Creating Trouble Where There Is None

On April 15, 2019, Master Xuan Zang offered profound guidance on the nature of our daily existence. People often construct their lives through a constant stream of thoughts, actions, and speech, filling their days with a sense of busyness that they mistake for a fulfilling life. We are perpetually occupied with various pursuits: studying, working to earn a living, engaging in social interactions, attending dinners, chatting, visiting gyms, shopping, and learning various talents and specialisations to adapt to the demands of modern life.

We grow up in an environment where we are conditioned to believe that this is how life should be lived. When problems arise, we instinctively seek solutions in the way everyone else does. If we fall ill, we visit a doctor; if we feel stressed, we plan a holiday, believing that climbing mountains or travelling abroad is the true definition of relaxation. Our feet never stop walking, our eyes never stop looking, our ears never stop listening, and our bodies never stop moving. Our minds are constantly filled with new information, planning, and interpreting, directing the body to act according to these mental commands. We mistakenly believe that this is the only way to spend a human life.

The Endless Carousel of Worldly Busyness

To fill the void within our hearts, we constantly seek satisfaction from the outside world. As we age, we prepare to find a partner to share the journey of aging, sickness, and death, hoping to face life's challenges together. We become dependent on one another, adapting to each other's habits and egos. We lack confidence in ourselves, fearing that if we lose our partner, we will be left helpless and alone.

People do not know—because they have never been taught or heard—that what they truly lack and what they are desperately searching for can be found within themselves, in their own true self. Within every person's true self lies infinite Wisdom (Prajna), virtue, and auspicious characteristics. That is your original, authentic state. As long as you find your true self and align with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, your true self can satisfy all your needs. All problems can find their answers within.

The Radiant Treasure Within the Self-Nature

There is no need to look outward and create unnecessary trouble. What could have been a life of peace and coolness instead becomes a continuation of the cycle of rebirth. By seeking outside, we invite the manifestation of karmic creditors, the tug-of-war of destiny, emotional entanglements, and the sorrow that haunts our dreams at night.

A life dominated by karma and destiny is merely a series of personal experiences that are part of that very karmic fate. Some people achieve results that others admire, which is simply the fruition of their own life's path. Some write books about their struggles or give public lectures, which may inspire others. However, one must realise that this is merely the presentation of their individual karma and the cause and effect of good and evil. Often, we should learn from the spirit of their dedication rather than trying to imitate their exact path. Even if you try to copy them, you will never replicate it perfectly; even a photocopy loses the natural lines of the original.

Awakening from the Illusory Dream of Karma

Those who understand that the world is an illusory projection and realise that awakening to one's true self is the only reality will not be anxious to seek answers outside. No matter how hard you search, what you find is still illusory. Actions based on these illusions, no matter how perfect they seem, are not real. Once time passes, you cannot retrieve the original state, and whatever you possess cannot be taken with you. In the end, everything passes, and it all becomes nothing left. By wasting a precious human life, not only do we fail to find our original, peaceful true self, but we also create many unnecessary tasks, ending up in a state of empty busyness.

Many things in life are originally non-existent. If we simply stop there—stop thinking, stop asking—then there is no issue. It is only because of the emptiness in our hearts, our dissatisfaction, our resentment, and our inability to let go that we pour our feelings out to others. In the midst of emotional fluctuations, we send out powerful messages that attract our karmic creditors to manifest and seek balance. This leads to a continuous chain of karmic retribution. People continue to play out this drama, creating trouble where there was none, and in doing so, they earn their place in the six realms of existence for their next life.

Unless one is a wise person, possessing sufficient good roots, Blessings, and Causal Conditions, it is difficult to escape this performance we call life. Only by listening to the teachings of a virtuous master can one learn to look inward and seek the true self. The Buddha’s teachings on the Pure Land do not just help you find your true self; they can lead you to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, forever leaving behind the suffering of the cycle of rebirth. The disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre are currently on this path. Follow the footsteps of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su. Cherish this opportunity with all your heart!

This message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.