Words of , recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on December 17, 2021.
The Anchor of the Buddha-Name
When you are faced with the onset of illness, your primary duty is to chant the Buddha-name and maintain meditative concentration. Do not let the physical body, which is currently suffering from various ailments, cause your heart to become stained with pain and sorrow. If you allow your mind to be overwhelmed by these physical sensations, you will lose the Buddha-name and disturb your meditative concentration.
If you are a practitioner and you find yourself in a state of physical illness, you must consider the following: You may have violated the or engaged in hearts and actions that deviate from the righteous path. Alternatively, you may be experiencing a lighter manifestation of a much heavier . In either case, you must use this moment to deeply reflect and change your ways.
Approach your condition with and Wisdom. Do not simply feel the pain, and do not be led astray by these sensations. If you allow yourself to be pulled by these , you will lose the Buddha-name and disrupt your meditative concentration.
The Power of Awareness
Even when is in agony and you are filled with various forms of suffering, mental notes, and discriminations, you must realise that these are all obstacles to your practice. All these mental states arise from the heart. If you possess true awareness, you will be able to quickly perceive the occurrence and existence of these painful sensations and thoughts. By doing so, you can prevent them from controlling you, which would otherwise cause you to lose the Buddha-name and disturb your meditative concentration.
The ability to do this depends on the depth of your practice. The more you are able to perceive even the most subtle forms of suffering and mental activity, the more effectively you can stop them early. By not being controlled by them, you will not lose the Buddha-name, and you will be able to maintain your meditative concentration, remaining unmoved by illusory external environments or wandering thoughts.
Mastering the Body-Mind Connection
As a practitioner, you must learn to clearly distinguish between your body and your mind. Even if your temporary physical body is suffering from the torture of illness and you are in a precarious situation, your mind can remain clear and bright. It does not need to be disturbed or led by the external environment of physical pain. If you keep the Buddha-name deeply within your heart, chanting it continuously without interruption, you will be able to remain undisturbed by the environment even in times of crisis. Your mind will remain in the pure state of chanting the Buddha-name.
When you uphold the Precepts and do not break them, your meditative concentration will manifest, and Wisdom will arise. At this point, your mind is no longer obstructed by the suffering of the physical body. Instead, you are able to use this temporary body to find the eternal truth. Your Wisdom will manifest, and you will use this physical form to realise your true nature.
Transcending the Ordinary
This process requires diligent practice. You must step by step remove your impurities and reveal your purity, entering a state of pure goodness. Only then will your true nature have the opportunity to manifest, allowing your external environment to follow the transformation of your mind. In this context, the external environment refers to the people, events, and objects around you, while the mind is the true source of your reality.
The mind of an ordinary person is often controlled by the body's pain, aging, and weakness. Their mental state reflects their physical condition. These are ordinary people who are controlled by the karma of birth, aging, sickness, and death. They cannot master themselves, and their minds are led by their external circumstances. However, if you can ensure that your mind is not controlled by the suffering of the body, you will transcend the status of an ordinary person and become a master of your own destiny, no longer controlled by karma.
When you can transform the environment rather than being transformed by it, you are effectively transforming your karma. You will no longer be bound by karmic forces. By doing so, you move beyond the ranks of ordinary people and enter the stream of the sages. To realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood is to go even further than the sages. This is the path of step-by-step progress in your practice, overcoming every difficulty until you finally realise your true nature and attain Buddhahood.
