Not like that.

In daily life, of course the 5 precepts are important and it's the duty of all buddhists to keep the 5 precepts as best as possible.

However, there might be people out there, who think they can go further to the 8 precepts (or 10 in noviceship) and to attempt to get some insight into the 4 noble truths.

It's commendable and encouraged for those who are ready, to do so. You never know, that the Neyya class of individuals might just attend some Insight at the retreat, and might just penetrate into the 4 noble truths.

Working now. Unless it's during the weekends lor.

How long is it? You said weeks right?

Hmm. I'll go with the reciting sutras then.

Hmm... isn't MBMC rather infamous for temple politics (you know, like office politics)?

don't get involved in temple politics. When it comes to money / committee / power , sure will got some politics.

Our job is to help as we can , go there listen to dhamma lectures, learn some meditation (if got teachers), enough. Not our duty to police the monks (some lay people do that!!)....

haha, just go there for the environment and keep to yourself. it's easy to stay out of their way. temple politics are very strong in myanmar meditation centres too.

That's why I prefer smaller temples. Less of such nonsense. The bigger the group, the dirtier it gets.

OT -- I somehow hijacked Single's Club into few pages of Buddhism chat @_@

Over there there's an interesting one.

What's the difference between: parinirvana and buddhahood..

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?act=findpost&pid=35745145

I maneuver around office politics because I need to cari makan. But there is no reason for me to stand for holier-than-thou people squabbling about petty issues.
Er...... no. But there was one time when I had a serious issue at work that I considered going for one, in Kelantan. But never did.

Both are the same if you read more

and to NOSelf which it's equivalent

You dont need temple politics it if you are practicing noself.Just obey order , that simple.Dont go complicated

oh, nice speech.

I didn't expect you explain that much .Thank you
As I mention "Just obey order , that simple.Dont go complicated" and forgot to add "Just smile when you see people" 

I dont understand much your reply , maybe I am stup|d or maybe I didn't explain much , i mean "dont need" doesn't mean avoid and "dont need" doesn't mean don't apply.
Don't need mean don't need to remember on having a temple politic.If temple politic comes , you don't need to tahan , you just need to accept , obey , leave it.
erm , and about the noself , you explain already so it concludes all.

Advice from Atisha’s Heart

When Venerable Atisha came to Tibet he first went to Ngari, where he remained for two years giving many teachings to the disciples of Jangchub Ö.

After two years had passed he decided to return to India, and Jangchub Ö requested him to give one last teaching before he left.

Atisha replied that he had already given them all the advice they needed, but Jangchub Ö persisted in his request and so Atisha accepted and gave the following advice.

How wonderful!

Friends, since you already have great knowledge and clear understanding, whereas I am of no importance and have little wisdom, it is not suitable for you to request advice from me. However because you dear friends, whom I cherish from my heart, have requested me, I shall give you this essential advice from my inferior and childish mind.

Friends, until you attain enlightenment the Spiritual Teacher is indispensable, therefore rely upon the holy Spiritual Guide.

Until you realize ultimate truth, listening is indispensable, therefore listen to the instructions of the Spiritual Guide.

Since you cannot become a Buddha merely by understanding Dharma, practise earnestly with understanding.

Avoid places that disturb your mind, and always remain where your virtues increase.

Until you attain stable realizations, worldly amusements are harmful, therefore abide in a place where there are no such distractions.

Avoid friends who cause you to increase delusions, and rely upon those who increase your virtue. This you should take to heart.

Since there is never a time when worldly activities come to an end, limit your activities.

Dedicate your virtues throughout the day and the night, and always watch your mind.

Because you have received advice, whenever you are not meditating always practise in accordance with what your Spiritual Guide says.

If you practise with great devotion, results will arise immediately, without your having to wait for a long time.

If from your heart you practise in accordance with Dharma, both food and resources will come naturally to hand.

Friends, the things you desire give no more satisfaction than drinking sea water, therefore practise contentment.

Avoid all haughty, conceited, proud, and arrogant minds, and remain peaceful and subdued.

Avoid activities that are said to be meritorious, but which in fact are obstacles to Dharma.

Profit and respect are nooses of the maras, so brush them aside like stones on the path.

Words of praise and fame serve only to beguile us, therefore blow them away as you would blow your nose.

Since the happiness, pleasure, and friends you gather in this life last only for a moment, put them all behind you.

Since future lives last for a very long time, gather up riches to provide for the future.

You will have to depart leaving everything behind, so do not be attached to anything.

Generate compassion for lowly beings, and especially avoid despising or humiliating them.

Have no hatred for enemies, and no attachment for friends.

Do not be jealous of others’ good qualities, but out of admiration adopt them yourself.

Do not look for faults in others, but look for faults in yourself, and purge them like bad blood.

Do not contemplate your own good qualities, but contemplate the good qualities of others, and respect everyone as a servant would.

See all living beings as your father or mother, and love them as if you were their child.

Always keep a smiling face and a loving mind, and speak truthfully without malice.

If you talk too much with little meaning you will make mistakes, therefore speak in moderation, only when necessary.

If you engage in many meaningless activities your virtuous activities will degenerate, therefore stop activities that are not spiritual.

It is completely meaningless to put effort into activities that have no essence.

If the things you desire do not come it is due to karma created long ago, therefore keep a happy and relaxed mind.

Beware, offending a holy being is worse than dying, therefore be honest and straightforward.

Since all the happiness and suffering of this life arise from previous actions, do not blame others.

All happiness comes from the blessings of your Spiritual Guide, therefore always repay his kindness.

Since you cannot tame the minds of others until you have tamed your own, begin by taming your own mind.

Since you will definitely have to depart without the wealth you have accumulated, do not accumulate negativity for the sake of wealth.

Distracting enjoyments have no essence, therefore sincerely practise giving.

Always keep pure moral discipline for it leads to beauty in this life and happiness hereafter.

Since hatred is rife in these impure times, don the armour of patience, free from anger.

You remain in samsara through the power of laziness, therefore ignite the fire of the effort of application.

Since this human life is wasted by indulging in distractions, now is the time to practise concentration.

Being under the influence of wrong views you do not realize the ultimate nature of things, therefore investigate correct meanings.

Friends, there is no happiness in this swamp of samsara, so move to the firm ground of liberation.

Meditate according to the advice of your Spiritual Guide and dry up the river of samsaric suffering.

You should consider this well because it is not just words from the mouth, but sincere advice from the heart.

If you practise like this you will delight me, and you will bring happiness to yourself and others.

I who am ignorant request you to take this advice to heart.

This is the advice that the holy being Venerable Atisha gave to Venerable Jang Chub Ö.

for samatha meditation yea, got about 40 taught by the Buddha.

Not all of these meditations are suitable for everyone. It depends on your temperaments (past karma, tendencies, affinity, etc).

However, there are universal meditation such as MEtta (loving-kindness). This one is suitable for all types of temperaments, because deep inside all of us, there is a lot of hatred in our subconscious.

The effect of meditation is not something like a one-time fix.. but gradual. It has to be applied in daily life too.  Meditation serves as some positive reinforcement into the subconscious - everyday we tell ourselves to be loving-kindness to all being, slowly slowly over years, over decades,  you find your level of hatred reduces.....

For example, playing video games like dOta or Wow... They look harmless.. but if the individuals play those games, they got angry when TMNET down , or they got killed in Dota by their friends, they got angry..... on daily basis.  slowly, day by day , that person gets angry for about 10 mins everyday.... over the years... he finds himself become a very hostile person in real life... easily get irritated, angry, etc.

I am talking from real experience.

So this mental conditiioning is very gradual... if we want to become a good person , we need to do it daily, slowly... everyday throw away some bad habits.. over time, over years, over decades, we will succeed.

By the time of death, we will be a very happy person and calm person. At that time, our 'habitual kamma' is that of a person with very much reduced hatred/anger.. and this kamma will help to help us avoid those destinies associated with these hatred based kamma --> hells, demons who fight each other, animals.....

so i hope this helps you to get a brief idea on meditation.

No need to look very far or greedy... some people meditate they want to attain Jhanas (their sole intention), but when they cannot attain it (not realizing that practice of dhamma comes altogether with Good morality and dana too).. they got pissed with buddhism and dismiss it as 'false'  I met these types of people. Motivated by greed and hatred they approach buddhism.

We shouldn't go that direction.

good morning.

life is so blissful. zzzzzz

40 objects of Samatha meditation
10 Recollections
10 Kasinas
10 Asubhas
4 Brahma viharas
4 Immaterial states
1 Foulness of food
1 Four Element

ANyone tried any of the above yet??

MEditation got 2 types

1. Samatha - calm meditation. Objective is to attain Calm and tranquility.  Got 40 types listed.

2. Vipassana - Insight meditation. Objective is to attain Insight into the nature of existence - Dukkha (suffering), Annata (nonself) and Anica (impermanence).
Most popular Samatha meditation are
1. Anapanasati (mindfulness of in-out breath on nostril) - this is ONE of the 10 types of Recollection

2. Metta (loving-kindness) - one of the 4 Brahma viharas (divine stations of the Brahma).

Confused liau bo?

Depends lo. Some got good karma can encounter good teacher and true dhamma, and the states can arise in him quite fast.  Some try entire lifetime cannot see any results, got a few explanation for that actually.

But any effort is not wasted, as there is this Dhamma that will actually lead us to Nibbana. Have confidence we must all in the teaching of the Buddha!

wise decision. you sound like one of the committee for a temple.

I spoke regarding a few thoughts:

How not to get disappointed over a period of time when doing work.
Based on individualising problems, we become angrier, depressed, bitter et al.
How not to give up on certain people if we really are serious on our practice.
How doing group retreats makes us think less of our own problems.
How group retreats/work at Kechara can increase altruism which can be applied everywhere.
Different types of retreats such as on subjects, on Yidam, or on a protector.
How to feel hope again after being bitter, angry, disenchanted and depressed.
One talk I gave over the phone to everyone, the other one, I showed up in person to share my thoughts. Both talks have been uploaded here. Please do take a serious listen and contemplate. I feel it can really help you wherever your mental state may be.

Just to share only, in the Abdhidhamma there are listed different kind of individuals in the world today.

1. Ugghatitannu
2. Vipancitannu
3. Neyya
4. Padaparama

1+2 no longer exist in the world today.

3. Neyya - those who require guidance , and having encounter the True Dhamma with sufficient effort attain the various stages of sainthood.

4. Padaparama - those who practice the dhamma, although putting in sufficient effort and encounter true dhamma, fail to attain any stages of sainthood in this life, but will do so at the immediate next life.

---

Added on August 23, 2010, 1:57 pmSo if a person practices with supreme effort, but fails to attain any stage of sainthood, it could be due to

1. Insufficient paramita (past cultivation)

2. A personal vow in past life (to be a boddisatta, or to attain enlightenment under Matteyya Buddha, or as chief disciples, etc)

3. A sure prediction by a past Buddha (to enlighten at certain time or Aeons from now)

There is another factor which will destroy the ability for enlightenment , which is obstruction by the evil veil of Kamma. in this case, an individual has committed a serious kamma (like killing of parents), even if he has sufficient paramita, he will fail to attain any sainthood stages.

i don't get your question, can you rephrase it?

i watched thai movie, and it shows like they build buddha statue, worship, to treat ppl from illness... y? buddha is nt goddd rite? also got thai buddha temple that sell charm.... isnt that deviant from bbuddha teaching? y no one tell them thats not what buddha preach

I think it depends on individuals. Each of us are so different , a success to one would seem as a shortcoming to others! But I think all buddhists want to attain cessation of suffering, it's just the matter of 'when' only.

To me, the nearer things in Dhamma , more down to earth things are like reduction in anger, hatred , and become more tolerant to differences, and to be more Calm and happy. If a person sees this happening in his life, the dhamma is working. If he becomes more angry.. then he obviously needs to re-examine his approach to dhamma.



Once the foundation is right, the rest will come naturally !