When we live together at a place of proper cultivation, we must be mutually respectful as well as harmonious.
The Buddha helps those who have affinity with him. The question of affinity rests in whether the person accepts the teachings or not. The Buddha's compassion and teachings extend over all living beings, just as the sun shines evenly over the great earth. Those who hide in the shade cannot receive the benefits of the sunshine, just as those who cover themselves in ignorance cannot benefit from the Buddha's teachings. We should truly believe in the existence of heaven and hell. If we practice kind deeds, our future will be in heaven. If we commit evil acts, our future will be in hell.
When we are jealous of others, we only harm ourselves in the process.
Wisdom is essential if we truly wish to propagate the Teachings and benefit living beings. Do not use emotions when helping others, use wisdom and be reasonable. If we use emotions when dealing with people and matters, it often makes a good thing go bad.
A wise mind is like a mirror, reflecting and perceiving everything clearly, without distortion.
A student of the Buddha strictly abides by the moral codes, the laws of the nation and society, and disciplines himself/herself in the teachings of the Buddha.
As our teacher, the Buddha himself took care of the old and sick, and was mindful and ever ready to help all beings in need. The Buddha's conduct showed unconditional compassion, set-ting a great example for us to follow. Life is short and fragile, why not cultivate kindness instead of committing acts which cause harm to living beings and to oneself?
Be constantly mindful of people worried by afflictions and bring forth the heart to help them. Learn to tie good affinities with others and always be friendly.
To help others is to help ourselves.
To respect others is to respect ourselves.
People who deceive others may some-day still feel remorseful and can be saved from hell, but those who deceive themselves have no way of escaping at all.
If people would sincerely accrue virtues and practice kind deeds, disasters and calamities can either be reduced or eliminated depending upon the degree of sincerity and kind deeds practiced.
The key to success is diligence.
The different methods prescribed by the Buddha come from the different needs of living beings. The methods spring forth naturally from the pure, unwavering heart of the Buddha, without the slightest difficulty.
The Pure Land method of cultivation is the most difficult to believe and easiest to practice.
A cultivator can be compared to a worm eating its way out of a bamboo tree. When he practices other cultivation methods, he is like a worm eating his way up, taking a long time and tedious effort. If he practices the Pure Land method, it is like he is eating his way sideways through the bamboo. He will attain liberation in a short time with lighter effort.
Initially, the Buddha teaches us how to be a good person, and ultimately, a completely understanding being exactly like the Buddha.
True virtue and proper conduct are necessary factors in cultivation. If one cannot practice what one teaches, then regardless of how much one knows, they all become useless at the end of his life.
Peace of the world is based on peace in the family.
Our goal in studying Buddhism and cultivation is to attain complete under-standing of life and the universe.
When helping others, we should think about benefiting the entire society or even the world instead of limiting our help to just the ones we love. Expanding the boundaries of our care for others makes our lives more meaningful, full of freedom and happiness.
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas treat all living beings as they would treat themselves. Unlike us, they do not discriminate between themselves and others. Their compassion is non-discriminating and they do not expect anything in return for their labors.
Disasters appear according to people's thoughts. If we want to turn the tide of destiny, we must first turn our thoughts toward kindness and compassion. We can become vegetarians, refrain from killing to cultivate compassion and constantly be mindful of the Buddha's teachings. Worries arise from the mind. It would be wise to not let things worry us. Nothing and no one can make us worry without our permission.
Accord with the people around us. Do not let our personality get in the way of our relationships with other people.
Do not worry over worldly matters.
Not only, should we be modest when reciting the Buddha's name, we should be modest when doing anything! Our hearts find peace when we under-stand the law of cause and effect:"What goes around, comes around." We would cease to blame others for our own misfortunes because we would be aware of the fact that we brought it upon ourselves. When our heart is at peace, we develop concentration, and with concentration, wisdom comes forth. Wisdom is the key to changing our lives for the better because for only with wisdom can we see true reality.
If we wish to bring peace to the world, we must start by changing our erroneous ways. World peace stems from inner peace.
The ancients often taught of the way to reach attainment through a vase analogy. A conceited cultivator is like a vase filled to the rim with stagnant water, unable to receive a drop of the true teachings. A cultivator who still holds his own stubborn viewpoints is like an unwashed vase, any true teachings given to him would instantly be contaminated. A cultivator who accepts the teachings but does not put it into practice is like a vase with a hole in the bottom, everything it receives just leaks right back out again. We can learn to not only accept the teachings with a pure, humble heart but to truly put them into practice. Only through this way are we really worth the teachings we hold.
We must cleanse ourselves of greed, anger and ignorance. These three poisons are the roots behind all our sufferings.
True love is undiscriminating, unattaching and unconditional, we should share this love with all beings. This is called compassion.
Living the Buddha's teachings is to fill our lives with utmost wisdom and happiness. In Christianity, faith in God is foremost. In Buddhism, faith in oneself is foremost.
We must learn to"let go" and not be too stubborn with our viewpoints. If this goal can be achieved, then we will be at great ease and live a happy, fulfilling life.
