Tzu Chi Universal Prayer Song (English Version)

Tzu Chi Universal Prayer Song (Mandarin Version)

General questions

 

Question : (Unedited)

How does your religion differ from others and similar to other religion (example, Christianity)
Do you believe in reincarnation?
Do Buddhists have a set of rules that they must follow?
Can you tell me types of meditation and if you believe in Buddhism, does every one have to do meditation?  ( do you guys pray or is meditation is like praying?)


My comment :

Hi S,

 How does your religion differ from others and similar to other religion (example, Christianity)
General similarities are around universal truths which have no boundary, such as love, unselfishness, goodwill and compassion.  The main differences are that Buddhism does not subscribe to the existence of "eternal and unchanging soul", "a place called heaven where people live in eternal peace and happiness", and "an all-powerful God".


Do you believe in reincarnation?

Reincarnation and rebirth are different concepts.  The Buddha spoke about rebirth.  This means the continuous flow of birth and death involving "consciousness" but not "an unchanging and permanent soul".  The latter is reincarnation.  Life is like a lighted candle.  The flame you see is not the exactly the same for two moments, yet the light seems to be the same.  The Buddha referred this rebirth as a phenomenon that was neither exactly the same nor totally different.

Do Buddhists have a set of rules that they must follow?
Nothing in Buddhism is a MUST.  There is no compulsion.  People are free to decide whether the Buddha's teachings are true and beneficial.  The Buddha gave complete freedom to humans to use their common sense and human intelligence to analyze his teachings.

Can you tell me types of meditation and if you believe in Buddhism, does every one have to do meditation?  ( do you guys pray or is meditation is like praying?)
We do not like to impose our belief on others.  As Buddhists, we know that only through proper meditation that we can train our mind to obey us in order to live a peaceful, wholesome and noble life.  It will take a lengthy explaination to explain Buddhist meditation; but very briefly, there are two main types, namely tranquility meditation and insight meditation.  The former is to achieve a calm and controlled mind.  The latter is to realize the true nature of existence and to attain ultimate liberation from birth and death.  However both are complementary.

As for prayer; in the Christian context, Buddhists do not "pray" because they do not subscribe to a higher power controlling them.  However, they do "communicate" with higher beings existing in different planes of existence, through radiating good thoughts to them.  These higher beings have some worldly powers over humans and can assist them in time of needs.

Prayer for healing

 

Question : (Unedited)

do you have a healing prayer?  A friend just found out she has cancer throughout her body. She is Buddhist and I would like to send her some encouraging message that pertains to her faith.    Thank you. 
 

My comment: 

Hi B,

There is no healing prayer in Buddhism.  Otherwise all will be healed by just chanting the "healing prayer".  A lot of Asians claim to be "Buddhists" but just in name only, for they do not even know who the Buddha was.  I take it that your friend is a "practising" Buddhist.  Then you got to find out which tradition she practises.  Different traditions have different "prayers" for the sick.  

My opinion is that a simple message to this effect will suffice:  
"May the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha give you strength to face all adversity, and may you regain your health in due course."

Hope this helps.

Prayer

Question : (Unedited)

hi there what day of the week to buddhist pray. i could really use your help as iam writing about this for school thanx regards

My comment:

Hi L,

Thanks for asking me.

In the context of Christian prayer, Buddhists do not pray as we do not believe that there is any higher being to be prayed to. 　Prayer usually means an act to solicit, petition, or supplicate a favour from a higher being usually "God". 　However we recite the "suttas" which are the discourses of the Buddha. 　This is what we call chanting, and after that we may make an aspiration whereby the other beings existing in other planes of existence may assist us in our worldly problems.

We do not pray to the Buddha for he is dead and gone. 　But his teachings which are more important, are here for us to live by. 　It's just like we know Faraday discovered electricity, but we don't need him around to use electricity. 　His discovery is more important than his personality. 　So is the Buddha; who advised us to practise his teachings and not to worship him.

The Chant of Metta : Imee Ooi

(If video does not appear, just click on the screen.)

The Chant of Metta, beautifully rendered by the artistically talented Imee Ooi.  The music is very soothing and the lyrics universal, from the Budhist text.

Hope you experience inner peace listening to this.

How to pray?

Question : (Unedited)

Is it best to pray standing up, sitting down, on your knees, or bowing down? Should my hands be open, closed, or lifted up? Do my eyes need to be closed when I pray? Is it better to pray in a temple building, or out in nature? Should I pray in the morning when I get up, or at night before I go to bed? Are there certain words that I need to say in my prayer? How do I begin my prayer? What is the proper way to close a prayer? What is the proper way to pray? Do any of the above things even matter?

Hi L...,

Thank you for asking me.

I shall answer your last question first.  It really doesn't matter how you "pray".

Actually Buddhists do not "pray" in the Christian sense.  However we pay homage to the image of the Buddha as a mark of reverence.  We also recite the suttas which are the teachings of the Buddha; and after that we radiate good thoughts to share with the Devas (higher beings) and other beings.  With this sharing we may make aspirations that the Devas may protect us.  This is the Theravada practice.

Coming back to the "proper" rites and rituals; it will depend on which tradition you practise.  The three main groups, namely, the Tibetan, Chinese Mahayana, and Theravada have different "styles" in their "praying" gestures.  The best way to know them is to visit the respective temples and join in the rituals.

I can share with you the Theravada way I am practising.  I recite the "salutations and refuges" and the five precepts first thing in the morning and last thing before going to sleep.  As my alter is low, I recite, kneeling with hands clasped.  After the recitation, I bow three times with my forehead touching the floor.  Please click here to follow the ritual:

http://www.parami.org/buddhistanswers/

Don't believe everything

Question : (Unedited)

I was recently reading a translation of the dhammapada online that included stories from which the verses are supposed to have originated, and I was only into the second story when I noticed something that puzzled me.  It was the story of Matthakundali who sees the Buddha just before dying, mentally professes his faith in him, and is thus reborn as semi-/demi-/god.  Like the Buddha’s disciples I’m confused as to why this should be.  As a westerner who likes to see logic and reason behind the world, I’m puzzled to see an instance suggesting that salvation can be achieved by faith in Buddhism rather than human effort.  One of the crucial elements that first lead me to reject Christianity and attracted me to Buddhism was a lack of faith in deity/superstition/mythology.  Am I interpreting this story correctly in thinking it suggests there is room for saving faith in Buddhism?  I’ve always understood the Buddha to be human rather than a supernatural being; is this incorrect?

Related to this is the whole idea of the fantastic stories surrounding the Buddha: his preaching from a cloud, the bowl flowing upstream, his seemingly miraculous birth, to name a few.  I’ve never taken such stories at face value, personally, choosing instead to understand them as figurative and metaphorical and not necessary (indeed, perhaps a hindrance) to practicing Buddhism.  Is this approach greatly flawed?

My comment:

Hi J....,

Thank you for asking me.

Just as there are so many types of people, there are also variations in one's belief, perception, and interpretation.  Before we proceed to discuss your comments and questions, we must first establish the fundamental teachings of the Buddha.  I am sure you are familiar with these fundamental concepts.  They alone form the basic foundation of the Buddha's teachings.  These fundamental teachings are the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Three Characteristics of Existence, the Law of Cause and Effect, and the Three Evil Roots of Greed, Hatred and Delusion.  The rest are merely additions, legends, beliefs, and elaborations which may or may not be true.  It is up to our wise judgement to decide which is beneficial and which is not.   

The Dhammapada is a collection of stories with moral messages.  The essence of the moral messages are more important than the authenticity of these stories.  We must also bear in mind that the Buddha is no ordinary mortal.  Many things which our ancestors insisted cannot be true or to be impossible are now proven to be true and possible.  So it is wiser not to completely reject everything just because we think impossible.  We must also understand that the events related did not happen in one life time, but were the final results of accumulated events of numerous past lives.  If you study more of the Buddha's life, there will be more "fantastic" stories, events, and personal relationships with those associated with him.  All these people did not just associate with the Buddha by chance.  They were already with him during previous life-time.  

<< As a westerner who likes to see logic and reason behind the world>>

This is the greatest flaw in humans believing that one can reason with everything through logic.  One has to understand that the physical faculties have serious limitations.  Our eyes can only see that far or that size.  Anything farther or smaller, we cannot see anymore.  The same goes with our hearing, sense of smell, sense of touch, taste, and ability to compute.  Our brain also has serious limitations, otherwise all of us will be smarter than Einstein!  The Buddha had acquired an extraordinary power not available through the five physical senses.  It is the power of the mind, which an average Westerner is so grossly ignorant of.  This supreme power of the mind is what set the Buddha aloft from the others.  The power of the mind is the epitome of human achievement.

***************************************
Below are the pali version with English translation of the first two verses of the Dhammapada.  In these two verses, you may find answers to all life's adventures and tragedies.

Dhammapada Verse 1

Cakkhupalatthera Vatthu :

Manopubbangama dhamma

manosettha manomaya

manasa ce padutthena

bhasati va karoti va

tato nam dukkhamanveti

cakkamva vahato padam.



Verse 1. Suffering Follows The Evil-Doer

Mind precedes all knowables,

mind's their chief, mind-made are they.

If with a corrupted mind

one should either speak or act

dukkha (Suffering/Unsatisfactriness) follows caused by that,

as does the wheel that  follows the ox's hoof.



Explanation: All that we experience begins with thought. Our words and deeds spring from thought. If we speak or act with evil thoughts, unpleasant circumstances and experiences inevitably result. Wherever we go, we create bad circumstances because we carry bad thoughts. This is very much like the wheel of a cart following the hoofs of the ox yoked to the cart. The cart-wheel, along with the heavy load of the cart, keeps following the draught oxen. The animal is bound to this heavy load and cannot leave it.



Dhammapada Verse 2

Matthakundali Vatthu :


Manopubbangama dhamma

manosettha manomaya

manasa ce pasannena

bhasati va karoti va

tato nam sukha manveti

chayava anapayini.



Verse 2. Happiness Follows The Doer of Good

Mind precedes all knowables,

mind's their chief, mind-made are they.

If with a clear, and confident mind

one should speak and act,

happiness follows one,

as one's shadow never departing.



Explanation: All that man experiences springs out of his thoughts. If his thoughts are good, the words and the deeds will also be good. The result of good thoughts , words and deeds will be happiness. This happiness will never leave the person whose thoughts are good. Happiness will always follow him like his shadow that never leaves him.

Offering to the Buddha (Part 2 of 2)

(MONK - KEY)

Question : (Unedited)

I have gone to the temple with him and met the monks he's learning from but am too embarrassed to ask the monks what they do with the offerings. My son feels the offering is for Buddha and Buddha will find a way to remove it and until then it gets to stay. He has 2 youth aged books the head monk gave him to read and he explains to me every night before bed what he has read, and so far nothing about alters.

My comment: 

Hi A....,

Since you know the temple, I may be able to shed some light if you would divulge the name of the temple, its location, and possibly the tradition that is practised.  The name of the monk will also be able to give some clues to its authenticity.  

By referring to your statement which I quote: " My son feels the offering is for Buddha and Buddha will find a way to remove it and until then it gets to stay."

This is a very disturbing piece of news.  Based on this statement alone I can safely say that your son is being misled.  The Buddha is dead and gone.  It is his teachings that we follow to gain results, and NOT praying to the Buddha and waiting for him to send us to heaven or to partake our offerings to him.

Please be careful and not let bogus monks hoodwink your son.  If need be, you may suggest to your son to study the proper teachings of the Buddha and also to find alternative temples which are genuine.  If you need further info, please come back.

Take care.

Justinchoo.

It's all in the mind. (Part 2 of 2)

Question : (Unedited)

Hello again Justin, thanks for your prompt reply. So, when I'm chanting mantra, what should my mind try to focus on? Should I try to visualise the image of Buddha, or someone I'm praying for, or the mantra itself? I find that at times, my mind can just wander to other thoughts and get out of focus, if I don't try to concentrate on a certain thing, say, a wish or prayer or person I'm praying for. I guess I'm not sure what the "correct" way is (if there's one). Thanks!

p/s. Btw, I like your quote at the end of the message.

My comment:

Hi J,

The "correct way" is one which you feel comfortable with.  I suppose when one is chanting mantra, one's objectives are to train the mind to be calm and alert, and to reduce wandering thoughts.  If you can achieve these objectives, I suppose one is practising the "correct" way.

I think one should not be too concerned over chanting of mantras, but to concentrate on reducing one’s defilements of greed, hatred and delusion.  By practising these practical aspects of Buddhism, one will experience inner peace and happiness.

(Footnote : p/s. Btw, I like your quote at the end of the message.)

The Quote is:   

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