【學佛是學習佛菩薩的特質，增強自己的慈悲智慧】／海濤法師 (中英字幕)

【Learning from Buddha means practicing the characteristics of Buddha and Bodhisattva and enhancing one’s compassion and wisdom. 】／Master Hai Tao
Some people may ask,
“Why do you cultivate yourself to be a Buddha?”
Practicing Buddhism doesn’t mean worshipping on bended knees
to a Buddha statue. Many people criticized us for idolatry.
I explained that it’s not about idolatry,
but about Buddha’s characteristics we intended to learn.
Buddha has three distinguishing marks.
Please repeat after me,
great wisdom, great compassion, and great strength.
As a Buddhist, worshipping and assimilating to become Buddha,
one’s personality should be reflected in
demonstrating these three essential traits.
Therefore, Buddhism has nothing to do with idolatry.
Buddha Shakyamuni is viewed as a role model,
setting an ideal standard of
actions, speech, and thoughts for us to learn from.
This is what distinguishes Buddhism from all other religions.
You could worship Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Avalokitesvara won’t get annoyed.
Avalokitesvara has no enemies.
Avalokitesvara wishes that every sentient being could live merrily
and there’d be no suffering anywhere.
That’s why I follow the cultivation methods of his.
Only when the essential practice mentioned above
has been applied,
can it be called cultivating Avalokitesvara’s methods.
It’s not about chanting “Namo ratna trayaya…”
and telling me “Master, I’ve recited a hundred thousand times.”
“Namo Ratna Trayaya…”
After accomplishing a hundred thousand times,
could you hold back from reprimanding others?
When I read “the Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s
Fundamental Vows” for the first time,
I felt at the moment that I’d like to practice
Ksitigarbha’s thoughts and actions.
This is exactly the way to make offerings to Ksitigarbha.
It’s not that I’ve recited a hundred thousand times,
or two hundred thousand times.
It’s that extra chanting does inspire me to be
more conscientious and assiduous.
That makes sense.
While reciting “Om Mani Padme Hum,”
I turn to be more compassionate.
If keeping chanting “Om Mani Padme Hum” ignites
greater compassion, that will do as well.
It’s the proper way to recite “Om Mani Padme Hum.”
If chanting Amitabha Buddha not only stops me from
clinging to the worldly things,
but also motivates me to help others reach Pure Land, then go for it.
If reciting one time empowers the strength of compassion
and facilitates the strength to cease afflictions,
and reciting more times enhances further,
then you are on the right path.
Otherwise, we may regard Buddhism as nothing
but a superstitious belief.
Take life-releasing for example,
to tell the truth, the merits of life liberation is immeasurable.
Accordingly, some people said,
“I’ll get rich because of life-releasing.” or
“Because of it, my son will end up studying hard.”
However, he didn’t take “respect for life” into account,
nor did he take the following factors into account.
Life liberation is to help cultivate the concepts as follows:
“All beings are equal.”
“I cherish all sentient beings.”
“May all creatures become Buddhas.”
If life releasing is motivated by selfish reasons,
it probably wouldn’t be consummate.
What’s worse, the precious Buddhist practice of life release
could be racked,
and the valued practice of chanting the name of Buddha
could be harmed as well.
#【學佛是學習佛菩薩的特質，增強自己的慈悲智慧】／海濤法師