The Buddha Fa’s Terminology  

Some students were once lay Buddhists and have a very deep impression of the terms in Buddhist scriptures. When they find that I use words identical to those in Buddhism, they think that their meanings are the same as in Buddhism. In fact, they do not denote exactly the same meanings. Some terms in the Buddhism of the Han region are Chinese vocabulary, and they are not exclusively terms from Buddhism.

The key point is that these students still cannot let go of the things in Buddhism, for they do not realize that their impressions from Buddhism still affect their minds, nor do they have a sufficient understanding of practicing no second cultivation way. Actually, isn’t the superficial similarity that one perceives causing interference? If you misinterpret my words, aren’t you practicing cultivation in Buddhism? 

Li Hongzhi

December 21, 1995