[736] The only way to change the past is in the present. The only way to shape the future is…
[726] The sophisticated need not be complicated. The simple need not be simplistic. [727] It is hard to get what…
Sam & Sara #444: Coincidence Sam: How coincidental! Sara: Of course! Sam: Huh? Sara: It it was not, you would…
Relations: Wandering Thought #274: Paradoxically, we can simplify our relations by realising people are complex. For example, Person A does…
As the Buddha taught, ‘Hatred cannot be ceased by hatred.’ Why terrorise one another? Why add (fossil) fuel(s) to the…
Lamentations: Wandering Thought #275: Even if those whom we had good times with do not remember or treasure them like…
Outdo your previous ‘self’ with a better ‘self’, one at a time…
Perfect the good stuff of course, stuff good for all! This is how being ‘slow’ yet steady can lead to…
Good is worth infinite ‘dollars’ and thus cannot be bought at any price!
If you need to compromise, go for quality… but eventually go for more of it!
If you don’t choose well, you are still kind of choosing – to let others choose for you, and they…
The following offers the Buddhist perspective only: Gosh… Just mentioned in class recently (to clarify that Buddhist practice does not…
Complimentary blessing dedication from Poh Ming Tse management for teaching there. 感恩! May all in my family be well and…
[716] Institutions are not definitely wiser in years, as they might have stubborn delusions institutionalised. [717] If you do not…
以前读到禅宗提倡不立文字，觉得是蛮适合我这个识字不多的人。很讽刺的，本人在修佛时读最多的书籍却是禅宗的。也庆幸有禅宗公案的启示陪伴学佛过程。虽然没有祖师大德那样善根深厚，大彻大悟，还是从中学了不少。末法时期的我们真的不用指望能开悟或被印可。老老实实念佛求往生，何愁不开悟？ “时时见弥陀， 何愁不开悟?” – 憨山德清禅师 “无禅有净土，万修万人去； 但得见弥陀，何愁不开悟？” – 净土宗六祖永明延寿大师 ／禅宗法眼宗三祖 真悯 合十
《观经》云：「若念佛者，当知此人，是人中芬陀利华，观世音菩萨、大势至菩萨为其胜友，当坐道场，生诸佛家。」善导大师在《观经四贴疏》解释：「念佛者。。。更无物可以方之。故引芬陀利为喻。言芬陀利者。名人中好华。亦名希有华。亦名人中上上华。亦名人中妙好华。。。是若念佛者。即是人中好人。人中妙好人。人中上上人。人中希有人。人中最胜人也。」芬陀利华即是白莲花，是梵文 puṇḍarīka 的音译。 《涅槃经》亦云：「佛亦名为大芬陀利」，所以也是诸佛的名称。芬陀利华象征念佛人如莲花出污泥而不染的品质。它是千叶白莲，世间罕有，其尊贵远超众花之上。以芬陀利华比喻念佛人之罕有尊贵，身虽在人间，已超六道外；虽未生极乐，已是净土人，将来必定如同大芬陀利华那样成佛。 本师在《阿弥陀经》提了五次的「难」字，描述着要在娑婆五浊恶世对净土法门产生信受是一件难上加难的事。也因为这法门是「一切世间难信之法」，可想而知，用芬陀利华来形容念佛人是当之不愧的。尤其在末法时期，因为众生善根浅薄，净土法门难信的原因更多，念佛人也更难得。 例如，一般人常把念佛和丧事并为一谈，认为佛号只是播给往生者的最后一首曲。如此，和活人谈念佛时，难免会令他们觉得不吉利而吃闭门羹。要不然，就认为修持念佛好像不够甚深，嫌它是只给不识字的阿公阿婆或下根的愚夫愚妇闲着没事做的事。也有口出狂言者，不仅不信念佛的殊胜，还说净土法门不是正法。不过，在新加坡有多一「难」，就是华文程度较好的人不多，对华文净土教理有兴趣的人更少。新加坡人口550万，要找到真正信愿持名念佛的人，也就如同找芬陀利华一样。 新加坡要学佛不难，各宗各派任你我选择，但要有系统地学净土宗传承和历代祖师教理，也只有延续法师的两年净土教理班。净土教理班已经延续了三届之久，受益了不少的佛教徒，也栽培了很多「芬陀利华」。学人有幸能向法师学习，万分感恩！法师无私的「施肥」，让学人和同修获益不浅。能在一个华人多但又不是很懂华文的国家弘扬「一切世间难信之法」也是为甚难！感叹法师的慈悲，也愿每位同修能象净土莲池中的芬陀利华一样发光发亮。莲池海会见！阿弥陀佛！ 真悯 合十 第三届净土教理班感言 (2014-2016) 若要注册以上描述的净土教理课程，请点击这里: http://tinyurl.com/sblplc 地点 ：新加坡居士林 17 Kim Yam Road
You put together two egomaniacal super/men who each thinks himself as the true protector/hero and the other a fake. You…
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