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静思语 Readings For Silent Reflection

• Dawnfirstlight

  13 Nov 16, 10:16

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  13 Nov 16, 10:17

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  13 Nov 16, 10:18

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  13 Nov 16, 10:19

  The Value of Giving
  
  In this world, the richest people are those who know how to give, whereas the poorest ones are those who only expect to receive from others.
  For most people, it is easy to give to oneself but difficult to give to others. However, without sowing, how can there be any harvest? Without giving, how can one be rich?
  ‘Giving’ is the best thing in the world, giving a kind word, giving a smile, giving kindness, giving a little service… The ‘giving’ with compassion beautifies life and purifies society. Only by means of giving can harmony in society be maintained.

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 18:57

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 18:59

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 18:59

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:02

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:04

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:05

  

   

  Below is an English translation of the sutra.
  
  Heart Sutra
  
  Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, while contemplating deeply the prajnaparamita, realized the five aggregates are empty and was liberated from all suffering and hardship.
  Sariputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness.Emptiness is form. The same is true of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.
  Sariputra, all phenomena have the appearance of emptiness. They do not arise or extinguish, are not defiled or pure, do not increase or decrease. Thus, in emptiness, there are no forms, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, or consciousness.
  No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no form, sound, smell, taste, touch or dharmas; no eye consciousness so on unto mind consciousness; no ignorance and extinction of ignorance; even unto no aging and death and no extinction of aging and death; no suffering, cause of suffering, cessation, or path; no wisdom and no attainment.
  As there is no attainment, bodhisattvas who rely on the prajnaparamita have neither worry nor obstruction. Without worry and obstruction, there is no fear. Away from confusion and delusion, they will ultimately reach nirvana. All the Buddhas of the past, present, and future rely on the prajnaparamita to attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
  Thus, know that the prajnaparamita is the great profound mantra, is the illuminating mantra, is the most supreme of all mantras, is the unequaled mantra, able to eliminate all suffering, is true and not false.
  Thus, proclaim the “Prajnaparamita Mantra,” proclaim the mantra that says:
  Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.
  
  Source: Starting a Daily Practice

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:06

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:07

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:07

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:10

  Please pm me if you wish to contribute to temple rebuilding. 
  
  为何建寺的功德最大
  
  修建�堂寺庙具有无�功德，对于我们的现世或将�都有���议的利益。
  
  《俱èˆ�论大ç–�》第一å“�中也有如此广说：“在有æ¼�的善法中，修ç»�堂的功德最大。”
  
  《莲花�》云，任何善信�心赞助建寺与佛�，�以获得以下�大功德：
  1�无始以�诸�业，得以�轻或消除。
  2�天人护佑，逢凶化�。
  3�去除障�物，�夙仇报�之苦。
  4�妖魔邪怪，�能侵犯。
  5�脱离烦�和无明。
  6�丰衣足食，�禄绵长。
  7�所言所行，人天欢喜。
  8�增加�慧二资粮。
  9�往生善�，相貌端庄，天资�禄兼有。
  10�往生能闻佛法之国土，速�佛果。
  
  本师释迦牟尼佛在《广戒ç»�》中云：“所谓实ç¦�者，有大果ã€�大利ã€�大å¨�严ã€�广大义，若善男å­�ã€�善女人，是行ã€�是å��ã€�是å�§ã€�其善根æ�’时增长。何人建造ç»�堂，乃为七ç§�实ç¦�之首。”ä½›ç»�中曾云，一切有æ¼�善根之王，今生今世若欲造就通往上界之天梯，æˆ�就犹如如æ„�å®�树般的异熟善业，就须于从å‰�未有佛塔之地兴建如æ�¥èˆ�利å®�塔，为僧众修建ç»�堂庙宇，消除对佛法闻æ€�之差异，精勤修习禅定å�Šæ…ˆæ— é‡�心。此四项事业，是今生æˆ�就梵净ç¦�泽的殊因。
  
  全知麦彭ä»�波切在《智者入门》是说：“净地造佛塔，为僧众修佛堂，和å�ˆç ´åƒ§ä¼—，修æŒ�慈无é‡�，乃是四梵ä½�。”å�³æ˜¯è¯´å…´å»ºä½›å¡”，修建ç»�堂寺庙，僧侣ç±�由闻æ€�消除对佛法ç�†è§£ä¸Šçš„差异，修习慈无é‡�心，这是世间四ç§�最大的ç¦�德事业。
  
  从诸乘佛法共许的观点�论，修造佛��的庙宇殿堂乃一切有�善业之王。在此大殿的建设过程中，供养一�土就已具足供养一�黄金的功德。供养和帮助佛殿的建设是善心佛�消除罪障�积累功德��下殊胜解脱��之稀有难得的机会。从大乘佛法共�的教义而言，佛弟�们投入诸佛��们的清净愿海，�助圣者们圆满弘法利生之大愿，就是以实际行动�履行殊胜广大的普贤行。对诸金刚乘传承的弟�而言，供养兴建与根本上师体性无二无别之三�所�，乃是真正实践上师瑜伽之圣�，是于短暂的一生中迅速积累多生累劫的�慧资粮，以获�共�与殊胜悉地之殊胜方便。
  
  在僧众造�堂时，�力支��喜者，将�在此�堂内进行的所有闻�修行的善根，皆�等获得。为僧众修�堂时，身��仅作�喜，亦有很大的功德。
  
  观世音è�©è�¨åŒ–身ç�­çŽ›æ€�德上师云：“为僧众建ç»�堂时，è°�背一ç­�土，等å�Œä¸€ç­�金。”
  
  为何建寺的功德最大？因为佛�寺庙为佛陀身�语��的真实所�，修行人行�正法�宣说世间真��延续佛法清净�间断的传承，能令众生出离生死，因此供养他们就是真正地帮助众生，具有无�功德。如此积�善业功德，无论对于我们的现世或将�，都有���议的利益。凡以欢喜心�喜，�论多少，就如滴水汇入海洋，海�枯则水一滴��的��一样，功德���议，清净之�心最为��。
  
  一切供养中，法供养为最；一切布施中，法布施为最。于一切供养中，最能å�–悦上师，令诸佛è�©è�¨æ¬¢å–œçš„å�³æ˜¯æ³•ä¾›å…»ã€‚修建ç»�堂，令佛法久ä½�世间；令佛法久ä½�世间，如法布施，此å�³ä¸ºæ®Šèƒœæ³•ä¾›å…»ã€‚“三å®�门中ç¦�好求，一文ç§�下万文收ï¼�”三å®�是我们积累资粮最殊胜之大ç¦�田。
  
  释迦牟尼佛在《ç»�》中说“浊世中，我以佛殿与文字形象出现。è§�到佛殿造佛殿，会令无数众生从轮回中解脱出æ�¥ã€‚供养佛殿和文字等å�ŒäºŽä¾›å…»æˆ‘的真身，功德永远ä¸�会耗尽……”若真正å�‘心供养，则ä¸�需苦行，将会得到今生乃至生生世世的利益ï¼�供养ç¦�田的善果功德是无é‡�的，å�¤æœ‰“自乳轮王”供养佛祖七粒豆å­�，而最终æˆ�佛的公案。
  
  塑一尊佛�，结佛缘，相好庄严，心欢喜；
  
  �一缕黄金，蓄财富，�之�尽，�相�；
  
  竖一根�柱，稳根基，�力无比，事业兴；
  
  �一�石头，积资粮，�慧�增，路平�；
  
  献一片砖瓦，�风雨，云盖如�，盖自身。

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:11

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:12

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:16

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:17

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:18

  

  Why we need to protect and respect the sutras
  Protecting and respecting Buddhist sutras is the same as respecting the Buddha himself. Why? A previous passage of the Sutra text said, “In any place where the Sutra is found, it is as if there were a Buddha there.” Any place this Sutra is found there can be found the Buddha’s Dharma body, the Buddhadharma, and the Sangha. For that reason you should venerate it.
  …or a reverent disciple. All people who see the Sutra should be as respectful to it as a disciple is to his Master. Disciples should respect their Master and should respect the Sutra. Respecting the Sutra is like respecting the Master. Respecting the Master is like respecting the Sutra. Don’t discriminate between the Sutra and the Master.
  Why?
  The Dharma which you understand has come from your Master. The Master’s Dharma comes from the Sutra. They are three and one, one and three. But do not make the mistake of saying, “The Sutra is my Master so I don’t need any other Master!” If you renounce your Master, then the Master which is the Sutra also disappears.
  When reading sutras you should not be sloppy or casual. When you are not reading them you should not just carelessly lay them aside. You should have a specific place designated for sutras, and when you place them there you should do so very gently and respectfully, laying them squarely so that no corners extend beyond the edge of a table. Anyone who has opened his Buddha eye can see that wherever a sutra is not securely placed, Wei T’ou Bodhisattva comes and stands, patiently holding up the corner of the sutra with his hand.
  Also, placing the sutra in an unclean place is disrespectful and cannot be considered an offering to the Dharma. Buddhist sutras should be placed above all secular books. You should have the same regard for sutras as for your own body and life.

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Nov 16, 19:19

  Thought: Non-greed, Non-hatred, and Non-delusion

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  1 Dec 16, 08:59

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  1 Dec 16, 09:00

  There is merit in diligence and no benefit in play. Improve unwholesome habits.

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  1 Dec 16, 09:02

  

   

  "When you see other people progressing, becoming happier, if your mind is not pure, you will generate jealousy towards these people. "Why did they get this, and not I? I’m a more deserving person. Why are they given such a position of power, or status? Why not I? Why have they earned so much money? Why not I?" This kind of jealousy is the manifestation of an impure mind.
  As your mind gets pure by Vipassana and your metta gets stronger, you will feel happy when seeing others happy. "All around there is misery. Look, at least one person is happy. May he be happy and contented. May he progress in Dhamma, progress in worldly ways". This is mudita, sympathetic happiness. It will come." ~ S N Goenka

• Dawnfirstlight

  1 Dec 16, 09:16

  

• Dawnfirstlight

  1 Dec 16, 09:17