The difference between learning Buddhism and not learning Buddhism

Some people may say that one can still live without studying Buddhism, and that one can also improve material life through work and spiritual life through entertainment. Besides, why should we choose to learn Buddhism when we can believe in other religions?

Some would say there are many ways to deal with suffering. If feeling bored, people could watch TV, they could drink if feeling miserable. But when we think about it, these methods can only temporarily relieve the pain. How about after watching TV? It's still boring. What happens when you sober up? Still upset, maybe even more upset.

Others would say that improving living conditions is the solution for suffering. In that case, the ancient emperors should not have been troubled. For they have all the wealth and power of the world: " All the lands in the world belong to the King, and all the human in the world are King's people."

But in fact, Kings have their own troubles, and in a way, they may have more troubles than ordinary people. Therefore, improving the living environment is not enough to solve the suffering of life.

It may also be said that we can go for other religions, through prayer to God, through external salvation to end the suffering.

However, we should know that trouble is not external, but originates from our own greed, hatred and delusion from the beginning-less time, and from the infinite evil karma created in the past. Only by solving these root causes can we fundamentally solve the inner confusion and no longer plant the cause of evil karma.

Many people think: after I have ensured the basic needs, I will think about whether to be a Buddhist or not.

In fact, these people finish solving the problem of food and clothing, they will chase a life of moderate prosperity, from the life of moderate prosperity to petty bourgeoisie life, and then become upstarts. Many people have houses, cars and money, but the problems haven’t been solved. Are you really rich? How about your heart? If you just coat the scrap metal with gold, it will be restored to its original appearance as soon as it encounters chemical corrosion. Looks like a rich man apparently, what about the heart inside?

For example, to throw a few hundred yuan on the ground, some well-dressed people still scramble to pick it up. A lot of people will engage in a nasty battle for the money.

Shouldn't the first reaction be returning money to the owner? Because it's not your money.

Through the bad phenomena of a society, we can know the state of civilization. What clothes to wear, what bag to carry, how bright the leather shoes are and how good the car is have nothing to do with the refinement of the mind.

The inner mind should be changed through Buddhist cultivation and dharma practice. If you do not cultivate it, what is the use of quoting from the scriptures, even memorizing the Sutras, and talking about what is said in the Diamond Sutra and the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Pūrvapraṇidhāna Sūtra.  If we do not learn Buddhism, we don't believe in causality, when come to afflictions, we will get into a dead end. We will be full of complaints, troubles, doubts and hatreds, and we don't know how to face and solve them. If we do not learn Buddhism, our mind is affected by external circumstances, we have endless desires, worrying about gain and loss, the moods go between happy and sorrow. Once the death came, we would have nothing left. If we do not learn Buddhism, we will generate much attachment to self and develop a narrow vision, just like the frog in the well, failing to know how big the sky is and there is happiness beyond the samsara, failing to get the key to the liberation door of life and death!

Shakyamuni Buddha left us the most wonderful dharma in this Saha World. For more than 2,500 years, it has benefited countless living beings from generation to generation. Where in the world is there such a good school as Buddhism? It teaches us how to make the most of our lives, how to get away from physical and mental problem and suffering, and how to achieve ultimate liberation. Those who truly and reverently study Buddhism are in peace and joy of mind, free from troubles and disputes, and they can strive to obtain the holy fruit of complete liberation by learning the compassion and wisdom of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.