..续本文上一页ad the truth. The Buddha”s establishment of Buddhism originated from myriad causes and conditions. From now on, if Buddhism is to develop and be strong in order to benefit more beings, it also needs the push of causes and conditions, and it needs the collective will of everyone.
In this process, if Buddhism is to be increasingly accepted by people of the world and to dispel the inner troubles of everyone, then what is crucial is the education of Buddhadharma. Without it, even Buddhists, even intellectual Buddhists, cannot generate the right faith in Buddhism. I have come into contact with quite a few such people. Some specialize in Buddhist studies, but I felt that they have not yet expended much time nor studied deeply. As such, when they claim to be teaching “Buddhadharma”, there is actually still a certain distance from the original meaning of Buddhadharma.
Thus, whether you are a Buddhist scholar or a practitioner, systematically studying the Buddhadharma is very necessary. Also, it is not enough to just study one or two sastras, or to remain at a theoretical understanding. Only after deep and wide study and practice can one reach a solid understanding. It is just like worldly studies, for example, mathematics, physics, and chemistry; if you give a conclusion after browsing through them briefly, it is clearly not rigorous enough and would not be recognized by academia. In comparison, the teachings of Buddhism are even more vast and profound. If one merely skims a few books, how can one thoroughly understand it
You need to know that, if Buddhism were separated from systematic education, it would lose its original essence, and descend into a mere form. Like many people nowadays, learning Buddhism for them is just doing prostrations, offering incense, chanting mantras, seeking the blessing of initiations…although these surface behaviours have some benefits, they are really not worth mentioning in comparison to the true benefits! In fact, what Buddhism can teach us extends far beyond just these. If you follow the guidance of Buddhadharma to explore within, you will discover that Buddhism not only has ways of resolving pain and suffering, purifying the body and mind, there are also ways of elevating one”s altruistic mind, all the way to methods of realizing the nature of the mind. This, is the most precious treasure.
Of course, if you do not study and practise, even though the treasure is within, you still cannot find it. You are clearly holding on to the treasure, yet you continue to wander aimlessly, desperately seeking the treasure outside. Is this not a kind of sorrow
This is why after you start studying Buddhism; you should accord with your own conditions and expend some effort on the “Buddha nature” within you, in hope of soon uncovering the original treasure. This is of great importance!
6. Do not forget cause and effect no matter what high states of realization
Finally, I wish to emphasize: as you study the Buddhadharma, if you have certain feelings and signs of the fruit of practice, you must not at this point forget cause and effect.
In Buddhist history, although there are unusual behaviours like “Nan Quan kills a cat”, “Dan Xia burns Buddha”, “Ji Gong eats meat”, but these can only be practised by highly attained practitioners. When they have attained high states of realization, in order to subdue the attachments of particular beings, they deliberately demonstrate in such ways. But us ordinary beings definitely cannot copy such behaviours!
The Han region Chan master Yao-Shan once said: “Stand at the peak of a mountain, walk under the depth of the sea.” Even if your realization is as high as a mountain peak, you should carry yourself as humbly as the sea floor. Tibetan master Guru Padmasambhava also said that should your realization be higher than the sky, you should carefully choose cause and effect like sorting through powder. From this, we can see that great masters of the past shared the same view: no matter how sublime your state of realization is and how wise your understanding is, you must remain cautious in your ways and avoid creating any unwholesome karma.
In brief, I wish that everyone could learn to regulate the mind, let go of attachments, and nourish the spirit by doing good. If one day you truly open the treasure within, you will definitely be able to fulfil the wishes of all beings and allow them to find temporary as well as the ultimate peace and happiness!
《Explore the Treasure Within》全文阅读结束。