What is Happiness? By Daisaku Ikeda What is the purpose of life? It is to become happy. Whatever country or society people live in, they all have the same deep desire: to become happy. Yet, there are few ideals as difficult to grasp as that of happiness. In our daily […]
Yearly Archives: 2021
The Chinese celebrates the Seventh Lunar Month as the Hungry Ghost Festival. It’s believed that the Gate of the Netherworld is opened for ghosts, spirits, and the deceased ancestors, to visit the human realm. Therefore, some people pray to transfer good merits to the ancestors but some choose to appease […]
Ksitigarbha Sutra: Sutra of the Fundamental Vows of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva The Ksitigarbha Sutra is a Mahayana teaching about the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Considered as one of the more popular sutras in East Asian Buddhism, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Purvapranidhana Sutra is also known as Sutra of the Fundamental Vows of the Ksitigarbha […]
3 Scriptural Evidence of Why There is No “Creator God” in Buddhism Does a creator “God” exist? Who created “God”? Is there really such a “ loving God” who creates the Universe, controls the destinies of everyone and everything, and condemns those who do not believe in him to […]
Dhammapada: The Story of Thera Sariputta’s Friend While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (108) of this book, with reference to a friend of Thera Sariputta. On one occasion Thera Sariputta asked his friend, a brahmin, whether he was doing any meritorious deeds and he replied that […]
Deciphering the Lotus Sutra: Commentary by Daisaku Ikeda (Chapter 3) Simile and Parable: Compassion and Wisdom Distilled to Their Fragrant Essence #1 The heart of the [Lotus] sutra is compassion, a determination to save all living beings, a profound empathy that feels the sufferings of other living beings as one’s […]
Personal Experience of Buddhist Practice: Meditation Cures Overweight, Varicose Veins, and Ill-Temper By Ning Gang, Singapore Challenges: Overweight, Varicose Veins, Unbalanced Legs, Ill-Temper As an only daughter to my parents and a wife to a doting husband, I was domineering at work and in my personal life. I worked […]
Maudgalyayana Endures the Effects of Past Karma Maudgalyayana, the Buddha’s other chief disciple, and Shariputra’s lifelong friend, met his own end two weeks later. But his death was not as peaceful, even though he too had long since become an arhat. As an arhat, he would never again […]
Buddhist-Muslim Interaction: Historiographical Bias There is a long history of Muslims being regarded by the Christian West as the forces of the devil. This began at the end of the eleventh century CE with the Crusades to take the Holy Lands from the Muslims. It continued with the fall […]
The One Powerful Verse of Resurrection in the Lotus Sutra Many people benefit from the practice of the Lotus Sutra. It doesn’t matter if you chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo or simply embrace the loving-kindness of Avalokitesvara, you will definitely see positive change and transformations in your life. […]