Master Sheng Yen: The Purpose of Life is to Contribute

I enjoy learning from Venerable Master Sheng Yen on Buddha's teaching. He dedicated his life to propagate the Dharma. Thanks to technology, even though I never met him in life, I learnt so much from his sharing of the Dharma taught by Buddha more than 2500 years ago.

There are many beautiful quotes by him and I agreed with him. 

The purpose of life is to contribute which makes your life more meaningful. 

Even in death, he wanted to contribute by requesting that his ashes be used as fertiliser for plants.

Last year, I took about a year off and travelled solo and read books that I wanted to read but I didn't feel immensely happy. Time flew by very fast when you just spend the time to do what you want and just spending the time for yourself. I felt emptiness and I asked myself what is the purpose of my life. Why didn't I feel happy when I have all the time to do what I always wanted to do which was to travel and eat? 

After the break, I have a better idea of what is happiness. Happiness is to help others whenever you can with your abilities and talents.

Quotes by Master Sheng Yen

面对它，接受它，处理它，放下它

I follow four dictates: face it, accept it, deal with it, then let it go.

Remember Buddha's Teaching

When I saw an online poster showing that Lu Jun Hong will be in Singapore on 4 November 2018 for an event. I feel uncomfortable as he is misguiding others on Buddhism. I am curious why Singapore government is allowing him to plan an event in Singapore when various Buddhist federations/associations from Malaysia, Hong Kong and even Singapore already denounced his teaching. It is important that Buddha's teaching is not distorted and used for personal agenda. 

Buddha did not teach others to burn paper houses and was strict with his disciples who showcased their supernatural power. There was once a man who put up a bowl on top of a pole to test if Buddha's disciples has supernatural power. The man said that whosoever could get the bowl can keep it. One monk  who could levitate manage to get the bowl. Buddha was not impressed and admonished the monk.

Even though Buddha has supernatural power, he did not use it to impress others. He spent more than 45 years on teaching the Dharma. Through education, one can change his attitude and by changing attitude and perception, you can change your life. 

Buddha had taught the monks that those who seek the path should strive for enlightenment and break the cycle of endless samsara and not for miracles and supernatural power. Although meditating can lead to a person attaining supernatural power like recalling past lives and knowing what others think, it is the unintended fruit of meditation. 

If you are not sure what is Buddha's teaching about, its good to know the basic teaching by Buddha first. 

The Four Noble Truths

1. The Truth of Suffering

2. The Truth of the Cause of Suffering

3) The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering

4. The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering is the Noble Eight-fold Path

The Noble Eight-fold Path
1. Right Views
2. Right Thoughts
3. Right Speech
4. Right Conduct
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Meditation



Saw the following in a forum. Thought it be good to share.
Question: You have probably heard of ‘Xin Lin Fa Men’ (观音心灵法门) by ‘Guanyin Citta Dharma Door’ Master Lu Jun Hong (卢军宏 or 卢台长). In his practice, after reciting Dabeizhou (Great Compassion Mantra) for karmic creditors, we are taught to burn ‘little house’ papers. Is it really necessary to do so? (This question is not linked to the picture.)

Answer: Lu’s group is a cult riding upon so-called ‘Buddhism’. Please do not follow his teachings. It is not true Buddhism as he teaches corrupted teachings. For instance, the practice of burning was never taught by the Buddha or any orthodox Buddhist teacher in history. It is an ecologically harmful and pointless new superstition. Many orthodox Buddhist organisations worldwide have spoken collectively against him. You must read these extremely important articles carefully, so as to not make the mistake of following such cults:

Singapore Buddhist Federation Denouncing Lu Jun Hong's Teaching

Enlightened Nuns

More than 2500 years ago, Buddha accepted women to join the Sanga after much persuasion from Ananda. Many nuns became Arahant bhikkhunis or enlightened Buddhist nuns. 
You can read more about the Arahant bhikkhunis written by Susan Elbaum Jootla in the following link at http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/inspire-nuns6.pdf. It is very well-written and made me want to continue reading it. 

The actual poems compose by the nuns exhibit a wide range in tone and subject matter. They were almost all spoken after the author had realized that rebirth and all its associated suffering had been brought to an end by the perfection of insight and total elimination of defilements. So virtually all the poems contain some form of “lion’s roar,” an exclamation that the author has become awakened.

"Causes and effects work themselves out and keep the life process going through samsara. So long as the mind is attached to anything at all, we will engage in volitional actions, make new kamma, and will have to experience their results. Cultivating good kamma will save one from much suffering and prepare the mind for the most powerful wholesome kamma of all, that born of wisdom, which can eliminate all kammic creation."

"Ubbiri greatly mourned the death of her infant daughter until the Buddha pointed out to her that right in the same charnel ground where she had left this baby’s body, she had similarly parted with thousands of children to whom she had given birth in previous lives. Because she had acquired strong merit in the past, this brief personalized discourse was enough to turn Ubbiri from a lamenting mother into an arahant on the spot. 

With the quenching of ignorance and craving, nothing remains but a pure mind, inherently peaceful. Ubbiri had a pliable, well-prepared mind, and thus she understood, through the Buddha’s instructions, that the source of all her suffering had been craving. After countless millions of lifetimes spent rolling in samsara, Ubbiri realized how her deep motherly attachment to her children had always caused her much anguish; for sons and daughters, like everything else, are subject to the law of impermanence. We cannot make our loved ones live beyond the span set by their own kamma. 

This was an insight so powerful for her that no object at all seemed worthy of interest any longer because of the potential pain permeating them all. us all tendency to cling was broken, never to reappear."

Along with Gods 2: The Last 49 Days

Just watched this inspiring Korean movie last week, Along with the Gods 2 at Suntec City Golden Village cinema. The ending is kinda unexpected. It made you think that sometimes forgetting your past lives is not a bad thing. One of the grim reapers who committed evil deed was made to remember his evil past life and he lived with regret and sadness for a thousand years. Some meaningful quote include there is no bad person but bad situation. Whenever in doubt, remind oneself to be kind even when you feel angry or unjust.

 

The Origin and Passing of the World-12 links of Dependent Origination.

This Sotapanna handbook is really informative. It covers the essence of Buddha's teaching like the Noble Eightfold path and the 12 links of dependent origination.

“When this does not exist, that does not come to be,

With the cessation of this, that ceases.

When there is no consciousness, name-and-form does not come to be. 

When there is no name-and-form, the six senses bases do not come to be.

When there is no six senses bases, contact does not come to be. 

When there is no contact, feeling does not come to be. 

Whern there is no feeling, craving does not come to be. 

When there is no craving, clinging does not come to be.

When there is no clinging, existence does not come to be. 

When there is no existence, birth does not come to be.

When there is no birth, aging-and-death does not come to be.

He understands thus, “ In such a way the world ceases.”

Introduction to Agama Sutra: The First Buddhist Scripture by Thomas Tam, Ph.D., M.P.H
(Click above link to read more)

'The Buddha told him: "What is this world? It is the receptacles of matter, feelings, thoughts, actions, and consciousness. The world is formed when we fastened to these receptacles because of our desire. It disappears when we can give them up, and leave them alone.... When you understand suffering, and how they come about, know how they can cease, and practice ways to cease them, you would have overcome your desire and crossed the edge of the world."' 

The five receptacles that the Buddha mentioned: matter, feelings, thoughts, actions, and consciousness, are what constitute the external and internal world of every sentient being. Through our sense organs, we take note of the external and internal world. For example, let us focus on only the interaction between matter and us, the sentient being. Our eyes see an image, our ears hear a sound, our nose smells a scent, our tongue perceives a taste, our body sense a touch, our mind recognizes an event. All these become consciousness and stored in that receptacle. How the sentient being handle the interaction makes all the difference between imprisonment in, and liberation from, Samsara, the endless cycle of births and deaths. Failing to understand the transient nature of what we perceive or interact with, we may like and enjoy them to the point of clinging onto them, thinking that they are eternally lasting. This may lead to actions that have all kinds of dire consequences, including getting stuck in Samsara. So, to stay away from trouble and become liberated, we should learn to sever our greed, and control our desire. The crux is in understanding the interrelatedness of all things, and to be constantly aware of the falsehood induced by our ego.

Maudgalyayana Saves His Mother 目犍連尊者救母 and Hungry Ghost Festival

In Singapore and East Asia countries, on the 7th Lunar month of the year, most Chinese will observe the Hungry Ghost Festival by making food offering to their deceased ancestors. On the 15th day of 7th Lunar month (25th August 2018), the gate of hell is opened for the hungry ghosts to roam the living world. 

In Singapore, there will be getai performance where singers will dressed up and performed on temporary stages in the heartlands. Front row seats will be empty as they are reserved for the wandering spirits. 

The origin of the Hungry Ghost Festival is influenced by Buddhism, from the  Ullambana Sutra on how Maudgalyayana Mujian Nian目犍連尊者saves his mother from suffering in the hungry ghost realm.

Among Buddha's disciples, venerable Maudgalyāyana (目犍連尊者) is foremost in psychic powers. Using his psychic power, he found that his mother was in the hungry ghost realm. Maudgalyāyana tried to offer her food, but the food burst into flames each time she tried to eat. Maudgalyāyana therefore seek the help of Buddha, who advised him to make merit to the Saṃgha and transfer it to his mother. This helped his mother to be reborn in heaven.

Click here to read 11 things to avoid during Hungry Ghost Festival. 

 Image from the straits time.

Front row seats reserved for the wandering spirits. Image from the straits times.

Making food offering to the spirits. (Image from wikipedia) 

(From Wikipedia) 

In teaching, Maudgalyāyana relies much on such powers. Varying accounts in the Pali Canon show Maudgalyāyana travelling to and speaking with pretas (spirits in unhappy destinations) in order to explain to them their horrific conditions. He helps them understand their own suffering, so they can be released from it or come to terms with it. 

Maudgalyāyana is able to use his powers of mind-reading in order to give good and fitting advice to his students, so they can attain spiritual fruits quickly.^[64] He is described as using his psychic powers to discipline not only monks, but also devas and other beings. 

Mulian Rescues His Mother 

Maudgalyāyana Mulian Rescues His Mother  or Mulian Saves His Mother From Hell is a popular Chinese Buddhist tale originating in the 3rd century CE, inspired by tales from India of Maudgalyayana, who becomes Mulian in the Chinese stories. Mulian, a virtuous monk, seeks the help of the Buddha to rescue his mother, who has been condemned to the lowest and most painful purgatory in karmic retribution for her transgressions. Mulian cannot rescue her by his individual effort, however, but is instructed by the Buddha to offer food and gifts to monks and monasteries on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, which established the Ghost Festival (Chinese: 鬼 節; pinyin: guijie)

The account of Maudgalyāyana looking for his mother after her death is widespread. Apart from being used to illustrate the principles of karmic retribution and rebirth,in China, the story developed a new emphasis. There Maudgalyāyana was known as "Mulian", and his story was taught in a mixture of religious instruction and entertainment, to remind people of their duties to deceased relatives. Its earliest version being the Sanskrit Ullambana Sutra.

Guan Yin Vow Verse- Great Compassion Mantra by Chyi Yu

Guan Yin Vow Verse by Chyi Yu.