Preface
■Book 104 - A Plethora Of Scenic Splendours
■Written by GrandMaster Sheng-yen Lu
With a view to propagating the dharma, I made a trip to Singapore and Malaysia from December 1992 to January 1993.
This book entitled”A Plethora Of Scenic Splendours” gives an account on what I have seen and heard during my stint. I would like to dedicate it to:
All the True Buddha disciples,
All the truth seekers,
All the true Buddhists,
and all the friends of the same faith.
This is the 104th book written by me. It closely reflects my propagating journeys.
The “supposedly short” tour turned out to be very exciting; unlike the conventional sight-seeing, I had to bear the brunt of lashings, wage a war, face a revolution, and finally conclude them to be just illusions.
Discerning readers must use their wisdom to analyze what is right and what is wrong without jumping to conclusions.
As the book stresses on the truthfulness, it has an absolute power in it regardless of what yardstick you may want to use in judging it.
You may be a little puzzled after reading the book; or see the traditional Buddhist organizations in a different light. Some of you may even disagree with my views - albeit you can't stop me from writing this book.
Neither do I wish to brag about my wisdom, nor do I pretend to be humble, I just write what I have to say!
I admit my work to be logical; and yet I could be carried away by my emotion. It flows naturally like an ocean, stream, river and lake . It is as clear and thorough as the morning sun . It is like the flowers in the garden that blossom suddenly. I may claim that immediately after touring the destinations i.e Singapore and Malaysia (East and West), the articles were completed once my emotion started to wane.
A plethora of scenic splendours,
Among the high-rise building and passing crowd,
I saw the Bodhi tree which is as serene as ever,
I saw the primitive forest, and undulated mountains
and I admire the greatness of nature.
“Why did you go to Singapore and Malaysia ?” I am asked.
My answer, “My disciples there invited me, so I went. It is as simple as that. I have many disciples in these countries who wished that their grandmaster could visit them like their relatives so that they can receive the benevolence of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.”
Under such adverse conditions as oppression from the traditional schools and unfair treatment, the disciples from Singapore and Malaysia show their confidence. They do not mourn the past; nor worry about the future, instead they glow with enthusiasm and radiating vigour. They say that :”As long as the grandmaster is here, everything is fine and considered perfect.”
What is dharma-propagation?
It surely is “life”.
It is also a “cultivation”.
It is a special kind of “experience”.
It is the practical usage of dharma.
The most important of all:
“It is a pure and profound understanding of the deep meditation.”
I sincerely hope the incessant power of this book will light up the souls of all mankind, and render them to be simple, bright and clear.
Sheng-Yen Lu
17102 NE 40th CT
Redmond, WA 98052 U.S.A.
