One Day in a Buddhist Temple: Cultural Figures Discuss Buddhism

Author: Yang Yaowen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: As the saying goes, "Simplicity in the Dao, one cup of tea, one Zen." Buddhism, which has endured for millennia and deeply influenced China, is also an interpretation and enlightenment for life. To interpret life with wisdom, life is a book—growing old, aging, suffering, joy, separation, and reunion—all can be understood. To enlighten life with wisdom, life is a mystery—good fortune and misfortune, ever-changing and unpredictable. It's not that it can't be grasped, but the key is to recognize it. The purpose of life lies in its savoring and understanding. True happiness is the heartwarming smile you have when you understand life. Where does fate lie? It's close enough to touch, yet distant in the shifting of clouds and mist. "With a pure mind, lotuses bloom everywhere. One flower, one pure land; one pure land, one Buddha." Buddha is everywhere, and all living beings possess Buddha-nature. "The Cultural Masters Discuss Buddhism: One Day in the Buddhist Gate" was born from this very idea. This book selects over 40 classic Chinese Zen-style essays. These essays, written in elegant and simple prose, explore the meaning of life from multiple perspectives—such as life and destiny, faith and emotion, religion and wisdom, delusion and enlightenment, life and death, cause and condition, good and evil, suffering and joy. They express various insights and experiences about life. Some are ordinary yet deeply moving; others are witty and insightful, yet all flow with a pursuit and longing for a grand life of wisdom, peace, compassion, and completeness. It's like tasting tea to understand the Dao—though discussed, it remains far-reaching.