The entire process of spiritual practice is essentially a journey of vigilance. It is a continuous effort to ensure that when the forces of and the presence of your manifest, you do not allow yourself to create new negative karma through your Body, Speech, and Mind. Once you create a negative cause, you will inevitably reap a bitter fruit. This is the fundamental reason why we must be so diligent in our practice; it is the very purpose of upholding the . By choosing not to create negative causes, you protect yourself from the pain and suffering of negative consequences.
We must understand that the causes created in our past lives are already set. When the conditions for these causes mature, the resulting will manifest, and you must face it with courage and acceptance. However, you have the power to change your future. When you plant a good cause and the conditions mature, you will reap a good fruit and experience happiness. Conversely, when you plant a negative cause and the conditions mature, you will reap a bitter fruit and experience suffering. This is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.
The Compassionate Deliverance of Demonic Beings
Consider the ancient demons, the old demons, and the various demonic crowds. Because they have created grave negative causes in the past, they live in constant fear of the retribution that awaits them when their mature. To escape this, they often enter deep states of meditative concentration, hiding themselves in the crevices of rocks, in dark caverns, or even within the smallest particles of dust. They are trapped by their own fear and the weight of their past actions.
Today, however, they have the rare fortune to encounter the presence of and the work of Practitioner Su. Through the compassionate power of the Buddha, these demonic beings are being delivered into the Western Land of Nature. This realm is a place of pure light, constructed entirely upon the foundation of the true self and Buddha-nature. Within the protective embrace of the Buddha’s , all beings who enter the Western Land of Dharma Nature exist in a state of absolute goodness and light. In such a pure environment, the conditions for negative traits to manifest simply do not exist. Therefore, there is no opportunity for them to reap further bitter fruits. This is the profound of the Buddha, who seeks to save even the demons, offering them a precious opportunity to repent and turn towards goodness. This is truly the greatest fortune for these beings.
These demonic beings should truly seize this opportunity to surrender themselves under the seat of Namo Amituofo. They must stop using their powers to attack of Practitioner Su. They must cease creating negative causes that only lead to further suffering. Practitioner Su possesses the profound skills required to subdue these demonic crowds, a level of mastery that is certainly not achieved overnight. His ability to treat all beings with such compassion—even those who have actively attacked him—is remarkable. By sending these beings to the Western Land of Dharma Nature, he saves them from the agony of their own negative karma. He is, in truth, a great benefactor to these beings.
A Call to the Fourfold Assembly
To the fourfold assembly of disciples at Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre: you have accumulated countless sins over many lifetimes. You have created negative karma that is, in many ways, no different from that of the demonic beings. Some of the fruits of this karma have already been experienced, while others have yet to manifest. Today, at Hsiang Kuang, you have the incredible fortune to encounter Namo Amituofo, your teachers, and Practitioner Su. You have been granted a genuine opportunity to practise and reach . I urge you to seize this moment with all your heart.
Because your past karmic burdens are so heavy, you must rely entirely upon the power of the Buddha to resolve them. If you feel discouraged when you face the suffering of karmic retribution, you must strive to recover your composure as quickly as possible. The speed at which you can return to your daily practice is a measure of your skill. The faster you recover, the more advanced your adaptability and your level of practice. It is excellent if you can return to your original, peaceful state in the present moment. Even better is the ability to remain undisturbed by the interference of other beings and to immediately correct your mistakes so that you do not repeat them.
Rising After Every Fall
Even if you stumble or fall, as long as you still have breath, as long as you are still willing to listen to counsel, and as long as you can continue chanting Namo Amituofo, you always have the chance to stand up again. If you lose this physical body, you lose the opportunity to rise. Therefore, while you still possess this human form, you must work to remove your defilements and attain purity. Continue to move forward, one step at a time, until your chanting leads you to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and until you can see your true nature while still in this very body.
By engaging in diligent practice at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre—by changing your personality traits, practising , and chanting Namo Amituofo frequently—you can prevent negative fruits from manifesting. Do not allow your past karma to resurface. If you remain steadfast, you will not have to suffer the bitter fruits of the past. Protecting your and your wisdom life is the direction in which all students of Hsiang Kuang should strive.
