The Material World in the Eyes of Buddhism

　　Lecture at Shanghai Fudan University

　　(March 11, 2011, evening)

　　Speech from the host:

　　Many thanks to everyone for joining our wonderful event tonight: yet another beneficial meeting of the Fudan Buddhist Study Forum, titled “The Material World in the Eyes of Buddhism.”

　　For everyone in this world, there is not a single day that we do not interact with the material world. However, have we truly understood this material world at all

　　 How did this material world come into being

　　 Are our empirical experiences of this world real

　　 Today, we are extremely honored to have Khenpo Sodargye, the eminent master of Tibetan Buddhism, here, to give a lecture on these issues.

　　Regarding Tibetan Buddhism, many people feel it is something very mystical and very distant from us. Through the lecture today, I believe that we will have a truer and deeper understanding of what Tibetan Buddhism really is.

　　Khenpo Sodargye was born in 1962 in Drakgo (Chinese: Luhuo) in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan province. He studied at the Garze Normal University. In 1985, Khenpo gave up his worldly life, became a monk and went to Larung Gar Serthar Buddhist Institute to rely on Kyabje Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche as his root guru. Later, he became an eminent Khenpo at the Institute. In 1987, together with more than ten thousands of monastics and laypeople, Khenpo followed His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche on a pilgrimage to the holy mountain Wu-Tai Shan. Since then, Khenpo started to accept the four kinds of disciples from the Han region. Khenpo has mastered and is skilled in the teachings of sutra and tantra. For the past twenty years, he has been teaching the Dharma and translating Buddhist teachings day and night. His works are amazing; he already has more than one hundred titles in print, and the number is growing. Khenpo often teaches and urges each of his students: “If sentient beings can be benefited, even if it is only one person, if we help them generate a kind heart, it is fine for us to be their servant even for millions of eons.”

　　Today, Khenpo, in front of us here, came to the Han region with a great compassionate heart to expound the truth of the Buddhadharma to us. May we with a respectful and sincere heart, welcome Khenpo to give us his lecture.

　　Introduction

　　Homage to Guru Shakyamuni Buddha.

　　Good evening to all professors, teachers, and students. Today, I am very glad to be here at Fudan University to share my talk with so many wonderful people. Fudan University is the first institution of higher education founded entirely by the sole efforts of the Chinese people. It has always had a strong multicultural atmosphere, as well as a spirit of academic freedom and openness. This time, through the invitation from the Religious and Cultural Department, National Studies Society, and Zen Society, I have come here to discuss the topic “The Material World in the Eyes of Buddhism.” I hope that through this discussion I can share this topic with everyone here, with my little understanding and appreciation gained through my years of study of Buddhism.

　　Before we go into the main topic, it is important that we understand what Buddhism is. As Buddha said in the Pratimoksha Sutra: “Not to commit any sin, to do good, and to purify one”s mind, that is the teaching of (all) the Awakened Ones.” That is to say, engaging in wholesome activities, refraining from all unwholesome activities, and taming our mind—this is the true meaning of Buddhism. Owing to this, we can see that of the varieties of different religious philosophies in this world, only one that is able to completely and selflessly dedicate and give itself to the benefits of human civilization or the whole of society can be considered as h…

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