BLIA GUIDING PRINCIPLES

We are indebted to the Buddha's teachings and sincerely respect the Triple Gem; we propagate to benefit all sentient beings and strive to enlighten the people.

We promote Living Buddhism and create a Buddha's Light pure land; we are pragmatic in worldly affairs and compassionate in providing relief to the world.

We observe established formalities and harmonize with the Five Dharma Vehicles; we cultivate the Three Studies for a wholesome character.

We work with a global outlook and engage in cultural and educational activities; we are broad-minded and respect the multitude.

The guiding principles are of utmost importance to an organization because they represent the objectives upon which the members' mission is subscribed. Therefore, it behooves us, as members of BLIA, to first understand these guiding principles.

     Essentially, the guiding principles of BLIA can be explained under the following four salient points:

     1. We are indebted to the Buddha's teachings and sincerely respect the Triple Gem; we propagate to benefit all sentient beings and strive to enlighten the people: The Triple Gem in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha forms the basis of our faith and is the worldly treasure of human transcendentalism. The invaluable benefits that emanate from the Triple Gem are boundless. The Buddha is synonymous with a brilliant light that provides warmth to sentient beings. He is the savior of the world. Like the water that enriches sentient beings, the Dharma is the truth of humankind. Finally, the Sangha is like a cultivating plot in which virtues are nurtured. It is the righteousness that supports the true path. As the home of our spirituality, the Triple Gem sustains our physical being and provides the only means for our emancipation. Therefore, paying reverence to the Triple Gem is essentially the basis of our true cultivation in which right knowledge and views are embraced.

     In order to accomplish the common goal of attaining the path of enlightenment together, we, as devout members of BLIA, shall diligently propagate the Dharma to benefit others. Only through the complete understanding of Buddhism and its values will the awareness of human suffering be realized. Eventually, society will experience the blessedness of true cultivation. Only through the virtues of compassion and wisdom, and the willingness to help others will the multitude and ourselves be blessed with ultimate happiness.

     2. We promote Living Buddhism and create a Buddha's Light pure land; we are pragmatic in worldly affairs and compassionate in providing relief to the world: The historic Sakyamuni Buddha was born in our world in which his cultivation, enlightenment, and Dharma propagation took place. Evidently, his teachings were primarily for human beings and the world. Therefore, in order to pursue the joy that the Buddha so embraced, we should disseminate his teaching as applicable to the human world.

     Sutra says, "Dharma is to be sought among humankind." The Sixth Patriarch Master Hui Neng also said, "The Dharma is in this world within which enlightenment is to be sought. To seek enlightenment by separating from this world is as absurd as to search for a rabbit's horn." The Dharma and our daily life are inseparable. However, it will become meaningless as soon as our life is void of it! As in the past, some practitioners had grossly misconstrued the essence of the Dharma when they ostracized themselves from the real world. Not only had they failed to reap the benefits of the Dharma, they also aroused skepticism and fear among other people. For example, spouses were looked upon as mutual adversaries; children were considered their creditors from past lives; money was compared to venomous snakes; and prestige became the land of manure. Ultimately, they would place whatever merits they had cultivated in their lifetime toward some pure lands in which they hoped to gain during their next life. In actuality, the mutual support among relatives is essential for the betterment of Buddhism, and our good prestige is an inspiration to others. Essentially, the peace and happiness we experience in this lifetime is a benefit for our life after death.

     There is undoubtedly a need to shed Dharma light on the darkness of modern society where law and order fails to prevail. The greater turmoil and disorder there is in a country, the more the Dharma is needed to foster national peace and stability. We need to spread the Dharma joy where afflictions exist. As Buddha's Light people, we must follow the Buddha's compassionate vows by sharing our happiness with others and creating the Buddha's land of peaceful living. Hopefully, our saha world will one day become a majestic pure land of the Buddha.

     3. We observe the Buddhist tradition in harmonizing the Five Dharma Vehicles; we cultivate the Three Studies for a wholesome character.: In sutra, it says, "Buddhas of the three kalpas attained Buddhahood only in the human realm, not the other." Therefore, Ven. Master Tai Hsu said, "An accomplished person is also one of Buddhahood attainment in which the true form lies." The perfection in one's character is essentially the attainment of his or her spiritual path.

     Basically, Buddhism is broken down into five different levels so as to accommodate the different natural instinct of every human being, hence the "Five Dharma Vehicles." They are those who practice The Human Vehicle in the Three Refuges and Five Precepts. Some prefer to observe The Heaven Vehicle in the Path of Ten Virtuous Deeds. The Sravaka Vehicle cultivates the Four Noble Truths while The Pratyeka Vehicle is naturally connected to the Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination. Finally, there is The Bodhisattva Vehicle in the cultivation of the Six Paramitas.

     The emphasis of the Human and Heaven Vehicles lies in doing charitable work, adhering to precepts, and practicing mindful meditation in our world. The Sravaka and Pratyeka Vehicles, on the other hand, focus on transcendentalism that cultivates wisdom, patience, and the gradual attainment of enlightenment. Nonetheless, we should adopt the best of these spirits in order to cultivate the Bodhisattva Vehicle. By doing so, we not only help ourselves toward the unparalleled Buddha realms but also benefit others through our practice. As mentioned in The Lotus Sutra, "When I speak of the Dharma, there is no other second or third Dharma." The Buddha was indeed referring to the all-embracing Bodhisattva Path of selfless contribution toward others.

     Though there are several ways of following the Six Paramitas, it generally never departs from the boundary of the Three Studies in precepts, meditation, and wisdom. In other words, these cardinal virtues will rid us of our defilement in greed, hatred, and ignorance if we were to diligently cultivate them. Moreover, our perseverance will uplift our spirits, purify our mind, and enhance the quality of our lives. In the Mahavaipulya-mahasamnipata Sutra, "Regarding the Three Studies in precepts, meditation, and wisdom, they are the supreme dharani in which the body, speech, and mind karma are cleansed. It results in a disposition well-liked by all." If our members wish to attain the highest bodhi and to emancipate the suffering of others, they need to harmonize the Five Dharma Vehicles and regard the Three Studies and the Six Paramitas as pivotal to their cultivation.

     4. We adopt a global outlook in our work and engage in cultural and educational activities; we are broad-minded and respect the multitude: BLIA recognizes that the world is in fact a family and that everyone is a unit in a vast system. Therefore, as members, we should adopt a global outlook of non-discrimination regarding people's career, race, nationality, or age. Wherever we may be, we should diligently propagate the values of Buddhist teaching and work toward helping others.

     In The Diamond Sutra, the Buddha expounded, "Regardless of being born from eggs, wombs, hydrophilous means, or metamorphosis, I will lead all sentient beings to the liberation of Nirvana. It seemed as though I had emancipated countless beings, but in actuality, no beings had been emancipated." When it comes to helping others, not only should we give generously without attachment, we should also lead others toward their own spirituality. This can only be achieved through the emphasis of cultural and educational means. It is essential therefore to instill cultural values in people in order to bridge regional boundaries and to enhance educational pursuits to further purify human minds. The virtue in four-line verses is by far more precious than the material giving of treasures throughout the whole universe. Nonetheless, it is clear that kind and compassionate acts of giving will help alleviate the suffering of people and that the influence through cultural values far outweigh other means.

     Henceforth, other than being actively engaged in global emergency relief efforts, BLIA has, since inception, sponsored international activities such as youth camps, goodwill visits, seminar events, World Buddhist Examinations, cultural exchanges, etc. Moreover, BLIA also presents "Ch'an Canon" to other parts of the world and provides scholarships for tertiary studies. Essentially, our attention is directed toward mutual respect and patience toward our differences with the general public. We pursue the development of cultural and education enhancement to benefit civilization for we belong to the system of universality.

     BLIA Guiding Principles are reiterated as follows:

1. We are indebted to the Buddha's teachings and sincerely respect the Triple Gem; we propagate to benefit all sentient beings and strive to enlighten the people.
2. We promote Living Buddhism and create a Buddha's Light pure land; we are pragmatic in worldly affairs and compassionate in providing relief to the world.
3. We observe the Buddhist tradition in harmonizing the Five Dharma Vehicles; we cultivate the Three Studies for a wholesome character.
4. We adopt a global outlook in our work and engage in cultural and educational activities; we are broad-minded and respect the multitude.

     It is hoped that members put the above guiding principles to heart and work together at all times toward our common goals.