It only takes one moment of awareness To sow the seeds for wisdom. And only one moment of heedlessness To plant the seeds for regret. It only takes on

Transcription

1 Fruition The Ripening of Kamma Unibuds Annual Magazine 2008

2 It only takes one moment of awareness To sow the seeds for wisdom. And only one moment of heedlessness To plant the seeds for regret. It only takes one pause To halt the cycle of habit. And only one cause To lead to its effect.

3 One seed it begins The forest is formed. One drop then another The ocean is made. One choice at a time A lifetime is lived. Have you ever wondered why one moment Can change a million after it?

4 Acknowledgements This magazine would never come to fruition without the amazing efforts of the Annual Magazine Team, the Dhamma teachers, the contributors, and the silent supporters. The Editor expresses her sincere gratitude to all those involved and rejoices in the good kamma sown today. Editor Tina Ng Assistant Editor Yi Zhang Layout Assistant Lucky Joeng Cover Illustration Series Wilsen Lius Lau Photo Section Layout Jack Shi Photo Contributors Adeline Lukmantara / Cheng Hiang Lee / Khai Yi Ng / Lucky Joeng / Wilsen Lius Lau Editorial Team Adeline Sugianto / Amy Chung/ Bernard Chen / Cheng Hiang Lee / Julian Craig / Khai Yi Ng / Mandy Pang / Ming De Teh / Puay Yeong Teh / Rosiana Lim / Yee Herng Yeo Special Thanks Our honorable patrons: Venerable Tsang Hui and Venerable Chao Khun Samai, for their continuous guidance and support. UNSW Buddhist Chaplain, Venerable Neng Rong, for her encouragement and assistance, in particular, the Chinese articles and their translations. Dhamma teachers who have approved of the use of talk transcriptions as articles for this Magazine. Members who have submitted their personal contributions. Staff at the Uniprint for their kind assistance in the print job and the test runs. This Magazine is the publication of the University of New South Wales Buddhist Society and is intended only for free distribution. Any part of this Magazine may not be reproduced without the permission from the Editor. For further enquiries, please contact: UNSW Buddhist Society Religious Centre University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 T: +61 (02) E: unibuds@yahoo.com H:

5 Messages Editor s Note 2 Contents Messages from our Patrons Venerable Tsang Hui 4 / Venerable Chao Khun Samai 7 Message from the President 9 / Messages from the Committee 10 Dhamma Insights Buddhist View on Cause & Effect / Venerable Neng Rong 15 佛教的因果觀 / 能融師父 24 Overcoming Difficulties / Venerable Thubten Chokyi 31 Buddhist Attitude to Death and Birth / Rod Lee 35 How to Avoid Conflict / Jim Teoh 40 Member s Contributions Glasses/ Amy Chung 43 Transformations into Pacifism / Alex Serpo 44 Not that Vicious a Cycle / Puay Yeong Teh 46 Explanations of Kamma / Rosianna Lim 48 Two Donkeys/ Jack Shi 49 Nothing Ever Repeats / Pojdanai Sukijjakhamin (Aun) 50 When Near a Village / Tracy Weerasinha 52 Blossoms of Life/ Tina Ng 54 Finale Seeds of Tomorrow, Blossoms of Yesterday / Su Sian Teh 55 UNIBUDS in Pictures 56 List of Members 64 Spiritual References 65 Glossary 66 Cover Photo: Wilsen Lius Lau 1

6 Unibuds Annual Magazine 2008 Dear Reader, Fruition According to the seed that s sown, So is the fruit you reap therefrom. - Buddha (Samyutta Nikaya) I welcome you to the 28th edition of UNIBUDS Annual Magazine by first inviting you to take a moment to retrace the events of your life, to find a connection between a deed done and the eventuating effect experienced. As the magazine unfolds itself before you, I hope it will engage, and add to, your understanding of kamma. Kamma is the law of moral causation. It inspires faith that goodness ultimately brings happiness, and deters the doing of evil as it brings misery. It explains the existence of inequality amongst individuals in the world why some are born kind, intelligent, wealthy or beautiful, while others aren t. It places the responsibility of your actions back with you, and also places the ability to shape your life back in your hands. It gives due weight to everything you do, for all actions have a consequence. Although kamma is often understood by equating good with good, and evil begetting evil, it is not due to a judgmental system of rewards and punishments. Rather, it is considered a natural phenomenon, similar to a seed germinating to fruition. This is an important distinction for two reasons. First, it dispels any qualms as to the existence of an external being conferring salvation or condemnation on us. Secondly, since moral judgments are limited and malleable according to a particular time and place, kamma as a natural phenomenon remains unperturbed by changes in social attitude and (un)acceptability. This practical and positive outlook gained from an understanding of kamma is emphasised by Venerable Thubten Chokyi in her Dhamma talk, Overcoming Difficulties (page 31), Mr Rod Lee in Buddhist Attitude to Death and Birth (page 35), and Mr Jim Teoh in How to Avoid Conflict (page 40). 2

7 The Ripening of Kamma Another common definition of kamma is cause and effect. In fact, kamma specifically refers to intentional action, which includes the word, thought and deed. The effect or result is called vipaka in Pali. So if kamma is the potential seed, then vipaka is the fruit that arises from the tree. Nonetheless, inherent in kamma is the potential of producing the corresponding effect, for although the cause produces the effect, it is the effect that explains the cause. Venerable Neng Rong explains this connection further in her Dhamma talk, Buddhist View on Cause and Effect (page 15). The Buddha comprehended and expounded the intricate workings of kamma over 2500 years ago. Over time its definition and use has varied, but the essence of what the Buddha taught on the subject remains relevant and ever so important to our modern life. It is a subject which connects with most topics in Buddhism; a subject which connects with most events in our daily lives; a subject which you can return to again and again, and still discover a deeper layer of truth. Truly, it is by kamma that this world is led. As you peel through the pages of Fruition, may you discover the intricate workings of kamma. Yours in the Dhamma, Tina Ng Annual Magazine Editor A Note from the Editor 3

8 上藏下慧法师 Messages from our Patrons 慧命社選擇了 昨日之果實, 明日之種子 為今年菩提之夜的主題, 試圖闡明 今日 的重要性以及佛教的三世因果觀 三世的因果由業力牽連, 然它並非如許多人所誤解的宿命論 因果業報為佛教一重要觀念 因此, 慧命社年刊編委再以 如是因, 如是果 為論題, 希望對此概念做進一步的探討, 這是值得鼓勵的 佛教的因果業報論是活潑 充滿希望的 世間的一切皆為緣起, 業力亦不例外 它是緣生法, 是可變的 重要的是我們要認清痛苦與煩惱的根源, 針對問題去解決, 不能非因計因 我們要正見因果, 了解因果之間的必然規律, 明辨善惡, 培養善因, 以得善果, 進一步的, 種清凈的因, 以得清凈的果 雖然我們的無明, 頑固的煩惱與習氣常常左右我們, 但我們要記得我們還有自由意志 唯有堅強的意志, 才能像一位有方向的司機, 帶領我們走向正確的方向, 而不隨煩惱習氣而去 這樣, 我們才能突破惑 業 苦的枷鎖, 超越輪迴之苦 要培養自由意志, 我們必須啟發智慧 唯有智慧, 才能讓我們在這充滿五欲誘惑的世間看清方向, 作正確的判斷, 不被煩惱習氣牽引, 穩穩的把握著方針, 朝著清凈自在的目標前進 因此, 我們要多聆聽 閱讀佛法, 培養正見與正信 同時, 在生活中實踐佛法, 思惟佛法 ; 並進一步修持禪定, 養成平靜專注的心, 觀照自我身心與世間的真相, 體解佛法深義 啟發智慧的方法不外聞 思 修 證四個步驟, 而聽聞佛法為重要的起步 因此, 希望大家掌握親近善知識, 多聞熏習的機會 個人的未來要靠個人的身心行為去提昇, 共住的環境有賴共同的力量去改造 這是共業的原理 因此, 我們有照顧我們的大環境之責任 同樣的, 佛教的興衰亦是每位佛教徒的責任 我們若希望佛教界清凈, 正法久住, 那麼, 我們就應該努力學習佛法, 建立正確的見解與信念, 積極推廣正見與正行 佛教徒都有正見 正信 正行, 才能讓佛教的真精神顯現, 使正法久住 慧命社是學佛的苗圃, 亦是培養正因的好園地 菩提種子需要佛法的養分讓它成長 希望大家細心照顧心中的菩提種子, 在這菩提苗圃裡鞏固學佛的道心, 加強自己對佛法的認識與修持 同時, 我們也要關心苗圃裡其他的菩提種子, 願大家都能健康成長, 共同創造一個美好的菩提園, 給更多人帶來清涼與慰藉 盼大家發菩提心, 自利利他, 護持慧命社, 與同學們分享佛法的利益, 讓慧命社不斷的在校園裡推動正法, 扮演它應盡的角色與責任, 為清淨佛法的流傳 正法的久住盡一點綿力 4 願有朝一日, 菩提種子皆長成茁壯的菩提樹, 成就菩提正果

9 Such is the Cause, Thus is the Effect Venerable Tsang Hui UNIBUDS has chosen Seeds of Tomorrow, Blossoms of Yesterday as the theme of this year s Bodhi Nite, so as to highlight the importance of today the present moment, as well as the Three Births Theory of Cause and Effect in Buddhism. The teaching of cause and effect in Buddhism covers three births, that is, from past, present and to the future. The cause and effect of the three births are linked by the force of Kamma. Many people often misunderstood the theory of cause and effect, and Kamma, as fate or destiny. As the teaching of cause and effect and Kamma are important concepts in Buddhism, I am glad that Fruition The Ripening of Kamma is chosen as the theme for this year s Annual Magazine as this allows us to explore these concepts further. The Law of Cause and Effect and Kamma provide a hopeful outlook on life. Everything in our universe arises from causes and conditions, and so does Kamma. Since Kamma is influenced by the causes and conditions, it is also subject to change. It is important that we recognise the root of our pain and sufferings and attempt to resolve our pain and sufferings from the root cause. In order to do that, we need to have a right understanding of Kamma, to understand the relationship between cause and effect, to distinguish good from evil, and to plant wholesome causes so as to reap wholesome effects. Eventually, we can cultivate pure causes to reap the effect of purity. Although we are often influenced by our ignorance, afflictions, and unwholesome habits, we need to constantly remember that we have our free will at all times. Having a strong will is like being a driver who knows the way and leads ourselves in the right direction on our journey, preventing us from going down the unwholesome path, and not to be carried away by our afflictions. It is only then that we will be able to break through the entanglement of ignorance, Kamma, and suffering, and liberate ourselves from Samsara. 導師的話 We need to cultivate wisdom in order to fortify our free will. It is only wisdom that can give us clarity and guide us to make the right choice in this world that is full of temptations. It is only wisdom that we can hold firmly onto our guiding compass in life and not be influenced by our unwholesome 5

10 6 habits, and walk towards peace and tranquility. Therefore, we need to listen to and read about the Dhamma and develop right understanding and right faith in Buddhism. At the same time, we should always reflect on and practice the Dhamma. We also need to practice meditation and develop a calm and focused mind, and contemplate on the true nature of our body, mind, and all phenomena in the world. The cultivation of wisdom does not fall outside of the four basic steps to read and listen, to think and reflect, to practice and contemplate with a mind that is focused, and finally develop true understanding. Among these four steps, reading and listening to the Dhamma is the important starting point of our journey. Therefore, I hope that all of you will make good use of every opportunity to attend Dhamma talks, listen and learn the Dhamma from the wise teachers that you encounter. One s future is dependent on one s individual actions; similarly, our collective effort is required to change our global environment for the better. The latter is known as collective Kamma. Therefore, we all have the responsibility to take good care of our environment. In the same way, the rise and fall of Buddhism is the responsibility of every Buddhist. If we wish for peace and harmony within the Buddhist community, and for the righteous teachings of the Buddha to be prolonged, we need to make diligent effort in learning the Dhamma and establishing right understanding and right faith in Buddhism. In addition, we need to actively promote right understanding as well as the right conducts in our community. It is only when all Buddhists possess the right understanding, right faith and right conduct that the true spirit of Buddhism can be portrayed. Hence allowing the righteous teachings of the Buddha to be prolonged. UNIBUDS provides a fertile ground for the learning of Buddhism as well as the planting of Bodhi seeds (causes). The Bodhi seeds require the nourishment of the Dhamma to grow. I hope that every one of you will take good care of your Bodhi seed, to further develop your interest in learning and gaining a deeper understanding and practice of the Dhamma on this fertile soil. At the same time it is important that we care for the other Bodhi seeds around us. May all Bodhi seeds grow healthily, and together create a wonderful garden, and bring peace and comfort to more people. I hope that everyone will aspire to develop your Bodhi mind, benefitting oneself and others. Give your support to UN- IBUDS so that it can continue to play its role in spreading the Dhamma on campus, and helping with the prolongations of the righteous Dhamma for many years in the future. I sincerely wish that one day in the future all the Bodhi seeds will grow and flourish into strong Bodhi trees, and bear the Bodhi fruit of perfect enlightenment. Above: Venerable Tsang Hui Source: Khai Yi Ng

11 The Law of Kamma Venerable Chao Khun Maha Samai Buddhism as we know comes from the Pali words, Buddhasasana, literally translated as the teachings of the Buddha, or the teachings that help to purify the knowing minds. In the numerous teachings of the Lord Buddha given to many different kinds of people in many different places, apart from the Four Noble Truths, the law of Kamma is very much emphasised. From what we have learned, originally, our knowing mind is very bright and shinning. It has been darkened because of the visiting defilements that come to cover it. Once there is much effort to remove those bad elements away that knowing mind would move back to its former glory again. Here is the starting point of all actions; wholesome and unwholesome, negative and positive. The Lord Buddha had said: Mind is the chief, mind is the master; everything comes from the mind. If one speaks or acts with an impure mind, suffering would follow as the hoof of the ox follows the wheel. In reverse, mind is the chief, mind is the master; everything comes from the mind, if one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness would follow as a shadow never leaves the body. We can say without making any mistake that the knowing mind is the house of Samsara, the wheel of birth and death. If we turn the wheel of Dhamma over that knowing mind, it because Bodhicitta, the seed of Enlightenment. When good mindfulness and true wisdom have not arrived, ignorance is the great living force that plays around in the minds of all living beings. All kinds of bad Kamma, bad speech comes from it. Once the Lord Buddha was asked about the way of life that a good householder should follow. He replied that a good householder should lay aside any form of violence in respect of all living beings. He should not take part in any form of stealing. He should avoid sexual misconducts, always respecting others as his dear relatives and friends. When meeting with different kinds of people, he should not speak falsely or allow anyone to lie on his behalf. He should stay away from drinking intoxicating drinks at all times. Once the bad Kamma, physically and verbally has been stopped through a very strict living of moral life, all kinds of noble virtues such as loving kindness, compassion, sincerity and mindfulness have a chance to grow. Since the good and the bad never grow together, if one prospers, the other has to be in great decline. In this kind of spiritual warfare, once a good fence of strong morality has been built up six good guards of mindfulness have to be stationed at every gate that leads the way 7

12 to the city of knowing mind. Generally speaking, the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind itself have to be under good control. No liking and no disliking would be allowed to disturb the knowing mind. At this level, a regular meditation is another way of life that we have to follow. Naturally, water is clean and clear by itself. It becomes dirty and muddy because of the mud and all kinds of dirty particles that are thrown into it. Once we let the water settles down, it goes back to its clarity and purity again. Our knowing mind is exactly the same. Once it has been purified by morality and meditation, it goes back to its brightness and clarity again. On the day when our Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment, after having his meal in the morning, he went to float his empty tray on the Niranjara River, wishing that if he attains Enlightenment together may his tray go against the stream. To his great joy, the tray did run against the stream as far as his eyes could see and dropped into the bottom of that river. From this story we should draw a great lesson. If there is any wish to attain Enlightenment, we have to go against our human nature. Generosity must replace greed, compassion must replace anger and wisdom must replace delusion. Furthermore, sensual pleasures, even very subtle forms of distractions such as liking and disliking, have to be overcome before we could come to see clearly the origin of Samsara, the cycle of birth and death. Here there are two separate paths to turn to. It is the Noble Eightfold Path, morality, meditation and wisdom that lead us to Nibbana, the end of suffering. Down below is the way of Samsara, greed, hatred and ignorance that lead us to great suffering. The law of Kamma starts from here, if we do good we receive good. If we do bad, we receive bad. There is no external power to give us any reward or a punishment. The law of Kamma has arranged it. Everything good and bad stems from the knowing mind. Please take care of it. Above: Venerable Chao Khun Samai Photo: Lucky Joeng May all living beings be well and happy. 8

13 To all my friends in the Dhamma, I sincerely hope that everyone has had a fruitful year, learning much about the Dhamma and making friends along the way. Let us learn from both the good and bad from the past year and welcome the coming year with courage, wisdom and enthusiasm. Let me first express my thanks to the 28th Annual Magazine Editor, Tina Ng, and her assistant Zhang Yi for putting together this magnificent piece of work that forms the essence of UNIBUDS from Also a special thanks to their team for doing this wonderful job. Whatever that has happened, is a result of past actions. The UNIBUDS activities and events over the year were the collective effort of the 28th Executive Committee. Their hard work and diligence, sacrifices and good intentions made the spread of Buddhism on campus possible. Through this opportunity, I would like to express my thanks to the team. Action, without direction, can be misguided. It is like providing wind to a sail without a captain on the ship. Sadhu to our patrons, Venerable Tsang Hui and Venerable Chao Khun Samai for providing us with the direction and inspiration to carry on Buddhist activities. A special thanks to our Buddhist Chaplain Venerable Neng Rong for encouraging and being supportive of our activities. Our present is determined by our past. Whatever actions we have done have left an impact. Maybe it is smiling at someone, that can leave a pleasant memory in the person, or maybe it is an unskilful action, such as losing our temper and saying something silly, that could leave an unwholesome impact. Such is the law of kamma, the law of moral causation. Our past is gone, but we can still follow the laws of kamma and create a better tomorrow! Our present is determined by the past, but our present determines our future. Let us leave our unhappiness behind, learn from our mistakes and carry on our wise actions. Let us not despair in our current troubles but move on skilfully to create a more wholesome tomorrow. This year, many fruits from UNIBUDS members have blossomed, bringing happiness and joy to many people, such as Bodhi Nite, Cook of the Year, Vesak Day, Winter and Summer Retreats and so on. I hope that committee members, members and all friends have picked up something that stays with them throughout this Dhamma journey. It could be listening to Dhamma talks, practising the Dhamma in life, or making new friends. Personally, I find that having the opportunity to be exposed to the Buddha s teaching is my greatest blessing. On top of that, having the opportunity to serve the greater Buddhist community as president of UNIBUDS is just as rare. I truly appreciate the chance to serve UNIBUDs and I truly treasure the teachings and friendship along the journey. I hope that everyone will continue learning the Dhamma and more importantly, put the teachings into practice. May all be well, happy and peaceful. May all be free from enmity and suffering. Whatever merits we have done, may these merits be shared by all. Sadhu! Left: Ming De Teh Source: Lucky Joeng Metta, Ming De Teh Message from the President 9

14 Messages from the Committee Mandy Pang External Vice President Dear friends in Dhamma, it has now come to an end of 28th Executive Committee term. Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to all members for giving me this opportunity to serve you as the 28th External Vice President and am grateful for your support and effort in UNIBUDS. It is the collective Kamma of everyone that allows UNIBUDS to bloom and continue the Dhamma journey. This term is indeed enriching for me as I am honoured to be able to practice the Dhamma with many insightful friends. UNIBUDS is like a parent to me, protecting me yet allowing me to grow. Just like how a bud blooms into a tree with the love and care from the gardener (parent). Lastly, I made a wish here, for UNIBUDS to continue blooming and may this light of wisdom be passed down in many years to come. May all be well and happy always. May all be guided and blessed by the Triple Gems always. Khai Yi Internal Vice President Dear Dhamma friends, it has now come to the end of the 28th EXCO term. It seems that I just took on the role of IVP, and now it is time to let it go. It is my pleasure being able to serve UNIBUDS and UNIBUDS members for the whole year. Throughout the journey, I have gained new experiences, friendships and most importantly, the Dhamma. UNIBUDS has given me the chance to grow and learn through organising events and socialising with members. With the guidance from our Patrons and senior members, UNIBUDS has blossom from a tiny little seed to a tree, and I believe that it will continue to grow. The theme of the Bodhi Nite this year, KARMA reminded us that we can make the change we want to see. For UNIBUDS to continue blossom, let s set the right conditions, together with the effort and support from all, I believe that the light will continue to be passed down! May we all continue to walk on this Dhamma journey together. May we all be well and happy. Alvin Phua - Honorary Secretary 10 Dear fellow members of UNIBUDS, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to serve each and everyone of you as the Honorary Secretary this

15 Source: Adeline Lukmantara past year. It has been a great experience throughout this one-year term, being able to learn many things from the people around me. Through organising and participating in the activities of UN- IBUDS, I have gained much more insight about Buddhism from the limited knowledge before joining UNIBUDS, and I hope that you have experienced the same as well. I guess this links back to the theme of Bodhi Nite 2008, where I have planted the seed, and it blossomed. Every decision we make, a seed has been planted. We then nourish and nurture it, till it blossoms and bear the fruits of our hard work. Whether the result is positive or otherwise, we should look back and learn from the process, which is what matters. Finally, I would like to thank the 28th EXCO for being there for all the help and wonderful journey. Wishing all Annual Magazine readers good health and may you be well and happy always. Adeline Sugianto Honorary Treasurer Hi everyone! I hope you all well and happy. This year was my 4th year being an EXCO and I still enjoyed it as much as when I started my first EXCO term. Every year has always taught me a lot of things and given me a new chapter to write about and share with others. Having realised that nothing is permanent, I would like to use this opportunity to thank all of you who have been continuously supporting UNIBUDS and just simply being part of such a great and warm friendship in the Dhamma. May the Triple Gem be close to your heart and may they always be your guidance. May you once again be well and happy. Hadi Kusuma General Secretary Dear Friends, time really flies!! It is time to bid farewell as the 28th EXCO term has come to its end. I would like to thank all EXCO members and UNIBUDS members who helped UNIBUDS throughout this year. The life as an EXCO would not be complete without the existence of supporters like YOU and I hope to see you again in near future. May all beings be well and in peace. Pojdanai Sukijjakhamin (Aun) Activities Director Hi fellow buds, my second and last EXCO term ended with a hint of sadness, an element of joy and some anticipation. I feel a little sad knowing that it s time to pass on the honoured responsibility of sailing this youthful Dhamma ship to 12 other people. I feel joyous and relieved knowing that these 12 will do their very best to take Dhamma passengers safely to shore. I am now ashore waving my goodbyes. I can see the ship slowly drifting away. I am now turning around and finding myself in 11

16 the unknown territory. I may no longer be on the ship, but I am eagerly continuing my Dhamma journey on foot in the direction that I will now choose. Every bud takes his or her own course in this Dhamma journey. Some may consider on boarding the ship, some are on it, the others, like me, have left the ship and explored other paths. Each bud is driven by different causes and conditions, and each of us just has to sense what feels right for the Dhamma practice at any given moment. For those who have chosen to board the ship, I encourage you to do your best to explore every corner, every room, everything and anything that this ship has to offer. Because one day, you will have to walk on foot and continue your own journey only with your previous Dhamma experience to guide you. In the end, however, it does not matter too much where you are, as long as you do not lose sight of your Dhamma Journey. Bon Dhamma Voyage, Aun Rosiana Lim EDT Coordinator Hi everyone! I hope you have a great day today. Buddhism has always been a part of my life for many years. It has helped me in my spiritual development and growth. I m very grateful for being given a chance to be an EXCO and helped the members to learn more about the Dhamma. I also want to thank everyone in the team for being supportive and for the friendship. A short message from me to all of you: let s cherish the present moment, don t regret your past but learn and grow from it. Don t worry about the future because it is not yet happened and it is uncertain. I hope you have a wonderful life. Take care! 12 Zhang Yi CDT Coordinator Another year has passed by and I am happy to say that it has been another fruitful year with UN- IBUDS. Thank you for your support all this while, be it helping out in the background, bringing joy and laughter to everyone in the foreground, or to simply turn up and participate in our events. As your collective effort (note: collective Kamma) made UNIBUDS and Chinese Dhamma Talk what it is today. Having studied and practiced Buddhism for a few years, I grow to realize and appreciate how profound an effect it can have on my life; for it brought me purpose, balance and peace. I wish the same for every one of you, that learning the Dhamma will enrich your life as it did for me. And I also wish that UNIBUDS could help you out in that, that you will be able to learn the Dhamma in the comfort of people who will support you on this journey. Please continue to support UNIBUDS in whatever way you can and may you have courage, wisdom and good humour always to live your life with grace and poise!

17 Shi Ying Ooi Meditation Coordinator For me, being in the 28th Exco term began with myself, an individual as the Meditation Coordinator, but ended with the realization that I was only a small part of an engine running this UNIBUDS vehicle. It was a humbling and character building experience to learn and grow from the rest of the EXCOs, members and teachers and part and parcel of the Dhamma journey. Four Meditation Workshops were held this year, lead by speakers of different background and tradition which I sincerely believed had assisted many in learning and deepening their understanding in one of the most important Buddhist practice- Meditation. Throughout the year, two weekly Lunch Time Meditation Sessions were held in the Unibuds Library, attracting like-minded practitioners to come together and uphold the practice, amidst our busy schedules. A special thanks to the attendees, also to Hong Seng Toh who often led the sessions in my absence. Not to forget, dear EXCOs who trod along this path hand in hand, through the happy and difficult times. Sadhu. Linus Melingele Sacca Editor Dear Members, how s things? Hope life is relaxing & enjoyable as it should always be. I joined UN- IBUDS 2 years ago, and to be honest last year, the year when I was one of the EXCOs, produced all the biggest dramatic exaggerations of my whole life so far. There was great company along with great joy and laughter, great challenge along with great accomplishment, great events along with great pressure, great pressure along with great conflict within or without myself, great troublemaker as I was, however, tolerated by great understanding, hence now. I m proud to have found great growth within me, and I certainly couldn t have done it otherwise. Thank you all 28th Excos who helped me through all this. Come and join us! Tina Ng Annual Magazine Editor In 2004, UNIBUDS opened its arms to me, and I ve never left its embrace since. Thank you to all my Dhamma friends who have been there for me through life s ups and downs. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the EXCO team for so long. It s been quite an experience to be able to take on so many different roles, organise various events, and share such memorable memories with you all. Because of UNIBUDS, I have been inspired to walk the Buddhist path of compassion and wisdom. Because of UNIBUDS, I have learnt the Dhamma at its essence. Because of UNIBUDS, I am now so much more than I was. Because of this, I am forever grateful. My sincere best wishes to all those who have been embraced by UNIBUDS may your bud of Enlightenment bloom in full! 13

18 Dhamma Insights Source: Lucky Joeng

19 Buddhist View on Cause and Effects Venerable Neng Rong Foreword: What is Kamma In this world, there are people who believe in cause and effect, but sometimes, they wished there was no such law as cause and effect. When they have done good deeds, they wished there will be cause and effect and kamma, but when they have done unwholesome deeds, they wished they would not be accountable for the deeds they have done. There are other people who feel that the law of cause and effect is very restrictive and hence, would rather not believe in the existence of this law. There are people who might ask: If someone does not believe in the law of cause and effect, would they still reap the effects of their actions? The law of cause and effect is a natural law in the universe; it is a universal truth. Whether we choose to believe it or not, the phenomenon would still take effect on our mind and body. Kamma is the most unbiased law in the universe. If someone committed an unwholesome deed, even if the police failed to catch him/her, even if no one else saw it, the person who committed the deed would still reap its effect. Hence, we do not need to trouble ourselves with the relatively trifling inequalities in life. In actual fact, every minute thing in life cannot exist independent of kamma. If someone rejects kamma, but gets upset and takes his temper out on others everyday, would he be welcomed? The answer is, no! People would still dislike this person. Why? Since he is unpleasant to people everyday, therefore his friends keep a distance away from him. The existence of since and therefore links causality, and that is kamma. Take another example: a chemical experiment. In performing a chemical experiment, we have to observe the chemical substance change. Since there was a change in colour of this substance, therefore it proves this is a particular substance. Once again, this is a since - therefore linkage. Scientists can arrive at a conclusion by relying on many since. Similarly, if we ask why we get depressed, we would also answer with reasoning that since we have too much work, therefore we get depressed. Again, this is a since - therefore statement Constructing the right view on kamma 1.2 Wrong views on Kamma Kamma just for one lifetime Although we dwell in kamma everyday, at every moment, some people are still reluctant to believe in kamma, not to mention believing in kamma in our future lives. These people may think: What kamma is there? If there are flowers to be plucked today, we should pluck them straight away and not wait for them to wither. If there is money to be spent, it should be spent and enjoyed first. The lifestyles of these people can be quite risky, and they can fall into extremes easily, daring to do almost anything because they do not consider the consequences. However, at the same time, these people might feel lost in life because there is no goal to work towards. They might be thinking: If I die, I will cease to exist, so why should I spend so much effort in this lifetime? This is such a pessimistic and melancholic view on life. 15

20 1.2.2 Fixed-Fate Theory The most common misunderstanding on life is that kamma is restrictive and binds our lives to a certain outcome with no way of changing it and all the happenings now are determined by the past. We suffer with troubles and dissatisfaction today because we have done unwholesome deeds in the past. Our present is pre-determined and our lives are completely ruled by the past. What meaning is there for us in this life then? This particular view on kamma is not the right view of kamma by Buddhist standards Assuming wrong cause to be the cause The teaching of kamma is not unique to Buddhism alone. Kamma has also been mentioned by other religions in India, but their explanation of kamma is different from that of Buddhism. In ancient India, many practitioners believe in kamma, and many practitioners wanted to find out the cause of suffering and be free from it. However, they did not find the right causes to produce the results that they had hoped for, hence the saying of assuming wrong cause to be the cause. For example, the practitioners understood that there is a lot of suffering and troubles in this world, and they reasoned that it was due to many unwholesome actions in the past. They also thought that in order to remove these sufferings, they had to torture themselves, hence they practiced asceticism, such as fasting for long periods, upholding an inverted position everyday, burying themselves in the hot sand, tolerate extreme heat or cold and many more. They used many methods to torture themselves, hoping to release their unwholesome results through suffering. They thought that the tougher the torture, the faster the release of unwholesomeness and the earlier the arrival of bliss. When Prince Siddharta left the palace to pursue the universal truth, he also started with practicing asceticism, and he trained himself harder than other ascetics. He took only one grain of rice per day and he was so thin that he could probably touch his spine from his stomach. However, he soon realised that not only was practicing asceticism not the way to enlightenment, it made his body weaker and his mind more confused. This is termed assuming wrong cause to be the cause. In other words, the truth behind suffering has not been discovered, but people are practicing in ways that they thought were right. Hence people tortured themselves but never got closer to the truth. This is due to a lack of wisdom, hence using a practice not directed at realising the truth The Theory of No Cause In ancient India, there were many people who believed that the world was too chaotic and confusing. However, they thought that there was no reason behind all this chaos, and things just happened randomly. This school of thought is known as the Theory of No Cause. They are trapped in the cycle of life and death and have both felt and generated more kammic seeds. Due to their lack of wisdom, they were unable to see the cause and effect of events and hence fall into the trap that events happen randomly, but the fact is not as such, and this is yet another misconception of kamma Right view on Cause and Effect The Buddha was born in a time and place where there were many schools of thoughts, including those mentioned above. However, he felt that they were incomplete and through his own practice, he gained wisdom and realised the natural law of cause and effect. There are always causes behind the arising of all phenomena. The events that we have encountered are not borne of nothing, and the question lies at whether we are able to see through the truth of it. The rising of a phenomenon needs to have a causative seed, and also the nurturing conditions in order to produce the effect. There is a certain order as to what kind of seed can bring about the desired fruit. This is also the common saying of do good, get good; do bad, get bad. It is impossible to do good but get bad 16

21 Source: Lucky Joeng effects, and similarly, do bad but get good effects. We need to cultivate the right kinds of causes in order to follow the Law of Cause and Effect to arrive at enlightenment. The Law of Cause and Effect is not created by the Buddha, but a natural law of the universe. Trees would wither without water; this is the law of cause and effect at work. The pollution that exists in our world today is also the effect of humankind s ignorant behaviour, and not the wrath of some higher beings. When a cause has been planted, there is bound to be an effect. Although the common saying goes Do good, get good; do bad, get bad, but it is hard to describe an effect as good or bad. Hence, it is more accurate to say good actions creates happy results and bad actions create unhappy results. The teachings of cause and effect in Buddhism places emphasis on sentient beings, but the Law of Cause and Effect also applies to non-sentient objects. Nevertheless, the Buddha s teachings were taught with humans as the main audience, teaching us how to follow the Law of Cause and Effect to arrive at Nibbana. After the Buddha attained enlightenment, he taught us to find out the cause of our suffering and frustrations, and he taught us how to practice with eradicating this cause as the goal. We are often trapped in planting the cause of suffering (the second Noble Truth in The Four Noble Truths). Greed, hatred, ignorance, jealousy, self-centeredness are causes of suffering. If we lead our lives with these causes of suffering constantly, it is only natural that we end up creating more results of suffering. When we are engulfed by our greed, hatred, ignorance, jealousy and self-centeredness, our thoughts, actions and speech would have these impure contents in them, and the result would be that we are more troubled than before. If someone s dying thoughts are of hatred and revenge, would this person be reborn? Of course he would! Not only that, he would continue to lead a life of afflictions and frustration after being reborn. Hence, if we keep entertaining these unwholesome thoughts, our fruits would be unhappiness. If we are lucky enough to be reborn as humans again, we would be born with all these unhappy thoughts. As we have already learnt, these unhappiness and frustrations do not stem from nothing, but as seen, it is from our current defilements of greed, hatred and ignorance, and it is these ignorance and defilements that keeps us in this cycle of life and death. The Buddha made some observances of worldly people: everyone wants happiness, but yet most people are still unhappy and in suffering. Why is everyone s life different from their dreams? Why? The reason behind this is that most people s speech, actions and thoughts are motivated by greed, hatred, ignorance, and jealousy to the point that it goes beyond control and ethical rights and their capacity. Great pressure is being placed on the person due to lack of self-control, and this brings about suffering. Our greed and endless desire constantly agitates us, and does not allow us to have peace of mind. Endless desire drives us to the point when we lose sight of our pursuits. This driving force does not 17

22 allow our minds to be settled, and this in itself is a kind of suffering. In the course of our pursuits for our desires, there is bound to be some clashes with other people. Whatever it is that we desire, other people will have the same craving too. When the other party has more possessions or better achievements than us, we feel jealous, then angry, and then hold hatred. If we had some rationality, self-discipline and restrain, we may curb our temper. If we were to lose our self-control, we might hurt someone. It can be seen that while we are pursuing happiness, we have created many seeds of unhappiness at the same time, and we have also strengthened our greed, hatred, ignorance, jealousy, suspicion, arrogance and self-centredness. When we constantly have this thought: This is mine, all other people shall not have it, we have only built up our ego, and also suffering. The Buddha saw this truth that our cravings and self-centeredness are the reasons behind our suffering, leading to greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, jealousy and other afflictions. However, because we cannot see the truth, we carry our thoughts, speech and actions with an impure mind. At the same time, the goal of our pursuits is also imperfect and impure. For example in the pursuit of a position, there will always be a higher position and when we start comparing positions, there will be suffering once again. Even if we manage to achieve a specific position, we will start worrying that we will lose this position, and again, there is suffering. When we have not achieved it, we go through suffering to achieve it, and when we achieve it, we go through suffering in fear of losing it. Everything is impermanent and we cannot stay in that position forever. Even if we can stay at the position until we retire, we might still cling onto that position, and we might start comparing the new person in that position with ourselves, and think that we are better than the new person. The cause of suffering is borne from our lack of wisdom to understand the truth of the world, of our self and the lack of understanding that everything is impermanent. While grasping for what we think is permanent, unwholesome thoughts arise and we create unwholesome deeds that push us into rebirth. Hence, we entangle ourselves in endless cycle of ignorance, wrong deeds, and suffering. The Buddha saw clearly the cause of suffering, and with practice, he realised that these causes can be eliminated, and he taught us how to practise. In our speech, the Buddha taught us to be more understanding, and to reflect upon ourselves: Why did I say something offensive? Why did I tell lie? Why must I create conflict among people? What is the reason behind all these? With these benchmarks as guidelines, we reflect our speech and gradually remove the unwholesome thoughts we have. At the same time, we should cultivate compassion and try to put ourselves in others shoes while making decisions and be less egocentric. In life, we should try our best to cultivate right speech, actions, thoughts, and take the initiatives to lessen our greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance and jealousy. In this way, we can reduce the unwholesomeness in our mind gradually. At the same time, as we try to be more peaceful and wholesome, our relation with other people will be more harmonious, our lives would be more peaceful and we would be closer to our goal of attaining bliss and happiness. The Buddha taught us to practise the Noble Eightfold Path, to plant more wholesome seeds (wholesome causes) in order to achieve the fruit of Nibbana one day. This is also the way how the Buddha has achieved enlightenment. Many people understand that our past actions influence our current life, but many people overlook the fact that current actions can affect the future. It is with wisdom that we can see the truth of suffering and not get deluded by our afflictions in order to practice and be free of the cycle of life and death. Hence, as long as we are not liberated from the cycle of rebirth, our lives are not like those who view cause and effect just for one lifetime that we cease to exist when we die. We should understand rebirth, and not misunderstand the Law of Cause and Effect or reject the existence of cause and effect. We should start planting more wholesome causes What is kamma? What is kammic energy (kammic force)? What is kammic effects/fruits (retributions or rewards)? 18

23 When we talk about cause and effect, we will always come across another two words: kamma and retribution or reward. Kamma refers to action. An action leaves behind potential energy, an influential power. Just like studying, the act of studying leaves behind a form of energy that is useful during an examination. Although the action has passed, it leaves behind an influential energy, this is known as kammic energy or kammic force. When the conditions are right, the kammic energy will bloom as kammic effect (retribution or reward). If someone praised us earlier in the day, that action has already passed, but we would still feel happy for a period of time. This is the underlying influential energy. As we feel happy, we might buy a cake for the person, and this is the kammic effect. Similarly, someone who hurt another person would reap unwholesome kammic effects in a similar fashion Time of reaping effect This life, next life and future lives When would we reap the kammic effects? It depends on conditions. In terms of time, there are three possibilities. Some would reap the effect within this lifetime,some in the next lifetime, and some in much later times, such as in future lives. This difference in time can sometimes depend on the severity of the kammic actions. Most of the effects reaped within this lifetime are from mild actions or it can also be partial retributions of serious wholesome or unwholesome actions. Kammic seeds require conditions to nourish them. Only when the conditions are ripe would the effects take place. If we provide different conditions from when the seed was planted to when it ripens, we can change the severity of the kammic effect. For example, if we hit a person, this person would bear a grudge against us, and we stared at this person the next time we see him, that would only add to his agitation and he might hit us back. However, if we took a different approach and apologised after we hit him, this person might soften up and just give us a scolding instead of a hard punch! This illustrated that after the kammic seed has been planted, with different conditions provided, we can reap different effects. In other words, although we are reaping the effects of our past actions now, it does not mean we have to wait passively for things to happen because we can provide new conditions to change the effect. This is what Buddhism emphasises, that kamma can be changed. Kamma is also brought about by causes and conditions; hence, as long as we have enough time, we can provide the right conditions to make changes. There is hope in life as kammic effects can be changed, and our efforts are worthwhile. If everything is predestined by our past, and in the past we have done many unwholesome deeds, then our present life would be quite terrible. Why then do we study Buddhism? We study Buddhism to make positive changes to our lives. Similarly, if we start doing foolish things now and let our troubled minds take over, then our lives can also deteriorate. Kammic effects may not show up immediately. Some people worked hard for a while and give up 19

24 when they did not see any positive changes. Many people are told to do good deeds when they encounter difficulties, and they perform good deeds meticulously for three months. But when they do not see any changes in their lives, they start to lose confidence in this positive practice. We need to understand that we have done so much unwholesome deeds in the past, and under good advice now only we started to perform good deeds. In addition, the good deeds that we have performed are still for ourselves. With an egoistic mind, the deeds that we performed can have limited results. For countless cycles, we have performed so much unwholesome actions, and it has shaped our current behaviour. How can we expect all these to disappear within just three months worth of good effort? Not only that, the effort is also impure. Like a piece of rag that has not been washed for over a year, it is quite impossible to expect all the dirt and grease to be removed from it by one wash. It would probably take a few cycles of washing with lots of bleach before all the dirt can be removed. In addition, besides making it clean, we need to make it fragrant, hence we need to put in more effort and continue doing more wholesome deeds. By this rag analogy, we need to have confidence in the Law of Cause and Effect, and be patient in our practice. Take another example: if we played a fool in primary school and did not study hard but we decide to change when we reached high school. In the beginning when we study hard, our results may not improve much. In actual fact, we are still catching up with materials from primary school. If we give up at this point, we may stay at that level. If we persevere, we will catch up eventually. The same goes for our kamma. If our past wholesome deeds are lacking, we might not feel any difference when we start doing wholesome deeds, but this does not mean there is no effect. We should have patience and faith, and remember that kammic effects may not just show up in this life. With perseverance and faith, things will change gradually Types of kamma Wholesome kamma, unwholesome kamma, neutral kamma In order to become a human being, we need to have Right Understanding, to know what is wholesome and what is unwholesome. Some people may understand wholesomeness and unwholesomeness, but do not understand kamma, hence their emphasis on wholesomeness and unwholesomeness can dwindle. Some people may ask: I understand there are wholesome deeds and unwholesome deeds, but why must we do wholesome deeds and not the unwholesome ones? This ties in with the understanding of cause and effect, kamma and retributions. It is only by understanding that doing wholesome deeds we can reap wholesome results and vice versa that we are motivated to do more wholesome deeds. Hence wholesomeness and unwholesomeness should be explained with the teachings of cause and effect, and kamma and retribution to make it more convincing. 20 Many people think that creating kamma automatically means creating bad kamma. In reality, every action that we do creates a kamma. Hence in order to create wholesome kamma constantly, we need to be able to differentiate wholesomeness from unwholesomeness. The judgement of