Preface

Religion emerged when human civilization evolved to a certain stage. Some

higher religions even represented an apex of mankind’s understanding of truth

and the world. They are still of significance today.

Most people worldwide embrace theistic religions, believing that all

things were created by a deity. Two-and-a-half millennia ago, however, Prince

Gautama Siddhartha was born in ancient India. He renounced his household

life for monastic cultivation and became a Buddha -- one who attained full

enlightenment regarding the truths of life and the universe. He overtly denied

creationism, indicating that it is a superstitious belief resulting from human

ignorance and confusion.

According to the Buddha, all phenomena have neither self nor possessions

of self. There are no achievements or achievers. All things are subject to

dependent origination and are of empty nature. They have always been in a state

of tranquil extinction. These notions are undoubtedly beyond our experience and

habitual thinking.

The Law of Dependent Origination and Empty Nature constitutes

Buddhism’s fundamental perception of the world’s phenomena. Things arise co-

dependently from various karmic causes. They originate with the convergence

of conditions, relationships and elemental factors. Because of such dependent origination, the essence of all dharma is of non-independent nature. There exists

no unique, permanent subject. Everything is without an ego.

As conditions change, all phenomena continuously change as well.

But no matter how things transform, their essence is always empty. And

by virtue of emptiness, there are endless changes. “Dependent origination”

means that something exists, while “empty nature” indicates that its essence

is impermanent. Dependent origination manifests empty nature and coexists

with it -- and vice versa. The two are simultaneous. They are reflected in all

phenomena, showing that the world is an absolute and harmonious realm of

oneness.

With an understanding of dependent origination and empty nature, we

humans can surely break away from the myth of creators. According to

Buddhism, a creator-lord is merely a result of the pursuit by limited humans

of something unlimited. In the process they imagine and assume things that

are beyond their reach, hypothesizing that the unlimited, infinite existence is

god. The Buddha, however, personally realized and verified the subtlety and

profundity of the truth. He experienced the existence of infinity, so he needn’t

make any assumptions. Only he can abolish the existence of hypothetical gods.

Modern science and technology have developed greatly since the founding

of the major religions. Many explanations of phenomena based on religions

and mythologies have been demystified by science. People still need spiritual

beliefs, but religions’ spheres of influence are steadily diminishing. Impending

challenges from scientific developments have compelled religions to retreat step

by step. Fewer and fewer people believe in creationism. Some creeds are even

redefining god.

However, no matter how what advances science and technology make, the truth of Dependent Origination and Empty Nature is incontestable. Buddhism’s

main purpose is to resolve ultimately the afflictions and suffering in our lives

and to attain the perfect happiness that resides in the truth: nirvana. Yet by

reason of the Buddha’s unhindered wisdom, his descriptions of the realm

of insentient beings – the material world – have repeatedly been verified as

byproducts of mankind’s scientific discoveries. Certainly, the discoveries and

inventions of science are far less profound, extensive and resplendent than

what is depicted in Buddhist scriptures. These two perspectives also differ in

terms of researchers’ areas of focus and norms of linguistic expression. So we

cannot simplistically equate them. But we may still compare them and obtain

interesting findings.

Science has found that there are countless galaxies in the macro-cosmos.

According to Buddhist sutras, a single Buddha’s realm contains three thousand

chiliocosms -- and there are immeasurable Buddha realms. Science is still

exploring and speculating on the issue of life beyond the Earth. For his part, the

Buddha has stated explicitly that there are innumerable worlds, each of which

contains a variety of life forms.

Within the micro-cosmos, science has discovered molecules, atoms,

electrons, protons, neutrons, quarks …. The Buddha speaks of endless sub-

division to “next to nothing,” culminating in emptiness.

Science claims that everything exists in the form of energy. The Buddha

affirms that “all phenomena are consciousness-only.”

The Buddha told us that time is an illusion of the human mind -- as are

space, distance, movement, interaction, life and death. So he says: “There is

neither arising nor ceasing, no coming or going.” He also says, a bowl of water

contains eighty thousand microbes, and a human body is the household of eighty thousand microbes. Modern microscopes show the same clearly.

The Buddha teaches us, “All things arise from Dharma realm” – a single

leaf or water droplet contains all the information of the entire universe. Every

thought embraces an infinity that runs from the past through the present to

the future. Each dust-mote embodies unlimited sublime realms. The three

time frames can be compressed into a single thought, while a thought can be

expanded into past, present and future. The ten directions can be contracted into

a single hair, and the latter can be enlarged into the former. Such freedom to

switch between long and short durations, and between broad and narrow spaces,

is far beyond human imagination.

This volume, Buddhism for Beginners: Questions and Answers, unfolds the

building blocks of Buddhist knowledge. It cannot possibly answer and satisfy

all the questions and curiosity of its readers. Yet it will fulfill its purpose if it

arouses readers’ interest in Buddhism and prompts them to pursue further its

truths.

May readers all achieve Buddhahood, attain perfect wisdom and

compassion, and obtain the body of truth to deliver all sentient beings. Namo

Amitabha Buddha.

Shi Jingzong

15th day of the 7th lunar month,

2561 Buddhist Era (September 5, 2017)

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