saint,

He is a cheat of the whole universe, including the world of the Brahmas.

Indeed, he is the worst of outcast.

Such person are indeed characterised as outcast.

Let me tell you, they are The WORST Outcast."

- The Buddha, The Vasala Sutta ( The Discourse on Outcast)

Double Standard

Double Standard

One day, a disciple, after observing The Buddha for a period of time,

Came to see The Buddha, complaining and questioning The Buddha's mode of practice and teaching style,

Saying He's unfair, practising double standard, using different treatment for different people,

That The Buddha is inconsistent, biased and showing favouritism;

That He does not deserved to be known as The Supreme Teacher (sasada) of the world or "Purisadamma-sarathi sattha - The Expert in the training of men.

Calmly, and in a quiet and composed manner, The Buddha asked the person,

"Do you have any children?"

The person replied, "Yes, I have a son."

Gently, The Buddha continued,

"When you see your child playing with fire, what do you do?"

"I'll scold my child, and warn him of the dangers of playing with fire. If need be, I'll beat him even," came the unhesitating reply.

Nodding his head, The Buddha asked again,

"If you see your child studying hard for the exams or behaving well, what would you do? Would you praise your child, or would you scold your child?"

"Of course I'll praise my child," said the disciple.

"Good!" said The Buddha, "So, if someone is already in darkness, would you still continue to encourage the person?"

"No ......... " came the halting reply.

"And if you see a person already practising well, would you discourage the person?" The Buddha continued.

"No, of course not!"

To that, The Wise Teacher replied,

"I rest my case."



"If the person is going to the left, ask them to go to the right;

If the person is going to the right, ask them to go to the left.

So, is it left or right?

None."



"One person may feel itch, another may feel pain.

The one feeling the itch may not feel or experience pain;

And, the one feeling the pain may not feel or experience itch.

So are they both wrong or right?

They're BOTH right."




"No 2 headaches are alike."

Yoga - Yana

Yoga - Yana


There are many 'yanas' nowadays - Hinayana (representing the Theravadans, meaning Lower or Lesser Vehicles), Mahayana (Greater Vehicle), Vajrayana (Diamond Vehicle - under the Tibetan Buddhism), Yana - Yana (Oops! No such Vehicle ;p )

Hinayana, to me, is a derogatory term.

And it tells more about those who started this term, and those who are still using this term, than the Theravadans and the Arahants, or the forest dhutanga kammatthana monks.

Think about it :

The Buddha is The Perfect One, The All Loving and Kind One. His Teachings is based on equality - regardless of class, caste, colour and/or creed.

So, would such a Great and Compassionate Being label or name his disciples, 'Lesser', 'Greater', or 'Diamond'? Or even separate them into groups?

Labels and name-calling are the ways of the world, and Definitely Not that of someone who's Enlightened.

But that's another subject matter.


What triggers this entry though, is that, since there are so many yanas, being the egoistic nosey parker worldling me, I thought I'll come out with another yana - "Yoga-yana".

What's yoga-yana?

If you've eaten a drum stick that's attached to the thigh/hip, you'll understand what I mean.

Try and break/detach the drum bone from the thigh/hip bone.

There will be those which you have to twirl 8-10 times or more, before they finally dislodge from each other.

These are the ones who don't do yoga.

Then, there will be others which you turn just one or two rounds and they break off from each other very easily. These are the ones who over-did yoga.

The last are those which you may need to turn 3-5 times and the bones slowly loosen and break away from each other.

Now, these are the ones who really do yoga,

And who do it the right way - Not never, nor over,

But just right in the middle.

And that's, "Yoga-Yana".




"Not too much, not too little,

But just right."




"Not too tight, not too loose,

But just nice."

Of Names and Titles

Of Names and Titles


Take a business card, and you'll see behind the name of the person, titles such as Managing Director, President, CEO, Executive, Chairman, Manager etc etc along with their qualifications and certification of BSC, BBA, Hons, MBA, PhD etc etc etc.

Very impressive, and the longer the string of titles and qualifications, the more impressive it is.

I have titles, too.

My titles were 'conferred' to me by my students, and it's one of a kind.

I bet no one in Singapore, not even the whole wide world, have titles like mine behind their names.

And I'm sure they won't want to either.

Cos' who in the right frame of mind would want the titles of "Torturer, slave-driver, evil, cruel, slaughterer, sadistic wicked witch", behind their names?

Or even to be associated or linked with the above?


Just imagine : You get to know someone at a social gathering and you exchange name cards.

When you look at the person's card, it reads, "XXX, Torturer, slave-driver, sadistic slaughterer".

How will you react?

You'll probably excuse yourself immediately and avoid the person completely, or pull up your pants or skirt and run 1000 miles away from that person, avoiding that person's calls and/or effort to make contact.


No one likes 'bad' things to be spoken of or about them, even if it's the truth.

Everyone only want nice sounding names/titles which praise and flatter them, which speaks of their accomplishments and 'virtues', and fly their ego up to the highest mountains and heavens, and get their hearts and minds fluttering and soaring ecstatically up to the skies even if there is no accompanying music to take them there.

That's all self-deception.

Frankly, I'm pretty alright with my 'titles'.

As a matter of fact, I'm happy with them. Pleased with them.

Cos' firstly, they're unique - one of its kind.

Secondly, because that's what my students truly think and describe of me,

And lastly, it's their way of showing and expressing their love and affection for me.



But I suppose Ajahn Maha Boowa say it best in "Things As They Are" (pg 94-95), when he said,

"The king bestows ranks and names, this and that, and we assume them to be a crest. Actually they're just a bit of clay stuck on our head, not a natural crest.

A name can be established any old day. You can even build it up to the sky if you want. They establish names just to flatter one another as a matter of custom. This is an affair of the world.

They keep conferring titles on one another. (But) don't take the conferring of titles. Don't take the title and use it to destroy yourself with pride and conceit.

The highest perfection in line with natural principles, with no need to confer titles, is to practise well."



And this I think, is better and far greater than any name or title you can get in the whole wide world.






"A name is merely a word used to identify a person;

It does not determine the destiny of a person - it does not make things happen.

Only deeds do."







"Rank is given for the sake of encouraging good practice and conduct,

But if the mind becomes haughty, rank becomes a way of destroying oneself, killing oneself with various assumptions."

- Ajahn Maha Boowa

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"Everybody wants to be somebody;

But nobody wants to be a nobody."

The Price of Peace

The Price of Peace


Have you ever wonder what constitutes peace?

Or rather, who are the ones who have to bear the brunt of war?

Who are the ones who have to go out to the battlefields to fight, risking their lives, separated from their families, and enduring all the hardship?

Who are the ones who really suffer its consequences?

Not the politicians who sit in their ivory towers or palaces, that's for sure.

Please don't misunderstand.

The politicians do go out and fight war.

War of words that is, through their mouths, in their posh and cushy offices.

But what about the Real thing? The actual act itself?

The common people.

In 'Points To Ponder' (http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2006/11/eternal-maitre-eternal-wisdom-eternal.html), I said,

"Politics is about people : People for people, or people against people."

If only we could all wise up and realise that there are more important and pressing issues which we should all be concern about,

Such as the state of our Mother Earth, the environment, poverty and starvation, etc etc.

Instead of fighting for 'peace and freedom', staging protests (no matter how peaceful) and riots,

Just to satisfy the power-hungry, egoistic, selfish and greedy minds of some people and/or certain individuals.

If only we could all see the foolishness and futility of it all.

Think about all the time, money, energy, effort and resources that's wasted in these nonsensical affairs which could actually be better utilised.

If only we can group and work together as quickly, efficiently, and effectively to resolve the issues of Mother Earth, the environment, poverty and starvation,

Just as how we group and work together so quickly, efficiently and effectively for riots, protest and events that do nothing but hurt, harm and/or destroy us all.

Not forgetting all the negativity and negative energy generated, and all the negative kamma which we create collectively through such acts of anger and aggression that brings more harm than good, and worsens the state of destruction of our Mother Earth and environment even more.

If only we could all 'open' our eyes and see, really see,

Then we'll all realise the actual cost of peace, and the price we're paying for it.

For that is the real price of peace, and what constitutes it.

"As a flower that is lovely and beautiful but is scentless, even so fruitless is the well spoken words of one who does not practise it."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 51

"Wisdom for destructive purposes is essentially the wisdom of the animal world :

Where might is right; where force reigns supreme; and where happiness comes from satisfying sadistic desires."

- Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno

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"When a knowledgeable person turns to evil ways,

He or she is liable to cause more strife and trouble to the country than the uninformed person who does the same thing.

An ignoramus who doesn't do evil,

Is better than a learned man who uses his knowledge for evil means."

- Ajahn Tate .

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"It's because of our intelligence that we human beings can do one another so much harm."

- Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno

" 聪明反被聪明误 "

"Entangled by the bonds of hate,

He who seeks his own happiness by inflicting pain on others

Is never delivered from hatred."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 291

"Self-conquest is far greater than the conquest of others.

Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma can turn into defeat,

The victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever restrained in conduct."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 104 - 105

"Victory breeds hatred.

The defeated live in pain.

Happily the peaceful live,

Giving up victory and defeat."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 201

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"Good scholars should only explore and enquire for knowledge that is concerned with weighty, significant issues that may lead to the enrichment of people's lives.

They shouldn't be aiming for knowledge to increase their social position or status."

- Ajahn Tate

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"We are our own weapons of mass destruction :

With our 'intelligence' (or rather, lack of intelligence ie. wisdom),

We destroy not only ourselves,

But also the world."
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"Actually man is not using religion to maintain peace but to disturb and hate others."

- Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda




"Humans may be intelligent; but we have no sense."



"Whether the world will develop or decline will depend on the minds of the people."

- Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno