Good Karma Music Stories

I recently started taking classes in a teacher leaders’ program. One of my instructors in the program found out that in a few weeks, she must have surgery for cancer, and possibly follow up this surgery with chemotherapy. She announced this to the class last week to inform us that she may be out for one or more classes, and perhaps even for the rest of the semester. We’ve only had 3 class meetings, but I already can feel that she is a genuinely caring individual. She also spent many years as a respectable principal of a NYC bilingual/dual language school. It was apparent in her voice and her words that she was concerned and nervous with all the uncertainty and gravity surrounding her predicament. In the hopes of offering her hope, I immediately shared with her and the class that my mother had the same surgery with the same follow-up treatment and that my mom was doing well after all of it. That evening, I also emailed her about Gilda’s Club, an organization I had heard about recently that provides support to cancer patients and their family members. I also informed her that she would be in my thoughts and prayers. She emailed me back with the message “THANK YOU!” My classmates and I plan to send her flowers after the surgery.

Leaving the grocery store one day, with my groceries and a fat sandwich from their deli, I encountered a very thin, bedraggled woman rumaging through the trash can for discarded soda cans. There was a collection center on the other side of the parking lot where she turned in her finds for a bit of cash. I walked past her to my nice clean car, loaded my purchases and set my sandwich on the seat next to me. Suddenly, I’d lost my appetite and begin to wonder when she last had been able to make a choice about what she got to eat–not just dining on whatever the shelter was handing out–or worse, cheap unhealthy fast food. I walked back, took her into the store and let her pick out whatever she desired from the deli inside.Later, at home, I did enjoy my sandwich afterall.

Recently, a Buddhist temple needed some performances for their Charity Fair. I helped to present some Buddhist songs and got in touch with 2 other Buddhist singing groups to join in, too. We had a great time performing and the audience, besides being entertained, got to hear some Dharma too.

today i didn’t give money to the homeless guy i pass most days although i usually do give something.today i bought some sandwiches and sat down beside him on the street and had a chat for just 10 minutes. it seemed to mean much more to him that someone was listening to what he said. and what he said taught me something too. we’ll have many more chats.

I was waiting for the bus this morning when a stranger pulled up and told me that bus drivers across the city had gone on strike. Later, as I was driving to work I saw another commuter unknowingly waiting for the bus in the rain. Inspired by the random act of kindness shown to me earlier, I stopped and passed on the news of the strike to this person. Just as anyone else would have done given the same situation!

Meeitng with and listening to Rev. Heng Sure’s musical way of teaching the Dharma as well as other topics at the “Council for a parliament of world religions” in Melbourne recently gave new dimensions to ways of teaching. Religious teaching tends often to be bone dry and as a result many people – especially young ones – loose interest. This musical way I believe can open their hearts and minds to a better world.

My co-worker often asks what I do while I volunteer at a buddhist temple and how do I feel when I meditate. She is interested in learning buddhism but she thinks it’s too difficult for her. I gave her a book on Pure Land. Last week she went into the office and told me she had a police fine for talking on the phone while driving to work. “Oh that was hard!” she said, “I kept telling myself, Pureland! The police is doing their job. Great Job! Amitabha! They are doing well. Pureland! I am not going to be angry! PureLand!!” Later on she added, “I am not sure how PureLand had helped me but I am actually not that upset, so I thank you for your book.” So…I hope this Paramita music CD would help her more =)