佛光會員除了要發揚佛光會的宗旨、性格、使命、目的外，會員本身還要有四種性格，才能強化素質，增進能力，這四種性格是︰

(一) 群我要有國際性格︰現在世界各國紛紛由專制獨裁進展到民主自由，由一元進展到多元，由靜態安定進展到動態競爭，由農業進展到工商業。在新社會中，隨著個人意識加強，私人自由增多，群我之間的活動發生密切的關係，個人的事務成為公眾的事務，公眾的事務也成為個人的事務，群我之間關係越來越密切。再加上近年來科技進步，資訊發達，社會的活動不再由國家主控，而是由一群人與一群人、組織與組織之間的互動關係所引導，整個世界儼如一個國際大家庭，如果我們能由此體悟萬法緣起」的真理，進而互助合作，自他兼濟，則《華嚴經》中光光相攝、重重無礙的理想世界將是指日可待之事。我們佛光會員走在時代的前端，自當身先士卒，以「群我國際化」的觀念引領世人邁向和平大道。因此，我在這裡建議諸位會員︰

1. 每個月至少得到一次國際資訊，以與世界脈搏同步跳動。

2. 每年至少要招待十位國際朋友，以促進彼此交流。

3. 每年至少要對國際人士提供五次協助，以廣結善緣。

4. 每三年至少要有一次國際旅行，以增進見聞。

(二) 佛法要有人間性格︰佛教是以「人」為本的宗教，因為人是十法界上升下沉的樞紐，所以不唯十方諸佛皆在人間成道、度眾，所有的高僧大德也都是在人間修行、弘法，像菩提達摩的一葦渡江，法顯、玄奘的西行取經，鑑真、隱元的東渡弘法，乃至寒山、拾得的典座行堂，無非都是為了將佛法落實人間，以妙諦利喜眾生。

遺憾的是，許多人一開始學佛就急著閉關修行，以求了生脫死，其實生的問題尚未解決，焉能談死？阿彌陀佛雖慈悲接引眾生往生淨土，但也說︰「不可以少善根福德因緣得生彼國。」不先福利人間，積集道糧，哪裡能了生脫死？

佛陀之所以成就佛道，也必須在人間「三祇修福慧，百劫修相好」。不先成就人間事業，不先莊嚴人間世界，而想自己一個人成就正覺，實無異緣木求魚，無有是處！

佛光會員要光大聖教，圓滿菩提，必先要有「佛法人間化」的觀念，所以我希望各位能做到︰

1. 思想言行人間化︰我們要歌頌人間的善美，讚歎人間的和樂，推動利他的工作，發起助人的服務，尊敬賢者，友愛同儕，感恩知足，喜捨為善，創造美好的人間。

2. 發心立願人間化︰我們要發向道心，健全自我；發慈悲心，普利群生；發頭陀願，努力作務；發菩提願，完成佛道。只要對人間有心，對眾生有願，必能莊嚴人間道場，利益人間有情。

3. 福樂財富人間化︰我們要鼓勵淨財的增多、禪悅的妙用，即使人間福樂財富有限，我們也應從佛法裡體會無窮的法樂，從信仰裡探索無盡的財富，從而擁有全面的人間。

4. 修行實踐人間化︰五戒十善、四無量心、四弘誓願、六波羅蜜都是人間化的修行法門，大家若能依教奉行，努力實踐，人間就是淨土。

(三) 理念要有未來性格︰過去的佛教界思想故步自封，行事墨守成規，既缺乏高瞻遠矚的見解，又沒有大刀闊斧的魄力，只求隨緣隨喜，所以佛化事業乏人問津，即使在教理、教制上創新突破，也有後繼無人之虞。在進入瞬息萬變的二十一世紀之際，如果佛子們繼續保持因循苟且的態度，恐將無法因應世局，遑論光大聖教，利濟眾生。所以，我在此呼籲所有佛光會員們應將「理念未來化」，並且做到下列四點︰

1. 注意未來的世界趨勢︰未來的世界充滿危機與轉機，所涵蓋的層面包括社會、科技、環境、經濟、政治，它們交相影響，變化迅速，我們唯有主動了解，洞悉變數，因應變化，才能掌握未來。

2. 研究未來的佛教發展︰佛教的發展必須與時俱進，才能發揮應機度眾的功效，所以我們應該積極研究未來佛教發展的方向，並且統籌策畫，讓佛教的資源得以有效使用。

3. 前瞻未來的佛光會務︰佛光會任重道遠，我們應該為弘法、教育、文化、活動等會務釐訂五年、十年、二十年、五十年，乃至百年計畫。

4. 規畫未來的人生步驟︰阿羅漢道有四向四果，大乘菩薩有五十二個階位，凡此顯示佛教是一個講究生涯規畫的宗教。佛光會員也應分析自己的個性，為未來訂下計畫。善於說法者發心考取檀講師、檀教師、檀導師；樂於文教者研究經論，以文字般若弘法利生；擅於行政者，除參加佛光會舉辦的幹部研討會之外，自我也應該充實相關知識；樂於修持者，一門深入，多方參學。

(四) 制度要有統一性格︰大乘佛教的八大宗派，禪門的五家七宗，各有道風，這是很正常的。然而各家的佛像式樣、寺院規模、禮儀程序、慶典方式也是五花八門，各具特色。長此以往，大家各行其道，結果削弱佛教的力量，實在可惜﹗

有規矩，才能成方圓，佛光會想要持續發展，必得要將「制度統一化」，例如︰

1. 蓮花手印統一︰只要一看到蓮花手印，就知道彼此在打招呼。

2. 佛光會服統一︰走到世界各地，立刻可以感受到團隊的精神。

3. 修行方法統一︰無論行至何處，都能暢懷共修，交流心意。

4. 唱誦偈語統一︰從共同的理念達到三業的清淨，教團的和諧。

除此以外，我們還要有統一的助念程序、活動方式、會議程序、禮儀稱呼，大家都能在一師一道的原則下，團結合作，共創美好的未來。

如果大家都能以「群我國際化」自利利他，以「佛法人間化」利喜眾生，以「理念未來化」突破創新，以「制度統一化」凝聚力量，則佛光會必能迅速發展，度眾有成。

In previous chapters, we have discussed the BLIA’s guiding principles, its beliefs, its responsibilities, its goals and its major aims. In this chapter, I would like to delve in greater detail into the kinds of things each member should try to do to ensure that the BLIA is successful in accomplishing everything it has set out to do.

How to accomplish internationalization

The societies of the world, for the most part, have evolved from autocracy toward democracy. They have evolved from monolithic structures into dynamic organizations characterized by multiplicity and variety.

This evolution has led to massive changes in the kinds of lives people now live as compared to the kinds of lives lived by people in the past.

Agricultural societies were quite stable, and change was usually very slow. Nowadays, change happens quickly, and people are forced to be active and creative in nearly everything they do.

People prize privacy and freedom today. They are better educated than ever before, and much better able to express themselves and find the will to get what they want.

These individualistic tendencies have had enormous impact on all the people of the world. Not only have societies become more dynamic than ever before, but the relationship between the individual and society also has become much more active and much more important.

Those of us who recognize these changes in the world must   also recognize that our responsibilities toward the world have only increased because of them. No longer can we sit back and dream that what we do has no effect on others, or that our lives cannot possibly be of use to society.

The world now is a complex matrix of peoples, languages, governments and organizations that constantly interact and constantly influence one another.

What we do in the BLIA, or as members of the BLIA, will have ramifications beyond anything we can imagine right now. As Buddhists, we should always bear in mind that “all phenomena arise from conditions.” Through our efforts and our abilities to cooperate with other members of the BLIA, we will succeed in affecting the very conditions of the world in which we live.

The Flower Adornment Sutra describes a realm wherein all lights blend and there are no more obstructions. That is where the world is headed. If we in the BLIA are active in our dedication, our influence will surely be of the highest sort. So that each one of us can make  the greatest contribution possible to the world, I want to present the following four suggestions:

1. Communicate with someone abroad at least once a month.

2. During the year, spend time with at least ten people from another culture or nation so that all of you can broaden your views of life.

3. At least five times during the year, give some kind of help to people from another culture or nation.

4. Take at least one trip abroad every three years to broaden your understanding to the world.

How to humanize Buddhism

In Buddhism, the human realm is the most important realm of all. The human realm is the realm where great transformations can occur, and it stands between the higher and lower realms. Not only have all the Buddhas in the universe achieved enlightenment in this realm, but this also is where great sages and great bodhisattvas appear to preach the Dharma. Bodhidharma, Faxian, Xuanzang, and many others underwent great hardships solely for the good of sentient beings living in the human realm.

It is a real pity that so many Buddhists, especially when they  first begin to practice, place so much emphasis on long retreats and on liberating themselves from the cycle of birth and death. These are important concerns, but remember, no one is going to achieve liberation from the cycle of birth and death if he has not first figured out how to live as a human being in the human realm. Amitabha Buddha has promised to carry sentient beings to his Pure Land after death, but remember, he also said that if a person’s “merits and goodness were not sufficient, he would not be able to take rebirth in the Pure Land.” If you do not work to improve yourself in this realm, how  can you really expect to liberate yourself from the cycle of birth and death?

The very Dharma the Buddha established was established in this world. And it was established only after the Buddha “practiced virtue for three asamkyas and morality for one hundred kalpas.”

All of us must first live fully, virtuously and compassionately in this world before we can ever expect to transcend anything. If you really think you are going to become enlightened all by yourself without other people, you are mistaken. You are like someone who is trying to find a fish living in a tree.

All members of the BLIA should be very clear about this. The great wisdom of the sages and the fullness of the bodhi mind only can be attained in this world among people, and they cannot be attained somewhere else. The following suggestions are specific means by which members of the BLIA can improve their commitment and understanding of Humanistic Buddhism.

1. 1. We should think about Humanistic Buddhism, we should speak about it, and we should practice We should speak positively about life in this world and exult in the joy and beauty of it. We should seek to help others without being asked. We should treat our friends and loved ones with kindness and consideration. We should develop a strong sense of gratitude for everything we have, and we should always act on what we know is right.

   2. We should make vows that establish the primacy of human beings. As Buddhists, we must make vows that establish the depths of our own characters, but we can only really succeed in doing this if we vow to be compassionate toward others first. We must vow to help others, and we must vow to take on new responsibilities for   the good of others. This is the bodhi Way. It may seem, at first, like a sacrifice to dedicate yourself to helping others, but in the end you will see that same dedication is the only means by which the highest human potential is released.

   3. We must not reject life’s There is nothing wrong with material abundance, and we should work to produce it, and use what we produce to help others. At the same time, we must realize that material abundance always is limited. Our real joy should spring from joy and wisdom of the Dharma. With this joy firmly established in our hearts, we will have the means necessary to function efficiently on the material plane without becoming so involved in things what we lose our concentration.

   4. We must consider humanism to be an essential part of our practice of Buddhism. The Five Precepts, the ten wholesome acts, the four means of embracing , the four vows and the six perfections are the essence of Buddhist practice. At the same time, they are the essence of humanistic Buddhism, too. If all of us really practice Buddhism in this way, we will succeed in making this world into a Pure Land.
      
      

We must have a vision with which to face the future

In the past, Buddhism too often was characterized by passivity and inactivity. Buddhists too often were content to “follow conditions,” and not create them themselves. Without a vision of its own future, Buddhism will continue to languish in its cocoon, and by doing that, fundamentally contradict some of its most basic principles. I believe it is essential that we create a vibrant vision of the future of Buddhism in this world. To this end, I will mention the following four points:

1. 1. • We must pay close attention to the real circumstances that will characterize the future.
        The world is changing very quickly. To grasp  these  changes  and use them for the good of Buddhism, we must fully comprehend the inter-workings of societies, science, economics, governments and the environment. As these massive factors move and change, so the world will change. We must not ignore the importance of these very real conditions. We must actively seek to understand them in all of their depth and complexity.

1. 1. • We must think about the future of Buddhism.
        If Buddhism is to develop as a viable religion in this world, it must adapt itself to the conditions present in the world. Each one of us should think deeply about where Buddhism is going, and how we can be of service to this great tradition as it moves into the future. Every choice we make about the future of Buddhism should be founded on clear reasoning and good intentions.

1. 1. • The BLIA itself should make specific and detailed plans for its future.
        In addition to its short-term plans, each BLIA chapter should make separate five-year plans, ten-year plans, twenty-year plans, fifty-year plans and even one-hundred-year plans.

1. 1. • Each BLIA member should also be concerned with the future of his or her own life.
        The path of the arhant has its four levels of going toward the fruits of sramana and its four fruits of sramana, while the bodhisattva Way of Mahayana Buddhism is divided into fifty-two detailed stages. These details and divisions show the importance that Buddhism places on clarity of vision and good planning.

Each member of the BLIA should borrow on some of this vision and apply it to his or her own life. Analyze yourself. Where do you want to be one year or five years or twenty years from now? Those of you who are good at speaking should consider studying for one of the BLIA’s lay teaching positions. Others of you may consider writing. Those of you who are good at planning and organization may want to lend your talents to the administration of your local chapters or to the development of your local communities.

We must base our unity on clear guidelines

In China, Mahayana Buddhism allowed itself to divide into eight different schools. There was Tiantai, Chan, Pure Land, Mind-Only and several other schools, not to mention further internal divisions within each of these. Looking back on the past now, it really seems to be a pity that so many people so often worked at cross-purposes. Their inability to unite made them weak when they needed to stand up to the government, and it enervated Buddhism as a whole by scattering its believers and leaving them to work too often alone.

As the BLIA looks to its future, we should be sure that we do not repeat those mistakes within our own organization or in our dealings with other Buddhists and other Buddhist organizations. Unity and cooperation are absolutely fundamental to the health of a large organization like the BLIA. These qualities are also essential for the promotion of all Buddhism.

Without unity in our own organization, we surely will not succeed in achieving any of our larger goals. Unity is fundamentally based on a willingness to cooperate. I hope all members of the BLIA will look deeply into themselves to find this very important emotional foundation. As outward signs of or commitments to each other, I hope all BLIA members will also accept the following four suggestions:

• Use the BLIA lotus gesture. This gesture is a physical representation of our willingness to cooperate with other members of the BLIA. When we greet each other with this gesture, we signal our friendliness as well as the joy we find in Buddhism.

• Wear the BLIA vest at large gatherings. This vest identifies who we are. It helps other BLIA members recognize us, and it signifies that all of us are working toward the same end.

• Be united in your practice. Speak to each other and help each Wherever you go, you should feel that you are among people with whom you can share yourself. When BLIA members visit your temple, make them feel at home. When you visit their temples, don’t feel that you are an outsider. We all belong to the same group.

• Chant and sing together. These practices help unite our spirits as they lead to purity of thought.

Beyond these four items, all of us should try to seek unity of thought, activity, and community. When we unite under one master and travel together on one path, we succeed in helping each other as we create the conditions to bring Buddhism successfully into the next century.