Question-and-Answer Session at Nanyang Normal University

Q: I am a senior majoring in education in Nanyang Normal University. A friend of mine turns 31 this year and still has no boyfriend. As she yearns to raise a Buddhist family, I would like to ask you what she should do to purify obscuration and hopefully meet an ideal spouse?

A: If she is seeking a soulmate, it will be helpful for her to recite the Kishtigarbha Sutra. Reading this sutra and praying to Bodhisattva Kitishigarbha, all one’s wishes—such as bearing a son, becoming wealthy, and so on—are likely to be granted, provided there are no specific obstacles from previous lives. Indeed, a family founded by a Buddhist wife and a Buddhist husband will be harmonious with little conflict between spouses. On the other hand, if only the wife is Buddhist while the husband shows no interest or even raises objections, then there will be incessant family feuding, making everyone miserable. For your friend, whether her wish will be granted is also stipulated by her past karma and merit. Praying, of course, will help to solve certain problems.

Q: All too often we see that virtuous people who have done good deeds do not end up well, while those who have done evil acts are free from retribution. Consequently, the saying “Good is rewarded with good and evil begets evil” is dismissed by many as merely a mental pacifier or the opium of the soul. May I ask, then, “Is cause and effect truly infallible?”

A: The Law of Causality definitely exists; I do not have the slightest doubt of that.

Then, why is it that good is not rewarded with good and evil begets no evil? It is because whatever action one has been performed, its effect will not necessarily mature immediately. The reason a poor farmer has no food now is because he did not plough the land properly last year. If the farmer sows all his grain now in the springtime and tends his farm diligently, he must wait until fall to harvest. In the meantime, he is just a poor fellow with nothing to eat at home. Therefore, it would be pointless to say that his toiling and tilling of the land is futile.

The scriptures teach that it takes certain time for a karma to come to fruition, some will manifest in this very life, some in the next life, still other effects become apparent only after many lives. Hence the law of cause and effect is not that simplistic; its workings are extremely intricate and will require systemic learning for one to grasp. Of course, it is very reasonable for you to be doubtful. It can be likened to your getting an education, the result of which is not immediately obvious even though you are good students; there is a time factor involved.

Q: I am a junior majoring in applied psychology in the Institute of Educational Science. You have just mentioned that there are two kinds of attitude toward karma—positive and negative. How can we manage to do it in the positive way? How can we apply this knowledge in the context of pursing an education or a career?

A: The term “following the karma” is often used in the Zen school and in the worldly sense; however, its true meaning has always been misinterpreted. Many think “following the karma” means to do nothing and leave everything to Fate, thus missing many opportunities. “Following the karma” in its true sense entails making a wholehearted effort but at the same time not caring too much about outcome. For instance, you desire a good job dearly but do not get it despite your extremely hard work. If you know how to “follow the karma” positively, you will not suffer too much when this wish is thwarted.

Try to maintain such an attitude in all dealings, including your love relationships. You may have all kinds of fantasies in the beginning, but later if things do not turn out as you expected, you may be heartbroken or extremely pessimistic even to the extent of contemplating suicide. At this juncture, you should apply “following the karma” positively.

You know, in this world, no sailing is always smooth and satisfactory. Behind the success of any endeavor, there are intricate workings of causes and conditions. Sadly, no teachings of this sort are found in college textbooks, but if you’ve studied Abhidharma-kosha-shastra or the Sutra of One Hundred Stories of Karma, you will come to see that your success or failure in this life is attributable not only to the causes of this life, but also those from past lives. Understanding this principle, you will think sanguinely and, by letting things go, you will face all encounters with an easy and open mind. This, then, is to follow the karma positively.

Q. There are people who never stop complaining and are very obstinate in their thinking. How can we make them less attached?

A: True, there are such people around, and they are not justified to act this way. Why? Because when a person is complaining, he focuses only on others’ faults and neglects self-reflection. When things fail, he complains about others bitterly; when he succeeds, he takes all the credit himself. Such habitual tendencies are quite common in many people; isn’t it dreadful?

In fact, we should contemplate the other way around: If things succeed, it is due to the contribution of other people; if things fail, it is my own fault. A famous Tibetan adage goes: “Offer gain and victory to others. Take loss and defeat ourselves.” Such an attitude is most exalted and should be the guiding principle for conducting ourselves in society. It is exactly the lack of practicing this way that unpleasant frictions arise when people work together in daily life. Of course, to practice it is anything but easy; but even so, we must strive for it.

As to wishing that someone would let go of grasping, it can’t be done by talking alone. The person must understand first the reasoning, followed by a certain amount of practice, and only then will he be able “to flex or extend easily.” You see, when one holds onto anything in life tenaciously, one certainly will not give it up. Only when one sees through the futility of grasping by careful observation, then letting go of things will become easy.

Q: I am a senior in the Institute of Educational Science. I stumbled in my love relationships a while ago and still feel very hurt. How can I free myself from this suffering?

A: In Tibet, most young folks are less likely to feel tremendous pain when encountering emotional problems, since they have religious faith and comprehend the Buddhist’s view of impermanence. But in the Han area, this does not seem to apply.

Frankly, loving someone is often based on possessiveness. Once the lover turns against you or loves you no more, you feel excruciating pain because your lover is no longer yours. On the other hand, if your love is unconditional—so long as the object of your love is happy, you feel happy—then it is impossible for you to feel hurt or upset, no matter how your relationship evolves. Hence, is the “love” loving oneself, or loving your lover? You need to take a good look.

It is said that sentimental love is a tough checkpoint for young people. However, in 10 or 20 years, you may just laugh it off on reflection. Your current obsession to love is similar to your obsession for toys when you were a child. At that time you wailed like crazy should someone rob you of your toys; now as a grownup looking back at your juvenile ignorance, don’t you feel it quite ridiculous? Therefore, as you mature with age, or as you take up a religion, this kind of emotional clinging will become weaker, and gradually, you will be free from its grip.

Many young people these days are deeply entangled in love affairs and are unable to extricate themselves; it’s quite sad. Actually, with a bit more time and experiencing life’s many trials, you will see the present problem really amounts to nothing; it’s just a befuddling experience of one journey in life’s passage.

Q: I am a senior student; may I ask what the difference is between religious faith and superstition?

A: Any religion, be it Christianity, Taoism, Confucianism, or Buddhism, risks the danger of becoming a superstition if it is practiced only perfunctorily, without understanding its underlying principles. For instance, in order to ask favors for promotion or wealth, people may go to the temple to burn incense and pay homage to the Buddhas, and appear to have some religious piety. But such worship is a superstition, as it is not done with a comprehension of the function of their action and the difference between gods and Buddha; it is merely using Buddha as leverage to get rich.

Temples nowadays are attended by worshippers every day; I don’t want to generalize, but many of them certainly are tainted by a superstitious mind. Why? It is because the people don’t even know why they are prostrating to the Buddhas. A genuine Buddhist is one in whom unshakable faith toward the Buddha has arisen from the bottom of the heart. Through reading and reflecting upon the writings of past masters and the wisdom thus gained, a person comes to know that the Buddha had indeed arrived in this world. And the Buddha had taught the infallible Truth that can remove all worldly suffering and solve life’s problems. Conversely, if you know Buddhism only superficially and are muddle-headed about the Doctrines, then your faith is a superstition, even if you proclaim yourself a Buddhist.

Therefore, the act of burning incense or performing prostrations to the Buddha does not necessarily make one a true Buddhist follower; fishermen could have done the same thing for their fishing livelihood. When I was in the southern provinces, I’ve seen people flock to the temple to burn incense and pray for abundant catches before they set out to sea. Isn’t this absolute superstition? Liang Qi Chao wrote in a book about the distinction between superstition and the right faith, saying that the genuine Buddhist faith is an intelligent one rather than a superstition. Without a right understanding of the Buddhist Doctrines, one’s faith is likely to turn into superstition rather than intelligent faith.

Q: We all know that the monastics should forgo alcoholic drinks and meats. Then why is that Ji Gong the Buddhist monk said: “Wine and meat just pass through my guts, while the Buddha remains in my heart”?

A: Actually, following these lines, monk Ji Gong immediately added: “If trying to imitate me, you common folks, you are likely to enter a demonic path.”

Monk Ji Gong is a renowned master in history. While he let “wine and meat just pass through the guts,” he could also manage to have “the Buddha remain in the heart.” Similarly, many past sages upon reaching high achievement saw no difference between meat and vegetables or between wine and water. There was a great siddha in India who made the wine he drank into water and had it drip out from his fingers. Monk Ji Gong likewise had attained this extraordinary state; drinking alcohol or eating meat does not hinder him. But as ordinary laypeople or monastics, we should never try to follow suit blindly.

Nowadays the first half of this verse has often been quoted out of context in films or videos to justify drinking wine and eating flesh. It also has become a pet phrase over drinks of leading officials who know nothing about the Dharma. I have a friend in Tibet who often drinks himself to death, and he always uses these words as an excuse to fend off others’ advice. In reality, when he is an unconscious drunkard, what remains in his mind is definitely not the “Buddha,” but “wine and meat.” Hence, both monastics and laypeople had better not indulge in big talk, and never use these words as excuses for evil doings unless one reaches the stage of monk Ji Gong.

Q: I feel quite inspired after listening to your talk just now, but some confusion still remains. For instance, you said psychology is a discipline that teachers people to attain happiness; I myself am a psychology major, yet very unfortunately I do not feel happy.

Over the past 20 years, my life has been a bumpy ride. My family suffered an accident while I was little; at that time I felt nothing special, but looking back now, it had a heavy impact on me. I graduated from junior high and senior high and it was with considerable difficulty that I managed to get into college. I have dreamed of romantic love on the campus, but as a junior now I have not been given a nod, at least not from the five classmates I have courted.

I wonder if my life story deserves the label of “trials,” but I have endured them all and have not contemplated or tried to kill myself when facing these ordeals. Deep in my heart, I have never felt happy. What perplexes me most is the question: Why did I come to this world—is it just to go through all these ordeals? Is suffering the purpose of arriving here in the world?

According to the Dharma, all my experiences are the effects of my past actions; all the hardships I have to go through are but retribution for past wrong deeds. How, then, can I dispel the negative effects of my troubles and be awarded something nice in this very life?

A: You stated that psychology studies did not bring you any closer to happiness, but I believe if you invest yourself in the study of the propositions of Carl Jung—and especially the Buddhist science of mind exploration, the Havipitaka—you will come to know happiness. From your perspective your life has been rife with many unfortunate events, but from what I heard I think it hasn’t been so bad. It’s just that you have chosen to ignore the good parts.

Nonetheless, as you have just mentioned, all your experiences in this life are related to your actions in previous lives, and this is a point all of you here should bear in mind. After all, under the influence of past karma, one’s efforts in this life may be futile. For instance, someone has upheld excellent academic records all along, but fails to do well in critical exams; someone has high integrity, but is frequently wronged by others; still one is well connected in society, yet achieves nothing in his enterprise, and so on. Karma, like a huge net, exerts its force throughout past, present, and future lives; it is all-pervasive. If you acknowledge the reality of cause and effect, you will repent anytime you encounter obstacles and make amends for the wrongdoings of past lives.

The ups and downs in life, of course, will not remain static. With a positive attitude, misfortune becomes a favorable condition, while with a negative mindset, even nice situations may turn sour. For instance, for a person who has experienced all kinds of harsh conditions when growing up, his life may seem tough, yet his mind is trained to become tenacious and strong. In contrast, some people, pampered like a little emperor or a little prince at home since an early age and having always had all their wishes met, will have extremely fragile minds and cannot sustain any setbacks when they are out in the world.

The point is, adversities in our life are not necessarily bad. If you take them as opportunities to improve yourself, your life will become more meaningful and you will be successful in your endeavors.

Q: I do understand the theoretical aspect of what you have just said. Many of the Buddhist stories I have read also teach that we should practice forbearance under all situations, to be easygoing and let go of things. My pressing problem is I just still have tight grasping and can never let go. What should I do?

A: To let go of things is not easy; it can’t be done by mere talking. First you must comprehend the basic reasoning and then practice persistently, for an extended time. Only then will you be able to slowly let go.

For example, even a jaundiced patient knows exactly that the conch in front of his eyes is white in color, yet he’ll continue to see the conch as having a yellow tint before he is cured of the disease. By the same token, although you claim you know the theories, in fact it is only a superficial knowing in words only. Otherwise, you would be free from attachment and pain, under any circumstance. In any case, one cannot equate knowing with true understanding.

Q: I am a senior majoring in education. I feel fortunate to hear your teaching today which benefits me greatly. May I ask what does the Buddhist term “taking refuge” means?

A: Simply put, taking refuge involves a ceremony in which one vows: From now on, I will rely on the Three Jewels, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha; I will follow faithfully the instructions of the Buddha. In general, the kinds of refuge include the common one, the extraordinary one, and the special one of Secret Mantrayana.

Q: Then, kind Khenpo, could you please give us an opportunity to take refuge right here?

A: Some of you sitting here may want to take refuge; some may not. However, I’ll read the prayers of taking refuge. Those who do not want to take refuge need not worry; it won’t affect you.

A distinction can be made in the motivation between Hinayana and Mahayana tradition in taking refuge. The highest motivation is to take refuge in the Three Jewels for the benefit of all sentient beings. When I read the refuge prayers now, please listen and visualize accordingly if you want to take refuge.

[Khenpo read the refuge prayers in both Tibetan and Sanskrit.]

Q: I am a sophomore in the School of Journalism and Communication. What is your opinion on fortune-telling in our society?

A: Fortune-telling has its legacy right here in Henan (the Book of the Luo of the Yu Dynasty originated here). The art of divination has also been discussed in the Dharma. Fortune-telling these days, however, mostly is for profit and may not be done properly. Still we cannot say flatly that all fortune-telling is not authentic; some of it in fact could be quite accurate.

We cannot categorically deny all fortune-telling, divination, and other mystics, thinking they are all superstitions. Conversely, we cannot trust them fully either; after all there are bound to be charlatans. Therefore we should examine it from both sides.

My own opinion is that, I think fortune-telling is interesting, but we should also be cautious about it.

Q: Are you good at physiognomy?

A: I can do it. But not today.

Q: I have some understanding of the Tibetan Secret Mantrayana and visited your microblog prior to coming here. What intrigued me especially is the fact that many Tibetan ritual implements are made from human bones. But isn’t compassion the core of Buddhism? Why must those body parts be used?

A: Wait a minute, what does that have to do with my microblog? My blog has never used any human ritual implements [laughter].

In Secret Mantrayana, only limited ritual implements are actually made from human bones. For instance, horns shaped from human thigh bones are used only by advanced yogis in “chod” practice. Or in other unique Mantrayana sadhana, the damaru and mala beads made from human bones will be used for practice.

Nowadays people are curious about implements made from human bones, thinking they are wonderful. Business dealers saw the opportunity and started to promote them heavily as merchandise. In reality, these peculiar bone implements are not meant to be used casually or openly; such practice is supposed to be done in secret. But in our current society, people are drawn to rare and unusual things. Many Han Chinese had their curiosity aroused when they saw these items in Tibetan areas; they then acquired them and brought them back to Han China. Many bone ritual implements like the kapala (human skull cup) thus make their stately appearance to the general public.

However, these implements cannot be equated to a lack of compassion in Buddhism, since these bones are derived from people that were already dead. It’s not like killing a person in order to harvest the bones. Hence, it’s a non-issue with regard to Buddhist compassion.

Q: India is the birthplace of the Buddha and Buddhism, but why at this time has Buddhism dwindled while Hinduism is ever thriving in India?

A: This is exactly the impermanence I have just mentioned. In the same way, the province Henan was the birthplace for Chinese Buddhism, but now Buddhism is not very popular here and even college students are oblivious of the Dharma. Therefore, it is due to the play of cause and conditions; when its time is up, everything will become dissipated.

Nonetheless, Buddhism in India is not in dire demise either. Many large Dharma assemblies (pujas) are being held in the four sacred places like Bodhgaya and usually have attendees coming from all over the world. I was in India in 1990 and Buddhism was doing well then. Tibetan Buddhism, especially, still has its influence in India.

Q: I am a senior in fine arts and also a member of the Nanyang study group on A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. It is only today that I get to see you in real life, not just video images from the computer, so I am so excited! May I ask you: As I’ll be graduating soon, I am facing tremendous pressure to find a job. At this juncture, shall I put all my energy to acquire all worldly knowledge, or shall I carve out one portion to ensure participation in weekly group study? Which one will be most beneficial to my future?

A: This has to be decided according to individual circumstances. You should not let go of your academic studies. As a senior, you are now at a critical juncture in your life, and after many years of hard study, it is now the time for you to take an active part in society and pay back to it.

I often remind members of the study group that they should not let Dharma study interfere with their daily lives. Do not try to finish the required number of recitations at the expense of your academic study or your job. If you find it difficult to reach the practice goal in Dharma for the moment, you can make it up at a later time.

Q: I am a sophomore in business administration. Out in the world, I have always succumbed to desire and given myself up to rivalry and vanity. I forgot my own identity and my true goal. How can I be mindful of self-reflection and find my true self?

A: Modern people are infested with strong vanity; young students and adults alike are all full of jealousy. In this kind of environment, we really need a right faith to rely on in order to maintain a peaceful mind. Otherwise we will be chasing material goods insatiably: You want a second car when you already have one, you need a second house after you’ve got one, and even that’s not quite enough, better to get one abroad…. Our desire knows no end and its fulfillment can never bring us happiness.

There is a slogan, “People’s needs must be met.” The truth is that the “need” is insatiable. Human wants are a bottomless pit. Unless we are content with what we already have, we cannot find satisfaction by possessing material goods alone.

In the rather short time today, I am afraid I have not made you comprehend the supreme quality of the Dharma. I can only wish that in pursuing your beautiful future, you will always seek inner peace while you are going after material necessities. And the perfect and ultimate answer to follow can only be found in Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings.

I can see from your expressions that many still have a long list of questions to ask. But I am afraid I cannot answer each and every one of them due to time constraints. Should you be keenly interested in the Dharma, please take advantage of the Internet wherein various venues are available to learn the profound Dharma.

Today I am just sharing with you my understanding of the Dharma. I am by no means a man of great wisdom, but I have spent years studying and perhaps have learned a little. I hope I have brought to you something useful today. Thank you!