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A picture conveys a thousand words. Hahaha.... this post is going to be different. I am just going to post a picture of the cover of a book by the late Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh, a publication by Parallex Press. Rather than listen to "certain" Bhikkhu's sphewing of their own opinion (especially there's this particular monk that is very divisive), this is a much better teaching. I don't necessarily take in all that is said in this book "lock, stock and barrel" but from here, I understood the gist of the Mahayana ideal. This is the only post in March, 2024. On the one hand, you have this extreme of treating defilements (kilesa) too hard-on and regarding them as more important to rid of them than to absorb some negative defilements for the sake of helping others. On the other hand, you have the other extreme of treating defilements as empty and thus, you have this wrong thinking you can give rise to your emotions and do any actions you like without regard to karma. Or, you may think too irresponsibly that you are able to absorb some karma yourself. But in actual fact it will result in your own downfall into a deep hole that you may never recover from thereafter. And you yourself need saving by others. This is the silliness of the other extreme. From the RIGHT or CORRECT treatment of defilements and the wise adoption of the bodhisattva path, it is possible to transcend our limiting beliefs in traditional Buddhist Schools. I leave you with these thoughts. Actually today marks the birthday of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva according to the lunar calendar (2nd lunar month 21st day). And it is fitting for me to celebrate his holy activities with this blog post. And since this is the Cheng Beng occasion too whereby we make offerings and remember our departed ones, I would like to offer whatever merits arising from this post to my late mother, as well as all sentient beings with the hope, all sentient beings will eventually realise their Enlightenment and be free from sufferings!
Make your own effort, if you are interested in this book. Meanwhile, you can peruse other posts in this blog, such as this one : https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2013/10/celebrating-bodhicitta.html
