Thursday, September 20, 2007
CONTENTMENT
Have you ever, at any one time, had the feeling that life is bad, real bad,
and you wish you were in another situation?
You find life make things difficult for you, work sucks, life sucks,
everything seems to go wrong...
Read the following story... it may change your views about life:
After a conversation with one of my friends, he told me despite taking
2 jobs, he brings back barely above 1K per month, he is happy as he
is.
I wonder how he can be as happy as he is considering he has to skimp
his life with the low pay to support a pair of old parents, in-laws, a
wife, 2 daughters and the many bills of a household.
He explained that it was through one incident that he saw in India
that happened a few years ago when he was really feeling low and
touring India  after a major setback.
He said that right in front of his very eyes he saw an Indian mother
chop off her child's right hand with a chopper. The helplessness in
the mother's eyes, the scream of pain from the innocent 4-year-old
child haunted him until today.
You may ask why did the mother do so; had the child been naughty, had
the child's hand been infected?? No, it was done for two simple words-
- -TO BEG!
The desperate mother deliberately caused the child to be handicapped
so that the child could go out to the streets to beg.
Taken aback by the scene, he dropped a piece of bread he was eating
half-way. And almost instantly, a flock 5 or 6 children swamped
towards this small piece of bread which was covered with sand, robbing
bits from one another. The natural reaction of hunger.
Stricken by the happenings, he instructed his guide to drive him to
the nearest bakery. He arrived at two bakeries and bought every single
loaf of bread he found in the bakeries. The owner was dumbfounded but
willingly sold everything. He spent less than $100 to obtain about 400
loaves of bread (this is less than $0..25 per loaf) and spent another
$100 to get daily necessities.
Off he went in the truck full of bread into the streets. As he
distributed the bread and necessities to the children (mostly
handicapped) and a few adults, he received cheers and bows from these
unfortunate. For the first time in his life he wondered how people can
give up their dignity for a loaf of bread which cost less than $0.25.
He began to tell himself how fortunate he is. How fortunate he is to be
able to have a complete body, have a job! , have a family, have the
chance to complain what food is nice and what isn't nice, have the
chance to be clothed, have the many things that these people in front
of him are deprived of...
Now I begin to think and feel it, too! Was my life really that bad?
Perhaps... no, I should not feel bad at all... What about you? Maybe
the next time you think you are, think about the child who lost one
hand to beg on the streets.
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, it is the
realization of how much you already have."
When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we
look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has
been opened for us.
It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's
also true that! we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past,you
can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and
heartaches.
Please send this message to those people who mean something to you, to
those who have touched your life in one way or another, to those who
make you smile when you really need it, to those that make you see the
brighter side of things when you are really down, to those who you
want to let them know that you appreciate their friendship.
And if you don't, don't worry, nothing bad will happen to you, you
will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's day with
this message.
and you wish you were in another situation?
You find life make things difficult for you, work sucks, life sucks,
everything seems to go wrong...
Read the following story... it may change your views about life:
After a conversation with one of my friends, he told me despite taking
2 jobs, he brings back barely above 1K per month, he is happy as he
is.
I wonder how he can be as happy as he is considering he has to skimp
his life with the low pay to support a pair of old parents, in-laws, a
wife, 2 daughters and the many bills of a household.
He explained that it was through one incident that he saw in India
that happened a few years ago when he was really feeling low and
touring India  after a major setback.
He said that right in front of his very eyes he saw an Indian mother
chop off her child's right hand with a chopper. The helplessness in
the mother's eyes, the scream of pain from the innocent 4-year-old
child haunted him until today.
You may ask why did the mother do so; had the child been naughty, had
the child's hand been infected?? No, it was done for two simple words-
- -TO BEG!
The desperate mother deliberately caused the child to be handicapped
so that the child could go out to the streets to beg.
Taken aback by the scene, he dropped a piece of bread he was eating
half-way. And almost instantly, a flock 5 or 6 children swamped
towards this small piece of bread which was covered with sand, robbing
bits from one another. The natural reaction of hunger.
Stricken by the happenings, he instructed his guide to drive him to
the nearest bakery. He arrived at two bakeries and bought every single
loaf of bread he found in the bakeries. The owner was dumbfounded but
willingly sold everything. He spent less than $100 to obtain about 400
loaves of bread (this is less than $0..25 per loaf) and spent another
$100 to get daily necessities.
Off he went in the truck full of bread into the streets. As he
distributed the bread and necessities to the children (mostly
handicapped) and a few adults, he received cheers and bows from these
unfortunate. For the first time in his life he wondered how people can
give up their dignity for a loaf of bread which cost less than $0.25.
He began to tell himself how fortunate he is. How fortunate he is to be
able to have a complete body, have a job! , have a family, have the
chance to complain what food is nice and what isn't nice, have the
chance to be clothed, have the many things that these people in front
of him are deprived of...
Now I begin to think and feel it, too! Was my life really that bad?
Perhaps... no, I should not feel bad at all... What about you? Maybe
the next time you think you are, think about the child who lost one
hand to beg on the streets.
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, it is the
realization of how much you already have."
When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we
look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has
been opened for us.
It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's
also true that! we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past,you
can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and
heartaches.
Please send this message to those people who mean something to you, to
those who have touched your life in one way or another, to those who
make you smile when you really need it, to those that make you see the
brighter side of things when you are really down, to those who you
want to let them know that you appreciate their friendship.
And if you don't, don't worry, nothing bad will happen to you, you
will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's day with
this message.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Past Life Recllections in Malaysia
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Dhamma,
In line with research by Professor Dr. Ian Stevenson, a psychiatrist and pioneer scientific researcher on the phenomena of ‘Reincarnation’ , I’m planning to do a simple study and eventually write a book entitled, “Cases of Past Life Recall in Malaysia ”.
During my Dhamma talks and association with Dhamma friends, I have come across a significant number of people who seem to be able to remember their past lives through various means - hypnotic regression, meditation, dream, spontaneous recall etc. Some became more 'awakened', happy and peaceful after the recall but some had more conflicts and ended up with depression. All of them seem to have a common issue - they are reluctant to relate their past-life recall experience as they are afraid that people may not belief them and may even label them as 'crazy'.
Therefore, I'm making the effort to compile the past-life recall experiences with the following objectives:
1. To provide an opportunity for those with past-life recall to relate their experience.
2. To enable more people to learn from the experience of those with past-life recall.
3, To enhance people's confidence in the doctrine of Rebirth as taught by the Budhha.
If you have any past life recall experience, either confirmed or probable, you are invited to participate in the study. Kindly download the questionnaire and answer the questions for the study. Your personal identity will NOT be reviewed and your case story will be used ONLY for education and discussion purpose.
If you don't have any past life recall experience. I would appreciate if you could circulate this email to your circle of friends (Buddhist or non-Buddhist whom you think may have a past-life recall) to contribute to this study. May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you and SUKHIHOTU!
WE LEARN, WE PRACTICE & WE SHARE!
Mudita,
Dr. Phang Cheng Kar (MD)
016 396 9080
In line with research by Professor Dr. Ian Stevenson, a psychiatrist and pioneer scientific researcher on the phenomena of ‘Reincarnation’ , I’m planning to do a simple study and eventually write a book entitled, “Cases of Past Life Recall in Malaysia ”.
During my Dhamma talks and association with Dhamma friends, I have come across a significant number of people who seem to be able to remember their past lives through various means - hypnotic regression, meditation, dream, spontaneous recall etc. Some became more 'awakened', happy and peaceful after the recall but some had more conflicts and ended up with depression. All of them seem to have a common issue - they are reluctant to relate their past-life recall experience as they are afraid that people may not belief them and may even label them as 'crazy'.
Therefore, I'm making the effort to compile the past-life recall experiences with the following objectives:
1. To provide an opportunity for those with past-life recall to relate their experience.
2. To enable more people to learn from the experience of those with past-life recall.
3, To enhance people's confidence in the doctrine of Rebirth as taught by the Budhha.
If you have any past life recall experience, either confirmed or probable, you are invited to participate in the study. Kindly download the questionnaire and answer the questions for the study. Your personal identity will NOT be reviewed and your case story will be used ONLY for education and discussion purpose.
If you don't have any past life recall experience. I would appreciate if you could circulate this email to your circle of friends (Buddhist or non-Buddhist whom you think may have a past-life recall) to contribute to this study. May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you and SUKHIHOTU!
WE LEARN, WE PRACTICE & WE SHARE!
Mudita,
Dr. Phang Cheng Kar (MD)
016 396 9080
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Seeking Acceptance
When Sarika was forced to bow out of She's My Son because of her second sister's protests, she was furious.
"I'm really mad (at my sister's reaction)," said Sarika when I met her in July.
"She's scared that my relatives will look down on her because of me, that's the main reason," she said, her voice tight with anger.
We met at Akademia Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan campus in Kuala Lumpur in July. She was there to film segments for She's My Son in one of the theatres.
Yes, despite her sister's objections, Sarika decided to go ahead and be involved with the documentary anyway. However, this time, as it's narrator.
"I'm not afraid of anyone. Anyway, my boyfriend encourages me and says that he's very proud I'm doing this," she said with a smile.
"I'm happy that there's a chance for me to talk about the transgendered in Malaysia. I want to show people that they're accepted by their families."
For Sarika, she knew that she was a girl in a boy's body by the time she was eight.
"I didn't mix with the boys, I was always with the girls," she said.
After finishing her studies in human resource management at a local college, Sarika, at the age of 20, had her sex change operation in Thailand in 2004 which cost her about RM10,000.
It was one of the best moments in her life, as it was her greatest desire to have a sex change operation.
"I must thank God that my mother accepts me and shares everything she has with me, such as sarees, jewellery and especially make-up," she said with a laugh.
Her other siblings (except her second sister) accepted her decision too, but her father was a more difficult case.
"He was a very serious person. We are high caste Indians, he's Ceylonese, and he didn't want to be embarrassed in front of the relatives. Also I'm his only son, "she said ruefully.
But two months before his death, Sarika's father accepted her for who she is.
However, it is rare for other people to do the same.
"Some people look at me as if I'm an animal. They ask me, 'Why do you want to be this?'
"I'm lucky that when I was in college, and at my workplace, people accepted me," she said. But she said that she gets teased almost every day when she walks down the streets.
Most of her transsexual friends are not as lucky. Four years ago, one of Sarika's good friends, Amu, a transsexual, committed suicide. She was 21.
"Her boyfriend made use of her, swindled her of her money, forced her to use drugs and didn't allow her to go anywhere. She was such a beautiful and talented person. If her family had accepted her, it wouldn't have happened. I still can't believe that she's gone," she said blinking away with tears.
In contrast, one of Samsed's happiest moment was when her son Suganya had a sex change operation.
"Finally, she can live a fully feminine life," she told Indrani Kopal, the filmmaker behind She's My Son.
Suganya had her sex change operation early this year in Thailand. She works in a factory and has a fiance.
Samsed, a mother of eight children, had never considered abandoning Suganya, who is her second child.
"Many children are born handicapped, do we dump them? We'll still make sure that they live as normal a life as possible. This is the same thing I'm trying to do.
"I want to make sure Suganya lives a meaningful life no matter who she becomes," she said.
Samsed's husband abandoned the family when Suganya was 13 and she raised her family by running a vegetable stall in the morning and a food stall at night.
To her, there is nothing wrong with transsexual; the problem is with the society.
"No one cares! Relatives, society, the Government, everyone is trying to deny their rights to live anormal life. By denying them of their rights, society is alienating them," said Samsed.
Sarika wants the Government to give them the right to change their gender on their identity card to overcome the problems they face when looking for jobs, travelling, etc.
She tried to change her name on her identity card once, but was refused.
"The officer told me, 'History cannot be changed'," she said.
"Many transgender people are well-educated and talented. Yet, all my friends who are well-educated are prostitutes. Why? Because of their IC.
"Four of them used to be lawyers, achitects and engineers. But when they decided to 'come out', they lost their jobs and now they're prostitutes. They didn't want to pretend anymore. How long can you pretend anyway? We should be who we are."
Adapted from StarMag 9 September 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
He's my daughter
Appalled by how transsexuals are generally mistreated by society and even their families, the third winner of FreedomFilmFest07 hopes to change mindsets by showing how a mother's love and acceptance can make all the difference.
It was an assignment that seemed straight-forward enough: do a video clip on transsexuals in Malaysia for a news website. But after meeting and interviewing transsexuals and learning about their lives, Indrani Kopal, 28, could not get them out of her mind.
The Cambridge International Dictionary of English defines a transsexual as a person who feels that they should have been born the opposite sex, and therefore behaves and dresses like a member of that sex, or a person who has had a medical operation to change their sex.
In real life, that's much harder to do. The transsexuals Indrani met told her stories of how they were harrassed and abused by strangers when they walked down the street. Some were turned out by their loved ones. As a result, many become sex workers because they could not fend for themselves as no one was willing to employ them. And this led to the arrests by the police.
Indrani quickly realised that her short video clip for Malaysiakini was not enough. She kept in touch with many transsexuals she had come to know and looked for the chance to tell their stories in a bigger and more profound way.
She first thought of highlighting the injustices faced by transsexuals, because "in the Asian region, our country is the worst for transsexuals to live in," but that angle did not feel right nor new to Indrani.
Then, she got to know Sarika Samalakrishnan, 23, a university graduate who works in a human resource department of a company.
After hearing numerous tales of how transsexuals were turned away by their families, she was astounded to find out that Sarika's family accepted her for who she was.
"Her mum went to the extend of buying her clothes and cosmetics! I was amazed, and thought, 'Wow, that's a cool mother!' And I thought, why not document it?" saud Indrani.
Indrani knew that she had found the perfect angle for the documentary.
And when the FreedomFilmFest judges received her documentary proposal, they thought the same and Indrani became one of the three winners who were awarded a RM5000 grant.
Her documentary is called She's My Son. It wasn't easy to juggle her busy work as a video journalist and find time to film and direct her project as well.
But nothing prepared her for the crisis that hit the production. Three weeks after pre-production in April, one of Sarika's sisters feared that the documentary would make Sarika's "issue" public and thus harm the chances of their younger sister getting married.
Sarika had to withdraw from the documentary.
"It was a moment of complete panic for me," said Indrani, shuddering at the memory.
For two weeks, Indrani frantically searched for a new talent. Then Sarika introduced her to Suganya, 30.
"I wasn't so sure about her at first. Then, at a party held by transsexuals, Suganya came to me and said, 'Don't worry, you will love my mother.' And when I met Suganya's mother Samsed, I realised that she was godsend. Everything I had in mind, she just laid it out. She was so expressive, confident, and cooperative," said Indrani.
The relationship between Suganya and Samsed, 49, was just beautiful, she added.
When Suganya went through a sex change operation recently, the whole family celebrated it.
"It was a huge ceremony for them and they invited their relatives to the party," said Indrani.
One thing you will not find in her documentary is religious debate because Indrani feels that the focus should be on families instead.
"The root of the problem is the family. If the family respects a transgendered child, then they will educate society (into accepting transsexuals). Why do you want to blame authorities when you can educate the family? And who can educate the family? The media."
The real star of the documentary, she said, is Samsed.
"I want peopleto know that there are mothers who accept their transsexual children, " she explained. "When I was young, I didn't give them any attention. I thought they were normal, but I wasn't aware of what was happening to them in society."
Society needs to realise that transsexuals have the right to live, to have shelter, to earn money and have an education, she added.
"Even if only one person changes after the documentary, I think I've completed my objective," she said.
Adapted from StarMag on September 9, 07
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Hungry Ghost
Our next EDSG dharma talk wil be on the
Date: Sept 12, 2007
Time: 7.45 pm - 10.30 pm
Venue: BSK 2
Topic: Hungry Ghost
Speaker: Bro. Justin
The schedule is as below:
7.45 pm - 8.00 pm Puja
8.00 pm - 9.30 pm Talk
9.30 pm - 10.00 pm Q n A
10.00 pm - 10.30 pm Singing Session
10.30 pm Drinks
The Hungry Ghost realm (also known as the Preta realm) is based on possessiveness and desire.
The sentient beings in this realm are known as "hungry ghosts" because of their inability to enjoy food or drink. In Tibetan versions of the Bhavacakra they are drawn with narrow necks to represent that condition.
adapted from http://buddhism.2be.net/Six_realms
You are curious about ghost? Do they really exist? How can we see them?
Please post any question you wanna on Hungry Ghost. Thanks!!
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