The Merit of Building a Temple

The Wise Use of Our Finite Blessings

Time is slipping away, and the tendency to squander our resources is difficult to curb. As people of this world, we must realise that our blessings are finite. We should be mindful of how we use them. Instead of wasting our resources on fleeting pleasures, we should consider how they might be put to better use for the benefit of all.

Consider the many ways your resources can serve a higher purpose:

• Generosity to those in need: You can provide for those who lack the basic necessities of life.
• Relieving the suffering of the vulnerable: You can offer aid to those who are frail, weak, or unable to care for themselves.
• Supporting the Dharma: You can contribute to the protection and propagation of the True Teachings, helping others to grow in wisdom.
• Guiding the lost: You can help others resolve their confusion, allowing them to awaken to the Truth.
• Benefiting all beings: You can create merit that extends to all beings, both in this world and in the unseen realms.

The Sanctuary of the Three Jewels

Building a temple is a profound act of devotion. It establishes a place where the Buddha Jewel truly abides, where the Dharma Jewel is upheld and propagated, and where the Sangha Jewel can guide others. Through such a centre, the teachings of the Pure Land are proclaimed, and the holy name of Namo Amituofo is transmitted to the ten directions, reaching throughout the vastness of the Dharma realm.

In our modern age, people often live in material abundance but suffer from a profound lack of spiritual nourishment. They are frequently unable to see the faults in their own body, speech, and mind. Because they do not know how to be grateful, they feel a deep sense of emptiness and suffering. This internal state attracts the manifestation of negative karma, leading to a cycle of suffering upon suffering. If one is fortunate enough to encounter noble people who can teach the principles of Generosity and the importance of putting these teachings into practice, one can ensure that their blessings continue to flow endlessly. Otherwise, one risks exhausting their blessings and ending up in a state of spiritual poverty.

Transforming Destiny through Generosity

Buddhist education is essential because it helps people understand the suffering inherent in the cycle of reincarnated existence and provides the path to leave suffering behind and find happiness. To achieve this, we need dedicated monastics to propagate the Dharma and a place where they can live, practise, and purify themselves. Since ancient times, the merit of protecting and propagating the Dharma has been immeasurable.

By building a temple—especially a bodhimanda dedicated to the True Teachings of the Pure Land—we provide a place where the lifeblood of the Buddha’s teachings can be preserved. It becomes a sanctuary where people can listen to the sutras, hear the Dharma, and understand the Truth. Through the hosting of Dharma assemblies, we can benefit all beings, providing a place for the fourfold assembly to chant the Buddha-name and perform Chao Du. This creates a space where the living and the deceased can both receive the benefits of the Dharma.

The Mission of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre

If you are able to support the construction of such a temple, you can use this merit to transform your destiny, resolve karmic obstacles, and experience inconceivable changes in your life. Supporting the printing and distribution of Dharma treasures is a way to help others understand the Truth. As the water of the Dharma flows, the merit you gain—which manifests as an increase in your own compassion and wisdom—becomes the very provisions you need for your own rebirth in the Western Pure Land.

When you encounter a desperate situation or a knot in your heart that you cannot untie, you will find that noble people appear to help you, relieving your worries and poverty. Helping others is, in truth, helping yourself. This is the fundamental law of karma and cause and effect. These core principles exist regardless of time or place, throughout the six realms of existence and the ten directions of the Dharma realm.

When you perform these acts of Generosity, if you can do so without dwelling on them in your mind and without seeking any reward, the merit is truly immeasurable. We encourage everyone to support this cause according to your ability and affinity, thereby creating vast connections of goodness that benefit the world.

Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is a bodhimanda dedicated exclusively to the propagation of the Pure Land path. Here, Namo Amituofo truly abides, connecting directly to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss—a place of Awakening. If you can contribute your wealth and resources to the building of this temple, the merit and Dharma wealth you gain will be limitless. Every single contribution is something you gain for your own spiritual journey. Today, this temple is already a source of the Dharma voice of Amitabha Buddha, transmitting it to the Dharma realm of emptiness, leading beings to rebirth in the Western Pure Land, and saving those suffering in the deepest hells. If the construction of this temple is completed, it will benefit countless beings, leading them to the West, which is the same as leading oneself to the West. We hope that all virtuous people will join us in this great endeavour. Namo Amituofo.

At this moment, Lay Practitioner Xu has risen to purify his mouth and has taken a light morning meal, which is sufficient to nourish his body. As long as the energy of Master Xuanzang remains constant, the body of Lay Practitioner Xu can be sustained. However, regarding the rational management of affairs, this has been entrusted to Lay Practitioner Li, as he understands the development and future potential of the modern Pure Land school. The most urgent priority is to facilitate a meeting between Lay Practitioner Xu and his disciple, Practitioner Su.

This interview message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.