That’s great! Yes, it’s helpful even if you can’t go all the time. And depending on temple, they may be “online” in different ways to bridge the gap in between. Hope you enjoy Hsi Lai when you eventually visit! (Be sure to go to their website first because right now you have to do a free reservation time due to the pandemic but it’s easy to do)

Great to hear! Let me know if any questions.

Great question. It's why we have faith in the Buddha, as our teacher. There are things we can't prove, per se, but take it on his word. Why? He's a Buddha and has a proven teaching(s) that lead to liberation. Depending on our level, we can understand perhaps just a little bit of it, but that allows us even more faith since we were able to understand some initial small concepts. Much like if you were in elementary school, and your teacher was saying there is such things as physics which are beyond our comprehension at that age. Our teacher has proven smaller initial concepts with us that leads to credibility. Another way to look at it is, the Buddha actually said the supranormal/supernatural abilities he, and his enlightened followers, obtained from advanced meditative concentration (and the fact he was a Buddha) allows them to reveal/obtain these abilities. To us, these appear supranormal/supernatural, but that doesn't mean they are not 'natural' anyways. Just beyond our level of understanding/comprehension. What gives power to this in Buddhism, is that the Buddha said that one should not practice Buddhism to obtain these 'powers', as the true power is from his teachings (Dharma). The supranormal/supernatural powers are basically byproducts or obtainments from such advanced levels. He did use it to help others understand Buddhism, etc., but these were limited circumstances and he often did it with the point of helping others understand the Dharma. That would be in sharp contrast, for example, if say another religion stated the founder of their religion had supernormal/supernatural powers as a proven fact to their supreme status in that religion (and was a constant focus). That doesn't exist in Buddhism. alanpeto.com/buddhism/buddhist-superstition/

@@AlanPeto Hey Alan, thank you so much for answering my question. I am very much a skeptic at heart and have a very critical eye for things that have to be taken 'on faith alone,' like various Abrahamic faiths. It's taken me a while to realize that Buddhism is not 'faith' based in the Abrahamic, unquestionable sense, but 'faith' in the trust sense.

Hi, Victoria! Yes, you can do chanting in English, but it's perhaps the least popular way. The reason is that it can be a bit challenging to find a harmonic tone (although that can absolutely be done), and it takes longer! When chanting in sanskrit, pali, or native tongues like chinese, japanese, etc., it just flows easier and faster. If you'd like an example, you can see my chanting of the Heart Sutra here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i5lkqJdluJ_Ie6s.html

Can you explain what you want to buy?

I don't have any personal experience, but from what I understand it's a Tibetan tradition. However, I've read online that there is a "new" version of that some have concerns about. You may want to do more research on this and ask questions. Again, it's a tradition I don't have any experience with.