|
Attaining
Buddhahood in this Lifetime
•By Living Buddha Lian-Sheng, Sheng-Yen Lu•
Many Buddhists insist that one
needs to practice Sutrayana for three great kalpas to attain
Buddhahood. One small kalpa equals sixteen million, seven
hundred and ninety eight thousand years; one medium kalpa
equals twenty small kalpas; and one great kalpa equals four
medium kalpas. Therefore, one big kalpa is equivalent to one
billion, three hundred and forty-three million, eight hundred
and forty thousand years. The three big kalpas are essentially
infinite, beyond any imagination.
Therefore, [Sutrayana] Buddhists
cannot accept the concept of attaining Buddhahood in this
lifetime, achievable according to Tantryana .
Nevertheless, let us refer to the
following crucial point in the Discussion of Breaking the
Phenomena.
Question: “According to the
Buddha, I need to practice diligently for three big kalpas to
attain Buddhahood. Why then did the Buddha also say that by
observing the mind only to stop the three poisons, one may
attain liberation?”
Answer: “What the Buddha said
is true. The three great kalpas is tantamount to the three
poisons. The term “kalpa” in Sanskrit essentially means
“infinite” in Chinese. The three poisons, the negative
thoughts, like the number of sand grains in the river Ganges,
are incessant. Each negative thought is one kalpa; it is as
uncountable as the sand grains. Therefore, [the three poisons
are] called three kalpas.
The Buddha-nature is dusted by
the three poisons; if one does not purify the poisonous and
evil mind that is as sizable as the sand grains of the river
Ganges, how can one attain liberation? If one can transform
the three mind-poisons—greed, anger, and ignorance—to the
three liberations, one has attained enlightenment in three
great kalpas. Sentient beings in this degenerate age are
basically ignorant; they misunderstand the true meaning behind
the three kalpas as spoken by the Buddha and assume that
Buddhahood is beyond reach. This misleading concept causes
practitioners to abandon the path to enlightenment.
This is why “three great kalpas”
are explained as “inexhaustible three poisonous thoughts.”
Since one thought is represented by one kalpa, the innumerable
becomes as vast as the number of sand grains in the river
Ganges.
[When] the three poisons cease to
exist, the three big kalpas are naturally surpassed. And, as a
consequence, Buddhahood is attained instantaneously.
How do we attain Buddhahood in
this lifetime in Tantric Buddhism? This is done by practicing
and attaining:
1. The unity of Buddha and I (Nirmanakaya—Full
and Complete Body)
2. The power of transcendental
transformation (Sambhogakaya—Infinitely Varied Body)
3. The empty nature of the dharma
realm (Dharmakaya—Pure and Clear Body)
Practicing as advised above will
cause each of the manifestations to appear accordingly.
Therefore, in Tantric Buddhism, by practicing and attaining
the Nirmanakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Dharmakaya, Buddhahood can
be attained in this lifetime.
Translated by Hanifa
Edited by Boni Low-On & TBN
Proofread by Mimosa
Provided to TBN courtesy of
Padmakumara Translation Team
Website: www.padmakumara.org
--->回目錄
| 
