I have registered

As a life-long student that is, in the Buddhist school of inner peace, of serenity of thought, of compassion, of giving, of letting go, and of spiritual enlightenment, by undergoing the Taking of the Three Refuges ceremony.

Hitherto I was auditing the Buddhist course so to speak, driving Wify to various venues of Dharma sessions, and mostly listening in along the way. Then on January 9, 2010, I took the leap, at the behest of Wify's persistent cajoling, wanting me to walk the life-long path with her in search of Buddhist wisdom and to practice compassion.

And the occasion was the Dharma session on the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch organized by Sister Conchita Hsu and delivered by Venerable Jian Zong whom we have met on several previous occasions (here and here) and who is presently the Abbott of the Chung Tai Zen Center of Houston. The venue, the University Inn on East Colonial Dr, Orlando, one which we too have frequented on several prior occasions. The hall was lined with Buddhist verses that conferred an ambience of serenity, engulfing the attendees in a sea of tranquility.

Buddhist verses on the walls adding to the aura of Dharma bliss, thanks to the Chinese calligraphy and artwork of Sister Wendy, a reporter with the World Journal based in Orlando who also did a news report here, including a group photo.

It was a 2-day session, and we drove on both days to the venue from Tampa. In addition to the Dharma talks, Venerable Jian Zong also conducted meditation classes to calm the body, and more importantly, the mind. We also participated in an introductory Tai-Chi class taught by Venerable Jian Tsan.

Finishing up the 2-day Dharma event was the Taking the Three Refuges ceremony during which the disciples vowed to follow the Three Jewels (or Triple Gem) of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha (monastic order). We underwent the entire ceremony, simple and yet solemn, under the watchful guidance of Venerable Jian Zong, who presided on behalf of Venerable Grand Monk Wei Chueh, the founder of the Chung Tai Chan Monastry. At the end of the ceremony, each of us received a certificate of the three refuges, granting each of us a unique Dharma name. The literal English translation of mine is propagating acumen, or foresight. I'm indeed honored by the bestowal and will strive to live up to it.

The great vows that we as Buddhist disciples profess during the Taking the Three Refuges ceremony.

The certificate received by the Buddhist disciples at the end of the ceremony, to go along with the bracelet of wooden beads that now fits snugly on my left wrist.

What's next for a kindergarten student like me? Taking the Five Precepts in the not too distant future. Right now though, the immediate task is to actualize the Buddhist teachings as embodied in the Taking the Refuge in the Three Jewels.

Venerable Master Jian Zong explaining the difference between sudden and gradual enlightenment as exemplified by the famous Buddhist verses put forth by the Sixth Patriarch, Master Hui Neng, and Venerable Shen Xiu, with Venerable Jian Tsan providing the Chinese text as needed.

A group photo of the Tampa entourage with Venerable Master Jian Zong taken by Venerable Jian Tsan.

Spritual Renaissance

Domestic Violence. Wife battery. Those were the initial thoughts occupying Venerable Chang-Hwa's mind one day when she was attending to a lady devotee who seemed visibly shaken at the Buddhist Temple she was stationed, not long after her ordainment as a Buddhist nun under the late Venerable Grand Master Sheng Yen. “What did Shi Fu teach us under this circumstance?”

She continued to stall for time while churning her mind trying to look for an appropriate response. Meanwhile, she learned that their children knew about the incident as well. "That's not good," she reasoned.

Then the question followed naturally. “Why did he hit you?”

“Well, he likes to donate to orphanages and welfare homes. And I always nag him as it's like throwing away good money.”

“Huh?”. And after a palpable sigh of relief, Venerable Chang-Hwa was in her elements. “Do you know what great blessings your husband have accrued by giving to others? It's a tremendous act of kindness that should invite praise, not criticism. You're indeed blessed to have him as your husband whom you should cherish.”

After a brief moment of bewilderment, the woman's face beamed. That's how a change of perspective can tip the emotional balance from utter outrage to gratitude.

The above anecdote is just one of many that Venerable Chang-Hwa shared with us on Jan 24, 2010 in Clearwater, a Dharma session organized by Brother Peter and Sister Nancy Kau on behalf of the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association (DDMBA).

Entitled the Art of Letting Go, Venerable Chang-Hwa, who is the Director of the New York Ch'an Meditation, led the attendees through the various pathways toward cultivating inner peace and leading a life that is devoid of cravings, but instead, one filled with compassion and rich with giving that are enshrined in the Living Proposition for the 21th Century as encapsulated in the 5/4 movement of the Mind, a thoughtful legacy from the late Grand Master Sheng Yen who has worked tirelessly to inject tranquility into the daily hustle and bustle of the masses through Buddhist practice and meditation. (The image of the Late Grand Master on the right is taken from the newsletter of the Malaysian Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhism Information Center.

The 5 refers to the five realms, and the 4, virtuous pathways under each of the realms. Captioned as the Spiritual Renaissance, the 5/4 Movement of the Mind has its roots in protecting the four environments (Spiritual, Living, Natural, and Social) that the late Master Sheng Yen first advocated in 1992. The bilingual version of the essence of the 5/4 Movement of the Mind appears below, courtesy of Wify's Chinese calligraphy based on the handouts and the DDMBA website for the English translation:


Fivefold Spiritual Renaissance - A Proposition for Living in the 21st Century

The Four Fields for Cultivating Peace

To uplift the character of humanity, we propose to cultivate:

* Peaceful Mind through being content and having few desires.
* Peaceful Body through diligence and a simple life.
* Peaceful Family through love and respect for each other.
* Peaceful Conduct through peaceful thoughts, words, and actions.

The Four Guidelines for Dealing with Desires

A proposal for calming minds:

* Our needs are few.
* Our desires are many.
* Pursue only what we can and should acquire.
* Never pursue what we can’t and shouldn’t acquire.

The Four Steps for Handling a Problem

A proposal for resolving difficulties in life:

* Face it: Face the problem, do not deny its existence.
* Accept it: Accept the reality; everything happens for a reason.
* Handle it: Take care of things with wisdom, and take care of people with compassion.
* Let it go: Make best efforts to resolve the matter, regardless of its outcome

The Four Practices for Helping Oneself and Others

A proposal for getting along with others:

* Be grateful for favorable and adverse situations that nurture our growth.
* Be thankful for opportunities to offer ourselves to others.
* Be reflective on improving ourselves through meditation, contrition and beginning anew.
* Be inspiring to others through our behavior.

The Four Ways to Cultivate Blessings

A proposal for increasing blessings:

* Recognize our blessings: be content and happy.
* Cherish our blessings: treasure what we have and repay the kindness that we have received.
* Nurture our blessings: share with others and give to those in need.
* Sow the seeds of our blessings: benefit all people with the growth of wisdom and compassion.

They are self-explanatory. The hard part is to embrace them in our daily life, making ourselves the living proof of the spiritual renaissance, one day at a time.

Sister Nancy Kau introducing the Dharma teacher of the Day, Venerable Chang-Hwa.

Venerable Chang-Hwa engagingly answering a question from the floor.

The attentive audience.

A group photo, courtesy of Brother Peter Kau.

From Releasing Life to Following a Vegetarian Diet: A multitide of goodness

The two pillars of Buddhist teachings are compassion and equality. And to attain a compassionate and non-discriminating mind, one must refrain from killing, help all living beings, and maintain a vegetarian diet. A compassionate mind is a Buddha mind that augments blessings and cultivates virtuous conditions. (The image to the right, the work of Wify, may seem familiar after a while).

Releasing animal life from captivity is more than a symbolic activity. It evokes both a sense of equality and compassion in line with Buddhist teachings. After a hiatus of considerable length of time, Wify participated in a Release Life activity organized by Sister Yu Huei held yesterday at Ben T. Davis Beach as chronicled in the images that follow. Unlike the Releasing Life activity that may seem to have only local impacts, following a vegetarian diet has proven to bestow a multitude of goodness, both local and global, as eloquently summarized in a Chinese article that appears in the January 2009 issue (No. 118) of Chung Tai Shan Magazine (pg. 7, see image to the left). The following is my adaptation of the above article, focusing on the gist and message rather than a verbatim translation. It goes without saying that any shortfall or erroneous interpretation is all mine, and mine alone.

From the Buddhist world view, all sentient beings are our past relatives. Therefore, premised on the principles of causality/conditional origination and compassion, not consuming meat is being merciful. And the aim of being a vegetarian is to promote compassion. Once the mind of compassion is entrenched in each of us, society strife will diminish, and by extension, international conflict will reduce, thereby auguring well for the vision of world peace.

Anthropogenic contribution to global warming-induced climate change, with profound potential consequences on the sustainability of Planet Earth as we know it, has been increasingly recognized as needing redressal. One key measure is to reduce the carbon footprint of all human activities.

In this regard, it has been estimated that adopting a vegetarian diet helps to reduce the per capita carbon dioxide emission to the tune of 4.1 kg per day, or 1.5 tonne per annum. Animal feeds require both capital and energy to produce. For example, it has been estimated that to produce one pound of beef requires the consumption of 16 pounds of cereals, enough to feed 16 persons per day.

Therefore, the best way to reduce our carbon footprint is to be on the vegetarian diet, better even than owning a hybrid car. Becoming vegetarians to combat global warming and promoting energy conservation to reduce carbon footprint have emerged as a virtuous life style that one can assume to protect Earth.

Protecting Earth amounts to protecting all sentient beings, ensuring each and every one of us a rightful place in peaceful coexistence. In addition to religious precepts, the upsurge in the number of vegetarians world-wide is also driven by the medical evidence of health benefits associated with being vegetarian. Apart from lowering cholesterol and fat, hence curtailing the incidence of cardiac and pulmonary diseases, maintaining a vegetarian diet can potentially reduce cancer of the gastro-intestinal tract due to the high fiber content of a vegetarian diet. At the same time, adopting a vegetarian diet helps promote mental clarity, instill a balanced disposition, strengthen the body's immunity and recovery system, and improve the overall wellbeing.

Maintaining a vegetarian diet cleanses the digestive system, the home, and the mind. From the quality of health, of environmental protection, the benefits of following a vegetarian diet extends to the quality of a compassionate mind, a truly self-beneficial trait that benefits others as well.

Perching comes naturally to all birds, taking a breather from flight. All fixed, or floating for that matter, objects are game as shown in this mosaic, including the double arch of McDonald and navigation aid on the sea.

The bait shop located just after the Howard Frankland Bridge (I-275), spotting a rather unique sign post with ropes wrap-around with a buttressed bottom, and what resembles a juke box in the front (actually it's just a concrete monolith nicely painted to be a King of the Rock lookalike).

The participants chanting the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra in turn at Ben T. Davis Beach. There are more images of the two on-lookers perching at the water's edge.

Wify (in the picture) and Sister Yu Huei preparing to empty the pails of prawns and juvenile fish into the Bay, signalling the completion of the Release Life activitiy.

And the participants of the compassion-induced activity posing for a group picture, filled with bliss on a blessed morning.

Various stages of flight caught on film, their capture more of a matter of luck than anything else.

Another fortuitous shot, the camera trained at the right place and at the right time featuring a swooping bird just after a strike, the bounty firmly clamped by its beak.

One of the two on-lookers, the dark-colored bird, perched with wings spread, supposedly to dry its plummage. It maintained this seemingly meditative posture throughout the whole time we were there, only cranking its rubberized neck in different directions, hardly moving an inch even while the feeding frenzy (see second image below) was going on in its vicinity, truely being mindful and oblivious to the environment as exemplified by the perfect stillness evoked in the middle image of the bottom panel with nary a ripple even on the water surface that features a perfect reflection.

A mosaic of less than perfect reflection, both while in flight and while standing motionless, that features the remaining on-looker (bottom panel).

The before and after scenes of a feast: the frenzy stirred up by the widely strewn bread crumbs (top), and the contentment (bottom).

A lone bird missing out on the human-assisted feeding, cutting a forlorn figure in the endless quest for sustenance.

A memorable event at the Memorial Service for the Late Master Sheng Yen

Last Sunday, we sped along I-4 in the afternoon, hovering tantalizingly close around the speed limit. A minivan load of seven, me at the helm, was then making its way to Orlando to attend the memorial service for the late Master Sheng Yen. In my rush, I turned into the opposite lane at 408, necessitating a detour and a U-turn to head back to the correct direction, arriving at our destination, the University Inn along E Colonial Drive, late by about ten minutes.

Then I parked at the wrong lot, one owned by a neighboring eatery, and had to move the car to the designated lot while Wify and her entourage made a beeline into the venue first. When I joined the back of the hall several minutes later, the service had already started, the august hall filled with the mind calming chanting of Heart Sutra. Palms joined and eyes closed, I joined the congregation. This was followed by the repeated recitation of Buddha's name, Namo Amitabha, which I participated by silent intonation.

Next up was the slide presentation on the various snapshots of the life of the Master Sheng Yen, right from the time when he was a schoolboy back in China, covering his academic sojourn in Japan and his ascension as a world renowned religious leader, sharing the world stage with many other prominent personalities of the faith such as His Holiness Damai Lama, and standing at the podium of the United Nations addressing the world's heads of government on the issue of world peace and harmony. I recall one anecdote in which his Master admonished him to be a Buddhist teacher, but not a Buddhist scholar.

The simple but solemn memorial service, as Master Sheng Yen would have wanted, concluded with an open session for any attendee who wished to make remarks/observations of the occasion. Amidst several lay followers of Master Sheng Yen who recounted their personal interactions with their beloved Master, two representatives from Orlando-based Buddhist Organizations, Fo Guang Shan and Tzu Chi, also took their turn to express their condolences. It was indeed a heart-warming moment to witness this denomination-transcending participation that augurs well for the continuing flourishing of Buddhism in the area.

The hallmark of simplicity, dignity, and solemnness that announces the purpose of the event.


A composite of some of Master Sheng Yen's sayings on display.

The table-full of publications of Master Sheng Yen dedicated to his immense contribution to Buddhist literature (above and below).



The slide presentation on the life of Master Sheng Yen in progress.


A group photo of the attendees.

Learning at a Tzu Chi Training Camp

We have participated in several local donation drives organized by the Orlando Chapter of Tzu Chi Organization, a world-wide Buddhist Compassion Relief headquartered in Taiwan, in the past years, as well as their roving tea gatherings in the homes of Tampa-based Tzu Chi volunteers. But this is our very first trip to their training camp focusing on the responsibilities and duties of Tzu Chi volunteers, and the conduct becoming and befitting of representatives of Tzu Chi in consonance with the teachings of Buddha. And that took place at the home of Brother Yang, who would later become Wify's teacher in Chinese calligraphy, on Nov 15, 2008.

Starting at 10am, it was to be an intensive 5-hour session till 3pm, under the able guidance and lucid delivery by the Orlando team headed by Brother James Huang. Using powerpoint presentation interspersed with videos and lively demonstrations, the team did a fabulous job of getting into the essence of what being a Tzu Chi Volunteer entails, subscribing indeed to a noble standard of moral conduct that is above reproach even from the standpoint of the most stringent critic, leaving no room for mis-interpretation. I had originally intended to write an account of the proceedings by referring to the snapshots of various slides that I had taken in sequence but thought that it might turn out to be wordy and dry. More important, I might have misconstrued the thoughts and intents of the dispensations in my zeal to translate verbatim. Therefore, I have decided to resort to a pictorial account instead, replete with the actual slides but with my English translations that I feel would transmit the gist of the messages by and exhortations from Master Cheng Yen, the founder of Tzu Chi. Hopefully, the clarion call encapsulated therein to help the suffering masses will motivate each one of us to join their rank, not necessarily as part of Tzu Chi, if we are not already enamored to doing so.

Meticulous preparation is the key to a successful training camp: complete presentation materials, functional computer equipment, appropriate venue lighting, friendly seating arrangement, and smooth delivery.

Neatly arranged reading materials, all are reflective of how an organization is perceived.

Brother James Huang started the ball rolling, under the watchful and yet benevolent gaze of Master Cheng Yen, not forgetting the session recording using both still photography and video taping for archiving and continuity.

Brother James Huang setting the tone by outlining the schedule of the day, covering the sequence methodologically.

A captivated audience, eager to partake of the Tzu Chi experience.


One of the many astute observations by Master Cheng Yen, going straight to the core of society's malaise, contributed in no small part by the sensationalized, while multi-faceted, reporting in the mass media, leading to the decay of cultural values and the erosion of moral standards such as the blind obsession of today's youth with hedonistic trends (hair coloring, body tatoos, etc.), ultimately resulting in a depraved lifestyle shorn of self-respect and moral character. Once the crux of the problem is identified and conditions arising discerned, Tzu Chi has developed a comprehensive suite of spiritual goals encompassing the Four Great Missions and Eight Great Footprints, Breathing in Unison with Earth/Discipling Oneself/Reviving Morality to reclaim the innate humanism in us.

Tzu Chi is action-oriented, steeped in the belief that actualizing Buddhist teachings in life is paramount to learning and discoursing on the precepts. Sutras are a way to attaining enlightenment and revealing one's Buddha Nature, and the way must be trekked, even trudged, which implies putting precepts into practice, diligently. Dharma is everywhere, therefore seeking Dharma away from our world is wishful thinking, an exercise in futility. Pureland is on Earth, so is Hell. And Tzu Chi manifests Buddhism amidst our society.

Attachment is our bane. So let go when we have given, only leaving behind the experience, the way, and gratitude, respect, and love to cherish.

It's better to respect the sanctity of life than to release life occsionally. Genuine holistic deliverance is one that bridges through all space and time, and over the schism between us to deliver us from suffering. The best holistic deliverance is exemplified through self love, humility, gratitude, and giving.

Tzu Chi promotes Disciplined Food Abstinence, and reveres life. At the same time, Master Cheng Yen admonishes all to persevere tirelessly and relentlessly. And in the smaller prints below: Being on a vegetarian diet is food abstince only, appropriate consumption is discipline. Therefore, we have to both follow a vegetarian diet and avoid consuming excessively.

This elaboration on Buddhist greetings and their parallel with western practice is self explanatory.

Do not relax in abiding by the ten precepts of Tzu Chi (No killing; No stealing; No sexual misconduct; No lying; No intoxicants; Obey traffic rules; No politics; Be gentle in speech and behavior; Respect your parents; and No gambling or speculations), nor indulge in image transgression. The innate beauty of Tzu Chi hinges on individuals meshing on personal conduct. May we endeavor to uphold the shared reputation of Tzu Chi. [Later, it was clarified that Tzu Chi volunteers should take heed of political developments, but not to participate in political affairs.]

Singing praise on Master Cheng Yen through hand signaling for being an exemplar and icon of delivering the humanity from suffering through Tzu Chi's action-oriented Buddhist Compassionate Relief. A translation of the lyrics appears below.

Delivering the Humanity
Your gait is like white cloud streaming across the azure sky; and your footprint, water encircling the green mountains; Sometimes concealed and sometimes manifest; sometimes near and sometimes distant; Criss-crossing with compassion and loving kindness, indefatigably delivering the humanity from suffering.

Your gait is like white cloud streaming across the azure sky; and your footprint, water encircling the green mountains; The epitome of modesty, the exemplar of ordinariness; Practicing Dharma mindfully, and doing virtuous deeds unwaveringly; Criss-crossing with compassion and loving kindness, indefatigably delivering the humanity from suffering.

Now, what did I take home with me? Yes, I'm sure most of us are ennobled by these "ideals", which seem unattainable. They are put in quotation marks here to denote in the sense that they seem out-of-step with the rat race careening toward us at such great momentum that we hardly have time to be good samaritans, defenders of the public good and role models all rolled into one. Or the world is not in short supply of such angel guardians. Let them save the world while we cling on to every aspect of our materialistic world. However, at the same time, I believe we are born with goodness in us. We may be momentarily waylaid by the amenities of earthly attachments, but given time and exposure, we will come to our senses and start on the worthy cause in our own small way, one step at a time. As Edmund Burke put it poignantly (or others may have paraphrased him), "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." In my mind, the same goes with something as simple (but no less onerous) as helping fellow human beings in need.

The 19th Dharma Session of MWBA (Oct 18, 2008): The Buddhist View on Ghosts

The notion of ghosts has always been around in most cultures. While ghosts may be scary to kids, and make for excellent cautionary tales for the young, they are the subject of celebration too. For example, Halloween is a popular day of festivity in US while the Chinese have their own version of the Ghost Festival. In some religions, ghosts are not sacrilegious, but may have a different moniker when referenced. Such is the case in Buddhism, and to make the nexus between the Chinese society, particularly the Buddhist worldview, and the West, using Halloween as a proxy, as regards the ambivalence that ghosts are regarded in each was Venerable Chueh Fan from Guang Ming Temple, Orlando during the 19th Dharma Session of Middle Way Buddhist Association on October, 15, 2008 at its Pinellas Park venue.

While Halloween, a largely secular celebration started as a Celtic tradition and brought into US by Irish immigrants, falls on October 31, the Chinese Ghost Festival occurs on the 15th day of the lunar month of July. In Buddhism, it's referred to as the Festival of Ullambana as cited in the Ullambana Sutra, a Mahayana sutra consisting of a brief discourse given by Gautama Buddha principally to his disciple, Maudgalyāyana, on the practice of filial piety. In a nutshell, the Buddha instructed “Mahāmaudgalyāyana on how to obtain liberation for his mother, who had been reborn into a lower realm, by making food offerings to the sangha on the fifteenth day of the seventh month”. On this day, the Sangha community would emerge from the forest after three months of Summer retreat coinciding with the Monsoon season to celebrate the completion of their meditation and report their progress to the Buddha. Thus, the day is viewed as Buddha's Joyful Day as the incidence of attaining enlightenment among the Sangha community during the retreat was high.

While originated in India, the Ullambana Festival inevitably assumes an overtone of Chinese culture as practiced by Chinese.

In Buddhist cosmology, there are six realms into which rebirth can take place: the three higher realms of Devas/Heavenly Beings, Human and Asura, and the three lower realms of Animal, Hungry Ghost, and Hell, an occurrence dictated by karma.

Venerable Chueh Fan regaled the attendees with ghost stories gleaned from the Buddhist sutras.

Through a slide presentation, Venerable Chueh Fan elaborated on the traits of each realm as follows:

Devas/Heavenly Beings
Populated by godlike beings who enjoy great power, wealth and long life, and live in splendor and happiness. These privileges and their exalted status blind them to the suffering of others. Thus, despite their longevity, they still grow old and die, and suffer from the lack of wisdom and compassion. Eventually, they will be reborn into another of the six realms.

Human
the only realm from which beings may escape from samsara, the cycle of rebirth. While enlightenment is within reach, only few open their eyes and recognize the potential. Rebirth into this realm is conditioned by passion, doubt, and desire.

Asura
These are strong and powerful beings, marked by their fierce envy, and are sometimes depicted as the enemies of the Devas. Hatred and jealousy would jettison a being into this realm.

Animal
Typified by prejudice, complacency, and lack of wisdom. They live sheltered lives, and avoid discomfort of anything unfamiliar. Rebirth into this realm is conditioned by ignorance.

Hungry Ghosts
Characterized by having huge, empty stomach, pinhole mouth, and thin and fragile throat. They always look outside themselves for the new thing that will satisfy the craving within. The realm is associated with insatiable hunger, addiction, obsession, and compulsion.

Hell
This is the most terrible of the six realms where inhabitants have a short fuse, easily angered. They drive away anyone who shows them love and kindness, and seek out the company of fellow hell beings. Unchecked anger and aggression can cause rebirth into the hell realm.

Venerable Chueh Fan then posed three questions for us to ponder, and briefly answered them as well:

Does everyone turn into ghost after death?
This is not taught by the Buddha, even though it is recognized as one of the realms. In short, karma is that which causes people to be ghosts.

Are our acts (karma) related to which realm we are reborn?
Yes, and the traits that preferentially condition rebirth into a particular realm are laid out above. As detailed in the Buddhist Karmic Rewards Sutra, these undesirable traits include:

The body has committed evil (Act Evil)
The mouth has committed evil (Speak Evil)
The mind has committed evil (Think Evil)
Greed
Covetousness
Fawning and Jealousy
Perverse ideas
Attachment and not letting go
Dying of starvation
Dying of thirst

How scary is a ghost?
There are good, and there are bad, ghosts, just like in the human world. While there are evil ghosts, the good ghosts number in the majority. More importantly, their “evilness” pale in comparison to the human atrocities that recur in the annals of our civilization. And ghosts are powerless against a kind human being of high morals as eloquently encapsulated in the Chinese saying: if we do no evil in the day, we need not worry about evil ghosts knocking on our door at night. On reflection, the ghosts outside of us are not nearly as frightening as the ghosts inside of us.

The anecdotes on the encounter and conversations between Maudgalyayana and the ghosts in the hell, as contained in the Maudgalyayana Sutra, enable us to glean the operation of the law of cause and effect (causality). For example, if we hit with a stick, we will have headaches. And if we do not help others when we are wealthy, we will sleep outdoors in the cold and rain.

A distinct feature of Halloween is the many different costumes. It is as if people already know what ghosts look like, extending their human perception and experience into the ghostly realm. By association, there are then as many different ghosts as there are different human characters. However, according to Abhidharma-nyayanusara, there are three kinds of ghosts: wealthy, not so wealthy, and poor. Then in Abhidharmamahavibhasa-sastra, ghosts are categorized into those with dignity and prominence, and those who are lacking in them. Then there are large and small ghosts, beautiful and ugly ghosts, and noble wealthy and lowly impoverished ghosts.

When concluding her Dharma session on the Buddhist view on Ghosts, Venerable Chueh Fan admonished us not to think about ghosts, but about Buddha, and about turning the human realm into Pureland. And this can be achieved by honestly and diligently working toward meaningful goals in life, rather than battling over superficial glory and illusory fame and ending up with a heap of old bones and a handful of dirt.