Today, I want to discuss some major transgressions with you. In practising Buddhism, you must remember that many serious transgressions can lead to Hell. Think about it for a moment. Major transgressions include killing or severely harming a highly virtuous monk or spiritual teacher, or verbally abusing them. Transgressions like killing one’s father or mother, or killing monks and nuns, are also considered grave. If you slander or speak ill of a virtuous spiritual teacher or an eminent monk, it’s equivalent to destroying the wisdom-life of tens of thousands of people. This is because such monks or teachers dedicate their lives to liberating hundreds of millions and guiding them towards enlightenment. Acts like slandering or killing your parents or a virtuous spiritual teacher are major transgressions and often result in retribution in this life. Such people are destined to undergo misfortunes—they will end up in Hell.
Have you noticed how monks are often cautious about commenting on others? It’s because they understand the law of cause and effect. Let me give you an example: imagine an imperial envoy sent by the emperor to help improve your city. If you insult the emperor’s envoy, wouldn’t you have faced execution in ancient times? I don’t need to elaborate further—just want you to get my point. If someone dares to use harsh words or slander in such a way, they are committing a transgression that will lead them to Hell. What I am sharing with you today are heavy transgressions. If you verbally attack a virtuous spiritual teacher or an eminent monk, it’s similar to wounding the hearts of countless people devoted to cultivating virtue, as these teachers exist to guide and awaken the hearts of many.
Next, let’s talk about “theft.” I’m not referring to petty theft or stealing small items but rather the gravest form of theft—stealing communal property. By communal property, I mean items in Buddhist monasteries, temples, or Guan Yin Halls. These sacred items must never be taken without permission. For instance, if you think, “There are so many offerings in the temple today, maybe I’ll secretly take some home,” are you not afraid of the Dharma protectors? Are you not concerned that Guan Yin Bodhisattva sees your actions? If you openly say, “I’d like to take some fruit home to eat,” then at least you can have peace of mind. But sneaking things away—what does that say about your character? After you pass away and arrive in the Underworld, your actions will play out like a movie, and these deeds will be judged and determine your destination. Theft of this kind is especially serious because it happens in the presence of Bodhisattvas. Think about it—it’s like committing a crime right in front of the police. Taking communal property from Buddhist premises for personal use is a serious transgression. If you’re an upright person, why resort to such sneaky behaviour?
Now let’s discuss “lust.” If you tempt religious practitioners into committing immoral acts or sexual misconduct, that is an even greater transgression. I’m not referring to general acts of lust in everyday life but specifically to seducing monks or nuns into breaking their vows of celibacy. Such actions will undoubtedly lead to Hell. Similarly, if you tempt male or female Buddhist practitioners at the Guan Yin Hall into lustful behaviour, you too will end up in Hell.
I want to make this very clear. Older individuals, especially elderly men, must behave appropriately and avoid inappropriate familiarity with young women. For instance, offering to accompany them or inviting them out for meals can cross a line. These young women come here to learn Buddhism—they are practising the Dharma. From the perspective of the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door, the Guan Yin Hall is like a temple, and these women are like nuns, observing precepts and cultivating their minds. If you try to seduce them, do you not realise this will lead you to Hell? If you dare to entertain such thoughts, I’d say you must be out of your mind. Having such thoughts alone is already dangerous. I’m warning you—this is no joke; it’s very serious. This is a major transgression, an aggravated one. If you form a relationship with a woman outside, you might commit a lesser offence that could be alleviated through repentance and recitation of sutras. But causing trouble in the Guan Yin Hall will bring disaster. Think about it: if someone has done so much meritorious work at the Guan Yin Hall but still ends up in Hell, how do you think I would feel as their Master? Would I not feel heartbroken? Watching someone’s life end prematurely and then seeing them in Hell, calling on others to recite Little Houses for them, is deeply sorrowful. You must understand that escaping from Hell is no easy task. Do you understand? I’m telling you all to behave honestly and properly. Elderly men should minimise interactions with young women and only engage with fellow Buddhist practitioners who are upright.
Next, let’s talk about deceiving one’s teacher, which is as serious a transgression as committing fraud. This is referred to as the great transgression of deception. If you lie to me, it’s equivalent to deceiving a mentor. When we were children, would we have dared to deceive our schoolteachers? If some people often deceive me, that is considered a great transgression of deception. This isn’t about everyday lies but specifically about dishonesty in the context of Buddhist practice. For instance, if I ask how many sutras you’ve recited or whether you’ve performed certain meritorious deeds, and you haven’t done them but lie and say you have, that is deceiving me—a serious transgression. This is why I tell you not to joke lightly and to always respect your Master. If you speak carelessly, even when you think no one is watching, the spiritual beings in the Heavens and the Underworld see everything. You will end up in Hell, as even the spiritual beings in the Heavens and the Underworld will not show you mercy. Do you understand? I am deeply concerned for you. The same goes for misusing or mishandling money, which I will address in a moment. All of these are serious transgressions that can lead to Hell. This is no laughing matter.
Another grave transgression is sowing discord among fellow Buddhist practitioners. For example, saying to someone, “There’s nothing worth learning in Buddhism; it doesn’t matter whether you practise or not,” or instigating conflict by criticising others behind their backs with comments like, “This person is no good,” or, “That person is wrong.” Such actions create division and are serious transgressions that can lead to the lower realms. Don’t do it! As a Buddhist practitioner, you must be especially mindful of your words. Stirring up trouble, creating conflict, or causing division are all extremely serious transgressions. Using cruel or malicious language to insult or slander others is also a major transgression. The moment you use hateful speech, you are committing a grave transgression. If someone uses vile language to insult others, even dragging their ancestors into it, they are committing a heavy transgression. Do you understand? Falsely accusing someone of something they haven’t done, insisting, “I saw it; I’m certain it was them,” is slander. In the human world, slander is already an offence. In the Underworld, it is a severe transgression. Accusing someone of something they haven’t done also shows a lack of “hidden moral integrity.”
Reflect carefully: you’ve lived nearly half of your life, and many of you are nearing its end. How many wrongdoings have you committed? How many people have you criticised or spoken poorly of? How many have you slandered? Let me tell you, if the Bodhisattvas or Dharma protectors were here, you’d wish to find a hole to hide in. The only way forward is to completely change yourself and sincerely apologise to the Bodhisattvas. Say, “I won’t do it again, Guan Yin Bodhisattva, please forgive me. I truly didn’t understand. I didn’t realise that criticising others or slandering them was wrong.” But it’s difficult because even the slightest carelessness can lead you to Hell. Do you understand?
Using inappropriate or suggestive words, such as telling dirty jokes, is also unacceptable. For instance, repeatedly making dirty jokes in front of women constitutes frivolous speech—it’s essentially a form of seduction. A true gentleman wouldn’t behave this way. I once met an elderly Korean couple who were incredibly virtuous. They lived their entire lives without quarrelling, maintaining purity in both private and public settings. Their sincerity at home was just as genuine as their behaviour in public—clean and upright. There are truly virtuous people in this world. Pretending to be one thing in public while being entirely different in private makes one no better than a hypocrite.
I speak to you sternly because I hold you to high standards. If you wish to become my disciple, you must commit to being vegetarian. If you can’t meet this condition, don’t even consider becoming a disciple. For formal students, I also encourage practising vegetarianism as much as possible, though this rule does not apply to overseas disciples. If you want to be my disciple but cannot give up meat in this lifetime, it shows a lack of compassion. Without compassion, you cannot receive Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s full blessing and protection. There may still be some blessing and protection, but it will be limited. What kind of protection am I referring to? Imagine you’re not directly under sunlight but only catching a small beam through a window for a brief period. Perhaps sunlight reaches you from 3 pm to 5 pm, but the rest of the morning and evening remains in darkness.
If you misuse money dedicated to the Three Jewels—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—you are committing a transgression that will send you to Hell. Some people dare to misuse offerings meant for Guan Yin Bodhisattva, funds for Dharma propagation, or money given to monks. This is a grave transgression. I’m not trying to scare you; I’m telling you the truth. But don’t become overly anxious either, because as long as you’re practising and correcting your behaviour, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will always give you opportunities. However, if you repeatedly commit the same mistakes, there will be no escape. Many people don’t realise the trouble they’ll face if they commit the same mistakes again. You already promised the Bodhisattva, “I will never make the same mistake again.” The Bodhisattva forgave you. But if you repeat the mistake, isn’t this equivalent to lying to the Bodhisattva?
Do you now understand why Buddhist practitioners are so disciplined? Why they never take money that doesn’t belong to them? Why they remain unaffected by the sight of men or women? It’s because they follow precepts. But how many people can truly observe these precepts? Don’t think you can hide your actions from me—I always know. That said, I honestly don’t want to know what you’re doing behind my back. Ultimately, your actions harm only yourself. Do you think no one notices? In reality, the Bodhisattvas, heavenly beings, and even ghosts are aware. The saying, “those who do evil will meet their downfall,” holds true. If you continue to act improperly, even ghosts will come for you. This is why the more advanced a Buddhist practitioner becomes, the more they fear doing anything wrong. In contrast, beginners in Buddhism, who don’t yet understand the gravity of their actions, often think that just praying to the Bodhisattvas absolves them. In truth, they’re inviting disaster. Today, I’m addressing serious transgressions. For instance, taking money intended for printing sutras or misappropriating it for personal use—these are severe transgressions. You must sincerely repent. If you don’t, this negative karma will manifest as illness in your body. And when illness arises, you might wonder, “Why am I still getting sick, even though I recite the Great Compassion Mantra every day?” It’s because your karmic obstacles have exceeded the merit and virtue you’ve accumulated.
Circling back to an important point, I want to tell you that even if you don’t want to escape the cycle of rebirth—if you’re content to live with your troubles and think, “It’s fine, I’ll just reincarnate again in my next life, and a few extra worries won’t matter”—do you realise this is also a form of wrongdoing? Not making progress is an offence; it’s called the offence of defiance. For those practising Buddhism, I define it as the offence of not awakening. Failing to awaken is itself an offence because those who lack awareness don’t understand right from wrong and are bound to make mistakes. Think about it—every time I publish an article on the blog, people comment: “Today I feel like I’ve taken a spiritual shower; Master Lu has helped cleanse my soul again.” Many of you are burdened with defilements. How often do people instinctively think poorly of others? How many can genuinely assume the best about others? When you see someone doing something, is your first thought that it’s fake, deceitful, or just for show? Why not think positively about them? A Buddhist practitioner should cultivate goodness in their heart, enabling them to see the good in others. Habitually thinking poorly of others reflects the negativity within yourself. This is also an offence because it stems from a lack of awakening. For Buddhist practitioners, failing to awaken is essentially the offence of not awakening. Not understanding these insights leads to committing thought-based offences—this is called the “offence of the mind.”
Each of us carries wrong views—negative, distorted, or harmful perspectives—that lead to comments like, “Buddha and Bodhisattvas didn’t respond to my prayers.” When I hear such remarks on my radio program, I immediately stop the person and warn them not to speak recklessly. That’s what it means to protect the Dharma. Sometimes, callers say, “I’ve recited so many Little Houses and it still doesn’t work.” I stop them because even ghosts won’t be pleased with such words. This is what protecting the Dharma involves. I’m helping you protect the Dharma. Therefore, never make comments on Buddha-related matters. If someone asks me, “Is this person good?” I’d say, “Yes.” “What about that person?” I’d also say, “Yes.” Why must you point out others’ flaws? Criticising others doesn’t make you a better person. Even if someone criticises you, it doesn’t change who you are. If you truly are skilful, focus on improving yourself. Let others say what they want—it’s their issue, and they’re the ones creating negative karma through their speech. But if you criticise others, you’re no better than they are. Why criticise others? Criticising others is the most counterproductive thing you can do. First, it sows discord. Second, it’s slander. Third, it creates negative speech karma. Fourth, it opens the door for others to retaliate against you. Why invite unnecessary trouble?
You can choose to focus on yourself, so why are you instead making criticisms? Without wisdom, the words you speak generate negative karma. If you were awakened, even if your speech contained minor errors, as long as your intentions were pure, the Bodhisattvas wouldn’t blame you. However, because your mind isn’t pure, when you come to me complaining about someone or some issue, it’s clear that you are driven by personal desires. Everyone has people they like and dislike. When you speak negatively about someone you dislike, you claim it’s about the issue, but in truth, it’s about the person. You’ve been practising Buddhism with me for years here in the Guan Yin Hall. If you’re still harbouring selfish thoughts while making decisions or assigning tasks to others, you’re wasting your time. You must act selflessly. You’re not doing things to impress me or for your own satisfaction—Bodhisattvas in the Heavens and ghosts below see everything. Who are you really deceiving? Ultimately, you’re only fooling yourself, not others. I see your biases and let it pass with a smile, but do you think you can deceive the Bodhisattvas or the ghosts? In the end, you’ll gain not even the slightest merit or virtue. It’s like collecting merit and virtue in one hand while letting it leak out the other. Practising Buddhism without observing precepts is like pouring water into a broken pot—it simply flows out. Precepts are the foundation of all dharmas.