Author：Sheng-yen Lu
Publisher：True Buddha Prajna Treasury
Publication Date：2021/07/08
Language：Chinese
Suitable for ages ：All ages
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Summary：
Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu
Book 284
The Life Lessons of a Monk in His 70’s
Preface
I, Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu, am 77 years old, and live in South Mountain Retreat, Washington, USA. In my heart, I have always dreamed of writing a book expressing my insights from a lifetime of learning Buddhadharma.
Although this dream seemed too big to be possible, I stopped at nothing and began writing. The name of the book is The Mind of a Monk in his 70’s. Actually, the name of the book should really be The Life Lessons of a Monk in His 70’s.
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I know, of course, that so-called gain is actually nothing gained. And, nothing gained is actually gain.
Because I have gone through hearing, contemplation and practice, my precious reliance on this human body, the various teachings of the Gurus, faith to bodhicitta, path to fruition, and an absolute pure view toward everything, I finally realized nothing is gained. This “nothing to gain” is very, very, very important. I write very three times to emphasize that this is absolutely the correct lesson learned.
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In the past, Shakyamuni Buddha would begin a discourse with these words, "Disciples, please listen carefully! Life is suffering."
This suffering is the absolute truth.
He continued, “Emptiness is the absolute truth. Impermanence is the absolute truth. No-self is the absolute truth. Nothing to gain is the absolute truth.” I have verified the truth of Shakyamuni’s words from my own experience.
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Buddhist practitioners may think they have heard suffering, emptiness, no-self, and nothing to gain so many times that they know it by heart. However, let me tell you, everyone knows about it, but not everyone can actualize it.
We are clear about the principle behind the Buddha’s words, but it is up to us to put his words into practice. The problem is to realize these principles. Only when we put these principles into practice, do they become Mahamudra, Great Perfection, and nothing to gain.
I hope this book will illuminate the hearts and minds of countless sentient beings through its teaching methods of supreme self realization.
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My prayer:
May all sentient beings be free from every delusion.
May all sentient beings walk on the path of righteousness.
May all sentient beings endure their hardships and difficulties.
May all sentient beings see the path and reach enlightenment.
All sentient beings are buddhas
But obscured by contamination
When contamination is purified
Buddhahood is instantaneous
Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu contact address:
Sheng-yen Lu
17102 NE 40th Ct.,
Redmond, WA 98052
USA
April, 2021
The author, a highly accomplished monk, shares “nothing to gain”, learned from his lifelong spiritual cultivation. In the book, the author discusses everything about the absolute truth of life and the true words of seeing the path.
Let’s ponder this:
How did this elder monk observe the absolute truth in an ordinary visit to fill a cavity?
In this era of smartphones, where it seems no one can live without one, how is it that only this elder monk can shut his eyes and not turn into a smartphone zombie?
When everyone thinks that the aim of spiritual cultivation is renunciation and attainment of liberation, why does this elder monk say that reincarnation is just as good?
The enlightenment of this elder monk is so thorough, insightful, and ineffable, that this book is just waiting for someone like you to serendipitously open and savor it mindfully.
This book comes with a replica of the author’s painting.
Book Introduction:
In this book, Living Buddha Lian-sheng stated, “I desire to renounce this mundane world, realize the illusion, depart from the illusion, and pursue the absolute truth of the self-nature.
Then, I will use the light of great compassion to help all sentient beings, freeing them from suffering and enabling them to attain happiness. I have vowed to never abandon any sentient being. I pray that this book, through its teaching method of supreme self realization, will brighten the hearts and minds of countless sentient beings.”
In addition to the author’s using his heart and mind to illuminate sentient beings, the book also points out that it is the mind which causes the manifestation of all phenomena. Whether one attains Buddhahood, becomes a patriarch or an ordinary person, or falls into the three evil realms, depends entirely on one’s mind.
The author prays that sentient beings will be endowed with bodhicitta. Therefore, the subject of this book is one’s heart and mind.
In this book, the author details what he has learned from a lifetime devoted to Buddhist practice. He prays that all sentient beings will be free from delusion, walk the right path, survive hardship, see the path, and reach enlightenment.
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