Chapter One : Prefatory 13 The Founding Master addressed the nine disciples, “These days material civilization flourishes daily with immense power, while the human spirit that should be making use of material things has steadily weakened. There is no peace of mind whether at the level of the individual, family, society, or nation, and the suffering of all sentient beings will be unbounded. How can we, who have set our hearts on saving the world, think lightly of this situation? There have been occasions in the past when the sages prayed to heaven and earth with utmost sincerity to deliver all sentient beings, which moved the will of heaven. Now you, too, must pray to heaven and earth with single-mindedness and utmost sincerity that human beings may become masters of material things instead of being enslaved by them, and thus try to move the will of heaven. Your mind is none other than that of heaven; hence, you should know that if your mind is concentrated and completely devoid of selfishness, its virtues will become as one with the virtues of heaven and earth and it will lead all your affairs to success. Therefore, you must realize that each of your minds possesses an element that can move the will of heaven, and always remember that each of you has a responsibility to deliver all sentient beings.” He then assigned the dates and prayer sites and orientations for each of them and had the members continue praying together at the same time. http://www.wonbuddhism.org/
|