I witnessed a very interesting incident while bringing some friends to visit a temple last week. I saw this gentleman standing in front of the gigantic golden statue of Amitabha Buddha with his palms pressed together in a praying posture. A small piece of paper was secured to his hands with both his thumbs. There were writings on the piece of paper, which I presume were the prayers to the lord Buddha which he wished would be answered, or granted. As he stood there, oblivious of my existence some distance behind him, praying to the Buddha a tan striped cat strode nonchalantly across in front of him. The man stomped his right foot at the cat, not once but twice at the cat as it crossed his path.
My initial reaction to that was utter shock. How dare you do such a thing to an animal that did not do anything to you but just went about minding its own business; much less in front of the statue of a being that embodies compassionate kindness, and yet you still have the audacity to ask Him for your prayers to be answered. It boggles my mind. Then I started laughing silently at the exhibition of ignorance, both his and mine. His ignorance of what Buddhism is all about, and my ignorance in letting something this small affect me.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Causes of Calamities
According to Reverend Jing Kung, as I was listening to him expounding the Lotus Sutra, he claims that the causes of natural calamities were detailed in the Lotus Sutra. The cause of natural calamities is us. Our environment is a reflection of our inner-self, just as our appearance is also a reflection of our inner-self. Therefore, beauty is not necessarily only skin deep; but it is necessarily only temporary.
We drool at the sight of delicious food, regardless of whether we need nourishment or not. Thus, greed brings flood, or water related calamities.
In-equanimity, inequality, prejudice, bias, bigotry, proud, etc, brings with it earthquakes. When we have equanimity and equality with all, things are smooth and flat. Just like flat smooth ground, it is easy to walk on. Everyone's life also becomes easier because everyone treats everyone else with the same respect. But when the opposite happens, thing become difficult for everyone, the flat ground becomes uneven - earthquake.
Foolishness (for example, those who refuse to see past their nose), stupidity, selfishness, brings with it calamities of the wind. Such calamities would include things like Hurricanes, Tornadoes, sand storm, etc.
Hate, anger, and vengefulness, brings with it calamities of the fire type, such as volcanic eruptions.
He also goes on to say that, inorder to save the world from all the above calamities, all it takes is for a group of 20 to 30 lay followers to attain Bodhisattvahood, through the practice of perseverance and calmness of the inner self. In so doing, because the people who have been inspired to save the world through such practice would have accrued enough merits to stop the calamities.
We drool at the sight of delicious food, regardless of whether we need nourishment or not. Thus, greed brings flood, or water related calamities.
In-equanimity, inequality, prejudice, bias, bigotry, proud, etc, brings with it earthquakes. When we have equanimity and equality with all, things are smooth and flat. Just like flat smooth ground, it is easy to walk on. Everyone's life also becomes easier because everyone treats everyone else with the same respect. But when the opposite happens, thing become difficult for everyone, the flat ground becomes uneven - earthquake.
Foolishness (for example, those who refuse to see past their nose), stupidity, selfishness, brings with it calamities of the wind. Such calamities would include things like Hurricanes, Tornadoes, sand storm, etc.
Hate, anger, and vengefulness, brings with it calamities of the fire type, such as volcanic eruptions.
He also goes on to say that, inorder to save the world from all the above calamities, all it takes is for a group of 20 to 30 lay followers to attain Bodhisattvahood, through the practice of perseverance and calmness of the inner self. In so doing, because the people who have been inspired to save the world through such practice would have accrued enough merits to stop the calamities.
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