Before meditation, we should first get ready, that is, shut the door, go to the bathroom, turn off the cell phone, etc. We should deal with these chores ahead of time so as not to disrupt the actual meditation practice. Thereafter, go to a shrine room if there is one, and prepare a cushion. This cushion is called a meditation cushion; it should be higher in back than in front to allow the body to sit comfortably. As you sit on the meditation cushion, make the following vow: during this sitting, I will remain in meditation no matter what.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - Preparing for the Preliminaries

From death to rebirth, there are at least more than a few chances for a person to obtain liberation, attain Buddhahood or be reborn in Sukhāvatī (pure land of Amitabha) if one has grasped the pith instructions on death. Short of attaining Buddhahood or being reborn in Amitabha’s pure land, by applying the pith instructions on death, one can also freely choose to be reborn in the human realm, having a life endowed with freedom and leisure to practice the Dharma and ultimately gain liberation. Having grasped the pith instructions, one is no longer just at the mercy of past karmic force when taking rebirth. Absent this knowledge, one will miss all the opportunities to be free from the control of karmic force time and time again. It is therefore crucial to learn the pith instructions on death.

~Depicted from THE HANDBOOK'S FOR LIFE JOURNEY - On Death And Rebirth-How to Face Death

Comparatively speaking, people in ancient times were more content with fewer things to go by. Technology is a two-sided sword; while it has created great material prosperity for us, it has also inflated our desire. If we deplete our physical resources without restraint in order to satisfy this desire, we will ultimately bring on mankind’s own destruction. For example, if everyone in the world were to live as Americans do, we would need resources equivalent to three to five times what the earth can provide. This is a very worrisome thought! Altogether we only have one planet!

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - Spiritual Equipment for Modern Times

When we encounter suffering, we can practice exchanging oneself for others; when we experience happiness, we can also practice exchanging the self for others.

From a mundane standpoint, we are enjoying our happiness when we have good health and material comfort; but from a liberation standpoint, we are wasting our blessings and happiness. In the sutras, the teachings remind us over and over again not to waste our happiness. Hence, when we are successful in our career or feel great joy in life, we must practice exchanging the self for others.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - How to Face Suffering and Happiness-How to Face Happiness

What is a dharma seal? The “dharma” herein refers to Buddhadharma, the teachings of the Buddha; the “seal” is a handprint or stamp, which means it does not change. The Three Dharma Seals are called “dharma seals” precisely because they are a fundamental view in Buddhism that will never change. To be sure, this is just the standpoint of exoteric Buddhism. Another interpretation is that the “seal” is likened to a king’s seal. When the king’s seal is fixed on a royal document or edict, it assumes special significance – it is a confirmation of a royal decree which cannot be defied or altered. In the same way, the Three Dharma Seals confirm the authenticity of the Dharma; without the Three Dharma Seals, it is not the Dharma.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - SUMMATION

Some students of Buddhism or other religions like to dwell on clairvoyant power and states of realization, but this is not the real purpose of Buddhism. Although Buddhism does not object to transcendent power, it does not chase after it. Buddhism mainly teaches how to cultivate compassion, develop wisdom, and serve others.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - The Significance of Buddhist Philosophy Today

We should not think that anything that is not discovered by science or proven with logic does not exist, as not everything can be measured by hard data. Things like rebirth or soul cannot be checked by scientific instruments, at least not for the time being. However, as science continues to break new grounds, it is entirely possible that one day we might be able to do that. For now, logic, as we know it, is rendered helpless in the field of parapsychology because our sense organs are not equipped to provide us with useful data to do this kind of analysis.

~Depicted from THE HANDBOOK'S FOR LIFE JOURNEY -On Death And Rebirth-What Life Truly Is

Mind training is essential to everyone, including me. Like all of you, I still have afflictions and continue to wander in samsara. Since we have obtained precious human birth in this lifetime, we should cherish the opportunity to practice; if we forgo this chance, I fear that we are giving up on an opportunity that comes just once in many kalpas.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - The Importance of Practice

People who do not understand cause and effect think it is very mysterious and filled with religious connotation. Actually there is nothing mysterious about it. If we are observant, we will discover all things around us – whether animals, vegetation, or mankind -- are subject to the law of cause and effect. A cause will always produce a result of the same kind. The ancients say: “You reap what you sow.” This is an objective principle of cause and effect. Although we cannot observe the subtle relationship between cause and effect with the eye, we can validate its existence conceptually. A lot of new discoveries in science were also assumed to be non-existent at one time because they could not be perceived by the eye. The law of cause and effect is no exception; it exists even if it cannot be seen.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - Spiritual Equipment for Modern Times