To Attain Enlightenment Is Not To Die

[Minghui Net] Recently, sayings about "completion of cultivation" have become abundant. This stems mainly from the media attack by the Chinese government against Falun Gong. Actually, "completion of cultivation" is not only a term of the religious world, but also a part of Chinese culture, commonly seen in their historical novels. People who complete their cultivation are known as Arhats. Only Sakyamuni is a Buddha. Taking advantage of the fact that common people do not understand the meaning of certain terms very well, misleading the public's opinion, and confounding black and white are the common methods used by some atheists to suppress the freedom of faith. Although I converted to Buddhism, I still sympathize deeply with Falun Gong, which believes in BUDDHA LAW. A person, who practices cultivation to the higher realm, with his/her wisdom reaching a supernormal state, is known as being enlightened. Becoming enlightened is also called "completion of cultivation". The stories of two well-known enlightened people are familiar to everyone: Sakyamuni, the prince of Kapilavastu City [a small country in north India, actually Nepal] over 2,000 years ago, gave up the throne and took on more than six years of hard cultivation in the country-side. He attained enlightenment under a bodhi tree, and reached the realm of completion. He traveled around India, taught many disciples, and spread the Buddha's dharma. After his nirvana, his disciples inherited and have spread the Buddha's dharma to this day. Hui Neng, the famous monk during the Tang Dynasty of China, attained enlightenment with the help of his master Hong Ren. Hui Neng enlightened to the great principles of the universe and of life, all of a sudden, during his cultivation. His completion is known as "sudden enlightenment." Hui Neng became Patriarch VI of Zen Buddhism. After his nirvana, his body is said not to have deteriorated through a millennium, and is still preserved in good condition in Nanhua Temple of Shaoguan, Guangdong Province. After Buddha Sakyamuni's nirvana, his body was cremated and many sariras [relics] were found. Sariras do not burn and have unusual properties. They sometimes shine brilliantly. Many monasteries have carefully kept them to the present day. This also shows the big difference between cultivators and common people. To reach completion and to die are two entirely different things. To reach completion does not mean that one wants to die. On the contrary, he would cherish life even more. They say in Buddhism: It's hard to obtain a human body. Once you have the human body, it's as if you have the ferryboat leading towards enlightenment. Thus, this rare opportunity must be cherished. Saying suicide can lead to enlightenment is an excuse for the schemer's victimization of people. Suicide won't lead to completion. On the contrary, according to Buddhism, it would create the karma of killing. Suicide is absolutely forbidden. In the past, cultivators were against this one the most. I have read several books of Mr. Li Hongzhi. His view is clear; his logic is strict and careful. He strictly forbids both killing and suicide. Remember, people render a great virtue to help cultivators. Distorting and smearing cultivators and provoking people's hostility toward cultivators are destroying people. It is the murderers' tricks to conceal the truth, forge false evidence, and start a rumor of someone having committed suicide after the murderers killed the person. The evildoers will definitely meet with their due judgment.