 | | | Quote :Merits Of Veg(etari)an Offerings 供斋功德 |  | 若能为其父母乃至眷属，
命终之后，设斋供养，志心勤恳，
如是之人，存亡获利。 – 地藏菩萨
《地藏经》 If able to, for their Fathers, Mothers and even [other] family members, after their lives end, arrange veg[etari]an offerings [to the Buddhas, visitors and themselves], with sincerity and steadfast diligence, of such persons, [both the] living and deceased will obtain benefits [of meritorious virtues, for relief of suffering, and attaining of well-being]. – Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva
(Kṣitigarbha Sūtra) — More | | Events & Notices | Ven. Yanxu: Chinese Talks On 'Essential Explanation Of Amitabha Sutra' | Pure Land Doctrine
Qinghai: Great Dharma Hall Reconstruction and Padmasambhava Statue Sponsorship 世界和平法会大经堂重新装修与供奉莲师像
20 Oct: (Limited Seats): Vegan Savoury Steamed Cake Class (Gluten-free option available)
NEW 17 Nov: (Limited Seats): Vegan Baking Basics: Chocolate Pound Cake & Banana Muffins @ $98 (Offer For Limited Time)
| Feature :[H] What Will Happen After This Dharma-Ending Age?
末法之后将会如何 |  | 恶人转多，
如海中沙。
– 释迦牟尼佛
《佛说法灭尽经》 Evil persons will multiply to be many,
like sands’ number within the ocean. – Śākyamuni Buddha
(Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of The Dharma’s Complete End) According to Śākyamuni Buddha’s (释迦牟尼佛) teachings in the Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of The Dharma’s Complete End《佛说法灭尽经》, the following is what will happen after this current Dharma-Ending Age (末法时期) ends, which will occur in about 8,455 years’ time, or roughly 84 generations later. 「自此之后难可数说。」‘Henceforth, what occurs after this, is difficult to enumerate and speak of.’ Note [1]: This world after the light of the Dharma burns out completely is with spiritual darkness, in a state with chaotic evil and suffering- so much so, that even the Buddha said it is hard to speak of it in detail. It can be called the ‘Dharma-Ended Age’ (‘无法时期’). If we do not ensure there is departure in time, most safely by reaching Pure Land, this age might be entered karmically. 「如是之后数千万岁，弥勒当下世间作佛。」‘Thus after numerous thousands of ten thousand years [i.e. about 5.6 billion years], Maitreya [Bodhisattva] will descend in this world to become a Buddha.’ Note [2]: It should not be forgotten that before Maitreya Buddha manifests, there is this wide window period with no presence of the Triple Gem (三宝) at all. It is thus wise to not wait so long for the next Buddha to arise here, when a Buddha can be met in his Pure Land (净土) directly. 「天下泰平毒气消除，雨润和适五穀滋茂，树木长大人长八丈。皆寿八万四千岁，众生得度不可称计。」‘Then, the world will have great peace, with its poisonous air eliminated. With rain moistening harmoniously, suitable for the five grains to grow lushly. Trees will grow tall, and humans will grow to be eight zhàngs tall [i.e. 26.4 metres, with 1 zhàng being 3.3 metres]. All their lifespans will be 84,000 years. Sentient beings who attain deliverance then cannot be calculated.’ Note [3]: The environmental conditions by the time Maitreya Buddha manifests are those with extreme reversal of the climate crisis, through the increase of much positive collective karma. Not only will flora flourish, even humans will grow well physically and in years. Note that this world will not be a Pure Land immediately with the arrival of Maitreya Bodhisattva, and that although many will attain liberation, not all in this world will then do so. Even with such a long lifespan, it is incomparable with the immeasurable life (无量寿) we will attain in Amitābha Buddha’s (阿弥陀佛) Pure Land, who also has immeasurable life personally. This ensures our ability to meet him directly at the end of this life, and to have ample time to learn from him, which guarantees Buddhahood most swiftly. 善者甚少，
若一若二。 – 释迦牟尼佛
《佛说法灭尽经》 Good ones will be extremely few,
perhaps with one or two. – Śākyamuni Buddha
(Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of The Dharma’s Complete End)
Related Articles:
如何同见阿弥陀佛与弥勒菩萨
Where To Meet Amitābha Buddha & Maitreya Bodhisattva Together
阿弥陀佛的净土比兜率内院容易生吗？
Is Amitābha Buddha’s Pure Land Easier To Reach Than Tuṣita’s Inner Court?
阿弥陀佛会常住吗？
Will Amitābha Buddha Always Be Around?
佛陀如何如去亦不去
How The Buddha Is Gone Yet Not Gone For Good
《佛说法灭尽经》
The Sūtra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of The Dharma’s Complete End
— More
Read More in TDE Books | Get TDE Book 6 | | Dharma Baos For All Seasons & Reasons |  | | Share Articles: t...@thedailyenlightenment.com | | Excerpt :Wake Up Earlier To Be Less Busy |  | Find more time
to live a more meaningful life –
before you run out of time.
– Shilashanti | When we are short on time, this scarcity extends to our heart as well. We automatically say, ‘I’m busy – I don’t have time.’ When we feel this way, our mind becomes even more hectic. But are we really so busy? Aren’t we the ones who are pushing ourselves to hurry? In Japanese [and Chinese], the character for ‘busy’ [忙] is written with the symbols for ‘lose’ [亡] and ‘heart’ [心]. It’s not that we are busy because there is not enough time. We are busy because there is no room in our heart.
Especially when things are hectic, try waking up fifteen minutes earlier than usual. Lengthen your spine, and take slow breaths from the point below your naval – the spot we refer to as the tanden (丹田). Once your breathing is in order, your mind will naturally settle into stillness as well. Then, while you enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, look out the window at the sky. Try to listen for the warbling of little birds. How peculiar – just like that, you create space in your mind. Waking up fifteen minutes earlier magically liberates you from busyness.
— More | Zen: The Art Of Simple Living
Shunmyo Masuno
|  | | Letter :Do We Chant Just To Show Respect? |  | Question: Is chanting to express respect to Buddha? How does it help us and others? Answer: Chanting should always be practised respectfully, so as to be attentive, to receive the teachings chanted well. But chanting is not done just to express respect to anyone. It is to remind ourselves, the chanters, and listeners, on aspects of the Buddha’s teachings chanted, to remind all to practise accordingly, to purify our thoughts, words and deeds. Doing this helps those involved, to create meritorious virtues (merits) or positive (good) karma, to be better persons, relieve suffering, and to advance towards the True Happiness of Buddhahood. — More | | Movie :Is 'A Dog's Purpose' Ours Too? |  | What is the meaning, purpose or point of this life, be it long or short? These existential issues are pondered by a dog, who is able to recall several immediate past lives. Is it just to have fun and games, to play and eat? If only it is that simple. And yes, as he realises, this does not add up to be of much significance. Experiencing the wide spectrum of the literal ‘dog’s life’, Bailey was loved and abused, rescued and put down, lost and found… Yet, he lived it all with a sense of reflective wonder, trying to figure it all out, never with ill will. With limited (mis)perception of the world, his simplified take on what is really going on, and what truly matters offers us complicated human beings some food for thought.
At first, as a parallel to many of us, he thought he should just enjoy life, with no need to ‘waste time’ on thinking about life itself. Like our animal friends, we humans too are currently trapped in the Desire Realm, where there is a habitually instinctive obsession with the Five Desires for wealth, sex(ual or sensual pleasures), fame, food and sleep. For dogs, preoccupation tends towards less of all five, albeit to some extent of all in subtler manners. We too are like Bailey in some ways. Due to rebirth, we could have been like him, and might become like him! Yet, there is nobility too. In each life, he does his best to be a loyal best friend and protector, though also being the occasional trouble-maker who does not know better. With his human owners, he rides through ups and downs, doing the best he can to accompany, cheer and console. In his doggy ways, it seems rather unconditional – what we humans have much to learn from. However, his life comes to centre around his loving owners so much, that he ponders what the point of his life is without them. As another parallel, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas strive on for the sake of all sentient beings. With the point of their efforts for guiding us towards complete liberation, their very being with great loving-kindness and compassion is for us all! This is called Bodhicitta – the noblest aspiration to guide one and all to True Happiness. There is simply no greater purpose, to seek, fulfil and share. With his unexplained ability to remember his lives, Bailey is able to have wider perspectives of the cycles of birth, ageing, sickness and death, to attempt comprehending its mysteries. ‘Why?’ He asks repeatedly. Well, because there is still karma to resolve, with more lessons to learn. The Buddhist audience might even hope that he attains a human rebirth eventually, though it does take many lives for the average animal to spiritually (and thus physically) evolve to be human (again). Through trial and error, he concludes at one point, that ‘I love you and you love me, and it’s all that matters.’ Maybe every loving animal friend’s somewhat accidental purpose is to learn and teach us this? With karmic affinity to find his ‘first’ beloved owner again, Bailey also reconnects him with his love interest. Is the purpose of life circular – to find lost loves, to love all over again? With death always looming larger on the horizon, will this not lead to heartbreak of departure again? Does this not make the quest for lasting worldly love futile? The Buddhist solution for this dilemma is to widen our sense of love, to be with less attachment to anyone in particular, but with more selfless care for all. This strengthening and expressing of Bodhicitta grow our more enlightened love. Like Bailey being happy when his owners are happy, may we rejoice with others’ well-being, and soothe their suffering without personally suffering. In the ‘end’, Bailey shares what he learnt of his purpose in his multiple recollected lives. It is to have fun, find someone to save, lick the ones you love, not get all sad-faced about what happened or scrunchy-faced about what could, and just be here now. Yes indeed, do have some fun, but never indulge till you forget your greater purpose. Why not be Bodhisattvas to one another, to save each other spiritually, by being kinder and wiser? May the unhappy past only offer lessons to be better and not bitter, and the uncertain future be made surer with here and now lived well. Although we cannot recall our past lives now, birth in Pure Land will empower us to remember and reconnect – with pure love to liberate all!
— More | | Moonpointer: Click For Updates |  | | To subscribe to the above, email thedailyenlight...@yahoogroups.com TDE-Weekly is a free independent Buddhist inspiration e-newsletter. You can support us by contributing articles, running costs and encouraging friends to join. Change (and cancellation) of emails, contributions, suggestions and queries are welcomed at t...@TheDailyEnlightenment.com. The information within the articles need not represent TDE's views. The copyrights of the articles belong to the authors. |
|
