Why should we endure hardship in our spiritual practice? Because it elevates your state of mind, allowing it to reach higher levels. You often talk about improving your spiritual state, but how exactly do we achieve that? And what do we mean by “spiritual state”? It’s something intangible, something you can’t see or touch. For example, when someone first arrives in Australia, they might lack this refined state of mind. They may take toilet paper from public restrooms, drive off without paying for petrol, or spit in public. These are signs of a lack of awareness. But after living in Australia for some time, their state of mind naturally improves. Do they still take toilet paper home? Do they still leave without paying for petrol? Do they still spit on the ground? This is what we call a change in state of mind. Because they’ve learnt that keeping the environment clean is everyone’s responsibility, their mindset evolves naturally with their surroundings. In a clean place where no one spits on the ground, you naturally won’t spit either. This is what we mean by a state of mind.
There are many people suffering in this world, and we must help them. Only when you elevate your own state of mind can you attain the level of a Bodhisattva. While the principle is simple, you must first improve yourself. Don’t get caught up in material comforts. Today, you drive a good car, but you want an even better one. Today, you have enough to eat, but you crave more. Today, you’ve slept enough, but you want to sleep a bit longer. Many people, when they struggle to get out of bed, think how nice it would be to stay lying down. All of this is driven by greed.
Happy times seem to fly by, while hard times seem to drag on. That’s why time moves slowly in the Underworld but quickly in the Heavens. In fact, both Heaven and Hell exist right here on earth. For those in prison, each day feels like a year. But for those enjoying themselves, indulging in food and pleasure, time flies by—that’s Heaven and Hell in the human world. The essence of practising in hardship is self-discipline. It’s about restraining yourself to stay focused. For example, if I were a student studying at home, I would tie myself down to ensure I get into a good university. This self-discipline means closing the door, moving the TV out, turning off the video games, and disconnecting all the phones—all to focus on studying.
Let me share a true story: There was a man who wanted his child to get into the best university in Sydney, so for four years, he didn’t watch TV and only read newspapers. He put away every TV in the house and forbade anyone from watching. This is what it means to restrain oneself. So, do you think I, as your Master, should restrain you in your practice of Buddhism? If I don’t, you’ll get distracted, your thoughts won’t be focused, and you won’t be able to make progress in your spiritual cultivation. To restrain yourself so your mind can focus is what we call “attaining concentration.” It means that only those who can control themselves can achieve this state of concentration.
“I want to practise Buddhism. I want to restrain myself. I won’t let my thoughts wander; I won’t speak carelessly; I won’t entertain random thoughts. I pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva to help me eliminate these distractions.” Guan Yin Bodhisattva will definitely help you. Remember: restraining yourself and practising in hardship is the way to attain the wisdom of the Tathagata, the wisdom of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Only when a person can remain settled and concentrated can they generate wisdom.
You must always exercise self-restraint. You are a Bodhisattva, and you have an image to uphold—even your laughter should be measured. Learning to control yourself is what truly practising Buddhism means. A person should have dignity, and self-restraint is essential. Concentration is cultivated through discipline. You can’t just do whatever you feel like or eat whatever you want. Following my teachings means practising self-restraint. To achieve spiritual enlightenment, you must discipline yourself and exercise control. Only then will you experience Dharma joy from within. This inner joy comes from self-control and isn’t a superficial or fleeting happiness.
For example, when you eat something delicious, the joy you feel is temporary because it only lasts as long as the food is in your mouth, right? So, if you’re seeking this kind of pleasure, what’s the point? True happiness comes from within, and we call this “inner peace and happiness.” This kind of joy is more lasting because your heart is calm and serene. These are the things you need to learn.
Today, I say that I have fulfilled my duty to Guan Yin Bodhisattva. As long as people around the world see me as a Bodhisattva, I know I am doing the right thing; I have fulfilled my duty to Guan Yin Bodhisattva. If the whole world were to criticise me, then I would know I’ve done something wrong. Right now, I am dedicating my life to helping people revere Bodhisattvas and love Guan Yin Bodhisattva—this is about awakening people and saving lives.
What does it mean to practise in joy? It means engaging in spiritual practice with happiness. We must cultivate with joy. Outsiders may see our practice as arduous, but in reality, we find great happiness in it—this is joyful practice. When you help others, don’t you feel happy? Some people say to me, “Master Lu, you’ve been a vegetarian for so many years. You’re missing out; you can’t even eat seafood. Isn’t that a waste of a lifetime?” Do you think I’m happy with my life? Of course I am! People say I’m thin, and I tell them this is healthy beauty—some people want to be slim but can’t achieve it. We live very happily. It doesn’t matter how others see us; what matters is whether we feel happy within ourselves. Do you understand?
Helping people to become enlightened is the most joyful and noble thing. As the saying goes, “to save a single life is more valuable than building a seven-storey pagoda.” Live a meaningful life. While you’re alive, let people respect and admire you. After you pass away, let them remember you.
We need to control and regulate the five desires in life, practising in a disciplined and balanced way—that’s what we call “practising in joy.” Everyone is familiar with the five desires; I’ve mentioned them before. We shouldn’t be greedy for fame or wealth; we need to moderate and control these desires. For example, if I know I shouldn’t eat meat but can’t resist the urge, I can start by eating less. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll regulate my diet in a structured way. For instance, I can begin by eating vegetarian meals on the first and fifteenth day of each lunar month. This is a form of regulated restraint—controlling myself to eat vegetarian on those two days, then increasing it to ten days a month, and eventually to a full month of vegetarianism. Finally, I’ll be able to maintain a completely vegetarian diet. This natural approach to cultivating the mind is spontaneous. I naturally accepted it—by eating vegetarian, I naturally learned to restrain my greed, cravings, and so on. This is what we call “practising in joy,” a happy and natural way to engage in spiritual practice.
Waking up naturally each day—doesn’t that feel great? But when you’re jolted awake by an alarm, isn’t it uncomfortable? Cultivating the mind should also be about cultivating naturalness. We should treat others naturally, and even our approach to vegetarianism should feel natural. I don’t crave money, and I’m at peace with that. I don’t crave sleep, and I’m comfortable with that too. This is what it means to cultivate the mind and nurture your inner self.
One might easily mistake this for a lesson on health and wellness, but in fact, cultivating the mind and nurturing the body are closely connected. Those who cultivate their minds often live longer—and I’m referring to their lifespan in this world. If you don’t get caught up in the five desires and six sense objects, you’ll live a longer life. There’s a saying, “Walk a hundred steps after a meal and live to ninety-nine.” This is one way to maintain good health. Staying calm and not getting angry is also a way to maintain good health. So, we should seek spiritual joy, not physical pleasure. Physical pleasures are fleeting, but spiritual joy is everlasting.
We pursue a kind of spiritual love, not physical or worldly love, which is fleeting, and certainly not a love filled with suffering. Where is true happiness found? Understand that real happiness is in the mind. When your spirit is fulfilled, you are truly happy. All your suffering comes from a lack of spiritual fulfilment, which causes your pain. True happiness should come naturally. When someone is full of energy and vitality, they naturally feel happy. Feeling energetic comes from being pure and joyful—when you’re filled with positive energy, you won’t get sick, and you’ll be genuinely happy.
Think about it—when someone is ill, their voice is weak and lacks energy. Why? Because they’re weighed down by suffering and negative thoughts, which drain their energy. So, Buddhist practitioners must understand the importance of maintaining strong energy. Abundant energy brings about a sense of spiritual joy, a sense of lightness. When I talk to you about this, I’m referring to an inner state of serenity. I’ve just spoken about inner peace, and now I’m telling you about serenity. When someone is truly happy, they experience this serenity—they feel relaxed because they’re free from worries. Why do we hum a little tune when we’re happy? Because we’re carefree and content.
It doesn’t matter if a person can’t read or write, but they must understand basic principles. If they don’t, then their life has been wasted. Ordinary people find happiness through external experiences, but for spiritual cultivators, true happiness comes from inner contentment. As cultivators, when our hearts are content, we feel joyful; if we’re not content, we feel uncomfortable and suffer.
Now, let’s talk about the concept of “getting through.” In Chinese, we often use this expression to mean we need to “think something through.” But what does that actually mean? “Thinking it through” refers to how you process things in your mind. Whatever the situation, it ultimately comes down to whether or not you can understand it. If you don’t reach this state of understanding, you’ll keep thinking without truly resolving it. “Thinking it through” means you’ve gained real clarity. Another way to interpret “getting through” is like unblocking the energy channels in your body. When your mind is clear, your heart is open, and your body is relaxed, your fortune improves. Those who can “think things through” don’t fall ill easily because their energy channels are open and flowing freely.
It’s essential to deeply understand yourself. Many people don’t really know themselves and mistakenly think they’re extraordinary, telling themselves, “This is just how I am.” But who do you think you are? Truly understanding yourself means recognising the Buddha and Bodhisattvas within. When you fully comprehend your true nature and your most fundamental root, you are essentially recognising the Buddha and Bodhisattvas.
People who often reflect on and criticise themselves tend to gain the forgiveness of others. When you say, “Oh, I made a mistake, I’m sorry,” others are likely to forgive you. But if you say, “I didn’t do anything wrong; this is just how I am,” who’s going to forgive you? If you don’t understand yourself and keep blaming others, you’ll only cause yourself more suffering, unsure whether you’re right or wrong. If you’re always pointing out others’ faults, eventually people will start to think you’re the problem, and you’ll end up in pain.
Don’t criticise others—because when you do, others are bound to criticise you in return, and you’ll only suffer more. Why do people criticise you? It’s because you spoke negatively about them first. This is a basic truth, and it’s also a Buddhist principle. Someone who truly reflects on themselves and forgives others is a Bodhisattva.
Enduring what others cannot endure and doing what others cannot do is known as the “great hero” in Buddhism. When others can’t accomplish something, I take it upon myself to do it. When people criticise me, I must tolerate it, no matter how difficult it may be. Many temples have a Hall of Great Heroes (Mahavira Hall), filled with statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The core principle of these Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is to endure what others cannot endure and to do what others cannot do.
If you practise Buddhism and distance yourself from bad habits—refraining from harmful actions and negative thoughts—you move closer to happiness. Do you want to be happy? Do you want your life to improve? Then let go of your bad habits, and happiness will follow.
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings. Once you, as a sentient being, attain enlightenment, you become a Buddha or Bodhisattva. Sentient beings are simply Bodhisattvas who haven’t yet awakened. Are you a sentient being? Do you have the Buddha in your heart? Do you have the Bodhisattva within you? But since you haven’t yet awakened, you cannot be called a Bodhisattva—you can only be called an ordinary person.
People with narrow minds tend to have many troubles. The narrower your mind, the more troubled you’ll be. On the other hand, those with an open mind possess great wisdom. A person with a generous heart is truly wise. Some people love to argue, but if the other person doesn’t engage, it shows they have wisdom and a big heart. However, if they argue back, they’re being just as petty. If a married couple argues, then both are being small-minded.
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas teach us, “Avoid all evil, practise all good, and purify your mind.” I strive to do all good deeds and avoid all evil, turning all my thoughts into pure intentions—that’s what makes someone a Bodhisattva. If everyone actively did good and avoided evil, where would there be any evil in the world? The world would be filled with love and joy.
Foolish people always want others to understand them, and that’s exactly what makes them foolish. “Do you know? I’m really great; I’ve done this and that in the past…” Only foolish people talk like this. They’re constantly seeking validation from others, while wise people focus on understanding themselves. People who regularly self-reflect are truly wise because, by understanding themselves, they know how to act. They can distinguish right from wrong—that’s what makes them wise.
Foolish people, on the other hand, are clueless. They’re always trying to get others to understand them. If you’re truly capable, you should first understand yourself and get to know yourself clearly. Thinking you’re smart and going around bragging to others—there’s no one more foolish than that. Once you do that, you’ve made yourself the most foolish person in the world. Bodhisattvas won’t accept someone who refuses to acknowledge their own mistakes and instead creates negative karma. Karma is about bearing the consequences of your actions. When learning Buddhism, you’re learning its essence and spirit.