Reflections on the Nature of the Mind: The Fifteenth Letter of Lee Kuan Yew

This article presents the fifteenth letter from the late Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister of Singapore, who sought deliverance through the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This message was recorded on August 16, 2017, and reflects his current state of existence in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Lee Kuan Yew speaks:

"August 16, 2017. Greetings to everyone. I am Lee Kuan Yew. I have already written many letters, yet I have not received any response. I originally thought that I would not care, but I have discovered that there is still a sense of disappointment—a feeling of expectation. I have come to deeply realise that this is another form of learning for me. During my life in the human world, I grew up in an environment of constant challenges and relative stability. I always believed that as long as one did not give up on an opportunity, one would surely succeed. Now, however, I have no choice but to accept the subtle arrangements of the Causal Conditions in this world."

A Life Beyond the Worldly Fray

"The era in which I could command the winds and rain has passed. After all the tremendous changes, I am now left only with myself, living a life of coolness and ease. There are no longer the endless disturbances of the human world, nor the entanglements of right and wrong, grievances, or grudges. What remains is a quiet, patient waiting for a response, following the flow of being connected by karmic affinity. I believe that if there is a connection, I will continue my affinity with the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre; if not, I still wish everyone well.

Having lived in the human world and now residing in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, I know that the work being done at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is something that ordinary monastics or lay practitioners simply cannot achieve. The difference lies in the heart. It is a heart that is pure and solely focused on the benefit of all beings, without a single trace of self-interest. Some may do work for the sake of beings, but they still leave a little room for themselves. Others think of themselves first, and only then look to see how much space they can spare for the temple and for the beings. Such differences in thought create vast differences in mind-capacity, ability, and achievement."

The Clarity of the Pure Land Mind

"Here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, if I wish to know the thoughts of another, it seems that with a single turn of the mind, I can perceive them. Could this be the reading of minds mentioned in the scriptures? Yet, at times, it does not seem entirely clear. I explored why such differences exist. I later realised that it depends on whether my heart is pure at that moment. If I am not distracted by wandering thoughts, and I turn my mind to perceive the thoughts of someone in the human world, I can see them very clearly. However, if my heart is not pure and I am caught up in scattered thoughts, I cannot clearly know what the other person is thinking.

I am a newcomer here, having just arrived, so my skills are not yet stable. For the senior residents of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss who possess great skills, nothing can be hidden from them—let alone from the Buddha or Bodhisattva, or Namo Amituofo. Nothing can be concealed from them at all. They know the hearts of others with absolute clarity and precision. You may find excuses and deceive yourself, but you cannot deceive the Buddha or Bodhisattva. If police officers in the human world generally possessed this ability, there would be no need for lie detectors. Whether in criminal or civil cases, investigations could be solved in a very short time, and there would be no such thing as cold cases or cases without clues."

The Reality of Supernatural Powers

"If one could add the heavenly eye or divine hearing to this—abilities that one possesses inherently, as these so-called supernatural powers are not external but are abilities one has always had—then nothing could be hidden from one's eyes and ears, and solving cases would be even easier. However, in the human world, possessing even one such ability is considered extraordinary, and those who possess multiple abilities are rare indeed. In truth, here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, these abilities are something we all possess quite naturally."

A Message to My Son

"Hsien Loong, my son, for such a long time I have not received any response. Looking at it now, these letters have likely been treated as junk mail. Alas! Truthful words are often not taken seriously. In any case, what I want to tell Hsien Loong is that the goodness of Namo Amituofo and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss should be made known to more people. Helping others to stay away from fear, to attain peace of heart, and to gain happiness in the next life is, in fact, helping oneself to stay away from fear, to attain peace of heart, and to gain happiness in the next life. The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre can help with this, and I am one of those who have been helped. I am filled with gratitude. Namo Amituofo."

Written by Lee Kuan Yew

The message content was recorded by the disciple of the Buddha, Venerable HaiZe.