Ringtail Possum feasting on Magnolia

What is he up to?

Flowers! Yummy...

Yum...

What did you see? Did you see a  beautiful ringtail possum feeding in his natural habitat? Or did you see a destroyer of the beautiful Magnolia?

Looking at this same series of pictures, everyone would have a different perspective, based on their past experience and current state of mind.

I saw a destroyer of my Magnolia.  Did I sense the rise of hatred? Could I see from the possum’s point of view? Could I let nature take it course? Have I done enough to prevent this from happening? Is it worth the effort?

Back to first principles, the 3 marks of existence.

Impermanence (anicca)

Unsatisfactoriness (dukkha)

non-self (anattā)

The conditioned world is imperfect, there is unsatisfactoriness (dukkha). Possum has to eat, or go hungry. Impermanence is the existent of the flower. If there is no permanent self, who owned the flower? When there is no ownership, the feeling of hatred against the possum would not arise. Therefore there will not be suffering of the mind.

 

 

 

Idol Worshiping

This is a response to an article with the title “Help Wanted- god stolen” by Steven Wong, a CHINESE who claimed to be Christian.

http://exposingchineseancestorworship.blogspot.com/2007/09/help-wanted-god-stolen.html

QUOTE from his article is in brown… Please follow link above to read the full article.

“…Buddha statue stolen again. 1000-year-old idol missing since September 14. A priceless brass statue of Buddha said to be over 1000 years old has been stolen from the Buppharam Thai Buddhist Temple in Perak Road here…”

The Chinese people have always worshiped idols…..

Back to this idol, it is ironical to read that a god can be stolen eventhough a god’s aim is to protect the people who worship him. It this case, it can be assumed that the thief saw a greater value in the brass content of the statue, due to the high price of brass in the reseller’s junk yard, rather than the protection of the idol.

Why do people worship a god that can be stolen? What do you think?

Are people worshiping blindly? Do they comprehend logically their actions toward this idol?

Images of Gods in a Chinese Temple, Sydney

Sze Yup GuanTi Temple, Sydney

After reading his article I can’t help but being mischief.  A quick google search on “Stolen Jesus“, lead me to this news report.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Baby-Jesus-Stolen-From-Center-City-Nativity-Scene.html

“Why do people worship a god that can be stolen?” I left a message on Steven Wong’s blog page, hoping for an answer from him. I don’t think he would ever publish my comment on his blog.

How unfortunate that this Chinese man STEVEN WONG has such a misconception about his own cultural heritage. The Chinese are traditionally Taoist or Buddhist.  Yes, there are statues of the Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, The Jade Emperor,etc in the Chinese temples or Buddhist temples; just like the Christians have statues of Jesus and Mary etc in the Churches/Cathedral. Having the images or statues of Gods/Buddha/Bodhisattva/Ancestors/religious teachers in the temple ground does not mean that we worship the statues as GODs; it does not mean that we believe the statues are GODs or GODs are the statues.

A Buddha statue, served as a reminder of the teaching of the Buddha.   The Buddha image can also be the object of focus during meditation. Observing the change, deterioration of the condition of Buddha statue, can also remind us on the teaching of impermanence. Just a few examples of the functions of Buddha image.

The image of our Ancestors on the altar  served a similar function; to remind us about their love for us, the suffering and sacrifices that they have gone through to give us the best. Ancestor Worshiping祭祖, in the Chinese Cultural context, is the way the we show respect and honor our ancestors.

Be proud of our cultural heritage! Our roots are what make us the person we are today. If we do not respect our own culture, no one else would. If we do not strive to preserve our identity, it would just fade away. How boring the world would be without all these colourful traditional cultures. How boring the world would be, if it is dominated by one popular culture.

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But I have heard people say that Buddhists worship idols.

Such statements only reflect the misunderstanding of the persons who make them. The dictionary defines an idol as “an image or statue worshipped as a god”. As we have seen, Buddhist do not believe that the Buddha was a god, so how could they possibly believe that a piece of wood or metal is a god? All religions use symbols to express various concepts. In Taoism, the ying-yang is used to symbolise the harmony between opposites. In Sikhism, the sword is used to symbolise spiritual struggle. In Christianity, the fish is used to symbolise his sacrifice. And in Buddhism, the statue of the Buddha also reminds us of the human dimension in Buddhist teaching, the fact that Buddhism is man-centred, not god-centred, that we must look within not without to find perfection and understanding. So to say that Buddhist worship idols is not correct.

Quote from Good Questions Good Answers by Ven. S Dhammika

Happy New Year 2009

Happy new year. May you be well and happy.

Sydney at night.

*I am thankful to be living in Sydney, a city that enjoy peace and prosperity.  May the troubled parts of the world experience harmony and amity in 2009.

Sydney Opera House

Yes, We Can…

YES, We Can… and the American elected their first Black President.

Meritocracy!

Malaysia Boleh! (Malaysia Can!)…

Will we have a Ethnic Minority Prime Minister by 2050?

Will we have a Malaysian Malaysia with Equality and Meritocracy?

*

Further reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy

*

Disclaimer:

Both photographer and model may not share the same view point.

Photo by Lucky

Model: Tina

Nutmeg Mannikin, (Lonchura punctulata)

All under control

Many challenges can spring up all at once in our life. One by one, we keep them under control. Tough time never last; but tough people do.

Nutmeg Mannikin, (Lonchura punctulata)
Also known as Scaly-breasted Munia, Spice Finch.

Introduced species to Australia. Photo taken in Sydney Park, St Peters. NSW, Australia.

无志汉子难 Direction of life…

南海紫竹青，

北海青竹紫，

有钱男子汉，

无钱汉子难。

某日在网上看见这首诗， 挺喜欢诗中得用字和押韵。 可惜就把钱看得太重了。有位朋友把“钱”换成“志”， 这诗就不再俗里俗气的。

南海紫竹青，

北海青竹紫，

有志男子汉，

无志汉子难。

人生钱必然重要； 但是如果只会向钱看其，那生活就不太有意思了。

Ｔｒａｎｓｌａｔｉｏｎ　ｆｏｒ　ｍｙ　Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ　ｒｅａｄｅｒｓ

Ｉ　ｃａｍｅ　ａｃｃｒｏｓｓ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｐｏｅｍ　ｗｈｉｌｅ　ｓｕｒｆｉｎｇ．

Ｓｏｕｔｈ　Ｓｅａ　purple bamboo is green,

North Sea green bamboo is purple,

With MONEY, you are the man,

Without MONEY, you are not much of a man.

Obviously, the beauty of the poem is very much lost in translation.  Since it does not rhyme anymore. I quite like the rhyme and play of words in this poem, but just did not agree with the materialistic emphasis.

A friend of mine, changed 2 words on the poem,  and now it is less worldly. MONEY was changed to AMBITION (direction in life). With ambition and direction in life, you are a worthy man!

Poem credit to 薰衣草.

Photo was taken by me. Using Canon 350D with 100-400L. Shallow dept of field achieved by large aperture on a long lens. Photo taken in a national park in  NSW, during a bushwalking/biriding trip.

Reflection on Ahmad Ismail and the Pendatang

Ahmad Ismail, a UMNO politician was reported to called the Chinese Malaysians as “Pendatang” (Outsider, Migrant). During a press conference, some of his supportors were tearing up a portrait of a “Pendatang” leader, ex-Chief Minister Dr Kor Tsu Koon. Google the story here.

Ahmad Ismail's supporters, click thumbnail to be link back to the original photo.

From a photographer’s view point, this is a great photo! Capturing so much of the emotion and anger. Capturing the heat of the moment. Shooting from below, just made the subject looked more intimidating and overpowering. Composition was perfect, having included the party logo was invaluable, as it give a context to the picture; this is not about a man tearing a photograph, this is about an UMNO supporter tearing a photograph of a Barisan National Leader.  There is so much science behind the arts of photography…

Seeing this picture as a student of the arts of mindfulness (Vipassanā), I am grateful that I had the chance to learn this arts. Being able to watch anger arising (in some instances) means that I had a chance to manage my anger.

As a 4th/5th generation “pendatang”. I have nothing wise to contribute to this mess.

Chao Khun Maha Samai Birthday Photos

It was an honour to be invited to photograph Ven. Chao Khun Maha Samai birthday celebration. Lucky and myself have been photographing a few events together, and glad to say that we compliment each other well. It is always reassuring to have Lucky with me, because I know he will get lots of good pictures, and there is no pressure on me.

My set up for the day… Old trusty Canon 350D body and Canon SPEEDLITE 580EXII. Initially had Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens, but found it to be too restrictive in the small shrine hall. Later change to the all time favourite Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L, it really works well in this setting. The photos are uploaded here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chenghiang/sets/72157606661792478/

Chao Khun Maha Samai

Kids waiting to do offering

I really admire the Thai community, engaging the younger generation in sustaining their cultural identity in a foreign land.

Money Tree

I used to frown upon displaying gift of money in temple. However, this money tree became really beautiful and attractive, after I learnt that the money raised will be donated to help rebuild cyclone tormented Burma. A$1,000 was collected and donated to relief suffering in Burma.  Looking from another angle, now I see the dharma in the money tree.

Walk alone like an elephant

If you find an wise and virtuous companion
who will walk with you,
who lives wisely, soberly, overcoming all difficulties,
walk with that person in joy and thoughtfulness.

If you find no wise and virtuous companion
who will walk with you,
who lives wisely and soberly,
walk alone like a king who has renounced a conquered kingdom
walk alone like an elephant in the forest.

~Dhammapada~

Beauty is in the EYES

Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris.

Slow down… Spend some time admiring the beautiful jade green eyes of this Little Black Cormorant.

See beyond the dull feathers, look into the eyes and reach the soul.

Can you see beyond the surface? Can you appreciate the subtle beauty?

*

My Australian Birds List

Photography Equipments

Canon EOS 350D

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM Lens

Sydney Cenntenial Park, July 2008