..续本文上一页d future lives exist. Some may question: “Although the Buddhist view of life is so, it is not necessary that everyone should have the same life-view.” However, we must understand that this life-view is very important in our present society, and can fundamentally reverse unhealthy behavior in society. Some people have never believed in the existence of past and future lives, but just because they don”t believe in them doesn”t prove that they do not exist, unless they have a grounded reason. Among the books I have read, from ancient times and the present, so far I have not found anyone who has a grounded reason to conclude that past and future lives don”t exist. Over the years, I have also discussed and investigated this topic with many scholars, doctors, university professors, and scientists. Although some people do not recognize past and future lives, they cannot give reasonable grounds to support their refutation thesis.
In contrast, establishing the existence of past and future lives is abundantly demonstrated in supporting facts and proof. Newton said that: ”After a human dies, the soul still exists.” Of course, Newton may have been subject to the influence of Christianity at that time. According to some sources, out of the work Newton produced during his lifetime, over 80% of it is about theology. Even though he was a scientist, only 20% of his work is about science. We can see that scientists do not all deny past and future lives, and some have a strong interest in this topic. Besides this, Khenpo Tsultrim Lodoe also composed the “Treatise of Past and Future Lives.” I have translated this work into Chinese. Many people have read it and realized that there are some people who can remember what they did in their previous lives. Those readers could not find any grounds to refute this fact. Through this solid proof, true stories, doctrines, and reasoning, the readers started to change their views.
As teachers and students from a reputable university, you must establish a correct outlook and view of life. Otherwise, no matter how brilliant your worldly knowledge is, if you do not believe in the existence of future and past lives, then you will not treasure this short life and accumulate merits. Instead, you may unscrupulously use this life to act against the law of karma, creating all sorts of negative actions. You should know that if you create negative karma in this life, even if the fruit of suffering hasn”t ripened immediately, like eating poison, sooner or later it will bring suffering. Therefore, the correct view of life is extremely important for everyone. With this, whatever you do will be meaningful.
Epilogue
I did not do any preparation for this discussion today. I just casually talked about my day to day experiences. All in all, for a Buddhist practitioner, from the perspective of the view, it is important to understand Madhyamaka and Buddha nature. To do that, we need to listen to and contemplate the Dharma over a long period of time. From the perspective of behavior and action, you must practice altruism to benefit others. I have explained this in detail in my teaching on A Guide to the Bodhisattva”s Way of Life. If you have time, I advise you to read this book. This book will definitely help you. At the same time, I hope that everyone can reconsider their life-view: “How have I lived my life so far
If past and future lives do exist, what should I do now
” You must consider this issue seriously.
OK. That is all for today. Thank you very much, especially the lecturer from the Philosophy Faculty who provided this opportunity. If you have any questions or ideas, we can discuss them.
《Buddhist View on Emptiness》全文阅读结束。