On this day, the twenty-second of August, 2020, I offer these words to all of you. At Hsiang Kuang: A Sacred Sanctuary, you are surrounded by the teachings every single day. You see with your eyes and hear with your ears the conduct of the monastics, the lay practitioners, and the hearts and actions of all beings. I must ask you: have you found any place of within these experiences? Have you truly observed the nature of your own mind as you interact with the world around you?
Consider the immense dedication of Practitioner Su. He works tirelessly for the sake of all beings, for the fourfold assembly, and for the preservation and transmission of the Buddha’s teachings. When you witness his devotion, do you find any place of Awakening? If you are truly practising, you should be finding moments of insight constantly. If you are finding insight, you are making progress. If you are finding insight every single day, you are advancing every single day.
The Path of Continuous Awakening
When you reach a moment of insight, you must deepen it further. This is how your spirit becomes sensitive, alert, and capable of true clarity. When the : eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind are purified, their true nature is revealed, and you take a significant step toward rediscovering your true self. Small awakenings, when accumulated without interruption, will eventually coalesce into a Great Awakening. When that Great Awakening becomes a continuous, unbroken state, you will see your true nature.
However, if you spend your days in a state of mental fog and confusion, you are merely letting your life pass by in vain. It is a great pity to be situated in a Buddha-land and yet fail to cultivate yourself. Practitioner Su does not slacken for even a single second; how are you spending your own seconds?
The Foundation of Practice
Living and practising in a Buddha-land requires the dual cultivation of and wisdom. Serving others is the primary method for cultivating Blessings and nurturing meditative concentration. This is the fundamental work of your practice. How do you respond to this work?
If you perform your duties with a joyful heart, you will do more and practise more, thereby accumulating both Blessings and merit.
If you perform your duties with a heart full of resentment or discrimination, your efforts will all leak away. You will gain no merit, no Blessings, and no virtue.
Listening to sutras and hearing the is the method for cultivating wisdom. Again, how do you respond to this? If you find yourself in a state of mental fog, unable to master your own mind, you must immediately engage in repenting and reflecting on your past actions. You will surely find where you have gone wrong.
The Obstacles of the Ego
When you examine your practice, ask yourself these difficult questions:
If you are cultivating Blessings with a resentful heart, have your Blessings already leaked away?
If you have no heart for the Buddha's path, is your heart truly settled in meditative concentration?
If you study the Buddha's teachings with a heart full of doubt, is the Buddha truly in your heart?
If you allow your own desires to take the lead, is your heart even present in your practice?
Often, it is the "self," personal ego, and selfishness that remain in control. You are always present, always asserting "I," always refusing to bow your head, refusing to admit defeat, and refusing to acknowledge your own mistakes. You are always convinced that you are right and others are wrong. If you recognise these traits within yourself, you must have the courage to change. You must be willing to let go of these heavy burdens.
A Call to Transformation
When you look at the faults of others, you should be able to be tolerant and compassionate. When you see your own faults, you must be determined to change them. If you have gained any insight from these words, you must wake up! Do not let another moment pass in the darkness of ignorance. The path to the Buddha's path is open, but it requires a heart that is sincere, humble, and constantly reflecting on the Truth.
Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
