[eBook] Transforming the Mind The Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings

Introduction

"The world is impermanent; 
the earth is perilously fragile." 
~ The Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings 

As unenlightened beings, we are easily pulled this way and that 
by our conditions. In our state of confusion, we unwittingly 
pursue fame, fortune, desire, and pleasure. How many of us 
truly take time to contemplate the meaning of our lives? 

The Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings contains the 
fundamental practices allowing us to make the most of our potential 
as human beings. In her explanation of the text, Dharma 
Master Cheng Yen uses stories from the Buddha's time and our 
days to relate these teachings to modern life. In this way, she 
lays out a path for how to grow in compassion and wisdom by 
going among people to help those in suffering.

About Author

Dharma Master Cheng Yen was born in 1937 in a small town in Taichung County, Taiwan. When she was twenty-three years old, she left home to become a Buddhist nun, and was instructed by her mentor, Venerable Master Yin Shun, to work “for Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings.” In 1966, she founded a charity, which later turned into the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, to “help the poor and educate the rich”—to give material aid to the needy and inspire love and humanity in both givers and recipients.


In recent years, Master Cheng Yen’s contributions have been increasingly recognized by the global community. In 2011, she was recognized with the Roosevelt Institute’s FDR Distinguished Public Service Award and was named to the 2011 TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people. In 2014, she was presented with Rotary International’s Award of Honor in recognition of her humanitarian efforts and contributions to world peace.