Taking Meat or Vegetarian Meals

Terjemahan Bahasa: Makan Makanan Berdaging atau Bervegetarian

The Aura of Wisdom 

By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by True Buddha Foundation Translation Team

This was translated from Grandmaster Lu's 154th book, 智慧的光環.

CHAPTER 31 - Taking Meat or Vegetarian Meals

Someone once asked the Dalai Lama, `What is Tantric Buddhism`s stand on vegetarianism and meat eating?`

The Dalai Lama replied, `I personally am a vegetarian, but the lamas aren`t.`

The questioner then raised this issue: `If a person is not a vegetarian, then he or she is killing. Isn`t this a breach of the Five Precepts?`
The reply given by the Dalai Lama was ambiguous, suggesting that being a non-vegetarian does not imply one is killing, and that there is no connection between killing and consuming vegetarian meals.

In fact, the Dalai Lama laughed embarrassingly and said, `The lamas don`t kill for food, neither are they vegetarians.`

When I was at Drepung Loseling Monastery having our meals together with the Khenpo, only meat was served.

To my knowledge, the Chinese Buddhist orders were commanded by Xiao Yan, the Chinese Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, to instruct their ordained monks and nuns to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle.
This is characteristic of Chinese Buddhism, which has the intention to nurture compassion and avoid creating negative karma.

Consuming vegetarian meals in itself has its merits, but it is not a definite key to attaining buddhahood. 

If taking vegetarian meals by itself could lead to buddhahood, horses, cows and sheep would have long attained enlightenment!

Many beginners in Buddhism are not accustomed to sticking to a vegetarian lifestyle.
It is advisable that they consume the `three pure meats`
(no personal sighting of the animal being killed, no actual hearing of its cry while it is being killed, and no killing done by oneself specifically for personal consumption).

This is a convenient solution as an alternative to adopting a vegetarian lifestyle.

Should the True Buddha practitioner adopt a strict vegetarian lifestyle?

My answer to this is: `It`s up to you.`

But any meal-eating practitioner must purify their meat by `blowing a gust of air` and reciting the Manjusri Deliverance Mantra. 
This is applying the Tantric method to deliver the souls of the animals, transforming the meal into purified food. 

Upon offering merits to the soul of the animal whose meat is to be consumed, the meat can thus be eaten. 

This is because when you have extended your compassion and delivered the soul, there exists no bond of negative karmic affinity between you and the animal soul.

The views held by the Sutric and Tantric traditions on taking meat and vegetarian meals are different, but please remember this verse expounded by the Buddha:
One mouthful of pure water 
Contains eighty four thousand worms 
If you do not recite a mantra 
It is as good as killing.

Such subtle truth must be discerned carefully!

Amituofo
Lotuschef
Pure Karma Vihara
True Buddha School

B.154 The Aura of Wisdom [Ch.22] Liberal Authentication

Terjemahan Indonesia: Aura Kebijaksanaan [Bab 22] Pengesahan Secara Liberal

The Aura of Wisdom 

By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by True Buddha Foundation Translation Team

This was translated from Grandmaster Lu's 154th book, 智慧的光環.

CHAPTER 22 - Liberal Authentication

Besides receiving authentication from one`s Root Guru, can the Tantric practitioner authenticate himself, such as that of liberal authentication?

I feel that this has to be done by one who has the correct view of cultivation.
Such a practitioner must have actual attainment gained from true practice, and must hold great compassion for others. He must thoroughly master the theoretical and practical aspects of cultivation, being wise and humble, and transform his five poisons into the Five Transcendental Wisdoms.

Thus, the first few things to verify when exercising liberal authentication are:
Is your mind purified?
Is your speech purified?
Is your body purified?
Is your vital chi sufficient?
Are your channels unblocked?
Are your drops free from leakage?
Have you gained bliss?
Has the clear light appeared?
Has the mind been emptied?
Have you attained completion of the ground of fruition?

The last authentication is, `The doctrines of inner realization attained by the Dharmakaya Tathagata cannot be fathomed even by bodhisattvas who have attained the Stage of Buddha Enlightenment. It is only known between buddhas.`

People today are living in a degenerate age.
As such, if liberal authentication is advocated, it is difficult to tell the real gurus from the pseudo ones.
Many do not speak the truth, yet they claim to have attained enlightenment when they have not.

These pseudo gurus look for quick ways to get rich, craving fame and fortune, thereby deceiving themselves and others.
They put on a cloak of falsehood and try to pull themselves off as the real thing, but in so doing they have stepped onto the evil path and will descend to hell at the end of their lives.

Liberal authentication shall result in the following occurrences:

1. A liar claiming he is enlightened.
2. A lunatic (mental patient) also claiming he is enlightened.
3. An individual possessed by Mara also claiming he is enlightened.
4. Any person possessed by ghosts claiming he has great spiritual powers.
5. A seemingly enlightened adept is actually being fooled by Mara.

I feel that it is better to be honest with one`s cultivation.
Do not hold such thoughts that one has already reached certain spiritual heights and realms.
Be natural, or it will be easy to be attached to illusory forms and run the risk of destroying one`s wisdom life

Many students of Buddhism like to shop for Dharma, hopping from one school to another.
This pattern is known as `school wandering`, in which the students wander from one school of thought to the next.
Sentient beings are fickle and fluid. One moment, they will flow to the East, and then the next moment you will find them in the West.

I once heard this rumour: `Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu himself has taken refuge with several dozen gurus and ordained monks. If I aspire to be like him, taking refuge and receiving empowerment from teachers everywhere, what is wrong with that?` When the person advising against such behaviour heard this argument, he felt it made sense, and could not refute it.

Today, I am offering my answer. Anyone who wishes to study the Buddhadharma may explore other Buddhist schools of thought, not so much for thrills, but so that they may draw comparisons between the respective teachings.

After you gain a clear picture of the teachings of the True Buddha School, and you are satisfied with what they can offer, you may then choose to take refuge in me.

I do not stop people from seeking out and visiting virtuous teachers. On the other hand, you may want to take a look at what the True Buddha Tantric Dharma has to offer. From the Four Preliminary Practices to the Great Perfection, external to internal practices, worldly to transcendental practices, Deity Yoga to Ferocious Deity Yoga, common to uncommon practices, fire and water offerings, and even the supreme Yoga Tantras of Tibetan Buddhism such as Dzogchen, Mahamudra, Great Perfection Profound Wisdom, and the Yamantaka practice - - all are included in the system of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma.

The True Buddha Tantric Dharma is the most comprehensive system of Buddhist practice. Whatever you want to learn and study is offered here.

I can honestly tell everyone that whatever practices you wish to learn from other schools, I have included them in the True Buddha School, presented in their most authentic and reliable form. You may even find practices unavailable elsewhere. I am an accomplished adept who epitomizes the teachings and practices of all Buddhist and Taoist schools.

When you take refuge in Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu, it is tantamount to taking refuge in several dozens of gurus and ordained teachers. Is that not sufficient?

In fact, it should be said that when one takes refuge in the True Buddha School, one has reached the definitive teaching. One will not find any other school with as comprehensive a system as ours. If one still wishes to run around aimlessly from one school to another like a headless chicken, one deserves to be spanked!

---

Amituofo 

Lotuschef 

TBS

Pure Karma Vihara

B.154 The Aura of Wisdom [Ch.21] Ignorance 无明

Terjemahan Indonesia: Aura Kebijaksanaan [Bab 21] Kebodohan

The Aura of Wisdom 

By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by True Buddha Foundation Translation Team

This was translated from Grandmaster Lu's 154th book, 智慧的光環.

CHAPTER 21 - Ignorance

When the Buddha attained Enlightenment under the bodhi tree, he spoke these words, `The inherent True Nature of all sentient beings is not different from the Dharmakaya Tathagata (Vairocana).
All worldly and transcendental merits of sentient beings are therefore already accomplished and completed. Yet it is ignorance that blinds sentient beings from realizing the inherent light and merit within.`

Please take note of the word, ignorance.
Once ignorance is removed, sentient beings and the Buddha are equal and without difference.

The cultivation of Tantric Buddhism follows the Three Secrets:
The Secret of the Body - Forming mudra.
The Secret of Speech - Chanting mantra.
The Secret of the Mind - Contemplating on Right Thoughts (Pure Visualization)

Someone once mentioned, `The practice of Tantric Buddhism emphasizes visualization, such as the visualization of offerings which are transformed from a single unit into multiple units, filling all space. Since visualization is fabricated, and fabrications are discursive thoughts, then offering such fabrication is tantamount to deceiving the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Isn`t this ignorance?`

My reply was, `In order to remove ignorance, it is essential to apply the method of `ending illusion with illusion`. Hence, you remove discursive thoughts with thoughts, which is attaining reality through the use of illusion.`

`Although the visualization of offerings being transformed is a thought process, it is, nevertheless, done with sincerity. Together with the empowerment of mantra recitation and mudra formation, the visualization of offerings is blessed by the power of the Three Secrets of the Tathagata. Such power is incredible, and could actually fulfill every wish you made.`

Hence, this is the miraculous transformation of empowerment, which reveals the knowledge of one`s mind as it really is. 


To outsiders, everything is fabricated and false.
Yet in Tantric Buddhism, all fabrications, once blessed by the miraculous transformation power of the Tathagata, are transformed into reality.


People of modern times have come across my propagation of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma.

In truth, this Suchness is what I am, and the Buddhadharma is what I am.

Through the application of the Three Secrets of Body, Speech and Mind, a multitude of wonderfully profound and secret dimensions are expressed. 
If one forgoes the three secrets, there can be no hope of attaining Buddhahood!

`Mantra`, `mudra`, `visualization`: `Body`, `speech`, mind`. 

Through gaining response through the Three Secrets, empowering through miraculous transformation, and realizing Truth through supports and visualization, one can attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.

---

Ignorance: My favorite topic!!!

There are many articles in my blogspot ascertaining that our visualization are True & Works.

The transformation of offerings to the beings of the 6-realms - I told Y to visualize White rain-like lights streaming down upon all & Y said: Not white but multi-color like Rainbow.

The 6-realm vajra mantra wheel mandala - when the mandala turns, M said lots of rainbow lights radiates in all directions to share with all.

Ignorance also comes with fear of the Unknown or just can't stand people being smarter than them so they slander & get fierce & threatening too. 

Came across lots like these.

Amituofo

Lotuschef

TBS

Pure Karma Vihara