Buddhist Common Knowledge Q&A

Author: Xu Hengzhi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: This book is written in simple and profound language, offering clear and insightful answers to the various questions modern people encounter in learning Buddhism. The Buddha, also known as the "Awakened One," translates to "the one who has awakened to enlightenment," capable of thoroughly realizing the inherent, still, and luminously illuminating nature of enlightenment within all beings. Upon awakening, one recognizes that all afflictions are merely aggregates of causes and conditions, illusory and devoid of substance. By remaining undisturbed by afflictions and attaining luminous enlightenment, one becomes a Buddha.
I once heard my teacher say: "In this world, no matter how many major events there are, they cannot compare to the inevitability of death. A million deaths cannot compare to my single practice; a million practices cannot compare to my single awakening. Upon awakening, the mind becomes empty—this is the highest virtue and blessings. The weight and benefits of worldly gains are incomparable to this.
The practice of the Dharma is generally called "" (xíng xiū). "" (xíng) means to repair, indicating that our true nature is inherently pure. However, we are hindered by the obscurations of dust and deluded attachments, so we must repair and restore our original state. Otherwise, it should be called "" (jiàn zào), meaning construction. "" (xíng) refers to ceaseless activity, signifying that the practice of the Dharma requires constant self-improvement in all times and places. It is a continuous process—repeating and deepening—without interruption or sporadic effort like "a scorching sun followed by a freezing rain."