DIALOGUES BETWEEN BUDDHISM AND OTHER RELIGIONS

Question 100: HOW CAN RELIGIONS UNITE AND HARMONIZE AS IF THEY WERE ONE SINGLE RELIGION?Answer: Humans often face a paradox:- On one hand, humans call for compassion, peace, unity, and harmony.- On the other hand, we often believe that only our religion holds the ultimate truth, while other religions are mistaken and should be eliminated. These two ideas are inherently contradictory. If humanity g...

Question 99: WHY DO SOME PEOPLE ATTAIN ENLIGHTENMENT EASILY WHILE OTHERS STRUGGLE? WHY ARE SOME FAVORED BY THE DIVINE WHILE OTHERS SEEM NEGLECTED OR ABANDONED?Answer: Those who have practiced diligently over many lifetimes, accumulated significant merit, helped others on their spiritual journeys, revered Divine Beings, and cultivated profound humility are more likely to attain enlightenment easily...

Question 98: THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT THROUGH MEDITATION SEEMS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT FOR MOST PEOPLE. IS THIS WHY MANY CHOOSE THE PATH OF FAITH, PRAYER, AND SUPPLICATION, HOPING FOR DIVINE SALVATION? Answer: There are two main reasons why many people choose the path of prayer and supplication for salvation: - Firstly, humanity has yet to develop a systematic, logical, and scientifically grounded...

Question 97: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ATTAIN ENLIGHTENMENT? Answer: Enlightenment signifies the pinnacle of spiritual practice. It involves transforming from an ordinary state of mind to a saintly one, acquiring extraordinary abilities, and entering the wondrous spiritual realm. Naturally, only those who have attained enlightenment can fully grasp the marvels of that state. For the rest of us, we can...

Question 96: WHAT ARE THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF MINDFULNESS AS DESCRIBED IN BUDDHIST SUTRAS? Answer: The Four Foundations of Mindfulness outline four stages of comprehension in meditation, progressing from basic to advanced levels:- Contemplation of the Body: This is the initial stage where the mind begins to develop strong mindfulness, becoming naturally aware of the entire body and abiding by this...

Question 95: IS IT TRUE THAT WHEN THE MINDS ARE TRANQUILL, EVERYONE BECOMES EQUAL? Answer: A tranquil mind is like a house that has been thoroughly cleaned of dust, but the nature of the house itself varies. A clean mansion is not the same as a clean thatched cottage, and a clean thatched cottage is not the same as a clean makeshift hut. Similarly, the mind of an Enlightened Being may sometimes be...

Question 94: TO SUMMARIZE, HOW SHOULD ONE PRACTICE MEDITATION?Answer: If a practitioner has experienced the stage of contemplating the truths and teachings to clear misconceptions in their mind, they can apply the following six steps of mindfulness during meditation.- Reflect on the nature of the mind, recognizing it is restless and filled with wandering thoughts (teaching)- Directing awareness to...

Question 93: WHAT STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN ENDING MEDITATION SESSION? Answer: Typically, after meditating in the full lotus posture, practitioners should follow aseries of necessary steps to transition smoothly from stillness to movement. The recommended steps are asfollows: - Join hands in a gesture of respect and pray for all sentient beings to follow the path of spiritual practice and attain...

Question 92: HOW MANY TIMES A DAY SHOULD ONE PRACTICE MEDITATION? Answer: If circumstances allow, it is recommended to meditate three times a day: in the morning after a restful night’s sleep, in the afternoon following a short nap, and in the evening before bedtime. Meditation should be practiced in a quiet, undisturbed environment with good air circulation, free from strong winds or excessive he...

Question 91: WHEN MEDITATIVE PRACTICE YIELDS RESULTS, THE MIND BECOMES CLEAR AND TRANQUIL, HOW CAN ONE AVOID SUBTLE ARROGANCE THAT DEPLETES MERIT? Answer: When the mind enters a profound meditative state and experiences a new sense ofbliss, it is common for feelings of pride and arrogance to arise. Without the guidance of a wise teacher to firmly remind and caution them, the practitioner risks bec...

Question 89: WHAT IS THE STATE OF MINDFUL AWARENESS? Answer: After a long period of cultivating morality and performing good deeds, a practitioner embarks on the path of meditation, choosing and applying the proper method (selecting the appropriate method is crucial). However, despite consistent efforts, they may not see any noticeable progress initially. This stage is called Right Effort, a key c...

Question 88: IN BUDDHISM, WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF "NOTHINGNESS", SUCH AS “NO BIRTH, NO DEATH, AND NO EXISTENCE”. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DENIAL OF THE EXISTENCE OF ALL THINGS. DOES THIS MEAN THAT AN ENLIGHTENED MASTER PERCEIVES EVERYTHING AS VOID? Answer: In reality, awakened Zen masters still perceive the existence of all things clearly; nothing ceases to exist from their perspecti...

Question 87: WE OFTEN HEAR THE TERM "ENLIGHTENMENT" OR "AWAKENING" IN BUDDHISM. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AWAKENED? Answer: Enlightenment, or sudden awakening, refers to an unexpected attainment of deep meditative absorption or even states of Sainthood. This phenomenon is common inBuddhism. A practitioner who has diligently and persistently practiced meditation for a long time wi...

Question 86: AT WHAT LEVEL OF MEDITATION CAN ONE BE CONSIDERED TO HAVE UNIFIED WITH DIVINE BEINGS? Answer: Divine Beings (Deities) exist at various levels, with some having achieved absolute transcendence and others remaining at a relative level of attainment. The level of Divine Beings is measured by their degree of selflessness (egolessness). The highest Divine Beings are those who have attained...

Question 85: PLEASE DESCRIBE THE PROGRESSION FROM AN ORDINARY TO AN ENLIGHTENED THROUGH MEDITATION? Answer: The journey from an ordinary person to an Enlightened Saint through meditation unfolds in the following progression: - Extremely evil mind: This is the lowest stage, marked by a mind filled with malice and a desire to cause suffering to others. Such individuals look down on others and may ev...

Question 84: WHY SHOULD ONE FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE LOWER BODY DURING MEDITATION PRACTICE? Answer: Things that are lower, hidden, behind the scenes or hard to see often hold the greatest value. For instance, a house’s foundation is buried deep underground; a tree’s roots are firmly anchored in the soil; humility comes from viewing oneself as being "low"; the legs, positioned beneath the b...

Question 83: LIFE IS FULL OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND WORRIES, WITH A MIND CONSTANTLY STRESSED FROM THINKING AND PLANNING. HOW CAN ONE LET GO OF EVERYTHING TO QUIET THE MIND IN MEDITATION? Answer: Many people mistakenly believe that to quiet the mind in meditation, one must abandon all responsibilities, let go of everything, and detach completely from worldly concerns. However, this is a misconception...

Question 82: WHAT SHOULD ONE DO IF FEELING DROWSY DURING MEDITATING? Answer: Drowsiness or even falling asleep during meditation is a significant obstacle for practitioners. Once they fall asleep, all progress in meditation ceases, leaving only the clouded, dark state of an ordinary mind. There are two main reasons why drowsiness often occurs during meditation. The first is physical tiredness. If...

Question 81: HOW SHOULD ONE PRACTICE WHILE WALKING MEDITATION? Answer: No one can sit in the full lotus position indefinitely, so practitioners engage in walking meditation after seated meditation to continue cultivating mindfulness, avoiding wasting time. During walking meditation, the body is in motion, so the techniques of Concentration (Samatha) cannot be applied effectively. Instead, walking...

Question 80: WHEN SHOULD ONE USE CONTEMPLATION OF TRUTHS OR MORAL TEACHINGS, AND WHEN SHOULD ONE USE PHYSIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES? Answer: The method of contemplating truths or moral teachings can be practiced both during seated meditation and in everyday life. Especially when practitioners start attaining mindfulness, they must remain humble, reminding themselves that they are still ordinary beings b...

Question 79: WHAT TECHNIQUES CAN HELP WANDERING THOUGHTS GRADUALLY SUBSIDE? Answer: Here are some meditation techniques that can help wandering thoughts diminish naturally: - Sitting in the full lotus posture with meticulous precision: Place the left foot on the right thigh, then the right foot on the left thigh, with both legs crossed tightly. Keep the back straight without straining or overly ar...

Question 78: COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE PRACTICE OF VIPASSANA (CONTEMPLATION), WHICH INVOLVES REFLECTING ON A MORAL PRINCIPLE TO ENHANCE MINDFULNESS AND CONTROL WANDERING THOUGHTS?Answer: Wandering thoughts are like poisonous weeds. If we dive directly into a patch of poisonous weeds to clear them out, we risk poisoning ourselves and dying. Instead, we should plant other beneficial crops among t...

Question 77: HOW TO ELIMINATE WANDERING THOUGHTS AND FOCUS THE MIND IN MEDITATION? Answer: As mentioned, the brain is naturally programmed to think continuously. Even when there is nothing specific to think about, the brain still automatically generates wanderingthoughts and is unable to stop itself. This continuous stream of thoughts creates a favorable environment for afflictions such as greed,...

Question 76: HOW CAN WE IDENTIFY THE MOST PROPER AND AUTHENTIC MEDITATION METHOD TO LEARN FROM?Answer: This is indeed a tough question because there are currently numerous placesoffering meditation instruction, each claiming their method to be the best. Moreover, many attract a large number of followers, leaving those seeking authentic guidance feeling hesitant about where to turn. To make an info...

Question 75: WHAT ARE THE HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDITATION PRACTICE? Answer: Sitting in meditation, motionless and silent, might appear to require little energy. However, maintaining stillness without moving consumes significant energy, especially when the mind has not yet settled into a deep state of concentration. Paradoxically, moving around is less tiring, but staying entirely still may be v...