Originally posted by wilsonhao:

Because thats common nowadays?

So it's right for you to assume in that manner while not investigate it thoroughly?

Is that what the Buddha had taught?

Define ethics.

Originally posted by AndrewPKYap:

... while they raise their wages by hundred of thousands (with public money) and raise the cost of living; property prices, ERP and spend billions supporting foreigners.... 

....how to stop the despots from cutting Singaporeans wages?

You know that is what they do first when there is a downturn that their despotic greedy policies engendered.

 

 

 

 

APKY is back!!!

Er...what is the transcript for?

Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

Mahayana Sutra

Quoted from E-Sangha:

...this particular type of food attracts hungry ghosts and other spirits who can bring down the atmosphere of a place. What's more, garlic and onion can increase sensual passion or cause you to get more angry.

Here is what the Shurangama Sutra says:

http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/Buddhism/Shur.../Shurangama.htm

QUOTE
Beings who seek samadhi should refrain from eating the five pungent plants of this world. If these five are eaten cooked, they increase one's sexual desire; if they are eaten raw, they increase one's anger.


There is science behind this:

http://www.babyworld.co.uk/features/valent...aphrodisiac.asp

QUOTE
Garlic's aphrodisiac effect is twofold. Firstly, it improves blood circulation, and secondly scientists have found that it can stimulate the production of an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase, which is responsible for the mechanism of erection.


This chemical - nitric oxide synthase - is what is stimulated by viagra. So there is indeed something to this.

The Mahayana Brahmajala Sutra, which sets up the Chinese Bodhisattva precepts, forbids eating meat, garlic and onions.

http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/bns/bnsframe.htm

QUOTE
3. On Eating Meat

A disciple of the Buddha must not deliberately eat meat. He should not eat the flesh of any sentient being. The meat-eater forfeits the seed of Great Compassion, severs the seed of the Buddha Nature and causes animals and transcendental beings to avoid him. Those who do so are guilty of countless offenses. Therefore, Bodhisattvas should not eat the flesh of any sentient beings whatsoever. If instead, he deliberately eats meat, he commits a secondary offense. (43)

4. On Five Pungent Herbs

A disciple of the Buddha should not eat the five pungent herbs -- garlic, chives, leeks, onions, and asafoetida. (44) This is so even if they are added as flavoring to other main dishes. Hence, if he deliberately does so, he commits a secondary offense.

44. Pungent herbs: "They are: leek, onion, garlic, and a few other such herbs such as asafoetida, an ingredient common in curries etc. Eaten raw they are believed to incite people to anger and disputes; eaten cooked they increase one's sexual desire." Buddhist adepts are advised to avoid them, as their consumption tends to disturb the peacefulness of the mind. "According to the [Surangama Sutra], garlic, three kinds of onions, and leeks are the five forbidden pungent roots. 'If eaten raw, they are said to cause irritability of temper, and if eaten cooked, to act as an aphrodisiac; moreover, the breath of the eater, if reading the sutras, will drive away the good spirits.'"

Mahayana...that explains =)

Strange thing that I have observed, how come when I say going church is fun, people seems to have quickly assume it to be the dancing, singing and 'jumping' part?

Heh.

But that's not what I meant in the first place, however, it is quickly assume by many to be.

Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

So how do you define fun?

I thought fun means something amusing. I don't think cancer is fun or amusing.

But if it is joy irregardless and unconditioned by circumstances then that is due to practice and wisdom.

Many people meditate and chant, including me. I can tell you that the deeper you enter into meditation, the more joyful it becomes... sometimes the joy exceeds all ordinary joy you have ever experienced in worldly life -- even sex. Though meditation may appear to some to be the most boring activity on earth. It is joy not derived from sensual stimulation but by mere clarity and absorption. The clearer you become, the more blissful it is.

I can experience this in daily activities as well. Though I do not claim to be able to maintain this even if I am in pain (at least not yet but I think it is possible) but the point is, joy in practice is not dependent on amusement of senses.

Heh, you're missing the point too. But thanks for sharing the experience you had on meditation.

You already said you thought I meant amusement, that's a presumption you're holding. It's your own attachment. =)

Originally posted by sanath:

It's really Dharma-degenrating Age when people like YOU don't even know basic courteousy, either towards fellow Buddhists or temples (if you can be called a "Buddhist" in the 1st place)! It's not the 1st time you are putting up posts like these. A Buddhist priest doesn't neccessarily have to be mild and docile all the time, since you like to continue putting up flaming posts and making others here disturbed or distracted by it, then i think i have the duty to correct those posts. You dont like it, you also dont have to read it.

Ya, I don't like your post, this is the last entry I'm replying to you.

If you don't like my post, don't bother to reply then =) But I bet you would because you have no cultivation at all and to think you're a priest!

Standard drop like nobody's business already!

Whether I am a buddhist or not, it's not up to you to define.

But of course you can say what you like lah, you priest mah, think you're very big. Haha.

Originally posted by Beyond Religion:

Just want to clarify something... We are Buddhist, and as Buddhist, there is no religious requirement to burn joss papers/ hell notes etc.

At the same time, we are also Chinese, and burning joss papers is a traditional Chinese belief/ culture to honour our ancestors.

PKS is a Chinese Buddhist temple. As long as it is clear that the joss paper burning etc is merely a ritual to honour our ancestors, it is not wrong for PKS to embrace these traditional Chinese practices. 

In fact, one of the things that I feel proud about being a Buddhist is that I can be a Buddhist and a Chinese at the same time. As long as I am mindful of the Buddha-dharma, there is no prohibition for me to carry joss sticks, prostrate before my deceased ancestors, burn joss papers, entering Taoist temples, comsuming food 'offered' to ancestors/ deities etc. etc.

My being a Buddhist does not affect my "Chinese-ness" so to speak... :)

Likewise, a caucasion Buddhist is not prohibited from celebrating Easter, Christmas etc.

 

 

Fully agree!

That's why I have been encourage people to go to church for their eye-opener mah!

Not as if asking them to be buddhist and christian at the same time.

To me, PKS likes to burn joss paper or not is not my problem. It's only to highlight some of the other impressions that other buddhists may have.

Originally posted by sanath:

Your "fun" is not "my" fun, "my" fun is not your "fun", so why should you bother whether i have fun or not?

I'm not even talking to you.

Originally posted by sanath:

Maybe i have find it "fun" listening to Dharma talks and doing chanting? You may find it boring, but i find it fun and enhancive to my progress in the Path to Nirvana? If you don't find it fun you have the freedom not to join but why should we even bother about what you think?

Then don't read my posts lor, so easy.

A buddhist priest that sound so angry, don't know what kind of buddhist sect sia.

It's really a living evidence of dhamma-degeneration age.

Originally posted by sanath:

And why should it bother you what PKS does or does not do? Dun forget, many people who attend PKS are, unfortunately, still "joss-stick buddhists" who have no knowledge of the Dharma. Many temples have been trying for years to educate devotees not to burn joss papers, posters have been put up many times, but the elderly and those accustomed to burning joss paper for their dead relatives still burn. I don't think it's the temple's fault (and it doesn't happen only at PKS), and we cannot blame them because they cannot ban it outright; even if they do, people will still burn somewhere, somehow! So now we have to educate the younger ones on more meaningful ways to remember their loved ones.

Since buddhist temple already doing non buddhist thing, might as well take a bigger leap, go and see what are churches doing!

Of course temple not at fault. To my understanding, buddhists are fast to push away all the blame by using society, custom as excuses.

Heh.

Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

About the garlic, that one is based on teachings of sutras... so I would also try to avoid taking garlic (never liked it anyway)

Which sutra? Mahayana or Pali Canon?

Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

I'm not suggesting here that we shouldn't be making dharma centers 'fun places' to go to, in fact it should and why not. However I do not agree that attaining wisdom is all about funness and there is no other point of attaining wisdom other than 'funness'.

What if spirituality is not about the funness we perceive it to be. I mean, if you have cancer right now and is lying on bed in hospital, can you really have 'fun' in our normal understanding? But does having illness mean we can't be spiritual or we shouldn't attain wisdom?

Spirituality and wisdom is not about funness but must be something something we live in our everyday lives and be able to apply in every situation whether seemingly fun or not.

Then there is just the sheer joy and clarity and freedom unconditioned by circumstances.

I'm sad that you're not enjoying your life everyday.

Define 'fun'.

Must fun be the fun you think it is?

Heh.

A lot of theory, little practical in this forum still.

Bye!

Originally posted by wilsonhao:

Do you have evidence? Show then say la. Haha. Talking no use, cos' seeing is believing as you would know.

Next time when pks has liang huang bao chan or that near 7th month or qing ming, you can go there and take a good look yourself =)

Originally posted by knightlll:

Before chanting :

1) Must rinse mouth. Just rinse with water will do ? Must brush teeth ?

2) Can eat meat or garlic ?

3) If weather hot , can dont wear shirt and chant ? ( i think it's a 'no' but want to confirm )  :)

4) Any other examples or internet links ?

 

After chanting :

1) Can eat meat ?

2) What is considered as ' 1 day ' in buddhism ? 12am 25th July to 12am 26th July ?

3) Any other examples or links ?

Before chanting:

Point 1) I think you had answered it yourself, just rinse to make sure no food particle etc.

 

Point 2) If I took meat or garlic and if the smell is strong, I will chew some mint sweets first. And about eating garlic that will pissed devas off and attract spirits, this one is what the older generation passed down, true or not I don't know. But personal experience is, once you started chanting, be it buddha/pusa-name, mantra or sutra, spirits will come.

 

Point 3) Usually my own morning puja, I just do it in singlet and shorts after I wash-up. I think not wrong to take off shirt to chant but I will feel weird if I am going to do it. On special day when I do special chanting I even put on haiqing, even if the weather is very hot. You're chanting at home what, after chanting can go for shower, so no big issue.

 

Point 4) Examples of what?

 

After chanting:

Point 1) Why not? Unless you're doing the observation of the 8 precepts or that you have certain practice of avoidance of taking meat on certain days, commonly 1st and 15th of the lunar month.

 

Point 2) 1 day, for conventional convenience would be what you had mentioned, midnight to midnight. Strictly speaking, it should be following the time that was observed during Buddha's time, which I suppose no one would have any idea how was it measured. If you follow the Chinese Mahayana tradition, you can consider following the Chinese lunar calender way. I followed that, and to me, 1 day is 11pm to 11pm (of the next day), 子时至子时.

 

Point 3) Example of what again?

Originally posted by lionnoisy:

uncleyap-news.blogspot.com/

Why did Ravi discharged Chia Ti Lik as defense lawyer?

And now,Uncle Yap said Ravi dunt have defense lawyer in court

and NOT fair!!

Ravi himself is a qualified lawyer and carrying a valid practicing certifiate.

He represents himself and will do so tomorrow.

DPP said Rave shall be sent to IMH to check up.

Uncle Yap said Ravi is not suitable to defend himself.

But Ravi said he is ok.No need to be sent to IMH for check

up.

 

I thought Ravi's practising cert was suspended?

Originally posted by Maggie.meepok:

Hi Beyond Religion,

I can see what you mean.

Christian groups have very active youth ministries, which tend to be able to recruit and convert young people successfully. The good part is that they have idenitfied a need in society, that young people going through the scary adolescent phase need to be part of a group of caring people. Many young people think that they are going to serve God and learn about God, which is partly true, but they also did not realise that the group is fullfilling an inherent basic social need in them.

Buddhist organisations in Singapore have not as successful in this arena so far but this is changing. I see that KMSKPS also has a youth wing with many young people promotion their faith. But I just hope they will not be too fervant as I have seen the Christian youth ministries in getting conversions because peer pressure can be quite powerful. I think people should be invited to allow them to explore, to show them that people care, and ultimately to let them make up their own minds.

These approaches by Christians and Buddhists are just a manner of using secular/neutral methods in drawing people's interest, nothing wrong if the aim is to help.

I agree with you that social needs can be met in other caring (non-religious) groups as well. A non-Christian attending a Christian gathering, whether in the youth groups or in church, can often be quite intimidating and tiring as there is a certain expectation of conversation. Some people feel "obliged" (although this may be unconscious) because church people have been so nice to them. But to me, such guilt conversions are worthless.

I would hate being a Christian project for Christians. I would like to be cared for and loved because I am me - not because I am a subject for conversion, a number someone can add to the kingdom of God.

By the way, having many people promoting their faith is not proportionate to the success of buddhist youth we are having.

I guess many people are still missing the point here.

But...church is fun!

Originally posted by Maggie.meepok:

Hi Beyond Religion,

I can see what you mean.

Christian groups have very active youth ministries, which tend to be able to recruit and convert young people successfully. The good part is that they have idenitfied a need in society, that young people going through the scary adolescent phase need to be part of a group of caring people. Many young people think that they are going to serve God and learn about God, which is partly true, but they also did not realise that the group is fullfilling an inherent basic social need in them.

Buddhist organisations in Singapore have not as successful in this arena so far but this is changing. I see that KMSKPS also has a youth wing with many young people promotion their faith. But I just hope they will not be too fervant as I have seen the Christian youth ministries in getting conversions because peer pressure can be quite powerful. I think people should be invited to allow them to explore, to show them that people care, and ultimately to let them make up their own minds.

These approaches by Christians and Buddhists are just a manner of using secular/neutral methods in drawing people's interest, nothing wrong if the aim is to help.

I agree with you that social needs can be met in other caring (non-religious) groups as well. A non-Christian attending a Christian gathering, whether in the youth groups or in church, can often be quite intimidating and tiring as there is a certain expectation of conversation. Some people feel "obliged" (although this may be unconscious) because church people have been so nice to them. But to me, such guilt conversions are worthless.

I would hate being a Christian project for Christians. I would like to be cared for and loved because I am me - not because I am a subject for conversion, a number someone can add to the kingdom of God.

I just received a letter written by a fellow buddhist with photograph-evidence how hypocrite PKS is - in one manner promoting buddhism and in another manner encouraging the burning of joss papers! Haha.

Originally posted by Zerg:

Temple fun or boring is depend on what is your intention, if you are looking for fun, temple definetly not a place for you to go. One of the reason why i am a buddhist is because of the wisdom of the dharma. When i go temple, i am prefer to listen to the dharma talk instead of "fun" because i looking for wisdom not fun.

 

I think that is one of the reason why youngster prefer to go church instead of temple.

 

I also have been approach by my christian friend to go their church and how they confidently talk about buddhism which is totally wrong and sometime when i question him about christian, he likes know nothing about his own religion . Also i have see many of my buddhist friend that is only "Buddhist" by identity, a lot of them cannot diffrentiate between what is chinese culture and what is buddhism teaching.

 

During my colleage times, i went to church many2 times, the teaching just not suit me, i don't see any wisdom talk there, only praise the Lord of Jesus or the miracle that happen (maybe i attend wrong church? but during the prayer session, they talk in some strange language >.<)

 

I believe all relegion teach their follower to do good deed, it is just human its self sometime misinterpreting the teaching of their religion.

 

For me, it doesn't matter if the teaching is come from which religion, as long its make sense and not teaching bad thing (if i interpret the teaching rightly lol) and even if there is a lot of black sheep (monk) in Buddhism, it will not shake my faith on dharma, cuz monk after all is a human being who is trying to learn buddhism path and monk is just a "rank", a "name" and they bound to do the wrong thing, interpret the wrong thing (or maybe i interpret wrong lol)

If attaining wisdom is not fun, what is the point of attaining it?

If you had attended a sermon, what the pastor teach there is not necessary inferior to what the Buddha had taught =)

Originally posted by Beyond Religion:

That might not be a fair statement.

Going to church can be fun I agree, but the 'funness' (at least for me) comes not from the theistic/ spiritual offering, but from the 'human' factor. i.e organization/ activities etc.

I chose not to go to church not because I have no courage, but because there is "nothing in it" for me. I can easily enjoy the "funness" from other non-religious organizations with no spiritual strings attached, i.e. without having the need to constantly fend off attempts at converting me.

Only people who been to church would understand the difference between spiritual offering and the 'human' factor.

 

Can I rightly assume you had some experience going to church or attended a cell group meeting?

Okay

Originally posted by PRP:

LHL & GCT need not be PM.They can have good lives in the private sector.

GCT once seemed to regret to become politicians. But when they have become PM,they wouldn't want to step down.

Goh Keng Swee & Tony Tan stepped down willingly.But they were just DPM.

LKY is another former PM who seem unable to retire from ploitics.

 

Dr Tony Tan is the Deputy Chairmand and Executive Director of GIC...

 

http://www.gic.com.sg/aboutus_mgtteam.htm

Still have quite a handful of people don't get to vote what...

Originally posted by Rednano:

old men... leaving the world soon. let them enjoy a bit lah.

HAHA