人生的意義不僅在求得生存的安樂、物質的享有，更重要的是，必須在心靈上有所提升，在精神上得到解脫。大家參加佛光會，將一己之小我融入這個大我的團體裡，對於我們的生命有什麼助益呢？各位不妨先從佛光會的性質來做一個深切的了解︰
(一) 佛光會是一個主張慈悲包容的社團︰《法華經》云︰「以大慈悲力，度苦惱眾生。」社會上一般人所說的愛心有人我對待分別，所以有時「愛之欲其生，恨之欲其死」，反而造業起惑，痛苦顛連。慈悲，是視人如己，立場互易，對於與自己親愛的人固然要慈悲相向，對於不相識的人也要有「無緣大慈，同體大悲」的真心，才能自利利他。欲達此境，必得先培養自己包容的心量。
天地之間，花紅柳綠，鳶飛魚躍，大家各顯神通、形態互異。就因為有這麼多的不同，才顯得這個世間多采多姿、相得益彰。同樣地，每個人也都有許多歧異之處。例如︰見解思想不同、生活習慣不同、語言文字不同、性別體力不同等等，唯有大家包容異己，才能相輔相成，共存共榮。
佛光會秉持諸佛菩薩慈悲包容的胸襟，不但歡迎敬信三寶，有志一同的個人報名參加，也接受各個寺院、佛學院、居士林、念佛會、禪修會等團體加入我們團體會員的行列，甚至我們還有「佛光之友會」，邀請天主教、基督教、回教等不同的宗教團體，來做我們的會友。凡是社會需要協助的地方，我們不分宗教、派別，儘量服務贊助，給與歡喜。我希望所有的會員都能秉持同中有異，異中求同的風格，將佛光會樹立成一個慈悲包容的團體。
(二) 佛光會是一個倡導眾生平等的社團︰在佛光會裡，所有的會員不分國家、不分種族、不分男女、不分貧富，大家共同為弘揚佛法而攜手努力，因為我們視一切會員為同體共生的地球人。
何謂眾生？《長阿含經》說︰「無尊卑上下，亦無異名，眾共生於世，故名眾生。」《大乘同性經》謂︰眾生係以眾緣假合而生，故名眾生。」《不增不減經》云︰「法身為煩惱所纏，往來生死，故名眾生。」《華嚴經》稱︰「心、佛、眾生，等無差別。」而在其他經典中，我們也常常可以看到佛陀倡導生佛平等、聖凡平等、理事平等、四姓平等的思想，可見十法界一切眾生的本質是平等無差別的。但是如今我們不論走到哪裡，都會發現有權勢的大小、財富的差距、出身的高低，甚至教育的懸殊等種種差別，到處都可以看到因不平等而引發的怨怒爭鬥，乃至腐敗亂相。所以，我希望會員們能夠常懷平等的智慧，以佛陀打破階級差異的勇氣，為社會建立平等的制度，為世界建立平等的秩序。如果大家都能做到人人平等的話，相信這個世間就能像大海一樣包容江河溪流，互相融和，同一法味。
(三) 佛光會是一個尊重家庭生活的社團︰家庭不僅是夫婦子女的安樂窩、避風港，對於社會安定更具有積極功能，例如︰夫妻的和諧相處有助於彼此的成長，父母的良言善舉對小孩的心性往往具有決定性的影響。有鑑於此，佛光會除了講究個人的健全發展，更重視家庭生活的幸福美滿，所以我們舉行各種活動，邀請夫妻連袂參加，歡迎親眷共襄盛舉。此外更針對一般家庭舉辦佛光人家選拔、家庭普照、佛光親子運動會、園遊會，藉此促進家庭成員間的和諧相處。我們希望家庭成員之間，在日常生活中，常保親切的態度、和悅的言語；在經濟物質上，永懷知足感恩的美德；在精神上彼此相依、互相慈愛；尤其家人應該具有統一的佛教信仰，讓大家的心意得到自由的開展，務期佛光眷屬都能成為菩提大道上的道侶法友。若能如此，則人有天倫之樂，國有安定之福，世界怎會不和平！
(四) 佛光會是一個重視社會福祉的社團︰《華嚴經》云︰「但願眾生得離苦，不為自己求安樂。」佛陀以一大事因緣示現於世，為的就是希望眾生離苦得樂，社會安定和諧，而歷代的高僧大德本著佛陀拔苦與樂的精神，或開墾拓荒，或賬濟苦難，或療治貧疾，或助民建設，對於國富民安可說是貢獻卓著。
然而不知曾幾何時，佛教徒以清修為尚，幾個知己聚集一處，以此為足。這裡一間小廟誦經念佛，那裡一間精舍瞑思靜坐，缺乏大乘菩薩普濟社會的悲心，何其可恥！這些團體即使以油香淨財從事公益事業，也因為缺乏組織，沒有制度，而成效極微，實在可惜！
尤其今日社會普遍進入工業時期，人類的思想行為、價值觀念都受到巨大衝擊，大家不斷向外追求物質的知識、享受，結果不但物質的知識物化了，心靈的智慧也越形僵化，人我之間的對立固然越加強烈，物我之間的鴻溝也更加深廣，在此功利主義掛帥之際，今日的佛教徒真是任重道遠！
我覺得︰佛教界應該自我覺醒，不應寄望別人來捐助我們，奉獻我們，而要反過來想︰我們應該如何貢獻社會？應該如何服務大眾？所以佛光會創會之初，我便提出落實人間、慈悲濟世的宗旨，就是希望佛光會員都能認清自己既然投身佛教，就必須克盡以眾為我、福利社會的責任。此外，我們必須在弘法利生的方法上不斷更新，期能與時俱進，因勢利導。
佛光會自成立以來，為了響應環保，我們舉辦廢紙回收、植樹救水源等活動，為了推廣健康人生，我們舉行素食品嚐會、社會各階層的聯誼活動；為了充分發揮愛心，我們到偏遠地區慈善義診、冬令救濟；為了挽救社會，我們配合政府投入反毒運動，到各地監獄佈教弘法；為了普利大眾，我們製作佛教廣播和電視弘法節目；為了造就國家未來的棟樑，我們舉辦青少年夏令營、兒童夏令營，其他如歡喜讀書會、智障學生遊藝會、生命之旅、把心找回來、時時樂清貧等活動，都是盛況非凡，成績斐然。希望今後會員們能繼續精進奮發，團結合作，對社會布施更多的普濟慈悲，讓更多大眾享受佛法的歡喜。
國際佛光會既是一個主張慈悲包容的社團，也是一個倡導眾生平等的社團；既是一個尊重家庭生活的社團，也是一個重視社會福祉的社團。佛光會員應從以上四點來了解佛光會的性質，並且努力實踐，發揚光大。
The Significance of the BLIA
The significance of human life is not to be found solely in a person’s ability to care for his material well-being. It is far more important that a person also raises his consciousness and achieves spiritual liberation. When a person joins the BLIA, he immediately begins to mingle his small self with the larger self of an international organization. What is the benefit of doing this? In the next four sections, I will try to give a detailed answer to this question.
BLIA advocates compassion and tolerance
The Lotus Sutra says, “With great compassion we strive to save all sentient beings.”
When most people speak about love, they make a distinction in their minds between themselves and other people.
In contrast, true compassion makes no distinction between the self and others.
Compassion stands in a position of dynamic mutuality. Compassion creates an ongoing relationship that is not based on one’s own self interests. For this reason, we should do our utmost to have compassionate relations with everyone we love. At the same time, we should also strive to have compassionate relations with all others as well. We should all work to develop pure hearts that benefit ourselves as well as others. As the old saying goes, we should “feel compassion for no reason, and loving-kindness toward all beings.” If we really try to accomplish this high ideal, we will find that our ability to be tolerant and open-minded will grow very rapidly.
Think of how beautiful this world is, and how much variety it holds. Flowers are red, trees are green. Birds fly through the skies as fishes leap through the waves. So many differences intermingle and are present in the same place. It is truly a wonder!
In much the same way, people all are different. Our ideas are different. Our manners and customs are different. Our genders are different, and our languages take many different forms. If we are tolerant, we will at last be able to cooperate and help each other, and this world will become a truly glorious place.
The BLIA is based on compassion and tolerance.
We do not just admit members of Fo Guang Shan to the BLIA, nor do we only accept Mahayana Buddhists who share our beliefs. We allow all Buddhists to join. We accept people from all kinds of Buddhist organizations, no matter what their particular bent might be. The BLIA even has a “Friendship Club,” which invites Christians, Muslims and members of many other religions to meet together. If we perceive a need somewhere, we don’t ask ourselves whether Buddhists are involved or not, we simply go and help. I hope that all members of BLIA will take some of this energy into their own lives, and really try to live up to the ideal of honoring diversity within unity, while finding unity among the diverse. Above all else, we must be sure that the BLIA is an organization that always exhibits tolerance and compassion.
Equality among its members
The BLIA is a global organization dedicated to helping all sentient beings. For this reason, we make no distinctions between people as to their race, age, gender, nationality, or wealth.
What are sentient beings? The Agama Sutra says, “There is no distinction between respectable and disrespectable, between higher and lower. All of them were born into this world, and that is why we call them all sentient beings.”
The Mahayana-bhisamaya Sutra says, “All sentient beings are formed out of the same delusive conditions, and that is why they all are called sentient beings.”
The Anunatvapurnatva-nirdesa-parivarta Sutra says, “The Dharmakaya is covered with delusion. Coming and going, living and dying – these are called sentient beings.”
The Avatamsaka Flower Adornment Sutra says, “There is no difference between mind, Buddha and sentient beings.”
In many other sutras, Buddha often says that Buddhas and sentient beings are equal, that sages and common people are equal, that the ultimate principle and all phenomena are equal, that the four castes are equal. All beings in the Ten Realms are equal, and there is no differ- ence among them.
This is the way the world should be seen by Buddhists. However, all of us know well enough that no matter where we go, people always make big distinctions between the powerful and the weak, the wealthy and the poor, the high and the low, the educated and the uneducated. No matter where we go, these kinds of social distinctions produce resentment and anger, and then often lead to serious social conflict and even violence.
I hope all BLIA members will bear this fact in mind and always base their behavior on a deep sense of equality.
The Buddha himself was brave enough to disregard caste distinc- tions in his own time, and those of us who follow him today should be brave enough to create rules and social organizations that will lead to equality among all the world’s peoples. If we can find the spirit within ourselves to do this, I am certain the world will come to resemble the sea in its wide-ranging tolerance and profound expansiveness. In that kind of a world, all of us will be able to practice the Dharma with the greatest possible harmony and mutual consideration.
Respect for family
A family is not just a place where a small group of people can find small comforts among themselves. It has a much more important social function than that.
If a husband and wife have a harmonious and positive relation- ship, that relationship will be a very important part of both of their capacities to grow and change for the better. The way parents speak to their children has a profound effect on the kinds of characters their children later develop. Family dynamics is one of the most important factors in the development of personality. For these reasons, the BLIA places even more emphasis on family life than it does on development of the individual.
The BLIA hosts all sorts of meetings and gatherings to further the development of the family, and we always welcome family members to all of our functions.
We sponsor family visits, family sporting events, and family get-togethers for the sole purpose of increasing communication and harmony among families. We sincerely hope that relations among BLIAmembers and BLIA families will always be marked by an attitude of deep concern, kindness, joy and mutual helpfulness. We also hope
that families themselves will see to it that all of their members fully understand and participate in BLIA activities.
If an entire family bases its life on the beliefs of the BLIA, it will open an area in its members’ hearts that will allow for rapid growth and freedom within the wise embrace of the Dharma.
Family members should think of themselves principally as friends who travel together along the bodhi way. If all of us can do this, our lives will be in harmony with the heavens, our nations will be prosper- ous and secure, and the world soon will know the meaning of real peace.
Committed to the social good
The Flower Adornment Sutra says, “If you want to save all sentient beings from suffering, do not put your own happiness above theirs.” The Buddha came into this world to accomplish the great deed of
saving all sentient beings from delusion.
The great saints and sages of history, similarly, have dedicated themselves to that same spirit of saving all beings from the pain and hardship of living a life of delusion. And those saints have been practical in their efforts. They have helped clear new land, they have cured diseases, they have helped build buildings, and they have taught others how to control their negative emotions. In these ways, they have done much to advance the well-being of all of society. Without their contributions, the world would be a far poorer place in which to live.
It is a shame, but I don’t know how many times Buddhists in the past have been content merely to come together in small groups for a little chanting. Or they have been content to hide away and meditate all by themselves. What good does that do? That kind of behavior shows a lack of great compassion exemplified by the great bodhisattvas. Even when small organizations do make attempts to do something for society, they often fail completely because they have no rules or regulations and they simply do not have the numbers to really have any lasting effect.
The world has changed very much in recent years, and all of us have had to experience great shocks to our inherited senses of what is right and wrong. So many people nowadays spend so much time seeking the pleasures of material things that their inner lives have become rigid, while their relationships with each other have become volatile and unforgiving. As they chase material pleasures more and more, their lives become even more committed to selfish gain and the devious wiles of unrelenting profiteering. Truly, the task before us is great!
In this kind of a world, it is my opinion that the BLIA must be able to rely on itself, and not wait for some other force to come along and help. Instead of waiting for others to help us, we should be asking ourselves, what can we do to help them? Members of the BLIA should really strive to adopt this kind of an attitude. When we say we intend to save all sentient beings from delusion, we must mean it, and we must not expect the task to be easy.
As the world constantly changes, the forms of people’s entrap- ment in delusion also change. The basic nature of deluded thinking is always the same. It is always dependent upon greed, anger and ignorance, but the outward forms these delusions can take are always changing. Therefore, it is imperative that members of the BLIA have a firm commitment to Buddhism, and it is imperative that all of us be constantly willing to change our methods of dealing with the world’s problems.
Since its inception, the BLIA has been involved in many very practical movements. We have advocated environmentalism in Taiwan, healthful vegetarianism, and we have done many things to try to bring the different classes of society closer together. We have established mobile clinics, which travel deep into the mountains to provide health- care services for those who would not otherwise have access to them. We have been involved in disaster relief in many parts of the world. We have helped the government of Taiwan with anti-drug programs, and we often send monks into prisons to preach the Dharma to the inmates. We have TV and radio shows, and we sponsor many kinds of activities for young people so they will be able to participate in society in a constructive fashion.
These are the kinds of activities the BLIA should always look to be doing. Our foundation is one of compassion, equality, tolerance and commitment to the social good. From this base, it is important that we strive actively to be a benefit to peoples and societies in all parts of the world.