Could praying to God and worshiping Buddha improve one's fate?

Many people sincerely prayed for the protection of the gods. Some begged for wealth, some for blessing, some for children, some for treatment, some for marriage, and even some for extending their lives—— Could they get it? If she could get it, wouldn't her fate be improved soon?

Many people had doubts about this question. To solve this problem, we must understand three points:

A、 What was the orthodox concept of worshiping God and Buddha?

Every year in Hongkong, there was a sea of people in many temples on the day of the divine Buddha's birth or the festival. Cigarettes were like clouds, such as the Avalokitesvara Festival, the Buddha's birth, [吕祖诞], the Queen's birth, the emperor's birth, and so on; people went to worship [黄大仙] on the first day of the new year, and the Lord of the car on the third day of the new year, and so on. The people who went to worship were all seeking for the blessing of safety, or for the prosperity of business (wealth), or for the recovery of illness, the marriage, or even for longevity. He believed that eighty percent of these kind-hearted men and women were devout; However, there were not many people who could understand the truth of worship.

If you kill, rob money, or sell drugs, buy roast pigs or a large number of raw fruit candles after you get them, and are devout and ask the God to "bless", will the upright God agree?

If you don't do charity, you won't give a penny to the poor. When you worshiped the gods, you prepared a lot of offerings to pray for the prosperity of your business. No matter how hard you kowtowed, would the righteous and selfless God accept your "bribe"?

Or maybe you just did a little good thing, but you also did a lot of bad things or mistakes. Sometimes he was selfish, didn't think for the interests of the public, didn't help others when they were in trouble, or was full of bad ideas. He was only interested in making money and hurting himself. No matter how devout you are, it's still futile.

Many kind-hearted men and women raised their incense in front of the shrine and prayed for blessing. They didn't reflect on what they had done. Was it worth divine Buddha's protection?

The concept of worshiping the gods and worshiping the Buddha should be based on "respect" and "gratitude".

For example, if you go to worship [观音菩萨], you should think that she is very kind to all of us. She always hears the sound to save the suffering and save all the living beings. We should clasp our hands to salute with the piety of "respect" and "thank". Moreover, we should learn the mercy of the Bodhisattva at ordinary times, and with the "Bodhisattva"'s heart, we should try our best to protect all lives and all people with poor diseases. If you can do this for a long time, even if you don't ask the God to bless you, the God will bless you.

For example, you kowtowed to the emperor, who was loyal and righteous to drive out the evil god. You burn incense every day to pray for the safety of emperor Kevin, and the peace of your family. You are evil and inviolable, but have you usually dispelled the "evil" in your heart? Did he keep his righteousness all the time? There were two words, from "loyalty" to "loyalty"? If you can make it, you will naturally be blessed by the emperor if you can think it through. Then, when you worship with the incense, the heart of "worship" and "thank" must be born from the bottom of your heart.

It's the same if you believe in any sect. When you pray to [耶稣], you should also be full of "respect" and "thank". Because [耶稣] sacrificed himself for saving the world. Have you ever used [耶稣] as an example to give "love" to humans?

Once, I took a taxi to the tip of the road. On the way, I found that the taxi driver was very selfish in choosing the route, turning and overtaking, and did not give in to other cars. What's more, the taxi driver always looked at the woman who was a walking woman and praised her "beauty". This kind of person was selfish and harmful to others and themselves. The evil thoughts were lingering in his heart and he would get himself into trouble every minute. On the front of his car hung a Rune of "Guan Yu Temple". Just think about it. Will the selfless holy emperor bless such a person?

It was said that worshiping the gods and Buddhas was an idol. That was just the superficial knowledge of the ordinary people. Let's not care whether these "Idol" contain spiritual energy or not. If you can always be on guard against these "Idol" and don't do anything harmful to others and yourself, and if you can melt into your heart the great spirit of "Idol" (god Buddha) to save the world and save everyone, and always follow this spirit as an example, you will have endless good cause, and your fortune will also be endless. "Worshiping Idol" was too superficial and ignorant?

B、 Was worshiping the god Buddha equivalent to doing good deeds?

After worshiping the gods and Buddhas, one should act immediately, do more good deeds and charity. The rich people could use money, and the powerful ones could devote their strength. There was nothing. He praised the people who did good, and encouraged others to be kind.

I remember that four years ago, when I was watching the wind and water for a family named Zhao, the hostess kept telling me how unlucky her family was, how did her small business go bankrupt, how sick her family and her own health were, how did her eldest son make bad friends outside, and how disobedient he was when he came back home. After listening to her series of complaints patiently, I seriously persuaded her to do more good things in order to completely get rid of all the sins. However, when she heard my words, she loudly retorted, "you said I didn't do anything good? I have worshiped the Bodhisattva every day for five or six years, and I have spent a lot of money buying incense and clothes. Why haven't I got any good return?" I asked her, "you have worshiped the Bodhisattva for five or six years. Have you ever helped people with poor diseases like the Bodhisattva?" she said, "I don't have money myself. How can I help people?"

"Since you haven't paid for someone, have you tried your best to help him?" she thought for a while and said, "No."

"Have you bought chicken, duck and fish to kill?" she asked, "of course I have. Can't I eat them?"

"You can buy chicken, duck and fish if you have money, but have you ever bought bird, Finch and fish for free?"

She said, "No."

I asked her again, "have you ever chanted a Buddhist title or Scripture?" she said, "I can't chant."

I said, "you haven't done the charity with money, and you haven't done the charity with effort, and you haven't chanted the Buddhist Scripture to eliminate sin. What good return do you want?"

She said, "I pray to God every day! Of course I will get good karma!"

"You didn't do charity."

"Isn't it a good deed for me to burn incense and worship the Bodhisattva? I am very sincere."

"Charity is something that is good for people and for all living beings. You worship the Bodhisattva just to pray for your family. No matter how sincere you are, it is not a kind deed."

"The Bodhisattva is like a mother. Her wish is that all humans can get out of the bitter sea. If you can do more good for humans according to her wish, she will naturally protect you. If you don't do as she wishes, it's useless to just kowtow to her every day. Although the Bodhisattva is kind, the protection given to you is limited.".

This kind of people's wrong thoughts were very common in this world.

C、 Would the blessing from the God be effective?

He could get the blessing from the God, even the title of an official, the children, the marriage, the calamity, the disease dispelling, and so on.

However, there were conditions to beg for the divine Buddha. The condition was to do some charity.

As I said before, Mr. [袁了凡] swore in front of the Buddha that he would do three thousand good things and beg to be ranked No. 1. Then he swore that he would do three thousand good things and ask for a child. They all got what they wanted. Later, they continued to do good deeds, but they didn't ask for longevity.

From this point of view, charity was very important. Thus, although the divine Buddha was kind, it was impossible for him to bestow a blessing on others.

From this, it could be known that the divine Buddha could never violate the principle of "creating good cause and getting good results".

Therefore, in a word, "a good cause will get good results; a bad cause will get bad results." was always an eternal truth!

Note: in my opinion, the first way to worship the Buddha is to go to the real Buddhist temple. Some of the Buddhist temples are actually dominated by money in the name of temples. The statues of gods and Buddhas that were invited back at home must also be invited to a formal temple, not to an unknown place. Moreover, she had done a lot of bad things in her daily life. It was difficult to realize it if she didn't repent of the previous bad things and ask for the help of the Buddha and the Bodhisattva. What was the reason why some people couldn't get what they wanted? The reason was the quantity. If two people had more evil deeds than one, the other one would have less evil deeds. If they had the same mental power when they were praying for the Buddha, then the first person would be more flexible. If the second person's mind power was greater than the first person's, then the second person's request would also be very flexible. This seemed to be a positive and negative balance. The good karma was positive, and the more positive the good karma was, the more negative the evil karma was, and the more positive the Buddhist Bodhisattva's mental power was. The stronger one's mental power was, the more positive one would be. Then adding up his own good and evil deeds and the mental power of the Bodhisattva would decide whether he was spiritual or not.

Some people had many good deeds, and even if they didn't pray for the Buddha or the Bodhisattva, they still lived a good life; Some people even prayed every day, but it might not be effective. Some people even knelt down to worship Buddha and Bodhisattva every day. We can see that he looks very devout. But the most important thing was the heart. Just as the author said. Is he a strong minded man? Some people with incurable diseases were very smart. Because these people knew that medicine could not be cured, they could only try to be very devout to the Buddha and Bodhisattva. They also tried their best to be kind according to the method of the Buddha and Bodhisattva. Sure enough, the disease was cured. These people were responsible for solving life and death problems, so they were usually very devout, and the better the effect would be. A window, a mountain and a sea

求神拜佛能否改善命运？

　　有不少人诚心祈求神佛庇佑，有求赐财，有求赐福，有求赐子女，有求治病，有求赐姻缘，甚至有求延寿者。——他（她）们能否求到？如果能求到，不是很快将命运改善过来吗？
　　这个问题，很多人都存在疑心：要解开这个疑团，我们必须明白如下三点：
　　A、拜神礼佛的正信观念是什么？
　　香港地方，每年逢神佛宝诞或年节之期，不少寺观都人潮如海，香烟如云（如观音诞、万佛诞、吕祖诞、天后诞、车公诞等等；又如年初一拜黄大仙，年初三拜车公等等。）去朝拜之人川流不息，他（她）们都不外乎祈求庇佑平安赐福，或求生意兴隆（财），或求病愈求姻缘求子息，甚至求寿。相信这些善男信女们百分之八十都是非常虔诚的；但是能够明白拜神礼佛的“正信”道理之人却不多。
　　如果你杀人劫财，或贩卖毒品，得手之后，买了烧猪或大批生果香烛，而且虔诚万分，去求神佛“保佑平安”，正直的神灵会答应吗？
　　如果你平时不做善事，分文不肯施舍给贫病之人。在拜神时备了丰富的祀品，去祈求生意兴隆发大财，无论你如何磕破头皮，正直无私的神灵会接受你的“行贿”吗？
　　或是你平时只做了一点点善事，但亦做有不少的恶事或过错。或平时自私自利，不为大众利益着想，不为他人急难而援手扶持，或是满脑子坏主意，专喜钻营财利，损人利己。无论你如何虔诚求神佛保佑，亦是徒然的。
　　不少善男信女，在神坛佛座之前，一举起香，就祈求庇佑赐福，也不去反思自己平时所作所为，是否值得神佛来保佑？
　　拜神礼佛之正信观念，应该是以“崇敬”和“感谢”为主。
　　譬如说，你去拜观音菩萨，你应该想到菩萨对我们众生是非常慈悲的，时时处处闻声救苦，普救众生。我们应该怀着“崇敬”和“感谢”的虔心去合掌顶礼，而且平时亦要学习菩萨的慈悲，以一付“菩萨”心肠，尽能力去呵护一切生命和一切贫病之人。若能长期做到这一点，你纵使不求菩萨保佑，菩萨也会赐福给你。
　　譬如你拜关帝，关帝是忠义正气，驱除邪恶之神。你天天烧香祈求关帝保佑出入平安，家宅安宁，邪恶不侵，但你平时有无将自己心中的“邪恶”之念驱除出去？有无时时保持自己“正气长存”？有无尽到“忠义”二字？如果能做到的话，你的心和关帝息息想通，自然而然会得到关帝的保佑，那么，当你举香朝拜之时，“崇拜”和“感谢”之心必然由衷而生。
　　相信任何宗教亦是一样，当你向耶稣祈祷之时，亦应该满怀“崇敬”和“感谢”，因为耶稣为救世人而牺牲自己，你有无在平时以耶稣为榜样—将“爱心”施向人类？
　　有一次，我乘搭一部的士前往尖沙咀，一路上发觉的士司机在选行车线、转弯、超车都非常自私，对其他车辆毫不相让，更甚的是，的士司机的一对眼睛老是向行人道的女郎身上瞄盯，口中啧啧赞“靓”。这种人自私自利，损人利己，心中邪念深萦，每分钟都祸在眼前。而他的车头上，却悬挂着“关帝庙”的灵符。大家想想，正直无私的关圣帝会保佑这种人吗？
　　有人说“拜神拜佛是崇拜偶像”，那只是愚俗人的肤浅见识。我们姑且不论这些“偶像”是否寄寓着灵气。你若能够时时对着这些“偶像”来警惕自己不要做损人利己的事，更若能够将这些“偶像”（神佛）的那种舍已为人、救世救众的伟大精神溶入自己的心中，时时以这种精神为榜样来做人，那么，你将会种下无穷无尽的善因，福报亦必然是无穷尽的。“拜偶像”之说岂不是太肤浅无知了吗？
       B、拜神佛是否等于行善积德？

       拜神佛，拜了之后就要立刻行动，多做好事，多做善事。有钱的可以借助钱，有力的可以奉献体力。什么都没有，多夸奖做好事的人、多鼓励别人也实行善。 
　　记得四年前，我为一位姓赵的人家看住宅风水，女主人不停地向我诉说她家的运气如何不好，经营小本生意又如何倒闭，家人和自己的身体又如何多病，大儿子在外面又如何结交坏朋友，回到家里又如何忤逆……。我耐心听完了她的一连串诉苦之后，正色劝她要多行善事，才能根本消除宿孽。谁知她听了我的话，大声回驳说：“你说我没有行善？我天天拜菩萨，拜了五六年了，买香买衣纸都花了不少钱，做了那么多善事，怎么没有好报？”我问她：“你拜菩萨五六年，有没有学菩萨那样帮助过贫病之人？”她说：“我自己都没有钱，怎么帮人？”
　　我说：“你既然没有出过钱帮人。有没有出过力去帮人？”她想了想，说：“也没有。”
　　我又问她：“你有没有买过鸡、鸭、鱼来杀过？”她说：“当然有啦，难道我不能吃？”
　　我说“你有钱可以买鸡鸭鱼杀来吃，但你有没有买过鸟雀鱼来放生？，’
　　她说：“没有。”
　　我又问她：“你拜菩萨，有没有念过佛号或经咒？”她说：“我不会念。”
　　我说：“出钱的善事你没有做过，出力的善事你也没有做过，又没有念佛念经去消除罪孽，那你想得到什么好报？”
　　她说“我天天求菩萨呀！求菩萨当然会得到好报的，善有善报嘛！”
　　“你没有做过善事。”
　　“我烧香拜菩萨不是行善事？我是非常诚心的。”
　　“行善事是做对人对众生有利益的事，你拜菩萨只是求保佑自己家人，无论如何诚心都不算是行善。”
　　“菩萨好像是母亲一样，她的心愿是全人类都脱离苦海，你如果能够按照她的心愿去为人类多做善事，她自然会来保佑你。如果你没有按照她的心愿做，光会天天对着她叩头是没用的。菩萨虽然慈悲，赐给你的庇佑是有限的。”我最后说。
　　这种人的错误想法，在这个世界上是非常普遍地存在。
　　C、求神佛赐财赐福到底是否有效？
　　求神佛赐财赐福，甚至赐官职，求赐子嗣，求赐姻缘，求解灾厄，求祛病延寿等等，都肯定是可以求到的。
　　但是，求神佛是要有条件的。“条件”就是要做若干数量的善事。
　　前面已说过，袁了凡先生在佛前立誓行三千善事，求登科第。后来又立誓行三千善事，求赐子嗣。皆一一求到，后来继续行善，没有求寿而得到延寿。
　　由此看来，行善是非常重要的（条件）了。由此可知，神佛虽然慈悲，但是绝不可能将福禄妄赐与人。
　　亦由此可知，神佛绝不能违反“种善因，得善果”的报应原则。
　　所以，说来说去，“种善因，得善果；种恶因，得恶果。”始终是永恒不灭的真理！
　　
   注：我认为求神拜佛首先是去真正的神佛道场，有些道场假借寺院的名义实际以钱为主。在家请回的神佛或者菩萨像也一定要到正规的寺院请，千万不要到不知名的地方请。再有，就是平时恶事做多了，如果不先忏悔以前的恶事就求佛菩萨保佑，是很难应验的。有些人求就应验，而另外一些人求就不应验是什么原因呢？原因就是“量”的问题。如果两个人一个人善业多恶业少，另一个善业少恶业多。假若他们在求佛菩萨时的心力相同，那么第一个人就会更灵。如果第二个人求佛菩萨时的心力大过第一个人那么第二个人所求的也会很灵。这就好象正负相抵。善业是正，善业多正得就多，恶业是负，恶业多负的就多，求佛菩萨的心力是正，心力越强，正的就多。那么把自己的善恶业和求佛菩萨时的心力相加就是自己是否灵和有多灵的了。
     有些人因为善业多，即使不求佛菩萨自己的生活仍然过的很好；有些人即使天天求佛菩萨也不一定有灵验。还有些人每天供养跪拜佛菩萨。我们看到他外表很虔诚的样子。但是重要的是“心”。就象作者所说。心力是不是强呢？往往有些得了绝症的人是很灵的。因为这些人知道医药无法治愈，只能抱着试试看的态度对佛菩萨非常虔诚，并且按照佛菩萨的方法极力放生作善，果然疾病治愈。这些人是解决生死问题，所以一般都非常的虔诚，效果也就越好。一窗山海 

(This article is an original article by Zhuge Changqing, and the pictures are selected from the Internet. Welcome to forward it, and please indicate the source for forwarding)

Introduction to Zhuge Changqing: Zhuge Changqing, the inheritor and promoter of traditional Chinese culture, is willing to "learn from sages, promote virtue, revitalize China and benefit the world" together with people with the same ideals in the world.

(Zhuge Changqing: zhuge8031@163.com ）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

Zhuge Changqing's Chinese Dream

Learn from sages and carry forward virtue

Revitalizing China for the benefit of the world

 （本文是诸葛长青原创文章，图片选自网络。欢迎转发，转发引用请注明出处）

诸葛长青简介：诸葛长青，中国国学传统文化传承弘扬者，愿与天下志同道合者一起“学习圣贤、弘扬善德、振兴中华、造福世界”。

（诸葛长青：zhuge8031@163.com）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

  诸葛长青中国梦  

学习圣贤 弘扬善德

振兴中华 造福世界

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