What is Buddha?
Buddha, this is the transliteration of ancient Sanskrit in India.
Buddha means to be aware of oneself, to be aware of others, to be aware of everything, and to be omniscient and unaware at all times. Therefore, he is also called the All-Wise Man or the Righteous Awareness.
Buddha, simply translated as Buddha, was Prince Sakyamuni who was born in Kapilavastu City, India, 2589 years ago (623 BC) in our world. After attaining enlightenment, he was called Sakyamuni. Sakya is the family name, which means capable of benevolence, and Muni is a common honorific title for saints in ancient India, which means silence. This is the leader of Buddhism.
Is Buddha the Creator?
No. True Buddhism does not have the concept of a creator. The Buddha is the enlightened person in the world. Although the Buddha can understand all the principles of the world, he cannot change the existing state of the world. Although the Buddha can save all sentient beings, whether they can be saved or not, It still depends on whether sentient beings can work hard on their own. The Buddha is the best doctor who can diagnose and prescribe the suffering of all sentient beings. If you take his medicine, you will be saved. If you refuse to take the medicine, the Buddha will be helpless. The Buddha is the best guide who can guide all sentient beings out of the sea of ??suffering in this world. If you follow the Buddha's guidance, you will be saved. If you don't follow the guidance, you will be helpless. Therefore, if the Buddha does not regard himself as the Creator of the world and can practice the Buddha's teachings, it is equivalent to seeing the Buddha and respecting the Buddha. Therefore, the Buddha is neither the creator of the world nor the dominating god. He can only teach all living beings how to escape suffering and achieve happiness. Although the Buddha himself has achieved freedom from suffering and achieved happiness, he cannot replace all living beings to escape suffering and achieve happiness. Buddha is a great educator and teacher of humans and gods.
What does Buddhism mean by atheism?
This is a proper term in religion. There are two kinds of atheism in the world, one is materialistic atheism; the other is what Buddhism calls atheism.
Materialist atheism denies the independent existence of all spirits and does not believe in a world of ghosts and gods. The atheism taught by Buddhism means that all dharmas are caused by causes and conditions, and that all things in the universe are formed by the karma of all living beings. It admits that there are spirits, ghosts and gods, but it does not believe that there is an omniscient and omnipotent person who dominates creation as the monotheistic religions say. The universe is the first, last and only God.
The classification of gods, from a religious perspective, can be divided into polytheistic, two-god, one-god, pan-theistic and atheistic beliefs. Polytheism is a general folk belief with no organization or system. It is the religious form of primitive peoples and a regional religious form. For example: Chinese folk gods are divided into local and national gods. Local gods are divided into ancestor gods and natural gods, and their names and images can vary from place to place and from time to time; national gods are the ancestors of the country and the entire nation, or the mountains, rivers, sun and moon.
As for the belief in two gods, good and evil are divided into two forces. Initially, two hostile nations each viewed their own patron saint as a good god, while the other's patron saint was an evil god. Later, after the unification of the various nations, the belief in the two gods was formed, that is, the evil god is the devil and the good god is For God; however, the only religion in the world that worships both the devil and God is the Persian religion. Although Christianity also believes in the eternal existence of the devil and God, it only worships God and not the devil. It has the content of ditheism and only takes the form of monotheism.
The so-called monotheism means that all things are created, controlled, and destroyed by one god. God has the power and authority to dominate all things, just like what the Chinese call the Creator and Christianity calls Jehovah. Although Christianity also believes that there are angels and gods, they are the followers of the only God and the creations of the only God. They cannot become God's successors and another great god with the same status as God.
As for pantheism, it is the god of ideas that philosophers believe in. It is the ontology of the universe and the laws of nature. It does not have a personality image, but it is the place where all things are born and return; God cannot To love people with a will, people have the responsibility and obligation to obey and love God.
As for godlessness, this article has just said that there are two categories. The first is materialistic atheism, which believes that all phenomena in the universe and life are produced by the movement of matter. Except for the activities of matter, there are no spiritual bodies that exist apart from matter. Before a person is born, there is no past, and after death, there is no future; if there is, it is the source and continuation of physical inheritance. For an individual, death is like a lamp going out. Even if it is admitted that the spiritual power exerted by a person while in the world, whether it is academic, political, or artistic, can affect future generations; but it is material, not spiritual. People can miss the ancients, but the ancients don't know that we miss them, because they no longer exist; remembering the ancients is not to comfort the soul, but to encourage people to see the wise and think about them.
Buddhist atheism is mainly based on the phenomenon that all dharmas arise from causes and conditions, explaining that all living beings are the consequences of karma. Every sentient being has his or her own karma and received retribution individually, and many sentient beings have made countless karma in their past lives. They have the same cause of karma, feel the same retribution, and are born in the same environment. This is what the Buddha said about the endless existence of sentient beings and the world. Infinity is the result of all sentient beings’ own actions.
Our world belongs to the solar system. It is caused by the past karma of humans on earth and other living beings born in this world. It is not created by God as the monotheists say. Come. The understanding of God and God’s needs are actually based on human needs. The omniscient god is not real, but it cannot be said that he is the same as no god. From the point of view of believers, he exists; from the point of view of the believed god, he may be a powerful ghost, the main god of great blessings, or someone from Gods in other worlds. There is more than one of them. Therefore, believers in monotheistic religions are themselves divided. They have different images, understandings and feelings of monotheism, which vary from person to person, from place to place, and from time to time. Therefore, belief in monotheism, In fact, it is an upgrade of polytheistic beliefs.
The atheism of Buddhism does not deny the belief and role of multiple gods, two gods, or even one god. It just treats them as categories of living beings. Therefore, the Huayan Sutra and the Ksitigarbha Sutra ", and even the Agama Sutra, etc., all talk about ghosts and gods. Buddhism is not "atheistic", but it does not believe that there is a unique creator god who dominates the universe.
--Master Shengyan
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Life and Faith
Every religion advises people to have faith, but what exactly should they believe in? The ancients said: There is a way and it is right. Good birds also know how to choose trees to roost on, and loyal ministers also know how to serve with a clear ruler. Not to mention that faith also requires choosing good objects. So, what conditions should the object of our faith meet? This issue cannot but be discussed.
(1) Faith does exist
When we choose an object of faith, we should examine whether it really exists. For example, if we choose to believe in Buddhism, the leader of Buddhism, Sakyamuni Buddha, does exist. The Buddha has the country where he was born, the year, month and day of his birth, the parents who raised him, and he has brothers and relatives. He also has records of his journey as a monk, practice, and enlightenment. The Buddha's deeds are clearly recorded in history. Sakyamuni Buddha is not a god who was made up out of thin air; nor is he a god who comes and goes without a trace. In other words, the objects we Buddhists believe in can stand the test of time in history. So, what are we to believe in? We must believe in objects that actually exist.
(2) Believe in those with high moral standards
When we make friends, we must make friends with people of high moral character and holy personality, because they can guide us to be good. The ancients said: "There is no friend." Not as good as oneself." He also said: "When water flows down, people climb up." If the object of our faith requires us to kill and harm others, then believing in him will not only be unhelpful, but also harmful. We must understand, does the person I believe in have pure moral character? Is his mercy sufficient? Is his personality perfect? If he has it, then such an object is worthy of our faith and conversion. Sakyamuni Buddha is an awakened person with perfect merits and deeds. He possesses the three virtues of wisdom, judgment, and kindness. His morality is perfect and pure. Following this human and heavenly teacher can make our morality nobler and improve our personality. More perfect.
(3) Those with strong faith
We need a crutch as a pillar to climb mountains, and we also need a strong crutch to be our support in life. Only when we receive the guidance of our knowledgeable and capable teachers from an early age can we gradually avoid childishness; the object of our faith must also be a great and virtuous teacher who can save and enlighten others to guide us to the right path. "Buddha's Legacy Sutra" says: "I am like a good guide, leading people on a good path; I am like a good doctor, responding to illnesses and giving medicine." If you believe in the guidance of a good guide, you can walk on a bright road and reach your destination; believe in a good doctor For diagnosis and treatment, Agata medicine can be obtained to treat troublesome diseases. Why are the benevolent sages, heroes and ordinary people of all ages willing to accept his leadership? Mainly because of his strong ability. The lion can be the king of beasts, and the roc can be the strongest among birds, both because they have special abilities. The same is true for people. If the object of faith has strong power and seems to have a backing in life, we can only be happy because of it.
(4) Those who believe in pure precepts and conduct pure conduct
All actions of people with pure precepts and conduct are in line with the precepts. If we obey them, our words and deeds will naturally be in line with the right path and will not be derailed. If the person we believe in behaves impurely, it is like a car that violates traffic rules. An accident may occur at any time, and it would be too dangerous for us to follow him. The object of our faith, the great Buddha, is an enlightened being with the most stringent and pure precepts. He not only maintains strict self-discipline, but also formulates many precepts to guide the body and mind of his disciples. It is recorded in the scriptures: One of the disciples of the Buddha begged the owner of the orchard to beg fruits, and the owner asked him to pick them himself. The venerable replied: "The Buddha's precepts say that trees taller than a person cannot be climbed." The owner of the garden asked him to pick them himself. Asking him to shake the fruit down with his hands, he added, "Buddha's precepts say you are not allowed to shake the tree to get the fruit." In order to show his sincerity, the owner of the garden had to climb down from the branch and ask him to pick it. Knowing that, he still insisted: "Buddha's precepts say you are not allowed to take the fruit by yourself." The owner of the garden had no choice but to hold the fruit in both hands and offer it to him and said, "I will support you!" This story illustrates "taking without giving". As for violating the precepts, the disciples of the Buddha would rather not bear the fruit in order to adhere to the precepts. In modern terms, it is illegal to take anything from others without their consent, even a needle or thread. If everyone could abide by it, there would be no robbery or theft in society. If we can follow the Buddha's teachings, the moral conduct we practice can be pure and flawless!
(5) Belief in the Perfect Dharma
The object of our faith must have perfect Dharma. The principles of Buddhism are impartial and impartial, so they are called dharma. The principles of Buddhism are universal and applicable to any time, space, person, or event. It is not suitable for this person but not for that person. Or it may be appropriate to use it at this time, but inappropriate to use it in another matter. Because Buddhism transcends time and space and is not subject to any limitations, it is perfect. There are many kinds of knowledge in society, and we must choose the most correct and comprehensive one as our guide. The famous saying of the wife of Guizhou Lou during the Spring and Autumn Period: "It is better to be straight and not enough, than to be skewed and have more than enough." It has been praised and used by the world for thousands of years. By believing in the perfect Dharma, we can not only get many correct instructions on our journey of life, but we can also build a perfect life.
(6) Full of Faith and Wisdom
There are two sentences in the book "The Way to Become a Buddha": "The righteous Dharma is the body, and the pure wisdom is the life." Usually we see They mistakenly think that the Buddha statue enshrined on the table is the Buddha's body, or that the majestic and beautiful body that the Buddha had when he was alive is the Buddha's true body. In fact, the Buddha is based on the righteous Dharma; the Buddha's life span does not last eight years. During the ten years of human life, the Buddha lived with infinite wisdom. Worldly knowledge has leaks, and human lifespan is limited. And the Dharma is the body, the Dharma is present in all times and places, and is endless; wisdom is the life span, and wisdom is pure and eternal, infinite and limitless. The object of our faith has perfect intelligence. If we follow him and learn from him, we can gain a life full of intelligence in the future and contribute to the public in this way.
As the saying goes: "Make careless friends" and "Meet unkind people." If a person makes the wrong friends, his life's future will be ruined. How can we not be careful when choosing a partner? What's more, the object of belief should be chosen carefully!
An authentic life and an authentic belief
Although some people in society say they have certain beliefs, in fact, in fact But they all have a lot of superstitions, and some even have evil beliefs. So what is true faith? How to obtain a righteous life and faith?
(1) From disguised belief to true belief
The general public tends to be superstitious and evil because they have not obtained true belief. He does a lot of stupid things in a careless manner. For example, reading Feng Shui, timing, fortune telling, horoscopes, divination, and burning tin foil, gold and silver paper are all superstitious behaviors and are not allowed by Buddhism.
There is a Longevity Garden Cemetery in Fo Guang Shan. People often want to bury their relatives or friends in the cemetery because they have passed away. If I meet them, I often say to them: "It is best not to bring Mr. Geography to see Feng Shui." "Some people don't understand why, because when you ask Mr. Geography to check Feng Shui, you must first give him a red envelope from the person who manages the cemetery. If he doesn't give it to him, after he looks at the cemetery, even if the person in charge of the bereavement feels satisfied, he will make excuses. : "The direction of this land is not good. If your parents are buried here, it will offend your descendants." After hearing this, you must think that is okay. In order to bury your parents, you will offend your children. You absolutely cannot want this. piece of land.
Another example is building a house. Even if you have your eye on a piece of land, if Mr. Geography says: "It is not good for the house to face this way, because facing this direction is not good for your parents." Just imagine, can you take this taboo? Superstition is to use a terrifying method to seize the weakness of human nature so that you dare not disobey his beliefs. If a person does not have the wisdom of righteous faith, he cannot be freed from superstition. The Buddha has repeatedly instructed us in the Sutra: "Don't predict good or bad luck, look up at the stars." Therefore, what I have followed throughout my life is the wise saying "Every day is a good day, and everywhere is a good place." As long as our intentions are fair, we can go anywhere; as long as everyone finds it convenient, every moment will be auspicious. True Buddhists are never superstitious, and those who are superstitious are never true Buddhists.
The other type is evil belief, such as Yiguandao. What exactly is Yiguandao? I am afraid that few people can truly understand it; but why do so many people believe in it? Perhaps it is its mysterious color and the oath that holds you firmly. You dare not violate it and have no choice but to keep believing. However, faith should not be so rash. Just because of human feelings or selfishness cannot be regarded as true faith. Therefore, we must abandon the superstition of disguised cults and choose the true Buddhist faith.
(2) From the belief in destiny to the belief in autonomy
Most people usually believe in destiny, and everything comes under the arrangement of heaven. Food is given to us by God; benefits are obtained from God. Of course, there is nothing sinful about this kind of thinking. It’s just that you give your sovereignty to God unconditionally and let God be the master and rule us. People who don’t know that they have sovereignty and can rule over themselves, He is truly the most stupid and pitiable person in the world. Why should a person's happiness in life, happiness in life, spiritual joy, and bright future be controlled and bestowed by gods? Buddhism teaches that "everyone has Buddha nature", which is to enhance the sovereignty of each of us. Let us be alert to the fact that we can control everything about ourselves. Dark things can be changed into light; miserable things can be turned into happiness; rough things can be paved into a broad road of life. To believe in Buddhism, to put it more clearly, is to believe in oneself. Isn't it more meaningful to create everything with your own hands than to rely on the control of gods?
(3) From the belief in human feelings to the belief in righteous faith
There are many people who often go to this temple to socialize or go to that temple, and in the end they are finally accepted by many people. Surrounded by favors, one cannot choose true faith. In fact, faith should be based on the law and not on people. The Buddha said that there are "four reliances", namely, 1. "Relying on the Dharma and not on others": People who believe in Buddhism should seek "faith, understanding, practice and realization" based on the Buddha's teachings, and should not give up because of the merits of others (the person who teaches the Dharma). Belief; or just be a believer in a certain temple or a certain monk, and ignore the entire Buddhist dharma.
2. "Rely on wisdom rather than knowledge": Wisdom is intelligence, like bright light, you can see the true face; consciousness is difference and distinction. Only those who study Buddhism can obtain the true essence of Buddhism by pursuing the Dharma without discriminating knowledge; those who study Buddhism should use their wisdom to internally realize the truth in order to gain liberation.
3. "Rely on meaning rather than words": People who believe in Buddhism should understand Buddhism from the perspective of meaning and should not scrutinize or care about language.
4. "Relying on righteousness but not relying on righteousness": Buddhism without meaning is just a convenient way to persuade new believers or people with shallow foundations; to believe in the truth, you should believe in the ultimate one-way path to liberation.
The "Four Reliances" are principles that every believer in Buddhism should know and implement them practically.
(4) From the faith of the temple to the faith of the Sangha
We believe in Buddhism. We should not just be believers in one temple, but should be believers in the entire Buddhist Sangha; To be a disciple of a certain person, you should be a disciple of the entire Sangha. As a Buddhist, you should protect any monastery; you should help the Sangha with all your heart in everything that you can do, and you should care for the Sangha as much as you care for your own home. There are many temples all over the province and there are many believers. It is often seen that some lay believers walk between each temple and compare the enthusiasm of the monks towards them. Some even go so far as to stir up trouble and cause disharmony between temples. This kind of This is not the behavior that a true Buddhist should do. Believing in the Sangha and protecting the Sangha are the responsibilities of Buddhist disciples.
(5) From messy beliefs to pure beliefs
Today’s beliefs are too complicated, and no matter what the object of worship is, they will burn incense here and worship there. In fact, you cannot obtain the benefits of faith if you have mixed beliefs. Therefore, we should not believe in miscellaneous beliefs, such as this or that. If we cannot concentrate, we will not get help when we are really in difficulty. It is better to turn our body and mind to the Three Jewels and let the Three Jewels unify our beliefs. We don’t have to bow to gods when we see them or burn incense in temples. We should purify our beliefs.
Welcome to learn about orthodox Buddhism.
If you want to learn Buddhism, please read Master Shengyan’s "Buddhism with Authentic Faith" and "Questions on Learning Buddhism". Easy to understand.