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!
2021 ◤Dhamma Leadership◢ Online Meditation Retreat
As leaders, do you always need to face with unexpected events at work, like the latest pandemic? Due to long term pressure suppression, it can take a heavy toll on your health, affecting both the body and mind. Through this course, you may learn how to relax and release stress effectively.
If you are a capable leader, you probably have very limited free time to lead a healthy lifestyle due to exceptionally high workload. Through this course, you may learn the methods to effectively restore and maintain balance in both the body and mind, helping yourself to regain overall wellness.
Moreover, having learned the basic principles of Dhamma Leadership, you can practise them in real life situations to bring long term benefits to yourself and others！
☸️ Topic: “Dhamma Leadership Online Meditation Retreat”
📅Date: 13, 14, 20, 21 & 27-Mar-2021
⌚Time: 13-Mar-21: (9:00 am – 9:45 pm)
14, 20 & 21-Mar-21: (8:20 am – 9:55 pm)
27-Mar-21: (8:20 am – 5:35 pm)
📋Content: Led by 👨🏻🦲Venerable : Dhamma Leadership, Guided Meditation, Dhamma Talk
Led by 🧑🏻👩🏻Layperson: Enema Detoxification, Tea Zen, Exercise, Mangala Qigong, Bulletproof Coffee,
Oil Pulling.
👨🏻🦲Teacher: Ven U Buddharakkhita
💬Language: Mandarin
🎯Target: Entrepreneurs, startup entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, corporate managers.👨🏻⚖️👩🏻⚖️👨🏻💼👩🏻💼👨🏻🏫👩🏻🏫
🆓 Fee: Free of Charge
🎦Platform: Zoom
Do not hesitate anymore, please come and join us!
📝Registration Form 👉click to ENTER
🛑❗️Deadline: 21-Feb-2021
For more information, please contact: Brother Puṇṇa Loh @ +60 12 – 334 1116
You may also visit our 👉Dhamma Earth Facebook for more activities updates
Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!
［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
2020 Group Meditation Day
How do we embrace the future and hope while entering year 2021?
How do we celebrate the new year in the most auspicious way during a pandemic?
Although we are far apart, our minds are connected. Let us meet in the cloud, be close to the wise, and gather with virtuous friends. Let our wholesome thoughts arise together and with the group collective energy, let us recollect the Buddha, chant the Buddha’s teaching, and meditate together. Let the light of the Dhamma flow into our heart and increase our faith, wisdom, and the four sublime states (Loving-kindness, Compassion, Joy & equanimity). On the 1st of Jan 2021 , we shall spend this special day in the most auspicious way, and start the year with wholesome energy!
☸ Topic: Group Meditation Day
📆 Date: 1st Jan 2021 (Fri)
🕗 Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am (8:50 am Login)
🎙Content: Three Refuges and Five Precepts｜Guided Meditation｜Dhamma Talk.
👤 Lead: Ven. U Maṅgala｜Ven. U Dhammagavesaka｜Ven. U Buddharakkhita
🗣 Language: Mandarin
🎫 Admission: Free of Charge
🌐 Online: Zoom & FB Live
🎦 Zoom Meeting
Zoom ID: 525 161 5003
Passcode: meditation
🎦Zoom👉：Enter
💻🌐Facebook Live👉：Tusita Hermitage
🙋♀️🙋♂️ Come and join our group meditation to start our new year in most wholesome way!
Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!
“Love Begins at Home” Third Online Mandarin Sharing for Parent-Child Education
Are you wondering what kind of parenting style you have?
Why do I not realize when my child express his love for me?
Is my love for my family healthy ?
Join us in an exploration of LOVE ！
Mangala Family Team of Dhamma Earth would like to present to you, the 3rd session of Parent-Child Education Online Series (Free), with the aim to help parents to gain understanding of parenting style, how to express love and how to love skillfully. The series is suitable for parents with kids aged 0-7 years old. We also welcome interested audience from all walks of life to join us.
Heart 2 Heart Connection
🎙Topic: “Love Begins at Home”
📆 Date: 27th Dec 2020 (Sunday)
🕗 Time: 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm (7:50pm Login)
👤 Sharer: Sister Ng Elain, Sis Tan Shu Ping
🗣 Language: Mandarin
🏕 Host: Maṅgala Family
🎫 Fee: Free of Charge
🌐 Online: Zoom & FB Live
🎥 Zoom ID: 812 1631 8512
Zoom ：Connection
Zoom Link：https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81216318512?pwd=SURmdkRlOExKTStzbWxJYytQRXF0QT09
🌐 FB Live : 👉：facebook.com/mangalafamily
This sharing session is opened to the public. You are encouraged to complete the 👉：registration form, as the organizer needs the headcount and children’s age to facilitate a smoother interactive session. (Children are not required to join the sharing session.)
We welcome your participation in the sharing session. Let’s grow together with our family.
Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!
［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.
“Walking the Mindset Journey with Our Family” Second Online Mandarin Sharing for Parent-Child Education
Maṅgala Family Team of Dhamma Earth would like to present to you, the 2nd session of Online Parent-Child Education Series which aims to help participants gain the necessary understanding of themselves and their family from mindset aspect and to introduce ways for them to work together towards building a harmonious family. The series is suitable for parents with kids aged 0-7 years old. We also welcome interested audience from all walks of life to join us.
🎙Topic: “Walking the Mindset Journey with Our Family”
📆 Date: 15th Nov 2020 (Sunday)
🕗 Time: 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm (7:50pm Login)
👤 Sharer: Sister Joanne Soo, Sis Chan Mei Yen
🗣 Language: Mandarin
🏕 Host: Maṅgala Family
🎫 Fee: Free of Charge
🌐 Online: Zoom & FB Live
Zoom ID: 871 7836 9587
Zoom Passcode: Connection
🌐 FB Live : 👉：facebook.com/mangalafamily
We welcome your participation in the sharing session. Let’s grow together with our family.
Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!
［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
