In practising Buddhism, we are essentially learning how to regulate and harmonise our qi (energy flow). The goal is to enhance good qi, making it even better, and turn bad qi into good qi—this is the essence of regulating qi. When your body, mind, and qi are fully balanced and stable, you reach the state of a Bodhisattva.
This means your body is healthy, your mind is clear and open, and your qi flows smoothly and effortlessly. At this point, you truly understand the principles of life and no longer feel anger because you see the world for what it is—an illusion. For example, if a boyfriend leaves you, it’s because the emotional connection between you has run its course. You might say, “I’ve hurt him, and he’s hurt me—let’s just leave it at that.” When your qi is in harmony, your thoughts become clear and focused, and the issue naturally resolves itself.
However, if you feel hatred or deep hurt, it’s a sign that your qi is out of balance. Do you see? That means you haven’t reached awakening yet. Awakening is when, for instance, you lose money but instead of feeling upset, you think, “Perhaps if I hadn’t lost it, I might have been fined anyway.” You smile, and your qi naturally comes back into harmony.
But many people struggle to move on—they feel sad, angry, or attached. Why do some people spend their whole lives consumed by wealth? Why do others get stuck in emotional turmoil? And why do some cling to their obsessions? It’s because they can’t make sense of their feelings—they can’t “untangle the knots.” There’s a saying: “The harder you try to cut it, the more tangled it becomes.”
This means that if you don’t dwell on a situation, it may naturally work itself out. However, the more you fixate on it, the harder it becomes to move on. Overthinking leads to confusion, and the more you dwell on it, the more emotional or sad you become, making clarity even harder to achieve. This is what it means to lack awakening. Once you gain true understanding, your qi flows smoothly, and the problem naturally resolves.
Awareness and experience develop gradually, layer by layer. This means your feelings and perceptions deepen step by step, eventually reaching a state of unwavering understanding. For instance, when you first start praying to Guan Yin Bodhisattva, you might feel her caring presence. But after a while, you may wonder, “Why don’t my prayers feel as effective anymore? Why does it seem like Guan Yin Bodhisattva is no longer helping me?” The truth is, it’s not that Guan Yin Bodhisattva has stopped helping you—it’s that your karmic obstacles are too heavy.
You must continue to focus and recite with a calm heart. Over time, as your mind becomes purer and your karmic obstacles lessen, you will find that your path becomes smoother. At that point, you might think, “Oh! Guan Yin Bodhisattva is helping me again!” But the truth is, she has always been helping you. During your difficulties, Guan Yin Bodhisattva was silently helping you overcome your troubles—you just didn’t perceive her presence.
Let me give you an example. Imagine a three-wheeled cart in China. As you’re pulling it uphill, it feels very tiring. Suddenly, someone comes from behind to help push the cart, and you feel some relief. That’s like Guan Yin Bodhisattva helping you. The moment you notice the push, that’s what we call “awareness and experience.”
Later, as the cart climbs higher, you might not feel the push as strongly, even though the person is still helping you. This represents the second layer of awareness. When the cart finally reaches the peak—symbolising the completion of your cultivation—just a small push from Guan Yin Bodhisattva is enough for your cart to roll easily downhill.
Do you understand now? This is an example of using plain language to explain the profound teachings of Buddhism—it’s about sensing and becoming aware of the Bodhisattva’s presence.
This awareness is crucial and develops layer by layer, growing deeper and deeper until it becomes unshakeable. At that point, you have absolute faith in Guan Yin Bodhisattva, thinking, “Guan Yin Bodhisattva will definitely save me; nothing can change this belief.” Reaching this state is true awareness and experience.
When you combine this unwavering faith with Buddhist theory, you begin to truly realise that the Bodhisattva is saving you. For example, when you recite Buddhist scriptures and feel the boundless compassion of the Bodhisattva, and then integrate Buddhist theory into this experience, your understanding deepens. Some people ask, “Master, didn’t you tell us not to focus too much on Buddhist theory? So how should we approach it?” Think about it for a moment—aren’t I teaching you Buddhist theory right now?
You must integrate Buddhist theory into your daily life. Awakening means reaching a state of realisation so firm that it cannot easily be shaken. In contrast, if your thoughts frequently change, that is not awakening. True awakening is having steadfast faith in Guan Yin Bodhisattva and thinking, “I believe this path is beneficial, and I will follow it.” For instance, if you know that this Dharma has brought immense benefits to your life, you will continue practising it wholeheartedly. This is what we mean by true awakening.
Today, I will expand on what I didn’t finish explaining last time. The term ‘Perfect Enlightenment and Wondrous Mind’ refers to viewing everything in the world as complete and perfect. When you see things in this way, you achieve enlightenment. Just these few words demonstrate how thoroughly and insightfully the Bodhisattvas shed light on the meaning of life. When you perceive everything as complete and harmonious, you awaken.
For example, if your house is broken into and robbed, your initial reaction might be sadness or anger. But if you approach the situation with Perfect Enlightenment, viewing it from a calm and enlightened perspective, you might think: “Oh, it’s my fault—I was too flashy, which attracted attention. Or perhaps I didn’t lock the door properly. Maybe this person and I had unresolved karmic conflict from a past life. By losing this money, I’ve resolved a karmic debt and averted a greater disaster.”
By thinking this way, you bring the situation full circle, resolving it in your mind. Once resolved, you awaken. With this awakening, you no longer feel angry.
What is Perfect Enlightenment and Wondrous Mind? It is the ability to use your beautiful mind to transform challenging situations into something harmonious and complete. By shifting your perspective and applying this wondrous Dharma (method), you can effectively resolve problems. For example, if your wife has a gambling habit, you can use appropriate methods to help her realise the harm of gambling. This is an example of applying a wondrous mind.
Guan Yin Bodhisattva descends into the human world to guide and awaken sentient beings, often manifesting through various people to deliver teachings in ways that deeply resonate. This is what we call a wondrous mind—a mind so subtle and infinitely adaptable that it employs countless methods to guide and awaken sentient beings.
The 84,000 Dharma Doors exist because there are 84,000 forms of affliction. For every affliction, there is a corresponding teaching. Since human afflictions are countless—numbering in the tens of thousands—this gives rise to tens of thousands of skilful and wondrous methods. These teachings are extraordinarily subtle and profound. Do you understand? When you cultivate a Perfect Enlightenment and Wondrous Mind, no matter what challenges you face, you will achieve a sudden and profound awakening.
The “True Realm of Tranquil Light” is where tranquility and light converge, allowing your true spiritual state to gradually emerge. When a person quietens their mind, it is like adjusting a torch. If you spread the beam of light, it disperses and becomes unclear. Similarly, if you focus the beam into a single point, it creates a bright and concentrated illumination. This focused light represents tranquil light.
When you focus your mind on a single point, your true spiritual state begins to manifest. However, if your mind is scattered, like unfocused light, it becomes difficult to see clearly. Only by concentrating your heart and mind on a single point can your true spiritual state emerge. By steadfastly following Guan Yin Bodhisattva, you can attain the true realm of the Buddha.
Thus, tranquil light means calming the mind. With this calmness, when you recite sutras, this state will appear consistently, allowing you to see it clearly. However, it is not something that can be achieved immediately. Many people try to concentrate their minds using various methods, such as meditation or focusing on their dantian (the point two inches below the navel where one’s qi resides). However, if they are not careful, distractions or sudden intrusions may cause them to lose control, leading to delusion.
This is why achieving tranquil light is not easy. Remember, never act recklessly. If you fall into a state of delusion or madness, I must tell you that not even the Bodhisattvas will be able to help you.
Human desires drift aimlessly—today you want one thing, tomorrow another. These desires are like clouds in the sky, piece by piece blocking the light in front of you. When a person’s desires scatter endlessly, shifting from one thing to the next, they become limitless, like an unpleasant odour constantly emanating from the body. With such scattered desires, it becomes impossible to seek liberation or achieve the state of mind you aspire to. If you cannot reach this state, you cannot break free from the cycle of birth and death.
Without cultivating an advanced spiritual state, you will never ascend to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss or the Four Sagely Realms. You simply cannot attain these realms because you have not yet let go of your attachments.
To awaken to the true nature of your mind and perceive this state—which means for your mind to awaken to the truth—you must understand that it is problematic if your mind is easily influenced by circumstances. When circumstances change, your mind changes with them. Once you recognise this flaw, you must gradually learn to steady your mind, preventing it from being swayed so easily. Do you see? Gradual cultivation, combined with awakening, will guide you to the state of the Buddha.
This leads me to another important point: if a person is overly greedy, they will never see things clearly. When you approach problems or take on tasks with greed in your heart, your mind will inevitably be impure.
For example, many people participate in community activities with selfish motives. Some are involved in making banners, others organise tours, and some handle printing. Their true purpose in joining these activities is often to profit from them, hoping to make money through community events. When a person harbours greed and their intentions are not pure, their mind can never be clear.
Let me tell you this: pessimistic people are more prone to developing thoughts of anger and resentment. When someone is deeply pessimistic and cannot find clarity in anything, anger and hateful thoughts begin to take root. For instance, they might think: “I can’t do this task, I can’t do that task either. I’m such a loser. I hate this—so many people are against me, and they refuse to give me any opportunities.” These feelings of hatred grow stronger.
Therefore, remember this: you must restrain yourself from being pessimistic under any circumstances. By reducing your pessimism, you can lessen the hateful thoughts that arise within you.