Singapore...is smoking again?

Well, this year smoking is driving us nuts. No amount of education to the Indonesian can make them understand that burning the forest or the plantations is not the only solution to clearing lands for agriculture.

The PSI is soaring. It caused health problems to themselves and neighboring countries. We are in this party together. As air knows no space, it pervades every nooks and corners. No matter where you are you "smoke". For us who avoid outdoor but staying indoor is worst and no government or countries can do anything. We have to suffered it out until the "Rain Gods" decide to take pity on us and give Indonesia a wash down.

In actual fact this is a standing issue. It happens yearly like a ritual. Their Government cannot solved the problem neither can ours. All lips services are lips services only. The people who burnt are only staff, they are just doing their jobs. The companies who permit these clearings are not bother, all they need to is pay fine.

I am actually sadden by these burnings. The weather is hot and it catches fire easily. The "Fire Gods" once ignited is not easy to appease unless you do it immediately and it is a small fire. The fire raged on. Animals and insects, reptiles, birds and all these died in fire. There are also people living in these places and they may be in danger too.

I pray..that it rain heavily on these "hot spots" or we continue to suffer. I am already having a patched throat and a headache.

Ohm Mani Padme Hung

7 Line Prayers to Guru Rinpoche

The 7 line prayers to Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava  is my daily supplication. It is a joy to hear it being sung in Choir. Sharing here...



ORGYEN YUL GYI NUB JANG TSAM
On the northwest border of the country of Urgyen

PEDMA GESAR DONG PO LA
In the pollen heart of a lotus

YA TSEN CHOG GI NGODRUP NYE
Marvelous in the perfection of your attainment

PEDMA JUNG NE ZHE SU DRAG
You are known as Lotus Born

KOR DU KHANDRO MANG PO KOR
And are surrounded by your circle of Dakinis

KYED KYI JE SU DAG DRUP KYI
Following you I will practice

JIN GYI LOB CHIR SHEG SU SOL
I pray you, come and confer your Blessings

GURU PEDMA SIDDHI HUNG

OHM AH HUNG BENZA GURU PEDMA SIDDHI HUNG........

ELECTION 2015...

 

 

Once again the Election is here. I am no politician nor do I partake in any politics however I felt that being one of the citizen of this country, I need to be concerned.

 

This is the first time we are doing this without the Late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. How will the country be run? Mr Lee parting words is to "keep the country clean" and it is crucial. Till the end he still thought of this nation which he took from rags to where we are.

 

Being a Buddhist, I believe in Karma. This Election will see if Singaporean already ran out of their good Karma.

 

This is a good time for me to reflect and learn. Of course I will express my support to the Party I believe I can leave my life in their hands, not just me but my future generations as well.

I have a friend who told me..."I told my husband no need to come back and vote and no need to vote". At least we have a right to our HOME and a say to how it will be.

Chinese proverb : You can easily break a pair of chopstick but you will have a hard time breaking a bundle of chopsticks. Do not forget our National Pledge " We, the Citizens of Singapore.....pledge ourselves as one united people...

Everyone is interested in their own agenda. Many will promise this and that and will pick and point to weaknesses of others. The purpose is not the welfare of the Nation but to WIN. Anyway whether the people support the ruling government and party OR they believe that giving a few constituency to oppositions as a flagging stick to the current Government have yet to be seen.

I will take all promises with a pinch of salts. Singapore is a small country...and if we are so easy to break apart with simply a few diverse views and only our own interest matters than we really am running out of our good Karma.

This is your HOME, your COUNTRY and do not take the decision you make lightly.

Lunar 7th Month...a Month

The Chinese Lunar 7th Month or Ghost Month starts today. This is also a Filial Piety Month and Vasanna Month.

For those who know Kitsagarbra Bodhisattva (Sayi Ningpo or 地臧菩萨) knows the story of how she elevate her mother from Hell Realm. This is also a Filial Piety Month because this great Bodhisattva took the vow that if the Hell Realm is not empty, she will not attain Enlightenment. Her great compassion is a source of inspiration to me.

This is also a Raining Retreat Month (Vasanna) where in Buddha's time monks went into Retreat. The purpose of not walking around is also to avoid stepping and killing lives. Buddha spent 25 rainy months in retreat at Sarvasti, Jetavanna Monastery where many interesting teachings and stories took place.

When the Retreat Month is over,  we offer robes to Monks and dedicate this powerful merits to the happiness of Mother Sentient Beings.

Today for 15 days, many will be visiting ancestral shrines in temples. This is the time you remember Mother Sentient Beings and their sufferings too.

There is no special day to practice your compassion but certain months may make you reflect more on your love ones who have passed on and their contribution to your well being and to what you are today. Normally people visit as a whole family, some with siblings and relatives bringing food and drinks.

May Mother Sentient Beings be placed on the pedestal of liberation and be free from sufferings. Ohm Mani Padme Hum _()_ _()_ _()_

SELAMAT HARI RAYA PUASA

Wishing all my Muslim friends.....

Healthy and Yet Dangerous Food

I am not a health fanatic but I do try to eat healthy. The above food are things that we are drilled that they are good for us but wait till you see what they will do to you.

1) Celery Celery is a vegetable that we all love to eat it raw or cooked. Many of us usually have left over food which we eat the next day. Here is the problem...reheating celery will cause it to release a harmful nitrites which is poisonous to our body.

2) Virgin Olive Oil You may heat you frying pan with this and frying eggs, steak, bacon etc. However do you know that when the oil is heated to a point where smokes arise, that is when it becomes carcinogenic.

3) Hard-boiled Eggs These are cooked egg and therefore should be eaten if possible they day it is made. Many of us love Stewed Pork and Hardboiled egg and the eggs are reheated again and again. This is a no no because reheated eggs are toxic!

4) Mushrooms Fried it with oyster sauce of simply stir-fried and it is yummy. Well like the above, reheating these are also poisonous. If you have left overs, eat it cold.

5) Tomatoes We all love a tomato and they are not poisonous. However if you pluck it from your garden, make sure to do not eat the leaf and the stalk. It contains a toxic called tomatine.

6) Kidney Beans Some buy and some make it themselves. Well here is the bad news - It contain a poison named Phytohaemagglutin. Kidney beans need to be boil properly so suggestion is you buy the canned ones and don't take it lightly.

7) Rhubarb - Vegetable Fortunately this is not common in Singapore. The part that can be eaten in the stem and the part that kill is the leave. The leave looks like yam leaf .

8) Wild Almond Not common in Singapore. Anyway we travel a lot and please remember that wild almond contain cyanide when eaten in large quantity.

9) Cherry Well it is cherry season now. Plenty of them are sold everywhere BUT remember do not bite the pit/ seed. Don't break it because it contain hydrogen-cyanide which kills.

10) Green Potatoes No easily found here in Singapore. Like I said we travel a lot so be careful. It is not your mashed potatoes or your green French fries, it kills. These green potatoes contain a toxin named solanine and it will cause vomiting. I may also cause cardiac arrest if taken in large quantities.

11) Apple An apple a day keeps the doctor away. This healthy fruit also has it poison. It is in the apple seeds. The small seed contain a small amount of amygdalin when combined with our stomach enzyme will produce hydrogen cyanide. It takes 100-200mg of this to kill an adult with minutes. Be wary.

There are many more but I hope this will served as a reminder. All these food look harmless but they are not if eaten carelessly. Wishing all those reading this have a healthy life.

SABAH EARTHQUAKE...

Today Singapore is flying the National Flag at half mast in respect to those who perished in the Sabah Earthquake.

Now the Earthquake is moving closer to home. No one expect it will happened in Kota Kinabalu. These time it killed 8 Singaporean - one Teacher, one Guide and the remaining are 12 years-old students from Tajong Katong Primary School.

It is heartbreaking to the school, schoolmates, families and also Singaporean. There is still one teacher and one student missing and we pray for their safe return.

My prayers and thoughts are with the bereaved ones. These are young lives and they are going through a leadership program. They are the leaders of tomorrow but we lost them.

It is not the first time such program are held at Mount Kinabalu which is a favorite of people around the region. Its a nature reserved filled with flora and fauna. Unfortunately this place when boulders are hurled during the 6.1 quake provides no place to hide or avoid the meteor of stones because it is an opened barren area where there are no vegetation.

 



Actually my brother just came back in May from this same trekking. At times it is the timing and various factors that one has to be there at the specific point of time. Whatever, it is still heartbreaking to see the lost of young lives.