..續本文上一頁you sit all day with eyes shut, it is merely sitting. It might feel good, but it will not cut off mental afflictions.

　　To cut off afflictions as well as the seeds of ignorance, one must have the wisdom of emptiness. Any other practice or behavior cannot directly treat “attachment to self”, and without addressing “attachment to self” one cannot be liberated. Therefore, the general forms of offering incense and prostrating to Buddha statues are practices on the surface. They are good deeds, but are not the right causes to liberation. If one wishes to be liberated, then one must abide by the three key points in The Three Principle Paths: renunciation mind, Bodhicitta, non-dualistic wisdom. Non-dualistic wisdom is the wisdom of Emptiness, which is the root of liberation from the Samsara, but it also relies on prior merits.

　　Therefore, practice must be according to order. Many Buddhists today only have the form of Buddhism. Although there are merits to the form, but to be liberated one must study, contemplate, and practice.

　　 (4) Question: I am a student here and I am the type who half believes and half doubts the Buddhadharma. My question is: how did humans come about

　　 Who created humans

　　 Did Buddha create humans

　　 But there were humans before the Buddha!

　　Answer: According to the Abhidharma, humans did not evolve from monkeys as described in the theory of evolution, not so simple. A human being, or a life, have all experienced extremely long periods of cyclic existence to manifest in the unique present form.

　　Of course, humans were also not created by anyone, not God, not Buddha, but arose due to inpidual karma.

　　Buddha Shakyamuni is one Buddha in the thounsand Buddha virtuous kalpa[1]. And in this kalpa, there were already three Buddhas before him and he is the fourth. But the birth of a Buddha is in order to turn the Dharma Wheel to liberate all beings, so it is not that humans started from that time.

　　 (5) Question: My research is not going well, and I feel very perturbed. How should I use Buddhadharma to help myself

　　Answer: You should pray to the Buddha, this would have great benefits! But does praying to the Buddha necessarily grant all your wishes

　　 Not necessarily, you also must observe the causes and conditions of your past lives.

　　Some say: “I have prayed, why is it not working

　　” Actually, it is like going to the hospital. Some illnesses can be completely cured and some not. Then, since some illnesses cannot be fully cured, should we still seek treatment

　　 We should. Praying to the Buddha is the same thing.

　　Therefore, when one encounters obstacles in life, praying to the Buddha has certain blessings. Whether how much change can be effected depends on your own faith and causes and conditions. At the end of the day, every person”s past life and current life have various complicated causes and conditions, which work together to great effect.

　　 (6) Question: I am a Business faculty student. In this increasingly complicated age, how should we preserve and pass on Tibetan culture and Tibetan Buddhism

　　Answer: In an increasingly technologically advanced age, external culture indeed has some impact on Tibetan Buddhism and culture. This cannot be denied. But, there should not be major issues in a short period of time.

　　This is because most of this culture is preserved in monasteries: some in large, publically accessible monasteries; others preserved in monasteries in remote mountain regions. In these monasteries, not only are there Buddhist artefacts, but also a group of Buddhist scholars – many virtuous and great Geshes, Khenpos, who are still alive. Also, Tibetans greatly value the study of Buddhadharma; whether monastic or lay, they are all studying at different levels. In their heart, Buddhadharma is like the wish-fulfilling jew…

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