Awakening Through the Dharma: A Reflection on Human Nature

This interview was recorded on July 5, 2019, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Venerable Changgao, a monastic who has dedicated their life to the pursuit of liberation, shares profound insights regarding the critical nature of encountering the Buddha’s teachings and the internal work required to transcend the cycle of rebirth.

Venerable Changgao speaks:

"If you do not grasp this magnificent opportunity when it is right in your hands, it will slip away in an instant. We are all beings who have been reincarnated through the six realms of existence countless times; it is only through the accumulation of merit over infinite kalpas that we are finally able to encounter the Buddha’s teachings today. When our teacher gives Dharma talks, he does not only address the human beings present. He sees the state of every cell in the bodies of the entire assembly clearly, as if it were clear at a glance. He knows whether those cells are active or still, whether they are manifest or hidden, whether they wish to emerge or remain suppressed, or if they are causing the body to feel drowsy and unclear. At such times, if the beings attached to the body do not understand the truth or are seeking revenge, they will cause disturbances within the physical form. When this happens, our teacher will either shout a stern reprimand or offer a gentle reminder to bring them back to awareness.

The Necessity of Repentance

Those who are karmic creditors must repent. They must learn to receive the teachings with a heart of compassion and respect. Once they do this, the situation will show significant improvement. Listening to the Dharma is about understanding the great meaning, understanding the truth of reality, and realising that one must bring the cycle of birth and death to a conclusion. Once you possess true awareness, you will also be able to understand the reasons for your own cycle of rebirth in this world. You will see which areas are your weaknesses—weaknesses that never escape the traps of greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, the Five Desires, and the Six Dusts. These traits are cultivated from the moment we receive this physical body, shaped by the influence of the external environment.

The Trap of Attachment

Human greed is inescapable. It manifests as greed for emotion, greed for sensory pleasure, and greed for achievement. We always want more, or we cling desperately to what we already possess, unwilling to let go. Once there is something you are unwilling to let go of, you cannot escape this world. Even if you say you want to leave, it is merely talk; in your actions, you have yet to realise the truth. The most difficult thing to overcome in human nature is one's own personality. This personality always reveals itself when things do not go our way. Anger, resentment, and glaring eyes are all negative emotions and negative reactions generated by this personality. The result is often that both sides are hurt—a consequence of lacking patience, gentleness, and the equal heart that sees you and me as one.

The Burden of the Self

This is the aspect of human nature that requires adjustment and overcoming. If you allow your personality to run wild, you will inevitably suffer retribution in hell. All these various principles, when you get to the bottom of them, simply point to the fact that the 'self' is too heavy. Many times, if you learn to broaden your heart and let go, you will understand the truth much more clearly. Namo Amituofo reveals everything. The 'Explanation of the Buddha’s Teachings' unravels the complexities of human nature. By contemplating these truths and experiencing them for yourself, you will come to know the way."

This interview message was recorded by the disciple of the Buddha, Shi Faxin.