Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Like Magnets, Our Mind Has Energy

Some notes (in point form) I took of Zen Master Dae Bong's teachings at the Kreta Ayer People's Theatre on 30 September 2012 in Singapore in conjunction with the inaugural ceremony of Kwan Yin Chan Ling, Singapore. I have lightly edited it to make the notes taken clearer. All mistakes are mine:-
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  1. Zen Master Seung Sahn used to take 2 magnets and a pencil with him last time.
  2. Magnets have energy but we cannot see it.
  3. Our mind also has energy, like magnets.
  4. When our mind has "I, My, Me", it can push away even people who are close to us (e.g. our family members) like negatively charged magnets.
  5. Practice will clear away our delusions and then we can connect with others better (like oppositely charged magnets). That is the purpose of practice.
  6. Apparently there are people complaining life in Singapore is stressful. Creating lots of   negative thinking.
  7. Stress always exist but we do not have to be negatively affected by it.
  8. Original people of America reportedly came from Asia. They don't have any word for "problem". To them problem is opportunity. (N.B. the chinese character for problem consists of word for "opportunity")
  9. Dukkha is normally translated as "Suffering". Today I will translate it as "problems".
  10. Suicide will not end problems because in Buddhism, we get reborn again. Hence we will continue to suffer the same thing again.
  11. There was a study in America whereby people who have won lottery are interviewed 2 to 3 years later if they are still happy or happier.
  12. The result was that they were not happier 2 to 3 years after the win.
  13. Correct mind practice - like the magnet, we can turn negative situations around.
  14. We can then make correct connections to our family, friends, co-workers, our environment, etc.
  15. Our purpose in life is to make that. Correct relationships. Correct function. Correct direction.

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