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Book: An Overview
of The Buddhadharma
- Book: An Overview of The Buddhadharma
- Title: Second Day: May 4, 1993
- Written by: Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu
- Translated by: Janny Chow
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SECOND DAY: MAY 4, 1993
Master, fellow cultivators, good afternoon. Today is the second
day of my discourse on An Overview of the Buddhadharma and I would
like to begin with a brief review of what I discussed yesterday.
Yesterday I covered the issues of "Faith," "Impermanence," and
"Comprehension." Regarding the issue of "Faith," some people are
correctly of the opinion that a "right faith" is superior to a "superstitious
faith," and that the latter is preferable to not having any faith
at all. People who do not believe in anything face the greatest
obstacles in entering the door of Buddhism. After all, a faith that
is "superstitious" is still a beginning faith. When one enters the
door of the Buddhadharma and gains "comprehension," one's "superstitious
faith" can gradually transform into the "right faith." Therefore,
regarding the issue of Faith, right faith is superior to superstition
while superstition is preferable to total disbelief or indifference.
Some people claim that they do not believe in anything but, when
you confront them with the fact that there must be at least one
thing that they believe in (which is "money"), they will definitely
concur with you. Money is still something everyone believes in.
After all, truth is invisible but money is visible. People are enamored
with the physical, materialistic aspects of the world, and are unaware
of the invisible, transcendental aspects of mind and consciousness.
Therefore, in practicing the Buddhadharma, the most important key
is to have the right faith, the Wisdom Faith.
Regarding "Comprehension," one must gain access to virtuous and
knowledgeable teachers and then listen to their teachings. One has
to penetrate deeply into the treasury of sutras. One also must do
contemplation. To comprehend is to hear and to contemplate. It is
of utmost importance that one arrives at the right kind of comprehension,
as any misunderstanding of the Buddhadharma will not lead to any
fruition. The Buddhadharma that we are practicing is the holy teachings
of the Tathagata (one of the epithets of the Buddha) and it will
bring us great benefits when we are able to understand it correctly.
It can be quite troublesome if one misunderstands the Buddhadharma.
Many people have only a smattering of knowledge of the Buddhadharma.
You have come to hear my discourse because you want to obtain the
right Buddhadharma which is the holy teachings of the Tathagata.
When you understand this discourse, you will have obtained a very
correct view of the Buddhadharma.
Although our school is being attacked by many people on the outside,
the fact is they have only been able to attack my clothes, (audience
laughter) my car, and my house. They cannot find anything in the
True Buddha Dharma to attack. Isn't this true? There has never been
anyone who has found fault with the True Buddha Dharma. No one has
dared to claim that there is anything wrong with the True Buddha
Dharma. Why? Because the True Buddha Dharma is the Right View! It
is the authentic stuff! It only urges one to do practice. It does
not ask one to wear this dress, to buy that car, or to do anything
else! Outsiders can only aim their targets at the surface. They
cannot say anything about the real contents of the True Buddha Dharma
because the True Buddha Dharma is the holy teachings of the Tathagata,
which has been passed to us from previous lineage holders. When
you practice according to the True Buddha Tantric Dharma, you will
attain the Right Fruition. So why should you be bothered by what
kind of car your guru is driving, what clothing he is wearing, or
what kind of rice ¡V short grain rice from Japan or long grain
rice from Thailand ¡V he is eating? Why be bothered by what
he eats? Those things do not really concern you! After all, you
will be well fed when you attain the Dharma Taste! You will attain
the Right Fruition! Therefore, when you have the Wisdom Faith, the
Rational Faith, the Right Faith, and the Right Comprehension, it
will be very easy for you to attain a tacit understanding and know
what the Dharma Taste is.
Some people stop practicing because they cannot get along well
with other people. This has much to do with the human relationships
but nothing to do with the Buddhadharma! There are always disagreements
among people! How many people are there who could truly live in
harmony with everybody? One should ignore such affairs and not let
them interfere with one's practice of the Buddhadharma. In the past,
my guru, the Reverend Liao Ming, told me this, "In one stroke, myriad
worlds are shattered." What does this mean? It means that all the
things that have happened in your past, including all the things
people have said and done to you, and all your disputes, have to
be completely swept away in one stroke. Go, take a nap. When you
wake up, let bygones by bygones and start afresh. Renew everything
on a fresh basis. A cultivator has to have this kind of boldness
of vision. My guru, the Reverend Liao Ming, has sometimes reprimanded
me. It made me very uneasy and I would get upset and declare that
I would not make any more offering to him. (audience laughter) a
few days later, I would mull over his words, "In one stroke, myriad
worlds are shattered" and be reminded of his teachings to let bygones
be bygones. We remained good friends and continued to have a guru/disciple
relationship. He continued to teach me and I continued t learn from
him. To forget everything in the past ¡V a cultivator has
to have this breadth of spirit! This way one will obtain the wonderful
Dharma Taste! Can you forget yesterday? Not just yesterday, but
all of the past? Let go of everything and you are instantly the
Buddha, the Free and Sovereign Buddha. If you cannot forget, you
will be forever bound.
Start right now to understand and believe and give some thought
to Impermanence, which I discussed yesterday. Every phenomenon is
fundamentally impermanent. My mother is sitting over here. In the
past I found her to be very young. (audience laughter) I don't know
if she still sees me as a child. (audience laughter) But my mother
is looking like this, actually she is quite still beautiful. (audience
laughter) I heard that she still purchases clothing designed for
people in their twenties. (audience laughter) This is impermanence!
The flight of time is very terrifying. One passes from infancy to
childhood, through one's teens, youth, middle and old age, and then
finally one lies down and is gone. This is the procession of life's
changes.
The holy teachings of the Tathagata says: Life is short an one
must quickly contemplate impermanence and transcend the world. This
is what the Buddha told us in the past. Contemplate on Impermanence
and Transcendence and one will very soon be released from bondage
and have in hand that which is most valuable. Of course one can
go and study for one's doctorate, but two decades will be wasted
in its pursuit (laughter), and then one will want to get married
and have children! Much of one's life is spent pursuing a career,
marriage, and raising children. How much time is left for spiritual
cultivation? Therefore, the Tathagata teaches us to be mindful of
Impermanence and to rise above the world. This is the significance
of yesterday's teachings.
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