How Are Arhats, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas And Buddhas Different?

Feb. 17 | Question: How is the enlightenment of Arhats different from Buddhas’? What about that of Bodhisattvas and Pratyekabuddhas? Answer: The enlightenment of Arhats can be called self-liberation – from the cycle of birth and death. Self-liberation...

Are The Enlightened Around Us Now?

Nov. 12 | Question: During the Buddha’s time, there are many who become Arhats and Bodhisattvas. Today, we do not hear of anyone becoming enlightened. If they are around, yet not revealing themselves, how do we know who they are, for learning from them? Answer:...

From Bodhicitta To Bodhisattvas To Buddhas

Sep. 3 | 无大乘法即无菩提心， 无菩提心即无菩萨道， 无菩萨道即无菩萨成, 无菩萨成即无佛陀成, 无佛陀成即无佛所教, 无佛所教即无罗汉道, 无罗汉道即无罗汉成. With no Mahayana teachings, there is no Bodhicitta. With...

Are Manifestations & Mediums Of Bodhisattvas & Buddhas Around?

Feb. 20 | This article was submitted to, and published in the April-June 2014 issue of Nanyang Buddhist, the magazine of Singapore Buddhist Federation. We should respect all beings, even helpful humans, gods and ghosts. However, Buddhists only take refuge in the...

How Death Hinders Progress To Liberation

Apr. 20 | The thoroughly unenlightened manifest confused rebirths which further confuse themselves. – Stonepeace There is a phenomenon called ‘confusion from separation (from previous lives) by death’ (隔阴之迷), which is the forgetting of...

Following The Buddha’s Perfect Example

Nov. 14 | If there are no followers of the Bodhisattva ideal, there would be no Buddhas arising to teach the Buddhadharma, and no followers of the Buddhadharma [including the Arya Sangha]. – Stonepeace The formation of the extant written canons of the schools,...

Who Has Been To Pure Land & Back?

Jun. 6 | If there are beings, who hear of this teaching, they should aspire, to be born in that [Pure] Land. – Amitabha Sutra (The Buddha) 若有众生, 闻是说者, 应当发愿, 生彼国土。 – 阿弥陀经（佛陀） Who has been to Amituofo’s Pure...

Did The Buddha Teach The Path To Buddhahood?

Aug. 23 | If there is no Bodhicitta, there would be no Buddha, and no Buddhadharma [teachings of the Buddha]. – Stonepeace The title of this article sounds like a ridiculous question. And indeed, it is. For if even the Buddha did not teach the path to...

Claims of Enlightenment?

Mar. 30 | “I command that after my [Pari]Nirvana, Bodhisattvas and Arhats appear in response-bodies in the Dharma-ending Age, and take various forms in order to rescue those in the cycle of rebirth. They should either become Shramanas, white-robed laypeople,...