From Releasing Life to Following a Vegetarian Diet: A multitide of goodness

The two pillars of Buddhist teachings are compassion and equality. And to attain a compassionate and non-discriminating mind, one must refrain from killing, help all living beings, and maintain a vegetarian diet. A compassionate mind is a Buddha mind that augments blessings and cultivates virtuous conditions. (The image to the right, the work of Wify, may seem familiar after a while).

Releasing animal life from captivity is more than a symbolic activity. It evokes both a sense of equality and compassion in line with Buddhist teachings. After a hiatus of considerable length of time, Wify participated in a Release Life activity organized by Sister Yu Huei held yesterday at Ben T. Davis Beach as chronicled in the images that follow. Unlike the Releasing Life activity that may seem to have only local impacts, following a vegetarian diet has proven to bestow a multitude of goodness, both local and global, as eloquently summarized in a Chinese article that appears in the January 2009 issue (No. 118) of Chung Tai Shan Magazine (pg. 7, see image to the left). The following is my adaptation of the above article, focusing on the gist and message rather than a verbatim translation. It goes without saying that any shortfall or erroneous interpretation is all mine, and mine alone.

From the Buddhist world view, all sentient beings are our past relatives. Therefore, premised on the principles of causality/conditional origination and compassion, not consuming meat is being merciful. And the aim of being a vegetarian is to promote compassion. Once the mind of compassion is entrenched in each of us, society strife will diminish, and by extension, international conflict will reduce, thereby auguring well for the vision of world peace.

Anthropogenic contribution to global warming-induced climate change, with profound potential consequences on the sustainability of Planet Earth as we know it, has been increasingly recognized as needing redressal. One key measure is to reduce the carbon footprint of all human activities.

In this regard, it has been estimated that adopting a vegetarian diet helps to reduce the per capita carbon dioxide emission to the tune of 4.1 kg per day, or 1.5 tonne per annum. Animal feeds require both capital and energy to produce. For example, it has been estimated that to produce one pound of beef requires the consumption of 16 pounds of cereals, enough to feed 16 persons per day.

Therefore, the best way to reduce our carbon footprint is to be on the vegetarian diet, better even than owning a hybrid car. Becoming vegetarians to combat global warming and promoting energy conservation to reduce carbon footprint have emerged as a virtuous life style that one can assume to protect Earth.

Protecting Earth amounts to protecting all sentient beings, ensuring each and every one of us a rightful place in peaceful coexistence. In addition to religious precepts, the upsurge in the number of vegetarians world-wide is also driven by the medical evidence of health benefits associated with being vegetarian. Apart from lowering cholesterol and fat, hence curtailing the incidence of cardiac and pulmonary diseases, maintaining a vegetarian diet can potentially reduce cancer of the gastro-intestinal tract due to the high fiber content of a vegetarian diet. At the same time, adopting a vegetarian diet helps promote mental clarity, instill a balanced disposition, strengthen the body's immunity and recovery system, and improve the overall wellbeing.

Maintaining a vegetarian diet cleanses the digestive system, the home, and the mind. From the quality of health, of environmental protection, the benefits of following a vegetarian diet extends to the quality of a compassionate mind, a truly self-beneficial trait that benefits others as well.

Perching comes naturally to all birds, taking a breather from flight. All fixed, or floating for that matter, objects are game as shown in this mosaic, including the double arch of McDonald and navigation aid on the sea.

The bait shop located just after the Howard Frankland Bridge (I-275), spotting a rather unique sign post with ropes wrap-around with a buttressed bottom, and what resembles a juke box in the front (actually it's just a concrete monolith nicely painted to be a King of the Rock lookalike).

The participants chanting the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra in turn at Ben T. Davis Beach. There are more images of the two on-lookers perching at the water's edge.

Wify (in the picture) and Sister Yu Huei preparing to empty the pails of prawns and juvenile fish into the Bay, signalling the completion of the Release Life activitiy.

And the participants of the compassion-induced activity posing for a group picture, filled with bliss on a blessed morning.

Various stages of flight caught on film, their capture more of a matter of luck than anything else.

Another fortuitous shot, the camera trained at the right place and at the right time featuring a swooping bird just after a strike, the bounty firmly clamped by its beak.

One of the two on-lookers, the dark-colored bird, perched with wings spread, supposedly to dry its plummage. It maintained this seemingly meditative posture throughout the whole time we were there, only cranking its rubberized neck in different directions, hardly moving an inch even while the feeding frenzy (see second image below) was going on in its vicinity, truely being mindful and oblivious to the environment as exemplified by the perfect stillness evoked in the middle image of the bottom panel with nary a ripple even on the water surface that features a perfect reflection.

A mosaic of less than perfect reflection, both while in flight and while standing motionless, that features the remaining on-looker (bottom panel).

The before and after scenes of a feast: the frenzy stirred up by the widely strewn bread crumbs (top), and the contentment (bottom).

A lone bird missing out on the human-assisted feeding, cutting a forlorn figure in the endless quest for sustenance.

A memorable event at the Memorial Service for the Late Master Sheng Yen

Last Sunday, we sped along I-4 in the afternoon, hovering tantalizingly close around the speed limit. A minivan load of seven, me at the helm, was then making its way to Orlando to attend the memorial service for the late Master Sheng Yen. In my rush, I turned into the opposite lane at 408, necessitating a detour and a U-turn to head back to the correct direction, arriving at our destination, the University Inn along E Colonial Drive, late by about ten minutes.

Then I parked at the wrong lot, one owned by a neighboring eatery, and had to move the car to the designated lot while Wify and her entourage made a beeline into the venue first. When I joined the back of the hall several minutes later, the service had already started, the august hall filled with the mind calming chanting of Heart Sutra. Palms joined and eyes closed, I joined the congregation. This was followed by the repeated recitation of Buddha's name, Namo Amitabha, which I participated by silent intonation.

Next up was the slide presentation on the various snapshots of the life of the Master Sheng Yen, right from the time when he was a schoolboy back in China, covering his academic sojourn in Japan and his ascension as a world renowned religious leader, sharing the world stage with many other prominent personalities of the faith such as His Holiness Damai Lama, and standing at the podium of the United Nations addressing the world's heads of government on the issue of world peace and harmony. I recall one anecdote in which his Master admonished him to be a Buddhist teacher, but not a Buddhist scholar.

The simple but solemn memorial service, as Master Sheng Yen would have wanted, concluded with an open session for any attendee who wished to make remarks/observations of the occasion. Amidst several lay followers of Master Sheng Yen who recounted their personal interactions with their beloved Master, two representatives from Orlando-based Buddhist Organizations, Fo Guang Shan and Tzu Chi, also took their turn to express their condolences. It was indeed a heart-warming moment to witness this denomination-transcending participation that augurs well for the continuing flourishing of Buddhism in the area.

The hallmark of simplicity, dignity, and solemnness that announces the purpose of the event.


A composite of some of Master Sheng Yen's sayings on display.

The table-full of publications of Master Sheng Yen dedicated to his immense contribution to Buddhist literature (above and below).



The slide presentation on the life of Master Sheng Yen in progress.


A group photo of the attendees.

Learning at a Tzu Chi Training Camp

We have participated in several local donation drives organized by the Orlando Chapter of Tzu Chi Organization, a world-wide Buddhist Compassion Relief headquartered in Taiwan, in the past years, as well as their roving tea gatherings in the homes of Tampa-based Tzu Chi volunteers. But this is our very first trip to their training camp focusing on the responsibilities and duties of Tzu Chi volunteers, and the conduct becoming and befitting of representatives of Tzu Chi in consonance with the teachings of Buddha. And that took place at the home of Brother Yang, who would later become Wify's teacher in Chinese calligraphy, on Nov 15, 2008.

Starting at 10am, it was to be an intensive 5-hour session till 3pm, under the able guidance and lucid delivery by the Orlando team headed by Brother James Huang. Using powerpoint presentation interspersed with videos and lively demonstrations, the team did a fabulous job of getting into the essence of what being a Tzu Chi Volunteer entails, subscribing indeed to a noble standard of moral conduct that is above reproach even from the standpoint of the most stringent critic, leaving no room for mis-interpretation. I had originally intended to write an account of the proceedings by referring to the snapshots of various slides that I had taken in sequence but thought that it might turn out to be wordy and dry. More important, I might have misconstrued the thoughts and intents of the dispensations in my zeal to translate verbatim. Therefore, I have decided to resort to a pictorial account instead, replete with the actual slides but with my English translations that I feel would transmit the gist of the messages by and exhortations from Master Cheng Yen, the founder of Tzu Chi. Hopefully, the clarion call encapsulated therein to help the suffering masses will motivate each one of us to join their rank, not necessarily as part of Tzu Chi, if we are not already enamored to doing so.

Meticulous preparation is the key to a successful training camp: complete presentation materials, functional computer equipment, appropriate venue lighting, friendly seating arrangement, and smooth delivery.

Neatly arranged reading materials, all are reflective of how an organization is perceived.

Brother James Huang started the ball rolling, under the watchful and yet benevolent gaze of Master Cheng Yen, not forgetting the session recording using both still photography and video taping for archiving and continuity.

Brother James Huang setting the tone by outlining the schedule of the day, covering the sequence methodologically.

A captivated audience, eager to partake of the Tzu Chi experience.


One of the many astute observations by Master Cheng Yen, going straight to the core of society's malaise, contributed in no small part by the sensationalized, while multi-faceted, reporting in the mass media, leading to the decay of cultural values and the erosion of moral standards such as the blind obsession of today's youth with hedonistic trends (hair coloring, body tatoos, etc.), ultimately resulting in a depraved lifestyle shorn of self-respect and moral character. Once the crux of the problem is identified and conditions arising discerned, Tzu Chi has developed a comprehensive suite of spiritual goals encompassing the Four Great Missions and Eight Great Footprints, Breathing in Unison with Earth/Discipling Oneself/Reviving Morality to reclaim the innate humanism in us.

Tzu Chi is action-oriented, steeped in the belief that actualizing Buddhist teachings in life is paramount to learning and discoursing on the precepts. Sutras are a way to attaining enlightenment and revealing one's Buddha Nature, and the way must be trekked, even trudged, which implies putting precepts into practice, diligently. Dharma is everywhere, therefore seeking Dharma away from our world is wishful thinking, an exercise in futility. Pureland is on Earth, so is Hell. And Tzu Chi manifests Buddhism amidst our society.

Attachment is our bane. So let go when we have given, only leaving behind the experience, the way, and gratitude, respect, and love to cherish.

It's better to respect the sanctity of life than to release life occsionally. Genuine holistic deliverance is one that bridges through all space and time, and over the schism between us to deliver us from suffering. The best holistic deliverance is exemplified through self love, humility, gratitude, and giving.

Tzu Chi promotes Disciplined Food Abstinence, and reveres life. At the same time, Master Cheng Yen admonishes all to persevere tirelessly and relentlessly. And in the smaller prints below: Being on a vegetarian diet is food abstince only, appropriate consumption is discipline. Therefore, we have to both follow a vegetarian diet and avoid consuming excessively.

This elaboration on Buddhist greetings and their parallel with western practice is self explanatory.

Do not relax in abiding by the ten precepts of Tzu Chi (No killing; No stealing; No sexual misconduct; No lying; No intoxicants; Obey traffic rules; No politics; Be gentle in speech and behavior; Respect your parents; and No gambling or speculations), nor indulge in image transgression. The innate beauty of Tzu Chi hinges on individuals meshing on personal conduct. May we endeavor to uphold the shared reputation of Tzu Chi. [Later, it was clarified that Tzu Chi volunteers should take heed of political developments, but not to participate in political affairs.]

Singing praise on Master Cheng Yen through hand signaling for being an exemplar and icon of delivering the humanity from suffering through Tzu Chi's action-oriented Buddhist Compassionate Relief. A translation of the lyrics appears below.

Delivering the Humanity
Your gait is like white cloud streaming across the azure sky; and your footprint, water encircling the green mountains; Sometimes concealed and sometimes manifest; sometimes near and sometimes distant; Criss-crossing with compassion and loving kindness, indefatigably delivering the humanity from suffering.

Your gait is like white cloud streaming across the azure sky; and your footprint, water encircling the green mountains; The epitome of modesty, the exemplar of ordinariness; Practicing Dharma mindfully, and doing virtuous deeds unwaveringly; Criss-crossing with compassion and loving kindness, indefatigably delivering the humanity from suffering.

Now, what did I take home with me? Yes, I'm sure most of us are ennobled by these "ideals", which seem unattainable. They are put in quotation marks here to denote in the sense that they seem out-of-step with the rat race careening toward us at such great momentum that we hardly have time to be good samaritans, defenders of the public good and role models all rolled into one. Or the world is not in short supply of such angel guardians. Let them save the world while we cling on to every aspect of our materialistic world. However, at the same time, I believe we are born with goodness in us. We may be momentarily waylaid by the amenities of earthly attachments, but given time and exposure, we will come to our senses and start on the worthy cause in our own small way, one step at a time. As Edmund Burke put it poignantly (or others may have paraphrased him), "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." In my mind, the same goes with something as simple (but no less onerous) as helping fellow human beings in need.

The 19th Dharma Session of MWBA (Oct 18, 2008): The Buddhist View on Ghosts

The notion of ghosts has always been around in most cultures. While ghosts may be scary to kids, and make for excellent cautionary tales for the young, they are the subject of celebration too. For example, Halloween is a popular day of festivity in US while the Chinese have their own version of the Ghost Festival. In some religions, ghosts are not sacrilegious, but may have a different moniker when referenced. Such is the case in Buddhism, and to make the nexus between the Chinese society, particularly the Buddhist worldview, and the West, using Halloween as a proxy, as regards the ambivalence that ghosts are regarded in each was Venerable Chueh Fan from Guang Ming Temple, Orlando during the 19th Dharma Session of Middle Way Buddhist Association on October, 15, 2008 at its Pinellas Park venue.

While Halloween, a largely secular celebration started as a Celtic tradition and brought into US by Irish immigrants, falls on October 31, the Chinese Ghost Festival occurs on the 15th day of the lunar month of July. In Buddhism, it's referred to as the Festival of Ullambana as cited in the Ullambana Sutra, a Mahayana sutra consisting of a brief discourse given by Gautama Buddha principally to his disciple, Maudgalyāyana, on the practice of filial piety. In a nutshell, the Buddha instructed “Mahāmaudgalyāyana on how to obtain liberation for his mother, who had been reborn into a lower realm, by making food offerings to the sangha on the fifteenth day of the seventh month”. On this day, the Sangha community would emerge from the forest after three months of Summer retreat coinciding with the Monsoon season to celebrate the completion of their meditation and report their progress to the Buddha. Thus, the day is viewed as Buddha's Joyful Day as the incidence of attaining enlightenment among the Sangha community during the retreat was high.

While originated in India, the Ullambana Festival inevitably assumes an overtone of Chinese culture as practiced by Chinese.

In Buddhist cosmology, there are six realms into which rebirth can take place: the three higher realms of Devas/Heavenly Beings, Human and Asura, and the three lower realms of Animal, Hungry Ghost, and Hell, an occurrence dictated by karma.

Venerable Chueh Fan regaled the attendees with ghost stories gleaned from the Buddhist sutras.

Through a slide presentation, Venerable Chueh Fan elaborated on the traits of each realm as follows:

Devas/Heavenly Beings
Populated by godlike beings who enjoy great power, wealth and long life, and live in splendor and happiness. These privileges and their exalted status blind them to the suffering of others. Thus, despite their longevity, they still grow old and die, and suffer from the lack of wisdom and compassion. Eventually, they will be reborn into another of the six realms.

Human
the only realm from which beings may escape from samsara, the cycle of rebirth. While enlightenment is within reach, only few open their eyes and recognize the potential. Rebirth into this realm is conditioned by passion, doubt, and desire.

Asura
These are strong and powerful beings, marked by their fierce envy, and are sometimes depicted as the enemies of the Devas. Hatred and jealousy would jettison a being into this realm.

Animal
Typified by prejudice, complacency, and lack of wisdom. They live sheltered lives, and avoid discomfort of anything unfamiliar. Rebirth into this realm is conditioned by ignorance.

Hungry Ghosts
Characterized by having huge, empty stomach, pinhole mouth, and thin and fragile throat. They always look outside themselves for the new thing that will satisfy the craving within. The realm is associated with insatiable hunger, addiction, obsession, and compulsion.

Hell
This is the most terrible of the six realms where inhabitants have a short fuse, easily angered. They drive away anyone who shows them love and kindness, and seek out the company of fellow hell beings. Unchecked anger and aggression can cause rebirth into the hell realm.

Venerable Chueh Fan then posed three questions for us to ponder, and briefly answered them as well:

Does everyone turn into ghost after death?
This is not taught by the Buddha, even though it is recognized as one of the realms. In short, karma is that which causes people to be ghosts.

Are our acts (karma) related to which realm we are reborn?
Yes, and the traits that preferentially condition rebirth into a particular realm are laid out above. As detailed in the Buddhist Karmic Rewards Sutra, these undesirable traits include:

The body has committed evil (Act Evil)
The mouth has committed evil (Speak Evil)
The mind has committed evil (Think Evil)
Greed
Covetousness
Fawning and Jealousy
Perverse ideas
Attachment and not letting go
Dying of starvation
Dying of thirst

How scary is a ghost?
There are good, and there are bad, ghosts, just like in the human world. While there are evil ghosts, the good ghosts number in the majority. More importantly, their “evilness” pale in comparison to the human atrocities that recur in the annals of our civilization. And ghosts are powerless against a kind human being of high morals as eloquently encapsulated in the Chinese saying: if we do no evil in the day, we need not worry about evil ghosts knocking on our door at night. On reflection, the ghosts outside of us are not nearly as frightening as the ghosts inside of us.

The anecdotes on the encounter and conversations between Maudgalyayana and the ghosts in the hell, as contained in the Maudgalyayana Sutra, enable us to glean the operation of the law of cause and effect (causality). For example, if we hit with a stick, we will have headaches. And if we do not help others when we are wealthy, we will sleep outdoors in the cold and rain.

A distinct feature of Halloween is the many different costumes. It is as if people already know what ghosts look like, extending their human perception and experience into the ghostly realm. By association, there are then as many different ghosts as there are different human characters. However, according to Abhidharma-nyayanusara, there are three kinds of ghosts: wealthy, not so wealthy, and poor. Then in Abhidharmamahavibhasa-sastra, ghosts are categorized into those with dignity and prominence, and those who are lacking in them. Then there are large and small ghosts, beautiful and ugly ghosts, and noble wealthy and lowly impoverished ghosts.

When concluding her Dharma session on the Buddhist view on Ghosts, Venerable Chueh Fan admonished us not to think about ghosts, but about Buddha, and about turning the human realm into Pureland. And this can be achieved by honestly and diligently working toward meaningful goals in life, rather than battling over superficial glory and illusory fame and ending up with a heap of old bones and a handful of dirt.

Differentiating Among the Four Urges to Have

Continuing from my previous post on Calming the Mind from Master Sheng Yen's book, I Send You My Blessings, this post deals with the Four Urges to Have as he further dissected the social psyche that has muddled our value system despite the advances we have made on the technology front. The flourish of materialism and the rapid upheavals in social structures result in our poor understanding, bordering on ignorance, of the four urges to have: need to have; love to have; able to have; and ought to have.

Instead, oneupmanship and herd mentality become the order of the day. The ensuing social ills are already a foregone conclusion. And in his lucid style, Master Sheng Yen went on to elaborate on the right frame of mind one should bring to bear on each of the urges: the courage, the wisdom, and the serenity to know their differences with clarity.

Need to Have versus Love to Have
Need to Have is meeting a genuine need the absence of which will compromise our continuing existence. It includes both material provisions such as the basic means of food, cloth, and shelter, and equally important, spiritual endowments such as happiness, peace of mind, and compassion, to name just a few.

On the other hand, Love to Have is nothing more than the expression of greed, our covetous nature coming to the fore. In a word, such wanting is superfluous, pandering to our vanity for cosmetic luxury at best. These wants are numerous, and the temptation is formidable. Then again, there are certain wants that are appropriate in the context of etiquette such as presentable attire and technological enhancements that help us to continue functioning in a modern world such as computers and mobile phones. The key word here is aptness in consonance with social norms but not flaunting.

There are really not too many needs that would make a life meaningful. Often it's subjectivity that makes us feel empty, unfulfilled, when we are devoid of them. When faced with a decision, it's easy to confuse the Need to Have and Love to Have. A simple example will suffice here.

When we are well to do, the natural inclination is to acquire things based on our perceived taste like purchasing a new model of shoes even though the ones we have are very much wearable, elevating a Love to Have to becoming the Need to Have. However, when we are financially strapped, we realize that life goes on as usual without having to keep up with the Joneses.

Able to Have versus Ought to Have
Able to Have is met through our efforts, earning and deserving the fruits of our labor. It's well within our capability, and is distinct from forcing the issue with chasing after fame, status, power, and the like. No doubt such social recognitions can be enticing, and have driven many up the social ladder. But wait a minute, do we really have the wherewithal to deserve such accolades? If we have not earned them, or the enabling conditions are inadequate, but we continue to delude ourselves as deserving, we will only end up being miserable and hurt.

As to Ought to have or not, it can be put into context when quoting a popular refrain among the youth of today: I like it, so I ought to have it. This is muddled thinking at its height. Our likes are boundless. Therefore it's imperative to ask ourselves instead: Do I ought to like it? Do I ought to have it? Fame is illusory when it's not due, and wealth is mere ill-gotten gain when it is not earned. Conversely, a deserving case can serve as an motivation.

How to balance these four urges to Have? Master Sheng Yen advised us to start from the environmental protection of the mind, insulating our mind from external pollution and strengthening our inner immunity against encroachments from without. At the same time, rid ourselves of envy, anger, second-guessing, selfishness and similarly negative thoughts that would only aggravate our predicament, and learn to monitor and introspect each arising thought, understanding our Need to Have, and dissipating our Love to Have.

If and when we are able to differentiate among these four urges to have, we will have a clear direction in life toward peace of mind and harmony.

Calming the Mind

We often use the dichotomy between the haves and have-nots to illustrate the chasm dividing the affluence and the destitute present in our society, even internationally. The underlying simmer of the malcontent is all but waiting to flare up given the slightest provocation. Thus, concepts such as spreading the wealth, prospering thy neighbor, affirmative action have emerged to correct such imbalance viewed largely from the standpoint of economics.

While not discounting the potential for remediation of such externally driven measures in social engineering, the Buddhist outlook on life stresses the right views as the foundation of a calm mind as succinctly embodied in the Heart Sutra and eloquently captured in the booklet (in Chinese) translated as I send You My Blessings by Master Sheng Yen who has amalgamated the gems of Buddhist wisdom embodied in the Heart Sutra, the Pu Men Pin and the Greast Compassionate Mantra. These are:

1) The three-generational causality
His Highness Dalai Lama was once asked why those who have committed wrong deeds did not receive karmic retribution while those who have done virtuous deeds have not been showered with karmic blessings, to which he replied, “That is because you don't believe in the past and the future life. When you do, you will realize that all the pieces will fall into place when the apparent injustice is viewed from the totality of the three-generational causality whence your indignation will subside.”

Other than accepting the karmic fruits due to us, the notion of three-generational causality also includes making vows and their attribution, which behooves us to always persevere and do our best regardless of our circumstances.

2) The Pseudo combination of the Four Great Elements
Our life is comprised of five elements, divided into the physical and the spiritual. The physical category refers to our body that is made up of earth, water, fire, and wind. These do not exist before birth, but are formed when we are born, from the fetus to the adult form. The Pseudo combination refers to the continuously evolving state of our body, constantly changing.

In addition to our body, all matters are typified by impermanence, contrasting life and death, possession and loss. Precisely because of the carousel of life, death, possession, and loss, our life continues to grow. Therefore, regardless of whether we are here to receive our karmic dues, or to actualize our vows, we must manage life beneficially by being at ease with ourselves, joyous at what life throws at us, and facing life's challenges come what may.

3) The Emptiness of the Five Aggregates
The Five Aggregates or Skandas (form, sensation, perception, volition, and consciousness) are not intrinsic by themselves. Because of our egos and selfish nature, our life as constituted by the five aggregates is thus formed, and so is the ensuing numerous karmic retributions. However, Buddha knew that life itself is no better than the five aggregates, being plagued by impermanence, constantly shuffling between life and death and changing between thoughts. In this life of mutability, only wisdom remains invariant. Hence, it is admonished in the Heart Sutra that we should use Buddha's wisdom to see through the emptiness of the five aggregates.

However, a great majority of us are blind to the universality of impermanence, ignorant of causality, oblivious to conditional arising, and hence are afflicted by attachment that is manifest in wanting the unnecessary, coveting the undeserving, and chasing after the unattainable. As a consequence, crime abounds, ushering in the next generation of karmic retribution.

Conversely, a man of wisdom would not forcibly acquire things that are beyond him, nor obsess with wishes. If by chance the wish comes true, one would readily give to others in an effort to alleviate others' suffering. This is compassion born out of wisdom, one that puts others' benefits before anything else and one that would ensure absolute peace and harmony.

Kathina: A Robe Offering Celebration

We attended the robe offering celebration organized by Dhamma Wheel Meditation Society (DWMS) at Clearwater on the morning of Nov 8, 2008. Unlike the previous year when the event was held outdoor under a makeshift tent, this time it was held in the premises of Unity Church located next door, thanks to Leddy Hammock, Spiritual Leader and her congregation.

In his opening speech, Bhante Dhammawansha, the resident monk of DWMS, welcomed all attendees to this auspicious occasion, which was preceded by healing chanting held last night and which would also include Taking the Refuge in the Three Jewels and Five Precepts Ceremony. The Kathina Celebration is held for the laity to venerate the Sangha after the traditional three-month raining retreat stretching from June 15 to Sep 15, the Monsoon season in India by giving alms to meet their basic needs so that the Sangha could devote fully to practicing and propagating the Dharma. Such provisions could include clothing, food, and shelter. Hence the robe offering celebration. The robes are a 25-century old tradition for Buddhist monks, a noble and humbling attire that underlies the simplicity of their existence.

It is also an occasion for sharing between the Sangha (spiritual experience) and the laity (providing a conducive environment for the spread of the Dharma), and at the same time for exulting the inter-dependence and unity between them. The robe offering celebration is also meant to remember the departed and to offer blessings for the sick and needy.

While we value rights, Buddha focused on duties and taught that when we carry out our duties, rights are automatically imputed.

During the occasion, eight attendees also participated in the Taking the Refuge in the Triple Gems (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) ceremony by taking vows to abide by the five precepts (no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, and no intoxication), which constitute the five basic Buddhist code of ethics. In practice, Taking the Refuge is actually taking refuge within oneself by becoming virtuous. Each refuge taker was given a certificate of appreciation that bears his/her Pali Dharma name with special connotation for wisdom, rightfulness, loving kindness, etc., traits that are embraced and held in high regard in Buddhism.

The Sangha filing out from the premises of DWMS on their way to Unity Church located across the carpark.

The devotees lining up to give alms, in this case, food, to the Sangha, each with an alms bowl in hand.

Bhante Dhammawansha delivering the welcoming speech.

The lunch in session, the devotees delivering various food items by turn to the Sangha.

The devotee's turn to feast.

Gift offering.

The Taking the Refuge in the Triple Gem ceremony.


The devotees receiving the blessed water and string bracelets.

Living Right

Due to the schedule conflict of our Dharma teacher, the monthly Dharma session organized by Middle Way Buddhist Association for September has to be canceled, leaving a kind of momentary void in my journey on the Buddhist path. Fortunately, I have started reciting the Heart Sutra, a highly condensed version of 260 Chinese characters that captures the essence of Buddhism, every morning. For now, I still need to refer to the text but am in the process of committing the full text to memory. That will enable me to recite the Sutra any time I want: during driving, a break in work, lying on the bed prior to sleep, etc. In fact, at all occasions.

Reciting the Heart Sutra grants one serenity. More importantly, one should incorporate these gems of life into one's daily life, as befitting the role of a practitioner. Refrain from craving, live for the here and now, but in the sense that we appreciate what we already have, and maintain mindfulness and not sway with the changing environment in a wild goose chase.

Just like an old automobile, I'm now approaching the equivalent stage when the effect of wear and tear, the grind of living, is surfacing at an alarming rate. The scourge of old age such as hypertension, diabetics, all manners of cancer, now looms large.

In these trying times, periodic health examination is essential to detecting any such health impairment from rearing its ugly head, with dire consequences both emotionally and financially.

Equally important is the need for controlled nutritional intakes and well-executed exercise regime. I have now realized that hitherto my food has been overly loaded with carbohydrates, sugar and fats, though I also consume enough food high in protein and fiber. So, for sometime now, Wify, my chief and only nutritionist, has adopted the following regimen:

Breakfast: two slices of whole grain bread spread thinly with Omega 3-rich butter and organic peanut butter, half a cup of unsweet coffee.

Lunch: fried brown rice/porridge cooked with celery, mushroom (when on vegetarian diet) and bay scallops, accompanied by a small serving of vegetable, taufo, and sometimes, scrambled egg, a cup of green tea, and later, a combination of seedless grapes, an over-ripe (one that displays black dots on the skin) banana, one organic apple and other fruits of the day.

Dinner: brown rice, more vegetable, a serving of Coho (wild) Salmon fillet or farmed-raised Tilapia or chicken breast (white) meat, and water. All the food is prepared with Olive oil with minimum seasoning.

Supper: one organic apple or other fruits (star fruits, grapes, pears).

We cut down on eating out, or at most going for vegetarian fried rice, for me, from Chinese Food outlets. And for me, no cakes, no ice-cream, no Sodas, no candy (OK, maybe indulge in some teeny weeny morsel of dark chocolate).

Talking about on vegetarian diet, I'm now following Wify's regimen of ten days in a month as recommended in Buddhist practice, with the ultimate aim of going full-time on this positive life habit, not only at the personal level, but also for the greater good of the environment, one day.

Mentally, one needs brain food too, and maintains an even keel. That means no temper flashes, no petty squabbles, to speak kind words, harbor kind thoughts, give to others, be happy for others, be grateful of what one has, and engage in wholesome and mind simulating hobbies (I read and write while Wify draws and paints).

I'm now realizing the long-term benefits inherent in the above life style: losing weight, feeling lighter and more alert, controlled glucose level, less incidence of short breaths, heart pounding, and the like, not to mention a drastic reduction, if not total elimination, of face turning red, heated spousal arguments, and temper flaring. In place, there is general family bliss, amicable working relationship, and courtesy on the road (I used to feel outraged when a car cuts into my lane and would attempt to “even the score” so to speak. But now I just wave the driver to go ahead, rationalizing that the driver obviously has more pressing matters to attend to. Also, I have stopped my habit of tail-gating, preferring to follow at a respectable distance from behind.).

It really can be a life-changing experience, literally. Try it sometimes, if you are not already on it.