Being nice equals weakness?

 Being nice and tolerant is normally associated with weakness. We see in movies a person being bullied and keeps silent, gazing down on the floor, shoulders hunched and walking away.

Does being nice and tolerant really give the impression of weakness?

I believe not. Instead it is a show of strength and inner self control.

The most difficult person to tame is oneself. The most difficult person to change is oneself.

If we can withstand, tolerate and guide a bully towards virtue, that is greatness. We should state our position truthfully, clearly and firmly, with kindness and integrity. We do not have to walk away with shoulders hunched. We should stand upright, stand tall, shoulders pull back in any circumstance.

Having self control is being mindful of your mental and physical processes. It is a chance to practice meditation to improve ourselves.

Bernard
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Mangala Vihara's (Buddhist Temple) 51st anniversary

I have been associated with this Theravada Buddhist temple for over 40 years. My grandfather was the temple's first chairman, and Ven. M.M. Mahaweera was the temple's resident monk.

This temple holds a special place in my life. It is a place of worship and a place of solace in my hectic life. Ven. M. M. Mahaweera (Bhante) was my teacher and guide and I am truly indebted to him for his wisdom and kindness. I attended Sunday Dhamma classes at this temple more than 30 years ago, when the environment was not so modern. We studied the Dhamma, I attending chanting classes and even played games and competition during the annual Sunday school sports day. Those were the simple days of yesteryear.

Mangala Vihara celebrated its 51st anniversary yesterday, 31st March 2011 with a whole night chanting session conducted. I attended the start of this activity and listened to more than 10 monks chant for about 45 minutes (Mangala Sutta, Rattana Sutta and Metta Sutta).

It was a wonderful experience and I wish Mangala Vihara many more productive years in conducting educational courses and to continue its excellent work in helping the community. I also wish its past, present and future members and management committee the very best in health and prosperity.

You can visit the temple at http://www.mangalavihara.org.sg

Bernard

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Take a deep breath!

Breathing in...breathing out. Meditation in action in every breath. No need to sit. No need to stand. No need to walk. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, you are breathing. Be mindful in your breath. Be mindful in what you are doing. Be mindful of your movement. Be mindful of your thoughts.

Meditation can be done anywhere and anytime. It is easier said than done. A lot of practice is required. We all know discipline is the key. Discipline can only be cultivated with practice, one small step at a time. Build up you bank of discipline one day at a time, one minute at a time and it will all add up.

It is easier said than done. But we all need to start somewhere and stop giving excuses of why we have not started.

Bernard

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Calmness in meditation

Calmness in meditation is different from the calmness in simply taking a walk by the beach.

When under stress, a good way to de-stress is to exercise and 'sweat it out", either through a long run, a fast run, vigorous swim, contact sports. Such exercise brings some relaxation to the mind and body.

I have also found that doing meditation, especially when the mind becomes focused, the mind will not be able to worry or fret over things that bothered you. The mind can only focus on one thing at a time. When the mind becomes still and focused on the object of meditation, a detached form of calmness is achieved. This calmness is different from when the mind is at ease. Meditative calmness provides a very deep sense of well being, calmness and happiness that goes beyond the "normal" calm. It is like treading water at sea, bobbing up and down with the waves provides some sense of calmness. It is different kind of calmness when one scuba dives, floating under the sea, hearing nothing but your own breathing.

Kind of difficult to describe. Need to experience to appreciate.

Bernard

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Seth Piritha - Jaya Pirith

I have never heard of the term Seth Piritha before, until I began searching youtube for Sri Lankan monks chanting in the Theravada tradition.

I truly enjoyed this video and everytime I listen to it, my mind calms down quickly by focusing on the words chanted.

I thank the person who uploaded this video. All copyright belongs to the original author of the video.



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A meditator's diary

I bought this book titled "A meditator's Diary - A western woman's unique experiences in Thailand monasteries" by Jane Hamilton-Merritt several years ago. It is an excellent book that chronicles the experiences of the author in her journey through different meditation experiences from Samatha to Vipassana. She highlighted the struggles she underwent, and wonderful experiences of meditation. I have read and re-read this book countless number of times and never fail to be fascinated by her written words.

As I also slowly progress in my meditation practice, I gain inspiration from books like these. Meditation doesn't come easy for some. My mind is so used to switching from one task to another, condition by the hustle and bustle of my daily life. This context switching by the mind from one task to another is inevitable, and it conditions the mind to be highly "effective" in dealing with switching. However, achieving stillness of mind becomes elusive. Striking a balance is no easy task.

I also realise meditation is not an exercise undertaken sitting down. It is undertaken in every aspect of life. When the mind context switches from one task to another, mindfulness can still be maintained. I know this as a concept. To consciously practice it is another matter that I need to work on. I am sometimes conscious of the need to be mindful and often, not realising that I'm not mindful.

Still, a start is better than not doing anything.

Jane Hamilton-Merritt, if you read this post, I would like to sincerely thank you for writing this book. Thank you.

Bernard

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Copyright © Bernard Ong, 2006-2011.
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