Plain Language Version

Contributed by the Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated, Australia

Mentor: Bennie Spirit

Editor: Yinyue(Ivy)

With gratitude to Google AI Gemini

With gratitude to NotebookLM

Draft Date: April 29, 2026

Location: BPI Meditation Center

Overview

It is recorded in the eighth scroll of the Daśacakra Kṣitigarbha Sūtra (Sūtra of the Ten Wheels of Kṣitigarbha), within the chapter “The Pure Paths of Action” (Chapter 6, Part 1):
The Buddha proclaimed:

“Good man, those who have fully accomplished the Ten Good Paths of Action (Daśa-kuśala-karmapatha) can be truly called Bodhisattvas-Mahāsattvas. A Bodhisattva can thoroughly eradicate unwholesome actions and accomplish wholesome ones. Such a practitioner can genuinely, steadfastly, and universally refrain from arising any unwholesome actions anywhere, while giving rise only to wholesome actions. Simultaneously, they possess skillful means (Upāya-kauśalya) that perfectly accord with the capacities of sentient beings, thereby enabling all beings to attain genuine benefits, peace, and happiness.

Why is this so? Because all Buddhas of the past have thoroughly investigated and understood the Ten Good Paths of Action and the benefits, peace, and happiness derived from them. The Ten Good Paths of Action constitute the very law and rule for attaining benefits, peace, and happiness, and these laws and rules are highly praised by all Buddhas. Therefore, to whatever extent you conform to and practice according to these laws and rules, you will inevitably attain the corresponding benefits, peace, and happiness.”

For instance, the cultivation of various plants follows its own specific laws and rules. If you perfectly comply with these laws and rules, you will inevitably reap a bountiful harvest.

To use another example, cooking rice requires the proper combination of water, rice, and fire. If you act in accordance with the laws and rules, the rice will be perfectly cooked. However, if you lack even one of these elements, or if the proportions are incorrect, you will fail.

Similarly, everyone wishes to accumulate wealth. If you follow the inherent laws and rules, you will definitely prosper. If you do not understand the laws and rules of generating wealth, it is impossible to become wealthy; if you act recklessly in opposition to them, you can only lose your capital.

The concept of “interacting with and managing people” follows the exact same principle. You must first clarify the underlying principle (Li / Dharma-reasoning), comprehend it, understand them, and win people over by virtue of this principle. “Principle” (Li) means the inherent rules and laws.

When you have mastered the fundamental principles and laws, and act completely in accordance with them, people will naturally respond to and cooperate with you. If you harmonize with them, they will harmonize with you. This applies universally to all endeavors: you must fulfill their needs, and in turn, they will fulfill yours. If you do not satisfy their needs, they will not satisfy yours. The inherent laws and rules are precisely what we call “Principle” (Li / Dharma). Everything is established upon this “Principle”; the primordial nature of reality is simply as it is. Therefore, if you manage and attend to wealth (Li- Cai), wealth will respond to and attend to you (Cai-Li-Ni). If you ignore wealth, wealth will ignore you. If you do not know how to do it, you must learn.

In summary, this is the overarching “Law of Cause and Effect” (Karmic Causality / Hetu-phala). To speak of it meticulously: it means understanding exactly what “it” (representing all people, matters, and things) requires, and at what specific time it is needed; then, neither too early nor too late, you provide exactly what “it” requires. Give whatever is needed, and do not give the wrong thing. When you conform to “its” inherent laws and rules and satisfy “its” benefit, peace, and happiness, “it” will naturally satisfy your benefit, peace, and happiness.

However, from childhood, sentient beings imitate and learn from their parents and their surrounding environments, giving rise to various wrong views (mithyā- dṛṣṭi). This leads them to go against the natural laws and rules, thereby creating multitudes of obstacles (āvaraṇa) and disasters.

Therefore, one must study and practice to thoroughly master these laws and rules—specifically, the Law of Cause and Effect (Karma)—in order to rectify all errors, completely eradicating wrong views as well as wrong speech and actions (mithyā-vāc, mithyā-karmānta). By establishing Right View (samyag- dṛṣṭi) and acting in accordance with the correct laws and rules, one will inevitably fulfill their wishes and attain ultimate benefit, peace, and happiness (hita-sukha).”

Repentance of Killing

Today, in this Bodhimanda (Way-place / Place of Awakening), those who wish to change their destiny should carefully contemplate:
From beginningless time until now, sentient beings who have committed the offense of killing have all done so due to wrong views (Mithyādṛṣṭi).

What are wrong views?
For instance, thinking, “Beef and mutton are delicious, so let us kill and eat them.” This is a wrong view.
Or, for example, thinking, “This person is too terrible alive and always brings suffering to others; let me kill him.”
Both greed (Rāga) and hatred (Dveṣa) are wrong views. It is because of these wrong views that sentient beings create the karma of killing.
Sentient beings do not realize that the act of killing ultimately results in suffering (Duḥkha), karmic obstacles (Āvaraṇa), and disasters. Those who kill will be entangled by suffering, unable to escape even if they wish to do so. Wherever they go, suffering follows. It can be said that “you are the suffering, and the suffering is you.”

Below are listed ten kinds of suffering, obstacles, and disasters that one must inevitably endure due to the act of killing:
First, wherever you go, you evoke fear and unease in others; they constantly worry you will cause harm to everyone, leaving their bodies and minds restless and without peace.

Second, wherever you go, you are prone to killing sentient beings, inflicting upon them the suffering of being killed.
Third, your habitual tendencies (Vāsanā) of hatred and anger will be extremely heavy.

Fourth, your body will frequently fall ill, enduring the suffering of sickness. Fifth, your lifespan will be short, and you will be prone to premature death. Sixth, you will constantly encounter persecution from enemies and adversaries. Seventh, you will frequently suffer from nightmares at night.

Eighth, wherever you go, those who gather around you will harbor resentment toward you; whatever you do, you will face complaints and blame.
Ninth, you will be filled with the constant fear of falling into the evil realms (Durgati) after death.

Tenth, you will inevitably endure suffering in the realms of hell-beings (Naraka), hungry ghosts (Preta), and animals (Tiryagyoni).
Even if you are born as a human, the environment you reside in will be impoverished, the earth will lack fertility, and the vegetation will lack vitality.

The above sufferings, obstacles, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am willing to change my destiny and never again create the karma of killing.

I beseech the immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable majestic spiritual power of the Three Jewels (Triratna) to bless and empower (Adhiṣṭhāna) me. May my past karmic offenses of killing be eradicated, and may the severe, unbearable evil karma be mitigated. May I always maintain a perfect, vast, and steadfast mind of awakening (Bodhicitta), and never again create the karma of killing.

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

I pay homage and take refuge in the benevolent initiating teacher (Root Guru). I pay homage and take refuge in all Buddhas in the ten directions throughout the entirety of space.
I pay homage and take refuge in all honored Dharmas in the ten directions throughout the entirety of space.

I pay homage and take refuge in all Sanghas in the ten directions throughout the entirety of space.
I pay homage and take refuge in our Original Teacher, Śākyamuni Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Bhaiṣajyaguru Vaiḍūryaprabhā Buddha (Medicine Buddha).

I pay homage and take refuge in Amitābha Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnasvabhāva Buddha (Jewel-Nature Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Padmottara Buddha (Supreme Lotus Buddha). I pay homage and take refuge in Siṃhanāda Buddha (Lion’s Roar Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Vipaśyin Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnajit Buddha (Jewel-Supreme Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnalakṣaṇa Buddha (Jewel-Sign Buddha). I pay homage and take refuge in Kāṣāyadhvaja Buddha (Banner of the Monastic Robe Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Mahābhijñā-parvatarāja Buddha (Great Penetration Mountain King Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in the Future Honored Maitreya Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.

The Ten Merits of Abstaining from Killing:

It is recorded in the Daśakuśalakarmapatha Sūtra (The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action): If one abstains from killing, one can accomplish ten kinds of peace and joy:
First: One can universally bestow fearlessness (abhaya) upon all sentient beings.

Second: One will constantly generate the intention to bestow peace and joy (mahāmaitrī) upon all sentient beings.

Third: One will permanently eradicate the habitual tendencies of anger and hatred (dveṣa).
Fourth: One’s body will be free from illness.
Fifth: One will enjoy a long lifespan.

Sixth: One will be constantly protected by non-human beings (amanuṣya). Seventh: One will enjoy excellent sleep, free from nightmares.
Eighth: One will experience smoothness and success wherever one goes; even if others harbor enmity toward them, such hatred will naturally dissolve. Ninth: One will never fear falling into the evil realms (durgati / apāya).

Tenth: After the end of this life, one will be reborn as a celestial being (deva) in the heavenly realms.
If you practice Dedication of Merit (Pariṇāmanā), transforming the aforementioned merits of non-killing into the karmic conditions for attaining Buddhahood, then when you become a Buddha in the future, you will possess a lifespan that is completely free and unhindered (āyur-vaśitā), just as the Buddhas do.

Dedication of Merit and Vow (Pariṇāmanā and Praṇidhāna)

Therefore, I vow that all sentient beings, from this day forward into the future, shall never strike, kill, or harm any sentient being, and shall employ skillful means (upāya) to rescue and protect all sentient beings. I beseech the blessings (adhiṣṭhāna) of the Three Jewels to allow me to swiftly and perfectly accomplish this.

Repentance of Stealing

Today, in this Bodhimanda (Dharma center), those who wish to change their destiny must carefully reflect:
From beginningless time (anādikāla) until now, sentient beings who have committed the offense of stealing have done so due to wrong views (mithyā- dṛṣṭi).

What are wrong views?
For example, thinking: “Although this object does not belong to me, I need it, so I must take it. If only that object were mine; I will wait for an opportunity.” This is a wrong view.
Or, for instance, thinking: “I hate this person, so I will secretly take away their important possessions so they cannot find them.” This is also a wrong view. Both craving (rāga) and hatred (dveṣa) are wrong views, and it is due to these wrong views that sentient beings create the karma of stealing.
Sentient beings do not realize that the act of stealing ultimately ripens into suffering, obstacles, and disasters. Those who steal will be entangled by suffering, unable to break free. Wherever they go, suffering follows. It can be

said, “You are suffering, and suffering is you.”

Below are listed the ten kinds of suffering, obstacles, and disasters that one must inevitably endure as karmic retribution for stealing:
First, wherever one goes, one will encounter people plotting against one’s assets and wealth. One may even encounter disasters such as massive floods or severe fires, rendering one unable to protect one’s properties.

Second, one will frequently be complained about and blamed by others. Third, one will often be bullied.
Fourth, wherever one goes, one will be insulted or scolded by others. Fifth, one will constantly worry about being harmed or violated by others. Sixth, one’s bad reputation will constantly spread.

Seventh, one will fear being in the company of the masses.
Eighth, one will often lack money and material goods, suffer from poor health, experience physical and mental weakness, lack eloquence, and be deprived of peace and happiness.
Ninth, one’s habitual tendencies (vāsanā) of stealing will become increasingly heavy.
Tenth, in the future, one will inevitably fall into the miserable realms—the hells, hungry ghosts (preta), or animal realms—to suffer.
If one is reborn as a human, the environment one lives in will frequently be afflicted by various calamities such as frost, locust plagues, and famines.
The aforementioned sufferings, obstacles, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am willing to change my destiny and never steal again. I beseech the boundless, inconceivable, and majestic spiritual power (anubhāva) of the Three Jewels to bless me. May my past karmic offenses of stealing be eradicated, and may my severe, unbearable unwholesome karma be mitigated. May I always maintain a perfect, vast, and steadfast Mind of Enlightenment (Bodhicitta), and never again commit the act of stealing.

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

I pay homage and take refuge in Amitābha Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnasvabhāva Buddha (Jewel-Nature Buddha).

I pay homage and take refuge in Padmottara Buddha (Supreme Lotus Buddha). I pay homage and take refuge in Siṃhanāda Buddha (Lion’s Roar Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Vipaśyin Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnajit Buddha (Jewel-Supreme Buddha).

I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnalakṣaṇa Buddha (Jewel-Sign Buddha). I pay homage and take refuge in Kāṣāyadhvaja Buddha (Banner of the Monastic Robe Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Mahābhijñā-parvatarāja Buddha (Great Penetration Mountain King Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in the Future Honored Maitreya Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.

As recorded in the Daśabhadrakarmamārga Sūtra (The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action), if one abstains from stealing, one can achieve ten kinds of peace and happiness:
First, one’s wealth will be abundant. No one can scheme against it, nor will one suffer the loss of property due to disasters like floods or fires.

Second, wherever one goes, everyone will love and protect one. Third, one will not be bullied.
Fourth, wherever one goes, one will be praised by others.
Fifth, one will not worry about suffering any loss or harm.

Sixth, one’s good name will constantly spread.
Seventh, one will be fearless when interacting with the masses.
Eighth, one will have abundant wealth, a robust body, physical and mental peace and happiness, and possess eloquence.
Ninth, one will often have the aspiration to practice generosity (dāna).
Tenth, upon the end of this life, one will be reborn in the heavenly realms.
If you know how to practice “dedication of merit” (pariṇāmanā), transforming the aforementioned merits of not killing [stealing] into the causes and conditions for attaining Buddhahood, then when you attain Buddhahood in the future, you will possess pure, Great Bodhi Wisdom just like the Buddha.
Therefore, may all sentient beings, from this day forward until the infinite future, never steal and harm any sentient being, and always practice generosity to relieve all sentient beings. I beseech the blessings of the Three Jewels to allow me to swiftly and perfectly accomplish this.

Repentance of Wrongful Indulgence (Xieyin):

Yin (lust, indulgence, or obsession) has both a broad and a narrow sense. In the narrow sense, Yin refers exclusively to sexual matters between men and women. In the broad sense, Xieyin (wrongful indulgence/misconduct) generally refers to being so deeply immersed in any single thing that one is unable to extricate oneself; all of this is called Xieyin. Here, it refers to this broad sense of immersion and obsession.

For example, some people love to play, playing to the point where they cannot pull themselves out. This includes scrolling on smartphones, playing video games, or in the past, playing chess, playing mahjong, or gambling. Anything that one is immersed in and unable to extricate oneself from is considered Xieyin.

Sentient beings have all already fallen into a state of Yin. Engaging in false thinking (delusions or fantasies) is mental Yin (Yiyin). They indulge in delusions when they have nothing to do, and when encountering a situation, they first resort to delusions rather than looking directly at the situation itself, immediately entering a delusional state. These are all states of being trapped without being able to pull oneself out. Therefore, this point is extremely important. If you cannot precisely understand the profound meaning of this word, you will never be able to thoroughly understand what it is teaching. Although Buddhist sutras specifically discuss the karmic retributions resulting from sexual acts between men and women, they are doing so to provide a primary example. Broadly speaking, the single word Yin clearly describes the condition of all people. This is because a person always has one point, or numerous points, in which they become trapped. It is not only sexual lust that can entrap one; eating, drinking, clothing, and many other things can all become traps. They can all cause you to accomplish nothing, rendering you unable to do anything at all.

For instance, as a student, if you become fond of eating, drinking, and merrymaking, and fall into the swamp of such indulgences, unable to extricate yourself, how can you still study? As a working person, if your mind is entirely filled with eating, drinking, and playing, how can you work? In living a family life, if you only know how to pursue your own personal interests, your family life simply cannot continue. Anything that destroys the normal functioning of a normal person is caused by Xieyin.
Even though the Buddha Dharma is orthodox (Right), if you become completely absorbed in it to the point of being unable to extricate yourself, it is still a downfall. Therefore, the Avatamsaka Sutra explains what is called the

Buddha’s empowerment (adhiṣṭhāna) versus Mara’s empowerment, and what constitutes the Buddha’s work (Buddha-karma) versus Mara’s work (Mara- karma). Even if you rely on the Buddha Dharma, if you become trapped in it and unable to free yourself, it is still Yin. Even if it is a “Right Yin,” it remains Yin. Yin means being trapped in something and unable to extricate oneself, and this state is equally negated by the Buddha.

For example, it is often said that when you take a boat to reach the Other Shore (Paramita), the boat represents the Buddha Dharma. Upon arriving, if you never disembark onto the shore, you will never truly reach the Other Shore. Therefore, this is a fundamental issue, and it is also an issue of attachment (upādāna). If you are unwilling to let go, you cannot move forward.

Today, in this Bodhimanda (place of practice), those who wish to change their destiny must contemplate carefully:
From beginningless time until now, sentient beings who have committed wrongful indulgence (Xieyin) were all led to do so by the aforementioned erroneous views (Mithyā-dṛṣṭi). It is due to these erroneous views that sentient beings create the karma of wrongful indulgence.

Sentient beings do not realize that this matter of wrongful indulgence ultimately manifests as suffering (Duḥkha), obstructions (Āvaraṇa), and disasters. Those who engage in wrongful indulgence will be entangled by suffering, finding it impossible to break free even if they wish to. Wherever they go, suffering follows them. It can truly be said, “You are the suffering, and the suffering is you.”

Below are listed four types of suffering (duḥkha), obstructions (āvaraṇa), and disasters that one will inevitably endure as a result of wrongful indulgence (Xieyin):
First, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind do not obey you; you are unable to control your six sense faculties (ṣaḍ-indriya), and various desires (tṛṣṇā/ craving) become extremely intense.

Second, your family members and dependents (parivāra) are inharmonious with one another and frequently go against your wishes.
Third, your bad reputation spreads far and wide, and you are constantly insulted and reprimanded by the public.

Fourth, your family members are frequently bullied and violated by others.
In the future, one will inevitably fall into the realms of hells (naraka), hungry ghosts (preta), and animals (tiryagyoni) to endure suffering.
If reborn as a human, the environment one inhabits will frequently be beset by severe weather disasters, such as fierce winds, torrential rains, and dust storms. The aforementioned sufferings, obstructions, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am willing to change my destiny and vow to never engage in wrongful indulgence again. I beseech the boundless, infinite, and inconceivable majestic spiritual power of the Three Jewels (Triratna) to empower and bless (adhiṣṭhāna)

me. May the sinful karma (pāpa-karman) of wrongful indulgence I have created in the past be eradicated, and may the severe, unbearable evil karma be mitigated. May I constantly maintain a perfect, vast, and steadfast mind of awakening (Bodhicitta), and never again commit wrongful indulgence.

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

It is recorded in the Sutra on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (Daśabhadrakarmamārga Sūtra) that if one refrains from wrongful indulgence (sexual misconduct / kāmamithyācāra), one can accomplish four kinds of peace and bliss:

First, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind (the six sense faculties / ṣaḍindriya) will all obey one’s own command.
Second, one will forever be free from states of clamorous agitation and mental scattering (auddhatya).Third, one will constantly be praised and commended by others in the world. Fourth, one’s own family and dependents (parivāra) will not be subjected to infringement or harm.
If you know how to “dedicate” (pariṇāmanā), transforming the aforementioned merits (puṇya) of refraining from wrongful indulgence into the causes and conditions for attaining Buddhahood, when you attain Buddhahood in the future, you will possess the mark of a great man whose male organ is concealed within the body (kośagatavastiguhya), exactly like the Buddha.

Therefore, I vow that all sentient beings, from this day forward and into the future, will not engage in wrongful indulgence and thereby harm any sentient being. I will personally keep away from wrongful indulgence, and I will also enable all sentient beings to possess Right View (samyagdṛṣṭi) and Right Action (samyakkarmānta). I beseech the empowerment and blessing (adhiṣṭhāna) of the Three Jewels (Triratna), so that I may swiftly and perfectly achieve this accomplishment.

Repentance of False Speech (Mṛṣāvāda)

Today, in this Bodhimanda (place of practice), those who wish to change their destiny must contemplate carefully:
From beginningless time until now, sentient beings who have committed false speech (mṛṣāvāda) were all led to do so by erroneous views (mithyā-dṛṣṭi). What are erroneous views?

For example, thinking, “In order to greedily pursue fame, reputation, and material gain (lābha-satkāra), I will speak some falsehoods.” This is an erroneous view.
For another example, thinking, “This person is too terrifying and always brings suffering to others, so I will use false speech to make him sound even more terrifying.”

Both greedy attachment (rāga / tṛṣṇā) and hatred (dveṣa) are erroneous views. It is due to these erroneous views that sentient beings create the karma of killing (prāṇātipāta).
Sentient beings do not realize that this act of killing ultimately manifests as suffering (duḥkha), obstructions (āvaraṇa), and disasters. Those who engage in killing will be entangled by suffering, finding it impossible to break free even if they wish to. Wherever they go, suffering follows them. It can truly be said, “You are the suffering, and the suffering is you.”

Here is a list of the eight kinds of suffering (duḥkha), obstacles (āvaraṇa), and disasters inevitably endured as a result of false speech (mṛṣā-vāda):
First, a foul odor constantly emanates from the mouth, causing others to feel disgust.

Second, sentient beings (sattva) in the world neither trust nor respect you.

Third, no one listens to your words, and people will even distance themselves from you.
Fourth, the habitual tendencies (vāsanā) of false speech become increasingly severe, and the scope of your deception grows ever wider.

Fifth, deluded thoughts (vikalpa) multiply, the physical body feels heavy and sluggish, speech becomes increasingly unclear, and mental processing becomes exceedingly difficult.
Sixth, everything you say is erroneous and faulty, leading to constant inner distress and affliction (kleśa).

Seventh, if you stand as a witness for others, no one will believe your testimony. Eighth, you become increasingly ignorant (moha) and are frequently bullied and mistreated by others.

Furthermore, one will invariably endure torment in the three evil destinies: the realms of hells (naraka), hungry ghosts (preta), and animals (tiryagyoni). Even if reborn as a human, one will live in a wretched environment permeated with foul odors everywhere.

The aforementioned sufferings, obstacles, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am determined to change my destiny and never again commit the karma of false speech (mṛṣā-vāda-karma). I pray for the boundless, infinite, and inconceivable majestic spiritual power (anubhāva) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) to bless (adhiṣṭhāna) me. May the sinful karma (pāpa-karma) of false speech I committed in the past be eradicated, and may the severe, unbearable unwholesome karma (akuśala-karma) be alleviated. May I always maintain a perfect, vast, and resolute mind of awakening (bodhicitta), and never again create the karma of false speech.

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

I pay homage and take refuge in Vipaśyin Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnajit Buddha (Jewel-Supreme Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnalakṣaṇa Buddha (Jewel-Sign Buddha). I pay homage and take refuge in Kāṣāyadhvaja Buddha (Banner of the Monastic Robe Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Mahābhijñā-parvatarāja Buddha (Great Penetration Mountain King Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in the Future Honored Maitreya Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.

As recorded in the Daśakuśalakarmapatha Sūtra (The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action), if one abandons false speech (mṛṣā-vāda-virati), one can accomplish eight kinds of peace and happiness (sukha):
First, the mouth is entirely pure (pariśuddha) and emits the fragrance of the utpala (blue water-lily) flower.

Second, all sentient beings (sattva) in the world trust and revere you.
Third, whenever you speak, everyone naturally believes your words (ādeya- vacana).
Fourth, everything you say consists of loving and protective words, and you are exceptionally skillful in comforting sentient beings.
Fifth, you experience supremely excellent peace and happiness, and your three karmas of body, speech, and mind (kāya-vāk-citta) are thoroughly pure.
Sixth, you make no errors in your speech, your words are free from faults (doṣa), and your mind is constantly filled with joy (prāmodya).
Seventh, whenever you speak, everyone respectfully complies with and executes your instructions.
Eighth, you possess supreme wisdom (prajñā), and no one can subjugate or defeat you.

If you are able to perform the “dedication of merit” (pariṇāmanā), transforming the aforementioned merits (puṇya) of refraining from false speech into the causal conditions (hetu-pratyaya) for attaining Buddhahood (samyak- saṃbodhi), then in the future when you become a Buddha, you will accomplish the perfectly truthful speech (satya-vacana) of a Tathāgata.

Therefore, I vow that all sentient beings, from this day forward and into the endless future, will never commit the karma of false speech to harm others, but will instead face all sentient beings with truthful words. I earnestly pray for the blessings (adhiṣṭhāna) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) so that I may swiftly and perfectly accomplish this vow.

Repentance of Divisive Speech (Paiśunya)

Today, in this place of practice (bodhimaṇḍa), those who wish to change their destiny should contemplate carefully:
From beginningless time (anādikāla) up to the present, sentient beings (sattva) who have committed the offense of divisive speech (paiśunya) have done so entirely due to erroneous views (mithyā-dṛṣṭi).

What are erroneous views?
For instance, thinking, “In order to attain fame and material gain (lābha-satkāra), I will speak of others’ faults to sow discord and sever their relationships.” This is an erroneous view.
Another example: “This person is truly dreadful to have around and constantly brings suffering to others. I will speak of his various faults so that everyone will distance themselves from him.”
Both craving (rāga) and hatred (dveṣa) are erroneous views. It is because of these erroneous views that sentient beings commit the karma of divisive speech.

Sentient beings do not realize that the act of divisive speech ultimately manifests as suffering (duḥkha), obstacles (āvaraṇa), and disasters. A person who engages in divisive speech will be endlessly entangled in suffering, making escape impossible; wherever they go, suffering follows. It can be said, “You are suffering, and suffering is you.”

Here is a list of the five kinds of suffering, obstacles, and disasters inevitably endured as a result of divisive speech:
First, the physical body is constantly beset by ailments—either contracting diseases or suffering injuries.

Second, one’s relationships with their retinue (parivāra)—such as family members, relatives, friends, students, and subordinates—are frequently ruined by others, causing them to distance themselves from you.
Third, one constantly lacks confidence, or even if a little faith (śraddhā) arises, it disappears very quickly.

Fourth, one’s personal belongings and possessions are easily damaged or ruined.
Fifth, all good deeds and auspicious endeavors are extremely difficult to accomplish.

Even if reborn as a human, one will live in a wretched environment where the ground is uneven, filled with steep cliffs, precipices, valleys, and ravines. The trees will be bare, and the vegetation will constantly be damaged, ruined, and withered.

The aforementioned sufferings, obstacles, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am determined to change my destiny and never again commit the karma of divisive speech (paiśunya-akuśala-karma). I pray for the boundless, infinite, and inconceivable majestic spiritual power (anubhāva) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) to bless (adhiṣṭhāna) me. May the sinful karma of killing (prāṇātipāta- pāpa-karma) I committed in the past be eradicated, and may the severe, unbearable unwholesome karma (akuśala-karma) be alleviated. May I always maintain a perfect, vast, and resolute mind of awakening (bodhicitta), and never again commit the evil karma of divisive speech (paiśunya-akuśala-karma).

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

As recorded in the Daśakuśalakarmapatha Sūtra (The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action), if one abandons divisive speech (paiśunya-virati), one can accomplish five kinds of indestructible peace and happiness (abhedya-dharma):
First, an indestructible body (abhedya-kāya) that is perfectly healthy and free from harm.
Second, the relationship with one’s retinue (parivāra) is exceptionally resolute, and no one can alienate or sow discord among you.
Third, one possesses absolute faith and confidence (śraddhā), which will never disappear or be destroyed.
Fourth, all the spiritual practices (bhāvanā) one cultivates are extremely firm and resolute, and will never be abandoned halfway.
Fifth, the spiritual guides one encounters are all virtuous friends (kalyāṇa-mitra) who will never deceive you.

If you are able to perform the “dedication of merit” (pariṇāmanā), transforming the aforementioned merits (puṇya) of refraining from divisive speech into the causal conditions (hetu-pratyaya) for attaining Buddhahood (samyak- saṃbodhi), then in the future when you become a Buddha, you will accomplish a retinue of the true Dharma (saddharma-parivāra) just like the Buddha, which cannot be destroyed by demons (māra) or followers of outer paths (tīrthika).

Therefore, I vow that all sentient beings, from this day forward and into the endless future, will never commit the karma of divisive speech to harm others, but will instead face all sentient beings with gentle and accommodating words. I earnestly pray for the blessings (adhiṣṭhāna) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) so that I may swiftly and perfectly accomplish this vow.

Repentance of Harsh Speech (Pāruṣya)

What are erroneous views?
For instance, thinking, “In order to maintain my craving (rāga), I will use harsh speech (pāruṣya).” This is an erroneous view.
Another example: “This person is truly dreadful to have around and constantly brings suffering (duḥkha) to others. I will direct harsh speech at him.”
Both craving (rāga) and hatred (dveṣa) are erroneous views. It is because of these erroneous views that sentient beings commit the karma of harsh speech

(pāruṣya-karma).

Sentient beings do not realize that the act of harsh speech ultimately manifests as suffering (duḥkha), obstacles (āvaraṇa), and disasters. A person who engages in harsh speech will be endlessly entangled in suffering, making escape impossible; wherever they go, suffering follows. It can be said, “You are suffering, and suffering is you.”

Here is a list of the eight kinds of suffering, obstacles, and disasters inevitably endured as a result of harsh speech:
First, one’s speech is irregular and undisciplined; one constantly misspeaks or speaks inappropriately for their status and the occasion.

Second, what one says brings no benefit (ahita) to either oneself or others. Third, one’s words are unreasonable and entirely groundless.
Fourth, the words and phrasing used are ugly and offensive.
Fifth, no one accepts or embraces what one says.

Sixth, one’s words are neither believed (aśraddadhāna) nor adopted by anyone. Seventh, the moment one speaks, they are met with ridicule and mockery from others.
Eighth, whenever one opens their mouth to speak, it is filled with either annoyance or hatred (krodha and dveṣa).

Even if reborn as a human, one will live in a wretched environment where the land is filled with rough and coarse objects like rocks, rubble, and sand, and the items one uses will also be of coarse quality. This is not to mention that in the future, one will constantly endure suffering in the realms of hells (naraka), hungry ghosts (preta), and animals (tiryagyoni).

The aforementioned sufferings, obstacles, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am determined to change my destiny and never again commit the karma of harsh speech. I pray for the boundless, infinite, and inconceivable majestic spiritual power (anubhāva) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) to bless (adhiṣṭhāna) me. May the sinful karma of harsh speech (pāruṣya-pāpa-karma) I committed in the past be eradicated, and may the severe, unbearable unwholesome karma (akuśala-karma) be alleviated. May I always maintain a perfect, vast, and resolute mind of awakening (bodhicitta), and never again commit the karma of harsh speech.

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

As recorded in the Daśakuśalakarmapatha Sūtra (The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action), if one abandons harsh speech (pāruṣya-virati), one can accomplish eight kinds of peace and happiness (sukha) [or eight pure actions]:

First, one’s speech will not deviate from proper rules and discipline (aviskhalita- vacana).
Second, everything one says brings benefit (hita) to both oneself and others. Third, one’s words are profoundly reasonable and well-founded (yukta). Fourth, the words and phrasing are exceedingly beautiful and elegant (mañju- ghoṣa).

Fifth, one’s words are readily accepted and embraced by others (anujñāta). Sixth, everything one says is trustworthy and credible (śraddheya-vacana). Seventh, whenever one opens their mouth to speak, they are free from ridicule and mockery.

Eighth, one’s spoken words bring joy, affection, and peace (prāmodya) to all who hear them.

If you are able to perform the “dedication of merit” (pariṇāmanā), transforming the aforementioned merits (puṇya) of refraining from harsh speech into the causal conditions (hetu-pratyaya) for attaining Buddhahood (samyak- saṃbodhi), then in the future when you become a Buddha, you will possess the

perfect, pure Brahma-voice (brahma-svara) just like a Buddha.

Therefore, I vow that all sentient beings, from this day forward and into the endless future, will never commit the karma of harsh speech to harm others, but will instead face all sentient beings with gentle and soft words. I earnestly pray for the blessings (adhiṣṭhāna) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) so that I may swiftly and perfectly accomplish this vow.

Repentance of Frivolous Speech / Idle Chatter (Saṃ bhinna-pralāpa)

Today, in this place of practice (bodhimaṇḍa), those who wish to change their destiny should contemplate carefully:
From beginningless time (anādikāla) up to the present, sentient beings (sattva) who have committed the offense of frivolous speech (saṃbhinna-pralāpa) have done so entirely due to erroneous views (mithyā-dṛṣṭi).

What are erroneous views?
For instance, thinking, “In order to covet fame and material gain (lābha-satkāra), I will just engage in some frivolous speech.” This is an erroneous view. Another example: “This person is truly disgusting and completely lacks seriousness; I will just use frivolous speech with him.”
Both craving (rāga) and hatred (dveṣa) are erroneous views. It is because of these erroneous views that sentient beings commit the karma of frivolous speech (saṃbhinna-pralāpa-karma).

Sentient beings do not realize that the act of frivolous speech ultimately manifests as suffering (duḥkha), obstacles (āvaraṇa), and disasters. A person who engages in frivolous speech will be endlessly entangled in suffering, making escape impossible; wherever they go, suffering follows. It can be said, “You are suffering, and suffering is you.”

Here is a list of the three kinds of suffering, obstacles, and disasters inevitably endured as a result of frivolous speech:
First, the wise (prājña) distance themselves from you, while the foolish and ignorant (bāla) approach you.

Second, whenever you speak, it is a bunch of nonsense, entirely devoid of meaning or value.
Third, your entire life is spent in vain and falsehood; you receive no respect and

possess no influence or power (aprabhāva / anaiśvarya).

The aforementioned sufferings, obstacles, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am determined to change my destiny and never again commit the karma of frivolous speech. I pray for the boundless, infinite, and inconceivable majestic spiritual power (anubhāva) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) to bless (adhiṣṭhāna) me. May the sinful karma of frivolous speech (saṃbhinna-pralāpa-pāpa-karma) I committed in the past be eradicated, and may the severe, unbearable unwholesome karma (akuśala-karma) be alleviated. May I always maintain a perfect, vast, and resolute mind of awakening (bodhicitta), and never again commit the evil karma of frivolous speech.

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

I pay homage and take refuge in Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. I pay homage and take refuge in Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.

As recorded in the Daśakuśalakarmapatha Sūtra (The Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action), if one abandons frivolous speech (saṃbhinna- pralāpa-virati), one can accomplish three kinds of peace and happiness (sukha): First, the wise (prājña) will all cherish, protect, and remain close to you. Second, you will invariably answer all questions truthfully and in accordance with reality (yathā-bhūtam), relying upon wisdom (prajñā).

Third, you will possess great majestic virtue and power (tejas and prabhāva), and no effort you make will ever be in vain.

If you are able to perform the “dedication of merit” (pariṇāmanā), transforming the aforementioned merits (puṇya) of refraining from frivolous speech into the causal conditions (hetu-pratyaya) for attaining Buddhahood (samyak- saṃbodhi), then in the future when you become a Buddha, you will receive the prediction of enlightenment (vyākaraṇa) from all Buddhas (sarva-buddha).

Therefore, I vow that all sentient beings, from this day forward and into the endless future, will never commit the karma of frivolous speech to harm others, but will instead face all sentient beings with beneficial words (hita-vacana). I earnestly pray for the blessings (adhiṣṭhāna) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) so that I may swiftly and perfectly accomplish this vow.

Repentance of Greed

(Sanskrit: Lobha-deśanā)

Today, in this Dharma assembly (Bodhi-maṇḍa), those who wish to change their destiny should carefully contemplate:

From beginningless time (anādi-kāla) until the present, sentient beings (sattvas) who have committed the offense of greed (rāga / lobha) have done so entirely due to wrong views (mithyā-dṛṣṭi).

What are wrong views?
For example, thinking, “Fame and material gain (yaśa-lābha) are good, so I shall covet more of them.” This is a wrong view.
Another example is thinking, “This person is extremely hateful and is always scheming against others; I shall seize more for myself so that he does not take it all.”
Both greedy attachment (rāga) and hatred (dveṣa / pratigha) are wrong views.

It is because of these wrong views that sentient beings create the karma of greed (lobha-karma).

Sentient beings do not know that excessive greed ultimately manifests as suffering (duḥkha), obstacles (āvaraṇa), and disasters. Those who are overly greedy will be entangled by suffering, making it impossible to break free. Wherever they go, suffering follows. It can be said, “You are suffering itself, and suffering is you.”

Below are listed five kinds of suffering, obstacles, and disasters that one will inevitably endure due to greed:
First, the six sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind / ṣaḍ- āyatana) will be unhealthy, and the actions of body, speech, and mind (tri-dvāra) will become increasingly sluggish and heavy.

Second, one will constantly encounter enemies and thieves (vairi and caura) who scheme to seize one’s wealth and property.
Third, the six sense organs will be defective or incomplete, and one will possess little to no merit and virtue (puṇya).

Fourth, one will always remain in a lowly position in their livelihood, receiving no offerings (pūjā) or relief from others.
Fifth, due to excessive greed combined with stinginess (mātsarya), the wealth and property one seeks will decrease exponentially.

One will perpetually endure suffering in the realms of hell-beings (nāraka), hungry ghosts (preta), and animals (tiryagyoni). Even when born as a human, one will live in a very poor environment. The crops they plant will be frail and weak, yielding meager fruits and very low harvests, or even no fruit at all.

The above sufferings, obstacles, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am willing to change my destiny and no longer create the karma of greed. I beseech the immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable majestic spiritual power (prabhāva) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) to bless and empower (adhiṣṭhāna) me. May the karmic offenses of greed I have created in the past be eradicated, and may the severe, unbearable evil karma be mitigated. May I constantly maintain a perfect, vast, and resolute Bodhi-mind (Bodhicitta), and never again create the karma of greed.

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

I pay homage and take refuge in all Sanghas in the ten directions throughout

the entirety of space.
I pay homage and take refuge in our Original Teacher, Śākyamuni Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Bhaiṣajyaguru Vaiḍūryaprabhā Buddha (Medicine Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Amitābha Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnasvabhāva Buddha (Jewel-Nature Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Padmottara Buddha (Supreme Lotus Buddha). I pay homage and take refuge in Siṃhanāda Buddha (Lion’s Roar Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Vipaśyin Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnajit Buddha (Jewel-Supreme Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Ratnalakṣaṇa Buddha (Jewel-Sign Buddha). I pay homage and take refuge in Kāṣāyadhvaja Buddha (Banner of the Monastic Robe Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Mahābhijñā-parvatarāja Buddha (Great Penetration Mountain King Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in the Future Honored Maitreya Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.

According to the Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (Daśa- kuśala-karma-patha Sūtra), if one abandons greed (abhidhyā / lobha), one can accomplish five kinds of peace, joy, and mastery (vaśitā):
First, the faculties of body, speech, and mind (tri-karmāṇi) will be perfectly sound, and one can freely and masterfully utilize the six sense organs (ṣaḍ- indriyāṇi).

Second, one will attain mastery over wealth and property, and they will never be snatched away or plundered by others.
Third, one will attain mastery over merit and virtue (puṇya); whatever one desires will be readily provided.

Fourth, if one ascends to the position of a king, people will offer you all manner of rare, precious, and exquisite items.
Fifth, whatever one wishes for, the things actually obtained will be many times superior to what was originally sought.

If you know how to make a “dedication of merit” (pariṇāmanā)—transforming the aforementioned merits of non-greed into the causes and conditions (hetu- pratyaya) for attaining Buddhahood (Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi)—then in the future, when you achieve Buddhahood, you will be profoundly respected and provided with offerings (pūjā) by all sentient beings across the Three Realms (Traidhātuka), just as a Buddha is revered.

Therefore, may all sentient beings (sarva-sattva), from this day forward and into the endless future, never create the karma of greed to harm any living being, but instead practice generosity (dāna) and provide relief to all beings. I earnestly beseech the Three Jewels (Triratna) for their blessing and empowerment (adhiṣṭhāna), so that I may swiftly and perfectly accomplish this vow.

Repentance of Hatred

(Sanskrit: Dveṣa-deśanā)

Today, in this Dharma assembly (Bodhi-maṇḍa), those who wish to change their destiny should carefully contemplate:

From beginningless time (anādi-kāla) until the present, sentient beings (sattvas) who have committed the offense of hatred and anger (dveṣa / vyāpāda) have done so entirely due to wrong views (mithyā-dṛṣṭi).

What are wrong views?
For example, thinking, “In order to seize more fame and material gain (yaśa- lābha), I shall use hatred and anger to obtain them.” This is a wrong view. Another example is thinking, “These people are too hateful; they always thwart my wishes and prevent things from going my way, so I must treat them with hatred and anger.”
Both greedy attachment (rāga) and hatred (dveṣa) are wrong views. It is because of these wrong views that sentient beings create the karma of hatred (dveṣa-karma).

Sentient beings do not know that the act of hatred ultimately manifests as suffering (duḥkha), obstacles (āvaraṇa), and disasters. Those who harbor hatred will be entangled by suffering, making it impossible to break free. Wherever they go, suffering follows. It can be said, “You are suffering itself, and suffering is you.” A multitude of unfortunate and painful events will arrive one after another, while all good things will depart and stay far away.

Below are listed the five [eight] kinds of suffering, obstacles, and disasters that one will inevitably endure due to hatred:
First, the mind of harming others (vihiṃsā-citta) becomes increasingly severe, and the agonizing suffering one personally experiences also multiplies. Second, the mind of hatred and anger (dveṣa-citta) toward others becomes increasingly severe.

Third, the mind that constantly seeks to argue and fight with others (raṇa-citta)

becomes increasingly severe.
Fourth,* the inner mind becomes increasingly rigid and obstinate (karkaśa), making it difficult to be taught or transformed.
Fifth, one constantly inflicts suffering upon others (lacking loving-kindness / maitrī).
Sixth, one’s presence frequently brings unease and distress to others. Seventh, one’s physical stature and appearance become very ugly and repulsive (vairūpya).
Eighth, one will perpetually endure suffering in the realms of hell-beings (nāraka), hungry ghosts (preta), and animals (tiryagyoni).

Even when born as a human, one will live in a very poor environment. All the crops and fruits of the earth will be bitter and astringent (kaṭuka), and one will constantly experience suffering.

The above sufferings, obstacles, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am willing to change my destiny and no longer create the karma of hatred. I beseech the immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable majestic spiritual power (prabhāva) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) to bless and empower (adhiṣṭhāna) me. May the karmic offenses of hatred I have created in the past be eradicated, and may the severe, unbearable evil karma be mitigated. May I constantly maintain a perfect, vast, and resolute Bodhi-mind (Bodhicitta), and never again create the karma of hatred.

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

Monastic Robe Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in Mahābhijñā-parvatarāja Buddha (Great Penetration Mountain King Buddha).
I pay homage and take refuge in the Future Honored Maitreya Buddha.
I pay homage and take refuge in Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.

According to the Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (Daśa- kuśala-karma-patha Sūtra), if one abandons hatred and anger (vyāpāda / dveṣa), one can accomplish eight kinds of peace and joy:
First, one will have no mind of harming or harboring grievances against others (avyāpāda-citta / ahiṃsā).

Second, one will have no mind of hatred or anger toward others (adveṣa-citta). Third, one will have no mind of arguing, fighting, or engaging in litigation and disputes (araṇa-citta).
Fourth, one’s mind will be gentle and compliant (mṛdu-citta), completely free from deceit and crookedness (ajihma-citta).

Fifth, one will attain a mind of loving-kindness identical to that of a Noble One (ārya-maitrī).
Sixth, one will constantly harbor the intention to benefit sentient beings and bring them peace and joy (hitasukha-āśaya).

Seventh, one’s physical stature and appearance will be extremely dignified and beautiful (abhirūpa).
Eighth, having a precise understanding of the harms of hatred, one will not create the karma of anger, and will swiftly be reborn in the Brahma Heavens (Brahmaloka).

If you know how to make a “dedication of merit” (pariṇāmanā)—transforming the aforementioned merits of non-anger into the causes and conditions (hetu- pratyaya) for attaining Buddhahood—then in the future, when you achieve Buddhahood, you will obtain the unobstructed mind (apratihata-citta) of a Buddha. Sentient beings will always long to see you, and they will never grow weary of looking at you (atṛpta-darśana).

Therefore, may all sentient beings (sarva-sattva), from this day forward and into the endless future, never create the karma of hatred to harm any living being, but instead use a mind of loving-kindness and compassion (maitrī-karuṇā-citta) to rescue and protect all beings. I earnestly beseech the Three Jewels (Triratna) for their blessing and empowerment (adhiṣṭhāna), so that I may swiftly and perfectly accomplish this vow.

Repentance of Ignorance

(Sanskrit: Moha-deśanā / Avidyā-deśanā)

Today, in this Dharma assembly (Bodhi-maṇḍa), those who wish to change their destiny should carefully contemplate:

From beginningless time (anādi-kāla) until the present, sentient beings (sattvas) who have committed the offense of ignorance and delusion (moha / avidyā) have done so entirely due to wrong views (mithyā-dṛṣṭi).

What are wrong views?
For example, thinking, “For the sake of greedy attachment (rāga), I do not know what the consequences will be, nor do I care what the consequences will be; as long as I like it, I will covet it.” This is a wrong view.
Another example is thinking, “These people are too hateful; they always thwart my wishes and prevent things from going my way, so I must harbor hatred and anger (dveṣa). I do not know what the consequences will be, nor do I care what the consequences will be; I just want to hate.”
Both greedy attachment and hatred are wrong views. It is because of these wrong views that sentient beings create the karma of ignorance (moha-karma).

Sentient beings do not know that the act of ignorance ultimately manifests as suffering (duḥkha), obstacles (āvaraṇa), and disasters. Those who are ignorant and deluded will be entangled by suffering, making it impossible to break free. Wherever they go, suffering follows. It can be said, “You are suffering itself, and suffering is you.”

Below are listed ten kinds of suffering, obstacles, and disasters that one will inevitably endure due to ignorance and delusion:
First, oneself and one’s retinue (parivāra) will constantly seek out ugly and evil deeds (pāpa / akuśala) to perform.

Second, one will not believe in the law of cause and effect (karma-hetu-phala). Third, one will constantly remain in a state of delusion (bhrānti), unable to attain awakening (bodhi).
Fourth, one will suffer from anxiety over imaginary gains and losses, completely lacking understanding of anything (lacking wisdom / aprajñā).

Fifth, one will perpetually endure suffering in the realms of hell-beings (nāraka), hungry ghosts (preta), and animals (tiryagyoni).
Sixth, one will lack merit (puṇya) and wisdom (prajñā), deteriorating more and more.

Seventh, foolish and scattered thoughts (vikṣepa / prapañca) will become increasingly severe.

Eighth, one will firmly hold the view that this physical body is the true self and will not change (clinging to a permanent self / satkāya-dṛṣṭi / ātma-dṛṣṭi). Ninth, one will face heavy obstacles, unable to generate right views (samyag- dṛṣṭi).

Tenth, one will constantly encounter various forms of suffering and adversity, unable to extricate oneself.

Even when born as a human, one will live in a very poor environment. All the fruits of the earth will be shriveled and dry, and the harvests will be very meager.

The above sufferings, obstacles, and disasters are truly terrifying. I am willing to change my destiny and no longer create the karma of ignorance. I beseech the immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable majestic spiritual power (prabhāva) of the Three Jewels (Triratna) to bless and empower (adhiṣṭhāna) me. May the karmic offenses of ignorance I have created in the past be eradicated, and may the severe, unbearable evil karma be mitigated. May I constantly maintain a perfect, vast, and resolute Bodhi-mind (Bodhicitta), and never again create the karma of ignorance.

Homage and Refuge (Vandanā and Śaraṇagamana)

I pay homage and take refuge in Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. I pay homage and take refuge in Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.
I pay homage and take refuge in Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.

According to the Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (Daśa- kuśala-karma-patha Sūtra), if one abandons wrong views and ignorance (mithyā-dṛṣṭi / moha), one can accomplish ten kinds of peace and joy:
First, one will attain truly wholesome intentions and joys (sad-āśaya), and acquire truly virtuous companions (kalyāṇa-mitra).

Second, one will have absolute faith in the law of cause and effect (karma-hetu- phala); even at the cost of one’s life, one will never commit evil deeds (akuśala- karma).
Third, one will take refuge (śaraṇa) solely in the Buddha.

Fourth, one will fully possess right views (samyag-dṛṣṭi) and stay far removed from all nets of doubt (vicikitsā).
Fifth, one will not fall into the evil destinies (durgati / apāya).
Sixth, one’s merit (puṇya) and wisdom (prajñā) will continuously grow and become ever more supreme.

Seventh, one will permanently leave heterodox paths (mithyā-mārga) and constantly tread the path of the Noble Ones (ārya-mārga).
Eighth, one will not hold the view that this physical body is the true self (abandoning the view of a permanent self / satkāya-dṛṣṭi), thereby staying far away from all evil karma.

Ninth, one will constantly abide in unobstructed right views (apratihata-dṛṣṭi). Tenth, one will not encounter various disasters and adversities (akṣaṇa).

If you know how to make a “dedication of merit” (pariṇāmanā)—transforming the aforementioned merits of abandoning ignorance into the causes and conditions (hetu-pratyaya) for attaining Buddhahood—then in the future, when you achieve Buddhahood, you will attain mastery and spiritual powers (vaśitā- abhijñā) just like a Buddha.

Therefore, may all sentient beings (sarva-sattva), from this day forward and into the endless future, never create the karma of ignorance to harm any living being, but instead use right knowledge and right view (samyag-jñāna-darśana) to rescue and protect all beings. I earnestly beseech the Three Jewels (Triratna) for their blessing and empowerment (adhiṣṭhāna), so that I may swiftly and perfectly accomplish this vow.

Conclusion

Major false speech (mahā-mṛṣāvāda) will sever all of your wholesome roots

(kuśala-mūla), and you will inevitably fall into the lower realms (durgati). This is because the true Buddha Dharma entirely begins with the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (daśa-kuśala-karma); similar statements are recorded in the Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (Daśa-kuśala-karma-patha Sūtra).

If you thoroughly penetrate and master even a single one of these wholesome paths, you will absolutely understand all the others, and it will be impossible for you to commit those offenses ever again. Why? Because the underlying root of all offenses is fundamental ignorance (avidyā), delusion (moha), and wrong views (mithyā-dṛṣṭi). Once you have completely uprooted this source, how could you possibly create any other evil karmas (akuśala-karma)? It simply cannot be done.

All of the Ten Unwholesome Ways of Action (daśa-akuśala-karma) manifest and develop in reliance upon delusion, wrong views, and ignorance. If you no longer possess this unwholesome root, how could the trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits of evil karma ever grow?

Question:
Bodhisattvas (Bodhisattva) possess ignorance (avidyā), and sentient beings (sattvas) are also said to possess ignorance. What is the difference between these two types of ignorance?
Answer:
A Bodhisattva’s ignorance refers to not knowing exactly how a specific merit and virtue (guṇa) of a Buddha originates.
For example, consider the pure Brahma-voice (brahma-svara) at the level of a Buddha. Even a Bodhisattva of Equal Awakening (a highest-level Bodhisattva adjacent to Buddhahood) cannot achieve that exact level of voice; the quality is inherently different. Wishing to break through that limitation but not knowing how to do so—that constitutes ignorance. This “knowing” or “illumination” (vidyā) is not merely intellectual understanding; one must actualize it and fully possess it.
The ignorance of ordinary sentient beings is not solely a lack of knowledge; it is also accompanied by wrong views (mithyā-dṛṣṭi). A Bodhisattva’s ignorance, on the other hand, is purely a lack of ultimate knowing, completely devoid of any wrong views.
Why can both states be called “ignorance”?
Because whenever one does not know the exact true origin of a specific matter, how it will develop when it encounters various conditions (pratyaya), and what the final outcome will be [that is ignorance]. To be able to know all of these factors with absolute precision is called “illumination” (vidyā); to be unable to know them precisely is called “ignorance” (avidyā).

Genuineness and Earnest Aspiration

Regarding the two points of “genuineness” (*satya*) and “earnest aspiration”

(*chanda* / *prārthanā*), you are currently unable to achieve them. You merely have some wholesome karmic connections (*kuśala-pratyaya*) with the Buddha Dharma (*Buddha-dharma*); you are willing to listen a little and willing to understand it, but that is all. It is neither genuine nor an earnest aspiration. For example, when you seek food, drink, play, and worldly pleasures (*kāma- sukha*), that is genuine, and that is an earnest aspiration, because you are willing to pursue them at all costs. Yet, towards the Buddha Dharma, you fall far short of this level. Why?

It comes down to the fundamental issue: because you lack the cause (*hetu*) of genuine aspiration and the condition (*pratyaya*) of genuine aspiration toward the Buddha Dharma, naturally, you cannot manifest the result (*phala*) of genuine aspiration.

If you truly recognize the supreme excellence (*viśiṣṭa*) of the Buddha Dharma, and if you truly recognize the perils and faults (*ādīnava*) of delusion (*moha*), wrong views (*mithyā-dṛṣṭi*), and fundamental ignorance (*avidyā*), you will inevitably cultivate this cause of genuine aspiration and this condition of genuine aspiration. Once you possess these causes and conditions (*hetu- pratyaya*), you do not even need to worry about the resulting fruit. However, if you only demand the result without considering the issue of causes and conditions, it will be forever impossible to obtain it.

How to Establish Causes and Conditions (*Hetu-pratyaya*)?

Making dedications and vows (*pariṇāmanā-praṇidhāna*) is the cause (*hetu*). The chapter on the Ten Dedications (*Daśa-pariṇāmanā*) in the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* (*Buddhāvataṃsaka-mahāvaipulya-sūtra*) states that all Buddhas relied on the Ten Dedications, and all the practices of Bodhisattvas (*Bodhisattva- caryā*) rely on the vows of the Ten Dedications. All Buddha-fruits (*Buddha- phala*) come about in this way, and all Bodhisattva actions come about in this way. This is the cause.

Furthermore, there is the condition (*pratyaya*). Respecting, serving, and making offerings (*satkāra-upasthāna-pūjā*) constitute the condition. Records in all Buddhist sutras (*sūtras*) show that Bodhisattvas continuously engage in these deeds. Even if you are reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss (*Sukhāvatī*), the very first thing you do when you wake up every morning is cultivate conditions. The *Amitābha Sūtra* (*Sukhāvatī-vyūha Sūtra*) explains this clearly: every day, they travel to the worlds of the ten directions (*daśa-diś*) to respect, serve, and make offerings to the Buddhas, and then they return to listen to the Dharma and cultivate their practice (*bhāvanā*). The *Lotus Sutra* (*Saddharma-puṇḍarīka Sūtra*) also describes how the Buddha, in his past lives, respected, served, and made offerings to the Dharma Master Devadatta. This is the condition.

With this cause and condition in place, the result (*phala*) will inevitably be accomplished, so there is no need for you to actively seek the result. People today often mistakenly seek the result without seeking to establish the causes

and conditions. Positing a result without a cause (*ahetuka-dṛṣṭi* / *ahetu-vāda*) is a wrong view (*mithyā-dṛṣṭi*). Because your view and method are flawed, you will never obtain [the desired outcome].
The capacity to respect and serve [which is itself a result] must also be established upon causes and conditions. If you say you cannot achieve it, you are still falling into the trap of positing a result without a cause. Since you have not established this kind of cause and condition, naturally, you will not manifest this kind of result.

As mentioned earlier, if the Buddha had not cultivated such causes, it would have been impossible for him to encounter the spiritual friend (*kalyāṇa-mitra*) Devadatta, let alone successfully perform those acts of service. Everything exists entirely within the scope of causes and conditions. Including what you encounter and what you are able to accomplish—every single detail is born of your own causes and conditions. Whatever causes and conditions you establish will dictate exactly what phenomenal results will manifest.

Ignorance is the Root

(Sanskrit: Avidyā-mūla)
The root is singular. Ignorance (*avidyā*), delusion (*moha*), and wrong views (*mithyā-dṛṣṭi*) are simply three ways of expressing it, because speaking of only one easily gives rise to wrong views. It originates from your own definitions and the labels you attach to things (conceptual proliferation / *prapañca*). Some of these labels were given to you by your parents; in short, they were all affixed later in life. Not a single one of them is true or real (*satya*); they are all self-righteous assumptions based on subjective clinging (*upādāna*). Remember: “All phenomena (*sarva-dharma*) are fundamentally tranquil and at rest; it is only people who agitate and trouble themselves.” Why do you create such turmoil? Because you have defined things and firmly, unyieldingly attached (*abhiniveśa*) to those definitions as the absolute truth.
The ten [unwholesome actions] (*daśa-akuśala-karma*) are the ten branches. Once the root dies, not a single branch can survive.
Ignorance (*avidyā*) simply means that you do not understand the truth. Various fruits, vegetables, and grains are merely material forms (*rūpa*). Material forms possess their own inherent material qualities and tastes; that is their karmic manifestation (*karma*). Yet, you proceed to judge what is delicious and what is unpalatable. Why? It is entirely an issue of karmic conditioning and habituation (*vāsanā*).

Karmic Conditioning and Habituation

*(Sanskrit: Vāsanā)*
For example, in this world, there are people who love to consume “Niu Bie soup” (a regional dish made from the gastric fluids of a cow). Those who have not been conditioned (*vāsanā*) by it are completely unwilling to drink it; however, those who have been deeply conditioned by it genuinely love to drink it.

Everything that all people personally consider “good” or “desirable” is entirely the result of this karmic conditioning (*vāsanā*). Because of it, even if something is foul and stinking, they will still perceive it as good. If one is habituated (*bhāvitā*) from childhood to view something as good, they will continue to view it as good all the way into old age.

One’s mother tongue is also acquired through this habituation (*vāsanā*). Language cannot express everything (ultimate reality is ineffable / *anabhilāpya*), yet people still must use language to express themselves, even though it is imperfect. Why are there thousands of vastly different languages? Because people have different parents, and therefore, the conditioning and habituation (*vāsanā*) they receive is different.

Absolutely everything is the result of karmic conditioning (*vāsanā*). It is not the true reality of phenomena (*tattva* / *bhūta-lakṣaṇa*). It is merely your definition, the label (conceptual proliferation / *nāma-prapañca*) you have attached to it, and nothing more. Not understanding this truth and mistakenly believing these illusions to be true and real (*satya*) is what is called “ignorance” (*avidyā*).

What is “Illumination”?

*(Sanskrit: Vidyā)*
“Illumination” (*vidyā* / true knowing) means you clearly understand that all of these things are merely definitions and labels (conceptual proliferation / *nāma- prapañca*) imposed by people. These [inherent qualities] do not actually exist; they absolutely do not exist (they lack inherent existence / *niḥsvabhāva*). For example, whether something is “delicious” or “unpalatable” only exists because you have defined it and attached a label to it. It is simply one phenomenon among all phenomena (*sarva-dharma*); it does not declare, “I am delicious,” nor does it say, “I am unpalatable.” It has never said such things. If no one had subjected you to such karmic conditioning (*vāsanā*), you would not harbor the notion of whether it is delicious or unpalatable.
When this karmic habituation becomes exceedingly severe, there are even stranger individuals who consume soil, steel, or glass (referring to conditions like Pica). You may find it difficult to comprehend—why would they eat such things? It is because in the past, they forced others to eat these things, thereby creating this specific karma (*karma*). Now, they themselves eat these things; this, too, is the result of karmic conditioning (*vāsanā*).
When the karmic retribution (*karma-vipāka*) falls upon their own heads, they feel a compelling desire to eat them. Such is the nature of karmic retribution: by conditioning others, they have ultimately conditioned themselves into this state.

**Question:**
I currently cannot yet attain the mind of genuine aspiration (*satya-chanda- citta*). Do I still count as a practitioner of the Great Vehicle (*Mahāyāna*)? **Answer:**

“I currently genuinely aspire for the fundamental causes (*mūla-hetu*) and the fundamental conditions (*mūla-pratyaya*) underlying the accomplishments of all Buddhas (*sarva-buddha*).” From this perspective, I am indeed cultivating the Great Vehicle (*Mahāyāna*).

The Ten Wholesome Ways of Action are the Foundation

*(Sanskrit: Daśa-kuśala-karma-patha)*
For example, if you wish to achieve the fruit of a Voice-Hearer (*śrāvaka-phala*) or the fruit of Buddhahood (*Buddha-phala*), you cannot accomplish them without the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action. If you wish to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss (*Sukhāvatī*), you cannot attain rebirth there without the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action—unless you have the assistance of an absolute spiritual friend (*kalyāṇa-mitra*).
Therefore, the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action are extremely important; they are the fundamental root (*mūla*) of all your attainments. Thus, they are also referred to as the Great Earth (*mahā-pṛthivī*). All the seeds of the Buddha Dharma (*Buddha-dharma-bīja*) can only benefit and grow when planted within this Great Earth. Without the Great Earth, if you simply suspend the seeds in mid-air, there is no way for them to grow, let alone any possibility of them blossoming and bearing fruit (*phala*).

How to Accomplish the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action?

You must cultivate the causes and conditions (*hetu-pratyaya*) for accomplishing the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action.
The Buddhist sutras (*sūtras*) ask: How much have you done for your master? How much have you respected, served, and made offerings (*satkāra- upasthāna-pūjā*) to them? The spiritual friend (*kalyāṇa-mitra*) is the root of all accomplishments. It is not difficult if you want to achieve the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action; as long as you go and cultivate it, even if it is simply what your master has taught, you will still be able to attain it.

If you cannot find a Dharma Master (*Dharma-bhāṇaka*), you can seek the Buddha. If you clean and beautify the Buddha’s sanctuary (*Bodhi-maṇḍa*) so it is spotless and splendid, it is equivalent to making offerings to and serving the Buddha. As you do this, your recognition and understanding will become increasingly clear, and naturally, you will be able to accomplish these wholesome actions.

In the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* (*Buddhāvataṃsaka-mahāvaipulya-sūtra*), the youth Sudhana (*Sudhana-śreṣṭhi-dāraka*) frequently expressed profound realization about how elevated his understanding of these matters was. Because of his profound comprehension and recognition of spiritual friends, and the incredible extent to which he could put this service into practice, it was absolutely inevitable that he would attain everything. This is because he was able to execute these practices of service and reliance flawlessly.

Remember, the Buddha Dharma truly allows sentient beings to leave suffering behind and attain bliss (*duḥkha-prahāṇa-sukha-prāpti*). Sentient beings are truly just foolishly creating turmoil for themselves. Stop messing around and squandering your life! Take some responsibility for yourself, change your destiny, and allow yourself to obtain genuine goodness and well-being.

The Wheel

*(Sanskrit: Cakra)*
The “Wheel” (*cakra*) signifies a cyclic nature; it represents profound interconnection and continuous rotation (*saṃsāra*).
For example, if you harbor afflictions (*kleśa*)—namely greed (*rāga*), hatred (*dveṣa*), and ignorance (*moha*)—you will inevitably commit the karma of body and speech (*kāya-vāk-karma*). The resulting consequence of creating these karmas is that they will manifest as suffering (*duḥkha*) and obstructive adversities (*āvaraṇa*). Therefore, the causal connection is extremely strong. It can also be called an inevitable trajectory.
To use the analogy of wind: the wind of the root afflictions—greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance (*māna*), and doubt (*vicikitsā*)—blows and stirs the body and speech into creating karma. Consequently, these winds of karma (*karma-vāyu*) will inevitably propel you toward suffering, obstacles, and disasters.
The wheel of the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (*daśa-kuśala-karma-patha*) represents a state where the wind of afflictions is extremely light and feeble. It will not stir the faculties of body, speech, and mind (*tri-dvāra*) to create afflictive karma; even if some karma is created, it is very slight. Because the wind of affliction is weak, the karma created is mild, and the resulting karmic retribution (*karma-vipāka*) endured is also mild.
If what you create is pure wholesome karma (*kuśala-karma*)—resolutely refraining from killing (*prāṇātipāta*), stealing (*adattādāna*), sexual misconduct (*kāma-mithyācāra*), lying (*mṛṣāvāda*), divisive speech (*paiśunya*), and harsh speech (*pāruṣya*)—the karmic retributions you generate will be exceptionally supreme and magnificent (*viśiṣṭa*).

How Destiny is Created

Depending on whether you rely upon afflictions (*kleśa*) or upon wisdom (*prajñā*), your destiny will unfold accordingly. If you master and thoroughly comprehend its laws, rules, and underlying principles (the law of cause and effect / *hetu-phala*), you can freely shape the destiny you desire.

Take driving as an example: if you perfectly master all the rules of driving and understand all the principles and formulas, you can freely and smoothly reach your destination without any mishaps. If you fail to follow the rules, principles, and formulas, you will act recklessly. As a result of this reckless behavior, not only will you fail to reach your goal, but you may even get into a car crash. A

severe crash can ruin your physical body and even cost you your life.
If something as simple as driving can lead to such severe consequences, you should realize the absolute necessity of acting perfectly in accordance with the rules. Acting in accordance with the rules (the law of karma) is exactly what constitutes wisdom (*prajñā*). Failing to master the rules and acting recklessly is exactly what constitutes ignorance (*moha* / *avidyā*).
The consequence of ignorance is that it becomes difficult to succeed in anything—be it studies, career, or family life. Even in cooking, if you do not follow the proper procedures, you will still fail. When facing slightly more complex matters, if every endeavor ends in failure, what will your life become? It will be filled with suffering (*duḥkha*), heavily burdened by obstacles (*āvaraṇa*), and entangled by all sorts of disasters. A single moment of carelessness could even cost you your life. Would you not say this is of the utmost importance?

The Benefits of Abandoning Killing

*(Sanskrit: Prāṇātipāta-virati-anuśaṃsā / Ahiṃsā)*
If you beat or kill someone, will that person still respect and love you? They cannot possibly respect and love you; they can only harbor hatred (*dveṣa* / *pratigha*) in their hearts. Even with small animals, if you constantly beat, scold, or kill them, they will similarly harbor hatred.
Both humans and small animals who harbor hatred will develop a mindset of seeking revenge (*prati-kāra* / *vyāpāda*). When will they exact this revenge? It is not certain. Those with great power will immediately start fighting, scolding, or killing you right then and there. Those with little power will not dare to do so openly; they will harm you stealthily and secretly, or some may even sabotage and destroy your belongings.
Those that are even smaller will make evil vows (*akuśala-praṇidhāna*): to consume you, drink from you, and make you suffer. In their next rebirth (*punarbhava*), they will transform into forms such as bacteria, microorganisms, or viruses to feed on your body and fluids while subjecting you to suffering and disasters.
Wherever there is hatred and anger (*dveṣa*), there will be a desire to strike back and take revenge. This will drive them to commit various actions. Consequently, your entire existence will be spent surviving amidst mutual hatred and mutual killing. Naturally, you will endure various sicknesses and sufferings (*vyādhi-duḥkha*), encounter various evil people (*durjana*), and mutually harm one another. You harm me, and I harm you—harming openly and harming secretly. This will never stop. That is why it is called a “Wheel” (*cakra*). The Wheel of Killing (*prāṇātipāta-cakra*) is exactly like this: forever circulating, forever turning, because you are constantly adding fuel and momentum to its rotation through your actions.
Many highly realized masters are able to absolutely refrain from striking back. For example, Patriarch Bodhidharma (*Bodhidharma-pitar*)—when people

tried to kill him, he simply let them kill him. There are many such people. Anyone who cultivates to the ultimate stages can achieve this; they are even perfectly willing to let others take their lives. Take, for instance, the story of a Bhikṣuṇī (fully ordained Buddhist nun) who was bitten by a snake. Even someone with a seemingly ordinary level of cultivation was able to achieve this level of acceptance. Therefore, anyone who genuinely recognizes their higher spiritual potential will certainly possess even greater faith (*śraddhā*) and driving force to accomplish this, attaining great mastery (*mahā-vaśitā*), great liberation (*mahā-mokṣa* / *mahā-vimukti*), and truly leaving suffering behind to attain bliss (*duḥkha-prahāṇa-sukha-prāpti*).

Take Jesus, for example—when others wanted to cruelly harm him, he let them harm him; when they wanted to nail him, he let them nail him. If death came, he simply died. Upon dying, he resurrected, thereby also realizing many profound truths. *(Translator Note: This perfectly illustrates the Buddhist perfection of patience/endurance under malice — Kṣānti-pāramitā).*

In the eyes of a person possessing wisdom (*prajñā*), this is a good thing. Why? Because this kind of karmic retribution (*karma-vipāka*) can only be concluded once it is fully endured and exhausted. If you do not endure it, it will remain there forever, waiting for an opportunity (*avakāśa*). Once the conditions arise, it will manifest. If one seeks revenge, one merely perpetuates this cycle, and the rotation continues. By enduring it without adding any new force (creating no new karmic causes), this wheel will no longer turn; it can only come to a halt. Once you yourself stop reacting out of hatred, the cycle stops for you. You cannot force others to stop acting. The wheel can only continue to turn if everyone involved keeps reacting and pushing it forward.

Therefore, for one who abandons killing (*prāṇātipāta-virati* / *ahiṃsā*), sentient beings (*sattvas*) will inevitably respect and love you, and you will inevitably attain longevity (*dīrghāyuṣka*) and freedom from illness (*arogatva*). Nothing you encounter will harm you, and you will constantly be in the company of those who do not kill. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (*Buddha-Bodhisattva*) absolutely do not kill, and furthermore, they do not harm. Therefore, you will inevitably be together with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This is called sympathetic resonance (karmic resonance / *karma-dharma-sāmagrī*). Because you are all attuned to the exact same frequency of non-killing, a mutual resonance is naturally generated.

The Effect of Resonance

*(Sympathetic Resonance / Karmic Alignment)*
The optimal effect of resonance operates like this: You are immersed in a crowd of evil people within the Sahā World’s Evil World of the Five Corruptions (*pañca-kaṣāya-loka*), yet you maintain the exact same frequency as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (*Buddha-Bodhisattva*). You do not move; the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas move on their end. The moment they vibrate or act, you resonate here.

For example, when Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (*Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva*) recites the Great Compassion Mantra (*Mahā-Karuṇā-Dhāraṇī*), his vibration pervades the entire Dharma Realm (*Dharma-dhātu-vyāpin*), encompassing all times and spaces. Only those who are on the exact same frequency as him will experience this sympathetic resonance. Once resonance occurs, the miraculous effects of the Great Compassion Mantra will instantly materialize in you, even if you do not understand why.

Similarly, the Śūraṅgama Mantra (*Śūraṅgama-Mantra*) directly shattered the Brahma Heaven Mantra (*Brahma-Mantra*), and the perilous crisis facing Venerable Ānanda (*Ānanda*) was immediately dissolved.
Consider *The Chapter on the Perfect Penetration of Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta*: it explains this sympathetic resonance through the practice of reciting and remembering the Buddha (*Buddhānusmṛti*).

To have only the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and the precepts (*śīla*) in your mind—with the same intense focus you normally apply to eating, drinking, playing, and worldly pleasures (*kāma-sukha*)—is what it means to constantly keep it in mind. Buddha statues are merely mediums to help you think of and remember the Buddha. In daily life, whether busy or free, if you recite the Buddha’s name with the same intensity as you crave worldly pleasures, you are truly reciting and remembering the Buddha. In other words, you simply transform your intense craving for worldly pleasures into mindfulness of the Buddha, the precepts, meditative concentration (*samādhi*), and the Buddha’s merits (*guṇa*). Whatever the Buddha instructs us to achieve, you mindfully remember and focus upon it. Whatever you hold in your mind, you will accomplish; because what you act upon dictates what you achieve. Mindfulness (recitation) is a static state, because you hold only the Buddha in your mind and nothing else. However, once you are on the same frequency as the Buddha, the moment the Buddha acts, you resonate. For example, the Buddha frequently emits various supreme and inconceivable lights. This light can produce supreme and inconceivable effects. Even sentient beings in hell (*nāraka*), as long as they resonate on the exact frequency, can instantly emerge from their suffering. Those who have not yet accomplished the precepts, concentration, and wisdom (*śīla-samādhi-prajñā*) can instantly accomplish them. The key is determining which specific attribute of the Buddha you are connecting with at that moment; whichever attribute you focus on, you will accomplish that specific attribute through the benefits sentient beings receive under the effect of the Buddha’s light. As long as you share the frequency, you will resonate.

*”In the present or in the future, one will definitely see the Buddha, remaining not far from the Buddha.”*
If a person recites the Buddha’s name just like a mother remembering her child, they remain constantly on this frequency. However, if the child is single- mindedly running off to play, they will ultimately grow old and die without ever crossing paths. But if the child also remembers the mother exactly as the

mother remembers the child, they share the same frequency. Once their frequencies align, resonance occurs. Once resonance occurs, you can instantly vanish from your current state and instantly appear before the Buddha. This requires the resonance to be exceptionally precise. Right now, your physical body is merely formed by the condensation of the Three Obstacles (*tri- āvaraṇa*: afflictive, karmic, and retributive obstacles). Breaking through these Three Obstacles is not a difficult task at all through this resonance.

If, in the past, you merely listened to the Dharma casually, the effect you experience now will merely be casual. After every teaching, the amount of time you invest to repeatedly comprehend and internalize the teachings determines whether you can suddenly achieve breakthrough enlightenment (*sudden realization / bodhi*) now. Therefore, the quality and quantity of your effort directly dictate your results.

If you wish to rely on the Buddha’s power (*Buddhānubhāva* / *Buddha-bala*), you must be on the same frequency to generate resonance; only then can the Buddha’s power take actual effect within you.
For example, Buddha Amitābha (*Amitābha Buddha*) possesses a vow to emit light to accomplish deeds, and the Medicine Buddha (*Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha*) also possesses immeasurable vows and immeasurable skillful means (*upāya- kauśalya*). This is one of their skillful means: wherever his light pervades, if you are within it, you are already within the scope of his embracing reception (*parigraha*). As long as you match the frequency, you will receive it.

The crux of the problem is the issue of individual time delay. How long can you actually sustain your mindfulness of the Buddha? It is as if you haven’t even finished typing in the website password before your mind runs off to indulge in food, drink, and worldly pleasures. Either your body runs off, or your mind wanders off. The problem is that you haven’t even connected yet! If you haven’t connected, how can you see the content on the website? The webpage information is all there, and you can see it once you connect. But every time, you run off before finishing the URL input, and then you complain that the Buddha is unresponsive. It is you who failed to dial the right number!

You must thoroughly awaken (*bodhi* / *prabodha*) to the harms of food, drink, and worldly pleasures; they only bring you suffering and disasters. Once you stop creating such karma and become terrified at the mere sight of these worldly pleasures—dodging them out of sheer fear—then your mind can truly calm down. Then, you can single-mindedly recite the Buddha’s name (*ekāgra- citta*). The degree to which all worldly pleasures destroy you is far worse than dog excrement. On the surface, they make you feel good, but in reality, all of your wholesome merits and good fortunes are ruined by them. Once you awaken to this reality, it becomes impossible for you to continue harming yourself. The most crucial factor is the power of your awakening (*prabodha- bala*).

Here is the pure English translation of the profound passage you provided.

Following your exact standards, I have provided direct translations for the foundational Buddhist terms alongside their authoritative Sanskrit equivalents in parentheses, and I have used dynamic translation for the explanatory sections to perfectly preserve the underlying Dharma principles (*Dharma- naya*) of cause and effect.

The Benefits of Not Stealing

*(Sanskrit: Adattādānād virati-anuśaṃsā)*
Stealing (*adattādāna* / taking what is not given) means taking and using something that others have not explicitly given to you.
Stealing can take the form of secretly sneaking things away. Some even commit open robbery, snatching things right in front of your face. All of these actions fall under “taking what is not given.” If they didn’t give it to you and you take it, you are violating this precept, and your fate will inevitably be miserable.
Needless to say for a person of wisdom (*jñānin*), even a fool will become angry if you take their money. Relying on power to bully others, robbing them openly, or coercing them into compliance—anyone who encounters such a person will hide from them. They constantly seek to seize others’ belongings as their own, occupying others’ wealth and property. After seizing it, they even shamelessly claim, “I am doing you a favor by taking this; you should repay me.” Such a person would scare away even a fool.

Greed and the Obstacle of Wrong Views
Why do people constantly scheme against others, always looking to take a little advantage? Why do they refuse to put in the effort to accomplish things themselves? It is simply greed (*lobha* / *rāga*).
The more greedy you are, the lesser your karmic retributions (*karma-vipāka*) of wealth will be, and the more miserable you will become. Ultimately, you will be reduced to scavenging for food on the streets; if you cannot find any, you will starve. Why does this happen? Because out of greed, you constantly scheme to take from others. When you can no longer successfully take from them, you still try—even scavenging for scraps on the street is a form of taking what belongs to others.
By refusing to exert effort, create, or strive, and instead coveting laziness and comfort, you become habituated to scavenging and begging. Consequently, you completely lose the very concept of striving and creating. You even come to view diligent effort as suffering (*duḥkha*), refusing to see it as a source of well-being (*sukha*). This wrong view (*mithyā-dṛṣṭi*) becomes a cognitive obstacle (*āvaraṇa*), leaving you only able to passively take whatever scraps you can find, ultimately leading yourself into severe difficulties and suffering. You are shaping an extremely agonizing destiny for yourself, to the point where eventually you won’t even be able to scavenge a meal.
Consider this: if I starve to death, it is at most the end of this single lifetime. But if I cheat, swindle, and extort to avoid starving, I merely accumulate a massive

karmic debt (*karma-ṛṇa*). You will have to spend lifetime after lifetime repaying this debt; yours will become a destiny of perpetual repayment.
The core issue is that such a person can never earn anything honestly because they cannot establish the right mindset; they believe hard work is bad and doing nothing is good. If you do not fundamentally change your views and truly recognize the gravity of this issue, you will never transform. You must change from the very root, and the root is your view (*dṛṣṭi*). You must completely abandon the root afflictions of greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt (*rāga, dveṣa, moha, māna, vicikitsā*), and thoroughly establish wisdom (*prajñā*), truly understanding what constitutes genuine and eternal goodness. If one is completely mired in stinginess and avarice (*mātsarya*), refusing to create or work, they will possess nothing. Those who do nothing can only end up scavenging for food on the streets.

What a person conceptually establishes within themselves is crucial. If you make a habit of borrowing from everywhere, you will eventually forget how much you borrowed and from whom. This turns into unintentional swindling. Ultimately, the consequences go far beyond the mere violation of taking what is not given; the karmic entanglements become vast, generating even more severe retributions.

Generosity and Earth-Holder Bodhisattva
If you resolutely refuse to violate this precept and instead actively practice generosity and giving (*dāna*)—offering wealth, materials, and physical effort to others—your path will be entirely different.
Take Earth-Holder Bodhisattva (*Dharaṇīṃdhara Bodhisattva*) as a supreme example. His practice of giving was imbued with the Great Four Immeasurables: loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity (*mahamaitrī, mahākaruṇā, mahāmuditā, mahāupekṣā*). He renounced all his worldly life and physical energy to perform a specific task. Because he acted strictly in accordance with the Dharma (*Dharma-ānudharma-pratipatti*), he was filled with the joy of the Dharma (*Dharma-prīti*); thus, he perfectly embodied all four immeasurables.
Because of this specific purity, the Buddha manifested before him and instructed him on how to practice. Upon hearing the Buddha’s words, he instantly accomplished the practice and instantly transcended to the Eighth Ground (*Aṣṭamī-bhūmi*). He is the most supreme paradigm. At that time, he had no money and possessed nothing. Yet, every day he moved earth to level the roads, simply so others could travel comfortably and safely. He sought to uproot their suffering (compassion) and bestow peace and joy upon them (loving-kindness). He relinquished all his worldly physical strength, energy, and life, and through this, he succeeded.

The Mechanics of True Wealth
In truth, concerning human endeavors: “If it is destined in your karmic lot

(*karma-bhāgya*), you will eventually have it; if it is not in your karmic lot, do not force it.” Even if you force it and obtain it, you drag along a massive pile of karmic debts and burdens in its wake, which you will have to repay forever. For a genuine practitioner (*yogin* / *sādhaka*), throwing away all karmic burdens cannot happen fast enough; how could they possibly seek to increase them? If you successfully abandon taking what is not given, you will generate a supremely magnificent life. All those who refrain from stealing will naturally gather with you, and all wise people will respect and love you. This avoidance of stealing is karma generated from extinguishing greed (*lobha-kṣaya*); it will inevitably result in immense, overflowing wealth across lifetime after lifetime— not just ordinary wealth, but monumental fortunes (tens of billions and beyond). When sentient beings emerge from hell (*nāraka*), Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (*Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva*) provides them with everything so they lack nothing. However, they cling stubbornly to their inherent unwholesome karma (*akuśala- karma*), which naturally repels wealth. Only when their minds turn toward goodness do they become wealthy. But once they become well-off, if they start taking advantage of others again, they lose it all once more.

The truly wealthy love to make great offerings (*mahā-dāna*), because they understand profoundly: taking things does not make one wealthy; only giving (*dāna*) makes one wealthy. Having mastered this underlying karmic principle (cause and effect / *hetu-phala*), they possess wisdom and naturally become Great Benefactors (*Mahā-dānapati*). For instance, even secular figures like Elon Musk engage in giving every year (e.g., investing in chips and technologies). He essentially pours his own wealth back into these endeavors. If he had always just been calculating and hoarding—thinking, “This is mine”— he could never have achieved his current brilliance.

Great Compassion and Resonance
During the Buddha’s era, the Elder Anāthapiṇḍada (*Sudatta*) possessed wealth that rivaled a nation’s. He constantly provided relief to the destitute and lonely. Even though those destitute individuals were not considered traditional “fields of merit” (*puṇya-kṣetra*), he still provided for them. The merit (*puṇya*), karmic blessings, wisdom, and capabilities generated from this Great Compassion (*Mahā-karuṇā*) are even more supreme.
Therefore, training yourself in this mindset every single day is crucial. When such a Great Benefactor gives rise to the mind that seeks to uproot the suffering of others, they align with the exact frequency (sympathetic resonance / *karma- dharma-sāmagrī*) of the Buddha. Naturally, they can attain rebirth in a Buddha- land (*Buddha-kṣetra*). Because they delight in it, aspire toward it (*chanda*), their entire trajectory inevitably flows toward it.

The Benefits of Abandoning Wrongful Conduct

*(Sanskrit: Kāma-mithyācāra-virati-anuśaṃsā)*
If you wish to abandon the wrongful conduct of desires (*kāma-mithyācāra*)—

and acting upon any worldly desire constitutes wrongful conduct—then you must completely extinguish your afflictions (*kleśa*).

How to Extinguish Afflictions?
You must know that afflictions (*kleśa*) are foul and impure (*aśuci*). People often find this difficult to comprehend: greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt (*rāga, dveṣa, moha, māna, vicikitsā*) are functions of the mind and consciousness (*citta-manas-vijñāna*), not physical matter (*rūpa*). How could they possibly be related to physical foulness and filth?
The purpose of this comparison is to help you realize the truth. You already know that foul and filthy things are bad and disgusting (*pratikūla*). Now, the Dharma is telling you that your greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt are equally bad and disgusting. Can you awaken (*bodhi* / *avabodha*) to this truth, experiencing the exact same feeling of profound revulsion toward your afflictions as you do when facing physical filth?
If you can awaken to this, it proves you are capable of breaking free from wrongful conduct. If you cannot awaken to this, you will be unable to break free from wrongful conduct.

Desire
*(Sanskrit: Kāma / Tṛṣṇā)*
Being completely immersed in something and unable to extricate yourself is desire. Although this stems from your personal preferences, you must understand: where do these preferences actually come from?
A person of thorough awakening knows that one has simply been polluted (*saṃkleśa*) by karmic conditioning and habituation (*vāsanā*). It is exactly like a sheet of white paper placed into a dyeing vat; once dyed, it is no longer white paper. If you try to restore it to its original white state, is it possible? Why not? Because the dye has been completely absorbed by the paper, and the paper has become one with the dye. Therefore, there is no way to wash it white again. A few days ago, when discussing the Medicine Buddha (*Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddha*), why did we specifically emphasize the “Lapis Lazuli Light” (*Vaiḍūrya-prabhā*)? The luster of lapis lazuli represents non-absorption and non-pollution (*asaṃkleśa*). If you put lapis lazuli into any dyeing vat, a simple rinse with water will wash the dye completely away, leaving not a single trace behind, because it fundamentally cannot be stained.
The fundamental nature (*svabhāva* / *prakṛti*) of the bright, spiritual awareness (*vijñapti*) within every single one of you is exactly this Lapis Lazuli Light. It is eternally unstained and pure (*viśuddha*); you only need to recognize it. The moment you accurately recognize this inherent nature as your true self, you instantly are that Lapis Lazuli Light.

Why is the Inherent Nature Unstained? *(Sanskrit: Asaṃkleśa-svabhāva)*

When you look at things, if your capacity to see were actually stained or permanently altered by the people, events, or objects before your eyes, you would never be able to see anything else again; you would only be stuck eternally seeing that one specific thing.

However, you can see the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly—you can see all of them. This proves that your inherent nature of seeing (*darśana- svabhāva*) has never been stained. You can hear all kinds of sounds, which proves that your inherent nature of hearing (*śravaṇa-svabhāva*) has never been stained.

If your faculties of seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing (*darśana-śravaṇa- ghrāṇa-vijñāna*) were stained, they could not perceive new things. Because they can clearly and distinctly know and feel everything as it comes and goes, it proves that this nature itself remains utterly unstained. This unstained spiritual awareness is the true you, and it is also called Nirvana (*Nirvāṇa*).

*(Note: “Nirvana,” as taught in the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, does not mean a state you only attain after you die. This very unstained nature **is** Nirvana. You have never left it, and it is impossible for you to ever leave it. It is the True Reality of All Phenomena (*sarva-dharma-bhūta-lakṣaṇa*)—”neither arising nor ceasing, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing,” exactly as stated in the Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya [Heart Sutra].)*

*(In the terminology of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the inherent nature of seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing is called the Wondrous Bright True Mind, the True Suchness Inherent Nature [*bhūtatathatā-svabhāva*], or the Tathāgata Storehouse [*Tathāgatagarbha*]. All these terms actually refer to this very spiritual awareness of your seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing. It is the Lapis Lazuli Light. It is eternally unstained; it absorbs nothing, rejects nothing, and emits nothing.)*

**[Note:** If one’s causes and conditions (*hetu-pratyaya*) are insufficient, they are merely hanging on by a thread of weak karmic affinity. Once that affinity is exhausted, they will inevitably fall exactly to wherever their karma dictates they must fall (*durgati* / lower realms).**]**

The Benefits of Abandoning False Speech

*(Sanskrit: Mṛṣāvāda-virati-anuśaṃsā)*
Those who have just begun their cultivation (*bhāvanā*) should simply keep their mouths shut, because currently, not a single word they speak is the ultimate truth (*paramārtha-satya*).
For example, declaring that something is “delicious” or “unpalatable” is itself false speech (*mṛṣāvāda*). Why? Because “delicious” and “unpalatable” are merely human definitions; they are the result of karmic conditioning and habituation (*vāsanā*) by one’s parents and environment. Different conditioning

leads to different determinations of what is “good” and what is “bad.”
For instance, regarding certain commonly mentioned foods, we have not been conditioned to like them. However, those who *have* been conditioned firmly believe they are delicious to eat and drink.
Whether one is conditioned or not, whether something is defined or undefined— these do not represent genuine “good” or “bad.” You may believe you are speaking from the bottom of your heart, telling the truth, and absolutely not deceiving anyone; yet, in reality, it is still false speech. It is merely your subjective definition, a label (conceptual proliferation / *nāma-prapañca*) you have attached. It is not the original nature (*prakṛti*) of the thing itself. Therefore, whether you call it “good” or “bad,” it is all false speech.
If you have not awakened (*bodhi* / *avabodha*)—if you have not thoroughly understood this truth—and you continue to speak, everything you say is wrong; it is all false speech. If you wish to avoid enduring the karmic retributions (*karma-vipāka*) of this, then stop speaking and seize the time to awaken. Once you are thoroughly awakened and completely understand, you will see that all these things are merely labels, and they are not the actual reality of those people, events, or objects. When people speak today, they are simply continuing to attach labels. Once you thoroughly understand this, you will no longer speak these false words, and you will no longer deceive and harm sentient beings (*sattvas*).
Wisdom (*prajñā*) means not being fooled, not being deceived, and not being stained (*asaṃkleśa*). Once you transform mundane consciousness into wisdom (*vijñāna-pariṇāmanā-prajñā*), you will no longer be stained. Therefore, it is likened to a lotus flower (*padma* / *kamala*): it grows in the water but is not touched or wetted by the water. It is completely different from cotton. When cotton touches water, it absorbs it. Sentient beings are like cotton; even when fully saturated, they continue to absorb water. They are unlike the lotus. This is why, in the Buddha Dharma (*Buddha-dharma*), the lotus is frequently used as a metaphor for your inherent nature (*svabhāva*): it neither clings to the water nor is stained by the dust (worldly defilements / *rajas*).
You will truly know that the words people speak are entirely definitions and labels applied to people, events, and objects. They are merely definitions and labels; they are not the actual true appearance (*bhūta-lakṣaṇa*) of those people, events, and objects. You will not be deceived by anyone, nor will you be deceived by false and deceptive speech. A wise person knows exactly what those people, events, and objects are; knows where they come from; knows how they are currently developing; knows what conditions (*pratyaya*) they will encounter, what choices exist, what inevitable trajectories they will follow, and what the respective outcomes (*phala*) will be. All of this is clear at a glance. Speaking in accordance with this ultimate reality (*tattva* / *bhūta-lakṣaṇa*) is what it means to not engage in false speech. This is called the Noble, Masterful Wisdom (*ārya-vaśitā-jñāna*). To know all of the above with absolute precision is precisely the Noble, Masterful Wisdom.

**Question:**
For example, if someone harms me, how should I use wisdom (*prajñā*) to contemplate the situation, rather than relying on my mundane consciousness (*vijñāna*)?
**Answer:**
[You should think,] “Thank you for giving me this opportunity to continue growing. You are defining things; you are attaching labels. I understand this now. Thank you for your manifestation (*prātihārya* / showing me this truth), which has broadened my insight.”
Sometimes, when others slander you, beat you, scold you, or do anything against you, it is actually an immense help—like cleaning out a cesspit (purifying your karmic obstacles / *karmāvaraṇa-viśuddhi*). If you do not thank them, you are truly doing them a disservice.
As the *Sutra of Forty-Two Sections* states: “Do not trust your own mind; your mind is untrustworthy. Only when you become an Arhat (*Arhat*) can you trust your own mind.” Your mundane mind (*manas* / *vijñāna*) is completely out of alignment with ultimate reality (*tattva-lakṣaṇa*).
Keep the Buddha Dharma (*Buddha-dharma*) in your memory. When the appropriate moment arises, bring forth the most corresponding words, and sentient beings will instantly understand your meaning. The key is not volume; you cannot memorize everything. Just firmly memorize the Dharma phrases I frequently use. When they spontaneously well up in corresponding situations, that is entirely sufficient.

The Benefits of Abandoning Divisive Speech

*(Sanskrit: Paiśunyād virati-anuśaṃsā)*
Sentient beings (*sattvas*) may not be capable of much else, but they excel at calculating and scheming. You may think you are good at scheming, but the person you are looking at is just as calculating. When you treat others well, they immediately know what you are up to, what you are trying to extract, and what you aim to get, because there is no free lunch in this world.
People inevitably harbor ulterior motives in their minds (*āśaya*). Harboring an ulterior motive is having the mind of a thief (*caura-citta*). When this thief’s mind manifests externally, it appears as the shifty, calculating eyes of a thief. Because everyone treats each other in this manner, it is exceedingly difficult to find a true friend in this world.
A true friend possesses the wisdom (*prajñā*) to only help you, without ever seeking to gain anything from you. Such a person is called a Bodhisattva (*Bodhisattva*) or a virtuous spiritual friend (*kalyāṇa-mitra*). As referenced in the secular book *Conversations with God*: “Are we truly friends now?” The answer is no, not yet, because we have not yet achieved the state of acting purely for the sake of others without any self-interest. Not only did the ancient Chinese understand this principle, but Westerners understand it too. It is only

modern people who completely fail to understand.

The Karmic Mirror of Speech
Divisive speech (sowing discord / *paiśunya*) destroys the relationships of others and ruins their public image. Consequently, everything in your own life will be destroyed. This includes the Buddha Dharma (*Buddha-dharma*) you wish to learn—you will ruin it for yourself and accomplish nothing. You will not even be able to succeed in learning minor worldly skills.
Consider the 500 Bodhisattvas [mentioned in the sutras] who committed the karma of divisive speech: even though they knew the Buddha Dharma was excellent, they lost all interest in learning it. Instead, they naturally gravitated toward committing evil. Whatever evil a person speaks of others, they will develop a fondness for doing that very thing themselves. The bad qualities of others that you speak of will directly materialize within you, regardless of whether you possessed those flaws before.
Whatever you say about others will manifest in yourself. You can speak ill of others, but I guarantee that every single flaw you point out will spread infinitely within your own being. Conversely, if you speak of others’ good qualities, those good qualities will likewise spread infinitely within you. This is exactly why the Buddha urges everyone to practice rejoicing in others’ merits (*anumodanā*), praising them, and making vows (*praṇidhāna*). This is the practice of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (*Samantabhadra-caryā*), which is clearly instructed in his Ten Great Vows (*Daśa-mahā-praṇidhāna*).

The Vessel of Dharma (*Dharma-bhājana*)
In the *Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra* (Sutra of the Great Jeweled Heap), there is a record of 500 Bodhisattvas who committed the karma of speech (*vāk-karma*). The karma of speech they created completely destroyed them; they lost all the spiritual attainments they had already achieved, and they were utterly unable to establish any new wholesome karma (*kuśala-karma*).
Therefore, to truly reach the level of a proper disciple—as taught in the *Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment* (*Mahāvaipulya Pūrṇabuddha Sūtra* / *Yuanjue Jing*)—one must know how a true disciple should act. If you constantly create wholesome karma and focus only on the good, you will inevitably attain goodness. The sutra simply gives you this method so that you can rapidly achieve realization. Thus, such a person can swiftly attain Perfect Enlightenment (*Samyak-saṃbodhi*).
Contrast this with those 500 Bodhisattvas who, because of speaking wrongly, ended up acquiring only those errors and losing all their original attainments— such as their observance of precepts (*śīla*) and their ascetic practices (*dhūta*). From this, you must understand that engaging in divisive speech makes it impossible to become a vessel of wholesome Dharma (*kuśala- dharma-bhājana*); you cannot contain any wholesome teachings. You can only become a vessel of evil Dharma—leaking away all the good and containing only

the evil. Consequently, you can only reap evil karmic retributions (*akuśala- karma-vipāka*).

The Crushing Weight of Habituation
If you feel compelled to speak ill, it is entirely because your karmic habituation (*karma-vāsanā*) is propelling you. You have cultivated this habit until you have literally become this very thing. The moment your mind moves, you only think of others’ faults; the moment you speak, you only speak of others’ faults, because you simply do not know how to say anything else.
When this reaches its maximum severity, even if you want to see the good in others, you cannot see it. You cannot even conceptualize it in your mind. Furthermore, even if you force your mouth to speak well of them, the words will not come out, because you are completely crushed and obstructed by the Three Obstacles (*tri-āvaraṇa*: afflictive, karmic, and retributive obstacles).
Only by awakening (*bodhi* / *avabodha*) and refusing to follow these evil habits can you gradually begin to recover and return to being a normal person. In that heavily obstructed state, a person is no longer normal, because they have lost the basic discriminative ability (*viveka*) of a normal person. Good endeavors simply cannot succeed. The critical tragedy is that such people ruin their own good fortune, yet they falsely believe that *others* ruined it, remaining completely oblivious to their own self-destruction. If this wrong view (*mithyā- dṛṣṭi*) is not changed, how can they possibly achieve anything good in this world?

The Root Motive
The core motive behind divisive speech (*paiśunya*) is the fear of seeing others succeed. You want to smear and ruin others to highlight how good *you* are, hoping everyone will come to make offerings (*pūjā*) to you and respect you. The mind is the root (*citta-mūla*), and the root of this behavior is nothing more than the jealous fear of others obtaining goodness.

Letting Others Succeed
Now, train yourself to let others obtain goodness and success. Looking back, you will see that you haven’t suffered any loss, nor have you died; in fact, you yourself can quickly realize good outcomes.
For example, when a Bodhisattva (*Bodhisattva*) practices the Four Methods of Embracing (*catvāri saṃgraha-vastūni*), it is entirely to let others obtain goodness. Once others feel this, they cannot leave you; they will want to protect and support you. Why will they support you? Because they cannot do without you; they would suffer a great loss if you were gone. Thus, you can never lose them.
Conversely, if you are afraid of others obtaining goodness, will those people still protect your interests? Will they truly help you in any unexpected crisis? They might even wish for your disappearance so they can be at ease, thinking, “Your

continued existence is a detriment to my own interests.”
Looking back, the fear you had back then—the fear of letting others succeed— shows how foolish a person can be. When you harbor this kind of mind, you are actively cultivating enemies, and the other party will inevitably treat you as an enemy as well.
The crucial point is that if you do not understand the harm of this, you will inevitably make enemies. Once you make enemies, you turn your friends, your relatives, and your disciples into your enemies—you even turn all sentient beings (*sattvas*) into your enemies. Once you treat someone as an enemy, they can feel it. No matter how good you are to them, they might not remember it. But the demeanor, expression, words, and actions you show when treating them as an enemy—they will remember that for a lifetime. In that very moment they remember, they have already taken you as an enemy. If you cultivate enemies everywhere, the whole world becomes your enemy. When you are surrounded by a pile of enemies, how could anyone possibly wish for you to succeed? Therefore, we must realize just how destructive afflictions (*kleśa*) are to ourselves!

The Origin and Harm of Divisive Speech

*(Sanskrit: Paiśunya)*
What is known as divisive speech (*paiśunya*) is caused by afflictions, specifically greed (*rāga* / *lobha*). When trying to control others, people use alienating and divisive words to control them. Every sentient being possesses the instinct for self-protection, but in reality, this is just greed—protecting one’s greed. If you try to control a person who covets freedom, or if you covet the money of a person who covets wealth, they will cut off contact with you. Whatever it is you greedily seek, it will ultimately drive others to stop associating with you. In the end, you are the one who first severs your own wholesome karmic connections (*kuśala-pratyaya*).
Why do you try to control this person, and why do you speak in such a way? It is nothing more than your desire to control them. If those 500 Bodhisattvas (mentioned in the sutras) hadn’t wanted to poach everyone from the other group to their own side, would they have spoken like that? By constantly scheming to control others, you inevitably make them feel that you are a threat and a source of harm to them. As a result, it becomes impossible for them to move forward with you in genuine sincerity.
The harm of divisive speech, and the origin of divisive speech, lies in the mind (*citta*)—the fear of others obtaining goodness and the craving for oneself to obtain goodness (specifically, what *you* subjectively define as goodness). This is simply greed. You will end up losing more and more because of your compulsion to control. Divisive speech is merely one of the methods of control. If you act like this, you will never reach the state of Bodhisattva Maitreya (*Maitreya Bodhisattva*), who eternally possesses a smiling face, gentle speech (*ślakṣṇa-vāc*), and a mindset of loving-kindness and compassion

(*maitrī-karuṇā-citta*). He possesses these at all times because he constantly seeks to benefit others. A person crushed by karmic obstacles (*karmāvaraṇa*) is very difficult to guide out. Even someone at the level of a Bodhisattva, when crushed by karmic obstacles, is helpless. They are truly pitiable beings.

The Karmic Results of Selfishness vs. Altruism
Consider the historical example of Liu Bei. When Liu Bei fled with a group of the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled, he did not abandon them for his own benefit. He did not run away first. He completely sacrificed his own interests and those of his family to protect the interests of that multitude of sentient beings. Therefore, after the Battle of Changban, although he seemingly suffered heavy losses on the surface, he ultimately became the Emperor. Why? Because sentient beings are willing to follow someone like that—because you are constantly protecting their interests.
Now consider Murong Fu in Jin Yong’s novel *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils*. He meticulously calculated every single drop of profit, calculating with extreme precision solely around his own interests. In the end, he lost everything.
A man who sold straw sandals (Liu Bei) became Emperor precisely because he protected the interests of the sentient beings. Meanwhile, someone who was originally of royal blood (Murong Fu) and was positioned to become Emperor, lost everything because he only calculated for his own interests and had no qualms about sacrificing others. Consequently, his entire team was wiped out, and he himself went insane. This is the result of calculation—the fear of losing one’s own interests and the obsession with protecting one’s own interests.
Liu Bei hoped that sentient beings would obtain benefits and goodness, and he was willing to sacrifice his own interests. You should frequently contemplate these two examples. Their ultimate outcomes were determined by their own active choices (their karma). Once you realize this, you should know exactly what you need to do, because nobody wants to go insane.
You must be thoroughly clear about all of this (*vidyā* / *prabodha*), knowing exactly what you should do and what you should not do.
Because of divisive speech, it becomes impossible for you to accomplish anything. Therefore, whether or not you encounter the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha (*Triratna* / Three Jewels) becomes irrelevant; they will not come to you on their own accord anyway. If you have already become a wholesome vessel (*kuśala-bhājana*) and established the foundation for accomplishment—if you are a person whose wholesome karma (*kuśala- karma*) can ripen into success—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha will naturally appear before you.

Annihilationism
*(Sanskrit: Uccheda-dṛṣṭi)*
Annihilationism (the wrong view that denies the continuity of cause and effect) arises when one does not thoroughly master the law of cause and effect

(*karma-hetu-phala*), and does not thoroughly master the Dharma of dependent origination (*pratītyasamutpāda*).
From now on, you must be able to act according to the laws and rules of cause and effect. This even includes your speech—you must ensure you are speaking directly to the core truth, aligning with reality.

Eradicating Past Karma through the Ten Wholesome Ways

*(Sanskrit: Pūrva-janma-pāpa-kṣaya)*
The *Daśacakra Kṣitigarbha Sūtra* (Sutra of Kṣitigarbha’s Ten Wheels) explains that practicing the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (*daśa-kuśala- karma-patha*) can eradicate the evil karma of past lives (*pūrva-janma-pāpa- karma*) related to specific aspects.
Why is it that by simply abandoning harsh speech (*pāruṣyād virati*), you can eradicate past evil karma? Because your frequency (karmic resonance / *karma-dharma-sāmagrī*) has changed. No matter how violently those evil frequencies vibrate around you, you will not vibrate in response. If you were to vibrate in response, it would mean you are still being affected by them and moving along with them.
When do you vibrate in response? When you share the same frequency. When you engage in harsh speech (*pāruṣya*), you naturally create the evil karma of harsh speech (*akuśala-karma*), and you will inevitably attract the karmic retribution (*karma-vipāka*) of harsh speech, due to this sympathetic resonance.
At this point, however, you have completely distanced yourself from harsh speech; you are no longer on that frequency. No matter how much those frequencies vibrate, you cannot feel them. You only experience suffering (*duḥkha*) when others are evil to you *and* you actively feel and react to it. But now, when others direct evil toward you, you no longer feel it as suffering. You might even consider it an honor, viewing it as others bestowing grace upon you.
As the *Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra* (Diamond Sutra) states, if you are despised and slandered by others, your evil karma from past lives is eradicated, your obstacles are cleared, and you will swiftly attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment (*Anuttarā Samyak-saṃbodhi*). If you see that someone is actually helping you cultivate your practice (*bhāvanā*), is that not an honor? Therefore, no suffering is generated.
The karmic retribution of evil karma is defined by its capacity to produce suffering. If you are currently happy and free from suffering, that naturally means your past evil karma has been eradicated; otherwise, this phenomenon would not occur. Not only is the past evil karma eradicated, but the experience becomes one of honor, happiness, and peace (*sukha*), because the suffering is gone.
Once your cognition and perception transform, your frequency changes. The cognition of the mind and the awakening of the mind (*citta-bodhi*) are the

fundamental root (*citta-mūla*). Once the root transforms, the resulting outcome (*phala*) transforms.

Breaking the Three Obstacles

*(Sanskrit: Tri-āvaraṇa-kṣaya)*
This state refers to being completely unobstructed, where all barriers are cleared—this is the breaking of the Three Obstacles (afflictive, karmic, and retributive obstacles / *tri-āvaraṇa*). The karmic retribution of the Ten Unwholesome Ways of Action (*daśa-akuśala-karma*) is to be burdened by heavy obstacles and disasters, rendering one completely unable to move or progress.
Once you achieve a breakthrough on any single point, the fundamental key is the mind (*citta*). When the mind generates awakening (*bodhi*)—when it awakens to all things—the root is transformed. You only create evil karma when the mind is deluded (*bhrānta-citta*). When the mind is awakened, it is impossible to create evil karma ever again; you will not create evil karma on any point whatsoever.

Digesting Merit vs. Chewing on Filth

You know that others’ feces (representing impurity / *aśuci*) are foul-smelling, yet you insist on seeking out others’ feces. Finding them is not enough; you insist on bringing them out to talk about them, chewing on others’ feces, laughing at them, absorbing them, storing them in your brain, and regurgitating them from time to time. By doing this, you constantly dwell in foulness and filth, bringing the impurity of others upon yourself to harm and pollute yourself. There is absolutely no need for this.

If you simply cannot sit still and insist on looking for something in others, you should look for their merit, blessings, and capabilities (*guṇa-puṇya*). Whenever someone possesses even a single hair’s breadth of wholesome goodness (*kuśala*), you should praise and commend them (*praśaṃsā*), rejoice in their merit, and make vows (*anumodanā-praṇidhāna*). If you mentally digest and absorb every single hair’s breadth of goodness from everyone in the world, making it a part of yourself, you will become a perfect person. Furthermore, you can rejoice in and praise the Heavenly Lords (*Devendra*), deities (*Deva*), Bodhisattvas (*Bodhisattva*), and Buddhas (*Buddha*).

Therefore, there is no need to seek out others’ evil deeds (*akuśala-caryā*), evil speech (*akuśala-vāc*), and evil karmic retributions (*akuśala-karma- vipāka*). Do not speak of them, do not digest them, and do not absorb them, because doing so transforms you into exactly what they are—or even far worse. Every time you speak of something, you become what you speak of.

Consider the 500 Bodhisattvas in the *Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra* (within the Assembly on Arousing the Bodhisattva’s Resolute Aspiration). They constantly sought out [others’ faults], spoke of them, digested them, and acted upon them;

ultimately, they personally manifested and endured those exact karmic retributions. How tragic they were! They were all practitioners who had once achieved significant spiritual attainments. In this lifetime, given how much we have sought out, spoken of, and created [such evil karma], we are in a far more tragic state than anyone.

Knowing, Remembering, and Repaying Kindness

*(Sanskrit: Kṛta-jña, Kṛta-anusmṛti, Kṛta-pratikṛti)*
* **Knowing Kindness / Gratitude (*kṛta-jña*):** This primarily ensures that your own wholesome roots (*kuśala-mūla*) are not corrupted or destroyed.
* **Remembering Kindness (*kṛta-anusmṛti*):** The purpose of remembering kindness is the fear of forgetting it. Once you forget, you are in great trouble; one must never be ungrateful and turn their back on righteousness.
* **Repaying Kindness (*kṛta-pratikṛti*):** Actively repaying the kindness you have received allows your own wholesome roots to continuously grow and multiply.

The Benefits of Abandoning Frivolous Speech

*(Sanskrit: Saṃbhinna-pralāpa-virati-anuśaṃsā)*
Frivolous speech (*saṃbhinna-pralāpa*), generally speaking, is idle chatter, speech devoid of true benefit, and useless talk.
When you speak such useless words and idle chatter, it is scattered and impure (*saṃkīrṇa*). Within this idle chatter, there is rarely any praise for others; instead, it focuses on treating others as a joke, or even speaking words of slander (*abhyākhyāna*) and belittlement. You must realize that all these words will ultimately return to fall upon your own head. Even words that you merely perceive as “fun” or harmlessly useless will return to you, becoming the very karmic reality you must manifest and endure in the future.
For example, why did the Buddha suffer the disaster of eating horse fodder (*aśva-yava*)? Before he learned the Buddha Dharma (*Buddha-dharma*) in a past life, he created this exact karma (*karma*), saying that those monks (*bhikṣus*) were not worthy of receiving fine offerings (*pūjā*) and only deserved to eat horse fodder. As a result, this karmic retribution (*karma- vipāka*) fell upon his own head, and he had to endure several days of the horse fodder disaster.
The Buddha also suffered from a severe headache because, in a past life as a child, he tapped the head of a giant fish. The number of taps corresponded to the number of days he suffered the headache. Even after attaining Buddhahood, one still has to endure this kind of karmic fruit (*karma-phala*).
Therefore, in every single detail, whatever karma your body and speech (*kāya- vāk-karma*) create determines your outcome: if you bring peace and joy (*sukha*) to others, you will obtain peace and joy. If you bring suffering (*duḥkha*) to others, you will suffer. If you bring awakening (*bodhi*) or delusion (*moha* / *bhrānti*) to others, you can only reap awakening or delusion in return.

Impure and frivolous speech only causes people to become more deluded. Furthermore, every single detail you speak about anyone else will inevitably manifest upon your own body.
Therefore, if you are fond of speaking idle chatter, simply love to talk, and never speak to the true point, a person of wisdom (*jñānin* / *prajñāvat*) will never respect and love (*satkāra*) you. This is because they know exactly what you are doing and what you will become in the future.

A person of wisdom will only pity you (out of compassion / *karuṇā*), but they will not respect and love you. Such a person lacks the capacity to retain and uphold the Dharma (*dhāraṇī-śakti*). They can only listen casually but cannot hold onto it, because their mind is too busy continuously grasping (*upādāna*) at everything. Therefore, if you entrust the Dharma to them, they might hold it for a few minutes but will immediately drop it to grasp at something else. Their mouth simply loves to speak and wants to speak, but they never speak of proper, righteous matters. Everything they say is devoid of benefit for themselves, and equally devoid of benefit (*ahita*) for all sentient beings (*sattvas*).

Those who do not cultivate (*bhāvanā*) all engage in frivolous speech. Those who do cultivate know that “disasters emerge from the mouth, and illnesses enter through the mouth.” They know that the moment they open their mouths, karma is created. Whether it is wholesome karma (*kuśala-karma*) or unwholesome karma (*akuśala-karma*), whatever you create is exactly what will manifest for you.

By creating this karma of impure and frivolous speech, in the future, you will possess an impure and chaotic destiny. If you are willing to cultivate such a destiny, then go ahead and cultivate it. A person’s destiny is entirely constructed by themselves. It simply depends on whether you have mastered and thoroughly understood its underlying principles and rules (the law of cause and effect / *karma-hetu-phala*). If you truly master it, you will not dare to shape an impure and chaotic image for yourself. Naturally, you will shape yourself toward the highest goodness. Ultimately, you will inevitably attain Buddhahood (*Buddhatva*), because the Buddha is the most perfect being from absolutely every perspective.

The exact opposite of impure, frivolous speech is speech that is truthful, pure, and beneficial (*satya-śuddha-hita-vāc*). What the Buddha speaks is entirely truthful, pure, and beneficial. Therefore, one must necessarily learn the Buddha Dharma, accomplish the Buddha Way (*Buddha-mārga*), gradually perfect all Buddha Dharmas, and swiftly accomplish All-Knowledge (Omniscience / *sarvajña-jñāna*).

The Benefits of Abandoning Greed

*(Sanskrit: Lobhād virati-anuśaṃsā)*
Therefore, in the *Thrice Yearning and Chanting Ceremony* (*San Shi Xi Nian*), the National Master explains this extremely clearly:
*”All suffering entirely arises from greedy desires; not knowing whence these

desires arise, it is because one has forgotten the Amitābha of one’s own inherent nature; when divergent thoughts race wildly, they are all demons.”* This means that messy, chaotic thoughts are flying wildly about, and yet you firmly believe in them without a shred of doubt. The thought you believe in is a demon (*Māra*), specifically the Demon of Afflictions (*Kleśa-māra*). A deluded mind (*moha-citta*) will inevitably give rise to false, wandering thoughts (*vikalpa* / *parikalpita*). Because the deluded mind *is* false thinking, it is the Demon of Afflictions. It will inevitably cause you to accomplish absolutely nothing, because your ceaseless, wild imagination and wandering thoughts will inevitably ruin your studies, career, and family life. You will not even be able to maintain normal social relationships because you are always lost in deluded thoughts, desperately coveting (*lobha* / *rāga*) things from others.

When you fail to obtain what you covet, hatred and anger (*dveṣa* / *pratigha*) arise. This leads to arrogant conceit (*māna*) and the suspicious doubt (*vicikitsā*) that others are scheming against you. Ultimately, all these things constantly churn inside your mind, and it is all entirely for the sake of greed.

Slandering the True Dharma

Why do people slander the True Dharma (*Saddharma*)? Because the Dharma declares that greedy desire is bad. Yet, everything such a person cares about revolves entirely around greed. When you tell them that their greed is bad, naturally they become displeased. They will fiercely cling to (*upādāna*) their afflictions and remain utterly loyal to them.

Their entire set of afflictions revolves around a single core of greed. If they cannot fulfill their greed, they generate hatred; from greed comes arrogant conceit and suspicious doubt—everything circles back to greed. If you are not greedy for something, you will never think about it. For example, you do not spend your days constantly thinking about cat or dog feces, because they are not something you like or desire.

However, whatever you *do* like, you grasp onto it tightly (*grāha*) and constantly think about it, obsessing over the interests of your own greed. At this moment, when the Buddha says that greed is bad, you will absolutely deny it and think: *”That’s not true! My greed is wonderful! Being greedy for food is delicious and satisfying; being greedy for fine clothes makes me look beautiful; being greedy for play is so much fun; being greedy for worldly pleasures— doesn’t the Buddha also teach about peace and joy (*sukha*)? I am no worse off than the Buddha!”* Because of this twisted logic, they will inevitably slander (*abhyākhyāna*) the Dharma.

The Buddha says that being greedy for food is bad, yet they insist on gluttony. The Buddha says being greedy for fine clothes is bad, yet they insist on vanity. Some people even spend their entire salary on designer clothes, starving themselves just to wear famous brands. Are they truly happy? No, they are enduring suffering (*duḥkha*); they are not happy at all. You may think others will praise you, but that is only your delusion. Most people do not care whether

you wear designer brands; they only look to see if you are a normal, reasonable person. If an insane person wears designer clothes, will others suddenly think he is normal? Such a person only imagines themselves to be well-off, but ultimately, they can only attract infinite suffering (*duḥkha*).

The Clarity of the Non-Greedy Mind

A truly non-greedy person can comprehend all the principles the Buddha teaches. Upon understanding them, their mind suddenly opens up in clear realization (*bodhi*), finally grasping the underlying mechanics of these matters. They can truly master the laws and rules of the Buddha Dharma (*Buddha- dharma*), because the laws of the Buddha Dharma are the fundamental source of all peace and joy (*sukha*). They also clearly understand the laws and rules that govern all suffering: specifically, that violating the natural law of cause and effect (*hetu-phala*) inevitably manufactures suffering.

It is just like the simple act of cooking rice: it only requires fire, water, and rice. If you apply them according to the proper rules, you will inevitably have perfect rice to eat. However, people constantly ignore the rules and laws; consequently, they fail to make perfect rice and inevitably suffer the consequences.

Not only will such an awakened person never slander the True Dharma, but they will sing its praises and commend it (*praśaṃsā*). Because they have heard, understood, and recognized the truth, they practically and genuinely transform themselves, enabling themselves to leave suffering behind and attain ultimate bliss (*duḥkha-prahāṇa-sukha-prāpti*).

Therefore, there are two types of people who slander:
1. Those who do not understand will slander the True Dharma out of ignorance (*moha*).
2. Those who *do* understand will slander the True Dharma in order to protect their afflictions and personal interests, feeling that the Dharma is obstructing their “good things” and hindering what they perceive as their personal gain.

Levels of Cultivation and Relying on the Buddha

At the most basic level, one will make offerings (*pūjā*) to those wearing the kasaya robe (the Buddha and his monastic disciples / *Sangha*). At the highest level, one will personally renounce the householder’s life (*pravrajyā*) to cultivate the path (*bhāvanā*). Whether as a layperson or a monastic, they will propagate the Buddha Dharma of the Three Vehicles (*Triyāna*) according to the spiritual capacities (*indriya*) of sentient beings, helping to build their foundation so they can achieve realization as swiftly as possible.

Relying solely on oneself is unreliable. By staying close to the Buddha and relying on the Buddha’s discipline and guidance, one achieves realization much faster.
However, if you possess a powerful capacity for self-restraint—if your ability for self-discipline (*śīla* / *saṃvara*) is exceedingly strong—then no matter where

you are, and no matter how physically far you are from the Buddha, you can equally receive the Buddha’s help and empowerment (*adhiṣṭhāna*). You have studied the *Universal Gateway Chapter* (*Samanthamukha Parivarta* of the Lotus Sutra); it explains that Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (*Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva*) can eradicate your greed, hatred, and ignorance. Buddha Amitābha (*Amitābha Buddha*) also has a specific vow among his 48 Great Vows (*Mahā-praṇidhāna*) designed specifically to counteract this. No matter where you are, he can help you, even specifically emitting his light (*prabhā*) to shine upon you and generate this transformative effect.

The critical key is whether you actually possess this capacity for self-discipline. Can you achieve the state of one-pointedness of mind without scattered confusion (*ekāgra-citta* / *avikṣipta-citta*)? If your self-discipline is extraordinarily strong, you can control your own mind and will. Once you achieve this unscattered single-mindedness, you attain the exact effect revealed by Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta (*Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva*): *”Just as a mother remembers her child, if they mutually remember one another…”* This guarantees that your mind will open, your understanding will dawn, and you will attain Perfect Penetration (*Pūrṇa-bodhi* / Perfect Realization). It is that simple. Relying purely on the vow-power (*praṇidhāna-bala*) of Buddha Amitābha, you can extinguish these afflictions and accomplish all manner of merits (*guṇa*).

First, he guarantees your capacity to enter meditative concentration (*samādhi*). If you are in the Land of Ultimate Bliss (*Sukhāvatī*), he guarantees that you will give rise to the wondrous functions of spiritual powers (*abhijñā*). You can also learn from a vast distance, but it is not as effective as being directly taught by his side, because if you have karmic obstacles (*āvaraṇa*), you will not be able to hear him. However, if you have reached a state completely free of obstacles—where your six sense organs are pure (*ṣaḍ-indriya-viśuddhi*) and you are replete with merit—you will be able to hear whatever the Buddha is teaching from anywhere. This is explicitly stated in the *Chapter on the Merits of the Dharma Teacher* (*Dharma-bhāṇaka-anuśaṃsā Parivarta*) in the *Lotus Sutra* (*Saddharma-puṇḍarīka Sūtra*).

The light of the Buddha’s vow-power reaches infinitely. As long as you align your frequency, you will generate a sympathetic resonance (*karmic resonance* / *karma-dharma-sāmagrī*). Because his merit is constantly vibrating there, the key is whether you can tune your frequency correctly. Once you tune it correctly, you will feel it, and you will receive it.

The Mechanics of Karmic Retribution
When causes and conditions meet (*hetu-pratyaya-sāmagrī*), karmic retribution (*karma-vipāka*) inevitably appears.
1. **Cutting off Continuity:** One method is to control yourself so as not to create the karma, thereby cutting off its continuity (*saṃtāna*). Then it becomes very difficult for that fruit (*phala*) to manifest. For example, at the moment of

reincarnation (*pratisandhi*), no matter how violently the karmic winds (*karma- vāyu*) blow to propel you into a specific realm, you simply refuse to go.
2. **Wisdom to Avoid:** Another method is that when you encounter it, you can avoid it. You possess the wisdom to detect it, and the capability to step aside.

The Buddha possesses complete mastery (*vaśitā*). He can choose to manifest karma, or he can choose to avoid it. For the sake of delivering and transforming sentient beings (*sattva-nistāraṇa*), the Buddha will deliberately take whatever past karma is required and display it for everyone to see. He uses these exact karmic events as skillful means (*upāya*) to teach and benefit sentient beings.

The Path of Awakening: Abandoning Hatred and Cultivating Loving- Kindness
*(Sanskrit: Vyāpāda-virati / Adveṣa & Maitrī)*
By abandoning hatred and anger (*vyāpāda-virati*), and possessing a mind of loving-kindness (*maitrī-citta*), one can realize awakening (*bodhi*).

Only when you clearly awaken (*prabodha*) to what hatred actually is, and what karmic fruits it brings about, can it be called true awakening. To dismantle and eradicate hatred, the only way is through the mind of loving-kindness. Cultivating loving-kindness (*maitrī-bhāvanā*) destroys hatred. If you do not cultivate loving-kindness, do not know what loving-kindness is, and do not know what it brings about, then you are not truly awakened.

Only when you have a precise awakening to both hatred and loving-kindness can you truly abandon hatred, because you know exactly what it is and what karmic retributions (*karma-vipāka*) it brings. As long as you are someone who truly desires goodness and well-being (*hita-sukha*), you will inevitably put this into practice—unless you lack faith (*aśraddhā*) in the Buddha Dharma (*Buddha-dharma*).

Therefore, that specific passage in the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* (*Buddhāvataṃsaka-mahāvaipulya-sūtra*) is extremely important. You absolutely must remember it, and then you will know the severe perils (*ādīnava*) of hatred. If you have a profound understanding of loving-kindness, you will also understand that loving-kindness has the power to destroy hatred. Only after awakening (*bodhi*) can you possess genuine loving-kindness, and only then is there the possibility of dissolving hatred.

Samādhi (Equal Maintenance / Meditative Concentration)

*(Sanskrit: Samādhi)*
*Samādhi* (等持 – holding the mind in equality): It is the perfect function and wondrous application (*kriyā* / *karman*) of one’s inherent nature (*svabhāva*).

The Greatest Fault: Hatred in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra

By abandoning hatred, the subsequent benefits (*anuśaṃsā*) are inevitable. It directly relates to what hatred brings about—this is the fundamental root (*mūla*). Here, we have only discussed the benefits generated by abandoning hatred.

In the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*, the Buddha declares: *”I see no fault or offense (*pāpa* / *āpatti*) greater than hatred.”* If a Bodhisattva (*Bodhisattva*) gives rise to a mind of anger and hatred toward another Bodhisattva, they establish immeasurable obstacles (*āvaraṇa*). All good things will transform into blockages, while all unfortunate and disastrous events will flow to them without hindrance. The sutra even lists in detail exactly which good things will be obstructed and which bad things will manifest.

Once you study this thoroughly, you will know just how massive the harm of hatred is, because it is the greatest of all faults.
A Bodhisattva is replete with all goodness and merits (*kuśala-guṇa*); yet [through hatred], you ruin and destroy all that goodness. Ordinary sentient beings (*sattvas*) also possess good qualities, but you destroy those good points. As for their bad points—even the evil karma you did not originally possess—they will manifest within you.

It is just like taking fire to dry wood; the wood will inevitably burn (referencing the fire of anger burning the forest of merit).
With hatred, as long as you let it manifest, you can forget about obtaining any of the other person’s good qualities, and you will inevitably endure all of their bad qualities. Once you study it thoroughly, this passage from the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* becomes perfectly clear: this is exactly why, by abandoning hatred, you can accomplish all good things (*kuśala-dharma*), all obstacles cease to exist, and you can rapidly attain realization (*siddhi* / *saṃbodhi*).

The Benefits of Abandoning Wrong Views

*(Sanskrit: Mithyā-dṛṣṭi-virati-anuśaṃsā)*
All phenomena are born of causes and conditions (*pratītyasamutpanna- dharma* / *hetu-pratyaya-ja-dharma*). One must absolutely cultivate the cause (*hetu*) and establish the proper conditions (*pratyaya*) in order to manifest the resulting fruit (*phala*).
If you do not possess a mind of pure faith (*śuddha-śraddhā-citta* / *prasāda*), you will have no way to accept the Dharma. If you cannot accept it, how could you possibly combat stubborn wrong views (*mithyā-dṛṣṭi*)? Furthermore, these wrong views are not only stubborn but also possess immense power. This is exactly why such individuals are referred to as “sentient beings of powerful wrong views” (*mahā-mithyā-dṛṣṭi-sattva*). Naturally, one must purely cultivate a mind of pure faith in order to break through them; otherwise, they can never be broken through.
Speaking in terms of the sequential stages of practice (*krama*), encountering the assembly of Sages and Noble Ones (*Ārya-saṃgha* / *kalyāṇa-mitra*) is

the most crucial turning point. Only then is it possible to truly comprehend what the Three Jewels (*Triratna*) are, what wrong views are, what pure faith is, and what the true meaning of making offerings (*pūjā*) is.
Only then can you grasp the crucial keys and essential points of the Dharma. Otherwise, it is impossible for you to truly understand. You would not even be able to understand what wrong views actually are, nor could you understand pure faith, nor could you understand the teachings of the Three Vehicles (*Triyāna*), and it would be utterly impossible for you to comprehend the supreme wisdom (*anuttarā-prajñā* / *sarvajña-jñāna*).

Conclusion: The Ultimate Ten Wholesome Ways

When the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (*daśa-kuśala-karma-patha*) are thoroughly pure and immaculate (*pariśuddha*), one is completely free of obstacles (*anāvaraṇa*). This state is like that of the Brahma Heavens (*Brahma-loka*), reaching the absolute pinnacle of the Desire Realm (*Kāma- dhātu-agra*).

If you merely repent (*pāpa-deśanā*) for the Ten Unwholesome Ways of Action (*daśa-akuśala-karma-patha*), at most, you have simply stopped creating those ten unwholesome karmas. However, you have not yet actively created the ten wholesome karmas (*kuśala-karma*).

Take non-killing (*prāṇātipāta-virati* / *ahiṃsā*) as an example. If you merely repent, you are only discarding and purifying the past karma of killing. Yet now, the moment your mind or body initiates an action, you might still inadvertently generate the karma of killing.

Therefore, if you genuinely wish to perfect the practice of non-killing, you absolutely must establish your practice upon the foundation of the Great Vehicle (*Mahāyāna*). This means that you not only refrain from killing, but you also actively safeguard the well-being of all sentient beings (*sattvas*) and actively rescue them from harm (*sattva-paritrāṇa*). Only this active compassion constitutes the Ultimate Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (*niṣṭhā-daśa-kuśala- karma-patha*). Merely refraining from committing the ten unwholesome karmas can only barely be considered the ten wholesome karmas.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds + Giving

(*Dāna*)

There is a difference between the result of purely practicing the **Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) and the result of practicing the Ten Wholesome Deeds combined with **Giving** (*Dāna*). They are not

exactly the same.
When combined, illnesses, obstacles, and disasters will all disappear. Wherever you find yourself incapable of doing something, it simply means you lack the corresponding **causes and conditions** (*hetu-pratyaya*) in that specific area. Every single phenomenon requires the right causes and conditions to produce its corresponding **result** (*phala*).
Within the **Ten Dedications** (*Daśa-pariṇāmanā*), there are teachings specifically dedicated to the practice of Giving. You can dedicate all your **merit** (*puṇya*) entirely toward the perfection of Giving. By doing so, your capacity for Giving is established. Once it is established, the **cause** (*hetu*) is present. Under the circumstances where the **conditions** (*pratyaya*) are sufficient, it will grow and manifest, and ultimately, the result will come to fruition. Having “sufficient conditions” includes making offerings to and serving the **Three Jewels** (*Triratna*), coupled with your own continuous training and practice.

Abstaining from Killing + Giving (*Dāna*)

If one distances oneself from killing (*prāṇātipātād virati*), one will constantly delight in the Dharma of **Non-harming** (*Ahiṃsā*).
Why must we distance ourselves from harming others?
Because if you harm others once, your own **karmic retribution** (*vipāka*) will be endured more than just once. A single seed yields a harvest of countless seeds. Therefore, you are not truly harming others; the essence is that you are harming yourself. You are the one who suffers the greatest loss, not the other person.

On the surface, it may seem as though the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas take losses, but in reality, by taking a small apparent loss, they gain a tremendous ultimate benefit. Ordinary **sentient beings** (*sattvas*), on the other hand, appear on the surface to suffer no loss, but in reality, their spiritual loss is massive.

By distancing yourself from killing, you will be able to avoid all harm inflicted by enemies and thieves. To explain this even more completely: not only will you avoid being harmed by enemies and thieves, but you will ultimately have no enemies or thieves at all. Furthermore, all beings will eventually become your supporters and protectors.

Abstaining from Stealing + Giving (*Dāna*)

Distancing oneself from stealing—specifically, abstaining from taking what is not given (*adattādāna-virati*)—coupled with the practice of **Giving** (*Dāna*), enables one to fully possess the complete **Dharma Treasury of all Buddhas** (*Buddha-dharma-kośa*).

Why is this? Can the singular practice of Giving not equip one with the Dharma Treasury?
It is impossible to attain it through Giving alone, because a person who steals

can never completely gather the Dharma treasury. Even in the singular practice of **Buddha-remembrance** (reciting the Buddha’s name, *Buddhānusmṛti*), you would fail. You would be unable to achieve a **single-pointed, undisturbed mind** (*ekāgratā* or *avikṣipta-citta*). That is to say, within just a few minutes, your body would want to leave, and your mind would wander off.

This simply means you are lacking the right **causes and conditions** (*hetu- pratyaya*). If you cannot even achieve this basic level of spiritual cultivation in reciting the Buddha’s name, it is out of the question to speak of encompassing all the Buddha Dharmas. Therefore, merely “not taking what is not given” is far from enough; you must combine it with Giving to achieve this profound result. Just as discussed in a previous section regarding **Divisive Speech** (*paiśunya*), engaging in it does not merely destroy everything in interpersonal relationships; it also completely destroys all the supreme virtues and **merits** (*puṇya*) of the other party. This causes an absolute destruction within yourself, resulting in the disappearance of whatever good you originally possessed, while the good you lack can never be established.

If you can never establish these foundations, how could it be possible to fully gather all the Buddha Dharmas? That is impossible. You cannot even establish a single focal point—you cannot establish the foundation for observing **precepts** (*śīla*) or for reciting the Buddha’s name. Lacking even the most fundamental elements, completeness is utterly impossible.

Therefore, whether or not the practice of Giving is added to each of the **Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) produces entirely different results. By identifying these points of difference, you can understand exactly where the core focus lies. Otherwise, not a single aspect of the Dharma Treasury of all Buddhas will arise within you. If you practice for a lifetime but establish absolutely nothing, would you not say this is a severe matter? Distancing oneself from taking what is not given, when combined with Giving, can achieve this magnificent effect. First, you absolutely do not steal, thieve, or rob. To this, you add Giving—abandoning the desire for personal gain and wishing only to give to others. Only then can you truly begin to accumulate and establish all the Buddha Dharmas within yourself.

Abstaining from Sexual Misconduct + Giving (*Dāna*)

**Abstaining from Sexual Misconduct** (*Kāmamithyācārād virati*) + **Giving** (*Dāna*)
If you possess this fault [of sexual misconduct], it will inevitably attract the **karmic retribution** (*karmavipāka*) of your **family members or retinue** (*parivāra*) being schemed against or taken advantage of by others. That is the karmic fruit. Conversely, if you do not have this fault—if you have not schemed against or violated the family members of others—it is impossible for your own family members to be schemed against.

This is merely given as an example; the true karmic consequences extend far beyond just these. Your family members will not engage in reckless or improper

behaviors, they will harbor no **impure or wicked thoughts** (*mithyā- manaskāra*), nor will they ever encounter immoral people.
You are only drawn together with such people because you possess **shared karma** (*sādhāraṇa-karma*)—unless, of course, you are a **Bodhisattva** manifesting in the world specifically to deliver and save (*pramocana*) that type of sentient being.

Relying solely on the law of karma, beings with entirely different karmas cannot possibly be bound together. If you do not possess the specific karmic cause, you cannot possibly experience its corresponding karmic retribution (*vipāka*). Ultimately, because you are a certain kind of person [through your actions], you will inevitably encounter the corresponding karmic result.

Abstaining from False Speech + Giving (*Dāna*)

**Abstaining from False Speech** (*Mṛṣāvāda-virati*) + **Giving** (*Dāna*) Because your words are always unreliable, your actions will inevitably be unreliable, and your thoughts will be unreliable too. This means you are a completely unreliable person who is bound to make mistakes. Who would respect someone like that? If you are certainly wrong, constantly wrong, and wrong all the way through, how can you earn others’ respect? Inevitably, people will look down on you.

If every sentence you speak is wrong, how can others trust you or respect you? They might even be afraid to listen to you, because since your words are wrong, listening to them would lead others into error as well. When a **deluded thought** (*vikalpa*) arises, you must verify whether it is indeed a deluded thought. If you do not know, you should ask for guidance.

Can you identify whether you are wrong and exactly where you went wrong? Only a person who knows what is correct—possessing **Right Knowledge and Right View** (*samyag-jñāna-darśana*, or the Buddha’s Knowledge and Vision)—can recognize what is wrong.

What does it mean to have a “good heart” or “good intentions”? It means you must first understand the other person correctly before you help them; only then is it truly a good intention. For example, if parents raise their children but completely ruin them in the process, can the upbringing provided by such parents be considered a “good intention”? At the very least, raising a child that others respect can be called a good intention. No matter what you are nurturing, if your “good intentions” directly harm others, it is not good at all.

Therefore, a person must first know what is truly good and bad before speaking of how to bring good to others. If you lack this cultivation of **Forbearance** (*Kṣānti*) and **Awakening** (*Bodhi*), yet claim to possess **Great Compassion** (*Mahākaruṇā*), your sorrow will only bring sorrow to others. You will only manufacture sorrow; you cannot uproot their **suffering** (*duḥkha*). If you constantly ruin others’ important matters, it would be strange if they didn’t run away from you.

Forbearance, Right View, and Awakening

First, you must possess the Buddha’s Knowledge and Vision, which is Awakening. This requires **Forbearance** (*Kṣānti*), because Forbearance is the direct **cause of Bodhi** (*bodhi-hetu*). All Bodhi must begin with Forbearance.

What is Forbearance? As explained in the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* regarding the Ten Kinds of Forbearance (*daśa-kṣānti*, cognitive acceptance), it is precise recognition, correct understanding, right view, and right concepts. This is also called Awakening. If you claim to be awakened but lack correct understanding, views, and concepts, then you are simply wrong.

**Points of Awakening:**

For example, why are the **Ten Unwholesome Deeds** (*Daśākuśalakarmapatha*) considered wrong? Because the **karmic fruits** (*vipāka*) they attract are entirely painful. This is the exact opposite of the fruit of peace, happiness, and sovereignty you desire. Therefore, committing the Ten Unwholesome Deeds is wrong.

Conversely, why are the **Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) considered correct? From the perspective of the result, since everyone desires the fruit of peace and happiness, the Ten Wholesome Deeds bring about exactly that. Thus, regarding the result, they are correct.

This is what is meant by recognition, understanding, and awakening.

Wisdom and Giving

As previously mentioned regarding the benefits of Giving (*Dāna*), whether it is added to the Ten Wholesome Deeds or not, Giving itself can produce the result of possessing everything. Since sentient beings desire to possess everything, Giving is the most corresponding Dharma. Do you have this kind of understanding, awakening, and recognition? If you do, that is correct, and that is called Forbearance (*Kṣānti*). Therefore, in Buddhism, all **Six Perfections** (*Ṣaṭ-pāramitā*) rely on **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*). If the Perfection of Wisdom (*Prajñā-pāramitā*) is not accomplished, the first five perfections cannot be accomplished.

What is Wisdom? It originates from Forbearance. Without Forbearance, there is no Wisdom.
* **Discernment/Knowledge** (*Jñāna*): For example, simply recognizing a watermelon does not count as discernment in terms of cultivation. A person with discernment precisely recognizes the entire planting process of the watermelon, all the required conditions, and exactly what phenomena occur at each stage of development. You can precisely recognize whether the melon is ripe or not. This is called Knowledge or Discernment (*Jñāna*).

* **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*): An accumulation of vast knowledge and discernment is called Wisdom (*Prajñā*).
* **Omniscience** (*Sarvajñāna*): Omniscience is infinite, whereas ordinary

wisdom is still limited. For instance, a single mountain peak is like *Jñāna*, a mountain range is like *Prajñā*, but the entire Earth encompassing all mountain ranges is like Omniscience (*Sarvajñāna*).
If you uphold this **Right View** (*Samyagdṛṣṭi*) and **Right Dharma** (*Saddharma*), whatever goals and vows (*praṇidhāna*) you wish to achieve will inevitably come to fruition.

The aspirations of sentient beings and the aspirations of the Buddha are the same. However, the Buddha used the correct methods, and therefore could truly attain the ultimate good. Sentient beings, on the other hand, are wrong in all their views, methods, and processes everywhere they turn. Thus, they will inevitably fail. What they obtain is not sovereignty and happiness, but infinite suffering.

The Danger of Deluded Thoughts and Ignorance

If you summarized your mistakes every time you made one, you would stop making them. However, people always avoid facing their own mistakes because thinking about them causes sorrow and pain. To avoid this sorrow and pain, they refuse to reflect, and instead only think about the pleasant things they like—which ultimately have nothing to do with them. Though irrelevant, they think about them anyway to deceive themselves.

Consequently, they never remember the mistakes they make. Because they do not remember, they are bound to be wrong, constantly wrong, and wrong all the way through. Their suffering becomes uninterrupted. If they truly reflected, they wouldn’t dare commit those errors or engage in them, and those sufferings would cease. If a person possessed this power of introspection, they would indeed improve. But people do not reflect; they only indulge and spoil themselves. As a result, they drown themselves in the waters of attachment— hence the term “spoiling” (literally, drowning in indulgence).

If you do not know you are wrong, seek out a master. When you make a mistake, ask the master to explain it. Once the master explains it, you will know. You can use analogies: for the same situation, observe what the master says versus what you say, and what the master does versus what you do. Even if you know nothing at all, perfectly mimicking the master’s way works too.

Not knowing but assuming you know, and then confirming it as truth, is **Ignorance** (*Avidyā*). It has absolutely nothing to do with the facts; it is merely cultivating **deluded thoughts** (*vikalpa*). In the future, you will remain forever trapped in the matrix and labyrinth of these deluded thoughts, unable to ever escape.

Conforming to Principles and Breaking Delusions

Have you completed every task in the present moment properly? You must cultivate this habit. As long as deluded thoughts are involved, they will inevitably destroy everything. Deluded thoughts are the root of all disasters; with them, the tasks of the present moment will never be done well.

You must first thoroughly recognize deluded thoughts to the point where they terrify you. The more severely you are terrified by them, the faster you will change. When you haven’t even scared yourself, claiming you will change is just deceit. You must be so terrified that you don’t dare follow a deluded thought. As soon as it appears, stare at it intently to see what it wants to do, or simply sweep it out like garbage. If you stare at it, you will realize it will inevitably destroy everything you are doing in the present moment.

Even if you were to see a Buddha at this very moment, you must remember that a true Buddha would not disrupt your present tasks—so that must also be a false Buddha. As the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra* explains regarding breaking through the Five Skandhas (*pañca-skandha*), even if a Buddha or a Dharma assembly appears before you, it is merely a reflection of past sensory objects (*ṣaḍ- āyatana-chāyā*), having nothing to do with you. If you mistake it for reality, you will inevitably fall into the **Demonic Path** (*māra-mārga*).

You absolutely must understand deluded thoughts thoroughly. They are the root cause. It is precisely what causes you to say the wrong things and do the wrong things. The ultimate result is suffering, and you ruin everything, because you will accomplish absolutely nothing in your entire life. No matter how proficient or skilled you are in a technique, once deluded thoughts participate, you will definitely ruin the task. Therefore, you are destined to fail and destined to suffer. Deluded thoughts are simply thoughts that are erroneous, unaligned with principles, formulas, laws, and reality. If you violate even one of these, you will fail. If you violate all of them, how could you possibly achieve success, peace, and happiness? You are destined to fail.

Whether your work involves math, physics, or chemistry… or even if you are in the humanities, studying arts, or writing. As long as deluded thoughts are added to your writing, it would be a miracle if you succeeded. Take cooking, for instance—you might think it’s unimportant, but cooking requires rice, water, fire, and the correct proportions. If a deluded thought says, “That’s too troublesome, I won’t use fire; I’ll just soak the rice in water,” it would be strange if it actually turned into cooked rice. Everything must conform to principles, formulas, laws, and reality. Anything that does not is a deluded thought. Yet, people consistently fail to conform to these principles. Thus, they are bound to be wrong, constantly wrong, and wrong all the way through.

If you don’t know how to do it, just don’t do it. If you do no good and do no evil, you align with the state described in the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*: *”Like Yajñadatta, when the mad nature comes to rest of its own accord; that resting is itself Bodhi.”*

Many people just talk all the way through, but will others believe what you say? Anyone can justify and express themselves, but when you do, it will be mixed with deluded thoughts. In the eyes of a discerning person, everything about you is a joke. Therefore, when a person speaks without realizing that others are watching them make a fool of themselves, that is Ignorance (*Avidyā*). If you knew the real situation in the room, you wouldn’t make a joke of yourself. You

would stop being stubborn; with your limited abilities, arguing only degrades yourself even if you win.
If you want to control yourself, you must know the harm of deluded thoughts.

**[The key is that whenever you are present with the public, if you can carefully weigh your words, the outcome will not be painful. If you trust your deluded thoughts, follow your feelings, rely on impulses, and let words blurt out automatically, it will inevitably harbor filth and bring disgrace. Therefore, only by dwelling in Awakening (*Bodhi*) at every single moment can you truly do things that are meaningful to yourself. If you are always heedless (*pramāda*), speaking recklessly and wildly, you will inevitably sell yourself out completely. What you get in return is others’ contempt, their disrespect, or you might even scare them away. Thus, the difference between being awakened and unawakened is massive.]**

Abstaining from Divisive Speech + Giving (*Dāna*)

**Abstaining from Divisive Speech** (*Paiśunyād virati*) + **Giving** (*Dāna*) **Divisive Speech** (*Paiśunya*): If you harbor a fondness for this, you will inevitably speak this way often, because it is your inclination. You constantly speak ill of others either to highlight your own supposed goodness or to completely tear others down—this is the guaranteed mechanism of divisive speech.

Look carefully at the story of the 500 Bodhisattvas in the scriptures. It was precisely through divisive speech that they destroyed the retinue of disciples following a Dharma Master. Their motive was nothing more than scheming to gain a little respect, **offerings** (*pūjā*), and **service** (*upasthāna*) for themselves, so they spoke ill of the Master. The Buddhist sutras have made this very clear: whether the slander is based on truth or falsehood, the karmic result of divisive speech was completely endured by those 500 Bodhisattvas. You must frequently reflect upon those passages in the scriptures to understand that speaking ill of others does not actually ruin the other person; it utterly ruins *yourself*. To what extent does it ruin you? Take your uncle, for example—look at how many lifetimes it takes, and yet even the slightest remaining trace of that karma is still so tragic. When you wish to cultivate a little goodness, you cannot; yet bad karma is generated automatically. If the consequences are this severe even for those at the **Bodhisattva** level, then for us ordinary beings with no spiritual realization, committing this karma will result in even more severe consequences.

To put it plainly, the root cause is the fear of others attaining something good, coupled with the desire to hoard all the good for oneself. You want it all for yourself and wish for others to get absolutely nothing. “Let all respect, offerings, and service come only to me”—it is all for this selfish aim.

Therefore, if this root is not reversed, we will inevitably continue to create this **karma** (*karma*) and forever suffer its **retribution** (*vipāka*), unless you

change. Once you change, you abandon divisive speech. If you then practice **Giving** (*Dāna*), giving your own resources to others, the result is unimaginable. Look at the karmic fruit: your wealth, your people, your affairs, and everything you have can never be violated by anyone. It is impossible for them to be taken away. Even the slightest infringement is impossible, let alone having them robbed from you.

Consider the outlaws of Mount Liang (from the classic tale *Water Margin*) who ultimately went to protect the Emperor. They were criminals of all sorts. Yet, when they encountered someone who had truly perfected wholesome karma, they actively offered themselves in service, even willing to lay down their lives for them.

If your karma is to take advantage of others, rob, and plunder, the result is that you will inevitably attract those whose mindsets perfectly match yours, and you will undoubtedly encounter robbery and violation.
Conversely, if you recite the name of **Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva** (Guānyīn), you are drawn in by His **Power of Compassion** (*Maitrī-bala*). Your very thoughts are directly transformed; instead of harming you, it brings you joy. This proves a vital point: whether you can influence others depends on whether you trigger their good side or their bad side.

They will be “magnetized.” Sentient beings are like iron; when they encounter a powerful magnetic force, they become magnetized. When the immense Power of Compassion of a Bodhisattva manifests, an ordinary person lacking compassion—who originally did not want you to succeed—becomes magnetized by you. They will suddenly want you to succeed and will even help protect your belongings from being stolen.

People with **foolishness and wrong views** (*moha* and *mithyā-dṛṣṭi*) lack **wisdom** (*prajñā*). They do not understand these profound principles, yet they remain self-righteous. Those with wisdom do not act this way.
When you are constantly guarding against others, you become the target that others guard against, because you yourself are not a pure person.

When you possess a strong magnetic field of merit and compassion, you can directly transform sentient beings.
The people who follow you (your family, parents, and disciples) will then share your heart, your virtues, and your aspirations. To those who constantly complain that their family members are difficult: do not blame others. First, simply abandon divisive speech.

Sentient beings love divisive speech, and as a result, they each cultivate absolute isolation. They repel everyone around them, and the ultimate result is that they are left utterly lonely, impoverished, and destitute.

[The Power of Vows and Transforming the Root]

[For every single wholesome deed, you must use the **Power of Vows** (*Praṇidhāna-bala*) to establish it. People lack this. How do we establish it? Through **Dedication of Merit** (*Pariṇāmanā*) and making vows to perfectly

accomplish it. This goes far beyond the basic **Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*); it integrates them into the **Great Vehicle** (*Mahāyāna*) by vowing to accomplish them for all beings.

For example, you must not only abstain from divisive speech, but actively **praise and extol** (*anumodanā* / *praśaṃsā*) others, even if they have only a single hair’s breadth of goodness. Through this, you establish a complete departure from divisive speech, turning your words into the very language that accomplishes and benefits others.

Divisive speech destroys the relationships between sentient beings, but what you actually lose is everything of your own. If I facilitate harmony between you and others, the result is that you indeed benefit, but the true, unchanging result belongs to me: eternally, all sentient beings will treat me well.

Take Liu Bei at the Battle of Changban as an example. If he had abandoned his “burden”—the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled—he could have easily protected his own family and army. But he did not abandon them. He knew that if Cao Cao’s army caught up, he couldn’t win, and he might even lose his own life and his family. Even under such circumstances, he did not abandon them; he protected their interests. Had Zhao Yun not intervened, the entire army might truly have been annihilated. Because of this, his ultimate reward was that the whole world came to know he would rather die than abandon those who followed him. Therefore, when he later became Emperor, people traveled thousands of miles to join him, including top military strategists like “Fèngchú” (Pang Tong) and “Wòlóng” (Zhuge Liang). This excellent reputation was known to all, and everyone naturally spread it.

Divisive speech is merely a surface phenomenon; the key lies in the **root of the mind** (*citta-mūla*). The root is the fear of others gaining an advantage and the fear of your own loss. You are especially terrified that others might touch or obtain your wealth, your power, or your people. This fear inevitably leads to destructive words and actions. Divisive speech is just the verbal aspect. In truth, it is not just in your words, but in all your actions. Your demeanor, facial expressions, tone, and physical movements all express it. Once expressed, your ultimate outcome is exactly the same as the outcome of divisive speech: you can only walk the most tragic path. It is only a matter of severity. The heavier your words and actions, the more tragic your fate. If you are merely harboring displeasure, your future suffering might be slightly less, but it remains fundamentally the same karmic retribution endured by those 500 Bodhisattvas. Letting others gain good things is the **Bodhisattva Practice** (*Bodhisattva- caryā*). It is defending the interests of others, meaning you are willing to relinquish (*tyāga*) everything. In the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*, within the Bodhisattva’s **Ten Dedications** (*Daśa-pariṇāmanā*), there is exactly this vow: to relinquish absolutely everything. The Bodhisattva aims solely to protect the interests of sentient beings, to destroy their own shallow and **miserly mind** (*mātsarya*), and to ensure others gain benefit. If you grasp this root, you can ignore the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Karma has varying

degrees of severity, but as long as it exists in your mind, it will inevitably manifest.
**Awaken to this truth:** **Greed** (*rāga/lobha*) can only trigger evil consequences.

Intellectually, the more meticulously you research all **afflictions** (*kleśas*)— whether they are **root afflictions** (*mūla-kleśa*) or **derivative afflictions** (*upakleśa*)—the stronger your wisdom becomes once you understand them thoroughly. But if you find it too detailed, too tedious, and are unwilling to study it, you can simply act directly: take whatever you possess and practice Giving (*Dāna*). That is doing it at the level of sentient beings.

The Bodhisattva level means sharing everything with sentient beings. The vows of the Ten Dedications explicitly state this: everything originally belongs to sentient beings. There is no such thing as “they shouldn’t get it,” or “I am unhappy because they got more.” It inherently belongs to them. If you establish this cause, when it matures, it will naturally bear fruit. All that you have is shared with sentient beings—your money, wealth, affairs, and people are all shared with them. Thus, there is no more anxiety, nor is there the constant terror of seeing who is scheming against you.

The main point is the disaster caused by afflictions. All afflictions absolutely do not want you to succeed, nor can they allow you to succeed. Therefore, they naturally drag you in, ensuring you completely fail to attain any good.
One root of affliction is **conceptual thought** (*saṃjñā/vikalpa*). When we speak of **Greed, Anger, Arrogance, and Doubt** (*lobha, dveṣa, māna, vicikitsā*), it simply depends on which direction your thoughts lean. If you didn’t think, would you still be greedy? If you didn’t think, would you harbor anger and hatred? If you didn’t think of elevating yourself, would you have arrogance? There are four main categories of these thoughts, but in short, they are all just conceptual thinking. Thoughts revolving around greed, anger, arrogance, and doubt will inevitably play a destructive role; they will destroy all good things and establish every kind of misfortune.

What should you do? You can transform your thinking. Instead of engaging in greed, anger, arrogance, and doubt, engage in the **Four Immeasurables** (*Apramāṇa* / *Brahmavihāra*): **Loving-kindness** (*Maitrī*), **Compassion** (*Karuṇā*), **Empathetic Joy** (*Muditā*), and **Equanimity/Relinquishment** (*Upekṣā*). Contemplate how to be loving and compassionate, how to rejoice in accordance with the Dharma, and how to relinquish everything. Your loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity can directly obliterate your greed, anger, arrogance, and doubt. They are both mental processes of “thinking,” but the direction of the thoughts is completely different.

If you have not yet smoothed out and arranged these principles, spend your free time reflecting on them. Regarding today’s topic, without three to five years of effort, you cannot thoroughly pass this test. If you want to pass, apply this to all details.

Take gluttony, for example. If you greedily consume your favorite fried foods, combined with heavy carbohydrates and desserts, just eat like that and see. In less than five years, won’t you develop diabetes? Then you will know that your favorite foods have harmed you into sickness. No matter what you are greedy for, it will rapidly lead you to destruction. Whether it is anger, arrogance, or doubt, look at what each of them can destroy in your life. If you distinguish this completely and reflect on it every day, you will realize how increasingly tragic the path is, and you will absolutely turn yourself around. Then, research all the benefits of Loving-kindness, Compassion, Empathetic Joy, and Equanimity, and you will know exactly what you must do.

When you reach the highest limit, someone might say they will beat you to death because of your loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. So be it! Beat me to death. It is the perfect opportunity to discard this lump of meat (the physical body). I will even thank you. I have already subdued my afflictions and cultivated the Four Immeasurables. Strike me down, and I will let you witness what a truly glorious transformation (rebirth) looks like.]

Abstaining from Harsh Speech + Giving (*Dāna*)

**Abstaining from Harsh Speech** (*Pāruṣyād virati*) + **Giving** (*Dāna*)
If you accomplish this, whatever you say, others will comply. They will believe you, accept your words, and absolutely never defy a single detail of what you say; your word will become reality for them.
For example, if Person B loves to give and lacks harsh speech, the extent of his capacity will manifest exactly to that degree. Wherever he goes, everyone will joyfully believe and accept him. However, if you act for your own selfish matters and go against others, do not expect your tests (in life and spiritual practice) to go smoothly.

Karma and the Mirror of Sentient Beings

As the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra* explains regarding the **Seven Elements** (*Sapta- mahābhūta*): they possess no fixed location (*anāyatana*); they respond to the minds of sentient beings, according to their capacity of knowledge, and manifest in accordance with their karma (*karmānurūpa-darśana*).

Have you considered that **karma** (*karma*) is simply karma? It is the natural law of the universe. Once you create it, you must endure the result. Whether fast or slow, when it meets the right **conditions** (*pratyaya*), you must bear it—there is no room for negotiation.

If you constantly feel that no one listens to you, no one believes you, and everyone rejects you, you must reflect: how much have you actually given, and how much harsh speech have you used? If you harbor these negative traits, how could others possibly treat you well?

Sentient beings are your mirror. However you treat the mirror, the mirror treats you in exactly the same way. However you treat other mirrors, your mirror will treat you the same. This is exactly what is meant by the “shadows” in the phrase

*like a dream, illusion, bubble, and shadow* (*svapna-māyā-budbuda-chāyā*). These shadows simply manifest right in front of you, and you must slowly experience them. If you compare carefully, you will understand: harsh speech combined with **miserliness** (*mātsarya*) results in everyone ignoring you. Conversely, if you possess words of **loving-kindness** (*maitrī*) and practice Giving, others will naturally be joyful. They will respectfully **take refuge** (*śaraṇa*) in your guidance, listen absolutely, and never defy you. Sentient beings constantly violate the natural laws of the universe and the **precepts** (*śīla*), yet they still desire good results—that is impossible. Only by complying with cosmic laws, rules, and precepts can you attain good outcomes.

The Analogy of Cooking and Cosmic Law

Take cooking rice, an everyday experience. If you reflect on it, cooking requires water, rice, and fire, and the proportions must be precise. If any element is too much or too little, the rice will not cook properly; in severe cases, it ceases to be rice at all. Therefore, proportions must be exact and conform to principles and rules to make a good meal. If such a minor task as cooking requires this, how much more so the major events of human life!

However, people today truly do not realize that the principle of one’s entire life is identical to cooking. Regardless of whether your mood is good or bad, you must act according to the rules to succeed. If you act recklessly based on passing emotions, the result is guaranteed failure. The moment you follow your mood and act willfully, you are destined to fail.

**Delusion** (*moha* or *mithyā*) means error. Reckless action is willfully acting in error, which guarantees failure. This is called: *creating karma according to emotion, and indulging the ego to commit wrongs.*
Therefore, the Buddha explained the true reality (*tattva*) of this world with exquisite precision. He told us exactly how to attain well-being, and how we trap ourselves in a lifetime of **suffering** (*duḥkha*) because we created that suffering ourselves. The Buddha has spoken all the good words; the key is whether we have **faith** (*śraddhā*)!

If you believe, you will act according to the rules, guaranteeing that everything goes well for you. If you don’t believe, try it and see how much **sovereignty and happiness** (*aiśvarya* and *sukha*) you have left. The very moment you engage in **heedlessness** (*pramāda*), your suffering inevitably begins.

**[Repetition is for emphasis. Some words may seem unnecessary, but they are incredibly important, because without them, people forget. Simple and clear statements are hard to remember. Sometimes, when a teaching cuts deep and engraves itself into your bones, you remember it firmly. Although being cut deep hurts a bit, it is precisely this pain that allows you to remember it for a long time.]**

The Genuine Heart and Recognizing Disgrace

**[When speaking, you must first generate a heart of loving-kindness (*maitrī- citta*). Only then will you have genuinely loving expressions, tones, and actions, because the mind (*citta*) is the root. If you lack it fundamentally and try to fake it, your wholesome karma cannot be formed, and others will see right through you. Therefore, you must act genuinely.

True Giving is devoid of a miserly mind, nor will you think the given object is still “yours” after giving it away. To do this well, you must thoroughly master the subtle effects of both giving and miserliness. Once your wisdom grows to see exactly what the benefits of giving and the harms of miserliness are, you will practice it joyfully. If you do not know the benefits of giving, and do not realize that miserliness will strip you of everything, you will not be able to do it. You must recognize this.

When we speak of Forbearance (*Kṣānti* / Chinese wordplay: *ren ru*), it is also about “recognizing disgrace” (*ren ru*). You must recognize what is truly shameful. For example, miserliness is a disgrace because it guarantees you will become increasingly miserable. Misery is certainly a disgrace. Have you recognized that it is a disgrace, and that everything it brings is destined to be a disgrace?]**

The Magnetic Power of Supreme Giving

**[Wherever some people go, a large crowd follows them. Take Liu Bei (the ancient emperor), for example. Originally a seller of straw sandals, he joined with two sworn brothers, then gathered thousands, and eventually, the whole world was willing to follow him, enabling him to become Emperor. He gambled the very lives of his entire family to practice Giving, and only then did he earn the trust of the world. Why else would anyone trust a sandal-seller? That was a profound form of Giving. He gave his own body, mind, and life, as well as those of his family, in exchange for the world’s trust.

The purer your mind is, regardless of how heavy the afflictions of sentient beings are, once your purity reaches a certain level, they will be magnetized by you. The purer your heart, the stronger the magnetism. Even the most stubborn, hard-to-tame steel will be magnetized in your presence. The steel has no magnetism of its own, but it becomes magnetized by you. Can you possess this? Can you become powerful enough? When you are powerful to a certain degree, you will naturally magnetize everything around you.

Conversely, mutual repulsion is also a magnetic effect: like repels like. If everyone is miserly, they will repel each other, and each will be reduced to an isolated, impoverished, and utterly lonely existence.]**

**[In the eyes of others, your studying is for yourself, and their playing is for themselves. If everyone acts for themselves, clinging to their own ways and believing they are right, they become of the same kind, and thus mutually repel each other. If everyone only guards their own interests and ignores the company’s interests, can the company thrive? If it were your company and

every employee acted this way, the company would collapse. The person who truly protects the company’s interests is the one willing to relinquish their own.]**

The Bodhisattva Path and Great Sovereignty

If you want people to take refuge in you and follow you, you must accomplish all of this. Otherwise, do not even think about it. You must do this, as it perfectly aligns with the **Bodhisattva’s Four Methods of Gathering Sentient Beings** (*Catvāri saṃgraha-vastūni*).

Therefore, when **Śākyamuni Buddha** was practicing the Bodhisattva path in a past life, going to sea in search of treasure and encountering danger, as a Bodhisattva practitioner, he was willing to sacrifice his own life to save the lives of sentient beings. Thus, the past lives of the **Five Bhikkhus** (*Pañcavargika*) were saved. This clearly tells us that a true Bodhisattva practitioner acts exactly like this; that was one of the Buddha’s lifetimes, and He did this in every lifetime. He sacrificed His own interests to protect the interests of sentient beings. Mutual repulsion occurs when both sides only protect their own interests without caring for the other’s.

A **Person of Great Sovereignty** (*Mahā-iśvara* / *Mukta*) is no longer bound or affected by karma.

Abstaining from Frivolous Speech + Giving (*Dāna*)
**Abstaining from Frivolous Speech** (*Saṃbhinnapralāpād virati*) + **Giving** (*Dāna*)
Because you know that frivolous speech (idle chatter) consists of nonsense and meaningless words, the actions it produces are likewise meaningless. Once you understand this, you will no longer engage in meaningless actions or speak meaningless words. Naturally, you will begin to speak words of value and perform deeds of true significance.
These meaningful actions and words form the very foundation of **Skillful Means** (*Upāya-kauśalya*). To elevate this further—to execute tasks perfectly and speak flawlessly—you must be precise. This precise method, this precise application of words, is exactly what is called Skillful Means. Executing a task with absolute precision is Skillful Means. Completing something solidly and accurately, without any superfluous steps, is Skillful Means.
Therefore, you must evaluate whether your words are meaningful. You may always *want* to speak meaningful words, but because of your deep-seated **habitual tendencies** (*vāsanā*) of frivolous speech, you end up talking wildly (letting your mouth run like a runaway train). You just say whatever comes to mind.

When your words do not match the **spiritual capacity of the listener** (機, *indriya* / faculties), when your actions do not fit the occasion, and when they do not conform to the **Ultimate Truth** (理, *tattva* / principle), you will

accomplish absolutely nothing. When your words fail to match the listener’s capacity and the truth, they are simply nonsense; they are meaningless words.

The Social and Karmic Consequences

The critical point is that after you speak this way, everyone feels averse to you. They will neither respect nor love you, and they will not accept your words.
In reality, people often mix all forms of wrong speech together in daily life. For now, in your study, do not mix them up; if you cannot even remember them individually, tangling them together will make them impossible to untangle. Now that we are studying frivolous speech: if you constantly speak this way, everyone will feel averse to you. They will even feel disgusted and have no choice but to flee from you.

This is the key. If members of a family constantly use frivolous speech with one another, this idle chatter will inevitably breed **afflictions** (*kleśa*) and disgust. At best, this family will be superficially united but entirely divided in heart. There is no other way; even if they manage to scrape by, they are merely surviving— the relationship cannot truly improve.

Words that do not accord with the listener’s capacity and do not conform to the truth are nonsense. It is like a kite drifting aimlessly in the wind; eventually, you have no idea where it has drifted off to.

The Chaotic Mind as the Root

Such a person is in a state of chaos, completely disordered and scattered in all directions. This state of chaos is the very manifestation of frivolous speech. In this state, it is impossible for anyone to respect or love you.
How does the mind become chaotic? A **deluded thought** (*vikalpa*) suddenly arises in an instant, and you immediately blurt it out. That makes you a chaotic person.

The **Mind** (*citta*) is the root. Opening your mouth is the means of execution. If you feel satisfied and complacent after committing this verbal act, a complete **karmic cause** (*karma-hetu*) has been fully formed, and ultimately the **karmic fruit** (*karma-phala* / *vipāka*) will ripen. Because your mind created this unwholesome karma, when the result finally manifests, you will be forced to endure a miserable state of mind and suffering.

Abstaining from Greed + Giving (*Dāna*)

**Abstaining from Greed** (*Alobha*) + **Giving** (*Dāna*)
Bestowing benefit (*anugraha*): This refers to giving designed to benefit others, giving that arises purely from a mind wishing to bring them benefit.
If you practice Giving while harboring **Greed** (*lobha*), your karmic seeds will be shriveled and defective. Consequently, even if those seeds manage to sprout, the harvest you reap will likewise be shriveled and defective.

The Great Matter: Firm Faith and Understanding

This is a matter of great importance: **Faith** (*śraddhā*) and **Understanding** (*adhimukti* / *prajñā*) arise from this pure Giving. Not only do they arise, but they remain constantly present because they become exceptionally firm and indestructible (*dṛḍha*). This is incredibly important. Because once you possess this firm faith and understanding, you are endowed with great power (*mahā-bala*), and only then will you give the absolute best of what you have. This is the ultimate result.

If your practice of Giving does not reach its optimal state, your faith and understanding will not reach their optimal state, nor can they be endowed with great power. When your faith and understanding do possess great power, no **afflictions** (*kleśa*) can destroy them.

For instance, if I believe in the law of **cause and effect** (*karma* and *vipāka*) and know that the consequences of evil are tragic, once I establish this faith and understanding, it becomes indestructible. It can destroy afflictions, while afflictions cannot destroy it; thus, the person can truly put the Dharma into practice. This is extremely important.

Why do most people today intellectually “know” the Buddhadharma but fail to actually practice it? It is because their Giving and **Offerings** (*pūjā*) are insufficient. Furthermore, when they do give or make offerings, they do so with a greedy mind. Harboring greed, they simply cannot accomplish the practice.

Offerings and the Example of Avalokiteśvara

Through this, you can understand why the Buddhadharma so frequently discusses the matter of Offerings (*pūjā*), and why the Great Bodhisattvas— despite having attained such supreme spiritual levels—continue to make offerings.

Take **Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva** (Guanyin) as depicted in the *Universal Gate Chapter* (*Samantamukha-parivarta*). Avalokiteśvara would not accept the offering of the pearl necklace in the presence of the Buddha, not daring to do so even when urged. When He finally accepted it out of compassion, He immediately divided it into two parts to offer to the two Buddhas (Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna).

This perfectly proves that **Akṣayamati Bodhisattva** (who presented the necklace) understood this profound principle perfectly, which is why he insisted on making the offering. He knew that only through such offerings can one achieve firm faith and understanding, endowed with the great power required to practice the path. This powerful force can destroy all afflictions without being destroyed by them.

A Bodhisattva does not dare accept offerings in the presence of the Buddha; doing otherwise would cultivate greed and arrogance, improperly overstepping the host’s position. In secular terms, doing so fosters bad habits from childhood, leaves one ignorant of proper propriety, establishes **wrong views** (*mithyā- dṛṣṭi*), and produces wrong actions. Even if one accepts a gift, it should immediately be offered to one’s parents.

Avalokiteśvara manifests in a Bodhisattva body to gather and transform sentient beings; there is nothing He does not understand, comprehend, or cannot accomplish.

Seeking the Dharma: Compassion vs. Greed

If you wish for your faith and understanding to become indestructible so you can truly accomplish the path, you must absolutely master this principle. Otherwise, you will forever remain at the level of merely “knowing” intellectually, and it will be impossible to attain firm faith and understanding or possess great power. You must practice Giving without a mind seeking greedy gains (*alobha- dāna*).

Seeking the Dharma to benefit sentient beings is not greed; it transcends greed. However, if you seek the Dharma with the intention of using it to manipulate, control, or mock sentient beings, then that falls entirely within the realm of Greed.

Abstaining from Anger + Giving (*Dāna*)

**Abstaining from Anger/Hatred** (*Adveṣa*) + **Giving** (*Dāna*)
If you practice Giving while completely departing from hatred and anger (Note: internal hatred brews first, which then erupts into outward anger), you will accomplish **Unobstructed Wisdom** (*Apratihata-jñāna* or *Asaṅga-jñāna*). Physical beauty is merely external; it is not the main point. The main point can be illustrated using our physical eyes: some people are farsighted, some are nearsighted, some are colorblind, and some have astigmatism that distorts everything they see. Even when your **six sense organs** (*ṣaḍ-indriya*) achieve **purity** (*viśuddhi*), if you do not possess sufficient **merit and virtue** (*puṇya* and *guṇa*), your vision and perception will still be heavily limited.
If, however, the eye is adorned (*vyūha* or *alaṃkāra*) by true merit—as explained in the *Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra* (The Lotus Sutra), specifically within the chapter “Benefits of the Teacher of the Law” (*Dharmabhāṇakānuśaṃsā-parivarta*)—the outcome is entirely different. Once the six sense organs are completely pure, free from the hindrances of the **Three Obstacles** (*Tri-āvaraṇa*: the obstacles of afflictions, karma, and karmic retribution), and fully endowed with the corresponding merit, you will be able to clearly see, hear, and perceive every single phenomenon within an entire **world system** (*lokadhātu*).
Therefore, this state of “sublime adornment and goodness” (*suvyūha*) does not merely refer to a beautiful physical appearance. Rather, it signifies that this meritorious capability itself is supremely excellent. Of course, as a natural byproduct, the physical appearance will also be beautiful.
When people show you profound respect and love, it is not merely an attachment to your external appearance. It includes the fact that you possess the wisdom to clearly articulate the **Path and the Truth** (*Mārga* and

*Dharma*). Because they can accomplish everything they seek by relying on your teachings, they will naturally revere you. This kind of reverence is the true, fundamental root of their devotion.
Whether you are physically attractive or not does not help them resolve their fundamental issues, but your spiritual merit (*guṇa*) can help them immensely. They must rely on your guidance in every single detail to achieve their ultimate spiritual goals. Your physical beauty cannot save them; if they could only rely on your looks, what genuine use would you be to them?

Abstaining from Ignorance/Wrong Views + Giving (*Dāna*)

**Abstaining from Ignorance/Wrong Views** (*Mithyādṛṣṭi-virati* or *Amoha*) + **Giving** (*Dāna*)
If you combine the abandonment of **Wrong Views** (*Mithyādṛṣṭi*) with Giving, a single **Right View** (*Samyagdṛṣṭi*) is enough to override all **Inverted Views** (*Viparyāsa*).

For example, once you establish a true and authentic understanding, you will know exactly what “you” are, and you will never again mistake other things for your “self.” A common mistake people make today is mistaking their name for themselves; thus, if someone insults their name, they feel they are being personally attacked. Others mistake their physical body for their “self,” while some believe their family members are “theirs,” and still others believe their houses, cars, and money are “theirs.”

In reality, these are all inverted views. You are fundamentally confused about what is actually “you” and what is merely your **karmic retribution** (*karmavipāka*). You are you. Your physical body, house, car, and money are merely karmic retributions; fundamentally, they are not you.

Once you establish this certainty, you will no longer treat karmic retribution as your “self.” These phenomena simply manifest according to the **karma** (*karma*) you have created; once the retribution is exhausted, it is over. They are merely phenomena arising from karmic conditions (*pratyaya*), not you. Specifically, your physical body and mind are your **Direct Retribution** (*Mukhya-phala* / *Sattva-loka*), while your house, car, money, and environment are your **Dependent Retribution** (*Adhipati-phala* / *Bhājana- loka*). Whether Direct or Dependent, both are simply karmic fruits (*phala*). They are phenomena given to you in response to your karmic deeds; they are not “you.” Once you establish this Right View, it becomes impossible for erroneous, inverted views to replace it.

As mentioned earlier, if you lack pure Giving, your “view” is merely intellectual knowledge; you cannot actually put it into practice. Giving itself generates the active power that allows your **Faith, Understanding, and Practice** (*Śraddhā, Adhimukti, Caryā*) to pass the test, ultimately leading to **Realization/Fruit** (*Prativedha* / *Phala*).

The combination of Right View and Giving is absolutely essential. Throughout the stages of Faith, Understanding, Practice, and Realization, if you lack Right

View, your faith will be placed in heterodox, crooked, and erroneous things. Therefore, they must be combined.

The Teachings of the Daśacakra Sūtra

For example, the *Daśacakra Kṣitigarbha Sūtra* (*Ten Wheels of Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra*) states that if you make offerings to evil-natured **Bhikṣus** (monks harboring wrong views), when they fall into the lower realms, you will fall with them. Why? Because you have been tainted and conditioned by their wrong views.

Furthermore, if you claim that the **Hīnayāna** (Lesser Vehicle) was not spoken by the Buddha, or that the **Mahāyāna** (Great Vehicle) was not spoken by the Buddha, or if you claim one is entirely right and the other is entirely wrong—these are severe acts of **Slandering the Buddha and Slandering the Dharma** (*Saddharma-pratikṣepa*). No matter how high your level of cultivation is, you will inevitably fall into the lower realms. This shows how crucial Right View is.

If you make offerings to someone with Right View, you generate orthodox, wholesome benefits. If you make offerings to someone with wrong views, you generate heterodox, harmful results. The *Daśacakra Sūtra* profoundly emphasizes this point and meticulously details the various erroneous behaviors produced by Bhikṣus with wrong views. It clarifies that even if a monk’s outward behavior is flawed, as long as his core *view* is correct, he can still serve as a **Field of Merit** (*Puṇyakṣetra*), and your offerings will yield good results. However, if his *view* is corrupted, no matter how high his status appears, you will inevitably accompany him into the lower realms.

Intention and Retraining the Mind

**Examine the Motivation (*Āśaya / Cittotpāda*):**
If your underlying intention is: *”These are all disciples of the Buddha, and I am making offerings to the disciples of the Buddha,”* then there is no error.
The mind (*citta*) is the root. Just like planting, the mind is the seed (*bīja*). Whether the seed is an apple seed or a pear seed determines the ultimate fruit. It is forever impossible to plant a spinach seed and demand an apple. Therefore, your underlying intention dictates the “species” of your karmic result. Before you speak, always examine your intention to see if it aligns with the **Buddha’s Knowledge and Vision** (*Buddha-jñāna-darśana*); only then can it guarantee the specific fruit you desire.
The automatic reactions of ordinary beings—whether you call them the subconscious or the unconscious mind—are all systems you have trained yourself to have. Since you trained them, and you now know they are wrong, you must stop nourishing them and allowing them to run wild. You can completely reshape your “nervous system” (karmic habitual pathways) into a system of **Right Knowledge and Right View** (*Samyag-jñāna-darśana*). Once this new system is fully established, it too will function automatically.

Therefore, our current practice is precisely about **forsaking the heterodox and returning to the orthodox**. The Buddha is the great guide of returning to the orthodox. Within the Tripiṭaka, in the Vinaya (monastic discipline) texts regarding the **Three Refuges** (*Triśaraṇa*), the Buddha clearly guides us on how to forsake heterodox paths and return to the orthodox truth.

The Bodhisattva Path and Karmic Resonance

Only by abandoning inverted views and cultivating the **Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) can one be called a true Bodhisattva. Through the **Sixteen Deeds of Great Compassion** (*Mahākaruṇā*), all wrong views are completely obliterated.

If you completely eradicate these wrong and inverted views and then practice Giving, that is the true Bodhisattva Path cultivated by a **Mahāsattva** (Great Being)—it is the Ten Wholesome Deeds practiced while walking the Bodhisattva Path. If this foundation of Right View is not established, it cannot be called the Ten Wholesome Deeds of a Mahāsattva.

There is a natural karmic trajectory, much like a magnetic field naturally attracting compatible forces. For instance, if parents desire a child endowed with Right View, **merit, and wisdom** (*puṇya-prajñā*), and a descending consciousness desires parents with Right View, merit, and wisdom—like a mother remembering her child, their mutual remembrance is unbroken—the child will naturally be reborn into that family.

Conversely, frequencies that differ cannot resonate. The frequency of scheming against others for personal gain is the exact opposite of the frequency of sacrificing oneself to benefit others. They cannot achieve sympathetic resonance, nor can they align.

Action, Vows, and the Story of Dharaṇīṃdhara Bodhisattva

If you use the **Four Methods of Gathering Sentient Beings** (*Catvāri saṃgraha-vastūni*) to accompany and guide someone, ultimately, they will naturally rely on you, and your words will carry true weight. If you haven’t reached this level, and they can live perfectly well without you, why would they follow you?

If you generate a genuine vow (*praṇidhāna*), you will naturally possess what you need. If you generate a firm, enduring vow, your possessions will be even more supreme. For example, if you practice Great Compassion to uproot the suffering of sentient beings, you will not lose anything; you will only be endowed with more. It all depends on whether your own Right View has been established. You can learn from **Dharaṇīṃdhara Bodhisattva** (Earth-Upholding / Leveling Bodhisattva). He started with nothing and did something seemingly very simple—you just have to act! The more he worked, the more he gained, eventually developing the physical power of a giant. It became effortless for him, like taking a leisurely stroll, to carry massive amounts of earth to level the roads. Because his mind was so pure and singularly focused, he worked endlessly

without stopping. Finally, the Buddha appeared to him and said: *”You must level the ground of your mind (*cittabhūmi*). What is the use of merely leveling this external earth?”*
In that instant, he leveled the ground of his mind and instantly transcended to the **Eighth Bhūmi** (*Acalā-bhūmi*, the Immovable Ground). This was because his foundational capital of merit (*puṇya-saṃbhāra*) was vastly more than enough. After the Buddha taught him this, he gained the ability to instantly resolve all worldly matters.

[The Obstinacy of Wrong Views]

**[If people rigidly cling to their own wrong and inverted views, they will not believe your Right Views. Therefore, whether you speak to them nicely or harshly, the result is the same; all they will think is, “You are treating me badly.” This is because they process everything through a distorted, heterodox lens. When will they change? They will only change when their suffering becomes so excruciating that they can no longer bear it. But the moment things get slightly better, they revert back to their old ways—as the saying goes, “healing the scar but forgetting the pain.”

Because you stubbornly protect your wrong views and refuse to allow anyone to touch them, the more you protect them, the more tragic your fate becomes. Using heterodox, wrong views guarantees that every outcome will be tragic. Conversely, using orthodox, Right Views guarantees that the result will inevitably be sovereignty, peace, and true happiness (*aiśvarya* and *sukha*).]**

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Six Perfections (Ṣ aṭ-pāramitā)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Precepts** (*Śīla*)
All the benefits and merits of the Buddhadharma originate from the **Precepts** (*Śīla*). Because you, as an ordinary being, are fundamentally chaotic and disordered, the Precepts serve precisely to put a stop to these chaotic and scattered actions of your mind (*cittacarita*).

From this cessation, true establishment begins. For instance, making a vow (*praṇidhāna*) is akin to establishing a completely new nervous system within yourself—this can be called spiritual neuroplasticity (the profound reshaping of your karmic habitual pathways). When your actions flawlessly manifest in accordance with standards, rules, and ultimate principles, this is called the

**Adornment of Precepts** (*Śīla-vyūha* or *Śīlālaṃkāra*).
Relying upon the Precepts of the Ten Wholesome Deeds as the absolute foundation (*āśraya*), all the Buddhadharmas are thereby established.

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Forbearance / Patience** (*Kṣānti*)
All the **merits and virtues** (*guṇa*) of the Buddha begin with precise recognition and understanding (*jñāna*). Once you truly recognize how perfectly excellent every single aspect of the Buddha is, you will yearn for it, pursue it, and ultimately accomplish it.

To speak plainly, ordinary people can understand that something is truly good based on what they can physically hear and see. If we speak of the Buddha’s **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*), it is invisible and inaudible to them, making it difficult for them to grasp how magnificent it truly is. Therefore, the teachings specifically highlight the Buddha’s sublime voice and **Thirty-Two Marks of Excellence** (*Dvātriṃśad-varalakṣaṇa*) to show you.

This relates to the practice of Forbearance (*Kṣānti* / Chinese wordplay: *ren ru*, which sounds identical to “recognizing disgrace”). When your ability to “recognize disgrace” (recognizing your own flaws) is strengthened to a certain degree, you will look at the Buddha’s sublime voice and physical marks. Whether you recognize them immediately or not, once you truly understand them, you will realize, “Ah, how truly magnificent!”

You must recognize exactly where your disgrace (your flaws and karmic retributions) comes from, and recognize exactly where all of the Buddha’s perfections come from.
If you compare yourself to those who are lower, you will become increasingly lower. If you compare yourself to those who are higher, you will become increasingly higher. The more a person thinks they are already quite good, the lower they actually are. Even a highly cultivated person will continuously descend if they constantly feel they are flawless.

Whoever you compare yourself to, you will incline toward them, because they become your directional coordinate. Whoever you constantly bear in mind (*smṛti*), you will gravitate toward them. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are so supremely magnificent—you should contemplate them! You should contemplate the virtues of highly cultivated beings. Who you incline toward is crucially important. Why do some people start off studying well but progressively worsen? It is because they constantly focus on lower benchmarks; ultimately, they become worse and worse.

What you choose to recognize is extremely important. Compared to the Buddha, are we not a disgrace? Compared to highly cultivated masters—who can accomplish whatever they set out to do—what can you accomplish?
You must fully recognize your own disgrace before you can truly begin to exert **Joyous Effort** (*Vīrya*). Otherwise, you will never improve. If you do not

even recognize how much disgrace you bear—perhaps even mistaking your disgrace for glory—how can you possibly get better?
For example, in terms of eating: if a person specifically chooses foods that cause disease simply because they are delicious, sweet, and crispy, can their ultimate outcome possibly be good? That is forever impossible. If they are constantly entangled in the **suffering of illness** (*vyādhi-duḥkha*), how can they be well? If one cannot even discern or recognize such a basic matter, how can they improve?

From the very food you eat, one can see whether your recognition and understanding are correct.
Science demands verification; this is called evidence-based science. Following this evidence, we can discover that if you exclusively eat foods that cause diabetes and consume them continuously for years, it will absolutely send you to the hospital. This is scientifically provable. It is just that science discovered this relatively late, whereas the Buddhadharma discovered it long ago. The terminology used is different, but the principle is identical: the Buddhadharma calls this **”manifestation according to karma”** (*karmānurūpa-darśana*). Your goal is to attain a good result. But if your recognition—the very first step— is wrong, and you add your own attachments and preferences to it, it becomes even more wrong. When you develop a passionate attachment to sweet and fragrant things, harboring a special fondness for them, you will heavily rely on certain foods and refuse to abandon them. You will inevitably become sick.

If you carefully examine all dietary ingredients, some have excessively high levels of certain elements. If they are too high, they harm the human body. For instance, excessively high levels of certain substances can damage the kidneys; even excessive protein can ravage the body. Every food item has certain elements that lean high. If you concentrate your diet on ingredients that share the same high element, your kidneys will fail rapidly. When that element vastly exceeds the standard, it destroys your body.

How much do you truly understand about the ingredients you eat? How much do you understand your own body, and do you know what karmic and physical effects these foods produce? If you do not know, yet still think you are doing quite well, you are just like a person eating, drinking, and making merry in a cesspool, mistakenly thinking everything is fine. This is because you fundamentally lack the ability to distinguish what is truly good from what is bad. If you want to know, you must study, remember, and put it into practice. The problem is that people today refuse to study or remember; they do not even know about these matters, yet they still believe they are doing well. You are actively harming yourself, yet you think you are doing well!

Therefore, we must have a full and accurate recognition of ourselves. Wherever we are lacking, we must relearn and practice in that area. We cannot follow **deluded thoughts** (*vikalpa*), feelings, or impulses, arrogantly believing we are faultless when we are already boundlessly wrong. The problem is extremely severe. In the Buddhadharma, this is called **Ignorance** (*Avidyā*). Not

understanding the truth while smugly believing you have it all figured out is foolishness, **wrong view** (*mithyā-dṛṣṭi*), and ignorance. Because your goal is to attain something good, but your views are highly heterodox and wrong, you will never attain a good result; you will only reap suffering.

The best method is to eat less, or not eat at all—fasting. Fasting activates macrophages to clean up cellular garbage and convert it into substances the body needs. It can even awaken stem cells that have stopped working. After the age of 20, these cells begin to go dormant, but under extreme conditions (like fasting), they can be awakened to work again. What has been damaged can be repaired; what is dormant can be awakened. However, people are ruled by fear and are unwilling to explore or understand this truth.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds + Joyous Effort (*Vīrya*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Joyous Effort / Diligence** (*Vīrya*)
How can one thoroughly recognize and understand the truth without **Joyous Effort** (*Vīrya*)? To thoroughly understand *is* precisely Joyous Effort. Everything requires diligent effort. However, there is **Right Effort** (*Samyag- vyāyāma* or *Kuśala-vīrya*) and there is **Wrong Effort** (*Mithyā-vyāyāma*). You are not lacking in effort; your wrong effort in seeking worldly pleasures— eating, drinking, playing, and indulging—is fully abundant. You are simply applying your effort to the wrong path (*mithyā-mārga*).

If everything established within you since childhood had been orthodox and correct, you would take a wide detour the moment you saw a cesspool. You certainly would not meticulously examine, smell, and taste it, all while smugly believing yourself to be highly clever.

Now, the only way forward is to completely halt that erroneous “nervous system” (your deep-seated karmic habitual patterns, *vāsanā*) and establish a new one. This is spiritual neuroplasticity—the profound reshaping of your karmic pathways. This reshaping is a prolonged process. You must mold it with patience and steadily walk along this orthodox path. As for that discarded, erroneous system, do not reactivate it; stop recharging it with your energy. Therefore, the outcome depends entirely on human effort. This matter relies solely on how you choose to act. You can choose to maintain your **Wrong Views** (*Mithyā-dṛṣṭi*)—the “cesspool system” prevalent in countless households—or you can utterly abandon it and newly forge the complete system of the Buddha. Therefore, it is all up to your own exertion. Thus, it is said: “Conduct yourself well” (look out for your own true well-being).

You must clearly distinguish what is the **Ultimate Good** (*Paramārtha- kuśala* / *Śubha*) from what is merely a mistaken perception of good. Once you have clearly distinguished between them, you must apply the truly good to your words, actions, and conduct (*kāya-vāk-karma*). That is the true meaning of “conducting yourself well.”

The Ten Wholesome Deeds + Meditation (*Samādhi*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Meditation / Concentration** (*Samādhi* / *Dhyāna*)
**Mindfulness** (*Smṛti*), specifically **Right Mindfulness** (*Samyak-smṛti*): The very inception of all mindfulness and thought originates from one’s view (*dṛṣṭi*). If your view is wrong, your mindfulness will inevitably be wrong.

The initial views we established are already fundamentally flawed. For example, regarding sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty—everyone has different preferences, and each person believes their own prejudiced attachment is the best and perfectly suits their taste. Do you know why people develop these prejudices and personal tastes? It is because they were **conditioned and perfumed** (*vāsanā*) when the view was initially established. After prolonged conditioning, even things originally disliked become liked.

If it is something they have never established a preference for, and you ask them first, “Do you like this? Does it suit your taste?” After tasting it, they will judge it based on their previously established conditioning. The result is that their initial establishment was completely wrong.

*(All phenomena are inherently tranquil and empty; it is only the human mind that creates a commotion. Things themselves possess no inherent “good” or “bad”; these are merely labels affixed by humans—defining what is “good” and what is “bad.” You define them, repeatedly defining and repeatedly labeling them. Finally, you become firmly convinced of these labels, and they become stubborn and solidified. Their density grows thicker and thicker, eventually surpassing even the density of a diamond in hardness. Therefore, such people are called **stubborn and hard-to-tame sentient beings** (*kaṭhina-sattva*).* *The myriad things of the world are simply what they are (*Tathatā* / Thusness). They do not need you to define them as good or bad, nor do they need you to attach any labels to them. As a result of this labeling, humans trap themselves in a matrix of their own definitions, wandering in a labyrinth from which they can never escape. To put it more severely, they fundamentally do not want to escape, because escaping means giving up their eating, drinking, playing, and indulging. “What is the point then?” they think. Eating is the desire for food, followed by the desire for sleep and **sexual desire** (*kāma-tṛṣṇā*). The higher a being’s spiritual realm, the less they possess these worldly desires.)*

The Power of Concentration

Put simply, focusing the mind with unwavering dedication is **Concentration** (*Samādhi*). When you listen to a teacher’s lecture with undivided attention, you are dwelling in the *Samādhi* of the teacher’s realm, and you will absolutely understand the teaching. If you apply this unwavering *Samādhi* to solving a problem, you will inevitably solve it. Whatever task you undertake, if you do it with one-pointed concentration, you will flawlessly accomplish it.

Therefore, if you apply unwavering concentration to contemplate (*manasikāra* / *smṛti*) a single principle, that contemplation will succeed and transform into

your **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*). Once you possess this wisdom, you will perceive even more clearly what constitutes true “disgrace” (your karmic flaws) and recognize the vast disparity between the enlightened and the unenlightened. At this very moment, you have already reached the state of **Lightness and Peace** (*Praśrabdhi*). And this is merely the first step! As you progress further, it is not merely Lightness and Peace; the states of the **Four Dhyānas** (*Catur-dhyāna*) will be fully established. Lightness and Peace is only the initial step; you can ultimately attain the realms of the Four Dhyānas. This is the profound mechanism of *Samādhi*.

Remorse, Lightness, and the Noble Path

The sense of **Shame and Remorse** (*Hrī* and *Apatrāpya*) felt by ordinary sentient beings is fundamentally different from the shame and remorse felt by Noble Ones (*Āryas*). The experience varies at each level of realization. Because you will constantly feel how unimaginably far you are from the Buddha’s perfection, you feel profound remorse. Driven by this remorse to continuously pursue the path, you will ultimately attain Buddhahood.

With every step forward, you will find yourself filled with Lightness and Peace (*Praśrabdhi*); your body and mind will feel weightless, relaxed, and deeply stabilized. You will no longer be in a state of chaotic confusion, feeling as if your mind is about to explode, nor will you remain in a muddled, ignorant stupor. When this Lightness and Peace deepens into the state of *Samādhi*, you will look back and realize: “What was the point of all my past chaotic pursuits?” Compare your state in this very moment to your usual, everyday state. The Lightness and Peace achieved through *Dhyāna-samādhi* is ten thousand times superior to your current worldly pleasures. If you desire it, you must go and cultivate *Samādhi* yourself.

**[Observing the Precepts (*Śīla*) is the root of generating merit and blessings (*puṇya*). Giving (*Dāna*) is the root of generating merit. Being mindful of and remembering the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (*Buddhānusmṛti*) is the root of generating merit. All of these methods can and must be dynamically applied.]**

The Ten Wholesome Deeds + Wisdom (*Prajñā*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*)
**Wisdom** (*Prajñā*) is the vast accumulation of profound discernments and knowledge (*Jñāna*). Because each specific type of discernment (*Jñāna*) can sever a specific kind of **deluded, discriminating view** (*vikalpa-mithyādṛṣṭi*), the vast accumulation of these discernments can sever all of them completely. Deluded views are simply erroneous views. Therefore, Wisdom (*Prajñā*) eradicates all erroneous views entirely.

For example, consider the **Sixteen Deeds of a Bodhisattva** (the Great Compassion practices used to counteract worldly delusions). Each specific deed corresponds to analyzing and overcoming a specific category of deluded

views. You must discover exactly where the error lies. Because the foundational premise is wrong, the result will inevitably be wrong; you will never be able to obtain the correct, desired outcome.
All human beings desire peace and happiness (*sukha*), but if their initial recognition is wrong, and their methods are wrong, the final result will inevitably be wrong.

The Three Stages of Forming Fixed Karma

In the Buddhist mechanics of karma, a complete karmic act consists of three stages. If an action is wrong, it manifests in these three ways:

1. **The Intention is Wrong (認識錯誤 / 心錯):**
An erroneous recognition means the **fundamental mind or intention** (*mūla-

citta* or *āśaya*) is wrong before the action even begins. 2. **The Method is Wrong (方法錯誤 / 方便):**

The method refers to the **skillful means or application** (*upāya* or *prayoga*). If the mind is wrong, the execution of the action is likewise erroneous.

3. **The Completion is Wrong (成已錯):**

If, upon concluding the action, you still feel satisfied and believe you did a good thing, this constitutes an erroneous **completion or finalization** (*niṣṭhā*). When all three of these components are fully present—the wrong intention, the wrong method, and the wrong satisfaction upon completion—a completely erroneous **karmic cause** (*karma-hetu*) is successfully forged.

Ultimately, this crystallizes into **Fixed Karma** (*Niścita-karma* or *Kṛtāpacita- karma*)—inevitable karmic retribution from which it is impossible to escape.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Immeasurables (Catur-apramāṇ a)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Loving-kindness** (*Maitrī*)
**Bestowing Joy** (*Sukha-pradāna*): Your ultimate purpose is to give sentient beings true peace and happiness (*sukha*). Since your goal is to grant them peace and happiness, the intention to afflict or harm (*vihiṃsā*) them simply cannot exist.

However, there is an exception: sometimes, the “happiness” they desire is not true peace and happiness at all, but rather the very cause of **suffering**

(*duḥkha*). If you can clearly explain to them that what they seek is actually suffering and not true happiness, and if you are able to persuade them to change course, that is the manifestation of true **Loving-kindness** (*Maitrī*). Sometimes, people simply refuse to listen to your guidance. For example, every tool has a specific, correct method of operation. If you stubbornly insist on using the wrong method, you will either break the tool or completely ruin the task. Therefore, if you want to succeed, you must act in accordance with inherent principles and laws; you cannot act haphazardly based on whatever whim pops into your head. Anyone who fails does so precisely because they applied the wrong method. For instance, if you try to ride a bicycle as if you were riding a horse, you will ultimately just smash the bicycle to pieces, and it still will not move forward.

Therefore, **Loving-kindness** (*Maitrī*) must be accompanied by **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*); only then is it true Loving-kindness. Without wisdom, you would not even know whether what you are giving them is actually peace and happiness. Just like treating a bicycle as a horse—your **view** (*dṛṣṭi*) is wrong, and your **method** (*upāya* / *prayoga*) is wrong. The inevitable result is that the bicycle is destroyed.

For practitioners with **sharp spiritual faculties** (*tīkṣṇendriya*), once they discover they have made a mistake, they will never make it again. You all, however, are stubbornly deluded and refuse to awaken (*mithyābhiniveśa*). You resolutely cling to suffering and refuse to let go. Even though your actions in this present life have already generated measureless suffering, you still cling to those causes obsessively and will not release them.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and Compassion (*Karuṇā*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Compassion** (*Karuṇā*)
If you lack the fundamental root of having **sympathy and pity** (*anukampā* or *kṛpā*) for sentient beings, it is impossible for you to never abandon (*aparityāga*) them. Sentient beings can be unteachable and stubbornly resistant to transformation. You wish to **uproot their suffering** (*duḥkha- uddharaṇa*), but they refuse to let you do so. The moment you try to uproot it, they become anxious and turn against you; they cannot even tolerate a single word of mild criticism. Without an absolute heart of sympathy and compassion for sentient beings, you will inevitably abandon them.

For example, consider the Buddha’s past lives practicing the **Bodhisattva Path** (*Bodhisattva-caryā*) alongside the **Five Bhikṣus** (*Pañcavargika*). In one past life, He was a ship’s captain. No matter what was said to dissuade them, the others insisted on going to sea in search of treasure.

Out of profound compassion and pity for those sentient beings, even knowing it was a journey of near-certain death, He chose to go with them. In the end, He went, and the ultimate result was indeed His death. Because if He did not die, He could not save those five Bhikṣus; only through His death could they be

saved. Despite them being so disobedient and obstinate, He never abandoned them. Ultimately, He traded His own life to save all of theirs, fulfilling their wish to find the treasure.
That precisely encapsulates the complete process of **Great Compassion** (*Mahākaruṇā*) in the Buddha’s practice of the Bodhisattva Path. The Buddha accomplished this in every single lifetime, and therefore, He perfectly attained Buddhahood.

If you all can accomplish this, you too will rapidly attain Buddhahood. This is because Great Compassion can swiftly lead to the accomplishment of **Supreme Perfect Enlightenment** (*Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi*).

*(As stated in the **Upāsaka-śīla Sūtra**: “They will before long attain Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi.”)*
**[Note: We must not speak recklessly or falsely; every word we speak must always be firmly grounded in scriptural authority.]**

The Ten Wholesome Deeds + Empathetic Joy (*Muditā*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Empathetic Joy** (*Muditā*)
Cultivating wholesomeness (*kuśala*) means when others are performing deeds that yield good results—wholesome deeds that accord with the Dharma. The core focus of **Empathetic Joy** (*Muditā*) within the **Four Immeasurables** (*Catur-apramāṇa*) is generating joy specifically because actions are in accordance with the Dharma (*Dharmānudharma-pratipatti*). Whether it is oneself or others, as long as the actions accord with the Dharma, one is able to rejoice.

If you cannot achieve this, it simply means your **afflictions** (*kleśa*) have not yet been destroyed. Naturally, under such conditions, you cannot successfully cultivate the Four Immeasurables.
Cultivating the Four Immeasurables is the core curriculum for ascending to the **Brahma Heavens** (*Brahmaloka* / *Brahmavihāra*). The beings in those realms have extremely low levels of the **Three Obstacles** (*Tri-āvaraṇa*: the obstacles of afflictions, karma, and karmic retribution); they have practically subdued or eliminated them in their manifested state.

If you wish to accomplish this, you must first focus on **subduing your afflictions** (*kleśa-vaśīkāra*). Otherwise, your afflictions will become an insurmountable hurdle that you simply cannot cross.
However, if a practitioner possesses the profoundly powerful **Five Spiritual Faculties** (*Pañcendriyāṇi*: Faith, Vigor, Mindfulness, Concentration, and Wisdom) and the **Five Spiritual Powers** (*Pañcabalāni*), they have the capacity to forcefully break through these obstacles.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds + Relinquishment / Equanimity (*Upekṣā* / *Tyāga*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Relinquishment / Equanimity** (*Upekṣā* / *Tyāga*)
**Relinquishment (Letting Go)**: As explained in the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*, if you wish to break through the realms of the **Five Aggregates** (*Pañca-skandha*), you must practice relinquishment at every step of the way. If you do not let go, but instead grasp onto phenomena tightly, it is impossible to transcend, and you will fall into the **Demonic Path** (*māra-mārga*). Once you fall into the demonic path, escaping becomes exceedingly difficult. Thus, you must relinquish.

I often use this analogy: it is like taking a boat to cross a river. Upon reaching the other shore, you must disembark. You must abandon the boat to step onto the other shore and continue moving forward. If you do not disembark and insist on guarding the boat, you will never truly reach the other shore, nor can you ever move forward. If you think, “This boat has been so kind to me, how can I abandon it?”—if you refuse to let go, that is the demonic path. Because of your **attachment and clinging** (*upādāna* and *abhiniveśa*), you find it impossible to let go.

Therefore, only by adorning yourself with this Relinquishment (*Tyāga-vyūha*) can you attain total **sovereignty and unhindered freedom** (*aiśvarya*). If you lack sovereignty and things do not go as you wish, it is precisely because you have failed to accomplish relinquishment.

The Worldly Power of Letting Go

Taking a step back to secular terms, even in the worldly realm, those who excel at giving things up are the ones who achieve greatness.
Using Liu Bei as an ongoing example: if he had not been willing to relinquish the safety and lives of his entire family to protect the old, weak, sick, and disabled civilians, he would not have gained the supreme reputation that compelled the people to follow him, which ultimately enabled him to become Emperor. All highly accomplished individuals definitely know how to relinquish. Those who cannot let go will inevitably accomplish nothing.

Take Elon Musk, for example. If he had not been willing to let go at the time—if he had been unwilling to pour all his money in and take on massive loans—he would not have succeeded.
Therefore, you must remember: sparing no cost and sacrificing everything— these very costs form the foundational base of success. Being unable to let go means achieving absolutely nothing.

To use the simplest example of a student studying: if they relinquish eating, drinking, playing, and indulging, and concentrate entirely on their studies, they will certainly become a good student. But if they refuse to let go of these pleasures and constantly seek them—sitting in the classroom while their mind is filled with thoughts of playing and indulging—this student will learn absolutely nothing, because their mind is already fully occupied by those desires. Therefore, no matter what you do, you must practice relinquishment. One who

cannot let go is guaranteed to be a failure, one who bears disgrace, and one who suffers. If you wish to avoid failure, disgrace, and **suffering** (*duḥkha*), you absolutely must let go, because the awakened person knows that grasping tightly is the very essence of suffering.

Relinquishment as Superior Possession

To relinquish does not mean to lose; it means to possess in a far better way. For example, if you relinquish worldly indulgences in your heart and dedicate yourself entirely to your studies or work—letting go of everything else to focus solely on your career—you will definitely succeed. After you succeed, will you lack food, drink, and entertainment? They will simply be abundant byproducts. Therefore, this is the mark of a person endowed with **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*): they will inevitably practice relinquishment. The one who cannot let go is undoubtedly a **foolish and ignorant person** (*bāla* or *mūḍha*). It is that simple.

Transcending Dualities and Subduing Afflictions

When you internalize this truth, all external conditions—both favorable and adverse—will no longer hinder you (*apratihata*). In favorable conditions, you can relinquish; in adverse conditions, you can also relinquish.
This is because you harbor no **afflictions** (*kleśa*), no greed, anger, arrogance, or doubt (*lobha, dveṣa, māna, vicikitsā*), and you certainly will not engage in scattered, deluded thoughts (*vikalpa*). Because you have achieved the Adornment of Relinquishment, these negative states naturally cease to exist. If you still have them, you cannot relinquish; if you can relinquish, you have already broken through them.

The very moment you truly manage to relinquish, your afflictions are simultaneously **subdued** (*vaśīkāra*).
Supreme masters start from a single focal point. Once they break through, it perfectly aligns with the profound principle taught in the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*:

**”When the six knots are untied, the one ceases to exist”** (六解一亡).

*(Meaning: Once the six sense organs are untied from their attachments to external objects, the singular deluded, discriminating mind vanishes, revealing true liberation).*

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Methods of Gathering Sentient Beings (Catvāri saṃ graha-vastūni)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Four Methods of Gathering** (*Catvāri saṃgraha-vastūni*)
If you are constantly gathering and transforming all sentient beings, it proves you have accomplished the **Adornment of the Four Methods of Gathering** (*Saṃgraha-vyūha*). Once you accomplish this adornment, you will naturally gather and transform sentient beings at every single moment.

The Buddha’s Relentless Compassion

For example, consider the Buddha and the **Five Bhikṣus** (*Pañcavargika*). As recorded in the sutras, they were together for many lifetimes. This traces back to when the five were **Rākṣasas** (flesh-eating demons) and the Buddha, out of profound compassion, gave them His own blood to drink. He accompanied and guided them all the way to His final lifetime.

Even in that final lifetime, when He had already attained Buddhahood, they still gave rise to **afflictions** (*kleśa*). They even claimed that the Buddha had broken His precepts, abandoned His vows, and they initially refused to pay attention to Him.

Think about it: after being accompanied by Him for so many lifetimes, logically speaking, their faith should have been indestructible. However, they still trusted their **deluded thoughts** (*vikalpa*), followed their feelings, and acted on impulses. Therefore, it is entirely normal for sentient beings to be **stubborn and hard to tame** (*durvinīta*). Yet, the Buddha did not abandon them; He continued to accompany and help them. Fortunately, in their final lifetime, they all finally became **Arhats**.

Therefore, you yourself truly must be entirely free of afflictions to be able to continue accompanying sentient beings. Otherwise, when you are faced with the malicious and unwholesome manifestations of sentient beings, it will be truly too difficult to endure.

Breaking Down the Four Methods of Gathering

The **Four Methods of Gathering Sentient Beings** are broken down as follows: 1. **Giving** (*Dāna*)
2. **Loving Speech** (*Priyavādita*)
3. **Beneficial Action** (*Arthacaryā*)

4. **Identity / Co-operation** (*Samānārthatā*)
You must give sentient beings the **ultimate benefit** (*paramārtha-hita*)—not what *they* merely perceive to be good. This is because their own views are fundamentally erroneous.
True Beneficial Action (*Arthacaryā*) means giving them ultimate benefit.
Can you give them something that is not ultimate? No, you cannot.

The Power of Vows and Expedient Means

However, when a Bodhisattva applies the Four Methods of Gathering, it depends on their specific merit and the power of their vows (*praṇidhāna-bala*). The vows of many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are exceedingly supreme.
For instance, when the youth **Sudhana** (Shàncái Tóngzǐ) made his 53 visits seeking the Dharma, one **Spiritual Friend** (*Kalyāṇamitra*) commanded him to climb a mountain of blades and plunge into a sea of fire. Sudhana did it, and instantly attained realization. This was possible because that specific Spiritual Friend possessed that extraordinary merit and vow power.

Another example is the female Spiritual Friend **Vasumitrā** (the courtesan). She could genuinely and instantaneously grant you true, ultimate benefit. But you must not look merely at the superficial level; she used those worldly encounters as an expedient opportunity to destroy your afflictions. She could completely purify the boundaries of your afflictions (*kleśa-koṭi*).

There must be an entry point—an alignment with your faculties (*indriya*). Her outward actions were skillful means adapted to those who possessed such worldly desires. By using these methods as an entry point, she could completely break through your afflictions, allowing you to attain true benefit, so that you could continue your spiritual practice completely unhindered.

Otherwise, you would be unable to break through your **Three Obstacles** (*Tri-āvaraṇa*: afflictions, karma, and karmic retribution); you simply would not be able to cross that hurdle. Therefore, do not mistakenly think her goal was to provide superficial worldly pleasure. What the practitioner truly attains is the eradication of afflictions and the profound **merit of Samādhi** (*samādhi- guṇa*)—this is what is real.

It is not that the Spiritual Friend considers those superficial acts to be inherently good or correct; the true goal to be achieved is eradicating afflictions and accomplishing those Samādhis. Thus, in all four aspects of the Four Methods, when the Spiritual Friend continuously accompanies you, their true intention is always to destroy your Three Obstacles and accomplish your ultimate benefit.

The Process of Practice and Growth

You can begin by imitating the words, actions, and demeanor of these Spiritual Friends; by doing so, you are actively gathering and transforming sentient beings. Although at first your actions will feel unnatural, unfluent, and you might even make mistakes, as long as you dedicate your mind entirely to the task, over time you will reach higher and higher levels. It is just like a toddler learning

to walk: at first, they cannot even stand steady, but eventually, they learn to walk effortlessly.
Spiritual cultivation is exactly the same; as long as you practice, you will succeed.

Do not think to yourself, “The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do this so perfectly and are at such a high level, I must instantly be at that level too.” You need to learn how to stand up first! Do not worry about falling down, as long as your direction is correct. After falling enough times, you will learn how to control your body and not fall.

Absolutely do not expect to reach the lofty heights of a Buddha or Bodhisattva all at once, or you will lose your confidence. As long as you take the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as your ultimate goal and never forget it, that is enough. Because right now, you do not even know how to stand! Practice slowly, and eventually, you will get faster and faster. You will draw closer and closer to your goal, and ultimately, you will reach the destination.

Upward and Downward Application

The Four Methods of Gathering can be applied toward anyone, but applying them toward the Buddhas yields even more magnificent results. Directed downwards, it is called gathering and transforming sentient beings; directed upwards, it translates into the **Four Kinds of Offerings** (*Pūjā*). The effect is vastly superior, as you directly receive the Buddhas’ benefits.

All the Bodhisattvas are constantly singing praises to the Buddhas, supporting the Buddhas’ actions, and accompanying the Buddhas in everything. By embracing everything about the Buddhas, you are empowering and blessing (*adhiṣṭhāna*) yourself. The bridge for this connection is also these four methods; you are simply applying these four principles.

When you rely on **Loving-kindness** (*Maitrī*) to gather and transform sentient beings, sentient beings will not leave you. When you make offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will not leave you. Human beings are dynamic and alive. As it is profoundly stated (in the *Essentials of the Avataṃsaka* / *Huayan Xinyao*):

**”When deluded, the person is bound by the dharmas; when awakened, the dharmas are mastered by the person.”**

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Catvāri smṛ tyupasthānāni)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Contemplating the Body as Impure** (*Kāyāśubha-smṛtyupasthāna* / *Aśubha-bhāvanā*)

1. **Afflictions** (*Kleśa*) are absolute filth and total defilement (*mala*); they are not merely “impure” (*aśubha*).
2. “Impurity” is not merely a question of physical cleanliness or uncleanliness. It means that your physical body lacks **sovereignty and freedom** (*aiśvarya* / *vaśitā*). For example, the body of a **Deva** (celestial being, *deva-kāya*) possesses far more sovereignty than a human body, as Devas can travel anywhere at will.

Those possessing a human body cannot travel anywhere freely. Even if you take a car, boat, or airplane, you must still rely on a vehicle to transport your physical body. Because the body is bound by the **Earth Element** (*pṛthivī- dhātu*, representing solidity and mass), it requires physical transportation to be moved.

**[The Supernatural Power of Manifestation (*Ṛddhividhi-jñāna* or *Ṛddhipāda*):** This power allows one to transform everything at will, capable of making the **Four Great Elements** (*Catur-mahābhūta*: earth, water, fire, and wind) light or heavy as desired, thus attaining great sovereignty over all **Form and Matter** (*rūpa*). When you cannot activate this state of divine transformation, you can only be dragged down and burdened by the physical body. Yet, even if you possess these supernatural powers of transformation, you still must actively initiate and exert them to move the physical body and achieve your goal.**]**

Therefore, in contemplating the body as impure, one realizes that the Four Great Elements (earth, water, fire, wind) themselves are inherently “impure” because they represent bondage and limitation.
Absolute freedom, sovereignty, and the ability to act entirely according to one’s will—this alone is what is truly **”Pure”** (*Śubha* / *Vimala*).

**”Self-nature (*Svabhāva*) inherently possesses neither purity nor impurity.”**
One must truly understand what constitutes purity and what constitutes impurity.

If we speak solely from the perspective of the **Hīnayāna** (the Lesser Vehicle), it means the physical body possesses absolutely no lovable or desirable traits (*kānta*); it is entirely impure and repulsive.
From the perspective of the **Mahāyāna** (the Great Vehicle), purity versus impurity is about sovereignty versus non-sovereignty—whether or not one can manifest and act entirely according to one’s free will.

Because a physical body is what *sentient beings* need, not what *you* (the awakened practitioner) actually need, you can freely **manifest** (*nirmāṇa* / *prātihārya*) all forms of bodies. However, you are not those forms, you do not harbor any lingering craving (*tṛṣṇā* / *saṅga*) for them, and absolutely no **attachment** (*upādāna* / *abhiniveśa*) to any of them exists.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (*Catvāri smṛtyupasthānāni*)
**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Contemplating Feeling as Suffering** (*Vedanā-duḥkha-smṛtyupasthāna* / *Vedanānupassanā*)

If I go out of my way to experience and feel everything, it will inevitably be **Suffering** (*Duḥkha*).
If I firmly identify certain feelings as **”Pleasure”** (*Sukha*), I will naturally repel and reject the filth of sentient beings. As a result, I will be unable to deliver sentient beings and unable to accomplish the Buddha Way, which means it will still ultimately result in suffering.

Your lingering attachment and **clinging** (*upādāna* / *abhiniveśa*) will inevitably produce suffering.
If you do not linger or cling, but merely **manifest** (*nirmāṇa* / *prātihārya*) these things—taking them out to use only when necessary, much like a person wearing clothes: putting them on when needed and discarding them when done—they cannot constitute suffering for you.

However, the very moment you linger and cling, suffering begins.
**Feeling** (*Vedanā*) inherently involves this lingering and clinging; that is precisely why one constantly seeks to feel and experience.
In the face of **karmic retribution** (*karmavipāka*), it is impossible for a person to simply choose “not to feel.” Therefore, you are forced to slowly taste and slowly experience it. (One must calmly accept and endure it with equanimity). If someone comes and tells you, “Just don’t feel it, and you’ll be better off,” you cannot actually do it, because that is your inescapable karmic retribution. **[For example, the Second Patriarch (Huike) initially struck Bodhidharma. Because he used that arm to strike him, he naturally severed that arm—that was true repentance (*kṣamā* / *deśanā*). It was just that his will was incredibly strong. It looked to you as if he felt no pain, but in reality, it was merely his strong will; it absolutely did not mean he was without suffering.
If, however, you have broken through the **Form Aggregate** (*rūpa-skandha*), then there is no longer any “feeling” (*vedanā*) to be endured. As the

*Śūraṅgama Sūtra* explains, when the Form Aggregate is broken, the physical body no longer exists in a state that sustains these sufferings.]**

Thorough Contemplation and Recognition

**Contemplating** (*Vipaśyanā* / *Anupassanā*): You must thoroughly recognize, thoroughly see, and tangibly discover the truth.
**Contemplating feeling as suffering:** You must thoroughly recognize, thoroughly see, and tangibly discover that *all* feelings are suffering.

If you cannot observe and realize this, you will never pass this hurdle.
Take your favorite foods, for example. You covet that specific sensory feeling (*vedanā*). Yet, all illnesses arise from eating; is this not suffering?
If you are constantly looking for food and can accomplish absolutely nothing else, is that not suffering?
Whether you have food or lack food, it is all suffering. Because you covet the sensory feeling of eating, it will inevitably bring you suffering.
When you greedily consume a certain flavor, you will exceed the quantity your body actually needs. This generates a heavy burden on your body, and over time, your body will be ruined.
Meanwhile, you completely fail to replenish other essential nutrients. Because you resolutely refuse to eat anything that is not your favorite, you forever lack the nutritional components contained in the foods you dislike. Consequently, your body becomes malnourished.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (*Catvāri smṛtyupasthānāni*)
**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Contemplating the Mind as Impermanent** (*Cittānitya-smṛtyupasthāna* / *Cittānupassanā*) **Mind** (*Citta*): Refers to the mind and consciousness (*Vijñāna*). **Impermanence** (*Anitya*): The mind is like a restless monkey and the will like a galloping horse (*kapi-citta*). It is constantly running, endlessly changing, and always seeking to gallop away.

Just as a monkey will not remain still on a single branch, and a horse will not stand perfectly motionless, the human mind and consciousness are exactly the same. Like monkeys and horses, they constantly jump up and down, running back and forth. This restlessness has been practiced and ingrained for so long that it has become completely automatic—operating entirely without conscious effort.

Yajñadatta and the Cessation of Delusion

As described in the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*, this is exactly the state of Yajñadatta (who delusionally thought he had lost his head and ran madly in panic).
If you awaken to the fact that these are merely **deluded thoughts** (*vikalpa*), and that in reality they possess no substance whatsoever, you simply need to stop following them. Regarding Yajñadatta, the sutra states: *”When the mad

nature comes to rest of its own accord; that resting is itself Bodhi”* (*Bodhi* / Awakening).
To “rest” proves that you have awakened. Deluded thoughts are meaningless and completely empty. If you look closely, where is the truth in any deluded thought? They are all wrong; they are all wild fabrications.

Once you thoroughly investigate and realize that every single thought is a fabrication, and you understand what the actual truth is, you will see that following these thoughts brings only harm and no benefit. They only guide you to create broader and heavier **unwholesome karma** (*akuśala-karma*); they cannot accomplish a single good deed.

At this point, you should awaken, put them to rest, and stop chasing after them. If you are truly awakened, you will naturally come to rest. If you cannot rest, it proves you are not awakened at all.

The Inevitable Error of Conceptual Thinking

If you truly understood the truth, you would not need deluded thoughts. Since you resort to conceptual thinking, you are inevitably piling wrong upon wrong. Just as one might mishandle and ruin a perfectly good object, the moment a single wrong thought arises, the matter is ruined.

Those who understand, naturally understand. Those who do not understand should open their **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*). If you lack wisdom, you must humbly seek guidance. Relying on your own conceptual thinking is meaningless. As long as you are wrong on a single point, your entire direction is wrong. No matter how correct you *believe* yourself to be, you are fundamentally wrong because the direction itself is flawed. It is just like the ancient fable of the man who suspected his neighbor’s child of stealing his axe—the moment he began to suspect and imagine, he was guaranteed to be wrong.

The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do not view things through the lens of deluded thoughts; they possess **Knowing things as they truly are** (*Yathābhūta- jñāna*) in every single detail.
If you cannot know things as they truly are, you do not even need to think about them, much less define them or attach labels to them.

The Chain Reaction of False Views

Once you discover that the thought is truly wrong, you will no longer dare to follow it, because following it guarantees an error. The problem is the harm it causes: based on this initial error, you will inevitably commit unwholesome karma of body and speech (*kāya-vāk-karma*). The chain reaction expands and intensifies, and the disasters, obstacles, and **suffering** (*duḥkha*) you will face in the future become exponentially more severe. Everything originates from your mind. The **Mind** (*citta*) is the root.

If you repeatedly investigate this, you will find that conceptual thoughts are always wrong. No matter how reasonable you think you are, you are inevitably wrong. If you still do not recognize their danger, you will continue to place your

faith in your emotional consciousness and subjective conjecture.
Breaking through this is extremely easy: simply recognize that it is inevitably wrong. Any deluded thought is guaranteed to be wrong.

The Illusion of Perception

What can guarantee that you are not wrong? Only *Yathābhūta-jñāna* (Knowing things as they truly are). But this is extremely difficult.
When you do not possess **Supernatural Powers/Clairvoyance** (*Abhijñā*), your knowledge relies on hearsay. The problem is, when others speak, it is impossible for them to be entirely free of **false speech** (*mṛṣāvāda*). Therefore, the knowledge you form from hearsay is guaranteed to be wrong. Even what you see with your own eyes is also guaranteed to be wrong. For example, when the youth **Sudhana** (*Sudhana-śreṣṭhi-dāraka*, during his 53 visits) saw what appeared to be a heterodox **Spiritual Friend** (*Kalyāṇamitra*) asking him to jump off a cliff to certain death, he initially and firmly believed this could not possibly be a true Spiritual Friend. (His eyes and logic deceived him regarding the Bodhisattva’s expedient means).

You should only acknowledge what you truly know, and admit ignorance about what you do not know. Do not attach labels. Because I do not know what their ultimate purpose is or what the resulting outcome will be.
We say “seeing is believing,” but that is impossible. For instance, what we see is nothing more than light reflecting into our eyes, which our brain then interprets. However, visible light constitutes only a minuscule fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum; the vast majority of light is completely invisible to us. How can we say “seeing is believing”?

Similarly, the sounds our ears hear represent only a small fraction of frequencies; most sounds we simply cannot hear. They exist, but you just cannot hear them—you cannot say they do not exist. The very moment you presume to define what is right or wrong, good or bad based on this limited perception, you are absolutely wrong.

The Rashomon Effect of the World

Observe the “Rashomon” effect (the unreliability of subjective perspectives): when people describe an event, they emphasize irrelevant details and downplay the crucial, relevant ones. Everyone does this. If you believe their words, you will be mistaken.

Any wild fabrication in your own mind is wrong, and any thought generated from listening to the words of others is also guaranteed to be wrong.
Why does this phenomenon occur? Because when people discuss an event, they are expressing things that are *not* the event itself. They appear to base their words on the event, but what they produce is distinct from the actual event. If you listen to the narratives produced *about* the event, you will never know what the event itself truly was.

The mundane world is a giant Rashomon. Just listen without attachment. If I

am needed to do a task, I simply help do the task, and that is it. Do not forcefully try to “figure something out.” You simply cannot figure it out. When a person tries to “figure it out,” their very thinking is already plastered with the subjective labels they have created and the definitions they have assigned. At that point, your expressions and definitions have absolutely nothing to do with the actual event.

The event is just the event, and it is over. If you insist on using your mind and consciousness to form associations, synthesize theories, and fabricate stories, you will end up creating something out of nothing. You will believe it is intimately connected to the event, when in reality, it has absolutely no connection to it.

The Depth of Awakening

As you explore and awaken on your own, the higher your level of awakening, the more you will discover your own errors. It is impossible for a deluded thought to be even slightly correct; even a “possible” correctness does not exist. Otherwise, you will be constantly wrong, wrong all the way through, and inevitably wrong.

Everyone makes this mistake. Therefore, when you want to figure things out, you simply cannot, because the people speaking are wildly fabricating. How could you possibly understand? Add your own wild fabrications on top of theirs, and one mistake compounds another, and another. It becomes a path of constant error, endless error, and inevitable error. There is only error.

**[The monk was not only not at fault, but he possessed a kind heart. He would not force a mistake upon anyone; he was also fiercely protecting that child.]**

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (*Catvāri smṛtyupasthānāni*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **Contemplating Dharmas as Non-Self** (*Dharmānātma- smṛtyupasthāna* / *Dhammānupassanā*)
**Dharmas** (*Dharma*): In this context, it refers to **Form / Physical Phenomena** (*Rūpa-dharma*). Form is also called material objects (*rūpa- vastu*), which simply means the myriad things of the universe.

For example, take the physical body. It is constructed from the **Four Great Elements** (*Catur-mahābhūta*: earth, water, fire, and wind). The elements of earth, water, fire, and wind are not “me” (*Anātman* / Non-Self).
Furthermore, your wildly fabricated **consciousness** (*vijñāna*) is merely a fabricated construct. Fabricated constructs are also just “objects” (mental phenomena / *citta-dharma*), and therefore, they are not “me.”

*(To illustrate: in order to figure out a specific point, I begin to weave and fabricate concepts, searching for all possible evidence to stick onto it. After pasting it all together, I firmly believe it is ‘something.’ Therefore, these various woven constructs are also fabrications relying upon phenomena).*

When you truly search through everything, back and forth, you will find that not a single thing is “me.” This is precisely what it means to **Contemplate Dharmas as Non-Self**.

The Hīnayāna vs. The Mahāyāna Contemplation

Regarding the “Self” (*Ātman*):
In the **Hīnayāna** (the Lesser Vehicle), the contemplation simply involves searching for the self and being unable to find it. Reaching the state of “non- self” means eradicating the **attachment to the self** (*ātma-grāha*), realizing non-self (*anātman*), and thereby becoming an **Arhat**.
In the **Mahāyāna** (the Great Vehicle) contemplation, the perspective is far more profound:
Just as the earth, water, fire, and wind are not “me,” emotional consciousness and subjective delusions (*vikalpa*) are not “me.” Even **True Suchness** (*Tathatā* / Fundamental Nature) is not “me.”
Why? Because True Suchness, the **Wondrous Bright True Mind** (*Amala- vijñāna* / *Bodhicitta*), is **Absolute** (*Paramārtha*). The concepts of “having a self” (*ātman*) and “having no self” (*anātman*) are merely **Relative** (*Saṃvṛti* / Dualistic). Therefore, one contemplates all dharmas as non-self.

The Absolute vs. The Relative: The Screen Analogy

**Absolute** means to completely sever and transcend all relativity and duality; hence it is called “Absolute.”
It is exactly like a projection screen. A screen is just a screen. You cannot say the text projected onto it is the screen. If there is a spot without text, is it suddenly not the screen? If you argue that the presence or absence of text defines the screen, what happens when I project a movie onto it—is it no longer the screen?

Therefore, the screen itself is absolute (unchanging, non-dual, accommodating all). The text and images projected onto the screen are all relative (transient, dualistic, arising and ceasing).
This is the ultimate Mahāyāna contemplation of Dharmas as Non-Self.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Right Efforts (Catvāri samyak-prahāṇ āni)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Four Right Efforts** (*Samyak-prahāṇa* or *Samyak-pradhāna*)
The Four Right Efforts perfectly complement the Ten Wholesome Deeds.
Now you know that the **karmic retribution** (*vipāka* / *karmaphala*) of the Ten Wholesome Deeds is supremely good. However, you have already committed the **Ten Unwholesome Deeds** (*Daśākuśalakarmapatha*), and that unwholesome karma has already been fully formed and finalized (*kṛtāpacita-karma*). Now, you must apply **Great Diligence and Joyous Effort** (*Mahā-vīrya*) to completely eradicate (*prahāṇa*) it.

This is precisely what is called the **Adornment of Right Effort** (*Samyak- prahāṇa-vyūha* / *Samyak-pradhānālaṃkāra*)—adorning yourself through correct and diligent exertion. To constantly and diligently clean out your own internal filth and evil garbage (your unwholesome karma and defilements, *mala* and *akuśala*) at every single moment: this is the true Adornment of Right Effort.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Bases of Power (Catur-ṛddhipāda)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Four Bases of Power / Miraculous Power** (*Catvāri ṛddhipādāḥ*)
**Bases of Power** (*Ṛddhipāda*): This means your interest and focus have reached the absolute maximum; it is saturated, unique, and absolutely indispensable.

**The Stage of Preparatory/Applied Practices** (*Prayoga-mārga*): This is a general term, but it implies that every single step has its own fixed, systematic pattern. For example, just like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in mathematics—by relying on these specific methods and formulas, the calculated result will be correct. If you do not know the underlying principles and methods and just mess around blindly, you will accomplish absolutely nothing. Spiritual cultivation is exactly the same.

1. The Base of Power of Observation (*Mimāṃsā-ṛddhipāda*)

The core focus lies in these four steps: **Observation, Mind, Effort, and Aspiration** (*Mimāṃsā, Citta, Vīrya, Chanda*).
Take the first one, **Observation/Analysis** (*Mimāṃsā*): Can you remain utterly focused and dedicated from beginning to end? By applying the definition, you will know whether your observation has truly met the standard (interest being maximal, saturated, unique, and indispensable. “Fullness” is the essence

of a *ṛddhipāda* / base). If it has not, you haven’t even begun. Even if you are at 50% or 99%, you still have not passed the test. Utter, unwavering dedication is true “Observation”; utter, unwavering dedication is true “Fullness.” Wherever you fail to observe thoroughly, you will fail to pass that hurdle. For example, regarding food: if you do not observe it thoroughly, you will never escape the obstacle of eating. Eating, drinking, playing, and indulging are your **obstacles** (*āvaraṇa*)—can you first even recognize this? When your recognition elevates to the point where you absolutely dare not touch them, you have attained the **Base of Power of Observation**.

These four bases do not exist naturally on their own. Once you pass this first step, your mind will no longer act like a restless monkey or a galloping horse (*kapi-citta*). You will no longer harbor wild, **deluded thoughts** (*vikalpa*). The obstacles are eradicated, and your mind is cleaned up—that is all.

The key is that it *must* be thoroughly cleaned. To clean it up, you must observe the **subtle and profound principles** (*Sūkṣma-dharma* / *Sūkṣma-tattva*), figuring out exactly what things are. For instance, what exactly do eating, drinking, playing, and indulging bring you? Can you observe this thoroughly? If you observe it truly and thoroughly, you will stop seeking those indulgences. When you no longer yearn for them, the “monkey mind” ceases to exist, and deluded thoughts vanish.

Therefore, observing the subtle and profound principles is the absolute core focus. Through genuine **contemplation** (*vipaśyanā*), you will discover that all our hobbies of worldly indulgence—every single tiny preference—are forms of self-mutilation, self-harm, and self-destruction. Consequently, you will completely sever all of these interests (the interests that cause you to harm yourself and others). This is the exact effect that observing the subtle principles must achieve: the eradication of all hindrances and obstacles.

2. The Base of Power of Mind (*Citta-ṛddhipāda*)

**One-pointed Mind** (*Ekāgratā*): Thinking of absolutely nothing is sometimes called a “one-pointed mind,” but this easily falls into **dead emptiness** (*atyanta-śūnyatā* or *abhāva*).
**Concentration** (*Samādhi*): This means focusing intensely on a single point—for instance, the focal point of reciting the Buddha’s name (*Buddhānusmṛti*). Concentration is not something you can achieve just because you want to. Just like the first step (Observation), you cannot observe just because you want to. Without absolute **causes and conditions** (*hetu- pratyaya*) supporting you, your focus will scatter in a matter of minutes. Thus, you need those conditions, you need training, and this focalization must be executed with immense **mental power** (*citta-bala*), focused entirely on a single point. For those who accomplish great things, profound concentration is standard equipment.

3. The Base of Power of Effort (*Vīrya-ṛddhipāda*)

Right now, you need immense mental power to concentrate. If you lack **Joyous Effort / Diligence** (*Vīrya*), your mental power will scatter, or you will even develop resistance and naturally give up. Therefore, in the initial stages of entering the realm of a one-pointed mind, you need immense mental power to focus on a single point. You cannot say, “I’m tired, let me rest for a bit”—the moment you do, the focus scatters.

If you want to traverse this path quickly, you must run immediately without the slightest trace of **heedlessness or laziness** (*pramāda* / *kausīdya*). As the ancients said, *”Rouse your energy in the first drumbeat; by the second, it weakens; by the third, it is exhausted.”* Then you are ruined. To succeed in one vigorous burst, you must apply Joyous Effort and run with a one-pointed mind all the way to the end.

This is the initial process of spiritual neuroplasticity (reshaping your karmic pathways). You can complete it in one continuous, breathless push, or you can stretch it out, shrink back, and if it really doesn’t work, just give up. But if you sprint fiercely for a stretch and get past it, it physically solidifies into a tangible “nervous system.” Whether it is robust or not can be addressed later. The best effect comes from accomplishing it in one unbroken effort.

This reshaping creates a completely new karmic nervous system that did not exist before. As for what it does or what it is used for, that is not yet determined. It is like buying a brand new, pristine, fully intact computer—that is the effect of completing the “One-pointed Mind.” The hardware is now ready.

At the peak of this concentration, you must have Joyous Effort. Continuously moving forward and sustaining this state of absolute focus is what we call the **Base of Power of Effort**.

**[You need the Dedication of Merit (*Pariṇāmanā*). This means applying the benefits of a certain merit to another specific point. For example, dedicating it toward your ability to concentrate. It means taking the worldly blessings (*puṇya-phala*) that would have naturally been generated, forsaking them, and transferring their essence—that is Dedication. By dedicating the merit directly toward your point of focus, your concentration becomes fully endowed with merit, and only then will it produce the true effects of *Samādhi*. (As taught in the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*).]**

Continuing the computer analogy: at this stage, as mentioned, you already have the hardware. Now, your operating system (software) must be clearly configured. In terms of spiritual realms, you are currently installing the operating system. But an operating system is still just an operating system.

4. The Base of Power of Aspiration/Desire (*Chanda-ṛddhipāda*)

**The Base of Power of Aspiration** (*Chanda-ṛddhipāda*): This is what you actually *wish* to do. On top of the operating system, you must install various professional software applications—like word processors, spreadsheets, or various AI tools—adding them onto the OS.

First, you download this software into your computer, and finally, you apply it.

This application is the manifestation of **Great Supernatural/Miraculous Powers** (*Mahā-abhijñā* / *Mahā-ṛddhi*). For example, if I have perfect movie-making software, I can produce a movie. If I have perfect AI writing tools, I can use them to write a script, use AI to build the sets, and combine it with the movie software to create absolutely anything I desire at will (*vaśitā*).

Conclusion: The Four Preparatory Practices (*Catur-prayoga*)

**The Four Preparatory Practices** (*Catur-prayoga* / *Prayoga-mārga*): This represents the complete process of cultivation; it is the comprehensive Mahāyāna practice. To put it in the simplest terms: what you did not possess in the past, you now apply effort to add (*prayoga*). The path you never walked in the past, you now walk.

This section explains it in fine detail, whereas previously, much foundational groundwork was laid down, and the Four Preparatory Practices were only mentioned in broad terms.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Base of Power of Observation (*Mimāṃsā-ṛddhipāda*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Base of Power of Observation / Investigation** (*Mimāṃsā-ṛddhipāda*)
For instance, in our current discussion on this “Observation” (*Mimāṃsā*), we mentioned observing the **subtle and profound principles** (*sūkṣma-tattva* or *sūkṣma-dharma*). I have not yet told you *how* to observe or *what* exactly to observe; I have merely outlined the four major steps [the Four Bases of Power].

I have not detailed the countless intricacies within these steps. I have only given you the broad outlines and stages. Within each stage, there is a vast amount of content. These are four major headings; beneath them are many subheadings, and beneath those subheadings is even more profound content to be explored.

The Expansion of Right View

First, once **Right View** (*Samyagdṛṣṭi*) begins to be established, it naturally gives rise to **Right Mindfulness** (*Samyak-smṛti*), **Right Speech** (*Samyag-vāc*), and **Right Action** (*Samyak-karmānta*). This gradually expands until absolutely everything you do is Right and Orthodox (*Samyak*). Without subtle and profound observation (*sūkṣma-vipaśyanā*), you simply cannot distinguish Right View from **Wrong View** (*Mithyādṛṣṭi*). For example, worldly people often mistake their erroneous Wrong Views for Right Views. If you point out their error, they will aggressively argue and even fight with you over it.

An accumulation of Right Views means observing a phenomenon from every possible angle. As the famous poem describes Mount Lu: *”Viewed horizontally,

it is a ridge; viewed from the side, a peak. Far or near, high or low, it looks different every time. If you wish to know the true face of the mountain, you must leap out of the mountain itself.”*
In other words, you must leap into space—taking an omniscient, overarching perspective (the Buddha’s Omniscience, *Sarvajñāna*). By looking from this ultimate vantage point, you will understand the entirety of the subject as well as the specific application of every single facet.

This is what it means to perform subtle and profound observation: observing a matter’s underlying principles, formulas, and laws. You must observe whether the ultimate outcome is **Suffering or Happiness** (*duḥkha* or *sukha*), and whether it leads to **Sovereignty** (*aiśvarya* / *vaśitā*) or **Bondage** (*bandhana*).

Detachment and the Root of Faith

The shortcut is to reach the destination in a single step (sudden realization). However, if you wish to **detach from clinging and remove bondage** (*visaṃyoga* / *bandhana-mukta*), those who are fully endowed with the **Root of Faith** (*Śraddhendriya*) are the fastest. Those whose roots are not yet sufficient must cultivate step by step.

For example, regarding all phenomena being like a **”dream, illusion, bubble, and shadow”** (*svapna-māyā-budbuda-chāyā*): if you want to understand this in meticulous detail, you must look at the **Ten Kinds of Forbearance / Cognitive Acceptance** (*Daśa-kṣānti*) in the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*. The sutra extracts each concept individually and teaches you exactly how to properly recognize and accept its true nature.

Breaking Through Entanglements

However, if you want to truly break through your current **entanglements and bondages** (*prapañca* and *saṃyojana*), merely understanding the theory is not enough.
Let us take the analogy of a “dream” (*svapna*), as it is the most convenient and easiest entry point. Applying the **Base of Power of Observation** (*Mimāṃsā-ṛddhipāda*) here means realizing that [chasing the illusion of a dream] is guaranteed to be wrong, guaranteed to be painful, and guaranteed to leave you utterly helpless. Because when you get the fundamental reality wrong, you naturally render yourself completely helpless.

Therefore, if you truly understand this, you will never again chase after **deluded thoughts** (*vikalpa*).
Whenever any deluded thought arises—the very moment you start forming conceptual associations, it is already a deluded thought—you must immediately tell it: *”Stop this delusion!”* Why force yourself to be constantly wrong, wrong all the way through, and inevitably wrong?

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Base of Power of Mind (*Citta-

ṛddhipāda*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Base of Power of Mind / Will** (*Citta-ṛddhipāda*)
When you see clearly that these [deluded thoughts] are entirely harmful and bring absolutely no benefit, you will stop engaging in them, and over time, they will come to a halt. However, to achieve this “over time,” you absolutely must add concentration—the concentration of **Great Joyous Effort** (*Mahā-vīrya*). You must leave them absolutely no opportunity to arise.

**The Distinction Between Observation and Mind:**
The very moment a thought rears its head, identifying it is **Observation** (*Mimāṃsā*). Upon identifying it, instantly discarding it is **Mind** (*Citta*). You will find that these thoughts are far too numerous. At this stage, you must apply absolute concentration. You stare intently at a single focal point; the moment a thought emerges, without even bothering to analyze it, you directly extinguish it (*nirodha* / *prahāṇa*). You force it to stop and prevent it from surfacing again, because it will obstruct your path.

Starving the Habitual Pathways

This step is the most difficult to pass because the process has already become completely automatic. Your “nervous system” (your deep-seated karmic habitual pathways, *vāsanā* / *saṃskāra*) has been nourished for so long that it has become incredibly thick and robust.

The only way to overcome it is to let it gradually wither away. By denying it nutrients and refusing to “recharge” it with your attention, it will slowly wither. During this process, you must maintain absolute focus and mindfulness (*ekāgratā-smṛti*), because if you are careless for even a split second, you will inadvertently recharge it with karmic energy.

Now, this erroneous nervous system must be completely eradicated. It is like cleaning out a computer with a one-click “Format” (achieving complete purification, *viśuddhi*). But while the formatting process is still running, you must absolutely not stop! If you stop midway, the erroneous system will immediately begin to recover and rebuild itself.

Reinstalling the Operating System (The Perfections)

After everything has completely stopped and the formatting is done, you must start anew. Because the “computer” of your mind is now entirely empty—having no software and no operating system—you must first install a new operating system and learn how to use it.

You do not need to invent this operating system yourself; you simply install it and operate it according to the rules and principles of the Buddhadharma. In actual, practical application, this means learning how to make yourself do the right things.

First, the Buddha has already taught us exactly what is correct: practicing **Precepts** (*Śīla*), **Forbearance** (*Kṣānti*), **Giving** (*Dāna*), and indeed all of the **Ten Perfections** (*Daśa-pāramitā*) are the correct actions. Your new operating system must at least establish the first **Six Perfections** (*Ṣaṭ-pāramitā*: Giving, Precepts, Forbearance, Joyous Effort, Meditation, and Wisdom). These six serve to accomplish your own spiritual benefit and liberation (*svārtha*).

Once that is established, you then install the framework to benefit others (*parārtha* / benefiting sentient beings). This is accomplished through the remaining **Four Perfections** (Skillful Means / *Upāya*, Vow / *Praṇidhāna*, Power / *Bala*, and Knowledge / *Jñāna*). These four are specifically designed for the salvation and benefit of sentient beings.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Base of Power of Effort (*Vīrya- ṛddhipāda*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Base of Power of Effort / Diligence** (*Vīrya-ṛddhipāda*)
By the time you reach this third step (Effort / *Vīrya*), your **Three Obstacles** (*Tri-āvaraṇa*: the obstacles of afflictions, karma, and karmic retribution) have already been absolutely and completely eradicated and purified (*viśuddhi*). Because your mind is entirely clean, at this stage, your capacity for memory and retention (*smṛti* and *dhāraṇī*) will become exceptionally fast. Once you remember and absorb the teachings, whatever you do, you simply act in direct accordance with them.

Take **Giving** (*Dāna*), for example: absolutely everything can be relinquished and given (*sarva-tyāga*). As long as it can benefit sentient beings (*sattvārtha*), allowing them to attain true, ultimate benefit (*paramārtha-hita*) and ultimate peace and happiness (*atyanta-sukha*), you simply go ahead and do it without hesitation.

(To continue the previous computer analogy): Every time you “install” a specific Dharma program (a Perfection or vow), you immediately put it into practice and execute it.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Base of Power of Aspiration (*Chanda- ṛddhipāda*)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Base of Power of Aspiration / Desire** (*Chanda-ṛddhipāda*)
**[As long as this underlying principle (*tattva*) is thoroughly solidified, everything that follows will naturally fall into place. (Just as mentioned previously with the first example of the “dream”).**

**If you currently lack this firm foundation, it is also perfectly viable to achieve it through observing the subtle and profound principles (*sūkṣma-dharma*). By

understanding and analyzing them from their foundational mechanics, you can gradually allow your Bases of Power (*Ṛddhipāda*) to become fully nourished and saturated.**

The Practice of Observation (*Mimāṃsā*) **The core of Observation involves:**

**1. The story of Yajñadatta** (from the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra*, illustrating the spontaneous cessation of madness/delusion).
**2. The “Rashomon” effect** (the unreliability and fabricated nature of worldly perception).

**For example, understanding what the “Rashomon” effect is, what deluded thoughts (*vikalpa*) are, and what the mad nature of Yajñadatta represents. You have all been repeatedly trying to establish this observation, yet it has never reached a state of saturation (fullness). Why? Because you merely “know” it intellectually and feel complacent; you have never truly put it into practice.**

**Once the day comes when you are utterly disgusted with chasing after deluded thoughts—realizing that it is pure self-mutilation and self-harm, and you are no longer willing to manufacture suffering (*duḥkha*) for yourself—you will begin to practice with a one-pointed mind (*ekāgratā*).**

**This one-pointed mind will gradually allow you to attain the Base of Power of Observation (*Mimāṃsā-ṛddhipāda*). The state of your observation will achieve complete satisfaction; meaning it becomes saturated, encompassing absolutely everything. When you reach this state, you will pass this hurdle very quickly.**

Leveling the Ground and Overcoming Obstacles

**Orthodox disciples of the Buddha inherently possess this capability. As long as you actively observe, you can use the overarching framework to observe the finest details. Therefore, whether you have a foundation or not, you can cultivate this path.**

**If you lack a foundation, you must cultivate this path gradually. You might ask: *”Why must I cultivate it? If the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have already given the Dharma to me, do I still need to practice?”***
**Yes, you do. Because you bring with you infinite inherent obstacles (*āvaraṇa*). You must chop down the high points (your arrogance and pride) and fill in the low points (your inferiorities and deficiencies). You must build and level the road yourself. Because what you bring into the practice is precisely your own obstacles, you must break through your own obstacles.**

**You might think to yourself: *”Although I understand that afflictions (*kleśa*) and deluded thoughts harm me, when they arise, I still savor them with great relish. I’ll just wait until I finish consuming these pleasures before I go level the road.”***

**If you do this, you will discover… [that the obstacles only multiply, the road is never leveled, and true liberation remains forever out of reach].]**

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Five Roots (Pañcendriyāṇ i)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Five Roots / Faculties** (*Pañcendriyāṇi*: Faith, Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration, and Wisdom)
It is the same process of spiritual cultivation, but now explained from the perspective of the **Five Roots** (*Pañcendriyāṇi*). It is an inevitable progression. Within this inevitable progression, there must be an absolute starting point: your **Faith** (*Śraddhā*).

1. The Root of Faith (*Śraddhendriya*)

If your faith is unwavering and without the slightest trace of doubt (*vicikitsā*), you will know that what the Buddha taught is an absolute truth: that killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech (*prāṇātipāta, adattādāna, kāma-mithyācāra, mṛṣāvāda*) will forever prevent liberation and cause one to eternally sink into the **Three Evil Destinies** (*Tri-durgati*).

A disciple endowed with true faith will immediately relinquish them. Even if they cannot relinquish them instantly, they will apply diligent effort to abandon them. They will constantly and intently monitor their own thoughts and mindfulness, preventing these unwholesome thoughts from arising and ensuring they commit no transgressions.

The Culmination in Wisdom

Finally, when the mind truly becomes unmoving—when the deluded mind (*vikalpa-citta*) ceases to stir—you will discover that your inherently possessed **Tathāgata Wisdom** (*Tathāgata-jñāna*), **Natural Wisdom** (*Svayambhū- jñāna*), and **Wisdom without a Teacher** (*Anācāryaka-jñāna*) manifest right before you. When you look at the world again, it will reveal an entirely new face. This is the observation of **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*).

Therefore, the Five Roots constitute a complete process of cultivation, divided into several stages, with each stage serving a specific purpose. Just as the Four Bases of Power (*Catur-ṛddhipāda*) outline a path of cultivation, the Five Roots similarly map out a complete sequence.

In this process, the very first element is Faith. When a person’s faith is exceptionally solid, they will inevitably possess **sharp spiritual faculties** (*tīkṣṇendriya*), and they will inevitably be diligent. For example, if you truly contemplate feeling as suffering (*vedanānupassanā*), will you still actively

seek to experience and feel everything? If your faith is resolute, you will naturally be diligent, your faculties will be sharp, and you will no longer pursue worldly sensory experiences.
If you rely on yourself, you are forging a connection with wholesome dharmas (*kuśala-dharma*). If you rely on the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, you are establishing **causes and conditions** (*hetu-pratyaya*) with them.

Awakening Within the Wind and Waves

For instance, you may have faith, but perhaps the moment the winds of karma blow, you are swept away. That does not matter! Let the winds blow and the waves surge. Even if I am like duckweed tossed on the water, wherever I am, I am **Awakening** (*Bodhi* / *Jāgrat*).

If I am blown into the realm of eating, I awaken right within eating… Because *I am* Awakening itself. No matter where you blow me, whether I am at the bottom of the trough or the crest of the wave, I am eternally Awakening. I transform myself. Right within eating, drinking, playing, and indulging, I verify exactly what eating, drinking, playing, and indulging truly are, and I investigate exactly what karmic wind blew me here.

If I continue to believe that eating, drinking, playing, and indulging are good, and that this karmic wind is good, I will remain trapped in this state forever. But if I maintain constant mindfulness and awakening, I will realize that the waves are precisely the water, and the water is precisely the waves. The wind is me, and I am the wind. Whether it is the “me” as the wind or the “me” as the waves, both manifest in reliance upon the empty, luminous **Self-Nature** (*Śūnyatā-svabhāva*). This empty, luminous Self-Nature is the true “me.” It is “me” manifesting as the wind, manifesting as the waves, and manifesting as the worldly indulgences.

By chasing after these transient manifestations, the resulting outcome is a continuous state of suffering. The ultimate result is a pain that you have played yourself into. In this game—from its initial design and fabrication to its final conclusion—the entire outcome can be summarized in a single word: **Suffering** (*Duḥkha*).

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of Cultivation

In reality, this sequence is entirely connected. For example, when I encounter a profound teaching in the Buddhadharma, I rejoice in it, yearn for it, and trust it deeply (**Faith** / *Śraddhā*). Since I know the result is supremely excellent, and I desire that result, I will inevitably apply **Joyous Effort** (*Vīrya*) to contemplate it. I will think it through clearly, memorize it firmly (**Mindfulness** / *Smṛti*), without deviation or bias. Once firmly remembered, I will apply it to every single action I take, acting solely in accordance with it.

For instance, regarding the **Precepts** (*Śīla*): when you execute them perfectly, that establishes the **Root of Concentration** (*Samādhīndriya*). Once accomplished, the resulting karmic retribution (*vipāka*) will change how

you view the world entirely. When the precepts are perfected, when **Dhyāna- samādhi** is perfected, and when you possess **Supernatural Powers** (*Abhijñā*), your perception of the world will be completely different from how we currently see it. You will see it comprehensively and in minute detail (*yathābhūta-darśana*). It will not be a fabrication orchestrated by the brain, nor will it be distorted colors seen through tinted glasses.

To use an analogy:

1. **Faith:** Suppose I believe that driving a car is easier than walking.
2. **Effort:** Once I believe this, I go out to understand the car, learn how to drive, study the traffic rules, and master its operation.
3. **Mindfulness:** Next, I practice driving, keeping all the rules and operations firmly in my mind.
4. **Concentration:** Finally, I have memorized all the rules perfectly, and my operation is incredibly fluent and steadfast. I will not freeze in an emergency, wondering whether to brake or accelerate; I will make absolutely no mistakes. 5. **Wisdom:** With this steadfast power of concentration, you gain true **sovereignty** (*aiśvarya*) and can effortlessly go wherever you wish without exhaustion.

Driving is exactly like this, and spiritual cultivation is exactly like this. This process is the Standard Operating Procedure of the Five Roots.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Seven Factors of Awakening (Sapta- bodhyaṅ ga)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Seven Factors of Awakening** (*Sapta-bodhyaṅga*)
Regarding these seven factors, you must possess clear, unmistakable knowledge (*samprajñāna*) and luminous awakening. What exactly are they? What can they bring you? What are the consequences of lacking them? Once you truly understand this, you will inevitably generate a profound yearning and aspiration (*chanda*) for them.

Cultivating the Self: The Cause and Fruit of Bodhi

When speaking of **Bodhi** (Awakening), you must remember that Bodhi is the

ultimate fruit (*phala*). What is the root cause (*hetu*) of this fruit? You must know that **Forbearance / Patience** (*Kṣānti*) is the right and orthodox cause (*samyak-hetu*) of Bodhi.
Therefore, you must figure out exactly what Forbearance is. You must correctly recognize where your perceived feelings of “disgrace” or “humiliation” actually originate. This is precisely why the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* speaks of the **Ten Kinds of Forbearance / Cognitive Acceptance** (*Daśa-kṣānti*). It instructs you exactly on what each of these ten acceptances is, and how you must properly recognize and view reality to attain them.

The **Seven Factors of Awakening** (*Sapta-bodhyaṅga*) represent exactly how you should view, recognize, and understand these seven specific aspects of spiritual practice.

Guiding Others: Investigation of Dharmas (*Dharmapravicaya*)

When dealing with others, you must recognize that different people have different primary **Afflictions** (*Kleśa*) and different focal points of **Wisdom** (*Prajñā*). What are they specifically?
Based on their inherent afflictions or wisdom, you must select the appropriate words to speak to them. You must explain the underlying principles and mechanisms with absolute clarity, allowing them to make a choice. If you do not explain it clearly, others will have no way to choose. This ability to discern and present the truth is the **Factor of Awakening of Investigating Dharmas** (*Dharmapravicaya-saṃbodhyaṅga*).

When you actively apply your mind to think and speak constructively about the same matter, that constitutes the **Factor of Awakening of Effort / Energy** (*Vīrya-saṃbodhyaṅga*).

The Factor of Joy (*Prīti*)

Next is the **Factor of Awakening of Joy** (*Prīti-saṃbodhyaṅga*). Regarding the things, matters, or people you love and desire—what are they, fundamentally? What can they actually bring you? You must recognize this with absolute thoroughness.

You must clearly observe: are they **Suffering** (*Duḥkha*)? Are they **Happiness** (*Sukha*)? Is there happiness hidden within the suffering, or suffering hidden within the happiness? Is it a mixture of both, or is it ultimately empty (*śūnya*)? You must figure this out with perfect clarity.

Once you do, you will have the means to make the right choice. You cannot be self-righteous. You cannot accept your own subjective definitions as reality, you cannot accept superficial labels as reality, and you certainly cannot take your own polluted sensory feelings (*kliṣṭa-vedanā*) as reality.

If you can recognize this thoroughly, you can awaken. If your awakening is thorough, you will no longer be deluded or confused by any person, matter, or object. Nothing can become an obstacle (*āvaraṇa*) for you; instead, everything becomes a stepping stone—a staircase leading to the noble realms

(*ārya-bhūmi*). However, if you allow yourself to be deluded by any person, matter, or object, you will be trapped on that staircase, unable to escape for countless lifetimes. This is the profound observation of Joy.
If you research this thoroughly, you will understand where true joy should be applied: it must be applied to the Buddhadharma. The Dharma is precisely the method of awakening that allows you to leave suffering and attain true happiness. To be constantly filled with the Joy of the Dharma (*Dharmaprīti*)— that is the true Factor of Awakening of Joy.

The Factor of Lightness and Peace (*Praśrabdhi*)

For example, upon taking the initial steps into the effects of Dhyāna-meditation, you can attain the **Factor of Awakening of Lightness and Peace / Tranquility** (*Praśrabdhi-saṃbodhyaṅga*).
Without having awakened to it, you fundamentally do not know what this elevated state is. You do not know what it tastes like, or what it feels like—you simply do not know. Only after you have personally tasted it can you truly know.

Conclusion: Knowing Things as They Truly Are

The entire Bodhisattva practice (*Bodhisattva-caryā*) is built upon the foundation of **Knowing things as they truly are** (*Yathābhūta-jñāna*). Knowing things as they truly are *is* precisely Bodhi. Correct recognition *is* Bodhi.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Eightfold Noble Path (Ārya-aṣ ṭāṅ gika- mārga)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Eightfold Noble Path** (*Ārya-aṣṭāṅgika-mārga*)
Any given thought or mental process (*citta-pravṛtti*)—is it based on **Awakening** (*Bodhi*)? If a thought is established upon Awakening, it is called **Right Thought** (*Samyaksaṃkalpa*). Faith established upon Awakening is called **Right Faith** (*Samyak-śraddhā*). This will inevitably influence the **Right Action** (*Samyakkarmānta*) of your body and speech. Everything you create will be “Right” (*samyak*). **Bodhi** is the fundamental root (*mūla*); therefore, one must constantly contemplate this Awakening—this is true “Recognition” (*pratyabhijñā*).

The *Śūraṅgama Sūtra* explains that the breaking of the **Five Aggregates** (*Pañcaskandha*) consists of various phenomena encountered within *Dhyāna-samādhi*. Can you awaken to them? If you cannot awaken, you will be trapped; if you can awaken, you manifest **Sovereignty and Supernatural Powers** (*aiśvarya* / *abhijñā*). If you cannot awaken, you are liable to cultivate the states of demons or ghosts. Once awakened, you cultivate the states corresponding to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

The Mechanics of Merit and Affliction

If one is not awakened, one suffers a great loss. When you add even a single measure of **Affliction** (*kleśa*), the loss is immense. By nature, your act of giving (*dāna*) could bring you ten thousand measures of **Merit and Blessings** (*puṇya*). But because you have added a measure of the affliction of **Greed** (*lobha*), it becomes only one hundred measures. In the future, you can only receive the karmic fruit of one hundred measures. Though the act of giving is the same, the result differs drastically based on the presence or absence of greed.

The presence or absence of **Hatred** (*dveṣa*) also changes the outcome of your giving. Whatever your psychological state, emotions, or moods may be, they will all influence the “business” of the giving you are performing in that moment.

If you pair the **Factor of Awakening of Joy** (*Prīti-saṃbodhyaṅga*) with the **Factor of Awakening of Relinquishment** (*Upekṣā-saṃbodhyaṅga*), and you act in a state of being filled with the **Joy of the Dharma** (*Dharmaprīti*), you can amplify this merit infinitely. For instance, if I perform the act of giving with a heart of **Great Compassion** (*Mahākaruṇā*), I can transform the original ten thousand measures of merit into the merit of ten thousand Mount Sumerus. The effects are fundamentally different.

The Buddha responds to the hearts of sentient beings according to their capacity, and they discover the results following their own karma (*karmavipāka*). You will “discover” whatever you manufacture.

The Structural Metaphor of the Eightfold Path

One must view the Eightfold Noble Path as a living organism:
* **Right View** (*Samyagdṛṣṭi*): The **Root** (*mūla*).
* **Right Thought** (*Samyaksaṃkalpa*): The **Trunk** (*skandha*).
* **The other factors** (Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness): The **Branches, Flowers, and Fruits**.
* **Right Concentration** (*Samyaksamādhi*): The **Flower** (*puṣpa*).
* **Supernatural Abilities and Accomplishment**: The **Fruit** (*phala*). **Right Concentration** is the flower; the capacity to flawlessly and perfectly accomplish all tasks is the fruit.

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Great Calming and Contemplation (Mahā-ś amatha-vipaś yanā)

**The Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) + **The Great Calming and Contemplation** (*Mahā-śamatha-vipaśyanā* / *Mohe Zhiguan*)
The **Tiantai School** researched the practice of Calming and Contemplation most meticulously. For beginners and children, there is the foundational text, the *Tongmeng Zhiguan* (Śamatha-Vipaśyanā for Beginners / *Bālopadeśa- śamatha-vipaśyanā*). For adults and advanced practitioners, there is the profound **Mohe Zhiguan** (*Mahā-śamatha-vipaśyanā* / The Great Calming and Contemplation).

The Function of Śamatha (Calming / Stopping)

**Śamatha** (*Stopping*): By bringing all **Afflictions** (*Kleśa*) to a complete halt, you can wash them clean and eradicate them entirely.
Just as the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra* illustrates with the story of Yajñadatta: *”When the mad nature comes to rest of its own accord; that resting is itself Bodhi.”* The ultimate purpose of Śamatha is to completely clear away all **Three Obstacles** (*Tri-āvaraṇa*: afflictions, karma, and retribution) and all defilements.

The Function of Vipaśyanā (Contemplation / Insight)

**Vipaśyanā** (*Contemplation*): This enables you to observe and know all genuine phenomena exactly as they truly are (*Yathābhūta-jñāna* / *Yathābhūta-darśana*).
The ultimate purpose of Vipaśyanā is to awaken and activate all of your inherently possessed capabilities of **Wisdom** (*Prakṛti-jñāna* or *Sahaja- prajñā*).

The Adornment of Skillful Means (*Upāya-vyūha*)

**Skillful Means** (*Upāya* / *Upāya-kauśalya*): This refers to the concrete, specific application of these awakened capabilities. When applied to absolutely any matter—whether it is a **Mundane** (*Laukika*) or **Supramundane** (*Lokottara*) affair—you will naturally possess the corresponding solution. This is the practical method of application.

This is equivalent to the flawless application of **Omniscience** (*Sarvajñāna*).

To use an analogy: when we study subjects like mathematics, physics, or chemistry at school, they all contain foundational principles, formulas, and rules. The teacher explains these by demonstrating example problems. Once the students master the underlying principles, they can correctly apply them to absolutely any kind of practical application or word problem they encounter.

In spiritual practice, this flawless, perfectly adapted application is precisely what is called the **Adornment of Skillful Means** (*Upāya-vyūha*).

Conclusion: The Ultimate Foundation

All **Buddhadharma** (supramundane teachings) and all **Worldly Dharmas** (*Laukika-dharma*) rely entirely upon the **Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) to truly attain **peace and happiness** (*sukha*) and true **accomplishment** (*siddhi*).

Without the Ten Wholesome Deeds, there can be no peace and happiness, and there can be no accomplishment.
What exactly is this accomplishment? It is precisely the accomplishment of all the **merits** (*guṇa*), **wisdom** (*prajñā*), and **capabilities** (*bala* and *abhijñā*) of a Buddha.

Therefore, this concluding passage is of utmost importance. You must constantly bear it in mind (*smṛti*); only then will you truly understand its gravity. If you do, you will not end up like the so-called Dharma Masters of today who talk endlessly about this concept or that theory. The truth is, without the foundation of the Ten Wholesome Deeds, you cannot attain any accomplishment, regardless of how long or how hard you practice.

Without this foundation, it is all just blind, pointless bustling; nothing can possibly be accomplished.
To use an analogy: if you do not know the underlying principles, formulas, laws, and rules of mathematics, yet you boast about being a master mathematician, you are purely a fraud. Not only must you know the rules, but you must also be able to apply them with absolute precision. Only then can it be said that you truly understand mathematics.

Therefore, learning is for the sake of application. You study in order to apply the knowledge in actual practice (*pratipatti*). The completion of learning is not the end of the matter; rather, the true practice only *begins* after the learning is complete.

It is just like worldly survival and work: if you have mastered the necessary skills, you will inevitably live and survive very well. If you know absolutely nothing, you will only be left drifting aimlessly, scrounging for your next meal.
All worldly **merit and blessings** (*puṇya*), wisdom, and capabilities are entirely built upon the foundation of the Ten Wholesome Deeds. Without the

Ten Wholesome Deeds, absolutely no worldly peace and happiness can exist. Consequently, **Supramundane** (*Lokottara*) peace and happiness are even more impossible to attain. Without this foundation, the only thing that will accompany you is **Suffering** (*Duḥkha*).

The Three Refuges (Triśaraṇa)

**Taking Refuge in the Buddha (*Buddha-śaraṇa*)**
After I have taken refuge in the Buddha, what should I do?
What you should do is enable all sentient beings (*sattva*) to truly understand the Buddhadharma, recognize the Buddhadharma, profoundly enter into the Buddhadharma, and perfectly accomplish the Buddha Way (*Buddha-mārga* / *Bodhi*).

**Taking Refuge in the Dharma (*Dharma-śaraṇa*)**
After I have taken refuge in the Dharma, what should I do?
What you should do is meticulously study and investigate the Sutras (*Sūtra- piṭaka*) every single day, striving to make the wisdom (*prajñā*) of all sentient beings as vast and profound as the ocean.

**Taking Refuge in the Saṅgha (*Saṅgha-śaraṇa*)**
After I have taken refuge in the Saṅgha, I should vow (*praṇidhāna*) that all sentient beings, exactly like the Saṅgha Jewel (*Saṅgha-ratna*), become capable of leading and guiding the great multitudes (*mahāsaṅgha*). Furthermore, in this process of leading the multitudes, they shall experience absolutely no hindrances or obstacles (*apratihata* / *anāvaraṇa*).

The Cultivation of Causes and Conditions

Only by generating your mind and vows in this manner (*bodhicittotpāda*), cultivating the primary causes (*hetu*), cultivating the supporting conditions (*pratyaya*), and rigorously training yourself, can it be possible for you to be entirely free of obstacles at all times and in all moments.

**Joining palms (*Añjali-mudrā*), I bow in worship (*Vandana*) and offer profound reverence to all the Noble Sages and Saints (*Bhadra-ārya*).**

The Prayer of Aspiration

**Upon the completion of the Confessional Rites (*Kṣamā-vidhi*):**

I pray that for all sentient beings throughout the **Dharma Realm** (*Dharmadhātu*):

May the **causes** (*hetu*), **conditions** (*pratyaya*), and **fruits** (*phala*) of the **Ten Unwholesome Deeds** (*Daśākuśalakarmapatha*) be swiftly eradicated.

May the **causes** (*hetu*), **conditions** (*pratyaya*), and **fruits** (*phala*) of the **Ten Wholesome Deeds** (*Daśakuśalakarmapatha*) be swiftly brought to full perfection (*pari-pūri*).

Note:

On the Essence of “Namo” and the Practice of Prostration

**”Namo” (南無)** is defined as taking refuge, paying homage, and committing

one’s life to the Buddha. In the modern context, people grasp the concept of “dependence” quite well—we depend on our parents to survive, on teachers to learn, and on mentors to master skills. Because of this, it is easy to understand. We do not reject the “shameless” monks (those who do not cultivate) either; at the very least, they remain attached to the Buddhadharma, are able to rejoice in it, praise it, and rely on the Buddha’s teachings for their livelihood. One cannot call them purely evil; after all, they occasionally chant the names of

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. As mentioned in the *Lotus Sutra* (妙法蓮華經), “A single ‘Namo Buddha’ is enough to eventually lead one to the path of Buddhahood.” Thus, we still refer to them as “Master” (師父).

As for whether one can view the teacher as possessing all virtues, that depends on the individual’s level of understanding. The stronger one’s roots of virtue (*kusalamula*), the more profound this realization becomes. Not only does the student recognize the teacher’s virtues, but they also understand the **Root**

(根本). Without this Root, one’s own existence would lack foundation. Because

the teacher is the source—all knowledge is acquired from them, and all practice is derived from their guidance. The prerequisite for attainment is to place the teacher first. One must have a teacher to hear the Dharma; by hearing, one can study; by studying, one can practice; and only through successful training can one be said to have truly learned. If the training fails, it is as if one has not learned at all, merely hearing words in passing.

The True Meaning of Prostration and Humility

Currently, no one knows how to perform a proper prostration. True prostration arises from within; the **Mind is the Root**. In one’s heart, one must absolutely acknowledge that all qualities of the Buddha are supreme, perfect, and most sublime. This Root determines your nature and your direction. If you lack this foundation—and because the “water of Dharma” naturally flows to the lowest point—you persist in believing you are not inferior to the Buddha, perhaps even slightly superior. Consequently, the water of Dharma will never flow to you. No matter how the Buddha gives, you will never receive it.

You do not truly admire the Buddha’s virtues, wisdom, and merit. Your priorities are immediately revealed: your focus is on the comfort, laziness, and ease of Mara, rather than on the Buddha’s wisdom and merit. You may prostrate, but you have not truly placed the Buddha in the highest position, nor acknowledged Him as supreme. You treat the Buddha merely as someone who might bring you a small benefit—a conditional recognition. In this state, you cannot comprehend that the Dharma flows to the low, and you fail to connect with the stream of the Dharma because your “mountain” of ego is too high. Even if one were to pump the water up, it would instantly flow away.

The key issue is that you have too many afflictions (*kleshas*). Your greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt are higher and harder than any mountain. You do not wish to lower yourself; you only want to raise yourself, even if you have to stack paper boxes to do it. The Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, discussed this when the monk Fada visited him and refused to prostrate. The Sixth Patriarch said: “If you do not prostrate, you do not understand the meaning of prostration.”

**Prostration (禮) is the banner of arrogance (慢幢).** When you stand there,

you are erecting a great banner of the “Self.” Having high and rigid afflictions does not represent the Buddhadharma; the Buddhadharma is the absence of afflictions. The Sixth Patriarch, though appearing uneducated, possessed profound understanding of the principles, realization, and skillful means (upaya). Prostration is the direct way to subdue arrogance. If you possess arrogance, it will manifest as a lack of respect, which only proves you are a sentient being full of afflictions.

Faith and the Reality of One’s Actions

It is clear then: the importance of prostration lies in who you are when you bow. Do you carry afflictions and a great ego? The depth of your faith in the Buddha is fully exposed through your act of prostration. To achieve the perfect prostration, you must precisely know the Buddha’s wisdom, merits, and skillful means, and hold Him in the highest esteem; only then can it be called sincere. Otherwise, it is merely a hollow imitation—like the “ugly woman imitating the frown of a beauty” (*Dong Shi Xiao Pin*).

Looking back, how much do we actually know about the Buddha? Without knowledge, there can be no true utilization, no true faith—only a casual connection. For instance, the immeasurable Buddhas and their immeasurable vast vows—if you do not know them, what are you believing in? What are you bowing to? This is a severe problem. Not only is everyone’s faith incomplete, but whether they have any faith at all is questionable. Without even speaking of things too vast or profound, look at the very foundation: the **Ten Wholesome

Deeds** (十善業). How much do you actually believe in them? If you believed absolutely, it would be impossible for you to fail to practice them.

For example, you all know that dog feces cannot be eaten. Because you believe this absolutely, you will absolutely never eat it, even if you are starving. You do not do it because your belief is absolute. Therefore, what you cannot do is proof that you do not yet believe. Even regarding the most basic foundation, the Ten Wholesome Deeds, you have not reached absolute faith. Your “general” or “reluctant” faith cannot compete with your “absolute” faith in eating, drinking, and playing. Your body and mind will betray you and honestly reveal your true quality—the “stuff” you are made of.

You can be like gold and diamonds—a commodity of immense value—or you can be like a cesspool. You are constantly manifesting your inner quality through your every word and deed. It is like the film *Rashomon*, which reconstructs a single event in full—do these things not happen today? Every person and every event is an expression of their inner heart. These expressions are real; they demonstrate what kind of quality you possess. The foolish cannot see it, but those with wisdom see it clearly at a glance. Yet, people insist on destroying themselves before they are willing to stop.

Ending

See the webpage for details:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yfMmzjj6uubkmFPPfP2JaMg_vNzVP2qq/view?usp=drive_link

The Method for the Eradication of Suffering Applicable to All Beings

Overview

Repentance of Killing

Repentance of Stealing

Repentance of Wrongful Indulgence (Xieyin):

Repentance of False Speech (Mṛṣāvāda)

Repentance of Divisive Speech (Paiśunya)

Repentance of Harsh Speech (Pāruṣya)

Repentance of Frivolous Speech / Idle Chatter (Saṃ bhinna-pralāpa)

Repentance of Greed

Repentance of Hatred

Repentance of Ignorance

Conclusion

The Ten Wholesome Deeds + Giving

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Six Perfections (Ṣ aṭ-pāramitā)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Immeasurables (Catur-apramāṇ a)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Methods of Gathering Sentient Beings (Catvāri saṃ graha-vastūni)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Catvāri smṛ tyupasthānāni)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Right Efforts (Catvāri samyak-prahāṇ āni)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Bases of Power (Catur-ṛddhipāda)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Five Roots (Pañcendriyāṇ i)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Seven Factors of Awakening (Sapta- bodhyaṅ ga)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Eightfold Noble Path (Ārya-aṣ ṭāṅ gika- mārga)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Great Calming and Contemplation (Mahā-ś amatha-vipaś yanā)

Conclusion: The Ultimate Foundation

The Three Refuges (Triśaraṇa)

The Prayer of Aspiration

Note:

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The Method for the Eradication of Suffering Applicable to All Beings

Overview

Repentance of Killing

Repentance of Stealing

Repentance of Wrongful Indulgence (Xieyin):

Repentance of False Speech (Mṛṣāvāda)

Repentance of Divisive Speech (Paiśunya)

Repentance of Harsh Speech (Pāruṣya)

Repentance of Frivolous Speech / Idle Chatter (Saṃ bhinna-pralāpa)

Repentance of Greed

Repentance of Hatred

Repentance of Ignorance

Conclusion

The Ten Wholesome Deeds + Giving

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Six Perfections (*Ṣ aṭ-pāramitā*)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Immeasurables (*Catur-apramāṇ a*)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Methods of Gathering Sentient Beings (*Catvāri saṃ graha-vastūni*)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (*Catvāri smṛ tyupasthānāni*)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Right Efforts (*Catvāri samyak-prahāṇ āni*)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Bases of Power (*Catur-ṛddhipāda*)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Five Roots (*Pañcendriyāṇ i*)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Seven Factors of Awakening (*Sapta- bodhyaṅ ga*)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Eightfold Noble Path (*Ārya-aṣ ṭāṅ gika- mārga*)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Great Calming and Contemplation (*Mahā-ś amatha-vipaś yanā*)

Conclusion: The Ultimate Foundation

The Three Refuges (*Triśaraṇa*)

The Prayer of Aspiration

Note:

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The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Six Perfections (Ṣ aṭ-pāramitā)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Immeasurables (Catur-apramāṇ a)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Methods of Gathering Sentient Beings (Catvāri saṃ graha-vastūni)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Catvāri smṛ tyupasthānāni)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Right Efforts (Catvāri samyak-prahāṇ āni)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Four Bases of Power (Catur-ṛddhipāda)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Five Roots (Pañcendriyāṇ i)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Seven Factors of Awakening (Sapta- bodhyaṅ ga)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Eightfold Noble Path (Ārya-aṣ ṭāṅ gika- mārga)

The Ten Wholesome Deeds and the Great Calming and Contemplation (Mahā-ś amatha-vipaś yanā)

The Three Refuges (Triśaraṇa)