Cats who teach me to fly…

DN 16 Mahaparinibbana Sutta

2.26 ‘Therefore, Ananda, you should live as islands unto yourselves, being your own refuge, with no one else as your refuge, with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as your refuge, with no other refuge. And how does a monk live as an island unto himself, …with no other refuge? Here, Ananda, a monk abides contemplating the body as body, earnestly, clearly aware, mindful and having put away all hankering and fretting for the world, and likewise with regards to feelings, mind and mind-objects. That, Ananda, is how a monk lives as an island unto himself,… with no other refuge. And those who now in my time or afterwards live thus, they will become the highest, if they are desirous of learning.’

3.48 Ananda, have I not told you before: All those things that are dear and pleasant to us must suffer change, separation and alteration? So how could this be possible? Whatever is born, become, compounded, is liable to decay – that it should not decay is impossible.

3.51 Thus the Lord spoke. The well-Farer having thus spoken, the Teacher said this: ‘Ripe I am in years. My life-span’s determined. Now I go from you, having made myself my refuge. Monks, be untiring, mindful, disciplined, Guarding your minds with well-collected thought. He who, tireless, keeps to law and discipline, Leaving birth behind will put an end to woe.’

4.43 Then the Lord, having settled this matter, at that time uttered this verse: ‘By giving,  merit grows, by restraint, hatred’s checked. He who’s skilled bandons evil things. As greed, hate and folly wane, Nibbana’s gained.’

5.8 Ananda, there are four places the sight of which should arouse emotion in the faithful. Which are they? “Here the Tathagata was born” is the first. “Here the Tathagata attained supreme enlightenment” is the second. “Here the Tathagata set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma” is the third. “Here the Tathagata attained the Nibbana-element without remainder” is the fourth.

5.27 In whatever Dhamma and discipline the Noble Eightfold Path is not found, no ascetic is found of the first, the second, the third or the fourth grade. But such ascetics can be found, of the first, second, third and fourth grade in a Dhamma and discipline where the Noble Eightfold Path is found.

***From what I know today, Ajahn Brahm has attained the third jhana like what the Buddha taught. As long as a Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni or even a lay practitioner who has attained the jhanas, I would say Buddha’s “traditional” teachings is still valid and attainable by many. To walk the path of Theravada traditions, one needs to be really very hardworking.

All conditions kept me from progressing more than a year ago. I tried many and all ways to get up to be on the Dharma path again but no matter how hard I tried, I just fell back. I opened the dharma book and when I began to read, I simply closed it. There was a force that stopped me from carrying on reading. It repeated again and again. That was my negative karma being ripened. Everything fell apart in every way.

I read Ajahn Brahm’s book “Falling is Flying” recently. It was encouraging. I remember someone posted on facebook, it goes something like this “Things fall apart in order to fall together”. I am not sure if mine falls together. I met a very good teacher who lifted me up and gave me lots of advice. She is well restrained in speech. As many Dharma practitioners would agree, to restrain in speech is the toughest precept to keep and virtuous action to practise. And after so many years, I finally found one who live up to the Buddha’s teachings. She is everybody’s role model. Whenever there is a disagreement with my friends, I would think of her and naturally am more careful with the words I use or maybe I would just keep quiet.

Venerable Wuling is a patient teacher. Well restrained in speech, skillful in dealing with problems. She thinks before she speaks and always considers the feeling of others. Whoever attended her classes are very fortunate. I have no chance as she is far away, however, I hope I am able to create a cause to meet her :).

May she remain strong and healthy. May covid19 come to an end immediately and may all sentient beings learn our lesson from this pandemic and be kind and humble to all living beings as well as towards our mother earth.

May my dream to meet her personally be fulfilled and may I begin a new path under her influence.