Boldness and the Path to Awakening

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Haize, on the twenty-second of April, 2022.

The True Meaning of Boldness

Boldness is a quality of the spirit that allows one to move forward directly toward what is right. Even when you encounter setbacks or obstacles along your journey, you must face them with honesty and courage. You must overcome these challenges and continue your progress. When this boldness is coupled with unwavering perseverance, the likelihood of achieving your spiritual goals increases significantly.

In the context of your practice, boldness is the engine that drives you forward. It involves several key characteristics:

• Steadfastness: Choosing the path of goodness and moving forward without hesitation or interruption.
• Resilience: Refusing to retreat or falter when faced with difficulties or trials.
• Adaptability: Being willing to make necessary adjustments and changes to your approach to reach your ultimate purpose.
• Courage: Maintaining a fierce, diligent spirit even when the path becomes narrow or steep.

Without this boldness, it is difficult to reach the ultimate goal of Awakening. You must be willing to commit yourself entirely to the path of the Buddha.

The Dual Paths of Practice

It is important to understand that boldness is a neutral force; its value depends entirely on the direction in which it is applied. If you choose to act with goodness and persist without interruption, you will attain the Buddha's path. However, if you choose to act with evil and persist in that direction, you will instead achieve the path of the demon. This is why the foundation of your choices is so critical.

You must always measure your actions against the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Without the guidance of a true spiritual friend, it is easy to become confused and lose your way. When you cannot distinguish between good and evil, you are vulnerable to the influence of your own strong personality and ego-attachment.

The Perils of an Unchecked Ego

Those who possess a strong, rigid personality often fall into the trap of evil without even realising it. When your ego-attachment and personal views are too strong, you may inadvertently enter the demon path. This leads to actions that harm both yourself and others. In this state of confusion, your practice will bear no fruit, and you will find yourself drifting further and further away from the state of Awakening. You may even violate the Precepts and create the heavy karma that leads to the hells.

To avoid this, you must seek out the proper guidance. The following are your true spiritual friends:

• Buddhas and Bodhisattvas: The enlightened beings who watch over us with infinite compassion.
• The sutras: The sacred texts that contain the wisdom of the ages.
• Buddha’s words: The direct teachings that illuminate the path.
• Practitioners with true knowledge and correct views: Those who have already achieved success in their practice and have realised their true self.

Transforming the Self for Awakening

If you recognise that you have a strong or rigid personality, you must learn to cultivate flexibility. You must be willing to admit your mistakes and make the necessary corrections. A successful practitioner knows how to advance and how to retreat; they know how to adjust their pace and their perspective. If you remain inflexible, you risk igniting the fires of anger, desire, and mental agitation. These fires will burn down your forest of merits, destroying the progress you have worked so hard to build.

Without the accumulation of blessings and virtues, you will inevitably attract suffering. Therefore, you must rely on the guidance of a true spiritual friend to help you transform your intensity into gentleness. You must turn away from evil and embrace goodness. Only then can you succeed in your endeavours and have a genuine opportunity to attain Buddhahood. If you continue to walk directly toward the demon path, you will only bring harm to yourself and others, becoming a member of the demon crowds. This is a truly regrettable outcome.

Everyone possesses the original Buddha-nature and the true self. By practising within the framework of the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, you can rediscover this nature and return to your original home. Namo Amituofo.