I’ve told you before—this planet is constantly falling ill. Whether you acknowledge it or not, whether you believe it or not, it doesn’t change reality. Think about it—how often does it show “symptoms”? Every few days, there’s a disaster here, a crisis there. It’s just like a person whose body starts breaking down—one problem arises, then another—until the entire system is in disorder. Australia is a blessed land, but even here, there are bad people. When too many people commit wrongdoing and accumulate heavy negative karma, it creates negative conditions and energy. One of the most significant earthquakes in Australian history occurred in Western Australia. Think carefully—do you want to be a good person or a bad one? When disaster strikes, the good remain, while the bad are swept away. But humans have a major flaw—they don’t take things seriously until it’s right in front of them. Even when diagnosed with cancer, many still say, “That can’t happen to me.” But reality doesn’t change just because they refuse to accept it. That’s why I urge everyone—take responsibility for your actions. Be mindful and tread carefully.
When living in this world, ask yourself: Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life? Yet, this isn’t a question most high school or university students can answer. From a religious or Buddhist perspective, what is the purpose of living? The truth is, coming into this world gives you an opportunity to transcend life and death—to break free from the cycle of birth and rebirth so that you won’t have to return in the next life. But how many people truly understand this? Most believe that life is simply about eating, drinking, and seeking pleasure. Let me give you an example—being born into this world is like checking into a hotel. Imagine you’re on a nine-day tour in the United States. You go shopping, buy all sorts of things, arrange flowers in a vase, purchase a piano, install a washing machine—you treat the hotel as if it’s your permanent home. But in just a few days, you’ll have to leave. This human world is the same; it’s not your true home, just a temporary stay. What does temporary mean? Anything that does not last forever is temporary. Only what remains unchanged is eternal. In Buddhism, this is called impermanence. That’s why nothing in this world lasts forever. Knowing this, you should learn to take things more lightly—to let go of attachments. Yet, people remain deeply fixated on their human form and entangled in worldly affairs, unable to see through them. They become obsessed with material possessions, status, and personal gain.
Even when spreading the Dharma, we must remain low-key. Guiding and awakening others should be approached with humility, without drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves. Only good people can be awakened and thus be saved—bad people cannot. If we act to seek attention instead of staying low-key, we’re not truly saving people; instead, we are losing our merits and virtues. Those who chase fame and fortune will ultimately fail. Many people encounter troubles in life precisely because they are attached to status and wealth. For example, someone might desperately crave a position of power, even going so far as to bribe their way into office. But in reality, the pursuit of fame and fortune is a dangerous path—it destroys people. That’s why I hope you cultivate your mind with diligence, help others with sincerity and dedication, and avoid chasing after fame and status. Seeking fame and gain is essentially falling into the three poisons: greed, hatred, and ignorance.
This Earth is already scarred and wounded—just like a troubled marriage. Those who do not cultivate create negative karma through speech, while those who cultivate poorly may even slander what is true and good. But how can something truly good and beneficial be smeared? I constantly think of sentient beings, and my Dharma body travels to countless homes to help and save people. Every day, I receive feedback from those I’ve helped. Just yesterday, my Dharma body visited a young child’s home to check on his illness and instructed him on how many recitations of sutras and mantras he needed. In this Age of Dharma Decline, we must focus on awakening and saving good people, not bad ones. Time is running out.
Many people aren’t necessarily bad, but they waver—they practise good deeds one moment and do bad things the next. As I’ve said before, when disasters or earthquakes strike, those who are inconsistent in their practice will be among those who perish. And when blessings come, those same people may find themselves gaining status and wealth. That’s why unstable people are simply drifting with the tide, lacking true direction. Every time I see so many young people attending my Dharma Talk, I feel so happy—because they are our future. One day, when I return to the Heavens, these young practitioners will be the torchbearers of Buddhism, carrying on the teachings with their deep-rooted goodness. Seeing these young people reciting sutras from such a young age fills me with joy. They are the future seeds of Buddhism, and they will awaken and save even more people in the future.
Let me tell you—this Earth is truly sick. This isn’t a coincidence; it’s the result of human destruction. That’s why, while you still have the chance, cherish this time to cultivate your mind and recite sutras. There may come a time when even the opportunity to practise will be gone. Life is fleeting—one moment someone is here, and the next, they’re gone. So, as long as you are alive, be grateful to Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Stop chasing after greedy ambitions and unrealistic dreams. There is only one guiding principle: be a good person, do only good deeds, and refrain from evil. Only by cultivating your mind well can you achieve peace and blessings.
The first question I want to talk about today is: how to let go of all conditioned things. What is “conditioned” here? It means there are things you choose to do and things you choose not to do. “Conditioned action” refers to your intentional efforts—your deliberate actions. “Choosing not to act” means letting go of all afflictive actions that disturb your mind. But can you truly let go? Second, what is true cultivation? True cultivation is when your practice is reflected in your actions—when you genuinely embody it. Rationality is true cultivation. A person must act with reason and clarity in all things. But if you hold onto a discriminatory mind—believing that something is true cultivation while clinging to distinctions and mental afflictions—then you are merely following your emotions in search of “true cultivation.” In doing so, you will only stray further from the path.
Now, let me clarify something important: do not think that your fate is predetermined—that is a misunderstanding. Fate is not set in stone. Some people are “destined” to live long lives but die young; others are “destined” to die early but end up surviving. So, what does “destined” really mean? In reality, you are the one shaping your own fate. For example, some elderly people, despite their age, choose partners who are much younger than them. This is like having one foot already in the coffin, and their new partner may soon push the other foot in as well. Everything in life should follow the principle of balance—avoid extremes.
Now, let me explain what “discriminating mind” means. It refers to the tendency to compare and judge when looking at any issue. The moment you start making distinctions, a discriminating mind arises. This is something we should avoid in our daily interactions. Today, you meet a wealthy person, so you eagerly nod and bow to them, pandering to their status. Tomorrow, you meet a famous TV host, and you flatter them with praise. If your attitude shifts based on who you are dealing with, you are allowing your mind to be dictated by external conditions.
Today, an elderly woman came to see me. I explained many Buddhist principles to her, and she understood them all. But then she said, “The master I follow is very famous.” I asked, “So you follow him just because he is famous? What if he strays from the path—would you still follow him?” Let me give you an example. Imagine a renowned heart surgeon. At 30, 40, or 50 years old, he is at the peak of his career, widely recognised for his skill. But by the time he turns 70, would you still trust him to perform heart surgery on you? You might say, “Dr Wang, you are so famous! I insist that you operate on me.” But now, his hands are shaky, and instead of fixing your heart, he might accidentally cut into your lungs. This is why I tell you: do not judge a person solely by their reputation. What is fame? Where does it come from? What do you truly gain from it? Today, you may be famous; tomorrow, you may not be. How many once-famous heroes and historical figures are still remembered today? Is fame really worth pursuing? Many people have lost their lives chasing it. Do not develop a discriminating mind, and do not look down on others based on status or reputation.
True cultivation means cutting off the unwholesome root at its source. If you are genuinely committed to cultivating your mind, you must completely sever the unwholesome roots within yourself. Yet many people do not even know where their unwholesome roots lie. In reality, the root of unwholesomeness is greed, hatred, and ignorance. For example, suppose someone sees a pair of stylish sunglasses but cannot afford them. Overcome by greed, he decides to steal a pair, thinking no one will notice. But when he gets caught, he says, “I’m sorry, I’m just a child. I won’t steal sunglasses again.” Yet has he truly cut off the unwholesome root? No—he has only trimmed the outer consequences of his actions. Cultivating the mind means cutting off the source of unwholesomeness. Imagine a poisonous tree. You might prune its leaves or trim its branches, but it remains a poisonous tree. As long as its toxic roots remain, it will continue to produce poisonous leaves. Likewise, if a child harbours an impure mind, everything they do will be tainted by negativity.
True cultivation consists of rationality and wisdom. When someone loses their temper, you might tell them, “Be rational!”—essentially asking them to think more clearly. In terms of philosophy and inherent nature, one must have wisdom. This is rationality. But what many people would never expect is that even rationality itself is empty. What is rationality? Does true rationality even exist? Where does it come from? Your rationality is built upon the paths you have walked, the actions you have taken, and the experiences you have encountered along the way. You believe you have discovered reason, and you refine it with wisdom, forming what you perceive as rationality. When people tell you to “be rational” in difficult situations, what they really mean is to think more deeply. But in reality, even this so-called deep thinking is a worldly construct—it, too, is empty. For someone who has truly seen through everything, does “rationality” or “lack of rationality” even matter? If one is inherently rational, there is no need to control or apply rationality—because nothing obstructs the mind in the first place.
Monks who renounce the world and retreat to the mountains, sweeping the grounds and chanting Buddhist scriptures every day, are cultivating at a high spiritual level. Do they need rationality? No—they have already let go of worldly attachments. They have realised the nature of emptiness. Monks embody the principle that the Four Elements Are Empty, transcending attachments to the physical world.