Divine Cat saves the Day

Divine Cat Sleeps

Animals have a way of returning ones kindness in ways sometimes they do not even realise! Being one of those Sleepless in Kuala Lumpur people... I had returned home last Wednesday...drove into my porch, closed and locked the gate, and thought maybe I will go out in a bit to get some food. In doing so, I decided not to lock my car. Laziness took over and I decided to have a homemade salad instead.

At around 430am, I was having my quiet time reading a book, when I heard Divine Cat yowling loudly, I called out to kitty; " Yes Mau Mau? What do you want?" at that time i heard a clang outside, like someone was knocking the lock at my gate ( or my neighbor's gate, the tone of the locks sound similar ) I came out to the hall and peered behind the curtains to see what was outside... nothing amiss. I thought " Kitty must have seen another Kat and was doing the territorial thing" I went back to my room, read for awhile and went to bed.

The next day to my horror, I when I went outside to bring out the garbage, I realised my car door at the driver's seat was opened! I went in to see what happened... and my "ashtray" was totally removed and placed on the passenger seat and all my extra coins were gone. Oh no! I have been burgled of a handful of coins. The petty theif had even the audacity to pick out 1 sen and 1 ringgit coins ( 1 RM are not legal tender any more ) and left them behind! haha. My Radio was still intact...

Then it dawned on me! The clang I heard must have been Petty Thief scaling my gates to get away! He must have heard me calling out to Divine Cat when Divine Cat saw him and decided to "Greet" him or ask him for a snack!!! Divine Cat's way of asking the visitor to paytoll haha.

If Divine Cat hadnt "alerted" me to my visitor, he could have made away with a lot more than just a handful of coins... also he could have attempted to break in thinking I would be sound asleep at such an ungodly hour.

Praise my Guardians for bringing Divine Cat into my Life. Yes, taking care of an adopted friend is a lot more work and expenses than I had anticipated, but it is so worth it. Divine Cat has brought me nothing else but laughter and given me nothing but his affections. He has helped me to realise the importance of taking care of another being and also, what it feels like to have a being totally dependent on you for its basic needs.

Isnt that what Spirituality is about? Especially those of us on the Buddha's or Kuan Yin's path? To develop an altruistic mind to BE that caregiver of those less fortunate that ourselves... or in a Divine Deity's case... we are totally dependent on them for our Spiritual Nourishment and Needs. The ultimate expression of our faith and devotion to our Divine Deity like Kuan Yin, is to BE a Kuan Yin-like being on earth to provide for others whatever we can be it Spiritual, Mental, Emotional or Material... in my case now i am starting with Divine Cat... in time perhaps, the community at large and then the country then the world and Ultimately... All beings.....

Kuan Yin, Within, Without and Around

To Walk the Path of Kuan Yin,
is to See the True Buddha is within,
is to Hear in every sound the Mantra without
and to Touch every heart around.

To Live the Kuan Yin Life,
is to Taste the Love of the Heart within,
is to Smell the Beauty of Kindness without,
and to Share that with every being around.

To Be a Child of Kuan Yin,
is to sense in Others the Pain within,
is to act to Comfort those Pains without,
and to Lessen all Pains around.

To Be a Kuan Yin-like being,
is to Transform the Pain within,
is to Accept the Pain without,
and to be in Pain but NOT Suffer
for ourselves and all around.

Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Sri Hum, Om Sri hum

Divine Cat

My Divine Cat, who helps me understand and appreciate how my parents must have felt when I was ill, when I was successful, when I spoke my first words,when I was bad, when I was good, when I was sad, when I was happy, when I fell, when I got up or just when I was being me.
That's kitty in disguise as a box of Mandarin Oranges.

Results of the practice

As I read through my dharma notes written in my Journal, I came across these beautiful teachings Sifu Tony Wong gave to us when I was attending one of the Kuan Yin Devotional Session. This morning it particularly strikes me as if it was a whisper from the Divine Mother. It is simple in form, deeply profound in essence and just beyond words. It goes as thus:

" When one practices the Kuan Yin Path to develop virtues of Kindness, Love and Compassion... LIFE becomes Meaningful, DEATH becomes Purposeful and REBIRTH becomes Wonderful"
- Sifu Tony Wong, KYCO

I hope these words inspire those who read them, as much as it has inspired me, each and every time i read them.

bb

The Path of Kuan Yin is.....

The Path of Kuan Yin is a Divine Song,
Sung beyond words, beyond sound, beyond art,
A tune not sung by the mouth, or throat or tongue,
but is voiced from the within the Kind Compassionate Heart.

A song with Noble thoughts paved as its Lyrics,
and Virtues of the Heart strummed as its melody,
This wonderful hymn whose essence is Light,
A Light of Love which gives all Hearts true Sight !

With every note shall all Hearts feel Kindness
With each chorus will all Hearts see Care,
As this song of songs draw to an end,
May Kuan Yin's Song of Love and Light to all we Share.

Do our heart's ring with the Kuan Yin song? or does it ring of strife, anger and pain?

Om Mani Padme Hum

How is practice?

A Spiritual Aspirant who prays that he be free from all problems and obstacles in his daily life and Spiritual Practice, is praying The Fool's prayer. For how is that even possible for "Regular" people like us, when great sages like Buddha, Jesus, Mother Teresa, H.H The Dalai Lama and a great many Lights of Humanity had to face the toughest toils and most difficult challenges?

For what is an obstacle or a problem but an examination after a period of learning? Just as when we go to school, at the end of the term in order to advance to the next grade we need to take a final's exam. The same goes for life AND spiritual practice. It is difficult to totally seperate the two for they are closely linked and interdependent.

For instance, when we want to practice patience, we need to meet people who are there to make us impatient in order for us to know where we stand! Even if we FAIL, it's no big deal try again. At least we know how patient we REALLY are and not delude ourselves. For unlike school, where days and time is limited, the spiritual classroom has a countless number of life times for all to take the path until we get it right.

Those of us who constantly rant and whine about why life is so bad or so tough are definitely not a traveller on the spiritual road. These are people who stand outside the race track and cheer on those that run the race... not a bad deal... only depends on what we want. Life for some is so bad, because we chose it to be like that. These are the fruits of whatever labor we had put in previously. We don't even talk about previous lives, just this life is apparent, offend people when we are high and proud, is the surest ways to make enemies. As life would have it, sometimes life takes a dip, and imagineif the person whom you offended was a judge in court and we are the alleged who is being sued for foul conduct... no matter how JUST a person is SUPPOSED to be, his mind naturally will remember our negative deeds and be partial judging from his own experience.

There are of course those of us who pray to Protector deities and expect miracles each time!! As we mature in our practice, a true protector's main function is to keep us on the path, and help us to improve and transform ourselves to benefit others. How so? If at a drop of a pin of trouble, we ask for total eradication of all obstacles? Then we will never learn the solution out. How so, if we pray that the protectors help us make a right choice of action? Dharma Protectors will not stop a devotee from committing any "SINFUL" acts, for it is the devotee's chance to learn to do the "right" thing. The guardians and protector's will give hints and signs, but will never take the choices out of our hands. That is because at the end of the day, our guides and helpers cannot go into the examination hall on our behalf.... we are on our own volition equiped only with the knowledge and understanding that we have learnt from the teachers

How is practice? Practice is APPLYING that which we have learnt in "class"... for learning, reading, listening, meditating is one thing... true practice is about APPLYING all that we have learnt,read, heard and realised into a situation where only our knowledge has the ability to free us from the cage of ignorance.

Om Mani Padme hum

Beyond Chocolate Eggs..... Easter is..........

The true power of Good Friday and Easter Sunday is not just about a Holy Sage dying for the sins of the world... if just a simple act was all that was needed, I think many sages would have done it long ago. I personally believe, that Good Friday and Easter Sunday, tells Humanity that there is something more than just fulfillment of our own desires and happiness. It is a sign of true Universal Love where you are able to Care so much for another, that even the most precious gift you have in your hands you are willing to let it go, just so that the object of your affection has a chance to evolve and move forward.

Many Christians believe that by JUST accepting Christ because he died on the cross, his Holy Blood will wash away all sins and the gates of Heaven await them. Yes, that could be true, but many have not considered the deeper meaning of the Lord's death and resurrection. The very death scene is a process of death and rebirth in itself. Good Friday he died, Holy Saturday he abided and on Easter Sunday he arose Radiant like the Sun in the Sky. Death, Purgatory and Heaven.

If based on the sacrificial offering theory, having cleaned the slate by the sacrifice of the lamb ( accepting Christ ) doesnt the born again need to live a life of godliness? Did not Abraham himself, after being tested of God to sacrifice his beloved Son, was shown a lamb to be sacrificed? And after the sacrifice was made, didn't one of the greatest prophets of all times, live a life of true Godliness instead of a totally carefree self-serving Life? All said why are so many bending the Lord's rules to suit oneself? for eg. some holier than thou pious ones will refuse to bow before the "false idols" at a beloved Elder's funeral and thus causing inner pain to the grieving family and friends in sorrow, but these same "piuos ones" will fornicate, lie, steal, kill, covet a neighbor's wife and the list goes on. Such ignorance amazes me, if one sin is as bad as another, why allow oneself sins of the flesh but "act" all disciplined and holy when in the need arises of caring for another's broken heart? Does a bow and a simple incense erase all the powers of an Almighty God that created the heavens and the universe? If that were possible... do you really believe that God can wash your sins in the first place and bring you to heaven, when a stick of incense to a wooden block could enrage and destroy his blessing?

NO NO and NO! Looking at Christ's and his disciple's lives... Christ spent most of his ministry in aiding, healing. clothing, comforting and counseling the ones who call for help. Even after his "Father in Heaven" bestowed upon him a "new life", he did not revel in it... if we read the bible, he continued to teach, pray and advise till his time for ascension was near.

After the ascension, his disciples and close friends did not go around continuing a life of godlessness, in fact the average person went on with their daily lives, but instead now... they live the lives not to serve their mouths and stomachs also, but each erg of work they do is also done in the service of the Lord. While the disciples of Christ, went on to spread the Truth found within the Book of Love... The Bible. After the sacrifice made by Christ, it is the duty of the devotee to continue to maintain that which has been forgiven. Live as how Jesus would live, Care as how Jesus would care, Be Kind as how Jesus was in nature and be as Helpful as Jesus was to all his people and more.

In modern times, Easter Eggs are the new symbol, there are alot of Egg critics, but instead of fighting why not reflect on how an egg represents a new life, a second chance given by the Divine for us all to start afresh in living the ways of a True Christ - a life of kindness, a life of caring and a life of willing sacrifice for the happiness of others.... Happy Easter

When a Powerful Lion Submits to a Gentle Kuan yin

I was wandering thru some shops today while looking for some props for my work, and i came across this statue. At first glance I thought, wow thats an interesting Manjushri Statue... as I looked closely, it was actually Kuan Yin on a Lion! I was stricken with a WOW! feeling :)

Kuan Yin in this form is said to be a powerful healer of Skin, cancers and Bone diseases. She holds a lotus stalk in each hand on top of which sits a flaming sword of wisdom and on the left lotus is a trident. The left hand is stretched palms faces downwards, for all her faithfuls it symbolises closing the doors of rebirth into the 3 lower realms, And the right leg extends symbolising her ever readiness to rescue all beings in despair. In the crown area is an image of a wish fulfilling jewel, which represents Kuan Yin's Guru yidam deity, Buddha Amitabha. This symbolises, that Guru Devotion practice is the highest practice to bring quickest liberation to any beings willing to take the challenge.

Kuan Yin sits on a Lion representing great charisma of a Lion'sRoar. As she teaches doctrines of Virtue and Compassion all negative ways are washed away. Just like in the forest, when the King of The Jungle, The Lion, Roars - all lesser creatures take heed with full alertness. Also it represents Protection from the 4 types of Fears. Most of all, the mounts of the deities usually tell us what this deity can help transform in ourselves, in this form the Lion is also said to symbolise Pride and Arrogance, the lion knows he is powerful, strong and can mow down almost any creature he encounters, but he willingly submits himself to be a carriage for the Divine Kuan Yin Pusa. Kuan Yin here therefore, is said to subdue negative pride and arrogance to bring about a gentle, peaceful and humble nature.

On the artistic aspect, I like the crown ornament Kuan Yin has on, its in the style of the earlier Indian iconographic styles which gives a feeling of Antiquity.I hope people who read this get the same if not better "Wow" feeling likeI did when I first saw it and remembered its significance.

Om mani Padme Hum

To Pray for Someone...

To pray for someone sick to Heal and be Healthy,
No matter how good the intention or conviction, Is not always a success story.

To pray for someone to be always totally Trouble Free,
Is a prayer of a Fool, for no person on earth is trouble free not even the Sages and Saints are spared

To pray for someone to DIE!
Now... research has shown THAT prayer to be ALWAYS successful...
.... although it may sometimes take 50 - 60 years for the prayer to fruition....

Sit! Contemplate! Learn!

Sit! Contemplate! Learn! Sitting in meditation or relaxation is the key way for us to calm, focus and settle the floating debris of thoughts whirling like a tornadoes in our minds. When the debris is settled, only then can the clarity in the lake be seen. With clarity of mind, all things are possible. With a clear mind, mistakes are lessened. With a clear mind, confusion and depressions are pacified. With a Clear Mind, Comes a Peaceful Heart

In times of need, Contemplate. Contemplation with a calm focused mind gives our minds the chance to discover for ourselves the solutions to our plight. For just like the ancient herbalists say that with every poisonous plant, somewhere around its vicinity is always found its remedy or antidote, in the same way, with every problem we face a solution is sure already close at hand, we but need to find it. But when we do find it, are we brave enough to face the truth given by the solution as the solution may not always be what our conscious minds expect it to be. A person in money problem "WISHES" for a lottery or an easy high paying job, but what if the true solution is to hold two tough jobs? Can we face the reality of hardships to solve the bigger pain? Solutions once discovered will always be a tool for future endeavors

Learn we must from every event in our lives, be they pleasurable or painful. It is only through true learning and understanding that we are able to evolve and grow. Pleasurable and Happy moments are meant to instill within us a Spirit of Gratitude, Appreciation and Cherishing others for each of us matter. Challenging moments are meant to strengthen that which is mediocre or weak within us. Just like Ore needs to be melted and heated to be refined into precious gold, so too are our challenges heating and melting away our impurities to reveal the gold within. Lessons once learnt will never be forgotten.

Sitting makes us Sharper in thought, Contemplation makes us Wiser at heart and Learning makes us Stronger in spirit.

Om Ah Hum So Ha