Question: How can I know if the so-called ‘Buddhist’ teachings (佛教) I have come across are authentic or not?
Answer: There are 4 levels of referential checking that can be done, one after another:
[1] Scriptures For Reference
Are the teachings from a traditional sūtra (scripture: 经) or more, as taught by the historical Buddha (佛), a Bodhisattva (菩萨) or Arhat (罗汉), that is/are canonised formally by the Buddhist community? (Not every ‘scripture’ presented as a ‘sūtra’ is a true one.)
[2] Commentaries For Reference
If there are difficulties in knowing whether understanding of the scripture(s) [1] learnt about is right or not, there should be checking for accuracy of the explanation(s) in commentaries (treatises: 论) written by the relevant Buddhist Tradition’s (宗) historically recognised Patriarchs (祖师).
[3] Enquiries For Reference
If there are uncertainties about [1] and [2], as in the teachings being found in which scripture and/or commentary, the teacher(s) should be asked. Unqualified and misleading teachers with false ‘teachings’ will not be able to explain the differences in what they teach and that found in [1] and [2] clearly.
[4] Another ‘Opinion’ For Reference
If there are uncertainties about [1] and [2] and [3], seek another teacher or more for advice. However, the advice given should be subjected to the same cycle of [1], [2], [3] and [4] too, until one is fully satisfied. Good teachers should be able to answer various other reasonable questions well too.
相关教理
Related Teachings:
佛言祖语偈
Verse On Buddha’s Words And Patriarchs’ Teachings
应当向谁学佛法？
Who Should We Learn The Buddha Dharma From?
https://purelanders.com/2017/03/29/verse-on-buddhas-words-patriarchs-teachings
