The Funeral of the principal Mum

I was being asked to attend the principal Mum's funeral, and I went yesterday with a bunch of SP students.
I was the only person in full white attire where others are in black. LOL... anyway, I've learned much.

Firstly,I find that the new generation lacks something call "respect" and "礼". They didn't know the purpose and the moral value behind all these chinese customs that we chinese follow. The laughed, made chatted loudly and doesn't seem to be attending a funeral. I think the whole singapore casket can hear their laughters and chatters. They are ignorant of chinese values and practices and of course, they wouldn't find it disgraceful for not knowing anything and instead they find these practices ignorant. I think, it's just something wrong with the value these young people held, and who was responsible for it? Our educational system? Or the parents who dunno how to educate their kids?!

2ndly, the new generation mostly does not have virtues, like 饮水思源。They lack gratitude towards people. I didn't really know what these young people felt within them towards all this unfamiliar practices, where they should be familiar because they are a chinese. But what I felt was, I should attend this funeral with sincerity and respect. It's not my relative though, but thinking this way, it was the principals Mum, and where were we studying? SP. We get to learn in SP, we acquire new knowledge, the school teachers and including the principal are trying to teach us very good values and skills which will be very beneficial to us, example, the SP core value, which many does not really see the benefits. This is how shallow people are nowadays. And then, What made me today, is my teachers, the place I am educated, thus, I is right for my to show respects to he principal, he is just one of the benefactor, and now his mum has passed away. It is right for us to show our concern over the matter.

These group of people are called "students leader" but I see what virtue to they possess to be a leader even? If you cannot understand and feel the pain of others, how well are you being a leader?

My way of defining right and worng might be different, or say different in value with this modern society. But putting it in this way, if you are treated the way, how you treated others, how will you feel? Looking from this way, out of concern of others, somethings is ought not to be done. Then the next question will be, do you concern? when you want to be concerned and cared?

As simple as that, but people are just ignorant about virtues and thus, they cause unhappiness for themselves and others as well. This is where wise and the foolish draws the line. The wise undestood the causes of happiness but the fool doesn't sees, and when their actions ripe, they get all the negativities back, they complaint, they mourn, they find no ease, or the way out. Virtue is the first thing which makes a human like a human. People with no virtues simply not human, we always say "不是人" to bad ppl and thats how it comes about.

Putting complaints aside, after all the nagging, I can't do much about it but all I can is to not learnt these bad ways and put myself in the right way.

It made me reflected upon the truth of life, death. Maranam. there is a reflection which goes like this, "I will soon die as well, I have no doubts about it." When time's come, this body of mine will soon be laid inside the wooden box call coffin.
2 things to ponder upon. so where does all feelings and desire stands in the face of death? Material wealth seems to be out when death comes. even relatives, love ones. none belongs to the dead, and soon i wil be dead, thus this possession will be gone.

Let me see my past life soon, seeing this repeat cycle, it seems not worthy to stay on, and the samsara is dangerous. In this countless rebirths, what happiness I had not get? what sorrow I had not been through? In fact, i just lacked nthing much, just being not satisfied only. The buddha says that the amount tears which beings had is more than the sea.

Thus, should I forgo and go forth?

Buddhism begins where science ends

“Science can give no assurance herein. But Buddhism can meet the Atomic Challenge, because the supramundane knowledge of Buddhism begins where science leaves off. And this is clear enough to anyone who has made a study of Buddhism. For, through Buddhist Meditation, the atomic constituents making up matter have been seen and felt, and the sorrow, or unsatisfactoriness (or Dukkha), of their 'arising and passing away' (dependent on causes) has made itself with what we call a 'soul' or 'atma' - the illusion of Sakkayaditthi, as it is called in the Buddha's teaching.”

Egerton C. Baptist,
"Supreme Science of the Buddha"

My life

Compared to many, I am living in a good condition. I didn't face family problems, financially stable, and able to met with wise teachers who made who am I today.
Seeing some of them need to work for family sake, I got to tell myself, I got to cherish what I have now.

I had the chance to know Dhamma, that treasure which leads to the destruction of all suffering. It's a feeling hard to describe, when seeing other people in the mist of delusion and the lack of skill to see the Dhamma, and they fall into unnecessary suffering which they can actually avoid.

I do face with unhappiness, sorrow, sadness. I had my greatest bad habit. Late and laziness. I can sleep and refuse to wake up, and it cause burden to ALL the people around me. This are homework which I need to do. But I am grateful that, at least, I am able bring the cause of suffering to the least, as far I can achieve. I thank myself for accumulating merit in the past, so which helps me to see the truth and the ability to learn and understand fast and not that deluded.

To be able to see things which people doesn't really see or understand, that mind that "clicks" fast, sees far, helps me to accomplish things which could be hard to some. I am aware of all that, and since I know all this, I am grateful, and that willingness to live rightly, to train myself in discipline and restrain without the need to be scolded or pushed by others, the determination to stay awake and firm when the mind began to shake, enable my to grow in every moment, esp. Unpleasant moments. That time span of unhappiness was brought to the minimal as much as possible, and without walking the hard way of getting out of hand with all this Dukkha, I learn.

Why? Although its not perfect, Life is not perfect for me, I am still grateful. To live in Singapore, middle class, see Dhamma, there is friends, I am so lucky.
There are things I doesn't have, a nice look, a nice voice, a nice well built body, people who really understands me, a life partner, a lifestyle of class, parents with fine taste and far sighted, but this things made me unsatisfied with what I had.

Satisfaction, is the end. Contentment. Contented is happiness. With contentment, I'll be satisfied from all wants. But too bad la, there are times, I felt, not enough. Haha... But sometimes, I felt...Enough.

Slowly bah, I'm much satisfied with things, and I am really grateful for what I had and experiences, soon I'll see and be contented. Still a person who stuck in craving and desire, although less. There'r still more dhamma for me to dig. That light was partial. small strik of light only. But a glimpse of it really clears a lot of wrong ideas.

Many couldn't understand, why am I so into Dhamma, Buddhism and stuffs. Its not interest, not faith, not because I believe in Buddha or what. It's just because of experience. Not experience of feeling, but able to see beyond feelings. If it's an experience of feeling, well... Another delusion, as one still doesn't know, what is "feeling", who are "you" in Reality. And they chase and stuck in delusion of the world and missed all the pots of gold beside the running track.

I love my culture. Chinese culture, but many in Singapore just can't be bothered, as they had much more "important" things like, career, studies (due to career, personal relationships and FUN. But some of them, appreciated it, though, nt into it. and thats why, I must exist! LOL, so that those enthu one will stir the wind, and those who appreciates can hop on. =)

Neh, another attachment.Haha... but those who got eyes to see will find the beauty of it. It's really beautiful. How I wish, if chinese can be like japanese or koreans, they way they guarded their culture. Its a misfortune that the chinese went through histories which leads to the destruction of culture. Just like north korea, I think nthing much about "Korean" can be in there. Hope the chinese culture revolutionist can be a success =)

I remember, in one of the suttas, the Buddha says, " to reside in a suitable locality, to have done meritrious deeds in the past, to have set oneself on the right path, this is the highest blessing". Indeed, compared to blessings which people always earns for, these are Real Blessings, higest blessings.

How should I complain? Living in singapore, I am secure, safe, got educated, thus culture can grow, other things can grow. People complaint stress and blah blah, but stress can be managed actually, it depends on each individual, not the government. If peaceful life without effort, so call no need to work so much, pay so much, those people I say, are simply irresponsible and and lazy people who wish to seat under the tree and wait for the rabbit to hop towards their net! Those who knows how to enjoy everything they are in, are true happy people. Contented people are happy people. Singapore only have one thing very imperfect, moral education. If those ppl out there are morally educated, they should learn to be grateful than to complaint without thinking, what can they do for the country instead.

Hmm...1 word. grateful. eh... but... not really contented in some ways...Haha...

My 19th Birthday

Time had passed quickly, and I think this blog is about 2 years old plus?
My 2nd birthday blog.

I get to celebrate my birthday for 3 times this year. 1 from BS, 1 from by dearest friends, and 1 from my family. I appreciate all the efforts and sincerity to celebrate my birthday.

The celebrated the first one on Mooncake Festival. A nice Ice-cream cake brought to me by swenseens. I think it was bought by Yi ping? Hmm... Thanks... Finally, someone had brought surprises for me. Haha...

I always like secretly support, Or to do something for other's sake behind them. Some say I think too much, but maybe because of this shortcoming, I might bring some warmth to people as I decipher the meanings behind each action and reaction?

The 2nd one was with my family, we went to "zheng fa Live seafood" at marina bay to eat steamboat. I knew tat place due to helen. Nice steamboat actually, but we didn't take the life animals... Its kinda lesson of life there, where u see how the crabs and prawns are being slaughtered, den u learn arh... Better dun do that, they look pitiful. Perfect day as well. Blessed. Maybe normally I dun get peace, there is always troubles from those people, which I still don't understand why things seems so hard for them, or are they just reluctant. But compared to the rest in the past, they are the best already.

I was grateful that at least, on the few days b4 and after my birthday, things are going smooth and good. I can lead my life peacefully without worrying about them.

3rd one was by them =).. Nice card and...Pepper and salt holder? It's a kind of art piece to me and I like it, suitable for my taste... I mean, if it were me, I will choose such pepper and salt holder for myself too. Nice hugging pepper and salt, does it imply that, people with different contents can come together harmoniously too? Just like how the 2 bottles hugged? May I wish that those who had come together shall not fall apart. May friends never become enemies and be loving towards each others always. May people who had fallen apart, soon come together harmoniously.

It really ease my heart. The greatest gift was nt that porcelain pepper holder sculpture, but the ease to my heart lo. I am glad that, you people are still with me. I hope someday, you shall sort out your thoughts within ok. Search back the true self, which is good and pure. I trust all of you, as friends forever. Human in nature is good, it is due to fear or greed or hate or delusion that one do bad things.

For my birthday, I'll say, as a person who understood that hatred never appease hatred will not whole grudges. My decisions, actions and behaviour was for the benefit for you as well as the overall, as far as I can think, as far as I know of. My stern appearance and strict and hard comments is never meant to hate or dislike you as a person. I wished that everyone can realise and see the big picture and not the small, so that you don't get the wrong idea which it can make you feel bad.

Anyway, its a birthday worth to remember. Its meaningful, its a reflection. May all be well and happy. May you be victorious and wise. May BS soon be a place which brings the Dhamma and its committee be capable, upright and wise, willing to do for the benefit for others.