Our life is short. However, we are unbelievably fortunate to have been born as humans, able to listen to the Buddha's teaching, able to understand a little of its profound and incomparable truth. The Law of Cause and Effect is unchangeable, is permanent. We reap what we sow. By sowing good causes, we reap good consequences; sowing bad causes, we reap bad consequences. Even Buddhas and Bodhisattvas cannot alter this reality.
However, with the causes that we have already planted, we can learn how to alter our catalyst condition before it comes into effect. Furthermore we need to refrain from committing any more bad deeds and to commit more god deeds, to distance ourselves from adverse conditions. In some cases this can reduce or eliminate the bad effect. In this way we can control our own consequences, transform our environment and change the direction in which we are currently headed.
We are learning of more and more prophecies that speak of upcoming disasters, even of the end of the world. These prophecies also tell us that these could neither be reduced or delayed or even prevented if we replaced our incorrect ways with those that are good, with those that benefit others and not ourselves. But if we do not turn back now, then it will be very hard to avoid them.
It is crucial that people understand that using physical force cannot solve problems, for even if we totally destroy a country, even if we detonate enough bombs to wipe out the face of the earth, it still will not solve our problems. We cannot waste this opportunity but need to cultivate in a sincere and diligent manner, to apply the principles with unselfish thought and behaviour. To be good, to be warm, to be sincere, to put all our efforts into helping others. In this way, all that is good will come our way.
Buddha Shakyamuni told us that there are three cataclysmic disasters and three lesser disasters in this world. The cataclysmic ones are comprised of fire, water and wind. The Flower Adornment Sutra tells us that disasters of fire can burn up to the First Meditation Heaven Realm, one of the twenty-eight levels of the heavens. This is the highest realm that a fire can reach. Fire is caused when ordinary people feel jealousy, feel hatred.
Since this First Meditation Heaven is still subject to fire disasters, we know that even these heavenly beings have not yet completely suppressed their anger. They have cultivated the Four Immeasurable Hearts of loving kindness, compassion, joy and letting go, but the cultivation of these four hearts still cannot effectively suppress their angers. Thus, they are still subject to fire disasters.
Beings in the Second Meditation Heaven Realm have thoroughly conquered their anger since they do not give rise to any thought of hatred. So, this heaven realm will not suffer from fire. However, it is still subject to flood disasters, which can submerge this heaven realm. Where does the flood come from? From our greed.
Having attained deeper concentration than those in the First and Second Heavens, the beings in the Third Meditation Heaven, will not suffer fires or floods. But they are still subject to wind disasters, which are caused by ignorance.
The Fourth Meditation Heaven Realm has no fire, flood or wind. Therefore, we call this heaven realm the good fortune heaven. The beings here possess the foremost fortune among the six realms.
If we want to avoid or to be rid of all disasters, we must sever our greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance. We should neither feel greed for worldly teaching nor for the Buddha's teachings. For to feel the slightest trace will block us from severing the mind of greed. Will block us from eradicating the disasters, which are increasing in both frequency and severity. This is very important. These have been predicted by many ancient prophecies from respected religious leaders in many different countries.
Three thousand years ago Buddha Shakyamuni told us of the partial destruction of the world, which would be from war, epidemic and famine. He told of a war that would last for seven days and seven nights. Then there would be an epidemic that would last for seven months and seven days. Finally, a famine that would last for seven years, seven months and seven days. In the past, it was difficult to imagine how a war could last just seven days but have such devastating results. It was beyond imagination.
But when Master Chin Kung was in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on a trip to Japan, he realized that what the Buddha was describing was nuclear warfare. In Nagasaki, after the atomic explosion, many People survived the explosion itself, but were infected with atomic fallout and consequently many of them died during the first six months. This can be described as an epidemic.
The radiation sickness that results from atomic fallout is insidious. It starts by destroying one white cell and gradually progresses until there is massive cell destruction then uncontrolled bleeding and finally, death. Anyone, who was still alive at least seven months after the detonation would be considered as having survived the immediate effects of the bomb.
For years after the explosion, there were no trees, no plants, no grass. All was barren. The trees and grass started to grow approximately eights years after the detonation of the bombs. It was as the Buddha had told us; the ground would grow nothing for seven years, seven months, seven days. In this period, all will suffer from famine.
From this, we realize that the partial destruction of the world that was told to us by the Buddha is indeed that of nuclear warfare. Could it really happen? Many believe it is very likely. Access to nuclear weapons is becoming more widespread, more difficult to control. No one knows how long this tentative control can be maintained. Very honestly, the only way to attain real control is to encourage and help all to understand the need to prevent human made tragedies. If we observe the world situation objectively, then we will see that it is very difficult to avoid this probably disaster.
If the war were to happen now, half of the world's population could be killed. How can we escape such a war? The day before he passed on to the Western Pure Land, Master Chin Kung's teacher, Mr Bing-Nan Lee told his students, that this world was going to experience a significant disaster. Even Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and Heavenly beings would not be able to help. He urged his students that the only way to free themselves would be to seek birth into the Pure Land. To assure this, we need to stop all bad thoughts, speech and behaviour.
We need to accumulate only good deeds. How? By ceasing all selfish ideas, by constantly thinking of how to benefit all others, by letting go of our own interest for the sake of others. This will stop our bad deeds and help us to accumulate only good ones. But, if our every thought is only of ourselves, it will be very difficult for us to avoid this approaching disaster.
Why do we persist in our anger, our hatred, our fighting? Why do we have conflicts, the inability to tolerate others? Why do we seem so determined to keep heading towards the brink? Selfishness. Wrong viewpoints. The inability to truly care for others. The inability to truly understand that everything arises from our minds. The inability to understand that every thought we have is instantly felt throughout the entire universe.
We need to let go of our selfishness and comprehend that the whole universe is our home and that we are one with the universe. We have the same self-nature as Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The difference between them and we is that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas comprehend this. All sentient beings have been our past parents. All sentient beings will be future Buddhas. Understanding this, how can we not be respectful to all beings? How can we possibly harm them?
We originally had this comprehension, this great broad mindedness. Then why are we so narrow minded now? We are deluded, unable to see through our false beliefs and wrong viewpoints. Our innate wisdom and abilities are thus temporarily lost to us. However, if we can break through this delusion, then we will be able to uncover this wisdom for it is not permanently lost. In the Flower Adornment Sutra , we can see the broad-mindedness of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. All of the infinite and countless numbers of beings at the assembly who gathered to hear this unsurpassed teaching are one.
If we could just understand this true reality and expand our mind, then we too would recognize that no matter what race, what religion, what culture, we are all one. With this wisdom; discrimination, misunderstanding and conflict among beings would naturally diminish. First, man made tragedies would be avoided. Then what we think of as natural tragedies would likewise dissolve.
The environment changes with our minds. When our minds are serene and compassionate, our living environment will become tranquil and peaceful. As we learn of the magnificence of the Western Pure Land from the Infinite Life Sutra , we might ask where this magnificence and adornment come from? The sutras tell us that only the most virtuous people dwell there. Thus, the wonderful environment is a reflection of their virtues, their minds.
Today our living environment is being polluted and destroyed. Some say that the earth is rapidly becoming unsuitable for living. How did this happen? It is the result of the bad intentions and deeds of we human beings. And this is the real reason for what is happening today. To save our world, we need to use great wisdom to help those who are deluded to become awakened. How? Through education. All the great sages have used education to overcome ignorance. For example, Buddha Shakyamuni taught for forty-nine years and Confucius taught for his entire lifetime.
But how can we reach enough people to change what is about to happen? High technology. Once we begin to understand and awaken, we can use high technology to bring our message to everyone. It is not too late to save our world. If all the worldwide television companies would broadcast two hours of the teaching everyday, in one year the earth could return to normal. The disasters would naturally cease.
