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Book: An Overview
of The Buddhadharma
- Book: An Overview of The Buddhadharma
- Title: Practice
- Written by: Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu
- Translated by: Janny Chow
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PRACTICE
Today I will discuss Practice and Realization, which are the two
steps which follow the generation of Faith and the attaining of
Comprehension.
A Right Faith and Right Comprehension, together with a penetration
into the treasury of sutras, concern the theoretical aspects of
the Buddhadharma. A meal is served and it looks absolutely delicious
but, if you don't eat it, you won't be fed. Although you know where
to buy the ingredients, how to prepare the dishes, and how much
salt, sugar, soy sauce, or flavor enhancers to use, not doing the
practice is tantamount to not eating the delicious foods prepared.
Therefore, today I will discuss the very important issue of Practice.
The Practice of the Buddhadharma can be divided into two major
aspects. The study of the Buddhadharma is also known as the Inner
Study. The Inner Study is simply the study of one's mind and consciousness.
In the past, when the Buddhadharma was introduced into China, the
Chinese referred to it as the Inner Study. We know that the famous
Ouyang Chingju Licheng was the abbot of the Chinese Institute of
Inner Study. Well, the so-called Inner Study refers to that portion
of the study of the Buddhadharma which is a study of the consciousness.
Actually, the Buddhadharma also contains an Outer Study. What is
the Outer Study? The Outer Study pertains to "precepts and disciplines."
In the practice of Buddhism, besides observing the precepts and
disciplines (the outer aspect of Practice), one also has to be mindful
of one's consciousness (the inner aspect of Practice). Although
mastering one's inner world is generally more difficult than observing
the precepts, the latter is also not easy to carry out.
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