卍佛法是平等，無有高下

卍是法平等，無有高下。一起學習佛陀的智慧和慈悲。

佛法是富貴之法。學佛要學富貴，那富貴是什麼呢？我們現在都求財，其實財只是富貴一個小方面，富貴還包括了心態要富貴，口要富貴，身要富貴。要達到這三種富貴，就要好好求觀音菩薩。

凡夫看人會根據標準來衡量，比如以地位、身份來衡量。這也是正常。這個世俗上每個人福報有區別，好比當官的、大富長者，他們福報就相對比較大。也有他優秀的方面。所以當一個人要求財，還是求事業時，先要心態富貴起來。這裡頭要講一個問題，世間沒有廢人，也沒有廢棄之物。這世間上，每個人都有可用之處。

一般不把人分三六九等。就比方說，像選婚姻，很多人看對方就會評價、對比，結果一對比，就覺得對方配不上自己。這就是我們的嫌棄。太好的人，自己得不到。追自己的，自己又看不上。這就是嫌棄心態。

我經常組團去朝拜，各種各樣的人都有，有些學佛很久的，有些習氣很重，要抽煙喝酒的，或者得了癌症的，通通都有。但無論什麼人，只要能守規矩，我都很歡喜的跟他們結緣。我就覺得人間無廢人。他能來朝拜，一定有他的福報在，也許老太婆不識字。有好幾個人，跟我們去朝拜聖地回來，有癌症變好的。還有個老人家，七十多歲，自己得癌症化療了幾次。但他跟我們去爬山、走路，也不會拉後腿。

古人就說，哪怕福報大到你升天，都沒有去聖地福報大。生天的福報也會墮落，但去聖地遇到佛法，就會得到解脫。上次去東林寺，門口有個乞丐，一邊乞討，一邊念佛。我說，這就是不可思議。他有惡業在，世俗福報小，但他每天在阿彌陀佛眼皮底下，見人就合掌念阿彌陀佛，然後乞討。這個合掌，以及念佛，這功德都不可思議。有多少乞丐能懂得念佛的。

佛為什麼富貴莊嚴，不是他專門選那些高官貴人，而是佛能夠從每個人身上看到神聖莊嚴，就是佛性出來。每個人都有佛性，有優點。只要能做人，就有做人的優點，否則他就沒有福報做人了。這就是佛的富貴所在。不僅沒有沒用的人，而且也沒有沒用的物。任何一個東西，能生產出........

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阿彌陀佛! 功德無量

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願以此功德，莊嚴佛凈土。

上報四重恩，下濟三途苦。

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盡此一報身，同生極樂國

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The Six Realms of Existence 六道輪廻

Rebirth in Buddhism refers to its teaching that the actions of a person lead to a new existence after death, in endless cycles called saṃsāra. This cycle is considered to be dhukkha, unsatisfactory and painful. The cycle stops only if liberation is achieved by insight and the extinguishing of desire. Rebirth is one of the foundational doctrines of Buddhism, along with Karma, nirvana.

The rebirth doctrine in Buddhism, sometimes referred to as reincarnation or metempsychosis, asserts that rebirth does not necessarily take place as another human being, but as an existence in one of the six Gati (realms) called Bhava chakra. The six realms of rebirth include  God (heavenly), Asura (Demigod), Manusya (Human), Tiryak (Animals), Preta (Ghosts), and Naraka (Resident of hell).

The Six Karmic Realm of Rebirth. 

These are the fundamental factors that are determined by karma and connecting us to the six Gati or  “realms” :-

1 )  The God realm / 天道 - The suffering of the gods arises from foreseeing one’s fall from the god’s realm and these sufferings come from pride, arrogance and egotism. 

2) Asura The Demigod realm /  阿修羅道 - The suffering of Asura the Demigod is constant fighting and these sufferings come from jealously, resentment, and envy.  

3) The Human realm / 人道 - The sufferings of humans are birth, sickness, old age and death and these sufferings come from desire and attachment.

4) The Animals realm /  畜生道 - The sufferings of animals are being preyed upon one another, or being killed for meat, skin etc. These sufferings come from ignorance. 

5) The Hungry ghost realm /  餓鬼道 - The sufferings of hungry ghost is hunger and thirst and these sufferings come from greed.

6) The Hell realm / 地獄道 - The suffering of hell is hot and cold and these sufferings come from hatred and angers.  

This rebirth, state Buddhism traditions, is determined by karma, with good realms favored by Kushala (good karma), while a rebirth in evil realms is a consequence of Akushala (bad karma). While Nirvana is the ultimate goal of Buddhist teaching, much of traditional Buddhist practice has been centered on gaining merit and merit transfer, whereby one gains rebirth in the good realms and avoids rebirth in the evil realms.

The rebirth doctrine has been a subject of scholarly studies within Buddhism since ancient times, particularly in reconciling the rebirth doctrine with its Anatman (no self, no soul) doctrine. Some Buddhist traditions assert that "no self" doctrine means that there is no per during self, but there is inexpressible self which migrates from one life to another.

The majority of Buddhist traditions, in contrast, asserts that Vijnana (a person's consciousness) though evolving, exists as a continuum and is the mechanistic basis of what undergoes rebirth, becoming and death. Some traditions assert that the rebirth occurs immediately, while others, such as the Tibetan Buddhism posits an “Bardo” interim state wherein as many of 49 days pass between death and rebirth and this belief drives the local funerary rituals.

Tibetan Buddhism holds that there are two ways that someone can take rebirth after death. The first is to be reborn involuntarily, under the sway of ‘karma’, drawn back to life by destructive emotions and desires. 

This is the fate of most of us, but there are a few, select others, through the power of compassion and prayer to benefit others, are believed to be able to choose their place and time of birth as well as their parents. The process of identifying these reincarnate beings is e called “Rinpoches, the precious one” or "tulkus" as we are known, is a unique mixture of magic and politics.

In a monastic society, where celibacy was the rule, it served for more than 900 years not only to affirm the Buddhist teachings of a realized soul choosing the circumstances of their rebirth for the benefit of mankind; it also ensured a continuity of spiritual and political hierarchy.

His Holiness Karmapas, who introduced the system of identifiable reincarnation in the 11th century, are unique in leaving a letter of prediction before their death, specifying where their next incarnation will be found. In other lineages, identification will usually involve a mixture of dreams, divinations and the consulting of oracles. It is an inexact science, practiced in different ways across the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

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A New Tibet Comes With A Price

A few facts of Tibet Nowadays 

Modernization poses a new challenge for a new Tibet and herecomes with a price and the causes and effects of Urbanization and modernization of Tibet under People's Republic of China. 

Tibet in recent decades is transformed beyond recognition. Modern Face of Tibet is in fact, modernization poses a new challenge for a new Tibet and herecomes with a price.  What can we find true or real face of Tibet?

Pollution into the environment with new high rise apartment buildings, new highways, new railroads, new airports, new malls, business hotels, pubs and lounges, underground disco, KTV , alcohols, drug abuses , crime rate on the rise and diseases that easily find a place in Tibetan Soil.

STD and AIDS in Tibet autonomous region (TAR)

Tibet, one of the latest places in the world to be exposed to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is now becoming a place of high prevalence rate, according to some studies that have been kept low key where the first case was diagnosed in 2002. 

While the number of HIV-positive Tibetans are going up yearly, many residents of major Tibetan regions in Gansu, Qinghai, Suchuan and Yunnan Provinces and the Tibet Autonomous Region do now know what AIDS is or realize it is fatal, said Chupal Sangpo, deputy director of an NGO in Sichuan dedicated in educating Tibetans about HIV.

At the end of 2015, new HIV cases in Tibet went down, while 77,000 people diagnosed as HIV-positive received treatment in the past 12 months.

Tibetan Buddhism is a religion in exile, forced from its homeland when Tibet was conquered by the Chinese. At one time it was thought that 1 in 6 Tibetan men were Buddhist monks. The best known face of Tibetan Buddhism is the Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in India since he fled the Chinese occupation of his country in 1959.

Tibetan Buddhism combines the essential teachings of the Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism with Tantric and Shamanic, and material from an ancient Tibetan religion called Bon. Although Tibetan Buddhism is often thought to be identical with Vajrayana Buddhism, they are not identical - Vajrayana is taught in Tibetan Buddhism together with the other vehicles.

History

Buddhism became a major presence in Tibet towards the end of the 8th century CE. It was brought from India at the invitation of the Tibetan king, Trisong Detsen, who invited two Buddhist masters to Tibet and had important Buddhist texts translated into Tibetan.

First to come was Shantarakshita, abbot of Nalanda in India, who built the first monastery in Tibet. He was followed by Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava, who came to use his wisdom and power to overcome "spiritual" forces that were stopping work on the new monastery.

The Groups within Tibetan Buddhism

1) Nyingmapa: Founded by Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava, this is oldest sect, noted in the West for the teachings of the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

2) Kagyupa: Founded by Tilopa (988-1069), the Kagyupa tradition is headed by the Karmapa Lama. Important Kagyupa teachers include Naropa, Marpa, and Milarepa.

3) Sakyapa: Created by Gonchok Gyelpo (1034-1102) and his son Gunga Nyingpo (1092-1158).

4) Gelugpa: (The Virtuous School) Founded by Tsong Khapa Lobsang Drakpa (also called Je Rinpoche) (1357 - 1419), this tradition is headed by the Dalai Lama.

In addition, Tibetan is widespread as a liturgical language throughout the Tibetan Buddhist cultural area. Tibetan culture and language are today under strong pressure. Tibet has today the status of an autonomous region (TAR) in the People’s Republic of China. The number of Tibetans living in China is disputed. According to official Chinese statistics, the number is between 4 to 5 million, and under half of these live in the TAR, while the rest are found in other Chinese provinces.

Somewhat more than 100,000 Tibetans live in South Asia, primarily in India, and in the West. According to the Tibetan Government in Exile, the total number of Tibetans is approximately 5 - 6 million. Tibetan Buddhism is a strong and living religious tradition in Tibetan areas in China and parts of neighboring countries. 

Together with Zen Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism is the Buddhist movement which has spread more widely in the West.  Buddhism came to Tibet in the 7th century A.D., first and foremost from India. It assimilated local religious traditions and became what we call Tibetan Buddhism. The Tibetans adopted an Indian alphabet in order to translate Buddhist texts and for practical purposes in the country's administration, and is still used today.

Buddhism was transmitted into Tibet mainly during the 7th to 10th centuries. Notable early teachers were the illustrious 8th-century Tantric master Padmasambhava and the more orthodox Mahayana teacher Shantirakshita. With the arrival from India in 1042 of the great teacher Atisha, a reform movement was initiated, and within a century the major sects of Tibetan Buddhism had emerged. 

The Dge-lugs-pa, or One of the Virtuous System, commonly known as the Yellow Hats ( The Gelupa lineage ) the order of the Dalai and the Panchen Lamas, was the politically predominant Tibetan sect from the 17th century until 1959, when the hierocratic government of the Dalai Lama was abolished by the People’s Republic of China.

Much of the Buddhist literature that was lost in India exists today in Tibetan translations, and Tibetan is therefore one of the important languages in the study of Buddhism. Since the 11th century, Tibetans have also composed their own Buddhist literature, which consists of historical, biographical and liturgical texts, commentaries, meditational texts, poetry, grammar and philosophy and, since the twentieth century, also secular literature, which comprises poetry, novels and short stories. 

In the second half of the 20th century Tibetan Buddhism spread to the West, particularly after the subjugation of Tibet to Chinese Communist rule sent many refugees, including highly regarded “reincarnated lamas,” or tulkus, out of their homeland. Tibetan religious groups in the West include both communities of refugees and those consisting largely of Westerners drawn to the Tibetan tradition.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.

Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

The Two Accumulations – Merit and wisdom

Merit is to be accumulated.

Evil is to be abandoned.

Merit and wisdom in Sanskrit are known as “Punya and “Jnana” . 

In Tibetan  known as “Sonam” and  “Yeshi”.  

In Chinese is “功德” and “智慧”

1 ) Merit

Is a concept considered fundamental to Buddhist ethics. It is a beneficial and protective force which accumulates as a result of good deeds, acts, or thoughts. Merit-making is important in Buddhist practice: merit brings good and agreeable results, determines the quality of the next life and contributes to a person's growth towards enlightenment. In addition, merit is also shared with a deceased loved one, in order to help the deceased in their new existence. 

Merit is a force that results from good deeds done; it is capable of attracting good circumstances in a person's life, as well as improving the person's mind and inner well-being. Moreover, it affects the next lives to come, as well as the destination a person is reborn.

Merit can be gained in a number of ways, such as giving, virtue and mental development. There are many forms of merit-making described in ancient Buddhist texts. The most fruitful form of merit-making is those good deeds done with regard to the Triple Gem, that is, the Buddha, his teachings, the Dhamma and the Sangha. 

Merit has become part of rituals, daily and weekly practice, and festivals. In addition, there is a widespread custom of transferring merit to one's deceased relatives. Merit is a "beneficial and protective force which extends over a long period of time and is the effect of Karma done through physical action, words, or thought.

The way meritorious works, is that acts of merit bring good and agreeable results, whereas demeritorious acts bring bad and disagreeable results. A mixture of the two generates mixed results in a person's life. This explains why people are different and lead different lives in many ways.

Karma is self-regulatory and is the cause and effects of positive and negative actions. In today's world we called it the Law of the Universe: it operates without divine intervention and human intention is fundamental to it.

Internally, merit makes the mind happy and virtuous. Externally, present good circumstances, such as a long life, health and wealth, as well as the character and abilities someone is born with, arise from merits done in the past and vice versa, with demerits.

The merits and demerits a person has done may take a while to bear fruit. This is how most often people arguing that ones had done many good deeds, yet still facing many harsh ship or unpleasant incidents or bad things happens to them. Likewise, those who has done bad karma , yet he or she is still having a very happy and luxurious life.

Merit or demerit may cause a good or bad future respectively, including in the next lives to come. A bad destination after rebirth may be caused by demerit, but merely a lack of merit may also lead a person to be born in an unhappy destination.

When someone is reborn in a happy destination, however, one can only stay there as long as merits last. Thus, it is stated in the Buddhist scriptures that people cannot take anything with them when they die, except for whatever merit and demerit they have done, which will affect their future. 

Merit can be accumulated in different quantities, and stored up, but also has an impermanent character: it can run out. 

How to generate merits?

Merit is not only a concept, but also a way of living. Three bases of merit :-

1) Generosity or giving 

2) Virtue - The defined by the three factors of the Eightfold Path:-
Right Speech,  Right Action ,  Right Livelihood.

3) Mental development / Samadhi – Meditation

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Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta
For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen
May it arise and not decrease
But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note
I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.
Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's The Ten Great Vows

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's The Ten Great Vows

Samantabhadra is a Sanskrit language and literally means "The Universal Worthy". Samantabhadra is a Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism associated with practice and meditation. Together with Gautama Buddha and his fellow Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, he forms the Shakyamuni trinity in Buddhism. 

In the Tibetan or Vajrayana Buddhism, Samantabhadra is also the name of the Adi-Buddha – in indivisible Yab-Yum position with his consort, Samantabhadri. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, particularly the Nyingmapa school, Dharmakaya Samantabhadra (not the Bodhisattva of the Mahayana) is considered the most primordial Buddha, akin in status to Vajradhara for the Sarma traditions. Samantabhadra appears in the Vajrayana tantric text the Kunjed Gyalpo Tantra, as the Primordial Buddha. 

Therefore, in the Nyingmapa tradition, or 'Oldest Translation' school in Tibetan Buddhism, the Sakya tradition and the Bon schools view Samantabhadra as the Primordial Buddha. In the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhist Vajrayana, Samantabhadra is considered a primordial Buddha in indivisible yab-yum union with his consort Samantabhadri. However, the Kagyu and Gelug schools use Vajradhara to represent the Primordial Buddha.

In the Avataṃsaka-sutra, the Shakyamuni Buddha states that Samantabhadra Bodhisattva made Ten Great Vows in his path to full Buddhahood. The Great vows as follows:-

Samantabhadra 's The Ten Great Vows 普賢菩薩十種廣大之行願

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1-To pay homage and respect to all Buddhas.

2-To praise the Thus Come One-Tathagata.

3-To make abundant offerings. (i.e. give generously)

4-To repent misdeeds and evil karmas.

5-To rejoice in others' merits and virtues.

6-To request the Buddhas to continue teaching.

7-To request the Buddhas to remain in the world.

8-To follow the teachings of the Buddhas at all times.

9-To accommodate and benefit all living beings.

10-To transfer all merits and virtues to benefit all beings.

The Samantabhadra's Ten Great Vows have become a common practice in East Asian Buddhism, particularly the tenth vow, with many Buddhists traditionally dedicating their merit and good works to all beings during Buddhist liturgies.

普賢菩薩十種廣大之行願

1：禮敬諸佛、2：稱讚如來

3：廣修供養、4：懺悔業障

5：隨喜功德、6：請轉法輪

7：請佛住世、8：常隨佛學

9：恆順眾生、10：普皆迴向

經中一一述此十大願，明其功德無量，臨命終時，得此願王引導，往生阿彌陀佛極樂世界。然此十大願為一切菩薩行願之標幟，故亦稱普賢之願海。以此菩薩之廣大行願，一般稱為大行普賢菩薩。

普賢菩薩儀軌

聖祝儀規：

(香贊）戒定真香，焚起衝天上，弟子虔誠，熱在金爐上，頃刻紛紜，即遍滿十方，昔日耶輸，免難消災障。南無香雲蓋菩薩摩訶薩（三稱）

(稱聖號）南無大行普賢菩薩（三稱）

如意寶輪王陀羅尼.......

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Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).

Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.

Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.