Hi dragon_stone,
Those who wish to be lay Buddhists can practice
the Dharma well by subduing their mind. It is needlessly
downgrading ones own potential to think, "I am a lay person. To
listen to teachings, to chant and to mediate is the work of monks
and nuns. It is not my job. I just go to the temple, bow, make
offerings and pray for the welfare of my family." These activities
are good, but lay people
are capable of a much richer spiritual life, in terms of both
knowledge about Buddhism and integration of it into their daily
life.
It is very important that lay buddhists
attend Dharma talks and follow a series of teachings. By doing
this, lay people will understand the real truth and beauty of the
Dharma. Otherwise, they remain "joss stick Buddhists," and if
someone asks them a question about Buddhism, they have difficulty
in responding. That is a sad situation.
After hearing teachings, one should put them into practice as much
as possible. A daily practice of chanting or meditating is
excellent. Sometimes lay students say, "My day is so busy with
work, family and social obligation. There is no time to do a daily
Dharma practice." This is a poor excuse, created by the lazy mind.
There is always time to
eat: we take care never to miss a meal. Just as we are so diligent
and careful to nourish our body, and always find time to do so, so
too should we be about nourishing our mind. After all, it is
our mind that continues on to future lives, carrying with it all
the karmic imprints of our actions, not our body. Dharma practice is not done for the
Buddhas benefit, but for our own. The Dharma describes how
to create the cause for happiness, and since we all want happiness,
all of us should practice as much as we can.
Also, it is very advantageous and beneficial for lay disciples to
take the five lay precepts for the duration of their life or take
the eight precepts on special days, such as new and full moon days.
In this way, much positive potential is created.
The responsibility for the existence and spread of
the Buddhas teachings lies with both monks and nuns and lay
disciples. If we see the value of the Buddhas teachings and
want them to continue to exist and to flourish, then we have the responsibility to learn
about them and to practice them ourselves according to our
capabilities.
