Home » Posts tagged with "merits"
Posts tagged with "merits"
Four Queries On Buddhist Images & Ancestral Tablets
Dec. 24 | [1] Is It Inauspicious To Keep A Damaged Buddhist Image? Question: Is it inauspicious to keep a Buddha or Bodhisattva image with a defect, such as a missing finger at home? Answer: The defect is but a reminder of neglect, that it should...
How Tall Was The Buddha?
Nov. 26 | Question: How tall was Śākyamuni Buddha? Answer: In Chinese Buddhist texts, the Buddha is usually described to be ‘丈六八尺’ in height, which is ‘one zhàng and six chǐs or eight chǐs. How tall are both measurements?...
Do We Chant Just To Show Respect?
Sep. 24 | Question: Is chanting to express respect to Buddha? How does it help us and others? Answer: Chanting should always be practised respectfully, so as to be attentive, to receive the teachings chanted well. But chanting is not done just to express respect...
How To Reset & Recalibrate Your Mind
Sep. 18 | Be with yourself as you are, but without haste, without impatience. – Shunmyo Masuno In our everyday lives, do any of us have time to think about nothing? I imagine most people would say, ‘I don’t have a moment to spare for that.’...
Great Meritorious Virtues Of Mindfulness Of Buddha 念佛功德之大
Aug. 2 | 假使一月，常以衣食， 供养恭敬，一切众生， 不如有人，一念念佛， 所得功德，十六分一。 – 释迦牟尼佛 《大般涅槃经》 If for one month, constantly with clothing and food, offering reverently, to all sentient...
Is Spiritual Practice Easier In This World? 在这个世界比较容易修行吗？
Jul. 18 | 我观是 阎浮众生， 举心动念， 无非是罪。 – 地藏菩萨 《地藏经》 I see that of these Jambudvīpa sentient beings [here], with their raising of minds and moving of thoughts, none are not with transgressions. – Kṣitigarbha...
How Bodhisattvas Should Always Practise Repentance 菩萨应当如何常修忏悔
May. 8 | 忏悔文 (1) 我昔所造诸恶业， 皆由无始贪嗔痴， 从身语意之所生， 一切我今皆忏悔。 – 普贤菩萨 《华严经: 普贤行愿品》 Verse For Repentance (1) Of all my past created evil karma, all by beginningless greed,...
Why You Should Be More Giving Now (Or ‘Death Cleaning For Better Living’)
Mar. 27 | Giving what others need now will create merits, which can manifest as what we really need later. – Shilashanti In the Avadāna Sūtra《阿婆陀那经》, Velāma Bodhisattva (韦罗摩菩萨) had the following reflection – ‘People speak...
Samantabhadra & Manjusri Bodhisattvas’ Greatest Dedication Of Merits
Mar. 14 | Those who make this heartfelt aspiration for the Bodhisattva way Will be free of all lower rebirths, Free of harmful companions, And will quickly see Amitabha, Infinite Light. – Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (The King Of Prayers) In order to train just...
Can Ancestors Bless Survivors?
Mar. 14 | Question: Many pray for their ancestors to bless them. Does this work? Answer: They are not able to bless us, unless they have been reborn with greater blessings, or have become Bodhisattvas and Buddhas, and are looking after us. Also, merely asking...
What Language To Chant In To Help The Deceased?
Feb. 27 | Question: If there is sutra-chanting for a deceased Chinese person, with dedication of merits, both using a non-Chinese language, will the deceased be able to benefit? Answer: The power from sutra-chanting and dedication comes from the power of the...
Ancient Symbiotic Relationship Of Monastics & Laity
Jan. 23 | Receive needs humbly and gratefully. Offer needs humbly and gratefully. – Shilashanti Before the Dalai Lama departed from Thailand, he told his secretaries that he wanted to go out in the morning on alms round. It is common to see orderly queues of...
Does The Donor Or Deceased Gain Merits From Post-Death Donations?
Dec. 26 | Question: Who benefits from the merit-making when a donation is made to the temple which accommodates the deceased’s niche – the donor or the deceased? Answer: If the donor has no intention to benefit anyone else, all the merits go to the donor. If...
The Lotus Sūtra’s Verses For Breaking Free From Hell 法华经之破地狱偈
Dec. 11 | 破地狱偈 [3] 每自作是念： ‘以何令众生， 得入无上道， 速成就佛身？’ – 释迦牟尼佛 《法华经》如来寿量品第十六 Verse For Breaking Free From Hell [3] [I] always personally have this thought, ‘With...
