Chapter 14 - A Criticism Of An Analogy By Xing Yun, The Dharma Master

Time: Noon
Date: December 21, 1992
Venue: Johor Bahru Airport
Cause: A lot of magazines and newspapers were given to me by the disciples from Da Guan Chapter. I found an interesting article which recorded the interview of Xing Yun, the dharma master. I reproduced it below:

Question (by the reporter from China news) "Rev. Dharma master, what do you think of a monk who renounces his ordination?"

Answer: "It is an ordinary affair for the monk to renounce his ordination. Let me use an analogy, it is the same as a teacher who gives up teaching."

This analogy gave me an ever lasting impression.

Although the level of achievement in Xin Yun's cultivation cannot be gauged outwardly, sometimes his act showed his innocence; and his words indicated his ignorance.

I really admire his determination and courage to talk irresponsibly. I concede that Xing Yun has a disposition in his tyranny that impressed me very much. His sermons clearly showed his determination and courage.

Xing Yun has been in the religious fields for quite some time now. His great ambition can be gleaned from starting a new calendar and called it 26 years after the Buddha Light Era.

After observing him thoroughly, I think he could be the subjects of:

• Wheeling and dealing
• Seeking acquaintance
• Love affairs
• Politicking
• Building a big temple

These are the five folklore of Xing Yun , the dharma master.

Having the urge to write them, I exclaimed: "Such an interesting person like Xing Yun, the dharma teacher provides us with endless folklore. I just could not stop quoting him."

"Renouncing ordination is just like a teacher who gives up teaching", the analogy cautiously created by him sank me into a deep thought.

When a teacher gives up teaching:

He changes his job (common)

He retires because of old age (common)

He is not feeling well (common)

For a teacher to give up his teaching post, it is not a sensational news. There are so many such instances, I find it nothing unusual. Everybody knows when a teacher gets old, he looks forward to his retirement.

But when a monk renounces his ordination, can we use "teacher giving up teaching" as an analogy?

Ordination is a life long commitment. You cannot change the job (usual)

Can the monks renounce their ordination when they get old? (They can't)

Can the monks renounce their ordination when they are not feeling well? (They can't)

Ordination is not a job. The monks must take vows to cultivate and succour other sentient beings. It demands quite an amazing willpower. How can it be compared with choosing a job.

The monks value vows, whereas the teachers treasure the career. They can never be lumped together.

Some tasks are important while others are not. We cannot compare them. Becoming a monk is a life long affair, it is an important decision. Teaching is not so, we can change the job anytime we like. They are not the same!

The analogy from Xing Yun shows the dharma master's ignorance and wild talk to the extreme. They are just a pack of lies. His reasoning power is equalled to zero. I wonder how qualified he is to succour other sentient beings.

I believe that if a dharma master who does not have a breakthrough in his thought, and be enlightened in the process, he is as good as a dead person. No matter how great his development plan is , how many temples he helped to build, how many disciples he has, at most he can be considered a parvenu who has accumulated billions of dollars of wealth in the process.

The analogy of Xing Yun results in a laughter, an applause, and my deep sigh.

Everything happening in this world will be a thing of the past in no time. I could only sigh and laugh at his analogy. Finding a pen, I recorded this interesting episode in my diary on the tour to Singapore and Malaysia.

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