Dhamma Earth 法域

Life is short. No matter how good life is, it’s just like a double rainbow, disappearing after a while. We should really not let trivial matters distract us from the more important things in life – listening to the Dhamma, a precious opportunity to change our mode in the cycle of rebirth brought to us by gaining the life of a human.

Do we let ourselves float uncontrollably in the cycle of rebirth or do we seize a valuable opportunity and continue our journey towards brightness until we are completely free from suffering?

In this era with information explosion and confusing desires, Buddhist disciples should focus on their direction and clear comprehension of purpose, to ensure we do not easily sway from the Dhamma path.

When we broaden our horizons, we will have a better understanding of how to grasp the current opportunities and values.

Upon receiving my student’s meditation practice report and well wishes, I felt deeply relieved.

The focus on meditation practice lies in the process. That’s the place where one accumulates causes. If one could let go of one’s thoughts on people and self, gains and losses, sufferings and happiness; let go of the utilitarian mind of not diligently working on the causes yet seeking results and not squabble over trifles with teachers and fellow practitioners but rather focus on the purification of the mind, putting in the right causes and following the Dhamma well, then the present life of a monastic would be filled with the Dhamma.

Starting on a journey, it’s not how long you’ve been walking but whether you’re walking the right path. When you’re on the right path, you will never ask why you haven’t gotten anything?

Cause and effect is true. Wholesome Dhamma practitioners do not blame the results because their focus is on their present mind and present cause, letting the effect be as it is. They don’t suffer no matter what they experience at the present but rather, they are at ease.

We are connected although we are far away when Dhamma is in our minds.

May everyone be safe, happy, healthy, and have progress. May your noble wishes be perfected just like the Dhamma.

Wesak Day was once my beautiful memory of youth.

Various celebrations by Young Buddhist Association Malaysia (YBAM), Seck Kia Eenh (Malacca Buddhist Association) and Malacca Buddhist Center, which include float processions, Buddhist quizzes, elocution contests, Buddhist hymns contests, etc., left beautiful prints in my youthful memories. Several years later, with the change in my identity, Wesak Day has become a celebrative event with the Saṅgha led by me, and a day of service when I share the Dhamma, guide meditation and bless the devotees.

There were years when I spent Wesak day silently in retreat, away from the secular world. Those were the good years I spent in retreat far away in the mountains and caves.

When my role changed, the celebrating method changed too but what didn’t change was the profound respect for the Buddha.

This year, the external conditions for Wesak day seem different.

Currently, the world is undergoing a battle without weapons, with an invincible enemy which can exist around us anytime, invading the humans’ bodies. This enemy is so small that you can’t see but is so strong that no superpower countries, powerful people or successful leaders could underestimate its existence.

Suddenly, “gathering”, “close contact”, “socializing” have become things people fear. “Social distancing”, “staying at home”, “restriction” have become manifestations of patriotism and cherishment of friends.
So this year, how do we celebrate the noble birth, enlightenment and parinibbāna of Lord Buddha?

According to “Mahāparinirvāna-sūtra”, just when the Buddha entered parinibbāna, when people extol the Buddha through Mandarava flowers, sandalwood and heavenly music, the Buddha turned around and said to Ananda, “These forms of respect are good…, but the noblest respect to the Buddha is for the Buddhist disciples to walk the noble path and act in accordance to the Dhamma.”

Hence, we have to “eliminate greed, hatred, delusion and cultivate morality, concentration and wisdom” and elevate our lives through working on the causes!

This year, let us continue our wholesome act of giving, observing our precepts and meditating to show our respect to the Buddha. Let us continue cherishing all beings and live out the Buddha’s teachings as a way to respect the Buddha.

Let us take this year’s test as an opportunity and a revelation, reflect deeply on the suffering of the saṃsāra, causes and conditions of suffering, the hope of cessation of suffering as well as the method of cessation of suffering.

Let us work hard on the causes to eliminate all causes of suffering from our minds and overcome all greed, hatred, delusion of our body, speech and mind. May the world soon wake up to the ancient message of the Buddha “Bhikkhus, let me now address you: conditioned phenomena are subject to disintegration, [therefore] strive with diligence.”

Epidemic prevention should live out the wisdom of the cause and effect of epidemic prevention.

Yet, disasters come and go, but the truth of saṃsāra does not change. Hence, the pace of the elevation of life should not change too.

May we continue to work hard and grow in the Dhamma to offer the highest respect to the Buddha on Wesak day this year.

Before thinking of undertaking the affairs of the world, it would be great if we first restrain and protect ourselves and not add on problems to our family, relatives, teachers, friends, society, country and the world.

Are self-restraint and self-protection so difficult?

It’s merely five precepts.

Stop doing things that hurt.

Pursue wholesome and beneficial matters.

Purify our mind.

These were taught by all the Buddhas.

If humans are self-centred, they would think of their gains and losses and could not bear with even a little grievance.

It’s not difficult to make ourselves better. If we think that everyone will die one day and that everything will pass, our mind will be broader.

When we have the affinity to meet people, we should think of how we can leave behind wholesome causes and conditions, irregardless of how many conflicts we have experienced. Causes and conditions arise and cease. There is nothing to hold on to, but there are opportunities to make good use of them.

May people in the world mutually encourage one another.

I send my well wishes to those who are suffering and lost!

Recently, I went back to school and found that men and women have great differences. When the teacher let us off from the lesson earlier, I felt great. It was the same feeling of leaving school earlier when I was younger, although it was not that I do not cherish the learning opportunity. However, the Japanese girl in my class found out that the lessons in other classes were much faster than ours and felt that she must catch up through self-learning. She was very motivated.

When I think about it, it is not difficult to understand why female meditators are generally more hardworking but at the same time easily influenced or motivated by the progress of others.

Whether something is good or bad depends on the final overall result. The key is whether our motivation is mixed with the causes of suffering from attachment.

Let go of the differences between men and women. After we understand the law of kamma which the Buddha preached, we don’t have to have mood fluctuation because of external influence. Kamma belongs to each individual. All we have to do is take good care of our causes. No matter how people treat us, we treat them back with loving-kindness (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), appreciative joy (muditā) and equanimity (upekkhā).

All beings are different, the causes and conditions of previous rebirths are also different. Let us send our good wishes to others, base our motivation on reality, and take good care of our causes. When we can do this, everything around us will be beautiful and our minds can be free and at ease. We can then feel the Dhamma joy at the present moment. If the journey is good, the destination will naturally be good.

It is difficult to imagine how men and women can thoroughly understand one another. It is good enough if they could accept one another and be tolerant.

Accepting the differences of others is far more feasible and humane than forcing others to be or do certain things.

May everyone have a broader and more generous mind and may the place of gathering for mankind be more harmonious and peaceful.