One needs to keep some distance from bad friends, regardless of whoever they are. One needs to maintain one’s views in regards to religious belief and practices even when dealing with one’s parents, relatives and friends. It’s best to influence them to undertake dharma study; if not, one needs to keep some distance from them. The primary principle of Buddhism is dependent arising, one can create causes and conditions, there doesn’t exist a creator of omnipotent god to make all causes and conditions, or fate predestined, just like the programming of computer, as though nobody can change it.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Regardless of any virtuous acts we engage in, first we need to generate bodhicitta. Even a seemingly insignificant act, such as making a lamp offering to buddhas, or making offering of incense or making one prostration, we need to first think that all sentient beings have been my parents, I’m making this lamp offering for the benefit of all sentient beings. Like this, we need to give rise to this motivation first.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The goal of dharma study is to dispel suffering. To dispel a part of suffering of samsara is referred to as Buddhism oriented towards the rebirth of the human and heavenly realms; to dispel all the suffering of samsara is referred to as the Shravakayana Buddhism; to endeavour to dispel all the suffering of samsara for the sake of oneself and all sentient beings is referred to as Mahayana Buddhism. From this perspective, Buddhism is the method to dispel suffering.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Death is vital for everyone, because this is the reality everyone is reluctant to face but have to face. For ordinary beings, death is a dark, unknown area, pervaded with despair, mystery, suffering and sorrow. When facing death, almost everyone feels panicked and fearful, these are all due to the misunderstanding derived from not understanding death. If having gained a correct understanding of death, then fear will be dispelled, and preparations for death can be made.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The Buddha told us not to fall into extremes when engaging in any activities. We don’t need to have aversions towards this world and be pessimistic, neither do we need to idealised our life; we need to take a middle way approach. Money and relationships are neither good nor evil in nature, it’s our mind which engender good or evil elements to them. If dealing with money and relationship with a neutral mind, then we can live a happy life.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Preliminary practice entails five practices, starting from taking refuge, up to guru yoga. Relying on the capacity of these five practices, one can realise emptiness, which is referred to as realising the nature of mind in the Chan tradition, it means actualising the truth of phenomena. In tantric context, it’s referred to as realising the primordial wisdom. What is it meant by primordial wisdom? Buddha nature is the primordial wisdom.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Why do we not cling to dreams, but cling to this samsara? This is because the dream lasted for a short time, the next day, we will realise that the objects we perceive the night before are delusional and non-existent now. Whereas the cycle of time for samsara is very long, we have no way able to reach to the edge of samsara. However, for bodhisattvas, in spite of being a commoner previously, once they attain Bodhisattvahood, it is just like a dream is awaken, they would know that the cyclic existence is a mere delusion and dream-like.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Those who refrain from killing and practice life release naturally give rise to love and compassion in their mindstream. This is because the main elements that generate love and compassion are non-killing, practicing life release, and vegetarianism. Buddha also said, "Great compassion is the seed of true dharma." Those who undertake the precept of non-killing, and practice life release are protectors and saviors of sentient beings. They are lamps that shine upon the darkness of cyclic existence. (heidi)

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Although from the meditative concentration’s point of view, the heavenly beings in the form and formless realm are endowed with great capacity, the meditative concentration they abide in is mere tranquility, which is devoid of the wisdom of realisation, thus their meditative concentration has nothing to do with liberation. Among sentient beings in the three worlds and the six realms, only humans have the best chance to attain liberation. Thus being a human is fairly significant, we need to cherish our human body.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES