「天生我才必有用」，大地萬物都有生存的任務，所以儘管是一塊微不足道的小石子，一顆小小的螺絲釘，如果能善盡職責，成就大眾，都能在世間占有一席之地。現在的社會之所以有「世風日下，人心不古」之譏，乃因許多人只貪圖權利享受，而不想盡責任義務，所以物質越加豐美，心靈反而越加腐蝕。處身於萬丈紅塵中的佛光會員，在這個世間上應負有何種任務呢？以下我分六點為各位說明︰
(一) 鼓勵研究佛學︰從過去以來，多數的佛教徒只重拜佛誦經，祈求福祿，所以不但不能提升層次，甚且有礙佛教發展，實在可惜！如果以學校為譬喻，誦經祈福只是小學的修持，如果要廣利眾生，還必須更上一層樓，做一個研究佛學，實踐佛法的真佛子。尤其大家都是抱定弘法利生的目標，同來參加佛光會，並非癡聚的烏合之眾，更應該精研佛理，彼此切磋，精進修持，互相勉勵，才能將佛法落實生活，利己利人。只是三藏十二部經，有如汗牛充棟，即使窮一生之精力，也未必能遍讀通曉；各種修持法門，也是精深浩瀚，令人不知從何下手。因此國際佛光會發行《佛教》叢書，分為教理、經典、佛陀、弟子、教史、宗派、儀制、教用、藝文、人間佛教等十類，每一類編纂成一冊，每冊三十萬字左右，力求條目清楚，文字簡潔，若能反復閱讀，旁徵博引，必定能對佛法有完整的認識。希望大家都能在各地成立讀書會，藉著討論研究，達到解行並重、定慧等持的目的。
(二) 護持文教事業︰慈善布施固然是修持之一，但文教事業更能跨越時空，廣利十方三世眾生。所以《金剛經》強調弘揚四句偈功德勝過三千大千世界七寶布施功德。經云︰「若是經典所在之處，即為有佛，若尊重弟子。」又說︰「諸供養中，法供養第一。」此外，佛教的十法行包括書寫、供養、法施、諦聽、披讀、受持、開演、諷誦、思惟、修習，凡此無非說明文教在佛教弘傳中占有十分重要的地位。
文教是佛教的慧命所在！有識於此，佛光會自成立以來，各地協、分會不辭勞苦，出版佛教書籍、《佛光世紀》，成立佛教文物中心、國際翻譯中心，發行錄音帶、錄影帶，舉辦梵音海潮音音樂會、電視電臺弘法等等，佛光會員除響應追隨、發心護持之外，應百尺竿頭，更進一步。未來我們還可以成立佛教資訊中心、佛教報社、佛教電臺、佛教電視臺、圖書館，舉辦多種國際佛教會議，設置獎助學金，鼓勵大家撰寫佛教論文，創作佛教音樂、佛教歌曲，期能使佛法傳遍三千界內，妙諦普揚萬億國中。
(三) 舉辦社會服務︰佛教非常注重社會服務，在經典中，佛陀曾說︰「我是眾中之一。」又說︰「佛法在大眾中求。」歷代以來的高僧大德，或修橋鋪路，方便行人；或施茶施燈，利濟行旅；或施粥施飯，救濟難區居民；或設立當鋪、磨房，以利百姓急需；或舉辦義診、施棺，賑助貧民；或成立養老院、孤兒院，濟老扶幼。佛教對於國治民安實在是貢獻良多！
佛光會秉持佛陀廣度社會大眾的胸懷，除設有急難救助會，賑濟世界各地天災人禍、貧病疾苦之外，還舉辦淨化人心、把心找回來、環境服務、資源回收等活動，並組織服務隊為聯考考生、醫院病患、留學生、移民僑胞服務。今後，我們還應該成立電話法語中心、佛法諮詢中心、職業輔導中心、養老基金會、佛書交換研讀會、佛教慈愛團，讓社會各階層人士都可以得到佛光的普照，法水的滋潤。
(四) 發展佛教教育︰佛光會與普通社團最大不同之處，在於佛光會不以社會福利事業為限，更注重發展佛教教育，以達到淨化人心的目的。
佛教，意謂佛陀之教，而佛陀本身就是世界上最偉大的教育家。由於佛教的教育直指人心，活潑無礙，所以能適應各種時空，發揚人性光明的一面。像佛陀以長行、重頌、譬喻、本事等各種方式觀機逗教，度眾無數；勝鬘夫人在宮中為婦女、兒童敷演妙諦，為婦女法座會、兒童佛學班之濫觴；東晉末年，道安大師率徒輾轉避難，齋講不倦，以其學養深厚，成為許多長安士族請益的對象。凡此都說明佛教教育走在時代的前端，成為影響社會的清流砥柱。
佛光會經常舉辦各種佛學講座、佛法座談會，對於人心之美化不無小補，除希望大家能踴躍參與、共襄盛舉之外，更希望有志加入弘法行列的青年男女參加八關齋戒會、短期出家修道會等活動，乃至進入佛教學院、勝鬘書院就讀，接受佛教教育的洗禮，必定能更進一步將佛法勝義推廣到社會各個階層。
(五) 推動國際弘法︰所謂「宗教無國界」。正信宗教追求至真、至善、至美，所以能超越時空，佛教的教主佛陀來往天上人間、佛國淨土說法度眾，是為國際弘法的先驅；佛法的真理主張眾生平等、重視群我關係、提倡融和交流、具有包容精神，所以在短期間內從恆河中游發展到整個印度。兩百年後，在阿育王及其他高僧大德的努力之下，佛法更從印度傳播至東南亞諸國、西藏、蒙古及中、日、韓等國，使佛教成為具各民族特色的世界性宗教。如今科技進步，資訊發達，國際弘法的因緣已趨成熟，尤其目前隨著人類的心靈枯竭，社會風氣普遍惡化，國際弘法成為當務之急。國際佛光會員立足本土，放眼世界，對國際弘法應具備當仁不讓，直下承擔的決心，以前瞻性、全面性的觀點來共同推動，例如︰在人才方面，我們應該自我培養正知正見、功德清望，並且發心成為解行並重的檀講師；在語文方面，我們應該備有各種語文的資料，目前佛光會已有英、日、韓、德、俄、西班牙、葡萄牙等譯作出版，但仍嫌不足，在此希望佛光會員們不但盡力培養自己的語文能力，而且應該接引更多的當地人來弘揚佛法，讓佛教的菩提種子在世界各個角落生根結果
(六) 建設人間淨土︰每一尊佛有每一尊佛的淨土，阿彌陀佛以四十八願來完成西方極樂淨土，藥師如來以十二大願來實踐東方琉璃淨土，佛光會員應該效法十方諸佛，發心立願在人間創造我們的淨土。
我們應如何建設人間淨土呢？瑞士、美國重視自由和平、人權平等、社會福利；日本、泰國倡導佛教信仰，尊重宗教師，維護社會安寧……這不正是人間淨土的體現嗎？所以，一個國家如果能做到國富民安、繁榮進步，這個國家就是一方淨土；一個社區如果能做到守望相助、彼此關懷，這個社區就是一方淨土；一個家庭如果能做到父慈子孝、兄友弟恭，這個家庭就是一方淨土；一個人如果能做到慈悲為懷，人我平等，這個人的內心就是一方淨土。簡言之，淨土不在他方世界，也不必求來世往生，如果大家都能從心理上自我健全，自我清淨，自我反省，自我進步，從而擴及到家庭、社區、國家，那麼整個世界就是佛光普照的人間淨土。
各位佛光會員們，我們有六項任務︰鼓勵研究佛學、護持文教事業、舉辦社會服務、發展佛教教育、推動國際弘法、建設人間淨土。大家應當自許為社會的中堅、佛教的尖兵，以無上的悲心、無比的願力來完成我們的任務！
The Responsibility of the BLIA
“The heavens gave me birth, and therefore, I must have a purpose.” This is a good saying to remember.
Sometimes life becomes so overwhelming, we feel as if there is no purpose to our existence and no value to our lives. Moments of despair like that are easily refuted by the truth. All things in the universe have purpose and use. They exist for a reason. A small stone, a tiny needle, a blade of grass – all things, no matter how insignificant they may appear, have purpose and use. All things are imbued with the wonder of being, and all things can serve as instruments that lead sentient beings to the Buddha realm.
People in today’s world often seem “to be blown by the wind, with no memory of the ancients.” They lust after power and money, and lose themselves in sensory indulgence. They see no real value in themselves, and they certainly see no value in taking on responsi- bility for the well-being of others. They have many things to amuse themselves, but no virtues with which to console themselves.
The BLIA is dedicated to values that are quite the opposite. Our values emphasize responsibility and dedication. In the next few sections, I will discuss the kinds of responsibilities BLIA members should be willing to take on and fulfill.
Encourage the study of Buddhism
For much of the history of Buddhism, too many Buddhists have concerned themselves with prayer, chanting and worship above all else. This kind of Buddhist expends little or no energy to read the sutras, study the commentaries or discuss the ideas of Buddhism. People like that not only impede their own progress because their understanding remains low, but they also hinder the development of Buddhism itself. This is a real problem! If we compare Buddhism to a school, then chanting the sutras and praying belong to elementary school. They are a good foundation, but they are only a foundation. The reverence and dedication that inspire chanting must be refined, and must be built upon. If we really want to benefit all sentient beings, then we must be willing to keep growing and learning. This is a process that never stops. Buddha never instructed us to find a meager level of contentment in the Dharma, and then close our minds to all growth beyond that point. All of us have joined the BLIA not because we are weak and need to huddle together. We have joined because we feel the strong determination to help others learn about Buddhism. Every member of the BLIA should engage in the study and discussion of Buddhist texts and Buddhist ideas with other chapter members. We should encourage each other to learn and think for ourselves so that the truths of Buddha’s teachings can be fully realized in our lives at every moment.
Having said that, let us recognize also the Buddhist literature truly is vast. One could read for an entire lifetime and never get to the end. The point here is not that we all need to absorb every last iota of subtlety contained in the Dharma or be conversant in the nuances of every school. The point is that we need to keep learning and keep improving our understanding. To this end, the BLIA has undertaken the task of producing a ten-volume work on Buddhist Reference Books. The purpose of this work is to provide BLIA members with a tool that will help them progress rapidly in understanding the Dharma. Each volume covers a major Buddhist topic. Taken together, all ten volumes give an excellent overview of Buddhism. The ten topics covered are: Buddhist Principles, Buddhist Sutras, the Buddha, Buddha’s Disciples, Buddhist History, Schools of Buddhism, Buddhist Regulations, the Purpose of Buddhism, Buddhism Art and Literature, and Humanistic Buddhism.
Each volume is roughly 300,000 Chinese characters long. I hope that every BLIA member will read all of these volumes, and hope that each BLIA chapter will form study groups to discuss them. The more we learn, the more we grow. When we learn together, we grow together and benefit ourselves as well as all beings in the world.
Encourage the production of Buddhist literature
Compassion and generosity are supreme virtues in Buddhism, but let us never forget that only literature can stand above time. We experi- ence the compassion and generosity of generations in the past mostly through the literature they produced. The Diamond Sutra emphasiz- es over and again the importance of literature and of disseminating the sutras. It says, “Buddha resides in any place where this sutra can be found, and where his disciples venerate it.” In another place, the Diamond Sutra says, “Among all devotions, devotion to the Dharma is the highest.”
An important part of Buddhist practice is the practice of venerating the sutras. There are ten ways to do this. They are called the ten ways of showing devotion to the sutras. These ten ways are: copying them, serving the places where they are kept, preaching them, listening to them, reading them, following them, discussing them, chanting them, meditating on them, and learning from them.
The very lifeblood of Buddhism is held in its literature. Since its inception, the BLIA has been dedicated to producing Buddhist litera- ture. We have writers and translators working in many of our chapters. In other places, we are producing taped lectures, music tapes, videos, movies, and TV shows. We have done a lot, and I am deeply apprecia- tive of the efforts of everyone who has helped so much. If we continue working with this kind of energy, I know we will accomplish even more in the future. I hope one day the BLIA will succeed in creating a Buddhist information center, a Buddhist newspaper, a Buddhist TV station, a Buddhist library, and other organizations of this sort.
It is very important that all of us in the BLIA always encourage anyone who is writing about Buddhism, translating Buddhist litera- ture, or creating Buddhist music and art. These are the means by which Buddhism is spread more efficiently, and as we encourage those who are engaged in these activities today, let us remember that we have been privileged to hear the Dharma ourselves only because of work like this done by others in the past.
Take on social responsibilities
Buddhism places great emphasis on society and on our responsibilities toward society. These responsibilities must not be avoided. Buddha said, “I am part of society.” He also said, “The Dharma is to be found in society.”
Throughout history, Buddhists have dedicated themselves to shouldering significant social responsibilities. Buddhists have done things like build bridges and roads for travelers, they have offered food to the tired and hungry, and they have been involved in disaster relief efforts. Buddhist temples have opened their doors to refugees, they have stored grain, offered loans, run clinics and schools and done many other things for people who were in need. Working for the good of all sentient beings means working for the good of our societies, and Buddhists throughout history have exemplified this kind of dedication and awareness.
The BLIA stands firmly in the center of this great tradition. We take the Buddha very seriously when he says we must open our hearts to all sentient beings and bring benefit to all who are in need. The BLIA already is committed to disaster relief, aid programs, environ- mental programs, hospitals and schools. In the future, I hope we will succeed in creating other projects to benefit our societies. We ought to start thinking about creating a Dharma phone line, an information center, a career counseling center, a retirement fund, a book exchange program, immigration services for overseas Chinese, and an immigra- tion service for non-Chinese who want live or study in Taiwan. Through these activities, we will succeed in reaching more and more people, and we will succeed in touching them with the compassion and kindness inherent to all Buddhism.
Develop Buddhist education
One of the biggest differences between the BLIA and other social organizations is the BLIA is not limited merely to social work. The BLIA is also dedicated to furthering education.
Buddhism itself is the teaching of Sakyamuni Buddha. Sakyamuni Buddha was the greatest educator the world has ever seen. The Dharma is a teaching aimed at the human mind and heart. It seeks to lead the human mind and heart toward the fullest possible life, toward a life that ultimately is completely without any limits of any kind. This magnificent goal is the reason Buddhism has been so successful in so many different places over such a long period of time.
Buddha used many methods to teach the Dharma. He spoke in prose and verse. He chanted, and he used metaphors, parables, visionary discourses and many other means to make the Dharma understandable to people everywhere no matter what their circumstances. During the time of Buddha, Srimala explained the Dharma to palace women and their children. Her classes were some of the earliest classes ever given in Buddhism by a non-monastic. Several hundred years later Master Dao’an (312-385) was endangered over and again by the wars raging around him, and yet he managed to educate thousands of monks, nonetheless. His direct disciples fanned out across China, and through them, Dao’an was almost single-handedly responsible for the spread of early Buddhism in China.
These examples show very well how important education is to Buddhism. Through education, Buddhism is able to continue and preserve its traditions while adapting them constantly to a changing world. Without education, the purity and profundity of the Dharma soon would be compromised.
The BLIA is a staunch advocate of education, and for this reason we host and encourage all kinds of seminars and meetings concerning Buddhism and topics relevant to Buddhism. I hope all BLIA members will find the time and energy to participate in these sorts of activities. I hope also that our younger members, especially those who have the ambition to preach the Dharma, will join some of our retreats and special functions, such as the Eight Precepts Retreat and the Short- term Monastic Retreat. Beyond these, I hope that even more young people will enter Buddhist colleges and schools. Study is the way to learn. Then, once you have learned, you will be well-qualified to make a deep and lasting contribution to the world.
Promote internationalization of the Dharma
“Religion knows no national boundaries.” This saying expresses well the deep truth that religion is founded not on race or nationality, but only on truth, goodness and beauty. These qualities are transnational, and that is why religions are able to transcend the limitations of time and space.
Buddha himself set the first precedent by preaching to beings in all the six realms of existence, and in all the Pure Lands. Buddha always emphasized equality among people, among races and between nations. He also emphasized the importance of good social relations, the need for people to intermingle, and the need for all of us to be tolerant in all that we do and say. His open-mindedness and all-inclu- siveness are what account for the rapid spread of Buddhism across northern India during his lifetime.
Two hundred years after the Buddha’s final nirvana, the efforts of King Asoka helped spread the Dharma to southern India, Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. Eventually, Buddhism spread beyond these places to Tibet, Mongolia, China, Japan and Korea. When Buddhism spread beyond India, it began to have a truly international character. And now, the advanced technologies of the modern world have at last provided the conditions necessary to make Buddhism a global religion. These technological conditions are significantly augmented by the despair and unsettledness characterizing so many of the world’s societies today. Means for spreading the Dharma efficiently have advanced as quickly as the need for people everywhere to hear it. Members of the BLIA should contemplate this concordance. Each of us must work with dedication and determination in our local areas. However, at the same time, all of us should be well aware of the global status of Buddhism, and we should be deeply heartened in knowing that what we do in our local areas will have ramifications that may well affect people all over the world. There is no way to measure determination or compassion. Each act performed with these virtues produces wonderful effects on the world that none of us can predict beforehand.
The important thing is that each of us should be the best we can be so that our common hopes and vows will succeed in having a wide-ranging, positive influence across the face of the earth. The BLIA can never be stronger or better than the people who make it up. For this reason, we must look to ourselves and to the people around us for ways to deepen our education and further our understanding of the Dharma.
We must help ourselves as we help each other.
All of us must check ourselves frequently to be sure that we really do have right views and right understanding. We must examine ourselves to be sure our morality is everything we want it to be. We must bear in mind always that a good Buddhist is characterized by balance between practice and understanding.
I hope many who read this will feel inspired to train to become lay preachers of the Dharma. We cannot expect monastics to do everything for us. Once our understanding of Buddhism has reached a certain level, we should begin to feel the need to share what we know with others. We can be compassionate and generous with our knowledge, just as we can be with our material possessions.
Since literature is the principal way most people learn about the Dharma, we should support efforts to write about Buddhism and to translate Buddhist literature. The BLIA already has produced trans- lations of Buddhist literature from Chinese into Japanese, English, Korean, German, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish and other tongues. We have done a lot in this area, but still our efforts have fallen far short of the need. I hope all members of the BLIA will support any effort to write, translate or communicate with others who speak a language that has not had long and deep contact with Buddhism.
Establish a Pure Land in this world
Every Buddha has a Pure Land associated with him. Amitabha Buddha established the Western Pure Land on the strength of his forty-eight vows. The Medicine Buddha established the Eastern Pure Land on the strength of his twelve vows. If all of us in the BLIA can succeed in following the path of all the Buddhas in this universe, then our vows and our behavior will create a Pure Land right here on earth.
How can we begin to establish a Pure Land in this world?
In Switzerland and America, the ideals of freedom, peace, equality and human rights not only are respected, they actively are sought after. In Japan and Thailand, the ideals of Buddhism, respect for religion, and social order are emphasized. Are these ideals different from the mores that will prevail in the Pure Land? Clearly, they are not.
Major changes do not happen overnight, of course. Insofar as some countries are able to imagine and pursue higher ideals, then those countries can be said to be leading the world toward the Pure Land. Insofar as any community learns how to function with kindness, compassion and ungrudging support for its members, then that community can be said to have established a piece of the Pure Land in this world. Insofar as any family can establish respectful and harmo- nious relations among its members, then that family can be said to have planted the seeds of the Pure Land in this world. Insofar as any individual can base his thoughts and motives on selflessness, compas- sion and mutual benefit, then that individual has done his part to bring the Pure Land here to us on earth.
The Pure Land will be built in that way, piece by piece, heart by heart, home by home. We will not establish a Pure Land here if we place our hopes in some other world that can only be attained after death. In the deepest levels of reality, the Pure Land is not something separate from ourselves. It is, properly, part of our very minds. How can we ever expect to establish it, then, if we do not establish it in our minds?
The large and the small are one. We begin with ourselves and work from there. Our selflessness will lead our families toward harmony, our communities toward cooperation, and our nations toward compassion. In the end, the entire world will be bathed in the light of Buddha’s wisdom and his illimitable concern.