Recorded and transcribed by ’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
On the fourteenth of February, 2025, during the second session of the , Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offered these profound insights into the nature of greatness.
The Fleeting Shadows of Worldly Measurement
In our daily lives, we often define greatness through the lens of material and physical concepts. We look at the world and perceive size based on physical form:
Large material forms are seen as having greater capacity.
Small material forms are seen as having lesser capacity.
We also apply this logic to the concept of age. We view those who have lived longer as elders, deserving of respect, while those who are younger are considered juniors. However, these are merely superficial measurements of the physical world. They do not touch upon the true essence of what it means to be great.
The Boundless Horizon of a Great Heart
True greatness is found in the depth and breadth of one's mind-capacity. When we speak of a person with a truly great mind, we are describing someone whose heart is as vast as the ocean. Such a person possesses extraordinary qualities:
They do not dwell on the faults of others. If others have committed wrongs, they are able to embrace them with .
They do not give rise to anger or resentment. Instead, they face every situation with a calm and steady heart, often resolving disasters and obstacles before they even manifest.
They are capable of performing acts of Goodness in silence, without seeking recognition or praise.
They engage in Generosity, offering benefits to all beings in the heavens and on earth.
They do not calculate gains or losses, and they do not engage in the trap of discriminations.
They are willing to suffer a loss rather than take advantage of others.
They avoid conflict, choosing to yield and take responsibility, saying, "They are right, and I am wrong."
When one can maintain a mind that remains undisturbed by the fluctuations of the world, one is truly a person of virtue.
The Narrow Path of -Protective Ego
In contrast, those with a small mind-capacity are often trapped by their own . They are quick to notice the faults of others. When they feel wronged or when others make mistakes, they find it difficult to endure, leading to anger, resentment, and harsh criticism. Their lives are often defined by:
Constant calculation and the habit of making discriminations.
An inability to suffer a loss; they would rather see others lose than suffer a loss themselves.
A desperate need to win every argument, always seeking to have the final word and to occupy the superior position.
A rigid insistence that they are right and others are wrong, creating a world of conflict based on these false divisions.
People naturally feel drawn to elders who can love, protect, and guide the younger generation. In the presence of such a person, one feels as if they are bathed in a gentle spring breeze, finding peace to learn and grow. Conversely, people naturally distance themselves from those with small minds who are overly protective of their own egos and intolerant of any perceived intrusion.
The Infinite Compassion of the Universal Buddha
So, what is truly great? True greatness lies in the vow to save beings. It is the practice of seeking progress not for oneself, but for the sake of rescuing others—saving one being at a time. When we practise to realise our true nature, we do so to save all beings. In this process, we realise that we ourselves are among these beings, and the one who realises their true nature is the first to be saved.
Namo Amituofo, the Universal Buddha, possesses power and merit that are beyond measure. Through the Forty-eight Great Vows, Namo Amituofo saves all beings, a feat praised by all the Buddhas of the ten directions. For ten kalpas, Namo Amituofo has been working to save countless suffering beings, guiding them into the of Ultimate Bliss. This is the definition of greatness.
Today, Namo Amituofo has descended to this world and truly abides at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. We should all follow this path with haste. Let us work together to save all beings, resolving our own suffering and the suffering of others, so that we may all attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
