In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, What is the meaning of the banging of the wooden paddles before the beginning of the meditation and during walking meditation? What is the purpose of announcing the names of the people who donated the lunch, if charity is supposed to be anonymous? It seems that the Diamond Sutra emphasizes on the importance of selflessness. As a beginner student, what can one do or think to serve as the stepping stone to reach th...
Mar 01, 2020•27 min•Season 3Ep. 32
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, If we do good, or what we think are good, who decides where we go after death? Who is our judge? What are dreams? Should we take them seriously? How can we be reborn if we are "nothing"? And if there's nothing, why do we have to go to Nirvana? Why shouldn't we have a mind from the past? What do we do when we feel fear and anxiety? What is the meaning and purpose of taking the vow of silence? How long should we go...
Feb 29, 2020•33 min•Season 3Ep. 31
How to Meditate – Lecture 23, in English, lectured by Venerable Guan Cheng at the International Buddhist Temple. For more Dharma talks, teachings and lessons, please visit our new website at www.buddhisttemple.ca 英語 – 如何靜坐 - 第23講 - 觀成法師 主講 想看更多師父開示視頻、散文及專題報導等，請瀏覽我們的新網站： www.buddhisttemple.ca
Feb 28, 2020•43 min•Season 2Ep. 23
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions raised by the audience, Why do I have to use two hands to eat (at the temple)? What is the video camera for (during the Q&A session)? How does one assist a friend who is in suffering? For example, when the friend is dying of cancer, or being rejected by others. What do you think of God? If I understand correctly, we must let go of all our desires to find peace. Is love a desire then? If so, how do you let go of it? What do you ...
Feb 27, 2020•34 min•Season 3Ep. 30
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following topics for the audience, The importance of giving and generosity Can Buddhists eat butter or drink milk? Are all objects around me unreal? Are they just illusions in my mind, including other people? What are the 32 Physical Attributes ? Do you have any advice for someone who would like to integrate daily meditations into a busy life? Often I have to travel. My workload changes all the time, and sometimes it consumes me. Why do I have to reci...
Feb 26, 2020•30 min•Season 3Ep. 29
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, After death, what becomes of us? Why are humans put onto the earth? Are you truly happy? Can you please explain the Skandhas (i.e., the Five Aggregates) ? Does Buddha reincarnate as women? What are dreams? Is it another world, or just a subject that we've been thinking about during the day? There are moments in my life that are totally familiar and are repeated - what are they? What is your ultimate goal?...
Feb 25, 2020•36 min•Season 3Ep. 28
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, If there is reincarnation, why do we have more people in the world every year? What are the three poisons (i.e., greediness, hatred, ignorance) ? How can you avoid mental afflictions if someone is continuously and purposely hurting you? You spoke of absolving oneself of the ego, personality and life. How does one resolve the transcendental and the relative? That is, how can one be in the world without an ego?...
Feb 24, 2020•16 min•Season 3Ep. 27
In this episode, the Venerable introduced the following topics to a volunteer group visiting the Temple, Why is it important to leave the cycle of reincarnation? What are the six realms of existence according to Buddhism cosmology? What should we do to build up wholesome Karma, so that we can reincarnate into the wholesome realms?
Feb 23, 2020•30 min•Season 3Ep. 26
In this episode, the Venerable answered the following questions raised by the audience, Introducing the the book Ten Thousand Miles Without A Cloud. How early should a child be taught Buddhism? How best to introduce the teaching and practice? What does the activity of releasing sea lives encompass? What does not to kill mean? The Diamond Sutra said, "there is no object to be obtained" , does it mean the whole world is an illusion?...
Feb 22, 2020•28 min•Season 3Ep. 25
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, Why do men and women sit separately in the meditation and eating areas? What is the profound meaning of Emptiness? In your case, what do you do to break the ice of anger? How can you see the emptiness of anger? When I feel my anger, it controls me.
Feb 21, 2020•34 min•Season 3Ep. 24
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, What should we expect during the upcoming three-day retreat? A lot of paradoxes exist in Buddhism, so there are also lots of questions and yet no answers. I would like to thank you for your teaching and for such a wonderful opportunity to hear the Dharma and experience some aspects of the temple life. Would it not be better to reincarnate into a life of suffering, in order to realize the true nature of Samsara? W...
Feb 20, 2020•32 min•Season 3Ep. 23
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, Is it true that the Buddha and his disciples were not vegetarian. They had to ask for food on alms round and therefore had to eat anything that was given. Some gave meat and non-vegetarian food into their bowls. If you are trying to explain Buddhism to someone, but he is reluctant, what should you do? Do you persist or stop? What is the Buddha of Medicine Ceremony ? I'm not as wise as Subhuti, and even though I'v...
Feb 19, 2020•30 min•Season 3Ep. 22
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, What is the Venerable's opinion regarding chanting Mantras while doing exercise such as walking on the treadmill or cycling a stationary bicycle? Why do we pray or say prayers? Is seeking Enlightenment being selfish? Along with daily meditation, what Sutras or prayers would be beneficial to practice daily to cultivate one's wisdom? Then the Venerable shared his recent experience participating in a Light Opening c...
Feb 18, 2020•24 min•Season 3Ep. 21
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, In The Sutra of the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings , it is written that “We vow to bear the burden of countless sufferings on behalf of all sentient beings.” How do we do this? Some religions do not allow the dead to be cremated. They believe that the spirit gets burned up. Does it matter once the death has occurred if the body is cremated or buried? I'd like to volunteer as a tour guide next summer as th...
Feb 17, 2020•32 min•Season 3Ep. 20
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, Did Buddha discover that there were so many levels of the human existence on this earth? Did Buddha write all the Sutras? Or did his disciples write them? If so, were they accurately recorded? The deluded thoughts of our parents that bring us to this world - are they good or bad thoughts? They give rise to our reincarnation, but also give us the chance to practice for Enlightenment. How does a person know that he...
Feb 16, 2020•28 min•Season 3Ep. 19
How to Meditate – Lecture 22, in English, lectured by Venerable Guan Cheng at the International Buddhist Temple. For more Dharma talks, teachings and lessons, please visit our new website at www.buddhisttemple.ca 英語 – 如何靜坐 - 第22講 - 觀成法師 主講 想看更多師父開示視頻、散文及專題報導等，請瀏覽我們的新網站： www.buddhisttemple.ca
Feb 15, 2020•48 min•Season 2Ep. 22
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, Can we trust politicians in the world? Why are onions and garlic not used in the cooking in Buddhism? Are people that are in war-zone countries or others that suffered from terminal illness already in Hell realm? Or, are they where they are due to past Karma? What should I do if my spouse is not on the spiritual path with me? Can females become monks or abbots? Do monks and nuns usually find enlightenment?...
Feb 14, 2020•28 min•Season 3Ep. 18
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, What do we come to the temple for? How to connect properly with the Thousand-hand Bodhisattva ? How can Buddhism affect and help to heal the lives of homeless people?
Feb 14, 2020•13 min•Season 3Ep. 17
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, Does Karma of our parents affect our own Karma? Or are we the only one that's responsible for our Karma? Has anyone got the Six Powers ? Who are they? This was on the news. A mother in Hong Kong has two daughters, aged 18 and 22. She is a very protective mother and loves her daughters very much. One day, the 22 year-old didn't come home for a night, and they got into an argument the day later. The mother was so m...
Feb 14, 2020•31 min•Season 3Ep. 16
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions, Even though, we work to know ourselves through meditation, what about losing oneself in a group or through dancing? Losing yourself in music or a group of people can also bring bliss. Is this bliss different from that from meditation? We spend our lives acquiring knowledge. It seems ironic that knowledge would cause us trouble, and how we have to let it go to achieve Nirvana. It appears that a simpleton has an upper hand in achiev...
Feb 10, 2020•41 min•Season 3Ep. 15
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, I read in the newspaper that there was a Buddhist monk who meditated for his whole life, and he in turn emptied out all his emotions. However, because of his meditation, he no longer feels anything for his mother who he used to be very close to. Both he and his mother were very depressed, thus he monk chose to see a psychiatrist. Upon researching, the psychiatrist concluded that meditation is both beneficial and ...
Feb 10, 2020•28 min•Season 3Ep. 14
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions from the audience, How do we know if reincarnation exists? Are concepts like reincarnation and Karma similar to Heaven and Hell in Christianity as moral guidance? Can you explain the difference between Pure Land and Nirvana? Can you please explain the meaning of "Om Mani Padme Hum" ? Is it possible for beings in the animal realm to go up to Nirvana? Or must they go to the human realm first? What kind of help can you get from Buddha...
Feb 10, 2020•35 min•Season 3Ep. 13
The following questions were addressed in this episode by the Venerable, I read in the book you handed out a few weeks ago, that the Buddha Conservation Sutra has stated that a student of Buddhism should not start to learn Mahayana Buddhism without learning Theravada Buddhism. What do you think? Besides the Ego, what else is reincarnated with us? Is Ego our essence and identity? Venerable, you are teaching us concepts like non-ego, non-passion, but when we go outside to the world, we have to fac...
Feb 08, 2020•30 min•Season 3Ep. 12
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions raised from the audience, Can you explain what the Bodhisattva's precepts are? How does Buddhism explain the origin of life? In other religions, they explain God created all humans and living things. When we talk about ten kinds of wrongdoing, three with the body, four with the speech, and three with the mind, we mention frivolous speech. What is this? And how does it generate bad Karma? What is the difference between a Sutra and a...
Feb 08, 2020•36 min•Season 3Ep. 11
The Venerable addressed the following thoughts raised by the audience, My daughter is suffering from ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), and the doctor told her that the day will come that she will be trapped in her own body. As parents, we've found out that she has asked her doctor if he will assist her with euthanasia. He refused. What can we do to talk her out of it? And how can we find out why we have all this suffering? Speaking of sacrifices and the practice of charity, what is Buddhism's...
Feb 08, 2020•33 min•Season 3Ep. 10
How to Meditate – Lecture 21, in English, lectured by Venerable Guan Cheng at the International Buddhist Temple. F or more Dharma talks, teachings and lessons, please visit our new website at www.buddhisttemple.ca 英語 – 如何靜坐 - 第21講 - 觀成法師 主講 想看更多師父開示視頻、散文及專題報導等，請瀏覽我們的新網站： www.buddhisttemple.ca
Feb 07, 2020•43 min•Season 2Ep. 21
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions raised by the audience: In our efforts to let go our ego and leave our self-centredness behind, do we risk losing also the good aspects of ourselves, such as our morals that have been firmly rooted in our ego, self, and personality through our upbringing? I want to achieve the wisdom of the Third Eye like Subhudi did. What is the Third Eye ? How many lifetimes will this take me? What's the meaning of the very last stanza of the Mea...
Feb 07, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 9
In this episode, the Venerable addressed the following questions raised by the audience: What is the difference between wisdom and intelligence? If nothing is real, then why should we still pay respect to Buddha's lectures? Does all Karma cause us to reincarnate, including good Karma? If we perform good deeds but without attachments, can we avoid accumulating Karma? Is intention important when giving, or is that just Ego attaching to expectations? Buddhism teaches people not to tell lies; does t...
Feb 06, 2020•29 min•Season 3Ep. 8
The Venerable addressed the following questions raised by the audience in this episode: Is there any beginner's guide to the school of the study of the consciousness? Please explain non-conceptualization. It is difficult for ordinary people to achieve the purity of the six senses. But the 6th patriarch Dharma master of the Chinese Zen (Hui-Neng) said, " You already have that Buddha-nature in you, just go and become a Buddha. " Why is that? The Buddha said that all things are impermanent. Is Enli...
Feb 06, 2020•39 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this episode, the Venerable explained the disintegration of the human body and consciousness at the time of death, and the Buddhist view towards birthmarks and reincarnation. He further illustrated the definition and characteristics of Emptiness (i.e., Śūnyatā), and the Buddha's view towards impermanence. Finally, he answered the questions of how one should start about making positive impacts to the world, as well as ways of handling sleepiness during meditation.
Feb 04, 2020•36 min•Season 3Ep. 5
