Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Wishing You & Your Family A Happy , Healthy, Wealthy 
& Prosperous Lunar New Year !!!!!

Hey Ricky - I got your post (it's me) on the forum/discussion but the link seems to have been broken. Anyway, I read sensei's daily guidance (from Buddhism Day by Day - Wisdom for Modern Life) today (March 29 entry) and thought it responded really well to your post (and I related to your thoughts a lot too!)
He says, "Nichiren spoke of earthly desires being used as fuel for the flame of wisdom. Buddhism teaches the converting of personal ambitions and desires, even base ones, into good traits like wisdom through altruistic living. A Buddhist doctrine that earthly desires are enlightenment indicates that greed, anger (violence) and egocentricism can be transformed into altruistic traits like compassion, trust and nonviolence. The underlying delusions that drive our desires - including the desire for the development of science and civilisations - can be essentially transformed in a way that changes selfishness into altruism, violence into nonviolence and suspicion into trust."

It's turning poison into medicine - it's our mission - to embrace our "poison" so that we can transform it into "medicine".

Hi Ricky,
You must be in the same chapter with Rayana.
Let's strive and work harder for kosen-rufu in our respective area.
Cheers.

Hi Ricky___I wish I was chanting hours of ROCK SOLID DAIMOKU (lol). I do however plant the seeds of NMHRGK wherever I go 24/7, 365 a year, for 41 years now. I just can't help myself (lol)

Hi Ricky,
Thank you being my friend.
May I know where do you practice in SG?

According to Buddhism, we have been friends from the infinite past. "Hi Ricky, haven't seen you in a about a million years." (lol) "Hey were on the same speck of dust" (earth) again (lol). Have a great week-end pal. Herb

Hi Ricky,

The Value Of A Smile
by Author Unknown

A smile cost nothing, but gives much.

It enriches those who receive,
without making poorer those who give.
It takes but a moment,
but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.

None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it,
and none is so poor but that he can be made rich by it.

A smile creates happiness in the home,
fosters good will in business,
and is the countersign of friendship.
It brings rest to the weary,
cheer to the discouraged,
sunshine to the sad,
and is nature's best antidote for trouble.

Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen,
for it is something that is of no value to anyone
until it is given away.

Some people are too tired to give you a smile.
Give them one of yours,
as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

Thanks Ricky for adding me as friend. Wish you in advance Happy 2010 New Year and together we fight for kosenrufu.