S: Long general Buddhist courses (some spanning years, including degrees) might appear comprehensive, but this is often an illusion as there are so many topics to cover, that it is a matter of touch and go for many sub-topics. For example, if I know there is a place in Singapore that teaches the Pure Land practice in English, with as much detail as I do, there would no need for me to hold classes on the subject. I’ll just gladly promote this course. Also due to the lack of time for coverage, general courses also unwittingly end up giving partial and thus biased unbalanced views of certain teachings. Sad but true.
M: Yes, kind of inevitable but still, it can be avoided. Certain foundational teachings that are much easier to accept or understand, which are also important should make known to more – provided that they are taught inside-out and with clear explanations. Briefly touching on them will not be beneficial especially when doubts are not cleared and may produce even more doubts. This is the problem. I am not learning enough, or in fact I should say I don’t know what is enough. It is challenging to learn the Dharma correctly and completely.
S: Yes, basic core teachings should be taught clearly and made readily available. Probably the only feasible way to avoid the problem of long general Dharma courses diluting specific teachings is that there are detailed courses on them offered too. As long as we are unenlightened, we have not learnt and practised enough. The good news is that once Pure Land is reached, all the essential Dharma can be mastered there. That’s why it’s so important to reach Pure Land – to enrol in the best school in the universe! In this sense, for now, learning and practising general Dharma teachings, coupled with the Pure Land teachings is the least that should be done – for the safest passage towards liberation. Amituofo
Shian,
Hi Shian,
thank you for holding the Pureland course in English. It has helped me and my many friends who have also joined your classes. We find your classes informative and engaging. Highly recommended to all who are interested in knowing more about Pureland and to those who are already Pureland practioners. I hope that you will continue to hold these classes as more and more will definately be more interested in Pureland practice in the future. It is important to have right views as a Pureland practioner and sometimes I’m rather disheartened to know some who do practice Pureland practice but do not know why they are doing it and hence held many wrong views and worst of all, transmitting wrong information ‘unintentionally’ to people around them. Hence, courses like the ones you have been doing are so important. Hope there might be upcoming Chinese version too! 🙂
Thank you, Lisa, for finding the course useful, and helping to share it. Yes, we need to share the Pure Land teachings more, as they are so precious and profound, yet so easily misunderstood.
In case you are not aware, info about the next course is at http://www.kmspks.org/education/amitabha_class.htm
I hope to do a totally Chinese version too, but my spoken Chinese for long technical sentences is far from fluent at the moment! Amituofo
😉