The Benefits of Dharma Centers

The director is like the flower, the geshe is like the honey, the bees are like the students.

My point here is for you to understand what we are doing and what you are helping with. This is so that you can rejoice. It really is unbelievable, incredible, what you are helping with, and this creates so much benefit for the world and for sentient beings. This actually creates the cause to liberate so many beings. This is an incredible opportunity for you to rejoice, and if you rejoice and then dedicate the merits, it is amazing. This is more than anyone can offer, and this creates more karma than anything else.

It’s possible that others have done a lot, but what they have done has been done with a self-cherishing mind, wanting reputation, fame, and praise, but here, what you are doing is not with this mind, so it is incredible. This is really something for you to rejoice in again and again and then dedicate all the merit.

Many people do a lot, but usually their motivation is for worldly benefit, material benefit, or reputation, or they are mainly focused on helping people materially, like food for the poor, etc, which of course is good, but does not alleviate the real cause of suffering, which is negative karma. Here, what you are doing will really benefit so many sentient beings, because what you are doing is supporting building holy objects, Dharma centers, and the FPMT’s projects, which are helping sentient beings to purify their negative karma and create extensive merit. This is the best help and the most important thing to offer sentient beings, because this helps to improve sentient beings’ minds.

At the centers we are teaching the complete path to enlightenment, as Buddha explained, very clearly, as well as the explanation on how to liberate numberless sentient beings, every single sentient being. Even in just one small area of land there can be hundreds of thousands of ants, so you have an idea how many sentient beings there are just in this world alone.

The path of the Buddha has been tested by many great holy beings who have practiced and achieved enlightenment, and their stories are there for others to read and learn how they did it. So, the most important thing to offer is education on how to cease all the sufferings and their causes, which are seeds left in the mind from past negative karma. This is the only way that one can actually be liberated from all the sufferings in samsara and cease all the mistakes of the mind. Mostly, the people who support this are the Sangha. We have many different Sanghas of different nationalities around the world. Of course, there are also lay people who help in many ways, like building holy objects. From these holy objects so many receive benefit, even insects. Once these holy objects have been built and even while they are being built, day and night, they purify so many sentient beings’ negative karma, and in this way these beings are not reborn in the three lower realms. The objects help sentient beings create the cause of enlightenment and to also enlighten all other sentient beings.

Building holy objects and circumambulating them, making offerings, etc, creates merit. This merit comes from virtue/good karma. This is all due to the power of the holy object. Even if one doesn’t have a virtuous mind, due to the power of the holy object, one creates merit.

What you are doing is helping us accomplish limitless skies of benefit for sentient beings and the teachings of Buddha, benefiting sentient beings not just by giving shelter, food, and medicine, etc. Of course, those things are very good, but they are not enough because they don’t purify the past negative karma of this life, nor all past lives’ negative karmas, which have not been purified, and the results of which are still to come, as well as negative karma from numberless past lifetimes from beginningless time, which brings all difficulties, unbelievable sufferings, physical sufferings, and mental sufferings, as well as war, famine, disease, torture, poverty, everything. If one doesn’t purify these things, and one doesn’t purify the mind, then material things alone won’t help, because they don’t transform the mind from anger into loving kindness and compassion, from desire into renunciation, the satisfied, content, free mind, seeking the happiness of future lives, or, more pure than that, seeking liberation from samsara, detachment from samsaric pleasures, and from the self-cherishing thought. It is from this that all obstacles, undesirable things, and sufferings come. It must be transformed into bodhicitta and cherishing others, which is where all happiness comes from, temporal and ultimate happiness, up to enlightenment.

For example, even though many countries try to help Africa, it is still in the same situation, there is still so much killing, stealing, famine, and poverty. It is always the same. There seems to always be poverty and famine, it doesn’t seem to change, even though many countries try to help with money and food. Why doesn’t the situation change? Because they have not changed their minds into virtue from non-virtue, from ignorance into wisdom, seeing how things are empty, how they exist in mere name, merely imputed by the mind, seeing things as a hallucination. Instead, they see them as appearing not to be merely imputed by the mind, but existing from their own side, and do not understand that they are not true. The other countries only provide for the needs of this life and this doesn’t change the mind into the path to happiness, especially great liberation and enlightenment.

By building the Maitreya Buddha statue, we are going to benefit sentient beings not just by giving material support, medicine, food, shelter, and so forth, not just that. The first thing is that all the people who are building the statue, who are directly involved, purify so much negative karma collected from beginningless rebirths. By working on a holy object they collect so much merit, and have the great opportunity to transform their minds into the path and achieve, particularly, guru devotion, renunciation, bodhicitta, emptiness, the realizations of the three principal aspects of the path, and the two stages of tantra, which enable them to achieve enlightenment.

Due to this project, many thousands of poor people in India will get jobs so they can get food for their families and put their children through school. Also, it is a different type of work to building a factory or a building that is used for business offices. This project is so different because of the power of the holy object. Even if the people working on it do not practice Dharma, because of the power of the holy object, then all this work becomes Dharma and virtue, which is the cause of happiness.

It is said in the teachings by Buddha requested by King Salgyal:

However many atoms there are in a statue of a Buddha (in the text it mentions a stupa, but a statue is exactly the same as a stupa), for that many lifetimes the person who is building the statue or stupa will be born as a king in the human realm or the deva realm, and for that many times will he or she create the cause to achieve the perfect concentration of the form and formless realm.

Without perfect concentration (calm abiding), one can’t really develop on the path to liberation, through the paths of accumulation, preparation, insight, meditation, and no more learning. Continually, one can’t cease the delusions, including the seeds of delusions, so one can’t really achieve the cessation of all the sufferings, liberation from samsara, the five Mahayana paths, the ten bhumis, and enlightenment for sentient beings. Without one-pointed concentration, one cannot achieve and complete the tantric realizations, the two stages. If one doesn’t achieve enlightenment, then one can’t do perfect works for numberless sentient beings, numberless hell beings, hungry ghosts, human beings, suras, asuras, and intermediate state beings.

By building holy objects, such as statues, stupas, and scriptures, however many atoms there are in the holy object, then you collect that many causes of perfect concentration. Here we are building a 500-foot Maitreya Buddha statue, so you can imagine how many atoms there are in it. So, you will get all these benefits: a higher rebirth, even as a king in the human or deva realm, and through this you can benefit so many sentient beings.

Now, we are very close to being able to bring the limitless skies of benefit of the teachings of Buddha to sentient beings, to bringing the happiness of the sun shining the Dharma in this world to so many sentient beings, in the east and the west, all the different parts of the world. 

I prostrate with my body, speech, and mind to the Three Jewels who are the object of Refuge for all of us pitiful, suffering, numberless sentient beings.

My dear students, sisters and brothers, and benefactors,
From the bottom of my heart I would like to welcome everyone here for this special event, a great opportunity to create extensive merit, which is the cause of peace, happiness, and success in this life and future lives, liberation, and enlightenment.

I am very sorry I can’t be with you all today, I do apologize, even though it is my wish to be with you all to enjoy this function.

Compassion learned and practiced in your center is the source of all sentient beings’ happiness, because one person’s happiness, peace, and success is a mind without anger, ill will, etc. On top of that it benefits others. As a result of these actions, that person does not receive harm from others in the future, only help. Therefore, this individual has satisfaction and fulfillment and numberless others receive happiness and peace from this person. It is the same for a couple in a relationship – the harmony and success of it comes from the compassion of the individuals. It is the same for the family – the peace, happiness, and success depend on the individuals’ practice of compassion. The country’s and world’s peace also depend on the individuals’ practice of compassion.

This is why our temple is so important. We need this place for training in meditation on compassion. It is also a place to have many holy objects. Making offerings to them is a source of extensive merit, the cause of this and future lives’ happiness, peace, and success.

Look at the situation in Bosnia now, there is so much killing and torture, there is no compassion. The best way to help others is to inspire and educate others in compassion, besides practicing oneself. This helps with similar problems, such as famine, disease, poverty, homelessness, earthquakes, economic difficulties, etc. These all depend on causes and conditions and negative karma. Negative karma can wipe out a whole city in a few minutes! So, we need to educate people on how to purify negative karma and not to create the cause again. This can be done by developing compassion and understanding karma.

Why is there a need for a larger place to listen, reflect, and do meditation practice on the kind, compassionate Buddha's path? One can understand by analyzing how the need for Buddha Dharma is much more important, many billions of times more crucial, than going to the emergency room in the hospital when the heart stops. Why? Because suffering and happiness do not come from outside. They come from the mind.

For example, by following attachment there is only dissatisfaction, discomfort, and unhappiness. The minute one stops following attachment by reflecting on the nature of life, impermanence, and death, immediately there is contentment, satisfaction, peace, and happiness; there is no problem.

Similarly, when somebody is angry with you and harms you, you can see how that person is suffering, completely controlled by anger; how that person has no freedom at all, is completely overwhelmed and possessed by the spirit of anger; how he is creating so much negative karma by giving a lot of harm to you; how he is not only creating so many causes for the heaviest sufferings of the lower realms after this life, but has no peace or happiness even in this life; and how he is making his life unhappy and creating many problems.

If one uses it like this, the harmful action that would usually make the mind angry becomes the cause to develop compassion toward that person. Instead of getting angry, looking at that person as the enemy and harm, that person becomes only the object of your compassion. That person becomes only an object who has to be helped by you.

From these two examples, one can see the way the person thinks of you and behaves doesn't matter. How the person appears to you, the attitude and action, is totally up to your mind, how you interpret, how your mind labels. So what is called “friend” and “enemy” is coming from one's own mind. What is called “harming” and “helping” is coming from one's own mind, and the effects of happiness and unhappiness are coming from one's own mind. It depends on the way you think.

Everything, success and failure in business, wealth and poverty, a long life and short life, good health and bad health, good relationships and bad relationships in the family, all come from the mind, that which is good karma and negative karma. It is the same with liberation (the sorrowless state) and samsara (suffering), enlightenment and hell; all come from the mind.

How do we eliminate the evil mind that is the creator of everyday problems, including hell, and the karma causing suffering, and have only a pure mind producing day-to-day happiness, including enlightenment. That is only through holy Dharma. By developing method and wisdom shown by Buddha, we cease completely the root of all the suffering, delusion, and karma, including the imprints and even the obscurations, and we achieve liberation from samsara and full enlightenment, in order to lead all sentient beings away from all suffering and obscurations and to peerless happiness: enlightenment. The happiness of future lives, of this life, a long life, good health, wealth, and reputation also happen along the way.

Therefore, sentient beings need to learn how to practice listening, reflecting, and meditating on the teachings of Buddha. For that they need a teacher, translator, and all the necessary facilities. So, there is a need for a larger place, with more rooms, so it allows for different Dharma activities and other public services. This would also be the place for the Sangha to live and practice. The more space, the more it can benefit sentient beings. There can be more holy objects and places to make offerings, so it allows sentient beings to create more extensive merit and do more purification.

The particular function of this center is not only presenting philosophical teachings in a clear way, but especially lamrim; to give a deep and clear understanding of lamrim and meditation experience.

There are many enlightened beings and bodhisattvas in your country, but most of the people, even the Buddhists, who spend life studying and reciting one or two sutras, which explain only a small part of the path to enlightenment, have no idea where to begin the path, and how to go about practice, which is the steps of the path to enlightenment. The center can especially help by clearly teaching how to proceed on the gradual path to enlightenment through meditation practices.

The center also has a group which translates Dharma books, both philosophical teachings and teachings that different classes of people can relate to their lives. This way the center benefits Chinese communities all over the world.

Another special feature of the center is having well qualified teachers who know Mahayana teachings, not only sutra but also the tantra taught by Buddha (not Hindu tantra). This is a difference like the sky and earth.

What differentiates Buddha Dharma from other religions in the world is compassion toward every living being, without discrimination of religion, nationality, race, and so forth. A Mahayana Dharma center is the place which provides education on how to develop great compassion toward all living beings, and which causes others to practice and actualize this compassion in their heart.

Compassion never allows harm to be given to others, and besides that is only to benefit others. A Dharma center such as this becomes a very important tool to bring peace in the world, and peace in numberless sentient beings’ minds. So, whatever you are able to contribute benefits not only peace in this world but for all sentient beings. You can see how the Dharma center, which offers these practices and education, is an extremely important need. Therefore, I would say it would be an extremely practical thing to help this Dharma center so all these facilities exist and flourish.

It is said in the Sutra of Essence of Earth, Tenth Wheel:

In the world, comfort, happiness, peace, all those are received from making offering to the rare sublime ones [Triple Gem]. Therefore, those who like to have comfort, happiness, and peace always attempt to make offering to the rare sublime ones.

Generally, all the collections of goodness of samsara and nirvana are the result of having made offering to the Triple Gem. Especially by doing service with the various particular offerings, one receives different benefits individually. Buddha, the fourth guide, whose holy mind is enriched with the ten powers, announced in the Tune of The Brahma Sutra, clarifying karma, that there are ten benefits of making light offerings.

1. One becomes like the light in the world.
2. One achieves the pure flesh eye, and
3. One achieves the devas’ eye.
4. One receives the wisdom of knowing what is virtue and what is non-virtue.
5. One eliminates the darkness of ignorance, the concept of inherent existence.
6. One receives the illumination of wisdom – even while one is in samsara one never experiences darkness.
7. One receives great enjoyment and wealth.
8. One gets reborn in the deva or human realm, and
9. One quickly becomes liberated.
10. One quickly attains enlightenment.
11. Those devas or humans who have accumulated this merit from making one light offering or just a handful of flowers will see the fully enlightened Maitreya Buddha.

Then there are the ten benefits of prostrations to holy objects:

1. A perfect body, golden in color.
2. A beautiful body.
3. A sweet, enchanting voice that others can comprehend.
4. One can be in a public place without being shy.
5. Devas and humans like you.
6. You become very glorified.
7. You achieve a good rebirth.
8. You achieve great wealth.
9. You achieve liberation.
10. You achieve enlightenment.

There are ten benefits of offering flowers to holy objects:

1. You become like a flower (expression of beauty).
2. Your sense of smell does not degenerate.
3. Your body does not smell and always smells scented.
4. You spread the scent of morality in all directions.
5. You become the first among others.
6. You achieve all beautiful objects.
7. You achieve wealth.
8. You have a good rebirth.
9. Liberation is achieved.
10. Enlightenment is achieved.

Incense and other offerings also have many benefits. Even putting one’s hands together in the mudra of prostration (young or old) to the temple and its holy objects, just for one second, achieves eight very important benefits:

1. A perfect body in your next life.
2. Perfect helpers in your next life, fullfilling all your wishes.
3. You are able to live in morality.
4. You have devotion.
5. You have bravery and a courageous heart.
6. You achieve rebirth as a deva or human.
7. You achieve the Arya path, with no death or rebirth.
8. You achieve enlightenment.

From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank all of you for your generosity in actualizing our temple, which is enables all sentient beings to accumulate merit.