From: CASonline-owner@yahoogroups.com
Date: 08/14/05 12:32:00
To: CASonline
Subject: [CASonline] Do all possible Good; Cancer; the Dharma......
 






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From Davin
 
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (224) of this book, with reference to the question raised by
Thera Maha Moggallana.

Once, Thera Maha Moggallana visited the deva world and found many devas living in luxurious mansions. He asked them for what good
deed they were reborn in the deva world and they gave him different answers. One of them was reborn in the deva world not because he gave away much wealth in charity or because he had listened to the dhamma, but just because he always spoke the truth. The second one was a female deva who was reborn in the deva world because she did not get angry with her master and had no ill will towards him even though he often beat her and abused her. For keeping her temper and abandoning hatred she was reborn in the deva world. Then, there were others who were reborn in the deva world because they had offered little things like a stick of sugar cane, a fruit, or some vegetables to a bhikkhu or to someone else.

On his return from the deva world, Thera Maha Moggallana asked the Buddha whether it was possible to gain such great benefits by just speaking the truth, or by restraining one's actions, or by giving small amounts of such trifling things like fruits and vegetables. To him the Buddha answered, "My son, why do you ask? Have you not seen for yourself and heard what the devas said? You should not have any doubt. Little deeds of merit surely lead one to the world of the devas."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 224. One should speak the truth, one should not yield to anger, one should give when asked even if it is only a little. By means of these three one may go to the world of the devas.
 
The Dhammapada Stories, translated by Daw Mya Tin, M.A., Burma Pitaka Association, 1986
* Deva world - Heaven in layman term
* Devas - Beings in heaven
_________________________________________________________________________________________
 
From Michael
 
Dear Friends
Read the true account of the following
peace and good health to all
 
with loving kindness and appreciative joy
kovido micahel liau
 
________________________________________________________________________________________
 
HI all,

This is the talk we went at cheng Beng Buddhist society, about the nun who has cancer and she has recover from it.

Hi,

I have attended a talk last week by a venerable who had fight her cancer
for more than 20 years.  I would like to share her story with you as
follows;

She left home at the age of 14 to work and she was already very successful
at the age 29, with house, car and monies.  She worked hard and also play
hard (playing majong for days without rest).  When she was planning her
marriage, she went for a surgery to remove a lump on her hand which turns
out to be cancerous.

The first question, she asked " Is this true?" to the doctor.  Doc replies,
"Yes, that's the report outcome"
The second question, "Why me?" to the doctor.  Doc replies, " Then who?"
(quite humorous right)..........."You only have 9 more months to live"

So at her peak of her life, this is very very bad news to her.

The chemo affected her very badly and technology then was not so advance
yet.  It takes her a while to accept the fate.  At first, it was for her
lover that kept her living.  However, when she got into Dharma and
realising the truth, she became a nun.  She changed her diet totally to
vegetarian but the main thing which keep her going is her Positive Mindset
To Live On and be of use to all, especially in spreading the Dharma.  She
is thankful that she had cancer as it makes her more eager to do whatever
she can (esp time is limited) and opportunities to share the Dharma with
many people in many country.  Although she had recovered from cancer, she
is still full of illnesses, taking at least 8 meals of medicine each day.
She had underwent 7 surgeries and has 3 or 4 more to go.  She still
continue taking things as they are, working hard in h! elp canc er patients to
their recovery, and the medicine is like the food for her body to keep her
going.

She says, it is important to make an inspiration of why you want to live on
and stay focus on this.  She says this is very true, that when one stays
focus, one will forget the pain.  "Once, she was sick and when her majong
kakis called. She went, at the majong table, she totally forget her
sickness but when she stops, the sickness suddenly appear."  She is not
encouraging gambling but for us to do something which we love that could
take our mind off.

During the talk, she give us a receipt which cancer patient can take after
the 3rd day of chemo, to build up the immune system.

1 bowl of white fungus "bai mu er"
10 Ginko Nuts "bai guo"
2 Red Dates "hong zao"

The fungus must be soaked and blender into small pieces.  Put to
double-! boil "tun".  The liquid should be sticky.
Drink this every day, like drinking water until the next chemo session.
Good for healthy people too.

"Why me?", this question, she says is so real to reflect the selfish of
oneself as it reflect of lack of compassion that someone else should have
gotten it instead.  I hope none of us will have a chance to ask this
question, however, if it happens, takes life like an empty basket, ask "How
can fill this basket with meaningful things for the rest of the remaining
period?"  This too applies to all, just that we do not have an indicator
how long will be our remaining period.

Never give up as this equals killing oneself.

I hope this will bring HOPE and inspiration for all who are sick and
suffering.   I wish all well and may all who are sick, have good karma to
regain good health soon.

with metta,
Vina
 
________________________________________________________________________________________
 

Dear Lovely People,

 

May you give many encouraging and heart-warming responses and kind support to your fellow friends.

May you find that its truly wonderful to give out love to those in need of it and of value to you and you will in one way or another benefit from it.

May you have great fun and have learnt and have grown a lot along the way.

 

Wish that you can help cancer patients?
Share your tender loving care and giving support?

Do Home visits and motivate them on?

Do organic farming, grow organic vegetables so as to be consumed by cancer patients?

Packing organic vegetables and/or Delivering organic vegetables to their homes?

Kampung Senang Charity & Education Foundation (NCSS Membership no.
2004-011/KAM) Blk 840 Tampines Street 82 #01-111 S(520840)
Tel: 67852568 Fax: 67852569
E-mail: email@kg-senang.org.sg
Website: http://www.kg-senang.org.sg

Together, We Can Make Our World Even More Beautiful !
Welcome you to join us as volunteer or member.
[Care for the Environment, Care for the People] - Kg Senang

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________

 

China struggles with Tibetan Buddhism  (AP)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
By STEPHANIE HOO
 
LHASA, Tibet, Aug 11 (AP)  - There's a new type of pilgrim spinning the prayer wheels at Tibet's
holiest sites. Along with the Tibetans who prostrate themselves before the vacant throne of their
exiled leader, the Dalai Lama, swarms of Chinese tourists rub crisp Chinese money on their
foreheads and then cram the bills into collection boxes.
 
In matching tour group hats, the Chinese visitors bow at Tibetan shrines, light candles and ring
temple bells. Style-conscious young women try the Tibetan look, weaving bright strips of cloth
into their black hair.
 
"This is a mystical place, a bit of heaven on earth," said Tang Wei, a manager at a
government-owned software company in Beijing. "Even though it's undeveloped, life here is good.
People have their own peace in life and contentment in work."
 
As for the Dalai Lama, condemned by Beijing as a traitor, "he doesn't sound so bad to me," Tang
said.
 
More than four decades after the Dalai Lama fled Tibet during an unsuccessful revolt against
Chinese rule, Beijing's efforts to diminish and discredit him have failed.
 
Living across the border in India, he is widely known in China and abroad.
 
"He is far better known than any figure in the Chinese government," said Alison Reynolds, director
of the London-based Free Tibet Campaign.
 
In Tibet itself, where his picture is banned, tourists from Beijing and Shanghai hike the pilgrim
routes and turn the metal prayer wheels imprinted with Buddhist scripture and set in rows outside
temples. With each spin, they are said to send a prayer to heaven.
 
It reveals "a spiritual hunger that Chinese have to know more about Buddhism," said Kate Saunders
of the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet. "I think that's a sign of hope for the
future."
 
The Chinese government deeply distrusts religion as pulling allegiance away from the ruling
Communist Party.
 
It limits the numbers of monks and forces them to attend lessons in communist theory. As many as
200 people are believed to be in prison on charges of undermining China's rule over Tibet,
according to the Free Tibet Campaign.
 
The Chinese Foreign Ministry routinely denounces what it says is a separatist campaign by the
Dalai Lama.
 
The Dalai Lama has said repeatedly he wants not independence for Tibet but more autonomy to
protect its unique Buddhist culture.
 
China has held four rounds of talks with his envoys since 2002, the most recent on June 30 and
July 1 in Switzerland, according to officials of his government in exile.
 
"It's very difficult to say what the top Chinese leadership is thinking," Saunders said.
 
She suggests that difficulties in stifling Tibetan Buddhism could lead Beijing to bring back the
Dalai Lama, since only he would have the moral authority to get Tibetans to adhere to China's
formula of limited autonomy.
 
After all, "Why haven't the Tibetan people resorted to violence?" Saunders said. "The sole factor
is the Dalai Lama's leadership."
 
As long as the 70-year-old leader is alive, Beijing can negotiate with a known quantity. But
China's communists also might see the Dalai Lama's popularity as a threat to their monopoly on
power.
 
At the stunning red-and-white Potala Palace that looms over the Tibetan capital, pilgrims fall to
their knees and lie flat on their stomachs before the Dalai Lama's empty throne.
 
They get up, then slide back down, again and again. Sweat forms on their brows. Government
security cameras record every move.
 
A Chinese tour guide explains that these Tibetans are praying to the previous Dalai Lamas and not
the current one who lives in India.
 
It's a clever fiction that doesn't fool anyone.
 
"We hope he comes back soon," said monk Nyima Tsering, vice chairman of the government-appointment
management committee at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa.
 
The Dalai Lama's authority, he said, is "something from history that will never change."
 
Tibet's god-king, he added, could help forge better relations with Beijing.
 
"For thousands of years, the Chinese emperors were involved with religion," he said. "What's
important is harmony. If there's only economic growth, that's not good."
 
Even in booming China, it's a message that resonates.
 
"I'm not a Buddhist, but like most Chinese I understand Buddhist traditions," said Tang, the
software company manager.
 
"Mankind should be imbued with fraternal love," he said. "No matter your nationality, we all want
to live happily together under the same blue sky."

 

 



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