WEI TUO BODHISATTVA’S WORDS OF ADVICE FOR VOLUNTEERS AT DHARMA CONVENTIONS AND OTHER RELATED QUESTIONS
Caller: Greetings to Master! The Singapore Dharma Convention is just around the corner and Wei Tuo Bodhisattva has a word or two of advice for those volunteers at dharma conventions. Let me share it with you, Master.
Wei Tuo Bodhisattva says, “I shall now speak about matters pertaining to upholding the dharma. To the volunteers of dharma convention, I rejoice in the merits of your selflessness in wanting to benefit sentient beings. It is truly admirable. However, one thing to be mindful of is by all means, you must avoid developing afflictions while carrying out your volunteer duties, lest your merits will be tarnished.
Oftentimes, dharma conventions can get really crowded and chaotic. It may be well-intentioned that all of you want to maintain discipline and order at the convention, but some of you whose spiritual cultivation is not up to the mark may often give rise to vexations, or worse-still, harbour resentment in your hearts. This is a definite no-no and is not something that a Buddhist practitioner would do and it also goes to show that you are not a good dharma protector.
As a Buddhist practitioner, all of you must stand resolute in the face of adversities and obstacles. Now that you are practising Buddhism and in your quest to become the disciple of Master Lu, you have been relentless in your effort. To seize the opportunity to be better, you have become a volunteer. Let me remind you that there are many others who wish to become a volunteer but unqualified. Henceforth, I wish all of you will treasure this opportunity and do not give rise to an unrighteous mind because if you do, you may as well not be a volunteer as such a negative mindset is far more toxic than a mind that is filled with resentment.
As a Buddhist practitioner, not only do you have to restrain yourself, you must also learn to quell your vexations. The participants at the dharma convention are here to learn Buddhism and their frame of mind is not any different from yours when you first stepped into the gate of dharma. Understanding that their state of spirituality is not high, in fact it differs from one person to another, there is no reason for you to be fretful. If you do, your merits will be tarnished and it is simply not worth it. Imagine yourself slogging away as a volunteer the entire day to the extent that you are not even able to perform recitation whatsoever, only to have the dharma protectors record a major demerit. It’s really not worth it.
For every good deed you do today, you must do it wholeheartedly. If you have set your mind to be a role model, then you have to put in the effort to be one. Do not let the accolades make you lose your way, forgetting that you are someone who aspires to be a Bodhisattva.
I hope everyone understands that there will be more and more people who wish to learn Buddhism in the future. A dharma convention volunteer reflects the image of Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door. As a volunteer, if you have a low level of spirituality and if you are always grumpy in carrying out your tasks, I would like to advise you not to put your merits at risk. This is because as much as volunteering engenders immense merits, your merits will be lost equally fast. I hope everyone understands this point!
When an opportunity presents itself, you have to really cherish it and do not think that such an opportunity is something that comes easy. It is the same for Buddhist practice and the way you conduct yourself, you must constantly incorporate mental cleansing in your routine. Only when afflictions are eliminated will your merits and virtues be perfected. Treasure this rare opportunity to be a volunteer and stop squandering your resources. Thank you!”.
Source: Wenda20170108B 02:06, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program