Greed is a profound affliction of the heart. To truly stop the impulse of greed, one must put in the work within one's own heart. We must understand that the pursuit of wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep is merely a process occurring within the cycle of and the causes and effects. These are phenomena governed by the law of arising and ceasing; they are not permanent.
Because of greed, beings create various negative causes. This leads to the manifestation of , where one must endure the suffering of evil consequences. Such beings are truly to be pitied. Among the —Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt—greed is the primary poison. Similarly, the —wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep—are known as the five roots that lead to the hells.
The Descent into Darkness
Those who suffer in the hells are beings who created negative karma while in the world. After their actions were judged and sentenced according to the laws of the underworld, they were sent to the hells to undergo their retribution. If one observes the causes for their suffering, one will find that it almost always stems from the Five Poisons, with greed being the primary cause.
What is it that they crave? They crave wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. Greed begins with a single mental note; once the thought arises, the action of greed follows. In Buddhism, it is understood that every thought and intention is the creation of a negative cause. Once a thought arises, if one follows it with action, the sin is compounded.
The of the Mind
When a thought arises, if you have the awareness to recognise that it is a negative cause, you must immediately stop or extinguish it. If you can stop the cause, you will not commit the act, and if you never repeat it, you are a wise person. However, if one commits the same error repeatedly without stopping, one adds to their sins, and the suffering of the hells will be difficult to bear. If one fails to restrain these thoughts and they become extreme, one will fall into the Demon Realm.
This is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way; it is not something that any individual can change or manipulate. Students of Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, you must be cautious! You must be very cautious!
The Shield of the
Since self-discipline is often difficult to maintain, we must use the Precepts to regulate and block these impulses. The heart and actions of greed, in particular, often manifest without us even being aware of them. This is why, from ancient times until today, the patriarchs and venerable masters have placed such great importance on the Precepts. They have repeatedly admonished practitioners, especially monastics, to uphold the Precepts and not to violate them. If you do violate them, stop immediately, know how to repent, and do not commit the act again.
While the Precepts of the Buddha’s teachings may be adjusted according to the person, the time, the location, the dynasty, or the laws of the land, they remain a code of conduct that all who receive the Precepts must uphold together. Each individual must transform their improper thoughts and actions to ensure that their practice remains on the righteous path.
The Path to Purity
Do not pollute your heart. Keep it pure so that you may receive the and support of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If you are in the Pure Land, chanting the name of and making sincere vows, you will certainly receive the support of Namo Amituofo, and there will come a time when you will transform your karma and become an awakened being.
The various Precepts have specific objects they are meant to uphold, both in heart and in action. At Hsiang Kuang: A Sacred Sanctuary, there are protectors who provide support. However, if your actions violate the Dharma, the Dharma protectors will distance themselves from you. If your actions are contrary to the Precepts, you must either correct them or transform them. When you do so, the Dharma protectors will continue to protect you and assist you in making progress in your practice. Therefore, whether the practice at Hsiang Kuang is easy or difficult depends entirely on your heart; what is difficult can be transformed into something easy.
