Today's program is called: Excellence in Education

A recent report examining the quality of University Education in Australia suggests that the quality of graduates is falling.

The 36 Public Universities in Australia compete for funds and their funding depends on the number of students they attract, so the temptation is to reduce entry standards and offer courses of lower quality.

Comparable Universities in the USA and Japan devote 4 to 5 times the funding that applies to each Australian student.

Our library acquisition programs are falling behind and academic salaries are being squeezed so that staff are finding foreign postings more attractive.

The difficulty with education is the short half life of a qualification.

The half life means 50% of the information taught becomes out of date.

For Engineering, this might be as short as 3 years.

For Computer Science, it might be as short as 2 years.

When you realise you may only use 5% of what you learned in your degree in the workplace it soon becomes obvious that there must be continual learning in the information age.

So what is needed is a periodic catch up to allow yourself to update yourself on the latest useful information.

Useful for What?

Useful for what you need to do the present job.

Your personal efficiency program (PEP) needs updating every 4 to 6 months.

The hard work you put in to "Get PEPED" will pay off in years to come.

If you make your maintenance routines automatic for updating your knowledge, you need to establish daily routines to maintain yourself in an organised state.

Failure to maintain your knowledge system will result in an inability to work at all.

You need to have systems in place to prevent you falling back into old ways.

Remember to think of work to be done in terms of work cycles.

Each piece of work has a beginning, middle and end.

The main thing is to get the task beginning set up with the good information you need.

Do things like back up the hard drive on your computer.

How often?

Once a day is absolutely the minimum because is something goes wrong, you have lost the full day's work.

Modern knowledge says that the hard disk system must fail sooner or later.

Does it give you a warning?

Sometimes yes and sometimes no.

You should therefore back up every hour.

On our systems at the BDCU Ltd we have automatic back up systems running on tape on each of the four major systems computers.

If the system fails, the back up tape can be used to reconstruct what was done.

Copies of the back up tape are kept on the premises and off the premises.

Maintenance should be done in such a way that you do not feel comfortable.

Then you are safe.

Your Personal Efficiency Program (PEP) means when work builds up and momentarily gets on top of you, you know what to do because you have learnt the necessary procedures.

The rule is always fail safe.

Expect that from time to time you will fail, for the moment, and then you do not continue to play your failing system, but switch automatically to the next system or next after next system that you have ready and manoeuvrable.

What sort of mind training is needed to arrive at PEP?

It depends on you being a well-adjusted person with flexibility of mind to modify your responses in pairs for changing circumstances.

You stand ready to change if it is advantageous.

You stand behind your systems if they are working effectively.

You stand set to change on your terms of time and space.

Sometimes, it is better to sleep on the need to change.

You stand able to change once your mind has become comfortable with the idea of "change".

You stand willing to change when you have identified that changes need to be made.

You stand to embrace change when you have recognised those changes which must be made.

You stand to accept change when you accept and negotiate a new acceptance.

You stand to sell change in order to prepare for the new environment.

You stand to guide change once you have seen the benefits of having made the necessary changes.

You stand to buy change when you have experienced the process and benefits of "Change".

An editorial written about the proposed Buddhist University which will be set up in Thailand is as follows:

Editorial

At the W.F.B. Conference to be held in Australia this year, it is to be proposed that the WFB set up a Buddhist University.

Research carried out over the last forty years has increased translation into major European languages of rarely published Buddha Dhamma texts. This suggests healthy scholarship.

The proposed Buddhist university based in Thailand should reflect a recognition by all in the community that scholars under its banner must be given to understand that their appointment to a 21st century institution must produce world-class papers suitable for other institutions to utilise for training purposes.

To prevent Buddha Dhamma education from falling into mediocrity, it is suggested that Buddha Dhamma papers should be written without the uncertainty of the conditional mood.

Uncertainty is best left to poets of hypothesis, such as Emily Dickinson, who suspend conclusions, undermine the positions from which they start, balance different and other antithetical attitudes and play them off against one another.

Her poetry is moving but Andrew Gibson (1983) suggests she echoes remoteness from human concerns.

This remoteness is shown in her poem beginning:

Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.

Remoteness from human concerns, uncertainty or doubt of position is unsuitable for Buddha Dhamma scholarship.

Each discipline or field of knowledge uses a special terminology. Meanings for some of these terms may differ somewhat from the same words in a lay person's vocabulary.

In research, words such as reliability, validity, and objectivity are of prime importance. In Buddha Dhamma methodology, a deep realisation of the Pali word, dukkha, is needed until the special terminology is understood.

The Pali Text Society Dictionary lists dukkha as:

"unpleasant, painful, causing misery (opposite: sukha - pleasant)...There is no word in English covering the same ground as dukkha does in Pali. Our modern words are too specialised, too limited, and usually too strong... dukkha is equally mental and physical...The five groups (of physical and mental qualities which make an individual) are accompanied by ill (dukkha) insofar far as those groups are fraught with asavas and grasping... all suffering caused by the fact of being born, and being through one's kamma tied to the consequent states of transmigration..."

Pondering on a series of observations delivered over time can bring vivid insight or a series of insights for some persons that are not mere derivatives of some speculation or other.

We do not intend to slander the motives of authors.

The pen name Jiro Osaragi (the Chinese characters for Osaragi mean "the great Buddha") was chosen by an author who lived near the temple of the Great Buddha at Kamakura, Japan.

In his novel, The Journey, one of the male characters, Takabumi, thinks it is quite strange that a system which had the privileges of nobility was generally accepted in the World.
Takabumi believes nowadays that such a man is a decaying house whose foundations have been removed. For him, it is only natural that such a house should lurch over and collapse.

He sometimes wonders whether it is not because we are lucky enough to enjoy a pampered upbringing that we are now incapable of understanding despair in its real sense, however bad things become for us.

He labels this easygoing attitude, this false optimism of ours which is an essential part of our nature as "a congenital disease, so to speak".

Takabumi concludes that only those persons who know what despair (one form of dukkha) means are capable of living in this World - of really living.

Can this Japanese view echo the uncertainty of Emily Dickinson?

Observations of the true understanding of all forms of the nature of dukkha, the causes for arising of dukkha and so on, to the path leading to the cessation of dukkha, are the Four Noble Truths.

These Truths are useful when they awaken persons by giving them an insightful lift to the need to add harmony to the common human World.

We must not slander privileged birth because the Bodhisattva who was to awaken as Lord Buddha was born as a privileged king's son in his last life. In ancient times, many scholars were of so-called "noble birth". Another form of true nobility in the human world is the well-practiced sangha.

The light of Dhamma is the best light and, when carried by the noble Sangha, can last beyond the physical passing away of one individual person. An example of this was, the most noble Chief Monk of Sri Lanka who recently passed away. This being arose from Tusita heaven in his past life and took birth with a mission to help the 20th century Sangha in many ways. This included contributing to the sixth Buddhist Conference within the Burmese Sangha tradition.

His many lifetimes of learning gave him vast knowledge in this life. His ability to totally recall all of the three baskets gave him the basis for superior scholarship. Among the Theravada order within his nikaya tradition prominent emphasis is placed on mindfulness (sati).

The Most Venerable Nyanaponika Mahathera, when discussing the power of mindfulness, concluded that:

"The danger for spiritual development posed by the dominating influence of habit is perhaps more serious today than ever before; for the expansion of habit is particularly noticeable in our present age when specialisation and standardisation reach into so many varied spheres of life and thought".

When considering the Satipatthana Sutta's words on the formation of fetters we should also think of the important part played by habit.

Much of what has strong roots in our nature has grown from minute seeds planted in the long forgotten past as explained by the Simile of the Creeper (Majjhima Nikaya 45).

The mental haze that surrounds a habitual activity has a false notion: "it is right because it was done before". So what is needed is some powerful disruption which gives time and vision to break the unquestioned, unthinking spontaneity of the event.

Although habit brings considerable simplification into our life stream, the evenness of habitual performance does not prove that the habitual performance is valid or will lead the person using it out of trouble.

It is too much to ask lay persons to examine every small little habit but it is not unreasonable for them to question their professional development in terms of how they treat their colleagues in day-to-day work activity. The relationship to one's professional colleagues has to be freshened up by fresh and direct vision.

There is no possibility of improving a person's lifestyle till that person queries the hardness of his or her routine behaviour and thoughts abut the difference between work and pleasure.

Analysis with mindfulness, not sentiment, can help form a new approach needed for work in the 21st century. The good aspects of repeated practice are that we form useful spontaneous responses to the unexpected.

We must teach about clear and direct vision until our students are stirred to a sense of urgency (samvega) to break through their poor habit patterns.

In Buddha Dhamma scholarship training, environments are needed which observe and develop the antidotes to those who have minds with doubt because they allow their lazy and slothful minds to operate.

May Students become more mindful of the nature of authentic practice and study more diligently.

Written and edited by John D. Hughes and Leanne Eames.

This Sutra is called by the Lord Buddha the Golden Precepts, it has changed the lives of many who read it for it explains the direct results of causes.

Here is the reproduction of the Karma Sutra:

"Once upon a gathering attended by 1,250 followers, the Venerable Ananda, after circling thrice with folded hands around the Buddha and bowing with respect, asked: "In the present dark age where the majority of our people are indulgent in unrighteousness, disrespectful to the Lord's Teaching, undutiful to their parents, immoral, miserable and sordid, among them some are deaf, some blind, some mute, some idiotic, some are handicapped in other aspects, and most people inured to killing, how could we understand the cryptic and fundamental principle or causes that have brought about this reality and what consequences each individual is to suffer eventually for his/her deeds. My Lord, would you kindly explain these to us?

The Enlightened One then answered, "Listen carefully, I will now expound the Law Of Karma. Because of Karmic effects inherited from previous lives, some people are poor, some rich, some happy and some miserable. These are four rules inseparable in obtaining happiness and prosperity for your next life. They are:

1. Be dutiful and respect our parents.
2. Respect the Buddha's, the (Dhamma Teachings of Buddha) and the Buddhist Monks (Sangha).
3. To abstain from killing and set free sentient beings.
4. To abstain from eating meat and be charitable.

The Buddha proceeded on the Karma Sutra:

" Destiny is aggregate karmic effects from the past. To believe in and practice this sutra will bring you eternal prosperity and happiness."

Learn the Law of Karma expounded as follows:

To be able to hold office in the government is a reward for your building Buddha's Statues in previous life. For building Buddha's statues is likened to molding yourself, and to protect the Tathagata is protecting yourself. To be able to hold a high ranking position in the government is reward for you putting gold on the Buddhas Images and Statues. To be a public officer cannot be taken for granted, for without practising Buddhism it will not befall you.

Your present enjoyment of various transportation facilities without getting foot-worn is a reward for your help in the construction of bridges and roads in you past life. To donate clothing to monks will ensure you are well provided with clothing in future lives or in your next life. ( Offering of Saffron Robes during Kathina Festival).
To be free from hunger and starvation is the result of your providing food to the poor in your previous life.
To be miserly and unwilling to help the needy gives rise to future starvation and lack of clothing.
To have ample housing is a reward for donating food to monasteries in your past life. (Offering of Dana to the Monks).
To build temples and public shelters will give you future prosperity and happiness.
For your respecting and offering of flowers to Buddha's altar in the past is the reward of being pretty and handsome.
To abstain from eating meat and to pray constantly to Buddha will assure you to be reborn a very intelligent child in your next rebirth.
To have a good wife and son is reward for your disseminating Buddha's teaching in your past life.
Furnishing Buddhist temples with hangings and tapestries will enable you to have a good marriage in your next rebirth.
To have good parents is a reward for your respecting and helping those who were lonely and desolate in your past life.

Being a bird hunter in your previous life has resulted in your being an orphan now. To have plenty of children is attributable to your setting free birds in your previous life. To be heirless now is the result of destroying flowers habitually in your previous life. Your longevity is due to setting free sentient beings in your past life. Being short-lived is the result of committing too many killings in your previous life. To steal the wife of another man will cause you to have no spouse in your next rebirth.

In your previous life by being disrespectful to your husband is the result of you being a widow now. To be a serf at present is the result of being ungrateful in your previous life. To covet another man's wife will cause you to have no spouse in your next rebirth. To distort the truths habitually will cause you to suffer blindness in your next life. To have a wry mouth is due to your intentionally blowing candles before the Buddha's altar in your past life.

To vituperate your parents will cause you to be reborn a deaf mute in your next birth. Being a hunchback is a punishment for jeering and laughing at the Buddha's followers in your previous life. Having disabled hands is the result of committing evil with your hands in the past life. Your being lame is imputable to your being a robber in your previous life. For your denying of your debts in your previous life is the result of being born a horse or an ox. To be reborn a pig or dog is the punishment for your deceiving and hurting others in your previous life. Suffering of constant illness now is the result of offering flesh to the monks in your past life. To be free of illness and diseases and be healthy is a reward for offering drugs and medications to save the sick and wounded in your past life. Your present imprisonment is the cause of your relentlessly perpetrating evil in your previous life.

Plugging snake-pit and mouse holes habitually will cause you to starve to death in your next birth To intentionally poison a river or water source will cause you to die of poison in your next life. Being forlorn and friendless is the punishment for being unfaithful and deceitful to others in your past life. Disrespecting Buddha's teaching will bring you constant starvation in your next rebirth. To spew blood is the punishment for eating meat while praying to Buddha. To have attended Buddhist Instruction with levity in your previous life is the cause for your present deafness. To be afflicted with ulcers is the punishment for offering flesh before the Buddha's altar in your past life. To have bad bodily odor is the punishment for selling incense with dishonesty in your previous life.

To hunt animals with rope and net will predestine your death by hanging in your next birth. Being unduly envious and jealous in your past life is the cause for your being lonely or bereft of spouse at present. To be struck by lightning or burnt by fire will be the punishment for dishonest trade dealing (e.g. cheating with the scales, overcharging customers, supplying inferior quality goods and charging for quality goods). Being attacked and wounded by wild beasts and snakes tells you that those creatures were your enemies in your previous life. Whatever you do will come back on you, so accept whatever justice and retribution that befalls on you.

Be not mistaken that Karma is fallacious. You will live to bear the consequences of your deeds, either within this lifetime or in your future life. Should you doubt the virtue of practising Buddhism, could you not see the happiness of the Buddha's followers.

Past Karma determines your present destiny.
Present Karma are to mold your next life.

Whoever slanders this sutra will not be reborn again a human being.
Whoever accepts this sutra will witness the truth.
Whoever writes this sutra will prosper in successful lives.
Whoever carries this sutra will be free from mishaps.
Whoever preaches this sutra will become a very intelligent person in successive lives.
Whoever recites this sutra will be well-respected by people in his next rebirth.
Whoever distributes this sutra free to all will become a leader to humanity in his/her next life.

If karma did not produce effect, what prompted Wu-Lin, a dutiful son, to rescue his mother under grave danger by journey to Hades realms to save her mother's soul from punishment by the Hell soldiers?

Whoever is faithful to this sutra will not fail to witness the eternal paradise. The Law of Karma works forever, and the fruit of good deed will come in due course. The Buddha taught that "all things spring from a cause" and he clearly laid down the nature of good and bad Karma. Karma is action; it refers to the fruits of action as well as the effects of causes and so on. If there is a cause, an effect is inevitable, where there is an effect, there must be a cause.

From beginning of Time, there has been a chain of three cycle cause and effect (Karma) rotation in human existence and these Karmas have been continuing and will continue in human lifetime. It seems that these three existences (past existence, present existence and future existence) must obey the Law of Cause and Effect - Karma. Life is governed by 70% past existence and 30% present existence therefore the life span of an individual cannot be changed but his/her luck can be changed depending upon his/her behavior and everyday actions.

Buddha has said:
"If you wish to know the past, then look at the present which is the result of it"
"If you wish to know the future, then look at the present which is the cause of it"
"By Karma the world moves, by Karma men live and by Karma are beings bound, as by its pin the rolling chariot wheel.
By Karma one attains glory and praise, by Karma bondage, ruin and tyranny.
Knowing that Karma bears fruit manifold, why say ye, "In the world no Karma is?"
Having spoken the above Sutra to Ananda and the followers, The World- Honored One added, "There are innumerable examples of Karmic Law, but I have only mentioned in generalization."

Then Ananda said, "Until the end of the present Dark Age, most human beings would have, through successive lives accumulated countless misdeeds because of their ignorance of the karmic consequences, but thanks to our Lord and the Sutra he has so kindly given us, whoever writes and reads, prints and distributes this Sutra, upon praying to the Buddha, will be blessed with eternal happiness and be admitted to see Amitabha Buddha, Kuan Shih Yin P'usa and all other Buddhas in the heavenly paradise."

After Ananda spoke, all Buddha's disciples and followers felt ecstatic and enlightened and after bowing respectfully and vowing to abide by this Sutra, took their journey home.

Reference: "Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism by Kuan Ming" Kuan Yin
Contemplative Order Malaysia. Graphic Press P.J. Malaysia (1985)
"Journey To The Underworld" by Sheng Xian Tan Temple Tai Chung
Taiwan Printed by Advanco Sdn, Bhd. K.L. Malaysia Sept 1987

MAY ALL BEINGS RECEIVE BLESSINGS FROM THE BUDDHAS, ARAHANTS, BODHISATTVAS, DEVAS AND NAGAS.

By Alphonsus Marie Ee (Feng Shui Consultant)
On behalf of my teacher Venerable Phra Khu Gunasilaporn (Chief Abbot)
Wat Uttamayanmuni (Thai) Temple
Chua Chu Kang 11 1/2ms. Singapore.

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