How To Become A Real True Buddha Cultivator
- A Sermon Given On Chinese New Year Day 1993 A Building for True Buddha News
■Book 104 - A Plethora Of Scenic Splendours
■Written by GrandMaster Sheng-yen Lu
I am happy to be able to celebrate this New Year with you. For the past few months, I was rather busy with my propagation. I want to Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong last month; and I just returned home last week. To be able to see all of you is like a lady going back to her mother's home. (applause) I should say returning to my own home. (laughter, applause)
I have good news to announce. I have bought a piece of land at Histone Street in the China Town (applause) for the construction of a building to be named True Buddha News Building. (applause) The first story of which will be an ordinary shop house. The second, an office for True Buddha News. The third, a cultivation place for True Buddha School. The fourth, two units of residence. May be I will migrate to Canada in future. (applause)
When the building is put into use, it will make a stir in the China Town. The building will be as long and as wide as that of Bodhi Lei Tsang Temple, which is two storeys tall. The new building will have four storeys. Surely the new one must be better than the old one. (applause)
I sincerely hope that True Buddha School will prosperous, so that we have to find more cultivation centres to cater for the new disciples. If you like to go to Bodhi Lei Tsang Temple, you may do so. On the other hand, if you prefer True Buddha News building, you may also do so. To each his choice, everybody's wish is fulfilled.
The ritual held in Singapore was a success. More than twenty thousand people took part. (applause) From Singapore I went to Johor Bahru. The indoor stadium in Johor Bahru has a sitting capacity of eight thousand, exactly the number of people who took part in the ritual. Then it was the ritual held at the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur's National stadium. Twenty five thousand people attended. The whole stadium was full. (applause). Thereafter we travelled to Penang's De Jiao Hui, the ritual attracted eight thousand people. Again we flew from Penang to East Malaysia's Sibu. This time five thousand people came to the ritual. Even in Tawau one of the smallest town in Malaysia with only three streets, we have a Lian Hu Lei Tsang Temple there. The ritual had attracted three thousand people. (applause)
The rituals organised by other schools of Buddhism in Penang at most had an attendance of two thousand, in Tawau four to five hundred only.
Therefore the rituals held in Singapore and Malaysia by the True Buddha School have broken all the local records. (applause) Everybody knows that our rituals will surely
attract a full crowds. In future, True Buddha School of Buddhism will play a leading role, (applause) and enter into the main stream. As a buddhist, a disciple of True Buddha School we must do our part, we must not be too complacent and do whatever we like. On the new year day, I want to talk about how to become a real True Buddha cultivator by doing whatever we have to do.
Observing the five precepts
When Shakyamuni Buddha was alive, he treated his disciples mercifully and equally. Initially he did not ask them to observe any precepts. They could do whatever they liked. The laissez faire led to a degenerated cultivation. The fundamental precepts i.e. the five precepts that Shakyamuni Buddha asked all buddhists to observe, had to be formulated as a result.
The first precept is refrain from killing. All sentient beings are equal. We are sentient beings, so are other animals. Therefore we must refrain from killing them.
The second precept is refrain from taking what is not given. We must observe this precept. We can only consider our belongings ours. Things belonging to others should not be considered and taken as ours. Otherwise, there will be a lot of confusion. In fact, the moral concepts have it that we cannot take other's belongings and claim them to be ours. Just thinking of having them, we have in fact invaded other's right.
The third precept is refrain from telling lies. It looks simple but it is difficult to uphold. We must not tell what is not true. The precept had to be formulated because too many monks were telling untruth, half-truth during Shakyamuni's time. He had to do so.
The fourth precept is refrain from sexual misconduct. Human beings are animals of high intelligence that have morality. In fact, only human beings are capable of doing cultivation. Upholding ethics and moral principles are considered a virtue for a cultivator. In other words, we must refrain from any sexual misconduct. If we do not restrain ourselves and have a strong desire to own, then we are the same as animals.
The last precept is refrain from taking intoxicants. Once we take excessive liquor, we will misbehave. If you know how to control yourself like me, it will not be harmful. Otherwise, it is better not to consume liquor. One cup too many, all kinds of trouble will follow. We know if we drink, we should not drive. Some of us may take advantage of a lady after a drink and regret for life. That is why my advice is not to
