Who Are We To Judge?

A god-sister had send an email, telling another god-sister off. Showing off her seniority, by saying a new disciple trying to call for a meeting to re-vote the temple committee again. Who is she (new disciple) just join the sanga and trying to call for a meeting. And not any other meeting but to re-elect the temple committee.



This very senior god-sister, send an email. Accussing of disciple and disciple quarrelling and temple is running properly why call for an election. This very senior god-sister also show off the number year she had serve Nitai Nanda and challenge others that she is waiting for respond from the email she had send.



I was also offended by her email, 1st she did not check why a re-election was necessary and is it senior disciple or devotees that have become disciple much earlier had move devotion and sincerity or..... than newly join or junior disciple. How she know her devotion is much higher than others. This is pure ego, trying to show off how senior she is to us baby disciples.



Committee members had voiced their resignation with the temple Chairman, shouldn't a re-election is suppose to be called. Nobody will send an email out informing all on the re-election if the temple Chair-man does not give the OK. This is just simple common-sense.



The worst was the temple Chair-man sending a word document saying he did not acknowledge such a meeting. There were witness to him acknowledging the meeting. When I read it, it was do I respect the Chair or the Man. The man on the chair must know, if he can't lead or have management skill, he should leave the chair. Let another man or woman sit on it. If the man wants to continue to sit on it, he must change, must accept criticism and able to comunicate with others.



Just few days, theives walked right into the temple took away any valuable items they can find. It was broad day light, disciples was sleeping like a log. New disciple took the opportunity and send an email out to the senior disciple, questioning her and ........



Blogging this here, not in detail. The question who are we to judge others. How do you know that you are senior or long time disciple your devotion and sincerity is better or more then baby disciples. If your are senior shouldn't the senior lead and show the junior the process of a good disciple instead of pushing them off and give them a slap on the face.

Had wrote this a long time but did not have the time to continue. Today had decided to post it.

The Thai Words That I had pick up

I had forgotten my 0 to 10 numbers in Thai, my colleague had refreshed it for me. Let see, zero is "soon", one is "neeng", two is "song", three is "sam", four is "see", five is "ha", six is "hawk", seven is "jet", eight is "pet", nine is "kao" and ten is "sip".

Turn left - "leo side"
Turn right - "leo kua"
Drive straight - "tong pai"
How much - "toll rai"
Excuse me - "kho tor kah" - this sound like kotor kah to me when i first hear it.

This one is good,
Which floor is chan nai..... when I first hear it, I was like OH so vulgar. My colleague said "don't think crocked".

Don't want plastic bag - mai au thong
Color - C said it in the 4th tone like mandarine

Learn a few new words lately.
rain - phon tot
telephone - toll lap sap (when first hear this, you mean throw rubbish in canto is telephone in thai)
go home - kha bun

Assignment had finished in Bangkok, after 4 1/2 months, I don't think I have learn many Thai words. I managed to find a Thai for beginners. It is from English to Thai Ka ra oki, so can understand.

Good to be home, haven't update my blog for a few months. Hope to find more time for my blog.

In Bangkok After 5 years

Had been in Bangkok for 2 weeks. It had been 5 years since my last assignment in Bangkok. The feeling this time around is quite different, more comfortable and less lost. Nothing much had changed. The only thing that change is the airport and apartment.

The new airport is big, I remember I had a hard time finding the transit gate on my last trip to India. My god brother and me spend about half an hour looking for the place. Luckily we had 2 hours to do it. The escalator was hard to find too. It is behind some beam that block it from my small eye view. This trip, checking out was different. Coming right out from the gate the custom is there and out from the custom the luggage belt is there. Had to wait about 10 minutes for them to display it on the screen. Who said our KLIA luggage delivery is so. You should try Bangkok's.

The last time stayed in Pantip, this round at Oakwood. Pantip, the apartment is much bigger, the bed is also much bigger, the kitchen, sofa. Oakwood has better lighting. I think Oakwood is ok but I miss going to Lumpini Park...did i get the spelling right. I can go there every Saturday and Sunday or a public holiday. It's about 5 to 10 minutes walk from the Pantip apartment.

With my little tan, the people think I am Thai, even in the airplane too. I guess I need to pick some Thai words.

This assignment is at another customer, there is a market next to it. Spend the afternoon walking thru the place. Many nice things to see and buy. I bought 6 Ben10 T-shirt for my nephews. I hope they like it. You get shoes, I finally bought one pair. Singlets.... lots to buy... I think my 10,000 bahts is not enough to last until my home trip. Now I had already spend almost all of it. Need to have enough to last until my home trip, need to pay a visit to the ATM machine.

The market here is so different from Malaysia. Here you get almost everything, you even have stalls selling books, branded bags and clothes. Oh! have you seen stalls in Malaysia selling those 5 inche high heels. Those classy kind. You get working clothes too. Just don't have to go to our Jusco or Parkson or ..... to get them.

Last weekend went to Siam Paragon, bought lot of Mama tom yum. My colleague was holding is all in her hand while I went to get the trolley. Everyone stare at her, giving her a funny look. What is this lady doing standing there holding 5 to 6 bags of instead noodles.

Today walked to the wet market with my colleage. A good walk about 20 to 30 minutes. We bought quite a lot especially me. I needed to fill my fridge with vegetables. On the way I saw this cute slipper with a puppy head on it, bought 2 pairs for my sister and myself.

It's mango season, had been eating mango everyday since I land myself in Bangkok. The mango here are good. The green and yellow are all good. Laichee is coming too. Longan too. The durian are here too. But I don't like Thai durian, no smell. Eating durian without that aroma is like not eating durian at all.

3 1/2 months to go before the assignment finishes, I am already missing my bed.

Sri Navadvipa Dhama

It had been 4 days since I came back from India Navadvipa Dhama. It was a very tiring trip, it was good that I came back on Friday, and had a good rest on Saturday and Sunday.

I saw ISKCON Mayapura, it had been 10 years since I last went. It is so different now, there are proper roads, shops and bus. Back then you get only stalls by the roadside.

This is my first parikrama, it started ok, went to Ganga River to take vow before parikarma starts. I lost my slipper on the first day so I had to walk bare foot. It was like leg massage, after a few hours, my legs was like cramped. Luckily I used a pair of slipper that will massage my legs. It helps a lot. Knowing that I cannot survive without slippers, went to town to buy myself a pair of slipper. You know what, I used the slipper that very night, after gurudev's class my slipper was gone again. I look all over the place could not find it. I guess Mahaprabhu wants me to go bare foot whenever I goes to the temple. That is what I did but parikrama I took my bedroom slipper along. I put it in a plastic bag when I get to the point where I cannot stand the pain I will use it. Next year I am going to buy a few pairs RM1.50 japanese slipper.

The afternoon heat is intense, need lots of juice, the sugar cane water is a good thirst cleansing. With this body been so pamper by comfort, I could not take it after 2 days. I could feel if I pushes myself further I will be down sick.

One should be there to feel the vibration of the kirtan by the thousands of devotees. That feel is even greater than going to a rock concert. Michael Jackson or Jay Chou cannot beat our humble Krishna Das one man show. Wow! Hare Krsna Ki Jai!!!!!

I finally get to dip myself in Ganges river, the water is so fresh and you can open your eyes under the water. After that dipped I could feel my body heat had been taken away by Ganges Devi. Feel good better than taking the afternoon shower in a 5 star bathroom.

Next year I am going again. This time I hope I will finish the 5 days parikrama. Yes I can do it.

My Guru's 89 birthday

On 22nd February 2009 Gurudev went back to India after staying for a month in Malaysia. Gurudev have to go back as Navadvipa Parikrama is going to start, which is 5th of March 2009.

Gurudev's birthday always fall on the 1st day of Chinese New Year. Every year all his disciples will gather at the temple to celebrate, we called it Vyasa Puja. This year was special we had him in person, yes! here in Malaysia. We had this special day at Desaru beach resort, Johore. It was a 7 days 6 nights celebration. It is called Vyasa Puja Desaru 2009.

Before the festival starts, between his disciples there were lots of argument, those working, earning less and old asked the question why select so faraway where it is so inconvenient and expensive. Now that it is over, the question why Desaru, I see it. It was a test of our devotion and patience, how best can we performed at a place that is quite remote and during Chinese New Year where most of the shops are closed.

After the festival, I feel tired but in my heart there is this happiness, where money cannot buy.

Judge A Book By Its Cover or Judge A Fruit By Its Look.

Few weeks ago, was chatting with a friend over the phone. We were chatting how many of us like to judge a person by the first impression. What you would say “judge a book by its cover” or “judge a fruit by its look” this is from me.

I used to be like that but as time past, I noticed it was very wrong to do that, most of the time my judgment was wrong too. How I judge a person, the other person can also do the same to me. Nowadays I tried as much as possible not to do it.

My friend said most people buy fruits they look at the fruits from the outside, like buying apple, pear and orange. You only noticed it is bad or rotten until you takes it home and cut open it. We can’t see inside when we purchased them. It is like selecting friends we never know they are good or bad until we get to know them or it is too late, already been cheated.

I continued with just like buying mango, mango that look nice and smell nice most of the time don’t taste good. Take example Australia mango and Thailand mango, black gold (黑金). Australia mangoes look so smooth and have that mango smell but the taste is not that great. Thailand black gold, look not so great, green sometime have black marking on it. When you cut open and taste the mango it is so good. So a person that wear a tie and coat and smell of perfume does not mean he/she is a good person, they could be devil in disguise or a wolf hiding under a sheep skin.

Then I added maybe we should choose our friends like buying durians, what the Chinese say “Bao Chi包吃”. When we buy durian we shake, smell, knock and give it a good look then we said ok. This one open and let me see inside. If inside looks like what you want you buy it.

We were laughing, and asked each other are you a durian, an apple or a mango. Both of us replied durian. Wah! Think so highly of ourselves. Then we added not everyone likes durian or can accept durian. We were laughing how our mind can make human characters match with fruits.

Nowadays both of us, if a friend irritates us, we would say, we didn’t know that he/she is a ……….and we will start laughing.

So which fruits are you, a D24, India mango, banana, passion fruits, strawberries…… Don’t tell me you are a ciku.

Looks Like I Worry too

This had been sitting in my laptop for quite sometime, was telling myself post or don't post. I had decided to post.

Meaning to write this for quite sometime but don’t know where to start. I am still scratching my head or rather searching my heart how to put it out. At the same time I do not want to sound like an old grandmother.

I think I look, yes! I think I look like I don’t care or want to know what happened around me. Like very cool. What the Chinese saying 天 跌 下 来 当 皮 盖 (tian die xia lai dang pi gai), meaning, “the sky fall take it as cover”. Don’t know whether I am right on this, my nephews, nieces and siblings might not think so. They might see me as K Poh as I sometime K Poh into their life or opinion.

Everyone goes thru the process of teenage or growing up, even I. During this time it is very important we take the right step, mix with the right people. If we do walk the wrong direction, we must realized and turn back.

My nieces who read this, I know I know you all are big boys and girls. You need your own space and privacy too. I want to say curiosity kills the cat. It is good to be curious but must always be careful. Even myself at this age I am still curious but always put my careful antenna on. Don’t play with fire, know your limit. Trust your instinct and be street smart.

I know each generation view and think differently, because of environment and media. When I was young, I see things differently from my parents too. Had lots of argument, but always they win. At that time I see them as bully, now that I am a senior citizen I understands that it is their worries that make them react that way. Some parents let you see their worries some keep it inside let you see the cool side of it.

As children we think we are mature, but when we’re faced with a situation we will know how mature we are.

I do worry but I know all the talking will show like nagging or scolding. I want to protect them but how much can I protect them, I am not God. If I am God I make sure they are protected by a special force field where no harm can come to them. I am not God so I can only pray for them. My prayers “Krsna (God) please guide them, keep them safe, show them the way to the right path. Let them know what is right and wrong. Keep people with bad intentions away from them and keep bad intention away from their head too.”

I am very glad that my 2 nephews pass their form 3 exam with good grades, especially Fat Fat. He now realized that studying is good for him and a ticket to better future. I had pulled his ears a few times when he could not care less on his studies. I hope he realized why I pulled his ears.

Ahh! I do sound like a grandmother, telling grandmother story is difficult when at the same time you want to look cool.

Later maybe later later If I feel like blogging on the parties that was throw in this very house those days, those old days.