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.
2 comments:
wow.. I din know that.. Thanks for the info. Its interesting, as there was a dharma sharing session, and they recalled how Singapore had flooded a while back, and so strangely, it conicides with the opening the casinos. For my entire life, I have never seen Singapore flood before, but within weeks/months of the casino opening, Singapore flooded. I guess its the greed everyone have over the casino?
Quite possible. But since I do not have the special eyes and wisdom of either the Buddha or the Bodhisattva I cannot confirm it. But my initial reaction to hearing the news was that it was sort of appropriate for such an event to happen in that area. Thinking about how much rent must have risen in that area where it was flooded.
Post a Comment