Time : 9.30 am
Venue : Shah Alam Buddhist Temple
Topic : Invisible Happiness
Speaker : Dr.Chan Kah Yein
" Peace and happiness are available in crazy moment. Mindfulness is the key." ~ Ven Thich Nhat Hanoh.
As normal sentient beings, we have to practise mindfulness in various useful ways to remove layers of dust, eventually leading us to enlightenment. As buddhists, we have one ultimate goal to achieve which is to attain enlightenment. Though it might sound very difficult to strive the target, it is achievable if we were to put in great effort and try controlling our temper, desire and most importantly our delusion.
It is true that focus helps people to be able to concentrate on whatever works they are doing. However, excessive focus that will neglect the surrounding's happenings will bring disastrous endeavors to people. We might miss out many people in life if we are too focused on certain things. We shall avoid extremes. For instance, a lecturer might not be that experienced in teaching certain topics. It is not for us to blame. Instead, he or she might possess certain special qualities which we might learn from and eventually leading us to another better path. None will ever know. We are supposed to treat every beings with equal respect and be more humble. Everyone has his special character we might learn from. Learning from others helps to mould you into a better one.
Be more understanding and learn to forgive. There's often a saying that getting mad over certain people is merely punishing yourself by taking others' wrongful doings seriously. There are always two sides for every story. We know what we want to do because we're expecting from others. But, the point is people may not know what we expect them to do. Hence, think twice before you blow your top due to people's inability to get their tasks done to your requirements. This is largely applicable especially when you're gotta be a president for a certain organization. President is the prime mover of the organization so it is very important to elect a leader that possess extraordinary leadership skill. The person should be one of ability to show his mindfulness and give precise decision on the organization's future.
Mindfulness comes in different ways. It applies onto people who have time to think of others as well. These people are in general selfless people. They have this caring attitude in which they are thinking of the benefits of others though people are not watching or observing you. All these root from the genuine and purely sincere intention. We have to be more caring and not to get too focused until you neglect the well-beings of others. Knowing is easy but to practise is another matter for discussion.
Mindfulness is to pay attention and be fully aware of what is happening at your surroundings. Understand ourselves, transform ourselves.
Intention --- >Thoughts ---- > Actions and Speech
When you do good things with your sincere heart, you'll feel very happy. Instead, you will never gain the true happiness if you do something with an ulterior purpose of bad intentions. What we, sentient beings need is to be honest. Sometimes, we know that it is not correct to perform such behaviors. However, we are too ego to admit it, we refuse to. Again, it is all about our mind, whether we're courageous enough to confess our own undesirable acts.
The Three Evil Roots
Greed
Hatred
Delusion
Dana ( Giving ) as mentioned in early posts, is the true generosity. Only when one person gives for the other people's benefits, that he or she will feel the true happiness. Again, metta (loving kindness) is applicable here. To love others. Basically, in the buddhist context, giving for the others' benefits and to be a harmless people are the two major principles in Buddhism.
Another important criterion Buddhism always implies onto sentient beings like students especially is to manage stress appropriately. Your reaction is between you and the object. You can choose not to be disturbed. After all, it's again about your choice. Create a "space" between you and the object so that you can have a wider field of vision and thoughts. Feel it with your loving kindness, gratitude, understanding and patience.
Every cloud has its silver lining. When it comes to adversity, it is again you that have to make choice. Mental strength will generally come to you automatically when you really need to face it. If you are able to, change the situation. If not, change your attitude, choose your reaction. We cannot change the others, we can only change ourselves.
These are basically what I've learnt from today's dharma talk. Just a token of sharing with brothers and sisters. May the glory of metta shines on us.
Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.
Lee Chiu Xian
Sukhihontu.
