Believe what you will/信不信由你: In the old Buddhist tradition there are 5 deadly sins, known as Anantarika-Karma (deeds bringing immediate retribution). If any being were to commit any one of these sins, that person would destroy their own chances for ascension and be reborn in the Hell Realms in the…

The “soul” does not really exist in the Buddhist view of life and reality. Based on the popular understanding of “soul”, we define the soul to mean a perpetual sense of self and unchanging self-identity, one which trans-migrates from one body to another, from one life to the next. This…

Believe what you will/信不信由你: Many of you would have heard the constant refrain, “Take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha”, also known as the Triple Gems in Buddhism. All practitioners would have been introduced to this concept since they started out as novices. …

Retold from an old Buddhist fable: Once upon a time, a wretched, impoverished vagrant visited Siddhartha Buddha for a teaching. At the end of the meeting, the vagrant was motivated to become a monk and follow the Buddha to pursue enlightenment. Now, for a person to earn an opportunity to…

The following are excerpts from the teachings of Buddhist master monk Chin Kong (淨空), who passed away in 2022. “The four (Celestial Kings/Dharma Protectors) are symbolic guardians of the practitioners of the Buddhist way. Whom do they protect? They protect us by reminding us to educate ourselves and to safeguard…

The following are excerpts from the teachings of Buddhist master monk Chin Kong (淨空), who passed away in 2022. “The Buddha’s educational system can… be witnessed today in (temples)… in which we can see many teaching aids… All the facilities, images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and any offerings made are…

Believe what you will/信不信由你: In your life, pain is inevitable… as long as you’re a being of flesh and blood. But suffering is optional. Suffering results from a point of view. If this point of view were altered or broadened, and you see the true value of your suffering, is…

Believe what you will/信不信由你: In this life and this world, it is sometimes hard to tell myth from truth, and superstition from lost ancient wisdom. Once you can differentiate things through intelligence, many things will turn out to be meaningless… and some things surprisingly helpful. Which things are mere superstition…

Believe what you will/信不信由你: There is a timing for everything. This includes timing for doing good or pursuing spiritual cultivation. When you read about accomplished samaritans, community leaders, or spiritual masters making a big difference to the world and helping millions of people, do not be inclined to feel small…