According to Buddhism, there are five great opportunities which are difficult to obtain.

They are:

1. birth as a human being (manussatta-bhava-dullabha),

2. encountering a Buddha (buddhuppada-dullabha),

3. going forth from the life of a layperson and becoming a bhikkhu/bhikkhuni (pabbajita-bhava-dullabha),

4. attaining confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha
(saddha-sampattiyo-dullabha), and

5. hearing the true teaching (saddhamma-savanam atidulla-bha)


(Chiggala Sutta, S.v.456).


Des/boo-ngoh

Can environmental factors overcome

Can environmental factors overcome the genetic factors totally.
Yes it can.
In case of gentically transmitted disease Phenylketouria, if the person is born and not treated
the person becomes mentally retarded.
If the person is given special food to avoid the disease to manifest then the person can be normal.

Following that line if a person is born with heavy Karma burden and can be spotted by an advanced practitioner, then he/she can be guided by the master to avoid ceerrtain unwholesome deeds and the heavy Karma burden can be prevented from ripening.

Des/boo-ngoh

Give love:

The most effective way to help yourself is to give love.
Love if it stays within may turn stale.
Love if given away is good for others and is good for you.

Des/bo-ngoh

After all you have tried:

After all you have tried and nothing seems to happen and nothing changes accept it, as it is, it's Karma, it's Dharma, it's part of the practice.........

Of course something has happened.
The seeds are planted.
When will it sprout, it's all up to Karma.

When you plant the seed in the wild at least it comes back to you as an echo, after a pause.

Des/boo-ngoh

Those who do and don't:

Dharma is what you do to get benefit; if you don't you don't benefit from it.
In a group you see who do and who don't.
Those who do accumulate merits.
Those who don't we share merits with them.
No good, no bad just the way it is.

Learning to do requires effort.
Not doing requires no effort.
Effort or diligence is what leads you to Nirvana, Buddha said.

Des/boo-ngoh

Work on Dharma

When you do work on Dharma,concentrate on Dharma;don't get side-tracked or distractedwhen you do work on Dharma;be respectfulto Buddha-Dharma-Sangha,not to anybody else in particular.When you do work on Dharma,try to put yourself in another person's shoes.When you do work on Dharma,don't say harsh words to others.When you do work on Dharma,don't respond in haste to the weighty Truth of Dharma.When you do work on Dharma,learn to be respectful to the Sangha;then you can learn to be respectful of the Dharma;then only you can say for sureyou are respectful to the Buddha.When you do the work of Dharma,the goal should be total liberation,getting off Samsara, on to Nirvana,but Nirvana can be around youlike the flight attendant likes to warn you before the plane takes off:(Please take a moment to look around for the nearest exit door,and in some cases, the nearest exit door can be just behind you"),so don't get stuck with the idea that the door to Nirvana is far, far, far away from youor from Samsara.~ Desmond Chiong

Basic Buddhism:

Do not pass go Basic Buddhism.
If you do you do not know Buddhism and you are no good Buddhism.
As much hate mail as i will get i have to say once again basic Buddhism is built on respect, a lineage of respect.
If all of the Buddhsts stand in line they will all stand straigt in one line out of respect to the one ahead of him/her with the Buddha at the head of the line.

All will bow in unison as a sign of respect to the one ahead of him/her.
A Buddhist who has not learned respect and who will not learn respect ain't no Buddhist.
Out of respect we keep the Temple clean.
Out of resepct we donate to help the Temple financially.
Out of respect we do not step on the others' toes.
Out of respect for human beings we help other human beings.
Out of respect for the abbot we help the abbot with whatever is needed voluntarily.
Out of respect we study and practice diligently.
Out of respect for the environment we keep the environment clean.
Out of respect for the Buddha within we respect others as we will respect Buddha.

If you have not learned respect and are not interested in learning respect you are no fit for Buddhism, not here not there not anywhere.

Des/boo-ngoh

Grwoing old gracefully:

Growing old gracefully is not like what comes to you naturally.
Growing old gracefully is like the practice of Buddhism
Which has to be done actively and diligently and voluntarily guided by wisdom and not with greed.
No matter how old you are you still have greed. in fact you will have greed till death and perhaps beyond.
That's not good.

Because of greed some end up with artificaly means of life because of greed to stay alive.
Because of greed some end up with the burden of attachment to keeping their property their belongings their children etc etc etc.

That's not easy for you when you have to cut off the attachment when dead comes, and dead will not come easy then.

If my patients will listen i will tell them to start deatching while they are still healthy and getting old.
Detach from whatever you own what ever si in your name.
If you don't own much do not own more.
If you own too much start to unload and make the burden lighter and easier for you to go when the time comes.

Do not have too much attachment even to your children your grandchildren etc.....
Just owning and keep a property is a big attachment. most seniors will not willing give up where they live till they end up in the convalescent hospital and they are forcibly kept there against their will.

I know because that's when they call me for a psychiatrist consult.
I feel veyr sorry for theses folks but in all honesty i can't with good conscience let them go home.
they just can't care for themselves and they will still deny it.
Prepare while you can voluntarily.

I know this is a free country, a free world, but things can still be forced on you just because you did not prepare.
For an old couple to own their property is a big hassle.
I can't imagine how they can upkeep it in good order, taking care of the yard the plumbing the electricity the gadgets running the whole place in order.

I have seen old folks brought in psychiatric hospital having lived in filth in their homes.
They did not voluntarily let go.
Now they will head to convalescent hospital via the psychiatric hospital involuntarily.


I have advised many ahead of the disaster.
Some have listened and have benefited from it.
Some don't and face more peoblems later and i can't help because they had not listened and followed to give up.

Most doctors will not discuss this out of fear of "losing" their patients. that's unprofessional.
I tremble with fear when i hear old folks acquire new aquisitions.
Not because i have an ill will.but because of good will and the good wisdom that allow me to see
they are heading into hellish state before they even exist this state.

Yes that's a pretty straight talk.
But i have vowed to tell the Truth as a Buddhist and that's how i say it to myself and to others
that will listen to my wisdom.
This wisdom is hard to come by and i know it because i came after years of practice.
It is harder to put into practice.
I know it too.

But you have to pay heed to it and try to voluntary do it.
If you do you will have peace of mind from now till death and beyond.
If you don't do it to yourself or to your loved ones you will have a terrible time when death comes
Knocking on your door.

Des/boo-ngoh

Before you say:

before you say I WANT A TEACHER!!!!

Say to yourself first and to your potential teacher what kind of student do your prepare yourself to be.

Just like you will apply for a job you will have to prepare your resume to apply to be accepted
as students.
NO it 's not that easy to say I WANT TO TEACHER and bingo the teacher appears.
That does not happen. a good teacher does not appear that way.
A good job will not accept you right Away just because you say: I WANT A JOB!!!!!.
Nowadays there are so many false teachers that jump in to respond to I WANT A TEACHER.

Just try yelling COME BUDDHA!!!! and see if He comes.

No just because you want, does not mean you will get, i mean quality stuff.

Go back to the basic and find out what it is to be a good student and then think how many qualities
you have to be a good student and then RESPECTFULLY submit your application.

That's just basic Buddhism.

Des/boo-ngoh

Go ahead and live:

If that's what make you fell happy truly happy:

- go ahead and live:
a life of lies
a life of denial
a life of disrespect
a life of disgrace
a life of heavy burden from attchments
a life of running away from reality
a life of care free, practice free, mindfulness free
a life of false pride
a life without teacher
a life without self discipline
a life of pleasure principles.

If you still think you are truly happy you do NOT nedd Buddhism.

Des/boo-ngoh

Showing off old:

What does an old person has to show off if not his/her wisdom.
If he/she has not he/she has nothing to show off.
What does an old person has to show off if not how he/she lives his/her life.

If he/she has not he/she has nothing to show off.
What does an old person has to show off except what he/she possesses.

Then that old person has nothing really to show off.

Des/boo-ngoh

Like or not

Whether You like Buddhism or not Buddhism is Right in front of you. If you accept it You accept Karma & you will be A good Buddhist. If you don't accept it The loss is yours & you could not have become A good Buddhist Anyway. Des boo ngoh

Like or not

Whether You like Buddhism or not Buddhism is Right in front of you. If you accept it You accept Karma & you will be A good Buddhist. If you don't accept it The loss is yours & you could not have become A good Buddhist Anyway. Des boo ngoh

Determine Environment

If you are determined The Environment Changes For you. If you are not determined You blame on The Environment For your failure To succeed.Des boo ngoh

Have the right pride

Have the right pride of being a member of the sangha.
Have the right sense of privilege of being a part of the sangha.
Do not think for a moment it is easy to have such a sangha.
So not misuse the sangha and hel protect it from others from misusing it.

Your contribution is always welcome but please contribute with respect to others and to the e-Temple.
Learn to ahev respect for yourself and others and have the right pride of knowing and having undertaken the basics of Buddhism.

Des/boo-ngoh

Have the right pride

Have the right pride of being a member of the sangha.
Have the right sense of privilege of being a part of the sangha.
Do not think for a moment it is easy to have such a sangha.
So not misuse the sangha and hel protect it from others from misusing it.

Your contribution is always welcome but please contribute with respect to others and to the e-Temple.
Learn to ahev respect for yourself and others and have the right pride of knowing and having undertaken the basics of Buddhism.

Des/boo-ngoh

Future of Clinical Buddhist Psychology:

lClinical Buddhist Psychology
includes the study and application of psychology for
the purpose of understanding, preventing,
and relieving psychologically-based distress
or dysfunction and to
promote subjective well-being
and personal development.

lCentral to its practice is
Cognitive Buddhist psychotherapy,
although clinical Buddhist psychologists
may also engage in research, teaching, consultation,
forensic testimony, and program development and
administration.

lClinical Buddhist psychology
can become ultimately
a regulated mental health profession
like other mental healt profession.


Des/boo-ngoh

Helping self:

Buddha helped Himself, first then others.
Therefore Buddhism is first to help yourself.

Buddha had the right attitude in helping Himself.
Buddhab studied well and studied as much as he could studied from His two teachers and he respected them so much and felt so much gratitude towards them that once he became Enlightened
He thought of paying back his two teachers with His Enlightenment. He looked for them and found out they died already.

Follow Buddha, help yourself but make sure you will study under teachers but still strive hard on your own and go as far as you can go if possible much more beyond your own teachers and when you succeed do not forget to repay your teachers and try find them out like Buddha did and hopefully your teachers will still be living.
Des/boo-ngoh

Work of Dharma

When you do the work of Dharma,be sure you justconcentrate on the work and on Dharma,with no expectation of return from the work or from anyone,or you will be setting yourself upfor your own suffering. When you do the work of Dharma,be sure you have no one to pleasebut Buddha-Dharma-Sangha,and you owe it all to them for your work of Dharma. When you do the work of Dharma,it is practice, practice, and practice,and you will see a transformation coming over you in time,and you will feel it,and others can see it, too. Whereas, if you don't do anything,you will be the same,and you will feel the same pain,and others can sense your pain, too. Even with compassion from others,you still will have the pain,and the pain will not lessenuntil you concentrate fullyon doing the work of Dharma. Yes, there is the power,and there is the transformationif you seriously devote doingthe work of Dharmawith no distractionand no expectationexcept the respect for the Buddha-Dharma-Sangha.~ Desmond Chiong

Should i or should i not:

Should I or should i not ...................................... and then you can fill in the blank.
This has always caused problems to people in general.
As a Buddhist this should not be a problem.
A Buddhist believes in Karma and what is brought in front of you is due to Karma.
What is brought in front of you is not good is not bad until you make it so.

So if you need a teacher who ever shows up in front of you is your teacher.
That teacher is not good is not bad until you have doubt and in trying to clear your own doubt
you are led astray in your judgement and thus good or bad.

What ever you want to eat what is in front of you is what you should eat. when you get up
and try to get something else that's when you eat the wrong stuff.
What ever you wish to do what is in front of you is what you should do.
When you start to re-think what else you should be doing then you do the wrong thing.

In meditation too what ever you are led to do in meditation is what you should do.
Once you start reading should it be vipassna or should it be samatha or just blank meditation
that's when you do the wrong meditation.

Asking someone else beside your own teacher, what you need to do is absurd.
No one else know what is your Karma.
Anyone likes to think he/she knows what is right for you but that person is wrong and you will be wrong too if you follow the advice.
You and your karma is unique andonly you can know.
No one else can.

So do what is in fornt of you.
If you do not like what is in front of you then run.
That's what you have been doing RUNNING.
Do you wish to keep RUNNING still?????


des/boo-ngoh