As the saying goes: One takes the behavior of one's company. The impact of one's environment upon oneself is difficult to determine. If you spend a long time with friends that are a bad influence, then not only will you not have the hope of arousing bodhicitta, but the good habits that you previously developed may fade away. A person's buddha nature can mature in this life, but due to encounters with others who are negative influences, the seed of buddha nature would not be able to mature and sprout. There would be no chance of liberation in this life. Isn't that a pity?

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Lay practitioner’s practice starts from observing precepts. Observing precepts is also considered as a kind of practice and it is in fact most vital. I have met many lay practitioners who, despite the fact that they have taken refuge in the Three Jewels and believed they’re a seasoned practitioner, have yet to take the five precepts of lay practitioners. This is rather unreasonable. In order be a lay practitioner, observing precepts is paramount. Precepts are the foundation of all practice and developing wisdom. Without observing precepts, one is not a genuine practitioner, thus observing precepts is compulsory.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Why the negative karma of having the wrong view is so severe? According to Chittamatra school, various virtuous and unvirtuous seeds are stored in the alaya consciousness of sentient beings. Once we engender wrong views, which will vanquish all the power of virtuous seeds, from then on, the virtuous seeds or the root of virtue in our mind stream will discontinue.

~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

From the beginningless time up to now, everyone has committed countless killings. Let’s not mention from the beginningless time, even in this lifetime, from birth till now, the immense killings we have committed are sufficient to compel us to have rebirth in the hell realm. Engaging in life release is the best remedy to this.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The concept of non-self and emptiness are not easy to comprehend. From the beginningless time up to now, ordinary beings have an ingrained view of the existence of self, of other sentient beings, and of the external, phenomenal world. The view as such is so rooted that it’s rather difficult to change. One can gain some experiential understanding by listening to the teaching on emptiness and practicing on non-self repeatedly.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The Buddha stated: “It’s appropriate to regard samsara as permeated with suffering.” If having gained an understanding that the world is pervaded with suffering and having crisis awareness of samsara, the world, and life, then we will be prepared and take measures to get rid of it, thus our fate will be transformed.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

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

The sequence to follow a teacher is, first, to analyse the teacher, then to follow the teacher; in the end to practice and emulate the teacher’s intention, which is our goal in following a teacher.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES