Why Practice Buddhism and Do Cultivation?
By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Having written many articles on the `Thoughts of the Tathagata`, I am back to the starting point, addressing the issue: Why practice Buddhism and do cultivation?
Why practice Buddhism? Why the need to cultivate? Such questions may not even arise in the minds of many who feel that the goal of being alive as a human is simply staying alive, and upon one's death everything ends. These individuals see no reason to be tied down by the practice of Buddhism and suffer.
Someone asked me, `When it is time to party, I party. Why bother about learning Buddhism? Why stick to precepts?` Others have added, `I have no desire to become a Buddha or Bodhisattva. So why bother to cultivate?` Another person said, `Religion stuff is crap! It is just pure nonsense! Cause and effect, heaven and hell...I believe none of these.`
We need to exercise greater patience when explaining the teachings to these individuals, offering them some introductory literature on Buddhism as gifts.
I would share with them my understanding and realization. It is my view that human life is a cycle of suffering involving birth, old age, sickness and death. Hence, suffering, emptiness and impermanence always exist. When I look into the true meaning of life, I realize that the enjoyment is short-lived, for life is short. And life is illusory, like a dream. It is therefore wise to penetrate beyond our present vision of life and resolve the question of life and death.
Just think of the impermanence of the events in life, and how fragile life is. Contemplate on the true meaning of our existence, and why our hearts remain empty. Think of how one can gain all the treasures and achievements of the world, only to lose all upon death. What joy can these treasures bring?
With such awareness comes a sense of alertness! I truly realize that the utmost value in one's short lifespan on earth is to practice cultivation with perseverance, attaining True Liberation, Self Realization, and Spiritual Freedom. Otherwise, everything else is simply trash generated from discursive thoughts!
