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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