Explore the Treasure Within

- Talk at Hong Kong University

27 November 2011, afternoon

MC’s opening words:

Welcome, everyone, to Hong Kong University to join this workshop held by the Centre for Buddhist Studies – “Explore the Treasure Within”.

I am a Buddhist Studies Master student, and I am very happy to have the chance to be the MC. Before I formally invite Khenpo Sodargye, please allow me to give a brief introduction for everyone:

Khenpo Sodargye is the chief Khenpo at the Larung Gar Serthar Buddhist Institute. In terms of translations, Khenpo has already translated voluminous rare Tibetan sutras and sastras into Chinese. In terms of spreading the Dharma, Khenpo has utilized various methods such as the Internet to broadly spread the Dharma. In terms of charity, Khenpo has used the form of “Initiate Love”, to encourage Buddhists to care for those who need help. In terms of Buddhist scholarship, Khenpo has been invited by universities such as Tsinghua, Peking, Renmin, Fudan, and Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Science and Technology University, to exchange ideas with everyone.

Now today, we are honoured to be able to invite Khenpo to give a talk at Hong Kong University, please welcome -

Hello everyone! I am very happy to come to Hong Kong University today to talk with the teachers, students, and scholars here. Before we exchange ideas on Buddhism, I would like to first talk about my reflections as a Buddhist during this visit to Hong Kong. There are those that are delightful, and those that are worrying.

A. Joy and sorrow of coming to Hong Kong

I am delighted that at Hong Kong University, there is a quite a large Buddhist study centre, as well as a strong organization that awards Buddhism masters and doctorates. When a university can attach such importance to Buddhist study, and put such effort into spreading Buddhadharma, then in my view, this has significantly deep and long-lasting meaning.

During my talk with some teachers and Dharma teachers just then, they expressed the wish that in the near future, there can be some Tibetan Buddhist practitioners coming here and together with Hong Kong University carry out theoretical and practical research and collaboration on topics like “Buddhism and Science.” I think that this is a very good direction.

I often believe that to be able to learn Buddhadharma is a great fortune in life. Regardless of whether as a belief or as academic interest, from the moment that we were attracted by Buddhist teachings and ideas and we stepped into its sacred halls, our lives have acquired profound meaning. I am not sure how you feel. Personally speaking, my most sincere oath and faith is that not only this life, but for every future life, I will never willingly abandon Buddhadharma’s light of wisdom.

You all know that society now is very materialistic and utilitarian. Everyone is busily searching for self-gain. But in my eyes, these are not very valuable or meaningful. The most meaningful thing is to spread the Buddhadharma, the truth, in order to help people in this world and benefit all beings.

I am relatively familiar with Hong Kong as I have been coming here for over 20 years. At that time, when I saw the freedom of belief, I was very envious. As far as I know, since the 50s and 60s, Dudjom Rinpoche had established some practice centres here. I saw some photographs of these in 1987, and such scenes of widely propagating Buddhism were very few in the cities in Mainland China.

However, when I returned here 10 years ago, apart from envy, there was also a touch of worry – perhaps due to excessive openness, there were particular Buddhist groups here that were a mix of good and bad. Then during this present visit, such feelings are even stronger: on some levels, there are those who have made breakthroughs in Buddhist practices or scholarly research. But in other areas, compared to 20 years ago, not only has there not been progress, there are even signs of regression.

Perhaps it is because of being too busy. To make a living, Hong Kong people’s footsteps are faster and faster. I have seen some crossing the street; even before the red light has turned to green, they dash out. Clearly, to halt this haste and calmly receive pure and genuine Buddhadharma is considerably difficult. Therefore it is different here to Mainland China. In terms of studying and maintaining Buddhist practices, there are many here who are lacking, which is a real shame!

Without the right dharma within, one can be easily bullied, to the point where behaviours that contradict the Dharma have become popular. For example, some people are clearly not Tibetan Buddhists, nor Han Buddhists, yet they claim to represent Tibetan or Han Buddhism, wear strange and unusual costumes, and even blatantly muster many people, and those below them utterly worship them… their popularity here is what worries me.

Of course, there are similar phenomena in Mainland China, too. In Tibetan Buddhism, Han Buddhism, amongst lay and monastic practitioners, but over there, such “odd phenomena” is not so common. Most Buddhists are walking along quite a right path of studying and cultivating the Buddhadharma.

Dear teachers and students, perhaps you do not all believe in Buddhism and some of you only have scholarly responsibilities. But no matter what, whether you have the belief or you engage in scholarly research, when you take a look at the status quo of Buddhism, it should arouse a sense of responsibility in you – towards Buddhism, towards those around you, towards the whole world … And when we truly care about these, I believe, maybe there will be action to guide everyone towards learning the true Buddhadharma, and allow them to walk on the true path of happiness.

B. The main cause of happiness and outer conditions

Where is the path to happiness? It is within us. Therefore, we have to explore the mysteries within, uncover the treasure within.

Of course, deeper understanding and uncovering requires you to directly comprehend and realize. In a short few hours, as a speaker or a listener, it is difficult to come into contact with it. We can only symbolically explain and experience it.

Speaking from a simpler level, for a person to live in the world, the ability to observe the inner world is very necessary. I do know that contemporary people find it very difficult to accept the so-called theories and attained experiences. But those pithy teachings should still be welcomed. After all no matter what your identity, as a monk, a layperson, a student, or a teacher, everyone longs for a joyful state of mind. If this is the case, then why not try to explore within, to search for the causes and conditions of happiness, and maintain a happy state?

1. The main cause of happiness is mind

Of course, merely saying “happiness, happiness” is not necessarily true happiness. I once read a book called Happiness, but the “happiness” it referred to is enlightenment. Enlightened, then for sure one is happy. If one can use wisdom to observe and elevate one’s cognition, then one can also adjust to a happy state of mind.

You need to know that the reason we are unhappy is that we are usually troubled by daily chores that are difficult to decide, difficult to get rid of, snagging us and entangling us. So here, I wish to tell everyone the best method of observation, which was taught by the ancient Indian commentator Shantideva in A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life: “If there is a remedy when trouble strikes, what reason is there for despondency? And if there is no help for it, what use is there in being sad?” I often use this verse to remind myself, you can also think thus: when you come across something unhappy, no matter if it is big or small, if there is still room for change, then why be despondent? If is it like a broken bowl and there is no way of saving it at all, then what is the use of your wallowing in pain and suffering, and continuously complaining about everything and everyone?

If you can clearly see this, I think you would also be convinced that past masters’ wisdom, compared to our ordinary knowledge, is truly the most precious wealth!

Of course, in order to use these in everyday life also requires one to learn to contemplate. Aristotle once said: “The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.” But many people now are exactly the opposite; they only care about “survival”, haggling over gains and losses, and even feel down and depressed because of these, as if there is nothing else in life.

If everyone is like this, then what is the fundamental difference between human and animal? Animals also are only concerned with survival; apart from eating, drinking, sleeping, living with the same species, they do not have higher thinking. If the human mind, under societal pressure gradually enters this limited state, then it is almost the same as animals.

Thus, if one wishes to obtain happiness, one should be adept at contemplation, at regulating the mind, no matter what happens, keep an open mind. Once you keep an open mind, the mind can encompass the entire world. Just as Victor Hugo said: “There is a prospect greater than the sea, and it is the sky; there is a prospect greater than the sky, and it is the human soul.” Over 2500 years ago the Buddha also said: “The capacity of the mind is as great as the empty space.” Since the mind is so vast, why be fixated on some trivial matters, not letting them go?

Nowadays, we are not short of ways of finding happiness. Putting aside Buddhist theories, practices, and realizations, which could be too vast and profound for people generally to understand. Even many top selling books in the world have provided all sorts of good ways to help people be happier.

Unhappiness for a person comes mainly from pressure. Particularly in the 21st Century, no matter in the East or the West, people’s ways of life are basically the same. Under the incessant pressuring and squeezing of a mechanized, electronic life, if people do not know the secrets of how to adjust the mind, then what’s left in the world are only suffering, anxiety, and exhaustion. Under these conditions, how can one speak of quality of life?

Thus, to be happy, one needs to first reduce the pressure, let the mind relax. As Tibetan Buddhism has entered the West, many masters have taught sitting meditation, and have called it “relaxation and stress reduction”. This allows people to experience a sense of ease when they first try it. When the mind is relaxed, no matter what you encounter, you are entirely equipped with the strength not to be overly attached to it. Then you would know that actually, all your former pains and sufferings were due to attachments. The more attached, the more enslaved, to the point of being crumbled, of breakdown… Therefore, people who are under great stress in life need to learn to relax. If there is time, do some sitting meditation and cultivate the mind.

This method of relaxation can also be called the “ease of mind method”. Originally, the term “ease of mind” has a particular meaning in the Chan tradition. But looking at it from a simpler angle, understanding the reality of all things and not to be restrained is also a form of ease of mind.

As described in a book: there was once a well-known man whose mind was not at lease. He was constantly tortured by restlessness and anxiety without knowing why. Later he came upon these lines in the Infinite Life Sutra: “In the midst of worldly desires and attachments, one is born alone and dies alone, comes alone and goes alone. Each receives his karmic consequences and nobody else can take his place…” He suddenly awakened, and his mind was at ease.

This is ease of mind – once the truth is clear, the mind is more solid. What is the truth? Living in this world, we are bound by desires and attachments. Everything we pursue and create day and night are but the coming together of illusions. As for each of us, in the end we are all born alone and die alone, go alone and come alone. We are the sole recipients of our sufferings, our happiness; no one else can take that place for us…

When you know this, you would no longer depend on outer factors for happiness. Many people believe that when they find a good partner, they will be happy; when they find a good job, they will be happy…actually this is not necessarily the case. Or should I say, even when you find that happiness, it is only temporary. Therefore, Buddhism teaches us: the root of happiness is within us – after everything I have said, I simply wish for everyone to understand this and to truly benefit from this.

2. The external conditions of happiness are not dependable

Regarding “true benefits”, people from different walks of life and with different needs have many differences in their understanding. But, if you throw away the portion that is imagination and look at it again, you will understand: actually, happiness is not about wealth or romantic love.

Then, do we need these? For people living in the world, they do need these. But these are only the external conditions to help you find happiness. Are external conditions effective? They are indeed effective, but they cannot be depended upon, nor are they long lasting.

Like a poverty stricken man who dreams daily of wealth. When wealth accumulates, he is still not happy. Or an insignificant and ordinary man who thirsts for power, but when he attains it, he cannot find inner satisfaction. Romantic love, fame, marriage etc. are all like this: when you cannot attain it, you believe that you will definitely be happy with it. But once you have it, not only does it not bring happiness, it could perhaps lead you deep into inescapable pain and suffering.

I once read Lincoln’s biography; he said that the greatest misfortune of his life was his 23-year-long marriage. His wife was bad tempered, moody, and picky about every part of him. Whenever Lincoln appeared in front of her, she would nag that his head is too small, hands and feet too large, nose crooked, chin sticks out, and looks like a gorilla. What she detested the most was the way Lincoln walked, so she constantly made him learn her way of walking indoors. There was even an occasion when Lincoln was dining with others; because he did not answer her, she poured a cup of hot coffee on his head…Of course, before Lincoln walked into the marriage, he could not have foreseen this at all.

It happens that similarly, Tolstoy’s marriage was also a classic tragedy. This great Russian writer was worshipped by so many; in his days, whatever he said became headline news. Yet for such a person, family life was extremely unfortunate, even becoming the fuse to his eventual death.

When he first married, he was very tender towards his wife. The two often wished and prayed that this kind of happy days would last forever; but regrettably, they were not. After a while, the two started to bicker incessantly. What was love in the past waned and eventually became hate.

After long years of suspicion and pain, Tolstoy in his old age devoted himself to humanity and peace, and donated a great deal of his royalties to charities to help those suffering from poverty. But this was the opposite to the wish of his wife, whom under her strong vanity, horded wealth and was unwilling to do good. In the end, after daily quarrels, Tolstoy at the old age of 82 abandoned his home during a snowstorm and left his companion of 48 years. In the bitter Winter of Russia, he rocked along in windblown train carriages, eventually catching pneumonia and died in a wooden cottage of a small train station.

Before dying, all his children came to see him, but he refused to see his wife for one last time.

Many young people today long for romantic love. When they are in love, they always believe: “He is my eternal happiness!” Yet after some time, when impermanence walks on the stage, they realize that “eternal” is not actually that long. Then they cry and complain: “Why is my life such a misfortune? Why is he so heartless?…” Actually, rather than blaming everyone and everything, it is better to know early on: one’s happiness depends on oneself. With this understanding, when he brings you happiness, you will be grateful to him; when the opposite happens, you would not be overly attached. Otherwise, being two deeply entangled lovebirds would only bring eventual bitterness.

Of course, the tragic marriages I mentioned just then do not happen to everyone. But even in ordinary marriages, changes are always taking place, and this reality cannot be denied. Once you realize this, you will also realize that to build happiness on one person is a very unwise choice. Reasoning along this line, to build happiness on wealth or other external conditions are the same. Therefore, we should take hold of the main cause of happiness, which is our own mind, and through cultivation, uncover the treasures of our mind to obtain true happiness.

3. Treasures of the mind requires uncovering

You need to know that within everyone’s mind there is a treasure. What treasure? Buddha has said in many sutras such as the Tathagatagarbha Sutra, Surangama Sutra, Sutra of Elucidating the Profound Secret, Lankavatara Sutra, and Nirvana Sutra that it is the luminous Buddha nature within all beings – Tathagatagarbha.

This treasure, speaking from the highest level, even Bodhisattvas of the tenth level do not completely manifest it. But from a simpler level, as long as you study it, practise it, and explore it, more or less you will obtain some of it. For example, it is not realistic for everyone to have as much wealth as Bill Gates or Warren Buffet. But if you are willing to strive for it, you should not have any problems in maintaining a decent quality of life.

Unfortunately, most people today generally only value the material. Although this is forgivable, just like without petrol a car would stall, if people do not work hard from day to night, their daily lives cannot be secure. But, think about this: as you devote all your time to these pursuits, if you do not have the time to monitor your own mind, would the loss not outweigh the gain?

Since childhood, the “happiness” that we know has come entirely from the outside. For example, with money one is happy, without money one suffers, being loved is happy, being broken hearted is suffering…but in reality, all of these are not stable and can change at any time. The “happiness” revealed by Buddhism is built on inner foundations that are equally available to everyone. It is just that very few people know how to explore it. But once you have recognized it, you will then know what is unchangeable happiness.

The Way of the Bodhisattva also taught us: “All who fail to know and penetrate, this secret of the mind, the Dharma’s peak, although they wish for joy and sorrow’s end, will wander uselessly in misery.” This secret is very important! If we do not know the secret of the mind, even if we work ceaselessly in search of happiness from external things, or to avoid pain, in the end it is but futile effort.

Many people nowadays like the word “happiness” and often talk about it. Particularly, writers, the media, films, are always going on about “happiness”. Yet, how many people have truly found happiness? Very few. What is the crux of the problem? It is that they have not correctly found the source of happiness.

If we wish for happiness, then we need to more or less explore the secret of the mind. When you have actually done this, if you are of sharp faculty, then as soon as you observe your mind, you will awaken. This does not require long periods of research nor detailed theoretical reasoning. It just relies on a type of the teacher’s demonstration – a simple yet profound method, and you will realize the true nature of the mind instantly. In Han region and Tibetan region history, there were many such enlightened people.

Once upon a time, when Chan Master Hui Hai went to pay homage to Master Ma Zu, he was asked: “What do you hope to gain by coming here?”

He answered: “I have come seeking the Buddhadharma.”

Master Ma Zu said: “Instead of looking to the treasure house which is your very own, you have left home and gone wandering far away. What for? I have absolutely nothing here at all. What is this Buddhadharma you seek?”

Chan Master Hui Hai quickly asked: “Please tell me to what you alluded when you spoke of a treasure house of my very own?”

Master Ma Zu said: “That which asked the question is your treasure house. It contains absolutely everything you need and lacks nothing at all. It is there for you to use freely, so why this vain search for something outside yourself?” No sooner were these words spoken than the Chan Master Hui Hai received a great illumination and recognized his own mind.

Therefore, to someone with the right conditions, the teacher only needs to say a few words of guidance and he would comprehend by observing his own mind: “Ah, the true face of the world is just such, apart from this, there is nothing else…”

The greatest truths are the simplest! Ones who do not understand this, seek and explore in twists and turns. They observe through the Middle Way method, the Consciousness-only method, other methods…but these are all intellectual frivolity born of a discriminative mind. Similarly, scholars study Buddhism through archaeology today, analyze Buddhadharma with philosophy tomorrow…although they wish to reveal its profound meaning, but because they have not mastered the key methods, they never manage to touch the deeper layer.

This layer is truly a profound state of realization. If you say it is deep, it can be very deep; but if you say it is simple, it can also be very simple. It is not difficult to recognize. I will now talk about this briefly – only, it would not be skilful for me to talk about Tantric methods, as these require the listener to have practised the preliminary practices, received initiations, as well as many strict requirements. So, I will talk a little about ideas in the Tantrayana tradition that are similar to those in the Chan tradition.

Whether you are a professor, a scholar, or an ordinary Buddhist, now please observe your own mind -

When you observe it, you will discover: our mind is not in the brain, like suggested by mechanical Materialism. Nor is it in the heart, and definitely not in anywhere else. Since childhood, we have always believed in the existence of an “I”, believed that “I” have a “mind”, but what is the colour of this “mind”? What is the shape, how does it appear? … After observing these one by one, you will come to a completely new realization that: “How precious! The true nature of the mind is empty, and at the same time luminous.”

This realization, in terms of vocabulary, is what’s described in sutras and sastras as “Tathagatagarbha”, “luminosity”, “dharma nature”, “appearance and emptiness are not separate”, “luminosity and emptiness are not separate” … But words are just words, not true realization. If someone has thoroughly realized the true meaning behind these words, then even if he appears to be an ordinary person, in fact he is already out of the ordinary.

Just like the great Tibetan Buddhist teacher Mipham Rinpoche. Once he asked to see the highly famed Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, but was refused entry by the arrogant guards. Mipham Rinpoche did his best to push the guards aside and forced his way into the courtyard. Once inside, he saw Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo sitting, covered by his hood. Mipham Rinpoche was too scared to even breathe loudly, and prostrated meekly in front of the teacher. Suddenly, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo appeared from under the hood, slapped Mipham Rinpoche’s head with great force, and shouted: “Who are you?” Mipham Rinpoche was instantly enlightened.

What is this? This is Chan tradition’s “beat your thoughts to death, and let your Dharma-body come alive”. When your discriminative thoughts have been beaten to death, the wisdom of your Dharma-body comes alive. In Buddhist history, there were many who were enlightened this way. Some directly attained extremely high states of realization, and some reached the commonly attained realization of true nature. Therefore, when we uncover the treasure within us, this direct method is the most sublime. Tantric tradition’s “direct pointing out”, and Chan tradition’s “stick and shout” both use this kind of simple indication to dispel the cloud of anger, craving, and delusion within the practitioner’s mind, allowing the mind’s luminosity to manifest.

In truth, realizing the nature of the mind is essential to each and everyone. Also, it is not only practitioners who can do this, in all walks of life, there are many who have realized their true nature but do not openly discuss it. Thus, I hope that you can expend a little more effort on the nature of your mind, and through this uncover the treasure within you.

4. Perceive the relationship between “form” and “emptiness”

If we are unable to rapidly awaken like those with sharp faculties, then take a little time and using the Middle Way teachings of the Sutrayana tradition to slowly analyze and study can also be an express route.

So long as you use reasoning to understand that the nature of the mind is not being, not non-being, not both being and non-being, nor both not being and not non-being, not coming nor going, not permanent nor annihilated, not arising nor ceasing, not increasing nor decreasing…at a certain point, you will realize the idea of emptiness. It is truly as said in the Heart Sutra: “Form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form.”

However, there are those who really cannot understand this: “How can form be emptiness, and then emptiness is form?” There are even some who explain that: “Emptiness, is emptiness outside of form; form, is form outside of emptiness, form and emptiness are completely separated…” This saying is not correct.

I suggest that as intellectuals, you can borrow the analysis of quantum mechanics to similarly reason. Quantum mechanics believes that: material can be broken down into ever-smaller particles, molecule, atom, quark, subquark…for the moment we take “quark” as the smallest component of material. From the perspective of a bottle: is the original nature of the bottle quark? Yes it is. But is it a bottle separated from quark? No, it is not distinct to quark. Looking from the perspective of quark is the same: the quark that forms the bottle is itself the bottle. It is not quark that is separated from the bottle.

As such, from the analysis of quantum mechanics we can reach the same conclusion: form does not differ from quark, quark does not differ from form, form itself is quark, quark itself is form. This reasoning is very worthy of borrowing, I now recommend it to you, when you later try to understand the four verses from the Heart Sutra, you can try it for yourself.

Perhaps some will ask: “If the bottle is quark, and is even empty, then how do I use it to drink water?” Actually there are two dimensions here that cannot be mixed: in the true dimension, when we examine in detail, the bottle is quark and other miniscule particles, and even empty. Apart from these, the bottle indeed does not exist and of course one cannot talk of drinking water. Yet in the manifest dimension, when not examined in detail, the bottle is just bottle, it is not quark, not empty, and we can use it to drink water.

But some take it too far and think that “emptiness” refers to not existing, so they declare “there are no causes and effects, do not be attached to these.” Actually, if you are truly not attached, then you can survive without eating or going to the toilet, because these are all empty. But can you do this?

Therefore, these people merely pay lip service to “emptiness”, and they confuse the ultimate with the conventional. After all in conventional manifestations, wholesome deeds have wholesome karmic consequences, unwholesome deeds have unwholesome karmic consequences. These laws cannot be denied and cannot be overcome by anyone. Yet there are many today who not only do not understand these basic ideas of Buddhism themselves, they also explain things out of context. In this way, as they are misunderstanding the meaning of sutras, they are also causing others to misunderstand Buddhism.

Just then we talked about form and emptiness being indivisibly one, this state of indivisibly one is the treasure within us: the original nature of the mind is empty, but this type of emptiness is not emptiness only, there is also the luminosity that exists at the same time with it. Otherwise, if there is emptiness only, then the thoughts of our mind would lose a foundation, and in future there cannot be the manifestation of a form-body and dharma-body. Therefore, manifestation and emptiness are indivisibly one – “form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is form” is the original face of the mind.

Although these ideas are relatively deep, we can likewise observe and comprehend, and validate them through practice. During observations, we can recognize the nature of the mind by reasoning in the Sutrayana tradition. This is not difficult. But during cultivation, one needs the order of the preliminary practices.

In Buddhism, many practices need a basis. Otherwise, no matter how sublime the Dharma is, there can be a degree of danger during the practice. Therefore, it is best for someone studying Buddhism to first complete all the preliminary practices in order, then rely on methods such as the Tantric tradition’s “direct pointing out” or Chan tradition’s “independence of words” to directly realize the nature of the mind.

Please note that in this process, it is best if a teacher guides you. Sometimes under the appropriate causes and conditions, the teacher’s one indication, for example asking you to look at the sun, at the flower, or a casual sentence can allow someone with sharp faculties to instantly awaken. Once enlightened, when you look with wisdom upon boundless beings, you see that because they do not realize this, they drift in Samsara without any freedom and endure sufferings day and night. Compassion then naturally arises in you. This compassion is deep and all encompassing, and it is the “Great Compassion” mentioned in Mahayana Buddhism.

Of course, it is worth noting that every one of us has this Buddha nature that manifests when one awakens. The saying “every night go to sleep with the Buddha, every morning also awaken with the Buddha” refers to this original Buddha nature that is the treasure in our own mind. We go to bed each night hugging it, and wake up in the morning with it; we have never been away from it. Like water, even when it becomes solid ice, the original nature of the water has not left; or like waves in the sea, no matter gentle flickers or rolling waves, they are indivisibly one with the sea. Similarly, no matter what discriminative minds, cravings, anger, delusions that arise in you and I…at the moment that they arise, they are not far from the original Buddha nature.

However, although not far away, we do not recognize it, and this is the saddest part. Therefore, everyone must understand through studying, particularly through the guidance of spiritual friends; otherwise, we continue not to recognize it, continue to be confused, and continue to experience the torment of the three great sufferings and the eight great sufferings of Samsara.

5. A life without belief is a tragedy

Of course, to everyone, if temporarily one has not realized the nature of the mind, knowing some Buddhadharma and having belief is also a good thing. Otherwise, life without guidance and restraint will end as a tragedy.

Schools today do not lack high-tech, people today do not lack wisdom, but what do they lack? They lack the education of traditional culture, lack belief. Without these, even master or doctoral students find it hard to establish themselves in society. They are unskilled in how to be and how to do. A person without faith is actually not a small issue. I read in a Korean brochure that: Being without belief is like being without hope, without happiness!

At first glance, some may find this incredible. But you need to know that those without belief only know how to focus on the losses and gains immediately in front of them. They are only attached to the successes, failures, glories, and shames of this life, yet do not know how to prepare for future lives. Under the guidance of this wrong view, they live scores of busy and mediocre years, even committing all sorts of bad deeds to achieve their aims. How can one speak of happiness?

Some university students nowadays are really to be pitied. They have never received a traditional culture education, nor do they have the right faith, so they become quite self-centred. They are often in conflict with teachers, with fellow students; they like to splurge, but do not have much money, when they see others shopping, consuming, they feel that it is unfair. In addition they do not focus on their studies; despite being on a peaceful campus, they feel very restless inside, and are lost in various fancies and conjectures…In a word, lacking faith during university days leads one to becoming selfish, anxious, and full of animosity towards one’s surroundings.

These people do not know how to treasure time when at school. After graduation, they find a job, form a family, they feel that they are harassed by menial matters, have descended to being a slave to daily life, then they start to reminisce their wonderful student days…As such, from childhood to adulthood, even to old age, because of the lack of spiritual support, no matter what environment they live in, they always feel a strong void and are very discontent. They pass through a wasted life and leave behind only regrets.

Actually, whether or not one has faith has a lot to do with one’s blessings. Apart from this, the influence of one’s family and friends, and one’s environment can also have certain effects. With faith, one can be physically and mentally at ease, and also willingly restrain one’s own behaviours. Everyone is willing to be close to this kind of person, and this person’s life naturally becomes more relaxed and pleasant.

Thus, faith really is crucial. Otherwise, even if you have house, car, romantic love, and status, none of these can bring inner peace. If your life revolves solely around “I”, always thinking “I want to make more money”, “I want to live a good life”, yet never think of benefiting others nor have any sense of responsibility towards society; then no matter how well you study at school, or how much money you make in society, you will not experience true happiness.

Therefore, one who wishes to find happiness should be more far-sighted, more considerate towards others, and cultivate an altruistic mind. In this regard, I suggest that everyone read more Buddhist books – of course, it is not enough to merely read, you should also, with a devoted mind, try to realize its teachings. With this mind, even if you read only one book, one phrase, or just one sentence, the effect would be drastically different from usual. For someone with virtuous roots, the mind would go so far as instantly change; and irrespective of past abominable behaviours, one is reborn in the present moment. It is truly as Chan Master Si Ye said: ““Yesterday the mind of a Yaksha, today the face of a Bodhisattva, between Bodhisattva and Yaksha, there is not a single separating line.”

Of course, the nature of the mind requires you to personally recognize and to realize, otherwise, no matter how much and how wonderfully I talk, it is merely words. Guru Padmasambhava also said that without knowing the nature of the mind, even a great Dharma master who preaches on everything could not be free from delusions; knowing the secret of the mind, even an illiterate child shepherd can attain liberation.

There is also an incisive advice in the Platform Sutra: “Studying the Dharma without recognizing the original mind is of no benefit.” Without realizing the original nature of the mind, studying and practising the Dharma do not contribute to liberation; they merely sow a virtuous seed.

I heard that many of you like to do fire pujas. This may be a very good virtuous deed, but it is not the key. One should understand the Buddhadharma first, and then put it into actual practice to realize the nature of the mind. It is just like being a university student. You can join in all kinds of activities at school to widen your views and develop your abilities, but you cannot abandon studying, which is the most important. Similarly, when studying Buddhism, it is really important to clarify the priorities.

Also, I’d like to remind everyone that when studying Buddhism, whether you study the Sutrayana tradition or the Tantrayana tradition, you should co-exist with each other harmoniously. As long as it is pure and genuine Buddhadharma, it should be respected equally. There is no need to argue over some small matters and criticize this and that.

A few days ago, I met a Buddhist friend from Chao Zhou (Teochew), I asked him: “I have met many people from Chao Zhou when I visited Singapore and Thailand. They were all nice people, and quite successful. How do you do it?” He said: “I cannot speak for the younger generation, but we older people from Chao Zhou are frugal and united. As soon as we hear of a new arrival from Chao Zhou, we all help as one…” Hearing this, I thought: people from the same hometown can be like this, then surely we Buddhists can do better?

Of course, Buddhists are not uniting to exclude other religions or non-Buddhists. But to better preserve the Buddha’s idea of benefiting others, and to better spread the truth. The Buddha’s establishment of Buddhism originated from myriad causes and conditions. From now on, if Buddhism is to develop and be strong in order to benefit more beings, it also needs the push of causes and conditions, and it needs the collective will of everyone.

In this process, if Buddhism is to be increasingly accepted by people of the world and to dispel the inner troubles of everyone, then what is crucial is the education of Buddhadharma. Without it, even Buddhists, even intellectual Buddhists, cannot generate the right faith in Buddhism. I have come into contact with quite a few such people. Some specialize in Buddhist studies, but I felt that they have not yet expended much time nor studied deeply. As such, when they claim to be teaching “Buddhadharma”, there is actually still a certain distance from the original meaning of Buddhadharma.

Thus, whether you are a Buddhist scholar or a practitioner, systematically studying the Buddhadharma is very necessary. Also, it is not enough to just study one or two sastras, or to remain at a theoretical understanding. Only after deep and wide study and practice can one reach a solid understanding. It is just like worldly studies, for example, mathematics, physics, and chemistry; if you give a conclusion after browsing through them briefly, it is clearly not rigorous enough and would not be recognized by academia. In comparison, the teachings of Buddhism are even more vast and profound. If one merely skims a few books, how can one thoroughly understand it?

You need to know that, if Buddhism were separated from systematic education, it would lose its original essence, and descend into a mere form. Like many people nowadays, learning Buddhism for them is just doing prostrations, offering incense, chanting mantras, seeking the blessing of initiations…although these surface behaviours have some benefits, they are really not worth mentioning in comparison to the true benefits! In fact, what Buddhism can teach us extends far beyond just these. If you follow the guidance of Buddhadharma to explore within, you will discover that Buddhism not only has ways of resolving pain and suffering, purifying the body and mind, there are also ways of elevating one’s altruistic mind, all the way to methods of realizing the nature of the mind. This, is the most precious treasure.

Of course, if you do not study and practise, even though the treasure is within, you still cannot find it. You are clearly holding on to the treasure, yet you continue to wander aimlessly, desperately seeking the treasure outside. Is this not a kind of sorrow?

This is why after you start studying Buddhism; you should accord with your own conditions and expend some effort on the “Buddha nature” within you, in hope of soon uncovering the original treasure. This is of great importance!

6. Do not forget cause and effect no matter what high states of realization

Finally, I wish to emphasize: as you study the Buddhadharma, if you have certain feelings and signs of the fruit of practice, you must not at this point forget cause and effect.

In Buddhist history, although there are unusual behaviours like “Nan Quan kills a cat”, “Dan Xia burns Buddha”, “Ji Gong eats meat”, but these can only be practised by highly attained practitioners. When they have attained high states of realization, in order to subdue the attachments of particular beings, they deliberately demonstrate in such ways. But us ordinary beings definitely cannot copy such behaviours!

The Han region Chan master Yao-Shan once said: “Stand at the peak of a mountain, walk under the depth of the sea.” Even if your realization is as high as a mountain peak, you should carry yourself as humbly as the sea floor. Tibetan master Guru Padmasambhava also said that should your realization be higher than the sky, you should carefully choose cause and effect like sorting through powder. From this, we can see that great masters of the past shared the same view: no matter how sublime your state of realization is and how wise your understanding is, you must remain cautious in your ways and avoid creating any unwholesome karma.

In brief, I wish that everyone could learn to regulate the mind, let go of attachments, and nourish the spirit by doing good. If one day you truly open the treasure within, you will definitely be able to fulfil the wishes of all beings and allow them to find temporary as well as the ultimate peace and happiness!