The Necessity of the Bumpy Road

This is the thirtieth letter from Venerable Master Sheng Yen, who now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. He shares his profound insights on the nature of spiritual practice and the necessity of overcoming adversity. This message was recorded by the disciple Shi Faxi on July 15, 2017.

Venerable Master Sheng Yen speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. On the path of spiritual practice, there is no such thing as a permanently smooth journey. We must always expect, and even embrace, the bumpy roads. We will stumble over stones, we will fall, and we will suffer injuries. But it is precisely through these setbacks that we learn to stand up again. It is only through a life of constant tempering and the occasional lack of success that one can truly earn genuine, stable, and solid achievements. Think about it—if a path were always perfectly smooth, would that truly be the path of a practitioner?

The Illusion of the Smooth Path

Too many people yearn for a safe, smooth route through life. But in reality, such a path simply does not exist. If you believe you have found one, you must be careful—that is almost certainly the demon path, not the Buddha's path. Alternatively, you would have to be a true Sage reborn, someone who encounters absolutely no adversity, but the probability of that is infinitesimally small. What is it that we are actually cultivating? We are cultivating our own conduct, our habits, our personality, and we are correcting the very route we are walking. If you believe your route is already perfect, then how can you possibly practise? That mindset actually suggests that you are unable to see your own problems, which is a far more serious issue.

Do not fear setbacks. Setbacks are often the most vital ingredient for success. Without them, success feels hollow and unreal; it is very likely just a self-deluded illusion. We all know that the symphony of life cannot consist of a single, monotonous note. It requires high notes, low notes, rests, and transitions to create a beautiful, complete composition. While I do not possess a deep understanding of music, I understand this fundamental principle. Spiritual practice is exactly the same. If there were no changes, no challenges, and everything were always perfectly calm, how could one ever truly perceive the essence of the Truth?

The Wisdom of Self-Reflection

There is an ancient saying passed down by the Sages: 'When you see a person of virtue, seek to emulate them; when you see someone who lacks virtue, look within and examine yourself.' This ancient wisdom is perfectly applicable to our practice. We must truly strive to live by this. Furthermore, we should try our best not to be the first to point out the mistakes of others. Instead, we should first reflect on whether we ourselves possess the same faults. If the children of Dharma Drum Mountain read these words that I have left behind, and if they only focus on picking out doubts or errors without seeing the principles I am trying to impart, then I would be deeply disappointed.

A Message to the Dharma Drum Mountain Community

Every single one of these letters represents the genuine realisations and feelings of my entire life of practice, including my current state here in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. These words are the true record of my spiritual journey. If I were not standing from the perspective of wanting to save the world, this opportunity for communication would never have arisen. I am no longer a living person in the human sense, and I hope everyone understands how magnificent this Dharma affinity truly is.

Venerable Guo Dong, I have no great worries about leaving the Dharma Drum Mountain community in your care. I am very much at ease. However, I hope that you will trust these words. The external Buddha's teachings, including the current system at Dharma Drum Mountain, are lacking the ultimate Truth of achieving rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Our Dharma Drum Mountain truly needs this genuine skill. The concepts of achievement and the ultimate goal really need to be re-examined. I hope that Venerable Guo Dong will accompany a few other Venerables or students to come here and visit the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. I hope everyone is willing to follow this counsel. Namo Amituofo."