1 Feb 2011

Dear Brothers and Sister

Singapore Dharma Talks 2010 Questions and Answers

From 19 November 2010 to 21 November 2010, Dharma Master Heng Sure

was in Singapore at the invitation of The Buddhist Union to deliver Dharma Lectures in the
three evenings. During the three evenings, more than 50 questions were received. He
had kindly analysed the questions and The Buddhist Union had reproduced them, where
appropriate, for your perusal online.

GS Tan
Dhammaduta Sub-Committee
The Buddhist Union
Singapore

**********************************

1. Question: Your lectures of these two days are cool. May I have a copy of your
slides? The verses of your songs are very beautiful and profound.
Thank you for giving teachings in Singapore. Hope you come more
often. We wish you well, healthy and happy.

Answer: Thank you very much. I’m glad you like the songs. The slideshows
are in Macintosh format and don’t convert well to PowerPoint. I may
be able to post them on my blog later.

2. Question: I'm an undergraduate student who has always been keen in

Buddhism and spiritual development. It's been a long time since I
last read the Great Compassion Mantra and some other sutras. I
picked it up recently and kept chanting it for a period of time and all
of a sudden I felt so stressed, almost in a state of depression. I even
had extreme thoughts of committing suicide. I made several
attempts in fact. I have no idea what caused such sudden urges and
extreme thoughts. It was such a painful experience I felt it was my
karmic obstacles preventing me from returning to Buddhism. Am I
right to say that? I've kind of stopped chanting after this incident.
And having said this I try to force myself to do it. I'm feeling kind of
hopeless and helpless. Can you give me some advice? I'm lost as to
what's happening.

Answer: The connection between your recitation and your emotional

state may be there, and it may be unrelated. Have you considered
that if you hadn’t recited perhaps the suicide wish might have
succeeded? Because karma is invisible it is difficult to determine
causation. You can’t say for certain that this result came about from
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 this cause. Your conclusion that some invisible force is trying to
keep you from practicing is not impossible; it is, however,
improbable and should not be your first choice of cause. Buddha
Dharma takes empathy and compassion as its basis; depression
and suicide would be an unlikely and extreme reaction to reciting a
mantra that is based on kindness and compassion. If we stick to
common sense, then reciting a mantra should not trigger karmic
obstacles that exert some sort of lethal force over you. If you are
certain that there is a connection then I would suggest that you
cultivate a method that doesn’t generate feelings of depression. The
Buddha perfected both blessings and wisdom. You might try doing
good deeds and increasing your blessings in this way. Mantras may
not be the best method for you at the moment. I personally like
bowing and find it a wonderful combination of relaxing yoga and also
insightful contemplations. Master Hsuan Hua bowed to the Buddhas
night and day for ten years. You might consider switching.

3. Question: Master, do you cultivate the 42 Hands and Eyes with one hand or
both hands? As home disciples do we have the ability to open the
five eyes and six psychic penetrations?

Answer: Currently, following Master Hua’s instructions, we are not giving

instructions in his 42 Hands and Eyes method. Psychic powers
depend on great wisdom and compassion. They are the result of
dedicated cultivation and require one to end all desire. To do so
while living at home is possible but difficult simply because of the
intense, single-minded focus you need to succeed.

4. Question: Was Buddha a born vegetarian?

Answer: Probably yes. The Buddha was born into a culture dominated by
Hinduism and Brahmanism, which both advocate a vegetarian diet.
Prince Siddhartha ate no beef, certainly, because Hindus don’t kill
cows.

5. Question: I wish more Buddhist monastics used music to spread the Dharma.
Unfortunately this is not common here in Asia. How can we
encourage it? Your music is refreshing and very effective in
conveying the message.

Answer: I thank you for your encouragement. Monks take precepts and the
Ten Novice Precepts specifically prohibit playing musical
instruments. Yet monks and nuns spend hours each day playing
Dharma instruments. Obviously the difference is the kind of music
you are making, and your intent. If you are praising the Triple Jewel
and your intent is to bring others to resolve to wake up, then making
music creates merit, not offenses.

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6. Question: Dear Venerable I'm sure we’re here for certain purposes. How can
we find that purpose?

Answer: If your question means “fated,” to achieve some purpose then

Buddhism doesn’t include the notion of fate. Your destiny is in your
own hands; common sense and hard work based on solid vows can
create a brand-new purpose. All the same, if you quiet your mind
using a Dharma-method you will generally find your feet walking
directly towards what you are supposed to be doing. Pay more
attention to your feet than to your thoughts in terms of finding what
you are supposed to do. Another method is to listen carefully to your
heart. Most often our hearts are speaking loudly to us but we are so
busy pursuing desires that we can’t hear the voice of our hearts.

7. Question: I'm in my 50s and still working. About two years ago I started to
travel about two times a year. A Buddhist friend told me to stop
traveling as this will deplete my blessings; I should devote my time
to reciting Amitabha and chanting his sutra. Will the venerable
please advise me about traveling and to give me blessings?
Thank you.

Answer: Your friend’s advice makes no sense to me. If you are traveling in
order to benefit people then you are increasing blessings. If you stay
at home and do selfish things, then even though you are not
traveling you are still depleting your blessings. Your friend’s advice
to practice the pure land method is good advice if you enjoy that
method. But any practice that increases your afflictions and also
increases your fear is not a wholesome method and should be
abandoned. Also, since reciting Amitabha’s name happens in your
mind, you can recite constantly whether you are traveling or safe on
your own armchair. The practice is portable. Recite all the time!

8. Question: If we are called by the Buddha and seek refuge with the master,
and if we choose a Dharma door, what do we do when you're
separated from her teacher for a long period of time? What do we do
when we are left to cultivate our own practices without a Master’s
guidance?

Answer: Traditionally there are three reasons why one might seek another
teacher. The first is because one’s teacher has died; the second is
because one’s teacher has gone far away; the third is because
one’s teacher has disrobed or is no longer teaching. Under those
circumstances and one feels an affinity, than one can seek another
teacher and follow his or her instructions. If you have no teacher
nearby then hold the precepts in your mind: don’t fight, don’t be
greedy, don’t merely seek (without applying effort), don’t be selfish,
don’t seek selfish advantages, and don’t lie. Those guidelines will
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 keep your feet on the path at all times with or without a teacher
nearby.

9. Question: How may I best pray for you: the teacher of us all? For if I am unable
to teach at this time, I wish to know how best for blessings on you,
your life and your work. May you have clarity of good health and
well-being, perception and insight etc.

Answer: Your generous offer of prayers is most kind. The best prayers for me
are ones that increase your wisdom and blessings.

10. Question: How does Buddhism explain the existence of the universe and the
beginning of life on earth?

Answer: The Buddha himself avoided philosophical speculation. Even if I

knew with certainty the answer to the questions you ask, it would not
help my cultivation at all; my ignorance and bad habits would not
change. If you are bitten by a snake it doesn’t save your life to
discuss the weather on the day you were bitten; you have to get the
snake-bite poison out before you ask irrelevant questions. That
being said, the Buddha taught that everything is made from the mind
alone; our minds make the worlds we inhabit. Change your mind
and you change the world.

11. Question: Please enlighten us on your understanding of one what is a religion?

Two what is the philosophy? Three where is Buddhism in
relationship to (questions) one and two?

Answer: The religion is a set of beliefs and practices, often based on the
teachings of a founder and leading towards well-being for the
believers. Philosophy is disciplined inquiry leading to assertions
about humanity and the world. Buddhism contains both religious
and philosophical elements; it uses the human mind as its
laboratory; in that way shares certain aspects with both religion
philosophies. Buddhism has often been called a system of healing
and a system of education. The Buddha has been called the great
King of Physicians.

12. Question: In my daily practice when I sense craving arising, should I prevent it
and try to suppress the craving, or just note that it arises and just
check it, or do both, or do neither? Thank you.

Answer: Choice two is correct. Most important is to understand the nature of

craving and to recognize that it cannot be satisfied. If you see
craving as it is, like the flame that consumes everything it touches,
than you will be less likely to want to pursue craving and try to satisfy
it. The Middle Way of moderation always works; the problem lies not
with the object you crave but with the mind that craves it.

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13. Question: In the West, Buddhism is sought after as an alternative; here in
Singapore many have grown up with Buddhism. However how do
we get the younger generation interested and into with Buddhism
when it seems like a ritualistic religion not in touch with modern
times?

Answer: If Buddhists practice Buddhism ritualistically and don’t look into the
mind, if we don’t apply the wisdom of the Dharma to our behavior
and in fact behave in ways that do not reflect wisdom and
compassion, then certainly any young person whose mind is awake
will want to walk the other way. I would encourage them not to follow
models like that. You become what you behold; the fault in this case
lies with the adults who understand Buddhism shallowly or whose
practice has become ritualized. To interest young people you have
to talk to their minds and supply answers that make sense according
to scientific logic and to common sense.

14. Question: Will the casino in Singapore bring us good fortune or bad karma?
What are the economic benefits versus the karmic troubles?

Answer: Would you like to live next door to a casino? Would you like your
children to go to school in a same neighborhood as a casino?
Casinos increase greed, decrease well-being, attract people who
want something for nothing, bring on heart break when the house
takes all your money, encourages people to lax behavior and often
intoxication which then can lead to criminal behavior and suffering.
Who really gets the benefits of casino? Do the profits trickle down to
the community? Is there any evidence that casinos benefit local
communities anywhere in the world? I will let you draw your own
conclusions.

15. Question: Do I create bad karma by not intentionally killing thousands of ants
in my kitchen sink and trash? Thank you for your teachings.

Answer: I’m not sure I really understand your question. Are you suggesting
that one must kill ants for some reason? To ask a Buddhist monk
this question seems needless: You already know the answer. Ants
were here before humans. They will probably outlast our species as
well, so we should learn to coexist. Keep your sink clean. Ants only
come when you feed them. If they’re seeking water provide water
down on the floor. Keep your trash in a plastic liner inside the
garbage bin with tight-fitting lid. Recite Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s
name and be grateful that you have a mind that knows right from
wrong. If you were an ant, wouldn’t you want your local humans to
be kind?

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16. Question: I have a European friend who is keen to study Buddhism. How
should he start? There are too many terms which he doesn't
understand. Could you recommend a Buddhist book that is easier to
understand thank you?

Answer: I recommend the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra, available from the
Buddhist text translation society, (www.bttsonline.org ) I began by
reading this text and it is free of jargon and very inspiring. Any of
Master Hua’s Talks on Dharma are also good places to begin. I
have book called News From True Cultivators, which also
introduces Buddhist practice for beginners.

17. Question: How do we practice when we are sick or nothing much we can do
that helps?

Answer: “Sick” is a relative term. From the Buddhist point of view, having a
body that gets old and dies is the greatest and most universal
sickness. All of Buddhist practice takes as its starting point curing
this basic sickness. So if you accept this idea then all Buddhist
practice is done while we’re sick.

As for your question, depending on the illness that you have, you
can practice in many different ways. One way might be to recite the
Buddha’s name on behalf of other people who share your illness.
There are certainly people who are suffering illnesses more serious
even than yours; you can recite on their behalf as well. Don’t forget
to transfer merit when you’re done. One suggestion is to “count your
blessings,” that is to say appreciate and feel grateful for the
opportunity to cultivate in any way. Many people find illness a great
catalyst for practice. When we are well and healthy we don’t think to
cultivate because the body seems like it will stay healthy forever.
Only when illness shows us the reality of our fragile “bag of skin,” do
we recognize the urgent need to address the very same questions
Prince Siddhartha faced. Please accept my blessings and best
wishes for your quick and complete recovery.

18. Question: Please give your advice and guidance: how can patients with
depression use Buddhism to overcome their sickness. What is the
recovery path for people who are depressed? Thank you.

Answer: Depression is a generic term that includes many forms of mental

illness. No single treatment will work in every case. Depression
includes manic depression, bipolar depression, mood swings and
many other varieties of emotional and mental disorders.
Anti-depression medicines have come into widespread use in the
last several decades; taking medication may alter symptoms and
make one’s illness more manageable but medication does not
address the fundamental problems. Depression is such a complex
issue and so little understood that doctors often prescribe
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 medication as the first resort. Anti-depression medicines are
increasingly prescribed for even borderline symptoms. It would be
irresponsible for me to casually recommend this or that practice as a
solution for depression. Depression was not a syndrome during the
Buddha’s time thus there are no specific practices prescribed for
depression. However depression is a mental illness, therefore it is
also an affliction, and the Buddha Dharma is here to transform
affliction. There are pilot programs in meditation-based therapy
centers around the world. Because so many people experience
some form of depression psychiatrists and mental health
professionals are hoping that meditation therapy can produce
results that they can measure. Even while experiencing the
symptoms of depression if you can find a way to serve others and
contribute your effort, even in small ways, as a volunteer, your
blessings will grow steadily and you will be creating a bank account
of goodness for a future free of depression.

19. Question: What you said tonight is great and helpful. However it would be
better if we have time to go into details in handling stress. Could it be
made into a one or two day course?

Answer: Certainly this could be a good course. Ask The Buddhist Union to
invite me.

20. Question: In your song “Ballad of Earth Store,” what do you mean by "he
shakes his staff and makes the suffering end?”

Answer: There is a story that Earth Store Bodhisattva can appear in the Hells
to shake his six ringed pewter staff and when he does, the suffering
in the Hells comes to an end instantly. As soon as he moves on,
however, all of the suffering starts up again. This is because the
karma of living beings is so heavy that despite Earth Store’s great
power he can only wipe out past karma. The karma that we are
making right now even Earth Store can’t keep up with.

21. Question: Is the method of Guan Shi Yin where you “return the hearing to
listen to the self-nature” the door to your inner mind?

Answer.: All mind is “inner mind,” there is no outer mind. The method called
“returning the hearing to listen to the self-nature” is the method
Manjushri Bodhisattva recommends as the best one for us to
practice in this day and age. You can find out the details in the
Shurangama Sutra’s chapter known as “The Twenty-five Sages
Chapter.” Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s method is the last one of the
twenty-five, and Manjushri Bodhisattva tells the Buddha that this is
the best method for realizing “Perfect Understanding.” It requires
one to make the mind very still and quiet, and has long been a
favorite of Chan meditators.

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22. Question: Buddhism does not believe in the perpetual soul; there is no “I.” But
if a person is reborn, who then is reborn? Can it be a ball of energy
that goes through rebirth? If there is a soul then that explains how
the good, bad, and ugly are carried over to the next life.

Answer: The Buddha said that the “eighth consciousness” is the thing that
carries all the seeds of our past and present actions with body,
speech and mind into our next rebirth. That eighth consciousness is
said to be the last thing that leaves the body at death and is the first
thing that arrives in our new mother’s womb before our next rebirth.
When one cultivates until all negative karmic seeds are sprouted
and gone, then that karmic matrix that carries our illusory self is
gone. One then realizes the liberation known as “same body, Great
Compassion.”

23. Question: What made you undertake to a half year’s of walking? What did you
and your friend learn from this journey?

Answer: I didn’t walk, I bowed for two and a half years, and then for six
months more. The purpose was two-fold; one, to work for a more
peaceful world and two, to find a way to effectively repay my
parent’s kindness in raising me. I learned that my speech karma is
very mixed because I have habitually told lies in order to get people
to like me more. I kept silent for six years around the pilgrimage in
order to recognize my speech habits and to learn to control them.

24. Question: These days most people go to the monastery only for passing time.
They are not interested in samadhi. How do we emphasize human
truth?

Answer: I don’t agree with your premise. People come to my monastery in

order to figure out a solution to their troubles and confusion.
Cultivating for samadhi is precisely the reason people come to
monasteries.

25. Question: You sing “Amazing Grace” beautifully. It would be great if you could
sing praises of the Buddha with a special, unique composition.

Answer: Thank you for the compliment and for the suggestion. Stay tuned for
praises of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that are entirely original,
and not recycled familiar melodies. The advantage of writing
Buddhist lyrics for familiar melodies is that everybody can sing for
example, “Amazing Grace,” immediately. That’s a big plus.

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26. Question: What prayers do we say to give blessings to our children?

Answer: Why not say these prayers: “I am the father/mother of my child and I
pray that I will never do anything greedy in the presence of my child.
I promise to be a living model of generosity and kindness at all times.
Further, I pray that I will never use temper in the presence of my
child. When I feel anger arise I will use patience and kindness
instead of anger to deal with every situation. Further, I pray that
when I am confused and tempted to act in ways that I know
contradict the Buddha’s wisdom, I will pause and laugh at my own
foolishness; I will refuse to behave unwisely, instead I will drop my
macho pose and admit that there is something I don’t know. I will
show my child that I am a human, and humans have a soft side. I will
demonstrate to my child a wish to keep my mind awake and alive, I
will ask questions and listen to the answers and happily change
when the road ahead is uncertain. I pray that I have the wisdom to
hug my child and show him or her unconditional love and
acceptance of their humanity. May my wish be granted and may the
Bodhisattvas protect and guide all living beings who were children
not so long ago.

27. Question: Chanting Amitabha can lead us to the Pure Land if we do it with faith,
aspiration and sincere action. Why then are there so many sutras
and so much chanting to do? Isn't simply chanting the Buddha's
name enough?

Answer: Why is there so much food in the world? Isn’t rice enough? Why do
we need potatoes and corn and bread? Why are there so many
languages in the world? Isn’t English or Chinese enough? Cultivate
a method that you like and do it sincerely. Cultivation of the path to
awakening is a privilege, not a burden. All methods are expedient
means; each one is suited to a particular person, so there are no
“second-best” methods.

28. Question: What's the difference between “no pursuit of self-interest,” and “no
selfishness?”

Answer: Selfishness is a wrong view; the “me” that results from seeing
myself as the center of the world results in lots of troubles. To
support the “me,” I cling to material possessions and attitudes that I
call “mine,” and even more troubles result. “Selfishness” and
“self-benefit” are Master Hua’s names for the habitual views of “me”
and “mine,” two wrong views that cause conflict in the world.

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29. Question: How does one love others unconditionally? How does one eradicate
one's bad habits? Bad habits such as temper and laziness? As
parents how can we induce an atmosphere for our adult children to
learn Dharma seriously? Thank you Venerable I appreciate it.

Answer: You have asked three questions; I suggested one question per page
per person. You can love others unconditionally when you have
their interests in your heart. If I genuinely want all beings, not just
humans, to end their sufferings, and if I identify their well-being with
my own, then I can approach a state of unconditional great
compassion. (Love is a problematic word in English; I will substitute
the Buddhist word “Great Compassion.”) Obviously everybody has
things they love and hate, so our compassion is very conditional.
Nonetheless, we can take a Bodhisattva’s Great Compassion and
unconditional kindness as goals and gradually learn to imitate them.

30. Question: When one experiences Zen awakening, is one's attainment the
same as the state in Theravada Buddhism?

Answer: These terms are used uncritically; you can’t compare things that you
don’t identify clearly. Do you know what Zen awakening is? Do you
understand Theravada Buddhism? Both Mahayana and Theravada
talk about the Dhyanas; that would be a starting place to look if you
wanted to compare states, but I don’t recommend it. I think you
would be better off working hard on the foundation of your own
awakening, which is your virtuous character. There you have some
chance of clarity and control. Any attainment you gain is your own
realization, and not a theoretical idea.

31. Question: I have a question which troubles me a lot. My mother-in-law who

recites the Buddhas name for blessings is now going to convert to
Christianity. What shall I say to her: “great, go ahead!” Should I just
keep silent? My husband and my son might follow her I really need
your advice on this I will thank you very much if you answer this
question.

Answer: I suggest you teach by example. Show her in your kindness and in
your patience and in your vigorous cultivation how real Buddhists
behave. Struggling and arguing about which religion is true or false
will only demonstrate that your cultivation of the Dharma hasn’t
brought you any real wisdom or benefits. Buddhists want to be
different in these ways: we don’t fight with other religions, we yield
truth claims to others; we aren’t greedy for things the world offers;
we don’t seek, instead we are content with what comes from our
own efforts; we aren’t selfish, we like to be public-spirited and
community-oriented; we don’t grab all the benefits for ourselves, we
share the good stuff with others; and we don’t lie. If we can focus on
this behavior, and refuse to talk bad about other religions, then even
if a family member moves into another religion, before long they will
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 come back to the Dharma when they discover that the other
religion’s answers fails to explain their real life in concrete ways.

32. Question: Sadly, some people have “bad groups” and they never understand
the Dharma and they never learn to repay kindness. To them
kindness does not exist in the first place.

Answer: The world is full of all kinds living beings. I try my best to root out
negative tendencies in my mind first and work hard at using
kindness towards others.

33. Question: To meditate do you need to be in the sitting posture? What do

people do who have back problems and leg problems? Can those
people with these problems also practice meditation?

Answer: There are many ways to meditate. Traditionally the Chan school in
China emphasized full lotus posture. The teaching is that full lotus
posture is the best way to enter samadhi. Full lotus puts your body in
a triangular position, like a pyramid. It is stable and balanced. The
mind easily falls quiet in full lotus. If one is unable to sit that
way then half lotus is the next best. Failing that, there are many
ways to meditate. The point of sitting in lotus posture is to still
the body. The point of stilling the body is to calm the mind. With
body and mind both calm then one can see thoughts rising.
Ultimately the point of any meditation is to quiet the mind. But if the
body is restless, the mind will not be quiet. If one can make the body
completely quiet in some other method then that's the best way to
meditate. What I am describing is the Chan method. There are
many methods, including contemplations, that the Buddha
recommended for people of various dispositions.

34. Question: How many Buddhists are there in America? (From Marcus, age 9
and half.)

Answer: The answer to your question depends on who you consider a

Buddhist. Some people who only read books about Buddhism and
have positive feelings towards the religion but who never practice,
still call themselves Buddhists. Other people meditate but know
nothing about the Dharma and still consider themselves Buddhist. In
the Mahayana tradition you're not really a Buddhist until you take
refuge with the Triple Jewel. It's much easier to count people who
have committed to taking refuge, yet the people who have taken
refuge in America are very few indeed. Our census at present
doesn't ask us to identify which religion we are so census figures
don't give us a number. Thus it is hard to answer your question
accurately. In general there are between two and ten million
Buddhists in the US. Buddhism is the fourth largest religious group
in America.

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35. Question: We human beings have a lot of defilements which place do you think
we should go - the Western pure land or the Tushita Heaven?

Answer: I think you should go where you want to go, and I hope you get a
chance. But don't wait until the last minute to decide you want to go
to the Pure Land. Many people wait to recite Amitabha’s name,
thinking that they will recite when they are old. But how many people
are in a coma when they fall sick and can’t recite? How many suffer
dementia and can’t recite? How many get depressed or cynical and
don’t want to recite? Master Hsuan Hua praised Amitabha Buddha -
- “His name means Limitless Light! Recite Amitabha’s name!”

36. Question: If we are specializing in the Dharma door of Guan Shi Yin
Bodhisattva, which mantra and sutra do we have to chant? What
about the Amitabha Sutra which describes the beauty and glory of
the Western Pure Land? Do we have to chant this as well?

Answer: If you are specializing in the Dharma door of Guan Shi Yin
Bodhisattva, you can recite the “Universal Door Chapter” of the
Lotus Sutra, or the Great Compassion Mantra. You can recite the
Six Syllable Mantra of Great Light (Om Mani Padme Hum), or you
can recite the Amitabha Sutra. The Amitabha Sutra takes you to the
Amitabha Pure Land if you recite sincerely.

37. Question: Please come to Singapore more often to spread the Mahayana
teaching.

Answer: Thank you very much. I hope to come more often.

38. Question: How do we keep fit on a vegetarian diet? How do you keep off secret
admirers?

Answer: How do you stay healthy on a meat diet? Meat and dairy are the
most unhealthy things you can put in your body after drugs, alcohol
and tobacco. I could turn your question around: how can you
possibly stay healthy eating meat? Clearly the typical American diet
is killing people. The meat and dairy industry try to convince you
otherwise.

As for secret admirers, if they stay secret, it’s easy to keep them off.
If you don’t tell me who you are then there’s no problem.

39. Question: Once we've chosen a Dharma-door do we cause confusion or

conflict for ourselves by investigating other Dharma teachings as
well?

Answer: The Buddha is very democratic. He is also very compassionate. All

of the Dharma methods he taught are there to help us overcome our
bad habits and to transform afflictions. Some people prefer one
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 method at a time; others, like myself, keep several practices going
at once. Ultimately a Bodhisattva masters every method of practice,
just not all at once. Practice complementary methods, methods that
work together. For instance, you can both recite and bow, or you
can meditate and bow, you can hold the precepts and do deeds of
service. You can study a sutra and also recite mantras. It’s no
problem to practice more than one as long as you do it consistently.
Master Hua told us the most important thing to do in cultivation, no
matter what practices we observed, was to change our bad habits
and faults. But that’s not popular! It requires us to get dirty as we
clean out the messy closets of our mind. But this is the most direct
path to awakening!

40. Question: When we are called by the Buddha, and we spend time repenting
and reflecting on the Dharma door that we will pass through, how do
we remain filial when we are cut off from family and friends?

Answer: If I understand your question correctly, you are referring to a

monastic who leaves home and becomes a Sangha member. Every
time somebody leaves home there is a separation and separations
are painful. However, if you leave home for the right motives, ie, to
cultivate the Dharma and to benefit living beings, then you have the
potential to repeat the Buddha’s Mahabodhi, or Great Awakening.
One who wakes up transforms selfishness and can truly repay his
parent’s kindness. This is a filial act. Monks and nuns serve their
communities in a profound and valuable way; in a way that a
householder cannot. So there are compensations for disrupting the
stability of the individual home.

41. Question: Buddhism needs a makeover. We need to change the current

old-fashioned mode of chanting. Your style of singing the Dharma
will appeal to the younger and older generations. Can you be based
in Singapore? What can we do to have you be based in Singapore?

Answer: Everywhere Buddhism has gone throughout history it has changed

the new culture it meets and has also been changed by it. In
Singapore, where Chinese culture is well-established, there is no
need among the establishment to change the style of chanting. But
the younger generation is never satisfied with the established ways.
The change you seek is a generational change, not a cultural
change. I’m glad you like my songs. My contribution to Buddhist
music so far, with a few exceptions, is songs, not liturgy or chanting.
Liturgy combines uplifting music, profound lyrics and a feeling of
transcendence. Further, people have to be able to chant it easily.
The music can’t be too difficult or nobody will be able to learn it. We
need a gifted composer who knows Western music but who also
understands Buddha Dharma, to come forth and create a liturgy that
has all three components.

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42. Question: How does Buddhism defined sexual misconduct? Is love between
the same-sex a form of sexual misconduct?

Answer: Sexual misconduct means adultery if one is married, and

promiscuity if one is single. In a more strict interpretation it means
purity until one is married. In general it means that somebody who
takes this precept promises to not use selfish sexual desire to harm
others. If somebody is in a committed relationship with a partner and
does not cheat on his or her promises, then one is holding the
precept. As for gay or lesbian relationships between two individuals
who love each other, the same standards apply.

43. Question: In today's society with its strong consumer emphasis, professions
such as marketing revenue management, which is what I do, do not
seem to be balanced with Buddhist values. The marketplace values
are very opportunistic in nature they convince people to buy things
they don't need and to spend money that they don't have. How can
we adjust our mindset to balance our professional lives with humane
values?

Answer: Watch thoughts of greed rise in the mind and counter them with
thoughts of generosity. Refuse to follow thoughts of greed. If you
can stop them in your own mind, you model that self-control for the
world. Trying to change the world without changing my own mind is
hypocritical. Nobody will agree with you. Live simply, with gratitude,
and take delight in the things you have. Advertising can only hook
you if you are seeking and not content with what you have.

44. Question: Who is the “she” who carries me to the other side?

Answer: The “she” in the title of the song “She Carries Me” is Guan Yin
Bodhisattva. The song was written by Jennifer Berezan, a
Canadian-American songwriter living in Berkeley, California.
(www.edgeofwonder.com )

45. Question: In this present world most people including myself are self-centered.
How do we practice no attachment to the “big me.”? Thank you.

Answer: Transforming the ego is not just an idea, you actually have to go and
change habitual behaviors that reinforce the notion of a separated,
individual ego. This is a big job; it took the Buddha six years of hard
work in the forest to completely transform the selfish view. In the
meanwhile, we can replace selfish thoughts, one by one, with
selfless service for others. Simply replace the “I’m the center of the
world,” view with thoughts that include others. Start with your family
and expand to include neighbors, co-workers, classmates, etc.

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46. Question: Please kindly share the Buddhist view on euthanasia.

Answer: This is a complex issue and the debate continues. Euthanasia from
the Buddhist perspective is problematic because killing is killing.
Regardless of the intent of the individual who willfully administers
the lethal agent, making a conscious decision and acting to end the
life of the victim is killing and brings karmic retribution. So the choice
to kill compassionately, from the point of view of karma, is no
different from murdering with malice. Someone might say he or she
is motivated by compassion to end suffering but on the other hand,
suffering is built-in to the human condition. Some cultures in the
world have instituted the practice of sending frail elders out alone to
the mountain to die peacefully in Nature. Other cultures encourage
elders to starve to death slowly and gracefully. Is there wisdom in
this approach? The jury is still out.

47. Question: In order to seek enlightenment in this fast-moving world where

competition is fierce what can one do to succeed in both areas?
especially as one has to spend the majority of his time to remain
competent in the job market.

Answer: Sounds like you want a real bargain. Whatever you put in front of
your eyes and ears is what you carry in your conscious awareness.
We become what we behold. Why is Buddhahood so difficult to
accomplish? Because even full-time cultivators, monks and nuns
who live in the tranquil wilderness find it hard to focus to
single-minded concentration. The mind itself will distract you from
concentration when you are trying to concentrate. Unless you are a
master of samadhi, you will probably be distracted by the sights and
sounds of the marketplace and find yourself unable to settle the
mind. And if in the process of “succeeding in the marketplace” you
compromise your ethical commitments then the samadhi you
practice will reflect perfectly every step you take. Good luck.

48. Question: I wanted to practice the Buddhist teachings faithfully repeatedly and
correctly area but many times I find myself falling over when
practicing. I get really dejected sometimes. Especially today, the
thought of going through the cycle of Samsara again and again is
just too unbearable. My question is how can I overcome the
obstacles in my daily life and become a good Buddhist cultivator? I
always lose my cool, get impatient, get angry and lose mindfulness.

Answer: It’s not easy, is it? That’s why there are so few Buddhas in the world.
Welcome to the club. The only alternative to Samsara is the
Buddha’s Nirvana, the Pure Land and the Bodhisattva path. To get
your passport stamped for the Pure Land you have to work hard. The
good news is that it’s possible. Don’t give up - - affliction is certainly
not going to save you. Impatience is the opposite of patience.
Buddhism practice is for mature individuals. Cultivating forward, one
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 day at a time, one step at a time, one breath at a time is the high road
ahead. Your success is guaranteed.

49. Question: Do you find trouble coping with the monastic life?

Answer: Do you find trouble coping with worldly life? Nothing is easy; there
are no free lunches. I find monastic life to be uniquely liberating. I go
to sleep at night grateful for the opportunity to serve the principles
and practices of liberation. I am so glad that I don’t have to split my
precious time between my heart and a Board of Directors, a boss, a
profit-making corporation, a store, or worse, a dishonest lifestyle
that harms my soul and obstructs my spiritual progress. This world
is not a pleasant place for most living beings who share it with us. I
don’t want my karma to stick me here unless I choose to stay.

50. Question: I am an avid reader of Master Hsuan Hua's Dharma books. With all
the books I am able to improve my knowledge of Dharma and its
practice.This includes the Shurangama Sutra and mantra. I have
difficulty trying to memorize the mantra. Is it true that only people
with close affinities and fewer karmic obstacles can recite and
memorize the mantra? Please give your advice on how I can
practice the memorization well and how I should uphold it?

Answer: Memorizing sutras and mantras is not special or mysterious. You

simply have to take the time and work at it, like growing a garden.
Bringing flowers or fruit out of the ground takes work, skill and
patience. Putting the sounds of a mantra in your mind is no different.
Work at it regularly and you will get results. Put the mantra before
your eyes (by reading it), put it in your mouth (by reciting it) and put
it in your mind, (by repeating it silently.) You can recite it in your car,
while walking, even when doing the mundane things of the day like
brushing your teeth and drinking water. You will surely succeed. I
recite the Shurangama Mantra once each morning in meditation,
followed by 108 recitations of the mantra heart, the last few lines at
the end of the mantra.

51. Question: How do you manage your time? I have at most two hours a day, as a
layperson, how can I practice Dharma or make the best of those two
hours for Dharma? Please do not say simply stay mindful all day
long while we work because I have tried it and it does not work. You
are only mindful of your work or you don't work at all. In a nutshell,
how should I practice Dharma if I only have two hours a day? I am a
geek.

Answer: Hold the precepts. Be a kind person. Refuse to over-power people

with your temper or your quick intelligence. Appreciate the wonder
of being alive in a human body. Do things that benefit others. Turn
off all your gadgets that have a power switch and take a break from
all electronic tools. Listen carefully to the words that people speak
for your ears. Hold your tongue over and over. Go silent for a period
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 each day or for a day each week. Go to your parents and spend
quality time with them regularly. Volunteer at the local shelter or
social service center. Make it your goal to identify one bad habit
every day and refuse to follow it. These are the heart of cultivation,
much more powerful than meditation in taking you directly towards
Bodhi. Sages who embody the Dao don’t distinguish cultivation and
non-cultivation because they have stopped seeking.

52. Question: Dharma Master, can a good fortune teller tell us how long our
lifespan is? Are predictions like that accurate? How can I change my
fate?

Answer: Surely you have heard the story of Yuan Liaofan, right? He was
predicted to die on a certain date and have no children. He met a
monk who urged him to do good deeds and his lifespan extended
and his family grew. Fate is not a Buddhist concept. Fate puts the
control of your life in the hands of some faceless, external entity.
Fate contradicts the truth; the truth is cause and effect determines
our future. If you can take charge of your body, mouth and mind so
that you avoid all evil and do good, you direct your fate and become
the architect of your future. True and not false!

53. Question: How can I cultivate samadhi and escape from birth and death?

Answer: There are said to be a myriad (84,000) ways to do this. Pick a

method and apply it until you get results. Then do it some more on
behalf of others. Then pick another method and start over again. No
mystery, no shortcuts.

54. Question: I know that doubts and fears are the greatest obstacles for
cultivation of the way. But in my mind I still often create doubts and
fear. My confidence is too small. Please tell me how can I get rid of
doubts and fear in my mind and purify my faith and confidence in the
Buddhist teachings?

Answer: I can’t tell you how, sorry. I didn’t tell you to doubt and fear, you
learned those traits of mind yourself. How can I tell you to get rid of
them? The only answer is to consider the alternative to the
Buddha’s teaching: ignorance. Is there any value in ignorance?
Should you trust in it? If the answer is no, then you should pick up
the Dharma and cultivate it with all your might. You wouldn’t bet on a
losing horse in a race, so why do you question whether the Dharma
works? A compass points to North; if there are clouds or smoke in
the way, it makes no difference; North is still North. Don’t let
afflictions confuse you. They are not your trustworthy friends.

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