We must transform the very root of birth and death. That root is greed, anger, and ignorance—the “three poisons” of craving, hatred, and delusion. To transcend birth and death, we must rely on faith, vows, and practice. In other words, we must believe, make firm vows, and act to correct ourselves—only then can we be […]

Next, let me talk about ignorance. Ignorance doesn’t mean a lack of education. A person may be called ignorant yet have read many books—but that doesn’t make them wise. No matter how much they’ve studied, it doesn’t mean they’ve cultivated well or reached a high spiritual state. Conversely, someone who seems ignorant isn’t necessarily uneducated. Ignorance means fixating on one tiny detail while missing the bigger picture. What do I mean […]

What you experience in this world—the material things you receive—are actually just shadows. The deeds you performed in past lives are like reflections cast into this life. They are neither higher nor lower; they appear exactly according to what you’ve done before. However you acted in the past, that is the shadow you see now. Shadows may appear larger […]

Our bodies are “composite and illusory.” What does that mean? This body of ours is a temporary union of the Five Elements—earth, water, fire, wind, and space. Ask a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine or a scientist studying the human body: essentially, our body is nothing more than a combination of these elements. When we die, they […]

As Qingming approaches, spiritual beings become especially active, moving about everywhere. If you’re not vigilant and don’t cultivate properly, you’ll quickly invite trouble and misfortune. Matters of the spirit world are very serious—they’re no joking matter. Once a spirit takes hold of you, you become like someone suffering from mental illness, completely controlled by that spirit. Today, I want to talk about “non-offence […]

Practising Buddhism isn’t easy—it requires making your mind harmonious. This means living in a way that aligns with your conscience, staying true to your sense of morality. That is harmony. You need both tolerance and harmony in your heart, always keeping sentient beings in mind and considering what they are experiencing. This is called “taking […]

My talk today is on liberation. If a person wishes to attain liberation, they must possess good roots. Here, I’ll add two more words: “all roots.” What does “all roots” mean? It means all the necessary foundations must be present. You must have a conscience, wisdom, good roots, and a kind heart—you need all of […]

Elevating your spiritual state allows you to free yourself from suffering. A person who can understand and see through everything clearly will not be burdened by pain. Suffering arises when you can’t make sense of things—when afflictions take hold of your heart. If nothing troubles you, if you can let go and see things with […]

Eliminate all defilements from your body and restore your true Tathagata-nature. The Tathagata resides within your own heart—the Tathagata Buddha is your own Buddha. When you visit a temple, you’ll notice that the faces of the Tathagata Buddhas are all the same. Similarly, when you eventually reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and […]

Where do merit and virtue come from? Is it just about donating a bit of money? You need to get the concept straight. I’ve shared a story with you before: long ago, a poor woman gave the little savings she had to a temple. The abbot came out to meet her, treated her with great […]

The better your cultivation, the more demons you will encounter. That’s why, in practising Buddhism and cultivating the mind, you must be diligent. Think of it like climbing a mountain: when you’re low down, it’s easy to head back; but the higher you climb, the more focused you need to be, and the more dangerous […]

We shouldn’t have to suffer the cycle of rebirth (samsara)—it is truly bitter. I’m telling you this: even while we’re alive in this world, we can already taste what samsara is like. Let me give you a few examples. Take someone who once had terrible stomach pain. When he was young, he took a lot […]