To all the disciples sitting here today, I want to tell you this: without precepts, there is no genuine spiritual practice, and without that foundation, there can be no true understanding of Buddhism or the Dharma. A person who does not follow precepts will inevitably fall into the Three Lower Realms. Why? Because these realms—the Realms of Hungry Ghosts, Animals, and Hell—easily ensnare those who don’t practise sincerely. Do you realise how dangerous this is? If you fail to practise earnestly, by the time you reincarnate as an animal, it will be too late. For instance, if someone doesn’t cultivate their mind properly, they could be reborn as a wealthy family’s pet dog—pampered, bathed, and fed canned food. You’ll only wag your tail endlessly to show gratitude. That’s the result of flawed spiritual practice, because your practice contains “outflows.” The heavenly net is vast and inescapable. I implore you: stop fooling around! You must understand this: don’t perform meritorious deeds while harbouring selfish motives. For instance, if someone treats you well and you reciprocate purely out of personal attachment, this is not acceptable—it creates outflows. Do you understand? You must correct yourself and strictly observe the precepts. As disciples, you should tell me which precepts you are observing. If you fail to follow the precepts, you lack the foundation of Buddhism, and eventually, you’ll slide into the Three Lower Realms. Reflect on this: have you refrained from lying? From stealing? From sexual misconduct? From drinking alcohol? From killing? Think carefully—the Five Precepts are the very basics.
Precepts are the foundation. Practising Buddhism means you must observe the precepts. What does it mean to observe precepts? It’s reflected in your expressions, actions, and behaviour—living honestly, speaking sincerely, and acting with integrity. The sincere demeanour of a monk arises from the heart; it’s the result of observing precepts. In contrast, acting carelessly, laughing frivolously, and behaving without regard for propriety only invite disrespect. Many older men are looked down upon because they smile inappropriately when they see young women. Be mindful of this. Such smiles draw scorn. Reflect deeply—how many mistakes have you made in your life? Every mistake is witnessed by Heaven, the Underworld, and the Bodhisattvas. Think carefully about how much you’ve done wrong. Change is essential; it cannot be avoided. The season of karmic retribution is approaching, like a harvest time when the consequences of past actions must be faced. Serious illnesses often manifest because karmic obstacles have reached their moment of fruition. If each of you can leave this life peacefully, I’ll truly respect you. I am able to foresee the end of your life’s journey. Can you guarantee you won’t develop cancer? Can you promise how you’ll pass away? Can you say with certainty, “I’ll pass away peacefully in my sleep”? Can you guarantee that? This is why genuine practice is crucial. Genuine practice is the essence—you must genuinely practise Buddhism. When you decide to change, act immediately. There’s no “tomorrow” or “later.” It’s like quitting smoking: “I’ll quit today, right now.” I’ve spared your dignity by not naming names, but you must take responsibility for yourselves. Gather your soul and spirit—don’t let them scatter. If you lose your composure at the sight of a young girl, unable to even speak clearly, how can you spread the Dharma? If the sight of money makes your eyes light up with greed, how can you spread the Dharma?
There is only one path to practising Buddhism: genuine practice. Every Dharma Door leads to this same path. Ultimately, this journey culminates in the state of “calmness and extinction,” the liberated state of Nirvana. Cultivation is endless. Even when one attains the level of a Bodhisattva, they must return to the Human Realm to guide and awaken others before they can become a Buddha. If Bodhisattvas must continue their practice, how much more so for humans? When Bodhisattvas descend to the human world, they endure immense suffering—criticism, slander, and malignment. What is Nirvana? It is a state of non-self, a state of emptiness. While alive, your mind should strive for the state of “calmness and extinction.” This means that even before you pass away, you should often remind yourself: “I am empty. My time in this world is like a traveller visiting a destination; eventually, I will return.” This is the essence of “calmness and extinction.” You must not become overly attached to or enamoured with this world. Many people fail to return to where they should be because they’re too infatuated with the human world. When the time comes to depart, they experience immense pain.It’s like visiting the Gold Coast for a holiday. You lie on the beach, basking in the sunlight, and imagine how wonderful it would be to live like this every day. But can you stay there forever? Can you indulge in these views indefinitely? When the time comes, you must leave and return to your regular life and work.
What is real? While you are in this world, you must realise: “I’ve only come here temporarily. I need to use this temporary existence to cultivate what is true. I must recite sutras diligently and strive not to return in my next life.” Why become attached to these transient things? Why hold onto your children so tightly that you can’t let go, only to burden them with even more pain when you leave? Consider some mothers who give their children the utmost care but, on their deathbed, still say, “I can’t bear to leave you.” When their children consult me about their deceased mother, they burst into tears. Do you think their mother wouldn’t feel sorrow too? If you leave your children burdened with grief, is that truly good for them? To genuinely love your children, you must learn to let go. Keeping children by your side stifles their growth. What should be let go must be let go. You should cultivate this understanding while you are alive. Your heart must find liberation. When your heart is liberated, this can be called partial Nirvana—a state where you consciously enter Nirvana, even if it doesn’t mean you’ve fully transcended everything or achieved complete emptiness. When you’ve temporarily let go or gained clarity about something specific, this is partial Nirvana—a partial form of emptiness. True Nirvana, however, comes after death, when you are completely liberated and free from sorrow and attachments. After death, your soul can see your children and think, “It’s fine. I was meant to leave. You must now take care of yourselves.” You won’t feel sorrow, and neither will your children. That is true emptiness. But how many of you can truly reach such a state of emptiness? Today you worry about your children; tomorrow, it’s your parents; the day after, it’s your spouse, your home, and so on—where does it end? When will you stop clinging?
Both Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism can lead to the state of “calmness and extinction,” but the difference lies in the level of spiritual realisation. The calmness and extinction in Theravada Buddhism is partial—it involves cultivating oneself for self-preservation. By perfecting oneself, one achieves a partial form of awakening. As I often tell you, focusing solely on personal cultivation represents only partial awakening. In contrast, those who constantly think about the suffering of others in the world, those who aspire to help others, are the ones who truly practise Mahayana Buddhism. These individuals reach genuine calmness and extinction, which means completely emptying oneself of the “self,” and thereby becoming free from suffering. I frequently tell you that suffering stems from a strong sense of self. Thoughts like, ‘I’ve lost face; how can I face others? I’d rather not live!’ all arise from an excessive attachment to the ego. Remember, the purpose of cultivation is to eliminate ignorance. Ignorance simply means not understanding. Many of us practise for a long time without truly understanding anything. We think we understand the world, but in reality, we don’t.
Come to think of it, the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door has only been around for a short time, and I’ve seen posts from Buddhist friends on my blog saying, “I’ve been practising Buddhism for decades, and now I realise that I don’t understand a thing.” That’s true lack of understanding. In this Human Realm, even if you live to old age, you’ll never master everything because there’s so much to learn. Without reaching a higher spiritual state, you fail to comprehend many things. This is why you remain trapped in the cycle of birth, old age, illness, and death, unable to escape its suffering. Life is like a journey through the Human Realm, but you may not realise this. It has its cycles, and it’s filled with pain: birth is painful, ageing is painful, illness is painful, and death is even more so. From beginning to end, life is marked by suffering. Where is true joy? Even the wealthiest people cannot experience eternal happiness. Temporary pleasure is not real joy. For example, after a long day of work, you might feel refreshed after a cool shower. But what happens next? Soon enough, you’ll be sweating again and feeling uncomfortable. Is that true enjoyment? Can you stay in an air-conditioned room after a shower forever—no more sweating, always clean, enjoying eternal comfort? Transient joy is not true joy. Only when you ascend to the Heavens and transcend the cycle of rebirth in the six realms of existence can you experience real joy—because you’ll no longer fall back into suffering. How wonderful would that be.
You must develop this understanding and comprehend the Bodhisattva’s heart. My disciples must observe precepts and strictly avoid wrongdoing or greed. Here are some key reminders: conduct yourselves well, observe the precepts diligently, and follow instructions. Absolutely no forming cliques, no selfishness in matters of public concern. You may deceive your Master or even yourself, but you cannot deceive the Bodhisattvas, the Dharma Protectors, or the ghosts. Such attempts are futile—pretending serves no purpose.
Let me leave you with this thought: ordinary people often think, “I really want to achieve this… I’ll strive to achieve this throughout my life.” This essentially reflects the “end of ignorance.” Our goal is to eliminate ignorance entirely—this is the extinction of ignorance. Once ignorance is eradicated, we gain clarity and are no longer controlled by it—this is the “end of ignorance.” Similarly, “there is no end to old age and death” signifies that there is neither birth nor death, freeing us from the constraints of old age and death. When we cultivate wisdom and let go of worries, we achieve the “end of afflictions.” In the Heart Sutra, phrases like “the end of ignorance” and “there is no end to old age and death” illustrate these principles. Once we truly awaken, we are no longer bound by old age or death. This physical body is temporary—like a car. When a car breaks down, you replace it with another. Your soul, which is your true self, simply enters another “car” and continues its journey. In the next life, being reborn is like switching to a new body, just as you would replace an old car. Because “there is no end to old age and death,” we transcend the limitations of physical death. And with the “end of ignorance,” we free ourselves from ignorance.
Practising Buddhism and cultivating the mind is truly not easy. When you touch on someone’s sore spot, they often become restless and upset. Some people want to cultivate their minds, prolong their lives, and improve their situations, but they struggle to let go of their pride. In practising Buddhism, there’s no place for pride, regardless of your age. A young person in your family might even have been your ancestor in a past life. What pride could you possibly have in front of your ancestor? Why are young people today becoming increasingly intelligent? It’s because many of them descend from the Heavens to assist in spreading the Dharma. It is well understood that, in the Age of Dharma Decline, countless Bodhisattvas descend to save and awaken sentient beings, particularly those with whom they share karmic ties from past lives. Many children come to save their parents. Look at how many families begin practising Buddhism because a child starts reciting sutras and then leads their parents into the practice. Isn’t that the child saving their parents? This is why you must take your cultivation seriously.
I often help you cleanse your inner self. You carry so many impurities—I’m serious. Your minds are filled with defilements. Nowadays, so many people are impure that it seems normal. Everyone is surrounded by it, so it no longer feels unusual. Let me give you an example (not to demean those who work in coal mines): coal miners often have blackened faces and hands. When fifty people all look the same, the dirt becomes unnoticeable. Similarly, when so many people engage in wrongdoing, it starts to seem unremarkable. Your personal flaws must be resolved by yourself—don’t deceive yourself. Practising Buddhism means using your heart and true nature to monitor your conscience and purify both your body and soul. A clean body is only part of the equation; true cleanliness comes from having a pure soul. Some people keep their bodies spotless, their faces meticulously groomed, but their minds are full of filthy thoughts—they are not clean. On the other hand, some people have pure thoughts but neglect their physical hygiene—that’s not clean, either. This is why cultivating the mind and refining conduct must go hand in hand. Your behaviour must be pure, and so must your thoughts. Only then can you achieve true purity.
If many of you don’t make an effort now, you may not qualify to become my disciples in the future. I’m telling you, you need to make a complete change. If you don’t, it’s not about whether I allow you to become a disciple—it’s about whether the Bodhisattvas will accept you. Many people misunderstand and think it’s my decision. In reality, it’s about whether you have the karmic affinity and the right conditions. Everyone desires good things, but if someone refuses them, it’s because they actually lack the necessary qualifications. In the Age of Dharma Decline, cultivating the mind and practising Buddhism is extremely important. If someone misses this opportunity, it might be lost forever. But if they seize it, they might truly gain it. I am merely a medium—Guan Yin Bodhisattva transmits messages through me to you. If you choose not to accept them, it’s not me you are rejecting—it’s the grace and blessings of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. By doing so, you lack gratitude. Be mindful of this.