A Real Buddhist Life

by Master Tsung-pen

Master T'ien-ju said: 

In recent generations there have been those who leave home and say that they have left behind worldly life, but who have not cleared away their conventional habits. They say they have left the sensory dusts, but they have not cut their ties to sense objects. 

They certainly do not know the teachings of the scriptures, and they do not know how to study Zen. In them the mind-monkey is still running around in confusion, and the thought-horse is still charging onward. 

They form groups and pass their days arguing. Not only do they consume the offerings of the faithful in vain; they also bury their own luminous awareness. When the light falls from their eyes [and they are about to die], where will the road lead? . . . 

If you claim realization when you have not experienced realization, and claim attainment before you have attained anything, then you have entered the Zen school in vain, and you will go on being born and dying to no avail. 

Alas! I ask you: why did you leave home? For the sake of food and clothing? Because you craved riches and high rank? To look for security and happiness? Did your parents give you up to become a monk hoping that you would save them? Or did you leave home to repay the fourfold benevolence of your parents, your ruler, your teachers, and the buddhas? 

Now you do not even have anything to rely on yourselves, so how can you save other people? Someday old Yama [the judge of the dead] will demand an accounting from you for the money you spent on food. What will you pay him with? If you do not fall into hell or among the hungry ghosts, you are sure to wear horns and fur. How painful, how sad, to leave home like this! 

Good people, take advantage of this time before you are old and sick, and make a plan for living [a real Buddhist life] soon. Firmly uphold a vegetarian diet and maintain the precepts, recite the buddha-name and chant the scriptures, pay homage to the buddhas and vow to seek birth in the Pure Land. 

After you get to see Amitabha, you will be able to deliver your parents and repay the fourfold benevolence and rescue sentient beings and enjoy eternal happiness. Only if you leave home like this are you a child of Buddha. 

related post:  Being a Moral Person

Source Of Information:
《Pure Land Pure Mind 心净佛土净》, by Master Chu-hung and Tsung-pen, translated by J.C.Cleary, distributed by: Persatuan Penganut Agama Buddha Amitabha Malaysia, 90 & 92, Jalan Pahang, Gombak, 53000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.)
*** The information provided above does not contain personal opinion of this blog.