Chapter 53 Conclusion-6

The Four Truths are like tea leaves, and all other methods used to practice these truths, such as practice, rituals, traditions, and cultural ornaments, are like cups.Techniques and methods are visible and tangible, but truth is not.our challenge.The point is not to be fascinated by the cup.People usually prefer to meditate on a cushion in a quiet place, rather than thinking about whether tomorrow or the next life will come sooner.External practices are visible, so our minds can easily label them as Buddhist, however, the concept of "all things are impermanent" is not tangible and not easy to identify.Ironically, the manifestations of impermanence are all around us, yet not apparent to us.

The essence of Buddhism transcends culture, but Buddhism is practiced by people of many different cultures. They use their own traditions, like cups, to hold teachings.Siddhartha would have encouraged the practice if these cultural ornaments helped living beings without causing harm, and if they did not contradict the Four Noble Truths.Putting hands together, while not necessarily sacred or inspiring, is an act of respect or greeting in many cultures.As a result, we see praying hands everywhere in the Buddhist world—from the simple folded hands to complex gestures such as prostration.But if Siddhartha came across a cultural practice of imprisoning women and girls, he would have believed it to be an unwholesome act, not because the instruments of the act—the cell and the key—were ugly in themselves. No, but because it stems from the selfishness of men who, out of ignorance, cling to power and indulge their own possessiveness, jealousy and self-preservation.Such behavior is completely contrary to the second truth.

Over the centuries, people have made many different brands and styles of mugs.No matter how much good intentions there are behind them, no matter how useful they are, if we forget the tea inside, the cup becomes a hindrance.While their purpose is to carry truth, we focus on the method, not the result.So people walk around with empty glasses, or forget to drink their tea.The rituals and colors of Buddhist cultural customs distract us, if not fascinate us.Burning incense and lighting lamps are exotic and attractive, but impermanence and anatta are not.Siddhartha himself found that the best form of worship is simply to recall the principles of impermanence, emotional pain, the insubstantiality of phenomena, and the transcendent concept of Nirvana.

On a superficial level, Buddhism may seem very ritualistic and religious.Some rules of Buddhism.Things like robes in Tibetan areas, ceremonies and ritual objects, incense and flower offerings, and even monasteries are all tangible—they can be seen and photographed.We forget that they are methods, not results.We forget that just doing things or observing discipline, such as being a vegetarian, wearing a robe, etc., is not necessarily a follower of the Buddha.But the human heart loves symbols and rituals, so that they become almost unavoidable, indispensable.The sand mandala in Tibet and the Zen garden in Japan are beautiful, they can inspire us, and they can even be used as tools to understand the truth.But truth itself is neither beautiful nor unbeautiful.

While we may be able to do away with things like red, yellow, or black hats, there are certain rituals and rituals that are generally desirable.As long as you are really thinking about the truth, we cannot say that lying in a hammock and holding a drink with a small umbrella in your hand to meditate is absolutely wrong, but countermeasures such as sitting upright, in fact, have great benefits .The correct posture is not only easy to do, but also very economical, and it cannot keep your emotions from being controlled by the quick reactions that often occupy and disorient you.It gives you some space and allows you to be more conscious.Other institutionalized rituals, such as group ceremonies and religious hierarchies, may have some benefits, but it is important to understand that they too have been criticized and ridiculed by past masters.I personally think that these rituals must be the reason why many Westerners classify Buddhism as a worship religion, although we can't find a trace of worship in the Four Noble Truths.

Now that Buddhism is becoming more and more popular in the West, I have heard that some people have changed Buddhist teachings to match modern ways of thinking.If anything needs to change, it should be the rituals and the symbols, not the truth itself.The Buddha said that his rules and methods should be adapted to suit time and space.But the Four Noble Truths need not be updated or revised; and, in fact, it is impossible to do so.You can change the cup, but the tea will still be pure.After 2,500 years, from under the Bodhi tree in Central India to 40,781,035 feet to Times Square in New York, the concept that "all combined phenomena are impermanent" still holds true.You cannot twist these four truths, and there are absolutely no social or cultural exceptions to it.

Unlike some religions, Buddhism is not a life guide for how many husbands a woman should have, where she should pay her taxes, or how to punish thieves.In fact, strictly speaking, Buddhism does not even have a wedding ceremony.The purpose of Siddhartha's teachings is not to say what people want to hear.He taught the Dharma because he had a strong motivation to hope that all beings would be free from their false views and endless misunderstandings about the truth.However, in order to effectively explain these truths, Siddhartha used different ways and methods to teach according to the needs of different audiences.These different teachings are now labeled as different "schools" of Buddhism.But the basic view of all sects is the same.

It is normal for religions to have leaders.Some religions, like Roman Catholicism, have complex hierarchies in which decisions and judgments are carried out by leaders with complete authority.Contrary to ordinary people's understanding, Buddhism does not have such a person or system.The Dalai Lama is the secular leader of the Tibetan exile community and a religious teacher to many, but not necessarily all Buddhists, around the world.Among the various forms and sects in Tibet, Japan, Laos, China, Korea, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and the West, there is no single authoritative body that has the power to decide who is or is not a true Buddhist.No one can declare who should or should not be punished.This lack of centralization may be chaotic, but it is also a blessing, because every source of power in every institution of mankind can be corrupted.

The Buddha said that you are your own master.Of course, you are very lucky if a qualified guru takes the effort to teach you the truth.In some cases, this kind of guru should be more respected than the Buddha, because thousands of Buddhas may have appeared, but for you, it is this guru who brings the truth to your door.Finding a spiritual mentor is entirely up to you. , you have full freedom to analyze him.When you are fully convinced of the authenticity of your guru, accepting him, tolerating him, and appreciating him is part of your practice. Respect and religious devotion are often confused.Because of the inevitable appearance, and because of the inadequacy of some Buddhists, outsiders may think that we worship Buddhas and lineage teachers as gods.For example, the Chinese call certain teachers "living Buddhas."This title is quite dangerous, because although one may benefit from visualizing the teacher and being Buddha-like, those familiar with it may think that the student has been deceived by sadistic charlatans.

If you are wondering how to decide on the right path, just remember that any path that does not conflict with the Four Noble Truths should be the safe path.Ultimately, it is not a high-ranking guru who is protecting Buddhism, but the Four Noble Truths are the guardians. I want to stress again and again that knowing the truth is the most important aspect of Buddhism.For centuries, scholars and thinkers accepted Siddhartha's invitation to analyze his discoveries with all their heart.The exhaustive analysis and debate of his words in thousands of texts is the best proof.In fact, if you are interested in Buddhism, you are welcome to explore every dubious place without fear of being labeled a blasphemer.Countless wise men first admired Siddhartha's wisdom and vision, and then developed confidence and devotion.It is also for this reason that there was a time when many princes and ministers did not hesitate to leave court life behind to seek the truth.