Bigger and more Buddha statues makes a difference | 为何佛像越大、越多越好
500 mantra stones engraved with Dorje Shugden’s sacred mantra have been placed at the grotto in the area where Kechara Forest Retreat’s 9-foot Dorje Shugden statue will soon be invited to. 克切拉禅修林即将迎来一尊9尺高的多杰雄登像。此像将供奉在供灯的石窟一带。我们在石窟边放置了500个刻有多杰雄登殊胜心咒的“玛尼石”。
Yesterday, a group of us had the good fortune to receive a brief yet informative teaching from His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche. Rinpoche wanted to see the 500 mantra stones recently placed atop the candle offering grotto at the site in Kechara Forest Retreat (KFR) where a 9-foot Dorje Shugden statue will soon be invited. Rinpoche taught this group in debate style, used in the monasteries to increase one’s awareness and mastery of a given topic. We have summarised below some of the key points for all of you as it will benefit you to know the reasons why Rinpoche conceived of this area and in fact, Kechara Forest Retreat itself.
Kechara Pastors
Karma and our Three Doors
The premise Rinpoche began with is whether there is a difference in circumambulating mantra stones or circumambulating Buddha statues, in terms of its efficacy when purifying speech karma. Ultimately, there is no difference because all representations of enlightenment, whether it is the Buddha’s body, speech and mind, lead back to and represent the same source – the Buddha’s enlightened nature which is what we are actually tapping into. However, because we unenlightened beings operate on a conventional level, Rinpoche explained that the Buddha compassionately taught methods for us to purify our karma to suit our current karma-bound situation.
Having taken rebirth in human form as a result of our karma, we interact with the world according to our Three Doors – our body, speech and mind. These become the vehicles through which we collect karma (whether good or bad) as well as generate the merit necessary on our spiritual path to enlightenment.
Dorje Shugden’s holy mantra OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA was engraved in Tibetan script. 多杰雄登的殊胜心咒 “嗡 本扎 维吉 毗达那 梭哈” 的藏文雕刻
While on this path, purification of karma become necessary because karma creates suffering and holds us back from achieving higher states of consciousness. Hence, out of compassion, the Buddha manifested methods that directly counter and purify the karma we create through our body, speech and mind. These methods are applied in relations to the Buddha’s body, speech and mind. For example:
- Negative body karma created through acts like killing, sexual misconduct or stealing can be purified via beneficial actions performed in relations to the Buddha’s form or body. There are countless ways we can do this including creating Buddha statues, painting Buddha images, adorning them with jewels, prostrating to them or making offerings to them, as well as helping the sick, serving Sangha, building temples and relieving physical difficulties for others.
- Negative speech karma created through acts like lying, divisive speech, harmful speech or idle chatter can be purified via actions done in relations to the Buddha’s speech. There are myriad ways to do this including reciting mantras, prayers, scriptures, or circumambulating around mantra stones, stupas, relics, abodes of saints and temples, because they are representations of the Buddha’s enlightened speech as well as body and mind.
- Negative mind karma created through acts like holding wrong view, anger, miserliness, selfishness, pride, jealousy, and also denying universal truths such as karma. These can be purified through both physical actions like circumambulating around stupas which represent the Buddha’s enlightened mind, and through meditating on emptiness, developing compassion, accepting the Bodhisattva vows, Mahayana vows, Pratimoksha vows and so forth.
Again, ultimately, there is no difference between the Buddha’s body, speech and mind. They are one and the same and those who operate on an ultimate level will see no difference; to someone operating on an ultimate level, a Buddha’s body is just as effective for purifying negative speech karma, as it is for purifying negative body or mind karma. To such a person, they have realised that it is the Buddha’s enlightened nature we are actually operating in relations to.
Soon, visitors will be able to offer candles to an outdoor 9-foot Dorje Shugden statue and circumambulate around the hundreds of mantra stones bearing Dorje Shugden’s enlightened energy in the form of sound. 访客很快就能够向一尊户外的9尺高多杰雄登圣像供灯，以及绕行几百个刻有多杰雄登心咒的“玛尼石”。这些“玛尼石”是多杰雄登证悟的声音能量的载体。
However, because we operate on a conventional level, the Buddha taught that his body, speech and mind can be represented in the form of a statue (body), mantra/Dharma (speech) and stupa (mind). This was done for our sake, because we took rebirth in a human form whereby the faculties of our body, speech and mind are laden with limitations. Rinpoche humorously explained that is why our shoulders cannot recite mantras. We need a mouth to recite mantras because that is the way we created the negative speech karma and therefore that is one of the ways we can purify that karma.
Purifying speech karma
Thus, to help us purify our speech karma, the Buddhas manifested their enlightened speech energy in the form of sound (mantras). However, since speech karma is purified in relations to mantras and prayers, one might ask if people who are mute (cannot speak) can still purify this sort of karma? The answer is yes, they can.
This is because the Buddha’s speech can also be represented in written form, for example as puja texts, Dharma books or mantra stones. When we act in relations to these written forms, we can also purify negative speech karma. Hence, those unable to recite mantras can circumambulate around mantra stones, for instance, to purify speech karma. They can also visualise the prayers in their minds or follow along with pujas and recitations. They can even recite mantras again and again in their minds. These methods are known as mental recitation (Tibetan: yid bzlas).
This means that purification of karma is not only something that humans can do. For instance, even in the absence of a physical representation of an enlightened being, any being within the six realms of samsara (hell, ghost, animal, human, demi-god and god) can purify karma if they have the ability to visualise. Rinpoche gave the example of gods or some classes of spirits who have the ability to visualise. They could visualise the representation of an enlightened being or enlightened speech and make prostrations to their visualisations. From their side, if they have visualised an enlightened representation then acted in relations to said representation, they can purify their karma.
This is theoretical and whether or not gods and spirits will actually do so or want to do so is debatable. Our specific focus here is on their possessing the ability to visualise, and that ability therefore giving them the potential to purify karma.
Purification from the side of the object
The fact a spirit or god has the potential to purify karma means that purification can take place in the absence of a tangible object, through the power of the subject’s visualisation. Elaborating on this, Rinpoche spoke about purification from two perspectives. The first is from the perspective of the object – the representation of a Buddha’s body, speech or mind; and second, from the side of the subject – the being who is purifying the negative karma.
Rinpoche explained that purification can occur without conscious effort, and it takes place due to the power of the object. To illustrate this point, Rinpoche referenced a story in the Lamrim about an ant on a leaf when it started to rain. This leaf happened to be in the circular depression in the dirt path around the stupa, which was caused by many people having circumambulated around it. As the rain began filling the depression, the leaf began to float and the water’s current blown by the wind happened to take the ant around the stupa. Through the power of the stupa (object), the ant’s unintentional act of circumambulating around the stupa not only purified some of its negative karma but acted as the cause for the ant to become an arhat many lifetimes later.
Rinpoche brought our attention to a real-life example taking place right in front of our eyes – as Rinpoche debated with us, two of KFR’s dogs ran around playing with each other. At one point they chased each other around the grotto where 500 stones etched with Dorje Shugden’s mantra have been placed. Unbeknownst to them, they actually purified some of their negative karma especially connected with their speech, because they repeatedly circled the mantra stones. Although the dogs lacked the ability to visualise mantras or perceive the significance of the stones, it was due to the power of the object (mantra stones) and the dogs’ unintentional act of circumambulation that led them to purify their negative karma.
This approach can be extended to visitors to KFR who may not fully understand the benefit or significance of a Buddha’s body, speech and mind. For example, a baby being pushed in a stroller around our Vajra Yogini stupa will purify some of their negative karma, whether they know it or not, because the stupa represents the Buddha’s enlightened mind. For this reason, we should always encourage people to circumambulate, prostrate and/or make offerings to the Three Jewels because they will benefit from it, regardless of the depth of their understanding.
Purification from the side of the subject
Purification can also take place from the side of the subject – the being who is purifying their negative karma. This is based on the person generating the Four Opponent Powers, which are:
- Power of Reliance: taking refuge in the Three Jewels (the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) and understanding the benefits and reasons of taking refuge.
- Power of Regret: understanding that our past negative actions have led to the creation of negative karma, which is the cause for our present suffering.
- Power of Remedy: engaging in actions that purify karma, such as circumambulating around representations of the enlightened body, speech or mind of a Buddha; reciting mantras; making prostrations; meditating; making offerings, etc.
- Power of Resolve: the promise never to commit negative actions again, no matter how difficult it is for you to abstain from doing it.
The Four Opponent Powers are necessary for the full purification of negative karma. Therefore, although our KFR dogs mentioned above purified their karma through their unintentional circumambulation of the mantra stones, they could not maximise this purification – their play around the mantra stones was unintentional and void of the Four Opponent Powers.
The soon-to-arrive 9-foot Dorje Shugden statue, the candle offering grotto and 500 stones bearing Dorje Shugden’s mantra are located just behind the Vajra Yogini stupa at Kechara Forest Retreat, seen here on the right side of this photo. 即将驾临的多杰雄登9尺高圣像，供灯石窟和五百个刻有多杰雄登心咒的石头就座落在克切拉禅修林金刚瑜伽母佛塔的后方（照片右边）。
However, if we consciously circumambulate around the mantra stones while generating the Four Opponent Powers, the purification of karma becomes maximised because from the side of the subject, the act becomes imbued with conscious intent. Hence in generating the Four Opponent Powers while engaging in virtuous activities, we make full use of that action to assist us not only in our spiritual journey but also in our daily lives. After all, negative karma affects us in everyday life too and by swiftly purifying negative karma, we can remove the causes which give rise to our daily obstacles like illness, stubbornness, miserliness, anger, wrong view, attachments, loss and misfortune.
Maximising purification by multiplicity
There are other ways of maximising the purification of our negative karma in relations to the object, and that is by increasing the quantity of the object (i.e. increasing the number of representations of the enlightened body, speech and mind). For this reason, the Buddhist practice of creating multiple Buddha images and mantra stones is highly encouraged as an extremely beneficial activity. Rinpoche explained this as the difference between circumambulating 500 mantra stones one time, versus circumambulating one mantra stone 500 times. In the case of the 500 mantra stones, we can accumulate much more merits in just one round of circumambulation.
Maximising the benefits of our act of circumambulation is a question of urgency and efficiency. During the Kaliyuga (degenerate) age, our lives are rife with distractions and obstacles. As a result, the amount of time we dedicate to spiritual practice is limited, compared to the time we dedicate to our attachments. Thus, being that our spiritual practice is limited, and because we do not know when we will die, it becomes extremely important for us to maximise the results of whatever spiritual practice we do.
In the case of KFR, many people who visit will only be on the land for a short while. Lacking time, most of them will not be able to circumambulate mantra stones 500 times, but they will have time to circumambulate at least once. Thus, making as many mantra stones as possible will allow them to collect the greatest amount of benefit during the short time they are here with us. In this way, we make it possible for KFR’s many visitors to gain the full benefit of their time with us.
Even for ourselves, not knowing when we are going to die, the same can be said about how much time we have left to engage in spiritual practice. We might have 40 years left, or we might have two weeks left. The point is that we simply do not know. Hence it is about compassion – do we want people to plant as many Dharma seeds and to purify as much karma as possible while they still can? The practice of making as many mantra stones, Buddha statues and Buddha images as possible therefore stems from this motivation.
Bigger is better
If multiplicity helps to maximise the karmic purification, the question that comes to mind then is, “Why do many great masters and monks of various Buddhist traditions create large Buddha images?” Specifically, Rinpoche asked if there is a difference between circumambulating around a five-foot Buddha statue versus a 500-foot Buddha statue.
His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche standing next to Kechara Forest Retreat’s Dorje Shugden statue. At 24 feet, this indoor Dorje Shugden statue is the largest in the world. 第廿五世詹杜固仁波切站在克切拉禅修林的多杰雄登像旁。这尊24尺的室内多杰雄登像，是世界最大尊。
The answer lies in the scriptures where it is said that the amount of merits accrued from making Buddha images will be equal to the number of atoms used to form that image. The formula is simple – the larger the Buddha image, the more atoms came together to form that image and therefore the more merits are accumulated in making the statue.
The same principle can be extended to those who make offerings, prostrate or circumambulate the image. A person making offerings, prostrating and circumambulating will be able to amass even more merits because their actions are being done in relations to a larger statue, whereby a larger number of atoms came together to represent a Buddha form.
Furthermore, the larger the image, the more mantras and Buddha images can be inserted into the statue to help people accumulate even more merits in a shorter time. In this way, when someone prostrates, circumambulates or make offerings to a single large Buddha statue, they are in reality prostrating, circumambulating and making offerings to the many more mantras and Buddha images that the large statue contains. For example, in the modern era we can fit one million Buddha images, mantras and Sutras on a small thumb drive and when inserted into a small Buddha statue, when we prostrate to the statue although it is so small, we are prostrating to one million Buddhas; when we circumambulate and so forth, it is the same. Therefore, we are collecting the merit of interacting with one million Buddhas. The advantages of multiplicity and size are thus combined to accumulate even more merits and purify even more karma, therefore maximising the benefits we are able to acquire from the limited amount of time we dedicate to spiritual practice.
It also goes without saying that the larger the statue, the more people will be able to see it from afar, thereby planting seeds of enlightenment in their mind-stream without them even consciously thinking about it. It is from this same motivation that we wear Buddha pendants, put Buddha statues in our cars and generally try to propagate the image of the Buddha’s body, speech and mind as widely as possible. It is all about planting seeds of enlightenment in people’s mind-streams and helping them to generate as much merit and purify as much karma as possible.
Compassion manifest
Creating a multitude of Buddha images and mantra stones, as well as the creation of large Buddha images, are actually manifestations of compassion to assist beings in the accumulation of merit and the purification of negative karma to reach higher state of consciousness. As long as a sentient being perceives a non-existent ‘I’ and abides within the state of its resultant projections, both subtle and gross karma will be accumulated even if one is just sitting still and doing nothing. Hence, purification and the collection of merit is highly important. They are skilful methods intended to maximise the benefit for practitioners by virtue of the object (Buddha image, mantras, etc.) because not everyone (subject) will understand the benefits, have the time or allow the time for formal practice. For those who understand the benefits and engage in formal practice coupled with the Four Opponent Powers, then the benefits are even more, based on subject and object.
Along with offering candles, visitors will also have the opportunity to make incense offerings to Dorje Shugden as well as circumambulate around the 500 (with more to come) mantra stones. 除了供灯，访客也有机会为多杰雄登供香和绕五百个心咒石（还会有更多到来）。
In the case of Kechara Forest Retreat, both residents and visitors come from all over the world, from different cultures, backgrounds, karmic propensities, and varying levels of practice and understanding. Some of these visitors will not even be human, for instance animals. Thus, by producing many representations of the Buddha’s enlightened body, speech and mind, we increase the opportunity for even dogs, insects and unseen beings to experience purification and accumulate merit when they unintentionally circumambulate around these representations. In the end, they do not need to know they are receiving powerful blessings; all they have to do is be in the vicinity. The purpose of generating all these merits and purifying karma is to create the circumstance to assist in our meditations of reaching varying states of higher consciousness, leading to the ultimate, full enlightenment. So all these practices are not the actual Dharma but they assist us in the actual Dharma. The actual Dharma is the transformation of the mind through various stages over lifetimes to blossom into full enlightenment.
As for humans, some gods and nagas with the mental and physical faculties to consciously engage in spiritual practice, the many mantra stones and large statues all over Kechara Forest Retreat is compassion manifest. It taps into our ability to consciously generate the Four Opponent Powers, as well as our faith and understanding of the Three Jewels, and combines it with many representations of the Buddha’s body, speech and mind, to maximise the purification and merit we accumulate. In this way, Kechara Forest Retreat becomes the perfect place for us to get the most out of formal practice. It also benefits those who do not consciously practise nor have the physical faculties to do so, as explained above. Similarly, many other temples, pilgrimage places, the four holy sites associated with the Buddha, etc., also have the same potential.
为何佛像越大、越多越好
昨日，我们几个人有幸接受第廿五世詹杜固仁波切一个简短但内容扎实的开示。那时候，仁波切想看看放置在供灯石窟边的500个“玛尼石”，这里同时也是克切拉禅修林即将安奉9尺高多杰雄登圣像的地方。仁波切以传统寺院用以增强僧人对某个教义的领悟和掌握的辩经方式，给我们几个人开示。我们在这里为大家概述几个重点，因为了解仁波切构想这一角落和克切拉禅修林的原因将对你有所助益。
克切拉讲法师们敬启
因果与我们的三门
仁波切以此作为开头：在净化口业的效果上，绕“玛尼石”和绕佛像是否有差别？在了义上，那是没有差别的，因为不论是佛的身，语或意，它们都是证悟的象征，它们都源于，并象征着相同的东西——佛证悟的体性，而这也正是我们所要汲取的东西。然而，由于我们这些娑婆众生的行为、思想等都建立在不了义上，仁波切解释道，佛陀仍然慈悲地根据众生受业力束缚的情况而教导相应的净罪之法。
基于我们的业力，我们投生为人，并以三门——身、语、意与世界互动。我们的身语意成了我们累积善业和恶业的媒介，同时也替我们在修行成佛的道路上累积所需要的功德。
在修行路上，净罪成了一种必要，因为业为我们带来痛苦，并且阻挡我们成就更高的修行。因此，佛陀慈悲地向我们示现直接对治和净化由我们三门所造之业的方法。这些方法，将以佛的身语意作为管道。好比：
- 由杀生，邪淫或偷盗等所造的身恶业，可透过向佛身行持善法而得到净化。方法有无数种，其中就包括铸造佛像、画佛相、以珠宝饰佛、礼佛、做供养，还有帮助病者，服侍僧侣，建造寺院及替他人减轻身体上的病痛和不便。
- 由打妄语、两舌、恶语、绮语所造的口恶业，可透过向佛语行持善法而得到净化。方法有无数种，其中就包括如念咒、念经、念诵祈愿文，或是绕玛尼石、绕佛塔、绕佛舍利、绕圣者的住所或佛寺等行动而得到净化，因为它们是佛语、佛身和意的象征。
- 由邪见、嗔恨、悭吝、自私、我慢、嫉妒及不信普世真理（如因果）所造的意恶业，可透过向象征佛意行持善法的有形活动如绕佛塔，以及冥想空性、培养慈悲心、持守菩萨戒、大乘戒和别解脱戒等方法而得到净化。
在了义上，佛的身语意是没有分别的，它们是一体不二的。在已经达到究竟境界的觉者的认知中，是没有分别的。对这些觉者而言，佛身对于净化口业，乃至于净化身业和意业都具相同效果。对他们来说，佛的证悟体性，才是我们行持善法的对境。
然而，由于我们的行为、思想都建立在不了义之上，于是佛陀教导我们其身、语、意能够分别以佛像（身）、心咒和佛法（语）和佛塔（意）来代表。这是为了我们而出现的，因为我们投生为人，我们的身、语、意也充滿各式各样的限制。因此，仁波切幽默地说道，这也就是为什么我们的肩膀不能念咒，而必须用口来念咒来净化口业，因为口是我们造口恶业的媒介，因此那是我们能净化口业的其中一种方法。
净化口业
为了帮助我们净化口业，佛以声音（心咒）的形式示现其佛语的能量。然而，由于口业是透过念经、念咒来净化的，有人就会问哑巴（不能说话的人）是否也能净化口业？答案是肯定的。
因为佛语也能透过书写的方式展现，比如仪轨文，佛书或“玛尼石”（心咒石）。若我们向这些佛语的象征行持善法，那将能净化口业。因此，那些无法念咒的人可以透过好比绕行“玛尼石”来净化口业。他们也可以用意念观想祈愿文，或用意念跟随法会上的念诵。他们甚至可以重复地以意念（也就是在心中）默念心咒。这些方法，是意念念诵法，藏语叫 yid bzlas。
这就表示净罪不是只有人道众生才能做到。例如：即使没有佛的有形象征物，只要在六道里的任何众生（地狱、饿鬼、畜生、人、阿修罗、天）有观想的能力，他们也能够净罪。仁波切举例说：天人或某类鬼道众生有能力观想，因此它们能观想佛的象征，或是佛语的象征，然后对它们的观想做礼拜。从他们的角度，如果它们能观想佛的象征并对其进行善行，它们就能够净化自己的业障。
理论上是这样。至于天人或鬼道众生会不会，或愿不愿意那样做，那存在争议空间。在这里，我们只谈它们确实有观想的能力，而这个能力将使它们拥有净罪的潜能。
净罪过程中，客体（佛的身语意）所扮演的角色
天人或鬼道众生有净罪的潜能，就表示净业的过程能在没有实质物体的情况下进行——也就是透过主体的观想能力。仁波切对此多加阐述，说我们可以从两个角度来解释净业过程。第一个是从客体的角度出发，客体即是佛的身、语、意；第二个则是从主体的角度出发，也就是净罪的众生。
仁波切解释说，净业过程是能够在无意识下发生的，这是基于客体所承载的殊胜力。仁波切举例《菩提道次第·掌中解脱》里曾提到一则关于一只在下雨时刚好在一片树叶上的蚂蚁的故事。某处有一座佛塔，其周围土地因为人们经常绕塔的缘故而凹陷下去。正当雨水慢慢注满凹陷地，树叶随之飘起后掉下地面，然后就被风吹着环绕佛塔。基于佛塔（客体）的殊胜，即便那只在树叶上的蚂蚁是在无意识的情况下绕了佛塔，但这一绕不仅净化了它的业障，也造下了它在多世后成为阿罗汉的因。
仁波切也举了当时发生在我们眼前的例子——正当仁波切与我们辩经时，禅修林的两只狗儿正在追逐嬉戏。两只狗儿绕着放满500个多杰雄登“玛尼石”（心咒石）的石窟跑，于是它们就在无意识下净化了一些恶业了，特别是口业，因为它们重复地绕了那些“玛尼石”。虽然狗儿没有能力观想心咒或认知那些“玛尼石”的重要性，但基于客体（象征佛语的心咒石）的殊胜，以及狗儿无意识的绕塔举动，它们还是净化了自己的恶业。
同样的道理可以延伸到拜访克切拉禅修林的人们。他们或许没有充分了解佛身、语、意的意义和利益。好比说，一个坐在手推车里、被推着绕金刚瑜伽母佛塔的婴儿将能净化一些恶业，不论人们知道与否，因为佛塔就是佛意的象征。基于这个原因，我们应该时时鼓励人们绕塔，做礼拜和供养三宝，因为无论他们理解得或深或浅，他们都将得到利益。
净罪过程中，主体（净罪的众生）所扮演的角色
净业过程也可以从主体（即净罪的众生）出发。这是基于某人实践四力净罪之法，即：
一、依止力：
皈依佛、法、僧三宝，并了解皈依的意义和利益
二、破坏力：
了解我们过去的负面行为造了恶业，那是使我们现在受苦的因
三、遍行对治力：
行持善法来净罪。例如绕佛之身、语、意的象征，念诵心咒，做礼拜，禅修，做供养等
四、遮止罪恶力：
无论多么艰难，我们都发誓不会重犯恶行
四力净罪法是彻底净罪的必要因素。因此，虽然上面提到狗儿在无意识下绕“玛尼石”而净化了恶业，但它们没有做到最大程度的净罪，因为它们是无意识地绕着“玛尼石”嬉戏玩耍，恰好缺乏净罪四力。
然而，如果我们在绕“玛尼石”时，同时生起四力净罪之心，那么我们就能做到最大程度的净罪，因为从主体的角度来说，这个行为是在有意识、怀有动机的情况下进行的。因此，在做善事时生起四力净罪之心，我们就充分地利用了这个动作来支援我们的修行和日常生活。毕竟我们的日常生活也受到恶业的影响，而迅速地净罪，我们将能消除在日常生活中产生障碍的因。什么样的障碍？好比疾病、固执、悭吝、嗔心、邪见、执著、失去和厄运。
倍增数量，实现最大程度的净罪
透过客体，我们还有其他能做到最大程度的净罪的方法，那便是增加客体的数量（比如增加象征佛身语意东西的数量）。在佛教中，铸造大量佛像和“玛尼石”（心咒石）的做法是备受鼓励的，也有巨大的助益。仁波切解释道，绕500个“玛尼石”一次，比起绕一个“玛尼石”500次，利益来得更大，因为我们只需绕500个“玛尼石”一次，就能累积更多的功德。
从我们绕佛的举动取得最大程度的利益，关乎的是迫切性和效率。在末法时代，我们的生活充斥着令人分心的俗事和障碍。我们耗在修行上的时间，远不及我们耗在所执着的事物上的时间。因此，由于我们的修行有限，而且也不知道生命何时会结束，因此在修行的过程中不管修什么，取得最大程度的结果是至关重要的。
对很多即将拜访克切拉禅修林的人们，大部分人只会逗留一下便离开。由于逗留时间短暂，他们大都数都无法绕“玛尼石”500次，但他们总会有绕行至少一次的时间。因此，制造越多的“玛尼石”将能让他们于短暂逗留在这里的时间内，累积最大量的功德。这么做，我们就能给许多到访克切拉禅修林的人们最大的利益。
即使是我们本身也对死亡何时将至一无所知，我们剩下的修行时间有多少也是个疑问。我们也许还有四十年，或许只有两个星期，重点是，我们根本无法确定。因此，这就成了一件关乎慈悲的事——我们是否希望别人能植下越多的佛法种子、是否希望别人能在有生之年尽可能做净罪法？因此，尽可能制造越来越多的“玛尼石”、佛像和佛相，就出于这个发心。
佛像越大尊越好
若说倍增客体数量能帮助实现最大程度的净罪，那人们接下去自然就会问道：“为何许多佛教传承的高僧大德们都造大佛像？”仁波切特别问我们，绕一尊5尺高的佛像和一尊500尺高的佛像是否有差别？
答案在佛经里就有提到，那就是制造佛像所累积的功德与铸造该佛像的所用的原子数量成正比。这个方程式很简单——佛像越大，就由越多的原子组成，因此铸造该佛像所累积的功德就更多。
同样的原理也能应用在供养，礼佛和绕佛的人身上。人们将能会因为对更大尊的佛像做这些善行而累积更多的功德，因为更大尊的佛像是由更多的原子组成。
除此之外，佛像越大，里头就能装藏更多的小佛像和心咒卷，这也就能使人们在更短的时间内累积更多的功德。这样当人们礼拜，绕佛或供养仅是一尊大佛像时，他们实际上是向大佛像里更多的的心咒卷和佛像礼拜、绕佛和供养。好比说在科技发达的今天，我们能把一百万张佛的图像、心咒和经文装在一个小U盘里，然后再把小U盘放入小佛像中。小佛像虽小，但绕佛等善行所累积的功德也是一样的，因为我们实际上就是在礼拜一百万尊佛。因此，我们是在累积礼拜一百万尊佛像的功德。倍增数量结合加大尺寸的利益，就是能做到更多的集资净罪，进而使我们在有限的修行时间中获得最大的利益。
众所周知，佛像越大，越多人就能从远处看到佛像，即使人们在毫无意识的情况下，成佛的种子还是在心相续中种下了。秉持着同样的发心，我们佩戴佛坠，把佛像放在车里，并且尽可能广弘佛陀的身、语、意。这么做都是为了在人们的心相续中种下成佛的种子，并帮助他们尽可能集资净罪。
慈悲的体现
大量制作佛相和“玛尼石”，再加上制造庞大佛像的举动，其实都是为帮助众生集资净罪，以获更高成就的慈悲体现。只要众生仍感知那个不存在的“自我”，并处于其所衍生出的投射之中，即使他端坐一边什么都不做，也会累积无形及有形的业。因此，集资净罪至关重要。那是借客体（佛相，心咒等）的殊胜，让修行人获取最大利益的善巧方便，因为不是所有人（主体）都能够明白其中的益处、有时间或愿意抽出时间真正修行。对于那些明白其中含义的人，他们如理实修，再配合上四力净罪之法的人，基于主体和客体的条件皆具足，因此得到的利益也会更多。
克切拉禅修林有居住在里头的人，也有来自世界各地的访客。大家来自不同文化、背景、业力倾向，修行根器也有差异。有些访客甚至不是人道众生，比如畜生。因此，制作大量的佛陀的身、语、意的象征物，我们就增加了像是狗、昆虫和肉眼看不见的众生的集资净罪的机会，因为他们或会无意识的绕着这些象征物行走。毕竟它们也没必要知道它们获得强大的加持，它们只需出现在周围就够了。集资净罪的目的是为我们的修行创造顺缘，证得更高的成就，进而成就佛果。因此，这些活动并非实际的佛法修行，但它们将是实际修行的助缘。实际的修行是累世历经各种阶段的修心之旅，直到成就圆满佛果。
对人，某些神灵和龙族那些拥有心理和生理条件、在有意识的情况下修行的众生而言，克切拉禅修林中比比皆是的诸多“玛尼石”和大佛像都是慈悲的体现。它引发我们有意识地生起实修四力净罪之法的能力，以及生起对三宝的信心和理解，然后再配合诸多佛身、语、意的象征——这一切都能使我们做到最充足的集资净罪。因此，克切拉禅修林是我们进行实际修行，并且可以从中获得最大利益的圆满之地。此外，如上所述，它也将利益那些在无意识的情况下修行，或因身体残缺而无法修行的众生。同样的，其他的很多寺院、朝圣地、与佛陀相关的四大圣地等地方，也都有相同的潜能。
For more interesting information:
- Manjushri Mantra Stones
- Underwater Blessings
- Dorje Shugden Retreat: a Powerful Practice to Fulfill Wishes
- Sunrise Dorje Shugden Puja in Kechara Forest Retreat
- 86 Grand Statues of the World
- A Short Prayer to Dorje Shugden
- How to Purify Your Karma in Kechara Forest Retreat
- 10 Holy Dorje Shugden Statues around the World
- Discovering Yourself: A Teaching on Karma & Mindstream
- The Body of a Buddha: A Road Map to Liberation
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If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Well the size of Buddha statues in Tibetan Buddhism is important because it represents the Buddha’s immense ability and vast knowledge. Hence the Buddha statues hold the symbol of satisfaction within, peace and happiness. They are a symbol of inspiration for every human being. When we focus on the Buddha statues, it gives us inner peace that our mind, our heart and our soul gets enlightened.
We have are so fortunate seeing and circumambulating where the 9-foot Dorje Shugden statue and with 500 mantra stones engraved with Dorje Shugden’s sacred mantra. As Rinpoche had said before the bigger and more Buddha statues helps in planting seeds of enlightenment in people’s mind-streams. It also help us to generate as much merit and purify as much karma as possible. Merely by seeing all those big statues at Kechara Forest Retreat is a blessing.
Thank you Rinpoche.
Buddhism is one of the most popular religions all over the world. Buddha statues have different shapes, sizes, different gestures or mudras and styles of presentation. Well said by Tsem Rinpoche the bigger and more Buddha statues makes a difference in our life. It gives out more powerful positive and relaxing energy to help us. concentrate better. One of the methods for us to purify our karma to suit our current karma-bound situation. By circumambulating 500 mantra stones one time we could accumulate much more merits in just one round of circumambulation. All thanks to Rinpoche having this idea with many mantra stones as possible for us to circumambulate. The larger the Buddha image, the more merits are collected the greatest amount of benefit for one who sincerely circumambulating.
Thank you Rinpoche for this amazing post and explaining all the details for us to understand more.
Thank you Tsem Rinpoche for sharing the benefits of circumanbulate holy objects and also on the reasons for inserting precious offerings and holy items into the statue and stupa. The story of the ant which became an arhat after many lifetimes later on due to an unintentional action that represent having circumanbulate the holy object was indeed remarkable. This has encouraged me to continue the momentum of purifying negative karma while accumulating merits.
When any object is huge, naturally it will huge in the power in every situation, and will make a difference . Hundreds of millions of people practice Buddhism worldwide, so it won’t be surprise that some of the largest and most impressive huge statues to any faith are found throughout Asia and across the globe. Having all these huge objects are actually manifestations of compassion to assist us in the accumulation of merit and the purification of negative karma.Merely by seeing huge statues or grotto will plant the seeds of enlightenment in the visitors their mind.
Now 500 mantra stones engraved with Dorje Shugden’s sacred mantra have been placed at the grotto in Kechara Forest Retreat. Through the kindness of our Lama HE the 25th Tsem Rinpoche, we have place a place called home to many. Rinpoche has conceived of this area where the huge grotto with Dorje Shugde ‘s sacred mantra stones be placed to benefit all sentient beings. With Rinpoche ‘s explanation we need to purify our negative karma to suit our current karma-bound situation. We could do candles and incense offerings and even circumambulate around the 500 mantra stones as well. Interesting teachings for us to understand better.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing all the profound teachings and explanations of purification .
Great and clear explanation for us to understand as well as to increase our knowledge of why bigger and more Buddha statues makes a difference in our lives. Big statues have been always been regarded as big blessings for the area around it and also the sentient beings that live around that area.
In Kechara Forest Retreat have many holy outdoor statue to create cause for people come to pilgrimage, embucirculate around the statue will help those have heavy body karma.Thank you very much for this article.
Thank you so much for this article. The Buddha compassionately taught methods for all of us to purify our karma which suit our current karma-bound situation. It is important to know that purification of our karma become necessary because karma creates suffering and holds us back from achieving higher states of consciousness.
Buddha’s body is just as effective for purifying negative speech karma, as it is for purifying negative body or mind karma. So, those unable to recite mantras can circumambulate around mantra stones, for instance, to purify speech karma. Thank you.
Thank you for this informative article. It makes a complex topic easy to understand and offers a different point of view.
Thank you for this informative article. It makes a complex topic easy to understand or offers a different point of view.
From bigger diamond to bigger Buddha statues. Everything started from meeting an amazing Guru, H.E. the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, a very skilful Guru who has lead me to my spiritual path via my interest that doesn’t seems to have anything to do with spirituality. Yes ! That’s right.
My wish is to join my Guru to build the huge huge huge super huge Dorje Shugden in the world in this holy land Kechara Forest Retreat in Malaysia. Instead of having bigger diamond, bigger house, bigger car or bigger number in your bank account, Why notchoose to invest in merits for my future life? For the countless benefits that this super huge Dorje Shugden that could bring to all sentient beings. The biggest charity we can do to heal and help all sentient beings for lives.
Whatever we invest or have now is just for this life. Such short term and not much of benefits. Not worth it.
My gratitude to my Guru, who compassionately chose to be with us in Malaysia for this life. May we never separated from Rinpoche in this life and all future lives and continue to practice until we gain attainment and achieve enlightenment.
I think it’s important to understand the fundamental message here, to quickly start on purifying our karma and collect merits through the above listed Dharmic activities. It’s very informative but at the same time this article will be even more beneficial if we can put all the above theories into practice and engage on their own spiritual journey if they haven’t already done so.
There are many benifit to create the image of buddha statue to prayer. I totally agree believe , it will help to pufify negative karma from our body, speech and mind. Personal i had create heavy karma of killing. Since knowing dharma. I had adviced to do a lot of purification practice particular to body karma.
Create a buddha image is one of the powerful way to purify our body karma. If possible, the image of buddha statue must big or the amount of image must more. Those can’t create the cause making buddha statue, it will be good to volunteer cleaning the buddha statue, painting statue create beautiful image for people to pray.
In Kechara Forest Retreat have many holy outdoor statue to create cause for people come to pilgramage, embucirculate around the statue will help those have heavy body karma. Is good for those are sick, and mental stress to circulate the holy image. It will help to purify our body, speech and mind. Important is to create the imprint in our mind, in future we are able meet buddha dharma again.
When we’re still capable, do more. There are times that we delayed things & regretted much at a later time.
Try our best not to let this ever happen again, love ourselves, love others.
In Buddhism, purification practice is for people who are willing & really wanted to change. No point for us to purify & say sorry about the same doings again & again. How many time we want the others to forgive us & got hurt by our harmful activities?
I had an experienced with purification of body karma which happened after I came back from a pilgrimage trip in Nepal. During the trip, I was circumambulating and making prostrations at the Boudanath stupa. Then when I came back I had a a very real and clear dream that I met with an accident. When I woke up the next morning, I had a terrible backache till I need to seek acupuncture treatment. So, I guess my karma in that accident have manifested and purified.
There are so many benefits when one goes on a pilgrimage especially where there are many holy images, objects and relics as described here.
Kechara Forest Retreat (KFR) here in Bentong, Pahang, Malaysia, is one holy place where one can visit.
If you’re a Malaysian on the Buddhist path, do visit.
If you’re not spiritual, do still visit KFR and enjoy the sights of greenery, flowers, hills – great for photo enthusiasts.
If you’re abroad, add KFR in your bucket list – best time to visit? Anytime. Malaysia has sun all year round, even during rainy season.
This is a very interesting subject and new things to learn. Thanks to the kindness of Rinpoche to have Kechara Forest Retreat and all the big Buddhas statues everywhere around KFR. We are very fortunate to be in KFR to circumambulate the big Buddha statues and of course with all the mantras inserted in the statues to purify us. Through Rinpoche’s kindness it is not only benefit us who are Kechara members, but even benefit visitors who come to visit KFR. Rinpoche will always think of others, not only people he knows, people he doesn’t know, and even strangers that just come in once in their life time, so that they are planted dharma seed. Hope that more and more people from other states, even other countries will come to visit KFR, so that more and more people will be benefited. ???
Insightful and interesting article to read, there so much advantage and benefits of having big Buddha statues especially on blessed and holy land like in KFR. We are truly fortunate to have this be in this place. Kechara Forest Retreat is not only a place for prayer, retreat, is also a place for us to trained, practice our deluded, monkey mind.
Thank you Rinpoche of His great kindness for giving us opportunity to learn, practice Dharma and compassion in this big beautiful land. ?
佛像越大，看到的人越多，也吸引更多的人會來看，能借此开启更多人的善念， 更多的人借由佛像淨化內心，繞佛和供養能累积更多功德，那么建造佛像的人更能累积更多功德。胜光王敬请经（gsal-rgayl-kyis-zhus-pavi-mdo）中也说，“如果修塑佛像，则能很快具备胜妙功德，犹如太阳的光辉，世上之人都获得欢乐；如果修塑佛像，他的身躯将不再有秽垢，瘟病和人间之苦也会远离消失，好象白莲高洁无瑕；如果修塑佛像，不会为奴也不会贫穷，不会为民也不会平庸，五观端庄实为人中豪杰。所以有寺院要建大佛像，我们应大力的支持。 克切拉禅修林中比比皆是大佛像是让我们能进行实际修行，集资净罪。请多拜访克切拉禅修林。
We are truly fortunate and blessed to have a place like Kechara Forest Retreat! We have the biggest Dorje Shugden statue where people can come to circumambulate and make offerings. There are also many other big statues situated in different parts of KFR for people to walk to and enjoy the nature at the same time. While walking to the sites, one can chant mantras and purify karma too.
Rinpoche is extremely kind and compassionate to have KFR built for us now and the future generations. Thank you Rinpoche and all those who are involved in this beautiful place!
Thank you Rinpoche for explaining to us why it is better when the statue is bigger. The explanation is very logical and it is not based on superstition. Because all suffering comes from our mind, if we can give Dharma to people directly or indirectly, we can accumulate merits. As a Buddhist practitioner, it is very important to purify our karma and to collect merits to support our practice.
Tsem Rinpoche is very generous to give people so many opportunities to collect merits. There are many big statues in Kechara Forest Retreat, people who have contributed towards the construction of these statues have collected a tremendous amount of merits and they will continue to collect merits as long as the statues are still there. If Tsem Rinpoche did not commission these statue projects, people will not have the chance to make donations and collect merits.
Kechara Forest Retreat is really a highly blessed place. There are many rare statues here that are very beneficial to modern people when they make offerings or pay homage to them. These Buddhas are specifically for healing, and to help with sickness like cancer. They are also very good for purification of negative karma.
Dear Rinpoche,
It is very bless and meritorious to visit to Kechara. We have many blessed buddha’s statues, stupa and mantra stones. These objects are fully blessed, while the Buddha statues not just a statues but have many blessed items goes into it.
Rinpoche understand sentient beings and always wanted to benefits them. By creating KFR, it is a great blessing for all sentient beings, especially for sentient beings now who have little dharma in them or do not have dharma.
It is amazing to understand that how the blessing works. And , It is from the heart of Bodhicitta and wisdom mind that Kechara Forest Retreat is created.
Thank you Rinpoche
With holded hand,
Freon
The larger the Buddha statue, the more mantras and Buddha’s images contains inside. Therefore when we are circumambulating, prostrating and making offerings to the single large Buddha statue, we are also do this to amount of Buddhas contains inside the large Buddha statue. The size and large numbers of Buddha images are factors that maximizing the benefits we are able to receive from our limited time to do our spiritual practice.
I pray that Kechara Forest Retreat will have larger Buddha statues in the future. How magnificent and beneficial it will be when we can have a 70 ft tall Almighty Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden in this holy land. _/\_
This is so beneficial and clear, many many thanks to Rinpoche and all the students of Rinpoche who have made this very clear and powerful article available for so many people out there, who have wondered about the mechanics of purifying one’s karma.
有很多人不懂为什么要建大佛，有些人甚至觉得建大佛不如做慈善。像要修佛，打坐，念经，看看佛书，听听佛法不就得了，我以前也是这么想的，有这种想法并没有错，但也不完全对的！如果你相信恶业，相信前世，今生和来世的话，了解到我们今世的苦和难是前世造下的果，命中注定，很多时候就算我们怎么努力，怎么避免，也抵不过命运，众生无法去为自己做些什么，唯有我们人才有这种能力和智慧。因为佛法无边，佛在任何形象都能给予我们无穷的加持和净化恶业的力量，所以建大佛不但止能够利益所有看到大佛，绕着大佛和供养大佛的我们，他还可以加持所有的众生，进化自己的恶业，众生只要接收到佛的印记，当姻缘成熟，就可成佛。有些人可能今世看不到那个果，这并不代表你没有被加持，但有很多人是可以看到和亲身体验到很大的改变甚至奇迹的。
供养一尊大佛绝对不是一件容易的事，从计划，构思，筹款，批准到制造佛像，经过很多难关，考验，坚持和很大的努力，但是都是值得的。供养大佛不但能累积庞大的功德，而且还可以净化我们的恶业。功德来自这大佛为无限众生带来的利益，永无止尽的众生，永无止尽的利益，产生了永无止尽功德，随喜圆满。
感恩上师，尊贵的第25世詹杜固仁波切，无时无刻在为我们凑谋，就算是我这么一个没有佛根的人，典型无知，看佛书，听佛法，打坐都学不来的人，慈悲的上师都会想到方法，制造出让我净化恶业和累计功德的机会，只要有机会净化恶业和累积功德，就有机会改变命运，这是上师来到这个世界上的天职。
大家就算错过了参与的机会或者你不感兴趣参与或供养，没有关系，来看看，绕着大佛走三圈就好，那就随喜功德，功德圆满啦！
Last night, a group of us were fortunate to have Pastor David and Pastor Niral walk through this post and explained further the keys points. This made me see how compassionate my Lama is by conceptualising large Buddha statues and sponsoring the hundreds of mantra stones placed at each of the many outdoor Buddhas around Kechara Forest Retreat. This act of compassion helps the many people who come to KFR collect more merits in the short amount of time they have here during their visit.
Those who work and live in KFR are fortunate to have all these available for us to collect a lot more merits in a shorter amount of time.
Thank you, Rinpoche and everyone who made this possible.
感恩詹杜固仁波切给予充满法喜的开示。
慈悲的第廿五世詹杜固仁波切，为了让一切有情众生可以集资净罪或想让大家可以轻易的累积更多的功德，在仁波切的提议下克切拉禅修林再建设了供灯石窟和放置了900个“玛尼石”，同时也安奉了一尊9尺高的多杰雄登护法圣像让大家供养和祈福。不管大家到来克切拉禅修林的目的是观光或朝圣，但只要您踏进这圣地，无论是绕佛塔或佛像，供灯与供香，都是可让您充满正能量和好磁场，让您满福而归。
I always believe the more the merrier, the bigger the better. In the past my shallow mind applied this to party crowds and diamond sizes. Today, with my thoughts deeper and more mature, I apply the more the merrier to many Buddha Images and the bigger the better to how high the statues can be. I think about karma and ways to purify the karma I have collected through the years and countless life times. I am no saint or Buddha, hence undeniably have collected karma. In this article, I have learnt more about how to purify karma with Buddha’s Body, Speech and Mind representations. I am grateful that in this life time I met Tsem Rinpoche and can be in KFR. Most of all, with KFR and the many statues and mantra stones on the land, many people who visit can benefit through collecting merits and purifying karma. It may not be absolute, as with the examples of the dogs, but it still better than circumanbulating the Fendi hangbag at the Pavilion! Thank you Rinpoche and the pastors for sharing this teaching. I now know where I will be at 6 pm today in KFR. 🙂 The more merits the merrier, and the bigger the Buddha the better!!!
Thank you Rinpoche and team for sharing.
Indeed we need to purify our karma since accumulation from beginningless time.
We are fortunate to have KFR and providing all the facilities for us to do purification.
The bigger the statue, of course, the better it is. Big statues have been always been regarded as big blessings for the area around it and also the sentient beings that live around that area. Big statues can calm the land and also avoid more natural disasters.
In many cases, big statues are being built to avoid natural disasters. There is a huge Buddha statue is being erected in Sri Lanka as a memorial to the Tsunami that caused alot of destruction and also killed alot of innocent lives. It is very good for them to erect to Buddha statue there to calm the land and also bless the spirits that might be around from the tsunami disaster.
There is another big Buddha statue in China which is called the Leshan Buddha statue. It was carved out of a cliff next to a river that has turbulent waters. The river had created alot of problems for traders that sail up the river. After the Buddha statue was finished, the waters of the river did calm down alot which made is safer for anyone to sail in it.
These are just some examples of the benefits of big Buddha statues. That is why it is not surprising that alot of the large outdoor statues around the world are Buddha statues.
This is an early morning blessings for me. Thank you for posting such beautiful posts. ?❤
Kechara Forest Retreat is a wonderful place for us to purify our negative karma of body, speech and mind by circumambulatiing big outdoor Buddha statues, Stupas and Dorje Shugden mantra stones. Something that most of us have never heard or thought of. Thank you very much Rinpoche and blog team for this concise write up and founding KFR to benefit everyone from all over the world. ??????
Great and clear explanation for us to understand as well as to increase our knowledge of why bigger and more Buddha statues makes a difference in our lives. That’s great that 500 mantra stones engraved with Dorje Shugden’s sacred mantra have been placed at the grotto in Kechara Forest Retreat. Another new area for us all to do circumambulation . When we circumambulate with a motivation that seeks wisdom and compassion. We can purify our negative karma and generate the seeds of enlightenment. It is indeed a great way for any of us to get spiritual, mental and physical benefits. We accumulate more and more positive karma with a strong motivation toward awakening our minds for the sake of all beings.
Thank you Rinpoche for this profound teachings with folded hands.
A veyr interesting articel which gave me a lot of thoughts to think further and act respectively. Understanding the connection of negative energy and relating karmas with our body, speech and mind actually gave me clear picture what to do next.
So, for those wondering what can be done for their anger, mistakes,
misbehavior, pride, jealousy, wrong view and so on, this article has given some method on what to do and how to over come it.
I do believe that Tsem Rinpoche has briefly explained the value of a bigger and more Buddha statues always create good energy in a most simplest form.
This was such a concise article which explained a lot of things. Many people know what (object /place) is sacred, but do not necessarily understand why it is so, or even the reasons behind it. Understanding the reason behind why things are, and the reasons within can help propel our practice and also help others as we can give them a sound reason and explanation for the same.
Great article!