Clear the clouds and mists---Ask difficult questions

Author: Huang Shengchang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-10-01
Features: If one sentence could summarize the key points of this book, it would be "Peacefully practice the vow (fulfilling all responsibilities) on the wisdom of the Prajna." This sentence can be said to be a concise, practical, powerful, and highly beneficial summary of practice for those studying Buddhism. The upper half is the mind, and the lower half is the form; the upper half is wisdom, and the lower half is the realm; the upper half is three-dimensional, and the lower half is the manifestation of application; the upper half is peace of mind, and the lower half is taking action; the upper half is seeking the path, and the lower half is practicing the path; the upper half is inward, and the lower half is outward; the upper half is based on reason, and the lower half is based on action; the upper half is the meaning of emptiness, and the lower half is the meaning of practice; the upper half is the truth, and the lower half is the conventional truth; the upper half is to open wisdom, and the lower half is to cultivate blessings. The magic of this summary lies particularly in the "while" in the middle. With this "while," the unity of mind and form, the unobstructed relationship between reason and affair, the non-duality of emptiness and existence, the integration of truth and convention, and the simultaneous cultivation of blessings and wisdom would not fall into extremes or be split into two parts. If matched with the Three Views of Tiantai, the peace of mind and Prajna is the view of emptiness, and the practice of vows is the view of illusion. The "while" in the middle is the Middle View. If matched with the Three Sections of True Word, the peace of mind and Prajna is the Vajra Section, and the practice of vows is the Womb Section. The "while" in the middle is the Sūsiddhi. In short, the upper half is Prajna, and the lower half is karma, while the "while" in the middle is the integration of Prajna and karma.