The spirit of Ahimsa (non-violence)

One day, Gautama saw a herd of goats and sheep winding their way through a narrow valley. Now and then the herdsman cried and ran forward and backward to keep the members of the fold from going astray. Among the vast flock Gautama saw a little lamb, toiling behind, wounded in one part of the body and made lame by a blow of the herdsman. Gautama's heart was touched and he took it up in his arms. Then, turning to the herdsman he said, "Whither are you going, my friend, with this huge flock so great a hurry?" "To the king's palace" said the herdsman, "We are sent to fetch goats and sheep for sacrifice which our master - the king - will start tonight in propitiation of the gods." Hearing this, Gautama followed the herdsman, carrying the lamb in his arms. When they entered the city, word was circulated that a holy hermit had brought the sacrifices ordered by the king. As Gautama passed through the streets, people came out to see the gracious and saintly figure of the youth clad in the yellow robes of a Sadhu and all were struck with wonder and awe at his noble mien and his sweet expression. The king was also informed of the coming of the holy man to the sacrifice. When the ceremonies commenced in the presence of the king, there was brought a goat ready to be killed and offered to the gods. There it stood with its legs tied up and the high priest was ready with a big bloodthirsty knife in his hand to cut the dumb animal's throat. In that cruel and tragic moment, when the life of the poor creature was hung by a thread, Gautama stepped forward and cried, "Stop the cruel deed, O king!". And as he said this, he leaned forward and unfastened the bonds of the victim. "Every creature" he said, "loves to live, even as every human being loves to preserve his or her life". The priest then threw the knife away like a repentant sinner and the king issued a royal decree throughout the land the next day, to the effect that no further sacrifice should be made in future and that all people should show mercy to birds and beasts alike.

The Buddha's Last Words

" Whatever doctrine and discipline

taught and made known by me

will be your teacher when I am gone. "

" Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you.

All component things in the world are changeable.

They are not lasting.

Work hard to gain your own salvation. "

The Ascetic Gautama

"Because of so little nourishment, all my limbs became like some withered creepers with knotted joints; my buttocks like a buffalo's hoof; my back-bone protruding like a string of balls; my ribs like rafters of a dilapidated shed; the pupils of my eyes appeared sunk deep in their sockets as water appears shining at the bottom of a deep well; my scalp became shriveled and shrunk, as a bitter gourd cut unripe becomes shriveled and shrunk by sun and wind; . . . the skin of my belly came to be cleaving to my back-bone; when I wanted to obey the calls of nature, I fell down on my face then and there; when I stroked my limbs with my hand, hairs rotted at the roots fell away from my body."

He had experienced pain and tortured his own body like non others and yet have not gained Enlightenment. He recalled the meditation experience he had as a child under the rose apple tree at the ploughing ceremony. He thought that this method of mental development instead of self torture might be a way to Enlightenment. Thereon, he should lead a life that avoid extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification — the Middle Way.

Practise the Dhamma.

Like a beautiful flower

full of colour but without fragrance,

even so,

fruitless are the fair words

of one who does not practise them.

Like a beautiful flower of colour

and also fragrant,

even so,

fruitful are the fair words

of one who practises them.

a Sight that Stops Desire.

These dove-coloured bones

are like gourds

that lie scattered about in autumn.

Having seen them,

how can one seek delight?

Seek the 'Light' !

When this world is ever ablaze,

why this laughter, why this jubilation?

Shrouded in darkness,

will you not seek the light?

Four Rare Opportunities!

Hard is it to be born a man;

hard is the life of mortals.

Hard is it to gain the opportunity

of hearing the Sublime Truth,

and hard to encounter

is the arising of the Buddhas.

地藏王菩薩

大勢至菩薩

觀世音菩薩

普賢菩薩

文殊菩薩