Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju. Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
27 February 2022
Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provides these teachings:
The Struggle Against One's Own Temperament
Many of you now realise that changing your personality traits is not an easy task. You have likely observed that whenever things do not go according to your wishes, or when circumstances contradict your personal desires, your personality—your temper—immediately flares up. It is a common occurrence to find yourself in the aftermath of a fit of anger, feeling deep regret for your inability to control your own nature. You may have heard the saying that anger burns down the forest of merit; indeed, when you lose your temper, you destroy the virtues you have worked so hard to cultivate.
Instead of becoming the master of your own mind—the one who prevents these negative personality traits from manifesting—you often find yourself becoming a servant to them. You act according to the whims of your temper, and then you are left to deal with the difficult consequences that follow. It is important to understand that you rarely possess just one type of personality trait. Different situations trigger different facets of your temperament, and each one manifests in its own unique way.
The Weight of Karmic Consequences
How, then, can you break free from the harm that your own personality inflicts upon you? This is a critical question, for it is through these unchecked traits that you create countless negative causes and effects. Every time you allow your temper to dictate your actions, you accumulate further sins.
The more influence you have over others, the heavier and more visible the consequences of your personality become. Those in positions of responsibility must be especially cautious. If you do not exercise restraint, you will eventually face the manifestation of . When that time comes, your body, mind, and spirit will suffer in ways that are truly unbearable.
The Obstacles to Spiritual Growth
Those who are attached to their own personality traits often find themselves trapped in a cycle of stubbornness. Because you insist on your own views and refuse to yield, you find yourself in constant conflict with others. Neither side is willing to take a step back, and through the actions of your Body, Speech, and Mind, you create deep divisions. These conflicts, arguments, and disagreements create significant obstacles in your daily interactions and your learning process. For a practitioner, this is a source of immense damage to your spiritual progress.
When you are unable to master your own mind, you become vulnerable to the manifestation of karma. You become a person who cannot govern themselves, often acting in ways that hurt both yourself and others while under the influence of your own temperament.
The Vulnerability to Negative Influences
Those who hold onto their personality traits and refuse to accept counseling often find that their inner demon nature begins to surface. This allows the —Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt—to take hold. Such individuals become prime targets for demon crowds looking for a host for spiritual attachment. These negative forces will exploit your strong personality to satisfy their own desires, leading you to commit further sins. In the end, you are the one who must endure the bitter fruits of these actions.
Consider, for example, those who are currently addicted to online games. The victims within that digital space are often those who have allowed their unchecked temperaments to make them susceptible to such external influences.
The Path to True Liberation
Regardless of your current situation, if you wish to live a life of peace and harmony, and if you truly desire to achieve spiritual success in your practice, then changing your personality traits is the most effective method available to you. Only by doing so can you hope to make genuine progress.
You must strive to adjust your nature until you are compliant, free from rigid personality traits, and possess a gentle, straightforward heart. Only then can you reach the state of , which opens the door to the possibility of becoming an awakened being. May you all take these words to heart and walk the path of purity.
