Cultivating the Foundation of Character and Moral Integrity

The Fading Light of Moral Education

On the fifteenth of April, 2022, during the second session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provided essential guidance on the state of moral and character education in our contemporary world. It is evident that such education has become weak and is frequently overlooked. This neglect has given rise to a multitude of problems within our educational systems, our broader society, and our nations.

If one wishes to achieve success in their practice within a bodhimanda or a monastic community, one must place great importance on strengthening one's moral character. This is not merely a secondary concern; it is the very foundation upon which all spiritual progress is built.

The Subtle Path to No-Self

Moral and character education must be applied to the most subtle aspects of our lives. We must never adopt a mindset of letting things slide or excusing our own faults. True practice begins with how we live our daily lives and how we interact with others. We must never neglect the basic dignity, decorum, and etiquette that are expected of a practitioner.

You must ensure that your own feelings, perceptions, and actions do not become an interference to the pure practice of others. To act as if you are the most important person is a grave failure in one's practice. Instead, you should strive to cultivate the state of no-self. If you have truly reached a state of no-self, how could there be any room for the ego to arise, causing unhappiness, anger, or harm to others? Do not focus on the faults of others; instead, always begin by examining your own mistakes.

The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings

The Buddha’s teachings are essentially teachings of the heart. If your heart harbours even the slightest impurity, you are creating karma. If you commit an error and do not even realise it, or if you continue to repeat the same mistake without making a sincere effort to change your ways, how can you expect your spiritual progress to grow? Without the ability to reflect and correct oneself, the path to liberation remains closed.

The Crisis of Modern Upbringing

In the modern era, families often have fewer children, and parents frequently do everything in their power to satisfy every desire of their children. This excessive indulgence, often driven by a desire to avoid the child's anger or crying, leads to a complete lack of ethical education. If a child does not learn to listen to their parents from a young age, how can one expect them to listen to their teachers later in life? This upbringing fosters arrogance and a stubborn attachment to one's own views, making the child extremely difficult to guide.

Furthermore, if parents themselves fail to uphold their own standards, their words become empty. They may speak of virtue, but without the living example of their own conduct, their words will not be effective. This results in children who:

• Develop inconsistent behaviour, acting differently in public than in private.
• Become obsessed with comparison and competition.
• Constantly seek external praise and validation.
• Neglect the vital work of internal adjustment, changing their ways, and adapting to the needs of others.

Once these personality flaws are ingrained at home and in school, it becomes incredibly difficult to address them later in life.

The Necessity of Discipline

Within a monastic community, there are various precepts and requirements that must be strictly observed. These are not meant to be burdensome; rather, they are designed to ensure that we remain on the right path. We must follow these guidelines for several vital reasons:

• To correct improper speech and behaviour.
• To avoid committing errors that are driven by the momentum of past karma.
• To prevent the stagnation of our spiritual achievements.
• To ensure that our meditative concentration can deepen and our skills can mature.
• To gain true autonomy over our own minds, rather than being slaves to our habits.

Without this discipline, we remain trapped by the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. We continue to be reincarnated, cycle after cycle, with no hope of liberation. When a student, a child, or even a member of the monastic community makes a mistake, it is the duty of parents, teachers, and the monastic community to provide guidance or, when necessary, to impose discipline. This is an act of compassion, intended to help the individual recognise their errors and ensure they do not repeat them. We must be extremely cautious, for minor errors affect only the individual, but major errors can cause profound harm to others, the community, the nation, and the entire monastic order.

Namo Amituofo