Preface (Direct Pointing Back To The Source)

The Venerable Shakyamuni Buddha appeared in the world for one great cause: to open up the perception of the buddhas to sentient beings, to enable them to awaken to the Great Path of the real and the eternal. 

The people of the world did not comprehend the truth of this, and rejected [Buddha's teaching] as heresy. They were like unfilial children who hate their parents. What a painful thing! 

I had lived in seclusion for a long time [trying to find enlightenment], but because my eye for the Path was not clear, for me it was just as the saying goes: "All people feed on it, but few can recognize its flavor." Alas! 

A Confucian can pay homage to Buddha and be a true Confucian. Have you not read what Prime Minister Chang Shang-ying said? "Only after I studied Buddhism was I able to understand Confucianism." This is what he meant. 

Zen master I-yuan Tsung-pen of Yen-ch'ing studied Confucianism in his youth, and when he grew up followed Buddhism. He had penetrating enlightenment in the school of reality-nature [Zen], and specialized in cultivating Pure Land practice. He was truly one who stood out from the multitude as a man of knowledge, an enlightened teacher. Because he was keen to benefit others, he put together this collection. One day he passed by my abode and invited me to compose a preface for this book. 

I urge you people who study the Path, once you have the faith to enter upon it, practice it with all your strength. (27)

You should not stick to the [letter of] the teaching and miss its intent, or take the pointing finger for the moon. 

It is all a matter of splitting open an atom of dust and letting a universe of scriptures flow forth from it, (28) to save all living beings and let them achieve correct enlightenment together. How could it depend on one or two texts? Ah! If you really reach this stage, my words too are but sleep talk. 

Preface by Wang Piao, the Layman of the Deer Garden [dated] Buddha 's birthday, fourth lunar month of [year missing], Lung Ch 'ing era [1567-1572] 

related post:  Direct Pointing Back To The Source

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27. In Buddhism, regardless of the school, practice (cultivation) is a must. A Buddhist who merely studies or lectures on the Buddha's teaching while failing to put it into practice has been likened to a sick doctor who prescribes medicines for others while refusing to take any himself. 
According to Buddhist teachings, we all have within us varying degrees of greed, anger and delusion. To practice is to avoid or mitigate the conditions that promote greed, anger and delusion. Thus, for example, 
whenever anger flares up, one's thoughts should be redirected, as a form of displacement, toward the Buddha through buddha-remembrance (Buddha Recitation). 

28. This is a well-known image from the Avatamsaka Sutra: 

It is as [if] there is a great scripture/Equal in extent to a universe/Existing inside one atom/And in all atoms as well;/Someone with intelligence and wisdom/Sees all clearly with pure eyes/ And breaks the atoms, 
releasing the scriptures/for the benefit of all beings./Buddha-knowledge, likewise,/Is in all beings' minds... (Thomas Cleary, tr. The Flower Ornament Sutra, Vol. II, p. 317.) 

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.