Friends in the Dhamma

Today's meditation class is a special one as we celebrated our teacher's Bro James's birthday.

The evening started with a special blessing puja (prayer) and we continue with the meditation. At the end of the class, we sang him a birthday song..not the usual one but a Buddhism version..so sweet.

I have been meditating for more than 1 year and all this while, I attend as a loner, I don't normally talk to a lot of them except for one or two, of course not because I am arrogant but I am still consider a new comer, I do greet everyone with a smile whenever we meet. Tonight it is an exceptional night for me. Sister Jean who has been a meditators for years, came forward to ask me if I have offered the teacher a drink before, I said to her "No" and she said you will do it this round.

I feel very privilege and grateful to do this "noble" thing. Today is our teacher's birthday and on this special day I had been given this important assignment to offer a drink to our teacher. Our teacher has been guiding us for many years and not being paid a small token before. He voluntarily offered his dhamma sharing with us, and I am one of the benefited one, who has found some lights in life from darkness, and I am sure there are many who are like me.

After the class, I was invited to join them for supper and I felt I am part of this family and a step closer to knowing fellow meditators. We shared our experiences on meditation. In our class, there is this gentleman whom started a few months ago, I remember vividly those question that he asked and sadly he always seem lost when the teacher replied him. Tonight his question was, after he started to meditate, he is more generous in giving dana, but he is not sure if people is taking advantage of his good deed. The reply from the teacher was, when you give, you will give sincerely and full heartedly. You need not border to know if the other person is taking advantage. If the other person is taking advantage, that is his karma of wrong doing, but if he is consciously calculative of his generosity, that is his karma of ill thinking.

All of us seems to understand this principle very clearly, we do not ask for any return in favour of dana..and again I see him lost in the answer. I sincerely hope this new brother in the dhamma will have more wisdom and enlightenment soon.

Tonight is a great night, I had joy in meditation and it is the spiritual joy that makes one's life better, (calmness in mind) then comes the worldly (sensual) joy.

Sadhu sadhu sadhu.

With metta :)