Having a rich heart

“When one suffers from poverty of the heart, one is deprived of happiness.”

Simple Bear 29.01.2013.

My colleague opened a returned appeal mailer for donations and found paper money (used in rituals) being attached to the mailer. Other colleagues begin to comment that this kind of prank is not unusual.

My first reaction to this incident was that the individual must be suffering; one who doesn’t have love and compassion in his or her heart is always hungry for happiness. He or she is one who suffers from poverty of the heart; consumed by negativity, one’s heart have no room for the riches of positivity. How can he or she ever enjoy the bliss and peace that life has to offer?

Where can the flower of bliss grow and bloom when the ground is covered in hot, boiling volcanic lava? Anger and fear are like volcanic lava, a threat to life itself and never at peace. It is only when the lava is cooled and transformed by love and compassion, into fertile ground for life. Only then, the flowers of bliss and happiness can grow and bloom.

I sincerely wish for the liberation of everyone, who is suffering from poverty of the heart right now, from the shackles of negativity, and embrace the rainbow of positivity in their hearts. May all be rich in their hearts.

May all be well and happy always.

With Metta

Simple Bear 29.01.2013.

No Choice?

“When we assumed we have no choice over our unhappiness, we have no choice over our happiness.”

Simple Bear 17.01.2013.

人生, 三十

吾十而弃, 顺从其命

二十而逆, 起义反命

三十而明, 报恩为命

简单熊 16.01.2013.

Dreaming

 
"Dreams are beyond just dreams if you dare to dream."
Simple Bear 15.01.2013.

Green Tea and a Shirt

Green Tea and a Shirt

“Sorry I am so sorry.” A lady in pants and shirt apologized profusely to me when she realized the green tea that she tried to throw away in the field beside hit me and my shirt was stained with the leftover green tea in the bottle.

“Never mind, it is ok.” I walked away, much to her relief (I think). I was more interested in the thoughts and emotions in response to the episode.  

Was there anger? Was there pain? Were there thoughts of ‘revenge’?

Yes, there was anger and revengeful thoughts for a split second. Yes there was pain. What was perhaps salient in the mind in the moments that followed were thoughts of Karuna (compassion); the lady was suffering from (a) anger, judging from the way she threw the bottle, it was as if she was venting off some negative emotions or thoughts and (b) fear, judging from her facial and body expressions when she realized she had hit me with the bottle. I may not be able to alleviate her suffering from anger but at least I can alleviate her suffering from fear as I walked away from her after the incident. Next were thoughts of Metta (loving-kindness); I hope she will be well and happy although I won’t be able to alleviate her suffering from anger, I hope she will find her way to be free from anger.

Then I turn the focus towards myself; where was the anger coming from? Where the anger went to? In the split second of anger that I was aware of, I was clinging on to the idea that the body is me, the shirt is mine; the act of hitting me with the bottle, spilling green tea on my shirt is an act of aggression towards this identity of me, an act of transgression on my property (shirt). The anger came from my mind not the mind and it ceases as it arises. The anger arises from this perceived assumed permanent existence which we call ‘I’. As long as 'I' exist, anger exists.

In the midst of the momentary experience, 'I' arose and ceased; so if 'I' is a phenomena which is subjected to arising and cessation; then do 'I' really exist as a permanent identity?; if anger, greed and the multitude of thoughts is 'I', then 'I', as with all those phenomenon, is impermanent (Annica).

If the self, the thoughts and affect is forever in a state of flux, what is there permanent to cling on to?

May all be well and happy.

With Metta,

Simple Bear 11.01.2013.

Happiness or Unhappiness

Happiness or Unhappiness

"For one to be happy, one must be willing to let go of unhappiness."
Simple Bear 27.12.2012.

心晨

心晨




步步随星 夜幕止心
仰望星空 锁心成空
绝处成凤 过往成风
无不归尘 笑看红尘


简单熊 29.12.2012.