Benefits of Meditation (Things I Learned in Taiwan)

Aside from my Monastic Diaries, I also started blogging about my 2-week Life and Ch'an retreat in Taiwan. Below are my favorite quotes and teachings from the seminars I attended presided by Buddhist monks during Day 3 of my Taiwan trip.  I want to share them here with you as you might also find them inspirational.



"No one can help solve the depression within your heart. The only solution is to understand the heart of your depression. Only this way can you let go of your problems. Your environment and those in it is ever-changing. Are you affected by these changes? Are you vexed when things don't go your way?"

Read more: The Power of Meditation and What I Learned in Taiwan

Discover the Treasure Within with Most Venerable Hsin Ting

Most Venerable Hsin Ting, widely respected Buddhist Monk and meditation teacher, will again visit Manila, this time to hold a series of activities that can help people discover the treasure within them and tap a spring of happiness and wealth. 

Most Venerable Hsin Ting will hold a talk on Meditative Concentration: The Source of Developing One's Wisdom on October 25, 2012 at 7:30PM. It will be a perfect introduction to the practice of meditation, regardless of one's religion or background. Experienced meditators will also gain insights to further their practice by attending this talk.

On October 26, 2012 also at 7:30PM, the beloved spiritual teacher will talk on The Way to Happiness. The lecture will be a great opportunity for everyone to hear with clarity the 2,500-year-old teachings of the Buddha that will surely bring hope and happiness. Both events will be held at Mabuhay Temple located at 656 Pablo Ocampo St., Malate Manila right across Century Park Hotel.

All talks by Most Venerable Hsin Ting will be anchored on the Diamond Sutra, an essential Mahayana Buddhist scripture, often said to contain the key to authentic transformation. The sutra is regarded by many devotees as a source of wisdom and good fortune, thus, most of them read and recites it in a regular basis.

Most Venerable Hsin Ting will also personally preside over a Triple Gem and Five Precepts Ceremony on October 27, 2012 at Mabuhay Temple. Taking refuge in the Triple Gem simply means abiding and seeking support from the Buddha, his teachings and his community of followers. It is a very important step for anyone who is serious in studying and practicing Buddhism. In addition to taking refuge in the Triple Gem, an individual can also commit to observe the Five Precepts or guides that encourage good conduct, namely, to refrain from killing, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants.

After taking part in the Triple Gem Refuge and Five Precepts Ceremony, an individual can still follow the practices of other religions and faiths as long as they promote goodness and guide them on the right track. It is not even required for an individual to become a vegetarian after agreeing to uphold the Five Precepts. 

Most Venerable Hsin Ting was the sixth abbot and director of Taiwan-based Fo Guang Shan monastery from 1997-2005. He renounced under Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan, in 1968 and is a forty-ninth lineage holder of the Linji Chan School. He graduated from the Eastern Buddhist College and the India Research Institute of the Chinese Cultural University. He further received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Fo Guang Shan-affiliated University of the West in Rosemead, California in 1998.

Expected to succeed Venerable Master Hsing Yun as the head teacher of Fo Guang Shan, Most Venerable Hsin Ting now travels around the world to share the joys of the Dharma through lectures, instruction in Ch'an (Zen) meditation, Buddhist ceremonies, chants, books, educational and humanitarian projects.

For more information, please go to www.mabuhaytemple.com/treasure-within or call 0917-8124424.

Sexy Nomad's Monastic Diaries (Entry # 1): Hogwarts is that you?

To see the prologue or to have a better idea where my Monastic diary entries came from, please head to these links:

Spot the Filipino Harry Potter Look-Alike and Some Thoughts for the Coming Days

2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an

*This meditation retreat is an option the participants at the youth seminar can take on the 2nd week. There were 1,500 participants during the one-week 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Only 200 were admitted to the Meditation Retreat  the following week, including me.*

~~~oOo~~

July 28, 2012 Saturday | On my bunk bed | Fo Guang Shan Temple in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

I sometimes feel like I'm in Hogwarts (Kung Fu Panda version) with the long monastic robes all 200 of us are wearing, the huge expanse of land which houses various Buddha temples and contemplation sites, the sound of the birds chirping all day long, the ringing of the bells and gongs every hour or so signalling the time for prayers, chanting meditation and meals. It's Hogwarts alright but without the magic and mystical creatures.

However, unlike Hogwarts, this meditation retreat that I'm attending is boring in nature. There are no classes per se nor seminars unlike last week's international youth seminar. We are not even allowed to speak to each other or to anyone. The monks had us surrender our cellphones, laptops, iPods, iPads and other gadgets. In fact, according to the manual, we are also not allowed to write. Strictly speaking, any form of communication is not allowed during this 5-day retreat! My God! I'm going to die! So I'm hiding here in my bed writing these things down on my little pink notebook before I go crazy in this 5-day  meditation retreat with a vow of silence to boot plus vegetarian meals and manual chores in between which I deposited $100 for. It's going to be refunded back to me if I last the whole week. IF I LAST THE WHOLE WEEK!