faq

1) What are the activities organized by Hsi Lai Temple?   (read)

2) Who may participate in these activities?   (read)

3) Is Buddhism taught in English?   (read)

4) What is Humanistic Buddhism? (read)

5) What are the steps to become an official Buddhist?   (read)

6) Why does Buddhism advocate a vegetarian diet for practicing Buddhists?   (read)

7) Why learn Buddhism? (read)

8) Why do people fold their palms? (read)

9) Why do Buddhists bow and prostrate to the Buddha? (read)

10) What is the purpose of prayer beads?   (read)

11) What do lotus blossoms signify?   (read)

12) Was the Buddha a God? (read)

13) Why do monks and nuns shave their heads?   (read)

14) Do all the monastics have incense marks?   (read)

15) What is the role of Hsi Lai monastics? (read)

16) Does Hsi Lai Temple offer tours of the temple? (read)

17) How do we practice Humanistic Buddhism at Hsi Lai?   (read)

18) What is Ch'an Buddhism?   (read)

19) What is Pure Land Buddhism?   (read)

20) What is the Origin of Ch'an?   (read)

21) How is Ch'an Practiced?   (read)

22) Why do Buddhists Wish to be Interred in or Near a Pagoda?   (read)

HOW WE PRACTICE HUMANISTIC BUDDHISM AT HSI LAI TEMPLE

Because sentient beings have different spiritual capacities and inclinations, the Buddha taught at different levels using numerous methods in order to help everyone understand the joyful liberation of the Dharma (his teachings). The Sutras (Buddhist scriptures) speak of 84,000 different methods ¡Vor an infinite number that can be used to help the listener understand and integrate the teachings in his or her life for the mutual benefit of all sentient beings.*

Throughout history Buddhist Masters have categorized Buddhist methods into those based on self-effort (self-power) and those that rely on the help of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (other-power). However, when one looks more closely one sees Truth as indivisible: Self-power is other-power, and other-power is self-power. *

Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order and all of its international branch temples emphasize the integration of Ch'an Buddhism (self-power) and Pure Land Buddhism (other-power). Venerable Master Hsing Yun says, "Ch'an and Pure Land enhance each other when practiced together... they become like a tiger with horns." Practiced together, they enable the practitioner to increasingly understand that "our" happiness is not separate from "others'" happiness because our heart is nothing less than the universe itself. Thus, to save all sentient beings from suffering is not to put our own happiness above the needs of others but in all ways, to create those conditions which give others confidence, hope, happiness and convenience. Acting in such a self-less manner, the illusion of the boundaries between self and other which seems so real, gradually dissolve within our mind and experience. The result is the gradual creation of the Pure Land, a state of mind and tangible reality on earth in which all sentient beings, human and other, can live in harmony, relating to each other with ever increasing compassion, joy and wisdom as the awakening Buddha's we all are.

In the Diamond Sutra the Buddha says, "All sentient beings, whether they are born of eggs, wombs, moisture, or transformation, whether they have form or no form, whether they have thoughts or no thoughts, I will lead them all to Nirvana without remainder. I will save them all and not one of them will be left behind." It is through the integration of these two great Buddhist traditions that Fo Guang Buddhists, through their present daily activities, vow to embody the future fulfillment of the Buddha's great vow.

(*Pure-Land Zen, Zen Pure-Land, Letters from Patriarch Yin Kuang, Translated by Master Thich Thien Tam, Forrest Smith, editor.)

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Copyright © 2002 International Buddhist Progress Society