Death is just a natural process of impermanence

Death might be perceived by many people as something sad, bad, dark, inauspicious, negative or terrible, but for those who understand the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all kinds of perceived names and forms, including the existence and function of this body and the modification of the mind, death is just a natural process of impermanent changes of this selfless body and mind.

It's everyone's freedom for what they think and how they feel towards 'death' of oneself and others, especially someone or something that oneself cherishes very much. It's normal and nothing wrong that people would perceive 'death' as something sad, bad, dark, inauspicious, negative or terrible.

There's nothing wrong with the different thinking, beliefs, reactions and emotions towards 'the inevitable natural process of changing, decaying and disintegrating since the moment of birth or the forming of names and forms', where everything is going through a continuous process of changes approaching death/disintegration, even after ceaseless effort of maintenance and enhancement being spent on the impermanent objects of names and forms, depending on how the different states of the minds perceive and understand everything differently from one another.

For some people, it depends very much on the ongoing, prolonged and current condition and situation in one's life existence and in the world, where during certain moments, being alive could be something far more challenging, complicated and painful than 'death' itself.

While for some others, life goes on no matter it's easy or difficult, and maybe, if possible, making good use of this impermanent selfless life existence to be doing something beneficial with this body and mind that will benefit oneself and others in this world of impermanence.

It's not about developing the sense of meaningfulness to be the motivation for continuing living especially under extreme harshness, but it's going beyond the good and bad condition and situation in life and in the world, appreciating what is possible in the present moment and letting go what is impossible in the present moment, without the need of developing the sense of meaningfulness to be the motivation to keep living, respecting all the selfless impermanent changes being what they are, as they are.

For yoga and buddhism practitioners, there's no 'I' existing to be going through the natural process of selfless impermanent changes, but merely the objects of names and forms, or the decaying selfless physical body and the restless modification of the perceptive thinking mind, being what they are, and they are selfless, and impermanent. These minds are able to appreciate all the good condition and situation or relationship that is existing in the present moment without attachment, and be able to let go, when good condition and situation or relationship has changed or is no longer available in the present moment.

Those who understand this, would be able to go and/or live somewhere else without any fear or hesitation when the condition and situation in a particular place is no longer suitable for living.

It's everyone's freedom, if people have very strong sense of belonging (attachment and identification) towards a particular place, as there is where they were born and grew up, and they think and believe that there is where they live and where they die, as well as there is where their family, relatives and friends are, and they feel reluctant to go anywhere else even when the condition and situation is no longer suitable for survival, not to say, for living a life.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Appreciating what matter to us in life without attachment

Most of the time we don't really know what matter to us in life until the moment we lost something that we didn't realize it matters to us very much, or at the moment 'death' is approaching.

If we know what matter to us in life, and what doesn't matter, we can have a clear direction of life and make all decisions without any doubt or regret.

We can put aside or go beyond many difficulties/challenges/fear because what matter to us in life is more important than anything else, but it also could lead us to the biggest fear/aversion towards losing what matters most to us.

That biggest fear towards losing what matters most to us in life can be overcome by being able to appreciate everything that matter to us in life in this present moment without attachment/clinging, which allows us to be able to let go what matter to us in peace, when impermanence strikes.

Many people would say that 'appreciation without attachment' is easy to say but difficult to do.

That's why we need 'practice'/'training' and certain degrees of 'patience'/'perseverance'/'determination'/'non-judgment'/'non-comparison'/'non-expectation'.

It takes time for the mind to be 'trained' to be unattached towards all the names and forms, and be undetermined/undisturbed by the truth of impermanence and selflessness, and things that are not necessarily the way that we would like it to be, and be able to let go everything in peace.

'Non-attachment' manifest as it is, naturally/effortlessly/intentionlessly, when the mind is free from ignorance, knowing the truth of impermanence and selflessness.

It's okay that there are things that matter to us more than some other things and there are things that don't matter at all to us, despite that we would more likely hearing many people say that everything matters. As surviving life is already challenging enough for many people. Sometimes we need to let go certain things to allow the mind/the thinking faculty to maintain certain degrees of sanity and clarity.

In the end, everything is equally matters and doesn't matter at the same time upon realization of selflessness.

It's good that human beings have the loving kindness for helping and supporting one another, but it's okay that there are times we can't help, or we can't help as much as we would like it to be. We also need to allow everyone to learn how to look after themselves and take responsibility for their desires/actions and the consequences of their desires/actions.

Meanwhile some people don't mind being attached strongly onto everything and suffering for the loss of what matter to them very much, or suffering for the things that are not necessarily the way that they would like it to be, as they think and believe that "That's life and life should be like that." And that's their freedom of thinking/feeling/action/reaction.

Take good care of everything to appreciate everything, but without fear of losing anything

Non-attachment doesn't mean that we don't take good care of anything. We take good care of everything - life, the body and the mind, the environment, the house, the relationships, the family, the world, and etc, to appreciate everything that we think is good - good life, good condition, good health, good experiences, good feelings, good environment, good living area, good relationships, good family, good situation of the world, and etc, but without attachment towards everything and without fear of losing anything that we think is good.

When we perform the yoga poses, we pay maximum attention, be vigilant and take care while coming into the poses, while holding or staying in the poses and while coming out or releasing from the poses, in a relaxed manner, without tension of fear, craving, aversion, judgment, comparison, or expectation.

It's about relaxing the body into the postures without forcing or struggling, and quieting the restless worldly egoistic judgmental and expectational mind that keeps judging its performance and expecting certain results from all its effort to perform certain actions. There is minimum risk of injury, even if one couldn't execute the yoga poses in so called 'correct or perfect alignment' due to certain limitation, if one knows how to relax while performing the yoga asana practice, and respecting the impermanent condition, ability and limitation of the body as it is, without forcing or pushing the body to go beyond its limitation. The risk of injury will still be there, even if one knows how to perform all the yoga asana poses in so called 'correct or perfect alignment', if one performs the yoga asana practice under the influence of ignorance and egoism, full of tension of judgment, comparison and expectation, and doesn't respect the condition, ability and limitation of the body as it is, by forcing or pushing the body to go beyond its limitation. The body and the mind is not able to be relaxed due to trying to comply to the standard of 'correct or perfect alignment'.

It's really not important whether the body can perform all or some or none of the yoga poses. One doesn't need to be able to do any yoga poses at all to free the mind from ignorance and egoism and suffering. Being able to perform many of the yoga poses in 'perfect alignment' regularly for a long time also doesn't guarantee that one is practicing yoga or is free from ignorance and egoism. The yoga asana practice is just one of the tools to help to influence the state of the mind, to balance the mind, to quiet the mind, to prepare the mind for meditation. If one doesn't know how to let go of the ego and egoism, and is full of passionate desires of craving and aversion, then even if one has been doing yoga asana practice in 'perfect alignment' for many many years and attained all kinds of health and fitness benefits from the regular yoga asana practice, but the mind is not free from suffering being disturbed and determined by all the perceptions of qualities of names and forms.

In the process of performing the yoga poses, it's mainly about letting go the ego and egoism of attachment, identification, desires of craving and aversion, judgement, comparison and expectation, to renounce the actions and the fruit of actions, to realize the truth of impermanence and selflessness of the life existence of the body and mind, to allow the restless mind to be free from restlessness, to be in silence. It's nothing to do with how 'good' the body can do the yoga poses, or how many yoga poses the body can perform in 'perfect alignment', or not.

Perform all the yoga poses in a relaxed manner and accepting the body as it is, without forcing the body to go beyond its limitation, without judgment, comparison and expectation. There's no need to think about how one should look or feel in the yoga poses because everyone has a different body and limitation, and everyone might look and feel differently while performing the same poses. And how we look and feel in the yoga poses is impermanent because the physical ability and limitation will change from moment to moment. We don't have to look like other people, or the teacher. The body might feel strong, flexible, light and comfortable in one practice, and it might feel weak, stiffed, heavy and discomfortable in another practice performing the same poses or exercises.

It's the same as in life, we are aware of the existence of certain risks, we pay maximum attention, be vigilant and take care while performing any tasks, in a relaxed manner, without tension of fear, craving, aversion, judgment, comparison, or expectation.

If there's something we need to deal with in the present, we do our best to deal with it instantly in a relaxed manner, without fear. If we can't or don't know how to handle it, we let it be and take it as it is, without fear. There are things that we can do and there are things that we can't do, and it's okay. And what we can do or cannot do in the present, is impermanent.

Be free.

The practice of non-attachment and letting go - 不执着与放下的修行

Before our body experience changes or perished, we already came to realization that this body is empty in nature, and let it go. 

Before life experience changes or perished, we already came to realization that this life is empty in nature, and let it go. 

Before all the objects, names and forms experience changes or perished, we already came to realization that all these objects, names and forms are empty in nature, and let them go. 

Before feelings and love relationships experience changes or perished, we already came to realization that feelings and love relationships are empty in nature, and let them go. 

Before all our relationships with all other beings and objects in this worldly existence experience changes or perished, we already came to realization that all these relationships are empty in nature, and let them go. 

This way, we are not attached to any impermanent lives, feelings, relationships and objects, be free from fear and worries, and able to be humble, cherish every moment and appreciate all lives, feelings, relationships and objects that come in contact with us now, but without attachment or unwillingness of letting go. Being able to deal with all impermanent changes in life freely in peace. There's no unhappiness and suffering. 

Before life comes to an end, we already see life has ended, and every moment in life in the present moment now, is merely a new chance for us to live life meaningfully... There is no regrets or mourns about the past nor projections into the future, but fully make good use of this present moment now, from moment to moment... 

在我们的身体还没变坏或消失之前，就已经看透身体根本就是空的，把身体看破与放下了。


在所有的生命还没变坏或消失之前，就已经看透生命根本就是空的，把所有的生命都看破与放下了。 


在所有的事物，名称与形像还没变坏或消失之前，就已经看透事物，名称与形像根本就是空的，把所有的事物，名称与形像都看破与放下了。 


在所有的感情世界还没变坏或消失之前，就已经看透感情根本就是空的，把所有的感情都看破与放下了。 


在与其它所有众生与事物的关系还没变坏或消失之前，就已经看透所有的关系根本就是空的，把与其它所有众生与事物的关系都看破与放下了。 


就这样，得以在人生里面完全没有执着任何无常的生命，感情，关系与事物，无担忧恐惧，也得以懂得虚心的去珍惜现在的每一刻，和享受现在我们所接触到的生命，感情，关系与事物，但是却完全没有黏着或不舍得。如此，做人处事就能够拿得起，放得下，无有担忧惧怕，不被成果困绑，轻松自在。轻松平静和自由自在的去面对人生变化无常。完全没有悲哀痛苦。 


在生命还没消失之前，就已经把生命看成已经结束了。然而，现在的每一刻，只不过是我们全新的机会去把生命活得更加充实有义意。完全没有后悔抱怨过去，没有期望幻想未来，但却得以珍惜善用现在的每一刻。。。

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of you! Everyday and each moment is a new beginning and a new chance for us to do what we need to do. No need to look back, hold no regrets or disappointment... Appreciate and be grateful and enjoy the present moment now! Love and peace to all...

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

A little note about "luck" or "karma"...

What is "luck"? (Most Chinese or Asian people believe in "luck")

 
For the minds that are still under the influence of ignorance and egoism, "bad luck" can be related to something bad, difficult, undesirable and unpleasant, while "good luck" can be related to something good, easy, desirable and pleasant.

In terms of Buddhism and yoga, we can relate this "luck" with karma, or cause and effect. "Good luck" equal to good karma/cause. "Bad luck" equal to bad karma/cause. However, there's neither good nor bad upon the absence of ignorance, where either "good" or "bad" luck/karma/cause that give rise to easy or difficult, pleasant or unpleasant, desirable or undesirable experiences/conditions/situations, are all selfless and impermanent.

We might be aware of we and other people whom we know in our life, are going through different experiences in life. Some agreeable experiences might bring us joy and happiness, and some disagreeable experiences might bring us painful sorrow and unhappiness.

When we experience painful sorrow and unhappiness in life, naturally we will think, "Why do we have such bad experiences even though (we think and believe that) we didn't do anything bad or wrong in life, and have tried to live a righteous life of good thoughts, actions and speech?"

While looking at some other people who didn't do much good deeds and have been doing lots of (what we think and believe as) wrong and evil actions and speech, but then, they are having all the "good, desirable and enjoyable things/experiences/conditions/situations" in life, and that makes us think, "This is so unfair!"

We might think that it must be something to do with "luck" or "karma".

Indeed, it is the law of cause and effect, or karma. Nothing is not karma, or everything is arising and passing away influenced by cause and effect.

If our mind is pure and bright (loving, forgiving, goodwill, generous and cheerful), everything will turn out to be good karma or "good luck" for us. Things, happenings, conditions or situations that seem to be obstacle, difficult, failure, undeserving, unpleasant, undesirable or not good for most people, it is actually good karma or "good luck" for us, and are igniting and helping us to grow and advance in certain way and somehow.

We are the one who creates our own luck (karma). No one can give us or take away our "good luck" or "bad luck" (good karma or bad karma), the seeds or cause that we have planted by ourselves, out of desires, through thoughts, actions and speech.

When we frown at ourselves and frown at other people (being bitter, angry and hating towards  ourselves and other people, for some reasons), we are creating "bad luck" for ourselves. If our mind is being in the state of "unpleasantness", full of bitterness, anger and hatred, we are inviting "bad luck" or "unpleasant experiences/conditions/situations" to come into our life. The more we complain about many things, the more "bad luck" will be accumulating in our life.

When we smile at ourselves and other people (being joyful, loving and kind towards ourselves and other people, with or without any specific reason), we are creating "good luck" for ourselves. If our mind is full of joy, love and kindness, unconditionally, our "good luck" will be over flowing and those who come in contact with us will also be sharing our generosity, which is endless and unlimited, or will never be exhausted. Although, it doesn't remove the ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in other people. It cannot change the karma, or cause and effect that is ceaselessly being created by all the others in the world.

The more we give and share without asking anything in return, the more the "good luck" (virtue and merit) will be accumulating in our life, even if we are not craving for any "good luck", or have no attachment or intention to be generating and accumulating any good karma.

If we have been doing lots of good deeds through actions and speech, but our mind is still full of impure thoughts and is over-powered by corrupted thinking and belief, bitterness, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed and lustful desire, then it will be like we are building a beautiful wooden house with "good deeds", but at the same time, we are also inviting lots of termites and pests into the house with "impure thoughts". Just by doing good is not enough, but we also need to stop creating bad karma (all kinds of unpleasantness/ill-will/impurities in the mind), and not just at the physical actions and speech level, but also cultivate openness, generosity, light and purity in the mind.

Be grateful and thankful, stop complaining upon experiencing something that is difficult, unpleasant, undesirable and disagreeable. At the same time, freeing our mind from the desire of craving and aversion, or expectation. Without any intention, we will see the change of "luck" in our life very soon.

Endure or withstand all the bad karma ("bad luck") that are ripen and are happening to us in our life now without aversion or complaint. Let go of the past unhappy happenings, don't let them continuously to haunt us, hurt us, determine us, disturb us, or affect us. We have to take full responsibility for our own past karma that we had created for ourselves through our ignorant impure thoughts, action and speech, whether consciously or unconsciously, whether we remember or don't remember, whether we are aware or unaware.

At the same time, be loving, compassionate and forgiving towards our own self and towards all other beings. Be patient, generous, cheerful, thoughtful, motivational, supportive and uplifting towards ourselves and towards other people either through our thoughts, actions and speech, or any of them, without asking or expecting anything in return, without craving for good karma or "good luck" in return.

And be very patient. A tree needs time and nurturing to grow into a mature state to have flowers and fruit.

Our life will change by itself, by generating good karma and stop creating bad karma, without attaching towards our good deeds, without craving for good karma or aversion towards bad karma.

If we continuously creating bad karma either wittingly or unwittingly, along side with creating good karma, it is like, planting a tree on a piece of dry land with no access to water or nutrients. Or, it is like planting a tree on a piece of land that is polluted by chemicals or there are lots of insects and animals are eating the leaves, or the flowers, or the fruit, even before we manage to harvest the fruit and taste the fruit.

If we are still being unhappy or dissatisfied with our life experiences now, after we have been doing lots of good deeds, then ask ourselves, "Are we really selfless and pure in all our thoughts, actions and speech? As if our mind is selfless and pure, there won't be any unhappiness or dissatisfaction about something arising in our mind."

If our mind is truly selfless and pure, then there shall be no complaints at all, because we will be happy, grateful and thankful for everything as we are (such as being able to sleep, can breath freely, can move the fingers and toes, or can go to the toilet to pee and shit, as there are many people are suffering because they cannot sleep, cannot breath freely, cannot move their fingers and toes, or cannot go to the toilet to pee or shit), and we will appreciate life as it is, not being determined by the undesirable, unpleasant and disagreeable life experiences, and not complaining about the things that we wanted to have, but we couldn't have or didn't have.

We are so much lucky than many people in the world, if we still have the attention and energy to be unhappy and dissatisfied about something. Even if we don't have anything that we want, and have all the things that we don't want, we still have our own Self.

In the end, there is nothing "good" or "bad" when we know the truth of everything, that everything is the manifestation of cause and effect, and everything is just being what it is.

"Illness", "old age", "injury", "accident", "conflict", "separation from the loved ones", "coming in contact with the disagreeable ones", "difficulty", "hardship", "failure", "unhappy experiences", "undesirable experiences", "failure", "obstacle", "non-accomplishment", "ignorance", "death", and etc, they all are not "bad luck" or bad karma. They are not something "bad". They are the manifestations from our past accumulated karma, consciously or unconsciously, out of ignorance and desires. They are just being what it is. They all are subject to selflessness and impermanence, and eventually they all will be passing away. We are the one who had created all these pleasant/unpleasant karma for ourselves (out of ignorance, desires and attachment), and by ourselves, we harvest the fruit of our past deeds. Good or bad, desirable or undesirable, pleasant or unpleasant, painful or enjoyable, it is our own products produced by ourselves.

 

It seems like a restless loop of continuous selfless cause and effect that doesn't have an end, however, the teachings of buddhism and yoga has the same teaching that "All these can be stopped or ended through the elimination of ignorance and the annihilation of the selfless modification of the mind, or SILENCE."

Be happy.

Cry for the dead? Cheer for the new born?

This body is awaiting death from the moment it was being given birth into this world...

This statement is not negative at all...It is the truth of everything...

It teaches us to be grateful and appreciate each moment of life that we have and not being attached strongly to this impermanent body...

When there is birth, there will be death...

Every moment there are billions of cells experiencing birth and death within this body without us being aware of it... Does anyone cry for the death of those dead cells? Does anyone celebrate the birth of those new born cells?

Each moment passing by is each moment closer to death...

Don't be frightened, no need to be sad...

Birth and death is not a good thing nor bad thing..

Birth and death only happens to this body...

 

The nature of all and everything of Selflessness, is beyond birth and death...
It is beyond existence and non-existence...
It is not affected by birth and death...
There is no birth and no death...

There is no 'I' existing to be undergoing birth and death (selfless impermanent changes)...

Treasure each moment of our life. Be grateful that all the organs and senses in our body still functioning and operating, and appreciate every breath that we are breathing in and breathing out...

Make good use of this body to perform selfless actions for the benefits for ourselves and for all beings in the world...

Be happy, be cheerful...

Waste not this precious life existence...

Love and peace to all...