Many scientists believe that much of what exists in this world—electricity, microorganisms, bacteria, and so on—are their creations or inventions. In reality, scientists are merely identifying things that already exist and then sharing this knowledge with others. They think they’ve discovered these tangible scientific phenomena and concepts, and by organising their findings, they inform the public. But isn’t this just viewing the world from their own limited perspective? For instance, a scientist might claim, “Today I’ve discovered certain bacteria in the air.” But isn’t this a kind of bias? They believe they’ve found a specific type of bacteria, but who can truly comprehend the vast number of bacteria present in the air? And do they realise that different bacteria can combine to produce entirely new pathogens? If you identify a few types of bacteria, does that mean you’ve invented them? Isn’t this way of thinking inherently biased?
It’s similar to how many people approach medicine today. A nutritionist might say, “This supplement will provide calcium and improve your teeth,” while someone else claims, “Calcium can harm your stomach.” Then there’s the saying, “All medicine has its side effects.” The truth is, every substance needs balance; there’s always a point of equilibrium. Many people don’t understand this. They assume that taking medication will completely cure their illness. But after finishing one course of medicine, another problem often arises. Can simply taking medication truly cure everything? What’s crucial is regulating your mind, strengthening your body’s innate resilience, and balancing your internal energy. It’s your body’s natural mechanisms and vitality that sustain the balance of elements within you. Therefore, narrow-minded or biased thinking of any kind can lead to negative outcomes.
Why do I share these insights with you? In fact, what I’ve discussed also applies to Buddhist practice. Some people believe that practising one particular Dharma Door makes them correct—much like assuming a single medicine can cure all illnesses. This is, in fact, another form of bias. In Buddhist practice, one needs to keep an open mind and be accommodating, much like all rivers flowing into the sea. A true Buddhist cultivator learns to endure hardships and withstand all slander and harm. How many people can truly say, “I’ve never been slandered in my life”? Or, “I’ve lived without ever being falsely accused or criticised”? What’s at issue here is a person’s capacity for tolerance. In material terms, capacity refers to a container. No matter how large a container or warehouse, it has its limits. But the capacity of a human being, I can tell you, is not like a warehouse—it can encompass the entire universe. So, how vast can human tolerance become? I would add another dimension and call it “inclusive capacity.” In material terms, we speak of capacity, but in life and in Buddhism, we focus on inclusive capacity—the ability to accommodate and accept. If you can accept others’ mistakes and forgive those who harm, slander, or insult you, then you can truly accommodate everything.
Now, how many of you can endure being insulted without feeling angry? If someone criticises or provokes you, can you remain calm? Most people’s tolerance is as small as an ant’s. Nowadays, if someone says something unpleasant to you, your face immediately turns red. It’s almost impossible not to retaliate. “I have to get even. If you insult me once, I’ll insult you three times.” This is typical of animal behaviour because it stems from the instinct to retaliate when attacked.However, humans have the capacity for tolerance, especially those who practise Buddhism. Buddhists inherently possess the foundation and qualities of sages. These qualities enable you to forgive and accept others.
Can everyone here truly accept and forgive others? After attending so many of my Dharma Talks, do you believe you’ve mastered these teachings? When someone criticises or insults you, how do you react? Some people retaliate immediately; others hold a grudge and wait for the right moment to strike back. Then there are those who deflect with excuses or explanations. All these reactions reveal a lack of tolerance. True strength lies in remaining unaffected when criticised—showing no outward reaction, smiling calmly, and genuinely forgiving the other person in your heart. Not letting their poor behaviour disturb you is what makes someone a sage. But some people get furious instantly, pounding the table and starting an argument. Others turn red in the face, too angry to say anything, bottling up their frustration. Some smile on the surface but respond with cutting sarcasm. Others can’t think of a comeback right away but remember the insult, waiting for an opportunity to seek revenge. Then there are those who laugh it off but desperately try to explain themselves, saying, “I didn’t say that!” All these responses stem from a lack of inner breadth and tolerance.
Encountering such criticism or treatment, would a Bodhisattva react this way? Can a narrow-minded person truly be a good Buddhist practitioner? I’m not here to criticise you, but if you can’t tolerate me as your Master, or can’t tolerate the people in your own household, how can you possibly accept anyone else? How can you truly practise Buddhism if you can’t even manage this? If you can’t bear a few words from your mother or forgive your child for saying something wrong, how will you tolerate your fellow Buddhist practitioners? Practising Buddhism is no easy task. The Bodhisattva once said: In practising Buddhism, forbearance and diligence are harder than austere practice—and they bring even greater merit and virtue. Even if you perform many meritorious deeds, they pale in comparison to the merit and virtue of patience and diligence. Patience is the hardest quality to master. It’s easier to be diligent than to be patient. When someone criticises you, can you resist getting angry?
I recall a former disciple who was given an important responsibility. When I found this disciple had made a mistake, I decided to test him by taking away that responsibility. Instead of accepting it calmly, he began to disrupt the work and stopped cooperating. Do you think I wasn’t aware of this behaviour? It was all part of the test. If he had continued practising Buddhism diligently, I would have entrusted him with even greater responsibilities so he could accumulate more merit and virtue. Unfortunately, many people cannot control themselves. If their position or responsibility is taken away, they feel upset and act out in retaliation. But let me tell you—if you try to make things difficult for others, you may end up losing everything.
Practising Buddhism in daily life is not easy! If it were, everyone would have already ascended to the Heavens. If it were that simple, you wouldn’t be having so many nightmares. If it were that easy, your ancestors and deceased loved ones wouldn’t still be appearing in your dreams. If you are truly skilful, then cultivate yourself to be pure and free of defilements. How many people dream of floating upwards when they leave this world, only to find they can’t ascend because their body feels too heavy? In their dreams, this sensation feels vividly real. What they’re referring to isn’t their physical body but their spiritual body, which also has weight. The more karmic debts you carry, or the more spirits entangling you, the more they weigh you down, preventing you from ascending. You’ve all seen how astronauts float on the moon in the Apollo missions, haven’t you? On the moon, gravity is weaker, so people appear to float. Similarly, the higher you ascend in the Heavens, the less “weight” you feel. That’s exactly what floating in the Heavens feels like.
There was even a report about a special aircraft designed for the US president to operate in the sky during a global catastrophe—a “doomsday plane.” This shows that scientists, including those in the US, have confirmed that Earth will face major disasters. They just don’t talk about it openly. It’s similar to how I know many things but can’t tell you everything, only feeling anxious for you. Watching you all fail to practise diligently makes me truly sad because when the time comes, it’s you who will suffer, not me. It’s like how parents warn their children: “Don’t do this, don’t do that.” But the children don’t listen, and when hardship comes, they’re the ones who suffer. How many times in history have daughters insisted on marrying someone their parents disapproved of, only to return later crying, often with a child in tow? Who can judge character better—you or your parents? When you’re in love, your rational thinking often drops to zero. Do you truly understand what the future entails? What running a household really involves? When you don’t understand these things and rush into marriage, you’re the one who gets hurt, not your parents. This is one reason why divorce rates worldwide are so high now. Think about it: today, relationships between people often feel like they’re rooted in negative karmic conflicts—an endless cycle of karmic debts being repaid. Many marriages aren’t about creating good karmic connections but instead about settling karmic debts from past lives. You owed me, I owed them, and now we’re here to repay each other.
We must let go of biased thinking. Don’t believe that our existence in this world came from nothing. Everything we know and have has always existed; we’re simply discovering it. All kinds of materials exist in the world—it’s just a matter of when we find them. For instance, scientists have now developed medicines to treat diabetes and cancer. But before these discoveries in the 1960s, did those medicines not exist? They did. They just hadn’t been found yet, so those diseases couldn’t be treated. Now, such a wonderful Dharma Door has been delivered to your doorstep. If you still fail to cherish it and say, “I didn’t know such a great Dharma Door existed during this Age of Dharma Decline,” isn’t that the same flawed reasoning as certain scientists saying, “If I haven’t discovered it, it doesn’t exist”? Why do scientists often deny their own previous findings? One moment, they make a groundbreaking discovery and call it revolutionary, and later they reject their earlier conclusions and propose a new hypothesis. This happens because the material world inherently operates on balance.