..续本文上一页ddhism, suicides are extremely rare – I used to often say, in the Tibetan region, there are almost no suicides due to relationships. But later I found out that today, this phenomenon is also occurring among Tibetan youths. What is the reason
It is exactly because this generation lacks belief and has abandoned the Buddhist tradition. Thus, any school now really needs the education of philosophy, religion, and studies of our ancient civilization. These are like treasures of a nation. If you have no inner place of belonging, and only seek happiness from external conditions, then the human greed knows no bounds. With one million, you seek ten million; with ten million, you seek one billion; with one billion, you seek ten billion, a hundred billion…using external conditions to fill one”s own greed, which can never be filled. Therefore, we should be content and simplify desires, and learn to flow with the conditions.
For myself, no matter what I do, I would not insist on any outcome. Once you have this mindset, no matter what happens you would not experience a strong blow. Yet there are many in the world now that are extremely attached to romance, to wealth. They always want to possess everything and find it too painful to live when they cannot obtain what they desire. This really is not necessary. The Flower Adornment Sutra said: “Observing all things, to be without inherent existence.” All phenomena are of the nature of emptiness, what we can each obtain also requires the coming together of causes and conditions. If the causes and conditions were not mature, then all your strivings would still be futile. You must all understand this principle.
Bodhisattva Nagarjuna also once gave an analogy in the Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom: When children see the moon in water, they believe it to be real, and try everything to retrieve it; when grownups see this behaviour, they find it very laughable. Similarly, in the eyes of realized practitioners or those with life experience, some of the insistences of the young also fundamentally have no true meaning.
Thus, in our life, we cannot just consider how we live, but should care about the interests of all beings, such as the important questions of global environmental protection, energy conservation, ethos of charity, and animal welfare. Particularly in the present, the phenomenon of waste is very severe. Although this may seem trivial, it involves the depletion of resources and inpidual merit. Putting aside others, if you recklessly squander your own merits, in future you may descend to become a beggar and not receive any wealth for infinite life times after. Hence, as a person, there are many questions worthy of attention. We should stand a little higher; see a little further, rather than always only think about making money for oneself and finding happiness for oneself.
Among you intellectuals here, some understand a degree of Buddhism and some may not know it. If you can study some of the commentaries like The Way of the Bodhisattva, and use Mahayana Buddhism”s ideas to face life, face work, you will definitely receive great benefits. Many people after studying Buddhism were able to calmly face the suffering they meet in life no matter how enormous it was. Compared to the past, their mind and attitude underwent drastic changes. Thus, I hope that each one of you can truly carry out “study extensively” to “practice earnestly”. Only through the union of study and practice can you completely eradicate all afflictions and let this life and future lives be more fulfilled, joyful, happy!
《Buddhism’s Theories and Methods in Dispelling Mental Afflictions》全文阅读结束。