‧Ｗritten by Sheng-yen Lu‧
A US Daden Culture Publication
One year, winter came early to Seattle, Washington, USA. Early one morning, I looked out the window and saw that the fountain in the courtyard was frozen. Icicles hung down the sides of the fountain. It was beautiful like a crystal chandelier.
By evening, however, only three words could describe the outdoors:
Cold.
Dark.
Wet.
The temperature was below zero…
The house was surrounded by darkness.
Wet was the winter rain of Seattle.
It was during this winter that I sat inside my study and wrote under the lamp this book, Chatting with Oneself.
Allow me to explain this title!
I do not have any intimate friends.
I do not have any friends at all.
I do not have anyone to talk to.
I am Grand Master Lu. I have five million True Buddha School students, some of them close and others distanced.
Students of high capacity, we chat a little more.
Students of medium capacity, we chat a little less.
Students of low capacity, we chat even less.
Hence, most importantly, I chat with myself. This was how this book came to be.
It was not note-taking.
It was not writing.
It was not creative writing.
It was a chat. I asked myself questions and I myself replied.
Why did I ask and answer my own questions?
Because:
“I understand myself the best!”
“I know I am a gifted prodigy and one who is truly enlightened!”
Question:
“Are you mentally ill?”
Reply:
“Yes. If all sentient beings in the world are normal, then I am mentally ill.”
Question:
“What do you mean?”
Reply:
“On the other hand, if I am normal, then people all over the world are mentally ill.”
Question:
“Are all enlightened people like this?”
Reply:
“Yes. All enlightened people are mentally ill and beyond comprehension!”
Question: “Why is this so?”
Reply:
“Hahahahaha! This is so absurd! Life is such a joke that I am dying of laughter!”
Question:
“What is so funny and why are you laughing?”
Reply:
“Have I laughed?” (Here is the key.)
Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu
17102 NE 40th Ct,
Redmond, WA 98052
U.S.A.
