A free book containing LIFE Lessons that really matter as we strive along to find greater mental happiness, peace, wisdom and freeedom

1. A Collection
Of LIFE Lessons
OH TEIK BIN

2. A
Collection
Of
LIFE Lessons
Oh Teik Bin

3. ii
THE GIFT OF DHAMMA SURPASSES ALL OTHER GIFTS
Title: A Collection Of LIFE Lessons
Author: Oh Teik Bin
Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia
Front and back cover by Oh Teik Bin
Email: ohteikbin@gmail.com
Printed for free distribution
This edition (2014) : 1000 copies
Not For Sale
This Dhamma Dana book is a gift, printed solely for free distribution.
Lots of other educational and Dhamma material by the same author are
available at the following Websites:
http://ohteikbin.weebly.com
www.dhammatelukintan.blogspot.com
www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin
www.youtube.com/user/ohlifelessons
www.toondoo.com/user/bteikoh
www.scribd.com/teikbin
http://engagedbuddhists.ning.com/profile/ohteikbin
www.twitter.com/TBroh
www.facebook.com/ohteikbin
No copyright is applicable to this publication and any organizations,
societies or individuals are welcome to reprint part or all of it. However,
such reprints must be for free distribution. It would be appreciated if the
author could be informed by email of any reprint.
Printed by: Majujaya Indah Sdn. Bhd (85902-U)
68 Jalan 14E Ampang New Village
68000 Selangor Darul Ehsan, Kuala Lumpir, Malaysia
Tel: 03-42916001

4. iii
DEDICATION
“A Collection Of LIFE Lessons”
is dedicated in ever loving memory of
My late Parents
OH KHAY LENG ( 1924 – 1999 )
LIM SAW GHIM ( 1924 – 2012 )
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My sincere thanks and gratitude go to the following:
All Sangha and lay members who have taught the sublime
Dhamma and valuable LIFE LESSONS at
Persatuan Buddhist Hilir Perak, Teluk Intan since 1987
All my friends who have in one way or other contributed to my
growth in the Dhamma
This book has been sponsored for free distribution by
The Children of Mr. & Mrs. Oh Khay Leng
All Other Family Members
DEDICATION OF MERITS
May all beings share in the merits of this Dhamma Dana.
May they find happiness, peace and liberation.

5. iv
CONTENTS
Dedication/Acknowledgements
Preface
1
I Have Learned…
2
Gems Of Wisdom
3
Food For Thought From The Aliens
4
Humor And Wisdom
5
Learning From Humor And Insults
6
May I Reflect…
7
My Wise Teacher Says…
8
Wesak Aspirations
9
What The Buddha Said On Wakefulness
10 Wisdom Tells Me That…
11 Wise Child, Great Thoughts
1
6
13
20
28
34
42
53
65
72
81
12
13
Great Minds, Great Thoughts
Your Views, Buddha’s Views
92
102
14
15
16
Superheroes’ Thoughts
Isn’t It So…Ponderings
Priceless LIFE Lessons I’ve Learned…
108
117
123
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Of Virtues And Values
Picks Of Peculiar Pics
A Deva Asks…
Good Mental Food
20 Favorite Chinese Proverbs
Insights From Clever Quips
What Have We Done Today?
Wise Ones, Wise Thoughts
Spiritual Tonics
So What Will Matter…?
Your Constant Companion
128
134
140
146
157
163
171
174
179
184
190

6. 28
29
30
I Feel A Great Friend Would…
Contemplation. Aspiration…
Miscellaneous
v
196
205
211
Preface
My previous Dhamma / Motivational / Inspirational books for free distribution, namely
• Dhamma Matters
• ‘Why Like That One?’
• LIFE Lessons With Power Points
• More LIFE Lessons To Learn
• Thoughtful Twitter Tweets To Treasure
have received rather good and encouraging feedback. Some readers emailed to say they have
benefited from the different chapters in the books. All this spurred me to write more LIFE
Lessons that can help the young and old to grow in happiness, peace, compassion, wisdom and
freedom of the mind.
A Collection of LIFE Lessons is a Dhamma / Educational book of 30 Chapters containing
contents that aim to
* help spread important points and messages of the sublime Dhamma
* inculcate virtues and good moral values particularly among children, students and youths
* convey invaluable LIFE Lessons in our troubled times of growing anxiety, insecurity
and stress
A Collection of LIFE Lessons is written in a pictorial and graphic way to make for easy
reading. Today, in a time when most people especially the younger generation are hooked on
things like Facebook, Smart phones, online games, internet chat and the attractions of the iPad,
iPod and so on, the reading of books that are wordy and filled with textual writings has lost its
appeal. It is hoped that the format of A Collection of LIFE Lessons will draw more readers to
learn
LIFE
Lessons.
Most of the contents in the book have been drawn from my postings on the following Web Sites:
•
•
www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin/presentations
www.toondoo.com/user/bteikoh

7. May All Beings Be Well And Happy!
1
OH TEIK BIN
1
I HAVE LEARNED…
I’ve learned….
That happiness and sorrow
are part and parcel of life.

8. 2

9. 3

10. 4

11. 5

12. 6
2
GEMS OF WISDOM

13. 7

14. 8

15. 9

16. 10

17. 11

18. 12

19. 13
3
FOOD FOR THOUGHT FROM THE ALIENS

20. 14

21. 15

22. 16

23. 17

24. 18

25. 19

26. 20
4
HUMOR AND WISDOM

27. 21

28. 22
So far as he is concerned, a
friend in need is a friend to
keep away from

29. 23

30. 24

31. 25

32. 26

33. 27

34. 28
5
LEARNING FROM HUMOR AND INSULTS

35. 29

36. 30

37. 31

38. 32

39. 33

40. 6
MAY I REFLECT…
34

41. 35

42. 36

43. 37

44. 38

45. 39

46. 40

47. 41

48. 42
7
MY WISE TEACHER SAYS…

49. 43

50. 44

51. 45

52. 46

53. 47

54. 48

55. 49

56. 50

57. 51

58. 52

59. 53
8
WESAK ASPIRATIONS

60. 54

61. 55

62. 56

63. 57

64. 58

65. 59

66. 60

67. 61

68. 62

69. 63

70. 64

71. 65
9
WHAT THE BUDDHA SAID ON WAKEFULNESS

72. 66

73. 67

74. 68

75. 69

76. 70

77. 71

78. 72
10
WISDOM TELLS ME THAT…

79. 73

80. 74

81. 75

82. 76

83. 77

84. 78

85. 79

86. 80

87. 81
11
Wise Child, Great Thoughts

88. 82

89. 83

90. 84

91. 85

92. 86

93. 87

94. 88

95. 89

96. 90

97. 91

98. 92
12
GREAT MINDS, GREAT THOUGHTS

99. 93

100. 94

101. 95

102. 96
Leo
Tolstoy

103. 97
Abraham
Lincoln

104. 98
Swami
Vivekananda

105. 99
Charles
Dickens

106. 100
William
Shakespeare

107. 101

108. 102
13
YOUR VIEWS, BUDDHA’S VIEWS

109. 103

110. 104

111. 105

112. 106

113. 107

114. 108
14
SUPERHEROES’ THOUGHTS

115. 109

116. 110

117. 111
Great things cannot
be achieved quickly.
Patience is needed
undoubtedly.

118. 112

119. 113

120. 114

121. 115

122. 116

123. 117
15
ISN’T IT SO… PONDERINGS

124. 118

125. 119

126. 120

127. 121

128. 122

129. 123
16
PRICELESS LIFE LESSONS I’VE LEARNED…

130. 124

131. 125

132. 126

133. 127

134. 128
17
OF VIRTUES AND VALUES
1
1 The dangers of intoxicating drinks are very real. Apart from threatening one’s
physical health, intoxicants cause the mind to be heedless.
2 Beware of your unwholesome desires. When one cannot accept the reality of ageing,
one will suffer from the defilements of desire, greed, lust and craving.

135. 129
Any sexual misconduct (adultery, rape, sexual exploitation and so on) will eventually
bring pain to the transgressor and the victims.
We must practice the precept or training rule of refraining from sexual misconduct.
Do not betray relationships. Practice contentment.

136. 130
When one does not observe the rules of morality
one will fall into states of sorrow and misery.

137. Greed, Hatred and Delusion are the ‘Devils’ within
That are the true root cause of Dukkha or suffering.
131
Parents have to show exemplary behavior to their children. The young ones catch
the vices of greed, lust and anger pretty easily.
Unwholesome speech or actions have consequences which will cause hurt, anger or illwill to other people who in turn can react or retaliate against the mindless one.

138. 132

139. 133

140. 134
18
PICKS OF PECULIAR PICS

141. 135

142. 136

143. 137

144. 138

145. 139

146. 140
19
A DEVA ASKS …

147. 141

148. 142

149. 143

150. 144

151. 145

152. 146
20
GOOD MENTAL FOOD

153. 147

154. 148

155. 149

156. 150

157. 151

158. 152

159. 153

160. 154

161. 155

162. 156

163. 157
21
20 FAVORITE CHINESE PROVERBS

164. 158

165. 159

166. 160

167. A gem is not polished without rubbing,
161
nor a man perfected without trials.

168. 162

169. 163
22
INSIGHTS FROM CLEVER QUIPS

170. 164

171. 165

172. 166

173. 167

174. 168

175. 169

176. 170

177. 171
23
WHAT HAVE WE DONE TODAY?

178. 172

179. 173

180. 174
24
WISE ONES, WISE THOUGHTS

181. 175

182. 176

183. 177

184. 178

185. 179
25
SPIRITUAL TONICS

186. 180

187. 181

188. 182

189. 183

190. 184
26
SO, WHAT WILL MATTER…?

191. 185

192. 186

193. 187

194. 188

195. 189

196. 190
27
YOUR CONSTANT COMPANION

197. 191

198. 192

199. 193

200. 194

201. 195

202. 196
28
I FEEL A GREAT FRIEND WOULD…

203. 197

204. 198

205. 199

206. 200

207. 201

208. 202

209. 203

210. 204

211. 205
29
CONTEMPLATION, ASPIRATION…

212. 206

213. 207

214. 208

215. 209

216. 210

217. 211
30
MISCELLANEOUS
1
Beware of the Ego! One who is filled with pride, conceit and is boastful cannot
relate well with others. Humility is a good virtue to practice.
One who has a big ego will suffer within. He will also cause much suffering to others.
Diminishing the ‘I’ and ‘Mine’ will bring much peace to the mind.

218. 212
212
Being mindful in our thoughts, speech and actions is a most important quality of the
mind. A lack of mindfulness can lead to much suffering.
Poor memory arising out of a lack of attention in what we hear or observe can bring
about trouble and conflict to oneself and to others.

219. 213
The unmindful person oftentimes makes foolish mistakes in his speech and deeds.
This affects adversely his interaction with others.
Taking intoxicants can lead to one losing his heedfulness. He then can speak or act in
ways where he would regret later. Keep your mind clear by not taking intoxicants.

220. 214
214
Reflection
Reflection
Educating the young ones requires much skill and patience.
Educating the young ones requires much skill and patience.

221. 215
Reflection
Modern kids are smarter than you think.
Creative and wise ways are needed to educate them.

222. 216

223. 217
We have to be very mindful of
our speech.
Spiritual people have a sense of
humor. They don’t bear grudges
against another.

224. 218
When we repeatedly do good
deeds, we will grow spiritually.
A mind that is trained and
directed well will attain
happiness and peace.

225. 219
No one is free from faults and
making mistakes at times. We learn
and grow from them.
Love, kindness and compassion
are high spiritual qualities we
must develop.

226. To err is Human;
To forgive Divine
220
“Winners never quit;
Quitters never win.”

227. Notes

228. Dedication
In Ever Loving Memory Of
Our Beloved Parents
Oh Khay Leng
1924 - 1999
Lim Saw Ghim
1924 - 2012
May they rejoice in the merits of this
Dhamma Dana and may they attain
The Bliss of Nibbana.
Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

229. With Metta,
Oh Teik Bin, Brothers and Sister
And All In The Family
A Collection of LIFE Lessons is a Dhamma / Educational
book of 30 Chapters containing contents that aim to
* help spread important points and messages of the sublime
Dhamma
* inculcate virtues and good moral values particularly among
children, students and youths
* convey invaluable LIFE Lessons in our troubled times of
growing anxiety, insecurity and stress
A Collection of LIFE Lessons is written in a pictorial and graphic
way to make for easy reading. Today, in a time when most people
especially the younger generation are hooked on things like
Facebook, Smart phones, online games, internet chat and the
attractions of the iPad, iPod and so on, the reading of books that
are wordy and filled with textual writings has lost its appeal. It is
hoped that the format of A Collection of LIFE Lessons will
draw more readers to learn LIFE Lessons.
Most of the contents in the book have been drawn from my
postings on the following Web Sites:
• www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin/presentations
•
www.toondoo.com/user/bteikoh
About the Author
Oh Teik Bin is a retired teacher and has been involved in
Dhammaduta work for more than 25 years at Persatuan Buddhist
Hilir Perak, Teluk Intan. His Dhammaduta and outreach services
include guidance classes, community library work, Buddhist
Sunday School, Dhamma classes,
Youth Camps, Dhamma
sharing
and Buddhist wake chanting services. Over
the
Internet, Oh Teik Bin has posted lots of Dhamma and
educational material at:
http://ohteikbin.weebly.com
www.dhammatelukintan.blogspot.com
www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin
www.youtube.com/ohlifelessons
www.toondoo.com/user/bteikoh
www.scribd.com/teikbin
http://engagedbuddhists.ning.com/profile/ohteikbin
www.twitter.com/TBroh
He can be contacted at Facebook and
ohteikbin@gmail.com