■Book 200 - Pages of Enlightenment
■Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu
■Chapter sixteen
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There are lots of modern Buddhist practitioners today criticizing Vajrayana. One Yogacara [“Mind-only”] school practitioner charged, “Tibetan Buddhism is a faith perverted by sexual obscenity.” Others mocked: “Vajrayana Buddhism is a monster bred from the fusion of Brahmanism and Hinduism.” “Shakyamuni Buddha only taught what is contained in the earliest form of Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism permits gods to be part of Buddhism which is contrary to Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings.” “Do not conduct fire homas. The fire homa offering is a religious ritual of Brahmanism and Hinduism, forbidden by Shakyamuni Buddha.” “The mantras found in Buddhist sutras were added by other people during later eras.” “We have to abide by the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, and the Buddha only taught what is found in the earliest form of Buddhism.” After the Buddha entered nirvana, Mahayana Buddhism attained ascension.
Later, it was the ascension of Vajrayana Buddhism. This marked the gradual corruption of the Buddha-dharma. Vajrayana Buddhism began to flourish about five hundred to one thousand years after the Buddha's nirvana. This is the Age of Dharma Degeneration and Extinction. “Vajrayana Buddhism's ascension signified the destruction of Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism is a corrupted faith that is not true Buddhism.” “Vajrayana is really a heathen faith.”
The followers of the earliest form of Buddhism, the Hinayana Buddhist monks, firmly believe that Shakyamuni Buddha only taught the earliest form of Buddhism. Only the cultivation methods used by Sariputra, Mahamaudgalyayana, Mahakasyapa, Ananda, and other [direct disciples of the Shakyamuni Buddha] are genuine Buddhist practices. They believe that the Mahayana scriptures are forgeries. Others say that Vajrayana teachings are the fusion of Brahmanism and Hinduism. These types of arguments are very persuasive to Buddhist followers, as if Shakyamuni Buddha only taught the earliest form of Buddhism.
In reality, Shakyamuni Buddha embedded Mahayana philosophies in the Hinayana scriptures and codes of discipline, and only Mahayana philosophies can fully express the essence of Buddhism.
Furthermore, Buddhist teachings never cast away Brahma. Lord Buddha also understood the need to be inclusive toward Brahmanism and Hinduism. Vajrayana Buddhism emerged with the inclusion of folk beliefs [of India] which facilitated greater acceptance of the Buddhist teachings by the general populace. Vajrayana Buddhism conveys the essence of Buddhist teachings in stages by being inclusive (generation stage) [in the introductory phase], and then pristine (perfection stage) [in the advance phase]. Buddhism's demise in India was caused by Islamic invasions, and not caused by the ascension of Vajrayana Buddhism.
What does all of this have anything to do with enlightenment?
I say that they are related.
Someone asked me, “[When Master] Danxia burnt wooden buddha statues, did buddhas get burned?”
I replied, “The buddhas weren't burnt.”
The person then asked, “When the offerings were burnt in fire homas, did buddhas come to receive the offerings?”
I answered, “The buddhas did not consume the offerings.”
The person pressed, “If buddhas don't consume the offerings, then why should people conduct fire homa offerings?”
I countered, “Do you eat every day? Do you burn incense and make water offerings [every day]?”
The person fell silent.
Let me ask you, “What did you realize from this simple series of questions?”
A person who realizes the emptiness of substantiality,
Would not be attached to the phenomenal world.
Without attachment, there would not be any dissonant emotions.
Everything is empty of substantiality.
Everything is free from the bondage of dissonant emotions.
