Special Topics
How Do We Encounter the Buddha through Studying the Sutras?

The Right Attitude When Studying Sutras

We are not living in the Buddha's time, and do not have the opportunity to happily listento the Buddha's teaching along with Ananda, Mahakasyapa, Sariputra, Maudgalyāyana, and other great disciples under the Bodhi Tree. Yet, when we study the sutras, we are able to encounter the Buddha. "Thus I have heard" is not only uttered by Ananda. After we study the sutras, we can share with our friends, "Thus I have heard the Buddha said…"
It Is Highly Unlikely to Hear the Buddhadharma, Yet We Hear It Now
In this fast-paced day and age, it is impossible to tell what aspect of the vast teachings the Buddha gave thousands of years ago will come into people's lives and when. Hence, the expression, "The Buddha taught with one voice. Everyone takes from it in their own way." The same sentence spoken by the Buddha will be experienced differently by each listener, depending on his or her life experiences and level of understanding.

Resource:
50 Questions About Reading Sutras (讀經50問), Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation