Peace and Harmony The Six Principles of Harmony: Harmony in sharing the same viewpoints or goals; Harmony in observing the same precepts; Harmony in living together; Harmony in speaking without conflict; Harmony in experiencing the inner peace and happiness; Harmony in sharing benefits equally..
– The Cultivation Guidelines for Pure Land school practitioners
Introduction to Buddhism
Buddhism is an utmost virtuous education taught by the Buddha for the benefit of all beings. Its purpose is to help all beings to awaken from delusions, to recover their true nature, and to leave sufferings behind and achieve true happiness.
Sakyamuni Buddha, founder of Buddhism, was born 2600 years ago in modern-day Nepal as a prince of the Sakya clan. He became a monk in search of the Way that can liberate humankind from the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Having attained perfect enlightenment, he became a Buddha. His teachings are the Dharma, and his noble disciples are the Sangha. The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha form the key notion of Buddhism, known as the Three Jewels, which all Buddhists take refuge in. The Three Jewels embody awakening, correct understanding, and purity, three attributes of true nature that one can recover through cultivating precept observation, meditative concentration, and wisdom. The three stages of enlightenment, namely, arhat, bodhisattva and Buddha can be achieved according to the degrees of cultivation. From arhat onwards, ego-attachment is eradicated so there is no more transmigration in the Six Paths and, thus, no more suffering.
The Pure Land method is a special Buddhist cultivation method in which one attains enlightenment in one lifetime. It requires one to have firm belief in Amitabha Buddha, to recite his name, and to vow to seek rebirth in his Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
