107 - Pearls of Wisdom (Vajra Words of Realized Wisdom)

Preface:Distinctive Features and Unique Qualities of This Book

        Many disciples have asked me:

        “Living Buddha Lian Sheng, you are a great spiritual adeptand have authored more than a hundred books. It is difficult to grasp the fullessence of a Grand Master of your generation. If a beginner wishes to understand your distinctive and unique qualities, which book should they read?”

        This, too, is a question I find difficult to answer immediately.

      To truly grasp the essence of Living Buddha Lian Sheng, one would need to read all 106 volumes, for nearly every book contains its own unique features and extraordinary insights.

        I have said this before:

1.    My Life is Writing

Throughout my life, I have written one article a day — consistently, for decades. Except under special circumstances, this discipline has rarely been interrupted. As aresult, my thoughts are fully reflected in my books, flowing seamlessly from beginning to end. Earlier and later works are unified in essence.

2.    Profound Karmic Affinity across Lifetimes

My spiritual journey began with Christianity, continued through Taoism, and culminated in Buddhism — a path thoroughly documented in my writings. Beginning with Encounters with the World of Spirits, I journeyed to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and realized my foundational roots from past lives. Every step of my writing has been validated by the tathagatas. Each book bears the endorsement of the buddhas and bodhisattvas — these are truthful words, not falsehoods.

3.    Profundity of Thought

A person’s thinking naturally evolves — from immature to mature — and this progression is reflected across my works. I have held nothing back, so shifts in perspective are inevitable. What I wrote in my twenties differs from what I wrote in my fifties, yet this depth and expansion only make those insights more incisive and distinctive. Across these works, one can observe a harmonious integration of thought and realization.

4.    Yogic Response Arising from Actual Practice

Among all my writings, I emphasize above all the words “actual practice.” The Dharma must be practiced. Thus, my works are not merely theoretical — they containdetailed methods of actual cultivation. I strive to make it possible for everyone to practice the Dharma correctly. My explanations of these methods are more profound, essential, precise, and sublime than those of most others.

5.    Abundant Empirical Evidence and Real-Life Examples

My journey — from learning Buddhism to attaining great realization and validation — is neither fabricated nor imitable by the unscrupulous. These 106 volumes stand as a powerful testimony to a depth of realization that progresses from the shallow to the profound. I have practiced diligently and sincerely, experiencing each stage firsthand and recording numerous real-life examples. This is unprecedented and unparalleled.

Those dedicated to the actual practice of Tantrayana Buddhism(1) are stronglyencouraged to read all 106 volumes and discern for themselves whether my words are true. This is my complete disclosure.

As for this 107th book, its title is Pearls of Wisdom, with the subtitle Vajra Words of Realized Wisdom.

        What I intend to present here is:

l  Supreme Wisdom

l  True Suchness

l  Perfect Enlightenment

l  Validated Realization

l  The Supreme Fruition

l  The Expression of Buddha-Nature (Buddha-Essence)

l  Oneness

l  Etc.

These are the distinctive features and unique qualities of this book, Pearls of Wisdom. I am fully aware that writing such a work presents great challenges, for sentient beings differ widely in capacity and condition, and remain bound by many dualistic attachments and biased views. These Vajra Words must be published only if they embody genuine realization. For this reason, the weight and significance of this book far surpass those of ordinary works.

Since these are Vajra Words imbued with realized wisdom, I have established six guiding principles. The treasured passages in this book shall embody six great distinctions:

1.     The presence of unwavering light.

2.     Supreme wisdom.

3.     Liberation from afflictions.

4.     The eternal embrace of great bliss.

5.     Majestic radiance.

6.     The deliverance of beings throughout the world.

I wish to compile my many years of practical cultivation and realized experiences, together with my deep immersion in sutras and meditation, into written form — to comprehensively convey the various states of realization.

These Vajra Words of Realized Wisdom are not mere teachings, but an outflow of the heart — a manifestation of a tathagata’s great compassion. It is this completeand unreserved revelation that grants them their profound distinctiveness.

This book carries immensely powerful blessings and embodies both wondrous application and profound significance.

Written by Living Buddha Lian Sheng (Sheng-Yen Lu), October 1993, at the True Buddha Tantric Quarters, Redmond, Washington, U.S.A.

MasterSheng-Yen Lu

17102NE 40th Ct.

Redmond,WA 98052

U.S.A.

(1)    In this book, the terms Tantrayana Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism are employed interchangeably to render the Chinese term Mi Jiao (密敎) in English