The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast Archives

Buddhist Hour Broadcast
For Sunday 4 May 2003


This script is entitled: Building Good-will

Our Teacher John D. Hughes has trained our Members in building good-will over many years.

Today marks 54 days since our Teacher John D. Hughes was admitted to hospital.

Students have chanted the Medicine Buddha mantra 49 times for 49 days and offered the blessed water to our Teacher for his long life and speedy recovery.

Many blessings and good wishes have been made for our Teacher from friends in the Dhamma from Australia and around the world.

On Friday 3 May John D. Hughes was re-admitted to critical care. Master Ru Sun has advised that students chant the Medicine Buddha mantra 108 times morning and evening for the next seven days and continue to offer the blessed water.

Our priority is to assist in every way we can so that our Teacher may recover quickly and return home to the Temple.

The highest merit for a student is to care for one's Teacher during his illness, to do everything in one's power to keep him alive.

We dedicate the merits of this script to our Teacher's recovery and that he may return home to the Temple very soon.

You may view photographs of Master Ru-Sun's visit to Master John D. Hughes in hospital on the Buddha Dhyana Dana Review Online, Vol. 13 No. 2, at websites www.bdcu.org.au and www.bddronline.net.au

Today is Anita Hughes' 41st birth anniversary.

We thank Anita for her devotion and care for her husband, our Teacher John D. Hughes. Today Anita's family and friends will gather to celebrate Anita's birthday with her.

We wish Anita long life and good health and happiness.

This week His Holiness Sakya Trizin is visiting Melbourne and some of our Members have been blessed with the opportunity to attend some of the teachings.

His Holiness Sakya Trizen is the 41st Patriarch of the Sakya tradition, one of the four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. It is said that His Holiness Sakya Trizin is the living embodiment of Manjushri, the Buddha of enlightened wisdom.

In our current climate of uncertainty and change, Buddhism's ancient and compassionate wisdom is entirely appropriate. Wholesome actions and thoughts have the power to influence those around us in a positive way, creating a sense of well-being, harmony and good will.

Some of our Members have been involved in the organisation of the visit including transporting Monks and organising the attendance roster for His Holiness and his entourage.

Last Thursday evening, 1 May 2003, a Public Talk by His Holiness Sakya Trizin was held at the Prahran Town Hall, Greville Street, Prahran. It was presented by Sakya Choekhor Lhunpo, Melbourne Sakya Centre.

His Holiness Sakya Trizin began his talk titled "Finding Peace in a Troubled World" saying that every being seeks happiness.

The public talk was attended by many Members of Sangha and the audience included our President Mr Julian Bamford accompanied by Lisa Nelson and Amber Svensson.

After the teaching the three students travelled to the Maroondah hospital to pay respect to our Teacher and offer him blessed water from His Holiness Sakya Trizen.

On the evening of Friday 2 May 2003, nine of our Members attended the Medicine Buddha initiation given by His Holiness at the Malvern Town hall.

At the conclusion of the initiation ceremony our Members offered Tibetan scarves and flowers and received blessings from His Holiness.

Two of Members then drove to Maroondah Hospital where they offered the blessed scarves to our Teacher.

The wholesome actions of our Members were out of gratitude for their Teacher with the wish that he recover quickly.

During the past seven weeks our Members have worked in harmony to continue managing the affairs of our Temple, welcoming visitors, running the weekly Abhidhamma class, writing and broadcasting the Buddhist Hour Radio program, holding the weekly Camberwell Market and many other ongoing projects.

Next Sunday 11 May 2003 is Mothers day and our Members will be running two flower stalls, one on Swansea Road Lilydale and the other on Stud Rd Wantirna.

Our Members develop good-will in real time every time they come to work together on a project because they work together with harmony, meeting in harmony and dispersing in harmony.

To provide suitable conditions for our Teacher's recovery, our Members have been working to complete a new bathroom in readiness for his return home from hospital.

The tiling and fitting out of the bathroom has involved learning many new skills and working together harmoniously.

We are an active organization building good will locally and globally.

When persons first come to our Temple they are warmly welcomed as if old friends. We feed into the informal communication system, our grapevine, the idea that we encourage our Members to make merit because they cannot stay together unless they behave towards each other in a friendly manner.
There is no external agency or all-powerful being who distributes the gift of friendship to different persons in diverse measures.

The Pali language word adosa can be translated as non-hate; hatelessness; friendliness; loving-kindness; good-will.

Adosa is one of the three wholesome roots. The three wholesome roots are non-hate, non-greed and non-ignorance.

The practice of adosa can be seen as sincere friendliness it is an active process.

Over many years we have implemented initiatives to promote good-will in our local community, the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Our good-will initiatives include: Chan Painting Exhibitions at the Dandenong Ranges Community Cultural Centre; our weekly Buddhist Radio program broadcast from local Hillside FM in Bayswater; hosting community groups such as local Scouting and Venturers groups to our Temple, and participating in the community Neighbourhood Watch program.

Recently our Centre was contacted by the Yarra Ranges Journal newspaper, which ran an article about our Centre's local activities.

The article and photograph of the main altar at our Temple with our Centre's Secretary Pennie White and Director Peter Boswell was published in three newspapers.

At a global level we have built and continue to foster good-will with Regional Centres of the World Fellowship of Buddhists over many years.
As a Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists we work for securing peace and good-will amongst men and women and happiness for all beings and to collaborate with other organisations working for the same ends in accordance with the World Fellowship of Buddhists' Aims and Objectives.

Our Teacher has taught Buddha Dhamma to over one million persons this life in fourteen countries.

Through our websites and by direct participation in the World Fellowship of Buddhist bi-annual conference our Members learn how to foster good-will and build friendships at an international level.

We recently received a letter from Archarya Bhikkhu Karuna Shasrti, General Secretary of the International Brotherhood Mission a Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists:

"Most Reverend Mrs. Anita & Mr. John D. Hughes,

Many thanks for your letter dated 9th March, 2003 tending to refresh my spirit of the dedication that began from my early childhood and still it is in operation.

This letter recalled my days I spent with you on the occasion of the World Fellowship of Buddhists 22nd General Conference in Malaysia, December 2002 where I had an opportune moment to come in touch with several of you students with whom I had discourses on the religion in particular.

I am happy to come to know that you are on the road to recovery of your recent illness with pneumonia followed by heart troubles. I pray to the Lord Buddha to restore your health, vigour and spirit and grant you a long life so useful for human kind. I thank Him for His blessings that He bestowed upon Mrs Anita whom no illness could attack and who could attend upon you with great care. Let me hope that you have fully recovered in the meantime.

You learnt from me what I have a vow to do for the propagation of the Dhamma and the consolidation of peace.

In November, 2002 last we organized a Religious Conference on the occasion of the holy Kathina Chivara Dan that was celebrated with enthusiasm. Many monks and distinguished scholars assembled in the conference where a large audience thronged to listen to the Tathagata Buddha in detail categorically and analytically to their satisfaction. It was an attempt to propagate Buddhism to pave the way for the consolidation of World Peace.

You will be glad to hear that I have a plan to renovate the Destitute Home and Residential School, to build a Peace Pagoda and to purchase a plot of land in the vicinity of the mission complex so that the orphans can comfortably be accommodated, the peace loving people can gather to relax and develop a develop a powerful Tathagata Buddha. I feel fortunate enough that I have obtained your benediction and you pray to him for my reaching the goal with success.

I wish success in the United Nationals International day for the elimination of racial discrimination.

I hail the Harmony Day 2003 in connection thereof a message of the Minister that speaks of the community harmony. I always give stren on the Common Wealth Government's Living in Harmony initiative that is intended for the elimination of racism that is a bar to the Universal brotherhood. Harmony day has a great role to play in tying all the world with the tie of fraternity. It aims at wiping out all difference that still exist among the people and eradicating fears , doubts and prejudices. It is the essence of Buddhism that calls upon people to look upon all equally and there must not exist racism.

I am very happy to learn that the harmony day will be observed very meaningfully. It is very encouraging that you have kept on attaining success in the observance of harmony day. May all the country follow your footprints (and) enthusiastically observe the day.

I thank you for kindly including the International Brotherhood Mission as part of your program in Australia for harmony day, 2003.

I am thankful to you dedicating the harmony day for our organization.

With blessings for the Triple Gem.

Yours in the Dhamma

Achariya Bhikkhu Karuna Shastri
General Secretary



Our Members are taught to foster good will in many ways.

Recently, one of our members participated in a pilgrimage to Thailand, visiting many Venerable Monks of the Thai Forest Dhamma tradition.

The following is a brief account of the journey. We apologize for any errors in understanding that may have arisen.

The Thai Forest tradition began early in the 20th Century and models its practice and lifestyle on that of the Buddha and his first generation of disciples.

Forest monasteries "still keep alive the ancient traditions through following the Buddhist monastic code of discipline (Vinaya) in all of its detail and developing meditation in secluded forests".

The pilgrimage group stayed first at Wat Pah Nanachat, founded by Venerable Ajahn Chah (1918-1992) one of the most eminent and famous meditation masters of the Thai Forest tradition, to train non-Thai monks.

The group also visited Wat Pah Pong, the first monastery founded by Ajahn Chah, and the place where his remains are kept.

The group also stayed at Wat Pah Aranyawiwake, the monastery of Tan Ajahn Plien Pannyapatipo, of Thai Forest tradition.

The Member observed first hand the lay people making offerings of sticky rice, flowers and sweet drinks outside their own homes. The monks would walk in a line past the lay people, each monk stopping to allow each person to place their offering in his bowl, then continuing on his round.

All people who offer to monks must be shoeless and many knelt to make their offerings then made the sign of respect (Anjali) as the monk passed them. The tradition of Pindapat stretches back almost 2600 years to the time of the Buddha.

Lay people also came from the village to the monastery each morning to offer Dana (food) to the monks.

Great merit is made by the people in sustaining monks in their Dhamma practice.

Our Member heard many Buddha Dhamma talks while on the pilgramage and wrote that a teaching by Tan Ajahn Plien on Metta had a profound impact on him.

Tan Ajahn Plien has been perfecting his Metta practice for many lifetimes.

He recalled being a disciple of the Buddha for two years in the Jetta Grove.

When the Buddha was going to give a Dhamma talk, Tan Ajahn Plien would go to the village and tell everyone to come and hear the Buddha. His mind was focussed on the welfare of others rather than on his own practice and as a result he did not become enlightened in that lifetime.

Tan Ajahn Plien taught that Metta is establishing goodness in ourselves, then sharing that goodness by flowing it to others.

Metta makes the mind light, bright and without ill-will.

Wisdom arises when we practice Metta. Metta is one of the four sublime-abidings. The other three are Appreciative Joy, Compassion and Equanimity.

The Venerable taught that when Metta is practiced correctly all four of the sublime abidings arise and develop together like the four pillars of a meditation hall.

When we have Metta, we also have Compassion and wish to help beings but if they can't, or won't, be helped Upekkha (Equanimity) allows us to let go.

Tan Ajahn Plien also taught the importance of sharing merits.

He taught that sharing merits increases merit and so we should not be afraid of running out when sharing merit.

He taught that when he visits non-Buddhist countries he sees many beings that are stuck as ghosts and cannot take rebirth, because no-one in these countries shares merit with them. To these ghosts it is best to physically offer food and clothing, but when sharing any merits we should in any case be sure to share with beings everywhere as this way ghosts in non-Buddhist countries will share in the merits and be helped to take rebirth.

In response to a question about what we should do at the time of our death, Tan Ajahn Plien answered that we should recollect our goodness and this will take us to a good rebirth. If, on the other hand, it is our evil deeds that we recall at the moment of death, this will send us to a hell realm.

For this reason we should continuously do good so we have lots of recollections of our virtue at the moment of death. As Tan Ajahn Plien said, "Do good, get good".

When asked what the essence of Buddhism is the Venerable replied that it is the purification of the mind of greed, hatred and delusion.

Thich Nhat Hanh once wrote, When the Buddha looks at a flower, he knows that the flower is his own consciousness. There is nothing wrong in having consciousness. It is only when we water unwholesome seeds ignorance, hatred, jealousy, anxiety that consciousness causes suffering to ourselves and others.

Consciousness is the base for distinguishing, planning, helping, and doing good work.

That kind of consciousness is present in the Buddha and the bodhisattvas.

During 2002 our Teacher John D. Hughes and many of our Members had the good fortune and opportunity to pay respect to Tan Ajahn Plien Pannyapatipo and here his Dhamma Teachings at Wat Dhammarangsee during his visit to Melbourne.

In June 2002 our city of Melbourne was blessed with the first Australasian Buddhist Convention and Conference. This peak good-will event was organised by the Buddhist Foundation (Victoria) Australia, a newly appointed Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists. The Foundation's Chairman is Dr Ranjith Hettiarachi.

Many of our Members assisted the Organising Committee with the planning and running of the week long Convention and two day Conference. The conference was attended by many Venerable Members of the Sangha and lay practitioners from Australia and overseas including our Resident Practitioners John and Anita Hughes and many of our Members.

Participants listened to talks by many great monks and Buddhist scholars including the Venerable Dhammavihari from Sri Lanka and Venerable Mahinda from Sydney.

Recently Venerable Dhammavihari visited and blessed our Teacher in hospital. On 18 April 2003 the Venerable gave a Dhamma talk at our Temple during our most recent five-day Bhavana Course.

Photographs of Venerable Dhammavihari's teaching at our Centre may be viewed on the Buddha Dhyana Dana Review Online, Vol. 13 No. 2. as well as recollections his visit to our Temple.

The conference program also included two talks on Metta Bhavana by Venerable Mahinda.

On Monday 28 April of this year, several of our Members participated in a one-day retreat with Venerable Mahinda of Aloka Meditation Centre, New South Wales at Wat Dhammarangsee, 387-389 Springvale Road, Forest Hill, Vic. 3131

In today's Buddhist Hour broadcast we would like to include some recollections by one of our Members of the retreat. We apologize for errors in understanding that may have arisen.

Venerable Mahinda began by acknowledging that we live in difficult times, but that Buddha told us 2500 years ago what to do in such times.

"Work out your deliverance with heedfulness, that is, liberate yourself".

The world is indeed going through a difficult phase.

This is the earth's way of filtering off those whom it cannot support.

In the current war situation, there is no real victory.

Buddha defined "real" victory as one in which there is no defeat. War that has winners and losers is not real victory.

The real victory is to conquer oneself. You can conquer 100,000 people and win many battles, but this does not make you a real conqueror.

The cause of all our internal battles is hatred and delusion, therefore we should practice sati (mindfulness) and loving kindess (metta) to reduce our tendency to anger. If you practice, as first you think you are getting more and more angry, but this is not the case. Really you are just more aware of your anger.

Practise metta to boost your immune system.

A famous Chinese doctor in Beijing has released a recipe to protect you from contracting SARS.

Use Chinese cabbage, white radish and mung beans in equal proportions. Boil them into a soup. If you have symptoms of a cough, add one pear.

But remember, that is at the physical level.

There are many sicknesses that are not physical, they are emotional, mental spiritual, so we have to know how to clear them.

Venerable Mahinda recommends a 7-step Dhamma recipe for protection against SARS.

1. Take refuge in the Triple Gem, sincerely, like this:
Namo Buddhaya, Namo Dhammaya, Namo Sanghaya

When Venerable Mahinda was first ordained, he was taken to a forest monk, who told him and another monk to sleep by a cemetery. The other monk slept restlessly, and said in the morning that he was troubled by many beings, but Venerable Mahinda slept soundly.

Another time Venerable Mahinda was a passenger in a van that rolled into a ravine. His first thought was 'Buddho'. The van was caught on a tree, and all those in the van scrambled to safety with just a few scratches.

2. Mindfulness

3. Share merits

When people escape disasters in a way that is considered miraculous, it is always divine intervention. That is why we share our merits with Devas.

All ancient civilizations acknowledge the existence of a higher being, or beings.

4. Transfer of merits

We transfer our merit to others, including dead relatives. We must understand the importance of sharing merits as a spiritual value. When we send loving kindness to our dead relatives, the energy of our loving kindness may elevate them to get a better rebirth.

These practises extend your life span.

This human life is very important, a precious life, because it is this human life we can develop faster than other realms. So develop your protection, including the next step.

5. Metta

Metta will see you through difficult periods. I have come here today to sow some seeds of liberation in your hearts, to liberate yourselves and others.

This life is not just about entertainment and sports. This body is for the purpose of developing and purifying our minds.

So take two doses a day, morning and night, and keep a little in your hearts all day. This is for your immune system. Apply metta to get out of anger and depression, to strengthen your immune system.

Metta sublimates our gross emotions. Before you go to sleep, have the right aspiration, and that will direct you.

6. Forgiveness

Whoever has done wrong to you, forgive them. And when someone does something bad to them, ask for forgiveness, for you have done unwholesome action to them in the past.

Remember that life is not suffering, just that there is some suffering in life. There is not so much pain in the here and now. So practice while you can.

7. Make an aspiration

Your aspiration is like a will. Direct your mind to be able to make an aspiration. Make a general aspiration until you develop your mind more.

Aspire to be born in a location conducive to learning the Buddha Dhamma, with Dhamma teachers and Dhamma friends. Do not desire to be born in a particular geographical location, as you may be disappointed.

You have spent a lot of effort building houses and paying off mortgages for your body, but you make no home for your mind. Even when you sleep, your mind is somewhere else.

Make good use of this life.

Do service to humanity. This allows you to see suffering, and spurs you to develop compassion.

Have gratitude to your parents. They may not always treat you the way in which you would like, but they provided you with the opportunity to get Dhamma.

The highest thing we can give back is Dhamma.

Act wisely and purify your mind of greed, hate and delusion.

Avoid evil, do good, and purify the mind.

One participant, a nurse, asked what she should say to when her ill patients say "Why me?"

Venerable Mahinda replied that before we grow old and sick we should reflect on the following five items.

1. I am of the nature to grow old and decay

2. I am of the nature to fall sick, and have not gone beyond sickness

3. I am of the nature to die, and have not gone beyond death

4. Everything that is mine, things that I own and people that I cherish, I will be separated from.

5. Kamma is my real inheritance. (Don't worry about that antique chair from your parents!)

Venerable Mahinda used an analogy of ripe fruit when explaining progress in the practice.

He said that to stop all craving and desire immediately for all things is not possible. To force it is like picking a fruit by force before it is ripe. It will taste bitter.

When the practices of discipline, morality, right effort and right concentration are well developed, wisdom will grow and then the fruit will fall off naturally, and it will taste very sweet.

In his book "The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings", Thich Nhat Hanh wrote:

The Buddha said, "When ignorance comes to an end, understanding arises."

In understanding there is loving kindness and compassion, and when you are compassionate, loving and understanding, you want you want to do something to help alleviate the suffering. Anger, hatred, and ignorance are forms of energy. Understanding and compassion are also forms of energy.

On one side, there are actions for grasping things or satisfying our desires. On the other side is the volition to be present in order to help alleviate suffering.

That is the intention of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and all people of goodwill. They have love, understanding, and therefore the willingness to be present amidst the suffering in order to bring relief, comfort and joy.

This is volitional action.

Next Sunday 11 May 2003 is Mothers day and our Members will be running two flower stalls, one on Swansea Road Lilydale and the other on Stud Rd Wantirna.

May you purify your mind and become peaceful and happy in order that you may practice metta for the sake of all beings in all the realms.

May you practice goodwill.

May you be well and happy.


The authors and editors of this script are: Julian Bamford, Leanne Eames, Jason Glasson and Pennie White.


References:

Bhikkhu Bodhi (1984), "The Noble Eightfold Path", Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka, p. 47.

Radio Broadcast Script 273 Sunday 20 April 2003 "Practicality in Buddha Dhamma Practice"

Radio Broadcast Script 273 Sunday 20 April 2003 "Practicality in Buddha Dhamma Practice"

Thich Nhat Hanh The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings (1998) Rider. London Pa

The International Forest Monastery Wat Pah Nanachat pamphlet


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