Page 10 - EH64

LEAD ARTICLE | EASTERN HORIZON 7

Welcoming HH Karmapa at GCBP Temple, 2017

right legs are divided, both belong to the same person. the expedient practices, unveiled the true essence of
In order for the Master to be able to walk freely with Buddha’s teaching, and stepwise expounded the steps of
both healthy legs, the two disciples should have adopted leading all sentient beings to the perfection of practices.
each other’s treatment methods and jointly cured the There is no separation in the original teachings from the
Master’s aching legs. Buddha used this analogy to tell Shakyamuni Buddha 2500 years ago. It was Buddha’s
practitioners that different Buddhist traditions should disciples who categorized his teachings into different
cooperate and integrate with each other without any Buddhist traditions, Schools, and lineages to benefit all
differentiation in order to flourish Buddhadharma. beings.
Similarly, realizing that Sūtrayāna (Causal Vehicle)
and Vajrayāna (Fruition Vehicle) are two sides of one In the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha addressed Śāriputra:
entity and are complementary, will help cultivators in “All the acts of Buddhas are always for one purpose.
attaining true enlightenment. The Buddhas manifest their wisdom and insight solely
to inspire sentient beings to attain Buddhahood. O
The Lotus Sūtra says: “All the Buddhas of the past Śāriputra! A Tathāgata teaches sentient beings the
expounded the teachings for the sake of sentient beings, Dharma only through the Single Buddha Vehicle. There
using incalculable and innumerable skillful means and is no other, neither a second nor a third. O Śāriputra! The
various explanations and illustrations. These teachings True Nature of all the Buddhas of the Ten Directions is
were all for the Single Buddha Vehicle. All these sentient exactly like this.”
beings, hearing the Dharma from the Buddhas, finally
attained Buddhahood.” As a Buddhist or non-Buddhist, regardless of their stage
of cultivation, one should cherish and clearly recognize
Shakyamuni Buddha expounded on the teachings of the that the Dharma they cultivate is very extraordinary.
Three Vehicles for the purpose of guiding practitioners Furthermore, one should equally praise and rejoice
of different capacities and predispositions. As the over other Buddhist traditions as being equally
Buddha explained in the “Lotus Sūtra’’, ultimately extraordinary. If someone only wants their tradition
there is the Single Vehicle of Buddhahood for the to prosper and belittle other traditions, the motivation
sake of all sentient beings, and there is no second nor of their cultivation is questionable. If one is attached
third Vehicle. The most obvious explanation can be to their own tradition and armed with prejudice and
found in the Lotus Sūtra where the Buddha expelled jealousy toward other traditions, they may lose their

4/18/2021 11:59:22 AM
EH_May_2021_Content_PRINT.indd 7 4/18/2021 11:59:22 AM
EH_May_2021_Content_PRINT.indd 7