How Great is the Merit of Suddenly Seeing a Buddha Statue or Picture?

Namo Shakyamuni Buddha!  

Namo Amitabha Buddha!

Now I will briefly explain the merits of seeing Buddha statues or pictures. When we make Buddha statues or pictures, or see Buddha statues or pictures on many occasions, needless to say, using Shakyamuni Buddha as the object when practicing Shamatha Meditation, the merit of seeing a Buddha statue or picture once is very great. The omniscient Mipham Rinpoche, in the Buddhist scriptures, mentioned that if you see a Buddha statue or picture when your mind is very scattered or your hatred is as strong as boiling water, your merits will be very great. If you see the Buddha statue or picture when your mind is very quiet, very happy, and full of confidence, then the merits will be incredible.

It is not easy to gain confidence immediately after seeing a Buddha statue. It is relatively difficult in terms of causes and conditions. What is this cause and condition? Shakyamuni Buddha said in the sutras that a long time ago when Shakyamuni Buddha was liberating sentient beings by using the [Four Means of Embracing] (Giving, Kind Words, Altruism, and Empathy) method, he had already formed a bond with all sentient beings. For example, we heard the Buddha’s teachings, listened to the Buddha’s name, or once was his relative, etc. This is how Shakyamuni Buddha had formed good relationships with all sentient beings when he was a Bodhisattva, The merits of the sentient beings who had formed such relationships with Shakyamuni Buddha are very great. Even after many Asamkhya Kalpa, the good karma will not be extinguished and will always be there.

After three great Asamkhya Kalpas, our fundamental master, Shakyamuni Buddha, appeared in the Saha world as a Buddha. He turned the wheel of Dharma three times, and finally Parinirvana . It has been more than 2,500 years. But now that we see the Buddha statues or pictures, we will immediately feel joyful. This is because our fundamental master, Shakyamuni Buddha, had a predestined relationship with us when he was here. Because of this good karma, when we see the Buddha statue or picture now, we will immediately feel joy and confidence.

Therefore, it is not easy for us to have a joyful mind immediately when we see a Buddha statue or picture. It requires good roots. Now the confidence that arises after seeing the Buddha statue or picture will also increase our merits in practicing Buddha Dharma. In the future, we can take on the responsibility of propagating the Dharma and benefiting sentient beings, and we will gradually transform ourselves from ordinary people into Bodhisattvas, then from Bodhisattvas into Buddhas.

Therefore, for us to see the Buddha statue or picture with great joy is not easy cause. The result is that we can become a Buddha in the future. In terms of results, its merits are great. Just like the wish-fulfilling tree, it will not be exhausted and the merits will increase day by day. Increase until perfection. Cause and effect are very subtle. Now suddenly seeing a Buddha statue or picture, and if it doesn't get omniscient wisdom, even Arhats and great Bodhisattvas will not be able to tell merits from it, let alone ordinary people.

In the [Saint's Faithful Mudra Mahayana Sutra]  He said: "Manjusri, If, following a good man and a good woman, he uses heavenly food with a hundred kinds of delicacies and heavenly robes to offer to pratyekabuddhas, who are as many kalpas as the sands of the Ganges River, and also offers to enlightened beings, who are as many as the motes of dust in the world, comparing if following a good man and a good woman, he sees the existing Buddha's image or makes a Buddha image, the later one he will gain countless merits and virtues."

[Explanation from metaphor]

This is a metaphor in one of Buddha Sutras for the merits of seeing a Buddha statue or picture in terms of quantity: From the perspective of the object of offering, the number of Pratyekabuddhas is like the number of dust particles in the world, which cannot be calculated.

The object of the offering is the number of Pratyekabuddhas as many as the number of particles of dust. The time of the offering is as long as the number of sands in the Ganges River.  Many kalpas without interruption day after day. The food of the offering is not eaten by ordinary people but is from the nectar and various foods from heaven.

It is not a simple merit to offer such nectar and various foods without interruption. First of all, the beings making offerings to people in this situation are not ordinary monks. They are all Pratyekabuddhas. The number of Pratyekabuddhas is as many as motes of dust in the infinite world. Secondly, the time is as many kalpas long as the sands of the Ganges River. It is such a long time to support an incalculable number of sages such as Pratyekabuddhas continuously. Even someone with a status like a king cannot do it. And now if we suddenly see a Buddha statue, it will have greater merit than the offering we just made. This is what the Buddha sutra has indicated.

“If one puts palms together and offers flowers, oil incense, scented incense, or lamps, there is no need to say! The merits created by this person are infinitely great.”

The Buddha said that after seeing a Buddha statue and then joining palms, the merit will be increased even more. Additionally, if you offer a flower to the Buddha statue, the merit will be more, if you offer an oil incense, the merit will be more, if you burn an incense stick and offer, the merit will be incredible, if you offer a lamp, the merit will be countless.

The Chinese version of [Tripitaka Sutra] talks about three kinds of incense, and the Tibetan version of [Tripitaka Sutra] talks about two kinds of incense, the two kinds I just mentioned. Maybe it’s because there is one kind of incense missing in the Tibetan version of [Tripitaka Sutra]. The merits are explained very clearly. From this comparison, we clearly know that the merit of seeing the Buddha statue is incredibly great. Everyone is very lucky, without good affinity, we would not be able to see the Buddha statues or pagodas.

This year is the tenth year that we have held the Saga Month Dharma Assembly. During these ten years, we have very often preached many biographies of Shakyamuni Buddha, promoted the name of our fundamental teacher Shakyamuni Buddha, and held many Dharma Ceremonies in various ways.

During this period of time we had the opportunity to make a lot of Buddha statues and thangkas such as the three-body statue of the Buddha. These are all very special ways of doing good deeds. I think this is also the blessing of the Triple Gem of the Buddha. I am very happy. This is an opportunity for everyone to do good deeds together.

It should be due to the good deeds and virtues we have done in the past. Without these, we would not be able to do such special events. I think this is also the blessing of the Kyabje Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok, Padmasambhava, and our fundamental teacher Shakyamuni Buddha, let us have the opportunity to do such wonderful good deeds. Therefore, everyone should always do this good deed with Bodhicitta.

[Tripitaka Sutra] is the teachings of our fundamental teacher Shakyamuni Buddha. The people read it more, the more confident they become. Just like when I saw in the [Tripitaka Sutra] that when promoting the name of the Buddha, we say: "Our fundamental teacher Shakyamuni Buddha, or just say "Shakyamuni". How great is the merit of just saying "Shakyamuni" for another person to hear?

When the person hears "Shakyamuni", if he has committed the Five Uninterrupted Hell Retributions and has very heavy sins, and will go directly to hell without a bardo after death.  However, when he hears "Shakyamuni", his sins will be cleared instantly, and he will not need to go to hell in the future. He only needs to feel a headache or slight pain in other parts of the body, because his continuum originally had no cause and condition for liberation, but after he heard "Shakyamuni", he planted the seeds of liberation in the mind. The karmic obstacles are instantly eliminated. Just chanting the name of the Buddha has such great merit.

Even if the person who promotes the Buddha's name makes a mistake, relying on the merits of promoting the Buddha's name in the past, the king's hatred towards him will soon disappear, and he will not be punished or harmed. In addition, promoting the Buddha's name can earn countless merits, also eliminate fires, floods, wind disasters, earthquakes, illnesses, unfavorable fates, and etc.

We have been promoting "Shakyamuni" for so many years. This merit is incredibly great. This is true. What I just talked about is mainly the merit of seeing the Buddha statue, and then publicizing the name of the Buddha also has great merit. So the main content of our Saga Month Dharma Assembly is, first of all, the events of promoting the Buddha's name, which is using auspicious words to promote the Buddha's name, singing to promote the Buddha's name, and chanting to promote the Buddha's name. Let's work hard in these three aspects. Then there are separate merits in preaching the biography of the Buddha and so on. There are so many ways to promote "Shakyamuni Buddha".

Namo Shakyamuni Buddha!  

Namo Amitabha Buddha!