10 Daily Reminders For a Better Life

My friend Mr T shared with me this informative vide on 10 daily reminders by a practising Theravada monk. I find it helpful so I'm sharing with you all. Below is a short summary of what venerable Nick Keomahavong shared. I hope you find the video below helpful to improve your habits and life. 

1. Reminder 1 - How was our thoughts, speech and action?

We must pay attention to our thoughts, speech and action. The way we think, speak and our behaviours, these actions create karma. There are consequences and effects.

Reminder 2 - Not being choosy and using essentials with care and consideration

Don't be wasteful and careless and mindless. Have a sense of gratitude for the food and supplies you have available and also make use to care for it. Use it wisely. Be considerate of the resources we have and not be wasteful. 

Reminder 3 - What can we do to improve our conduct, what bad habits to give up, and what good habits to develop?

Everyday look at the bad habits you have and then try ways to improve it. Reflect on the habits that need changing. What can you do to change your behaviour? Increase your mindfulness. 

Reminder 4 - How well did we observe the precepts?

Thervada Buddhist monks need to observe 227 precepts to keep them on track in developing their mind, to hold up to standard and training. For lay Buddhists, we just observe the 5 precepts as follow:

1- No harming of life

2- No stealing

3- No false speech

4- No sexual misconduct

5- No intoxicants - will not lead to carelessness

If you hold the 5 precepts, it limits the worries. There is no outside interference and you are more worry free.

Reminder 5 - What would the Buddha say about our conduct and observance of precepts?

The Buddha was a regular person who attained enlightenment in our human realm. What would Buddha think of our behaviour. Reflect on our day. What do we need to improve our life?

Reminder 6 - Remind ourselves that we are bound to be parted from all.

Everything we do, we tend to cling to it, hold on to it to be attached to it be it relationship or thing. When the time comes to depart, you will all depart from these things. Use this to ground yourself. All the money, possession that you have, you can't take it with you when you depart. When you understand the above, then it start to change and structure how you function in your daily life. 

Reminder 7 - Remind ourselves that we all live under the Law of Kamma

We must continuously remind ourselves that we all live under the law of kamma, therefore we must choose to do only virtuous things in thought, speech and action. Regardless of what traditions or religions you are from, there is the law of kamma. That with every action, there is a reaction. It is important to remind ourselves with this universal truth. When you do good, it has positive fruit and vice versa. Use this to guide your action moving forward. 

Reminder 8 - What good have we done today to purify our mind?

Need to remind ourselves that time is passing. What good have we done today to purify our mind? If you have the opportunity to do good, do it now. This lifetime is very short. Don't take it for granted. 

Reminder 9 - Have peace and quiet – physically and mentally – and to set aside time for meditation. 

Take the time to just settle down and meditate.

Reminder 10 - How well did you meditate?

Main focus is to train the mind. To see reality as it is. You can use journal to keep track of meditation experience. What was your mindset like?

10 Daily Reminders For a Better Life  A Monk’s Approach

The Practice of Contemplating the Five Aggregates as Empty

If you understand the Heart Sutra, you be more at ease 自在。 Heart Sutra reminds me that the five aggregates namely,  form, feeling, perception, mental formation and consciousness are empty. Like it or not, everyday we are growing older. This physical body that we are residing in are not permanent. 

This identities of who you are is temporary based on the body you reside now. It is not the real you. The real you is unchanging and bright. So why be unhappy with things that are also impermanent? Just let go. There are times when I feel sad, but after some time, just let go of the sadness and be happy. 

From Master Sheng Yen who explained the Heart Sutra.

“Perception” means notions, reflections and thoughts. It changes over time and space. Therefore, there is no need to be attached to it.    

The five skandhas, namely form, feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness continually provide five occasions for craving and clinging. Two types of craving and clinging characterize the human mind: 1) Craving and clinging to form and 2) Craving and clinging to mind. Clinging to form is the domain of the form skandha; the remaining four skandhas constitute the domain of the mind and the clinging to mind is generated in those four realms. All our grasping, manifested in our attachments and aversions, is generated and developed due to the activity of these four skandhas. Craving and clinging emerge at birth, and the Buddhadharma aims to sever them.

 “O Sariputra! Form does not differ from the void, and the void does not differ from the form. Form is the void, and the void is form. 

The same is true for feelings, perceptions, impulses and consciousness. O Sariputra, the characteristics of the void is not created, not annihilated, not impure, not pure, not increasing, not decreasing. 

 Therefore, in the void there are no forms and no feelings, perceptions, impulses and no consciousness: there is no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind; there is no form, sound, smell, taste, touch or idea; no eye elements, until we come to no elements of consciousness; no ignorance and also no ending of ignorance, until we come to no old age and death; and no ending of old age and death. 

Also, there is no truth of suffering, of the cause of suffering, of the cessation of suffering or of the path. There is no wisdom, and there is no attainment whatsoever. Because there is nothing to be attained, a Bodhisattva relying on Prajnaparamita has no obstruction in his heart. Because there is no obstruction he has no fear, and he passes far beyond all confused imagination and reaches Ultimate Nirvana. 

All Buddhas in the past, present and future have attained Supreme Enlightenment by relying on the Prajnaparamita. Therefore we know that the Prajnaparamita is the great magic Mantra, the great Mantra of illumination, it is the supreme Mantra, the unequaled Mantra which can truly wipe out all suffering without fail.” 

 Therefore, he uttered the Prajnaparamita mantra, by saying: “Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasemgate Bodhi-svaha!” 

观自在菩萨，行深般若波罗蜜多时。照见五蕴皆空，渡一切苦厄。舍利子，色不异空，空不异色，色即是空，空即是色，受想行识，亦复如是。舍利子，是诸法空相，不生不灭，不垢不净，不增不减。是故空中无色，无受想行识，无眼耳鼻舌身意，无色声香味触法，无眼界，乃至无意识界。无无明，亦无无明尽，乃至无老死，亦无老死尽。无苦集灭道，无智亦无得。以无所得故，菩提萨埵，依般若波罗蜜多故，心无罣礙，无罣礙故，无有恐怖，远离顚倒梦想，究竟涅槃。三世诸佛，依般若波罗蜜多故，得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。故知般若波罗蜜多，是大神呪，是大明呪，是无上呪，是无等等呪，能除一切苦，眞实不虚。故说般若波罗蜜多呪，卽说呪曰：揭谛揭谛，波罗揭谛，波罗僧揭谛，菩提萨婆诃。 

Happy Vesak Day 2023

In Singapore on today Vesak Day,  Buddhists commemorate  the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana of Gautama Buddha. The compassionate and kind Buddha had spent 49 years teaching the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold path to end suffering. Buddhism or Buddha's teaching is not about pessimism. There is a way to end suffering and that is to follow the Noble Eightfold path which helps to end rebirth. 

Before enlightenment, Buddha spent 6 long years practicing asceticism and long fasting, causing his body to be weakened. One day, he heard someone playing a string instrument and came to the realisation that the Middle Path is the way for achieving the liberation of body and mind.  

"Cultivation is like playing a musical string instrument. The string will snap if it is too tight, or not make any sound if it is too loose. Indulgence in sensual pleasure or extreme penance are attachments. The Middle Path is the way for achieving the liberation of body and mind." 

After attaining enlightening, Buddha had compassionately taught sentient being the Four Noble Truths. He reminded us to think and investigate his or others' teaching before accepting it.

On the night of enlightenment, Buddha attained the ability to recollect his past lives at dusk. In late night, Buddha attained the second knowledge which is the passing away and rebirth of beings according to their actions and closer to dawn, Buddha attained the knowledge of the destruction of mental defilements and came to be the fully self-awaked Buddha. Buddha had compassionately spent the next 49 years teaching sentients being the path to end suffering with the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold path. More than 2500 years later, with the advance of technology and past lives regression, it verified what Buddha had taught about rebirths and karma- cause and effect.  If you want to read about rebirths, you can read Dr Brian Weiss's book like Many Lives, Many Masters which touched on individual and collective karma and rebirths. 

The Four Noble Truths are

1) The truth of suffering. Like it or not, both rich and poor go through suffering. The suffering of old age, not getting what you want, separation, sickness.

2) The truth of the  cause of suffering (craving, anger and delusion)

3) The truth of the end of suffering. (There is a way to end suffering) 

4) The truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering is the Noble Eightfold paths.

The Noble Eightfold paths which helps to develop Sila (ethical conduct), samadhi (mental discipline or meditation) and panna (wisdom) are as follows

1) Right thought

2) Right understanding

3) Right Speech (Refrain from lying, gossip, idle, harsh speech. If one has nothing helpful to say, be silent)

4) Right action (moral, honorable and peaceful conduct)

5) Right livelihood (Honest living, Refrain from making a living that harm others like selling weapons, intoxicating drinks and toxins)

6) Right effort (prevent unwholesome state of mind)

7) Right mindfulness (be aware and mindful of one's thoughts and feelings

8) Right concentration (meditation)

By the way this year Vesak Day is very special to our family as my 3rd young brother is married to his beloved wife. I forgot about one of the five precepts. I took a glass of red wine. At the end of the wedding, I just had a short meditation. 

One must be mindful and consistently practise and reflect on Buddha's teaching. 

Meditation Retreat

I hope to attend a meditation and 8 precepts retreat maybe for three days in a temple. I would like to learn more from Ajahn Keng because he focus on the 4 Noble truths and the Noble Eightfold path.

Why must we observe 8 precepts instead of precepts during the retreat so that the more precepts you are observing is better for the mind. 

Free Read

I find the article below quite meaningful from a free Buddhism magazine. If you find it helpful to your friends, do share with them. 

Extreme attachment to something or someone only bring suffering to oneself and others. Letting go will bring something better.  Just like the greedy monkey refusing to let go of banana enticed by the hunter as it choose  to cling to its desire thus staying trapped in unhappiness. Just let go and you experience freedom. 

Thank you for the free magazine. I will donate money for the free distribution. Hopefully it can help more people. 

Click here to read more.

 

The Noble Eightfold Path: Right Livelihood

Buddha was compassionate and taught the Noble Eightfold path to both human beings and heavenly beings as the practice lead to liberation from samsara. Good action leads to good result. 

In the video below, Ajahn Keng shared about Right Livelihood. He shared about a devotee who worked in poultry business and he had neck pain. Ajahn Keng asked him how he killed it and he said first he had to bend and break it's neck first. The devotee earns about $2000 per day (about $5 per livestock) but he had to pay few thousands dollars for medical consultation. 

Despite paying so much money to see doctor to treat his neck, his neck pain persisted.  The devotee after reflecting on Ajahn Keng's questions and advice to stop this livelihood. In the end he decided to stop this livelihood and his neck miraculously healed after a few months and he didn't have to see doctor anymore. 

If someone is making livelihood that harm lives like selling illegal drugs like cocaine, heroine, it will not bring peace and one day wealth might be taken away from the person such as in the example above on the poultry seller. One should not make a living at the expense of other suffering. 

At 1:27:18, Ajahn Keng talked about Right Livelihood 

The eight Buddhist practices in the Noble Eightfold Path are (From Wikipedia):

Right View: Our actions have consequences, death is not the end, and our actions and beliefs have consequences after death. The Buddha followed and taught a successful path out of this world and the other world (heaven and underworld/hell). Later on, right view came to explicitly include karma and rebirth, and the importance of the Four Noble Truths, when "insight" became central to Buddhist soteriology, especially in Theravada Buddhism.

Right Resolve or Intention: the giving up of home and adopting the life of a religious mendicant in order to follow the path; this concept aims at peaceful renunciation, into an environment of non-sensuality, non-ill-will (to loving kindness), away from cruelty (to compassion).[36] Such an environment aids contemplation of impermanence, suffering, and non-Self.

Right Speech: No lying, no rude speech, no telling one person what another says about him to cause discord or harm their relationship, no idle chatter.

Right Conduct or Action: No killing or injuring, no taking what is not given, no sexual misconduct, no material desires.

Right Livelihood: Livelihood must not harm lives.  No trading in weapons, living beings, meat, liquor, illegal drugs and poisons.

Right Effort: preventing the arising of unwholesome states, and generating wholesome states, the bojjhagā (Seven Factors of Awakening). This includes indriya-samvara, "guarding the sense-doors", restraint of the sense faculties.

Right Mindfulness (sati; Satipatthana; Sampajañña): a quality that guards or watches over the mind; the stronger it becomes, the weaker unwholesome states of mind become, weakening their power "to take over and dominate thought, word and deed. In the vipassana movement, sati is interpreted as "bare attention": never be absent minded, being conscious of what one is doing; this encourages the awareness of the impermanence of body, feeling and mind, as well as to experience the five aggregates (skandhas), the five hindrances, the four True Realities and seven factors of awakening

Right samadhi : practicing four stages of dhyāna ("meditation"), which includes samadhi proper in the second stage, and reinforces the development of the bojjhagā, culminating into equanimity and mindfulness.[43] In the Theravada tradition and the vipassana movement, this is interpreted as concentration or one-pointedness of the mind, and supplemented with vipassana meditation, which aims at insight.

 

Protective Mantra

In life, there are people who will do anything to get what they want. Some will spend money to cast spell to get what they want. Read this Asiaone article here on their interview with someone who is paid to do. 

That is why I will not accept when someone especially the opposite gender wants to give me bottle of liquid that could masquerade as perfume, hand sanitizer spray, or ointment. You never know what is inside. I also won't accept drinks from people I don't know well. Never place your personal things that you use as it could be easily replaced. 

If you suspect you are a victim of spell, you can go to your religion and seek help. In Buddhism, when Ananda, the handsome monk who was Buddha's attendant was cast a love spell by a lady, Buddha had to save Ananda from breaking his monk precept. 

I came across the following by Joseph Polansky, a western astrologer and I think it is really well written. " Karma is the law of cause and effect which governs all phenomena. We are all where we find ourselves because of karma- because of actions we have performed in the past. The universe is such a balanced instrument that any act immediately sets corrective forces into motion-karma. Never do bad thing. It will bounce back to the owner of the action.

The world is very fair. You do good, good result will follows and vice versa. It's just  a matter of time.