A talk given by Venerable Master Hua on October 15, 1982
When laypeople go to the temple, they think that the more
incense they burn, the more merit they will have. That’s wrong.
Left-home people say that burning paper money gives the deceased
money to bribe the wardens of the hells. That’s a vile tactic.
I feel that Chinese Buddhism contains a lot of superstition. The
irrational ideas and practices that cause people to lose faith in
Buddhism should be reformed. If sweeping changes aren’t made, I can
hardly imagine what will become of Buddhism in the future.
For instance, when people go to the temple, they equate the
amount of incense they burn with the amount of merit they will
earn. That’s wrong. We offer incense to the Buddha to show our
respect. It’s enough to sincerely offer one stick of incense. Why
offer so many sticks? If our mind isn’t sincere, then no matter how
many sticks we offer, there won’t be a response.
It’s not that Buddha like the smell of incense. If they did,
they would be no different from ordinary people. We have to change
this trend; otherwise, people will think that Buddhas crave the
smell of incense, and the lofty name of Buddhism will be ruined.
That would be a great offense!
Ordinary people are doing the right thing when they bow before
the Buddhas, but they don’t know the real meaning behind it. They
only pray to the Buddhas for protection, a good position, good
fortune, peace, a son or daughter, fame, and profit. The things
they seek show that they are selfish and only want to benefit
themselves. They don’t think about benefiting people or helping the
world.
Although the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas respond to all prayers and
do not disappoint any living being, it is not right to be
insatiably greedy. When I see this kind of situation, I have many
feelings. I wish to change people’s views about bowing to the
Buddhas. I want to teach them that they should bow to the Buddhas
to show their faith and to pray for world peace. Their prayers
should be proper, noble, and bright. They should pray for others,
not for themselves. That’s how true Buddhists should behave.
Some left-home people advocate the benefits of burning paper
money, saying that it provides the deceased with money to bribe the
wardens of the hells to reduce their sentences. Thinking that monks
don’t lie, some people believe those Dharma Masters who tell them
the more paper money they burn, the better. What they don’t know is
that those monks make a hidden profit. Those monks maintain a
silent conspiracy of cheating people out of their money. What vile
tactics! I want to change the custom of burning paper money. I want
to overthrow superstition; I don’t want Buddhism to receive
undeserved criticism. Buddhism does not have advocate burning paper
money.
The true essence of the various mainstream religions were meant for
good originally, but people, past and present, who used their own
limited human perspectives to teach and corrupt the true
essences, which has resulted in what is our world today, where
separation of Man has been constantly reinforced. People can
be physically close, yet so far apart in their minds and hearts.
All religions and faiths have this common problem today, not just
organised religions.
If today, people of the various faiths are able to see
their futures in this lifetime, most will start to live their lives
differently from now on. But unfortunately, being able to know the
future is only limited to a few, and so the majority will have to
walk the inevitable path in order to (remember and) learn the true
essence, and come together as One again.
Rainbow Jigsaw of Life