A PRACTITIONER’S REFLECTION #14 @BW MONASTERY ～ GOLDEN MRD OFFERING THROWBACK S20Z142E

100 HOURS OF TRAINING HOURS…

IN THE TEACHING FRATERNITY, IT IS A COMMON UPGRADING THAT WE ARE SO FAMILIAR WITH.

How about 24/7 training, would you want it?

My first reaction… I wouldn’t.

But do I know what I want?

Or should I say, do I know what I really really NEED?

If the 24/7 training brought me eternal happiness. Would I then want it?

???

Would I then be willing to pay the price?

???

I like many individuals in the world out there are in search of happiness… but we want to get it for FREE!

SORRY… IT IS KINDA TRUE THAT “THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH IN THE WORLD”!

Learning the Lamrim is only part one of the formula… I appreciate the content mastery stage provided by our bilingual Lamrim class monitors of S15G027E. Their weekly delivery on Mondays, provided us Dharma content, guidance and facilitation. Grateful too to a group of virtuous friends for their encouragement and listening ears during our weekly virtuous act sharing as well as sharing of how at times we are low in spirits and did not practice well due to past lives’ accumulation of bad habits and innate responses.

It is a safe environment to be open about making mistakes and how, bit by bit, we try to apply the Dharma learnt during our Lamrim lessons into our struggles in life. It gives our system a good chance to contemplate and process our actions, thus aiming to do better when the next karmic challenge comes knocking at our door.

Our search for happiness has to be accompanied by practice during content mastery… and this is only made possible and with less distractions in a virtuous community which has a common goal to find eternal happiness and save others in samsara! We have our lineage masters and Master Jih-Chang to thank for this.

Our BW Monastery learning community has courses like the DARE (Dream Achiever REadiness) course, which Monitor Tiong Boon nominated me to attend as an enrichment to our Lamrim lessons. At my first session in the DARE course, Venerable Jing Yuan gave a discourse.

It was the 12th December 2016. Our Abbot shared some of his learnings from Master Jih Chang and our Teacher and how he overcame certain challenges during his life journey as an ordained monk.

He started with the following quotation:

“信为能入智为能度”

“Believe and you will be led onto the path. With wisdom, you will achieve enlightenment.”

The Venerable explained that the path is referring to all the pathways which we track on in our daily lives. It is valid from all that we encounter from Math to Science to religion.

Through our believe, as we progress to higher levels of mastery in any artistry, we still need to go back to the basic level of believing. If we believe that Buddha exists, we would plant a virtuous seed of one day learning the Dharma and meeting the Buddha.

He shared that challenges we encounter in life are actually tests of our ability to persevere through the ripened negative karma and opportunities for us to learn from these experiences and even accumulate merits.

In addition, Venerable shared the crucial importance during a decision making process is in fact, if there is a need take action rather than contemplating if we want to take action. If the initial is affirmative, a negative of the latter does not hold it’s case.

1+ years upon completion of the 10-session course, I am grateful to Venerable Jing Yuan, DARE CLASS Monitors: Director of BWM Care Department, Ms Lin Hui Lin and BWM Deputy Secretary, Ms Peh May Lan as well as all that I have learnt in the Lamrim classes and the volunteering opportunities given for practicing on my path of cultivation. Here’s my sharing during a recent DARE CLASS REUNION with my fellow course mates.

Many of us have taken this path… and are still in search for our life’s significance!

What is the meaning behind our existence?

Why are we here and what do we want to leave behind after we pass on?

Are we lost or have we found?

Do we know what we don’t know and do we know what we know?

On my journey, I have picked up some helpful tips and will share with you.

We may think that we cannot fit into the puzzle easily. We don’t want to be a sore.

Right？Wrong! We will definitely fit! We just have to find the right slot! Grateful to the Training and Development Department for the partnership forged and friendship built over the 1 over year’s duration as we forged through BW Monastery’s official opening: “MERITS OF THE TRIPLE GEM” exhibition in 2017.

Not forgetting, the enriching learning journey with dear Sister PeiEr to the museum and all the support and invaluable advice that she has given me as we worked together for the deployment of narrators for the exhibitions. Another learning event was the 2017 BWM Fiesta – Arts and Culture Exhibition where I worked closely with the “Victory Banners” team and the “Buddha Sculpture Painting” team.

I really appreciate all whom I have worked with like “Boss” aka Brother Alan Ong who leads the Training and Development (TND) Department as our TND Manager; Sister May Lan, Deputy Secretariat who has a wealth of organisational wisdom and the group of TND cadre who worked tirelessly as volunteers amidst their busy work and family commitments.

All these would not happen if we were not inspired and thus become motivated to pick ourselves up for a greater cause! Grateful to our Teachers, Abbot and Sangha!

We heard their sharing… inspired we are and action we take to bring about a better world!

It is not always the case where we are willing and brave… most of the time, by nature… we are fearful, love the comfort zone and dislike the possibility of failing. I was often like this and still at times the same… : P

As much as I was inspired, when opportunity comes, I would still prefer to stay in the safe zone. Secured and protected. Not willing to ride the wild waves…

We need to continue to find our life significance… I am still on my way… join me! We need all hands on deck the Prajna ship!

Glad to have 4 more warriors from my class on the DARE Team! Together , we will bring as many people as possible across to the shore of eternal bliss! Thank you, Monitor Tiong Boon once again for the nominations!

THE DARE TEAM REUNION was an excellent get together of all the talented volunteers who of the past 3 years. The programme was very enriching from Insightful Praise to Guzheng duet, bonding games and dance item by our talented YACOOL youth who are also from our DARE TEAM, video conference discourse by our Abbot Jing Yuan, discourse by Venerable Bensi, light offering with chanting of the 10 Great Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva and Medicine Buddha Mantra as well as a lively sharing done in a form of a skit planned by our creative CEO, Dr Oh Kheng Hoe.

Here’s a photo slideshow of the enriching DARE Reunion:

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THANK YOU SHIFU, LAOSHI AND ALL LINEAGE MASTERS FOR A LEARNING BUDDHIST FAMILY!

Penned by Irene Lee (9th DARE Class)

* This is the 14th featured sharing in our launch of a new series: A Practitioner’s Reflection. Tiong Boon is the Monitor of our S15G027E class. He is joined by Sister Serena and Brother Samuel who are our Co-Monitors. The class also has two care co-ordinators who look into the welfare of the students and assist in administrative and logistic matters of the class.

From 2015-2017, we were well-taken care of by care co-ordinators： Jasmine and Angela. In 2018 we continue to have Angela who is joined by Nina as our care co-ordinator. Jasmine currently serves in another volunteer group of BW Monastery. Rejoice!

Starting from 4 June 2018, every Monday morning, we plan to publish a sharing by one of our S15G027E class member.

This series was inspired by our sharing done during our Lamrim Discussion Class when a new student came to join us on 21 May 2018. Often people wonder, what makes people put aside precious time once a week amidst all the busy schedule and commitments to attend the class. Where’s the “magic”, ‘why”, “benefit” or “output”? Let’s hear from the different individuals from all walks of life, sharing their take on this.

In conjunction with 2018 Master’s Remembrance Day, this is also our way to thank our lineage masters for their wisdom and compassion by reflecting on the merits of the teachings and turning the Dharma Wheel by sharing how Dharma has made us a better person.

We hope that more will be inspired to learn the way of the Buddha and practice it in their daily lives.

GRATITUDE TO THE TRIPLE GEMS AND OUR LINEAGE MASTERS!

MAY THE LIVES OF THE VENERABLE SPIRITUAL MASTERS BE STABLE,

AND THEIR WHITE DIVINE ACTIONS SPREAD IN THE TEN DIRECTIONS, MAY THE LIGHT OF LOBSANG’S TEACHINGS,

DISPELLING THE DARKNESS OF THE BEINGS IN THE HTREE WORLDS ALWAYS STAY!

MAY THESE PROFOUND MERITS AND VIRTUES BE DEDICATED TO OUR LINEAGE MASTERS AND TEACHERS TO HAVE GOOD HEALTH AND TURN THE DHARMA WHEEL INFINITELY!

May sentient beings all be well and happy!