Buddhist Verses & Silent Readings For Reflection (静思语） - Part 6

[scheng1]

佛说兴起行经
佛说骨节烦疼因缘经第四

https://www.xinjingyw.com/fsxq/1928_4.html

我往为医子治于长者儿

嗔恚与非药由此致无常

以是宿因缘久受地狱苦

尔时余因缘故致烦疼患

因缘终不灭亦不着虚空

以是三因缘尽护身口意

我自成尊佛得为三界将

故说先世缘阿耨大泉中

The above is spoken by Buddha after he related one of his past lives. In that lifetime, he was a doctor who murdered his patient over non-payment of fees.

 

[waterbright]

Communal Living
Sannivāsa Sutta (AN 2:61)

“Monks, I will teach you the communal living of the bad & the communal living of the good. Listen to that & pay careful attention. I will speak.”

“As you say, lord,” the monks responded to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said, “And how is there the communal living of the bad? And how do the bad live together?

“There is the case where the thought occurs to an elder monk, ‘I should not correct an elder monk, nor should I correct a monk of middling standing, nor should I correct a newcoming monk.

“‘If an elder monk were to correct me, he would correct me unsympathetic for my welfare, and not sympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “No,” and that would annoy him. Even seeing (my offense), I wouldn’t make amends.

“‘If a monk of middle standing were to correct me, he would correct me unsympathetic for my welfare, and not sympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “No,” and that would annoy him. Even seeing (my offense), I wouldn’t make amends.

“‘If a newcoming monk were to correct me, he would correct me unsympathetic for my welfare, and not sympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “No,” and that would annoy him. Even seeing (my offense), I wouldn’t make amends.’

“The thought occurs to a monk of middle standing…

“The thought occurs to a newcoming monk, ‘I should not correct an elder monk, nor should I correct a monk of middling standing, nor should I correct a newcoming monk.

“‘If an elder monk were to correct me, he would correct me unsympathetic for my welfare, and not sympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “No,” and that would annoy him. Even seeing (my offense), I wouldn’t make amends.

“‘If a monk of middle standing were to correct me, he would correct me unsympathetic for my welfare, and not sympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “No,” and that would annoy him. Even seeing (my offense), I wouldn’t make amends.

“‘If a newcoming monk were to correct me, he would correct me unsympathetic for my welfare, and not sympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “No,” and that would annoy him. Even seeing (my offense), I wouldn’t make amends.’

“This, monks, is how there is the communal living of the bad, and this is how the bad live together.

“And how is there the communal living of the good? And how do the good live together?

“There is the case where the thought occurs to an elder monk, ‘I should correct an elder monk, I should correct a monk of middling standing, and I should correct a newcoming monk.

“‘If an elder monk were to correct me, he would correct me sympathetic for my welfare, and not unsympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “Good,” and that would not annoy him. Seeing (my offense), I would make amends.

“‘If a monk of middle standing were to correct me, he would correct me sympathetic for my welfare, and not unsympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “Good,” and that would not annoy him. Seeing (my offense), I would make amends.

“‘If a newcoming monk were to correct me, he would correct me sympathetic for my welfare, and not unsympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “Good,” and that would not annoy him. Seeing (my offense), I would make amends.’

“The thought occurs to a monk of middle standing…

“The thought occurs to a newcoming monk, ‘I should correct an elder monk, I should correct a monk of middling standing, and I should correct a newcoming monk.

“‘If an elder monk were to correct me, he would correct me sympathetic for my welfare, and not unsympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “Good,” and that would not annoy him. Seeing (my offense), I would make amends.

“‘If a monk of middle standing were to correct me, he would correct me sympathetic for my welfare, and not unsympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “Good,” and that would not annoy him. Seeing (my offense), I would make amends.

“‘If a newcoming monk were to correct me, he would correct me sympathetic for my welfare, and not unsympathetic for my welfare. I would say, “Good,” and that would not annoy him. Seeing (my offense), I would make amends.’

“This, monks, is how there is the communal living of the good, and this is how the good live together.”

See also: AN 3:96; AN 10:18

 

[stam]

hi guys, anyone know of proper ways to dispose of temple newsletter/printing etc. with Buddha images etc? is it disrespectful to dispose into rubbish bins? Thanks.

 

[AUTUMN&WINTER]

hi guys, anyone know of proper ways to dispose of temple newsletter/printing etc. with Buddha images etc? is it disrespectful to dispose into rubbish bins? Thanks.

I usually place them together with newspapers. You can also wrap it nicely and place in recycle bins. If it's Sutras, I will bring to place it at temples like Buddhist Lodge etc.

 

[heymee]

 

[AUTUMN&WINTER]

If you have books that you think others would read, can also try the Library exchange corner. I see people leave there. I also leave some old books there.

If not, I wrap it up and dispose off as other books or publications. I use scotch tape to properly seal it so that the wrapper does not come off. I don't know consider respectful or not.



Buddhist Lodge now accepts publication and recycle material ? Where to deposit ?

南无阿弥陀佛

I saw many people put at the table besides the big Amituofo statue. It's good that Buddhist Lodge accepts these Buddhist materials because I know many people dare not to take Buddhist books or materials because they do not know where to put after reading. This scenario is unfavourable for propagating Buddhism.

 

[Renzokukenz]

Today I heard something interesting. If your repentance is complete, then you won't want to do it again. Is this correct ?

南无阿弥陀佛

ShiXiong,

I don't know what is the context of your post
but just so happen my daily (once a day) Hai Tao Fa Shi video talked about Repentance, I thought why not share it (Fast-Forward to around the 20 minutes mark)

 

[Dangojr]

 

[AUTUMN&WINTER]

NAMO AMITUOFO 南无阿弥陀佛

Amida (Amituofo), when he was the Bodhisattva Dharmakara, vowed that he would not enter Buddhahood unless all living beings attained Pure Land birth, and he has been a Buddha now for ten kalpas. We have been vainly repeating the round of mortality without realising that Amida (Amituofo) has already brought it to an end for us by establishing our birth in the Pure Land.

ANJIN KETSUJO SHO
On the Attainment of True Faith

因为空性，所以无常

Because of emptiness, everything is impermanent.

Anyone who gives to my teachings an offering of even just a mere hair will for eighty thousand eons have great possessions and much wealth, too. Wherever it is that they are born, they will always be generous. Thus, greatly fruitful is the Buddha, a profound place for giving.
Ārya Saṅghāṭa Sūtra

忏悔，就是祝福自己最好的方法。

Repentance is the best way to bless oneself.

 

[scheng1]

Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala
The Layperson's Code of Discipline

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html

There are, young householder, these six evil consequences in indulging in gambling:

(i) the winner begets hate,
(ii) the loser grieves for lost wealth,
(iii) loss of wealth,
(iv) his word is not relied upon in a court of law,
(v) he is despised by his friends and associates,
(vi) he is not sought after for matrimony; for people would say he is a gambler and is not fit to look after a wife.

 

[scheng1]

 

[waterbright]

Pleasures
Sukha Sutta (AN 2:74)

“Monks, there are these two pleasures. Which two? Pleasure with enjoyment as its object & pleasure with equanimity as its object. There are these two pleasures. And the foremost of these two pleasures is pleasure with equanimity as its object.”

 

[Renzokukenz]

ShiXiong,

I don't know what is the context of your post
but just so happen my daily (once a day) Hai Tao Fa Shi video talked about Repentance, I thought why not share it (Fast-Forward to around the 20 minutes mark)

Found the full version I think:

at around the 1hour 01min mark
He went on to elaborate on the topic of Emptiness at the 1h17min mark as well again
Hai Tao Shifu said something really interesting

He spoke of people who closed themselves from society, from family and friends, from everyone, just to accomplish reciting mantras, sutras for xxxx number of times.

He said that ultimately the goal of a Buddhist and a Bodhisattva and Buddha is to be of service to the world. Sure, enlightenment is the end goal when it comes to your personal cultivation, but remember, an enlightened being, is also a being with metta, a being with compassion and empathy.

Precepts are important, reciting mantras/sutras and the various 法门 are all important, but remember, as a Buddhist because you want to be of service to the world, and hence because you want to help people, you cannot separate yourself from real-life, you cannot isolate yourself and not update yourself with current affairs and trends.

The value of Emptiness as a Buddhist is to not be attached to things, but not being attached to all things does not mean separation and isolation from all things.

Form is Emptiness
but remember conversely according to the sutra
Emptiness is Form as well.

Embracing emptiness does not mean forsaking everything.
Embracing emptiness means you accept things as they are and not become attached to them.

Namo Amituofo

PS: I started watching Hai Tao Fa Shi because of Sur Offering, but as YouTube started recommending more and more of his Dharma talks, I feel I am starting to understand things more. While there's quite a bit of work for me to bring these understanding into practice, I am really glad and thankful to be able to listen to all these Dharma talks. I find that listening to the entire Dharma talk is better than listening to snippets of it because you will gain an understanding of the context and the flow of the conversation and why the shifu say the things he said.

 

[Renzokukenz]

I didn't watch the full video. Just where you mentioned. I try to put in some perspective to what I watch.

This whole process is in 1 package: 发菩提心, 开悟, 度众生. If you don't make the pledge (to help others), then you cannot get enlightened.

Once you get enlightened, your pledge will drive you to help others. I don't think there is a choice, actually, cause you are driven by your pledge from then onwards.

Of course, in the process of practising to get enlightened, the individual can also help others. I think it's important to know that if one focuses too much on helping others and not enough on getting enlightened (or go to PL ), that the individual would have wasted this life and have to wait for another life or many lives later to attempt this again.

Sounds terrible ? Just trying to make a point. It's very important to helps ourselves to break out of the 6 realms, esp now when the 缘 around us are so negative.

Cheers, 南无阿弥陀佛

one characteristic of an enlightened being is compassion
you naturally will help people, I think to say that "you don't have a choice" is a disillusioned interpretation of something that is great

helping ourselves to help others should be one of the reasons for wanting to be enlightened, of course, we can want enlightenment for our liberation itself but if we focus on "me" "my, then you hinder yourself to enlightenment due to the lack of "emptiness"

shifu was very clear
he just reminded the congregation that, to practice Buddhism and to be Buddhist does not mean one makes oneself completely irrelevant and detached from the world

detach from attachment
detach from attachment to the world
detach from attachment to worldly things, that's not to say be ignorant to them.

not detach from the world
for you cannot save people in the world if you detach from the world

that's the main theme

Strong and absolute effort towards detachment inches towards "rejection", which carries a very slight but significant connotation of hate and ignorance.

Detachment from Attachment
Not rejection of what is.

and what he said was said to me by a monk as well. He hinted that I was too "radical" in thinking and that I focused on the extremes without consideration to context.

the way you say it and frame it

"If you don't make the pledge (to help others), then you cannot get enlightened. "

paints Buddhism in a flawed premise of "you must" "you must or else"
and that is definitely not what Buddhism is about

I am not here to say you are wrong, actually, you are right.
but I think the way you paint Buddhism is not ideal and might actually push people to have the impression that Buddhism is like *those religions* where they say "you must or else you will be punished by..."

remember
Karma is a force of nature
no Buddhist entities, absolutely none of them, keep track of your misdeeds and condemn you to hell.

rebirth is a fact of nature.
karma is a fact of nature
没有主宰者

"you must or else you will be punished by..."

anyway please don't be angered by my post, I learned something from what a monk said to me, and just so happen the videos and your reply are exactly relevant to it. (uncannily so and I love it!!) I am typing it more for myself to read and to internalize than anything else. Everyone is different.

南无大愿地藏王菩萨!!
南无大愿地藏王菩萨!!
南无大愿地藏王菩萨!!

 

[AUTUMN&WINTER]

I didn't watch the full video. Just where you mentioned. I try to put in some perspective to what I watch.

This whole process is in 1 package: 发菩提心, 开悟, 度众生. If you don't make the pledge (to help others), then you cannot get enlightened.

Once you get enlightened, your pledge will drive you to help others. I don't think there is a choice, actually, cause you are driven by your pledge from then onwards.

Of course, in the process of practising to get enlightened, the individual can also help others. I think it's important to know that if one focuses too much on helping others and not enough on getting enlightened (or go to PL ), that the individual would have wasted this life and have to wait for another life or many lives later to attempt this again.

Sounds terrible ? Just trying to make a point. It's very important to helps ourselves to break out of the 6 realms, esp now when the 缘 around us are so negative.

Cheers, 南无阿弥陀佛

one characteristic of an enlightened being is compassion
you naturally will help people, I think to say that "you don't have a choice" is a disillusioned interpretation of something that is great

helping ourselves to help others should be one of the reasons for wanting to be enlightened, of course, we can want enlightenment for our liberation itself but if we focus on "me" "my, then you hinder yourself to enlightenment due to the lack of "emptiness"

shifu was very clear
he just reminded the congregation that, to practice Buddhism and to be Buddhist does not mean one makes oneself completely irrelevant and detached from the world

detach from attachment
detach from attachment to the world
detach from attachment to worldly things, that's not to say be ignorant to them.

not detach from the world
for you cannot save people in the world if you detach from the world

that's the main theme

Strong and absolute effort towards detachment inches towards "rejection", which carries a very slight but significant connotation of hate and ignorance.

Detachment from Attachment
Not rejection of what is.

and what he said was said to me by a monk as well. He hinted that I was too "radical" in thinking and that I focused on the extremes without consideration to context.

the way you say it and frame it



paints Buddhism in a flawed premise of "you must" "you must or else"
and that is definitely not what Buddhism is about

I am not here to say you are wrong, actually, you are right.
but I think the way you paint Buddhism is not ideal and might actually push people to have the impression that Buddhism is like *those religions* where they say "you must or else you will be punished by..."

remember
Karma is a force of nature
no Buddhist entities, absolutely none of them, keep track of your misdeeds and condemn you to hell.

rebirth is a fact of nature.
karma is a fact of nature
没有主宰者

"you must or else you will be punished by..."

anyway please don't be angered by my post, I learned something from what a monk said to me, and just so happen the videos and your reply are exactly relevant to it. (uncannily so and I love it!!) I am typing it more for myself to read and to internalize than anything else. Everyone is different.

南无大愿地藏王菩萨!!
南无大愿地藏王菩萨!!
南无大愿地藏王菩萨!!

Last time I dread when I thought of returning to samsara to save other beings. Later, I understand more and no longer dread. A Shifu said he would return to samsara to help other beings when he attained 八地菩萨 (不动地菩萨) in Pure Land. I want to vow the same.

Someone enlightened me, he said Di Zang Wang Pusa is in hell saving hell beings but he does not suffer in hell because he is an enlightened being. When we were children, we cried over trival things like lost toys etc. When we are adults, we see things differently, we no longer cry over lost toys. Same for enlightened beings, they understand and see more than we lay people. At higher state, enlightened beings don't suffer over things which lay people consider as sufferings.

One of the reason I started thread to spread Buddhism because I thought of sharing Buddhism with more people in this life and not coming back but that was in the past. One must learn how to swim (liberate from rebirth) in order to teach others how to swim (liberate from rebirth).

 

[heymee]

 

[magnus]

Dabao bento set from KMS back to office eat.

Bonus pics

 

[Mr. Wood]

https://www.kmspks.org/news/online-pledge-of-the-maitreya-buddhas-name-chant/

In Buddhist Texts, Maitreya Bodhisattva is described as the future Buddha next to Shakyamuni Buddha, and chanting his name will help to liberate one from suffering, cultivate wisdom, and generate boundless merits.

农历新年即将至 线上共修乐如意
诵念弥勒尊佛号 无量功德善欢喜
众生出离诸苦海 智慧增广福绵长

Online Pledge Date：31 Dec 2020 to 12 Feb 2021
线上念诵共修日期：2020年12月31日至2021年2月12日（农历十一月十七至辛丑年正月初一）

Chanting Content： “Namo Dang Lai Xia Sheng Mi Le Fo”
念诵内容： “南无当来下生弥勒佛”

 

[scheng1]

佛说兴起行经
佛说婆罗门女栴沙谤佛缘经第八

https://www.xinjingyw.com/fsxq/1928_7.html

佛语阿阇世王。我所说缘法。有上中下身口意行。

阿阇世王复问。何者为重。何者为中。何者为下。

佛语阿阇世王。意行最重。口行处中。身行在下。

 

[AUTUMN&WINTER]

NAMO AMITUOFO 南无阿弥陀佛

常念 “南无阿弥陀佛”。 身无灾难病苦 ，死后往生极乐净土。

Don’t miss the opportunities you have to sit down, without having to worry or think about doing anything. Lay down your burdens, your worries, and your projects. Just sit and feel that you are alive. Sit with your son, your daughter, your partner, your friend. That’s enough to be happy.- Thich Nhat Hanh

Train your mind to reside peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy no matter what is or is not happening in the world around you. (i.e. fix the internal mind).

Caoshan’s Bell Sound
Hearing the sound of a bell, Caoshan said, “Ouch! Ouch!”
A monastic said, “Master, what is it?”
Caoshan said, “It struck my mind.”
Student: “What did Caoshan mean by, ‘It struck my mind’?”
Master: “It struck your mind as well.”
Student: “Then, why don’t I feel pain as Caoshan did?”
Master: “That’s why you are a patient.”
Commentary:
Patients who suffer from phantom pain without distinguishing it from true pain are sentient beings.