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Archive for the ‘The learning experience…’ Category

430 hours of meditation and Ajahn Achalo

Posted in The learning experience… on 20/05/2023| Leave a Comment »

Ajahn Achalo who hit 3000 hours of meditation was here in Singapore. I was inspired by him and also started to count the hours of meditation, hoping to reach 3000 hours as well. Unless I live a long life, otherwise, I think I wouldn’t be able to hit 3000 hours. I attended his talk last Sunday at Palelai Temple. The sound system wasn’t good and I can hardly hear him speak. It’s good to meet the person whom inspire me. I hope I have a chance to listen to his teachings in Singapore again.

Peeping on Ajahn Achalo!

After completing another 130 hours of meditation, meditating isn’t such a hurry. Sitting without expectation, with nowhere to go and nothing to grasp on. It is the calm mind that makes one continue to strive. It doesn’t matter where I arrive in my meditation as long as the mind is peaceful and nature would do its job. Stabilising the calm mind is all I need – the longer the better. The mind has to be trained to be calm quickly and naturally whenever I sit. To be able to bring the mind to the present in whatever I do. Be able to abandon unwholesome thought quickly and always remain calm. That’s the training of the mind. That’s the purpose of meditation. With such a purpose I’m able to experience and understand the Buddha’s teachings. Teachings from the pali canon, the nikayas.

I remember I heard a lay teacher said that we should get up if we are dozing off when we meditate. Somehow I don’t agree. I carry on sitting. Although dozing off a little, my mind is aware of the drowsiness. But when the drowsiness ceases, my mind was sharp and clear even though that last only for less than a minute. I try to sustain that clarity of mind and am fully aware of the arising and ceasing of this clarity. I guess this is part of the training.

I hope there’ll be improvement when I reach 600 hours of meditation. Even if it means just a little…

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Raising funds for BG (Baby Ginger)’s surgery.

Posted in The learning experience… on 11/05/2023| Leave a Comment »

I wasn’t confident when Companion Vet was recommended by our regular vet but Dr Miles may be different…

Companion Vet? It is going to be very expensive. Nothing comes cheap there. But BG had to go ahead with the surgery. Live or die!

There’s always risk in every surgery, human or animal. I still wasn’t sure. So far the cats I sent to Companion Vet, non came home alive. I kept reminding myself that it was Dr Miles who was doing the surgery. The western vet is constantly praised by the clients. We had to try!

BG before surgery. All I wish is give him what he was never given by his previous owner which is lots of food and love. So please BG be strong!

Little BG after surgery. His temperature went unusually low after surgery. I kept as calm as I could and rushed to the clinic. I kept calling his name on my way to the clinic. I wanted him to be strong, get up and keep himself warm.

The nurses said he ate a lot, really a lot and another vet suggested that we shouldn’t restrict his diet and should let him eat as much as he wants. That’s what all pet owners like to hear, to let our pets eat as much as they want!

The vet bill round up to around 5k and we’re glad that we’re able to raise enough funds to lessen our load. This was unexpected. I told Mel that we may only be able to raise between $400 to $600 and we were even prepared for less.

The next thing I’m going to focus on is to make sure that all would go back to normal for BG. Right now he is still constipated due to anesthesia.

He is sleeping soundly now. Dr Miles said he is a lazy old cat:). But we didn’t know how much he had suffered before we took him home. All I know is he needs a good rest.

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Buddha nature

Posted in The learning experience…, tagged on 03/05/2023| Leave a Comment »

What is Buddha nature?

Buddha nature not only consists of loving-kindness and compassion. The core of the Buddha nature is to understand the teachings taught by the Buddha Himself and to dwell in meditation like the Buddha did; to be able to penetrate the Four Noble Truths profoundly and to sit calmly meditating on what we’ve learnt from his teachings and eventually to gain insights. Without nirvana as our liberation and the Dhamma taught by the Buddha, Buddha nature is nowhere to be found.

We can find goodwill and loving-kindness in animals. I’ve seen an adult cat protecting a kitten and giving up his food for the kitten. When a cat was being attacked, another cat came for her rescue. My adopted cat, Cashie, comforted all the rescues I brought home. There are so many such cases out there. This is perhaps what we call a human nature.

To have a Buddha nature, we must have a mind of liberation. Buddha was called a Buddha because He had realised the Four Noble Truths himself and experienced the Jhanas and Nirvana. Thus, he is called a Buddha. And who are we to overwrite his teachings? Nobody possess his qualities. Only a person who have understood his teachings well would understand the heart of the Buddha and to understand the heart of the Buddha must start with his teachings, the suttas, and no one else. Not forgetting, Buddha refused to teach when he was enlightened. It was Brahma Sahampati who persuaded the Buddha to teach and this in fact is enough to tell me the entire truth (it was claimed by the mahayana tradition that out of compassion, Buddha taught the Dhamma but the actual fact was Buddha was not only reluctant but had no intention to teach). However, I was deluded and it took me years to be able to see and accept this. Therefore, I strongly believe many are still in delusion, not seeing or refusing to accept the truth.

We may not understand the Buddha’s teachings overnight but if we’re patient, insights would eventually arise in us and we’ve nothing to doubt because the teachings were from the Buddha. Understand the Buddha only through his teachings.

Conclusion:

Until we have a mind of the Buddha, we’re still in the state of human nature. Not only can we find loving-kindness and compassion all over the Pali Canon, we can also find the truth of what the Buddha taught. Stay firm, stay true and practise accordingly to the Buddha’s teachings and there is no way one would abandon the Dhamma and believe anything outside the Buddha’s teachings.

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Optimistic Nagar (November 18 – 28 April 23)

Posted in The learning experience… on 02/05/2023| Leave a Comment »

Food was her motivation. I remembered that when we sent Nagar to physiotherapy, the therapist motivated her with treats. She would walk a few steps, slow and easy to reach her treats and continue being lured to walk to her treats again and again. The staff simply love Nagar as she was easy to handle.

Nagar was able to walk at an extremely slow pace but what we hope was for her to pee by herself. After sending her to many vets, nothing can be done. We need to express her bladder.

Nagar was sharing her playpen for a day with a new rescue who was the same as her.

For Nagar, everyone is welcome into her playpen. When Nagar was at the living room, Lana would jump into her playpen and ate her food. That’s Lana who loves to eat others’ food.

When we moved Nagar to the master bedroom, she had Futian to keep her company and Futian would eat her food because food served to Nagar were different from others.

I love watching Nagar savouring her food. She was the only cat who took time to taste and eat. Bit by bit, in a very small portion one at a time.

Not only was she contented with the food, I too felt contented looking at the empty bowl.

I’ve never felt tired taking care of Nagar. I just hope Nagar had a good time with us.

Wherever she may be, may we meet one day and practise the Dhamma together.

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The feeder whom I’ve always longed for…

Posted in The learning experience… on 15/04/2023| Leave a Comment »

Who was that lady squatting by the side of the road, I asked myself? Nobody would have done that under the hot evening sun. I turned away and looked at Kaixin, wondering where she would hide herself. As Kaixin moved closer to the road, I too followed her closely. I lifted my head again looking at that lady who was still squatting. The sun must be really hot and she had to squat and rest herself in such a way. Kaixin had moved further away and I lost sight of her. It was time for me to leave Jalan Tenteram as well.

As I got closer to the main road and for the third time, finally the lady got up and started to move towards me. Gosh…what was she doing? Xiumin, the cat feeder! It was her feeding time. I asked her why was she squatting there. She replied that she was playing a chanting recording for Daisy. It was exactly the place where Daisy got hit by the car. I was completely moved by her act. Who in the world would do that? Squatting under a hot evening sun! Even I wouldn’t do that. I’ve always wanted more people to love and care for the community cats. So Daisy had another blessing! Yay!

I’m very fortunate to have Xiumin to feed the cats. The cats’ life get better in fact. They have a variety of good quality canned food which Xiumin would pamper them with. She feeds them generously and even donated cartons of can food for my rescues as well. She even contributed vet bills for cats whom I’ve brought home from Jalan Tenteram, namely, Sunkiss, Mickey etc… Mel and I felt offloaded. At least we’re able to breathe a little.

She also helped me when Feishu was trapped in the flat. To me, such responsible feeders are hard to come by. The community cats were and are fortunate too.

May more feeders like Xiumin appear in this world. Save, help and give and finally liberate themselves and also others.

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