ONE STANDS TO GAIN GREATER SPIRITUAL ENERGY IF HE KEEPS HELPING OTHERS AND PERFORMING MERITS
Master Jun Hong Lu: When you perform acts of kindness today by helping others, wouldn’t you increase your spiritual energy? That’s for sure. Conversely, if you engage in self-cultivation at home, would you claim to have the spiritual energy? In this case, you will also have the spiritual energy, but such energy is derived from within yourself.
The energy that is generated from within is different from the energy gained from the external sources. Let me give you a simple analogy: Imagine a car powered by a battery that is weak and you resort to turning on and off the ignition in order to tap on the limited energy that is left in the battery. Don’t you think such energy is nothing but very limited?
Caller: Yes.
Master Jun Hong Lu: Though you may still be able to restart the car after you stop, however, assuming you are driving outside, the car suddenly breaks down and someone may come along to offer a recharge, wouldn’t the renewed energy be greater than the original energy?
Caller: Yes. Since the mortal body makes it much easier for one to be accomplished in his spiritual cultivation, does it imply that the fundamental of Buddhist practice lies in performing more good deeds? Basically, we should make good use of this mortal body to be more diligent in our practice such as performing more dharma giving because by doing so, we are able to receive infinite energy. Am I right?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Exactly! This is the essence of Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism is about helping yourself through helping others, and this is termed as, ‘To help oneself as well as others’.
As you are practising Buddhism, the moment you help others, you stand to receive much greater spiritual energy. On the other hand, if you practise meditation alone in the comfort of your home, the energy derived is very much dependent on the intrinsic energy that you have. You may be able to receive some energy from heaven and earth but, such external energy that you can receive is limited because you are not practising the spirit of Mahayana Buddhism as you are not willing to reach out to help others unlike Bodhisattvas. As a result, you are unable to receive much of those immense external energies. Conceptually, they are very different.
Source: Wenda20190329 10:06, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program