Month: September 2021

27/09/21 – Joyful Dharma Reading Club Report
Topic: Buddha-Dharma: Pure & Simple — Four Reliances
A total of 33 participants joined this session facilitated by Venerable You Deng.
In this passage, Venerable Master Hsing Yun advised that as true Buddhists, we should not abide in the Six Sense Objects nor the Five Desires as these would cloud our intrinsic nature. Instead, we should follow the guidelines taught by the Buddha, i.e. by abiding in the Four Reliances, which are:

1. Rely on the Dharma, not on individual teachers,
2. Rely on wisdom, not on consciousness,
3. Rely on meaning, not on the words,
4. Rely on ultimate truth, not on relative truth.
   Venerable You Deng lead the class through an interesting discussion and shared some insights how to approach the Dharma based on these four reliances.
   Firstly, the Buddha teaches us to rely in the Dharma to understand the Truth instead of relying on individual teachers. Venerable You Deng explained that some teachers may learn the wrong concepts and mis-apply their learnings. Therefore, by abiding in the Dharma, we will not follow the wrong teachings and make mistakes. The Buddha has always emphasised that we should rely on ourself, rely on the Dharma and rely on nothing else, to attain proper understanding of the truth.
   Secondly, the Buddha taught us that wisdom already lies within us and therefore, when we study the Dharma, we must be aware of this inherent wisdom and not rely on the consciousness, namely the six sense organs — eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, as well as the manas consciousness and alaya consciousness. Seeing the truth is wisdom; knowing about the truth is knowledge. However, knowledge alone cannot help us break our delusions. But by relying on wisdom, we see the true reflection of our Buddha nature.
   As for relying on meaning and not on words, Venerable You Deng pointed out that although the Dharma is prescribed by words but, we we should apply our wisdom to understand the true meaning of the Dharma. Language is just a tool and although different Schools use different languages and dialects, the meaning of the Dharma is still the same—there is only one truth. By following the meaning, we will remain free from the boundaries of languages.
   Lastly, by relying on ultimate truth instead of relative truth, we will devoid from understanding the shallow meaning of the Dharma. The Buddha has always adopted expedient means to spark interest in teaching the Dharma to benefit sentient beings. Venerable You Deng defined ultimate truth as ‘definitive meaning’ and relative truth as ‘provisional meaning’. In this sense, expedient means are relative truth, which aims to bring joy, liberation and transcendance to life, but we should aim to follow the Buddha’s footsteps and elevate our spirit and magnanimity to that of the universe. ThIs is the ultimate truth that reveal the true path to liberation.
   As a reflection and take back from this topic, some readers shared their thoughts and views to inspire each other towards self-awakening. In a nutshell, learning Buddhism is about understanding the profound meaning of the Buddha-Dharma to provide us a clear direction of practicing Buddhism in our daily life. Hence, we should apply the Four Reliances as basic guidelines for us to practice and develop our faith. With that, we concluded the session with “A Prayer Before Retiring for the Day”, followed by Transference of Merit.

2021/09/19 下午2 -3pm, 大学园分会副住持如行法师带领大学园分会的三好学堂小组成员郑惠玲，李繡利，刘紫迎.黄媲婷和黄素贞为{菩提之家}的小朋友上第八堂线上道德课。这堂课的主题是{不吸毒}
首先副住持如行法师介绍各类“毒品”的包装，让小朋友知道“毒品”会被包装成五颜六色的“糖果”，诱人想尝的甜美“果汁”或“奶茶”。法师也告诉小朋友不小心吃了“毒品”的后果。法师要小朋友坚持对“毒品”说“NO”.
接下来，小朋友看一段视频{拒绝吸毒}。两小学生认识了一位“大哥”，被诱惑染上了“毒瘾”。还好有好朋友察觉，把他们从“毒枭”手中解救出来。
如行法师给小朋友看一张非常震撼的照片。一位吸毒者躺在肮脏的地上，骨瘦如柴。法师再次强调千万不能碰“毒品”。媲婷老师用PPT 再次解析“毒品”对人的危害。
结束前，紫迎老师给小朋友讲星雲大师如何向观世音菩萨（求聪明，拜智慧 ）；接着教小朋友唱{悉发菩提心}，也复习{三好歌}，开心的结束了一小时的道德课。

13/9/2021 (星期一)晩上8時至9時30分，大学园分会【唱遊读書会】有20位成员 ( 包括副住持如行法師), 參与了由鍾国隆師兄导读的读书会。当晚是导读星云大师著作《佛法真义 1》里的一篇文章〈疑问与戏论〉。
大師在文中说，佛教并非一昧的只是要人相信，而是要我们建立信仰在理智慧解上，甚至在疑情上，所谓“大疑大悟，小疑小悟，不疑不悟”。藉由疑情，迷惑解除了，信仰就会坚固。
国隆師兄请大家分享在学佛的道路上，有沒有什么疑情或事件让我们走入佛门或对佛法更深信不疑。有位師姐分享她大学读書時，考试期间曾和同学一起去南傳佛寺，找法師求法水保佑考试順利。当時住持法師叫她不如回家冲个涼吧，为何不问”为什么” 而盲目相隨！从那時起，她就认真学习佛法，明白佛教是要我们思考教法是否符合現實真理。另一位師姐分享身边人的感应，所以更堅信佛教。如行法師开示说，感应只是一時的，最重要的是要让佛陀所教的法，改变我们的思想，行为，清淨我们的心。所谓 “眾生心垢淨，菩提月現前” 才能与佛菩薩感应道交。法師也说她早年是因为读了大師的著作《釋迦牟尼佛傳》而走进佛门。
大師在文中指出，佛陀虽然鼓励大家发问，但不理不答形而上的戏论; 《中阿含经》里著名的 “十四问难” 便是例子。这是因为佛教重视实践，纵有高妙哲理，也是为了契入真理，方便实践用的; 凡是不切实际的讨论，无益于解决人生问題的，都为佛陀所呵斥。国隆師兄請如行法師开示这点。法師说，佛陀時代有九十六种外道，他们都好思维和好辩论，有不同的修行方式。对佛陀而言，”十四问难” 对於人们日常生活中的修行沒有任何幫助，反而会引出更多妄想。例如人中了 “毒箭”, 难道还要先问清楚箭是怎么做成的，誰做的等等，而不直接去求医吗？
最後，国隆師兄请大家分享学佛道上所领会的小悟/大悟。不少成员都是因为当义工而了解到佛教不只是誦经拜佛而已。不求回報的付出让大家觉得生活更充实和有意义，在菩提道上更精进。
读書会於 9時 30分结束。感恩国隆師兄的导读和如行法師的开示，让大家受益良多，法喜充满。

13/9/2021 — Report of Joyful Dharma Reading Club
Topic: Buddha-Dharma: Pure and Simple — A Drop of Water
A total of 32 participants joined today’s session facilitated by Bro. Steven Shum.
The title of the topic “A Drop of Water” seem like a light subject but when dealth deeper, it seemed like a heavy topic! Venerable Master Hsing Yun described the different metaphors of water with different analogies to allow us to see the true essence of a ‘drop of water’. Firstly, Master described that Dharma is like water; if we squander and use it wastefully, we are like living a life without knowing the Truth and the Dharma is like the fish living without water. The underlying message is that we must live a life with meaning so that when suffering and adversity befall us, we are able to overcome these difficulties with ease. From the reflection of readers, learning the Dharma is like taking drops of nectar as it nourishes our life with wisdom and strength.
The readers also shared some of the activities carried out by BLIA members such as sending oxygen concentrators to India when the country was badly hit by the waves of pandemic. In the local front, BLIA members actively mobilise distribution of food parcels and lunch boxes throughout the country to families affected by the pandemic. Although these were just small droplets of water but these compassionate acts have formed a trail of warmth and comfort into the homes of the needy. And we were also reminded of how Venerable Master Hsing Yun vowed to devout his life to Buddhism by repaying the kindness of his teacher, Venerable Master Zhi Kai, who served him a bowl of pickled vegetables when he was gravely ill at the age of 17. This small droplet of water had accomplished many causes and conditions as it manifested into springs of gratitude which leads to the set up of Fo Guang Shan Water Drop Teahouse around the world. As aptly implied by Master, a drop of water is the result of the strength of the universe, and a small act of kindness is the accomplishment of all of one’s good intentions. Let our hearts be nourished by the Buddha-Dharma so that faith and hope may continue to grow into the infinite future.
This passage has truly awakened us to cherish the significance of a drop of water and to be grateful for the existence of all causes and conditions given by society. As the Chinese proverb quoted by Master goes, “Repay the favour of a water drop with a whole fountain.” We concluded the session with ‘A Prayer Before Retiring for the Day”, followed by Transference of Merit. May all be well and safe!
Sadhu sadhu sadhu!