VIRTUES THAT STEMS FROM OUR INHERENT NATURE

   

Master Jun Hong Lu’s
Buddhism In Plain Terms
Volume 10 Chapter 36
(An Excerpt)

VIRTUES THAT STEMS FROM OUR INHERENT NATURE

Master Jun Hong Lu: Deeds performed after practising Buddhism are considered virtues. When you perform the deeds in the capacity of a Bodhisattva, it is entirely different from the concept of performing such deeds to cultivate good fortune and long life.

Virtues accumulate from deeds performed on the path of enlightenment, which means such deeds are the actions of Bodhisattvas. Also, these deeds should be performed with the aim of accomplishing the spiritual state of the Sound-Hearer, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva and Buddha.

What does this mean? For the kind deeds performed in the human realm, we know that, ‘Virtue has its reward’. Once rewarded, it will be over.

Many people are into doing kind deeds. However, when calamity strikes, their kind deeds are not able to help them counteract the catastrophe.

Many people do not know the significance of meritorious blessings. They only know that these blessings can help eliminate calamities. Many people who survive car crashes are those who possess meritorious blessings.

On the contrary, if you have performed lots of kind deeds, and you still die in a car accident, this is because you have already used up the blessings you gained.