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Ullambana Festival – An Important Day for Prayer

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Ullambana Festival (盂兰盆节） is August 30 this year. Ullambana, or the Ghost Festival, is the most popular celebrated Buddhist festival in various countries. The Ullambana Festival, observed in the 7th month of the Lunar calendar, holds deep significance in various East Asian cultures as an important occasion. It aims to bring liberation to all sentient beings, including our ancestors and departed loved ones. Throughout this period, we actively partake in acts of merit by making extensive offerings to the Triple Gem and engaging in mass prayer recitations. At the heart of Ullambana lies the mission of spreading the universal compassion of Buddha and amassing merit for the betterment of both the living and the departed, drawing strength from the power of the Triple Gems.

On this day, it is believed that the “Gates of the Hell” are opened and the dead souls visit their loved ones. During this festival, offerings are made to the spirits of the dead and to the hungry ghosts in order to bring good fortune and luck. The word ‘Ullambana’ is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word meaning ‘deliverance from suffering’, and specifically refers to the salvation that is granted to tormented souls in hell. On this day, Buddhists offer prayers both to their departed forefathers and to their living parents and elders. It is the day for helping those beings who are suffering so that they can obtain liberation.

The Ullambana Festival is also known as the “Buddha’s Joyful Day”; on this day, monks finish their practices and emerge from their retreats. In ancient times, the emperor and his people would make offerings and donations to the great monks and congratulate them on their enlightenment. It is also on this day that the underworld king visits the human world to pay respect to the Buddha and celebrate the enlightenment of the great monks, and sentient beings in hell are allowed to travel to the living world to celebrate the joyous occasion.

Grandmaster JinBodhi once said, “Only when we accumulate merits on this auspicious Buddha’s Joyful Day and think of our parents and ancestors who gave birth to us, wishing for them to receive the blessings and guidance of the Buddha and bodhisattvas can we find peace of mind. If our loved ones are suffering, not to mention in hell or prison, can our hearts be at ease? For example, if your child is living abroad and not doing well, you will not be calm, and you may feel your heart beating irregularly. Why is that? When your child is experiencing afflictions, anger, fear, or being bullied, your heart aches. This is why some people often experience rapid heartbeats. Here, we’re only talking about our loved ones who are still alive; if our parents who gave birth to us are suffering in hell, how much impact would it have on us?”

According to the Story of the Ullambana Sutra, the most important practice on this day is actually to make offerings to the Sangha (ordained monks and nuns), as taught by Shakyamuni Buddha in ‘Ullambana Sutra’. The Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana, one of the great disciples of the Buddha, was foremost in spiritual powers. When he obtained the six spiritual penetrations, he searched for his departed mother. He discovered that she had fallen into the hells. Although the Venerable Maudgalyayana had great spiritual powers, he could not save his mother. Thereupon he knelt before his teacher, the Buddha, and beseeched the World Honored One to help.

The Buddha explained that his mother was suffering in the hells because of her deep offenses and so the Venerable Maudgalyayana must rely on the united strength of the Sangha of the ten directions in order to save his mother. The Buddha said, “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you should make an offering of the finest vegetarian foods and drinks and offer it to the Buddha and the Sangha. By making this offering, the Way-virtue of the high Sanghans of the ten directions will then be able to save your mother.”

The Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana did as the Buddha had instructed. Due to the strength of the greatly virtuous ones of the ten directions, his mother was reborn in the heavens. Since then, the Ullambana festival has become an annual Buddhist celebration and a day upon which anyone can rescue his or her parents of seven lives past.

There are many ways to celebrate Ullambana Festival. City of Ten Thousand Buddhas Live 萬佛聖城直播 has an online events you can follow. For people who do not have access to temple resources, another popular ways is to Recite Kstigarbha Sutra. The Boddhisattva who is most famous for his filial piety and his great vow- “If the Hell is not empty, I shall not attain Buddhahood”.

In the context of Mahayana Buddhism, Kstigarbha Sutra is the most fundamental sutra when it comes to classical teaching of Mahayana. In all sects of Buddhism, we start learning Buddhism by learning the original teaching of the Buddha Shakyamuni, the 4 Noble Truths, follow by the 8-fold path. From the 8th fold path, it developed into the 37 meritorious avenues. All those are the fundamentals of Shakyamuni’s teaching. After having studied those subjects mentioned, Mahayana Buddhism takes a step further. It progresses further with a higher form of ideology. Generally speaking, the Theravada ancestors are known as the Vibhajyavadin and their ideology is analytical reductionism. As opposed to that ideology is the new school called the Sarvastivadin and their ideology is anabolic holism. A better term for analytical reductionism is reductive analysis. A better term for anabolic holism is holistic synthesis. Curriculum at www.AWE-edu.com has offered in-depth Buddhism program, here is a seminar on Ksitigarbha Sutra Commentary Part 1, Part 2.

Regarding the Earth Store Bodhisattva, you can follow the reciting online from this youtube program: Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva. I also had wrote about a whole series of Learning Ksitigarbha Sutra from Buddhist Mastersa while ago.

Introduction; Chapter1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6;

Chapter 7; Chapter 8; Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13;

When all Buddhas throughout time and space achieve enlightenment, their names have the power of all their past cultivation and prayers. That is why reciting their names have so much power to purify our defilements and eons of negative karma. This is also reiterated in The Kstigarbha Sutra Chapter 9. 鬼月最易積陰德！地藏聖誕散功德，這樣做才能接得住！地藏經讀誦2小時18分版本包括回向文，由台湾地藏学会编制非常好。或者拜地藏忏，or practice repentance with Kstigarbha Boddhasattva。

南无阿弥陀佛！顶礼十方三世诸佛菩萨！

南无地藏王菩萨摩诃萨 ！

  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我永离三恶道
  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我速断贪嗔痴
  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我常闻佛法僧
  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我勤修戒定慧
  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我常闻佛法僧
  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我勤修戒定慧
  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我恒随诸佛学
  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我不退菩提心
  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我决定生安养
  • 南无大愿地藏王 愿我摩顶受圣记 ！

愿世界和平，人民安乐。 正法久住，法轮常转。 灾障消灭，祸患不生。 法界有情，同生极乐。

Diamond Sutra and Platform Sutra Open Eyes for Our Oneness and Interrelateness with Nature/Cosmos

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According to Reuters Reports December 2022, One million species are on the brink of extinction. Researchers Say We’re in a Sixth Mass Extinction. This Time, Humans Are the Culprit。In an 2017 article, professor, Gerardo Ceballos, National Autonomous University of Mexico wrote: “What we’ve lost in 100 years would have been lost in 10,000 years in normal times.” Standford University Professor Paul R. Ehrlich said, “Few problems are less recognized, but more important than, the accelerating disappearance of the earth’s biological resources. In pushing other species to extinction, humanity is busy sawing off the limb on which it is perched.”

How humanity related to the nature and to the consciousness of the cosmos has been a myth during and after industralization. This misunderstood was the underneath culprit that caused the two World Wars in the 20th centure. Countries competed on nature resources and markets. Mentality of dominance and life death competition override the rational mind and the deeper intutive wisdom that we are in this all together.

Dr. Alberto Villoldo is a fascinating blend of medical anthropologist and practicing shaman—having explored, practiced and taught these ideas for decades. Alberto walks us the healing wisdom at the nexus of ancient shamanic wisdom and modern science. In an interview on his book One Spirit Medicine, he talked about our gut brain, our second brain and why it is so important. He said, ” … we are dealing with situations today that shamans never had to deal with in the past. We have over seventy thousand toxic chemicals that we’ve produced. We have been exposed to antibiotics, to pesticides. We have been exposed to toxins the indigenous people never had to deal with before. …. so today the first thing we need to do is begin to detoxify. The primary way is first keeping pathogens out which is what out gut does. If you have a balanced gut micro flora, you are 90% way there. This is our gut brain, the second brain. ”

“We have over hundred million neurons that are in the gut that are regulate the entire process of taking the outside world and making it you. When you eat a piece of broccoli, you’ve got to turn that piece into you, and this is what the micro flora does. We are in effect colony organism. Humans have about 25,000 genes, but a grain of rice as over 80,000. A flatworm has 75,000 genes. Natgure experimented with humans by making us a colony organism. We hijacked the genetic machinery of over six hundred species of bacteria that live within us and there are ninety percent of who we are. They turn the outside world into us and they are the ones that eighty-five percent of our immune system which is the gut. Today our gut is so out of balance because of our diet primarily, and because of what we (modern people) have been exposed to.”

Dr. Villoldo also said the DNA of ourside substances out numbers our DNA ten to one. Yes, ten to one is the relationship between kind of what we consider “us” verus foreign substances. Alberto explains that the key to optimum health is to revise the unconscious programming and limited beliefs that have been driving us, thereby updating our neural networks to support healing and transformation. One of the mondern predicament – a disease-care system, and the allopathy medicine model recognizes thousands of ailments and myriad remedies. The shamans of old, on the other hand, discovered One Spirit Medicine—a healthcare system that identifies only one ailment and one cure (our immune system). This same one cure is the paradigram shift required of our modern day mentality to instill a deeply ingrained sense of oneness with Nature and with Cosmic consciousness.

One Spirit Medicine is part of a new wellness model that doesn’t rely on medication to fix physical problems or mood imbalances. Unlike many pharmaceutical and over-the-counter remedies, the medicine of the shamans carries no side effects or warnings written in fine print. It will not cause dependency. You will not have to beg your physician to write a prescription for it, or argue with your pharmacist over whether or not your prescription renewal has been approved. At the heart of One Spirit Medicine is an age-old practice called the vision quest, a carefully choreographed encounter with nature and the invisible world. Through fasting and meditation, a vision quest awakens the body’s self-repair and regeneration systems and reconnects us to Spirit and our own deepest purpose.

This very issed has been expounded clearly in Buddhism Diamond Sutra – Deep Ecology, Looking Deeply into Our Oneness with Nature. Another sutra on the same emphasis is Platform Sutra which contains the autobiography of a pivotal figure in Zen history and some of the most profound passages of Zen literature. The Grandmaster Hui-Neng (638–713) was the sixth patriarch of Zen in China, but is often regarded as the true father of the Zen tradition. He was a poor, illiterate woodcutter who is said to have attained enlightenment upon hearing a recitation of the Diamond Sutra. Together, these two scriptures present the central teaching of the Zen Buddhist tradition and are essential reading for all students of Buddhism.

The Sixth Patriarch invites us to the Platform Sutra, in both Chapter 4 of the main text (entitled “Stabilization and Insight”) and in his Commentary on the Diamond Sutra （《金剛經解義》— 六祖惠能大师）, to inquire into the nature of what he calls the “Four Images”, which are: a self (“me”), a personality (“my” traits), a being (“my” body-mind), and a life (“my” life).

The Four Images are four fundamental bases of identification, which the mind can use to generate a dualistic sense of separate identity, although Hui-Neng uses the term “attachment” instead of identification. The insight that stabilizes and places our perception into righteous orientation. The Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism recommends cultivating disidentification or the relaxation of clinging (“detachment”) with each， because that is the ultimate reality.

  • (1) the image of a self – being an isolated, separate, independent entity, cutoff from the universe and marked by an emphasis on “me” and “my.”
  • (2) the image of a person – the idea of being a certain kind of “someone,” defined by specific personality traits and personal qualities that define, say, “Adam as a person.”
  • (3) the image of a being – the idea of being a separate being, a being among many other separate beings, basically, a body or a body-mind.
  • (4) the image of of a liver of a life – the idea of being defined by “my” life, the lifespan from birth to death of a particular organism. More specifically, it’s the image of being a ‘someone’ who owns this life, who claims it as “mine.”

Master Thick Nhat Hanh’s article: The First Precept: Reverence for Life illustrates in modern terms the important Buddhism teaching: We humans are made entirely of non-human elements, such as plants, minerals, earth, clouds, and sunshine. For our practice to be deep and true, we must include the ecosystem. If the environment is destroyed, humans will be destroyed, too. Protecting human life is not possible without also protecting the lives of animals, plants, and minerals. The Diamond Sutra teaches us that it is impossible to distinguish between sentient and non-sentient beings. This is one of many ancient Buddhist texts that teach deep ecology.

Another long thesis on Engaged Buddhist Practice and Ecological Ethics Challenges and Reformulations written Charles Strain, takes up three challenges and argumens that Buddhism “Eco-constructivists” perform a midrash on the Buddhist tradition that is geared towards praxis; it offers forms of practice that are hardly ethically vacuous.

The Damages of the Modern Mind

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The current Ukraine War is a continuation of the mental struggle of the two world wars of last century. United States forces the Russa’s hand with Nato expansion. In Sacred Demise: Walking The Spiritual Path of Industrial Civilization’s Collapse, Carolyn Baker had spoke of the urgent need for transformation of human consciousness and the emergence of a new paradigm as a result discovering our purpose in the collapse process, thereby coming home to our ultimate place in the universe.  Her arugments and illumination is very much in line with Buddhism’s concept of impermance. Of all the phenomenon we observe about the disease of modern society, all come from jungle survival of the fittest mentality, and a mindset of duality lost its connection of spirituality. We face an awesome internal transition that will take us into very unfamiliar territory and will call upon our deeper resources. The Hopi prophecies are coming true — the changing America and here’s why we should pay attention.

Nature has cycle, so does civilization. Recognizing the all-pervading nature of impermanence can trigger anxiety about life’s uncertain and unpredictable nature. Yet, according to Buddhism, accepting impermanence can also be liberating because it opens us up to a world of endless possibilities (SN 36.9). It is beneficial to remember the reality of impermanence during pain, grief, and other trials, understanding that these, too, will change (SN 22.102). The Bible says, “A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:7–9). Accepting that all circumstances are subject to change, both from bad to better and from good to worse, helps us manage life’s ups and downs.

Both collectively and individually, becuase this impermance nature of samsara, life is full of Dukka. That is why Budda teaches us The Five Precepts:

  • Refrain from taking life. Not killing any living being. …
  • Refrain from taking what is not given. Not stealing from anyone.
  • Refrain from the misuse of the senses. Not having too much sensual pleasure. …
  • Refrain from wrong speech. …
  • Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind.

Everything’s Made of Mind articulate the group of of concepts includes the ideas of Original Enlightenment, Tathagatagrabha, One Mind, and Buddha Nature.  Everything is Made of Mind presents this current of philosophically complex and historically contested theory in a little more than two pages. This reminds me of George Floyd’s addiction could change how we talk about drug use and Black Americans. We do not understand Biden Administration had spent tons of budget on so call climate issues etc., but still not doing anything to help the homeless and drug addition issues ? The report The Emerging Role of Toxic Adulterants in Street Drugs in the US Illicit Opioid Crisis is a testamony.

Buddhism scripture had story about ancient India King Prasenajit ‘s daughter who is so ugly that her father felt ashamed to let her out in the public. The Princess was very deeply humiliated and felt much depressed. Then Buddha revealled to her that the karma of her past life’s contemptuous behavior towards sages and Arahat was the cause of the present life’s suffer. The Princess made repenance and she magically transform into a very beautiful lady, even her husband was so pleasantly surprised! 波斯匿王的醜公主：賴提公主自小因貌醜而飽受歧視，深感自卑的她常自怨自艾，甚至藉故對身邊的人大發雷霆。直到有一天，她聆聽佛陀開示後，才明瞭現在遭受的一切，皆是源自於過去世曾對僧人口出惡言而來。 為了化解前世所種下的惡因，她下定決心多做善事；除了勤布施外，更到孤兒院陪伴孩童，成為孩子們口中溫柔又善良的「姑娘阿娘」。不知不覺中，賴提公主講話變得溫柔、行為體貼，在眾人眼裡，她的外貌也開始出現變化…… ( 贤愚经卷，波斯匿王女金刚品). This youtube program present the series of show of this story. You get what you give; Life is what you make of it.  The story of Queen Malika teaches a similar lesson – the law of karma.

The famous Diamond Sutra cut through the illusion and reveal the true nature of our existence: “Because that person is not caught in the idea of a self, a person, a living being, or a life span. They are not caught in the idea of the Dharma or the non-Dharma; a sign or no-sign. Why? If you are caught in the idea of the Dharma, you are also caught in the ideas of a self, a person, a living being, and a life span. If you are caught in the idea that there is no Dharma, you are still caught in the ideas of a self, a person, a living being, and a life span. That is why you should not get caught in the idea that this is the Dharma or that is not the Dharma. This is the hidden meaning when the Tathagata says, ‘Bhikshus, you should know that the Dharma that I teach is like a raft.’ You should let go of the Dharma, let alone what is not the Dharma.”

Slavery IS part of American history, we should not deny that in the school curriculum, but in the context of suffering in human history since eons all over the world, black American is not exception – Slavery is Unique Bad, But not Uniquely American, and not Uniquely Black. For example, According to Forgotten Workers – National Meusem of Amerian History, since 19th century, About 10,000 to 15,000 Chinese workers came to the United States to build the Central Pacific Railroad.  Similarly, by the mid-1800s the first major influx of Japanese immigrants were laborers began working in Hawaii sugarcane fields and California farms.

We bear responsiblity of our own salvation, and God help those who help themselves. Perseverance is important. We rise out of our difficult cirumstance through perseverance. WHEN BLACK AMERICANS PLAY THE BLAME GAME, THEY’RE BOUND TO LOSE, lose the opportunity to transform themselves, lose the freedom to grow spiritual. According to New York Times, The police caused George Floyd’s death, but drugs and heart disease played a role, the medical examiner says. In November of 2020, the voters of the state of Oregon expanded drug policy reform beyond cannabis and decriminalized the personal possession of all drugs when they approved Measure 110, the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act. A new study from Portland State University finds that law enforcement officers across Oregon seem frustrated with Measure 110 and confused about the role they are now expected to play in the interdiction of drugs. 

Having say that, Government has a responsibility. How come when it comes to the homeless we NEVER see a single homeless person actually be interviewed, in person? Let the homeless have a voice for crying out loud.

Buddhism teaches us that we all have Buddha nature. We are equal in spirituality – no superior, no inferior. On the other side of the Black Amerian inferiority complext, was the belief there is a “Aryan race”( master race, German: Herrenrasse) that is deemed the pinnacle of human race hierachy, and this had become a pseudoscientific concept in Nazi ideology. The term Aryan originally meant something completely different. The word was a self-designation and ethnic label that referred to the noble class from the Āryāvarta parts of India.  German Indologist Max Muller popularized the Aryan Invasion theory (AIT) in 1853 CE. The theory propagated by the Westerners postulated that northern India was invaded and conquered by nomadic, light-skinned race of a people called ‘Aryans’ who supposedly descended from some unknown land around 1,500 BCE. These invaders destroyed an earlier Dravidian civilization who lived in the Indus Valley and then imposed upon them their culture (Vedas) and language (Sanskrit)! This ‘Aryan Invasion Theory’ challenges the very basis of Indian nationhood and its Vedic culture. It employed Muller as part of Macaulay’s grand scheme to devalue Indian history. So much so, that today we have large sections of “educated Indians” who undermine their own heritage and consider that the British rule as a great chapter in India’s history.

This article by Gaurang Damani of India systematically analyze archaeological, historical and scriptural evidences to debunk the Aryan Invasion theory. Another article BBC Accepts that the Aryan Invasion theory is flawed from Arise Baharat made the call: The Aryan Invasion – Time To Forget it. It’s Time To Rename INDIA, Sadhguru Made Request To Prime Minister Modi. In the same token, India’s religious cult of prostitution is a slapping to its culture and civilization. Is New Deli the MOST CHAOTIC CITY IN THE WORLD? India is notoriously challenging for foreigners to travel. There’s also a lot of concern from female and solo travellers as to whether safe to go to India. In 2003, India was chosen to host the 19th Commonwealth Games slated for 2010. Inflated contracts and crooked deals ballooned the budget for the Games from around 412 million to an eye-watering estimate of 6 billion dollars. Inside the Commonwealth Games Scandal that Shamed India | The Big Steal is a identity crisis ?

If we lack the wisdom that can discriminate accurately between reality and fantasy, we lack the most important tool for fulfilling our own and other’s worldly and spiritual positive aims. In a state of unawareness and confusion, we can only guess what will be helpful for us or for someone else, and often we’re wrong. Essentially, what Perfection of Wisdom is attempting is a kind of rewiring of a reader’s mind to allow recognition of truths, which have always existed but were unable to be seen because of ignorance, attachment, and fear which result in spiritual blindness. The different sutras present dialogues between interlocutors, often the Buddha and a disciple or between Buddha’s close followers, such as the sages Sariputra and Subhuti, discussing some aspect of perceived reality. The hoped-for result of these exchanges, much like the Greek philosopher Plato’s dialogues, is to engage the reader fully in the discussion and encourage a significant change in one’s perception and spiritual awareness.

The pureland school of Buddhism practices recital of “Nomo Amituofo” under the precondition that you first pratices the 8-fold path (or the five precepts, or the ten wholesome ways of actions). Otherwise your desire is not in resonate with Amituofo’s compassion and protocols. Amituofo’s 48 vows all came out of his resolution to help all santient beings to attain true spiritual liberation.

Today, our school does not teach kids the right view, causing a lot of sufferings of modern society. The school allows pronography, but not the teahings the sages came out of tradition. The U.S. Supreme Court on June 17, 1963, ruled (8–1) that legally or officially mandated Bible reading or prayer in public schools is unconstitutional is a big problem. Gov’t Was AFRAID To Be Honest With Americans On Covid Vaccines: Marianne Williamson On Bill Maher. Eric Adams Earning $250,000 to Sing the Praises of Mayor Adams speaks of the irony of the state affair. Sens. Raphael Warnock, Ted Cruz, and Elizabeth Warren : These 6 senators made more money from selling books than from their day jobs last year. Cornel West slams AOC, Bernie Sanders for refusing to ‘tell the truth’ about Joe Biden. He said, at the core of Democratic party is rot, and the rotteness is corporate greed. All the above problems sometimes raise the question that does government offcial deserve the pay check they get when they made a mess ?

In regard to wealth, the Buddha said:

          “Herein, householder, these four kinds of happiness are appropriate for one who leads the household life and enjoys the pleasures of senses. They are the happiness of ownership (atthisukha), the happiness of enjoyment (bhogasukha), the happiness of freedom from debt (ananasukha) and the happiness of blamelessness (anavajjasukha)”.

Freedom of Speech has Limit – Pope Francis

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In August 11, 1966, the Beatles icon John Lennon, who had wrote a song about God, made an off-handed remarks before a huge crowd as cameras rolled from each of the three major American TV networks. Eventually his remark that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus” set off a wave of hysterical – and even threatening – protests against the group. “Christianity will go,” Lennon had said. “It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I know I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first – rock & roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.” Lenon may be expressed an personal opinion about religion, but karma on his arrogance manifested its effect strongly the way his life was end in December 8th 1980.

Explained the issue on a similar situation, Pope Francis said, “One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith, one cannot make fun of faith,” he said. “There is a limit. Every religion has its dignity … in freedom of expression there are limits.” Under the name of Freedom of Speech, people are abusing their liberty, and thus underlime the very foundation of democracy. Pastor John McArthur summons on what does God want from us.

In 2016, Trump remarked at a campaign stop at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, that “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?” “It’s, like, incredible.” Economist Robert Reich further renounced that Trump said he could kill and win – Covid and cheating may prove it. And after January 2021, ‘No regrets’: Evangelicals and other faith leaders still support Trump after deadly US Capitol attack.

Bellieving Donald Trump Is on the Wrong Side of the Religious Right, former Vice President Mike Pence step forward to tell the Hillsdale audience, “I came today to Christ Chapel simply to tell all of you that, even when it doesn’t look like it, be confident that God is still working, in your life, and in mine, and in the life of this nation.”

In the modern culture, there is a fallacy that runs rampant in popular culture including WSJ that “Repetition makes a fact seem more true, regardless of whether it is or not. ” For the purpose of propaganda, communication pundits from advertisers to politicians are taking advantage of this foible of human psychology. But voices of conscience like this article from The Times of India speaks from objective middle ground- Lies Repeated Hundred Times Will Not Become Truth. In the world’s oldest and most populous liberal democracies, the United States and India respectively, a populist, majoritarian vigilantism is slowly but steadily snuffing out the promise of multi-religious, multi-ethnic societies enjoying constitutional protections of civil liberties and equality before the law. White Christian nationalists in the United States and their Hindu counterparts in India are tearing apart the secular and democratic fabric of their societies. The difference, of course, is that in India, it is the state itself that supplies a steady diet of Hindu-First nationalism, while Christian nationalism (“take America back for Jesus”) is still mostly an underground current that dares not say its name openly.

Fake data is another problem with AI and computer technology dominance of our cognition and learning process. Why is academia so toxic? Six insider bombshells on Academia. The feedback from audience is, there is a rampant academia malaysis. Academia is toxic because the people at the top are not the thoughtful ones. The lying, conniving, treacherous ones climb over them. The system rewards bad behavior. Others commented that we tend to have fantasy of the most logical, mature, the most ‘scientific’ unbiased people in academia arena, but on the contrary, if anything it became far more toxic with more petty career jealousy than ever before. The only difference is that it was more sophisticated, clever, more elaborate.

Katy Milkman is one of the world’s leading behavioral scientists. In this youtube video by Pete Judo interviewing Katy milkman on the shocking event of Harvard Fake Data Scandal involving Francesca Gino, and also we talk about Megastudies which are a really exciting way to do better research. What the video trying to convey is that: Academia has HOPE! Behavioral Science has Hope! and the way research is published has hope.

Arguments over media bias, while a constant feature of politics, have recently burst into the limelight following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter and his erratic policy-making and -unmaking regarding media labels, which blended, separated, then re-blended disparate outlets like the BBC, NPR, RT, Xinhua, and others. Confusion abounds and one question seems especially common – “who can we really trust?” Besides, media do not have to tell lies in order for it to be propaganda: selective reporting of one side/type of the story in line with its ideological values is enough to sway the popular opinion. This is ever more prevalent (and alarming) in an AI-driven algorithmic world, where you don’t get to dictate what you see anymore.

And I would add that I was heavily indoctrinated by the greatness of CCP and Chinese nationalism ideology, causing me to look at things with bias. If it is not with the helpping voices from many different culture and perspectives, I would still be in very froggy mind by all the media machines. Another event was Januay 6th Capital Hill storm, these experience taught me a good lesson that a healthy society can not just have one type of voice. We absolute need responsible journalsts and media outlets for the democracy and for keeping the standard of conducts. Of course, under the rips of the dualism, people can be over emphasize their view of an elephant as a tail or as a ear etc. A healthy society should allow for presentation of different perspective. That practice is totally different from purposely mispresentation or fraud in communication.

Underlying the Big and the Deep Lies is a shared political impulse, namely, to bend reality to fit political agendas and religious dogmas, and to feed the populist passions that these agendas arouse. If the spectre of Trump’s Big Lie haunts the United States, India is in the grip of the Deep Lie of myths turned into certified facts of history and science. It is twilight time for democracy.

One of the rare find this day is Spectacles News Project , which was established with the intention to uphold democracy, its values, its caretakers, and its ideas. It provides the transparency of source notes, citations and corrections, and the look of us series.

What could Buddhism shed the light on this situation? The fourth of the five precepts—Buddhist guidelines for an ethical life—is to refrain from false and harmful speech, often simplified as not lying. However, the fourth precept is more than a simple directive to tell the truth. It is often viewed in the context of the foundational Buddhist practice of Right Speech, a more thorough framework, contained in the eightfold path, for how best to thoughtfully and compassionately speak and listen.

Specifically in regard to communication, the Right speech, explained in negative terms, means avoiding four types of harmful speech: lies (words spoken with the intent of misrepresenting the truth); divisive speech (spoken with the intent of creating rifts between people); harsh speech (spoken with the intent of hurting another person’s feelings); and idle chatter (spoken with no purposeful intent at all). The Buddha also gave us five things to consider before speaking: Is what we’re about to say factual, helpful, kind (spoken with good-will), pleasant (“endearing”), and timely?

False speech includes any untrue statement as well as some factual ones. Straightforward lies clearly violate the precept but so do common behaviors like self-inflation, exaggeration, lying by omission, pretending to know something, and even some forms of humor, such as sarcasm, that may be hurtful. Gossip, true or not, is considered false speech, as is anything divisive or malicious, as well as idle chatter. 

The fourth precept covers all forms of communication—speaking, writing, even body language. As with the other precepts, violations are not evenly weighted. Telling a lie as part of a joke is not as serious as, say, lying to get a job or spreading harmful rumors. In Theravada Buddhism, there are four factors that lead to an infringement of the fourth precept. Intent is one, so saying something false that you believe to be true is not considered a violation. Whether or not the listener believes the falsehood is not a factor. 

Among all the contributions of Indian culture, the Buddha Dharma shines very brightly.  What is the Buddha Dharma: a religion, a spiritual path, a philosophy or a scientific method? It is all and none of these. Buddha Dharma has been influenced to many many countries for the last two thousand years, China, Japan, Vietname, Korea, Lao, Tailand, etc. It is so precious and powerful. But Indians have forgotten Buddhism a lot. And especially in the Himalaya region, Buddhism is being forgotten. This may not bother you right now, becuase you may be busy making money, just surviving. But down the road in 50 years, in 100 years, this will bother you. If you are really really care about your grandchildren, you should really preserve this heritage. The Perfection of Wisdom by Arya Nagarijuna, which are among the oldest sutras of the Mahāyāna Buddhist canon. For Mahayana practitioners, this sutra is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings.  Relating back to this article topic about freedom of speech, the sutra had many vivid stories on the effects of false communiction.

佛陀为什么要教我们不妄语，因为凡事都有因果，当我们在说谎时，就为自己种下了说谎要承担的苦果。世界上一切所产生的力就会相互作用的。当欺骗他人时，也就要承受这个曾欺骗他人的果。

在《大智度论》中讲到，妄语者要承受十种果报：“一、会生口臭，二、善神会远离，恶鬼等非人会得方便接近，三、就算说的是实话，人们也不信，四、常常听不得有智慧的人的言论，五、会得到他人的诽谤，名声变臭天下皆知，六、得不到人们的尊敬，虽然可以教他人，他人却不会听，七、内心常常忧郁忧愁，八、种下了诽谤的业因，九、此命终后会堕地狱，十、若生为人，常常受他人诽谤。”

Secularlism made modern people disconnect their speech with responsibility. Part of guarding against this illusion is the obligation it puts on us to stop repeating falsehoods. We live in a world where the facts matter, and should matter. If you repeat things without bothering to check if they are true, you are helping to make a world where lies and truth are easier to confuse. So, please, think before you speak.

The Astrology of America’s Desinty By Dane Rudhyar

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After intensive attempt trying to cope with the chaos in the last eight years, I am wearing out. With patisan contention here in USA, the controversy about January 6th Capitol Building upheavl in Washington, D.C., the US. Constitution dispute, the political and economic wreckage is weighting heavily. Meanwhile, the globalization brought about other agonies – ever incresing tentions with China, and nonstoped wars elsewhere in the world, the ever increasing threat of neclear destruction … etc. Collectively, we are all struggling to make sense the meaning and purpose of our existance within the larger world theater , amid the media news bombarding, court trials, regional conflicts as well as economic hardship.

Reading articles like “The Course of American History Now Depends on Getting Inside Trump’s Head“, my head is cracking. It is obviously we have not got passed the 2020 election dispute, and U.S Presidential Election is not just American’s political affair any more, the world is watching the U.S. vote. It isn’t just Americans who care — according to this article, the whole world is watching the race between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Even the youtube program 【逸语道破】 2024美国总统大选 到底谁在阻止特朗普 hints of the danger of assasination when the poltical impass got overheat. Never interested in politics, and not used to so much arguments and underhanded rivalry, and as a U.S citizen, and a member of the human society, I simple do not have the ability to make further sensible comments on such issues that affect our collective karma. If you ask me what had come to my mind, it is currently Northnode in Aries is in conjunction with U.S natal Chiron at 20 degree of Aries. Is it that our destiny in conjunction with our wound?

Looking up in history, President Andrew Johnson who became assume President responsibility after Abrham Lincohn’s death by assasination in April 15 1865, who favored quick restoration of the seceded states to the Union without protection for the newly freed people who were formerly enslaved. This led to conflict with the Republican-dominated Congress, culminating in his impeachment by the House of Representatives in 1868. There was a impeachment trial for almost three months, from March 7 1868-May 26 1868. This reminds of us “History may not repeat itself. But it rhymes”.

Inadvertently, I picked up a book by Dane Rudhyar – The Astrology of America’s Destiny. This book deals with the evolution of the USA from its inception through roughly the late 1970’s, getting into the esoteric meanings and processes involved. It also gave the spiritual meanings of the planetary transits. It is a booklet of about 200 pages divided into 8 chapters. I am still reading it, would need to quite sometime to digest the deep meaning Dane Rudhyar discussed. Fortunately, I found a on-line copy of the book from Dane Rudhyar’s Archival Project – The Astrology of American Destiny, saving me a lot of typing, and we can all study it and think about the implication relating to what is going on the world stage right now.


1. The Birth of the United States as a Collective Person
2. The Roots of the American Nation
3. America’s Place in the Cosmic Process
4. A Birth Chart for the United States of America
5. Two Hundred Years of Growth Through Crisis
6. A Chart for the Beginning of the Federal Government
7. America at the Crossroads
8. Prospects for the Last Quarter Century

Buddhism and Democracy 2 – The Function of Government

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佛教的核心思想，就是这七句话：

  • 第一句话，一切现象皆是因缘所生。
  • 第二句话：一切皆是因果。
  • 第三句话：苦、集、灭、度，人生的四条真理。
  • 第四句话：修行的方法是八正道。
  • 第五句话：中道才是大道。
  • 第六句话：四大、五蕴、万法皆空。
  • 第七句话：依照三法印，不迷失方向。

所以我们 俱须诸恶莫作。众善奉行，修福积德改命运。 相反如果违背真理 胡作非为，恣意妄行，违逆天地，果报现前就晚了。 三世因果，诸余罪中，杀业最重。 王赫文章：两组数据揭示中共迫害法轮功之惨烈，法轮功学员遭迫害人数之多，与迫害者遭恶报之众，从不同的方面揭示着中共这场“群体灭绝”运动的规模之大、程度之深、范围之广。文章更进一步揭露了 “疫情三年，中共也没放松对法轮功的迫害，某些方面甚至有所强化。例如，器官移植继续扩张，中共宣称2023年要成为世界第一器官移植大国。官方资料显示，中国脑死亡后器官捐献比例由2013年仅占10.7%，上升至2021年的62.3%。荒唐的是，迄今中国没有脑死亡立法，不能实施脑死亡判定，中共大肆宣传的脑死亡器官捐献移植实质上属于国家犯罪。2006年曝光的活摘法轮功学员器官这一“星球上从未有过的罪恶”，也在其中。“

恶有恶报，因果不虚。 文章报道了迫害法轮功的恶人遭报部分数据。仅2022年为例，至少555名参与迫害法轮功的中共人员遭厄运。从遭厄运的方式来看，这一年因贪腐而被查处的有409人，占总数的73%；其次，死亡人数达99人，占17.8%。前者如前黑龙江省公安厅厅长王大伟、前海南省政法委秘书长刘诚，后者如湖南省前政法委书记黄关春，等等。

中共迫害法轮功已持续整整24年。这场21世纪的最大规模人权迫害，人神共愤。 石铭：近期中共对迫害法轮功仍然特别严重！ 前中共政治局常委、中纪委书记尉健行的撰稿人王友群博士特别指出：蔡奇须正视的一个重大问题。文章指出，作为中央书记处第一书记，蔡奇实际负责中央书记处的日常运作，提交给中共政治局和政治局常委会讨论的所有重大问题，都要经过蔡奇。。。。本文谈到的重大问题，既是中国内政外交所有问题中最核心的问题，也与习近平一家老小的性命安全有直接关系。这个重大问题就是，由江泽民发动、已持续24年、给全中国人民和全世界人民带来巨大危害的迫害法轮功问题。

法轮功创始人李洪志大师曾发表《为什么要救度众生》，阐述了法轮功作为特定信仰体系的思想总结。读者麦克·吉尔德马彻评论：“这门功法看起来与西方精神教义紧密相连。这比大多数有组织的宗教更接近真理，应该提供给人评估，供他们自己选择。” 署名爱琳的罗马天主教徒回馈：“法轮功信仰体系是我们今天非常需要的。这种鼓励全世界的人尊重生命，在生活中遵循尊严、道德价值和爱全人类的信仰体系是美好的。” 其他读者也纷纷认为，“人类迫切需要一个信仰体系来指导他们的生活。如果所有人都能自由地实践一种信仰体系，帮助他们成为有爱心、关爱人类的人，那么，我们的世界会变得更加美好。”

作为一个佛教徒，我虽然对法轮功不了解，也不认同有一个创世主的观点，但是中国政府对法轮功的血腥镇压也让我感到愤慨。 中国政府希望维护社会的正常运转，指定有利于国家与社会的政策，推动社会的进步。但是对宗教和其他种族的信仰的不尊重和绝对的排斥，骚扰，绑架，和迫害，直至出卖人体器官，都是触目惊心，令人发指的罪行。 政府必须尽快加以纠正，对法轮功受害者予以补偿。 也奉劝迫害参与者悬崖勒马、将功折罪，为自己和家人选择未来，而不是在恐惧中等待恶报上门。

Noted historian, Indologist, A. L. Basham wrote the book The Wonder That Was India: Survey of the Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before the Coming of the Muslims. Arthur Llewellyn Basham’s father was a British journalist who served in the Indian Army during WWI. His son became a scholar of Indian history and religion, teaching at the School of Oriental and African Studies, and mentoring R. S. Sharma and Romila Thapar. Published in 1954, Basham avoided much of the esoteric density of contemporary European indologists such as Zimmer and Kramrisch. As others have noted, this is essentially an undergraduate level textbook. Basham’s literary inclination allows it at times to transcend the usual tedium implied. The reader is first taken through a quick chronology of the Indus Valley civilization, Aryan/Vedic period, advent of Buddhism, Greek invasion, Mauryan and Gupta empires, and the Chalukya and Chola dynasties. The larger remainder of the book is arranged thematically into the political, social, religious, technological and artistic spheres.

The Wonder That Was India has the following passages:

The Buddha himself, though a friend of kings, seems to have had a deep affection for the old republican organization, and in a remarkable passage he is said to have warned the Vrijjis shortly before his death that their security depended on maintaining their traditions and holding regular and well-attended folk-moots.

The above passage provoked the deep thinking of another writer. Jamyang Norbu is a Tibetan political activist and writer, currently living in the United States, having previously lived for over 40 years as a Tibetan exile in India. His article, The Buddha’s Discourse on Defending Democracy , Tricycle Magazine Winter 2020, came out his musing on reading A. L. Basham’s book.

The discussion inovlves citation of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra (Pali, Mahaparinibbana Sutta 《大般涅槃经 》(上座部)) is a part of the Digha Nikaya, (《长部》 (佛经))， the collection of the Buddha’s long discourses, was in fact his last discourse before his passing. Mahaparinirvana Sutra gave account of the Buddha’s discussion on seven qualities that lead to a republic’s prosperity. The Buddha’s questions are thus a litmus test for the health of a nation and are worth asking again today.

We are told at the outset that King Ajatashatru of Magadha was planning to wage war on the Vrijjis and intended to annihilate them. The Vrijjis (Skt.; Pali, Vajjis) were a confederation of republican tribal states and one of the principal sixteen major nations in North India during the time of the Buddha.  King Ajatashatru of Magadha sent his minister Vessakara to meet the Buddha in Rajgir at Vulture Peak, where the Buddha often taught. Ajatashatru was a ruthless, ambitious ruler who had murdered his own father, King Bimbisara, but had, strangely enough, absolute faith in the Buddha’s wisdom and integrity. He wanted honest feedback on his military plans and instructed his minister to tell the Buddha of his intention to wage war on the Vrijjis, adding: “Whatever the Blessed One should answer you, keep it well in mind and inform me; for Tathagatas [‘ones who are thus gone’] do not speak falsely.”

  1.  Did the Vrijjis hold frequent and regular assemblies, and were these meetings well attended? In present-day terms, do we have a functioning parliament (or Congress) with regular and well-attended sessions? We might even say that the Buddha was calling here for public participation, which right now, for Americans at least, would mean to get out and vote.
  2. Did the Vrijjis assemble and disperse from these assemblies peacefully, and did they conduct affairs in concord? In contemporary political language are we reasonably “nonpartisan” in our politics? Do we allow free participation, discussion, and criticism, without suppressing opposition?
  3. Did the Vrijjis proceed in accordance with their ancient constitution and not enact new laws or abolish existing ones? I think the Buddha was asking not whether the Vrijjis never enacted new laws or never abolished existing ones, but whether they were careful about such things and did not amend their constitution frequently or capriciously.
  4. Did the Vrijjis respect and honor their elders and think it worthwhile to heed their advice? In our time we might ask whether we listen to senior statesmen, experts, scholars, historians, and—in the context of our current health crisis—even “medical experts.”
  5. Did the Vrijjis refrain from abducting women and maidens of good families and from detaining them? Clearly the Buddha was saying that women should not be abused and should be treated with respect. His condemnation of aggression against women does bear repeating in our MeToo era. In another discourse, the Sigalaka Sutta (DN 31), the Buddha tells a householder not to disparage his wife but to honor her and “give her authority…”(trans. Bhikkhu Bodhi), in other words, treat her as an equal.
  6. Did the Vrijjis show respect and veneration toward their shrines? In a modern secular nation, the equivalent of such shrines might be public institutions such as museums, libraries, universities, and scientific foundations that demonstrate our confidence in our society and the endurance of our nation.
  7. o the Vrijjis make proper provisions for the safety and welfare of arhats, so that arhats may feel welcome to the Vrijjian land? An arhat was an enlightened person, or even simply someone advanced along the path, possibly including even non-Buddhists. Jains had their own arhats. If the Buddha were speaking in our time, he would probably be saying that we should welcome scholars, scientists, and religious leaders from other countries, perhaps in the way the United States welcomed Thomas Mann an Albert Einstein before World War II.

While the Buddha’s advice for political well-being may be cogent and apt, another lesson from the Mahaparinirvana Sutra—in fact, his last words—appears to supersede it: “Bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things must come to an end. Strive on, untiringly, for your own liberation.”

Another article by Riaan Kumar from IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Reflections of Buddhism on Modern Democracy – A 21st Century Perspective research into the compatibility between Democracy and Buddhism.

I think part of the charpters from above book: Buddhism and democracy pdf file.

The separation of church and state in the government structure is one of the symtoms of the modern society which separate mind and body, human and nature, disconnect our spirituality with the universe, had cause the huge conflict in human society derived from duality.

Buddhism and Democracy 1

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As July 4th approaching, it is once again the time for celebrating the birth of one of the first democratic countries in the world. In a time of huge disparity between haves and have-nots, high inflation, economic recession, technology dispution/destruction and possibilites of World War III outbreak, my mind kept on wondering from Great Master YinGuang who Nivarnaed on December 2 1940 （1940年农历冬月初四 ， 圆瑛法师：印光大师生西事实；又李炳南：印光大师圆寂十周年纪念回忆录 ）, then to the President Franklin Roosevlet’s Four Freedoms.

In State of Union Speech on January 6, 1941, 11 months before USA entered into WWII, President Franklin Roosevelt addressing the difficult question, why and if America would join World War II. Roosevelt lay out the principle people “everywhere in the world” ought to enjoy: Freedom of speech; Freedom of worship; Freedom from want; Freedom from fear. The address made a break with the long-held tradition of United States non-interventionism. Roosevlet outlined the U.S. role in helping allies already engaged in warfare, especially Great Britain and China.

American artist Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms illustration collection – Freedom from Want; Freedom of Speech; Freedom of Worship; Freedom From Fear 

Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms is very much in line with Buddha’s teaching about dana. Buddhism acknowledges that we exist in a vast network of life, continuously the recipients of the generosity of others. But there’s much more to giving than we think. There are three forms of dana, namely:

  1. Amisa dana (The gift of material things)
  2. Abhaya dana (The gift of life, protection from fear)
  3. Dharma dana (the gift of truth)

The United States 4th and 5th Amendments are a great example of gift of protetion from fear. And Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms goes beyond that listed in the Constitution. Roosevelt clarified his act of compassion with wisdom.

U.S Constintution of 4th and 5th Amendment is a form of Dana – gift for protection from fear.

In Buddhism view, social breakdown cannot be separated from broader questions about the benevolence of the social order. Poverty means lacking the basic material requirements for leading a decent life free from hunger, exposure and disease. The solution to poverty-induced crime is not to punish severely but to enable people to provide for their basic needs. There is a causal relationship between material poverty and social deterioration. Lion’s Roar Sutra tell the story of a monarch who at first relied upon the Buddhist teachings but later began to rule according to his own ideas. He did not give property to the needy, with the result that poverty became widespread. Then, from the not giving of property to the needy, poverty became widespread, from the growth of poverty, the taking of what was not given increased, from the increase of theft, the use of weapons increased, from the increased use of weapons, the taking of life increased . . . (Digha-Nikaya iii 65). A Buddhist Perspective on Poverty written by David Loy, using many real life example to illustrates to us how Buddha integrate wisdom and compassion to go on a middle way in all his teaching.

In other sutras, however, the Buddha teaches that the greatest wealth is contentment (santutthi paramam dhanam). Material well-being has become increasingly important because of our loss of faith in any other possibility of fulfilment — for example, an afterlife in heaven with God, or the secular heaven of socialism, or even (when despairing over the ecological crisis) the future progress of humankind. Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, one of the “poorest” countries in Asia, has been at the forefront of efforts to develop a new index for measuring human well-being:  “gross national happiness.” The corrosive influence of economic globalization and its development institutions on other human values needs to be challenged. 

According to the teaching of The Gradual Path to Enlightenment (Lamrim- stage of the path), we need to have a clear understanding of Worldly generosity versus far-reaching attitude of generosity  In the normal act of generosity a person gives out of compassion and kindness when he realizes that someone else is in need of help, and he is in the position to offer the help. When a person performs dana, he gives as a means of cultivating charity as a virtue and of reducing his own selfishness and craving. He exercises wisdom when he recalls that dana is a very important quality to be practised by every Buddhist, and is the first perfection (paramita)practised by the Buddha in many of His previous births in search for Enlightenment. A person performs dana in appreciation of the great qualities and virtues of the Triple Gem. While the act of giving is purely out of compassion or good will, or the desire for someone else’s well-being, dana is more about how we are than what we do.

Buddha taught us that when giving, a person should not just perform the act, but should with his heart and mind as well. There must be joy in every act of giving. Dana is not meant to be obligatory or done reluctantly. Rather, dana should be performed when the giver is “delighted before, during, and after giving.” At its most basic level, dana in the Buddhist tradition means giving freely without expecting anything in return. But giving should be evaluated by your ability and capacity, that is by your good judgement and wisdom.

Buddhists also argue that the reason one doesn’t hear so much about Buddhist charity is that Buddhism doesn’t seek publicity for charity. English translation of Letters From Patriarch Yin Kuang will show us much more about the THOUGHTS FROM GREAT MASTER YIN GUANG. 中国佛教协会：大德风范 高山仰止。

Buddha Said There are Ways to End Suffering and Seek Liberation 大乘净土法门 3

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《佛说阿弥陀经》原文和全文完整版仪轨 都可以在 https://www.amituojing.com/ 找到。 难能可贵的是这个网站还将经文进行详细图解，以图文并茂的形式直观地呈现。图画气势壮观，非常震撼， 细致维妙地展现了阿弥陀佛在极乐世界美丽景象，令人印象深刻。因为图解的链接转载需授权， 敬请读者点击原版。每一幅图都配搭原经文和白话翻译。感谢莲社道友的发心精工细作的绘画，图解演绎。

那么这部《阿弥陀经》讲的利，到底利在什么地方啊？通途教法一般讲修行哪：首先要见道，才能修道，才能证道。那这个见道就是要开悟啰，在宗门要大彻大悟，在教下要大开圆解，就是认识路途，知道怎么修。那么这桩事情——开悟，可不是简单的事情，我们这个时代的众生开悟都很难，就是见道很难。那净土一法首先在最难的这个见道这一关，就有一个巨大的转换，就是以阿弥陀佛的开悟，作为我们的开悟。这就是前面佛告长老舍利弗直接谈到的“从是西方，过十万亿佛土，有世界名曰极乐。其土有佛，号阿弥陀，今现在说法”这段话，是释迦牟尼佛开悟的境界，是佛的知见。如果我们从信心下手，直接就能接纳佛的开悟的境界，佛的开悟的境界得到之后，就听佛的话信愿持名，所以开始就省去了见道的悟门。如果在通途教法你不能见道，那都叫盲修瞎练；然而净土法门，你从信佛说的“二有”以及这部经的信愿持名下手，它就是一条光明的正修的捷径。

那通途教法，它见道之后开始修戒定慧、六度万行种种的行门，它最后一定要开发智慧，因为智慧才能杀烦恼贼，才能悟证它本有的佛性；那么净土一法，他能开智慧固然好，不能开智慧他也照样可以了脱，因为它是带业往生的法门，你一点戒定慧的能力都没有，但是可以到阿弥陀佛的刹土去，所以结果也不需要一定要开慧。

再就是通途教法一定要忏悔业障，我们的业障就像这块石头，但是放在阿弥陀佛大愿船上，它就沉不下去。再就是通途教法一定要断烦恼的，而修净土你就是一品烦恼都没有断，那怕是五逆十恶的罪人，你只要信愿持名，可以横超过去——横超三界，不需要断烦恼。大安法师给我们详细阐述了净土法门的真实大利所在。

但无论如何闻，思，修的次第和相辅相成还是需要的。 所以我们必须要把佛陀的教法有所理解。然后思维，分析，以后进行有针对性的自我纠正和修行。 修行就是从根本上改变自己的行为，思想和知见。

佛所说的一切法门，都能了生死，证菩提，法法平等，无有高下。但是，由于时节因缘不同，众生根机各异。如同治病，心须对症用药，方能获得疗效。从这个意义讲，当前提倡修习净业，更具有适时契机的特殊意义。释昌臻法师谈 净土法门 是末法众生的对症良药。

在淨空老法師專集網, 净空法师在谈到《印光大師文鈔菁華錄》时说，祖师的这些著作是真正学佛的大根大本。他是过来人，了解年轻人的心理， 他年轻时喜欢大乘经典，特别是在《华严经》，《楞严经》，《法华经》用了很长时间，对于祖师的经论著述就看轻了， 没有在意。 虽然对于古人清凉贤首非常羡慕，殊不知那些人的境界我们学不到，太高了，反而是老老实实跟印光大师学到了东西。

胡小林老师根据净空大师的开示，结合自己的修行经验来讲解 《印光大師文鈔菁華錄》，他的分享非常切中要害，对我们入门者极其有助益。

Buddha Said There are Ways to End Suffering and Seek Liberation 大乘净土法门 2

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《印光大師文鈔菁華錄》白话文是李净通居士于1952年从《印光法师文钞》正编、续编、三编中选出的精粹部分，分为十类，一共有333则。是了解印光大師淨土思想的簡要讀本。印光大師這本書可以說是我們學淨土法門的啟蒙老師，沒有這本書，我們無法下手修念佛法門。净土法门法语：念佛是因果同时，这是不可思议。印光大师文钞三编卷四净土法门谈到 什么是深信因果？

印光大师文钞二编卷二覆郭汉儒居士书中写道： “末世学佛所宜注重者，在「知因果」与「修净土」。以知因果，则不敢自欺欺人，做伤天害理、损人利己之事。修净土，则虽是具缚凡夫，便可仗佛慈力，往生西方。“

「印光大師嘉言錄」则会集了印光大师对家庭教育的语录和开示。大师苦口婆心地告诉我们： “世有愚人，不知夙生善恶，惟观眼前吉凶。见作善而得祸，便谓善不当为。作恶而得福，便谓恶不足戒。不知善恶之报，非一朝一夕之故，其所由来者渐。譬如三尺之冰，岂一朝之寒所能结。百川之泮，亦岂一日之暖所能消。不可怨天而尤人，切不可犹豫而退悔。宜学俞净意之修身，袁了凡之立命“。 印光大师的愿望是用因果教育拯救世界。

Buddha Radio 油管频道中，由王勇恭诵的《印光法师嘉言录》白话文，精心製作影片与大家分享，对我们入门了解印光法师的思想理念非常有帮助。

  • 《贊淨土超勝 》/佛法/印光法师嘉言录白话文/第一集 印光法师 《印光法师嘉言录》
  • 佛法 一切諸法，無不當學 / 印光法师嘉言录白话文 / 印光大师 / 第二集 印光法师贊淨土超勝 （4,5,6）
  • 佛陀究竟為何出世？你知道嗎？ /印光法師嘉言錄/佛法/淨土宗/印光大師/第三集 佛光者，十法界凡、圣、生、佛，即心本具之智体也。
  • 眾生皆具佛相，亦不可藐視淨土 /印光法師嘉言錄白话文/佛法：印光法师 赞净土超胜（12）

更上一层楼，如果要再深入，印光大师劝学净土者，当常看净土三经。智随法师在《印光大师论三经五经》一文中指出，印光法师对净土宗门的圣言依据和法脉传承的观点是以三经为净土法门之正依，以善导一脉为其正传。

出自《印光法师文钞续编·卷下》的《净土五经重刊序》中，印光大师是这样开示的：

佛在摩竭提国，灵鹫山中，说阿弥陀佛，最初因地，弃国出家，发四十八愿。又复久经长劫，依愿修行。迨至福慧圆满，得成佛道。所感之世界庄严，妙莫能名。十方诸佛咸赞叹，十方菩萨，与回小向大之二乘，具足惑业之凡夫，咸得往生，等蒙摄受。是为《无量寿经》。

于摩竭提国王宫中，说净业三福，十六妙观。俾一切众生，悉知是心作佛，是心是佛，诸佛正遍知海，从心想生。则是心作众生，是心是众生，众生烦恼业海，从心想生之义，便已彰明校著。果能深明此义，谁肯枉受轮回。末明九品生因，以期各修上品。是为《观无量寿佛经》。

在舍卫国，给孤园中，说净土依正妙果令生信，劝诸闻者，应求往生以发愿，复令行者，执持名号以立行。信愿行三，为净土法门之纲宗。具此三法，或毕生执持，已得一心。或临终方闻，止称十念。均得蒙佛接引，往生西方。是为《阿弥陀经》。

此三，乃专谈净土之经。而《阿弥陀经》，摄机尤普。以故禅教律各宗，咸皆奉为日课焉。

顶礼释迦牟尼佛！顶礼西天东土历代祖师！顶礼古今莲社一切宗师！顶礼天下宏宗演教诸大善知识！ 頂禮印光大師！

祈祷正法久住，度无量无边众生离苦得乐，往生西方极乐世界殊胜净土！

Namo Amituofo！ Namo Amituofo！ Namo amituofo!

Buddha Said There are Ways to End the Suffering and Seek Liberation 大乘念佛法门- 1

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The Three Sages of the Western Pure Land.

The pure land school of Buddhism provide the most popular and easily learned way to end our suffering which is recite “Namo Amituofo“. ‘Namo Amituofo’, may be the shortest text among the whole collection of Mahayana scriptures. Yet, it contains the most profound and subtle teachings of the Buddha. The mere few words of Buddha’s name, embodies all the doctrines of the sutras, incorporates the essence of all the Buddha’s teachings, clearly defines the fundamental and functionality of the teachings.

Reciting ‘Namo Amituofo’ not only brings us merits and wisdom in this life but also the attainment of Buddhahood in our next life. It is the core teachings of all Mahayana scriptures and the essence of Buddha’s Dharma. Here Dharma Master Huijing from Pure Land Buddhism Australia shows us the methods and benefits of reciting “Namo Amituofo”.

Envision that Amitabha Buddha positions himself above our heads, protecting and embracing us with his light. The recitation helps us overcome our restless and inattentive minds. We will feel peaceful and calm, our body and mind will also become calm and composed. As the vital energy fills our body, we will feel warm and cozy as well. When karmic obstructions surface, we are bound to feel perturbed and bad luck typically follows. Amitabha-recitation subdues our minds, eradicates negative karma, increases our meritorious blessings and enhances our wisdom, thereby bringing us good fortune and fulfilling our aspirations.

Even if one does not intentionally work towards great success, good interpersonal relationships and favourable circumstances will conspire to make good things happen as a matter of course. Problems that we encounter in our daily life can be resolved through Amitabha-recitation too. It’s relatively simple, produces tremendous results and is highly effective. The efficacy of which is affirmed by those who experienced it. So please recite ‘Namo Amituofo’ to experience it, be inspired and be filled with gratification.

In this video Jiawen shares the story of Bodhisattva Mahathamaprapta (Great Strength Bodhisattva, Dashizhi Pusa 大勢至菩薩) & how the 13th Patriarch of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism Master Yinguang is the incarnation of Dashizhi Pusa. Jiawen also introduced the famous Ten Recitation of Nianfo method by Master Yinguang to help us overcome our monkey mind, especially negative thoughts. This is considered by many practitioners as one of the most effective way of meditation due to its simplicity that anyone can practice it easily. The program from (馬來西亞淨宗學會) Amitabha Buddhist Society recall The Teachings of Great Master Yin Guang which is very much relevent today.

公认为净土十三世祖师的 印光大师 （1862-1940）一生提倡念佛法门， 大师指出，“所云念佛仪轨，须分同众、独修两种。若同众修，当依日诵中念佛起止仪，庶可通途无碍，彼此攸宜。至于独修，虽可随人自立，然其念诵次 第，不可错乱。所云放下身心，闭目凝神，念净法界护身咒，及默想《赞佛偈》，礼佛及三菩萨毕。若诵经，则诵《弥陀经》一遍，《往生咒》三遍毕，然后朗念 《赞佛偈》毕，即接＂南无西方极乐世界大慈大悲接引导师阿弥陀佛＂。即唯念＂南无阿弥陀佛＂，宜围绕念，或数百声或一千声。末念观音势至清净大海众三菩 萨，然后念《发愿文》。文毕念三自归。是为一期起止。若欲多诵经，多持咒者，当另立一诵经时。若一时并行，当先诵经，次诵咒，次赞佛念佛，次发愿三归。此 决定不易之次序也。“ 印光大师文钞全集有声书系统地介绍了印光大师的事迹和修行成就。

在《印光大师文钞》中还详细地介绍了 十念一法，“乃慈云忏主为国王大臣政事多端，无暇专修者设。又欲令其净心一心，故立尽一口气为一念之法。俾其心随气摄，无从散乱。其法之妙，非智莫知。然只可晨朝一用，或朝暮并日中三用，再不可多，多则伤气受病。切不可谓此法最能摄 心，令其常用，则为害不小。念佛声默，须视其地其境何如耳。若朗念无碍者，宜于特行念佛仪轨时朗念。然只可听其自然，不可过为大声。过为大声，或致伤气受 病。倘所处之境地不宜朗念，则只可小声念，及金刚持。其功德唯在专心致志，音声犹属小焉者耳。除特行念佛外，若终日常念，固宜小声念，金刚念，默念。以朗 声常念，必至于伤气。未证法身，必须调停得中，方可唯益无损耳。朗念费力，默持易昏。散持虽亦功德难思，较之摄心净念，何啻天渊。光于此数则，曾颇费研 穷。去岁得一巧方便法，书示知己，皆同赞叹。若已成片，固不须此。若未成片，及一切初机用之，皆无不宜，唯益无损。阁下即无须此法，亦当为修净宗不得其门 者试之，以普告来哲云“。其法在《印光文钞》第四十五纸第八行下，祈检之。

念佛，什麼都不管，只管專心一意的念就是了，若得一心不乱，也就是念佛三昧。 不过，念佛法门的重点，是念佛的身相与功德，旧称观相或观想念佛。 浅一些的，念佛有忏业障、集善根的功能；深一些的，就缘相成定，更进而趣入证悟。 念佛法门，是由浅入深，贯彻一切的。印顺法师谈如何“念佛”，非常精辟！ 净界法师谈念佛法门的重点在于感应道交！

Master YinGuang （印光大师 1862-1940） is regarded by Chinese Buddhism society as the reincarnation of Bodhisattva Mahathamaprapta (Dashizhi Pusa, 大勢至菩薩)

There are a lot of legends about Great Master YinGuang. He had predicted the breakout of the WWII in China, and by the end of October 1940, he arranged his own Nirvana day on December 2, 1940. He show by example the feasibility of the Buddha Recital methods and the importance of determination in the faith. This video with English caption detailed how Master YinGuang rebirth into Elysium.

江苏省佛教协会的副会长兼秘书长释秋爽在采访中指出，《印光法师文钞》通过书信的模式，把全部经，律，论三藏融入里面，后人称它为小藏经， 一点都不过分。

二十世纪初，正处中国延续了几千年的秩序正在分崩离析的时代，面对各个阶层在剧烈频繁动荡中的自我迷失，印光大师（1862-1940）融会儒学与佛教智慧，在从人伦本分的角度，对人们生活中碰到的种种困惑，提出了自己的见解。《印光大师文钞》开示有缘人敦伦尽份， 闲邪存诚，诸恶莫做，种善奉行。 无论在家在庵，必须敬上和下，忍人所不能忍，行人所不能行，代人之劳，成人之美。 静坐常思己过，闲谈不论人非。 《印光大师文钞》里许多这样的开示不仅暗合佛理，同时又都浅显易懂， 直指人心， 成为当时最广为人知的警世格言， 并深深影响着此后中国人立身处世的精神。

Amitabha Buddhist Society from Malaysia presented the Teaching of Master YinGuang. 印光大師開示(一)， 印光大師開示(二)， 印光大師開示(三)； 印光大師開示(四)。Amituofo channel collected 印光大师净土语录100则.

《印光法师嘉言录 》前言：封面題詞 原文： 因果報應者, 儒釋聖人, 平治天下, 度脫眾生之大權也。家庭教育者, 匹夫匹婦, 敦本盡分, 培植賢才之天職也。信願念佛者, 具縛凡夫, 了生脫死, 超凡入聖之妙法也。此書文雖拙樸, 義甚切要, 似特為修淨土者說, 實寓提倡因果報應、家庭教育之道。祈得是書者, 常與父母兄弟妻子、鄉黨親戚朋友, 講說而開導之。俾彼諸人, 同皆敦倫盡分, 克己復禮, 諸惡莫作, 眾善奉行, 信願念佛, 求生西方。必至生入聖賢之域, 沒歸極樂之邦, 何幸如之。願讀誦者, 恭敬信受, 勿致褻瀆。展轉流通, 毋或棄置。將見賢才蔚起, 劫運頓消, 天下太平, 人民安樂矣。此不慧所馨香禱祝者。 淨土法門, 諦理甚深, 唯佛與佛, 乃能究盡。由其大小不二, 權實一如, 以故上自等覺菩薩, 下至逆惡凡夫, 皆須修持, 皆得成辦也。末世眾生, 善根淺薄, 匪仗佛力, 將何所恃。倘能仰信佛言, 生信發願, 持佛名號, 求生西方。加以諸惡莫作, 眾善奉行, 敦倫盡分, 閒邪存誠, 果能如是, 萬無有一不往生者。淨土經論, 文義顯明。淨土修持, 隨機自立。既無幽深莫測之悶, 亦無艱難困苦之煩。且又不費錢財氣力, 不礙職業營生。若能隨分隨力, 常時憶念, 則神凝意淨, 業消智朗, 自然身心安樂, 諸緣順適, 其為樂也, 何能名焉。願見聞者, 悉皆修持, 各懷自利利他之心, 共發己立立人之願。恭敬受持, 隨緣倡導, 展轉流通, 令遍國界, 俾一切同倫, 同沐佛恩, 同生淨土, 實為大幸。

民国十六年丁卯仲春常惭愧僧释印光谨撰 —— 淨土宗

顶礼释迦牟尼佛！顶礼西天东土历代祖师！顶礼古今莲社一切宗师！顶礼天下宏宗演教诸大善知识！ 頂禮印光大師！

祈祷正法久住，度无量无边众生离苦得乐，往生西方极乐世界殊胜净土！

Nomo Amituofo! Nomo Amituofo！ NamoAmituofo！

Always Remember to do the Merit Dedication Verse ! Namo Amituofo!