Let’s continue our discussion on conditions: all conditioned origination (pratītyasamutpāda) is inherently empty. When you feel that a condition or opportunity has arisen, in truth, it is empty. A person once asked me, “Master, when will I have the right condition [for a romantic relationship]?” I replied, “You’ll have one in August.” And indeed, in August, he met someone and began a romantic relationship. But three months later, they broke up, and that condition ended. This shows that any condition is ultimately empty.
For example, imagine your eyes see a bubble—it’s colourful and beautiful, but soon it pops and disappears. It’s like soap: you use it every day, but once it’s used up, it’s gone. Think about the sparkling bubbles you see in the sunlight—so lovely, yet they pop one by one and vanish. It’s the same with feelings. If your relationship is strong today, can you guarantee it won’t fall apart tomorrow? Once it ends, it’s over—it’s gone. Even your favourite clothes will eventually wear out, and when they’re no longer useful, you throw them away. Isn’t this a process of seeing through and letting go? Conditions are empty by nature.
I never dwell on how people might perceive me. For over a decade, I’ve been working hard to spread the Dharma, and now I’m seeing the harvest. Look at the large gatherings at the Dharma Talk in Hong Kong—most of the attendees are people I’ve never met before. Yet many of them say, “Master Lu, you’ve saved our entire family!” Why do they say that? It’s because of the Dharma Door I’ve taught and the teachings I’ve spread through the radio programs. This Dharma has helped heal countless families, and that’s why people feel grateful. Here’s the key: focus on planting the seeds, not on reaping the rewards, and you’ll always harvest. But if you constantly think about what you’ll gain while planting, your harvest will never be as fulfilling. These are words of Buddhist wisdom, and I’m sharing the essence of the Buddha-dharma with you.
Remember: seeking liberation is the path to becoming a Buddha. You must see through the inherent emptiness of conditioned origination. If you can’t recognise that a condition is inherently empty, you’ll run into trouble. For example, imagine a poor person finds a wallet on the street with $10,000 inside. If he can’t see the truth of this situation, he’ll only see the apparent good fortune: “Wow, my lucky day!” But what’s the deeper reality? The true owner who lost the wallet will likely report it to the police, who will investigate. Then trouble begins, doesn’t it? This is why you must understand the inherent emptiness in all conditions. If you only see the surface, thinking, “Oh, this wallet is my ticket to wealth!” you’re missing the reality. That reality might involve the police tracking you down, the money being returned to the true owner, and possibly even criminal charges.
You must learn to see the situation all the way through to its essence. The problem is that many people only look at things superficially, failing to dig deeper into the truth of the matter. Remember: when you can’t see the inherent emptiness of conditioned origination, you’ll fall into the trap of attachment. Failing to see the core of the issue makes you cling tightly to your beliefs. Let’s go back to the wallet example. The person who picks it up becomes attached, not considering that the police might find him or that the true owner must be anxious. Instead, he thinks, “I didn’t steal this; I didn’t rob anyone—it’s mine because I found it.” He clings to this belief. But when the police arrive, he stubbornly argues, “Why can’t I keep it? I found it, so it’s mine!” This kind of attachment leads to his arrest. His attachment stems from his failure to see the true nature of the situation and his stubborn belief that he’s entitled to the money. Got it?
Let me share this with you : if someone is too attached, they will never be able to free themselves from their karmic obstacles. When a person can’t let go or see things clearly, it’s a sign that their karmic obstacles are very heavy. What does attachment mean? It’s when someone stubbornly insists they’re right, no matter what. They believe what they’ve done is correct, what they’ve said is right, and what they think is accurate—even when it’s clearly not. That’s attachment. Even if you’re unsure whether you’re right or wrong, you shouldn’t be attached. If you’re uncertain or can’t decide whether you should do something, it’s better not to take action.
Attachment can also mean mistakenly thinking you’re always right, or even mistakenly believing you’re always wrong. The key issue lies in the word “mistakenly.” When you hold onto mistaken beliefs, it leads to attachment. If you can’t see situations clearly, think clearly, or act clearly, these three “unclears” are forms of attachment that can trap you. Once you’re trapped in attachment, it becomes very hard to break free. For example, if someone advises you, “Don’t do this,” but you respond, “No, I’ll do it my way,” or they say, “We’re not criticising you; we’re just trying to help,” but you insist, “No, they’re out to harm me,” this is attachment. You’re stuck in it and can’t see beyond your perspective.
When you’re trapped in attachment, you can’t escape your fate. People become so fixated that they grow rigid and set in their ways—hallmarks of an “unyielding” or “hard” fate. In the past, there were many cases where people were wronged and refused to yield, insisting, “This is just how I am.” And what happened? They ended up being beaten to death for their stubbornness. You can’t be so inflexible. Sometimes, you just need to accept things. On many occasions, you simply need to accept. For example, if your boss tells you you’re wrong, just accept it. What’s the point of arguing?
In this Dharma Realm, there is no end to ignorance. In the world we live in, because this world is inherently empty, most people don’t understand this truth. Everyone is chasing desires, clinging to attachments, and living their lives in confusion. People prioritise money above everything—they’ll even sacrifice their dignity for it. With this kind of ignorance saturating the Dharma Realm, most people remain muddled and unaware. Do you understand?
It’s like countries that are constantly at war. Why do they engage in fighting so often? Because everyone is full of hatred, and that hatred stems from ignorance. They don’t understand—they can’t see the bigger picture. If they truly understood, if they thought clearly about the consequences, would they still choose war? Would they still fight if they realised the harm it brings to future generations? Think about it: war destroys schools, leaving children without education. If parents are killed, their children become orphans. If children are killed, how could any parent bear that? If they could reflect on these truths, would they continue to wage war? No, they wouldn’t. But because they don’t think this way, it’s ignorance. Now, if one or two individuals are ignorant, that’s one thing. But when an entire country is ignorant, it becomes a “nation of ignorance.”
This is why we must learn to see through and let go. There is no end to ignorance, and if something is endless, why pursue it? Do you understand? Transcending the cycle of rebirth in the six realms of existence is something that has an end. However, for things that are endless, what’s the point of chasing after them? Let’s say you think something is resolved today, but tomorrow it resurfaces, and the day after it’s unresolved again, only to seem resolved later. It’s like couples who fight—one moment they’re deeply in love, and the next moment they’re arguing again. The frequency of these conflicts reflects the nature of their negative karmic affinity. If there’s a spirit involved, the fights might come and go. But if both people have bad tempers and difficult personalities, they might fight every day. This leads to an endless cycle of conflict, one that lasts their entire lives —“no end to ignorance” and “no end to old age and death.” In their next life, they’ll become a couple again and continue fighting. And after that, they’ll become a couple again, and the arguments will continue. The cycle repeats. Is there an end? No, there’s no end. Is thar clear? Even our Dharma Talks could be described as “no end to ignorance.” It takes place every Wednesday. If we don’t come this Wednesday, then we come next Wednesday, right? This illustrates my point—I hope everyone understands. Practise Buddhism well.
Let me share this with you: When people say something to you, you need to hold onto your belief. No matter what they say, just let it pass. If you let their words sink in and become upset or agitated, it means you’ve absorbed their negative energy. If your husband causes trouble at home and you become confused and irritated, it shows a lack of inner stability. Similarly, if your wife constantly stirs things up and you end up feeling muddled or frustrated, that reflects a lack of wisdom. Isn’t that right? Do you think anyone can confuse me? Whose advice do I follow? I follow the guidance of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. If you want to do something and I don’t agree, you can pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva and ask her to change my perspective—then you’ll succeed.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Once you understand the concept of ignorance in relation to the Dharma Realm, it means you’ve grasped a profound truth. In the Dharma Realm, human thinking alone cannot change reality. Simply put, your level of understanding or spiritual state dictates your corresponding actions. To transcend the troubles of the Human Realm, you must elevate your spiritual level. Only by rising higher can you see further. When you attain a higher level of understanding, you can free yourself from the distractions and troubles of lower realms. That’s all for today’s teaching.