Master Jun Hong Lu’s
Public Talk
Macau, China
13 Feb 2016
EVEN A PERSON WITH HIGH LEVEL OF INTELLECT COULD NOT CHANGE HIS BAD HABIT
Master Jun Hong Lu: Once there were three small animals, a crab, an owl and a bat. They went for tuition classes with the objective of eliminating their bad habits. After a few years, they graduated and obtained a PhD. However, the crab was still walking sideways, the owl still slept during the day and was active at night, while the bat was still hanging upside down.
This story tells us that overcoming one’s bad habits is indeed tough. We need a healthy mindset and apply the wisdom of Buddha and Bodhisattva to eliminate our bad habits. In psychology it is said that even a person with a high level of intellect could not change his bad habits.
Many Buddhist practitioners appear to be well-read in Buddhist teachings, but when it comes to personal gains and bad habits, they are incapable of making any change.
We need to understand that ‘Practice’ is of the utmost importance. We need to transform ourselves, that is, to cultivate our mind and behaviour.
To cultivate the mind is to overcome the negativity in our mind and to fix the greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance and doubts in us.
To cultivate our behaviour is about correcting our negative conduct, transforming our action and speech. This is the essence of spiritual cultivation. We need to be true to our cultivation instead of superficially seeking blessings at the eleventh hour.
When things are going well, we need to prepare for the rainy days. While we are still alive, we need to cherish our spiritual life so that when we leave this world, we can be free from karmic debts, calamities and karmic obstacles, in order to reach a higher lotus pedestal in heaven.
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