Questions to the Readers: Why do we cultivate?

In a very good talk by Master Lian Zhi at the Chin-Yin Temple, she posed a few questions to the disciples of the True Buddha School:

1. All True Buddha Disciples have taken refuge in the True Buddha School. Is it enough to be delivered to the Western Pureland? Will Grand Master Lu come save you if you don’t cultivate or do any of the practices/Sadhanas?

2. What heart must you have while cultivating? What heart must you have while doing anything? 

3. If we let go of all our attachments, as according to the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra, why do they still come back? Why do we still attach to things, people, experiences, money, etc…?

These questions really did make me think.   Of course, my personal experiences are probably not as great as many of the other disciples of the True Buddha School.  I do believe that I should make time to practice more, by practicing I can be more connected to Grand Master Lu and the likelihood of him helping me to be delivered would be greater. I try to hold a Bodhicitta heart in everything I do, but is that the heart that Master Lian Zhi was referring to? And finally, as much as I cultivate and let go, new experiences (good and bad) still come to afflict suffering, and I must learn to let go again, and again, and again.  The first Noble Truth applies here. 

But more importantly, what are your thoughts on these questions? Please submit your ideas to dharma@chinyintemple.ca and I hope to be able to publish them in the future! 

By Yvonne Wong, Ph.D.