Who Will Preserve the Buddha’s Teachings for Five Kalpas?

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Venerable Thich Chan Quang invites us to reflect on the sacred responsibility of every Buddhist disciple: protecting the Dharma not only for today but for many lifetimes to come. This dharma talk opens a path of study, practice, propagation, and protection, while revealing the subtle schemes used to undermine the teachings.

During the full moon of the eighth lunar month, as children carry lanterns and flowers, many adults seek the temple instead. Have you ever asked yourself what draws you to the monastery rather than a social gathering? And if in five kalpas from now, the Buddha’s teachings no longer exist, would we still have a place to take refuge? That question marks the beginning of Venerable Thich Chan Quang’s profound teaching delivered at Phat Quang Temple during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Why Do We Seek the Temple?

Everyone desires joy, because this life is filled with suffering (dukkha). Yet many pursue mistaken pleasures, only to accumulate more pain. Fortunately, when Buddhists search for happiness, they encounter the Buddha’s teachings (Dharma). As Venerable Chan Quang shares, “While we are seeking worldly joys, unexpectedly we meet the Dharma again, which guides us toward a higher, nobler form of happiness.”

This joy is light, simple, yet represents a significant step beyond ordinary sensual pleasures. Listening to the dharma talk at the temple may not be as lively as a party, but it leads us to a shore of peace.

The Path of Practice Is Not Short

Spiritual cultivation is a long-term endeavor that cannot be rushed. From the moment one learns the Dharma until attaining enlightenment, it may span many lifetimes. The teacher gently notes, “The path from deluded sentient beings to enlightened saints is a journey of millions of years.”

However, we must not become lazy because of this length. We must strive diligently, keeping our mind/heart steady amidst gossip, greed, hatred and delusion. If we allow afflictions (kleshas) to pull us back and forth, the path becomes even longer.

Study, Practice, Propagation, and Protection

The Dharma involves four key aspects: study, practice, propagation, and protection. Studying is easy, but without practice, it is meaningless. Practicing is harder because it requires daily refinement of the mind/heart and conduct. Propagating the Dharma is even more difficult, as it depends on conditions (dependent origination) built over many lifetimes to find listeners. The hardest task of all is protecting the Dharma. The teacher emphasizes, “Protecting the Dharma is far more difficult than propagating it.”

Protection requires confronting negative forces, knowing when to be firm and when to be gentle, and possessing both courage and wisdom. It is not as simple as standing guard at a camp.

Hidden Dangers Lurking Around Us

In modern times, attacks on the Dharma are no longer made with weapons but through sophisticated means. People incite conflict among monks and nuns, divide Buddhism from the government, or slander genuine high masters. Those who are soft-hearted or naive easily fall into these traps. The teacher warns, “It is often the kindest people who are most easily caught in these snares.”

When we hear one teacher attacking another, or criticizing the authorities, we must remain mindful to recognize the hidden hands behind such actions. Do not let yourself become a tool for destroying the very path you revere.

Our Responsibility Today

A nation has police, military, and laws for protection, but we should not rely solely on them. Every Buddhist disciple must feel their own responsibility. Equip yourself with knowledge, maintain a pure mind/heart, cultivate good connections with sentient beings, and be ready to stand up for the Dharma in any situation. This is how the light of the Buddha’s teachings remains alive for our descendants and for ourselves across many future lives. Remember that every action we take today plants a seed for the future.

The Mid-Autumn night offers more than just cakes and lanterns. When the full moon hangs above the temple roof, let your heart settle. Pray for the enduring existence of the Dharma, and tell yourself: “I will follow the true teachings and protect them with my entire being.”