乾县铁佛寺移动版

In  Taoism,  the  ying-yang  diagram  is  used  to  symbolize  the  harmony  between opposites.   In  Sikhism,  the  sword  is  used  to  symbolize  spiritual  struggle.   In Christianity, the fish is used to symbolize Christ’s presence and a cross to represent his  sacrifice.  In  Buddhism,  the  statue  of  the  Buddha  reminds  us  of  the  human dimension in Buddhist teaching, the fact that Buddhism is human-centered rather than  god-centered,  that  we  must  look  within,  not  without  to  find  perfection  and understanding. Therefore, to say that Buddhists worship idols is as silly as saying that Christians worship fish or geometrical shapes.

QUESTION: Why do people do all kinds of strange things in Buddhist temples?

ANSWER: Many things seem strange to us when we don't understand them. Rather than dismiss such things as strange, we should try to find their meaning. However, it is true that some of the things Buddhists do have their origin in popular superstition and   misunderstanding   rather   than   the   teaching   of   the    Buddha.   And   such misunderstandings are not found in Buddhism alone but creep into in all religions from time to time. The Buddha taught with clarity and in detail and if some people fail to  understand  fully,  he  cannot  be  blamed  for  that.  There  is  a  saying  from  the Buddhist scriptures:

‘If a person suffering from a disease does not seek treatment even when there is a physician at hand, it is not the fault of the physician. In the same way,  if  a  person  is   oppressed  and  tormented  by  the   disease  of  the defilements  but  does  not  seek  the  help  of  the  Buddha,  that  is  not  the Buddha's fault.’ Jn. 28-9

Nor  should  Buddhism  or  any  religion  be  judged  by  those  who  don't  practice  it properly.  If you wish to know the real teachings of Buddhism, read the Buddha's words or speak to those who understand them properly.

QUESTION: I see the word Dhamma often. What does it mean?

ANSWER: The word dhamma (Sanskrit dharma) has multiple meanings but as it is used in Buddhism its main meaning is truth, reality, actuality, the way things are. Because we consider the Buddha’s teachings to be true we often refer to them as Dhamma too.

QUESTION: Is there a Buddhist equivalent of Christmas?

ANSWER: According to tradition, Prince Siddhattha was born, became the Buddha and passed away on the full moon day of Vesakha, the second month of the Indian year,  which  corresponds  to  April-May   of  the   Western  calendar.  On  that  day Buddhists  in  all  lands  celebrate these  events  by visiting temples,  participating  in various ceremonies, or perhaps spending the day meditating.

QUESTION: If Buddhism is so good why are some Buddhist countries poor?

ANSWER: If by poor you mean economically poor, then it is true that some Buddhist countries are poor. But if by poor you mean a poor quality of life, then perhaps some Buddhist countries are quite rich. America,  for example, is an economically rich and powerful country but the crime rate is one of the highest in the world; millions of elderly people are neglected by their children and die of loneliness in old people's homes; domestic violence, child abuse, drug addiction are major problems;  and one in three marriages end in divorce. Rich in terms of money but perhaps poor in terms of the quality of life. Now if you look at some traditional Buddhist countries you find a very different situation. (责任编辑：admin)