问：家有丧事，为什么要把佛像遮起来？
师答：家有丧事，把佛像遮起来，这是一种迷信的行为，类似这种习俗，各地方不太一样，譬如有些地方是用白布或黄布把门神遮起来，理由是方便亡者的灵魂进出。至于遮盖佛像的事，从来没有听说过。人临命终时，最好能让他瞻仰佛像，如此可以帮助他往生善处。
一般人对古人所传下来的习俗，常不加探讨其所以然，而人云亦云，人为亦为，甚至加油添醋，于是便形成了迷信世间。
转来信佛有功德
问：我本来信奉他教，如果再信佛教，是否有罪？
师答：你曾入他教，假如再皈依佛教，是不是有罪？我认为没有罪。因为任何宗教都是在六道轮回里的宗教，唯有佛教是超出六道轮回的宗教，所以我们舍弃了其他宗教，转到佛教，不但没有罪，而且还有功德。
学佛必须要皈依
问：有一些人虽然没有皈依，但是他们每天都很认真的排课诵经、自修，也看过许多佛书，对于书中的道理都能领悟，但是他们认为不一定要皈依，对于这种人，不知法师认为如何？
师答：一个佛教徒，皈依是起码的仪式，一个人连皈依这个最起码的仪式都做不到，他的心怎能向佛？心既然不能向佛，将来怎能成佛？那些只空谈理论的人，不与佛菩萨结缘，将来是成不了佛的。就算他很聪明，难保不会成为邪知邪见；就算他有智慧，那也只是一种狂慧。我认为这不是修行的态度。
Social Media Addiction
By 智扬
On the bus or MRT trains, we see almost everyone constantly glued to their mobile devices, myself included. We have grown into a habit of checking our handphones either just before we sleep or when we awaken.
Upon reflecting on why we easily become addicted to social media, I realized that part of its appeal lies in the fact that it allows us to feed our greed and curiosity of information, our inner ‘kaypohness’ (Singlish for being a busybody). We want to know what our friends and family are doing or are busy with. We feel a need to compare with our peers; are we doing better or worse off than them? We want to be in the know of the most happening event or the latest trend to follow. Most times, what we are surfing for is actually not the information that we really need. It’s unlike watching the news where the news editor decides what news to report in terms of severity and priority. In social media, we choose what we want to read according to our interest at that moment. It often takes only a split-second decision to click on the next link when we get bored with what we are currently reading about or watching on social media.
I came across this phrase in a local news article about the use of social media; “… we ignore what we dislike and we will share what we like and feel strongly for”. This struck a chord to what I had been thinking recently about the pervasiveness of social media in almost every aspect of our lives. Hence I believe that the popularity of social media is pushing us towards extremism.
The Internet has brought us closer with immediate news and information sharing. Though fast improving technological advances have brought us many tremendous positives and benefits, we are seeing that it is also causing us to develop more varying and differing viewpoints. Social media sharing has allowed anyone with an internet connection a platform to voice out their own views and opinions to the public. This can be as harmless as diehard supporting rival football teams halfway around the world to dangerous views that advocate extremism with regard to racial, religions, politics and nationalism.
A recent news headlines was that of the spreading of false news or information. While I am not an expert to comment on the measures and policies the authorities are planning to implement to deal with this, I am constantly reminding myself and those around me that we need to be more mindful of what we type and comment online or even just that one simple click to share someone’s link or comment.
We should strive to be mindful and constantly check and remind ourselves to be very careful with what we write or post on social media as there could be terrible consequences as a result of a thoughtless word or post. We also have to be aware and know clearly if we consciously browsing social media for a clear purpose or if we are doing it as part of our routine, which is a clear sign of addiction.