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BUDDHIST NewsBUDDHIST FELLOWSHIP

Sutta Discussion

BF held a series of Dhamma talks by Venerable Pandit from 14-22 October 2017, a meditation retreat on 18 Octo-ber and two sutta discussion sessions on 17 and 21 October respectively at BF West Centre. Topics included “The Psychology of Dukkha”, The End of Kamma” and “The Enlightened Mind”. Ven. Pandit learnt about Buddhsm at the age of 21 in England and became a nov-ice monk in the Ajahn Chah tradition in 1996 and has since moved to Bangkok.

TAI PEI BUDDHISTCENTRE

Surangama Sutra

The Surangama Sutra recitation and as-sembly was held from 26-27 October 2017.

Dharma Assembly

TPBC held a Dharma Assembly (大斋节) on 28-29 October 2017 which was attended by many devotees.

BUDDHIST YOUTHNETWORK

Food Distribution

BYN is the founder of Food from the Heart and is collaborating with Mummy Yummy on a new 6 months project that offers dinner delivery to beneficiaries in Marsiling estates to help the elderly, the disabled, low-income families, children from single parent families or poverty stricken families of all races and reli-gions. Visit https://buddhistyouth.sg and/or https://give.asia/FFTH to con-tribute.

KWAN YIN CHAN LIN ZEN MEDITATION CENTRE

2-Day Zen Retreat

KYCL held a 2-day Zen Retreat (参禅精进二日修) from the evening of 11 November till 13 November 2017, which included a day of fasting as well.

Meditation Class Graduation

KYCL witnessed the graduation of an-other batch of 6-week Zen meditation class on 11 November 2017, marking the beginning of one’s practice.

SRI LANKARAMAYABUDDHIST TEMPLE

Temporary Ordination

The Buddhism and Myanmar Cultural Academy (BMCA Singapore) Bhik-khu, Novice and Nun Temporary Or-dination was organised by Varadhatus Ratanarama Association. This was held on 19 November 2017 at SLBT from 10am-3.30pm.

BUDDHIST LIBRARY

Reading and Book Reviews

BL will be organisng weekly readings and book reviews from 1 October to 10 December 2017 (every Sunday, except on 22 October, 12 and 19 November). During these sessions, teachers and guest speakers will be invited to share and review the following canoncial Buddhist sutras and sastras: the Heart Sutra, Madhyamaka and Yogacara.

Stillness Flowing

On 11 November 2017, the BL held a book reading of Ajahn Chah’s official biography by Ajahn Jayasaro, a disciple of Ajahn Chah, one of Thailand’s most renowned Buddhist monks and medita-tion masters at Wa Pa Pong forest mon-astery in Northeast Thailand. The video can be found on http://buddhlib.org.sg/stillness-flowing/.

MANGALA VIHARABUDDHIST TEMPLE

New Intake

The Theravada Buddhism Studies in Chinese (TBSC) classes started in 2010, and these classes including chant-ing and meditation which are taught to interested lay people. The registration for the 2018 new intake starts on 29 De-cember 2017 at 7pm at MVBT Level 2 (Chew Quee Neo Hall). For more infor-mation, please visit http://mv.org.sg/ or call 6744 4285.

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The Buddhist Fellowship organised CAKKA 2017, which was held at the Singapore University Technology and Design (SUTD) on 29 October 2017 from 8am-5.45pm. This one-day event aimed to show that all of life itself is our classroom for practice. Youth, Work, Family and Silver Age - each aspect of life has different Dhamma lessons to impart, if we let them.

True to its objectives, the programme was curated with finesse integrated with excellent discussion topics, workshops and performances. The panelists included

Ajahn Brahmavaso, Khenpo Jamgang Lokshey, Venerable Professor Dr. K. Dhammasami, Venerable Geshe Lobsang Yonten, Venerable Professor Geshe Ngawang Samten, Venerable Dr. Rambukewela Gnanseeha, Venerable Shi Chuan Guan, Dr. Ang Beng Choo, Angie Chew, Professor Choo Chiau Beng, Chow Yen-Lu, Irvyn Wongso, Sim Kwang Mong, Dr. Tan Ho Soon and Datuk Seri Dr. Victor Wee.

CAKKA 2017 exemplified the solidarity of Buddhists as more than 200 volunteers across the different traditions helped selflessly to make the programme such a huge success.

CAKKA 2017TURNING OUR WHEEL OF DHAMMA

BUDDHIST FELLOWSHIP

Above (from left to right): Venerable Seck Kwang Ph-ing, Minister Desmond Lee (Guest-of-Honour), Dr. Yeo Guat Kwang and Wilson Ang.

“The Buddhist Fellowship Sin-gapore is actively inpsiring and encouraging the Buddhist com-munity to practise kindness and mindfulness at every moment of

their lives. Such commitment and efforts are commendable.

The forum, titled “CAKKA” has a special meaning as it hopes to symbolise turning the wheel of constant practice of the Bud-

dha’s teachings. CAKKA 2017 is a forum that will help you navigate and continue turning the wheel of

right view, speech and action.”

Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Social and Family Development, Second Minister for National Development

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The Opening Keynote Panel Discussion topic, “What You Let Into Your Mind”, was moderated by Dr. Wong Yin Onn, a lay Dhamma teacher. The panel (above) discussed how our mind is the window through which we experience the world. We alone have the power to decide what goes inside, but too often we do not exercise it. How do we decide what to admit and take control of our happiness (or lack thereof)?

The breakout sessions were interactive and relevant as the workshops were designed to meet the needs of participants. For example, the workshop for youths titled “Finding Worldly Success and Spiritual Growth” talked about how the Dhamma can be the foundation for youths through life. At the same time, youths should aspire to become contributing members of our society. How should youths develop such that they grow in both spiritual and worldly wisdom?

And the other workshop titled “Striking a Bal-ance”, for the pro-fessionals used the wise Bud-dha’s teachings to help guide devel-op and maintain a work-life balance as well as to build strong relation-ships at the work place.

Above (from left to right): Dr. Wong Yin Onn, Ven. Dr. Rambukewela Gnanaseeha, Ajahn Brahmavamso, Ven. Prof. Dr. K. Dhammasami, Ven. Prof. Geshe Ngawang Samten and Ven. Shi Chuan Guan

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GPBT held a day-long Dharma assembly and celebration on 5 November 2017 which marked the 19th of the ninth month of the lunar calendar – The Renunciation Day of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Guanyin Bodhisattva or more commonly known as Guan Shi Yin Pusa) after a series of Dharma assemblies that commenced from 29 October 2017.

The blessed day of commemorating the renunciation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva saw the Venerables and many devotees reciting sutras, making offerings to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and dedicating the merits and blessings generated to all sentient beings.

THE RENUNCIATION DAY OF GUANYIN BODHISATTVA 2017GOLDEN PAGODA BUDDHIST TEMPLE

“Living beings are beset with hardships, And oppressed by limitless sufferings. The power of Guanyin's wondrous wisdom Can rescue the world from suffering. Complete with the power of spiritual penetrations, Vastly cultivating wisdom and expedient means, Going throughout countries in the ten directions, He manifests everywhere in all places.”

-The Lotus Sutra Chapter 25

Photo Credits: Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple

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GUANYIN BODHISATTVAGuanyin Bodhisattva or Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, is also known as Kannon (Japanese) and Chenrezig (Tibetan). And the other name which is particularly popular with the Chinese Buddhists is the Goddess of Mercy, as name epitomises and symbolises benevolence, grace and the embodiment of the Buddha’s teachings, especially on loving kindness and compassion.

Guanyin Bodhisattva appears in Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra and the Great Compassionate Dharani (Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī) of the Mahakarunikacitta Sutra. And in the Heart Sutra, Guanyin Bodhisattva is the protagonist who expounds the profound wisdom of emptiness to Shariputra.

Introduced into China via the Silk Road, Guanyin Bodhisattva was initially presented in the male form and subsequently, as Buddhism became localised in China, Guanyin Bodhisattva’s form evolved and was represented in the Chinese female form. By the Song Dynasty, this form continued to evolve with the cultural norms and thus the appearance of the white robes that we see today. However, Guanyin Bodhisattva’s male form continues to be depicted albeit less frequently and these gender representa-tions do not pose an issue to devotees as Guanyin Bodhisattva is regarded to be able to manifest in any form to reach out to or help any suffering beings. And this is depicted in the numerous forms we see today – all inspired by various miracles attributed to her. The most common form is of course the white flowing robes she wears, amongst other popular forms such as the Water Moon Guanyin (水月观音), the Purple Bamboo Guanyin (紫竹观音), Guanyin of the Southern Seas (南海观音), Guanyin with a fish basket (鱼蓝观音) and Guanyin, the Giver of Children (送子观音).

Annually, there are three celebrations dedicated to Guanyin Bodhisattva and they are: The 19th day of the second lunar month, dedicated to the birth of Guanyin Bodhisattva. The 19th day of the sixth lunar month, celebrating the enlightenment of Guanyin Bodhisattva. The 19th day of the ninth lunar month, commemorating the renunciation of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

There are many stories revolving Guanyin Bodhisattva as well as her numerous forms of manifestation, such as the awe-inspiring Thousand-Arm Guanyin (千手观音), a symbol of her aspiration to reach out to all sentient beings in any form to help them. Also, there are 10 types of divine salvations by Guanyin Bodhisattva mentioned in the Lotus Sutra in 25.1.11 to 25: 2.3-2.21.

1. Protection from Fire 2. Salvation in the Deep Ocean 3. Salvation During Fall from Height4. Salvation from Execution by a King5. Release from Prison6. Protection from Curses or Poisons7. Protection from Demons8. Protection from Evil Beasts9. Salvation during Disputes or Wars10. Bestowing Children of Good Fortune

Many devotees travel to Guanyin Bodhisattva tem-ples and one of the main and most popular pilgrim-age sites, is at Putuo Island in Zhe Jiang Province, China (see below).

Meanwhile, the world’s tallest Guanyin Bodhisattva statue stands at 108m at Sanya, Hainan, China near the Nanshan Temple of Sanya and the magnificent statue stretches about 400m towards the open sea (see left).

(Left) Pin by The Inflow at www.pinterest.com(Below) Photo by Berniecourt at Creative Commons

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In our daily life and even spiritual practice, some of us succumb to procrastination – delaying the bit of work we should be trying to complete before a deadline, completing a practice or going for a short exercise session. We may all think that we can delay “this” and “that” but in reality, regardless of what we delay in doing, time does not delay. And if time is so precious, then why do people procrastinate and how can we transcend that and find a way forward without procrastination? During the lecture, “Procrastination, Personal Effectiveness and Mindfulness” by Venerable Hui Min at the Symposium on Disruptions, he shared that the answer to that is to first establish mindfulness and work towards regulating the self, just as in our spiritual practice. And meditation for example, is an excellent way creating a virtuous and positive cycle between easiness and concentration, instead of a vicious cycle for procrastination, panic and stress．

Isn’t this phenomenon similar to how we indulge in instant gratification like our everyday pleasures and often forgetting to treat our Future Self better – to plant good and virtuous seeds that our Future Self can reap? Before Venerable Hui Min shared ways to help break through the trappings of procrastination, he explained why one needed to first understand how the brain functions during procrastination. “Procrastination is the struggle between two different brain systems – the limbic system; fast and auto-mated system that is responsible for basic emotions that responds non-consciously and wants immediate mood repair (to feel good now) and the newer prefrontal cortex; slower system that is responsible for executive functions that involves planning and impulse control (slower process you have to consciously kick into gear).” Thus, let’s take contemplating income tax payment for example; the limbic system will first activate the urgent goal of feeling good (not doing anything or avoiding this task first) while the prefrontal cortex will be lagging behind with the benefits of prompt payment.

THE WAY FORWARD WITHOUT PROCRASTINATIONLIVING MINDFULLY IN MODERN SOCIETY

- PEMA RINCHEN -

“When you put off a pressing project, you avoid negative emotions caused by an

unpleasant task because you want to feel good now. But all you are really doing is giving problem to your future self. So the question neurologically becomes, why do

we treat Future Self like that?”

The observation and question posed by Dr. Timothy A. Pychyl (PhD) in-directly sums up the reason why people procrastinate and how the future

is neglected (or avoided).

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Thus, one of the ways to prevent and/or manage procrastination is to regulate our impulses and desires and as unlike animals, “only a human can take pleasure in fasting or abstaining from sex, which has no evolutional advantage. The miracle of human thinking is that our ancient pleasure circuitry can be activated by higher, more complicated parts of our brain.” And scientific research as now revealed that the flow of thoughts actually sculpts the brain, and more and more, people are learning that it is possible to strengthen positive brain states.

Remember the Future SelfDespite increase in human life span, people have not increased their rate of saving. In a phenomenon known as ‘temporal dis-counting’, people value immediate gains over future gains. According to a future-self continuity hypothesis, individuals perceive and treat the future self differently from the present self, and so might fail to save for their future. Thus, it is important to visualise one’s Future Self and the future, so as to be able to feel more for the Future Self, reducing the instant gratification to satisfy one’s present self.

Exercise Self-Control and Set a TimetableIn a research study, it is found that people who delayed their gratification with the larger picture or Future Self in mind (resisted present temptations for the potential benefits thereafter) would be more successful. So, as easy and as traditional as it sounds, the timetable is an effective tool to use – it sets a limit, motivating you to complete a task within a set period of time, delineating work time from free and/or leisure time, allowing you to enjoy time-off without worrying about incomplete work.

Using modern technology such as a smart phone application, “Tomato” to help set a timetable or simply short stipulated time blocks and/or periods for various activities (even meditation) can help in better managing time – daily schedules, project mile-stones and deadlines.

Learn to Flex Your Mental MuscleDr. Rick Hanson, a neuropsychologist wrote in Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neurosci-ence of Happiness, Love and Wisdom, ‘Great teachers like the Buddha, Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, and Gandhi were all born with brains built essentially like anyone else’s – and then they changed their brains in ways that changed the world.’ Repeated patterns of thoughts and feelings can actually change our brain structure, evidenced by practices such as mindfulness meditation. And below are seven common situations one can use to flex the mental muscle and learning to be in control of the brain: under criticism, dur-ing procrastination, in love, in rage, while dreaming, while listening to music and while meditating. All of the above methods correlate to mindfulness, developing good intrinsic habits and qualities, and remembering how the Future Self is dependent on what is done (or not done) today.

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In most Chinese Buddhist temples, monastics take their meals at ‘The Hall Of Five Contemplations’ (五观堂). Usually, in its centre are the following words put up in a frame, to remind all to reflect upon ‘The Five Contemplations To Remember At Mealtimes’ (食存五观). As we shall see, even though they are guidelines for monastics, they can easily be adapted to be applicable to laypeople too.

The First Contemplation: Consider how much work [was done by many, from farmers to harvesters, transporters to cleaners, cooks to donors…, for] this amount [of food to be able to] arrive here. (计功多少，量彼来处。) Notes: Indeed, we have many to be grateful to, even for small amounts of food. Every mouthful of food should be treasured as it was not easy to come by.

The Second Contemplation: Consider if oneself’s virtuous conduct, is complete or incomplete to receive this [food] offering. (忖己德行，全缺应供。) Notes: Especially as monastics, whose food is made possible through the generous contributions of sincere lay donors, for the very purpose of supporting monastics’ spiritual training to be ever more virtuous ones, there should be reflection on whether one deserves it. For laypeople, food self-acquired should be for virtuous cultivation too.

The Third Contemplation: Guard the mind to depart from faults, with greed and other [poisons, such as hatred and delusion] as the principal [causes]. (防心离过，贪等为宗。) Notes: As spiritual practice is to always be vigilant against the Three Poisons above, it applies when eating too. When with tasty, non-tasty and average food respectively, greed, hatred and delusion should be guarded from.

THE FIVE CONTEMPLATIONS TO REMEMBER AT MEALTIMESHAVING THE RIGHT UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTEMPLATIONS

- SHEN SHI’AN -

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

- Hippocrates (Greek father of medicine)

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There should be mindful eating with a clear, calm and equanimous state of mind.

The Fourth Contemplation: Properly taken [as] good medicine, [the food is] for curing [this] body’s withering [state]. (正事良药，为疗形枯。)

Notes: Food and drink should all be regarded merely as essential regular medication, for healing the recurring diseases of hunger and thirst. Just as we only take enough medicine for curing ourselves from other illnesses, likewise should we only eat and drink the necessary amounts for sufficient nutritional energy, without the motivation of indulgence.

The Fifth Contemplation: [Only] for accomplishing the path [to Buddhahood], should [there be] receiving of this food. (为成道业，应受此食。)

Notes: The key purpose of nourishing our bodies to stay alive is to do what is the most meaningful, which is to learn and practise the Buddha’s teachings, that lead us to our ultimate goal of complete enlightenment, so as to be able to best guide all others to it too. Without advancing towards liberation, we will remain trapped in rebirth.

Everything we do dailycan be part of spiritual practice.Even eating can be with compassion and wisdom, or greed and delusion.

- Stonepeace

REFLECTING ON THE FOUR NUTRIMENTS OF LIFE WISDOM FROM THE ANTHOLOGY OF BUDDHIST TEXTS (PART 1)

- PEMA RINCHEN -

In the preface of Nyanaponika Thera’s translated compilation of The Four Nutriments of Life, the first quote that sets the discource in motion is the Buddha’s saying on the single fact about life: “All beings subsist on nutriments”. According to the Buddha, this one fact of life is one of great importance that is to be remembered, contemplated and understood as it ‘reveals a truth that leads to the root of all existence and also to its uprooting’.

When the Buddha expounded on how he “saw to the root of things” (muula-dassaavii), this must be considered hand-in-hand with the topic on nutriment (aahaara). The aahaara explains laws that govern both the biological and mental aspects of life – four kinds of nutriment – edible food, sense-impressions, volitions, and consciousness, and common to all kinds of nutriment is the underlying and relentless hunger or craving (ta.nhaa). From conception to birth and death, the body craves ceaselessly for material sustenance; and the mind hungers as eagerly for its own kind of nourishment, for all sorts of novel sense-impressions and for an ever expanding universe of ideas. This is also known as the principal condition of any “in-take” or “up-take” (upaadaana) of sustenance in its widest sense – the need to have nutriments, regardless of whether it is for the physical or mental hunger.

Following this is the second common factor – the process of the assimilation of food where one internalises what one eats and ingests – internalising the external. This process reflects the common maxim of “You are what you eat”; your body is an enmassment of the food and your mind the mental nourishment you give it. While the mind attempts to feed on external material such as sense-impressions and variegated experiences; it also relies on the pre-existing store-house of knowledge and experiences (accumulated by one's genetic make-up such as race) and memories. These, can also become objects of mind, regarded as external to the present thought-moment as the ideas read in a book as what cannot be absorbed by the system is discarded, and thus, in the body as well as in the mind, there is a constant process of grasping and rejection, assimilation (and dissimilating), identification with oneself and alienation. Examining this process of consuming nutrition, be it physically or mentally, one thing becomes clear – in the course of devouring, assimilation takes place and the food in turn devours the consumer (eater) – mutual consumption. This is for sure as we know how people can change (for better or worse) by the food eaten or ideas ingested.

These laws governing nutriments (physical and mental) are more than sufficient to explain how illusory the conception of an abiding self or substance is, absolutely enough to justify the Anattaa doctrine (not-self), the Buddha's deeply revolutionising teaching of not-self. And Nyanaponika highlighted, ‘Individualised life is, as Paul Dahlke says, “neither a metaphysical identity

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(pure spirit, pure subject, according to the soul-theory of the religions) nor a mere physical process (pure body, pure object, according to scientific materialism), but a nutrimental process and as such it is neither something which is in and by itself, nor something caused by another, but something that is maintaining itself: and all these so-called higher faculties of thinking and feeling are different forms of eating, of maintaining oneself.” But in addition to the vindication of the Anattaa doctrine, nutriment is likewise a convincing teacher of the two other characteristics of life, impermanence and suffering.’

Change, or impermanence (anicca), is at the core of this nutritive process crying for constant replenishment of the food consumed, just like a bottomless abyss that has to be filled again (and again) as long as the being lives. Likewise our mental hunger craves for repetitive change and variety and ironically, this becomes a monotony of the process of nutrition – a process kept going by the urge to preserve life, a reflection of the dukkha-nature of life – ‘tiresomeness of the tedious round of eating and being hungry again’. This function of eating is elementary feature of routine life, also the hidden habituation of suffering that is no stranger to us as all beings go through the suffering and pain involved in the search for food and its acquisition. “Devouring each other” becomes a constant companion in both the human and the animal kingdom – the vicious cycle of animal farming, arms race, market acquisition and despite all the advancements in modern technology and increase in wealth, many still suffer in poverty with starving children even in this day and age. This search and quest for food (aahaara-pariye.t.thi) is an unceasing source of suffering (vattamaana dukkha) and as such it can stir man’s sense of urgency (sa.mvega) when he considers, in the light of nutriment, man’s own nature, his unending needs (and wants) of his existence.

Thus, the contemplation of the dukkha-aspect of nutriment helped in the formulation of the Four Noble Truths in terms of nutriment where the process of nutrition (material and mental) demonstrates the conditioned nature of all existence that we have found it to cover those salient features of the Dhamma – the three signata (impermanence, suffering and not-self) and the Four Truths, and Nyanaponika recommends to consider each of the four kinds of nutriments singly.

1. Edible Food Simile: A couple, foodless in the midst of a desert, eat their little child, to enable them to reach their destination.

Just like the husband and wife in the Buddha’s simile, mankind ever since it emerged on this planet, has traversed the desert of life where food is the most urgent concern. And again, as in that story, the stilling of man's hunger has often been a heart-rending business — if not for the sometimes quite callous “eater” then for his prey and for a sensitive observer. Often, in his search for food, man has destroyed what is commonly dearest to him, be it relatives and friends or the ideals of his youth. True, this is only one aspect of life: life is not “desert” entirely; it has a good number of oases where travellers can rest and enjoy themselves to such an extent that they are prone to forget the surrounding desert, which often encroaches on the tiny oasis and buries it.

The couple in the Buddha’s story, coming near starvation, eat their own beloved child. It is a gruesome and seemingly fantastic story indeed. But knowing from the records of history that, at times of famine, war or shipwreck, men did resort to cannibalism, we have to admit that what our story tells may have substantially happened ever so often, in one way or another. In his incessant search for food, or for better food or for control of food resources, how often has man killed, cruelly crushed or exploited his fellow creatures, even those who are close to him by common blood or common race! And is there not close kinship between all that lives?

These last words are not merely a sentimental phrase (as which they are mostly used); but they are also a hard and cruel fact. Are we not akin to the voracious greed, the cruel rage and the destructive stupidity, which we encounter in life and of which we become victim or perpetrator in the struggle for food or power? If we were not akin to it, could we encounter it, in one way or another? For an unfathomable time, caught in the ever-turning Wheel of Life, we have been everything: the prey and the devourer of all, parent and child of all. This we should consider when contemplating the nutriment of edible food and the Buddha’s simile for it.

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If we wish to eat and live, we have to kill or tacitly accept that others do the killing for us. When speaking of the latter, we do not refer merely to the butcher or the fisherman. Also for the strict vegetarian's sake, living beings have to die under the farmer’s plowshare, and his lettuce and other vegetables have to be kept free of snails and other “pests”, at the expense of these living beings who, like ourselves, are in search of food. A growing population’s need for more arable land deprives animals of their living space and, in the course of history, has eliminated many a species. It is a world of killing in which we live and have a part. We should face this horrible fact and remain aware of it in our Reflection on Edible Food. It will stir us to effort for getting out of this murderous world by the ending of craving for the four nutriments.

In one short lifetime, how many trainloads of food have passed in and out of our puny body! How many people have had to labor in the production, preparation, and distribution of that food, for keeping unbroken the “traffic line” that runs straight through our body! It is a grotesque picture if we visualise it.

There is yet another aspect of that “life-giving” function of eating. To illustrate it, let us think of a silo, or a storehouse or food bag: after it has been emptied, a few grains or other tiny morsels of food will mostly remain in it. Similarly there will always be left some tiny remnants of food in our body that are neither assimilated nor expelled but remain and putrefy. Some physiologists say that it is this putrefaction of residual food that ultimately brings about the aging and death of the organism if there are no other causes. If they are right, then food is not only life-giving but also death-bestowing, and it appears that we have in this life of ours the choice between death by starvation or by putrefaction. “The food devours the eater!” This close connection between nutriment and death is very poignantly expressed in Greek myth, according to which Demeter is the Goddess of corn (that is, food) and of death as well. Bachofen, that great explorer and interpreter of classic myth, has expressed the significance of it very succinctly: “She feeds man as a prey to herself.”

People, as far as they give any thought to the humdrum act of eating, have taken very different attitudes towards food. Some who became tired of the dull routine of eating dull food, have made a “fine art” of it and became gourmands. To them the Buddha says: “All nutriment is miserable, even divine food.” Others, keenly aware of the importance of food for good health, have devised various ideas about “pure food”: we have here the dietetic rules of several religions, and the belief of ancient and modern sects in man’s “purification by nutriment” (aahaara-parisuddhi), of which already the Buddha made mention (adversely, of course), down to our own days with their ersatz religions of numerous food-reformers. Others, again, have tried to solve the problem of the body’s dependence on food by reducing nourishment below sustenance level and by long periods of fasting. This harsh and futile method of self-mortification the Buddha, too, had tried out and rejected before his Enlightenment, and had vividly described his experience in the Discourse on the Noble Quest (Ariya-Pariyesana Sutta). Also later on, the Buddha never recommended periods of fasting beyond the abstention from solid food after noon enjoined upon bhikkhus, and in the periodic observance of the Eight or Ten Precepts. What the Buddha, as a teacher of the Middle Way, advised was moderation in eating, non-attachment to the taste of food, and wise reflection on nutriment.

Translated anthology on Edible Food is extracted from https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel105.html

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DIALOGUE WITH VANCE – ON SOCIAL ANXIETY- DR. JEFFREY PO -

Jeffrey: Hi Vance – how have you been keeping?

Vance: All right I guess, but recently I got a new job that entails me to make speeches and attend social functions.

Jeffrey: Okay – but what’s the problem?

Vance: Well, I'll get very nervous and uptight with those whom I am not familiar with. Can you help?

Jeffrey: Aha! Your issue is that of social anxiety or social phobia.

Vance: What is that? Is it serious? Am I going crazy?

Jeffrey: Well – not really. Social anxiety disorder or social phobia, involves intense fear when facing certain social situations, especially those that you are unfamiliar with or in which you get the uncomfortable feeling that people are watching you. The feeling may be so overwhelming and frightening that you get anxious just thinking about them or you go to great lengths to avoid them, and hence disrupting your daily routines. The underlying psychological reasons are that you feel that people are judging or out to embarrass you in public. You feel that you are not performing to their expectations. And even though you probably realise that those fears are at least somewhat irrational and overblown, still you can’t help feeling anxious.

Vance: Well, what are the causes then?

Jeffrey: Social anxiety is quite common, but the degree of the intensity manifestation varies. Many people experience anxieties in many social or business situations. Anyway, here are some of the common triggers:

• Meeting new peopleFeel anxious when in unfamiliar company

• Making small talkFeel uncomfortable to strike up or be engaged in superficial conversations

• Public speakingFeel extremely exposed and vulnerable in front of a crowd or audience

• Performing on stageFeel uncomfortable presenting or performing

• Being the centre of attention / being watched while doing somethingFeel immense pressure

• Being teased or critisisedFeel tormented when being teased

• Talking with “important” people or authorityFeel compelled to be at one’s best

• Being called on in class or speaking up in a meetingFeel scrutinised and judged

• Going on a dateFeel stressed about acceptance from others

• Taking examsFeel fearful of examination performance

• Using public restroomsFeel anxious and jittery regarding safety and security

• Eating or drinking in publicFeel uneasy and judged by others

• Making phone callsFeel uncertain when not communicating face-to-face

Vance: Oh wow – even making phone calls?

Jeffrey: Yes. You will be surprised that those suffering from social anxiety can simply melt down when faced with some situations that are not psychologically agreeable.

Vance: Well, what can I do then?

Jeffrey: You can adopt what Herbert Benson term as the relaxation response. This will evoke your para-sympathetic system to trigger the release of the “goodie” chemicals such as dopamine and endorphin that can help relax and calm your nerves.

You can start by breathing in normally but with long, smooth

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rewarding exhalations. These are the first to practise when working with anxiety; long exhalations relax the vagal-vagus nerve, which sends messages to the midbrain, via what’s called the insula, essentially telling the amygdala which activates fear: “Everything’s okay, I’m safe.” Also, your breath-work should be that of abdominal type – breathing in and out through your belly.

Vance: Okay – that’s easy enough because I am a meditator. What else?

Jeffrey: Another help is to mentally greet, rather than resist or even dread the situation. Just note how the Buddha welcomed his inner tormentor, Mara, always with great patience. “Welcome, Anxiety. You’re allowed.” You know Vance, the sooner you grant permission to an emotional energy to arise, the less painful it feels and the faster it passes. Another tactic is to question our anxiety honestly and with interest, trying to understand its logic: I use the question “And why is that so bad?” or you can say to yourself “Well, it can’t be really that bad.” Generally, this practice reveals the silliness underlying most of my anxiety.

Vance: Thanks Jeff – any other helpful tips?

Jeffrey: You can also change your lifestyle to reduce anxiety. For instance:

• Avoid or limit caffeineCoffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks act as stimulants that can increase anxiety symptoms

• Get activeMake physical activity a priority with 30 minutes per day if possible. If you hate to exercise, try pairing it with something you enjoy, such as window shopping while walking laps around the mall or dancing to your favorite music.

• Add more omega-3 fats to your dietOmega-3 fatty acids support brain health that improve mood, outlook, and ability to handle anxiety. The best sources are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, seaweed, flaxseed, and walnuts.

• Drink only in moderationYou may be tempted to drink before a social situation to calm your nerves, but alcohol increases your risk of having an anxiety attack.

• Quit smokingNicotine is a powerful stimulant, and contrary to popular belief, smoking leads to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.

• Get enough quality sleepWhen you're sleep-deprived, you're more vulnerable to anxiety.

Vance: Has Buddhism anything to contribute to this?

Jeffrey: Vance – I don’t really know whether people in those times suffer from social phobia or anxiety. However, the Nidana-Samyutta Sutta did mention something like adopting a mental position of “wise-attention” (yoniso manasikara) of “understanding the appeal, drawbacks and escape from behaviours that cause suffering”.

Josh Korda, a Dhamma teacher at the New York and Brooklyn Dharmapunx suggests the following to tackle anxiety:

• Work first with physical symptomsBring tranquillity within; don't fight acute anxiety by trying to figure out the source of your anxiety.

• Practise restraining the mindTrain the mind to focus on things we have control over here, and not from thinking about things that you have no control over.

• Tolerate the inevitableIf you've identified a source of stress, avoid it if you can. And also, learn to tolerate it rather than taking it personally.

• Be aware of the body Immediately discount any thoughts when anxious; those thoughts are not to be trusted. If you have even the most minor of daily meditation practices, that goes an enormous way towards taking your amygdala off of its hair trigger.

Vance: What about medication?

Jeffrey: Well, they are sometimes used to relieve the symptoms of social anxiety, but it’s not a cure. However, it is considered most helpful when used in addition to therapies and the other self-help techniques that address the root cause of social anxiety disorder.

Vance: Thanks, Jeff. Appreciate your sharing.

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Space covers the ten directions without boundariesLearning the Buddha Dharma requires the right concept of space. Time and space are to be understood in relation to each other. Where there is time, there is space. In terms of space, human beings are different from animals. Even though animals live in the same space as humans, animals have no concept of spaces, whereas humans do.

Let’s first talk about humans. Some people may think that they have a concept of space. Unfortunately, the spaces they know and refer to are their homes, or their temples, or their family. Surely, a family unit does occupy a tiny space. However, the space that Buddhism refers to is very large – East, West, South, North, front, rear, right, left, up, and down (known as the Ten Directions). Today, many people take shelter in small spaces and become trapped in them. They can survive only by staying within the confines of these spaces; therefore, they become attached to them. This is true for most people; as they become trapped in their little boxes of confinement, they lose their freedom. The space that Buddhism refers to has a very special meaning. It is great and vast. You may say that all the worlds in the Ten Directions are just in one big space – “with boundaries”.

When people are very narrow-minded, they tend to mark their own territories and attempt to keep others at a distance. This distance hinders communication between them and does not allow them to establish honest and sincere relationships. The Buddhist concept of space teaches us to avoid mental or physical confrontations with others. It teaches us not to confine ourselves to these little mundane boxes and to remove confinements, be it mental or physical.

There is no fixed form, nor is there a dominator that is decisiveFrom the Buddhist perspective, “There is no fixed form, nor is there a denominator that is decisive.” The vast space has no fixed form, and there is no one being that can dominate. Chinese people often say, “We take history very seriously.” What is history? History de-picts the phenomena of the past. You can find no permanent nature in phenomena, nor can you find a real solid object – be it a point, a surface, or a cubic inch of space.

Now, let’s take a look at an historical example: In China, after the Wei and Jin dynasties (5th-6th century), many foreign tribes began moving into Northern China. Eventually, these tribes came to occupy the northern part of the Chinese territory; some tribal chiefs even made themselves kings. At the time, many rich Chinese families in the north began migrating to the south as they could not tolerate the culture of the people they see as barbarian invaders. A lot of people from those northern families served in the government as high-ranking officials and they were highly respected in society. In particular, were two famous families, the Wang family and the Hsieh family. Their stories are mentioned in a poem written during the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th century). The poet wrote: “The swallows that

flew in the villas of the Wangs’ and the Hsiehs’, return now to find the commoners’ homes.

A few centuries before, the Wang and Hsieh families had lived in a prosperous city in luxurious villas. A few centuries later, not even a trace could be found. The swallows that once returned to the homes of the Wangs’ and the Hsiehs’, could no longer find the villas. On the spot where the vials once stood, now stands civilian houses.

This story demonstrates that there is no one master that can always dominate. Similarly, all those luxurious and solid imperial tombs erected by ancient emperors were destroyed and lev-eled, not to mention that the emperors bones were crushed. This shows that there is no domina-tor. That’s why we say, “There is no fixed form, nor is there a dominator that is decisive”.

ESTABLISHING THE RIGHT CONCEPT OF SPACETIME CONNECTS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE (PART 1)

- VENERABLE MASTER JEN-CHUN -

The way of the world leads us to separation.This world separates space into tiny little boxes,

And we all live in these confined boxes. This separation is due to our worldly,

discriminating mind.

Venerable Master Jen-Chun has written extensively on the Buddha Dharma, and lectured throughout the Unit-ed States and many other countries. Born in 1919, he entered monastic life at the age of seven and became the disciple of Master Yin-Shun in 1949.

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Training this mind… actually there’s nothing much to this mind. It’s simply radiant in and of itself. It’s naturally peaceful. Why the mind doesn’t feel peaceful right now is because it gets lost in its own moods. There’s nothings to mind itself. It simply abides in its natural state, that’s all.. That sometimes the mind feels peaceful and other times not peaceful is because it has been tricked by these moods. The untrained mind lacks wisdom. It’s foolish. Moods come and trick it into feeling pleasure one minute and suffering the next. Happiness then sadness. But the natural state of a person’s mind isn’t one of happiness and sadness. This experience of happiness and sadness is not the acutal mind itself, but just these moods which have tricked it. The mind gets lost, carried away by these moods with no idea what’s happening. And as a result, we ex-perience pleasure and pain accordingly, because the mind has not been trained yet. It still isn’t very clever. And we go on thinking that it’s our mind which is suffering or our mind which is happy, when actually it’s just lost in its various moods.

The point is that really, this mind of ours is naturally peaceful. It is still and calm like a leaf that is not being blown about by the wind. But if the wind blows, then it flutters. It does that because of the wind. And with the mind, it’s because of these moods – getting caught up with thoughts. If the mind didn’t get lost in these thoughts, it wouldn’t flutter about. If it understood the nature of thoughts, it would just stay still. This is called the natural state of mind. And why we have come to practise now is to see the mind in this original state. We think that the mind itself is actually pleasurable or peaceful. But really the mind has not created any real pleasure or pain. These thoughts have come and tricked it, and it has got caught up in them. So we really have to come and train our minds in order to grow in wisdom, so that we understand the true nature of thoughts rather than just following them blindly. The mind is naturally peaceful. It’s in order to understand just this much that we have come to do this difficult practice of meditation.

A TASTE OF FREEDOMTRAINING THIS MIND

- VENERABLE AJAHN CHAH -

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