Of dinners and goldfishes... intentions... intentions...

Sunday night dinner, was one of the most memorable life experience. I had dinner with Tracey, Weng, C.S and his boss, James. Halfway through our salads and steaks, James posed an interesting question. He mentioned about Tracey’s goldfishes, He thought the fishes were miserable as they were puny and looked very weak. He suggested about releasing them. And then he made of an example of a guy, who out of kindness, wanted to release the poor fishes. So he asked the million dollar question. Did the person generated Merit. My good friend, Weng; instantly said no. Instead, he created a bad karma.

I could see James’s expression as he proceeds to interrogate Weng like the Spanish inquisition. Throughout the course of the dinner, They were both trying to get their point of view across each other. At the end of it, there was a bit of tensed moment, so my friend decided to stopped to debate by keeping silent, the golden rule to end all kinds of ‘intriguing’ discussions.

Tracey and I could see Weng and James s’ point of view. Weng was focusing on the end results of putting a goldfish in an environment that would lead to the it’s demise. What started with good intention has ended up in a negative reaction, Hence an unwholesome karma has been created. On the other hand, James was stressing out on the intention of the doer. If the intention of the doer was pure and selfless, as in the doer acted in a way that benefited the other party, the Doer is said to have generated merit. By you indicating to the doer that its intentions were futile would lead the person who informed the doer to have created an unwholesome karma and not done by the doer.

Sounds very ‘Chiem” (deep)? Well it is and it is also easy to comprehend. The main question was focused on the Intention. With intention, comes action and that leads to a reaction or consequence. Thus is the law of Karma. Since the focus of the question was about intention, so the doer in this case ‘has’ generated merit. Why? because the intention was selfless, it was done without a self benefit or otherwise, selfish motive. However, if the doer had a selfish intention or motive, then the act had become defiled and the karma created becomes unwholesome.

Similarly, on a deeper level, supposedly the doer would know that by releasing the gold fish into a drain would result in it’s early demise as the environment was not fit for it’s living conditions, the doer will select a suitable condition and release it. This is compassion with wisdom.

However, if one were to see this act beyond what is right and what is wrong, then you will see the original nature of life. To see this beyond the concept of duality is what all Buddhist in the world, especially Zen practitioners are trying to achieve. Therefore, to see this act beyond the means of right and wrong. What do you see?

That was a memorable dinner experience indeed.

Enlightenment in all things...

On my recent scouring for a good read online, I logged onto a 'women's blog site, Notes from venus, and I came upon this article that is aptly titled 'I found Enlightenment in a Martini'. I found the article a great read and it led me to think about how our own Buddhist brothers and sisters view upon certain matters when it comes to Dharma cultivation.

I realized that we're all very intelligent sentient beings but our wisdoms vary. That's why Sakyamuni Buddha has left 84,000 Dharma doors or teachings for all to listen, learn, experience and use. It also dawned upon me that we should not be prejudiced on other Dharma methods or teachings that may look unorthodox. Nevertheless, according to the 'Kalama Sutta' from the Theravada Tripitaka Canon, The Buddha mentioned that one should investigate the Dharma before accepting and upholding such Dharmas for the benefit of oneself and others.

In line with this gatha, we should always strive to investigate all kinds of Dharma so we can determine if the Dharma is expounded by our Lord Sakyamuni Buddha or spoken by the Externalist and other Occultist. It is best to always cross reference with the Sanghas and the Vast Sutras available on print and on line.

The ultimate is to entirely 'let go' of all our prejudice, our views, our perceptions on the BuddhaDharma itself, as written in the Vajracheddika Prajna Paramita Sutra
(The Diamond Prajna Paramita Sutra) :

Chapter 5.

"Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be recognized by means of his bodily form?"

"No, Most Honored One, the Buddha cannot be recognized by means of his bodily form. Why? Because when the Buddha speaks of bodily form, it is not a real form, but only an illusion."

The Buddha then spoke to Subhuti: "All that has a form is illusive and unreal. When you see that all forms are illusive and unreal, then you will begin to perceive your true Buddha nature."

Chapter 9.

Buddha then asked, "What do you think, Subhuti, does one who has entered the stream which flows to Enlightenment, say 'I have entered the stream'?"

"No, Buddha", Subhuti replied. "A true disciple entering the stream would not think of themselves as a separate person that could be entering anything. Only that disciple who does not differentiate themselves from others, who has no regard for name, shape, sound, odor, taste, touch or for any quality can truly be called a disciple who has entered the stream."

Buddha continued, "Does a disciple who is subject to only one more rebirth say to himself, 'I am entitled to the honors and rewards of a Once-to-be-reborn.'?"

"No, Lord. 'Once-to-be-reborn' is only a name. There is no passing away, or coming into, existence. Only one who realizes this can really be called a disciple."

"Subhuti, does a venerable One who will never more be reborn as a mortal say to himself, 'I am entitled to the honor and rewards of a Non-returner.'?"

"No, Perfectly Enlightened One. A 'Non-returner' is merely a name. There is actually no one returning and no one not-returning."

"Tell me, Subhuti. Does a Buddha say to himself, 'I have obtained Perfect Enlightenment.'?"

"No, lord. There is no such thing as Perfect Enlightenment to obtain. If a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha were to say to himself, 'I am enlightened' he would be admitting there is an individual person, a separate self and personality, and would therefore not be a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha."

Subhuti then said, "Most Honored One! You have said that I, Subhuti, excel amongst thy disciples in knowing the bliss of Enlightenment, in being perfectly content in seclusion, and in being free from all passions. Yet I do not say to myself that I am so, for if I ever thought of myself as such then it would not be true that I escaped ego delusion. I know that in truth there is no Subhuti and therefore Subhuti abides nowhere, that he neither knows nor does he not know bliss, and that he is neither free from nor enslaved by his passions."

Another step taken...

Wed, Apr 4th 2007। This is the day I took the Buddhist 5 precepts. It all happened last year, the same day and month; I casually told a friend that I'd like to take the 5 precepts. He looked at me seriously, "If you've decided, you know the old ones up there will do something about it... are you sure you're ready for this?" With that kind of question posed to me, I began to have doubts if I could take the precepts well....


Now, the day before, I felt very unnerved. It was like a normal day. I did said to myself, I'm taking the precepts finally. Nothing came into my mind, no more doubts, worries, fear. Nothing. The night before, I did some chanting to share merits, and I asked for strength and wisdom so that the my small special event will go smoothly...

The morning after, I'm at the Fo Guang Shan (Buddha Light Mountain) Dong Zen Monastery in Jenjarom. Feeling a little blur, walking aimlessly around the temple grounds, decided to go to the main shrine hall to pay my respects to the Buddha. Met some friends who were so surprised to see me there, asking me questions and some of them guessed that I was going for the precept taking ceremony.

While being prepped on the meaning of the 5 precepts, the rituals and the protocols by a good looking young Bhikkhu, I wandered into my own world, imagining about alien things like the Buddha land, the lotuses and the Bodhisattvas, flying about in their lotus dias, worshipping and praising the Buddhas, offering flowers and other magnificant gifts to the Honored ones, etc.. Suddenly, I got tapped by the shoulder by my friend

'It's time..."

And so, after our vegetarian lunch, I along with five hundred men and women, young and old, went and took our precepts। It was a good day...


May the merits accrued by the taking of 5 precepts be shared amongst all sentient beings of the 10 directions... Amitabha!