From observations of daily life, and in terms of consequences of their actions (karma), human beings may be classified into four categories:
1. Those who were born to cause harm and suffering to a number of people,
2. Those who were born to cause harm and suffering to a great number of people,
3. Those who were born to benefit and bring happiness to a number of people, and
4. Those who were born to benefit and bring happiness to a great number of people.
First, there are some whose existence causes sufferings to themselves and others around them (their family and community members, such as parents, siblings, friends, neighbors....). They bring pain, worries, and unhappiness, both physically and mentally, to those people for a short or long period of time, or throughout their lifespan. Human beings belonging to this first category, of course, have very bad karma. So do those who are in contact with them. Since both sides share the common bad karma; they get together in this life to reap the whirlwind they once caused in some previous life.
Second, there are human beings who, at some point in their life, cause massive destruction and unimaginable calamities to a great number of people in the world. They may be bomb or weapon makers and producers. They may also be famous scientists and scholars, high-ranked officers in the army, and policy makers, business or political leaders, who made the wrong choice or devilish decision at the wrong time, or who are overconfident, and so fanatically obsessed with some belief, doctrine or ideology that their decisions cause avoidable and meaningless deaths to millions of people in their countries and in the world. History has proved that such beings sometimes appear and threaten life and civilization on earth.
Third, there are those who, since their birth, bring peace and happiness to those around them for some time in their life or throughout their whole lifespan. Their parents and siblings enjoy their presence, as they always bring joy and happiness to surrounding people, and to their local community. Such beings have very good karma, and so do those in contact with them. Their appearance benefits others around them.
Finally, there are some, though the number of such people is small, human beings whose existence on earth brings joy and happiness to a very large number of beings, and not just for a short period of time, but for thousands of years, not only for one country but for the whole world, benefiting not only the rich and the healthy, but also the poor, the abandoned, and the sick.
Which category do YOU belong to?
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Democracy
Democracy in theory is substantially different from
democracy in reality. As long as government leaders and policy makers are
not sincerely interested in public service, but simply care about themselves, their families, and their interest groups, and as long as the
masses are not educated enough to know their rights and responsibilities as
citizens in a democratic civil society, there is no true democracy in any place in
the world. Digital revolutions leading to overthrowing a dictatorial
regime have rarely seemed to guarantee that the new regime is any better than
the previous one. Hence, democracy is not a static model of high-quality
sociopolitical system. Rather, it is a process of hard work from both the
ruler and the ruled.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Nirvana
Both the Pali word Nibbàna [the
verb is ni(r) and nibbati] and the Sanskrit Nirvàna [the verb
is nir-va] refer to the
state of extinction, or cessation , calmness, disappearance, liberation,
peacefulness, and perfect wisdom. At this level, there is no birth nor
death. Nirvana is the ultimate goal
for Buddhists. That is why
Nirvana is one of the three Dharma signs in Buddhism: Nirvana, Peace, and
Tranquility.
Nirvana has four states. First, Buddha Nature, which is the eternal state of Suchness, pure and bright, and unchanged. Second, the final state in a Buddhist's life-long practice when all the five skandas and all sufferings and fetters have come to a cessation (as in the case of the Buddha's demise). Third, the highest spiritual level which a Buddhist may attain. At this level the practitioner is still alive, but is completely free from any suffering caused by greed, hatred, and ignorance, and by the preconceived existence of a "self," and has attained liberation and perfect wisdom. And fourth, a state of no boundaries: Nirvana is free from any fetters set by birth-death, by attachment/desire-hatred, by discriminative preconceptions, or by dualistic notions and concepts. Nirvana has no form, and no language can describe or express it.
Four key characteristics of Nirvana are: Permanence, Supreme Happiness, No Form/Self (hence, it is Reality or Ultimate Truth), and Supreme Peace/Tranquility.
Nirvana has four states. First, Buddha Nature, which is the eternal state of Suchness, pure and bright, and unchanged. Second, the final state in a Buddhist's life-long practice when all the five skandas and all sufferings and fetters have come to a cessation (as in the case of the Buddha's demise). Third, the highest spiritual level which a Buddhist may attain. At this level the practitioner is still alive, but is completely free from any suffering caused by greed, hatred, and ignorance, and by the preconceived existence of a "self," and has attained liberation and perfect wisdom. And fourth, a state of no boundaries: Nirvana is free from any fetters set by birth-death, by attachment/desire-hatred, by discriminative preconceptions, or by dualistic notions and concepts. Nirvana has no form, and no language can describe or express it.
Four key characteristics of Nirvana are: Permanence, Supreme Happiness, No Form/Self (hence, it is Reality or Ultimate Truth), and Supreme Peace/Tranquility.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
World Wars
Is there going to be another World War? Every day we hear about military and economic rivalries, rivalries for resources and influence, and allies planning on arms race as they are busy building up their armies and navies, grasping all possible advantages. Haven't we learned and suffered enough from World War I and World War II?
During World War I (which basically centered in Europe from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918), more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized. Over 9 million combatants were killed, largely because of technological advancements that led to enormous increases in the lethality of weapons. In World War II (which was underway by 1939 and ended in 1945) the toll was between 40,000,000 and 72,000,000 deaths, and the majority of the people killed in the war were NOT soldiers.
Modern warfare definitely has unimaginable consequences, and Einstein's prediction might prove right. There is a possibility that World War III could bring us back to the Stone Age.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_war_i
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II
During World War I (which basically centered in Europe from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918), more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized. Over 9 million combatants were killed, largely because of technological advancements that led to enormous increases in the lethality of weapons. In World War II (which was underway by 1939 and ended in 1945) the toll was between 40,000,000 and 72,000,000 deaths, and the majority of the people killed in the war were NOT soldiers.
Modern warfare definitely has unimaginable consequences, and Einstein's prediction might prove right. There is a possibility that World War III could bring us back to the Stone Age.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_war_i
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Proverbs About Solving Problems
...there are a good many proverbs which characterize strikingly the typical procedures followed in solving problems, the points of common sense involved, the usual tricks, and the usual errors. ....It would be foolish to regard proverbs as an authoritative source of universally applicabal wisdom but it would be a pity to disregard the graphic description of heuristic procedures provided by proverbs.
It could be an interesting task to collect and group proverbs about planning, seeking means, and choosing between lines of action, in short, proverbs about problem solving......The proverbs quoted will be printed in italics.
1. The very first thing we must do for our problem is to understand it: Who understands ill, answers ill.
We must see clearly the end we have to attain: Think for the end before you begin.
..."respice finem" is the saying in Latin. Unfortunately, not everybody heeds such good advice, and people often start speculating, talking, and even acting fussily without having properly understood the aim for which they should work. A fool looks to the beginning, a wise man regards the end. If the end is not clear in our mind, we may easily stray from the problem and drop it. A wise man begins in the end, a fool ends in the beginning.
.....We have no chance to solve a difficult problem without a strong desire to solve it, but with such desire there is a chance. Where there is a will, there is a way.
2. Devising a plan, conceiving the idea of an appropriate action, is the main achievement in the solution of a problem. A good idea is a piece of good fortune, an inspiration, a gift of the gods, and we have to deserve it: Diligence is the mother of good luck. Perseverance kills the game. An oak is not felled at one stroke. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. It is not enough however to try repeatedly, we must try different means, vary our trials. Try all the keys in the bunch. Arrows are made of all sorts of wood.
We must adapt our trials to the circumstances. As the wind blows you must set your sail. Cut your coat according to the cloth. We must do as we may if we can't do as we would. If we have failed, we must try something else. A wise man changes his mind, a fool never does. We should even be prepared from the outset for a possible failure of our scheme and have another one in reserve. Have two strings to your bows....Do and undo, the day is long enough. We are likely to blunder less if we do not lose sight of our aim. The end of fishing is not angling but catching....The expert has, perhaps, no more ideas than the inexperienced, but appreciates more what he has and uses it better. A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. A wise man will make tools of what comes to hand. A wise man turns chance into good fortune. Or, possibly, the advantage of the expert is that he is continually on the lookout for opportunities. Have an eye to the main chance.
3. We should start carrying out our plan at the right moment, when it is ripe, but not before. We should not start rashly. Look before you leap. Try before you trust. A wise delay makes the road safe. On the other hand, we should not hesitate too long. If you will sail without danger, you must never put to sea. Do the likeliest and hope the best.....
We must use our judgment to determine the right moment. And here is a timely warning that points out the most common fallacy, the most usual failure of our judgment: We soon believe what we desire.
Our plan gives usually but a general outline. We have to convince ourselves that the details fit into the outline, and so we have to examine carefully each detail, one after the other. Step after step the ladder is ascended. Little by little as the cat ate the flickle. Do it by degrees.
In carrying out our plan we must be careful to arrange its steps in the proper order, which is frequently just the reverse of the order of invention. What a fool does at last, a wise man does at first.
4. Looking back at the completed solution is an important and instructive phase of the work. He thinks not well that thinks not again. Second thoughts are best.
Reexamining the solution, we may discover an additional confirmation of the result. ....such an additional confirmation is valuable, that two proofs are better than one. It is safe riding at two anchors.
5. ....Certain more systematic and more sophisticated aspects of the process of solution are hardly within the scope of the Wisdom of Proverbs. ....Here follow a few "synthetic" proverbs which describe somewhat more sophisticated attitudes.
The end suggests the means.
Your five best friends are What, Why, Where, When, and How. You ask What,, you ask Why, you ask Where, When and How --and ask nobody else when you need advice.
Do not believe anything but doubt only what is worth doubting.
look around when you have got your first mushroom or made your first discovery; they grow in clusters.
Source:
Polya, G. How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1945, 2nd ed. 2004), pp. 222-225.
It could be an interesting task to collect and group proverbs about planning, seeking means, and choosing between lines of action, in short, proverbs about problem solving......The proverbs quoted will be printed in italics.
1. The very first thing we must do for our problem is to understand it: Who understands ill, answers ill.
We must see clearly the end we have to attain: Think for the end before you begin.
..."respice finem" is the saying in Latin. Unfortunately, not everybody heeds such good advice, and people often start speculating, talking, and even acting fussily without having properly understood the aim for which they should work. A fool looks to the beginning, a wise man regards the end. If the end is not clear in our mind, we may easily stray from the problem and drop it. A wise man begins in the end, a fool ends in the beginning.
.....We have no chance to solve a difficult problem without a strong desire to solve it, but with such desire there is a chance. Where there is a will, there is a way.
2. Devising a plan, conceiving the idea of an appropriate action, is the main achievement in the solution of a problem. A good idea is a piece of good fortune, an inspiration, a gift of the gods, and we have to deserve it: Diligence is the mother of good luck. Perseverance kills the game. An oak is not felled at one stroke. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. It is not enough however to try repeatedly, we must try different means, vary our trials. Try all the keys in the bunch. Arrows are made of all sorts of wood.
We must adapt our trials to the circumstances. As the wind blows you must set your sail. Cut your coat according to the cloth. We must do as we may if we can't do as we would. If we have failed, we must try something else. A wise man changes his mind, a fool never does. We should even be prepared from the outset for a possible failure of our scheme and have another one in reserve. Have two strings to your bows....Do and undo, the day is long enough. We are likely to blunder less if we do not lose sight of our aim. The end of fishing is not angling but catching....The expert has, perhaps, no more ideas than the inexperienced, but appreciates more what he has and uses it better. A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. A wise man will make tools of what comes to hand. A wise man turns chance into good fortune. Or, possibly, the advantage of the expert is that he is continually on the lookout for opportunities. Have an eye to the main chance.
3. We should start carrying out our plan at the right moment, when it is ripe, but not before. We should not start rashly. Look before you leap. Try before you trust. A wise delay makes the road safe. On the other hand, we should not hesitate too long. If you will sail without danger, you must never put to sea. Do the likeliest and hope the best.....
We must use our judgment to determine the right moment. And here is a timely warning that points out the most common fallacy, the most usual failure of our judgment: We soon believe what we desire.
Our plan gives usually but a general outline. We have to convince ourselves that the details fit into the outline, and so we have to examine carefully each detail, one after the other. Step after step the ladder is ascended. Little by little as the cat ate the flickle. Do it by degrees.
In carrying out our plan we must be careful to arrange its steps in the proper order, which is frequently just the reverse of the order of invention. What a fool does at last, a wise man does at first.
4. Looking back at the completed solution is an important and instructive phase of the work. He thinks not well that thinks not again. Second thoughts are best.
Reexamining the solution, we may discover an additional confirmation of the result. ....such an additional confirmation is valuable, that two proofs are better than one. It is safe riding at two anchors.
5. ....Certain more systematic and more sophisticated aspects of the process of solution are hardly within the scope of the Wisdom of Proverbs. ....Here follow a few "synthetic" proverbs which describe somewhat more sophisticated attitudes.
The end suggests the means.
Your five best friends are What, Why, Where, When, and How. You ask What,, you ask Why, you ask Where, When and How --and ask nobody else when you need advice.
Do not believe anything but doubt only what is worth doubting.
look around when you have got your first mushroom or made your first discovery; they grow in clusters.
Source:
Polya, G. How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1945, 2nd ed. 2004), pp. 222-225.
Monday, February 11, 2013
New Year Poems
Should We Remember or Forget
Should we remember or forget
those happenings in life?
Even a hundred-year life span
is but a fleeting dream.
Day after day time passes by
Spring comes and Spring goes
Only the Spring inside remains.
Nhớ và quên
Should we remember or forget
those happenings in life?
Even a hundred-year life span
is but a fleeting dream.
Day after day time passes by
Spring comes and Spring goes
Only the Spring inside remains.
Nhớ và quên
Nhớ quên chi việc ở đời
Trăm năm giấc mộng một thời mà thôi
Xuân đi, Xuân lại, ngày trôi
Lòng Xuân miên viễn mấy khi xa rời
Spring Dreams and Aspirations
O Beloved Country
far away in the mist
of old memories
with laughters and tears
along a history of ups and downs.
The future so foggy and dim
Any helping hands?
How helpless and frustrated I am
like a lone lost swallow
singing a mystic song
among grey clouds
above green mountains
searching for its flock
to return to its nest for Spring.
Tired, bewildered wings
A lone lost swallow's intermittent chirps
Awakened from a long dream
From afar in the mist
O Beloved Homeland
My heart heavy
longing for you
My dreams and aspirations
Unfulfilled.
Nỗi Niềm Xuân
Tired, bewildered wings
A lone lost swallow's intermittent chirps
Awakened from a long dream
From afar in the mist
O Beloved Homeland
My heart heavy
longing for you
My dreams and aspirations
Unfulfilled.
Nỗi Niềm Xuân
Thương về đất nước mù khơi
Khóc cười nhung nhớ nào vơi trong lòng
Khóc cười nhung nhớ nào vơi trong lòng
Cõi phù thế những long đong
Tương lai vận nước biết trông ai giờ
Giận mình kém cỏi ngu ngơ
Giận mình kém cỏi ngu ngơ
Cô thân viễn xứ dệt thơ mơ màng
Như chim én lạc giữa ngàn
Xa bầy xa tổ xa vàn mùa Xuân
Lạc loài cánh mỏi bâng khuâng
Hư không vọng tiếng lẻ loi phương nào
Giật mình tỉnh giấc chiêm bao
Cố hương còn nặng biết bao nỗi niềm.
February 10, 2013
Lunar New Year
February 10, 2013
Lunar New Year
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Engaged Buddhism in Australia--Part II
In Brisbane these Buddhist organizations serve people who are not necessarily from any specific ethnic group. These activities focus on education and social welfare programs. Every week there are Chinese lessons and culture-oriented classes for the general public. About 10,000 children participate in such classes every year. Some temples devote most of their time to these programs. Temples that belong to the Phat Quang Son School in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne hold big ceremonies on Vesak Day, so that everybody, including the natives, can join. This enhances understanding among various ethnic groups. An organization named Hospice of Mother Tara in western Austtralia holds public discussions about current ethical issues from Buddhist perspectives in hope that local community members may benefit and develop sound understandings. There are also meditation retreats for those who are interested. Since the past decade Buddhist Peace Fellowship and its branches in Melbourne and Sydney have had community educational programs about key issues for public welfare, including issues related to the rights of the Aboriginal Australians and the East Timorese, and the impact of globalization. These discussions also aim at solving problems through non-violent means and measures, promoting peace, nuclear disarmament, and protecting human rights for the Aboriginals. Some of these organizations mention Buddhist teachings such as the Four Noble Truths as the driving force of their activities. Tibetan groups , on the other hand, said that they simply carried out their Boddhisattva vows, while Chinese Buddhists mentioned that they followed their Avalokitasvara's and other compassionate Bodhisattvas' examples. Theravada Buddhists emphasized the Eight Noble Paths (right view, right thought, right words, right action, right profession, right effort, right attention, and right meditation). Following the Middle Way each person may enhance the quality of his/her life. The Buddha once taught: "With such a vast understanding and wisdom, the practitioner never harms him-/herself nor others, never harms both. S/he only thinks about what is beneficial to him-/herself, what is beneficial to others, what is beneficial to both, and to the whole world. That way the practitioner's immense knowledge and wisdom is revealed." Other important community education
activities include interfaith dialogues and conflict reconciliation.
Bhikhuni Sumedha from the International Buddhist Center in Darwin
actively participated in these multicultural and interfaith activities.
This Center promotes the idea of a harmonious society with multicultural communities.
Hence its members are engaged in national reconciliation programs with
the Aboriginals. These programs are based on the fundamental philosophy
of interconnectedness in Buddhism, and on the belief that if we practice
this philosophy with wisdom, we can create a harmonious society. The
Tara Project in Sydney has actively been engaged in such interfaith
dialogues and reconciliation. However, not all Buddhist groups in
Australia are participating in Engaged Buddhism.
Source:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)