The Practice of Self-Reflection

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on the twentieth of May, two thousand and twenty-three.

The Destructive Fire of Anger

When you feel the flames of anger rising within your heart, it is almost always because you believe that the faults of others have caused you harm. You may feel that you have been misunderstood, that you have suffered a loss, or that your expectations have not been met. You might feel a sense of deep dissatisfaction, believing that the reality of the situation is not what it appears to be. When these feelings take hold, the fire of anger ignites, and as the ancient teachings warn, this fire burns down the entire forest of your accumulated merit.

The Illusion of Righteousness

However, let us pause and look deeper. Are you truly certain that you are entirely without fault in this matter? Is it possible that there is a significant gap between your perception and the perception of the other person? Often, what we firmly believe to be right is, in truth, very far from the actual reality of the situation. Every action we take is built upon our understanding of the truth, and it is from this foundation that the laws of karma and cause and effect are formed.

The Roots of Suffering

Therefore, I invite you to first practise self-reflection. Whenever there is even a trace of selfishness in your heart, or a desire for self-protection, jealousy, or conflict, you are moving away from the right path. When you act from this place of confusion, you are simply adding wrong upon wrong. Consequently, the karmic results will inevitably manifest, and you will find your body, mind, and spirit suffering under the weight of these consequences.

The Path of Acceptance

If you were to truly engage in deep self-reflection and find that you are indeed without any fault, then why not expand your mind-capacity to accept the faults of others? If you can genuinely accept the shortcomings of others, you are not merely tolerating them; you are actively increasing your own virtue. Remember this well: what the other person does may not necessarily be a fault, and what you do may not necessarily be right. The true nature of right and wrong lies deep within the heart, and it is revealed only when we see the ultimate truth of the universe.

Namo Amituofo