In ancient times, monastics and dedicated practitioners often chose to dwell in deep, secluded mountain forests. They remained hidden from the world, living simple lives in remote peaks, practising strict self-discipline. Why did they choose such isolation? It was because they understood that the habits and personality traits cultivated in the world are not easily changed. They recognised that the heavy accumulated over accumulated lifetimes, along with the deep-seated delusion, discrimination, and attachment, are difficult to subdue.
By choosing to live in sparsely populated areas or within the communal life of a monastery, they sought to protect their body, mind, and spirit from the pollution of worldly emotions and material desires. They lived lives of simplicity, finding contentment in the humble fragrance of wild vegetables and self-sufficiency. Their goal was to maintain a pure state of being, to make genuine progress in their practice, and to eventually rediscover their original, true self—that state of cool, refreshing clarity and freedom.
The Modern Struggle
In our modern era, the world has become a global village, yet the internal discipline required for spiritual growth has diminished. Many practitioners today lack the essential ability to look inward and reflect upon their own minds. They do not realise that this capacity for self-reflection is a vital link in elevating the quality of one's spirit. Instead, they exhaust their physical energy, mental focus, and precious life force in the pursuit of external validation.
They find themselves trapped in a cycle of wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep, constantly driven by Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt. This lifestyle leaves the inner heart restless, haunted by unknown fears that cannot be soothed. Because these emotions are suppressed and pushed inward, they form a layer of pollution within , mind, and spirit that is difficult to remove, making it nearly impossible to achieve the purity required for successful practice.
The Illusion of Self-Expression
Many people today ignore the importance of Ethics and Morality, believing that such foundations are merely constraints that hinder their personal development and creativity. They do not understand that this worldly sense of self and this type of creativity are actually manifestations of karma. To fully indulge in this ego-driven creativity is simply to provide more opportunities for one's karma to manifest and take root. When one drifts further away from purity and Goodness, how can one hope to cease the creation of karma, transform it, and eventually realise one's true nature?
The natural qualities of the heart—, simplicity, kindness, sincerity, gratitude, consideration for others, and a spirit of service—are being buried. In their place, selfishness and self-interest have taken hold. People mistake this ego-centric life for true freedom, not realising that they are drifting further and further away from their original Buddha-nature. They have become strangers to their own true faces.
The Two-Power Path
Only through Buddhist education can we teach the masses to recognise the truth of reality. We must understand what it means to be our true selves, how to rediscover our original nature, and how to comprehend the laws of karma and cause and effect. We must clearly understand the cycle of the six realms of rebirth and the weight of our own karma, while simultaneously coming to know and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
When one understands that in this age of the ’s decline, it is difficult to succeed through alone, one will realise the necessity of the two-power path. One must combine diligent self-practice with the Buddha's . This is the only way to achieve success. The Buddha's blessings can only be activated when we take the initiative to change our ways, using prostrations, chanting Namo Amituofo, and reciting the Sutras to settle the heart and achieve purification. Only then can we truly subdue our own personality traits and habitual tendencies.
The Path of Deliverance
By listening to the Sutras and hearing the Dharma, we allow ourselves—and the beings residing within our bodies—to recognise the suffering inherent in this world. We come to understand that at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, there exists the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and that the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is the ultimate destination for leaving suffering and gaining happiness.
When these beings are willing to leave their suffering behind and accept the resolution offered through , they are invited to be saved. This process represents a dual effort: the beings and their save themselves through their willingness to let go, while the Buddha provides the necessary support. By combining our own efforts with the Buddha's power, we create the opportunity to be saved and to finally leave suffering behind.
