Cafe chats

Gone soon

La Fenetre Soleil cafe owner, a tall and lanky Japanese, told me that the pre war building would soon be demolished. He said it as if it was just a matter of fact, but his eyes lost in his deep thoughts.

Not far from where he sat, I thought of the Oslo-born pianist, Ketil Bjornstad. 

He once heard that his favourite old studio, Rosenborg, would be shut down due to financial crisis. The next thing he did was to fly back from Paris to record a special album in memory of it, before the studio disappeared into dust.

The album, titled "The Rosenborg Tapes Vol 1 and 2", scored well among the audiences. It also saved the studio from being demolished. The Rosenborg now stands proudly at where it used to be in Norway, with its old Steinway and wooden walls.

I don't have the power to turn things around. But I surely can dedicate a bit of space in my blog to capture La Fenetre Soleil's beautiful atmosphere.

Here today, gone tomorrow

On the bookshelf

優雅的離去

光看書名就已引人遐思，即使是非教徒，多少也會被這來自異域的108位大師的殊勝跫音所感染。

當我讀到大師們面對死亡時的自在無礙，心緒亦隨着豁然開朗，仿佛諦見了生命的另一種不可思議性。

此書巧妙地擷取藏傳佛教，禪門佛教及印度教的大師們在面對生死時所體現出來的智慧。

這些性靈大師當中，不乏備受敬重的精神導師，如虛雲老和尚，頂果欽哲仁波切，拉瑪克禮希納，六祖惠能及鈴木俊隆等。作者通過現代人都能了解的方式，深入淺出地闡明互古即存的死亡真相。

對于曾經接觸過奧秘難懂的“西藏生死書”及“藏密度亡經”的讀者來說，“優雅的離去” 不失為一本簡易明暸，字字珠璣的心靈日記。

全書以108個章節為順序，配以精闢的文章，及信手拈來的雋永詞句，隨手一翻，喜獲良多。

封面標題下有一段引文，叫我反思良久。

“生命里所出現的事情中，那件最讓你感到驚奇？”  賢哲回道：“就是，人雖看到身邊的人一個個去世，卻從沒想到自己也會死去！”

叫人欣慰的是，罹患肺癌末期的作家蘇希拉布萊克曼，也在此書出版的一個半月后，在光明節那天，優雅地離去了。

我在錫金 Tashiding想起了頂果欽哲仁波切

Blissful Life

Noble wishes in daily life

When putting on clothes, make the wish: may we don the garment of conscience and propriety.

When tying your belt, make the wish: may we fasten the belt of the vows and precepts.

When opening a door, make the wish: may we open the door of the profound innate nature.

When closing it, make the wish: may we close the door to the lower realms.

When walking, make the wish: may we move forward on the path of enlightenment.

When riding, make the wish: may we ride the horse of diligence.

When crossing water, make the wish: may we cross the ocean of samsara.

When walking upward or ascending a staircase, make the wish: may we ascend on the path of liberation.

When arriving at the desired destination, make the wish: may we arrive at the city of nirvana.

When meeting a master or noble beings, make the wish: may we meet with a true master and be accepted by him.

When visiting a shrine for the three jewels, make the wish: may we take rebirth in a pure buddhafield.

When on a journey or going to sleep, make the wish: may we rest on the path of the dharma.

When talking, make the wish: may we use

only mindful speech to communicate with others

Blissful Life 2

9 Happiness tips to
live each day

1. Whatever happiness exists in the world, all results from wishing others to be happy. Whatever suffering exists in the world, all results from desiring happiness for oneself.

2. You cannot always have happiness. But you can always give happiness.

3. A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour.

4. We are no longer happy as soon as we wish to be happier.

5. The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness.

6. Real happiness is cheap enough, yet how dearly we pay for its counterfeit.

7. Some pursue happiness, others create it.

8. To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.

9. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Seek no more. Happiness lives inside us