Karmapa: For the Dharma to enter the heart, you cannot just turn the rosary and recite the mantra!

Tibetan Buddhism Forum 2019-11-28 18:04

Tibetan Buddhism Forum

Dade French | exoteric teachings

Nowadays, many people are saying "I am practicing, I am learning Buddhism", but in fact everyone has different understandings and understandings of "cultivation". Some people think "I am practicing" because "I am making offerings" or "I am praying", "I am reading many Buddhist scriptures and many treatises", "I am meditating", etc., so they will say "I am practicing, I am studying Buddhism".

But I think it is very important to "wish your mind to the Dharma". Your practice must really be in line with the Buddha's teachings and you are practicing.What does this mean?Many friends will come to see me and share with me how they became Buddhists or what changes they have had after becoming Buddhists. However, it sounds to me like what they describe is more of an external or formal difference, as if "learning Buddhism" is just formal, something you wouldn't do before, but now you have changed and you can do it.

For example, they would say, “I didn’t worship Buddha before, and I didn’t know how to worship Buddha, but now I know how to worship Buddha, so I am a Buddhist. ” Or some people say, "I didn't know how to hold rosary beads before, but now I hold rosary beads in my hand," or "What mantra can I recite now?" etc.But we have to think about it, will these external changes make you a Buddhist?Are these the definitions of "Dharma"?Not necessarily.

So here I speak from personal experience. I was born in a Buddhist family, so it is not very difficult to get in touch with Buddhism or have faith in Buddhism.I know that it is very difficult for some of you here, because maybe you are practicing Buddhism, but your family members are not practicing Buddhism, so you are facing some difficulties.But I'm not.

Anyway, what happened next was that I was certified as "Karmapa" when I was seven years old. Who is "he"? “ Who is "Karmapa"?I don’t even know, but one day someone said to me, “You are the Karmapa,” then I said, “Okay! 」Then I’ll be the one,” and just pretend to be the Karmapa.

Anyway, I then entered the monastery and continued to study Buddhism and gain some understanding of Buddhism. So from this experience, it was natural, or it could be said to be inevitable, that I became a Buddhist.

So if someone asked me, “Are you a Buddhist?”，I can quickly and simply say “Of course!”。So "being a Buddhist" is a very natural answer for me. I am a Buddhist.

But then, another more profound question is, am I a good person?Am I kind enough?You will find that it is not easy to answer this question, and you may need to think again.

Sometimes when I think about it, I realize, "It doesn't seem to be true." Sometimes it's good, but sometimes it's really bad, and most of the time it's not very good.

So at this time you will find that you claim to be a Buddhist, but ask yourself, when it comes to "Dharma", or when "Dharma" means "goodness" and "good", have I done it right?Am I really doing it?We might even say:“Isn't "becoming a Buddhist" supposed to be better and more noble than "being a good person"?But I didn't do it.

So maybe until now, I am not a real Buddhist. When I say "I am a Buddhist", it may be just a natural pretense under the influence of the environment, or a case of self-deception.

Therefore, I feel that "cultivation" does not mean that you have to become very different, such as suddenly changing into strange clothes, or even becoming very strange, so that others can see that you are a Buddhist when walking on the road. This is not the case.

“"Becoming a Buddhist" or "learning Buddhism" is not an external change. I think the most important thing is:Your heart becomes kinder, you become a good person, and even your heart becomes more open and tolerant. I think this is the most important thing.