Real help-真正的帮助

Real help

Buddha is not a god but a mentor.Prostrations and offerings are not made to an idol. Buddhism doesn’t notbelieve in an outside god who dominates everything, instead, we are our ownmasters. Through learning the doctrines of Buddhism, we are able to correctlyknow and observe the laws of the world and of our life, and able to make ourlife more and more beautiful. When we prostrate before Buddha statutes, we arenot worshiping stones and wood, rather, we are respecting the Way thesestatutes represent, just as the ancient Chinese doing prostration before theirancestors, thanking them for bestowing life.

Buddhists bow to the Buddha because hetaught us how to liberate ourselves from suffering and to obtain the ultimatebliss. Prostration before the Buddha statutes severs as a way to show ourrespect to the Three Jewels, to tame our arrogance, and to express ourgratitude. To go a step further for enlightenment, for the liberation fromafflictions, and for the final escape from samsara, we need to learn theBuddhist doctrines. Prostration and praying are not done for any reward fromthe Buddhas and bodhisattvas, whose real help lies in building in us a more upbeatmentality, and in generating in us the courage and strength to overcomechallenges.

 真正的帮助

佛陀不是神灵，而是导师，种种礼拜供养并不是为了膜拜偶像。佛法不认为有一个外在的神灵主宰一切，人的生命由自己做主。通过学习佛法，能正确地认识世界、人生的规律，从而让自己的生命越来越美好。礼拜佛像，不是拜木石，而是恭敬、尊重它所代表的“道”。中国古人对祖先也会敬拜，因为是祖先给予了自己生命；

佛弟子拜佛，是因为佛陀教导我们离苦得乐的方法。拜佛是恭敬三宝、降伏我慢、表达感恩的方式。要进一步开启智慧、解脱烦恼乃至出离轮回，还需要学习佛法。拜佛、祈求，不是要佛菩萨给我们什么东西，而是让我们的心态更加昂扬向上、更有克服困难的勇气和力量，这才是佛菩萨给我们的真正帮助。