Ferrari-Taxi Crushed

 

Singapore is shocked over the recent car accident that happened on wee hours of the morning. It left the driver dead and took the lives of two other persons. (You can login to Youtube to see this accident – just type ‘Ferrari accident in Singapore’).

Plenty have been said and Singapore is still talking about it over breakfasts, lunches , dinners and during breaks. People are sharing videos and everyone gasped at the speed of the Ferrari.

I am joining in the fun since it is a talk about topic. I am not blaming here and I know finger pointing is unavoidable. To be fair, we should not blame foreigners for this accident. I blame DRIVERS.

How disciplined are Singapore Drivers (both Singaporean and foreigners)? How many are graceful and gracious in their driving?

Being a driver myself, how many times have I ‘curse and swear’ under my breath at reckless, SELFISH drivers?Singapore Drivers….habits

1) they cannot be behind you, the must get in front of you – by hook or by crook

2) they are blind to signal lights, even if you are already flicking your lights to change lane, they will not slow down but accelerate to get in front before you change lane

3) they forget their udang udang – they slipped into your lane without signaling and squeezed in at the space not worrying whether you hit them…after all if you hit their ‘ass’ you are at fault

4) at traffic light, they must cut lanes and be the first one on the ‘mark’ careless whether you are the vehicle already reaching the first car on the mark

5) When traffic lights turned ‘Green’, they will be the one to speed off

6) ‘Tailing’ is so common. I cannot understand the rudeness of these drivers. They will flash their light at you to move aside. I will only give way to Ambulance and not these road bullies. I too have the RIGHT to the roads.

7) If you do not give ways to these drivers, they will overtake you on the next lane and showed you ‘vulgar’ finger signs

8) People with branded cars must speed or else it is a waste to pay S$1 million for a car to be different

9) It is also COMMON in Singapore that everyone wants to beat the ‘RED LIGHT’. Regardless we must ‘chon’ even if the light is changing from amber to red. The most ideal is to drive on without stopping at any traffic lights…thus drive on to ‘Heaven’

10) Taxi Drivers are the one who are prone to accidents because they are just as reckless. (I am not saying the driver who got hit is reckless) BUT we have to agree how some of these drivers drive

11) Big trucks i.e cement trucks, oil trucks as long as they are bigger than you, you have to give way to them because they will show you that they can ‘drive’ faster than you

12) Those that drive a Van, a 3-ton lorry and likes, I suppose it are a mental conception. They probably feel that they are third class – why do I say these? It is these group of people who also want to race the cars divers although they are marked at ‘70’.

Singapore roads are not made for beautiful cars like Ferrari, Lambo, Lotus, or any sport cars. You have no way to speed. The distance between one traffic light to the next is too short and you either stop or it leaves you dead. Anyway this Ferrari/ taxi/ motorcycle accident is unfortunate. Condolence to the families of people who are dead. The Japanese tourist who died in the taxi is unfortunate. The taxi driver’s death is unfortunate and it taught me a lesson – ‘never be the first one to speed off when traffic light just turn GREEN, you do not know what is oncoming’

OHM MANI PADME HUM…m.m.m.m.m.m.m.m

Happiness...

We all want happiness. How than can we be happy? Is happiness so evasive and so difficult to have?

Happiness to many people means different thing. To a hungry man having food is happiness. To a poor man having money is happiness. Some think that love is happiness, others acquiring more and more personal wealth is happiness. Career at the top, fast cars, beautiful women, power, entourage, big houses...are these really happiness.

Since when happiness are so conditional? Are these happiness permanent? You have food today and maybe hungry tomorrow; you have money today but overnight you become a pauper; you acquire wealth and you are so afraid of losing it; career at the top but many came down and do not know how to pick themselves up again; beautiful women and power, entourage and big houses can be lost in a split second BUT we still cling to all these to prep ourselves. We believe that it is a protecting armour...it is not.

MONEY cannot buy happiness, POWER cannot command respect, WEALTH cannot buy health and WOMEN will not prove that you are better than the next man. So what is it than?

Being ALIVE is happiness. Happiness is very simple. You do not need to spend money to get it. You need not park yourself with a wealthy man to get it AND what you get from beautiful women and pay for it are cheap thrill, it is not happiness.

Touch your heart and ask yourself sincerely are you happy? We have too many baggage and we do not want to let go any. People who already have want more...where is the limit? Did anyone realized that after acquiring all the things we want we may not be alive to enjoy it.

Happiness should go beyond worldly materials, it is spiritual. It is within you. Happiness is not handed over to you by someone else. Given happiness is pathetic because it can be withdrawn. Happiness out of fear is worst.

Recently when I am not working I realized that living simple, having enough, having a roof, being with family and there are no unrealistic DESIRES is happiness. Having no FEAR of how am I going to conduct my life with no more name, fame and a steady income is happiness. Having time to pursue my spiritual happiness is happiness because I can get ready for something beyond.

Living simply, having health, being alive, having a handful of good friends and being with love ones is happiness. All these years I thought I have it all BUT where are all these now that I resided from the worldly arena? Therefore what seems real are but passing and not real. NOT REAL does not mean it is not there BUT it is not permanent.

Search for this HAPPINESS within.

May you be well, be happy, be safe and healthy.

THE END of the World 2012

Have not been back to the blog because of a broken hand. However I thank all those who continue to visit here and support my blog.

2012...the prediction that we all will disappear OR is it only the calender of the Mayan because their wise man only manage to calculate until 2012. Being a Buddhist...I believe in Cause and Effect. Surely there will be an end of the World as Buddha spoke about Impermanence. BUT do not worry because it won't be 2012 or maybe our life time. However one thing everyone of us can be sure...more and more calamities will happen all over the world. These calamities are our making. We are the cause. We do so much harm to Nature with things we call 'modernization'. Thou sow and thus reaped...fair and square.

Coming back to Singapore, a place I call HOME. We are lucky and have enough merits to a peaceful living but there are silly things we do...so enjoy this piece written by a wise Foreigner. How people live or behave is a choice but I am sure I won't JUMP Ship. Nothing is like home and when I am a first class citizen WHY do I want to be 2nd class, 3rd class or stateless !!

The Bizarre Behaviour of Singaporeans
Observations made by a German national who has lived in Singapore for 9 years.

44 years of economic and material success have spawned some very strange behaviours among Singaporeans.

They spent so much to buy a house or flat, furnished it up like a palace, but spent their time outside, most of the time at work. And the maids are the ones enjoying the million-dollar or multi-million-dollar assets..

Then they pay so much, the highest in the world, for a car only to park at home. Too expensive to drive, too many ERPs and car park charges to pay. And they are encouraged to park their cars at home and take public transport, being cheaper and more convenient.

And when Singaporeans travel, instead of seeing the places, they went shopping. The best part is that they would head for the cheapest bargains, buying stuff that they could get in Chinatown or pasar malam, at even cheaper prices. But they are still happy that they got a bargain.

And while the heartlanders are busy trying to make a life here, being told to bust off if they are not happy, which they could not, the rich and presumably very happy and contented citizens are buying up properties overseas just in case they need to make that escape from this paradise.

While many Singaporeans are thinking of jumping ship, or preparing to jump ship, hoards of new immigrants are rushing in to take their place in this paradise.

And to top it all up, they keep complaining about the government and all the policies that they found unpalatable, but come every election, they will vote and return the government to power.

Strange Singaporean behaviours !

A book....?

Life is like a book, you decide on the character.
All stories will come to an end.
You choose the ending...a good one or a bad one...
and it all depend how you live it out.

The next chapter of your Life is another newly written book.
You will not be the same character you were in the last.
How simple or how complicate...you want the story to be?
You weaved the ups and downs

It must be about love, desires and all worldly things
that make the character in the book exciting to read.
What if the story is devoid of hate, anger and ignorance?
The plot is no longer worth writing.
Thus the book ends here!

Don't forget that a good character will have a good ending
and
a bad one have bad ending..
but are you sure it will be that way?

In reality that is not so because the hands of Karma decides it all.

The pretty, the ugly, the so-so
The healthy, the sick
The rich, the poor and the millionaires
The successful, the failure
what do you have to say?
So it was you, at the point of time
give rise to the character and the
life it will lead

So, choose wisely
Act carefully
and
weave the character correctly!

Prayers of Medicine Buddha with 1000 Lamp offerings

Kindly send me the following information by leaving me a message in my comment box if you need prayers to be done for yourself and that of your loved ones. I will fill in the card (see attached) and place it in the prayer bowl. These cards are special made and they are biodegradable. You can send in as many names and no matter where you are, just do so by letting us know. What I need from you:

Name : The full name of the person
Age:____ Country : _____ State:______
Your wish for this person :

If you need to know WHY we are doing this, please read below. NO MONEY is needed. Noted the cut off date is 1st November 2011 by mid-night Singapore time.

***************
Upcoming Event: Prayers of Medicine Buddha with 1000 Lamp offerings by HE Kathog Rigzin Chenpo Rinpoche @ Chagzog Tamcho Centre on 13 Nov 2011.

We are extremely blessed to have the presence and kindness of H.E. Kathog Rigzin Chenpo Rinpoche, who will lead us, joined by many Buddhist communities around the world, in the Medicine Buddha puja and the 1000 lamp offerings.

Medicine Buddha is the manifestation of the healing energy of all enlightened beings. Prayers made to Medicine Buddha, the Supreme Healer (tib: Sangay Menla), will be blessed with healing powers of outer and inner sickness of oneself and others due to the 12 great aspirations strongly made by Medicine Buddha, at the time of his Bodhisattva-hood, out of his compassion. It is not only an effective method of supporting oneself and others to increase the healing powers in physical sickness , but also for overcoming the inner sickness of our defilement such as attachment, hatred, and ignorance. Thus, meditating or praying to the Medicine Buddha would purify oneself and others negative karma as well as accumulate vast store of merits. That would wonderfully manifest a temporary result of having pure and soothing outer ambiance. Most importantly; it will yield the supreme fruition of enlightenment of recognizing the true nature of our innate mind and the outer phenomena, ultimately.

In pursuit of true happiness, many realize that we and our beloved ones are constantly being exposed to many seemingly insurmountable ordeals such as terminal illness, natural catastrophe, economic turmoil, etc. which could cause immense physical and mental suffering. These torments not only cause pain which lead to health deterioration but also great distress to one’s mind. In actual fact, in these time of degeneration, misguided pursuit of happiness without knowing the right path to accumulate merits and purify one‘s negative karma is the root cause of these sufferings.

Through the understanding of “True Happiness”, one can develop genuine love, compassion, and joy. When the loving kindness and compassion are truly developed deep within our hearts, we would inevitably, not only care for ourselves but care for others with unconditional love. Loving kindness and compassion are the remedies of overcoming our sufferings. With that in mind, we would like to encourage all practitioners, devotees and readers to participate, radiate and reach out your loving kindness and compassion to fill up every space and corner of this world. Let’s us mingle our hearts with the great enlightened mind of the Medicine Buddha, the essence of love and compassion.

Be it of needing prayers for yourself, your beloved ones, friends, or simply motivated to dedicate to the well-being of all sentient beings and world-peace, we will most heartily welcome all and our centre is always open for your visit and enquires. You can participate by filling your loved ones’ names and their wishes in our specially designed wishing cards. We will gather all the wishing cards around the world and place them right before the Mandala of Medicine Buddha during our prayers’ event, so as to receive the great blessings from Medicine Buddha.

Phra Maha Chedi Tripod Trimongkol

I search Goggle for a little bit more information to this beautiful temple of worship but found nothing written about it. We call it the Stainless Steel Stupa. It is situated in the outskirt of Hatyai, Thailand. This is a retreat Center and the Abbot in charge is Luangpo Aik. The architectural design and structure is unusual. We have not seen anything like this.

Upon arriving, the stainless steel structures caught our eyes. Although the sky darken and threatening to rain, however the little sunlight cast upon the steel caused it to sparkle. There is an air of calmness and serenity about the place.

The based of the Stupa has round entrances and each entrance is a room. Buddha statues were placed here. From the entrance, we stepped into the heart of the structure and we saw stainless steel lotuses holding robe offerings made to the Buddha. Walking around, I saw a spiral stainless steel stairway and I made my way upward. It opened up to this amazing and breathtaking structures of stainless steel designs, alms bowls and the ringing of the wind chimes were so meditative. Winds were rushing in and out of the steel bars. Stepping into this gave me a sense of inner bliss. We caught sight of some unusual insects and one had a face when its wings closed up.

I only have some pictures to share. If anyone reading here know more about this Temple, please drop me an email. I love to hear from you.

What to say...??

It has been a long time I last posted. Actually I was wondering what to post. We always have an opinion to everything and anything. We must add our vocal to express our knowledge, our dissatisfaction, our joy, our sadness, our happiness and unhappiness. Really...do we have so much to say?

When I realized what I said was an arising of a cause which a condition ripen for such words, it started the ball rolling. What follows in words is either kindness or harshness and surely come with an effect...good or bad. If it is followed by action I will harvest the fruit.

Dependent Origination arises every second in our thoughts. How to stop this? How aware are we to this little insignificant cause which can roller coaster to bigger issues? NO, most of us are not alert and focus enough to see it arising, let alone curb it as it buds. I do know this and yet I fall prey to all these conditions that give rise to further pleasant and unpleasant experiences. I now prayed for positive actions and not otherwise.

A cause rises out of defilement - it has something to do with ignorance which has craving in it. Because we are not able to stop it, it takes shapes according to our feeling. Therefore ignorance brings craving and follow with love or hatred. The continuous arsing of Dependent Origination, beings are being reborn again and again. Birth is suffering, so is old age, sickness and death.

I am not being pessimistic but I am beginning to really 'see' death. Not others but mine. I wonder what can I bring with me? Can I bring money, power, beauty, authority...I realized NO! One dead man is the same as another dead man - no richness or poor, no commoner or authority. Once we turned into bones or ashes...where are we? Are we the bone or are we the ashes?

There is one thing I am sure we will bring with us - the type of person we are when we are alive. Don't forget this body is on loan to you. You can use this BODY to do good or BAD. You can lie and pretend for all to see how good you are BUT you cannot lie to your consciousness. So when the final day comes...you either die peaceful or fretful. You either die in old age or have life force terminated when you are not ready to go. We all fear death because we know we are not a good person. Even a moderate person who is either good or bad fear death. We feared because we do not know what's on the other side. Well what you are this life is what you have lived in your past life BUT you can prepare for a better life next by living the correct way now.

As I began to understand the Buddha's teaching, I realized the UNIVERSAL TRUTH is something that is there. It is the LAW of the UNIVERSE, no one can change it. Goodness will begets goodness. It is not so difficult to be kind...smiling at another person is also an act of kindness. A kind word will help someone along the way...it does not cost you money to do it.

As I watched the riot in UK, I am sadden by the activities of the youth who took part. What's wrong with the youth today? Why must someone do harm to others and it is not even beneficial to oneself.

Where is the compassion? What type of youth did parents raised? In general youth around the world are behaving the same way. There will be those that defy the law and even end up in jail.

Cry me a river........