
- By Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen
Lu
- Article taken from Raden Magazine Issue
No. 5 ( Hong Kong Publication )
- Translated by Arica Lim
- Edited by Brenda
- Proofread by Mimosa
- Team members of Padmakumara Translation
Team
|
Once, there was a kind, knowledgeable person who
came to take refuge in me but he had some doubts and below is the
recorded conversations between us:
Question: "If we want to take refuge
in a Tantric Master, what must we look out for?"
Answer: "You must first verify if the
Tantric Master has received the authentic Tantric lineage transmission."
Question: " How about Grand Master Lu
as an example?"
Answer: "I have the authentic Tantric
lineage from Reverend Liao Ming (Tao), Guru Sakya Cheng Kung (Sakyapa
Sect), the Sixteenth Karmapa (Kagyu Sect), and Guru Thubten Taerchi
(Gelugpa Sect)."
Question: "Rumor says that that Grand
Master Lu doesn't have any lineage transmission."
Answer: "That is indeed a rumor. My
masters are still alive."
Question: "Rumors also says that Grand
Master Lu implements supernatural power, so he is Mara."
Answer: "When a practitioner attains
a certain cultivation level, the respective supernatural power will
manifest in him. It is very common that Buddhas, Bodhisattvas,
Arhats, Deities, Ghosts can maneuver the transcendental power. One
must hold the right view toward the supernatural power to avoid
being fanatic, blind, or superstitious. The power can be deployed
as a vehicle to lead the sentient beings to enter the Buddha Door,
and it should not be abused to trick people. That is the Right
View."
Question: "Someone said that Grand Master
Lu is of an evil sect?"
Answer: " I uphold the right views.
The aim of Buddhism is to realize our original nature, to
control our own birth and death, to disattach from all worries,
and to be purified. How can this be an evil sect?"
Question: "What should an authentic
Tantric Master be like?"
Answer: "Moral ethics are most important.
An authentic master should not be greedy for any type of offerings.
He should not crave for either wealth or fame. Those
who crave for status, fame, personal territory and power fail to
meet the moral ethic standard of an authentic Master."
Question: "How can one verify that a
Master can convey the esoteric teachings?"
Answer: "The esoteric teachings are
transmitted by the same lineage. One can only master it by
the cultivation endeavor and actual realization. An Esoteric
Master can also differentiate Dharma and No-Dharma. If
one possesses the lineage transmission, moral ethics, esoteric teachings,
actually realization, then one can be honored as a Tantric teacher.
One can then teach Dharma, take disciples, accept the offerings,
and receive prostration from disciples."
Question: "Why are there so many false
Masters?"
Answer: "In today's world, when people
see a Vajra Master being prostrated to and receiving offerings from
others, their desire of greed begins to emerge. They falsely
hope to be in the same position and want to pretend to be a Master.
In the dualistic world, if there is real, there is false.
Everybody must wisely make a distinction between them."
Question: "Grand Master Lu is a real
Vajra Master, a living Buddha. Why are there so many arguments
about you and so much rejection to accept in you the religious world?"
Answer: "My writings are so sincere,
and so are my teachings. When you are too honest, the truth
hurts! The bare truth is often not welcomed. My weakness is
that I do not know how to kiss up to others. I am not a hypocrite
and I do not know how to flatter others. That is the reason
why I am being oppressed and caused much conflicting opinions. However,
I am very durable, and I am truly honest!"
Question: "What is so esoteric about
Tantra?"
Answer: "The esoteric meaning of Tantra
is not be said, but to be realized by the heart. The supreme
mysterious meaning cannot be conveyed to anybody who has not reached
that standard of cultivation. The meaning can only be realized
by themselves, in this stage no language can describe it and no
worldly knowledge can make sense out of it. Therefore, this
secret is kept to avoid the unnecessary slandering from the sentient
beings."
Question: "Tantric cultivation talks
about achieving Buddhahood in the present body. Is this possible?"
Answer: "Buddha and 'I' are the same
entity, that is how one can achieve Buddhahood in the present body.
You are the Buddha, how can this be impossible?"
Question: "Why are there Wrathful Deities
in Tantrayana?"
Answer: "To salvage the some stubborn
sentient beings who will not listen to reasoning, the Wrathful Deities
shall manifest in fierce-looking form to subjugate them. This
form will also subdue the Mara, the ghosts, yaksaˇ¦s, and the devilish
people. His compassionate nature is hidden within, whereas
the external appearance appears fierce and angry to stop people
from engaging in bad deeds."
Question: "Why doesn't Tantrayana advocate
Vegetarianism?"
Answer: "When in contact with the meat
of beings, a tantric cultivator should deploy the esoteric Dharma
to deliver the spirits to the higher realm. In the eye of a cultivator,
purity and impurity are equal. The heart of the Tantric cultivators
are same as that of a vegetarian."
|