2014年8月27日 星期三

喜歡與愛有什麼區別?The difference between love and like


有人問了佛 Someone asked the Buddha 
喜歡”與“愛”有什麼區別呢? How to distinguish "like" from "love"

佛指了指一個孩子,只見孩子站在花前,久久不肯離開,最後孩子被花的美丽迷醉,不由的伸出手把花摘下來。
The Buddha pointed at a child. The child was standing in front of a flower. The child was memorised by the flower and stood there for a long time, unconsciously the the child held out his hand to pick the flower. 

佛說:這就是喜歡。
Buddha: This is like.

接着,佛指了指另一個孩子,只見孩子滿頭大汗的在給花澆水,担心花被烈日晒着……自己站在花前。 
Next the child pointed at another child. This child's forehead was covered with sweat. The child was watered the flower while standing in front of the flower was blocking the strong sun from shining on the flower. 

佛說:這就是爱。 Buddha: This is love.  
喜歡是為了得到 Like is to take (receive something)

而愛却是為了付出,這就是最本質的區别。Yet love is to give. 
That is the fundamental difference. 

花若盛開,蝴蝶自來!
When the flowers bloom, the butterflies will gather. 

你若精彩,天自安排!

If you have depth, the heavens will give way.

2014年8月26日 星期二

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2014年8月25日 星期一

Shot the arrow!


When a person faces countless obstacles, be grateful!  
They are what will bring you to the next level (once your lesson(s) is learned.) 

A wonderful quote found also on some facebook post! 

2014年8月24日 星期日

[Translations] Overcome Hard Times with Wisdom 用修行的智慧克服低潮


用修行的智慧克服低潮
【悟覺妙天禪師開示集】用修行的智慧克服低潮
人一生不是都很順利的,有時候,受挫折得很厲害,被人家打擊,事業失敗,感情被摧殘,如果你有修行,你可以看得開,放得下,你知道這是無常,人間本來就是這樣。
人心的這一面是黑暗的;人性的那一面是光明的。如何讓人心通達人性?能夠讓人心的黑暗接受到心性的光明,那才是真正的福報。
修行就是這樣,養成定力之後,有辨別是非的能力,過了若干年後,你會發現自己在某一方面比一般人要強很多,你的意志力,你的生命力,你的見解力,你的計劃,你的工作能力,各方面的表現,超人一等,這個力量是從智慧產生的,不受環境左右。


                                                       
English Translation:
Life is not always smooth. Sometimes, there are setbacks, defamation, failure in business or relationships, but if you have a spiritual practice, you can get over it and let go because you know everything in life is impermanent, and that’s the way life is.
One side of the human heart is dark and the other bright. How do we connect our heart to humanity? Being able to have the brightness in humanity shine on the dark side of human heart is the real blessing. 
This is the way of spiritual practice. After you have cultivated your Ding (Deep focus), you obtain the ability to distinguish right from wrong, and without a few years, you will find yourself a lot stronger than average people in some aspects; your willpower, your vitality, your perspective, your plans, your performances at work, will be comparatively superior. This power is generated from wisdom and un-wavered by ones surroundings.
~Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian 

「若以色見我 以音聲求我 是人行邪道 不能見如來」Witnessing Buddha


                    During yesterday class Shifu explained a famous gatha(verse) of "Diamond Sutra". 

「若以色見我 以音聲求我 是人行邪道 不能見如來」


The rough English translation version of it.....



"Whoever saw me through forms or through sounds are on deviant paths
and will not be able to witness Buddha" -- Buddha






Buddha(Enlightenment) cannot be seen with naked eyes.  

The World of Chan by Chan Master Wujie Miaotien

The World of Chan
By Chan Master Wujie Miaotien
Translated by Zen Meditation (facebook) 
The World of Chan is the world of truth, goodness and beauty. To reach the world of Chan, one must possess the spirit of transcendence to go beyond the afflictions of spirit, material and arrive at the Pure Land of the mind. By the transcendental wisdom, one is freed from all ignorance and surpass all knowledge. After acquiring the power of super-wisdom to transform oneself into the Pure Land of the mind, there is the world of truth, goodness and beauty and the forever rebirth in the land of Buddha and the heaven.

There are three changes in the state of Chan. One is the material world that can be perceived by eyes, like, you can see me and I can see you. The phenomena is the material world. Material world is also the world of physiology that encompasses the activities of the five senses, like sight, hearing, and thoughts. These are the sensations from the material world. Therefore, when one is very emotional, one will insist and be obstinate to the extent of being extremely unreasonable, believing only his or her opinion is right and others are all incorrect. This is the emotional world and is the world of forms.

Second, the world of the mind is the world of knowledge. This world is rational and it belongs to the 7th consciousness, our sub-consciousness. This world of the mind can be acquired through learning and experience. After one acquires the particular knowledge and specialty, one’s spiritual life, quality and state is escalated. This is going from the world of forms, the material world to the formless spiritual world.

3rd is the realm of the spirit, which transcends psychology and is the realm of Chan school that directly points at the heart of a person, the original mind, the purist, ultimate and the original inherent life- the 8th consciousness, the alaya illuminating realm. The 7th consciousness is manas and the 8th consciousness is the world of samadhi, the world of undisturbed, and the world of the spirit. As to the world of the spirit, no matter which religion one follows, as long as one can practice to reach the world of the spirit, one then can control one’s life, know the change of the nature, which enables one to transform oneself, the whole universe, the society, country and even the whole world because one has the ability to predict and has the power that transcends time and space. The world of the spirit is the realm of wisdom- the utmost, non-surpassing world. The world of the spirit shows in meditation, which is the true form, the reality, the truth of the divine nature. This is the world of Chan which is to escalate to the world of the mind from the material world to the world of the spirit. Being from the 6th consciousness, to 7th consciousness, and to the 8th illuminating pure world is from the world of forms, to leaving the forms and to reach the world of formlessness and reality. This is the state of Chan. The one who reaches the state of Chan is very perfect and is a saint who turns from the ordinary and has reached the sainthood, which is the highest state and this person is prophetic, which is very important.

If the world is such, there will be no conflicts, only peace and happiness. It is a world of great perfection, truth, goodness and beauty. So, while one practices, after one knows the meaning of Chan, its categories, and its benefits, one needs to be aware of the direction of practice, to know how to meditate and practice in order to reach bhutatathata realm of Chan.

The Most Important in Practice is whether Or Not One Has Been Awakened

By Chan Master Wujie Miaotien
Translated by Zen Meditation 
If practices all lead to liberation and comfort, thus is to practice with wisdom. Modern people particular need to focus on practicing with wisdom because past and current age are rather different. There is too much pull force from the material world and many conditional changes, which carry all sort of pollutions and if we are not careful enough, our heart will be bound and be polluted. So we have to be especially aware of such a condition.

In practice, first, we should be awakened. First, ask yourself if you are awakened already. Why do you practice? If you come and practice because you are truly aware, you will never stop practicing as you have got what it needs: the correct dharma.

If you haven’t known why and you come because of others’ recommendation, maybe one day when you encounter misfortunes, you will think: I am practicing and why is there still such trouble? In fact, this is because you haven’t practiced till the state of enlightenment and therefore, are not relieved from burdens. Such is the cycle of cause and effect and the manifestation of karmic force.

Even though through practicing, a lot of karmic force can be canceled, one needs to be awakened. How? It is to know why we practice.

The reasons for every individual to practice can be quite different. Some come because of ill-health, and wish to be healed through practice or wish better health. Of course, practice can aid the mal-healthed to obtain health; however, this is not the ultimate goal. One should know to practice is to obtain more supra wisdom. One should never think practicing is being superstitious. Of course, a lot of religions are superstitious and that is not practice. they belong to local customs.

To Practice, Why Must We Meditate?


By Chan Master Wujie Miaotien
Translated by Zen Meditation 
Most people understand practicing at the level of consciousness, which is how most people know about practicing and think it is about cultivating oneself and changing one’s temperament; however, this cannot get one to leave the state as a man, and trailokya (desire, form and the formless realms). One can only be reincarnated within the realms of mortality. This way, by no means, one can ever achieve Buddhahood. The reason why the Honored One founded Buddhism was to enable sentient beings become Buddhas.

How to become a Buddha? According to the sutras, one must undergo three kalpas. It is generally believed that this means billions of years’ uncountable difficulties and it takes millions of lifetimes’ practice. In this case, of course, one can never achieve Buddhahood. And thus, this is the common people’s unenlightened point of view.

Three kalpas do not mean length of time but whether or not you can transcend obstructions physically and mentally instantly. If so, it equals to passing two kalpas. And if you can transcend time and space ( the obstruction from the sub consciousness- past lives), you can see your own Buddha-nature ( also called as self-nature, spirit, or the original mind)

The so called three kalpas refer to obstructions from the realms of immortals, which are the obstructions of the original mind. The realm of desire is the desire from the mind- the consciousness; the form-realm means the state of physiology; as to the formless realm is the sub consciousness after passing through the physical and the conscious.

Sub consciousness is an accumulated consciousness that overlays the illuminating spirit. For example, when you have something in your mind that you cannot let go of or memories from numerous past lives, they will be accumulated here where it is like a warehouse of memories that continues to store memory since the kalpas without beginning till now. Its change starts from the part that is closest to current and then retreats back. These changes cannot be seen or seized. It is called force of karma in Buddhism. And the obstruction it produces is karmic-hindrance.

Our nature is, by nature, a pure and illuminating entity; however, it has been overlaid by the screen of past karma and the original light is hindered. So practicing is to break through the three kalpas- body (physiology), consciousness (psychology) and screen of past karma (sub consciousness) and restore our original face of illumination.

Many practitioners are bound by hindrances of body, mind and the underlying memories (karma) from countless past lives so they cannot achieve bodhi.

How can one overcome the three hindrances? Only through meditation.

In meditation, one can transcend the physical, conscious and subconscious levels and directly enter the spiritual realm of wisdom. That is a world of illumination and cannot be imagined by human brain. Such world will appear only after entering samadhi.

So to practice, one must meditate. The kind of practice that does not involve meditation can only be counted as “cultivating one’s temperament.” Even though this is good, nevertheless, we shall not feel contented by it. We have to transcend this state so we can find our inherent wisdom.

Nowadays, Buddhism is quite popular. Many people learn Buddhism. But those that truly understand the doctrines of Buddhism are few. Most people think “to do no evil, to do only good, and to purify the will, is the doctrine of all Buddhas” means to “ not do bad things, do more good things and purify every thought. Yet, such an explanation is only restricted to the level of “purifying the will,” through which one cannot become a Buddha; thus, this is passive Buddhism.

Besides “doing no evil, doing only good, and purifying the will,” to “achieve bodhi” is essential to active Buddhism. As “the will” is only the activities of the five senses and the mind, which has not gone beyond the three realms of mortality, it therefore is not absolute. One must see bodhi, see one’s original mind in other words; this then is the true teaching of Buddhism. Nonetheless, the traditional method of practice cannot enable one to achieve the absolute. Many people still remain at the stage of following and upholding commandments

In fact, the “three studies” in Buddhism- commandments, meditation and wisdom, have taught us explicitly the importance of meditation and wisdom. Thus, besides following and upholding commandments, one needs to enter meditation, so can one witness wisdom in samadhi.

Why are there many practitioners who have been practicing for a long time but so few of them have achieved enlightenment? That is because they practice with knowledge, with “false-self,” so no matter how hard they practice, it is only knowledge. After the life is over, the Buddha dharma disappears with them. There is no way one can become Buddha through this way.

The goal of practice is to deliver the binds of the spirit. But since spirit is hidden, and intangible, how can one  practice? Only through meditation. Only in meditation can one be rid of the body and consciousness and directly enter the level of spirit.

The Heart- to -Heart Transmission Buddha Method is the practice method that directly points at the inherent nature and by witnessing Buddha nature, one becomes Buddha. It is a special way of transmission, which transmits through intuition rather than through words. It is not the “person” who practices; rather, it is a method of meditation that requires one to enter from mind to spirit.

The Heart Sutra says: Avalokiteshvara Buddhisattva practice deep Prajna Paramita, perceiving five skandhas all empty, which relieves all sufferings. Here, practicing deep Prajna Paramita means meditation, deep meditation. Avalokiteshvara Buddhisattva finds that in deep meditation, while the five scandhas are all empty; it is the time of the non-ego. All worries and pain are relieved. Avalokiteshvara Buddhisattva gains this pure divine wisdom in deep meditation and achieve the accomplishment of ultimate freedom.
To become Buddha, one must find the right method, and one who is a master, supreme master, dharma master, pastor or priest that has achieved buddhahood. As long as the person possesses the same power as Buddha or God, He then can help His followers to relieve all the karma and let His disciples have the power to transcend all kinds of obstacles stemming from the body and mind to furthermore, attain wisdom and let the rooted dusts become purified and be free.
If you can transcend the three realms, the chance of seeing your self-nature is rather big, for at this time, you already have a clear idea of the original mind. So, very soon, you can witness your self-nature. After witnessing the original mind, practitioners need to heed not to be fanned away by the eight winds ( i.e., gain; loss; defamation; eulogy; praise; ridicule; sorrow; joy). One should stay at the level of knowing the unrealities of things and enter even deeper meditation. As only through meditation can one firmly stay in the level of the nature of the Void or else it is very easy for one to recede.
In samadhi, one’s mind is firmer and the wisdom continues to grow. You will discover the light given out from self-nature; you will also know where this light is from, and you will pursue it and at the same time understand that everyone has the same spirit and light, and is all from the same life source. This nature of equality is dharma-nature.
When you witness the dharma nature, a heart of compassion will arise owing to “as being in one corpus; therefore, being compassionate.” At this time, whatever you think and do is that of a supreme bodhisattva. If one truly gets this kind of power and wisdom, it almost equals to half-way to reach the goal of enlightenment and it guarantees that one will achieve complete nirvana in this present life.

The Meaning of Chan(禪)

Quoted from the Book of Wisdom by Chan Master WuJue MiaoTian. 


"Most people think of Chan as 'sitting quietly' or 'sitting meditation.' This however is the external form of chan. The essence of Chan rests in cultivating the absolute wisdom in meditation and witnessing the absolute Truth with the absolute wisdom. "
adapted from "Chan and Its Life for Force," p. 114 




Chan Master Miao Tian's Book of Wisdom



Getting Ready for Meditation

Quoted from the Book of Wisdom by Chan Master WuJue MiaoTian. 

Below are Listed the basics of how to begin meditation.

1. Diet - don't eat that much!
2. Sleep - sleep when you should, and wake when you must.
3. Posture and Movement - "walk like the wind" and "stand line a pine"
4. Mind - focus
5. Breathing and qi - breath like a baby.


With reference to:
Chan Master Miao Tian's Book of Wisdom

Synchronisation through Breathing

Quoted from the Book of Wisdom by Chan Master WuJue MiaoTian. 


If you want to acquire true life force, you need to restructure your physical for first. 
The analogy is like this: if you want to watch TV shows in a foreign country, 
you need to get satellite TV first. 





With reference to:
Chan Master Miao Tian's Book of Wisdom

Anti-aging: Reconnection with Nature

If we can balance and harmonise our body's elements in the similar way that the body harmonises itself, we can slow down the process of ageing and restore the lost functionality of our body."

With reference to:
Chan Master Miao Tian's Book of Wisdom

Chan is the Wisdom of the Universe

Quoted from the Book of Wisdom by Chan Master WuJue MiaoTian. 


" Practicing Chan Meditation can witness this life force and wisdom. Further, Chan meditation can help us harmonise our body- a miniature universe, after all- in a way similar to the big universe harmonising itself.  "





With reference to:
Chan Master Miao Tian's Book of Wisdom

Heaven in Your Heart

Quoted from the Book of Wisdom by Chan Master WuJue MiaoTian. 



The so-called "Hell" is suffering- sickness, stress, depression, worries. These suffering torment us recurrently, thus "reincarnation." The suffering people have experienced Hell.

On the other hand there is Heaven on earth too. You do not need to look outward for it- it is in your heart. As long as you are joyful and peaceful, this very moment is Heaven, or Buddhaland.






Chan Master Miao Tian's Book of Wisdom

[BuddhaStories] Evil returns to evil doers



[Buddhist Stories] Evil returns to evil doers
     A Long time ago, the Buddha was in Srovasti. One day, Buddha went into town to beg for alms. A brahmin saw the Buddha. The brahmin began to insult the Buddha and threw a fit full of dirt toward the Buddha. At the moment the brahmin threw dirt, a gust of wind turned the dirt back to himself.
     Buddha then said in prose, " If there is no hatred in one’s heart, then even if the person was criticized or blamed, the person’s heart would remain peaceful and calm. If one’s heart is polluted, even if the person scolds others, just as the dirt blown by the wind, the evildoing would return to him or herself. "
The Brahmin became deeply remorseful and said, “ I am too foolish to distinguish good and evil. I should not have criticized and insult the Buddha.” The Brahmin really admired Buddha’s noble ethic and left  happily.







[Chan Stories] What is suffering


A man asked Chan Master Luangpor Teean, “How to explain suffering?”
Chan Master Luangpor Teean grasped a handful of sands, turned his palm upside down and allowed the sand to fall from his fist. Pointing at the sand on the ground he said, “This is suffering.”

At that moment, the man was enlightened and he realised that suffering is the thing that we picked up and being attached to, but we can definitely let it go.
Chan Master Luangpor Teean then said, “ people with wisdom know what they had picked up and what should be let go.”



[禪故事]什麼是苦?
一名男子問隆波田禪師,如何解釋「苦」.
隆波田禪師隨手抓起地上一把沙子放到手中,緊握拳頭,接著,將手心朝下,然後鬆開手,指著灑在地上的沙子說:「這就是苦」
男子當下就開悟:「原來苦是我們自己拾起而執著不放的東西.它是完全可以放下的」
隆波田禪師回答:「知道自己拾起什麼,又該放下什麼,是有智慧的人」



Picture from: http://jpnh2010.blog.163.com/blog/static/16206914420115178219338/

Great Compassion and Selflessness

大愛與無我

本文摘錄自<禪的真如世界>

要做到圓滿只有一個條件,就是「愛」一般人的愛都是以自我為中心,僅止於自己的家人或是認識的朋友;這樣的愛只是一種小愛.
舉例來說,如果把一塊石頭扔進池塘裡,水面上的波紋會一直向外擴展.「愛」也是如此,它會隨著智慧的增長而不斷向外延伸.當你的「愛」能夠從自己的家庭擴充到社會,國家,全世界,甚至與宇宙同體的時候,就是到達了禪的世界,這樣的愛就是大愛.
而此時的「我」就是「無我」,可以包容一切,因為你的心就像宇宙虛空一樣,有無量的包容心,能夠包容萬物.

The only way to achieve satisfaction is being compassionate. People usually love their family or friends. This kind of love is rather small. For instance, if we throw a stone into a pond, the ripples would keep expanding. So does be compassionate, which will expand with our growth of wisdom. When your love expand from your family, society, country, global, even to the whole universe. It achieves to the world of chan. This kind of love is great love. At that time, our “self” is “selflessness” and can embraces everything because our heart is like the universe which includes everything.

Picture from: http://rippleup.net/ripple/

Quoted from: http://www.zen.org.tw/web/teachings_detail.php?id=3083

Let it be

Picture used from: http://markbolender.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/top-7-outdoor-yoga-spots-in-santa-clarita/
[Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian’s Book of wisdom] Let it be.
Quoted from Zencosmos magazine No. 1

Chan practice emphasizes the importance of surpassing every materials and forms. When it comes to our daily lives, just let it be. Instead of being attached to physical needs, we are encouraged to experience what our inner spirit needs, that is, the purity.
Out inner spirit does not need earthly things. For our inner spirit, the things on earth are obstacles to reach the realm of Buddha. Let us try to understand the meaning of “being plain.” Practitioners do not say “being rich” in terms of material world, for when people have nothing are they richest. Only when we ask for nothing and desire nothing can we truly focus on the spiritual practice.


Money enough for our daily life is sufficient. If we could transform our physical’s needs into the spirit’s needs, then we are having potential to achieve the realm of Buddha. Only the wise can transform the finite wealth to infinite hope and formlessness wealth of the inner spirit.

[悟覺妙天禪師開示集]生活順其自然就好
本文摘錄自禪天下雜誌NO.1「禪修園地」單元
禪宗法門就是要破一切名相,生活順其自然就好,不要太執著於色身的需求,要多去體會靈性需要什麼,那就是清淨.
靈性不要人間的一切,對祂而言,這都是成佛的障礙.平常要多去體會「貧道」的道理,修行人不會說「富道」.因為只有什麼都不要的時候最富有,才能專心於靈性成就的修行.
錢只要夠用就好,如果能將色身的資糧轉變成靈性所需的資糧,那就是大根器者.因為能夠把有限的東西變成無限的希望(或是無限的實相),那只有善知識才做得到.


出處:http://www.zen.org.tw/web/teachings_detail.php?id=3058

Diamond Sutra Comic : 經不是拿來念誦的 Sutras are not for chanting or memorising





I read (chant) the sutra a hundred times a day, I can practically memorize it!
I read(chant) the sutra a thousand times a day, I can even recite it backwards!
I read (chant) the sutra a million times a day, that I have panda eyes!
Buddha says that these sutras are not for reading out loud or for memorizing, they are a guide to practice and witness with.

Translated by Mags. Comic Source: http://blog.xuite.net/killifishyu/wretch/119573490 
<<金剛經>>是一部非常殊勝的經典,但一般人只拿來朗讀、朗誦,
沒有了解經文的真實意,也沒有與他相印。
師父告訴我們,除了要明白經文的意義,更重要的是體會世尊弘法的辛苦;
能以這種感念之心來讀<<金剛經>>,一定能得到更多的佛力加被。

(想看更多師父開示嗎? 歡迎參觀"台灣禪宗佛教會網站"~ 網址:http://www.zen.org.tw/web/news.php)

Heart Chan-Only the Heart Knows the Truth


Quoted from the Book of Wisdom by Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian.

What is Heart ChanHeart is the Buddha-nature within all of us, which we want to look inward to get in touch with moment-by-moment. Chan is the universal life force and wisdom. The core teachings of our Chan School rest in the special way of teaching without words and formalities and directly form-heart-to-heart. Nothing outside the heart has any spiritual significance-they are simply attachments. Through meditation, the heart is transformed from dark to light, from contaminated to pure, and from small to big. Any mundane matters that bother you should not be treated too seriously and personally. Do not let them contaminate your originally peaceful and pure heart.


The Meaning of Chan

Quoted from the Book of Wisdom by Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian.
The Chinese word Chan originates from the Sanskrit word dhyana, meaning quiet meditation. Most people think of Chan as sitting quietly or sitting meditation. This is however only the external form of Chan. The essence of Chan rests in cultivating the absolute wisdom in meditation and witnessing the absolute Truth with the absolute wisdom.
     So, sitting meditation is less about sitting and more about meditation. Sitting meditation is not just sitting quietly, nor is it sitting for the sake of sitting. Sitting meditation is to meditate on the true nature of reality and witness the absolute wisdom. Through sitting meditation practice, the Truth is realized first-hand at the heart. This is very different from intellectual understanding.



Picture from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeanne-ball/meditation-tips_b_3791316.html

Chan Is the Totality of Your Life Experiences

Chan Is the Totality of Your Life Experiences

Quoted from the Book of Wisdom by Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian.
Chan is the accumulation of the pieces from your life. If you want to be enlightened, you should start from the small things. Start with showing kindness to others from your heart, and think of their well-being before your own. This way, you can harmonize your communication and relationships with your peers and friends.


Picture: http://syntetyc.deviantart.com/art/Peaceful-valley-208338131

Cultivating Wisdom And Joy

Cultivating Wisdom And Joy

To live well, we must pay attention to both our physical well-being as well as our spiritual well being.  What does it mean?  Physical well-being means all the constituents, that is detectable and sensible by our senses, contributing to the benefits of our physical self.  Spiritual well being means our strive to be enlightened in this life. In Buddhist terms, physical well-being is based on formed merit and spiritual well being is based on formless merit.

Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tien

Doing is Knowing

Surpass our excuses and habits. Get up to do what we know is true and good for us. Is the only way to know.



Wisdom depends on Capacity of your Heart

Everything begins with the "heart". Wither as a practitioner, dealing with people or facing daily things. First maintain a unrestrained heart, a fulfilled heart. Know how to be content and every moment of every day will be filled with happiness.


by Chan Master Wujue Miaotian
Translated by Mags

Original source 
一切都是從「心」入門。不管修行還是做人處事,都先求心的自在、心的圓滿,要知足常樂,這樣就會每天很快樂、時時很快樂。
文/悟覺妙天禪師

Living a Life to Its Fullest


 full Lotus

Quoted from the Book of Wisdom by Chan Master Wu Jue MiaoTian.





We can live our life to its fullest if we realize the existence of a real self or Buddha-nature within us. Lack of such understanding often leads to a life filled with the endless and vain pursuit of fame and fortune. In fact, material wealth will come naturally if the inner Buddha-nature is bright and pure. If the inner Buddha-nature is dark and impure, the pursuit of wealth will not succeed. The order is important-spiritual well-being first and material wealth second. The reverse rarely works.

How long must we practice Chan?


Q: How long must we practice Chan?

A: The true practice of Chan has not time limits, you do not have to practice a certain number of years to become enlightened.


Some people have practice for a over a decade, some have practiced for over thousands of life times, yet have not become enlightened. The key is whether your practice is the most direct way(dharma) towards enlightenment.
A:真正的修行是沒有時間的,不一定要修多少年才能夠成就,有些人也許修幾年,有些人修幾十年,也有人修幾百世,甚至修了千百億萬世,仍然不能成就,關鍵就在於你修的法是不是究竟正法。
所謂究竟正法,不是「人」的修行,而是「靈性」的修行。靈性無法以肉眼見,而人的外貌、思想及行為,是可以看得到、聽得到、感受得到的,但這些都是「相」,不是真修行。
真正的修行是靈性的解脫,是靈性現前,是讓靈性成就;所以修行不要一直停留在「人」的階段,應該要有覺性,要跨過「人」的層次,直接深入到「靈性」的修行。至於要怎麼修?只有在禪定中才能夠做到。
主答/悟覺妙天禪師

Wisdom Which can Transform Lives


People come into the world to live a hastily few decades for the pursuit of finding the meaning of life. What is the true of life? What is the meaning of life? In reality, life is a mixture of the joy and suffering. A lot of people are busy their whole life , finally realizing that  "Life is a dream, a dream is like life."

By Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian

人來到世上,匆匆數十年,終其一生,都在追求人生的意義。究竟人生的真諦何在?生命的意義又是什麼?其實,人生的苦樂參半,很多人忙碌一生,歷盡苦難,最終才體會到原來「人生如夢、夢如人生」。
文/悟覺妙天禪師

Meditation (The Cultivation of Chan) , Seek First the Purity of Heart



I remember when I was a kid,  I liked to go to the temple to see the Bodhisattva. People often come seeking the Buddha for blessing of their own health or fortune. In fact, the reason why a person has poor health, or their career does not go smoothly, it is often because the heart is not big enough, bad interpersonal relationship, resulting in rough times.

 by Chan Master Wujue Miaotian
 Translated by Mags

記得我小時候很喜歡到廟裡看菩薩,經常看到人們來求菩薩保佑自己的身體健康或是發大財。其實,一個人之所以會身體不好、事業不順,常常是因為自己的心量不夠大,人際關係處不好,才會諸事不順。
文/悟覺妙天禪師


Fulfillment

The universe always gives, grows, integrates balances, adjusts, and harmonizes. So could we.
Quoted from DeStress Energize Awaken through Chan Meditation.



Picture: http://www.howlifereallyworks.com/meditation-script/

Purity



When our intentions are pure, we live in harmony with the world.

Quoted from DeStress Energize Awaken through Chan Meditation.



Picture: http://www.99kysj.com/mingli/minglirumen/375.html

The true meaning of the Diamond Sutra


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The true meaning of the title Diamond Sutra