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Chan Meditation Roadmap
Meditation in the Midst of Miscellaneous Daily ActivitiesThe Chan school often says that everyday activity—eating, cleaning, defecating, carrying water, chopping wood—is itself Chan. This point is quite profound and not something easily understood by persons who are new to the practice. If supplemented with a regular routine of seated and walking meditation, in time the ability to find meditative power in these activities will deepen. Thus, it should be understood that everyday activity itself becomes increasingly subtle as the practice matures. Like riding a bicycle, one gets only a rough idea from hearing instructions. However, as a rule of thumb, attend to the activity at hand with your entire body and mind. Do not think of the past; do not think of the future. Just do what is called for, using slow and precise movements.
— from "Hoofprint of the Ox"
Master Sheng Yen on illness and sufferings
The Four Sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death, and the Eight SufferingsHow to transcend birth, aging, illness and death?
What attitude we should have when facing the onslaught of disease?
How does Buddhadharma help people with terminal illnesses?
DDM Global News
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Dharma Drum Retreat Center
- New York
- 184.Quannacut Rd. Pine Bush. NY. 12566.
- E-Mail:ddrc@dharmadrumretreat.org
- TEL:(845) 744-8114
Chan Meditation Center
- New York
- 90-56 Corona Avenue. Elmhurst, NY 11373
- E-Mail:chancenter@gmail.com
- TEL:(718) 592-6593
Chicago Chapter
- Illinois
- 1234 N. River Road, Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
- E-Mail:ddmbachicago@gmail.com
- TEL:(847)-255-5483
- Contact:Shiou Loh
Tallahassee Chapter
- Florida
- 1310 North Paul Russell Rd Tallahassee, FL 32301
- E-Mail:tallahassee.chan@gmail.com
- TEL:850-274-3996
- Contact:Frances Berry
Dharma Drum Mountain Toronto Centre
- Toronto
- 1025 McNicoll Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M1W 3W6
- E-Mail:info@ddmbaontario.org
- TEL:1-416-855-0531
- Contact:Meili Chen
Los Angeles Center
- California
- 4530 N. Peck Rd. El Monte, CA 91732
- E-Mail:ddmbala@gmail.com
- TEL:(626) 350-4388
- Contact:Ashley Chiang
Dharma Drum Vancouver Center
- Vancouver
- 8240 No.5 Road Richmond, BC Canada V6Y 2V4
- E-Mail:info@ddmba.ca
- TEL:604-277-1357
DDM San Francisco Bay Area Center
- California
- 255 H. Street, Fremont, CA 94536
- E-Mail:info@ddmbasf.org
- TEL:(510) 246-8264
- Contact:Kyle Shih
Dharma Drum Mountain Massachusetts Buddhist Association
- Massachusetts
- 319 Lowell Street, Lexington, MA 02420
- TEL:(781) 863-1936
- Contact:Jinghua Zhou
Dharma Drum Mountain Seattle Chapter
- Washington
- 18670 NE Woodinville-Duvall Road Woodinville, WA 98077
- E-Mail:ddmba.seattle@gmail.com
- TEL:(425) 957-4597
Fairfield County Branch
- Connecticut
- 93 Cherry Street, New Canaan, CT 06840
- E-Mail:contekalice@aol.com
- TEL:203-912-0734
- Contact:Alice Peng
Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association New Jersey
- New Jersey
- 56 Vineyard Road, Edison, NJ 08817
- E-Mail:nj_center@ddmba.org
- TEL:(732) 249-1898
- Contact:Tajen Liang
State College Branch
- Pennsylvania
- 134 Gala Drive, State College, PA 16801
- E-Mail:ddmbapa@gmail.com
- TEL:(814) 867-9253
- Contact:Kun-Chang Yu
Dallas Branch
- Texas
- 2150 East Pioneer Pkwy #104 Arlington, TX 76010
- E-Mail:ddmba_patty@yahoo.com
- TEL:682-552-0519
- Contact:Patty Chen
Burlington Branch
- Vermont
- 16 Bower Street, S.Burlington, VT 05403
- E-Mail:juichulee@yahoo.com
- TEL:(802) 658-3413
- Contact:Jui-Chu Lee
Boston Branch
- Massachusetts
- E-Mail:ddm.boston@gmail.com
- TEL:(978)-394-1391
- Contact:Jinghua Zhou
Lansing Branch
- Michigan
- 1431 Stanlake Drive, East Lansing, MI 48823
- E-Mail:lkong2006@gmail.com
- TEL:(517) 332-0003
- Contact:Li-Hau Kong
Washington Branch, D.C.
- Washington, D.C.
- 5909 Cherrywood Lane, Apt#202, Greenbelt, MD 20770
- E-Mail:chan@ddmbadc.org
- TEL:240-424-5486
- Contact:Jack Chang
Hartford Branch
- Connecticut
- 113 Bradford Walk, Farmington, CT 06032
- E-Mail:cmchartfordct@gmail.com
- TEL:860-805-3588
- Contact:Lingyun Wang
Atlanta Branch
- Georgia
- 2351 Button Gwinnett Drive, Suite#300, Doraville, Ga. 30340
- E-Mail:Schen@eleganthf.net
- TEL:678-809-5392
- Contact:Sophia Chen
Orlando Branch
- Florida
- E-Mail:achang1117@gmail.com
- TEL:(321)917-6923
- Contact:Anchi Chang
Miami
- Florida
- 950 S.W. 189th Ave., Pembroke Pines, FL 33029
- E-Mail:ddmbaus@yahoo.com
- TEL:(954) 432-8683
- Contact:May Lee
Gainsville Contact Point
- Florida
- 3102 N. W. 57th Terr., Gainsville, FL 32606
- E-Mail:LianFlorida@hotmail.com
- TEL:(352) 336-5301
- Contact:Lian Huey Chen
Cary
- North Carolina
- 304 Midenhall Way, Cary, NC 27513
- E-Mail:minganlee58@gmail.com
- TEL:(919)677-9030
- Contact:Ming An Lee
St. Louis Branch
- Missouri
- 7825 Olive Blvd University City, MO 63130
- E-Mail:acren@aol.com
- TEL:(636) 825-3889
- Contact:Tai-Ling Chin
Sacramento Branch
- California
- E-Mail:ddmbasacra@yahoo.com
- TEL:(916) 681-2416
- Contact:Janice Tsai
Houston Contact Point
- Texas
- 20719 RED BAY ROAD KATY, TX. 77449
- E-Mail:g9g9@msn.com
- TEL:(832)279-6786
- Contact:Yi-Ping Shao
Las Vegas
- Nevada
- 2527 Deora Way Henderson, NV 89052
- E-Mail:yhl2527@yahoo.com
- TEL:(702) 896-4108
- Contact:Mabel Lin
Salt Lake City
- Utah
- 6974 Twin Aspen Cove Salt Lake City, UT 84121
- E-Mail:Inge_Fan@hotmail.com
- TEL:(801) 947-9019
- Contact:Inge Fan
Chacala
- Nayarit
- E-Mail:info@mardejade.com
- TEL:(800)257-0532, (800)505-8005
- Contact:Dr. Laura del Valle
Chan Retreat Center Hartovski Vrh
- Croatia
- Hartje bb, 10455 Kostanjevac
- E-Mail:info@chan.hr
- Contact:Karmen Mihalinec, Director
Western Chan Fellowship
- England and Wales
- Office 7511, PO Box 6945, London, W1A 6US, UK (postal address)
- E-Mail:secretary@westernchanfellowship.org
- Contact:Jeremy Woodward, Secretary
London Chan Meditation
- London
- 37 Garden Road, Richmond, London TW9 4NR
- E-Mail:info@londonchanmeditation.org
- TEL:+44 7826 566 535
- Contact:Xin Li
Chan Bern
- Bern
- Herrengasse 21, CH 3011 Bern, Schweiz
- E-Mail:hthalmann@gmx.net
- TEL:+41 (0)31 352 22 43
- Contact:Hildi Thalmann
Zurich
- Zurich
- E-Mail:maxkalin@chan.cn
- TEL:411 382 1676
- Contact:Max Kalin (Guo-yun)
Sweden
- Sweden
- Svenska Chan Sallskapet (The Swedish Chan Society)
- TEL:46-8-716-9295
- Contact:Tomasz Holuj (Chairman)
Chan Buddhist Union
- Warsaw
- Zwiazek Buddystow Czan(Zalesie Górne)
- TEL:(48) 22-736-2252
- Contact:Pawel Rosciszewski
Luxembourg
- Luxemburg
- 15, Rue Jean Schaack L-2563 Bonnevoie G.D. DE Luxemburg
- E-Mail:ddm@chan.lu
- TEL:352-400080
- Contact:Li-chuan Lin
Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education
- Taiwan
- No. 555, Fagu Rd., 7th Neighborhood, Sanjie Village, Jinshan District. New Taipei City, 20842 Taiwan, Republic of China (R.O.C.)
- E-Mail:webmaster@ddm.org.tw
- TEL:886-2-2498-7171
Nung Chan Monastery
- Taiwan
- 89, Lane 65, Daye Rd. Beitou. Taipei. 112 Taiwan.
- E-Mail:jktie@ddm.org.tw
- TEL:886-2-2893-3161
Dharma Drum Singapore
- Singapore
- 146B Paya Lebar Road#06-01 ACE Building, Singapore 409017
- E-Mail:ddrumsingapore@gmail.com
- TEL:65-6735-5900
- Contact:Gan SweeHwa Joe
Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Centre Malaysia, Selangor
- Malaysia
- No. 9, Jalan 51A/225A, Zon Perindustrian PJCT, Seksyen 51A, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
- E-Mail:admin@ddmmy.org
- TEL:(603) 74902298
DDM Thailand, Bangkok
- Bangkok
- 1471 Soi 31/1 Pattnakarn Rd. 10250 Bangkok, Thailand
- E-Mail:ddmbkk2005@gmail.com
- TEL:66-2-013565~2 / 66-2-81-7152225
- Contact:Porntip Chupinijsak
Yun Lai Monastery
- Taiwan
- No.186, Gongguan Road Beitou District, Taipei 112
- E-Mail:contact@ddm.org.tw
- TEL:886-2-2893-9966
DDM Hong Kong in Kowloon
- Hong Kong
- 2/F Block B, Alexandra Industrial Building, 23-27 Wing Hong Street, Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong
- E-Mail:info@ddmhk.org.hk
- TEL:852-2865-3110
- Contact:Chang Zhan Fashi, Director
DDM Hong Kong in Hong Kong Island
- Hong Kong
- E-Mail:info@ddmhk.org.hk
- Contact:Chang Zhan Fashi, Director
Anhe Branch Monastery
- Taiwan
- 10F, 29 Anhe Road, Sec.1. Taipei. 106 Taiwan
- E-Mail:ahbmie@ddm.org.tw
- TEL:886-2-2778-5007
Tiennan Monastery
- Taiwan
- No. 168, Ln. 138, Sec. 2, Jieshou Rd., Sanxia Dist., New Taipei City, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- TEL:886-2-8676-2556
Zhaiming Monastery
- Taiwan
- No.153, Zhaiming St., Daxi Township, Taoyuan County 335, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- E-Mail:L120280@ddm.org.tw
- TEL:886-3-380-1426/886-3-390-8575
Baoyun Monastery
- Taiwan
- No.37, Shizheng Rd., Xitun Dist., Taichung City 407, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- E-Mail:taichung@ddmf.org.tw
- TEL:886-4-2255-0665
Tainan Branch Monastery
- Taiwan
- 14F., No.159, Sec. 3, Ximen Rd., North Dist., Tainan City 704, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- E-Mail:tainan@ddmf.org.tw
- TEL:886-6-220-6329/886-6-2206339
Xinxing Monastery
- Taiwan
- No.36-38, Ln. 132, Gengsheng N. Rd., Taitung City, Taitung County 950, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- E-Mail:taitung40@ddm.org.tw
- TEL:886-89-225-199
Zhaiming Branch Monastery
- Taiwan
- No.361, Sec. 1, Daye Rd., Taoyuan City, Taoyuan County 330, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- E-Mail:jmbupubbox@ddmf.org.tw
- TEL:03-3151581
Yunji Monastery
- Taiwan
- No.218, Liuan St., Jiali Township, Tainan County. Zip Code: 722. Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- TEL:886-6-721-1295
Dehua Monastery
- Taiwan
- No.33,Yannian Lane, Qingxin Li, Puli Township, Nantou County, 545. Taiwan (R.O.C)
- E-Mail:an.n423025@msa.hinet.net
- TEL:886-49-242-3025/886-49-242-1695
Ziyun Monastery
- Taiwan
- No.52, Zhongxiao Rd., Niaosong Township, Kaohsiung County 833, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
- E-Mail:q1380@ddm.org.tw
- TEL:886-7-732-1380
DDM Melbourne
- Melbourne
- Unit 1/ 38 McDowall Street Australia VIC Mitcham, Victoria 3132
- E-Mail:contact@ddmmelbourne.org.au
- TEL:61-4-7069-0911
DDM Sydney
- Sydney
- E-Mail:info@ddmf.org.au
- TEL:+61 466 597 663
Dharma Discussion
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Deliverance Service Benefits Both the Living and the Deceased
Every July of the lunar calendar, Chinese people will hold various deliverance services to release the dead from suffering. Most people believe that without performing the deliverance ritual, they ...
The Seventh Lunar Month Dharma Assemblies (I): The Ullambana Assembly – Repay Our Parents' Kindness with Merit Transfer
In Chinese Buddhism, the "Ullambana Festival (Yulanpen Festival)" is a Buddhist Dharma assembly which is based on the "Buddha Speaks the Ullambana Sutra". It is held on the 15th...
Dharma Assemblies in Lunar July (II): Yogacara Ulka-mukha Dharma Service to Save Hungry Ghosts from Suffering
The Yogacara Ulka-mukha Dharma Service, or the ritual for the release of flaming mouths, is designed for giving food to beings in the hungry ghost realm in order to relieve their pain and distress ...
Dharma Assemblies in Lunar July (III): Practicing Repentance at Emperor Liang’s Repentance Eliminates Delusion, Karma, and Suffering
The main purpose of Emperor Liang's Repentance Dharma assembly is to universally deliver sentient beings in the Six Destinies. By worshipping the Buddha, chanting scriptures, and practicing rep...
Q1: Where will our relatives go after death? If they are already reborn, would our prayers for the deceased help them?
A: Yes, prayers for the deceased can help to increase their karmic blessings, in addition to improving their circumstances. In Buddhism, sentient beings are classified under six major categories: n...
Q2: Is it necessary to participate in Dharma assemblies if they are not performed for the deliverance of a deceased relative?
A: According to the Parinirvana Sutra, compassion takes three forms: compassion based on awareness of the suffering of sentient beings; that which is based on awareness of the true nature of phenom...
Q3: Why does Buddhism maintain that care and concern for the deceased can be conveyed through Dharma assemblies?
A: In Buddhism, the highest blessing for the deceased is helping them hear the Buddhadharma and resolve their afflictions, thereby leaving suffering behind by moving on to a better rebirth. Buddhis...
Q4: If we are unable to attend a Dharma assembly at a temple or monastery, can we, alternatively, perform the deliverance ritual at home for our deceased relatives or friends?
A: Since a deliverance service requires a monastic presiding over the ritual, by conducting it at home we can at most chant sutras, recite the Buddha's name, perform repentance prostration for ...
Q5: How do we go about dedicating the merit? Can our deceased relatives actually receive the merit that is being dedicated?
A: Normally, monastics will lead participants to chant the Verse of Merit Transfer during a merit transfer ritual at a Dharma assembly. This is done in order to dedicate the merit of chanting the s...
Vows: the Blueprint for Happiness
Making a vow—a commitment to life Making a vow allows us to reposition our life; thus, to fulfill the vow is to fulfill the commitment to our life's goal. We may inevitably encounter s...
Q1: In order to make vows, do we need to follow any sequential steps?
Q&A on making vows What is the difference between Buddhists making vows and ordinary people making wishes? Do you have to fulfill your vows? Is there a certain ritual for making a vow? In orde...
Q2: What are the differences between ordinary people making a wish and Buddhists making a vow?
Ordinary people make wishes both for themselves and others. Some make a wish to gain something, whereas others make wishes without asking for anything in return. The wishes that ordinary people mak...
Q3: What are the Ways to Make a Vow?
Vows can be made anytime, anywhere, as long as a kind thought arises in our mind, and there is no need to follow certain rituals or steps. However the vow will not last long if it is just the resul...
Q4: Is it necessary to fulfill a vow after making it?
Yes. Making a vow must include the process of fulfilling it. Master Sheng Yen pointed out that the purpose of life is to make vows and fulfill them. Within this lifetime, we fulfill what we made in...
Q5: Is making vows the same as taking oaths?
No, they are different. "Taking oaths" and "making vows" have similarities, but they also have differences. What makes them similar is that both of them represent a kind of comm...
Q6: How to avoid making empty vows?
From childhood to adulthood, we often make wishes: "I hope that in the future…", "I want to…", "If I could…, I am willing to…"; however, ma...
Sleep is for Rest and Practice
Eating and sleeping are natural, but do we know how to sleep properly? A good night's sleep is like a lesson for relaxing our body and mind, Only when our mind is relaxed will our body feel r...
Nothing to worry about, learn from Buddha's good sleep
How can I sleep "just right" without snoozing or overworking? In the Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha once explained the influence and retribution of "excessive and insufficient"...
Practicing Sleeping Meditation to Have a Good Night's Sleep
At the end of a busy day, sleep is key to your body's recovery and tissue repair. When you get enough sleep, you'll feel refreshed; conversely, when you lack sleep, you'll have po...
Q&As About Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
You have tried various methods such as bathing, aromatherapy, massage, drinking a cup of hot milk… but you still can't sleep well or sufficiently. What can you do? Let the Dharma masters...
Taking illness as teacher and learning to live well with illness
Everyone has had the experience of being sick. Most people think that being sick is a highly unpleasant experience. However, some people take illness as a teacher, through knowing suffering, experi...
Buddha’s Teachings on Suffering from Illness
The three phenomena of old age, sickness, and death are the causes and conditions for the Buddha to appear in the world to preach the Dharma. For monastic and lay disciples who are in pain, the Bud...
Practicing the Dharma While Ill
Being diagnosed with a disease, patients need to receive treatment and may have to enter and leave the hospital multiple times. How do patients live peacefully with the disease, and how do they com...
Q1: Why am I getting this illness?
A: Have you ever wondered why it's not someone else? When people get sick, especially young people, they often wonder, "Why me? I'm still young." Most people believe that one&#...
Q2: I've been in and out of the hospital so many times. When will I recover?
A: Many patients with chronic illnesses need to repeatedly go to hospital for regular follow-up checks, return clinic visits, and treatment. This is often the case for cancer patients. However, man...
Q3: Why do some infants get sick immediately after birth? How does Buddhism view this?
A: Talking about the law of cause and effect or karmic obstacles often makes people feel somewhat negative. The monastics at Dharma Drum Mountain visit hospitals, and, when interacting with patient...
Q4: What can be done if someone is sick in bed for a very long time and feels hopeless about life?
A: Even when we are lying in bed at hospital and receiving care from medical professionals and family members, we can still help others. How can we help? By reciting the Buddha's name. There ar...
Q5: I have recited the Buddha's name, practiced generosity, and performed good deeds, so why do I still get sick?
A: Practice and illness are separate and unrelated to each other. Everyone can get sick. As long as we have a physical body, we will experience aging, sickness, and death. In addition, Sha...
Q6: When a family member of mine is suffering from an illness, what can I do to alleviate his fear and pain?
A: Empathy and attentive listening are crucial. You can focus on the message of his words and listen attentively to what he wants to express and what he needs. You should be intuitive so that, even...
Q7: If the body is in unbearable pain, isn't reciting Buddha's name an additional burden?
A: When the body is in pain, it is even more necessary to recite the Buddha's name as a way to shift our attention. When we recite the Buddha's name, our mind becomes calm, and our attentio...
Q8: My health is deteriorating, and I feel like there is not much time left for me. How should I prepare myself for death?
A: Even though there is not much time left for you, you can still bring peace both to yourself and others using simple methods. How can we make the most of the rest of our life? We can recite the B...
Observing the Precepts Allows One to Feel at Ease
The scientific study of habits has recently become a prominent study area, as good habits can make a significant difference in one's life. The Buddha had already established the precepts, which...
To Observe Precepts, One Needs to Have the Right View and Follow the Middle Path
Receiving and observing the precepts is also about cultivating good habits. In terms of self-cultivation, these are referred to as the familiarization of wholesome habits and involve consistently d...
Using the Psychology of Habit to Create the Right Conditions for Keeping the Precepts
In recent years, the scientific study of habits has become a prominent study area. After long-term follow-up observations, experts have found that self-disciplined individuals develop good habits b...
Keeping Precepts, a Life Experiment
The book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, emphasizes that tiny changes can bring about great accomplishments, while small changes will generate a compound "snowball" effect, ther...
Q1：I love and enjoy freedom. So what if I lose my freedom after receiving the precepts?
The Observance of Precepts Q&A If upholding the precepts can make one a better person, then what are most people afraid of in this regard? Are they afraid of losing their freedom...
Q2: Why are we afraid of taking the precepts when we clearly know that it is good for us? How do we overcome this uncertainty?
Some people worry that, after taking the precepts, breaking them will lead to karmic retribution. In fact, regardless of whether we receive the precepts or not, the law of causality is still presen...
Q3：Is there any room for flexibility in upholding the precepts? If so, how do we maintain this flexibility without losing the spirit of the precepts?
The Buddha formulated each precept based on its respective causes and conditions. However, he always remained flexible and was willing to make changes and modifications when any problems arose in u...
Q4: Is it enough to just do good deeds regularly, or is it necessary to also observe the precepts? How should the precepts be broadly applied in our daily lives?
Doing good deeds regularly may help us cultivate karmic blessings. However, if we fail to observe the five precepts and create negative karma instead, we will very likely not qualify for a human re...
Q5: How do we encourage our family and friends to observe the precepts? What if they cannot take the whole precepts all at once?
When I was a social worker, I used to pay care visits to the old communities in the Wanhua district. Many of our clients there had been used to living in cluttered environments since their childhoo...
Q1: Why is Guanyin known as “Guan-shi-yin” in Chinese Buddhism?
Bodhisattva Guanyin is one of the bodhisattvas who are most familiar to Buddhists. In one of the most popular and well-known Buddhist sutras, The Lotus Sutra's Universal Gate Chapter on Bodhisa...
Q2: From which kinds of suffering does Bodhisattva Guanyin liberate us?
A: The Lotus Sutra's Universal Gate Chapter on Bodhisattva Guanyin outlines seven different kinds of disasters through which the bodhisattva practices "liberating the suffering of sentient...
Q3: How does Bodhisattva Guanyin hear sentient beings’ cries for help?
A: In the Universal Gate Chapter, the Buddha introduced the greatest characteristic of Guanyin (Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, in Sanskrit)—liberating sentient beings' suffering by respondin...
Q4: How does Bodhisattva Guanyin rescue sentient beings?
Having traveled and educated sentient beings in the ten directions while possessing different kinds of supernormal powers and skillful means, Bodhisattva Guanyin (Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, in San...
Q5: How do sentient beings resonate with Bodhisattva Guanyin?
A: The Universal Gate Chapter emphasizes that even if all people, whether virtuous or not, have committed the Five Deadly Sins and the Ten Evil Deeds, as long as they have faith in Bodhisattva Guan...
Q6：Why does Bodhisattva Guanyin often manifest into a female form, if he has a myriad amount of manifestations?
A：In the Universal Gate Chapter, Bodhisattva Guanyin (Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, in Sanskrit) transformed into different manifestations in accordance with different causes and conditions. Bodhisa...
Q7: Is it especially efficacious to pray and ask Bodhisattva Guanyin for a child?
A：In the Universal Gate Chapter, Bodhisattva Guanyin not only rescues the sentient beings from the Seven Disasters and the Three Poisons, but also fulfills the wishes of parents wishing to have ch...
Q8：Why didn’t Bodhisattva Guanyin accept Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent’s offerings?
A：Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent (Bodhisattva Aksayamati, in Sanskrit) praised Bodhisattva Guanyin's (Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, in Sanskrit) myriad merits at the Dharma Flower Assembly, as...
Q9：What is the meaning of the term "Universal Gate" from the Lotus Sutra's Universal Gate Chapter on Bodhisattva Guanyin?
"Universal," in the context of the chapter's title means "widespread and prevalent," whereas "Gate" indicates that the door is "unobstructed, embracing, ...
Q1: Does taking refuge in Buddhism automatically render me a monastic?
To formally become a Buddhist, we must first take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The Buddha Jewel refers to those who have achieved ultimate and perfect ...
Q2: Why do we receive a Dharma name after the refuge-taking ceremony?
After the refuge-taking ceremony, the refuge master gives you a refuge name as your Dharma name. But strictly speaking, this Dharma name has no legal effect, and you don't actually use it in ...
Q3: Why do we take the Three Refuges?
Taking refuge prompts us to learn the Dharma and emulate the Buddha, thereby developing and uplifting ourselves, as well as strengthening our character by engaging in practice. Eventually, ...
Q4: Who can take refuge in the Three Jewels?
Regardless of whether one is a human being, celestial being, god, ghost, or animal, all can take refuge in the Three Jewels. Buddhism welcomes all those who are resolved to take refuge in the Tripl...
Q5: Will those who have not formally taken refuge in the Three Jewels have any merits when chanting Buddhist scriptures or the Buddha’s name?
According to the Buddhist scriptures, by reciting the Diamond Sutra, one will have inconceivable merits; all the Buddhas from the ten directions will protect and bless those who recite the Amitabha...
Q6: After taking refuge in Buddhism, is it necessary to set up a Buddhist hall or a Buddha statue at home?
Not necessarily. But it would be ideal if there is a space in your home where you can chant Buddhist scriptures, recite the Buddha's name, and meditate with a peaceful mind. Setting up ...
Q7: How does taking refuge in the Three Jewels affect our daily lives?
Even though a Buddhist practitioner has taken refuge in the Three Jewels, he or she is still a lay person. As a lay person, one should follow the norms of life for the laity. In addition, one sho...
Q8: Does one have to take refuge in the Three Jewels in order to formally become a Buddhist?
Taking refuge is just like registering as an official student of Buddhism, which means that you are ready to formally become a Buddhist, rather than merely auditing a Buddhist program without obt...
Q9: How many times can a Buddhist take refuge?
Many Buddhists like to draw close to Buddhist masters, and thus form close Dharma affinities with several of them. Therefore, they have taken refuge in the Three Jewels more than once. According ...
Modern People’s Mental Issues - Too many wandering thoughts
Facing the complexity of life and interpersonal relationships, it is indeed difficult for us to keep our mind unmoved. With the fast spread of technologies in modern times coupled with rapid, const...
Modern People’s Mental Issues - Chronic Depression
Nowadays, people are troubled by numerous vexations in their daily life. Even though they may not have symptoms of depression, they are often prone to worry and fear. Why are people nowadays so unh...
Modern People’s Mental Issues - Intense Anger
Anger is one of the three poisons of Buddhism. Modern people are easily prone to anger, thereby causing many serious social and family problems. Why do people get angry so easily? What are the conc...
The Key to Training the Mind—A focused mind through upholding a dharani/mantra
In addition, we can achieve the purpose of settling our body and mind and cultivating concentration by upholding a dharani or mantra. As Master Sheng Yen pointed out in the Introduction to Buddhism...
The Key to Training the Mind—Single-minded, undisturbed concentration through Buddha-name recitation
All Buddhist methods of practice are meant to help us attain ultimate freedom and liberation. We can recite Buddha's name when we have mental afflictions, or when we experience distress and dif...
The Key to Training the Mind—Chan Practice
Training the mind cannot be achieved overnight; it takes daily practice. When hit by any unexpected situation, our many years of practice will then come into play and help us deal with it without p...
Buddhist Methods for Training the Mind - The Seven Stages to Regulate the Mind
Buddhist practice is about training our mind. Whether it is counting the breath, prostrating to the Buddha, sitting in meditation, reciting the Buddha's name, reciting dharanis/mantras, or reci...
Modern People’s Mental Issues - Materialistic Obsession
In the modern world, material desires dominate people's lives, and numerous problems in society are chiefly rooted in desire. Why do people harbor feelings of greed? Furthermore, why do modern ...
Physical and mental relaxation strategies
Whether it is the actual external pressure or the imagined internal stress that causes the body to tense up, learning to relax can restore the body to balance after suffering from stress. Modern me...
Relaxation for Recovery of Body-mind Balance
Distress deforms the cells in our body Although an appropriate amount of stress and pressure may help enhance our life functions and improve our work efficiency, long-term nervous tension can le...
Q&A about Relaxing the Body and Mind - Question 5: How is relaxation different from letting go and spacing out?
A: Relaxation is the foundation for letting go; only by letting go can you truly relax. Ordinary people are accustomed to dividing the phenomena they see into "mine", "yours"...
Q&A about Relaxing the Body and Mind - Question 4: I know I want to relax, but I just can't make it. What should I do?
A: There are two relaxation techniques. One is to use the "contrast method": stretch out your hand to make a fist to exert force, and then let go of the force. Be aware of the difference ...
Q&A about Relaxing the Body and Mind - Question 3: Does relaxation mean thinking and doing nothing?
A: There are many levels of relaxation. The superficial relaxation is the relaxation of the body, whereas deep relaxation is the relaxation of the mind. The body does not become tense by itself; ra...
Q&A about Relaxing the Body and Mind - Question 2: Why is it easy to become drowsy when relaxing?
A: We usually rely on our willpower to do things, and our body and mind are tense for a long time. Therefore, when most people practice relaxation, their mind would no longer control the body, and ...
Q&A about Relaxing the Body and Mind - Question 1: How do we know that the body is tight and needs to be relaxed?
Everyone wants to "relax", but just can't make it. What went wrong? What really needs to be relaxed? Is it the body, or is it the mind? Venerable Guo Xing, the Abbot of Chan Meditatio...
Relaxation and Ease of Mind
Are you relaxed enough? In this stressful age, most people are eager to try various ways to achieve relaxation. In fact, "relaxation" has certainly become a popular pursuit. But, what doe...
Reminders for Sutra Copying
Copying sutra is like returning once again to the place where Gautama Buddha expounded the Dharma and listening to his teachings. Therefore, when copying sutras, we should sit up straight to handwr...
A Guide to Hand Copying Sutras
As with the other Buddhist practice methods, copying sutras has a methodical step-by-step approach. It is a quiet exercise which calms the body and mind provided that the proper guidelines and meth...
The Exceptional Merits of Transcribing Sutras
Transcribing sutras not only helps in their circulation and in the propagation of Buddhism as a whole. When undertaken with sincerity and devotion, it is akin to propagating the Buddhist teachings ...
Transcribing Buddhist Scripture as a Method of Practice for the Benefit of Self and Others
In ancient times, transcribing Buddhist scripture was mostly intended to promote and propagate Buddhist teachings. As shown in many sutras, transcribing sutras is a praiseworthy and meritorious act...
Sutra transcription: A practice that enhances our health
As Ven. Hsin Pei of Fo Gunag Shan pointed out in his book "Transcribing the Sutra with Joy", modern people often lack mindfulness of their body and mind, and tend to constantly seek outwa...
Transcribing Sutras
Sutra transcribing is not simply a matter of writing characters; it's also a method to calm the body and mind. Transcribing Buddhist sutras in particular can help us cultivate our concentration...
Perceiving the five aggregates (skandhas) as empty in nature and the method of perfect penetration through the ear faculty
The Heart Sutra and its teaching of perceiving the five aggregates (skandhas) as empty in nature The Heart Sutra begins by stating that "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, when practicing in the d...
Reading Scriptures: Universal Gate Chapter and Heart Sutra
Universal Gate Chapter The Universal Gate Chapter is the twenty-fifth chapter of the Lotus Sutra, in which Buddha Shakyamuni expounds the origin of the name of Guanyin Bodhisattva and how Guanyi...
Repentance: Great Compassion Repentance and performing Guanyin repentance method
Great Compassion Repentance Both the Great Compassion Mantra and the Great Compassion Repentance have their origins in the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra (大悲心陀羅尼經). The Great Compassion R...
Recitation of Dharanis and Mantras: Six-syllable Mantra, White-robed Guanyin Mantra, Ten-Phrase Avalokitesvara Sutra for Prolonging Life, Great Compassion Dharani, and Dharani of Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara
There are many dharanis and mantras associated with Guanyin Bodhisattva (Avalokitesvara). In the Chinese-speaking world, the most popular and best known of these must be the Great Compassion Dharan...
Upholding the Buddha's name: "Namo Guan Shi Yin Pusa"
When Buddhists experience fear, they always chant scriptures or the Buddha's name. Even in the face of critical situations, they subconsciously recite the sacred name of Guanyin Bodhisattva, li...
Get to Know the Buddhist Holy Lands: Vaishali and Nalanda
7. Announcement of Parinirvana in Vaishali Vaishali (meaning "vastness"), built by the Licchavi clan, was a great power in northern India in the 6th century BCE. The Buddha used ...
Get to Know the Buddhist Holy Lands: Rajgir and Sravasti
5. Teaching the Dharma in Rajgir to deliver sentient beings Rajgir was a significant city of the Magadha kingdom during the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. King Bimbisāra offered the Kalandaka ...
Get to Know the Buddhist Holy Lands: Sarnath and Kushinagar
3. First turning of the Dharma wheel in Sarnath After attaining enlightenment, Gautam Buddha decided to teach the Dharma to deliver all sentient beings. Thus, he went from Bodhgaya to the Deer P...
Get to Know the Buddhist Holy Lands: Lumbini and Bodhgaya
How many Buddhist sacred places are there in India, Nepal, China, Tibet, Japan, Indonesia and other countries? Let's take a virtual pilgrimage tour and get to know the holy lands of Buddhism.&n...
Pilgrimage: Following the Footsteps of the Awakened Ones - the Origin of the Holy Sites and the Transformation of the Forms of Pilgrimage
As long as there is a place where Dharma is spread, there are holy sites. Regardless of changes in space and time, believers continue to make pilgrimages to sacred places. Do you know how the holy ...
Pilgrimage to Sacred Sites to Recollect the Saints
"Thus have I heard, at one time the Buddha dwelt at Sravasti, in the Jeta Grove..." "Thus have I heard, at one time the Buddha was at Girdhakuta Hill in Rajgir……" ...
Questions and Answers about the Amitabha Sutra - Q6: Is the "Amitabha Sutra" a sutra chanted exclusively for the deceased?
A: As mentioned in the sutra, if one can have deep faith, make vows, and recite the name of Buddha Amitabha wholeheartedly without distractions, one will be reborn in the Pure Land at the end of on...
Questions and Answers about the Amitabha Sutra - Q5: Why is "Amitofuo" considered a phrase for blessing?
A: Buddha Amitabha (Amitofuo, in Chinese), also known as Amitāyus or Amitābha in Sanskrit, means infinite life or infinite light. Hence, Buddhists often use "Amitofuo" as a greeting, wish...
Questions and Answers about the Amitabha Sutra - Q4: Why is it possible to be reborn in the Pure Land by reciting a single Buddha's name?
A: The Amitabha Sutra clearly states that upholding and reciting the Buddha's name is the most clear, direct and easy method to be reborn in the Pure Land. In addition, the eighteenth vow of Am...
Questions and Answers about the Amitabha Sutra - Q3: Why are the teachings expounded by the Lord Buddha in the Amitabha Sutra difficult to believe?
A: The Buddha has stated several times that the teachings he gave in the Amitabha Sutra are difficult to believe, and it is even more difficult to expound this sutra in the world of five defilement...
Questions and Answers about the Amitabha Sutra - Q2: Why is Amitabha Buddha’s land called "World of Ultimate Bliss"?
A: The Western Pure Land (Sukhavati in Sanskrit) literally means "land of bliss", in recognition of the fact that the World of Ultimate Bliss is the land of bliss of Amitabha Buddha-- fre...
Questions and Answers about the Amitabha Sutra - Q1: Why did the Buddha expound the Amitabha Sutra without being asked?
A: The Amitabha Sutra is a dharma that the Lord Buddha took the initiative to expound to his wisest disciple Sariputra at Jetavana Park in the city of Shravasti. It's very rare for the Buddha t...
Practice Method of Amitabha Buddha
The Amitabha Sutra is an extremely important Buddhist scripture in Pure Land Buddhism. How do we practice the Amitabha Sutra in order to unite with the original intention of Amitabha Buddha? In the...
The Amitabha Sutra (the Shorter Sukhavativyuha Sutra)
The Amitabha Sutra (or Shorter Sukhavativyuha Sutra) is the most popular sutra of Mahayana Buddhism expounding the Western Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha, because it is easy to understand its content...
The Regular Daily Practice of Venerable Master Sheng Yen
Venerable Master Sheng Yen mentioned in his autobiography "The Journey Home" that when he became a novice at the age of thirteen at Guangjiao Monastery in the Wolf Hills in Nantong, ...
Morning and Evening Recitation Helps Mental and Physical Adjustment
Morning and evening recitation helps monastic practitioners regulate and tame their minds, in the sense that it serves as a regular reminder to avoid laziness, practice diligently to accumulate spi...
Innovations in Morning and Evening Services in Modern Day Monasteries
In Buddhist monasteries, morning and evening services traditionally last one to two hours. As monastic lifestyles change in today's world, the content and length of morning and evening services...
Morning and Evening Chanting as a Regular Monastic Practice
As the morning bell tolls at dawn and signals a new day for monastic life, resident monastics file into the main Buddha hall, ready to begin their morning chanting. Echoes of Buddhist chanting in t...
How to Practice the Medicine Buddha’s Dharma Method
The Medicine Buddha, acclaimed as the "Great Medicine King Buddha", administers medicine according to sentient beings' ailments. Not only does he treat sentient beings' physical i...
Medicine Buddha’s Twelve Great Vows As an Example of Buddhism Practice
The Twelve Great Vows of the Medicine Buddha were compassionate aspirations the Buddha made in his causal stage of bodhisattva path practice. In witnessing and sympathizing with the afflictions suf...
Major Theme: Attaining Peace and Ease in the Present Life
The Sutra on the Original Vows and Merits of the Medicine Master Tathagata of Lapis Lazuli Crystal Radiance-- also known as the Sutra of the Medicine Master (Sutra of Medicine Buddha)-- begins by p...
Q&A about Mantra Recitation: Q5: Can a wish be fulfilled by reciting a mantra?
A5: Reciting mantras can make people's wishes come true, but this is not the initial intention of reciting mantras for Buddhists. When practicing generosity, we must have the right mindset that...
Q&A about Mantra Recitation: Q4: How can reciting mantras eliminate karmic obstacles and prevent disasters?
A4: Some people believe that reciting mantras to eliminate disasters is contrary to Buddhist concept of cause and effect. In fact, when we recite the mantra, we keep our minds pure and focused, whi...
Q&A about Mantra Recitation: Q3: Is the chanting of a mantra effective only when we know its meaning?
A3: No. When reciting a mantra, what matters the most is our state of mind. In his book "Master Sheng Yen on Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara's Methods", Master Sheng Yen took the Great Com...
Q&A about Mantra Recitation: Q2: Will mispronunciation of the mantras impact its meritorious effect?
A2: Mispronunciations when reciting the mantra will not affect its merits, as sincerity and faith in mantra recitation are more important than accuracy in pronunciation. Mantras were originally rec...
Q&A about Mantra Recitation: Q1: What is the difference between chanting the Buddha’s name and reciting the mantra?
Mantra recitation is one of the methods of Buddhist practices. Also known as the "secret words", mantras are often shrouded in mystery, and are therefore easily misunderstood. Former Abbo...
The Methods of Reciting Mantras
When beginning to learn how to chant mantras, it's not hard at all learn to recite them provided we start by learning their structure, rules, and some keywords. Mantras, also known as sacred...
How to Choose Which Mantra to Recite?
Different mantras have different merits and virtues. Buddhist beginners can choose those mantras for which they have affinity to recite. For instance, many Pure Land Buddhism practitioners recite t...
Understanding the Structure of Dharanis
Basic Format and Key Words According to Tony Kuang-Ming Lin, a dharani scholar who wrote "Get to Know Dharanis" and the digital newsletter All about Dharanis, the content of a dha...
Dharani Recitation Practice: Learning the Spiritual Codes of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
Reciting the dharani, along with reciting the Buddha's name, is a most commonly seen Buddhist practice method for beginners. So, where did Buddhist dharanis originate? What is the significance ...
Q6: Why is It Necessary to Repent (Kṣama, in Sanskrit) before Receiving the Buddhist Precepts?
Before taking the Buddhist precepts-- be they the Three Refuges, the Five, Eight and Ten Precepts, or even the Complete Precepts and Bodhisattva Precepts--it is necessary for us to go through the...
Q5. What preparations should we make before taking part in repentance ceremonies?
Master Zhiyi of the Tiantai School of Chinese Buddhism mentioned, in the Manual of the Lotus Samadhi Repentance Ritual, that prior preliminary practices are necessary to cultivating any Dharma ga...
Q4: What is the difference between repenting alone in front of a Buddha statue and participating in a repentance-prostration Dharma assembly?
When Master Sheng Yen underwent solitary retreat in Meinong, Kaohsiung, he performed the Great Compassion Repentance Ceremony by himself. In his book, Master Sheng Yen's Teaching on Guanyin Bod...
Q3: Can Doing Repentance Prostrations Really Eliminate Karmic Obstructions?
Many people think that participating in the Great Compassion Repentance and the Emperor Liang Repentance service or admitting one's wrongdoings in mind is enough to purify negative karma. In fa...
Q2: Is Repentance Equal to Regret?
Repentance and regret are not the same. Regret means suppressing upset feelings rather than facing them or dealing with them. When accumulated over time, these negative emotions are like the dirt a...
Q1: What is the difference between repentance prostration rituals and regular Dharma assemblies?
Q&A Regarding the Practice of Repentance Prostration Can practicing repentance prostration really eradicate one's karmic hindrances? What is the difference between repenting and feeling ...
Repentance Prostration: A Millenia-Old Method of Practice
"I wholeheartedly pay homage to Shakyamuni Buddha. I wholeheartedly pay homage to the World Honored One Amitabha Buddha of the Western World of the Ultimate Bliss…" Through these...
Fifth Impediment: Meditation Makes Me Very Irritable, and Unable to Settle Down
First of all, we need to clarify that it is not "meditation" that makes you irritable. Instead, meditation helps you identify the causes of irritability. Feeling irritable and unable t...
Fourth Impediment: Inability to Stop Unending Delusional Thoughts
After grasping the fundamentals of meditation, we may notice and wonder, "Why are there so many scattered thoughts?" whenever we sit down to practice. Many beginners will have the misperc...
Third Impediment: Inability to Relax the Chronically Tense Body
How do we practice relaxing ourselves? First of all, we can pay more attention to our bodily sensations, making ourselves become more aware of them. We can also observe the effects of our behavior,...
Second Impediment: Why do I feel drowsiness and leg pain when practicing in the Meditation Hall, even though everything feels fine during my meditation routine at home?
Drowsiness is most obvious phenomena arising in practitioners during Chan retreats, as participants usually feel fatigue on the first few days of retreats. Once their physical and mental fatigue is...
First Impediment: How to deal with leg pains, soreness, aches, itchiness, and numbness while meditating?
Drowsiness, wandering thoughts, controlled breathing, sore legs and overall body tension…these are the most common problems that beginners frequently encounter while meditating, leading them...
Practice Chan Without Vexations
As Master Sheng Yen said, sitting meditation has three functions: to harmonize body and mind, attain mental stability, and develop wisdom and compassion. Beginner Chan practitioners usually experie...
Practice Method of Prostrating to the Buddha
Prostrating to the Buddha is the way for Buddhists to express respect and gratitude to the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. In addition to praying for the avoidance ...
Prostrating to the Buddha and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness
When prostrating to the Buddha, how do we utilize the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna)-- the method of mindful contemplation of our body, feelings, mind, and dharmas-- to practice obs...
Prostrating to the Buddha to Train the Body and Cultivate the Mind
Prostrating to the Buddha is a fundamental requirement to practice Buddhism. Similar to the trend of vegetarianism, more and more people are taking up prostration practice purely for health reasons...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 5. Can prostrating to the Buddha eliminate karmic obstacles?
Many people have encountered numerous physical and psychological obstacles in the process of studying Buddhism. For example, when meditating, their minds always wander; or, when listening to the su...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 4. Are the objects to which Buddhists prostrate only limited to Buddha statues?
No. The objects to which Buddhists prostrate include the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. The first jewel is the Buddha. The Buddha statue represents the pr...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 3. When is the appropriate time to make prostrations to the Buddha? How many prostrations should one perform?
Generally speaking, there are no special restrictions on the appropriate time and the number of prostrations. Practitioners can set up a daily routine for their prostration practice, either through...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 2. If we do not have a Buddhist altar or a Buddha statue at home, then towards which direction should we prostrate?
Buddhist altars and Buddha statues are useful aids for our practice. If we have no Buddha statues to which to prostrate, we can use Sutras or Dharma quotes instead. This is because they are wisdom ...
Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 1. Buddhism does not advocate for idolatry, so why would people still make Buddha statues and even prostrate to them?
Prostrating to the Buddha is the first step for every Buddhist who is embarking on Buddhist practice. However, do the Buddha and Bodhisattvas really require us to prostrate? When should we prostrat...
Common Buddhist Etiquette
Most of the gestures that Buddhists use to express sincere reverence come from the "nine forms of showing respect in India". They are: speaking softly to inquire about another's well-...
Prostration: Paying Homage to the Buddha
Prostrating to the Buddha is an important Buddhist practice, but what is its actual purpose? And, does the act of prostration really bring about protection and blessings? The purpose of prostrat...
Q7: When ill, is it more effective to recite the name of Medicine Buddha or Guanyin Bodhisattva?
A: When sick, it is only natural for many Buddhists to want to rely on the mercy and the power of the Medicine Buddha (Bhaiṣajyaguru-vaiḍūryaprabhārāja) and Guanyin Bodhisattva (Avalokiteśvara) by ...
Q6: Is it proper to recite the Buddha chant while having a shower or using the toilet?
Yes, it is alright. Reciting the Buddha's name is a method of Buddhist practice, so as long as time and space permits, we can certainly use this method for our practice, at any time and place. ...
Q5: What is the difference between reciting the Buddha’s name and chanting a dharani?
Both Buddha-name recitation and dharani chanting are methods of practice used to help us cultivate concentration. Chanting a dharani is equally meritorious to reciting a Buddha's name, without ...
Q4: Are prayer beads or counters necessary when reciting the Buddha's name?
A: Prayer beads or a counter are highly recommended for beginners who have yet to develop their habit of reciting the Buddha's name. Firstly, they conveniently keep tabs on an individual's ...
Q3: Is reciting the Buddha's name a practice exclusively for the sick and the elderly?
A: Many people constantly think that practicing Buddhism or reciting the Buddha's name is a practice intended only for the sick and the elderly. They assume that because they are old, sick, or ...
Q2 : To perform Buddha-name recitation, should we limit ourselves to only reciting Amitabha Buddha"? Or would reciting several Buddhas’ names afford additional blessings and protection?
Reciting any Buddha's name not only refers to reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha, but actually encompasses all buddhas and bodhisattvas. The method of Buddha-name recitation originated fro...
Q1: Why do Buddhists always greet each other with “Buddha Amitabha (Amituofo, in Chinese)”?
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions on Buddha Name Recitation Those who are new to Buddhism may have many questions, yet do not know to whom or where to turn for answers. The following compilati...
Let's Recite the Buddha's Name
For many people, "Amitofuo (Amitabha Buddha)" is a Buddhist chant they had heard even before they were familiar with Buddhism. However, "reciting the Buddha's name" is still...
Sutras Mahayana
The Heart Sutra 1. The Causes and Conditions of Expounding the Teachings The Heart Sutra, which expounds the concept of emptiness in Mahayana Buddhism, is the most condensed and widely-ci...
Methods of Reading the Sutras
Preparation for Sutra Reading 1. Mindset Why do we read sutras? The main purpose of reading sutras is not to acquire Buddhist knowledge or for academic purposes. Rather, we take the sutra as a ...
Characteristics of Buddhist Sutras: Their Fundamental Structure
When we want to read a Buddhist sutra, as long as we grasp its basic structure, know its basic elements, and have a basic understanding of its characteristics, we should be able to realize its main...
How Were Buddhist Sutras Formed?
Buddhist sutras contain the Dharma as taught by the Buddha. Have you ever wondered how they were formed? Which sutra is the earliest? Before the introduction of paper, what were the sutras written ...
Receive and Uphold the Buddha’s Teaching by Reading Sutras
Buddhist sutras are the Buddha's teachings as compiled by his disciples. More than 2500 years ago, the Buddha preached the Dharma mostly in the areas along the Ganges River. By answering people...
Obstacle 6: The Conceit That Happy People Do Not Need the Buddha’s Teaching
Some people believe: “since I am living a happy and comfortable life, why learn Buddhism”? Actually, for many people, this is exactly the obstacle to engaging in Buddhist practice. &...
Obstacle 5: Doubt About the Benefits of Learning Buddhism
Some people might ask, “What are the benefits of learning Buddhism, and why do I need to practice Buddhism?” Most people want to find out why something is good, in what way it is benefi...
Obstacle 4: I'm Not Cut Out for Learning Buddhism
“Buddhist scriptures seem so abstruse, with so many baffling terminologies; perhaps I am just not cut out for learning Buddhism”. Many people presume that they are not intelligent enoug...
Obstacle 3: Doubts About Keeping the Precepts
Many people hesitate about learning Buddhism because they think that, after taking the three refuges, they also need to observe numerous precepts afterwards. However, the Buddha did not formulate t...
Obstacle 2: A Lax Attitude Stemming from the Belief in not Forcing Unripened Causes and Conditions
Buddhists often talk about “causes and conditions”, but what does this concept truly mean? One might find Buddhadharma to have struck a chord in one’s heart, yet still hesitate to...
Obstacle 1: Kindness in Mind is Sufficient
"Buddhism only advocates doing good deeds" is the stereotype held by many people, so it is their belief that as long as they have kindness in their mind, make frequent donations to charit...
Learning Buddhism with Delight, Without Lingering Doubts
Some may aspire to learn Buddhism, but then hesitate to take the leap of faith due to their psychological obstacles. So, why do we need to learn Buddhism, and how does it make our lives different? ...
Characteristics of a True Buddhist Lay Practitioner
Q: What are upasakas and upasikas? Upasakas and upasikas refer to the male and female lay Buddhist devotees which, together, constitute the two groups of lay Buddhists. Upasaka is a Sanskrit tra...
Cultivation for Lay Buddhist Practitioners
As lay practitioners, how do we go about engaging in Buddhist practices? In modern society, we never seem to have enough time, so how do we better manage our time to engage in practice? Throu...
Dharma Instruments Used in Meditation Retreats
Speaking is prohibited throughout the entire course of meditation. In addition, Dharma instruments are used to signal the timetable, instructions and change of activities. When explaining the rules...
A Guide to Meditation Practice
How do we arrange a meditation practice activity suitable for ourselves? The DDM Meditation Center has designed a series of meditation practice activities, ranging from a few hours to several days ...
What are the Regulations in the Meditation Hall?
Reasons Behind the Rules in the Meditation Hall: While attending a seven-day Chan retreat in the meditation hall, we are expected to lead a vastly different lifestyle. What regulations are to be f...
Five Basic Trainings for Meditation Practice
Regulating our Diet, Sleep, Body, Breath, and Mind Before starting our meditation practice, we first need to adjust and relax our body, to make sure our mind is sufficiently calm before adopting...
Q&A for Meditation Beginners
What are the rules to follow when practicing in the meditation hall? Should we keep silent all the time? Is it difficult to adapt to communal practice? Ven. Chang Cheng, experienced in guiding Chan...
The Buddha’s Statue
Where is the Buddha? Buddhists often say that the Buddha is in our mind, and the Buddha is everywhere. If this is the case, then why should there be images or statues of the Buddha fo...
Buddhist Mala
The Buddhist Mala is one of the most common tools for Buddhist practice. It is used for counting the times of Buddha’s name recitation or mantra chanting. According to Supplement to the Biogr...
Incense and Incense Burner
“Burning incense” is considered an extraordinary and sacred offering made to the Buddha. Making this offering represents one of the rituals to show the reverence and devotion of the Bud...
Lit Lamp
A lit candle or lamp is one of the six common offerings people make to the Buddha, besides water, perfume, flowers, food, and burning incense. These six common material offerings symbolize the Six ...
Buddhist Sutras and Scriptures
Many Buddhists recite the Heart Sutra, the Great Compassion Dharani, and the 'Chapter on the Universal Gate of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva' in the Lotus Sutra, when they encounter difficulti...
Dharma Quote
How much power can a single word have? How can a few simple words move one's heart and give people unwavering courage? We often hear the word "motto". When we were young, our...
Dharma Assembly Attendee Etiquette
Those who are new to learning the Dharma are encouraged to attend group practice in temples, to ensure that they are practicing in the right direction, using the right methods. Learning with other ...
The Contents of Dharma Services
Understanding the contents of a Dharma service and its meaning helps practitioners concentrate on the practice when attending the assembly. Contemporary Dharma services focus on reciting sutras and...
What Should We Bring to a Dharma Assembly?
To attend a Dharma assembly, we need to bring a Buddhist cassock, a tumbler, reusable foodware, and some personal belongings (wallet, train ticket, keys, clothes for warmth, etc.). Yet, remember th...
Attending Dharma Assemblies: Prepare Well, Avoid Hasty Effort
Does attending Dharma assemblies alone qualify as engaged practice? If we don't practice regularly before attending a Dharma assembly, we may find sutra chanting boring because we don't und...
A Brief Introduction to the Development of the Dharma Assembly
The Dharma assembly refers to the various kinds of gathering events, which can include Dharma talks, offerings to the Buddha, offerings to monastics, and providing alms. The primary essence of the ...
Ten Most Commonly Seen Dharma Assemblies in Chinese Buddhism
The following sections describe the origins and main features of the ten most attended Dharma assemblies in Chinese Buddhism. Guanyin Dharma Assembly In devotion to Guanyin Bodhisattv...
Into the Venue of a Dharma Assembly
As the Buddha's statue1 symbolizes the Buddha's presence in a Dharma assembly, we pay our respect to the Buddha by bowing to the statue or join our palms with the upper body bending when ...
The Arising of Conditioned Appearance from the True Mind (I)
by Venerable Guo Xing This is the first in a series of articles taken from Dharma talks given by Ven. Guo Xing at the Shurangama Sutra Retreat in August 2012. The talks focus on the first ...
Pilgrimage
To go on a pilgrimage is to visit, and pay homage to, sacred sites or holy relics of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. This practice method takes after ancient masters' journeys to seek Dharma or worshi...
Enjoy One Step at a Time
Living in today's fast-paced society, we hurry to work or to meetings every day. We are always on the move to arrive somewhere. Though our legs are moving, we are not aware of it; we do not foc...
Being Mindful of Where We Are: The Practice of Walking Meditation in Daily Life
When using the method of walking meditation, we neither intentionally speed up nor slow down. Instead, we walk at the same speed as we normally would, while trying to be aware of the movements with...
Slow Walking Meditation
Practitioners normally perform walking meditation between sitting sessions during a retreat, in limited-sized spaces. Alternating practicing sitting and walking meditation helps us harmonize the bo...
Fast Walking Meditation
Fast walking meditation, also known as pao-xiang (跑香) in Chinese, is a practice method unique to the Chinese Chan tradition, which is not taught in other traditions such as Theravada, Tibetan and...
Buddhist Circumambulation (Walking Meditation and Buddha Name Recitation)
Circumambulation, originating in early Buddhism, was the ritual of circling around the Buddha to express respect. After Buddhism was introduced to China, Buddhists continued the tradition of circum...
Practice Walking Meditation to Experience Chan in Motion
Can walking be a method of Buddhist practice? When one thinks of Buddhist practice, what often comes to mind is either sitting meditation or reciting the Buddha's name. In fact, Buddhist practi...
What Introductory Practices are Available for Working People?
It is better to conduct regular practices with fixed contents and duration. If we are too busy to set specific practice periods we can conduct our practice based on a fixed number of times, such as...
Carry out Daily Dharma Practice However Busy We Are
Living in modern society, we have been so busy paddling in the whirl and turmoil of busy daily life that over time we hardly notice our deeply ingrained self-centeredness. When we don't reach a...
Start Your Buddhist Cultivation with Regular Practice
To do regular practice is to set aside a fixed period each day to do the same practice, such as reciting a sutra, sitting in meditation, and prostrating to the Buddha. Regular practice help...
{Dharma Talk} Discover the True Mind
by Abbot Venerable Guo Xing From a talk given at the Chan Meditation Center on Februrary 13, 2011. Translated by Echo Bonner, transcribed by Lingyun Wang and edited by Buffe Maggie Laffey. ...
{Dharma Talk} How to Overcome Difficulties in Meditation
by Žarko Andričević Žarko Andričević is a martial arts and yoga teacher since the 1970s, Zarko first encountered Buddhism in 1975. Ten years later he started the first Buddhist study and m...
Chan and Modern Life
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The Effects of Chan Meditation - Introduction
From the book: The Effect of Chan Meditation Chan is a school of Buddhist meditation that is found throughout East Asia. It is known as Zen in Japan, Thien in Vietnam, and Son in Korea. Its dist...
The Wealth of Chan Meditation
From the book: The Effects of Chan Meditation Modern science has solved many problems encountered in the natural environment, as well as those found in physiology and psychology. Yet despite the...
In the Spirit of Chan
From the book: In the Spirit of Chan Perhaps some of you have heard the sayings "Chan is not established on words and language" and "Chan is a transmission outside conventi...
The Origin of Chan
From the book: In the Spirit of Chan What is the source of Chan? According to the Chan lore, the monk Bodhidharma brought Chan from India to China in about 500 C.E., more than a thousand years a...
Chan: The Gateless Gate
From the book: In the Spirit of Chan Chan is often referred to as the gateless gate. The "gate" is both a method of practice and a path to liberation; this gate is "gateless,"...
Abiding Nowhere, Give Rise to the Mind
There are two lines from the Diamond Sutra on the wall at Nung Chan Monastery: "Abiding nowhere, give rise to mind." "Abiding nowhere" refers to the mind without...
Greedy, anger, and arrogance
Greedy people are usually unaware of their own greed. The same is true of people filled with anger, arrogance and pride. But sooner or later, practitioners will recognize that they...
Depend on yourself to open up your own road
Life is much the same as making and projecting a movie. Film moves at about ten images per second. When the movie is completed, it can be projected at the same speed that it was taken...