The Hundred Deeds: Buddhist Stories on Karma, Compassion, and the Power of Small Acts

On the auspicious occasion of Saga Dawa 2021, which celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha, 84000 hosted a global "live resounding" and dharma teaching. The event featured insightful contributions from Executive Director Huang Jing Rui, board member and translator Eric Pema Kunsang, and founding chair Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.

The heart of this teaching is an exploration of the Sutra of the Hundred Deeds, a collection of stories from the Kangyur that details the past lives of the Buddha and other practitioners. The primary objective of these stories is to demonstrate how specific causes and conditions lead to significant results in future lives.

Key highlights from the teaching include:

• The Power of Small Deeds: Eric Pema Kunsang explains that even a tiny act—such as a child offering a handful of sand to a Buddha—can result in immense merit, such as being reborn as a world ruler, provided the action is paired with pure motivation and a noble wish.
• Kindness Over Violence: To illustrate the strength of compassion, Eric shares the story of King Goodheart, a past life of the Buddha. Even when his kingdom was stolen and he was buried up to his neck in sand, the King responded with forgiveness rather than revenge, eventually transforming his enemy into a friend.
• Wisdom as Ultimate Wealth: The sources emphasize that while material wealth can only buy services, the wisdom found in sutras is the "crown jewel of humanity". This wisdom helps unmask the "illusion of I, me, and mine" and reveals our basic nature, known as tathagatagarba.

Announcing a Special Illustrated Edition

The event served as the official launch for the new illustrated edition of "The Hundred Deeds". This unique project involved 138 children who provided illustrations for the stories, with a design inspired by traditional bound classical Chinese sutras. The goal is to make these profound teachings on karma and interdependence accessible to everyone, especially younger generations.

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Download the Hundred Deeds Special Illustrated Edition

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