Having fully grasped the relation between the mundane life and the fear of death, one can probably be able to make light of his previous attachment to the mundane life. What I would like to add here is this: One’s making light of the attachment to the mundane life should not be exploited as a “justification” for one’s indulgence in a life laden with licentiousness. From the perspective of the Buddhist Chan tenets, we regard such a “justification” as an intentional or unintentional abuse of the concept of “emptiness” which is the kernel of Buddhism. Buddhism upholds human body as a treasure. Though Buddhism holds the mundane life as a phenomenal process deplorably inane, yet the life of an individual, which usually spans decades, is a very valuable stint of time. Such a valuable stint of time can be made more meaningful if its owner would address himself or herself to learning Buddhism and putting Buddhism into practice until he or she attains Buddhahood. Some people may wonder if it is really possible for an average person to be elevated to Buddhahood. In other words, their question is: Can an average person be transformed into a Buddha? My answer is a definite “yes”. Buddha is at the same time a human being who has attained awakening. That is why in many Buddhist Scriptures are reiterated the statements that “all sentient beings have originally been Buddhas”, that “all sentient beings are unenlightened Buddhas”, and that “Buddhas are enlightened sentient beings”. Please don’t complacently delude yourself by presuming that a Buddha is entitled to lead an exalted life like an enshrined divinity. Remember, in the decades following his attainment of Buddhahood, Sakyamuni persisted in leading just a mendicant life to have himself survive. After the attainment of Buddhahood, a common sentient being succeeds in becoming a Buddha. Though physiologically he is still his former self, yet psychologically he has undergone a radical change, as his psyche is now filled with peace and sagacity and his mind is serener. He has thus become wiser and is more ebullient than ever.(From My Heart My Buddha)
The mission throughout a practitioner’s life is elimination from his psyche of delusion. The absence in his psyche of delusion is the prerequisite for the presence therein of Buddha-nature. The moment his Buddha-nature can sally forth beyond its obscuration in his psyche to shine, he is enlightened and lands in Buddhahood. The development of Buddhism, as a religion, has ramified it into numerous sects and schools. The crucial difference between all the Buddhist sects and schools is epitomized by variation on the methodology for eliminating delusions. For example, the methodology adopted by the Buddhist Chan Order for eliminating delusions is the practice of concentrating contemplation on the “hua-tou” (话头, which is a response elicited in the course of a “koan session”), whereas the Pure Land School teaches the method of reciting the Buddha’s name, “Amitabha Buddha”, for the purpose of eliminating delusions. The methods resorted to by the Tientai School for inducing its practitioners to get rid of delusions are the following three: <1> the counting of a practitioner’s breathings when he starts a sitting meditation for the purpose of making his mind concentrate, <2> the practicing of samatha, and <3> the practicing of vipasyana. Tantrism sanctions the methods for smothering delusions by seeking the realization of the essential oneness of one’s self and of the visible world with Shiva-Shakti (the Godhead). Some Buddhist sects follow the method for stifling delusions by attaining Samadhi through a particular process of sitting meditation. And other miscellaneous Buddhist sects opt for asceticism as a means to conquer delusions. Sakyamuni himself deliberately devised an astonishingly great number of dharma-gates that all function to undo the sources of delusions. Therefore to effect an extinction of delusions is an issue of uppermost importance and concern with all practitioners. (From My Heart My Buddha)
It is only when a practitioner has fully comprehended the import of “forsaking” (relinquishment), the “dimensions” of “forsaking”, and the ways in which “forsaking” can be realized that he can be said to be fully in the know of the significance of almsgiving and donation. “Forsaking” and almsgivings and donation are two aspects constituting a unity, being not unlike the two sides to a coin. Neither can exist without the other. No genuine “forsaking” means no genuine almsgivings and donation. It is prescribed in Buddhist canon that the practice of almsgiving and donation be set as the constituent of topmost importance of all the constituents forming the behavioral norm of a bodhisattva. But it is quite pointless to equate a bodhisattva with a person taking a fancy to being generous and helpful. A bodhisattva is far more than generous and helpful, being full of sagacity and keenly insightful of non-reality of the worldly life and evolution in the universe. The option taken by a bodhisattva of going supramundane does not at all contradict the option taken by him (or her) of taking part in some activities of the worldly life in order to administer popular salvation. Why? As a bodhisattva, he or she has fully recognized the non-reality of the five skandhas and elements and thus completely forsaken the worldly life. His or her psyche has already attained a “spiritual purity” which is characterized by an absence of both “egocentrism” and “attachment to bhava (material or phenomenal existence)”. A bodhisattva is a being who has gained transcendence over all the bhavas appearing in all aspects of the worldly life and has spiritually embarked on a stage of religious life that is supramundane. Going supramundane is actually the highest realm of spiritual attainment—which is also called “the spiritual attainment of arhat”—sought by a practitioner of Hinayana (small vehicle) practices. After a practitioner has attained “the spiritual attainment of arhat”, he or she will—by improving on “the spiritual attainment of arhat”—strive to acquire new and higher transcendence over the stage of religious life that is supramundane which he or she has previously embarked on. When a practitioner has gained new and higher transcendence, his or her wisdom will be raised to the sublime level of “being able to remain totally independent of both non-reality and material (or phenomenal) existence”. Given his or her possession of such a sublime level of wisdom, he or she would be able to master the divine art of freely and impeccably commuting between the option of going supramundane and the option of taking part in some activities of the worldly life in order to administer salvation to the multitudes. And given his or her possession of such a sublime level of wisdom, he or she would spontaneously feel great compassion and affection for and commiseration with all the sentient beings on the earth. Thus they would go to take part in some activities of the worldly life. There a bodhisattva—for he or she is now a typical bodhisattva—would do his or her utmost to administer the universal salvation. This is the behavioral pattern prescribed for a bodhisattva. From the expatiation given above, it is, therefore, evident that the practice of almsgiving and donation should be duly regarded as an act befitting the behavioral norm set for a bodhisattva. It is only when viewed in such a perspective that the full dimensions of the practice of almsgiving and donation can be adequately shed light on and properly evaluated. It is incumbent upon all Buddhists to enlighten all those, who have been only recently initiated into Buddhist self-cultivation or are just recent converts, on the full dimensions of the practice of almsgiving and donation, so that the dimensions of all the functions, merits, and benefits of almsgiving and donation would not be lost on them when they set about practicing almsgiving and donation or when they are enlisted as recipients of Buddhists’ alms and donation. Otherwise it is very likely that their practice of Buddhism might get disoriented.(From My Heart My Buddha)
Purport of idioms (such as “It is superego alone which really merits a comprehensive screening in the course of meditation”, “To sift through superego is simply for tracing the whereabouts of Buddha-nature”, “To gain Buddhahood by way of suddenly acquired enlightenment is definitely feasible”) that have become catchwords with the Order of Buddhist Chan is in essence an exhortation impelling us to delve into all kinds of occurrences of everyday life for discerning and ascertaining the truth revealed by Siddhartha Gautama who had neither pored over any sutra nor paid homage to any bodhisattva in his life, because neither sutra nor bodhisattva ever existed in his lifetime. He brought the truth to light by delving into all kinds of everyday occurrences. I would like to point out here that the Order of Buddhist Chan has learned its entire system of tenets directly from Siddhartha Gautama, whereas all the other orders of Buddhism in China have learned their respective systems of religious tenets just via a transmission achieved by disciples of Siddhartha Gautama. In saying this, I intend merely to pinpoint the very aspect, in which the Order of Buddhist Chan can be definitely differentiated from all its peers in China, and I do not at all imply here that the Order of Buddhist Chan is in any way superior to any other Buddhist order in China. All Buddhist orders in China are on a par and completely on an equal footing. So long as a Buddhist order in China would conform to the basic doctrines of Buddhism, it is bound to flourish by gaining more penetrating insight into the truth taught by Siddhartha Gautama. （From My Heart My Buddha）
Practicing Kungfu is a profession. Martial arts is the foundation and Kungfu lies in youself. Practicing Kungfu has to be firm or solid: basic skills, sets, attack and defence as well as Kungfu, working steadily. The orderly Kungfu practice can change disorderly. Chan is the root and Kungfu lies in your heart. You must contemplate from your heart. Kungfu can’t be superb until finding your true self. (From Words of Chan by Shi Yongxin)
Some people establish undertakings that are vigorous but may have a sense of emptiness; what some people do is the social edge career but may be very full. Therefore Buddhism thinks that it is not necessary for each one to become a monk and it is also necessary for everyone to have a very good job industry. No matter what you do, this is always a discipline or practice in every industry. That is also both responsibilities and obligations for society. Trying to satisfy people is the very state or the realm towards kindness and ascending. (From Words of Chan)
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