Venerable Master Hsuan Hua - His Life, His Legacy Life of the Ven. Master Hsuan Hua Site Map

Main Contents | Life of the Ven. Master Hsuan Hua | A Road of Hardship | Building the Foundation of Buddhism

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Building the Foundation of Buddhism in America

Introduction

Establishing a
Proper Sangha

Hosting Ordination Ceremonies on Western Soil
A Sangha That Practices the Proper Dharma

Protecting the
Proper Dharma

Upholding the Shurangama Sutra
Exposing Deviant Teachers
Breaking Misconceptions and Superstitions

Working Towards a
Harmonious Sangha

Ending Sectarianism
Uniting the Northern and Southern Traditions
Chinese Buddhism and American Buddhism

Exposing Deviant Teachers

Over the years, the Venerable Master has on many occasions exposed deviant teachers. He also held many forums on the fifty Skandha-demons of the Shurangama Sutra so that everyone will be able to recognize demonic states and will not go astray on the wrong path.

Upasaka Youbing Chen's thesis "A Discussion of Venerable Master Hsuan Hua's Contributions to Buddhism" mentions a couple of well-known cases:

One is a female teacher in the Sikh religion of India. She calles herself a "Buddha-in-the-world" and goes about transmitting a "Guanyin Dharma-door" of "instant enlightenment and liberation right in this life." The Master's stern criticism of her is:
Many people are confused by her all because they are greedy. When one takes refuge in the Triple Jewel, the text of the ceremony states very clearly, "I would rather give up my life than to ever take refuge with heavenly demons or externalists." The deviant things she says are the words of deviant demons and externalists, and all of it is designed to cheat people. If you believe that stuff, you are really idiots - complete dolts -- and you are all boring your way into the hells.
The other one is a certain "Supreme Master" -- a "lotus-born living Buddha" with "vast spiritual penetrations" who eats meat, drinks alcohol, and plays around with women. The Master's critique of him is:
"Alas! In the evil time of the Dharma-ending Age, living beings' blessings are slight; it is difficult to train them. Far indeed from the Sages of the past! Their deviant views are deep. Demons are strong, the Dharma is weak; many are the wrongs and injuries. Hearing of the door of the Thus Come One's Sudden Teaching, they hate not destroying it as they would smash a tile." [Song of Enlightenment] In the Dharma-ending Age people are not able to distinguish between deviant and proper. You need only look to see: does he have any greed, any fighting, any seeking, any selfishness, or any self-benefitting in his mind? Is he lying and cheating others all day and all night long? I don't know what this peson is. I call him a demon runt."

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