Breaking Through the Battlefield of Life: Teachings from National Master Xianshou

The Unending Cycle of Life's Examinations

Breaking through obstacles and passing various tests is an essential task for all practitioners. From the time we are children, we move through primary school, secondary school, and university, eventually pursuing advanced degrees. Each stage of our lives involves a process of entering, learning, and graduating. Along this journey, we face constant assessments, both large and small. Once one stage concludes, we must immediately prepare for the next, more advanced level of learning. This is a fundamental rule of the world that every person must follow.

Whether we are speaking of worldly matters or the path of the Dharma, we cannot escape these tests. Indeed, the examination hall is much like a battlefield. Those who pass the tests move forward, while those who do not must continue to work hard until they succeed, at which point they can take a great stride forward. In this process, where the methods of testing and the questions themselves vary, some people find the burden too heavy to bear. They give up halfway and voluntarily withdraw from the battlefield. When this happens, those who remain on the field may feel a sense of relief, thinking that with one less competitor, their own chances of victory have increased.

The Fragile Nature of Constant Victory

Some individuals seem to win every battle; they are the perennial victors of the field. However, behind every constant victory lies the crisis of potential failure. One must be able to withstand the sudden, unexpected failures that arise from impermanence. If one is too fragile to handle a setback, a single defeat can lead to a devastating fall. Yet, if one can face failure, stand up again, live in the present moment, and bravely confront the situation to create a new path, a fresh atmosphere will emerge.

In the ever-changing affairs of the world, such resilience and ability to meet challenges are invaluable. On the path of practice, how many people have remained stagnant or failed to progress simply because they could not keep up with the pace or the content of their personal tests? After all, the tests and standards for each person are different. Regardless of your situation, as long as you remain on the battlefield, there is always an opportunity to turn the tide or catch up. The only true danger is if you choose to withdraw from the battlefield voluntarily, for that is when you leave yourself entirely at the mercy of your karma.

The True Battlefield of the Heart

This battlefield is not a war fought to expand national borders. On the contrary, it is a struggle to recover the treasure of our true self-nature, which has been obscured for countless lifetimes by confusion, afflictions, and karma. The enemy we must face in this war consists of the forces that push us back and trap us in a corner, leaving us gasping for air. These forces are the Five Desires and the Six Dusts:

• The Five Desires: The cravings for wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep.
• The Five Poisons: Greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, and doubt.

As we walk this path, there will always be advances and retreats in the struggle between the two sides. It is often said that in war, victory and defeat are common occurrences. However, you must never cease the battle, nor should you easily compromise or become lazy. Once you do, you will be deceived, and your true self will be covered once again by the dust of defeat. The opposing side is skilled in using psychological tactics, emotional warfare, and a mix of soft and hard approaches. You must never be fooled. As a wise practitioner who has engaged in this battle many times, you should already understand the enemy's tendency to use illusions and illusory environments to lead you astray.

Mastering the Art of Spiritual Combat

To succeed, you must not only see through the enemy's tricks but also strengthen your own combat readiness. You cannot afford to be defeated by the same tactics over and over again. You must employ the following strategies:

• Use meditative concentration to face any change in the environment.
• Use awareness to see through any hidden traps.
• Use compassion to invoke the Buddha-name, thereby receiving the Buddha's blessings.
• Engage the enemy with a state of no-thought, no-mind, and no-self.

By doing this, no matter what tactics the enemy employs, you will be able to resolve the conflict with ease and overcome them. If you can achieve total victory, if you can identify the enemy's movements the moment they arise, or even prevent the war from starting in the first place, you have achieved true peace. By using Wisdom to resolve the conflict without resorting to force, you demonstrate true compassion. This is your opportunity to reclaim your lost territory—the kingdom of your true self-nature that has been covered by dark soil for countless lifetimes.

A Shared Journey to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss

You must believe in yourself. As long as you are at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, and as long as you possess firm perseverance, you need not fear failure. If you fall, stand up again, reflect, improve, and remain cautious so that you are not deceived by the same tricks again. One day, you will see your original face. At the very least, you will no longer fall back into the dark battlefield of reincarnated existence.

Once you enter the cycle of six realms of existence, you could end up anywhere:

• The ghost realm or the animal realm.
• The various forms of life in the physical world—wishing to be as free as the wind, mountains & rivers.
• The heavens or the realm of the asuras.

If you fall into these realms, who knows how many lifetimes it will take before we meet again? True comrades who can fight side-by-side are rare to encounter in hundreds of millions of eons. To all the students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, we are connected by a single thread. Heart to heart, we move forward together on the path to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.