感恩！

感恩阿弥陀佛！

满了我想睡足三日三夜的愿！😅😘😊

回想休假前我就发了个小愿，想要睡个三日三夜以补充以往严重的缺眠。但心与身却静不下来，一直往外攀, 往外跑！阿弥陀佛想是看不过眼，就选了在祂的圣诞让我的身心静下来。

原本， 打算一大早就往净宗新厦参与佛七到晚上圆满但却在早上病发，发烧了。

无奈只好在家自修，虽然曾烧到39.8度但身心还好, 只有少许不适， 还可完成基本功课。尤其记起前一天散心念佛时忆起噶千爷爷慈悲的叮咛: 继续努力, 精进努力的一幕以让我调正心念, 提醒了我有噶千爷爷的"南无阿弥陀佛"的佛号唱诵CD就播着, 跟着念诵，就这样在清醒与昏沉间靠着噶千爷爷及阿弥陀佛的加持度过。

第二日起来， 感觉差不多痊愈了，友人也传简讯说已经为我在印度的寺庙点了之前请她帮忙点的 butter lamps，  难怪好得快。😊

感恩！晚上还溜出去上课, (好开心听到<<维摩诘经>>的故事如香积佛土众以闻香入三昧法等），回来时只是稍微不适，无大碍。觉得真是阿弥陀佛加持让我无碍去上课。💗🙏💗

但第三日早上去了巴刹, 也许那儿的环境较差，回来后，病情恶化，感冒加重。尤其肌肉酸痛般在后脑的痛只能直喊痛痛痛。。。

平常能靠自己念佛号自疗，可这次却只能提起"痛"号，知修行差了，得靠他力~ 噶千爷爷的加持。他真不愧是阿弥陀佛的使者！就在他的慈悲唱诵下，痛逐渐消失了。我就完全身心放松地沉浸在他与阿弥陀佛的加持中。之后，无意中发现全身柔软，尤如前一天听闻到的阿弥陀佛第三十三愿的蒙光触身获益愿所提到的身心柔软般？，真是神奇。。。（当然这只是我自己的感受理解;-P)

第四日早上起来，感觉好多了，但还是在家休息，以补足三日三夜睡眠愿。晚上因感觉好多就没再播放噶千爷爷的CD助眠，可隔天早上起来，就感觉身体较硬化，不像之前的柔软，就连忙试着再播放CD。真是神奇， 听着唱诵，真的感觉整个身体放松，摸摸身体，是比听唱诵前柔软了。阿弥陀佛！感恩加持！

但生病毕竟还是会大伤元气的，所以还是得小心照顾这个色身。。。
My lessons  from this illness 😓
Though our body is not to be attached, Must take good care of it as need it for practice....
Illness is no joke... is suffering...
It reminds me to be more compassionate towards the sick... 😓
Impermanence...  better do what we wish as soon as possible,  don't drag...you never know when is that last day...

Joyous Effort

 

It has been so many years since I first learnt "King of Prayers" and attended my first Vajrasattva retreat from Venerable Thubten Chodron at kmspks/Dabei and her subsequent sessions of Shantideva's "Engaging in Bodhisattva 's deeds".
This year is on "Joyous effort",  a good one for laxing me...

Some pointers:
Practice Like saying prayers of Aspirations Bodhicitta,  is like  planting seeds just like practise musical  instruments  till it gets better.
We may have doubt though reciting the great aspirations but can we really realise or  materialise  it?
Venerable assures we are now creating new good habits.
Even if it is hard and takes a long time, it is Okay as we are in right direction.

Rejoice that we met a path that works vs people who did not meet the Dharma or did not practice.

We are able to Distinguish between virtues and non virtues.
We try to get out of samsara of suffering.

We listen , integrate and contemplate.

Transforming our mind from... Ignorance,  anger and attachments,  greed,  non virtues
Into...
love, compassion, bodhicitta...

How do we transform?

story of Lama teacher to Comment on a devotee to practice Dharma.

Circumambulate...prostration... Reciting text....
( one may be doing so physically but mind may be thinking about having ice-cream after the practice,  etc)

~ transforming mind...

Not just physical action but motivation to make our mind virtuous...
( eg. change thought of overcoming anger over an event )
Mind becomes more peaceful..
Be happy...

Every being including flies, cockroaches, our adversity enemy has Buddha nature and can awaken.
Buddha is no liar so we do all have Buddha nature and not hopeless or special exception who does not have Buddha nature.
We can distinguish what is wholesome and beneficial.
And we can decide how to practice and move in right way.

In practising Dharma, there may be some discomfort but it is all for good of getting enlightenment.

Eg. in sitting meditation, we may experience body pain but the pain is worth it for us to bear to practice better.
It is interesting that with vision of pay-check, we will make effort to wake up early to work Or study, but when to wake up early for meditation,  we may tend to postpone... :-p

On practice of generosity,  a stingy person may train from giving from one hand to another  till gradually  to another persons'.; -)
Start from give food till flesh..._/|\_

Hmm, recommend to get the DVD on this 2 nights' teaching to revise...
A lot to contemplate till next year next chapter...

Am really Grateful towards the various teachers that I met and learnt from over the years....
AMITUOFO _/|\_
OM MANI PADME HUM _/|\_

Mundane mood

Found a cute picture from internet with caption that suits my mundane mood over the weekend...

阿弥陀佛！ 🙏🙏🙏
忏悔，忏悔，再忏悔 😰😭😓
收心，收心，要收心 😑🌻😐
加油，加油，要加油 😑😅😘
精进，精进，再精进 😬😘🙏
阿弥陀佛！ 🙏🙏🙏

(Pictures sourced from internet 🙏 )

心宏法师佛学讲座 2016

师父用心良苦地买了个镜子为我们解释一个实体，两个影像的概念。

师父终于开讲了善财童子的第一参。:-))
好棒的开示，一定要记得请DVD来复习。
阿弥陀佛_/|\_

One popular event at last evening of series of talks...点灯祈愿!!!
This year's new lamp vessels...
Always like the <<点灯祈愿文>> with music composed by the HH 17th Karmapa _/|\_

(One may Watch "第17世大寶法王 (親誦) ＿＿ 點燈祈願文" on YouTube - https://youtu.be/3IzqVigRnGg; 

"2014第31届噶舉祈願法會 點燈祈願文 - 藏文+中文(王菲錄音唱誦)+英文完整版" on YouTube -https://youtu.be/S8TvJshDWpc)

愿众生离苦得乐，
好愿，福慧圆满，
得遇正法， 善知识，上师，
欢喜欣受地被带领走上菩提道，速成佛果!
_/|\_ _/|\_ _/|\_

好快，六日的讲座就结束了。
直到下一回，我们需精进，精进，再精进。。。

真的好莊严喔！
(Especially after adding the Khata offered by Shifu!
:-)) )

Eye treatment

“無垢清淨光，

慧日破諸暗，

能伏災風火，

普明照世間 ”

听说这四句普门品的偈语，

治眼疾有靈驗，应至誠念誦。 。。

也许患老花眼的朋友也可试试看。。。

(Sources: Picture from internet 

https://m.facebook.com/groups/119280301501219?view=permalink&id=1154872477941991)

--------

「持誦觀世音菩蕯，普門品中的四句偈語，瞎子竟重見天日」
圖文：谷歌網站

不多久以前，在京滬路中點的常州天寧寺有位雙目失明的出家人，當然，處處都感到不方便，痛苦萬分，後來經寺內住持和尚教導他每天拜佛，念誦『救苦救難大慈大悲觀世音菩薩』聖號一千聲，誦法華經觀世音菩薩普門品，日子久了，一定可以重見光明。

但失明的出家人，學誦困難，僅學念了普門品中的四句偈語：
無垢清淨光，慧日破諸闇，能伏災風火，普明照世間。

這一位失明多年的出家人，依了住持和尚的話，每天專注，一心一意的在虔誠的念誦，經過數月的時間，一天忽然重見天日，破除一切障礙。此人仍活在人間，是我煮雲法師親眼所見的事實。

宣化上人：那麼這普門品的四句偈，究竟他怎會醫治眼睛的疾病？ 這是不可思議的境界，乃是觀世音菩薩的威神力加被。

總而言之，你要是相信經文，而應用於任何事，都非常靈驗，很有效用。

宣化上人這段開示，就是引述《觀音靈異紀》之『病目獲癒』，裡面提到了（普門品）這四句偈治癒眼疾的事蹟：

以前在台州有一位名叫處蹈的僧人，在他中年的時候患上了眼病，由於他經常持誦大悲神咒，終於感動觀音菩薩在他夢中示現並傳授普門品中的四句法偈，『無垢清淨光，慧日破諸暗，能伏災風火，普明照世間』。令他每天清晨供一杯清淨的水，焚香念偈七遍或四十九遍，念完後用杯中水清洗眼睛。不管是積患多年還是新患的各種眼病，沒有不能治癒的。

處蹈夢醒後，仍然記得非常清楚，於是按照這個方法去做，果然治癒了眼病，並且健康安樂地活到了八十八歲的高壽。

當時記錄這件靈驗事跡的人，也曾經患眼病，足有一個月，有一位名叫孫震元的醫師向他傳授這個方法，實行後也非常靈驗。由於不敢私自保有，於是將這個方法記錄了下來。

觀音普門品中的這首四句偈，有很深的道理在裡面，並不只是可以清洗治癒眼疾，還能清洗心靈，降伏除滅我們內心的三毒惡習種子，所以能消除現行於外在的一切風災、火災、疾病等災難惡業，恢復我們本具的自性清淨光明。

Joy in an Age of Anxiety

我們其實比想像中的自己更好、更聰明、更了不起，但不自知。我們要學會欣賞自己、感恩。感恩還生存在世上，還有呼吸、知覺。可能你有十項特質，九正一負，我們就看著負面的一項，加以放大，感恩就是學會欣賞另外九種正面特質。

如果生命是趟旅行，路上充滿未知，我們要學會的，是為旅途上的事感恩，將痛苦變為學習的經驗。

---明就仁波切

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154502094659871&id=653819870 

Mingyur Rinpoche is finally here, after 4.5years in retreat and finally reached Singapore as one of his world tour stops to benefit more beings.

Finally, I get to see him live in person...

Some extracts of the talk...

Do you want to know what is it that we cannot change?
It's getting old...But we can change our mind...It's in our hand....
We cannot change our wrinkles, perhaps short term via botox but how we react to old age can change.

Eg of parking cars near carpark to gym and happily exercising on the treadmead verus walking in the open...
Pain in foot therapy...Chilli...

Whenever we face problems,, we tend to think the current situation is the worst in the world, but it is generally us making  a mountain out of a mole.

Our belief system: everything depends on external, main cause is in our mind.
Know your own mind, the essence , quality of your mind.
Don't look for external situation, Real Peace is in your mind.

Main problem is how to react to panic, not panic itself.

STretch your hand, touch your head, feel the warmth, the weight/pressure.
Watch TV & river...

Never try never fail
Durian meditation

Peaceful/clarity are just experience of meditation, but not the essence.


We all have problem but don't give up or exaggerate problem from 1% to 100%.
Think & Talk Positively.

1) Turn our mind inward for Peace
2) To find Peace via Meditation: Awareness of Body and Sound Meditation were taught
3) We all have Basic Goodness~ Appreciate your life, your breath.
Meditate Anywhere any time.
-----------
We should have the  motivation to take the Vajrasattva empowerment for all beings.
We are representing all beings to receive the empowerment. _/|\_
The practice encompass
1) Samatha meditation ~ concentration
2) Vipassana meditation ~insight, emptiness
(Vajrasattva form is empty yet appear as form)
3) Bodhicitta ~ to benefit all beings
4) Recognize our true Enlightened quality nature ~ imagine one is the Enlightened being,  imagine one as part of boundless wisdom & compassion
5) Benefit of purification of bad karma and accumulation of merits

Hmm, words written cannot be better than in presence of Rinpoche's live teaching with his own style of  presentation that puts the ideas across...
I had thought watching his recordings is good but Live in person is even superb....
May more be able to attend his teachings and benefit from them without obstacles. _/|\_
The way he taught at the Vajrasattva empowerment is refreshing which is pity that there is no recording to revise.
Strongly encourage all to attend in person for his talks and retreats. _/|\_

20 Happy Habits

Harvard University Recommended 20 happy habits for 2016.
哈佛大学推荐20个快乐的习惯 2016 。

1. Be grateful. 
要学会感恩。

Slow down, look around you, and pay attention to the little details in your life – the delicate purple flower on the sidewalk, the beautiful sunset, the hot shower that washes away your long day, and the smile in your partner’s eyes…
让自己变慢脚步，看看你的四周，关注生活中的细微之处：人行道上淡紫色的花，美丽的日落，洗去你一天疲惫的淋浴，伴侣眼中的笑容。

When you have a grateful heart that is appreciative of life’s beauty, wonder and blessings, you’re automatically filled with happiness.
当你的感恩之心能够欣赏生活的美，思考和祝福，你自然就充满了幸福感。

2. Choose your friends wisely.
明智的选择自己的朋友。

According to Harvard, the most important external factors affecting individual happiness are human relationships. So if you want to be happy, choose to be around people who are optimistic, who appreciate you as you are, and who can make your life richer, bigger, more fun, and more meaningful.
根据哈佛，影响个人幸福最重要的外部因素是人际关系。所以如果你想变得开心的话，要选择和乐观的朋友在一起，他们能欣赏你真实的自己，让你的生活变得更丰富，快乐，有意义。

3. Cultivate compassion.
培养同情心。

When we try to step into other people’s shoes and understand a situation from another’s perspective, we’re more likely to handle the situation with compassion, objectivity and effectiveness. There will be less conflicts and more happiness.
当我们代替别人，站在另一个角度看问题，我们更能用同情心，客观和有效的处理问题。生活中就会少一些冲突，多一点快乐。

4. Keep learning.
不断学习。

Learning keeps us young and dreams keep us alive. When we engage our brains and put them toward productive uses, we’re less likely to dwell on unhappy thoughts and much more likely to feel happy and fulfilled.
学习让我们保持年轻，梦想让我们充满活力。我们运用大脑，进行运作的时候，我们就不大会想不开心心的事情，我们会变得更开心和满足。

5. Become a problem solver.
学会解决问题。

Happy people are problem solvers. When they encounter a challenge in life, they don’t beat themselves up and fall into a depressive state. Instead, they face up to the challenge and channel their energies toward finding creative a solution. By becoming a problem solver, you’ll build up your self-confidence and your ability to accomplish whatever it is you set your mind to – and whatever challenges life throws your way.
开心的人是会解决问题的人。在生活中遇到挑战的时候，他们不会自虐，然后变得很消沉。他们会直面挑战，调动全身力量寻找解决办法。通过变成一个解决问题的人，你会建立自己的自信心和下决心要的事情和直面挑战的能力。

6. Do what you love.
做你想做的事情。

Since we spend over one-third of our adult life working, loving what we do has a huge impact on our overall happiness. If this is not possible at the moment, then try to find enjoyment and meaning in your current work, or cultivate a hobby that involves doing something you love.
既然我们成人生活的三分之一时间都在工作，那么做我们想做的事对我们的整体辛福感就有很大的影响。如果现在不能做你想做的事情，那就试着在你现在的工作中寻找快乐和意义，或者培养一个你喜爱的兴趣。

7. Live in the present.
活在当下。

When you feel depressed, you’re living in the past. When you feel worried or anxious, you’re living in the future. But when you feel content, happy and peaceful, you’re living in the present.
你感到沮丧，是因为你活在过去。你会感到担忧和焦虑，是因为你活在未来。但是当你感到满足，开心和平和时，你才是活在当下。

8. Laugh often.
要经常笑。

Laughter is the most powerful anecdote to anger or depression. Research has shown that the simple act of curving the corners of your mouth can increase your feeling of happiness. So don’t take life too seriously. Try to find humor and laughter in life’s everyday struggles.
笑是对抗生气或沮丧最有力的的东西。研究表明简单的嘴巴上扬也可以增加你的幸福感。不要把生活看的太严肃。要学会在每日的奋斗中寻找幽默感和笑声。

9. Practice forgiveness.
学会原谅。

Resentment and anger are forms of self-punishment. When you forgive, you’re actually practicing kindness to yourself. And most importantly, learn to forgive yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. It’s through our mistakes that we learn and grow to become a bigger and better person.
憎恨和生气是对自我的惩罚。当你释怀的时候，事实上你是在对自己施以善意。最重要的是，学会原谅自己。每个人都犯错。只有通过我们的错误，我们才慢慢学会如何成为一个更强大，更好的人。

10. Say thanks often. 
要经常说谢谢。

Always be appreciative of the blessings in your life. And it’s equally important to express your appreciation to those who’ve made your life better in some way, big or small.
对生活中的祝福要学会欣赏。向那些让你生活变好的人，无论或大或小，表达出你的欣赏之情也同样重要。

11. Create deeper connections.
学会深交。

Our happiness multiplies when we connect and bond with another human being on a deeper level. And being fully present and listening are two of the most important skills to strengthening that bond and bringing happiness to ourselves, and to others.
我们的幸福感会在和另一个人的深交中不断猛增。专注聆听是加强这种关系纽带和把幸福感带给自己和别人的两个最重要的方面。

12. Keep your agreement.
守承诺。

Our self-esteem is built on the agreements we’ve made with ourselves. And high self-esteem has a direct correlation to happiness. So keep your agreements with others and with yourself.
我们的自尊是建立在我们对自己守承诺的情况下。高度的自尊和幸福感有直接关联。所以要对自己和别人遵守承诺。

13. Meditate.
冥想。

According to Harvard, people who take 8 sessions of mindfulness meditation training are, on average, 20% happier than a control group. Such training can lead to structural brain changes including increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion and introspection.
根据哈佛，平均上，上过8次冥想训练的人要比控制狂多开心20%。这样的训练可以导致大脑结构变化，包括海马体黑色物质的密度，其对学习和记忆很重要，在结构上和自我意识，同情心和反省。

14. Focus on what you’re doing.
关注你在做的事情。

When you put your mind, heart and soul into what you’re doing, you’re creating a happiness state – called the “flow.” When you’re living in the flow, you’re less likely to care about what others may think of you, and less bothered by things that are not that important. The result? More happiness, of course!
当你全身心投入一件事的时候，你就会处于一个开心的状态。当我们处于这种状态，你就不大会关心别人对你怎么看，不大会被不大重要的事情干扰。结果呢？更幸福，当然啦！

15. Be optimistic. 
要乐观。

For happy people, the glass is always half-full. If your tendency is to imagine the very worst-case scenario every time you face a challenge, then train yourself to reverse that tendency. Ask yourself what good can come out of the situation or what you can learn from it. Optimism surely fuels success and happiness.
对于开心的人来说，玻璃都一直是半满的。每当你面对一个挑战时，如果你倾向于想象最坏的想法，那就自我转换这种情况。告诉你自己一个状况中的好处或者你从中学到的东西。乐观肯定能驱动成功和幸福感。

16. Love unconditionally.
无条件的爱。

No one is perfect. Accept yourself for all of your imperfections. And do so for others. Loving someone unconditionally does not mean that you need to spend all your time with them or help them figure out their problems. Unconditional love means accepting people as they are, and allowing them to find their own ways, at their own pace.
没人是完美的。接受你自己所有的不完美。也要这样对待别人。无条件的爱一个人并不意味着你要花所有的时间和他们在一起，或者帮助他们解决问题。无条件的爱意味着接受真实的他们，以他们自己的步伐，让他们自己摸索。

17. Don’t give up.
不要放弃。

Unfinished projects and repeated defeats inevitably dampen one’s self-esteem. If you’ve made up your mind to do something, see it through. Don’t give up until you succeed. Remember, failure is temporary but defeat is permanent. And defeat only occurs when you give up.
没有完成的方案和不断的失败不可避免的会削弱你的自尊。如果你决定做某事，做完它。在成功之前都不要放弃。要记住，失败是暂时的，打败的永存的。只有当你放弃的时候，你才会被打败。

18. Do your best and then let go.
做最好的自己，然后放手。

Everyone has limitations, and things don’t always turn out to be what we’d like them to be – despite our efforts. So always give your best, and then let go. Let events run their course. When you’ve done your best, you’ll have no regrets.
每个人都有局限性。而且有时候尽管我们很努力做一件事情，但是总会事与愿违。所以做最好的自己，然后放手。当你尽了全力，你就没有遗憾了。

19. Take care of yourself. 
好好照顾自己。

A healthy body is the key to happiness. If you have poor health, it’s very difficult to be happy no matter how hard you try. So make sure you eat well, exercise and find time to rest. Take good care of your body, your mind and your spirit.
一个健康的身体是幸福的关键。如果你身体不好，你无论如何努力，都很难快乐。确信自己吃得好，做锻炼，找点时间休息。好好照顾你的身体，大脑和精神。

20. Give back. 
学会给予。

Doing good is one of the surest ways to feel good. According to Harvard, when people do good, their brains becomes active in the very same reward center that is stimulated when they experience other rewards. So it’s not a surprise that people who care more about others are happier than those who care less about others.
做好事是最能确保你心情好的方法之一。根据哈佛，人们做好事，他们的大脑变得活跃，就好像当你经历别的奖励时，大脑所受的刺激。所以，那些关心别人的人要比不大关心别人的人更开心。

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