..续本文上一页limited time, so what are the areas in which we should put most of our energy and efforts

　　Answer: As a layperson, before enlightenment, it is necessary for you to find a balance between your worldly and non-worldly matters. You should not be over diligent at the beginning, giving up all worldly matters at this stage. By doing so, later, when you are confronted with various adversities, you may return to your worldly life again and give up the Buddhadharma. This behavior is quite extreme. Buddha also says in the Sutra on the Upasaka Precepts that lay practitioners should follow an ordinary life but try to remove and avoid various activities that cause distraction, and squeeze in some time to practice the Buddhadharma.

　　In fact, the problem for lay practitioners is not that they have no time to practice, it is because they carelessly spend most of their time on things that distract their concentration, sleeping, and chatting, so that they are not able to practice. If they can, they should make full use of this wasted time for the Buddhadharma, reserving a day or half a day for the Buddhadharma. This kind of persistent attitude to studying Buddhism is necessary.

　　When I am at the Buddhist institute, although there are many things that distract me, I will turn off my mobile phone and all other similar devices in the afternoon. I will try my best to reserve three to four hours to calm my mind and then read some books, making it something mandatory in my daily life, for my study and practice. As for lay practitioners, it may be not realistic to do this. However, waking up earlier and going to bed a bit later every day, or otherwise finding half a day or even one to two hours to practice a week should be possible. By persistently doing this in the long term, your practice will not be delayed, and whatever you need to do in your life can also be done.

　　(9) Question: I graduated with a master”s degree from Nanjing Normal University. During the school holidays, I went home. My mum then killed a chicken and fish to prepare my meal. Although she killed living beings, her motivation was for my benefit. By doing so, will she create serious negative karma

　　Answer: Generally speaking, “Good intentions bring joyful results; evil intentions bring suffering.” As long as your intention is good, the karma you create will be good. However, for activities that directly harm or threaten the life of sentient beings, such as killing, in this circumstance the Vinaya says the intention is not as important, and the object is more important. So, what is the object in this case

　　 It is the life of sentient beings, which you are terminating.

　　As such, even though she really cares about you, by taking away the life of other sentient beings, this action not only has no merits, but also causes great harm to her. For example, if due to your kind heart and good intention you stick a knife in someone”s stomach, if he dies, you will be punished by the law.

　　(10) Question: I am a PhD student from the School of Liberal Arts. I found listening to today”s lecture very beneficial. Reincarnation, samsara, or past and future lives were the main topics you talked about. Regarding these topics, I would like to ask: During your practice, have you ever learned about your past life

　　 If you have, would you share it with us

　　Answer: Do I know about my past life

　　 I truly don”t know. However, there is one thing that I haven”t shared with anyone before; I will not mention the practitioner”s name for now. There was a Tibetan Buddhist practitioner who lived about one thousand years ago. Whenever I read about his deeds, which describe the cave in which he lived and how he passed away, I am in tears. This has happened many times. I am also puzzled as to why. Maybe I was a bug living nea…

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