Month: January 2022

Journey to find the True Original Buddha Dharma

linda chang1 Comment

Journey to find the True Original Buddha Dharma

(Part Three Dharma That Every Buddhist Must Follow)

The second book I read was called Dharma That Every Buddhist Must Follow. From the title I knew this must be a very important book for all Buddhists. In the preface, the author herself, Among Nopu Pamu said: “Dharma That Every Buddhist Must Follow is very deep Buddha Dharma which must be relied upon and applied by teachers and disciples. Because of such conditions, if one dose not rely upon, dose not study, and dose not practice Dharma That Every Buddhist Must Follow, then no matter what Dharma one practices, one cannot attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death. …. Dharma That Every Buddhist Must Follow is the mother of the mother of all Dharmas.”

The book is a collection of discourses that Pamu gave to an assembledge of Buddhist masters of highest rank, over a period of a few days under a very special karmic condition. It lays out the path to enlightenment by pinpointing the many mistakes practitioners of Buddhism can and do make in their actions or non-actions of “body, speech and mind”. To me this book was a truly indispensable guide in my daily practice. As a beginner Buddhist, I did not have a master yet, and sometimes I felt lost and tangled by the different teachings. All my Buddhism knowledge was from books and tapes, and I knew they couldn’t be completely right, since the authors were not a Buddha or Great Buddhisattva. Plus when I put them into my daily practice, I also added my own interpretations and understandings. I didn’t know whether my conducts conformed to the right Buddhism rules and procedures.

In the book, Puma illustrates “The ten superficialities of practitioners”.
1. The superficiality of Reciting Passages without Belief.
2. The superficiality of Speaking about benefiting others when one dose not have great compassion.
3. The superficiality of Donating the one is miserly.
4. For those who practice vajrayana Bddhism, The superficiality of Practicing while not abiding by the Samaya Precepts.
5. For Buddhist monks and nuns, The superficiality of Practicing while not abiding by the Precepts.
6. For laypersons, The superficiality of Practicing yet not diligently cultivating oneself.
7. The superficiality of only studying Principles but not practicing the Dharma.
8. The superficiality of Practicing the Dharma without knowing the Essentials of the Dharma.
9. The superficiality of Teaching people while not acting in accordance with the Dharma.
10. The superficiality of Instructing others when one’s own actions do not match one’s words.

Among the The ten superficialities of practitioners, Number 6: “For laypersons, the superficiality of practicing yet not diligently cultivating oneself“ was truly a wake-up call for me. I was in exactly same situation as written in the book. Laypersons cultivate themselves at home, where there is no one to instruct them or make arrangements for them. In their worldly life lay practitioners are often bound by things of the world. They are entangled by matters involving family, society, children, relatives, and work…. I could always find excuses to miss my homework. Things like, today my friends invited me to a party so I should go and enjoy life, or I was too tired at work so I need to relax a little bit, or today I had an argument with my husband so I felt so bad and did not want to practice the dharma,…. so on and so forth, day after day passed — no wonder I didn’t have any progress in my practices. Here Pamu gave me the utmost guidance: laypersons should have a mind aware of impermanence, a mind determined to break away from samsara. They should constantly remind and admonish themselves not to become confused by matters of this world. They should always remember to diligently cultivate themselves!

I always felt it is difficult to attain enlightenment while being immersed in worldly affairs. It’s like the common Chinese saying that one cannot have both fish and bear’s paws. I couldn’t consider holiness and worldliness at the same time, in my mind they are mutually exclusive. From the book I knew my viewpoint was very narrow and stiff. That was why I had so many defilements when I dealt with worldly affairs and my cultivation. Sometimes I wished I could quit all worldly attachments and go to the temple. Again Pamu shined the light for me: One should know that since the Buddha Dharma exists within this very world, full enlightenment must include awareness of the ultimate realities of this world. To speak of the Buddha Dharma without being concerned with worldly matters would be engaging in empty and incorrect talk. To think of handling ordinary worldly matters and practicing the Buddha Dharma as being opposite to each other is totally against the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha that householders or laypersons are also able to cultivate themselves.

I felt so grateful that Puma illustrated all of the mistakes a Buddhism practitioner often makes and how one can correct oneself by following the instructions that are in the book. I found out that my way of practice had many flaws. Due to this book I was able to critically examine my way of practice and to correct many mistakes.

Journey to find the True Original Buddha Dharma

Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2022/01/28/journey-to-find-the-true-original-buddha-dharma-4/

Seeing the Real Buddha Face of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III

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Seeing the Real Buddha Face of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III

At 5PM yesterday (December 29. 2017) afternoon, in the Amitabha Buddha Hall in the United States of America, there were four types of Buddhists of monastics and laypersons. They are cultivators with sharp intelligence and deep good roots. Their ages range from elders in the 80s and toddlers as young as 2. All found their place to sit on the floor, waiting for listening to the dharma. There were also a few demonic persons (living beings) mixed in the crowd.

After prostrating to pay homage, all presented their offerings. As always, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not accept any of the offerings and began to expound the dharma for free. At this time, Baizhe Rinpoche held her palms together and respectfully beseeched His Holiness the Buddha, “All along, we see that the face of you Buddha Master is always ruddy and glowing, revealing abundant energy and spirit. Why is a Buddha’s face so ruddy and moisturized?”

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III told a layperson nearby to read to the crowd a paragraph in the Ritual of Practicing the Dharma of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, The text says, “Visualize that in the high, empty sky above one’s head there are eight lions stepping on auspicious clouds. A widely broad treasure throne is carried on their backs. There are lotus flowers of different colors on the throne. Above the flowers there is a moon laid flat on the wheel. At the center of the flowers, there is a five-colored character Hong, emitting five-colored light. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III instantly appear. His face is like red coral and His body is like ivory-jade. The Buddha radiates red light and turns into the Great Vajradhara Buddha, with one head and two arms.”

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “Now you should know why a Buddha’s face is ruddy and moisturized!”

Baizhe said, “It is so infuriating that some demonic persons made deformation to say that the Buddha Master’s face had a filthy dark color and was ugly and filled with bad qi! They said that the Buddha Master used makeup to fake a holy one’s complexion and color. I feel very bad for their slandering words.”

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “It is correct that my facial color is not such a red color and is truly covered. Since some people are so pitiful to the extent of make such karma and today there are also such people among you here, I will let you all see the real face behind the veil, to see how filthy and dark it is. The purpose is that, after seeing that, some of you can avoid retribution of karmic sins causing one to devolve into one of the three lower realms.”

At that time, I imagined that it might be like the face-changing skill used in Sichuan Operas, occurring momentarily right after a word. So I was especially attentive to watch and notice, but the actual outcome was totally different. Rather, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III told dharma masters to fetch water in a big pail. Then, the towel used was rinsed clean in a basin. Then, His Holiness the Buddha repeatedly washed His face more than ten times. While washing the face, changes was already appearing gradually. After the face was washed clean, the crowd present were astounded with a round of wows. Some were stunned by the surprise, some were joyful beyond control, some were so excited with tears all over their faces, and the voices of praise continued without an end. Good heavens! There could even be such ruddy and beautiful facial complexion! That was more beautiful than a red coral!

Perhaps some people who were not present there may think that it was like the facial complexion in the photo taken after restoring youth. Then you will be greatly wrong. Instead, it was ruddier than peach flowers. Speaking in terms of the visage after restoring youth for comparison, the degree of the ruddy and moisturized complexion was eight to nine times stronger than the visage after restoring youth. Some people thought that completely surpassed the color of an extremely bright and beautiful red treasure coral and rendered such a feeling of tenderness, brightness, ruddiness, and beauty that appeared breakable by blowing air or a light touch.

Furthermore, people also saw thin, white facial light that represents one of the thirty-two major elegant marks of a Buddha. The light rays were a little over three inches long, waving, dancing, and trembling while emitting light, became shorter quickly, and disappeared in an instant. More than half of the people saw that the light rays turned longer and shorter, bended and then straightened, and appeared and disappeared all of a sudden. The phenomena seen by each person were different, but all were blessed by the emitted light. People at the scene were either uttering exclamation out of astonishment or intoxicated in the enchanting view of wonder.

At this time, the holy state of His Holiness the Buddha suddenly dawned on everyone. No wonder H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was able to invite Amitabha Buddha to transmit the dharma to Layperson Zhao Yusheng in person, revealing unprecedented accomplishment in such holy manifestation. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III truly possesses the inner nature of a Buddha that is immeasurably deep but was never shown to people who are always with Him. Not only there is not any filthiness, darkness, ugliness, or bad qi, rather, His Holiness the Buddha covered up the beautiful and gorgeous red color that transcends the entire world. Suppose that such beautiful and gorgeous red color unfounded anywhere in the world were not covered up, such miracle would definitely attract people to surround and watch. Then, how could His Holiness the Buddha live among the great masses!

If not due to the Buddha Master’s great loving compassion with the intention of causing demonic persons to create less sinful karma, we would not have had the opportunity to see the Buddha Master’s real facial appearance and complexion. As a result, supreme empowerment was bestowed on us. We are unable to express the excitement in our heart. We can only gratefully thank all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the ten directions for the compassion and pity on us that enabled us to have the karmic affinity to see the Tathagata and listen to the true dharma!

What I wrote above are completely true facts without anything untrue. If I fabricated any false words, I would meet all kinds of malicious retribution, suffering, and misery and moreover would fall into the hell realm without any chance to get out. If what I said now is true, I will be free of disaster or hardship, live happily forever, and end the cycle of birth and death.

A Humble Buddhist Disciple: Guo Yuliang

December 30, 2017

We all experienced in person on the spot seeing the real Buddha face of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III that was in a red-coral color. The record written by Buddhist Disciple Guo Yuliang completely agrees with the facts, without a bit of exaggeration. More than three quarters of the people present had the karmic condition to see with their own eyes the thin, white facial light that represents one of the thirty-two major elegant marks of a Buddha come out from H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Our signatures follow. Because some people who did not sign their names at the time had already left the temple and returned to other countries, we will continue to obtain their signatures.

Langbo Tsemang, Xiangge Qiongwa, Long Zhou, Ga Du, Renqin Quezhan, Shi Long Hui, Qujie Yundan, Hong Tiesheng, Shi Miao Yan, Shang Ye, Gao Lihua, Shi Zheng Jing, Shi Zheng Cheng, Shi Yang Zong, Pei Lin, Li Lizhu, Kangbu Meiduo, Baizhe Lamu, Zhen Zhu, Chen Manli, Hui Zhu, Ci Deji, Shi Zheng Xue, Shi Liao Zheng, Shi Zheng Yin, Shi Ruo Ke, Shi Liao Hui, Yongdeng Gongbu, Kuan, Shi Jue Hui

Seeing the Real Buddha Face of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III

Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2022/01/27/seeing-the-real-buddha-face-of-h-h-dorje-chang-buddha-iii/

Angkor Wat

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Angkor Wat

HISTORY.COM EDITORS * UPDATED:AUG 21, 2018*ORIGINAL:FEB 28, 2018

Angkor Wat is an enormous Buddhist temple complex located in northern Cambodia. It was originally built in the first half of the 12th century as a Hindu temple. Spread across more than 400 acres, Angkor Wat is said to be the largest religious monument in the world. Its name, which translates to “temple city” in the Khmer language of the region, references the fact it was built by Emperor Suryavarman II, who ruled the region from 1113 to 1150, as the state temple and political center of his empire.

Originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, Angkor Wat became a Buddhist temple by the end of the 12th century.

Although it is no longer an active temple, it serves as an important tourist attraction in Cambodia, despite the fact it sustained significant damage during the autocratic rule of the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s and in earlier regional conflicts.

Where Is Angkor Wat?

Angkor Wat is located roughly five miles north of the modern Cambodian city of Siem Reap, which has a population of more than 200,000 people.

However, when it was built, it served as the capital of the Khmer empire, which ruled the region at the time. The word “Angkor” means “capital city” in the Khmer language, while the word “Wat” means “temple.”

Initially, Angkor Wat was designed as a Hindu temple, as that was the religion of the region’s ruler at the time, Suryavarman II. However, by the end of the 12th century, it was considered a Buddhist site.

Unfortunately, by then, Angkor Wat had been sacked by a rival tribe to the Khmer, who in turn, at the direction of the new emperor, Jayavarman VII, moved their capital to Angkor Thom and their state temple to Bayon, both of which are a few miles to the north of the historic site.

As Angkor Wat’s significance within the Buddhist religion of the region increased, so too did the legend surrounding the site. Many Buddhists believe the temple’s construction was ordered by the god Indra, and that the work was accomplished in one night.

However, scholars now know it took several decades to build Angkor Wat, from the design phase to completion.

Angkor Wat’s Design

Although Angkor Wat was no longer a site of political, cultural or commercial significance by the 13th century, it remained an important monument for the Buddhist religion into the 1800s.

Indeed, unlike many historical sites, Angkor Wat was never truly abandoned. Rather, it fell gradually into disuse and disrepair.

Nonetheless, it remained an architectural marvel unlike anything else. It was “rediscovered” in 1840s by the French explorer Henri Mouhot, who wrote that the site was “grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome.”

The compliment can likely be attributed to the temple’s design, which is supposed to represent Mount Meru, the home of the gods, according to tenets of both the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Its five towers are intended to recreate the five peaks of Mount Meru, while the walls and moat below honor the surrounding mountain ranges and the sea.

By the time of the site’s construction, the Khmer had developed and refined their own architectural style, which relied on sandstone. As a result, Angkor Wat was constructed with blocks of sandstone.

A 15-foot high wall, surrounded by a wide moat, protected the city, the temple and residents from invasion, and much of that fortification is still standing. A sandstone causeway served as the main access point for the temple.

Inside these walls, Angkor Wat stretches across more than 200 acres. It’s believed that this area included the city, the temple structure and the emperor’s palace, which was just north of the temple.

However, in keeping with tradition at the time, only the city’s outer walls and the temple were made of sandstone, with the rest of the structures built from wood and other, less durable materials. Hence, only portions of the temple and city wall remain.

Even so, the temple is still a majestic structure: At its highest point—the tower above the main shrine—it reaches nearly 70 feet into the air.

The temple walls are decorated with thousands of bas-reliefs representing important deities and figures in the Hindu and Buddhist religions as well as key events in its narrative tradition. There is also a bas-relief depicting Emperor Suryavarman II entering the city, perhaps for the first time following its construction.

Angkor Wat Today

Unfortunately, although Angkor Wat remained in use until fairly recently—into the 1800s—the site has sustained significant damage, from forest overgrowth to earthquakes to war.

The French, who ruled what is now known as Cambodia for much of the 20th century, established a commission to restore the site for tourism purposes in the early 1900s. This group also oversaw ongoing archeological projects there.

While restoration work was accomplished in bits and pieces under French rule, major efforts didn’t begin in earnest until the 1960s. By then, Cambodia was a country transitioning from colonial rule to a limited form of constitutional monarchy.

When Cambodia fell into a brutal civil war in the 1970s, Angkor Wat, somewhat miraculously, sustained relatively minimal damage. The autocratic and barbarous Khmer Rouge regime did battle troops from neighboring Vietnam in the area near the ancient city, and there are bullet holes marking its outer walls as a result.

Since then, with the Cambodian government undergoing numerous changes, the international community, including representatives of India, Germany and France, among others, have contributed to the ongoing restoration efforts.

The site remains an important source of national pride for Cambodians.

In 1992, it was named United Educational Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site. Although visitors to Angkor Wat numbered in just the few thousands at the time, the landmark now welcomes some 500,000 visitors each year—many of whom arrive early in the morning to capture images of the sunrise over what still is a very magical, spiritual place.

Link: https://wisdomtea.org/2022/01/26/angkor-wat/

https://www.history.com/topics/landmarks/angkor-wat

Da Mo Zu Shi, A Chinese Painting Appreciation

linda chang1 Comment

Da Mo Zu Shi, A Chinese Painting Appreciation

Patriarch Bodhidharma (Da Mo Zu Shi) was the most legendary master in Chinese Zen Buddhism history, and he’s been well known in China. When I was young, my grandmother used to tell me the folk tales of Patriarch Bodhidharma. I’ve always wondered what Patriarch Bodhidharma looked like.

One day in International Art Museum of America, I saw a painting of Da Mo Zu Shi, the artist is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. It gave me a really deep impression — A majestic black-faced holy monk, seemingly quiet but reflecting unparalleled spiritual power, seems to have traveled through thousands of years of time and space, and suddenly appeared in front of me.

This painting, drawn in the freehand style, was created from only a small number of brush strokes. The point of view of the picture, the thick and imposing character modeling, and the simple and rich color application endow the picture with an ancient and muddy artistic style. 

Through the artist’s seasoned brushwork, this painting captures the natural essence of all things. Let’s look at some specific parts of the picture. Bright eyes shine under the dark eyebrows like full autumn moons. The mouth seems to breathe with the grandeur of eternity.

Hair, eyebrows, and beard are painted with brush strokes like scraping iron; the facial contours of the characters are drawn with iron lines, and the brushwork is refined and powerful. At the bottom of the picture is the robe of the patriarch, made by heavy and strong brushwork.

This artistry, devoid of the slightest affectation, shows the natural ease with which the artist wields the brush when creating calligraphy and paintings. It is the essence of Zen, the truth of the universe, naturalness that is free of attachment.

Patriarch Bodhidharma was the twenty-eighth generation descendant of Zen Buddhism. About a thousand years ago, he came to China. He crossed the mountains and deserts on foot, and crossed the rivers with a reed raft. 

Upon reaching China, the Patriarch met a monk named Huike. At that time, Master Huike was quite famous but still an ordinary monk, not having reached enlightenment. Due to a series of misunderstandings, Master Huike believed that the Patriarch Bodhidharma was insulting the scriptures of Buddhism, and thus he assumed he must be a devil. So Huike was ready to denounce Patriarch Bodhidharma.

Master Huike had a chain of iron beads hanging around his neck. He took it off and threw it at Patriarch Bodhidharma with all his strength. This act of violence caught his target by surprise, knocking out his two front teeth.

Naturally, the Patriarch’s first reflex was to spit out his broken teeth. But he was an Arhat at the time, which meant that should his teeth touch the ground, there would be a three year drought. To spare the common people from this disaster, he swallowed his broken teeth and left without saying a word. His actions showed great compassion and forbearance. 

Humbled by the Bodhidharma’s strength of character, Master Huike followed the patriarch, becoming his disciple, and, eventually, the second generation of Zen master in China.

The portrait of the Patriarch seems to exhale a holy breath, which lightens the lives of all those around it. It expresses the original nature of Zen, eternal and immutable. Those who view it have experienced a great spiritual encounter, which brings about a subtle but powerful change in their lives. 

Da Mo Zu Shi, A Chinese Painting Appreciation

Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2022/01/21/da-mo-zu-shi-a-chinese-painting-appreciation/

#DorjeChangBuddhaIII #HHDorjeChangBuddhaIII#DorjeChangBuddha#IAMA#InternationalArtMuseumofAmerica

Giving thanks can make you happier

linda chang1 Comment

Giving thanks can make you happier

Each holiday season comes with high expectations for a cozy and festive time of year. However, for many this time of year is tinged with sadness, anxiety, or depression. Certainly, major depression or a severe anxiety disorder benefits most from professional help. But what about those who just feel lost or overwhelmed or down at this time of year? Research (and common sense) suggests that one aspect of the Thanksgiving season can actually lift the spirits, and it’s built right into the holiday — being grateful.

The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness (depending on the context). In some ways, gratitude encompasses all of these meanings. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, being grateful also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals — whether to other people, nature, or a higher power.

In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

People feel and express gratitude in multiple ways. They can apply it to the past (retrieving positive memories and being thankful for elements of childhood or past blessings), the present (not taking good fortune for granted as it comes), and the future (maintaining a hopeful and optimistic attitude). Regardless of the inherent or current level of someone’s gratitude, it’s a quality that individuals can successfully cultivate further.

Research on gratitude

Two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, have done much of the research on gratitude. In one study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics.

One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had displeased them, and the third wrote about events that had affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.

Another leading researcher in this field, Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, tested the impact of various positive psychology interventions on 411 people, each compared with a control assignment of writing about early memories. When their week’s assignment was to write and personally deliver a letter of gratitude to someone who had never been properly thanked for his or her kindness, participants immediately exhibited a huge increase in happiness scores. This impact was greater than that from any other intervention, with benefits lasting for a month.

Of course, studies such as this one cannot prove cause and effect. But most of the studies published on this topic support an association between gratitude and an individual’s well-being.

Other studies have looked at how being grateful  can improve relationships. For example, a study of couples found that individuals who took time to express gratitude for their partner not only felt more positive toward the other person but also felt more comfortable expressing concerns about their relationship.

Managers who remember to say “thank you” to people who work for them may find that those employees feel motivated to work harder. Researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania randomly divided university fund-raisers into two groups. One group made phone calls to solicit alumni donations in the same way they always had. The second group — assigned to work on a different day — received a pep talk from the director of annual giving, who told the fund-raisers she was grateful for their efforts. During the following week, the university employees who heard her message of gratitude made 50% more fund-raising calls than those who did not.

There are some notable exceptions to the generally positive results in research on gratitude. One study found that middle-aged divorced women who kept gratitude journals were no more satisfied with their lives than those who did not. Another study found that children and adolescents who wrote and delivered a thank-you letter to someone who made a difference in their lives may have made the other person happier — but did not improve their own well-being. This finding suggests that gratitude is an attainment associated with emotional maturity.

Ways to cultivate gratitude

Gratitude is a way for people to appreciate what they have instead of always reaching for something new in the hopes it will make them happier or thinking they can’t feel satisfied until every physical and material need is met. Gratitude helps people refocus on what they have instead of what they lack. And, although it may feel contrived at first, this mental state grows stronger with use and practice.

Here are some ways to cultivate gratitude on a regular basis.

Write a thank-you note. You can make yourself happier and nurture your relationship with another person by writing a thank-you letter or email expressing your enjoyment and appreciation of that person’s impact on your life. Send it, or better yet, deliver and read it in person if possible. Make a habit of sending at least one gratitude letter a month. Once in a while, write one to yourself.

Thank someone mentally. No time to write? It may help just to think about someone who has done something nice for you, and mentally thank the individual.

Keep a gratitude journal. Make it a habit to write down or share with a loved one thoughts about the gifts you’ve received each day.

Count your blessings. Pick a time every week to sit down and write about your blessings — reflecting on what went right or what you are grateful for. Sometimes it helps to pick a number — such as three to five things — that you will identify each week. As you write, be specific and think about the sensations you felt when something good happened to you.

Pray. People who are religious can use prayer to cultivate gratitude.

Meditate. Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. Although people often focus on a word or phrase (such as “peace”), it is also possible to focus on what you’re grateful for (the warmth of the sun, a pleasant sound, etc.).

Link: https://wisdomtea.org/2022/01/19/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier#:~:text=In%20positive%20psychology%20research%2C%20gratitude,adversity%2C%20and%20build%20strong%20relationships.

14. THE WIND-DEER AND THE HONEY-GRASS [THE CRAVING FOR TASTE]

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14. THE WIND-DEER AND THE HONEY-GRAS [THE CRAVING FOR TASTE]

Buddhist Tales for Young and Old, volume 1, Prince Goodspeaker, Stories 1-50

Once upon a time, the King of Benares had a gardener who looked after his pleasure garden. Animals sometimes came into the garden from the nearby forest. The gardener complained about this to the king, who said, “If you see any strange animal, tell me at once.”

One day, he saw a strange kind of deer at the far end of the garden. When he saw the man, he ran like the wind. That is why they are called ‘wind-deer’. They are a rare breed, that are extremely timid. They are very easily frightened by human beings.

The gardener told the king about the wind-deer. He asked the gardener if he could catch the rare animal. He replied, “My lord, if you give me some bee’s honey, I could even bring him into the palace!” So the king ordered that he be given as much bee’s honey as he wanted.

This particular wind-deer loved to eat the flowers and fruits in the king’s pleasure garden. The gardener let himself be seen by him little by little, so he would be less frightened. Then he began to smear honey on the grass where the wind-deer usually came to eat. Sure enough, the deer began eating the honey-smeared grass. Soon he developed a craving for the taste of this ‘honey-grass’. The craving made him come to the garden every day. Before long, he would eat nothing else!

Little by little, the gardener came closer and closer to the wind-deer. At first, he would run away. But later, he lost his fear and came to think the man was harmless. As the gardener became more and more friendly, eventually he got the deer to eat the honey-grass right out of his hand. He continued doing this for some time, in order to build up his confidence and trust.

Meanwhile, the gardener had rows of curtains set up, making a wide pathway from the far end of the pleasure garden to the king’s palace. From inside this pathway, the curtains would keep the wind-deer from seeing any people that might scare him.

When all was prepared, the gardener took a bag of grass and a container of honey with him. Again he began hand-feeding the wind-deer when he appeared. Gradually, he led the wind-deer into the curtained-off pathway. Slowly, he continued to lead him with the honey-grass, until finally the deer followed him right into the palace. Once inside, the palace guards closed the doors, and the wind-deer was trapped. Seeing the people of the court, he suddenly became very frightened and began running around, madly trying to escape.

The king came down to the hall and saw the panic-stricken wind-deer. He said, “What a wind-deer! How could he have gotten into such a state? A wind-deer is an animal who will not return to a place where he has so much as seen a human, for seven full days. Ordinarily, if a wind-deer is at all frightened in a particular place, he will not return for the whole rest of his life! But look! Even such a shy wild creature can be enslaved by his craving for the taste of something sweet. Then he can be lured into the center of the city and even inside the palace itself.

“My friends, the teachers warn us not to be too attached to the place we live, for all things pass away. They say that being too attached to a small circle of friends is confining and restricts a broad outlook. But see how much more dangerous is the simple craving for a sweet flavour, or any other taste sensation. See how this beautiful shy animal was trapped by my gardener, by taking advantage of his craving for taste.”

Not wishing to harm the gentle wind-deer, the king had him released into the forest. He never returned to the royal pleasure garden, and he never missed the taste of honey-grass.

The moral is: “It is better to eat to live, than to live to eat.”

14. The Wind-deer and the Honey-gras [The Craving for Taste]

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2022/01/17/14-the-wind-deer-and-the-honey-grass-the-craving-for-taste/

INTERPRETER’S INTRODUCTION – BUDDHIST TALES FOR YOUNG AND OLD, VOLUME 1, STORIES 1-50

#Buddhisttalesforyoungandold #Buddhiststories #storiesforkids #moralstories #Buddha #Jatakastories #PansiyaPanasJataka

Maitreya Buddha – The Future Buddha

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Maitreya Buddha
Maitreya Buddha is said to be Future Buddha. In various Buddhist sutra such as Amitabha Sutra, as well as Lotus Sutra, Maitreya Buddha is believed to be called as Ajita.

Maitreya Buddha

In the world of Buddhist eschatology, Maitreya literally means the future Buddha. Maitreya Buddha is considered as the 5th Buddha that is believed to appear in this Kalpa or era. Thus, Maitreya Buddha is considered as the Future Buddha that is yet to appear in this age. In various Buddhist sutra such as Amitabha Sutra, as well as Lotus Sutra, Maitreya Buddha is believed to be called as Ajita.

According to Buddhist history and tradition, Maitreya Buddha is believed to be Bodhisattva who will appear in the Earth in the future, will achieve Nirvana and will teach the people of Earth the pure Dharma just like Shakyamuni Buddha did. According to the Buddhist texts as well scriptures, Maitreya Buddha will be considered as the successor of the living Buddha i.e. Gautama Buddha. The Prophecy of Maitreya Buddha coming back to the terrestrial world is written in most of the major Schools of Buddhism in many Buddhist countries

Attributes of Maitreya Buddha

Maitreya Buddha - The future Buddha

Many Maitreya Buddha statues, Buddha images are shown with different attributes as well as Hand mudras as well as postures. The Maitreya Buddha statues are represented with all the attributes that must be in the attributes of Bodhisattva. Most of the Buddha statues of Maitreya Buddha are pdepicted with both hands using Dharmachakra Mudra.

Maitreya Buddha is also represented as holding lotus flower in each hand of the statues. Each hands also possessed a Wheel of Dharma as well a ritual base. Both Wheel of Dharmaas well as ritual vase are shown on the top of lotus flower. The wheel of dharma on the top of lotus shows that maitreya Buddha emphasize his mission to spread and teach Dharma to all beings. While the Ritual vase on the top of lotus shows that Maitreya Buddha will be born in the family of low cast while Buddhist history shows that Shakyamuni Buddha was born in the family of high cast.

Laughing Buddha as Maitreya Buddha

Laughing Buddha is shown as the next Maitreya Buddha in the Chinese Buddhism. Laughing Buddha is also believed to be a Bodhisattva and will be the next Matreya Buddha. There are various Buddha statues that represents Maitreya Buddha but Laughing Buddha is one of the most popular known Buddha in the whole world especially for his fat belly and smiling face.

Link: https://wisdomtea.org/2022/01/12/maitreya-buddha/

https://www.burmese-art.com/blog/maitreya-buddha

The International Art Museum of America (IAMA)

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The International Art Museum of America (IAMA)

Located at the heart of downtown San Francisco, on 1025 Market Street near Sixth Street, the International Art Museum of America is a permanent , non-profit museum open to the public. The museum’s goal is to utilize the exhibition forum to pass on works of art that have achieved the most exquisite beauty and preciousness in the history of civilization, in order to further humanity’s moral progress, spiritual wellbeing, cultural development and world peace. It takes as its mission bringing humanity happiness and uplifting aesthetic enjoyment.

When IAMA was first founded, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III had loaned the museum about 100 of his pieces. The works of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III have been recognized with numerous awards over the years – the Presidential Gold Award, the Dr. Martin Luther King Legacy Award for International Service and Leadership, Fellowship by the Royal Academy of Arts in 2004 and a World Peace Prize at the US Capitol in 2011.

Since its founding in 2011, the International Art Museum has been a place of peaceful reflection and international understanding. The collection in the museum has grown to include art from China, Algeria, Belgium, England, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Russia, Scotland, and the United States. The works of traditional calligraphy, Western oil painting, modern ink brush landscapes, sculptures and portraits, all work together to showcase the diversity of human experience and perception.

The museum opens between Tuesday and Sunday between 10:00am – 5:00pm, and it’s free admissions. Please visit https://www.iamasf.org/dorje-chang-buddha for more information.

The International Art Museum of America (IAMA)

Link:https://peacelilysite.com/2022/01/14/the-international-art-museum-of-america-iama/

#MasterWanKoYee #DorjeChangBuddhaIII #HHDorjeChangBuddhaIII#DorjeChangBuddha#IAMA#InternationalArtMuseumofAmerica

Journey to find the True Original Buddha Dharma

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Journey to find the True Original Buddha Dharma

(Part Two: Entering the Door of the Dharma）

Around the end of year 2001, I received a set of six books written by Ah Wang Nuo Bu Pa Mu. I remembered that in the book True Stories About A Holy Monk, Dharma King Dorje Losang said that even though he was the level of a Dharma King, he still must seriously study Entering the Door of the Dharma written by Ah Wang Nuo Bu Pa Mu. He said, “It is not fundamental Buddhist book! I have learned and practiced the five great Vajra dharma groups, the Atiyoga Supreme Dharma and the Great Perfection Mind Essence Dharma over and over again.  Only now do I understand how magnificent the Buddha dharma books of the Holy Mother are.”

So I started to read the book Entering the Door of the Dharma.

Photo by Aron Visuals on Pexels.com

The first chapter was titled, “First talk about big or small Dharma, then discuss the wrong and right dharma”. This chapter was a warning bell to me. After all, the wish I had harbored in my heart was to learn a great dharma whereby I will become a Buddha in this very lifetime. I dreamed I could learn and practice the great Dharma, such as the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) of the Nyingma sect, the Mind Within Mind of the Kagyu sect, the Great Perfection of Wonderful Wisdom of the Sakya sect, the Kalachakra Vajra of the Geluk sect, and Zen meditation of the Zen sect of exoteric Buddhism, etc…. I wanted to jump to the highest level, quickly reach the liberation with nothing to fear or to suffer… my life will full of joy and good fortune…

What a naive and selfish Buddhism practitioner I was! I felt I was so foolish, wanting to build a tower on quicksand. Such a tower could not be built. 

As I continued to read the book, I gained a lot of fundamental knowledge about buddhism. The buddhism theory is so deep and broad. One chapter is focused on “cause and effect”. Pa Mu said, “most of the disciples just know about cause and effect, but they didn’t understand what is cause and effect, therefore they do not truly believe in it. “ After reading this chapter, I pondered to myself seriously. Did I truly understand the law of causality, and did I truly believe in the law of causality? If I did, how come my mind still falls into so much confusions and chaos. I looked deeply in my mind, and found out I only believed in the causality when good things happened to me. When bad thing happened or I was very sick, I started to doubt about it, and complained why I deserved these sufferings and unfair treatments. I started to blame peoples around me, and began to wonder why Buddha ad Bodhisattva did not bless me.

I thought about my marriage relationship. I was always puzzled why my husband always blames me, yells and scolds me even for a small thing, but before we married he always tried to flatter and please me. From the law of causality, everything I experience right now were the results of the cause I have done in the past. Anything that happened must have a reason. I must have done a similar thing to my husband before. I started to change my attitude towards him. When he got mad at me, I would think, this is my opportunity to pay my debt back to him — continuing to argue with him wouldn’t do any good, except cause more tension and damage. It was really hard to do it at beginning, I needed to force myself to keep quiet and don’t talk back, don’t analyze what he is saying, focus on my inner peace, don’t get irritated by outside things…. After a while I gradually became more mentally freer and at ease.

From the book I learned that everything and all phenomena arise from causality, including of course the good and adversary karmic conditions between people. If we generate resentment or hatred or take harmful actions against the other side when subjected to bullying or unfair treatment, wouldn’t another evil cause be seeded, which we will have to pay for through suffering the malicious consequence?! Then, wouldn’t the vicious process continue forever without an end?! The only thing I could do is to repent all the evil causes I did in the past, and pay it back when encountering the situation without any complaints. I do not want to plant any evil causes anymore, since the law of causality never errs.

I was happy that I finally found the door of entering Dharma.

Written by Peace Lily

Title: Journey to find the True Original Buddha Dharma

Link:https://peacelilysite.com/2022/01/14/journey-to-find-the-true-original-buddha-dharma-3/

#DorjeLosang#AhWangNuoBuPaMu#BodhiMonastery#BuddhaDharma#Causality#LawofCourseand effect#causeandeffect#EnteringDoorofDharma#DharmaKing#HolyMonk

13. MOUNTAIN BUCK AND VILLAGE DOE [INFATUATION]

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13. MOUNTAIN BUCK AND VILLAGE DOE [INFATUATION]

Buddhist Tales for Young and Old, volume 1, Prince Goodspeaker, Stories 1-50

Once upon a time, in northern India, there was a herd of village deer. They were used to being near villages; they were born there and grew up there. They knew they had to be very careful around people. This was especially true at harvest time, when the crops were tall, and the farmers trapped and killed any deer who came near.

At harvest time, the village deer stayed in the forest all day long. They only came near the village during the dark of the night. One of these was a beautiful young doe. She had soft reddish-brown fur, a fluffy white tail and big wide bright eyes.

During this particular season, there was a young mountain buck who had strayed into the same low forest. One day, he saw the beautiful young doe, and immediately became infatuated with her. He didn’t know anything about her. But he imagined himself to be deeply in love with her, just because of her reddish-brown fur and her fluffy white tail and her big wide bright eyes. He even dreamed about her, although she did not know he existed!

After a few days, the young mountain buck decided to introduce himself. As he was walking out into the clearing where she was grazing, he was entranced by her appearance and could not take his eyes off her. He began speaking: “Oh my sweet beauty, as lovely as the stars and as bright as the moon, I confess to you that I am deeply” — Just then the young buck’s hoof got caught in a root, he tripped and fell, and his face splashed in a mud puddle! The pretty village doe was flattered, so she smiled. But inside, she thought this mountain buck was really rather silly!

Meanwhile, unknown to the deer, there was a clan of tree fairies living in that part of the forest. They had been watching the mountain buck, while he secretly watched the village doe. When he walked out into the clearing, began his speech, and fell in the mud puddle – the fairies laughed and laughed. “What fools these dumb animals are!” they cried. But one fairy did not laugh. He said,”I fear this is a warning of danger to this young fool!”

The young buck was a little embarrassed, but he did not see it as any kind of warning. From then on, he followed the doe wherever she went. He kept telling her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. She didn’t pay much attention.

Then night came, and it was time for the doe to go down to the village. The people who lived along the way knew the deer passed by at night. So they set traps to catch them. That night a hunter waited, hiding behind a bush.

Photo by mali maeder on Pexels.com

Carefully, the village doe set out. The mountain buck, who was still singing her praises, went right along with her. She stopped and said to him, “My dear buck, you are not experienced with being around villages. You don’t know how dangerous human beings are. The village, and the way to it, can bring death to a deer even at night. Since you are so young and inexperienced (and she thought to herself, ‘and foolish’), you should not come down to the village with me. You should remain in the safety of the forest.”

At this, the tree fairies applauded. But of course, the deer could not hear them.

The young buck paid no attention to the doe’s warning. He just said, “Your eyes look so lovely in the moonlight!” and kept walking with her. She said, “If you won’t listen to me, at least be quiet!” He was so infatuated with her, that he could not control his mind. But he did finally shut his mouth!

After a while, they approached the place where the hunter was hiding behind a bush. The fairies saw him, and became agitated and frightened for the deer’s safety. They flew nervously around the tree, branches, but they could only watch.

The doe could smell the hiding man. She was afraid of a trap. So, thinking to save her own life, she let the buck go first. She followed a little way behind.

When the hunter saw the unsuspecting mountain buck, he shot his arrow and killed him instantly. Seeing this, the terrified doe turned tail and ran back to the forest clearing as fast as she could.

The hunter claimed his kill. He started a fire, skinned the deer, cooked some of the venison and ate his fill. Then he threw the carcass over his shoulder and carried it back home to feed his family.

When the fairies saw what happened, some of them cried. As they watched the hunter cut up the once noble looking buck, some of them felt sick. Others blamed the careful doe for leading him to the slaughter.

But the wise fairy, who had given the first warning, said, “It was the excitement of infatuation that killed this foolish deer. Such blind desire brings false happiness at first, but ends in pain and suffering.”

The moral is: Infatuation leads to destruction.

13. Mountain Buck and Village Doe [Infatuation]

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2022/01/11/13-mountain-buck-and-village-doe-infatuation/

INTERPRETER’S INTRODUCTION – BUDDHIST TALES FOR YOUNG AND OLD, VOLUME 1, STORIES 1-50

#Buddhisttalesforyoungandold #Buddhiststories #storiesforkids #moralstories #Buddha #Jatakastories #PansiyaPanasJataka