Resolving Conflicts Within the Buddha’s Gate: A Consultation for Lay Practitioner Cai

The Wisdom of Letting Go

The chief writer, Venerable Shi Fajing, recorded this session. Seeking clarity for Lay Practitioner Cai, who has been suffering from persistent discomfort in his head, Six Roots, and skin pores, the disciple respectfully invited Great Master Xuanzang to provide his compassionate teachings.

Great Master Xuanzang offered these profound words of guidance:

• Let go of the self: To let go is to return the heart to a state of emptiness.
• Return to the One: When you truly let go, the myriad things return to the One.
• Discover true joy: Only by letting go can one truly know the meaning of joy.
• Manifestation: It is only after you let go that you can truly possess anything of lasting value.
• Freedom in action: Letting go is the path to walking in true freedom.

You must learn to let go of the self, let go of your attachments, let go of the body, let go of your intentions, let go of your sensations, and let go of all perceptions. You must let go of everything, including the illusory appearances of this world; do not cling to them any longer. When your heart dwells on nothing, you will know how to let go. By letting go of the sensations of this false body, you will attain a state of pure arrival. When your heart is difficult to master, know how to let go; by letting go of your thoughts, you will attain the state of no-thought. When your heart is difficult to calm, know how to let go; by letting go of the rigidity within your nature, you will attain gentleness, freedom, and joy. When your heart feels lonely, know how to let go; by letting go of the bindings of this body, your spirit will naturally appear clear, and you will awaken the brightness of your original nature.

If the light of your true nature is about to appear but you allow it to be covered by filth and darkness, you will not see its radiance; you will only continue to wander in the illusions of a dream. You must grasp every opportunity to awaken and reflect upon yourself. If you can be grateful for everything you encounter, if you can be grateful for the myriad beings who help you achieve your own growth, and if you can be grateful for all things, then your heart will naturally be purified within the Buddha. You will naturally cease to give rise to wandering thoughts. When you have this awareness, this reflection, and this practice, the wisdom of the Buddha will naturally manifest. Namo Amituofo.

The Inner Turmoil of Lay Practitioner Cai

Suddenly, the voice of the spirit residing within Lay Practitioner Cai emerged, expressing deep anguish: "I am not happy. I have grown old, and I am not happy. There is a life I wish I could have lived, but I am not happy. Why am I so unhappy? I do not know what it is that I truly want. I have been searching, searching constantly, but the more I search, the more unsettled my heart becomes. I want to grasp everything around me, yet I cannot hold onto anything. I want to possess everything, yet I have gained nothing. I feel so stifled. It seems as though it has been a long time since I laughed as I did long ago. I cannot laugh; even when I do, it is only my facial skin moving, not my heart. My legs feel so heavy, my body feels so heavy, and I cannot walk. Why is it so burdensome? I am gasping for air, as if I have been running for a long time. Why am I so breathless? Sighing—my heart is sighing. I have done so much, yet I never get enough sleep. Why is everything still the same? I am shrinking, becoming smaller and smaller, until I can barely find myself. Who can tell me what I am actually doing right now?"

The Voices of the Karmic Creditors

Venerable Shi Fajing asked, "May I ask who is currently residing within the body of Lay Practitioner Cai?"

The spirits responded one by one:

• The First Spirit: "I am his consort." (Residing in the head, eyes, lower body, and ears.)
• The Second Spirit: "I am his old minister." (Residing in the back of the head, temples, eyes, mouth, and ears.)
• The Third Spirit: "I am his beloved general." (Residing in the head, shoulders, and back.)
• The Fourth Spirit: "I am his disciple." (Residing in the head, eyes, shoulders, back, and feet.)
• The Fifth Spirit: "We were once competing fellow practitioners. Now, I am him, and he is me. We have merged into one; who can tell who is who?" (Residing in the face, corners of the mouth, head, and back of the head.)
• The Sixth Spirit: "He is the one who summoned us here. We are in this space, and his thoughts and fluctuations act like a magnet, drawing us all into his body. We are all pressed tightly against his entire being. His head is dizzy and swollen, his eyes cannot open, he wants to eat, he eats too much, he wants to sleep, but he cannot wake up. His pores cannot breathe; they are completely occupied. It is so crowded! Can you give us a little more space?" (Residing in the pores, skin, head, and eyes.)
• The Seventh Spirit: "Who says I am a demon? Shh! He does not like to hear the word 'demon,' so I will not say I am one. I am just a person with a strong personality and my own ideas. I hide in his heart; sometimes I hide very deep, and sometimes I sneak out. No one notices me, and I have such fun playing!" (Residing in the heart and chest.)

The Compassionate Guidance of Namo Amituofo

Namo Amituofo’s light shone upon them, and He offered these teachings to the beings:

"Children, stop, and be purified. The past is the cause, and the present is the result. The present is the cause, and the future is the result. The cycle of reincarnation is endless; when will you stop and be purified? Do not let your own spirits suffer in endless misery. When will you finally be liberated from this life? The Buddha will help you all to purify your hearts so that you may see your own past and future. Do not continue to torment yourselves in this way."

A representative of the spirits spoke: "It is that one breath we cannot swallow! That single breath! Why does the Master always favour him? Why has the Master never seen my virtues? He is a hypocrite who loves to show off, to disguise himself, and to be two-faced. He acts one way in front of us, but in front of the Master, he puts on a performance of being obedient and well-behaved! We feel nauseated just looking at him! Why can the Master’s wisdom-eye not see through his hypocrisy? We have been harmed so miserably by him, and we are filled with such hatred. Now that we have finally found an opportunity, of course, we must torment him! Let him feel stifled! Let him be angry! Let him be jealous! His personality is the same as it was in the past; we are just fanning the flames for him. Let it continue to burn!"

A Path to Reconciliation and Liberation

Venerable Shi Fajing replied: "In the past, you were all eminent monks. I believe that whether it concerns the scriptures of the Buddha’s gate, the principles of the world, or the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, you understand them all very well. It is only the unresolved aspects of your personalities that have led you to your current state. I believe this is not the result you truly desire. Now that the Buddha has come to this world to teach, and has provided guidance time and time again, you have all heard some of it. However, your hearts remain unsettled, which is why you cannot let go. If you could let go, you would certainly be the great pillars of the Buddha’s gate. Although he still has a personality that you have seized upon in this lifetime, he truly wishes to change, and he has vowed to help all beings. All the merits he accumulates can be used to help you achieve liberation, provided that you are willing to let go and stop interfering with him, allowing his heart to remain unaffected. I believe he has the sincere intention to resolve these conflicts with you, and he certainly has the capacity to save beings. You should know the suffering of beings better than we do. Your hearts are all compassionate; otherwise, you would not have wished to become monastics in the first place. Now that the Buddha has come to this world to save it, everyone can use their abilities to help beings. The Buddha does not look at our past mistakes. As long as you change your thoughts in this very moment, you can return to your original state, or even transform into a brand-new self. Let us give each other a chance and start anew!"

The spirits replied: "That is easy to say! Change is not just about words. In the past, we also wanted to change, but no matter how hard we tried, we could not. Our hearts were still filled with anger and hatred! Now, what face do we have to talk about changing?"

Venerable Shi Fajing said: "The Buddha is here to teach us now. As long as we listen to the Dharma earnestly and follow the Buddha’s teachings with a sincere heart, we will certainly be able to change."

The spirits said: "We know the suffering of beings, and we once wanted to help them, but now we cannot find that original heart; it seems to have disappeared. We are almost unable to recognise ourselves. Our minds are filled with the grievances of the past. When we see him suffer, we are happy, but sometimes when he suffers, we actually feel even more miserable."

Venerable Shi Fajing said: "You feel miserable because there is still compassion in your hearts; you do not truly want the other person to suffer. Let go! The Buddha is right before you, reaching out to lead you. Clinging to these false sensations only makes it harder for everyone to escape. It would be better to use your strength together to save beings. Everyone can attain a higher level of virtue and return to our home in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

The spirits were silent for a moment, then said: "Let us go! We do not all have to leave. Leaving is not because he has truly changed, but because we know the suffering of beings. How much ability he can manifest depends on how much he is truly willing to change!"

A memorial tablet was prepared for the large number of monastics residing in the back of Lay Practitioner Cai’s head, face, mouth, and pores, who had been offended by his personality in the past. Under the illumination of the Buddha’s light, those who wished to depart were invited to be placed on the memorial tablet, represented by Shi Guangdai, to undergo purification, calm the heart, recall the Buddha-heart, and eliminate past memories.

Venerable Shi Fajing asked: "May I ask Namo Amituofo, what should be done for the other beings who spoke just now?"

Namo Amituofo provided this discourse: "The hearts of these beings are strong, and they are not yet willing to be resolved. The Middle Way of Truth awaits the repentance of the children’s own hearts. If there is true change and true practice, these beings will naturally fade away. Do not forget the compassionate thought; all beings are in great suffering. If you change by one part, the beings will be relieved of one part of their suffering. Write another memorial tablet to help those beings who wish to depart so that they may be placed on the tablet to listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma. Namo Amituofo."

A memorial tablet was prepared for the beings residing in Lay Practitioner Cai’s head, back of the head, Six Roots, limbs, lower body, and entire body: for those karmic creditors who wish to let go and be saved, they are invited to be placed on the lotus seat to listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma. There are also countless spirits residing within his body who are not named, but who chant Namo Amituofo to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo.