Dhammic Life

A group of students came to a halt when they saw a baby phython resting on the roadside railings. Guess even animals wanted to join in the fun!

My student and i decided that we must record this once in a lifetime encounter!

Later, at about 10.30pm, a moon worship ceremony was held. The 'unintiated' young ones watched this 'living heritage' perform the ceremony : another tradition passed on to them! The young ones love taking pictures, even as i was explaining while i pour the tea, light the candles and joss stick. Am I an exhibit? Looks like it!

Some of the Chinese students brought lanterns and lighted my house compound with it. It was a wonderful sight behold!

Had a little pot luck party with my students. We had my 'special' fried bee hoon, boiled mini yams and water caltrops; the latter two being a speciality on Mid-Autumn Festival.

To make the night more meaningful, i shared my late granny's moon poem with them. We recited it together and they seem to enjoy it! It is a great joy passing a part of the oral tradition to them.

Below's the poem in Cantonese and it's literally translated meaning in English :


月光光，照地塘；
Yuet Kong Kong, Chiew Tei Thong
The moon light shines upon the earth;

年卅晚（年三十晚），摘槟榔；
Lin Sa’a Man, Chap Pan Long;
Pluck betel nut on the New Year’s Eve;

槟榔香，摘子姜；
Pan Long Heong, Chap Chee Keong;
Betel nut is fragrant, go dig up some ginger;

子姜辣，买菩达；
Chee Keong Lat, Mai Fu Tat;
Ginger is spicy, buy some bitter gourds;

菩达苦，买猪肚；
Fu Tat Fu, Mai Chue Thou;
Bitter gourd is bitter, buy pig’s stomach;

猪肚肥，买牛皮；
Chue Thou Fei, Mai Ngau Phei;
Pig’s stomach is fat, buy cow’s skin;

牛皮薄，买菱角；
Ngau Phei Pok, Mai Leng Kok;
Cow skin is thin, buy some water caltrops;

菱角尖，买马鞭；
Leng Kok Cim, Mai Mah Pin;
Water caltrops are sharp, buy a horse tail whisk;

马鞭长，起屋樑；
Mah Pin Cheong, Hei Ok Leong;
Horse tail whisk is long, build a bungalow;

屋樑高，买张刀；
Ok Leong Kou, Mai Cheong Tou;
Bungalow is high, buy a knife;

刀切菜，买箩蓋；
Tou Chit Choy, Mai Loh Koi;
Knife to cut vegetables, buy a food cover;

箩蓋圆，买只船；
Loh Koi Yuen, Mai Chek Son;
The food cover is round, buy a boat;

船沉底，
Son Tam Tai,
The boat sank,

浸死两个番鬼仔，
Cam Sei Leong Koh Fan Kwai Chai,
Drowning two Europeans,

一个蒲頭，
Yet Koh Phou Thau,
One floated head up,

一个沉底。
Yat Koh Tam Tai。
Another sank to the bottom.

Created history... i cooked fried beehoon yesterday... and not for 1 or 2 people but 30! Tasted ok though. Lots of activities done!

The celebrations started with a symbolic light passing ceremony with the Buddhist Discussion Group members. Light is passed from the Buddha's candle to the candles in our lanterns.It symbolises the Buddha's wisdom being passed on to us in the form of the Dhamma. I thought of having it since Mid-Autumn Festival has something to do with brightness, there's a connection somewhere.

First of all, we chanted the Namo tassa followed by Tisarana and Pancasila, first in Pali followed by Mandarin. Then, a candle is lighted from the flame on the candle offered to the Buddha. The flame is passed from one person to another symbolising unbounded compassion and the sharing of Dhamma to all beings without discrimination.Just as the lantern is dark without the candle being lighted, the Buddha's wisdom cannot help us if we don't put the Buddha Dhamma into practise. Thus the Buddha's admonition, "Appamadena Sampadetha."(Be heedful in your practise).