A Shared Buddhism

On the warm and sacred day of Vu Lan, thousands of Buddhists gathered at a small temple from all directions. The temple bells rang out, mingling with the faint scent of incense, creating an atmosphere that was both holy and comforting. Yet, amidst this lively gathering, something caused the hearts of those present to grow heavy.

From the teaching platform, Venerable Thich Chan Quang looked down upon the assembly. His gaze was gentle, yet tinged with deep concern. He spoke slowly, his voice warm and resonant, pouring into the hearts of his listeners.

“Today, we speak on the topic of ‘A Shared Buddhism.’ Why must we discuss this? Because there has been a long-standing flaw within the Buddhist community that saddens anyone with conscience and thought. It is the division of Buddhism in our current era.”

He recounted that approximately one hundred years after the Buddha passed away, signs of fragmentation began to appear. While the Buddha was alive, his immense virtue reassured everyone; if they had questions, they asked him directly, and he answered. But once he was gone, each person began to interpret the teachings in their own way, believing themselves to be right. Even minor issues, such as storing food overnight or handling money, led to differing views among senior monks and elders, causing conflict. Consequently, Buddhism split into the Sthavira school and the Mahasanghika school. Each then subdivided further, eventually reaching twenty distinct schools. Today, nearly two thousand six hundred years later, these differences have grown even wider, fragmenting Buddhism into many pieces.

He paused, scanning the room, his voice filled with sorrow.

“The division into sects itself is not the most tragic part. What is truly sad is that because of these divisions, fellow Buddhists often no longer love one another. This is the real tragedy.”

He shared common conversations among practitioners:

“Someone asks, ‘Which temple do you go to?’ One replies, ‘I follow Pure Land Buddhism.’ Another says, ‘I practice Zen Buddhism.’ A third adds, ‘I have a wonderful teacher in Vajrayana Buddhism.’ And someone else might say, ‘I follow the Theravada tradition.’”

Merely because of different lineages or methods of practice, people who worship the same Buddha become cold toward each other, unable to cherish one another. He reflected deeply:

“In truth, since we all revere the same Buddha, we should see each other as brothers and sisters. We share the same compassionate father. We are children of the same Buddha of infinite compassion. Therefore, we ought to love one another.”

He pointed out that this fragmentation leads to another harmful tendency: extremism and fanaticism. Many cling rigidly to their own lineage, believing only their method is correct and leads to enlightenment. Zen practitioners claim only meditation brings liberation; Pure Land devotees insist only chanting the Buddha’s name works; Vajrayana followers argue only reciting mantras achieves realization. They draw boundaries around themselves, standing firm in their isolated camps, refusing to step out to meet their spiritual siblings and return to a unified Buddhism.

He emphasized that seeking a shared Buddhism does not mean mixing all traditions indiscriminately. Rather, it means identifying what is truest and abandoning one’s own errors. To achieve this, every practitioner must deeply understand and fully practice the Noble Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold Path is the core, the common foundation for all children of the Buddha. He reminded them:

“If anyone takes the Noble Eightfold Path as their practice, they are aiming for a shared Buddhism. But if someone does not know the Noble Eightfold Path, does not understand it deeply, or dismisses it as inferior, they cannot aim for a shared Buddhism.”

He used examples of sutra recitation and sitting meditation to illustrate deviations from cause and effect (karmic law).

“For instance, some claim that simply reciting a specific sutra once will erase all karma. Is this consistent with cause and effect (karmic law)? No. Yet many believe it. If in a past life you borrowed a large sum of money from someone and fled, leaving them destitute, their children uneducated, or even driving them to suicide, reciting a single sutra can never clear that debt.”

He also told the story of a farmer who gradually encroached upon a public path. Each day, he dug a little more, expanding his field by narrowing the road. After one year, nothing seemed amiss. But after five years, the path was barely wide enough for a table, making travel extremely difficult for everyone. Such a transgression cannot be erased by reciting sutras alone. It requires generating vast merit through arduous service to others to make amends.

He recalled a humorous memory with his disciples:

“Once, I asked my lay students: ‘Those who practice under me endure great hardship, do they not?’ They agreed. ‘So, why endure this hardship in this life?’ They replied, ‘To endure more hardship in the next life.’ That answer proves they are truly my students. You suffer greatly in this life, only to suffer again in the next. So why practice under me? If it is so painful, why continue? Do you accept it? Yes. Surprised that you accept pain? Well done. In reality, though it is hard, it is very joyful.”

He explained that those assigned by the temple to serve food and water during major festivals are blessed individuals. Though their work is strenuous, they are happy because they know they are creating merit and benefiting sentient beings.

Concluding his dharma talk, Venerable Thich Chan Quang looked over the assembly, his voice earnest.

“Today, let us promise ourselves. I know many of you come from various lineages. But let us agree that such divisions belong to the past. We must not carry sectarianism into the future. Let us move forward to find a shared Buddhism for the sake of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), for our descendants, for all sentient beings, and for the world of tomorrow.”

These words served as a profound reminder, sinking into the heart of every Buddhist present. From that moment, everyone resolved to open their minds, aiming for a shared Buddhism grounded in the Noble Eightfold Path. Together, they sought to build a world of peace and love, echoing UNESCO’s recognition: “Buddhism is the religion of peace.”

The Meaning of the Story

This narrative warns us of the dangers of sectarian division, which prevents Buddhists from loving and uniting with one another. The greatest lesson is to always strive for a shared Buddhism, using the Noble Eightfold Path as our foundation. We must remain humble, willing to learn, and ready to abandon extremism and conservatism. Only then can we preserve and develop the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), bringing peace to the world.

Compiled from the dharma talk of Venerable Thich Chan Quang