Yes. No. Maybe?

Is everything really just black and/or white?

Yelling

There is never any need to yell at anyone. It matters what you're saying, not how loud you say it.

If you yell at someone, they're either going to:

a) Yell back.

b) Not listen to anything you say because they're too busy thinking 'argh, they're yelling at me..!'


Bottom line: yelling is useless.

Assumption

NEVER, EVER ASSUME ANYTHING.

Find out if you’re not sure about something. Ask. But, please, whatever you do, don’t assume.

You may regret it if you do.

The Broken Hearted Doe

*Note: I did not write this story. It is an extract from a Buddhist book. Please don't be discouraged - take the time to read it.


Xu Zhen-jun or Xun was also known as Jingzhi. He was a local of Runan during the Jing Dynasty. When he was young, he enjoyed hunting.

One day he went up a hill and saw a young deer. He shot it with his arrow. Suddenly he saw a doe running towards her injured fawn without any thought for her own safety. She licked its wounds with her tongue and looked extremely sorrowful. Not long after that she laid down and died.

Mr. Xu took the deer home. After slitting open the chest and stomach of the doe, he found that the liver was shattered and the intestines were all broken into little bits. When he witnessed this pitiful sight, he was grief-stricken and cried loudly. Feeling deep remorse, he destroyed his bows and arrows and vowed not to hunt anymore.

All animals love their offspring. They feel extremely sorrowful when they are torn apart from their loved ones. The doe loved her injured son deeply and could not bear to leave him. Because of this extreme pain and sorrow, she died piteously. Oh dear! In this world, is there anything more pitiful than this?



Animals - are their lives for us to take?



For what reason do we deserve to live more than they?

Perfection

What is perfection? Does it even exist?

There is no ideal anything that everyone can be satisfied with. We are only able to experience perfection when we accept imperfection; when we accept everything the way it is - not perfect. However, you may disagree with my saying that things are 'not perfect' - you may think that everything is, in fact, perfect. If that's the case, it means you've learnt to accept things the way they are. Congratulations.

Being able to see imperfection as perfect is good. However, it could also be viewed as bad. We need reason to improve, and I believe imperfection is that reason. We all strive for perfection, and that's why we try to do better.

So, what do we do? If we see nothing as perfect, we're never satisfied; and if everything is perfect, we never go about changing things for the better!

Another problem we're faced with is our views on perfection colliding! One person may think 'Bob' is the best singer in the world, another may think he should be banned from opening his mouth! I don't really follow politics, but I am led to believe that this could play a central role in the starting of war. Everyone has a different idea of perfection. I'll quote myself if I may:

"We all strive for perfection, and that's why we try to do better."

Could it be that in striving to achieve OUR idea of perfection, we affect others around us? We try to make them perfect, too?

'Life Wasn't Meant To Be Easy'

No, life wasn't meant to be easy. Life wasn't meant to be hard either. As a matter of fact, life wasn't meant to be anything. Life just is.

As is everything.


'Nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.' - William Shakespeare

Freedom

Freedom is not having any secrets. When you don't have any secrets, no confessions to make - that is when you are completely free. Whatever it is you have on your chest - get it off! Don't let it weigh you down! After all, when you have something on your chest, it gets harder to breathe.

Don't let any words go unsaid, express yourself - don't let your emotions become a secret. Don't let them prevent you from being free. If you have something to say, just say it! What's the worst that could happen? However, if you have issues with someone, say it to their face. Don't start the whole world laughing behind their back.

Freedom is being free from regrets; it is never saying 'I wish I did that...' or 'I wish I didn't do that...' - it's not wishing for anything! When you wish for things you become a slave of desire. All you have to do to stop this from happening is accept things the way they are. Don't dwell on the past - what's done is done. You can't change what happened, but you can change what's going to.

Thoughts on God and Religion

What is 'God'? How can we be sure that God exists?

There's nothing wrong with believing in God or not. It's no one's choice but your own. However, problems with God and religion arise when we try to impose our beliefs on others - when we begin discriminating against others for not thinking the same way we do. Religion sparks intolerance; not in everyone, though, mind you.

What evidence do we have to take it all so seriously? It seems the only proof we have of God is the Bible. Who wrote it anyway? How long ago? As many of you may already know, Cinderella's slipper was originally made of fur, not glass. Stories change. They are altered. Things are lost in translation. For all we know, the Bible could've been a screenplay - a magnificent story blown out of proportion. Ever heard of the movie 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'? It was a fictional story based at a real location. People visit there today thinking it's where everything they saw in the movie happened. Things are often taken the wrong way.

Ever heard of Santa Claus? He's the man who brings children presents - but only if they are good. If they're bad, they get lumps of coal - or even worse, nothing at all! I hate to burst your bubble, but Santa Claus doesn't exist. Santa was your parents' way of bribing you into behaving. 'Be good and Santa will reward you - be naughty and he'll condemn you with a stocking full of coal.' Have you ever thought that God might be the adults' version of Santa Claus? If you're good, you go to heaven - if you're bad, you go to hell. Sure, kids can go for one year without any presents - but spending the rest of eternity in the firery pits of Hell? Now there's something that may encourage one to help that old lady across the road.

If there is a God... what do we need Him/Her for? WE create life (kids, your parents will explain when you're older), WE are responsible for ourselves - our health, our actions, what we say and do. I don't see anyone else doing it for us, do you? There's another question - not why do WE need God, but why does GOD need us? Why did he create us?

What's the point of performing religious rituals? Did God say He/She wanted this? Wouldn't They rather you be out doing good deeds as to guarantee a spot in Heaven? One would think that God should be modest, not telling His/Her followers to praise Their name every chance they get - or starving themselves as a sign of respect. Does Batman run around saying 'Look at me! I'm Batman!!'? No. Batman doesn't need to prove himself to anyone; nor does God. God doesn't have to prove anything, so why should WE make it as if He/She does? - snapping at people who question Him/Her. If you truly believe, you won't let anyone's doubt shake you. If you know something, what does it matter what the others say?

'Love thy neighbour.'
Has it ever occurred to you that your neighbour doesn't live in the same house as you? As it is that not everyone is the same. We all come from different places. We all have a different view on things. People's opinions and ways of life are always bound to differ from ours in one way or another - should we hate them for it? No. We should love them, after all, they're our neighbours! You can't just ignore them - they live next door! Well, I guess you COULD ignore them if you wanted, but you'd probably be considered a jerk as far as your neighbour is concerned. We need to learn to accept and respect others' views. You may disagree with what they think or do - but who are you to say what's right and/or wrong?

A lot of people who adopt a religion often criticize certain groups of people, notibly those who are homosexual. They say it is wrong and that God hates them. Well, let me ask you something. If God disapproves of it, why did he make them like that in the first place?