Pilgrimage to Changi to see the great teacher
If you have been reading the papers these days you would not have missed the news about the Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic exhibition at Singapore Expo on until Sunday. Whether you are buddhist or not, I strongly recommend the exhibition. It is an incredible display of art, history and a heartwarming experience of Singaporeans' devotion and spirit.
The heartwarming part begins with the MRT ride to the expo. Something about going to see the legacy of a great human being and talented teacher brings out the best in each of us riding the train. You can almost see each person make an earnest attempt to be the best person possible before the Teacher. On the train, people are calling their friends on the mobile making meeting arrangements at the exhibition, people are trying not to jostle for seats, trying not to rush and push others aside -- all despite their obvious excitement. People are softly smiling at strangers, acknowledging each other as fellow pilgrims.
Feet and heartbeats quicken inevitably after the pilgrims pass through the gates at the Expo MRT. Still most follow the ushers' instruction and join the long but fast moving queue into the exhibition hall. One sighting of the length of the queue and the keen faces is enough to restore your faith in possibility of the salvation of the human race. We are anxious but patient pupils, waiting the see the master, trying our best to live as best we can.
There were incidents of impatience. Individuals, broke through the ranks and tried to slip forwards in the lines. I always thought that it is a minor miracle that, being Singaporean, the rest of the people, while visibly disapproving of these attempts, did not confront these fellows with violent words nor violent restraint. Then again, surely most the people there knew, there are larger powers at work. You reap what you sow. The natural laws of karma means that these individuals will get their just rewards. And so, there was peace at the queues and peace in our hearts. In this way, our minor pilgrimage to Changi is worth it.
Buddha is not a god. He was a yogi. He is an example of what can happen when ordinary human beings transcend their selfish desires and master their minds. Having reached a state of freedom from the troubles of the world, he chose to stay around so as to teach and free others. To me he is the greatest role model for teachers. It is a testament to the power of his teachings that we are still lining up with patience and restraint at Expo to see his legacy more than 2000 years later.
Each day, I've been going there and hope is arising in my heart from the things that I see people doing. I used to dispair at the impossibility of the task, but now I know that we each can be broken out of the selfish shells of our ego to realise our full potential as human beings. All we need is the right teacher and a good intention in our hearts. Help is always at hand and hope is always present.
I am helping out with the fundraising at the Metta Welfare Association booth in aid of their schools for intellectually disabled students (who make great muffins! they are selling them at the exhibition.), their hospice care facilities for the terminally ill, the old folks and other services. We are at Hall 3 and are wearing the unmistakable blue vests. Come and say hi. We are selling amongst other things very nice candle stands $8/$10/$12 and jade pendants $10! If you are there, also check out the Ramakrishna Mission's booth. They have loads of hard-to-find books on Yoga at astonishing prices (think they are printed in India) like $3, $10. I recommend anything by Vivekananda (pioneer who inspired the university that certified me as an instructor) or the Gospel of Ramakrishna written by a most humble follower who, in all humility, put his name only as "M". See you there.
The heartwarming part begins with the MRT ride to the expo. Something about going to see the legacy of a great human being and talented teacher brings out the best in each of us riding the train. You can almost see each person make an earnest attempt to be the best person possible before the Teacher. On the train, people are calling their friends on the mobile making meeting arrangements at the exhibition, people are trying not to jostle for seats, trying not to rush and push others aside -- all despite their obvious excitement. People are softly smiling at strangers, acknowledging each other as fellow pilgrims.
Feet and heartbeats quicken inevitably after the pilgrims pass through the gates at the Expo MRT. Still most follow the ushers' instruction and join the long but fast moving queue into the exhibition hall. One sighting of the length of the queue and the keen faces is enough to restore your faith in possibility of the salvation of the human race. We are anxious but patient pupils, waiting the see the master, trying our best to live as best we can.
There were incidents of impatience. Individuals, broke through the ranks and tried to slip forwards in the lines. I always thought that it is a minor miracle that, being Singaporean, the rest of the people, while visibly disapproving of these attempts, did not confront these fellows with violent words nor violent restraint. Then again, surely most the people there knew, there are larger powers at work. You reap what you sow. The natural laws of karma means that these individuals will get their just rewards. And so, there was peace at the queues and peace in our hearts. In this way, our minor pilgrimage to Changi is worth it.
Buddha is not a god. He was a yogi. He is an example of what can happen when ordinary human beings transcend their selfish desires and master their minds. Having reached a state of freedom from the troubles of the world, he chose to stay around so as to teach and free others. To me he is the greatest role model for teachers. It is a testament to the power of his teachings that we are still lining up with patience and restraint at Expo to see his legacy more than 2000 years later.
Each day, I've been going there and hope is arising in my heart from the things that I see people doing. I used to dispair at the impossibility of the task, but now I know that we each can be broken out of the selfish shells of our ego to realise our full potential as human beings. All we need is the right teacher and a good intention in our hearts. Help is always at hand and hope is always present.
I am helping out with the fundraising at the Metta Welfare Association booth in aid of their schools for intellectually disabled students (who make great muffins! they are selling them at the exhibition.), their hospice care facilities for the terminally ill, the old folks and other services. We are at Hall 3 and are wearing the unmistakable blue vests. Come and say hi. We are selling amongst other things very nice candle stands $8/$10/$12 and jade pendants $10! If you are there, also check out the Ramakrishna Mission's booth. They have loads of hard-to-find books on Yoga at astonishing prices (think they are printed in India) like $3, $10. I recommend anything by Vivekananda (pioneer who inspired the university that certified me as an instructor) or the Gospel of Ramakrishna written by a most humble follower who, in all humility, put his name only as "M". See you there.
