Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Ching Meng (清明) : A Journey Of Love
The Chinese have lots of excuses to hold sumptous feasts, be it for religious oriented occasions or cultural celebrations. One of the festivals culminating in feast is the Qing Ming, a festival associated with visits to ancestral tombs. We'll talk about the food part later. Let's get to the crux of the festival first.
Each Ching Ming,I'll try my very best to go back to Penang to join my family members to offer prayers to our ancestors. It is a journey of love whereby every living descendents go to the ancestral graves to spruce it up, offer the deceased their favourite food and send the deceased their daily needs via burning paper paraphenalia.
The journey to the ancestral graves is an act of filial piety itself as according to Confucian values, filial piety does not stop at caring for the living. Confucian teachings say we must have gratitude to our long line of ancestors too. For if it weren't for them, would we have today to call our own? For this reason, the Chinese shower their love upon the dead like they would to the living. Repairing broken tombs, cleaning the tombs as would their own homes, cooking the deceased's their favourite food and offering the deceased their daily needs in the form of paper offerings are among some of the ways the Chinese express their love to their ancestors.
However, quite a number of Chinese have started to abandon this cherished festival. They say : "The tomb is too far. " " It is too difficult to go to the tomb." No tomb is too far, no tomb is too difficult to access. If one really makes an effort to go, nothing is difficult. The Malaysia Boleh feats prove my point! But if these statements come from the lips of the elderly, it is understandable. The elderly will definately have some prayers in memory of the departed at home or at the temple to make up for the missed visits. If these statements come from able bodied youngsters, it is just lame excuse!
"I no longer practice the old ways. " Most converts to other religions will say that. Excuse me, but isn't filial piety a universally accepted value? Just because the convert's new religion label us 'unbelievers' that doesn't mean their ancestors should be wiped off their geneology! The fact is they are FATED to be born into this culture and this is the way our culture define filial piety! This excuse is the worst form of excuse of not to join their family to Ching Ming. It is the worst form of disrespect one can show to one's ancestors. It shows the converts to other religion do not value the sacrifices of their ancestors. They don't have to burn joss sticks, burn joss paper or offer food if they are not allowed to. But there are alternatives. The least they can do is to help clean the graves and offer respect to the virtues of their ancestors. They can ask their 'new god' to bless the ancestors.
The Chinese Theravada Buddhists are the best example of coming up with alternatives. The Buddha clearly said in Tirokudda Sutta merits are the best offerings one can give to help aleviate the spiritual level of one's ancestors. Food can also be offered, but it can only benefit the hungry ghosts. The Sigalovada Sutta also mentioned one should give alms in memory of the dead. Thus, most Theravadins will do away with paper offerings but will continue offering food. They will hold Ching Ming dana in memory of their ancestors and transfer merits to them.
The newage Roman Catholics follow suit. They are now allowed to offer joss sticks (This form of Christianity is dynamic!They keep changing their points of view according to the fancy of the Pontiffs so much so that they need to be updated of the current form of 'beliefs'!) and flowers to the deceased. Thank you for the allowence ya!
This practice has much merit to it.
Each Ching Ming,I'll try my very best to go back to Penang to join my family members to offer prayers to our ancestors. It is a journey of love whereby every living descendents go to the ancestral graves to spruce it up, offer the deceased their favourite food and send the deceased their daily needs via burning paper paraphenalia.
The journey to the ancestral graves is an act of filial piety itself as according to Confucian values, filial piety does not stop at caring for the living. Confucian teachings say we must have gratitude to our long line of ancestors too. For if it weren't for them, would we have today to call our own? For this reason, the Chinese shower their love upon the dead like they would to the living. Repairing broken tombs, cleaning the tombs as would their own homes, cooking the deceased's their favourite food and offering the deceased their daily needs in the form of paper offerings are among some of the ways the Chinese express their love to their ancestors.
However, quite a number of Chinese have started to abandon this cherished festival. They say : "The tomb is too far. " " It is too difficult to go to the tomb." No tomb is too far, no tomb is too difficult to access. If one really makes an effort to go, nothing is difficult. The Malaysia Boleh feats prove my point! But if these statements come from the lips of the elderly, it is understandable. The elderly will definately have some prayers in memory of the departed at home or at the temple to make up for the missed visits. If these statements come from able bodied youngsters, it is just lame excuse!
"I no longer practice the old ways. " Most converts to other religions will say that. Excuse me, but isn't filial piety a universally accepted value? Just because the convert's new religion label us 'unbelievers' that doesn't mean their ancestors should be wiped off their geneology! The fact is they are FATED to be born into this culture and this is the way our culture define filial piety! This excuse is the worst form of excuse of not to join their family to Ching Ming. It is the worst form of disrespect one can show to one's ancestors. It shows the converts to other religion do not value the sacrifices of their ancestors. They don't have to burn joss sticks, burn joss paper or offer food if they are not allowed to. But there are alternatives. The least they can do is to help clean the graves and offer respect to the virtues of their ancestors. They can ask their 'new god' to bless the ancestors.
The Chinese Theravada Buddhists are the best example of coming up with alternatives. The Buddha clearly said in Tirokudda Sutta merits are the best offerings one can give to help aleviate the spiritual level of one's ancestors. Food can also be offered, but it can only benefit the hungry ghosts. The Sigalovada Sutta also mentioned one should give alms in memory of the dead. Thus, most Theravadins will do away with paper offerings but will continue offering food. They will hold Ching Ming dana in memory of their ancestors and transfer merits to them.
The newage Roman Catholics follow suit. They are now allowed to offer joss sticks (This form of Christianity is dynamic!They keep changing their points of view according to the fancy of the Pontiffs so much so that they need to be updated of the current form of 'beliefs'!) and flowers to the deceased. Thank you for the allowence ya!
This practice has much merit to it.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Muslims' anger over caricature... what if the same insult is put on Buddha?
I read with fear the other day an article by an ustaz about past Muslim's reaction when their prophet was reviled : the insulter is killed!
He cited a case from the Hadith of a blind Muslim man who had a Jewess wife. She served him well as a wife, bore him children but she couldn't seem to keep her mouth from insulting her husband's prophet everyday.
The man was patient with her for sometime and with each insult he advised her to stop insulting until one fine day he blew his top. He waited till she had slept, he then stabbed her with his knife/dagger.
The next day,his prophet announced a murder had taken place and he demanded to know who was the murderer. This blind man gropped his way to the prophet and admitted his crime. He cited his wife's insults were the cause of the murder and with that the prophet declared ,"her blood was halal" meaning THE BLIND MAN WAS SINLESS FOR MURDER!
No comments... that's the way they react.
But what if the same insult was hurled at our Noble Triple Gem? The Great Teacher Buddha declared nothing bias. The Buddha preached abstainence from killing, all forms of killing is cruel. No such thing as lighter bad kamma for those who kill to uphold the prestine of Dhamma or to uphold the Buddha's name. Part of a sutta records the Buddha's actual words against anger towards people who revile the Triple Gem :
WHAT TO DO WHEN OTHERS SAY BAD THINGS OR PRAISE THE BUDDHA, DHAMMA OR SANGHA?
[extracted from DN 1 Brahmajala Sutta (The Supreme Net : What the Teaching Is Not) , from Ida B. Wells Memorial Sutra Library, http://www.buddhistinformation.com/ida_b_wells_memorial_sutra_library/brahmajala_sutta.htm ]
… "Monks, if anyone should speak in disparagement of me, of the Dhamma or of the Sangha, you should not be angry, resentful or upset on that account. If you were to be angry or displeased at such disparagement, that would only be a hindrance to you. For if others disparage me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, and you are angry or displeased, can you recognize whether what they say is right or not?"
‘No, Lord.’
"If others disparage me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, then you must explain what is incorrect as being incorrect", saying: ‘That is incorrect, that is false, that is not our way, that is not found among us.’
"But, monks, if others should speak in praise of me, of the Dhamma or of the Sangha, you should not on that account be pleased, happy or elated. If you were to be pleased, happy or elated at such praise, that would only be a hindrance to you."
If others praise me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, you should acknowledge the truth of what is true, saying: ‘That is correct, that is right, that is our way, that is found among us’. …
See the consistency of the Buddha's teachings? We were not tought Loving Kindness and Compassion on one hand, and on the other taught " righteous anger or violence".
No bias teachings in Buddhism.
So, when someone reviles the Triple Gem, inform them of the truth. Correct their wrong views. That's the best we can do.
Do not let our hands do the talking!
No violent demonstrations! Peaceful ones are ok...
No destroying public property... no burning of buildings... no taking hostages...
THE BUDDHA'S WAY IS TRUELY THE WAY TO ETERNAL PEACE!
He cited a case from the Hadith of a blind Muslim man who had a Jewess wife. She served him well as a wife, bore him children but she couldn't seem to keep her mouth from insulting her husband's prophet everyday.
The man was patient with her for sometime and with each insult he advised her to stop insulting until one fine day he blew his top. He waited till she had slept, he then stabbed her with his knife/dagger.
The next day,his prophet announced a murder had taken place and he demanded to know who was the murderer. This blind man gropped his way to the prophet and admitted his crime. He cited his wife's insults were the cause of the murder and with that the prophet declared ,"her blood was halal" meaning THE BLIND MAN WAS SINLESS FOR MURDER!
No comments... that's the way they react.
But what if the same insult was hurled at our Noble Triple Gem? The Great Teacher Buddha declared nothing bias. The Buddha preached abstainence from killing, all forms of killing is cruel. No such thing as lighter bad kamma for those who kill to uphold the prestine of Dhamma or to uphold the Buddha's name. Part of a sutta records the Buddha's actual words against anger towards people who revile the Triple Gem :WHAT TO DO WHEN OTHERS SAY BAD THINGS OR PRAISE THE BUDDHA, DHAMMA OR SANGHA?
[extracted from DN 1 Brahmajala Sutta (The Supreme Net : What the Teaching Is Not) , from Ida B. Wells Memorial Sutra Library, http://www.buddhistinformation.com/ida_b_wells_memorial_sutra_library/brahmajala_sutta.htm ]
… "Monks, if anyone should speak in disparagement of me, of the Dhamma or of the Sangha, you should not be angry, resentful or upset on that account. If you were to be angry or displeased at such disparagement, that would only be a hindrance to you. For if others disparage me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, and you are angry or displeased, can you recognize whether what they say is right or not?"
‘No, Lord.’
"If others disparage me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, then you must explain what is incorrect as being incorrect", saying: ‘That is incorrect, that is false, that is not our way, that is not found among us.’
"But, monks, if others should speak in praise of me, of the Dhamma or of the Sangha, you should not on that account be pleased, happy or elated. If you were to be pleased, happy or elated at such praise, that would only be a hindrance to you."
If others praise me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, you should acknowledge the truth of what is true, saying: ‘That is correct, that is right, that is our way, that is found among us’. …
See the consistency of the Buddha's teachings? We were not tought Loving Kindness and Compassion on one hand, and on the other taught " righteous anger or violence".
No bias teachings in Buddhism.
So, when someone reviles the Triple Gem, inform them of the truth. Correct their wrong views. That's the best we can do.
Do not let our hands do the talking!
No violent demonstrations! Peaceful ones are ok...
No destroying public property... no burning of buildings... no taking hostages...
THE BUDDHA'S WAY IS TRUELY THE WAY TO ETERNAL PEACE!
Monday, March 06, 2006
5 & 8 precepts from the sutta
Above : The Sangha (monastic community) & lay people engages in puja (religious service)Sometimes we are just plain curious where the 5 & 8 precepts were compiled from. It took me a very long time to find that out! Joy to the world, I found it by accident today (5 March 2006) from the internet! I would like to share this joy with you too. Enjoy the Words of Truth!
WANT TO BE A VIRTOUS BUDDHIST LAY PERSON? HERE IS PART OF THE BUDDHA’S TEACHING ON THIS MATTER :
[extracted from Sn II.14 Dhammika Sutta (To Dhammika) (excerpt) Translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland]
…"Now I will tell you the layman's duty. Following it a lay-disciple would be virtuous; for it is not possible for one occupied with the household life to realize the complete bhikkhu practice (dhamma).
(The Buddha teaches about the 5 precepts)
*"He should not kill a living being, nor cause it to be killed, nor should he incite another to kill. Do not injure any being, either strong or weak, in the world.
*"A disciple should avoid taking anything from anywhere knowing it (to belong to another). He should not steal nor incite another to steal. He should completely avoid theft.
*"A wise man should avoid unchastity as (he would avoid falling into) a pit of glowing charcoal. If unable to lead a celibate life, he should not go to another's wife.
*"Having entered a royal court or a company of people he should not speak lies. He should not speak lies (himself) nor incite others to do so. He should completely avoid falsehood.
*"A layman who has chosen to practice this Dhamma should not indulge in the drinking of intoxicants. He should not drink them nor encourage others to do so; realizing that it leads to madness. Through intoxication foolish people perform evil deeds and cause other heedless people to do likewise. He should avoid intoxication, this occasion for demerit, which stupefies the mind, and is the pleasure of foolish people.
(next, the Buddha encourages the lay people to keep eight precepts on 8th, 14th,15th and half moon days)
*Do not kill a living being;
*do not take what is not given;
*do not speak a lie;
*do not drink intoxicants;
*abstain from sexual intercourse;
*do not eat food at night, at the wrong time;
*do not wear flower-garlands nor use perfumes;
*use the ground as a bed or sleep on a mat.
"This is called the eight-factored observance made known by the Awakened One who has reached the end of suffering.
"With a gladdened mind observe the observance day (uposatha), complete with its eight factors, on the fourteenth, fifteenth and eighth days of the (lunar) fortnight and also the special holiday of the half month.
In the morning, with a pure heart and a joyful mind, a wise man, after observing the uposatha, should distribute suitable food and drink to the community of bhikkhus. He should support his mother and father as his duty and engage in lawful trading. A layman who carries this out diligently goes to the (realm of) devas called "Self-radiant." Labels: 5 precepts, 8 precepts, Dhammika Sutta, Sutta, uposatha
