Contemplation Under the Lonesome Light
An Instant of Inspiration
By Living Buddha Lian Sheng Shen-yen Lu
Translated by Master Lianseng, Jessie Loh, Harmony, Vajra Lotus, and Wilhall Lee
Synopsis
A cultivator has to eliminate clinging. Extinguishing the fire of anger and eradicating desire is a very wise move. When a person has the ability to do this, then it is time to start cultivation and learning. To practice Buddhadharma, to quiet down to cultivate True Buddha Tantra, to calm and stabilize one's mind, constantly think:
What is yours?
Wife?
Wealth and property?
Children?
Reputation and position?
Cultivators must always maintain the balance of their state of the mind. When the mind is at its best state of non-clinging, one sees the impermanent world for what it is. With such a vision, one will not be embroiled in hate and revenge, or be torn between evil and good. The elimination of clinging supersedes any kind of learning or cultivating.
Preface: The Inner Essence of Life
Chapter 1: Do Not Judge a Person by His Looks
Chapter 2: The Closet Person o the Buddha
Chapter 3: Boredom
Chapter 4: Shattering the Illusion of Love
Chapter 5: The Flesh of Tripitaka
Chapter 6: The Thought of Suicide
Chapter 7: Overdoing and Underdoing
Chapter 8: Do Scandals Stop When They Get to a Wise Man?
Chapter 9: The Buddha Harming the Buddha
Chapter 10: A Computer-illiterate Man Living in Today’s World
Chapter 11: Regard Children as Teachers
Chapter 12: Master of Fruits
Chapter 13: A Person without a Mobile Phone
Chapter 14: Retreat for the Silver-Haired Community
Chapter 15: Can Drugs Bring Happiness?
Chapter 16: Surviving on Interest
Chapter 17: After Land Surveying – Embarking onto the Road of Cultivation
Chapter 18: Temples
Chapter 19: A Fortune-Telling Celestial
Chapter 20: Stiff Neck
Chapter 21: Buddhas Literary Books
Chapter 22: The Earth Is a Prison
Chapter 23: Aside from Welcoming the Buddha’s Tooth Relic
Chapter 24: We Are No Dwarf
Chapter 25: To Be Born Again as a Tzu Chi Person?
Chapter 26: The Dharma Seat in Seattle
Chapter 27: The Real Truth of Shanshi
Chapter 28: Besides Walking Meditation
Chapter 29: Enamoured with Globalization
Chapter 30: Offering to Invisible Entities
Chapter 31: Impersonating Grand Master
Chapter 32: The Merit of the Majestic Water
Chapter 33: Swimming in the Lake
Chapter 34: The Visit of Japanese Ghosts
Chapter 35: Writing as a Companion of Life
Chapter 36: Wishing for Death
Chapter 37: My Wish for One Newspaper and One Magazine
Chapter 38: The Eight Garudhammas
Chapter 39: Hindrances for Women
Chapter 40: A Bird’s Miracle
Chapter 41: Is practicing Buddhism Wrong?
Chapter 42: The Lonely Ghost
Chapter 43: Relationships between People
Chapter 44: The Future Dream Houses
Chapter 45: The Ghost of the Executed Prisoner
Chapter 46: The Chinese Character, “Phoenix + Emperor”
Chapter 47: Contesting the Estate of the Ancestors
Chapter 48: Eliminating Clinging
Chapter 49: Red Padmakumara Came and Took Refuge
Chapter 50: The Hungry Ghosts at the Lakeside
Chapter 51: The Logic behind Retreat
Chapter 52: Attacks on Vajrayana Buddhism
Chapter 53: The Protector Gods of Bhauma Heaven
Chapter 54: Flying into Fury of Three Times
Chapter 55: A Speck of Sand in my Eye
Chapter 56: The Howling of Vagrant Dogs
Chapter 57: The Way to Die
Chapter 58: My Notion of Medical Science
Chapter 59: Transcend the Sufferings of Body and Mind
Chapter 60: The Four Major Characteristics of Buddhism
Chapter 61: Rain Halfway Through my Journey
Chapter 62: Life’s Greatest Joy
Chapter 63: The Holy City of Nirvana
Chapter 64: Fish and Fishballs
Chapter 65: The Experience of Purchasing
Chapter 66: Stopping Greed
Chapter 67: The Heart of the Common Man
Chapter 68: Watching the Sunset While Reciting Buddha’s Epithet
Chapter 69: Tens of Thousands Precepts Stem from the Mind
Chapter 70: Boiling Water
Chapter 71: The Beast of Beasts
Chapter 72: The Cravings of People at the Foot of the Mountain
Chapter 73: A Competition
Chapter 74: Desire Heavens, Brahma-loka, and Nirvana
Chapter 75: More Monk-like than a Monk
Chapter 76: The Legend of the Mountains
Chapter 77: Daily Routine during My Retreat
Chapter 78: Observing Disciples
Chapter 79: Dog Paddle
Chapter 80: The Ghost in the Lake
Chapter 81: Paintings in my Heart
Chapter 82: Superseding Shakyamuni Buddha
Chapter 83: Thunderstorm Rain
Chapter 84: Taking a Photograph
Chapter 85: Chatting
Chapter 86: A Big White Rat Took Refuge
Chapter 87: The Praise of Brahma-Devas
Chapter 88: Beyond Promoting My Written Works
Glossary
By Living Buddha Lian Sheng Shen-yen Lu
Translated by Master Lianseng, Jessie Loh, Harmony, Vajra Lotus, and Wilhall Lee
Synopsis
A cultivator has to eliminate clinging. Extinguishing the fire of anger and eradicating desire is a very wise move. When a person has the ability to do this, then it is time to start cultivation and learning. To practice Buddhadharma, to quiet down to cultivate True Buddha Tantra, to calm and stabilize one's mind, constantly think:
What is yours?
Wife?
Wealth and property?
Children?
Reputation and position?
Cultivators must always maintain the balance of their state of the mind. When the mind is at its best state of non-clinging, one sees the impermanent world for what it is. With such a vision, one will not be embroiled in hate and revenge, or be torn between evil and good. The elimination of clinging supersedes any kind of learning or cultivating.
Preface: The Inner Essence of Life
Chapter 1: Do Not Judge a Person by His Looks
Chapter 2: The Closet Person o the Buddha
Chapter 3: Boredom
Chapter 4: Shattering the Illusion of Love
Chapter 5: The Flesh of Tripitaka
Chapter 6: The Thought of Suicide
Chapter 7: Overdoing and Underdoing
Chapter 8: Do Scandals Stop When They Get to a Wise Man?
Chapter 9: The Buddha Harming the Buddha
Chapter 10: A Computer-illiterate Man Living in Today’s World
Chapter 11: Regard Children as Teachers
Chapter 12: Master of Fruits
Chapter 13: A Person without a Mobile Phone
Chapter 14: Retreat for the Silver-Haired Community
Chapter 15: Can Drugs Bring Happiness?
Chapter 16: Surviving on Interest
Chapter 17: After Land Surveying – Embarking onto the Road of Cultivation
Chapter 18: Temples
Chapter 19: A Fortune-Telling Celestial
Chapter 20: Stiff Neck
Chapter 21: Buddhas Literary Books
Chapter 22: The Earth Is a Prison
Chapter 23: Aside from Welcoming the Buddha’s Tooth Relic
Chapter 24: We Are No Dwarf
Chapter 25: To Be Born Again as a Tzu Chi Person?
Chapter 26: The Dharma Seat in Seattle
Chapter 27: The Real Truth of Shanshi
Chapter 28: Besides Walking Meditation
Chapter 29: Enamoured with Globalization
Chapter 30: Offering to Invisible Entities
Chapter 31: Impersonating Grand Master
Chapter 32: The Merit of the Majestic Water
Chapter 33: Swimming in the Lake
Chapter 34: The Visit of Japanese Ghosts
Chapter 35: Writing as a Companion of Life
Chapter 36: Wishing for Death
Chapter 37: My Wish for One Newspaper and One Magazine
Chapter 38: The Eight Garudhammas
Chapter 39: Hindrances for Women
Chapter 40: A Bird’s Miracle
Chapter 41: Is practicing Buddhism Wrong?
Chapter 42: The Lonely Ghost
Chapter 43: Relationships between People
Chapter 44: The Future Dream Houses
Chapter 45: The Ghost of the Executed Prisoner
Chapter 46: The Chinese Character, “Phoenix + Emperor”
Chapter 47: Contesting the Estate of the Ancestors
Chapter 48: Eliminating Clinging
Chapter 49: Red Padmakumara Came and Took Refuge
Chapter 50: The Hungry Ghosts at the Lakeside
Chapter 51: The Logic behind Retreat
Chapter 52: Attacks on Vajrayana Buddhism
Chapter 53: The Protector Gods of Bhauma Heaven
Chapter 54: Flying into Fury of Three Times
Chapter 55: A Speck of Sand in my Eye
Chapter 56: The Howling of Vagrant Dogs
Chapter 57: The Way to Die
Chapter 58: My Notion of Medical Science
Chapter 59: Transcend the Sufferings of Body and Mind
Chapter 60: The Four Major Characteristics of Buddhism
Chapter 61: Rain Halfway Through my Journey
Chapter 62: Life’s Greatest Joy
Chapter 63: The Holy City of Nirvana
Chapter 64: Fish and Fishballs
Chapter 65: The Experience of Purchasing
Chapter 66: Stopping Greed
Chapter 67: The Heart of the Common Man
Chapter 68: Watching the Sunset While Reciting Buddha’s Epithet
Chapter 69: Tens of Thousands Precepts Stem from the Mind
Chapter 70: Boiling Water
Chapter 71: The Beast of Beasts
Chapter 72: The Cravings of People at the Foot of the Mountain
Chapter 73: A Competition
Chapter 74: Desire Heavens, Brahma-loka, and Nirvana
Chapter 75: More Monk-like than a Monk
Chapter 76: The Legend of the Mountains
Chapter 77: Daily Routine during My Retreat
Chapter 78: Observing Disciples
Chapter 79: Dog Paddle
Chapter 80: The Ghost in the Lake
Chapter 81: Paintings in my Heart
Chapter 82: Superseding Shakyamuni Buddha
Chapter 83: Thunderstorm Rain
Chapter 84: Taking a Photograph
Chapter 85: Chatting
Chapter 86: A Big White Rat Took Refuge
Chapter 87: The Praise of Brahma-Devas
Chapter 88: Beyond Promoting My Written Works
Glossary