THE MISSION OF BLIA MEMBERS

Everyone in the world has a mission.  A soldier’s mission is to protect the nation; a teacher’s mission is to educate the youth; a farmer’s mission is to plant crops for the mass; and a scientist’s mission is to advance for the betterment of society.  A person enriched with a sense of mission can transform ideas into actions.  For him or her, even the smallest task can be performed with great results. One without a mission, by contrast, goes through life aimlessly with nothing to look forward to.

What is the mission of BLIA members and how do we go about accomplishing it? I have broken it down into four different points:

        1. Propagate Buddhism with a global outlook: In the past, the spread of Buddhism was primarily confined to the regions of East and Central Asia due to language and communication barriers.  In essence, Buddhism is intrinsically magnanimous and universal upon which there are no territorial boundaries; it inherently belongs to humankind.  In retrospect of the Buddha's effort in teaching the Dharma, there was nothing but his spirit of compassion and determination that he relied on. Today, BLIA, however, is globally established and is fortunate to have members with a myriad of skills and talents. Along with internet access and modern technology, we are able to communicate better as well as link with the world in current affairs.  Thus, we should be steadfast in bringing the widely practiced Asian Buddhism to other parts of the world and be aspired in the dissemination of bodhi seeds throughout the five continents.

        2. Live daily with a humanistic nature: The Diamond Sutra says, "The Tathagata stated that everything is indeed the Buddha-dharma." In relation to this, the Vimalakirti Sutra also says, "All phenomena are forms of salvation."  It is obvious that Buddhism does not depart from our worldly existence.  If we want to seek salvation from beyond this world, it is equivalent to searching for fish in the woods. People say that "the moon outside the window normally looks ordinary, but with the presence of a flowering plum tree, it changes it all." One can only realize the value of Buddhism when it is being put into practice. Evidently, happiness is realized when we succeed in connecting the Dharma with our daily life.  This is the reason why BLIA is always stressing living Buddhism in order to build a humanistic pure land.  As members, we must put our best effort into spreading the Dharma beyond the realm of temples into society and from monastics down to lay people in order for Buddhism to be a part of living.

As a means of broadening the scope and dissemination of Buddhist information, we need to upgrade our skills in many areas, such as proficiency in computer, writing, and publication distribution.  In order for our temple to look majestic and to enhance the quality of our family life, we may want to learn floral arrangement, interior decoration, or even sophisticated architecture.  In addition, we may learn how to teach the Dharma, present public speeches, or improve our instructional techniques.  If we hope to increase the awareness and appreciation of Buddhist art, we may want to learn Buddhist music, painting, or even participate in national exhibitions. As we live in a world of sound and colors, we perhaps need to take the role of a musical horn to publicize the advantages of learning Buddhism, or be a paint brush to add colors to the world.  We need to utilize our skills and knowledge in order to influence others; our smiles and kind words to add joy to living.

        3. Benefit the multitude with a compassionate mind: Confucianism stresses benevolence and love, the value with which the distinction between one's family and society is drawn. As a result, it is difficult for love to grow outside of one's kinship. The Chinese philosopher Mo Tze, talked about integrity and love that foster the spirit of "doing without knowing." In reality, this kind of love is a deviation of practicality. In contrast, the call for the French Revolution in "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" still could not resolve the afflictions of society after so many years.  In fact, this concept of love is very much confined and impure in nature. Oftentimes, when the issue is misconstrued or mishandled, it leads to more suffering and subsequently becomes the cause of it all. The compassion advocated by Buddhism is a different order of emotion. In Buddhism, the advocate for "compassion" is the culmination of the self and society at large.  When universal beings are considered as interrelated, the notion of oneness leads to the true spirit of selfless contribution. Compassion is love in its highest and purest form.  Like heaven and earth, the value of compassion encompasses all beings without asking anything in return.

The Avatamsaka Sutra says, "For the sake of sentient beings, the bodhisattva emanates the spirit of compassion in which the bodhicitta is nurtured. As a result of cultivating bodhicitta, the path of Buddhahood can be realized."  The sutra further states, "Bodhisattvas are born of compassion, not merely of goodness." Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who vowed "never to attain buddhahood until hell is empty," is an example of the true bodhisattva spirit of helping others.  BLIA members should thus attempt to "place the welfare of all sentient beings before their own happiness." Doing so is essentially a means to our own accomplishment. We should not only care for the underprivileged, but also get involved positively in teaching Buddhism and conducting meaningful seminars, thereby disclosing the roots of their problems. In addition, we should not only hold activities that appeal to people of all interests and walks of life, but also goes a step further to promote values in Buddhist culture, careers, and social undertakings. We are hopeful that members have mutual understanding and knowledge in leading others toward the right path. Essentially, we give without seeking rewards, for the compassion to benefit others is our steadfast responsibility in which our mission is realized.

        4. Distinguish between the truth and heresies with right knowledge and understanding: An idiom stresses "the dual practice of compassion and wisdom" in which right understanding is the guiding force of our true compassion. With that in mind, we can undoubtedly reach our goal of helping others. Nowadays, parents tend to overly protect their children at the expense of others while many seek fortune by pursuing heresies. In doing so, they not only harm themselves, they  cast tremendous burden on society as a whole.  It is disheartening to see such a sad state of affairs prevalent around us.  From what is apparent to us, we can truly derive the preciousness of having good knowledge and understanding above all things.

There are various delusions that afflict different types of people in the world.  Generally, they fall under these four categories: lay people who are deluded of the truth; heretics who, though they possess worldly wisdom, deviate from the truth; practitioners of the Four Noble Truths and Twelve Nidanas who, though they understand the doctrine of self-emptiness, have yet to realize the doctrine of Dharma-emptiness, and therefore do not understand universal equality; bodhisattvas who, though they realize the doctrines of emptiness, still possess the roots of ignorance and have yet to attain perfect enlightenment.  Only the Buddha, omniscient in perfect enlightenment, is able to fulfill all virtues and bring joy and happiness to the universe. As BLIA members, we are fortunate to be blessed by the wisdom of the great Buddha, our guiding teacher.  We should therefore treasure this blessing and diligently pursue the study of Buddhism along with the right teacher.  In addition, we must enhance our perspective in Buddhist lectures, discussions, and health along with the right view and right practice in order to enlighten others. Let us walk toward the path of righteousness and enjoy a life of joy and happiness.

The mission of BLIA members is thus reiterated as follows:

1.          Propagate Buddhism with a global outlook;

2.          Live daily with a humanistic nature;

3.          Benefit the multitude with a compassionate mind;

4.          Distinguish between the truth and heresies with right knowledge and understanding.

It is hopeful that everyone works with a common belief toward spreading our moral values with a sense of joy, responsibility, sacrifice, and dedication so as to actualize the strength of our roots in Buddhism.