The Altar and the Heart

One morning, in a meditation club room still fragrant with fresh paint, a teacher stood silently before the newly arranged Buddhist altar. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating intricate carvings and glittering gems embedded everywhere on the statues. The teacher sighed softly, gently brushing his hand over a figure seated in a provocative pose with an exposed chest. "Why is it arranged this way?" he murmured, his voice dropping low.

He recalled recent days when walking through the streets, he saw people flocking to worship sites styled after Tibetan traditions, featuring strange Tantric statues and talismans written in Chinese characters for wealth. A paper found on the road came clearly to mind: "Wealth God Sutra," a chant used to pray for luck and money. He shook his head, his gaze distant. "The devotion of people in the North is strong, but precisely because they are so devoted, they easily fall into superstition. People listen to suggestions, go to spirit mediums, spend money, and lose their family assets without realizing it."

At lunchtime, as disciples gathered around a simple vegetarian meal, the teacher spoke slowly. "Do you know why I am worried? Our Buddhism should look simple yet meaningful. The altar is not for praying for luck, but to evoke reverence for the Buddha. If people stand before the altar only thinking about gaining fortune or wealth, then Buddhism has been lost." A disciple nearby asked, "Teacher, but people say those items make the place more sacred..." The teacher interrupted firmly. "Sacredness depends on one's own mind. It is sacred if you are sacred; it is not sacred if you are not. We honor the Buddha to express respect, not to beg. When people come to temples and see everyone begging, we know Buddhism is beginning to fade. But when we see people coming to practice and transform their souls, Buddhism remains in the true Dharma."

The teacher paused, looking around the room, then continued with a warmer tone. "Inside every person lies a tendency toward cheating and gambling, a desire to put in little effort while gaining much profit. That is why casinos are always packed. People like to rely on luck, drawing a few cards to take others' money. This very mindset leads us to be deceived and lose everything." Another lay Buddhist asked anxiously, "Teacher, how can we distinguish right from wrong?" The teacher smiled kindly. "You must use wisdom. Businesspeople need knowledge in their minds; do not believe just anyone who speaks. If people's hearts are not sincere, even a hundred sacred places or a hundred true practitioners cannot help the country develop. The most important thing is that the heart of the entire nation must be sincere."

One afternoon, the teacher and his disciples sat together to rearrange the altar according to Vietnamese culture: simple, solemn, with only a Buddha statue, a vase of flowers, and incense sticks. The teacher personally wiped every corner and straightened the statue. Everyone stood around, watching quietly. When finished, he turned to them all with confidence. "This is correct. Those who come here will feel their minds become pure and generate reverence for the Buddha when standing before this altar. This is the true meaning of worship."

From then on, the meditation club maintained this way of life: the altar remained simple and solemn; people came not to beg, but to practice and transform themselves. The evening bell rang out melodiously, reminding each person that Buddhism remains in the true Dharma when humans devote themselves to cultivating their own minds.

The Meaning of the Story

The lesson the teacher wished to convey is this: The Buddha’s altar is not a place for seeking luck, but a place to inspire reverence. Buddhism falls into the age of decline when people focus on begging; the true Dharma exists when people know how to practice and transform their own minds. Use wisdom to distinguish right from wrong, stay away from superstition, and preserve good customs and purity of soul.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang