Yesterday, I received a neighbor visitor in the Taitung Guan Room. The living room was just set up, and the newly purchased sofa set was delivered, and the guests came.It has been more than four years since the establishment of this closed room, and it has not officially received any other visitors except for the wife next door who walks through the back door almost every day and occasionally visits the nun, students who come from afar to place orders, and Dharma protectors.Why did you agree to receive this male visitor?Because he is our new neighbor and a Buddhist student, and his teacher is a well-known layman in the Buddhist world who teaches classes.He once asked me through the Dharma protector next to us to borrow the mountain spring water pipe that our dojo was located five or six kilometers away from. It can be considered that he has known each other for a while, but he has not spoken face to face yet. He suggested that I agree to meet with him and exchange Dharma by the way.Beforehand, I had a rough idea of ​​his teacher's style of teaching the Dharma. As a group of lay scholars, whether it was talking about Zen or chanting the Dharma, they always emphasized the use of the perspective of emptiness and non-signature. The disciples they trained also often I will take the initiative to discuss Taoism with others in the religious world, so I also took the opportunity to let him understand the Taoism style of our practice. Their teacher's unique teaching method.During the conversation, I could feel that he had respected me for a long time, so he was a little more modest when he expressed his point of view on the Dharma, and his debating style was much gentler than that of their fellow practitioners, but it was inevitable. The topic always wanted to wait for an opportunity to turn to the level of empty talk, so I also randomly took out the principle of emptiness that I usually don’t like to talk about, and changed his misconception that people in the Pure Land only know how to recite Buddha’s name. , in order to enhance his respect and guide him to clearly see that in our Taitung Puxian Guanfang, in addition to seeing a monk who is like a village husband and a foolish woman, he can also see that there is something out of nowhere. Holding the name according to the self-nature, the management is not two, the nature and appearance are the same, and the Buddha-nature can also be directly used in reciting the Buddha, in the practice of precepts, in seeing and letting go, in the generation of heart and mind, and so on. The real use in all times, not only in blind faith and practice.Although we don’t talk much about emptiness on weekdays, we have long been able to integrate emptiness into Buddha recitation, into the world without conflict, into the unchanging contingency, and into all the repentance practices for ignorance.After listening to it, he could not refute it, and he was able to re-examine to some extent the Pure Land Dharma door that he thought only knew how to promote the superficial teachings, only to persuade people to keep the precepts and recite the Buddha honestly, completely understand emptiness, and still be very far from the state of mind and view. Far away little mage.It seems that during this meeting, I temporarily suppressed his enthusiasm for teaching the Fa to me, which seemed to be lurking.

In addition, I took the initiative to clearly point out to him my views on the rise of the white robe during the end of the Dharma era.From the point of view of Buddha-nature, clear mind, seeing nature, becoming a Buddha, and saving sentient beings can all be done regardless of being a monk. Layman Vimalakirti showed himself as a lay Buddha. He is a good example. In the realm of identity, it is only a random education in the world, and it does not become a Buddha by itself. It directly replaces or also represents the identity of the Three Jewels World-Honored One and becomes the alternative leader of this side.Why is there only one Buddha living in the world in any country in the ten directions, and there have never been two Buddhas who are both leaders?Doesn't it say that Buddha-nature is equal and everyone can prove it?The reasoning here is very deep.It is also said that when a Buddha is born, thousands of Buddhas support it. After a Buddha is born, many Bodhisattvas will follow him to protect the Dharma. Desire) Self-reliance as the leader, actively ascending the throne to educate the party.Because if you do this, in the end, these ordinary beings who are deeply attached to each other will compare with each other in the ordination home, comment on the merits of each school like watching a play, and gradually lose their respect for the Three Jewels. The practice of liberation is not really helpful but rather harmful!

I also emphasized to him that, in fact, the great Dharma protectors who are truly virtuous are also those who have cultivated and certified, and only then can they truly do their duty as Dharma protectors. Being a Dharma protector does not mean that their realm is relatively high. Poor, the weight is relatively light, just like those who protect the seclusion, their cultivation realm should be higher than those who are in seclusion, and it is the master who protects and supports the disciples to practice. More money is called the Great Protector. You see, Manjushri is the teacher of the seven Buddhas. He is a compassionate and great vow. He is now a Bodhisattva to support and support the World Honored Sakyamuni and sing together.Therefore, as a Dharma protector who has practiced and certified, he should know how to play the role of virtue in his own role and use the most appropriate method to protect the Sangha, or he can also become a monk himself. According to the order, Laying a solid foundation for learning and upholding the precepts of monkhood, following the status standard of the Buddhist system of burdening the family business, and then sharing the family business of the Tathagata, spreading the Dharma and benefiting the living, in the long run, this is the right path that is beneficial to both parties. Contribute to the prosperity of Buddhism.

Therefore, regarding the phenomenon of white clothes ascending to the throne in the end of the Dharma period, as a monk, I clearly pointed out to him that I can only respect the Buddhas and rejoice in the hearts of the laymen and great virtues. I am glad that more sentient beings can be saved from suffering in many ways. I usually encourage my students at home to actively use appropriate methods to cooperate with Sangha and treasures to jointly promote the Dharma. The propaganda of the Buddhadharma must be done in an appropriate way, and it must be able to cooperate and unite with the Sangha.Seeing the current situation, at the end of the Dharma period, as mentioned in the scriptures, high seats in white clothes, and the inversion of the Dharma guardians of the monks can be seen from time to time. I think that as a Buddhist disciple, we should objectively guide and correct according to the circumstances. Settle down and cooperate with each other, so that Buddhism can be expected to talk about real prosperity.Otherwise, in the end, my initial good intentions will end up doing bad things, and the white robes will gradually replace the monks. The monks who were supposed to live in the world on behalf of the Buddha, and who were designated to carry the Tathagata's family business, would not get the respect they deserve and be nurtured. chance.It is not easy for practitioners who truly have the Dao-mindedness and kind-heartedness to become a monk to find a cause and condition to practice in accordance with the Dharma!One of the main reasons is that there is a lack of righteous Dharma protectors!Those who meet the conditions of great Dharma protectors are not absent, but most of them do not fulfill their duties as Dharma protectors or have the wrong methods of protecting the Dharma.From such a long-term perspective, in fact, for the overall development of Buddhism, it is decided that there are more harm than good, and the lay Buddhists are not really protecting the Dharma and teaching.In modern Taiwanese Buddhist circles, there was a great lay Buddhist who had a very special karmic karma and was quite cultivated. When he really saw these facts clearly, he gave us a very rare demonstration, that is, he still had time to repent before his death. The wrong demonstration he made, and entrusted all his disciples to the monks and treasures, and instructed his disciples to destroy all his writings and take refuge in the monks and treasures with full management. The popularity of virtue is truly respected by monks and treasures.

After listening to my sincere, objective and undisguised remarks, this neighbor and visitor who also wanted to come to discuss Taoism had no choice but to remain silent. The views in each other's conversation began to have another correspondence and understanding. It was a very harmonious legal discussion.Later, he raised some doubts. During the conversation, it seemed that I always emphasized the precepts. For example, as a Buddhist chanting person who promotes the Pure Land, at the same time, I learned the precepts by relying on the lawyers of Shangguo and Xiaqing. Desire to take precepts and learn precepts, and question whether it is necessary for a Buddhist chanting person to do this?When he asked this question, it really touched me a lot.The precepts were originally the fundamental and fundamental difference between Buddhism and heresy. As he repeatedly emphasized, those who talk about cultivation without entering into emptiness are not practicing true Buddhism, and those who talk about cultivation without keeping precepts are also Not a true Buddhist disciple.So it's not that I'm emphasizing the precepts, but that most monks and lay Buddhists ignore the importance of precepts in practice, so that it seems that I'm emphasizing or advocating deliberately. In fact, I'm just taking the opportunity. I just need to talk about it. I am also a person who repents and make up lessons. After I woke up from focusing on the theory of scriptures, I quickly continued to deepen the foundation of the precepts.Eighty-four thousand dharmas, without the foundation of precepts, would all be just empty talk about the Dharma.In the current situation of Buddhism, not only those who like to participate in Zen teaching, but even those who specialize in Buddhist chanting are indeed very easy to take the scale of convenience and openness too loose. It is enough to reduce the precepts of the sravaka to the ten precepts of the novice, and it is enough to reduce the precepts of the bodhisattva to the five precepts or even the three refuges. This seems to have a pragmatic side on the surface, but it is far-reaching to the four disciples. There are potential obstacles to the improvement of the quality and practice.In particular, people who like to talk about empty teachings are only willing to focus on the principles and upholdings rather than the cultivation of the precepts. They like to follow their ordinary afflictions and habits and mistake them for freedom and ease. That way the cultivation is even more dangerous.It’s better if you don’t work hard. The more you work, the greater the chance of being possessed by demons. Often, you live in an empty space that you have imagined in your own mind according to your own troubles and habits. In fact, misunderstood the news without knowing it.The emptiness taught in Buddhism does not mean that there is nothing, nor is it because the five aggregates are empty, everything is empty and false, so one does not care about cause and effect. The emptiness taught in Buddhism is infinitely broad and includes all wonderful existences, so all things have appearances. It cannot be attached or separated, so the emptiness that enters into it is a vacuum, not a false emptiness.

I answered him at the time. I didn’t mean to emphasize the precepts or to claim that I was studying the precepts. I was still just a Buddhist man who had always specialized in practicing and promoting the Pure Land. After the lack of knowledge, I feel that the longer I practice, the more I gain, the more I will want to go back and revisit the fundamental course of discipline. It is only when I experience the importance and necessity of this behavior that I have such behavior. At the same time, it was also because the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas arranged for me to be close to the lawyers of Shangguo and Qingqing, which made me admire the noble virtues of monks, and cultivated admiration for them. In contrast to the virtuous and altruistic demeanor of Mahayana practitioners who uphold and integrate with others, most of our Mahayana disciples really seem to be too loose and neglected in the connotation of precepts.Therefore, I myself have the right to be a person who shows the precipice and rein in the horse, doing my duty to make up lessons and persuading others to be altruistic.

In the past, although I also studied in the Baolin Temple, which was founded by the old monk Xuyun in Hong Kong, and the precepts were also very strict, but after all, the precepts held in the Zen school were not as subtle as those in the Vinaya School, especially the precepts. In the practice of sin repentance, and after I have been majoring in Buddhism for many years and have a little understanding under the sectarianism, I naturally feel the need to further cultivate from this root from the actual practice. People who recite Buddhism say that a person who truly has true faith and desire to seek life in the West does not unnaturally rejoice in breaking up evil and cultivating goodness, and keeping precepts and reciting Buddhahood. Otherwise, the faith and desire are likely to be false.Because precepts are a common compulsory subject for all sects, they can only add to the majors of our various sects, and do not hinder or interrupt. It is difficult to improve further, and it is difficult to reach the realm of Dinghui.Any Buddha or Bodhisattva who has a clear mind, sees nature and becomes a Buddha will teach and transform sentient beings, and they will all set an example and demonstrate to all sentient beings. From the precepts, concentration and wisdom, especially the fundamental starting of the precepts, especially the fundamental starting of the precepts, they are constantly strict and strict through the precepts. Only by holding on to it can concentration and wisdom be maintained and deepened continuously. These are complementary and indispensable parts.If a practitioner with a clear mind and view of nature only wants to rest on emptiness, and uses convenience everywhere to be liberated, he is mistakenly thinking that he is liberated, and the feelings caused by others are not liberation but fear.Can a cultivator who does not strictly observe precepts make the people around him feel at ease?Can he achieve the merit of fearless generosity?A Buddhist reciter who is truly dead and has true faith and vows, if he is unwilling to learn the precepts and keep the precepts, and he is unable to be a director, he can truly think about the name, hold the name, recite the Buddha all day long, and be full of precepts, concentration, and wisdom. , So is this kind of faith and vow of Buddhist chanting people true faith and true vow?Is it really possible to live?decision impossible.Therefore, a person who really understands his mind and sees his nature, or a person who sincerely recites Buddha's words to survive in the West, does not fail to follow his own strengths, learn the precepts diligently, and have solemn dignity. This is the natural and correct behavioral response. .

After answering this, he no longer raised any objections or opinions on the question raised about learning precepts.After finishing this period of about two hours of Dharma talks and exchanges between monks and lay Buddhists, the content can clearly point out the current situation of monks and monks learning precepts at home, so I put it here, maybe through this neighbor. The episode unfolded by the friendly visit can also become a good source for everyone to reflect and reflect together, so this conversation will be more meaningful.