The Onion of the Soul: A Path to Awakening

This interview features Venerable Yongning, who sought deliverance through the compassionate guidance of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Currently residing in the Pure Land, Venerable Yongning shares profound insights on the nature of spiritual practice and the journey toward enlightenment, as recorded on December 5, 2019. This account was transcribed by the chief writer, Shi Faxin.

Venerable Yongning speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Venerable Yongning. When we reside within this physical body, we are constantly faced with a fundamental test: within us, there exists both a Buddha-nature and a demon nature. These two forces are in a perpetual dance, and the challenge of our practice is to navigate this duality with clarity and wisdom.

The Duality Within the Physical Form

During our practice, we must ask ourselves: when does our Buddha-nature manifest, and when does our demon nature take control? You must strive to discover this in the very moments when your awareness is at its sharpest. At that precise moment, you must observe what kind of external environment triggered your reaction. What specific circumstances cause your heart to fluctuate the most? Even the smallest ripple of emotion, or the largest surge of agitation, must be clearly recognised in the present moment. This is the essence of true practice.

You are the one who has spent the longest time with this physical body. Even if you cannot fully understand it, you should at least be able to grasp sixty percent of its workings. As for the remaining forty percent that remains unclear, it is often obscured by the interference of karmic creditors or perhaps filled with the cluttered space of your own wandering thoughts. Within that sixty percent you have managed to master, you must examine how many coarse threads and how many fine threads of habit are woven into your character.

Peeling the Onion of the Self

Within these coarse and fine threads, you must distinguish which specific habits are present. Are they rooted in greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, or doubt? Once identified, you must determine how to overcome or let go of them, bit by bit. Practice is much like peeling an onion; once you peel away one layer, another is revealed beneath it. As you change and purify yourself by a certain degree, your karmic creditors will also be willing to let go of their grievances by that same degree.

In the beginning, it is easiest to identify the obvious, coarse threads. These may be habits accumulated over a long period, or they may be tendencies brought over from past lives. You must be determined to let go of these. However, you will soon discover that as you peel back these layers, new waves of emotion rise up. These are the subtle, fine threads vibrating, tempting you to fall back into your old, familiar habits. Never underestimate the power of habit. Habits are like springs bubbling up from deep underground; they erupt and spread, covering a vast range. They do not just affect the present moment—they can be triggered by any person, object, or event you encounter.

The Unyielding Truth of Practice

To completely purify these habits requires long-term, diligent practice. By using the methods most suited to your own nature, you can gradually erase these coarse threads. Once you do, both your external appearance and the aura you project will undergo a profound transformation. Practice is something that cannot deceive anyone. It is a process that requires you to step forward, one foot at a time, with absolute groundedness, facing the real problems within your own heart.

There is no room for disguise or concealment. Only by facing yourself with a sincere heart and absolute honesty can you find the opportunity for true achievement. The daily Dharma talks given by Practitioner Su are specifically designed to help everyone wake up and remain clear-headed. The Truth of the universe does not change; it is only through your own dedicated practice that you can draw closer and closer to the Buddha. To learn Buddhism, to truly learn Buddhism—one must learn to be like the Buddha, and in doing so, one can become a Buddha. Namo Amituofo."