tree of life

剛剛好

很多人都曾經見過路邊的大樹，但我們不曾好好地觀賞這棵大樹；覺得它的出現和我們無關，好像我們只是碰巧遇見它似的。

這棵出現在路邊的大樹和我們相遇絕非偶然，而是萬緣具足的情況下才會顯現在我們的外境中。

假如我們走錯了路，這棵樹便不會出現。

又或者在夜間沒有街燈的環境中經過，而沒注意到它。

若剛巧發生林火，這棵大樹或已遭殃。

早三十年走這條路，我們也無緣和大樹見面。

要是不走路經過，而是坐在車內的左側，這棵在大路右邊的樹也會悄悄的從我們的眼界中溜逝。

或在車內，有人和我們說話而套住了我們的注意力。或手機剛好響起，我們急着接應而忽略了這棵大樹的存在。

若有一位伐木工人在我們之前先經過而把樹砍了。我們也無緣見到這棵樹。

雷劈也會取了大樹的生命。白蟻能夠將它化為烏有。酸雨久能使之腐朽。

這棵樹早在幾十年前只是一粒種子。經由一只小鳥，松鼠或蜜蜂的傳播而落身此地。經過陽光，雨水，泥土，垃圾養份的滋潤，還有二氧化碳的催化下，這棵大樹才有可能茁壯成長。

我們能夠只是說，和這棵大樹相遇，只是我們剛好經過嗎？

只要缺少或碰上以上其中一個外緣，我們就沒有機會和這棵大樹擦身而過。

老實說，我們有好好去欣賞過這棵大樹嗎？

有細細地看過，摸過，抱過或爬過它嗎？

萬事出現在我們的人生境界中絕非湊巧，而是無以計

數的前世因緣成熟，才有可能浮現。

不只是一顆大樹，一切的人，事，物應作如是觀。

好好珍惜你生命中的每位朋友，你生命中所發生的每件事，和你生活中所出現的每樣東西。

它們並非剛好出現，你也並非剛好經過。

Make a difference

Work a day for Rinpoche

My precious root guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, was developing manifestation of sickness and now hospitalized in Australia.

Beside donations, I have also worked together with Diana from FPMT on a series of downloadable posters which are to be posted on the FPMT website.

Each poster carries a wonderful message from Rinpoche himself, together with a photo which I have taken from my trips in the Himalaya.

Hopefully these posters will serve as a reminder to all students of Rinpoche to practice dharma in their daily life.

New covers on the shelf 2011

Old Penang Old Stories

For those who have been to this oriental island, whose shape is like a turtle and about 5 kilometers off the peninsula, these books are a pure delight of those sweet old memories.

I knew the writer well and was quite depressed when his book hit the stand. I told him that the cover design could have been better. I could have helped him out with the design, if I have time.

The next thing, he came to me abruptly one day, saying his books will be reprinted, and the publisher was happy to have a new cover. I was in.

Cover for the old children songs in Penang

Cover for the old roads in Penang

New cover on the shelf

An anthropologist in the rainforest

Recently I am working on a new cover for a book written by an anthropologist who stayed at a small village called Semaq Seri, isolated from the world outside for centuries.

I combined an illustration of forest with real photos of plants to create a mixture of reality and illusion, trying to send the message across that our preconception of life can sometimes be realistically unreal.

The plants and trees are shot at different locations in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The native kid was shot by the author himself.

Rainforest with stories to tell

Van Gogh's words

I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.

I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.

Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model.

Conscience is a man's compass.

But I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things.

A good picture is equivalent to a good deed.

If one is master of one thing and understands one thing well, one has at the same time, insight into and understanding of many things.

If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.

It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to, the feeling for the things themselves, for reality is more important than the feeling for pictures.

inspiring story

Cracked pot

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.' The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'

'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.'

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

So, to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Water pot carried by little novice
at Kopan monastery, Nepal

Cover story

Cover story on book design

I have done two cover designs for two books. One is a vegetarian cookbook published by Kopan Monastery in Nepal. The other a compilation of articles under the publication of Dharma Rain, by a writer who is a rice specialist in Northern Malaysia.

It feels good to be in touch with design again, after more than 15 years in advertising. My wish is to modernize the book cover for dharma books, making them look as attractive as other imported books on the shelf.

A beautiful look still matters to attract the sentient beings in our human realm.

The book cover title bears the calligraphy of
Zhi Cheng Fashi.

A cookbook with Kopan's favorite recipes.
Sketches from Nat Khadro who happens to be a vegan too.

Smiling quote 1

Guide your doors

" The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live. "
Flora Whittemore

A meticulously crafted wooden door, at the Unesco-listed
Chagu Narayan temple within the Kathmandu valley

Postcards shelf 2

Send a card with loving kindness

Another 5 designs from the postcard set.

The young monk against the yellow background was from Kopan monastery. His name is Lama Rigzin from Tsum valley. Many who bought this postcard were wondering where the venue was for this shoot.

Even the monks at Kopan were not exactly sure where it was.

Postcards shelf

Send a card with compassion

10 postcards, each with a beautiful dharma quote, are out late last year and already on the shelf at bookstores of Kopan monastery in Nepal, and Namgyal monastery in Dharamsala.

Over 600 cards were sold in the month of November when they first hit the stand at Kopan monastery.

They are also available at major bookstores on Thamel road in Kathmandu, and at House of Treasure in Dwarika's hotel.

Each card can stand on its own when folded, making it an ideal prop on the table.

New book on the shelf

My Private Map

Lao Tzu said, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Likewise, a book of a thousand words begins with a single character.

This book was recently launched at the Overseas Chinese Book Fair at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, where the Twin Towers are.

Together with other travellers, I was on stage giving a brief encounter of my trip to Morocco. It ended with a much anticipated book signing ceremony.

One world, 24 stories.

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