Evening of Dhamma sharing with Chao Khun Keng

In this evening Dhamma talk in Sydney, Ajahn Keng, a Singaporean monk from Theravada tradition reminded us of the five precepts and doing good deeds. I like his Dhamma talk as he is quite humorous and share interesting insights. 

Happy Vesak Day! 卫塞节快乐！

Happy Vesak Day to all Buddhists! Today is a sacred day, commemorating Sakyamuni Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana. As a Buddhist, I try to follow Buddha's teaching. Buddha taught us to be compassionate to all sentient beings. I try to eat more vegetarian food and meditate. Thank you Buddha for your selfless teaching for 45 years. Amitofo. 阿弥陀佛!🙏

Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha

Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha

Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha

Did you know that there is a Bodhi tree aka the sacred fig at Singapore Jewel airport? It is located at level 5, Canopy Garden. Buddha was enlightened under the Bodhi tree. 

Let's recap Buddha's teaching

苦集灭道 

1. Suffering exists in everyone’s life. 

2. The causes of suffering are greed, anger, and ignorance. 

3. Nirvana, the extinction of suffering, is possible for everyone. 

4. Nirvana is achieved by following the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path.

1. Right Views

2. Right Thoughts

3. Right Speech

4. Right Conduct

5. Right Livelihood

6. Right Effort

7. Right Mindfulness

8. Right Meditation

祝所有佛教徒佛诞节快乐！今日是釋迦牟尼 佛陀诞辰、悟道与涅槃的神圣纪念日。身为佛教徒，我谨遵佛陀教诲。佛陀教导我们对一切众生心怀慈悲。感谢佛陀四十五年无私传法，我心怀感激。阿弥陀佛。 

你知道新加坡樟宜机场有一棵菩提树. 它位于5层的Canopy Garden区域。佛陀正是在菩提树下悟道成佛.

Enlightenment of the Buddha

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 Beautiful heart-shaped leaf.

Jatakas Tales: Plumeria Flowers

Plumeria tree is also known as the Temple tree as they are commonly planted in Buddhists temple in Asia.  Plumeria is listed among the "Five Trees and Six Flowers" in many Buddhist countries. The five trees are the Bodhi (Ficus), Sal (Shorea), Ashoka (Saraca), Sandalwood (Chandan) and Banyan tree. The six flowers are lotus,  specific plants are planted to create a conducive environment to meditation. In the Jatakas Tales, it is believed that in one of the Buddha's past lives, he was a Plumeria tree.

You can read the following from Parallax.org here about one of Buddha's past life as a plumeria tree. 

The story the Buddha told of his lifetime as a plumeria tree was that he lived next to a very beautiful lotus pond, filled with fragrant flowers, and not far from him was a very muddy little pool that was filled with shrimp and crab, even a couple of fish. A heron came to that area once, and the heron saw all the life in the muddy pond and thought to himself, “Oh, I would like to eat that life. But if I just go chasing after them, they’ll all hide.” So, being a smart heron, he went over and waded into the pond and he said, “Little fish, little shrimp, don’t be afraid. I’m here to carry you over to that beautiful lotus pond. You can get in my beak and I’ll take you there.”

Because the shrimp and the fish and the little crab were fairly smart, they said, “Oh, we don’t believe you. You just want us to jump in your bill so you can swallow us whole.”

But the heron said, “No, no, I’m not a heron like that; you can really trust me. You can trust me so much that I’ll take one of you over to visit the lotus pond and then you can come back and tell everybody what it’s like.”

None of the animals were willing to do that, except for one very old fish, who had heavy, thick, tough scales and very little meat. Bony, old, ancient fish. And that fish said, “You can take me over to the lotus pond,” because he knew that if he got eaten then nobody else would go. And he knew that he didn’t have very long to live anyway, and besides that, he would not be tasty.

So the heron picked up the fish in his bill and flew over to the lotus pond and let the fish go. The fish swam around the lotus pond and indeed, it was very beautiful; the waters were cool and fresh and there was a lot to eat. It was lovely being in the lotus pond. After he had spent some time there, he came back to the shore and said to the heron, “You can take me back to my pool now.” So the heron took him back to the little muddy pool and let him go.

And the old fish said, “Indeed, the heron did take me to the lotus pond,” and he described the lotus pond to everyone. And he said, “But you should still use your own judgment about whether you want to take that journey or not.”

But needless to say, all the little shrimp and fish lined up and said, “Take me, take me.”

And so the heron picked up the first shrimp and took it over and landed beneath the plumeria tree and proceeded to eat the shrimp and spit out the shells, the carapace of the shrimp. When the plumeria tree saw this, he felt so terribly sad. He said, “This heron has lied. He has not only lied, he has manipulated, he has broken the trust.”

But the Buddha then was a plumeria tree, and could only stand there and feel really sad; he couldn’t change the situation. And after the heron finished the first shrimp, he went back, and got another shrimp and ate him under the plumeria tree. And every time he went back, he would assure the other shrimp and fish that those in the lotus pond were very happy, that he was willing to take them all over, not to worry. And so, one by one, he took all the shrimp and all the fish underneath the plumeria tree, and ate them.

And the Buddha standing there, fragrant flower plumeria Buddha, was so sad, that he could feel tears running down his bark. But standing there as a tree, there was nothing he could do.

Finally the only one left in the pond was crab. The crab was feisty and said, “I don’t entirely trust you. So if you take me, I don’t want to be in your bill, I want to ride with my claws holding onto your neck.”

And the heron thought, and said, “That will be okay.”

So the crab put his claws on the heron’s neck and they flew. When they flew over the plumeria tree he could see all the shells and the bones of the shrimp and the fish, and he knew that the heron had eaten them all. So he tightened his claws on the neck of the heron and said, “You have been lying. You’ve eaten all my friends.”

And the heron chuckled. But when they landed, the crab pressed his claws tighter and tighter on the heron’s neck, until it broke. The heron died and the crab went into the lotus pond.

The Buddha was standing there, just watching it all happen with his full attention. And what the Buddha realized was that when we feel helpless, it is very important to strengthen our intention to practice: to transform suffering, to be a source of kindness and peace. And as a plumeria tree, the Buddha vowed that whenever he had an opportunity to manifest peace, to make a difference, to change something, to transform some suffering in the world, he would do that. And his intention to practice became very, very strong.

Image from Tsz Shan Monastery  https://www.tszshan.org/home/new/uploads/plants/Plumeria.pdf

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Buddha: Let The Precepts Be Your Teacher

More than 2500 years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha already advised his disciples to treat the precepts as their teachers. It is disappointing to read of some people wearing monk robes and cheat devotees of their money and not practising the precepts. One has to bear in mind that Buddha didn't teach you to be rich. Buddha's core teachings are the Four Noble truths and karma. Sometimes I think karma teaches you about empathy as some people don't understand the impact their action has on others until someone treat them the same way. Cause and effect are real. Just a matter of time. 

The Four Noble Truths are:

1) Suffering exists in everyone's life. They include dissatisfaction and  impermanence.

2) The causes of suffering are greed, anger and ignorance.

3) Suffering ceases when craving and attachments are eliminated, achieving. Nirvana.

4) The way to end suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path.((Right Views, Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Meditation.) Some people disagree with Right. If not Mindful or Moral( not hurt anyone). 

Image from Buddha drama. 

Now AI is on the trend. Let's see what AI share on Buddha and the precepts. 

From AI:

Before entering Nirvana, the Buddha advised his disciples to treat the 

precepts (sila) as their teacher, serving as a guide for ethical conduct in his absence. These guidelines—avoiding harming, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxicants—are not mere restrictions, but tools for cultivating wisdom, compassion, and mental clarity. 

Key Aspects of the Precepts

• A Guide for Conduct: The precepts (Sila) are considered the foundation of spiritual practice, helping to avoid mistakes and cultivate a harmonious life.
• The Five Precepts (For Laypeople):
  1. Refrain from taking life: Promoting compassion and respecting all beings.
  2. Refrain from stealing: Promoting honesty and respecting property.
  3. Refrain from sexual misconduct: Promoting respect and trust.
  4. Refrain from lying: Promoting truthful speech.
  5. Refrain from intoxicants: Maintaining a clear mind to avoid negligence.
• Significance: Following these principles helps to break free from greed, reduce desires, and protect oneself from negative karma. They are viewed as a "hook" to remove the "poisonous snake" of afflictions, such as anger and desire, from the mind. 

Movie on Bodhidharma Master of Zen《達摩祖師傳》

I like to watch movies relating to Buddhism as I get to learn wisdom from Buddha's teaching. This is a movie on Bodhidharma. The director of this movie became a monk after directing this film. Amituofo 阿弥陀佛. 

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.