Kevin Warsh hinted of interest rate hike recently. Will local banks also increase interest rate for savers? Banks are quick to raise interest rates for credit cards but slow to increase interest rate for saving account. In Singapore, it is low 0.05% interest per annum if you don't credit your salary and saving for some local banks. I'm thinking of changing OCBC to other banks.
I'm thankful to one local bank for giving decent interest rate at about 1.5% for UOB stash account. At least every month, I have some money to buy coffee and snacks.
I find the following verse from Diamond Sutra helpful in letting go unhappiness. In life, there are times you need reminder or encouragement. Life is life Tao, that looks like sine wave with up and down when rotated. But it is when there is duality that you understand what it means in both polarities.
If you are interested to read more about Buddhism and the Heart Sutra, you can visit my blog here.
I spent some time translating meaningful part of this drama on the life of the 6th Patriarch of Chan, the Venerable Huineng as I find that it is helpful. Please highlight to me if there is error in translating.
Venerable Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarchof Chan (February 27, 638 – August 28, 713) was said to attain awakening when he heard a verse from the Diamond Sutra 应无所住而生其心. Without abiding anything, give rise to the pure mind.
When the Fifth Patriarch of Chan Venerable Hong Ren explained to him the Diamond sutra. Venerable Hui Neng was "suddenly and completely enlightened, and he understood that all things exist in self-nature.
应无所住而生其心，Without abiding anything, give rise to the pure mind
云何应住，云何降伏其心 When does the cloud abide, how does the cloud calm the mind
佛说应无所住而生其心 Buddha said without abiding in forms, arises the mind
即是说心即是佛,佛即是心 Meaning Pure Mind is Buddha and Buddha is Pure Mind.
他做了一首偈子Venerable Huineng came up with the following stanza when he understood the verse. I think true self, is our consciousness.
何其自性本自清净！What is true self, it is intrinsically pure
何其自性本不生灭！What is true self, it is neither born nor extinguish
何其自性本自具足！What is true self, it is self-sufficient
何其自性能生万法！What is true self, it can produce immeasurable dharma/ideas
From the Diamond Sutra
Subhuti, all great bodhisattvas should give rise to purity of mind in this way: they should not give rise to a mind that abides in form; they should not give rise to a mind that abides in form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. They should give rise to a mind that does not abide in anything.
Subhuti, a bodhisattva should turn away from all notions, and initiate the mind of anuttara samyaksambodhi. He should not give rise to a mind abiding in form, and he should not give rise to a mind abiding in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. He should give rise to a mind that does not abide in anything.
When we contemplate the following verses from the Diamond Sutra, your mind should not be affected by forms which are transient, dependent on causes and conditions.
一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观
“All conditioned phenomena Are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, Like dew and lightning. One should contemplate them in this way. “
All phenomena appear in the world is a combination of causes and conditions that is temporary by nature. It will pass. There is no permanent nature to form which is subjected to change due to causes and conditions, thus it is illusory. Thus why be sad over something that is illusory. Just let it go and not be attached to it.
A lot of suffering comes from the mind which is influenced by forms like sight, hearing, touch, taste or perception. When someone criticised us, we get upset, when someone own something we don’t have, we want it. We are always influenced by the three poison, greed, anger and delusion.
From the book, Miracles Happen: The Transformational Healing by Dr Brian Weiss, “ Chinese philosopher Hui-neng (6thpatriarch of Chan Buddhism/Zen) wrote, “When we are free from attachment to all outer objects, the mind will be in peace. Our essence of mind is intrinsically pure, and the reason why we are perturbed is because we allow ourselves to be carried by the circumstances we are in. He who is able to keep his mind unperturbed (calm), irrespective of circumstances has attained enlightenment. “
A woman who went through a near-death experience shared,” I realized that life is like a dream”. She wrote, “ When you are born, you wake up into mortality in this physical body. When your physical body dies, you return to immortality.”
I realised what is 无我 no-self as our consciousness or mind changes identity in various body forms in our many reincarnations. Thus there is no permanent self-identity. Do not cling to anger and just let go.
Today on 9 August, Singapore is celebrating 61 years of independence. The success of modern Singapore is inextricably linked to our first Prime Minister, the astute and wise Mr Lee Kuan Yew who led Singapore with his fellow comrades like Dr Goh Keng Swee, from third world to first world. Thank you Mr Lee Kuan Yew for your lifelong dedication to Singapore.
If you love flowers too, visit my Blooming Flowers and Arts blog here.
You can watch the recently concluded Singapore Garden Festival 2026 here. I like the impressive landscape gardens with amazing architecture designs and also intricate penjing.
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I'm currently working part-time in an organisation and I'm delighted to see the most beautiful exquisite pine trees and bamboos! I'm impressed by the effort and thought put into landscaping and taking care of the gardens. Other organisations just put perfunctory effort in creating garden as part of the organisation criteria or KPI. I have to say it's one of the beautiful gardens with unique and exquisite bamboos and pine trees that are quite rare. It's the first time I seen such beautiful pine trees.
This is the third organisation that I joined as part-time staff this year. Actually it should be the fourth as the third was an independent organisation. I learnt about different organisation cultures and implementations. This current organisation has the best culture (respectful generally) and most beautiful garden with creative leaders. The good thing about working part-time is I just focus on the creative aspect of my work and not spend too much time on admin and meeting.
Anyway, I always feel happy whenever I go back early after completing the task and I don't have to stay back for meetings and other duties. Contract with this organisation will end in few months time. I will use the time to admire these beautiful pine trees during my free time. These ancient looking pine trees are indeed a sight to behold.
I decided not to use Facebook account. What is the point of having the account if I can't share my blog or video? I'm also not comfortable giving my phone number and putting my photo to the social media. In a way it is good that I can save time by not spending too much time on Facebook. So do not respond if you see my name as I'm not using Facebook now.
Immerse yourself in a showcase of award-winning orchids at the Singapore Orchid Show. Co-organised with the Orchid Society of South East Asia (OSSEA). This amazing showcase gathers a diverse collection of warm- and cool-climate orchids from around the world at Flower Dome, at Gardens by the Bay.
Finally watched this excellent touching Teochew movie, Dear You. As a Teochew (潮州揭阳和潮阳）， I chose the original Teochew movie and it made me feel at home as I normally converse a mixture of Teochew and Mandarin at home. My late great-grandmother and grandparents conversed to me in Teochew.
This is definitely a great production. A touching story of how Teochews helped fellow Teochews in a foreign land. It reminds me of my late grandfathers who left China in the 1940s when they were young. They also sent money and letters to their families in China and I couldn't' help but got teary whenever I think of their suffering. The pain of separation from their families back home and they worked so hard to support their big families in Singapore too.
This is an amazing movie. Faster go and watch. Teochew Nan Gaginan.
I finally visited Singapore Garden Festival at Gardens by the Bay yesterday! Wow, there are so many impressive exhibition! I arrived at Gardens by the Bay at around 10 am plus in the morning and left at about 8.45 pm. I didn't see Planters Market as it was too late.
Jointly organised by Singapore National Parks and Gardens by the Bay, I think they have done a great job in showcasing the best tropical landscape design and horticulture and floral display to the world in this 10th edition of the Singapore Garden Festival.
You can still catch Singapore Gardens Festival at Singapore by the Bay till 12 July 2026, this coming Sunday.
For more information, you can visit Blooming Flowers, Arts and Travel blog here where I share everything about flowers, arts and travel.
If not for the recent Molly Tea and LV copyright case in China, I didn’t know the logo from LV is the same as the decoration (different orientation) in a Buddhism rock wall craving （大足石刻 ）in China built during the Tang dynasty about 1400 years ago.
33 years ago on this day, I was devastated that Wong Ka Kiu passed on. Sadly Beyond slowly disbanded after he passed on. A talented composer and singer, his music lives on.
