A difficult year for me

lowkks SG

I'm 18 and I'm supertistious too. This year, I offended the presiding god(TAI SUI) as I was born in the year of horse. It wasn't really smooth sailing for me througout the year. I encoutered numberous setbacks which I have never came across neither imagined. 2 months ago, after recieving my year end results from my junior college, I couldn't mutter a word. I failed the exams and have to repeat another year. It was indeed a painful decision for me to continue the tertiary education instead of changing path towards the polytechnic route. I got scolded by my parents for taking things too light for many times. I didn't give in. I told myself no matter what I will get promoted to JC2. Out of desperation, I went to consult a medium at a temple. I consulted Guan Gong, also known as Qie Lan Pu Sa in Buddhism. It is a desperate measure indeed. I kind of regretted and I'm now thinking of ways to repay the devas, known as Gui Sheng. I haven't been chanting and practicing Buddhism this year compared to the previous 2 years partly because of my studies. Practictioners out there, don't ever be like me, indiscipline in cultivation, or else, when come to crisis, you have no one to turn to and ALL THE GODS AND DEVAS IN THE HEAVEN WILL GALNCE AT YOU AND MUTTER A 3-WORD SLOGAN: Serve You Right.

maggot SG

god(TAI SUI) ?

Why all this cannot make it in China only else where there is chinese?

Rubbish lah…last year I suppose to offend him…

Guess how much lottery I have won…

Believe in you will win and succeed and you will have higher chances of succeeding

But must put in effort in the right direction and method

Bodhi hut SG

Perhaps you should reflect on the hard work you put onto in your studies before relating matters to religious factor. Your attitude towards your studies is important and your focus, if having a mindset dependable on the conflict with Tai Sui, you will always have negative mindset on all the things.

It 's like farmer putting hard work on the rice field and when harvest you see result. Confidence is important, you may want to learn how to relex the mind, ie meditation or exercise, it 's alright to have set back, and realise it, and you still can go for the repeat.

I do respect Toasim, and i do pray Tai Sui also, though i am in buddhism cultivation.

An Eternal Now SG

I agree with maggot and bodhi hut that this has to do with individual effort than supernatural causes. There is an article related as taught by Buddha, http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol6no2a.htm

We will face failures throughout life, we should not take it too hard, let go of the past yet learn from the mistakes and try harder next time. Learning how to let go of gain and loss is part of practice. All the best...

bohiruci SG

hello lowkks ,seems like you are also experiencing a same kind of issue as me

financial issue and studies.

In fact , if you remember Master Chin Kung in the Avatamsaka Sutra teaching.He mentioned that adversity is part of life .

The reason why we have adversity is a lighter effect of the ripening fruits of karma

You are born with the opportunity to practise Buddhism and have chance to study in Junior College ,then how do you compare yourself to those on the street with no arms and begging ?

There is alot of intervening cause and conditions which we dun have the insight to know.

You see , you must have the right condition to study in the Junior College.In secondary school ,you may be very good in studies,but seriously ,thats very light compared to A level which emphasis more on analytical approaches

Just keep on Reciting Sincerely in Amitabha Name .One day you will know the answer in your Chanting .

Just to share with you ,what 'fixes' i have

1.Low tuition income for 2 month

2.Not able to go out to eat at Cafe Cartel with friends

3.Spent till the last cent on transport and zero savings for the whole 9 months

4.No money to donate to any Buddhist temple generously

5.Other source of income is pathetically negative

I hope you are a happy young Buddhist.Try not to think too much and wallow in self miserly, think about you still have the opportunity to study ,compared to other who dont even able to enter Junior College at all .Due to incomplete limbs, deaf and mute and take a real hard path in life

Display Name SG

hi lowkks

Devas only create condition for your good karma to ripen, that's all.
If your karma bank is running low of good karma, even after the deva create so many conditions for you, many strange things will still happen that makes you to suffer or fail a mission.

Many people don't pray to deva yet they succeed, because they work hard and smart, which will also create conditions for their merit to ripen.
Furthermore, working hard and smart alone is already a contribution to sentient beings, you help your company to make more profit, help the people. and along the way, you clear your bad karma by getting unreasonable blame and so on.
But I agree that deva's help is definitely faster for you to overcome problems.

BEARZAIS SG

cheer up okie

i am also born in the year of the horse

in life theres always be difficult and good times..

I am 17 this year,

at the start of this year,..i really thought i was going into a tough year

could not get into the poly of my choice....was saddened but not devastated

this year had been quite a fruitfull year for me, i scored a gpa of 3.5, i made good friends , my relationship with my gf is coming a year (this takes a whole lot of effort)

so...jus try ur best, if u put in the effort u will bound to get something in return

good luck

An Eternal Now SG

To add on to my previous post... I understand that it's quite difficult to appeal (for reasons such as if the school allows people to appeal then they will have to allow the whole other group of people to get promoted... and also it's the school wish that students get the foundational year right) But in any case I hope your appealing will work.

If it doesn't though, try to take it as an opportunity instead, to make sure you get your foundation strong to prepare for your A levels. To pass and score well in A levels is not a piece of cake either... and that is what is most important... if you retain but do well then your time is not wasted.

Isis SG

There are many causes and conditions that leads to a result. You have to ask yourself what else has happened that lead to this happening.

Basic rule for Buddhist: We take refuge in only the Triple Gems - The Buddha,The Dharma and Sangha. Whenever we face a crisis we can always take refuge in the Triple Gems. It is also a good practice to take refuge in the triple gems on a daily basis. Some people prefer to refuge before they chant and meditate.

Buddhism is also anti-supertistious. Buddhist do not believe burning paper money as such will help the dead - There is only taoism practice. Some people mix taoism as Buddhism.

The Buddha also taught people to investigate whether does it truly help, is it based on hearsay and do not resort to blindly-believing.

Kalama Sutra

"Rely not on the teacher/person, but on the teaching. Rely not on the words of the teaching, but on the spirit of the words. Rely not on theory, but on experience.Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do
not believe anything because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything because it is written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."

- the Buddha

cycle SG

Hi lowkks,

Whatever we do in life be it studies, work, duties, obligations etc we must put in our sincere and earnest efforts. No short-cuts.Then just sit back and accept the results. Sometimes there can be many unforseen obstacles that are not within our control, so the results may not be what we had hoped for. But if we think out of the box, we may find that certain "undesirable" results may not necessarily be that bad at all some time down the road.

Things, situations, people, ideas, opportunities, everything is constantly changing. The good times can be turned into bad times, the difficult times can ride itself out one day and become good times again. One opportunity lost can means another new or even better opportunity gained. You are still young, there are many doors opened for you. There will be lots of meaningful things to explore in your life later!

So the important thing is to always be responsible to yourself, disciplined, hardworking, then no matter what happens, you will have no regrets and be able to takes things in your stride.

Jia you!

ps. oh, don't go to mediums anymore. u may unknowingly stray from the dharma path.

Isis SG

If you are a buddhist who has taken refuge in the Triple Gems, you should take refuge only into the Triple Gems - the Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha.. and not those Gui Sheng and other higher beings. It is just not safe. By the way I don't think all Deva are Gui sheng types. There are also many differents level of celetisal beings. Some of them have taken refuge into the Triples and have also reached a certain level of enlightenment.

I assume that you have consulted a taoist temple and promise something that you fail to deliver ?

However, i also don't think you should jump into conclusion because of there and alot of bad things have happen. There are many causes and conditions that lead to a result.

An Eternal Now SG

Gui shen means 'ghost deities' which means they come from the spirit/ghost realm, not devas or celestial realm.

There are some gui shen who took refuge in Buddhism and some vowed to be dharma protectors. Nevertheless, Buddhists do not rely on these beings for mundane things.

淋雨 SG

buddha taught supertition?

An Eternal Now SG

buddha taught supertition?

No. We are against it.

lowkks SG

I reaped what I sowed. I'm just a few marks behind my passing grade for GP or else I'll get promoted. Just that few marks. They didn't allow me to be promoted. If you were me, what will you do? But my current cultivation is really very bad. I ate a lot of meat, isn't that thrifty as compared. It's really bad. Real bad.

bohiruci SG

hi little brother lowkks ,

think carefully, GP is a subject that requires a good insight on Current Affairs .If you have been study hard ,why do you feel frustrated ?Last time when I take General Paper ,I spent many hours in the Library just to understand the how to put facts into essays .and its more than 3 ,4 hours in the library.

Eating meat is okie wad.if you start eating live seafood then its really bad .

Try to cut down on spending.dun let your heart brings you to shop and start buying things you go home and find you have no need for that.

That boils down to yourself .

How do you regard Buddhism as ? a religion to save yourself or its just a religion as a spiritual backup and morale recharging ?

You must understand your action

As what Buddha said

Be mindful of our actions and our body ,speech and mind .

Lastly try not to be too superstitious ..You wont end up having answers but more doubts

We tends to blame on people on our unfortunate circumstances ,but have we seriously thought about what are the factors we never remind ourself to prevent things goes awry ?

bohiruci SG

i read the almanac that this few years i also sit tai sui and offending tai sui ..If i am like you start going to the gods, thats quite silly ..understanding our karmic cycle that we have good and bad times.bad times is to grow us and reshape our lifestyle so in the good times we will be more cautious .

Isis SG

Hello,

If there is something you can do about it, do it

If there is nothing you can do about it, then accept it and make the best out of it.

It is either continue to stay on as JC1 or go Poly.

Whatever the decision it is, strive earnestly and make the best out of it

Bodhi hut SG

Take this opportunity as a learning cureve, as if this set back pull you to the ground, then there are many more awaiting you in the future...For your age, problems meant to be problems are still mild, when you grow older, you will have more problematic stuff.

today you have a set back, if yo brought forward this set back to tomorrow, then tomorrow you will have more set back. At this point your mind are being occupied by this set back, tactfully, you should change your pessimistic mindset to positive mindset, and if you could change it, it will result into bigger energy transformation, where it brings you greater confidence and strength, if you do not know how to switch over, then you mind will gradually weaken, as taken accord as this is the benchmark % of the set back you can take, imagine if the set back double the %, it will take you long long time to recover....

So why not you empty this case and stop relating the result to your cultivation, and start enjoy your holidays, and this is also a good time for your to go for your cultivation retreat, like visiting temples, reading dharma books, watching dharma DVDs..etc..

wilsonhao SG

I believe in acedemics, the karma theory is not there. When you study, you may pass or may not even pass. The problem lies in the examination period. Sometimes nervous then it can cause the condition to fail. But on the other hand if you never study, then its a fail. Some people may say that they never study, but they still get good grades, but you know it in your heart that everyone is different.

Take me for an example. I failed my humanities throughout the whole of last year. Those around me who claimed they did not really studied got quite good grades. But come to this year, i decided that i will make a run. So i studied very hard. In the end im number 1 for humanities in class. Those who still claim they didnt study still got quite good grades, but im better than them. The effort is paid of.