出家

什么是出家？

 

我曾经遇到一位高人。我跟他说我要出家。那位高人问我，什么是出家？我听了后，愣了一下之后，我说：“出家不是离开家里，到寺庙里当和尚。”

 

那高人笑了笑后，就说：“ 剃度和披上加沙只不过是形式及外表上的出家而不是真正的出家。” “ 真正的出家是心里能脱离三界。”

 

“ 那三界是那三界呢？” 我问。

 

那高人说：“三界是色界，无色界和欲界。”

 

听了后，我想了想，这世上有多少人能做的到呢？相信没有几个人能做得到啊！

 

 

 

南无妙法莲华经

智海



My amulet collection - Small size Green Naga Eye

My amulet collection - Palad Hua Cha Mod Wat Sanamlao

  

 

This is a handmade old batch Palad Hua Cha Mod is made by LP Pinak (LP Phina or LP Pina or LP Pinut) of Wat Sanamlao.

What is Gassho mean?

Gassho (Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese 合掌 he zhang ) is the translation of the Sanskrit "Anjali" . It is actually a mudra in Buddhism: The joining of the one's palms - held at the breast level - as a symbol of reverance, salutation or benedication. It is, for example, the traditional mudra across the Buddhist world when one formally takes refuge in the three treasures - the Buddha, the teachings (dharma) and the community (sangha).

In popular Japanese usage, gassho-suru means the joining of the palms - held at chest level - as a sign not really of thanks per se but veneration. When directed at a person it is a recognition - not of the personality - but of the "divinity" (the Buddha-nature) "within".

Gassho,
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Chikai

* Reference to Ryhorikawa

Some photos taken in an ordian ceremony in 2011 Hatyai, Thailand (Part 1)

What is Vesak Day?

Vesākha (Pali; Sanskrit: Vaiśākha, Devanagari: वैशाख) or Vesak is a holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the South East Asian countries of Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, and Indonesia. Sometimes informally called "Buddha's Birthday", it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment (nirvāna), and passing away (Parinirvāna) of Gautama Buddha.

The exact date of Vesākha varies according to the various lunar calendars used in different traditions. In Theravada countries following the Buddhist calendar, it falls on a full moon Uposatha day, typically in the 5th or 6th lunar month. Vesākha Day in China is on the eighth of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. The date varies from year to year in the Western Gregorian calendar, but usually falls in April or May. In leap years Vesākha is celebrated in June.

The name of the observance is derived from the Pali term vesākha or Sanskrit vaiśākha, which is the name of the lunar month falling on April to May. In Mahayana Buddhist traditions, the holiday is known by its Sanskrit name and derived variants of it. Local renditions of the name varies by country, including:

• Bangladesh: Bud-dho Purnyima (বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা) or Bud-dho Joyonti (বুদ্ধ জয়ন্তী)
• Cambodia: Vesak Bochea
• Chinese-speaking areas: Fó Dàn (佛誕) or Fāt Dàahn
• Nepal: Buddha Purnima (बुद्ध पुर्णिमा) or Buddha Jayanti (बुद्ध जयंती)
• Indonesia: Waisak
• Japan: Hanamatsuri (花祭)
• Korea: Seokka Tanshin-il (석가 탄신일, 釋迦誕身日)
• Laos: Vixakha Bouxa
• Malaysia: Hari Wesak
• Myanmar (Burma): Kason Full Moon Day (ကဆုန်လပြည့်ဗုဒ္ဓနေ့)
• Sri Lanka: Wesak (වෙසක්)
• Thailand: Wisakha Bucha or Visakah Puja (วิสาขบูชา)
• Tibet: Saga Dawa (*ས་ག་ཟླ་བ། )
• Vietnam: Phật Đản

The decision to agree to celebrate the Vesākha as the Buddha’s birthday was formalized at the first Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists held in Sri Lanka in 1950, although festivals at this time in the Buddhist world are a centuries-old tradition. The Resolution that was adopted at the World Conference reads as follows:

" That this Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, while recording its appreciation of the gracious act of His Majesty, the Maharaja of Nepal in making the full-moon day of Vesak a Public Holiday in Nepal, earnestly requests the Heads of Governments of all countries in which large or small number of Buddhists are to be found, to take steps to make the full-moon day in the month of May a Public Holiday in honour of the Buddha, who is universally acclaimed as one of the greatest benefactors of Humanity. "

On Vesākha Day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate events of significance to Buddhists of all traditions: The birth, enlightenment and the passing away of Gautama Buddha. As Buddhism spread from India it was assimilated into many foreign cultures, and consequently Vesākha is celebrated in many different ways all over the world.

In 1999, the United Nations resolved to internationally observe the day of Vesak at its headquarters and offices.

On Vesākha day, devout Buddhists and followers alike are expected and requested to assemble in their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial, and honorable, hoisting of the Buddhist flag and the singing of hymns in praise of the holy triple gem: The Buddha, The Dharma (his teachings), and The Sangha (his disciples). Devotees may bring simple offerings of flowers, candles and joss-sticks to lay at the feet of their teacher. These symbolic offerings are to remind followers that just as the beautiful flowers would wither away after a short while and the candles and joss-sticks would soon burn out, so too is life subject to decay and destruction. Devotees are enjoined to make a special effort to refrain from killing of any kind. They are encouraged to partake of vegetarian food for the day. In some countries, notably Sri Lanka, two days are set aside for the celebration of Vesākha and all liquor shops and slaughter houses are closed by government decree during the two days. Also birds, insects and animals are released by the thousands in what is known as a 'symbolic act to liberation'; of giving freedom to those who are in captivity, imprisoned, or tortured against their will. Some devout Buddhists will wear a simple white dress and spend the whole day in temples with renewed determination to observe the eight Precepts.

Devout Buddhists undertake to lead a noble life according to the teaching by making daily affirmations to observe the Five Precepts. However, on special days, notably new moon and full moon days, they observe the eight Precepts to train themselves to practice morality, simplicity and humility.

Some temples also display a small image of the baby Buddha in front of the altar in a small basin filled with water and decorated with flowers, allowing devotees to pour water over the statue; it is symbolic of the cleansing of a practitioners bad karma, and to reenact the events following the Buddha's birth, when devas and spirits made heavenly offerings to him.

Devotees are expected to listen to talks given by monks. On this day monks will recite verses uttered by the Buddha twenty-five centuries ago, to invoke peace and happiness for the Government and the people. Buddhists are reminded to live in harmony with people of other faiths and to respect the beliefs of other people as the Buddha had taught.

Celebrating Vesākha also means making special efforts to bring happiness to the unfortunate like the aged, the handicapped and the sick. To this day, Buddhists will distribute gifts in cash and kind to various charitable homes throughout the country. Vesākha is also a time for great joy and happiness, expressed not by pandering to one’s appetites but by concentrating on useful activities such as decorating and illuminating temples, painting and creating exquisite scenes from the life of the Buddha for public dissemination. Devout Buddhists also vie with one another to provide refreshments and vegetarian food to followers who visit the temple to pay homage to the Enlightened One.

Tradition ascribes to the Buddha himself instruction on how to pay him homage. Just before he died, he saw his faithful attendant Ananda, weeping. The Buddha advised him not to weep, but to understand the universal law that all compounded things (including even his own body) must disintegrate. He advised everyone not to cry over the disintegration of the physical body but to regard his teachings (The Dhamma) as their teacher from then on, because only the Dhamma truth is eternal and not subject to the law of change. He also stressed that the way to pay homage to him was not merely by offering flowers, incense, and lights, but by truly and sincerely striving to follow his teachings. This is how buddhists are expected to celebrate Vesak: to use the opportunity to reiterate their determination to lead noble lives, to develop their minds, to practise loving-kindness and to bring peace and harmony to humanity.

* Reference to Wikipeida

法鼓山法華之美

聖嚴法師曾說：「拜法華鐘的時候就等於拜了一部《法華經》，敲一聲鐘就聽到整部《法華經》和＜大悲咒＞，這是無限光明的、無限希望的一口鐘。」
矗立在法鼓山的法華鐘，可說是整部《法華經》的縮影，融合了古今名家的書法和繪畫藝術，堪稱傳統工藝與現代科技的完美結合，古樸莊重，不僅是法鼓山的鎮山之寶，也是世界級­的藝術創作作品。

南无妙法莲华经

Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo

 

*Special thanks to Alex for letting me know such nice video.



Strange Photo 3

Did you see unusual thing on the right side of the photo near the plant?

This photo was taken on 15th Feb 2012 in LP Toh's room in Thailand.

Nichiren Shōnin’s Goibun Words - New Year’s Gosho: Seed of Buddhahood

“New Year’s Day marks the first day, the first month, the beginning of the year and the start of spring. A person who celebrates this day will gain virtue and be loved by all, just as the moon becomes full gradually, moving from west to east, and the sun shines more brightly travelling from east to west.
 ...…… Suppose we ask where the Buddha is, or where hell is. Some sutras state that hell is below the earth, while the others state that the Pure Land of the Buddhas is in the west. However the explicit truth is that both hell and the Buddha exist within five feet of our bodies. It probably can be said that hell exists in one’s mind when one despises his father and neglects his mother. As the seed of the lotus brings forth its root and flower, we have the Buddha in our minds.”

(Written on 5th January 1281, at Mt. Minobu)
 Ref.: 《Letter to Mrs. Omonsu》also known as《New Year’s Gosho》
 - The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishōnin: Volume 1 (MW 1), p. 271 and A Collection of Nichiren’s Wisdom: Volume 1, p. 43;
 - The Writings of Nichiren Daishōnin: Volume 1 (WND 1), p. 1137

日蓮聖人御遺文 - 新年御書﹕成佛之種子

 "正月一日，是日之始、月之始、歲之始、春之始。善能崇奉者，如月之由西向东而漸盈，如日之自東往西而增輝。德愈勝，人益尊！
 夫地獄與佛究在何處？経文有稱在地下，亦有経文稱在西方等地。然、論其委細，則見其正在我等五尺之身内也。如是，我等心内若有篾父疏母者，則是地獄在其人心内也。譬如花與果可具見於蓮子之中，佛亦存於我等心内。"
 (寫于1281年一月五日，發信地：身延山)
 查閱：《重須殿女房御返事》別名《十字蒸餅書》(《十字御書》)
 - 日蓮聖人御遺文﹕第1冊、第43頁，日蓮大聖人御書全集、第1573頁

Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo