Our friends who have just come into contact with Buddhism often have a lot of various ideas brought from society, and they have many preconceived ideas about Buddhism. Some of these ideas are Buddhist teachings, while others are inconsistent with Buddhism.
It is mixed with many incorrect views from the perspective of Buddhism. Therefore, for friends who are new to Buddhism, the most important thing is not to think that Buddhism is what it looks like, because what we know before may not really conform to Buddhism.
Buddhism is actually easy to understand and not difficult to learn. Because Sakyamuni Buddha is one of the most intelligent people, and the truth he told you can make everyone understand and understand quickly. In telling Buddhist stories, no one has ever surpassed Buddha (Buddha is a respectful name for Sakyamuni Buddha by Buddhist disciples).
Let me talk about a problem that we often come into contact with. People always tell us that Buddhist scriptures are very profound. How do we read them? Some even told others after studying Buddhism, can you understand Buddhist scriptures? Obstruct everyone from contacting the real Buddhism for various reasons.
This is a common misunderstanding.
Buddhist scriptures are not boring and mysterious theories that ordinary people simply can't understand. There are profound parts, but the Buddha can tell these profound questions simply and easily with the highest wisdom, without hindrance.
Classics are actually records of conversations between Sakyamuni Buddha and his students. When we study these classics, we actually listen to Sakyamuni Buddha.
Some people who think that ordinary people can't understand the classics, or that ordinary people can't understand the meaning of the classics, underestimate the wisdom of the Buddha. If you are a Buddhist disciple who converted to Buddhism three times, you should not hold such an idea and publicize such an idea. This in itself is a distortion and slander of Buddhism. Can't a wise man make clear what he wants to express? You can't even make yourself understood? Maybe it can be said that he is a stupid person, but a smart person will definitely not. Vimalakīrti's classic says: The Buddha speaks with one voice, and all living beings have their own solutions according to their class. Is the best explanation.
Is it ridiculous to say that you can't understand the classics told by the Buddha and you have to rely on others to understand them, just like saying that you can't understand what the special teacher said or can only understand what the ordinary teacher said?
In fact, in the story of Sakyamuni Buddha, we can clearly see his attitude:
"Like mud, constant classics": I am willing to do everything to show Buddha. It's all stipulated by law. Protected by law. But when you encourage yourself and study hard. Keep a clean heart. It's so interesting.
In this sutra, the Buddha said: All Buddhas become Buddhas by practicing Buddhism. If there are Buddhist scriptures, we should study diligently, practice according to Buddhism, keep calm and have no desire or desire.
It is clear here that Buddhism is recorded in the classics. As long as the classics and Buddhism are still there, we must study hard. This is the teaching of Sakyamuni Buddha. Who can claim to be a disciple of the Buddha but deny his teachings? So everyone should learn Buddhism, and everyone can learn classics.
Others say that Buddhism is so profound that you can't understand the meaning of classics at all, and you have to rely on the teacher to explain it to you. Is this statement correct?
This statement is actually very confusing. Is it ridiculous to say that you can't understand the classics told by the Buddha and you have to rely on others to understand them, just like saying that you can't understand what the special teacher said or can only understand what the ordinary teacher said?
Not to mention that classics are the teachings of the Buddha to all people, especially to the general public, how can we not understand? This logic alone is contradictory. If a person doesn't know the classics at all and doesn't understand their meaning, how can he be sure that what the teacher is talking about is what is in the classics?
Many swindlers attached to Buddhism confuse people with this concept. People mistakenly regard wrong ideas as Buddhism, but they don't pursue them.
The Buddha also told us whether to follow the scriptures or the teachers.
Manjusri Li Shi Wen Jing: I heard that Buddhism is like practicing. If you follow the scripture, if you follow the teacher.
It's clear here that after hearing Buddhism, it's like practicing. Rely on what? Either by classics or by teachers. But classics are the first choice. Why? In our time, Buddhism is called the last law, and there are all kinds of strange things that do not conform to Buddhist teachings, but use the name of Buddhism. In the Shurangama Sutra, it is said that evil teachers say things like Ganges sand. In other words, there are too many people promoting Jaken.
In this case, if you can't understand what Buddhism is, it is risky to listen to a teacher's story. Unless you can tell whether what he says is the same as what the classics say.
And this kind of propaganda Jaken people may be very famous, very prestigious and respected by many people. Looking at these external conditions, it is still very risky for you to choose a teacher.
Even if we are lucky enough to meet such a good true master, the problem is that he is not a Buddha. If he didn't become a Buddha, his story may not fully conform to Buddhism.
These factors lead to the fact that the only thing we can rely on to learn Buddhism now is the classics taught by the Buddha. This is the basis for us to learn Buddhism.
Others say that Buddha speaks well, but perhaps no one has anything to do with Buddha and may need help from others to learn it. In the classic, Sakyamuni Buddha once said that some people didn't listen, but Ananda talked about it and this person listened. We don't deny this situation, but who knows that this person must have no chance with Sakyamuni Buddha? You won't know until you try. Moreover, even though Sakyamuni Buddha knew that the other party might not believe him, he still said what he should say, which is by no means meaningless. The Buddha didn't say that this person and I didn't have a chance, so I stopped talking.
This is what friends who study Buddhism must understand:
The first choice to learn Buddhism is to learn the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha. Even if you don't fully understand and accept it at first. But when you learn Buddhism, you must always learn the real Buddhism. After studying for many years, I couldn't learn it, only to know that what I learned was not Buddhism at all, but fake and shoddy products.
Moreover, learning classics is a very interesting thing and a shortcut to learning Buddhism.
But remind everyone that what we say here, you'd better compare it according to the classics. This is what Buddha disciples must do. This is clearly instructed by the Buddha. No matter who he works for, no matter how famous he is, you can't blindly believe him. He must compare with the classics and meet the requirements before he believes it.
(From Brother Liu Xin of Tibet Forum)