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[panjunli]

What do you pray for?

Here’s another article for this quarter.

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TRANSLATION STARTS

Ten things to not pray for in front of the Buddha, and the reasons why they’re not desired

Simplified version of Venerable Ouyi’s teachings:

Those who chant the names of Buddhas should not wish to be free from illnesses. If we crave an illness-free life, greed will manifest in our hearts, leading to the breaking of the precepts of Buddhism and subsequently regression. If we fall sick, then we should not dwell on the state of sickness and not let it occupy our hearts. Do not feel frustrated because of the illness. Instead, treat it as a means of furthering our self-cultivation.

While playing our roles in this world, we should not wish to be free from hardships. A life without hardships will allow pride to manifest in our hearts, weakening our resolve to seek the Dharma. Hardships are meant to cut down our pride, so we should use hardships as a resource in our quest for enlightenment.

In the pursuit of success, we should watch out for the desire to be free from obstacles. If there are no obstacles, laziness will manifest in our hearts, leading to stagnation. In the worst case, one may be misled into believing they have already attained enlightenment when they still have a long way to go. Remove obstacles by tackling their root causes. Treat obstacles as hurdles to be overcome.

We should not desire an easy way to accomplish tasks. Easy paths to success do not foster strong wills, leading to a propensity to take a wrong turn in our journey. If we desire success, we have to work hard and refrain from looking for the easy way out. We should treat obstacles as whetstones for our betterment.

We should not seek to only gain benefits from our interactions from others. If we make frequent gains at someone else’s expense, other people would start to view us in a bad light. If we encounter disputes, we should resolve them as circumstances would allow without much emphasis on an “us versus them” mentality.

We should not always expect everything to go our way. Smooth sailing breeds arrogance which leads to an opinionated view of the world, and that would impede our journey towards enlightenment. We should treat adverse environments as our training grounds.

We should not expect returns from those who have benefited from our acts of kindness. If we harbor such expectations, then we succumb to greed. Even worse, if we were to go around announcing our acts of kindness, the positive karma which we have earned would diminish. We should keep a low profile and not adapt a “gain versus loss” mentality.

When we encounter an opportunity to extract benefits for ourselves, we should not let greed take the reins, because it would only erode our moral standards. All gains in this world are only illusions, and hence should not be regarded as the ultimate goal. The truly rich person is the one who does not hanker after material gains.

When maligned by others, there is no need to proclaim our innocence. A proclamation would lead to a dispute, which in turn breeds hatred. We should let go of our attachment to be the one who is “right”. Let tolerance and humility guide us on the path of self-cultivation.

Obstacles encountered during the course of self-cultivation require wisdom to overcome. We should frequently examine our minds, moral standards, degrees of putting the Buddha’s teachings into practice, and levels of diligence. If we were to embark upon our journey of self-cultivation with sincerity, we should accept that every practitioner of Buddhism is an agent of the Buddha and also a tool to help fellow practitioners in this journey. In helping others leave Samsara, we would find salvation ourselves, and that is the ultimate goal for humans. There is no need to get attached to anything in this world of illusion.  

We hereby direct and share the karmic merits of creating and propagating this article to all sentient beings in all realms. May we transcend to the Western Pure Land. May this merit beautify all paradises ruled by Buddhas, repay the Four Kindnesses (Editor: According to the Hsintao website, they refer to the kindness of Shakyamuni Buddha for spreading his teachings, the kindness of our parents for giving us our mortal bodies, the kindness of our teachers for providing us with knowledge, and the kindness of all sentient beings for having served as our parents, teachers and benefactors in our past lives), and provide relief for beings suffering in the Three Evil Paths. May any sentient being who come across this article resolve to become a future Buddha and join us in a paradise ruled by a Buddha.

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[panjunli]

Converting your worldly possessions into true wealth

Here’s an article for this quarter.

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TRANSLATION STARTS

The Cream Sellers Analogy

Once upon a time, there lived two paupers who made a living selling cream.

One day, as they were about to balance their urns atop their heads before heading to the market to sell their wares, it suddenly started raining and made the road slippery with mud. The cleverer of the two thought to himself, “Due to the rain, the mud would make the road hard to traverse. If I slip and fall, my urn would break and I would lose all my cream. Hence, I should refine my cream into ghee. So even if I fall, I would not sustain heavy losses.” The other man failed to anticipate this outcome or take precautions, choosing to proceed with the journey to the market with all of his cream stored in his urn.

During the journey, both men slipped and fell in the mud, breaking their urns in the process. One of them sobbed uncontrollably with sadness and regret, while the other sat unperturbed.

A passerby asked, “Both your urns lay broken in the mud, so it seems you two have suffered equivalent losses. But why do I see only one of you crying with sadness while the other appears to be calm and free from regret?”

One of the cream sellers said, “I was carrying this urn which contains all of my unrefined cream. Now that it is broken, I have lost my entire stock, and that is why I am filled with sadness.”

And the other replied, “Before starting the journey, I had already refined my cream into ghee. Although my urn is broken now, I did not lose a lot of my stock. Hence, I am not that upset.”

The urns and cream in the story are metaphors drawing references to our physical bodies and our wealth respectively. If we are obsessed with accumulating wealth and focus only on immediate gains without being mindful of the concept of impermanence, we would not do good deeds to obtain positive karma. Once our lives draw to a close, we cannot bring our accumulated wealth with us and would lose all of our worldly possessions. Just like the seller who did not refine his cream beforehand, we stand to lose everything and wallow in regret once that earthly vessel breaks. Conversely, if we hold a strong belief in the concept of reaping what we sow, choosing to use our wealth to help the less fortunate and accumulate positive karma, the benefits of our actions would not be lost after our current lives end and instead would be carried over to the next life cycle. Just like the seller who had refined his cream beforehand, we would not lose much after breaking our “urns”. Thus, we can face death with calmness and without regret.

Taken from Story Thirty of Book One of the Sutra of Assorted Analogies

Reflection:

In this analogy, the different outcomes experienced by the two cream sellers highlight the concept of karmic imprint, reminding us to accumulate positive karma to prepare for the next life cycle. I quote a paragraph from another sutra: “Use an impermanent mortal body to cultivate your dharma body; use an impermanent currency to cultivate your dharma wealth; use an impermanent life-force to cultivate your dharma life.” Worldly possessions cannot be held indefinitely. Thus, the wise use their wealth with compassion and equanimity to help the less fortunate. That is how we get rid of our miserly tendencies and convert impermanent wealth into karmic wealth. If we can direct our wealth towards good causes consistently, the amount of positive karma we stand to gain would be immeasurable.

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Editor's note: Note that the setting of the story is in ancient India, so the cream in the story would be a mixture of curds with buttermilk in a semi-liquid state, so the sellers would lose everything if their urns break. Ghee, on the other hand, is clarified butter, so parts of it are still salvageable.

[panjunli]

What accompanies you to your next life?

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https://www.ctworld.org.tw/sutra_stories/story1001-1200/story1167.htm

An Analogy of Four Wives

There was once when the Buddha was giving a sermon in Jetavana Monastery in Shravasti. He told the monks, “Humans have four areas of attachment. The degree to which we are drawn to them may range from light to heavy, but once the seed of desire sets in, we stray far from enlightenment.”

He follows up with an analogy: “Let’s say a man has four wives. He places the greatest amount of favor and importance upon his first wife, always keeping her by his side whether he is traveling, sitting down or lying down. From the provision of refreshing showers, comfortable clothes, delectable dishes, tasty beverages and other sensory delights, she is accorded top priority. He takes great care in catering to her every need, be it mitigating the effects of cold winters, hot summers, hunger or thirst. He gives in to her every whim, never allowing a quarrel to occur between them.

He also keeps his second wife as a frequent companion in his daily life. He was ecstatic when he won her hand in marriage. And prior to that, he was severely vexed when he could not see her, to the point where he visibly aged and fell ill with worry. Sometimes, he would land himself in trials of arbitration while competing for her attention with his rivals.

He occasionally meets his third wife, exchanging inquiries regarding each other’s well-being. But if beset by poverty, they would hate the sight of each other. However, after periods of separation, they would miss each other again.

His fourth wife functions as a slave at his beck and call. Kept busy with various household chores, she is capable of handling the most difficult of tasks. But her husband does not inquire about her well-being, and does not show the slightest amount of care or concern for her.

One day, this man knew his life was to about to end. Thinking of his impending demise, he summoned his first wife, and said, “You should accompany me to the afterlife.” But she replied, “I’m unwilling to accompany you.” To which he argued, “But I’ve doted on you the most, acceding to your smallest whim. I’ve supplied you with whatever you needed. I’ve loved you, cared for you, and fulfilled your every wish. Why won’t you leave with me?” But she insisted, “Although you’ve doted on me, I still won’t leave with you.” Her reply made the man leave with indignation.

The man summoned his second wife, and said, “You should accompany me to the afterlife.” But she replied, “Just as your first wife who is your favorite, I shan’t leave with you.” To which he argued, “Before I managed to win your hand in marriage, I had to endure unspeakable hardships such as harsh winters, sweltering summers, hunger, thirst, floods, fires, trials of arbitration, bandit attacks and fierce competition with my rivals. Why won’t you leave with me?” But she asserted, “It was you who bore desire and insisted on courting me. I didn’t ask for your courtship, so why are you recounting the troubles you had gone through?” Again, the man left in a huff.

The man summoned his third wife, and said, “You should accompany me to the afterlife.” But she replied, “To repay the debt of gratitude that I’ve taken on, I shall accompany your funeral procession to the gates of the city, but I shan’t travel far to your final resting place.” Once more, the man stomped off with resentment.

Finally, the man summoned his fourth wife, and said, “I’m not long for this world, so accompany me to the next.” And she replied, “I left my parents and arrived at your home, so that I may attend to your beck and call. I will accompany you, whether in life, death, bitterness or joy.” So in the end, the man could not get his first three wives whom he favored to accompany him to the afterlife. Instead, only his fourth wife, who was ugly and was thus neglected, chose to do so.”

The Buddha continued his sermon, “In the analogy I’ve used, the man depicts a person’s consciousness, while his first wife depicts a person’s body. We humans cherish and protect our bodies in a manner which exceeds the way in which the man loves his first wife. When a person’s life ends, the soul departs with positive and negative karmic imprints, leaving the body to become a rigid shell which can only lie on the floor and does not follow them. O monks! If you do not observe the Four Noble Truths, then you cannot attainment enlightenment. What are they? Knowing the truth of suffering, knowing the truth of the cause of suffering, knowing the truth of the end of suffering, and knowing the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. If you want to be liberated from suffering, you should practise the Eightfold Paths (For further reading: https://www.lionsroar.com/buddhism/eightfold-path/) and see the Four Noble Truths for yourself.

The second wife depicts a person’s wealth. When we obtain it, we feel elated, but if we cannot obtain it, we are vexed. When one’s life ends, one’s wealth remains on this earth and does not follow them. The third wife depicts immediate family members such as parents, spouses, children and siblings, and close acquaintances such as friends and even servants. While one is still alive, they may display a lot of affection and longing towards their family members and friends. But once one’s life ends, their family members and friends may at the most accompany the funeral procession to the cemetery where they would leave the deceased and return to their homes. Their remembrance for the departed would not last more than ten days, following which they would eat and drink to their hearts’ content and forget about why they were crying in the first place. The fourth wife depicts a person’s mentality. There are only but a few in this world who can cherish and protect a clear sanctity of thought. Most tend to let their desires take charge, letting greed, anger and ignorance grow, and not believing in the right path. And as such, when their lives end, they end up in the Three Evil Realms of Hell, Animals and Hungry Ghosts. These are karmic results of letting their desires run wild.

A self-cultivator should maintain an upright state of mind, forsaking ignorance and evil, and desist from acts of ignorance and evil. A path devoid of evil acts would also be devoid of negative karmic repercussions, which would cut the endless cycle of rebirths among the different realms. Without rebirths, we would not be subject to the subsequent stages of aging, illness and death. That is how we shall break free from Samsara and attain nirvana.”

At the end of the sermon, the monks were filled with joy and resolved to follow His teachings.

Taken from the Samyukta Agama

Reflection:

An ancient sage once said, “When death comes, you cannot take any of your worldly possessions with you. What does follow you is your karmic imprint.” Using an analogy of a man and his four wives, the Buddha has used the differing degrees of affection between them to illustrate the attitudes displayed by humans towards their bodies, wealth, loved ones and mentality. While alive, we tend to chase after what we crave with a fervent desire. But once our lives end, we cannot take what material gains we have obtained with us. Yet as a result of our actions, our souls bear karmic imprints which then affect our respective venues of rebirth. So the Buddha was encouraging us to maintain an upright state of mind, forsake ignorance and evil, and follow the Eightfold Path. Only by experiencing the Four Noble Truths for ourselves can we go against the flow of Samsara and attain nirvana.

[panjunli]

Month of the Hungry Ghosts

Here are 3 translated articles for this quarter.

Article 1

Source: https://www.ctworld.org.tw/sutra_stories/story1201-1400/story1261.htm

The Village Elder’s Wife Becomes A Hungry Ghost

One day, while the Buddha was residing at Mount Gridhrakuta in Rajgir, Maudgalyayana, his top disciple in the use of supernatural powers, sat under a tree and meditated. While doing so, he saw a hungry ghost who resembled a burning pillar with an abdomen the size of a hill, a throat as narrow as a needle, hairs which intertwined with its body like sharp awls, and joints which perpetually burned with flames. The ghost roamed everywhere regardless of time, seeking human excrement for food, while groaning with pain and suffering from constant hunger and exhaustion.

Maudgalyayana asked the ghost, “What did you do in your past life to land yourself in such a state?”

The ghost replied, “The Buddha walks this earth, so you should ask Him. I am too overwhelmed by hunger and thirst to properly explain.”

So Maudgalyayana went to the Buddha, described the ghost, and asked, “O Exalted One, what deeds would land a sentient being in such a state?”

The Village Elder’s Wife Becomes A Hungry Ghost

One day, while the Buddha was residing at Mount Gridhrakuta in Rajgir, Maudgalyayana, his top disciple in the use of supernatural powers, sat under a tree and meditated. While doing so, he saw a hungry ghost who resembled a burning pillar with an abdomen the size of a hill, a throat as narrow as a needle, hairs which intertwined with its body like sharp awls, and joints which perpetually burned with flames. The ghost roamed everywhere regardless of time, seeking human excrement for food, while groaning with pain and suffering from constant hunger and exhaustion.

Maudgalyayana asked the ghost, “What did you do in your past life to land yourself in such a state?”

The ghost replied, “The Buddha walks this earth, so you should ask Him. I am too overwhelmed by hunger and thirst to properly explain.”

So Maudgalyayana went to the Buddha, described the ghost, and asked, “O Exalted One, what deeds would land a sentient being in such a state?”

The Buddha replied, “I shall explain the cause of her suffering, so listen carefully. Many kalpas ago [For further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpa_(time)], in a country with rich soil (Editor: the original article quoted 波羅㮈 but I am not sure how it was pronounced in Pali), abundant resources and a high population, there were no weapons or fights. There lived a kind village elder known for his benevolent and generous nature as well as his support for the Three Treasures (Editor: the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Sangha). One day, a monk arrived at the elder’s house begging for alms. As the elder had to leave to run an urgent errand, he could not serve the monk personally, so he instructed his wife to prepare good food for the monk and serve it respectfully on his behalf. His wife agreed to do so and told him not to worry. But in actual fact, parsimonious thoughts had arose in her mind, prompting her to say to herself, ‘If I were to serve good food to this monk today, he would probably come back to our house in the future. And I would hate to receive someone like that!’

So the elder’s wife told the monk to wait in the house, locked him inside, and only released him in the afternoon. As the official time for alms consumption had passed, the monk had to go on an empty stomach for the entire day [For further reading: https://pacifichermitage.org/support/__mealfaq/]. And due to this wicked deed, the elder’s wife became a hungry ghost when she died, condemned to a wretched existence for many kalpas. So, the hungry ghost which you have encountered today was the elder’s wife. Hence, all Buddhism practitioners should engage in the act of giving and avoid acting parsimoniously.”

After the Buddha’s sermon, many listeners dropped their miserly tendencies and resolved to break out of Samsara (Editor: the endless cycle of life, death and rebirth). Some of them attained the various enlightenment stages of Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami and Arahant [For further reading: https://www.spiritrock.org/practice-guides/four-stages-of-enlightenment], while some resolved to become future Pacceka-Buddhas and Buddhas [For further reading: https://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/pa/pacceka_buddha.htm]. All monks and nuns who attended the sermon followed the Buddha’s teachings with joy.

Taken from the Hungry Ghost Chapter Five, Book Five of the Avadanasataka

Reflections

The Sutralamkara-sastra states, “Afflictions brought by unclean thoughts outnumber the karmic benefits resulting from the act of giving. Giving in to one’s miserly tendencies causes the highest incidences of unhappiness.” Greed held by the average man is limitless. By clinging on to one’s wealth and conducting all sorts of wicked deeds, we have been trapped in the endless cycle of Samsara and cannot hope to leave it. If we could maintain a respectful, sincere, tranquil and joyful attitude while engaging in the act of giving as well as fostering positive karmic relationships, we would be able to cut down greed and leave Samsara.

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Article 2

Source: https://www.ctworld.org.tw/sutra_stories/story411-600/story411.htm

Maudgalyayana Saves 500 Hungry Ghosts

One day, Maudgalyayana, the top disciple in the use of supernatural powers, was begging for alms in the city of Rajgir when he encountered 500 hungry ghosts. The ghosts were very happy to see the holy man and requested for him to tell their families, on their behalf, that they were in a wretched state due to their lack of generosity, so their family members should set up a banquet for the Buddha and the Sangha, and that if they were too poor to do so, they should encourage others to co-sponsor the banquet. The organization of the banquet (Editor: And dedication of the resultant karmic merit by the organizers to the deceased) would help the hungry ghosts alleviate their current predicament.

Maudgalyayana asked, “What did you all do specifically to receive such a terrible comeuppance?”

They replied, “We were sons of the rich elders residing in the city of Rajgir, but we acted arrogantly, becoming indulgent in material enjoyment and were disrespectful towards the Three Treasures. Whenever the Sangha showed up in the city begging for alms, we would not provide food for them but also discourage others from donating because we thought the monks did not engage in the production of goods nor services. Also, we argued that since they were reliant on donations for sustenance, the monks would surely revisit those who donated the next time they needed alms. Due to our wicked act and wrongful reasoning, we took on the form of hungry ghosts after our deaths.”

Maudgalyayana said, “I shall relay your message to your families and request that they hold a banquet for the Buddha and the Sangha. Be sure to attend the banquet as well.”

And they replied, “As hungry ghosts, we are emaciated husks, possessing stomachs as huge as hills, throats as narrow as needles, and entangling hairs resembling warped swords which dig into our bodies. Our joints hurt like they are on fire, yet we have to roam around looking for food. Even if we do find food, it turns into putrefied blood whenever we approach. How could we possibly attend the banquet?”  

Maudgalyayana then informed the hungry ghosts’ families of their plight. Everyone was saddened by the news so they decided to hold a banquet for the Buddha and the Sangha and dedicate the karmic merit to the hungry ghosts. On the day of the banquet, Maudgalyayana meditated and entered a state of jhana [For further reading: https://www.lionsroar.com/entering-the-jhanas/] and tried to locate the hungry ghosts within the multiverse but failed to do so. Puzzled by the strange occurrence, he went to consult the Buddha, who told him that the ghosts had been scattered by the karmic winds and that their whereabouts could not be determined by arahants. However, due to the karmic merit granted by the banquet which diminished their sins, the Buddha was able to create a safe zone for them to materialize. Shortly after the conversation, the hungry ghosts appeared at the city of Rajgir. Upon seeing their appearance, Rajgir’s citizens resolved to let go of their greed and to leave Samsara. Some of them attained the various enlightenment stages of Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami and Arahant, while some resolved to become future Pacceka-Buddhas and Buddhas.

Next, the Buddha gave a sermon to the ghosts pertaining to the perils of holding onto greed and the merits of donating to the Three Treasures. During the night, the ghosts’ negative karma reserves were expended, causing them to be reborn in the realm of Trayastrimsa Heaven. The newly created 500 devas used their supernatural powers to examine their past lives and found out that they had attained this state of enjoyment thanks to Maudgalyayana’s efforts in kick-starting the banquet for the Buddha and the Sangha, so they dressed up in their heavenly regalia, descended to the human realm and made offerings of heavenly flowers to the Buddha and the Sangha. After making the offering, they sat down to listen to one of the Buddha’s sermons, gained a deeper understanding of the Dharma, performed 3 clockwise circumambulations around the Buddha in reverence [For further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parikrama], and returned to their heavenly abode. After that, the Buddha informed the other attendees that the 500 devas were formerly the 500 hungry ghosts that materialized at the banquet held earlier on. The listeners were filled with joy at the news, and they looked upon the Three Treasures with admiration and increased faith.

Taken from Book Five of the Avadanasataka

Reflections

Venerable Xuanlü of the Tang Dynasty was such a meticulous keeper of the Buddhism precepts that devas would descend to the human realm to make food offerings to him. One day, the monk asked, “What deed in this realm brings the greatest positive karma?” To which the devas replied, “Making offerings to the Sangha.”

Venerable Xuyun, a great Zen Buddhism practitioner, also said, “The two treasures, the Buddha and the Dharma, rely on the Sangha for support. Without the Sangha, the two treasures cannot be made known to the world. Hence, making offerings to the Sangha brings the greatest positive karma.” [Editor: This statement is true as the Buddha is no longer alive. If the Buddha were still alive, then making offerings to Him would bring the greatest positive karma.]

By making offerings to the Three Treasures with a pure heart, we can earn an unbelievable amount of positive karma for ourselves and for our deceased ancestors, thus alleviating their plight if they are in a state of suffering.

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Article 3

Source: https://www.ctworld.org.tw/sutra_stories/story386.htm

Uttara’s Mother Becomes A Hungry Ghost

In the city of Rajgir, there lived a rich elder who married a member of the royal family. As he loved his wife very much, he would hire musicians and dancers to his house to keep her entertained. Later, his wife gave birth to a baby boy who grew up to be a handsome young man named Uttara. One day, the rich elder passed away, prompting Uttara to ponder, “Father had always conducted trading to provide for our family, but I am not interested in the art of the merchant. I am however a faithful supporter of Buddhism and I hope to be ordained as a monk.”

So Uttara approached his mother, hoping to get her consent to join the Sangha, but she said, “Your father is already dead, so all I have now is you. How could you leave me all alone like this? As long as I am alive, I will not allow you to become a monk. You can do as you please only after I have passed!”

Her refusal made Uttara very upset, prompting him to threaten, “If you do not agree, I shall leave this world permanently!”

Fearful of the threat, she relented and said, “Do not speak of suicide! From now on, whenever you want to provide food for ascetics, I shall prepare whatever you need for their sustenance. Is that fine with you?”

Uttara’s mother’s offer made him agree to postpone his ordination, and instead invite the Brahmins and the Sangha to his house frequently for meals.

Unbeknownst to Uttara who frequently traveled outside, his mother was irritated by their presence and would often scold them, “Every one of you, who do not engage in the production of goods nor services, can only rely on the donations of believers to stay alive. The sight of you irks me greatly!”

Following her outbursts, she would also dump the food prepared by Uttara on the ground and chase the ascetics away. Whenever Uttara returned home, she would tell him, “My child, while you were away, I served many ascetics with good food!”

This pleased Uttara very much and made him believe that his mother had been a generous donor.

Shortly after her wicked acts, Uttara’s mother passed away, but became a hungry ghost due to her heavy karmic debt. After her death, Uttara followed through with his resolution to become a monk. As he was a very diligent practitioner of the Dharma, he soon attained the enlightenment state of Arahant. One day, while meditating in a cave next to a river, he encountered a hungry ghost with a dry and charred mouth. Suffering from hunger, thirst and pain, the ghost said, “My son! I am your mother.”  

Refusing to believe this claim, Uttara said, “That is not possible. My mother was a generous donor who supplied many ascetics with alms. She could not possibly be cast into the realm of the hungry ghosts!”

The ghost replied, “My son! Due to my miserly tendencies, I refused to provide alms while you were traveling. After my death, I became a hungry ghost and went without taking a single drop of water nor a mouthful of food for the next 20 years. Whenever I approach a river, its waters would recede from me; and whenever I approach a fruit tree, it would wither. Oh, my suffering has been indescribable!”

Uttara asked, “Why did come to this?”

His mother replied, “Although I did supply alms previously, I acted with an unwilling heart, and sometimes I even berated the ascetics, hence my actions had led to such a predicament. If you could display penance for my sins on my behalf by organizing a banquet for the Buddha and the Sangha, this would alleviate my current state.”

Uttara took pity on his mother and persuaded donors to fund a banquet for the Buddha and the Sangha. At the end of the banquet, Uttara’s mother appeared before the Buddha, displayed penance, and listened to a sermon given by the Buddha. After the sermon, the ghost was filled with regret, completing her sentence as a hungry ghost, and transformed into a floating spirit dressed in a bejeweled robe and a majestic crown. She then approached Uttara and said, “My negative karma reserves are not yet fully expended, so I cannot leave the ghost realm yet. Please hold another banquet to provide food and bedding for the Buddha and the Sangha on my behalf, so that I may finally leave this realm.”

So Uttara organized another banquet where he prepared food and bedding for the Buddha and the Sangha. At the end of the banquet, the ghost appeared once more before the Buddha and displayed penance for her sins sincerely.

That night, the ghost ended her lifetime in the ghost realm and was reborn in the realm of Tusita Heaven. The newly created deva was curious about her past life and used her supernatural powers to examine her past life. Upon doing so, she discovered she had Uttara to thank for her blissful state of enjoyment. So she dressed up in her heavenly regalia, gathered heavenly flowers, descended to the human realm, approached the site where the Buddha and the Sangha resided, and donated the flowers to the holy men and women. The Buddha gave an enlightening sermon about the Dharma, which enabled her to attain the enlightenment stage of Sotapanna.  Filled with great joy, the deva performed 3 clockwise circumambulations around the Buddha and flew back to her heavenly abode.

The Buddha then told the tale of Uttara’s mother, enabling certain members of the Sangha to renounce their miserly tendencies, hence attaining the various enlightenment stages of Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami and Arahant. Some of them resolved to become future Pacceka-Buddhas and Buddhas. All who attended the sermon followed the Buddha’s teachings with joy, and henceforth could not be tricked into forsaking Buddhism.

Taken from Book Five of the Avadanasataka

Reflections

The Metaphor Chapter of the Lotus Sutra states, “Greed is the principle reason behind various forms of suffering.” The cause of suffering arises whenever we allow greed to flourish. There is a saying which goes, “When a bodhisattva gives, he does so with impartiality.” Donating is a great counter to greed. It allows the giver to let go of the self, expand their magnanimity, and distribute benefits by leveling the field. Hence, frequent donation keeps greed in check, cuts the path to a multitude of defilements, and creates an ever broadening path in life. 

[panjunli]

Bodhisattvas and Demons

Here’s another article for this quarter.

Source:

TRANSLATION STARTS

Manjusri Bodhisattva Tames the Demon King

One day, Ananda had a dialogue with Sariputra (Editor: Please refer to the Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha for further reading), describing the divine powers exhibited by Manjusri Bodhisattva.

Ananda: “I remember an event which happened while the Buddha was residing in the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, along with 800 senior monks and 12,000 bodhisattvas. During that period, it rained for 7 days and 7 nights, so nobody could go out to beg for alms. Among the practitioners who were there, those who had attained the stages of jhana and vimutti could go without food and drink for 7 days, but those who had not attained these stages were weakened and thus too frail to pay their respects to the Buddha.

On the fifth day, I took pity on those emaciated monks and thought the Buddha should be informed of their plight. So I went straight to His Holiness and described the situation. He then instructed me to inform Manjusri Bodhisattva for he would supply them with food and drink.

When I reached Manjusri Bodhisattva’s abode, he was expounding the Dharma to Sakra (ruler of Trayastrimsa Heaven) and Brahma (ruler of Brahmaloka Heaven). After hearing my request, he instructed me to take a seat at the side and wait for meal-time before ringing the dining bell to summon the monks for a meal which he would provide. While I was seated at his abode, I noticed that he was giving a sermon on the subject of Trikaya (For further reading: Three Bodies) to the 2 devas kings.

Manjusri Bodhisattva made no attempts to leave the room, so I was curious to see how he would fulfill the task of providing food and drink. Unbeknownst to me, while he was giving the sermon, he had already conjured a clone of himself and sent it to the city to beg for alms.

Meanwhile, the demon king Mara found out that Manjusri Bodhisattva intended to beg for alms in the city and thus cast a spell to teleport those who were outside indoors and seal all doors so that nobody could supply him with alms.

Manjusri Bodhisattva detected the spell and said, ‘In all the past lives I have lived, even an iota of the positive karma and wisdom that I have gleaned is enough to outweigh all of the positive karma earned by Mara In all of his past lives. If what I have claimed is true, may his spell be broken and may Mara take on the appearance of a lay Buddhist and give praise to my actions!’

As soon as the bodhisattva finished his speech, a team of devas descended from the heavens and opened all doors in the city, thus allowing believers to supply him with alms. And sure enough, Mara took on the appearance of a lay Buddhist and exhorted, ‘All should supply Manjusri with alms! Anyone who does so shall receive rewards beyond measure! Even if one supplied food and drink to all sentient beings in all multiverses for billions of years, the amount of positive karma earned would pale in comparison to what you would earn if you were to supply a handful of alms to him now!’

And Manjusri Bodhisattva used his divine powers to keep every portion of food and beverage separated in the alms bowl in his hands. He had collected enough rations to feed all 800 senior monks and 12,000 bodhisattvas in the monastery, yet not a single drop spilled out of the bowl.

After the collection of alms, Manjusri left Savatthi, went up to Mara, placed the bowl on the ground and said to the demon, ‘You are a lay Buddhist now. Try carrying this bowl while walking ahead of me.’ Mara tried doing so but could not lift up the bowl. Feeling ashamed, he said, ‘I am unable to lift this bowl.’

Manjusri said, ‘You also possess great supernatural powers. Why are you unable to lift this bowl?’ Mara summoned all of his powers but he was still unable to lift the bowl. Marveling at the situation which had never happened before, he said, ‘I can lift Mount Isadhara, hold it in one palm, and throw it in the air. But I cannot even make this bowl shift the slightest.’

Manjusri said, ‘A bowl under the influence of a bodhisattva who exhibits noble wishes, great conduct and divine powers is not something that you can move.’ Then the bodhisattva lifted the bowl with one finger, placed it in Mara’s hands, and said, ‘You are a lay Buddhist now. Try carrying this bowl while walking ahead of me.’ So Mara summoned all of his powers to keep the bowl in his hands while walking ahead of Manjusri.

At that moment, a deva king from one of the nirmitavasavartin heavens, together with 12,000 of his subjects, descended before Manjusri. He prostrated before the bodhisattva as a sign of respect, then stood up and asked Mara, ‘You are not Manjusri’s attendant. Why are you carrying his alms bowl?’ Mara replied, ‘O deva king, I cannot hold a candle to a bodhisattva who possesses divine powers.’ The deva king inquired, ‘But Mara, you also possess supernatural powers!’

Under the influence of Manjusri’s powers, Mara replied, ‘The strength of ignorance is demonic, while the strength of perception is bodhisattva-like. The strength of pride is demonic, while the strength of great wisdom is bodhisattva-like. The strength of misconception is demonic, while the strength of emptiness, formlessness and effortlessness is bodhisattva-like. The strength of confusion is demonic, while the strength of truth is bodhisattva-like. The strength of self-centeredness is demonic, while the strength of great compassion is bodhisattva-like. The strength of the 3 poisons (greed, hatred and delusion) is demonic, while the strength of the 3 antidotes (emptiness, formlessness and effortlessness) is bodhisattva-like. The strength of dwelling on life and death is demonic, while the strength of focusing on non-rebirth, non-destruction, non-exertion and equanimity is bodhisattva-like.’ Upon hearing Manjusri’s sermon provided via Mara, 500 devas resolved to become Buddhas, and 1,200 bodhisattvas attained the state of non-rebirth, non-destruction, non-exertion and great equanimity.   

On that day, Manjusri and Mara brought back just one alms bowl, yet all practitioners at Jetavana were fed, and that alms bowl appeared to be full at all times.”

[Taken from the second chapter of the Mahavaipulya Karanda Sutra]

Reflection:

Manjusri Bodhisattva is a bodhisattva known for his wisdom in Mahayana Buddhism teachings. He often enlightens practitioners with his wisdom, destroys heresies propounded by demons like a fearless lion roaring, and aids the Buddha in spreading the Dharma. In this display of supernatural powers, he tames the demon king Mara, letting the latter know that demonic powers are no match for divine powers by forcing him to speak the absolute truth so as to inform listeners of the differences between the two. The demonic influences of ignorance, pride, greed and anger are ultimately no match for the bodhisattva influences of great wisdom, great compassion and the Three Gates of Liberation (Gate of Emptiness, Gate of Formlessness, and Gate of Effortlessness). Practitioners of the Way of the Bodhisattva should use wisdom as a light to dispel ignorance and its related impure thoughts, so as to attain a high proficiency in exercising divine powers and great compassion.

TRANSLATION ENDS

[panjunli]

The Looming Shadow Of Death

Here’re 2 articles for this quarter.

Article 1:

The Buddha Tells A Story: A Description Of 4 Horses – How Differing Aptitudes Determines The Paths To Enlightenment

One day, Shakyamuni Buddha took up his seat in the Venuvana Vihara bamboo grove in Rajgir, so the monks who were outside gathering alms returned to the grove, impressive in stature yet tranquil in demeanour. They walked quietly to the edge of a pool to wash away the dirt from their feet, before sitting around the Buddha to listen to his sermon.

Taking the Vajrasana pose, the Buddha began benevolently, “There are four types of horses in the world. The first is a fine stallion. The horse’s master may put a saddle and bridle on it, and it can cover long distances at a fast pace. Most importantly, when its master raises his whip and casts a shadow over it, it understands his intentions and knows when to slow down, accelerate, or make a turn perfectly. This is a top-grade horse with excellent perception.

The second type is a decent stallion. When its owner cracks the whip, the shadow of the whip is not enough to get its attention. But when the whip touches its tail, it will understand its owner’s intentions and accelerate, so it can still serve as a responsive and agile mount.

The third type is a run-of-the-mill stallion. No matter how many times its owner raises his whip, it does not react. Even when its owner starts whipping its rear, it is slow to react. Only when its owner starts using a cudgel does it take notice and pick up speed. This is a run-of-the-mill horse which possesses no foresight.

The fourth type is a subpar stallion. When its owner raises his whip, it does not react. When its owner starts beating it with a whip and cudgel, it still does not react. Only when its owner reaches boiling point and starts digging into its belly with the stirrups’ spiky spurs does it react to the excruciating pain and start running. This is an obstinate and disobedient horse.”

Having reached this point of the story, the Buddha paused to survey all who had gathered around him with a gentle look. Noting their attentiveness, the Buddha was pleased with his disciples and continued in a solemn and peaceful voice, “My students! These four types of horses are akin to the four types of aptitudes possessed by sentient beings. The first type of individual will react with fear and vigilance upon listening to my sermons about the impermanent nature of the world and the fragility of life, using this to spur themselves into diligent self-cultivation and to lead better lives. They are comparable to the fine stallion which reacts immediately to the mere shadow of Death’s whip to start galloping, unlike some who require a solid whack only to wallow in regret once Death takes hold.

The second type of individual observes the impermanence of this world from the lifespans of flowers, the various stages of the moon and the passing of lives, concluding that they also need to conduct self-cultivation diligently and not slack off. They are comparable to the decent stallion which reacts when the whip touches its tail.

The third type of individual only becomes worried and fearful of their future when they see their loved ones go through physical decline, death, the hardships of life and many painful separations. They are comparable to the run-of-the-mill stallion which only snaps into action after receiving painful blows inflicted by whips and cudgels.

The fourth type of individual waits to experience the painful embrace of terminal illnesses for themselves like a candle in the wind before regretting not putting their efforts into self-cultivation and hence wasting their current lifetime. They are comparable to the subpar stallion which only starts running after experiencing excruciating pain inflicted by the stirrups’ spiky spurs. Alas, it is already too late at that point.”

Article 2:

Let The Word “Death” Dwell In Your Mind

The Buddha had a disciple who was easily affected by the external environment, so the sage imparted a way to circumvent this problem.

“Bhikku (Monk)! Your mind tends to get distracted in the process of self-cultivation because you did not keep death’s encroachment in mind. Once you understand the impermanence of life, then the external environment can no longer affect you.”

Later, the Buddha’s advice to his disciple was made known to a king, who scoffed at the notion that keeping death’s encroachment in one’s mind was enough to block out the external environment. To prove he was right, the king wanted to put this notion to the test.

Coincidentally, the king also received word of a man who said, “Monks are people too. Although they have been ordained, can they truly ignore the five desires (wealth, sex, fame, food and sleep)?”

So the king had the man brought before him, claiming that he was to be executed for the crime of defamation of holy men. To be pardoned, the man had to hold an alms bowl filled to the brim with honey and complete a walk of shame around the city without letting a single drop spill from the bowl. Failure to do so would result in his death.

Before the man started his walk, the king arranged for musicians and dancing girls to be standing along the roadside, so that the area was filled with pleasing music and alluring dance moves.

So along came the man who carried the alms bowl filled with honey, not daring to spill a single drop from the bowl, because it was literally a matter of life and death.

Upon completing his walk of shame, the king asked him, “Did you hear anything along the way?”

“No, your majesty!” came the reply.

“And did you see anyone interesting?”

“No, your majesty!”

“Why did you not hear the pleasing music, or see the alluring dance moves?”

“Your majesty, I knew I would die as soon as I spilled a single drop of honey from the alms bowl. With death occupying my mind, nothing around me mattered!”

Upon receiving the man’s answer, the king had a moment of revelation and said, “The Buddha was right. With death occupying one’s mind and thus contemplating the impermanence of life, the external environment no longer holds distractions for the self-cultivator. You were right to say that monks are people too, but because they already know that worldly affairs are merely illusions and that death follows life, why would they hold onto the five desires? So why would you defame men as holy as them?”

The man had a moment of revelation and fell silent.

Those who do not understand Buddhism tend to defame monks. What they do not know is that they are the ones who are wrong!

[panjunli]

The root of suffering

Here’s another article for this quarter.

Source:

https://zensoul.org/%E6%99%BA%E6%85%A7%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B/%E4%BD%9B%E6%95%99%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B/%E9%98%BF%E5%90%AB%E7%B6%93/item/3730-%E8%8B%A6%E5%BE%9E%E5%93%AA%E8%A3%A1%E4%BE%86%EF%BC%9F.html

Where does suffering come from?

One day, while traveling along the north bank of the middle section of the Ganges River, the Buddha arrived at the village of Uruvilva in the kingdom of Malla and rested in a forest nearby.

The village head (Editor: His surname was represented by the Chinese character 驢 but I’m not sure how it is pronounced in Pali) was notified of the Buddha’s arrival. Having heard of how the Buddha had taught his followers the ways of identifying and eliminating suffering, the village head admired the Buddha’s wisdom and sought an audience with the sage in order to hear His teachings first-hand.

After paying his respects to the Buddha, the village head asked, ”Oh Revered One!  I have heard about how you have explained the formation of suffering and how to eliminate it. This is wonderful. Please show kindness by explaining it to me as well.”

“Oh village head! If I were to take the approach of telling you ‘As you sow in your past lives, so shall you reap in your lives to come’, it is possible for you to doubt my teachings and increase your confusion. Hence, I will instead explain the concept to you using the events that are happening around us. Listen carefully, and think deeply.”

“Gladly, Revered One!”

 “Consider this. Would you experience worry, lamentation, pain, unhappiness or despair if a particular person from your village were to be killed, arrested, fined or reprimanded?”

“Yes!”

“However, would you experience worry, lamentation, pain, unhappiness or despair if any person from your village were to be killed, arrested, fined or reprimanded?”

“No!”

“But since the victims in these two situations are from the same village, why would you not feel this way?”

“Well, I would only experience worry, lamentation, pain, unhappiness or despair for people whom I love or care about. I would not feel anything for those who do not belong to this group.”

“So, by applying this behavior to your past lives and your lives to come, we can see that the various forms of suffering for all sentient beings, be they in the past, present or future, all arose, are arising and will arise from desire. Arising and culminating from desire; with desire acting as both the source and catalyst.”

“Oh Revered One! This is an outstanding and precious description! ‘Arising and culminating from desire; with desire acting as both the source and catalyst’ is an ingenious explanation! I have a son (Editor: His name was represented by the Chinese characters 智羅瓦西, but I’m not sure how it is pronounced in Pali). One day, my son spent the night outside our village. The next day, I woke up early and dispatched my men to search for him. And while waiting for them to return with news of his whereabouts, I could not help but continuously wished that my son was alright.”

“And would you experience worry, lamentation, pain, unhappiness or despair if something were to happen to him?”

“Yes!”

“So, we can understand the principle behind my statement of ‘Arising and culminating from desire; with desire acting as both the source and catalyst’ with this example. And tell me, would you have developed feelings of love and lust for your son’s mother before you have even met her?”

“No!”

“So the feelings of love and lust for your son’s mother only arose after you have met her?”

“Yes!”

“And would you experience worry, lamentation, pain, unhappiness or despair if she were to be killed, arrested, fined or reprimanded?”

“Yes!”

“Then we can also see the principle behind ‘Arising and culminating from desire; with desire acting as both the source and catalyst’ with this example. If you harbor four desires in your heart, then when the objects of your four desires are affected by impermanence, four kinds of suffering will arise. If you harbor three, two or one desire in your heart, then when the object(s) of your desires are affected by impermanence, the corresponding number of suffering will arise. Hence, if you drop desire, then suffering will cease. ”

The Buddha then ended the sermon with a gatha:

“A person without desire will not develop suffering;

A person without suffering transcends barriers like a lotus flower rising above the water surface.”

Upon hearing the gatha, the village head relinquished the confines of this earth and perceived the true nature of things, thus seeing, obtaining, knowing and becoming one with the Dharma, and never experiencing confusion or fear again. Putting his hands together before the Buddha, he said, “Oh Revered One! I have transcended my barriers. From now on, I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Please be my witness as I pledge to be a disciple of the Buddha forever.”

Notes:

1. This story was taken from the Samyutta Nikaya’s 42nd Samyutta’s 11th Sutra, the Samyukta Agama’s 913th Sutra and the translated Samyukta Agama’s 128th Sutra.

2. Familial ties and love have long been praised and coveted by people, but under the scrutiny of the wise Buddha, they are desires operating dependently on a self-centered identity and are thus a source of suffering. Desire does not stray away from a self-centered identity, so reports of affection turning into animosity occurring between parents and children or husbands and wives no longer appear as unbelievable. This is evident from the Buddhism verse of “Mothers can fight with their children and children can fight with their mothers; just as fights can occur between fathers and children, between brothers, between sisters or between relatives.” (Taken from the Madhyama Agama’s 99th Chapter – the Mahadukkhakhandhasuttam)

[panjunli]

Two stories from the Sutra of A Hundred Parables

Here are 2 translated articles for this quarter.

Article 1

Source:

https://zensoul.org/%E6%99%BA%E6%85%A7%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B/%E4%BD%9B%E6%95%99%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B/%E7%99%BE%E5%96%BB%E7%B6%93/item/270-%E7%99%BE%E5%96%BB%E7%B6%93-%E6%AE%BA%E6%AD%BB%E5%9A%AE%E5%B0%8E.html

Killing the guide

Once upon a time, there was a group of merchants who needed to conduct trade across the ocean. As they needed someone to help them navigate their way to the coast, they hired a guide and set off on their journey. One day, they came across a temple with a sacrificial altar for Indian gods. Believing that a human sacrifice was needed to ensure their safety, the merchants huddled and discussed the best way to proceed.

“Every merchant here is a friend to us all, so nobody in our group should be sacrificed! So let’s sacrifice the guide to the gods instead!”

So they killed the guide as a sacrifice to the gods and resumed their journey. But because they had no guide, they got lost and did not know where they were headed. Eventually, the merchants were trapped in unfamiliar surroundings and perished in the wilderness.

Most people in this world tend to behave in the way in which the merchants did. However, if one wishes to find precious treasures in the great sea of Buddhism, then they should use the Dharma as their guide. If one abandons the Dharma and loses their way, then they will be trapped in the never-ending road of Samsara, be subjected to the suffering of the Three Evil Paths of Hell, Hungry Ghosts and Animals, and not know when their suffering will end! This is akin to the group of merchants who killed their guide while making their way to the coast, ultimately causing their own deaths when they lost their way in the wilderness.

We all know that if we need to drive to an unfamiliar place, we will need a map. If we need to traverse across the seemingly boundless ocean, we will need precise instruments and navigation equipment. Where are we headed in the journey of life? We need directions and a desired destination.

Buddhism practitioners should follow the Buddha, the Dharma and the precepts of our religion.

“Abstain from doing evil; perform acts of goodness; cleanse your mind; such are the teachings taught by all Buddhas”

So let us use the teachings of the Buddhas as our guide in the journey of life while interacting with people and objects and formulating our thoughts, in whichever state of moving, staying still, sitting or lying down. Their teachings will surely serve as a beacon of light which dispels the darkness on a dark road and guide us to a bright destination!

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Article 2

Source:

https://zensoul.org/%E6%99%BA%E6%85%A7%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B/%E4%BD%9B%E6%95%99%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B/%E7%99%BE%E5%96%BB%E7%B6%93/item/198-%E7%99%BE%E5%96%BB%E7%B6%93-%E5%90%83%E5%8D%8A%E5%A1%8A%E9%A4%85.html

To eat half a piece of flatbread

Once upon a time, there was a man so hungry that he ate 7 pieces of flatbread. As he was halfway through the seventh piece, he felt full. Feeling regretful, he gave himself a slap on the face vexedly and said, “I felt full because of this half piece of flatbread, which means eating the previous 6 pieces was a waste of my time. If only I had known that this particular half would make me feel full, I should have just went for this at the start!”

Most people in this world tend to behave in the way in which the man did (Editor: Unknowingly, of course). Fundamentally speaking, happiness does not really exist. But because of ignorance and confusion, the desire to pursue happiness arises. Just like the aforementioned silly man, we think that a particular half piece of flatbread can bring us happiness.

Because of our delusion, people think that wealth can bring happiness. Actually, the pursuit of wealth is arduous. When we have obtained wealth, we have to use all kinds of methods to maintain and protect it. Life is full of impermanence, and so is wealth. Once we lose wealth, the consequent sorrow, yearning and regret causes much suffering. Be it in the past, present or future, the pursuit, protection and loss of wealth always brings suffering. Where is this so-called “happiness”? Because a coat brings warmth and a meal staves off hunger, we draw joy from warmth and the state of being well fed. These give us the illusion of happiness arising from the drudgery of mundane toil.

All Buddhas tell us, “Within the realms of Kamadhatu (Realm of Desire), Rupadhatu (Realm of Forms) and Arupyadhatu (Realm of the Formless), there is no happiness. There is only endless suffering!”

Because of ignorance giving rise to confusion and delusion, we invented the concept of happiness.

The man in the story did not understand that the first 6 pieces of flatbread he ate provided a foundation or a base. Without the steps of seed-sowing or irrigation, how could we hope for a future harvest? And what do we want to harvest?

We are kept busy in a life of toil, chasing after satisfaction via material and spiritual gains. In material terms, wealth does bring things which look better, sound better, taste better and feel better — the best enjoyment for our 5 senses (Editor: Sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch). A status of exaltedness is what we desire. We want other to accord us with respect, praise and affirmation. But these desires are akin to a bottomless abyss, bringing us an endless stream of suffering. Suffering arises whenever we cannot obtain what we want, whenever we are afraid of losing what we have, and whenever we actually lose what we have.

These luxuries do not come to us just because we pursue them. If we had not accumulated enough positive karma in our past lives, no amount of hard work will obtain them, so do not dream of a bonanza in this life. Everything about you is stored in a metaphorical “black box” of life. As long as we have done our part and recognize our roles (Editor: In terms of overall karma balances, are we creditors or debtors?), we will be ready to bear our responsibilities and to put down our grievances. Then fame and fortune will surely come to us, allowing us to live a life without worry. How blissful and unconstrained would that be!

[panjunli]

Self-reflection

Here are 3 translated articles for this quarter:

Article 1

Source:

https://www.hrxfw.com/fjgs/rsgs/353441.html

A Tale of A Broken Bowl

Once upon a time, there was a mountain. And on that mountain lived an old monk with 2 disciples – a senior monk and a junior one.

One day, after a meal, the junior disciple broke a bowl while washing the dishes. His senior witnessed the incident and went straight to their master’s room to report what he perceived was a misdeed.

“Master, Junior just broke a bowl!”

While keeping his eyes lightly shut and his hands firmly grasping a loop of prayer beads, the old monk replied slowly, “And I believe that YOU will NEVER, EVER break a bowl.”

What you do think after hearing this story?

Let’s reflect upon the moral of the story calmly…

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Article 2

Source:

https://www.hrxfw.com/fjgs/yggs/352860.html

Good Fortune Isn’t Something Which Can Be Obtained Through Begging; Frequently Sowing Good Seeds Will Bear Good Fruits

A believer in Buddhism invited a monk to recite sutras and conduct prayers in his house in the hopes of averting misfortune and seeking longevity. After reciting the sutras, the monk began the prayers with this opening: “O Bodhisattvas from afar, now this believer is praying for your aid, hoping that you will grant him luxury, splendor, promotions, money and…”

Standing behind the monk was the man who had invited him. Feeling unsatisfied, he tugged at the monk’s cassock and said, “Venerable sir, why did you limit your request to only the Bodhisattvas from afar? Don’t forget the Bodhisattvas nearby!”

So the monk replied, “To be honest with you, I’ve done a background check on your character beforehand. You’ve neither offered kindness to others, nor have you done any good deeds, and you’ve never thought about benefiting the public. Conversely, what I’ve uncovered was your greed, resentment towards others, ignorance, stubbornness, and misconception about the practice. I fear that all Bodhisattvas nearby already have a very clear idea of your character and would likely refuse to provide what you desire, so I had no choice but to address the Bodhisattvas from afar, where word of your misdeeds might be absent. Maybe they would be more inclined to provide favorable treatment.”

This story is indeed humorous and sarcastic. But if we were to think deeper, it is merely describing reality. Why would a person who never conducts good deeds yet still craves protection and benefits from deities and Bodhisattvas be actually favored by them?

All which transpires in this world are parts of a karmic cause-and-effect web. What you reap depends on what you sow. If, for instance, a stone falls into water, and someone prays, “O gods, let this stone rise!” But the stone wouldn’t rise. And if someone sees oil floating on water and prays, “O gods, let this oil sink!” But the oil wouldn’t sink. So we shouldn’t believe that deities and Bodhisattvas would automatically help us in emergencies. What matters most is the karmic seeds that we sow during our usual daily schedules. Even if you don’t pray to gods, these seeds would still grow, flower and bear fruit, in ways which benefit us.

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Article 3

Source:

https://www.hrxfw.com/fjgs/zlgs/353810.html

Does A Blind Man’s Act Of Lighting A Lantern Really Equate To A Waste Of Wax?

During the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (circa AD 386 – 589), there lived a monk named Shirong, who went out begging for alms every day, setting off at dawn and returning at dusk. Every time he returned to his monastery, he would pass by a dark alley. And because the alley was very narrow, people traveling in opposite directions, including Shirong, would frequently bump into one another. Injuries were rather common when people were in a hurry.

One night, when Shirong arrived at the alley, he saw someone in front carrying a lantern about to enter the alley. With light from the lantern, the dark surroundings became much brighter, so Shirong followed this person, intending to make use of the light to ensure a safe passage through the alley. As he walked, he heard another passer-by comment, “This blind man from the neighboring village is a rather strange man. It’s obvious he cannot see, and yet he carries a lantern with him every night.”

This comment made Shirong curious about the lantern-carrier. Hastening his pace, Shirong caught up with the man, put his hands together in a gesture of respect, and asked, “Please pardon me if I appear rude, kind sir, but are your eyes incapable of sight?”

The man replied, “I was born without the ability to see. Blindness has accompanied me ever since.”

Shirong looked at the man’s eyes before asking, “Then I must ask, be it day or night, it should not make a difference to you. Why must you bring a lantern with you every night?”

Smiling, the blind man replied, “When day turns to night, every place becomes pitch dark. It does indeed not make a difference to me. But to everyone else, they lose vision of their surroundings, akin to what has happened to my eyes. So I carry a lantern with me, for I don’t wish for everyone to go through what I’ve gone through.”

Shirong put his hands together, bowed to the man, and said, “Amitabha (a Buddhist expression praising Amitabha Buddha), you have the benevolent heart of a Bodhisattva.”

The blind man shook his head and said, “Not really. I’m doing so to ensure my own safety. Have you ever bumped into anyone while passing through this alley?”

Shirong replied that he had.

The blind man added, “When I’m carrying this lantern, as I light up the path of others, the light also makes me visible to them, then people would not collide with me.”

Shirong reacted to the statement by lamenting, “I seek the Dharma every day, but little did I know that Buddhas are beside me!”

Conclusion:

Most people thought that the blind man lighting a lantern was merely a foolish exercise in wax wastage, akin to adding legs to a painting of a snake. But today, people have only just realized that the blind man is a person of utmost intelligence. The act of lighting up a lantern stems from a need to benefit himself, but ends up also benefiting the public. It offers convenience to others so that he might also enjoy convenience. This method might seem pointless, but it is very effective.

This approach can also apply to our daily lives. We should also perform deeds akin to the blind man’s act of lighting a lantern, so that when these acts benefit others, we’re also indirectly building good karma for ourselves. We frequently think about how not to let other benefit at our expense, but sometimes a win-win result is more meaningful and worthy of promotion than just a one-sided “victory”. Why not light up a “lantern” in our lives which does not only brighten our paths, but also brighten the paths of others as well?

[panjunli]

The self-cultivator’s ideal sleeping posture

Here’s another article for this quarter

Source: https://kknews.cc/culture/59zg4l2.html

TRANSLATION STARTS

The Sleeping Lion Posture is a stance for self-cultivation, merit-accumulation and good health

The Sleeping Lion Posture, which refers to lying on one’s right side, is a stance for self-cultivation in Buddhism. The third chapter of the Dhirgha-agama Sutra records, “At that moment, while wearing his monastic robe, the Buddha laid on his right side like the king of lions, resting his left leg upon his right.” This tells us that the Buddha laid on his right side whenever he laid down, which gave rise to sculptors creating statues of sleeping Buddhas lying on their right sides.

“Lying on one’s right side is an auspicious posture.” When you sleep, lie on your right side, and keep your legs together, with the knees slightly bent. Place your right thumb behind your right earlobe, while keeping an open palm in front of your right ear. This will enable your chi to extend upwards from your back. This will place the body in a state of self-cultivation even while you are sleeping. Place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your upper jaw, just like when you meditate. Cradle your head with your right hand, and rest your left hand on the left side of your body. This is an auspicious posture. When you adopt this posture, you will not descend to the three evil paths (i.e. the Animal Path, the Hungry Ghost Path, and the Hell Path) even if you should pass away while sleeping. Padmasambhava said in his book, The Six Antarabhava (Six States of Existence between Life and Death), “Any sentient being (not just humans), while adopting the Sleeping Lion Posture before its demise, will not descend to the three evil paths, regardless of their sins or karmic debts.” This is an important teaching! When my mentor talked about the states of Antarabhava, he emphasized, “When we pass away, the Sleeping Lion Posture is the best posture. If we are unable to adopt this posture ourselves, those who are witnesses to our passing should help arrange our body this way. Even yaks or dogs that are on their last breaths will not descend to the three evil paths if their bodies are arranged this way.”

When one sleeps in this position, one’s body is kept stable, maintaining a state of light sleep and keeping nightmares away. The sutra has already expounded its benefits. Now let us look at this scientifically. The human stomach is created such that digested food exits from its right side, so if we were to lie on our right side, digested food will flow out from its intended exit and not cause a gastrointestinal blockage. That is partly why we Buddhists call this an “auspicious” posture.

The Sleeping Lion Posture brings four merits. Firstly, it prevents our body from becoming fully relaxed, thus staving off unwholesome thoughts and behaviours. Secondly, akin to a lion, the king of beasts, it prevents the loss of the correct state of mind while sleeping for practitioners. Thirdly, it prevents the state of drowsiness and keeps the body alert. Lastly, it prevents nightmares and facilitates auspicious dreams. Shakyamuni Buddha, who was aware of the laws of the universe, chose this posture when he demonstrated Parinirvana (the Great Passing), bringing great benefit to all who had chosen the path of Buddhism.

We should remember this posture when we are about to sleep every day.

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[panjunli]

Motive behind alms-giving determines the rewards

Here’s another article for this quarter.

Source: https://www.hrxfw.com/fjgs/yggs/353033.html

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Two people gave alms to dharma practitioners; one obtained wealth while the other invited venomous creatures

Once upon a time, there was a practitioner of the dharma who had a crippled leg. Despite of his disability, he was a determined and diligent self-cultivator, traveling far and wide to expound the dharma and to enlighten others. Always on the move, his tireless contributions to the community touched its kind-hearted members deeply, inculcating a deep faith in the dharma.

There was a family of Buddhists which was led by a benevolent man who had a great affinity with the dharma. Taking pity on the crippled practitioner who traveled widely despite of his disability, the head of the household invited the holy man to his home so that his family might provide him with a year’s supply of food and shelter.

In the year which followed, the practitioner recited sutras and expounded the dharma at the man’s house, providing enlightening insights, while the man had his family prepare delectable dishes for him.

Eventually, the time came for the practitioner to leave and spread the dharma elsewhere. Reluctantly bidding his farewells, the man said, “Please take good care of yourself! During your stay, we have benefited greatly from your teachings, gaining wisdom in the path to salvation. If you encounter difficulties in you travels, feel free to come back, so that we may continue to provide for you!”

The holy man was touched by his words. When the head of the household went back into his abode, he discovered an incredible amount of gold and silver under his bed, and soon became a rich and powerful person.

Now, this fortuitous turn of events reached the ears of a neighbor – a greedy and ruthless man who did not believe in the dharma and thus had chased away its practitioners who came begging for alms. After learning of the circumstances leading to his neighbour’s great windfall, the jealous miser came up with a hare-brained scheme.

Coveting an obscene addition of gold and silver for himself, the greedy man went around town, looking for dharma practitioners with leg disabilities to invite to his home, but no one matched his criteria. Finally, he encountered a dharma practitioner who was able-bodied. Feigning great respect for the dharma, the miser invited the self-cultivator to his home, only to cruelly break one of his legs and imprisoning him. The holy man did not understand why he was assaulted and imprisoned, but nonetheless endured the pain to reason with his captor, who then proceeded to ignore the pleadings and supplied food to the practitioner anyway.

After only a few days, the miser got tired of the “ramblings” of the holy man and chased him away. Feeling very pleased with himself, he thought, “I am going to be filthy rich!”

Rushing to his bed in anticipation of his “reward”, the depraved man received the shock of his life when an endless stream of venomous snakes and scorpions rushed out underneath and attacked his entire family. Too shocked to move, the man was stung by a scorpion and succumbed to its deadly poison.

The karmic consequences of one’s actions follow one unerringly, akin to a shadow following a person. The kind man received gold and silver as a reward for supplying alms to a dharma practitioner because his actions were guided by light, sincerity and generosity.

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Translator’s insight: It is motive which separated the 2 men.

[panjunli]

Teaching in accordance to the student’s aptitude

Here’s another article for this quarter.

Source:

https://www.ctworld.org.tw/sutra_stories/story601-800/story709.htm

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Sariputra determines the best way to teach in accordance to the student’s aptitude

Maudgalyayana was one of the top ten disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha, and he was unrivalled in the mastery of psychic powers among them. He had ordained 2 disciples himself, but even though they had followed his teachings diligently, they could not attain the earlier stages of enlightenment after some time.

One day, Sariputra asked Maudgalyayana, “Have your 2 disciples attained enlightenment?”

(Note: Sariputra, also one of the top ten disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha, was unrivalled in wisdom among them.)

Maudgalyayana replied, “Despite their diligence, no, not yet.”

Sariputra asked, “What self-cultivation methods have you imparted to them?”

(For further reading, https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/dharmaparyaya)

Maudgalyayana replied, “I taught one the way of reflection on repulsiveness. And to the other, the mindfulness of breathing. But they are not free from earthly attachments and are thus unable to attain enlightenment.”

(For further reading, https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/patikkulamanasikara)

(For further breathing, https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/anapanasati)

Continuing his inquiry, Sariputra asked, ”What were they doing before they were ordained?”

Maudgalyayana replied, “One was a blacksmith, and I taught him the way of reflection on repulsiveness; the other was a washerman, and I taught him the mindfulness of breathing.”

Assessing the situation, Sariputra gave his observation, “They have not attained enlightenment because the self-cultivation methods imparted are a mismatch with their aptitudes. You should have imparted the mindfulness of breathing to the blacksmith. Because whenever a blacksmith uses his bellows, it pushes air out at a fixed rhythm, much akin to breathing. As for the washerman who washes dirty laundry frequently, the way of reflection on repulsiveness would be a better fit.”

And so, Maudgalyayana followed Sariputra’s suggestion, re-assigning the methods to his 2 disciples, who worked hard on their self-cultivation and soon attained the stage of Arahant.

(For further reading, https://www.originalbuddhas.com/blog/four-stages-of-nirvana)

Having attained the stage of Arahant, Maudgalyayana’s 2 disciples were overjoyed and praised Sariputra gratefully, “Oh Sariputra, the wisest disciple of the Buddha, second only to the Buddha in expounding the Dharma, you are a pillar of our faith. Because of your wisdom, we were able to draw similarities between our previous professions and self-cultivation methods, thus attaining enlightenment and escape Samsara. To receive the appropriate self-cultivation method is akin to a fish being released in water; to follow the wrong method is akin to a fish being released on land – an ultimately fruitless endeavor.”

“I was previously a washerman who had turned dirty laundry into spotless garments. By envisioning the human body as flesh upon bones, I was able to connect with the way of reflection on repulsiveness and attain enlightenment. When the blacksmith recalled using his bellows which required much lifting and pushing, he was able to connect with the mindfulness of breathing which emphasizes a regular rhythm. Thus he was able to make great progress.”

“Due to their past habitual inclinations, all sentient beings have their own paths of reaching enlightenment. Sariputra is a beacon of the Dharma, assigning correct methods to practitioners in accordance to their aptitudes. The Buddha has praised Sariputra, describing him as the second individual who spins the wheel of Dharma for others while being a wise and calm observer. Because of your wisdom, both of us were able to find the true way. Previously, I was akin to a wild elephant. But now the elephant has been tamed, having found refuge in the stability of Nirvana. Thus I am filled with great joy!”

~Excerpt from Chapter 7 of the Kalpanamanditika

Author’s reflections:

For the sake of all sentient beings with differing aptitudes, the Buddha has shown us 84,000 self-cultivation methods. It has been said that “No method is superior or inferior to another; yet choosing the most appropriate one is paramount.” All methods were devised to help sentient beings break free from mental defilements and find peace. Thus, as long as a method suits an individual’s aptitude, it is the best method for him/her.

The Buddha once said, “I am akin to a skilled physician assigning appropriate medicines to ailments. Whether the patient follows the prescriptions is a separate matter and should not draw blame to the physician. This is similar to a teacher who teaches a class. Whether the students follow the teachings is a separate matter and should not draw blame to the teacher.”

The process of self-cultivation hinges on the willingness of the practitioner to follow the Dharma. Following the right method entails watching our thoughts, speech and actions. The Buddha is the king of physicians who can identify the mental defilements which are chaining us to Samsara. Those who can follow through on the Buddha’s teachings will reap the benefits of the Dharma, releasing themselves from the tethers of Samsara and attaining Nirvana.

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[panjunli]

Malice and greed make a bad combination

Here’s another article for this quarter.

Source:

https://www.hrxfw.com/fjgs/yggs/353586.html

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An evil woman harms her mother-in-law and ultimately causes her own demise

Once upon a time, there lived a Brahman with a young and beautiful wife who was lascivious and adulterous (For further reading on the Brahman caste in India - https://www.britannica.com/topic/Brahman-caste). Whenever the Brahman traveled to make a living, his wife would seek out lovers for a good time. However, she had a mother-in-law who was mindful of the code of conduct for women, and this limited the extent of her adultery. To make merry to her heart’s content, the Brahman’s wife sought ways to get rid of her mother-in-law. One day, after much pondering, she finally came up with an evil plan.

To make her husband let down his guard, she pretended to be a dutiful daughter-in-law, tending to the Brahman’s mother’s every need from morning to night, from providing delicious food and fine clothing, performing every chore in the household, to flattering her with terms of endearment and praise. This made her mother-in-law very happy and proud to have such a filial daughter-in-law.

One day, upon returning from a trip, the Brahman was pleased to witness the meticulous care which was given to his mother by his wife and said, “You’re truly a filial daughter-in-law to treat my mother with such care. I am truly blessed to have married such a fine woman as you.”

His wife replied, ”As much as I would like to provide the best for your mother, I can only give her the things which are obtainable on this earth, and this is a mere pittance. If we could provide her with the wonderful delights which are only found in Heaven, that would be true filial piety. Tell me, is there a way for us to send her to Heaven?”

The Brahman was impressed with his wife’s display of “filial piety” which went beyond the provision of earthly pleasures by attempting to provide heavenly enjoyment. Pausing to think, the Brahman suggested, “According to Brahman teachings, if one desires to ascend to the heavens, one can jump down from a rocky mountain, or jump into a bonfire. A person who jumps down from a rocky mountain can float in the air and ascend to the heavens; a person who jumps into a bonfire can make use of the rising flames to support his soul’s ascent to the heavens.”

His wife replied, “I wish I had known that it was so easy to ascend to the heavens. Why don’t we try these methods on your mother? This would allow her to enjoy eternal bliss in Heaven. It would be unfilial of us to keep her here on the human realm to dine on unworthy viands.”

The Brahman agreed with his wife’s suggestions and the two of them made preparations for his mother’s ascent.

A few days later, the Brahman made a deep and large pit in the wilderness, filled it with dried twigs and grass, and set the pit ablaze. To keep the fire going, he added firewood and chaff to the pit. Next, he brought his mother to the pit, and invited his relatives and friends to a ceremony held at the site. Everyone feasted, drank, sang and danced at a banquet which lasted for a day.

When night fell, the crowd dispersed, leaving the Brahman, his wife and his mother at the site. The couple brought the Brahman’s mother to the pit, and said, “Mother, we will now send you to Heaven.” Without waiting for an answer, they pushed the old woman into the pit and returned home.

By a stroke of luck, the men who were hired by the Brahman to dig the pit made a trough by the side of the pit as a makeshift terrace to climb back up, and the Brahman’s mother fell into this trough, thus avoiding a fiery end in the bonfire. Climbing her way to safety, the Brahman’s mother escaped from the pit.  

By the time she made it out of the pit, it was already pitch dark in the wilderness, so the old woman had to rely on her memory of the route taken during the day to find her way back. As she passed by a sinister-looking forest, animal calls echoed in her vicinity, making her tremble with trepidation. Fearing wolves, tigers, Rakshasas and venomous snakes, she decided against venturing further, opting instead to climb up a huge tree and wait for dawn before continuing her journey home (For further reading on Rakshasas - https://www.britannica.com/topic/rakshasa).

After some time, a gang of robbers who had completed a heist made their way into the forest to split the loot and gathered under the tree from which the Brahman’s mother watched. She was too afraid to move, fearing for her life lest the robbers discovered her, but anxiety made it hard for her to avoid making a sound, and finally she coughed heavily from the branches above. Already jumpy from their criminal misdeeds, the robbers were shocked by her cough and thought an evil forest spirit had detected their presence. Scattering from their hiding spot and running away for their lives, they left their ill-gotten gains at the base of the tree.

At the crack of dawn, the old woman climbed down from the tree and discovered a cache of riches. It was much more than she could possibly carry, so she selected small items such as ivory, pearls, gold bracelets and earrings before returning home.

Pushing the door open, the old woman’s disheveled appearance terrified the Brahman and his wife, who backed away thinking that the old woman’s ghost had returned for vengeance. The Brahman’s mother said, “Do not be afraid. I was in Heaven last night and I have decided to return this morning. While I was in Heaven, our relatives who had also ascended presented me with many precious gifts which I have brought down to show you. Take a look at these fine treasures!” Opening a bundle and pointing to the jewelry which lay within, she said to her daughter-in-law, “Look at the ivory, pearls, gold bracelets and earrings! They are gifts from your parents and aunts. They wanted to give me many more gifts, but how much more can an old woman like me possibly carry? When I left Heaven this morning, they bade me farewell and expressed their desire to give you many more gifts if you ascended to Heaven too.”

The old woman’s words made the Brahman’s wife’s eyes lit up with amazement. Seizing the opportunity to make a huge windfall, she pestered her husband all day to conduct the ascension ceremony for her as well. The Brahman acceded to her request and threw another banquet at the pit, reviving the bonfire and happily pushing his wife into the flames. But this time, the Brahman’s wife was not as lucky as her mother-in-law. She missed the trough and instead fell into the deep recesses of the pit where she was quickly engulfed by the bonfire.  

The Brahman waited many days at home for his wife’s return from Heaven but she never came back. Sighing continuously, he complained to his mother, assuming that his wife must have been enjoying herself too much in Heaven to remember him.  

-- Excerpt from the Sutra of Miscellaneous Jewels

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[panjunli]

The Virtue of Generosity

Here’s another article for this quarter

Source: https://www.hrfjw.com/foxue/changshi/200201.html

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The meaning and expression of Generosity

The virtue of Generosity is also called Dana Paramita in Sanskrit. We Chinese have interpreted Dana as “the act of giving” and Paramita as “having reached the shore of salvation”. Hence, Dana Paramita would mean “leaving the shore of Samsara (endless cycle of deaths and rebirths) and reaching the shore of Enlightenment through the act of giving”.

[Editor: For further reading, https://www.britannica.com/topic/paramita]

Generally speaking, there are 3 kinds of gifts that we can give – wealth, guidance and the removal of fear.

 The First Type of Giving – Amisa Dana (The Gift of Material Wealth)

Amisa Dana is the gift of material wealth. It is a conditioned act, contributing towards the giver’s positive karma. Material wealth is an external possession, and many Buddhism classics tell us that the wise would always attempt to trade their volatile wealth for non-volatile wealth. Volatile wealth refers to things such as money, property and land, which are assets deemed to be at the mercy of water, fire, corrupt officials, thieves and wasteful descendants. Due to the aforementioned dangers of floods, fires, confiscation, theft and mismanagement, one does not remain the owner of external possessions for long. That is why we call it “volatile”.

And how do we trade volatile wealth for non-volatile wealth? The Buddha advises us to sow seeds in the “fields of karmic merit”, which are divided into 8 types. The fields of respect – the Buddhas, the Sangha, and the Dharma. The fields of gratitude – one’s father, one’s mother, and one’s teachers. The fields of compassion – the sick and the destitute.  Because contributing towards these 8 types of entities can bring karmic merit, we call them “fields”, in the vein of harvesting grains from farmlands. If we can cultivate these 8 types of “fields”, we will succeed in storing our volatile wealth in a sturdy “bank vault”. Our karmic merit will never be lost to the 5 aforementioned dangers, and such a “bank account” will provide us with benefits whenever we make a “withdrawal”.

Some people will only grumble about their struggles with poverty without understanding the reason for their plight. If we apply the concept of karma, we would know that stinginess breeds poverty and that generosity breeds wealth. Thus we must practice Amisa Dana.

 The Second Type of Giving – Dharma Dana (The Gift of the Buddha’s Teachings)

Amisa Dana cultivates karmic merit and it is a conditioned act of kindness. Once one’s positive karma has been exhausted, one’s negative karma will still pull them into the throes of the 3 Negative Paths (Animal Realm, Hungry Ghost Realm and Hell). That is why we also need to look at Dharma Dana.

Dharma Dana places emphasis on spiritual development, i.e. self-cultivation in accordance to the Buddha’s teachings and the spreading of His teachings to benefit all sentient beings.  According to “The Chapter on Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s Practices and Vows” within The Lotus Sutra, the best offering is an exposition of the Dharma, which can bring forth the greatest amount of karmic merit. In comparison, offerings of material wealth are subject to atrophy. By showing religious observance to the fields of respect (the Buddhas, the Sangha, and the Dharma) and expounding the Dharma to the fields of gratitude (one’s parents and teachers), one places the 6 fields in the position of exaltation and expresses respect.

The aforementioned chapter also describes the various methods of giving, including explaining the correct ways of spiritual development, making one’s actions benefit as many sentient beings as possible, advising others to do good instead of bad, taking on hardships on behalf of other, emulating the acts of Bodhisattvas, and strengthening the will of others to achieve Enlightenment.

 The Third Type of Giving – Abhaya Dana (The Gift of Assurance, also translated as The Removal of Fear)

Abhaya Dana is the gift of assurance. Simply put, it is the act of helping others feel secure so that they no longer feel fearful. The extent of this gift is very wide. From safeguarding the lives of all sentient beings to carrying out a promise, these acts can be classified under Abhaya Dana.

 The 3 types of giving described above provide different benefits due to the nature of the karmic seeds sown. Amisa Dana brings wealth; Dharma Dana brings wisdom; and Abhaya Dana brings health and longevity.

In practical terms, if we can undertake some of the 5 Precepts (No killing; no stealing; no uttering of untruths; no sexual misconduct; and no consumption of alcohol), we are able to carry out the types of giving. By taking the Oath of Non-stealing, we have already indirectly allowed others to gain wealth without loss. By expounding the benefits of the 5 Precepts to others, we have already carried out Dharma Dana. By taking the Oath of Non-killing, we have already safeguarded the lives of sentient beings in our presence.

Source: Venerable Rurui’s Seventeenth Lecture on excerpts from the Maha-mangala Sutra

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[panjunli]

Three stories (2021 Q4)

Here are three stories for this quarter.

 STORY 1

Source:

https://www.guang5.com/fjgs/zlgs/350054.html

TRANSLATION STARTS

It was meal-time in the monastery.

Wuxiu, a senior monk, said, “Master, these three buns are for you. Wujian, this bun is for you.”

Wujian, a junior monk, asked, “Why do Master and Senior have three buns while I have only one? I want three buns too!”

The master monk asked, “Well, can you finish three buns?”

Wujian confidently claimed, “Yes, I can!”

So the master monk handed two more buns to Wujian, who proceeded to happily finish all three on his plate.

After the meal, Wujian said, “Master, as you can see, I’ve finished three buns. So I want three buns for breakfast every morning, just like Senior!”

The master monk said, “Well, you did finish three buns, but let’s wait a while before you’re absolutely sure that you still want three buns tomorrow.”

Sure enough, shortly after the conversation, Wujian was seen holding his stomach while complaining, “My stomach feels awfully bloated! Had I known this would happen, I wouldn’t have eaten three buns. Master, I’ll stick to just one bun from now on!”

The master monk replied, “Your daily intake was one bun, yet you’ve asked for three today. Although you did get two more buns today, but you did not get the benefit of consuming two more buns. On the contrary, the two extra buns brought you suffering today. Sometimes, obtaining more doesn’t equate to enjoyment. Do not covet what others have and make comparisons with your possessions. Let go of your greed and be content with what you have. And this state of mind will naturally bring you joy.”

Wujian brought his palms together, smiled and said, “I understand now, Master.”

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  STORY 2

Source:

https://www.guang5.com/fjgs/zlgs/350063.html

TRANSLATION STARTS

A professor teaching personality psychology told us a story.

“War broke out in a kingdom, and Arthur, its king, was captured. By right, Arthur should be executed, but his youthful exuberance and optimism won over the opposing king, who granted him one shot at freedom by answering a very difficult question.

The question was: What do women really want?

Arthur sought counsel from every person around him – from princesses, priests, to wise intellectuals, but nobody could give him a satisfactory answer. Finally, somebody told him of an old witch who lived in a creepy castle in the countryside. It was said there was nothing she didn’t know, but she charged exorbitant and bizarre prices for her advice.

As the deadline loomed ever closer, Arthur had no choice but to approach the witch, who agreed to provide the answer to the question, in exchange for marriage to Gawain, one of Arthur’s most distinguished knights and closest friends.

Arthur was horrified. The witch had a hunched back, a hideous countenance, and just one tooth. To top it off, she also reeked of a stench reminiscent of the sewers. And Gawain, the bravest warrior of the land, was tall, handsome, honest and kind.

Arthur cried, ‘No, I cannot force my friend to marry a woman like you in exchange for my freedom! I can never forgive myself if I do so.’

Gawain found out about this and told Arthur, ‘For the sake of your life and our country, I will marry her.’

And so the plans for the marriage were made public. In exchange, the witch provided her answer: ‘What women really want… is true control over their destiny.’

The entire realm took in her words as the most profound truth, and Arthur was subsequently released.

During the wedding ceremony, the witch grabbed food with her hands, burped, cussed and performed deeds which disgusted everyone. Arthur observed the proceedings and wept in extreme agony, while Gawain remained calm and composed as always.

When night fell, Gawain ignored the protests of people around him and entered the nuptial chamber. He thought he was mentally prepared for what was to come, but he was very much surprised to see an extremely attractive woman whom he had never met before to be lying on his bed.

She asked, ‘Within the course of a full day, I can spend half the time as an ugly witch and half the time as a comely beauty. Gawain, would you like me to be a beauty during the day or during the night?’

This is such a cruel question. What would you say if you were Gawain?”

At this point the professor paused the lecture. What followed was first silence, and then rigorous debate as the students gave their varied opinions, which could be defined along two lines of thought.

Gawain could tell the witch to become a beauty at night, because she was his wife and his alone, and there wasn’t a need to alert others to this great catch.

Gawain could also tell the witch to become a beauty during the day, so that he would become the envy of everyone. He could still make merry elsewhere during the night; and since it would get so dark by the time he returned, who he had at home probably wouldn’t matter much.

After hearing his students’ opinions, the professor didn’t state his own insight, instead he just told the class that Gawain did make a choice at the end of the story. Everyone in the lecture theater begged him to continue.

“So Gawain said to the witch, ‘Since you’ve said that women want true control over their destiny, I shall let YOU decide!’

With tears in her eyes, the witch announced happily, ‘I choose to be beautiful during the day and during the night. Because you have shown me true respect!’ “

Everyone in the theater fell silent, because nobody had made the same decision as Gawain’s.

Aren’t we too selfish at times?

Attempting to control somebody else’s life according to our preferences, but never stopping to think if that’s really what they want. Husbands and wives are especially culpable of this behavior, unaware that respecting and understanding their partners is usually far more rewarding than controlling them.

To enjoy a marriage of the highest quality, one needs to cultivate these three virtues – understanding, respect and trust.

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  STORY 3

Source:

https://www.guang5.com/fjgs/zlgs/350091.html

TRANSLATION STARTS

A young monk was kidnapped by masked assailants as he was returning from an alms-gathering trip. They tied up his arms and legs, rendering him incapable of standing. Next, they blindfolded and gagged him before imprisoning him in a rather wet environment.

Through his sense of touch, he could feel he was lying at a corner of a building. Experiencing anger, fear, frustration and even a foreboding sense of impending death, the young monk struggled to break free. Just as he was getting exhausted from his efforts and facing despair, he heard sounds of struggling and panting coming from a spot near him, so he crawled his way towards the source of the sounds.

When he reached the other hostage, he repositioned himself so that they could sit back to back, and started to untie the rope which had bound his follow prisoner’s arms. After some time, he succeeded in untying the rope. In return, the other hostage removed their blindfolds and untied the rope which bound his arms. As they were untying the ropes which bound their legs, they discovered that they were both monks from the same temple. Working in tandem, they opened a window at the back of the shack, crawled out of the building, and returned to their temple to enjoy freedom once more.  

Shaken by their ordeal, the two monks recounted the tale of their kidnap to the abbot, who showed them a mysterious smile and said, “In the face of danger, both of you have found a way to salvation – by helping the other party, you’re also helping yourself. Congratulations on your success. Tomorrow, it’ll be your turn to help two of your juniors achieve enlightenment!” And the abbot handed the two monks two blindfolds and four lengths of rope.  

Moral of the story:

When we are trapped in a seemingly inescapable predicament, we usually seek help from others. Actually, the best solution to extricate ourselves is to help others first. When we remove obstacles for other people, we are also creating a barrier-free path for ourselves.

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[panjunli]

Do’s and don’ts when visiting a Buddhist temple

Here’s another article for this quarter.

Source: https://www.guang5.com/fxrm/rmbd/341576.html

TRANSLATION START

Do you know the rules of etiquette when visiting a Buddhist temple?

Buddhist organization value discipline most. A person who has taken on the Buddhist precepts and learned to represent Buddhism with dignified decorum would know how to behave appropriately in a temple; whereas an unconditioned visitor is likely to commit a faux pas. Let me share some of the more common house rules for your reference.

Section 1: After entry

Once you’ve entered the temple compound, do not head straight to the center of the premises. Walk in a clockwise direction towards your target destination, i.e. your left should be facing the outskirts while your right shoulder should be facing the center of the premises.

[Translator’s note: In situations where the main structure is the temple itself and there’s nothing else, it should be okay to head straight into the temple. I have never been stopped by monks or lay Buddhists outside of the Buddha Tooth Temple in Singapore. But once you’re inside, mind the clockwise rule around the statues or sacred objects.]

Before entering a prayer hall, remove your headgear and carry it by hand along with objects such as walking sticks or crutches. Check with the staff for temporary storage space for your belongings if required. Do not place your belongings on altars or pedestals on which the statues or sacred objects are located.

Section 2: Worship

The kneeling pad at the center of any prayer hall is usually reserved for the abbot or head monk of the temple, so you should avoid using that pad and use the ones lying on the sides instead. Some places may require that men use the left side while women use the right.

[Translator’s note: Again, in most of the temples I’ve been to in Singapore, the staff aren’t particular about enforcing this rule. But in general, if you go inside a temple and see that the central kneeling pad is in a different color compared to the other kneeling pads, DON’T use it.]

If you see someone prostrating in front of a statue or sacred object, do not walk or stand between that person and the object of worship.

Section 3: Sutras

If there is a sutra has been made available for public perusal within the temple, you may flip through its pages and read the verses silently but do make sure you’ve washed your hands first. While reading, ensure that the book is lying on top of a pulpit or a desk. Do not roll it up or fold the pages. Do not place the book on your lap. Do not place your belongings on top of the book.

Section 4: Paying your respects to monks

When addressing a monk, you may use the term “Fashi” (“Teacher of the Law” in Chinese) or “Rinpoche” (“Precious one” in Tibetan). If you attempt to prostrate in front of him and he says “Just once will do”, stop at one kowtow.

[Translator’s note: Usually, we greet monks by putting our palms together and do a slight bow. The prostration greeting, i.e. prostrating and standing up as a two-component action performed three times, is usually reserved for one’s dedicated spiritual teacher. By the rules of etiquette, a monk is supposed to stop moving every time someone directs the prostration greeting at him. Now I can’t speak for all the virtuous monks I’ve met so far, but if I were a monk facing a hundred devotees performing the prostration greeting at different times of the day, I’m going to feel as if I’m stuck in a traffic jam in Bangkok! Hence, in modern times, many monks would assess the situation and tell the prostrator to stop at one kowtow.]

If the monk is performing the prostration greeting to an object of worship, or sitting in meditation, reading a sutra, eating, sleeping, conducting walking mediation, or has entered the lavatory, do not greet him or perform the prostration greeting.

Section 5: Ritual instruments

Do not knock on the bells, drums, mokugyo (otherwise known as “wooden fish” or bell-shaped drums), chimes or gongs in the temple without explicit approval. Do not play with items of the monk regalia, i.e. scepters, robes or alms bowls etc.

Section 6: Listening to sutras

Follow the congregation to the prayer hall and take up your assigned seat. If you are late, pay your respects to the Buddha statues first, then take one step back and pay your respects to the conducting monk [Translator's note: If he has already started reading, then just direct your greeting at the Buddha statues]. Do not make noises by greeting someone you know within the crowd or talk while the monk is reading the sutras. Do not distract others by standing up and sitting down repeatedly. If you need to cough, leave the prayer hall. If you need to leave the hall before the reading is completed, put your palms together towards the monk, get up and leave silently. Do not make signals to the listeners which might be interpreted as orders to leave.

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[panjunli]

Stay away from so-called “Buddha amulets”

Here’s another article for this quarter.

Source:

https://fo.ifeng.com/changshi/detail_2014_03/13/34747626_0.shtml

TRANSLATION START

Do not wear adornments bearing the likeness of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas

Should adornments bearing the likeness of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas be worn on our bodies? How did the practice of wearing them come about? Do the scriptures endorse this practice? Is the statement claiming that “men should wear Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva amulets and women should wear Buddha amulets” true? What are the consequence of this practice? Today’s article is very important. So read carefully.

First of all, be it jade or any precious material, I would like to urge you to avoid wearing badges, pendants, accessories, necklaces and bangles bearing the likeness of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas on your body. The reasons are detailed below.

Depictions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are a representation of Buddhism and thus serve a ceremonial function. They carry a level of sacredness, which is a required trait for any religion. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are teachers for beings both mortal and heavenly, offering guidance to the way out of Samsara (the never-ending cycle of deaths and rebirths) and suffering. They are role models to be respected, worshipped and emulated. When we look at depictions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, we are subtly reminded to emulate their compassion, to admire their magnificence, and to spread their wisdom. But when adornments bearing their likeness are worn on our bodies, be it for vanity or to seek protection, it is an act of gross disrespect. Think about it. How could we use a sacred object as an adornment? Since when did our beloved teachers become mere bodyguards? Some people might say I’m making mountains out molehills. “It’s only an amulet. Stop causing panic.” People who have an incorrect understanding of Buddhism would say that. As practitioners would know, Buddhas have three kayas or bodies – Dharmakaya (Body of Truth), Sambhogakaya (Body of Bliss) and Nirmanakaya (Body of Appearance). I would argue that the depiction of a Buddha is an example of Nirmanakaya. Would you turn your parents into decorations? Would you turn your parents into bodyguards? The principle behind your answer is obvious. Having said that, I would like to urge you to avoid wearing the aforementioned adornments. I did not come up with this conclusion myself. I do not have the ability or courage to make a fictitious claim which can affect Buddhism as a religion and can also affect your path to enlightenment. In fact, you won’t find a single article endorsing this practice from the Buddhism scriptures. Several centuries ago, many venerable monks have actually condemned it. I’ll quote Venerable Yinguang’s words as an example below. Please read carefully. You’ll understand why we should not continue with this practice and who started it:

“A few days ago, I came across a badge depicting a Buddha which was bundled with a book on Buddhism. I do not agree with this mode of depiction. In the second year of the Mingguo calendar (1913), Venerable Daojie held a commemoration ceremony on Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday and commissioned the manufacturing of badges bearing His image. I was not aware of his actions. After finishing the ceremony, he came to my temple and gave me one of those badges. I berated him for this sacrilegious act. To this day, in the twelfth year of the Mingguo calendar (1923), he and his temple are still doing this. People in Shanghai have copied his actions. Lay Buddhists have copied his actions. Daojie was the one who started this. He is good at expounding the principles recorded in the sutras, yet he has no idea of the proper ways of showing respect to the Buddha. He has made it mandatory for all participants of the annual commemoration ceremony to wear such badges. It is not appropriate to wear such badges when worshipping the Buddha. If the badge-wearer bows to another person, then the bower will suffer a huge loss of good karma. But Daojie has made badge-wearing a common practice. I know I can’t turn back the tide, but since many lay Buddhists have inquired about this practice, I shall not withhold the truth.” – Taken from “Answers to Lay Buddhist Wu Chongyin’s Questions”, Volume Two of the Third Edition of “Transcripts of Venerable Yinguang’s Teachings“

And here’s something from the late Li Bingnan, a well-respected lay Buddhist:

“Currently, worshippers of the Buddha and lay Buddhists treat accessories bearing the likeness of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as protective talismans. Not only are the jade or metallic amulets allowed to come into close contact with the skin, these people do not take them off before using the toilet or taking a shower. This is a serious act of sacrilege! And they still think this act will bring good fortune and ward off bad luck?! Some even have the nerve to tell me “men should wear Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva amulets and women should wear Buddha amulets”! Venerable Yinguang was canonized as the reincarnation of Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva and he condemned such practices through his teachings! May the public cherish their good fortune and stop inviting bad karma!” – Li Bingnan referring to “Transcripts of Venerable Yinguang’s Teachings“

From these records, we can see that not only does the wearing of such accessories not ward off bad luck, it is also a serious act of sacrilege which destroys good karma.

Hence, we should avoid wearing such accessories. Some people might ask, “Aren’t there Buddhas associated with each Chinese zodiac sign? Is it OK if I just wear accessories bearing the images of the Buddha associated with my zodiac animal?” I have to point out that the Chinese zodiac is a product of Chinese customs. Why would there be a connection between the Chinese zodiac and Buddhism teachings? Assigning each Chinese zodiac animal with a so-called “Guardian Buddha” was purely a commercial gimmick devised by merchants. Think about it. Would Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who bear a universal compassion for all sentient beings display a preference for a particular group?

Be aware that the sutras have mentioned frequently that the display of reverence towards images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas alone will help avert the consequences of bad karma and safeguard our wellbeing; whereas the act of wearing adornments bearing their images have never been found within the sutras. Some people have asked, “Can I still wear these adornments while bearing a really respectful attitude?” Let me ask you – if you’re standing in front of a person you really respect, would you “respectfully” take off your trousers and do what you’d do in a toilet right in front of their faces? You say you bear respect towards them in your heart, but what right have you got to talk about respect if you can’t even be bothered to display basic courtesy? There are some people who would say, “Oh, I’m not obsessed with worldly rules and appearances, so I will wear an amulet while keeping the Buddha in my heart.” They might even quote Shakyamuni Buddha’s famous statement in the Diamond Sutra: “Thus shall you think of all this fleeting world: A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream; A flash of lightening in a summer cloud, A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.” To these people, let me ask – do you dare claim that you’ve attained enlightenment? The way to enlightenment is akin to crossing a river with checkpoints along the way. If we’ve reached the opposite bank, we should abandon our boats and oars to carry on with the next stage of the journey. But would you abandon your boat and oar BEFORE you’ve reached the opposite bank? In this Latter Day of the Law (for further reading [https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/dic/Content/L/15]), this display of arrogance and ignorance is seen everywhere. I won’t bother arguing with such pompous people; they wouldn’t listen even I did.

Venerable Yinguang once said, “The Dharma has to be sought with reverence. A tenth of your reverence gets you a tenth of the total benefits. And all of your reverence gets you all of the benefits.” By not wearing the aforementioned adornments, we are able to avoid inviting bad karma through unknowingly committing sacrilege, and we can avoid expending the limited good karma that we possess in this Latter Day of the Law. The teachings of virtuous monks and lay Buddhists were given only to help us.

Some people might ask, “I now know that I should not be wearing Buddha amulets, but I would like to receive some form of protection. What can I carry with me?”

Venerable Yinguang also said, “You can make talismans bearing inscriptions of the holy phrase ‘Namo Amitabha’, or make talismans with sealed copies of the Surangama Sutra. Do not wear adornments bearing the images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.”

As we can see here, it is permissible to wear talismans bearing verses from sutras or mantras. This practice is backed up by records of Shakyamuni Buddha’s teachings. Take your pick from the Surangama Sutra and holy phrases such as “Namo Amitabha”, “Namo Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva” or “Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva”. The holy name of Amitabha Buddha is especially potent. The amount of positive karma and benevolent power embodied within the name is something which cannot be imagined by mortals like us.

Namo Amitabha

Namo Amitabha

Namo Amitabha

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