X

00127 One Can't Attain Liberation Through Doing Good and Giving Alms
00127 One Can't Attain Liberation Through Doing Good and Giving Alms
No. 00127
Category / Lecture Tours-Asia
Event date / 1986.10.26
Place / (Formosa/Taiwan) Taipei
Language / Chinese
Translation / Taiwanese
Time (mins) / 1h21m42s
Publication No. / "The Immediate Key of Enlightenment", Chinese version(vol.1)
Download
If you have any questions regarding downloading or website use of EdenRules, please contact us.
Loading the player...
You are welcome to download audio and video files for free of charge
  • Summary

The Tao that we are questing for has no connection with giving alms, being moral or virtuous. We cannot say that they are not connected at all, because a sincere Tao seeker is for sure a very benevolent person.

Originally, we ought to be a good person in this world. Because our parents, friends and neighbors like it when we are good people. If they were happy, we would be happy too, wouldn't we? We can't live in a place full of hatred where everybody is against us, that would be very difficult for us to practice spiritually. Therefore, we do good deeds, and try our best to give alms, keep the precepts and be tolerant; all of these are helpful to our spiritual practice. But these are not enough to just give alms, keep precepts and be tolerant. They are not enough. Because in the Diamond Sutra, it states very clearly that we should practice the Six Perfections - the perfection of giving alms, keeping precepts, being tolerant, practicing diligently, meditation and wisdom. This means it's not enough to merely practice the other five perfections. We must also attain samadi.

 

Highlights
  1. Can we attain the "Tao" if we try to be obedient and good, engage in a lot of social work, do a lot of charity, go worshipping in many places and make offerings to many people and temples?
  2. What is the perfection of charity? How can only this kind of attitude be the real charity?
  3. Does a person’s background have any relations with our sincerity or spiritual level?
  4. Can we practice spiritually or achieve anything if we don't know anything about Buddhism or spiritual practice?
  5. What is meditation? When we meditate, can our mind become peaceful?
  6. When we are connected with this power, not only it would change us from inside, but also take care our outer situations. For example, it would help us if we encounter some difficulties. Why is that?
  7. What is the meaning of "Buddha is in our heart"? It means we should find the Buddha in our heart. So what is "heart"?
  8. What is the similarity between "Buddha nature" talked about by Shakyamuni Buddha and "Heavenly Kingdom" by Jesus Christ?
  9. Shakyamuni Buddha had already warned us, "Believing without really understanding Buddha is slandering Buddha." What does "understanding Buddha" mean?
  10. Many people worship the Buddha, reciting while prostrating, "Nanmo Amitabha Buddha, Nanmo Quan Yin Bodhisattva, Nanmo Shakyamuni Buddha, please give me such and such, please fulfill my wish of such and such." Would Buddha give them what they ask for when people are doing like this?
  11. Somebody asked Jesus Christ, "It's said that you are the king; then where are your kingdom and land?" How did Jesus Christ answer?
  12. Why didn't Shakyamuni Buddha talk to his son like this, "Go back to be a good king and help sentient beings benefit by using the nation's wealth and supreme power; give alms to the poor and take care of the citizens with your wealth"?
  13. What is the origin of the tradition to worship the Buddha? We will acquire a little more blessings by worshipping the Buddha. So, how should we worship to enable us to acquire these blessings?
  14. How can we stay inside the "Tao" no matter what we do?
  15. Does enlightenment makes one feel vibrating overwhelmingly as if he or she is getting an electric shock? Would one know that he or she is already enlightened after enlightened?
  16. What is the difference between enlightenment and attainment of the Tao? How far is enlightenment from attainment of enlightenment? What does epiphany mean?