The Three Kinds of Offerings
The Three Kinds of Offerings in Buddhism
Offering in Buddhism is the action through which we increase our own good fortune by contributing and helping others:
- Offerings of Material goods
- Offerings of the Teachings
- Offerings of Fearlessness
Offering of Material goods can provide immediate help to others. But such offerings may not be possible or convenient, and their nature is limited. Other than material offerings, Buddhism encourages offerings of deeper future effects:
Offering of the Law means helping others understand the Truth of how life operates according to the Buddhist teachings and principles.
Buddhist principles such as Interconnectedness, Impermanence (or Dynamism of change) and the Law of Cause and Effect, are the essential powers acting in each person’s life and the environment. Offering of the true teachings is the way to help others maintain clarity of mind and discover the meaning of daily encounters.
Offering of Fearlessness is our encouragement to others to overcome their hardships. It emerges from the spirit of our compassion and care to ignite courage, lifeforce and correct action to win over life’s difficulties:
“When we care for others our own strength to live increases. When we help people expand their state of life, our lives also expand. … Actions to benefit others are not separate from actions to benefit oneself”. Daisaku Ikeda
“The source of all development in the realm of kosen-rufu lies in sharing the members’ sufferings, answering their questions to relieve them of any doubts and making it possible for them to exert themselves in faith joyously, filled with confidence and hope.”
In encouraging others, it is important to first listen closely to try and understand what the person is going through.
A helpful guide may be to listen 80 percent while speaking 20 percent.
President Ikeda says, “Dialogue begins with listening in earnest to the opinions and ideas of the other person.”
The key to encouraging another person lies in our own heart of compassion, which we develop through earnestly chanting for the victory of the person we are encouraging and by racking our brains to find the best way to enable them to deepen their conviction in the power of the Gohonzon and the greatness of their own life.
When we strive in earnest to support the growth in faith of others, we are also uncovering, polishing and expanding our own compassion, empathy and humanity.
Developing a strong and ever-growing network of mutual encouragement and support is the purpose of Nichiren Buddhism and the SGI.
Source: World Tibune