The Thirtieth Letter of Venerable Master Sheng Yen
Do Not Cling to Bodily Sensations
Interview with Gu Fangzhou (Chinese Virologist)
No Longer Distinguishing Right from Wrong
Interview with Li Yining (The Theoretical Founder of China's Shareholding System Reform)
Interview with Li Wenrui (Expert in Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Master of National Medicine)
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:
". 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?
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?
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 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.
Every single one of these letters represents the genuine realisations and 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 Buddhist Centre. I hope everyone is willing to follow this counsel. Namo Amituofo."
A candid reflection from the late Venerable Master Sheng Yen on his life, his journey through the afterlife, and his urgent plea for his followers to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Venerable Master Sheng Yen reflects on his life, the weight of his karmic debts, and his profound gratitude for the opportunity to deliver sentient beings through the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.
Venerable Master Sheng Yen reflects on his past life, the weight of his karmic debts, and his profound gratitude for the deliverance offered at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.
Master Sheng Yen reflects on his past teachings, the limitations of self-power practice in the Dharma-Ending Age, and the urgent necessity of the Pure Land Dharma Gate for true liberation from the six realms of rebirth.
A candid reflection from the spirit of Elizabeth Taylor, who shares her journey from the blinding lights of Hollywood to the serene, transformative teachings of the Buddha in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Michael Jackson shares his journey from the pressures of global fame to the peace of the Western Pure Land, revealing the truth behind his life and his ultimate deliverance.
Helen Keller, the renowned deaf-blind philanthropist, shares her journey from the darkness of the ghost realm to the light of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, guided by the compassion of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su.
Albert Einstein, once considered the most brilliant mind in human history, reflects on his life, the nature of 'science' versus the Truth of the Dharma, and his existence in the Western Pure Land.
Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, reflects on his life, his political career, and his profound journey from the depths of hell to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss through the compassion of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su.
This is a record of an interview with Kim Il Sung, the founder and former leader of North Korea, who sought deliverance 32 years ago. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library