Born into an impoverished family, I studied Buddhism at Hulun Temple. While chanting sutras at six, I doubted:…
Born into an impoverished family, I studied Buddhism at Hulun Temple. While chanting sutras at six, I doubted: If the sutras exist, why is no Buddha seen in the world? The master, enraged, confined me to reflection. For months, I pondered, only for doubts to multiply. If the Buddha exists, does he possess divine power? Can his teachings liberate the people? The master speaks of discipline, meditation, and wisdom. Do these truly end sufferings? Puzzled still, I believed that truth reveals itself through questioning. If I do not ask, how will I know? To seek the essence of the Dharma, I must inquire. Thus, I compile my three thousand doubts, hoping they may enlighten others. If so, it would be my fortune and theirs too. For if even one being awakens through my questions, then my labor is not in vain....
The Dharma teaches that in the vast cosmos, a thousand small worlds form a small chiliocosm, a thousand small chiliocosms form a medium chiliocosm, and a thousand medium chiliocosms form a great chiliocosm, hence the name "three thousand great chiliocosms." But this three thousand is not that three thousand. The Buddha once said, "A single speck of dust contains countless realms," illustrating this truth. Three here is not a numerical value but a dynamic, generative three. Similarly, my three thousand doubts are like the three thousand great chiliocosms: A thousand small queries form a small chilio-query; A thousand small chilio-queries form a medium chilio-query; A thousand medium chilio-queries form a great chilio-query. Thus, they are called "Three Thousand Queries of Dharma."...
The sutras speak of eighty-eight buddhas: Śākyamuni, Vajra-Indestructible, Jeweled Light, Dragon-Sovereign, Vigorous Striver, Joyous Striver, Jeweled Flame, Jeweled Moonlight, Non-Folly Manifest, Moonlight, Stainless, Free-from-Stain, Courageous Giver, Pure, Pure Giver, Varuṇa, Water-Celestial, Steadfast Virtue, Sandalwood-Merit, Boundless Light-Grasper, Luminous Virtue, Sorrowless Virtue, Nārāyaṇa, Merit-Blossom, Lotus-Light Playful Miracle, Wealth-Merit, Virtue-Remembrance, Well-Renowned Merit Tathāgata, Blazing Banner King Tathāgata, Well-Treading Merit Tathāgata, Victorious in Battle Tathāgata, Well-Treading Tathāgata, Universally Adorned Merit Tathāgata, Jeweled Blossom Treading Tathāgata, Jeweled Lotus Firmly Abiding Śāla King Tathāgata, Dīpaṃkara, Far-Shining Light, Moonlight, Sandalwood Radiance, Virtuous Mountain King, Sumeru-Crowned, Sumeru-Equal Splendor, Moon-Form, Right Mindfulness, Stain-Free, Non-Attachment, Dragon-Celestial, Night Radiance, Peaceful Summit, Immovable Ground, Lapis Lazuli Wonder-Blossom, Lapis Lazuli Golden, Golden Treasury, Flame Light, Flame Root, Earth-Shaker, Moon-Image, Sun-Sound, Liberation Blossom, Majestic Light, Ocean-Wake Miracle, Water Light, Great Fragrance, Free-from-Dust, Disgust-Abandoning Mind, Jeweled Flame, Wondrous Summit, Courageous Stand, Merit-Holding Wisdom, Eclipse of Sun and Moon, Sun-Moon Lapis Lazuli Light, Supreme Lapis Lazuli Light, Foremost Leader, Bodhi Blossom, Moon Brightness, Sunlight, Blossom-Color King, Water-Moonlight, Delusion-Dispelling, Cover-Crossing, Pure Faith, Virtuous Abode, Majestic Power, Dharma-Wisdom, Phoenix-Voice, Lion-Voice, Dragon-Voice, World-Dwelling. But why eighty-eight? Not eighty-seven or eighty-nine? Is the number chosen for auspiciousness? This is the First Great Thousandfold Queries.Why is the Dīrgha Āgama called the Long Āgama? If there is a Long Āgama, should there not be a Short Āgama? And perhaps a Medium-Length Āgama? Why is the Great Compassion Mantra "great"? If there is a Great Compassion Mantra, should there not be a Small Compassion Mantra? Or an Average Compassion Mantra? There are the Eight Auspicious Signs and the Six Auspicious Signs, the Eight Bodhisattvas and the Six Bodhisattvas. Why six or eight? Are there also Four Auspicious Signs or Four Bodhisattvas? Who named these texts? Who interpreted them? Are the names justified? Are the interpretations flawless? This is the Second Great Thousandfold Queries.
How small is Hinayana ("Lesser Vehicle")? How great is Mahayana ("Greater Vehicle")? If there are two, should there not be a Middle Vehicle? Hinayana came first. Why is it "lesser"? Mahayana came later. Why is it "greater"? Is Mahayana truly superior? If all beings are equal, why rank teachings? Why are there Theravāda and Mahāsāṃghika, eighteen or twenty schools, Mādhyamika and Yogācāra, Huayan, Faxiang, Vinaya, Chan, Esoteric, so many divisions? Which is orthodox? This is the Third Great Thousandfold Queries....
Beyond these, I have countless lesser queries: middle-thousandfold, small-thousandfold, and minor. Life is short, but doubt is endless. So I write another book to record all these queries of different types as I practice Buddhism. The book only records several queries, and I invite readers to ponder together....Eight sufferings include birth, aging, sickness, death, parting from loved ones, meeting the hated, unfulfilled desires, the skandhas' torment. But what of one who is born, does not age, and dies?
Or one born without sickness, then dying?
Or one who dies without being born?
If one loves nothing, how can they suffer parting?
If one hates nothing, how can they suffer meeting?
If one lacks nothing, how can they suffer unfulfilled desires?
If one is born witless yet robust, how do the skandhas torment them?...
Buddhism speaks of Four Noble Truths, yet also of "Three Truths in Perfect Harmony." Why harmonize only three? What of the fourth?
Which three are harmonized? Why exclude the fourth?
Or is it arbitrary? Any three, discarding one?... (The writing grows smaller, cramped, until it fades into illegibility.)