编者按 随着国家将“法轮功”定性为非法组织依法予以取缔，全国各界人士对李洪志的歪理邪说展开了深入的揭露批判。而李洪志在其歪理邪说中剽窃了许多佛教的专有名词术语，如法轮、法身、业力等等，不仅迷惑、蒙骗了大量“法轮功”练习者，而且也造成一些人把佛教的教理教义与“法轮功”的歪理邪说混为一谈。因此许多佛教信众纷纷来信，要求对李洪志歪理邪说中涉及的佛教名词术语予以剖析澄清，本刊第八期刊发了胡晓光撰写的从学理上进行对比剖析的文章，本期更以问答方式，用通俗易懂的语言，对李洪志剽窃、篡改佛教名词术语的行径进行揭露，以使广大读者进一步明辨是非。
问：法轮功标榜自己是最高佛法，故又名“法轮大法”、“法轮佛法”，那么它与佛教是什么关系？
答：没有什么关系。因为无论是在思想理论上还是外在的形式上，法轮功与佛教都没有什么共同之处，李洪志本人也与佛教没有任何关系。从佛教界来说， 法轮功是一种附佛外道和邪教，根本就不是佛法，所谓“最高佛法”也就无从谈起！
问：李洪志在其《转法轮》等书中运用了许多我们熟悉的佛教名词概念，那又该怎样理解？
答：李洪志不信佛教也不懂佛教，只是剽窃了佛教的一些名词，想利用佛教的影响去蒙骗那些同样不懂佛教的人民群众。
问：听您这么说，是否可以这样理解：李洪志只是利用了一些佛教名词，而其歪理邪说却与这些佛教名词体现的佛教义理毫无共同之处？
答：的确如此。这一方面是因为李洪志只有初中文化，又不求甚解；另一方面则是他为了实现其不可告人的目的，有意“歪批三国”，惯于采用挂羊头卖狗肉的两面手法，如打着气功名义反气功、打着佛法旗号反佛教、打着科学幌子反科学。李洪志可说是世纪末的一个超级骗子。
问：但法轮功中出现的佛教名词的确误导了许多的人，您能分别例举予以剖析、澄清吗？
答：可以。不过由于李洪志剽窃佛教的名词概念太多，我们还是从一些主要的名词概念入手吧。
问：那么请先说说“法轮”吧。它本是佛教的名词，而李洪志拿来当作其功法的名称和标志，并予以无限神化，这有什么佛教根据吗？
答：完全没有。佛教的“法轮”标志是沿一轴心对称分布八根辐条构成的一车轮形状，来源于古印度传说中的“轮宝”，它被认为是统治世界的转轮圣王使用的一种武器，具有无坚不摧的力量。佛教借用来比喻“佛法”，并引伸出摧伏邪魔、辗转不停、圆满无缺三种涵义。佛教经典常将佛陀说法称为“转法轮”，将佛教的发展喻为“法轮常转”。因此“法轮”实际上是一种具有象征意义的比喻性词汇，以后逐渐成了佛法的代名词，法轮图案成为佛教的标志之一。在1956年召开的第五届世界佛教徒联谊会上，它被正式确定为佛教的教徽。
而法轮功的“法轮”标志纯粹由李洪志将五个佛教的 字符和四个道教的太极符拼凑而成，以象征法轮功乃集佛道二教之大成。不仅如此，李洪志还将它描述为“宇宙的缩影”，“具备着宇宙的一切功能，它能够自动地运转、旋转”，“是一种高级生命”。他可以给人安在小腹部位，24小时不停地旋转，正转度己，反转度人，从而形成“功练人”或“法练人”。
李洪志就是这样将一个比喻性词汇篡改、神化为一种具有极大灵性和神秘作用的实体。可见，佛教的“法轮”与法轮功的“法轮”不仅外形不同，涵义也不同。李洪志只不过是利用佛教这一名词愚弄人而已。
问：李洪志运用得最多的另一个术语就是“法身”，将它说得十分具体而神秘。从佛教的角度怎样看待他所说的“法身”？
答：佛教讲佛有三身，一是法身，二是报身，三是应（化）身。身是聚集的意思，聚集诸法而成身。佛教通常把理法的聚集称为“法身”，智法的聚集称为“报身”，功德法的聚集称为“应身”。佛是觉悟的人，法身是他的觉性，报身是他的觉相，应身是他的觉用。通俗地说，我们现实的人身是由物质的肉体和精神的智慧聚集而成，就叫做应（化）身，如释迦牟尼佛应众生之机而示现的人身即是。这个人身根据自身的各种条件去适应自然和社会的种种变化，故叫做应（化）身。譬如一个人对其父母来说是儿子之身，对其师长来说是弟子之身，但对其子女来说却是父母之身，对其弟子来说又是师长之身。如果这个人能聚集无量的戒定慧功德，那么他适应变化的范围和作用就非常大了，像佛教讲的观世音菩萨三十二应身就是。这个人如果觉悟了宇宙万法的真相，即缘起性空的法理，由此法理聚集所成之身就叫做法身。因为法理本身的自性就是空的，所以法身是无形无相的，它随同法理，犹如虚空，遍一切处，这是体现万法本质的一种理念，实际上是对佛所说根本教法的人格化抽象，既无形象，更无数量的差别。李洪志望文生义，并纳入气功观念，竟把“法身”说成是在人的丹田部位产生的一种实体，由法和功构成，是在另外空间体现出来的生命体。甚至吹嘘说：“我的书中每一个字，在浅层次上看是一个法轮，深层次上看那就是我的法身。”“我有无数的法身，具备我非常大的神通法力”，可以随时随地帮助、保护法轮功练习者。这哪有一点佛教“法身”概念的影子！说穿了，李洪志不过是想编造一套“法轮说”和“法身说”来神化自己，一方面反映了他的无知，另一方面暴露了他自命为救世主，炫惑、控制信众的野心。
问：“业力”和轮回报应理论是佛教的根本思想之一，在老百姓中有着极大的影响。因此李洪志特别喜欢谈“业力”和轮回报应，说造成人生病和一切不幸的根本原因是业力，是业力回报，欠了债就得还。看病吃药是把病压了回去，这样就不能清理身体，因此不应治病。还大肆许诺：真正练法轮功的没有病。由此导致许多练法轮功者有病不治，以致病情加重乃至死亡。因此，佛教界对业力轮报问题特别需要加以澄清。
答：佛教讲“造作名业”，业就是造作，力就是力量、力用，由造作而产生的力量和作用，就叫做业力。广义来说，或从佛教的业感缘起理论来说，从宇宙星球的成住坏空到人类的生老病死或生命界的生住异灭等宇宙间一切事物和一切因果现象都可看作是业力的作用。业的涵义很多，从业的形式上看，可分为身业、口业、意业；从性质上可分为善业、恶业、无记业（非善非恶）；从个人与他人感受的果报上可分为共业、不共业；佛教根据过去、现在、未来三世的因果规律，认为行善得善报、行不善得恶报。并将这种善恶之业感召的苦乐果报，称为“业报”，而从业与果报间的决定程度上看，可分为定业、不定业。佛教的业报轮回理论涉及生命的本质和生命存在的各种形态及相互关系诸问题，是一个非常深刻而复杂的理论体系，远非三言两语可说清楚。由于影响人类活动及其命运的因素错综复杂，简单机械地谈论什么业力业报、到处滥用都是不适宜的。从佛教业力的概念来看，实际上属于中性词，本无所谓褒贬。但在我国民间却附上了过多的感情色彩，往往作贬意词运用。李洪志更是这样，将“业力”说成是做坏事的果报，是一种黑色物质，甚至把人的疾病和一切不幸一概归结为前世的业报，是人过去欠下的债。由此或明言或暗示练法轮功者，生病是还债、是消业、是过关，鼓励他们不要去治疗。这些说法是极端错误的、庸俗的，具有极大的迷惑性和危害性，与佛教的思想和精神是完全背离的。
佛教历来是讲看病吃药的。如佛经列举的四种供养（衣被、饮食、卧具、汤药）中即包括“汤药”，并将看护病人视为八种善事中的第一善事。解除众生疾苦，是体现佛教慈悲精神的一个重要方面，释迦牟尼就曾亲自看护病人。大乘佛教更是提倡学习五明（即五类知识），其中之一的“医方明”便是医药知识。佛教大藏经中就有不少专门介绍治疗疾病的经典。
由此可见，李洪志的所谓“业力说”是对佛教业力理论的恶意篡改和极大歪曲！
问：李洪志说法轮功是佛法的八万四千法门中的一种法门，要求法轮功学员专修他的法，不掺杂其它东西，说这就是“不二法门”。佛教怎么看待这一问题？
答：“不二法门”与“八万四千法门”是佛教的专有名词。“八万四千”是佛教用来表示数量极多的一种习惯用语，李洪志一方面说“法轮功”是八万四千法门中的一种法门，意在让人认定法轮功也是佛法而又与原始佛教和现行佛教没有关系；另一方面又将法轮功无限拔高，称为宇宙大法，让人专修其法，而与其它一切思想理论或功法脱离联系，并美其名为“不二法门”，用心十分险恶。其实佛教的“不二法门”是指佛教中超越真假、善恶、有为无为乃至生死等一切对待之法的一种最高的理念或意境，人们为了体会或证得这种绝对的理念或意境，可以采取多种途径，因此佛教有“八万四千法门”之多。在这里，“不二”与“八万四千”是辩证统一的。
此外，李洪志声称法轮功是佛法而非佛教，硬是将佛法与佛教割裂开来，是很滑稽的。一般来说，“佛教”主要指佛陀的言教，也即“佛法”。从宗教意义上来说，佛教还包括僧俗组织、清规戒律、宗教仪轨等，它们是佛法在不同时代和不同社会、不同文化环境下的反映，因此也可看作是佛法的组成部分。李洪志将佛法与佛教割裂开来，不过是望文生义地将佛教术语“为我所用”，让人们远离佛教或放弃自己独立判断是非的想法，一心跟随他往邪道上走，竟轻而易举地蒙蔽了许多“一心向佛”的人，的确发人深省。
问：李洪志在《转法轮》中还常说到如来、三界、三千大千世界等佛教术语，是否也有篡改之嫌？
答：岂止是篡改，简直是无知至极！“如来”是佛教徒从不同角度来形容佛至高无上的十种称号之一，而李洪志竟将它与“佛”曲解为两种不同的觉悟层次；佛教讲的三界是欲界、色界、无色界，而李洪志则把它说成是天界、地界、人界（此为萨满教的说法）；关于三千大千世界。佛经说，同一日月所照的我们这样的星球为一“小世界”，一千个“小世界”为一“小千世界”，一千个“小千世界”为一“中千世界”，一千个“中千世界”为一“大千世界”。因为“大千世界”是三个“千”的乘积，故又名三千大千世界。因此三千大千世界实际上有10亿个“小世界”。而李洪志说：“释迦牟尼还讲了三千大千世界学说，他说我们这个宇宙中，我们这个银河系中，有三千个像我们人类一样存在着色身身体的星球。”10亿个与3千个，何啻天壤之别！李洪志论起佛教来就是这么望文生义！
问：没想到创立法轮功“最高佛法”的李洪志在佛教术语上竟会犯如此多的低级错误，由此看来，人们在批判李洪志歪理邪说的过程中，对其中出现的佛教名词术语实在应保持清醒的认识，谨慎从事，不要将它们与佛教混为一谈，以免造成更大的思想混乱，伤害了广大佛教徒的宗教感情。问题是，李洪志为什么要大量剽窃、篡改佛教名词术语？我们从中应汲取哪些经验教训？
答：李洪志深知佛教及其术语在我国民间有着广泛的影响和巨大的号召力，因而大量剽窃、篡改佛教名词术语，以充分地利用佛教。同时又大肆歪曲、诋毁佛教，让其信众远离佛教，只拜倒在他的脚下，其用心和手段都是极其恶劣的。说到教训，佛教界尤其应该反求诸己。一是应大力强化佛教徒的教团意识，提倡正信，护持正法，抵制各种形式的附佛外道。二是应就信仰、道风、教制、组织、人才、寺院管理等方面的问题进行深刻反思，切实搞好自身建设，以更好地适应时代的发展，满足广大佛教徒学佛的需要。三是应通过各种方式划清与法轮功的界限，同时还应充分利用法轮功这一反面教材，加大对法轮功的揭露、批判的力度，不仅要使广大佛教徒在什么是佛教正法的认识上提高一个层次，还应使各界人士藉此增进对佛教的了解，并由此推动和改进我们的弘法工作。四是应积极从正面弘扬充满智慧的佛教哲理；充分发挥富有伦理道德指导意义的佛教教义，发扬丰富多彩的佛教文化，用以净化社会 ，促进文明建设，维护世界和平。
Answers to questions about plagiary and tampering of Buddhist terms by Falun Gong
Editor's note: With the outlaw of Falun Gong by the Chinese Government as an illegal organization, people from all walks of China has deeply launched a campaign to denounce Li Hongzhi's fallacies. However, Li Hongzhi has plagiarized a lot of Buddhist terms such as dharma chakra (or dharma wheel or Falun), dharma-kaya (or dharma body) and karma, etc., which have not only confused and cheated a great many of Falun Gong practitioners, but also made some people confuse Buddhist doctrines and creed with Falun Gong's fallacies. Therefore, many Buddhists have written to ask an analytic clarification of the Buddhist terms involved in Li Hongzhi's fallacies. In the 8th issue of our magazine this year, an article written by Hu Xiaoguang made a comparative analysis of these terms theoretically. Further, this issue denounces the plagiary and tampering of Buddhist terms by Li Hongzhi in the form of questions and answers in simple and easy languages, in order that our readers can make a clear distinction between right and wrong.
Question: Falun Gong advertises itself as the supreme Buddha dharma also called Falun Dofa that means dharma chakra great dharma or "Falun Fofa" that means dharma chakra Buddha dharma. What relations does it have with Buddhism?
Answer: Nothing related, because it has nothing in common with Buddhism either in essential ideology or external form. Li Hongzhi himself has nothing to do with Buddhism, either. From the view of the Buddhist world, Falun Gong is no Buddha dharma at all, but a crooked sect attached to it and a cult. So the so-called supreme Buddha dharma is unfounded and fantastic.
Question: Li Hongzhi has used many Buddhism terms and concepts that we are familiar with in his book Zhuan Falun (meaning turning the dharma chakra). How to understand?
Answer: Li Hongzhi neither believes in nor understands Buddhism. He has only plagiarized some of the Buddhist terms with the intention to cheat those people who don't understand Buddhism with the influences of Buddhism.
Question: Can we interterpreted from your words that Li Hongzhi is only making use of some of the Buddhist terms and his fallacies have nothing in common with the tenet embodied in these terms?
Answer: Right. On one hand, it's because Li Hongzhi, with a degree of junior middle school, never seeks to understand anything thoroughly; on the other hand, with his sinister intention, he has deliberately distorted facts by means of hanging up a sheep's head and selling dog meat. For example, he opposes Qi Gong in the name of Qi Gong, rejects Buddhism under the signboard of Buddhist dharma and argues against science under the cover of science. Li Hongzhi deserves to be a super swindler at the end of the century.
Question: But a lot of Buddhist terms in Falun Gong have actually misled many people. Would you please analyze and clarify them one by one?
Answer: Surely. However, there are too many Buddhist terms and concepts plagiarized by Li Hongzhi, so let's begin with some of the major ones.
Question: Then, please begin with Falun or the dharma chakra that is originated from Buddhism. Li Hongzhi uses it as the name and symbol of its cult and infinitely apotheosizes it. Is there any Buddhist background about that?
Answer: Absolutely no. The dharma chakra in Buddhism is the shape of a wheel with eight spokes radiating from the hub that is originated from the chariot wheel in ancient Indian legend. It is regarded as one of the weapons used by the world-ruling king Cakravarti-raja who had all-conquering powers. Buddhism borrows it to metaphorize "Buddha dharma" and extends the three meanings of subduing evils, turning all the way and round and perfection. In Buddhist sutras, Buddha's preaching is often referred to as "turning the dharma chakra" and the development of Buddhism as "continuous turning of the dharma chakra". Therefore, dharma chakra or Falun is but a metaphorical term with symbolizing meaning which has evolved to be a synonym of Buddha dharma and the figure of the dharma chakra as one of the logos of Buddhism. At the Fifth Conference of World Fellowship of Buddhists held in 1956, it was formally identified as the religious emblem of Buddhism.
Nevertheless, the logo of Falun Gong is rigged up with five Buddhist characters and four Taoist Taichi symbols by Li Hongzhi to represent that Falun Gong is the "integration of Buddhism and Taoism". Besides, Li Hongzhi even described it as "epitome of the universe", it "has all the functions of the universe and can run and turn automatically", and "it is an advanced creature." According to him, it could be equipped in people's lower abdomen and turn continuously 24 hours a day. Turning clockwise could ferry oneself and turning counter-clockwise could ferry others so as to realize "people practiced by dharma" or "dharma practiced by people".
In such a way, a metaphorical word has been tampered with and apotheosized by Li Hongzhi into a substance with extreme spirit and mysterious role. It is clear that the dharma chakra is different from "Falun" in Falun Gong either in terms of shape or meaning. Li Hongzhi is merely making use of this term to fool people.
Question: Another term that Li Hongzhi uses most is dharma-kaya or dharma body. According to him, it is specific and mysterious. How to look at the dharma-kaya or dharma body in his words?
Answer: According to Buddhism, we can understand Buddha through three aspects dharma-kaya, sambhoga-kaya and nirmana-kaya. Kaya means assembling of all the dharmas. Generally, the eternal Buddha Shakamuni exists in the basis of the spirit of all human beings. It is like the dharma exists in the basis of the universe. Dharma-kaya is the body that reflects the truth of the universe. Sambhoga-kaya is the body of wisdom that generates all kinds of beneficial teachings. Nirmana-kaya is the body of compassion that appears for saving people. In simple words, our real bodies are called nirmana-kayas which are built up with physical bodies and spiritual wisdom such as the body of Buddha Sakyamuni emerging in front of all living creatures. This body tries to adapt to various changes in the nature and society depending on his or her own conditions and is thus called nirmana-kaya. For example, one person has a body of son for his parents, a body of disciple for his teachers, on the other hand, he has a body of parent for his children and a body of teacher for his disciples. If this very person can gather immeasurable merits of reciting amitabha encompasses, the extent and role of his adaptation to the changes are very large, like the 32 nirmana-kayas of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Guanyin). If the person understands the truth of all the dharmas in the universe, i.e. the doctrine of Dependent-Arising and Emptiness, his body that has accumulated doctrines is called dharma-kaya. Because doctrine itself is empty, the dharma-kaya is immaterial as empty as doctrine in everywhere. This is a philosophy about all the dharams, actually a personalized abstraction of the fundamental doctrines of Buddhism without shape or quantitive difference. Li Hongzhi, without real understanding, with incorporation of the concept in Qi Gong, said that dharma-kaya was a substance generated at people's lower abdomen that was consisted of dharmas and was also a creature in another space. He even boasted, "Each character in my book is a dharma wheel at low level and my dharma-kaya at high level." "I have countless dharma-kayas that have great powers, " and can help and protect Falun Gong practitioners at all the times and places. It has nothing to do with the dharma-kaya in Buddhism! To tell the truth, Li Hongzhi is doing nothing but apotheosizing himself with the fabricated "dharma wheel doctrine" and "dharma-kaya doctrine", which on one hand reveals his ignorance, and on the other hand expose his ambitions to confuse and control the disciples while considering himself as the savior.
Question: Karma and retribution theory is among the fundamental doctrines of Buddhism that has great impact on the mass of people. For this reason, Li Hongzhi especially likes to talk about karma and retribution, saying that they were the essential reason for all the diseases and misfortunes and one should repay his or her debt. Taking medicine would suppress the diseases and prevent the body to clean up, henceforth diseases should not be treated. He even wantonly promised that real Falun Gong practitioners would not fall ill. Therefore, a lot of Falun Gong practitioners didn't try to heal when they were ill resulting in a worse condition or even death. So, the Buddha circle in China needs a special clarification of karma and retribution.
Answer: According to Buddhism, "Creation is karma." Karma power means the power and effect produced by creation. In broad sense or in the theory of dependent arising of experiencing for the prior good and evil, every thing and all the phenomena of karma and vipaka in the universe are the effect of karma power, from formation, dwelling, decay and emptiness of the celestial bodies, to birth, aging, sickness, and death of the mankind, or arising, abiding, changing and extinction of all existences. There are many meanings for karma. It can be divided into karma of mouth, body and awareness in terms of form; kusala-karma, akusala-karma and avyakrta-karma in nature；collective and personal karma in terms of the retribution of oneself and other people. According to the karma and retribution theory in past, present and future, Buddhism believes that good and evil will have their karmic retribution and call these phenomena "karma and vipaka". From the depending level between karma and vipaka, there are fixed karma (niyata-vedan?ya-karma) and non-fixed karma (aniyata-vedan?ya-karma). The karma and retribution theory in Buddhism relates to the essence of life and its various forms and their interrelations, thus it is a complicated and sophisticated theoretical system far to explain in a few words. It's not proper to talk about karma or retribution simply and mechanically or misuse them everywhere because the factors that influence humankind's activities and their fate are intricate and complicated. In fact, the concept of karma in Buddhism is neither commentary nor derogatory, but a neuter noun. However, in folk opinions, it has been attached excessive emotions and is usually used as a derogatory term. Yet Li Hongzhi said "karma power" was something black, the retribution of wrongdoings. He even blamed all human diseases and misfortunes to the karma of previous life, speaking them as the debt owed by people in the previous life. In such a way, he explicitly or implicitly suggested to the Falun Gong practitioners that to be ill was to repay the debt, eliminate karma and pass the test and discouraged them to take treatment. This kind of words is extremely wrong and vulgar that could lead to great confusion and harms and are completely contrary to the Buddhist ideology and spirit.
Buddhism has always supported seeing doctors and taking medicine. For example, the four kinds of offerings in Buddhist sutras -- food and drink, clothing, bedding and medicine – includes medicine. Furthermore, Buddhism looks caring for patients as the first one among the eight good deeds. To relieve all living creatures from suffering is one of the important aspects of Buddhist Mercy Spirit. Sakyamuni has looked after patients by himself. Mahayana Buddhism strongly advocates practicing medicine, or medical science and regards it as one of the five kinds of knowledge. There are many parts in Buddhism Tipitaka especially talking about therapies of illness.
Thus it can be seen that the so-called "karam theory"of Li Hongzhi is nothing but vicious tampering and great distortion of the Buddhist karma theory!
Question: Li Hongzhi said that Falun Gong was one of the eight-four thousand bundles of the Buddhist dharma, telling Falun Gong disciples only to practice his dharma instead of anything else and saying that this was the very "Dharma-gate of non-duality". How do you comment this problem?
Answer: Dharma-gate of non-duality and eight-four thousand bundles of the Buddhist dharma are both special phrases in Buddhism. In Buddhism, eight-four thousand is a phrase used to represent that the amount is extremely large. Li Hongzhi, on the one hand, said that Falun Gong was among the eight-four thousand bundles of the Buddhist dharma, aiming to convince people that Falun Gong was Buddhist dharma that had nothing to do with modern Buddhism. On the other hand, he tried to promote Falun Gong to an unlimited high level, calling it a universe dharma, telling people to practice it exclusively while separated from any other ideology or dharma, and calling it the Dharma-gate of non-duality. His vicious intentions are obvious. In fact, the Dharma-gate of non-duality in Buddhism refers to a highest ideal or conception about everything that transcends truth or fake, good or devil, action or inaction, and even birth or death. People can take a great many of ways to experience or demonstrate this absolute ideal or conception, so there are eight-four thousand bundles of the Buddhist dharma. In here, non-duality and eight-four thousand are consistent with each other dialectically.
Besides, Li Hongzhi has ridiculously alleged that Falun Gong was a Buddha dharma rather than Buddhism, simply separating Buddha dharma from Buddhism. Generally speaking, "Buddhism" mainly refers to the doctrines of Buddha also called Buddha dharma. From the religious perspective, Buddhism also includes organizations of monks and laymen, regulations, taboos and commandments and religious rituals which are reflections of Buddha dharma in different societies and cultural contexts at different times and therefore can be regarded as part of Buddha dharma. Li Hongzhi, by separating Buddha dharma from Buddhism, has no intention but to "take advantage of " the Buddhist terms without real understanding in order that people would keep away from Buddhism or give up judging independently and walk on his evil road wholeheartedly. It calls for deep thought that in such a way, Li has blinded a lot of people who believe in Buddha heart and soul.
Question: Li Hongzhi frequently mentioned such Buddhist terms as Rulai (tatha-agata), Three Realms and three thousand great thousand worlds in his book Zhuan Falun. Can we suspect that it's a kind of tampering?
Answer: It's not only tampering but also extreme ignorance. Rulai is one of the ten titles that Buddhists use to indicate the supremacy of the Buddha from different perspectives, yet Li Hongzhi misconstrued it as another consciousness level apart from "Buddha"; According to Buddhism, there are Three Realms, i.e. Realm of Desire, Realm of Form and Realm of Formlessness, while Li Hongzhi called them realms of heaven, earth and human being (a theory of Shamanism); In terms of the three thousand great thousand world, in Buddhist doctrines, our celestial body under the sun and moon forms one small world, 1, 000 of these kind of bodies form one"small thousand world"; 1,000 "small thousand world" forms one "medium thousand world", and a thousand of these "medium thousand world" form one "great thousand world". So the "great thousand world" thus consists of 1, 000, 000, 000 small worlds. The "three thousand great thousand world" indicates the above three kinds of thousands. However, Li Hongzhi said, "Sakyamuni has also talked about three thousand great thousand world, meaning that in our galaxy, there are three thousand celestial bodies which have forms as we human beings." What a great gap between 1, 000, 000, 000 and 3,000! How obvious it is to identify that Li Hongzhi has interpreted Buhhism without real understanding!
Question: One cannot expect that Li Hongzhi, the founder of the "supreme Buddha dharma" Falun Gong, has made so many stupid mistakes about Buddhism terms. This indicates that when people criticize Li Hongzhi's fallacies, they should cautiously maintain vigilant against those Buddhist terms used by them and should not lump together these terms and those used in Buddhism so as to avoid greater confusion and hurt of the feelings of common Buddhists. Why has Li Hongzhi tried to plagiarize and tamper with a lot of Buddhist terms? And what lessons shall we learn?
Answer: Li Hongzhi knows well that Buddhism and its terms have extensive influences and great appeals in Chinese society, so he has plagiarized and tampered with a lot of Buddhist terms to exploit Buddhism. At the same time, he has wantonly distorted and denigrated Buddhism, requiring his disciples to only admire himself while keeping away from Buddhism. His intentions and means are extremely wicked. Speaking to lessons, the Buddhist World should seek the cause in ourselves instead of somebody else. First, we should strengthen religious consciousness of Buddhists, promote right belief, support proper dharma and reject all kinds of crooked sects attached to Buddhism. Secondly, we should deeply reflect on the issues about belief, ethos, systems, organization, personnel and management of temples and actually strengthen our self-construction so as to better adapt to the development of the age and meet the need of the common Buddhists to study Buddhism. Thirdly, we should make a clear distinction between Falun Gong by various means and at the same time, intensify the activities of denouncing and criticizing Falon Gong while fully using Falun Gong as a negative teaching material. We should not only enable the common Buddhists reach a higher level on the knowledge of proper dharma, but also help people from all walks of life understand Buddhism better and thus drive and improve our work of darma promotion. Fourthly, we should positively advocate the wise Buddhist theories, give full play to the Buddhist doctrines of ethical guidance role, and promote the rich and colorful Buddhist culture in order to purify the society, promote the construction of civilization and protect the world peace.
(World of Buddhism, June 8, 2006)