Master Yin Shun’s Dharma Teachings (B1)

1. The Essentials of Buddhist Practice

“Draw close to virtuous people” — Begin by seeking the guidance of good teachers and mentors.

“Listen to the true Dharma” — Seek to understand the teachings correctly and accurately.

“Reflect in accordance with the Dharma” — Develop a deep and thorough understanding of the Buddha’s teachings.

“Practice in accordance with the Dharma” — Put the teachings into practice through learning, reflection, and cultivation.

2. The Buddha in the Human World

Train and strengthen yourself so that you can take charge of your own life, stand firm, and develop the strength to contribute to society and benefit others. As the Buddha taught: “For the sake of one’s family, forget the individual; for the sake of the village, forget the family; for the sake of the nation, forget the village; for the sake of the world, forget oneself.”

To “forget oneself” does not mean living only for oneself, nor does “forgetting the world” mean withdrawing from society and retreating into the mountains. True Buddhist practice means engaging fully with human life and working for the benefit of others.

3. Here and Now, Here in This Place, and Here Among These People

Many people who practice Buddhism focus on reciting the Buddha’s name and aspire to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, as though leaving this world behind were the ultimate solution. To truly practice the Dharma is to embrace its essential meaning: here and now, in this place, and among these people.

When sharing the Dharma, we must not lose sight of the world in which we live. We must also respond to each person’s particular circumstances and needs, always seeking to benefit others. None of us lives in isolation; we are all connected to one another. Therefore, Buddhist practice should not only benefit ourselves but also bring benefit to many others.

4. From Freedom from Suffering in the Mind to Freedom from Suffering in the Body

The Buddha is the teacher of humanity and the Great Physician. To have faith in the Buddha and follow his teachings is to set out on the right path toward a brighter future. Do not place too much importance on the present, for an infinite future lies ahead. Do not become overly attached to the physical body, for the mind and spirit can remain free and at ease.

With gratitude for the compassion and virtue of the Three Jewels, may you move from a body that suffers while the mind remains free from suffering toward a future in which both mind and body are pure and at ease.

5. The Distinctive Value of the Three-Life View of Cause and Effect

A true understanding of cause and effect across the three periods of life gives us hope in every circumstance and inspires us to keep striving and moving forward.

Beyond the principle that we each create and experience the consequences of our own actions, we can also see how people collectively create and experience their shared consequences. Every family and every nation, across the course of history, is likewise shaped by the workings of cause and effect, rising and falling according to the conditions they create.

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Practice compassion and engage in acts of charity and service without seeking anything for yourself. If we act solely to gain blessings or rewards, our actions remain self-centered and self-serving and, from a Buddhist perspective, reflect a limited understanding of practice.

True practice means not only benefiting others but also cultivating purity of body and mind, gradually freeing ourselves from afflictions, and progressing through the cultivation of ethics, concentration, and wisdom to awaken to Buddha wisdom.