Heart of Shurangama Mantra

 

Om

Anale Anale

Visada Visada

Bandha Bandha

Bandhani Bandhani

Vaira Vajrapani Phat

Hum

Bhrum Phat Svaha



Upagupta

Upagupta, the disciple of Buddha, lay sleep in
the dust by the city wall of Mathura.
Lamps were all out, doors were all shut, and
stars were all hidden by the murky sky of August.
Whose feet were those tinkling with anklets,
touching his breast of a sudden?
He woke up startled, and a light from a woman's
lamp fell on his forgiving eyes.
It was dancing girl, starred with jewels,
Wearing a pale blue mantle, drunk with the wine
of her youth.
She lowered her lamp and saw young face
austerely beautiful.
"Forgive me, young ascetic," said the woman,
"Graciously come to my house. The dusty earth
is not fit bed for you."
The young ascetic answered, "Woman,
go on your way;
When the time is ripe I will come to you."
Suddenly the black night showed its teeth
in a flash of lightening.
The storm growled from the corner of the sky, and
The woman trembled in fear of some unknown danger.

* * * **
A year has not yet passed.
It was evening of a day in April,
in spring season.
The branches of the way side trees were full of blossom.
Gay notes of a flute came floating in the
warm spring air from a far.
The citizens had gone to the woods for the
festival of flowers.
From the mid sky gazed the full moon on the
shadows of the silent town.
The young ascetic was walking along the lonely street,
While overhead the love-sick koels uttered from the
mango branches their sleepless plaint.
Upagupta passed through the city gates, and
stood at the base of the rampart.
Was that a woman lying at his feet in the
shadow of the mango grove?
Stuck with black prestilence, her body
spotted with sores of small-pox,
She had been hurriedly removed from the town
To avoid her poisonous contagion.
The ascetic sat by her side, took her head
on his knees,
And moistened her lips with water, and
smeared her body with sandal balm.
"Who are you, merciful one?" asked the woman.
"The time, at last, has come to visit you, and
I am here," replied the young ascetic.

 

 

Poem by Rabindranath Tagore

* Upagupta is also known as Moggaliputta Tissa or Upakut. I personally love this poem very much. This story touches my heart and I like to share with all of you the wisdom, compassion and the philosophy of Buddhism in this story.

Gassho,
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo,
Chikai




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



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

Is Buddhism scientific?

Before we answer that question it would be best to define the word 'science'. Science is, according to the dictionary, 'knowledge which can be made into a system, which depends upon seeing and testing facts and stating general natural laws, a branch of such knowledge, anything that can be studied exactly'. There are aspects of Buddhism that would not fit into this definition but the central teaching of Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, most certainly would. Suffering, the First Noble Truth, is an experience that can be defined, experienced and measured. The Second Noble Truth states that suffering has a natural cause, craving, which likewise can be defined, experience and measured. No attempts is made to explain suffering in terms of a metaphysical concept or myths. According to the Third Noble Truth, suffering is ended, not by relying upon a supreme being, by faith or by prayer but simply by removing its cause. This is axiomatic. The Fourth Noble truth, the way to end suffering, once again, has nothing to do with metaphysics but depends on behaving in specific ways. And once again behavior is open to testing. Buddhism dispense with the concept of a supreme being, as does science, and explains the origins and workings of the universe in terms of natural laws. All of this certainly exhibits a scientific spirit. Once again, the Buddha's constant advise that we should not blindly believe but rather question, examine, inquire and rely on our own experience, has a definite scientific ring to it. In his famous Kalama Sutta the Buddha says;

'Do not go by revelation or tradition, do not go by rumor or the sacred scriptures, do not go by hearsay or mere logic, do not go by bias towards a notion or by another person's seeming ability and do not go by the idea "He is our teacher". But when yourself know that a thing is good, that it is laudable, that it is praised by the wise and when practiced and observed that it leads to happiness, then follow that thing'. A.I,188

So we could say that although Buddhism is not entirely scientific, it certainly has a strong scientific overtone and is certainly more scientific than any other religion. It is significant that Albert Einstein, the greatest scientist of the 20th century said of Buddhism:

'The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religion sense arising from experience of all things, natural and spiritual and a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description. If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism'.

by S. Dhammika

Words of Wisdom 19

All that we are is the result of what we have thought;

is is founded on our thoughts.

If a man speaks or acts with pure thought,

joy will follow him,

like a shadow tat never leaves him.

Words of Wisdom 18

Hatred never cease by hatred,

But by love.

Words of Wisdom 17

Rain fall, wind blows,

plants bloom, leaves mature

and are blown away;

these phenomena are all interrelated with causes and conditions,

are brought about by them, 

and disappear as the causes and conditions change.

Is there a Buddhist equivalent of Christmas?

According to tradition, Prince Siddhattha was born, became the Buddha and passed away on the full moon day of Vesakha, the second month of Indian year, which corresponds to April-May of Western calendar. On that day Buddhists in all lands celebrate these events by visiting temples, participating in various ceremonies, or perhaps spending the day meditating.

by S. Dhammika

Why do people do all kinds of strange things in Buddhist temples?

Many things seem strange to us when we don't understand them. Rather than dismiss such things as strange, we should try to find their meaning. However, it is true that some of the things Buddhists do have their origin in popular superstition and misunderstanding rather than the teaching of the Buddha. And such misunderstanding are not found in Buddhism alone but creep into in all religions from time to time. The Buddha taught with clarity and in detail and if some people fail to understand fully, he cannot be blamed for that. there is a saying from the Buddhist scriptures:

'If a person suffering from disease does not seek treatment even when there is a physician at hand, it is not the fault of the physician. In the same way, if a person is oppressed and tormented by the disease of the defilements but does not seek help of the Buddha, that is not the Buddha's fault.'

Nor should Buddhism or any religion be judged by those who don't practice it properly. If you wish to know the real teachings of Buddhism, read the Buddha' words or speak to those who understand them properly.

by S. Dhammika

I have heard people say that Buddhist worship idols.

Such statements only reflect the misunderstanding of the persons who make them. The dictionary defines as idols as 'an image or statue worshipped as a god.' As we have seen, Buddhist do not believe that Buddha was a god, so how could they possibly use to represent their various beliefs. In Taoism, the ying-yang diagram is used to symbolize spiritual struggle. In Christianity, the fish is used to symbolize Christ's presence and a cross to represent his sacrifice. In Buddhism, the statue of the Buddha reminds us of the human dimension in Buddhist teaching, the fact that Buddhism is human-centered rather than god-centered, that we must look within, not without to find the perfection and understanding. Therefore, to say that Buddhist worship idols is as silly as saying that Christians worship fish or geometrical shapes.

by S. Dhammika

Words of Wisdom 16

Thousands of candles can be

lighted from a single candle,

and the life of the candle will not

be shortened.

Happiness never decreases

by being shared.

If the Buddha is not a god why do people worship him?

There are different types of worship. When someone worships a god, they praise him or her, make offerings and ask favors, believing that the god will hear their praise, receive their offerings and answer their prayers. Buddhists do not practice this kind of worship. The other kind of worship is when we show respect to someone or something we admire. When a teacher walks into a room we stand up; when we meet a dignitary we shake hands; when the national anthem is played we salute. These are all gestures of respect and worship and indicate our admiration for a specific person or thing. This is the type of worship Buddhist practice. A statue of the Buddha with its hands resting gently in its lap and its compassionate smile reminds us to strive to develop peace and love within ourselves. The perfume of incense reminds us of the pervading influence of virtue, the lamp reminds us of light of knowledge, and the flowers, which soon fade and die, reminds us of impermanence. When we bow we express our gratitude to the Buddha for what his teachings have given us. This is meaning of Buddhist worship.

by S. Dhammika

Shinkoku-O Gosho - Part 5

Sinkoku-O Gosho
(Sovereigns of Our Divine Land)
Part 5

Introduction of the Shingon Sect

During the same reign Emperor Kammu, a monk named Kukai (Grand Master Kobo) went to China to study Shingon Buddhism. Not returning to Japan during Kammu's reign, Kukai, however, returned in the first year of the Daido Period (806) during the reign of the fifty-first sovereign, emperor Heizei. On the 19th day of the first month in the 14th year of the Konin Period (823) during the reign of the 52nd Emperor Saga, Kukai was granted the Toji Temple in Kyoto as the headquarters of the Shingon esotericism, which was named Kyoo Gokoku-ji Temple. It was a year after the death of Grand Master Dengyo.

In the fifth year of the Jowa Period (838) during the reign of the 54th sovereign, Emperor Nimmei, Venerable Priest Ennin (Grand Master Jikaku) went to China for further study of Tendai-Lotus and Shingon teachings, returning to Japan in the 14th year of Jowa (847). During the Ninju and Saiko Periods (851-857), in the reign of the 55th sovereign, Emperor Montoku, Ennin wrote commentaries on the Diamond Peak Sutra and the Sutra of the Act of Perfection, totaling 14 fascicles, calling them, together with the Annotations on the Great Sun Buddha Sutra (Dainichi-kyo gishaku), the "triple works of Shingon Sect", built the Sojin Temple on Mt. Hiei, and began spreading Shingon Buddhism. Thus Shingon Sect was permitted to spread on Mt. Hiei, and it became customary that the chief ministers of the Tendai Sect, thereafter, concurrently studied both Lotus and Shingon doctrines. Nevertheless, as the Lotus Sect was compared to the moon while the Shingon Sect to the sun, people as a whole assumed that the Shingon teaching was superior. At any rate, the head priests of Mt. Hiei studied both Tendai and Shingon Buddhism and so did all other priest on the mountain.

During the same reign of Emperor Montoku, Venerable Enchin (Grand Master Chisho) went to Tang China. Studying both the Lotus and Shingon schools of Buddhism, he returned to Japan in the second year of the Ten'an Period (858). Venerable Enchin and mastered in Japan not only the Lotus and Shingon Buddhism under the guidance of  Gishin (first Chief  Priest of Mt. Hiei), and Encho (the second Chief Priest), Grand Master Betto (Kojo), and Ennin (the third Chief Priest), but also the Shingon doctrine of Toji temple. Therefater, he ventured to China, to study both the Lotus and Shingon teachings further. He is the Grand Master Chisho who found the Tendai-esoterism of the Miidera Temple today.

These are the so called four grand master of Shingon Budhism in Japan. Generally speaking, eight streams exist within Japanese esotericism, of which five belonging to the Toji were founded by Grand Master Kobo and three belonging to the Tendai Sect were originated by Grand Master Jikaku.



by Nichiren Daishonin
12th year of Bun'ei Era (1275) 

Was the Buddha a god?

No, he was not. He did not claim that he was a god, the child of a god or even the messenger from a god. he was a human being who perfected himself and taught that if we follow his example we could perfect ourselves also.

by S.Dhammika

Words of Wisdom 15

If a man's mind

becomes pure,

His surroundings will also 

become pure.

If the Buddha is dead how can he help us?

Faraday who discovered electricity is dead, but what he discovered still help us. Louis Pasteur who found the cure for so many diseases is also dead, but his medical discoveries still save lives. Leonardo da Vinvi who created masterpieces of art is dead, but what he created can still uplift the heart and give joy. Great heroes and heroines may have been dead for centuries but when we read of their deeds and achievements we can still be inspired to act as they did. Yes, the Buddha passed away but 2500 years later his teaching still help people, his example still inspires people, his words still change lives. Only a Buddha could have such power centuries after his passing.

by S. Dhammika

Wasn't it irresponsible for the Buddha to walk out on his wife and child?

It couldn't have been an easy thing for the Buddha to leave his family. He must have worried and hesitated for a long time before he finally left. But he had a choice between dedicating himself to his family or dedicating himself to the world. In the end, his great compassion made him give himself to the whole world, and the whole world still benefits from his sacrifice. This was not irresponsible. It was perhaps the most significant sacrifice ever made.

by S.Dhammika

If he was only called 'Buddha' after he had this profound realization, what was his name before that?

The Buddha's family or clan name was Gotama, which means 'best cow', cattle being objects of wealth and prestige at that time. His given name was Siddhattha which means 'attaining his goal,' the kind of name one would expect a ruler to give his son.

by S. Dhammika

Photos of Somdej Phra Tat Phanom 2401 (Dark color, special power mixture with color beads)