Dukkha- the first noble truth taught by the Buddha. This word is often translated as ‘suffering’ and interpreted as such. However, there are subtler meanings that underlie this word. Buddha taught that there are 3 kinds of sufferings- the physical and mental pain, suffering from the lack of understanding and acknowledgement of the nature of impermanence, and suffering from the conditioned existence.

At first glance, it may seem rather pessimistic to view the world as simply ‘suffering’. However, if we were to investigate the origin of our suffering, we could trace it to possibly one source- attachment. We are constantly clinging on to the things that we view as important or deemed must-haves in life, that we feel difficult and in fact, distressed without them. Take a look around you- branded cars, luxury goods, delicious cafe food… are they necessary or are we simply pursuing materialistic objects?

Thus, the Buddha taught that there is a way out of this constant suffering, and the way is to follow the noble eightfold path- Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration. By practising this path with diligence, we will be able to perceive that happiness derived from external objects is transient, whereas happiness from a spiritually cultivated mind is lasting and deeper.

Therefore, upon knowing these 4 noble truths, we should not be paranoid that the entirety of life is suffering, but instead, follow the path that pulls us out of samsara towards happiness. Of course, it will not be easy to completely relinquish everything that we desire at this moment but we can start small- perhaps we can start by rethinking our choices next time we feel tempted to purchase a new phone model when our old phone is working just fine or feel the urge to go cafe-hopping when there are cheaper food alternatives.

That’s it for this week’s Soulful Sunday Series. Stay tuned for next week where we will share more about the ‘Noble Eightfold Path’.

With Metta,
Your friendly neighbourhood Sunya

As a follow up to last week’s Dharma Circle, this week the National University of Singapore Buddhist Society will be introducing the 3rd and 4th Noble Truths: the Noble Eightfold Path as the antidote to suffering in Buddhism.

We are fortunate and grateful to have Venerable Chun Nian during the session to talk more in depth about the Noble Eightfold Path and how it may help with the cessation of suffering for Buddhists. More significantly, Venerable Chun Nian will share her response to the question, 'is the ancient eightfold path still relevant in the modern world today?'

The session will be held physically on Wednesday, 7pm to 9pm.
Venue is at Blk S16, Level 5 Room 98, Seminar room (active learning).

RSVP via this link: https://nus.campuslabs.com/engage/event/8280584

The National University of Singapore Buddhist Society will be engaging in a community service project @ Willing Hearts to help prepare food for the underprivileged in Singapore. Participants will have an opportunity to give back to the community by caring for those who are less fortunate. This will be held on the 19 of September, from 6.30AM to 8.30AM.

Note:
Participants will have to meet at 6am - 6.10am at Eunos MRT, before walking together to the Soup Kitchen. The event ends at 8.30am and the wrap up will be until around 9am.

Participants also would need to comply with proper attire as requested by Willing Hearts. Please come in long pants below knee level and refrain from wearing sleeveless tops or jewellery. Nails should be kept short and without nail polish.

Here is the sign up link: https://forms.office.com/r/qeh60g8F1U

Do sign up if interested as there are only 30 slots available!

We hope to see you there 🥰

Soulful Sunday Series #2
Last week, we learnt about the 4 Noble Truths. Of which, the last truth taught us that the way out of suffering was following the Eightfold Path. So what is the Eightfold Path? Well, it stands for Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, RIght Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration. This week, allow me to share more elaborately on these 8 aspects!

Right View
A profound understanding of reality and the cause of suffering. Whatever that we do has consequences in this saha world. This is more commonly known as Karma, the cause-and-effect relationship. To have the Right View, we need to deepen our understanding of the 4 Noble Truths.

Right Intention
Thinking right. Whatever that we think may result in a volition that is either wholesome or unwholesome. Therefore, we must guard our mind against unwholesome thoughts so that they will not germinate into non-virtuous speech or action.

Right Speech
This entails refraining from lying, harsh speech, divisive speech, and idle talk. If you find it difficult, try visualising what would be the reaction of the opposite party and what message are you conveying to them before you articulate them.

Right Action
For those who are familiar with the 5 precepts, it involves not killing, not stealing, and not engaging in sexual misconduct.

Right Livelihood
Living an ethical life, not dealing with things that jeopardises the well-being of others (e.g., trading weapons, liquor).

Right Effort
Making a conscious effort to create virtuous deeds and relinquishing unwholesome ones. Making the effort to go for Dharma Talks or heading down to the monastery to volunteer are great examples.

Right Mindfulness
Being aware of one’s physical and mental faculties. Staying in the present, not dwelling in the past nor anticipating the future. This also involves viewing the world with no biasness.

Right Concentration
Practising meditation to sharpen one’s concentration in maintaining the previous 7 aspects. For people who are interested, right concentration is necessary to transcend the 4 dhyanas and reach the stage of perfect equanimity and awareness.

Now that we have known the Eightfold Path, let us practise it with diligence and may we all be liberated from our suffering in time to come:) See yall next week where I will be talking about the 3 Marks of Existence.

With Metta,
Your friendly neighbourhood Sunya

Here is the upcoming 44th Annual General Meeting of the National University of Singapore Buddhist Society! Join to know what has been done in the academic year 2021/2022 for NUSBS members and witness the handover of leadership from the 43rd Management Committee to the 44th Management Committee! ✨☺️

📅 17 September, Saturday, 9:30AM via Zoom

RSVP via this link: https://nus.campuslabs.com/engage/event/8345575

Here is the zoom link for the event: https://nus-sg.zoom.us/j/89888605940?pwd=VTVBN0xWTGxpdWs0L3hIR1d5MWtvUT09

Do remember to log in using your NUS account in order to be eligible to vote.

See you there! 🤩

Here’s to the week before our break! We hope everyone is doing well so far. During this week, the National University of Singapore Buddhist Society will be summarising the previous Dharma Circle sessions that participants have learned thus far. Interested students who have missed any session may attend this week’s session to learn more about what they have missed.

More importantly, we will be painting Gratitude Stones, where we will reflect on things that we are grateful for in life! It will be a fun and relaxing session for participants to bond and get to know more about one another.

The session will be held physically on Wednesday, 7pm to 9pm. Venue is at S16, Level 5 Room 98, Seminar Room (active learning).

RSVP via this link here: https://nus.campuslabs.com/engage/event/8345570

See you there! ❤️

Hello Guys, if you are interested for the coming Wednesday’s session, please do rmb to RSVP so we know how much materials to prepare as well as the amount of Pizza we will be ordering, thank you!

Bump!

🌻Soulful Sunday Series #3🌻
Anicca, Anatta, and Dukkha- the 3 Marks of Existence. Also known as impermanence, non-self, and suffering respectively. Let us talk about these 3 this week!

~Anicca~
Impermanence. As we are in a constant state of change, all phenomena (physical and mental) arise and pass away in a repeated cycle. Not sure how? Look at how the pimples on our faces appear and disappear, whether we pop them or not:0

~Anatta~
Non-self. This entails that there is no permanent identity/phenomenon in this world. The 5 skandhas (aggregates of clinging) give rise to an illusion of ‘self’ that contributes to Dukkha (suffering).

~Dukkha~
Suffering/unsatisfactoriness. As the first word that was mentioned in this series, suffering extends beyond physical and mental pain. It also refers to the dissatisfaction from not being able to get what we desire in the conditioned world.

You may wonder how these 3 Marks of Existence apply to our daily life. Imagine that you have group mates who don’t do work (We all have that one experience innit?) Well, here is a simple ‘template’ for you to remember!

1. Recognise and accept that all sentient beings are suffering.

2. Trace this suffering to where it started. You will notice that it is our attachment to things/outcomes that we prioritise/desire, e.g., grades or hanging out with friends.

3. Know that afflictions wouldn’t last due to the nature of impermanence.

4. Understand interdependence and how your emotions and reactions are reliant on the groupmates and your surroundings, and how theirs are dependent on yours and their surroundings too.

5. Here comes the important part. When we see how interrelated we are with them and our surroundings, we would realise that we are ‘empty’ of a separate self (e.g., everything that we feel is a result of a phenomenon that invokes the sentiments in us, causing us to think a certain way).

6. Understanding that makes us less attached to a self-identity and thus, we blame ourselves and others less for any mistakes that happen in life!

7. Remind yourself that it takes fortitude and patience to master this:)

You might have seen how the 3 Marks of Existence tie in with the 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold paths. Together, they can help to guide us out of suffering in this world! Rather than trying to change the conventional reality, why not try to change our mindset?

For the next 4 weeks, I will be moving on to share about the 4 immeasurables. Stay tuned and may all of us be well and happy:)

With Metta,
Your friendly neighbourhood Sunya☁️

The annual FASS Distinguished Lecture Series in Buddhist Studies, funded by an endowment established via a generous donation by the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, brings a distinguished professor in Buddhist Studies to the National University of Singapore. Professor Justin McDaniel (University of Pennsylvania) will graciously serve as the inaugural speaker for the first FASS Distinguished Lecture Series in Buddhist Studies.

He will be talking about ‘Hypnotic Ecologies and Thin Description in the Study of Southeast Asian Buddhist Art’ which will be held on the 14/10/22 between 6.30pm - 9pm at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Auditorium @ Level 2. You can register for the event here!

https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/hypnotic-ecologies-and-thin-description-in-the-study-of-sea-buddhist-art-tickets-419462542757

🌻Soulful Sunday Series #4🌻
How has everyone’s recess week been? Well, academic studies may have breaks but doing good doesn’t! This week, let us embark on the 4 immeasurables, starting with Metta. It is interpreted as loving-kindness and is associated with altruistic love that extends to all sentient beings - wishing all sentient beings to be happy.

In Buddhism, Metta is considered a means to achieve a meditative state that counteracts ill-will. For each of the immeasurable, there is a ‘near enemy’ and a ‘far enemy’.
‘near enemy’ refers to a trait that resembles the immeasurable perfunctorily but has a subtle opposition to the inherent meaning, whereas ‘far enemy’ refers to a trait that entirely opposes it.

For Metta, the ‘near enemy’ is greed/conditional love while the ‘far enemy’ is hatred. We must consider these ‘enemies’ to avoid falling on either side of the spectrum. For instance, when we are in a relationship, most of us demand reciprocity and this mentality results in arguments whenever we doubt that our partners aren’t putting in as much effort as we do.

By applying Metta, we should wish our partner to be well and happy, regardless of how the relationship turns out. This is where we practise mindfulness to avoid clinging to the transient joy of gaining them and the transient pain of losing them.

On the other hand, it is pretty obvious that in this fast-paced society, even someone that cuts our queue at the escalator during peak hours is enough to make our blood boil. Here is where we practise mindfulness to prevent defilements like aversion from infiltrating our minds and becoming hatred towards others.

Here, allow me to share a Metta meditation by “the buddhist centre”:

1. Feel Metta for yourself. Always be kind to yourself and love yourself for who you are.

2. Think of a good friend (or anyone that you hold close to your heart) and share Metta with them.

3. Think of a stranger that you do not particularly like or dislike (like the person who stared at you as you cross the street) and share Metta with them.

4. Think of a person you dislike (like someone that angered you before) and share Metta with them. It might be difficult so try to focus on their positive traits.

5. Bring these 4 individuals together in your mind, and feel Metta spread from your heart to all sentient beings out there.

6. Remind yourself not to cling to the afflictive emotions associated with these thoughts.

7. Relax out of meditation and practice ends.

With this, I hope that all of us could be well and happy by spreading Metta to all sentient beings! Stay tuned till next week when I will share about Karuna (compassion).

With Metta,
Your friendly neighbourhood Sunya☁️

Welcome back! Hope recess week has been fulfilling and good to everyone! During this week’s Dharma Circle, the National University of Singapore Buddhist Society is fortunate to have Norman New as the external guest to share about how the Dharma may be applied in the daily student life of Buddhists. A certified mindfulness teacher, Norman New has learned from many distinguished Buddhist masters and teachers from the different traditions over the years. Interested participants may also enquire more on Norman New’s own journey as a Buddhist and seek advice for their own journeys.

The session will be held physically on Wednesday, 28 September from 7pm to 9pm. Venue is at S16, Level 5 Room 98, Seminar Room (active learning).

RSVP via this link here: https://nus.campuslabs.com/engage/event/8429767

See you there! ❤️

Want to know how to be happier in life? Fret not, we have something just in for you! Amitabha Buddhist Centre is hosting a World Mental Health Workshop next Sunday (9/10/22) from 10am - 1pm. We are very fortunate to have a distinguished speaker, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, who will in his sharing “Unlocking the Secrets of Happiness”, impart his wisdom using powerful concepts from Buddhism to overcome challenges and lead a fulfilling life. Participants will have plenty of time for reflection and discussion on relevant topics. There will also be tea break to promote fellowship! So if you also want to know more like-minded individuals, come down for the workshop! Registration is FREE, so just bring your friends and come down for a light-hearted session:) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjFwCx_rcHN/

Please note that you will be directed to a third-party email/platform, which is not owned or maintained by NUS and/or NUS Buddhist Society. You are encouraged to independently examine the Data Protection Declaration from Amitabha Buddhist Centre closely before proceeding to share your personal data. NUS and/or NUS Buddhist Society is not liable for the collection, use and disclosure of the data you are sharing with Amitabha Buddhist Centre directly.)

🌻Soulful Sunday Series #5🌻
Hi folks! This week, let’s talk about Karuna (compassion). Similar to Metta, it purifies the mind of evil thoughts and leads to happiness. Karuna is the innate ability to feel the distress, pain and suffering of sentient beings with empathy as if it were our own. It is because of this profound feeling of compassion that one vows to liberate sentient beings from their suffering. Karuna is typically manifested in the form of ‘non-cruelty’. This trait is present in ALL sentient beings and the degree to which it is expressed depends on how that individual cultivates it.

The ‘near-enemy’ of Karuna is pity, while the ‘far-enemy’ is cruelty. When we hate someone or something, we will involuntarily develop thoughts of wanting to inflict hurt on them. To prevent such unwholesome thoughts from arising, we need to practise compassion. Try to put ourselves in the other peoples’ shoes and analyse what caused the behaviour in them. We will realise that what they are/do is influenced by their environment, and these phenomenon do not arise independently within them (Sounds familiar?). Through this empathetic way of seeing things, we will not blame others for their mistakes but rather, try to find ways to help them.

What about pity? We often confuse pity with compassion. Pity is the feeling of sympathy towards beings that are suffering but no actions are enacted to help others. Compassion, on the other hand, is coupled with the wish to help others. For example, you are on a train and you see an old lady boarding the same carriage. If you feel sympathetic towards her but ignores her plight, it is called pity. However, when you let your seat to her, it becomes compassion!

You see, there are so many opportunities around us that allow us to practise compassion. So let us practise Karuna now, and may all sentient beings be liberated from their suffering☺️

With Metta,
Your friendly neighbourhood Sunya☁️

Last week, the National University of Singapore Buddhist Society had Norman New as the external guest to share how a Buddhist may apply the Dharma to their student life. This week, we are grateful to have Phra Goh Chun Kiang coming down to share with the participants more specifically on how Buddhists may deal with their attachment to their results or academic validation. Participants may learn how Buddhists can attempt to alleviate this source of suffering as students.

The session will be held physically on Wednesday, 7pm to 9pm. Venue is at S16, Level 5 Room 98, Seminar Room (active learning).

Sign up via the RSVP link here: https://nus.campuslabs.com/engage/event/8460401

See you there! ❤️

Hi! The link has been updated :) do sign up if you’re coming for the session on Wednesday!

🌻Soulful Sunday Series #6🌻
This week, let us talk about Mudita (sympathetic joy). It is simply taking joy in other people’s well-being. It is used to cultivate an appreciation of others' successes and happiness. The near-enemy of Mudita is intoxication and the far-enemy of Mudita is jealousy.

So what is intoxication? It refers to over-relishing in the joyful phenomena that one gets attached to it. Have you ever felt yourself getting carried away while praising others that it feels like flattery? When we are so intoxicated by the positive qualities of others, we have to learn to not only observe others but also our own good traits. This will help to foster contentment with oneself and reduce defilements such as greed.

On the other hand, when we see others progressing ahead and better than us, jealousy arises in us. We might feel that others were lucky and we are simply unfortunate. Here, we have to practise mindfulness and understand that every phenomenon throughout the cosmos is karmic volitions accumulated from our past lives and our present actions. So even if others may seemingly ‘strike it rich’, we should have the right understanding and take joy in their successes.

Let us practise Mudita today and be earnestly joyful at the well-being of others🙏☺️

With Metta,
Your friendly neighbourhood Sunya☁️

🌻Soulful Sunday Series #7🌻

This week, as we move into the crazier parts of the academic semester, let us find out how we can use Upekkha (equanimity) to solve our problems!

Upekkha is the ability to stay unwavering and still at all times. It is the state of inner equipoise that cannot be swayed by life’s vicissitudes - gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and disrepute, and happiness and suffering. In fact, some schools of Buddhism view Upekkha as the quintessential factor for the preceding 3 immeasurables, serving to consummate rather than override them. The far enemy of Upekka is resentment while the near enemy is indifference.

Let’s say we are deep in thought when someone we don’t know pushes us. The first reaction would be to feel resentment. There is affliction involved with the act of that individual knocking into us which will elicit a disdainful response from us. But when someone we adore hits us, we tend to forgive them. By cultivating Upekka, we will learn to be equanimous and let it go. This is also a way of training non-attachment.

One should be wary of the near-enemy - apathy. Have you ever watched movies where a highly trained martial art practitioner is depicted as a wise old man and yet exhibits signs of aloofness? Putting that expression into this context, the practitioner may have overstretched and thus fallen into the ‘I don’t care since I’m better or wiser than others’ mindset. Thus, he lacks care for others and becomes self-centred instead.

Upekkha is a mentality where one treats everyone and everything equally without partiality. While this can be tough, let us attempt to be less attached to a self-ego every day and see everyone equally. So, let us start practising Upekkha today!

With Metta,
Your friendly neighbourhood Sunya☁️

Here’s to week 10 of the semester! During this week’s Dharma Circle, the National University of Singapore Buddhist Society is honoured to have Sister Guat Cheng and Sister Marn as the external guests to explain more in-depth about the nature of the Self in Buddhism through two Buddhist concepts: Emptiness and Dependent Origination. Interested participants may attend this session to understand about how the Self is conceived in Buddhism, why it is so and what it would mean for Buddhists as a result.

The session will be held on Wednesday, 19 October 2022 from 7PM to 9 PM. Do take note that the venue has been changed and will be at Yusof Ishak House, Tokyo Room.

Sign up via the rsvp link here: https://nus.campuslabs.com/engage/event/8516688

See you there!