Excerpts from Buddhist Sutras

A few months ago, I worked on a book of religious quotes for my teacher, Ven. Master Chin Kung. He had asked me to record it and make it into a DVD. To see and listen to the chapter on Buddhism, please click the image above. You will be re-directed to the Amitabha Gallery where Bee Ho has very kindly uploaded the Buddhism and Confucianism chapters. Also, you may download the text file here.

Viewing the chapter seems to work better in Internet Explorer, so if you are not already in IE, you can copy the url to it.

You can watch the thirty-two minute chapter in its entirety or go directly to the following to view individual sections.

0:00 Sutra Spoken by Buddha on the Way of Ten Meritorious Deeds

12:08 Infinite Life Sutra

27:41 Cultivation Guidelines for Pure Land School Practitioners



Buddhist Sutra Excerpts

Your Majesty, we should know this. There is one way for the Bodhisattva to annihilate all sufferings of evil existence. What is this one way? It is this; from day to night, remember constantly the meritorious dharmas, think of them and make observations on them, so that their impression becomes stronger and stronger in the mind and not the least evil thought can have a chance to mingle therein. Such a practice will enable one to free oneself for ever from evil deeds, to complete the work of meritorious dharmas and to have frequent opportunities to be in the presence of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and other holy persons (for their teaching).

These meritorious dharmas are the ten meritorious deeds. What are they? They are:—abstinence forever from killing, stealing, unchaste conduct, lying, slandering, harsh language, frivolous talks, covetousness, anger, and heretical views.

These ten meritorious deeds will lead us to master completely the Dharmas . . . all men and devas maintain their footing upon these ten meritorious ways which form the principal base of all merits . . . Therefore all of you should practice them diligently.

~ Sutra Spoken by Buddha on the Way of Ten Meritorious Deeds, Tr. Wong Mou-Lam

How Many Holes Do I Have to Dig Before I Hit Water?

Question: In the writings of the late Dharma Master Thich Thien Tam, he emphasizes the excellence of the Pure Land Dharma door; exhorting cultivators to practice it faithfully and exclusively. My question deals with the issue of exclusivity. On the one hand, I generate faith & vows, engaging in Buddha Remembrance because Pure Land is my path. On the other hand, many Buddhist teachers from other sects have written useful material.

Is reading material from non-Pure land authors okay, provided my practice remains faithful to the Pure Land school?  There is an old Indian metaphor pertaining to cultivation....If a person digging a well moves hither-and-thither across a field, digging shallow hole after shallow hole, no water will be struck. One must remain faithfully in one place, digging deeply and constantly, to strike water.

What is your view regarding the utility of writings (not practices) from other sects? How does one balance faithful practice of one school on the one hand against unnecessary sectarianism on the other?

Response: I like the well-digging metaphor. It also applies to reading the work of different Buddhist writers.

• Regarding "utility of writings (not practices) from other sects," even reading without practicing, which is the enactment or putting in place of the teachings, can still be a problem. It would be like reading two books on digging wells. Even if we don't follow the procedure in another book, we could still be reading about different methods and this could easily become confusing or conflicting. And even if the methods were the same, the two writers most likely would have different approaches to the method. Presumably that's why they're writing their own book, to give their views on the subject.

• Practically, I only have so much time. If I spend part of my study time reading the writing of Buddhists of other schools, I have less time for reading the books in my "specialty." The books in my specialty are read to deepen my understanding and confidence, which in turn strengthen my practice.

• Reading books on other schools is akin to reading how to dig a well in sand when the well I need to dig has to go through packed clay soil. The reading on sandy-soil digging could be very interesting, but how much would it help me get through my clay?

Whether in practice or study, it’s best to follow one path. And one leader on that path. Following our path, we need to remember that this is the best path for us. Other people, with different karma, have other paths that are best for them. Just as we hope they will respect our choice, we respect their choice.  

My believing in my path does not have to lead to my criticizing others for their choice of path.

I need to be gracious regarding their choice and humble in my own.   

Thoughts on Stillness of Mind

• Stillness is the true mind. In activity, it becomes the false mind. From morning till dusk, the mind moves. We even dream when we sleep. What is a dream? Activity in our mind. How does activity arise? It derives from stillness. When it moves, it is the false mind. When it is still, it is the true mind.

• We need to neither be attached to external forms nor to be affected internally. This is cultivating concentration. For example, in our daily living we eat but we do not attach to the food. Some people are very concerned about how it looks, smells, and tastes. This is attaching to externals, to appearance. Thinking this tastes good or that tastes bad, the mind is disturbed. But if we can eat without attaching to qualities of the food and not give rise to any thoughts, we will be cultivating the concentration of One-mind Undisturbed. 

• In all the activities in our daily living we cultivate stillness. Our life is motion. Buddha Sakyamuni set a good example for us, lecturing to all sentient beings, not staying in one place, traveling and teaching, constantly in motion. The body moves, but the mind is still. How does the mind not move? By not having any wandering thoughts.

• When water is calm we can see everything in it clearly. But when it is agitated and in motion we see nothing. Today, we cannot see true reality because our minds are not in a state of tranquility.

~ Based on the teachings of Venerable Master Chin Kung

How Do I use a Nianju, or Mala, Properly?

Question: Way back in my Hindu Yoga days, it was explained that one moves the beads in one direction, stops at the head bead, turns the Nienju, and goes in the other direction. It was also explained that the index finger is never used to move from bead-to-bead. Is this all just a matter of tradition and preference, or is there a reason for these rules? Please give me your take on the proper use of Nienju. Thank you.

Response: Okay, first I googled "mala index finger." Although I know that Wikipedia information ranges from good to questionable, the following entry sounds reasonable to someone who doesn't know a lot about how Hindus use malas.

Hindu tradition holds that the correct way to use a mala is with the right hand, with the thumb flicking one bead to the next, and with the mala draped over the middle finger. The index finger represents ego, the greatest impediment to self-realization, so it is considered best avoided when chanting on a mala.

This certainly seems to support what you were told and sounds logical. If anyone knows more about this, please join in the conversation through a comment.

As for how we use a nianju, I usually hold mine in my right hand with the nianju draped over my index finger. I'll switch to the left if I've been chanting for some time. Whether using our right or left hand, we recite “Amituofo” once as we gently move each bead toward us with our thumb. 

Someone once explained to me that we need to move the beads toward us because if we move them away from us, we'll lose the merits from the chanting and won't have them to dedicate to all beings.

Regarding the large "mother bead." In some traditions, people do not "cross" that bead but turn the nianju around and go back the direction they came from. This was often done because the name "Buddha" carved on the bead and moving across it would have been disrespectful. But since our nianju do not have either the word or an image of the Buddha on the mother bead, we do not stop at it but proceed in the one direction.