Datuk Kong I (拿督公 I)

The 'datuk' here refers to a type of spirit specific to Malaysia and Singapore. There are many types of 'datuk' or 'grandfathers': the black, white, green, yellow and red. Among all those 'datuk', the 'datuk hitam' is the most feared of and the most powerful. Some say the 'green datuk' however.

These 'datuk' maybe worshiped alone or with 5 or 7 brothers. In Malaysia, You will see many red shrines outside of a Chinese house, factories,  beside crossroads, river banks or in construction sites etc.

Unlike other deities, a shrine is only built for a 'datuk' on special requests. When a 'datuk' wished to be worshiped, then it will make its intention know by appearing itself in people's dreams or actual manifestations.

For example: if a worksite has seen frequent accidents or injuries, or the work progress is slow for no apparent reasons; person in charge would employ a medium to ask for reasons. At this time, a spirit would possess the medium and identify itself as a 'datuk' who watched over that location for some years.

In order to stop all mishaps, a shrine must be built and offerings of turmeric sticky rice and curry mutton periodically.

I have some encounters with 'datuk' spirit:

When I was about 10, together with my cousins and uncles went to a small shrine in  rubber plantation at night to see some people asking for lucky numbers.

A 'tangki' (medium) was called in for the purpose. It was around midnight and after some chanting, the medium was possessed by a spirit identified itself as 'Datuk Hitam' (black grandpa).

Oddly speaking, after this Datuk Hitam has identified itself, it immediately made roaring sounds as if it was a tiger. Then someone asked: "Can Datuk Hitam gave some lucky numbers?"

Datuk HItam remained roaring for quite a while and opened its mouth: "Now I am hungry, I want to eat first! Give me some raw meat!"

Everyone looked at each other as where on earth can anyone find raw meat?

There was a long silent. The Datuk Hitam became impatient and finally it said: "If there is no meat... I will eat this medium's left hand."

As soon as Datuk Hitam finished its words, it started to chew at the medium's finger making horrible squeaking noises. Almost immediately Datuk Hitam has severed two of the medium's fingers. With its bloody mouth, Datuk Hitam said: "I have not tasted human flesh for 500 years!"

At this point, some of those on lookers rushed to the medium and pressed him onto the ground. They started to slap the medium until the Datuk Hitam which possessed his body left.

The crowd quickly dispersed and no body dares to call up Datuk Hitam at night since that incident. I don't know what had happened to that poor 'tangki' after the awful incident.

Drown Ghosts (溺死鬼)

The Chinese believed that when a person who is drowned will become a 'drown ghost'. This type of ghost is very difficult to handle as they have mass and in the body of water, its power is the greatest.

Right after the infamous South Asia Tsunami, a sorcerer friend of mine, Alan went to the Batu Ferringhi Beach to summon those drown spirits.

A few weeks later, when I was walking in a street downtown, Alan called me. I nearly couldn't recognize him. This guy's body especially the face became bloated as if a piece of bread soaked in water. I could smell the scent of sea water emitted from him too...

So we went into a coffee house to chat. According to Alan, right after the conjuration of drown ghosts; his luck turned from bad to worst. Not only that, he was also constantly having nightmare where he would dream of many people soaked in the sea crying and yearning for help.

Before we parted, Alan asked if I could help to get rid of all those spirits he entangled with. I could only shook my head as it would take a lot of time. More importantly, I didn't want to help Alan as I didn't like his idea of calling up those poor spirits.

There is one true story about 'drown ghost tutor' that was in my mind for a long time. I have almost forgotten about it until I start writing this post:

This incident happened when I was in Form 1 or so, about 13~14 years old. I was not involved directly but another girl and our math tutor, who was our senior.

At that time, my math results were always floating on borderlines. So, my pal introduced me to take up tuition under a senior whom I would just call him Nelson. 

There were about 5 people studying under Nelson. Among those students, Mary was a pretty girl whom Nelson was very much fond of. I have heard rumors about them but I just mind my own business.

One evening, I was fishing at the bank of Perak River and I saw a black shadow sitting about 50 feet away. It looked familiar to me but I kept my position as I didn't want to scare away those long awaited fish.

Then the shadow noticed me and it moved towards me. And I recognized him as Nelson, my math tutor.

Nelson gave me a nod as he approached me. I could saw that he was all wet... I started to beak ice: "Hey, Nelson! Did you swim with your clothes on?"

Nelson just smiled silently and then walked past me and into the water again.

During that night, my pal Meng rang me up with a bad news. Meng said: "Nelson has molested Mary and everyone is looking for him now!"

According to Meng, right after the afternoon tuition, Nelson gave an excuse to ask Mary to stay behind. After that he started to molest Mary but Mary ran off to inform her parents. Very quickly this has turned into a big issue in a small town...

It was believed that Nelson was quite afraid to face the consequences of what he did. He then ran out of his house and no one knows where he went..."

I immediately said to Meng: "You must be kidding! I just saw Nelson swimming in the Perak River..."

The next morning, when I was in the school, the news of Nelson was found drowned in Perak River suspected of committed suicide.

So, who or what did I see the evening before?

The story did not end there unfortunately...

About a week later, Mary started to experience 'wet' dreams. I mean wet in the sense of physical wetness. 

Mary felt that someone would press onto her body at night and that she couldn't move and fainted. When she awoke, she was soaked wet. Water even dripped down from her bed onto the floor.
Mary's parents brought her to see a medium and they were told that it was the work of the restless spirit of Nelson.

As I heard that it took quite a while to exorcise the drown ghost. Perhaps to keep away from further attack, Mary was sent to New Zealand to further her studies.

I wonder if Nelson is still 'swimming' in the river now a days?

Handling Cyber Bully (应付网络欺凌)

There were a few cases of student committed suicide by cyber bully in Malaysia. I think the cases of cyber bully is more serious elsewhere. Of course, cases of death caused by physical bully in the school are getting serious too.

As a capacity as a labelled 'master',  I was called in to investigate so-called ghost possession of youths many times only to be concluded as 'mental disturbances' due to either school related, and lately; intranet related.

If you recall that people are generally grouped into 'doer' or a 'thinker'.

If a 'doer' experienced cyber bully, he/she will tackle the person head-on and most probably forgotten about it after a while.

However, if a 'thinker' faces cyber bully, he/she would just keep what the bully said in mind for a very long time. A 'thinker' would keep thinking why the bully is so cruel towards him/her over and over again. If further stimulation are added, such as a scold by the teacher or a scorn by a friend, this person will jump over the balcony abruptly.

People who does not understand how our mind works would be surprised with such a tragic ending.

Unless the bully a person suffers from is of life threatening in nature, there is practically nothing anyone can do: the school, the parents or even friends are just too busy to bother about some minute quarrel in the intranet.

So, if you are a 'doer' or even a 'thinker', then the best way is to use Dudjom Rinpoche's method:

"We must understand that all external demons are only the manifestation of our mind. Its nature is without characteristics. In order to subdue the external demons, we must first tackle our unsettle mind.

By meditating on the syllable HUM we can subdue the internal demons reflected as the external demons."

There is a very useful technique a person can use too:

A person can imagine that all the negative energy from cyber bully is absorbed into the HUM in his/her heart. Then started to sing out loud: "HUM, HUM, HUM..." until all of the contaminated energy is gone.

I just realized from a local news report that even teachers in schools can be big bullies to the kids too... while mind training method is good, as parents; they too have a role to play over their children's safe growing.

All of a sudden, it is not so easy to be kids these days!

Banana Spirits (香蕉精)

I believe the belief of banana spirit is originated from Sichuan, China where 'musa basjoo' (芭蕉) is originated. 

In old Okinawa, Japan where banana plants were once flourished forming large piece of banana jungle; night travelers passing through this banana forest would come across this type of spirit. Having said so, the belief of banana spirit is not native to Japan.

There are stories told that when beautiful girls passing through banana plants at night, they would come across very handsome young man. These girls would then conceive and give birth to 'ghost baby'.

The locals believed that one must bring along sharp knives to protect himself/herself when passing through banana plants at night or facing the risk of being attack.

In some places in Japan, people still believe a banana plant brings bad luck and causing sickness. Some Chinese also holds the belief that banana plants attract yin-energy so they are not suitable to be planted near the house.

It is a little different with Japanese, Chinese believe that a banana spirit normally shows itself as a pretty lady enticing lustful young man to mate with it. If the spirit is satisfied, then the man can be rich with the help of this banana spirit. But the downside is that this person may die of life energy depletion over time.

There are many rituals meant to call out a banana spirit at night to ask for favours:

Folklore described that when a banana plant flowers, its bud should be tied with a piece of red string on one end, and the other end of the string is tied to the toe of the person who wishes to summon banana spirit.

It is said that a beautiful lady will come to the person and satisfy his lust.

Other ritual said that one should get a pair of iron scissors and stab the scissors into the banana trunk. Then a piece of the red string is tied to the handle while the other to the person's toe.

This later method is a more powerful way to force the spirit out. But the person must remove the scissors from the trunk after the spirit has done what is required or very bad consequences may entail.

It is also possible to ask lucky numbers from banana spirits. One only need to write a series of numbers on some small flags. Then all these flags are plugged under banana plant at night. In the next morning, the topple flags would indicate the choice of numbers given by the banana spirit.

In Vietnam, some men would look for banana plants near rivers and bring the banana plants to his house. This is known as 'marrying a banana plant'. Such action is believed to bring luck and fortune to a poor man. This man must treat this banana plant as his lawful wife.

Banana spirit is depicted as Phi Phop in Thailand and amulets of banana spirits are sold as lucky charms... The Thai banana spirits are believed to dwell in wild banana plants outside a village. You will see some sort of flower garland hung on the trunk when you visit Thai villages. Banana spirits are only revered by the Thai than having romantic thoughts however.

Of course, the level headed westerners have no such sort of fantasies as the Asian!

Phi Phop (琵琶鬼)

Phi Phop is a type of spirit that is similar to the Malay 'hantu raya' that can be captured and deployed.

Traditionally, Phi Phop is related to the 'mountain-wind' (蛊) sorcery which is similar to the Malay 'santau' incidentally speaking.

In Indochina, the 'mountain-wind' is a type of poison that can kill but in order to be effective, it must be carried by an agent. In this case; the Phi Phop.

Likewise in Malay magic, the 'santau' is transmitted through the 'hantu raya' (helper spirit).

In Thailand, Phi Phop is believed to attach itself to a wild banana plant and some Chinese believes Phi Phop to be identical to a banana spirit. But if we travel further to Indochina and Southern China, then Phi Phop is merely the spirit of deceased 'mountain-wind' sorcerer.

The appearance of Phi Phop that I know is almost similar to the 'hantu raya' but it is slimmer and more greenish in color.

I obtained my Phi Phop from a Thai sorcerer under the guidance of my Kurba Archan but I seldom evoke its service as yet.

Like the 'hantu raya', Phi Phop can be trained to unite with a practitioner's soul but in doing so, the practitioner will face the risk of becoming another Phi Phop himself/herself.

Through my experience dealing with Phi Phop, I believe that Phi Phop and the common belief banana spirit are two different entities altogether. Although at times Phi Phop can be found attached to a banana plant too.

In old Thai medicine, Phi Phop can be exorcised out from a person's body by applying chili powder into the possessed's eyes.This method however, is largely forsaken as it would bring harm to the patient as well.

Other method of curing illnesses caused by Phi Phop is through herbal medication and prayers. 

According to old scriptures, there are many types of Phi Phops in Indochina. For example the most powerful one is the 'golden silk' and other varieties are: the snake,the toad, the catfish etc.

Although the mountain-wind sorcerer is monopolized by the Indochinese minorities, some Mao Shan Taoists also perform some sort of 'mountain-wind' ritual.

I have had some opportunities to witness the making of these Taoist 'mountain-wind' variety and found that their power is far lesser than the minorities ones. 

This is because the Mao Shan people only makes 'poisons' but they didn't have the associated spirit to be the agent.

Now a days, such distinctions are not important any more because the masters of Phi Phops and the related Mao Shan practitioners are very hard to come by practically speaking.

Thou Shall Not Tell Lie (不狂言)

'Thou shall not tell lie' is one of 5 precepts of Buddhist. But Mahayana Buddhist sutras especially the trantric scripture are full of excessive 'exaggerations'. For example most of Buddhist sutra opening would sound something like this:

"At one time, the Buddha was preaching on the mountain top with hundred thousands of monks and gods and demons..."

Hidden within those sutras would be rituals that can do almost anything even to defend enemies from invading a country:

"Recite mantra 100,000 times and burn specific woods for 100,000 and then blow a breath at the enemy direction, the enemy would be defeated automatically..."

Were the above description true as mentioned? The history has the answer for us.

The fact is that those ancient Buddhist kingdoms in India that followed the above doctrine and ritual faithfully were wiped out by other invaders from outside India for good...

If we turn to examine Tantric Buddhism and have another look:

"The dharma protector torma (ritual cake) is very powerful... if it is thrown at the enemy, it will destroy all demons and enemies..."

Can a ritual cake made of flour blow out enemy? 

This is a political and religiously sensitive question, so I would let you look into the history of Tibet proper. History cannot tell lie of course.

Buddhism has gone a long way from India to China and Southeast Asia. Many schools of different views were formed and destroyed. The Buddhism we see today is not the same as the Buddhism preached by the Buddha. Except for 'namo buddhaya' in tantric ritual, we can hardly see traces of the original teaching of Buddha.

Many schools have evolved to be charity organisations now a days..

Think if you will, but please 'do not tell lie'...

Doer Vs Thinker (行动家与思想家)

Are you a doer or a thinker?

This is perhaps a stupid question but this will explain why one word from cyber bully can cause an outstanding student with bright future to commit suicide.

If you want to know the answer, then ask someone to say: "Jump!"

A 'doer' will just jump.

However, a 'thinker' will just stand quietly. Why? Because 'doer' is waiting for more information such as 'how high' or 'when'. 

Since majority of the people out there belongs to 'doer' category, a 'thinker' always seem to be a slower or stupid person.

There is no good or bad:

Though a 'doer' do things faster and has a faster lead, if he/she does not learn in life; this doer will fall behind over time.

Although a 'thinker' has a slower start, after he/she gained enough life experience; then this thinker will lead a much stable life than a 'doer'.

A 'doer' is more ruthless and insensitive to the outside world. Hence he/she is more likely to do well in society.

On the other hand, a 'thinker' will tend to involve in 'self-talk' which is a type of self questioning and answering action that repeated for a long time. At this point, if someone just say to a thinker: "Go to hell!"; this thinker is more likely to suffer mental depression or commit suicide.

So, it is my hope that every parents understand the character of their children clearly so that proper advices can be given when needed.

My purpose is to let you understand why you behave as such and that you can appreciate that everyone is unique and different.

Please don't call people 'stupid' if they seemed slow next time. It is just how their brain work!