The Attitude towards Life of Buddhism

Buddhism aims not to talk about emptiness for emptiness. Conversely, we can even say that Buddhism speaks emptiness to show its large role in “Non-emptiness” of all things in the world. Buddhism takes an objective approach eliminating discrimination for Self-nature of emptiness of all things in the world. This is what we often say the true wisdom. That is also a gongan of Chan origin saying “mountains are still mountains and water still water”, having a higher realm than “mountains are no longer mountains and water no longer water”. Ancient meditation masters’ realization, liberation and large comfortable relief, were just the true wisdom gained. Once getting the true wisdom, we shall gain awareness of all things in the world and get positive feelings. Whether conducting ourselves or handling affairs is as clear as noonday rather than spend our lives blindly under our own desire. So called “establishing undertakings in the world, with sentiments of coming into the world” means nether blindly talking about emptiness nor persistent in what we have. So the attitude towards life of Buddhism is always positive and uplifting. The sutra says “a human body is difficult to attain”, cherishing the real life very much. If Buddhism were negative, then it would not be necessary for Buddha to go through rain and wind, explaining sutra and preaching Buddhist doctrines over forty nine years. (From Words of Chan by Shi Yongxin)