Teachings on Dharma Joy from National Master Xian Shou
The Twenty-ninth Interview with National Master Xian Shou
October 20, 2017
The Essence of
Dharma joy is a state of profound inner peace and satisfaction that transcends all worldly happiness. It can arise from a sudden, deep understanding of a single phrase of the Dharma, from participating in a Dharma assembly that saves sentient beings, or from successfully completing a task that allows spirits to receive the benefits of the Dharma. You may also experience this joy when meeting an eminent monk, a venerable master, or a dedicated lay practitioner whom you deeply admire. This joy is far superior to any worldly happiness. Why is this so? Because behind most worldly joys, there is often a chain of complex emotions: anger, sorrow, joy, and the pain of separation. In contrast, Dharma joy is followed by purification, peace, and gratitude.
What is the Dharma? It is the method that allows you to change, purify, and improve your Body, Speech, and Mind. What is joy? It is the feeling of happiness, satisfaction, and delight within your Body-Mind-Spirit. Dharma joy is everywhere, and every aspect of it provides the benefits of the Dharma. A person who is deeply immersed in Dharma joy will naturally possess a harmonious body and mind. They do not need external assistance to feel content. The joy that radiates from the depths of their heart is reflected in their face, their expressions, their tone of voice, and their physical movements. It is always different—distinct from the ordinary.
The Transformation of the World
If you apply a little keen awareness, you will discover that there are many differences between the human world and the Dharma Realm. Because humans possess physical bodies, they have the capacity to create many changes. The natural environment—the mountains, rivers, earth, flowers, trees, and the very air we breathe—can take on different appearances depending on the state of the human heart. You can merge with the mountains and rivers to perceive their original, pristine state, or you can use human intervention to reshape them. While this may bring convenience, it can also lead to destruction and disaster.
The region in which you reside will fluctuate and develop a specific atmosphere based on the hearts of the people living there. Throughout history, we have often heard stories of legendary figures within the Buddha’s teachings. These stories are recorded in sutras and biographies because these individuals were different from ordinary people in their actions, speech, and intentions. Their contribution to the Buddha’s teachings and to the hearts of society went far beyond the ordinary; they exerted a vast, transformative influence that improved and refined the world. This influence was a result of their own virtuous practice of the Buddha’s teachings. It was also the blessing of the society at that time to have such a true spiritual friend appear in the human world. This is both a matter of Causal Conditions and a manifestation of grace.
Education as the Path to
What are the concrete ways to refine the human heart so that joy is found everywhere and the mind is filled with Goodness and virtuous thoughts? Education is the most direct method. When a teacher speaks, the listener receives the message. But have they truly listened? How much have they absorbed? How much benefit have they gained? The level of effort and the resulting progress vary for each individual. We occasionally hear legendary stories of those who practise the Buddha’s teachings. Since these stories are legendary, they are by definition different from the ordinary. What people generally believe to be true is often vastly different from the actual Truth. Because the world does not yet know this, it is necessary to teach and transform the human heart. In the process of transforming and purifying, we must ensure that people receive the benefits of the Dharma and become filled with Dharma joy. Such stories, passed down by word of mouth, often leave people in awe. The sheer power and virtue of these individuals shake the hearts of others, making them objects of admiration and worthy of study by all people in the world.
The Infinite Nature of the Dharma Realm
Whether you can encounter such legendary figures in the vastness of the Dharma Realm is a matter of Causal Conditions. If you truly encounter them, you will find the path to ending the cycle of rebirth, achieving freedom in your rebirth in the of Ultimate Bliss, and attaining what is truly attainable. This opportunity is magnificent and rare; you must cherish it, for it can vanish in an instant. Within the vastness of space, all things are actually interconnected and mutually aware. However, because we are reincarnated through the cycle of rebirth, we drink Meng Po’s soup, forget our past, and change our appearance, becoming strangers to one another. Yet, every single thing we have done is stored in the throughout your many lives.
Perhaps we are fortunate, and those who manifest to teach us are not driven by the Alaya , but are instead Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or ancestral masters. They are able to move freely and without obstruction, using wisdom to resolve all difficulties and using their insight to clear away all obstacles as they teach sentient beings. When you merge with the heavens, the earth, and all things, and when you realise your true nature and see that all phenomena return to the One, your mind will become clear and bright, and the light of your heart will burst forth. Naturally, you will be filled with Dharma joy every day and feel infinite gratitude.
Returning to the Source
Are the truths realised by the ancestral masters of the past the same as those realised by the awakened beings of today? Yes, they are the same. All phenomena share the same origin, and there is only one Truth. Although the manifestations may differ, they never depart from the original source. The physical body is merely an illusion, a game played in the human world. Because of the Causal Conditions, these illusions appear. When the conditions are exhausted and the life of the physical body ends, it will inevitably decay and return to the earth. In the midst of this illusion, you must seek the Truth. Eventually, you will find it. When the soul returns to , the spirit is complete and whole. Only then can you see the Truth, exhaust all delusions, and return to the source. Where is the original place? It is returning to your original position.
At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Practitioner Su has awakened and sees within himself, for he is Amitabha. These legendary stories of travelling to and from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss demonstrate that space is infinite and time is always available. By chanting the Buddha-name of Namo Amituofo, we save beings in a way that is boundless and endless. You will naturally return to your home. Seeing Amitabha again is also seeing Amitabha. Namo Amituofo.
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library