Questions & Answers at Hong Kong Institute of Education

November 23, 2011, evening

(1) Question: I am an English major student at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Just then, you talked about life as a dream, that everything is empty at the end. Since a meaningful life or a meaningless life in the end are both empty, then why shall we imbue life with meaning?

Reply: It is not just I. You would also acknowledge the point about life as a dream. You can contemplate: when you eventually die, would everything in your life not be empty? Yes, definitely. But just because you will one day die, does it mean that you now do nothing? No. What you should strive for, you should still strive for.

Therefore, I emphasized over and over again, one must actively face life. Although life is a dream, one should still do one’s best for things that are meaningful to future lives and generations. These two are not contradictory.

(2) Question: I am a Master program student at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. If life is a dream, then are we living in our own dreams, or living in someone else’s dream? Or perhaps the entire world itself is one grand dream?

Reply: You like to say “if” life is a dream. But from my perspective, it is not a matter of “if”, but that it “absolutely” is a dream.

This can be understood from two perspectives: one is that we are currently dreaming; the other is that this world is as described in The Matrix, and is essentially a fictitious world. One cannot find any reason to refute this view. After all, if this world is real and true, then it is not possible to derive all things and phenomena from it. Then telephone, Internet and such also cannot appear.

So we are indeed dreaming. Wang Anshi from the Song Dynasty [CE 968 – 1279] also said: “Death and life are like dreams, this truth is more than clear.” He said life and death are essentially a dream, and this is extremely clear. Of course, some people truly realize this only after a long period of thinking and observation. Or like others, when they encounter an emotional crisis, then they are willing to face the fact of life as a dream, and know that we are merely fooling ourselves with some things.

Therefore, this question requires you to further explore and ponder. It is not as simple as some think.

(3) Question: I am a Chinese major student at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. There is a prominent problem for people today: after hundreds and thousands of years, we still have not learned how to love. From the Buddhist perspective, how is love understood? If the Buddha’s love is to liberate all sentient beings, then who loves the Buddha?

Reply: Isn’t it a good thing for all sentient beings to love the Buddha back? People of the world often say: “You love me, so I love you.” According to this logic, if the Buddha loves all beings, then all beings should also love the Buddha. If not, then they are being a bit heartless. (Audience laughs)

Question: Let me clarify, when all beings love the Buddha, they are placing certain hopes on the Buddha. But when the Buddha loves all beings, it is without attachments or desires. I feel that these loves are not equal. What is your view on this?

Reply: Hehe, I was kidding then, but was also speaking the truth.

Actually, there are two types of love in the world: one is to possess; one is to give. No matter which type, they are both a type of small love – you love me, so I love you; you no longer love me, I hate you. There is even a book called Love You to the Point of Killing You. From this, we can see how frightening love is.

But Buddha’s love for all sentient beings is a type of compassion and loving kindness. These can be divided into dependent and independent. Independent love is viewed from the level of the empty Dharma realm, which is difficult to understand at the present moment. But dependent love is also unconditional. Buddha regards all beings as his own sons and daughters. As soon as any being suffers, Buddha would do everything possible to help him. This love is called great love, and is what we often call great loving kindness and great compassion. This is spread across all beings, even for those who do not love the Buddha, Buddha would not complain at all. There are many examples of this in the tales of the Buddha.

Thus, if someone has been good to me, I must repay that debt of gratitude; if someone has not been good to me, I should never complain, and definitely never seek revenge. These are the fundamental principles of the Buddhist “love”.

However, there are some Buddhists who often cannot fulfil this. They are: if you are good to me, then I am good to you; if not good to me, then I also will not be good to you. But this is a worldly practice, not a Buddhist practice.

(4) Question: I am a Master program student in the Faculty of Chinese, I feel very honored to meet you here! There are many young people today who are very attached to this dream of life because there are so many temptations in this dream. They do not wish to wake up, and would rather sink into it forever. Would you please teach us on how to cultivate a mind of renunciation?

Reply: Firstly, you must understand why you renounce? This grand dream of life appears happy at the moment, but does it ultimately not depart from pain and suffering?

Many young people today do not necessarily reject Buddhism, but also have never studied or practiced it deeply. They merely have a smattering of knowledge, which are useless in the face of temptations. In comparison, there are some university students and teachers in Mainland China who have solid learnings and practices. Therefore, at the same time that you study worldly knowledge, you should also learn more about Buddhism, and practice what needs to be practiced.

There are indeed strong temptations nowadays. Take the example of computer games. It is clearly illusory and unreal; yet many people are obsessed with it, play through the night, neglecting food and sleep. It really is a dream within a dream, and is especially pitiful. To truly cultivate a mind of renunciation, one must first learn and contemplate the Dharma, realize that there is suffering in all three realms of cyclic existence. To be born, or to die, suffering is everywhere. Only when you recognize this point is it then possible to naturally begin to evoke the renunciation mind.

(5) Question: After studying Buddhism, I find that many friends around me try to take advantage of me, bully me. I try my best to endure it, since everything dream-like and illusory, so why be so attached to it? Yet, if I continue to tolerate this, others would see me as the most foolish person. What should I do?

Reply: To endure is a very wise choice. You need to continue being patient and tolerant.

There are some people of this world who would not understand this practice. But this society of ours needs acceptance and care. Irrespective of how others insult us, bully us, we still should repay injury with kindness, and use the most expansive attitude to love them. This is the patience with no obstacles practiced by Bodhisattvas.

(6) Question: I feel that some things are good for someone, but that person does not understand me, and thinks differently to me. At such a time, should I try to change him, or indulge him?

Reply: In Buddhism it is said, everyone’s karma from previous births is different, therefore it is to be expected that there is often conflicting interests and thinking.

Even in one family, the couple did not really understand each other prior to getting married. After getting married, due to differences in thinking and behavior, many conflicts arise. What he likes I do not like, what I like he does not like, and quarrels easily occur. At such times, one should try to be as tolerant as possible. Otherwise if both sides fixate on a view, there would definitely be more future conflicts.

You have to know that your thinking is not necessarily always correct. What you feel to be good and try desperately to push on to the other person perhaps does suit him. Therefore, when we are with anyone, it is very important to go with the flow.

Even when you travel and stay in a hotel, one likes to switch the light on, and the other likes to switch it off. If bad temper is involved, then even on such a small matter, a huge quarrel may ensue, resulting in much suffering. But if you know how to go with the flow, then he is happy, and you are also happy.

Nowadays many families are not harmonious and there are talks of divorce all the time. It is perhaps due to differences in personalities. One wants to have congee for lunch, yet the other insists on having noodles. Then when the conversation becomes disagreeable, a quarrel starts, which may even end in a fight. Is this necessary? Not necessary. So we must learn how to go with the flow with all beings.

(7) Question: If I practice the Sutrayana first, then the Tantrayana; or if I practice both at the same time, would that affect the results of practice?

Reply: It would not. In fact, in Tibetan Buddhism, all practices seamlessly merge Sutrayana and Tantrayana. It is not possible to just practice one and not the other. Sutrayana and Tantrayana are inseparably interconnected. It would not be an issue to practice both at the same time.

There are those today who do not understand Buddhism, who often claim that Sutrayana and Tantrayana are like fire and water and do not mix. They even believe that Tibetan Buddhism only has Tantrayana. This view is very irrational. In fact, Tibetan Buddhism requires the practice of both Sutrayana and Tantrayana. Those of us from the Buddhist Institute have all studied Sutrayana sutras and sastras such as the Heart Sutra and the Diamond Sutra. There is none who only practices Tantrayana.

Hence, those who do not understand Sutrayana and Tantrayana teachings should refrain from speaking carelessly. All teachings of the Buddha can be brought together seamlessly.

(8) Question: What is the difference between a Bodhisattva’s dream and an ordinary person’s dream?

Reply: There are big differences between the two. For example, a Bodhisattva would not be attached to any forms and manifestations encountered during the day. When dreaming at night, a Bodhisattva also often journey to pure Buddha lands, and can turn various dream states into practices, unlike our dreams with all kinds of mental afflictions.

(9) Question: When I am practicing patience, I feel that I should let the other person know his mistake, and tell him that he was not right. I am not sure if this is the right way to practice?

Reply: If your intention is pure, and you do not wish for his bad behavior to continue, then that is fine. But if there is a selfish motivation, and you felt anger towards him, then that is not advisable.

(10) Question: Many of us have listen to your Dharma talks online, and we all feel great joy. Our shared question is: if we wish to follow you to the Buddhist Institute to study, what requirements are there? How do we go about this?

Reply: The Buddhist Institute is at high altitude without convenient accommodation. Many people experience altitude sickness when they go there. Thus, it isn’t absolutely necessary that you go to the Buddhist Institute. Studying through the web and through DVDs are also very good.

Also, the Dharma talks I give at the Buddhist Institute, excluding a few very specific Tantrayana practices, are all available to the public . The web is highly developed nowadays. Studying using the web is possibly more convenient.

(11) Question: I am a second grade junior high school (Year 8) student. I have been a Buddhist for two, three years. But recently, I entered a Christian school and whenever I tell the other students that I am a Buddhist, I am discriminated against. How should I face this?

Reply: Your question is very good, and is very practical! To be situated in a Christian school, perhaps some do not understand you. But it is also possible that it is an effect of your own mind.

Irrespective of one’s belief, even when you come across great external obstacles, it is best not to easily change one’s belief. I have heard that here in Hong Kong, there are Buddhist teachers who teach at Christina schools, and Christian teachers who teach at Buddhist schools. They respect each other, learn from each other, and never ostracize each other.

In this vast society, the proportion of people who study a religion is already not a big one. Many religions have a compassionate side, so I believe that you should not be facing great difficulties where you are. Perhaps some of it is in the mind. Of course, if some people are being excessive, then it is necessary to find some means of mediation.

Generally, we do not wish to see conflict between religions, or ostracism between religious practitioners. A person with reason should not behave like this.

Question: There are many in my family who have become a monk or nun. But many people, including some relatives, cannot accept this. They feel that it is a very tragic event. What is your view on this?

Reply: They feel that to become a monk or nun is very tragic. Actually when I first ordained, some around me also felt this. Even though in Tibet taking the monastic path is highly praised. But at the time, my teachers, fellow students, and friends felt very sad, and they felt that that was the end of me. But slowly, they seem to have accepted my being a monk, and no longer feel so repulsed by it.

In some communities, monastic are a sensitive group and are easily discriminated against. But in some places, monastic are very welcomed and many people respect them. Nowadays in many countries, more and more people accept and respect monastic, unlike in the 70s and 80s.

For you personally, irrespective of how others view this, you need to be strong. Take pride in being a monastic; often “flaunt” the merits of monasticism. If you can do this, then over time, those who were particularly against monasticism might also meet the conditions for monasticism.

(12) Question: I am a finance student. To realize that life is a dream allows one to be far removed from attachments. But is seeking Buddhadharma not also a dream?

Reply: To seek the Buddhadharma is also a dream. But for the person dreaming, relying on this method, one is able to wake from the dream.

During my talk then I have clearly said: to accumulate dream-like and illusory merits, to attain dream-like and illusory wisdom, to banish dream-like and illusory obscuration, eventually to attain dream-like and illusory realization of Buddhahood. Therefore, when we seek the Buddhadharma now, even though it is in a dream, there is suffering in the dream, which can be overcome with the Dharma to achieve the ultimate liberation and peace.

If you would like to understand this more deeply, you can refer to teachings such as the Avatamsaka Sutra and Finding Rest from Illusion.

MC: Now let us draw Q&A to a close. Please welcome Dr. He Ronghan to give the concluding remarks.

Dr. He Ronghan’s concluding remarks:

After hearing these, I know that I am not qualified to make comments, but I believe that we all felt deeply grateful and listened respectfully to Khenpo’s talk.

The ancients saw the world constantly changing and reminded us a long time ago: nothing can be grasped. Today, this viewpoint seems to shock our hearts even more. Therefore, I agree with Khenpo’s view that modern people particularly need religion’s spiritual education to face this world, and face the many changes in life.

It is said in Buddhism that life is like a dream; everything is an illusory dream and a reflective bubble. We Christians also believe that life is like a blade of grass, sprouting in the morning, wilting by the evening, and everything flies by. Really, these all point to the impermanent and illusory nature of life.

Hong Kong is one of the places in the world with the longest life expectancies. Although this is the case, there are some children of around ten who jump from buildings to commit suicide. Thus, we really need masters like Khenpo nowadays to share with us the experiences of life and spirituality, or we can say that we need Buddhist ideas to face various changes appearing in the world. For Christians like myself, I firmly believe in the grace and blessing of the eternal God.

Actually both Buddhism and Christianity teach us in this evanescent world to face everything with a heart of gratitude. To face gains and losses with a sense of ease, to break down attachments, learn solidify one’s life direction and spirituality, and to bring wellness and happiness to oneself, to others, and to the world.

I believe that coming here to listen to Khenpo’s sharing of experiences on religion and spirituality, you have all gained a piece of happiness, a piece of contentment. I hope you will share this with those around you, bringing happiness and benefit to each corner of life.

Finally, may you all be healthy and happy!