In this article we will find out the fact that Buddhism is for people of any religion or faith. There is no differentiation. The text below is the translation of my most revered teacher’s answer to the often asked question ‘Can people of other religions or faiths learn Buddhism?’

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I (‘I’ refers to my revered teacher) had lived in the USA for many years in the 80s and 90s. After a while, my neighbours got to know me and greeted me whenever they saw me. They asked me, ‘What do you do?’ I asked them, ‘Why do you ask?’ They replied, ‘I can see you’re really happy every day. Where does the happiness come from?’

Listen to my teacher’s original lecture: Buddhism is for people of any faith or religion

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Listen to Amituofo Chanting.

I then knew why they asked. So I told them, ‘We learn to become Buddhas. We learn Pure Land Buddhism.’ They knew of Buddha, but only a little bit, not very clear. Because in the USA Zen Buddhism and Esoteric Buddhism are most popular. Not many people were aware of Pure Land Buddhism. I told them, ‘We learn Pure Land Buddhism. Sakyamuni Buddha taught us three things. First, pure mind. Keep our minds pure.’ They said, ‘We like it.’ ‘Second, long life.’ They also like it. ‘Third, happiness.’ They said, ‘We like all these three things.’ So I asked them, ‘Are you Christians?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Fabulous.’ We had a small place where I gave Dharma talks daily. I told them, ‘We can give a Dharma talk to Christians like you every Saturday. What will I talk about? Teaching you how to gain a pure mind, happiness, and a long life.’ They were very happy about it.  

I said, ‘You go to church on Sundays and come to our Buddhist hall on Saturdays. In the church God is your master, your father. On Saturdays, you come to the Buddhist hall, and Buddhas are your teachers. There is no conflict. You see, you have parents at home and teachers at school.’ They were very pleased to hear that. So more and more neighbours came for our Saturday talks.

Buddhas’ teachings truly help remove our delusions, awaken to the truth of the Universe, set us free from sufferings, and gain happiness. Therefore, Buddhists must understand that learning to become a Buddha is a good thing. Don’t undermine other people’s religious faiths. Sakyamuni Buddha set a good example for us. We learn from him.

Many Buddhist scriptures mentioned Brahmans and people of other religions following Sakyamuni Buddha. He accepted them all. All of them were Sakyamuni Buddha’s students.  Sakyamuni Buddha did not ask them to converse their religious faiths. We must pay particular attention to this aspect. We must learn from the Buddha. People of any religious faith can learn to become a Buddha. Why? Pure Land Buddhism gives a very simple explanation. What do we learn Buddhism for? We learn to gain a pure mind.

I believe that people of whichever religion want a pure mind, a long life, and happiness. One can obtain a happy life by following Buddhas’ teachings and learning from Buddhas. Therefore, I have always regarded Buddhism as an education. I have never considered it to be a religion. Sakyamuni Buddha is our teacher. We say ‘Sakyamuni Buddha the Fundamental Teacher’. He is our teacher. We are his students. It is a teacher-student relationship. For followers of other religions, God and they are of the master-servant relationship, the father-son relationship. There is no slightest conflict.  

Therefore, we must thoroughly follow the Buddha’s teachings. My experience of being in contact with people of all religions has been very harmonious. At first, I thought that there might be a few debates on this. But there has been none in the past decades.

— Respectfully excerpted from The Annotations of the Infinite Life Sutra, 2012 edition. Lecture 16. 6 November 2012. Speaker: Venerable Master Chin Kung

DEDICATION

The effort and gains of explaining, transmitting and listening to Buddhas’ teachings are dedicated to:

the entire Universe and all beings of all dimensions and all existences. May they all listen to Buddhas’ teachings, awaken to the truth of the Universe, be mindful of the name ‘Amituofo’ (Amitabha Buddha),

aspire to go to the Pure Land, and become Buddhas. (Read the above three times)

I pray to Buddhas and bodhisattvas for unconditionally solving all man-made and natural disasters around the globe.

For all of those who died in man-made wars and natural disasters across the world,

and for all of those who are related to me in all kinds of ways in this life and previous lives, may they listen to Buddhas’ teachings. May they awaken to the truth of the Universe, aspire to unearth their innate and most sincere, pure, equal and awakened mind, be single-mindedly mindful of Amituofo, aspire to go to the Pure Land so as to see Amituofo and listen to his teachings, removing all their delusions and unveiling their innate wisdom, gaining the real peace and happiness, instantly escaping from the cycle of birth and death, speedily becoming Buddhas, and helping all beings (in the entire Universe) like all other Buddhas.

The effort and gains are dedicated to the leaders of all countries on the Earth. May all countries be prosperous. May all disasters be solved. May the world enjoy eternal peace. I use the effort and gains to return the help from the enlightenment of Buddhas, by the correctness of Buddhas’ teachings, from the purity of sangha, from all beings, from my parents (in this life and previous lives), and from my country(ies). I also use the effort and gains to help alleviate the suffering of those who are already in and will be reborn into the animal realm, the ghost realm and hells as the result of their bad thoughts, speech and deeds. For anyone who sees and hears me chanting or being mindful of Amituofo and doing other good deeds, may they aspire to unearth their most sincere, pure, equal and awakened mind so as to go to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, together with me, at the end of our present lives.