..续本文上一页 stop doing evil and begin to do good. But sentient beings choose to commit evil and do not believe in the Law of Cause and Effect. How can the loving kindness and compassion of the Buddha save them

　　 If we do good deeds according to the Law of Cause and Effect, the Buddha”s principles would provide us with unimaginable protection and blessing.

　　If there is a slight chance, the Buddha will help us through the cause and effect of right action. Without our own right action, even the profound and infinite power and compassion of the Buddha cannot save us. The loving kindness and compassion of the Buddha”s teachings to sentient beings is not due to the faith of sentient beings towards the Buddha. This principle is worthy of emphasis. If every action of sentient beings is good, then naturally they will receive good results. Their good nature will grow. Although they may not believe in the Buddha, the Buddha will still protect and bless them. Eventually, they will be attracted to the Buddha and take refuge in him. If this is not the case, it would be a violation of the Law of Cause and Effect. Even though the compassion and the aspiration of the Buddha”s teachings to help is great, the karma of sentient beings is greater. Realizing this, we should understand that the compassion and aspiration of the Buddha is full of rationality.

　　There are many people who do not understand Dharma correctly. When they fall sick and cannot endure the suffering of illness, they feel that it is useless to learn Dharma. This indicates that they do not have the right understanding of Dharma.

　　For example, there was a businessman who used various speculative and illegal means to swindle money out of somebody else. In the end, he failed and broke the laws. Under this circumstance, how could Buddha save him

　　 Therefore, the Buddha”s teachings protect and save all sentient beings by not violating the worldly Law of Cause and Effect. This shows rationality in loving kindness and compassion. In addition, The practice of loving kindness and compassion of the Buddha is complemented by rationality. Not only that it does not contradict the worldly Law of Cause and Effect, it also fully resembles the truth of the supramundane world as in the Buddha”s state of mind. Therefore, the loving kindness and compassion of the Buddha”s teachings is balanced in both compassion and wisdom. He is able to be compassionate yet knows the truth. He has wisdom, yet is able to protect and save all sentient beings.

　　Most religions in this world only talk about faith and belief. They are sentimentally inclined and tend to neglect reasoning. Those Theravadins who live in seclusion emphasize rationality, but lack the compassionate mind of saving others. The Buddha combined sentiment and rationality into one, and was not partial to either. This shows the equality of compassion and wisdom and the peak of ultimate realization. This is the most respectable part of Buddhist loving kindness and compassion.

　　4. The loving kindness and compassion of the Buddha”s teachings provides us with thorough and complete help. To treat an illness in this world, one may treat the cause of the illness or provide symptomatic treatment, i.e. to treat the head when there is headache or to treat the leg when there is leg pain. The latter may give temporary relief but it won”t be able to eradicate the cause of the illness completely.

　　Similarly, there are two ways of alleviating human suffering in this world:

　　(a) Circumstantial help: for example, when we meet a poor person who does not have food and clothing, we can offer them food and clothing.

　　(b) Fundamental help: that is, to find out the reasons for their poverty. If the poverty is due to a lack of skills of making a living, then we could teach them the skills. I…

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