http://www.jenchen.org.sg/buddhism.htm
What is blissful culture? Why does humanity
need a blissful culture?
The culture of purifying the human mind is blissful
culture
Humanity is constantly seeking happiness in this world. However, no
matter how hard it tries, it is somehow unable to find happiness.
Instead, it encounters calamities and more calamities. In fact, all
these calamities are the creation of the mind.
In the beginning of this earth, there were only the heavenly and
human realms of existence. The realms of hell, hungry ghost, animal
and asura did not exist. But, as humanity progressed through time,
the human mind began to change. They developed more and more
affinity for evil - greed, anger, ignorance, delusion and foolish
thoughts which gave rise to the acts of killing, stealing and
sexual misconduct. Happiness gradually diminished and the six
realms of cyclic existence evolved out of humanitys evil
mind.
In todays society, the unhappiness of human beings largely results
from the countless evil deeds that he has committed. These evil
deeds stem mainly from three karma - our bodily action, speech and
thought. Thoughts are basically our thinking. If our thoughts are
filled with evil thinkings, these will be manifested in our
actions. For example, our unkind thoughts of someone may translate
into harsh words from our mouth or even into a painful action with
our hands. When we do these, we are creating evil karma.
Our thoughts generate greed, anger and delusions. Through our
speech - in the form of telling lies, frivolous talk, slandering
and rude or harsh speech; and through our bodily actions by way of
killing, stealing and sexual misconduct. This is just a simple
explanation. It would be endless to go into details. These three
karma bring upon ourselves a lot of sufferings and unhappiness.
Therefore, if humanity wants to achieve happiness in life, then he
should try to eradicate all these evil deeds which stem from greed,
anger, ignorance, killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.
Many religions teach us to do good and avoid doing bad. Buddhism,
in particular, besides teaching us to refrain from all evil deeds
and to do all good deeds, also teaches us to purify our minds. Once
we have a healthy mental culture, naturally our minds will not be
filled with greed, anger, ignorance, and other evil thoughts and
actions. We must be aware that the mind controls our speech and
actions, it all arises from our minds. Minds are also our thoughts.
It is because humanity lacks wisdom and awareness that we are
constantly deceived by our minds. We fail to understand the real
meaning of karma, or cause and effect. We do not know if our
actions will hurt ourselves or others; or if they are beneficial or
harmful. Hence, unhappiness and sufferings follow.
Humanity wants happiness and dislikes sufferings. But, due to the
lack of wisdom, we do not know how to free ourselves from our
sufferings. However, if we learn from Buddhas teachings - practise
to purify the three karma of bodily actions, speech and thoughts,
our wisdom can be cultivated. Once we have wisdom, whatever we
think, speak and do, the actions will be beneficial to ourselves,
to others and to the world. These eventually lead to happiness and
the world will be filled with brightness and hope.
Henceforth, we can say that the culture of Buddhism is also
Blissful Culture.
What is Human Bliss
Culture?
The Culture of Buddhism is the Voice of
Bliss
What is Human Bliss Culture? We should ask the question in reverse:
"What is Human Un-bliss Culture?" Since there is bliss culture,
therefore there is un-bliss culture. The world today has many
teachings, including those that teach people to commit evil. Lets
think it over. In fact, all humanity originally has bliss, why did
it diminish? It is because we human beings destroy our bliss by not
observing the rules and the precepts.
To use a simple illustration, it is like putting a tea cup at the
centre of the table. It is very safe and beyond the reach of small
children. If it is put along the edge of the table, then it is very
vulnerable to falling and breakage. To replace the broken cup means
having to sacrifice twice. If a child places the tea cup at the
edge of the table, then the mother will quickly exhort him to move
it to the centre. Adults understand the need to put it at the
centre of the table, but young children dont. In fact, this is a
precept.
The regulations about what can or cannot be done are precepts. In
fact, everyone needs to observe precepts and be good citizens. Good
citizens need to abide by the laws, and that is observing the
precepts. Therefore, Jen Chen Buddhism refer to precepts as means
of safeguarding blessings. Safeguarding blessings means
safeguarding our own blessings, the blessings which resulted from
the virtuous deeds committed in the past. This is analogous to
putting the tea cup in the proper place. In fact, all the *Dharma
Doors taught by Buddhism is the Voice of Bliss. This Voice of Bliss
is spoken by Buddha for all of us. All the teachings of Buddha are
meant for we, human beings, to attain the highest order of bliss.
If everyone comes to learn Buddhism, cultivate and achieve the pure
Nirvana, then, of course, that is the highest, fullest and most
complete, and most ultimate bliss. Therefore, the culture of
Buddhism is Bliss Culture.
In many countries, particularly Europe and America, people
generally understand what is a Bliss Culture. But, they do not
necessarily know what is Buddhism Culture. Therefore, we refer to
Buddhism Culture as Bliss Culture. The sutras expounded by
Sakyamuni Buddha is the standard for Bliss Culture. And, when
promoted in this manner, in time to come the entire humanity of the
world will be able to pursue the principles that bring bliss as
expounded by the Buddha.
* Dharma doors : The doctrines of Buddha regarded as the door to
enlightenment; methods of cultivation.
The title of your Dharma talk is
Human Bliss Culture; why then when you answer questions from the
audience you did not mention Human Bliss Culture at all? Many of my
friends here and I would like to know what is Human Bliss
Culture.
The culture of Buddhism is Bliss Culture
It is because the bliss culture that you have in mind and what I
have in mind are different. The bliss culture that you have in mind
may be how to prosper with great wealth and fortune, or how to have
a good wife in order for the family to have bliss. In this manner,
the definition of bliss is too narrow! We need to know that the
culture of Buddhism is the real bliss culture. If everybody is able
to attain the ultimate Nirvana, then this is indeed the real bliss
culture.
The purpose of our learning Buddhism is to distance from suffering
and attain happiness. Many people think that to distance from
suffering and attain happiness means going to the Western Pure
Land. In fact, it is not only this. When we distance from suffering
and attain happiness, we have to instantaneously distance from
suffering, instantaneously attain happiness and liberation. Some
people may be suspicious; how can liberation be attained so easily?
In fact, it is very simple. If someone scolds you, and you
apologize to him, then that is a small liberation. If someone hits
you, and you retaliate; an eye for an eye, then isnt that very
miserable? What happen if that results in loss of life? Even though
you are rude to me, I will still apologise very politely to you.
Isnt that being liberated? This is Jen Chen Buddhisms teaching of
liberation. If whilst alive, we cannot even attain small
liberations like this, then what more to say of liberation after
death? In the course of our daily lives, if we are liberated at
every moment, then in time to come we will be able to attain the
great liberation. Please think it over, isnt this a very blissful?
This is but to use a small matter to illustrate the path of
liberation. If we are able to understand more of the Buddha-Dharma
and apply them in our life, family, society, country, and to the
extent of the entire humanity of the world, then isnt this a great
bliss culture? Therefore, we say that the culture of Buddhism is
Bliss Culture.
(continued in the URL)
