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Buddhism is an education, not a religion. We do not worship the Buddha, we
respect him as a teacher. His teachings enable us to leave suffering and attain happiness.
"Buddha" means enlightenment /understanding. Complete understanding is when one realizes
the truth about life and the universe. It is when one is apart from all delusions.
Cultivation is not something unusual, it is part of our everyday life. Whenever we
recognize and correct our faults, we are cultivating.
To keep our mind pure and at peace is like keeping a pond clean and undisturbed. When the
water is clear and still, it can reflect the sky, sun and trees just as they are, without
distortion. When we are polluted by greed, hatred, ignorance and disturbed by discriminations
and attachments, we distort our picture of reality and fail to see things as they are.
Wrong perceptions of reality can prevent us from enjoying a clear and happy life.
What is purity? Purity is apart from defilement. Defilement is the greed, hatred, and
stupidity present in our minds. Cultivation is cleansing these impurities from out hearts.
The Buddha's teachings should be introduced as an education, not a religion. Using spiritual
penetrations and psychic abilities to attract people to believe in Buddhism is not the
proper teachings and only serve to mislead others.
We should not be afraid to see our faults and mistakes because only then can be corrected.
People who fail to see their own mistakes will not be able to change for the better.
A student of the Buddha does not just read
Buddhist text, he/she studies them to reach a deeper understanding of life and the universe
and puts the teachings into practice in everyday life.
In putting the teachings into practice, the first thing we should cultivate is the Pure Heart.
The Pure Heart is a mind without discrimination or attachments. We must also develop proper
understanding by listening to explanations of the Buddha's Teachings.