The Year Of The Snade

Today is the first day of the Year of the Snake in the 12 year cycle of the Chinese calendar. In myth, religion and symbolism snakes are almost universally regarded as positive. Ophion was a sort of Greek creator or overseer of the world. Mercury and Hermes the Roman and Greek messengers of the gods carried a staff with two intertwined snakes on it. The rod of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing, had a snake twisted up it. Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent was the Aztec creator, and the Egyptian pharaohs always had a snake on the front of their crowns, although I don’t know why. One of the few malign snake deities was the Egyptian Apep, god of chaos. It was probably he who caused the ancient Hebrews to  regard the snake as evil, and hence the Bible creation myth of Adam and Eve being tempted by Satan in the form of a snake. 

In Buddhism the snake occasionally has a negative role as when it represents hatred in the centre of the Wheel of Life, the pig representing delusion and the cock greed, the three always depicted biting the other. But as with most traditions  Buddhism more often gives it a positive associations. The most significant of these, as mentioned in the Vinaya, is the incident that took place during the Buddha’s third week after his enlightenment. A violent rain storm broke out and the naga (snake or dragon) Mucalinda coiled himself around the Buddha seven times and opened his cobra-like head over him to shelter him (Vin.I,3).   
Some say it points to the Buddha’s seven chakras being opened, chakrameaning ‘coiled energy.’ Ingenious but unconvincing. The numerous tantric texts give different numbers of chakras, from one to over 30. Andcharka does not mean ‘coiled energy’, it just means circle or centre. Another explanation, perhaps more convincing, is that the story was meant to give a role, albeit a minor one,  to the various snake spirits and deities worshipped in Magadha at the time, to sideline them as mere minders or bodyguards to the guy who really mattered – the Buddha.

Anyway Xin Nian Kuai Le to all my Chinese readers.

Valentine and Marie lived with their poor grandmother. On Christmas Eve, just as these three people sat down for supper, there came a knock. A sweet voice called, “Let me in! I am a little child. I am cold and hungry! Please, good people let me in!”

      Valentine and Marie ran to open the door and said, “Come in, friend. We have not much more than you have, but what we have we will share with you.”

      The children shared their bread with him. Then they said, “Come, lie down in our bed. We will sleep on the bench before the fire tonight.”

      Valentine and Marie lay down on the bench before the fire and then they fell asleep. At midnight, Marie woke up her brother and whispered, “Valentine, listen to the beautiful music at the window.”

      Valentine rubbed his eyes and listened. He heard the most wonderful singing and the sweet notes of a harp. The children crept to the window and looked out. They saw a rosy light in the east and the stranger Child. He was clad in a golden garment, and wore a glistening, golden crown upon his soft hair.

      Sweetly, he spoke to the children, “For the generosity and pity that you showed me tonight, I will leave with you my blessing.” Then the stranger Child took out a bough of a fir tree and planted it in the ground, saying “This bough shall grow into a tree, and every year, it shall bear Christmas fruit for you.”

      And, as Valentine and Marie looked on the wonder, the fir bough grew, and grew, and grew, into a stately Christmas tree, laden with golden apples, silver nuts, and lovely toys. And after that, every year at Christmas wonderful fruits.

A bout My bestfriend

My bestfriend name is Min Thin Min Kyaw. His age is 13 years old. Wherever I go to Kaw Bhin he follow me. Wherever he go to field i follow his. Today is he play water festival village. He is good to me. He live in Kaw Goe village Mon state. I love my bestfriend.  

At The Library

        There is a library in my school. Inside the library, there are many shelves full of books.
         There are many types of books in the library. There are also newspapers andmagazines.Many pupils are st the tables reading story books. Some are looking through the books displayed on the shelves.
         I usually come to the library to study or do my homework. It is more comfortable as it is quiet and air-conditioned.

Myself

My name is Mehm Krat Nyan. I am 13 years old. I came from Kaw Goe village Mon stat. I live in Jalan Budu Pasa. I have been one year in Malaysia. I stady Mon Refugee Children Education Canter un standrad - 3. I want to teach Science subject, Mon subject. I like to play computer. I very happy day is Mon Nalional   Day 66th at malaysia. I want to go K.L.C.C. I want to be a singer.I like to read storybook. I love my family very much. My parents at the Kata Raya.