Within Mahayana, Chinese Buddhism has long maintained the fine tradition of vegetarianism. At present, the majority of Chinese Buddhists is vegetarian. They mainly abide by the teachings in two Mahayana sutras: the Lankavatara Sutra and the Nirvana Sutra. In a way, being vegetarian also exemplifies the Mahayana spirit of compassion.

[Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series 1: The Right View ~Why Vegetarian?]

To liberate lives is a common practice frequently performed by many Buddhists. When conducted properly, the resulting merit is boundless. Otherwise, the merit will be greatly diminished. It is therefore very important for us to know the proper way of liberating living beings.

[Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series 1: The Right View ~ Liberating Living Beings]

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]

How do we go about destroying the root cause of samsara now that we have identified it? Will burning incense, doing prostrations and reciting mantras work? They may, to some extent, if performed with genuine renunciation and bodhicitta. Renunciation can help us deal with the more observable defilements while the subtle ones can be subdued by relative bodhicitta. However, the subtlest self-grasping can only be eradicated by the practice of not-self and emptiness, hence their inclusion in the four characteristics. As for impermanence and suffering, why are they part of the four characteristics? They are appointed so as to help us form an aversion to samsara and thereby stop all worldly pursuits.

[Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series 1: The Right View ~ The Four Noble Truths]

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]

Normally, when we are free from any physical suffering and encounter no difficulty in our daily life, we think the world is so good that we do not feel necessary to be mentally or physically prepared for impermanence. Just relax and idle the time away. Should some misfortune befall us, we would likely be caught off guard and much distracted as to what to do. By then it may be too late to even turn to the Buddha as a last resort.

[Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series 1: The Right View ~ The Three Supreme Methods]

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]