Enlightenment Magazine (No: 129) 

THE TRUE BUDDHA SCHOOL

By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by True Buddha Foundation Translation Team

People who criticize the True Buddha School love to say, `So you consider yourself the True Buddha? Doesn`t that make us false buddhas?`

When I heard this, I found it rather laughable. My view is this, `I have been to the Dharma Nature Land where the True Body of the Buddha resides, and have verified the existence of the Truth Body and Bliss Body of the Buddha. I am completely aware of the existence of the True Buddha Siddhi. Therefore, I decided to establish my own school and name it the True Buddha School.`

I want to emphasize this, `When Sakyamuni Buddha appeared on earth, he reached out to those who had affinity with him, studied the faculties and intelligence of sentient beings, and offered them the appropriate antidotes according to their spiritual conditions. When the Buddha entered Nirvana, his disciples formed different schools in response to His teachings, and collectively assembled the three Buddhist canons. In reality, all aspects of the Dharma are interlinked, and when they are interpenetrated, they express the Dharma wonderfully. Hence, all schools in essence express the True Buddha.`

I mean to say that I am the True Buddha, and so are you. As long as it is the Buddhadharma, it is the True Buddha. I would not criticize others as being false buddhas.

If one takes to the study of Prajna and its corresponding sutras, one may follow the Zen school.

If one takes to the study of The Amitabha Sutra, The Larger Sutra on Amitayus, or The Sutra on Contemplation of Amitayus, one may follow the Pure Land School.

If one takes to the study of The Mahavairocana Sutra and The Vajrasekhara Sutra, one may follow the Esoteric or Tantric School.

If one takes to the study of The Brahmajala Sutra, one may follow the Vinaya School.

If one takes to the study of Madhyamaka Sastra (The Treatise of the Middle Way), Sata Sastra (The One Hundred Verse Treatise), or Dvadasanikaya Sastra (The Twelve Aspects Treatise), one may follow the Three Sastras School.

If one takes to the study of the three primary texts of The Lotus Sutra, one may follow the Tien-tai School.

If one takes to the study of The Avatamsaka Sutra (The Flower Ornament Sutra), one may follow the Xian Shou or Avatamsaka School.

If one takes to the study of The Lankavatara Sutra, The Samdhinirmocana Sutra, The Vijnaptimatratasiddhi Sastra and The Yogacarabhumi Sastra one may follow the Fa Xiang or Dharmalaksana School.

Due to my deeper affinity with the Tantric School, I have established the Supreme Vessel based on my study of Tantric Dharma by selecting the very best of its teachings, by which I can deliver sentient beings across the Ocean of Samsara and place them on the Shore of Nirvana.

I truly verified the existence of the Truth and Bliss bodies of the Buddha, and authenticated the presence of the Realm of the True Buddha Siddhi. Thus, the True Buddha School is able to deliver sentient beings of affinity based on these causes and circumstances!

This True Buddha School which I have established thus harmonizes with all the schools. The True Buddha exists where Buddhadharma is taught, and there is little room for disharmony. I am true, so is everyone. The learned ones should contemplate on this!

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