Shuohua20140829 17:16
(Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
HOW DO WE STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN ‘SEEING THROUGH EMPTINESS’ AND ‘BEING CONCERNED’ WITH THE THINGS WE DO?
Caller: Hi Master, you have advised us to see through the emptiness of things in our spiritual cultivation. But, humans have a lot of deep-rooted bad habits like being careless and haphazard in our approach to the things we do. To overcome this, we need to treat all matters at hand with meticulous care. In this context, how do we see through ‘emptiness’ while caring for the things we do?
Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s simple. First and foremost, what is your understanding of ‘emptiness’? It is to see through the reality of things in this world of mortals. Essentially, it means you are indifferent. If you still think that a certain matter is of great importance, it means you have yet to see through its ‘emptiness’.
What does haphazard mean? In whatever you do, you should not adopt a haphazard approach. Be earnest yet do not overplay the importance of the task at hand. You must strive to accomplish every task to the best of your capability. However, in the event of failure, you are ready to accord with conditions. This is the kind of a positive and balanced mindset of a cultivated person.
Caller: This means we should be unfettered by the task and just focus on doing it whole-heartedly and to the best of our abilities?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Exactly! You do what needs to be done. As for success, there is an ancient Confucian saying, “Man proposes, God disposes”, which essentially illustrates that by all means, we can make plans and work hard, but the final outcome lies in the Heaven’s will; success or failure is not something within your control.
Caller: I understand now. Thank you Master!
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