Master Chin Kung talked about Chen Xiaoxu

Master Chin-kung Talked on the Death of Chen Xiaoxu as he answered questions from Dharma cultivators in Singapore. Altogther there are seven questions which hopefully can help to solve the doubts of many regarding the Buddha Dharma.

Question 1:Chen had been a Buddhist for ten years before she passed away and donated a lot to Buddhist organizations. Why such an end?

Master Chin-kung: You did not witness it yourself. If you had seen it, you would know it is quite normal. Actually, she ended her life not in a bad way. Quite ineffable.

Faith is the most important in our practice of the Buddha Dharma. Before anything, I would like to tell you that when Xiaoxu was the most sick, both I myself and Master Chang Hui were by her side to take care of her. We did our best to relieve her pain. We all witnessed it. If the suffering she had endured were to be divided into ten portions, which ordinary people had to take, she only received one portion. The other nine portions were melted away by the strength of Buddhas and Bodisattvas. It is rare and not easy. Why did not she make it to turn it around? First, her faith was not firm enough. People have karmic obstacles. She was clearly aware of it that she had heavy karmic obstacles, accumulated in not only her present life, but the previous ones. Even one does not commit karmic offenses in the present life, one did in the previous.

Therefore, it is necessary that you get to know clearly the karmic cause and effect of three life cycles. “Why this kind-hearted person ended his life so miserably while that evil-hearted guy enjoyed such blessings?”, ask many who therefore do not believe cause and effect. Some people, though having committed big offenses in the present life, don’t receive the retribution in the present life. It is so because the surplus blessings from their previous lives are abundant. The blessings they accumulated in their previous life could last 200 years, but, due to the karmic offenses committed in their present life, they shall go for just sixty to seventy years. The blessings have been reduced. However, the blessings are still in surplus.

Others are kind-hearted throughout their life but do not end their life so well. It is so because the karmic offenses they have committed in their previous lives are too heavy. There are leftovers of previous karmic offenses. While they may have done a lot of good deeds, but those are yet enough to cover all the offenses previously committed. Therefore, they are still subject to retributions. As is said, karmic cause and retribution last for three life cycles. Once you understand it, you shall no longer harbour any doubt.

While it had been ten years that Xiaoxu became a Buddhist disciple, yet her faith was not firm enough. Why was it? She had too little access to sutras. She was too busy and always occupied by this or that business. Her focus was on her day-to-day business. She had too many social activities. Therefore, it was really not easy to really listen to the sutra lectures, and understand them. Some people may not understand them even if they have listened for their whole life. Why is it? I think you know the reason. I have been lecturing on Buddhist sutras for so many years. Do you understand them? If so, you would not have raised these questions. That you raised the questions shows that you, too, like Xiaoxu, failed to understand them.

I often say that for a Dharma cultivator one’s mind should be free from selfishness, from the pursuit of profit and fame, from the five sensual pleasures (of form, sound, aroma, taste, and touch) and six dust motes (of form, sound, aroma, taste, touch, and consciousness), from greed, hatred, and ignorance. I have been stressing this for decades. You won’t be able to get in unless you understand it. Many Dharma cultivators listen to sutra lectures, but few are able to make it. Once you understand it, you are able to let it go. After all, we need to apply the Buddha Dharma to our day-to-day life. The biggest obstacle is that some of us are not able to free themselves from them. It is like they have yet to take the first step. That is why they are still outside the door of the Buddha Dharma even though they may have been cultivating it for decades. This is the truth. Every cultivator either lay or left-home-life, should realize it. Otherwise, all the efforts in cultivation shall be in vain.

Question 2: Chen had personally joined in the shooting of Shanxi Xiaoyuan Why, however, she herself was not able to gain release from the torture of cancer?

Master Chin-kung: I am not aware of it. I don’t know whether she joined to shoot it. The cancer patients with Shanxixiaoyuan showed firm faith. Xiaoxu, however, did not have faith in it. I took care of her for so many days. She did not know to repent of past wrongs, nor to show gratitude. She said it herself that she just did not feel remorseful or grateful. The vow power was not strong enough. Yes, she did make vows, but were too weak. Most important of all, she lacked in faith. The Dharma is born out of our mind. We always stress this in the Great Vehicle teachings. I reminded her all the time of it right before her. When making vows, we should be mindful of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, sutras, propagation of the Dharma, the welfare of the living beings, and how to make the Proper Dharma abide. These are the proper vows. Making vows like these are good for her. However, she did not give any thought to them. She was simply worried about herself and whether she could recover. It is hopeless if one thinks like that. All her thinking was so negative. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas could not help her even though they wanted to. You have to have the proper thought to be helped by Buddhas and Buddhisattvas. There should not be negative thoughts. Therefore, it is not easy to believe in Buddhism.

Master Ou-yi talked of the concepts of faith, vows, and practice, in his Commentary on the Amitabha-Buddha Sutra. Regarding the first concept of faith, Master Ou-yi stressed that one first to believe in oneself, and then believe in Shakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha-Buddha. Unfortunately, Xiaoxu did not have such faith. She did not have faith in herself. It would have been fine had she still placed faith in Shakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha-Buddha. One should keep being mindful of the Buddhas, the Buddha Dharma, and Dharma Masters. She lacked such faith. Without it, neither the Buddha, nor the Dharma, or any Sangha members could help her. We felt it a great pity.

Meanwhile, she had many negative affinities that rattled her mind a lot. Half of the trouble-makers were those that had great enmity with her and stayed attached to her body. There were quite a few of them. As we stood by her, we saw at least dozens of them. We of course worked to mediate their enmity. It was effective. After several rounds of mediation, they left one group after the other. Once they left, she felt relaxed and comforted. When they stayed attached her body, it was stiff. Once they left, it got better. Nevertheless, a few of them refused to leave no matter how hard we tried to persuade them. Perhaps the enmity was too strong. You did not know the whole picture. Once you know it, you can draw a big lesson from her story.

Set free your mind and body. Let it go. If you can really make it, those having enmity with you will leave you. If they remained attached to your body, that means, in other words, you have yet to set free your mind and body. If you make it, they shall admire you and praise you. Let me share with you the story about the rebirth to the Pure Land of Chen Guangbie, former head of the Singapore Buddhist Lodge. The students of a Buddha Dharma training course chanted Buddha names for him after he passed away. After that, over 100 beings, who had enmity with Chen, followed them to the Lodge. They all witnessed the rebirth of Chen. They were pleased to see the rebirth of him even though there had been enmity between them before. They said that they would never stir troubles again. They followed to the Lodge in the hope that they could take refuge with the Lodge. After the refuge-taking ceremony, they said they would like to stay at the Lodge so that they could listen to Buddhist sutras. There are lectures at the Lodge everyday. They then asked whether they could stay at the Lodge Canteen as it was too bright at the lecture hall and they could not bear it. Their proposal was accepted. At the Canteen, a TV was set up that broadcast The Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha's Fundamental Vows day and night, non-stop, for a whole month. One month later, they all left. Or maybe more than one month, one and a half or two months. Doing so helps them to give rise to a sense of kindness and compassion. They, therefore, do not look for troubles anymore.

Therefore, it is not easy to learn the Buddha Dharma. The good roots have to be ripe. You must be truly close to good friends, be able to let it go, see it breath, and apply it to your life. Xiaoxu gained a good rebirth. Her story serves as a good reminder to many people.

Question 3: It is said that she only took Chinese medicine and said no to all western methods of treatment. Was she being too attached to it, or that she was kind of too slow to let go of the mundane phenomena?

Master Chin-kung: You have to truly understand it before you know why. You are ignorant of it. It takes years of pains and hard work to really know about medical sciences, the Chinese medicine and western medicines. We took her to meet very good doctors who gave her good care. We did our best to provide the best treatment to her. Hundreds of people saw it.

Q4: Chen Xiaoxu left the home-life in last December. She made the vow to serve in multicultural education on a voluntary basis for the rest of her life. Though it was not long after she had left the home-life, she had been cultivating the Dharma at home for like seven or eight years. Besides, she made big contributions to the development of Buddhism, and she was close to master. Why wasn’t she able to realize her wish to propagate the Dharma?

Master Chin Kung: Master Chin Kung: I hope you could visit me here so that I can provide detailed explanations to you. Two hours are not enough to make it clear to you. It shall take three to four days.A left-home Buddhist has to accept and uphold the complete precepts. Why some people, though having been left-home for decades, still fail to gain rebirth to the Pure Land, but remain subject to the influence of the karma?

My master Lee Ping-nan warned me of it when I was learning the Dharma from him. I had talked of the story when I was lecturing. At that time I already had accepted the complete precepts. Once I visited him in Tai-chung. It is a must that one pays a visit to his or her master after one has accepted the precepts. Before I walked indoors, when I was still quite a distance away from the door, I heard him say to me, “You should believe in the Buddha! Believe in the Buddha!” He repeated for over ten times. I was quite confused. I left home-life seven years after I started to practice the Buddha Dharma. Two years after I left home-life, I accepted the precepts. I had been a teacher with a Buddhist Institute for two years. I was totally confused why my master still warned me that I need to believe in the Buddha when he saw me.

To be a Buddha Dharma cultivator, one has to follow the instructions of the Buddha. For many, it is easier to speak than to do it, as they lack in faith. It is just that difficult to cultivate firm faith. One has to have faith to make it efficacious. If it is not efficacious, one has to reflect within. Is it because I lack in faith? As is written in the Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom, “Faith is the source of Enlightenment, and the mother of virtues; it fosters and strengthens all good qualities.” If one can really make it to have pure faith, without the least trace of doubt or idle thoughts in it, one can be bodhisattva who has attained the realization of dharmakāya. This is the standard to measure one’s faith. Regarding faith, there are both delusive faith (superstition) and proper faith. Having proper faith means one understands it but has yet to act upon it. You have to place true faith in it, not only believing in it, but also acting upon it.Making a donation is to cultivate blessings. However, blessings along won’t save one from death. The Six Patriarch talked of it in the Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra. This is about turning on the wheels of the six paths. No blessings, no matter how big they are, can release one from them. But what are blessings for? No matter which Path you are born in, one still enjoys them. Even in the Path of Hungry Ghost, one shall be a wealth ghost thanks to the blessings. One shall suffer of course if without them. Heavenly beings, for example, have to endure great sufferings, as they don’t have any blessings. Their life is not as good as the blessed human beings. This can be found in Buddhist sutras.

You ask me why Xiaoxu failed to fulfill her vow to propagate the Dharma and benefit all beings. It was because her vow was not strong enough. Quite a pity. Why was it not firm enough? She got too little access to Buddhist sutras and spent inadequate efforts in practicing the Buddha Dharma. You have to make this very principle clear. Do not mislead Buddhist cultivators so that they retreat from it. Our faith should grow firmer when we read about Xiaoxu’s story. Stay alert.

As I said many times before, my lifespan was predestined to be at 45 years. Nonetheless, I managed to extend it. I was confident that she could make it too, except she was not cooperative. I raised four requirements to her. 1- have firm faith in the Buddha Dharma; 2- repent; 3- express gratitude; and 4-make strong vows. Unfortunately, she did well enough in none of the four. In such a case, none could save her. Nobody else could help. It is her business. If you make the vow for her, no matter how strong, it is yours. She does not get the merits. So, you have do act upon it yourself. Otherwise, your end would be worse then Xiaoxu’s. I am telling you the truth.

Question 5: In the Leaving the Home-life Statement, she vowed to accept, practice, and propagate the Buddha Dharma, and that she would retreat from worldly life for ten years and focus on the study of the Chinese traditions from Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist perspectives, and would dedicate the rest of her life to the Buddha Dharma, to carry on the Buddha’s wisdom. It was so great a vow! Why was she unable to melt away the karma with such a vow?

Master Chin Kung: She was more paying lip services than applying real efforts to do it. This is why. One has to deliver one’s promise to make it efficacious. She failed to do so. It is not that the Buddha Dharma is deceptive.

I fulfilled my vows in my thirties. In the year I was 45, I was sick. I knew my lifespan was about to end. At that time, Curator Han was taking care of me. I told her that my life was coming to an end. No need for me to see the doctors. A doctor can cure diseases, but not extend one’s lifespan. I took no medicine, nor saw any doctors. I simply chanted the Buddha names, praying to be reborn in the Pure Land. I did so for one month. Gradually I got recovered. No health problems up till now since then.

I was 79-year-old two years ago. I was sick for four days once when I was in Beijing. I stayed at a hotel at that time. I have already told this story to you. I saw Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha-Buddha, Vairocana Buddha, and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. They were as big-sized as the empty space. Though so large, I could see them clearly. Unusually clearly. I thought to myself, perhaps I was about to end my life. After all, I lived 34 years more than predestined. I said I should leave now. Then I heard someone around saying to me, “is there anything left in your mind that you are worried or care about? Anyone you would like to see?” I did not turn back to see who was saying it to me. I answered, “No, nothing. I have let it all go. Master Chang Jia has told me before that my life is all set by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I wish very much to follow Amitabha-Buddha to His Pure Land. However, if you want me to help more the suffering beings in the world, fine with me. No problem”. I got recovered the second day. I returned to Hong Kong the third day, had a rest for another two weeks before I started lecturing on sutras again.

Xiaoxu failed to make a vow as strong as mine. When making a vow, one has to show single-minded sincerity, not on impulse. Acting out of an impulsive haste won’t help to solve problems. The mind with which one does a good deed is of great importance. One gets less merits if one does it involuntarily or only upon the suggestions by others. It is not cultivation of great blessings. Therefore, you would have known everything if you had stayed close to her for sometime so that you know her well, and if you know the Buddha Dharma well. Hopefully, her story shall serve as a reminder to you that you should remain vigorous. You really need to make it. Do not just pay lip service. Otherwise, the blessings you receive shall be much less than hers.

Q6: Some cultivators of the Dharma feel that their resolve is weaker than Chen’s. If even Xiaoxu failed to gain rebirth in the Pure Land, wouldn’t it be more hopeless for them?

Master Chin Kung: It is wrong for one to think so. Let me tell you, should you think in this one, for sure you shall not gain the rebirth. Faith is the key. Besides, when one is in bad luck, all those having enmity with you in your previous lives come to you. Are you able to make it through? If not, big trouble.

Q7: The last question. I have never wavered in my faith in the Buddha Dharma. Nevertheless, I felt upset and lost as never before as Xiaoxu passed away. May Master, please, show compassion on me and provide us with some enlightening teachings, to help consolidate the faith of me and my fellow-cultivators, so that we do not retreat.

Master Chin-Kung: Good comment! You have the concerns because you fail to realize the truth. You are standing at a wrong angle when judging it. I was talking about the three ways of knowing this morning, and yours is a mistaken perception. You are misleading yourself and others. Despite it, as is said by the ancients, “even all the Dharma is empty, the law of Cause and Effect is true.”We all have our own karma to face and should be held accountable for it.

What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from ‘budhi’, ‘to awaken’. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35. After enlightenment, the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism — called the Dhamma, or Truth — until his death at the age of 80.
Is Buddhism a Religion?
To many, Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or ‘way of life’. It is a philosophy because philosophy ‘means love of wisdom’ and the Buddhist path can be summed up as:
(1) to lead a moral life,
(2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and
(3) to develop wisdom and understanding.
Core Teachings of Buddhism
There are immutable core teachings expounded by the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, that create a collective wellspring for all forms of Buddhism. Specifically, these are the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Yet these basic teachings have themselves been subject to interpretation and again have various flavors within different Buddhist cultures.

The 4 Noble Truths

The first noble truth: is that life is frustrating and painful. In fact, if we are honest with ourselves, there are times when it is downright miserable. Things may be fine with us, at the moment, but, if we look around, we see other people in the most appalling condition, children starving, terrorism, hatred, wars, intolerance, people being tortured and we get a sort of queasy feeling whenever we think about the world situation in even the most casual way. We, ourselves, will some day grow old, get sick and eventually die. No matter how we try to avoid it, some day we are going to die. Even though we try to avoid thinking about it, there are constant reminders that it is true.
The second noble truth: is that suffering has a cause. We suffer because we are constantly struggling to survive. We are constantly trying to prove our existence. We may be extremely humble and self-deprecating, but even that is an attempt to define ourselves. We are defined by our humility. The harder we struggle to establish ourselves and our relationships, the more painful our experience becomes.
The third noble truth: is that the cause of suffering can be ended. Our struggle to survive, our effort to prove ourselves and solidify our relationships is unnecessary. We, and the world, can get along quite comfortably without all our unnecessary posturing. We could just be a simple, direct and straight-forward person. We could form a simple relationship with our world, spouse and friends. We do this by abandoning our expectations about how we think things should be.
The fourth noble truth: is the way, or path to end the cause of suffering. The central theme of this way is meditation. Meditation, here, means the practice of mindfulness/awareness. We practice being mindful of all the things that we use to torture ourselves with. We become mindful by abandoning our expectations about the way we think things should be and, out of our mindfulness, we begin to develop awareness about the way things really are. We begin to develop the insight that things are really quite simple, that we can handle ourselves, and our relationships, very well as soon as we stop being so manipulative and complex.

The Noble Eightfold Path

According to the Buddha, the Eightfold path is the means to achieve liberation from suffering. Specifically, this path includes:
Wisdom
(1) Right View,
(2) Right Thought,
Ethical Conduct
(3) Right Speech,
(4) Right Action,
(5) Right Livelihood,
Mental Development
(6) Right Effort,
(7) Right Mindfulness,
(8) Right Concentration.
(1) Right View
It leads to the right understanding of the Four Noble Truths by keeping oneself free from prejudice, superstition and delusions, and to see everything in their true nature of life.
(2) Right Thought
It prescribes one to abstain from sense pleasures, turn away from the hypocrisies of this world, and to direct one’s mind towards Positive Attitudes which purify the mind.
(3) Right Speech
It means that one should refrain from falsehood, slandering, harsh words and pointless talks.
(4) Right Action
It advises one to refrain from killing, stealing and sexual immorality; these helps one to develop and conduct a self-controlled character that is pleasing to others.
(5) Right Livelihood
It entails earning a living through professions which has no evil consequences. The Buddha prescribed five professions or trades which a lay Buddhist should avoid – trade in weapons of destruction, trade in animals for slaughter, trade in slavery, trade in intoxicants, and trade in poisons.
(6) Right Effort
It encompasses the Buddha’s main stress in attaining happiness and enlightenment through one’s efforts. The pragmatic principle is four-fold; namely: (a) to discard evil that has already arisen, (b) to prevent the arising of unrisen evil, (c) to develop that good which has already arisen, (d) and to promote that good which has not already arisen.
(7) Right Mindfulness
It means to cherish good and pure thoughts. Right Mindfulness is the awareness of one’s deeds, words and thoughts. The Buddha prescribed four forms of Mindfulness: (a) mindfulness of the body, (b) mindfulness of feelings, (c) mindfulness of the mind, (d) and mindfulness of mental objects.
(8) Right Concentration
It means to train the mind gradually and concentrate on the “Oneness” of all life. The constant practice of meditation helps one to develop a calm and concentrated mind and help to prepare one for the attainment of Wisdom and Enlightenment ultimately.

Venerable Master Chin Kung

Venerable Master Chin Kung
淨空法師
Organisations: Pure Land Learning Centers

Venerable Master Chin Kung was born in Luchiang County, Anhui Province, China, in 1927. Before he was ordained as a monk, his name was Yae-Hong Hsu (徐業鴻).
Master Chin Kung grew up in Cheino, Fukien Province. In 1949, he went to Taiwan and worked at the Shihchien Institute. For the next thirteen years, he spent his leisure hours studying Buddhism and Philosophy under the guidance of Professor Tung-Mei Fang (方東美), Master Jia Chang (章嘉呼圖克圖), and Elder Teacher Mr. Bing-Nan Lee (李炳南). During those years, Master Chin Kung built up a strong foundation for his future career.
In 1959, Master Chin Kung decided to be a monk, and to dedicate the rest of his life to spreading the teachings of the Buddha. He was ordained at Lintzi Temple at Yuanshan in Taipei, Taiwan. It was then that he received the name of Chin Kung, meaning ‘pure emptiness’.
Since his ordination, Master Chin Kung has lectured extensively in Taiwan and abroad. For more than thirty years, he has taught and lectured on The Flower Adornment Sutra, The Dharma Flower Sutra, The Shurangama Sutra, The Complete Enlightenment Sutra, The Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, The Diamond Sutra, The Five Sutras and One Commentary of Pure Land Study, and many other Sutras and Commentaries. He is the founder of the Hwa Dzan Monastery, the Hwa Dzan Buddhist Library, the Hwa Dzan Lecture Hall, and the Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation.
Master Chin Kung uses modern technology to spread the Buddha’s teachings. Most of his lectures are recorded on audio, video tapes and CDs for wide distribution. He has sponsored the printing and the distribution of Buddhist texts worldwide, as well as portraits and pictures of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. All these items have been distributed free of charge.
Master Chin Kung is the founder of Pure Land Learning Centers all over the world. Their mission is to teach the Pure Land Study and its cultivation methods.
In June of 2001, Master Chin Kung established the Pure Land Learning College Association in Australia to nurture and train successors to continue the propagation of Buddhism. He supported the Buddhist Educational Foundation for Buddhist courses in Sydney University and sponsored the project of Institution for Peace and Conflict Resolution in the University of Queensland.
In June of 2002, Master was awarded as an Adjunct Professor of the University of Queensland. In the same month, he was awarded with an honorary degree of Doctor of University of Griffith University. Currently he is residing in Australia to continue his lecture series on the highest teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, the Flower Adornment Sutra.
In recent years, Master Chin Kung has emphasized The Infinite Life Sutra and the Pure Land cultivation method of Buddha Recitation. As he continues his lecturing tours around the world, Master Chin Kung practices Buddha Recitation as his own path to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Courtesy of www.buddhanet.net

Master Chin Kung gave the speech to enlighten human beings

 Master Chin Kung gave the speech to enlighten human beings.
Talk Given in the Greening Ceremony at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution of the University of the Queensland
Respectable Vice-Chancellor John Hays and professors, I would like to express my appreciation to the university for giving me this opportunity to share and exchange my ideas with you. I have been a Buddhist lecturer for forty-four years. In my understanding, Buddhism is a multi-cultural social education. Today, we would say that Shakyamuni Buddha was the founder of multi-cultural social education, a true social volunteer. His goal was to help sentient beings understand the true reality of life and the universe, to treat everyone equally, to co-exist harmoniously, and to live in mutual cooperation with all others.
In my lectures, I have said that the Buddha taught three principles. The first is to treat everyone equally and to co-exist harmoniously regardless of nationality, race, and religion. The second is to regard nature and all existence with a non-discriminatory mind. The third is to treat all spiritual beings with equal respect and harmony. In Buddhism, peace is the core concept for guiding all sentient beings. Whether or not peace can be achieved depends on "equality." Only with a non-discriminatory mind, will peace be realized. Shakyamuni Buddha was a humble person who respected, helped, and cared for everyone. He showed us, through his example, the only way to attain peace.
When I read the Chinese translation of your report on the Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, I was impressed and greatly moved. I thought of a gentleman, Mr. Jia-Cheng Li in Hong Kong. He and others deeply understand the importance of education and are very enthusiastic in their support. After sharing the same report with them, they expressed support for the centre. Mr. Lee, whom I have met only once before, would like to see me again. He and I agreed that the curriculum (to eliminate conflict and promote peace) offered at this centre is of the utmost importance and needs to be taught as soon as possible. We should do our best to accomplish this project. We hope this centre will have a strong positive influence on society.
We must resolve conflict with peace, even if all we did was to prevent one war. We need to realize that we can never really calculate the true loss and damage from war. We hope this centre can lead us to peace by resolving all human-made disasters and warfare. This will bring infinite merit to the centre.
Today, it is very important to help the younger generation set new moral standards and to gain proper understanding of life and the universe. Fame and wealth diminish with time. Only by benefiting society will we receive infinite merits and virtues.
Looking back through history, how many of us remember leaders and prestigious people from the past? Consider the founders and leaders of spiritual traditions: Confucius in the Orient and Jesus in the West, Islam's Mohammad and Buddhism's Shakyamuni Buddha. They lived lives of hardship and sacrificed their own interests for the well being of others. After hundreds and thousands of years, they still have the respect of those who learn from their examples. This is the true value of life: Life is only valuable and meaningful when we lay aside our own interests to dedicate ourselves to the interests of others. Only a person who can accomplish this will not have wasted his or her precious life.
Today, the vice-chancellor and professors of the University of Queensland have generated utmost compassion and are working towards the great and proper goal of world peace. This is a ray of bright light for our world. I have told everyone that you are messengers: Bodhisattvas who are here in this world to accomplish this good work to help save this world. We should all work together to support this great mission. I am just following behind you with this small contribution. I sincerely offer my best wishes to the University and hope that the Centre will soon accomplish its goal. I truly believe that all those who endure suffering will be very grateful to the University and to all of you, the Bodhisattva professors. Promoting education is the greatest good deed. It is said in a Chinese classic: "Education is crucial in the establishment of a nation: It trains its leaders and its people." The education of peace is the best and most virtuous teaching among all the teachings of the ancient sages and saints.
Lastly, I hope that all virtuous and kind-hearted people will work together to support the great task of saving our world and bringing comfort to all people. We cannot afford to lose such a rare opportunity to invest in future world peace.
Chin Kung
8th March 2002

Master Chin Kung

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Chin Kung 淨空
Religion	Buddhism
School	Pure Land
Personal
Born	1927 Lujiang County, Anhui Province, China
Senior posting
Title	Venerable
Religious career
Teacher	Lee Ping-nan

Chin Kung, 淨空;  Jìngkōng) (born in  1927) is a Buddhist monk from the Mahayana  tradition. He is the founder of the Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, an organization based on the teachings of Pure Land Buddhism.
He was born in Lujiang Country, Anhui Province, China under the birth name of Hsu Yeh-hong (Xú Yèhóng 徐業鴻). He spent thirteen years studying Buddhism and Philosophy under the guidance of Professor Fang Tung-mei (方東美), Changkya Khutukhyu (章嘉呼圖克圖 a master in Mongolian Buddhist tradition), and lay teacher Lee Ping-nan (李炳南). He entered the monastic life in 1959, where he was ordained at Lintzi Temple at Yuanshan in Taipei Taiwan. It was then that he received the name of Chin Kung, meaning "pure emptiness".
Master Chin Kung is well known for using modern technology to spread the Buddha's teachings. His lectures are recorded on audio, video tapes and CDs for wide distribution in many temples, including many Buddhist temples and centers where people can pick up books to distribute to other places.
He has sponsored the printing and the distribution of Buddhist texts worldwide, as well as portraits and pictures of various buddhas and bodhisattvas. All these items have been distributed free of charge.
In recent years, Chin Kung has emphasized the Infinite Life Sutra and the Pure Land cultivation method of Buddha recitation which is concerned mainly with the recitation of Amitābha Buddha's name.
Chin Kung was the ordination master for the late actress Chen Xiaoxu. He is currently residing in Australia.
Contents:
Achievements
Chin Kung had worked categorically on Buddhist teachings to bridge gaps and reconcile misunderstandings between different faiths through interfaith visits and dialogues, especially in Asia and Australia. In recognition of his achievements, he has been bestowed several awards and honours.
In 2002, he was awarded an Honorary Professorship from the University of Queensland, Australia and an Honorary Doctorate from Griffith University, Australia. In December 2003, he was awarded the Honorary Founding Patron of the Australian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Queensland, Australia. In April 2004, he was awarded the Honorary Doctor Degree of University of Southern Queensland. He was then further granted the Honorary Doctor Degree of Syarif Hidayatullan State Islamic University, Jakarta Indonesia in June. In August, he was invited to present a paper at the 2004 Okayama Topia for International Contribution NGO Network Conference on the United Nations.
In June 2005, Chin Kung was appointed as a member in the General Division of the Order of Australia by Queen Elizabeth II. He was recognised for service to the Buddhist community in Queensland, particularly through the promotion of Buddhism and the fostering interfaith activities between diverse ethnic groups, and to the community through support for educational and health institutions.
In 2006 he sponsored and attended actively the solemn and sumptuous celebration of the 2550th birthday of the Buddha Shakyamuni, which took place in the office of the UNESCO  in Paris, organized by the Venerable Tampalawela Dhammaratana, ex-president of the Buddhist Union of France, it was an event of international scale, that left a big influence in the Buddhist and not Buddhist world, by the distribution of its message of world peace and peace of mind in the heart of each.

 Understanding of Buddhism

Chin Kung categorizes Buddhism in practice into four different types. First, the traditional Buddhism, the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni, which is very rare in our days. Second, the religious Buddhism, which does not represent the real Buddhism but it becomes recognized by the society, since temples nowadays no longer practice intense teachings and meditation as they used to be. Third, the academic Buddhism being taught in many universities today, where we see Buddhism being treated purely as philosophy. This is not comprehensive either since Buddha's education covers everything essential to human beings rather than being one branch of the whole knowledge. Finally, the total degeneration of Buddhism into a cult. This type of Buddhism came into being in recent forty years and does great harm to the society. Chin Kung tries to correct the misunderstanding and lead the public back to the original form of Buddhism as taught by Buddha Shakyamuni.
Master Chin kung's teachings have benefited many people in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, USA, Canada and many parts of the world.
Master Chin Kung promoted harmony in Singapore by uniting nine religions in Singapore. He had visited many country leaders.....Through his teachings, many students live in peaceful life.
Master Chin Kung is the valuable asset in the current world, I wish master Chin Kung has the healthy body so that he can continue to teach all of us four hours a day through live telecast on Internet. 

Master Chin kung's speech

The Cause of Our Chaotic World
Today’s societies in Taiwan and elsewhere in the world are rather abnormal, a phenomenon that has not been witnessed before either in the West or the East. Some Westerners have predicted that the end of the world will occur in 1999 and that Christ will return to earth for Judgement Day. Easterners have also predicted impending disasters that are similar to those predictions in the West, the only difference being the time frame, which is some twenty years later. Some of these are ancient prophecies, which we should not place too much importance on. However, if we view our environment objectively, we will realize that this world is really in danger.
Environmental pollution has become a serious problem and now humankind has finally begun to understand the need for protecting our environment. However, the problem of mental or spiritual pollution is many times more serious than that of the environment. This is the source of worldly ills that not many people realize. The Chinese have a saying, "Education is most essential to establish a nation, train its leaders and its people." For centuries, the Chinese have always believed in the primacy of education, which is considered the foundation for a peaceful and prosperous society. It provides the solution to a myriad of social ills and leads the way to changing one’s suffering into happiness. Education has a strong impact on the nation and its people. Moreover, elementary school is the foundation, the basic building block in an educational system.
Buddhism as an Education
Buddhism officially came to China in 67 AD. The Emperor had sent special envoys to India to invite Buddhist monks to come to China to teach Buddhism, which in that period, was regarded as an educational system, and not as a religion. Regretfully, about two hundred years ago, the practice of Buddhism had taken on a more religious facade. Therefore, the purpose of this talk is to correct this misunderstanding, by leading us back to the original form of Buddhism as taught by Buddha Shakyamuni.
The Goal of the Buddha’s Teaching
Buddhism is Buddha Shakyamuni’s educational system, which is similar to that of Confucius for both presented similar viewpoints and methods. The goal of Buddhist education is to attain wisdom. In Sanskrit, the language of ancient India, the Buddhist wisdom was called "Anuttara-samyak-sambhodi" meaning the perfect ultimate wisdom. The Buddha taught us that the main objective of our practice or cultivation was to achieve this ultimate wisdom. He further taught us that everyone has the potential to realize this state of ultimate wisdom, as it is an intrinsic part of our nature, not something one obtains externally. However, most of us have become confused through general misconceptions and therefore, are not able to realize this potential. Therefore, if we break through this confusion, we will realize this intrinsic part of our nature. Thus, Buddhism is an educational system aimed at regaining our own intrinsic nature. It also teaches absolute equality which stemmed from Buddha's recognition that all sentient beings possess this innate wisdom and nature. Therefore, there is no inherent difference among beings. Everyone is different now because we have lost our true nature and have become confused. The degree of wisdom exhibited by individuals depends on the degree of delusion and has nothing to do with the true nature of the individual. The Buddha’s teaching helps us to realize that innate, perfect, ultimate wisdom. With wisdom, we can then solve all our problems and turn suffering into happiness. Due to our lack of wisdom, we perceive, view and behave foolishly, and thus suffer the consequences evoked by our incorrect actions. If we have wisdom, our thoughts, viewpoints and behavior will be correct; how then can we suffer when there are no ill consequences to suffer from? Of course, we will be happy. From here, we can see that suffering is caused by delusion and the source of happiness is our own realization of wisdom.
The Core of the Buddha's Teaching
The Buddha's teaching contains three major points: discipline, meditation and wisdom. Wisdom is the goal and deep meditation or concentration is the crucial process toward achieving wisdom. Discipline through observing the precepts, is the method that helps one to achieve deep meditation; wisdom will then be realized naturally. Buddha's entire teachings as conveyed in the sutras never really depart from these three points. Buddhism encompasses the entire collection of works by Buddha Shakyamuni and is called the Tripitaka. This can be classified into three categories: sutra, vinaya (precepts or rules), and sastra (commentaries) which emphasize meditation, discipline, and wisdom respectively.
The Buddhist Educational Organization in China
Buddhist education is based on filial piety, as is the Chinese culture. Prior to the introduction of Buddhism to China, filial piety was the pillar of society and was supported by the wise men of ancient China. When Buddhist monks from India came to China and started to discuss Buddhism with government officials, it was immediately apparent to everyone that Buddhism shared numerous similarities with the indigenous Confucian traditions. Consequently, the government embraced them and requested that the monks stay in China permanently.
The first two monks, who came to China, Moton and Chufarlan, were received by the "Hong-Lu-Si" which is equivalent to our present Foreign Ministry or State Department. "Si" was designated as a ministry of the government. The Chief of Hong-Lu-Si is equivalent to a foreign minister or Secretary of State. However, Hong-Lu-Si could only receive foreign guests temporarily. In order to allow them to stay permanently, the Emperor added another ministry, "Bai-Ma-Si," to take charge of Buddhist education. Originally, the "Si" had nothing to do with a temple, but merely denoted a ministry of the imperial court, now it denotes a temple in contemporary Chinese. So, there were two ministries in charge of education. The "Li-Bu," managed by the Prime Minister, was in charge of the traditional Confucian educational system. This organization served the same function until the early 1900’s. As the Emperor had given enormous support to the "Bai-Ma-Si," Buddhist education rapidly spread throughout China. In many instances, it had even far exceeded the efforts to educate people than the traditional education system of "Li-Bu." Consequently, there may not have been a Confucian or Manfucian school in every village, but there was a "Si" everywhere. Again, the Buddhist "Si", or temple, used to be an educational institution and did not perform religious ceremonies at all, unlike what often takes place in contemporary temples nowadays.
Another important mission for the original "Si" was sutra translation. The scale of the translation effort is hard to imagine today. During the seventh century, the famous monk Xuan-Tsuang had supervised six hundred scholars in sutra translation. Prior to this, a monk named Kumaraja had a translation team of about four hundred scholars. Therefore, the "Si" was a large governmental organization. Unfortunately, it was completely transformed into a place to deal with superstition and spirits around two hundred years ago. Its educational characteristics totally disappeared, which was truly regretful.
The Four Current Types of Buddhism
Today, there are four types of Buddhism being practiced. First, there is the religious Buddhism, which can be witnessed in temples throughout Taiwan. However, this does not represent the real Buddhism. Second, there is the academic Buddhism being taught in many universities today, where we see Buddhism being treated purely as philosophy, an academic pursuit, especially in Japan. This is not exactly Buddha's education either. Third, and the most unfortunate of all, is the total degeneration of Buddhism into a cult. This third type of Buddhism is much more damaging to the public than the first two types. Finally, there is the traditional Buddhism, the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni in its true essence, which is very rare in our day and age.
The Author's Own Experience with Buddhism
When I was a young student in Nanjing, I did not believe in any religion. I went to church with some classmates to learn about Christianity. Although I tried to understand it, I could not find a way to accept it. My favorite religion at that time was Islam because its emphasis was on moral principles and ethics, and I thought that this was rare among religions. When I encountered Buddhism back then, the monks were not very convincing. Therefore, I could not accept Buddhism either and it was the one I resisted the most. I was too young at that time and had not met a true practitioner.
After I arrived in Taiwan, I heard of Professor Dong-Mei Fang, who was then a famous philosopher and a professor at the National Taiwan University. Having become an admirer of his, I wrote him a letter asking about taking a class from him at the university. Professor Fang was only in his forties at that time. He invited me to his house and told me, "Nowadays in school, professors do not act like professors, and students do not act like students either. If you come to the university and expect to learn something, you will be sorely disappointed." When I heard this, I was pretty upset since he had basically poured cold water over my plans. Finally, he told me: "Well, why don't you come to my house every Sunday, and I will give you personal instruction for two hours." I could not believe that he was so compassionate towards me. I learned about philosophies at Professor Fang’s small table in his little living room, one on one. This was extremely precious to me. He introduced the philosophies of the West, China, India and finally Buddhism. He taught me that Buddhism is the pinnacle of the world's philosophy and that it provides the greatest enjoyment for humanity. What he told me was fascinating and soon I realized that Buddhism contained something magnificent. I started to visit the temples in Taipei. However, the monks I met in those temples just could not clearly explain Buddhism to an intellectual skeptic like me. However, the monks are much better in teaching Buddhism today. Then I set my first sight on Shan-Dao-Si, which was a large temple in Taipei with a vast collection of sutras. During that period of time, the wide publication and circulation of Buddhist books was very rare. The monks at Shan-Dao-Si were extremely kind to me as they allowed me to borrow many of the precious and rare sutras. This was a great help to me.
Soon after I started to learn Buddhism seriously, I was fortunate to meet Master Zhang-Jia. He was a well-accomplished Esoteric practitioner who taught and guided me in my study and practice. Just like Mr. Fang, he taught me two hours every week for three years until he passed away. I then went to Taizhong to follow Mr. Bing-Nan Lee and started studying and practicing with him.
Buddhism is a special kind of knowledge; it is not a religion. In order to derive true benefit from it, we have to understand it’s true nature. I have the utmost respect for Buddhism and I believe Buddha Shakyamuni to be the foremost educator in the history of the world. He was just like Confucius in that he taught everyone tirelessly and without discrimination.
The Methodology & Symbolism of the Buddhist Educational System
The Continuing Education System for Teachers
The continuing education system for teachers was first established by Buddha Shakyamuni. Many of his students were well accomplished under his instruction. Every year, these students were assigned to teach at different places for nine months. In India, the rainy season runs from mid-April to mid-July. Since it was inconvenient to travel and teach during those three months, all the students would come back to meet with the Buddha to receive additional teachings and to learn from each other in class discussions. This was called the summer retreat and it parallels what is currently known as continuing education for teachers. The modern continuing educational system is necessitated by the advancement in technology. However, twenty-five hundred years ago, Buddha had already adopted this idea in bringing his students back for additional teachings.
The Artful Buddhist Teaching
Buddhist teaching is full of artistic expressions. It was originally an education, which combined what was equivalent to today’s museum and school system. Therefore, the "Si" combined the traditional school, library and museum. In ancient China, the traditional school system was not universal. Most students went to a "Si" to study because it usually had a complete collection of books, similar to today's library. The collections included not only sutras, but also almost every kind of publication. The monks were familiar with Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and ancient Chinese texts. They were capable of answering questions and were well versed on various subjects. Consequently, Buddhist institutions began to take over the educational mission for China.
Typical Buddhist buildings are expressions of art, which are called "Expressions of Buddhism." However, Buddha and Bodhisattva statues do not represent polytheism, the worship of more than one god. Each statue serves to inspire wisdom and awakening in each of us. They also represent certain aspects of Buddhism, which remind practitioners of the particular topic of teaching. For example, Guan Yin Bodhisattva, the most popular Bodhisattva in China, represents Infinite Compassion. When we see this statue, it reminds us to apply compassion when dealing with the world, its people and surroundings. However, people nowadays worship Guan Yin Bodhisattva as a god and pray for the relief of suffering and to eliminate obstacles. This is a superstitious view and misconception because people forget the fact that the statues are expressions of concepts in Buddhism.
Buddhist architecture is also an artistic expression, with the temple's main cultivation hall being similar to a large meeting or teaching hall. From the exterior, it appears to have two stories, but there is only one story inside. The external two stories represent "absolute truth" or the true reality of life and the universe, and "relative truth" or worldly views still clouded with delusion. The interior single story illustrates that both are the same truth. To the deluded, the two appear distinct and different; however, to the enlightened, they are one and the same.
In the center of the main cultivation hall, there are three statues, one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas. Buddha represents the true nature of the universe and human life, which is called "Buddha nature" or true mind. "Buddha" is translated from Sanskrit, and means someone who is totally enlightened. The Buddha statue represents our original enlightenment and the Bodhisattvas statues represent the application of our original enlightened mind. All the representations and applications are infinite and can be classified into two categories: wisdom and practice. For example, the Pure Land School pays respect to the Buddha and two Bodhisattvas of the Western Paradise. Amitabha Buddha (Infinite Life and Infinite Light) represents the infinite enlightenment that is an intrinsic part of our nature. Bodhisattvas Guan Yin (Avalokiteshvara) and Da Shi Zhi (Great Strength or Mahasthamaprapta) respectively portray compassion with kindness and great wisdom. We should be compassionate and kind toward all beings. Our thoughts, views and behavior should be rational rather than emotional, for emotional behavior spells trouble. Therefore, we should not treat the Buddha and Bodhisattvas as gods. But will they help us? Yes, they will by providing us with the knowledge of how to protect ourselves from delusion, thereby obtaining release from suffering. Once we have learned the background of the artistic components in Buddhist architecture, music and statues, we will gain an enriched experience when paying a visit to a traditional Buddhist temple.
However, nowadays many people do not understand the meaning and teachings of Buddhism. They mistake the multi-representations of Bodhisattvas as a sign of polytheism. What people fail to understand is the fact that the statues in Buddhism are teaching aids and not statues of gods. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas represent our nature and cultivation of virtue. We have infinite capabilities within our true nature that cannot be expressed by just one single term. Therefore, we have multiple representations; for instance, a capable person today may have many titles on his/her business cards to show his/her positions and accomplishments. The Buddha and Bodhisattvas are actually representations of the nature within ourselves: Buddha, as in our true nature of mind, and the Bodhisattvas, in our virtue of cultivation. We all possess these qualities. Not until we come to realize the meaning of Buddhist symbolism, will we appreciate the sophistication and completeness of its education.
Typical "Si" buildings are rare today. The first hall of a "Si" is the hall of Heavenly Guardians, also known as Dharma Protectors. Situated in the center of the hall, facing the front door, is Mi Le Pu Sa (Maitreya Bodhisattva) who is represented by the image of the historical monk Bu-Dai. Mi Le Pu Sa has a big smile that conveys the idea that in order to truly learn Buddhism, one should learn to be cheerful and courteous to all. He also has a huge belly that represents fairness, flexibility, impartiality, patience and tolerance.
Standing beside Mi Le Pu Sa are the four Heavenly Guardians or Dharma Protectors. They are symbolic guardians of the practitioners of the Buddhist way. Whom do they protect? They protect us by reminding us to educate ourselves and to safeguard the proper knowledge, which we should learn. Each guardian portrays a different aspect of thought or action.
The Eastern Dharma Protector (holding a lute) symbolizes responsibility and safeguards the territory, which means that all of us are responsible for ourselves, our family, society and the country as a whole. If each of us performs our duties well, fulfilling our obligations, we support each other and ourselves as well. The Southern Dharma Protector (holding a sword) symbolizes progress and teaches us diligence. He emphasizes the importance of constantly cultivating and advancing our virtue, wisdom and knowledge, and to improve performance in ourselves and our duties. This is similar to Confucian ideas of daily self-improvement.
The Western Dharma Protector (holding a dragon or snake) symbolizes comprehensive vision and knowledge gained through exposure to the world. He represents the need to open our eyes to observe nature and man, to refine what we see and learn, and to distinguish good from ill. The Northern Dharma Protector (holding an umbrella) symbolizes comprehensive study and learning. Both teach ways of practice and how to achieve the goals in responsibility fulfillment and self-improvement. As the ancient Chinese have said: "To read ten thousand books and to travel ten-thousand miles." We read to gain more knowledge and travel to observe more effectively. We will then be able to improve ourselves and to perform our duties most effectively.
Today, people visit the Hall of Dharma Protectors to burn incense, prostrate and offer flowers and fruit praying for protection and safety. This is superstition. All the facilities, images of Buddha and Bodhisattvas and any offerings made are teaching tools designed to inspire our mind and wisdom. They also serve to remind us of the importance of being enlightened instead of deluded, virtuous instead of deviated, pure instead of polluted. These are the three principles of Buddhist teaching and practice.
Methods of Practicing Buddhism
The ways in practicing Buddhism are numerous, about eighty-four thousand. Each path is different from the others but ultimately leads to the same goals: enlightenment, proper thoughts and viewpoints, and purity. As such, all paths are equal without one being superior to the other. People have different abilities and levels of accomplishment. Furthermore, they are from different environments and should choose a path most suited to them. We can choose any one of the three goals to concentrate our practice on. When we achieve any one of them, the other two will come naturally.
There are ten schools of practice in Chinese Buddhism. Zen stresses the pursuit of the perfect clear mind or enlightenment. The Pure Land and Tibetan Buddhism or Vajrayana school stress obtaining the pure mind. Other schools concentrate their practice on proper thoughts and viewpoints. Regardless of which method or school one chooses, they all lead to the same outcome. In other words, once we become expert in one method, we will become an expert in all methods.
The purity of the world comes from an individual’s inner purity. With a pure mind, a mind without discrimination or attachment, a higher level of wisdom arises in which the world around us naturally comes into harmony. By reciting the Buddha’s name, meditating, reciting sutras or mantras, and practicing in accordance with Buddha’s teaching, one will attain enlightenment, proper thoughts and viewpoints, and purity of mind thus becoming void of all deluded thoughts.
On the other hand, one is totally on the wrong path if one chants Buddha’s name in the hope of gaining a promotion or wealth. That is religion and superstition, and it goes against the teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha.
How Buddhist Terminology Illustrate that Buddhism is an Education
Buddhism is the teaching of Buddha Shakyamuni as he was its founder. We call Him the "Original teacher," just like the Chinese call Confucius the "Greatest sage and teacher." The relationship between Buddha and ourselves is a teacher-student relationship, which is not religious in nature. In religion, there is not a teacher-student relationship but that of father-son or master-servant.
About twenty years ago I gave a series of lectures in Fu-Ren Catholic University and taught in the Thomas Monastery for one semester. I told my students, who were mainly priests and nuns, to take refuge in the Buddha and to learn Buddhism well. There is absolutely no conflict between Buddhism and religion, for one is teacher-student and the other father-son. If the priests and nuns were to practice Buddhism and in turn abandon their own religion, I believe that even Buddha would not accept them, for it is against human ethics to discard the parent for the teacher. Therefore, religious followers will benefit if they practice Buddhism. As we practice, we will attain the true wisdom to know exactly what Heaven is like and will be able to decide when and how we want to go there. Thus, Buddhism is a way of teaching as it teaches us how to regain our true wisdom.
When a monk is called "He-Shang," he is equivalent to the principal in today’s school, for he is the director of educational strategies. All other faculty members are teachers who execute the principal’s educational strategies and act as role models for the students’ behavior and speech. My late teacher, Professor Fang constantly assured me that Buddhism is an education. Later in my studies of the sutras, I reaffirmed his statement that Buddhism is the pinnacle of the world’s wisdom. It provides the greatest enjoyment for humankind. I have experienced the unsurpassable joy of being free from afflictions, delusions and wandering thoughts. My body and mind are clean and pure, totally at ease. I am the happiest person in the world. Therefore, I feel indebted to Professor Fang, for without him, I would not have learned Buddhism nor would I have such complete happiness derived from practicing Buddha’s teaching.
The Integration of Confucianism and Buddhism
Buddhism successfully merged into Chinese culture; they became inseparable. The basic concept that they share is to give up one’s own interest for the sake of others. Confucianism and Buddhism advocate the enhancement and glorification of filial piety, the respect and devotion of an individual for their parents and teachers. Filial piety is a major element in accomplishing world peace.
What is education? It is the meaning and the value of human life, the relationships between human beings as well as those between humans and the universe. Confucian teaching encompasses three main points. First, it is important to understand the relationship between humans, once this is understood we will learn to love people. Second, it is important to understand the relationship between humans and heaven, once this is understood we will learn to respect heavenly beings and spirits. Third, it is important to understand the relationship between humans and the environment, once this is understood we will learn to take care of the environment and to appreciate every single thing around us. There are four studies within Confucian teachings: virtue, speech, skills for earning a living and the arts. The teaching of virtue is the core of Confucianism; it is absolutely crucial, for without morality and proper conduct we become selfish and concerned only with ourselves at the expense of society. Such behavior can result in world chaos. Today, our education has lost that emphasis. Schools only teach skills that are superficial and not the root of education. When the root is rotten, it shakes the foundation of society and causes the chaos that we are experiencing today. Elementary schools are like the root of education: junior highs, high schools, and colleges are the flowers and leaves. Teachers can start teaching filial piety to our children as early as possible.
By looking at the way Chinese characters were created, we cannot but admire our ancestor’s high level of wisdom. We thank them for having given us something that is so valuable and exquisite. The Chinese character "piety" embraces the spirit of Buddhism and the foundation of education as it is a combination of the characters for "old" and "son." Nowadays, people talk about the generation gap between parents and children, which is something traditional families did not have. In the Chinese tradition, not only are father and son one unit; grandfathers and grandsons, etc. are all part of the same continuum. This is a unique concept. Westerners often ask why Chinese people pay respect to ancestors since we barely know them. The remembrance of our ancestors is the foundation of Confucianism and Buddhism, which is the source of harmony in society and peace in the world.
Today everyone longs for world peace, but we need to start from the foundation of filial piety to obtain it. Buddhism emphasizes unconditional compassion for all sentient beings in the universe and beyond; in the past, present and future. The continuum of time and space is inseparable from oneself, for We Are All One Entity. One does not find this extensive concept in religion. "Thus Come One", one of the ten names for Buddha, stands for an enlightened being, which is our basic nature, and also the essence of the universe and human life. This concept is embodied by the Chinese character "piety" and the name of Amitabha Buddha in the Pure Land School. The names may be different but the meanings are the same: unconditional love for all beings that surpasses space and time.
The Five Human Relationships
Confucian teachings are based on five human relationships that are founded on moral principles. The five human relationships include those between husband/wife, parent/child, siblings, friends, and political leaders and the public. Husband/wife represents the smallest and the most intimate circle of human relationships. Outside the small circle is the extended family, which includes the relationships between father and son and those among the siblings. Outside the family there is society which includes additional relationships between the individual and his leader and circles of friends. We now often talk about the need to unite people. In ancient times, the Chinese had no use for the word "unite," for the five human relationships define the union of all people. Everyone on this earth is our brother. Each is responsible for the other; parents being compassionate, sons and daughters being filial to their parents, siblings and friends being respectful to each other. In this way, the country and its people are already a perfect union. The relationships between people also define responsibilities from one to the other. Everyone has his own duty and responsibility to fulfill.
The Practice of Confucianism and Buddhism
Human beings differ from animals by adhering to human relationships and basic moral principles. The practice of Confucianism is based on having sincere and proper thoughts, correct behavior, a well-organized family and country, and peace for all. This is identical to the views of Buddhism, which also emphasizes practicing and learning. It all starts from generating the Bodhicitta mind. "Bodhi" is a Sanskrit word meaning enlightenment. Enlightenment means an "awakened" mind. It is similar to the sincere thought and proper mind advocated by Confucianism. A Chinese government official defined sincerity very well. He noted that "Sincerity means having no single thought." There will be no sincerity as long as there are corrupted thoughts, wandering thoughts, or even the rise of a single thought. His definition is identical to that of Buddhism. The Sixth Patriarch Hui-Neng once said "...(the pure mind) contains nothing therefore collects no dust". However, people in general have a lot of wandering thoughts. How can one be rid of these wandering thoughts? The Confucian answer is "...to fight against uprising desires and achieve wisdom." This practice was stressed in the elementary school of the Confucian system. Buddha said, severing all desires is to stop all worries and troubles.
The Confucian Elementary School System
In the past, the Chinese elementary school students were well trained to guard against the uprising of desires. Schools emphasized training in student’s concentration and wisdom. Students started school at the age of seven. They stayed with their teachers and only went home during holidays. They were taught the correct way to interact with everyday life and the proper manner to attend to their teachers and elder schoolmates. This was called the education of moral principles based on human relationships. When the children went home, they would then treat their parents and siblings with filial piety and respect.
From the ages of seven to twelve, students were required to memorize and recite fluently the ancient texts. The teacher would first select materials which contained the profound wisdom of sages and saints and then encouraged the students to read and recite the material up to one or two hundred times a day. Children would have scattered thoughts if they were not assigned any tasks to do. The purpose of reciting was to focus their mind so that they would eventually obtain a pure mind, concentration and wisdom; even though, they may not have understood the meanings. However, the current educational system, in existence since the Revolution of 1911, eliminated this two thousand-year-old tradition and adopted the western educational system. This change, upon close examination, leads one to the root of modern China’s social problems.
The Confucian Tai School System
At the age of thirteen, children were sent to Tai school, as there were no junior or high schools in ancient China. Tai school emphasized the analysis and discussion of the materials students had already memorized in elementary school. The teachers were experts in their fields and would concentrate on that field throughout their entire career. Each of them taught a small class with ten to twenty students and the lectures were not necessarily given in the classroom with textbooks. During that period, all the textbooks were printed in the universal format: twenty words per column and ten columns per page, with no space in between. The format was standard for the entire country regardless of the publisher. Both teacher and students memorized the textbooks so well that they even knew exactly where the study materials were located. Since everything had been memorized earlier, there was no need for books after elementary school.
Teachers often took their students on field trips to broaden their knowledge and experience. As they traveled, knowledge was imparted to them along the way. Thus, the trips were without textbooks or restraints but accompanied with wine and food and filled with joy. The students would attend to the needs of the teacher. Therefore, as they concluded their travels to the many beautiful places, the course would close as well. For many, attending Tai school was the most joyful time of their lives.
In Taiwan, those who are in their eighties or nineties may have experienced this kind of education. My late teacher, Mr. Lee, then in his nineties, could still apply materials he had memorized in elementary school when writing articles; no reference materials were needed. This was the method he used to acquire the original wisdom that comes from the pure mind. With the pure mind, true wisdom arises. Having true wisdom is to know a person’s past and future and also to understand the laws of cause and effect. One should not judge things by their appearance, but know and understand how events came about. The wisdom of knowing nothing emphasized in Buddhism is the original wisdom. Only when one has a pure mind, which contains nothing, will he also know everything when he is in contact with the external world. Therefore, the practicing and studying of Buddhism begins with eliminating all thoughts in order to obtain a pure mind.
All this made me think of our children, who are so pure, so innocent and uncontaminated in their thinking which is why it is best for our children to start learning Buddhism early in childhood. With little effort, children can truly and easily benefit from it. The experiences of a person with a pure mind are so different and profound that no ordinary person can truly appreciate them.
World Peace Can be Achieved if the Mind and Body are Well-trained, the Family is Well-run and the Country is Well-governed.
A true practitioner will keep himself from being greedy, angry, ignorant and arrogant toward others and his environment. If one has any of the elements just mentioned, then he is neither sincere nor proper. Sincerity and proper thoughts and viewpoints are the basis for training the mind. A person with a pure mind and body will not become ill. We suffer from illnesses because our minds are filled with wandering thoughts and worries that are derived from greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance.
As mentioned earlier, sincerity and proper thoughts and viewpoints are the basis for purifying one’s mind. A purified mind leads to a purified body and naturally, a person will become immune from illness; thus, a realized practitioner would never get seriously ill. Moreover, if a person is determined to follow the path of Buddha, he or she will not die in the conventional manner. A conventional death means a person does not know exactly when they will leave this world, nor where they will go afterwards. On the other hand, true practitioners with confidence in themselves and in Amitabha Buddha, who cultivate in accordance with Buddhist teachings, will be capable of controlling both the time of leaving this world and of being born in the Western Pure Land. This is neither unusual nor a fairy tale, but the simple truth, and can be achieved by cultivating the pure mind and vowing to reach the Western Pure Land. Therefore, one needs to understand how important it is to be free of worries and attachments. Every Buddhist should maintain a pure mind and body at all times, treating everyone and everything with equality and composure. Only then would the family be in harmony, the society in unity and the world at peace. No longer would we have feuds, conflicts or wars. The peace and happiness, which we all wish for today, would no longer be a dream. World peace can be achieved if we combine Confucianism and Buddhism into our educational system.
The Eight Basic Confucian Moral Principles
Loyalty, filial piety, compassion, love, trust-worthiness, responsibility, peace and equality are the eight basic Confucian moral principles and are represented by four Bodhisattvas in Buddhism. Di Tsang Wang (Earth Store /Kristigharba) Bodhisattva represents filial piety and therefore the Di Tsang Sutra is known as the Filial Piety Sutra. This is because it teaches filial respect for both parents and teachers, who are both equally important in Buddhism and Confucianism. To treat one's parents with filial piety and to respect teachers are the innate virtues of human nature. The goal of Buddhist teaching is for us to realize the true nature of the mind, which can only be achieved by discovering its virtuous nature, without which one will never become enlightened.
Guan Yin Bodhisattva symbolizes compassion and represents kindness and love. Wen Shu Shi Li (Manjusri) Bodhisattva symbolizes wisdom and represents faith and loyalty. Pu Xian (Universal Worthy/Samantabhadra) Bodhisattva symbolizes great vows and putting the Buddha’s teaching into practice including filial piety, compassion and wisdom. He represents peace and equality. With compassion and wisdom, one can generate merits. To enjoy merits is to build upon the foundation of equality and purity - this is the greatest enjoyment for humankind. To cultivate merits in childhood, generate merits in middle age and enjoy merits in old age are described in Chinese as truth, virtue and beauty. One who enjoys merit in old age is called the complete person, which is similar to Buddha. We must understand that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are not gods but the most perfect and happiest beings for us to learn from.
Wise ancestors in China long evoked these principles long ago before Buddhism was introduced there. Buddha Shakyamuni, Confucius and Mencius never met, but they all had identical concepts and teaching methods. That was truly a coincidence and as is said in Chinese, "Heroes would have similar views" or said in the West, "Great minds think alike".
Chapter Six: The Buddha’s Teachings are for Everyone
Recently a student came to me and asked how to practice Buddhism. The answer is the Four Universal Vows of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas:

Sentient beings are innumerable, I vow to help them all;
Afflictions are inexhaustible, I vow to end them all;
Ways to practice are boundless, I vow to master them all;
Enlightenment is unsurpassable;
I vow to attain it.

To help others is to do our best in assisting them to break through delusion and become awakened, then they will be able to attain true happiness and leave suffering behind. In order to help all beings escape from suffering, one should be a good cultivator, excelling in moral and academic achievements. A cultivator can learn by upholding the precepts to guard against harmful consequences created by speech, body and mind, i.e. words, deeds and thoughts. Before comprehensive learning, however, it is necessary to cultivate good virtue by ending our afflictions including greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance, as they are the sources of all desires and delusions. True wisdom arises from cultivation of high moral character, from a pure, non-discriminatory and compassionate mind, and not from knowledge gained from books. Without a pure mind, the knowledge gained leads to deviated views. Therefore, the first priority in practicing Buddhism is to purify our mind and cut off all attachments to erroneous ways. With the pure mind we can then reflect everything clearly and know all, thus attaining true wisdom and enlightenment.
Buddhism is for everyone, regardless of gender, age, occupation, nationality or religion. Everyone can learn and practice Buddhism, for it is the teaching of ultimate, perfect wisdom. There is a need for Buddha's teaching in all parts of the world. However, it is not easy to nurture Buddhist teachers. The difficulty lies with the fact that most people cannot renounce their worldly fame and wealth, which are the major obstacles in learning and practicing Buddhism. Without a pure mind, there is no way to truly understand Buddha's teachings and to realize the causes of all the problems in this world. Meanwhile, without virtue of merits and good causes and conditions, practitioners cannot find good teachers. Therefore, I always encourage young practitioners to resolve to save our country and the world.
The Key to the Greatest Treasure
Recently, we have established a Pure Land Learning Center in the United States. The goal is to introduce the traditional Chinese culture to Westerners and to help them practice Buddhism. Our ancestors invented the most precious and timeless vehicle: a classical Chinese language, called Wen-Yen-Wen, in order to transmit the ancient culture to future generations and us. With this powerful vehicle, we can read the publications of Confucius or Mencius that were written twenty-five hundred years ago. Because our ancestors realized that language would be changing from time to time, they used this classical Chinese language to pass on their wisdom, thoughts, skills and experiences. It is not difficult to learn Wen-Yen-Wen. Mr. Lee, my teacher, has taught us the secret to reading the classical language; one only has to recite fluently fifty chapters of ancient Chinese literature. In order to write in classical Chinese, one needs to memorize one hundred chapters. With this key, Wen-Yen-Wen, we can have access to and learn Buddhism and ancient Chinese wisdom, for the latest translations of the Buddhist sutras were in this classical language. Along with the pure, non-discriminating and compassionate mind, we can thus unlock our ultimate wisdom.
I have encouraged practitioners to read the Infinite Life Sutra, which is written in a simpler form of this classical Chinese language. The public should easily understand Eighty percent of its content. There are only forty-eight chapters in this compilation of the Infinite Life Sutra, which is close to the amount that Mr. Lee required us to memorize. This is a good way to start learning this classical Chinese language. After reading and memorizing this sutra, I believe there will be no more obstacles in reading other Buddhist sutras. I strongly urge not only practitioners but also Westerners who want to learn the Chinese culture and Buddhism to memorize fifty chapters of Wen-Yen-Wen or the Infinite Life Sutra. With two or three years of effort, one can obtain the key to explore the wonders of ancient Chinese wisdom and at the same time, transform the Buddhist sutras into one’s own private treasure. Without this key, having all these collections of sutras and ancient Chinese literature would be futile, for there is no entry into the treasury.
Elementary School is the Foundation of Happiness
Ladies and gentlemen, parents and students, elementary school is the foundation for happiness in human life, the root of the country’s future and the caretaker of the future society. You have made such contributions to this greatest task in human life and society. It is most meaningful and valuable for society to nurture capable and virtuous youth. I would like to extend my gratitude and highest respect to you. I wish all of you inner peace and happiness. May everyone have great health and prosperity!

Meditation

In this century many people keep on chasing materials gain but never ready have the peace of mind. They simply ignore it or just do not know the ways to cope with the fasting changing world.
My friend introduced me about the practice of mediation. After his advice, I took up the course and had the chance to experience it.
Through the meditation practices, I slowly realize the need to have the clearer mind in life. Now, I find it meditation can help me in many ways in life and now I have to thank Mr. Silvam because the meditation help me to have peace and intelligence to cope with the daily work.
Through the meditation, I learn and correct many errors either on meditation part and daily deeds. It is because of the positive mindset that I can think more deeply whenever I do the things.
It is the help especially in this stressful environment.
Usually We should  meditate  after eating meal two hours later. We have to sit straight while meditation. Focus is the key to success on meditation. Do not be distracted by all illusion thoughts, just concentrate on the object.
In conclusion, I am now very healthy on body and my mind is more sharper than before. With proper meditation like the duration of meditation each day, the techniques on meditation, the do and don't. Yes, We can ready feel the wonders of our lives. We know how to live in more healthier life and now I think I want to talk more about meditation in my next posts. Through this sharing, It can strengthen those who had practiced meditation and also let those without meditation have some knowledge about meditation.

Do not spread rumour

We have to develop the right mindset-do not spread the rumour. Because it will hurt people unnecessarily.
Do not talk bad about others. Always thinking of bright side of others. Do not engage in talking nonsense.
We have to always see ourselves what areas needed to be improved rather that always find faults of others.

How to prevent misfortunes?

Everydays we read the nespapers, we saw so many people died from sickness, car accidents, earthquakes, volcalno, get killed by others, etc.
All these misfortunes are not conincident, all got reasons.
To prevent all these misfortunes, there is some solution. Anyone who can change his abnormal mindset and start doing good deeds, then he can reduce this misfortunes.
The third law of newton stating that action is equal to reaction.
So, whatever you do bad acts or good acts, there are equal reaction bad outcome or good outcome.
Qaddafi get shot because he had done very bad acts before.
Those killed people will be facing death penalty, this is also action and reaction.
So, my reminder is stop doing bad acts now to prevent misfortunes come to you.
If you are like stone, do not believe this natural law, you will be doomed. The only difference is the timing.

Develop the habit of helping others

We can make ourselves happy by helping others. For example, if you see the blind man walking, you can help him to cross the road. You can give seat for those who need more than you. You need to develop the habit of helping others without expecting any return.
Develop the habit of helping others, you are welcome by anybody.
So from today onwards, please do s little bit in helping others, you will find it very meaningful.

Jogging is good for our health

Yes, jogging is good for our health. Yesterday after work, I went to the stadium to jog for three round, this was the warm up for me. The stadium is near commonwealth MRT station. I could see so many people jogging, fast walk or did some physical exercise. Why I suddenly have the mindset to exercise? Because I realized that jogging or some forms of physical exercise was good for our body. If our body never go through some forms of exercise, it will become soft. We need to strengthen our body structure.  But we need to do it daily or regularly. We just can not be lazy, it needs some discipline and we ready need some planning. With this mindset, I started planning how to carry out my exercise schedule. Part of the reasons for  me to have such thinking is due to my clearer mind through focused meditation. 
In order to keep my body fit, I had to do something. Today after work  13-08-2012, I went to jog inside Chinese garden and Japanese garden. I am so relaxed because I can have the total freedom whether to jog or fast walk. Two day have passed, on 14-08-2012, I went to Singapore Jurong central park for jogging. On 15-08-2012 I went to Jurong lake park for fast walk cum jogging. My sister just reminded me to have few minutes warm up before jogging. Another friend advised me earlier to buy the jogging shoe. Wow, through all this kind advice, I am ready for the new journey-jogging daily.
After this few day's jogging, I feel energized and I can walk steadily. Now, I am thinking of buying the new sports shoe, this is the investment for health.
In short, I now have to meditate two times a day also jog for 30 minutes. I have to start planning to do more meaningful things in life.  
Yes, jogging is good for our health.
Let's start jogging or fast walk to keep our body healthy. Do not wait any further. Remember to observe your body condition well. If you have not did any exercise for the past few months or years then you have to start it slowly. Perhaps you can start warm up your body first the simple one like moving your hands, legs. After that you can slowly accelerate it by fast walk for few minutes. After few days, you can jog for few minutes. Take sometimes to build up your stamina.
Keep on reading this post, I will update my jogging journey from time to time.
This is so fun for sharing out all these, I feel so freedom now....