The Chinese term ‘福‘(fu) can be referred to good fortune or auspiciousness. The ‘fu’ is very common for us as a good blessing and wishing. It is the ancient inheriting and blessing of human beings. In ancient time, people prayed to nature, totem, and deities in order to obtain blessings and auspiciousness. According to Buddha, we ought to pray for blessing and auspiciousness: the inner mentality of righteous path, sentient beings, country, and the world.
The blessing for Chinese New Year is a plan for a year. We expect for the material civilization, pursue spiritual civilization, and also look forward the beauty of life. As for the recipient, ‘fu’ is meritorious virtue, meritorious resultant, and happiness; as for the author, ‘fu’ is praying for good fortune, cultivating wholesome fortune, and cherishing good fortune. As for the country, ‘fu’ is complying with the policy and associating people with harmony; as for the society, ‘fu’ is civilization and harmony. As for the community, ‘fu’ is united and cooperative. As for the family, ‘fu’ is harmonious, respectful with loving kindness. As for an individual, ‘fu’ is a concept of kindness.
The heart conveys or bears all the fields of happiness. It utilizes the loving kindness, compassion and wisdom in order to practice the wholesome (kuśala) Dharma. It also attracts the root of all meritorious virtue, and achieves the path of the fundamental field of happiness. We pray and wish sincerely for five good fortunes of arriving: longevity, wealth, health and calmness, love of morality, and a good death. Indeed, every fortune comes from a compassionate thought; it comes from the three kinds of fortunate or wholesome karma: practicing offering (dāna), observing precept (sīla), bearing forbearance (kṣānti). Offering (dāna) can overcome greed, and obtain the results of wealthy and family dependants; observing precept (sīla) can refrain from violation and obtain the results of health and calmness. Bearing forbearance (kṣānti) can overcome hatred and obtain the results of safeness and a good death.
It is said that when a person does a good act, even though the good fortune has not arrived yet, the misfortune has been staying away. In contrast, when a person does a bad act, the good fortune has already left. A good fortune or misfortune has no gate; it only depends on one’s action to call upon. A happy life is needed to cultivate and plant the wholesome cause, when one makes a wholesome condition; thus, he or she obtains a wholesome result and receives the good retribution. It really can help attain the achievement, according to the Buddhism, “abstaining from all evil acts, undertaking the performance of good acts, and keeping the pure mind” the life of happiness and completeness which is the greatest reward for our lives. In normal living, we must practice mindfulness, loving kindness and compassion and commit our lives in coexistence and mutual prosperity. It will serve our lives and nation, set the heart with sky and earth, continue our studies and to assist the world peace.
We all pray and bless together: “Happiness of nation, the prosper path of the saint and noble, prosperity of motherland and world peace.”