Transforming your personality traits is the most vital area where you must put in the work during your spiritual practice. At the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, the fourfold assembly is frequently reminded and instructed on the necessity of changing their personalities. Yet, as we reflect on our progress to this day, we must ask ourselves: how much have we truly changed? Many of us are still in the midst of this arduous effort.
Your personality is not something that has emerged only in this current lifetime. It has been shaped and solidified over countless eons and many lifetimes. Within the cycle of being reincarnated, whenever you encounter people, events, or environments that trigger your personality, those traits immediately manifest. These external conditions are, in fact, manifestations of your . Because your personality is a component of your karmic force, whenever your personality traits flare up, it is a clear sign that your karma has manifested.
Understanding the Roots of Karma
There are still many deep-seated personality traits within you that have not yet been triggered. It is important to maintain a state of meditative concentration so that you do not easily react to external stimuli. By remaining calm and composed, you avoid triggering these dormant traits, which in turn prevents you from attracting further negative karma. Whenever your personality manifests, it is a signal that your karma and your have appeared before you. Unless your karmic bonds have been fully resolved, these personality traits will not simply vanish into thin air.
To assist in the process of transforming your personality, you may utilise several supportive methods:
Repenting: Sincerely acknowledging your past mistakes and negative actions.
Invite spirits: Engaging in the practice of inviting spirits to hear the .
Resolve the conflict: Actively working to settle grievances with those you have harmed.
: Performing spiritual deliverance to help beings leave suffering behind.
The primary goal, however, is to raise your level of awareness. You must be able to subdue these traits before they manifest, thereby preventing the creation of further negative karma.
The Power of Constant
Chanting the Buddha-name of is the most effective method for subduing the manifestation of your personality. However, this practice requires true attainment. You must be able to keep the Buddha-name flowing continuously in your heart, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. When you achieve this, you gain the power to transform your environment and suppress the rise of delusions and personality-driven reactions. If your practice lacks this strength, you will find it difficult to resist the pull of your personality. You may be led by your traits to create negative karma, or you may be drawn by your karmic creditors into other space, manifesting as being drowsy.
Maintaining a continuous, unbroken stream of mindfulness is the area where you must put in the work. It is not a goal that can be achieved overnight. However, if you do not exert the effort, you will simply allow your karma and personality to dictate your life, drifting through one lifetime after another without progress.
A Call to Diligent Practice
Listen to the teachings of Namo Amituofo, the guidance of your Teacher, and the words of Practitioner Su. If you can let go of doubt and truly put in the work to change your ways, you will finally reap the actual benefits of your practice. You must be diligent in your efforts to:
Practise the Three Learnings: Focus on the (Discipline), Concentration and Wisdom.
Cultivate the Six Perfections: Apply these in your daily interactions with others.
Nurture Virtues: Grow your , Wisdom, mind-capacity, and ability to be inclusive.
Overcome Obstacles: During your daily practice, work hard to conquer being drowsy and prevent your mind from wandering into other space.
Purifying , heart, and spirit: Dedicate yourself to the ongoing process of inner cleansing.
The fourfold assembly must strive with great diligent practice to achieve these goals. Only then can we say that our spiritual practice is truly making progress. Namo Amituofo.
