year of the rooster 2017 - introspection

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Introspection

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The years pass by so very quicklyDo we take time to reflect wisely?

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Ignorant ones live life heedlessly.

Wise ones do things that matter truly.

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Do I intentionally destroy living

beings?Am I careless and unmindful thereby causing a life force

to end prematurely?

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Am I cultivating loving-kindness and

compassion towards all beings?

Do I intentionally take another person’s

property and cause unhappiness?

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Do I cheat and have I been dishonest in my dealings with others?

Do I borrow and fail to return another’s

belongings?

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Do I have a yearning to take and take and not to give?

Have I made any progress in my DANA?

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Do I commit rape, adultery, sexual molestation and harassment

of innocent parties?Do my actions threaten the stability

and happiness of a marriage or family?

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Am I excessive in my pursuit of sensual pleasures to the extent that I have little

or no time for cultivation?To what extent am I practising contentment?

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Do I lie causing others hurt, pain and sorrow?

Am I hypocritical in my interaction with others?

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Am I in the habit of saying things which may not be true?

Do I deceive ? Do I spread rumors ?

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Do I make false reports that injure another person’s reputation?

Does my speech cause others to disunite or break up?

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When I speak of others, am I mindful and do I think and reflect on the consequences?

Do I often abuse people, use rude and harsh speech?

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How often are my speeches

accompanied by thoughts of anger, ill-will or hatred?

Do I think before speaking?

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Am I impulsive?Do I make a conscious effort

to use words of loving-kindness?

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Do I often engage in useless and meaningless talks

that waste so much of my time?Does my gossip cause others

to be hurt and unhappy?

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Does my idle talk bring about quarrels, friction, disharmony and enmity among others?

Are my beneficial talks increasing as my useless talks decrease?

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Do I desire others’ things? Am I cutting my greed?

Am I mindful when unwholesome desires arise in my mind and do I check them?

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Am I reducing my attachment to material things? Am I thinking less and less of the ‘I’, ‘Mine’ and

more and more of the ‘You’ and ‘Yours’?

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Do I have thoughts of harming others?

Am I reducing my jealousy, cruelty, anger, and hatred?

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Am I relating well to others – a

relationship based on

loving-kindness and compassion?

Do I practise METTA?

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Do I have right understanding?Am I clinging to false beliefs of permanence, a self and ego, the

non-existence of Kamma?Do I abstain from intoxicants

that can delude my mind?

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Do I have preconceived

notions, indulgences in

sense experience and neurotic

tendencies to get more and more?

Am I taking steps to walk the Middle

Way?

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The End GONG XI FA CAI TO YOU

May Peace grow through Right View

With Metta,Bro. Oh Teik Bin