Monday, September 2, 2013
Buddha teaching on fear
Buddha teaching on fear. The ultimate aim is to free from all fear. If we become Buddha, we have zero fear. Fear & Fearlessness: What the Buddhists Teach
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Labels: Buddha teaching, Buddha teaching on fear
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Buddha teachings on blogspot. com
Nowadays human beings are quite easy to learn Buddha teaching. In the olden days, people had to go to the Buddhist temples to learn Buddha teachings but the Buddha teachings were not always available compared to recent days. Now, We can see so many Buddhists temples, Buddhists associations explaining Buddha teachings around the whole world. After learning the lectures or Dharma talks, we can understand Buddha teachings better and clear the many misunderstandings about Buddhism. From the Internet, We also can hear live Dharma talks even 24 hrs a day. There are many Buddhists writing blogs about Buddha teachings on Blogger blog post. Let's see some of the Blogger blog post/ blog site.
1. http://kalyan-city.blogspot.com/
2. http://begintosee.blogspot.sg/
3. http://buddhist-practice.blogspot.sg/
4. http://the17thkarmapa.blogspot.sg/
5. http://repa123.blogspot.sg/
6. http://zenmanwalking.blogspot.sg/
7. http://buddhawasntafatguy.blogspot.sg/
8. http://dhammatimes.blogspot.sg/
9. http://luonsovath.blogspot.sg/
10. http://buddhaquotesonline.blogspot.sg/
Buddha teachings are very useful especially in this 21st century. If we can ready understand it, we will be the totally blessed one because it tells us the whole atmospheres like how to end the sufferings. How to put down all our illusion from our six senses. Why is it important to stop the desires? I personally be saved by the Buddha teachings and I know I am the totally blessed one. Is it so important to be the awaken one. At the end of the day, I have to let go everything even the Buddha teachings because all attachment must be cleared.
Friday, August 30, 2013
THE LAST TEACHING OF THE BUDDHA
THE LAST TEACHING OF THE BUDDHA
Beneath the sala trees at Kusinagara, in his last words to his disciples, the Buddha said: Make of yourself a light. Rely upon yourself: do not depend upon anyone else. Make my teachings your light. Rely upon them: do not depend upon any other teaching.Consider your body: Think of its impurity. Knowing that both its pain and its delight are alike causes of suffering, how can you indulge in its desires? Consider your 'self'; think of its transiency; how can you fall into delusion about it and cherish pride and selfishness, knowing that they must all end in inevitable suffering? Consider all substances; can you find among them any enduring 'self'? Are they not all aggregates that sooner or later will break apart and be scattered? Do not be confused by the universality of suffering, but follow my teaching, even after my death, and you will be rid of pain. Do this and you will indeed be my disciples.
My disciples, the teachings that I have given you are never to be forgotten or abandoned. They are always to be treasured, they are to be thought about, they are to be practiced. If you follow these teachings you will always be happy.
The point of the teachings is to control your own mind. Keep your mind from greed, and you will keep your behavior right, your mind pure and your words faithful. By always thinking about the transience of your life, you will be able to resist green and anger, and will be able to avoid all evils.
If you find your mind tempted and so entangled in greed, you must suppress and control the temptation; be the master of your own mind.
A man's mind may make him a Buddha, or it may make him a beast. Misled by error, one becomes a demon; enlightened, one becomes a Buddha. Therefore, control your mind and do not let it deviate from the right path.
You should respect each other, follow my teachings, and refrain from disputes; you should not, like water and oil, repel each other, but should, like milk and water, mingle together.
Study together, learn together, practice my teachings together. Do not waste your mind and time in idleness and quarreling. Enjoy the blossoms of Enlightenment in their season and harvest the fruit of the right path.
The teachings which I have given you, I gained by following the path myself. You should follow these teachings and conform to their spirit on every occasion.
If you neglect them, it means that you have never really met me. It means that you are far from me, even if you are actually with me; but if you accept and practice my teachings, then you are very near to me, even though you are far away.
My disciples, my end is approaching, our parting is near, but do not lament. Life is ever changing; none can escape the dissolution of the body. This I am now to show by my own death, my body falling apart like a dilapidated cart.
Do not vainly lament, but realize that nothing is permanent and learn from it the emptiness of human life. Do not cherish the unworthy desire that the changeable might become unchanging.
The demon of worldly desires is always seeking chances to deceiver the mind. If a viper lives in your room and you wish to have a peaceful sleep, you must first chase it out.
You must break the bonds of worldly passions and drive them away as you would a viper. You must positively protect your own mind.
My disciples, my last moment has come, but do not forget that death is only the end of the physical body. The body was born from parents and was nourished by food; just as inevitable are sickness and death.
But the true Buddha is not a human body: -- it is Enlightenment. A human body must die, but the Wisdom of Enlightenment will exist forever in the truth of the Dharma, and in the practice of the Dharma. He who sees merely my body does not truly see me. Only he who accepts my teaching truly sees me.
After my death, the Dharma shall be your teacher. Follow the Dharma and you will be true to me.
During the last forty-five years of my life, I have withheld nothing from my teachings. There is no secret teaching, no hidden meaning; everything has been taught openly and clearly. My dear disciples, this is the end.
In a moment, I shall be passing into Nirvana. This is my instruction.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Buddha teaching
Buddha was the enlightened human being. Buddha had the great wisdom beyond our imagination. I am lucky having the chance to learn Buddha teaching. Let's together learning it from Buddha teaching web site.
1. Buddhism/footsteps.
2. Basic learning
3. Wikipedia on Buddhism
4. End suffering
5. The teaching of Buddha
6. What is Buddhism
7. Buddha teaching
8. what-does-buddhism-teach
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Wednesday, August 28, 2013
The compassinate great man
Sometimes We can see someone who are not vegetarians but they can change overnight because of the compassion pouring out from their heart. But most people their compassion is hidden forever until his last day in this life. These uncompassionate people doing all the killing job but expect other people compassionate towards them, I think it is unlikely and of course they will be killed sooner or later.
Let's see the compassion story here. The compassinate great man
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Buddha : Ten attainment
towards others,
Purity of mind
within,
impartiality
towards everything we see,
proper understanding
of life and the universe, and
Compassion
in helping others in a wise unconditional way.
In attaining these, we will
See through
to the truth of impermanence,
Let go
of all wandering thoughts and attachments,
Attain freedom
of mind and spirit,
Accord with proper conditions
to get along with the situation, and
Be mindful of Amitabha Buddha,
follow his teachings,
and vow to reach the Western Pure Land.
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Labels: Buddha : Ten attainment, Buddha teaching
Buddha : The ten vows
The Ten Great Vows of Samantabhadra are:
1. To respect all Buddhas
2. To praise Tathagata (one of the ten names for Buddha)
3. To make offerings extensively
4. To repent karmic obstacles
5. To rejoice at other’s meritorious deeds
6. To request the turning of the Dharma wheel
7. To request the Buddha to remain in this world
8. To constantly follow the Buddha’s teachings
9. To accommodate all sentient beings, and
10. To dedicate all merits universally
The distinctive feature of the practice of Samantabhadra is that this bodhisattva has a mind as broad as the universe. As a result, each of his ten vows is ultimate and perfect in itself.
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Buddha : Six Paramitas
1. Giving (dana)
2. Precept observation (shila)
3. Patience (kshanti)
4. Diligence (virya)
5. Meditative concentration (dhyana)
6. Wisdom (prajna)
The first paramita is giving. Giving counters greed, and ensures that in the future we will have ample resources to continue helping others. The underlying meaning of giving is letting go.
Second is the giving of teaching. By teaching others, we are helping them to learn how to rely more on themselves. We give material resources to try to solve immediate needs. But, if we want to solve needs that are more far-reaching, we teach.
Third is the giving of fearlessness. It is to remove the insecurities, worries, and fears of others, whether the “other” is human or non-human.
Fourth is diligence, or enthusiastic effort. It is the joy that we bring to our practice and to all that is worthwhile in our lives. It is the true delight that arises from deep within us when we are doing what is wholesome. It enables us to keep going when we feel tired or overwhelmed. It is refreshing and inspiring. Cultivating enthusiastic effort counters laziness.
The fifth perfection is meditative concentration. Our practice and training in discipline and not harming others will reduce and gradually eliminate our harmful verbal and physical behaviors. Our minds will become calmer and less agitated. When our minds are thus settled, we will be better able to concentrate.
The sixth paramita is wisdom. Wisdom counters ignorance, and enables us to know how best to help others and to improve ourselves, including our ability to get along well with others. This wisdom is not that which is gained through intense study and analysis of many diverse subjects. That would be seeking wisdom from external sources. It is our innate, all-knowing wisdom.
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Buddha : Three conditions
He taught her to practice the Three Conditions explaining that they were “the true causes of pure activities of all Buddhas of the three time periods.” Therefore, they are a crucial part and foundation of our practice. This important statement tells us that all Buddhas of the three time periods of the past, the present, and the future, rely on the Three Conditions as the foundation for their cultivation and attainment of Buddhahood.
The First Condition is:
1. Be filial to and provide and care for parents
2. Be respectful to and serve teachers
3. Be compassionate and not kill any living beings
4. Cultivate the Ten Virtuous Conducts. Physically, we are to refrain from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. Verbally, we are to refrain from false speech, harsh speech, divisive speech, and enticing speech. Mentally, we are to refrain from giving rise to greed, anger, and ignorance.
The Second Condition is:
5. Take the Three Refuges
6. Abide by the precepts
7. Behave in a dignified, appropriate manner
The Third Condition is:
8. Generate the Bodhi mind
9. Believe deeply in causality
10. Study and chant the Mahayana sutras
11. Encourage others to advance on the path to enlightenment
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Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Buddha teaching Introduction of pure land learning
Buddha education Buddha teaching
Recently I have the chance to learn Buddha education. I am now more understanding. Through Master Chin Kung tirelessly explanation. Master Chin Kung said that obstacles in learning Buddha education like those deaf, blind one or those handicapped one. When people born before Buddha or after Buddha. Even people born in the time Buddha lived, not all got chance to hear Buddha teaching. At that time, many kings liked to listen Buddha teaching. Even today not many people have the chance to learn Buddha education. If we got the luck, we not only know there is the teaching called Buddha education but also have the chance to learn this highest philosophy. Buddha teaching usually will appear on those cultural rich region. Buddha helped those mature one to attain awareness. Those who want to attain Buddhahood must be disciplined one, follow the rules strictly. After Buddha passed away, his disciples recorded his teaching on leaves. After many years, the Buddha teaching went to China and the Buddha teachings become part of China culture. Those people who have good roots, good condition and good lucks will be able to learn Buddha education.
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Labels: Buddha education, Buddha teaching
Buddha teaching the Six Harmonies
1. Harmony in having the same viewpoints
2. Harmony in observing the same precepts
3. Harmony in living together
4. Harmony in speaking without conflict
5. Harmony in experiencing Dharma bliss
6. Harmony in sharing benefits
First is harmony in having the same viewpoints, which means establishing consensuses in a group. The group members must uphold the same principles and methods that they are studying and practicing for harmonious group cultivation. If we want a stable society, everyone needs to get along with one another.
Second is harmony in observing the same precepts. When we live and practice together, we need to have rules, or else there will be disorder.
Third is harmony in living together as a group. The purpose of establishing a cultivation center is to help every participant in the group succeed in their practice. Living together in a group, practitioners can support each other.
Fourth is harmony in speaking without conflict. By reducing, and ideally eliminating, disputes, people will be better able to focus on their cultivation.
Fifth is harmony in experiencing Dharma bliss. When we learn and practice a Dharma Door, the basic achievement that we should attain is happiness.
Sixth is harmony in sharing benefits. In the sangha, everything is shared fairly and whenever possible, equally. In this way, everyone’s basic needs will be met. Special needs are also to be considered. Understanding that everything in the sangha is an offering, nothing should be wasted. This will insure that future needs will also be met.
Buddha teaching Threefold Learning
2. Meditative concentration
3. Innate wisdom
Moral discipline counteracts our habits for wrongdoing. Meditative concentration counteracts the tendency of our minds to wander and have scattered thoughts. Wisdom counteracts ignorance, our wrong views and knowledge, and our lack of correct knowledge.
We begin with moral self-discipline, with training. On a basic level, we abstain from killing; from stealing; from sexual, or sensual, misconduct; from lying; and from the taking of intoxicants. On a broader basis, we behave in a moral and ethical way in everything we do.
Next is meditative concentration. In meditative concentration, we focus our attention on whatever we choose. There are no distractions or worries, no doubts or drowsiness, no discriminations or attachments: We remain unaffected by our environment and maintain a calm, undisturbed mind.
Third is intuitive wisdom. Intuitive wisdom is not an intellectual pursuit nor is it a measure of academic intelligence. It is knowing and understanding, and it arises from within us when our minds are clear and calm.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Big Buddha Buddha teaching
Afghanistan had a huge Buddha few years ago but this was destroyed by the people there. They were destroying something that their ancestors relied on. They destroyed it because these people were the most stupid one but we can not blame them because they did not know about Buddha education like their ancestors. In Hong Kung, Big Buddha will be survive there because people there know about the need to have the big Buddha. Once merely a remote monastery hidden by lush, mountain scenery, the Po Lin Monastery made it to the world map when the extraordinary Tian Tan Buddha statue (informally known as the Big Buddha) was erected in 1993. Sitting 34 metres high and facing north to look over the Chinese people, this majestic bronze Buddha draws pilgrims from all over Asia.
The eyes, lips, incline of the head and right hand, which is raised to deliver a blessing to all, combine to bring a humbling depth of character and dignity to the massive Buddha, which took 12 years to complete. Climb the 268 steps for a closer look at this remarkable statue, and to enjoy the sweeping mountain and sea views that can be seen from its base.
Opposite the statue, the Po Lin Monastery is one of Hong Kong’s most important Buddhist sanctums and has been dubbed ‘the Buddhist World in the South’. Home to many a devout monk, this monastery is rich with colourful manifestations of Buddhist iconography and its pleasant garden is alive with birdsong and flowery scents. You can also enlighten your appetite at their popular vegetarian restaurant.
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Labels: Big Buddha, Buddha teaching
Buddha teaching United nation celebrate Vesak day
"Now more than ever, we need the spirit of non-violence to help inspire peace and quell conflict... I offer my best wishes to believers celebrating Vesak Day, and my sincerest hopes that we may all draw on spiritual ideals to strengthen our resolve to improve our world."Uganda vesak day
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in a Vesak Day message pointed out that Vesak Day is a celebration for Buddhists worldwide and an opportunity for all members of the international community to benefit from their rich traditions.
He said, This year's observance, falling at a time of widespread strife and misery, is an occasion to examine how Buddhist teachings can inform our response to prevailing challenges.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon further added, "Confronting the troubling problems facing our world is consonant with Buddhism. The Buddha himself, as a young prince, left the safety of his palace to discover the four sufferings, of birth, sickness, old age and death.
"While such painful realities cannot be avoided, Buddhism offers insights into how to cope with them. Its history is replete with inspiring examples of the transformative power of Buddhist philosophy.
"The legendary King Ashoka, a conqueror who presided over a brutal reign in India some three centuries after the Buddha's passing, ultimately converted to Buddhism, renounced violence and embraced peace.
"The values that King Ashoka espoused, including human rights, democratic governance and respect for the dignity of life, are common to all great religions.
The fact that he was able to embrace them after years of brutal war offers proof that the goodwill of individuals can end widespread suffering.
"Now more than ever, we need the spirit of non-violence to help inspire peace and quell conflict.
"I offer my best wishes to believers celebrating Vesak Day, and my sincerest hopes that we may all draw on spiritual ideals to strengthen our resolve to improve our world.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Vesak In Malaysia
Buddha teaching Hell scenes
Every human being has different life or destiny because of his own action. We all must not blame others if our destinies are no good. Ir is our own behaviors so we must not blame others. Whatever we encounter good or bad are the results of our thoughts, action. If a person wants good life but doing all kinds of bad deeds, then for sure his life will be slowly toward misery sooner or later. So, why always have the habits of hurting others? Why always create troubles for others? Why killing others for our own selfish motives? It is easy to see ourselves whether we are ready good or not? If you always resisting doing good, then you have to think again, your life will be in agony somehow, why not having clear mind mind? Tp prevent you going to hells after this life, please be cautious in whatever your do. Many caring people spreading the hell scenes in Internet, they just want to remind people try their very best doing all good acts. Let's see the hell scenes to remind ourselves so as to stop our habitual bad thoughts. Hell scenes .
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Sunday, August 25, 2013
Incarnation real cases Buddha teaching
Children that remember previous lives
A professional scientific study of children that remember previous lives was initiated by Dr. Ian Stevenson, professor of psychiatry at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, in the late 1960s. Since then Ian Stevenson has gathered close to 3000 cases of children that remember previous lives, often as named, identifiable persons. Stevenson's cases have been gathered from Ceylon, India, Alaska, Thailand, Brazil, Burma, Turkey, West Africa, Lebanon and the USA. Stevenson has published 65 detailed reports about his findings in which the information the children remembered has been matched with the data of their former identity, family, residence and manner of death. Birthmarks and scars on the children have been found to match the experiences from the remembered previous life, especially in cases of violent deaths.
Typically a case begins when a child around the age of 3 without any kind of prompting begins to speak of a former life. The child will mention people and places that nobody in his family has heard about before and will, in certain cases, describe details of his former death. The child will be quite insistent in claiming to have a different name, and he will tell his astounded parents that he is, in fact, somebody else. He may also say that he has other parents or a wife or children that live in a different city or even a different country. The child continues talking about it for several years, generally to the great annoyance of the parents.
When Stevenson, through a network of helpers, learns about such a child, he arranges a visit and takes notes of all the data that the child recounts. If possible, Stevenson arranges that the child be taken to the town where he says he lived before. At this visit the child will then typically lead the way through the streets to his former home and will spontaneously recognize and greet persons like old friend calling them by their pet names. When the child enters the house, where he lived before, he will comment upon changes in the decoration, will ask about persons and things that he thinks are missing and remember events from the past. In certain cases he reveals knowledge about secret hiding places or where the family gold is hidden, about family debts or old scandals, all of which is confirmed to be true by the surviving family of the former personality. The child knows nothing about the time after the death of his former personality.
From Stevenson's book "Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation" the case of Swarnlata can be mentioned.
Swarnlata was born in 1949 in Pradesh in India into a middle class family. She started to talk about a former life at the age of three when one day her father was taking her for a ride and they passed the town of Katni, which was more than 100 miles from their home. Swarnlata suddenly pointed out the window and asked the chauffeur to turn down a street to "my house", where she said they could get a better cup of tea than on the highway. She told her father more than 50 facts about her life in Katni and the father made a note of these. She said that her name was Biya Pathak and that she had two sons. She described every detail of her home and how there was a railway behind her house. She said that she had died from a throat disease and was treated by a Dr. S.C. Bhabrat in Jabalpur. In 1959, when Swarnlata was 10 years old, news about the case reached Ian Stevenson and he initiated an investigation. He found the house where the Pathak family lived using only Swarnlata's description and he found everything just as Swarnlata had described it. He interviewed the Pathak family that informed him that Biya Pathak had died in 1939 and had left two sons and a husband. A few months later Biya's husband, her brother and one of her sons traveled to the town where Swarnlata lived in order to see her and test her memories. Swarnlata knew nothing about their arrival and they arrived at her house in the company of nine other persons and hid their identity. Swarnlata immediately recognized her (Biya's) brother and called him by his pet name. Afterwards she recognized her husband and behaved in a subservient manner as befitted a Hindu wife. She also recognized her son who had been 13 years old when she died. She reminded her husband that he had hidden 1200 rupees from Biya before she died and that the money had been in a particular box when he took it, which he confirmed to be true. A few weeks later Swarnlata visited her "former home" in Katni for the first time and she immediately commented on changes in the house and she identified the room where Biya had died. She revealed intimate details from the life of the family, she recognized old servants and commented in a good-humored way on how things had changed during the last 20 years. She had no knowledge of events after 1939.
Swarnlata's story is so well documented that it clearly points to her being the reincarnation of Biya Pathak. Ian Stevenson can with certainly rule out that Swarnlata had any normal way of knowing the intimate details she revealed about Biya. She had never been to Katni in her life as Swarnlata, nor did she have any kind of knowledge about the Pathak family. Yet she knew their most intimate secrets and a large number of details about their life. This strongly suggests reincarnation. However, Ian Stevenson never claims that he has proved that reincarnation is a fact; he merely cautiously says that his cases suggest that reincarnation happens. Stevenson's work is of monumental proportions and nobody who has studied his work can avoid being impressed by the meticulous care and strictly scientific approach with which he has carried out his research.
Ian Stevenson has mainly published monographies for the scientific community, but the following books have been published for the general reader: "Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation" and "Where Biology and Reincarnation Intersect". In his book "Old Souls" journalist Tom Shroder pays a tribute to Ian Stevenson's work and gives an account of his working methods during field trips to India and Lebanon.
Carol Bowman is an American researcher who herself has gathered several hundred cases of children with past life memories. Her cases are mainly from the USA and have been offered to her by parents who suspected that specific behavioral patterns in their children could have their origin in former lives.
Carol Bowman has published two books about her findings: "Children's Past Lives. How Past Life Memories Affect Your Child" and "Return from Heaven".
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Labels: Buddha teaching, Incarnation real cases
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
I listen to Master Chin Kung Budda talk
Today I listen to Master Chin Kung live talk 2012淨土大經科註 第334集, it ready enlighten me, In this talk Master Chin Kung mentioned that the real disaster is no chance to hear Buddha teaching. Master Chin Kung mentioned eight disasters that block us to learn Buddha teaching, for example those worldly intelligent and those who have quite wit to argue one, they themselves never realize the need to learn Buddha teaching. For those people who always act like scientists want proof then it is difficult for them to benefit of learning Buddha education. For learning Buddha education, we need to believe what Buddha's wisdom. That wisdom is different from worldly intelligence or knowledge. Master Chin Kung mentioned about the science quantum theorem that discovery proved that what Buddha talk was correct... Buddha mentioned all materials are indeed empty, scientists had discovered that mind set or mind vibration create materials, so mind set is very important for our destinies. Master Chin Kung said that we have so many thoughts within a second and the thoughts will affect so many things, how can we know that? even the old film projector running movie, s second needs 24 film, we then thought that it was so real. How about we just put one film and blacken the other 23 films, we can only see a light bit we do not see clearly that one film.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
Love in Lujiang
Love in Lujiang
Art of Healing
DR AMIR FARID ISAHAK
You can find the meaning of true love and healing through filial piety.
MY second trip to China this year was again at the invitation of the most venerable master Chin Kung, founder and spiritual sifu of the worldwide Buddhist Amitabha society.
In May, I went with him, his disciples and some Malaysian religious leaders on an educational tour of Beijing and Xinjiang (see at Walking with the Monks).
This time we went to Tangchi, a small rural agricultural town with about 50,000 residents. It is located in Lujiang county, in the province of Anhui. The area is calm and serene, with rice and tea cultivation being the main economic activities. It has many hot springs that provide pure alkaline water, something we were able to enjoy since it was piped into our rooms. It was autumn and the cool weather was just pleasant. Now the town is also filled with love.
We were also to give input from our own cultural, religious and spiritual perspectives and offer comments and suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the programmes, and on how to apply them to our own communities.
Master Chin Kung has given talks on peace, loving kindness and harmonious living on numerous occasions to audiences throughout the world. He has shared his wisdom with laymen, academicians, bureaucrats and world leaders.
Often he is asked whether it is at all possible to change people from being quarrelsome and crime-prone to kind, respectful and peace-loving citizens. If that is possible, then we will see happier families, and harmonious communities. There will also be less crime, less conflicts, and less wars.
Master Chin Kung believes that the nature of mankind is kindness. It is improper and incorrect upbringing and education that make us otherwise. He decided to prove beyond words that this is true, and that it is possible to change families and communities to become good. The ultimate aim is to achieve world peace through moral and ethics education. This must start with the children, but their parents and elders must also be involved so that the children will not be confused by the conflicting morals and behaviours of the adults.
So with the support of kind donors, he built the Lujiang Chinese Culture Education Centre (CCEC) to revive the good traditional teachings to children, adults and parents in the belief that the families and communities that live by these teachings will become peaceful, successful, and prosperous. Tangchi was chosen as the venue as it was his birthplace, and this was one way of honouring it.
Lessons from the sage
The syllabus is based on the teachings of the great sage Confucius (Kung Fu Tzu, 551-479 BCE), as simplified in the Di Zi Gui booklet, which teaches the “Standards of Being a Good Student and Child”, and other books of morals, good conduct and character.
The project started in 2005. The first task was getting teachers who believe in the same dream and aspirations, and were willing to become models to the students and the community.
Fortunately, there were enough committed people who were willing to be trained, led by teacher Cai and teacher Chou, who all along believed that the teaching of traditional values is a means of transforming the world for the better, and were willing to dedicate their lives to this noble cause.
It is under their leadership, with the guidance and wisdom of Master Chin Kung, that the first batch of teachers was intensively trained for two months until they became models of good values, virtues and character.
By 2006, CCEC was ready to spread its teachings. Only then did the centre invite children, parents and everyone from the town to become students, free of charge, courtesy of generous donors.
The teachers also went out to the community, giving lessons in homes, village halls and courtyards, and schools. There is a permanent open-air classroom (which also doubles as a theatre) on the park by the riverside right in town to make it convenient for the people to attend classes.
The lessons are always enjoyable and practical. Starting from teaching children to love, respect and honour their parents and elders (which the latter should reciprocate with love and care), the lessons for adults include values, virtues and morals regarding relationships between husbands and wives, within the family, among friends, in the neighbourhood, community, work place and in dealing with the authorities, among others.
Lessons also include singing, acting, arts and craft, and other activities that can instill good values, encourage usable and valuable skills, and uplift their earning potential at the same time.
Much emphasis is placed on filial piety, something that is established in all Eastern cultures, but is being gradually eroded as the younger generation is influenced by Western norms that come through the media and TV, and their parents are too busy chasing money and worldly comforts.
Children are taught to bow to their elders, and on certain occasions, to wash their parents’ feet as a mark of love and respect. Everyone is taught to greet others with kind words, a smile, and a bow. So it was a delightful experience as we happily greeted, smiled and bowed to all the people we met, and received their greetings, smiles and respectful bows in return. How wonderful and harmonious the world can be if we all love and respect one another like this!
Values and virtues like love, forgiveness, kindness, trust, justice, integrity, shamefulness and others are painstakingly explained through examples and actual stories of people who have found imbibing these principles into their lives beneficial and life-changing.
There are many such examples, of saved marriages, reconciliations, and even reformation of convicts, through the practice of these teachings.
On several occasions, my eyes were teary listening to these heartwarming lessons.
Amazingly, within only three months of the teachers reaching out to the community, there was noticeable change.
People became more honest, courteous, and kind. Less rubbish was being thrown around, and people actually started to help clean up should they stumble upon such rubbish.
After one year, the authorities reported that the divorce rate was reduced by 48% and the crime rate was down by 47%!
As the whole town continues to transform as more and more people learn and practice the good traditional teachings, Tangchi town will indeed become a “Model Township of Harmonius Society”. It is Master Chin Kung’s dream to see the success of Tangchi being replicated in other places, including in Malaysia.
A harmonious world begins with me
This method works because the emphasis is first in transforming the teachers themselves. So it is appropriate that the theme of this study tour was “A Harmonious World Begins With Me”.
As Mahatma Ghandi said, we must be the change we want to see. So if you want to see a harmonious world, you must first have a harmonious personality and live a harmonious life. Then the family, community and world around you will benefit and improve a certain degree because of you.
At one interfaith meeting recently, I was asked by a non-Muslim why the Malay/Muslim community here is burdened by many social problems even though all the children go thorough lessons which teach similar good values and ethics throughout their formative primary school years
My answer was – it is not enough that the content of the lessons are good; the teachers, parents and adults around the children must themselves be living examples of what is being taught so that the children fully understand the goodness, and know how to put the teachings into practice by observing the teachers and elders. That is, the teaching method must be theory combined with living example.
If we see the society not only defective, but actually getting worse, then we really have to revamp the way we teach our children. Maybe our teachers can learn from the Lujiang experiment.
Indeed, to my knowledge, already over 1,200 Chinese school teachers have been briefed on this methodology, and the headmistress of SMK Pandan Indah, Puan Hajah Zakiah Md Lassim, has taken the bold step of translating the Di Zi Gui into Bahasa Malaysia (booklet entitled Falsafah Tradisi Penting Untuk Kejayaan Hidup) and introduced it to her teachers and students. Syabas!
Our trip was sponsored by Malaysian Nam Fatt Corporation Berhad, a well-known public listed developer. The Group President/CEO, Datuk Jimmy Ng Keng Joo, was with us as a diligent student. And like a good student of the Di Zi Gui, he even volunteered to wipe the whiteboard during the lessons.
I must thank him for his generosity, and salute him for his sincerity and humility. Since he also brought his training manager, Jeffrey Yeo Cheng Keat, with him, I believe he intends to see all these good values being practised as part of the corporate culture of his company.
Hopefully, he will inspire the infusion of these morals and ethics into the Malaysian corporate world, and also build the first model township here, as envisioned by Master Chin Kung.
In the next instalment of this column, I will share more of what I learned in Lujiang, and what we all can do to heal society and help achieve a harmonious world.
> Dr Amir Farid Isahak is a medical specialist who practises holistic, aesthetic and anti-ageing medicine. He is a qigong master and founder of SuperQigong. For further information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my.
The views expressed are those of the writer and readers are advised to always consult expert advice before undertaking any changes to their lifestyles. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
Let's see other information related to Lujiang.
A Dedication of Love, A Teaching of Love
- Tea party at the New Year Respecting Seniors Event. (see pic. 21) Professor Chin Kung followed the old customs of presenting a gift and a red envelop of fifty Renminbi to each senior in Tangchi who is at least seventy years old. Teachers at the centre also did a cultural performance titled, “Harmonious Society, Love Filled Tangchi” where they dramatized the touching stories of everyday occurrences. The plays moved many in the audience to tears.
- March 8 Women’s Day: Good Mother-in-law, Good Daughter-in-law Honoring Assembly
- May 1 Labor Day and Mother’s Day: Model Mother, Labor and Youths Honoring Assembly
- June 1 Children’s Day: Good Child, Good Father Honoring Assembly
- July 1 Eighty-fifth Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party: “Eight Honors and Eight Shames” seminar
- October Chongyang Festival: Respecting the Elderly Evening Gathering
- End of the Year Memorial Service for Ancestors: Mindful of ancestral funeral rites and the virtues of people will resume to its proper excellence.
Their natures are similar, but their habits make them different.
If they don’t receive proper teaching, their nature will deteriorate.
The right way of teaching is to draw their concentration on goodness.
[1]Professor Liu Yuli of Central Party School of China, Anhui Provincial Committee Party School Journal, 4:2006. Re-printed in China Renmin University’s Spiritual Civilization Periodical, 3:2007.
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Labels: Love in Lujiang