Last day of school...

Today is Friday 17th November 2006. Today is the last day of school. I am going to miss the children I already did Deep in my heart I pray everyday for their growth and happiness Before they go I hug them I don't want to let them go Seeing them is like looking at the future They are the future! I am proud to be their teacher!

对话

昨晚与Student House的成员对话，讨论有关学生部的问题。一开始讨论时，大家几乎忘了时间。对话延伸至三点凌晨。我在第二天需要五点半早上起身。今天早上的勤行向御本尊祈求今天一定能与小朋友一起成长起来，一定充满生命力挑战今天的一切。果然今天真的与小朋友一起度过几个美好的一天。 昨晚谈到非常多的事情。通过对话真的能够了解对方，迅速一池田先生的指导作为鼓励。顿时觉得学会非常伟大，自己与同志们也非常的幸运以池田先生为人生师匠。 一切在于自己的一念。如果自己早已经说不可能，哪，肯定不可能。当一个人的一念决议转换时，所有的事情也会跟着转换。人很难往好的方向去思索，我们都会想到种种不好的后果或结果。佛法着教导我们要往善的方向去思索，尊敬他人的佛性，肯定他人的伟大！这是非常重要的。要打破“无人心态”及生命的无明。只有打破生命的无明，人才能觉悟及实践尊敬人的行动。 佛法将胜负，王法将赏罚。我们不应该以赏罚作为标准，应该以人生的胜负作为标准。到底我在临终的那一刻能不能够确信日连佛法，取得人生的胜利！人生只有一次，生命不能 take 2，应终生贯彻信心到底，这才是作重要的。

对话

昨晚与Student House的成员对话，讨论有关学生部的问题。一开始讨论时，大家几乎忘了时间。对话延伸至三点凌晨。我在第二天需要五点半早上起身。今天早上的勤行向御本尊祈求今天一定能与小朋友一起成长起来，一定充满生命力挑战今天的一切。果然今天真的与小朋友一起度过几个美好的一天。 昨晚谈到非常多的事情。通过对话真的能够了解对方，迅速一池田先生的指导作为鼓励。顿时觉得学会非常伟大，自己与同志们也非常的幸运以池田先生为人生师匠。 一切在于自己的一念。如果自己早已经说不可能，哪，肯定不可能。当一个人的一念决议转换时，所有的事情也会跟着转换。人很难往好的方向去思索，我们都会想到种种不好的后果或结果。佛法着教导我们要往善的方向去思索，尊敬他人的佛性，肯定他人的伟大！这是非常重要的。要打破“无人心态”及生命的无明。只有打破生命的无明，人才能觉悟及实践尊敬人的行动。 佛法将胜负，王法将赏罚。我们不应该以赏罚作为标准，应该以人生的胜负作为标准。到底我在临终的那一刻能不能够确信日连佛法，取得人生的胜利！人生只有一次，生命不能 take 2，应终生贯彻信心到底，这才是作重要的。

Humanity...

"If I respect a person as a human being, there is something that I will not do to that person" Dr. Lawrence Carter.

A translation of President Ikeda's "To My Friends" published in the SeikyoShimbun and more. THURSDAY, August 31st, 2006-- TO MY FRIENDS -- Three cheers for all of our Student Division members! *By cultivating wisdom, improve yourselves as human beingsand so develop the strength and ability to wipe out all evil forces(by relentlessly refuting all injustice and lies). Please become fine, capable individuals in all aspectsas courageous young men and women for the sake of justice!* August 31: Student Division Day - On August 31st, 1962, President Ikedabegan his first lecture on the "Record ofthe Orally Transmitted Teachings" to some forty student divisionrepresentatives. "As for each of you here today to study the 'Orally Transmitted Teachings'with me, from here on, I ask that you, too, without a single exception,develop yourselves to become exemplary leaders of the Gakkai and of societyas a whole. That is my earnest wish. For that reason, I am determined to puteverything I have into these lectures, no matter how busy I may be withother matters.""For ten years, I thoroughly studied and learned the principles ofkosen-rufu under Mr. Toda's tutelage. The mentor provides the principles,and the disciple puts them into practice. In the future, I want you to makeenormous progress in kosen-rufu, building tens and hundreds of times on thefoundation that I have established. I am a steppingstone for you. Our goalis the happiness of all people and world peace." (The New Human Revolution,Volume 6, "Young Eagles" chapter) THURSDAY, August 31st, 2006--- DAILY GOSHO ---"Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion kingand never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion kingfears no other beast, nor do its cubs."(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings ofNichiren Daishonin, page 997) Selection source: "Kyo noHosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, August 31st, 2006FRIDAY, September 1st, 2006---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----"Both practice and study arise from faith (WND, 386), continues NichirenDaishonin in the same gosho "The True Aspect of All Phenomena. " When faithdeepens, practice and study progress, and when practice and study progress,faith deepens. Through this chain of cause and effect, our lives are filledwith benefit that can vanquish the negative and bring forth the positive; weare assured of true happiness and able to accumulate everlasting goodfortune." Disregarding the two ways of practice and study is like flying an airplanewith no idea of your course, altitude, or destination, and no means ofrefuelling. Without fail, you will stray and eventually lose speed. If youencounter the slightest turbulence, you will come crashing down from theskies in a flash. Those who persevere in the two ways of practice and study,however, walk the path of supreme victors in life; they are people who willnever regress in faith and will triumph resolutely in all struggles."SGI Newsletter No. 6946, SGI President Ikeda's Editorial, The Two Ways ofPractice and Study: The Shining Path of the Highest Way of Life, (From theSeptember 2006 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai monthly studyjournal, translated Aug. 29th, 2006)

广布奋斗。

池田先生说：“从佛法来看，‘所有人都是佛’。” 现有自己站起来为广布奋斗，当诚心祈求“新的广布英雄啊， 聚集起来！”时，就必定会有使命的人才出现。要发掘广布的人才，将之培养起来。培养人才的要诀，第一是“见面”。与对方见面、理解对方、给予鼓励并祈愿对方的成长。 “广宣流布的奋斗”是公转，自己本身的“人间革命”是自转。只有让对方持着“自己是广布的主体”的自觉、才能够使对方体会信心的无作的喜悦。 池田先生于1990年2月20日在NSA（Nichiren Shoshu America; 现称：SGI USA)青年讲习会中给予青年部以下的指导：

青年需要教学，青年需要行动。

一开始，先生就说：“希望青年向教学挑战！希望青年藉[行动]锻炼自我！我满怀那股期望，加以多时来感的意念，想来一谈几点有关信心的基本。

“本尊”具有“根本尊敬”的意义。为人生、生命的根本，而值得尊敬、皈依的对象，就是本尊。是故，以什么为本尊，人生在根柢上必有所决定。

先生继续给予基本教学的指导。在指导的最后，先生说：“我们聚集御本尊左右，向广宣流布迈进，都是佛子，也是“妙法家人”！是故，尚盼彼此要互相尊敬、互相信赖、互相鼓励，好好度过这一生。并要确信这样的人，才会日益增多御本尊的功德与诸天加护．＂

今年非常重要。“今年的奋斗正是决定今后50年胜利、 充满决定性的一年。”此话出自于池田先生。在今年如何在地域巩固会员们的幸福，如何继续培育更多的人才，自己如何再一次的在教学与行动做出激烈奋战，在于我们的一念与祈求。让我们一起勇敢的展开创建辉耀的人本世纪的广宣流布思想战吧！

UM class

I wasn't feeling like going to UM today. Every Saturday have to study from 9 am to 6 pm... It was quite tough for me to stay concentrate for such a long time. Nevertheless, everytime I thought of giving up, I'll think of the children in TSS, I have to go on no matter what it takes... This semester was getting better. The course offered this semester was what I needed currently, especially Mathematics and Science for Kindergarten and Program planing and teaching strategy I. This year I am teaching English, English Mathematics, Science, Bahasa Melayu and Theme. After attending the Mathematic and science for children, I gained alot of new discovery about those subject. I was full of hope in doing whatever it takes to let the children enjoy to the fullest in those subjects. As Dr. Mariani told us today that play is the children's business, it is their work. So, through play, we are letting the children learn as they are having fun at the same time. Working for the happiness of the children - as what Makiguchi sensei had told us.

These few months, TSS has undergone many changes in upgrading administration system and also teacher's standard in preparing lessons. For those who do not know why we have to make changes, will certainly have a lot of grumbling and complaints. But, after what Pooi Yin has shared with us during Friday's staff meeting, we have a better understanding and I think quite a few are starting to work for all the changes. Perhaps these are the stages that we need to go through in understanding certain changes have to be made in order to upgrade the whole school to greater height. We were asked to think about why we want to work in TSS. Also we heard the sharing about what Makiguchi Sensei, Toda Sensei and Ikeda Sensei thought about humanistic education.

Working 3 times harder than anybody else. Working for the happiness of the children. That is what I am telling myself everyday when I step into TSS.

How are you, carryn? Boon How? Hope you guys are fine. I miss you all. Please drop by and say hello, will ya? Wishing you all happy working and studying.

New Books on the sale!

This month is quite an exciting one for me. I bought alot of books and did a lot of things during the one week school holiday. I'm going to talk about the books first then only about the school holiday activity. The first book cost RM 170.00 - Human Revolution (12 Volumes) by Ikeda Sensei. It comes in blue cover. I've started reading and quickly being absorb into the book whenever I was pouring over it. The image in my head is so clear making every picture that I can by looking at Toda Sensei and Ikeda Sensei's words. I currently stopped at page 45 and the first sentence that struck me is "The darker the night, the nearer the dawn". I was feeling quite down last week and this sentence really encouraged me not to give up so easily. I have to speed up in achieving what I want. The next book is "The Quotable Nichiren". This book is great whereby the Gosho exerpts are categorized into different topics such as Happiness, Arrogance, Hope and so on. Believe me, you won't regret having this book. I quote :"If we consider the power of the Lotus Sutra, we will find perpetual youth and eternal life before our eyes. (WND, 413)". The next book is "For today and Tomorrow Daily encouragement by Ikeda Sensei. This is just like the daily encouragement except it does not have chinese translation. Share with you today's encouragement. "By devoting ourselves earnestly to SGI activities, we gain the ability to turn all difficulties and obstacles into benefit, recognizing that earthly desires and delusions are enlightenment and that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana. No matter how unpleasant the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can transform them into hope and good foryune - into eternal happiness. How incredible this is!" Ikeda Sensei. Em, that is all for the time being, have to go to work already.

Unexpected...

Sometimes, unexpected things happened on us. Sad or happy... Yesterday, I got to know that my YWD member's little brother passed away in a motorcycle - car accident. The driver ran away... He died on the spot... I was speechless. I really am! Six months ago, this YWD loss her father due to heart attck. When she started to stand up again, her little brother left her too. What is happening in this world??!! I was having a tough time to accept this my own. After having long thoughts and also after chanting. I had something in mind. I came to a conclusion that I must visit this YWD to listen to what she has to say. We went to her house (five of us) and talked to her for a short while. I wasn't satisfied at all. She is hiding something underneath and I need to find out what is it. Her face let me know that she need to talk to someone alone and there were too many of us. I took her by the hand and asked her what's the matter. She started to cry and said that she misses her brother very much. I let her talk about her brother and listened to every word from her mouth. I talked to her about sensei's guidance and was hoping it can encourage her a little. Then, another Soka Friend that lives two doors away came out and we called her. Soon, we were having lively chat and I think this Soka Friend was our shoten zenjin. We actually laughed a lot during that conversation. I thought that would cheer the YWD up a little. Before I get in to my car, I told her to be strong and we will chant together for her brother and father's happiness. Also, I tols her that she herself have to achieve happiness too. When I went out to dinner together with Soe Lan, I saw 2 rainbows in the sky. It was the second time I saw 2 rainbows. It feels great! In my heart I prayed that the YWD will have hope just like the rainbow up in the sky.

To My Friends & Daily Gosho Feb 8th & Daily Enc. Feb 9th

WEDNESDAY, February 8th, 2006-- TO MY FRIENDS --

Let's try to make every effort to look after all of our fellow memberswho are not able to participate in meetings by encouraging them with kind and caring words! Every single one of us, without exception, has an important and noble mission to fulfil for kosen-rufu!

WEDNESDAY, February 8th, 2006

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"How gratifying! You have associated with a friend in the orchid room andhave become as straight as mugwort growing among hemp.'"

*"A friend in the orchid room" indicates a person of virtue. The implicationis that the company of a virtuous person works as a good influence, just as one is imbued with fragrance on entering a room filled with orchids. It is said that mugwort supported by hemp plants grows upright.

(On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land - TheWritings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 23)

Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin",Seikyo Shimbun, February 8th, 2006

THURSDAY, February 9th, 2006

---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----

"The French writer and philosopher Voltaire (1694??778) wrote: 'Build you rown happiness through the happiness of others.'

"SGI Newsletter No. 6719, The New Human Revolution?

Vol. 18: Chap. 2,Gratitude for One?

Mentor 27, translated Feb 7th, 2006

- WAGATOMO NI OKURU

-KAIGO NI

DERARENAI HITO NI

JIAI NO HAGEMASHI O!

HITORI MO MORENAKU

SHIMEI NO HITO DAKARA

"YOROKOBASHIKI KANA NANJI RANSHITSU NO TOMO NI MAJIWARITE MAHO NO SHO TO NARU" (Gosho Zenshu, page 31)

Constant challenge everyday...

Constant challenge everyday! Wonderlful? Suffering? Sometimes I wonder, Why am I a human? Why am I breathing? Why am I walking? Why am I talking? Why am I thinking? Why... Can you tell me WHY? I am a human because... I have a brain? I am breathing? I can walk? W can talk? I can think? Probabbly... But, the most important thing is... I have Gohonzon with me. I have Sensei's guidance with me. I have the Gosho with me. I have Faith with me. Drives me to the constant challenges everyday. Shall I be sad? Shall I be unhappy? Shall I be worrying? Shan't! But, sometimes... Things got a little too messy to not be sad, To not be unhappy, To not be worrying... Fear not for all these things will dissappear into thin air in no time! Just have faith in Gohonzon... The clear path will unfold infront of our very eyes!

时光飞逝。。。

不知不觉，已经是2006年了。这个blog已是一岁多了。很高兴因为Human Castle 一直得到大家的关爱和照顾。真的很感谢大家的支持。记得在还没开始建造Human Castle之前，我和一班K友一起去槟城观看一场非常感动和精彩的文化节，也认识了一个我非常尊敬的大姐-Carryn. 认识她是我的荣幸。有了她就有Human Castle。为什么我这样说？很简单。Human Castle 的design是她一手包办的。而我，只是知道把文字放进里头。大家觉得这blog的design如何？是不是一级棒？ 辛苦你了，Carryn. 还有Mr. Boon How,也要感谢他在那么忙也能抽出时间来到贡献文字。背后最大的支持是到访的朋友。感谢您们来到这里读我们的文字。最后，希望Human Castle 能够继续与我们一起成长起来。我们会加油写稿的！谢谢！

New Year Holidays....

Well, today is the third day of New Year. It is hot as usual and guess what? I'm sick!! Yeah.. Yeah!! Perhaps, you might think that I am crazy... I'm not, mind you that. It's just that everytime I fell sick, I got special care from my friends and family... Heehehhe....

To cut the story short, I went back to my Ah Ma's house yesterday at around 11am from my house. Everyone from K.L, JB, And other places flock to P.D... I don't know why, but every year, the beach will be full of people from out station, thus, it caused traffic jam right here in front of my house. It took us 45 minutes to reach my Ah Ma's house (usually around 20-25 minutes). Anyway, at last we were there. All my uncles and aunties came back with their children, so it's a little bit crowded there. Around 12 something, I started to feel uneasy. Headache, sore throat, fever and also red spots on my hand. Small ones, and there are alot of them! I panicked for a while and hope that it's not dengue or chicken pox... I left Ah Ma's house after luch and went to see doctor. It's a benefit from Gohonzon. I was wondering whether the clinic in my garden is open. If not, I will have to go to Town and go to a 24 hours clinic that will cause me a fortune. Luckily, the clinic in my garden was open and it took me not more that 15 minutes and RM20 for that whole process.

Anyway, I slept like a baby from 2pm to 7pm and woke up to eat porridge that my mother cooked and after that they went back to my Ah Ma's house to pick up my father. I was alone at home and I did my daimoku, gongyo, washed the clothes and talked to my buddy for quite a while through the phone and after my family came back, I went to sleep until this morning at 9.30am. I was sleeping all the time and feel like a baby... Heheheheh... Feeling very lethargic is the main problem why I slept so long... Like Ah Ma... Heheheh...

I'm getting better now. My throat still sore, but, I think it'll be all right. Tonight going over to my sister in law's house for dinner. She called just now to check whether I am all right to go. I said Yes. It's hot here and I hope that No one will fall sick during this holiday. I treat this holiday as a chance to be with my family and also to get enough rest for the battles to come. Not to get sick when it's working time. Boleh sakit bila cuti, tapi kalau dah habis cuti, mesti pulih dari sakit! Heheheh... Lama tak tulis dalam Bahasa Melayu.

I'm going to have my first term exam in UM on the 18th and 25th of February which I have yet to start reading the materials... All of us (the 5 of us who is taking the diploma in UM) were elated when we passed up all the assignments... At least we managed to complete all the task last minute!

I think that would be all for now. I'll try to update this blog the best I can. But, I need help from you, Carryn and Boon How!!! Help!!!! I'm desperately calling for help here!!!!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!!

Hi Anna and all Soka friends in Malaysia! This is Viki in Hong Kong - thankyou so much for visiting us and inspiring us, the children loved your visit and so did we! it was so lovely to share experiences, let's continue, and hopefully I will be able to visit your kindergarten in the coming year. Here's the most wonderful article on Courage, from the Amsterdam Zenshu site. Happy Christmas!love Viki In the Gosho “Letter to the Brothers”, NichirenDaishonin says: ‘The cart which overturns on the roadahead is a warning to the one behind. In a time likethis no one can help but thirst for the true way. You may hate this world but you cannot escape…. You must endure this trial and see for yourselves the blessings of the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren Daishonin will also loudly call upon the Buddhist gods. Now more than ever, you must neither show nor feel any fear. (Major Writings, Vol.1, p.139). When Dr. Kawada (Director of the Institute of OrientalPhilosophy) was asked how we can recognize the qualities of Buddhahood beginning to work in our lives, he answered with one word: ‘Courage!’.We can change the fear, insecurity and lack of confidence by starting to like ourselves and therefore beginning to have more confidence. Once you’re happy within yourself, other people respond positively. If you are in harmony with yourself, others will be too. Only, it’s confusing when you don’t know how to get in harmony. There are different ways to live and different lifestyles. Your lifestyle is not what determines your happiness. What matters is to draw out your Buddha nature. Fundamentally, Buddhahood is about having the confidence to be our true selves wherever we are and whatever is happening. This means really appreciating life itself. When we appreciate our own lives and the lives of others, we are able to perceive things andact in a different way – a creative and positive way. Stress is often the cause of diseases. And stress itself is usually the effect of lack of confidence,like, that things will work out (which causes insecurity to come out); or always trying to control things with your mind (which causes anger to comeout); and thirdly, the fear for commitment. When we start the process by facing the lack of commitment to ourselves and others, fear and anger will come out as physical symptoms of our spiritual ‘poison’. If we don’t take care and speak out for ourselves, how can we take care of others? The opposite of fear is courage. When you have the courage to face yourself, you can overcome the fear. Fear is there because we don’t want to see or acknowledge something. Karma in itself is not good or bad, but what we create from it is important. If we try to cover it up and pretend to be something we are not, then we suffer deeply. It is one’s reaction to one’s karma that matters. If you don’t fear something you can’t discover your courage. Courage is one of the qualities of Buddhahood viki 12.16.05 - 11:40 pm #

Flight to Taipei from Hong Kong 28.11.05

"It's a beautful day today," "25 degree celsius, it's clear blue skies" said the pilot, Albert Low. The sky is indeed blue, carrying my dreams and feelings along. How does it feels like to grasp a handful of clouds? Now I am up away from the clouds, soaring high like a bird, no, higher than a bird... My high school dream has become a reality, My second high school dream, to be precise. The first was realized during my 5th month in TSS, Now, thw second is now a reality to be on a plane flying to different countries... "15 minutes to Taipei." "Ground temperature is 26 degree celsius" Looking out from the window, I see the wings piercing through the wind and the clouds. How wonderful the world is! I have already started to miss every one in Hong Kong Soka Kindergarten. Hoping deeply that I'll be able to visit Hong Kong in near future... WIth love, ~*aNnA*~

They are giving a name to their own flag. They have created a flag of their own before this. By the way, all of the children in Hong Kong are using 繁体字 instead of 简体字(like we all here in Malaysia)。他们真得很厉害哦！虽然有些字不会写，但是，他们模仿字是一流的！小女孩叫 Moon, 小男孩叫Skyey So.

This is Lai Cheok Hei. He's very sweet and nice. All children in HK Soka Kindergarten are adorable! We were having snack together. This was the first time we met.

Yes! At last we are here at Hong Kong Soka Kindergarten! It's a beautiful place. Full of laughter, full of love and passion. Most of all, we don't feel like a foreigner here!

Four of us: Me, Siew Hui, Pooi Yin and Boon Yean took several pictures here. It's written with Ikeda Sensei's words for HKSGI members - 广布，和平。

This is the hotel we stayed at during our visit to Hong Kong for 7 days. It's 15 minutes walk from Hong Kong SGI Headquarters.