..续本文上一页charity. It is not always that they are highly accomplished practitioners of Theravada Buddhism. Perhaps they merely use it as en excuse. Any sutra in Theravada Buddhism, whether it is the Vinaya or the Agama, all advocate not harming others. At the same time, one should lead a frugal and simple life, cutting off as much as possible attachments to the five sensory desires.

　　Nowadays many people are relatively blinded. When they have enough wealth, they go here and there to buy houses, not knowing that craving is bottomless. Even when you have bought a house, you would not be satisfied, and definitely want to buy more houses. After buying in cities in China, you want to go to Canada, to America, to keep buying…

　　The other day I met a professor from Cambridge University. She told me that there is a person in England who is worth several billion US dollars. She has no children, and her lifelong pursuit is to buy houses everywhere. Managing these houses alone cost her several millions a year, yet she continues to buy. Seeing this, the professor sometimes feels very sorry for her, but there is no way of convincing her otherwise. So, some people in the world you can persuade through reason; but some you cannot, because he believes that his choices are very correct.

　　Question: What is the cause for ignorance

　　 We can practice better if we can clarify this question.

　　Answer: I touched on this yesterday. Ignorance is like clouds in the sky, initially it is produced suddenly, and the cause for its production is delusion. This delusion is the root cause for our several lifetimes of ignorance, but it is not of the nature of Tathagatagarbha. From the perspective of empty space, clouds are not part of its true nature.

　　In some Tantra teaching, ignorance has been compared to rust – rust is not the original nature of iron; it has merely been suddenly produced under certain temperature and humidity conditions. But it does not have the hard and solid nature of iron. Similarly, the relationship between ignorance and Tathagatagarbha is like this.

　　Question: What do you consider to be a good practitioner

　　 Is there such a benchmark

　　Answer: There are different stages of practice and realization. For instance, Chan tradition has its many states; cultivating bodhicitta has its own many states. Every Dharma we cultivate all has different standards, just like university students have university standards, high school students have high school standards. Therefore, “practice” is a very broad term that encompasses many practices with different states, and the benchmarks cannot be generalized.

　　(8) Question: I am a Central China Normal University philosophy student. Just listening to your answers before, I feel very inspired. Also, you said in the talk last night that you hope we students today can start from the basic ideas of Buddhism to perfect our belief.

　　I have only one question. Chairman Mao once said: “It is not hard for one to do a good deed. But it is not easy to do good all one”s life.” Students like us are receiving guidance from our teachers and naturally we would do good deeds, or pursue some sort of belief. But when we step into society and face actual conflicts of interest, then it is very hard to maintain and be firm in our belief. What should we do

　　Answer: Great question! If students now encounter good teachers, then when they first graduate, they would have calm minds, pure hearts, and be full of aspiration to contribute to society, to the country. But within two, three years of entering society, the original aspirations completely evaporate, because some temptations are too strong, and they are forced to tread in muddy water. Just like the analogy in Buddhism”s Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom : when a bowl of hot water is pour…

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