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Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

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eginning of the Dharma <strong>and</strong> people have to adapt<br />

themselves to the Dharma if they would truly benefit.<br />

"What follows you must write <strong>and</strong> have it printed in<br />

block capitals," said Mr. Chen.<br />

WE SHOULD LEAD THE PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT<br />

COUNTRIES TO FOLLOW THE DHARMA, BUT<br />

WE SHOULD NOT CHANGE THE DHARMA TO<br />

SUIT THE PEOPLE. The Dharma cannot be fitted to<br />

people's desires <strong>and</strong> notions; it is the people who have<br />

to change. This is the importance of Hinayana<br />

renunciation. (Note: This is not a contradiction of the<br />

principle of skillful means exercised by the Bodhisattva,<br />

since the unbending attitude here applies to the primary<br />

stages of training in the Hinayana, while the<br />

Bodhisattva's skill is of the Mahayana, a subsequent<br />

stage of practice.)<br />

Friends write to me: "Oh, you are like a sage of the<br />

classical times; you resemble the ancient worthies in<br />

your strong will to renounce, but what of us, how can<br />

we do all this?"<br />

Said Mr. Chen with great emotion:<br />

It is better to have one true <strong>Buddhist</strong> than to have all the<br />

world adopt a false Buddhism. At least one should save<br />

oneself first; how else can one save others? First one<br />

should form a good character by one's own development,<br />

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