Recently, a temple disciple
asked me a question, he said his friend ask him
'You guys are a
Taoist Temple, how come there is Buddhist rituals and also Tibetan
Buddhist rituals during your Animal Liberation activities ?'
Many who are not familiar
with either religion, Taoist and Buddhist will always take a
separatist stand or view. It is like a choosing a political view, its
either you are right or left. Some un- informed Buddhist with 'Divine
Child Syndrome' or what we call 'I am better than thou' attitude will
view that Taoist is lower and Buddhist is higher. Some un-informed
Taoist will have renegade attitude and think that Taoist Deities are
closer and grant our every request more easily.
Both views are mistaken.
Highest Taoist Cultivation is 大罗金仙
Da Luo Jin Xian, a state where you will surpass death and
re-birth, the ability to manipulate your body 5 Elements and
transform it into light and therefore one with the Dao 道.
This stage of cultivation is also known as Full Rainbow Body
in Vajrayana. Which means when the person dies, his (it can be a she
also) body turns into white light and glow of rainbow surrounds him,
after which the physical body dissappear and only clothes and some
parts of nail will remain. It is a manifestation that the cultivator
have reached enlightment.
As you can see, the end goal of
cultivators is the same for Taoism and also Buddhism. To surpass
death and rebirth – samsara. But before we go too far and high up
on our standards we must know how to gather merits to be able reach
it. Without merits, nothing can be accomplished !
Many do not
even know how to differentiate between karma and merit, but they are
quick to jump on others when they see what they think is a mix and
match. Below is my explanation to the Taoist Disciple.
From a Buddhism perspective,
our Taoist Deities are our Protector 护法
in our cultivation in reaching Enlightment, Animal Liberation
is a way for us to gather Merit (公德)or
on a lower level Good Karma (福报).
During our Animal Liberation, we are doing 2 process at 1 go.
1.
Name that have been written on the Biao Wen 表文list
is being burn (submitted) to KDS Deities, to gather good karma for
those people that have join the animal liberation.
2.At the
same time, we chant Namgyalma mantra (Zhun Sheng Fo Mu) on the water
and spray to the animal in hope that they obtain better rebirth in
their next life - that is according to Buddhism - also we chant for
mantras during our circumbulation - is to invite Buddhas and
Boddhisatvas to grant their blessings to those fishes also in hope
that they will obtain better rebirth.
If we just do the Taoist
section, then all of us would only obtain good karma. That is also
presuming you have a good request in your heart - better health, good
relationship, good finance etc. If the person who went for animal
liberation but inside their heart they request for bad luck on their
enemies, sickness on the people they don't like, then in fact they
will obtain a bad karma by requesting such action from Taoist
Deities.
Karma affects everyone and all beings in any
dimension.
Good karma can be use
up. That is why it is consider a lower level good deed.
Our rebirth as human is also
due to the balance of good and bad karma that we have gather in our
many lifetimes in samsara. Changes of our luck also indicates, when
our Good or Bad Karma will ripen. When the good ripen, we experience
as good childhood, high study, good job, loyal spouse enter into a
profitable business. When the bad karma ripens, we experience
sickness, bad living conditions, failure of business, failure of
marriage, Bad children etc.
Good and Bad Karma are constantly
ripening, while we are also constantly creating them whether
consciously or unconsciously. However good karma will not ensure that
your next rebirth will be human or higher realms in samsara such as
Deities etc. Only gathering of merits will ensure that you have a
good rebirth in your next life. Therefore good karma is only very
small compare to merits.
How do we distinguish good karma and
merit? It is in your intention of your action.
1.When you do
something for the benefit of yourself only - meaning better job, more
money in life, successful business - and your intention is to benefit
self - then your are USING UP your good karma.
2. When you do
something good and HOPE that you can become better in your life
situation or obtain something to benefit yourself - then you are
creating only good karma for yourself and it is used up once you see
improvement.
3. When you do something good, without any
thought of self and purely in the hope that others will benefit THEN
ONLY YOU ARE CREATING MERIT.
Why merit? Merit cannot be used
up and it will follow you in your every rebirth until you achieve
enlightment, Merit will constantly produce good karma in your every
rebirth to help you in reaching enlightment. By being in KDS is also
the result of your previous accumulated merit in your past lives to
be able to be here as group to do something useful to benefit
others.
While those new members that
come to temple, we hope that they can create as much good karma as
possible, when they see their life improve then they will start to
accept in karma and merits and gather good merits instead.
While
a person can create many many good karma, and in this lifetime they
experience all the good karma and good conditions in life. However
there is no guarantee their next life will experience the same
comfort.
Can the same action produce either karma or merit?
YES.
For example, when people come to join our animal
liberation - if the intention of the organizer is to gather merit,
even if those people who come and have request to obtain something,
meaning they will only have good karma, it will also turn into merit.
This is because the organization that is doing it is doing it
CORRECTLY, therefore they have a higher benefit.
If KDS is
built up for personal gains or personal intention, then whatever that
is done will only gather good karma and not merits. Because the start
is already due to personal gain.
If KDS is built up based on the
sole purpose to benefit others and more people, then the whole
organization is constantly gathering merits to benefit its
member.
Then the next question is - When you are in the KDS
contributing, are you thinking for the benefit of yourself or in hope
that it can benefit others? Then that will also determine your
presence in KDS is for exchange of good karma or to gather merit.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rest
assured for those who frequent Kam Dong San Temple. I am not half baked
cultivator who are filling in the activity when there is a gap. As a
Taoist, I have the full lineage of 六壬伏英館 up to 五雷教 and also lineage 風火院.
In my sworn oath into Tao Fa 道法, there will be no money requested and
earn on personal basis in performing any Taoist rituals or help. In
Vajrayana, I have kept and keeping full samaya with my teachers and
lamas.
We are only helping you gain more merit in a
single action....that however will depend on your karma and merit to
join us in our activity! 大顯威靈. Om Mani Padme Hung !