Just a passerby trying to enjoy his journey: October 2010

Saturday, October 30, 2010

One New Experience Each Week - Halloween @ Universal Studio Singapore

It was quite spooky and fun.

But this still can't beat the spontaneous fun of dressing up & partying along Castro Street in San Francisco City during Halloween.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Priorities

Recently, a good friend asked if I am going to sign up for full Ironman next year, I told him probably not, as my health is a concern, and more importantly, my priorities have shifted.

Then he asked what are my priorities, and after some thinking, I listed the followings:

1. Spending more quality time with family and friends

2. Sharpening my investment skill

3. Doing more volunteering work

4. Enriching myself with the wisdom of the world

5. More time for meditation

6. Learning to be happy and grateful every moment

(Taken in Rajasthan Desert)

In the quest for happiness...

& Enjoying my short journey...

Monday, October 25, 2010

One New Experience Each Week - Malacca

The last time I visited Malacca was 16 years ago, and Malacca had recently became an UNESCO World Heritage Site. I had a great makan trip, even though I did not eat much as I am still a vegetarian. At the end of the day, it is the company that really matters.

Eating Peranakan Food in one of the old shophouses.

Old Door

Modernity

Blue Rice - Peranakan Dumpling

Selling outside a traditional Clan house

Old & Rustic

My Favourite Quote

"Let Go and Be at Peace"

Zen Buddhism

Saturday, October 16, 2010

One New Experience Each Week - Dharma Talk by a Caucasian Nun

Just attended a talk by Venerable Thubten Chodron on the "Impermanence: Coping with Change". Well, idea of the Impermanence of Life seems simple at the surface, and yet it is extremely profound as it encompasses almost everything in Life. More importantly, it helps me tremendously to see and understand the Reality of Life, and learn to be at peace with it.

Below is a summary of a part of the Dharma Talk:

The Venerable shared the death of an inmate, who was executed about 15 hours ago. She had been communicating with Don for the past 4 years, and Don became a Buddhist while in a Oklahoma Prison. Don was sentenced to Death Row for a crime that he committed in 1996. Read the story.

Don admitted to the Venerable that he was not a good man (dealing with drugs etc..), however, he was not the murderer. According to the Venerable, there are too many loopholes and doubts in the case, and she believes that he is innocent. Unfortunately, the Parole rejected his appeal. Read the story.

Don faced extreme anger and self-pity issues. He kept asking "Why Me?", as he felt that he was innocent. The Venerable woke him up by asking him not to waste time in self-pitying, and to spend the rest of his limited him on Dharma practice. For many years, he could not reconcile with his sisters - his only family (his parents were dead), and his sisters never visited him. A few months ago, Don let go of his anger and called up his sisters to show his love for them. It was a turning point for his sisters and him.

One of his sisters, who are staunch Christians, thanked the Venerable for changing her brother. What is Don's fear? He was afraid that he would not hear the Dharma in his next life or his next reincarnation. And 2 minutes before the execution, Don talked about Compassion and was chanting "Om Mani Padme Hum" until his last breath. Read part of the Story.

While the Venerable was sharing the story, I felt connected to Don. He is just like anyone of us - capable of making mistakes, making wrong judgement, ignorant, scared of death, wants to love and be loved, and most importantly, he just wants Happiness. I did not see him as an inmate, but a Human Being like me.

The Venerable candidly said that everybody in the hall is on death row, just that we were not as fortunate as Don, as we were not given a date to prepare for our death. Despite his death, Don's story has taught us Dharma, which is a way of accumulating good Karma.

We ended the Dharma Talk in Mass Meditation and sending our Merits to Don.

Hoping that Don will have the good fortune of listening to Dharma again.

Thank You Don!

Om Mani Padme Hum.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

One New Experience Each Week - Sheesha

First time smoking a Sheesha

It was better to be late than never.

Definitely more enjoyable than smoking Cigarette or Cigar, but definitely more harmful.

One New Experience Each Week - SOKA Wedding

Went to my first SOKA wedding last weekend.

Despite being exposed to various Buddhist Traditions, I was quite surprised on how the wedding was being conducted. I have learnt not to make any judgement on things that I am not familiar with. Fortunately, I had some understandings about SOKA prior to the wedding, so I could appreciate it better.

Goodbye G, hope you had a good journey.

A close friend (K) of mine just informed me the death of G, whom I got to know through K while we were in University. G was smart and hardworking, and excelled well academically. Even though G was only an acquaintance, I was sadden by the news. I could still remember seeing G studying really hard in library in preparation for exams. My impression of G was a bright, hardworking and pleasant guy. He had a bright future ahead of him. Apparently, he was discussing about buying property a month ago. Unfortunately, his journey was ended abruptly by an accident in England during a business trip. It is such a waste.

Life is indeed fragile.

Hope he had a good journey.

May he find peace.

Life is indeed impermanent.

“The next life or tomorrow - we can never be certain which will come first”

- Tibetan Proverb

It will be a total waste of life not to live it fully and meaningfully.