Venerable Chang Gao, a dedicated monastic at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, offers profound guidance on the challenges of spiritual cultivation. In this interview recorded on July 16, 2023, by Shi Fajing, the Venerable discusses the necessity of confronting one's inner obstacles rather than avoiding them, providing a roadmap for genuine spiritual transformation.
Venerable Chang Gao speaks:
". When faced with difficulties in our practice, some people choose to confront them head-on, while many others choose to evade or mask them. Because they do not wish to face these issues or find them too difficult to change, they choose to ignore them and set them aside. But does this truly help one continue to practise smoothly? The answer is inevitably 'no'. The very place where the difficulty lies is the key to the success or failure of one's practice. Only by facing and breaking through these barriers is it possible to grow and transcend once more.
The 'desires' of the physical body are a fatal point for practitioners. It is natural for the human body to have desires; every single person experiences this. As long as one has obtained this human body, the seven emotions and will exist, and it is difficult to escape them. However, through diligent practice, it is possible to gradually weaken these bodily desires. It is even possible to reduce the physiological needs of itself—this is something that can be achieved.
The Ripple Effect of the Three Poisons
Once a practitioner has reduced their bodily desires, they can reduce the fluctuations of the heart. The causes of these fluctuations are numerous, but regardless of the factor, they are difficult to separate from the three poisons: greed, anger, and delusion. To extinguish these three poisons, one must gradually adjust one's inner nature through daily practice, helping oneself to step out of the space occupied by these three poisons.
However, eradicating these three great bad habits cannot be achieved overnight. No form of practice can yield results in a short period. Such practice is merely superficial; it has not reached the roots or delved into the depths. It is easily blown over by a strong wind and cannot stand firm permanently. Yet, the practice of most people is exactly like this, which is why they fail to completely pull out their bad habits by the roots.
The Necessity of Time and Purification
In my own past practice, I faced the same process. Regarding the fluctuations of the body, desires, emotions, , and complex states, I had not yet reached a state of complete emptiness. In moments of carelessness, these things would easily surge into my heart. By the time I wanted to stop them, it was already too late; the body had already been affected. I had to wait for time to allow it to purify again and return to a state of calm.
Every fluctuation, desire, emotion, and feeling vibrates the body, causing the originally calm water to be disturbed once again. However, one cannot simply demand that the body stop these desires or states just because one is practising. The water that is shaking incessantly cannot be expected to stop immediately just because one says so. Between the two, 'time' and 'effort' are absolutely necessary to slowly adjust oneself, bit by bit, to a state approaching the ideal—making the Body-Mind-Spirit unified, all within a state of pure meditative concentration and stillness.
Guidance for the Struggling Practitioner
I once met a monastic who was very eager to achieve success in his practice. When I met him, he was about twenty-five years old. I saw him standing alone by the riverbank, looking dejected. I asked him what had happened, and he told me about the state of his practice. He had been unable to overcome his inner fluctuations, which prevented his practice from advancing. Even after ten years of practice, he still had not achieved success. I looked at this young monk quietly and asked, 'What is the reason that causes your heart to fluctuate?'
The monk replied, 'There are many reasons. Sometimes my teacher says a harsh word, and my heart is moved. Sometimes I see others in a way I dislike, and my heart is moved. Sometimes others make progress while I remain in the same place, and my heart is moved just the same. Too many things cause my heart to fluctuate, so I feel very depressed and frustrated. I do not know how I can continue to practise.' I asked again, 'When facing these situations and difficulties, how do you break through them?' The monk answered, 'Once the event passes, the fluctuation gradually disappears, and the feeling fades. Sometimes I am busy with work, and as I keep doing it, the feeling vanishes, and the matter just passes like that.' I said, 'That does not fundamentally solve the problem. The next time you encounter the same situation, you will still experience the same fluctuations.' The monk nodded in agreement.
The Path to Spiritual Elevation
I told the monk, 'Whenever a fluctuation appears, take your heart out and ask it: what is the reason that caused it to move? When you see others making progress while you are still in the same place, ask yourself what the reason is. Is it your own jealousy or your attachment to gain and loss at work? While jealousy and attachment exist, has anger also arisen in your heart? And are these feelings and fluctuations occurring because you are holding onto your body too tightly? Are you caring too much about the body's performance and the body's feelings, which is why you cannot accept the body's current state, thus creating a series of fluctuations and emotions?'
The monk nodded in understanding. He asked, 'When I discover the reason, how do I change it?' I replied, 'Constantly observe your own heart and re-educate it. When you discover that jealousy is at work, ask your inner self why you are jealous, and teach it that jealousy is a sign of a small mind-capacity. Those with a small mind-capacity can never achieve success in their practice. Naturally, it is difficult to progress, and it will even cause greater harm to oneself. Guide and enlighten your inner self, see your own state, and learn to turn the heart and turn the thoughts from every fluctuation. By doing so, you will gradually reduce the intensity of these feelings and eventually be able to let go of your attachment to the body, reducing the fluctuations in your heart.'
The body needs to be subdued, and the body and mind can be changed simultaneously. As the body and mind change, one's spirituality will naturally elevate along with them. Therefore, when facing all the problems encountered in practice, one must earnestly face them and teach oneself. By relying on the sutras, true spiritual friends, and one's own strength, one can help one's inner self grow. Only then can one see a more authentic self through repeated experiences and help it to change.'"
