Attainment of Buddhahood

　　圓成佛道

　　The attainment of Buddhahood is the most difficult task that a person can pursue in this world.

　　The Buddhahood is not reserved only for chosen people or for supernatural beings. Anyone can become a Buddha. No founder of any other religion ever said that his followers can have the opportunity or potentiality to attain the same position as the founder.

　　However, attaining , Buddhahood is the most difficult task a person can pursue in this world. One must work hard by sacrificing one”s worldly pleasures. One has to develop and purify one”s mind from all evil thoughts in order to obtain this Enlightenment. It will take innumerable births for a person to purify himself and to develop his mind in order to become a Buddha. Long periods of great effort are necessary in order to complete the high qualification of this self-training. The course of this self-training which culminates in Buddhahood, includes self-discipline, self-restraint, superhuman effort, firm determination, and willingness to undergo any kind of suffering for the sake of other living beings who are suffering in this world.

　　This clearly shows that the Buddha did not obtain this supreme Enlightenment by simply praying, worshipping, or making offerings to some supernatural beings. He attained Buddhahood by the purification of His mind and heart. He gained Supreme Enlightenment without the influence of any external, supernatural forces but by the development of His own insight. Thus only a man who has firm determination and courage to overcome all hindrance, weaknesses and selfish desires can attain Buddhahood.

　　Prince Siddhartha did not attain Buddhahood overnight simply by sitting under the Bodhi tree. No supernatural being appeared and revealed anything by whispering into His ear while He was in deep meditation under the Bodhi tree. Behind His Supreme Enlightenment there was a long history of previous births. Many of the Jataka stories tell us how He worked hard by sacrificing His life in many previous births to attain His Supreme Buddhahood. No one can attain Buddhahood without devoting many lifetimes practising the ten perfections explains why a Supreme Buddha appears only at every long intervals of time.

　　Therefore, the Buddha”s advice to His followers is that in order to find their salvation it is not necessary for each and every person to wait until he gains his Buddhahood. Aspirants can also find their salvation by becoming Pacceka Buddha (Silent Buddha) or Arahantas - (saints). Pacceka Buddhas appear in this world during the period when there is no other Enlightened Buddha. They are also Enlightened. Although their degree of perfection is not similar to that of the Supreme Buddha, they experience the same Nibbanic bliss. Unlike the Supreme Buddha, they do not preach to the masses. They lead a life of solitude.

　　Arahantas can also experience the same Nibbanic bliss as the Buddhas do. There is no discrimination or status in Nibbana. The only difference is that Arahantas do not have the Supreme Enlightenment to be able to enlighten others in the same way as the Buddhas do. Arahantas have overcome all their desires and other human weaknesses. They can appreciate the Dhamma which was discovered and taught by the Buddha. They can also show others the correct Buddhist way of life and the Path to salvation.

　　”kiccho Buddhanan Uppado” Rare is the appearance of the Buddhas.(Dhammapada 182).

　　圓成佛道是人世間最艱巨的工作。

　　佛道不是爲特選或超級的人類而設定的。任何人都可以圓成佛道。沒有一位其他宗教的創始者說過，他的信徒也可以和他一樣，達到他的境界。圓成佛道是人間最艱巨的工作。一個人必須勤奮努力，犧牲自己的世俗享受，發展覺悟而淨化自己的心、棄除邪見而達到覺悟，這要經過無數次的生死輪回，淨化自己、發展自己的靈性而證悟成佛。爲了達到這崇高的任務，自我鍛煉、不懈的精進努力是必然的事。在這自我鍛煉的過程中，要以自律、自修、超然的毅力、堅韌不拔的決心和意志，去承擔世間任何的痛苦和解救世間受苦的衆生。這顯示佛陀成就正自覺，並不是通過簡單的膜拜、禱告或祭祀高等的生類而獲得的。佛陀以純淨的心，自我覺悟而圓成佛道。這只有當一個人以堅強的意志和勇氣去克服所有的障礙、弱點、自私心後，才能達…

《圓成佛道 Attainment of Buddhahood》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…