1. REASONS FOR WRITING THE BOOK
QUESTION 1. What are the reasons for writing this book?
ANSWER. The reasons for it are eight--
A. Generally speaking, it is to induce all living beings to depart from the way of all sorrow and to obtain the highest happiness, instead of seeking the glitter of fame and the wealth of this world.
B. It is to make clear the fundamental idea of the incarnate God (Tathagata) in man, and to lead all beings in the right way, avoiding error.
C. It is to lead those ripe in goodness to continue in the Mahayana Faith without failing.
D. It is to enable those in whom the root of goodness is very small to cultivate faith more and more.
E. It is to show how to remove evil hindrances and to strengthen well the mind, to keep far from mad pride, and to see through the deceits of vice.
F. It is to show how to study and correct the errors of ordinary men and the errors of the two inferior schools (the
