The Discipline of Self-Reflection and Spiritual Growth
An Interview with the Late Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew
Recorded on August 22, 2018
This interview was recorded on August 22, 2018. The late Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, sought deliverance through the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre and now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This testimony was transcribed by the chief writer, Shi Faxi.
Lee Kuan Yew speaks:
"Namo Amituofo. Every single day, I observe the progress of all of you. There are those who advance and those who retreat; I see those who are diligent in their practice and those who have become lax. Everything that each person does, and every thought that arises in your heart, directly influences the trajectory of your own practice. But one must ask: what does it truly mean to achieve success in one's practice?
The Mirror of Self-Examination
"There are so many moments when you fail to look at your own internal checklist. You do not know if your efforts or your laziness have exceeded the acceptable limits. In my past life, I was a man who understood the necessity of examining myself. I would constantly adjust my behaviour and my direction, always seeking to understand whether I was truly making progress or if I had begun to slide backward. In this world, no one knows you better than you know yourself. Furthermore, you are the only one who truly ought to face yourself. Only when you see your own reality—and possess the awareness to discover it—can you make genuine progress.
"Nothing in this life is absolute, but you must understand that in every endeavour, you should exert your maximum effort. Where there are shortcomings, you must know how to rectify them. You must constantly demand growth from yourself and transform your weaknesses. To become a person of true achievement, one must possess real strength of character. I am Lee Kuan Yew, and this is how I conducted my life in the past."
True Practice and the Path to Liberation
"However, all of you here are in a more unique position. The changes you are making are part of a true practice, and seeing this moves me deeply. Right now, your only task is to be diligent and strive to find your true self. Everything else is merely the trivial business of the world. You can reflect upon these things, and one by one, choose to let them go. Purifying your own heart—that is the most essential matter of all.
"I am using the methods I employed as a national leader to tell you how to refine your practice. Becoming a person of achievement is not easy, but becoming a person of liberation requires even greater effort and transformation. It is only here in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss that I have truly begun to learn the essence of practice. Yet, the methods I used in the world previously brought me great success. A person's success must have a method behind it. My method was to see myself clearly and to examine myself every single day. I never tolerated my own mistakes, yet I never suppressed myself excessively either. My life was successful because of this, and now, my spiritual practice is being transformed by these same principles.
"To become a person of value, you must put forth genuine effort and produce real results. I hope these words are helpful to all of you. I am grateful for the of the Buddha, which allows us all to strive together on this path of practice. I am truly grateful. Namo Amituofo."
"Lee Kuan Yew"
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library