Thursday 26 June 2008

平时要烧香

俗语说:「平时不烧香,临时抱佛脚。」有的考生平时不用功,到了考试的时候,才加紧开夜车;
也有一些做生意的人平时没有结交善友,不肯与人结缘,到了要做事的时候,才急著到处求人,
向人拜托。
所谓「平时不烧香,临时抱佛脚」,就是意谓著:春天不播种,秋来那能有收成呢? 
话说有一个长工,看到主人拥有一尊金佛,每日礼拜,心中慨叹自己无钱,连想要拜佛都没有机会。
有一天,趁著主人不在家,自己悄悄的走到佛像前面礼拜。但是事有不巧,被主人看到了,
而且厉声责骂他:「你有什么资格拜我的金佛?」长工不得已,后来在砍柴的时候利用一根木材,
他就动手刻了一尊佛像,供在自己简陋的住处礼拜。当主人发觉他的家中人来人往,
原来大家都到他的家里礼拜木佛。主人非常生气与嫉妒,声言要让金佛与木佛比斗。
当比赛开始后,初时两佛推挤,势均力敌;但过不了多久,金佛渐渐屈居下风,
终至不敌木佛而倒地不起。主人就责怪金佛:「为什么你连木制的佛像都不如?」
金佛说:「主人呀!你看那一尊木佛,每天有多少的信徒带著供果前往上香礼拜,
他受了那么多的香火,自然力气充足;我虽然是金佛,但是你每天都没有礼拜供养,
所以我敌不过木佛而不支倒地,这是再自然不过的事了,你有什么好奇怪的呢!」  
这虽然是一则笑话,但说明凡一件事的成败,都有它前面的因缘。你平时用功读书,
自然就能金榜题名;你平时勤劳耕种,当然秋冬必定能丰收!你平时结缘助人,必要的时候,
别人也会成为你的助缘。
甚至即使是佛祖,也要靠平时的烧香供养:
有烧香礼拜,即使是木佛,他也能胜过金佛呢! 
来源: 迷悟之间

Wednesday 25 June 2008

朋友四类

古人说:「近朱者赤,近墨者黑。」又说:「人和人好,鬼和鬼好,苍蝇和烂腿好。」所以交朋友很重要,结交什么样的朋友,对自己的一生往往产生难以估量的影响,因此不能不慎。
什么人才是我们应该结交的好朋友呢?孔老夫子说:「友直、友谅、友多闻。」什么是坏朋友呢?孔夫子也说:「友便僻、友善柔、友便佞。」邪曲谄媚、吃喝玩乐的朋友,没安好心,不值得交往;朋友之间,要能学习、效法,才是益友。
尤其,朋友之交贵在知心,自古以来,所谓交友,要交知心的朋友、要交肝胆相照的朋友、要交患难与共的朋友、要交推衣解食的朋友、要交有侠义心肠的朋友,千万不要结交酒肉朋友

在佛教的《孛经》里,提到朋友有四等,所谓「有友如地,有友如山,有友如花,有友如秤
」,此中好的有两等,坏的也有两等:
  • 有友如花:如花的朋友,好看时把你戴在头上,不好看的时候就把你踩在地下,这是一种势利小人,不能同甘共苦、患难与共,跟这种人交朋友,他只会利用你,于他有用则交,无用则拒,所以交到如花的朋友,都是短暂的,不能友谊长存
  • 有友如秤:秤,称之为「度量衡」,可以等量轻重,这种朋友,当你富贵贤达的时候,他就看重你;当你没有功名富贵以后,他就看轻你,完全不看重你的道德、人品、智慧,只是以小人的势利眼来观察你,就如秤砣一样,你重他就低头,你轻他就昂首,所以这也是一种不能平等相交的朋友。
  • 有友如山:好朋友要像高山一样,友谊坚固。你看,一座高大的山林,有许多树木花草,才能成为丛林,山里藏着各种野兽,上面有飞禽聚集,如山的好朋友就是有德、有学,有生死不异的涵容修养,因此飞禽走兽、各种人等,都欢喜归向于他
  • 有友如地:大地能普载万物、能生长万物、能储藏万物,所以交这种如地的朋友,他自己谦卑低下,容许我们获得他的资助、好处,他帮助我们成长,关怀、包容我们的一切,并且无怨无悔的付出,从来不会嫌弃我们。但是,如果你作孽太多,他也会生气而天摇地动
人生不能没有朋友,我们应该结交什么样的朋友呢?以上如花、如秤、如山、如地的朋友,可以做为我们择友的参考

来源:人间福报



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Monday 23 June 2008

闲话

闲话,既曰「闲话」,有时是一种废话、空话、谎话,甚至是杂话、脏话、烂话、坏话、假话,所以归纳曰「闲话」。  
一句闲话,很好的朋友可能因此结下永世的仇恨; 
一句废话,本来无事,可能惹下无边的风波; 
一句坏话,可能破坏了多年建立的同事情谊; 
一句空话,可能让人看清你的价值多少; 
一句谎话,可能让人鄙视你的人格,不耻你的为人。  
最好的语言,就是不说!然而不说,太过消极。人应该积极的说好话,说善良的话,说慈悲的话,
说赞美人的话,说成就人的话。  人,有喜欢说闲话的习惯,闲话必然会惹来不可想像的结果,
所以孔老夫子说:不当说的不说,不当看的不看,不当听的不听,这就聪明多了
我就认识了那么一对夫妇,女人到自己的目的,破坏了男人和朋友之间的,开始我很愤怒
,为什么要为了圆谎而去害人,但事后我想,真正要怪的是那个宁愿相信她也不睁开眼睛看清楚
的男人,我们应该同情那因她而去怀疑自己朋友的可怜虫.今天的我们,并没有因为失去这段
友谊而感到难过,因为他们不值得我们去在意了, 对他的关心,也在2006年的六月随风而逝 . 
我们看今日的社会人士,聪明的人都是想过以后才开口,愚笨的人则说过之后才回想。
想和说应该有先后的次序,先想后说,想好了再说。尤其,一个人应该知道,当说话的时候要说,
不当说话的时候要沉默。说话最大的罪恶,就是说无意义的话,说不知强为知的话,
尤其造谣诬人,更是罪大恶极。冷饭冷菜好吃,冷言冷语令人听了难受。
所以,闲话之外,应该多说实话、真话、有用的话,能说有建设性的话,才有价值。
来源: 迷悟之间

Rahula, Son of Gautama Buddha

Rāhula (b. c. 534BC) was the only son of Siddhartha Gautama (Pāli: Siddhattha Gotama), and Princess Yasodhara. He was born on the same day that Prince Siddhartha Gautama left the palace to seek Enlightenment and later become the Buddha. He was named Rahula by his grandfather because the first word Prince Siddhattha said on hearing about the birth of His son was Rahu, which means obstacle.
Accordingly the child was named Rāhula, meaning "fetter", recognizing that the child could be a tie that bound him to his wife Yasodhara and the comforts of the life of a householder.
In the Dhammapada, the pleasure and joy that a man receives in his wife and children is called a 'soft fetter that ties individuals to life and suffering, not just through eventual loss and separation of loved ones but more deeply and subtly may act as ties to cyclic existence (samsara).
Rāhula was raised by his mother and grandfather, King Suddhodana. When he was seven years old, the Buddha returned to his home city of Kapilavatthu at the request of his father who missed him dearly. On the seventh day of his return, Yasodharā took Rāhula to see his father, the Buddha. She told Rāhula that since his father had renounced the palace life and as he was the next royal prince in line, he should ask his father for his inheritance of crown and treasure for his future sake when his grandfather would no longer rule the kingdom.
After the meal, Rāhula followed the Buddha, saying �� "Give me my inheritance." Nobody tried to stop him, nor did the Buddha prevent him from following Him. He then looked at his father and said, "Lord, even your shadow is pleasing to me."
Reaching the Park of Nigrodha, where the Buddha was staying, the Buddha thought to himself: "He desires his father's inheritance, but it is wrought with troubles. I shall give him the benefit of my spiritual Enlightenment and make him an owner of a transcendental inheritance."
The Buddha called Venerable Sariputta and asked him to
ordain little Rāhula who became the first Samanera (novice monk).
Shortly after Rahula's ordination the Buddha taught him the importance of telling the truth. This discourse is known as theRahulovada Sutta. The Buddha placed truth as the highest of all virtues. The seekers of Truth, (those who have as their goal Nibbana) should not break the precept of Truth.
Rāhula subsequently became one among the many arhants through following the Buddha's teachings.
Rahula passed away before the Buddha, Sariputta and Moggallana. The Buddha declared that Rahula was foremost among the monks for his high standard of discipline and obedience. Rahula, who had entered the order at the tender age of seven, was a role model for the younger members of the Noble Order through his obedience and pleasing nature.

Thursday 19 June 2008

TIBETANS RAHULA

Rahula is known to Tibetans simply as Za. He is half serpent and half humanoid. The lower part of his body is coiled and his upper body is dark red and covered with a thousand eyes, all of which glare balefully. In the pit of his stomach is a cavernous mouth which, with the eyes of his upper body, give the feeling that his whole torso is a massive glaring face. He has nine heads, arranged in three tiers of three, each with three bulging eyes. A great breath of sickness is believed to issue from their fanged mouths. From the crown of the topmost head issues the black, cawing head of a raven.
A human skin is draped over his back. His principal weapon is a bow fashioned from a venomous serpent. In his remaining left hand he holds a writhing sea-serpent and the right holds a goad which guides us to righteous action.
According to ancient Indian mythology, Rahu (Rahula) was a titan who disguised himself and tried to steal the nectar of immortality from the gods. The sun and the moon both exposed him to Vishnu who promptly cut off his head. It is believed that Rahu avenges himself by periodically swallowing up the sun and the moon, thus causing eclipses. He is hence known as the Lord of Eclipses. Indeed with its myriad eyes his dark body is reminiscent of the starry night sky. The gaping mouth in his belly symbolizes his swallowing-up of sun and moon.
Esoterically, with his believed links extending into the depths of the cosmos, Rahula is traditionally invoked to avert negative astrological circumstances.

Wednesday 18 June 2008

Rahu Festival at Adelaide



 
 



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Rahu Chab Chann

When the moon underwent a partial eclipse on July 5, you may not even have noticed.
Many young Khmers, too, went on with their daily lives as if nothing was happening
But for many older Cambodians, especially those in the countryside, the implications are far reaching. They believe that the night time lunar eclipse that occurred on July 5 between 8.30 and 10.57pm may shape their lives for months to come.
The scientific explanation of an eclipse is an obscuring of light from one heavenly body by another. A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth blocks the sun's light from the moon.
But in Khmer, the eclipse of the moon is called Rahu Chab Chann. Rahu (pronounced Reahou in Khmer) is the king of all demons and evils, chann means moon and chab means to catch or swallow.

 
Rahu appears in both Brahmanist and Buddhist legend.
Rahu, or Rahu a'surin, rides through the sky on a silver chariot. Rahu is a being which exists like a mask _ he has no body, just a head with round bulbous eyes, a human or sometimes a lion's nose, and claw-like hands.
Rahu causes eclipses by seizing and swallowing the sun and the moon. They eventually reappear from inside his throat, thus ending the eclipse, but the battle is never ending and Rahu immediately resumes his quest to eat the sun and moon once more.
His picture is commonly found over the lintels of both Hindu and Buddhist temples.
One of the most striking portrayals of this powerful spirit can be seen in Takeo Province, on the old concrete portico of Banteay Trav Pagoda, on National Road 2, just between Tonle Bati Resort and Phnom Tamao Zoo, about 30 km south of Phnom Penh.

 
Rahu serves a protector of the temples. His picture is also often found above doorways of traditional Khmer houses, as a reminder of his terrible powers and to protect the inhabitants. What better way to keep the ordinary demons and devils from the door than to have their king sitting above the doorway?

To traditional Khmers, the eclipse is a time of mixed emotions. On the one hand, it is terrible to see the moon or sun devoured by a demon, perhaps never to return. On the other, the length of the eclipse can signal good harvests to come or bad. Believers in the power of Rahu and eclipses says "There are three ways to read an eclipse,"
"If Rahu swallows the moon but quickly spits her out, we believe that farmers will enjoy a very good harvest of rice and secondary crops.
"We will have a moderate harvest when there is Chann kreas chamhieng the moon is swallowed by
Rahu but then bursts of his left or right rib. The last one is a poor fate. The farmers will suffer and reap a poor harvest whenever they observe that Rahu is so hungry he swallows the whole moon straight down his throat and then just defecates her."
When they observe an eclipse happening, many Khmers start to make as much noise as possible, banging on pots and pans, hitting farming implements against trees whatever it takes to draw Rahu's attention."We would cheerfully shout 'Juoy Lauk! Juoy Lauk,' which means 'help the moon'!" he said. "By requesting Rahu not swallow the moon, we believed he would not eat it all and leave plenty of fruits and agricultural products to us human beings."

"Rahu chab chann can be also called chann kreas. When we say monus kreas kanlang pee kamneut, it means a person is born half crazy after his soul was kidnapped by a demon," she said.
She said many people still believed that this was a great risk around the time of a lunar eclipse if they watch the eclipse.
"To prevent this, a pregnant woman should place an ak kambor (a small silver or copper box with a conical top used to hold lime for betel nut chewing) in her tnoak sampot (the pleat hanging from the knot of a Khmer skirt) at the time of a lunar eclipse. This will protect her baby from being kidnapped by the demons."
Those building homes during an eclipse must take care, too.
If construction of a house is not yet complete when a lunar eclipse occurs, villagers believe they must tie sbov pleing (a kind of roof thatching plant with large leaves (in Latin, rottbelia exaltata) to the main rafter of the roof because demons are afraid of sbov pleing.
Though they live in modern world, many Khmers believe the planets influence their daily life. Most farmers still stand staunchly by traditional observations and rituals, such as the lunar eclipse, and predictions gleaned from the Royal Ploughing Ceremonies and Water Festival.

Even today, Khmers build temples and houses based on their knowledge of astrology to determine auspicious sites and other factors of importance.
Belief in Rahu is an example of intangible heritage. If the locals think such a practice is helpful to their daily life, let us help to rehabilitate and promote it.
Source: Leisure Cambodia July-August, 2001 Vol 1 No.3

Rahu, Visnu and Garuda

Tuesday 17 June 2008

Bogus Monk in Singapore

This is a real picture of a typical Bogus monk in Singapore. It's sad that they tarnished the reputation of monks.

Friday 13 June 2008

信仰的类别

常听到有人说:「只要心好就好了,何必信仰宗教呢?」既然心好,为何不信宗教呢?也有人说:「我什么都不信。」然而一旦遇到人生重大苦难,例如失意、失业或生病时,很自然就会想要找一个宗教来依靠,尤其家中有人往生时,也会找法师诵经,所以人只要有生死问题,就离不开宗教。

基本上,人本来就是宗教的动物,必然要有宗教信仰,只是谈到信仰,也有层次上的不同,一般可分为四种类别:

一、邪信:

有的人一开始信仰宗教就走错了路,信了邪魔外道,这就是「邪信」。

二、不信:

比邪信好一点的是「不信」,不信仰任何宗教固然不好,但是至少他没有走错路,没有中毒,将来再选择一种正确的信仰,还有得救的机会。

三、迷信:

有一种人信仰虔诚,虽然不懂教义,不会分辨而「迷信」,但迷信总比不信好一点,因为虽然迷信了,总还有一种信仰。像一些老公公、老婆婆,手里拿着一枝香,虔诚的跪在神明面前,口中喃喃有词,在一般人看起来是迷信的行为,但是他们那一片纯真的心,是非常可贵的。至少宗教劝善止恶的观念,已深植在他们的心中,因此即使是迷信,也比不信好。

四、正信:

当然,信仰宗教还是「正信」最好。所谓「正信」宗教,就是必须信仰具有历史考据的、信仰世界公众承认的、信仰能力威势具备的、信仰人格道德完美的。

「正」是正常、正当、正确;正就是对的、好的、善的。例如我们建一栋房子,要强调「正」,栋梁要正,门窗要正;宁可「正而不足」,也不可「邪而有余」。「正」的重要,由此可见。

自古以来,有人类便离开不了宗教,宗教信仰是发乎自然、出乎本性的精神力。宗教的重要,在于能领导生命的大方向,能将生命之流的过去、现在、未来衔接,所以人人都应该有宗教信仰,尤其有正信的宗教为导,我们的生命才有规范与目标,我们的心中才能找到真正的自我。

来源:人间福报

Thursday 12 June 2008

不为小事烦恼


在古时候的中国,有一位师傅问他的两个徒弟应怎样对待人生。其中一个徒弟回答道:'身是菩提树,心如明镜台,时时勤拂拭,莫使惹尘埃。这里,他的意思是说做人应时时保持自己心灵的纯净,遇到问题时,应想方设法地去解决。
 
这个徒弟说得不错,但另一个徒弟却有另一番见解,这个徒弟说:'菩提本无树,明镜亦非台,本来无一物,何处惹尘埃。'这个徒弟是在说,世界上的得与失,成与败都是相对的,并没有真正的得失和成败,所以不必事事太过在意。"
 
有时候我们总希望能把每一件事情都做好,但偶尔也应该放轻松,不要事事都太执著。试着用开朗豁达的心态去面对身边事物,不再为一些小事烦恼。

Wednesday 4 June 2008

理财,理事

理财不理事

理事不理财

~~~佛教居士林李木源先生


任何一个慈善团体或宗教团体的负责人都应该以这套哲学作为经营管理的方针. 不论是捐款还是香油钱都一定要很妥善处理,一分一毫都不可以滥用才能够向信众,有心人士交代. 其实这点是人们的通病,每个人都希望能够拥有权利,既想管财,又想管人,搞到自己一个头两个大. 这时候思考能力降低,耳朵也相对的变轻了,只要身边的人开口跟他商量任何事,包括先拿钱来周转时,他可能就会不设防,那么事情就糟了.

只要是跟钱财有关的,希望大家都要保持脑袋清醒,不要让人有机可乘, 很多人其实是有目的地在一步步藉机会取得你的信任以达到他们的目的,一旦你心软了,到时候赔了夫人又折兵,对不起广大民众.也让自己伤心,失望.

奉劝那些想借行善,宗教,信仰之名来达到目的,利用人性本善的天性来达到你们想要的名与利时,人在做,天在看..再穷也千万不要动那些钱..有些债是一辈子也还不清的. 还有一些眼睛和耳朵都被人给蒙住的人, 多用心去看, 失去了眼和耳你还有一颗善良的心,不要让人利用,仔细听佛祖给你的建议,任何人都可能在利用你,欺骗你,只有佛~~~他才是唯一可以帮助你看得更清楚.


 
eckhart tolle