Tuesday, March 11, 2014

淨土宗

 佛陀教學,善巧方便,隨眾生根機,應病與藥。佛在《大集經》中告訴我們,「正法時期,戒律成就」,佛滅度後的第一個一千年,此時期教法住世,依教法 修行,持戒就能證果;「像法時期,禪定成就」,佛滅度後的第二個一千年,此時期雖有教法,但單靠持戒不能證果,還需要修定;「末法時期,淨土成就」,末法 一萬年,此時期眾生,根機漸次低下,加上外有誘惑,內有煩惱,因此,想要修行證果,愈來愈困難。佛陀慈悲,為生在末法時期的我們,指出淨土這條明路,一條 「萬修萬人去」的歸路。
  釋迦牟尼佛說法四十九年,講經三百餘會,幾乎每一會都提到淨宗的殊勝。佛所說的一切經,最後都匯歸到《華嚴經》,而《華嚴經》末後則以普賢菩薩十大願王導歸極樂,足見極樂世界是修行最圓滿、最究竟之皈依處,而淨土法門則是整個《大藏經》的歸宿。

  「淨土宗」係因專修往生阿彌陀佛淨土法門,故名。因其始祖慧遠曾在廬山建立蓮社提倡往生淨土,故又稱蓮宗。實際創立者為唐代善導。歷代祖師並無 前後傳承法統,均為後人據其弘揚淨土的貢獻推戴而來。按近代印光所撰《蓮宗十二祖贊》,以慧遠、善導、承遠、法照、少康、延壽、省常、祩宏、智旭、行策、 實賢、際醒為蓮宗十二祖。前九祖和《蓮宗九祖傳略》大致相同。後印光也被其門下推為第十三祖。

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

勸發菩提心文


勸發菩提心文

不 肖,愚下凡夫僧實賢,泣血稽顙,哀告現前大眾,及當世淨信男女等,惟願慈悲,少加聽察。嘗聞入道要門,發心為首;修行急務,立願居先。願立則眾生可度,心 發則佛道堪成。苟不發廣大心,立堅固願,則縱經塵劫,依然還在輪迴;雖有修行,總是徒勞辛苦,故華嚴經云:『忘失菩提心,修諸善法,是名魔業』。忘失尚 爾,況未發乎?故知欲學如來乘,必先具發菩薩願,不可緩也。

然 心願差別,其相乃多;若不指陳,如何趨向?今為大眾略而言之。相有其八:所謂邪正真偽大小偏圓是也。云何名為邪正真偽大小偏圓耶?世有行人,一向修行,不 究自心,但知外務:或求利養,或好名聞,或貪現世欲樂,或望未來果報。如是發心,名之為邪。既不求利養名聞,又不貪欲樂果報,唯為生死,為菩提。如是發 心,名之為正。念念上求佛道,心心下化眾生。聞佛道長遠,不生退怯;觀眾生難度,不生厭倦。如登萬仞之山,必窮其頂;如上九層之塔,必造其顛。如是發心, 名之為真。有罪不懺,有過不除,內濁外清,始勤終怠。雖有好心,多為名利之所夾雜;雖有善法,復為罪業之所染污。如是發心,名之為偽。眾生界盡,我願方 盡;菩提道成,我願方成。如是發心,名之為大。觀三界如牢獄,視生死如怨家;但期自度,不欲度人。如是發心,名之為小。若於心外見有眾生,及以佛道,願度 願成;功勛不忘,知見不泯。如是發心,名之為偏。若知自性是眾生,故願度脫。自性是佛道,故願成就。不見一法,離心別有;以虛空之心,發虛空之願,行虛空 之行,證虛空之果,亦無虛空之相可得。如是發心,名之為圓。知此八種差別,則知審察;知審察,則知去取;知去取,則可發心。云何審察?謂我所發心,於此八 中,為邪、為正?為真、為偽?為大、為小?為偏、為圓?云何去取?所謂去邪、去偽、去小、去偏,取正、取真、取大、取圓;如此發心,方得名為真正發菩提心 也。

此菩提心,諸善中王;必有因緣,方得發起。今言因緣,略有十種。何等為十?一者念佛重恩故。二者念父母恩故。三者念師長恩故。四者念施主恩故。五者念眾生恩故。六者念生死苦故。七者尊重己靈故。八者懺悔業障故。九者求生淨土故。十者為念正法得久住故。

云 何念佛重恩?謂我釋迦如來最初發心,為我等故,行菩薩道,經無量劫,備受諸苦。我造業時,佛則哀憐,方便教化;而我愚癡,不知信受。我墮地獄,佛復悲痛, 欲代我苦;而我業重,不能救拔。我生人道,佛以方便,令種善根,世世生生,隨逐於我,心無暫捨。佛初出世,我尚沈淪;今得人身,佛已滅度。何罪而生末法? 何福而預出家?何障而不見金身?何幸而躬逢舍利?如是思惟,向使不種善根,何以得聞佛法?不聞佛法,焉知常受佛恩?此恩此德,丘山難喻。自非發廣大心,行 菩薩道,建立佛法,救度眾生;縱使粉身碎骨,豈能酬答?是為發菩提心第一因緣也。

云 何念父母恩?哀哀父母,生我劬勞。十月三年,懷胎乳哺;推乾去濕,嚥苦吐甘,才得成人。指望紹繼門風,供承祭祀。今我等既已出家,濫稱釋子,忝號沙門。甘 旨不供,祭掃不給;生不能養其口體,死不能導其神靈。於世間則為大損,於出世又無實益;兩途既失,重罪難逃。如是思惟,惟有百劫千生,常行佛道;十方三 世,普度眾生。則不惟一生父母,生生父母,俱蒙拔濟;不惟一人父母,人人父母,盡可超升。是為發菩提心第二因緣也。

云 何念師長恩?父母雖能生育我身,若無世間師長,則不知禮義;若無出世師長,則不解佛法。不知禮義,則同於異類;不解佛法,則何異俗人?今我等粗知禮義,略 解佛法,袈裟被體,戒品沾身;此之重恩,從師長得。若求小果,僅能自利;今為大乘,普願利人,則世出世間二種師長,俱蒙利益。是為發菩提心第三因緣也。

云 何念施主恩?謂我等今者,日用所資,並非己有。二時粥飯,四季衣裳,疾病所需,身口所費,此皆出自他力,將為我用。彼則竭力躬耕,尚難餬口;我則安坐受 食,猶不稱心。彼則紡織不已,猶自艱難;我則安服有餘,甯知愛惜?彼則蓽門蓬戶,擾攘終身;我則廣宇閒庭,悠游卒歲。以彼勞而供我逸,於心安乎?將他利而 潤己身,於理順乎?自非悲智雙運,福慧二嚴,檀信沾恩,眾生受賜,則粒米寸絲,酬償有分,惡報難逃。是為發菩提心第四因緣也。

云 何念眾生恩?謂我與眾生,從曠劫來,世世生生,互為父母,彼此有恩。今雖隔世昏迷,互不相識;以理推之,豈無報效?今之披毛帶角,安知非昔為其子乎?今之 蝡動蜎飛,安知不曾為我父乎?每見幼離父母,長而容貌都忘;何況宿世親緣,今則張王難記。彼其號呼於地獄之下,宛轉於餓鬼之中,苦痛誰知?饑虛安訴?我雖 不見不聞,彼必求拯求濟。非經不能陳此事,非佛不能道此言;彼邪見人,何足以知此?是故菩薩觀於螻蟻,皆是過去父母,未來諸佛;常思利益,念報其恩。是為 發菩提心第五因緣也。

云 何念生死苦?謂我與眾生,從曠劫來,常在生死,未得解脫。人間天上,此界他方,出沒萬端,升沈片刻。俄焉而天,俄焉而人,俄焉而地獄、畜生、餓鬼。黑門朝 出而暮還,鐵窟暫離而又入。登刀山也,則舉體無完膚;攀劍樹也,則方寸皆割裂。熱鐵不除饑,吞之則肝腸盡爛;烊銅難療渴,飲之則骨肉都糜。利鋸解之,則斷 而復續;巧風吹之,則死已還生。猛火城中,忍聽叫嗥之慘;煎熬盤裏,但聞苦痛之聲。冰凍始凝,則狀似青蓮蕊結;血肉既裂,則身如紅藕華開。一夜死生,地下 每經萬遍;一朝苦痛,人間已過百年。頻煩獄卒疲勞,誰信閻翁教誡?受時知苦,雖悔恨以何追?脫已還忘,其作業也如故!鞭驢出血,誰知吾母之悲?牽豕就屠, 焉識乃翁之痛?食其子而不知,文王尚爾;啖其親而未識,凡類皆然!當年恩愛,今作怨家;昔日寇仇,今成骨肉。昔為母而今為婦,舊是翁而新作夫。宿命知之, 則可羞可恥;天眼視之,則可笑可憐。糞穢叢中,十月包藏難過;膿血道裏,一時倒下可憐。少也何知,東西莫辨;長而有識,貪欲便生。須臾而老病相尋,迅速而 無常又至。風火交煎,神識於中潰亂;精血既竭,皮肉自外乾枯。無一毛而不被鍼鑽,有一竅而皆從刀割。龜之將烹,其脫殼也猶易;神之欲謝,其去體也倍難。心 無常主,類商賈而處處奔馳;身無定形,似房屋而頻頻遷徙。大千塵點,難窮往返之身;四海波濤,孰計別離之淚?峨峨積骨,過彼崇山;莽莽橫屍,多於大地!向 使不聞佛語,此事誰見誰聞?未睹佛經,此理焉知焉覺?其或依前貪戀,仍舊癡迷;祇恐萬劫千生,一錯百錯。人身難得而易失,良時易往而難追。道路冥冥,別離 長久;三途惡報,還自受之。痛不可言,誰當相代?興言及此,能不寒心?是故宜應斷生死流,出愛欲海;自他兼濟,彼岸同登。曠劫殊勛,在此一舉。是為發菩提 心第六因緣也。

云 何尊重己靈?謂我現前一心,直下與釋迦如來無二無別;云何世尊無量劫來早成正覺,而我等昏迷顛倒,尚做凡夫?又,佛世尊則具有無量神通智慧,功德莊嚴;而 我等則但有無量業繫煩惱,生死纏縛。心性是一,迷悟天淵;靜言思之,豈不可恥?譬如無價寶珠,沒在淤泥;視同瓦礫,不加愛重。是故宜應以無量善法,對治煩 惱。修德有功,則性德方顯;如珠被濯,懸在高幢。洞達光明,映蔽一切;可謂不孤佛化,不負己靈。是為發菩提心第七因緣也。

云 何懺悔業障?經言:犯一吉羅,如四天王壽五百歲,墮泥犁中。吉羅小罪,尚獲此報;何況重罪,其報難言!今我等日用之中,一舉一動,恆違戒律;一餐一水,頻 犯尸羅。一日所犯,亦應無量;何況終身歷劫,所起之罪,更不可言矣。且以五戒言之,十人九犯,少露多藏。五戒名為優婆塞戒,尚不具足;何況沙彌、比丘、菩 薩等戒,又不必言矣。問其名,則曰我比丘也;問其實,則尚不足為優婆塞也,豈不可愧哉!當知佛戒不受則已,受則不可毀犯;不犯則已,犯則終必墮落。若非自 愍愍他,自傷傷他,身口併切,聲淚俱下,普與眾生,求哀懺悔,則千生萬劫,惡報難逃。是為發菩提心第八因緣也。

云 何求生淨土?謂在此土修行,其進道也難;彼土往生,其成佛也易。易故一生可致,難故累劫未成。是以往聖前賢,人人趣向;千經萬論,處處指歸。末世修行,無 越於此。然經稱少善不生,多福乃致。言多福,則莫若執持名號;言多善,則莫若發廣大心。是以暫持聖號,勝於布施百年;一發大心,超過修行歷劫。蓋念佛本期 作佛;大心不發,則雖念奚為?發心原為修行;淨土不生,則雖發易退。是則下菩提種,耕以念佛之犁。道果自然增長;乘大願船,入於淨土之海,西方決定往生。 是為發菩提心第九因緣也。

云 何令正法久住?謂我世尊,無量劫來,為我等故,修菩提道,難行能行,難忍能忍,因圓果滿。遂致成佛。既成佛已,化緣周訖,入於涅槃。正法像法,皆已滅盡; 僅存末法,有教無人。邪正不分,是非莫辨;競爭人我,盡逐利名。舉目滔滔,天下皆是。不知佛是何人?法是何義?僧是何名?衰殘至此,殆不忍言;每一思及, 不覺淚下!我為佛子,不能報恩。內無益於己,外無益於人;生無益於時,死無益於後。天雖高,不能覆我;地雖厚,不能載我。極重罪人,非我而誰?由是痛不可 忍,計無所出。頓忘鄙陋,忽發大心;雖不能挽回末運於此時,決當圖護持正法於來世。是故偕諸善友,同到道場;述為懺摩,建茲法會。發四十八之大願,願願度 生;期百千劫之深心,心心作佛。從於今日,盡未來際;畢此一形,誓歸安養。既登九品,回入娑婆;俾得佛日重輝,法門再闡。僧海澄清於此界,人民被化於東 方;劫運為之更延,正法得以久住。此則區區真實苦心。是為發菩提心第十因緣也。

如 是十緣備識,八法周知,則趣向有門,開發有地;相與得此人身,居於華夏。六根無恙,四大輕安;具有信心,幸無魔障。況今我等,又得出家,又受具戒,又遇道 場,又聞佛法,又瞻舍利,又修懺法,又值善友,又具勝緣;不於今日發此大心,更待何日?惟願大眾,愍我愚誠,憐我苦志;同立此願,同發是心。未發者今發, 已發者增長;已增長者,今令相續。勿畏難而退怯,勿視易而輕浮;勿欲速而不久長,勿懈怠而無勇猛。勿委靡而不振起,勿因循而更期待;勿因愚鈍而一向無心, 勿以根淺而自鄙無分。譬諸種樹,種久則根淺而日深;又如磨刀,磨久則刀鈍而成利。豈可因淺勿種,任其自枯?因鈍弗磨,置之無用?又,若以修行為苦,則不知 懈怠尤苦。修行則勤勞暫時,安樂永劫;懈怠則偷安一世,受苦多生。況乎以淨土為舟航,則何愁退轉?又得無生為忍力,則何慮艱難?當知地獄罪人,尚發菩提於 住劫;豈可人倫佛子,不立大願於今生?無始昏迷,往者既不可諫;而今覺悟,將來猶尚可追。然迷而未悟,固可哀憐;苟知而不行,尤為痛惜。若懼地獄之苦,則 精進自生;若念無常之速,則懈怠不起。又須以佛法為鞭策,菩友為提攜;造次弗離,終身依賴,則無退失之虞矣。勿言一念輕微,勿謂虛願無益;心真則事實,願 廣則行深。虛空非大,心王為大;金剛非堅,願力最堅。大眾誠能不棄我語,則菩提眷屬,從此聯姻;蓮社宗盟,自今締好。所願同生淨土,同見彌陀,同化眾生, 同成正覺;則安知未來三十二相,百福莊嚴,不從今日發心立願而始也。願與大眾共勉之。幸甚幸甚!

Buddha teaching 阿彌陀佛 Amituofo

My mind now is all 阿彌陀佛 Amituofo. I now use 阿彌陀佛 Amituofo to replace all my wandering thoughts. This is the very effective ways to supress the wild thoughts or evil thoughts. No wonder Buddha recommended this method 2500 years ago. According to the Buddha teaching, this word阿彌陀佛 Amituofo is the helping words that can help human beings to go pure land and end the incarnation suffering. In simple words, the simplest way to go pure land, this land call Amituofo land or Buddha blissful land. Now is the end age of Buddha teaching, we still have 9000years to go before Buddhism no longer in this world. This was the land that created by Amituofo to save human beings end the suffering, Amituofo will bring us to the pure land when we about to leave this world. The condition is that our last thought must be Amituofo and stay alert at the last moment. So now we need to practise first by reciting the word 阿彌陀佛 Amituofo. This is the perfect and simply way at this time. Hope all people who want to go pure land, do not give up and you will be there for sure.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

一切法從心想生

現在我們學佛要感謝科學家,科學家把這個謎底揭穿了,讓我們明白了。那就是彌勒菩薩所說的,念頭,不要小看了,佛在經上常說,「一切法從心想生」,心想就是念頭,這個念頭一秒鐘有一千六百兆。一千六百兆分之一,你能掌握到嗎?那一個念頭就是一個生滅。生滅不可得,那就是涅槃。這一個生滅就是一個生死,一個念頭的生死,一個宇宙所有一切萬法的生滅。因為一切法都是那一念產生的,這個你一定要知道。像我們真的看電影的幻燈片一樣,鏡頭一打開,一時頓現,在銀幕上一切都出來了,依報、正報全看到了。時間多長?一千六百兆分之一秒。生滅不可得,一秒鐘已經有一千六百兆個生滅,十秒鐘有一萬六千兆的生滅,在十秒鐘。十秒很長的時間了,有一萬六千兆的生滅。不能掌握,這種速度在我們眼前,我們見不到;這音聲在我們面前,聽不到,我們的六根在這些形相面前不起作用。你把這個仔細去思惟、去觀察,你才曉得生死即涅槃,究竟了義。今天時間到了,我們就學習到此地。

Friday, January 17, 2014

Buddha teaching The four clear and decisive instructions on purity

(The four clear and decisive instructions on purity:)

Ananda straightened his robes and then, in the midst of the assembly, placed his palms together and bowed. His mind was perfectly clear, and he felt a mixture of joy and sorrow. His intent was to benefit beings of the future as he made obeisance and said to the Buddha, "Greatly Compassionate Bhagavan. I have already awakened and attained this Dharma-door for becoming a Buddha, and I can cultivate it without the slightest doubt. I have often heard the Tathagata say, 'Save others first; then save yourself. That is the aspiration of a Bodhisattva. Once your own enlightenment is perfected, then you can enlighten others. That is the way the Tathagatas respond to the world.' Although I am not yet saved, I vow to save all beings of the Dharma-ending Age.

"Bhagavan, those beings are from the Buddha's time, and there will be as many deviant teachers propounding their teachings as there are sand grains in the Ganges. I want to enable those beings to collect their thoughts and enter Samadhi. How can I cause them to reside peacefully in a Way-place, far away from exploits of demons, and be irreversible in their resolve for Bodhi?"

At that time, the Bhagavan praised Ananda in front of the whole assembly, saying, "Good indeed! How good it is that you have asked how to establish a Way-place and to rescue and protect beings who are sunk in the morass of the final age. Listen well, now, and I will tell you."

Ananda and the great assembly agreed to uphold the teaching.

The Buddha told Ananda, "You constantly hear me explain in the Vinaya that there are three decisive aspects to cultivation. That is, collecting one's thoughts constitutes the precepts; from the precepts comes Samadhi; and from Samadhi arises wisdom. These are called the Three Non-Outflow Studies. "

"Ananda, why do I call collecting one's thoughts the precepts? If beings in the six paths of any mundane world had no sexual desire, they would not have to undergo a continual succession of births and deaths. Your basic purpose in cultivating Samadhi is to transcend the wearisome defilements. But if you do not renounce sexual desire, you will not be able to get out of the dust. Even though people may have some wisdom and the manifestation of Dhyana Samadhi, if they do not exterminate sexual desire, they are certain to enter demonic paths. At best, they will become demon kings; on the average, they will become members of the retinue of demons; at the lowest level, they will become female demons. These demons all have their groups of disciples. Each claims that he has accomplished the Unsurpassed Way. After my Nirvana, in the Dharma-ending Age, these hordes of demons will abound, spreading like wildfire as they openly practice greed and lust, while claiming to be Good Knowing Advisors. They will cause beings to fall into the pit of love and views and lose the way to Bodhi."

"When you teach people of the world to cultivate Samadhi, they must first of all cut off the mind of sexual desire. This is the first clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagatas, the Buddhas of the past, the Bhagavans. Therefore, Ananda, if cultivators of Dhyana Samadhi do not exterminate sexual desire, they are like someone who cooks sand hoping to get rice. After hundreds of thousands of eons, it will still just be hot sand. Why? It wasn't rice to begin with; it was only sand. If you seek the Buddha's wonderful fruition with a body of sexual desire, then even if you attain a wonderful awakening, it is still based on sexual desire. With sexual desire at the source, you will revolve in the three paths and not be able to get out. Which road will you take to cultivate and be certified to the Tathagata's Nirvana? You must exterminate the sexual desire which is intrinsic to both body and mind, then get rid of even the aspect of extermination. At that point you have some hope of attaining the Buddha's Bodhi. What I have said here is the Buddhas' teaching. Any explanation counter to it is the teaching of Papiyan(demon king)."

"Further, Ananda, if beings in the six paths of any mundane world had no thoughts of killing, they would not have to a undergo a continual succession of births and deaths. Your basic purpose in cultivating Samadhi is to transcend the wearisome defilements. But if you do not renounce your thoughts of killing, you will not be able to get out of the dust. Even though people may have some wisdom and the manifestation of Dhyana Samadhi, they are certain to enter the path of spirits if they do not cease killing. At best, they will become ghosts of great strength; on the average, they will become flying yakshas, ghost leaders, or the like; at the lowest level, they will become earth-bound rakshasas. These ghosts and spirits all have their followers. Each claims that he has accomplished the Unsurpassed Way. After my Nirvana, in the Dharma-ending Age, these hordes of ghosts and spirits will abound, spreading like wildfire as they argue that eating meat will bring one to the Bodhi Way. Ananda, I permit the Bhikshus to eat five kinds of pure meat. This meat is actually a transformation brought into being by my spiritual powers. It basically has no life-force. You Brahmans live in a climate so hot and humid, and on such sandy and rocky land, that vegetables will not grow; therefore, I have had to assist you with spiritual powers and compassion. Because of this magnanimous kindness and compassion, this so-called meat suits your taste. After my extinction, how can those who eat the flesh of beings be called the disciples of Shakya? You should know that, even if these meat-eaters may enter the heart-open state similar to Samadhi, they are all great Rakshas. When their retribution ends, they are bound to sink into the bitter sea of birth and death. They are not disciples of the Buddha. Such people as these kill and eat one another in a never-ending cycle. How can such people transcend the Triple Realm? "

"When you teach people of the world to cultivate Samadhi, they must also cease killing. This is the second clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagatas, the Buddhas of the Past, the Bhagavans. Therefore, Ananda, if cultivators of Dhyana Samadhi do not stop killing, they are like one who stops up his ears and calls out in a loud voice, thinking that no one hears him.. He tries to cover up the sound, but only makes it greater. Pure Bhikshus and Bodhisattvas who practice purity will not even step on grass in the pathway; even less would they pull it up with their hands. How could anyone with great compassion consume the flesh and blood of beings? Bhikshus who do not wear silk, leather boots, furs, or down, whether imported or found locally, and who do not consume milk, cream, or butter, can truly transcend this world. When they have paid back their past debts, they will not have to re-enter the Triple Realm. Why not? When someone wears anything taken from a living creature, he creates relationships with the creature, just as when people ate the hundred grains, their feet could not leave the earth. Both physically and mentally one must avoid the bodies and the by-products of beings, by neither wearing them nor eating them. I say that such people have true liberation. What I have said here is the Buddhas' teaching. Any explanation counter to it is the teaching of Papiyan(demon king)."

"Further, Ananda, if beings in the six paths of any mundane world had no thoughts of stealing, they would not have to undergo a continuous succession of births and deaths. Your basic purpose in cultivating Samadhi is to transcend the wearisome defilements. But if you do not renounce your thoughts of stealing, you will not be able to get out of the dust. Even though people may have some wisdom and the manifestation of Dhyana Samadhi, they are certain to enter a deviant path if they do not cease stealing. At best, they will become spirits; on the average, they will become evil ghosts; at the lowest level, they will become deviant people who are possessed by various sprites. These deviant hordes all have their followers. Each claims that he has accomplished the Unsurpassed Way. After my Nirvana, in the Dharma-ending Age, these evil and deviant entities will abound, spreading like wildfire as they surreptitiously cheat others. Calling themselves good knowing advisors, they will each claim that they have attained the Unsurpassed Dharma. Enticing and deceiving the ignorant, or frightening people out of their wits, they disrupt and lay waste to households wherever they go."

"I teach the Bhikshus to beg for their food according to where they are, in order to help them renounce greed and accomplish the Bodhi Way. The Bhikshus do not prepare their own food, so that, at the end of this life of transitory existence in the Triple Realm, they can show themselves to be Once-returners who go and do not return. How could thieves put on my robes and sell the Tathagata, saying that all manner of karma one creates is just the Buddha-Dharma? They slander Bhikshus who have left the home life and taken the complete precepts, saying that they belong to the path of Hinayana(Small Vehicle). In this way, they confuse innumerous beings, causing them to go astray, until they fall into the Unintermittent Hell."

"After my Nirvana, I affirm that Bhikshus who have a decisive resolve to cultivate Samadhi, and who before the images of Tathagatas can light an oil lamp in their bodies or burn off a finger, or burn even one incense stick on their bodies, will, in that moment repay their debts from beginningless time past. They can depart from the world and be forever free of outflows. Though they may not have instantly understood the Unsurpassed Enlightenment, they will already have firmly set their minds on the Dharma. If one does not practice any of these token renunciations of the body on the causal level, then even if one realizes the unconditioned, one will still have to come back as a person to repay one's past debts, exactly as I had to undergo the retribution of having to eat the grain meant for horses."

"When you teach people of the world to cultivate Samadhi, they must also cease stealing. This is the third clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagatas, the Buddhas of the past, the Bhagavans. Therefore, Ananda, if cultivators of Dhyana Samadhi do not cease stealing, they are like someone who pours water into a leaking cup hoping to fill it. He may continue for as many eons as there are atoms of universe, but, in the end, the cup still will not be full. If Bhikshus do not store away anything else than their robes and bowls; if they give what is left over from their food-offerings to hungry beings; if they put their palms together and make obeisance to the entire great assembly; if when people scold them they can treat it as praise; if they can sacrifice their very bodies and minds, giving their flesh, bones, and blood to living creatures; and if they do not repeat the non-ultimate teachings of the Tathagata as though they were their own explanations, misleading those who have just begun to study; then Buddhas certify that they will attain true Samadhi. What I have said here is the Buddhas' teaching. Any explanation counter to it is the teaching of Papiyan(demon king)."

"Ananda, although beings in the six paths of any mundane world may not kill, steal, or lust either physically or mentally, these three aspects of their conduct thus being perfect, if they tell various major lies, then the Samadhi they attain will not be pure. They will become demons of love and views and will lose the seed of the Tathagata. They claim that they have attained what they have not attained, and that they have been certified when they have not been certified. Perhaps they seek to be foremost in the world, most venerated and superior people. They announce to their audiences that they have attained the fruition of a Shrotaapanna, of a Sakridagamin, of an Anagamin, of Arhatship, of the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or the various levels of Bodhisattvahood up to and including the Ten Bhumi(stage)s, in order to cause others to revere and repent in front of them and because they are greedy for offerings. These icchantikas destroy the seeds of Buddhahood just as surely as a tala-tree is destroyed if it is chopped down. The Buddha predicts that such people cut off their good roots forever and lose their knowledge and vision. Immersed in the sea of the Three Sufferings, they cannot attain Samadhi."

"I command that after my Nirvana, Bodhisattvas and Arhats appear in response-bodies in the Dharma-ending Age, and take various forms in order to rescue those in the cycle of rebirth. They should either become Shramanas, white-robed laypeople, kings, ministers or officials, virgin youths or maidens, and so forth, even prostitutes, widows, profligates, thieves, butchers, or dealers in contraband, be confreres of these kinds of people, praise the Buddha Vehicle and cause them to enter Samadhi in body and mind. But they should never say of themselves, 'I am truly a Bodhisattva'; or 'I am truly an Arhat,' or let the Buddhas' secret cause leak out by speaking casually to those who have not yet studied, other than at the end of their lives and then only to those who inherit the teaching. Otherwise, aren't such people deluding and confusing beings and indulging in gross false claims?"

"When you teach people in the world to cultivate Samadhi, they must also cease all lying. This is the fourth clear and decisive instruction on purity given by the Tathagatas and the Buddhas of the past, the Bhagavans. Therefore, Ananda, one who does not cut off lying is like a person who carves a piece of human excrement to look like chandana, hoping to make it fragrant. He is attempting the impossible. I teach the Bhikshus that the straight mind is the Way-place and that in all aspects of their practice of the Four Majestic Deportments they should avoid falseness. How could they claim to have themselves attained the Dharmas of a superior person? That would be like a poor person falsely calling himself an emperor and thereby bringing about his own execution. Much less should one attempt to usurp the title of the Dharma King. When the cause-ground is not true, the effects will be distorted. One who seeks the Buddha's Bodhi in that way is like a person who tries to bite his own navel. Who could possibly succeed in that?"

"If the Bhikshus' minds are as straight as bow-strings, and they are true and real in everything they do, then they can enter Samadhi and never be involved in the deeds of demons. I certify that such people will accomplish the Bodhisattvas' Unsurpassed Knowledge and Enlightenment. What I have said here is the Buddhas' teaching. Any explanation counter to it is the teaching of Papiyan(demon king)."
The above-mentioned are so important if one wants to attain Nirvana or stop the cycle of incarnation.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Buddha’s teachings can resolve today’s conflicts

Buddha’s teachings can resolve today’s conflicts too – President at UN Vesak Day

The teachings of the Buddha are relevant today as they were twenty six centuries ago. If the leaders of our modern world are to embrace this advice, many of today’s conflicts, both domestic and international, could be resolved for the benefit of mankind, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressing the United Nations Day of Vesak celebrations, in Bangkok today ( June 2).

“Justice and the Rule of Law are not alien concepts for those of us who from our childhood are nurtured by the doctrine of Buddha. These are, therefore not concepts that need to be preached to the converted,” the President said.

Here is text of President Rajapaksa’s address:

Most Venerable Sirs,

Most Venerable Prof. Phra Dharmakosajarn, President, International Council for Day of Vesak

Your Excellency, Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand

Your Excellency, Yongyoot Wichaidit, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand

Dr Noeleen Heyzer, Under Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the UN - ESCAP

Venerable Sirs, Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great joy to be amongst you today as we celebrate the United Nations Day of Vesak, here in Bangkok. At the very outset, allow me to thank the Royal Thai Government, United Nations and the International Council for Day of Vesak, for the organization of this event, and also for the recognition given to this most important day in the Buddhist calendar.

As the year of the Two Thousand Six Hundredth (2600th) Sambhuddathwa Jayanthi, comes to an end, I am not here simply as the Head of State of my country, but as a proud custodian of a tradition that has been passed down from one leader to another for centuries – as a protector and promoter of the Buddha Sasana. This has been the sacred duty of every Sri Lankan leader since time immemorial. I am humbled by this historical responsibility.
It is with much appreciation that I recall here the historical role played by Thailand, our host today, throughout the centuries, to ensure the wellbeing of the Buddha Sasana. One such occasion was 259 years ago, when Upali Maha Thera from Thailand, arrived in the last kingdom of Sri Lanka, Kandy, in the year 1753 to reinstate the higher ordination of Upasampada. We in Sri Lanka and the Buddhist world at large owe a debt of gratitude to the Thai people for having preserved the sublime teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha in its purest form.
Venerable Sirs, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

Buddha exhorted virtues of a righteous ruler, describing the Dasa Raja Dhamma or the ten-fold righteous rules of good governance as follows:

I quote in Pali:

Danang Silang Pariccagang

Ajjavan Majjavan Thapang

Akkodho Avihim sa cha

Khanti cha Avirodhata’’ (unquote)

“A righteous ruler will be: generous and charitable, of high morality, willing to sacrifice, honest and of high integrity, Kind and gentle, having austerity in habits, practicing non-hatred and non-violence, patient and tolerant and showing non-enmity.”

Even as children we are taught that when a ruler of a land carries out his or her administration in accordance with the Dasa Raja Dhamma, or the ten-fold righteous rules of good governance, both the ruler and the ruled will prosper and be invincible. Through these noble virtues the Buddha has advised on an array of aspects of governance, in which are incorporated all the seemingly modern concepts of democracy, justice, human rights and the rule of law; those very values that we today perceive to be the foundations of a free and democratic society.

These teachings of the Buddha are relevant today as they were twenty six centuries ago. If the leaders of our modern world are to embrace this advice, many of today’s conflicts, both domestic and international, could be resolved for the benefit of mankind. Justice and the Rule of Law are not alien concepts for those of us who from our childhood are nurtured by the doctrine of Buddha. These are, therefore not concepts that need to be preached to the converted.

Venerable Sirs, Excellencies, Ladies & Gentlemen,

Sakyamuni Buddha declared the basics of human rights thousands of years ago. The only classification of human beings according to Buddha is based on the quality of their moral conduct.

The Buddha condemned the caste system and recognized the equality of people, spoke on the need to improve socio-economic conditions, recognized the importance of a more equitable distribution of wealth among the rich and the poor, enhanced the status of women, recommended the incorporation of humanism in government and administration, and thought that a society should not be run by greed but with consideration and compassion for the people.

As per the teachings of the Buddha, the differences among men are made not by birth or the labels that are given through chance or choice, be it race, religion, nationality or any other, but by deed, by what they do.

Buddha preached:

(I Quote)

Najachcha Vasalo Hothi

Najachcha Hothi Brahmano

Kammana Vasalo Hothi

Kammana Hothi Brahmano (unquote)

This means that:

“Not by birth is one an outcast, not by birth is one a Brahmana. By deed is one an outcast, by deed is one a Brahmana”.

As the world comes together in the contemporary era, driven by technology, economic integration and people to people contacts, we are also witnessing a simultaneous fragmentation of groups, attempting to differentiate themselves from the rest of humanity. Instead of diversity being celebrated and cherished to create broader solidarity of ethnic, religious and ideological differences, it has increasingly become a source of conflict.

Different nations, ethno-religious groups and communities are competing over land, economic resources and political space, destroying solidarity and the need to establish a sense of common humanity. Religion, unfortunately, is becoming one of the fundamental forces of this division. Instead of being a great unifier and a source of spiritual enrichment, organised religion is increasingly becoming a tool in the hands of extremists, to create divisions among fellow humans, and in extreme cases to invoke violence against other groups.

We, as Buddhists have a responsibility to arrest this dangerous development. We, in Sri Lanka take pride that different communities, following diverse religious faiths, have lived in harmony for many centuries. Even while separatist terrorists attempted to heighten religious sentiment through devastating attacks on places of most venerated religious worship, our people maintained their unity and harmony.

In 1987, terrorists massacred dozens of hapless and innocent pilgrims at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, grown from a sapling of the sacred of the Ficus Religiosa tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. These same terrorists killed 33 Buddhist monks in June 1987 in Aranthalawa, and over a hundred Muslim worshipers at Kattankudi, in 1990, both in Eastern Sri Lanka. In 1998, they bombed the Sri Dalada Maligawa, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, one of the most venerated Buddhist shrines in the world.

In August 2005, the terrorists also assassinated the then Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, Lakshman Kadirgamar. I take a few moments to reflect on the enormous contribution made by the late Lakshman Kadirgamar for getting the Day of Vesak declared as a UN event, and his instrumental role in the passing of the UN Resolution in February 2000 that recognised Vesak as the most sacred day for Buddhists all over the world.

Yet through all these provocations, the people of Sri Lanka refused to be drawn into religious conflict. The age old tradition of respecting each other’s faiths prevailed over monstrous attempts by terrorists to sow the seeds of religious division.

The superiority of one individual or a group of people or community, therefore, is not through a particular divine right or by virtue of their birth, but by their actions. The manner in which one group conducts itself will determine whether it is worthy of a higher or lower label. Such words of wisdom are of paramount value in today’s context, where certain nations and groups have endeavoured to preach and lord over others by virtue of their given labels -- super power, regional power, economic power etc. It is by the conduct of these nations that they must be judged and be determined whether they are superior to another.

Venerable Sirs, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

As we celebrate the Day of Vesak, I wish to invoke that universal power of Metta or loving kindness, as approximately translated into the English language. The vice of anger and hatred that leads to many a conflict and heartache across the globe, can be subdued through the power of loving kindness.

Let us spread that message of peace to all corners of the globe, let the light of Buddhism shine and quell the darkness of ignorance, and,

May all beings be happy, and may the Noble Triple Gem Bless you all.

Thank you.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Buddha teaching Stop killing now

Namoamituofo. If We want to live longer and have the good health. The secret is giving true love to all animals. We are all part of the universe, the only difference is that we are more intelligent than them. Being more intelligent not mean we can bully these stupid one. Remember they do not want suffering also. If we kill them, our life will not go smoothly for sure but this statement only the awaken one and Buddhists, hindu or some other religion know. Do not kill them and we will be blessed. Because we never create fear for them, we will be ready live in peace. Do not kill animals mean giving peace for animals. This is the great contribution.Stop killing can lead us to have peaceful life, stop eating animals, we will be more healthy. All are one. We treat animals with compassion because we are all brothers, sisters. If we kill them, next life when we become animals, we will get killed. Why we want to kill them? We will be truly blessed if we adopt the buddha way of living-the pure and normal life style. Time to wake up and stop all suffering.
Buddha has many followers in this world because the teachings are ready peaceful. Not even one ant we can kill, Buddha just simply told us the reality of universe. Furthermore, Buddha told us to have enlightenment, we need to stop all desires and do not follow the abnormal ways that human beings do.
Yes, to go back to the original mindset, we need to learn how to attain it. 
Remember: To prevent get killed, we need to stop killing. With unconditional kindness to all type of animals, then we will be respected. If not, we have to pay back sooner and later, this is just the truth. Who know? Only the truly wise one know.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Buddha teaching Master Chin Kung in SriLanka Buddha talk

Master Chin Kung is now sharing his wisdom in the SriLanka girl school. Yes, Master Chin Kung had already reached SriLanka to give talk about Buddhism. Master Chin Kung was invited by SriLanka's President to give Buddha teaching for one month. I hope SriLanka can become the model peaceful country that all different group, different faiths can live harmoniously, happily. All help each others regardless of what races, religions....This not wealthy country stress the importance of quality life, simply and fulfilling life. that people have the happy, healthy life. Yes, SriLanka can bring hope to the whole world. I am now enjoying the live talk Singapore time 12pm to 2pm.From 29-May-2013 onwards, We have the golden chance to hear Master Chin Kung Buddha talk and great advice to all human beings. I personally will watch the live show at below link for one month. On 29 May 2013, Master chin kung told us how to have happy life. His own experiences is to have clean heart, eat vegetarian food and help others through sharing his thought of happy living. Master Chin Kung is now 87years old and these few days, he tirelessly give lectures to enlighten human beings 4hours everyday. Many people are benefiting from his teaching. Even Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak like to listen to his advice. Master Chin Kung united 9 religions in Singapore at year 2000. In year 2005, he spread  the  traditional teaching in his home town China Anhui province, within one year, people there became very cultured, good manners and the occurrence was presented in united nation. Now, he have sucessfully united many religions in Australia Toowoobai.   Today there is the live broadcast here Master Chin Kung in SriLarnka Buddha talk 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Buddha teaching: Peter Morrell on detachment

Peter Morrell is the good Buddhist and he knows the path of non-attachment or detachment. We can see his web link  Peter Morrell
Let's see some of Peter Morrell's view on non-attachment
Trying to be a good Buddhist in the modern world is not easy; there is much that conspires against one on every side. Out of all the various concepts of the Buddhist faith, only two or three really stand out as central and dominant. In this respect, I suppose impermanence, bliss and compassion stand out to me as being really central ideas, about which much else revolves peripherally. Karma and rebirth are both concepts Buddhism has taken from Hinduism.
 
It is hard to find one axiom within Buddhism that illustrates this fact so well, as that of non-attachment. It sums up the whole religion in so many ways and serves to illustrate the theme of how hard it is to be a good Buddhist. In recent days I have found myself increasingly contemplating how central and important non-attachment is, and have therefore chosen to write about it quite spontaneously as an abiding theme, which acts much like a key to many other aspects of Buddhist philosophy and its application to life.
 
‘Attachment is the origin, the root of suffering; hence it is the cause of suffering.’ [1]


 
The starting point can be how difficult it is to be a good Buddhist. It is difficult for many reasons, but chief among them is the way most people view this world. To me, it is a fleeting thing, ever-changing and I am aware every day of its transient nature. Every day I think of death in general, danger and uncertainty, like that very day I could die, it could be my last. These are not idle dreams; they occur as serious thoughts all the time. I check my life for danger as I wake up; check myself over for symptoms of impending illness; check my mind for bad thoughts and review critically all my recent interests and activities to see if everything is OK. I check my motives for doing or saying things. I correct my wrongs and right any errors if I can. In this way I have become deeply habituated over many years now in following a certain inner path, a certain practice, if you like. It is a certain way of engaging with the world.
 
This daily practice of mine is entirely rooted in Buddhist principles. I would have it no other way. It is what passes for my religion and has been for over thirty years. I have no problem with it, have resolved myself to it and commit myself to it wholeheartedly. It has given me great pleasure and I have learned all I know about life, people and the world from its teachings. I feel as though I am firmly embedded in it, enveloped comfortably in it as a world view and would fey adopt any other set of ideas to live by.
 
It is difficult to be a Buddhist, chiefly because the rest of humanity does not approach life like this. Two overwhelming internal forces largely drive the rest of humanity: desire and hatred. Everything people do - virtually - can be reduced to these two strong impulses. Almost everything they say and do, most of the interests they pursue and most of their speech and activity are motivated by and absorbed into whom they like, what they like, and what they hate. Thus, they are strongly pulled towards what they like and repelled from what they hate. We are all like this. I include myself in this stream of people I am talking about. I do not exclude myself or raise myself up onto some morally superior holier-than-thou dais. I am much of the time just as absorbed by this as anyone else. Nevertheless, it is useful to know this and to carry this idea around with one inside every day. It leads to many insights almost on a daily basis and can lead one to moderate the excesses of one’s attractions and repulsions. It allows one to understand what one is looking at in the world.
 
We look at people and lament their selfishness, without realising that we are just the same. We lament their hating this and wanting that, without realising that we are just the same. Therefore, compassion and love arise from this awareness, as it pulls us all together as human beings. We are all selfish and hate this and want that; this is our nature. Knowing this gives us a great basis for forgiveness, love and compassion for just about anyone. Any ‘wrong’ people do is based upon desire or hate, and thus knowing that we all share these passions, make it easier to accept and forgive such ‘wrongs’. They can be distinguished only in their degree of wrongness, but they all share the same basis; thus no-one is more deserving of forgiveness, than anyone else. No ‘sin’ is worse than any other is: they all derive from the same desire and hate.
 
‘...it is said that as long as one is in cyclic existence, one is in the grip of some form of suffering.’ [2]


 
To know that we are all based in desire and hatred is to know humanity in all its strengths and weaknesses. It is true to say that you do not know someone very well until you know what they really like, what they most earnestly desire or hate. Moreover, it is true. For the most part, people are simple beings, driven mostly by these two forces. We want this and we don’t want that. That is how we move through life drifting towards one desire after another and away from one hatred to another. In this way, our life evolves [or stands still] and then we die. We experience pleasure and pain continuously in varying degrees and in varying forms, some coarse and some subtle, but that is the pattern of our lives, of everyone’s life. It is observably so and how things actually are. Buddhism is a religion based upon a profound view of how people actually are.
 
‘Non-attachment...views desire as faulty, thereby deliberately restraining desire...’ [3]


 
Yet to be a Buddhist is to cultivate detachment, a separation from all this, to view the world as less enticing and less permanent, to be detached from its pains as much as its pleasures. This is the fundamental essence of how a Buddhist lives, tasting the pleasures and pains infrequently, cultivating a sort of detachment as if you are holding the world at arms length slightly and looking askance at it. Buddhists can apprehend the general unsatisfactoriness of life. We can see that much work needs to be done on ourselves. The nature of the world cannot be changed, but the nature of ourselves can. That is where the work sits.
 
Like so many aspects of Buddhism, the view of non-attachment arises to some extent from the core experience of Buddha’s enlightenment. Like impermanence and bliss, non-attachment is a basic aspect of his experience. It can be seen as a part either of the fruit or a part of the path; or indeed, both. It is an aspect of both. It is an aspect of the Buddhist path to gaining enlightenment, and it is at the same time an aspect of the behaviour of a Buddha. It arises from the enlightenment experience, primarily as a reaction towards the nature of impermanence. Because things are impermanent, so it behoves one to deal with this fact. It is the way things are. Inescapably, this is how life is: nothing is permanent, everything changes and will disappear. Knowing this changes our perception of the world and the priorities we find in being here. One reaction, therefore, is to view the world somewhat sceptically, in a nonchalant and detached manner. Knowing that someone you love is going to die, changes your love for them somewhat. Knowing you will pass from this world, and never be seen again, inevitably changes your love for it; your attachment to it is correspondingly diminished by this knowledge. This forms one basis for non-attachment.
 
‘...when you have attachment to, for instance, material things, it is best to desist from that activity. It is taught that one should have few desires and have satisfaction - detachment - with respect to material things...’ [4]


 
Every day we see things we like, people we like, foods we like, and attractive things we would like to buy or share our lives with. To fill our lives with these things we love seems natural, but in truth, it is path to pain, and not to peace. If given complete freedom, we would most certainly get rid of certain things in our lives that we dislike, certain objects and certain people. We would shoo them all out of our lives, if we could, if we had the choice, because we do not like them. In addition, we would fill our lives with pleasant things, nice people, beautiful persons who we enjoy and who we like the look and feel of. This is what we would all do if only we could, if we had the chance and freedom. Instead, we suppress some of our great desires to remain socially acceptable and decent, and suppress also some of our aversions. In this way, we manage to remain in a socially acceptable bandwidth of normality and accepted conduct.
 
Those who do not accept these norms become deviants and criminals and come to occupy a subculture that has rejected the norms of society. >From a purely Buddhist perspective, that is a painful and unhappy path to follow, as it leads to misery and friction with others almost daily. If the aim of life is to become content and happy, then there are certain rules we must follow, one of them being to acknowledge the fundamental social nature of all human beings. Therefore, to turn your back on society inevitably leads to great pain and loneliness. This increases one’s suffering and that cannot be a good path to follow.
 
One attitude towards life is therefore to keep active desires and hatreds dampened down like fires, which could at any moment, and with only a few puffs, be suddenly set blazing up again. That is the nature of mind. This is how we are. It is how we behave. The Buddhist view is slightly different, as it is to work through this manifestly unsatisfactory way of living - of being little more than a slave to these impulses - and to try and become more detached, more neutral, less engaged with those alluring things we want, and less averse and enraged by the things we dislike.
 
‘...the sense of an object as being attractive, unattractive, or neutral...feelings of pleasure, pain, or neutrality arise. Due to such feelings, attachment develops, this being the attachment of not wanting to separate from pleasure and the attachment of wanting to separate from suffering...’ [5]

 
Non-attachment gives us the much-needed space to contemplate what we want and what we hate so as to more fully reflect upon whether these things we love or loathe will truly bring us the pain or pleasure we believe they contain. By reflecting in this way we can choose what to do and what not to do - it puts the brakes on to some degree. It is a path of abstention most of the time because it recognises the fundamental unattractiveness of most things. Excess pleasure leads to pain and thus on reflection there is little that is worth enjoying to excess. This is the dominant theme. Non-attachment can therefore be seen as the general antidote for all excesses and indulgences. It attempts to wake us up to the actual state of things and provides us with a kind of barrier to place between ourselves and the world we engage with. It dampens our drives and cools our passions in order to reflect on what is or is not a good path to follow. It forces us to contemplate the probable consequences inherent in every action we are considering. Overall, Buddhists wish to choose actions that will increase happiness for all and reduce suffering for all. Actions, words and thoughts can therefore be graded into those that increase happiness and those that do not. Those that do not are either neutral or they are harmful to self or others.
 
‘...the mental factor of desire...accompanies the perception of an attractive object...’ [6]

 
The Buddhist view is to try to dampen and work through our innate urges. It is to build a more peaceful inner world, that does not indulge these selfish impulses, but which constructs a more compassionate viewpoint, a still centre. Over the last ten or 15 years I have become accustomed to this approach and it amazes me some days how successful I have become in cultivating this detachment and I have set up sort of internal alarm systems to stop me going beyond certain limits with food, drink and the alluring things of the world. It is hard work and boring work, but it is a task I have set myself, which has now become entrenched. What alternative is there? There is no other method of restraining these impulses and restrained they must be, if we wish to achieve some modicum of spirituality.
 
It is useful work and hard work, but one must be ever watchful in the hope that one dies a better person, that one can look back at ones life and remind oneself how there have been certain improvements and that one has become a better person, a more detached, more controlled and more compassionate person. My aim is to die peacefully and to truly regard my life in its entire vicissitudes, and see it as successful in this sense of it being better than it was and that I die a more rested and more contented person than I was before. I hope that is the case and wish it to be so. I take daily action to build that type of future for myself. I call that a Buddhist path and so I would call myself a Buddhist, one who tries constantly to be kind and happy, to be restful and contented as far as is possible, and also to look back at the many positive things I have done and to truly know that I have improved and become a better person. A better person with fewer desires, with less hatred and filled with more compassion, more peace, more love and more contentment than I had before.
 
If I can measure my life at all, this is how I would choose to measure it. Moreover, what progress there has been, if any, I would measure precisely in those terms. If I am less desirous, more contented, less hateful, more loving, more peaceful, more contented, then I can die happy. That is the nature of non-attachment, a path worth cultivating. In terms of being selfish or being kind, I would say I am kinder. In terms of being more loving, I would say I have moved a long way. I am much more compassionate than I ever was. In terms of anger, I have done much work, and can truthfully say that I rarely get angry and try to remove the poison of anger from my mind and my life. In terms of hatred, I have worked hard to purge it from my life. I feel lucky to never have been a very hateful person; unforgiving at times, but not hateful. In terms of desire, I have made some limited progress, though I would be a liar if I said I desire nothing. Much work needs to be done on this, but some discernible progress has been made. Thus, in all these ways, I do consider myself to be a good Buddhist, and to have successfully cultivated a form of non-attachment in my life, which works for me.
 
In all these ways, I therefore do view this world with little real interest. I am detached much of the time. I do know that I will one day die, and though I do not wish it, I have come to accept it. I try to see every day as my last. Every day I try to be kinder and more compassionate and to play down the negative forces within me. Every day I try to be a better person and to be less desiring, less hating, less judging of others and to feel myself closer to humanity as a whole, and all living things. This is the way I have chosen to live. I do consider it to be a religious life, a good life and a life worth living. In small ways, I do believe it has been successful.
 


Sources

[1] The Dalai Lama at Harvard, 1988, Snow Lion USA, p.37
[2] ibid., p.48
[3] ibid., p.76
[4] ibid., p.153
[5] ibid., pp.86-7
[6] Geshe Lhundup Sopa & Jeffrey Hopkins, Cutting through Appearances: Practice and Theory of Tibetan Buddhism, 1989, Snow Lion, USA, p.188

Buddha teaching on detachment

Buddha teaching on detachment is so important. The great Buddha taught us human beings two ways, one is convenient way and the other is real or true way. This is because human beings basically has two types, one is talented, the other one is not so talented and full of silly mind set. To teach those blurred one, Buddha used convenient methods, for those talented one who can understand deeper, Buddha taught real or true methods. Both methods aimed at enlighten them sooner or later. When Buddha taught us detachment, this is the true and real way. Buddha said that he had uttered nothing. He just want to awaken people and utter the wisdom words.  Training the Mind: Verse 2 . Dalia Lama is the person with great wisdom, we can see the writing from him, the link here Buddha teaching on detachment and now we read some of his writing as below.

Whenever I interact with someone,
May I view myself as the lowest amongst all,
And, from the very depths of my heart,
Respectfully hold others as superior.

The first verse pointed to the need to cultivate the thought of regarding all other sentient beings as precious. In the second verse, the point being made is that the recognition of the preciousness of other sentient beings, and the sense of caring that you develop on that basis, should not be grounded on a feeling of pity toward other sentient beings, that is, on the thought that they are inferior. Rather, what is being emphasized is a sense of caring for other sentient beings and a recognition of their preciousness based on reverence and respect, as superior beings. I would like to emphasize here how we should understand compassion in the Buddhist context. Generally speaking, in the Buddhist tradition, compassion and loving kindness are seen as two sides of same thing. Compassion is said to be the empathetic wish that aspires to see the object of compassion, the sentient being, free from suffering. Loving kindness is the aspiration that wishes happiness upon others. In this context, love and compassion should not be confused with love and compassion in the conventional sense. For example, we experience a sense of closeness toward people who are dear to us. We feel a sense of compassion and empathy for them. We also have strong love for these people, but often this love or compassion is grounded in self-referential considerations: "So-and-so is my friend," "my spouse," "my child," and so on. What happens with this kind of love or compassion, which may be strong, is that it is tinged with attachment because it involves self-referential considerations. Once there is attachment there is also the potential for anger and hatred to arise. Attachment goes hand in hand with anger and hatred. For example, if one's compassion toward someone is tinged with attachment, it can easily turn into its emotional opposite due to the slightest incident. Then instead of wishing that person to be happy, you might wish that person to be miserable.

True compassion and love in the context of training of the mind is based on the simple recognition that others, just like myself, naturally aspire to be happy and to overcome suffering, and that others, just like myself, have the natural right to fulfill that basic aspiration. The empathy you develop toward a person based on recognition of this basic fact is universal compassion. There is no element of prejudice, no element of discrimination. This compassion is able to be extended to all sentient beings, so long as they are capable of experiencing pain and happiness. Thus, the essential feature of true compassion is that it is universal and not discriminatory. As such, training the mind in cultivating compassion in the Buddhist tradition first involves cultivating a thought of even-mindedness, or equanimity, toward all sentient beings. For example, you may reflect upon the fact that such-and-such a person may be your friend, your relative, and so forth in this life, but that this person may have been, from a Buddhist point of view, your worst enemy in a past life. Similarly, you apply the same sort of reasoning to someone you consider an enemy: although this person may be negative toward you and is your enemy in this life, he or she could have been your best friend in a past life, or could have been related to you, and so on. By reflecting upon the fluctuating nature of one's relationships with others and also on the potential that exists in all sentient beings to be friends and enemies, you develop this even-mindedness or equanimity.

The practice of developing or cultivating equanimity involves a form of detachment, but it is important to understand what detachment means. Sometimes when people hear about the Buddhist practice of detachment, they think that Buddhism is advocating indifference toward all things, but that is not the case. First, cultivating detachment, one could say, takes the sting out of discriminatory emotions toward others that are based on considerations of distance or closeness. You lay the groundwork on which you can cultivate genuine compassion extending to all other sentient beings. The Buddhist teaching on detachment does not imply developing an attitude of disengagement from or indifference to the world or life.

Moving on to another line of the verse, I think it is important to understand the expression "May I see myself lower than all others" in the right context. Certainly it is not saying that you should engage in thoughts that would lead to lower self-esteem, or that you should lose all sense of hope and feel dejected, thinking, "I'm the lowest of all. I have no capacity, I cannot do anything and have no power." This is not the kind of consideration of lowness that is being referred to here. The regarding of oneself as lower than others really has to be understood in relative terms. Generally speaking, human beings are superior to animals. We are equipped with the ability to judge between right and wrong and to think in terms of the future and so on. However, one could also argue that in other respects human beings are inferior to animals. For example, animals may not have the ability to judge between right and wrong in a moral sense, and they might not have the ability to see the long-term consequences of their actions, but within the animal realm there is at least a certain sense of order. If you look at the African savannah, for example, predators prey on other animals only out of necessity when they are hungry. When they are not hungry, you can see them coexisting quite peacefully. But we human beings, despite our ability to judge between right and wrong, sometimes act out of pure greed. Sometimes we engage in actions purely out of indulgence--we kill out of a sense of "sport," say, when we go hunting or fishing. So, in a sense, one could argue that human beings have proven to be inferior to animals. It is in such relativistic terms that we can regard ourselves as lower than others. One of the reasons for using the word "lower" is to emphasize that normally when we give in to ordinary emotions of anger, hatred, strong attachment, and greed, we do so without any sense of restraint. Often we are totally oblivious to the impact our behavior has on other sentient beings. But by deliberately cultivating the thought of regarding others as superior and worthy of your reverence, you provide yourself with a restraining factor. Then, when emotions arise, they will not be so powerful as to cause you to disregard the impact of your actions upon other sentient beings. It is on these grounds that recognition of others as superior to yourself is suggested.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Nirvana Buddha teaching

Nirvana is the extremely important word for Buddhists. Because the ultimate aim for Buddhists is to attain Nirvana. That's why we need to know the meaning of Nirvana in the first place. If we search Nirvana from Internet, we can see something like Nirvana memorial services or Nirvana rock music, these companies are using Nirvana for their companies' name. Let's type Nirvana for its meaning. The meanings are as follow:
  1. A transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of...
  2. Liberation of the soul from the effects of karma and from bodily existence. From the on line dictionary, its definitions are as follow:  
    Nirvana is a place of perfect peace and happiness, like heaven. In Hinduism and Buddhism, nirvana is the highest state that someone can attain, a state of enlightenment, meaning a person's individual desires and suffering go away.
    The origin of the word nirvana relates to religious enlightenment; it comes from the Sanskrit meaning "extinction, disappearance" of the individual to the universal. Achieving nirvana is to make earthly feelings like suffering and desire disappear. It's often used casually to mean any place of happiness, like if you love chocolate, going to Hershey's Park would be nirvana. On the other hand, if you're a Buddhist monk, it may take you years of meditating to reach nirvana. If we think that a Buddhist has attain Nirvana is something going to heaven, this is completely wrong because heaven is one of the Incarnation cycle, this is not complete. Nirvana is beyond than that, it is out of the incarnation cycle.
    Nirvana
    Nirvana is the most misunderstood term in Buddhism.
    Those in the West recognise the term as meaning Heaven, or a Heaven on Earth, or perhaps a famous rock band.
    The Buddha described Nirvana as the ultimate goal, and he reached that state during his enlightenment. At this point, he chose to teach others so that they might also experience this realisation, and so when he died, forty-five years later, he then passed through pari nirvana, meaning completed nirvana.
    Nirvana literally means extinguishing or unbinding. The implication is that it is freedom from what ever binds you, from the burning passion of desire, jealousy, and ignorance. Once these are totally overcome, a state of bliss is achieved, and there is no longer the need the cycle of birth and death. All karmic debts are settled.
    The Buddha refused to be drawn on what occurred then, but implied that it was beyond word and without boundaries. Certainly, he saw it in a much different state than our current existence, and not a simple parallel to the process of individual rebirth. Let's learn something about birth.
    In the process of becoming enlightened, the Buddha is said to have recognised all his previous lives. At the same time, he also said that nothing from one life goes on to the next. Quite a paradox really!
    Buddhists understand life as samsara, meaning perpetual wandering, and describe the transition like a billiard ball hitting another billiard ball. While nothing physical transfers, the speed and direction of the second ball relate directly to the first. So the term most often used is rebirth, rather than reincarnation. Reincarnation implies the transfer of an essence, or a soul, while rebirth follows the law of causality, or dependant origination, where this arises because of circumstances which happened before.
    A primary aim of Buddhism is to break free of the wheel of samsara, and to reach a new level called Nirvana. Thanks for the information from Buddha teaching site Nirvana

Monday, November 4, 2013

I want to go pure land

I want to go pure land. Today I listen to Master Chin Kung live talk n0. 455 Pure land drama. Master Chin Kung tell us to believe causes and effects because this is the real truth. He say that do not think causes and effects are fake, then you will be regret later. He tell us to follow and respect parents and teachers' good advice.
I ready appreciate Master Chin Kung endless and tireless advices telling us to abstain from all bad deeds.
Due to my constant stupidity, I had done a lot of bad deeds even just few minutes ago. Now, I know my time in this earth become less and less, I have to wake up now before it is too late. I know it is so fortunate to have the very good on line teacher Master Chin Kung. Master Chin Kung indeed show us the excellent example what the Buddhist must do.
Yes, Now I sincerely repent what I had done had deeds in the past. I now want to become  spiritual hero, give up all the bad habits and greedy mind set, confused mind set, abnormal mind set. I have to recite Namoamituofo now. Yes, I want to go pure land. I want to change my destiny and prepare to go pure land. Pure land blog

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Master Chin Kung talk

Whenever I am free, I like to listen to master chin kung talk. In order to learn something, I think I have to write little note to remind myself. Now I am reading pure land 2012 talk no. 444 二零一二淨土大經科註(第四四四集)
Master Chin Kung remind disciples to take note that the most important in learning pure land is to always recite Amituofo and make it the daily habit. Because the last mind set will decide our next destination, so daily reciting of Amituofo is very important. Our mind set must be totally focused, then with our will and Amituofo's help, we will be escorted to the pure land to continue learning the awaken dharma.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Our mind set decide our next destination

Our mind set decide our next destination. Can you imagine what type of lifestyle if we adopt the following ways. If we can act coolly whatever good or bad situation happened to us. That mean we don't be affected by all kind of situation. This is the ideal state indeed. Now We look at what lifestyle they adopt, most people are affected by good and bad situation greatly. If we adopt the cool and steady styles, we are ready the normal one.
But how to have cool lifestyle, we need to realise something to enable us wanting to have this type of cool style and this is the true normal. Yes, we can not just follow our wild desires that have no disciplines. We need to have clear mind then we have the chance to have long period of cool time or even last for whole life. We need to train up to have original mind or pure mind.
If our mind is totally pure then we have the chance to go pure land last day on this earth. If you have good mind you can go good place like heaven. But you have bad or evil mind, then you are likely going to be in evil realm, some call it hell, some call it ghost or even reborn into animals according to Hinduism and Buddhism spiritual saints. It is logical that our mind set decide our next destination. 

Friday, November 1, 2013

Moral education needed urgently

Moral education needed urgently in Singapore. Recently  we also hear about high profile people doing many immoral acts. School principle did immoral act, high profile civil servants never followed code of conducts. This is the saddest occurrence. Men were caught having immoral acts with teenage girls. Yes, men should be charged and blamed. How about those teenage girls think teenage girls must be educated on proper moral behaviours as well. They must be charged as well. I think schools, medias can instil moral values. It is good to have one moral channel or radio so as people have the chance to learn all these moral values to prevent the similar immoral acts coming often.
I think people nowadays are greatly influenced by western immoral values. They just follow their desires blindly. It is true that people will follow their desires blindly unless there is some healthy messages instil to them. If not they are likely to do immoral acts especially in this age whereas all kinds of web site can be accessed through Internet. Because of so call " freedom ". it will pollute human beings mind set. Many web site are operated by immoral human beings, what they concern are just earn money, they simply do not care what our mind set polluted or not. Few days ago, I read about the news that foreign dating site is coming to Singapore soon to promote  having more sex partners. If the authority never do something to block this type of immoral web site, then we can expect more and more immoral acts being reported on newspapers and the cases reported on newspapers just simply the numbers and the reality is the whole lots will be doing immoral acts behind the scenes. Now We are waiting to see the authority any measures to counter the immoral waves coming gradually and slowly. Moral education needed urgently in Singapore.
I think it is good to have one centralised moral education channel so as we all have the chances to study and learn the good common moral values, it will tell us what are wrong and right. If not, our mind will be full of immoral materials and time to have healthy moral education programmes. I hope to see such things happening so as our next generation can be saved before it is too late.

Friday, September 27, 2013

How to stop worries?

How to stop worrying? In this world, almost everybody got worries. How to stop worries is the very important issue in life. But there is the solution if we ready want to stop the worries. Let's give an example. If you start work at 7.30 am and you wake up at 7am. Most of people will feel panic. Let's examine what are the possible areas that make him worries. Firstly, he worries that he will late for work. Secondly, he hopes that he can still punctual if he can give the transport. Thirdly, may be he needs a taxi. He now worries whether he can take the taxi or not because this is the peak hour for people to go to work. He not only worries about the taxi. If he ready get the taxi, he will worries about the possible traffic jam. On the taxi, he will keep on praying " faster! faster!...". He will be frustrated if see so many red lights slow down the taxi. Because he wakes up late, he might not be able to bathe, brush the teeth and he also worries the image. May be he has to attend the meeting but because of the hurry, he might be forget many details or forget to bring some important document. So you see so many worries just because he wakes up late. In order to prevent or stop unnecessary worries, we need to plan in advance. For example, sleep early, set the alarm clock, tell others to wake him up, etc. Building up the good habits can reduce the stress unnecessarily. For this example, we know that we need to stop worries at all times. If we ready wake up late due to some unforeseen circumstances, we need to maintain cool. Take it easy and do the best not to do it again. We need worries free life. Let's slowly figure out how to stop worrying. Firstly you need to know what are your worries. Pen down all worries on a piece of paper. List down the things worrying you the most and second, third....After that think can you solve the problems, the most troublesome one and others.
Then do something that you can change like go out early to prevent lateness for work. You have to start figure out and do some control on those things that you ready can make it.

 For something that you ready can not change, try to figure out the other alternative realistic thought. Be able to observe yourself the irregular thoughts, quickly stop it and replace with alternative realistic thoughts. The very effect method is meditation, it can ready relax and reduce stress level. If you can practise it regularly you will be able to reduce worrying as if you are the high flying bird.
 A simple breathing technique help quiet  mind and calm the emotions and body is to breathe in slowly to the count of six and breathe out slowly to the count of six. Do this for 5 minutes; gradually increase to 20 minutes over time.             

Learn to accept what you cannot change or have no power to control in life. Check our recommended books that deal with worry, anxiety, acceptance and inner peace. Check our bookstore for titles related to psychology, self-help and spirituality. Type these keywords into the product search for a complete listing of great books.
Knowing what are your worries and know to handle it appropriately can move you to the next positive steps. Because you awake and you plan to take action to overcome it. You can not just don't bother it because the worries can come back again. So, we don't like worries become the permanent problems for us. If you constantly tell yourself " this time die already ". then you create your own fears and the situation can be more worse. So, do not let this to cripple you and exhaust your energies and high blood pressure will slowly build up and disturb your daily activities. Our mind set is very powerful that can change you to the more positive path if you want to do it. Positive input will bring out the positive output and it is good to discard our necessary old habits if that always give you worries.               Although it is not easy to stop worrying but it can if you adjust your thinking pattern negativity. 
On the negative side, you may believe that your constant worrying is harmful, that it’s going to drive you crazy or affect your physical health. Or you may worry that you’re going to lose all control over your worrying—that it will take over and never stop.
On the positive side, you may believe that your worrying helps you avoid bad things, prevents problems, prepares you for the worst, or leads to solutions.
Negative beliefs, or worrying about worrying, add to your anxiety and keep worry going. But positive beliefs about worrying can be just as damaging. It’s tough to break the worry habit if you believe that your worrying protects you. In order to stop worry and anxiety for good, you must give up your belief that worrying serves a positive purpose. Once you realize that worrying is the problem, not the solution, you can regain control of your worried mind.

Why you keep worrying

You have mixed feelings about your worries. On one hand, your worries are bothering you—you can't sleep, and you can't get these pessimistic thoughts out of your head. But there is a way that these worries make sense to you. For example, you think:
  • Maybe I'll find a solution.
  • I don't want to overlook anything.
  • If I keep thinking a little longer, maybe I'll figure it out.
  • I don't want to be surprised.
  • I want to be responsible.
You have a hard time giving up on your worries because, in a sense, your worries have been working for you.
Source: The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You by Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D.

Worry and anxiety self-help tip #1: Create a worry period

It’s tough to be productive in your daily life when anxiety and worry are dominating your thoughts. But what can you do? If you’re like many chronic worriers, your anxious thoughts feel uncontrollable. You’ve tried lots of things, from distracting yourself, reasoning with your worries, and trying to think positive, but nothing seems to work.

Why trying to stop anxious thoughts doesn’t work

Telling yourself to stop worrying doesn’t work—at least not for long. You can distract yourself or suppress anxious thoughts for a moment, but you can’t banish them for good. In fact, trying to do so often makes them stronger and more persistent.
You can test this out for yourself. Close your eyes and picture a pink elephant. Once you can see the pink elephant in your mind, stop thinking about it. Whatever you do, for the next five minutes, don’t think about pink elephants!
How did you do? Did thoughts of pink elephants keep popping in your brain?
“Thought stopping” backfires because it forces you to pay extra attention to the very thought you want to avoid. You always have to be watching for it, and this very emphasis makes it seem even more important.
But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to control your worry. You just need to try a different approach. This is where the strategy of postponing worrying comes in. Rather than trying to stop or get rid of an anxious thought, give yourself permission to have it, but put off thinking any more about it until later.

Learning to postpone worrying:

  1. Create a “worry period.” Choose a set time and place for worrying. It should be the same every day (e.g. in the living room from 5:00 to 5:20 p.m.) and early enough that it won’t make you anxious right before bedtime. During your worry period, you’re allowed to worry about whatever’s on your mind. The rest of the day, however, is a worry-free zone.
  2. Postpone your worry. If an anxious thought or worry comes into your head during the day, make a brief note of it on paper and postpone it to your worry period. Remind yourself that you’ll have time to think about it later, so there’s no need to worry about it right now. Save it for later and continue to go about your day.
  3. Go over your “worry list” during the worry period. Reflect on the worries you wrote down during the day. If the thoughts are still bothering you, allow yourself to worry about them, but only for the amount of time you’ve specified for your worry period. If the worries don’t seem important any more, cut your worry period short and enjoy the rest of your day.
Postponing worrying is effective because it breaks the habit of dwelling on worries in the present moment. Yet there’s no struggle to suppress the thought or judge it. You simply save it for later. As you develop the ability to postpone your anxious thoughts, you’ll start to realize that you have more control over your worrying than you think.

Worry and anxiety self-help tip #2: Ask yourself if the problem is solvable

Research shows that while you’re worrying, you temporarily feel less anxious. Running over the problem in your head distracts you from your emotions and makes you feel like you’re getting something accomplished. But worrying and problem solving are two very different things.
Problem solving involves evaluating a situation, coming up with concrete steps for dealing with it, and then putting the plan into action. Worrying, on the other hand, rarely leads to solutions. No matter how much time you spend dwelling on worst-case scenarios, you’re no more prepared to deal with them should they actually happen.

Distinguish between solvable and unsolvable worries

If a worry pops into your head, start by asking yourself whether the problem is something you can actually solve. The following questions can help:
  • Is the problem something you’re currently facing, rather than an imaginary what-if?
  • If the problem is an imaginary what-if, how likely is it to happen? Is your concern realistic?
  • Can you do something about the problem or prepare for it, or is it out of your control?
Productive, solvable worries are those you can take action on right away. For example, if you’re worried about your bills, you could call your creditors to see about flexible payment options. Unproductive, unsolvable worries are those for which there is no corresponding action. “What if I get cancer someday?” or “What if my kid gets into an accident?”
If the worry is solvable, start brainstorming. Make a list of all the possible solutions you can think of. Try not to get too hung up on finding the perfect solution. Focus on the things you have the power to change, rather than the circumstances or realities beyond your control. After you’ve evaluated your options, make a plan of action. Once you have a plan and start doing something about the problem, you’ll feel much less worried.

Dealing with unsolvable worries

But what if the worry isn’t something you can solve? If you’re a chronic worrier, the vast majority of your anxious thoughts probably fall in this camp. In such cases, it’s important to tune into your emotions.
As previously mentioned, worrying helps you avoid unpleasant emotions. Worrying keeps you in your head, thinking about how to solve problems rather than allowing yourself to feel the underlying emotions. But you can’t worry your emotions away. While you’re worrying, your feelings are temporarily suppressed, but as soon as you stop, the tension and anxiety bounces back. And then, you start worrying about your feelings, “What’s wrong with me? I shouldn’t feel this way!”

Learn how emotional savvy reduces worry The only way out of this vicious cycle is by learning to embrace your feelings. This may seem scary at first because of negative beliefs you have about emotions. For example, you may believe that you should always be rational and in control, that your feelings should always make sense, or that you shouldn’t feel certain emotions, such as fear or anger.

The truth is that emotions—like life—are messy. They don’t always make sense and they’re not always pleasant. But as long as you can accept your feelings as part of being human, you’ll be able to experience them without becoming overwhelmed and learn how to use them to your advantage. The following tips will help you find a better balance between your intellect and your emotions.

Worry and anxiety self-help tip #3: Accept uncertainty

The inability to tolerate uncertainty plays a huge role in anxiety and worry. Chronic worriers can’t stand doubt or unpredictability. They need to know with 100 percent certainty what’s going to happen. Worrying is seen as a way to predict what the future has in store—a way to prevent unpleasant surprises and control the outcome. The problem is, it doesn’t work.
Thinking about all the things that could go wrong doesn’t make life any more predictable. You may feel safer when you’re worrying, but it’s just an illusion. Focusing on worst-case scenarios won’t keep bad things from happening. It will only keep you from enjoying the good things you have in the present. So if you want to stop worrying, start by tackling your need for certainty and immediate answers.

Challenging intolerance of uncertainty: The key to anxiety relief

Ask yourself the following questions and write down your responses. See if you can come to an understanding of the disadvantages and problems of being intolerant of uncertainty.
  • Is it possible to be certain about everything in life?
  • What are the advantages of requiring certainty, versus the disadvantages? Or, how is needing certainty in life helpful and unhelpful?
  • Do you tend to predict bad things will happen just because they are uncertain? Is this a reasonable thing to do? What is the likelihood of positive or neutral outcomes?
  • Is it possible to live with the small chance that something negative may happen, given its likelihood is very low?
Adapted from: Accepting Uncertainty, Centre for Clinical Interventions

Worry and anxiety self-help tip #4: Challenge anxious thoughts

If you suffer from chronic anxiety and worries, chances are you look at the world in ways that make it seem more dangerous than it really is. For example, you may overestimate the possibility that things will turn out badly, jump immediately to worst-case scenarios, or treat every negative thought as if it were fact. You may also discredit your own ability to handle life’s problems, assuming you’ll fall apart at the first sign of trouble. These irrational, pessimistic attitudes are known as cognitive distortions.
Although cognitive distortions aren’t based on reality, they’re not easy to give up. Often, they’re part of a lifelong pattern of thinking that’s become so automatic you’re not even completely aware of it. In order to break these bad thinking habits and stop the worry and anxiety they bring, you must retrain your brain.
Start by identifying the frightening thought, being as detailed as possible about what scares or worries you. Then, instead of viewing your thoughts as facts, treat them as hypotheses you’re testing out. As you examine and challenge your worries and fears, you’ll develop a more balanced perspective.

Stop worry by questioning the worried thought:

  • What’s the evidence that the thought is true? That it’s not true?
  • Is there a more positive, realistic way of looking at the situation?
  • What’s the probability that what I’m scared of will actually happen?
  • If the probability is low, what are some more likely outcomes?
  • Is the thought helpful? How will worrying about it help me and how will it hurt me?
  • What would I say to a friend who had this worry?
Cognitive Distortions that Add to Anxiety, Worry, and Stress
All-or-nothing thinking - Looking at things in black-or-white categories, with no middle ground. “If I fall short of perfection, I’m a total failure.”
Overgeneralization - Generalizing from a single negative experience, expecting it to hold true forever. “I didn’t get hired for the job. I’ll never get any job.”
The mental filter - Focusing on the negatives while filtering out all the positives. Noticing the one thing that went wrong, rather than all the things that went right.
Diminishing the positive - Coming up with reasons why positive events don’t count. “I did well on the presentation, but that was just dumb luck.”
Jumping to conclusions - Making negative interpretations without actual evidence. You act like a mind reader, “I can tell she secretly hates me.” Or a fortune teller, “I just know something terrible is going to happen.”
Catastrophizing - Expecting the worst-case scenario to happen. “The pilot said we’re in for some turbulence. The plane’s going to crash!”
Emotional reasoning - Believing that the way you feel reflects reality. “I feel frightened right now. That must mean I’m in real physical danger.”
'Shoulds’ and ‘should-nots’ - Holding yourself to a strict list of what you should and shouldn’t do and beating yourself up if you break any of the rules
Labeling - Labeling yourself based on mistakes and perceived shortcomings. “I’m a failure; an idiot; a loser.”
Personalization - Assuming responsibility for things that are outside your control. “It’s my fault my son got in an accident. I should have warned him to drive carefully in the rain.”

Worry and anxiety self-help tip # 5: Be aware of how others affect you

How you feel is affected by the company you keep, whether you’re aware of it or not. Studies show that emotions are contagious. We quickly “catch” moods from other people—even from strangers who never speak a word (e.g. the terrified woman sitting by you on the plane; the fuming man in the checkout line). The people you spend a lot of time with have an even greater impact on your mental state.
  • Keep a worry diary. You may not be aware of how people or situations are affecting you. Maybe this is the way it’s always been in your family, or you’ve been dealing with the stress so long that it feels normal. You may want to keep a worry diary for a week or so. Every time you start to worry, jot down the thought and what triggered it. Over time, you’ll start to see patterns.
  • Spend less time with people who make you anxious. Is there someone in your life who drags you down or always seems to leave you feeling stressed? Think about cutting back on the time you spend with that person or establish healthier relationship boundaries. For example, you might set certain topics off-limits, if you know that talking about them with that person makes you anxious.
  • Choose your confidantes carefully. Know who to talk to about situations that make you anxious. Some people will help you gain perspective, while others will feed into your worries, doubts, and fears.

Worry and anxiety self-help tip #6: Practice mindfulness

Worrying is usually focused on the future—on what might happen and what you’ll do about it. The centuries-old practice of mindfulness can help you break free of your worries by bringing your attention back to the present. In contrast to the previous techniques of challenging your anxious thoughts or postponing them to a worry period, this strategy is based on observing and then letting them go. Together, they can help you identify where your thinking is causing problems, while helping you get in touch with your emotions.
  • Acknowledge and observe your anxious thoughts and feelings. Don’t try to ignore, fight, or control them like you usually would. Instead, simply observe them as if from an outsider’s perspective, without reacting or judging.
  • Let your worries go. Notice that when you don’t try to control the anxious thoughts that pop up, they soon pass, like clouds moving across the sky. It’s only when you engage your worries that you get stuck.
  • Stay focused on the present. Pay attention to the way your body feels, the rhythm of your breathing, your ever-changing emotions, and the thoughts that drift across your mind. If you find yourself getting stuck on a particular thought, bring your attention back to the present moment.