What is a laity? What is the scope of amateur work?

Layman refers to the old monk's general name for people who believe in Buddhism at home; Also refers to the hermit who lived in seclusion or was not an official in ancient times; At the same time, this noun is also a self-proclaimed scholar.

In ancient times, a layman or monk who said that he had both ability and political integrity but lived in seclusion was a general term for his family. Initially, it refers to the third commercial working class in India, Vishya Vaisya, a rich person or a respected and virtuous person.

The Chinese Buddhist Association calls all Buddhists who believe in Buddhism at home laymen. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, Buddhism prevailed in China, and Taoist priests also claimed to be laymen, which had a great influence on middle and upper-class intellectuals, so many people took the name of "laymen".

For example, Li Bai, who believes in Taoism, is a "violet layman"; Bai Juyi calls himself "Xiangshan laity"; Su Shi was named "Dongpo layman" and Fan Chengda was named "Shihu layman"; Li Qingzhao named herself "Yi 'an Jushi" and so on.

Buddhism's "home-based" practice mainly includes: converting to the three treasures, accepting the five precepts, chanting Buddha, fasting and so on.

1. Buddhists at home convert to the Three Treasures and devote themselves to doing good deeds. They are convinced that the Three Treasures of Buddhism and monks are places to rely on for their physical and mental return, and it is a necessary condition not to convert to other religions and temples other than Buddhism.

2. Secondly, observe the five precepts, do not kill, steal, commit adultery, talk nonsense or drink alcohol. Although there are many Buddhist precepts, the five precepts are the most important. From learning Buddha to bodhisattva, we must abide by the five precepts, but we can never get rid of the dust, and everything remains the same.

3. The most important thing is to recite Buddha, such as practicing Pure Land Buddhism and reciting the name "Amitabha in the South". As long as you don't practice other Buddhism, specialize in pure land, and always recite the name of Amitabha, everyone will go.

Fasting is a life of self-denial on certain days of each month, that is, no eating, no burning incense, no singing and dancing, and no sitting on a tall and wide bed after noon. The fasting days are generally the first, eighth, fourteenth, full moon, twenty-third and twenty-ninth (dark days) of the lunar calendar.

Abide by the three conversions, five precepts, chanting Buddha and fasting, do good to others, purify oneself physically and mentally, hold the name of Tommy by yourself, and teach others to believe with confidence, which is even more difficult to transfer. This is the standard for Buddhist believers to practice at home.