乾县铁佛寺移动版

QUESTION:  If  he  was   only  called  ‘Buddha’  after  he  had  this  profound realization, what was his name before that?

ANSWER: The Buddha’s family or clan name was Gotama, which means ‘best cow’, cattle  being  objects  of  wealth  and  prestige  at  that  time.   His  given  name  was Siddhattha which means ‘attaining his goal’ , the kind of name one would expect a ruler to give his son.

QUESTION: Wasn't it irresponsible for the Buddha to walk out on his wife and child?

ANSWER: It couldn't have been an easy thing for the Buddha to leave his family. He must have worried and hesitated for a long time before he finally left. But he had a choice between dedicating himself to his family or dedicating himself to the world. In the end, his great compassion made him give himself to the whole world, and the whole  world  still  benefits  from  his  sacrifice.  This  was  not  irresponsible.  It  was perhaps the most significant sacrifice ever made.

QUESTION: If the Buddha is dead how can he help us?

ANSWER: Faraday who discovered electricity is dead, but what he discovered still helps us. Louis Pasteur who found the cures for so many diseases is also dead, but his medical discoveries still save lives. Leonardo da Vinci who created masterpieces of art  is  dead,  but  what  he  created  can  still  uplift  the  heart  and  give joy.  Great heroes and heroines may have been dead for centuries but when we read of their deeds and achievements we can still be inspired to act as they did. Yes, the Buddha passed away but 2500 years later his teachings still help people, his example still inspires people, his words still change lives. Only a Buddha could have such power centuries after his passing.

QUESTION: Was the Buddha a god?

ANSWER: No, he was not. He did not claim that he was a god, the child of a god or even the messenger from a god. He was a human being who perfected himself and taught that if we follow his example we could perfect ourselves also.

QUESTION: If the Buddha is not a god why do people worship him?

ANSWER: There are different types of worship. When someone worships a god, they praise him or her, make offerings and ask for favors, believing that the god will hear their praise, receive their offerings and answer their prayers. Buddhists do not practice this kind of worship. The other kind of worship is when we show respect to someone or something we admire. When a teacher walks into a room we stand up; when we meet a dignitary we shake hands; when the national anthem is played we salute. These are all gestures of respect and worship and indicate our admiration for a specific person or thing. This is the type of worship Buddhists practice.

A statue of the Buddha with its hands resting gently in its lap and its compassionate smile reminds us to strive to develop peace and love within ourselves. The perfume of incense reminds us of the pervading influence of virtue, the lamp reminds us of the light of knowledge, and the flowers, which soon fade and die, reminds us of impermanence. When we bow we express our gratitude to the Buddha for what his teachings have given us. This is the meaning of Buddhist worship.

QUESTION: But I have heard people say that Buddhists worship idols.

ANSWER: Such statements only reflect the misunderstanding of the persons who make them. The dictionary defines an idol as ‘an image or statue worshipped as a

god.’ As we have seen, Buddhists do not believe that the Buddha was a god, so how could they possibly believe that a piece of wood or metal is a god? All religions use symbols to represent their various beliefs. (责任编辑：admin)