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Book: An Overview
of The Buddhadharma
- Book: An Overview of The Buddhadharma
- Title: Understanding Suffering and Renunciation
- Written by: Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu
- Translated by: Janny Chow
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Understanding Suffering and Renunciation
After entrance one, of course, has to understand the meaning behind
the Buddhist doctrines of the "Ten Dharma Realms,"
or the ten states of existence which include the "Four
Holy Realms" and "Six Ordinary Realms."
One must recognize the inherent sufferings found in the six ordinary
realms of existence: devas, human beings, asuras, hell beings, hungry
ghosts, and animals. When one understands these realms and becomes
aware of the fundamental nature of "Impermanence,"
there will arise in one a desire to seek renunciation. At the realization
of the inherent emptiness of all phenomena and that nothing exists
independently, one becomes an Arhat. [audience applause]
The sufferings inherent in the six realms are, in fact, very clearly
manifested to us. Take a look at the hospitals. Although huge hospitals,
staffed with many white-cloaked angels [audience laughter] who are
in fact bad demons and yakshas, with knives and implements in hand,
to cut and fix people up! Indeed, inside the hospitals are the hells
of brain opening, kidney transplant, liver dissection, and eye gouging.
Truthfully, I have visited the Realm of Hell. There I saw a student
of mine whose two legs had been pierced through by a nail. I had
not heard from this student for a long time. We looked into each
other's eyes and he started crying. I asked him, "How
come you are here? Could it be that you have died?"
[audience laughter] I asked him, "Are you dead?"
I was not speaking Indonesian although in Indonesian, the morning
greeting of "se la ma ba gee" sounds almost
the same as "are you dead" in Mandarin.
[audience laughter] While shaking his head, the student sighed and
said, "I am in Hell." When I came back
to this world, I made an investigation. It turned out that this
student had actually been admitted to the hospital during that time.
His legs, for some unknown reason, had suddenly developed atrophy
and severe cramps. He could not move his legs, as if they were pinned
down by a nail. In the Realm of Hell, I had indeed, seen his two
legs nailed together. He was already experiencing punishment in
Hell although he was still alive. Are hospitals then not part of
the Realm of Hell?
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