Faith and Life

Speech at Academy of Religious Study

Peking University, China

(June 24, 2010)

Good afternoon to all the lecturers and students. Today, I am very glad to be able to speak with members of the Zen Society, the Medical Society, the Kentu Society, and other societies from Peking University.

Our gathering here today in this special place is due to what Buddhists would call causes and conditions. To be precise, we can say that these reasons are actually our karmic links with Buddhism. From the Buddhist point of view, were it not for causes and conditions, things and events would not arise. Therefore, that we are able to be here discussing and communicating with each other is indeed due to the karmic links between us.

What I would like to share with everyone here today concerns the topic of “faith and life.” What is faith? In simple terms, faith is our confident belief or trust in a certain concept, religion, or the trustworthiness of a person; we use the objects of faith as a role model or guidance for our actions. Faith can be divided into material beliefs, ethical beliefs, religion, and several other premises. Correct faith is essential for the community; through having it people behave ethically and properly. Without faith, negative phenomena occur. In the modern era, caring about the need for faith is very important.

I. Faith ≠ Superstition

Although the topic of faith is vast, because I am Buddhist I am going to talk mainly about religious faith.

At present, there are numerous religions in the world, and each religion has its own doctrines. Whichever religion you follow, it is extremely important for it to have a basis of rational wisdom. Currently, many people have some kind of superficial faith. For example, when they visit a monastery, meet a guru, or have contact with a religious group, they may feel that their body and mind are calm and pleasant. If this happens, then they trust and have confidence that this is, indeed, their faith. Such confidence is actually without grounded reason and is therefore unstable. It is vulnerable to change due to the transitional nature of outer conditions. What kind of confidence is more stable and sustainable? Consider this example from a Buddhist point of view: If we have confidence in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and if this confidence is based on long-term observation, using rational reasoning and repeated comparisons, as a result, we finally, truly, and fully understand that within the three realms, Buddha is preeminent and that what he taught is very profound Dharma. This is considered stable confidence. This confidence in faith is not just a whim—not just because someone said so—it transcends words and writings, such that you appreciate it deep down in your heart. This is known as irreversible confidence in faith.

As intellectuals, we should desire to pursue this type of confidence. Otherwise, if we hold to a blind faith, which comes from superstition, then when something unfortunate happens, wrong views of our faith will arise in our mind easily. The most reliable faith, therefore, is built upon grounded reason using wisdom.

I have been engaged in translating works and also teaching Dharma to people for many years. During this process, I have realized that correct faith is very important. In today’s society, if someone possesses wealth and reputation, such as footballers or superstars, thousands of people admire them blindly. What is the purpose of this? It is not fueled by desire to become a superstar, only to meet or have their photograph taken with the star. If we observe this with wisdom, what is the point of doing this? Perhaps the person is not even sure why. Perhaps he simply follows the crowd, and his behavior is a consequence of having incorrect faith.

Because all of you have been doing long-term research and study in the arts and sciences or other academic topics, you all have a sharp intelligence. This kind of intelligence—initially listening to relevant knowledge and understanding it, then thinking, observing, and finally experiencing the outcome of this process—is very similar to what we call in Buddhism listening, contemplating, and meditating. Using such intelligence and wisdom, you can observe your own beliefs or faith carefully and seriously, and then establish a rational faith, not a superstition. If you can achieve this, it will always be a driving force for developing or improving yourself and also your communities.

II. Relationship between Science and Religion

1. Science without religion is lame

As intellectuals, it is indispensable to study and investigate religion. Einstein once said, “Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.” Although this sentence may have different interpretations, I think the first phrase refers to the fact that if the products of technology, such as inventions and new discoveries, are without religious guidance, they are blind. Why? Most religions, such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and so forth, all encourage us toward virtue. If science is not premised on virtue, but only concerns itself with immediate success and seeks nothing but profit, then what will happen eventually? Only self-destruction.

For intellectuals, especially those engaged in scientific works, a desire for religion, based on virtue, is essential. If you do not have correct faith, but are constantly and blindly pursuing material wealth only, your career, wealth, fame, status, and so forth may appear very successful by society’s standards, but they may not bring you happiness. This can be seen by looking at what has happened all around us. For example, nowadays, I often hear people say, “a college student committed suicide”; “a successful entrepreneur jumped off a high-rise building”; and “a senior government leader took poison.” According to many statistics, when compared to the past decade, the level of happiness in society in recent years has fallen lower and lower, and the suicide rate keeps increasing. These things happen because people lack faith. People only protect their own interests; they don’t care about the interests of others, nor do they care about social harmony. Although their external life may appear very pleasant, in fact, they are very confused, anxious, and mentally unhappy. Society really needs religion. Otherwise, while material civilization keeps advancing, ethical and moral values will decline. Over time, human beings will destroy themselves.

Personally, whether I am doing silent meditation or communicating with others, I always stress the important role of faith. Especially nowadays, for most people, it is very important to adopt some of the Buddha’s wisdom. Otherwise, if you have obtained this human body, but have wasted it by not making a connection with the Dharma, it is like dying of thirst while sitting beside a fresh water supply: it is such a pity. Presently, many people are preoccupied and busy all of the time. But in the end they have gained nothing in this life, and so the only thing they can do when facing death is to strongly regret their choices. This is very sad, and it has probably happened to us many times in our past lives. I hope we do not repeat the same mistakes. Instead, we should put our efforts into and focus on generating the supreme compassion and wisdom of the Buddha.

1) The special features of great compassion in Buddhism

We can establish that wisdom and compassion have a superior role in Buddhism, compared to other religions. Yet other religions should not be overlooked in their role and positive effects for humanity, especially regarding the United States and other Western countries. It is through the guidance of Christianity that many have been able to rid themselves of confusion and gain spiritual comfort. However, some religious doctrines only promote the welfare of human beings, but do not expand their scope to all sentient beings. From a broader perspective, these are still limited. Why, then, should we generate a compassionate heart for all sentient beings? The answer is that their life is no different from our human life. It is equally precious, and we equally have the innate desire for happiness and do not want to suffer. Although all of us have the innate desire for happiness, in reality, we have never achieved this in the way we want it. Just as it says in the Bodhicharyavatara, “Those desiring to escape from suffering hasten right toward suffering. With the very desire for happiness, out of delusion they destroy their own happiness as if it were an enemy.” Due to ignorance and lack of wisdom, although hoping to escape from suffering, we go on to create even more causes of suffering; although wanting happiness, we destroy the causes of our happiness, as if they were an enemy.

Today, many people behave in the same way. Influenced by their life experiences and education, they don’t know the true cause of happiness. Most of you here can be considered as having worldly success, because you have been able to stand out from numerous other students and be accepted by Peking University. After being admitted to this university, however, have you thought about this: The causes of happiness are virtuous activities, and eliminating the cause of suffering means avoiding non-virtuous activities. If you have no idea about this, and don’t even know the truth of karma—“Positive actions bring happiness, negative actions bring suffering”—then even though you may be envied by many people, in another sense, you can’t be called wise.

Of course, this law of causality that describes the causes and conditions for happiness and suffering should not be accepted simply because the Buddha said so. The teaching: “Committing evil acts will cause suffering; committing virtuous acts will certainly bring about happiness” is expounded this way because it is the truth of reality. It is not because Buddha is omnipotent and controls the suffering and happiness of people in this world. It is like after drinking poison, the body is harmed, while after consuming beneficial medicines, illness is cured.

2) The special features of wisdom in Buddhism

Besides the fact that the scope of compassion is infinite in Buddhism, wisdom in Buddhism also has a superior role compared to other religions. Whether it is expressing ultimate truth or conventional truth, it is flawless. Take conventional truth as an example. Regarding the world’s knowledge, such as astronomy, geography, physiology, physics, and chemistry, Shakyamuni Buddha described them in detail in the scriptures a long time ago. To illustrate this point, let’s take a simple example—Kalachakra. Using this, we can determine the timing of the yearly movement of the sun during three hundred and sixty days, including the specific solar and lunar eclipses, and time can be calculated within one hour of accuracy. In addition, it can also determine exactly the subtle relationship between the Milky Way and the sun. This is unprecedented in the history of astronomy, and has sparked widespread interest in scholars.

Also, Buddhist medicine is very advanced. All of the modern Western and Chinese medical discoveries mentioned in the Compendium of Materia Medica have long been recorded in the Tibetan Medical Tantras. After the literary master, Lu Xun, read the Sutra of the Wise and the Fool, Discourse on the Stages of Yogic Practice, and other Buddhist scriptures, he was impressed by the wisdom of the Buddha, and said to his friends, “What a great sage Shakyamuni Buddha was. Long ago he gave the solutions to most of the problems that are difficult for me to solve in my life. What a great sage.”

Hence, for the wise among us here today, Buddhism should be studied carefully and investigated thoroughly. In fact, being intellectuals you have an advantage, because you can accept and learn new things easily, using your powers of reasoning. The result of your conclusions will be firm. Intellectuals, however, also have a downside, because they are often suspicious. Of course, doubts are not always useless. The Zen masters always say, “Greater doubt harvests greater realization; smaller doubt harvests smaller realization; without any doubt, there is no realization.” If you have a great doubt regarding Buddhism, and you then analyze Buddhism, you may then obtain an extraordinary result and ultimately eliminate all doubts from your mental continuum. On the other hand, some people simply slander Buddhism without any reasonable grounds. This behavior is shocking and absurd. Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream advises, “Do not criticize or comment on something when you do not know the truth, otherwise, you might have to pay for your mistake with your life.”

When you study any religion, be sure to take a fair and objective position from which to perform your investigation. Of course, the Buddha did not say, “You must accept my religion.” Believing in religion or not is your choice; it is up to you to decide. In the process of making your choice, base your choice on truth grounded in reason. If you follow unwise arguments or just follow the crowd you will end up with undesirable results.

When deciding on your faith or religion, it is essential to use your wisdom to investigate the doctrines and scrutinize them analytically to see if there are any flaws. For example, Shakyamuni Buddha said, “At the ultimate level, things and events are empty.” If you do not have any deeper experiential level of understanding about this, then your understanding will remain at a superficial, intellectual level, which is not so constructive. By relying on logical reasoning, the meaning of emptiness can be experienced and understood. Then, the indivisible oneness of emptiness and the clear light, which is luminous by nature, can be experienced. Indeed, this is beyond the grasp of our mind and speech; however, when our understanding is at the experiential level, we can see clearly that all sentient beings are no different from Buddha. The Buddhist master Bodhidharma said, in Wu Xing Lun, “The relationship between sentient beings and the enlightened Buddha is like that of ice and water.” This means that sentient beings and the Buddha are only one line apart. This is similar to what it says in the Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras, that being enlightened is the Buddha; being deluded is sentient beings.

Of course, it is quite easy to talk about this, but when you truly practice it, it is very difficult. Being tied up with ignorance, afflictive emotions, and discriminating thoughts, sentient beings are not able to see their own true nature. Through the power of delusion and misconceptions, sentient beings wander endlessly in samsara and are caught in this secular world. As human beings, especially if you are engaged in scientific work, it is crucial to equip yourself with the wisdom to decide what to adopt and what to discard. This wisdom comes from correct religious belief. Without this, no matter how much science and technology develop, they can only be the cause of self-destruction.

2. Religion without science is blind

On the other hand, religion also needs the support of science. Any religion that wants to reach beings in every corner of the world and connect with the hearts of sentient beings who have karmic links with it must adapt to contemporary society and be organized and standardized. Religion should use scientific evidence to prove and support its doctrines; otherwise, it will be difficult for people to accept it.

In the past, Chinese Buddhist masters, such as Master Tai Xu and other great masters, emphasized “Humanistic Buddhism.” Regarding this view, I have two opinions. First, “Humanistic Buddhism” cannot be too secular or it will undermine the inherent nature of traditional Buddhism. For example, consider “confidence” in the Triple Jewels. If you use “joy” or “love” to replace “confidence” here, then it could distort its traditional meaning. This kind of secularization of Buddhism is not acceptable. If the change does not amend the fundamental meanings, however, then you can use modern terms to explain the subtle and profound Buddhist teachings as much as you like. For example, you could use the term “living being” to replace the term “sentient being” and “beings with a mind.” This will help others understand the tenets more easily; indeed, this kind of secularism is actually very important.

III. Present Decline of Faith and Moral Values

In the past, people spent time in research, contemplation, and analysis. Today, however, a desire for success and self-benefit has reinforced people’s tendency toward competitiveness in material development in this short life. Some people have used a metaphor to describe this state of affairs: “Every morning, the deer in Africa will think, ‘Today, I have to run as fast as I can or else I will be eaten.’ The lion then thinks, ‘Today, I have to run as fast as I can to catch my prey or else I will starve to death.’” The goals of each being, though individually different, are basically self-cherishing in nature. For that reason, nowadays, whether you are working in a university or business community, or whether you are a civil servant, such as a teacher or doctor, there is a dark, unethical side to life. What is the cause of this? It is a lack of compassion and the altruistic heart, which is the direct antidote to self-cherishing. If people have these qualities, they will not always be attached to their self-interest and, instead, will be more considerate of the people around them.

I have mentioned this example before. If you are in a movie theater and someone in the front row stands up, the people behind also have to stand up in order to see the show. The result is that eventually everyone in the cinema must stand up. Even if their feet hurt, they have no alternative. Today’s society is such that many people only consider themselves. Due to this selfishness and self-cherishing mind, many factories create poisonous products, disregarding the health and interests of others. If we subject this to analysis, we will find that the root cause of this phenomenon is that people do not have correct faith and beliefs, do not believe in the existence of past and future lives, and lack understanding of the law of cause and effect. Such a psychological crisis, in fact, is far more serious than an economic crisis. When an economic crisis occurs, other countries can provide help and support, and your own country may have emergency measures as well. But a mental crisis of humanity is difficult to overcome.

To improve the above situation, dialogue between university students and Mahayana Buddhists is vital and constructive. Why? Because although people like us promote the Mahayana teachings and understand the doctrines well, our words may not necessarily have a significant influence on society. If, as intellectuals, however, we can adopt the philosophy of Mahayana Buddhism when we are carrying out our roles in society—even if we do not fully diminish our selfishness but at the very least strive toward benefiting others and aim to help others—society will gain direct benefits from our actions. If you doubt whether you can gain happiness from an altruistic mind, consider the words of the Nobel Peace Prize winner and advocate of non-violence, Martin Luther King, who said, “A clean conscience is the softest pillow.” If you want a good conscience, happiness, and joy, should you keep hoping for gain or should you help others? I believe it is quite obvious.

Today, moral values in society are declining and the dark shadow is rapidly increasing—until it is impossible to dispel it. Maybe I am too pessimistic, perhaps I am not. By looking around us, we can see that material development has reached an extraordinary level. Entertainment in our major cities is now huge, even comparable to any country abroad. However, are people satisfied with it? No, they aren’t. Are they happy? No, they are not. Many people become a servant to and completely enslaved by money, property, or cars; for the sake of their career and fortune, they act selfishly and unscrupulously. But the results are often the opposite of what they want, and ultimately they are further away from happiness.

IV. The Effect of Buddhism on the Mind

In contrast, in the Tibetan region, our living standard is not high, the climate is harsh, but the happiness index is very high. Statistics from previous years show that many people live to over one hundred years old. What is the reason for this? Many scientists believe that this is related to people’s mental health. In the Tibetan region, the only way to improve your mental health is Mahayana Buddhism; hence, British historian Arnold J. Toynbee said, “In the coming 21st century, the only human civilization fit to liberate the world from the pit of global chaos or crises is the Theosophy or Wisdom of Confucianism and Mahayana Buddhism.” This is a very true and justified statement.

As mentioned above, there are two possible solutions to uproot the fundamental problems in the present time. One is to study the works of Confucius and Mencius. This is especially important to the Han Chinese, because with this philosophy in mind, many suicides among college students, which are caused simply by frustration, can be prevented. The second solution is that you can practice Mahayana Buddhism. With this, a practitioner can develop the ability to deal with problems and even a big challenge with peace of mind.

When I went to Yushu to provide disaster relief, I saw many collapsed houses, many casualties, and wounded. The horror of this scene cannot be expressed in words. Hundreds of monks and nuns went there to recite Buddhist prayers for the dead and comfort the victims. During this process, it was evident that because of faith, local people had a sense of impermanence and were well prepared to face death. They were confronted with a natural disaster, they did not blame others, and treated it as something that could be expected to happen. Many of them said, “Things and events are impermanent” or “The nature of samsara is suffering.” To them, this catastrophe was not something insurmountable.

During that time, we saw that a China News reporter was very moved when we were discussing some affairs with local villagers at the Yushu racecourse. He said to us, “I have personally been to many disaster scenes at home and abroad, including the Wen Chuan earthquake. I was at the disaster scene and saw countless horrors. Some people discovered that their relatives had died and were not able to cope with the sadness, and committed suicide. Some saw all their wealth destroyed and were not able to deal with it mentally, so they committed suicide by jumping off a cliff. There were many cases like this. Here, however, what I have seen is unexpected and completely different. Many of the victims here have a settled and calm mind; even though their families have all died, they are still able to smile and turn a prayer wheel while reciting the Chenrezig mantra. I asked one of them, ‘Are you sad?’ He replied, ‘No, I am happy. We shall all inevitably die; no one can avoid the impermanent nature of things. However, this time, there are so many monks and nuns who have come here to recite Buddhist prayers for the dead. So those who died were very lucky, and I feel happy for them!’ He was also badly wounded, but he felt this was due to his bad karma from his past life. The only way to purify it was via confession, and there was nothing to complain about; nothing insurmountable.”

Listening to the above story, I appreciate deeply the importance of having faith. With faith, even if you are facing a natural disaster, the sadness of being separated from a loved one, and other various problems, you will not be helpless. Some time ago in my home town, a group of sixth grade primary school students graduated. Before they left their school, I took them and their teachers for a picnic in a grassy area. At that time, many of the children were sad about the fact that they had to leave their school, and were crying. I said, “That is nothing to cry about. I will tell you about a Buddhist idea. Although it seems extremely simple, in fact, its meaning is very profound. It is the four kinds of impermanence in the Sutra of the Wise and the Fool: What has been gathered will be dispersed; what has been accumulated will be exhausted; what is born will die; and what has been high will be brought low.

“What has been gathered will be dispersed. Today we are all gathered here together, but later we will separate to go our own ways. Everything that gathers together will separate one day. For example, a couple initially may have a very good relationship, but a few years later they get divorced. A family when it gathers together enjoys a good time, but soon the family members separate and follow their own paths again. If you become accustomed to this, then when it happens, you will not suffer from it.

“What has been accumulated will be exhausted. Another law of nature is that whatever wealth we have collected so meticulously, in the end will be stolen by our enemies or lost by other means. Whoever understands the Buddhist law of impermanence will not complain that it is unfair when this happens.

“What is born will die. When we are born, we carry the seed of our own death. By understanding that we shall all inevitably die, our mental perspective will drastically change in such a way that we can face our own death or the death of our family without discomfort and fear. We will never feel that humans are immortal.

“What has been high will be brought low. Any high-ranking person, no matter how mighty he or she is, will eventually fall, just like some magnificent high-rise buildings eventually will become a pile of rubble. This is the law of impermanence.

“These teachings seem very simple, but when you encounter these phenomena later in your life, if you can recall these teachings, they will certainly be of great help. If your memory is not good and you cannot remember these principles, then it is best to have them written in your diary.” Those were the words I spoke to them.

Buddhism is indeed very profound. We are not boasting and fooling ourselves. As mentioned in In Praise of the Buddha, we investigate and evaluate which religion has truth and is supported by grounded reason from a fair and objective position. We can take refuge in that religion. In fact, Buddhist ideas are of great help and benefit for our present and future lifetimes. Even if you do not believe in the existence of future lives, Buddhism still has considerable physical and psychological benefits for your present complex and chaotic environment. I have met with people who live in big cities who understand Buddhist teachings, and they have often told me that due to the teachings they are able to cope with sudden unfavorable occurrences with courage. As it says in Four Hundred Verses of the Middle Way, extraordinary people have extraordinary suffering, ordinary people have ordinary suffering, and the whole world is inseparable from suffering. Even if some people seemingly eat well, dress well, have a limousine, live in a luxury house, and are envied by the world, if they do not possess the ability to gain inner strength of mind and counter mental agitation, then happiness still eludes them.

The same applies to monks and nuns. If your understanding of Buddhism is at an experiential level, then you can overcome any unfavorable conditions and not indulge them. If you haven’t attained the state of liberation, then even if you cut off your ears and nose, your tendency to grasp at things as real will continue.

What do we need the most now? We need to share the concepts of Buddhism with others; this is very important in the present time. To facilitate this sharing, we need some places in which to offer the teachings. In the Han region, there are few places to study Buddhism. In contrast, the Tibetan region has a better environment for this. For example, in my home town, Luhuo County, with a population of only forty thousand there are already more than twenty monasteries. Similarly, in the county where Serthar Buddhist Institute (Larung Gar) is located, the population is less than forty thousand, but there are nearly thirty monasteries. In the Tibetan region, when you are traveling by coach, within just short distances you will see a stupa or monastery. There are many of these buildings. Teachings are available in most of the monasteries; many children living nearby a monastery take the eight precepts on a monthly basis since their childhood. Due to these influences, they more or less understand Buddhism quite well. In contrast, in the Han region, the population of a city may be in the millions or even tens of millions, but there are very few monasteries. Even if a truly devoted layperson wants to listen to Dharma teachings, he or she may not be able to find a place offering this. It is also very rare to find a guru who can give Dharma teachings.

Of course, Buddhism is not about something superficial. It doesn’t matter about the ritual or external appearances of Buddhism, whether it is setting off firecrackers or singing. These are trivial things. What is the most crucial thing? It is to understand the truth of Buddhism. After the Buddha entered parinirvana, the great Indian Buddhist Master Vasubandhu said at the end of the Abhidharmakosha that Buddha’s teachings consist of the Dharma of scripture and the Dharma of realization. The Dharma of scripture is the literal teachings that we listen to and contemplate. The Dharma of realization is integrating theoretical understanding into our mental continuum and through practice subduing desire, hatred, and ignorance. Other than these two, there is no other Dharma. Therefore, for Buddhism to flourish, it is not necessary to have magnificent monasteries or even charities, because these are all at only the superficial level. Without compassion, no matter how magnificent the appearance, we cannot call it the “Buddhadharma.”

For this reason, among all the activities we are doing, the most important one is to study the Buddhadharma. Through constant effort, your life-view will eventually change. Of course, some of you here may not be Buddhist. Even if you believe in Christianity, Islam, or other religions, it is very important to truly understand the religion’s doctrines and philosophy. If you only carry out activities at a superficial level, such as playing drums, carrying out ceremonies, and so forth, I do not think these are very constructive because they cannot help you withstand the challenges of life. When you are affected by the changeable external environment, your confidence in faith will be easily shaken. We should not follow this kind of blind faith.

All in all, the role and effects of Buddhism for humanity are indeed unparalleled. After a long period of study, Albert Einstein said, “If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.” When I read this, I was a bit surprised. I thought: “Although Albert Einstein achieved great things in science, did he really study Buddhism to the same extent as he studied science?” I started to read and research this. Finally, I found what I was seeking in the Chinese version of quotes by Albert Einstein, translated by Xu Liang Ying and others. The English edition says the same thing. Therefore, in the eyes of this scientist, among the religions, Buddhism was the one that could pass scientific tests completely.

V  “Religion is the Opiate” Misinterpreted

At present, some people not only do not believe in Buddhism, they even slander Buddhism. The main reason for this is because Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opiate of the masses.” This view was particularly popular during the Cultural Revolution. Of course, you all are young, and have not gone through those decade-long calamities, so you may not fully understand this. At that time, Karl Marx’s famous words became a powerful weapon for others to condemn religions. They labeled religion a narcotic “drug,” and called missionaries “drug dealers.” Religious believers were called “opium addicts.” After hearing this, without even enquiring about it, many started to blindly attack religion in various disrespectful ways.

Although Karl Marx said this, what he meant has been misinterpreted. Later, Qian Zhongshu also researched his original words, and found that Karl Marx’s metaphor was not exactly how people understand it. During Karl Marx’s lifetime in the 19th century, opium was an expensive analgesic. It could be used to relieve anxiety and pain and eliminate suffering. Using it to describe religion is from the perspective of the effects of religion, but not about the nature of religion. Moreover, this metaphor also stressed that religion has a very strong attraction; it makes people wholeheartedly follow it and gradually lose interest in worldly matters. Modern China had experienced the “Opium War,” so opium was understood as a drug in a negative sense.

In fact, both Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels viewed Buddhism highly. For example, Friedrich Engels said in World Theory, “Only in the time of Shakyamuni Buddha did dialectical method become mature.” Further, Karl Marx also said, “Buddhism’s dialectical method has already reached a very profound and subtle level.” They were extremely impressed with Shakyamuni Buddha’s dialectical method. Moreover, this spirit, through the efforts of Nagarjuna, Dharmakirti, and so forth has now flourished in every corner of the world. The profundity of the wisdom in Buddhism is evident; it is not something someone can overturn by simply saying a few words or accusing it of being a superstition.

Of course, for those who believe in another religion, it is not necessary to give up your religion. Whatever religion you follow is fine, it is just necessary to observe it with wisdom. This is a very important point. Without a religious faith, life will only be concerned with the pursuit of money, status, and fame. Living in this world will be meaningless and have no significant value.

Today, from the depth of my heart, I feel very grateful for the opportunity to have this discussion and share with the students and lecturers here. Why? Because after working in education for so long as a teacher, not for the sake of money or fame, I feel a sense of responsibility to pass on this philosophy to others when the opportunity arises so that it can benefit others in a way that is far greater than monetary assistance. If we think like this, if everyone’s mind is balanced, how positive will it be for the whole world? Even if we don’t have a huge capacity, after obtaining this human body, we should try our best to do whatever we can to benefit other mother sentient beings.

If you have any questions or doubts about Tibetan Buddhism, faith, or life we can discuss and share our ideas here. If I know something about the topic, I will try to answer. If I do not know about it, then we can still share our ideas with each other.

Thank you.