Day 3: The Modern Doorway into Buddhism

Masters, fellow cultivators, good afternoon. Today is the third day of this discourse on An Overview of the Buddhadharma. On the first day, I discussed `Faith` and `Comprehension.` On the second day, I discussed `Actual Practice` and `Realization.` These four topics of `Faith, Comprehension, Actual Practice, and Realization` comprise the four major steps of Buddhadharma. With the discussion of these topics delivered and since today is such a fine day, perhaps we can all go and have a picnic outside or climb the mountains. [audience laughter]

On the other hand, since An Overview of the Buddhadharma is such an important subject, we will just continue our discussion today. Indeed, life is very short. During our daily lives, besides paying attention to activities that would make our body and mind healthy, we also need to focus more on the cherishing of the valuable Buddhadharma. During ordinary times, I hope everyone can go and spend sometime with Nature. From mountains and waters, one can experience the Truth of the Buddhadharma as Truth is not confined to just reading sutras, chanting, keeping a vegetarian diet, or abiding by the precepts. Sometimes, one can find the revelation of the Buddhadharma in any human activity one engages in. A very important point is that each of the steps of Faith, Comprehension, Actual Practice, and Realization can be demonstrated in and integrated with one`s daily activities.

Therefore in practicing the Buddhadharma, one should find one`s heart gradually expanding rather than contracting. Integrate every single speech, action, and every aspect of your life with the Buddhadharma. `Experience` and `demonstrate` the Buddhadharma in your daily life. The more one expands one`s heart and releases the ego, the more Radiance will shine through. On the other hand, if one`s heart becomes narrower or one`s ego contracts more, then darkness will take over. It is very easy for one to become sidetracked from the right path and take up a wrong viewpoint. Therefore, on this Saturday, we will participate in our regular group cultivation at 8:00 p.m., and on Sunday, we will go and climb the mountain behind the Rainbow Villa. I assure you that you will be gasping for breath when you climb to the top. [audience laughter] Mountain climbing is a good training and also a good physical exercise. When you view the magnificent mountains, the earth, and the flowing waters, you will find the impregnation of poetry and Dharma Taste in the beautiful sceneries of Nature.

The Modern Doorway into Buddhism

After understanding the four concepts of `Faith, Comprehension, Actual Practice, and Realization`, how does one then enter into the door of Buddhism? Where is the doorway? There are different opinions as to which doorway to enter. Some people feel that one should enter through the doorway of `Theories`. By this, they mean one should first gain an understanding of the profound Buddhist theories and knowledge. On the other hand, some people feel that one should enter through the doorway of `Actual Practice`, to first engage in practices such as the True Buddha Tantric Dharma and the observing of precepts to acquire a pure awareness. Thus there are two approaches: `theory` vs `practice`. Which approach should one attempt first? Do you have any suggestion? Chinese are well familiar with the idea of taking a `dual approach`. [audience laughter] I remember this aphorism from the Chinese classics: `One should combine theoretical understanding and practical application in any undertaking.` We all know now that one should approach both theory and practice simultaneously.

At the time of the Buddha, however, there was an emphasis on the approach of `practice`. Many scriptures have noted that the Buddha himself had emphasized that `actual practice is more effective than a wide exposure to theories alone.` As pointed out by the analogy I gave yesterday, if one only attends Buddhist lectures and does not practice, then one is likened to an expert cook who does not eat the dishes prepared and has to starve. In such cases there is practically no enjoyment of the Dharma Taste. Therefore the Buddha placed the importance of `actual practice` before that of `theoretical approach`. My opinion is that we should proceed simultaneously with `theory` and `practice`, although the Buddha had emphasized the latter.

At the time of Buddha Shakyamuni, after the disciples came back from collecting food offered as alms, they would listen to the Dharma teachings and then disband. Someone would find a spot at the mountain top, someone would sit half-way up the mountain, someone would sit at the foot of the hill, while another would sit under a tree. Everyone would engage in the actual practice of meditation. When the next mealtime arrived, someone would announce and everyone then re-grouped to go out to receive food offerings from the alms-givers. What the Buddha had taught at the beginning was that sitting meditation was very important. The attainment of `stillness or stability` is the most important link in the whole process of practicing Buddhism.

To take a `theoretical approach` is to understand the meaning of the Buddhist sutras, to comprehend their theory, meaning and the charm of the Buddhist sutras, and to savor the Dharma taste. At the end, an inner Radiance will shine forth from one`s heart. When one reads, turns, and penetrates forth from one`s heart. When one reads, applies, and penetrates deeply into the treasury of sutras to achieve a true unification, one can actually see the manifestation of the Bodhisattvas on the %% pages. An infinite wonder is contained in the sutras. When one pages. An infinite wonder can be found in the sutras. When one reads and see the subtle point, one will not just nod in agreement, but also shine forth with an Inner Radiance. This is the key to the reading of sutras.

In China, since the Sung Dynasty, many repentance texts have come into existence through the editorial effort of numerous Buddhist masters. Prior to the Sung Dynasty, there was the Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty who also contributed to the creation of some repentance texts. Such repentance liturgies of course offer certain benefits since they involve both the reading of sutras as well as bowing. The purpose of participating in a repentance liturgy is to become cognizant of the true `sin,` otherwise, one is liturgy is to become cognizant of one`s errors (including those committed in previous lifetimes) and truly repent on them; otherwise, one is merely going through the motion of reading and bowing and, thus, only scratching the surface of the Buddhadharma. Of all the pathways, the repentance liturgy is probably the simplest one since it only requires the reading of the text and bowing.

Some pathways have been reduced over the years to very simplistic forms. For example, the modern version of chanting only encompasses the chanting of Buddha`s name. Its rationalization can be summed up in this claim: `A single Buddha epithet encompasses the whole Buddhist canon.` Modern men favor simplicity and detest hard work in their practice. They welcome the idea of attaining Buddhahood through chanting the name of Amitabha. There were originally sixteen steps of visualization of the %Limitless Life Sutra Amitahsu Sutra that accompanied the chanting, but it has been reduced to just the chanting of the epithet. If a single chanting of `Namo Amitabha` indeed encompasses the Buddhist Canon, one might as well replace the whole Buddhist scriptures with just these two words `Namo Amitabha.` The Buddhadharma has undergone great transformation in the hands of modern men.

In the past, the Zen school also consisted of many profound and lofty teachings, but it is now reduced to just the form of zen riddles. Many of the wonderful `Ways of Inquiry` from the past have been lost. Many zen masters today have not acheived Enlightenment themselves. When they give teachings, as shown by some of the shows on television, they can only talk about the zen riddles.

So, nowadays, where is the true door into the Buddhadharma? In truth, many students of Buddhism revolve from one door to another. Have you found the one doorway for yourself? The doorway adopted by the True Buddha Tantric Dharma is one of `Actual Practice.` You can go and visit other Buddhist centers around the world and you will not find another school that will offer you such exquisite and minute explanation of the practice. Included in the True Buddha Tantric Dharma are all of the pertinent elements: teachings of mantra, mudra, visualization, bowing, offering, the Four Immeasurable Vows, armor protection, Vajrasattva practice, the Four Refuge, and the entering into Samadhi. Where else can you find another system as complete and detailed as this teaching?

Most Buddhist monks can only advise you to read the sutras and chant the Buddha`s name. When you ask them how to do meditation, % they will tell you, `Take your time.` [audience laughter] If you they will tell you, `be patient.` [audience laughter] If you force them for an explanation, they can only tell you that meditation is not a simple matter and cannot be hurried. Perhaps chanting is the only actual practice ever done by some of these old % masters, how can they teach one how to enter into Samadhi? Then, masters, so how can they teach one how to enter into Samadhi? Then, before you can get an answer from them, they pass away. Why are they unable to teach you? Perhaps they themselves have never entered into Samadhi. It is not easy to attain Samadhi. Today you have come to hear me, you have found the right teacher! [audience applause] I have treaded on the path and experienced Samadhi and I can teach you how to realize it.

When you ask these old masters, you will find that some of them practice the `non-supine` sleep posture, that is, they assume a sitting posture even when they sleep at night. However, in the middle of the night, their heads would droop and saliva would start to drool. Sleeping while sitting up is an extremely hard task! It is not right to force oneself to go through such hardship.

The crux of meditation is not on how long one sits, but whether one is able to enter into `stillness.` Do you know who is noted for meditating the longest? The Eminent Master Hsu Yun (Empty Cloud). One time he was getting ready to cook some potatoes and decided to meditate first. When he woke up from his meditation, molds were already growing on the potatoes. He had lost the track of time while meditating. Of course, his was a very skillful type of meditation, but is this what true meditation is supposed to be? In true meditation, although the `ego is transcended,` there should still be consciousness. This is known as `conscious meditation.` Samadhi or `stillness` is marked by `consciousness.`

There are times when people do not remember having any dreams when they wake up. Would their sleep be qualified then as meditating? One goes to lie down at 11:00 p.m., the next time one opens the eyes again, morning has arrived. One is not even sure if one has had any sleep at all. How come it is morning all of a sudden? [laughter] What a skillful meditation! Then one takes a look at the calender. It was the first when one went to bed, how come it is the thirtieth now? One has been sleeping for a month! [laughter] [audience laughter] This is a skillful meditation that is characterized by the `forgetting of time.` One has forgotten about the passing of time and did not have any dreams during the interim. You know there was a Taoist by the name of Chan Hsi Yi who was famous for his `sleep practice.` He could sleep without interruption for several years. It would be nice if I could do that too. [laughter] Master Hsu Yun could enter into a very deep meditation. There was another time in Thailand when he did not emerge from his meditation for more than ten days. Even the king of Thailand went to bow to him to pay respects to his accomplished skill. Although he had lost the track of time, his skill in meditation was excellent. However, when we practice meditation, what matters is not how long we can sit, but whether we can achieve `conscious Samadhi.` This is very important. When one attains `conscious Samadhi,` one will obtain the Dharma Taste. Without `conscious Samadhi,` there is no Dharma Taste. [audience applause]

An Overview of the Buddhadharma Day 3

A discourse by Living Buddha Lian-sheng at Rainbow Villa, May 5th, 1993.

Translated  by Janny Chow