A pdf file of a Dhamma article with very meaningful messages of Life Lessons for our reflection to grow in mind development in our quest for wisdom. Beneficial for all, young and old. The texts are in English and Chinese.

1. 1
电子邮件、Facebook、WhatsApp 和佛法

2. 2
In a high-tech society like ours today, a large proportion of
people, both the young and not so young use Emails, Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogger, WordPress, WhatsApp and many
other networking sites.
As I do a lot of postings, mostly educational and Dhamma
material, on various websites and some social media platforms,
I maintain a few Emails, am on Facebook and WhatsApp
mainly for communication and feedback purposes. I receive a
lot of forwarded emails, messages, tags, links and sharing on
Facebook and WhatsApp. The volume can be tremendous. On
Facebook, I have more than 2000 ‘Friends’. I added them upon
request with the hope that a few may view some of the
Dhamma and educational things I post.
在当今像我们这样的高科技社会中，很大一部分人，无论是年轻
人还是不太年轻的人，都使用电子邮件、Facebook、Twitter、
LinkedIn、Blogger、WordPress、WhatsApp 和许多其他社交网
站。由于我在各种网站和一些社交媒体平台上发布了很多帖子，
主要是教育和佛法材料，因此我在 Facebook 和 WhatsApp 上保留
了一些电子邮件，主要用于沟通和反馈目的。 我在 Facebook 和
WhatsApp 上收到了大量转发的电子邮件、消息、标签、链接和分
享。 数量可能是巨大的。 在 Facebook 上，我有超过 2000 个“朋
友”。 我根据要求添加了它们，希望一些人可以看到我发布
的一些佛法和教育性的东西。
Adapted, Updated and Edited from a Chapter I wrote in 2014 for one of my Dhamma
books for free distribution.
改编、更新和编辑自我在 2014 年为免费分发的一本佛法书籍撰写的章节。

3. 3
I remember a monk once, more than 20 years ago telling me that most
of the stuff posted on Facebook (and I should now add ‘YouTube’,
‘WhatsApp’ and ‘Tik Tok’) are ‘thrash’ and waste a lot of the users’
time. However, rather than complaining, why not ‘put’ some ‘precious
stones’ (the Dhamma) among the ‘rubbish’ that one finds on the
Facebook (WhatsApp, YouTube and Tik Tok). I thought that makes
sense. Since then, I have been posting educational and Dhamma
material on Facebook, my various Websites, WhatsApp and YouTube
on quite a regular basis for some years already.
Most of the forwarded Emails (and now also WhatsApp Messages) to
me and the things posted on my Facebook page pertain to
* personal photos (one just can’t find time to view so many)
* entertainment - links, video clips of singing, movies, sport
* sensational news * political issues
* business and the commercial world
* travel and tours
* fashion and food * gossip matters
我记得 20 多年前，一位和尚曾经告诉我，Facebook 上发布的大
部分内容（我现在应该添加“YouTube”、“WhatsApp”和
“Tik Tok”）都是“垃圾”，浪费了很多时间。 用户的时间。
然而，与其抱怨，不如将一些“宝石”（佛法）“放入”
Facebook（WhatsApp、YouTube 和 Tik Tok）上发现的“垃圾”
中。 我认为这是有道理的。 从那时起，多年来我一直定期在
Facebook、我的各个网站、WhatsApp 和 YouTube 上发布教育和
佛法材料。大多数转发给我的电子邮件（现在还有 WhatsApp 消
息）以及我的 Facebook 页面上发布的内容都与
* 个人照片（实在没时间看这么多）
* 娱乐 - 链接、歌曲视频剪辑、电影、体育
* 轰动的新闻 * 政治问题 * 商业和商业世界 * 旅行和游览
* 时尚与美食 * 八卦很重要

4. 4
As one’s time is limited, I have to prioritize what I read, see or
do. To me what matters most is the Dhamma; I skim and scan
the lots of stuff in my emails, Facebook and WhatsApp. Now
and then I do come across some good and beneficial things that
can help the mind to grow in loving-kindness, compassion and
wisdom. I reflect on such posts and sometimes I do power
points and videos based on the material and then post them on
web sites and some social media platforms for easier and a more
appealing reading.
I reproduce here two pieces of very good and thought-
provoking stuff that I received through forwarded emails more
than 10 years ago:
由于时间有限，我必须优先考虑我读到的、看到的或做的
事情。 对我来说最重要的是法； 我浏览并浏览电子邮
件、Facebook 和 WhatsApp 中的大量内容。 时不时地，我
确实会遇到一些好的、有益的事情，可以帮助心在慈、
悲、智上成长。 我会反思这些帖子，有时我会根据这些材
料制作幻灯片和视频，然后将它们发布到网站和一些社交
媒体平台上，以便更容易、更有吸引力的阅读。
我在这里转载两篇十多年前我通过转发电子邮件收到的非
常好的、发人深省的东西：

5. 5
Interview With the Buddha
I dreamt I had an interview with the Buddha.
"Come in," He said. "So, you would like to interview Me?"
"If You have the time," I said.
The Buddha smiled and said: "For Me, there is no time…
it doesn't exist. What questions do you have in mind to ask Me?”
"What surprises You most about mankind?" I asked.
The Buddha answered: "That they get bored at being
children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children
again.
That they lose their health to make money and then lose their
money to restore their health.
That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the
present, such that they live neither for the present nor the
future.
采访佛陀
我梦见我采访了佛陀。
“进来吧，”他说。 “那么，你想采访我吗？”
“如果你有时间的话，”我说。
佛陀微笑着说道：“对我来说，没有时间……
它不存在。 你有什么问题想问我？
“人类最让你惊讶的是什么？” 我问。
佛陀回答说：“他们厌倦了
孩子们，都急于长大，然后渴望再次成为孩子。
他们为了赚钱而失去健康，然后又为了恢复健康而失去金钱。
由于焦虑地思考未来，他们忘记了现在，这样他们既不为现在也
不为未来而活。

6. 6
That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they
had never lived...”
The Buddha's hands took mine and we were silent for a while
and then I asked ...
“As a Bodhisattva, what are some of life's lessons You want
humans to learn?”
The Buddha replied with a smile: "To learn that they cannot
make anyone love them.
What they can do is to let themselves be loved.
To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in
their lives, but the lessons in Truth they have in their lives…
To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.
All suffer and receive rewards individually on their own merits,
not as a group on a comparison basis!
他们活着就好像他们永远不会死一样，而他们死了就好像
他们从未活过一样……”
佛陀握住我的手，我们沉默了一会儿，然后我问……
“作为菩萨，您希望人类学习哪些人生功课？”
佛陀微笑着回答说：“要知道他们不能让任何人爱他们。
他们能做的就是让自己被爱。
要知道最有价值的不是他们生活中拥有的东西，而是他们
生活中的真理教训……
要知道将自己与他人进行比较是不好的。
所有人都根据自己的优点单独受苦并获得奖励，而不是
作为一个群体在比较的基础上！
真理的教训

7. 7
To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least…
To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound
wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal
them…
To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness…
To learn that there are persons who love them dearly…
but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings…
To learn that money can buy almost anything thing but
happiness…
To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it
totally differently…
To learn that a true friend is someone who knows everything
about them...and likes them anyway.
要知道富人并不是拥有最多的人，
但他是最不需要的人……
要知道只需要几秒钟就能在我们所爱的人身上留下深刻的伤
口，却需要很多年才能治愈……
通过实践宽恕来学会宽恕……
才知道有人深爱着自己……
但就是不知道如何表达或表达自己的感受……
要知道金钱几乎可以买到任何东西，除了幸福……
要知道两个人可以看待同一件事并以完全不同的方式看待
它......
要知道真正的朋友是了解他们的一切……并且无论如何都喜
欢他们的人。
生活的满足
原谅
幸福

8. 8
To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by
others, but that they have to forgive themselves…
I sat there for a while enjoying the moment.
I thanked the great Bodhisattva for His time (which was
nonexistent) and for all the wisdom that He left here for me, for
my family and for my friends.
He replied, "Anytime. I'm available, if you'll pardon the
expression, 24 hours a day.
All you have to do is look for Me inside yourself.
That's where I live. I'll answer every time.
People will forget what you say. People will forget what you do.
But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
(This is a fictitious account but there are many good Dhamma teachings
for your reflection.)
要知道仅仅获得他人的原谅并不总是足够的，还必须原谅自
己……
我坐在那里享受了一会儿。
我感谢伟大的菩萨赐予我时间（那是不存在的），感谢他为我、
我的家人和我的朋友留下的所有智慧。
他回答说：“任何时候。请原谅我这样说，我一天 24 小时都有
空。”
你所要做的就是在你内心寻找我。
那就是我住的地方。 我每次都会回答。
人们会忘记你所说的话。 人们会忘记你所做的事情。
但人们永远不会忘记你给他们带来的感受。”
（这是一个虚构的叙述，但有许多好的佛法教义供您思考。）
善哉！善哉！善哉！

9. 9
People in Heaven, People in Hell
“I have seen people in heaven, I have seen people in hell.”
The Buddha once made this statement. But how can this be
possible? Isn't heaven a place only for gods, angels and
radiant beings, and hell a place where tormented beings dwell
in constant torture of unimaginable magnitude?
Once, the lord of after-life summoned four people in order to
pass judgment on them and determine their future destiny
according to their individual deeds.
To the first guy, the lord said, "Your records are not bad,
but...... you'll be reborn as a human again for 30 years."
The first guy begged for a few years more, but the lord refused.
To the second guy, the lord said, "You have been lazy all your
life....... you'll be reborn as a cow for 50 years!"
天堂里的人，地狱里的人
“我见过天堂里的人，也见过地狱里的人。”
佛陀曾经说过这样的说法。 但这怎么可能呢？ 难道天堂不是只有
诸神、天使和光明众生居住的地方，而地狱不是一个受苦众生居
住在难以想象的持续折磨中的地方吗？
一次，来世之主召唤了四个人，对他们进行审判，并根据他们
各自的行为决定他们未来的命运。
领主对第一个人说道：“你的记录还不错，但是……三十年后你
会再次投生为人。”
第一个人请求再多几年，但领主拒绝了。
老爷子对第二个人说：“你这辈子都懒了……五十年了，你会投
生为牛！”

10. 10
The second guy became so upset that he broke down and
begged, "Please, please lord, I cannot take it. 50 years is too
long. I promise to be a hard-working cow, but please lessen
my sentence to 25 years."
"All right, all right," the lord said.
On hearing that, the first guy said, "Please, please lord, give
me the extra 25 years that the cow rejected."
"All right then," the lord agreed.
The lord then turned to the third guy and said, "You have
been unfaithful and irresponsible all your life...... you'll be
reborn as a dog for 20 years!"
The third guy broke down and said, "Please, please, I cannot
bear it; 20 years is too long. I'll be a great dog and I'll look
after my master's house faithfully but lessen my sentence to 10
years."
第二个人非常沮丧，他崩溃了，恳求道：“主啊，求求你，我受
不了了。50 年太长了。我保证会成为一头勤劳的牛，但请把我的
刑期减到 25 年。”
“好吧，好吧，”主说。
第一个人听到这句话后说道：“主啊，求求你，再给我那头牛所
拒绝的 25 年。”
“那就好吧。”领主同意了。
领主又对第三个人说道：“你这一生不忠不负责任……二十年你
会投生为一条狗！”
第三个人崩溃了，说道：“拜托，拜托，我受不了了，20 年太长
了。我会成为一只好狗，忠实地看管我主人的家，但把我的刑期
减到 10 年。”

11. 11
"All right, all right," the lord agreed.
The first guy again came forward and begged. "Please, please
lord, give me the extra 10 years from the dog to me."
The lord gave in again.
Turning to the fourth guy, the lord shook his head and said, "I
am sorry, you had been wicked all your life...... you'll be reborn
in hell for a million years!"
The fourth guy begged for forgiveness, but the lord refused. But
after much persistence, the lord finally decided to lessen the
sentence by a mere 10 years.
The first guy quickly begged, "Please, please lord, give me that
10 years too."
"All right, all right, you greedy fellow!"
“好吧，好吧。”领主同意了。
为首的家伙再次上前哀求。 “求求你，主啊，请给我从
狗到我的额外十年。”
王爷再次屈服。
转向第四个人，领主摇了摇头，道：“对不起，你一生
作恶……你将在地狱中重生一百万年！”
第四个人请求宽恕，但领主拒绝了。 但经过一番坚持，
领主最终决定将刑期仅仅减轻 10 年。
第一个人连忙恳求道：“求求你了，主啊，也给我这十
年吧。”
“ 好 吧 好 吧 ， 你 这 个 贪 心 的 家 伙 ！ ”

12. 12
Hence, the first guy was reborn as a man for 75 years instead
of 30. After taking birth as a human being, he had a
wonderful first 30 years. His life was full of vigor, joy and he
even got married. Then, he had lots of children and had to
spend the next 25 years working extremely hard every day to
put food on the table for his family and pay for his children's
education. His life was no different from that of a cow. His
children grew up and after finishing higher education, they all
got married and worked in faraway places. They were so busy
with work and their own families that they hardly returned
home to visit their poor lonely father.
Therefore, after 25 years of hard work and retiring at 55, the
man became so disillusioned and lonely. He looked after the
empty house with his ageing wife, each day longing for his
children to come home.
因此，第一个人投生为人是 75 年，而不是 30 年。投生为人
后，他度过了美好的前 30 年。 他的生活充满活力、欢乐，甚
至还结婚了。 然后，他有了很多孩子，在接下来的 25 年里，
他必须每天极其努力地工作，才能养家糊口并支付孩子的教
育费用。 他的生活与牛没有什么不同。 孩子们长大了，完成
高等教育后，都结婚了，到很远的地方工作了。 他们忙于工
作和家庭，几乎没有回家看望可怜的孤独的父亲。
于是，奋斗了 25 年，55 岁退休，男人变得如此幻灭和孤独。
他和年迈的妻子一起看守着空荡荡的房子，每天都盼望着孩
子们回家。

13. 13
His next 10 years were no different from that of a dog. When he was
65, he spent the remaining 10 years of his life angry and sad. He
was suffering from many painful diseases and none of his children
wanted to be near him. Life was hell to him, and he died in sadness,
anger and loneliness.
(Although this is a fictitious story, there are many good Dhamma Lessons
for reflection so that we can learn how to live meaningfully and die
joyfully.
You might want to check out a post I did on an article “Living
Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully” by Ajahn Brahmavamso.
The URL Link:
https://www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin/living-meaningfully-dying-
joyfully-by-ajahn-brahmpdf
接下来的十年，他和一条狗没有什么区别。 当他 65 岁时，他在愤
怒和悲伤中度过了余生的 10 年。 他患有许多痛苦的疾病，他的孩
子们都不想靠近他。 生活对他来说就是地狱，他在悲伤、愤怒和
孤独中死去。
（虽然这是一个虚构的故事，但其中有很多很好的佛法教训可供
反思，让我们能够学习如何有意义地生活和快乐地死去。
您可能想查看我在阿贾恩·布拉马瓦姆索 (Ajahn Brahmavamso) 撰
写的《有意义地生活，快乐地死去》一文中发表的文章。
网址链接：
https://www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin/living-meaningfully-dying-
joyfully-by-ajahn-brahmpdf
May you practice the Dhamma ardently.
You can then put an end to misery.
愿你精进修习佛法。
然后你就可以结束痛苦。
With Metta,
Bro. Oh Teik Bin