Two Great Stories

These are two very great stories and if we are able to learn just a tiny bit of it, we would be much happier. For those who can read Chinese, enjoy the stories (stories received via email).


大風無法撼動一座山！（很棒的觀念和想法）


當別人對你說了一些刺傷你的話，批評你、羞辱你，你會怎樣？你會火冒三丈，氣呼呼地罵回去，或是忍氣吞聲地強壓下來？然後呢？你是否會愈想愈氣，整個情緒都大受影響？


有天，佛陀行經一個村莊，一些前去找他的人對他說話很不客氣，甚至口出穢言。


佛陀站在那裡仔細地、靜靜地聽著，然後說：「謝謝你們來找我，不過我正趕路，下一村的人還在等我，我必須趕過去。不過等明天回來之後我會有較充裕的時間，到時候如果你們還有什麼話想告訴我，再一起過來好嗎？」
那些人簡直不敢相信他們耳朵所聽到的話，和眼前所看到的情景：這個人是怎麼回事？其中一個人問佛陀：「難道你沒有聽見我們說的話嗎？我們把你說得一無是處，你卻沒有任何反應！」佛陀說：「假使你要的是我的反應的話，那你來得太晚了，你應該十年前就來的，那時的我就會有所反應。然而，這十年以來我己經不再被別人所控制，我己經不再是個奴隸，我是自己的主人。我是根據自己在做事，而不是跟隨別人在反應。」


是的，如果有人對你生氣，那是「他的」問題；如果他侮辱你，那是「他的」問題；如果他粗暴無禮，那仍是「他的」問題。因為他要怎麼說，怎麼做，那是「他的」修養，你能怎麼辦？讓我再重複一遍上面故事中佛陀所說的話：「我己經不再被別人所控制，我己經不再是個奴隸，我是自己的主人。我是根據自己在做事，而不是跟隨別人在反應。」你是情緒的主人，而不是奴隸。


曾聽過一則故事─有個人每天都固定向某報攤買一份報紙，儘管這個攤販的臉一向都很臭，但他還是每次都對小販客氣地說聲謝謝。有一次和他同行的朋友看到這情形，便問他：「他每天賣東西都是這種態度嗎？」「是的。」「那你為什麼還對他如此客氣？」那人回答：「我為什麼要讓他決定我的行為？」


是啊！我們為什麼要讓別人的表現來決定自己的行為呢？


有看過「生命的答案，水知道」這本書嗎？水能夠對人的話與做出反應。當你的心中是喜悅、感恩的時候，水的結晶就是美麗晶透的；當你的心中是憤恨、仇怒的時候，水的結晶則是扭曲混濁的。


人的身體裡70%是水分，你可以想像到，當你在生氣、憤恨、痛苦、怨懟的時候，你身體裡70%的水分是以污濁的水溝水的狀況來呈現！那…身體又怎麼會健康呢！對吧！


看到這裡，你還要生氣嗎？？

Story - A Sack Of Potatoes

This is a story I love so much which I read in Dr. Ong's clinic one day. Dr. Ong was kind enough to email me the soft copy. We told the children this story during one of the sessions in Sunday Dhamma School.

One of my teachers had each one of us bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes. For every person we refused to forgive for whatever they did, we were told to choose a potato, write on it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag.

We were then told to carry this bag with us everywhere for two weeks, putting it beside our bed at night, on the car seat when driving, next to our desk at work, etc.

The hassle of lugging this around with us made it clear what a weight we were carrying spiritually and emotionally, and how we had to pay attention to it all the time to not forget it and leave it in embarrassing places.

Naturally, the condition of the potatoes deteriorated. This was a great metaphor for the price we pay for nursing our grudges. Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person while it clearly is for ourselves!

So the next time you decide you can't forgive someone, ask yourself, Isn't your bag heavy enough?

Holidays

It's holidays and it means a break for all facilitators, co-facilitators, principal and children of Sunday Dhamma School. Everyone did a great job on Wesak day and everyone deserves a rest.


I was exhausted after Wesak Day, really exhausted! After a rest, I'll be back to post about our Wesak Day celebration. It was FANTASTIC!

Wesak Day Celebration

Phew, at last the recording is completed! The puppet show will be carried out as planned and I think the children are doing a fantastic job on this. Let's hope they would be able to give their very best on Wesak Day.


Program for Wesak in Sungai Long Buddhist Society:

Wesak eve (18 May 2008)
8.00 pm Puja & Dhamma Talk by Ven Dhammasara
on "The meaning of Wesak"
9.30 pm QnA
10.00pm Rejoice & Dismiss


Wesak day (19 May 2008)
8.30 am Registration & Selling
9.00 am Puja & Opening speech by Dr. Ong (President)
9.15 am Puppet show, Ehipasiko, Happy Wesak by SDS children
9.40 am Multimedia 1
9.45 am Choir singing "小草" and "Breathing in, Breathing out"
9.50 am Multimedia 2
10.00am Speech by Dr. Ong "The meaning of Ratana Sutta &
Metta Sutta"
10.30am The arrival of Ven. Dhammaluca
10.35am Puja, Chanting "Ratana Sutta" and "Metta Sutta" lead by
Ven. Dhammaluca
11.00am Blessing by Ven.
11.10am Dhamma Talk "Who am I?" by Ven. Dhammaluca
11.30am Dana & Lunch together (Vegetarian only)
12.00noon QnA
12.30pm Clean up & rearrange the centre
1.30 pm Dismiss


We would be joining Nalanda Buddhist Society in the evening.

Game on Buddhist Flag

Last Sunday, we thought the children the symbols of Buddhism. To further enhance their understanding about the Buddhist flag and to let them remember the color of the Buddhist flag, we thought of a game to bring out the effect.

The game goes like this:

* Children are divided into 2 groups.

* Each group would be given color papers (color of the Buddhist flag).

* Each group would have short of one or two colors.

* Children are given 5-10 minutes to complete the flag, sticking each color paper together with tape.

When time is up, we would ask to see the result but none of the group would be able to present a complete Buddhist flag.

Then, we would tell them that the Buddhist flag cannot be built due to the shortage of color. Each group is like each person. Each has his or her own specialty and strong point as well as weakness. So, if the two groups could combine, they would easily build a beautiful flag. This also means that we (Buddhists / siblings/ friends) need to be united and help each other so that things get done.

Suggestion: We could combine the older children with the younger children for this game. Older children will be in two groups and the younger children will be in the other two groups. The scenario now is that the older children feel they are superior and do not wish to mix around with the younger children. From this activity, we could actually tell them that none if more superior to the other and that they should always help each other.

Quiz on Life Story of the Buddha

The children of Sunday Dhamma School have heard the life story of the Buddha several times and to repeat the story once again would make the children bored. So, how do we solve this problem since the syllabus of this term is Wesak and we want to tell this story again?

We came out with a suggestion to replace the story telling with a quiz on life story of the Buddha. The questions are basically set in sequence with the story, that is from the birth of Prince Siddhartha to the growing up of the prince, to the four sights, to when Siddhartha left the palace until he attain enlightenment and become the Buddha.

No story telling will be done this Sunday, but throwing of questions to the children. Our purpose is to make the session livelier and to test how much the children have absorb and could remember.

This is how we will have the quiz:

* Children are divided into 3 groups.

* Each group will be given several pieces of paper.

* Each member in the group would take turns writing the answer on the paper.

* Each group will be given 30 seconds to answer each question.

* When time is up, each group’s representative would show their answer and the right answer will be given 1 point.

* By the end of the quiz, the points will be totaled up and the group with the highest score will get 3 extra stars whereas the second group will get 2 extra stars and the last group will get 1 star each.

* For those who did not participate, no extra star will be given. Here, we are encouraging everybody to participate.

What do you think?

"Journey"

“Journey”, a new Buddhist album has been launched and is now selling at RM21.

The album consists of 3 discs.

Disc 1 consists of 10 songs (9 english and 1 pali).

Disc 2 is the rendition of the Mangala Sutta in Pali with English translation accompanied by the soothing sounds of the Sitar.

Disc 3 is a DVD music video of a song in tribute of the late Venerable Dr.K.Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera.

Now, who are the singers? Presenting the singers for this album:

M.V. Nathan

Datuk Dr.Victor Wee

Oh Kim Leng

Simon & Cedric Tan (MOD)

Raymond Yeo

D2Y (Dhammaduta Youth)

Khoo Nee Wern (Igemz)

Wee Jee Leng

Dharmic Dew

All proceeds will go to participating centers.
For further information on the album, kindly visit Sukhi Hotu Sdn Bhd.