Teachings

The 84,000 sutras which exist today were actually written, at that time in history, in the present day, day by day, just as our present-day teaching of Buddha is actually being written today, day by day, until as time goes by, the teachings come together once again to become the 84,000 sutras.

What happens today becomes tomorrow’s history. Today’s negative thoughts, speech, and actions become tomorrow’s negative situations, the history of what we have made today.

Of course, today’s positive thoughts, speech, and actions become tomorrow’s positive history.

It is just like this: Whether we make negative karma or positive karma, we actually make it today. If, because of one’s past negative karma, one makes negative karma again today, when will this negative karma disappear? When will one come out of ignorance?

If one stays on the path of Buddha, remains clear, and does correct actions, then one can eliminate one’s past negative karma, and make good karma today, which will become one’s good virtue for tomorrow.

In the future, today’s teaching will help everyone to come out of ignorance, to find clarity and emancipation, to become correct human beings, and to do many bodhisattva actions. These teachings will lead us to live for others, to do our correct functions and duties as human beings, and to live most meaningful, appreciative lives, so that we can have infinite joyous nirvana, and become great workers for world peace.

Thus, we can adorn this world with true beauty and become true, sincere sons and daughters of Buddha. This important teaching, which is a message from Buddha, will make us most beautiful human beings.

6,086. February 6, 2009.  Lotus Buddhist Monastery
 
One day in China, a student asked his Zen master, “What is the most
exquisite, deepest meaning of Zen Buddhism?”
 
The master answered, “Taoism says, ‘I did not hide anything.’ It is the same
in Zen Buddhism; there is nothing hidden.” The master saw that the student
did not understand what he was talking about, so he told him, “Please come
and take a walk in our garden. Do you smell the fragrance of nature?”
 
The Student answered, “Yes”
The master then said, “See? I am not hiding anything from you.”
The student was dumbfounded.
 
Buddhism, regardless of what kind of Buddhism or denomination, teaches that
in the truth, there is nothing to hide. The only difference is the step that
one chooses to step upon in order to attain one’s realization.
 
All the different forms of Buddhism teach only one thing and that is to
attain the truth. The reason why there are many denominations and different
forms of Buddhism is because of people’s likes and dislikes of certain
practices.
 
Social Buddhism teaches to attain the truth and embraces all different forms
of Buddhism. Under the care of Buddha (which means the absolute, the truth),
Dharma and Sangha, one practices and polishes oneself. One is never
separated from Buddha. In one’s daily life, when one polishes one’s six
senses that are obscured by greed and desires, one lives a true life that is
filled with love and compassion. One eliminates all of one’s ignorance and
lives an Eightfold Path life, so that without even wasting one single
moment, one lives an appreciative life.
 
One never looks back and has great hope for the future. One will then reach
the realm of emancipation, so that life after life, one can attain joyous
nirvana and true happiness. One will live one’s life and be like the sweet,
beautiful fragrance of the lotus flower which has nothing to hide.

What I am teaching you is not new. You heard about it before in either this or a past life. This daily teaching is simply to remind us so that we can be clear and live correctly in this and future lives. Believing this teaching is entirely the decision of the one who reads it. In addition, applying one’s own concept to this teaching is the choice of the reader himself or herself. © Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim