Venerable Yongning, a monastic who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, currently resides there. This interview was recorded on April 2, 2023, by the chief writer, Shi Fajing.
Venerable Yongning speaks:
". I am Venerable Yongning. When we speak of the that we cannot escape, we must realise that it arrives quite naturally with the birth of this physical body. Every single person is subject to this; there is not one who is exempt. Among the vast multitude of beings, who has truly been saved? Are you the one who has found salvation?
The sins and karmic debts we have accumulated throughout our many lives are already set in stone. They cannot be changed, and they are difficult to reverse. No matter how much we may wish to avoid facing them, we must eventually confront them. Only by facing these truths can we truly and sincerely openly repent from the heart.
The Inner Landscape of Karma
I see that within every person, there are countless spaces—these are the remnants of the past we have walked through. Our experiences from throughout our many lives form scene after scene, continuously playing out within these inner spaces. In every scene, every image, and every plot, one can clearly see the sins one has committed. Our appear within these visions, waiting to seek revenge upon this physical body.
If you quiet your heart and mind, if you truly feel this body and look back upon your life, if you connect with your inner spirit—can you see how much your 'entire life' and your 'human body' have been interfered with by karma? For the better part of a lifetime, you have not been the one in control of your own destiny.
as a Temporary Garment
The preciousness of the body lies in its ability to serve as a vessel. By adjusting this body and this heart, we can elevate our spirituality. The spirit within each of us is the true, authentic self. This physical body is merely a garment we have borrowed for this lifetime. When the time comes, the garment must be returned. It will never last forever; it is inherently limited.
In the infinite cycle of reincarnated life, are you still so concerned with this brief, fleeting life? It is truly a short life. When calculated by human time, those who are long-lived may reach a hundred years or more. But when viewed from the perspective of samsara, no matter how long one lives, it is merely a life that lasts for a 'blink of an eye.' The path of samsara is endless—it is so long that this life of several decades is truly nothing more than a fleeting moment.
The Turning Point of Salvation
However, this life, which lasts but a blink of an eye, can be the very thing that turns our fate around. It can help us end the endless cycle of suffering. You who are reading these words from me now are surely one who can be saved, but it requires your willingness to be rescued.
The Buddha has truly arrived. Practitioner Su has verified the magnificence of the Buddha’s presence in this world. With the power of the Buddha, immeasurable and boundless beings have been saved and guided back to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Through the of Practitioner Su and the compassionate power of the Buddha, many human beings have been helped to resolve their conflicts with their karmic creditors. It is truly magnificent beyond words.
The Urgency of Repentance
Since the Buddha is already here, you must know how to cherish every second of your life. Every minute, every second is incredibly precious. Once it passes, it can never be retrieved. Why would you still spend your time bickering with those around you? Any further calculation or resentment will only obstruct your liberation. These petty grievances and judgmental thoughts only serve to awaken your karma again and again. When will it ever end?
True repenting is the act of changing your ways. If you sincerely wish to leave suffering behind, you must honestly repent for your past, change yourself bit by bit, and no longer allow yourself to act recklessly. If you firmly grasp this life of yours—this life that lasts but a blink of an eye—the moment of your liberation will also arrive in that very same blink of an eye.
