What is Six Perfections (Oaranuta)?2025年06月19日

The Sanskrit word “Paramita” literally means “gone to the other shore”, that is to cross from this shore of moral affliction to the other shore of enlightenment. Six Paramita are six ways to the other shore. The first Paramita is Liberality or Charity (Dana), which is of three kinds: ⑴ giving material things to others including worldly possetions, even one’s own head, eyes, hands, feet and life, known as material Dana; ⑵ giving protection to all beings and to free them from terror, called the free-from-fear givings (abhaya Dana); ⑶ giving all beings the truth, is the Dhamma Dana. The second Paramita is morality or abiding by the precepts (Sila), this also consists of three categories, (namely), to avoid evils, to cultivate and accumulate wholesomeness and to benefit sentient beings. The most fundamental sila for Boddhisattas is to benefit sentient beings, i.e. all being done is for the public interest, while the other precepts are subordinate to it. The third Paramita is Patience (Khanti), which means that in service of sentient beings one should be able to endure slander, abuse, attack, the sufferings of hunger and cold etc., “Do what is hard to do, bear what is hard to bear”, and never give up the vow to save beings. The fourth Paramita, Effort or Energy (Viriya), is to make every effort and strive constantly for salvation not only for oneself but for all other beings and enlightenment not only for oneself but for all other beings. The fifth is Meditation or Contemplation (Samadhi). The sixth, Wisdom (Panna), is to practice meditation and to gain knowledge for the sake of enlightening oneself and other beings. (From Essentials of Buddhism: Questions and Answers)

What is “Pusa” (S. Bodhisatta, P. Bodhisatta)?2025年06月19日

“Pusa” is short for “putisaduo”, the Chinese transliteration of Bodhisatta. Briefly, any one who cherishes the lofty aspiration to deliver oneself and all beings from misery and sufferings, and attain ultimate happiness (salvation of oneself and of others), and to release oneself and all beings from ignorance into perfect enlightenment (self-enlightenment and enlightenment of others) is called in Chinese “Pusa”, i.e. Bodhisatta.

What are the differences between Mahayana and Hinayana?2025年06月19日

The major difference is that Mahayana stresses altruism (conduct for benefit of others), whereas Hinayana stresses salvation for oneself. Mahayana has scriptures different from those of Hinayana, and has augmented and developed Buddhist doctrines as well. Here are a few points: Firstly, in the Truth of Extinction of Suffering, Mahayana further maintains the possibility of “active nibbana”. According to this theory, with the extinction of the Twelve Links of Origination, it is not the dhammas arising and ceasing based on causes and conditions that cease, but only the ignorance and moral afflictions not in conformity with Dependent Origination that are eliminated. Since “between nibbana and the temporal world, there is little difference”, upon reaching the realm of the Buddha’s perfect enlightenment, one can live beyond the cycles of the Buddha’s perfect enlightenment, one can live beyond the cycles of birth and death and never enter extinction, so one can always work ceaselessly for the cause of “glorifying the country and benefiting the sentient beings” in the conditional world, while abiding peacefully in the nibbana state anywhere at any time. Secondly, the Theory of Dependent Origination expounds the theory that one dhamma arises all other dhammas as its conditions, and in reverse, is itself a cause for others. Thus a single person stands in relationship of homogeneity with other beings, just like the homogeneous relationship between one drop of water and the ocean. Hence the saying “All beings are my parents”, and “regard all beings as one’s only son”. This produces a heart of great loving-kindness (metta) and compassion (karuna). Metta means identifying oneself with all others’ joy and happiness, and Karuna means sympathy with others’ joy and happiness, and Karuna means sympathy with others’ grief and sorrow. With such a heart, one should indefatigably serve all beings. Mahayana Buddhism especially advocates this “pusa” (Bodisatta) outlook of life, and particularly encourages the conduct of “Six Perfections” and “Four all-embracing virtues”. (From Essentials of Buddhism: Questions and Answers)

What Is the Meaning of “abiding by the Three Gems”?2021年09月27日

What Does “Turning the Wheel of Dharma” Mean?2021年09月27日

Why is the Buddha Called “Fo” in Chinese? What does It Mean?2021年09月27日

“Fo” is the abbreviation for “Fotuo” which was used to translate the word “Buddha”. “The characters used for “Fotuo” were pronounced “Buda” at the time of translation). Buddha means “an enlightened one” or “an awakened one”. The term “Buddha” existed in India from the earliest times, but Buddhism has attributed three additional connotations to the term. They are as follows: ⑴ enlightenment (Sambodhi, which means thoroughly realizing the properties and appearance of all dhammas as they are); ⑵ perfect enlightenment (Samma-sambodhi, which means not only enlightening oneself but also equally and universally enlightening others); ⑶ supreme or paramount enlightenment (Anuttara samma-sambodhi, which means one’s wisdom and achievement have reached the highest and the most perfect sphere in enlightening oneself or others). (From Essentials of Buddhism: Questions and Answers)