Master Lu once said, “The spiritual path to enlightenment is riddled with afflictions and obstacles. It takes the mind to overcome whatever hardship or calamity that comes our way”.
Most of us yearn to push our boundaries or pivot our spiritual journey to the next level. But, there are bound to be a slew of internal and external hindrances thwarting our effort, causing us to lose sight of our goals and instead of making progress, we end up stagnating or regressing.
To avoid the potential pitfalls and to smoothen your spiritual cultivation journey, please find out a host of relevant discourses of Master Lu below.
< Disciplining Unwholesome Behaviours is the Utmost Priority >
I. The Importance of Repentance in Staying True to Our Initial Aspiration
a. It helps us persevere in spiritual cultivation
WHEN YOU REPENT AND FEEL REMORSEFUL, WISDOM WILL ARISE
Master Jun Hong Lu: The Buddha’s teachings tell us, if you are able to frequently repent and feel ashamed of your wrongdoings, you will definitely be able to make progress on this path of spiritual cultivation. This will pave the way for the attainment of the perfection of diligence (精进波罗蜜), and you will stay true to your Buddhist practice (道心不忘波罗蜜). This essentially means on your path of spiritual cultivation, you will never forget your original nature.
The purity of one’s heart is the provision for one’s enlightenment. That is why I want all of you to become more and more pure. Only when you rid yourself of all distracting thoughts, can you be free from the five desires and their corresponding six sense objects (五欲六尘).
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Episode 73, 20 May 2020
b. It prevents us from repeating our mistakes
ONLY SINCERE AND THOROUGH REPENTANCE CAN PREVENT ONE FROM REPEATING HIS MISTAKES
Caller: Master, why is it that people ‘forget the pain where gain follows’ (好了伤疤忘了疼)? How can we remember this pain and never commit the same mistake again?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Humans are an entity of desires (人本身是一个欲望体). In fact, the human body shares a common characteristic of self-justification, that is, the ability to mend and make up for one’s own mistakes which takes place in the mind, body and soul.
Say, you accidentally cut your hand, why does it heal itself automatically? Why is it that when you apply pressure on your wound with a piece of tissue paper, the bleeding stops, and your wound gradually seals itself? This is because the human body is an entity of desires where desires reside and the need for change and alternation perpetuates. In other words, such a desire is constantly changing and it alternates between existence and non-existence. We live in a state of flux – what we have today may be gone tomorrow, and what the body needs today may not be necessary tomorrow. That is why we are perpetually in transition mode.
A person, who truly seeks to be awakened may say, “I must remember when in pain” but, the reality is, it is very difficult to recall the lessons learned even if he records it on video. Why so? This is because the person himself is an entity of desires that is prone to change.
Therefore, the best approach is to elevate your spiritual self, recognising the gravity of the matter in hand and the type of pressure experienced in the face of your suffering. Only then can you remain steadfast spiritually and allow the experience to penetrate your consciousness, thus preventing you from making the same mistake ever again.
It will not work as long as the experience does not penetrate your consciousness and truly make you acknowledge your mistake. There’s a saying, “to deeply feel, deeply reflect, deeply correct” (深刻的体会，深刻地检讨，深刻地改正), which means to perform a sincere and thorough repentance (大忏悔). Without such a profound introspection and pious repentance, the experience will not be able to penetrate your consciousness, and you are bound to sin again.
To cite a simple example, imagine you are someone with stomach issues who has been advised to avoid consuming cold foods. But, when you catch sight of ice cream, you give in to temptation. The moment the pain hits you, you may tell yourself, “Gosh, I’ll never eat ice cream ever again”. For all you know, the cycle repeats itself. Do you understand?
Caller: Yes, I got it now.
Source: Wenda20141212 21:00, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
II. Cherish Our Affinity with Buddhism
SUCCESS REQUIRES NOT ONLY DILIGENCE BUT ALSO OPPORTUNE TIMING AND KARMIC AFFINITY; CHERISH THE TRUE DHARMA IN THE AGE OF DHARMA DECLINE AND STRIVE TO TRANSCEND THE CYCLE OF REBIRTH
Caller: It is stated in the Buddhist scriptures: In the Ages of the True Dharma and the Semblance Dharma, to attain the state of Arhat or Bodhisattva could potentially take many lifetimes. Comparatively, it’s much easier to make great vows and perform virtuous deeds in the Age of Dharma Decline. This is heaven’s natural order.
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has also revealed that, in this Age of Dharma Decline, Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door is the best Dharma Door, thus, encouraging us to follow Master’s teachings, and practise diligently. Guan Yin Bodhisattva called on Master to shepherd those Bodhisattvas ‘home’ who would have been otherwise left stranded in the human realm. If we fail to transcend the cycle of rebirth in this lifetime (一世修成), Master will no longer be around in the human realm in our next life. This is the last dharma vessel and it would be billions of years before we can find salvation when Maitreya Bodhisattva (弥勒菩萨) comes to this world.
Master, we will definitely follow in your footsteps and practise Buddhism with diligence, and aim to transcend the cycle of rebirth in this lifetime.
Master Jun Hong Lu: Indeed, it is not easy. To succeed, it requires not only diligence but also the opportune timing and karmic affinity. Many people simply lack the opportune timing and karmic affinity. For example: In the past when the Buddha and His teachings had yet to arrive in India, many people also wished to seek liberation, and they went for practices like Brahmanism or Zoroastrianism (worshipping the sun), impeding them from encountering Buddhism. This is the picture I am trying to paint to you now.
Caller: Understood. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is a Bodhisattva who practises great resolution and filial piety. We too, should be filial and be grateful towards Master Lu.
Master Jun Hong Lu: I just wanted everyone to understand the aspirations and the power of the Bodhisattva’s vow so that you can find your way ‘home’ and rediscover your true conscience and inherent quality. This is of the utmost importance. Previously, we led a life of zero morality and conscience, obsessed with status and wealth like most people. Now that many have found their humanity, morality and conscience, only then can this world transform to become a better place.
Caller: Thank you, Master. Deepest gratitude to Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Deepest gratitude to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.
Source: Wenda20180909A 51:07, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
STAYING STEADFAST IS A MUST EVEN AFTER YOU HAVE BENEFITED FROM YOUR BUDDHIST PRACTICE
Master Jun Hong Lu: There will be times when practising Buddhism can be likened to digging a well. If you wish to dig a well, you have to be prepared to carry the well water at a later stage. Many people only know how to wait for the water to fall into their laps, not realising that they should become a well digger themselves.
When you are digging a well, you are in fact getting ready for the day when you can draw water for drinking. By digging a well, your immediate needs will be assured. But, if you can embrace a long-term outlook, you will come to realise that once a well is dug, it is a must to keep drawing water from the well because only through this, it can ensure a continuous water supply to nourish your body.
The same also applies to Buddhist practice. Now that you are learning Buddhism, you must understand that you must be relentless in dedicating yourself to progress, as only then are you able to reach the point when the water drawn from the well is always sweet. Many people fail to put in their best effort in their Buddhist practice and end up with stinky well water.
Even after making sacrifices for others, what is in store for you is a greater exertion of effort. Having tied the knot, many people have the perception that they can stop putting in the effort in the relationship. In fact, life after marriage comes with greater tolerance and nourishment. In any relationship, it is easy to be a taker but difficult to maintain, and hence, you must have the determination. To break free from the shackles of suffering and vexation in the human realm, you must know how to leverage perseverance to sustain an enduring steadfast spirit.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting, Madrid, Spain, 13 May 2016
PERSISTENCE SUPPORTS OUR ENDEAVOUR; SELF-DISCIPLINE IS IN ITSELF AN ATTRIBUTE OF PERSISTENCE
Master Jun Hong Lu: I hope that everyone can understand one principle i.e. perseverance is the key to success in any endeavour. Be it spiritual cultivation, career or study, perseverance is essential. At times, the loss of perseverance is the reason for slacking off, regressing or failing in many of our endeavours. Therefore, it is through perseverance one wins success. In fact, self-discipline is in itself an attribute of persistence.
Source: Zongshu20190221 06:16, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
III. What is our ultimate goal?
TO REALISE THE ULTIMATE NIRVANA
Master Jun Hong Lu: Intrinsically, we have the same Buddha nature. Hence, the Buddha is always with us. When our heart returns to its original state to be one and the same as the Buddha, this is Nirvana.
When your heart is the same as the Buddha, are you not in Nirvana? But, just how do you fundamentally penetrate into such a state? It is none other than through our meritorious blessings – the true merits that are free from all kinds of desires.
We should not allow our meritorious blessings to be tainted in any way. You may have performed some virtuous deeds today driven by some motives. However, ‘pure meritorious blessing’ is gained when your deeds are not driven by any ulterior motives; they are virtuous in nature as stated in the Heart Sutra ‘to realise the Ultimate Nirvana’ (究竟涅槃).
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms (Audio), Episode 2, 4 March 2020
< FOLLOW GUAN YIN BODHISATTVA CLOSELY AND KEEP TO YOUR INITIAL ASPIRATION >
FOLLOW GUAN YIN BODHISATTVA CLOSELY AND KEEP TO YOUR INITIAL ASPIRATION
Master Jun Hong Lu: Human weakness is their habitual fondness for how they felt when meeting someone for the first time. However, the problem will arise over time as they gradually become accustomed to the person and start taking him for granted. This is why it is so important to engrave your initial aspiration in your memory. No matter when, or even when new things appear in your life, you must always remember the reasons that thrusted you into the gate of dharma and propelled you to embark on your spiritual cultivation journey.
Never forgetting your initial aspiration means reminiscing about the authentic belief buried deep in your heart. You must always recollect what was weighing on your mind then because it could well be your goal at that moment in time. Regardless of the number of changes along the path of your Buddhist cultivation, never take your eyes off your goal because it is your primordial mind when your conscience is very clear.
Our mind-cultivation journey may be a long way off and our heaven-bound journey may be fraught with pitfalls and challenges, and the destination may appear out of reach, come what may, we should never give up. As we decide to follow Guan Yin Bodhisattva today, we will never be lost in the human wilderness. To this end, we must never forget the road once travelled, nor should we lose sight of our goals.
In the human realm, desire may delude our minds but, no matter what it is, we must always safeguard our beginner’s mind, pluck up our courage and stay unwavering, as only then can we see the brilliance and purity buried in the depths of our hearts. If we do not wish to be a failure in life, we must learn to keep to our beginner’s mind as only then success will come to us.
< Buddhism in Plain Terms < 白话佛法共修分享