The Worldly Realm: Teachings of Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju

During the first session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, we reflect deeply upon the nature of our existence. The human world is a place filled with endless grievances, debts, and emotional entanglements. It is often difficult to discern right from wrong, or truth from falsehood, in the midst of our daily lives. This confusion arises because we are deeply caught within the laws of karma and cause and effect.

Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offers this guidance:

Grievances and debts fill the human world,
Right and wrong are difficult to distinguish clearly,
It is because the laws of karma and cause and effect are at work within.
If one chooses correctly, one will know Goodness and evil,
Learn from the Buddha and believe in the Buddha, to understand the laws of karma and cause and effect,
The suffering of being reincarnated, do not enter it again!

The Tangled Web of Human Existence

When we look at the human world, we see that it is a place where we are constantly bound by the consequences of our past actions. The grievances we hold and the debts we owe to others create a complex web that obscures our vision. Because we are so deeply immersed in the laws of karma and cause and effect, we often find ourselves unable to see the Truth. To break free from this cycle, we must first acknowledge the reality of our situation and commit ourselves to the path of the Buddha.

If you wish to make the right choices in your life, you must learn to distinguish between Goodness and evil. By learning from the Buddha and placing your faith in Him, you will come to understand the laws of karma and cause and effect. Once you truly realise the profound suffering inherent in the cycle of being reincarnated, you will naturally vow never to enter it again.

Discerning the Flavours of the World

What is the true flavour of this world? It is found in the various things to which we cling, often without realising the weight they place upon our hearts. These are the tastes that keep us tethered to the human world:

• Sentient beings: The taste of emotion is the very essence of the worldly flavour.
• Wealth: The pursuit of money and material gain is another primary flavour of this world.
• Fame, profit, power, and status: These are the heavy burdens that keep us anchored in the cycle of rebirth.
• Social hierarchy: The traditional order between elders and the young is also a flavour of the world that we must navigate with care.

The Discipline of the Awakened Heart

However, for those of us who are dedicated to our practice, we must treat these worldly things not as sources of pleasure, but as objects of discipline. We must be vigilant in our daily lives:

• Emotion is a matter of Precepts; we must not let it cloud our clarity.
• Money is a matter of Precepts; we must not let it dictate our actions or compromise our integrity.
• Fame and profit are matters of Precepts; we must remain detached from them to maintain our focus on the Truth.
• Power and status must be approached with extreme caution, lest they lead us astray from the Right Way.
• The relationship between elders and the young must be treated with equality and Precepts, ensuring that our interactions remain pure and respectful.

This is the path of caution that all practitioners must follow. By maintaining this discipline, we ensure that we do not lose our way in the world, but instead move steadily toward the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. May we all remain steadfast in our practice, guided by the wisdom of the Buddha.

Namo Amituofo

Chief Writer: Venerable HaiZe