The theme for the movie “The Matrix” is compatible with the Buddhist view of the world. This movie indicates that our life, work and all that surrounds us are just computer software; nothing is real.

Likewise, we live in a dream-like world. If we do not observe the world and analyze it with our wisdom, everything in it looks real to us, but if one day we start to doubt our five senses and think carefully, we will realize what an insubstantial world we live in.

[Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series ~ The Illusory World]

If everything were predestined and immutable as some non-Buddhists believe, what would be the point of undertaking spiritual practice? Since everything has already been set, there is no point trying to change anything in life—if you are having a good life, rejoice in your good fortune; if you are having a miserable one, just bear it. By the same token, if everything were predetermined, it would be useless to give food to the needy since going hungry would have been their destiny anyway. Hence, fatalism fails to stand up to scrutiny.

[Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series ~ The Right View : On Cause and Effect]

How do we decide who is an emanation of whom? It is not based on inference or feeling. There is no way our five senses can see such a hidden connection. Neither can our logic infer such results. We can only rely on the prophecy of Padmasambhava and the vajra speech of great masters. We can fully trust in the practice and character of these great masters who would never deceive sentient beings. The words spoken by the Buddha and these noble beings who were like buddhas, are called authoritative scriptures.

[Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series ~ The Guru Yoga Practice of the Seven-Line Prayer to Padmasambhava]

Nowadays, both in China and Tibet, many people identify themselves as Buddhists, both lay practitioners and monastics. They often participate in the activity of liberating animals, or practice prostrations and the five uncommon preliminaries. Many feel proud that they practice every day. However, if we looked closely at their motivations, we would find that quite a few practice only for their own benefit in this life, such as for health, longevity, or the removal of a life-threatening obstacle. Others hope for a favorable rebirth in the god or human realm just because they fear suffering in the three lower realms (the realms of hell, hungry ghosts and animals). But any form of practice undertaken with these kinds of selfish motivation is considered, at best, a worldly act.

Furthermore, we should not think that burning incense and doing prostrations is worldly, whereas listening to the teachings of the Madhyamaka or the Great Perfection is transcendent. The distinction between the two is simply not about form.

[Depicted from Luminous Wisdom Book Series 1 : The Right View ~ The Three Differences]

That was the view of the mainstream non-Buddhists during the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Later, when the followers of Islam invaded India, some of the most important Buddhist sites, such as Nalanda Monastery and Mutsamoshila (Precept Monastery), were demolished. Subsequently, a few non-Buddhist schools began to adopt certain Buddhist theories, resulting in the non-Buddhist canon being mixed with many Buddhist teachings. Yet, up until now, not one of these schools has been capable of articulating a realization of emptiness beyond the notion of “not-self.”

[Depicted from Luminous Wisdom Book Series 1 : The Right View ~ The Three Differences]

In any case, the key difference between Buddhism and non-Buddhism lies in taking refuge in the Three Jewels.

Accordingly, taking refuge is deemed a prerequisite for anyone who wants to learn Buddhism. However, it has never been forced upon anyone. Only those who want to learn the Buddha’s teachings or take up Buddhist practice must satisfy this requirement. Not taking refuge is to remain an “outsider,” off the path to liberation, and one cannot be deemed a Buddhist.

[Depicted from Luminous Wisdom Book Series 1 : The Right View ~ The Three Differences]

Padmasambhava said in his teachings that in the future he would manifest in different forms, lives, identities and appearances in Tibet, China and even around the world in order to tame all kinds of sentient beings.

In this degenerate age, human beings are selfish, lacking faith and are full of wrong views. Their minds are fearful as there are frequent natural disasters. At a time like this, the blessings of Padmasambhava will surpass those of all the other buddhas and bodhisattvas.

[Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series ~ The Guru Yoga Practice of the Seven-Line Prayer to Padmasambhava]

In the modern world, people also have similar questions. There are some who have never stolen things, killed or hurt anyone; rather, they have kept their vows and practiced virtue. Yet, they often seem to be less fortunate than others in many respects. Such cases tend to make people wonder, “If karma is true, why should good people run into bad luck?”

Lay practitioners who do not have in-depth knowledge of karma or fully understand the viewpoints of Abhidharma-kosha-shastra may ask the same question. Some might even say, “I have attended many pujas and read so many scriptures. I should not have to suffer this or that illness or misfortune.” This is a wrong view. The fact is that all the virtuous actions committed have been stored in our alaya consciousness. It is due to the relevant conditions having not yet matured that karma derived from those actions has not come to fruition. This is like a farmer who sowed all his grains in the springtime and must wait five to six months for the harvest. In the meantime, he is just a poor fellow with nothing left to eat at home. 

Our common sensations are sometimes misleading; the result of scientific research is more reliable. If we conduct logical analyses, we come to realize that the world we are living in is only as brief as one ten thousandth of a second; the rest is our own illusion.

As an example on the macro level, consider dozens of lights lined up together. The first light is turned on, then turned off; immediately after that, the second light is turned on and off, then the third, fourth and fifth light, and so on to the end. We could see that each light is an individual with not much relationship to the others, but if we see the lights from a distance, it seems that one light moves from the first spot to the last. This is only an optical illusion in which there is actually no movement of the light. Again, in Buddhist terminology this is called arising and ceasing.

[Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series ~ The Illusory World]