Many couples, when arguing, often say: “I treat him like he’s dead. I do my own thing and don’t bother with him.” While this doesn’t sound pleasant, it’s actually a method of coping. The idea is not to pay attention to the other person or place any expectations on them, which in turn prevents disappointment. If you expect something from someone—for example, if you think, “My husband should behave this way or that way”—then disappointment will surely follow. But what does “should” even mean? You might think, “He’s my child; I gave birth to him and raised him—it wasn’t easy. He must treat me well.” But when you get old and bedridden, what does that really amount to? And when you pass away, what then? He’ll inherit your estate immediately. Whether you’re there or not doesn’t matter much to him. Once you started practising Buddhism, you might think this way instead: “I don’t expect anything from you; I’m living my own life just fine.” And what can he do about that? Nothing. The more a mother indulges her child, the more the child demands. That’s what spoiling is. But if you leave them alone and let them handle things themselves, they’ll take care of their own business. That’s just human nature. Don’t place overly high expectations on others. This is also how I treat you disciples. I don’t have too many expectations of you. If you want to perform meritorious deeds, then do them. If you don’t, I won’t insist. Doing meritorious deeds is something you should be eager to do for yourself.
I have made a vow to Guan Yin Bodhisattva to dedicate my entire life to the Bodhisattva, to sentient beings, and to guiding and awakening people around the world who have karmic connections with Buddhism. I’ve started to walk my own path, which is why Guan Yin Bodhisattva cares a lot about me. Tomorrow, the Chairman of the Buddhist Council of New South Wales is coming to see me. What does this signify? It signifies that I am legitimately guiding and awakening sentient beings with karmic connections to Buddhism all over the world, spreading this wonderful Dharma Door to countries like India, Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia. Remember, true communication happens when you connect with others from the heart. Using words is only a physical form of communication.
Why do so many people resort to suicide? Why do they get so angry when insulted? It’s because of the “self”—their attachment to ego and pride. Let me tell you, anyone who clings to pride inevitably harbours feelings of inferiority. Where does this pride come from? It’s because, deep down, they feel inadequate and believe they’re not as good as others. The more pride a person exhibits, the stronger their inferiority complex, and the stronger their inferiority complex, the more pride they project. If you can realise “non-self,” you’ll understand that there is no “self” in this world—no “you.” When the self is gone, there’s no pride or inferiority left. What could possibly be unbearable then? There wouldn’t even be a need to endure. Being unattached means having a “non-abiding mind.” It means your mind does not abide in anything—no hatred, no ignorance, no desires—nothing at all. This is the state of a Bodhisattva. However, the flaw in human nature is that we place ourselves on too high a pedestal.
“Non-abiding” means “nothing to attain”—there’s no concept of gaining or not gaining. “Nothing to attain” embodies the essence of the Four Noble Truths: no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, and no path to end the suffering. It also corresponds to “no wisdom and no attainment,” as explained in the Heart Sutra. “Non-arising” means not giving rise to the idea of “self”—it signifies “non-self.” Let me explain: the ability to endure is a high spiritual attainment, equivalent to the level of an Eighth Ground Bodhisattva. A truly patient person who never loses their temper and always maintains a smile demonstrates a high level of spiritual understanding. Patience requires self-control and inner balance. The problem with most people is that they can’t hold back, and when they lose patience, they embarrass themselves. You must learn to restrain yourself! Age doesn’t necessarily bring patience; whether young or old, patience depends on a person’s state of mind. It requires self-control and the ability to endure. As your Master, I must learn patience even more than you do. I must practise “forbearance to non-arising dharmas” (anutpattikadharmakṣānti). When disciples treat me poorly or make mistakes, I endure, but I also have a responsibility to guide and correct you. However, if you don’t change after being corrected, I will practise “forbearance to non-arising dharmas.” If you keep calling me or trying to talk to me, I won’t respond—I’ve already let it go. A person cannot keep repeating the same mistakes, such as losing their temper, being inconsiderate, or failing to practise patience and diligence. Some disciples don’t understand how to behave and end up causing trouble, making me worry. Then they come back later saying, “I’m sorry.” Disciples like this lack wisdom. If they can’t learn patience, they cannot reach the state of a Bodhisattva.
To reach the level of “forbearance to non-arising dharmas,” one must realise the state of “non-abiding.” This means being unaffected by circumstances—wherever you are, it feels the same. Monks and nuns embody this principle. They let go of the concept of “home,” travelling wherever they’re needed. Any temple welcomes them; they carry no attachments to fixed residences—this is “non-abiding.”
Reflect on how many times you’ve moved house in your lifetime. You might live here today, but who knows—you might move again in a few days. Right now, you’re living in the Human Realm, but when you die, you’ll move to another realm. It’s like a television screen: right now, we’re on Channel 7. Going to a better realm after death is like switching to Channel 9 or 10. Falling to a worse realm is like dropping to Channel 2. But no matter the channel, it’s still within the screen—you’re trapped in the cycle of rebirth within the six realms of existence. Escaping this “television” isn’t easy. Think about it: how many times have you moved houses? How many marriages have you had? How many children have you raised? It’s all in the past now, so why hold on to attachments? Let go and focus on cultivating your mind. Cherish this era and make the most of your time to help others. Today, people often say they’re just “getting by.” While this phrase may sound negative, in a Buddhist context, it can be interpreted as “going with the flow.” These are the conditions you’ve been given—what else can you do?
Let me share a funny story: An elderly man from a rural area visited the city for the first time and saw an elevator. He watched as the doors opened, and an old woman stepped inside. Moments later, the doors opened again, and a young woman walked out. The man regretted not bringing his wife along, thinking, “If I had known about this magical room, I would’ve had her step inside for a moment!” This kind of ignorance leads to his own suffering. When someone is ignorant and understands nothing, they naturally feel pain. But once they gain understanding, the pain disappears.
Why do so many people feel a sense of liberation after learning Buddhism with me? It’s because they’ve gained clarity and freed themselves from suffering. In the past, they didn’t understand, which is why they felt pain. They would wonder, “Why does he treat me this way? Why do I treat him well, but he treats me poorly?” They never considered that, in a past life, they might have wronged this person terribly. You might hear stories on my radio program about a spirit possessing a caller due to unresolved karmic conflicts from past lives. The spirit refused to leave until he exacted his retribution, even taking the caller’s life. This demonstrates why karmic retribution has no fixed place to reside.
Before concluding today’s talk, I want to share a few words with everyone. In Buddhist practice, the greater a person’s virtue, the more formidable the demonic challenges they face—be cautious and vigilant. Why is this the case? Because the more virtuous a person becomes, the more significant the demonic obstacles and trials they encounter. The better one cultivates, the more tests they face. For example, an ordinary textile worker doesn’t attract anyone’s jealousy. But if you become an exemplary worker, suddenly everyone is envious of you. The greater your virtue, the greater the demonic challenges; but when you overcome these obstacles, your virtue deepens. In the past, when I taught Buddhism to small groups of ordinary practitioners, no one bothered me. But now, as my reputation grows, I’ve attracted jealousy from many people. In reality, this is all part of the test. People may criticise you—if you’re not prepared for that, how can you cultivate your mind properly? Will you stop helping sentient beings just because someone is critical of you? I’ve seen many people join community organisations, full of enthusiasm on their first day, saying, “Thank you all; I will work hard and do my best.” But by the following week, they stop coming. Why? Because they couldn’t handle criticism or gossip and gave in to the psychological pressure. To cultivate well, you must endure tests. Even if I am being critical of you today, I am observing how you handle it. Will you try to save face? If you give up, it only shows a lack of virtue. “There is nothing to attain.” Do you understand?
Practising Buddhism requires the use of wisdom. When your heart is unwavering, it radiates the Buddha’s light. When you face trials, all you need is firm faith: “I am following Master Lu and practising this excellent Dharma Door.” This faith will protect you from demonic interference and allow your Buddha light to shine. The higher your moral standing, the greater the demonic obstacles—so always remain cautious and vigilant. With steadfast faith and dedication to Buddhist practice, your Buddha light will naturally emerge. No matter how great the difficulties, we must not retreat. We must be persistent, firm in our beliefs, and practise patience. From a literal perspective, patience is a positive quality. However, when used by unreasonable people, patience can be twisted into a negative tool to achieve their own ends. So, what is patience? It involves perseverance and resilience—steadfastly holding to your will and enduring difficulties to achieve your goals.
Patience, in truth, is simple. Once you endure something, it passes—it’s gone. For example, when your husband scolds you, bite your tongue and don’t argue. After a while, he’ll stop, and the matter will be over. This is what it means to endure and let it go. Everything in this world will eventually pass. Everyone will face death—so what is there that cannot pass? The Bodhisattva’s “Forbearance to Non-Arising Dharmas” represents a very high spiritual state, the attainment of an Eighth Ground Bodhisattva. It’s the mindset of: “You treat me poorly, yet I don’t even feel the need to endure. I’m not angry; I don’t even perceive it as something I need to endure.” This is the spiritual attainment of a Bodhisattva’s cultivation. Each person sows their own causes and reaps their own results. Right now, so many people around the world share the same wish—that I remain in good health. With me here, they all feel blessed and protected. I aim to leave behind more books, teachings, and publications for everyone. These are wholesome seeds. By staying healthy and fulfilling my vow, I can continue to guide and awaken sentient beings around the world. That is the wholesome fruit.
You must understand this: when you care for me, it’s not because I personally need your care. Long ago, I vowed to dedicate my life to awakening sentient beings. My soul and body are those of a Bodhisattva; I no longer possess anything of my own. When I am well, it means I can continue guiding and awakening sentient beings. Caring for me is not about caring for “Master Lu” as an individual—it’s about supporting my mission to spread the Buddha-dharma. You must fully grasp this concept. Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed, but that’s because I alone shoulder the immense burden of so many people’s karmic obstacles. It’s truly exhausting. In temples, great Dharma masters often endure the effects of negative energy from others. When they accept offerings to perform rituals to help spirits ascend to higher spiritual realms, but the spirits didn’t leave, those spirits keep an eye on them. This is why many monks fall ill—it’s very sad. However, many temples now recite Little Houses.
At Shaolin Temple, there is a Dharma master with the supranormal power of the divine eye. He had a good friendship with a professor from Peking University who follows my Buddhist teachings. After the professor recited Little Houses for her family members, I saw that her loved ones had already reached the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This Dharma master also confirmed that her loved ones had been reborn in the Western Pure Land. Remarkably, the monk had no prior knowledge of Little Houses. Among the Three Sages of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is Guan Yin Bodhisattva. With Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s guidance, how could one not reach the Western Pure Land? Everyone must understand this and practise diligently.
Do you know what I truly feel? I often feel deeply humbled. Your faith in me makes me happy. This Dharma Door is so remarkable, yet many people still don’t know about it. I don’t want anyone who follows me in spreading the Dharma to be left behind. More sentient beings need to learn the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door to free themselves from the suffering and worries of the Human Realm. You will never fully comprehend the heart of the Bodhisattvas. What I’m sharing with you now is heartfelt truth—this is the Bodhisattva’s heart. I hope you practise diligently; there’s still a long journey ahead. Look at the young members of the Dharma Youth Group. They are so dedicated, coming to the Guan Yin Hall every day. Everyone should encourage and support them and work alongside them to cultivate diligently. When practising Buddhism, always use your true heart.