ARE WE ‘SEEKING WORLDLY BLESSINGS’ IF WE PRAY FOR A LIFE FREE FROM SUFFERING AND FOR IMPROVEMENT IN ALL ASPECTS OF OUR LIFE?
Question: In introducing Buddhism to prospective Buddhist friends, typically we are targeted in our sharing of positive transformations of other Buddhist friends after their Buddhist practice. We would usually touch on aspects such as improvements in academic performance, career, marriage, relationship, sickness and health. However, this may give others the impression of ‘seeking worldly blessings’.
For this, I’d like to ask for Master’s guidance whether it’s appropriate to reply as such:
“Superficially, we may appear to be seeking worldly blessings but in reality, a lot of the life challenges are a manifestation of karmic obstacles. As such, our priority is to eliminate these karmic obstacles through the Three Golden Buddhist Practices of making vows, performing recitation and releasing captive lives. As we gradually gain an elevation of our state of spirituality, we will be able to see through the reality of things and learn to let go in this Evil World of the Five Turbidities (the world of suffering). It is the compassion of Guan Yin Bodhisattva for us to have such an ingenious method to save sentient beings”.
Answer: All of you must bear this in mind: Life in this world is riddled with pain and suffering. Do you remember what Guan Yin Bodhisattva once said? She is the “saviour of all sufferings and calamities”. Does suffering exist in heaven? What about where Bodhisattva is? There is none whatsoever. Why is it that Bodhisattva is trying to free us from suffering and calamities? Life is bitter and difficult in the human realm and precisely for this reason, Bodhisattva is here to save us – to extricate us from such suffering and calamities so that we can be rest assured and are able to focus on our Buddhist practice and spiritual cultivation.
Hence, a prayer that aims to be liberated from sufferings is in itself a positive prayer. My advice to all of you is to practise Buddhism and at the same time liberate yourselves from suffering. With that, you will definitely be able to ‘abandon sufferings and gain happiness’ one fine day.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting (Q&A Session), Penang, Malaysia, 22 January 2015
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