Chao Khun Keng Dhamma talk on Kathina Day eve 25th Oct 2025

Thankful to my friend for sharing this video of Ajahn Keng. I find Ajahn Keng's sharing relevant to Singaporeans as Ajahn Keng is from Singapore.

In this video, Ajahn Keng reminds us of the five precepts as taught by Buddha Shakyamuni. 

Ajahn Keng Talked About The Monk Who Stole.

Ajahn Keng, a Singaporean monk who was ordained in Thailand shared about the karma faced by a monk in Thailand who stole temple money. The monk suffered in the lower realm and he was only reincarnated after his daughter apologised to the other monks. It's your choice to believe the talk. Just take note just because you can't see beyond the physical realm doesn't mean others cannot. In Singapore, a monk who took temple fund was discovered and served his time for fraud and misappropriation of funds.  

Karma is real and truth will be revealed ultimately. Just do good and there be good results and do bad, there be consequences. Corrupted people who abused temple money must face the consequences. Do take note that real monks do not accept money during alms round. They only accept food. 

Twelve Links of Dependent Origination- Craving

Craving and grasping increases attachment and therefore forms the karmic force that will bring human to the next life in the cycle of birth, aging and death.  

This book, The Boy Who Saw Truth that I read recently reminded me of the 12 links of dependent origination taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. I hope you find this sharing from this book and another post on 12 links of dependent arising useful in your spiritual path. 

May all beings be well. 阿弥陀佛 Amitofo! 

Earlier post on Approaching the Heart Sutra in Terms of Time- 12 Links of Dependent Arising.

Image from here

From The Boy Who Saw Truth

Heart Sutra 心经

Various Hong Kong celebrities like Jacky Cheung, Jacky Chan and Aaron Kwok and many others sang the Heart Sutra in Cantonese in 1999 to raise funds for Taiwan earthquake. 

Diamond Sutra(Updated) 金刚经

In this post, I translated meaningful part of this drama on the life of the 6^th Patriarch of Chan, the Venerable Huineng as I find that Venerable Huineng explanation of Diamond Sutra is helpful. I find that after reading Buddha's teaching, I don't worry as why waste time worrying over something that is illusion in this transient life in this temporary body? Once you know your true mind, you don't get attached to external transient things. Just let go and your mind is at ease. 

Please highlight to me if there is error in translating. 

Venerable Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of Chan (February 27, 638 – August 28, 713) was said to attain awakening when he heard a verse from the Diamond Sutra 应无所住而生其心. Without abiding anything, give rise to the pure mind. In my understanding, not abiding, means not attaching or thinking about it. Just let go of things that bother you. 

 

When the Fifth Patriarch of Chan Venerable Hong Ren explained to him the Diamond sutra. Venerable Hui Neng was "suddenly and completely enlightened, and he understood that all things exist in self-nature.

凡所有相，皆为虚妄

因为一切形相 都是因缘和合而成

随缘而生，随缘而灭

菩提本无相， 相乃人心中之物

心中有相，就可以将菩提本性遮蔽

All appearances are illusion

Because all forms are formed by the combination of cause and effect

Arises with fate, extinguishes with fate

Bodhi has no form, and form is in the human mind

If the mind has form, one can conceal the nature of Bodhi

 

应无所住而生其心，Without abiding anything, give rise to the pure true mind 

云何应住，云何降伏其心 When does the cloud abide, how does the cloud calm the mind

佛说应无所住而生其心 Buddha said without abiding in forms, arises the mind

即是说心即是佛,佛即是心 Meaning Pure Mind is Buddha and Buddha is Pure Mind. 

他做了一首偈子Venerable Huineng came up with the following stanza when he understood the verse. I think true mind, is our consciousness. 

何其自性本自清净！What is true mind, it is intrinsically pure (not perturbed)

何其自性本不生灭！What is true mind, it is neither born nor extinguish 

何其自性本自具足！What is true mind, it is self-sufficient

何其自性能生万法！What is true mind, it can produces immeasurable dharma/ideas

 

From the Diamond Sutra

Subhuti, all great bodhisattvas should give rise to purity of mind in this way: they should not give rise to a mind that abides in form; they should not give rise to a mind that abides in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. They should give rise to a mind that does not abide in anything. 

Subhuti, a bodhisattva should turn away from all notions, and initiate the mind of anuttara samyaksambodhi. He should not give rise to a mind abiding in form, and he should not give rise to a mind abiding in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. He should give rise to a mind that does not abide in anything. 

When we contemplate the following verses from the Diamond Sutra, your mind should not be affected by forms which are transient, dependent on causes and conditions. 

一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观

“All conditioned phenomena
Are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, Like dew and lightning.
One should contemplate them in this way. “

All phenomena appear in the world is a combination of causes and conditions that is temporary by nature. It will pass. There is no permanent nature to form which is subjected to change due to causes and conditions, thus it is illusory. Thus why be sad over something that is illusory. Just let it go and not be attached to it.

A lot of suffering comes from the mind which is influenced by forms like sight, hearing, touch, taste or perception. When someone criticised us, we get upset, when someone own something we don’t have, we want it. We are always influenced by the three poison, greed, anger and delusion. 

From the book, Miracles Happen: The Transformational Healing by Dr Brian Weiss, “ Chinese philosopher Hui-neng (6^thpatriarch of Chan Buddhism/Zen) wrote, “When we are free from attachment to all outer objects, the mind will be in peace. Our essence of mind is intrinsically pure, and the reason why we are perturbed is because we allow ourselves to be carried by the circumstances we are in. He who is able to keep his mind unperturbed (calm), irrespective of circumstances has attained enlightenment. “ 

 

A woman who went through a near-death experience shared,” I realized that life is like a dream”. She wrote, “ When you are born, you wake up into mortality in this physical body. When your physical body dies, you return to immortality.” 

I realised what is 无我 no-self as our consciousness or mind changes identity in various body forms in our many reincarnations. Thus there is no permanent self-identity. Do not cling to anger and just let go.

Episode 8, From 18:30, the Sixth Patriarch Hui met Fifth Patriarch Hong Ren. 

           From Miracles Happen: The Transformational Healing by Dr Brian Weiss,

Diamond Sutra Part 1 is here

Episode 3: From 35:30, when Venerable Huineng heard a monk reciting the Diamond Sutra. 

The Diamond Sutra 金刚经 

Venerable Thubten Damcho

I came across this interesting conversation of two Singaporeans Chade Meng Tan, a former Google employee and also known as Jolly Good Fellow and Venerable Thubten Damcho who graduated from Princeton University. 

What is true happiness? If what you are doing is in line with your values and you live authentically, then you certainly have true happiness. 

Do watch this interesting conversation.  Amitofo. 阿弥陀佛。  

Dendrobium Buddha Tooth Orchid at Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Happy Vesak Day! Today Buddhists commemorate the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana of Siddharta Gautama Shaykyamun Buddha.

Did you know that at the rooftop garden at Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum in Chinatown, there is a unique hybrid bright lime green orchid purplish pink lip which is a cross between Dendrobium Burana Jade and Dendrobium Palolo Sunshine?

The national flower of Singapore is orchid and you can say that creating orchid hydrid is our forte. Let's take a look at the Dendrobium Buddha Tooth orchid. 

Nearest MRT station: Maxwell MRT station

  Dendrobium Buddha Tooth orchid

Video of Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. Like and subscribe my Youtube channel.

Singapore Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Prayer wheel at the rooftop garden