A Bubbly Experience

A pilgrimage to Lantau Island, Hong Kong last Monday, was more than a mere sightseeing of a holy site.

There were lessons to be taken back home. In fact, this openness to experience all things in our life, have been lost many a times due to our ignorance, attachment and adversion.

From something as simple as the numerous bubble-generating machines in Ngong Ping, we could see our plight right now. These machines were quite conspicuous and turned the heads of many passer-bys. Initially, I found their presence here, which was not far from the Giant Buddha statue, extremely odd and out-of-place. This was not an amusement park, so what were these cartoons, machines and bubbles doing here? I was puzzled. These toys were quite a sight as they constantly 'blew' out bubbles of all sizes towards the passer-bys, whom I observed reacted in very different ways.

Some were having fun playing with the bubbles like big kids (maybe they are real kids at heart), some were amused and grinned from ear to ear, while many others were indifferent. The third group might possibly even grumbled in their mind, "Hey, can't these people stopped playing and stopped blocking my way?" Amidst a difference in reactions outwardly, all these people actually, in essence, behaved in the same way. They were all similarly caught up and carried away by their emotions and ignorance -- pleasure in the first two groups and adversion in the last.

I initially behaved in the same way, as amused as some of the rest in the second group. It was only a while later this excerpt of a Buddha's teaching flashed into my mind, "ALL PHENOMENA ARE LIKE DREAMS, LIKE BUBBLES AND ILLUSIONS. THUS, THEY SHOULD BE REFLECTED UPON." Hence, these odd bubbles actually served as a reminder for the illusory nature and impermanence of all phenomena. I smiled as I recalled this timely teaching -- and reached out to touch the bubbles. Every one of them, no matter how big or small, how colourful they are, ended up in the same fate -- all of them burst, leaving no trace of their existence. And although one bursted, another was created. I was at peace to see them burst, I was at peace to see them created. I was at peace that without the hope of wanting to preserve these bubbles, reality became clear. They were just like that -- they came into being, remained for a while and then, they disappeared. There was nothing to be sad or regret about when they burst and nothing worthy to be exceptionally happy or excited about when these beautiful illusions are created. This was exactly their nature. Similarly, this was exactly how all the phenomena -- pleasurable, neutral or unpleasant -- actually existed as well. And this was how we should regard them -- with a peace of mind, free from overwhelming emotions.

正所谓 "一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观。"

(All phenomena are like dreams, bubbles, shadows, dews and lightning. Thus, they should be reflected upon in this way.)