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Chapter 8 - The Taste of the Dharma
Many people have asked me about the taste of the Dharma. The taste of the Dharma is just the flavour of the miraculous Dharma. Chewing over the Dharma gives rise to pleasure and so it is called the taste of the Dharma. For instance, The fish in clear water. The squirrels in pine trees. The lions in forests. The whales in the sea. However, if the fish are in tanks, the squirrels are in cages, the lions are in a zoo and the whales are in shallows, that will be vulgar flavour, not the taste of the Dharma. Moreover, the taste of the Buddhist Dharma can bring us "leisure and freedom". The Buddhist Dharma not only solves the problems after our death, but also brings us "virtue and happiness" during life and the most wonderful flavour in the philosophy of human life. The Buddhist Dharma is so extensive and profound that the wonderful flavour it brings about is forever lasting.
Somebody asked me, "What kind of taste of the Dharma have you got?" I answered, the taste of the Dharma I got is not the flavour of common pleasure, but eternal pleasure, which is not temporary. This kind of taste of the Dharma is the most pleasant, the most peaceful, the most appropriate and it is the feeling resulting from the "cultivation of mind and consciousness". Ordinary people think it is "comfort and peace". I think it is "pleasure" and "freedom".
I tell my readers with great honesty that one part of the taste of the Dharma, the pleasure, belongs to the body and the other part of it, freedom, belongs to the mind and the mind and the body are connected with each other.
Somebody asked me, "You have got the taste of the Dharma, how is it that you still drink alcohol?" I answered, although not to drink intoxicants is the least serious of the five precepts, one cannot break it. That is what I warn my disciples of the True Buddha School not to do. The reason that I can drink intoxicants is that my power of concentration has surpassed the intoxicants, which no longer cause any harm to me. I can drink and also can stop drinking. There is no difference for me between drinking and not drinking. Since drinking cannot disturb me, I can still drink. The ancient masters of Esoteric Buddhism, such as Milarepa, Saraha, and other Lineage Gurus, all once drank alcohol. They regarded intoxicants as nectar. They drank them in order not to indulge in them. If any disciple of the True Buddha School saw me drinking so much as to be totally confused myself, I would admit I had broken the precept, what I said would be all lies and I would be a precept-breaking monk. However, my power of concentration has surpassed intoxicants and my taste of the Dharma resides in it. Where the lion jumps across, the rabbit should never follow suit. I can tell the readers very frankly that in this world there is nothing that can frighten me, because my power of concentration keeps me sober. This is the taste of the Dharma. Another example is my marriage. Many people remarked that, Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, has both a wife and children. In fact, getting married and having children happened before I became a monk. (Sakyamuni also got married and had children before he renounced the worldly life.) After I became a monk, I have neither wife nor children. For instance, I used to say jokingly that I will marry one hundred and eight wives, but they are all my fellow practitioners. (Of course, this is only nonsense). However, can I, Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, do that? The answer is actually "Yes". Why? Because my body is Vajra body. My mind stays in the void. I possess the light of the Buddhist nature. If I had not got the Vajra body, a mind staying in the void and the light of the Buddhist nature, I would have deceived myself and others, I would have told lies and I would have broken the precepts. But I have got all of them, I therefore have not told lies, have not broken the precepts and have not deceived myself or others. I can marry one hundred and eight wives. This is the taste of the Dharma. (The above short passage deserves the readers' careful thinking, in order to understand the true meaning of my words and to understand what are Vajra body, the void and the light of the Buddhist nature. The readers should never look at me through worldly eyes, because once they take a worldly perspective, there will certainly be slanderous remarks). Meditation on the Mind-base Sutra has the following to say:
After reading the above passage, I get the following taste of the Dharma,
During the course of my study of the Buddhist Dharma, I can get the taste of the Dharma from a sentence or a paragraph and there exists Anantamati in the taste of the Dharma. And Anantamati Sutra has this passage,
There is more taste of the Dharma in the above paragraph, which shows that the Buddhist Dharma expounded by the Buddha is so wide-ranging and the taste of the Dharma can be different in reason and meaning. The Dharma talks by the Buddha include,
All of them can wash away sentient beings troubles. However, their tastes of the Dharma are different! There will be the flavours of well water, pond water, river water, stream and canal water, and sea water. They are different in reason and meaning. What the Buddha said means,
And also
Therefore, different people in the world learning the Buddhist Dharma will get different tastes of the Dharma although the same expression "taste of the Dharma" is used by all of them. The taste of the Dharma experienced by me, Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, is quite different from those experienced by other people and my achievements of the Dharma, Buddhahood and Truth are also unique. I transformed the five poisons into five kinds of wisdom. The taste of the Dharma in it lies in the word "transformation".
In the course of transformation, there exists supreme wisdom. It is not easy for a practitioner to achieve this transformation. Once the transformation fails, the practitioner is very likely to fall into the Vajra hell. Therefore, those who are not able to perform the transformation should be careful not to try. As a result, I never make any distinction among sentient beings I am to convert. Among my disciples, there are even condemned convicts sentenced to death, who also have left sarira.
I tell the readers with great honesty that in my conversion there is no class distinction. I will not abandon one single living being. Many lunatics in the world have become disciples of the True Buddha School. I convert sentient beings in accordance with circumstances and the Dharma (the Buddhist Dharma). Even when people have fallen into Naraka (the hell), I will convert them there. This is to transform the five poisons into five kinds of wisdom. In Esoteric Buddhism, there are two kinds of special taste of the Dharma, which do not exist and are not talked about in any other schools of religion (including Exoteric Buddhism).
This is special taste of the Dharma in Esoteric Buddhism, in which you should at first visualize the body of the personal deity in your own flesh and keep on doing it continuously. In fact, there are three kinds of yoga:
To practise the body of the Buddha, every day, at any minute and on any occasion, one should forget that he is a man of blood and flesh, but think instead that he is the body of the Buddha. After long practice, the practitioner becomes firm and can integrate himself with the Buddha at any time and change into the Buddha in an instant. This kind of taste of the Dharma is the most wondrous in Esoteric Buddhism. In the worshipping yoga and the action yoga, the Buddha stands outside. In meditation yoga, the Buddha stays inside. What on earth is "becoming a Buddha with one's present life" in Esoteric Buddhism? As a matter of fact, it is very simple,
This is becoming a Buddha with one's present body. However, the methods of becoming a Buddha with one's present body consist of the Vajradhatu realm method and the Garbhadhatu realm method , the integration of which leads to becoming a Buddha with one's present body . That's what it all adds up to. In the present world, many Dharma masters (of Exoteric Buddhism) deny the possibility of becoming a Buddha with one's present body , because they do not understand the underlying principle, which is in fact very simple. However, the techniques for becoming a Buddha with one's present body are too difficult for beginners, since the abstruse techniques and the method of diligent practice are complex and time consuming. Since the Dharma masters of Exoteric Buddhism do not understand the special techniques (Yantras) of Esoteric Buddhism and do not go in for practising diligently so as to verify them, it is natural for them to deny the possibility of becoming a Buddha with one's present body. However I would like to ask them whether Sakyamuni became a Buddha with his present body? They will be reduced to silence. Then they will add, "Sakyamuni is Sakyamuni. He is different from us". In fact, the Buddha also practised as an ordinary man and then became a Buddha in this Saha world. That shows everybody can become a Buddha in this Saha world. The fact that it is very difficult to become a Buddha does not mean that there is absolutely no possibility. What kind of man is Shun (a legendary sage king in ancient China)? What kind of man is Yao (another legendary sage king in ancient China)? Anyone can do the same things as they did. Everybody can become Shun or Yao and everybody can become a Buddha. I, Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, tell the readers with great honesty that I am Buddha of Brightness and Independence who became a Buddha with my present body. The established sequence of practising to become a Buddha with one's present body is:
My becoming a Buddha with my present body did not come by itself. I achieved it by my continual orderly practice without any interruption. The effect of body, speech and mind in Esoteric Buddhism is so abstruse that it is difficult to be understood by ordinary men, even by Dharma masters. This is just what the techniques of Esoteric Buddhism are like and among them the personal deity entering me and I entering him is the most important. I am a man who has really got access to the Buddha's mind and realized the Bodhi mind, the Vajra mind, the Vajra body and the supreme Bodhi. If one wants to get the body of the personal Buddha (Yidam) and the taste of the Dharma of becoming a Buddha with his present body , he has to take refuge in the True Buddha School, which is actually a Dharma gate of diligent practice. In Exoteric Buddhism, prostrating to Buddhas, doing obeisance to Buddhas, praising Buddhas, doing Dharma duties and becoming Buddhas by introduction all put the Buddhas outside. Only the True Buddha Tantric Dharma can make people become Buddhas with one's present body. What Exoteric Buddhism lack is diligent practice (Yantras). Somebody asked me about causation and transmigration among the forms of existence. I answered, "One is sure to get what he deserves". A person goes to Heaven because he deserves it; another goes to Naraka (the hell) also because he deserves it. One can only put for his wrong doings by repentance. The underlying principle of causation and transmigration is in fact very simple. We can understand it very easily. However, just because of its simplicity, it is very easy to be neglected. In my opinion, there are three underlying principles in causation and transmigration,
The fixed order of happening deserves our particular attention. Somebody asked, "Why is good not rewarded with good and evil is not rewarded with evil?"
This fixed order of happening is the taste of the Dharma of causation and transmigration. Somebody asked me whether there is "double practice (Karmamudra Yab & Yum)". I answered, "Yes, there is. But it is very difficult". The principle of "double practice (Yab&Yum)" is like what The Principle and Destination Sutra says:
In brief, "the original nature of sexual behaviour is also empty". The principles of the double practice in Esoteric Buddhism are:
Why do I, Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, say it is difficult? What I said means that among the present practitioners there are very few who are qualified for double practice (Yab&Yum) , because in order to do double practice (Yab&Yum), one has to practise and realize the "non-leaking" with the freedom of "lifting" and "lowering" and then he has to keep on practice to realize the "empty nature". The above two points are very important, since, in my opinion, they are the basic requirements for "double practice" (Karmamudra-Yab&Yum).
It is not easy to meet these requirements, since he who has realized them is almost a Buddha. That is why I said it is very difficult to go in for double practice (Yab&Yum). The taste of the Dharma of double practice is, Great pleasure (Mahasukha) and great emptiness. What is on earth the taste of the Dharma of responses with Buddhas ? I have talked a lot about this. Here I offer the following further explanation:
In my opinion, the above five kinds of Dharma taste are the most precious. After long observation, I found that among the various schools of religion in the world there are many points in common, which are listed below:
Christianity, Catholic, Muslim and Exoteric Buddhism all fall within these ranges. Of course, we cannot deny that there exists the Dharma taste in the religious service , honouring , offering , alms-giving and doing good. However, the Dharma taste in Esoteric Buddhism lays more emphasis on the practice of meditation, which has the unity of spirit and mind. From meditation, one can get great wisdom , one single thought with no distraction , brightness and egolessness. And then one will enter into formlessness and impermanence. (There is a richer Dharma taste in them.) Now we come to the sequence in experiencing the Dharma taste in Esoteric Buddhism. The power of Tathagata's Samadhi and the power of human body's Samadhi are combined through empowerment from the three mystic practices and this will bring about enlightenment for direct perception, whose Dharma taste is unequaled. Esoteric Buddhism attaches much importance to diligent practice and actual realization and therefore it is as far apart from other schools of religion as heaven and earth. The Dharma taste in Esoteric Buddhism can lie in,
As there are many questions from my disciples about "crossing the threshold", I would like to give some particular explanation in the following. At the initial period of practising the True Buddha Tantric Dharma, some practitioners will encounter various misfortunes and hindrances, which occur one after another and make them recoil in fear. In my explanation, this is the appearing of karma hindrances, which will not appear if one does not practise Buddhism and will appear as soon as one does. A cultivator should pluck up his own courage and have no doubt about becoming a Buddha and the benefit of practising the True Buddha Tantric Dharma and keep on practising until all karma hindrances are removed. With more effort, he continues his practice until no more misfortune occurs. At this point, he can be said to have got through the initial pass and he will suddenly come to realize the significance of the practice of the Dharma with no attention paid to any disaster. Some cultivators get various kinds of responses and realization soon after they began to practise and they are therefore full of confidence working hard and diligently at their practice. However, after a period of time, the responses and the realization become weaker and weaker even to the point of a complete standstill, which gives the practitioners a feeling of retrogression. They often wonder why? In my opinion, for a beginning practitioner, the fact that he gets much response and realization is due to the encouragement and the frequent instruction from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Afterwards, the response and realization will become less and less, because the practitioner has become confident enough and can carry on all by himself, so there is no need for Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Dharma protectors to encourage him so frequently. The practitioner's feeling of no progress is in fact the reflection of the fact that he has become firm enough. I often say,
I also said,
There are many responses for some practitioners and very few for others. However, that does not matter. That is like what happens to a child flying a kite. When the kite is low - It moves very fast. When the kite is high - It seems still. It is a good thing to have responses, but it is not bad not to have them. During the course of practice, if one feels twitches of great compassion and the "brightness" of mind and the "broadness" of mind, he is then crossing the threshold, which is exactly a more valuable feeling of the Dharma taste. Catching sight of light. Catching sight of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Dharma protectors appearing to give prediction. And many other signs.... Whom should these happenings be told to? Some people believe that if one tells these things to others, they will disappear. This is like a hot pot: hot air will disappear gradually if its lid is opened frequently. In my opinion, the various happenings should be told to the Root Guru or other masters, who will tell the practitioner how to deal with those things. There is also no harm in telling fellow practitioners so as to encourage them to practise hard and diligently. However, there is no need to tell people who have nothing to do with practice. In the practice of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma, one can get the feelings of low, middle and high ranks. This is particularly true for the air, pulses and bright points which have much more to realize and require a great deal more effort. I tell the readers with great honesty that soon after I was converted to Buddhism, I was introduced to the Maha Double Lotus Ponds in the Western Paradise and I made up my mind then and there with no doubt whatsoever. At the sight of the Maha Double Lotus Ponds, my heart was gladdened and my mind was refreshed. At the sight of the Maha Double Lotus Ponds, I came to know everything that happened in my past lives, which gave me great confidence. In the past twenty years and more, so many grand masters, great monks, and great practitioners have insulted me as, "a madman, a lunatic, a great impostor, a great liar, a funny fellow, a leader of evil ways, a devil king and ghost ...." There are countless slanderous remarks! I count million as one. Why do I remain so firm? Because I have seen with my own eyes the Western Paradise. All the realms I have experienced and all my realizations are true and they never existed before. I stick to the right wisdom and the right view correcting any heresy and promoting Buddhism in accordance with the Buddhist decrees never following the talks of devils. I am a Buddhist follower with the right belief. I have Buddhas to protect me. I have Bodhisattvas to protect me. I have the Vajra Dharma protectors to protect me. I have never been afraid of either those grand masters or great monks or the heavenly devils or heretics, since my insight lies in the True Buddha.
At present, the most popular school of Buddhism is The Pure Land Sect. The most popular saying is, Chant the names of Buddhas in earnest. I, Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, tell the readers with great honesty that I also chant "Namo Amitabha Buddha" every day, and at any moment. People asked me, "As a practitioner of Esoteric Buddhism, why do you also study the Pure Land Sect?" I answered, "The Dharma gate of chanting the names of Buddhas in the Pure Land Sect is just the secret oral (speech) practising method in Esoteric Buddhism, which has only been simplified a little. I ask all the followers of Buddhism to think over whether the secret oral (speech) practising method in Esoteric Buddhism and the chanting of the names of Buddhas in Exoteric Buddhism are different approaches with equally perfect results". In simple terms, the Pure Land Sect only uses the verbal (speech) mystic practice in Esoteric Buddhism. The chanting of the names of Buddhas in the Pure Land Sect should be generally accepted by all the followers of Buddhism, since it is both simple and brief and even people who do not quite understand all the Buddhist Dharma can do it, whether they are laymen or masters, whether they are old or young. The Pure Land Sect makes use of the power of the vows of Amitabha Buddha to fetch the practitioners to the Western Paradise who chant the names of Buddhas with no distraction (defilement), which is just like what is described in The Amitabha Sutra. This is a convenient Dharma gate. It is to become a Buddha by the Buddha's introduction, not to become a Buddha with one's present body. As a matter of fact, another classics of the Pure Land Sect The Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life Sutra is more profound than The Amitabha Sutra. The Amitabha Sutra is the verbal (speech) mystic practice. The Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life (Amitayus) Sutra is the mind secrecy. The general idea of The Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life (Amitayus) Sutra is,
These sixteen ways of meditation (Visualization) go much deeper than usual, so it is difficult for ordinary followers of Buddhism to put them into practice. As a result, at present the Pure Land Sect only advocates chanting the names of Buddhas in real earnest, which is suitable to the common people and those who are very busy in the modern society. In my opinion, if you are a knowledgeable person, or a person who is well-versed in the Buddhist Dharma, it is advisable for you to practise the mind secrecy besides the oral (speech) secrecy (The Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life Sutra), because the sixteen ways of meditation (Visualize), I think, are the most important for one's supreme achievement in the Pure Land Sect. These sixteen ways of meditation (Visualization) are full of the taste of the Dharma. They are the mental mystic practice in the Pure Land Sect. In fact, there are already the verbal (speech) mystic practice and the mental mystic (Visualize) practice, which, if combined with the bodily mystic (Mudra) practice, will constitute Esoteric Buddhism (3 components). I think, There are many Dharma masters advocating chanting the names of Buddhas only (the verbal (speech) mystic practice), because the verbal mystic practice is popular and down to earth. There are few Dharma masters advocating The Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life Sutra (the sixteen ways of meditation/Visualization), because they are difficult and most masters like to attend to the simple and give up the complex. From my explanation, one can sense:
I made this simple explanation so as to let people practise Buddhism in a way they like best. For the public, there is no harm in chanting the names of Buddhas and waiting to become Buddhas by the introduction of Amitabha Buddha. For people who like to be well-versed in Buddhism and want to enter meditation and learn the techniques of Esoteric Buddhism, they are advised to take refuge in the True Buddha School. They can turn their five kinds of consciousness into the five kinds of wisdom and become Buddhas with their present body. There is much more taste of the Dharma in Esoteric Buddhism than in the Pure Land Sect:
Somebody asked me, why are the Buddhist deliverance services presided by Living Buddha Liansheng so miraculous that they can make the dead appear again and meet their children and grandchildren? In the Buddhist deliverance services, many people saw the dead appearing again in this world and got greatly surprised and spread the news. There were waves upon waves of excitement and cheering. Somebody saw the dead walking up from the sea on the waves, since the dead got drowned in the sea. Somebody saw the dead was all black, since the dead was burned to death. Somebody saw the dead without legs, since the dead suffered from diabetes and lost his two legs in an operation. Somebody saw the dead with his head missing, since the dead was rolled over by trains and got his head cut off. Such instances are legion. Why are the deliverance sessions so miraculous? I wrote a hymn:
I will let the readers appreciate the Dharma taste in the hymn by themselves.
Somebody said that I, Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, was a heretic or belonged to another species. I answered, I am not different from others except for the fact that I have read many Buddhist classics (Sutras), got much knowledge about various schools of Buddhism and put it into practice. I know Taoist talismans and mantras and have studied medical prescriptions. I know the practice of divination and have studied geomancy. I know physiognomy and have studied principles of fate. (The knowledge about these worldly methods is not beneficial to finally getting out of the cycle of birth and death). However, I have penetrated into the mystic delicacy of Buddhism and understood the essence of emptiness. Moreover, I have studied the various methods of the schools of Buddhism with wisdom and gone directly into the secrecy of Esoteric Buddhism with the understanding of both the internal and the external methods. My power of meditation has already reached the very depth of consciousness. I have practised the Mahamudra, the great perfection (Atiyoga-Dzogchen) and the techniques of both Esoteric and Exoteric Buddhism. I have no choice but to become a Buddha. Am I from another species? Am I a heretic? Imagine the Dharma taste in it by yourself. The practitioners have to at first please "the eight kinds of heavenly beings and dragons". Why? Because the devils will devour you if the eight kinds of heavenly beings and dragons don't like you. I, Living Buddha Liansheng, tell the readers with great honesty that I pay great respect to the eight kinds of heavenly beings and dragons . I often praise them and as a result they help me,
Moreover, "the eight kinds of heavenly beings and dragons" help me increase my life time, fortune, and wisdom and more importantly, they protect all my practices. Practitioners of Esoteric Buddhism would do well to remember,
There was a grand master surrounded by many Dharma protectors , who in fact were mountain spirits, raksasas and asuras,(Numerous of them). This grand master was hostile to me and often tried to exterminate the spreading of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma. He often played tricks in the dark in order to push Sheng-yen Lu to the point of complete destruction. The grand master's "Dharma protectors" certainly followed his orders. The mountain spirits, raksasas and asuras came to me. However, at the sight of "the eight kinds of heavenly beings and dragons" surrounding Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, they all got alarmed, dropped their weapons and ran away. I have indeed experienced such happenings. That is one reason for the fact that I can bear the various abuses of some "grand masters", "great monks", "great practitioners", "great lay believers", "great heretics", and "men of great achievement" . I have survived all their insult and slander. I have the protection of "the eight kinds of heavenly beings and dragons". "One group of Dharma protectors fight against another group of Dharma protectors. They fight to decide which side is more powerful. There exists great taste of the Dharma in it". In the vast ocean of Buddhist classics, each has its own taste of the Dharma and should be understood by the readers. For instance,
This is just to mention a few. In my opinion, there exists very profound philosophy in Esoteric Buddhism, which is impartial and superior to ordinary schools of religion. There are some Buddhist scholars who pay attention only to one sect or one kind of practice. There are practitioners who only attend to "consciousness", thinking that nothing else matters and others who only attend to mind , which they think is the only way to become Buddhas. Esoteric Buddhism teaches that,
Only this kind of philosophy is all-embracing. It should be the supreme and impartial principle of meditation for great perfection. Somebody asked me, "since sex, anger, ignorance, doubt and pride are the five great evils of human beings, can we practise them to get achievement in Esoteric Buddhism?" I answered, "There is a method of this kind. But the Vajra masters teaching the practice of the five great evils should be those of great achievement. People with much attachment to sex, anger, ignorance, doubt and pride can practise them only when they have got adequate foundation in Esoteric Buddhism and have the empowerment of Vajra master". The method of practising the five great evils is:
In the book A General Discussion on Buddhism I mentioned Tathagata's ten kinds of power (Dasabala), which are described as follows:
In my opinion, the ten kinds of power are originated from the "very profound and delicate wisdom". In a Buddhist sutra, there are two sentences, which contain much taste of the Dharma:
In my opinion, "being indescribable" is also a kind of Dharma taste. Why is it indescribable? There are the following words in a Buddhist Sutra, "If sentient beings in the world were all Sariputras with first-rate wisdom, it would still be impossible for them gathering together to fathom the wisdom of the Buddha". "The non-returning Bodhisattvas are as many as the sand-grains of the River Ganges. It is still impossible for them to know the wisdom of the Buddha even if they put their heads together". "It goes without saying that it is utterly impossible for a layman to understand the extensive and profound teachings by the Buddha". As a matter of fact, not only is it impossible to understand and describe the wisdom of the Buddha, but also impossible for laymen to understand the wisdom of Esoteric Buddhism, which is also supreme and indescribable. For that reason, I hold that, "Being indescribable is also a kind of Dharma taste". For example, all my behaviour, all my speeches, all my writings, .... by Living Buddha Liansheng, Sheng-yen Lu, cannot be understood by worldly people. Although I have made much explanation, they still cannot understand them. This is also, It goes without saying that it is utterly impossible for a layman to understand the extensive and profound teachings. I have no better way to talk about them; I have nothing else worth talking about. If I have explained again and again and people still cannot understand, it is better to keep quiet. "Being indescribable" contains unfathomable and immeasurable taste of the Dharma. What wisdom on earth does the Buddha of Brightness and Independence possess?
If you can ponder over the supreme wisdom of me, the Buddha of Brightness and Independence , you will find that it is just Tathagata's five kinds of wisdom:
In them all resides a great deal of taste of the Dharma. In all the wondrous observations (Discriminating Wisdom), all the great accomplishments are very profound and delicate. I have wisdom of knowing the differences among thousands of realms. There are five kinds of body, which are extremely difficult to be observed, but I know them at my finger's tips. The five kinds of body include the body of King Mahabrahman, the body of Sakra Devendra (Lord Indra), the body of the Devil King (Mara), the body of Cakravartin (Wheel-turning Noble King), and the body of the Buddha. Everyone of the five kinds of body has thirty-two major physical marks and eighty secondary physical marks. In this Saha world, there are very few people who possess such profound wisdom, of whom the Buddha of Brightness and Independence is one. However, I am not to describe it. I experienced endless Dharma taste in both "not describing" and "indescribability". Somebody asked me about the Buddha's Pure Lands. I answered, The Buddha's Pure Lands are where saints live and where there is no contamination. They are as numerous as the sand-grains of the River Ganges, which are countless and innumerable. I compare the Buddha's Pure Land to the pure mind, where there is no pollution by the five desires. In contrast, a contaminated world, with much greed, anger, ignorance, doubt, pride, and the desires for wealth, sex, food and drink, fame, and sleep, is a place that is beset with various sufferings. In simple terms, the Buddha's lands are clean and pure, while the three evil realms are throat-cutting (competition) There is the Pure Land Sect in Buddhism, which advocates chanting the names of Buddhas and considers Samantabhadra as their root Guru. Grand Master Huiyan in the Jin Dynasty advocated in particular the Dharma-gate of the Pure Land Sect, Daozhuo in the Tang Dynasty was also specialized in the practice of it, and there were great monks who made great effort to develop the Dharma-gate of the Pure Land Sect in all periods in history. However, there is not just a single Buddha's Pure Land, not just the Pure Land Sect. This is my different point of view. According to my knowledge, I can cite the following examples, There are "the land where ordinary people and sages live together", "the land temporarily established for those who have destroyed major evil passions", "the land of non-hindrance as the true reward for the performance of meditation practice" and "the land of eternal and tranquil light" in Tathagata's Buddhist country of Pure Land. The Buddha Emerald Light of the Master of Medicine has the Eastern Lapis-lazuli Buddhist Pure Land. Other Buddhas also have their own Buddhist countries of Pure Land.
In Esoteric Buddhism, there are,
To go and live in the Pure Land is desired by all the followers of both Esoteric and Exoteric Buddhism. In Esoteric Buddhism, the various methods of practice, including the great Dharma of Amithaba, the Dharma of Avalokitesvara, the Dharma of Vajrapani, the Dharma of Amitayus and the Dharmas of White and Green Taras, all lead to the birth in the Pure Land of Amitabha. In this Saha world, the Pure Land of Amitabha is the most publicized and the most popular. However, the practice of Exoteric Buddhism (chanting the names of Buddhas) leads to the same Buddha's land, but in different ranks. However, the practice of Esoteric Buddhism (empowered by the three mystics) also leads to the same Buddha's country, but in further different ranks. I also tell the readers with great honesty, The Pure Land of inner courtyard in the Tusita Heaven of Maitreya should be no cause for surprise. The various heavens I know all have Pure Lands. That is a great secrecy, which is not known by others. Somebody asked me about my enlightenment. I answered, Some people say that my visit to the "Maha Double Lotus Ponds" in the Western Paradise is fictional. There are also people who would say that it only exists in my dream, and there are even more people who think I told lies. There are various criticisms on it. However, all I want to say can be summed up in the following:
Enlightenment is just like that. It is actual realization, not theory. It is verifiable and verified experience. There are also people who say that my meeting with Sakyamuni is a dream, or lunacy. I also answered, "It is not fiction, not imagination or feeling. If a great practitioner has realized the Dharma body with empty nature", he will know that what I said is true. It is also the case with my enlightenment. It is very easy to criticize a man and a sect. All one has to do is to wear a pair of coloured spectacles, which, however, will present the wearer a distorted view. For instance, somebody made the following criticism:
Some people criticize the True Buddha School from the point of being true or false, saying that no distinction can be made between truth and falsehood for Buddhas. Some people are biased towards realism, and it is natural for them to miss the point. The True Buddha School is nothing but a name, a symbol, so there is no point arguing about it.
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