Propagating Buddhadharma in the 21st Century - Professor John Vu

 

Why this profound religion declined in India? Monastics don't keep precepts.

Vows: poverty, celibacy, harmlessness

Spread of dharma: the unchanged (precepts & harmonious of bikkhus in temples) and the upon-condition

Can I ask vows of poverty & wealth, celibacy & sex, and harmlessness & victory-by-violence

Responsible Living - Ron Epstein 

Buddhist Economics

• India: living under trees, move around constantly to beg for food
• Thailand, Cambodia: continue begging
• China: emperors respect the teaching & build monasteries to live

Buddhism spreading in the West: 1000 temples. Should we believe that this is a sign that Buddhism spreading rapidly? As a Buddhist we should look closer. 500k Buddhists but only few percentage practices according to the teaching.

In the 70s, huge number of Asian immigrants to the West.

Should not focus on diverging viewpoints of the different schools, but focus on the whole and single teachings of the Buddha. All sects should find a cause where we can all support.

Bring scientific, business & monastics together. Several dynasties applied Buddhism to manage country very successfully.

Bring out basics: greed, anger, delusion in ethics class.

Find books & learn from books. Attend retreats & workshops. Don't try to change elders yet.

5 periods of Buddha's teaching

1. Agama (12 years - Deer Park): 4 noble truths for Arhats
2. Vaipulya (8 years): “Amitabha Sutra”, “Shurangama Sutra”, “Shurangama Samadhi Sutra”, “Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra”, ...
3. Prajna Period (22 years): “Astasahasrika Prajna Paramita”, “Vajracchedika Prajna Paramita”
4. Dharma Flower and Nirvana ( (8 years before Nirvana): “Lotus Sutra” and “Nirvana/ Wonderful Sutra”
5. Avatamsaka period (21 days after enlightenment): mainly for Bodhisattvas

https://www.buddhisttexts.org/collections/bilingual-e-c-collection/products/vimalakirti-sutra

https://www.buddhisttexts.org/products/the-wonderful-dharma-lotus-sutra-vol-1-14?pr_prod_strat=copurchase&pr_rec_pid=4823205380157&pr_ref_pid=6630635372741&pr_seq=uniform

Đường mây trên đất hoa: Biography of DM Xu Yun (Hư Vân)

Đường mây trong cõi mộng: DM Han Shan (Hám Sơn)

Đường mây qua xứ tuyết: Tomo Geshe Rinpoche

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