We need to change to remain relevent

https://www.facebook.com/alisan.taiwan/videos/1410686825614504/

The above link shows the video of a singing monk.  
 
Very innovative and effective. From the evergreen "Yeh Lai Xiang" Mandarin retro song of the 30s to a Buddhist song. The monk replaced the original lyrics with his own composion of Buddhist lyrics.
But I am sure to the orthodox Buddhists, this is "not very appropriate". Well, you can't please everyone, can you?

Below is a series of qns from a reader and my comments on them:

Reader's comment:
[01/08 7:45 AM] Isn't this against the Vinaya rules and the 227 precepts? This is also against the basic 8 precepts. Any comments?
[01/08 7:53 AM] The 7th Precept :
Nacca-gita-vadita-visuka-dassana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.
I undertake the training precept to abstain from dancing, singing, music and any kind of entertainment show.

My comment:
[01/08 11:04 AM] Justin Choo: Precepts are to guide n protect. imho we need to use our human intelligence n common sense to practise buddhism. Is there anything wrong using a popular song with new buddhist lyrics? In the first place the buddha did not introduce any style of chanting. How come the traditional style of chanting of the different cultures n schools are deemed acceptable. To me any practice that is beneficial n does not harm others should be accepted. Aftet all the the buddha did advise that minor rules may be changed to suit present conditions. It is the people who refuse or unable to accommodate what is good altho to them may be against the presepts.
[01/08 11:15 AM] Justin Choo: That precept was about common dancing singing playing music and partying for purpose of worldly entertainment.
[01/08 11:22 AM] Justin Choo: Arent the temple drums and all sorts of bells, be "musical" instruments? Isnt the chanting be regarded as "singing"? Its all about human perceptions n interpretations. What we should concentrate is to practise the buddha's pristine teachings. We shall go no end if we indulge in semantic n scholastic debate.

Reader's comment:
[01/08 11:22 AM] It is neither right or wrong depending the schools if thought but for the disciples not right and the 7th precept got its purpose basically not to indulge in our senses which will prevent our practice especially the monks n nuns.
For lay people we r still have many rounds of rebirth in Samsara until then we can only have the wisdom or insight to determine wrong or right ?

My comment:
[01/08 11:24 AM] Justin Choo: Precisely neither right nor wrong. So live n let live. Who are we to form opinions on these issues?
[01/08 11:25 AM] Only in Mahayana have musical instruments they have their purpose n reasons behind
[01/08 11:33 AM] Justin Choo: Precisely you are right again brother. When the purpose is pure n beneficial we should adopt.😃🙏

Reader's comment:
[01/08 11:37 AM] Actually it protects the monks n nuns not the lay

My comment:
[01/08 11:37 AM] Justin Choo: Then we become progressive n thinking Buddhists. Don't be bogged down by rites n rituals and also be less opinionated. Like Shang Ren, our Tzu Chi master so wisely advises :"be humble and willing to yeild". We definitely do not know that much Buddhism or anything else, for that matter.

Tzu Chi Universal Prayer Song (English Version)

Tzu Chi Universal Prayer Song (Mandarin Version)

Can I participate in Buddhist rituals?

Question: (Unedited)

Good Morning,

I was in Thailand last week and I was offered a water blessing by a monk which I accepted. Now I'm questioning whether I should have as I am not a buddhist and wish to respect and learn of all religions. I am still wearing the white thread he gave me as a reminder of him and his kindness. Was I wrong to accept and is this an afront to buddhists?

Answer: Hi H,

Buddhism is a very accommodating and peaceful "religion". It is about how to live in peace with oneself and with the world. Everyone is welcome to participate in Buddhist rites and rituals, irrespective of his or her belief. So long as the person is willing to participate, Buddhists will welcome him or her. No need to be Buddhist to be part of the community for peace and contentment. You have showed your respect by joining in the blessing. In return, you should feel happy and blessed! As for the thread, (usually it is orange in colour), if you decide to discard in due course, just bury it in the flower pot, or in the ground.

Smile from justinchoo :-)

Blessing for baby

Question : (Unedited)

We recently adopted a beautiful girl from China. 　We are beginning to study Buddhism and will soon partake in the 3 refuges ceremony. 　However, we'd also like to have our little girl blessed in a Buddhist ceremony with friends and family present so that she can be welcomed into our lives, much the way a Christian baptism or Jewish naming ceremony welcomes a child. 　What options are there in Buddhism for us? 　Thank you so much for any answers you can give us.

My comment:

Hi G,

Thank you for asking me, and congratulations for your good deed. 　Hope this child will give you happiness and will grow up to be a responsible and happy person.

It depends on which Buddhist tradition you are following. 　The three main traditions of Theravada, Mahayana (mainly Chinese) and Tibetan Buddhism have their own blessing ceremonies. 　If you have been going to a temple then it's not a problem anymore as you can find out from the temple. 　Generally, the ceremony would involve the chanting of suttas. 　The Buddha did not introduce any rites and rituals into his teachings, bearing in mind that the Indian society already had its cultural practices long before the Buddha's time. 　The "Buddhist" rites and rituals were introduced by the followers after the Buddha had long passed away. 　These rites and rituals were introduced by incorporating the traditional practices of the followers which had nothing to do with the pristine teachings of the Buddha. 　They were performed to satisfy the psychological needs of the followers. 　As for Theravada Buddhists, most ceremonies involve the chanting of the suttas by the monks and usually followed by "thanksgiving" (Dana) of providing food for the monks.

Hope this helps.

Empty rites and rituals

Question (Unedited) :

Can you explain how a person can adhere only to their traditional rites and rituals, without practicing the teachings in Buddhism?　

My comment:

Hi B...,

Let me digress a little before answering your question.

It is a very common problem if we observe very carefully how people around the world "practise" their respective religions.  In primitive "religions", there is nothing but ignorant superstitions based on fear of the unknown and trying to appease the wrath of nature.  The natural instinct is to pray to these natural forces and finding ways to appease them by offering sacrifices and chanting incantations.  Along the way there would be some smart Alex taking the role of experts in these rites and rituals, and the birth of a "religion" took place.

If we look into the basic or fundamental teachings of the major religions, rites and rituals are not found in their "holy books".  And for the same religion which originated from one founder, there arose different sects because of subsequent different interpretations to suit the different practitioners of the time, for whatever reasons better known to them.  Inevitably different rites and rituals were created to suit the respective tribes or races.  We are witnessing today not the practice of the pure teachings of the various faiths, but only the different rites and rituals created to boost the egos of the human race.  If we study the really good people with spiritual wisdom, they were all very peace-loving people.  There are three very outstanding personalities with such spiritual attributes.  They are Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, and the present Dalai Lama.  They practised universal values of good moral conduct of love and peace.  The whole world is in chaos in the name of religion because of the people's misinterpretations and misunderstanding of the whole spectrum of the fundamental teachings of the great religious founders.  The intolerance and bigotry in the name of religion are the faults of selfish and ignorant adherence mostly being indoctrinated from birth while others being influenced later in life.   

Coming back to your question; Buddhism is a very tolerant, liberal and accommodating "religion".  Truth is truth; irrespective of who you are, where you come from, and whatever tradition you practise.  Different nationalities are able to practise Buddhism without having to discard their traditions and cultures.  You would notice that different nationalities practise Buddhism differently while retaining their cultural beliefs and traditions.  They actually incorporate Buddhism into their existing culture and traditions.  That is why today we have Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhism, and even Western Buddhism!  The original teachings of the Buddha in its pristine form did not emphasize on rites and rituals.  Whatever rituals being practised at that time were purely Indian traditions.  The Buddha's teachings remain pure and simple, encompassing the 4 Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.  The different rites and rituals you see are purely peculiar to the different nationalities which practise Buddhism incorporating their own traditions and cultural practices.

It is very fascinating to see how the Tibetans, and the Chinese perform their rites and rituals.  There are alot of bowing, kneeling, and prostrating.  There are a lot of praying paraphernalia and colourful robes and even different caps and crowns!!  The Buddha lived in India following Indian tradition.  He discarded his princely attire and jewellery and forsaken his crown in exchange for a simple robe.  Definitely he didn't introduce those "alien" rites and rituals and praying paraphernalia and colourful attire!!  It is very obvious then, that to indulge in the rites and rituals does not necessarily mean to practise the teachings of the Buddha.  It is a fact that quite a proportion of "Buddhists" who indulge in  their respective rites and rituals do not even know the basic teachings of the Buddha.  This is a big problem within the Asian communities being born into "Buddhist" families without even knowing who the Buddha was.  So what these people do in the name of Buddhism is just performing empty rites and rituals; nothing to do with the pristine teachings of the Buddha.  Quite embarrassing, actually!

Blessing the Buddha Image

Question : (Unedited)

My friend brought me back a beautiful Buddha from Singapore and when talking to one of the members of my Sangha she said i should have our teacher bless it.  I didn't want to feel stupid and ask what that entails.  So can you tell me.  Thanx,

My comment: 

Hi K...,

Thank you for asking me.

It depends on which tradition you are practising.  I shall comment as a Theravada follower.  Blessing the Buddha image, especially a new one for the home is more of a psychological ritual which makes one feel a sense of confidence in the Buddha image.  Whether there is any other benefit is subject to debate.  Very long time ago when I got my first Buddha image for my home, I got it "blessed" by the monk in the temple.  Some temples perform "all-night chanting" during auspicious occasions and devotees would bring along their Buddha images to be blessed throughout the night.  I feel this is a wholesome and meaningful ritual, and followers would definitely gain a psychological confidence.  Strictly (or wisely?) speaking, there is not a need to "bless" the Buddha image.  Come to think of it, does the Buddha image need us (or monks) to bless it?  Quite ironical, isn't it?

In the event if a Theravada monk were to perform the "blessing", what he would do is to recite some suttas while clasping the image and transferring his metta (wholesome vibration) to the image.

Hope this helps.

Smile from justinchoo :-)

Offering to the Buddha (Part 1 of 2)

Question : (Unedited)

My son is a beginner buddhist (12 years old) and I'm trying to support his new beleifs but I know almost nothing of buddhism. He has an alter in his room and we don't know when or how to remove his offerings of candy and fruit, or what to do with them when we remove them.

My comment:

Hi A.....,

First, let me express my respect for your liberal consideration of your son's newfound belief.  It is not common to have such understanding and supportive parents when it comes to practicing an "alien" religion.  

As with all religions, there is always the risk of wrong understanding and wrong practice.  I hope your son is embarking on the right approach.  Perhaps you may ask him to share what he knows about Buddhism, and from there to gauge whether he is following the real teachings of the Buddha.

As for your query, it is best that you ask him directly.  I am sure he will be too happy to share his knowledge with you.

Buddhism is actually a very simple and practical "religion".  The rites and rituals were not introduced by the Buddha.  He was more concerned with the teachings of universal truths; truths about our existence and the true nature of this world; how to live a happy, harmless and contented life.  It was his followers in later years who introduced the different rites and rituals to suit their traditional practices.  As such all the offerings are just human gestures symbolizing faith and respect for the Buddha.  Of course through the passage of time people, for whatever reasons, misinterpreted these rites and rituals as Buddhism.

As a concerned parent, you may want to read a bit about Buddhism.  For a very short elementary introduction click here:

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/pbs2_unit04.htm

For a better understanding, click here:

http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf

Please come back if you need further information.

Smile from justinchoo :-)

 

(An update: For a good introduction, refer Rev. Dhammika's book "Good questions Good answers")

 

Do we need funeral rituals?

Question: (Unedited)

I have just begun studing Buddhism and am unclear on the practical aspects for how Buddhists treat death. When someone has died, how do Buddhists treat the body? Are there common rituals among the different Buddhist traditions? Are the dead buried or cremated. Do Buddhists have funereal ceremonies? Are there common meditations for the dead?

Answer: Hi J,

Thank you for asking me.

The pristine teachings of the Buddha is about realizing the true nature of existence and how to live a peaceful and happy life. Even before the Buddha's time more than 2500 years ago, Indian civilization was already very well established. It had its own culture and tradition, catering for all sorts of social and community events. The Buddha did not introduce any new rites and rituals. The communities then still carried on with their traditions and customs, while following the teachings of the Buddha. This was because the Buddha taught universal truths which transcend tradition, culture, race, nationality, belief, and even time and space. This means that his teachings could be practised by all peoples without having to change their traditions, customs, and what have you, while maintaining their traditional beliefs. That is why we have Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhism, and even Western Buddhism. The difference is essentially in the manner of practice, incorporating the different cultures and traditions of the particular nationalities.

Having explained this, you will now be able to understand that there are diverse practices in respect of rites and rituals performed in the name of Buddhism. So, the Thais will have their perculiar rites; the Burmese, the Sri Lankans, the Tibetans, etc will have different versions of their own. In general terms, the Theravada tradition of the Thais, Burmese, and Sri Lankans will recite similar suttas during wakes and burials. Whereas the Mahayana tradition will have different chanting. The Chinese Buddhists and the Tibetans will have different rites and rituals; so would be the Japanese Buddhists. The beauty of the Buddha's teachings is that followers are free to adopt their respective customs and traditions for their social and community events, while still be able to practise his teachings. Generally, cremation is the norm.

The Buddha's teachings are for the living. Meditation is also for the living. It is while we are alive that we can benefit from his teachings, by practising throughout our lives, to reduce our greed, hatred and delusion. It is the wholesome conduct of our lives while we are still living that is important. When we experience inner peace and happiness while still alive, that we really benefit from the Buddha's teachings. Rites and rituals for the dead are actually just to console the feelings of the living relatives. If we fully understand the teachings of the Buddha, we will take heart to lead a harmless and peaceful life, without being a nuisance to people around us.

Fighting Over Dead Body

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwanja/268744119/

Question:(unedited)
hi Justin

A topic abt death and preparation for the funeral cropped up during the death of one relative recently. It was told that the deceased should not be brought back to the house since he passed away in the hospital and no bathing or touching of the body within 8 hours as the deceased will feel the pain as his soul will come back during this time? This was told by a committee member of a Mahayana sect. and a debate arise to which is right and wrong during the bathing of the body. Could you explain further?

To my understanding, Buddhism teaches us that once the mental energy and matter disintegrated, that is when death occurred, the being ceased to feel, experience any sensation whatsoever to this body thus funeral preparation can be done straight away. So why is it that the Mahayana sect explain otherwise? This is such a confusing statement esp. it claims that the deceased fail to notice that he has passed away thus prayers should be done on the 7th day, 49th day and 100th day with display of his favourite foods on the table for the "soul" when he returns (claims that he will definite returns) during this time.

This committee also said that there is proof that there is such a person experienced such agony/ pain (during this afterlife moment) when preparation is done within 8 hours. Now, if this person comes back when doctors declare him dead, then this is not death, right? What is your opinion? Instead shouldn't we as the relative to the deceased offer special chanting and do merits under his name to cease his sufferings so that he has the wholesome causes for happiness and free from sufferings?

Kindly explain. What else we should do to help the deceased? Pardon me for such questions...and thank you for answering my questions...

My comment:
Hi C,

Thank you for coming back. First, please remember the historical development and spread of Buddhism, which I wrote earlier. It is very important that you understand this historical development, leading to the different "traditions" or "sects". The differing schools have different interpretations with regards rites and rituals, mainly to do with their respective customs and cultures. It is of no point arguing over these rites and rituals. It is very important that you DECIDE which tradition you want to follow. You have to study and analyze and DECIDE for yourself which is right for you.

The Mahayanas have their rites and rituals. The Tibetans have theirs also. And so are others. Which to follow? We must go back to basics. The Buddha taught only TRUTH and PEACE. Nothing else. Your understanding of Buddhism is along the line of Theravada, which I follow. You don't have to get confused if you stick to the Theravada tradition. What others do is up to them. We don't have to follow them. This is our freedom. Likewise, we don't have to tell others what to do. It is very important that we know exactly what we should do. This is 100% confidence in ourselves. This is important.

As my teacher, the Chief Rev. Dhammananda of Brickfields Temple in K.L., Malaysia said, "We Buddhists don't fight over dead bodies!"

Misconception In Buddhism

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vinay_p/2117484934/

Question: (unedited)
What is the greatest misconception that you think people have about Buddhism?

My comment:
The greatest misconception about Buddhism is that ignorant people view Buddhism as a very ritualistic religion, full of superstitions and many silly ideas. The Buddha did not waste his time "inventing" these silly rites and rituals. The Buddha revealed the truth of life and how we could conduct ourselves to live in peace with ourselves and the world. Rites and rituals were introduced by the followers at a later stage. Buddhism being concerned with universal truth, is applicable to all the different races. The Buddha did not insist that followers must completely discard their traditions and cultures in order to be better persons. So, different cultures retained their traditions and lifestyles and still being able to practise Buddhism.

To day, the Chinese practise Buddhism in their very Chinese way. The Tibetans likewise retained and incorporated their very colourful and ritualistic rendition of Buddhist practice. The Japanese have their distinctive style. And so are others. The "new wave" of Buddhist practice is now in the west, and they are influenced by the various traditions. The traditions that have the least rites and rituals, to the best of my knowledge, are Zen and Theravada.

Praying Aloud, Praying Allowed (Comment)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dhammasociety/2263608802/

This is my comment:

The Buddha's teachings are very straight forward. Actually during the Buddha's time there wasn't any rites and rituals. Whatever they performed were in accordance with their traditional practises. These practices were Indian (Indo-aryan)customary rituals. Nothing to do with Buddhism. The Buddha revealed the universal truths and the followers simply conduct their lives in accordance with these universal truths. Universal truths have no boundaries. They are beyond time and space and race and nationality. That is why followers can practise Buddhism without having to change their customs and traditions. That is why we have Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Japanese Buddhism and what have you. Of course, we do have deviant cults who also called themselves Buddhists.

As Theravada Buddhists, we follow a very simple "ritual" when we pay homage to the Buddha in the form of reciting "homage" to the Buddha, and taking the "3 Refuges" and the "5 Precepts". During the Buddha's time he encouraged his monks to recite certain discourses given by him, for protection as well as for radiating vibrations of goodwill. To-day we also recite a number of his discourses called suttas, for the same purpose. When we pay homage to the Buddha we need not have to say it aloud. Our mental vibrations are good enough.

Praying Aloud, Praying Allowed. (Question)

Actually the term "praying" is not a very appropriate one in Buddhism. I would prefer "recitation" or "chanting". So, do you recite aloud or in silence? Any difference? Someone asked: (unedited)

[im fairly new to Buddhism(forgive me if my questions seem ignorant) and not knowing any Buddhists to discuss things with im glad to have found this site. firstly i have to ask about the rituals that are associated with Buddhism, im not very confortable with chanting and preying, i have a statue of Buddha and im grateful in my heart to him and all people but i dont really see the point in saying things out loud as long as i feel them, do you think this is the wrong attitude for Buddhists?]

What do you think? Tell you what I think to-morrow.

The Significance Of Vesak (Part 3 of 3)

Happy Vesak!

(You may have noticed by now the word "Vesak" is spelt either way with "V" or "W". Actually the pronunciation is in-between V and W.)

To-day is the most important day that Buddhists affirm their reverence to the Buddha. Chief Reverend Dhammananda wrote on how to pay homage to the Buddha the proper way:

" The Buddha Himself has given invaluable advice on how to pay homage to Him. Just before He passed away, He saw His faithful attendant Ananda, weeping. The Buddha advised him not to weep, but to understand the universal law that all compounded things (including even His own body) must disintegrate. He advised everyone not to cry over the disintegration of the physical body but to regard His teachings (The Dhamma) as their Teacher from then on, because only the Dhamma TRUTH is eternal and not subject to the law of change. He also stressed that the way to pay homage to Him was not merely by offering flowers, incense, and lights, but by truly and sincerely striving to follow His teachings.
This is how we should celebrate Wesak: use this opportunity to reiterate our determination to lead noble lives, to develop our mind, to practise loving-kindness and to bring peace and harmony to mankind."

His full text is found here:

On this day, it is also appropriate that we reflect on the Buddha's reminder of the second phenominal characteristic of existence, and that is " existence is shrouded with unsatisfactoriness." At any time, anything can happen to us, both good and bad. May we reflect on what is happening right now in Myanmar and Sichuan in China. The wrath of nature has no mercy. So please take care.


(This period you would also notice Buddhist flags adorning temples everywhere. To-morrow, I shall share with you the origin and meaning of the Buddhist flag.)

The Significance Of Vesak (Part 2 of 3)

To-day is Vesak-eve. Vesak Day always falls on the first full moon day in the month of May. Vesakha is the name of the month corresponding to May. It was decided in 1950 at the first conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) held in Sri Lanka, that this day be celebrated as Vesak Day.

To know more you can click here:

To-morrow is Vesak Day. Let us see how we should celebrate this day. Actually I personally prefer to use the word "observe", rather than "celebrate". My revered teacher the late Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda of the Brickfields Mahavihara (Temple) wrote:
"On Wesak day, devout Buddhists are expected to assemble in various temples before dawn for the ceremonial hoisting of the Buddhist Flag and the singing of hymns in praise of the holy triple gem: The Buddha, The Dhamma (His teachings), and The Sangha (His disciples).
Devotees may bring simple offerings of flowers, candles and joss-sticks to lay at the feet of their great teacher. These symbolic offerings are to remind us that just as the beautiful flowers would wither away after a short while and the candles and joss-sticks would soon burn out, life is subject to decay and destruction in similar manner as the flowers, candles and joss-sticks. Devotees are enjoined to make a special effort to refrain from killing of any kind. They are encouraged to partake of vegetarian food for the day. In some countries notably SRI LANKA, two days are set aside for the celebration of Wesak and all liquor shops and slaughter houses are closed by government decree during the two days. Birds and animals are also released by the thousands in a symbolic act to liberation, of giving freedom to those who are in captivity. However, it is not recommended that birds be released in the heart of crowded cities, because by doing so we may cause harm to the poor bewildered birds which are unable to fly far after a long period of captivity. Unscrupulous bird dealers would recapture such birds for resale to well meaning devotees. If birds are to be released it is recommended that this be done in rural areas where the birds can achieve real freedom. Some devout Buddhists will wear simple white dress and spend the whole day in temples with renewed determination to observe the observance of the Eight Precepts."

The full text can be found here:

Have a joyful holiday!

The Significance Of Vesak (Part 1 of 3)

Come Monday 19 May, Buddhists celebrate Vesak Day (or Budhha Day). The thrice blessed day when the Buddha was born, gained enlightenment, and passed into Nibbana. This is also the day where you see many "Buddhists" proclaim themselves to be so, by visiting the various temples. After that they revert to their old selves again without learning anything about the pristine teachings of the Buddha. We don't have to blame anyone for this sad state of affairs. To-day I shall share a little information on the significance of Vesak. For the next 2 days we shall share the joy of this auspicious day by further discussing its significance.

This is extracted from Ven Mahinda's message from here:

[The significance of Vesak lies with the Buddha and his universal peace message to mankind.

As we recall the Buddha and his Enlightenment, we are immediately reminded of the unique and most profound knowledge and insight which arose in him on the night of his Enlightenment. This coincided with three important events which took place, corresponding to the three watches or periods of the night.

During the first watch of the night, when his mind was calm, clear and purified, light arose in him, knowledge and insight arose. He saw his previous lives, at first one, then two, three up to five, then multiples of them .. . ten, twenty, thirty to fifty. Then 100, 1000 and so on.... As he went on with his practice, during the second watch of the night, he saw how beings die and are reborn, depending on their Karma, how they disappear and reappear from one form to another, from one plane of existence to another. Then during the final watch of the night, he saw the arising and cessation of all phenomena, mental and physical. He saw how things arose dependent on causes and conditions. This led him to perceive the arising and cessation of suffering and all forms of unsatisfactoriness paving the way for the eradication of all taints of cravings. With the complete cessation of craving, his mind was completely liberated. He attained to Full Enlightenment. The realisation dawned in him together with all psychic powers.

This wisdom and light that flashed and radiated under the historic Bodhi Tree at Buddha Gaya in the district of Bihar in Northern India, more than 2500 years ago, is of great significance to human destiny. It illuminated the way by which mankind could cross, from a world of superstition, or hatred and fear, to a new world of light, of true love and happiness.]

I shall continue to-morrow.