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