[Maṅgala Saying]Who Can Understand Your Mind?
A video from afar
With only a few words
Could convey his care
He is both a teacher and a father
If we compare the true love in our world
Who is better than he,
Who has selflessness and non-self
And gives genuinely
The teacher does not say much
Neither does the disciple
Their thoughts have been delivered through the mind
The best I could do (is to pursue the teachings of the teacher) for the rest of my life
Who can understand your mind?
Only those who understand the Dhamma
When can we understand your mind?
Perhaps perhaps
when the Dhamma spreads throughout the world.
(A memorable dialogue with Pak Auk Sayadawgyi)
[Maṅgala Saying]The Story of the Elephant
A long time ago
He was a baby elephant
Teasing the little lambs as he pleased
and having fun playing with water
Then he learned to pick fruits
and divided the fruits equally
The males complained of unfairness
The females complained of insufficiency
When he grew up, he carried goods
and everyone’s pots
“Why didn’t you carry the shovel?”
“Why are you always lazy?”
When conditions came, he became an elephant guide
Bearing hardship without complaints
When he held up his trunk slightly
The little bear blamed him for being rude
The present is not as good as the past
He spends his days with dignity and more caution
Little words can hurt people
but it’s difficult to be silent while leading
He slowly learned to utter kind words
and often felt tongue-tied
Sacrificing oneself for others every day
His aspirations rose every night
He recalled the little elephant back then
and missed the far-away sheep
but he hoped to go forth to seek the ambition
in a carefree manner
[Maṅgala Saying]Gone Through Hardships
I remember when I first entered school when I was young, the homework that the teacher gave us was writing. I had to write a traditional Chinese character of “learn” in an exercise book with large squares. This was nothing difficult for children who had gone through one to two years of kindergarten. However, due to a family crisis, I only went to a kindergarten for a bit more than a month and could not hold the pencil properly. To be asked to write such a difficult word, I was so anxious that I almost cried.
I remember what my mother asked me then. “My dear son, did you have a hard time climbing the hill that day?”
I answered, “It’s hard to climb the first time. It’s tiring! There are lots of grass and the road is not well-marked. There’s even a little steep slope and I sweat and pant a lot!”
My mother continued, “How did you feel when you reached the top of the hill?”
I replied, “Mother, it was flat on top of the hill and I could see quite far out. When the breeze came, I felt very comfortable.”
My mother said, “Dear son, everything is difficult at the beginning. As long as you can learn slowly and patiently, it won’t be difficult later on. You won’t get the results if you do not put in hard work. Dear son, learn properly. I know you can do it!”
When I had the opportunity to bring my disciples to climb and wade in the snow mountains, I remembered what my mother told me when I faced my first challenge in life. She taught me not to retreat when I face problems but rather overcome the obstacles wisely and patiently.
Dear disciples, hold on and persevere! The direction and method given to us by the Buddha are the best.
On days without me, remember to let the Buddha’s teaching light up your life!
You’re all good. Keep it up!
[Maṅgala Saying]Walk Out from the Bondage of Love
If you were a bird
You should have a sky
If you were a lamb
You should have your prairie
O’human, what kind of love
Makes you sigh helplessly
O’human, are you still dreaming
Of a genuine love
The Buddha’s compassion is genuine love
An unconditional love
Without painful cause or painful effect
With only the cool fruit of the Dhamma
O’human, don’t blame that selfish love
Which makes you suffer and uneasy
O’human, let it become emptiness
And let it come and go like a cloud
[Maṅgala Saying]A Special Perspective – Drowning Helplessly in the Sea of Suffering, Resurfacing with the Understanding of Causes and Conditions.
Reading the message received in my WeChat requesting for guidance on a family tragedy, I sighed with feelings in my heart but I have no ability to help although I wish to.
When I see people being in situations where both actions and inactions cause harm, being a monk, I can’t point things out too directly or clearly.
I can only say that devotees themselves should see the current bad and worse circumstances and options clearly and should comprehend what the positive causes are which they can put in, how they could act according to the Dhamma as well as how to face the relevant internal and external causes and conditions as they really are to incline towards the best or at least not the worst possible result.
Hence, because I have a limited grasp of the actual situation, I could only prompt in this manner:
Causes and conditions arise and cease.
Even though there are lots of helplessness in kamma, we must ensure that our mind and causes at that moment remain wholesome.
If actions or inactions at the present moment cannot make the matter better, then, try to make a choice between bad and worse.
No matter what, the present causes and our present mind must be tolerant and compassionate.
It would be best if we could avoid bad things at present but if we can’t, we must protect our mind. We must repent to the Triple Gem and make aspirations, cultivate wholesome mind and causes during moments of difficulties wisely and courageously and earnestly hope that better days would soon arrive.
Wishing all who are suffering would endure hardships with wisdom, courage and compassion and to get the blessings from the wise, the benevolent, Devas and Nagas. Wishing all who are suffering would see the truth of the cycle of rebirth and walk the bright path away from suffering towards happiness, under the guidance of the Dhamma soon.
[Maṅgala Saying]See Things As They Really Are
How much one can do depends on the causes and conditions available
How much good one can bear depends on one’s deserving power
The number of wholesome results depends on the number of wholesome causes
Seeing things as they really are, is the natural path of the truth
Let us appreciate the causes and conditions when they are present
And do not force when they disperse
Besides a mind of wisdom, we need to have compassion and put forth effort in the causes
Seeing things as they really are, is the natural path of the truth
[Maṅgala Saying]A Special Perspective
When we know how to look at things from a different perspective, our mind will naturally be broader.
The noblest perspective requires the power of morality, concentration and wisdom. Only then can one penetrate the delusion of all forms to gain insight into the truth, so as to gradually liberate from the bondage of ignorance and stay away from the causes of suffering and suffering itself.
[Maṅgala Saying]Bless You with the Energy of the Sunlight
Some say that the dark clouds in the picture shared among the circle of friends seem terrifying.
Today, I’ll send some radiating sunlight to everyone, hoping it will bring along the energy of the sunlight.
Actually, there is only a difference of several minutes between the appearance of dark clouds and the radiating light.
Many a times, aren’t our lives just like this?
When our kamma is at its lowest and when our mind is suffering, if we can guard the present and the Dhamma as well as endure the moment, the favourable or unfavourable turns in life would probably be very different.
The life of a monastic and the propagation of the Dhamma do have their own challenges as well.
The clouds gather and they disperse. When we know that everything is impermanent, we won’t be overly upset no matter how bad our sufferings are.
[Maṅgala Saying]The Difference of Seeing Things as They Really are
Teamwork is great. A team needs people with different competencies and merits.
Some people treat others gently all the time, giving others convenience. When they face difficulties, there would always be someone to help them out. They could make the people who are tough to deal with very patient when dealing with them, just by being simple, without a scheming mind.
Some people say, “It’s not fair! Why do different people get different treatment?”
I reply: “Unfair results stem from unfair causes. If we only look at the result and not the causes, our mind would naturally feel the situation is unfair. When we switch our mind and expand the time and space of our mind’s eyes to cover cause and effect, then everyone and everything we see and meet will be clear and reasonable. It’s because everything has its own causes and conditions. When we understand this, it would be easier for us to endure and accept the differences of favourable and unfavourable turns in life between people.
Understanding the auspiciousness of “past wholesome merits”, travellers who wish to gain support from meritorious people in their path ahead should cherish the present opportunities to accumulate merits and wholesome causes. No matter what, they would not regard performing wholesome acts to be troublesome.
[Maṅgala Saying]Aspiration
Who is sighing in the rainy night
Sobbing non-stop, making it hard for oneself
Thinking of the game he is addicted to
Wishing he would see clearly and wake up soon
Although the Triple Gem has spoken lots
People are still addicted to short-term obsessions
Thousands and millions of words
Who knows when the conditions of Dhamma would be complete
Who is making an aspiration in the starry night
So genuine and endlessly far
Recalling the Buddha’s ancient aspiration
Fearlessly far, fearlessly slow and fearlessly difficult
The rain has not stopped, the wind has not subsided but
the clouds have gone far away
All that is left is the aspiration to salvage with compassion
Promises, aspirations
Who knows when the conditions of Dhamma would be complete