Thoughts about Middle Way

Lately, I had been given the opportunity to oversee the general affairs in a small and medium company. This is due to the absence of the General Manager who is away to pursue her personal interest for the time being (impermanence).

During the course of this period, the importance of what our teacher taught us about Middle Way* come into my mind over and over again- from human resources to logistic matters in the running of a company.

Prior to his enlightenment, Buddha went from a prince who can have anything his desire to a seeker who have virtually nothing. He gained his enlightenment after practicing the Middle Way. In his teachings, he taught us to ensure the balance in our every day practice and way of life.

From working to sleeping and eating to exercising, too much of work and food, we get exhausted and bloated while too little of exercise and sleep, we may get weak and tired. Even taking medication when we are not feeling well, it should be done in moderation (not too much) and in accordance to the prescribe dosage (not too little to be effective).

*Central Path, Middle Way or Middle Path (Pali: majjhimā paṭipadā; Sanskrit: madhyamā-pratipad; Tibetan: དབུ་མའི་ལམ། Umaylam;Chinese: 中道 zhōngdào; Japanese: 中道 chūdō; Vietnamese: Trung đạo; Thai language:มัชฌิมา mátchímaa) is the term that Siddhartha Gautama used to describe the character of the path he discovered that leads to liberation.

In Mahayana Buddhism, the Middle Way refers to the insight into emptiness that transcends opposite statements about existence.

Which Way Should I Drive- Decision Making

Everyday, we are faced with decisions to make. How do we make these decisions? From what to have for lunch to which way to drive back home, we are faced with decisions to make.

In a world that is growing in distractions in sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touch, unfortunately, we are making decisions that are blurred by these distraction. As Diamond Sutra had taught us, all these are like a dream, illusion, shadow and bubble. They are all impermanent objects that come and go. The body we live is just a hotel and all of us are just the hotel guest. The hotel will tear down but the guests come and go. We must have the wisdom to see that which lead us to our inner peace of mind, clarity in our thoughts and understanding in what Buddhists call suffering.

It is through our ignorance which is feed with greed and/or fueled with anger that resulted in decision making towards rebirth in lower three realms.

Back to decision making, we are bounded by what is good for me. Most of us do what we like and enjoy most.

I would like to introduce (if you have not heard about it) and recommend practicing Bodhicitta in our everyday decision making. We must have the compassion and wisdom to know what is truly good. We also must have the skillful means to act so that we could communicate at the level that the other party can comprehend.

A simple guideline to decision making and judge for yourself before you decide on doing, saying and thinking about anything:-

If I do it because it benefits me, it is a bad decision
If I do it because it benefits others, it is a good and virtuous decision.

Although it is a simplest rule of thumb about decision making, it is the most beneficial because the subsequent action's motivation is based on Bodhicitta.

Living in a Grateful World

Be grateful to those who have hurt or harmed you,

for they have reinforced your determination.

 

Be grateful to those who have deceived you,

for they have deepened your insight.

 

Be grateful for those who have hit you,

for they have reduced your karmic obstacles.

 

Be grateful to those who have abandoned you,

for they have taught you to be independent.

 

Be grateful to those who have made you stumble,

for they have strengthened your ability.

 

Be grateful to those who have denounced you,

for they have increased your wisdom and concentration.

 

Be grateful to those who have made you Firm and Resolute

and Helped in your Achievement.

 



The Four Great Vows of Buddhas and Boddhisattvas

Sentient beings are innumerable

I vow to help them all

 

Afflictions are inexhaustible

I vow to end them all

 

Ways to practice are boundless

I vow to master them all

 

Enlightenment is unsurpassable

I vow to attain it

6 Lessons from MH 370

1. Impermanence of Own Life

2. Impermanence of Love Ones

3. Impermanence of Objects

4. Impermanence of Happy Times

5. Impermanence of Good News

6. Impermanence of Nations' Relationships

 

 

May we all recite Namo Amituofo and dedicate the merits (transference of merits) to all those on board MH370 and all their loves ones.



Noble Eightfold Path

Right View/Understanding (Samm-ditthi 正见)

Right Intention/Thought (Samma-sankappa 正思维)

Right Speech (Samma-vaca 正语)

Right Action (Samma-kammanta 正业)

Right Livelihood (Samma-ajiva 正命)

Right Effort (Samma-vayama 正精进)

Right Mindfulness (Samma-sati 正念)

Right Concentration (Samm-samadhi 正定)

Show Your Intention,... and mean it.

I had told my daughter with numerous reminders occasionally to "do what she says, and says what she do."

To do what she says is to mean what she say so that after verbalizing what she thought, she should follow through and do it. To say what she do means to say genuinely what she had done with no lying in order to follow the five precepts. There are times when she wanted to change her mind like yesterday when she told me she wanted to go library and upon reaching the car park, she told me that she was tired and wanted to go back home to rest.

When on the road, I have noticed and encountered drivers who do not show their intention to change lane or turning into a junction. Worst still, there are those who indicated to turn left with the orange blinking indicator but turned right instead. In this case, although they gave ample time to other drivers by signaling early, they did not tell what it should be. This, to me, is not following the precept of not lying as you are telling fellow drivers I am going to turn left but turn right when reaching the junction.

There are times when I do encountered such change in my mind as I approached the junction but I follow through with what I had indicated and make a U-turn ahead or find alternative route to my destination.