Stop

Stop

"There is no conquest greater than self-conquest : If one man conquers in battle a thousand times a thousand men, and if another conquers only himself, the latter is the greatest of the conquerors."

- The Buddha

What does self-conquest mean?

- When you are about to speak harshly to someone, can you stop?

- When you feel anger rising within you, can you stop?

- When someone scolds/hits you, and you want to scold/hit them back (tit for tat), can you stop?

- When you're getting impatient, upset, agitated, can you stop?

- When you're jealous, resentful and suspicious, can you stop?

- When you want to lie, gossip, speak ill of others, can you stop?

- When you're tempted to buy new clothes/shoes or bags even though you don't wear the 3000 pieces that's in your wardrobe, can you stop?

- When you want to hurt, harm, kill and/or destroy, can you stop?

- When you want to take what is not given or belongs to others (steal), can you stop?

So what does self-conquest means?

It means 'STOP'.

Just as The Buddha said to Angulimala, the serial killer,

"I've stopped. Why don't you stop?"

"Whoever lives contemplating "the Impurities", with senses restrained,

In food moderate, full of faith, full of sustained energy,

Him Mara overthrows not, as the wind does not overthrow a rocky mountain."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 8

"By effort, by vigilance, by restraint, by control

Let the wise man make for himself an island

Which the flood cannot overwhelm."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 25

"He who is calm in body, calm in speech, calm in mind,

Who is well-composed

Who has given up worldly things

Is truly called a peaceful one."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 378

"A wise man who has cut off, uprooted and removed jealousy etc

And has rid himself of moral defilement,

Is, indeed, called a good-hearted man."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 263

"He who wholly subdues evil deeds both small and great,

Is called a monk because he has overcome all evil."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 265

"Indeed, not by any means of transport

Can one go to a place one has never been before (ie. Nibbana);

But by thoroughly taming oneself,

The tamed one can get to that place (ie. Nibbana)."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 323

"Good is restraint of the eye; good is restraint of the ear;

Good is restraint of the nose; good is restraint of the tongue;

Good is restraint of the body; good is restraint of the speech.

Good is restraint of the mind.

Restraint everywhere is good.

He who is restrained in every way is freed from all suffering."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 360 & 361

"Stop a little, a little nice.

Stop a lot, a lot nice.

Stop completely, completely nice."

Talk Talk Talk

Talk Talk Talk



In 'Saving Others' - (http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/07/saving-others.html) and 'The Teacher and the Teachings (Part 2) : The Teachings' - (http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/05/teacher-and-teachings-part-2-teachings.html),

I mentioned that there are a lot of people who can talk a lot.

Simply because words are cheap, and realisation is something that occurs in the mind, not the body.

Therefore, it is very easy to cheat.

Whatever knowledge they may have is that of familiarity and memory.

They may quote from texts, suttas, etc, or use the words and wisdom of great masters or others and make it their own, so that people will believe them.

They can speak at great length and in an extravagant way.

But in Reality, they don't really know the Truth themselves.

It's all bird-nest - expensive and useless, nothing but regurgitation -

Cause it's not spoken, felt and experienced from the heart.

Their heart.




"People whose understanding is founded upon knowledge gained through memorisation are very preoccupied with their own ideas,

Always assuming they are highly intelligent.

In Truth, they are completely deluded."

- Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno





"Only repeating what one has heard, is, but the sign of an underdeveloped mind."
.
- Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno

"There is a great gap between written and spoken Dhamma,

AND the Dhamma manifesting within a person's mind."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun





"One is not versed in the Dhamma merely because one speaks too much.

He who hears little and sees the Dhamma mentally, and who does not neglect the Dhamma, is , indeed, versed in the Dhamma."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 259




"He is not a wise man just because he talks much;

Only he who is peaceful, free from enmity, and does no harm to others,

is called a wise man."

- The Buddha




"The Real Dhamma can only be realised through practice."

- The Buddha




"If one only has knowledge of books and scriptures, sermons and sutras, even in hundreds of lives,

One will NEVER know purity, radiance and peacefulness of mind."

- Ajahn Chah



"Who will you choose to help you in times of war -

The person who studies books and theories,

Or the person who's engaged in battlefield before?"




"You have to be in it to know it."




"Knowledge is NOT realisation.

You can have all the knowledge,

But if you do not practise,

You're just like a spoon -

Not tasting the flavour of soup."




"If the Dhamma isn't brought into the heart,

It's not truly known.

It's not actually seen."

- Ajahn Chah




"Anybody can learn and memorise the names and symbols of Dhamma because they are things which anybody should be able to memorise.

But the important thing is the TRUE Dhamma whose name and symbols one has naturally in oneself without having to learn it by repetition and memorising -

And this kind of Dhamma is difficult to practise, difficult to see and difficult to KNOW."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun




"From corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline;

From corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma."

- The Buddha





"If the heart is false, it will produce false Dhamma ......... and NOTHING of the true Dhamma will filter into one's heart."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun



* In short, Don't be Tuccho Tothila ie. Venerable Empty Scripture.


Have a Happy Lunar New Year Everyone !





(And please remember : Avoid too much 'empty-talking' ... )

Love ........ Maitre-light

Just Yoga

Just Yoga


When I first started teaching yoga, many students, regardless whether they've done yoga before or not, would always ask me, "What yoga do you teach?"

My reply - "Yoga. Just yoga."

If you think about it, it's really just yoga.

Whatever name you call it -

Power yoga, Iyengar yoga, Hatha yoga, Bikram yoga, Hot yoga, yoga yoga, it's still yoga.


Take the example of green tea.

Pokka, Yeo's, Heaven and Earth .........

It's still green tea : water with tea leaves.

Green tea is green tea, no matter what name or brand you call it.


Or, ice-cream.

Magnolia ice-cream, King's ice-cream, Ben and Jerry's ice-cream, Swensen's ice-cream, Anderson's ice-cream .........

It's still ice cream.


A simple thing made complicated by the complicated egoistic minds of some humans who want to 'stand out' in the crowd, distinct themselves from others, separate themselves from the rest.

In Reality, names, labels, grades etc are things conjure up by egoistic people to fool us. (Read 'Good or Bad' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/04/good-or-bad.html)

And we are foolish, ignorant, confused and blinded enough to be conditioned, brainwashed and hoodwinked by them.

We don't realised we have been taken advantage of, made use of.


Likewise with meditation.

Jhana meditation, Vipassana meditation, Samatha meditation, Anapanasati, Sati-patthana, Transcendental meditation, Visualisation meditation, Relaxation meditation, Chan meditation, Insight meditation, etc etc etc.

To me, it's still just meditation.

There's only just meditation.

Whatever names, labels you give it.

It's still just meditation.

You can call, give whatever names/labels you want,

But to me,

It is what it is -

Me-di-ta-tion.




"What's in a name?

Nothing."



"Because there's always something,

And we always surround ourselves with something,

We do not know what it is when there's Nothing."




"Meditation is UNconditional."



"Meditation is releasing, giving (up), letting go, freeing, contentment, acceptance and stopping."

The Buddha - Dead or Alive?

The Buddha - Dead or Alive?


Just before The Buddha passed on to Maha PariNibbana, his disciples asked Him who should they learn from after He's gone.

Who is to be their guide?

The Buddha's reply?

"The Dhamma. Let The Dhamma be your guide.

Depend on NO one.

Let oneself be one's own refuge."

So, is The Buddha dead, or alive still?

By convention, if you focus on the physical, hold on to physical forms,

Then The Buddha is dead and long gone.

In reality, in Truth, if you understand the essence of The Buddha's teachings,

You'll know that He (The Buddha) is still very much alive and kicking today.




"He who sees The Dhamma, sees me, The Tathagata."

- The Buddha
.
.

"Only by following The Buddha's instruction and mode of practice, will a mind be able to see BOTH The Dhamma and The Buddha."

- Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa





"Only those who really practise The Dhamma are the ones who truly pay homage to me."

- The Buddha





"Oneself is one's own refuge;

What other refuge can there be?

With oneself fully controlled,

One obtains a refuge which is hard to gain."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 160





"The Bhikkhu who dwells in The Dhamma,

Who delights in The Dhamma,

Who meditates on The Dhamma,

Who well remember The Dhamma,

Does not fall away from The Sublime Dhamma."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 364





"When you truly know yourself, truly know The Dhamma,

Whether The Buddha is alive or not is no longer important."




"For someone who has arrived at Dhamma, someone who really understands Dhamma, wherever he goes, everything will be Dhamma."

- Ajahn Chah

What Do I Know?

What Do I Know?


When I was a little girl, being the youngest in the family, during family discussions, whenever I say something, my mom and sisters would ask me, "What do you know?"

Even now, my family, students and friends would also say to me, "What do you know?" or "You don't know one lah!", or something along that line.

Thinking back, actually they're right.

It's true!

I really do not know much.


As a matter of fact, as a child, and even up to now, what I know can be counted within a palm of my hand.

In fact, I can even reduce it from 5 to 2.

And that is :


1) Not to hurt, harm and/or kill any being; and

2) Love - universally, unconditionally.

And, that's really all that I know.









"Love - soft and gentle; calm and cool;

Patient and kind; quiet and peaceful."








"If you can keep yourself calm and quiet,

Like a broken gong which is no longer resonant,

You are sure to realise Nibbana;

There will be no harshness in you."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 134







"If by giving up a lesser happiness,

One may behold a greater one,

Let the wise man give up the lesser happiness in consideration of the greater happiness."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 290








"All tremble at the rod (punishment),

Life is dear to all.

Comparing others with oneself,

One should neither strike not cause to strike."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 130







"Lust never last;

Only Love does."

The Warrior

The Warrior



"Just as a firm post, sunk in the earth,

Cannot be shaken by the four winds;

Even so do I declare him to be a Righteous person

Who thoroughly perceives the Noble Truths."

- The Buddha, Ratana Sutta





In my search for Truth, Happiness and Freedom, I shall be Brave, Strong,

When I'm tired, I shall rest,

So as to emerge Great, Proud (ie. Confident, Courageous, Bold and Fearless)

And Victorious I shall stand as The Exalted One.

This, I wish the same for All sentient beings of All the different realms,

Whether terrestial or celestial, without any exception,

including all the Brahmas, the Devas and the Nagas.

.

.

.

"Just as the lotus arise from the dirt and mud

.

Untainted;

.

So shall I, so shall I." .

.

.

.

Be kind to others, and be good to yourselves.

Have a Love-ly and Happy New Year, everyone!

With all my love,

Maitre-light

* In honour of 2 of the greatest masters of our time, the late Venerable Ajahn Mun and Ajahn Chah, I'm leaving you with excerpts from their teachings ;

For they are truly the Real Warriors.

I hope it'll inspire you just as much as how they have inspired me.

Happy reading and Enjoy!

With love,

Maitre-light

"In my own search, I tried nearly every possible means of contemplation.

.

I sacrificed my life for The Dhamma, because I had faith in the reality of Enlightenment and the Path to get there .........

These things actually do exist, just like The Buddha said they did.

But to realise them takes practice,

Right Practice.

It takes pushing yourself to the limit.

It takes the courage to train, to reflect, and to fundamentally change.

It takes the courage to actually do what it takes.

You've got to discover it in The Depths of Your Own Heart."

- Venerable Ajahn Chah

(taken from the book 'Unshakeable Peace' by Ajahn Chah.)

"Fear, I have been afraid;

.

Boldness, I have been bold;

Love, I have loved;

Hate, I have hated;

Detestation, I have detested;

Anger, I have been angry -

All this because I have a heart -

.

I am not a dead man,

.

Or monk.

But I have tried with my utmost ability to train myself without ever slipping back or giving way.

Those things which used to be in charge and overpowering crumbled away under the power of the work and diligence of

.

The one who is NOT afraid to die."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun

(taken from the book 'Patipada' or 'The mode of practice of Venerable Acharn Mun' by Venerable Acharn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno)

For Love For Freedom and For Peace

Questions and Answers (Part 5) : Happiness and the path to Happiness

Questions and Answers (Part 5) : Happiness and the path to Happiness


I'm ending the series on 'Questions and Answers' with the most important question of all : Happiness - something which each and every one of us seek.

I hope this series of 'Questions and Answers' helps to bring about answers which you so seek, and also give you a better understanding of yourself, your life, Life and the purpose of life.

May all be well and happy.

Maitre-light

Happiness and the path to Happiness.

.

.

1) What is my greatest fear?

.

2) What is real Happiness, and

.

3) How can I experience/attain it?

.

.

Bonus Question :

.

4) Now, for every answer you give to the above questions, ask yourselves, "Why?".

.

.

.

"Suffering is a disease and therefore can be cured completely."

.

- The Buddha.

.

.

.

.

"Seek not love, but simply be Loving;

.

Seek not joy, but simply be Joyful;

.

Seek not peace, but simply be Peaceful;

.

Seek not wisdom, but simply be Wise.".

.

.

.

.

"Happiness is the path to Enlightenment."

.

- The Buddha

.

.

.

.

..

"Happy is he who makes others happy;

.

Happy is he who has lofty and noble aspirations;

.

Happy is he who allows others to live in peace;

.

Happy is he who makes this world a better place to live in;

.

Happy is he whose work, chores and daily tasks are labours of love.

.

Happy is he who loves LOVE."

.

- The Buddha