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(Members of the congregation put their palms together and respectfully reply: Yes.)
However, there are plenty of devout disciples here. Even though there are not so many people here today, quite a few have been extremely sincere in wanting to make offerings to me. I will tell you that today, disciples. In the past, when I was in Chengdu, Zhengda 證達also did her utmost to make offerings to me. I didn’t accept. Is that true?
(The disciple Dharma Master Zhengda puts her palms together and respectfully replies: Yes.)
Huishan 慧善thought of every way to make offerings to me. She even got me a bank card. Did I take it? Tell everyone.
(The disciple Dharma Master Huishan puts her palms together and respectfully replies: No.)
That’s right. I am only talking about those who are here.
This disciple here, Sheng Miaoshan 盛苗珊, is also very devout. He wanted to offer all his money and wealth to me. I openly tell you that his wealth is over RMB100 million. I absolutely rejected his offering. Is what I say the truth?
(The disciple Sheng Miaoshan puts his palms together and respectfully replies: Yes)
Did you hear that? I didn’t accept a penny. The other day, after realizing that he couldn’t find a way to make offerings to me, he spent tens of thousands of dollars to buy a diamond ring. I told him I would not accept it and there was nothing he could say to convince me otherwise. So, he asked other disciples to persuade me on his behalf. I told them that was futile. As your master, I am here to serve you. I don’t control you. What I do is edify you. Although I am edifying you, I am also bringing exhaustion and torment to myself. Is there such a master in this world? Is there?
(Members of the congregation put their palms together and respectfully reply: No.)
I didn’t force you to say this. What I said above is the fact.
Of course, you would say: “But some Dharma masters want to build temples and do Buddhist work. Is it wrong for them to do such things?” I must say, as long as those Dharma masters act in accordance with true Buddha Dharma, building their temples and doing Buddhist work are correct. Acting in accordance with the true Dharma of the Buddha and doing Buddhist work are what a Buddhist disciple should do. However, do not apply the same consideration you have for Dharma teachers and rinpoches to me, I don’t need your offerings. All you have to do is to save living beings, benefit living beings, help living beings, and bring people to listen to the audio recorded Dharma discourses. By doing so, you will be establishing merit. Shakyamuni Buddha has stipulated that when you make offerings to the Three Jewels, you are plowing the field of good fortune. That is certain. You are definitely plowing the field of good fortune when you make offerings to the monastics. Otherwise, you won’t be able to plant good causes; you won’t be able to plant the seed of enlightenment. Therefore, building temples and doing Buddhist work with sincerity are the correct things to do.
However, you must clearly know that there are many evil masters nowadays. The whole world is full of evil masters. Among 10,000 masters, more than 9,990 are evil masters. That’s why you could easily fall prey to them. You cannot make offerings to evil masters. You will be ruined if you do. If you make offerings to them, then you will be helping evil people do bad deeds, rather than helping good people and building merit. That is very important.