What Is Harmful? What Is Helpful?

Chan teacher Guo Gu on how, through practice, we awaken to the best in others and ourselves.

THE ETHICS of Chan Buddhism begin with the ultimate truth that we are already free. However, this intrinsic freedom is shrouded by relative social conditioning, including views about what is harmful or beneficial. Our task as practitioners is to bridge the ultimate and relative through the practice of ending all harm, cultivating all virtues, and helping all beings. These three pure precepts (Sanskrit: trividhani silani) are inspiring, but what do they entail in the practice of avoiding harm? There are three Chan principles on which we can rely to end harm, cultivate virtue, and help all beings. The first is to recognize that all beings, including us, have buddhanature. That is, freedom is our true nature. Buddhanature, or freedom, is just another expression for awakening, selfless wisdom, emptiness, or the truth…

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Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly (Digital) - 1 Issue, Summer 2024

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