Exam coming and all I can think of is formulas and here comes one!

T = S + W + P

T = 24hrs a day for everyone.

S = Sleeping & time where we are totally not aware of what we are doing.

W = Working and also includes time where we are handling mundane matters like shopping and moving around.

P = Time allocated specifically for practising the Dharma or dharmic work (i.e Volunteering in temple.)

We all have the standard 24hrs unless we are talking about beings of other planets that revolve the sun at different velocity. So what do we do with this 24hrs? A famous story told about everyday time is credited into our account and at the end of the day, all remaining time will be debited away. So what really matters is what we do with it.

Sleeping time is very straight forward but how about time when we are unaware of our doings. Mind difting all about with no focal point. Not knowing what should be done, how to do it and the consequences of doing things. Basically thinking about nothing.

P is practise time or doing dharmic work. Learning and practising the Dharma is to pave the way for enlightenment as well as liberating sufferings along our path to enlightenment. It stretches for more than a life time. But how much do we focus on this portion? We tend to focus so much on working so as to lead a better "this" life and only this life. Shouldn't we focus more attention to benefits that stretches far more than "a" lifetime and countless beings around.

Now the tricky part which is the W. We all work in a way and this includes studying as well as carrying out daily chores. I believe esp for fellow buddhist, we could turn this W to benefit the P. For other religion, we can think of God frequently. But at a single moment, it is impossible to have 2 concurrent thoughts. Putting it simply, we can not think of solving maths problem and think of God.

But as a Buddhist, Buddha teaches us to be mindful in all our actions. Be it our bodily actions, speech and mind. Meditation teaches us to focus and observe our fleeting thoughts moment to moment. Thus being mindful of what we are doing, we are practising the Dharma at the same time !! Practising the Dharma or even specifically chanting do not necessary need an object or even a name. The dharma is formless (无相).

May we all strive well in our ways.

维摩诘经-佛道品

于是维摩诘问文殊师利： 何等为如来种？
文殊师利言：有身为种，无明有爱为种，贪恚痴为种，四颠倒为种，五盖为种，六入为种，七识处为种，八邪法为种，九恼处为种，十不善道为种。以要言之，六十二见及一切烦恼，皆是为种。
曰：何谓也？
答曰：若见无为入正位者，不能复发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心。譬如高原陆地，不生莲花；卑湿淤泥，乃生此华。如是，见无为法入正位者，终不复能生于佛法；烦恼泥中乃有众生起佛法耳。有如植种于空，终不得生；粪坏之地，乃能滋茂。如是，入无为正位者，不生佛法。起于我见如须弥山，犹能发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，生佛法埃。是故当知一切烦恼为如来种。譬如不下巨海，不能得物价珍宝；如是，不如烦恼大海，则不能得一切智宝。

Defilements and troubles in our daily life is in fact basis of cultivations. Just like a lotus that needs to thrive in filthy mud water. The mud water is the source of nutrients to allow the lotus flower to grow and bloom. Thus one should not hide like a hermit, not willing to courageously face the problems in life.

But having said that, it is not to say stirring up problems or not wise up after overcoming previous problems. Problems and situations should be our stairs. The more we climb upwards the higher we are. The wiser we become.

Seeing the problem. Solving the problem. Then letting go of the problem.

阿弥陀佛承许灌顶

刚参加了藏传的灌顶仪式。超新鲜的体验。也是第一次需要长时间的观想那么多的步奏。心还蛮难定下。玄丽的装饰，神迷的仪式，加上咒语和信众的虔诚，如何不著相？灌顶仪式需要信众跟随上师的指示，如何不著相？达赖喇嘛给了我答案 :)

达赖喇嘛的开示

灌顶的意义

　 要修行这样殊胜、善巧的密续；如果要修持一位特定本尊，则必须由一位具资格的上师，带领我们进入本尊的坛城。如此，我们的修行才可能得到成功。每一位密续的本尊，都有一个不间断的传承，这个传承必须来自一位有圆满证悟体验的上师，才能够信任与依止。而且，这份体验必须由没有间断的修证者传达给我们，他们都成就了这位本尊的修持，而得到了证悟。「密续」的字面带有「继续的」与「连续」的意义。密续的力量在于透过一个持续的、不间断的修行者传承，保存并传递证悟的体验。因此，如果我们希望转化自己，就必须与这个重要的传承接触，这项接触就是透过灌顶、加持。

　　接受灌顶能够唤醒我们心中的特别能量，让弟子与上师之间建立起一种沟通，它启发弟子内在的潜能，进入密续的道路，直到圆满成就。灌顶是种修行证悟的分享，它并不代表一个穿着奇异的西藏僧人，将要变戏法似的把不可思议的力量赐给你，使你法力无边。我们不应该把灌顶看成如此，我们也不应该被法会的外观，譬如祈祷、唱诵、摇铃等所据，我们必须了解法会包含着重要的内在意义。

　　灌顶不但倚靠上师的证悟，同时倚靠弟子的恭敬心与修行层次。这种双向沟通启发了内在的本质，使我们得到加持而不间断的修行，从修道中得到圆满的成就。

灌顶的态度

　　接受灌顶需要亲身参加，你在特定的时间，来到一个特定的地方，接受一样别人给予你的东西，而且，你的心也要专注。我们要能够放下，接受新的体验，不要不安又分神。因为，这仪式当中包含了很多观想、禅修，它是一种带领我们得到圆满体验的过程。

　　一个有效的灌顶，必须由上师与弟子共同参加，创造出适当的气氛。上师的责任是引导这个灌顶，使它真正接触到弟子的心灵。弟子必须抱着一种开放的、广阔的心胸，使自己的心处于包容的境界。如果你的心过度执着感官事物，或是紧抓住事物存在的外相，你将失去获得证悟的空间。但是，如果你已得到出离心、菩提心与空性慧的充分训练，将很容易在灌顶中去除错误观念的的负担，而能获得真加持。

　　当上师与弟子都具备了资格，灌顶就充满了喜悦与智慧。灌顶不但是进入密续必须完成的事项，它本身已具备了修行的超凡喜悦与体验。如果我们的观想起初只是停留在想像的阶段，而不是真实的体验，在广大的意识田里埋下种子，这些种子终将成熟，变成真实的证悟。这是一种自然的过程。

　　因此，你应该永远保持开放与轻松，对发生的一切都感到满足。