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Question and Answer Session at Shanghai Fudan University National Study Society
 
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Question and Answer Session at Shanghai Fudan University National Study Society

March 11, 2011

Speech from Professor Wang Leiquan:

We are very honored and pleased to have invited Khenpo Sodargye from Larung Gar Serthar Buddhist Institute.

Larung Gar has been very famous during the revival and development of Buddhism in China in the past thirty years. Everything about Larung Gar that I know I actually know from our students. During the nineties, they were already going there to study; it was a revolutionary movement by these young people.

Within the pioneers of our Buddhist community, Khenpo Sodargye has a very high reputation in the eyes of intellectuals and those working in the field of natural science. Especially in recent years, Khenpo has been working tirelessly teaching the Dharma across the country. Khenpo has vowed to make his best efforts and dedicate his whole life to transmitting Buddhist philosophy and truth to society. In addition, Khenpo has also opened dialogues with intellectuals at various higher learning institutions. Since Buddhism is articulating the truth, Buddhism is not afraid of debate or any refutations.

Today, we are very pleased to have invited Khenpo here. This is a very precious moment for us because, even though Fudan University has established professional religious studies for fifty-one years, we have been weak in research and education in Tibetan Buddhism. Today, we have the opportunity to meet Khenpo here, and we will treasure every moment of receiving teachings from Khenpo. If anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to ask Khenpo. Now, let us welcome Khenpo.

Dear Honorable Professor Wang Leiquan, other professors, eminent masters, and students:

This afternoon, we have the opportunity and time here to share our views and discuss them together. Therefore, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to bring them up for discussion.

I am not very knowledgeable, let alone have any profound and subtle realizations. However, I truly like sharing my views with everyone. For me, by sharing with academic circles, religious bodies, or science enthusiasts, I also enhance my personal knowledge.

Personally, after years of study and investigation, I have come to appreciate that Buddhist doctrines and principles are wonderful and profound. Owing to this, I have gained an irreversible and firm faith in them. This kind of confidence cannot be destroyed by any external thing. I very much hope that you too are able to grasp this appreciation and experience that I have gained through study and practice, and that you can make efforts throughout your life to seek the truth of reality, study it, and put it into practice. Because only by doing so can your life have far-reaching meaning and value. Otherwise, in this materialistic era of mammonism, our mentality and behavior can be contaminated easily. On account of this, we can fall into the abyss of wrong views.

When you are seeking the truth of reality, if you explore Tibetan Buddhism, you will see it has a very complete, systematic way of studying and practicing, such as the Pramana and Madhyamaka debate traditions, which are more than enough to eliminate wrong views and doubts. If intellectuals from higher learning institutions are able to regularly communicate with Tibetan Buddhist institutes and monasteries, they will be able to reveal the mysteries of some profound areas and truly master the transcendent state, which is beyond the grasp of our mind and speech.

Instead of saying that I am answering your questions, let us say we are learning from each other. For some of your doubts or confusions, I will try to share my views, and then we can discuss them together with the experienced professors, teachers, and students.

(1) Question: Buddha said that by breaking certain precepts you will be punished for a number of eons. May I know how we can comprehend this?

Answer: The reason why Buddhism established precepts is not because it wants to punish anyone. On the surface, it seems like a constraint, but, in fact, this provides a skillful means for one to enter the path of liberation.

Just like the traffic lights on the road, drivers may not feel so comfortable with them, but they assure our safety and protect our life. In the same way, through some rules, like the precepts in Buddhism, though we have constraints to avoid unwholesome activities and carry out wholesome activities, these help us gain liberation or reach the other shore smoothly.

(2) Question: I was a research student at Fudan University and am now a teacher. I know that you have taught Standards for Being a Good Student and Child (Di Zi Gui), but some people believe that this is unnecessary for someone studying the Buddhadharma, since life is impermanent and we don’t have much time. May I know what you think about this view?

Answer: As someone studying the Buddhadharma, although we meditate on selflessness and impermanence, it is still indispensable for us to learn the conventional code of conduct. I personally feel that Standards for Being a Good Student and Child (A Chinese Heritage) is excellent. Why? Because it will greatly help us to understand the basic human dignity with which to interact with others and our communities. At present, many textbooks from institutions of higher education are lacking moral education. Standards for Being a Good Student and Child can precisely close this gap.

Some people keep saying that all things and events are emptiness and everything is impermanent, yet they waste most of their time on something that only brings distraction to the mind and is meaningless. So, I think claiming that there is no time to study Standards for Being a Good Student and Child is just an excuse.

I feel it is such an excellent text that not only have I taught it to many people who have a karmic link with it, but I have also translated it into Tibetan. Many Tibetan teachers and students feel they have benefited greatly from it.

Question: Are there any differences between the pure land in Tibetan Buddhism and rebirth in the western pure land of Sukhāvatī advocated by Chinese Buddhism, through reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name?

Answer: The ultimate goal in pure land practice in Tibetan Buddhism and Chinese Buddhism is the same, just like all roads lead to Rome.

Tibetan Buddhism focuses on bodhicitta, reciting Buddha’s name, and accumulating merits. Through these, we are ultimately able to gain rebirth in the pure land of Sukhāvatī, and the most important cause to gain rebirth in the pure land is Amitabha’s forty-eight vows. By relying on self-power (self-effort) and other-power (Amitabha Buddha) we can attain rebirth in the pure land. The Chinese Pure Land School also advocates it in the same way. The only difference is individual lineage masters may have a different focus.

Question: While studying Buddhism, should we focus on and delve deeply into one method, or should we read enormous numbers of books? Which way is better?

Answer: There is no general answer for this question. For people who have few dualistic thoughts and are endowed with strong faith, even if they are not able to read voluminous sutras and treatises, as long as they wholeheartedly recite Amitabha Buddha’s name, by relying on their self aspiration and the blessing of Buddha, they could gain rebirth in the pure land ultimately.

However, can everyone do the same? No. Some people have doubts about Buddhism, they even often have an incorrect view, so it is necessary for these kinds of people to be well-read. Only through learning many sutras and treatises can they eliminate their obstacles to gain rebirth in the pure land.

I find that for the sake of certain sentient beings, in accordance with sentient beings’ mental dispositions, many senior Pure Land Buddhist masters emphasize “Focusing on one method.” On the other hand, sometimes they also expound many sutras and treatises to certain sentient beings with certain mental dispositions.

In this case, it should be analyzed on a case by case basis. If we could treat different matters in the same way, then there would have been no need for Lord Buddha to preach 84,000 dharmas; he would only have taught us to recite Amitabha’s name, and that would have been enough. In reality it is not so. Buddha preached many dharmas because each sentient being has a unique mental disposition.

(3) Question: I am a member of the Zen Society and I work for a local company within Yum! Brands Inc. I am very glad to have the opportunity to meet you today. I have a question: I was studying psychology, which emphasizes maximizing and realizing the potential of the self. However, in Buddhism, we hear about dependent origination and emptiness, and it seems that the self is merely the mental fabrication of the combination of the five aggregates. Going from the concept of self in psychology to no-self in Buddhism is a remarkable breakthrough for me.

Recently, I read some of your articles, then I realized that in Buddhism there is a concept called “tathagatagarbha.” May I know what is the self from the viewpoint of tathagatagarbha?

Answer: In Buddhism, when speaking on the conventional level, we recognize the existence of self. For the sake of the liberation of this self, we then need to accumulate merits; and for the sake of gaining enlightenment for oneself and others, we make a great aspiration, generating the aspiration of bodhicitta. As for the illusionary self that doesn’t exist, as you mentioned just now, it is evaluated by using ultimate reasoning. On that level, whether it is self, others, or any worldly or sacred things and events in this universe, they do not exist.

“Do not exist” is not something we merely talk about, not just something written down. Once we have comprehended the teachings on emptiness, we will be able to experience deep down in our heart that the self we cling to is only a mental projection. Even if we truly try to find this self, check our body or consciousness bit by bit, we will not find it. This is the emptiness that Buddha ascertained.

Even though we cannot find the self on the ultimate level, yet on the conventional level we should still accumulate merits and purify obstacles for this self, carry out our daily activities, make money, or do something. These two are not contradicting each other. Currently, many people are often confused about selflessness on the ultimate level and the self on the conventional level; they have jumbled them together.

As for tathagatagarbha, it is impossible for me to articulate it in just a few words; systematic study is needed to comprehend it. In a nutshell, there are two meanings of tathagatagarbha: One is our Buddha nature. On a relative level, all sentient beings possess Buddha nature; the alaya that can become Buddha is called tathagatagarbha. The other meaning is the ultimate, original nature of reality. This original nature is not mere emptiness, nor something not empty; this state is inconceivable, beyond expression by words. In the third turning of the wheel of Dharma, Shakyamuni Buddha called it tathagatagarbha. The Tathagatagarbha Sutra has more details and an explanation about tathagatagarbha.

In general, we must know how to distinguish the ultimate and relative truth. On the ultimate level, all things and events are emptiness, but this doesn’t mean that things and events don’t exist on the relative level. Therefore, whatever we should do on the relative level, we must still do it. Of course, we mustn’t commit unwholesome activities. Even though the relative itself is considered illusory, committing illusory unwholesome activities will bring immeasurable pain in an illusory way. This is something that we must all be aware of.

(4) Question: In the news, it said that about one hour ago, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake occurred in Japan and triggered a tsunami. There are so many disasters these days. As a Buddhist, how should we deal with them?

Answer: OM MANI PADME HUM, OM MANI PADME HUM…. Guru Padmasambhava gave a teaching saying that if people frequently commit negative activities, disasters from the four elements will occur frequently.

Although the occurrence of an earthquake has extremely complex reasons behind it, and we cannot be sure whether it is due to the ripening of negative karma, yet, compared to the last few centuries, we can see that human beings are committing far more serious unwholesome activities than before. I therefore think that these disasters must have something to do with the negative karma human beings have created. However, as an ordinary human being, I do not dare to speculate what exactly the causes are that triggered it. The law of causation is very subtle and unpredictable. Only the omniscient Buddha is able to master it.

In short, any disaster or tragedy is linked to the common karma shared by sentient beings and is closely related to the specific karma shared by the victims. Besides that, it certainly also involves temporary causes and conditions. Some people have the heretical belief that everything is already pre-determined by karma. However, Buddhism doesn’t believe this; it believes that everything is the product of causes and conditions that come together.

(5) Question: I am a student in the Department of Philosophy at Fudan University. In Buddhism, the Madhyamaka philosophy is generally accepted as the ultimate view. Yet, Tibetan Buddhism has many debates about the topic of emptiness, such as the emptiness of self and emptiness of other. May I know what is the main position regarding the emptiness of self and emptiness of other (Shentong) respectively? What are the differences between them and the focus of the debate?

Answer: In Tibetan Buddhism, the Jonang school belongs to the school of the emptiness of other, and the Nyingma, Gelugpa, and some other great masters are considered as from the emptiness of self school.

Khenpo Kunzang, a Nyingma disciple of omniscient Mipham Rinpoche, says in Commentary on the Beacon of Certainty that, in the past, people endlessly debated about the emptiness of self and the emptiness of other; however, ultimately, these two views are actually the same.

Why? Because the so-called emptiness of self is about positing all forms, and even the omniscient wisdom of Buddha, as emptiness. In other words, their essence is empty. As for the emptiness of other, although the essence of the tathagatagarbha is not empty, its true existence is a kind of inconceivable existence. It is beyond the four conceptual extremes and eight extremes of conceptual elaboration, not perceivable by our dualistic mind. In fact, the idea articulated in the emptiness of self and emptiness of other only has differences from the distinguishing aspect of viewpoint, but their essences are the same.

To put it another way, the emptiness of self ascertains the type of emptiness elucidated in the second turning of the wheel of Dharma, in which all things and events are posited as emptiness. They have no essence at all. As for the emptiness of other, it ascertains the tathagatagarbha, the clear light. Whether we recognize the nature of our mind or not, or the nature of whatever external phenomena, the clear light is always non-dual and indivisible oneness with emptiness; this state is also called the union of emptiness and appearances. As such, the ultimate meaning of these two are not contradictory; the only difference is what is emphasized more.

(6) Question: I am a student at Fudan University; I come from Thailand. Nowadays, various disasters occur frequently, and we often say that they happen due to the common karma shared by sentient beings. It is quite common to see the manifestation of shared common negative karma. What about positive karma, and does shared common positive karma exist?

Answer: Are you a Thai monk studying at Fudan University? Are you studying a PhD? I went to Thailand in 1999; it was only for a week, though. When I came back from Thailand, I wrote a book called Touring Thailand. I think Thailand is very devoted to Buddhism. During my visit, I spoke with some Buddhists who had studied PhDs, including a dialogue with the Deputy Supreme Patriarch of Thailand (Sangharaja). It is my pleasure to meet a Dharma master from the Southern Buddhist lineage at Fudan University. I think your robes are very nice. I hope we will see Dharma masters from Tibetan Buddhism and Northern Buddhism studying at Fudan University too; this would be very harmonious.

Regarding the question asked by this Dharma teacher on the common karma shared by sentient beings, from the viewpoint of negative karma, this often manifests as disaster in the form of the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind. As for positive karma, for example, it can manifest as a beautiful and pleasant environment surrounding the place where sentient beings live. One of the monastics from our institute went to Hangzhou in spring a few years ago. At that time, the Tibetan area was so cold, and when he arrived at Hangzhou he called me and told me: “This place is so beautiful. Everywhere you can see flowers blooming. The people living here enjoy such a beautiful environment. This must be the result of their past shared common virtues.” Thus, we can say that when we see a group of beings enjoying happiness, this can be understood as that they are sharing and experiencing the result of their good fortune together, after their previous wholesome activities ripened.

(7) Question: I am a physics student at Fudan University. The Diamond Sutra says that we should generate the mind without abiding when practicing generosity; it says that we should not dwell in the two extremes of existence or non-existence, or good or bad. Since it is so, why are we still being urged to practice virtue?

Answer: As I said just now, we must distinguish between ultimate and conventional truth. According to conventional truth, we should practice generosity. At this level, the giver, that which is given, and the recipient are all present; however, at the highest level of truth, these three things are all emptiness, called the emptiness of the three circles. This is not only stated in the Diamond Sutra. When Chandrakirti talks about the first ground of the bodhisattva perfecting the paramita of generosity in Entering the Middle Way, he mentions this, too. Only when the highest level of the perfection of generosity is attained can it be called the emptiness of the three circles. However, before we reach this state, we still have to perform generosity at the conventional level. Such a high level of realization is not required at this stage.

The Diamond Sutra is all about prajñaparamita or emptiness. We must therefore understand that its contents are based on the perspective of ascertaining emptiness as the ultimate truth; it is not about positing conventional truth. By contrast, when ascertaining conventional truth, if we practice those virtues, we will gain the corresponding merits. We must distinguish this properly; otherwise it will be confusing and contradictory.

(8) Question: In Buddhism, there are many mantras, such as the six syllable mantra, the hundred syllable mantra of Vajrasattva, and Casket Seal Dharani from the Secret Whole Bodies Relics of all Buddhas Hearts. Buddha said that each of them has tremendous merits, and that we should recite them many thousands of times, respectively. Since there are so many of them, how should I decide which one is best for my practice?

Answer: I have had very strong faith in the mantra since my childhood, though I don’t spend much time reciting it now due to being busy. In Tibetan, we have an old saying: “When toddlers are able to pronounce the word ‘mother’, they already know how to recite the Cherenzig mantra—Om Mani Padme Hum.” Basically, every Tibetan child is like that. However, due to the influence of economic development, many young Tibetan people have left their home towns to study or work in other cities, and some of them are now behaving in disappointing ways.

The benefit or merits of the mantra are articulated by Buddha in various sutras and also tantras. As for which mantra you should choose, we can look at it from two situations: 1) You can choose a mantra with which you have a close connection, through your lineage gurus and certain empowerments or practices, and you can make a commitment and aspire to recite it. 2) Based on your situation. For example, if you have created many negative karmas, then you can recite Vajrasattva’s hundred syllable mantra or the short Vajrasattva mantra; If you want to open up the gate to wisdom so that you are endowed with wisdom in your present life and all future lives, to benefit sentient beings, then you can recite the Manjushri mantra; If you want to eliminate all unfavorable conditions, as well as obstacles caused by the maras, you can recite Guru Rinpoche’s mantra, and so on. Whatever mantra you think is important to you, you can recite that mantra.

In the Tibetan area, there are many practitioners who are quite unique. A while back, for example, an old monk at our institute passed away. Throughout his life, he had recited six hundred million mantras. As for my guru, H.H. Jigme Phuntsok, before he passed into nirvana he consolidated all the mantras he had recited, from short one-word mantras such as “AH” and “HUM,” and mantras of over two words. After adding up them all, they totaled about nine hundred million. My guru entered into parinirvana aged seventy-two years old. Throughout his whole life he always had prayer beads in his hand, reciting mantras continuously.

Usually, practitioners from the Tibetan area always carry prayer beads with them everywhere. Whether they are traveling in a vehicle, herding yaks, or working at a farm, they have the prayer beads with them. Some Tibetan intellectuals and cadres even bring prayer beads to the office. If their boss sees them, sometimes they are scolded. However, nowadays the situation is better, and they can use a counting device to count the mantras, which is not obvious to their boss. In fact, the benefit of reciting mantras is enormous. Not only does it bring long-term benefit and merits, it can even temporarily diminish dualistic thoughts, mental agitation, and sufferings, and settle the mind in a pure and calm state. Therefore, mantras are very constructive and useful.

(9) Question: Arhats attain liberation through hearing the Buddha’s teachings and will teach Dharma to sentient beings. However, the Pratyekabuddhas are quite strange. They attain liberation by themselves without listening to teachings, and they do not teach the Dharma to others. Why do they not teach the Dharma? Is it because their abilities are slightly different to an arhat’s?

Answer: Pratyekabuddhas appear in the world during the time after the previous Buddha’s teachings have become extinct and before the next Buddha has started to teach. Although they do not preach the Dharma through words, through emitting light from their body and demonstrating various miraculous powers, they enable sentient beings to gain faith and believe in Buddhism, and, ultimately, attain nirvana. This is also a way of teaching Dharma—“preaching Dharma through the body.”

Buddha said in the Karma Xia Gatha that ordinary people easily gain confidence in miraculous powers. They feel it is more important than the ability to teach Dharma. Thus, the Pratyekabuddha manifests miraculous powers to show to beings. This is also a kind of skilful means. Otherwise, even if we earnestly speak to ordinary beings, they may not necessary accept what we say, and some may even create a deviant view of Buddhism. When a Pratyekabuddha flies in the sky, they gain faith and are lost in admiration, starting to prostrate on the ground.

Question: In the Han area, we believe that even if beings realize the nature of mind in this life, they still need to practice for three great eons to eliminate all ignorance before they can gain perfect buddhahood. However, in Tibetan Buddhism, it is said that we can achieve enlightenment in a single lifetime. I have always doubted the relationship between enlightenment in a single lifetime and perfect buddhahood.

Answer: Regarding attaining buddhahood in three great eons, there is no difference between Tibetan Buddhism and Chinese Buddhism. Chinese Buddhism also emphasizes the sudden path of revealing the luminous nature of the mind, or swiftly achieving enlightenment by revealing the nature of reality. Including “Fayuan ZhuLin” and the commentaries on the Lotus Sutra in Chinese Buddhism, some eminent masters also explain about enlightenment within a single lifetime; this view is in concordance with Tibetan Buddhism.

Regarding the three great eons, omniscient Longchenpa said in his teachings that this should be understood or established in accordance with the mental disposition and efforts of sentient beings. Someone who possesses extraordinary effort and sharp mental faculties can accumulate several eons of merits in a single instant. For that reason, this type of person doesn’t need the timeframe of three great eons. For example, two great eons are needed from the first ground of the bodhisattva until buddhahood, yet it says in the Prajñaparamita Sutra that once the first ground of the bodhisattva is attained, you can attain buddhahood in seven days if you wish.

In this matter, Tibetan Buddhism and Chinese Buddhism are not contradictory. Many Han Buddhist masters also believe that the three great eons are established based on the total number of dualistic thoughts of a sentient being. Otherwise, it is impossible to explain how the daughter of the dragon king attains buddhahood in an instant, as it mentions in the Lotus Sutra.

Question: If someone attains buddhahood in a single lifetime, what kind of buddhahood will this be? Can he or she eliminate all obstacles or ignorance, gaining knowledge of all things (omniscience)? For example, if he worked in the computing software industry, he would need to surpass what Bill Gates can do; if he built a monastery, he would need to know how to construct it, budget, and so on.

Answer: Je Tsongkhapa and some Buddhist masters hold that enlightenment in a single lifetime is about truly attaining complete buddhahood. However, the appearance of this kind of buddha may not necessarily be like Amitabha Buddha or Maitreya Buddha, who have a solemn appearance and are endowed with all the noble marks. In this world, there are many people who realize their Buddha nature and become a Buddha, and then tame immeasurable sentient beings in incalculable Buddha fields. There are many of them; therefore, we shouldn’t deny this.

There is another view saying that the word “Buddha” in Sanskrit means enlightenment. Since this enlightenment refers to the fruition above the first ground of the bodhisattva, thus the Pratyekabuddha is also called a “intermediate buddha.”

In fact, neither does Chinese Buddhism have a clear explanation of this question. For example, when we talk about “revealing the nature of mind and seeing the nature of reality” in Zen, does it mean the complete enlightenment of buddhahood or the enlightenment of a bodhisattva? If it is the realization of a bodhisattva, then which ground of a bodhisattva: the first, second, or tenth ground? Is it possible that it is before the first ground of the bodhisattva? If so, without attaining even the first ground, on which path is he or she: the path of accumulation or the path of joining? No clear explanation regarding this can be found in Chinese Buddhism either.

(10) Question: I remember when I read the Surangama Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha asks King Prasenajit a question: The four great elements are always in the cycle of formation, abiding, destruction, and being empty. They are created, abide, and then cease. What is the thing that is unborn and unceasing? The answer is: Buddha nature. Then when I studied the Vijñapti-mātratā-siddhi Sutra, it says that everything, including the eight consciousnesses, arises from the dependent nature (paratantra). We shouldn’t grasp on the eight consciousnesses because everything vanishes without trace in ultimate reality. The only thing that truly exists is the appearance that arises due to emptiness. In this regard, I believe that it is just like the Diamond Sutra says: “As a star, a visual aberration, a lamp, an illusion, dew, a bubble, a dream, lightning, and a cloud—view all compounded phenomena like that.” That is to say, ultimately, only Tathātā, the opposite of the false appearance, exists.

This is how I understand Tathātā or suchness, literally, though I haven’t gained experiential understanding of it. I very much hope that lama can shed light on this for me. I know that the eighth ground bodhisattva has already reached the irreversible stage, and you have already reached this level. I therefore hope you can compassionately enlighten me and guide me so that I can likewise gain the irreversible stage in my practice.

Answer: Nowadays, many people feel that it is such a privileged and great thing when others treat them as a tulku. Since I arrived at Fudan today, not only have I been identified as a sage, I have also been identified as an eighth ground bodhisattva. However, this remark is truly an exaggeration, and more than I can handle, ha ha!

Whether it is the Surangama Sutra or the Vijñapti-mātratā-siddhi Sutra, also those treatises like The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, they all say that the pure dependent nature is actually the definitive meaning of the ālaya vijñāna, and this ālaya vijñāna in question actually refers to tathagatagarbha. Of course, if we try to figure out this level of tathagatagarbha with our dualistic mind, thinking it is a kind of energy or matter, this is definitely like a blind man trying to size up an elephant—taking a part for the whole.

When Buddha posits that all things and events are emptiness, does that mean everything doesn’t exist? It is not so; the clear light nature does exist. Ultimately, the subtle relationship between the clear light and emptiness is still something inconceivable; this ultimate state, which is transcendental, is to what the definitive meaning of tathagatagarbha refers.

This kind of definitive meaning of tathagatagarbha is only within reach by first ground bodhisattvas or higher. Not to mention the eighth ground bodhisattva, I haven’t even entered the path of accumulation. So, as an ordinary person, appearance is not emptiness, and emptiness is not appearance; appearance is contradicted by emptiness. Only by integrating the clear light posited in the third turning of the wheel of Dharma and the emptiness ascertained in the second turning of the wheel of Dharma can we master its original nature. This therefore requires genuine study and practice before we can attain it.

(11) Question: In the Han area, there are many bhikkhunis. In contrast, there are not many female monastics in Tibetan Buddhism, and, furthermore, women’s rights in the Tibetan area seem very neglected. May I know how Tibetan Buddhism views women’s rights?

Answer: There are actually quite a lot of female monastics in the Tibetan area. In our Buddhist institute, there are about two to three thousand male monastics, but there are five to six thousand female monastics.

Regarding the bhikkhuni transmissions, Tibetan Buddhism has never had one. Around the end of the twentieth century, some prominent Tibetan masters both in the East and abroad were thinking about importing the bhikkhuni transmissions into the Tibetan area. However, due to lacking various causes and conditions, they temporarily have given up this mission. This doesn’t mean that Tibetan Buddhism discriminates against women; it is only because it lacks the lineage transmissions.

This situation has not only happened in Tibetan Buddhism, it has also happened in Thailand. When I went there, I found out that men are allowed to join the program to be a monk for a short time, but the most women can temporarily do is observe the eight precepts. The “inequality” is even worse there.

However, as long as women practice with commitment and effort, they can attain enlightenment. There are many eminent great masters in the history of Tibetan Buddhism who are female, such as Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal and Dakini Machik Labdrön. According to The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Its Fundamentals and History, another dakini named Jomo Menmo, after she performed tsok offering with her two female disciples, they flew just like an eagle to a pure land directly without leaving their body behind.

Besides that, women’s rights in the Tibetan area are not exactly as others think they are. Only with certain traditional things are the abilities of women usually not on a par with men’s and we see the differences. Apart from that, their status and rights are not affected.

(12) Question: My father doesn’t have sound bodily health; he often has headaches. Every morning, my mother offers a glass of water in front of the Buddha statue and then recites Casket Seal Dharani from the Secret Whole Bodies Relics of all Buddhas Hearts a few times before giving the water to my father. After my father drinks it, he immediately feels that his headache has been eased. However, I wonder if without an empowerment we can recite the mantra? Is my mother doing the right thing?

Answer: For any mantra, it is better to receive the relevant empowerment before reciting it. However, even if we have no chance of receiving the transmission or permission, the mantra’s effect is still there, and reciting it doesn’t commit a significant fault.

At present, whether it is in the Tibetan or Han area, there are many people reciting mantras without having received the transmission; however, after they recite them, they still give rise to some effects and blessings.

(13) Question: I have been consistently doing my practice and also offer a lot to charity. However, my physical health continues to be poor. How do you view this situation?

Answer: It is impossible that completing your practice, such as reciting scriptures and practicing virtue, makes you ill. Neither does your study. We should see it just like what it says in the Diamond Sutra: it is due to past heavy negative karmas that we have to experience great, serious pain or suffer. It may be that heavy punishments have ripened in a small way.

Question: If someone advises me not to pay too much heed to things and be more relaxed and casual, how do I deal with it?

Answer: No matter what others say, the most important thing for us is to follow a true path to liberation; therefore, we must preserve our motivation. With this as our basis, we can then do things according to other’s wishes.

(14) Question: I came across the answers you gave to the nineteen questions asked by Master Jiqun. I felt so touched after reading them, that your answers resonated with my thinking, and that all lineages of the Buddhadharma are in harmony and oneness. However, looking at history and the reality, I always see the conflicts between different lineages, including some lay groups. They argue and fight endlessly. I feel so sad and anguished by this. What is your view on this?

Answer: Today, not only Mahayana Buddhist practitioners like us, but also many countries across the world are moving in a harmonious direction. Their relationship is no longer the same as the mutually exclusive relationship between certain countries in the past. Since these countries that haven’t been educated in the Mahayana teachings also can use “harmony” as their basis, then as Buddhists, regardless of whether we follow Chinese Buddhism or Tibetan Buddhism, there is no reason why we can’t live in harmony with each other.

In fact, in the Buddhist doctrine itself, there is no fighting or conflict. This didn’t exist in the past and of course does not exist today. It is only that some Buddhist individuals haven’t comprehended our goal of “love and compassion,” and, due to this, they create conflicts and incite various fights and arguments. If we want to transform these situations, it is impossible to rely on one or two laypeople or monastics; it is a matter that all Buddhists must care about. We must pull together, united and in harmony with each other. Only through the power of this unity can we promote the Buddhadharma and benefit many people around us.

Of course, if you emphasize your own lineage, this is understandable. However, with this as your basis, you still need to be in harmony with other lineages, and all other religions in the world. This kind of tolerance is quite common overseas; they have been doing very well in this regard. Also, in recent years, between Chinese Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism, as well as between various major lineages in Chinese Buddhism, they have been doing relatively well, too. Although some individuals may have conflicts, these are conflicts at an individual level. In the broader trend, things are still gradually moving in a positive direction.

(15) Question: Milarepa’s guru was quite strict with him and constantly gave him a hard time in order to purify his negative karma. How about you? If you meet someone with great potential in the Buddhist institute, how do you tame his or her mind or guide the person?

Answer: Neither do I possess the realization or supreme qualities of Milarepa’s guru, nor have I met any ascetic similar to Milarepa. Milarepa’s guru, Marpa, said to Milarepa: “I am a unique realized master; you are a disciple with extraordinary faith and perseverance. I could therefore employ this method to tame your mind and guide you. However, in the future, when you accept and guide your students, this harsh method mustn’t be used any more.”

Of course, according to Tibetan Buddhism, there are still some differences between a master and disciple. It is not like what some individual scholars believe, who think that master and disciple should be equal. I think this argument is extreme democracy. Although from the perspective that “sentient beings all possess Buddha nature” master and disciple are equal, from another angle there still exists the differences in their status. This difference is also a way for the disciple to show respect to the master and the teachings during the time the master expounds the Buddhadharma, and vice versa.

In fact, the tradition in our Buddhist institute is quite similar to the monasteries in the Han area. Each class has a Dharma teacher expounding the Dharma. After this, selected Dharma tutors with good moral discipline give tutorials to students. During this process, everyone listens to the Dharma with full respect. If students have some reasonable doubts, they can openly discuss their questions with the tutor. Everyone has freedom of speech—that is how disciples are being tamed and guided.


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