3. Can we buy "福"?

In the old days, people knew that when they wished to get crops, they would have to sow the seeds into the earth and would then water them. They would take the necessary steps of taking care of the seeds until these seeds germinated and grew to maturity to bare fruits. They would wait patiently for the harvesting time. However, as the society becomes more developed, we get more impatient. We want everything to be fast. We want things to be auto operated. We want a supermarket to supply everything we need so that we just go into one of them with some money or a credit card and we hope to get everything of our daily needs. Life has become so convenient and comfortable. When we need something, a service or a material thing, we just have to buy it. This is the system of getting things in our society…..we buy, buy and buy! Then it becomes a strong habit for us. We think that everything can be bought. This habit of buying and collecting has become our second nature. We, the human beings, have become less patient and tolerant.

Thus, when we come to dealing with "福", we believe that we can also buy it. In our Asian societies, when we are unlucky in certain ways in our daily lives, or business is down, or fail to pass an exam, or cannot get a good job, cannot find Mr./Miss Right, cannot get promotion, cannot give birth to a child and etc. etc … we think we are lacking of "Good Luck". So what do most of these people would do? Most of them would go and buy Good Luck Charm!

Many people try to do that nowadays. Have you ever buy some kind of "Power Stone" necklace or bracelet? Or a toad made of brass, having a duplicated old big coin in its mouth? Or a carved jade dragon, and etc. being sold in retailed shops or supermarkets. Many Asian Chinese believe that these items possess Good Luck Charm. They believe that these items can attract "福" for its owner. Do you think so?

Many people think that lacking of "福" is just like having a headache. When they experience a headache, they would take a headache pill such as paracetamol and wait for 30 minutes, hopefully the headache would go away. By buying and possessing those things so called Lucky Charm Items, these people are expecting their bad situations would be overcome. This action is just like taking palacetamol for curing a headache. They would wear or put them on the shrine or at the place recommended by a “Fen Sui master”. At the beginning they would feel happy about the whole thing. They think that they are getting some good energy from them. But after some time, their problems - financial situation or whatever – remain unsolved, or became worse, then they would think of getting more “powerful ones". In this way, they go on "shopping" and have their homes crowded with Lucky Charm Items!

Those of you who have already read my earlier two articles may realize by now that there is no paracetamol for curing the lacking of "福". When we are in a situation of Lacking of "福”, as most of us do, we could treat this situation for ourselves as having contracted a chronic disease or a sickness. It would require time to cure it. We would take the medicine regularly as given to us by our doctors. If the drugs given to us have side effects, as most of the drugs do, we may have to take some natural or traditional herbal medicines. We should be selective in our diets and do exercise daily if possible. Through this way, slowly but steadily, we would be able to cure our chronic disease completely. Our body have been lacking of some nutrients, accumulating cholesterol, breathing in the polluted air, taking in wrong foods etc. for so long, we would not expect to get cured by just taking one paracetamol.

The only remedy for Lacking of "福" is constantly doing Merit Accumulation. We accumulate “福” wherever and whenever we can. It must be a constant practice. We should try to make use of every opportunity to do it. Just like we have to eat every day. To live today, we have to consume energy from what we eat today. So is "福" too. We are using it everyday,. This means that we are loosing (consuming) it everyday. So we need to replace the amount of "福" we have consumed, even just for staying alive! If we wish to have something big or better, something special, or wish to change the negative situation to be positive, we need to have much more "福" to accomplish them.

Then, what is actually the essence of the action that can create “福”? There is a significant difference between buying Lucky Charm Items and that of Merit Accumulations, I shall continue in the next article.

2. How to obtain a good life - Luck?

Everybody wants to have a good life. However, until today, how many of us have really achieved this? For those who are already past their sixties, ask frankly to yourself, have you lived the way you wanted?

Many of us may not have lived the way we wanted. Why is this so? There are of course many reasons to this. My many years of searching for the answers has led to me the conclusion that many people believe that they would be able to live the way they wanted if they had better "luck" in their early days.

“LUCK” is what many people believe in. They believe that luck plays an important role in life. They believe that besides being hardworking, honest, the academic qualifications and etc., “luck” is still necessary to make things happened. They quote examples after examples. Some even quoted to me the famous film show “My Fair Lady” in which the song, titled “With a little bit of luck" to justify their claims!

What do you think? Is there such a thing as “luck”? Do you believe in luck?
Here I would like to share with you some of my findings from my travels to many places during these last 10 years of my life. I met people from different parts of the world and from different walks of life. I realize that most people are not sure of what they mean when they say by "being lucky”. Some believe that "luck" just happen by chance. I find that Japanese can interpret the word" luck" with clearer expression.

The Japanese word for “luck” is ”運”(pronounce as “wun”). ”運” can be good or bad. But ”運” is customary followed by another word ”気” (pronounced as “qi”) which means energy. Let me quote here what a Japanese had said to me,"When “運気” goes up, you can attract good luck or fortune. When the “運気” comes down, you'll attract bad luck." This is similar to the Chinese belief that when one’s essence of positive energy “福” becomes strong, life is good. Things go smoothly. Everything is fine. Most Japanese think this way too. Hence, we need to create the causes and conditions for “福” or "運気" to take place in one’s life.

Buddhists believe that we have sown the seeds of both good and bad Karma in our countless past lives. If the seeds of good Karma manifest in this life in abundance, we will have a good life, no doubt about this. But if we lack the “福” in this life, we shall have obstacles. However, we can remove these obstacles. We do this by prayers and merit accumulations.
Buddha has taught many ways to increase our “福” (merit accumulations). Thailand is a Buddhist country. They take the advice of Buddha very seriously. They go to “taan bun” (merit accumulations) whenever and wherever they can.

On 21st Feb. was an important day for the Thais. The day was known as "Makha Bucha" Day. It was the 15th of 1st Lunar Month, a full moon day. It is an auspicious day for both Thais and Chinese. Traditionally, it is the last day to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

The Makha Bucha Day is for merit accumulations. On that day, the Thai Buddhists circled around temples or holy stupas with candles in the evening. (Enclosed here are some of the pictures taken in Wat Phra Sri, Bangkok. Wat Phra Sri is only 20 minutes of walking distance from where I live.) The Makha Bucha Day is a public holiday in Thailand. Millions of Buddhists all over Thailand go to monasteries in the evening to do "wian tian" (candle circling), which is one of the important events in Thai Buddhism.

When we do merit accumulations in this life, it may help to kindle the seeds of merits sown in our past lives. We don't know exactly which kind of good deeds we have done in this life that would help to kindle the seeds of good Karma done in the past lives. Therefore, try to do as many different types of good deeds and as much as possible. There is no such thing as we have done enough good deeds in this life already. If you have such a thought, it boils down to the same thing by saying that "I have enough money already!". I have never heard people saying that they had enough money already. But I always heard people saying, "I have done enough merit accumulations already!"

This is the mistake many people made. Like money, Hock （福）is being used up moment to moment in our life. We transform our Hock （福）in life energy in order to carry on living and dying and living daily, moment to moment in our life. Hock （福） is being destroyed at the moment our defilement (e.g. pride, jealousy, greed, etc... ) appear in our mind. Hock （福）can be decreased and increased moment to moment in our life. So, it's very important to keep on increasing our Hock（福）. Spending some money or efforts to do good deeds are similar to investing in blue chip stocks. There will definitely be good returns in the future.

Merits （福）are accumulated from generosity practices with right motivation (i.e. compassion and loving kindness) . The merits--Hock（福）-- gathered in this way would definitely help to kindle further seeds of merit planted in the past. When abundant seeds of merits ripen in this life, we would definitely have our wishes come true.
For certain, a good and wonderful life is attainable. Some people may think this is just "lucky".

In conclusion, "luck" does not happen by chance or at random. "Luck" is dependent on its own causes and conditions to bloom. We can plant the seeds of these causes and conditions for it to blossom through accumulation of merits--Hock （福）.

1.Chinese New Year Message - To have good life

Hi,
恭喜发财 （ Gong Xi Fatt Chai ） !!!!!!!

And a very Happy Chinese New Year to you!

Buddha says: Life lingers on from moment to moment; life after life. He taught this in the Abhidharma (The Higher Teaching). We can experience the well-being, moment to moment, life after life, is due to our Merit accumulations.

Our present lifestyles on this Earth are possible because of our collective merit accumulations. Different countries or societies will experience different lifestyles because each country or society’s collective merit accumulations is different. Merit accumulations can be gained through positive actions and lost or destroyed through negative actions moment to moment in our lives.

During this festive season, you'll notice that the Chinese word "福 (Fu)" is being displayed in every Chinese house. The ancient Chinese Sages discovered this principle before Buddhism had arrived in China. Throughout the ages, the Chinese Sages emphasized that "福" is very closely woven in our lives. "福" has to do with all the good things we wish to have in our lives. And they are not wrong about this idea because Buddha taught about this too.

Buddhism emphasizes Merit Accumulations, which is a similar concept to the Chinese Sages’ concept about "福". Nowadays, Buddhist devotees are constantly reminded by monks, nuns, lamas and Rinpoches that Merit Accumulations are important for their well-being including to progress in their Dharma practices. Therefore, there are many methods in Buddhist practice for merit accumulations.

In Thailand, to accumulate "福" is to “taan bun”. The Thais are very happy when they visit monasteries to “taan bun”. There are four special days in a month (called “wan phra” – Buddha’s day) where Thais crowd the monasteries to “taan bun”. They rejoice very much after they have “taan bun”, because they believe that “taan bun” will help their lives to become better. You can see this in their faces after they have completed the ceremony of "taan bun".

"福" appears as an Essence of positive energy in our mind stream. This Essence can be transformed into anything through right combination with right timing. In Tibetan Buddhism, there are various skillful methods of transforming this Essence of positive energy. Our creative ideas sprung from this Essence in our mind stream.

Unknowingly, we can destroy our ”福” too. This is done through body, speech and mind. We do this by having negative actions moment to moment in our daily life. What are the negative actions that destroy “福”? Both the Chinese Sages and Buddha agrees that “福” or Merit Accumulations are destroyed through negative emotions such as jealousy, anger, hatred, pride, stinginess and uncontrolled desires arising in our mind from moment to moment. However, all these negative emotions can be corrected through practicing the Teachings taught by Buddha.

Buddhism emphasized Mental Development Activities commonly known as Meditation. Through this method, we can develop healthier minds, which can reduce negative emotions slowly but steadily. As a result, we are able to save ourselves from destroying this precious Essence of positive energy in our mind streams.

Most people can't have their wishes come true because they are lacking the “福”.I notice that most of us have destroyed more “福” than gaining it. Hence, when we lack merit accumulations (福), obstacles are sure to appear on our way to achieve our goals and our wishes may not come true.

In my opinion, if we wish to materialize our dreams in careers or businesses, our “福” (Merit Accumulations) need to be increased and activated so that it can be transformed into monetary terms or prosperities, opportunity to practice Dharma without obstacles in order to gain joy, happiness, peace of mind and etc. We can have good lives through constantly accumulating the “福” wherever and whenever we can.

WE NEED MERIT ACCUMULATIONS ( 福 ) FOR EVERYTHING WE DO , OR HAVE OR ACHIEVE OR WHATEVER!

In my next message, I shall write about methods of accumulating “福”.

May this New Year Message benefit you.

With Best of regards.
Achan Lama Hui Guo