Located near the equator (only 1 degree from equator), Singapore is summer all year long. It is always sunny except for the occasional thunderstorm. I like to see the beautiful but fleeting clouds up the sky. Its one of the miracles in life. The sky is like the canvas and the clouds like the paint that fill up the space sometimes forming beautiful shapes or patterns delighting us mere mortals.
The recent Hong Kong riots really shocked and saddened me. I first visited Hong Kong alone in 2017 for holiday and it was then a safe and beautiful city. Two years later, Hong Kong has spiraled into a "war zone" with young and reckless rioters throwing petrol bombs at police officers and MTR stations, smashing public infrastructures like government buildings, and setting up barricades in public street; inconveniencing others.
It is ironical that they are claiming to be fighting for freedom and democracy when they had viciously hit others just for expressing their views and disagreeing with their destructive actions. You don't hit others just because they disagree with you. Where is freedom of speech and respect for human rights that they are claiming to fight? Most western media especially from Britain and USA conveniently reported that police officers hit and fire tear gas at rioters without elaborating why. Journalists need to be professional to deliver trustworthy report. Those violent young rioters were viciously attacking the policemen by throwing and hitting them with things like bricks, petrol bombs and metal poles. I don't really trust Britain and USA media now for their biased report. Fortunately, Robert Ovadia from Australia reported the truth and the real situation in Hong Kong. Those journalists from Britain and USA should take a leaf from this brave and professional Australian journalist. When I corrected some Facebook users who were spreading fake news that China is oppressing Hong Kong, when the real fact is the young HK rioters are destroying the beautiful city by damaging public infrastructures themselves and attacking others, they would accuse me of working for China and that I support Communists. A vietnamese FB user even used vulgarities when she couldn't retort. Oh wow, so for anyone who don't share the same view as them, then you are a Communist or you work for China. Hello, I'm a Singaporean who just want to speak out if you are spreading fake news to incite more riots. I hope Hong Kong police officers stay safe. For the past 155 years when Hong Kongers were under British colonial rule, why didn't Britain give them democracy to let them vote for their own governor? Hong Kong was ruled under 1 governor, 1 British law. Why didn't they protest then for the past 155 years until now? Who is telling them to riot now? Like it or not, there is this thing call Karma cause and effect 因果- Good action leads to good results and bad action leads to bad results. Everything in life is interconnected. Four months of rioting has taken a toll on police officers. They are just doing their work and they also have family. Now police officers' families are subjected to verbal abuse by those young rioters who are claiming to be fighting for freedom and human rights but they are cyberbullying police officers and their families. Many Hong Kongers also lost their jobs too. After looking at the situation Hong Kong is in, I really appreciate the fact that we Singaporeans had a shrewd and firm leader like Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Thank you for setting strict laws and policies that help Singapore to be where it is today. Watching the interview by BBC Tim Sebastian who questioned Mr Lee on freedom and human rights "issues" in Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew shrewdly answered his questions and put the arrogant and ill-prepared journalist in place. Mr Lee Hsien Loong, our current Prime minister calmly replied to the journalist when asked similar questions on human rights. He brought a very good point. Western countries are still buying oil from Middle East countries where they don't have much freedom and human rights there. No one has a monopoly of wisdom. As a Singaporean, as long as the country is in peace, safe and things are running well, we have nothing to protest. I support our Singapore government policies on criminal detention without trial and scrutinising foreign interference in Singapore be it in school or in church. You can never underestimate the impact of foreign interference. Hong Kong is a good example. To the biased journalists who twisted the truth, ask your conscience if you had reported the facts like David Ovadia. No police want to fire unless he was hit. Look at the video carefully before you accuse the police. For the past four months, they had shown amazing restraint especially compared to USA policemen where you can see the record of 689 fatal shooting this year by USA policemen from Washington Posthere which reported that some were shot for holding a wasp spray or even knife only. Instead of reporting the rioters as victims, you had been demonising the hardworking Hong Kong policemen who are defending themselves and protecting the city. One needs to bear in mind that freedom comes with responsibility. It doesn't mean you have the right to attack others or destroy public properties just because they don't agree with you. Stay safe Hong Kong police officers. #天佑香港警察。 If you don't speak up for others, who will speak up for you next time?
Mr Lee Kuan Yew was a shrewd leader who had great foresight. In 1997, he cleverly answered the arrogant and unprofessional interviewer, Tim Sebastian (did not do his research on his interviewee before the interview) questions on "freedom and human right issues" in Singapore.
20 years later, BBC journalist again asked our current Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong on freedom and human right issues in Singapore.
Robert Ovadia is the most professional reporter who reported the truth on the real situation in Hong Kong where violent rioters are destroying public infrastructure and attacking a female by striking her head with glass bottle just because she filmed their criminal acts.
Last Friday after work, I went to Gardens by the Bay to see rhododendron flowers from New Zealand. More than 400 rhododendron plants of 80 varieties are on display for the first time at flower dome from now till 28 October. This year, I already visited the flower dome to see tulips, roses, orchids and now rhododendron flowers. Every few months, the flower dome main will feature different flowers.
By the time I arrived at the flower dome, it was about 6.50 pm. Actually its better to see the flowers before sun set. Some areas are dim or the light that shine on the flowers are too bright.
I'm looking forward to new flowers coming to flower dome. I really hope for November to December theme, they will change poinsettia display to other flowers display.
The Heart Sutra is still my favourite Buddhism sutra and it captures the essence of Buddha's teaching on emptiness. Thus I started Buddhism blog titled Heart Sutra and Buddhism. Whenever I want to listen to the Heart Sutra, I will listen to Imee Ooi rendition of Heart Sutra. Thus when I heard that there will be a Heart Sutra (in 8 different languages) concert by Imee Ooi and her team in Singapore Esplanade Theatre by the bay, next year 11 of January, I felt very happy. Today is the first day to purchase the concert ticket. I just brought a ticket! Now I can listen to Heart Sutra in 8 different languages by Imee Ooi. To purchase the ticket, click here. The following Heart Sutra is from here by Chung Tai Translation Committee. SUTRA OPENING GATHA 開經偈 The Dharma, infinitely profound and subtle, Is rarely encountered even in a million kalpas. Now we are able to hear, study, and follow it, May we fully realize the Tathagata’s true meaning. 無上甚深微妙法 百千萬劫難遭遇 我今見聞得受持 願解如來真實義
THE HEART OF PRAJNA PARAMITA SUTRA Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, While deeply immersed in prajna paramita, Clearly perceived the empty nature of the five skandhas, And transcended all suffering. Shariputra! Form is not different from emptiness, Emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. So it is with feeling, conception, volition, and consciousness. Shariputra! All dharmas are empty in character; Neither arising nor ceasing, Neither impure nor pure, Neither increasing nor decreasing. Therefore, in emptiness, there is no form; There is no feeling, conception, volition, or consciousness; No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; No form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; No realm of vision, and so forth, Up to no realm of mind-consciousness;
No ignorance or ending of ignorance, and so forth, Up to no aging and death or ending of aging and death. There is no suffering, no cause, no extinction, no path. There is no wisdom and no attainment. There is nothing to be attained. By way of prajna paramita, The bodhisattva’s mind is free from hindrances. With no hindrances, there is no fear; Freed from all distortion and delusion, Ultimate nirvana is reached. By way of prajna paramita, Buddhas of the past, present, and future Attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Therefore, prajna paramita Is the great powerful mantra, The great enlightening mantra, The supreme and peerless mantra. It can remove all suffering. This is the truth beyond all doubt. And the prajna paramita mantra is spoken thus:Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha. 观自在菩萨，行深般若波罗蜜多时，照见五蕴皆空，度一切苦厄,
