Dennis is told at school that adults have dark secrets that can be used for blackmail. When Dennis tells his mother he knows the truth, she gives him $20 not to tell his father. When Dennis tells his father, he gives him $40 not to tell his mother. The next day, when Dennis tells the mailman he knows the truth, the mailman reveals he is Dennis's real father. The story reflects on the disastrous consequences of adultery, which breaks the moral precept of no sexual misconduct. It causes guilt, worry, and fear rather than finding calmness and peace. The wise observe moral precepts to attain happiness. Two rival shopkeepers would monitor each other's

1. Wisdom From
A LAugh 9
Dark Secrets
At school Dennis was told by a classmate that
most adults are hiding at
least one dark secret and that this makes it very
easy to blackmail them
by merely saying "I know the whole truth."
When Dennis went home from school that day, he
approached his mother and said, "I know the
whole truth."
His mother quickly handed him $20 and said,
“Just don’t tell your father.”
Quite pleased, the boy waited for his father to get
home from work, and greeted him with “I know the
whole truth.” His father promptly handed him $40
and said, “Please don’t say a word to your
mother.”
Very pleased, Dennis was on his way to school
the next day when he saw the mailman at his front
gate. The boy greeted him by saying, “I know the
whole truth.”
The mailman immediately dropped the mail,
opened his arms and said, “Then, come and give
your real father a big hug.”
Reflection
Secret affairs or adultery on the part of a husband
or wife can end up with disastrous consequences.
Adultery is a break of the Third Precept, namely
“ No Sexual Misconduct ” . A break of a moral
precept can and does fill the mind with guilt,
worry, anxiety, remorse and fear. How can such a
mind find calmness, happiness and peace? The
wise person observes all the moral precepts to
the best he or she can.

2. Wisdom From
A LAugh 10
The Shopkeeper
Two shopkeepers were very bitter
rivals. They had stores directly facing each other across the
road and everyday they would monitor the other’s business.
If one had a customer, the other would be filled with great
jealousy.
One night a genii appeared to one of the shopkeepers in a
dream and said, “I will give you anything you wish for but
remember that whatever you ask for, your rival opposite
your shop will receive twice as much. You can be very rich
but he will be twice as rich as you. Do you want to be
famous? Well, he will be twice as famous.
The shopkeeper frowned and thought for a while. Then he
said, “Make me blind in one eye and deaf in one ear.”
Reflections
There are cruel and vicious people who would go
to extremes to get even with their enemies. A
mind that is filled with anger, ill will, jealousy and
hatred can propel a person to horrifying acts of
evil ... this of course generates very bad kamma
that will bring untold suffering to the evil doer.
One has to learn to develop thoughts of
understanding, loving- kindness, compassion and
forgiveness. Only then will one truly attain
happiness, peace and freedom.
With Metta,
Bro. Oh Teik Bin