Now let us talk about the fourth difficulty, "Difficulty in Reading Buddhist Sutras." Are the sutras difficult? Some people would ask, "What is so difficult about them?" Generous benefactors put a lot of money into printing and distributing copies of the sutras, so many that it is hard to find a place to put them all. It bothers me when I try to put them away. There are really a lot. So, what does it mean to say it is difficult to read Buddhist sutras?

As far as contemporary people are concerned, the difficulty lies in the abstruse nature of the sutras. To delve into and to understand the sutras thoroughly is not easy for an ordinary person.

Buddha said that it was difficult to read the sutras even in his own time. Taking his statement in the most literal sense, we could say that it was because there were no printed sutras then. Buddha preached to his listeners, drawing from personal experience. He used wisdom and concepts to educate people without drafting essays in advance, and he tailored his lessons to the individuals he was speaking to. He made witty observations, looking past social class to reveal insights about life. After he passed away, his disciples continued to pass down his teachings through the oral tradition.

It was the Venerable Ananda who wrote down Buddha's teachings from what he had heard and remembered from his Buddhist teachers. In addition to putting Buddha's teachings in written form, he also continued to pass down Buddhist teachings through word of mouth. Those of his students with better memories dictated what the Venerable Ananda had preached. As the "Wonderful Lotus Sutra" says, if one, after hearing the doctrines, can repeat them to others, one will have merits; if those who heard the doctrines publicize them by repeating them to others, they would also have the same merits as the people of Buddha's time who heard Buddha's preaching. That is, We should be attentive and remember the doctrines when we hear them, so that we may teach others.

Another Difficulty

The Tzu Chi Foundation started from "nothing" and became "something," gradually taking shape. Before the establishment of Tzu Chi, there was no precedent to use as an example. Tzu Chi was painstakingly built by following an ideal. After the organization was built, people came and saw it, and they repeated what they saw and felt to others. As people became inspired, they came to work together to accomplish Tzu Chi's missions.

The accumulation of Buddhist sutras was also accomplished from "nothing" to "something." After Buddha passed away, sutras were passed down orally till they were recorded on shells in Hindi, but in simple words. There are two reasons why it is difficult to read Buddhist sutras. First, there were no written sutras to be read one hundred years after Buddha's death. Second, it is hard to say that sutras are one hundred percent correct, as they have been passed down or ally through many generations. As the sutras have been in the world for quite a long time, it is naturally very difficult to understand the meaning of Buddha's words, which were first spoken a long time ago.

There are many Buddhist sutras in Taiwan, but they may not be seen in other places. For example, Tzu Chi has branches in America, and the members there are always excited to receive "Tzu Chi Companion," "Tzu Chi Monthly," and other publications. They are very precious because they are hard to get, due to the limited number of printed copies. As a result, these materials are considered as treasures. How many people can obtain these sutras? So, it is very difficult to read the Buddhist sutras.

Absentmindedness Causes More Difficulties

I wonder: if a wonderful sutra is in front of us and we have no mind to read it, isn't it difficult to read it? In short, the difficulty spoken of by Buddha lies in our minds. There will be no action if one is not inclined to seek a wonderful sutra. Nothing in the world can be gained without labor. We can never be enlightened unless we make the effort to reach for a sutra, which teaches us the wisdom to renounce the world.

There are many publishers now and all sutras are readily available. Many scholars have worked hard to translate the sutras into the vernacular. However, if we just sit among the sutras without trying to read and understand them, it is really, as Buddha said, "difficult to comprehend Buddhist sutras."

A sutra is a Way; a Way is a road. Not only must we read the sutras, but we must also practice them. If we don't practice the teachings of the sutras, the distance between humans and Buddha will still be immeasurably large. One who learns Buddhism should understand it thoroughly and practice it personally, or it will be difficult to read Buddhist sutras. Hopefully everybody can stand on the sutra road without fear. If we hear people say, "The road is wet and difficult to tread upon," and then dare not walk upon it, how can we walk on the immeasurable road to the Buddhist land? If we readjust our minds and make progress step by step, we can reach the end of the road of a thousand sutras - the sacred place of all buddhas.

Life Is Valued by Implementation of What One Learns

Contemporary people possess a high level of knowledge in many matters, except for the Buddhist sutras. There are few people who can study hard, and fewer still who can study hard and put what they learn into practice. Some initially study agriculture, but engage in business later; some first study business, but engage in industry after graduation. In short, for every field of learning in the world, there are few people who can both study and practice what they have learned in a world that encourages materialism. How can one perform one's job as a student of Buddhism if one fails to pay attention to one's behavior and make a perfect study of the world? Although the printing industry is thriving today and Buddhist sutras can be seen everywhere, there are few instances of perfect study and practice. It is difficult, therefore, to read Buddhist sutras.