The master of the Saha World is essentially a Reward-body Buddha. If you can act as a master in this world, then you are either a Buddha or a Bodhisattva, possessing the ability to control all spiritual and material aspects of this realm.
I’ve told you all before, my state of mind doesn’t change based on external circumstances. Instead, I adjust these external conditions to fit my mindset, not the other way around. I like to explain the teachings of Buddhism in plain language. For example, when someone refuses a task, use the wisdom of a Buddha or Bodhisattva to change the situation without disturbing your inner peace. If someone hates you today, you can make them love you today—this is the transformation of your state of mind. Love and hate are products of karmic conflicts; where love exists, hate can also be found, and vice versa. We’ve all seen films where a character ends up marrying someone they initially despised. Everything has its positives and negatives, and all is subject to change. If you can withstand someone’s criticism today, I believe you can also earn their praise tomorrow— it depends on your wisdom. Some lack this wisdom, believing that reconciliation is impossible. But nothing in this world is permanent, including our very existence. Can anyone stay young forever? Certainly not.
What types of people never fail? Those who grasp the evolving environment around them. And who succeeds? Those who discern external changes and adapt in response. We need to learn to adapt to the environment, to adjust with the times. If situations change, so must we. Even if others resist transformation, we should still evolve. The same applies to learning Buddhism. Now that you discover this new Dharma Door today and find it helpful, embrace it. Although other Dharma Doors have their merits, understanding their basics can speed up your mastery of this Dharma Door. I’m not discouraging exploration of other Dharma Doors. However, my concern is that you might get lost without proper guidance, as many of you lack advanced comprehension and seldom find enlightened teachers for guidance. So, it’s crucial to comprehend the reasoning behind this.
Shakyamuni Buddha, during his time on Earth, was an Emanation-body Buddha. As a prince in ancient India, he was remarkably pure, with virtually no Reward-body. His descent to Earth from Heaven was to promote this faith, Buddhism. Before reaching nirvana, even Shakyamuni Buddha suffered a headache for three days, symbolising a liberation from all worldly obligations.
The best approach in the Human Realm is to accumulate abundant merits and virtues. The more merits and virtues you amass, the higher your status in the heavenly realms. If you diligently recite “Amitabha Buddha” in the Human Realm, a lotus flower awaits you in the seven-jewelled ponds of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The deeper your sincerity in chanting, the more resplendent your lotus will become. Upon your passing and arrival in Heaven, after cleansing in the water of eight merit-virtues, you’ll sit atop this lotus. What rises is not your physical form but your soul, which is light and must be pure. Cultivation in the Human Realm results in a lotus flower and spiritual attainment in Heaven. On the flip side, misdeeds lead to divine retribution. I’ve covered what happens in Heaven; I hesitate to delve too much into the Underworld to spare you nightmares.
During his time on Earth, Shakyamuni Buddha was an Emanation-body Buddha and manifested in two forms:
The first form was appearing as different sentient beings. For instance, when manifesting as doctors, Buddhas or Bodhisattvas can spread the Buddha-dharma in a white coat. When surrounded by businesspeople, they might manifest as a businessman, wearing a suit to share the Dharma and enlighten people. As a prince, Shakyamuni realised this truth. Later, having become a monk and recognising the world’s sufferings, he manifested as a Buddha, disseminating the Dharma far and wide through his physical form.
The second form was his formless, intangible presence of light-energy, beyond physical dimensions. What you perceive as Guan Yin Bodhisattva is essentially light. Have you ever noticed the glow around my head? That’s pure light-energy. Everything in the world is reducible: be it a strand of hair, water, or even the human body, which is predominantly water. After death, the physical body dissipates, leading one into the spirit realm. Those with a higher spiritual state are Bodhisattvas. They might appear momentarily before vanishing—such is their formless manifestation.
The first kind is the Emanation Body of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Guan Yin Bodhisattva transformed into a monk to come to this world. Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva appeared as a layperson practising Buddhism; both are Bodhisattvas. Some Bodhisattvas turn into monks, while others may become lay practitioners. If any of you are Emanation Bodies of a Bodhisattva, then you are currently appearing as a lay practitioner. A lay practitioner, also known as a householder, refers to someone who practises Buddhism at home without being ordained as a monk.
The second category includes those skilful in cultivation and realisation. They return to this realm through their vows to enlighten beings. Such a person is skilful in their cultivation and has already realised enlightenment. They come back with a vow, already being Bodhisattvas. “I wish to descend to the Human Realm to save souls. I vow to enlighten all on this land, transforming it into a Buddha’s Pure Land and a land of bliss.” This is the vow power of the Bodhisattvas who return. You can recognise and feel the warmth emanating from these Bodhisattvas. Those who return by their vows emit warmth, and some even radiate light. If someone is widely revered as a Bodhisattva, they will undoubtedly glow and their body will feel warm. When I lead you to bow and pray to the Bodhisattvas, you too might feel this warmth. During my Dharma Talks, some can see the halo above my head. An audience member even managed to capture this halo with their camera.
I would like to share a few thoughts from my heart:
When you are capable, others cannot take advantage of you. When you can master your own soul, others cannot exploit you. If you wish others not to exploit you, you should be capable yourself.
Always maintain a content heart. This means our hearts should always remain content in this world, feeling satisfaction. The unhealthy desire to compete and win should constantly be extinguished. With a heart that’s always content and the urge to compete always suppressed, you will find yourself in relaxed comfort. If you don’t engage in competition or conflict, you’ll be truly at ease.
What joy is there in birth? What dread in death? Our entry into life is often muddled, and when it’s our time to go, there’s no need for distress or fear. What matters is knowing where we’re headed next. Your own spiritual practice is the best guide to your next destination.
If you awaken to the Dharma and realise the inherent emptiness of all things, there is neither birth nor death. Awakening to emptiness is to understand that all of life is empty. With this Dharma in your heart, if you grasp the essence of life, then you won’t be bound by notions of birth or death. There is no birth, no death—this is the meaning of emptiness. This is the spiritual realm of the Bodhisattva. I’ll leave my teachings here for today.