This thesis mainly focuses on Xue-Lu-Lao-Ren’s “A Selected Study on The Classified Q & A about Buddhism-Research by Xue-Lu-Lao-Ren”. Xue-Lu-Lao-Ren was the penname of Venerable Li, Bing-Nan, the founder of Taichung Buddhist Lotus Society. This was one of his important works on Buddhism, compiled from columns in the journals《覺群》、《覺生》and《菩提樹》,all written by Venerable Li from 1949 to 1976. The contents are classified into 12 categories, 880 thousand words in total, a collection of answers to 5,339 questions raised by 1,013individuals. The thesis is aimed to explore the essences of contents, to research on how readers studied and got inspired and to analyze readers’ reflections and the benefits from its practicing these concepts. My study approach is mainly based on Venerable Li’s literature review, broadened along with some interviews on its disciples and readers. Due to the scarcity of the literature review, I tried to arrange profound talks with the disciples of Venerable Li, Bing-Nan, and got a picture of Li’s thought and practice from the descriptions of some followers who had been around Venerable Li, Bing-Nan for years. My research has four subtopics: Jodo, precepts, karma and dream analysis. The essences refer to what I realize or what I got inspired from. The Classified Q&A about Buddhism involves 12 features, including Li’s skillful enlightenment, his diversity in guidance, his mastery in using metaphors and its easy access to daily practice in his teachings. Li was full of compassion for sentient beings. His open-mindedness and great tolerance toward people and his easy flow and plainness in communication made his replies inspiring, helping people to change for the better, to be honest and tolerant with friends, to be sensible, well-informed, and more understanding. These teachings are effective in helping people tell right from wrong, know ways of the world and the do’s and don’ts based on the principles of karma, thus passing down the integrity and righteousness from generation to generation. And with every feature are real-life examples illustrated. Li’s replies were full of diversity and skills. To a brief enquiry, the replies may be brief, detailed and complicated or even no answer at all. But to some vague and obscure questions, he had given a multiple- dimensioned answers. Sometimes his reply was another question. Be it induction or deduction, Li, Bing-Nan, a master with good understanding in human nature and eloquence in speech delivery, would give a proper and all-round answer with compassion. As follows are seven benefits in daily life: 1. Clarifying the contradictions between following precepts and doing business. 2. Being a veggie based on good karma. 3. Teaching how to develop social relationship and behave in the right ways. 4. Showing how to face the dilemma : to kill or not to kill. 5. The art of speech 6
