Cultivating the mind and practising Buddhism is no easy task. How do we cultivate our minds? How do we correct our behaviour? Cultivating the mind means correcting the flaws within our hearts, and practising involves correcting our actions. Many of us have poor behaviour, and many of our thoughts are impure. So, how do we begin to cultivate? First, you must have faith. If you lack faith when cultivating your mind, it won’t be effective. If you’re constantly reciting sutras and praying to Guan Yin Bodhisattva, but still thinking, “Will I be successful? Will it work? Will I encounter obstacles? What if something goes wrong?” then I’m telling you—you won’t succeed in your practice. Many people find that their practice isn’t effective for this very reason. There’s nothing more to say on the matter. If a person can’t control their desires or thoughts, it’s simple—they’re not practising genuinely.
What does it mean to cultivate the mind? It means digging deep to uncover your most fundamental nature and cleansing it thoroughly. You must all understand this principle: whether we are dealing with people or situations, we often say, “Act with a clear conscience.” But where is your conscience? Why is it that some people have a bad conscience, while others have a good one? It’s because your conscience and inherent nature have been damaged by worldly impurities. You are no longer your original self.
Today, I’m going to talk about “Fundamental Wisdom.” A person needs to dig deep into their innate wisdom, and this is called Fundamental Wisdom. Fundamental Wisdom is Prajna wisdom. Only when you have fully uncovered the deepest part of your own wisdom—the wisdom of a Bodhisattva—can you overcome ignorance and afflictions. What are afflictions? The Bodhisattvas say, “Afflictions are Bodhi.” Only when you use your wisdom to dissolve your afflictions can they transform into Bodhi (enlightenment).
Many people are very articulate. They can explain everything in the world, discussing this and that. But is this Prajna wisdom? No, this is called “Acquired Wisdom.” It means they only understand things after they’ve already happened, and this wisdom is called Acquired Wisdom. While Acquired Wisdom is not easy to attain, it’s different from Prajna Wisdom. For example, in The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhuge Liang had the ability to predict the future, while Cao Cao only understood things after the fact. This shows the difference in wisdom—one can foresee events, while the other only realises what’s happening when it’s almost too late. Acquired Wisdom stems from Fundamental Wisdom, which is the wisdom that radiates from one’s original good nature, the most fundamental inherent nature of the soul.
In reality, pursuing Prajna is the ultimate expression of wisdom, and once you attain Prajnawisdom, you become capable of anything, and all problems can be solved. The word “wisdom” actually implies a form of “not knowing.” Why? Because people often pursue worldly wisdom. What they enjoy and gain is merely human wisdom, but human wisdom is limited. Only the wisdom that comes from a person’s inherent nature is infinite. Worldly wisdom is something people chase after—many strive to be clever or gain wisdom, thinking it’s important. But what is cleverness? What is wisdom? I often tell you, being clever doesn’t mean you have wisdom. True wisdom includes cleverness, but wisdom comes in levels, and it’s not the highest realm. The highest form of wisdom is Prajna wisdom. Worldly wisdom is common wisdom—it’s not the ultimate form.
Cultivating the mind is like chasing the sun. As long as you follow the right path in pursuit of sunlight, you’ll never see shadows in your life. Why? Because when you’re chasing the sun, you’re moving toward light and the great path. But if you chase after shadows, you’ll never see the sunlight. When someone goes astray in their spiritual cultivation or Buddhist practice, they’ll never find the correct, enlightened path.
You must frequently look deep within your mind. Seeing your mind clearly means understanding your thoughts, as your thoughts arise from what your mind desires. For example, if today I want to do something, I need to check whether what I’m thinking and doing is right or wrong. If I feel hatred toward someone, I need to ask myself, “Why do I hate them? Why am I treating them poorly?” This process involves using your conscience to balance things out. Looking deep within your mind means recognising your inherent nature, and when you do, miracles will start to happen. If you only examine your mind superficially, nothing miraculous will occur. But if you look deeper, that’s when the miracles begin.
Let me give you an example: When someone argues with you, it’s easy to feel hatred. If you only look at the surface of your mind, you might think, “This person stole my money! I’m furious. I hate them. I’ll sue them tomorrow. How dare they take my money and hurt me like this!” But if you look deeper, beyond your immediate feelings, you’ll discover your inherent nature. Then, you might think, “It’s just a few thousand dollars. This person is probably in a desperate situation. They’ll face the consequences of their actions. Maybe they’re stealing because they’re poor. I’m upset, but I’ll still survive, while if they continue like this, they’ll eventually get caught. This person is actually quite pitiful. Maybe I can consider this money as a way of avoiding greater misfortune.”
Do you see your inherent nature? That’s when the miracle happens—you suddenly find yourself forgiving someone who scammed or hurt you. That’s a miracle. When you regularly examine the deepest part of your mind, you’ll realise that forgiveness is possible.
One must act with a clear conscience. When you frequently reflect on your own mind, you’ll discover that many miracles can happen. For example, even if someone treats you poorly, you can still treat them kindly. Even if they hate you, you can still respond with kindness. Consider a situation where a wife’s purse is stolen, and if her husband is stingy, he might keep nagging her about it. But if he reflects on his inherent nature and conscience, he’d realise: “My wife is already feeling worse than I am. She’s upset about the stolen money. Isn’t it better to offer her some comfort instead?” This is what it means to be a decent person. If you want someone to truly care for you, you need to show genuine care for them first. Why would you want to make someone who’s already made a mistake feel even worse? Practising Buddhism means not making others feel more miserable. Adding to someone’s pain doesn’t make you a Bodhisattva.
Today, a married couple came in for an appointment. The husband was constantly berating his wife. I told him how much their daughter was suffering, and she started crying. I said to the husband, “Do you realise how much your wife has sacrificed to stay married to you?” Their family had been dealing with conflicts for two years. It all started after a car accident. They went to the hospital, and a doctor suggested that they could find a lawyer to file a lawsuit and claim compensation. That’s when the husband’s greed kicked in. His wife was already on the brink of depression, and now the lawyer was telling them, “Since your wife is depressed, you can claim even more in damages.”
People shouldn’t be so greedy. I said to the husband, “You know whether you have money or not. Your wife is a specialist doctor—just think how much she could have earned over these two years. Even if you win the case, all the money will go into legal fees.” After hearing this, they both understood. I asked them, “What will you lose if you don’t go ahead with the lawsuit?” They replied, “Nothing.” So, I advised them to drop the lawsuit and free themselves from it—no more worries. That’s how I help people. The couple left feeling really happy. They’d been going through medical assessments for the lawsuit, and every time they had to retell the story, it made them angry. Mentally, they just couldn’t cope anymore.
Let me tell you this: look ahead—only by clearing away the clouds can you see a sunny sky. Many people are constantly shrouded in clouds and never get to see the sun. In life, when practising Buddhism, you must always clear away the fog of confusion. Women shouldn’t be overly talkative. If you talk too much, it’s like being on a leaking boat. Your friends are like the people on that boat. When they see it leaking every day, they know that sooner or later, the boat will sink, and they’ll want to escape. So, if you’re always talking excessively, people will never want to be your close friends. This applies to both men and women—don’t talk too much, and instead, spend more time reciting sutras. The lessons I teach contain deep wisdom, so I hope you’ll listen carefully.
You’ve probably all heard of meditative concentration. It’s a profound method of spiritual cultivation. In Buddhism, meditative concentration is referred to as “The Light Cloud of Great Samadhi.” What is a light cloud? It’s a bright, radiant cloud, symbolising that you have ascended to higher levels through practice. Through meditation, you can elevate your spirit to the Heavens, but these Heavens are still within the Three Realms. Samadhi is a Sanskrit term that means “right concentration.” It refers to enduring all things in the human world with the right thoughts, the right beliefs, and the right methods—that’s what Samadhi is.
Meditative concentration is a method of spiritual cultivation, but without a solid foundation, it’s easy to go astray. When you meditate, you might not even know where to focus your attention. Women should focus on the area between their breasts, while men should focus on the Dantian—the spot three fingers below the navel. I don’t recommend that you practise meditative concentration, but you should understand and be aware of it. The highest state of meditative concentration is called the state of “undisturbed single-mindedness.”
Many people sit for meditation, but their minds are even more restless than when they aren’t meditating. People who are often lazy or drowsy are not good cultivators. True cultivators shouldn’t sleep for more than eight hours, and monks in temples generally sleep less than six hours. Human wisdom is slowly worn away during sleep. Those who sleep excessively lack wisdom, and overweight people also tend to have less wisdom. The physical “essence” of the human body is not as important. Samadhi is the key to both cultivating the mind and spiritual practice.
Practising Buddhism requires following precepts, and these precepts can help you overcome afflictions. The more you listen and see, the more afflictions you’ll accumulate. By not listening, not seeing, and not speaking, you’ll reduce your afflictions. When practising Buddhism and cultivating your mind, it must be tailored to suit you personally. You need to figure out which Dharma Door (Buddhist method) is right for you and focus on practising that Dharma Door. This is what I’ll explain to you today.
First, all Dharma Doors are equal. There are 84,000 Dharma Doors, and they are all equal. This is what I teach you, but in reality, it’s what the Bodhisattvas have said. Second, different paths lead to the same destination, and none is inherently superior. All 84,000 Dharma Doors aim for the same goal—to ascend to the Heavens and attain enlightenment. But which Dharma Door is the fastest? Which Dharma Door suits you? Which Dharma Door can save you right now? Which Dharma Door can be used immediately, and which one won’t work? Do you think every Dharma Door can help you ascend? Do you think every doctor can cure your illness? Don’t compare the 84,000 Dharma Doors to each other. It’s like a beauty contest—everyone has their own strengths. Some are sweet, some are graceful, and some are beautiful. And everyone’s sense of beauty is different. Just like the design of cars changes over time, beauty standards shift with the times.
How do you know which Dharma Door is right for you? First, it should feel natural. Second, it should be effective. Third, it should feel comfortable. Fourth, it should flow smoothly without obstacles. When you find a Dharma Door that meets these criteria, that’s the one you should focus on and commit to. Many followers of the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door feel uneasy if they skip a day of reciting sutras—it’s like they’ve missed something. That’s because the practice has become a habit for them—it’s natural, effective, and beneficial. Their family life improves, their career prospers, and their children become more well-behaved.
Now, let me talk to you about guiding and awakening sentient beings. What does it mean to guide and awaken them? After you’ve cultivated your own mind, how do you help others and awaken sentient beings? Guiding and awakening others is part of the Mahayana tradition, and it’s a form of giving through Dharma. It’s very important to learn how to guide and awaken sentient beings, but there are conditions for doing so. First, you must be free from your own afflictions. Second, you must let go of greed. Third, you must cultivate compassion. And fourth, you must strive towards attaining Buddhahood.
Recently, a Buddhist practitioner told me he had a dream about the end of the world, just like in the movies. There were tornadoes, mountains collapsing, and the earth splitting open—everyone was swept away, and no one survived. He, too, was caught up in the chaos, but while in it, he suddenly thought of Master Lu. He called out, “Master Lu,” and incredibly, Master Lu appeared, spoke to him, and saved him. When he woke up, he clearly remembered what Master Lu had said to him, but by the time he told me about it, he had forgotten the details.
In this Age of Dharma Decline, with disasters happening frequently, we should be even more diligent in cutting off our afflictions. “Endless are the afflictions; I vow to end them.” Afflictions are never-ending. As long as you are human, you will always have afflictions. Those who practise Buddhism must work to cut them off. Once afflictions are cut off, you can then cultivate discipline (precepts), concentration, and wisdom. Freeing yourself from afflictions is the foundation for discipline, concentration, and wisdom. Afflictions are troubles created by the foolish. Learning Buddhism is about cultivating wisdom.
All the causes and conditions in the world are meant to awaken our inherent awareness. Don’t be afraid when challenges arise—when they come, face them courageously, and you’ll gain much insight from them. So, when different conditions arise in life, don’t be scared. However, it’s better to encounter positive conditions rather than negative ones, as bad conditions can harm you. That’s why I often tell you: don’t get involved in things you shouldn’t, don’t look at things you shouldn’t see, don’t listen to things you shouldn’t hear, and don’t do things you shouldn’t do. If you engage in things you shouldn’t, afflictions will arise, and so will troubles. In this world, you must rely on yourself; you cannot depend on others, as they won’t always be reliable. The same applies to cultivating your mind.