A Record of the Dharma Realm's Origin

Civilization is a web of shared karma; history is a current of thought. This work reveals how all beings, through the long night of ignorance, draw upon the Buddha-nature inherent within them and, with the blessings of the vows of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, journey through endless dependent origination from delusion to awakening. What we call evolution is not simply the survival of the fittest, but the outward projection of an “inner light” that continually manifests, purifies, and rises, propelled by the karmic force of consciousness. Narrative perspective: the perspective of the Dharmakaya Buddha That is, the wisdom that knows the three times and fully comprehends dependent origination. It remains unmoved, illuminating all phenomena and filled with boundless compassion. Like the awakened nature of the universe itself, it calmly observes the arising and ceasing of causes and conditions within itself. How Darwin's theory of evolution is incorporated: Evolutionary theory reveals how life forms change on the material level (the karmic result) as their environments (the supporting conditions) change. This phenomenon of “dependent origination” is a vivid illustration of Buddhism's principle that “the primary and supporting karmic results are nondual” in the realm of biology. However, evolution is “phenomenology,” while Buddhism is “ontology.” The fundamental force driving this grand evolution is “karma,” the powerful momentum generated by the thoughts and actions of all beings. To meet the needs of different readers, this epic will be published in two complementary versions: The introductory edition, A Chronicle of the Flowing Light: a cosmic epic written for all beings Features: A series of vivid stories, koans, and myths brings profound Buddhist principles to life within a sweeping, captivating narrative. The in-depth edition, An Exposition on the Evolving Light: a philosophical masterpiece grounded in the sutras and treatises Features: Drawing rigorously on the sutras and treatises, it builds a scholarly, textbook-style epic for deep study. Its table of contents is itself a graded path of cultivation.