In general, people who follow Buddhism are motivated by two things. The first is the pursuit of what is referred to in Buddhist teachings as the "Happiness of Heavenly Beings and Humans," which involves using Buddhadharma to accumulate merit for worldly success and comfort. Many Buddhist believers fall under this category, whether they are aware of it or not. For example, they may ask their guru to pray for success in an important exam or offer money to their guru in hopes of gaining immediate wealth. While some may also meditate, their ultimate goal is often to overcome insomnia or attain supernatural powers. If this is the approach that a person takes with Buddhism, then they are seeking the Happiness of Heavenly Beings and Humans.
Is it permissible to pursue the Happiness of Heavenly Beings and Humans according to Buddhism? The answer is yes. However, Buddhism teaches that this type of happiness is incomplete and impermanent. Why? Regardless of how comfortable worldly happiness may be, it will ultimately lead to suffering due to the law of impermanence. Therefore, the truth of suffering arises.
The Four Noble Truths are the cornerstone of Buddhist teachings, and the first truth is the truth of suffering, which asserts that all beings who are blinded by a dualistic mind will inevitably experience suffering. What is the cause of our suffering? The cause is the aggregates of our discursive thoughts or conceptual thinking, which is the truth of origin. To eradicate all phenomena of suffering that stem from the aggregates, one must follow the path of Buddhadharma, which is the truth of the path. The ultimate result is the cessation of suffering and the attainment of Nirvana, which is the truth of cessation.
However, those who pursue the Happiness of Heavenly Beings and Humans may not see the importance of the path to cessation. They acknowledge that this type of happiness is temporary, but still, many are drawn to it. This is evident in the various practices such as prostrations, burning incense, reciting mantras, and even kneeling before gurus to show devotion.
It is acceptable to pursue worldly happiness, but we must recognize that it is not the ultimate form of happiness. If we seek ultimate happiness, we must practice Buddhadharma until we attain liberation. As lay practitioners in modern times, what spiritual path can we take to reach the truth of cessation? In other words, what practices can we engage in to attain liberation?
To put it simply, achieving worldly happiness is not a difficult task. To do so, one must be faithful, disciplined, and pious in their beliefs. Additionally, making offerings to monasteries, monks and nuns, high lamas, and great masters, saving animals from harm, giving to the needy, and engaging in charity work are all beneficial practices. However, it is crucial to maintain good intentions and dedicate merit to one's desired outcome. This will allow one to attain their desired worldly happiness, such as wealth, health, or a prosperous future.
If one has doubts about this, they can refer to texts from the Yogachara School and follow the instructions provided. Consistently making offerings with strong faith and piety will ultimately lead to the fulfillment of one's wishes.
These statements are not meant to glorify Buddhism, but rather to share personal experiences of observing positive changes in those who practice Buddhism. Many of these individuals may not have a deep understanding of the profound meaning of Buddhism, but their unwavering faith and commitment have gradually improved their lives and mental wellbeing.
It's understandable to have doubts about whether making offerings and saving animals' lives directly caused the changes in those who did it. However, from what I've observed, these individuals didn't do anything else besides these actions. They had no prior background or knowledge, and they were not particularly resourceful or capable. When I consider what led them to where they are now in life, I can only attribute it to their persistent efforts in doing good things they believe in.
If you want to verify the validity of my words, you should study Yogachara thoroughly, as it teaches the principle of karma: "what goes around comes around." Superficially, it may seem like good people suffer while bad people thrive, as corrupt officials often do. However, traditional Chinese culture embraces the law of causality, and Confucianism teaches that families who accumulate good deeds will experience happiness, while those who accumulate evil deeds will suffer.
Excerpted from: The Relationship Between Buddhist Theory and Practice
